kaiser alexander garde grenadier regiment

[zuid22]

My great-grandfather served before -and possibly during- WW1 in the Kaiser Alexander Garde Grenadier Regiment no. 1 in Berlin (picture below). Does anybody have any info about this regiment (especially WW1-related?) I was told my great-grandfather was a 'trainer' ('Ausbilder') in Berlin.
Thanks in advance, Roel

[Peter H]

G Gren. R 1 was with the 3 Garde-Infantrie Brigade,2 Garde-Division.As such it fought in the following battles/campaigns as follows:

1914
Belgium
Battle of Sambre
Marne
Rheims
Artois

1915
Artois
Alsace
Gorlice(Russian Front)
France
Lorette

1916
Noyon
Somme(two tours)

1917
St Quentin
Chemin des Dames
Sereth(Russian Front)
Riga(Russian Front)
France
Malmasion

1918
Metz
March Offensive
Moreuil
Aisne
Marne
Somme(Mont St Quentin battle)
Le Catelet
Ypres


The 2 Garde-Division was on standby at the time of the Armistice with the role of restoring order in Germany.Perhaps the only effective,loyal unit that the Kaiser could rely on at the time.Its sister division the 1 Garde-Division had suffered heavily in the Argonne battles against the Americans and was fairly much burnt out.

For most of the war,at least on the Russian Front, both the 1st and 2nd Divisions of the Garde Korps acted in unison in offensive operations---the 1915 Gorlice offensive,the 1917 Tarnow and Riga attacks.They were both rated first class formations.

The 2 Garde Division enters Riga in 1917:


http://forum.axishistory.com/files/riga1917_3.jpg

[zuid22]

Thanks a lot for your information - it's hard to find anything about the war-years of this regiment!
My great-grandfather was killed near Kemmel (Ypres-region) in may 1918, with reserve-infanterie-regiment 238 (52nd reserve division). Since he stayed in Berlin as an 'Ausbilder' until early 1918, I presume he was with the Kaiser Alexander-regiment for most of the war, until he was finally transferred to RIR 238. Would that make any sense?
And thanks for the pic!
regards
Roel

[Peter H]

Roel,
Each regiment that marched away in 1914 left behind an Ersatz battalion of 4 companies and two recruit depots.In the Garde Korps the training of Ersatz(Replacement)recruits was under the Inspectorate of Garde Infantrie.Anyone left behind at home would be taken off the roll of their former regiment and allocated to such an Ersatz/Depot command.This would also account for your great-grandfather not being slotted into G Gren R 1 when he went to the front in 1918.

Regards,
Peter

[FabianHH]

Very old thread..
I have some photos from the Alexander regiment in WW1 i could share with you. What was the name of your great-grandfather you are looking for?

[roel22]

Wow, must be ages since I last visited this thread!
My great-grandfathers name was Heinrich Unland.

Roel