The German Imperial Army in the World War - Structure and Organization - Bicycle Troops

The cyclist companies formed in 1913 were assigned as the 6th company to the Jäger and Schützen battalions. In September 1914 a second cyclist company was allotted to each battalion. Numerous cyclist units were also formed later. The cyclists did not have replacement companies, but the reserve battalions of the Jäger and Schützen had corresponding cyclist detachments.

In the Honor Book of the Green Color (ed. by Arthur Rehbein, Berlin, 1926) the following commentary on the history of the cyclists before 1914 can be found:

"The establishment and training of the cyclist troops was also entrusted in 1913 to the Inspectorate of the Jäger and Schützen. While the French cavalry divisions had been equipped with cyclist troops for several years, in the German army it was only at the beginning of the year in question that cyclist experimental detachments were formed in various Jäger battalions. In October 1913 all Jäger battalions then received statutory companies; their headcount, with regard to the length of the marching order, was only 115 men.

The initial training was carried out according to general instructions of the Jäger Inspectorate, which issued a binding training regulation in April 1914.

Thus the cyclist troop had hardly progressed beyond the experimental stage at the outbreak of the war. Nevertheless, its condition and level of training at that time must be described as excellent. The short duration of preparation for actual combat had been utilized in an exemplary manner: endurance and dexterity in riding in every terrain, by day and night in all weather, training for independence, skill in map reading and in drafting reports, excellent shooting and combat training had become the common property of the cyclists.

The equipment, however, still left something to be desired. A folding bicycle, such as the French cyclists possessed and by which they were enabled to march with the slung, folded machine through any terrain and immediately enter combat, was lacking. Our cyclists only had the choice of either fighting with half their firepower or leaving behind immobile bicycles, which caused great difficulties both during advancing attacks and in retreat.

Despite these tangible shortcomings, by virtue of their speed and marksmanship the cyclists soon became indispensable to the cavalry divisions where it was a matter of breaking the resistance of enemy rearguards, in night operations and raids, and in supporting cavalry long-range patrols. Only in impassable terrain and in deep snow was their use precluded.

With the beginning of trench warfare the cyclists' so versatile usability unfortunately came to an end. But even as foot troops they always especially distinguished themselves within their battalions and knew how to preserve and maintain the laurels they had earned during the advance" (p. 16).

During the war cyclist formations were formed in many infantry regiments etc. These cyclist companies or detachments generally bore the number of the corresponding division. In the West, after the onset of trench warfare, many cyclist formations were disbanded; on the Eastern Front — where the war was still characterized more by movement — they were retained.

From the summer of 1916 proper cyclist battalions were formed. The cyclists wore the uniform of their regiment, but as special accoutrements there were specific cloaks and baggage bags.

As the cyclists proved useful, many infantry regiments and divisions formed corresponding units. The units retained after the trench warfare in the East received the numbers of their respective division, recognizable here on the helmet covers.