Three divisions of reserve remained at the hamlets of Kamlack and Mindel, to support the attack made by General Lecourbe on Ulm, in a case it should succeed, or Grenier's attack upon Gunzburg, in case Lecourbe should not succeed.
Canadian Corps commander Lieutenant-General Arthur Currie had three attacking divisions, one division of reserves and numerous support units under his command.
There have been tense relations since then, primarily over the division of oil reserves and the full definition of borders.
The division, part of the reserves of Army Group A, was called to the front line on 17 May.
After the completion of the Belgian Army's mobilisation, it could muster five Regular Corps and two reserve Army Corps consisting of 12 regular infantry divisions, two divisions of Chasseurs Ardennais, six reserve infantry divisions, one brigade of Cyclist Frontier Guards, one Cavalry Corps of two divisions, and one brigade of motorised cavalry.
The outbreak of the First World War in August 1914 saw the bulk of the changes put to the test; the Expeditionary Force of six divisions was quickly sent to the Continent, whilst a Territorial Force of 14 divisions and Reserves were mobilised as planned to provide a second line.
The French forces holding the Somme line were mostly reserve divisions of poorer quality and unsupported by heavy artillery, tanks or motorised infantry.
Hitler made the final decision, which was to leave three divisions under Geyr's command and give Rommel operational control of three tank divisions as reserves.
German military thinking, under the influence of Alfred, Graf von Schlieffen, sought, unlike the French, to avoid frontal assaults but rather to achieve an early decision by deep flanking attacks; and at the same time to make use of reserve divisions alongside regular formations from the outset of war.
