On February 5, 1849, this force was redesignated the Grand Ducal Army Division (Großherzogliche Armee-Division).
[4] The organization of the Grand Ducal Army Division in 1858 was as follows:[5] In 1860, the cavalry was expanded to brigade strength.
[6] In 1867, Hesse, on the losing side of the Austro-Prussian War, entered into a convention with Prussia on military matters and reorganized its division along Prussian lines.
[9] During World War I, the Grand Ducal Hesse (25th) Infantry Division served on the Western Front.
It fought in the opening campaigns, including the Allied Great Retreat that culminated in the First Battle of the Marne, and the subsequent Race to the Sea.
In 1918 it participated in the German spring offensive and ended the war resisting the subsequent Allied counteroffensives.
Divisions received engineer companies and other support units from their higher headquarters.