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diff --git a/old/55620-0.txt b/old/55620-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 325e546..0000000 --- a/old/55620-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,59750 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Histories of two hundred and fifty-one -divisions of the German army which par, by United States Army - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Histories of two hundred and fifty-one divisions of the German army which participated in the war (1914-1918) - -Author: United States Army - -Release Date: September 24, 2017 [EBook #55620] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY OF 251 DIVS OF GERMAN ARMY *** - - - - -Produced by Richard Tonsing and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - - HISTORIES - OF - TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY-ONE DIVISIONS OF THE GERMAN ARMY WHICH - PARTICIPATED IN THE WAR (1914-1918) - COMPILED FROM RECORDS OF INTELLIGENCE SECTION OF THE GENERAL STAFF, - AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES, AT GENERAL HEADQUARTERS : : CHAUMONT, - FRANCE : : 1919 - - -[Illustration: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WAR OFFICE] - - WASHINGTON - GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE - 1920 - ❦ - - - - - WAR DEPARTMENT - - Document No. 905 - - _Office of The Adjutant General_ - - - ADDITIONAL COPIES - - OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE PROCURED FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS - GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON, D. C. - - AT - - 60 CENTS PER COPY - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CONTENTS. - - - Page. - Introduction 7 - Alpine Corps 8 - Bavarian Cavalry Division 12 - Bavarian Ersatz Division 13 - Jaeger Division 16 - 1st Guard Division 18 - 1st Guard Reserve Division 22 - Guard Ersatz Division 26 - Guard Cavalry Division 29 - 1st Division 30 - 1st Reserve Division 33 - 1st Landwehr Division 36 - 1st Bavarian Division 39 - 1st Bavarian Reserve Division 42 - 1st Bavarian Landwehr Division 45 - 1st Cavalry Division 47 - 1st Naval Division 48 - 2d Guard Division 50 - 2d Guard Reserve Division 55 - 2d Division 59 - 2d Landwehr Division 62 - 2d Bavarian Division 64 - 2d Bavarian Landwehr Division 68 - 2d Cavalry Division 69 - 2d Naval Division 70 - 3d Guard Division 72 - 3d Division 76 - 3d Landwehr Division 78 - 3d Bavarian Division 80 - 3d Reserve Division 83 - 3d Naval Division 86 - 4th Guard Division 88 - 4th Division 92 - 4th Ersatz Division 96 - 4th Landwehr Division 99 - 4th Bavarian Division 101 - 4th Cavalry Division 104 - 5th Guard Division 105 - 5th Division 108 - 5th Reserve Division 112 - 5th Ersatz Division 115 - 5th Landwehr Division 117 - 5th Bavarian Division 120 - 5th Bavarian Reserve Division 123 - 5th Cavalry Division 126 - 6th Division 127 - 6th Reserve Division 131 - 6th Bavarian Division 134 - 6th Bavarian Reserve Division 138 - 6th Bavarian Landwehr Division 142 - 6th Cavalry Division 144 - 7th Division 145 - 7th Reserve Division 149 - 7th Landwehr Division 153 - 7th Cavalry Division 156 - 8th Division 157 - 8th Landwehr Division 160 - 8th Bavarian Reserve Division 162 - 8th Cavalry Division 166 - 9th Division 167 - 9th Reserve Division 171 - 9th Landwehr Division 174 - 9th Bavarian Reserve Division 176 - 9th Cavalry Division 179 - 10th Division 180 - 10th Reserve Division 184 - 10th Ersatz Division 188 - 10th Landwehr Division 191 - 10th Bavarian Division 194 - 11th Division 197 - 11th Reserve Division 201 - 11th Landwehr Division 204 - 11th Bavarian Division 206 - 12th Division 211 - 12th Reserve Division 215 - 12th Landwehr Division 219 - 12th Bavarian Division 222 - 13th Division 225 - 13th Reserve Division 229 - 13th Landwehr Division 233 - 14th Division 236 - 14th Reserve Division 240 - 14th Landwehr Division 244 - 14th Bavarian Division 246 - 15th Division 249 - 15th Reserve Division 254 - 15th Landwehr Division 258 - 15th Bavarian Division 260 - 16th Division 262 - 16th Reserve Division 266 - 16th Landwehr Division 271 - 16th Bavarian Division 273 - 17th Division 275 - 17th Reserve Division 279 - 17th Landwehr Division 283 - 18th Division 285 - 18th Reserve Division 289 - 18th Landwehr Division 293 - 19th Division 295 - 19th Reserve Division 299 - 19th Ersatz Division 303 - 19th Landwehr Division 306 - 20th Division 308 - 20th Landwehr Division 312 - 21st Division 314 - 21st Reserve Division 318 - 21st Landwehr Division 322 - 22d Division 324 - 22d Reserve Division 327 - 22d Landwehr Division 332 - 23d Division 333 - 23d Reserve Division 337 - 23d Landwehr Division 341 - 24th Division 343 - 24th Reserve Division 347 - 24th Landwehr Division 350 - 25th Division 351 - 25th Reserve Division 355 - 25th Landwehr Division 359 - 26th Division 361 - 26th Reserve Division 365 - 26th Landwehr Division 369 - 27th Division 370 - 28th Division 374 - 28th Reserve Division 378 - 29th Division 382 - 29th Landwehr Division 386 - 30th Division 388 - 30th Bavarian Reserve Division 392 - 31st Division 395 - 32d Division 399 - 33d Division 402 - 33d Reserve Division 405 - 34th Division 409 - 35th Division 413 - 35th Reserve Division 416 - 36th Division 418 - 36th Reserve Division 422 - 37th Division 425 - 38th Division 429 - 38th Landwehr Division 433 - 39th Division 436 - 39th Bavarian Reserve Division 440 - 40th Division 442 - 41st Division 446 - 42d Division 451 - 43d Reserve Division 454 - 44th Reserve Division 458 - 44th Landwehr Division 462 - 45th Reserve Division 464 - 45th Landwehr Division 468 - 46th Reserve Division 469 - 46th Landwehr Division 473 - 47th Reserve Division 474 - 47th Landwehr Division 477 - 48th Reserve Division 479 - 48th Landwehr Division 483 - 49th Reserve Division 485 - 50th Division 489 - 50th Reserve Division 493 - 51st Reserve Division 497 - 52d Division 500 - 52d Reserve Division 504 - 53d Reserve Division 507 - 54th Division 511 - 54th Reserve Division 514 - 56th Division 517 - 58th Division 521 - 75th Reserve Division 525 - 76th Reserve Division 528 - 77th Reserve Division 531 - 78th Reserve Division 534 - 79th Reserve Division 537 - 80th Reserve Division 541 - 81st Reserve Division 544 - 82d Reserve Division 547 - 83d Division 550 - 84th Division 554 - 85th Landwehr Division 558 - 86th Division 560 - 87th Division 563 - 88th Division 566 - 89th Division 569 - 91st Division 571 - 92d Division 573 - 93d Division 575 - 94th Division 577 - 95th Division 579 - 96th Division 580 - 101st Division 582 - 103d Division 584 - 105th Division 589 - 107th Division 592 - 108th Division 595 - 109th Division 598 - 111th Division 600 - 113th Division 603 - 115th Division 606 - 117th Division 609 - 119th Division 612 - 121st Division 616 - 123d Division 620 - 183d Division 623 - 185th Division 627 - 187th Division 630 - 192d Division 633 - 195th Division 636 - 197th Division 639 - 199th Division 642 - 200th Division 645 - 201st Division 648 - 202d Division 651 - 203d Division 654 - 204th Division 657 - 205th Division 660 - 206th Division 662 - 207th Division 665 - 208th Division 668 - 211th Division 671 - 212th Division 674 - 213th Division 676 - 214th Division 679 - 215th Division 682 - 216th Division 684 - 217th Division 687 - 218th Division 689 - 219th Division 691 - 220th Division 693 - 221st Division 696 - 222d Division 699 - 223d Division 702 - 224th Division 705 - 225th Division 707 - 226th Division 710 - 227th Division 712 - 228th Division 715 - 231st Division 717 - 232d Division 719 - 233d Division 721 - 234th Division 723 - 235th Division 725 - 236th Division 727 - 237th Division 729 - 238th Division 731 - 239th Division 733 - 240th Division 735 - 241st Division 737 - 242d Division 739 - 243d Division 741 - 255th Division 744 - 301st Division 746 - 302d Division 748 - - - - - INTRODUCTION. - - -The following pages contain the record of the organization and service -of the 251 divisions of the German Army during the years 1914, 1915, -1916, 1917, and 1918, or during as many of these years as they -existed—for a number of them were created after the war had started. The -record of each has been known as a “divisional history.” - -The history of an enemy division is a summary of all the information -obtained from all sources. It includes the latest composition—that is, -the regiments and other units that make up the division; a record of its -past engagements; its recruitment and racial features; commanders; -present strength; and morale. On a basis of these factors the division’s -fighting quality is rated on a standard of classes adopted by General -Headquarters and noted in the history. The data is collected and filed -daily at various troop headquarters and eventually in the Enemy Order of -Battle subsection of the General Staff, Intelligence Section at the -General Headquarters. The information comes chiefly from the front-line -troops, resulting from their observation, reconnaissance, and the -interrogation of the prisoners they take. This evidence is often -fragmentary and inconclusive, being gathered as more or less -disassociated items, here and there along the whole front. But when it -is consolidated and collated it becomes of great value and warrants -deductions which may be depended upon. - -Prisoners’ statements and captured documents are the source of almost -all the information contained in a divisional history. The outline of -the past engagements of a division is known from the Battle-Order -records. Prisoners add to this specific account of successes, citations, -failures, internal disturbance, etc. The divisional composition is -established by prisoners, and in the case of the smaller divisional -units from addresses on captured letters. The effective strength is -deduced from prisoners’ stories of recent losses incurred and drafts of -new men arriving. In estimating the quality of a division the -Intelligence Section considers principally the conditions under which -the enemy command has used it in previous military operations. - -All this information is kept posted up to date so that a history of -present value can be written without delay and dispatched to our front- -line troops opposite whom a new or additional enemy unit has appeared or -is about to appear. - -The use to our troops of these histories is obvious. Much of the -information contained is of direct value to our commanders. The -strength, morale, and fighting qualities of the opposing divisions are, -of course, an important factor in our plans and operations. Other items, -such as the names of the enemy commanders, assist the examining officer -in checking the veracity and accuracy of prisoners’ statements. It has -been often observed that the more the intelligence officer knows or -appears to know of the prisoner’s organization the better results he -obtains from his questions. The uses to which information of the enemy -may be put have proved so various and unexpected that the principle is -established that no fact about the enemy is too unimportant to be -recorded. - -In preparing this set of Histories of German Divisions the histories -published by French General Headquarters have been used for the years -prior to 1918. For the last year of the war the histories were written -by the Second Section of the General Staff, General Headquarters, A. E. -F., from the American records. These included all information from -American sources and also that which was received from Allied armies. - - - - - Alpine Corps. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │1 Bav. Jag. │1 Bav. Jag. │1 Bav. Jag. │Body Inf. - │ │Body Inf. │ │1 Bav. Jag. - │2 Jag. │2 Jag. │2 Jag. │2 Jag. - │ │3 Jag. │ │3 Jag. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │203 F. A. Rgt. │2 Mountain F. A. Abt. Detch. - │ │ of the 187, 203, and 204 F. - │ │ A. Rgts. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│ │102 Pion. Co. - │ │105 Pion. Co. - │ │106 Pion. Co. - │ │175 Mountain T. M. Co. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │201 Mountain M. G. Detch. │201 Mountain M. G. Detch. - │202 Mountain M. G. Detch. │202 Mountain M. G. Detch. - │205 Mountain M. G. Detch. │205 Mountain M. G. Detch. - │209 Mountain M. G. Detch. │209 Mountain M. G. Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │Cyclist Btn. (dissolved in - │ │ June). - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │1 Bav. Jag. │Body Inf. │1 Bav. Jag. │Body Inf. - │ │1 Bav. Jag. │ │1 Bav. Jag. - │ │2 Jag. │ │2 Jag. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │ │3 Sqn. 4 Bav. Light Cav. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │7 Art Command: - │ │ - │ │ - │ 203 F. A. Rgt. (1 Abt.) │ 204 F. A. Rgt. - │ 6 Mountain A. Abt. │ 1 Abt. 1 Bav. Res. Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. - │ │ 6th Mountain Art. Abt. - │ │ (Staff and 1, 2, and 17 - │ │ Btries.). - │ │ 1401 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1402 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1403 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│Pion. Btn.: │9 Bav. Pion. Btn.: - │ 102 Pion. Co. │ 102 Pion. Co. - │ 283 Pion. Co. │ 283 Pion. Co. - │ 175 T. M. Co. │ 175 Mountain T. M. Co. - │ 204 Bav. T. M. Co. │ 102 Searchlight Section. - │ 102 Bav. Searchlight │622 Signal Command: - │ Section. │ - │ 622 Tel. Detch. │ 622 Tel. Detch. - │ 88 Div. Wireless Detch. │ 133 Bav. Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │201 Ambulance Co. │201 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │239 Ambulance Co. │239 Ambulance Co. - │202 Field Hospital. │201 Field Hospital. - │203 Field Hospital. │44 Bav. Field Hospital. - │18 Bav. Field Hospital. │18 Bav. Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │444 M. T. Col. │695 Bav. M. T. Col. - │695 M. T. Col. │ - │790 M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - - 1915. - -The Alpine Corps was formed in May, 1915. - - -ITALY. - -1. At the end of May, 1915, it was sent by way of Innsbruck to the -Trentino, where it remained until October 16 (vicinity of Campitello). -It took part in several smaller actions (particularly on Sept. 24). - - -FRANCE. - -2. On October 17 it left Bozen and went to France by way of Innsbruck, -Neu-Ulm, Stuttgart, Deux-Ponts, and detrained at Laonnois on the -Mezieres-Rethel line on October 19. - -3. It remained in this area until October 25. At that time it was -transferred to Serbia by way of Mezieres, Germershein, Augsburg, Munich, -Vienna, Budapest, Temesvar. It detrained at Weisskirchen on October 29. - - -SERBIA. - -4. The Alpine Corps advanced in Serbia by way of Kragujevac and Kraljevo -as far as Novipasar (near the Montenegrin frontier); from that place to -Mitrovica. Elements of the Alpine Corps remained south of Uskub until -the end of March, 1916. - - - 1916. - - -FRANCE. - -1. On March 21, 1916, the Alpine Corps was taken to Hungary by way of -Belgrade, and then to France. Itinerary: Budapest, Breslau, Dresden, -Leipzig, Cologne, Aix-la-Chapelle, Liege, Charleville. - -2. It went into line on the front east of Rheims (the Leib Regiment at -Cernay) on April 1. - - -VERDUN. - -3. Relieved at the beginning of May, it went to rest in the vicinity of -Charleville. About May 30 it went to the Spincourt area by way of Sedan. -At the beginning of June it went into action at Verdun north of the Vaux -Fort, northeast of Fleury, and took part in the attacks launched in this -sector during the month of June (attack of June 23 upon Thiaumont). - -4. After reorganization, at the end of June or the beginning of July, -the Alpine Corps came back into line near Fleury on July 11. - - -ARGONNE. - -5. After having lost 71 per cent of its Infantry in the various attacks -at Verdun, the Alpine Corps was withdrawn on August 12 and took over the -sector Fontaine-aux-Charmes-Vauquois, in the Argonne. The 3d Jaeger -Regiment was taken from it and entered into the composition of the 200th -Division (Carpathian Corps). - -6. In the first half of September the Alpine Corps left the Argonne and -entrained for Roumania. - - -ROUMANIA. - -7. At the end of September it went into action in the vicinity of -Hermannstadt, then in the vicinity of Brasso. On December 10 it reached -Ploesci; it was at Rimnicu-Sarat on the 24th. Upon the stabilization of -the Roumanian front it occupied the front of Panciu-Focsani. During the -active period in Roumania the Leib Regiment lost heavily. - - - 1917. - -1. Relieved northwest of Focsani on April 6, 1917, the Alpine Corps was -sent to Hungary, in the vicinity of Karlsburg. After a rest of three -weeks it was transferred to the western front. Itinerary: Karlsburg (May -10), Szegdin, Budapest, Vienna, Salzburg, Rosenheim, Munich, Strassburg, -Colmar, Neu-Breisach. - - -UPPER ALSACE. - -2. On June 15 it went into line on the Alsatian front (Rhone-Rhine -Canal, Aspach). - -3. On July 20 it was withdrawn from the front and sent to rest. - - -ROUMANIA. - -4. At the beginning of August it was again sent to Roumania. It took -over its old sector near Focsani and received the Russo-Roumanian -attacks launched between Briala and Panciu. - - -ITALY. - -5. In September it was sent to the Italian front. - - -IZONZO. - -6. On October 24 it attacked on both sides of the Tolmino and took -possession of Mont Cucco on the 25th. It rested in November. - - -MONTE TOMBA. - -7. On November 25 it was engaged at Monte Tomba, and on December 12 on -the slopes of Monfenera, with the exception of the 1st Jaeger Regiment, -which was in reserve. - -8. Relieved between December 15 and December 20, it remained behind the -lines until the middle of January, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -The Leib Regiment and the 1st Regiment of Jaegers are Bavarian, -recruited principally from upper Bavaria. The 2d Regiment of Jaegers is -purely Prussian. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The discipline and firmness of the commanding officers make the Alpine -Corps an elite body, of a genuine combat value. - - - 1918. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. In January the Alpine Corps entrained for Alsace (itinerary Salzburg, -Munich, Ulm, Friburg, Saverne); then went to rest in the region of -Sarreburg. - -2. It remained here undergoing training until the 10th of April. - -3. It was sent to Flanders, via Metz, Sedan, Namur, and detrained near -Lille on the 12th. - - -BATTLE OF THE LYS. - -4. The division was engaged northeast of Bailleul from the 14th to the -18th. It then rested east of Lille until the 23d. It reentered the line -on the Kemmel-Locre front, where it remained until about the 10th of -May, when it was withdrawn, after having suffered heavy losses. - -5. It moved then to the Ghent region, where it rested until the end of -July. It then rested near Tourcoing until the 8th of August. It -entrained at Tourcoing and Tournai on the 8th and went to St. Quentin -via Ham. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -6. The division entered line in the Hallu-Fransart-Hattencourt sector -north of Roye on the 11th. On the 27th it fell back along the Somme -Canal near Bethencourt. It was withdrawn from line the beginning of -September. - -7. It came back to line almost immediately north of Peronne in the -Moislain sector; on the 7th it was thrown back upon Longavesnes-Epehy- -Villers-Guislain, where it was withdrawn on the 23d, after losing -heavily (861 prisoners). - -8. Elements of the Alpine Corps were identified at Walincourt in rear of -the front on October 10. - - -BALKANS. - -9. Sent to the eastern front, the Alpine Corps reinforced the troops in -the Balkans near Nish in October. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The Alpine Corps was considered one of the best German units. It showed -its worth by retaking the village of Hallu on the 11th of August, and -while counterattacking at Moislains on the 2d of September. -Nevertheless, the morale was lowered. The Alpine Corps comprised about -3,500 Infantry combatants early in August. It lost about 700 prisoners -in August and September. - - - - - Bavarian Cavalry Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ───────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────── - │ 1918 - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┬─────────────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┼─────────────────────── - Cavalry. │1 Bav. Cav. │1 Heavy Reiter. - │4 Bav. Cav. │1 Bav. Ulan. - │ │2 Bav. Ulan. - │5 Bav. Cav. │1 Bav. Light Cav. - │ │6 Bav. Light Cav. - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┴─────────────────────── - Artillery. │5 Bav. Horse Art. Abt. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Engineers and Liaisons.│Pion. Detch. - │1 Bav. M. G. Btry. - │300 Bav. T. M. Co. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Attached. │Glatz Landst. Inf. Btn. (VI/9). - ───────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - - 1918. - -1. The units of this division were used on police duty in the Ukraine -and in Roumania in the spring of 1918. A part of the division was -serving in the Crimea in the early summer. It continued in that general -area through the year. - - - VALUE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - Bavarian Ersatz Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │3 Bav. │4 Bav. │3 Bav. │4 Bav. │3 Bav. │4 Bav. - │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. - │ │15 Bav. │ │15 Bav. │ │15 Bav. - │ │ Res. │ │ Res. │ │ Res. - │59 Ldw. │28 Ers. │59 Ldw. │28 Ers. │59 Ldw. │28 Ers. - │ │ │ │ │ │ - │ │120 Ldw. │ │120 Ldw. │ │81 Ldw. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │ │Ers. Cav. Detch. (1 - │ │ │ Bav. C. Dist.). - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │ │1 Ers. Abt. F. A. │ - │ │ (1 Bav. C. D.). │ - │ │2 Ers. Btry. 8 Bav.│ - │ │ F. A. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │ │2 Ldw. Pion. Co. (2 - Liaisons. │ │ │ Bav. C. D.). - │ │ │3 Ldw. Pion. Co. (3 - │ │ │ Bav. C. D.). - │ │ │1 Bav. Mining Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │1 Bav. Heavy T. M. - │ │ │ Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918[1] - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │3 Bav. │4 Bav. │3 Bav. │18 Bav. - │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. - │ │15 Bav. │ │4 Bav. - │ │ Res. │ │ Res. - │ │28 Ers. │ │15 Bav. - │ │ │ │ Res. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 6 Bav. Res. │1 Sqn. 6 Bav. Res. - │ Schutz. Cav. Rgt.│ Cav. Schutzen - │ │ Rgt. - │1 Bav. C. Dist. │ - │ Ers. Cav. Abt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │19 Bav. Art. - │ │ Command: - │ Bav. Ers. F. A. │ Bav. Ers. F. A. - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│Pion. Btn.: │13 Bav. Pion. Btn. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 4 Bav. Ldw. Pion. │4 Bav. Ldw. Pion. - │ Co. │ Co. - │ 6 Bav. Ldw. Pion. │6 Bav. Ldw. Pion. - │ Co. │ Co. - │ 1 Bav. Mining Co. │5 Bav. Res. - │ │ Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 100 Bav. T. M. Co.│100 Bav. T. M. Co. - │ 5 Bav. Res. │551 Bav. Tel. - │ Searchlight │ Detch. - │ Section. │ - │ 551 Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │9 Bav. Ambulance │9 Bav. Ambulance - Veterinary.│ Co. │ Co. - │40 Bav. Field │40 Bav. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │41 Bav. Field │41 Bav. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │33 Bav. Vet. │33 Bav. Vet. - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport │767 M. T. Col. │767 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── -Footnote 1: - - Composition at the time of dissolution. - - - HISTORY. - - (Bavaria.) - - - 1914. - -The Bavarian Ersatz Division consisted, at the outbreak of the war, of -the three mixed Bavarian Ersatz brigades, Nos. 1, 5, 9 (12 battalions), -which detrained on August 17 and 18 in the region of Schelestadt. But -afterwards this designation indicated a composite division (Benzino -Division) formed from the 3d Bavarian Reserve Brigade and the 59th -Landwehr Brigade (28th Ersatz, Baden) and the 120th Landwehr Regiment -(Wurttemberg). - - -VOSGES. - -1. The Benzino Division was first engaged in the Vosges (St. Marie -Ridge, St. Die, Laveline) until September. - - -HAYE. - -2. After a rest in the Valley of the Bruche, it entrained at the end of -September for Mars-la-Tour and reinforced the 3d Bavarian Corps in the -St. Mihiel area. - - - 1915. - - -WOEVRE. - -1. The Benzino Division occupied the area east of St. Mihiel (Spada to -Apremont) during the entire year 1915. In November it took the name of -Bavarian Ersatz Division. - -2. The division rested in Lorraine from December, 1915, to the end of -February, 1916. - - - 1916. - -At the beginning of February, 1916, the 120th Landwehr Regiment was -replaced by a Prussian Regiment, the 81st Landwehr. - - -WOEVRE. - -1. On February 28, 1916, the Bavarian Ersatz Division took over the -sector of Fresnes-en-Woëvre-Ronvaux. It remained there until the end of -October, 1916. On October 17, the 4th Bavarian Reserve Regiment left the -division temporarily to go to Galicia, to the 199th Division, and came -back in November. - - -SOMME. - -2. From October 25 to November 15 the Bavarian Ersatz Division took part -in the battle of the Somme east of Gueudecourt, with the exception of -the 81st Landwehr, which was definitely detached from the division. - -3. Transferred to the Aisne, it went into line in the vicinity of -Craonne at the end of November. - - - 1917. - - -AISNE. - -1. On the Aisne front, east of Craonne, the Bavarian Ersatz Division -received the French offensive of April, and its conduct gained the order -“Pour le Mérite” for its general. - -2. Relieved at the end of April, it occupied a sector in the Apremont -Wood from the middle of May to the end of August. - - -YPRES. - -3. On September 1 it was in Belgium, where it was engaged on both sides -of the Ypres-Menin road until September 25. The 3d Battalion of the 4th -Bavarian Reserve Regiment was almost destroyed on September 20. - - -GALICIA. - -4. At the beginning of October the division was transferred to the -eastern front and sent into line southeast of Tarnopol in December. - -5. At the end of autumn 1917, the 28th Ersatz Regiment (Baden) was -withdrawn from the division and replaced by the 18th Bavarian Reserve. -The division was then entirely Bavarian. - - - RECRUITING. - -The Bavarian Ersatz Division is recruited from the 1st and 2d Bavarian -Corps districts. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The Bavarian Ersatz Division is a very mediocre division. - - - 1918. - - -VERDUN. - -1. The division held the quiet Verdun sector until July 12, when it was -relieved by the 231st Division. - - -VESLE. - -2. It was moved to the Vesle front and on July 25 relieved the 40th -Division near Oulchy-le-Chateau. It remained in this sector until August -12, when it was withdrawn and sent to rest in the vicinity of Maubeuge. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -3. On September 1 it proceeded to Mauchault and during the first days of -September relieved the 88th Division in line near Perthes. It was in the -fighting between September 23 and October 3 in Champagne, losing about -2,000 men in that engagement. - -4. The division was so reduced in strength that it was dissolved shortly -after its retirement from line in October. The 18th Bavarian Reserve -Regiment was dissolved and the men drafted to the 15th Bavarian -Division. The 15th Bavarian Reserve Regiment was also dissolved. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. It was used only in defensive -sectors during 1918. - - - - - Jaeger Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 │ 1919 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │ │11 Jag. │ │ │5 Ers. │11 Jag. - │ │12 Jag. │ │ │ │12 Jag. - │ │13 Jag. │ │ │ │13 Jag. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │ │1 Sqn. 10 Drag. - │ │ │ Rgt. - │ │ │Staff, 2 Ulan Rgt. - │ │ │Staff, 8 Bav. Light - │ │ │ Cav. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │203 F. A. Rgt. │24 F. A. Rgt. │224 Art. Command: - │ (Wurtt.) │ │ - │ │ │ 24 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ 3 Abt. 24 Res. Ft. - │ │ │ A. Rgt. - │ │ │ 780 Light Am. Col. - │ │ │ 793 Light Am. Col. - │ │ │ 1,050 Light Am. - │ │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │ │422 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ │ Gd. Pion. Detch. - │ │ │ (Casuals). - │ │ │ 5 Pion. Detch. - │ │ │ (Casuals). - │ │ │ 9 Pion. Detch. - │ │ │ (Casuals). - │ │ │ 174 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ 215 Searchlight - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ │901 Signal Command: - │ │ │ 805 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ 901 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ 48 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │524 Ambulance Co. │ │241 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │34 Field Hospital. - │ │ │16 Res. Field - │ │ │ Hospital. - │ │ │143 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │670 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - - 1917. - -The Jaeger Division appears to have been formed about November, 1917. - -In November and December the Division was engaged on the Italian front -at Monte-Tomba. Relieved at the beginning of January, 1918, it was sent -to rest. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The Jaeger Division is a very good Division. - - - 1918. - -1. The division again entrained March 20 and was transported to the area -northeast of St. Quentin by way of Strasbourg, Treves, Cologne, Liege, -Namur, Charleroi, Maubeuge, Bohain. From there it marched to the region -south of Chaulnes and rested three weeks. - - -SOMME. - -2. It was in line in the Villers-Bretonneux sector from April 27 to May -19–20. After its withdrawal from line it rested southwest of Guise -(Bernot, Hauteville) from 25th to 30th. The division marched toward the -front by Ham (May 30) and arrived in the neighborhood of Lassigny on -June 7–8. - - -OISE. - -3. The division was engaged near Lassigny (Le Plessier) on June 9 and -advanced as far as Elincourt. It was relieved about mid-June. - -4. It rested between St. Quentin and Guise for a time, and was then -railed to Alsace (near Mulhausen), where it rested during four weeks. It -entrained at Mulhausen about July 24–27 and was moved to Liesse -(northeast of Laon) on July 30. From there it marched toward the front -north of Soissons. - - -SECOND BATTLE OF THE MARNE. - -5. The division was engaged at Soissons and Pommiers, then at Bieuxy- -Juvigny, from August 2 to 28. It rested for two weeks and returned to -line at Gouzaucourt on September 12. Between September 27–30 it was -forced to fall back on La Vacquerie and Gonnelieu. It was relieved at -the end of the month after suffering very heavy losses. - - -CAMBRESIS. - -6. On October 6–7 the division was reengaged south of Cambrai -(Walincourt). It fell back on Briastre by Caudry and on the 15th retired -from the front. It rested from October 15 to 22. On the 12th the -division is known to have received a reinforcement of 600 men. - -7. It was engaged southwest of Le Quesnoy from October 22 to November 1, -losing numerous prisoners on the 24th. After a short rest it was again -in line at Etreux and south of Le Quesnoy on November 4–5. It retreated -by Pont-sur-Sambre on November 6. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. It was used as an attack -division in the Matz offensive, but in general the division was used to -replace assault divisions and hold an important sector. - - - - - 1st Guard Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │1 Gd. │1 Ft. Gd.│1 Gd. │1 Ft. Gd.│1 Gd. │1 Ft. Gd. - │ │3 Ft. Gd.│ │3 Ft. Gd.│(2 Gd.) │2 Ft. Gd. - │2 Gd. │2 Ft. Gd.│2 Gd. │2 Ft. Gd.│ │4 Ft. Gd. - │ │4 Ft. Gd.│ │4 Ft. Gd.│ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │ │Gd. Regt. (Massow): - │ │ │ - │ │ │1st, 2d, 3d, 4th - │ │ │ Sqns. - │ │ │Body Gd. Hus. Regt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │2d Sqn. 6th Drag. - │ │ │ Regt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │1st Gd. Brig.: │1st Gd. Brig.: │1st Gd. Brig.: - │ │ │ - │ 1st Gd. Rgt. │ 1st Gd. Rgt. │ 1st Gd. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ 3d Gd. Rgt. │ 3d Gd. Rgt. │ 3d Gd. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1st Gd. Eng. Btn.: │1st Gd. Eng. Btn.: - │ │ Field Co. Gd. │ 1st Gd. Pion. Co. - │ │ Pions. │ - │ │ 1st Gd. Pontoon │ 1st Gd. T. M. Co. - │ │ Engs. │ - │ │ 4th Gd. Tel. │ 1st Gd. Pontoon - │ │ Detch. │ Engs. - │ │ │ 1st Gd. Tel. - │ │ │ Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │1 Gd. │1 Ft. Gd.│1 Gd. │1 Ft. - │ │2 Ft. Gd.│ │2 Ft. - │ │4 Ft. Gd.│ │4 Ft. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │1st Sqn. Body Gd. │3 Sqn. Body Gd. - │ Hussar Regt. │ Hus. Rgt. - │3d Sqn. Body Gd. │ - │ Hussar Rgt. │ - │2d Sqn. 6th Dragoon│ - │ Regt. │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │1st Gd. Art. │1st Gd. Art. - │ Command: │ Command: - │ 1st Gd. Rgt. │ 1 Gd. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ (less 4 and 5 - │ │ Abt.). - │ │ 1 Abt. L. Gd. Ft. - │ │ A. Rgt. - │ │ 870 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1099 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1128 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1st Gd. Eng. Btn.: │Gd. Pion. Btn.: - │ 5th Gd. Pion. Co. │ 1 Co. Gd. Pions. - │ │ - │ 1st Gd. T. M. Co. │ 5 Co. Gd. Pions. - │ │ - │ 1st Gd. Pontoon │ 23 Searchlight - │ Ens. │ Section. - │ 1st Gd. Tel. │1 Gd. Signal - │ Detch. │ Command: - │ │ 1 Gd. Tel. Detch. - │ │ 45 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │Field Hospital. │1 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │1st Ambulance Co. │4 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │6 Field Hospital. - │ │1 Gd. Vet. - │ │ Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │35 M. G. Btn. │ - │Sharpshooter Co. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - - 1914. - - -BELGIUM. - -1. Detrained on the 11th and 12th of August in “Prussian Wallonia,” at -Weismes and neighboring stations. Entered Belgium August 13, via -Stavelot; crossed the Meuse at Huy on the 18th. The 23d it fought at -Fosse and St. Gerard, after having crossed the Sambre at Jemmapes. -Fought at Fournaux on the 24th. Was engaged, August 29, between Guise -and Vervins (le Sourd, Leme). - - -MARNE. - -2. It fought next on the Marne (St. Gond marsh). - -3. It was in Artois near Hebuterne the end of September. - - -FLANDERS. - -4. In November the 1st Bde. was in Flanders (Gheluvelt); the 2d Bde. -remained at Hebuterne. From the beginning of the campaign until January -19, 1915, the 3d Ft. Gd. Regt. suffered casualties of 49 officers and -2,707 men. - - - 1915. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. The beginning of January the 1st Bde. went from Gheluvelt to -Champagne. - -2. The beginning of February the 2d Bde. rejoined the 1st. - -3. In March the division went to Alsace, where the whole Guard Corps was -brought together again. - - -RUSSIA. - -4. In April the division went to Russia (Galicia), detraining at Bochnia -the 22d. - -5. It fought at Tarnow and Krasnoslaw, skirted Brest-Litowsk, and pushed -on to Krobin. The losses of the 3d Ft. Gd. Regt. in Russia (May 15-Aug. -31) were 17 officers and 2,116 men. The 1st Ft. Gd. Regt. lost 53 -officers and 3,005 men. - - -FRANCE. - -6. Brought back by stages to Warsaw; entrained about the 15th of -September for the western front. Itinerary: Thorn, Posen, Frankfort-on- -the-Oder, Berlin, Cassel, Giessen, Coblentz, Treves, Luxemburg, Namur, -Charleroi. - - -ARTOIS. - -7. Reassembled at Charleroi, the division was alerted September 25, and -engaged on the Artois front (Folie). Losses of the 1st Ft. Gd. Regt. in -the fighting of the end of September amounted to 1,522. - -8. Relieved October 20, it took over the Lassigny-Beuvraignes sector. - - - 1916. - -1. The division remained in the calm Lassigny sector until July 20, -1916. - -2. After some days rest in the neighborhood of Nesles, the division went -by stages to the Peronne region, where it was put in reserve. - - -SOMME. - -3. August 15 it relieved, in the course of the battle of the Somme, what -was left of the 1st Bavarian Reserve Division. - -4. The division lost heavily (5,000 men, only 300 of whom were -prisoners) during the attacks of the 19th and 20th of August and at the -time of the costly defense of Clery (Sept. 3), and therefore it was -relieved. - -5. Reassembled in the Catelet region, and having received -reenforcements, it went back into line south of the Somme, in the -Biaches-Barleux sector. Its losses there were considerably less. - - - 1917. - -1. The division was withdrawn from the Biaches-Barleux sector the end of -January. - -2. It reformed, went through a course of training, and then proceeded to -the Guiscard region. During February, 1917, it received 500 -reenforcements (1917 class, recuperated men). In March its depot was -empty (all the men having been sent to the division). - -3. The beginning of April the division reassembled in the Sissonne -region. - - -CHEMIN DES DAMES. - -4. As early as April 12, before the French attack on the Aisne front, it -was alerted. April 17 it was engaged in the Ailles-Hurtebise sector. -There it went through the attack of May 5. (Losses, 2,500 to 3,000 men -for the whole division, only 141 prisoners.) - -5. Relieved a few days later, it took over a sector in the Argonne -(Grand Courte-Chaussee), where it remained the month of June. - - -RUSSIA. - -6. On July 4 it left for Russia. (Itinerary: Namur, Liège, Aix-la- -Chapelle, Duesseldorf, Minden, Hanover, Berlin, Frankfort-on-the-Oder, -Posen, Lodz, Brest-Litowsk, Kovel, Lemberg, Ozidow; it detrained July -9.) - -7. The division participated in the counterattack against the Russians, -and later in the attack of Riga. - - -FRANCE. - -8. It was brought back to France in the middle of October. (Entrained at -Riga Oct. 16. Itinerary: Koenigsberg, Posen, Halle, Cassel, Coblentz, -Sedan, Novion-Porcien; detrained near Rethel, Oct. 21.) - -9. The division took over the Marquise sector in Champagne the end of -October. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 1st Guard Division may be considered one of the very best German -divisions. Excellent conduct under fire. - -It displayed on the Aisne as well as on the Somme energy and -determination while on the defensive. - -Among its heavy losses there was an exceedingly small number of -prisoners. - -Again on the Aisne (April-May, 1917), it displayed remarkable military -qualities. - -It received important reenforcements of the younger classes (15–16–17), -30 per cent from the class of 1917. - -Its normal value was reduced temporarily on account of the arrival of -elements which had never been under fire (June, 1917). - -Prisoners taken in the Argonne (June, 1917) seemed less keen for -fighting. - - - 1918. - - -FRANCE. - -1. The division remained in line until the 21st of January. - -2. It was withdrawn at that date and put through a course of training in -open warfare until March 1, when it entered line east of Reims -(relieving 203d Division), remaining in until the 15th in order to -become familiar with the terrain. - - -SOMME. - -3. It remained in close support north of Montdidier, and finally entered -line March 28 near Hangest-en-Santerre, fighting until April 5, and -giving a good account of itself. - - -CHIMAY. - -4. The division went through another course of training in the Chimay -area until May 27. - - -AISNE. - -5. The division entered line in the Grivesnes sector. It fought very -well in this the Aisne offensive, immediately after which its commander, -Prince Eitel Friedrich, was promoted from colonel to major general, but -suffered exceedingly heavy losses. It was withdrawn June 7, going to -rest in the Charleroi region, where it remained until July 16. - - -MARNE. - -6. It entered line on that date east of Dormans, and despite stubborn -resistance by the French succeeded in making some headway. July 22–23 it -moved slightly to the west, relieving the 6th Bavarian Reserve Division -near Passy-sur-Marne. It moved back, giving ground to the Allied counter -offensive, and was finally withdrawn from line north of Fere-en- -Tardenois August 5. - - -CRECY-AU-MONT. - -7. The division rested then until August 25 in the vicinity of Rethel, -and then came into line near Crecy-au-Mont and fought until September 6. - - -ARGONNE. - -8. September 20 the division moved eastward and relieved the 53d Reserve -Division in the Varennes sector, where it was when (Sept. 26) it was -swamped by the opening of the American Meuse-Argonne offensive. It did -not resist as strongly as it might have, and so the 5th Guard Division -moved to its support. Withdrawn on the 29th, it, in turn, returned -October 3 to support the 5th Guard. It was finally withdrawn on the 8th -after it had most of its battalions reduced to one company. It left -1,788 prisoners in our hands; its total losses probably being about -4,000. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -The division was identified in line farther to the west October 14 at -Olizy, and near Chestres on the 21st. It remained in line in this region -contesting the French advance until the Armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -Throughout the war the division was rated as one of the very best German -shock divisions. During the last year it fought a great deal and, until -the last stages, very well. It suffered severe losses, and finally, due -to the lack of effectives, it was found impossible to refill its -depleted ranks; its morale deteriorated and it did not fight well. - - - - - 1st Guard Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │1 Gd. │1 Gd. │1 Gd. │1 Gd. │1 Gd. │1 Gd. - │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. - │ │2 Gd. │ │2 Gd. │ │2 Gd. - │ │ Res. │ │ Res. │ │ Res. - │15 Res. │64 Res. │15 Res. │64 Res. │ │64 Res. - │ │93 Res. │ │93 Res. │ │ - │Gd. Res. Snipers │Gd. Res. Snipers │ │ - │ Btn. │ Btn. │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │Gd. Res. Dragoons │Gd. Res. Drag. Rgt.│Gd. Res. Dragoon - │ (3 Sqns.). │ │ Rgt. (z Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │1 Gd. Res. F. A. │1 Gd. Res. F. A. │1 Gd. Res. F. A. - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - │3 Gd. Res. F. A. │3 Gd. Res. F. A. │3 Gd. Res. F. A. - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │2d and 3d Field │2d and 3d Field - Liaisions. │ │ Cos. (1 Eng. Btn.│ Cos. (1 Eng. Btn. - │ │ 28). │ 28). - │ │1 Gd. Res. Pontoon │1 Gd. Res. Pontoon - │ │ Engs. │ Engs. - │ │1 Gd. Res. Tel. │1 Gd. Res. Tel. - │ │ Detch. │ Detch. - │ │ │5 Gd. T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │1 Gd. │1 Gd. │1 Gd. │1 Gd. - │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. - │ │2 Gd. │ │2 Gd. - │ │ Res. │ │ Res. - │ │64 Res. │ │64 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │1 Sqn. │Drag. - │ │ │ Gd. │ Rgt. - │ │ │ Res. │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │Gd. Res. Drag. Rgt.│1 Sqn. Gd. Res. - │ (1st Sqn.). │ Drag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │7 Gd. Art. Command.│8 Gd. Art. Command: - │ │ - │1 Gd. Res. F. A. │ 1 Gd. Res. F. A. - │ Rgt. (9 │ Rgt. - │ Batteries). │ - │ │ 2 Abt. 1 Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. (Staff, 7, - │ │ 8, and 13 - │ │ Btries.). - │ │ 701 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1269 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1328 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(z) Eng. Btn. │28 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisions. │ │ - │ │ - │ 2d and 3d Cos. 28│ 2 Co. 28 Pions. - │ Pion. │ - │ 5 Gd. T. M. Co. │ 3 Co. 28 Pions. - │ │ - │ 401 (Gd.) Tel. │ 61 Searchlight - │ Detch. │ Section. - │ │401 Gd. Signals - │ │ Command: - │ │ 401 (Gd.) Tel. - │ │ Detch. - │ │ 17 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │266 Ambulance Co. │266 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │395 Field Hospital.│389 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │395 Field Hospital. - │ │401 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │701 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - - 1914. - - -BELGIUM. - -1. At the beginning of the war the 1st Guard Reserve Division forming, -together with the 3d Guard Division, the Guard Reserve Corps swept into -Belgium—as part of the 2d Army under von Buelow—the 16th of August, -crossed the Meuse at Ardenne (massacres) the 20th, and pushed on as far -as Namur. On the 29th the two divisions (Guard Reserve Corps) were -brought back to Aix-la-Chapelle, and left for east Prussia September 1. - - -POLAND. - -2. The beginning of October the Guard Reserve Corps, attached to the -Southern Army Group, took part in the invasion of the southern part of -Poland, fought at Opatow (Oct. 4), and suffered severe losses at Lodz -while retreating from the Russian armies. - -3. During the winter of 1914–15 it fought on the Bzura. - - - 1915. - - -POLAND. - -1. In February, 1915, the Guard Reserve Corps was split up. The 1st -Guard Reserve Division was sent to the north of the Vistula, in the -Mlawa-Prasnysz region. By the 6th of March the 1st Guard Reserve -Infantry Regiment had already had its thirty-ninth engagement there -(letter). - -2. In March the 93d Reserve Regiment was attached to the 4th Guard -Division (new). During the summer of 1915 the 1st Guard Reserve Division -was engaged in the operations to the north of the Vistula (von -Gallwitz’s army). - - -SMORGONI. - -3. The pursuit of the Russians brought the division as far as the -neighborhood of Smogorni-Vishnev, where it took part in violent fighting -and where it was relieved the middle of September. - - -FRANCE. - -4. During the early days of October it entrained at Grodno for the -western front. (Itinerary: Warsaw, Posen, Berlin, Hanover, Aix-la- -Chapelle, Liège, Cambrai.) - - -CAMBRAI. - -5. It went into rest cantonments on the banks of the Scheldt between -Marcoing and Bouchain (November-December). - - - 1916. - -1. The 1st Guard Reserve Division and the 4th Guard Division then formed -the reconstituted Guard Reserve Corps. - -2. During January and February, 1916, the division was employed on -defensive works in the Wytschaete-Messines sector; it also held a sector -in that region. At the same time it underwent a course of training in -the neighborhood of Cambrai. - - -ARTOIS. - -3. The beginning of May the division took over the sector south of -Neuville-St. Vaast. - - -SOMME. - -4. At the end of July it was engaged on the Somme (Belloy-Barleux). - -5. After August 19 it spent some days at rest near Cambrai, and came -back into line until September 8 between the Mouquet Farm and -Martinpuich. It suffered local attacks, in which it was constantly -pushed back with heavy losses. - - -FLANDERS. - -6. After a rest in the neighborhood of Cambrai it was sent to a calm -sector to the north of Ypres, near the Ypres-Pilkem road. - - -SOMME. - -7. November 5 the division returned to the Somme (Warlencourt) where it -spent the winter of 1916–17. - - - 1917. - - -SOMME. - -1. In March, 1917, the 1st Guard Reserve Division commenced the -withdrawal movement on the Hindenburg Line, leaving prisoners in rear- -guard actions (PysGrevillers region). It was withdrawn from the front -about March 20 to go to rest near Tournai. - -2. The 1st Guard Reserve Division and the 4th Guard Division then became -independent divisions. - - -ARTOIS. - -3. April 25 the division took over the Oppy-Gavrelle sector and fought -off the British attacks. - -4. Relieved the beginning of May, it was sent to rest at Templeuve, and -was later employed in the construction of defensive works near Cambrai -(May). - - -FLANDERS. - -5. The 1st of June it was carried to Tourcoing, and from there to -Warneton, June 8 it went into line to the east of Messines, where it -relieved the 3d Bavarian Division, very much worn out the day before. It -was itself withdrawn as early as the 12th. - - -ARTOIS. - -6. The division then went back to Artois and held the Moeuvres-Pronville -front (June 21–22 to Aug. 16) taking part in no important action. - - -LENS. - -7. After some days rest at Douai, it became reengaged August 21, on the -Lens front, in a series of very heavy conflicts following the attack of -August 15. The 64th Reserve Infantry Regiment was particularly -exhausted. Gas attacks caused it to suffer equally heavy losses in -September and December. - -8. The division remained in this sector until the end of 1917. In -November it sent some elements to reinforce the Cambrai front against -the British attack. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The division was recruited in all provinces of Prussia, like the rest of -the Guard. Despite their numbers, the 64th and 93d Reserve Infantry -Regiments do not come (to any considerable extent) from the 3d and 4th -Corps Districts. The 93d Reserve Infantry Regiments came from what was, -before its dissolution, a “guard landwehr battalion (Magdeburg)” (seal -of pay book). - -The 1st Guard Reserve Division is not above the average German division -in value. The Alsatians in its ranks were withdrawn and sent to Russia -in 1916, but there are still numerous Poles, who do not constitute an -element of strength. It seems much less to be feared than most of the -Prussian organizations that do not have the “Litze” (braiding), less, -too, than the Wurttemburgers of the 13th Corps District and the better -Bavarian troops. (British document, February, 1918.) - - - 1918. - - -LENS. - -1. The 1st Guard Reserve Division was relieved in the Lens sector by the -220th Division the first of the year and was withdrawn, remaining at -rest in this region until it relieved the 220th Division, February 4. - - -CARVIN. - -2. The division was relieved by the 220th Division February 20 and went -to the Carvin area, where it went through a course of training in open -warfare so as to become the assault division of the Souchez Group. - - -SOMME. - -3. The opening day of the March 21 offensive the division was identified -at Lagnicourt (northeast of Bapaume). It was very probably “leap- -frogged” by some other division the next day, but it reappeared the 27th -near Bucquoy, in a straight line with the advance taken as a whole. It -suffered exceedingly heavy losses, finally having to utilize its -pioneers as Infantry. - - -LA BASSÉE. - -4. April 20 the division was withdrawn from the Somme front and marched -to Givenchy (just north of the La Bassée Canal) the next day, where it -relieved the 4th Ersatz Division. It fought there until about May 21, -giving a good account of itself, considering its weakened condition, and -as a result its brigade commander was promoted a lieutenant general, and -the division commander received Pour le Mérite. - - -GRAMMONT. - -5. The division moved to the Grammont area, where it underwent a course -of training with artillery and aeroplanes in preparation for a coming -offensive. - - -LA BASSÉE. - -6. It relieved the 38th Division at Festubert, north of the La Bassée -Canal July 5; it was relieved July 14 by the 18th Reserve Division. - -7. The division rested in the Fauquissart area, and then relieved the -12th Reserve Division north of Hinges the night of August 2–3. It was -relieved about August 26 by extension of front of the neighboring -divisions. - - -CAMBRAI. - -8. The 2d of September the division reinforced the front north of the -Arras-Cambrai Road. About the 10th it side-slipped south, for it was -identified southwest of Moeuvres. It remained here, suffering heavy -casualties (450 prisoners), and was relieved by the 7th Cavalry Division -during the night of September 22–23. - -9. It remained in this region, however, and was thrown back into line in -attempt to stem the British advance, being identified at Bourlon -September 28; withdrawn about October 5. - -10. The division returned October 16–17, relieving the 30th Division -east of Neuvilly, and was withdrawn about the 20th. - -11. November 4 it was identified north of Landrecies. It took part in -the general retirement, being identified south of Berlaimont November 5, -and east of Maubeuge on the 9th. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 1st Guard Reserve Division was rated as in the first of four -classes. During 1918 it did not fight brilliantly, but it was always to -be depended upon. It was called upon to fight much in heavy engagements, -and suffered very severe losses. - - - - - Guard Ersatz Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1914–15 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │1 Gd. Mixed │1 Gd. Ers.(1, │1 Gd. Mixed │6 Gd. (former - │ Ers. │ 2, and 6 Gd.│ Ers. │ 1 Gd. Ers.). - │ │ Bde. Ers. │ │ - │ │ Btns.). │ │ - │ │2 Gd. Ers. │ │7 Gd. (former - │ │ (3,4 and 5 │ │ 2 Gd. Ers.). - │ │ Gd. Bde. │ │ - │ │ Ers. Btns.).│ │ - │5 Gd. Mixed │357 (5 Ers. │5 Gd. Mixed │357. - │ Ers. │ Btn. 2d C. │ Ers. │358. - │ │ Dist. and 5 │ │ - │ │ Ers. Btn. 1 │ │ - │ │ C. Dist.). │ │ - │ │358 (6, 7, and│ │ - │ │ 8 Ers. Btns.│ │ - │ │ 2d C. │ │ - │ │ Dist.). │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │Gd. Ers. Cav. Detach. │1st Sqn. Gd. Cav. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │1st Ers. Abt. (1st and 2d Gd.│7th Gd. F. A. Rgt. - │ F. A. Rgt.). │ - │38th F. A. Rgt. │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│1 Co. Gd. Ers. Pion. Btn. │301 (Gd.) Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │1 Ers. Co. 2 Pion. Btn. │302 Pion. Co. - │ │7 Gd. T. M. Co. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │32 Ldw. Btn. 2d C. Dist. │81 Labor Btn. - │ (1915). │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │Gd. Ers. │6 Gd. │Gd. Ers. │6 Gd. - │ │7 Gd. │ │7 Gd. - │ │399. │ │399. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │5th Sqn. 2d Gd. Uhlan Regt. │5 Sqn. 2 Gd. Uhlan Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │6th Gd. Art. Command: │6 Gd. Art. Command: - │ │ - │ 7 Gd. F. A. Rgt. │ 7 Gd. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 89 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 759 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 814 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 886 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│Eng. Btn.: │501 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 301 (Gd.) Pion. Co. │ 301 Gd. Pion. Co. - │ 302 Pion. Co. │ 302 Pion. Co. - │ 7 Gd. T. M. Co. │ 49 Searchlight Section. - │ 292 Searchlight Section. │551 Signals Command: - │ 551 Gd. Tel. Detch. │ 551 Gd. Tel. Detch. - │ │ 36 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │62 Ambulance Co. │63 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │133 Field Hospital. │133 Field Hospital. - │134 Field Hospital. │134 Field Hospital. - │209 Vet. Hospital. │209 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │761 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - - 1914–15. - -Formed in August, 1914, by grouping the Guard Ersatz Battalions and the -Ersatz Battalions of the 2d Corps District, the division detrained at -Saverne August 19. In reserve during the battle on the 20th, it crossed -the frontier on the 23d with the 6th Army, fought southeast of Lunéville -the first days of September, and toward the end of the same month it -went to Haye (Woevre). - - -HAYE. - -1. There it formed part of the Ersatz Corps and held various sectors of -the region until March, 1916 (St. Baussant, Flirey, Bois de Mort-Mare, -etc.). - - - 1916. - -1. In March, 1916, the 1st Guard Ersatz Mixed Bde. (6th and 7th Guard -Regiments) left the Apremont region to go to the north of Combres and to -the south of Fresnes-en-Woevre. - - -VERDUN. - -2. After a rest of 10 days at St. Marie aux Chênes (Apr. 24-May 3) it -went to the front north of Verdun. May 11–12 it entered line in the -Bois-Nawé (west of Douaumont), where it took part in several attacks -(notably that of May 25). It rested in June, and fought again, beginning -July 1, to the southeast of the Thiaumont works. - -3. The 5th Guard Ersatz Mixed Bde. which had remained in the Montsec -region, entrained at Vigneulles-St. Benoît (July 23–26), detrained at -Spincourt, and during the night of August 3–4 entered line to the east -of Fleury. Together with the 1st Bde., it took part in the attack of -August 5, and both suffered heavy losses. - -4. The Guard Ersatz Division was withdrawn from line the end of August, -after having lost 50 per cent of its infantry before Verdun. - - -FLIREY-EN-HAYE. - -5. After a rest in the region west of Spincourt it went back into line -to the north of Flirey-en-Haye; it remained there until about the 5th of -November. - -In September the 357th and the 358th Infantry Regiments were attached to -the Bavarian Ersatz Division and the 214th Division, respectively. The -Guard Ersatz Division received in exchange a regiment newly formed from -companies taken from the 6th and 7th Guard and the 357th Infantry -Regiments. - - -COTE DU POIVRE. - -6. The division rested in November, leaving December 18 to go to the -region north of Côte du Poivre, following the French attack of December -15. - - - 1917. - -1. About January 15, 1917, the Guard Ersatz Division was withdrawn from -the Verdun front and sent to Champagne (St. Hilaire sector). - -2. Relieved toward the end of March, the division was sent to reserve in -the Chateau-Porcien region, which it quitted April 12. - - -AISNE. - -3. April 16 and the days following elements of the division -counterattacked toward Bermericourt; then relieving (Apr. 18) the -remnants of the 21st Division, the Guard Ersatz Division went through -the French attack of May 4. It left this front soon after. - -4. May; rest in rear of the Champagne front. - - -RUSSIA. - -5. After a stay in a sector in Haye to the north of Flirey (from the -beginning of June to the middle of July), the division was carried to -the eastern front (July 23–27). (Itinerary: Sarrebrucken, Kreuznach, -Frankfort, Leipsic, Cottbus, Glogau, Warsaw, Grodno, Vilna.) - -6. The Kaiser reviewed the division July 29. From the 1st to the 17th of -August it was trained in open warfare near Vilna. - - -RIGA. - -7. Taken to Chavli (Aug. 28), then to the Gross-Ekkau region, the -division entered line in the Uxkuell region and participated in the Riga -offensive, entering Riga September 3–4. - - -FRANCE. - -8. September 8 the division entrained for the western front. (Itinerary: -Chavli, Kovno, Eydtkuhnen, Insterberg, Posen, Cottbus, Leipsic, -Frankfort, Thionville, Briey.) It encamped near Spincourt, and then, -about October 10, entered line to the north of Bezonvaux. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The Guard Ersatz Division was recruited all over Prussia just as all the -other Guard divisions. - -Good division. The 6th and 7th Guard Regiments are not to be considered -as tried troops. The 399th Infantry Regiment seems to have but a slight -combative value. - -The men are said to have shown dissatisfaction when they left Russia for -the western front. Desertions are said to have taken place en route. -(Inter. pris. Dec. 15–17.) - - - 1918. - - -VERDUN. - -1. The division remained north of Verdun until February 20, when it was -relieved and went to Damvillers, entrained, and went to the Arlon area -and was trained until March 15. - - -SOMME. - -2. It entrained at Arlon on that date and traveled via Charleroi to -Mons, where it arrived the following day. By night marches the division -passed through Maubeuge-Bavai-Englefontaine-Fontaine au Bois-Bazuel-Le -Cateau-Busigny-Bohain-Fresnoy-Péronne, without taking part in any -fighting. It came into line March 25–26, and was heavily engaged at -Proyart the 27th. - - -HANGARD. - -3. The division was withdrawn about April 6, after having large -casualties, and reinforced the front near Hangard the night of April -9–10, not being relieved until about May 4. Flanking divisions extended -their fronts. - - -MONS. - -4. It rested northwest of Mons until the end of June. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -5. It then went to reserve in Champagne, and entered line west of -Auberive July 15. It was withdrawn on the 21st. - - -OULCHY LE CHATEAU. - -6. The division was identified in line north of Oulchy le Chateau July -29, where it fought until withdrawn, about August 9. - - -ALSACE. - -7. It went into rest cantonments at Helfrantzkirch (northeast of Basle), -and remained there until September 25. - - -YPRES. - -8. Prisoners of the division were captured southwest of Roulers, and -they stated that it entered line October 5–6. The division remained in -line fighting stubbornly, but to no purpose, until withdrawn, November -7. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -Reliable information is to the effect that the Guard Ersatz, the Guard -Cavalry, and the Jaeger Divisions bore the title “Oberste Heeresleitungs -Angriffsdivisionen,” and that they were held under the direct control of -the Supreme Command. Nevertheless, the Guard Ersatz has always been -considered as being in the second of four classes. - - - - - Guard Cavalry Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ───────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────── - │ 1918 - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┬─────────────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┼─────────────────────── - Infantry. │5 Ldw. Inf. │ - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┼─────────────────────── - Cavalry. │11 Cav. │1 Cuirassier. - │ │8 Drag. - │14 Cav. │5 Uhlan. - │ │8 Hus. - │ │11 Hus. - │38 Cav. │2 Mounted Jag. - │ │6 Mounted Jag. - │ │4 Cuirassier. - │ │Gd. Cuirassier (1 Sqn. - │ │ of 4 Mounted Jag.). - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┴─────────────────────── - Artillery. │132 Art. Command: - │ 3 Gd. F. A. Rgt. - │ 226 F. A. Rgt. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Engineers and Liaisons.│412 Pion. Btn.: - │ 307 Pion. Co. - │ 2 Ers. Pion. Co. - │ 183 Wireless Detch. - │ 286 and 385 T. M. Cos. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Medical and Veterinary.│257 Ambulance Co. - │302 Field Hospital. - │315 Field Hospital. - │286 Vet. Hospital. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Attached. │Balloon Sqn. No. 33. - │290 Reconnaissance Flight. - ───────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - - 1918. - -1. The division left the eastern theater in the middle of March. It was -reconstituted in the camp at Zossen (south of Berlin), and was then -moved to the Maubeuge area, where it underwent six weeks’ training for -open warfare. It now consisted of 9 dismounted regiments, grouped in 3 -brigades, 2 companies of pioneers, and a trench mortar company. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. About May 28 the division relieved the 23d Division east of the -Suippe. It was relieved about July 2, and on the 15th returned to -strengthen the battle front near Souain. It was relieved about July 20. - - -SOISSONS. - -3. The division was moved to the Soissons area, and on August 22 -relieved the Jaeger Division east of Soissons. It retired from the front -about September 5. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -4. On September 23–24 it relieved the 15th Bavarian Division north of -Prosnes, and was thereafter constantly in line in Champagne. The -direction of its final retreat lay through Herpy (Nov. 1), St. Ferguex -(5th), Rethel (6th), and Rocquigny (7th). - - - VALUE. - -The division was rated as second class. It was reported to be one of the -General Headquarters attack divisions held under direct control of the -Supreme Command. After the failure of the July offensive east of Reims -the division was constantly on the defensive. - - - - - 1st Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │1. │1 Gren. │1. │1 Gren. │1. │1 Gren. - │ │41. │ │41. │ │41. - │2. │3 Gren. │2. │3 Gren. │2. │3 Gren. - │ │43. │ │43. │ │43. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │8 Uhlan. Regt. │ (?) │ (?) - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │1 Brig.: │1 Brig.: │1 Brig.: - │16 F. A. Rgt. │16 F. A. Rgt. │16 F. A. Rgt. - │52 F. A. Rgt. │52 F. A. Rgt. │52 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Eng. Btn. (1 C. │1 Eng. Btn. (1 C. - Liaisons. │ │ Dist.): │ Dist.): - │ │ Field Co. 1 Pion. │ 271 Pion. Co. - │ │ │ (Oct., 1917). - │ │ 1 Pontoon Engs. │ 1 Pontoon Engs. - │ │ 1 Tel. Detch. │ 1 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ 1 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ 3d Co. 1 Pions. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │100 Labor Btn. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │1. │1 Gren. │1. │1 Gren. - │ │3 Gren. │ │3 Gren. - │ │43. │ │43. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3d Sqn. 8 Uhlan. │3 Sqn. 8 Uhlan. - │ Regt. │ Regt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │(z) Art. Commandt: │1 Art. Command: - │16 F. A. Rgt. │ 16 F. A. Rgt. - │52 F. A. Rgt. │ 1 Abt. 10 Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. (Staff. 1, - │ │ 3, and 4 Btries.) - │ │ 1083 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1095 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1096 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│112 Eng. Btn.: │110 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 3d Co. 1 Pions. │ 3 Co. 1 Pions. - │ (z). │ - │ 271 Pion. Co. │ 271 Pion. Co. - │ 1 T. M. Co. │ 1 T. M. Co. - │ 1 Tel. Detch. │ 108 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 305, 311, 312, and│1 Signal Command: - │ 392 Searchlight │ - │ Sections. │ - │ │ 1 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 43 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │4 Ambulance Co. │4 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Field Hospital. │13 Field Hospital. - │1 Vet. Hospital. │16 Field Hospital. - │ │1 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │534 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │66 M. G. S. S. │ - │ Detch. │ - │54, 55, 56, and 57 │ - │ Light M. G. │ - │ Sections. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - - 1914–15. - -Along with the 2d Division, the 1st Division forms the 1st Army Corps -(Koenigsberg). - - -RUSSIA. - -1. The 1st Army Corps was engaged on the Russian front at the very -beginning of the war. - -2. Up until November the 1st Division participated in the operations of -East Prussia, and notably in the battle of Tannenberg (Aug. 27–29). - -3. In December the two divisions of the 1st Corps separated. The 2d -Division remained in the north; the 1st Division went to the 9th Army, -from December, 1914, to January, 1915 (Bzura-Rawka), then to the Army of -the South, operating in the Carpathians and on the Dniester, from -February, 1915, to February, 1916. - - - 1916. - - -FRANCE. - -1. The division went to France in March, 1916. The 41st Infantry -Regiment detrained March 13 near Metz; the 48th Infantry Regiment at -Hagondange March 5. - - -VERDUN. - -2. The division was put in line near Vaux April 20, fought in the bois -de la Caillette in May, in the bois de Vaux Chapitre, and the bois Fumin -in June and July. It suffered enormous losses there. In the 1st Company -of the 41st Infantry Regiment, the numbers on the pay books passed from -1,359 (Apr. 10) to 1,674 (July 19), indicating the arrival of at least -316 reinforcements. From the beginning of the war until July, 1916, the -regiment had received an average of 1,360 men per company. - - -RUSSIA. - -3. At the end of July, 1916, the 1st Division, leaving behind the 41st -Infantry Regiment, which fought before Verdun in August, was once more -taken to the eastern front, where it formed part of the Carpathian -Corps. - - - 1917. - - -BUKOVINA. - -1. In July, 1917, the division was in the Kirlibaba-Dorna-Vatra region. -Beginning July 27, it followed up the retreating Russians, halting, -early in August, in the Sereth region. - - -FRANCE. - -2. The division entrained, the beginning of December, near Czernowitz, -and was carried to the French front. (Itinerary: Kolomea, Stanislau, -Lemberg, Tarnow, Oppeln, Breslau, Dresden, Leipsic, Halle, Cassel, -Coblentz, Treves.) Ordered to Lorraine, it was sent to the region east -of Etain, relieving the 13th Reserve Division and occupying the sector -in front of Moulainville (Dec. 27; still there Jan. 23, 1918). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Theoretically, the regiments of the 1st Division are recruited in East -Prussia, but since the 1st Corps District, sparsely populated and of -restricted size, could not keep it up alone, the elements coming from -outside this district are numerous. During the stay on the eastern front -Alsace-Lorrainers were used in considerable number. While in France the -division’s ranks were filled up with the aid of the abundant resources -of Brandenburg and Silesia (3rd and 4th Corps Districts); consequently, -the division does not display to any degree the local character like the -majority of the German divisions. - -The 1st Division was on the Russian front from August, 1914, until -December, 1917, with the exception of the period April-July, 1916, -during which it was engaged before Verdun. - -The troops of the division fraternized with the Russians for about three -weeks in April, but this came to an end early in May with the arrival -opposite them of new Russian troops, who received their advances with -bullets. (Inter. pris., Jan. 24, 1918.) - - - 1918. - - -WOEVRE. - -1. The division remained in line in the Verdun sector until relieved by -the 11th Bavarian division about February 15. - -2. It moved to the Conflans area, where it went through a course of -training in open warfare in order to fit itself to become an assault -division. At this time, too, it exchanged its Alsatians for Prussians of -the 78th Reserve Division. - - -SOMME. - -3. March 27 the division reinforced the front at Bray, north of the -Somme. It fought until the 30th, and lost to such an extent that its -companies, which had been filled up while in the Conflans area, were -reduced to an average strength of 40 men. - -4. It was withdrawn March 30, and rested immediately in rear of the -position it had held in line until about April 19. - -5. The following day the division went back into line just south of the -Somme, and immediately suffered heavily. It was relieved May 2 by the -24th Reserve Division. - -6. The division went to rest in the Peruwelz area, and then had some -more training in the same region. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -7. Early in July the division was identified in reserve near Hirson. - -8. July 16 it entered line near St. Hilaire, and was withdrawn the 20th. - - -RHEIMS. - -9. It was immediately thrown into line in the Bois de Vrigny, where it -fought in an attempt to prevent the Allies from annihilating the German -troops in the Soissons-Chateau Thierry-Rheims pocket. - - -LAON. - -10. About August 10 the division was withdrawn and went to rest in the -region of Laon. - - -LAFFAUX. - -11. September 3 it relieved the 27th Division near Laffaux, and, being -surprised by a French attack, lost heavily (2,300 prisoners). - -12. September 16 it was relieved by the 29th Division. - - -RHEIMS. - -13. The division came back into line near Betheny (northeast of Rheims) -on October 2 and was withdrawn about the 8th. - - -ST. FERGEUX. - -14. It reentered line in the St. Fergeux region October 14, and was -again withdrawn the 29th. - - -LIART. - -15. November 7 the division was identified near Liart (south of Rocroi), -and remained in line until the armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. - - - - - 1st Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │1 Res. │1 Res. │1 Res. │1 Res. │1 Res. │1 Res. - │ │3 Res. │ │3 Res. │ │3 Res. - │72 Res. │18 Res. │72 Res. │18 Res. │72 Res. │18 Res. - │ │59 Res. │ │59 Res. │ │59 Res. - │1 Res. │Jag. Btn.│1 Res. │Jag. Btn.│1 Res. │Jag. Btn. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │1 Res. Uhl. Rgt. (3│1 Res. Uhl. Rgt. │1 Res. Uhl. Rgt. - │ Sqns.). │ │ - │1 Res. Ers. Cav. │1 Res. Ers. Cav. │ - │ Rgt. (3 Sqns.). │ Regt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │1 Res. F. A. Rgt. │1 Res. F. A. Rgt. │1 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (6 Btries.). │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │2 Eng. Btn. No. 1: │4 Field Co. 2d - Liaisons. │ │ │ Pion. Btn. - │ │ Res. Co. 1 Pion. │201 T. M. Co. - │ │ Btn. │ - │ │ 1 Res. Pontoon │1 Res. Pontoon - │ │ Engs. │ Engs. - │ │ 1 Res. Tel. Detch.│1 Res. Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │1 Res. │1 Res. │1 Res. │1 Res. - │ │3 Res. │ │3 Res. - │ │59 Res. │ │ - │1 Res. │Jag. Btn.│ │59 Res. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │1 Res. Uhl. Rgt. (.│4 Sqn. 2 Gd. Ulan - │ Sqns.). │ Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │1 Res. F. A. Rgt. │1 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.). │ - │ │2 Abt. 1 Res. Ft. - │ │ A. Rgt. - │ │1363 Light Am. Col. - │ │1390 Light Am. Col. - │ │1393 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│301 Eng. Btn. (.): │301 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 4 Co. Pion. Btn. │ 4 Co. 2 Pions. - │ │ - │ 1 Co. Pion. Btn. │ 1 Co. 34 Res. - │ │ Pions. - │ 201 T. M. Co. │ 201 T. M. Co. - │ 348 Searchlight │ 31 Searchlight - │ Section. │ Section. - │ Tel. Detch. │401 Signals - │ │ Command: - │ │ 401 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 158 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │501 Ambulance Co. │501 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │399 Field Hospital.│399 Field Hospital. - │9 Res. Field │9 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │137 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - - 1914–15. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. The 1st Reserve Division was on the Russian front from August, 1914, -until November 1, 1917, at which time it entrained for France. - - -EAST PRUSSIA-POLAND. - -2. In 1914 it and the 36th Reserve Division formed the 1st Reserve Corps -(Gen. Otto von Buelow). It took part in the operations of East Prussia -(Hindenburg’s Army), in the Lodz maneuver (Von Mackensen’s Army), and in -the combats on the Bzura. - -3. In February, 1915, the division was in the Prasnysz region, northeast -of the Bohr-Narew line. - - -COURLAND. - -4. In May, as part of Eichhorn’s Army, it took part in the raid on -Courland. - - - 1916. - - -GALICIA. - -1. It was on the Dvina in the Friedrichstadt region until July. - -2. In August it was identified in Galicia, in Bothmer’s Army, opposed to -the Broussiloff offensive. Here it had heavy losses. (The 11th Company -of the 3d Infantry Regiment, in particular, was reduced to 30 men.) -During September the division was reinforced. The depot at -Friedrichstadt, near Warsaw, was completely emptied to make good its -losses. - - -COURLAND. - -3. Toward the end of September elements of the division were in line -near Friedrichstadt, along the Dvina, in a calm sector. The 18th Reserve -Infantry Regiment was attached to the newly formed 225th Division. - - - 1917. - -1. January 5, 1917, the division was taken to the Mitau region, where it -helped stop the Russian attack. Losses in this sector were light, but -there was considerable discontent due to the cold. - -2. The division was relieved about the 15th of March and sent to the -neighborhood of Gross-Eckau, near Mitau, where it rested two months. - - -RIGA. - -3. The middle of May it was put back into line before Riga. It took part -in the offensive against that city in September, stayed there from the -3d to the 7th of September, and then took up again its march toward the -east. It organized its positions about 70 kilometers from Riga, near -Hintzenberg (or Hildersberg?) (near Wenden) and established itself -there. - - -FRANCE. - -4. Relieved the end of October, it entrained near Wenden for the western -front (Itinerary: Riga, Mitau, Kovno, Eidtkuhnen, Insterburg, Thorn, -Posen, Lissa, Breslau, Cottbus, Leipsic, Erfuhrt, Frankfort-on-the-Main, -Sarrebruecken, Thionville, Sedan, Vouziers.) It detrained November 6 at -Semide (southeast of Vouziers). - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -5. After a rest of two days, the division went into line in the St. -Hilaire sector (east of Vaudesincourt-Auberive). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The division was recruited in East Prussia and, as a result of -insufficient local resources, from divers other localities—a great many -Alsace-Lorrainers during the sojourn on the Russian front. - -The 1st Reserve Division has taken part in all the important attacks -which have taken place on the eastern front since the beginning of the -war. It seems, however, from interrogation of deserters (in Champagne, -November, 1917), that the cadres and men were little prepared for war as -it was waged on the western front. - - - 1918. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. The division remained in line east of Auberive until relieved by the -23d Division April 30. - - -MONTDIDIER. - -2. May 13–14 it relieved the 76th Reserve Division in the Givesnes -sector. - -3. It was relieved August 4, but came back into line on the 10th a -little farther to the north, in the region of Hangest-en-Santerre. It -was withdrawn a few days later and rested several days in the -neighborhood. - -4. August 19 it relieved the 75th Reserve Division near Beuvraignes. It -fought until relieved September 2. - - -ST. QUENTIN. - -5. After 10 days’ rest it relieved the 21st Division near Le Verguier, -northwest of St. Quentin. It was withdrawn on the 20th. - - -RIBEMONT. - -6. October 1 the division relieved the 208th Division near Ribemont. -Withdrawn October 31. - - -DOMPIERRE. - -7. It came back into line November 7 and remained until the armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division has suffered very heavily, notwithstanding the fact that, -until about the 10th of August, it had taken no part in any really -important actions this year. On the 18th of September the 1st Reserve -Regiment was almost wiped out, its three battalion officers being -captured with their staffs. It had also suffered a great many casualties -the 9th and 10th of August. It is difficult to estimate the strength of -its companies, owing to the fact that it is still in an active sector, -but it is probably not over 50 rifles. - -In the main the recruitment is East Prussian. There have been many -Alsace-Lorrainers in its ranks, but since many of these have deserted -there are probably not a great many of them left. For the most part the -men are between 25 and 35 years old, but there are many older men and -something less than 10 per cent of the division is made up by recruits -of the 1919 class. It is again to be noted that the division was not -employed in any of the German offensives this year. - -Its conduct was remarkable in no way during the division’s participation -in the heavy fighting around Hangest, Beuvraignes, and to the north of -St. Quentin. During the early part of the year, when the division was in -line in Champagne, there were a great many desertions, especially among -the Alsace-Lorraine element. There have also been many cases of mutiny, -especially in the 59th Reserve, the worst of the three regiments. About -the middle of August a batch of some 500 recruits started out from the -interior for the division. To sustain the morale of the men, these -recruits were told they were going to simply support the artillery. -Notwithstanding this, less than 250 men remained when the draft reached -its true destination—the front lines. The men are very tired of the war, -but on the whole seem resigned to the necessity of doing their duty. - -The 1st Reserve is rated as a third-class division. - - - - - 1st Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │6 Mixed │34 Ldw. │6 Ldw. │34 Ldw. │34 Ldw. │31 Ldw. - │ Ldw. │ │ │ │ │ - │ │49 Ldw. │ │49 Ldw. │ │37 Ldw. - │ │ │ │ │ │84 Ldw. - │34 Mixed │31 Ldw. │34 Mixed │31 Ldw. │ │ - │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. │ │ │ - │ │84 Ldw. │ │33 Ldw. │ │ - │ │ │ │84 Ldw. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │90 Ldw. Cav. Rgt. │2d Sqn. 10 Drag. - │ │ │ Rgt. - │ │2d Sqn. 10 Drag. │ - │ │ Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │ │96 F. A. Rgt. │128 Art. Command: - │ │219 F. A. Rgt. │ 96 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Co. 23 Pion. Btn.│(401) Eng. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │2 Co. 23 Ers. Pion.│ 1 Co. 1 Ers. Pion. - │ │ Btn. │ Btn. - │ │ │ 3 Co. 26 Ers. - │ │ │ Pion. Btn. - │ │ │ 301 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ 279 Searchlight - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ │ 501 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │215 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │2 Ldw. Field - │ │ │ Hospital. - │ │ │9 Ldw. Field - │ │ │ Hospital. - │ │ │201 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Odd Units. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │34 Ldw. │31 Ldw. │34 Ldw. │31 Ldw. - │ │ │ │ - │ │33 Ldw. │ │33 Ldw. - │ │84 Ldw. │ │84 Ldw. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2d Sqn. 12 Horse │3 Sqn. 12 Horse - │ Jag. │ Jag. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │ │96 F. A. Rgt. - │ │782 Light Am. Col. - │ │1036 Light Am. Col. - │ │1047 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │401 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │ 1 Ers. Co. 1 - │ │ Pions. - │ │ 2 Ldw. Co. 2 C. - │ │ Dist. Pions. - │ │ 301 T. M. Co. - │ │ 142 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │501 Signal Command: - │ │ 501 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 190 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │215 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │146 Field Hospital. - │ │ - │ │279 Field Hospital. - │ │ - │ │201 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Odd Units. │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - - 1914–15. - -Called Jacobi’s Division at the beginning of the war, and a part of the -1st Landwehr Corps, the 1st Landwehr Division fought under this corps on -the eastern front. It was first called the 10th Landwehr Division, -taking the name of 1st Landwehr Division in July, 1915. It comprised the -6th Mixed Landwehr Brigade (34th and 49th Landwehr Regiments) and the -34th Mixed Landwehr Brigade (31st and 84th Landwehr Regiments). - - -EAST PRUSSIA-POLAND. - -1. First engaged in East Prussia (Angerburg, Gumbinnen, August, 1914, to -January, 1915), Jacobi’s Division took part in the operations between -Mariampol and Suwalki. Early in March, 1915, it was before Lomza; then -in the Ossowiec region on the Bobr. It was at this time that the -division became known as the 1st Landwehr Division, and the 33d Landwehr -Regiment was attached to it. - -2. At the beginning of August the division was in the Kalvariia region, -Suwalki. It took part in the summer offensive, but remained in support, -never doing any actual fighting. - - -COURLAND. - -3. After a rest on the Little Berezina, it went to Courland, going into -line in the Uxkuell region (October). - - - 1916. - -1. The division remained to the south of Riga until the end of July, -1916. - - -VOLHYNIA. - -2. In August it went to Volhynia, where it took over the Borovno sector -(on the Stokhod) and held it for more than a year, until about November, -1917. The 6th Landwehr Brigade was taken away and remained in the Mitau -region (April, 1916). Since then the division has been composed of only -three regiments. - - - 1917. - - -VOLHYNIA. - -1. Relieved in the Borovno sector toward the end of 1917, went to rest -in the vicinity of Kovel. In January, 1918, the division received -reinforcements from the 9th Landwehr Regiment (dissolved) and also from -the 20th Landsturm Regiment. It had already had men of the 1919 class -since November, 1917. Still more arrived in February, 1918, when the -division was on the point of departing for Belgium. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -In theory, the 31st and 84th Landwehr Regiments were recruited in the -9th Corps District; the 33d Landwehr Regiment in the 1st Corps District. -Latterly, however, widely diversified elements have been introduced—men -of the 20th Landsturm Regiment (18th Corps District); from the 9th -Landsturm Regiment (2d Corps District); also men from the 3d, 7th, and -17th Districts (class 1919). There is, too, a considerable number of -Alsace-Lorrainers (33d Landwehr Regiment). - -The 1st Landwehr is a mediocre division, composed of old men and of -others that have little military value. (March, 1918.) - - - 1918. - - -BELGIUM. - -1. The division was then taken to the western front, and after some time -spent in reserve (it was probably trained in the methods of warfare -employed on the western front, although there is no evidence to -establish it) it relieved the 35th Division near Merckem, March 20. It -was relieved about April 19 by elements of the 83d Division. - -2. April 26 it was identified in the St. Julien-Hooge sector, replacing -part of the 236th Division, which side slipped to the south. In an -unsuccessful attack during this time it suffered exceedingly heavy -losses. - - -ALSACE. - -3. The division was relieved by the 6th Cavalry Division during the -night of July 27–28 and went to rest in the Vosges. - -4. About October 3 the division relieved the 30th Bavarian Reserve -Division near Aspach le Bas. - - -WOEVRE. - -5. It was withdrawn from this sector soon afterwards to be thrown in to -meet the American advance east of the Meuse, being identified west of -Flabas October 16. They lost heavily, staying in until the armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 1st Landwehr is rated as a third-class division. Still, although -many of its younger men were sent to other divisions just before it came -to the western front, it did rather well, its commanding officer having -been promoted after its participation in the battle of the Lys, and the -division as a whole having been lauded several times in the official -communiques. - - - - - 1st Bavarian Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │1 Bav. │Body Inf.│1 Bav. │1 Bav. │2 Bav. │2 Bav. - │ │1 Bav. │2 Bav. │2 Bav. │ │1 Bav. - │2 Bav. │2 Bav. │ │24 Bav. │ │24 Bav. - │ │16 Bav. │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │8 Bav. Light Cav. │ │8 Bav. Light Cav. - │ │ │ (3 Sqns). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │1 Bav. Brig.: │1 Bav. Brig.: │1 Bav. Brig.: - │ │ │ - │ 1 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 1 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 1 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ 7 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 7 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 7 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 Bav. Eng. Btn. │1 Bav. Eng. Btn. (1│1 Bav. Eng. Btn. (1 - Liaisons. │ (1st and 3d Field│ and 3 Field │ and 3 Field - │ Cos.). │ Cos.): │ Cos.): - │ │ 1 Bav. Pontoon │ 1 Bav. T. M. Co. - │ │ Engs. │ - │ │ 1 Bav. Tel. Detch.│ 1 Bav. Pontoon - │ │ │ Engs. - │ │ │ 1 Bav. Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │1 Bav. │2 Bav. │1 Bav. │1 Bav. - │ │1 Bav. │ │2 Bav. - │ │24 Bav. │ │24 Bav. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │8 Bav. Light Cav. │2 Sqn. 8 Bav. Light - │ (2d and 3d Sqns).│ Cav. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │1 Bav. Art. │1 Bav. Art. - │ Command: │ Command: - │ 1 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 1 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 9 Bav. Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 123 Bav. Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 146 Bav. Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 158 Bav. Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 and 3 Bav. Pion. │1 Bav. Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ Cos. │ - │ │ - │1 Bav. T. M. Co. │ 1 Bav. Pion. Co. - │ │ - │1 Bav. Searchlight │ 3 Bav. Pion. Co. - │ Section. │ - │1 Bav. Tel. Detch. │ 1 Bav. T. M. Co. - │1 Bav. Pontoon │ 1 Bav. Searchlight - │ Engs. │ Section. - │ │1 Bav. Signal - │ │ Command: - │ │ 1 Bav. Tel. Detch. - │ │ 40 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │1 Bav. Ambulance │1 Bav. Ambulance - Veterinary.│ Co. │ Co. - │Field Hospital. │3 Bav. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │4 Bav. Field - │ │ Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - - 1914. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. At the beginning of the war the 1st Bavarian Division, forming, with -the 2d Bavarian Division, the 1st Bavarian Corps, was part of the 6th -Army (Bavarian Crown Prince). It detrained at Sarrebruecken (Aug. 8–9), -crossed the frontier, sacked Badonviller the 12th, and withdrew to the -north of Sarrebruecken the 17th. It fought at Sarrebruecken the 20th. In -liaison on the left with the Badeners of the 14th Corps, it crossed the -frontier and advanced to Nossoncourt and Xaffévillers (Sept. 6) via -Baccarat. September 12 the division, having been withdrawn, was -reassembled at Peltre (near Metz). It then entrained at Metz the 14th -and 15th, and detrained near Namur, reaching Péronne the 24th. - - -SOMME. - -2. In the last days of September, 1914, at the time of the “race to the -sea,” the two divisions of the 1st Bavarian Corps were in the 2d Army -(Von Buelow), which operated on the Somme in the Péronne region. They -became heavily engaged notably at Combles (Oct. 24) and at Maricourt -(Dec. 17). By November 4 the 1st Bavarian Regiment had had casualties of -63 officers and 2,090 men since the beginning of the war. (Casualty -list.) - - - 1915. - - -ARTOIS. - -1. The 1st Bavarian Division was kept in line on the Somme (Dompierre- -Maricourt) until October, 1915. Its composition was changed—the Body -Infantry Regiment went to the Alpine Corps, the 16th Infantry to the -10th Bavarian Division. In return, the 24th Infantry (a new formation) -was received. - -2. The division was taken to the region north of Arras (Neuville-Souchez -sector), where it remained almost seven months (October, 1915-May, -1916). - - - 1916. - - -VERDUN. - -1. About May, 1916, the division was relieved to the west of Vimy and -sent to the Verdun front, where it took part in the battles near -Douaumont (May 23), and in those of June 1 and 8. - -2. Re-formed in the Romagne-sous-les-Côtes area, it reentered line about -June 22 for new attacks. During this offensive the division suffered -severely. It was relieved at the beginning of July. - -3. After a short rest behind the Verdun front the division reoccupied -the Apremont-St. Mihiel sector, remaining there until October 11, when -it was reconstituted, receiving large reinforcements (recuperates and -men of the 1916 class). - - -SOMME. - -4. Taken to the Caudry sector (near Cambrai), it was engaged on the -Somme (Sailly-Saillisel, Morval) October 13 to end of November, where -its losses were once again exceedingly heavy. - -5. The division reappeared in the region of St. Mihiel (Bois d’Ailly- -Forêt d’Apremont sector) the beginning of December, and remained there -until the early days of May, 1917. - - - 1917. - - -PLATEAU DE CALIFORNIE. - -1. Entrained about May 7 at Vigneulles, it proceeded to the Laon region, -where it was in reserve (May 8–12). The following day it took over the -sector west of Hurtebise, where it participated in several attacks (May -20-June 17), losing heavily therein. - -2. The division was relieved June 21 and went to rest south of Mezieres -(La Francheville, etc.), where it was reconstituted. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -3. July 25 it went back into line on the Champagne front (sector south -of Ste. Marie-a-Py); it did not take part in any important engagements -there. - -4. The division was withdrawn December 27. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The division was recruited in the southern part of Bavaria. The presence -of contingents from the Bavarian Alps was responsible for the withdrawal -of the Body Regiment to form the Alpine Corps. - -Despite the losses it suffered during May and June in the Hurtebise -sector, the 1st Bavarian Division may still be considered a good -division. It has had time to reconstitute itself during the long calm -period spent in Champagne (July 25-Dec. 27, 1917). - - - 1918. - - -ARGONNE. - -1. Withdrawn from line, the division was put through a course of -training. It relieved the 80th Reserve Division north of Vauquois -February 17. - -2. It was relieved by the 80th Reserve Division about the 1st of March. - - -ST. QUENTIN. - -3. The opening day of the March offensive the division reinforced the -front south of St. Quentin. It was withdrawn the next day. - -4. March 23 it came back into line north of Chauny. It was withdrawn -about the 30th. - - -LASSIGNY. - -5. April 6 it relieved the 3d Bavarian Division west of Lassigny. It was -in turn relieved by the 3d Bavarian Division on the 12th. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -6. Having suffered a great deal in the fighting on the Somme, the -division was taken to a quiet sector in Champagne, relieving the 52d -Reserve Division May 1 north of Souain. About June 30 it was relieved by -the 30th Division. - -7. It reinforced the front near Souain July 15. It was withdrawn about -the 31st. - - -SOISSONS. - -8. The division entered line northeast of Soissons August 11. - - -NOYON. - -9. It was relieved by the Jaeger Division about August 19, and moved to -the west, taking over the Cuts sector, southeast of Noyon, August 20, -and was withdrawn the 22d. - - -COUCY-LE-CHATEAU. - -10. August 31 the division was identified at Folembray, northwest of -Coucy-le-Chateau; withdrawn about September 12. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -11. About September 27 it took over the Manre sector, southeast of -Vouziers, where it remained, fighting, until the signing of the -armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 1st Bavarian is rated as a first-class assault division; it was -utilized as such throughout 1918. It fought well; its losses were -severe. - - - - - 1st Bavarian Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │1 Bav. │1 Bav. │1 Bav. │1 Bav. │1 Bav. │1 Bav. - │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. - │ │2 Bav. │ │2 Bav. │ │2 Bav. - │ │ Res. │ │ Res. │ │ Res. - │2 Bav. │3 Bav. │2 Bav. │3 Bav. │ │3 Bav. - │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ │ Res. - │ │12 Bav. │ │12 Bav. │ │ - │ │ Res. │ │ Res. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │1 Bav. Res. Cav. │1 Bav. Res. Cav. │1 Bav. Res. Cav. - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │1 Bav. Res. F. A. │1 Bav. Res. F. A. │1 Bav. Res. F. A. - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Bav. Res. Eng. │2d and 4th Bav. - Liaisons. │ │ Btn. │ Res. Pion. Cos. - │ │1 Bav. Res. Pont. │201 Bav. T. M. Co. - │ │ Eng. │ - │ │1 Bav. Res. Tel. │1 Bav. Res. Pont. - │ │ Detch. │ Engs. - │ │ │1 Bav. Res. Tel. - │ │ │ Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │1 Bav. │1 Bav. │1 Bav. │1 Bav. - │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. - │ │2 Bav. │ │2 Bav. - │ │ Res. │ │ Res. - │ │3 Bav. │ │3 Bav. - │ │ Res. │ │ Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Bav. Light Cav. │3 Sqn. 3 Bav. Light - │ Rgt. (3d Sqn.). │ Cav. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │13 Bav. Art. │13 Bav. Art. - │ Command: │ Command: - │ 1 Bav. Res. F. A. │ 1 Bav. Res. F. A. - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - │ │ 1 Abt. 1 Bav. Ft. - │ │ A. Rgt. - │ │ (Staff, 1, 2, and - │ │ 4 Btries.) - │ │ 101 Bav. Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 145 Bav. Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 147 Bav. Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│17 Bav. Eng. Btn.: │17 Bav. Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Bav. Res. Pion. │ 1 Bav. Res. Pion. - │ Co. │ Co. - │ 3 Bav. Res. Pion. │ 17 Bav. Res. Pion - │ Co. │ Co. - │ 17 Bav. Res. Pion.│ 201 Bav. T. M. Co. - │ Co. │ - │ 201 T. M. Co. │ 18 Bav. - │ │ Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │1 Bav. Res. │401 Bav. Signals - │ Searchlight │ Command: - │ Section. │ - │401 Bav. Tel. │ 401 Bav. Tel. - │ Detch. │ Detch. - │ │ 106 Bav. Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │15 Bav. Ambulance │15 Bav. Ambulance - Veterinary.│ Co. │ Co. - │45 Bav. Field │45 Bav. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │48 Bav. Field │48 Bav. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │49 Bav. Field │ - │ Hospital. │ - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │750 M. T. Col. │750 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - - 1914. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. The Bavarian Reserve Division (1st Bavarian Reserve Corps, with the -5th Bavarian Reserve Division) was at the beginning of the war part of -the 6th Army (Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria), and detrained in Lorraine -August 13–14. After having helped to check the French offensive in -Lorraine, participated in the battle of August 20, entered Luneville, -and after having fought at Einville, early in September, it went to rest -in the vicinity of the Paris-Avricourt railroad, and later march to Metz -by stages. - - -ARRAS. - -2. September 27–28 the division entrained at Metz and was carried to -Cambrai. Entering line between Douai and Arras, it fought at Izel, -Gavrelle, Rouvroy (Oct. 2–3). On the 5th its right wing was at Souchez, -the whole 1st Bavarian Reserve Corps being then in line north of Arras. -October 23 the two divisions of the corps attacked violently along the -Carency-Roclincourt front; they remained in line until June, 1915, the -1st Bavarian Division being between Roclincourt and Écurie. - - - 1915. - - -NEUVILLE-ST. VAAST. - -1. In May, 1915, the 1st Bavarian Reserve Division was engaged at -Neuville-St. Vaast, when it was reinforced by two battalions of the 99th -Reserve Infantry Regiment. The 2d Bavarian Reserve Regiment suffered -casualties of 14 officers and 1,413 men (casualty list). - - -LE LABYRINTHE. - -2. In June the division fought at the Labyrinth. - -3. It continued to hold the sector north of the Scarpe, but moved toward -the south in December, the front of the 1st Bavarian Reserve Corps -extending as far as Blaireville. - - - 1916. - -1. The division remained in line east of Arras, straddling the Scarpe -until August, 1916. From May to August, it comprised the 12th Bavarian -Reserve Regiment, instead of the 3d Bavarian Reserve Regiment, loaned -temporarily by the 5th Bavarian Reserve Division. - - -SOMME. - -2. Withdrawn August 8, it went to the Somme. It was engaged the 12th in -the Clery sector, and was relieved as early as the 15th by the 1st Guard -Division after having suffered heavily. - -3. The second fortnight in August the division was at rest near Cambrai. -The end of that month and early in September, some elements of the -division were engaged near Clery and Martinpuich in order to facilitate -reliefs. - - -AISNE. - -4. About the middle of September the 1st Bavarian Reserve Corps was -withdrawn from the region of the Somme and sent to the Aisne, where the -1st Bavarian Reserve Division occupied a sector to the west of Craonne -until the beginning of December. - -5. Brought back north of the Somme, it sent some elements into line in -the Beaumont-Hamel sector (north of the Ancre, December-January). - - - 1917. - - -ARTOIS. - -1. After sometime at rest, the division went back into line February 27 -to the north of Arras (Roclincourt-Neuville-St. Vaast). April 9 it -received the full shock of the British attack—lost the villages of -Thelus and Bailleul and 1,500 prisoners. - - -LA BASSÉE. - -2. Relieved about the 15th of April, the division rested, and then -entered line north of the La Bassée Canal (east of Festubert). It -remained here five months, taking no part in any important engagements -but suffering losses as a result of gas attacks. - - -FLANDERS. - -3. It left for Belgium October 6–7, and took over the Zandvoorde sector -(southeast of Ypres) on the 8th. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 1st Bavarian Reserve Division is a good division, but its combatant -value can not be compared to that of the active Bavarian divisions. - - - 1918. - -1. Here it remained in line until February 11, when it was relieved by -the 239th Division and withdrawn to rest in the Menin area, before it -had suffered many casualties. - - -DIXMUDE. - -2. March 9 it relieved the 54th Reserve Division in the Dixmude sector. -It was relieved on the 22d by the extension of the fronts of the -neighboring divisions. - -3. It marched to Zedelghem the same day, and reached Seclin on the 23d. -The 28th it came into reserve near Douai. It was undoubtedly intended to -reinforce the German attack on the Arras front on the 28th, but as this -was a complete failure, it returned to the Carvin area. - - -LYS. - -4. April 9 the division reinforced the front near Richebourg-St. Vaast, -and took part in the initial attack on the Lys battle front the same -day. It advanced through Lacouture, Vieille-Chapelle, and had reached -Zelobes April 10. After the first day’s fighting it met with a strong -resistance and suffered heavily. It was relieved near Robecq by the -239th Division, April 18. - - -LOOS. - -5. April 27 the division relieved elements of the 207th Division east of -Loos (south of the La Bassee Canal). - - -YPRES. - -6. It was relieved by the 16th Division about September 27, marched to -Carvin, which it left September 29, and entrained at Seclin for Heule, -whence it marched into line via Moorseele. It was identified near -Roulers October 4. It was relieved by the 6th Cavalry Division October -16. - -7. After a rest of only a few days the division came back into line on -the 23d to the south of Deynze, whence it was withdrawn about October -31. It did not return to line. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 1st Bavarian Reserve Division took part in no real fighting with the -exception of the Lys offensive, in which it did nothing to distinguish -itself. It would seem that the division does not deserve to be rated -higher than third in a scale of four classes. - - - - - 1st Bavarian Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │13 Bav. │8 Bav. │5 Bav. │4 Bav. │5 Bav. │4 Bav. - │ Ldw. │ Ldw. │ Ldw. │ Ldw. │ Ldw. │ Ldw. - │ │10 Bav. │ │5 Bav. │ │5 Bav. - │ │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. - │ │ │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ │ │ - │14 Bav. │15 Bav. │14 Bav. │15 Bav. │9 Bav. │6 Bav. - │ Ldw. │ Ldw. │ Ldw. │ Ldw. │ Mixed │ Ldw. - │ │ │ │ │ Ldw. │ - │ │122 Ldw. │ │122 Ldw. │ │7 Bav. - │ │ │ │ │ │ Ldw. - │60 Mixed │60 Ldw. │13 Bav. │8 Bav. │13 Bav. │8 Bav. - │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. │ Ldw. │ Ldw. │ Ldw. - │ │71 Ldw. │ │10 Bav. │ │10 Bav. - │ │ │ │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. - │ │ │ │ │ │60 Res. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │1st Sqn. 2d Bav. │1st Sqn. 2d Bav. - │ │ Corps Dist. Ldw. │ Corps Dist. Ldw. - │ │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │2 Ldst. F. A. Abtl.│2 Ldst. F. A. Abtl.│1 Bav. Ldw. F. A. - │ │ │ Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Ldw. Pion. Co. │18 Bav. Res. Pion. - Liaisons. │ │ │ Co. - │ │(2d Bav. Corps │3 Bav. Ldw. Pion. - │ │ Dist.). │ Co. - │ │ │301 Bav. T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │38 Railway Const. - │ │ │ Co. - │ │ │Ldst. Inf. Btn., - │ │ │ Rosenheim (3d - │ │ │ Btn. 1 Bav. Corps - │ │ │ Dist.). - │ │ │Ldst. Inf. Btn., 2d - │ │ │ Augsburg (10th - │ │ │ Btn. 1 Bav. Corps - │ │ │ Dist.). - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │9 Bav. │4 Bav. │5 Bav. │4 Bav. - │ Ers. │ Ldw. │ Ldw. │ Ldw. - │ │6 Bav. │ │6 Bav. - │ │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. - │ │7 Bav. │ │7 Bav. - │ │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │1st Sqn. 8 Bav. │1 sq. 8 Bav. Light - │ Light Cav. Rgt. │ Cav. Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │1 Bav. Ldw. F. A. - │ │ Rgt. - │1 Bav. Ldw. F. A. │ - │ Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(24 Bav.) Eng. Btn.│24 Bav. Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │18 Bav. Res. Pion. │ 18 Bav. Res. Pion. - │ Co. │ Co. - │1 Bav. Ldw. Pion. │ 1 Bav. Ldw. Pion. - │ Co. │ Co. - │301 Bav. T. M. Co. │ 24 Bav. - │ │ Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │501 Bav. Tel. │ 4 Bav. Res. - │ Detch. │ Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │501 Bav. Signals - │ │ Command: - │ │ 501 Bav. Tel. - │ │ Detch. - │ │ 191 Bav. Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │21 Bav. Ambulance │21 Bav. Ambulance - Veterinary.│ Co. │ Co. - │62 Bav. Field │61 Bav. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │62 Bav. Field - │ │ Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │325 M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │154 Labor Btn. │ - │ │ - │168 Labor Btn. │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - - 1914. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. The origin of the 1st Bavarian Landwehr Division dates from the -stabilization of the Lorraine front after the check of the Germans -before Grand-Couronne in September, 1914. - -2. At the beginning of the war the different elements which were to -enter into the composition of the division were employed in Lorraine in -rear of the combatant troops. The 71st Landwehr Regiment came from the -war garrison of Strasburg. - -3. These elements grouped in three brigades forming the 1st Bavarian -Landwehr Division, were brought up to the front early in September and -put into line in the Château-Salins sector (from Jallaucourt to the -Rhine-Marne Canal). - - - 1915. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. From that time on the division occupied the same front in Lorraine, -on each side of the Rhine-Marne Canal, broadening or narrowing its front -according to the number of troops in line in the region. - -2. During the summer of 1915 its limit was carried to the southeast -gradually as far as the Luneville-Avricourt railway, next to the region -south of Leintrey; to the northeast as far as the western ledge of the -Foret de Bezange. - -3. In May, 1915, the 60th Landwehr Bde. was detached from the division, -and replaced by the 5th Bavarian Landwehr Bde. (4th and 5th Bavarian -Landwehr Regiments) coming from the 10th Ersatz Division. - - - 1916. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. South of Leintrey—western edge of the Foret de Bezange. In January, -1916, the 14th Bavarian Landwehr Bde. was detached from the 1st Bavarian -Landwehr Division; the 122d Landwehr Regiment (Wurttemburg) passed to -the 2d Landwehr Division; the 15th Bavarian Landwehr Regiment to the -39th Bavarian Landwehr Division. The brigade was replaced by the 9th -Bavarian Landwehr Bde. (6th and 7th Bavarian Landwehr Regiments). The -division thus became entirely Bavarian; it was increased, shortly after, -by the addition of the 60th Reserve Regiment, which was later -(September) attached to the 221st Division. - -2. In July, 1916, the 13th Bavarian Landwehr Bde. was withdrawn from the -division and replaced by battalions of Landsturm. - - - 1917. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. In January, 1917, the division’s sector was shortened—it was limited -on the southeast by the western edge of the Foret de Paroy. In March it -ended northwest of Juvrecourt. In June it extended itself once more to -the southeast, fixing itself finally in July between Juvrecourt and the -eastern edge of the Foret de Paroy; the limits have not varied since -then. - -2. About the first of the year the 5th Bavarian Landwehr Regiment passed -to the 2d Bavarian Landwehr Division (new formation—Russian front). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 1st Bavarian Landwehr Division established itself on the Lorraine -front in September, 1914, after the hard fighting in that region had -ceased. It executed some important raids with its assault company, -notably in June, 1917 (Foret de Paroy), and November (Arracourt region). -In general, however, it remained exclusively on the defensive. It is -made up of men whose physical value is often diminished; who have, -consequently, waged only position warfare, and that upon a defensive -front. - - - 1918. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. The division remained in the Parroy sector in Lorraine throughout -1918, and, with the exception of a very few raids executed by the -divisional Stosstrupp, did nothing. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -Losses and reinforcements have been few. The strength of the companies -appears to be about 80 men, of an average age of 35–40 years. The 1st -Bavarian Landwehr is rated as a fourth-class division. - - - - - 1st Cavalry Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ───────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────── - │ 1918 - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┬─────────────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┼─────────────────────── - Cavalry. │1 Cav. (1 C. Dist.). │3 Cuirassier. - │ │1 Drag. - │2 Cav. (1 C. Dist.). │12 Uhlan. - │ │9 Horse Jag. - │43 Cav. (1 C. Dist.). │8 Uhlan (3 and 5 Sqns. - │ │ detached). - │ │10 Horse Jag. (2 and 3 - │ │ Sqns. detached). - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┴─────────────────────── - Artillery. │35 Horse Art. Abt. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Engineers and Liaisons.│(?) Pion. Detchs. - │347 Searchlight Section. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Medical and Veterinary.│65 Vet. Hospital. - │142 Vet. Hospital. - │70 Ambulance Co. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Odd units. │152 Cyclist Co. - │153 Cyclist Co. - │159 Cyclist Co. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Attached. │3 Hus. Rgt. (1, 3, 4, and 6 Sqn.). - ───────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - - 1918. - -1. Throughout 1918 the separate elements of this division were used in -police duty in the Ukraine, in Lithuania, and along the Danube. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -As the division did not operate as a division in 1918, no estimate can -be given of its fighting value. - - - - - 1st Naval Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │1 Nav. │ │1 Nav. │ │1 Nav. │ - │2 Nav. │ │2 Nav. │ │2 Nav. │ - │ │ │ │ │ │ - │ The 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6th Marine Fus. Rgts. and the 4th - │ Marine Inf. Rgt. alternated between the 1st and 2d Naval - │ Division. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - Cavalry. │1 Ldw. Sqn. (10 C. │ │ - │ Dist.). │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │1 and 2 Ldw. F. A. │Nav. Brig.: │1 Nav. F. A. Rgt. - │ Detch. (10 C. │ │ - │ Dist.). │ │ - │ │ 1 Nav. F. A. Rgt. │2 Nav. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ 2 Nav. F. A. Rgt. │3 Nav. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ Torpedo-Matrosen │Torpedo-Matrosen - │ │ Art. Rgt. │ Art. Rgt. - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │ │1 Nav. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ │2 Nav. Pion. Co. - │ │ │165 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Odd units. │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │124 Labor Btn. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │1 Nav. │ │1 Mar. │1 Mat. - │ │ │ │2 Mat. - │ │ │ │6 Mat. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┬───────────────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 6 Cuirassier│ - │ Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │258 Ldw. F. A. Rgt.│Mar. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │Torpedo-Matrosen │1 Mat. A. Rgt. - │ Art. Rgt. │ - │ │Marine Corps 1st - │ │ Ft. A. M. Col. - │ │2 Light A. Col. of - │ │ the Mar. F. A. - │ │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 Nav. Pion. Btn.: │1 Mar. Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Nav. Pion. Co. │ 1 Mar. Pion. Co. - │ 2 Nav. Pion. Co. │ 4 Mar. Pion. Co. - │ 337 Pion. Co. │ 1 Entrenching Co. - │ 165 Nav. T. M. Co.│ 2 Entrenching Co. - │ Tel. Detch. │291 Mar. Signal - │ │ Command: - │ │ 291 Mar. Tel. - │ │ Detch. - │ │ 291 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │Ambulance Co. │1 Mar. Ambulance - Veterinary.│ │ Co. - │1 Nav. Field │1 Mar. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │Vet. Hospital - │ │ (Ostend). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Odd units. │ │1 Sect. Flanders - │ │ Reconnaissance - │ │ Flight. - │ │2 Sec. Flanders - │ │ Reconnaissance - │ │ Flight. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │41 Cyclist Co. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - - 1914–1917. - - -BELGIUM. - -1. At the beginning of the war the Field Army contained only one naval -division. This division entered Belgium on September 4, 1914, detrained -at Brussels, and on September 6 took up its position to the left of the -corps which was besieging Antwerp. After the taking of the city on -October 10 the division marched along the coast, arrived at a point -between Ostend and Bruges on October 23, and on November 2 relieved the -4th Ersatz Division on the front of Nieuport-St. Georges. - -2. On November 24, 1914, the Naval Corps was formed by adding a 2d Naval -Division to the 1st. - -3. After this time the Naval Corps occupied the sea front and the sector -of the coast in occupied Flanders. The staffs of the 1st and 2d Naval -Divisions were permanently in command of this sector—the sea front (from -Raversyde to the frontier of Zeeland as far as Maldegem was assigned to -the 1st Naval Division; the front on land from the North Sea to -Schoorbakke, 4 kilometers southeast Nieuport, to the 2d Naval Division). -The six regiments of Marine Fusileers alternated between the two -sectors, and consequently changed from one division to the other. - -4. In April, 1917, the three naval infantry regiments were withdrawn -from the 1st and 2d Naval Divisions to organize a new Division, the 3d -Naval Division. These regiments had already formed a provisional -division, from the end of September, 1916, to January, 1917, when they -were engaged on the Somme. After fighting east of Ypres (August to -November, 1917), the 3d Naval Division came into line at Nieuport -(Lombartzyde) to the right of the 2d Naval Division in December. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The Marine or Sailor Fusileers, recruited at the beginning of the war -from among the seamen or the population of the ports, had only a -mediocre combat value at the time. - -Since 1917, in consequence of reinforcements taken from the land army, -and also in consequence of reducing the age of the effectives, the -regiments of Naval Fusileers seem to be of better quality. - -From a recruiting standpoint, they may be compared with the active -divisions of the German Army. - - - 1918. - -1. The division was out of line in 1918 until May 1. From that date -until November 4 it held the extreme right of the German line. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. Until the last month of the war -its front was quiet. - - - - - 2d Guard Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │3 Gd. │1 Gren. │3 Gd. │1 Gren. │3 Gd. │1 Gren. - │ │3 Gren. │ │3 Gren. │ │3 Gren. - │4 Gd. │2 Gren. │4 Gd. │2 Gren. │4 Gd. │2 Gren. - │ │4 Gren. │ │4 Gren. │ │4 Gren. - │5 Gd. │5 Gren. │ │ │ │ - │ │5 Ft. │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │4 Gd. Brig.: │Cav. Rgt., - │ │ │ Schlotheim. - │ │ Body Guard Hus. │2 and 5 Sqns. 2 Gd. - │ │ Rgt. │ Uhlan Rgt. - │ │ 2 Gd. Uhlan Rgt. │1 Sqn. 6 Drag. Rgt. - │ │ │Ers. Sqn. 2 Uhlan - │ │ │ Rgt. - │ │ │Ers. Sqn. 1 Horse - │ │ │ Jag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │2 Gd. Brig.: │2 Gd. Brig.: │2 Gd. Brig.: - │ 2 Gd. F. A. Rgt. │ 2 Gd. F. A. Rgt. │ 2 Gd. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ 4 Gd. F. A. Rgt. │ 4 Gd. F. A. Rgt. │ 4 Gd. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Gd. Eng. Btn.: │1 Gd. Eng. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ Field Co. Gd. │ 2 Co. Gd. Pion. - │ │ Pion. Btn. │ Btn. - │ │ 2 Gd. Pont. Engs. │ 1 Co. 28 Pion. - │ │ │ Btn. - │ │ 2 Gd. Tel. Detch. │ 281 Pion. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ 2 Gd. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ 2 Gd. Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ 2 Gd. T. M. Co. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │3 Gd. │1 Gren. │3 Gd. │1 Gren. - │ │2 Gren. │ │2 Gren. - │ │4 Gren. │ │4 Gren. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 6 Drag. Rgt.│1 Sqn. Body Gd. - │ │ Hus. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │2 Gd. Art. Command:│2 Gd. F. A. Rgt. - │ 2 Gd. F. A. Rgt. │3 Abt. 3 Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. - │ │(Staff, 10, 11, and - │ │ 12 Btries.). - │ │535 Ft. A. Btry. - │ │965 Light Am. Col. - │ │1385 Light Am. Col. - │ │1386 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│102 Eng. Btn.: │102 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 2 Co. Gd. Pion. │ 2 Co. Gd. Pions. - │ Btn. │ - │ 3 Co. Gd. Pion. │ 3 Co. Gd. Pions. - │ Btn. │ - │ 2 Gd. T. M. Co. │ 211 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 278, 281, and 298 │2 Gd. Signals - │ Searchlight │ Command: - │ Sections. │ - │ 2 Gd. Tel. Detch. │ 2 Gd. Tel. Detch. - │ │ 73 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │2 Ambulance Co. │2 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │2 Field Hospital. │2 Field Hospital. - │3 Field Hospital. │3 Field Hospital. - │2 Gd. Vet. │2 Gd. Vet. - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │2 M. G. S. S. │ - │ Detch. │ - │1 Abtl. 43 Res. F. │ - │ A. Rgt. │ - │3 Abtl. 43 Res. F. │ - │ A. Rgt. │ - │1 Abtl. 16 Ft. A. │ - │ Rgt. │ - │2 Abtl. 11 Res. Ft.│ - │ A. Rgt. with │ - │ transport. │ - │10 Btry. 13 Res. │ - │ Ft. A. Rgt. │ - │190 Ft. Batry. │ - │9 Btry. 12 Res. Ft.│ - │ A. Rgt. with │ - │ transport. │ - │1 Btry. 57 Ldw. Ft.│ - │ A. Rgt. │ - │3 Co. 87 Labor Btn.│ - │1 Co. 8 Ammunition │ - │ Train. │ - │1133 Wireless │ - │ Detch. (from 27 │ - │ Div.). │ - │289 Pigeon Loft. │ - │3 Balloon Section. │ - │327 Ammunition │ - │ Train. │ - │191 M. T. Col. │ - │216 M. T. Col. │ - │853 M. T. Col. │ - │865 M. T. Col. │ - │188 Depot Supply │ - │ Train. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - - 1914. - - -FRANCE. - -1. Entrained August 9 to 11 (notebooks). Detrained at Beutgenbach (12 -kilos east of Malmedy). Entered Belgium August 14. Crossed the Meuse at -Huy August 18. Crossed the Sambre at Auvelais (Aug. 22) on the right of -the 1st Guard Division. Fought at Falisolle and Aisemont the 23d; at -Mettet the 24th. Fought on the 29th at Haution and Vallee-aux-Bleds; on -the 30th at St. Pierre (west of Vervins), on the left of the 1st Guard -Division. - -2. From there via Lugny, Boncourt, La Malmaison, Ville-aux-Bois, Sarcy, -Epernay, Avize, Vertus; fought after September 6 at Ecury-le-Repos and -Normee. - -3. Retreated on the 9th at Vertus; 10th at Tauxieres; 11th at Thuizy. -Was before Reims until September 30. - -4. In Artois in October (Bucquoy, Monchy-aux-Bois, Adinfer), near the -1st Guard Division. Split up in November like the latter; sent one of -its brigades, the 4th, in the region of Ypres (Gheluvelt), and remained -there until the end of December. - - - 1915. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. In January the division was again assembled. At rest at Douai from -the end of January till the middle of February. On the Monchy-aux-Bois- -Puisieux front till the end of March. Entrained March 30 at Cambrai for -Schelestadt (Alsace), where it was placed at rest. - -2. In April transferred to Galicia (Neu-Samdek, Apr. 26–30). - -3. Beginning on May 2 it took part in Mackensen’s offensive—Battle of -Gorlitz, May 2–3; at Jaroslav, May 16; battle of Krasnostav, July 17; -crossed the Bug August 24. At Zegrje, on the Narew, September 14. - -4. On September 16 it returned to Novo-Georgievsk and entrained for the -western front. Detrained at Nivelles September 20. - - -FRANCE-LORETTE. - -5. The division was at rest for one month in Belgium. - -6. On October 25 entrained for Orchies and reached Henin-Lietard by -stages and fought at Lorette on November 5 for 6 days. It suffered -casualties again there. - -7. The division went into line in the region between Noyon and Roye. - - - 1916. - - -FRANCE-SOMME. - -1. The 2d Guard Division remained in the sector of the region Noyon-Roye -until August, 1916. - -2. On August 15 it was sent to the Somme region (Chilly), where it -suffered heavy losses both to the north and to the south of Peronne. - -3. From October 1 to the end of December, 1916, it fought for a second -time south of Peronne. - - - 1917. - -1. At the end of January the division was sent to rest near Guise. To -the east of Clery-sur-Somme, end of February. - -2. Then it held the Siegfried line, near Roisel and St. Quentin, for -five or six days (beginning of March). - -3. Entrained for Vervins and sent back to rest (Mar. 16 to Apr. 12). - - -CHEMIN DES DAMES. - -4. About April 12 the division was sent to Sissonne. Went into line -between Hurtebise and Craonne (Apr. 20 to 22), supporting or relieving -the units of the 5th Guard Division. It remained for three weeks in the -region of Craonne and Amifontaine. It suffered new losses and still -heavier ones on Californie Plateau. - -5. On May 11 the division went to the Argonne by road (La Harazee, May -17) and was reorganized, receiving replacements from the 613th, 614th, -and 615th Regiments, which were dissolved. - - -RUSSIA. - -6. Withdrawn from the line at the beginning of July and entrained for -the eastern front (from July 4 to 10), via Charleville, Givet, Namur, -Liege, Herbestal, Hanover, Berlin, Posen, Skalmiercyze, Ozidof. - -7. Took part in the attack on the Sereth (July 19); relieved August 1 -and sent to rest. - - -RIGA. - -8. On August 9 entrained at Horlodylow and took part in the attack on -Uxkull (Sept. 1). On the 4th it entered Riga. - - -FRANCE. - -9. From September 7 to 9 the division entrained for France, via Zanke, -Mitaul Vilna, Kovno, Posen, Berlin, Hanover, Dusseldorf, Aix-la- -Chapelle, Liege, Namur, Givet, Charleville. - - -LA MALMAISON. - -10. Beginning September 21 it was sent to Laon. About the 28th it went -into line in the Malmaison sector. On October 23 the French attack -commenced and caused them very heavy losses (1,800 prisoners, of whom 50 -officers, and many wounded). Relieved on the 25th and its regiments, -much reduced in strength, were sent to the Region of Vervins. - -11. In the middle of November it held the sector of St. Mihiel, Forests -of Apremont. The regiment received replacements from the interior and -from the Russian front taken from the 226th Division. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 2d Guard Division had the reputation of being a good division. It -suffered heavy losses in the Aisne sector in May, 1917. However, even -after this attack the morale of the men on the whole seemed quite high. -At the Malmaison attack, October 23, the troops of the division, after -three days, were completely defeated. - -During the last battles the division showed only moderate fighting -value. - - - 1918. - -1. The 2d Guard Division was relieved by the 201st Division January 11 -and went to rest at Metz. - -2. Here the division underwent a 10 weeks’ course of training. March 18 -it entrained at Metz and traveled via Thionville to St. Amand, where it -detrained on the evening of March 19. It went then via Marchiennes (Mar. -20–21), Montigny (Mar. 21–22), to Lambres, where it arrived the evening -of March 22. After 5 days’ rest here the division moved up to the line -at Vitry-en-Artois (Mar. 27) to reinforce the front for the attack north -of the Scarpe on the 28th. Except for one battalion of the 1st Guard -Grenadier Regiment, the division took part in the fighting, as the -attack was unsuccessful. - - -MOREUIL. - -3. The following day it marched via Arleux-Morchies-Beaumetz- -Haplincourt-Le Fansloy-Les Boeufs-Maricourt, crossing the Somme at -Suzanne-Proyart-Framerville-Caix-Mézières. It went into reserve east of -Mailly-Raineval, where it remained until April 5, when it came into line -north of Rouvrel. It was relieved by the 6th Reserve Division May 2. - - -AISNE. - -4. The division reinforced the Aisne battle front about May 26 to the -west of Vailly. It was relieved, June 17, by the 40th Division. - - -MARNE. - -5. After a rest in the Marle region the division reinforced the front -near Chatillon-sur-Marne July 15. It was withdrawn on the 22d. - - -SOMME. - -6. August 27 the division reinforced the front south of the Somme near -Dompierre. It was relieved, September 3, by the Alpine Corps, after -suffering heavy losses, and losing 1,450 prisoners. - - -LE CATELET. - -7. During the night of September 11–12 it reinforced the front near -Ronssoy (west of Le Catelet). It was withdrawn October 9. - - -YPRES. - -8. After resting a fortnight the division relieved the 52d Reserve -Division at Machelen, October 24. It was relieved by the 6th Cavalry -Division November 4, and did not return to line. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 2d Guard Division is rated as a first-class assault division. It -participated in a great deal of heavy fighting during 1918 and always -acquitted itself very well. It was mentioned in the official communiqués -on several occasions. Between the end of August and October 9 it had -lost 2,800 in prisoners alone. Indeed, its losses must have been very -heavy, since there is positive evidence at hand to show that it received -4,000 replacements between August 10 and October 10. - - - - - 2d Guard Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │26 Res. │15 Res. │26 Res. │15 Res. │26 Res. │15 Res. - │ │55 Res. │ │55 Res. │ │55 Res. - │38 Res. │77 Res. │38 Res. │77 Res. │38 Res. │77 Res. - │ │91 Res. │ │91 Res. │ │91 Res. - │ 10 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 10 Res. Jag. Btn. │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Res. Uhlan Rgt. │ │ - │ (3 Sqns.). │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │20 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ │20 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (6 Btries.). │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│4 Field Co. 2d │4 Field Co. 2d │4 and 6 Field Cos. - Liaisons. │ Pion. Btn. No. │ Pion. Btn. No. │ 2 Pion. Btn. No. - │ 10. │ 10. │ 10. - │ │ │2 Gd. Res. Pontoon - │ │ │ Engs. - │ │ │2 Gd. Res. Tel. - │ │ │ Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │38 Res. │15 Res. │38 Res. │15 Res. - │ │77 Res. │ │77 Res. - │ │91 Res. │ │91 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2d Sqn. 2 Res. │4 Cav. Sqn. - │ Uhlan Regt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │8 Gd. Art. Command:│116 Art. Command: - │ │ - │ 20 Res. F. A. Rgt.│ 20 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.). │ - │ │ 2 Abt. 23 Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. (4 and 6 - │ │ Btries.). - │ │ 714 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 911 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1237 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│4 and 6 Field Cos. │302 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ Pion. Btn. No. │ - │ 10. │ - │6 Gd. T. M. Co. │ 6 Co. 10 Pions. - │ │ - │260 Searchlight │ 6 Gd. T. M. Co. - │ Section. │ - │402 Tel. Detch. │ 212 Searchlight - │ (Gd.). │ section. - │ │402 Gd. Signals - │ │ Commands: - │ │ 402 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 21 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │268 Ambulance Co. │268 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │389, 390, 17, and │45 Res. Field - │ 45 Res. Field │ Hospital. - │ Hospitals. │ - │Vet. Hospital. │17 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │ │204 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │702 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (15th Reserve: Eighth District—Westphalia. 77th and 91st Reserve: Tenth - District—Hanover.) - - - 1914. - - -BELGIUM. - -1. At the beginning of the war the 2d Reserve Guard Division was grouped -with the 19th Reserve Division in the 10th Reserve Corps. This corps -formed a part of the Second German Army (Von Bülow). - -The division entrained at Zulpich August 10, entered Belgium the 14th, -passed the Meuse near Liege the 17th, surrounded Namur on the north, -crossed the Sambre to the west of Charleroi on the 22d, fought at -Marbaix the 23d, and the 29th and 30th at Ribemont and St. Quentin. - - -MARNE-CHAMPAGNE. - -2. The 2d Reserve Guard Division was engaged in the battle of the Marne -between Sezanne and Montmirail (Sept. 6–7). It retreated through Epernay -and fought on the Rheims front. It held its position on this front -(Courcy sector) up to the month of February, 1915. - - - 1915. - - -ARTOIS. - -1. Toward the middle of February, 1915, the two brigades of the 2d -Reserve Guard Division were separated. The 26th Brigade went into the -line between Thiescourt and the Oise and the 38th Brigade went to the -forest of the Argonne. - -2. Regrouped in Alsace in the vicinity of Schlestadt toward the end of -April, the 2d Reserve Guard Division was transported about May 20 to the -district of La Bassee. It was engaged in the Cuinchy-Givenchy sector -(June-July). - -3. About the 1st of August the division was sent to rest east of -Cambrai. - -4. In September it occupied the sector of Vingles-Hulluch to the south -of the La Bassee Canal. September 25–26 it took part in the third battle -of the Artois and suffered great losses. Portions of the 2d Reserve -Guard Division participated in the attack near Loos October 8. - -5. The division remained in the district of La Bassee up to April, 1916. - - - 1916. - - -SOMME. - -1. The 2d Reserve Guard Division was relieved about April 7 of the -Cuinchy-Canal sector of La Bassee. After a rest in Belgium in the -vicinity of Tournai, the division was placed in the Gommecourt sector -(Somme), end of May. - -2. The Franco-British offensive found it in this sector July 1. It was -severely engaged from July to November, 1916, sometimes in the vicinity -of Pozieres, Thiepval, Bazentin-le-Petit (from July to September), -sometimes farther north, and suffered serious losses (51 per cent of its -personnel). - -3. The 2d Reserve Guard Division was maintained in the Gommecourt- -Hebuterne sector during the entire winter of 1916–17. At the end of 1916 -it ceded the 55th Reserve Infantry to the 220th Division (organization). - - - 1917. - - -HINDENBURG LINE. - -1. The middle of March, 1917, the 2d Reserve Guard Division participated -in the retreat of the German Army; it went back through Bucquoy, -Lagnicourt, Beaumetz-les-Cambrai toward the Hindenburg line. It -established itself on this line between Queant and Boursies until the -end of May. - - -FLANDERS. - -2. At the beginning of June the division remained at rest several days -in the vicinity of Cambrai, and was then transported to the Thielt, -(Pitthem-Eeghem) district (end of June). At the beginning of July it -approached the front toward Staden. - -3. On July 31, certain elements of the division, being surprised and -later reassembled on the western border of the Houthulst forest, counter -attacked in the direction of Bixschoote and suffered rather heavy -losses. - -4. The 2d Reserve Guard Division remained in this sector eight days. It -was relieved August 8–9 and sent to rest in the district of Gand -(Lakeren-Ostnieuwekerke) till the beginning of September. - -5. About the 10th of September it was sent into the line on the front -west of Passchendaele (southeast of St. Julien). It was withdrawn from -this position toward the end of the month in order to go in again, -almost immediately, to the southeast of Armentieres. - -6. It remained there until the end of November, after which it -reappeared on the front west and north of Passchendaele in December. - -7. It was relieved February 1, 1918, and went into the district of -Roulers. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 2d Reserve Guard Division was always considered as being an -excellent division because it had always fought well, though it showed -only mediocre fighting qualities to the north of Ypres in 1917. - -The 31st of July it counterattacked without energy and without success -in the direction of Bixschoote. During the approach, a great number of -men remained in the rear. - -Following this, its attitude was passive. - - - 1918. - - -FLANDERS. - -1. The division remained in the Passchendaele sector until withdrawn -about January 9. - -2. It came back into line, relieving the 199th Division, during the -night of January 23–24, north of Passchendaele. It was relieved by the -239th Division February 1. - -3. February 7 it relieved the 239th Division; relieved by 41st Division -March 3. It then was trained for a fortnight. - - -CAMBRAI. - -4. March 21 the division reinforced the Cambrai front near St. Leger, -fighting, with heavy losses, until the 26th. - - -ARRAS. - -5. It came back into line west of Neuville-Vitasse about April 3, -relieving the 236th Division. April 29 the division was relieved by the -extension of the fronts of the neighboring divisions. - -6. It went to the Douai area and rested there until coming into line in -the Gavrelle sector during the night of June 7–8; it relieved the 187th -Division. It was relieved by the 187th Division June 20 and went to be -reconstituted in the Tournai area, receiving a draft from the 427th -Infantry Regiment and another of over 500 men from Germany. - -7. The division relieved the 5th Bavarian Reserve Division, near -Bucquoy, August 7. During the heavy fighting that followed it lost 2,400 -in prisoners alone. It was withdrawn August 25. - -8. September 2 it reinforced the front near the Arras-Cambrai road, -whence it was withdrawn about the middle of the month. - - -LA BASSÉE. - -9. It then relieved the 9th Reserve Division near Neuve-Chapelle -September 26. - - -FLANDERS. - -10. October 5 prisoners belonging to the division were identified near -Ledeghem. It remained there, being identified by prisoners November 11. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The general commanding the 2d Guard Reserve Division was decorated in -February and again in May. The last decoration was Pour le Mérite, and -was accompanied by promotion. August 15 Gen. Petersdorff reprimanded the -division because, as he said, “within 14 days, 1 noncommissioned officer -and 10 other ranks have been missing from the division * * *.” It is -considered as a second-class division. - - - - - 2d Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │3. │4 Gren. │3. │4 Gren. │3. │4 Gren. - │ │44. │ │44. │ │33 Fus. - │4. │33 Fus. │4. │33 Fus. │ │44. - │ │45. │ │45. │ │3 Landst. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │10 Horse Jag. Rgt. │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │2 Brig.: │2 Brig.: │2 Brig.: - │ 1 F. A. Rgt. │ 1 F. A. Rgt. │ 1 F. A. Rgt. - │ 37 F. A. Rgt. │ 37 F. A. Rgt. │ 37 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. 1:│1 Pion. Btn. No. 1: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ Field Co. 1 Pion. │ 2 Co. 1 Pion. Btn. - │ │ Btn. │ - │ │ 2 Pontoon, Engrs. │ 2 T. M. Co. - │ │ 2 Tel. Detch. │ 2 Pontoon, Engrs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ 2 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │3. │4 Gren. │3. │4 Gren. - │ │33 Fus. │ │33 Fus. - │ │44. │ │44. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │10 Horse Jag. Rgt. │10 Horse Jag. Rgt. - │ (2d Sqn.). │ (2 Sqn.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │2 Art. Command: │2 Art. Command: - │ 1 F. A. Rgt. │ 1 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 4 Abt. 6 Res. Ft. - │ │ A. Rgt. - │ │ 872 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1,364 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1,392 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 Pion. Btn. No. 1:│1 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 2 Co. 1 Pion. │ 2 Co. 1 Pion. - │ │ - │ 4 Co. 1 Pion. │ 4 Co. 1 Pion. - │ 2 T. M. Co. │ 4 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 2 Searchlight │ 2 Signals Command. - │ Section. │ - │ 2 Tel. Detch. │ 2 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 159 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │Ambulance Co. │5 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │11 Field Hospital. │11 Field Hospital. - │12 Field Hospital. │12 Field Hospital. - │195 Vet. Hospital. │195 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │535 M. T. Col. │535 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │150 Bav. Anti- │ - │ Aircraft Section.│ - │Cyclist Detch. 2 │ - │ Landst. Btn. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (First District—Oriental Prussia.) - - - 1914. - -The first and second divisions formed the 1st Army Corps. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. At the beginning of the war the 2d Division was sent to the Russian -front. Up to the month of November it participated in the operations in -Oriental Prussia (Tannenberg, Aug. 27–29). - -2. In November, 1914, the 2d Division, minus one brigade, which -continued to hold its old sector, was withdrawn and included in the -group which attacked in the direction of Lodz and operated between the -Vistula and the Warta; continuing its activities, it attempted to cross -the Bzura-Rawka opposite Warsaw in the district of Lowicz. - - - 1915. - -1. At the beginning of February, 1915, it reappeared in Oriental Prussia -and participated in the offensive which ejected the Russians from this -Province. It was engaged in its entirety in the district of Lyck and -marched upon Augustowo and Grodno. - -2. The Russian counter attack launched in the vicinity of Prasnysz -toward the end of March drew the 2d Division to this sector. - -3. In July during the development of the Hindenburg offensive, it -emerged from the Ostrolenka-Pultusk line and proceeded in a northerly -direction. - -4. Upon the stabilization of the front the 2d Division held a sector -between Illukst and Lake Drisviaty (Dwinsk District). - - - 1916. - -1. At the end of July, 1916, portions of the 2d Division were assigned -to duty in Galicia to oppose the Russian advance. - - - 1917. - -1. The reconstituted 2d Division was engaged in the Mitau sector up to -the end of January, 1917; all its units were identified in the vicinity -of Kalnzen. - -2. On February 8 it entrained at Mitau for the western front. -(Itinerary: Chavli, Kovno, Insterburg, Konigsberg, Stettin, Hamburg, -Munster, Aix-la-Chapelle, Liège, Louvain, Bruxelles, Audenarde.) - - -BELGIUM. - -3. Detrained February 13 and remained at rest up to the end of March. It -received reinforcements of various classes of men (wounded, -convalescents, class 1917 reservists). - -4. The division occupied the Wytschaete sector from the 25th of March to -the beginning of June. (On April 15 and May 10 and 15 it received the -first reinforcements from the class of 1918, the last having had only -three months’ instruction; in all, 4,460 men between January 1 and June -1.) On June 7 it left 2,825 men in the hands of British troops. - -5. On June 10 the 2d Division retired from the Belgian front. It was -placed at rest in the district of Audenarde in June and then entrained -for the eastern front (end of June). - - -RUSSIA. - -6. It arrived in Russia at the beginning of July and was put at rest in -the district of Vilna. On July 14 it was identified in the Illukst -District. - - -FRANCE. - -7. It returned to France on the 25th of November. It entrained on this -date at Kovno and was transported over the following itinerary: -Insterburg, Thorn, Posen, Frankfort-sur-Oder, Berlin, Paderborn, -Crefeld, Aix-la-Chapelle, Liège, Namur, Vouziers (Nov. 30). - -8. On December 27 it relieved the 1st Bavarian Division in the Souain- -Somme-Py sector. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Except during the period March-June, 1917, when the 2d Division was -fighting in Belgium, it continuously occupied the Russian front from the -beginning of the war till December, 1917. - - - 1918. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. The 2d Division remained in line in the Souaine-Somme-Py region until -relieved by the 87th Division about April 2. It went back to the Army -depot at Semide, where it stayed about a week drilling and maneuvering. -April 10 it entrained at Machault, and went via Rethel, Liart, Marle, -and detrained at La Ferté-Chevresis, encamping in the vicinity. It -traveled by St. Simon (Apr. 11), Ham, Solente (5 km. east of Roye), and -Laboissiére, where it stayed until April 30. - - -MONTDIDIER. - -2. May 1 the division relieved the 51st Reserve Division at Monchel, -south of Montdidier; relieved August 31. - - -ST. QUENTIN. - -3. The division was identified in line near Essigny-le-Grand, south of -St. Quentin, September 5; it was relieved about the 15th by the -extension of the fronts of the neighboring divisions. - -4. During the night of September 20–21 it went back into line north of -St. Quentin, in the Bellenglise sector. It was withdrawn about the 10th. - -5. The division rested for a fortnight in the Avesnes area, then came -into line October 24, relieving the 19th Reserve Division east of -Ribemont (southeast of St. Quentin). It was withdrawn from line early in -November and did not return. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 2d is rated as a third-class division. It was used in a great deal -of heavy fighting and suffered severe losses (July 23 it lost 54 -officers and 1,800 men in prisoners alone west of the Avre; the 9th and -10th of August it lost 443 prisoners; in its engagements between August -8 and October 1 it lost over 1,500 prisoners). Nevertheless, it was -never used as an attacking division, but confined itself to holding the -sectors allotted it; on account of its weakened condition and lowered -morale (there are several cases of insubordination on record), it did -not acquit itself any too well. - - - - - 2d Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │53 Mixed │124 Ldw. │53 Mixed │124 Ldw. │53 Mixed │124 Ldw. - │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. │ - │ │125 Ldw. │ │125 Ldw.│ │125 Ldw. - │9 Bav. │6 Bav. │9 Bav. │6 Bav. │ (.) │120 Ldw. - │ Mixed │ Ldw. │ Mixed │ Ldw. │ │ - │Ldw. │7 Bav. │Ldw. │7 Bav. │ │122 Ldw. - │ │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. │ │ - │ │ │ │ │ 6 Res. Jag. Btn. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────────────── - Cavalry. │3 Ldw. Sqn. (13 C. │3 Ldw. Sqn. (13 C. │3 Ldw. Sqn. (13 C. - │ Dist.). │ Dist.). │ Dist.). - │ │ │3 Landst. Sqn. (13 - │ │ │ C. Dist.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │1 Ldw. Btry. │1 Ldw. Btry. │2 Ldw. Rgt. - │ Landst. Btn. (13 │ Landst. Btn. (13 │ - │ C. Dist.). │ C. Dist.). │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │ │6 Co. 13 Pion. - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ │3 Co. 18 Pion. - │ │ │ - │ │ │302 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │54 Ldw. │120 Ldw. │54 Ldw. │120 Ldw. - │ │ │ │ - │ │122 Ldw. │ │122 Ldw. - │ │125 Ldw. │ │125 Ldw. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Ldw. Sqn. (13 C. │4 Sqn. 20 Uhlan - │ Dist.). │ Rgt. - │4 Sqn. 20 Uhlan │ - │ Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │142 Art. Command: │2 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ 2 Ldw. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(402) Eng. Btn.: │402 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Ldw. Co. 13 │ 1 Ldw. Co. 13 C. - │ Pion. │ Dist. Pions. - │ 5 Ldw. Co. 13 │ 5 Ldw. Co. 13 C. - │ Pion. │ Dist. Pions. - │ 302 T. M. Co. │ 302 T. M. Co. - │ 299 Searchlight │ 224 Searchlight - │ Section. │ Section. - │ 502 Tel. Detach. │502 Signals - │ │ Command. - │ │ 502 Tel. Detach. - │ │ 176 Wireless - │ │ Detach. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │572 Ambulance Co. │572 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Ldw. Field Hosp. │254 Field Hospital. - │ Vet. Hospital. │ - │ │25 Ldw. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │ │502 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │722 M. T. Col. │772 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Thirteenth District—Wurttemberg.) - - - 1914. - - -ARGONNE. - -1. The 2d Landsturm Division (Franke Division) forms a part of the -Argonne group and has continuously occupied sectors of this district -since September, 1914. At the beginning of the campaign it comprised a -Wurttemberg and a Bavarian brigade. Engaged at Etain August 24, 1914, it -crossed the Meuse at Stenay on the 31st. - -2. Beginning with September it occupied the line in the woods of Cheppy -and Malancourt. - - - 1915. - - -ARGONNE. - -1. Vauquois-bois de Malancourt sector. - -2. At the end of September, 1915, portions of the division (one -battalion of the 6th and one of the 7th Bavarian Landsturm) were -assigned to service in the district of Massiges; they rejoined the -Vauquois sector at the end of October. - - - 1916. - - -ARGONNE. - -1. Vauquois-bois d’Avocourt and Malancourt sector. - -2. At the beginning of 1916 the 2d Landsturm Division was reconstituted -with exclusively Wurttemberg elements, including the 120th Landsturm, -withdrawn from the Bavarian Ersatz Division, and the 122d Landsturm, -proceeding from the 1st Bavarian Landsturm Division. The 9th Bavarian -brigade went over to the 1st Bavarian Landsturm Division. - - - 1917. - - -ARGONNE. - -1. In the Cheppy-bois d’Avocourt wood sector. - -2. At the end of August, 1917, the 2d Landsturm Division changed places -with the 2d Bavarian Division and took the Nord Four sector of Paris- -Bolante-Courte-Chausse. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Sector division. Did not leave Argonne from the beginning of the war. On -several occasions it furnished young men to active and reserve -Wurttemberg regiments, replacing them by older Landsturm men. - - - 1918. - - -ARGONNE. - -The division remained in line in the Apremont sector, engaging in but -little activity until the American attack of September 26. From that -time on until it was withdrawn, October 25, it fought a great deal. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -Most of the young men of the division were taken from it to be sent to -other organizations early in the year. October 12 the corps commander -telegraphed the King of Wurttemberg (the 2d Landwehr Division comes from -Wurttemberg): “The 2d Landwehr Division * * * has particularly -distinguished itself by its bravery and intrepidity during the last -combats in the Argonne and has thus contributed toward the failure of -the enemy’s attempt to break through.” It was badly used on the opening -day of the American attack, but it fought hard. It loaned companies to -various other divisions, including the 1st and 5th Guard Divisions, and -for days at a time these Landwehr troops were making the greatest -resistance in the Aire Valley. While the division lost only 795 -prisoners during the offensive, its total losses undoubtedly are above -5,000, there being evidence to show that many companies did not have -more than 25 men, there being only three companies per battalion, and—in -at least one case—only two battalions in the regiment. It is rated as a -fourth-class division. - - - - - 2d Bavarian Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │3 Bav. │3 Bav. │3 Bav. │3 Bav. │4 Bav. │12 Bav. - │ │20 Bav. │ │20 Bav. │ │15 Bav. - │4 Bav. │12 Bav. │4 Bav. │12 Bav. │ │20 Bav. - │ │15 Bav. │ │15 Bav. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │4 Bav. Light Cav. │ │3 Sqns. 4 Bav. - │ Rgt. │ │ Light Cav. Rgt. - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │2 Bav. Brig.: │2 Bav. Brig.: │2 Bav. Brig.: - │ │ │ - │ 4 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 4 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 2 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ 9 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 9 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 9 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│2 Field Co. 1 Bav. │2 Field Co. 1 Bav. │2 and 4 Field Cos. - Liaisons. │ Pion. Btn. │ Pion. Btn. │ - │ │2 Bav. Pont. Engs. │1 Bav. Pion. Btn. - │ │2 Bav. Tel. Detch. │2 Res. Co. 19 - │ │ │ Pions. - │ │ │2 Bav. T. M. Co. - │ │ │2 Bav. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │2 Bav. Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │4 Bav. │12 Bav. │4 Bav. │12 Bav. - │ │15 Bav. │ │15 Bav. - │ │20 Bav. │ │20 Bav. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 and 3 Sqns. 8 │3 Sqns. 8 Bav. - │ Bav. Light Cav. │ Light Cav. Rgt. - │ Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │2 Bav. Art. │2 Bav. Art. - │ Command: │ Command: - │ 9 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 9 Nav. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 1 Abt. 3 Bav. Res. - │ │ Ft. A. Rgt. - │ │ 151 Bav. Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 153 Bav. Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 160 Bav. Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│2 and 4 Bav. Pion. │7 Bav. Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ Cos. │ - │2 Bav. T. M. Co. │ 2 Bav. Pion. Co. - │2 Bav. Tel. Detch. │ 4 Bav. Pion. Co. - │ │ - │ │ 2 Bav. T. M. Co. - │ │2 Bav. Signals - │ │ Command: - │ │ 2 Bav. Tel. Detch. - │ │ 107 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │2 Bav. Ambulance │2 Bav. Ambulance - Veterinary.│ Co. │ Co. - │Field Hospital. │6 Bav. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │8 Bav. Field - │ │ Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │682 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (First Bavarian District—Southwest of Bavaria, Bavarian Swabia.) - - - 1914. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. At the beginning of August the 2d Bavarian Division which, with the -1st Bavarian Division, formed the 1st Bavarian Corps, was a part of the -army of the Crown Prince of Bavaria (6th Army). The 3d Brigade, covering -troops, detrained at Reding near Saarburg, the 3d of August. On the 9th -the division was at its full strength. It proceeded to the frontier, -reached Badonviller, and retired as far as Gosselming (west of Saarburg) -the 17th of August, gave battle there on the 20th, and recrossed the -frontier. It advanced as far as Xaffévillers (Sept. 7), whence it -retired to Morhange (Sept. 10). On September 15 the division entrained -at Metz. It detrained near Namur, gained Peronne by stages, and was -engaged at Foucaucourt the 24th. - - -SOMME. - -2. Together with the 1st Bavarian Corps it was attached to the 2d Army -(Von Bülow), operating on the Somme in the district of Peronne. It took -part in the fiercely contested battles which took place there but a -short time after the stabilization of the front and suffered serious -losses. At the beginning of the campaign, October 30, the 12th Infantry -had 50 officers and 1,910 men who were unable to take part in action -(lists of losses). - -3. The division was maintained in this district up to the month of -October, 1915, first to the south of the Somme, later, at the beginning -of November, 1914, between Dompierre and Maricourt. - - - 1915. - - -ARTOIS. - -1. In April, 1915, the division was reduced to three regiments through -the cession of the 3d Infantry to the 11th Bavarian Division. Between -the 10th and 15th of October, 1915, the 2d Bavarian Division was placed -on the Artois front in the Neuville-Souchez sector. - -2. About the 20th of December it was in the line at Bailleul-Sire- -Berthoult between the western part of the Lille road and the Arras road. - -3. It remained there until the beginning of May, 1916. - - - 1916. - - -VERDUN. - -1. At this date it was relieved and transported to Verdun. It -participated in the violent battles which took place there in May and -June in the vicinity of Douaumont and suffered serious losses (50 per -cent of its personnel). It was reconstituted in June in the district of -Merke-Romagne-sur-les-Cotes (reinforcement of from 50 to 100 men per -company), and went back to the line near Thiaumont. It suffered serious -losses in the attack of June 23 (the companies of the 12th Bavarian -Regiment were reduced to about 40 men). - - -LORRAINE. - -2. The 2d Bavarian Division was withdrawn from this zone of combat about -the 15th of July and was sent to the Apremont-St. Mihiel sector, where -it was reconstituted. It received numerous reinforcements (convalescents -and class 16 men). During this period, which extends up to October 15, -it did not take part in any serious operation. - - -SOMME. - -3. At the end of October it was transported to the Somme (Sailly- -Saillisel sector), where it was again put to a severe test. - -4. After staying a month in the Somme district it reoccupied the lines -in the St. Mihiel sector at the beginning of December. - - - 1917. - - -CALIFORNIE PLATEAU. - -1. The 2d Bavarian Division was withdrawn from the St. Mihiel sector -between the 2d and 5th of May, 1917, and entrained at Mars-la-Tour on -the 6th, whence it was transported via Conflans to Montcornet, where, -during the night of the 8th, it gained the sector situated to the east -of Hurtebise. - -2. From the 9th on the 2d Bavarian Division engaged some of its elements -on the salient northeast of Californie Plateau (May 9 and 10). - -3. The division occupied this sector up to the end of May and -participated in serious engagements notably those of the 13th and 22d of -May to the northwest of the plateau. It was put to a very severe test. -(The 9th Company of the 20th Battalion was reduced to 45 men.) - - -ARGONNE. - -4. The 2d Bavarian Division was relieved at the beginning of June and -sent to rest for 15 days at Camp Sissonne; later it was transported to -the Argonne, where it occupied the Grande Courte-Chausse sector. During -this rest it received two reinforcements—700 to 800 men June 28 and 300 -men in July. - -5. At the end of August it changed sectors and went into the line toward -Bois d’Avocourt (Bois de Cheppy). - - -MEUSE. - -6. The division was withdrawn from this sector at the end of October and -remained in repose in the vicinity of Stenay up to the middle of -November, whence it was directed to the sector west of the Bois-le- -Chaume. The 12th Bavarian Regiment, which had been sent in reserve to -the southeast of Altkirch about the 10th of November to ward off an -expected French attack in Alsace, rejoined the division December 6. - -7. The 2d Bavarian Division remained in this sector (southeast of -Beaumont) up to January, 1918, and then went to rest in the district of -Longwy. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 2d Bavarian Division participated on the 9th and 10th of May, 1917, -in violent but unsuccessful counterattacks on the salient northeast of -the Californie Plateau. It appears that the Bavarians were always placed -in the most dangerous positions and that they were sacrificed by the -Prussians. - -In spite of this condition the 2d Bavarian Division still showed itself -as a good division (July, 1917). - - - 1918. - - -MEUSE. - -1. The division remained in line north of the Bois des Fosses until -relieved by the 19th Reserve Division, January 14. It went then to the -Longwy region, where it was put through a stiff course of training in -open warfare. - - -AMIENS. - -2. March 23 it entrained at Audun-le-Roman, and traveled via Longwy- -Sedan-Charleville-Hirson-Anor-Avesnes-Le Cateau-Bertry-Caudry to -Cambrai, where it detrained March 24–25. At first the division marched -in the direction of Bapaumes, but was diverted in a southerly direction -on the way and passed through Le Transloy-Sailly-Saillisel-Péronne- -Villers-Carbonnel-Estrees-Foucaucourt and billeted at Beaucourt-en- -Santerre on the night of March 30–31. April 2 it attacked at Morisel, -and two days later to the southwest of Morisel. It fought then until the -15th, when it side-slipped to the north, relieving the 54th Division, -its place being taken by the 15th Division. It was relieved about May 4 -by the 21st Division. - -3. It moved to the area southeast of Ghent, and there was reconstituted -and trained. June 2, it relieved the 14th Bavarian Division in the -Morisel sector. It was relieved the middle of the month by the extension -of fronts of the neighboring divisions. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -4. It rested in rear of the front in Champagne for about a month and -then entered line in the Navarin sector (north of Souain), being -identified by prisoners, July 15. It was withdrawn on the 20th. - - -VESLE. - -5. August 4 the division relieved the 22d Division at Jonchery (on the -Vesle, east of Fismes). It remained in line, taking part in the general -retirement, until the armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 2d Bavarian is one of the very best German shock divisions. It was -called upon to do a great deal of heavy fighting, and always acquitted -itself well. It suffered severe losses in consequence, but these were -made good as long as the German High Command had replacements at its -disposal. - - - - - 2d Bavarian Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │9 Bav. Ldw. │2 Bav. Ldw. │9 Bav. Ldw. │2 Bav. Ldw. - │ │5 Bav. Ldw. │ │5 Bav. Ldw. - │ │10 Bav. Ldw. │ │10 Bav. Ldw. - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │5th Sqn. 4th Bav. Light │3 Sqn. 1 Bav. Res. Cav. - │ Cav. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │2 Bav. Ldw. F. A. Rgt. - │ 2 Bav. Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │ - │ 811 and 905 F. A. Btries. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(25 Bav.) Eng. Btn.: │25 Bav. Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 2 Bav. Ldw. Pion. Co. │ 2 Bav. Ldw. Pion. Co. - │ 3 Bav. Ldw. Pion. Co. │ 3 Bav. Ldw. Pion. Co. - │ 302 Bav. T. M. Co. │ 12 Bav. Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 502 Tel. Detch. │502 Signals Command: - │ │ 502 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │24 Bav. Ambulance Co. │24 Bav. Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │17 Bav. Field Hospital. │63 Bav. Field Hospital. - │63 Bav. Field Hospital. │17 Bav. Field Hospital. - │32 Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Attached. │156 Labor Btn. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Bavaria.) - - - 1917. - -The 2d Bavarian Landwehr Division was formed in Lorraine at the end of -December, 1916, and the beginning of January, 1917. Two of its -regiments, the 5th Bavarian Landwehr and the 10th Bavarian Landwehr, -were assigned respectively to the 1st Bavarian Landwehr Division and the -33d Reserve Division, at that time on the Lorraine front. The 2d -Bavarian Landwehr was ceded by the 6th Bavarian Landwehr Division, which -held a Vosges sector. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. As soon as it was constituted the 2d Bavarian Landwehr Division was -transported to the Eastern front via Frankfort and Leipzig. - - -COURLAND. - -2. Directed to Courlande and attached to the 8th Army it entered the -line in the vicinity of Friedrichstadt (middle of January, 1917) and -remained in this district up till February, 1918. In September it -participated in the operations against Riga. In December a number of men -were detached in order to reinforce the 10th Bavarian Division. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -It remained on the Russian front from the time of its formation -(January, 1917). It held the calm sector of Courlande in 1917; it -occupied Livonia in 1918 (May). Men under 35 years of age were withdrawn -from the 5th Bavarian Landwehr in December, 1917 (letter). It is rated -as a 4th class division. - - - - - 2d Cavalry Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ───────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────── - │ 1918 - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┬─────────────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┼─────────────────────── - Cavalry. │22 Cav. (11 C. D.). │5 Drag. Rgt. - │ │14 Hus. Rgt. - │25 Cav. (18 C. Dist.). │23 Gd. Drag. Rgt. (1 - │ │ Sqn. Detch.). - │7 Bav. Cav. │24 Gd. Drag. Rgt. (3 - │ (Siebenburgische). │ Sqn. detached). - │ │4 Bav. Light Cav. Rgt. - │ │ (3 Sqn. detached). - │ │5 Bav. Light Cav. Rgt. - │ │ (3 Sqn. detached). - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┴─────────────────────── - Artillery. │15 Horse Art. Abt. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Engineers and Liaisons.│2 Cav. Pion. Detch. - │7 Cav. Pion. Detch. - │200 Bav. T. M. Co. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Medical and Veterinary.│21 Ambulance Co. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Odd units. │2 M. G. Btry. - │3 M. G. Btry. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Attached. │4 Jag. Btn. - │1 Cyclist Co. 3 Jag. Btn. - │2 Cyclist Co. 3 Jag. Btn. - ───────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - - 1918. - -1. The division was in the Stochod sector until February 28, when it -advanced through Kiev and Kharhov to Rostov, where it was on August 4. -At this date the division occupied the area between Kharkov and Rostov. -The troops were frequently attacked by armed bands or by mobs. In this -way they suffered some heavy losses. The German cruiser _Goeben_, which -had been supporting them, was damaged by fire and had to put into -Constantinople. - -Nothing was known of the division’s movements after August, 1918. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was considered as 4th class. - - - - - 2d Naval Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │3 Nav. │ │3 Nav. │ - │4 Nav. │ │4 Nav. │ - │ │ │ │ - │ The 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6th Marine Fus. Rgts. and the 4 - │ Marine Inf. Rgt. alternated between the 1st and 2d Naval - │ Divisions. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - Cavalry. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │ │Marine E. A. Abt. - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│ │3 Nav. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │27 Labor Btn. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │3 Nav. │ │3 Mar. │3 Mat. - │4 Nav. │ │ │4 Mat. - │ │ │ │5 Mat. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │ │4 Sqn. 10 Hus. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │1 Mar. F. A. Rgt. │3 Mar. Art. Rgt. - │2 Mar. F. A. Rgt. │ - │3 Mar. F. A. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│2 Nav. Pion. Btn.: │2 Mar. Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 3 Nav. Pion. Co. │ 2 Mar. Pion. Co. - │ 4 Nav. Pion. Co. │ 3 Mar. Pion. Co. - │ 377 Pion. Co. │ 3 Entrenching Co. - │ Tel. Detch. │ 4 Entrenching Co. - │ │292 Signal Command: - │ │ 292 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │Ambulance Co. │2 Mar. Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Field Hospital. │3 Mar. Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │4 Mar. Field Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │Coast Defense Btn. │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - - 1915. - - -BELGIUM. - -1. The 2d Naval Division, formed November 24, 1914, was a part of the -Naval Corps at this time. - -Since its formation the 6th Naval Fusileer Regiments of the Corps -alternate in Flanders between the coast sector (2d Naval Division) and -the sea front (1st Naval Division). - - - 1916. - -2. In September, 1916, the 3d Naval Infantry Regiment was transferred to -the Naval Division, which later became the 3d Naval Division, engaged on -the Somme. - - - 1917. - - -FLANDERS. - -Sector of the coast and sea front. The staff of the 2d Naval Division -remained in charge of the coast sector. - - - 1918. - -1. In early March the division was relieved in its sector southeast of -Nieuport and took over the coast sector from the 3d Naval Division. -Elements of the division reinforced the German attacking forces north of -Bixschoote on April 17. - -2. After October 15, the division retreated toward Ostend and Maldeghem. -It was last identified at Wachtebeke on November 2. On the day of the -armistice it was considered to be in reserve of the 4th Army. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 3d Guard Division.[2] - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │5 Gd. │5 Ft. │5 Gd. │5 Ft. │6 Gd. │Gd. Fus. - │ │5 Gren. │ │5 Gren. │ │Lehr Rgt. - │6 Gd. │Gd. Fus. │6 Gd. │Gd. Fus. │ │9 Gren. - │ │Lehr Rgt.│ │Lehr Rgt.│ │ - │ (Instruction.) │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │Gd. Res. Uhlan Rgt.│ │Gd. Res. Uhlan Rgt. - │ │ │ (?Sqns.). - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │5 Gd. F. A. Rgt. │3 Brig.: │3 Brig.: - │6 Gd. F. A. Rgt. │ 5 Gd. F. A. Rgt. │ 5 Gd. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │(Formed of the │ 6 Gd. F. A. Rgt. │ 6 Gd. F. A. Rgt. - │ Juterbog │ │ - │ Instruction Rgt.)│ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │(?) Pion. Co. │(?) Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │3 Gd. Pont. Engs. │3 Gd. T. M. Co. - │ │3 Gd. Tel. Detch. │3 Gd. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │3 Gd. Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │75 Anti-Aircraft - │ │ │ Section. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │6 Gd. │Gd. Fus. │6 Gd. │Lehr Rgt. - │ │Lehr Rgt.│ │Fus. Rgt. - │ │9 Gren. │ │9 Gren. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3d Sqn. Gd. Res. │1 Sqn. 2 Gd. Drag. - │ Uhlan Rgt. │ Rgt. - │1st Sqn. 2 Gd. │ - │ Drag. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │(*) Art. Command: │5 Gd. F. A. Rgt. - │ 5 Gd. F. A. Rgt. │1 Abt. 2 Gd. Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. - │ │(Staff, 1 and 3 - │ │ Btries.). - │ │ - │ │936 Light Am. Col. - │ │1347 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(104) Pion. Btn. │104 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Co. 28 Pions. │ 1 Co. 28 Pions. - │ 274 Pion. Co. │ 274 Pion. Co. - │ 3 Gd. T. M. Co. │ 198 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 280 Searchlight │3 Gd. Signals - │ Section. │ Command: - │ 3 Gd. Tel. Detch. │ 3 Gd. Tel. Detch. - │ 55 Tel. Detch. │ 90 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │7 Ambulance Co. │265 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │265 Ambulance Co. │393 Field Hospital. - │393 Ambulance Co. │35 Field Hospital. - │Field Hospital. │3 Gd. Vet. - │ │ Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │532 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │75 Anti-Aircraft │ - │ Section. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── -Footnote 2: - - Organized in August, 1914; elements taken from 1st and 2d Guard - Divisions. - - - HISTORY. - - - 1914. - - -FRANCE. - -1. In August, 1914, the 3d Guard Division was first directed to the -Western Front. It fought below Namur. - - -RUSSIA. - -2. The 27th of August the division was transported to Silesia via -Oriental Prussia. It took part in the invasion of southern Poland. - -3. The group of armies of which it formed a part was turned back and was -obliged to retire to Lodz. - -4. During the winter of 1914–15 it took part in the severe engagements -on the Bzura. - - - 1915. - -1. At the beginning of 1915 the 3d Guard Division was dismembered; the -5th Brigade was sent to Oriental Prussia; the 6th Brigade, to the south -of the Carpathians, was engaged in the Uzsok defile distinct. - -2. In March, 1915, the 6th Brigade alone formed the 3d Guard Division, -with the addition of the 9th Grenadier Regiment to its own two -regiments. Thus formed, the 3d Guard Division took part in the campaign -of the summer of 1915. (Carpathians Oriental Galicia. Linsingen’s army.) - -3. The division took up its position before Tarnopol and passed the -winter of 1915–16 there. (Bothmer’s army.) - - - 1916. - - -FRANCE. - -1. In April, 1916, the 3d Guard Division was transported to the Western -Front. It occupied a sector in Champagne and took part in no serious -engagements. - -2. It was sent to rest at Valenciennes the 1st of June. - - -SOMME. - -3. The 1st of July (beginning of the Franco-British offensive) the 3d -Guard Division went into the line on the Somme. It was put to a severe -test there, particularly in the Thiepval district (57.5 per cent loss). - -4. After the Somme it was sent to the Dixmude front. - - -GALICIA. - -5. It was transported to Galicia (beginning of September) by the -following itinerary: Liège, Cologne, Leipzig, Dresden, Cracow, Przemysl. - -6. At Halicz the 3d Guard Division took part in the German -counteroffensive, and again suffered great losses. - - -FRANCE. - -7. It was sent back to the Western Front on the 24th of November by the -following itinerary: Lemberg, Jaroslaw, Gorlitz, Dresden, Chemnitz, -Nurnberg, Heilbronn, Strasbourg, Mulhouse, Rheinweiler, and having -arrived there the 20th of November, was sent to rest for a month. - - - 1917. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. Beginning with January and up to April 6, 1917, the division occupied -the sector of the forest of Parroy. - -2. The 8th of April it entrained at Metz, and arrived at Cambrai via -Montmedy, Sedan, and Charleville. - - -ARTOIS. - -3. Engaged in action before Arras in order to repulse the English -offensive from April 15 on, it participated in severe battles (May). - -4. On the 18th of May the division was relieved and sent into the -Cambrai district. After a short period of repose it occupied the -Pronville-Inchy-en-Artois sector (June 1–22). - -5. It was sent in reserve to the Bruges sector (June 22). - -6. It was transported to Thourout the 9th of July and remained there at -rest until July 29. - - -YPRES. - -7. On the 31st of July, the date of the great British attack, the 3d -Guard Division suffered very heavy losses (1,000 prisoners) in relieving -the 23d Reserve Division in the Pilken sector. - - -ALSACE. - -8. It was relieved the 5th and 6th of August and transported to Alsace, -where it was placed at rest. At the beginning of September it occupied -the Altkirch sector. - - -FLANDERS. - -9. About the 7th of October the division was again sent to Flanders to -the northeast of Zonnebecke. - -10. The 3d Guard Division left the Ypres front (Zonnebecke) at the -beginning of November, 1917. - - -CAMBRAI. - -11. After remaining in the vicinity of Ghent it went into action before -Cambrai near the Bourlon wood (Nov. 22). - -12. It was relieved the 10th of December and went to rest in the -Vendegies District (south of Valenciennes—division maneuvers). - - - 1918. - - -CAMBRAI. - -1. The division returned to the line in the sector, southwest of Cambrai -on January 10, relieving the 21st Reserve Division. It remained in line -until the 119th Division relieved it on February 12. - -2. The division retired to Hem-Lenglet (north of Cambrai) where it -rested and underwent instruction. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -3. The division entered the line on March 19, between Inchy-en-Artois -and Pronville. Engaged in the advance between the 21st and 24th. It -suffered heavy losses on the 22d in the fighting north of Beaumetz, -passing to the second line on the 24th. The division came back and -participated in the fighting about Bucquoy and Hebuterne, March 26-April -3. - -4. Returning from the Somme front about April 4, the division was at -rest until April 18. - - -BATTLE OF THE LYS. - -5. The division was engaged on the Lys, northeast of Estaires, after -April 18, then north of Kemmel from April 30 to May 5. Heavy losses -featured the fighting. - -6. After resting at Halluin for seven days the division was moved by -rail to Lorraine by the route Namur, Treves, Saarbruck, Sarreguemines. - - -LORRAINE. - -7. On May 18 the division relieved the 202d Division in the Chateau -Salins sector. While in this quiet sector the division received -reinforcements. When it left the line on June 24, the division was -comparatively fresh and an available reinforcement for a battle front. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -8. On leaving Lorraine the division moved to Rozay-sur-Lene, July 1, and -later southward to Hannogne. - -9. In the offensive of July 15, the division fought east of Rheims in -the region of des Monts. Between the 15th and 31st heavy losses were -suffered. It is known to have received a draft of 300 men in July. - -10. While at rest behind the Champagne front further drafts of men from -Russia and Rumania were received. - -11. The division held the line in Champagne north of St. Hilaire-le- -Grand from August 15 to September 18. - -12. Upon relief the division was first sent to Laon, but was hastily -entrained and hurried to Machault, where it entered the line -immediately. - - -BATTLE OF ARGONNE. - -13. From September 27 to October 5 the division was engaged between -Somme-Py and Manre; then it fought near Orfeuil where 900 prisoners were -lost. Acting as a rear guard, the division covered the retreat from -Machault to Voziers. Extremely heavy losses were reported in this -period. - -14. Withdrawn on the 8th, the division was moved by truck to Romagne. -After two days in reserve it entered the line on the 12th, now opposing -the first American Army. In this sector it fought vigorously, making -perhaps the stiffest resistance encountered in the offensive. - -15. The division went out on October 17 and rested until the 26th. - -16. Reengaged northeast of Attigny (Rilly-aux-Dies) on the 26th, the -division continued in line until the armistice. The last identification -was southeast of Mezieres on November 7. Five hundred prisoners were -lost by the division during their last period in line. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 3d Guard Division was rated as one of the best German divisions. It -was completely exhausted in the offensive of March and April and -suffered from a low morale in July and August. The Argonne Battle losses -were very severe for the division. The regiments were reduced to 200 and -300 effectives. - - - - - 3d Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │5. │2 Gren. │5. │2 Gren. │6. │34 Fus. - │ │9 Gren. │ │9 Gren. │ │42. - │6. │34 Fus. │6. │34 Fus. │ │4 Ldw. - │ │42. │ │42. │ (1, 2, and 4 - │ │ │ │ │ Btns.). - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────────────── - Cavalry. │3 Horse Gren. Rgt. │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │3 Brig.: │3 Brig.: │3 Brig.: - │ 2 F. A. Rgt. │ 2 F. A. Rgt. │ 2 F. A. Rgt. - │ 38 F. A. Rgt. │ 38 F. A. Rgt. │ 38 F. A. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. 2:│1 Pion. Btn. No. 2: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ Field Co. 2 Pions.│ 1 Co. 2 Pions. - │ │ │ - │ │ 3 Pont. Engs. │ 3 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ 3 Tel. Detch. │ 3 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ 3 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │6. │426. │6. │381. - │ │428. │ │(?) - │ │4 Ldw. │ │428. - │ (1, 2, and 4 │ │ - │ Btns.). │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Horse Gren. Rgt. │3 Sqn. 3 Horse - │ (3d Sqn.). │ Gren. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │3 Art. Command: │(?). - │ 38 F. A. Rgt. │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 Pion. Btn. No. 2:│108 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Co. 2 Pions. │ 1 Co. 6 Ldw. - │ │ Pions. - │ 3 Tel. Detch. │ 2 Ldw. Co. 4 C. - │ │ Dist. Pion. - │ 3 Co. 32 Pions. │ 110 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 3 T. M. Co. │3 Signals Command: - │ 283 and 301 │ 3 Tel. Detch. - │ Searchlight │ - │ Sections. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │7 Ambulance Co. │7 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │18 Field Hospital. │23 Field Hospital. - │24 Field Hospital. │24 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │189 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │6 Truck train. │ - │7 Truck train. │ - │436 M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Second District—Pomerania). - - - 1914. - -1. The 3d and 4th Division together composed the 2d Army Corps -(Stettin). - -2. At the beginning of the war it gave up one of its five regiments, the -54th Infantry, for the formation of the 36th Reserve Division, which -operated against Russia. - - -BELGIUM. - -3. In August, 1914, the 3d Division formed a part of the 1st Army (Von -Kluck). It invaded Belgium the 13th and 14th of August, passing through -Visé (Aug. 14), Hasselt (Aug. 17), Aerschot (Aug. 19), Laeken (Aug. 21) -and entered France on the 24th. - - -MARNE. - -4. It was at Cambrai on the 26th and on the Somme the 28th. It took part -in the Battle of the Marne at Vareddes on the 7th of September (district -northeast of Meaux). - -5. Was situated to the north of Soissons after the retreat. The 2d of -October it was in the district south of Roye; on the 4th it fought near -Beauvraignes. - -6. At the beginning of November it was transported to Flanders -(Wytschaete-Messines District) where it remained till the end of the -month. - - -RUSSIA. - -7. It then entrained for Russia (end of November). On its arrival it was -divided. The 5th Brigade was attached to the 8th Army in Oriental -Prussia, the 6th Brigade to the 10th Army to the east of Lodz. - - - 1915. - -1. During the first months of 1915 the two brigades remained separated -and changed position with their respective armies. The 5th Brigade went -into the government of Souvalki near the frontier of Oriental Prussia; -the 6th into Poland near Prasnysz and the Narew. - -2. In May, at the time of the formation of new divisions, the 5th -Brigade was broken up. The 2d Grenadiers, then in Courland, went over to -the Homeyer Brigade which then became the 109th Division; the 9th -Grenadiers went as the Third Regiment to the 3d Guard Division which -abandoned one of its brigades (the 5th Guard) for the formation of a 4th -Guard Division. - -3. The 3d Division, reduced to the 6th Brigade, completed itself by the -addition of the 4th Landwehr Regiment (1st, 2d, and 4th Battalions). The -progress of the Russian offensive conducted it into the Vidzy District, -where it firmly established itself. - - - 1916. - -1. Its composition varied still more in the course of the year 1916 and -it lost the two active regiments which it still had. The 42d Infantry -left it in September to go to the Kovel District and from there to -Macedonia; in December the 34th Fusiliers left it definitely in order to -go to Courland. In exchange it received two regiments formed in the -autumn, the 426th and the 428th Infantry. - - - 1917. - -1. There was no change of composition or position during 1917. - - - 1918. - -The division remained in the east throughout the year. Its movements -were obscure. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated fourth class. - - - - - 3d Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │18 Ldw. │6 Ldw. │18 Ldw. │6 Ldw. │18 Ldw. │6 Ldw. - │ │7 Ldw. │ │7 Ldw. │ │7 Ldw. - │19 Ldw. │37 Ldw. │ │19 Ldw. │37 Ldw. │19 Ldw. - │ │46 Ldw. │ │46 Ldw. │ │46 Ldw. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │1 Ldw. Cav. Rgt. (3│1 Ldw. Cav. Rgt. │1 Ldw. Cav. Rgt. - │ Sqns.). │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │3 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │3 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │3 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. - │ (Ers. Abils. of │ │ - │ 20, 41, and 56, │ │ - │ F. A. Rgts.) │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │ │1 Ldw. Survey Sect. - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ │2 Ldw. Survey Sect. - │ │ │ - │ │ │1 Ers. Co. 5 Pions. - │ │ │ - │ │ │303 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │17 Mixed Ers. Brig.│ │ - │ (17, 18, 19, 20, │ │ - │ and 77 Brig. Ers.│ │ - │ Btns.). │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │17 Ldw. │6 Ldw. │17 Ldw. │6 Ldw. - │ │4 Ldw. │ │7 Ldw. - │37 Ldw. │46 Ldw. │ │46 Ldw. - │ │327 Ldw. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ (?) │3 Sqn. 4 Drag. Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │3 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ 3 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │ - │ (9 Btries.). │ - │ 913 Batry. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(403) Pion. Btn.: │418 Pion. Btn: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Ers. Co. 5 │ 1 Ers. Co. 5 - │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ 4 Co. 17 Pions. │ 139 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 344 Pion. Co. │503 Signal Command: - │ 303 T. M. Co. │ 503 Tel. Detch. - │ 246 Searchlight │ - │ Section. │ - │ 503 Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │230 Ambulance Co. │230 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │21 Ldw. Field │322 Field Hospital. - │ Hospital. │ - │Vet. Hospital. │22 Ldw. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │ │503 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │537 M. T. Col │773 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │2 Neuss Landst. │ - │ Inf. Btn. (8 │ - │ │ - │ │ - │C. Dist. Btn. No. │ - │ 22.). │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Fifth District—Posen.) - - - 1914. - - -RUSSIA. - -At the beginning of the war the 3d Landwehr Division formed a part of -the 2d Landwehr Corps (old 6th Landwehr Corps) and always occupied the -eastern front. - - -POLAND. - -1. Up to the German offensive of the summer of 1915 the 3d Landwehr -Division, along with the 2d Landwehr Corps, participated in the Polish -campaign. At the end of October, 1914, it was identified before Warsaw -(Rawa-Vistula); in the middle of November it was in retreat to the south -and east of Czenstochow; in December it was to the west of Kielce. - - - 1915. - - -POLAND. - -1. In January, 1915, the 2d Landwehr Corps was still in the Kielce -District. - -2. Toward the middle of February a brigade (19th Landwehr Brigade) was -detached to the northeast of Warsaw (Plock-Mlawa). Reassembled to the -west of Kielce in April, the 3d Landwehr Division remained between the -Vistula and the Pilica until July. - - -BARANOVITCHI. - -3. The division took part in the offensive against the Russians (July- -August); it was before Ivangorod July 20 and arrived in the vicinity of -Baranovitchi toward the end of August. - -4. In October it was in the line near Goroditche. In November it took -the Liakhovitchi sector (south of Baranovitchi). - - - 1916. - -1. The 3d Landwehr Division remained to the southeast of Baranovitchi -(Liakhovitchi) for more than two years (November, 1915-January, 1918). -The 37th Landwehr became independent in July, 1916, and received various -successive additions. About the same date the 3d Landwehr Division -furnished a part of the elements necessary to the formation of the 420th -Infantry. In return the 327th Landwehr was assigned to it, and it kept -this regiment until June, 1917, ceding it at that time to the 4th -Landwehr Division. - - - 1917. - -1. Liakhovitchi sector. In November the 3d Landwehr Division sent an -important reinforcement to the 9th Division (particularly to the 7th -Grenadiers); two months later a smaller reinforcement was sent to the -43d Reserve Division, which was preparing to leave the eastern front. - - - 1918. - -The division remained in the eastern theatre throughout the year. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division remained on the Russian front from the beginning of the -war. Fighting value mediocre. It was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 3d Bavarian Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │5 Bav. │22 Bav. │5 Bav. │22 Bav. │6 Bav. │17 Bav. - │ │23 Bav. │ │23 Bav. │ │23 Bav. - │6 Bav. │17 Bav. │6 Bav. │17 Bav. │ │18 Bav. - │ │18 Bav. │ │18 Bav. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Bav. Light Cav. │ │3 Bav. Light Cav. - │ Rgt. │ │ Rgt. (3 Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │3 Bav. Brig.: │3 Bav. Brig.: │3 Bav. Brig.: - │ │ │ - │ 5 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 5 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 5 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ 12 Bav. F. A. Rgt.│ 12 Bav. F. A. Rgt.│ 12 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 and 3 Field Cos. │1 and 3 Field Cos. │1 and 3 Field Cos. - Liaisons. │ 2 Bav. Pion. Btn.│ 2 Bav. Pion. Btn.│ 2 Bav. Pion. Btn. - │ │3 Bav. Pont. Engs. │13 Bav. Res. Pion. - │ │ │ Co. - │ │3 Bav. Tel. Detch. │3 Bav. T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │3 Bav. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │3 Bav. Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │Inf. Pion. Co. of - │ │ │ the 3 Bav. Div. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │6 Bav. │17 Bav. │6 Bav. │17 Bav. - │ │18 Bav. │ │18 Bav. - │ │23 Bav. │ │23 Bav. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │4th Sqn. 3 Bav. │4 Sqn. 3 Bav. Light - │ Light Cav. Rgt. │ Cav. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │3 Bav. Art. │3 Bav. Art. - │ Command: │ Command: - │ 12 Bav. F. A. │ 12 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ Rgt.? │ - │ │ 1 Abt. 2 Bav. Ft. - │ │ A. Rgt. - │ │ 149 Bav. Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 150 Bav. Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 162 Bav. Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│5 and 7 Bav. Pion. │2 Bav. Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ Cos. │ - │3 Bav. T. M. Co. │ 5 Bav. Pion. Co. - │ │ - │2 Bav. Searchlight │ 7 Bav. Pion. Co. - │ Section. │ - │3 Bav. Tel. Detch. │ 3 Bav. Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │3 Bav. Signals - │ │ Command: - │ │ 3 Bav. Tel. Detch. - │ │ 77 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │4 Bav. Ambulance │4 Bav. Ambulance - Veterinary.│ Co. │ Co. - │9 Bav. Field │9 Bav. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │16 Bav. Field - │ │ Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │683 Bav. M. T. Col.│683 Bav. M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Second Bavarian District—Bavaria, Bavarian Palatinate.) - - - 1914. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. At the time of the declaration of war the 3d Bavarian Division and -the 4th Bavarian Division constituted the 2d Bavarian Army Corps. At the -beginning of August, 1914, the 2d Bavarian Army Corps formed a part of -the 6th Army (Crown Prince of Bavaria). It detrained at Faulquemont -(Lorraine) on August 8, and the 3d Bavarian Division was to the north of -Château-Salins on the 10th. It took part in the Battle of Morhange on -the 20th, passed the frontier, pillaged Gerbeviller on its way, and -advanced as far as the left bank of the Mortagne. Forced to turn back, -it moved near Metz the 15th of September and entrained the 19th. - - -SOMME-FLANDERS. - -2. Similar to the 1st Bavarian Army Corps, the 2d Bavarian Army Corps -was attached to the 2d Army and fought in the Peronne District (end of -September); then it was transported to Flanders, where it rejoined the -6th Army. - -3. From November, 1914, to October, 1915, the 2d Bavarian Army Corps -occupied the front from the Ypres-Comines Canal as far as Douve. During -this period it generally remained on the defensive. - - - 1915. - -1. In April, 1915, the 3d Bavarian Division ceded the 22d Infantry to -the 11th Bavarian Division, formed at this time. - -In June, 1915, the 3d Bavarian Division was sent as a reinforcement for -a short time to the Arras sector. - - -ARTOIS. - -2. In the month of October the 2d Bavarian Army Corps (3d and 4th -Bavarian Divisions) was transported to the Auchy-Loos sector and kept -there until August, 1916. - - - 1916. - -1. In the Loos sector the 2d Bavarian Army Corps showed itself very -active. It undertook mine works and executed them with great rapidity. -At the end of April it attempted a gas attack; this latter had no -success, however. - - -SOMME. - -2. The 3d Bavarian Division left the Loos sector with its Army Corps -about August 25 and went into the Somme District. It occupied the -Martinpuich-Bazentin-le-Petit sector up to the 15th of September and -fought with characteristic stubbornness. Its total losses during this -period reached 4,976 men (55 per cent). - -3. The Division retired from the Somme September 27 and was sent to the -Douve sector (from this river to the Armentières-Lille railroad). It -remained there till the end of March, 1917. - - - 1917. - - -ARTOIS. - -1. The 3d Bavarian Division was relieved from Armentieres March 20, -1917. It was transported to the Arras District, situated on the Scarpe -front, on April 11. It suffered considerable loss in the two unfortunate -counterattacks of Monchy-le-Preux and in the French counterattack of -April 23. - -2. The division was withdrawn from the front April 25 and sent to rest -in the Roubaix zone until the beginning of June. - - -FLANDERS. - -3. On June 5 the 3d Bavarian Division began to relieve the 40th Division -in the Messines sector. The British attack took place on the 7th during -this relief. The division lost the village and the summit of Messines. -It suffered considerable loss and left 1,531 prisoners in the hands of -the enemy. (The 17th Battalion was reduced to 800 men; the 23d suffered -about equal losses; the 18th lost fewer men.) - - -LORRAINE. - -4. The 3d Bavarian Division was withdrawn from the Messines sector June -8, 1917, and taken to the Conflans area. After a short period of repose, -during which it was partially reconstituted, it was put into the line in -the sector of the Bezange forest (south of Château-Salins) July 18. - -5. The 3d Bavarian Division received a reinforcement of 4,500 -men—convalescents, exclusively—between June 8 and the end of August. (At -the end of August the personnel averaged only 120 men who drew rations -(80 combatants) per company in the 17th Battalion.) The losses sustained -the 7th of June had not been made good by the 28th of August. - -6. The division was sent into Lorraine for rest and reconstitution, -remaining on the defensive, and pursuing the instruction of its -detachments in the use of light minenwerfers and assault tactics. - - -AISNE. - -7. It left Lorraine in the middle of October. On the 28th it occupied -the Aisne front to the north of Braye-en-Laonnois (Trucy sector). The -17th Battalion was the only one to engage in the October battles which -preceded the German retreat to the north of the Ailette. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 3d Bavarian Division is one of the best German units. - -It always fought well, showing great energy in the offensive and -preserving a great tenacity in the defensive. - -Nevertheless, the fighting value of this division appears to have -diminished during the course of the year 1917. - - - 1918. - -1. About January 1 the division was relieved and went into training in -the region Fournes-Chimay, where it remained for four weeks. - - -ST. GOBAIN. - -2. The division relieved the 47th Reserve Division near Septvaux about -February 1, and occupied the line until March 28. - -3. Retired from the front on the 28th; the division was sent toward -Chauny-La Fere, where it constituted the reserve division of the 8th -Reserve Corps. - - -NOYON. - -4. In April the division alternated between short periods in line and -brief rests. North of Plemont it relieved the 7th Reserve Division about -April 2, was relieved by the 1st Bavarian Division a few days later, and -returned to line about April 11, relieving the 1st Bavarian Division. -About this time the division received a draft of 900 men of the 1919 -class. - -5. The division was withdrawn from the Lassigny front about May 25. - - -BATTLE OF THE OISE. - -6. The division participated in the Oise fighting of June, although it -did not take a direct part in the opening attack. It supported the -effort of the 3d Bavarian Reserve Division, lending some battalions, -from which prisoners were taken. About the middle of June the division -passed to the second line, rested two weeks, and returned to the -Montdidier-Noyon front about June 30. - - -LASSIGNY. - -7. The division remained in line throughout July and encountered the -Allied attack of middle August. About August 21 it was withdrawn. - -8. Between August 21 and October 7 the division was not satisfactorily -identified. Elements were reported near Terguier in September, near -Ypres, and in the region of St. Etienne-Arnes. - - -WOEVRE. - -9. The division entered the Woevre line on October 7, near Manheulles, -where it remained until the armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was used during 1918 as a sector-holding division. It took -no prominent part in the offensives of the year. - - - - - 3d Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │5 Res. │2 Res. │5 Res. │2 Res. │5 Res. │2 Res. - │ │9 Res. │ │9 Res. │ │9 Res. - │6 Res. │34 Res. │6 Res. │34 Res. │6 Res. │20 - │ │ │ │ │ │ Landst. - │ │49 Res. │ │49 Res. │ │49 Res. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │5 Res. Dragoon Rgt.│5 Res. Dragoon Rgt.│ - │ (3 Sqns.). │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │3 Res. F. A. Rgt. │3 Res. F. A. Rgt. │3 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (6 Btries.). │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │2d Pion. Btn. No. │2d Pion. Btn. No. - Liaisons. │ │ 2: │ 2: - │ │ Field Co. 2 Pions.│ 2 Res. Co. 2 - │ │ │ Pions. - │ │ 3 Res. Pont. Engs.│ 203 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ 3 Res. Tel. Detch.│ 3 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ 3 Res. Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │5 Res. │2 Res. │5 Res. │2. - │ │49 Res. │ │34 Fus. - │ │34 Fus. │ │49 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │1 Sqn. 22 Drag. - │ │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │73 Art. Command: │73 Art. Command: - │ │ - │ 3 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ 3 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.). │ - │ │ 4 Abt. 14 Res. Ft. - │ │ A. Rgt. - │ │ 865 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1177 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1195 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│303 Pion. Btn. (?):│303 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 2 Res. Co. 2 │ 2 Res. Co. 2 - │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ 2 Co. 34 Res. │ 203 T. M. Co. - │ Pions. │ - │ 203 M. T. Co. │ 196 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 403 Tel. Detch. │403 Signals - │ │ Command: - │ 3 Res. Pont. Engs.│ 403 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 33 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │502 Ambulance Co. │502 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │14 Field Hospital. │14 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │15 Field Hospital. │15 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │16 Field Hospital. │163 Vet. Hospital. - │163 Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │704 M. T. Col. │704 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │154 Cyclist Co. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (2d District—Pomerania.) - - - 1914. - - -EAST PRUSSIA-RUSSIA. - -1. At the beginning of the war the 3d Reserve Division, recruited in the -2d District (Pomerania), formed a part of the 8th German Army -(Hindenburg). It fought with this army in eastern Prussia; it was -engaged in the battle of Tannenberg (Aug. 26–28), in the battles of -Biallo, Lyck, Suwalki, and Augustowo (September-October). - - - 1915. - -1. In February, 1915, the 3d Reserve Division participated in the battle -of the Mazurian Lakes, and in May in the battles on the Polish frontier. - -2. During the great offensive of the summer of 1915 the division was -engaged in the operations on the Bobr, which resulted in the taking of -Ossovietz. In August it fought in the vicinity of Kovno. It participated -in the siege of this city (Aug. 13–18) at the battle of Niemen (Aug. 19- -Sept. 8). When the front was stabilized it took position to the north of -Smorgoni (southeast of Vilna). - - - 1916. - -1. The 3d Reserve Division occupied this sector (north of Smorgoni) up -to March, 1917. At this time it was placed in reserve in the Vilna -sector. - - -BELGIUM. - -2. At the beginning of May, 1917, it was sent to the western front. It -entrained May 13 at Soly (east of Vilna), and was transported via Vilna, -Wirballen, Gumbinnen, Berlin, Hanover, Aix-la-Chapelle, Liege, Louvain, -and Brussels up to Bruges, where it detrained May 18. It was sent to -rest in this district until June 4. - -3. On this date the division was transported to the district north of -St. Quentin and went into the line on the 8th in the Vendhuille- -Bellicourt sector (west of Catelet), where it habituated itself to the -western front. - - - 1917. - - -YPRES. - -4. The division was relieved the end of July. After having been in -reserve for several days it engaged in the battle of Ypres on the -Frezenberg front on August 4; here it was severely tried by artillery -fire. - -5. It was withdrawn from the front August 18 and sent to rest, first at -Tournai and later in the Moorslede District. - -6. On September 23 it was again sent into the line in the battle of -Flanders to the south of Zonnebeke (Polygone wood), and again suffered -serious losses on the 26th. - - -ALSACE. - -7. The 3d Reserve Division was relieved September 28 and transported to -Alsace (Mulhouse District), where it remained in repose up to the middle -of October. - -8. About the 10th or 15th of October it occupied the sector north of the -canal from the Rhone to the Rhine, and remained there till the end of -October. - -9. At this time it was withdrawn from the front. It entrained for Metz -November 10. In December it was in the vicinity of Sissone. - - -AISNE. - -10. About December 13 it entered the line in the Craonne sector -(Juvincourt area). At the beginning of January it took over the -neighboring sector (Bouconville). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Very mediocre morale. The 49th Reserve Regiment was very severely tested -by losses and desertions to such a point that it had to be returned to -the rear after August 18, 1917. September 26 the 8th Company of the same -regiment refused to take part in the attack. The relatively high -proportion of men of the 2d Landsturm levy may be responsible for these -facts, since they formed part of the regiments of the Second District. - -According to prisoners captured in February, 1918, the 3d Reserve -Division seemed to be of mediocre quality: “6,000 men lost in Flanders, -poorly replaced by men 50 per cent of whom were old, many being above -40, and by 30 per cent Poles.” - -Nevertheless, despite the mediocrity of its personnel, it must be noted -that the 49th Reserve was subjected to a special training for attack -troops in November and December. - - - 1918. - - -LAON. - -1. The division held the line in the Craonne sector until about April -20, when it was relieved. - - -OISE. - -2. It reappeared on May 1 near Hainvillers (southeast of Montdidier), -where it remained until about June 20. The division was in the thick of -the June fighting on the Oise and lost heavily. - -3. About June 20 the division went to rest in the region of Guise. - - -MARNE. - -4. The division participated in the fighting between the Marne and -Soissons when the Allies delivered their attack on the Marne salient. It -relieved the 115th Division at Longpont on July 18 and withstood the -attack until July 31. The 49th Reserve Regiment was almost annihilated -in the course of the fighting near Mery. The other regiments were -reduced to 70–80 rifles per company. - -5. Retired from the front on July 31, the division rested at La Capelle -until September 1. - - -CAMBRAI. - -6. The division came into line east of Chevisy on September 2. Its -composition had been altered by the disbandment of the 2d Reserve -Regiment and the addition of the 2d Grenadier Regiment from the 109th -Division. The British attack on the Somme of September 12 engulfed the -division, which lost 1,300 prisoners. - - -BELGIUM. - -7. It was withdrawn about September 27 and transferred to Belgium, where -it entered the line near Dixmude on September 29. It held the line in -this sector until October 16, when it passed into the second line for a -week’s rest. Returning to line on the 23d, it remained in line until the -armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division is rated as a third-class division. Its morale was on the -whole bad. The Polish elements deserted freely. In July pillaging of -supply trains was apparently prevalent in the divisional area. Elements -of the division refused to fight in the Oise battle in June, and the -German command appeared to have confidence in its fighting value. - - - - - 3d Naval Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry │4 Nav. │1 Mar. │Mar. │1 Mar. - │ │2 Mar. │Inf. Brig. │2 Mar. - │ │3 Mar. │ │3 Mar. - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry │ │3 Sqn. 7 Hus. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery │9 F. A. Rgt. │2 Matr. F. A. Rgt. - │ │925 Light Am. Col. - │ │1234 Light Am. Col. - │ │1292 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│1 Co. Mar. Pion. Btn. │115 Pion. Btn. - Liaisons │ │ - │3 Co. Mar. Pion. Btn. │ 1 Res. Co. 24 Pions. - │337 Pion. Co. │293 Signal Command: - │165 T. M. Co. │ 293 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 66 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │610 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary │ │ - │ │2 Mar. Field Hospital. - │ │390 Field Hospital. - │ │569 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transports │ │679 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Attached │Coast Defense Btn. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - - 1917. - -1. The 3d Naval Division was organized in April, 1917. Its Regiments -(1st, 2d, and 3d Naval Infantry) were detached from the Naval Corps, -before the constitution of the division, to take part in the attacks -upon Steenstraat on April 22, 1915, and on the Somme from September, -1916, to April, 1917. Since its formation the 3d Naval Division has -scarcely left the coast. - - -FLANDERS. - -2. In August, 1917, the 3d Naval Division occupied the sector of -Lombartzyde. - -3. In October it was in action on the Ypres front at Poelcappelle. - -4. In December it again took over the sector of Lombartzyde. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 3d Naval Division is recruited from the entire German Empire, the -naval troops being imperial troops. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Before the war the troops of the 3d Naval Division were landing and -occupying troops for the German colonies. They are good units whose -recruiting has been kept up to a high standard. - - - 1918. - - -ALBERT. - -1. The division was relieved north of St. Georges about the 1st of March -and moved to Valenciennes, where it arrived about the 13th. From March -18 to 23 it moved up to the front by stages via Haussy-Cattenieres- -Lesdain. On the 23d it followed up the advance, passing through Fins and -Manancourt on the 24th–25th and coming into action at Contalmaison on -the 25th. It captured Albert on the 26th. The division held a sector -west of Albert until mid-April, and on April 24 returned to its former -sector west of Anthuille. It was relieved about the end of May by the -24th Division. - -2. On June 20 the division returned to relieve the 24th Division in the -Aveluy sector. In mid-July the company strength was low. No drafts had -been received recently and sickness was prevalent. This, together with -the August spell in line, had considerably reduced the morale of the -division. It was relieved on August 19 by the 83d Division. - - -SCARPE-SOMME. - -3. The division rested at Flers for five days, when it came into line -west of Grevillers on the night of August 23–24 to reinforce the line. -It was withdrawn in a few days (Aug. 26) and rested at Cambrai. Five -hundred prisoners were taken from the division in this period. - -4. The division rested at Thourout during the first half of September. -On the 27th it was engaged west of Marcoing and fought in that area -until the end of the month. The total prisoners captured from the -division was 700. - -5. After two weeks’ rest in the Cambrai area, the division returned to -line at Molain on October 17. It fought in the Molain-Catillon area -until October 23, when it was relieved by the 19th Reserve Division. On -November 1 it was again in line, northwest of the Hattencourt Farm. The -last identification was at Any, on November 7. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. Its use in the Somme March -offensive and as an intervention division in the Scarpe-Somme battle -suggest that the division was a second class division. - - - - - 4th Guard Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │ │5 Ft. │5 Gd. │5 Ft. - │ │5 Gren. │ │5 Gren. - │ │93 Res. │ │93 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │ │3d Sqn. Gd. Res. Ulan Regt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │ │(z) 2d Gd. Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ │6 Gd. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│ │(z) Co. 3 Gd. Pions. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │261 Pion. Co. - │ │4 Gd. T. M. Co. - │ │4 Gd. Pont. Engs. - │ │4 Gd. Tel. Detch. - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918[3] - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │5 Gd. │5 Ft. │5 Gd. │5 Ft. - │ │5 Gren. │ │5 Gren. - │ │93 Res. │ │93 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │2d Sqn. Gd. Res. Drag. Rgt. │2d Sqn. Gd. Res. Drag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │4 Gd. Art. Command: │4 Gd. Art. Command: - │ 6 Gd. F. A. Rgt. │ 6 Gd. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 3 Abt. 1 Gd. Ft. A. Rgt. (5, - │ │ 6, and 10 Btries.). - │ │ 1208 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1285 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1359 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│106 Pion. Btn.: │106 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 261 Pion. Co. │ 261 Pion. Co. - │ 269 Pion. Co. │ 269 Pion. Co. - │ 4 Gd. T. M. Co. │ 4 Gd. T. M. Co. - │ 315 Searchlight Section. │4 Gd. Signals Command: - │ 4 Gd. Tel. Detch. │ 4 Gd. Tel. Detch. - │ │ 61 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │267 Ambulance Co. │267 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │392 Field Hospital. │392 Field Hospital. - │397 Field Hospital. │397 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │4 Gd. Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │13 Gd. Truck Train. │533 M. T. Col. - │533 M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │32 M. G. S. S. Detch. │44 Observation Group. - │70 Anti-Aircraft Section. │72 Sound Ranging Section. - │ │244 Reconnaissance Flight. - │ │20 Balloon Sqn. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── -Footnote 3: - - According to a document of Aug. 21, 1918. - - - HISTORY. - - - 1915. - -The 4th Guard Division was formed on the Russian front in March, 1915. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. From March 14 to July 12 the 4th Guard Division was in line near -Przasnysz. It belonged to Gallwitz’s army, which was operating north of -the Vistula. - -2. From July 13 to September 28 the division took part in many fights, -notably on the Narew, and took part in the pursuit as far as the region -of the marshes of Lithuania. - -3. Withdrawn from the front and reached Kovno on foot, where it -entrained for the Western Front on October 10 via Koenigsberg, Luebeck, -Hamburg, Aix-la-Chapelle, Namur. Detrained at Douai and sent to rest. - - -FRANCE. - -4. From November 14 to 26 it occupied a sector near Arras, then went to -rest near Cambrai. - -5. From December 15, 1915, to January 4, 1916, it built entrenchments in -the region of Wytschaete-Messines. - - - 1916. - -1. During January and February, 1916, the 4th Guard Division continued -its entrenching work in the sector Wytschaete-Messines and held the -sector at the same time. - -2. Until the end of April, 1917, the 4th Guard Division, together with -the 1st Reserve Guard Division, formed the reserve corps of the guard. -Both these divisions were put through a course of training with a view -to active operations. - -3. From May 9 to July 23 the division remained in line northeast of -Neuville-St. Vaast. - - -SOMME. - -4. Engaged in the battle of the Somme July 25 (Estres sector), suffered -heavy losses and was withdrawn August 19. Engaged again after a few days -of rest and fought some severe local battles until September 10 -(Thiepval sector). - -5. After seven days of rest behind the Flanders front it held a quiet -sector north of Ypres from September 17 to October 25. - -6. From November 6 to 25 it was again sent to the Somme, where it was -subjected to several heavy local attacks (Warlencourt sector). - - - 1917. - -1. Remained in the Warlencourt sector until March 17, 1917. It was -relieved immediately after it had retired to the Hindenburg line. - - -LENS. - -2. After three weeks’ rest in the region of Tournai it was sent by -stages to the south of Lens, where it went back in the lines. It -suffered considerable losses there. Withdrawn from the front July 11. - -3. At rest in the region of Pont-a-Vendin and Meurchin. On August 15 the -division was hurried up to the north of Lens. It attacked to regain the -lost ground but in vain. Its losses were extremely heavy. - -4. The division stayed in line until September 15. - - -FLANDERS. - -5. At rest for a week behind the front. Entrained September 23 and 24 at -Carvin for Flanders. - -6. It was at first in the reserve of the army, but went into line -September 27 east of Zonnebeke. After one of its regiments had attacked -and was stopped by the British artillery fire (Oct. 22), the division -obtained replacements and on October 4 renewed its attempt to retake the -heights lost on September 26. Warned by a British attack, they became -demoralized and fled in disorder toward Becelaere. The losses of the 4th -Guard Division were so heavy that it had to be relieved on October 5 to -7. - -7. Entrained for Guise and arrived there October 10. Went into line on -the 14th in the sector of Itancourt, southeast of St. Quentin, and was -still holding it in December. Its forces were much reduced by the -attacks in Flanders and were reinforced by neighboring units (13th -Landwehr Division). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Formerly an excellent combat unit, having that traditional esprit de -corps which animated the regiments of the Prussian Guards. At the -present time (November, 1917) it has lost a good part of its fighting -value. It seems to have been much weakened by the battle of Ypres -(October, 1917). - - - 1918. - - -GUISE. - -1. The division rested during January near d’Origny Ste. Benoite (west -of Guise). - - -SOMME. - -2. On February 4 the division came into line northwest of Bellenglise. -It was relieved about the middle of February. - -3. Upon relief, it marched via Bohain to St. Souplet, near Le Cateau. -Here the division underwent a course of training in this area until -March 18, when it marched via Bohain-Brancourt-Montbrehain-Ramicourt -back to its old sector at Bellenglise, arriving in line March 20. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -4. The division attacked in the first line and advanced by Hesbecourt -March 21–26. Passing into support for eight days it was reengaged April -3–8 near Bouzencourt and le Hamel, suffering very heavy losses. Between -the 8th and the 24th the division rested. It was in line again near -Marcelcave from the 22d to the end of April, participating in the attack -at Villers-Bretoneaux on the 24th. Heavy losses were again sustained. - -5. Again the division went to rest at St. Souplet, near le Cateau. The -2d Battalion of the 427th Regiment, dissolved, arrived as a -reinforcement for the division on May 27. The division was moved by rail -to Flavy le Martel on night of June 1. It marched by nights to Canny sur -Matz (by Golancourt, Guiscard, and Candor) and entered the line on the -night of June 8–9. - - -BATTLE OF THE OISE. - -6. The division attacked on the 9th between Roye sur Matz and Canny sur -Matz. It penetrated by Marquelise to Antheuil. The French counterattack -threw it back north of Antheuil on the 11th. The division stayed in line -until the 19th. - - -LORRAINE. - -7. After resting at Bohain until June 29 the division was moved to -Lorraine by Valenciennes-Brussels-Namur-Saarburg. Here it was rested and -reconstituted. - -8. The division returned by rail to Athies sur Laon on July 22. From -there it marched to Mousey sur Aisne by stages and then in trucks to -Mareuil en Dole on July 25. - - -BATTLE OF THE MARNE, VESLE, AISNE. - -9. The division was engaged July 27 southeast of Fere en Tardenois. It -fell back toward Fismes on August 1–2, from where it was shifted into -the Courlandon-Breuil sector, which it held from August 14 to the -beginning of September. On the 5th it moved to the south of Glennes, -remaining there until the 30th, when it fell back across the canal. The -division was relieved on October 2, but turned back to line on the 5th -to cover the retreat near Benu au Bac. On the 7th it went to rest for a -week. - - -ARDENNES. - -10. Reengaged west of Chateau Porcien from October 14 to November 5. The -93d Regiment was mentioned in the German communique of November 2 as -fighting especially well. In the retreat the division passed through -Renneville and Rubigny, where it was last identified on November 11. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was always regarded as a first-class fighting division, -although the losses on the Somme in March and the setback on the Oise in -June lowered its value. Constant fighting impaired the morale and kept -the effectives low, but the division was always to be included in the -first-class divisions. - - - - - 4th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │7. │14. │7. │14. │7. │14. - │ │149. │ │149. │ │149. - │8. │49. │8. │49. │8. │49. - │ │140. │ │140. │ │140. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │12 Drag. Rgt. (v. │12 Drag. Regt. │ - │ Arnim). │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │4 Brig.: │4 Brig.: │4 Brig.: - │ 17 F. A. Rgt. │ 17 F. A. Rgt. │ 17 F. A. Rgt. - │ 53 F. A. Rgt. │ 53 F. A. Rgt. │ 53 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. 2:│1 Pion. Btn. No. 2: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ Field Co. 1 Pion. │ 2 Co. 2 Pions. - │ │ Btn. No. 2. │ - │ │ 4 Pont. Engs. │ 4 T. M. Co. - │ │ 4 Tel. Detch. │ 4 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ 4 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │8. │14. │8. │14. - │ │49. │ │49. - │ │140. │ │140. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3d Sqn. Horse Gren.│2 Sqn. 3 Horse - │ Rgt. │ Gren. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │4 Art. Command: │4 Art. Command: - │ 53 F. A. Rgt. │ 53 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 48 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 939 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 945 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1319 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│114 Pion. Btn.: │114 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 2 Co. 2 Pions. │ 2 Co. 2 Pions. - │ │ - │ 5 Co. 2 Pions. │ 5 Co. 2 Pions. - │ 2 Co. 114 Pions. │ 4 T. M. Co. - │ 4 T. M. Co. │ 55 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 7 Searchlight │ 4 Signals Command: - │ Section. │ - │ 4 Tel. Detch. │ 4 Tel. Detch. - │ 4 Pont. Engs. │ 72 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │6 Ambulance Co. │6 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │17 Field Hospital. │17 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │19 Field Hospital. - │ │131 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │8 Truck Train. │537 M. T. Col. - │9 Truck Train. │ - │537 M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │Construction Co. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Second District—Pomerania.) - - - 1914. - - -FRANCE. - -1. At the beginning of the campaign the 4th Division fought on the -Western Front until November, 1914. It detrained at Rheydt on August 9 -and 10, and entered Belgium on the 14th and France on the 25th. Fought -at Sailly-Saillisel on the 28th; reached Grand-Morin September 5 and -fought at Acy en Multien on the 6th. After retreating to the north of -Soissons it remained south of Roye from the end of September to the end -of October, and was near Ypres in November. - - -RUSSIA. - -2. Sent to Russia and took part in the second offensive on Warsaw. - - - 1915. - -1. In January it took part in the battles of Bolimow. In February it -went to the Carpathians (Army of the South under Linsingen). Took part -in the offensive on Lemburg. - -2. About September 27, 1915, it was relieved in the region south of -Baranovitchi and entrained at Kobryn for the Western Front. - - -FRANCE. - -3. It arrived in the vicinity of Sedan at the beginning of October. -After a few days’ rest it marched to the north of Tahure. - -4. On October 30 the division took part in the attack of Butte De Tahure -and suffered severe losses. - -5. At the beginning of November it left Champagne for the region of -Reims where its units went into the trenches on November 8. Until the -beginning of April, 1916, it held the sector northwest of Prunay. - - - 1916. - -1. At the beginning of April the division was sent to rest in the -vicinity of Rethel. During this period (Nov. 15 to Apr. 16) its losses -were light. - - -VERDUN. - -2. At the beginning of May the division was sent to the region of -Verdun. On May 4 it took part on the attack on Hill 304, where it -suffered heavy losses. - -3. Relieved May 15 and sent to rest in the region of Mouzon-Carignan, -from where it went to the region of Damvillers. - -4. At the beginning of July it was sent to hold the sector of Thiaumont -at the moment when the French recommenced their offensive in that -region. Its losses were very heavy. - -5. On August 3 it left Thiaumont for the region of Cumieres, on the left -bank of the Meuse (Aug. 5). - -6. At the end of September it held the sector Malancourt-Avocourt. - -7. Relieved at the end of October and trained at Dun. After a short rest -it went into line in December northeast of Vaux. - - - 1917. - -1. The division remained in the Vaux sector until April 17. - -2. It relieved the 10th Reserve Division in the region of Satigneul -(night of Apr. 15–16) a few hours before the beginning of our attack. It -remained in this sector until May 5 and was subjected to French attacks -of April 16 and May 4. - -3. Beginning May 5, it was relieved and went into camp in the region of -Caurel. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -4. On May 7 and the following days it went into the sector of Grille -Mont Haut and held this until June 19. - -5. The division was put in reserve on this date in the region Epove- -Warmeriville. - -6. Went into line in the sector Moronvilliers (July 19 and days -following) until the end of October. - - -BELGIUM. - -7. At the end of October it entrained at Juniville and went to Belgium, -where it held the sector Poelcapelle until November 24. - -8. It went into line again east of Armentieres on November 30 and was -still in that sector on January 11, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -In spite of heavy losses suffered several times, it would seem that they -wished to keep up the Pomeranian character of the 4th Division, although -it received in September, 1915, some men of the 1915 class from Hesse- -Nassau, and later on a number of Brandenburgers and Silesians, as the -third and sixth districts often furnished their ratio to the districts -temporarily out of men. A great majority of men, however, came from -Pomerania, and as the resources of this Province in men are limited it -was necessary, to keep up the provincial composition of this division, -to draw from the Landwehr depots and the battalions of Pomeranian -Landsturm. Since it was impossible to maintain the quality of the -division, it seems that they were anxious to maintain its nationality. - - - VALUE. - -The 4th Division was always a very good division and gave proof of very -fine military qualities in all the battles in which it took part, -especially in the sector of Sapigneul during the offensives of April 16 -and May 4, 1917. It would seem that the nature of the replacements they -received, especially the most recent ones, has considerably altered the -value of this division. - - - 1918. - -1. The division was relieved from the front of Armentieres on January -23, and went to rest and instruction in the Oisene area (southwest of -Deyuze). After four weeks the division entrained at Roubaix on March 16 -and detrained at Douai on the following day. Hence it marched by stages -to Neuville St. Remy, a suburb of Cambrai. The division was concentrated -south of Inchy on the night of March 20–21. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -2. Engaged on March 21, the division advanced by Doignies and Herrnies. -It passed to rest on the 24th and was reengaged from March 26 to April 6 -at Miraumont, Hebuterne, and Colincamps. The division suffered very -heavy losses in the engagement. - -3. Relieved from the Hebuterne front on April 6, the division rested two -weeks in the Bapaune-Cambrai area. The division moved north to the Lys -front via Douai-Lille. - - -BATTLE OF THE LYS. - -4. The division was in line west of Merville from April 23 to May 14. - -5. While at rest north of Tournai, the division was reconstituted and -prepared for another heavy engagement. - -6. The division entrained for Loos on June 30 and moved on to Sailly sur -la Lys on July 18. - - -THE LYS WITHDRAWAL. - -7. The division came into line near Merris on July 27. It lost 500 -prisoners south of Meteren on August 18. On the 30th the division fell -back on Bailleul and later to Bac St. Maur and Fleurbaix. It was -relieved at Fleurbaix on October 11. - -8. The division rested from the 11th to the 21st near Denain. - -9. Again the division was engaged to the east and northeast of Solesmes -and near Le Quesnoy, retreating to Beaurain, Ghissignies, and Ruesnes. -It passed in the second line on November 1, but came back to the line -south of Le Quesnoy about November 5. It retreated by Locquignol toward -Maubeuge, where it was last identified on November 9. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 4th Division was a very good division. In 1918 its morale was -mediocre, due to the young recruits. - - - - - 4th Ersatz Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │9 Ers. │9, 10, │9 Ers. │9, 10, │9 Mixed │359. - │ │ 11, and│ │ 11, and│ Ers. │ - │ │ 12, │ │ 12, │ │ - │ │ Brig. │ │ Brig. │ │ - │ │ Ers. │ │ Ers. │ │ - │ │ Btns. │ │ Btns. │ │ - │ │ │ │ │ │360. - │ │ │ │ │13 Mixed │361. - │ │ │ │ │ Ers. │ - │ │ │ │ │ │362. - │13 Ers. │13, 14, │13 Ers. │13, 14, │ │ - │ │ 15, and│ │ 15, and│ │ - │ │ 16, │ │ 16, │ │ - │ │ Brig. │ │ Brig. │ │ - │ │ Ers. │ │ Ers. │ │ - │ │ Btns. │ │ Btns. │ │ - │33 Ers. │33, 34, │33 Ers. │33, 34, │ │ - │ │ 35, 36,│ │ 35, and│ │ - │ │ and 81,│ │ 81, │ │ - │ │ Brig. │ │ Brig. │ │ - │ │ Ers. │ │ Ers. │ │ - │ │ Btns. │ │ Btns. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │Ers. Detchs. of the│Ers. Detchs. of the│4 Ers. Cav. Sqn. - │ 9, 13, and 33 │ 9, 13, and 33 │ - │ Ers. Brigs. │ Ers. Brigs. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │1 Ers. Abt. of the │1 Ers. Abts. of the│90 F. A. Rgt. - │ 18 and 39 F. A. │ 18 and 39 F. A. │ - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. │ - │1 Ers. Abts. of the│1 Ers. Abts. of the│91 F. A. Rgt. - │ 40 and 75 F. A. │ 40 and 75 F. A. │ - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. │ - │1 Ers. Abts. of the│1 Ers. Abts. of the│ - │ 45 and 60 F. A. │ 45 and 60 F. A. │ - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 Ers. Co., 3 │1 Ers. Co., 3 │303 Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ Pions. │ Pions. │ - │1 Ers. Co., 4 │1 Ers. Co., 4 │304 Pion. Co. - │ Pions. │ Pions. │ - │1 Ers. Co., 9 │1 Ers. Co., 9 │305 Pion. Co. - │ Pions. │ Pions. │ - │ │ │161 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │1 Res. Co., 25 │103 Antiaircraft - │ │ Pions. │ Section - │ │ │2 Res. Co., 25 - │ │ │ Pions. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │13 Ers. │360. │13 Ers. │214 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │361. │ │360. - │ │362. │ │362. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │Ers. Cav. Detch. │3 Sqn. 10 Hus. Rgt. - │ (3d C. Dist.). │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │139 Art. Command: │139 Art. Command: - │ │ - │ │ - │ 90 F. A. Rgt. │ 90 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ 119 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ 1052 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1059 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1323 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│504 Pion. Btn.: │504 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 304 Pion. Co. │ 304 Pion. Co. - │ │ - │ 305 Pion. Co. │ 305 Pion. Co. - │ │ - │ 161 T. M. Co. │ 161 T. M. Co. - │ 251 Searchlight │ 59 Searchlight - │ Section. │ Section. - │ 554 Tel. Detch. │554 Signal Command: - │ │ 554 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 123 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │64 Ambulance Co. │64 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │135 Field Hospital.│135 Field Hospital. - │136 Field Hospital.│136 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │136 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │762 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (360th and 361st: Fourth District—Prussian Saxony. 362d: Ninth - District—Schleswig—Holstein.) - - - 1914. - -The 4th Ersatz Division was organized in August, 1914, by grouping -together brigade Ersatz Battalions coming from the Third, Fourth, and -Ninth districts (Brandenburg Prussian-Saxony, Mecklenburg, Schleswig- -Holstein, and Hansa towns). - - -LORRAINE. - -1. Detrained August 18 at Teterchen (Lorraine) and at the battle of the -20th the division was in the rear of the 2d Bavarian Corps. It fought on -the 22d along the Marne-Rhine Canal between Einville and Dombasle, -retreated on the 23d, suffered heavy losses on the 25th at Mazerulles, -and engaged only a few units of its 9th Brigade in the attack on Nancy -in September. - -2. On September 15 the division went to rest west of Delme. On the 23d -it entrained at Rening (Sarralbee-Benestroff line), passed through Metz, -Luxemburg, Arlon, Marche, Liége, Louvain and detrained September 25, -1915, at Brussels. - - -BELGIUM. - -3. From there it went to Bruges (Oct. 14), then Ostend (Oct. 16). On the -17th by the road along the coast it marched from Ostend to Nieuport -(Oct. 30). It then went into the line in front of the Belgians on the -right bank of the Yser (November). - - - 1915. - - -DIXMUDE. - -1. Remained in the sector north of Dixmude during the whole of 1915. - -2. At the end of July, 1915, the brigade Ersatz Battalions of the -division were grouped into regiments. The 4th Ersatz Division was made -up of the 359th, 360th, 361st and 362d Infantry. With the 37th Landwehr -Brigade and the 2d Reserve Ersatz Brigade (Basedow Division) it -constituted the Werder Corps (December). - - - 1916. - -1. The division was kept in the region of Dixmude until April, 1916. - -2. After April a part of the division was sent east of Ypres between the -Ypres-Roulers Railway and the Comines Canal. Some of the units of the -division remained in line near Dixmude. - - -SOMME. - -3. About September 27 the division left Belgium for the Somme, where it -was engaged during the first two weeks of October near Le Sars. - -4. On October 15 it returned to Belgium and went back to the sector east -of Ypres in November. - -5. Sent to rest about November 30 and sent back to the Somme south of -Bapaume, about the middle of December. - - - 1917. - -1. Remained south of Bapaume (Le Transloy-Gueudecourt) until the end of -February, 1917. - -2. About the middle of March it relieved the 14th Bavarian Division in -the same sector at the beginning of the retirement of the German troops, -withdrew to the east of Bertincourt, via Neuville-Bourjonval, Metz en -Courtuere, and fought on the Trescault-Havricourt line (April). - - -ARTOIS. - -3. Relieved about April 26 or 28 and sent north of the Scarpe about May -10. Engaged near Roeux until about May 18 and suffered heavy losses -(more than 800 prisoners). - -4. At the end of May it was sent to the Eastern Front. The 361st -Infantry entrained May 26 at Vitry en Artois, via Paderborn-Halle- -Leipzig-Dresden-Breslau-Lemburg. - - -GALICIA. - -5. Until July the division remained in reserve in Galicia with the -Bothmer army. - -6. In July it held the sector south of Brzezany. Took part in the -offensive against the Russians, and in September was near Radautz, where -it remained until December. Due to some of its forces being transferred -to other organizations more than to its losses, the companies of the -362d Infantry from August to October, had fallen from 120 men to 70 -(examinations of Russians). - - -FRANCE. - -7. Relieved December 4 and entrained the 16th for the Western Front, via -Lemberg-Cracow-Breslau-Berlin-Hanover-Aix la Chapelle-Brussels-Courtrai- -Tournai. Detrained the 26th. - - - RECRUITING. - -360th Infantry: Brandenburg and Prussia Saxony. 361st and 362d Infantry: -Prussia Saxony, Hanover, Schleswig-Holstein and Hansa towns. - - - VALUE. - -A fairly good division. - - - 1918. - - -LA BASSEE. - -1. The first entry into line of the division was on January 18 in the -sector south of the La Bassee Canal, relieving the 6th Bavarian -Division. - - -BATTLE OF THE LYS. - -2. On the 5th of April the division crossed north of the canal and -attacked in the Gorre-Givenchy-Festubert region. Seven hundred prisoners -were lost on April 9, besides heavy casualties. The division was -relieved on April 20–21. - - -WOEVRE. - -3. The division was moved to the region south of Metz for a rest. About -May 18 it took up a sector south of Les Esparges, which it held until -about June 13. - -4. After resting near Conflans until June 25, it entrained in the Woevre -and moved by Sedan-Charleville to the region east of Laon, arriving on -June 28. It proceeded to the line by the road through Fismes. - - -AISNES-MARNE. - -5. The division was engaged at Bussiares, Torcy, and Hautevisnes between -June 30 and July 18. It met the attack of July 18 and was thrown back -toward Oulchy le Chateau. On the 24th it was relieved. - -6. The division rested at Perthes for a week and then moved to Novy. It -entrained at Amagne on August 12 and traveled to Ostrecourt, where it -remained for two weeks. On August 28 it occupied the Dricourt-Queant -line astride the Arras-Cambria road. - - -SECOND BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -7. Engaged on the 29th, the division came in for some heavy fighting. It -was thrown back on Dury (Sept. 2) and after losing 1,650 prisoners was -relieved on September 5. - -8. The division rested until the middle of September. The 214th Reserve -Regiment coming from the dissolved 46th Reserve Division, replaced the -361st Regiment. - -9. The division was engaged near the La Bassee Canal from September 16 -to October 1. It rested until the 16th, when it was reengaged southwest -of Lille. In the retreat it fell back by Wavrin, Seclin, Cysoing, Ere, -Mons and Blaugies. The last identification was at Boussu on November 9. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as a third-class division. At no time in 1918 did -it distinguish itself, especially not in the Lys battle. Before the July -18 attack, the infantry effectives of the division numbered about 3,200. -In October the battalions were reduced to three companies. - - - - - 4th Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │22 Ldw. │11 Ldw. │22 Ldw. │11 Ldw. │22 Ldw. │11 Ldw. - │ │51 Ldw. │ │51 Ldw. │ │51 Ldw. - │23 Ldw. │22 Ldw. │23 Ldw. │22 Ldw. │23 Ldw. │22 Ldw. - │ │23 Ldw. │ │23 Ldw. │ │23 Ldw. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │Ers. Cav. Rgt. of │Ers. Cav. Rgt. of │Ers. Cav. Rgt. of - │ the 4 Ldw. Div. │ the 4 Ldw. Div. │ the 4 Ldw. Div. - │ (4 Sqns.). │ │ - │2 Ldw. Cav. Rgt. (3│ │ - │ Sqns.). │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │4 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │4 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │4 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. - │ (Ers. Abtls. 6, │ │ - │ 42, and 56 F. A. │ │ - │ Rgt.). │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 Ers. Co. 6 Pions.│1 Ers. Co. 6 Pions.│1 Ers. Co. 6 Pions. - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ │2 Ers. Co. 6 Pions. - │ │ │ - │ │ │304 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │21 Mixed Ers. Brig.│ │ - │ (21, 22, 23, 24, │ │ - │ and 78, Brig. │ │ - │ Ers. Btns.) Dis. │ │ - │ in Sept. │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918[4] - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │22 Ldw. │11 Ldw. │22 Ldw. │ (?) - │ │23 Ldw. │ │23 Ldw. - │ │51 Ldw. │ │51 Ldw. - │ │404. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 4 Drag. Rgt.│ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │4 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ (Staff, 2 Abt. - │ │ Staff and 5 and 6 - │ │ Btries.). - │ 4 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │ - │ (9 Btries.). │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(404) Pion. Btn.: │2 Ers. Co. 6 Pions. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Ers. Co. 6 │504 Signals - │ Pions. │ Command: - │ 2 Ers. Co. 6 │ 504 Tel. Detch. - │ Pions. │ - │ 304 T. M. Co. │ - │ 25 Light Fortress │ - │ Searchlight │ - │ Section. │ - │ 323 and 332 │ - │ Searchlight │ - │ Sections. │ - │ Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │236 Ambulance Co. │236 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │19 Ldw. Field │19 Ldw. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │20 Ldw. Field │504 Vet. Hospital. - │ Hospital. │ - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │785 T. M. Co. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │7th Munster Landst.│ - │ Inf. Btn. (7 C. │ - │ Dist. Batn. No. │ - │ 69) arrived from │ - │ 3 Ldw. Div. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── -Footnote 4: - - The elements below are those grouped in the 4th Landwehr Division - Postal Zone. Other elements belonging to the 4th Landwehr Division but - operating in other sectors (Nov. 13) are listed as attached to the - divisions they are operating under. - - - HISTORY. - - (Sixth District—Silesia.) - - - 1914. - -At the beginning of the war the 4th Landwehr Division, with the 3d -Landwehr Division, formed the 2d Landwehr Corps (former 7th Landwehr -Corps), which was engaged on the Eastern Front. - - -POLAND. - -1. The 4th Landwehr Division at the beginning of September, 1914, took -part in the battle of Tarnowka with the 3d Landwehr Division, then in -the operations before Warsaw and the retreat following the enveloping -movement of the Russians at Lodz. In December it was located between the -Vistula and Pilica (at Czenstochow, Dec. 1; near Kielce, Dec. 28). - - - 1915. - -1. Until July, 1915, the division remained on the Polish front (left -bank of the Vistula) between Radom and Gravowiec. - - -BARANOVITCHI. - -2. Took part in the offensive against the Russians, which carried it -through the region of Baranovitchi in July to August. - - - 1916. - -1. Held the front northeast of Baranovitchi from September, 1915, until -the beginning of 1918. In 1916 it contributed drafts to the 420th -Infantry. - - - 1917. - -1. Sector of Baranovitchi. The division had many of its forces -transferred to the Western Front: In November, 1917, for the 52d -Division; in February, 1918, for the 5th Reserve Division, but during -1917 it was reinforced by the 404th Infantry, coming from the 18th -Landwehr Division. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Mediocre. - - - 1918. - - -UKRAINE. - -1. At the beginning of April, 1918, the 4th Landwehr Division marched -into Russia. On the 14th of April, the 11th Landwehr Regiment was near -Minsk; and at the beginning of May it was east of Kiev, along with the -404th Regiment. - -2. On June 15 the 23d and 51st Landwehr Regiments were identified near -Ochra. - -3. A man of the 51st Landwehr Regiment wrote on October 23: “The latest -news is that the 4th Landwehr Division is going into France.” The -division was still in Russia on October 28 and was never identified on -the Western Front. - - - - - 4th Bavarian Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │7 Bav. │5 Bav. │7 Bav. │5 Bav. │7 Bav. │5 Bav. - │ │9 Bav. │ │9 Bav. │ │5 Bav. - │ │ │ │ │ │ Res. - │5 Bav. │5 Bav. │5 Bav. │5 Bav. │ │9 Bav. - │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ │ - │ │8 Bav. │ │8 Bav. │ │ - │ │ Res. │ │ Res. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │5 Bav. Light Cav. │ │5 Bav. Light Cav. - │ │ │ (3 Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │4 Bav. Brig.: │4 Bav. Brig.: │4 Bav. Brig.: - │ │ │ - │ 2 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 2 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 2 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ 11 Bav. F. A. Rgt.│ 11 Bav. F. A. Rgt.│ 11 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│2d Field Co. │2d Field Co. │2d and 5th Field - Liaisons. │ │ │ Cos. - │2 Bav. Pion. Btn. │2 Bav. Pion. Btn. │2 Bav. Pion. Btn. - │ │4 Bav. Pont. Engs. │4 Bav. T. M. Co. - │ │4 Bav. Tel. Detch. │4 Bav. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │4 Bav. Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │35 Labor Btn. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │7 Bav. │5 Bav. │7 Bav. │4 Bav. - │ │5 Bav. │ │5 Bav. - │ │ Res. │ │ - │ │9 Bav. │ │9 Bav. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Bav. Light Cav. │5 Sqn. 3 Bav. Light - │ (5th Sqn.). │ Cav. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │4 Bav. Art. │4 Bav. Art. - │ Command: │ Command: - │2 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 2 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │11 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 2 Abt. 4 Bav. F. - │ (?). │ A. Rgt. - │ │ 122 Bav. Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 134 Bav. Light - │ │ Am. Col. - │ │ 135 Bav. Light - │ │ Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│6 Bav. Pion. Co. │8 Bav. Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │9 Bav. Pion. Co. │ 6 Bav. Pion. Co. - │4 Bav. T. M. Co. │ 9 Bav. Pion. Co. - │4 Bav. Tel. Detch. │ 14 Bav. T. M. Co. - │ │ 4 Bav. Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │4 Bav. Signal - │ │ Command: - │ │ 4 Bav. Tel. Detch. - │ │ 108 Bav. Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │5 Bav. Ambulance │5 Bav. Ambulance - Veterinary.│ Co. │ Co. - │11 Bav. Field │11 Bav. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │12 Bav. Field - │ │ Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │684 Bav. M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Second Bavarian District—Bavaria and Lower Franconia.) - - - 1914. - -1. At mobilization the 4th Bavarian Division, with the 3d Bavarian -Division, formed the 2d Bavarian Army Corps. It transferred its 8th -Brigade (Metz Garrison) to the 33d Reserve Division and replaced it by -the 5th Bavarian Reserve Brigade, organized in the Palatinate. The other -brigade, the 7th, detrained, commencing August 3, between Morhange and -Remilly. The reserve brigade detrained August 10 at St. Avold. Assembled -the 18th in the rear of the Metz-Strasbourg Railroad and with the 2d -Bavarian Army Corps constituted the 6th Army (Crown Prince Ruprecht of -Bavaria). - - -LORRAINE. - -2. On August 20 it fought west of Morhange. Then it captured the fort of -Manonviller (with the 22d Bavarian of the 3d Bavarian Division) and -advanced to Mortagne, south of Luniville. September 11 it was withdrawn -to the rear. - - -SOMME. - -3. September 18 the division entrained at Metz for Namur, from where it -went to the north of Peronne (Sept. 25). It then became part of the 2d -Army and fought from September 26 to the middle of October in the region -north of the Somme (Fricout, Mametz, Montauban). - - -FLANDERS. - -4. During the third and fourth weeks of October (beginning the 23d) it -went to Flanders (6th Army) south of Ypres. It held the sector of -Wytschaete from November 14 to October 15 and was on the defensive. -November 9 the 5th Infantry was reduced to less than 800 men -(notebooks). - - - 1915. - -In March, 1915, the 8th Reserve Infantry was transferred from this -division to the 10th Bavarian Division. - - -ARTOIS. - -1. September 26, 1915, some of its units fought on the Loos-Hulluch -front at the time of the British attack. In the counter attack, during -which these troops retook ditch No. 8, they suffered severe losses. - -In November the whole division was in the region of Loos south of -Hulluch, where it stayed until August 16. In this sector it carried on -mine warfare. About the end of April, 1916, it lost 1,100 men while -attempting a gas attack. - - - 1916. - - -SOMME. - -1. Toward the end of August, 1916, the division was sent to the Somme. - -2. It was engaged between Martinpuich and Longueval, where it fought -violent battles for the Bois Haut (Aug. 25–28 to Sept. 15). Its total -losses were 5,361 men, or 60 per cent of its effectives. - - -FLANDERS. - -3. Again sent to Flanders and held the sector northeast of Armentieres -(east of the Bois de Ploegsteert) from October 16 to June 17. - - - 1917. - -1. In June, 1917, while still in line in front of Bois de Ploegsteert, -it was in part subjected to the British attack against Messines ridge, -and suffered especially from the artillery preparations. It lost 200 -prisoners. - -2. Relieved from the Belgian front about June 16 and sent to rest in the -region of Audenarde until July 7. - -3. Beginning July 9, it was engaged southeast of Armentieres (between -the Lys and Wez-Macquart) July and August. - -4. Withdrawn from the Armentieres sector in the middle of September and -went into line northeast of Ypres, between Zonnebeke and Passchendaele, -from September 26 to October 27. Suffered heavy losses (30 per cent of -its forces). - - -LORRAINE. - -5. October 11 entrained at Pitthem and went to Conflans the 13th from -where it went into line in the region of Thiaucourt (Limey sector). It -was there still in February, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -Lower Franconia and Bavarian Palatinate. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 4th Bavarian Division went through some very severe offensive and -defensive fights and came through them with honors. - -The prisoners examined gave proof of vigor and tenacity if not of -intelligence. As soon as it is filled up again this division shall again -take its place on the most effective fronts (December, 1917). - -It is to be noted that February, 1918, it is not yet completely filled -up and does not seem to be in shape for an offensive. - - - 1918. - -1. The division remained in the quiet Thiaucourt sector until late March -when it was relieved by the 40th Division. On April 14 it entrained at -Nancieulles and traveled via Audun le Romain-Longuyon-Sedan-Charleville- -Hirson-Avesnes-Denain-Orchies to Rouchin. It marched to Armentieres, -arriving on April 16, and proceeded to reserve near Bailleul on the -following day. - - -KEMMEL. - -2. On the 23d of April the division came into line northeast of -Dranoutre, suffered heavy losses about here, and was relieved about May -1. - -3. The division rested until June 11 in the north of France. During this -time it was reviewed by the King of Bavaria and Prince Franz. The -division commander was decorated. - - -FLANDERS. - -4. It returned to line near Merris about June 11. It continued in line, -suffering heavy losses until July 10. - -5. The division rested out of line until August 17. - -6. It was reengaged on August 17 east of Bucquoy, coming from Lille via -Cambrai Velu Beugny. It was withdrawn from the battle north of Bapaume -on August 25, after losing 1,600 prisoners. - -7. The division rested near Tourcoing until late in September. - -8. On September 29 the division was identified in line in Champagne, -north of Maure. Its composition had been changed by the disbandment of -the 5th Bavarian Reserve Regiment and the substitution of the 4th -Bavarian Regiment from the dissolved 14th Bavarian Division. The -division continued on this front, with short periods in the second line, -until November 4. It was identified north of Marvaux (October 4), near -Monthois (October 11), between Namdy and Falaise (October 19). The -division was considered in reserve 3d Army between November 4 and the -armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was of the first quality. It saw heavy fighting and showed -itself very aggressive in attack and tenacious in defense. The extensive -replacements which have been necessary did not improve the morale, but -due to the high quality and spirit of the organization, it was always to -be considered as a first-class division. - - - - - 4th Cavalry Division (Dismounted). - - - COMPOSITION. - - ───────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────── - │ 1918 - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┬─────────────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┼─────────────────────── - │39 Cav. │38 Ldw. Inf. Rgt. - │ │40 Ldw. Inf. Rgt. - │ │9 Res. Schutzen Uhlan - │ │ Rgt. - │ │89 Schutzen Rgt. - │ │87 Schutzen Rgt. - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┴─────────────────────── - Engineers and Liaisons.│2 Ldw. Pion. Co., 14 C. Dist. Pions. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Medical and Veterinary.│99 Ambulance Co. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Attached. │Landst. Inf. Btns. - │VII-54 Munster. - │XIV-14 Bruchsae. - │IV-15 Jorgan. - │XVI-7 2d Saarlouis. - │XIV-51st Offenburg. - ───────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - - 1918. - -1. The 4th Cavalry Division entrained in the Riga region on the 1st of -April, 1918, for the Western Front. It detrained at Molsheim in Alsace -on April 7, and went into line near the Ban de Sapt (Vosges). The -division had recently been reorganized. During April a report was -received stating that Lieut Gen. von Krame, commander of the 39th -Cavalry Brigade, had been decorated. The division continued to hold the -Alsace sector until the armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 5th Guard Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │2 Gd. │3 Ft. │2 Gd. │3 Ft. - │ │3 Gren. │ │3 Gren. - │ │20. │ │20. - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 2 Gd. Uhlan Rgt. │1 Sqn. 2 Gd. Uhlan Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │5 Gd. Art. Command: │5 Gd. Art. Command: - │ 4 Gd. F. A. Rgt. │ 4 Gd. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 1 Abt. 1 Gd. Res. Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. - │ │ 1180 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1181 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1203 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│100 Pion. Btn.: │100 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 4 Gd. Pions. │ 4 Gd. Pion. Co. - │ 1 Gd. Res. Pion. Co. │ 1 Gd. Res. Pion. Co. - │ 9 Gd. T. M. Co. │ 9 Gd. T. M. Co. - │ (?) 28 Searchlight │ 195 Searchlight Section. - │ Section. │ - │ 5 Gd. Tel. Detch. │5 Gd. Signal Command: - │ │ 5 Gd. Tel. Detch. - │ │ 149 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │3 Ambulance Co. │3 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │8 Field Hospital. │8 Field Hospital. - │9 Field Hospital. │9 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │5 Gd. Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │680 M. T. Col. - │680 Divisional M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Odd units. │Field Recruit Depot No. │ - │ 815. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Attached. │3 Abt. 43 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ - │2 Abt. 3 Bav. Ft. A. Rgt. │ - │2 Abt. 11 Res. Ft. A. Rgt. │ - │2 Abt. 21 Ft. A. Rgt. │ - │3 Btry. 57 Ldw. Ft. A. Rgt.│ - │5 Btry. 57 Ldw. Ft. A. Rgt.│ - │6 Btry. 57 Ldw. Ft. A. Rgt.│ - │10 Btry. 13 Res. Ft. A. │ - │ Rgt. │ - │11 Btry. 13 Res. Ft. A. │ - │ Rgt. │ - │6 Btry. 17 Bav. Ft. A. Rgt.│ - │464 Ft. A. Btry. │ - │4 Co. 8 T. M. Btn. │ - │3 Co. 8 T. M. Btn. │ - │1 Co. 5 Road. Const. Btn. │ - │ No. 72. │ - │3 Co. 166 Labor Btn. │ - │43 Res. Pion. Co. │ - │199 Signal Btn. │ - │307 Signal Btn. │ - │2 Field Signal Co. │ - │60 Balloon Section. │ - │114 Supply Train. │ - │21 Munition Train. │ - │181 Munition Train. │ - │190 Munition Train. │ - │374 Munition Train. │ - │517 Munition Train. │ - │560 Supply Train. │ - │50 Supply Train. │ - │1 Field Bakery. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - - 1917. - -Organized in February, 1917, from regiments transferred from already -existing units (3d Foot Guards, transferred from the 1st Guard Division; -3d Grenadier Guards, transferred from the 2d Guard Division; 20th -Infantry, from the 212th Division, previously belonging to the 6th). - - -CRAONNE. - -1. It appeared for the first time in line about March 20 between Craonne -and Hurtebise, where it suffered heavy losses, April 16 to 18. - -2. Relieved May 4 and went to a calm sector in the region of -Preqmontreq. - -3. About June 5–6 it was sent to rest in the region north and northwest -of Laon. June 20 it was located in the region of Sissonne, where it -remained until July 7. - - -CALIFORNIE PLATEAU. - -4. On the night of July 7–8 it arrived in this sector. It executed a -violent attack on July 19 and again suffered heavy losses. Relieved July -27. - -5. Reinforced by drafts from depots in Brandenburg and rested in the -region of Mauregny en Haye and Barenton sur Cerre, and then went through -a methodical and intensive training at the camp at Chivy les Etouvelles. - - -CHEMIN DES DAMES. - -6. About August 20 it relieved the 43d Reserve Division on the Chemin -des Dames between Panthéon and La Royere; suffered considerable losses -during the French offensive of October 23. - -7. In the region of Vervins at the beginning of November, with its -battalions greatly reduced. - -8. Went into line near Hargicourt at the end of November. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 20th Infantry (3d Brandenburg) was a regiment from the Province of -Brandenburg. - -The 3d Foot Guards and the 3d Grenadier Guards were drawn not only from -Brandenburg, but generally from the Kingdom of Prussia. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 5th Guard Division must be considered one of the best divisions of -the German Army. Its regiments are extremely good. - -The Division had been brought to the Aisne to retake the Californie -Plateau, and it showed wonderful energy in this work (July 19, 1917). -October 23, 1917, at the Chemin des Dames, in spite of its great losses -and of the fact that the 1918 class formed about 20 per cent of its -effectives, the division showed great resistance, and left only a -comparatively small number of prisoners in our hands (about 300). - - - 1918. - -1. The division arrived at Fourmies on January 10 for training and -maneuvers. About February 14 it marched to Avesnes, where it rested -until March 5. It then marched to St. Quentin by night marches, passing -through Homblieres, Dallow, Happencourt, Tugny, and crossed the Crozat -Canal between Ham and St. Simon on March 23. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -2. On the night of the 23d it relieved the 45th Reserve Division in -front of Golancourt, where it met a lively resistance. From the 24th to -the 27th it was in army reserve resting in the region Golancourt le -Plesses Patte d’Oie. On the 28th it moved - -by Flavy le Meldux, Ecuvilly, Catigny, Candor, and entered line west of -Lassigny on the 29th, relieving the 1st Bavarian Division. On the 30th -it attacked west of the Roye sur Matz railroad but was stopped by our -counterattacks. Until April 10 the division was in line at Beuvraignes -and at Roye sur Matz. On the 8th it received 400 men, mostly of the 1919 -class, in reinforcements. - -3. Withdrawn from line on April 4, the division moved by degrees to the -northeast of Laon on April 24, where it was reorganized, reinforced, and -rested near Rozay sur Serre. By night marches it moved to the Aisne -front and entered line on May 26, between Corbeny and the Californie -Plateau. - - -BATTLE OF AISNE. - -4. It fought in the offensive from May 27 to 30, advancing by -Guyencourt, Fismes, Crugny, Cierges, and Vincelles. Between May 31 and -June 7 it was in reserve at Coulonges, Sergy, Beuvardes, Grisolles, and -Sommelous. The division was reengaged northwest of Chateau Thierry on -June 7 against the American 2d Division. - - -CHATEAU THIERRY. - -5. In the three weeks the division was in the Torcy-Hautevesnes sector -it lost most heavily. Several companies of the 20th Regiment were -annihilated on June 8–9; the others were reduced to 30–40 rifles. The -division lost about one-half its effectives in this period. - -6. It was withdrawn about June 30 and reconstituted in reserve of the -Torcy sector near Coincy from July 1 to 17. - - -BATTLE OF THE MARNE. - -7. The division came back on the 18th and engaged in rear-guard fighting -near Monthiers and Grisolles. It was engaged on defensive works near -Blanzy les Fismes from July 29 to August 8. - -8. It rested in the region of Bruyeres from August 2–8, when it was -transported to Belgium by Marle-Hirson to rest. On the 31st it was -alerted and entrained, the regiments following with a day’s interval by -Mauberg-St. Quentin, detraining at Laon and Crepy en Laonnois. From that -point it moved by foot to Vauxaillon front. - - -AISNE-AILETTE. - -9. On September 3 the division relieved the 238th Division east of -Louilly. In the succeeding days it suffered very heavily. It was -relieved on September 16. - -10. The division left the Laon area on September 16 and detrained that -night at St. Juvin, where it rested until September 24. The heavy losses -of the division were made good while there. - - -ARGONNE. - -11. It entered the line opposite the American 1st Army on September 27 -in the region of Montblainville. After heavy losses, which caused a -partial disintegration of the division, it withdrew on October 8. The 3d -Guard Grenadier Regiment was practically destroyed in this fighting. - - -WOEVRE. - -12. It was transported to the Woevre and on October 19 was engaged east -of Verdun at Chatillon sous les Cotes. Here it remained until the -armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as a first-class division, but after its rough -handling in the Hautevesnes-Torcy sector it lost much of its value as an -attack division. - -Both on the Aisne in September and in the Argonne the division’s losses -were extremely heavy. Battalions were reduced to three companies in -October. By the 20th of October the remnants of the companies were -combined to make one. - - - - - 5th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │9. │8 Body │9. │8 Body │10. │8 Body - │ │ Gren. │ │ Gren. │ │ Gren. - │ │48. │ │48. │ │12 Gren. - │10. │12 Gren. │10. │12 Gren. │ │52. - │ │52. │ │52. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Hus. Rgt. (3 │ (?) │3 Hus. Rgt. (3 - │ Sqns.) │ │ Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │5 Brig.: │5 Brig.: │5 Brig.: - │ 18 F. A. Rgt. │ 18 F. A. Rgt. │ 18 F. A. Rgt. - │ 54 F. A. Rgt. │ 54 F. A. Rgt. │ 54 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. 3:│1 Pion. Btn. No. 3: - Liasions. │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ Field Co. 3 Pions.│ 1 Co. 3 Pions. - │ │ 5 Pont. Engs. │ 5 Pont. Engs. - │ │ 5 Tel. Detch. │ 5 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ 5 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │Field M. G. Co. of - │ │ │ the 10 Brig. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │10. │8 Body │10. │8 Body - │ │ Gren. │ │ Gren. - │ │12 Gren. │ │12 Gren. - │ │52. │ │52. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Hus. Rgt. (?). │3 Sqn. 3 Hus. Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │5 Art. Command: │142 Art. Command: - │ 18 F. A. Rgt. │ 18 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 67 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ (Staff and 1, 2, - │ │ and 3 Btries). - │ │ 848 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 879 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 792 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│116 Pion. Btn. │116 Pion. Btn.: - Liasions. │ (formerly 1 Pion.│ - │ Btn. No. 3): │ - │ 1 Co. 3 Pions. │ 1 Co. 3 Pions. - │ 2 Co. 3 Pions. │ 2 Co. 3 Pions. - │ 5 T. M. Co. │ 14 Bav. Pion. Co. - │ 319 Searchlight │ 5 T. M. Co. - │ Section. │ - │ 5 Tel. Detch. │ 35 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 99 Searchlight │5 Signal Command: - │ Section. │ - │ │ 5 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 29 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │9 Ambulance Co. │9 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Field Hospital. │27 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │26 Field Hospital. - │ │5 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │11 Supply Train. │538 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │M. T. Col. │ - │ │ - │M. G. S. S. Detch. │ - │ No. 5. │ - │68 Anti-Aircraft │ - │ Sect. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Third District—Brandenburg.) - - - 1914. - - -FRANCE. - -1. The 5th Division with the 6th Division formed the 3d Army Corps. At -the beginning of the campaign it was part of the 1st Army (Von Kluck). -It detrained near Aix la Chapelle August 9 and 10, entered Belgium the -14th, and passed through Louvain the 19th. Took part in the battle of -Charleroi and the battle of the Marne (at Sancy and Cerneux, Sept. 6), -then in the battles between the Aisne and the Marne in September, and -was finally stabilized between the Aisne and the Oise, in the region -Vailly and Soissons. - - - 1915. - -1. Battle of Soissons (Jan. 13). - -2. About June 10 the 5th Division was no longer a part of the 1st Army. -July 1 it was sent to Douai, and about July 14 held the sector before -Arras. - -3. September 25, 1915, took part in the attacks in Champagne. - - -BELGIUM. - -4. Went to Belgium in December. About December 25 was at rest in the -region Hirson-Avesnes. - - - 1916. - - -VERDUN. - -1. At the beginning of February, 1916, it was in the region of -Spincourt. - -2. At the end of February at Verdun. It fought near Herbebois February -23. It attacked Douaumont February 26 and suffered severe losses. It was -again engaged from March 8 to 15 and from April 22 to the end of the -May. - - -SOMME. - -3. July at the Somme (Longueval, Bois Delville). Suffered heavy losses. - -4. Middle of August in Champagne (Auberive) until October 12. - - -VERDUN. - -5. December, 1916, it went again to Verdun (region of Vaux, Dec. 7). -Units of the 5th Division were engaged as reinforcements during the -French attack of December 15. The division was withdrawn from the Verdun -front about December 25 and sent to the region of Mulhouse. - - - 1917. - - -ALSACE. - -1. Stayed in Upper Alsace (region of Mulhouse and Ferrette) until April -20, 1917. It held temporarily a calm sector in the Vosges region, but -during this period it is used particularly for entrenching works on the -French front and the Swiss frontier. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. It was alarmed. It entrained in the region of Mulhouse and was sent -through Montmedy and Sedan to Champagne, where it went into line on -April 23 in the Mont-Haut sector, where it suffered very heavy losses. - -3. Left Champagne front at the beginning of May. - -4. Toward the end of June it was in the Woevre in the region between -Conflans and Briey. - -5. At the beginning of July it was again in the Champagne (Téton -sector). - - -RUSSIA. - -6. Sent to the Eastern Front in July and relieved at the beginning of -September by the 6th Reserve Division in the region of Zbrucz. - - -ITALY. - -7. About October sent from Galicia to Italy. - - -FRANCE. - -8. Sent from Italy to France at the beginning of January, 1918, and at -rest behind the front in Champagne. January 20, 1918, it went into line -near Butte du Mesnil. - - - RECRUITING. - -Essentially from Brandenburg (Regiments of the Mark, as the communiques -sometimes call it), and its provincial character has been carefully -maintained. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Although not as good as at the beginning of the war, the morale of the -5th Division seemed good and its fighting value worthy of consideration -(July 17). - - - 1918. - -1. After its return from Italy the division rested and trained at -Chenois, near Charleville, from January 1 to March 1, when it moved to -Anderlues-Resbaix (west of Charleroi) from March 1 to 14. On that date -it moved to the front by night marches by Maubeuge, Landrecies, -Wassigny, and Etaves. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -2. It took its place in line between Lesdins and Remancourt (north of -St. Quentin) on the night of March 20–21. The next day it was engaged in -support of the 25th Division, advancing via Morcourt and Fayet. It took -part in the attack on Holnon Wood and reached Attilly that night. It -continued to advance on the 22d via Beauvois-Lanchy-Uguy-Quivieres- -Croix-Moleguaux to a point east of Falvy. On the 24th it forced the -crossing of the Somme at Falvy and Pargny and reached Morchain that -night. It was at Omilcourt on the 25th and captured Chaulnes on the -26th; from there it advanced to Fouquescourt and Rouvroy on the 27th, -crossed the Avre, and when the line stabilized near Aubvillers the -division withdrew, March 28. Its losses in the fighting were extremely -heavy. In crossing the Somme it especially distinguished itself. - -3. The division rested until April 3, when it was reengaged between -Sauvillers and Grivesnes from April 3–12. It again lost heavily, -especially the 52d Regiment, during the attack of April 4 near the Bois -de Arrachies. - -4. It rested and trained from April 13 to May 23 at Iron et Vadencourt, -near Guise. It is known to have received 1,000 men from Beverloo on -April 14. From May 23 to 26 it marched toward the Aisne front by night, -through Parpeville, Monceau le Neuf, Aisis sur Serre, Couvron, -Laniscourt, Foucancourt. - - -BATTLE OF THE AISNE. - -5. On the night of June 26 it entered line southeast of Lizy. In the -offensive the division advanced by Chavignon, Malmaison, Uregny, region -of Pommiers, Mercin, Pernant, east of Ambleny. It was partially relieved -on June 7 and the last elements withdrawn by June 13. - -6. The division rested between Guise and Le Nouvion (Mannappes Lechelle) -from the middle of June to July 18. During this period the Spanish -sickness ravished the troops. Reinforcements reconstituted the division -during this period. On July 19 the division was transported to Anezy le -Chateau by way of Wassigny, Guise, Mesbricourt. By marches it moved by -steps to south of Soissons. - - -BATTLE OF THE MARNE. - -7. On July 21 the division was engaged near Buzancy. It fell back to the -Vesle by Acy on August 1–2. It remained in the sector south of Vailly -(Ciry-Salsogne, Sermoise) until September 5, when it retired to the line -Vailly-Celle sur Aisne. After losing more than 1,000 prisoners it was -relieved on September 18. - - -ARDENNES. - -8. The division was reengaged in the region of Jonchery on September 28. -It retired north of the Aisne (Sept. 30) toward Berry au Bac. Again -retreated October 10 by Prouvais, La Malmaison, to Nizy le Comte. It was -in line there until October 17, when it retired to the second line for a -week. It was reengaged in the same region from October 25 to November 5, -when it retreated by Rozoy and Brunehamel with extremely heavy losses. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -Before the summer of 1918 the 5th Division was an excellent assault -division, frequently mentioned in German communiques. But after August, -1918, it became a sector-holding division. It was almost constantly in -line after July 21 with consequent lowering of morale and discipline. In -November it had but two battalions per regiment and three companies per -battalion. - - - - - 5th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │9 Res. │8 Res. │9 Res. │8 Res. │10 Res. │8 Res. - │ │48 Res. │ │48 Res. │ │12 Res. - │10 Res. │12 Res. │10 Res. │12 Res. │ │48 Res. - │ │52 Res. │ │52 Res. │ │ - │ 3 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 3 Res. Jag. Btn. │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Res. Dragoon Rgt.│ │2 Res. Drag. Rgt. - │ (3 Sqns.). │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │5 Res. F. A. Rgt. │5 Res. F. A. Rgt. │5 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (6 Btries.). │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│4 Field Co. and 2 │4 Field Co. and 2 │4 Field Co. and 2 - Liaisons. │ Res. Co. of the 2│ Res. Co. of the 2│ Res. Co. of the 2 - │ Pion. Btn. No. 3.│ Pion. Btn. No. 3.│ Pion. Btn. No. 3. - │ │5 Res. Pont. Engs. │205 T. M. Co. - │ │5 Res. Tel. Detch. │5 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │5 Res. Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │10 Res. │8 Res. │9 Res. │8 Res. - │ │12 Res. │ │12 Res. - │ │48 Res. │ │48 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Res. Drag. Rgt. │5 Sqn. 4 Drag. Rgt. - │ (?) (1 Sqn.). │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │90 Art. Command: │90 Art. Command: - │ │ - │ 5 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ 5 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 4 Abt. 17 Res. Ft. - │ │ A. Rgt. - │ │ 1086 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1176 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1202 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(305) Pion. Btn.: │505 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │ - │ 4 Co. 3 Pions. │ 4 Co. 3 Pions. - │ 2 Res. Co. 3 │ 2 Res. Co. 3 - │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ 205 T. M. Co. │ 205 T. M. Co. - │ Tel. Detch. │ 69 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │405 Signal Command: - │ │ 405 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 44 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │503 Ambulance Co. │503 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │64 Res. Field │64 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │65 Res. Field │65 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │135 Res. Vet. - │ │ Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │705 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Third District—Brandenburg.) - - - 1914. - -The 5th Reserve Division is organically a part of the 3d Reserve Corps, -with the 6th Reserve Division. - - -BELGIUM. - -1. At the beginning of the war the division belonged to the 1st Army -(Von Kluck). Detrained at Crefeld from August 10 to 12; entered Belgium -the 18th. The 3d Reserve Corps was sent to France. The division was at -Malines on August 22, at Vilvorde the 26th, and fought against the -Belgians on that day. The 3d Reserve Corps then turned toward Antwerp, -which it besieged. After the city was taken the corps advanced toward -the sea through Ghent, Bruges, October 13 to 16. The 19th the 5th -Reserve Division attacked in the direction of Nieuport. At the beginning -of November it fought in the vicinity of Bixschoote, in the forest of -Houthulst; then until the end of November it held the Dixmude-Langmarck -front. - - -RUSSIA. - -2. About December 2 the division entrained for the eastern front. On -arriving in Russia it became part of Mackensen’s army (9th Army). It was -sent to the Bzura. - - - 1915. - -1. In February, 1915, the division was attached to the 10th Army and -took part in the battle of Prasnysz. - -2. In May one of its brigades remained before Kovno with the 10th Army -(Gen. von Eichhorn). The other brigade joined the 3d Reserve Corps of -the 9th Army (Gen. von Fabeck) and fought on the Bzura. The 52d Reserve -Infantry was transferred to the 107th Division. - -3. In July the division was reorganized. It was attached to the 9th Army -before Warsaw and fought between the Bzura and the Pilica. - -4. In November, after crossing the Vistula and the Bug it arrived before -Baranovitchi. It remained in this region until March, 1917. - - - 1916. - -1. On January 1, 1916, it held the eastern sector of Novo-Grudok, north -of Baranovitchi. - -2. At the beginning of April the division was placed in reserve behind -this sector. - -3. During the first two weeks of July it was engaged between Gorodivche -and Baranovitchi to oppose the Russian offensive started on this part of -the front. On July 8 it suffered heavy losses. (The 8th Reserve had -1,200 men out of action.) - - - 1917. - - -FRANCE. - -1. It was relieved in this area about the middle of April and sent to -the Western Front. - -2. Entrained between the 17th and 18th of April at Molczacz -(Baranovitchi sector) and went to France, via Brest-Litovsk-Warsaw- -Oppeln-Breslau-Goerlitz-Dresden-Leipzig-Sondershausen-Frankfort on Main- -Sarrebrucken-Metz. It detrained at Mars la Tour. - - -WOEVRE. - -3. It was then sent to St. Maurice sous les Cotes, where it rested for a -few days and then went to the Cotes de Meuse, east of the Combres -Heights. It went into the sector before Combres (Calonne trench) on May -15 or 16, and there became accustomed to the Western Front. - - -CALIFORNIE PLATEAU. - -4. Relieved May 27, it was sent behind the Aisne front; spent about -three weeks in the Sissonne region, and about June 19 went into line on -Californie Plateau near Chaevreux. On June 24, July 3 and 22, the -division executed some violent attacks on Californie Plateau, and some -of its units lost half their men. - -5. Partially relieved about July 23, the units of the division were sent -to rest successively at St. Erme, Ramecourt, and La Selve. Before August -10 it was back on Californie Plateau (region of Craonne south of -Corbeny). - -6. The division took part on the same position in the general retreat of -November 1 which brought the German lines back to the north of the -Ailette following the French attack of La Malmaison. The division -remained on these new lines (south and west of Corbeny) until January -22, 1918. - -7. Relieved on this date and put through a course of training in the -region of Chimay. On February 18 it marched to the sector of Juvincourt. - - - RECRUITING. - -Brandenburg. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The division is considered by the Germans as a very good division. Its -original elements came from the best corps, the Brandenburg corps, but -it contains a large proportion of Poles. The division needs rest and -replacements. When reconstituted it will probably again be a good unit. -(Dec. 29, 1917.) - - - 1918. - - -LAON. - -1. On February 21 the division relieved the 113th Division at -Juvincourt, which sector it held until March 26. - - -PICARDY. - -2. It was withdrawn to reinforce the battle front at Chauny, where it -appeared on April 2. About April 11, it retired to second line, from -which it returned to the battle front on April 25, relieving the 242d -Division at Couchy le Pots. The division continued to hold this sector -until early June. - - -NOYON. - -3. Between June 1 and 10 it was moved from the Couchy le Pots sector to -reinforce the Montdidier-Noyon battle front, where it was identified on -June 12 near Courcelles. It was withdrawn on June 17. - -4. During July the division rested in rear of the Amiens front. - - -SOMME. - -5. It came into line on August 8 at Trace le Mont. In the opening week -of the offensive it lost many prisoners and retired from the line about -August 20 to rest near St. Gobain. On the 29th it returned to line near -Arblencourt-Champs. It withdrew early in September but returned to -support the 80th Reserve Division in a counterattack executed in the -region Sancy-Vauxillon September 16–18. - -6. Following this the division was rested near Laon. On October 7 it was -entrained and moved to the region of Tupigny-Mennevret. - -7. It was engaged on October 9 to the east of Bohain before the extreme -right of the 4th British Army. It was relieved in this sector on October -23 by the 200th Division. At this time the division was very low in -effectives; two regiments had three battalions of three companies and -one regiment had but two battalions. The average company strength was -about 50 men. - -8. Retired to rest for 15 days, the division returned to line on -November 5, near Wiege Faty. It was last identified at Trelon on -November 11. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as a second-class division. In the earlier years -it was a very good division, but through losses and lack of -reinforcements during 1918 considerably reduced its value. - - - - - 5th Ersatz Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │37 Mixed Ldw. │73 Ldw. │37 Ldw. │3 Res. Ers. - │ │74 Ldw. │ │73 Ldw. - │2 Res. Ers. │4 Res. Ers. │ │74 Ldw. - │ │3 Res. Ers. │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │8 Cuirassier Rgt. (Ers. │8 Cuirassier Rgt. (Ers. - │ Sqn.). │ Sqn.). - │ │88 Cav. Rgt. (3 Sqn.). - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │102 F. A. Abtl. (1 Ers. Abt. │102 F. A. Regt. - │ 26 F. A. Rgt). │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│161 T. M. Co. │Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │ (?) 2 Landst. Co. 9 C. Dist. - │ │ Pions. - │ │ 405 T. M. Co. - │ │ 303 Searchlight Section. - │ │ 555 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │269 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │(?) (11 Ldw.) Field Hospital. - │ │505 Vet. Hospital. - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │763 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │2 Insterburg Landst. Inf. - │ │ Btn. (1 C. Dist. Btn. No. - │ │ 6). - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1918 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │37 Ldw. │73 Ldw. │37 Ldw. │73 Ldw. - │ │74 Ldw. │ │74 Ldw. - │ │8 Landst. │ │(?) - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │ │1 Sqn. 16 Drag. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │ │250 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│ │2 Landst. Co. 9 C. Dist - Liaisons. │ │ Pions. - │ │111 Searchlight Section. - │ │ - │ │555 Signal Command. - │ │555 Tel. Detch. - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │269 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │500 Field Hospital. - │ │11 Ldw. Field Hospital. - │ │505 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │763 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (73d Landwehr and 74th Landwehr: Tenth District—Hanover. 8th Landsturm; - Eighth District—Rhine Province.) - - - 1916. - -The 5th Ersatz Division was organized in the fall of 1915 with the name -of Basedow Division. It comprised the 37th Landwehr Brigade (73d and -74th Landwehr); until then attached to the 26th Reserve Corps, and the -2d Reserve Ersatz Brigade (3d Ersatz Reserve and 4th Reserve Brigade), -situated in the Dixmude sector. With the 4th Ersatz Division, the -Basedow Division, which became the 5th Ersatz Division in 1916, -constituted at the end of 1915 the Werde Corps. - - -BELGIUM. - -1. From January to October, 1916 the division remained in Belgium -(region of Yser, then southeast of Ypres). However, the 4th Ersatz -Reserve was transferred to the 206th Division at the beginning of -September. - - -SOMME. - -2. Withdrawn from the Ypres front at the beginning of October, the -division was sent to the Somme and engaged north of Courcelette from -October 19 to 30. - -3. In November it was sent to rest behind the Champagne front. - - -RUSSIA. - -4. At the beginning of December it was sent to Russia (the 73d Landwehr -entrained December 11 northeast of Reims, via Dusseldorf-Hamburg- -Koenigsburg-Tilsit-Poneviej. Detrained at Elovka the 16th). - - - 1917. - - -COURLAND. - -Sent into line in the Illukst sector (region of Dvinsk) at the beginning -of January 1917 and remained in this country during the whole year -(Illukst, Lake Stenten, Kchtchava). Its losses were very small—17 killed -and 20 wounded in the 3d Ersatz Reserve from the end of December, 1916, -to the end of August, 1917. Because the sector was so quiet the division -had only small forces during the last months of 1917. The 73d Landwehr -at the end of November had only 60 to 65 men per company (examination of -Russians). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The division remained for a long time in the quiet sectors of the -Russian front and seems to have had only moderate fighting value. - - - 1918. - - -COURLAND. - -1. The 5th Ersatz Division was still in the vicinity of Dvinsk in -February. In March it exchanged the 3d Ersatz Regiment for the 8th -Landsturm Regiment of the 87th Division, the latter being on the point -of leaving for France. - - -LIVONIA. - -2. The division advanced into Livonia (in March) and remained in the -Pskov-Ostrov region as late as June 27th. The 74th Landwehr Regiment was -identified here on August 6, but the rest of the division was identified -near Mitau during July. - -3. Toward the end of October, it was reported that the division, having -been refitted, had come to the Western Front via Trier and Rethel; -however, the division was never actually identified on the Western -Front. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as 4th class. - - - - - 5th Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │14 Ldw. │36 Ldw. │14 Ldw. │36 Ldw. │14 Ldw. │36 Ldw. - │ │66 Ldw. │ │66 Ldw. │ │66 Ldw. - │ │17 Ldw. │30 Ldw. │25 Ldw. │30 Ldw. │25 Ldw. - │30 Ldw. │25 Ldw. │ │65 Ldw. │ │65 Ldw. - │ │65 Ldw. │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │ │4 Sqn. 1 Uhlan Rgt. - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │ │ │1 and 2 Landst. 4 - │ │ │ C. Dist. - │ │ │ Batteries. F. A. - │ │ │256 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ (left in July). - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 Ldw. 11 C. Dist. │ │1 Ldw. 11 C. Dist. - Liaisons. │ Pion. Co. │ │ Pion. Co. - │ │ │1 Ldw. 16 C. Dist. - │ │ │ Pion. Co. - │ │ │305 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │93 Ldw. Inf. Regt. │ - │ │ (June to Sept.) │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │30 Ldw. │25 Ldw. │30 Ldw. │25 Ldw. - │ │36 Ldw. │ │36 Ldw. - │ │65 Ldw. │ │65 Ldw. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 16 Uhlan │2 Sqn. 16 Uhlan - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │256 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ 256 Ldw. F. A. │1,415 Light Am. - │ Rgt. │ Col. - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(405) Pion. Btn.: │405 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Ldw. 11 C. Dist.│ 1 Ldw. Co. 11 C. - │ Pion. Co. │ Dist. Pions. - │ 1 Ldw. 16 C. Dist.│ 1 Ldw. Co. 16 C. - │ Pion. Co. │ Dist. Pions. - │ 305 T. M. Co. │ 305 T. M. Co. - │ 321 Searchlight │ 217 Searchlight - │ Section. │ Section. - │ Tel. Detch. │505 Signal Command: - │ │ 505 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 92 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │Ambulance Co. │12 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │151 Field Hospital.│67 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │79 Field Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │775 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (25th Landwehr and 65th Landwehr: Eighth District—Rhine Province. 36th - Landwehr: Fourth District—Prussian Saxony.) - - - 1914. - -The 5th Landwehr Division is composed of two Landwehr brigades meant to -be the war garrison of Metz, where they detrained August 9 and 10, 1914: -14th Landwehr Brigade from the Fourth District (36th Landwehr and 66th -Landwehr); 30th Landwehr Brigade from the Eighth District (25th Landwehr -and 65th Landwehr). The 17th Landwehr was under the 14th Brigade. - - -WOEVRE. - -1. During the first days of September the 14th Landwehr Brigade was -engaged at Fresnes and Marcheville (in Woevre), near the 33d Reserve -Division. It fought on the Cotes de Meuse, near Champlon and Les -Eparges, at the beginning of October and suffered heavy losses there. - -2. In December the two brigades (14th Landwehr Brigade and 30th Landwehr -Brigade) were united in the Woevre (Warcq, Hennemont, Marcheville, -Champlon, Saulx). The division at that time was part of the Von Strantz -detachment. - - - 1915. - -1. The division remained in the sector between Warcq and Saulx en Woevre -during the whole of 1915. In January the 17th Landwehr, from which many -men had deserted, was sent to Russia, where it assisted in the formation -of the 85th Landwehr Division. - - - 1916. - - -COTES DE MEUSE. - -1. At the time of the Verdun offensive the division was present during -the attacks on the Cotes de Meuse, near Braquis, Ronvaux, Manhuelles, at -the end of February to March, 1916. - -2. Toward the end of March the 14th Landwehr Brigade took the place of -the First Guard Ersatz Brigade (Guard Ersatz Division) in the Apremont -sector. - -3. The 30th Landwehr Brigade was kept before the Cotes de Meuse (region -of Fresnes en Woevre) until July. It then rejoined the other brigade -east of St. Mihiel. - - - 1917. - - -FOREST OF APREMONT. - -1. The division from this time on did not leave the Forest of Apremont -sector. In April, 1917, the 66th Landwehr was transferred to the 23d -Landwehr Division, newly organized, and soon sent to Russia. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -A sector unit. - - - 1918. - -1. On April 12 the division undertook a local operation in the Apremont -sector in an effort to divert troops and artillery from the Somme front. -About 800 men of the Storm Battalion were engaged. Forty-seven prisoners -were lost in the attack. Aside from this the sector continued very quiet -until September 12. - - -BATTLE OF ST. MIHIEL. - -2. The division was engaged in the attack in the St. Mihiel salient. It -lost heavily in prisoners, among whom were the entire staff of the 3d -Battalion, 65th Landwehr Regiment, which was taken on September 12 in -the Bois de Thiaucourt. The division retreated with orders to take up -positions between the first and second positions of the Hindenburg line. -Here it had orders to hold the Mihiel Zone under all circumstances. - -3. The division continued in line until the armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 5th Landwehr Division was rated as a fourth-class division. In 1918 -it held the Apremont sector continuously, showing no initiative or -capacity for offensive operation, but due to the small losses and heavy -effectives it offered as much resistance to our attack in September as -did the other German divisions in the salient. - - - - - 5th Bavarian Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │9 Bav. │14 Bav. │9 Bav. │14 Bav. │9 Bav. │14 Bav. - │ │21 Bav. │ │21 Bav. │ │21 Bav. - │10 Bav. │7 Bav. │10 Bav. │7 Bav. │10 Bav. │7 Bav. - │ │19 Bav. │ │19 Bav. │ │19 Bav. - │ 2 Bav. Res. Jag. │ 2 Bav. Res. Jag. │ │ - │ Btn. │ Btn. │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │7 Bav. Light Cav. │7 Bav. Light Cav. │7 Bav. Light Cav. - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. │ Rgt. (2 Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │5 Bav. Brig.: │5 Bav. Brig.: │5 Bav. Brig.: - │ │ │ - │ 6 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 6 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 6 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ 10 Bav. F. A. Rgt.│ 10 Bav. F. A. Rgt.│ 10 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 and 4 Field Cos. │1 and 4 Field Cos. │1 and 4 Field Cos. - Liaisons. │ 3 Bav. Pion. Btn.│ 3 Bav. Pion. Btn.│ 3 Bav. Pion. Btn. - │ │5 Bav. Pont. Engs. │5 Bav. T. M. Co. - │ │5 Bav. Tel. Detch. │5 Bav. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │5 Bav. Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │84 Labor Btn. Anti- - │ │ │ Aircraft. - │ │ │Section 1 Bav. - │ │ │ Balloon Sqn. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │10 Bav. │7 Bav. │10 Bav. │7 Bav. - │ │19 Bav. │ │19 Bav. - │ │21 Bav. │ │21 Bav. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Bav. Light Cav. │4 Sqns. 2 Bav. - │ Rgt. (4 Sqns.). │ Light Cav. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │5 Bav. Art. │5 Bav. Art. - │ Command: │ Command: - │ 6 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 10 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ (6 Btries.). │ - │ │ 3 Abt. 1 Bav. F. - │ │ A. Rgt. (Staff, - │ │ and 9, 10, and 11 - │ │ Btries.). - │ │103 Bav. Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │109 Bav. Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │166 Bav. Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(S) 5 Bav. Pion. │3 Bav. Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ Btn.: │ - │ 10 Bav. Pion. Co. │ 10 Bav. Pion. Co. - │ 13 Bav. Pion. Co. │ 13 Bav. Pion. Co. - │ 5 Bav. T. M. Co. │ 5 Bav. Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 5 Bav. Tel. Detch.│5 Bav. Signal - │ │ Command: - │ │ 5 Bav. Tel. Detch. - │ │ 100 Bav. Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │3 Bav. Ambulance │6 Bav. Ambulance - Veterinary.│ Co. │ Co. - │6 Bav. Ambulance │21 Bav. Field - │ Co. │ Hospital. - │Field Hospital. │25 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │114 M. T. Col. │685 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Upper and Middle Franconia—Bavaria.) - - - 1914. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. At the beginning of the war the division was a part of the 3d -Bavarian Army Corps, with the 6th Bavarian Division, and was part of the -6th Army (Crown Prince Ruprecht of Bavaria). Detrained between Boulay -and Courcelles from August 9 to 11, it fought August 20 on the right of -the 2d Bavarian Corps at Oron, Lusy, Fremery. Crossed the frontier on -the 22d and advanced to Sanon, fighting on the 25th at Serres and -Hoéville, and on September 2 at Einville Wood. During the days following -it formed the left of the troops attacking Nancy by way of Champenoux. - - -WOEVRE. - -2. After its failure the division was assembled at Metz on September 13 -and 14. The 19th it was at Mars-la-Tour. From there going through La -Haye it reached the Cotes de Meuse. The 7th Infantry took Nonsard the -20th and Heudicourt the 21st. Marching on the left of the 6th Bavarian -Division, which went up the hill, the 5th Bavarian Division, walking -along the summit, established itself in the forest of Apremont at the -beginning of September 25 and held it during the whole of 1915, and, -except for the months of October and November, 1915, during the summer -of 1916. Its losses were quite high during the first two months of the -campaign. On October 14 the 1st Company of the 14th Infantry had only 1 -officer and 41 men (notebooks). - - - 1915. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. October 6, 1915, the division was sent to Champagne, via Audun le -Roman-Longuyon-Sedan, to relieve the 16th Reserve Division which had -been crushed by the French attack of September 25. It was engaged south -of Tahure (La Courtine) beginning October 13. - - -WOEVRE. - -2. At the beginning of December it returned to its old sector east of -St. Mihiel. - - - 1916. - - -ARTOIS. - -1. In July, 1916, the division was withdrawn from the St. Mihiel salient -and sent to Artois. It held the Lens-Vimy sector until the end of -August, 1916. - - -SOMME. - -2. September 7 to 8 it was engaged in the Somme (Delville Wood-Ginchy). -It suffered heavy losses in the fights around Ginchy and during the -British attack of September 15 (Flers, Gueudecourt). - - -ARTOIS. - -3. Relieved September 20, it went back into line after a few days of -rest in the sector Neuve-Chapelle, south of the Armentieres road. - - - 1917. - - -ARTOIS. - -1. The division remained on the front south of Armentieres during the -whole winter 1916 to 1917. In February it was reduced to three regiments -on the transfer of the 14th Infantry to the 16th Bavarian Division, -newly organized. - -2. It left the lines at the end of April, but at the beginning of May -went to the sector north of Arras, where it fought heavily at Fresnoy on -May 7 and southeast of Gavrelle on June 28. - - -BELGIUM. - -3. Withdrawn from the Oppy-Gavrelle front July 1 and sent to rest near -the Belgian-Dutch front. It went through a period of training at the -Brasschaet camp in July. - - -FLANDERS. - -4. About August 6 it entrained and went to Gits, via Lokeren, Ghent, -Thielt, and Pitthen. From there it went to Roulers. On August 10 held -the sector south of St. Julien, east of Ypres, where it suffered heavy -losses in the fighting of August 15 and days following. Relieved August -24. - -5. After a period of rest the division went back into line September 8 -in the quiet sector of Deulemont (south of the Lys) and held it until -the end of February, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -Upper and Middle Franconia (3d Bavarian District). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Although not among the best Bavarian divisions, it was a good combat -unit. In 1917 it did well at Arras and on the Ypres front where it -suffered heavy losses (information from the British, February, 1918). - - - 1918. - -1. About February 13 the division was relieved, moved to Tourcoing (Feb. -14), and trained in that area until March 17, when it marched to -Roubaix. It entrained and moved to Fressies (5 miles north of Cambrai), -rested until the 19th, and moved to the front. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -2. It was engaged east of Cambrai (Vaux-Vrancourt) on March 22. Retiring -to second line about April 4, it rested near Sapignies until about April -11, when it was identified southeast of Boyelles. It was relieved by the -111th Division on May 6. - -3. The division trained in the Somain area until May 22, when it was -moved by trucks via Cantin and Palluel to Ecourt. A day later it marched -to Bullecourt and relieved the 221st Division on night of May 24–25. -Lieut. Gen. v. Endres, the division commander, was promoted to the -command of the 1st Bavarian Corps about this time. The division was -relieved in the Boyelles sector on July 15 by the 21st Reserve Division. - - -BATTLE OF THE SOMME. - -4. After resting behind the Arras Front the division entered the line -near Lihons on August 10. After suffering heavy losses it withdrew from -the battle front south of Peronne on September 24 and retired to the Le -Cateau region. - -5. It rested for a week and returned to the battle at Rumilly on the -night of September 30-October 1. About October 12, after heavy losses, -it was withdrawn and rested near Valenciennes. - -6. On October 25 it was again put in line at Rameguies-Chin. It was last -identified at Mourcourt on November 9. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 5th Bavarian Division was a first-class division. In 1918, it was -almost constantly engaged in the most active sectors on the British -front. - - - - - 5th Bavarian Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │9 Bav. │6 Bav. │9 Bav. │6 Bav. │9 Bav. │10 Bav. - │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. - │ │7 Bav. │ │7 Bav. │ │7 Bav. - │ │ Res. │ │ Res. │ │ Res. - │11 Bav. │10 Bav. │11 Bav. │10 Bav. │ │3 Bav. - │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ │ Res. - │ │13 Bav. │ │13 Bav. │ │12 Bav. - │ │ Res. │ │ Res. │ │ Res. - │ │ │ │39 Ldw. │ │ - │ 1 Bav. Res. Jag. │ 1 Bav. Res. Jag. │ 1 Bav. Res. Jag. - │ Btn. │ Btn. │ Btn. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Cavalry. │5 Bav. Res. Cav. │5 Bav. Res. Cav. │ (?) - │ Rgt. (3 Sqns.). │ Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │5 Bav. Res. F. A. │5 Bav. Res. F. A. │5 Bav. Res. F. A. - │ Rgt. (6 Btries.).│ Rgt. │ Rgt. (9 Btries.). - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│4 Field Co. and 1 │4 Field Co. and 1 │4 Field Co. and 1 - Liaisons. │ Res. Co. 2 Bav. │ Res. Co 2 Bav. │ Res. Co. 2 Bav. - │ Pion. Btn. │ Pion. Btn. │ Pion. Btn. - │ │5 Res. Pont. Engs. │205 Bav. T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │5 Res. Tel. Detch. │5 Bav. Res. Cable - │ │ │ Pont. Engs. - │ │ │5 Bav. Res. Tel. - │ │ │ Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Odd units. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │11 Bav. │10 Bav. │11 Bav. │7 Bav. - │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. - │ │7 Bav. │ │10 Bav. - │ │ Res. │ │ Res. - │ │12 Bav. │ │12 Bav. - │ │ Res. │ │ Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ (?) │2 Sqn. 3 Bav. Light - │ │ Cav. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │17 Bav. Art. │17 Bav. Art. - │ Command: │ Command: - │ 5 Bav. Res. F. A. │ 5 Bav. Res. F. A. - │ Rgt. (9 Btries.).│ Rgt. - │ │ 17 Bav. Ft. A. - │ │ Btn. - │ │ 102 Bav. Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 104 Bav. Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 119 Bav. Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(18) Bav. Pion. │18 Bav. Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ Btn. │ - │ │ - │ 2 Bav. Res. Pion. │ 2 Bav. Res. Pion. - │ Co. │ Co. - │ 19 Bav. Res. Pion │ 19 Bav. Res. Pion. - │ Co. │ Co. - │ 205 Bav. T. M. Co.│ 205 Bav. T. M. Co. - │ │ - │ 405 Bav. Tel. │ 8 Bav. Searchlight - │ Detch. │ Section. - │ │405 Bav. Signal - │ │ Command: - │ │ 405 Tel Detch. - │ │ 103 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │16 Bav. Ambulance │16 Bav. Ambulance - Veterinary.│ Co. │ Co. - │46 Bav. Field │46 Bav. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │56 Bav. Field │50 Bav. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │751 Bav. M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Odd units. │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Third Bavarian District—Upper Palatinate, Upper and Middle Franconia.) - - - 1914. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. The division constituted, with the 5th Bavarian Reserve Division, the -1st Bavarian Reserve Corps, and at the beginning of the war was part of -the army of Crown Prince Ruprecht of Bavaria (6th Army). It detrained -from August 11 to 13 between Sarreguemines and Sarralbe. It fought -August 20 on the left of the 21st Corps at Loudrefeing, was engaged the -26th at Maixe, September 2 at Deuxville, northwest of Luniville, and -remained a few days longer behind Luniville. - -2. On September 13 it was in line on the Seille and the Paris-Avricourt -Railroad and remained there until the last days of the month. - - -ARTOIS. - -3. September 28 and 29 the division entrained at Metz. Detrained the -30th and October 1 at Valenciennes. Engaged north of Arras (Roclincourt- -Carency) in October and November and took position in the sector. - - - 1915. - -In January, 1915, the division was increased by the 39th Landwehr -Infantry (Westphalian), coming from Brussels and sent as punishment to -the Artois front. In March and April two of its regiments were -transferred, the 6th Reserve to the 10th Bavarian Division, and the 13th -to the 11th Bavarian Division. - - -ARTOIS. - -1. May 9, 1915, the division suffered very heavy losses during the -French offensive of Carency-Souchez. (The 10th Reserve Infantry lost 35 -officers and 1,711 men, the 1st Reserve Bavarian Battalion of Chasseurs -lost 13 officers and 750 men.) - -2. In the middle of June the division was moved south of the Scarpe in -front of Arras (Blangy sector). - - - 1916. - -In January, 1916, the 39th Landwehr Infantry went to Russia. - -1. The division remained in Artois until August, 1916, and was increased -by a regiment from the 1st Bavarian Division (3d Reserve Infantry later -replaced by the 12th Reserve Infantry). - - -SOMME. - -2. Relieved about August 7, the division was sent to the Somme and was -engaged near Maurepas from the middle of August to September. Heavy -losses. August 19 the 2d Battalion of the 10th Reserve Infantry was -reduced to 150 men (letter). September 1 the 3d Battalion of the 7th -Reserve Infantry borrowed 200 men from the 5th Bavarian Ersatz (letter). - - -AISNE. - -3. In the middle of September the division was sent to the Aisne, where -it held a quiet sector east of Craonne until the end of November. - - -SOMME. - -4. About December 9 the division returned to the Somme (south of -Saillisel.) - - - 1917. - -1. The division was withdrawn from the Somme front at the end of -January, 1917, and sent to rest in the vicinity of Cambrai until April. - - -AISNE. - -2. At the beginning of April it was sent east of Laon to the region of -St. Erme, and reinforced the front south of Juvincourt between the -Miette and the Aisne about April 12 in anticipation of the French -offensive. It was subjected to the attack of the 16th and suffered heavy -losses (2,000 prisoners). - - -ST. MIHIEL. - -3. Withdrawn from the Aisne front about April 20, the division was -reconstituted north of Laon (?), and on May 1 held the St. Mihiel sector -(Chauvoncourt-Spada). - -4. October 7 it left the region of St. Mihiel. - - -FLANDERS. - -5. Sent to Flanders and sent into line October 12 near the Ypres-Roulers -Railroad (Zonnebeke). In November it was left of Artois, where it held, -after intervals of relief, a sector north of the Scarpe (from Gavrelle -to Acheville). It was still there at the end of February, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -3d Bavarian Division (Upper Palatinate, Upper and Middle Franconia). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Good division, which has always fought well (October, 1917). April 16, -1917, it fought with great tenacity. - - - 1918. - -1. Early in January the division was relieved in its sector north of the -Scarpe and went to rest north of Douai. - - -SCARPE. - -2. It was reengaged southeast of Gavrelle on February 21, when it was in -line during the attack. It took no prominent part in the offensive and -was withdrawn about the 1st of April. - - -SOMME. - -3. On April 7–8 it came in line south of Hebuterne, where it was engaged -until April 16. After eight days’ rest it came into line south of the -Ayette, relieving the 195th Division on April 24. It was not withdrawn -until July 24. - - -ALSACE. - -4. The division moved to Muelhausen, via Belgium and Germany, a trip of -10 days. While at rest there it was frequently alerted in anticipation -of an expected Allied attack in that region. On September 4 it returned -through Germany and Belgium to Douai, where the British were attacking. - -5. It left Douai on September 22, detraining at Dun sur Meuse on -September 23. From there the division marched to the front. - - -MEUSE-ARGONNE. - -6. On September 27 it was engaged at Daunevoux. It was engaged -throughout the entire Meuse-Argonne battle on the American front. At -Montfaucon it was forced back with heavy losses. The division affected -relief by regiments, which were sent to close support to be -reconstituted by drafts. Five hundred replacements were received early -in October. The initial company combat strength averaged 60 men. On -November 4 this had been reduced to 20. During the retreat of November -1–2 the division crossed the Meuse and took up a position on the east -bank. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 5th Bavarian Reserve Division was rated as a second-class division. -Apart from the Meuse-Argonne offensive, it did not see much heavy -fighting during the year. Its effectives had been almost completely used -up by the time of the armistice. - - - - - 5th Cavalry Division. - - - COMPOSITION.[5] - - ───────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────── - │ 1918 - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┬─────────────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┼─────────────────────── - Cavalry. │9 Cav. │4 Drag. - │ │10 Uhlan. - │11 Cav. │1 Cuirassier. - │ │8 Drag. - │12 Cav. │4 Hus. - │ │6 Hus. - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┴─────────────────────── - Artillery. │5 Horse Art. Abt. (5.7 cm.). - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Medical and Veterinary.│643 Ambulance Co. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Odd units. │1 M. G. Btry. 5 Cav. Pion. Detch. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Attached. │52 Ldw. Inf. Rgt. - ───────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────────────────────── - -Footnote 5: - - At the time of its dissolution, July, 1918. - - - HISTORY. - - - 1918. - -There were repeated rumors of the division being on the Western Front in -1918, but no satisfactory identification was ever received. - -According to a deserter of the 8th Dragoon Regiment, who left his -regiment in Jeumont, south of Binche, on May 20, the entire 5th Cavalry -Division entrained in Russia about March 6 and detrained at Zossen, -south of Berlin, where it was re-formed and trained. On the 26th of -April the division moved to St. Amand, from where it moved two weeks -later to the Jeumont and Marpent area. - -Evidence points to the dissolution of the division on the Western Front -about July, 1918. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as a fourth-class division. - - - - - 6th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │11. │20. │11. │20. │12. │20. - │ │35 Fus. │ │35 Fus. │ │24. - │12. │24. │12. │24. │ │64. - │ │64. │ │64. │ │ - │ 3 Jag. Btn. │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Hus. Rgt. (3 │ │3 Hus. Regt. (3 - │ Sqns.). │ │ Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │6 Brig.: │6 Brig.: │6 Brig.: - │ 3 F. A. Rgt. │ 3 F. A. Rgt. │ 3 F. A. Rgt. - │ 39 F. A. Rgt. │ 39 F. A. Rgt. │ 39 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. 3:│1 Pion. Btn. No. 3: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ Field Co. 3 Pions.│ 2 Co. 3 Pions. - │ │ │ - │ │ 6 Pont. Engs. │ 6 T. M. Co. - │ │ 6 Tel. Detch. │ 6 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ 6 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │M. G. Co. to the 12 - │ │ │ Brig. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │12. │24. │12. │24. - │ │64. │ │64. - │ │396. │ │396. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Hus. Regt. (5 │5 Sqn. 3 Hus. Rgt. - │ Sqns.). │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │6 Art. Command: │64 Art. Command: - │ 3 F. A. Rgt. │ 3 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 1 Abt. 3 Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. (Staff and 2 - │ │ and 4 Btries). - │ │ 1087 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1168 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1205 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 Pion. Btn. No. 3:│3 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │(now 116 Pion. │ 3 Co. 3 Pions. - │ Btn.): │ - │ 3 Co. 3 Pions. │ 5 Co. 3 Pions. - │ 5 Co. 3 Pions. │ 6 T. M. Co. - │ 6 T. M. Co. │ 64 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 6 Tel. Detch. │6 Signal Command: - │ │ 6 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 2 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │Ambulance Co. │8 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Field Hospital. │29 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │31 Field Hospital. - │ │233 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │539 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │242, 244, 245, and │ - │ 246 Mountain M. │ - │ G. Detch., │ - │ Naumburg Landst. │ - │ Inf. Btn. (IV C. │ - │ Dist. No. 11). │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Third District—Brandenburg.) - - - 1914. - -At mobilization the 6th Division formed, together with the 5th Division, -the 3d Army Corps (Berlin). - - -CHARLEROI-MARNE. - -1. At the beginning of the war the 3d Army Corps belonged to the 1st -Army (Von Kluck). Entered Belgium August 4 and the 11th Brigade made -part of the unit which attacked Liège. Its reservists rejoined it there. -The 12th Brigade crossed the Belgian frontier August 15; then the -division, completely filled up, marched via Tongres, Louvain, and Hal. -It fought the 24th at Mons and Frameries. Going via Villers-Cotterets -(Sept. 1), La Ferté-Milon, it arrived at Petit-Morin September 4. -Engaged the 6th between Montceaux and Courgivaux on the left of the 5th -Division. Obliged to retreat, it established itself on the right bank of -the Aisne in the region of Soissons. It remained there until the end of -June, 1915. - - -AISNE. - -2. From October 30 to November 30, 1914, the division, reinforced by -units of neighboring organizations, directed a successful offensive -against the French troops in the region Chavonne-Soupir and threw them -back on the left bank of the Aisne November 17 to 19, 1914. - - - 1915. - -1. From the end of January to July, 1915, the Aisne front was held by -the division and remained quiet, the division suffering no losses. At -the end of March the 35th Fusilier Regiment was transferred to 56th -Division (new division). - - -ARTOIS. - -2. Relieved from the region of Soissons toward the end of June and sent -to Artois. On July 14 it took the place of the Bavarians before Arras. -Withdrawn from the front toward the beginning of August and sent to rest -between Valenciennes and Cambrai. - - -SERBIA. - -3. September 23 it entrained for the Eastern Front. With the 25th -Reserve Division it constituted, on the Serbo-Hungarian frontier, a new -3d Army Corps belonging to the Gallwitz Army. October 9 it crossed the -Danube and remained in Serbia until the capture of Kragujewatz. During -this October campaign the division suffered greatly. - - -FRANCE. - -4. Returned to the Western Front at the beginning of December. Sent to -rest and reorganized in the region Hirson-Avesnes. - - - 1916. - -1. At the end of January and the beginning of February, 1916, it was -sent to the front north of Verdun (Romagne-Mangiennes area). - - -VERDUN. - -2. February 22 it was engaged with the 5th Division in the zone between -the western limits of Herbebois and the eastern slopes of the Cotes de -Meuse. The two divisions did not go beyond Fort Douaumont, captured by -the 24th Infantry. Their violent attacks on the village February 26 to -28 were repulsed. March 2 the regiments were withdrawn from the front -and filled up. - -3. On March 8 new and unsuccessful attacks against the village of -Douaumont and the Hardaumont defenses. - -4. About March 15 the 3d Army Corps was withdrawn from the front. The -6th Division went to the region of Mulhouse to be reorganized. On April -25 the division was again engaged (south of Douaumont-Caillette Wood) -and again suffered heavily. It is probable that each of its regiments -were completely reorganized after each attack at Douaumont (more than 60 -per cent losses). - -6. At the end of May the division was relieved and sent to rest in the -region of Ville au Montois. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -7. In the middle of June it was sent to Champagne and occupied quiet -sectors northeast of Prunay, then east of Auberive. It remained there -till the end of September. It exchanged its 20th Infantry Regiment for -the 396th Infantry Regiment, organized September 26. (See illustration.) - - -SOMME. - -8. At the beginning of October sent to the Somme and was engaged in the -region of Gueudecourt and again suffered heavily, October 8 to 29. - - -ARGONNE. - -9. Withdrawn from the Somme front at the end of October; went to the -Argonne in the sector Fille-Morte-Boureuilles, November 30 to beginning -of April, 1917. - - - 1917. - -1. At the beginning of April, 1917, the division was sent to Alsace. It -stayed about two weeks in the region of Mulhouse. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. About April 20 sent to Champagne and took over a sector south of -Moronvilliers where it was subjected to the French attack of April 30. -It had to be relieved a few days after, as it suffered great losses at -Mont-Haut (50 to 75 men per company). - -3. The division returned to Alsace and was reorganized behind the front -in the region of Mulhouse. - - -RUSSIA. - -4. About July 1 sent to the Eastern Front in Galicia, where it held a -sector in the Skalat region. - - -FRANCE. - -Withdrawn from this front at the beginning of October it entrained for -France, beginning the 7th, southeast of Tarnopol, and traveled via -Lemberg-Cracow-Dresden-Cassel-Coblentz-Treves-Thionville-Montmedy- -Charleville-Vouziers. - - -AISNE. - -5. After staying a few days around Vouziers and Marle the division was -sent on October 23, the date of the French offensive, precipitately near -Laon. October 24 and 25 it took over a sector on the Ailette in the -region of Lizy (Urcel sector) and was still holding it January 24, 1918, -after a period of rest in Laon in November. - - - RECRUITING. - -Same remarks as for the 5th Division. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 3d Army Corps was always considered as one of the star corps of the -Prussian Army. The 6th Division was among the best in Germany. - -The military qualities seem to have been considerably lessened after the -losses suffered, notably before Verdun and in the Mont Haut sector. It -must be noted, however, that, according to the examination of a deserter -on November 2, 1917, the 396th Regiment is still considered as an -excellent unit whose morale is intact. - -Losses before Verdun (February to May, 1916): 20th Infantry, 2,904 men -(633 killed); 24th Infantry, 2,691 (584 killed); 64th Infantry, 2,819 -(603 killed); 3d Battalion of Chasseurs, 1,422 (219 killed). Total, -9,831 men (2,039 killed). - - - 1918. - - -AISNE. - -1. The division was relieved by the 6th Bavarian Reserve Division -January 12. It, in turn, relieved the 6th Bavarian Reserve Division the -24th. February 22 it was again relieved by the 6th Bavarian Reserve -Division. It rested then in the Maubeuge area, where it underwent a -thorough course of training. The division then marched via Catillon, -Bohain, Fresnoy le Grand, Le Verguier, Berthaucourt, Vermand, -Marteville, Trefcon, Monchy Lagache. - - -PERONNE. - -2. It came into line S. E. of that city near Meharicourt, March 24, -relieving the 113th Division. - - -AISNE. - -3. It was withdrawn from line about the 10th of April, and went to the -Guise area, where, with the 5th Division, it was put through another -course of training. It reinforced the battle front near Juvigny, May 27. -It was withdrawn from line August 4. - -It moved via Anizy le Chateau, southwest of Laon, Guise, Grougis, -Bohain, Bertry, Neuvilly, Solesmes, Valenciennes, Ghent, to Turkyen -(northwest of Roulers). The division remained here until September 7, -when it entrained at Roulers and traveled via Lille and Denain to Iwuy, -remaining in reserve in the Sancourt-Proville area until the 14th, when -it was moved up into support near Ribecourt. - - -CAMBRAI. - -4. During the night of September 17–18 it reentered the line and -counterattacked against Havrincourt (southwest of Cambrai). It was -withdrawn October 1, after suffering heavy losses. - -5. The division came back into line near Escadoeuvres (northeast of -Cambrai), October 7. It was withdrawn on the 17th. - - -VALENCIENNES. - -6. October 23 the division entered line near Escautpont (north of -Valenciennes). - -7. It was withdrawn a few days later, and reappeared in line south of -Valenciennes on the 29th. The night of November 7–8 it was relieved by -the 185th Division. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -According to an article by Prof. Wegener in the Koelnische Zeitung, -March 30, the 6th Division “particularly distinguished itself” in the -Somme offensive. It did very well, too, in the Aisne attack and also in -the German attempts to prevent the Allied advance beginning July 18. It -suffered very heavy losses—e. g., 1,550 prisoners in its two engagements -on the Cambrai front during September and early October; nevertheless, -it is still to be considered as one of the best German shock divisions. - - - - - 6th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION.[6] - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │11 Res. │20 Res. │11 Res. │20 Res. │11 Res. │20 Res. - │ │24 Res. │ │24 Res. │ │35 Res. - │12 Res. │26 Res. │12 Res. │26 Res. │12 Res. │24 Res. - │ │35 Res. │ │35 Res. │ │19 - │ │ │ │ │ │ Landst. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Res. Uhlan Rgt. │ │3 Res. Uhlan Rgt. - │ (3 Sqns.). │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │6 Res. F. A. Rgt. │6 Res. F. A. Rgt. │6 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (6 Btries.). │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 Res. Co. 2 Pion. │1 Res. Co. 2 Pion. │1 Res. Co. 3 Pion. - Liaisons. │ Btn. No. 3. │ Btn. No. 3. │ Btn. No. 3. - │ │6 Res. Pont. Engs. │3 Co. 34 Res. - │ │ │ Pions. - │ │6 Res. Tel. Detch. │206 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │6 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │6 Res. Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │151 Cyclist Co. - │ │ │102 Labor Btn. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │12 Res. │20 Res. │12 Res. │20 Res. - │ │24 Res. │ │24 Res. - │ │35 Res. │ │35 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Res. Uhlan Rgt.? │ - │ (1 Sqn.). │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │94 Art. Command: │94 Art. Command: - │ │ - │ 6 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ 6 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.). │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(306) Pion. Btn.: │1 Res. Co. (2 Pion. - Liaisons. │ │ Btn. No. 3). - │ 5 Co. 1 Pions. │3 Co. 34 Res. Pion. - │ │ Btn. - │ 1 Res. Co. 3 │274 Searchlight - │ Pions. │ Section. - │ 206 T. M. Co. │206 T. M. Co. - │ 274 Searchlight │4 06th Tel. Detch. - │ Section. │ - │ 406 Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │516 Ambulance Co. │516 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │19 Res. Field │18 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │20 Res. Field │19 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │20 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │ │144 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │706 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │151 Cyclist Co. │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── -Footnote 6: - - At time of dissolution, Aug. 23, 1918. - - - HISTORY. - - (Third District—Brandenburg.) - - - 1914. - -The 6th Reserve Division belonged organically to the 3d Reserve Corps, -like the 5th Reserve Division. - - -BELGIUM. - -1. At the beginning of the war the 3d Reserve Corps belonged to the 1st -German Army (Gen. von Kluck). The 6th Reserve Division detrained August -10 in the region of Crefeld, entered Belgium the 17th, passed through -Belgian Limburg at the beginning of September, moved on Malines to -oppose the Belgian offensive. September 9 the division attacked the -Belgian troops in the region of Louvain and then took part in the siege -of Antwerp. - - -YSER. - -2. After the fall of Antwerp it moved toward the sea from October 13 to -16, through Ghent, Bruges, and Ostend. It concentrated near Thourout -October 19 and fought along the Yser Canal. It fought violently in the -region of Nieuport-Dixmude at the end of October and the beginning of -November. - - -RUSSIA. - -3. At the beginning of December the 3d Reserve Corps went to Russia, the -6th Reserve Division being withdrawn from the Belgian front about the -middle of November. - - - 1915. - - -POLAND. - -1. On arriving on the Eastern Front the division was engaged on the -Bzura and before Warsaw (9th Army, under Mackensen). - -2. In July, 1915, it became a part of Von Buelow’s army, which marched -on the left wing (north) of the German forces during the offensive -against Russia (summer and fall of 1915). - - -DVINA. - -3. In November the division still belonged to Von Buelow’s army, called -the Niemen army, and was engaged on the Dvina. - - - 1916. - - -COURLAND. - -1. In February, 1916, the division (8th Army under Von Buelow) held a -sector in the region of Riga-Friedrichstadt. - -2. During its stay in Russia the division did not have very heavy losses -except in July, 1916, when it opposed violent Russian attacks near -Kekkau. - - - 1917. - - -COURLAND. - -1. Relieved from the Kekkau sector in May, 1917, and was sent to the -Western Front. - - -FRANCE. - -2. Entrained about May 6 at Mitau and sent via Cottbus, Cassel, -Coblentz, Treves, Thionville to Dun, where it detrained May 13. - - -MORT HOMME-HILL 304. - -3. At the end of May the division went into line on the left bank of the -Meuse in the sector Mort Homme-Hill 304. On June 29 some of the units of -the division supported an attack attempted by the 10th Reserve Division -against Hill 304 and suffered heavy losses. August 20 the French -offensive struck them. Its losses were enormous. Two of its regiments, -the 24th Reserve and 20th Reserve, were nearly wiped out. The 35th -Reserve was not weakened quite so much, yet was seriously diminished. -The division lost 2,800 prisoners. - - -RUSSIA. - -4. Withdrawn from the front, the division was sent to Galicia at the end -of September. It was still there January 31 on the old Austro-Russian -frontier after furnishing reinforcements to the Western Front. - - - RECRUITING. - -Brandenburg. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 6th Reserve Division, a short time after its return from the Eastern -Front, was considered about as follows: “Its value is mediocre. In spite -of its units from Brandenburg and the recent creation of shock troops, -its long stay in Russia has greatly depreciated its fighting value” -(July 11, 1917). - -This judgment was completely verified August 20, 1917: “The 6th Reserve -Division on the whole opposed no resistance to the French attack of -August 20 at any point. * * * The conduct of a good number of its -officers seems not to have been edifying. A good many seized the pretext -of intoxication or gave unsatisfactory reasons for withdrawing to the -rear” (October, 1917). - -The German command thought best to send this division back to the -Eastern Front (September, 1917). - - - 1918. - - -FRANCE. - -The 6th Reserve Division entrained at Zborow the evening of March 8, and -traveled via Sokal-Brest Litovsk-Varsovia-Kaliscz-Lissa-Gorlitz-Bautzen- -Dresden-Leipsic-Weimar-Erfurth-Eisenach-Bebra-Fulda-Hanau-Frankfort- -Mainz-Kreuznach-Thionville-Sedan to Balhain (northeast of Asfeld), where -it arrived March 15. - -The division rested at Villers (near Asfeld) until the 25th of March, -when it reentrained and traveled to Crécy sur Serre. From there it -marched via Mesbrecourt-Pouilly sur Serre-La Fère-Liez-Commonchon to the -area northeast of Noyon, and remained in reserve for some days. Elements -of the division came into line west of Chauny at the end of March, but -were soon withdrawn. About the 1st of April the whole division marched -to Roye and remained there until the 15th, when it continued its march -via Erches and Arvillers to Plessier, relieving the 2d Guard Division -southwest of Moreuil May 1. - -The beginning of August it was relieved by the 24th Division and shortly -after it was dissolved and the men composing it were sent as drafts to -the 5th and 6th Divisions. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The only aggressive action of the division on the Western Front during -1918 was a raid carried out by a battalion against the French lines in -the La Gaune woods (southwest of Moreuil) early in May; it was not a -success, and it is estimated that practically the whole attacking force -was wiped out. The 6th Reserve is rated as a third-class division. - - - - - 6th Bavarian Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │11 Bav. │10 Bav. │11 Bav. │10 Bav. │11 Bav. │10 Bav. - │ │13 Bav. │ │13 Bav. │ │13 Bav. - │12 Bav. │6 Bav. │12 Bav. │6 Bav. │12 Bav. │6 Bav. - │ │11 Bav. │ │11 Bav. │ │11 Bav. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Bav. Light Cav. │2 Bav. Light Cav. │2 Bav. Light Cav. - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. │ Rgt. (2 Sqns.) - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │6 Bav. Brig.: │6 Bav. Brig.: │6 Bav. Brig.: - │ │ │ - │ 3 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 3 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 3 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ 8 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 8 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 8 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│2 and 3 Field Cos. │2 and 3 Field Cos. │2 Field Co. 3 Bav. - Liaisons. │ 3 Bav. Pion. Btn.│ 3 Bav. Pion. Btn.│ Pion. Btn. - │ │6 Bav. Pont. Engs. │6 Bav. T. M. Co. - │ │6 Bav. Tel. Detch. │6 Bav. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │6 Bav. Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │46 Bav. Anti- - │ │ │ Aircraft Section. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │11 Bav. │10 Bav. │11 Bav. │6 Bav. - │ │6 Bav. │ │10 Bav. - │ │13 Bav. │ │13 Bav. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Bav. Light Cav. │3 Sqn. 2 Bav. Light - │ Rgt. (3d Sqn.) │ Cav. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │6 Bav. Art. │6 Bav. Art. - │ Command: │ Command: - │ 8 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 3 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 2 Abt. 1 Bav. Res. - │ │ Ft. A. Rgt. - │ │ 115 Bav. Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 142 Bav. Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 169 Bav. Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(?) Bav. Pion. │6 Bav. Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ Btn.: │ - │ 11 Bav. Pion. Co. │ 11 Bav. Pion. Co. - │ 12 Bav. Pion. Co. │ 12 Bav. Pion. Co. - │ 6 Bav. T. M. Co. │ 6 Bav. T. M. Co. - │ z (42) Searchlight│ 6 Bav. Searchlight - │ Section. │ Section. - │ 6 Bav. Tel. Detch.│6 Bav. Signal - │ │ Command: - │ │ 6 Bav. Tel. Detch. - │ │ 101 Bav. Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │7 Bav. Ambulance │7 Bav. Ambulance - Veterinary.│ Co. │ Co. - │Field Hospital. │20 Bav. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │6 Bav. Vet. │24 Bav. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │ │6 Bav. Vet. - │ │ Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │686 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Upper Palatinate and part of Lower Bavaria.) - - - 1914. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. In August, 1914, the 6th Bavarian Division with the 5th Bavarian -Division constituted the 3d Bavarian Corps and was part of the 6th -Bavarian Army (Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria). One of its brigades, -the 11th, detrained, beginning August 4, at Remilly as a covering force. -August 20 the division fought on the right of the 5th Bavarian Division -at Prevecourt and Delme. They crossed the French frontier with this -division on the 22d and were engaged the 25th at Maixe on the Sanon and -north of Luneville during the first days of September. Also with the 5th -Bavarian Division, it was near Champenoux September 8, at the time of -the attack against Nancy until the 11th, and then retreated. - - -COTES DE MEUSE. - -2. Assembled at Metz from the 14th to the 17th, the division went on the -18th to the west of the Moselle. It reached and climbed the Cotes de -Meuse the 21st and attacked the fort of the Camp des Romains and St. -Mihiel the 27th. - - -ST. MIHIEL. - -3. Following these attacks which continued during October and ended in -the capture of the fort and of St. Mihiel, the division established -itself from Chauvoncourt to Spada in November to December. - - - 1915. - - -ST. MIHIEL. - -1. The division remained in the sector of the St. Mihiel salient -(Chauvoncourt-Spada-Lamorville) during the whole of 1915 and until June, -1916. - - - 1916. - - -VERDUN. - -1. About June 20, 1916, the 11th Bavarian Brigade was relieved from the -St. Mihiel sector and sent to Longuyon and from there to the Verdun -front. It participated in opposing the French attack of June 23 (with -the Alpine Corps) on Thiaumont and suffered heavy losses. - -2. Sent to rest July 4. - -3. The 12th Brigade withdrew from the St. Mihiel front July 13 and 16 -and went into line before Fleury, beginning July 17 to 18 (11th -Regiment). Its losses were such that on July 26 the replacement depot of -the 11th Infantry at Ratisbonne was ordered by telegraph to furnish -immediately 500 replacements (letter). - -4. On August 2 and 3 the whole division was fighting in this sector and -lost heavily. - - -SOMME. - -5. The division left the Verdun front about August 5. After a short stay -in the Argonne it was sent to the Somme at the beginning of September, -fought between Flers and Gueudecourt September 15 to 27 and again -suffered serious losses. - - -ARTOIS. - -6. On August 1 the division took over the sector of Neuve Chapelle- -Festubert, and remained there until May 10, 1917. - - - 1917. - -1. At the end of January, 1917, the 11th Infantry and the 3d Field -Artillery were transferred to the 6th Bavarian Division (new). - - -ARTOIS. - -2. The division was relieved from the Neuve Chapelle sector May 10 and -went into line northeast of Arras (Oppy, Fresnoy, Acheville), in the -middle of May. They suffered some loss from gas attacks. - - -FLANDERS. - -3. The division left Artois September 10 and went to Flanders (sector -northeast of Langemarck) September 29. The British attack of October 4 -caused it heavy losses and it lost Poelcappelle to the British. - -4. Relieved October 8, sent to rest, and reorganized. - - -ARTOIS. - -5. On October 18 it appeared south of the La Bassee Canal, where it -suffered again from gas attacks. - - - RECRUITING. - -Upper Palatinate and part of Lower Bavaria (Third Bavarian district). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The morale of the division was good. On the Fresnoy front in 1917 it -showed activity and enterprise. It always reacted quickly against -attacks, but it seems that it could easily be persuaded to adopt a more -passive attitude if circumstances were such as to permit it (information -of the British, February, 1918). - - - 1918. - -1. The 6th Bavarian Division was relieved south of the La Bassee Canal -by the 4th Ersatz Division, January 18, and went to rest in the area -south of Tournai. - - -LILLE. - -2. About the middle of February it relieved the 187th Division south of -the Bois Grenier (west of Lille). About the 24th it was relieved by the -10th Ersatz Division, and went back nearer Lille, where it probably -received training in open warfare, although this fact has never been -definitely established. - - -CAMBRAI. - -3. For the Somme offensive, the division was sent to the Cambrai front, -entering the line March 20, near Bullecourt, and attacking the following -day. Little progress was made by the Germans on this part of the front, -and the division lost heavily in many attacks. It was withdrawn about -March 26. - - -DIXMUDE. - -4. April 4 it relieved the 214th Division south of Dixmude. A very -elaborate attack against the Belgians was planned to take place here -April 17, and it was to be made by the 6th Bavarian Division and some -elements of adjoining units. It was presumed that the German successes -at Mount Kemel had shaken the line to the north and that the whole Ypres -salient could be captured. Preparations were made, and the attack -attempted, but it failed completely, and the Belgians not only threw the -enemy back but took a great many prisoners. It was withdrawn about the -19th and went to rest for a week near Ruddervoorde (south of Bruges), -although some of its elements held part of the sector of the 1st -Landwehr Division east of Merckem for a day or two. - - -VERDUN. - -5. The division was sent to the Verdun region via Brussels-Namur-Sedan- -Montmédy, and went into camp in the vicinity of Chauvency (west of -Montmedy), where it remained 10 days. - - -MEUSE. - -6. May 24 it relieved the 22d Division near Beaumont (north of Verdun). - - -ROYE. - -7. It was relieved about August 7, and after resting a few days moved up -to the Roye region. It was identified in the Bois des Loges August 16; -it had relieved the 206th Division. The division remained in line -retiring in the face of the Allied advance, but fighting stubbornly, -especially near Campagne, Montigny, and Essigny le Grand; at the last- -named place it counterattacked violently, but in vain, September 29. It -was still in line when the armistice was signed. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 6th Bavarian is rated as one of the 45 best enemy divisions. It -suffered extremely heavy losses, but since it always fought well—though -not brilliantly, during 1918—the German High Command sent it as many -replacements as it could. The morale has always been good, but quite -anti-Prussian. - - - - - 6th. Bavarian Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │12 Bav. │16 Bav. │12 Bav. │16 Bav. │12 Bav. │16 Bav. - │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. - │ │17 Bav. │ │17 Bav. │ │17 Bav. - │ │ Res. │ │ Res. │ │ Res. - │14 Bav. │20 Bav. │14 Bav. │20 Bav. │14 Bav. │20 Bav. - │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. - │ │21 Bav. │ │21 Bav. │ │21 Bav. - │ │ Res. │ │ Res. │ │ Res. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │6 Bav. Res. Cav. │6 Bav. Res. Cav. │6 Bav. Res. Cav. - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │6 Bav. Res. F. A. │6 Bav. Res. F. A. │6 Bav. Res. F. A. - │ Rgt. (9 Btries.).│ Rgt. │ Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│6 Bav. Res. Pion. │6 Bav. Res. Pion. │6 Bav. Res. Pion. - Liaisons. │ Co. │ Co. │ Co. - │ │ │10 Bav. Res. Pion. - │ │ │ Co. - │ │ │206 Bav. T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │6 Bav. Res. Pont. - │ │ │ Engs. - │ │ │6 Bav. Res. Tel. - │ │ │ Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │12 Bav. │16 Bav. │12 Bav. │25 Bav. - │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ - │ │17 Bav. │ │16 Bav. - │ │ Res. │ │ Res. - │ │20 Bav. │ │20 Bav. - │ │ Res. │ │ Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │6 Bav. Res. Cav. │3 Sqn. 5 Bav. Light - │ Rgt. (? Sqns.) │ Cav. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │18 Bav. Art. │18 Bav. Art. - │ Command: │ Command: - │ 6 Bav. Res. F. A. │ 19 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ Regt. │ - │ │ 12 Bav. Ft. A. - │ │ Btn. - │ │ 143 Bav. Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 110 Bav. Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 107 Bav. Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(19 Bav.) Pion. │19 Bav. Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ Btn.: │ - │ 6 Bav. Res. Pion. │ 6 Bav. Res. Pion. - │ Co. │ Co. - │ 7 Bav. Res. Pion. │ 7 Bav. Res. Pion. - │ Co. │ Co. - │ 206 Bav. T. M. Co.│ 206 Bav. T. M. Co. - │ │ - │ 2 Bav. Res. │ 19 Bav. - │ Searchlight │ Searchlight - │ Section. │ Section. - │ 406 Bav. Res. Tel.│406 Signal Command: - │ Detch. │ - │ │ 406 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 144 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │17 Bav. Ambulance │17 Bav. Ambulance - Veterinary.│ Co. │ Co. - │53 Bav. Field │53 Bav. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │54 Bav. Field - │ │ Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │752 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (16th Bavarian Reserve Regiment: First Bavarian District. 17th Bavarian - Reserve Regiment: Second Bavarian District. 20th Bavarian Reserve - Regiment: (?).) - - - 1914. - - -FLANDERS. - -1. This division was organized in Bavaria in September, 1914, and sent -to Belgium about October 21. Assembled in the vicinity of Lille and was -sent toward Dadizeele the 27th and was near Gheluvelt October 29, but -does not seem to have been in the fight. - -2. November 1 it was sent south of Ypres between Hollebeke and Messines. -It attacked in the direction of Wytschaete November 2 and suffered heavy -losses: 11th Company, 4 officers and 181 men (16th Reserve Regiment); -6th company of the 17th Reserve Regiment, 5 officers and 228 men -(casualty lists). November 6 the 3d company of the 21st Reserve Regiment -was reduced to 3 provisional officers and 63 men (notebook). - - - 1915. - - -FLANDERS. - -1. The division remained in the Messines-Wytschaete sector until the -beginning of March, 1915. - -2. Relieved between March 6 and 8 and sent the 11th as reinforcements to -the 7th Corps at Neuve Chapelle. Then sent to rest in the region of -Roubaix in March. - - -LILLE. - -3. Beginning of April it went into line southwest of Lille between -Grenier Wood and Aubers and held this sector until the end of September, -1916. - - - 1916. - -1. July 19, 1916, the division suffered heavy losses in opposing the -British attack southeast of Laventie. - - -SOMME. - -2. Relieved from the Lille front about September 27 and engaged in the -Somme district near Eaucourt l’Abbaye and Gueudecourt until October 13. -Again suffered heavily. - - -ARTOIS. - -3. October 25 it took over the Vimy-Lievin sector, south of Lens. - - - 1917. - -1. The division held the front south of Lens during all the winter of -1916 to 1917 and executed many raids. - -2. February 12 sent to rest near Douai and reorganized in February and -March. One of its regiments, the 21st Reserve, was transferred to the -16th Bavarian Division, newly organized. - -3. March 14 it went into line north of the La Bassee Canal. - -4. Withdrawn from this sector at the end of April and was engaged May 8 -northeast of Arras, at Oppy Gavrelle, until May 11. In the middle of -June it returned to this sector for a few days and does not seem to have -suffered heavy losses. - - -YPRES. - -5. After a rest near Douai until the end of June the division was sent -to Flanders. Was first placed in reserve south of Thielt during the -first few weeks of July and engaged the 18th southeast of Ypres in the -Ledeghem sector. Lost heavily from the artillery preparation and was -relieved July 30 before the British attack. - - -ALSACE. - -6. Sent to Alsace and held the Altkirch sector from the middle of August -to beginning of October. - - -LAONNOIS. - -7. About October 16 to 17 it was sent to the region of Lizy, southwest -of Laon. It relieved on the Ailette, east of Anizy le Chateau, about -October 25, the remains of the 14th and 52d Divisions, decimated by the -French attack of the 23d. - -8. The division was not heavily engaged in the sector of Lizy. It -continued to hold it in November and December 1917 and January 1918. -During this period it was sent to Vervins for rest and training. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The division was organized as an attack unit. From January 24 to -February 19, 1918, it went through a training for the offensive in the -vicinity of Vervins including breaking-through maneuvers, Feb. 1 with a -Prussian division at Vallee aux Bleds; another divisional maneuver -February 11 before the German Crown Prince and Gen. Ludendorff; third -divisional maneuver February 18 (examination of prisoners, Feb. 28, -1918). It is to be noted that in Flanders, where the division had the -only important fight it had in 1917 it suffered heavily. Its morale was -so weakened that it had to be withdrawn before the British attack. - - - 1918. - - -VERVINS. - -1. The 6th Bavarian Reserve Division was relieved in the Anizy le -Chateau region by the 6th Division, January 24 and went to the vicinity -of Vervins where it was put through a course of training in open -warfare, in which artillery and aeroplanes participated. These exercises -were supervised by the Crown Prince and Ludendorff. - -2. February 22 it relieved the 6th Division in its former section. About -the end of the month the division was relieved by elements of the 13th -Landwehr Division, and by the extension of the flanks of the neighboring -divisions, going to rest in the Chauny region. - - -SOMME. - -3. Toward the middle of April the division relieved the 206th Division -near Mesnil St. Georges (southwest of Montdidier). It was relieved by -the 25th Reserve Division April 21. - - -AILETTE. - -4. There is some doubt as to where the division went; it was reported -northeast of Ghent, northeast of Laon, and in Lorraine. There is some -evidence to show that it relieved the 222d Division near Anizy le -Chateau during the night of May 2–3. This front was very quiet until the -German offensive of May 27, in which attack the 6th Bavarian Reserve -Division did not attack in the front line—being “leap-frogged” by the -5th and 6th Divisions acting as shock units—but followed up the advance -coming into line between these two divisions during the night of the -27th–28th. It was at this time definitely identified. In the attack on -Terny (May 28), the division met with strong resistance and suffered -heavily. June 1 it captured Le Port, but lost it again to the French on -June 7, with severe losses. It was relieved about the 15th by the 53d -Reserve Division. - - -MARNE. - -5. July 17 it was identified near Passy sur Marne (west of Dormans). It -was withdrawn August 6 and spent a fortnight refitting. - - -BAPAUME. - -6. August 23 it reinforced the front near Ervillers (northwest of -Bapaume) having traveled via Cambrai, Bourlon, and Beugnâtre. The -division was withdrawn early in September. - - -YPRES. - -7. It relieved the 8th Division southwest of Messines during the night -of September 17–18. Just before coming into line the 17th Bavarian -Reserve Infantry Regiment was dissolved and its men drafted to the other -two regiments of the division. It was replaced by the 25th Bavarian -Infantry Regiment from the 14th Bavarian Division which was dissolved at -this time. Likewise, the 6th Bavarian Reserve Field Artillery Regiment -was dissolved and replaced by the 19th Bavarian Field Artillery Regiment -from the 10th Bavarian Division disbanded in July. The division remained -in line until the armistice was signed, withdrawing through Wytschaete- -Houthem-Comines-Marcke-Ooteghem and Krinstraat. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 6th Bavarian Reserve is rated as a second-class division, which -seems justified not only from opinions concerning its ability as a -fighting unit coming from Allied sources, but also from the fact that, -although it had a course of training in “breaking through” in February, -it was never so used by the German High Command, serving rather as a -“follow up” division. (Cf. May 27 offensive.) The division suffered -heavy losses during its 1918 engagements; indeed, some prisoners -captured the middle of September said that it was to be broken up. They -were mistaken, but one of the infantry regiments and the artillery -regiment were disbanded. - - - - - 6th Bavarian Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │Von │121 Ldw. │1 Bav. │1 Bav. │1 Bav. │1 Bav. - │ Frech. │ │ Mixed │ Ldw. │ Mixed │ Ldw. - │ │ │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. │ - │1 Bav. │123 Ldw. │2 Bav. │2 Bav. │2 Bav. │2 Bav. - │ Mixed │ │ Mixed │ Ldw. │ Mixed │ Ldw. - │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. │ - │2 Bav. │1 Bav. │ │3 Bav. │ │3 Bav. - │ Mixed │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. - │ Ldw. │ │ │ │ │ - │ │2 Bav. │ │12 Bav. │ │12 Bav. - │ │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. - │ │3 Bav. │ │ │ │ - │ │ Ldw. │ │ │ │ - │ │12 Bav. │ │ │ │ - │ │ Ldw. │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │1 Ldw. Sqn. of the │1 Ldw. Sqn. and 2 - │ │ 1 Bav. C. Dist. │ Ldw. Sqn. of 1 - │ │ │ Bav. C. Dist. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │ │ │6 Bav. Ldw. F. A. - │ │ │ Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │2 Bav. Ldw. F. A. - │ │ │ Abt. - │ │ │10 Bav. Mountain - │ │ │ Art. Btry. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │ │16 Bav. Res. Pion. - Liaisons. │ │ │ Co. - │ │ │250 Pion. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │14 C. Dist. 1 Ldw. - │ │ │ Pion. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │1 Bav. C. Dist. 1 - │ │ │ Landst. Pion. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │1 Bav. C. Dist. 2 - │ │ │ Landst. Pion. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │Landshut Inf. Btn. │ │3 and 5 Cos. - │ (1 Bav. C. Dist. │ │ (Wurtt) Ski Btns. - │ Btn. Landst. No. │ │ - │ 7). │ │ - │Nuremberg Inf. Btn.│ │Fribourg Landst. - │ (3 Bav. C. Dist. │ │ Inf. Btn. (14 C. - │ Landst. Btn. No. │ │ Dist. 1 Btn. No. - │ 1). │ │ 7). - │ │ │1 Cologne 2 Landst. - │ │ │ Inf. Btn. (8 C. - │ │ │ Dist. Btn. No. - │ │ │ 14). - │ │ │65 Labor Btn. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │2 Bav. │1 Bav. │2 Bav. │1 Bav. - │ Ldw. │ Ldw. │ Ldw. │ Ldw. - │ │ │ │ - │ │2 Bav. │ │3 Bav. - │ │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. - │ │ │ │ - │ │12 Bav. │ │12 Bav. - │ │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2d Sqn. 2 Bav. │2 Sqn. 2 Bav. Light - │ Light Cav. Rgt. │ Cav. Rgt. - │ │ - │2d Sqn. 2 Bav. │ - │ Light Cav. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │23 Bav. Art. │6 Bav. Ldw. F. A. - │ Command: │ Rgt. (3 Abt., - │ │ Staff, and 8 - │ │ Btry.). - │ 6 Bav. Ldw. F. A. │ - │ Rgt. │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│26 Bav. Pion. Btn.:│26 Bav. Pion Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 16 Bav. Res. Pion.│ 16 Bav. Res. Pion. - │ Co. │ Co. - │ 306 Bav. T. M. Co.│ 26 Bav. - │ │ Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 10 Bav. Res. │ 506 Bav. Signal - │ Searchlight │ Command: - │ Section. │ - │ 506 Bav. Tel. │ 506 Bav. Tel. - │ Detch. │ Detch. - │ │ 192 Bav. Wireless - │ │ Detch. - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │560 Ambulance Co. │19 Bav. Ambulance - Veterinary.│ │ Co. - │19 Bav. Field │60 Bav. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │59 Bav. Field │59 Bav. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │36 Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │47 Bav. M. T. Col. │794 Bav. M. T. Col. - │49 Bav. M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │Neustadt Landst. │ - │ Inf. Btn. (2 Bav.│ - │ C. Dist. Btn. No.│ - │ 4). │ - │Bomberg Landst. │ - │ Inf. Btn. (2 Bav.│ - │ C. Dist. Btn. No.│ - │ 10). │ - │Ansbach Landst. │ - │ Inf. Btn. (3 Bav.│ - │ C. Dist. Btn. No.│ - │ 2). │ - │1 Cologne 2 Landst.│ - │ Inf. Btn. (8 C. │ - │ Dist. Btn. No. │ - │ 14). │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (First Bavarian District.) - - - 1914. - - -ALSACE. - -1. The division was sent into the Vosges at the beginning of the -campaign (3 brigades, of which one was from Wurtemberg). It fought in -the valley of the Fecht in August, 1914. Beginning with October it -occupied the region Ste. Marie aux Mines-Col du Bonhomme. October 2 the -1st Bavarian Brigade entrained at Colmar for Belgium and garrisoned -Antwerp until December. - -2. At the beginning of November the 3d Bavarian Landwehr Division took -part in the attacks on the Violu. - - - 1915. - -1. From February to April, 1915, the units which at that time made up -this division were again separated. The 1st Bavarian Landwehr (mixed) -Brigade came back from Belgium in the middle of December and went to -Champagne (Souain-Somme-Py) to reinforce the 15th Division; the 2d Mixed -Brigade continued to hold the Orbey la Poutroye sector south of Bonhomme -(valley of the Weiss). The Wurtemberg Brigade (von Frech) was -transferred in April to the 7th Landwehr Division (Wurtemberg) in upper -Alsace. - -2. In April, 1915, the remaining two brigades were assembled on the -Vosges front (Orbey, Valley of the Weiss) and from that time on held -this sector without much change. - -3. In July some units of the division fought in the region of the Linge. - - - 1916. - -1. Vosges sector (valley of the Weiss, Col du Bonhomme). At the end of -December, 1916, the 2d Bavarian Landwehr was transferred to the 2d -Bavarian Landwehr Division (new). - - - 1917. - -1. In 1917 the division extended its sector from the region of Col du -Bonhomme to the valley of the Fecht (Munster). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The division was in line in the region of Orbey (south of Col du -Bonhomme) from 1915 on. It is a mediocre division made up of elderly -men. The companies have no shock troops. All the important operations -are executed by the assault company of the division. - - - 1918. - - -ALSACE. - -1. The 6th Bavarian Landwehr Division occupied the sector extending from -south of Le Bonhomme to just west of Muenster, all through the year, -being still in line when the armistice was signed. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division is a fourth-class one, being used only to hold one of the -calmest sectors on the western front. All the young men were taken away -from the division (except those in machine-gun and assault companies) -and exchanged for older ones. In October the father of six children was -captured. Morale was low, discipline poor. Several prisoners stated that -the men did not hesitate to say, even in front of their officers, that -the war had been lost by Germany and that they were thoroughly sick of -it. - - - - - 6th Cavalry Division (Dismounted). - - - COMPOSITION. - - ───────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────── - │ 1918 - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┬─────────────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┼─────────────────────── - Cavalry. │5 Cav. │2 Drag. - │ │3 Uhlan. - │ │7 Cuirassier. - │45 Cav. │7 Res. Drag. - │ │13 Hus. - │ │13 Horse Jag. - │3 Cav. │2 Cuirassier. - │ │9 Uhlan. - │ │12 Hus. - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┴─────────────────────── - Artillery. │133 Art. Command. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Engineers and Liaisons.│21 Pion. Btn. - │319 T. M. Co. - │674 Wireless Detch. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Medical and Veterinary.│256 Ambulance Co. - │106 Field Hospital. - │261 Vet. Hospital. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Attached. │70 Ldw. Inf. Brig. - ───────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - - 1918. - - -ALSACE. - -1. The division held the Badonviller sector until the last of April, -when it was relieved by the 21st Landwehr Division. It rested at -Mulhausen until July. At this time it was reorganized as a division of -nine dismounted cavalry regiments. - - -YPRES. - -2. On July 1 it entrained at Sierenz and traveled via Saarburg-Eupen- -Liege-Brussels-Courtrai to Ingelmunster, where it detrained on July 3. -The division then went into rest billets in the Iseghem-Winkel St. Eloi -and Lendelede area, and on the night of July 27–28 it relieved the 1st -Landwehr Division east of Ypres. - - -CAMBRAI. - -3. It was relieved in Flanders and railed via Cambrai to Fins, where it -detrained August 31. On September 4 it was in line at Manancourt and -Nurlun. It was engaged in heavy fighting until September 25, when it was -withdrawn from the battle front southwest of Cambrai after losing 400 -prisoners. - - -BELGIUM. - -4. It reinforced the Ypres battle front at Ledeghem on October 1 and -fought there for about one week. It rested out of line a week and -returned on October 15 to line east of Gulleghem. Two weeks later it was -withdrawn in the Waereghem area. - -5. On November 3 the division was again in line at Hermelgem. It was -withdrawn within a few days and on the day of the armistice it was -considered to be in reserve of the 4th German Army. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. Its use in the active Ypres and -Cambrai fronts indicates that it should have been rated higher after its -reorganization in the summer. - - - - - 7th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │13. │26. │13. │26. │14. │26. - │ │66. │ │66. │ │27. - │14. │27. │14. │27. │ │165. - │ │165. │ │165. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │10 Hus. Rgt. (3 │10 Hus. Rgt. (3 │10 Hus. Rgt. (3 - │ Sqns.). │ Sqns.). │ Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │7 Brig.: │7 Brig.: │7 Brig.: - │ 4 F. A. Rgt. │ 4 F. A. Rgt. │ 4 F. A. Rgt. - │ 40 F. A. Rgt. │ 40 F. A. Rgt. │ 40 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. 4.│1 Pion. Btn. No. 4: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ Field Co. 4 Pions.│ 1 Co. 4 Pions. - │ │ 7 Pont. Engs. │ 7 T. M. Co. - │ │ 7 Tel. Detch. │ 7 Pont. Engrs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ 7 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │14. │26. │14. │26. - │ │165. │ │165. - │ │393. │ │393. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 10 Hus. Rgt.│2 Sqn. 10 Hus. Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │7 Brig.: │7 Art. Command: - │ 40 F. A. Rgt. │ 40 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 4 Abt. 24 Res. Ft. - │ │ A. Rgt. - │ │ 1244 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1298 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1301 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│118 Pion. Btn. │4 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ (formerly 1 Pion.│ - │ Btn. No. 4): │ - │ 1 Co. 4 Pions. │ 1 Co. 4 Pions. - │ 3 Co. 4 Pions. │ 3 Co. 4 Pions. - │ 7 T. M. Co. │ 43 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 7 Tel. Detch. │7 Signal Command: - │ 7 Pont. Engs. │ 7 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 132 Bav. Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │10 Ambulance Co. │10 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Field Hospital. │37 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │41 Field Hospital. - │ │7 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │540 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │88 Labor Btn. (5th │ - │ Co.). │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Fourth District—Prussian Saxony.) - - - 1914. - -The Seventh Division was recruited in the Province of Prussian Saxony -and, with the 8th Division, belonged to the 4th Army Corps (Magdeburg). - - -MARNE. - -1. The 14th Brigade, which had already obtained reservists July 30, -entrained on the evening of August 2 and was one of the six brigades -ordered to take Liege. The whole division moved into the region of Liege -August 15. It belonged to the 1st Army (Von Kluck), and passed through -Louvain August 18 and through Brussels the 20th. On the 23d it was on -the Haine, west of St. Ghislain. On the 24th between Quiévrain and -Audregnies it threatened to envelop the Allied left. Going through Le -Cateau and Peronne on August 28, the division passed through Grand Morin -and arrived at Choisy, southeast of Coulommiers, from where it was sent -in all haste to the aid of the right wing of the 1st Army (Etavigny, -etc.). - - -BELGIUM. - -2. After the retreat it went to the north of the Aisne below Soissons -until the last days of September (fights at Cuisy en Almont, Morsain, -Nouvron, Fontenoy). - -3. At the end of September it was attached to the 6th Army (Crown Prince -of Bavaria) and sent to Artois. - - -ARTOIS. - -4. At the beginning of October it fought south of Arras (Monchy aux -Bois, Ransart, Wailly). It established itself south of the Scarpe. - -5. It held the sector until the end of May, 1915. During this period it -limited itself to organizing defensively. - - - 1915. - -1. In March the division was reduced to three regiments by the transfer -of the 66th Infantry to the 52d Division (new). - -2. In May, 1915, at the time of the French offensive in Artois some -units of the division were sent as reinforcements to the region of -Neuville-St. Vaast. It left some prisoners and suffered heavy losses on -May 12 to 13. - - -ARTOIS. - -3. June 12 the division left the sector south of the Scarpe and went -into line the 13th between Lorette and Angres (from the Souchez-Aix -Noulette Road to the Blanc work). The French offensive struck it June 13 -and the days following north of the road from Souchez to Aix Noulette. -It was forced to give ground and lost many prisoners (250 men, among -them 6 officers from the 26th Infantry north of Bois Carre; the 2d -Battalion of the 26th Infantry lost 12 officers and 597 men out of -action, according to the Prussian casualty lists). - -4. At the beginning of July the division established itself south of the -railroad from Grenay to Lens, north of Souchez. September 25 it fought -in the third battle of Artois, north of Bois en Hache, before Angres and -Lievin. It showed considerable energy, but again had many of its men -captured. - -5. The division remained in this sector southwest of Loos (south of the -Lens-Béthune Road; Lene-Grenay Railroad) until July, 1916. - - - 1916. - -1. Until the beginning of July, 1916, the division had no serious -battles. - -2. About July 3 the division was relieved from the Loos front. On the -13th it was at Cambrai. - - -SOMME. - -3. July 14 and 15 it began to be engaged in the battle of the Somme -between Pozieres and Bazentin le Petit. It suffered terrible losses. -Relieved May 28. - - -ARTOIS. - -4. After a rest in the region of Valenciennes it went into line east of -Arras August 9 and stayed there until September 17. At this time it -transferred its 27th Infantry to the 211th Division and took in exchange -the 393d Infantry, composed of levies from the regiments of the 7th, -8th, and 12th Divisions, 50th Reserve Division and 38th Landwehr -Brigade. - - -SOMME. - -5. About September 18 it again took part in the battle of the Somme in -the sector of Courcelette. It fought bravely and again suffered heavily. - - -ARTOIS. - -6. Withdrawn from the Somme about October 2 and went into the sector -southeast of Loos October 5. Again withdrawn from this sector November -10 it went almost immediately into the line south of the La Bassee Canal -and stayed there until May 28, 1917. - - - 1917. - - -ARTOIS. - -1. During the winter of 1916–17 the division had no big battles, but -suffered from raids executed by the British troops. - - -FLANDERS. - -2. May 28 it was withdrawn from the La Bassee front and sent to the -region of Ypres (sector of Hollebeke-Wytschaete) June 8 to 19. - - -ALSACE. - -3. At the beginning of July it was sent to Alsace to the vicinity of -Mulhouse where it rested. - -4. July 27 to 28 it entrained again for Artois via Mulhouse-Strassbourg- -Sarreguemines-Metz-Thionville-Sedan-Hirson-Valenciennes-St. Amand. - - -ARTOIS. - -5. After a few days’ rest in the region of St. Amand and Orchies July 28 -to August 3, it went into the lines north of Lens (Loos sector) where it -lost heavily from August 9 to the beginning of September. - - -BELGIUM. - -6. Relieved then and sent to rest at Pont a Marcq, it went back into the -line between the La Bassee Canal and Hulluch September 21. Withdrawn -from this sector during October and sent to the region of Ypres where it -held a front on October 29 between Becelaere and Gheluvelt. It was still -identified there January 29, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -Province of Magdeburg (Prussian Saxony) and part of Thuringia. The 393d -Infantry gets replacements from the depot of the 153d Infantry -(Altenburg). Its resources from these replacements are as a rule -sufficient and the Fourth District has even furnished recruits to the -regiments of the Fourteenth. In exchange when it has relatively few -replacements it has been helped out by Polish drafts from Silesia (Sixth -District). - - - 1918. - -1. The division was relieved on February 4 and rested in the Eecloo -area, participating in a large-scale maneuver. - -2. It returned to line in the Becelaere sector on March 3, relieving the -8th Bavarian Reserve Division. It was withdrawn March 26. - - -BATTLE OF THE LYS. - -3. It fought near Hollebeke, Messines, Wytschaete, between April 9 and -May 1. It took part in the attack on the Ypres-Comines Canal on April -25. - -4. During May it was at rest in Belgium near Deyuze (Cruyhautern). It -entrained for Nesle about June 8, moving through Audenarde, Coutrai, -Lille, Douai, Cambrai, and Ham. It marched to the front, southeast of -Montdidier by Roye and Tilloloy June 9–11. - -5. It was in line near Ressons-Marqueglise from June 14 to 24. - -6. The division rested south of St. Quentin June 26 to 29, then at -Origny June 30 to July 4. It entrained at Origny on July 4 and moved to -Sedan by Guise, Hirson, Liart, and Charleville. It was north of Grandpre -from July 5 to 10. On the 10th it was sent toward the Champagne front by -Grandpre, Monthois, and Maure. - - -BATTLE OF RHEIMS. - -7. The division was engaged at Repon, east of Tahure, on July 15. Heavy -losses were incurred during the attack of July 15. It was taken out on -August 15. - - -AILETTE. - -8. It was moved by railroad to Chauny (by Laon) and detrained about -August 20. About this time a dozen men per company were received. - -9. On August 26–27 it entered line south of Juvigny (north of Soissons). -In the fighting that followed the division was withdrawn to Leuilly on -the night of August 31-Sept 1. It was relieved on the 3d after losing -605 prisoners. The German communique of August 30 credited the 165th -Regiment with the destruction of 20 tanks in one attack. - - -BATTLE OF THE ARGONNE. - -10. The division rested near Attigny until September 24, when it -reinforced the Somme-Py front. It was engaged until October 22 with very -heavy losses. It returned from the second line two days later to assist -in covering the retreat between La Neuville en Tourne a Fuy and -Juniville. From there it fell back on the Aisne (Ambly) and was retired -on October 14. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as first class. - - - - - 7th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │13 Res. │27 Res. │13 Res. │27 Res. │14 Res. │36 Res. - │ │36 Res. │ │36 Res. │ │66 Res. - │14 Res. │66 Res. │14 Res. │66 Res. │ │72 Res. - │ │72 Res. │ │72 Res. │ │ - │ 4 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 4 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 4 Res. Jag. Btn. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Cavalry. │1 Res. Heavy Cav. │ │1 Res. Heavy Cav. - │ Rgt. (3 Sqns.). │ │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │7 Res. F. A. Rgt. │7 Res. F. A. Rgt. │7 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (6 Btries.). │ │ (9 Btries.). - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│4 Field Co. 2 Pion.│4 Field Co. 2 Pion.│4 Field Co. 2 Pion. - Liaisons. │ Btn No. 4. │ Btn. No. 4: │ Btn. No. 4: - │ │ 7 Res. Pont.-Engs.│ 248 Pion. Co. - │ │ 7 Res. Tel.-Detch.│ 207 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ 7 Res. Pont.-Engs. - │ │ │ 7 Res. Tel.-Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │14 Res. │36 Res. │14 Res. │36 Res. - │ │66 Res. │ │66 Res. - │ │72 Res. │ │72 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │1 Res. Heavy Cav. │3 Sqn. 9 Drag. Rgt. - │ Rgt. (1 Sqn.). │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │95 Art. Command: │95 Art. Command: - │ │ - │ 7 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ 7 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.) │ - │ │ 52 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 889 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1106 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1126 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│307 Pion. Btn.: │307 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 4 Co. 4 Pions. │ 4 Co. 4 Pions. - │ 248 Pion. Co. │ 248 Pion. Co. - │ 207 T. M. Co. │ 207 T. M. Co. - │ 407 Tel.-Detch. │ 180 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │407 Signal Command: - │ │ 407 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 42 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │504 Ambulance Co. │504 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │22 Res. Field │22 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │49 Res. Field │24 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │407 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │707 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Fourth District—Prussian Saxony.) - - - 1914. - -1. At the beginning of the war the 7th Reserve Division was part of the -4th Reserve Corps. - - -BELGIUM. - -2. It detrained August 10 to 12, 1914, near Dusseldorf, and was part of -the 1st Army (Von Kluck). Reached Brussels via Tongres (Aug. 19) and -Louvain, and advanced toward Paris through Enghien, Ath, Conde, Amiens -(Aug. 30–31), Clermont, Creil, and Senlis (Sept. 4). - - -MARNE. - -3. At the battle of the Marne it was engaged northwest of Crouy sur -Ourcq (Puisieux, Neufmoutiers, Monthyon) and suffered heavy losses, -September 6 and 7. - -4. From September 8 to 11 it withdrew through Villers Cotterets, -Coeuvres, Port Fontenoy. It fought for a long time in the region of -Nouvron. - - -AISNE. - -5. After the front was stabilized it held the lines between the -Soissons-Laon Road to southwest of Nouvron. - -6. November 12 it had considerable losses at the attack of the Plateau -of Nouvron. - - - 1915. - -1. The division held the Nouvron sector until September, 1915. - -2. In January, 1915, some of the units of the division were engaged in -the fights around Soissons, January 12 and 13. - -3. In June several battalions were sent toward Quennevieres as -reinforcements at the beginning of the French attack. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -4. Relieved about September 22 to 25, the division was sent to Champagne -at the beginning of October. Suffered heavy losses in the region of -Tahure October 30. - - - 1916. - -1. Withdrawn at the end of January, 1916, from the sector of Tahure. It -was sent to rest north of Rethel. It went back into line only for a -short time toward the end of February north of Prosnes (the 36th Reserve -Regiment alone appeared in this sector). - -2. About May 10 the division was sent to the camp of Sissonne. - - -VERDUN. - -3. It was sent to the Verdun front and took part in the attack of June 1 -on Thiaumont-Damploup in the sector of Bois de la Caillette. Suffered -very heavy losses June 2 and 3 and at the attack of Bois de Vaux -Chapitre on June 21. Total of losses before Verdun, 8,200 men. On June -16 the companies of the 36th Reserve were reduced to an average of 30 -men (prisoners’ statements). From June 1 to 5 the 10th Company of the -72d Reserves received no less than 138 replacements. - - -ARGONNE. - -4. The division was withdrawn from the Verdun front about July 1. Sent -to the Argonne and occupied the sector north of Ville sur Tourbe -(between Main de Massiges and the Aisne) until the end of August. It was -reorganized in this region. - - -SOMME. - -5. After a rest in the vicinity of Longwy it was sent to the Somme and -fought in the region of Gueudecourt September 23 to October 11. - - -ARGONNE. - -6. About October 14 the division took over its old sector north of Ville -sur Tourbe, south of Cernay en Dormois. - - - 1917. - - -MEUSE. - -1. Withdrawn from the Argonne front about January 8, 1917, and sent, -February 5, before Verdun (region of Louvemont, north of Chambrettes), -where it was kept until the beginning of April. - -2. The division next held the sector of Cernay les Reims at the end of -April to May 25. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -3. About May 30 and 31 it was sent into line before Teton (region of -Moronvilliers) until the middle of August. - -4. After a rest in the vicinity of Aussonce the division went into line -at the beginning of September in the region of Nauroy, sector of Mont -Haut-Cornillet. Relieved January, 1918, and sent to rest north of -Rethel. - - - RECRUITING. - -Prussian Saxony and part of Thuringia. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -At Tahure in October, 1915, and at Verdun the division obtained only -mediocre results in spite of heavy losses. “This division seems to be -rather a sector division than a shock unit.” - - - 1918. - - -RETHEL. - -1. On January 14 the division was relieved by the 14th Bavarian Division -and sent to Wassigny (north of Rethel) to rest and train. On March 14 it -started by night marches toward St. Quentin, bivouacking in the woods by -day and avoiding all villages. The itinerary followed was Dezy le Gros- -Bucy les Pierrepont-Marle-Origny et Mesnil-St. Laurent, where it arrived -March 21. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -2. From the 22d to the 28th the division was in army reserve. It -followed the general advance through Itancourt, Essigny, Grand -Serancourt, St. Simon, Golancourt, Muirancourt, and Candor. On March 29 -it relieved the 1st Bavarian Division west of Lassigny, where it -attacked on the day following. It suffered such heavy losses that it was -hastily relieved on the night of March 31-April 1. - - -AISNE. - -3. It came into line near Reims on April 26 relieving the 25th Reserve -Division between the Miettl and the Aisne. It took part in the offensive -of May 27. About June 1 the division was relieved in the sector east of -Ville en Tardenois. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -4. The division moved to Champagne and relieved the Guard Cavalry -Division on July 6. It passed into the second line on July 14 to permit -a fresh division to pass through for the attack. It returned to line on -the 20th, relieving the 1st Division near St. Hilaire. During July the -66th Reserve Regiment is known to have received drafts, raising the -company strength to 100. - - -SOISSONS. - -5. Between August 4 and 20 the exact date is not known, the division was -moved from line in Champagne to the front west of Chavigny, where it was -engaged on August 24. It took part in heavy fighting in that region -until its relief about August 31. - -6. The division arrived at Fourmies from Laon on September 8, where it -rested and trained until September 17. It entrained at Trelon and moved -to Grandpre, from where it marched to the front by way of St. Juvin and -Brieulles. - - -MEUSE-ARGONNE. - -7. The division was in line on the day of the American attack September -26, holding the sector immediately west of the Meuse. It was swamped on -the opening attack without offering any considerable resistance. It was -withdrawn on the 28th, but on October 9 elements were returned to fill a -gap in the former sector of the 1st A. H. division. The last elements -were finally withdrawn about October 25. The losses of the division in -the Argonne are estimated at 3,500, including 2,260 prisoners. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as a second-class division. Its efforts in 1918 -were generally unsuccessful in spite of heavy losses. By the time of the -armistice it had been almost annihilated. - - - - - 7th Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │Mathy │119 Ldw. │52 Ldw. │119 Ldw. │51 Ldw. │119 Ldw. - │ (55). │ │ │ │ │ - │ │40 Ldw. │ │121 Ldw. │ │123 Ldw. - │52. │123 Ldw. │ │123 Ldw. │52 Ldw. │121 Ldw. - │ │121 Ldw. │ │ │ │126 Ldw. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │2 Ldw. Sqn. (13 C. │2 Ldw. Sqn. (13 C. - │ │ Dist.). │ Dist.). - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │ │1 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │1 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │ │2 Ldw. Co. 13 C. - Liaisons. │ │ │ Dist. Pions. - │ │ │4 Ldw. Co. 13 C. - │ │ │ Dist. Pions. - │ │ │6 Ldw. Co. 13 C. - │ │ │ Dist. Pions. - │ │ │307 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Odd units. │ │ │1 Cyclist Co. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │13 Balloon Sqn. - │ │ │59 Labor Btn. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │52 Ldw. │122 Res. │52 Ldw. │122 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │121 Ldw. │ │121 Ldw. - │ │126 Ldw. │ │126 Ldw. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Ldw. Sqn. (13 C. │ - │ Dist.). │ - │1 Sqn. 20 Uhlan │ - │ Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │1 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ (except the 3d - │ │ Abt. Staff and 7 - │ │ and 9 Btries.). - │ 1 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │1025 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(407) Pion. Btn.: │407 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 2 Ldw. Co. 13 │ 2 Ldw. Co. 13 C. - │ Pions. │ Dist. Pions. - │ 3 Ldw. Co. 13 │ 141 Searchlight - │ Pions. │ Section. - │ 307 T. M. Co. │507 Signal Command: - │ 334 Searchlight │ 507 Tel. Detch. - │ Section. │ - │ 507 Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │571 Ambulance Co. │571 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │258 Field Hospital.│258 Field Hospital. - │33 Ldw. Field │33 Ldw. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │47 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │776 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Odd units. │1 Cyclist Co. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Thirteenth District—Wurtemberg.) - - - 1914. - - -ALSACE. - -1. The 7th Landwehr Division did not leave Alsace from its organization -in 1915 until February, 1917. Its first units appeared there beginning -August 9, 1914, the date of the detraining of the 121st Landwehr at Neuf -Brisach. The 119th Landwehr fought south of Mulhouse beginning August -19, and the 40th Landwehr at Dornach near Mulhouse on the same day. - -2. In October, 1917, the 52d and 55th Brigades, which were to compose in -1915 the 7th Landwehr Division, were part of the Gaede Army Group and -occupied the region of Munster, Guebwiller, Cernay. - -3. In December the 123d Landwehr took part in the attacks on -Hartmannswillerkopf. - - - 1915. - - -ALSACE. - -1. In March, 1915, the 52d Brigade was in line in the valleys of the -Fecht and the Lauch. The 119th Landwehr was south of Cernay. In April -the 40th Landwehr (Baden) left the division and was transferred for some -time to the 6th Landwehr Division (Bavarian). - -2. The 7th Landwehr Division then contained the 119th, 121st and 123d -Landwehr, to which a fourth regiment was joined, the 126th Landwehr, -formed by drafts from the three others. The division, from then on -exclusively Wurtemberger, from that time held the sector Wattwiller- -Rhone-Rhine Canal (Cernay-Altkirch). - - - 1916. - - -ALSACE. - -1. Cernay-Altkirch sector. - - - 1917. - - -ALSACE-LORRAINE. - -1. The division remained on the Mulhouse front (Cernay-Altkirch) until -February 20, 1917. Relieved on that date and sent to Lorraine (Leintrey- -Badonviller sector), where it replaced the 33d Reserve Division. It was -at this time that the division was decreased to three regiments; its -119th Landwehr and 123d Landwehr were transferred to the 26th Landwehr -Division and it obtained the 122d Reserves from the 54th Reserve -Division. - - -RUSSIA-VOLHYNIA. - -2. The division left the Lorraine front in the middle of May. Entrained -beginning May 14 at Sarrebourg and sent to the Eastern Front via -Nurnberg-Warsaw-Lublin-Kovel-Vladimir Volynski. It took over the -Kisselin sector (Volhynia). - - - RECRUITING. - -From April, 1915 on, the division was entirely composed from men from -Wurtemberg. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -A mediocre division, much reduced by transferring its most energetic -units to active regiments and Wurtemberg reserve regiments and receiving -in exchange older men. - - - 1918. - - -UKRAINE. - -1. In February, 1918, the 7th Landwehr Division left the Kisselin region -and advanced into the Ukraine. “We are going into Russia to succor the -Ukrainians,” wrote a man of the 122d Reserve Regiment from the Rovno -region on February 26. On April 1, the 126th Landwehr Regiment was -identified between Kiev and Odessa; along with the 122d Reserve Regiment -it was identified near Odessa on the 9th. - -2. On May 11 the division was identified south of Ekaterinoslav and on -the 4th of July at Rostov on the Don. - -3. The division was reported to have been sent to the Danube front about -the middle of October, but it was never actually identified there. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 7th Cavalry Division (Dismounted). - - - COMPOSITION. - - ───────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────── - │ 1918 - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┬─────────────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┼─────────────────────── - Cavalry. │28 Cav. │11 Uhlan. - │ │15 Uhlan. - │ │4 Res. Uhlan. - │30 Cav. │9 Hus. - │ │15 Drag. - │ │25 Drag. - │41 Cav. │26 Drag. - │ │5 Cuirassier. - │ │4 Uhlan. - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┴─────────────────────── - Engineers and Liaisons.│19 Pion. Btn. (1, 2, and 3 Cos.): - │ 6 Cav. Pion. Detch. - │ 312 T. M. Co. - │ 186 Wireless Detch. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Medical and Veterinary.│606 Ambulance Co. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Odd Units │10 M. G. S. S. Detch. (1, 2, and 3 Cos.). - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Attached │5 F. A. Rgt. (10 and 11 Btries.). - ───────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - - 1918. - -1. The division held the Guebwiller (Alsace) sector until the end of -May. It rested in the Saarebourg area until mid-July, when it was railed -to Belgium (Courtrai area). - -2. After resting near Courtrai for two weeks, the division entrained at -Lauwe on August 13 for Armentieres, where it remained until August 23. -It went into line in the Kemmel area for three days. The division was -then railed back to Tourcoing, from where it was transferred by trucks -to Lagnicourt on August 26 and came into line on the following day at -Ecoust. - - -ARRAS-CAMBRAI. - -3. In two weeks the division was heavily engaged in the Arras battle. It -was relieved on September 9, after losing more than 700 prisoners. The -division rested in the Cambrai area until September 22, when it relieved -the 1st Guard Reserve Division north of Moeuvres. It was withdrawn on -September 30. - - -BELGIUM. - -4. The division entrained at Solesmes on October 5 and detrained at -Mouscron. It remained here until October 14, when it moved to Deerlyck, -and on the 17th elements counterattacked between Courtrai and Harlebeke. -It was engaged until its relief on October 29 by the 49th Reserve -Division northwest of Anseghem. The division was considered to be in -reserve of the 10th German Army at the time of the armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. Its use on the Cambrai and -Belgium fronts in September and October indicate that it might have been -considered a third-class division after its reorganization. - - - - - 8th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │15. │36 Fus. │15. │36 Fus. │16. │72. - │ │93. │ │93. │ │93. - │16. │72. │16. │72. │ │153. - │ │153. │ │153. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │10 Hus. Rgt. (3 │10 Hus. Rgt. (3 │10 Hus. Rgt. (3 - │ Sqns.). │ Sqns.). │ Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │8 Brig.: │8 Brig.: │8 Brig.: - │ 74 F. A. Rgt. │ 74 F. A. Rgt. │ 74 F. A. Rgt. - │ 75 F. A. Rgt. │ 75 F. A. Rgt. │ 75 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. 4:│1 Pion. Btn. No. 4: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ Field Co. 4 Pions.│ 2 Co. 4 Pions. - │ │ 8 Pont. Engs. │ 8 T. M. Co. - │ │ 8 Tel. Detch. │ 8 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ 8 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │72 Anti-Aircraft - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ │7 Balloon Sqn. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │16. │72. │16. │72. - │ │93. │ │93. - │ │153. │ │153. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │10 Hus. Rgt. ( │5 Sqns. 10 Hus. - │ Sqns.). │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │8 Art. Command: │8 Art. Command: - │ 74 F. A. Rgt. │ 74 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 1 Abt. 1 Res. Ft. - │ │ A. Rgt. - │ │ 815 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 983 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1247 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│118 Pion. Btn. or 1│118 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ Pion. Btn. No. 4:│ - │ 2 Co. 4 Pions. │ 2 Co. 4 Pions. - │ 5 Co. 4 Pions. │ 5 Co. 4 Pions. - │ 8 T. M. Co. │ 8 T. M. Co. - │ 8 Tel. Detch. │ 95 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │8 Signal Command: - │ │ 8 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 95 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │Ambulance Co. │11 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │31 Field Hospital. │36 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │39 Field Hospital. - │ │8 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │72 Anti-Aircraft │ - │ Section. │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Fourth District—Prussian Saxony.) - - - 1914. - - -FRANCE. - -1. With the 7th Division, the 8th Division formed the 4th Army Corps. It -detrained August 10 to 12 near Dusseldorf and, with that corps, was part -of the 1st Army (Von Kluck). Entered Belgium the 15th, passed through -Louvain the 19th, and through Brussels the 20th, and executed with the -7th Division an enveloping movement on the left of the Allies. Fought at -Solesmes the 26th and arrived east of Coulommiers September 6, from -where it was sent in a great hurry to the right of the 1st Army, with -the 7th Division (Lizy sur Ourcq-Plessis, Placy, etc.). September 8 the -11th Company of the 93d Infantry was reduced to 96 men (notebook). - -2. After the retreat, beginning the 15th, it was engaged against the -left wing of the British north of Soissons (battle of the Aisne, -Cuffies, Chavigny, Pasly, etc.). - -3. At the end of September it went with the 4th Army Corps to Artois -with the 6th Army. - -4. At the beginning of October it took part in the attacks south of -Arras and held the lines near Monchy aux Bois. - - - 1915. - -1. The division held the Monchy sector during the first few months of -1915. At the end of May it was relieved from this sector and put in the -reserve of the army near Douai after transferring the 36th Fusiliers to -the 113th Division, newly formed (March). - -2. During the first two weeks of June it went into line in the Souchez -sector and opposed the French attacks. Relieved at the beginning of -September and became army reserve near Tourcoing and Roubaix. - - -LOOS. - -3. At the battle of Loos during the counterattack the division suffered -heavy losses in September and October. - - - 1916. - -1. In 1916 until the battle of the Somme the division did not take part -in any serious engagements. It was established in the Loos sector. July -3 it left this front for the Somme. - - -SOMME. - -2. In the middle of July it went into battle on the Pozieres-Longueval- -Bois Delville front and suffered very heavy losses. - -3. Toward the end of July it was relieved and sent to rest in the region -of Valenciennes. - -4. August 9 it took over a quiet sector before Arras and stayed there -about five weeks. - -5. About September 18 it again went into the battle of the Somme. It -held the Thiepval-Courcelette sector, where it had some hard fighting, -which caused it heavy losses. - - -ARTOIS. - -6. October 1 it left this sector to again hold the trenches northeast of -Loos. - - - 1917. - -1. During the winter of 1916–17 the division had no heavy fighting. -However, in April, May, and June it had serious losses due to the many -raids executed by the British. - -2. Toward the end of July and the beginning of August the division -suffered considerably from artillery fire. It was relieved before the -attack of the British before Lens. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -3. August 5 it entrained for Rethel. Rested for some time in the region -of Semide, then held the sector west of Butte du Mesnil from August 15 -to September 15. - - -BELGIUM. - -4. About September 18 it was sent in the region of Bouziers and October -4 went into line west of Becelaere (Belgium), and shortly afterwards, -October 9, south of Hollebeke. It was still there January 20, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -Province of Prussian Saxony, Duchy of Anhalt, and part of Thuringia. -Same remarks as for the 7th Division. The fluctuations in the resources -of the region are evidenced by the following facts: On November 4, 1917, -a man came to the 5th Company of the 93d Infantry who was born in 1898 -in the Eighth District, was a farmer, and had been called up September -3, having had just two months of training. He was sent by a depot in -Cologne. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Since the battles of 1914 the division remained entirely on the -offensive. It always defended itself well in attacks and held its -positions with tenacity. - -During its stay on the Champagne it did not show any activity, but also -it had no desertions. It may be said that its morale is good. -(September, 1917). - - - 1918. - -1. The division was relieved by the 17th Reserve Division in the -Hollebeke sector about January 31. It rested and trained near Coutrai -during February and until March 7. - -2. On March 7 it was engaged west of Zandvoorde, where it was in line -until April 11. - - -BATTLE OF THE LYS. - -3. The division came into the battle line west of Merville on April 11, -which town it captured. About the 23d it passed to the second line. - -4. The division rested for two weeks at Canteleu (a suburb of Lille). It -returned to a rest camp north of Kemmel about May 12th. - - -YPRES. - -5. It was engaged south of Ypres from May 15 until the 1st of July in -the sector, with division headquarters at Halluin. - -6. The division rested near Coutrai during July, from where it returned -to its former sector south of Ypres on July 26 and was in line until the -night of September 17–18. - - -LE CATELET. - -7. It was moved south to relieve the Alpine Corps at Vendhuile, where it -came in on September 23. In the fighting the division was driven back by -Aubencheul-Villers Cutreaux on Maretz-Clary early in October. After -suffering heavy casualties and losing over 400 prisoners, it was -withdrawn on October 14. - -8. The division rested in the Guise area until October 22. - -9. It was reengaged north of Le Cateau on October 22–23, but withdrew -about November 1. On the 5th it was identified in line north of Maulde, -where it remained until the end. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was regarded as a first-class division. A majority of its -men came from the younger classes. Its effectives were high and the -morale good. Apart from the Armentieres offensive in April, the division -was on the defensive during 1918. - - - - - 8th Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │56 Ldw. │109 Ldw. │56 Ldw. │109 Ldw. - │ │110 Ldw. │ │110 Ldw. - │ │109 Landst. │ │109 Landst. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │2 Ldw. Sqn. 14 C. Dist. │2 Ldw. Sqn. 14 C. Dist. - │ │ (dissolved late 1916). - │ │3 Landst. Sqn. 14 C. Dist. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Landst. F. A. Abt. (14 C. │8 Ldw. F. A. Regt. - │ Dist.). │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│4 Co. 14 Pions. │4 Co. 14 Pions. - Liaisons. │ │ - │2 Res. Co. 14 Pions. │2 Res. Co. 14 Pions. - │ │308 T. M. Co. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │Fribourg Landst. Inf. Btn. │68 Labor Btn. - │ (14 C. Dist. Btn. No. 7). │ - │2 Heidelberg Landst. Inf. │Pforzheim Landst. Inf. Btn. - │ Btn. (14 C. Dist. Btn. No. │ (14 C. Dist. Btn. No. 21). - │ 13). │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │56 Ldw. │109 Ldw. │56 Ldw. │109 Ldw. - │ │110 Ldw. │ │110 Ldw. - │ │111 Ldw. │ │111 Ldw. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 5 Horse Jag. Rgt. │1 Sqn. 5 Horse Jag. Rgt. - │ │ - │ (?) │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │8 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ 8 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │803 Light Am. Col. - │ │1416 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│408 Pion. Btn.: │408 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Res. Co. 14 Pions. │ 1 Res. Co. 14 Pions. - │ 2 Res. Co. 14 Pions. │ 2 Res. Co. 14 Pions. - │ 308 T. M. Co. │ 308 T. M. Co. - │ 305 Searchlight Section. │ 216 Searchlight Section. - │ 508 Tel. Detch. │508 Signal Command: - │ │ 508 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 177 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │559 Ambulance Co. │559 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │321 (?) Field Hospital. │321 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │7 Field Hospital. - │ │563 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │777 M. T. Col. │777 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Fourteenth District—Grand Duchy of Baden.) - - - 1915. - -The 8th Landwehr Division was formed February, 1915, from Baden troops, -which entered Alsace at the beginning of the campaign (the 110th -Landwehr detrained Aug. 11, 1914, at Neuenburg near Mullheim and the -109th Landwehr on the same date), and the 109th Landsturm organized at -the beginning of 1915 from five Baden Landsturm battalions. - - -ALSACE. - -The division held the same sector between Altkirch and the Swiss -Frontier from its formation until January, 1917. - - - 1916. - -1. In February, 1916, the 109th Landwehr and the 110th Landwehr, which -had up to that time remained on the defensive, took part in the attacks -between Seppois and Largitzen and against the Scoonholz, northwest of -Altkirch. They executed many raids during 1916. - -2. The 109th Landsturm, which was in line at one end of the front, was -broken up in May, 1916, and replaced in the division by the 111th -Landwehr, newly formed, consisting in reality of three Landsturm -battalions already stationed in Alsace, of which two were part of the -109th Landsturm (XIV 23 and XIV 25). - - -COTES DE MEUSE. - -About January 23, 1917, the division was withdrawn from the Alsace front -and sent to the Cotes de Meuse, where it took over the sector west of -Fresnes en Woevre. April 15 the division moved toward the north and held -the lines to the Etain-Verdun road. - - - RECRUITING. - -Entirely from Baden. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The division was a defense division (May, 1918). Each company had one -shock-troop squad per platoon (prisoners’ statements Dec. 8, 1917). - -Like the 2d and 7th Landwehr Divisions, but to a smaller degree, the 8th -Landwehr Division had some of its men transferred to active units; thus, -in November, 1917, it transferred some men to 121st Division, then near -it. - - - 1918. - -The division continued in the Woevre sector during 1918. Through failure -to identify it, it was considered as out of line September 21 and -September 25. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -It was rated as a fourth-class division. Its losses apart from the St. -Mihiel attack were negligible. In the attack it did fairly well, without -heavy loss. The morale was fair. - - - - - 8th. Bavarian Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │15 Bav. Res. │18 Bav. Res. │15 Bav. Res. │18 Bav. Res. - │ │19 Bav. Res. │ │19 Bav. Res. - │16 Bav. Res. │22 Bav. Res. │16 Bav. Res. │22 Bav. Res. - │ │23 Bav. Res. │ │23 Bav. Res. - │ │ │ Wurtt. Mountain Btn. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Cavalry. │8 Bav. Res. Cav. Detch. │8 Bav. Res. Cav. Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │8 Bav. Res. F. A. Rgt. │8 Bav. Res. F. A. Rgt. - │9 Bav. Res. F. A. Rgt. │9 Bav. Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│9 Bav. Res. Pion. Co. │8 Bav. Res. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │9 Bav. Res. Pion. Co. - │ │208 Bav. T. M. Co. - │ │8 Bav. Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │8 Bav. Res. Tel. Detch. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │8 Bav. Res. Cyclist Co. - │ │ - │ │81 Anti-Aircraft Section. - │ │ - │ │6 Bav. Labor Btn. - │ │64 Labor Btn. - │ │69 Labor Btn. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │15 Bav. Res. │18 Bav. Res. │15 Bav. Res. │19 Bav. Res. - │ │19 Bav. Res. │ │22 Bav. Res. - │16 Bav. Res. │22 Bav. Res. │ │23 Bav. Res. - │ │23 Bav. Res. │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │8 Bav. Res. Cav. Detch. │8 Bav. Res. Cav. Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │8 Bav. Art. Command: │8 Bav. Art. Command: - │ 8 Bav. Res. F. A. Rgt. │ 9 Bav. Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ 9 Bav. Res. F. A. Rgt. │ 19 Bav. Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 105 Bav. Light Am. Col. - │ │ 171 Bav. Light Am. Col. - │ │ 172 Bav. Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(20 Bav.) Pion. Btn.: │20 Bav. Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 5 Bav. Res. Pion. Co. │ 8 Bav. Res. Pion. Co. - │ 8 Bav. Res. Pion. Co. │ 9 Bav. Res. Pion. Co. - │ 9 Bav. Res. Pion. Co. │ 20 Bav. Searchlight Section. - │ 208 Bav. T. M. Co. │ 208 Bav. T. M. Col. - │ 3 Bav. Res. Searchlight │408 Bav. Signal Command: - │ Section. │ - │ 803 Tel. Detch. │ 408 Bav. Tel. Detch. - │ │ 99 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │18 Bav. Ambulance Co. │18 Bav. Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │30 Bav. Ambulance Co. │65 Bav. Field Hospital. - │55 Bav. Field Hospital. │57 Bav. Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │753 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │8 Bav. Res. Cyclist Co. │1 Landst. Inf. Btn. 10 C. - │ │ Dist. - │ │1, 2, and 3 Abtls. 24 Res. F. - │ │ A. Rgt. - │ │69 Ldw. Ft. A. Btn. - │ │14, 33, and 34 Mortar Btries. - │ │52 Searchlight Section. - │ │94 Pion. Btn. - │ │66 Balloon Sqn. - │ │115 Observation Section. - │ │2 Sound Ranging Section. - │ │286 Reconnaisance Flight. - │ │ Elements attached in - │ │ October, 1918. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (19th Bavarian Reserve: First Bavarian District. 22d Bavarian Reserve: - Second Bavarian District. 23d Bavarian Reserve: Third Bavarian - District.) - - - 1915. - - -ALSACE. - -1. The division was organized in January, 1915 (second series of new -reserve divisions) and was identified on the front for the first time at -the beginning of February, 1915, in the valley of the Lauch and at -Hartmannswillerkopf. It fought at the end of February in the region of -Munster-Metzeral-Sultzeren. On the 24th it took part in the attack of -Reichackerkopf and lost heavily. - -2. Since that time and until May the division remained in the same -sector of Alsace. - - -GALICIA. - -3. Relieved at the end of May and sent to Galicia, where it became part -of the 11th Army and cooperated in the capture of Przemsl June 3. - - -ALSACE. - -4. Returned to the Western Front at the beginning of July and went to -rest in the region of Schelestadt (Alsace); then went into line again -about July 14 in the valley of the Fecht (Reichackerkopf-Metzeral). It -repulsed an attack of the French July 20 at Reichackerkopf. - - - 1916. - - -ALSACE. - -1. The division remained in Alsace, sector of Metzeral-Sondernach, for a -year from July, 1915, to July, 1916. During this period it did not take -part in any action. - - -SOMME. - -2. About July 10, 1916, it entrained at Mulhouse, Colmar, and -Pfaffenheim, south of Colmar, and went to the Somme, south of Péronne, -and was in reserve until July 20. July 21 and 22 it was engaged between -Maurepas and Guillemont (the 23d Bavarian Reserve was detached and went -to the east of Estrees). - -3. Relieved August 15 after suffering heavy losses during the attacks of -July 30 and August 12. Reorganized in the region of St. Quentin, then -went back into line for a short time west of Roye at the beginning of -September. - -4. Withdrawn from the region of Roye in the middle of September and sent -to the Roumanian front October 13 to 23, via Mons-Maubeuge-Namur- -Liége—Aix-la-Chapelle-Cologne-Cassel-Halle-Leipzig-Prague-Brunn- -Budapest-Arad. - - - 1917. - - -ROUMANIA. - -5. Took part in the operations on the frontier of Transylvania in the -region of the Oltu in October to November and in the valley of the -Trotus in December. - - -GALICIA. - -2. In July it left Roumania and went to Galicia. At the end of July it -was in the region of Nowitza. August 27 it fought at Bojan. In September -it was at Czernowitz and went to rest near Radautz in Bukowina beginning -September 6. After being reviewed by the Emperor September 27 it was -filled up again (men of the 1918 class with less than four months’ -training were sent to the 22d Reserve Infantry) and sent to the Western -Front. - - -BELGIUM. - -3. It entrained October 15 at Kolomea. Itinerary: Stanislau-Lemberg- -Cracow-Leipzig-Northeim-Paderborn-Aix la Chapelle-Liege-Louvain-Malines- -Brussels-Bruges, and detrained at Thourout October 23. - -4. October 26 the division took over the Aschhoop sector near Dixmude. - - - RECRUITING. - -It seems to come from all over Bavaria. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The division had no serious fighting from August, 1916, on. Its losses -on the Eastern Front were few. It was trained especially for mountain -warfare, and they carried on this sort of warfare for a long time in -Alsace, Galicia, and Roumania. - - - 1918. - -1. On January 24 the division was relieved at Dixmude and sent to Ghent -for rest. From there it was transferred to Courtrai. - - -BELGIUM. - -2. It relieved the 7th Division in the Becelaere sector on February 4, a -quiet part at that time, and remained until March 7, when it was in turn -relieved by the 7th Division. - - -BATTLE OF THE LYS. - -3. It rested at Ostend until the Lys battle began, when it returned to -attack on April 9 in the Estaires sector, which was defended by -Portuguese. It advanced toward Calonne sur Lys, where it was withdrawn -about April 14. The losses were 50 per cent of the effectives in this -fighting. - - -WOEVRE. - -4. Upon relief the division entrained on April 20 at Roubaix and moved -to Conflans. On May 11 it relieved the 78th Reserve Division north of -Seicheprey. It was in line in this sector until June 27. A draft of 300 -men were received late in June. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -5. The division rested at Conflans until July 4. It was then moved to -Wassigny (north of Rethel) on the 5th. It marched toward the front by -Herpy and St. Remy July 8 to 14. It was in reserve on July 15 east of -Reims, in support of the 15th Bavarian Division. The division was not -actively engaged in this offensive. - -6. Withdrawn from Champagne, the division marched toward the front south -of the Vesle by Warnerville, Soivre, and Jonchery, Vendeuil. - - -VESLE. - -7. It was engaged west of Reims (St. Euphraise, Vrigny) between July 22 -and August 8. - -8. About August 22 the division arrived in the area northeast of Ath -from the Aisne front to refit and train. - - -ARDENNES. - -9. It was engaged west of La Pompelle on September 20, retreating to the -Suippe, south of Bazancourt, about October 1, then toward Chateau -Porcien and Faizy. It was relieved about October 15. - -10. It rested for 10 days at Son and St. Fergeux, receiving 150 to 200 -men per regiment as drafts. - -11. On the 25th the division returned to line in the Chateau Porcien -sector. It retired in November by Son, Chappes, Dommely, and La Romagn, -where it was last identified on November 7. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as a first-class division, though it was -considered as a shade under the class of the best divisions. It fought -hard on the Lys, losing but 1 prisoner. It was not used later as an -attack division. The morale was good. - - - - - 8th. Cavalry Division. - - - COMPOSITION.[7] - - ───────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────── - │ 1918 - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┬─────────────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┼─────────────────────── - Cavalry. │39 Cav. │Guard Reiter. - │ │17 Uhlan. - │40 Cav. │Karabinier. - │ │21 Uhlan. - │38 Cav. │2 Jager. - │ │6 Jag. - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┴─────────────────────── - Artillery. │12 Horse Art. Det. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Engineers and Liaisons.│Pion. Detch. - │8 M. G. Btry. - │260 Searchlight Section. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Medical and Veterinary.│54 Field Hospital. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Attached. │44 Cav. Brig.: - │11 Horse Jag. Rgt. - │9 Res. Uhlan Schutzen Rgt. - │87 Cav. Schutzen Rgt. - │89 Cav. Schutzen Rgt. - │7 Landst. Inf. Rgt. - ───────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────────────────────── - -Footnote 7: - - At the time of its dissolution, April, 1918. - - - HISTORY. - - - 1918. - -The division continued on the Eastern Front, employed in small police -detachments, until about April 1, when it was dissolved. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as a fourth-class division. - - - - - 9th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │17. │19. │17. │19. │18. │7 Gren. - │ │58. │ │58. │ │19. - │18. │7 Gren. │18. │7 Gren. │ │154. - │ │154. │ │154. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │1 Uhlan Regt. │ │1 and 2 Sqns., 1 - │ │ │ Uhlan Regt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │9 Brig.: │9 Brig.: │9 Brig.: - │ 5 F. A. Rgt. │ 5 F. A. Rgt. │ 5 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ 41 F. A. Rgt. │ 41 F. A. Rgt. │ 41 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. │1 Pion. Btn. No. 5: - Liaisons. │ │ 55: │ - │ │ Field Co. 5 Pions.│ 1 Co. 5 Pions. - │ │ 9 Pont. Engs. │ 9 Pont. Engs. - │ │ 9 Tel. Detch. │ 9 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ 9 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │37 Searchlight - │ │ │ Section. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │18. │7 Gren. │18. │7. - │ │19. │ │19. - │ │154. │ │154. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 1 Horse Jag.│2 Sqn. 1 Horse Jag. - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │9 Art. Command: │9 Art. Command: - │ 5 F. A. Rgt. │ 5 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ (except 4 Abt.) - │ │ 2 Abt. 6 Res. Ft. - │ │ A. Rgt. (5, 6, - │ │ and 12 Btries.). - │ │ 907 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1175 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1201 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│120 Pion. Btn.: │120 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Co. 5 Pions. │ 5 Co. 5 Pions. - │ 5 Co. 5 Pions. │ 1 Co. 5 Pions. - │ 9 T. M. Co. │ 9 T. M. Co. - │ 304 Searchlight │ 194 Searchlight - │ Section. │ Section. - │ 9 Tel. Detch. │9 Signal Command: - │ │ 9 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 53 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │14 Ambulance Co. │14 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │45 Field Hospital. │48 Field Hospital. - │48 Field Hospital. │52 Field Hospital. - │52 Field Hospital. │9 Vet. Hospital. - │9 Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │542 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │37 Searchlight │ - │ Section. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Fifth District—Lower Silesia.) - - - 1914. - - -COTES DE MEUSE. - -1. The 9th Division with the 10th Division, formed the 5th Army Corps -(Posen), and at the beginning of the war was part of the 5th Army -(German Crown Prince). Detrained August 9 to 10 in annexed Lorraine, -near Bouzonville, and fought August 22 at Virton. After a number of -marches and countermarches in Woevre, it established itself during the -first days of September with the 10th Division in a sector of Cotes de -Meuse (Calonne trench). It remained there about two years from -September, 1914, to September, 1916, with rest billets in the villages -of the Woevre at the foot of the hills (Thillot, Woël, Hannonville, -etc.). - - - 1915. - - -LES EPARGES. - -1. In the spring of 1915 it took part in the battles of Les Eparges -where it suffered heavily. In March it transferred its 58th Infantry to -the 119th Division, newly formed, which was operating in Galicia -beginning with April. - - - 1916. - - -VERDUN. - -1. At the beginning of September, 1916, the division was withdrawn from -the sector of Calonne trench and relieved the 14th Bavarian Division in -the woods of Vaux Chapitre (Verdun). In this last sector it suffered -huge losses. October 24, 1916, it lost 700 men captured. - -2. Relieved at the beginning of November and reorganized with men of all -ages from depots of the Fifth District. - -3. November 4 it entrained behind Douaumont; was sent to the Aisne and -put in the line November 8 in the sector of Nouvron, where it remained -until the middle of February, 1917. - - - 1917. - - -COTES DE MEUSE. - -1. Entrained at Laon during the last two weeks of February, 1917, and -sent to Vigneulles, via Charleville-Conflans-Chambley; and again went -into the sector of Calonne trench between February 18 and the end of -April. - - -CALIFORNIE PLATEAU. - -2. Relieved at the end of April and sent from Mars la Tour-Vigneulles -(via Conflans-Sedan-Liart) to the region of Rozoy sur Serre. After a few -days’ rest in the vicinity of Sissonne it was engaged beginning May 6 in -the attacks on the plateaus of Vauclerc and Californie, where some of -its regiments suffered heavy losses, especially on the Winterberg. - -3. Beginning May 18 the division did not attack any more but merely held -the sector (Californie-Chevreux les Courtines). However, our attack of -May 22 to 24 caused it heavy losses. - -4. At the end of May the 9th Division was replaced by the 41st Division. -It received reinforcements. (The 19th Infantry received 200 men June 14. -About May 25, 60 men of the 1918 class were sent to the 6th Company of -this regiment.) From May 13 to June 13 the 10th Company of the 154th -Infantry received 68 men at least, most of them of the 1918 class. - -5. About June 17–18 the division appeared in the sector of Juvincourt, -where it attacked on the night of August 4–5 without success. Relieved -about September 8 without having losses in this last sector. - - -CHEMIN DES DAMES. - -6. During September it was sent to rest in the region of Pierrepont- -Missy-Liesse. Engaged in the sector of Bovettes-Pargny-Filain from -October 23 to 27 and withdrawn from this front at the beginning of -November after some of its regiments had suffered heavy losses during -the battle of October 23 to 25. - -7. About the middle of November the division went to the sector of -Chevregny, after a rest of about two weeks in the region of Laon, during -which it was filled up again. It held this sector until the beginning of -December. December 8 it was in the vicinity of Laon. January 11, 1918, -some of the units were at Liesse. - - - RECRUITING. - -The division (Fifth District) was recruited in Lower Silesia, where the -German population is much more numerous than the Polish population. -Although it received men from the Second and Third Districts in 1913 and -men from the Seventh District in 1916, it could without great difficulty -get all its men from its original territory. Its replacements come -almost entirely from Lower Silesia, and in emergency from Silesia. It is -more homogeneous than the 10th Division, where the Polish elements have -to be balanced off by Germans. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Among the various German units which were engaged in front of Verdun and -at Californie Plateau, the 9th Division was one of those which showed -the least resistance. - - - 1918. - -1. The division was relieved on the Chemin des Dames front on December -29 and went to rest and train in the Guise area until the middle of -March, when it proceeded to the battle front. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -2. It was at Marcyon March 20. On the 21st it followed up the attack -without being engaged through Happencourt, Artemps, Tugny, Dury, Pithon, -Ham, and Nesle (Mar. 25). It was engaged on the 26th near Roye and -advanced by Montdidier to west of Mesnil-St. Georges March 27–28. Its -attack of March 30 on Ayencourt-Royancourt met with heavy losses. - - -MONTDIDIER. - -3. The division was withdrawn on April 1 for a short rest, during which -it received a draft of 400 men. It returned to line southwest of -Montdidier and was in line from April 5 to 8. - -4. Until the 18th it was in reserve near La Boissiere and later near -Nesle until April 24. - -5. It rested near Hirson and Vervins during May, again receiving drafts -to the number of 300 men. - - -BATTLE OF THE AISNE. - -6. On May 20 it marched by night stages to the Aisne front, passing -through Froidmont, Verneuil sur Serre, and Bruyeres. On the opening day -it advanced in reserve by Presles, Monampteuil, and Pargny Filain. It -was engaged on the 28th at Sancy-Vregny and advanced in the first line -south of Soissons, Venizel, Missy sur Aisne, Courmelles, Noyant, -Chazelle, and Poisy (May 30). Its losses in front of Chazelle were -particularly heavy. It was relieved on June 8. An official German -document gives the division losses between May 28 and June 2 as 96 -officers and 2,830 men. - -7. It rested in the vicinity of Rethel and Novion-Porcien (June 15 to -July 7) and reconstituted by drafts. It moved toward the Aisne front on -July 10, going into reserve northeast of Rheims for a week. Alerted on -the 17th it moved to Oulchy le Chateau. - - -SECOND BATTLE OF THE MARNE. - -8. The division was engaged near Hartennes and Varcy from July 20 to -August 2. It was driven back on Fismes on that date and relieved the -next day. - -9. In August it rested and trained near Vailly and in the vicinity of -Laon. After the 24th it was north of Rheims. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -10. The division was engaged east of La Pompelle from September 20 to -the beginning of October. On the 3d it was forced back on Isles -Bazancourt, and later to Nanteuil sur Aisne. On October 17 it was -relieved. - -11. Two days later it was entrained for Flanders, but at Mons directed -toward Avesnes and La Capelle. - -12. Its last engagement was north of Guise from October 21 to November -4; then near Novin and Avesnes. 1,800 prisoners were taken on November -4. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as a first-class division. Its performance in -1918 was not of the best, however. It was engaged in the Somme, Aisne, -and Marne actions without winning special credit. Discipline was -reported to be lax, and morale poor at the end. - - - - - 9th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │17 Res. │6 Res. │17 Res. │19 Res. │17 Res. │6 Res. - │ │7 Res. │ │7 Res. │ │19 Res. - │ │19 Res. │ │6 Res. │ │102 - │ │ │ │ │ │ (Ldw.). - │ │5 Res. │ │5 Res. │ │5 Res. - │ │ Jag. │ │ Jag. │ │ Jag. - │ │ Btn. │ │ Btn. │ │ Btn. - │ │ │ │ │ │98 Res. - │ │ │ │ │ │395. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Res. Dragoon Rgt.│ │3 Res. Dragoon Rgt. - │ (3 Sqns.). │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │9 Res. F. A. Rgt. │9 Res. F. A. Rgt. │9 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (6 Btries.). │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│4 Field Co. 2 Pion.│4 Field Co. 2 Pion.│4 Co. 2 Pion. Btn. - Liaisons. │ Btn. No. 5. │ Btn. No. 5 │ No. 5. - │2 Res. Co. 2 Pion. │2 Res. Co. 2 Pion. │2090 T. M. Co. - │ Btn. No. 5. │ Btn. No. 5 │ - │ │9 Res. Pont. Engs. │9 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │9 Res. Tel. Detch. │9 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │18 Res. │6 Res. │18 Res. │6 Res. - │ │19 Res. │ │19 Res. - │ │395. │ │395. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │1 and 3 Sqns. 3 │3 Sqn. 3 Res. Drag. - │ Res. Dragoon Rgt.│ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │97 Art. Command: │97 Art. Command: - │ │ - │ 9 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ 9 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.). │ - │ │ 29 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ (Staff and 1 and - │ │ 3 Btries.). - │ │ 735 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1287 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1361 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│309 Pion. Btn.: │309 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 4 Co. 55 Pions. │ 4 Co. 5 Pions. - │ │ - │ 1 Res. Co. 18 │ 1 Res. Co. 18 - │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ 209 T. M. Co. │ 209 T. M. Co. - │ 409 Tel. Detch. │ 29 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │409 Signal Command: - │ │ 409 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 28 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │519 Ambulance Co. │519 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Field Hospital. │13 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │25 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │ │409 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │708 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Fifth District—Posen.) - - - 1914. - -The division was part of the 5th Reserve Corps with the 10th Reserve -Division. - - -MEUSE-WOEVRE. - -1. At the beginning of the war it belonged to the 5th German Army -(Imperial Crown Prince). Concentrated in the region of Sarrebruck and -crossed the southern part of Belgian Luxemburg; fought August 22 near -Ville en Montois and September 1 in the region of Consenvoye-Flabas, and -was kept east of the Meuse near Sivry September 2. Toward the end of -September and the beginning of October the division sent a few units to -the left bank of the Meuse (Forges-Malancourt-Chattancourt). The -division established itself in Woevre during the last two weeks of -October and at the beginning of November in the region Etraye-Wavrille- -Romagne, where it did some fighting at Maucourt November 10. - - -FLANDERS. - -2. About November 13 the division was sent from the region of Verdun to -Flanders. Some units of the division fought near Poelcappelle and south -of Bixschoote in support of the 3d Reserve Corps. It suffered very heavy -losses. - -3. Again sent to Woevre during the month of December. - - - 1915. - - -WOEVRE. - -1. In January, 1915, the division held the region Gincrey-Etrain-Warcq. -It remained in this section during the whole of 1915 and until the end -of February, 1916. In April it transferred its 7th Reserve Infantry to -form the 121st Division. - - - 1916. - - -VERDUN. - -1. A few days before the Verdun offensive (end of February, 1916,) the -regiments of the division were relieved. The 6th Reserve and the 19th -Reserve organized with their best units one attack battalion each. These -battalions took part with the 15th Army Corps in the violent action at -the beginning and suffered heavy losses. - -2. March 7 its units were reorganized behind the front and the division -advanced through Maucourt-Ornes and established itself north of Vaux. -March 9 and 10 the three regiments of the division attacked successfully -the village and fort of Vaux. They were repulsed nearly everywhere with -very heavy losses. - -3. About March 12 the division was relieved from before Vaux and sent to -rest in the region of Senon-Amel. - -4. Went back into line about March 20 south of Damploup. It did not -attack any more, but bombardments caused it heavy losses. - -5. Relieved about the end of April and sent to rest in the vicinity of -Saverne (Alsace) until June 12. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -6. About June 20 it went into line in Champagne (sector of Souain- -Tahure) but did not take part in any important action. - - -SOMME. - -7. Withdrawn from the front about September 20 or 25 and sent to the -Somme. Engaged between the eastern limit of Bouchavesnes and the main -Péronne road until October 18. It had a few losses. - -8. After a period of rest, probably in the vicinity of Vouziers, it was -again sent to the Somme, first behind the front southeast of Bapaume -December 1, then about December 17 in line in the sector of Bouchavenes- -Bois de St. Pierre-Vaast until February, 1917. - - - 1917. - -1. In February, 1917, the division held on the Somme the sector north of -the Ancre—south of Achiet le Petit. - -2. Withdrawn from the front about March 10 and sent to rest in the -region of Cambrai, and was established on a new front about March 20 -west of Catelet near Gouzeaucourt, Villers Guislain. - - -ARTOIS. - -3. About April 15 it was relieved and went into line south of the -Scarpe, northeast of Monchy le Preaux, from the beginning of May till -the beginning of June. - - -FLANDERS. - -4. It was again at the front east of Armentieres from the middle of June -till about July 10, then after a rest in the vicinity of Ghent it was in -line on the Ypres road at Menin, east of Klein-Zillebeke, from August 10 -to September 25, and fought especially on the 20th, on which date it -suffered heavily. The 11th Company of the 6th Reserve Infantry was -reduced to 20 men, and the 12th to 27. The 19th Reserve Infantry had the -same losses. The 3d Company of the 395th Infantry lost half of its men. -(Summary of information Sept. 21 and Oct. 24, 1917.) - - -CAMBRAI. - -5. Reorganized in the region of Cambrai and from that time on held -various sectors of this front. It fought November 23 to 30 at Banteux, -Masnières, and in December south of Marcoing. In January, 1918, it was -at La Vacquerie and was relieved there February 21. - - - RECRUITING. - -The Province of Posen, with a few units from other districts, for -example the ninth, to reduce the proportion of Poles. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The division fought well in many battles at the end of 1917, especially -east of Ypres and before Cambrai. - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -1. The division reinforced the front southwest of Cambrai on March 22 -and advanced by Montauban-Maricourt to west of Albert. It was relieved -about the 1st of April. After losing heavily in the offensive it was -withdrawn. - - -LENS. - -2. It came into line in the quiet sector near Lens about April 10, -relieving the 12th Reserve Division. On the 23d it shifted its sector -south to Avion. The 12th Reserve Division returned from the Lys front to -relieve it on about April 29. - -3. The division moved north and entered the battle line in the Festubert -sector on April 29. It continued in this sector until September 27, -effecting only local reliefs. It reentered at once at Marcoing on -September 29. A month later it arrived at Ath from line and went into -line on November 2 at Hermes. The last identification was at Ellezelle -on November 10. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as a second-class division. During 1918 its -length of stay on the British front was remarkable. Nothing is known of -its morale or losses. - - - - - 9th Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │43 Ldw. │32 Ldw. │76 Ldw. │79 Ldw. - │ │83 Ldw. │ │83 Ldw. - │49 Mixed Ldw. │116 Ldw. │49 Ldw. │116 Ldw. - │ │118 Ldw. │ │118 Ldw. - │ │56 Ldw. │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │Ldw. Cav. Rgt. (18 C. Dist.).│Ldw. Cav. Rgt. (18 C. Dist.). - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │Ldw. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│1 Ldw. Pion. Co. (18 C. │2 Ldw. Pion. Co. (10 C. - Liaisons. │ Dist.). │ Dist.). - │ │1 Ldw. Pion. Co. (18 C. - │ │ Dist.). - │ │309 T. M. Co. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │76 Ldw. │83 Ldw. │76 Ldw. │83 Ldw. - │ │116 Ldw. │ │116 Ldw. - │ │118 Ldw. │ │118 Ldw. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 4 Res. Drag. Rgt. │1 Sqn. 4 Res. Drag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │9 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. - │ 9 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(409) Pion. Btn.: │409 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 2 Ldw. Pion. Co. (10 C. │ 2 Ldw. Co. 10 C. Dist. - │ Dist.). │ Pions. - │ 1 Ldw. Pion. Co. (18 C. │ 1 Ldw. Co. 18 C. Dist. - │ Dist.). │ Pions. - │ 309 T. M. Co. │ 309 T. M. Co. - │ 509 Tel. Detch. │ 183 Searchlight Section. - │ │509 Signal Command: - │ │ 509 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 136 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │566 Ambulance Co. │566 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │62 Field Hospital. │62 Field Hospital. - │86 Field Hospital. │13 Ldw. Field Hospital. - │396 Field Hospital. │509 Vet. Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │221 M. T. Col. │ - │904 M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │151 Labor Btn. │ - │171 Labor Btn. │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (83d Landwehr: Eleventh District—Thuringia and Electoral Hesse. 116th - Landwehr and 118th Landwehr: Eighteenth District—Grand Duchy of Hesse.) - - - 1915. - - -ARGONNE. - -1. This division was organized in the Argonne at the beginning of 1915 -from infantry units in sector in that region and in Champagne. The 43d -Landwehr Brigade detrained at Boulay (Lorraine) August 20, 1914, and -fought in the Woevre the 24th. The 49th Landwehr Brigade was sent to -Luxemburg August 20, followed the Eighteenth Reserve Corps, and took -part with it in the battle of the Marne. In October the two brigades -were in the Argonne. - -2. From the time of its organization did not leave the Argonne. From the -beginning of 1915 it held the sector at or near the Aisne (north of -Ville sur Tourbe and north of Vienne le Chateau). - - - 1916. - - -ARGONNE. - -1. Sector north of Vienne le Chateau, from the region of Rouvroy to the -ravine of Fontaine aux Charmes. - - - 1917. - - -ARGONNE. - -1. Sector north of Vienne le Chateau. - - - RECRUITING. - -83d Landwehr: Electorate Hesse and Thuringia. 116th and 118th Landwehr: -Grand Duchy of Hesse and Rhenish country. The document of July 11, 1917, -calls the two regiments in question “Rhenish.” - -At the end of 1917 and during the first months of 1918 the division -exchanged a large number of men with the divisions stationed near it, -which modified its regional composition to a certain degree. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Sector division. (1918.) - -The division had one storm company in July, 1917, and each regiment had -a “Stosstrupp.” - - - 1918. - -The division continued to hold the sector in the Argonne Woods until the -American attack on September 26. It was engaged on the opening days and -withdrew on the 28th. The shattered elements were re-formed and -reentered at once on the extreme right flank of the 4th French Army in -the vicinity of the Aisne. The last identification was at Villers sur le -Mont on November 10. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as a fourth-class division. On the defensive it -showed some fighting ability. - - - - - 9th Bavarian Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918[8] - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │17 Bav. │11 Bav. │17 Bav. │11 Bav. │17 Bav. │11 Bav. - │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. - │ │14 Bav. │ │14 Bav. │ │14 Bav. - │ │ Res. │ │ Res. │ │ Res. - │ │3 Bav. │ │3 Bav. │ │3 Bav. - │ │ Ers. │ │ Ers. │ │ Ers. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │1 Sqn. 1 Bav. Res. │1 Sqn. 1 Bav. Res. - │ │ Cav. Rgt. │ Cav. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │11 Bav. Res. F. A. │9 Bav. Art. │9 Bav. Art. - │ Rgt. (9 Btries.).│ Command: │ Command: - │ │ 11 Bav. Res. F. A.│ 11 Bav. Res. F. A. - │ │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │(21) Pion. Btn.: │8 Bav. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ 8 Bav. Pion. Co. │12 Bav. Res. Pion. - │ │ │ Co. - │ │ 12 Bav. Res. Pion.│209 Bav. T. M. Co. - │ │ Co. │ - │ │ 209 Bav. T. M. Co.│409 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 409 Tel. Detch. │105 Bav. Wireless - │ │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │13 Bav. Ambulance │13 Bav. Ambulance - Veterinary.│ │ Co. │ Co. - │ │30 Bav. Field │30th Bav. Field - │ │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │ │58 Bav. Field │58th Bav. Field - │ │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │ │29 Bav. Vet. │29 Bav. Vet. - │ │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │ │30 Bav. Vet. │ - │ │ Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │M. T. Col. │M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - -Footnote 8: - - Composition at time of dissolution, July 24. - - - HISTORY. - - (Third Bavarian District—Upper Palatinate, Upper and Middle Franconia.) - - - 1916. - -1. This division was formed at the beginning of October, 1916, at Caudry -and vicinity, and was one of the series of divisions organized at that -time from drafts of units from already existing divisions. - - -AISNE. - -2. Went into line at the beginning of October east of Craonne, in the -sector of Ville au Bois. - -3. At the beginning of December it was sent to rest between Cambrai and -Le Cateau. - - - 1917. - - -SOMME. - -1. The division was sent to the Somme and sent in its regiments singly -to reinforce the sectors of Saillisel and Transloy in January, 1917. - - -AISNE. - -2. At the beginning of February the division was sent back to the region -of Laon-La Malmaison. It returned to the sector of Ville au Bois, where -it opposed the French offensive of April 16 and lost 2,300 captured and -many casualties; the 2d and 3d Battalions of the 14th Reserve Infantry -were almost all taken prisoners. - - -LORRAINE. - -3. Relieved April 20 and sent to Lorraine, where it occupied the sector -of Moncel-Arracourt May 1 to the beginning of August. - - -FLANDERS. - -4. August 1 it entrained at St. Avold for Flanders. Detrained at Roulers -and was placed in reserve in the region Staden-Zarren from August 9 to -16. It fought August 17 north of Ypres at Bixschoote-Langemarck, -suffered heavy losses, and remained in line only three days. - - -WOEVRE. - -5. August 24 it took over the sector of the Apremont forest near St. -Mihiel until the end of October. - - -FLANDERS. - -6. Returned to Flanders and sent to rest in the vicinity of Bruges and -Ostend in October and November. About November 22 it went into line in -the sector of Lombartzyde and left it at the beginning of December. - - -CAMBRAI. - -7. It returned almost immediately to the front south of Cambrai -(Gonnelieu-Villers-Guislain) in December, then to the sector of -Hargicourt in January, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -Almost entirely from the Third Bavarian District-Upper Palatinate, Upper -and Lower Franconia. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The division opposed a considerable resistance to the French attack of -April 16, 1916, and gave proof of good qualities and defense. - - - 1918. - -1. The division was not engaged on March 21, being in reserve near -Estrees from the 21st to the 24th. It was then used to clear up the -ground near Bellenglise until March 27. It marched to the front by Mont -St. Quentin, Vermandovillers, and Harvonnieres. - - -VILLERS BRETONNEUX. - -2. From April 4 to 21 it was engaged near Villers Bretonneux. In the -counterattack of the opening day a battalion of the 11th Bavarian -Reserve Regiment ran away. For a week the division was in reserve south -of Bray sur Somme. On April 27 it returned to line northeast of Villers -Bretonneux, remaining until May 6. - -3. It rested west of St. Quentin from May 11 to 17. - - -BATTLE OF THE MATZ. - -4. On the 19th the division entered the line on the Oise east of Noyon. -After the 26th it was in front of Noyon. The division took part in the -attack of June 6 on Suzay-Thiescourt-Passel. Relieved about the middle -of June, the division was disbanded about June 27. Its regiments were -turned into the 12th Bavarian Division. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as a second-class division. It was inferior to -the other Bavarian units. Its morale was bad prior to its dissolution. - - - - - 9th Cavalry Division. - - - COMPOSITION.[9] - - ───────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────── - │ 1918 - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┬─────────────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┼─────────────────────── - Cavalry. │13 Cav. │4 Cuirassier. - │ │8 Hus. - │14 Cav. │11 Hus. - │ │5 Uhlan. - ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┴─────────────────────── - Artillery. │10 Horse Art. Abt. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Engineers and Liaisons.│5 M. G. Btry. - │7 M. G. Btry. - │9 Cav. Pion. Detch. - │415 T. M. Co. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Medical and Veterinary.│574 Ambulance Co. - ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── - Attached. │Saxon Res. Reiter Rgt. - │3 Heavy Res. Cav. Schutzen Rgt. - ───────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────────────────────── - -Footnote 9: - - At the time of its dissolution, June, 1918. - - - HISTORY. - - - 1918. - -The division was employed in police duty in the Ukraine until about July -1, when it was dissolved. - - - VALUE 1918—ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 10th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │19. │6 Gren. │19. │6 Gren. │20. │6 Gren. - │ │46. │ │46. │ │47. - │20. │47. │20. │47. │ │50. - │ │50. │ │50. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │1 Horse Jag. Rgt. │ │1 Horse Jag. Rgt. - │ │ │ (3 Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │10 Brig.: │10 Brig.: │10 Brig.: - │ 20 F. A. Rgt. │ 20 F. A. Rgt. │ 20 F. A. Rgt. - │ 56 F. A. Rgt. │ 56 F. A. Rgt. │ 56 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│2 Co. 5 Pions. │1 Pion. Btn. No. 5:│1 Pion. Btn. No. 5: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │3 Co. 5 Pions. │ 2 Co. 5 Pions. │ 2 Co. 5 Pions. - │ │ 3 Co. 5 Pions. │ 3 Co. 5 Pions. - │ │ Field Co. 16 │ 1 Res. Co. 27 - │ │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ │ 10 Pont. Engs. │ 10 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ 10 Tel. Detch. │ 10 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ 10 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │20. │6 Gren. │20. │6 Gren. - │ │47. │ │47. - │ │398. │ │398. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 1 Horse Jag.│3 Sqn. 1 Horse Jag. - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │10 Art. Command: │10 Art. Command: - │ 56 F. A. Rgt. │ 56 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 2 Abt. 11 Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. (5, 6, and 7 - │ │ Btries.). - │ │ 890 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1171 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1194 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 Pion. Btn. No. 5:│5 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 2 Co. 5 Pions. │ 2 Co. 5 Pions. - │ 3 Co. 5 Pions. │ 3 Co. 5 Pions. - │ 10 T. M. Co. │ 10 T. M. Co. - │ │ - │ 46 Heavy Field │ 70 Searchlight - │ Searchlight │ Section. - │ Section. │ - │ 10 Tel. Detch. │10 Signal Command: - │ 308 and 309 │ 10 Tel. Detch. - │ Searchlight │ - │ Sections. │ - │ │ 146 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │13 Ambulance Co. │13 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │46 Field Hospital. │218 Ambulance Co. - │50 Field Hospital. │46 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │50 Field Hospital. - │ │164 Field Hospital. - │ │10 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │543 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Fifth district—Posen.) - - - 1914. - -The 10th Division at mobilization belonged to the 5th Army Corps -(Posen). Detrained August 10 and 11 near Sarrelouis and belonged to the -5th Army (Prussian Crown Prince). Entered Luxemburg the 18th, passed -through Arlon the 20th, and left it on the evening of the 21st. - -1. Took part in the combat of August 22, 1914 at Ethe, near Virton, next -to the 9th Division. August 28 it was north of Thionville, expecting to -leave for Russia. August 30 it continued its march in the Woevre, -reached the Cotes de Meuse, and attacked the fort of Troyon September 7. - - -LES EPARGES. - -2. After the battle of the Marne it held the sector of the Cotes de -Meuse east of Verdun (Les Eparges-Callone) which it held almost all the -time until October 1916. Took part in the series of combats which took -place in this sector between April and July, 1915. - - - 1915. - -1. At the time of our offensive of September and October, 1915, in -Champagne, the 10th Division sent some of its units there, but they -returned to Woevre about December 10, 1915, after four weeks’ rest in -Lorraine. - - -WOEVRE. - -2. After this and until the beginning of October, 1916, the Division -held its sector of the Cotes de Meuse. - - - 1916. - - -VERDUN. - -1. In October 1916 the division was relieved and took over the sector of -Douaumon in November. It suffered heavy losses December 15, when the -French defeated it severely, and had to be withdrawn from the front. - - - 1917. - - -COTES DE MEUSE. - -1. Reorganized at the beginning of January, 1917, after a three weeks’ -rest in the region of Mars la Tour, and took over again its former -sector of the Cotes de Meuse at the beginning of March, remaining there -until the end of April. - - -AISNE. - -2. Entrained May 1 at Mars la Tour and sent via Conflans-Montmedy-Sedan- -Charleville-Hirson to the region north of the Aisne, where it took over -a sector northwest of Braye en Laonnois. It made an attack there May 18 -but did not lose very heavily. - -3. On June 20 it was relieved and sent to rest near Crecy sur Serre. -Left this region about July 25 and spent six days at Gizy and vicinity. - - -CHEMIN DES DAMES. - -4. On July 30 it went into line in the sector from Ailles to Hurtebise. -Its regiment suffered a great deal from our artillery fire. During the -attack of August 31 to September 1 the division suffered heavy losses. - -5. About September 15 the division was relieved. On the 20th it took -over the sector of St. Gobain. - -6. At the beginning of the French attack at the end of October an -emergency call was sent the 23d for some of the units of the division -which were at rest in the region of Crepy en Laonnois and during the -night of the 23d–24th they went into line to cover the retreat of the -divisions in line. - - -FOREST OF ST. GOBAIN. - -The greater part of the division remained in line in the forest of St. -Gobain during this attack. The division was relieved about the middle of -December; and on December 15 it was behind the St. Quentin front. At the -end of January 18 the division relieved the 211th division in the sector -of Ailles. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 10th Division differs from the 9th in that its normal recruiting -district (Province of Posen) is composed mostly of Poles. There are, -therefore, a large number of Poles in its ranks, but it is evident that -they are trying to mix them with Prussians, who are less liable to -desert. The 47th Infantry on December 15, 1916, before Verdun contained -men from the ninth and tenth districts. The 398th Infantry, whose -companies were taken from various divisions, for example the 9th, the -10th and the 103d, obtained from the 103d Division Hessian and -Thuringian units. There is the same variety in the 6th Grenadiers, which -contained at the end of 1912 besides the original drafts from the -district, men from the ninth and tenth districts, as well as from the -eighteenth district, the latter belonging to the trained Landsturm (2d -Bav.). - - - VALUE. - -Until the attack of Verdun, the 10th division always had the reputation -of being a good division composed of good units. At the time of the -attack of the French December 10, 1915, however, the division which was -in the sector north of Verdun did not seem to defend itself as -stubbornly as might be expected. It should, however, be noted that 15 -per cent of the forces were at that time weakened by sickness. During -the German attack of May 18, 1917, the 47th Infantry clearly gave the -impression that it was quite inferior to the two other regiments of the -division. (The presence of Poles in the 47th should be noted.) August -31, 1917 at the Chemin des Dames, the units of the 10th division -resisted well and counterattacked with vigor September 1. - - - 1918. - -1. The division was relieved in the Ailles on February 20 and went to -rest and train for a month. It was at Montcornet, later near Saint -Richaumont, Voulpaix, and La Vallee-aux-Bleds. It marched toward the St. -Quentin front on March 20, by Origny-St. Benoite and Itancourt. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -2. It was in the second line on March 21 and 22, advancing through -Urvillers and Essigny. It was engaged March 23 to 25, crossing the -Crozat Canal to the west of Jussy, Cugny, and Guiscard. It rested on the -25th and 26th. The division was reengaged on March 27 to the 30th in the -vicinity of Libermont, Ognolles, Beuvraignes (27th) Conchy les Pots -(28th–31st). The losses were heavy on the 27th and 28th. The division -passed into the second line on the 31st and then to reserve at Solente -(east of Roye) until the 30th of April. - -3. The division rested and trained from May 5 to 20 at Jeantes la Ville -and Nampcelle la Cour (east of Vervins). It received a draft of 800 men -on May 18. - -4. The division marched toward the Aisne front through Montigny le -Franc, Marchais, Montaigu, and Mauregny, May 25 and 26, by night. - - -BATTLE OF THE AISNE. - -5. It attacked on the Chemin des Dames on May 27, near Ailles, its -former sector. It was in the front line of the advance through Paissy, -Oeuilly, Barbonval, Blanzy, Bazoches (27th), Mareuil en Dole, (28th), -south of Fere en Tardenois, (29th), south of Beuvardes (30th), south of -Bouresches. It retired from the front about June 8. - - -BATTLE OF THE MARNE. - -6. The division was at rest near Sissonne after the middle of June to -July 7. It marched to the front via Eppes, Brenelle, Foret de Fere, July -7 to 11. It crossed the Marne on the morning of the 15th, by pontoons, -having passed through the sector of the 10th Ldw. Div. The division’s -objective was a line 8 klms. south of the river, which was to have been -reached by 11 a. m. The advance was completely checked by the American -Division (3d) south of the Marne. The division lost 400 prisoners and -many casualties. - -7. The division was taken out within a few days and rested at Arcy-St. -Restitute. It was engaged near Vierzy on the 26th and was thrown back on -the Vesle by August 1, when it was relieved. - - -THE WOEVRE. - -8. The division was taken to Athies-sous-Laon, where it entrained on -August 5 for Mars-la-Tour. The itinerary included Hirson, Charleville, -Sedan. It camped at Sponville until the night of August 18–19. It -relieved the 277th Division in the sector Richecourt, Lahayville, St. -Baussant. The division had absorbed the 255th Division, dissolved on -August 7, and its losses in men and material had been made up. The -division sustained the American attack of September 12 and was thrown -back north of Thiaucourt on Jaulny, Rembercourt. The division lost -heavily in casualties and prisoners. Practically the entire 3d Battalion -of the 398th Regiment was captured on the first day. It was taken out on -September 20. - - -MOSELLE. - -9. The division was reassembled at Loringen, near Metz. From the -dissolved 77th Reserve Division the 257th Reserve Regiment was turned -into the 6th Gren. Regiment (10th Division), the 419th into the 398th -Regiment, and the 332d into the 47th Regiment. Other drafts from Germany -were received to reconstitute the division. On the 5th of October the -division entered the sector east of the Moselle (Nomeny), where it -remained until October 28. - - -MEUSE-ARGONNE. - -10. The division returned to Metz and moved by rail for Pelte, via Metz- -Longuyon-Montmedy. It went into position on November 3 northwest of -Stenay. The last identification was on the Meuse on November 11. - - - VALUE. - -The division was rated as a first-class division. It behaved creditably -in the Somme and Aisne offensives. It was completely defeated on the -Marne, from which it never recovered. The inferior qualities of the -drafts received in August and September lowered the fighting value of -the division. - - - - - 10th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │18 Res. │37 Res. │19 Res. │37 Res. │19 Res. │37 Res. - │ │46 Res. │ │46 Res. │ │98 Res. - │77. │37 Fus. │ │98 Res. │77. │37 Fus. - │ │155. │77. │37 Fus. │ │155. - │ │ │ │155. │ │ - │ │ │ (37 Res. Rgt. │ │ - │ │ │ passed to 119 D. │ │ - │ │ │ April, 1915.) │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼───────────────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │6 Res. Uhlan Rgt. │6 Res. Uhlan Rgt. │6 Res. Uhlan Rgt. - │ (3 Sqns.). │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │10 Res. F. A. Rgt. │10 Res. F. A. Rgt. │10 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (6 Btries.). │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │Res. Co. 5 Pions. │1 Res. Co. 5 Pions. - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │10 Res. Pont. Engs.│210 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │10 Res. Tel. Detch.│10 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │10 Res. Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │77. │37 Res. │77. │37 Fus. - │ │37 Fus. │ │155. - │ │155. │ │37 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │(?) 6 Res. Uhlan │1 Sqn. 3 Res. Drag. - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │61 Art. Command: - │ │ - │ Res. F. A. (Regt. │ 10 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ Btries.). │ - │ │ 2 Abt. 66 F. A. - │ │ Rgt. - │ │ 1 Abt. 3 Res. Ft. - │ │ A. Rgt. - │ │ 736 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1107 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1123 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(310) Pion. Btn.: │310 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Res. Co. 5 │ 1 Res. Co. 5 - │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ 2 Res. Co. 5 │ 2 Co. 5 Res. - │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ 210 T. M. Co. │ 210 T. M. Co. - │ Tel. Detch. │ 192 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │410 Signal Command: - │ │ 410 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 1 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │505 Ambulance Co. │505 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │26 Res. Hospital │26 Res. Field - │ Field. │ Hospital. - │28 Res. Field │28 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │410 Vet. Hospital. │410 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │709 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │10 M. G. S. S. - │ │ Detch. - │ │254 Mountain M. G. - │ │ Detch. - │ │234 Reconnaissance - │ │ Flight. - │ │(Elements attached - │ │ Sept. 22, 1918.) - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Fifth District—Posen.) - - - 1914. - - -FRANCE. - -1. At mobilization the division, with the 9th Reserve Division, formed -the 5th Reserve Corps. It was part of the 5th Army (Crown Prince of -Prussia) and took part in the offensive which went around Verdun from -the north. It fought at Ville en Montois August 22, in the Region of -Consenvoiye-Flabas September 1, and in the vicinity of Sivry sur Meuse -September 2. It remained on the right bank of the Meuse until the end of -September. - - -MEUSE. - -2. About October 1 some of the units of the 10th Reserve Division were -sent to the left bank (Cuisy-Forges-Gercourt). - -3. At the beginning of November the division was regrouped in the region -of Damvillers (right bank). Took part in the attacks toward Azannes -November 10 and established itself in the sector of Consenvoye-Azannes -(northeast of Orne-Bois des Caures in November and December). - - - 1915. - -1. The division held the region east of Consenvoye-Flabas-Bois des -Caures-Azannes until the Verdun offensive February, 1916. - - -WOEVRE. - -2. At the end of September, 1915, at the beginning of the French attack -in Champagne, some units of the division (battalions of the 37th -Reserves and 98th Reserves were sent as reinforcements to vicinity of -Ville sur Tourbe and Massiges.) - - - 1916. - - -VERDUN. - -1. About February 15, 1916, the division was relieved from the sector on -the right bank of the Meuse and put in reserve. During the first days of -the offensive it engaged only a few attack battalions. Beginning March -12 it was in line before Vaux and Fort Vaux and had very heavy losses. -April 3 the 8th of the 37th Fusiliers received at least 64 replacements -(recuperated men who entered the service the preceding November and -recovered wounded and sick). - -2. The division was relieved at the end of April and sent to rest in the -region of Mulhouse from the beginning of May to June 12. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -3. Sent to Champagne and held the sector north of Tahure, south of Somme -Py, until September 20. - - -SOMME. - -4. After a few days rest it was sent to the Somme south of the St. -Pierre Wood-Vaast from October 5 to 15. It suffered very heavy losses -there. - -5. At rest for 13 days, then entrained, and went to Dun via Hirson- -Mézières-Charleville-Sedan October 23. - - -MORT HOMME. - -6. It held the sector of Mort Homme (left bank of the Meuse) from -October 28 to February 8, 1917. - - - 1917. - -1. The division was at rest in the middle of February, 1917, in the -region of Sedan, then of Dizy le Gros. - - -AISNE. - -2. At the beginning of March it went into line in the region of Berry au -Bac (from Hill 108 to Spigneul). It was relieved at the beginning of the -French attack April 16. The French artillery preparation caused it heavy -losses. - - -MORT HOMME-HILL 304. - -3. From April 24 to May 15 it was in line in its old sector—Cumierès- -Mort Homme—and from the middle of May till July 19 in the adjoining -sector—Hill 304-Avocourt Wood. It attacked June 28 and 29 and opposed -our counterattacks of July 12 to 17, suffering heavy losses. - -4. Withdrawn from the front about July 19. - -5. At rest near Sedan and reorganized (replacements from the Fifth -District and Eighteenth District (Frankfort on Main)). - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -6. It then took over the sector Vitry-Cernay les Reims about August 8. -Remained there until about October 27. - -7. November 9 it went into line north of Craonne in the region of -Chermizy-Bouconville (?). Some of the units of the division were not in -this sector. After a rest in the camp of Sissonne and at Poilcourt, end -of October to middle of December, they went into line in the sector -Miette-Aisne about December 17. About that date the division was -regrouped north of Berry au Bac, where it was still in February, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -Province of Posen. The differences were made up by the Sixth District -mostly. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The division is considered as a “big attack” division. In April, 1917, -in the region of Berry au Bac it executed a well-conducted attack on -Satigneul. The offensive value of the division showed itself again -during the attacks of June 28–29 of 1917 at Hill 304. - -There is no lack of volunteers for dangerous missions, and the motto of -the division is said to be: “Get after the enemy and beat ’em wherever -you find ’em.” The commanding general of the division and the colonel -commanding the 155th consider that their men are able to endure hard -battles (November, 1917). - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -1. The division was relieved about March 15 and sent to reenforce the -Somme front. It was engaged near Beaulieu les Fontaines on March 25–26, -where it remained until April 7. Heavy casualties were reported in this -offensive. - - -BATTLE OF THE AISNE. - -2. The division rested until May 27, when it took part in the offensive -at Mont Notre Dame. About June 15 it was withdrawn to Athies (Laon), -where it rested fallen until July 15. - - -SECOND BATTLE OF THE MARNE. - -3. On July 15 the division was again engaged south of the Marne at -Montvoisin and Oeuilly on the opening day. It retired from the Vesle -front, to which it had fallen back, about August 5. - - -VESLE. - -4. After resting three weeks at Asfeld the division returned to the -Vesle front on August 28 near Chalon sur Vesle and was engaged until -September 18. - -5. On the 18th the division was directed by stages to Laon and entered -the line south of Laon at Ferme-Colombe on the 22d. The division appears -to have been constantly in action until November 1, and possibly until -the armistice. It was successively identified at Chevrigny, Montceau le -Waast (Oct. 14), southeast of Toulle (Oct. 27), south of Banogne (Nov. -1). The last identification was at Maubert-Fontaine on November 10. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as a first-class division. It fought hard in most -of the offensives of the year, and when on the defensive put up a hard, -steady fight for two months without relief. - - - - - 10th Ersatz Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │37 Ers. │37, 38, │37 Ers. │37, 38, │25 Mixed │369. - │ │ 39, and│ │ 39, and│ Ers. │ - │ │ 40 │ │ 40 │ │ - │ │ Brig. │ │ Brig. │ │ - │ │ Ers. │ │ Ers. │ │ - │ │ Btns. │ │ Btns. │ │ - │25 Ers. │25, 26, │25 Ers. │25, 26, │ │368. - │ │ 27, 28,│ │ 27, 28,│ │ - │ │ and 79 │ │ and 79 │ │ - │ │ Brig. │ │ Brig. │ │ - │ │ Ers. │ │ Ers. │ │ - │ │ Btns. │ │ Btns. │ │ - │43 Ers. │43, 44, │43 Ers. │43, 44, │43 Mixed │370. - │ │ 76, and│ │ 76, and│ Ers. │ - │ │ 83 │ │ 83 │ │ - │ │ Brig. │ │ Brig. │ │ - │ │ Ers. │ │ Ers. │ │ - │ │ Btns. │ │ Btns. │ │ - │ │ │ │ │ │371. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │Ers. Cav. Detch. of│Ers. Cav. Detch. of│10 Cav. Sqn. - │ 25 Ers. Brig. │ 25 Ers. Brig. │ - │Ers. Cav. Detch. of│Ers. Cav. Detch. of│2 Sqn. Horse Jag. - │ 43 Ers. Brig. │ 43 Ers. Brig. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │1 Ers. Abt. (46 and│1 Ers. Abt. (46 and│94 F. A. Rgt. - │ 62 F. A. Rgts.). │ 62 F. A. Rgts.). │ - │1 Ers. Abt. (22 and│1 Ers. Abt. (22 and│95 F. A. Rgt. - │ 43 F. A. Rgts.). │ 43 F. A. Rgts.). │ - │1 Ers. Abt. (47 and│1 Ers. Abt. (47 and│ - │ 55 F. A. Rgts.). │ 55 F. A. Rgts.). │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 Ers. Co. 10 │1 Ers. Co. 10 │2 Res. Co. 27 - Liaisons. │ Pions. │ Pions. │ Pions. - │3 Ers. Co. 11 │3 Ers. Co. 11 │2 Ldw. Pion. Co. (3 - │ Pions. │ Pions. │ C. Dist.). - │ │2 Ldw. Pion. Co. (3│307 Pion. Co. - │ │ C. Dist.). │ - │ │ │309 Pion. Co. - │ │ │163 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │27 Balloon Sqn. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │43 Ers. │369. │43 Ers. │369. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │370. │ │370. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │371. │ │371. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 1 Horse Jag.│1 Sqn. 1 Horse Jag. - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - │Ers. Sqn. 2 Horse │ - │ Jag. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │95 F. A. Rgt. │95 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │156 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ - │ │1058 Light Am. Col. - │ │ - │ │1060 Light Am. Col. - │ │1065 Light Am. Col. - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│Pion. Btn.: │510 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Ers. Co. 10 │ 246 Pion. Co. - │ Pions. │ - │ 307 Pion. Co. │ 308 Pion. Co. - │ │ - │ 308 Pion. Co. │ 163 T. M. Co. - │ 163 T. M. Co. │ 57 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 261 Searchlight │560 Signal Command: - │ Section. │ - │ 304 Tel. Detch. │ 560 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 109 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │66 Ambulance Co. │66 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │139 Field Hospital.│139 Field Hospital. - │140 Field Hospital.│140 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │212 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │765 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (369th and 370th: Seventh District—Westphalia. 371st: Eleventh - District—Thuringia.) - - - 1914. - -This division was organized as early as August, 1914. It comprised the -25th, 37th, and 43d Mixed Ersatz Brigades, themselves constituted by the -Brigade Ersatz Battalions of the Tenth, Seventh, and Eleventh Districts -(Hanover, Oldenburg, Brunswick, Westphalia, Electoral Hesse, and -Thuringia). - - -LORRAINE. - -1. Detrained August 17 and 18 near Sarrelouis and brought quickly to the -rear of the 3d Bavarian Corps August 20, and crossed the frontier the -25th. September 7 it had heavy losses at the attack against Nancy -(Champenoux). The 40th Brigade Ersatz Battalion lost half its forces -(notebook). It continued, however, to take part in the operations in -Lorraine in the region of Moncel until September 12, 1914, after which -it went to rest near Chateau Salins. - - -HAYE. - -2. September 28 it entrained for Novéant and went into line on the Haye -front, where it held various sectors (Loupmont, Richecourt, Apremont). - - - 1915. - - -HAYE. - -1. During 1915 the division continued to hold the Lorraine front (Haye): -Loupmont, Seicheprey, Lahayville, Mort Mare Wood. - -2. At the end of July the division was reorganized. Its brigade Ersatz -battalions were grouped into regiments and formed the 368th, 369th, -370th, and 371st Infantry. The companies were filled up again. The 9th -company of the 370th Infantry received not less than 76 replacements in -August (1915 class called up in May). - - - 1916. - - -WOEVRE. - -1. The division remained in the Flirey-Limey sector until the end of -August, 1916. At that date it was relieved by the Guard Ersatz Division -and sent to rest in the region of Thiaucourt. - - -SOMME. - -2. By September 5, leaving the 368th Regiment, which was transferred to -the 213th Division, it entrained at Montmédy and went to the south of -the Somme via Laon, Tergnier, and St. Quentin. It fought south of Berny -en Santerre from September 14 to 25 and suffered considerable losses. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -3. After a short rest in the region of St. Quentin the division was sent -to Champagne. Until November 12 it held, without any particular -incidents, the Ste. Marie à Py and Somme Py sector. - -4. From the middle of November to the middle of December it was sent to -rest in the region of Attigny. - - -MEUSE. - -5. December 28 it took over the Ornes-Bezonvaux sector. - - - 1917. - -1. Held the Verdun front (Bezonvaux) until April 19, 1917. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. Between April 20 and 25 it returned to Champagne and took part in the -attack south of Moronvilliers from the beginning of May to the beginning -of June. From June 9 to beginning of August it was in line in the region -of Regniéville-Remenauville (Haye). - - -FLANDERS. - -4. After a rest behind the Lorraine front, the division entrained at -Chambley August 21 for Belgium. About September 24 it was engaged before -Ypres near Poelcappelle. - - -GALICIA. - -5. Withdrawn from the Belgium front about October 7 and entrained the -10th for Galicia, where it was identified south of Skala, November 17. - - - RECRUITING. - -Westphalia and Rhine Provinces: 369th and 370th Infantry. Thuringia: -371st Infantry. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The division suffered heavy losses in Champagne in May, 1917, and at -Ypres in September and October, 1917. The division has only moderate -value. - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF THE LYS. - -1. The division remained in line until the attack on the Lys in April. -It was engaged north of the La Bassee Canal (Givenchy, Festubert, -southeast of Lacre), from April 9 to 24. The losses were heavy, -including 700 prisoners. The 360th Regiment suffered the most in the -fighting. - -2. It was relieved on the 12th and rested in rear of the line until the -29th, when it returned to its former sector at Locre until May 3. - -3. The division rested near Roubaix (Bondues, Wambrechies) until the -beginning of July. According to reports, sickness was very general -throughout the division at the time. - - -LA BASSEE CANAL. - -4. On July 14 the division entered the line south of the La Bassee -Canal, coming via Lille and Seclin. It remained in this sector until -October 2. - -5. It moved southward to reenforce the Cambrai-St. Quentin battle front -on October 7, coming into line east of Tilloy. It fell back toward -Valenciennes through Escaudoevres, Iwny (Oct. 11), Verchain (Oct. 21), -Maing (Oct. 24–25), Famars (Oct. 27), north of Le Quesnoy (Oct. 27). It -retired to the second line about November 1, but was reengaged southeast -of Antoingt on November 9. - - - VALUE. - -The 10th Ersatz Division was rated as a third-class division. Its -service in 1918 was as a sector-holding division. It appears to have -been a division of average value. - - - - - 10th Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │ │1 E. │(?) │372. - │ │ Konigsberg │ │ - │ │ (377). │ │ - │ │3 E. │ │373. - │ │ Konigsberg │ │ - │ │ (378). │ │ - │9 Ldw. │24 Ldw. │180. │377. - │ │48 Ldw. │ │378. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │91 Ldw. Cav. Rgt. │91 Ldw. Cav. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │97 F. A. Rgt. │97 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│ │3 Co. 2 Pions. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │310 T. M. Co. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │437 Inf. Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │180. │372. │180. │372. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │377. │ │377. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │378. │ │378. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │5 Sqn. 7 Dragoon Rgt. │5 Sqn. 7 Drag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │130 Art. Command: │130 Art. Command: - │ 97 F. A. Rgt. │ 97 F. A. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│410 Pion. Btn.: │3 Field Co. 1 Pion. Btn. No. - Liaisons. │ │ 2. - │ 3 Co. 2 Pions. │1 Landst. Co. 5 C. Dist. - │ │ Pions. - │ 310 T. M. Co. │310 T. M. Co. - │ 320 Searchlight Section. │510 Tel. Detch. - │ Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │213 Ambulance Co. │213 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │147 Field Hospital. │147 Field Hospital. - │148 Field Hospital. │148 Field Hospital. - │210 Vet. Hospital. │— Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │— M. T. Col. │— M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │1 Landst. Pion. Btn. (4 C. │ - │ Dist.). │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (First District—Eastern Prussia.) - - - 1915. - -The present 10th Landwehr Division (the old 10th Landwehr Division took -the name of the 1st Landwehr Division) was built around the 9th Landwehr -Brigade (Brandenburg), which was brought to Koenigsburg as early as -August 14, 1914, to constitute its war garrison. It found at Koenigsburg -some of the mobile depot battalions of the regiments of the 1st Army -Corps, from which came the three Koenigsburg Ersatz infantry regiments, -which became, respectively, the 376th, 377th, and 378th Infantry. The -present 372d Infantry is the former Ersatz infantry regiment of the 10th -Landwehr Division. - - -POLAND. - -1. These troops, at first fighting in eastern Prussia, took part in the -campaign in Poland with the 1st Landwehr Corps, beginning with the first -part of 1915. - -2. About the end of July, 1915, the division took part in the offensive -against the Russians, forced the passage of the Narew, and advanced east -of Vilna to the region of Vileiki in September. - - -LAKE NAROTCH. - -3. After the front was stabilized it established itself between Spiagla -and Lake Svir, south of Lake Narotch. - - - 1916. - -1. The division remained in line near Lake Svir until July, 1916. - - -VOLHYNIA. - -2. About July 27 the units of the division were relieved from the front -of Lake Narotch and sent to Volhynia to the Von Linsingen Army. The 9th -Landwehr Brigade became independent and did not follow the division, -which was reduced to three regiments. These were engaged on the banks of -the Stokhod at the end of July at Lokatchi and Kachovka and remained in -line in the region of Kisselin and Sviniouki until the beginning of -1918. - - - 1917. - - -VOLHYNIA. - -1. January to December, 1917, in the Kisselin-Sviniouki sector. - -2. In November, 1917, the three regiments of the division furnished 60 -men per company for the Western Front, picked from the strongest, and -received in exchange older men. In October, 16 men per company had -already been transferred to the 14th Division following the latter’s -losses on the Aisne. - - - RECRUITING. - -The division is sufficiently homogeneous, the regiments as a rule coming -from eastern Prussia. However, the necessity of filling up the ranks -before being sent to France brought it a number of men from other -Provinces. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -In spite of its drafts, which are good, and the large number of -officers, many of whom are in the active army, the division remained on -the Eastern Front until March, 1918. Up to the present time it has -received no training with a view to warfare on the Western Front, and -must be considered for the time being as of mediocre value (April, -1918). The men of more than 35 years of age were left in Russia as -abrüstungs kommando (cleaning up and salvage). - - - 1918. - - -SECOND BATTLE OF THE MARNE. - -1. On June 3 the division entrained in the Woevre and traveled via -Conflans-Sedan-Mezieres-Laon to Malmaison, where it detrained on June 4. -It marched to the front via Fismes, Fere en Tardenois, and Fresnes. It -came into line on the Marne near Mont St. Pere about June 10. Here it -was in line until July 15, when it dropped back to permit an attacking -division to pass through. In the retreat the division again came into -line a few days later and was heavily engaged on the defense until about -August 1. - -2. Heavy losses, including 300 prisoners on July 23, led to the -dissolution of the division. Its effectives were turned into other fresh -divisions. The 372d, 377th, and 378th went to the 37th Division, 36th -Division, and 201st Division in the order named. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as a fourth-class division. - - - - - 10th Bavarian Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │20 Bav. │16 Bav. │20 Bav. │16 Bav. - │ │6 Bav. Res. │ │6 Bav. Res. - │ │8 Bav. Res. │ │8 Bav. Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 5 Bav. Light Cav. Rgt.│5 Bav. Light Cav. Rgt. (3 - │ │ Sqns.). - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │10 Bav. Brig.: │10 Bav. Brig.: - │ 19 Bav. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 19 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ Btries.). │ - │ 20 Bav. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 20 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ Btries., of which 3 are │ - │ How.). │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│20 Bav. Pion. Co. │20 Bav. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │10 Bav. T. M. Co. - │ │10 Bav. Pont. Engs. - │ │10 Bav. Tel. Detch. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd Units. │ │10 Bav. Cyclist Co. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918[10] - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │20 Bav. │16 Bav. │20 Bav. │16 Bav. - │ │6 Bav. Res. │ │6 Bav. Res. - │ │8 Bav. Res. │ │8 Bav. Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 5 Bav. Light Cav. Rgt.│3 Sqn. 5 Bav. Light Cav. Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │10 Bav. Art. Command: │10 Bav. Art. Command: - │ 19 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 20 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ 20 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│10 Bav. Pion. Btn.: │10 Bav. Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 20 Bav. Pion. Co. │ 20 Bav. Pion. Co. - │ 23 Bav. Pion. Co. │ 23 Bav. Pion. Co. - │ 10 Bav. T. M. Co. │ 19 Searchlight Section. - │ 19 Searchlight Section. │ 10 Bav. T. M. Co. - │ Tel. Detch. │ 10 Bav. Tel. Detch. - │ │ 97 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │10 Bav. Ambulance Co. │10 Bav. Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │31 Bav. Field Hospital. │31 Bav. Field Hospital. - │34 Bav. Field Hospital. │34 Bav. Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │10 Bav. Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │690 Bav. M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd Units. │10 Bav. Cyclist Co. │10 Bav. Cyclist Co. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │19 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── -Footnote 10: - - Composition at time of dissolution, August, 1918. - - - HISTORY. - - (16th Bavarian: First Bavarian District—Lower Bavaria. 6th Reserve - Bavarian and 8th Reserve Bavarian: Second Bavarian District—Bavarian - Palatinate.) - - - 1915. - -This division was organized in Belgium in March, 1915. Its three -infantry regiments were drawn from already existing Bavarian -divisions—the 16th Bavarian from the 1st Bavarian Division, the 6th -Reserve Bavarian from the 5th Bavarian Reserve Division, and the 8th -Bavarian Reserves from the 4th Bavarian Division. - -1. In April, 1915, the division was in the region of Tournai. - - -SOMME. - -2. In May it took over the sector of Lihons-Estrees road to Foucaucourt, -which it occupied until the Franco-British offensive of 1916. - -3. In October some units of the division were sent as reinforcements to -Neuville-St. Vaast and to Champagne. - - - 1916. - - -SOMME. - -1. Remained in the Foucaucourt-Lihons sector until the middle of June, -1916. - -2. At the end of June it was sent south of Bapaume and took part in the -battle of the Somme near Contalmaison, Bazentin le Petit, and Longueval -from July 1 to the end of July. The 6th Reserve Infantry suffered -heavily. Its 2d Battalion lost 11 officers and 724 men (casualty lists). - - -GALICIA. - -3. About the middle of August the division was sent to the Eastern Front -(Stanislau) and the trip lasted from August 13 to 18. - - -BUKOVINA. - -4. September and October: Bukovina (Dorna-Vatra, Kirlibaba, west of Mont -Capoul). It fought against the right wing of the Roumanian Army. - - -TRANSYLVANIA. - -5. From November, 1916, to the end of January, 1917, it held the sector -of Tolgyes in Transylvania. - - - 1917. - - -GALICIA. - -1. At the beginning of February, 1917, the division left the Roumanian -front and went to Galicia (sector of Zalosce) from February to May, -being attached to the 2d Austro-Hungarian Army. - - -FRANCE. - -2. In May the division returned to France, via Zloczow (May 19), -Lemberg, Cracow, Breslau, Frankfort on Main, Treves. - - -ALSACE. - -Detrained about May 25 in the region of Mulhouse; then was sent to rest -and training in Upper Alsace at the beginning of June and sent to -Belgium (June 12 to 14). - - -FLANDERS. - -3. Fought south of the Ypres-Comines canal where it opposed the attack -of July 31. It then went to the region of Catelet (sector of Gonnelieu) -from August 12 to the end of September. It was near Becelaere in -October. - - -RUSSIA. - -4. At the end of October it was again sent to the Eastern Front. After a -few weeks’ rest at Brest Litovsk it returned to France without having -fought. Entrained November 22 at Brest Litovsk and detrained in Lorraine -the 27th. Itinerary: Warsaw-Posen-Erfurt. - - -LORRAINE. - -5. On November 29 to 30 it went into line in the forest of Bezange and -was relieved in the middle of January, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 16th Infantry: Lower Bavaria. The two other regiments: Bavarian -Palatinate. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The greater part of the division is composed of young men. It does not -seem to have suffered any losses for a long time. However, its morale -seems to have been shaken at times. When it was sent from St. Quentin to -Ypres at the end of September, 1917, it is believed that the officers of -the 16th Infantry had trouble in preventing a mutiny. (British -Information Bulletin, Oct. 12, 1917.) - - - 1918. - -1. The division was relieved in the Vosges on May 13 and rested near -Dieuze until May 30. It entrained and moved by Metz and Sedan, -Charleville, Liart, and detrained near Laon on the 30th–31st. It moved -to the front by Bruyeres, Braye en Laennois, Mont Notre-Dame, Neuilly- -St. Front. - - -BATTLE OF THE AISNE AND MARNE. - -2. It was reengaged southeast of Troësnes-Passy en Valois (on the Ourcq) -from June 5 to July 18. It was thrown back on Rozet St. Albin (July 20) -and then west of Armentieres (21st). About that date the division was -relieved. - -The division was dissolved in August and its units sent to the 6th -Bavarian Reserve Division, 11th Bavarian Division, and 14th Bavarian -Division. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as a second-class division. In 1918 it saw but -six weeks of active fighting before it was dissolved. - - - - - 11th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │21. │10 Gren. │21. │10 Gren. │21. │10 Gren. - │ │38 Fus. │ │38 Fus. │ │38 Fus. - │22. │11 Gren. │22. │11 Gren. │22. │11 Gren. - │ │51. │ │51. │ │51. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Uhlan Rgt. │1 and 4 Sqns., 2 │ - │ │ Uhlan Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │11 Brig.: │11 Brig.: │11 Brig.: - │ 6 F. A. Rgt. │ 6 F. A. Rgt. │ 6 F. A. Rgt. (6 - │ │ │ 4.9 cm. gun - │ │ │ Btries.). - │ 42 F. A. Rgt. │ 42 F. A. Rgt. │ 42 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. 6:│1 Pion. Btn. No. 6: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ Field Co. 6 Pions.│ 1 Co. 6 Pions. - │ │ 11 Pont. Engs. │ 5 Co. 6 Pions. - │ │ 11 Tel. Detch. │ 11 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ 11 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ 11 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │Anti-aircraft - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ │38 Labor Btn. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │21. │10 Gren. │21. │10 Gren. - │ │38 Fus. │ │38 Fus. - │ │51. │ │51. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 2 Uhlan Rgt.│2 Sqn. 2 Uhlan Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │11 Art. Command: │11 Art. Command: - │ 42 F. A. Rgt. │ 42 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ 131 (M) Ft. A. - │ │ Btn. (Staff, and - │ │ 1, 2, and 3 - │ │ Btries.). - │ │ 904 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1367 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1368 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│122 Pion. Btn.: │122 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Co. 6 Pions. │ 1 Co. 6 Pions. - │ 5 Co. 6 Pions. │ 5 Co. 6 Pions. - │ 11 T. M. Co. │ 11 T. M. Co. - │ 269 Searchlight │ 187 Searchlight - │ Section. │ Section. - │ 11 Tel. Detch. │11 Signal Command: - │ │ 11 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 3 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │16 Ambulance Co. │16 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │55 Field Hospital. │59 Field Hospital. - │59 Field Hospital. │61 Field Hospital. - │61 Field Hospital. │11 Vet. Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │544 M. T. Col. │544 M. T. Col. - │644 M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │Anti-aircraft │ - │ Section. │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Sixth District—Silesia.) - - - 1914. - - -FRANCE. - -1. The 11th Division belonged to the 6th Army Corps and detrained at -Merzig August 10 and 11, 1914, passed through Luxemburg the 17th, and -entered Belgian Luxemburg the 18th. - -2. It belonged to the 5th Army (Prussian Crown Prince) and took part in -the battle of August 22 at Tintigny, St. Vincent, and Belle Fontaine. It -crossed the Meuse the 29th below Stenay, passed through Varennes and -Ste. Menehould. September 7, at the high point of the German advance, it -was near Revigny. - - -RHEIMS. - -3. After the battle of the Marne it established itself at the western -edge of the Argonne (from Binarville to Cernay en Bormois). - - -ARGONNE. - -4. October 4 it fought at Binarville. October 21 the 22d Brigade was at -Beine, east of Rheims. The 21st Brigade remained in the Argonne. - - - 1915. - -1. At the end of January, 1915, the 21st Brigade returned to the Rheims -sector. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -In February the 22d Brigade was attached temporarily in support of the -8th Reserve Corps on the Champagne front (east). - -2. About the middle of June the division went to Artois to reinforce the -6th Army in preparation for the French offensive. - - -SOUCHEZ. - -3. At the end of June it held the sector north of Souchez, east of -Neuville St. Vaast. It executed many unsuccessful attacks on Souchez and -the Chateau of Carleul. It suffered considerable losses during July. -September 25 and 26 it had more losses before La Folie. Relieved at the -end of September and sent to rest in the region of Cambrai. The casualty -lists for the 10th Grenadiers show 432 killed, 1,023 wounded, 64 -missing; total, 1,519 men. The losses were hastily made good from -October 5 to 14 by replacements with less than three months’ training -(oldest class Landsturm 2d Band and 1915 class men who entered service -in July). The 9th Company of the 10th Grenadiers received in this way at -least 119 men and the 12th Company of the 38th Fusiliers about the same. - -4. During the first two weeks of October the division went into line in -the sector astride the Somme. - - - 1916. - - -FRISE. - -1. At the end of January, 1916, the division took part in the attack -which ended in the taking of the village of Frise and suffered very -heavy losses. - -2. On May 25 it was relieved, and a short time afterwards took over the -sector south of the Amiens-St. Quentin road. (At the end of June the -first 1917-class soldiers arrived with older classes put back, taken -from the mines and factories of Silesia.) - - -SOMME. - -3. In this sector it opposed the French attack of July 1 and days -following. It suffered heavily and lost a large number of prisoners to -the French. (The 11th Grenadiers, whose battalions had fought in three -different places, separated from the rest of the division, had to have -at least 181 replacements to complete the 11th Company. They arrived -from July 6 to 20.) - -4. It was withdrawn from this sector about the end of July and sent to -the region of St. Quentin to be reorganized. - -5. On August 1 the division took over the trenches in the sector -Andechy-Beuvraignes. - - -SOMME. - -6. September 4 it again went in to the battle of the Somme between -Deniecourt and Vermandovillers. During these two actions in the Somme it -suffered 83 per cent losses. - -7. Relieved October 10 and took over the sector of Prunay the 24th, -which it held until December 12, then went to rest near St. Quentin. The -11th Grenadiers left the division in October and were transferred to the -101st Division in Macedonia. - - - 1917. - -1. On January 4, 1917, the division went into line in the sector of -Lassigny, then on February 10 in the sector of Ablaincourt, south of the -Somme. - -2. About the middle of the month of March the division retreated, with -the other German forces engaged in the Somme, to the Hindenburg line. - -3. March 29 it was sent to the Arras front. - - -ARTOIS. - -April 19 it opposed south of the Scarpe the first shock of the British -attack. In spite of a desperate defense it was routed and lost 2,200 -prisoners to the British. The 51st Infantry was reduced to 600 men -(prisoners’ statements) and its 12th Company to 6 men. - -4. On April 11 the division was relieved and reorganized in the region -of Bruges. It received replacements especially from the 623d Infantry, -which was dissolved, organized, and trained at the camp at Neuhammer. - - -FLANDERS. - -5. At the beginning of June it was in support of the Wytschaete-Messines -front when the British attacked. It then held this sector until June 26 -and suffered heavy losses again (June 8 and 9). - - -WOEVRE. - -6. After a few days’ rest it was sent to Metz and then put in line in -the sector of Flirey (in Haye), end of July to September 15. - -7. Relieved about the middle of September, and in October took over a -sector on the Champagne front. - - -FLANDERS. - -8. At the end of October it was sent to Flanders and went into line near -Passchendeale. Withdrawn at the end of December and went to the rear of -the front in the region of Maubeuge. - - - RECRUITING. - -The division was recruited in the regions of Breslau, Glatz, and -Schweidnitz from a German population. The Poles, therefore, coming from -the Province of Silesia, are in the minority. The Sixth District is -thickly populated and was able by itself to maintain the division even -during the period of heavy losses. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -In spite of the heavy losses suffered at the Somme, Arras, and -Wytschaete the division always fought well. Its value is diminished by -the presence of a certain number of Poles who were generally ready to -desert when they had a chance. Lieut. Col. Schwerck, commanding the 51st -Infantry, received the order “Pour le Merite” after the battle of Arras. -This reward, which has been given to only six other regimental -commanders, seems to prove that the fighting value of the 11th Division -at Arras in April, 1917, was greatly appreciated by the German High -Command. - - - 1918. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. The 11th Division rested first in the Maubeuge region, and later near -Charleville and Laon for about two months. About March 1 it relieved the -51st Reserve Division in the Butte de Mesnil. Here nothing except minor -trench raids was attempted. Most of the older men were exchanged for -young ones. It was relieved by the 88th Division April 15. - - -LASSIGNY. - -2. April 20 it relieved elements of the 34th and 37th Divisions south of -Dives, (east of Lassigny). It was relieved by the 202d Division during -the night of May 22–23. It rested then for about 10 days in the Guiscard -region. - - -MONTDIDIER. - -3. June 9 it reinforced the Montdidier-Noyon battle front south of -Thiescourt (west of Noyon). It attacked the first day of the offensive -as an attack division. It attacked on a front of 1,500 yards, with -Compiegne as its final objective (its orders were captured), but did -poorly, succeeding only in reaching Machemont—less than half way. In -this engagement it suffered heavy losses. It was withdrawn the 16th and -went to rest in the Guiscard region, where it received some 1,300 -replacements. - -4. The division relieved the 222d Division near Rubescourt (south of -Montdidier) July 19. In the fighting which followed, the division lost -heavily. The 10th Regiment received 300 replacements August 2; relieved -about the 12th. - -5. It reentered line near Varesnes the 22d and was withdrawn the 28th. - - -ST. QUENTIN. - -6. September 8 it came back into line southwest of St. Quentin near -Jussy. It was withdrawn about the 20th. - -7. Four days later the division was identified north of St. Quentin in -the Gricourt sector; withdrawn the 2d of October. - -8. It came back into line about the 12th near Barisis (south of LaFere). -The division took part in the general German retirement and was -identified successively at Remies, Mesbrecourt, Léa Ferte-Chevresis, -Monceau le Neuf, Le Herie la Vieville, St. Algis, and Champ Bouvier. It -was still in line when the armistice was signed. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 11th is rated as a good second-class division. It did not do well in -the battle of the Oise, but everywhere else its conduct under fire was -characterized by considerable tenacity. Losses were very heavy. Numerous -cases of desertion, especially to the interior; a large number of -replacements—returned prisoners from Russia—are said to have mutinied at -Breslau. - - - - - 11th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │21 Res. │10 Res. │21 Res. │10 Res. │23. │10 Res. - │ │11 Res. │ │11 Res. │ │22. - │23. │22. │23. │22. │ │156. - │ │156. │ │156. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Res. Hus. Rgt. (3│ │4 Res. Hus. Rgt. - │ Sqns.). │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │11 Res. F. A. Rgt. │11 Res. F. A. Rgt. │11 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (6 Btries.). │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│4 Field Co. 2 Pion.│4 Field Co. 2 Pion.│4 Field Co. 2 Pion. - Liaisons. │ Btn. No. 6. │ Btn. No. 6. │ Btn. No. 6. - │ │11 Res. Pont. Engs.│211 T. M. Co. - │ │11 Res. Tel. Detch.│11 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │11 Res. Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │95 Anti-Aircraft - │ │ │ Section. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │23. │10 Res. │23. │22. - │ │22. │ │156. - │ │156. │ │10 Res. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 4 Res. Hus. │1 Sqn. 4 Res. Hus. - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │(s) Art. Command: │11 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ 11 Res. F. A. Rgt.│1 Abt. 5 Res. Ft. - │ (9 Btries.). │ A. Rgt. - │ │748 Light Am. Col. - │ │1242 Light Am. Col. - │ │1296 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(311) Pion. Btn.: │311 Pion Btn. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 4 Co. 6 Pions. │4 Co. 6 Pions. - │ 2 Res. Co. 25 │2 Res. Co. 25 - │ Pion. Btn. │ Pions. - │ 211 T. M. Co. │211 T. M. Co. - │ 4 Heavy Field │39 Searchlight - │ Searchlight │ Section. - │ Section. │ - │ 411 Tel. Detch. │411 Signal Command: - │ │117 Wireless Detch. - │ │411 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │506 Ambulance Co. │506 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │29 Res. Field │29 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │32 Res. Field │32 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │411 Vet. Hospital. │411 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Sixth District-Silesia.). - - - 1914. - - -FRANCE. - -1. This division, with the 12th Reserve Division, formed the 6th Reserve -Corps. - - -LORRAINE-MEUSE. - -2. At the beginning of the war it belonged to the 5th Army (Prussian -Crown Prince). Fought at Arrancy from August 22 to 25; crossed the Meuse -the 21st of September. Fought in the region of Cierges September 2; -advanced nearly to Triaucourt September 9 and retreated through the east -of the Argonne near Montfaucon September 11 to 17. - -3. At the end of September it established itself at the eastern edge of -the Argonne (Varennes-Malancourt wood). It occupied this region until -the Verdun offensive in February, 1916. - - - 1915. - -1. January to December, 1915, the division held the sector of Malancourt -wood, south of Montfaucon, in Argonne. In April the 11th Reserve -Infantry was transferred to form the 117th Division. - - - 1916. - - -VERDUN. - -1. In February, 1916, when the battle of Verdun commenced, the division -was still in its sector on the left bank of the Meuse. - -2. In March it fought near Bethencourt. It took this village April 9. -Relieved about May 15 after suffering very heavy losses (68 per cent of -its infantry). - -3. Sent to rest and reorganized with replacements from the 1916 class. - - -SOMME. - -4. It was at first army reserve in the region of Cambrai at the -beginning of June. Then a hurry call was sent for the division June 27 -and it went into the battle of the Somme. - -5. July 2 to 3 it relieved some units of the 12th Division and 10th -Bavarian Division on the front Hardecourt to the Somme and suffered -enormous losses from July 2 to 9. - -6. Received replacements July 10 and suffered again heavily between the -10th and 20th in the same region. It was withdrawn from the Somme front -about July 24. - - -FLANDERS. - -7. Reconstituted again with replacements from the depots of the 12th -Army Corps and sent at the end of July and beginning of August to the -east of Armentieres, south of the Lys, and held this sector until -September 20 to 27. - - -SOMME. - -8. At the end of September the division returned to the Somme, between -the Somme and Barleux. It opposed the attack of the French October 18 to -19 in the sector of Biaches. - -9. The division was relieved from the Somme area at the beginning of -November. - - -ARTOIS. - -10. Sent to Artois and went into line at the beginning of December in -the sector of Lens, between Loos and Lievin. - - - 1917. - -1. About March 24 to 25, 1917, the division was withdrawn from the -Artois front. - -2. In line for six weeks between Cambrai and St. Quentin, in the sector -Bellicourt-Bellenglise, from the end of March to May 10. Returned about -May 14 to 15 to the region of Lens, where it stayed until August 20. -(Attack of the Canadians on its right flank Aug. 15.) - - -ARTOIS-FLANDERS. - -3. At rest in the vicinity of St. Amand (Artois) at the end of August -and beginning of September. Held the front south of Lens (sector Frenoy- -Acheville) September 9. In November it was sent to Flanders near -Passchendaele, where it alternated with the 12th Reserve Division until -January, 1918. At rest from the middle of January and went back into -line February 24 south of the forest of Houthulst. - - - RECRUITING. - -Silesia. Drafts from other districts—for example, the fourth—to -counterbalance the Polish element. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -At the present time (February, 1918) it is difficult to form a precise -opinion of the fighting qualities of this division, as it has not been -seriously engaged since the battle of the Somme. In the sector of Lens -and Frenoy the heavy losses which it suffered from gas have no doubt -caused a certain weakening of the morale. (One company of the 156th -Infantry was reduced to 24 men.) - -In Flanders the division held a difficult sector, but arrived at a time -when active operations were coming to an end. The nature of the ground -has been the main cause of its losses. (Information from the British, -Feb. 9, 1918.) - - - 1918. - - -PASSCHENDAELE. - -1. The division remained in line south of Passchendaele until January -16, when it was relieved by the 31st Division. It then moved to the -Oostroosebeke area, where it underwent a course of training in open -warfare. - - -YPRES. - -2. February 24 the division relieved the 199th Division astride the -Ypres-Staden railway (northeast of Ypres). - - -ARMENTIERES. - -3. It was relieved about the 18th of March by the extension of front of -the neighboring divisions, and one regiment was identified by prisoners -as having reenforced the front south of Villers-Carbonnel (southwest of -Peronne). This regiment was relieved March 26 and went to join the -remainder of the division which was resting in the Turcoing area. April -9 the division reenforced the front in the Croix du Bac sector (north of -the La Bassee Canal). It was withdrawn about the 16th, after losing -heavily, and went to rest in the vicinity of Laventie. - -4. April 28 it relieved the 81st Reserve Division southwest of Meteren. -It was withdrawn about the 6th of May, going to be reconstituted in the -area southeast of Bailleul. - -5. It relieved the 12th Division southwest of Meteren during the night -of May 18–19, remaining in line until June 7, when it was withdrawn to -rest in the Courtrai area. - -6. During the night of June 22–23 the division relieved the 216th -Division in the Locre sector (west of Kemmel). Here it fought until a -day or two before the armistice, when it seems to have been withdrawn. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 11th Reserve is rated as a second-class division. It has fought a -great deal during 1918, especially since June, and has lost heavily. Its -record has not been brilliant. - - - - - 11th Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │33 Ldw. │75 Ldw. │33 Ldw. │75 Ldw. - │ │76 Ldw. │ │76 Ldw. - │70 Mixed Ldw. │5 Ldw. │70 Mixed Ldw. │5 Ldw. - │ │18 Ldw. │ │18 Ldw. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │92 Ldw. Cav. Rgt. │92 Ldw. Cav. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │98 F. A. Rgt. │98 F. A. Rgt. - │ │910 Btry. F. A. - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 and 2 Ldw. Pion. Cos. (3 C. - Liaisons. │ │ Dist.). - │ │311 T. M. Co. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd Units. │ │11 Ldw. Div. Cyclist Co. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │33 Ldw. │18 Ldw. │70 Ldw. │18 Ldw. - │ │75 Ldw. │ │75 Ldw. - │ │76 Ldw. │ │424. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 11 Dragoon Rgt. (?). │1 Sqn. 11 Drag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │131 Art. Command: │98 F. A. Rgt. - │ 98 F. A. Rgt. │1018 Light Am. Col. - │ 910 Btry. F. A. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(411) Pion. Btn.: │4 Landst. Co. 3 C. Dist. - Liaisons. │ │ Pions. - │ 1 Co. 1 Pions. │359 Searchlight Section. - │ 1 Ldw. Co. 3 Pions. │79 Searchlight Section. - │ 311 T. M. Co. │511 Signal Command: - │ 353 Searchlight Section. │ 511 Tel. Detch. - │ 272 Searchlight Section. │ - │ 511 Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │217 Sanitary Co. │217 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │10 Ldw. Field Hospital. │105 Field Hospital. - │17 Ldw. Field Hospital. │150 Field Hospital. - │ │211 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd Units. │11 Ldw. Div. Cyclist Co. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │70 Ldw. Brig.: │ - │ (424 Inf. & Consbruch Rgts. │ - │ “1 and 2 Allenstein.”) │ - │ (20 C. Dist. 1 and 2 Btns. │ - │ Landst.). │ - │ 1 Lotzen Landst. Btn. (20 C.│ - │ Dist. Btn. No. 4). │ - │ Neustadt Landst. Btn. (17 C.│ - │ Dist. Landst. Btn. No. 9). │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (18th Landwehr: Twentieth District—Eastern part of West Prussia. 75th - Landwehr and 76th Landwehr: Ninth District—Schleswig—Holstein and - Mecklemburg.) - - - 1914. - - -EAST PRUSSIA-POLAND. - -1. This division is the former Von Einem Division, which, with the -Jacobi Division (former 10th Landwehr Division), formed the 1st Landwehr -Corps on the Eastern Front in 1914–15. It took part in the battle of -Tannenberg in August and fought near Lyck in October, 1914. - -2. From November to December the 1st Landwehr Corps held the defiles of -the Masurian Lakes, the 33d and 70th Landwehr Brigades being in the -region of Angerburg and Loetzen. - - - 1915. - -1. In February, 1915, the 1st Landwehr Corps was identified between -Mariampol and Suwalki. - -2. From March to August the Von Einem Division, which became the 11th -Landwehr Division, was in line before the fortress of Ossowiec. - - -VICHNEV. - -3. The offensive against the Russians brought it to the railroad -Molodetchno-Lida, near Vichnev, in September. It established its -positions there and remained more than two years, from September, 1915, -to the beginning of 1918. - - - 1916. - -1. Vichnev-Krevo sector. - -2. Toward the end of 1916 the 424th Infantry was assigned to the 11th -Landwehr Division, which had given its 5th Landwehr to the 218th -Division in October. - - - 1917. - -1. Vichnev-Krevo sector. - -VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -On the Russian front since the beginning of the war. Mediocre quality. - - - 1918. - - -UKRAINE. - -1. The 11th Landwehr Division, which was still in line south of Krevo in -January, 1918, marched to the east in February. On April 30 it was -identified in the Ukraine between Kiev and Koursk. About the middle of -May it was in the Soumy region. A man of the 75th Landwehr Regiment -wrote on the 16th of June: “I am still at Kiev, but I tell you one -thing, it is much worse here than in the trenches, for there one has the -enemy in front, while here it is just the opposite. The people are so -badly disposed toward us they would eat us alive if they were able, but -they can not.” - - -RUSSIA. - -2. The middle of July the division was identified south of Moscow. -During all this time men were taken from the division and sent as -replacements to the Western Front. - -3. Early in November elements of the division were identified along the -Danube. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 11th Bavarian Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │21 Bav. │3 Bav. │21 Bav. │3 Bav. - │ │22 Bav. │ │22 Bav. - │ │13 Bav. Res. │ │13 Bav. Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │ │4 Sqn. 7 Bav. Light Cav. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │21 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │21 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│19 Bav. Pion. Co. │19 Bav. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │21 Bav. Pion. Co. │21 Bav. Pion. Co. - │ │11 Bav. T. M. Co. - │ │11 Bav. Pont. Engs. - │ │11 Bav. Tel. Detch. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd Units. │ │11 Bav. Cyclist Co. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │21 Bav. │3 Bav. │21 Bav. │16 Bav. - │ │22 Bav. │ │3 Bav. - │ │13 Bav. Res. │ │22 Bav. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 7 Bav. Light Cav. Rgt.│2 Sqn. 7 Light Cav. Rgt. - │ │ (Bavarian). - │2 Sqn. 7 Bav. Light Cav. Rgt.│ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │11 Bav. Art. Command: │11 Bav. Art. Command: - │ 21 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 21 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 11 Bav. Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 124 Bav. Light Am. Col. - │ │ 125 Bav. Light Am. Col. - │ │ 129 Bav. Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(11 Bav.) Pion. Btn.: │11 Bav. Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 19 Bav. Pion. Co. │ 19 Bav. Pion. Co. - │ 21 Bav. Pion. Co. │ 21 Bav. Pion. Co. - │ 11 Bav. T. M. Co. │ 11 Bav. T. M. Co. - │ 11 Bav. Tel. Detch. │11 Bav. Searchlight Section. - │ │11 Bav. Signal Command: - │ │ 11 Bav. Tel. Detch. - │ │ 179 Bav. Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │11 Bav. Ambulance Co. │11 Bav. Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │35 Field Hospital. │35 Bav. Field Hospital. - │37 Field Hospital. │37 Bav. Field Hospital. - │11 Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │691 M. T. Col. - │691 Divisional M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd Units. │11 Bav. Cyclist Co. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │M. G. S. S. Detch. No. 47. │ - │308 Supply Train. │ - │1107 Wireless Detch. │ - │286 and 287 Field Signal │ - │ Sections Pigeon Loft. │ - │2 Co. 29 Pions. │ - │3 Co. 29 Pions. │ - │1 Co. 7 Pions. │ - │Pfungstadt Landst. Inf. Btn. │ - │2 Munster Landst. Btn. │ - │1 Co. 60 Labor Btn. │ - │1 Co. 12 Labor Btn. (Bayr.). │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (3d Bavarian: First Bavarian District.) (22d Bavarian: Second Bavarian - District.) (13th Reserve Bavarian: Third Bavarian District.) - - - 1915. - -Organized in April, 1915, in Galicia, in the Carpathians. - - -GALICIA. - -1. This division belonged to Mackensen’s army during the offensive in -Galicia and took part in the capture of Przemysl May 31, 1915. - - -BUG. - -2. Sent north, fought at Rava Ruska, and reached the Bug in the region -of Cholm-Vlodava. Withdrew from the front at the end of August. - - -SERBIA. - -3. In September and October the division took part in the campaign -against Serbia with Mackensen’s army. Crossed the Danube October 8 to -11; Valley of the Morawa; region of Monastir (November). - -4. Left the front November 15 and went to rest in Hungary at -Weisskirchen until the beginning of February, 1916. - - - 1916. - - -FRANCE. - -1. From February 9 to 10, 1916, the division entrained for the Western -Front. Itinerary: Temesvar-Szegedin-Baja-Marburg-Graz-Salzburg-Munich- -Ingolstadt-Wurzburg-Frankfort on Main-Coblentz-Cologne-Liège-Malines. -Detrained at Antwerp February 15. - -2. At rest in the region of Antwerp until March 1, and on that date it -entrained for Vouziers. - - -VERDUN. - -3. Sent to the Verdun front (sector of Avocourt wood, Mar. 8), attacked -March 20 and 22 and April 11 and suffered considerable losses; 75 per -cent of its infantry out of action. - -4. Relieved at the beginning of June and sent to rest in the region of -Thionville, then sent to Cambrai. - - -RUSSIA. - -5. June 14 it returned to Russia. Itinerary: Solesme Busigny-Maubeuge- -Liège-Aix la Chapelle-Hanover-Brest Litovsk-Kovel. - - -KOVEL. - -6. Went into action immediately and counterattacked near the Kovel-Rovno -Railroad and suffered heavy losses. - - -ROUMANIA. - -7. In October it took part in the Roumanian campaign (Valley of the -Jiul). - - - 1917. - - -FRANCE. - -1. Withdrawn from the Braila front at the beginning of January, 1917, -and again entrained for France on the 10th. Itinerary: Bucarest- -Budapest-Vienna-Salzburg-Munich. Detrained the 22d at Barr (Alsace). - - -ALSACE. - -2. In April held the sector Burnhaupt-Rhone-Rhine canal. - - -AISNE. - -3. Sent from Mulhouse to Marle April 26 to 28, then to the south of Laon -and took over the sector of Cernay May 5 to 6, where its losses were due -especially to artillery fire. - -4. At rest in the region of Laon June 6 to August 3. - -5. Coucy sector August 3 to September 15. The division did not have any -hard action here, but suffered again from bombardment. - -6. September 15, at rest in the vicinity of Sedan for one month. - - -FLANDERS. - -7. Entrained at Sedan October 15 to 17; detrained at Courtrai October -18; went into line the 22d in the sector of Passchendaele, where it -suffered heavily from the British attack of the 26th. Relieved -immediately after this engagement and reorganized. - -8. November 2 the division went back into line south of Passchendaele, -but did not have any serious actions. - -9. November 10, relieved and sent to rest. - - -COTES DE MEUSE. - -10. From November 18 to January 12, 1918, the division held the sector -Chauvoncourt-Seuzey north of St. Mihiel. It took part in no infantry -actions. - - - RECRUITING. - -The whole of the Bavarian country. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -This division may be considered good. It took part on the Eastern and -Western Fronts in a large number of battles, “Przemysl, Verdun, Argesul, -Filipesci” (speech of William II), and did well everywhere (January, -1918). - - - 1918. - - -LOUVRE. - -1. The 11th Bavarian Division remained in the Seuzey sector, resting and -being reconstituted, until relieved by the 82d Reserve Division on -January 12. - -2. About the middle of February it relieved the 1st Division in the -Etain sector. This, too, was a very quiet sector and the division was -not identified by contact. It was relieved about March 27 by the 10th -Landwehr Division, and remained in rear of the Verdun front for a -fortnight. It is probable that it was trained during this period, but -the fact has never been definitely established. - - -ARMENTIERES. - -3. The division was then sent to the Armentieres front, where it -relieved the 214th Division in the Neuve Eglise sector (northwest of -Armentieres) April 13–14. Here it took part in very heavy fighting, -especially south of Mount Kemmel, and suffered heavy losses as a result. -It was withdrawn on the 26th of April, and proceeded to the area -northeast of Ghent, detraining at Wachtebeke on the 29th. Here it was -brought up to strength and reviewed by the King of Bavaria on May 20. - - -SOISSONS. - -4. About June 3 the division left the Ghent region; it was identified in -rear of the front in the region of Soissons on June 9. A few days later -it reinforced the front near Coeuvres (southwest of Soissons). It was -relieved by the 14th Division on June 21. - -5. After resting immediately in rear of the front, it suffered severe -losses from bombardment by gas shells during this period. The division -came back into line in the Courmelles sector (south of Soissons) about -July 15. July 18 it lost over 2,400 in prisoners alone. It was withdrawn -about July 22. - - -YPRES. - -6. The division rested for about a month. It was reconstituted, it being -found necessary to dissolve one company in each battalion. August 26 the -division relieved the 49th Reserve Division east of Boesinghe (northwest -of Ypres). It fought, taking part in the general retirement, until -withdrawn October 2, after losing more than 500 prisoners. - - -GHENT. - -7. The division reinforced the front near Beveren (southwest of Ghent), -and had not been withdrawn up to the time the armistice was signed. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 11th Bavarian is rated as being in the first of four classes of -divisions. It fought well during 1918, but not brilliantly. Its losses -were heavy, but not in comparison with other German divisions. - - - - - 12th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │34. │23. │24. │23. │24. │23. - │ │62. │ │62. │ │62. - │78. │63. │78. │63. │ │63. - │ │157. │ │157. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │11 Horse Jag. Rgt. │ │6 Sqn. 10 Hus. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │12 Brig.: │12 Brig.: │12 Brig.: - │ 21 F. A. Rgt. │ 21 F. A. Rgt. │ 21 F. A. Rgt. - │ 57 F. A. Rgt. │ 57 F. A. Rgt. │ 57 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. 6:│1 Pion. Btn. No. 6: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ Field Co. 6 Pions.│ 2 Co. 6 Pions. - │ │ 12 Pont. Engs. │ 3 Co. 6 Pions. - │ │ 12 Tel. Detch. │ 12 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ 12 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ 12 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │17 Antiaircraft - │ │ │ section. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │24. │23. │24. │23. - │ │62. │ │62. - │ │63. │ │63. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 2 Uhlan Rgt.│4 Sqn. 2 Uhlan Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │12 Art. Command: │12 Art. Command: - │ 21 F. A. Rgt. │ 21 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 68 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 851 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 887 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 937 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 Pion. Btn. No. 6:│6 Pion. Btn. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 2 Co. 6 Pions. │2 Co. 6 Pions. - │ 3 Co. 6 Pions. │3 Co. 6 Pions. - │ 12 T. M. Co. │12 T. M. Co. - │ 6 Searchlight │100 Searchlight - │ Section. │ Section. - │ 10 Tel. Detch. │12 Signal Command: - │ 116, 117, and 118 │ 12 Tel. Detch. - │ Signal Detch. │ - │ │ 182 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │15 Ambulance Co. │15 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │51 Field Hospital. │57 Field Hospital. - │57 Field Hospital. │60 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │12 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │27 Supply Train. │545 M. T. Col. - │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │17 Antiaircraft │ - │ section. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (6th Corps District—Upper Silesia.) - - - 1914. - - -FRANCE. - -1. The 12th Division, forming with the 11th Division the 6th Army Corps -(Breslau), formed a part of the 5th Army (German Crown Prince) at the -beginning of the war, took part in the battle of August 22 at Rossignol -les Bulles, entered France August 24, passed the Meuse above Mouzon on -August 28, and took part in the battle on September 7 at Laheycourt and -Villotte near Louppy. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. After the battle of the Marne it was engaged (Sept. 21) at Berru and -at Nogent l’Abbesse (east of Rheims). It remained on the Rheims front -until the middle of June, 1915. - - - 1915. - - -ARTOIS. - -1. In April the 12th Division gave the 157th Infantry Regiment to the -117th Division, a new formation. - -2. Toward the middle of June, 1915, the 6th Army Corps was relieved on -the Rheims front and transferred to Artois. The 12th Division then -occupied a sector to the south of Souchez, from which it was relieved -toward the end of September. In the Souchez sector it took part in some -very heavy engagements (1st to the 16th of July). - -3. After a rather short rest period in the region of Cambrai, the -division took its position in the sector which crosses the Somme (during -the first half of October). - - - 1916. - - -SOMME. - -1. On the 1st of July, 1916, the 12th Division received the entire -weight of the English attack north of the Somme (sectors Contalmaison- -Hardecourt) and suffered very heavily (losses 61.5 per cent). - -2. It was relieved on July 12 and reorganized in the vicinity of -Cambrai. - -3. About the 20th of July the 12th Division again took part in the -battle of the Somme (in the sector northeast of Pozières), where it -suffered heavy losses. - -4. About the 9th of August it was relieved, and on the 21st went into -the calm sector of Monchy aux Bois (south of Arras), which it held until -October 16. - - -ANCRE. - -5. The 12th Division then held (Oct. 25 to Nov. 19) the sector north of -the Ancre (Beaumont-Hamel) and suffered heavy losses (Nov. 14). - -6. It was transferred to Champagne and took over the sector of Prunay on -December 12. - - -RUSSIA. - -7. At the end of December it was relieved from this quiet sector and -entrained on December 28, at Warmeriville for the Russian front by the -route Aix la Chapelle-Cologne-Hanover-Luneburg-Hamburg-Stettin- -Königsberg-Tilsit-Chavli-Ponieviej. It detrained southwest of Illuxt on -January 2, 1917. - - - 1917. - -1. On the Russian front the 12th Division did not take part in any -important battles. (Sector in the region of Dwinsk.) - - -FRANCE. - -2. Relieved about the end of May, 1917, it returned to the Western -Front. Itinerary Jelowka (May 27) -Insterburg-Posen-Leipzig-Weimar- -Cologne-Saarbrucken. Detrained at Metz June 3 and reentrained on the 9th -at Ars sur Moselle for Mouscron, by way of Metz-Luxemburg-Namur-Tournai, -and detrained at Gheluwe. - -3. It remained in reserve first on the Wytschaete-Messines front, and -then (Aug. 1) relieved the 22d Reserve Division in the sector east of -Klein-Zillebeke after the Franco-British attack. In this sector the -division did not engage in battle but suffered greatly from artillery -bombardments. - - -ITALY. - -4. It was relieved on August 20 and transferred to Alsace for -reorganization and rest. It remained in the region west of Bale until -the end of September. It was then sent to the Italian front, to the 14th -German Army, where it was engaged in the Tolmino sector on October 25, -and relieved on the Piave about the 8th of December. - - -FRANCE. - -5. The 12th Division was brought back from Italy to the French front -about December 25. At the beginning of January, 1918, it was in the -neighborhood of Zabern. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 12th Division is recruited from Upper Silesia, a great mining and -industrial center, which suffices to insure its own full recruiting and -even helps out other districts less populated or temporarily below -strength. The sending of these men outside of the district has the -advantage of reducing, in its own regiments, the Polish element, which -dominates in Upper Silesia. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 12th Division fought well at the Somme. - -It appears to have been reorganized during its stay at Zabern (January, -1918). It has always been considered a good division. - - - 1918. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. On January 24 the 12th division entered the Domevre sector, relieving -the 233d Division. It was relieved on February 20 and went to rest and -train in Alsace. On March 18 it entrained at Froeschweiler and moved to -Ath, from where it marched to the Gory-Belloune area, south of Douai (a -march of 40 miles). - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -2. On the 23d the division moved to Drury and up the Cambrai-Arras road -to Vis en Artois, coming into line on the night of March 23–24. It -attacked on the 24th, but was held up by the British artillery fire. It -remained in line until April 1, making little progress in spite of heavy -and costly fighting. - - -BATTLE OF THE LYS. - -3. The division rested in the suburbs of Douai until mid-April. It was -engaged northeast of Merris on the 17th. It appears to have received -replacements in the interim. The division passed into the second line on -May 18, after suffering especially heavy losses. In recognition of the -service of the 12th Division, south of Arras and in the Lys battle, Gen. -Lequis, the division commander, received the Order of Merit in May. - -4. The division was at rest near Renaix (Belgium) from May 29 to July -12. It entrained at Audenarde on the 12th and moved to Perenchies (via -Coutrai and Lille). - - -METEREN. - -5. The division was engaged south of Meteren on the night of July 19–20; -here it remained until August 28. In a local operation on August 18 the -division lost 300 prisoners, otherwise the sector was quiet. - - -BATTLE OF CAMBRAI. - -6. It entrained near Armentieres on August 28 and went to a point north -of Douai (Le Forest). It was engaged southeast of Morchies on September -3, and in the days following was driven back on Inchy en Artois, -Marquion (3d to 13th). By the end of September it had passed Bourlon, -Epinoy, Aubencheul au Bac, and Fressies. The division was relieved about -October 6. The division lost more than 1,100 prisoners. - -7. It was reengaged on October 11 southeast of Armentieres. It retreated -by Lille (Oct. 20) east of Tourcoing, and at Helchin. On the 25th it was -relieved. - -8. On November 3 it was again in line east of Joulain and remained until -the armistice. In withdrawing the division passed Maresches, Jenlain, -Autreppe, and Blangies. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as a second-class division. It was actively -engaged in the spring offensives and did well. After the middle of July -it was almost constantly engaged in hard defensive fighting. - - - - - 12th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │22 Res. │38 Res. │22 Res. │38 Res. │22 Res. │23 Res. - │ │51 Res. │ │51 Res. │ │38 Res. - │23 Res. │22 Res. │23 Res. │22 Res. │ │51 Res. - │ │23 Res. │ │23 Res. │6 Res. │Jag. Btn. - │6 Res. │Jag. Btn.│6 Res. │Jag. Btn.│ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │4 Res. Uhlan Rgt. │4 Res. Uhlan Rgt. │4 Res. Uhlan Rgt. - │ (3 Sqns.). │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │12 Res. F. A. Rgt. │12 Res. F. A. Rgt. │12 Res. F. A. Regt. - │ (6 Btries.). │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2 - Liaisons. │ Pion. Btn. No. 6.│ Pion. Btn. No. 6.│ Pion. Btn. No. 6. - │ │12 Res. Pont. Engs.│212 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │12 Res. Tel. Detch.│12 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │12 Res. Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │7 and 132 Anti- - │ │ │ Aircraft - │ │ │ Sections. - │ │ │8 Bav. Labor Btn. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │22 Res. │23 Res. │22 Res. │23 Res. - │ │38 Res. │ │38 Res. - │ │51 Res. │ │51 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ (?) │2 Sqn. 4 Res. Hus. - │ │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │99 Art. Command: - │ │ - │ 12 Res. F. A. Rgt.│ 12 Res. F. A. - │ (9 Btries.). │ Regt. - │ │ 133 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 830 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1243 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1297 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│312 Pion Btn.: │312 Pion Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Res. Co. 6 │ 1 Res. Co. 6 - │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ 2 Res. Co. 6 │ 2 Res. Co. 6 - │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ 212 T. M. Co. (23)│ 212 T. M. Co. - │ (?) Searchlight │ - │ Section. │ - │ 412 Tel. Detch. │ 105 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │412 Signal Command: - │ │ 412 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 114 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │Ambulance Co. │520 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │30 Res. Field │30 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │31 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │ │412 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │711 M. T. Col. │711 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - 12th Reserve Division: (6th Corps District-Silesia). - - - 1914. - -The 12th Reserve Division formed, with the 11th Reserve Division, the -6th Reserve Corps, formed in Silesia at the time of mobilization. - - -MEUSE-ARGONNE. - -1. At the outbreak of the war, the division detrained at Sarrebruecken; -fought in the neighborhood of Arrancy from the 22d to the 25th of -August; remained at Mangiennes from the 27th to the 30th; crossed the -Meuse on September 1; was beaten back with heavy losses on September 2 -near Cierges; was at Rarécourt on the 7th and near Triaucourt on the -9th; spread out to the east of the Argonne upon Gercourt (11th to the -13th) and Montfaucon (Sept. 17). - -2. At the end of September to the end of October took up its position -east of Varennes in the district of Malancourt-Chattancourt and toward -the end of October took its final position north of Bethencourt -(southeast of Cuisy-Bois de Forges). - -3. The division occupied this sector until the German offensive upon -Verdun (end of February, 1916). - - - 1915. - -1. January to December, 1915, sector north of Bethencourt-Bois de -Forges. - -In April the 27th Infantry Regiment Reserve was transferred to the 117th -Division, a new formation. - -2. In September, 1915, elements of the 12th Reserve Division (battalion -of the 23d Reserve Infantry Regiment) were detached in Champagne (Main -de Massiges) to reinforce divisions engaged in fighting. - - - 1916. - -1. At the end of February, when the Verdun offensive began, the 12th -Reserve Division still held the line in the region of Bois de Forges. - - -VERDUN. - -2. On the 6th of March, 1916, the division went into action; it took the -village of Forges and, on March 10, the Corbeaux wood. It vainly -attacked the Mort Homme. - -3. It was withdrawn from the Verdun front in the middle of May, after -suffering heavy losses (71 per cent of its infantry). It was first at -rest in the Thionville region, and then in reserve in the Cambrai -region, at the beginning of June. - - -SOMME. - -4. On July 2 it took part in the battle of the Somme (sector of -Montauban-Hardecourt). It counterattacked near the Trônes wood and -suffered very heavy losses. It was relieved about July 14, completely -exhausted. (On the 10th of July not a single officer remained in the 2d -Battalion of the 38th Reserve Infantry Regiment (letter). From the 17th -of March to the 5th of July the 5th Company of the 23d Reserve Infantry -Regiment received no less than 326 men as replacements). - -5. On July 15 it was sent to rest in the Manancourt region. Elements of -the division still remained in line, along the Somme near Guillemont, -until August 1. - - -FLANDERS. - -6. From the beginning of August until September 26–27, the 12th Reserve -Division occupied a sector north of the Lys, near Armentières (Warneton- -Messines), where it once more suffered losses. - - -SOMME. - -7. At the end of September the division was once more on the Somme front -(Barleux-Berny). It remained there until the beginning of November -without suffering any great losses. - - -ARTOIS. - -8. Transferred to Artois, it went into line on Vimy Ridge (sector Vimy- -Roclincourt) at the beginning of December. It suffered fairly heavy -losses. At the present time, 17 per cent of the prisoners from the 51st -Reserve Infantry Regiment belong to the 1917 class. - - - 1917. - -1. The 12th Reserve Division remained on the Vimy front until February -27, 1917. - -2. It was resting in the Avesnes region during the month of March. - -3. From April 9–12 to May 24 it held the lines between Itancourt and the -Oise. - - -ST. QUENTIN. - -4. After a fortnight’s rest in the Guise region, it occupied (from the -beginning of June to Aug. 6–8), the St. Quentin sector (south of Fayet). - - -FLANDERS. - -5. On August 7 the division entrained for Flanders, at Fresnoy le Grand. -Disembarking near Courtrai, it was first in reserve near Passchendaele. -A few of the elements of the division engaged in battle at Langemarck on -the 17th of August. It was in line in the St. Julien sector (northeast -of Ypres) on August 20, and relieved on August 24, after suffering heavy -losses. - - -ST. QUENTIN. - -6. In rest at Origny, from August 29 to September 9, the division then -occupied the sector southwest of St. Quentin (Sept. 9 to Nov. 11–12). - -It left at this latter date to occupy the front south of Passchendaele -until the middle of February, 1918, being relieved several times in the -interval. - - - RECRUITING. - -Silesia, especially Upper Silesia. In 1916, following the losses -suffered at Verdun, a great number of the replacement troops consisted -of men from the 3d and 4th Corps Districts (Brandenburg and Prussian -Saxony) and of the 1916 class, and of returned convalescents of the 9th -and 10th Corps Districts (Schleswig-Holstein and Hanover). This measure -was not only dictated by necessity, but contributed to counterbalance -the original Polish element. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -At Ypres (August, 1917), a certain number of men of the 51st Reserve -Infantry Regiment refused to go into the trenches; according to -prisoners, desertions to the rear were frequent, especially among the -younger men. - -The combat morale of the 12th Reserve Division may, however, have been -restored during its long stay in the relatively quiet sector of St. -Quentin (September to November, 1917). - - - 1918. - - -FLANDERS. - -1. On February 4 the division relieved the 12th Reserve Division in the -Moorslede sector which it held until February 14. - - -LENS. - -2. It was relieved by the 31st Division and moved south to relieve the -17th Division on night of February 17–18. It held this front until about -April 10, when it was relieved by the 9th Reserve Division. - - -BATTLE OF THE LYS. - -3. The division reinforced the battle front at Neuve Eglise on April 13 -and fought until about April 25, suffering heavy losses. One company of -the 51st Reserve Regiment was reduced to 9 men. - -4. Upon relief, the division returned to its former sector near Lens, -where it was identified near Avion on April 27. It remained here until -June 14, when it moved north and entered the line northeast of Hinges on -June 17–18. About August 6, the division was relieved by the 1st Guard -Reserve Division. - - -ARRAS. - -5. It moved to Douai and rested until its return to line near Ecoust on -night of August 30–31 to resist the British attack. Before its -withdrawal on the 11th it had lost nearly 900 prisoners. - - -LENS. - -6. The division rested at Cambrai during September and reentered the -Lens sector on October 2. During October it was engaged at Noyelles -(11th), Wattines (19th), and Rumignies (21st). It appears to have been -out of line for a few days, returning on the night of November 3–4 west -of Orsinval. It was at Wargnies le Petit (5th), St. Waast la Vallee -(6th), Bavai (7th), northeast of Taisnieres (9th), and Villers St. -Guislain (11th). - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. It appears to have been used -principally as a sector-holding division on moderately active fronts. - - - - - 12th Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │55 Ldw. │87 Ldw. (1 and│55 Ldw. │87 Ldw. - │ │ 4 Btns. 87 │ │ - │ │ Ldw. and 5 │ │ - │ │ Btn. 76 Ldw.│ │ - │ │ Rgt.). │ │ - │ │99 Ldw. (4 │ │99 Ldw. (4th - │ │ Btn.). │ │ Btn.). - │82 Ldw. │40 Ldw. │82 Ldw. │40 Ldw. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │56 Ldw. │ │56 Ldw. - │ Gd. Jag. Btn. │ Gd. Jag. Btn. - │ Gd. Rifle Btn. │ Gd. Rifle Btn. - │ 14 Jag. Btn. │ 9 Jag. Btn. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Cavalry. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │1 Ers. Abt. 14 F. A. Rgt. │30 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │1 Ers. Abt. 30 F. A. Rgt. │1 Mountain A. Btry. - │ │ - │ │9 Mountain A. Btry. - │ │11 Mountain A. Btry. - │ │18 Mountain A. Btry. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│ │(?) 2 Ldw. Pion. Co. (14 C. - Liaisons. │ │ Dist.). - │ │312 T. M. Co. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │55 Ldw. │56 Ldw. │87 Ldw. │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │87 Ldw. │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │435 Ldw. │ │ - │ │ (include 4th│ │ - │ │ Btn. 99 Ldw.│ │ - │ │ Rgt.). │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 7 Res. Dragoon Rgt. │1 Sqn. 9 Res. Hus. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │252 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. - │ 12 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │2 Bav. Ldw. Ft. A. Btn. (2d - │ │ Btry.). - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│412 Pion. Btn.: │415 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Ldw. Co. 4 Pions. │ 1 Ldw. Co. 4 C. Dist. Pions. - │ 2 Ldw. Co. 14 Pions. │ Landst. Ers. Co. 8 C. Dist. - │ │ Pions. - │ 2 Ldw. Co. 16 Pions. │ 75 Searchlight Section. - │ 312 T. M. Co. │478 Signal Command: - │ 268 Searchlight Section. │ 478 Tel. Detch. - │ 512 Tel. Detch. │ 140 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │564 Ambulance Co. │564 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │568 Ambulance Co. │ - │14 Ldw. Field Hospital. │ - │15 Ldw. Field Hospital. │ - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │58 Art. Survey Section. │ - │5 Labor Btn. │ - │63 Labor Btn. │ - │227, 228, and 251 Heavy M. G.│ - │ Detch. │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - - - HISTORY. - - - (56th Landwehr Regiment: 7th Corps District-Westphalia. 87th Landwehr - Regiment: 18th Corps District-Hesse. 436th Landwehr Regiment: 15th Corps - District-Alsace.) - - - 1915. - - -ALSACE. - -1. The 12th Landwehr Division was formed toward the end of April, 1915, -with the elements of the Landwehr, which were distributed along the -Alsatian front, between the Fecht and the district of Cernay, and which -were assigned to the Fuchs Division at the time of the attacks upon -Hartmannswillerkopf (March-April). The active brigade of the Fuchs -Division having left the Vosges for Champagne, the 12th Landwehr -Division grouped these elements of the Landwehr and occupied until May, -1917, the sectors included between the valley of Munster and Cernay. On -the 21st of December, 1915, the 14th Jager Battalion, attached to the -division, lost at Hartmannswillerkopf 840 killed, wounded, and missing -(official list of casualties), and was withdrawn to be reorganized in -Belgium. - - - 1916. - - -ALSACE. - -1. Sector Guebwiller-Cernay. - -At the end of September, 1916, the 40th Landwehr Regiment left the 12th -Landwehr Division to be assigned to the 33d Division. It was replaced by -the 436th Landwehr Regiment, which had been formed in May of the -preceding year. - -In October the battalions of Jagers and of the riflemen of the guard and -the 9th Battalion of Jagers, attached to the 12th Landwehr Division, -were sent to Macedonia. - - - 1917. - - -ALSACE. - -1. January-May, 1917. Sector Munster-Cernay. - - -GALICIA. - -2. Relieved on the Alsatian front about the middle of May, the 12th -Landwehr Division was transferred to Galicia. Itinerary: Cernay- -Strassborg-Karlsruhe-Ludwigsburg-Munich, Salzburg-Vienna-Lemberg- -Zloczow. - -3. It occupied the sector south of Brody and northwest of Zalosce until -the beginning of 1918. It took part in the attacks of July, 1917. - -In the course of the final months of 1917 the 12th Landwehr Division had -numerous troops taken to fill up units on the Western Front or to be -sent to the 227th Division, 197th Division, or the 33d Reserve Division. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 12th Landwehr Division, which was on the Alsatian front until May, -1917 and then in Galicia, appears to be of mediocre quality. - - - 1918. - -1. The history of the component elements of this division after their -arrival on the Western Front is uncertain. Between March and June the -56th Landwehr Regiment was in the 6th Army, the 436th Landwehr Regiment -was in the 2d Army, and the 87th Landwehr Regiment was in the 18th Army. -The men of these units were assigned to various kinds of police work, -guarding prisoners, etc. The staff of the division during this period -was believed to be in Finland. About July 15 the division had been -announced as dissolved by the French, British, and American general -headquarters. - - -ALSACE. - -2. On August 7 the 87th Landwehr Regiment and the 436th Landwehr -Regiment were joined as infantry under the 21st Landwehr Brigade Staff, -Gen. Hoffman, of the 14th Landwehr Division. The 56th Landwehr Regiment -was also identified in this region and the division was regarded as -reconstituted in October. - -3. Later identifications disclosed that the regiments were not forming a -division but were acting independently. The division was again classed -as dissolved about the middle of October. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as a third-class division. - - - - - 12th Bavarian Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │22 Bav. │26 Bav. │22 Bav. │26 Bav. │22 Bav. │26 Bav. - │ │27 Bav. │ │27 Bav. │ │27 Bav. - │ │28 Bav. │ │28 Bav. │ │28 Bav. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 7 Bav. Light│4 Sqn. 7 Bav. Light│1 Sqn. 7 Bav. Light - │ Cav. Rgt. │ Cav. Rgt. │ Cav. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │22 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │22 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │12 Bav. Art. - │ │ │ Command: - │ │ │ 22 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ 8 Bav. Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ │ 136 Light Am. Col. - │ │ │ 137 Light Am. Col. - │ │ │ 138 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│22 Bav. Pion. Co. │(12 Bav.) Pion. │12 Bav. Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ Btn.: │ - │ │ 22 Bav. Pion. Co. │ 22 Bav. Pion. Co. - │ │ 26 Bav. Pion. Co. │ 26 Bav. Pion. Co. - │ │ 12 Bav. T. M. Co. │ 12 Bav. T. M. Co. - │ │ 12 Bav. Tel. │ 16 Bav. - │ │ Detch. │ Searchlight - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ │12 Bav. Signal - │ │ │ Command: - │ │ │ 12 Bav. Tel. - │ │ │ Detch. - │ │ │ 189 Wireless - │ │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │12 Bav. Ambulance │12 Bav. Ambulance - Veterinary.│ │ Co. │ Co. - │ │38 Bav. Field │38 Bav. Field - │ │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │ │39 Bav. Field │39 Bav. Field - │ │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │ │Vet. Hospital. │16 Bav. Vet. - │ │ │ Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │M. T. Col. │692 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Bavaria.) - - - 1916. - -It was formed about the middle of the summer of 1916. It was assembled -in July, 1916, at Grafenwoehr Camp (Bavaria), and remained until the end -of July in the Valley of the Fecht, and then entrained for the Roumanian -front in October. - - -ROUMANIA. - -1. Composed of the 26th, 27th, and 28th Bavarian Regiments, the division -took part in the Roumanian campaign and fought in the region of -Campolung (October-November, 1916). - -2. In December it took part in the operations north of the road Buzeu- -Rimnicu-Sarat. - - - 1917. - - -FOCSANI. - -1. Beginning with January, 1917, the 12th Bavarian Division remained in -line north of Focsani. - -2. In August it took part in the attacks launched against the Roumanians -north of Focsani (from Batinesci to the Sereth) and suffered very heavy -losses. - - -PANCIU. - -3. Sent to rest after these engagements, it came back into line at the -end of September, south of Panciu (Marasesti District). - -4. In December it was in reserve in the Focsani District. - - - RECRUITING. - -The division is recruited from the whole of Bavaria. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -It was on the Roumanian front from October, 1916. Its combat value is -mediocre. - - - 1918. - -1. The division entrained at Ploesci on April 30 and traveled via -Bucharest-Craiova-Budapest-Dresden-Frankfurt on the Main-Mainz-Mezieres -to a station between Mezieres and Rethel, where it detrained after a -journey of nine days. It rested near Vieil St. Remy (20 kilometers -southeast of Mezieres), until May 24, when it marched toward the Aisne -by Chateau Porcien, Asfeld, Avaux, and Neufchatel. - - -BATTLE OF THE AISNE. - -2. The division crossed the old line near Berry au Bac on May 28 and -followed the advance through Roucy, Montigny sur Vesle and Lagery. It -was engaged on the 30th near Ville en Tardenois, with the Marne between -Damery and Cumieres as its final objective. In that sector it stayed -until July 13–14. Losses were heavy about the end of May and the 1st of -June. - -3. It was in reserve in the same sector on the 15th behind the 22d -Division, on the 17th it attacked and until the end of July took part in -the struggle for Epernay, toward which the division got as far as the -Bois Courton. - -4. Upon its relief on July 26 the division marched to the Ligny en -Cambresis area in stages. There it rested until August 29, when it -entrained at Solesmes and traveled via Valenciennes-Condes-Ath-Ghent to -Roubaix. After two days’ rest it reentrained and was railed via Courtrai -to Isegheim, relieving the 6th Cavalry Division east of Ypres on the -night of August 31-September 1. - - -FLANDERS. - -5. In this sector the division sustained an attack by the British on -September 28. It was thrown back on Moorslede with a loss of 3,000 -prisoners. The division was relieved on October 1. - -6. The division rested at Roubaix until October 17, when it returned to -line southeast of Herseaux. It continued in this region until the -armistice. The last identification was at Cordes. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as a third-class division. Its morale appears to -have been low in the summer and fall of 1918. - - - - - 13th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │25. │13. │25. │13. │26. │13. - │ │158. │ │158. │ │15. - │26. │15. │26. │15. │ │55. - │ │55. │ │55. │ │ - │11 Jag. Btn. (Oct. │ │ │ │ - │ 1914-Mar. 1915). │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │16 Uhlan Rgt. (3 │ │16 Uhlans (2 - │ Sqns.). │ │ Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │13 Brig.: │13 Brig.: │13 Brig.: - │ 22 F. A. Rgt. │ 22 F. A. Rgt. │ 22 F. A. Rgt. - │ 58 F. A. Rgt. │ 58 F. A. Rgt. │ 58 F.A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. 7:│1 Pion. Btn. No. 7: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ Field Co. 7 Pions.│ 1 Co. 7 Pions. - │ │ 13 Pont.-Engs. │ 13 T. M. Co. - │ │ 13 Tel. Detch. │ 13 Pont.-Engs. - │ │ │ 13 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │26. │13. │26. │13. - │ │15. │ │15. - │ │55. │ │55. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 16 Uhlan │3 Sqn. 16 Uhlan - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │13 Art. Command: │13 Art. Command: - │ 58 F. A. Rgt. │ 58 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 151 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 856 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 859 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 861 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│124 Pion. Btn. (1 │7 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ Pion. Btn. No. │ - │ 7): │ - │ 1 Co. 7 Pions. │ 1 Co. 7 Pions. - │ 2 Co. 7 Pions. │ 2 Co. 7 Pions. - │ 13 T. M. Co. │ 13 T. M. Co. - │ 7 Searchlight │13 Signal Command: - │ Section. │ - │ 13 Tel. Detch. │ 13 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 5 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │17 Ambulance Co. │17 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Field Hospital No. │70 Field Hospital. - │ 73. │ - │Vet. Hospital. │73 Field Hospital. - │ │13 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │546 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │41 Anti-Aircraft │ - │ Sect. M. G. S. S.│ - │ Detch. No. 75. │ - │546 Supply Train. │ - │265 A. Air. Sqn. │ - │10 Air. Sqn. │ - │37 Wireless Detch. │ - │87 Labor Btn. │ - │2 Co. 11 Labor Btn.│ - │306 Wagon Train. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (7th Corps District—Westphalia.) - - - 1914. - - -BELGIUM. - -1. The 13th Division, forming with the 14th Division the 7th Army Corps, -was a part, at the outbreak of the war, of the 2d Army (Von Buelow). It -entrained in the vicinity of Eupen from the 9th to the 11th of August, -and the 25th Brigade took part in the final operations of the siege of -Liège. After the fall of this place the division reassembled, passed -through Wavre, Nivelles, Seneffe, crossed the Sambre below Thuin (battle -of Charleroi), entered France on August 25, and left the 26th Brigade in -front of Maubeuge, where it remained until the city was taken (Sept. 7). - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. The 25th Brigade, going forward, fought east of St. Quentin on the -29th, and was at Montmirail on September 6, where it took part in the -battle of the Marne. After the 26th Brigade was released it reached Laon -on the 10th, and on the 12th the entire 13th Division went into position -north of Rheims, forming a part of the 7th Army (Von Heeringen). It -remained there until the end of the month. - - -ARTOIS. - -3. At the beginning of October the 13th Division was transferred to -Artois, where it remained until the end of March, 1916. It fought in the -sector Angres-Souchez in October and November, in that of Fromelles- -Aubers in November and December. - - - 1915. - - -ARTOIS. - -In March and in June, 1915, the division underwent two heavy attacks at -Neuve Chapelle and at Festubert. The battles from the 6th to the 29th of -March, 1915, cost the 13th Infantry Regiment 21 officers and 1,301 -noncommissioned officers in killed, wounded, and missing. (Official list -of Prussian casualties.) - -In March the division transferred the 158th Infantry Regiment to the -50th Division, a new formation. - - - 1916. - - -VERDUN (HILL 304). - -1. Relieved at the end of March, 1916, the 13th Division was sent to -rest in the Cambrai area. - -2. About the 5th of June the division entrained and was sent to the -Verdun area by way of Montmédy-Stenay. It went into line in the sector -of Hill 304, which it occupied until the month of September. - - -SOMME. - -3. Transferred to the Somme, it took part in the battle on September 12 -(south of Vouchavesnes-Cléry sur Somme). It suffered heavy losses there -which necessitated its being relieved on September 19. - -4. It was quickly reorganized in the Dun area and put back in the sector -of Hill 304 (Oct. 10). - - - 1917. - -1. The 13th Division remained in line at Hill 304 until the middle of -May, 1917. It was then relieved in this area and sent to the Aisne, -where it remained at rest for three weeks near Laon. - - -CHEMIN DES DAMES. - -2. On the 9th of June it began to take over the sector of Cerny. It -launched an important attack on July 31 upon the Deimling salient, but -was not able to retain the ground won. On August 2–3 it attacked again, -but without success. The 13th and 15th Infantry Regiments each lost 600 -men. - - -ST. GOBAIN. - -3. The 13th Division, very much exhausted, was relieved during the night -of August 3–4. It was transferred by railroad to the St. Gobain area -without having time to fill up its regiments, and went into line in the -Deuillet-Servais sector, which it held from August 10 to September 17. - - -LA MALMAISON. - -4. It was at rest in the area of Crépy en Laonnois (Sept. 20 to Oct. -11). The division was filled up from the recruit depots of neighboring -divisions, although they were not Westphalians (5th Reserve Division, -29th Division, and 103d Division). About the 11th of October it again -went into line on the Chemin des Dames east of Laffaux mill. Beginning -with October 15, it suffered heavy losses from our artillery -preparation. On the 23d it underwent the French attack. (Losses: 47 -officers and 1,548 men prisoners, including 2 regimental commanders, a -third being killed.) The division may be considered as exhausted at the -Mennejean Farm. - -5. It was sent to the Sedan area and reorganized. About November 10 it -received 1,000 men from Russia as replacements (men at least 35 years of -age). - - -MEUSE. - -6. About December 18 it occupied the sector of the Bois de Malancourt- -Haucourt (and was still there on Jan. 23, 1918). - - - RECRUITING. - -The 13th Division is a Westphalian Division, in addition to contingents -from the two principalities of Lippe. These were even mentioned with -honor in the German communique of July 1, 1917, a thing which would -ordinarily be sufficient to identify the division. - -It is manifest, however, that in 1917 the provincial character of the -division had been very much changed. The replacements of September (1918 -class) were taken from the recruit depots nearby (5th Reserved Division, -29th Division, 103d Division), and introduced, especially in the 15th -Infantry Regiment, men from Brandenburg, Baden, and Thuringia. Some -Westphalians came in October, but they were mostly older men (classes -1892 to 1903 of the Landsturm), coming from Landsturm battalion of the -7th Corps District. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -In the Somme battle (September, 1916) the 13th Division put up a -vigorous defense and did not yield any ground. - -On the Aisne (June-July, 1916) its combat value was just as great; it -attacked vigorously and put up a stubborn resistance to our -counterattacks. Besides that, it is mentioned in the German communiques: -September, 1916, for its valor on the Somme, December 20, 1916, and -January 25, 1917 (Hill 304); January 29, 1917, the 15th and the 13th -Infantry Regiments are praised for their heroic resistance. It may be -considered as a good division. - -It must be noticed, however, that on October 23, on the Chemin des -Dames, in spite of stringent orders to hold its position, the 13th -Division put up very little resistance; units surrendered en masse with -their officers. - -The 55th Infantry Regiment is probably only of mediocre worth since its -reconstruction after the battle of Malmaison. - - - 1918. - -1. The division was relieved from the Verdun front about February 6 and -went to rest in the vicinity of Arlon, and after February 15 at -Valenciennes and Mons. It marched to the Somme front in four nights, and -then rested at Clary for two days. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -2. On March 21 it was in reserve of the 18th Division, during the -advance toward Roisel. It was partially engaged on the 22d and 23d north -of Marquaix and Peronne. Two days later the entire division was engaged -north of the Somme, and on the 28th it passed to reserve near -Morlancourt until April 4, when it returned to the battle front for four -days, fighting at Dernancourt. Again the division retired to the second -line, and was relieved on the 11th. The losses of the division in this -offensive were about 40 per cent of its effectives. - - -AVRE. - -3. After 10 days’ rest (near Maricourt-Carnoy until the 18th and Caix -until the 22d) during which it was reconstituted with returned wounded -and 1919 recruits, it returned to line on the Avre (Castel) on April 23. -The division executed attacks on Hill 82 and on Hailles on April 24. -Other local attacks occurred on May 2 and 14. It was relieved on May 18. -A further draft of 1,300 men was received on May 3. - - -THIRD BATTLE OF THE SOMME. - -4. The division rested near Montdidier in June, probably at Moreuil. On -July 1 it relieved the 77th Reserve Division northeast of Villers- -Bretonneux. The British attack on the Somme threw the division back on -Mericourt with a loss of 2,769 prisoners. On August 12 it was withdrawn. - -5. It was in reserve near Mericourt during the middle of August. On the -24th it was reengaged east of Albert (Bazentin). About the 30th it was -withdrawn. The total loss in prisoners was 3,400. - - -ALSACE. - -6. The division was moved to Alsace for a rest. It entrained at -Schlestadt on September 29 and was moved by Strasbourg, Metz, and Sedan. - - -BATTLE OF THE ARGONNE. - -7. It went into line at Monthois-Challerange on September 30, remaining -until October 3, when it went into support near Morel until the 8th, -when it fell back toward Bourcq. - -8. It was in support between Landres-Saint George and Bantheville on the -15th. It was engaged on the American front on the 16th in the -Nantheville region. It was in line until the 30th, when it passed to -reserve, but returned to line on the 2d. It continued to hold a sector -until the armistice. An epidemic of Spanish fever greatly reduced the -number of effectives in all the regiments. The 13th Regiment had less -than 200 effectives at the end of October. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as a first-class division. Its performance was -excellent in the March offensive, but after that it took no special part -in any offensive. At the armistice the division had been used up through -losses and sickness. - - - - - 13th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │25 Res. │13 Res. │25 Res. │13 Res. │28 Res. │13 Res. - │ │56 Res. │ │56 Res. │ │39 Res. - │28 Res. │39 Res. │28 Res. │39 Res. │ │57 Res. - │ │57 Res. │ │57 Res. │ 7 Res. Jag. Btn. - │ 7 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 7 Res. Jag. Btn. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Cavalry. │5 Res. Hus. Rgt. │5 Res. Hus. Rgt. │5 Res. Hus. Rgt. (2 - │ │ │ Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │13 Res. F. A. Rgt. │13 Res. F. A. Rgt. │13 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (6 Btries.). │ │ (9 Btries.). - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │2 Pion. Btn. No. 7:│2 Pion. Btn. No. 7: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ Res. Co. 7 Pions. │ 4 Co. 7 Pions. - │ │ 13 Res. Pont. │ 213 T. M. Co. - │ │ Engs. │ - │ │ 13 Res. Tel. │ 13 Pont. Engs. - │ │ Detch. │ - │ │ │ 13 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │28 Res. │13 Res. │28 Res. │13 Res. - │ │39 Res. │ │39 Res. - │ │57 Res. │ │57 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 5 Res. Hus. │3 Sqn. 5 Res. Hus. - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │100 Art. Command: - │ │ - │ 13 Res. F. A. Rgt.│ 13 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.). │ - │ │ 99 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 738 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 812 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(313) Pion. Btn.: │313 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 4 Co. 7 Pions. │ 4 Co. 7 Pions. - │ 287 Pion. Co. │ 287 Pion. Co. - │ │ - │ 213 T. M. Co. │ 213 T. M. Co. - │ │ - │ Tel. Detch. │ 7 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │413 Signal Command: - │ │ 413 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 164 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │507 Ambulance Co. │507 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │33 Res. Field │33 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │145 Field Hospital.│34 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │413 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │712 M. T. Col. │712 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │47 Art. Observation - │ │ Section. - │ │73 Balloon Sqn. - │ │216 Pigeon Loft. - │ │19 Reconnaissance - │ │ Flight. - │ │74 Antiaircraft - │ │ Section. - │ │128 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │Elements attached - │ │ June, 1918. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (7th Corps District—Westphalia.) - - - 1914. - -At the beginning of the war the 13th Reserve Division and the 14th -Reserve Division formed the 7th Reserve Corps. - - -MAUBEUGE-AISNE. - -1. Assigned to the 2d German Army, the 13th Reserve Division arrived at -Liège immediately after the city and the forts were taken (Aug. 14); -reached Namur on the 25th, and took part in the siege and taking of -Maubeuge. When it was released from this place it was quickly -transferred to the front north of the Aisne; fought in the neighborhood -of Pontavert-Craonne on September 15; fought near Cerny on the 16th, and -took its position on the front of Braye-Cerny en Laonnois at the end of -September. - -2. On November 3 some elements of the division were engaged at Vailly. - -3. The division occupied the sector of Braye en Laonnois until October, -1915. - - - 1915. - -1. January-October, 1915, the division occupied the sector Braye en -Laonnois-Cerny. - -2. At the end of October the 13th Reserve Division was relieved in the -Laon area and transferred to the north, between Charleroi and -Valenciennes. After a period of training in November and December, it -entrained, about December 25, for the Verdun front. - - - 1916. - -1. At the beginning of January, 1916, the division was concentrated in -the neighborhood of Damvillers (right bank of the Meuse). In January and -February it was occupied in preparations for an attack. - - -VERDUN. - -2. Beginning with February 21 some elements were engaged near Haumont, -near Haumont wood. It took part in battles, from February 23 until March -10, in the region of Samogneux (sector of Vacherauville-Haudremont and -Cote du Poivre). It lost 51 per cent of its infantry there. - -3. From the middle of March to the 24th of October it occupied the same -sector of Haudremont (west of Douaumont), and only took part in a few -local engagements. It underwent the French attack on October 24 and -suffered heavily. - -4. Until December it held the sector included between the road of -Louvemont-Bras and the Chaufour wood. It was relieved between December 8 -and 12 and sent to rest in the Marville-Longuyon area. - -5. Transferred to Champagne (Dec. 22–24), it went into line east of -Rheims (Nogent l’Abbesse) about the 29th. - - - 1917. - -1. The division held the sector at Rheims (east of La Pomelle) until May -20, 1917. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. Concentrated, at this date, in the neighborhood of Epoye, it relieved -the exhausted 242d Division at Cornillet (south of Nauroy). It went into -action between Mont Cornillet and Mont Haut (about the end of May). - -3. Between June 8 and 15 it returned into line in its former sector east -of Rheims (south of Cernay), where it made several surprise attacks. - - -VERDUN. - -4. Relieved about the end of August from the Rheims front, it was sent, -after a few days of rest, to the right bank of the Meuse. On September -24 it attacked east of Beaumont, in the Bois le Chaume, and suffered -very heavy losses. It made another attack on October 10 in the same -sector, which it held until October 12–13. - -5. It was sent to rest (Briey area) in the second half of October. In -November it appeared on the front east of Verdun, where it was speedily -relieved. - - - RECRUITING. - -The division is recruited from Westphalia. In the course of 1917, -however, a great number of its replacements came from other districts -than Westphalia (9th, 10th, 11th Corps Districts). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 13th Reserve Division appears to be of mediocre quality. - -It suffered heavy losses at Verdun. It showed very little brilliance -there. During the French attack of October 24, 1916, it offered little -resistance to the hostile troops. - -On the Rheims front (January to May, 1917) it did not take part in any -operation. Quite a large number of men who were captured in the course -of raids in this sector surrendered with little resistance. - -However, the 13th Reserve Division did not furnish a single prisoner or -deserter during its second stay southeast of Rheims (from June 15 to the -beginning of September), and on the Verdun front it showed itself quite -active (September to October). - - - 1918. - -1. The division was relieved in the Avrocourt wood sector by the -Bavarian Ersatz Division on the night of April 5–6 and went into rest -billets at Villers near Montmedy. On the 16th it entrained at a station -near Montmedy and traveled via Carignan-Sedan-Charleville-Givet-Dinant- -Namur-Charleroi-Ath-Melle-Ghent-Deyuze to Thielt, where it detrained at -1 a. m. on April 19. After 10 days’ rest at Coolscamp the division -marched to Getsberg, and was to have gone into line in the Dixmude -sector on April 22, but was suddenly entrained and moved via Roulers to -Beythem. From there it marched to the Ledeghem area and rested until -April 24, when it marched into line northwest of Wytschaete via Menin- -Wervecq and Comines. - - -YPRES. - -2. The division was engaged in the attack on Voormezeele on April 25. -After three days’ heavy fighting it was relieved by the 49th Reserve -Division. After a few days in the second line the division came back and -relieved the 49th Reserve Division. It remained in line until May 11. -From the 11th to the 28th the division rested out of line. It was again -engaged on May 28 southwest of Merris. It was relieved about June 12. - - -MERRIS. - -3. The division went to rest in the area east of Bruges and later -northwest of Ghent. It returned to its former sector west of Merris on -July 9, relieving the 4th Bavarian Division. It held the sector until -July 27 when its heavy losses at Meteren caused its relief by the 4th -Division. Between the 27th and August 18 the division rested in the -Douai area. - - -YPRES-BELGIUM. - -4. In line the 18th–19th, it relieved the 35th Division in the sector -east of Merckem. Here the division continued until September 29, when it -was withdrawn from the line north of Staden after the loss of 1,500 -prisoners and severe casualties. It rested two weeks, and on October 14 -returned to the battle front at Cortemarck. It fought until the 20th, -when it retired for 10 days’ rest in rear of the line. On the 30th it -was reengaged near Deynze. The German communique of November 1 and 2 -mentioned the 57th and 13th Reserve Regiments for their good work. The -division was in line until the armistice. It was last identified at -Nazareth on November 3. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 13th Reserve Division was rated as a first-class division. In 1918 -it was almost wholly engaged in Belgium, taking a prominent part in the -Armentiers offensive in April, and in the defense in October. - - - - - 13th Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │61 Res. │60 Res. │61 Res. │15 Ldw. - │ │Cassel Landst.│ │82 Ldw. - │ │ Btn. (XI/2).│ │ - │ │Mayence │60 Mixed Ldw. │60 Ldw. - │ │ Landst. Btn.│ │ - │ │ (XVIII/17). │ │ - │60 Ldw. │60 Ldw. │ │71 Ldw. - │ │71 Ldw. │ 8 Jag. Btn. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Cavalry. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │1 Ers. Abt. 25 F. A. Regt. │1 Ers. Abt. of the 25 and 84 - │ │ F. A. Regt. - │1 Ers. Abt. 81 F. A. Regt. │2 Ers. Btry. (27 F. A. - │ │ Regt.). - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│1 Ldw. Pion. Co. (10 C. │1 Ldw. Pion. Co. (10 and 15 - Liaisons. │ Dist.). │ C. Dist.). - │ │ 313 T. M. Co. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │115 Landst. Inf. Regt. │44 Art. Survey Section. - │ │44 Labor Btn. - │ │12 C. Dist. Landst. Btn. No. - │ │ 1. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │60 Ldw. │15 Ldw. │60 Ldw. │15 Ldw. - │ │60 Ldw. │ │60 Ldw. - │ │ │ │ - │ │82 Ldw. │ │82 Ldw. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │5 Sqn. 6 Dragoon Regt. │5 Sqn. 6 Dragoon Regt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │13 Ldw. F. A. Regt. - │ │ - │ 13 Ldw. F. A. Regt. │1414 Light Am. Col. - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│413 Pion. Btn.: │413 Pion Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Ldw. Co. 10 Corps. Pions. │ 1 Ldw. Co. 10 C. Dist. - │ │ Pions. - │ 1 Ldw. Co. 15 Corps. Pions. │ 1 Ldw. Co. 15 C. Dist. - │ │ Pions. - │ 313 T. M. Co. │ 313 T. M. Co. - │ 513 Tel. Detch. │ 207 Searchlight Section. - │ │513 Signal Command: - │ │ 513 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 22 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │216 Ambulance Co. │216 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │102 Res. Field Hospital. │102 Res. Field Hospital. - │16 Ldw. Field Hospital. │513 Vet. Hospital. - │513 Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │782 M. T. Col. │782 M. T. Col. - │809 M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (15th Landwehr Regiment: 7th Corps District—Westphalia. 60th Landwehr - Regiment: 21st Corps District—Lorraine. 82d Landwehr Regiment: 11th - Corps District—Thuringia.) - - - 1915. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. The 13th Landwehr Division was formed in Lorraine about the middle of -May, 1915. It was made up at this time of the 61st Reserve Brigade (60th -Reserve Landsturm Battalions, Cassel and Mayence) and of the 60th -Landwehr Brigade (the 60th Landwehr Regiment, and the 61st Landwehr -Regiment). These elements were already in line on the Lorraine front -before the formation of the division. The 71st Landwehr Regiment had -been sent on August 10, 1914 (with the 82d Landwehr Regiment) to -Strassburg as a garrison. The 60th Landwehr Regiment, beginning on -August 11, was guarding the railroads of Lower Alsace. The 60th Infantry -Regiment had been engaged in August in the Vosges. - -2. The 13th Landwehr Division occupied the sector between Abaucourt and -the Bezange woods from May, 1915, to February, 1917. Except for a few -raids, it remained on the defensive during this long period. - -3. At the end of June, 1915, the 82d Landwehr Regiment replaced the 60th -Reserve Regiment. - -In December the 15th Landwehr Regiment, which had formed the garrison of -Thionville at the outbreak of the war, and was in the Vosges after a -stay near Morhange, replaced the two battalions of Landsturm (which had -been formed into the 115th Landsturm Regiment in July) sent to Serbia. - - - 1916. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. In 1916 the division held the sector Abaucourt-Bezange wood. - -In August the 9th Jager Battalion entrained for Galicia. - -2. On September 15, 1916, the staff of the 61st Reserve Brigade and the -71st Landwehr Regiment were transferred to the 215th Division, a new -formation. The 13th Landwehr Division then received its definite -organization: 15th Landwehr Regiment, 60th Landwehr Regiment, 82d -Landwehr Regiment (4 battalions each). - - - 1917. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. Relieved on the Lorraine front in the beginning of February, 1917, -the 13th Landwehr Division was concentrated in the Chateau Salins front, -entrained about the middle of February and sent by way of Metz-Longuyon- -Montmedy-Sedan-Laon to the neighborhood of La Fère. It detrained at -Versigny. One battalion was taken from each of its regiments to form the -328th Landwehr Regiment, destined to be a part of the 25th Landwehr -Division. - -2. Until March 18 the 13th Landwehr Division did work along the line -Moy-La Fère-Fresne, where the German withdrawal was stopped. - - -FORÊT DE ST. GOBAIN. - -3. On March 19, placed on the east bank of the Ailette, it covered the -retreat of the 45th Reserve Division, and at the beginning of April -occupied the sector Fresnes-Prémontré, where it was relieved about the -1st of May. - - -OISE LA FÈRE. - -4. After a fortnight’s rest in the forest of St. Gobain, it went back -into line on the front south of Alaincourt north of Deuillet (May 16). -It occupied the sector of the left bank of the Oise until the offensive -of March, 1918. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 13th Landwehr Division is apparently considered by the German High -Command as fit only to occupy a quiet sector (February, 1918). - -Shock troops have been formed from its regiments, but the men appear to -have been trained for patrol work rather than for making genuine -assaults. - - - 1918. - - -PICARDY. - -1. The division was relieved about March 24. It passed the night at -Versigny, and on the 25th reached Laon, passing by Crepy and Aulnois. - - -LAON. - -2. On the 26th the division came into line south of Laon, relieving the -75th Reserve Division. It was engaged about Chevregny, Chavignon, and -Urcil until May 27. - -3. It did not advance in the Aisne offensive. The attacking divisions -passed through, and it was withdrawn and transported to Lorraine at the -beginning of June. - - -BATTLE OF ST. MIHIEL. - -It entered the line in the Woevre in the Combres Les Eparges sector -about the 1st of June and continued to hold the front until the -armistice. In the American attack on the St. Mihiel salient the division -lost about 800 men, principally prisoners. It was pushed back to -Champlon and Marcheville, which sector it held until November 11. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as a fourth-class division. It was an inferior -sector-holding unit of mediocre morale. - - - - - 14th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │27. │16. │27. │16. │79. │16. - │ │53. │ │53. │ │56. - │79. │56. │79. │56. │ │57. - │ │57. │ │57. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │16 Uhlan Rgt. (3 │ │4 Sqn. 16 Uhlan - │ Sqns.) │ │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │14 Brig.: │14 Brig.: │14 Brig.: - │ 7 F. A. Rgt. │ 7 F. A. Rgt. │ 7 F. A. Rgt. - │ 43 F. A. Rgt. │ 43 F. A. Rgt. │ 43 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ 8 Trench Gun - │ │ │ Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. 7:│1 Pion. Btn. No. 7: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ Field Co. 7 Pions.│ 2 Co. 7 Pions. - │ │ 14 Pont. Engrs. │ 1 Co. 7 Pions. - │ │ 14 Tel. Detch. │ 14 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ 14 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ 14 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │68 M. G. S. S. - │ │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │79. │16. │79. │16. - │ │56. │ │56. - │ │57. │ │57. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 16 Uhlan │5 Sqn. 16 Uhlan - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │14 Art. Command: │14 Art. Command: - │ 43 F. A. Rgt. │ 43 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 1 Abt. 21 Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. (1 and 3 - │ │ Btries.). - │ │ 1216 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1218 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1222 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│122 Pion. Btn.: │124 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 3 Co. 7 Pions. │ 3 Co. 7 Pions. - │ 5 Co. 7 Pions. │ 5 Co. 7 Pions. - │ 14 T. M. Co. │ 14 T. M. Co. - │ 295 Searchlight │ 218 Searchlight - │ Section. │ Section. - │ 14 Tel. Detch. │14 Signal Command: - │ │ 14 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 14 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │18 Ambulance Co. │18 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │66 Field Hospital. │66 Field Hospital. - │71 Field Hospital. │71 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │14 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │547 M. T. Col. │547 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (7th Corps District—Westphalia.) - - - 1914. - - -FRANCE. - -1. The 14th Division was mobilized at the outbreak of the war with two -of its three peace-time brigades (27th and 79th Brigades) and sent its -28th Brigade to the 7th Reserve Corps (14th Reserve Division). The 27th -Brigade (Cologne) was immediately sent against Liége, where it attacked -with the five other brigades of five different army corps. On August 13 -the entire division was before Liége, where the other division of the -7th Army Corps was on the 14th. With this latter division it formed part -of the 2d Army (Von Buelow), of which it formed the right wing. It -entered Belgium by way of Wavre and Nievelles, was engaged west of -Charleroi, entered France by the valley of the Oise and took part in the -battle of the Marne, at Petit Morin, southeast of Montmirail. - -2. At the end of the retirement it stopped at the Chemin des Dames; was -sent a short time afterwards to the area north of Rheims, from which -place it was transferred, at the time of the race to the sea, to Lille, -with the entire 7th Army Corps (at the beginning of October). - - -ARTOIS. - -3. Beginning with November, 1914, it occupied different sectors around -Lille, La Bassée, and Lens until the spring of 1916. - - - 1915. - - -ARTOIS. - -1. The losses of the 14th Division were not very important during the -first two years of the war. However, in March, 1915, and in June, 1915, -it underwent two strong British attacks at Neuve Chapelle and Festubert, -which inflicted heavy losses upon it, following which it had to be -reenforced. From March 7 to March 12 the 3d Battalion of the 16th -Infantry Regiment had no less than 589 casualties, 16 of whom were -officers (official list of casualties). - - - 1916. - -1. The 14th Division was relieved at the end of 1916 from the Artois -sector and, after a long period of rest near Tournai, was transferred to -the Verdun area. - - -VERDUN. - -2. In June and July it occupied the Mort Homme sector. - -3. At the end of July it crossed over to the right bank of the Meuse and -held the sector of Thiaumont until August 25, where it suffered heavily. - -4. It then returned to the left bank of the Meuse (Cumieres) after a -short rest. It was again sent to the rear area about the middle of -October. - -5. When the French attack of October 24 broke out the 14th Division went -into action north of Douaumont on the 27th. - -6. On December 16 it suffered the shock of the French offensive and had -to be retired at the end of the month, very much weakened (65 per cent -casualties). - - - 1917. - -1. After a month behind the Verdun front the 14th Division once more -took over its former sector at the beginning of February, 1917, on the -left bank of the Meuse, north of Chattancourt (Cumieres, Mort Homme). - -2. Relieved between April 14 and 20, it entrained between the 21st and -the 25th at Sivry sur Meuse and Vilosnes and was transferred to the -Aisne. - - -CHEMIN DES DAMES. - -3. After a few days of rest in the Marchais area, at Sissonne Camp, it -was brought back to the front, and on May 5 reenforced the sector -between Ailles and Hurtebise, which was being held by guard divisions -very much weakened by our attacks. - -4. From May 7 to 12 it replaced the 1st Guard Division in line (west of -Hurtebise) and then was sent to rest east of Laon. It remained in -reserve, not taking part in any action as an entire division. - -5. After a rest in the area northwest of Liesse, it came back into line -in the sector Ailles-Hurtebise (June 20, 21) and there, on the 25th, -underwent the French attack. It lost the Cave of the Dragon; the 57th -Infantry Regiment lost 191 prisoners. - -6. On July 26 the 14th Division attacked between Hurtebise and La -Bovelle. Its efforts to regain the positions lost were futile. On Aug. 1 -the 1st Battalion of the 56th Infantry Regiment was commanded by a first -lieutenant (document). - -7. At the end of July, very much weakened by its losses, it was sent to -rest in the Vervins area and reconstituted (principally by men of the -1918 class from the Bevelloo Camp). Between December 21, 1916, and -August, 1917, no less than 326 men came as replacements to the 9th -Company of the 56th Infantry Regiment. - -8. On September 17 the 14th Division came back into line in the Laffaux -area, underwent our attacks on October 23, suffered heavy losses from -our preparation fire, and left to the French the greater part of its -artillery and numerous prisoners (1,763 men and 43 officers). - -9. An eye witness reckons the number of infantrymen left after the -battle at not more than 1,400 (letter). It was filled up with returned -wounded, men borrowed from Landsturm battalions of the 11th Corps -District and men coming from the Russian front. - -10. After being thus reorganized, in the Vervins area, the division was -sent to Haye in the Flirey sector, where it was engaged from the 5th of -November on. It was relieved January 13, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 14th Division is recruited principally from the Rhine districts of -the 7th Corps District, and it is for this reason that it is called -“Troops from the Lower Rhine” in the German communiques of July 27, -1917. - -This region, very populous, suffices for its own recruiting. It is to be -noticed, however, that in the course of the year 1917, in spite of the -growing tendency to emphasize the sectional character of the large -units, the 14th Division received replacement troops from other -districts besides the seventh; in May, men from the 6th Corps District -trained in the fourth (class of 1918); in August, men from the third, -fourth, and eighth (class of 1918); in October, Pomeranians from the 22d -Landwehr Division. The seventh district hardly counts except in the -replacements of October, with convalescents and men from the Westphalian -Landsturm battalions. The heavy losses suffered since December, 1916 -would explain, to a certain extent, this falling off in numbers. It may -also be that the morale of an industrial region such as Westphalia had -been sufficiently shattered to make a mixture advisable. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -During the French offensive of December 15, 1916, the 14th Division -behaved very well. - -South of Ailles (at the end of June, 1917) it attempted to regain lost -ground with great tenacity. - -It put up a strong resistance to the attacks of October 23. - -“The 14th Division is a good division. It has just been withdrawn from a -quiet sector to take part in a war of movement. It is a division -destined to attack.” (Jan. 18, 1918—note from the 1st French Army.) - - - 1918. - -1. The 14th Division was relieved in the Flirey sector (east of St. -Mihiel) by the 78th Reserve Division during the night of January 13–14. - - -PICARDY. - -2. After having gone through some maneuvers in the region of Mars la -Tour the division entrained at that place (also Chambley) on March 27 -and detrained at St. Quentin on the 29th. It remained in support for a -few days and then reenforced the battle front west of Moreuil (northwest -of Montdidier) on April 4. The same day attacked Rouvrel, but could make -no progress. It suffered severely, and was withdrawn on the 11th, very -much exhausted, to rest in the region of Bohain, where it was -reconstituted, and went into intensive training for open warfare. - - -AISNE. - -3. On May 27 the division entrained at Bohain, and detrained to the west -of Laon, where it assembled in the forest of Coucy, and followed the -offensive of the Aisne in the second line. It crossed the Aisne on May -30, and marched via Crécy au Mont to Hautebraye. Its objective was Vic -sur Aisne, but it was completely checked with heavy losses. It was -withdrawn about June 11. - -4. On June 14 it relieved the 51st Reserve Division near St. Bandry -(southwest of Soissons). It was badly shattered in the fighting that -followed and was withdrawn about July 2. - -5. On July 16 the division reinforced the front near Osly-Courtil (north -of the Aisne—west of Soissons); it was withdrawn about the 26th of -August. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -6. During the night of September 18–19 the division relieved the 3d -Guard Division southeast of Auberive; it was withdrawn about October 12 -and went to rest in the area north of Rethel. - - -SOLESMES. - -7. The division marched by easy stages, and entered line near -Englefontaine (east of Solesmes) during the night of October 25–26. It -was still in line at the time of the signing of the armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 14th Division is rated as being in the second of four classes. -Despite its two training periods (March and May), it did not distinguish -itself on the offensive, being decidedly checked at Moreuil and -Hautebraye. On the defensive, however, it fought tenaciously; it -suffered heavy losses, the regiments being reduced to three companies. -There is evidence supporting the view that there were not more than -1,800 rifles in the division the end of October. - - - - - 14th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │27 Res. │16 Res. │27 Res. │16 Res. │27 Res. │16 Res. - │ │53 Res. │ │53 Res. │ │53 Res. - │28. │39 Fus. │28. │39 Fus. │ │159. - │ │159. │ │159. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │8 Res. Hus. Rgt. (3│8 Res. Hus. Rgt. │5 Res. Hus. Rgt. (? - │ Sqns.). │ │ Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │14 Res. F. A. Rgt. │14 Res. F. A. Rgt. │14 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (6 Btries.). │ │ (8 Btries.). - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2 - Liaisons. │ Pion. Btn. No. 7.│ Pion. Btn. No. 7.│ Pion. Btn. No. 7. - │ │14 Res. Pont. Engs.│ 282 Pion. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │14 Res. Tel. Detch.│ 214 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ 14 Res. Pont. - │ │ │ Engrs. - │ │ │ 14 Res. Tel. - │ │ │ Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │Electric Power - │ │ │ Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │27 Res. │16 Res. │27 Res. │159. - │ │53 Res. │ │16 Res. - │ │159. │ │53 Res. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. Res. Uhlan │1 Sqn. 5 Res. Hus. - │ Rgt. (?). │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │102 Art. Command: - │ │ - │ 14 Res. F. A. Rgt.│ 14 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.). │ - │ │ 1 Abt. 16 Ft. A. - │ │ Btn. (1, 3, and 4 - │ │ Btries.). - │ │ 1169 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1170 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1193 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│314 Pion. Btn.: │314 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Res. Co. 7 │ 1 Res. Co. 7 - │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ 2 Res. Co. 7 │ 2 Res. Co. 7 - │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ 214 T. M. Co. │ 214 T. M. Co. - │ │ - │ 414 Tel. Detch. │ 66 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │414 Signal Command: - │ │ 414 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 150 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │521 Ambulance Co. │521 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │34 Res. Field │35 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │35 Res. Field │36 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │(?) 414 Vet. │414 Vet. Hospital. - │ Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │713 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │6 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │410 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │2 Res. Ft. A. Btn. - │ │19 Res. Ft. A. Btn. - │ │74 Art. Observation - │ │ Section. - │ │23 Sound Ranging - │ │ Section. - │ │49 Balloon Sqn. - │ │265 Reconnaissance - │ │ Flight. - │ │(Elements attached, - │ │ July, 1918; from - │ │ German - │ │ document.). - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (7TH CORPS DISTRICT—WESTPHALIA.) - - - 1914. - - -BELGIUM. - -1. The 14th Reserve Division belongs, like the 13th Reserve Division, to -the 7th Reserve Corps. It was formed from the Reserve Brigade at the -Senne Camp and from one brigade, surplus, of the 14th active division -(28th Brigade). One regiment of this brigade, the 39th Fusiliers, from -Dusseldorf, appeared in front of Liege on August 8, while the rest of -the division was being assembled at Dueren. - - -MAUBEUGE. - -2. Entering into Belgium by way of Verviers, on August 16, the 14th -Reserve Division then formed a part of the 2d German Army. It was in -front of Namur on August 21, with the reserve corps of the Guard and the -11th Corps. After Namur was taken it went to invest Maubeuge with the -13th Division. - - -AISNE. - -3. Set free on September 7 by the fall of this place, it left on the -10th to strengthen the Aisne front. About the 13th of September it -occupied the heights around Cerny-en-Laonnois. - - - 1915. - - -AISNE. - -1. The division held the sector between Cerny and Craonne (north of -Paissy) until the beginning of November, 1915. In March it gave the 39th -Fusiliers to the 50th Division, a new formation. - -2. About November 2 it was transferred to the Charleroi area where it -rested and had further training. - -3. At the end of December it was sent north of Verdun, near Romagne sous -les Cotes. - - - 1916. - - -VERDUN. - -1. In January and until February 20, 1916, it was employed in works -preparatory to the attack (Damvillers area). - -2. On February 23 it was in line on the right bank of the Meuse. It took -part, from the very beginning, in the German offensive against Verdun, -attacked Samogneux, Poivre Hill, and the Hill of Talou and -Vacherauville. (On the 3d of April, the 11th Company of the 16th Reserve -Infantry Regiment had already received more than 118 men as -replacements. On May 14, at least 153 had been sent to the 8th Company -of the 53d Infantry Reserve Regiment.) - -3. Until the end of December the 14th Reserve Division occupied this -sector (of the Meuse (Champneuville) at Poivre Hill). On December 15, it -underwent the French counteroffensive, to the west of Douaumont, which -caused it to suffer very heavy losses. Then it took over the sector of -Hill 344 for one week. - -4. The division was relieved from December 22–25, concentrated in the -Damvillers area and transferred to Champagne where it was reorganized. - - - 1917. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. On January 1, 1917, it went into line north of Prunay and remained in -this sector (quiet) until October 22–25. - -2. In May the division sent some of its elements as reenforcements to -units attacked at Cornillet and at Monthaut. - - -FORET DE COUCY. - -3. It entrained on October 26 at Chatelet and was transferred to the -area of Cerny-en-Laonnois. On the 28th it was interpolated between two -divisions (the 10th Division and the 27th Division) on the front -Bassoles-Fresnes, in the upper Coucy wood, which it occupied until the -middle of February, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 14th Reserve Division is recruited from Westphalia. As it suffered -very little in 1917, the division probably did not receive in the course -of that year the heterogeneous replacements which were sent—perhaps -intentionally—to the other Westphalian divisions. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 14th Reserve Division did not participate in any important action in -the course of the year 1917. It was thoroughly reorganized during its -long stay in Champagne. It is composed for the most part of young men -(20 to 30 years of age) and has suffered but few losses (a slight -proportion of the 1918 class). - -Its valor has not been put to any serious test since Verdun. It appears -capable of serious effort. - - - 1918. - - -LAON. - -1. The division was withdrawn from line in the St. Gobain region and -went to rest in the neighborhood of Laon. It was trained in open warfare -during the weeks that followed. - -2. On March 16 some equipment belonging to the 53d Reserve Regiment was -found west of Laon, near Champs, but it is unlikely that the division -was in line there; it was not identified in any other way. It was -identified in line in that region, however, on the 6th of April. It was -withdrawn on May 29. - - -AISNE. - -3. The division went immediately to the Aisne battle front, where it was -identified by prisoners in the Vierzy sector (south of Soissons) on May -31. It was withdrawn about the 10th of June and rested for a month in -the region of Fere en Tardenois. - -4. On July 8 it relieved the 47th Reserve Division near Chavigny (south -of Soissons). The 47th Reserve Division relieved part of the 14th -Reserve Division on the 12th, and the 14th Reserve seems to have come -back in its entirety on the 16th. During this fighting, the division -lost more than 1,500 prisoners. It was withdrawn on July 20, and went to -rest and refit in the neighborhood of Mulhouse. - - -NESLE. - -5. The division entrained on the 22d of August at Birnsweiler and -traveled via Saarbruecken-Trier-Herbesthal-Liége-Namur-Charleroi-Condé, -detraining at Tincourt the night of August 23–24. On the 26th it -reinforced the front near Thilloy (southwest of Nesle). It was withdrawn -on September 9, after losing some 1,300 prisoners, and went to rest in -Alsace in the neighborhood of Oltingen. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -6. On October 9, it reinforced the front near Orfeuil (southwest of -Vouziers). - -7. On October 28, the division was moved eastward to Boult, so as to -help to hinder the American advance. It was still in line on November -11. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -After the division’s participation in the battle of the Aisne, Lieut. -Gen. Loeb, its commander, was awarded the order Pour le Mérite. Again, -the German communiqué of September 2 spoke highly of the fighting of the -56th Reserve Regiment. A captured regimental order mentions the fact -that there had been many cases of the grippe. The division suffered such -severe losses that most of the men from the 47th Reserve Division, -dissolved in July, were sent to it. Nevertheless, the battalions were -reduced to three companies in August. Despite its subsequent heavy -losses (the 159th Regiment was reduced to 600 men, and the other -regiment to about the same size), the division is still considered as -being first class. - - - - - 14th Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │21 Ldw. │10 Ldw. │21 Ldw. │10 Ldw. - │ │38 Ldw. │ │38 Ldw. - │ │101 Ldw. │46 Ldw. │101 Ldw. - │ │103 Ldw. │ │103 Ldw. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │ │93 Cav. Regt. - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │82 F. A. Rgt. (1 Ers. Abt.). │217 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │908 F. A. Btry. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Ers. Co. 23 Pions. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │314 T. M. Co. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │ │155 Cyclist Co. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │10 Landst. Inf. Rgt. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │21 Ldw. │10 Ldw. │ │337 (2 Btn.). - │ │38 Ldw. │ │ - │ │346. │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 6 Cuirassier Rgt. │1 Sqn. 17 Uhlan Rgt. - │2 Sqn. 93 Cav. Rgt. │2 Sqn. 17 Uhlan Rgt. - │1 Body Hus. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │253 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. (3d Btry. - │ │ 1st Abt.) - │ 217 F. A. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(414) Pion. Btn.: │272 Searchlight Section. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 2 Ldw. Co. 3 C. Dist. Pions.│514 Tel. Detch. - │ 1 Ers. Co. 23 Pions. │ - │ 314 T. M. Co. │ - │ 338 Searchlight Section. │ - │ 514 Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │218 Ambulance Co. │257 Field Hospital. - Veterinary.│ │ - │143 Field Hospital. │167 Field Hospital. - │257 Field Hospital. │ - │170 Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │473 M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │155 Cyclist Co. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (346th Infantry Regiment: 5th Corps District—Posen. 10th and 38th - Landwehr Regiments: 6th Corps District—Silesia.) - - - 1915. - - -RUSSIA-POLAND. - -1. The 14th Landwehr Division appeared in Poland about the middle of -July, 1915, in the Sierpec area. - -It appeared to be made up at this time of the 21st Mixed Brigade of -Landwehr (10th and 38th Landwehr Regiments, taken from the Breslau -Corps), elements of the Graudenz Corps, the 46th Landwehr Brigade (Pfeil -Brigade—101st and 103d Landwehr Regiments). At all events, the 14th -Landwehr Division does not appear to have received its complete -coherence until the stabilization of the front which followed the summer -offensive against the Russians. - - -SMORGONI. - -2. The division then took position in the Smorgoni sector (September). -It remained there until February, 1918. - - - 1916. - -1. In 1916 the division remained in the Smorgoni sector. - - - 1917. - -1. In 1917 the division remained in the Smorgoni sector. - -2. About the month of April, 1917, the 101st and 103d Landwehr Regiments -(Saxon) were taken from the 14th Landwehr Division and assigned to the -46th Landwehr Division, a new formation on the Eastern Front. They were -replaced in the 14th Landwehr Division by the 346th Regiment, which -formerly belonged to the 87th Division. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The division is of mediocre value. - - - 1918. - - -MINSK. - -1. At the beginning of 1918 the 14th Landwehr Division was still on the -Smorgoni front, which it left about the middle of February to march -farther toward the east. “We are advancing right into Russia,” wrote a -man of the 38th Landwehr Regiment on March 7. About the middle of March -the division went into cantonment in the vicinity of Orcha and Kochanovo -on the Minsk-Smolensk Railroad. It was still there at the end of April. - -2. Sent to France during May, the 14th Landwehr Division arrived in -Alsace with only two regiments, the 10th and 38th Landwehr Regiments. -The division seems to have been dissolved soon afterwards, the 10th -Landwehr seeming to be attached to the 301st Division and the 38th -Landwehr to the 4th Cavalry Division. - -3. The latter part of June the division was reconstituted on the Russian -front after the departure of these two regiments for the West, with the -following units: 103d Landwehr (from the 46th Landwehr Division), 343d -Ersatz (from the 87th Division), and the 3d Landsturm (14th Landwehr -Division). On the 30th of July the division was identified in the Orcha -region. Late in September the division was identified in the same -region. - - - VALUE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 14th Bavarian Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918[11] - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │8 Bav. │4 Bav. │8 Bav. │4 Bav. │8 Bav. │4 Bav. - │ │8 Bav. │ │8 Bav. │ │8 Bav. - │ │29 Bav. │ │25 Bav. │ │25 Bav. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │4 Sqn. 8 Bav. Light│4 Sqn. 8 Bav. Light - │ │ Cav. Rgt. │ Cav. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │23 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │14 Bav. Art. │14 Bav. Art. - │ │ Command: │ Command: - │ │ 23 Bav. F. A. Rgt.│ 23 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ (10 Btries.). │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │14 Bav. Pion. Btn.:│14 Bav. Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ 10 Bav. Res. Pion.│ 10 Bav. Res. Pion. - │ │ Co. │ Co. - │ │ 11 Bav. Res. Pion.│ 11 Bav. Res. Pion. - │ │ Co. │ Co. - │ │ 14 Bav. T. M. Co. │ 101 Searchlight - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ 101 Searchlight │ 14 Bav. T. M. Co. - │ │ Section. │ - │ │ 14 Bav. Tel. │ 14 Bav. Tel. - │ │ Detch. │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │14 Bav. Ambulance │14 Bav. Ambulance - Veterinary.│ │ Co. │ Co. - │ │1 Bav. Field │1 Bav. Field - │ │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │ │47 Bav. Field │47 Bav. Field - │ │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │ │Vet. Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │694 M. T. Col. │694 Bav. M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - -Footnote 11: - - Composition at time of dissolution, Sept. 1, 1918. - - - HISTORY. - - (4th and 8th Bavarian Infantry Regiments: Second Bavarian District. 25th - Bavarian Infantry Regiment: Bavarian District.) - - - 1916. - -The 14th Bavarian Division was formed, at the beginning of August, 1916, -with the 8th Bavarian Brigade (4th and 8th Bavarian Infantry Regiments), -withdrawn from the 33d Reserve Division, and with the 29th Bavarian -Infantry Regiment, formed at this time. - - -VERDUN. - -1. The 14th Bavarian Division, going into line at the end of August, -1916, in the Vaux Chapitre wood, launched a violent attack on September -3 to the southwest of the fort of Vaux and continued to hold this sector -until October 10. - -At the end of October, the 29th Bavarian Infantry Regiment, whose losses -in the Vaux sector were considerable, was dissolved and replaced by the -25th Bavarian Infantry Regiment, taken from the 192d Division, and -raised from two to three battalions. - -2. Having thus received its present composition, the 14th Bavarian -Division went back into line on the Haute de Meuse (Calonne trench) on -October 22. - - -SOMME-ANCRE. - -3. Relieved at the beginning of November and sent to rest, it was then -sent to the Somme, where, about November 26, it took over the sector -north of the Ancre. - - - 1917. - -1. The 14th Bavarian Division left the Ancre front at the end of -January, 1917, passed the month of February at rest in the Denain area, -and came back into line on the Somme, northeast of Gueudecourt, on -February 26. It was withdrawn on March 20 at the time of the German -retirement. - - -ARTOIS. - -2. At the beginning of April it went into action against the British -offensive in the Roclincourt (north of Arras) and suffered heavily -(about 2,800 prisoners on Apr. 9). - - -RUSSIA-RIGA. - -3. Sent to rest in Belgium, it remained for several days in the Ghent -area, and then entrained for the Eastern Front (Apr. 26–28). About May -14 it went into line near Lipsk (south of Baranovitchi); in June it took -over the sector of Tsirin, where it remained until the end of the -August. It was then transferred to the Riga front (Sept. 1) and went -into action on September 14 in the neighborhood of Uxkuell. It left -there on September 18. - -4. About September 20 it went into line west of Jakobstadt and took part -in the action of the 21st. - -5. At the end of October the 14th Bavarian Division was sent to Galicia. -It was identified in the neighborhood of Tarnopol on November 1 and, for -the last time, on December 14 (fraternizing). - - -FRANCE. - -6. The division left the Tarnopol area on December 19 for the Western -Front. Itinerary: Posen-Leipzig-Frankfort-Kreuznach-Thionville. It -detrained at Wasigny and Saulces-Monclin (near Rethel) on December 23. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 14th Bavarian Division is recruited from the 2d and 3d Bavarian -Corps Districts. - - - VALUE. - -The 8th Bavarian Brigade (4th and 8th Bavarian Infantry Regiments), -which helped form the 14th Bavarian Division, is a strong body -belonging, in peace times, to the garrison at Metz. - -It distinguished itself at the battle of Eparges (March-April, 1915), at -the attack of September 3, 1916 (Vaux-Chapitre wood). - -The morale of the 14th Bavarian Division appears to be high. No deserter -has been found since the arrival of the division on the Western Front -(December, 1917). The 14th Bavarian Division has always been a good -division (January, 1918). - - - 1918. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. The 14th Bavarian Division embarked at Tarnopol on December 19 and -traveled via Kalicz-Posen-Leipsic-Frankfort-Kreusnach-Thionville- -Wassigny (north of Rethel), where it detrained on the 23d. On January 12 -it relieved the 7th Reserve Division in the Mont Haut sector. It was -relieved by the 80th Reserve Division on April 22. - - -PICARDY. - -2. On the 26th the division entrained at Neuflize, detraining on the -following day near Mericourt (northeast of St. Quentin). From there it -marched via Bellenglise-Vermand-Mons en Chaussee-Brie-Foucaucourt to -Framerville. On May 3 it relieved the 208th Division in the Hangard -sector (southeast of Amiens). It was relieved on the 21st by the 225th -Division. - -3. The division remained in close support, and relieved the 15th -Division one sector to the south on the 23d. It was withdrawn during the -night of June 20–21, and rested in rear of the front for over a month. - -4. About July 23, it relieved the 21st Division in the Castel sector -(north of Hangard). In the fighting that followed the division suffered -heavy losses, especially in the British attack of August 8. It was -withdrawn about the 13th in a badly shattered condition, it having lost -some 2,500 prisoners. - -5. It was in line again on the 29th northwest of Villers-Carbonnel -(southwest of Peronne), and was withdrawn about the 2d of September. -Soon thereafter, the 14th Bavarian Division was disbanded—the 4th -Bavarian went to the 4th Bavarian Division to replace the 5th Bavarian -Reserves (dissolved); the 8th Bavarian went to the 16th Bavarian -Division to replace the 21st Bavarian Reserves (dissolved); the 25th -Bavarian went to the 6th Bavarian Reserves Division to replace the 17th -Bavarian Reserves (dissolved). The commanding general and his staff were -identified at Malineson October 24, but there is nothing to show what -they were doing there, or where they went. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -Previous to 1918 the 14th Bavarian was always considered a first-class -division. Since then, however, it seems to have fallen off somewhat; it -was not used in any of the German offensives, and it is significant that -a battalion of the 2d Bavarian Division was used in its sector (south of -Hailles) when it was desired to make a raid, and also that two of the -divisions receiving regiments when the 14th Bavarian was disbanded were -second class. The division lost over 2,000 prisoners, including all -three regiment staffs and the staffs of several of the battalions. - - - - - 15th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Infantry. │29. │25. │29. │25. │Jan. to Aug., 1916. - │ │161. │ │161. │29. │25. - │80. │65. │80. │65. │ │161. - │ │160. │ │160. │80. │65. - │ │ │ │ │ │160. - │ │ │ │ │Aug. to Nov., 1916. - │ │ │ │ │ │186. - │ │ │ │ │ │160. - │ │ │ │ │ │389. - │ │ │ │ │ After Nov. - │ │ │ │ │ │69. - │ │ │ │ │ │160. - │ │ │ │ │ │389. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │ │7 Hus. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │15 Brig.: │15 Brig.: │15 Brig.: - │ 59 F. A. Rgt. │ 59 F. A. Rgt. │ 59 F. A. Rgt. - │ 83 F. A. Rgt. │ 83 F. A. Rgt. │ 83 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. 8:│1 Pion. Btn. No. 8: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ Field Co. 8 Pions.│ 1 Co. 8 Pions. - │ │ 15 Tel. Detch. │ 5 Co. 8 Pions. - │ │ 15 Pont. Engs. │ 15 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ 15 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ 15 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │69 Anti-Aircraft - │ │ │ Section. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │80. │69. │80. │69. - │ │160. │ │137. - │ │389. │ │160. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 7 Hus. Rgt. │2 Sqn. 7 Hus. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │15 Art. Command: │15 Art. Command: - │ 59 F. A. Rgt. │ 59 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 135 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 707 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 744 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1295 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│125 Pion. Btn. (1 │125 Pion. Btn. - Liaisons. │ Pion. Btn. No. │ - │ 8): │ - │ 1 Co. 8 Pions. │ 1 Co. 8 Pions. - │ 5 Co. 8 Pions. │ 5 Co. 8 Pions. - │ 15 T. M. Co. │ 15 T. M. Co. - │ 15 Tel. Detch. │ 108 T. M. Co. - │ │ 41 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │15 Signal Command: - │ │ 15 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 113 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │19 Ambulance Co. │19 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Field Hospital. │82 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │83 Field Hospital. - │ │15 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. No. 800.│548 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (8th Corps District—Rhine Province.) - - - 1914. - -1. Upon mobilization, the 15th Division (Aix la Chapelle, Cologne, Bonn, -etc.) formed with the 16th Division an organic part of the 8th Army -Corps and was in the 4th Army (Duke of Wuerttemberg). - -2. Temporarily detaching the 25th Infantry Regiment (Aix la Chapelle) -from the corps at the siege at Liege, the 15th Division entered, on -August 6, into Luxemburg, where it had been preceded by the 16th -Division (Treves). It entered into Belgian Luxemburg on the 19th and -20th of August. Went into action on the 22d and 23d—Porcheresse, Graid, -Bièvre—and entered France on the 26th. While the 29th Brigade was -crossing the Meuse at Sedan the 80th entered at Mezieres. Again uniting -on the 30th, the 15th Division went through Champagne by way of Somme Py -and Suippes and took part in the battle of the Marne at Vitry le -Francois. It then withdrew to Souain and Perthes, where it remained as a -whole until November. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -3. At this time the 29th Brigade was taken to the Ypres front until the -end of December, at which date it went to the south of Alsace, making a -part of the combined division of Fuchs. The separation of the two -brigades lasted until May, 1915. The 29th Brigade lost heavily in -Alsace, where the 25th Infantry Regiment was reduced to 600 men on March -26, 1915 (soldier’s notebook). - - - 1915. - -1. The 15th Division, in which the 29th Brigade was temporarily replaced -by the 1st Bavarian Landwehr Brigade, remained in Champagne until the -beginning of April, 1915. At that date it went to reenforce the 3d -Bavarian Corps near St. Mihiel in the Ailly wood. - - -ARTOIS. - -2. At the end of May the 15th Division again had both its brigades (29th -and 80th) and went into action at Artois until the middle of June. It -suffered heavy losses. The 161st Infantry Regiment lost 31 officers and -1,653 men (official list of casualties). - - -AISNE. - -3. From June, 1915, until June, 1916, the 15th Division occupied various -sectors of the Aisne: Vailly-Pommiers (end of July), Nouvron -(September), Ste. Marguerite-Bucy le Long (October). - - - 1916. - - -SOMME. - -1. July, 1916, the 15th Division was transferred to the Somme. It took -part in the battle and participated in the attack at Biaches, where it -suffered heavy losses. - -2. At the end of August it again took over its sector, St. Marguerite- -Bucy le Long. Its composition was modified by the temporary loss of the -160th Infantry Regiment, sent to the combined division of Dumrath -(August), by the definite transfer of the 65th Infantry Regiment and the -161st Infantry Regiment to the 185th Division, and of the 25th Infantry -Regiment to the 208th Division. - -3. At the beginning of October it had received in exchange for the -regiments transferred the 186th Infantry Regiment (temporarily) and the -389th Infantry Regiment, a new formation (men taken from various Rhine -regiments), and received the 160th Infantry Regiment again (the Dumrath -Division having been dissolved). It reappeared on the Somme front -(Sailly-Saillisel), where it again suffered heavy losses. - - -AISNE. - -4. At the end of October it returned to the Aisne and occupied the -sectors of Nuvron-Moulin sous Touvent. It was reorganized finally in -November and received its definitive composition. - - -RUSSIA. - -5. About the middle of November the 15th Division was withdrawn from the -front, entrained after a few days’ rest, and transferred to the Eastern -Front. It went into line north of Kisselin. - - - 1917. - -1. In February, 1917, the division was in Transylvania (upper valley of -the Olta). - -2. In April it was in reserve at Vladimir-Volynski. - - -FRANCE. - -3. Transferred to the French front (entrained at Kovel, detrained at -Vigneulles, at the end of April), the division occupied the sector of -Vaux les Palameix (Meuse). - - -CALIFORNIE PLATEAU. - -4. At the end of May it was relieved and sent (night of May 29–30) to -the Vauclerc Plateau and the Californie Plateau. On June 2 and 3 it took -part in the violent attack upon these plateaus. It renewed these attacks -upon July 3 and again suffered heavy losses. - - -LORRAINE. - -5. The division was relieved on the night of July 8–9 and then sent to -the Lys area, from which it was transferred into the zone Richecourt- -Avricourt. It was put in line (July 15) near Blamont. - - -FLANDERS. - -6. It was relieved about September 4, sent to rest in the Verdun area, -and transferred to Belgium on October 7, where it was in action and -suffered heavily on the Ypres front (north of the Ypres-Menin road) -until November 13. - -7. The division was then sent to the rear (area of Bruges-Knocke). - -8. It again went into line east of Ypres about December 18 (east of -Passchendaele). In the middle of January, 1918, it was withdrawn from -this sector and sent to the Bruges area. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 15th Division is easily recruited from the populous districts of the -Rhine Provinces. In case of heavy losses and urgent necessity for -reenforcements, the need has been felt for having recourse to the rest -of the Rhine country in the widest sense of the word, that is to say, -Rhenish Hessia and the Grand Duchy of Baden, in return for -reenforcements sent elsewhere. The frequence of the relation and the -community of interests which unites these regions assures the 15th -Division, under all circumstances, the advantages of regional -homogeneity. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 15th Division, in spite of the lack of success of its efforts, has -given the impression of being a good division. - -On June 2 and 3, 1917, the 69th Infantry Regiment and the 389th Infantry -Regiment, attacked vigorously upon the casemates and Californie -Plateaus. The 389th Infantry Regiment, especially, showed a great deal -of dash in the course of these actions (July, 1917). - -The division is composed, for the most part, of young and well trained -elements; it has the experience gained from a very active sector -(September, 1917). - - - 1918. - - -BELGIUM. - -1. The division relieved the 25th Division east of Passchendaele on -February 10 and occupied the sector until February 20–25 when it moved -south and took over the Zonnebeke sector from the 31st Division. About -March 21, it was relieved by the 39th Division. It entrained at -Muelebeke on the 23d and detrained at Mons en Pevele (north of Douai). -From there it went by marches to Cambrai (31st), Sailly Saillisel, Bray -sur Somme and Suzanne, and Caix (Apr. 7–12). - - -PICARDY. - -2. On April 12 it was engaged in the Bois Senecat, northwest of Moreuil. -During the French attack of the 18th the division lost 700 prisoners. It -was relieved about April 22. - -3. It rested until mid-May near Busigny. The 389th Regiment is known to -have received 600 men as a draft at this time. On May 18, the division -returned to line near Castel, and was engaged until May 22. - -4. It rested in the Somme area (at Rosieres en Santerse June 1, and -Peronne on the 9th), until June 17 when it came into line before -Moreuil. It suffered heavy losses during the French attack of the 17th -but continued in line until the 26th. It rested east of Roye in June and -from the 3d to the 5th of July was in reserve south of Blerancourt. - - -BATTLE OF THE OISE-AISNE. - -5. The division was engaged in the Nampcel-Autreches sector from July 5 -until August 22. It was pushed back to Caisnes (Aug. 18) and as a result -of the French attack lost 1,880 prisoners. - -6. The division was moved to rest at Damvillers north of Verdun in early -September. On the 26th it left that place and marched to Flabas, east of -the Meuse. - - -MEUSE-ARGONNE. - -7. On September 26 the division was in line in the Bois des Caures. It -continued to hold a sector in the region until the armistice. The last -identification was northwest of Ornes on November 10. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. Its heavy losses at Moreuil in -June and the ravages of the grippe in the summer lowered the morale. On -the other hand, a document of October 4 indicated that the division had -been congratulated by the Kaiser for its “heroic conduct.” - - - - - 15th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │ │25 Res. │29 Res. │25 Res. │29 Res. │25 Res. - │ │69 Res. │ │69 Res. │ │69 Res. - │ │17 Res. │80 Res. │17 Res. │80 Res. │17 Res. - │ │30 Res. │ │30 Res. │ │30 Res. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │5 Res. Uhlan Rgt. │5 Res. Uhlan Rgt. │5 Res. Uhlan Rgt. - │ (3 Sqns.). │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │15 Res. F. A. Rgt. │15 Res. F. A. Rgt. │15 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (6 Btries.). │ (after Mar., │ (8 Btries.). - │ │1915, 8 Btries.). │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│4 Field Co., 2 │4 Field Co., 2 │4 Field Co., 2 - Liaisons. │ Pion. Btn. No. 8.│ Pion. Btn. No. 8.│ Pion. Btn. No. 8. - │ │15 Res. Pont. Engs.│2 Co. 31 Pion. Rgt. - │ │15 Res. Tel. Detch.│5 Co. 31 Pion. Rgt. - │ │ │215 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │15 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │15 Res. Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Odd units. │ │ │78 Anti-Aircraft - │ │ │ section. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │30 Res. │17 Res. │30 Res. │17 Res. - │ │25 Res. │ │25 Res. - │ │69 Res. │ │69 Res. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │5 Res. Uhlan Rgt. │2 Sqn. 8 Cuirassier - │ (? 3d Sqn.) │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │104 Art. Command: │104 Art. Command: - │ │ - │ 15 Res. F. A. Rgt.│ 15 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.). │ - │ │ 125 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ (Staff, 1, 2, and - │ │ 3d Btries.). - │ │ 1064 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1066 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1067 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│315 Pion Btn.: │315 Pion Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 4 Co. 8 Pion. │ 4 Co. 8 Pion. - │ 6 Co. 8 Pion. │ 6 Co. 8 Pion. - │ 215 T. M. Co. │ 53 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 257 Searchlight │ 215 T. M. Co. - │ Section. │ - │ 415 Tel. Detch. │415 Signal Command: - │ │ 415 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 37 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │508 Ambulance Co. │508 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │37 Res. Field │37 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │38 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │ │415 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │714 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Odd units. │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │504 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ (Staff, 2 and 3 - │ │ Abt.). - │ │3 Abt. 4 Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. - │ │708 Transport Park. - │ │30 Ammunition Col. - │ │133 and 18 Bav. - │ │ Supply Trains. - │ │238 Reconnaissance - │ │ Flight. - │ │119 Balloon Sqn. - │ │136 Labor Btn. - │ │92 Art. Observation - │ │ Section. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - (Elements attached Oct. 12, 1918, from German document.) - - - HISTORY. - - (25th Reserve Infantry Regiment, 69th Reserve Infantry Regiment: 8th - Corps District—Rhine Province. 17th Reserve Infantry Regiment: 21st - Corps District—Lorraine.) - - - 1914. - -1. In August, 1914, the 15th Reserve Division which was a part of the -8th Reserve Corps (with the 16th Reserve Division) and of the 4th Army, -was concentrated on the Luxemburg frontier, which it crossed on the -19th. Entering Belgium on the 21st, it fought on the 22d at Maissin and -Paliseul, and between the 25th and 27th it crossed the Meuse near Sedan, -losing heavily. On August 28, the 2d Battalion of the 69th Reserve -Infantry Regiment was reduced to 140 men (soldier’s notebook). - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. From this place, by way of le Chesne, Vouziers, Tahure, the division -advanced as far as Marne Canal to the Rhine, at Vitry le Francois -(Brusson Dompremy, Sept. 6), where it took part in the battle of the -Marne. - -3. The division retired between September 9 and September 16 by way of -Suippes to Servon, Binarville, Massiges (Sept. 18 to 27), and -established itself north of Massiges. - - - 1915. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. The 15th Reserve Division occupied the front north of Massiges and of -Mesnil les Hurlus in the Souain area. In the course of various small -actions, especially in May, it suffered heavily, so much so that by June -30, the losses suffered since the beginning of the campaign amounted to -2,316 men for the 2d Battalion of the 17th Reserve Infantry Regiment -(official list of casualties). - -2. In September, 1915, the elements of the 15th Reserve Division divided -between the Liebert Division (17th and 69th Reserve Infantry Regiments) -and the Ditfurth Division (25th and 30th Reserve Infantry Regiments) -took part in the battle of Champagne near Tahure, east of Somme Py (from -Sept. 25 to the beginning of October). They suffered considerable -losses. - - -AISNE. - -3. Toward the end of October the 15th Reserve Division was relieved from -the Tahure sector and reorganized. At the beginning of November it went -into line between Vailly and the Oise-Aisne Canal. - - - 1916. - -1. The division occupied the sector Chavonne-Soupir south of Braye en -Laonnois until the end of June, 1916. - - -SOMME. - -2. At the beginning of July, as soon as the Franco-British offensive -began, the 15th Reserve Division detached some of its elements to -reenforce divisions engaged along the Somme, especially at Flaucourt -(July 2 and 3), Hem wood, and the Vermandovillers area (August). - - -AISNE. - -3. Some of these elements returned to the Aisne and were reassigned to -the Liebert (new 15th Reserve Division) and the Dumrath Division. - - -SOMME. - -4. The 17th and 30th Reserve Infantry Regiments remained in the Somme -area. Separated at first, at the end of August they formed the 32d -Brigade reattached to the 35th Division which held the front in the area -of Estrees-Ablaincourt (September). - -5. At the beginning of October the 15th Reserve Division once more -reorganized its original elements, and occupied the lines between -Fouquescourt and the north of Andechy. - -6. The division was relieved from the Somme front about December 15. - - - 1917. - - -SOMME. - -1. Once more in line in the Fouquescourt sector, the division took part -in the German withdrawal by way of Ercheu, Moyencourt (Mar. 17), Ham -(Mar. 19). - -2. It was sent to rest in the Maubeuge area (?) (end of March and -April). - - -ARTOIS. - -3. About May 2 it went into line in the Fresnoy sector (north of Arras), -where it went into action about May 3. - -4. It was withdrawn from the Artois front on May 10 and transferred to -the Eastern Front (May 21 to May 28). - - -GALICIA. - -5. Sent to Galicia, it occupied the sector south of Brzezany, where it -underwent the Russian attack of July 1. Then it took part in the -offensive against the Russians at the end of July, and suffered heavy -losses near Husiatin, where it remained until August 24. Sent to the -rear of Zbrucz it held this sector from September 15 to December 7. - - -FRANCE. - -6. Relieved at this date, it remained in the Jablona area until December -19, and entrained on the 30th for the Western Front. Itinerary: Brest -Litowsk-Warsaw-Karlish-Halle-Frankfort on the Main-Mayence- -Sarrebruecken-Thionville-Sedan. It detrained on January 7, in the Dun -area, where it went to rest. - -The 15th Reserve Division suffered very heavy losses in Galicia (July -and Aug., 1917). - -At the end of February, 1918, these losses, according to the statements -of deserters, had not yet been made good by sufficient replacements. - -In Russia there was no exchange of the older men of the division for men -of the 1919 class. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 15th Reserve Division is recruited from the Rhine districts in -general. The elements from the 9th Corps District, introduced by the -assignment of one battalion of the 76th Landwehr Regiment to the 69th -Reserve Infantry Regiment, have almost disappeared with the arrival of -successive replacements. - - - 1918. - -1. During its occupancy of the Verdun sector the division underwent -intensive training which was to fit it for operations on the Western -Front. It was relieved about April 15. The division commenced entraining -at Stenay about April 23 and traveled via Givet-Dinant-Namur-Charleroi- -Braine le Comte-Ath-Tournai, and detrained between Tournai and Lille. -One regiment marched to Haubourdin (12 miles), where it rested several -days. - - -HINGE. - -2. On the night of May 1–2 the division came into line east of St. -Venant. It held this sector for 10 months. Toward the end of June it was -relieved by the 23d Reserve Division. - - -ARRAS. - -3. On July 11 the division entered the line southwest of Oppy. It was -engaged at Gavrelle, Oppy, and Arleux until October 9 when the 187th -Division relieved it. - -4. The division returned to line on the 12th to reinforce the front east -of Bohain and fought until the end of October in the region east of -Wassigny. There was some talk in the division of the dissolution, as no -drafts of importance were received during September or October. - -5. On November 6 the division was again in line. In the closing days of -the war it was engaged north of Beaurepaire, southeast of Limont- -Fontaine, southwest of Aites and Obrechies (10th). - - - VALUE. - -The division was rated as third class. During 1918 the division was -almost constantly in line holding defensive sectors, which it did with -fair success. - - - - - 15th Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │10 Ldw. │12 Ldw. │10 Ldw. │12 Ldw. - │ │52 Ldw. │ │52 Ldw. - │27 Ldw. │53 Ldw. │27 Ldw. │53 Ldw. - │ │55 Ldw. │ │55 Ldw. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │1 Ldw. Sqn. 3 C. Dist. │ - │2 Ldw. Sqn. 7 C. Dist. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │1 and 2 Landst. 3 C. Dist. F.│15 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. - │ A. Btries. │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │Landst. F. A. Btry. 7 C. │ - │ Dist. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│ │246 Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │247 Pion. Co. - │ │315 T. M. Co. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │42 Art. Survey Section. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918[12] - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │10 Ldw. │12 Ldw. │ │53 Ldw. - │ │52 Ldw. │ │ - │ │53 Ldw. │ │ - │ │55 Ldw. │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 5 Hus. Rgt. │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │15 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. (Regt. - │ │ Staff, 2 Abt. Staff, and 4 - │ │ and 6 Btries., 3 Abt. - │ │ Staff, 7 and 9 Btries. not - │ │ included). - │ 15 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│415 Pion. Btn. │109 Wireless Detch. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 246 Pion Co. │ - │ 247 Pion. Co. │ - │ 315 T. M. Co. │ - │ 247 Searchlight Section. │ - │ Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │552 Ambulance Co. │7 Ldw. Field Hospital. - Veterinary.│ │ - │3 Ldw. Field Hospital. │515 Vet. Hospital. - │7 Ldw. Field Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── -Footnote 12: - - The elements below are those grouped under the 797 Postal sector. - Other elements belonging to the 15th Landwehr Division, but operating - under other division staffs, are listed as attached to such division. - - - HISTORY. - - (12th Landwehr Regiment: 3d Corps District—Brandenburg. 53d and 55th - Landwehr Regiments: 7th Corps District—Westphalia.) - - - 1915. - - -OISE. - -1. The 15th Landwehr Division (Sack Division) was formed about the month -of March, 1915, from two independent Landwehr brigades (the 10th and -27th) which had been holding, since September, 1914, the sectors of the -Oise south of Noyon. - -2. The 10th Brigade, entering Belgium on August 19, was at Tirlemont on -September 1 and had been sent rapidly to the Oise at the beginning of -the retreat from the Marne. It had gone into action at Blerancourt, -Bellefontaine, Cuts, on September 15 and 16. The 27th Brigade, coming -from Aix la Chapelle August 17, had advanced by way of Louvain, Douai, -Cambrai, Bepaume, and Amiens and had likewise been in action on -September 15 and 16 at Rivecourt and Nampcel. - -3. After its formation the 15th Landwehr Division continued to occupy -the Oise sector of Thiescourt (Ribecourt) until 1917. - - - 1916. - -1. The division held the Oise sector of Thiescourt (southwest of Noyon). - - - 1917. - -1. The Oise sector of Thiescourt was held by the division until 1917. - -In the middle of March, 1917, the 15th Landwehr Division took part in -the withdrawal of the German troops and retired southeast of St. Quentin -by way of Salency, Chauny, and La Fere. - - -GALICIA. - -2. Relieved at the end of March, it was transferred to the Eastern -Front. Itinerary: Charleroi-Luxemburg-Treves * * * Breslau-Cracow- -Lemberg. (Some elements of the division had already left before the -withdrawal to the Hindenburg line and had entrained at Noyon.) - -3. In Galicia the 15th Landwehr Division occupied the sector west of -Brody until the beginning of 1918. - -Almost immediately after its arrival the 52d Landwehr Regiment was -withdrawn from the division (April, 1917). - -Like the other Landwehr divisions on the Eastern Front, the 15th -Landwehr Division at the end of 1917 had given its best elements to -divisions operating in France (especially to the 111th Division). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The division is purely a sector division. - - - 1918. - - -UKRAINE. - -1. Early in March the 15th Landwehr Division marched toward Rovno; from -there it was transported to Kiev. - -2. On May 11 the division was south of Ekaterinoslav; the 12th Landwehr -Regiment at Sebastopol and the 53d Landwehr Regiment likewise being in -the Crimea. - - -CAUCASUS. - -3. Toward the end of May elements of the division were identified in the -Kertch region, the 12th Landwehr Regiment, however, being on the Vardar -front. The division was still here the latter part of September. During -this time all of the younger men were sent to the Western Front. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 15th Bavarian Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │23 Bav. │30 Bav. │23 Bav. │30 Bav. - │ │31 Bav. │ │31 Bav. - │ │32 Bav. │ │32 Bav. - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 7 Bav. Light Cav. │3 Sqn. 7 Bav. Light Cav. - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │7 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ 7 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │23 Bav. Ft. A. Btn. - │ │148 Bav. Light Am. Col. - │ │152 Bav. Light Am. Col. - │ │155 Bav. Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│15 Bav. Pion. Btn.: │15 Bav. Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 24 Bav. Pion. Co. │ 24 Bav. Pion. Co. - │ 25 Bav. Pion. Co. │ 25 Bav. Pion. Co. - │ 15 Bav. T. M. Co. │ 15 Bav. T. M. Co. - │ 15 Bav. Tel. Detch. │ 15 Bav. Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │15 Bav. Signal Command: - │ │ 15 Bav. Tel. Detch. - │ │ 170 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │25 Bav. Ambulance Co. │25 Bav. Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │64 Bav. Field Hospital. │64 Bav. Field Hospital. - │65 Bav. Field Hospital. │65 Bav. Field Hospital. - │15 Bav. Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transport. │696 M. T. Col. │696 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (30th Bavarian Infantry Regiment: 1st Bavarian Corps District. 31st - Bavarian Infantry Regiment: 2d Bavarian Corps District. 32d Bavarian - Infantry Regiment: 3d Bavarian Corps District.) - - - 1917. - -The 15th Bavarian Division was formed in December, 1916, and January, -1917, at Nuremburg, of elements coming from the three Bavarian corps -districts in the manner of the divisions 231–242; that is to say, a very -large proportion of the men of the 1918 class, together with returned -wounded and sick and men taken from units at the front. - -1. From February 1 to March 1, 1917, the three regiments of the division -received instruction for mountain troops in Upper Bavaria, near the -Austrian frontier. - -2. On March 1 the 15th Bavarian Division was transferred to the -Charleroi area, where it remained one month; there it received training -in the war of movement. - - -LORRAINE. - -3. At the end of March it was transferred to Lorraine; it occupied the -Leintrey sector (Parroy wood) until the beginning of May. - - -AISNE. - -4. From Lorraine it went to the Laonnois area (Sissonne, La Selve, May -12); went into line southwest of Juvincourt on May 19–20; launched an -attack on June 28–29 southeast of Corbeny, and left the front at the end -of July. - -5. After a rest in the Sedan area the division entrained on August 20 -for the Verdun front. - - -MEUSE (HILL 304). - -6. Detraining at Stenay and Dun (Aug. 22–24), it went into line north of -Hill 304 (Forges Stream). The French attack on the 24th occasioned -serious losses. - - -MEUSE (RIGHT BANK). - -7. The 15th Bavarian Division was relieved from Hill 304 about October -16; went from there to the right bank of the Meuse, and then into line -at Beaumont (Oct. 24). - - - RECRUITING. - -The 15th Bavarian Division is recruited from all of Bavaria. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -In September, 1917, the 15th Bavarian Division appeared strong. - -In the 31st Bavarian Infantry Regiment two-thirds of the men were -recruits belonging to the 1918 class. - -The division suffered few losses on the Verdun front after November, -1917. - - - 1918. - -1. During the spring the division made use of the quiet Bezouvaux sector -to train the men in machine gun and assault tactics. It was relieved on -July 23 and rested south of Longwy (Villers la Montagne) until July 4. -It was moved to Sault St. Remy, by Carignan, Sedan, Rethel (July 4–5). -Until the 11th it rested in a camp, when it marched by night toward the -front. - - -BATTLE OF RHEIMS. - -2. On the 15th it was engaged in the offensive east of Prunay. It -advanced to north of Thuizy, suffering very heavy losses, estimated to -have been 30 to 40 per cent. It remained in line until mid-August. After -10 weeks’ rest the division was again engaged about September 1 north of -Prosnes until September 29. - - -MEUSE-ARGONNE. - -3. The division was placed in line farther to the east, near Somme Py, -where it remained until about September 29, at which time it was put in -reserve north of Bouillon. In the fighting all three regiments were -exhausted, but the losses of the 31st Bavarian Regiment were -particularly heavy. Six hundred prisoners were taken from the division -at this time. - -4. The division rested from October 5 to 10. At this time the 18th -Bavarian Reserve Regiment, from the disbanded Bavarian Ersatz Division, -was divided among the three regiments of the division. - -5. It came into line on October 13 east of Grandpre and was engaged on -the United States front until November 11. It did not offer a vigorous -resistance to the American attacks at first, but in late October and -early November it did all in its power to check the American advance. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as a third-class. The heavy losses in Champagne -in September and October, the prevalent sickness, political discontent, -and dissatisfaction with Prussia continued to give the division a low -morale. - - - - - 16th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │30. │28. │30. │28. │30. │28. - │ │68. │ │68. │ │68. - │31. │29. │31. │29. │31. │29. - │ │69. │ │69. │ │69. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │8 Cuirassier Rgt. │ │8 Cuirassier Rgt. - │ │ │ (3 and 4 Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │16 Brig.: │16 Brig.: │16 Brig.: - │ 23 F. A. Rgt. │ 23 F. A. Rgt. │ 23 F. A. Rgt. - │ 44 F. A. Rgt. │ 44 F. A. Rgt. │ 44 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│2 and 3 Field Cos. │1 Pion. Btn. No. 8:│1 Pion. Btn. No. 8: - Liaisons. │ 1 Pion. Btn. No. │ │ - │ 8. │ │ - │ │ 2 Field Co. 8 │ 2 Co. 8 Pions. - │ │ Pions. │ - │ │ 3 Field Co. 8 │ 3 Co. 8 Pions. - │ │ Pions. │ - │ │ 16 Pont. Engs. │ 16 T. M. Co. - │ │ 16 Tel. Detch. │ 16 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ 16 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │113 Labor Btn. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │30. │28. │30. │28. - │ │29. │ │29. - │ │68. │ │68. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 7 Hus. Rgt. │1 Sqn. 7 Hus. Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │16 Art. Command: │16 Art. Command: - │ 23 F. A. Rgt. │ 23 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 32 Ft. A. Btn. (3 - │ │ Btries.). - │ │ 1252 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1253 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1307 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│125 Pion Btn. (1 │8 Pion. Btn: - Liaisons. │ Pion. Btn. No. │ - │ 8): │ - │ 2 Co. 8 Pions. │ 2 Co. 8 Pions. - │ │ - │ 3 Co. 8 Pions. │ 3 Co. 8 Pions. - │ │ - │ 169 T. M. Co. │ 169 T. M. Co. - │ 293 Searchlight │ 44 Searchlight - │ Section. │ Section. - │ 16 Tel. Detch. │16 Signal Command: - │ │ 16 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 120 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │20 Ambulance Co. │20 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │80 Field Hospital. │76 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │80 Field Hospital. - │ │16 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │549 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │188 and 417 Pigeon - │ │ Lofts. - │ │208 Balloon Sqn. - │ │7 Reconnaissance - │ │ Flight. - │ │57 Art. Observation - │ │ Section (Flash- - │ │ spotters). - │ │10 Co. 97 Labor - │ │ Btn. - │ │38 Div. Pont. Engs. - │ │1294 Light Am. Col. - │ │(Elements attached - │ │ July 17, 1918; - │ │ from German - │ │ documents.) - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (8th Corps District—Rhine Province.) - - - 1914. - - -ARDENNES-MARNE. - -1. In August, 1914, the 16th Division (belonging to the 8th Army Corps, -together with 16th Division) was a part of the 4th German Army (Duke of -Wurttemberg). It entered Luxemburg at the beginning of August (28th -Infantry Regiment), there received the rest of its reservists on the -7th, entered Belgian Luxemburg on the 20th, and went into action on the -23d at Bièvre and Gédinne. From there, by way of Sedan and Donchery -(Aug. 26), forming the extreme right of the 4th Army, it went through -Champagne, reached Suippes on September 3, and crossed the Marne near -Vitry le François, where it came into contact with the French forces. It -retired, having suffered heavily, by way of Somme-Yèvre—Herpont-St. Mard -sur Auve-Somme Bionne, and stopped near Perthes les Hurlus, where it -made a stand. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. The 16th Division occupied the sector Souain-Perthes during the -winter of 1914 and 1915; it there withstood strong attacks. - - -BELGIUM. - -3. In November and December, 1914, the division detached certain of its -elements (31st Brigade, 29th and 69th Infantry Regiments) in Belgium, in -the Langemarck area. - - -ALSACE. - -4. In the middle of December the 31st Brigade was sent to Alsace for -work near Mulhouse. It formed a part of the Fuchs Division, was in line -north of Thann and rejoined the 30th Brigade opposite Perthes at the end -of December. - - - 1915. - - -ARTOIS. - -1. Withdrawn from the Champagne front about April 18–19, 1915, the 16th -Division was sent to rest in the Briey area, then transferred, about May -15, north of Arras. - -2. It lost very heavily at Souchez and Neuville-St. Vaast, withstanding -the offensive of May. The 69th Infantry Regiment lost 42 officers and -1,609 men. (Official List of Casualties.) - - -AISNE. - -3. The division left Artois in the middle of June and, after a few days -of rest near St. Quentin, went into line in the middle of July, east of -Soissons (Chavonne-Soupir sector). - - -NOUVRON. - -4. At the end of October it took over the sector of Nouvron, west of -Soissons. - - - 1916. - -1. The 16th Division remained on the Aisne front until the end of July, -1916. - - -SOMME. - -2. Entraining at Folembray, it was transferred to Ham and Nesle. After a -short stay in the Maucourt sector (northwest of Roye) at the beginning -of August, it took part in the battle of the Somme near Pozières- -Thiepval, where it suffered very heavy losses (Aug. 10–24); the 3d -Company of the 29th Infantry Regiment lost 131 men at Pozières (letter). - - -BERRY AU BAC. - -3. In September the reorganized 16th Division (especially with men of -the 1917 class) occupied a quiet sector west of Berry au Bac. In October -the 69th Infantry Regiment was withdrawn from the 16th Division, which -now has three regiments (30th Brigade). - - -SOMME. - -4. Relieved about the 3d of October from the sector west of Berry au -Bac, the division entrained at Laon and was transferred to the Somme. It -went into line (Lesboeufs-Sailly-Saillisel) on October 9 and suffered -heavy losses. - - -RUSSIA. - -5. On October 26 the division left the Somme, returned for a few days -(Nov. 5–16) to the front northwest of Soissons and entrained for Russia -on November 20. Itinerary: Liege-Aix la Chapelle-Dusseldorf-Hanover- -Magdeburg-Berlin-Skernewitzy-Warsaw-Brest- Litowsk-Kovel-Turisk. It -detrained on November 25. - - - 1916. - - -GALICIA. - -1. On the Russian front the 16th Division occupied the Kiselin sector, -south of Kovel (until the beginning of May, 1917). - - -FRANCE. - -2. On May 17, entraining near Kieslin, the division returned to France -via Vladimir Volynski-Kovel-Brest Litowsk-Warsaw-Kalich-Cottbus-Leipzig- -Cassel-Coblentz-Gerolstein-Sedan-Attigny, where it detrained on May 21. - - -FLANDERS. - -3. After a rest at Ecordal, on June 4 the division was sent to Flanders. -Detraining at Orchies, it marched to Wambrechies; it there remained for -12 days. On June 26 it went into line at Warneton, where the British -attack of July 31 did not cause it any serious losses. - -4. About the 23d of September the 16th Division was sent to rest in the -Bruges area. - - -YPRES. - -At the beginning of October it was sent to the Ypres front. - -Some elements were engaged on October 3 and 4 against the British -attacks east of Zonnebeke. On October 6 the division went to the -southeast of Poelcappelle and supported the local offensives, against -the British troops (Oct. 9–12). - -The 16th Division remained behind the front from October 12 to November -24. - -At this date it took over the sector north of Becelaere and a short time -afterwards that of Passchendaele (east), where it was relieved about the -middle of January, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 16th Division is recruited almost exclusively from the Rhine -Provinces. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Before being engaged on the Somme the 16th Division had gained a -wonderful reputation. It was known as the “Iron Division.” In the battle -of the Somme it did not, however, distinguish itself in any way. - -At Warneton and at Ypres (June and October, 1917) it fought stubbornly -in spite of its heavy losses. - - - 1918. - - -YPRES. - -1. The division was at rest in Belgium (Meulebeke area) until about -March 1, when it was engaged east of Passchendaele until March 23. - -2. It entrained at Pitthem and moved to reserve at Tourcoing until April -4. Later it was at Lille until April 10. - - -BATTLE OF THE LYS. - -3. The division was engaged on April 4 north of Neuve Chapelle and south -of Merville on the 12th. On the 17th the 68th Regiment was to attack but -was unable to do so through weakness and lack of food. Two regimental -commanders were included in the heavy casualties. It was relieved east -of St. Venant on May 1. - - -MERVILLE. - -4. The division rested in Belgium (Braine, south of Brussels) for about -two weeks. On the 19th it was in line southwest of Merville. It was -relieved by the 25th Division on the night of July 6–7. After 10 days’ -rest the division returned to its former sector and continued in line -until August 18. - -5. After leaving the line on August 18 it rested near Haubourdin until -the 26th, when it entrained for Raches (north of Douai). It marched -toward the front east of Arras by Douai and Vitry, entering the line -near Vis en Artois on August 30. - - -THIRD BATTLE OF THE SOMME. - -6. The division fought near Dury and Hendecourt until mid-September, -losing more than 1,500 prisoners. It rested at Bruges until its return -to line north of Lens on September 26. It was driven back toward Pont a -Vendin and Courrieres, northwest of Orchies, Hollain, and Antoing. The -division was withdrawn about November 6 from the Antoing area. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as a second-class division. During 1918 it fought -entirely on the British front, chiefly on the defensive. - - - - - 16th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │29 Res. │28 Res. │29 Res. │28 Res. │29 Res. │28 Res. - │ │68 Res. │ │68 Res. │ │68 Res. - │31 Res. │29 Res. │31 Res. │29 Res. │31 Res. │29 Res. - │ │65 Res. │ │65 Res. │ │65 Res. - │ │ │ │ │ Feb. to July. - │ │ │ │ │ │28 Res. - │ │ │ │ │ │68 Res. - │ │ │ │ │ │25 Res. - │ │ │ │ │ Aug. to Sept. - │ │ │ │ │ │190. - │ │ │ │ │68 Res. │ - │ │ │ │ │ │Hippe - │ │ │ │ │ │ Rgt. - │ │ │ │ │ Sept. to Dec. - │ │ │ │ │ │190. - │ │ │ │ │ │29 Res. - │ │ │ │ │ │390. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Heavy Res. Cav. │2 Heavy Res. Cav. │2 Heavy Res. Cav. - │ Rgt. (3 Sqns.). │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │16 Res. F. A. Rgt. │16 Res. F. A. Rgt. │16 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (6 Btries.). │ (8 Btries.). │ (9 Btries.). - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2 - Liaisons. │ Pion. Btn. No. 8.│ Pion. Btn. No. 8.│ Pion. Btn. No. 8. - │ │16 Res. Pont. Engs.│10 Co. 28 Pions. - │ │ │ - │ │16 Res. Tel. Detch.│216 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │16 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │16 Res. Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │31 Res. │29 Res. │31 Res. │29 Res. - │ │30 Res. │ │30 Res. - │ │68 Res. │ │68 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 (?) Heavy Res. │4 Sqn. 8 Cuirassier - │ Cav. Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │106 Art. Command: │106 Art. Command: - │ │ - │ 16 Res. F. A. │ 16 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ Regt. (9 │ - │ Btries.). │ - │ │ 127 Ft. Art. Btn. - │ │ 724 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 810 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1352 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(316) Pion. Btn.: │316 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Res. Co. 8 │ 1 Res. Co. 8 - │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ 2 Res. Co. 8 │ 2 Res. Co. 8 - │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ 216 T. M. Co. │ 8 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 416 Tel. Detch. │ 216 T. M. Co. - │ │416 Signal Command: - │ │ 416 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 130 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │512 Ambulance Co. │512 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Field Hospital. │39 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │416 Vet. Hospital. │40 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │ │416 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │715 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │16 and 134 Art. - │ │ Observation - │ │ Section. - │ │16 Balloon Sqn. - │ │213 Reconnaissance - │ │ Flight. - │ │2.208 Pigeon Loft. - │ │(Elements attached - │ │ Sept. 30, 1918; - │ │ from German - │ │ documents.) - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (8th Corps District—Rhine Province.) - - - 1914. - -1. At the outbreak of the war the 16th Reserve Division with the 15th -Reserve Division was a part of the 8th Reserve Corps and belonged to the -4th Army (Duke of Wurttemberg). - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. On August 14, 1914, it entered Luxemburg; on the 21st, Belgium. It -went into action at St. Hubert on the 22d; at Matton on the 24th; -crossed the Meuse at Sedan with heavy losses August 26–28. Entering -Champagne by way of Vouziers, it took part in the battle of the Marne, -along the canal from the Marne to the Rhine (Heiltz le Maurupt- -Bignicourt-Le Buisson). - -3. On September 9 it began its retreat, and retired by way of Suippes -(Sept. 14) to Cernay en Dormois. About September 20 it stopped in the -area of Minaucourt-Massiges and took up its position there. - -4. The 16th Reserve Division occupied this sector of Champagne (north of -Massiges) until the month of October, 1915. (On the 30th of January, -1915, the 29th Reserve Infantry Regiment had had a total of 79 officers -and 3,090 men casualties.) - - - 1915. - -1. At the time of the French offensive in Champagne the 16th Reserve -Division went into battle east of the road from Tahure to Perthes les -Hurlus (Sept. 25). It was then a part of a new group under the orders of -Gen. Ditfurth. - -2. Having suffered heavily from these attacks, the 16th Reserve Division -was relieved about October 15 and sent to the rest in the Chesne area. -Between October 8 and 14 no less than 223 men came to the 5th Company of -the 68th Reserve Infantry Regiment as replacements (in this number, -recruits of the 1915 class who had had four months’ instruction). - - -AISNE. - -3. At the end of October the 16th Reserve Division was sent north of the -Aisne, where it took over the sector between Soissons and Vailly. - - - 1916. - -1. The 16th Reserve Division remained in line east of Soissons until -February 16, 1916. - - -AISNE. - -2. In the middle of February it went to the west of Soissons, in the -sector of Moulin sous Touvent-Autreches, which it occupied until the -month of October. - -3. In February the 16th Reserve Division lost two of its regiments, the -65th and 29th Reserve Infantry Regiments, which were replaced by a -single regiment, the 35th Reserve Infantry Regiment. It was then -composed of the 25th, 28th, and 68th Reserve Infantry Regiments. - -4. At the beginning of the battle of the Somme, July 2, the 25th Reserve -Infantry Regiment (2 battalions) was sent by itself as a reinforcement -in the Barelaux area. The 28th Reserve Infantry Regiment left the 16th -Reserve Division at the end of July to be attached to the 185th -Division, likewise on the Somme. - -5. The 16th Reserve Division, composed of the 68th Reserve Infantry -Regiment and of two other regiments, the 190th Infantry Regiment and the -Provisional Hippe Regiment, continued to occupy the sector of Moulin -sous Touvent (August). - -6. The 68th Reserve Infantry Regiment in its turn was sent to the Somme. -It went into action near Deniécourt (September-October). One may -calculate its losses by the fact that the 5th Company received at least -55 men as replacements between October 2 and 6. - -7. The 16th Reserve Division then comprised the 29th Reserve Infantry -Regiment, once more attached to the division, the 190th Infantry -Regiment, and the 390th Infantry Regiment, which replaced the Hippe -Regiment above mentioned. Thus constituted, it was retained in the area -Moulin sous Touvent-Autreches until the month of October. - - -SOMME. - -8. Relieved on October 15, it entrained at Tergnier and was transferred -to the Somme. It took part in the St. Pierre-Vaast wood in local -operations, in the course of which it suffered heavily (Nov. 4 to 28). - -9. About December 12 the 16th Reserve Division was sent north of the -Aisne. It went into line in the Cerny en Laonnois area. - -At this time the division was once more reorganized. It again received -the 68th Reserve Infantry Regiment, which came back from the Somme. The -190th Infantry Regiment was transferred to the 47th Division, and the -390th Infantry Regiment, which was assigned to the 211th Division, was -replaced by the 30th Reserve Infantry Regiment. - - - 1917. - -1. With this composition (29th, 68th, and 30th Reserve Infantry -Regiments) the 16th Reserve Division occupied the sector of Cerny en -Laonnois from January to April, 1917. - - -CHEMIN DES DAMES. - -2. It underwent the French offensive of April 16 between Chivy and the -Cerny sugar refinery, where it suffered very heavily (1,100 prisoners). - -3. Relieved on the Aisne front about April 20, the division was sent to -the Sissonne Camp, where it was reorganized (beginning of May). - - -LORRAINE. - -4. About May 10 it went into line between the Sanon and Gondrexon, in -Lorraine. - - -ALSACE. - -5. The division was sent to Alsace about June 20 and remained in the -Ferette area, where its training was vigorously carried out. - - -GALICIA. - -6. On July 7, 1917, the 16th Reserve Division entrained for the Eastern -Front. - -7. Detraining on the 12th in the area of Rohatyn-Bourchtyn (Galicia), it -went into action on the 15th near Halucz, along the Dneister, and -reached Khotin, where the Russian retreat halted. - -8. At the end of August it occupied a new sector north of Bojan, east of -Czernowitz (taking of Bojan, Aug. 27). - - -FRANCE. - -9. The 16th Reserve Division was withdrawn from the front about November -15 and entrained for France near Czernowitz (Nov. 20). Itinerary: -Kolomea-Stanislau-Lemberg-Przeymsl-Cracow-Oppeln-Breslau-Dresden- -Chemnitz-Nuremberg-Karlsruhe-Haguenau-Saareguemines-Thionville-Sedan- -Bucy les Pierrepont, where it detrained on November 29. - - -CAMBRAI. - -10. Going into action southwest of Cambrai (Marcoing) on December 6, it -was still in this sector at the beginning of March, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 16th Reserve Division is recruited from the Rhine Province and all -the Rhine districts. Thus, in October, 1916, it received men from the -mining district of Westphalia, and also in March, 1917. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 16th Reserve Division was a good division. It was very much -exhausted on April 16 and 17, 1917, in the Cerny sector. During this -action the 30th Reserve Infantry Regiment was remarkable for its -desperate resistance and had only 50 prisoners taken. - -During its stay in Lorraine (May and June, 1917) the 16th Reserve -Division maintained a purely defensive attitude. The losses suffered on -the Aisne and the nature of the replacements received appear to have -sensibly diminished the combat value of the 30th Reserve Infantry -Regiment. - -In October, 1917, on the Galician front, the 16th Reserve Division was -considered incapable of participating in active operations because of -the large proportion of older men and the weakness of its effectives -(according to prisoners’ statements). - - - 1918. - - -PICARDY. - -1. The division attacked on March 21 south of Marcoing. It was taken out -on the 3d day of the offensive and sent to rest in the Ancre area. About -April 10 the division relieved the 107th Division on the Ancre and held -a sector until the 107th Division returned and relieved on April 27. - - -BATTLE OF THE SCARPE-SOMME. - -2. The division rested near Puisieux until May 15, when it entered the -line northwest of Beaumont Hamel and remained until about June 15. It -rested in the neighborhood of Haplincourt until about July 4, when it -returned to the Beaumont-Hamel sector. The British attack in August -forced the division to retire through Muraumont (23d), Grandcourt -(24th), Le Barque (25th), and Flers (27th). It was withdrawn on August -28, after suffering heavy losses. - -3. The division again came into line on September 5 north of Equancourt. -In five days’ fighting it lost 600 prisoners. On September 10 it went to -rest in the Bruges area, where it was until October 1. - - -BELGIUM. - -4. On October 1 the division relieved the 16th Bavarian Division on the -Ypres battle front, southeast of Staden. Throughout October it was -engaged at Hooglede, Staden, and near Wynghene. It was withdrawn on -October 28 and remained out of line in the Ghent area until the -armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. It was engaged as a sector- -holding unit in active fronts during 1918. - - - - - 16th Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │2 Ldw. │3 Ldw. │2 Ldw. │3 Ldw. - │ │374 (Jacobi │ │374. - │ │ Rgt.). │ │ - │ │379 Ldw. │ │379 Ldw. - │ │ (Tietz │ │ - │ │ Rgt.). │ │ - │ │378 (3 C. │ │ - │ │ Dist.). │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │ │94 Cav. Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │ │101 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│ │2 Ers. Co. 18 Pions. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │ │157 Cyclist Co. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │2 Ldw. │3 Ldw. │2 Ldw. │3 Ldw. - │ │374. │ │374. - │ │ │ │ - │ │379 Ldw. │ │379 Ldw. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 8 Cuirassier Rgt. │1 Sqn. 6 Cuirassier Rgt. - │5 Sqn. 94 Cav. Rgt. (?) │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │101 F. A. Rgt. - │ 101 F. A. Rgt. │791 Light Am. Col. - │ │794 Light Am. Col. - │ │1046 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(416) Pion Btn.: │3 Ers. Co. 18 Pions. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 2 Co. 34 Res. Pions. │1 Landst. Co. 8 C. Dist. - │ │ Pions. - │ 3 Ers. Co. 18 Pions. │83 Searchlight Section. - │ 316 T. M. Co. │516 Signal Command: - │ 2 Light Fort Searchlight │ 516 Tel. Detch. - │ Section. │ - │ Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │71 Ambulance Co. │71 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │21 Field Hospital. │21 Field Hospital. - │142 Field Hospital. │216 Vet. Hospital. - │151 Field Hospital. │ - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │996 M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │1 C. Dist. Landst. Inf. Btn. │ - │ No. 22. │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (374th Infantry Regiment and 3d Landwehr Regiment: 1st Corps - District—East Prussia. 379th Landwehr Regiment: 3d Corps - District—Brandenburg.) - - - 1915. - - -POLAND. - -1. The 16th Landwehr Division (Landwehr Division of Koenigsberg, Sommer -Division), providing the war garrison of Koenigsberg, took part in the -battles on the East Prussian frontier in October, 1914, with a few of -its future elements (1st Ersatz Battalion of the 12th Landwehr -Regiment). - -It was in the region of Mariampol from April until the end of August, -1915. It was identified in the Lipsk sector on August 30. - - -RUSSIA. - -2. After the summer offensive it was sent to the sector between Krevo -and Smorgoni (September). - - - 1916. - -1. The division was in the Krevo-Smorgoni sector during 1916. - - - 1917. - -1. Krevo-Smorgoni sector. - -On July 22 and 23, 1917, the 16th Landwehr Division suffered very heavy -losses withstanding Russian attacks in this area. - -During the months which followed it gave its best elements to troops on -the Western Front or to those assigned to the Western Front. At the end -of November 70 per cent of the men of the 379th Landwehr Regiment were -between the ages of 40 and 47 years (Russian interrogatory). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 16th Landwehr Division has always been on the Russian front. Its -combat value appears mediocre. - - - 1918. - -1. The 16th Landwehr Division was still in line near Krevno in January. -Moving then toward the east, it was near Orcha in April, and near -Kharkov early in May. The 346th Infantry Regiment, which had remained in -Russia after the departure for France of the two other regiments of the -14th Landwehr Division seems to have been attached to the 16th Landwehr -Division. - - -SEA OF AZOV. - -2. Early in September the division was identified in the Taganrog -region. - - -ROUMANIA. - -3. The division left the Don region and went to Constantinople. It did -not remain here however, but left immediately for Roumania, being -identified at Constanza on October 28. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 16th Bavarian Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │9 Bav. │11 Bav. │9 Bav. │8 Bav. - │ │14 Bav. │ │11 Bav. - │ │21 Bav. │ │14 Bav. - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 7 Bav. Light Cav. │4 Sqn. 7 Bav. Light Cav. - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │8 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ 3 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │1 Abt. 5 Bav. Ft. A. Rgt. - │ │709 Light Am. Col. - │ │130 Bav. Light Am. Col. - │ │144 Bav. Light Am. Col. - │ │161 Bav. Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(16 Bav.) Pion. Btn.: │16 Bav. Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 14 Bav. Res. Pion. Co. │ 14 Bav. Res. Pion. Co. - │ 15 Bav. Res. Pion. Co. │ 15 Bav. Res. Pion. Co. - │ 16 Bav. T. M. Co. │16 Bav. Signal Command: - │ 16 Bav. Tel. Detch. │ 16 Bav. Tel. Detch. - │ │ 104 Bav. Wireless Detch. - │ │ 16 Bav. T. M. Co. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │8 Bav. Ambulance Co. │8 Bav. Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │29 Bav. Field Hospital. │29 Bav. Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │52 Bav. Field Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transports. │Mt. Col. │697 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (3d Bavarian Corps District.) - - - 1917. - -The 16th Bavarian Division was formed at the end of January, 1917, by -taking three infantry regiments from existing Bavarian divisions—the 6th -Bavarian Division furnished the 11th Bavarian Infantry Regiment; the 5th -Bavarian Division the 14th Bavarian Infantry Regiment; the 6th Bavarian -Reserve Division the 21st Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment. The 3d -Field Artillery Regiment came from the 6th Bavarian Division. - - -ARTOIS. - -1. On February 12, 1917, the 16th Bavarian Division replaced the 6th -Bavarian Reserve Division south of Lens, opposite Souchez. It suffered -serious losses there in February and March (raids by Canadian troops). -After a period of rest, in March, in the Douai area, the division -returned opposite Souchez and suffered in the British attack of April 9, -which forced it back beyond Vimy Ridge. It was relieved on April 11, -very much exhausted. - - -FLANDERS-MESSINES. - -2. Toward the end of April the 16th Bavarian Division took over the calm -sector of Armentieres (East), south of the Lys (Deulemont-Frelinghien). -At the beginning of June, on account of the menace of the British attack -on the Messines front, the division was transferred north of the Lys. -During the battle which started on June 9 it was not engaged as a whole; -it sent some of its elements southeast of Messines to reenforce the 4th -Bavarian Division. - -3. The 16th Bavarian Division left the Lys sector, beginning of -September, to go into reserve near Dadizeele, east of Ypres. - -4. On September 20 it came up to replace the Bavarian Ersatz Division, -which was very much exhausted by the British attack. It counterattacked -north of the Lys. Its losses were such that it was relieved the next -day. - -5. After a period of rest at Bruges, the 16th Bavarian Division occupied -the coast sector (Lombartzyde) from October 25 to November 22. - - -CAMBRESIS. - -6. Transferred to the Cambrai front, it went into line on December 3 -(Bullecourt-Queant) and launched a local attack on the 12th. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 16th Bavarian Division appears to be of good combat value. It may be -compared with the best Bavarian Divisions. It was very much exhausted at -Ypres in 1917, but in general its morale remained high. - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -1. The division did not participate in the initial attack of March 21, -but remained in reserve of the front at Rumancourt. On the 23d it -marched toward the front through Vaulx Vraucourt. The division was -engaged at Sapignies on March 25, and on the 27th advanced on -Gomiecourt, Courcelles, and Moyenneville. The division was relieved on -April 7 and rested until the 26th. - - -YPRES. - -2. It was reengaged south of the Scarpe, south of Feuchy, until May 19, -when it moved north and took over a sector at Dranoutre. The route -followed was through Cambrai-Tourcoing-Bousbecque. On June 20 it went -out to rest in the Lille area until the beginning of July. It returned -to its former sector on July 4 and remained there until the end of July. - - -BATTLE OF THE SCARPE-SOMME. - -3. It rested in the Lille area until August 20, when it moved south and -was engaged west of Bapaume (Grevillers) in a German counterattack. It -was thrown back on Avesnes les Bapaume (26th), Bancourt (30th), Villers -au Flos (1st), until its relief on September 5. Losses of the division -were heavy in this fighting. - -4. The division went into reserve in Belgium at Iseghem until the 28th. -At this time the 8th Bavarian Regiment, coming from the 14th Bavarian -Division, replaced the 21st Bavarian Reserve, which was disbanded. - - -BATTLE OF DIXMUDE. - -5. It was engaged north of Ypres and west of Roulers (Westroosebeke) -from September 28 to October 5, with very heavy losses. The division was -out of line for 10 days and then came back on the 15th southwest of -Thourout. The Belgium advance forced it back southeast of Bruges (Oct. -18–19). On the 28th the division was relieved, but was obliged to return -to line on November 3 and fought until the armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. It was engaged largely in -holding defensive but active sectors on the British front in 1918. - - - - - 17th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │33. │75. │33. │75. │34. │75. - │ │76. │ │76. │ │89 Gren. - │34. │89 Gren. │34. │89 Gren. │ │90 Fus. - │ │90 Fus. │ │90 Fus. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │16 Dragoon Rgt. (3 │ │16 Dragoon Rgt. (3 - │ Sqns.). │ │ Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │17 Brig.: │17 Brig.: │17 Brig.: - │ 24 F. A. Rgt. │ 24 F. A. Rgt. │ 24 F. A. Rgt. - │ 60 F. A. Rgt. │ 60 F. A. Rgt. │ 60 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. 9:│1 Pion. Btn. No. 9: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ Field Co. 9 Pions.│ 1 Co. 9 Pions. - │ │ 17 Tel. Detch. │ 17 T. M. Co. - │ │ 17 Pont. Engs. │ 17 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ 17 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │13 Anti-Aircraft - │ │ │ Sections. - │ │ │33 Balloon Sqn. - │ │ │ - │ │ │39 Labor Btn. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │34. │75. │34. │75. - │ │89 Gren. │ │89. - │ │90 Fus. │ │90. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 16 Dragoon │4 Sqn. 16 Drag. - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │17 Art. Command: │17 Art. Command: - │ 60 F. A. Rgt. │ 60 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 1 Abt. 24 Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. (2, 3, and 4 - │ │ Btries.). - │ │ 940 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1329 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1270 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│126 Pion. Btn.: │126 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Co. 9 Pions. │ 1 Co. 9 Pions. - │ 5 Co. 9 Pions. │ 5 Co. 9 Pions. - │ 17 T. M. Co. │ 17 T. M. Co. - │ 17 Tel. Detch. │ 62 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │17 Signal Command: - │ │ 17 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 138 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │22 Ambulance Co. │22 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │84 Field Hospital. │84 Field Hospital. - │89 Field Hospital. │89 Field Hospital. - │17 Vet. Hospital. │17 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │550 M. T. Col. │550 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │52 M. G. S. S. │ - │ Detch. │ - │13 Anti-Aircraft │ - │ Section. │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (9th Corps District—Hanseatic cities and Mecklenburg.) - - - 1914. - -Upon mobilization, the 17th Division with the 18th Division formed the -9th Army Corps (Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklemburg). It gave its 81st -Brigade to the 17th Reserve Division (9th Reserve Corps) (new -organization). - - -BELGIUM. - -1. August, 1914, the 17th Division formed a part of the 1st German Army -(Von Kluck). On the 3d of August it sent one of its brigades, the 34th -(Mecklenburg), to Liege, where it was rejoined by its reservists and by -the other brigade, the 33d (Hanseatic), (Aug. 9–13). On August 20 the -division was with the 9th Corps of Louvain. It went into action against -the British troops on the 24th. It went around Maubeuge on the 25th and -passed through Nesle, Roye, Vezaponin (north bank of the Aisne) -September 1. - - -MARNE. - -2. The division took part in the battle of the Marne at Chatillon sur -Morin (Sept. 6), Esternay-Courgivaux (Sept. 7 and 8). It withdrew by way -of Betz, Crépy en Valois Pierrefonds, crossed the Aisne at Rethondes -(Sept. 11), and stopped in the area Carlepont, Nampcel, Audignicourt -(Sept. 13). It went into action on the front Tracy le Mont east of -Moulin sous Touvent (Sept. 16–21). - - -OISE. - -3. In October it took up the position near Bailly (from the Oise to east -of St. Mard) and remained there until the middle of November, 1915. Some -of its elements occupied the right bank of the Oise near Connectancourt -(Oct. 5 to Dec. 25). - -4. November 17 it attacked Tracy le Val. - - - 1915. - -From January to October, 1915, it held the sector on the left bank of -the Oise, east edge of the St. Mard wood. At the end of March the 76th -Infantry Regiment was withdrawn and transferred to the 111th Division. - -1. June 14 to 16 certain elements of the division counterattacked at -Quennevieres. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. Withdrawn from the sector of the Oise (about Oct. 15), the division -was transferred to Champagne. It occupied the front between the road -Souain, Somme Py, and St. Hilaire, St. Souplet. It launched an attack on -December 7. - - - 1916. - -1. The division was retained on the Champagne front northwest of Souain -until June, 1916. - -2. Relieved in the middle of June, it was sent to rest in the area -southwest of Charleville (second half of June). - - -SOMME. - -It entrained for the Somme between July 2 and 4. Certain elements of the -17th Division appeared in the sector of Biaches la Maisonnette, on July -9 and 10. The entire division was in line between Barleux and Belloy -(July 10 to 25) and suffered heavy losses. - -3. The division was withdrawn from the front and reorganized (end of -July to Aug. 15). - -4. From August 16 to August 20 to the middle of September it again -occupied the sector of Barleux-Belloy. - - -ARTOIS. - -5. At the beginning of October the division was sent to Artois. It held -the line opposite Arras, between Roclincourt and Bailly, until December -24. - - - 1917. - - -SOMME. - -1. About January 9, 1917, the 17th Division occupied the sector of Py, -south of the Ancre. Local combats in the neighborhood of Grandcourt and -Miraumont (in January and February) caused it serious losses. - -2. The division was withdrawn from the Somme front about March 20, at -the time of the German retirement. It rested southwest of Douai (end of -March and beginning of April). - - -ARTOIS. - -3. On April 10 it was sent as a reenforcement to Arras to oppose the -British offensive. It held the sector of Oppy-Gavrelle and suffered a -great deal in the course of counterattacks. It was relieved on April 25. -From March 27 to April 24 the 7th Company of 90th Fusiliers lost 115 -men. (British Summary of Information.) - -4. After a rest in the Tournai area until May 9 the 17th Division went -into line in the sector of Boursies, Demicourt (west of Cambrai). - -5. Relieved from this calm sector on May 28, it was sent to rest in the -Cambrai area until June 9. - - -FLANDERS. - -6. On this date it was transferred to Roulers by way of Valenciennes- -Mons and put on the Ypres front north of Hooge. It was withdrawn three -days before the British attack, on July 27, but suffered heavy losses -from the bombardment. - -7. For five weeks, until September 23, the division occupied the calm -sector of Havrincourt (south of the road Bapaume-Cambrai). - -8. On September 23 it again entrained for Flanders. Sent by way of -Cambrai to Ledeghem, it went into action in the Polygon wood sector -(northeast of Ypres). On September 26 it counterattacked without success -and with great losses. It only remained in line for two days. In these -engagements the 75th Infantry Regiment lost 30 officers and 1,000 men -(British Summary of Information.) - -9. Relieved on September 28 from the Flanders front, the 17th Division -was sent south of Lens on October 17. It was still there on February, -1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 17th Division is recruited from the Hanseatic towns and the Duchies -of Mecklenburg. The sectional character was accentuated in June 1917, -when the 89th Grenadiers took from the regiments of the 18th Division -all the inhabitants of Mecklenburg who were in them. (Summary of -Information, June 28.) - -However, one must take into account a certain proportion of Poles from -the 6th Corps District, received in the replacements of 1917. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -On July 11, 1916, the following appreciation was written of the 9th Army -Corps: - -“The 9th Army Corps gives the impression of a very good corps which -would be a formidable adversary. The intellectual level of officers and -men is appreciably higher than that ordinarily encountered in the German -Army. This fact is due to the recruiting which, in most cases, is done -in Hamburg, Bremen, and Luebeck.” - -After the last combats of Flanders (July and September, 1917), the 17th -Division was considered as having its combative force perceptibly -diminished on account of its losses. - -In a general manner, the division has given a good account of itself in -the course of its battles. - -The Danes, who are numerous in its ranks, fight well and do not appear -to occasion any weakness. (October, 1917.) - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -1. The division was relieved on the Acheville sector on February 17–18 -by the 12th Reserve Division and went to rest near Douai until mid- -March. On March 21 it was engaged near Lagnicourt and Moreuil (southeast -of Arras), north of Vaulx-Vraucourt (22d), at Beliagnies and Lapigines -(24th). The division was relieved on the 25th, after losing 50 per cent -of its effectives. It rested until April 1, when it was reengaged near -Bucquoy until the 10th. - -2. The division was relieved by the 5th Bavarian Division, retired to -the Favreuil-Sapignies-Beugnatre area on the 10th, and the next day went -into billets near Cambrai. Later it moved to the Valenciennes area. On -May 24 it left Bouchain and traveled via Marquion to Bapaume, where it -came into line on that evening. While resting the division had undergone -no special training. It is known to have received 1,300 men as a draft -during this period. - -3. It was reengaged in the Bucquoy sector from May 24 to June 23, when -it returned to rest near Bouchain until July 17. The division was moved -to Laon on July 24–25 and from there marched to the Vesle front by -stage. - - -VESLE. - -4. About August 1 the division went into line between Bazoches and Mont -Notre Dame. It fell back on the Aisne toward Bourg et Comin from -September 3–4, where it was relieved on September 15–16. The German -communique of August 28 mentioned the 89th Grenadier Regiment for its -conduct against the Americans at Bazoches. - - -AISNE-AILETTE. - -5. The division was again in line on September 18 at Jouy-Aizy sector -(north of Vailly). It retired to the Ailette on the 30th and shifted by -rail to Semide. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -6. On October 4 it was engaged southeast of Machault (Somme Py road). -The French attack forced it back to east of Attigny, where it was -relieved on the 19th. - -7. The division rested five days near Mouzon. It entrained on October 26 -and moved to Rozoy, reaching there on the 27–28th. - - -ARDENNES. - -8. It was put into line northwest of Chateau Porcien on the St. Fergeux- -Recouvrance Road on October 28–29th. For its fighting east of Banonge on -the 29th, the 90th Regiment was complimented by the German communique of -the 30th. (558 prisoners were lost by the division on the 29th.) In -November the division was driven back through Seraincourt, Remaucourt, -Chaumont Porcien, Rocquigny, St. Jean aux Bois. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as first class. It was one of the best German -divisions. Its conduct in the March offensive won the Kaiser’s praise. -Until August it was relatively fresh, but after that was engaged almost -constantly in efforts to check the Allied offensive in Champagne. At the -end the division was so reduced in numbers that it could muster but one -or two battalions. - -Its morale was excellent until late in the fall, when it was lowered -noticeably. A mutiny and other acts of indiscipline were reported. - - - - - 17th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │81. │162. │81. │162. │81. │162. - │ │163. │ │163. │ │163. - │33 Res. │75 Res. │33 Res. │75 Res. │33 Res. │75 Res. - │ │76 Res. │ │76 Res. │ │76 Res. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │6 Res. Hus. Rgt. (3│6 Res. Hus. Rgt. │6 Res. Hus. Rgt. - │ Sqns.). │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │17 Res. F. A. Rgt. │17 Res. F. A. Rgt. │17 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (6 Btries.). │ (8 Btries.). │ (10 Btries.). - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│4 Field Co. 2 Pion.│4 Field Co. 2 Pion.│4 Field Co. 2 Pion. - Liaisons. │ Btn. No. 9. │ Btn. No. 9. │ Btn. No. 9. - │ │17 Res. Pont. Engs.│340 Pion. Co. - │ │17 Res. Tel. Detch.│217 T. M. Co. - │ │ │17 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │17 Res. Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │81. │16. │81. │162. - │ │162. │ │163. - │ │76 Res. │ │76 Res. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 6 Res. Hus. │1 Sqn. 16 Res. Hus. - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │110 Art. Command: │110 Art. Command: - │ │ - │ 17 Res. F. A. Rgt.│ 17 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (10 Btries.) │ - │ (Nov. 4). │ - │ │ 3 Abt. 26 Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. (7 and 9 - │ │ Btries.). - │ │ 703 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1245 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1299 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(317) Pion. Btn.: │317 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 4 Co. 9 Pions. │4 Co. 9 Pions. - │ 340 Pion. Co. │340 Pion. Co. - │ 217 T. M. Co. │42 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 255 Searchlight │417 Signal Command: - │ Section. │ - │ 417 Tel. Detch. │417 Tel. Detch. - │ │111 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │509 Ambulance Co. │509 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Field Hospital. │501 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │41 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │ │417 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │716 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (9th Corps District.—Schleswig—Holstein and the Hanseatic cities.) - - - 1914. - -1. The 17th Reserve Division formed with the 18th Reserve Division, the -9th Reserve Corps. One of its brigades is a surplus brigade of the 9th -Army Corps (the 81st). - -2. During the first part of the month of August, 1914, the 17th Reserve -Division was used to guard the coast of Schleswig-Holstein. - - -BELGIUM. - -3. Entraining on August 23 for Belgium, it was at Louvain on the 25th, -at Brussels on the 30th (until Sept. 3). It reached Termonde on -September 4, and remained outside of Antwerp. - - -OISE. - -4. On September 9, it was transferred in haste to the Valenciennes area -and then sent to the Oise. It detrained on the 13th at Chauny and went -into action on the right bank of the Oise, south of Noyon (Sept. 15 to -20). - -5. About October 7 the 17th Reserve Division was sent to the vicinity of -Roye, where it lost heavily. - -6. About the middle of November the division occupied the front between -the Avre and Roye. On December 20 it was in line between Ribecourt and -Thiescourt. - - - 1915. - -On January 4, 1915, the 75th Reserve Infantry Regiment entrained at -Noyon for Upper Alsace (Hartmannswillerkopf), and did not return to the -division until May. - - -ROYE (SOMME). - -1. On February 6 the division left the banks of the Oise to go back to -the area south of the Avre, between Lassigny and Roye. It remained in -this sector until the month of October. - -2. Toward the end of September elements of the division formed a part of -the Hartz Division in Artois (Sick and Balthasar Regiments). - - -ARTOIS. - -3. In October the 17th Reserve Division was withdrawn from the front -south of Roye and sent to Artois, near Lens (Liévin-Givenchy). - - - 1916. - -1. The 17th Reserve Division remained in Artois until the battle of the -Somme. In February it launched several attacks. - - -SOMME. - -2. About the beginning of July the 163d Infantry Regiment was sent, -temporarily, to reinforce the 185th Division, engaged along the Somme -near Cantalmaison. - -3. The 17th Reserve Division was in line as a whole north of the Somme -about July 25 (Bazentin-Pozières). It remained there until August 9–14. - -4. It was sent to rest and to be reorganized near Valenciennes. - -5. At the end of August it occupied the sector of Loos-Hulluch (north of -Lens). In September the 75th Reserve Infantry Regiment was sent to the -211th Division. - -6. About September 21 the division returned to the Somme (Le Transloy- -Combles), where it lost heavily (losses, 51 per cent). - -7. Relieved about October 10 it was transferred to Belgium. - -8. From October 23–25 to the end of January, 1917, it was in line -between Het Sas and the Ypres-Roulers railroad. - - - 1917. - -1. At the end of January, 1917, the 17th Reserve Division was sent for a -month’s rest near Bruges, and again took over its sector. - - -ARTOIS. - -2. It left the Ypres salient at the end of March and went into line -southeast of Arras. On April 9 it suffered very heavy losses from the -British offensives (2,100 prisoners). - -3. On April 12–13 the division was relieved and sent to rest and to be -reorganized. - - -CAMBRESIS. - -4. On April 27 it took over the sector of Havrincourt (southwest of -Cambrai) and occupied it until June 1. - - -ARTOIS. - -5. Transferred to the Arras front, the 17th Reserve Division went back -into line in the sector Guémappe-Monchy le Preux, where it launched -several violent battles during the month of June. At the end of July it -extended its sector toward the north (south of the Scarpe). - -6. Relieved at the end of August it went back into line at the beginning -of September southeast of Arras (Vis en Artois). It lost especially -heavy during the gas attacks. (It received, on Oct. 23, 40 men per -company, coming from Hamburg and Beverloo, slightly trained, and on Nov. -10 men taken from the Russian front.) (Summary of Information, Dec. 2.) - -7. The 17th Reserve Division left Artois in the middle of November. - - -FLANDERS. - -8. Sent to Flanders the division took over the sector at Becelaere about -November 18. The division was engaged against the British attack of -December 3 and suffered heavy losses. It underwent violent attacks and -left the front in the beginning of January, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -The division is recruited in Schleswig-Holstein, the Hanseatic cities, -and adjacent parts of Hanover. Some replacement troops were from -Westphalia, and in September, 1916, men from Brandenburg of the 1917 -class. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -During the year 1917 the 17th Reserve Division launched a great number -of terrible attacks on the Arras front and in Flanders. - -At Becelaere (Dec., 1917) it gave proof of great stubbornness. The 162d -Infantry Regiment carried out a successful attack in this sector on -December 14. However, a few months before, on June 18, the 163d Infantry -Regiment is said to have refused to advance. (Summary of Information, -June 19.) - -Although this division is not one of the best in the German Army and its -morale is mediocre it is capable of offering serious resistance. - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF THE LYS. - -1. The northern sector was a fairly quiet front in the winter months and -the division remained in line here until just before the German -offensive on the Lys of April 9. Prior to this attack all of the -division but one battalion of the 76th Reserve Regiment was withdrawn -and sent hurriedly to the vicinity of Messines. It attacked there with -other German divisions on the morning of April 9 under orders to take -Messines by the evening of the 10th and to push ahead as far as -possible. It gained considerable ground at heavy cost. Elements of the -7th Division relieved part of the 17th Reserve Division a few days -later, but the bulk of the division remained in line until about April -22, when it was relieved by the 13th Reserve Division and the 19th -Reserve Division. - -2. On April 24 the division arrived in the Maldeghem area for a long -rest. While there the divisional and the brigade commanders were -decorated for their part in the Lys offensive. Death notices published -in the German newspapers disclosed the death of two battalion and many -company commanders on the Lys. While at rest the division went through -courses of training. On June 4 it entrained at Eecloo and moved via Mons -and Marle to Tergnier. At this time the Noyon offensive (June 9) was -being organized. The division marched at night to Boulogne la Grasse -(10th) and went into line on the evening of the 11th near Mery, -relieving the 227th Division. - - -OISE. - -3. The division was in heavy fighting immediately and suffered severely -in the successful French counteroffensive of June 16. - - -BATTLE OF THE MATZ. - -4. The French attack in August threw the division back on Canny sur Matz -and later north of Fresnieres. It passed to second line about August 31, -but was reengaged on September 5 at Esmery-Hallon. It suffered heavy -losses and was taken out on September 9. - -5. The division was moved to Lorraine, where it rested a month and -returned to Le Cateau on October 10. - -6. The division was engaged at Le Cateau on October 11 and resisted the -British attack until November 3. It fought near Le Cateau (Oct. 18), -Bazuel (21st), Forest (23d), Landrecies (24th), and Bois L’Eveque (Oct. -27). The division received the men of the 265th Reserve Regiment (108th -Division) as a draft in October. - -7. The division was out of line from November 3 to the armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as first class. Its effectives were generally -young; 31 per cent belong to the 1919 class and 18 per cent to the 1918 -class on October 1. It took a prominent part in the Lys and Noyon -offensives, winning a reputation for its vigorous attacks. Its defensive -work in October around Le Cateau was of a high order. - - - - - 17th Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │182 Ldw. │380 │182 Ldw. │380. - │ │ (Kurhatowski│ │ - │ │ Rgt.). │ │ - │ │381 (Nussbaum │ │381. - │ │ Rgt.). │ │ - │ │23 Landst. │ │23 Landst. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │ │1 Landst. Sqn. (1 C. Dist.). - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │ │235 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│ │ - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │2d Cyclist Co. 1 Jag. Btn. │2 Cyclist Co. 1 Jag. Btn. - │ │16 Cav. Brig. (7 and 8 Horse - │ │ Jag. and 5 Res. Drag. - │ │ Rgts.). - │ │9 C. Dist. Landst. Inf. Btn. - │ │ No. 13. - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918[13] - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │182 Ldw. │380. │182 Ldw. │330. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │381. │ │380. - │ │ │ │ - │ │23 Landst. │ │23 Landst. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │1 Landst. Sqn. (1 C. Dist.). │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │ - │ 235 F. A. Rgt. │ - │ 828 F. A. Btry. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(417) Pion. Btn.: │87 Searchlight Section. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 2 Ers. Co. 23 Pion. │517 Signal Command: - │ 317 T. M. Co. │517 Tel. Detch. - │ 182 Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │206 Ambulance Co. │206 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │152 Field Hospital. │171 Field Hospital. - │206 Field Hospital. │ - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │2 Cyclist Co. 1 Jag. Btn. │ - │158 Cyclist Co. 91 Cav. Rgt. │ - │ │ - │ │ - │7 C. Dist. Landst. Inf. Btn. │ - │ No. 50. │ - │9 C. Dist. Landst. Inf. Btn. │ - │ No. 13. │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── -Footnote 13: - - The elements below are those listed under the 700th Postal Sector. - Other elements belonging to the 17th Landwehr Division, but in other - sectors, are listed as attached to whatever divisions may hold those - sectors. - - - HISTORY. - - (380th Infantry Regiment: 1st and 17th Corps Districts. 381st Infantry - Regiment: 12th and 5th Corps Districts.) - - - 1915. - -1. The 17th Landwehr Division, formed on the Eastern Front in the Niémen -Army, with the elements of the former Esebeck Brigade, appeared about -the month of December, 1915. - - -RUSSIA. - -2. Before forming a part of the 17th Landwehr Division the Esebeck -Brigade took part in the offensive against the Russians north of Kovno -(July-August, 1915), was east of Vilna about the end of September, and -took up its position west of Kosiany (northwest of Postavy) in October. - - -POSTAVY. - -3. The 17th Landwehr Division, being formed in this sector by the -addition of the 23d Landsturm Regiment to the Esebeck Brigade, remained -in line in the area of Vidzy-Postavy (Tveretch), from the end of 1915 to -the beginning of 1918. - - - 1916. - -1. The Division remained in the Tveretch sector. - - - 1917. - -1. The Division remained in the Tveretch sector. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The division is of mediocre value. - - - 1918. - -1. The 17th Landwehr Division was identified in the Tveretch region -toward the end of January. - -2. About the middle of March it advanced into Russia and was identified -in the Polotsk-Vitebsk region in March, April, and June. - -3. The division was identified on the Don on September 26. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 18th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │35. │84. │35. │84. │36. │31. - │ │86 Fus. │ │86 Fus. │ │85. - │36. │31. │36. │31. │ │86 Fus. - │ │85. │ │85. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │16 Dragoon Rgt. (3 │ │16 Dragoon Rgt. (3 - │ Sqns.). │ │ Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │18 Brig.: │18 Brig.: │18 Brig.: - │ 9 F. A. Rgt. │ 9 F. A. Rgt. │ 9 F. A. Rgt. - │ 45 F. A. Rgt. │ 45 F. A. Rgt. │ 45 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. 9:│1 Pion. Btn. No. 9: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ Field Co. 9 Pions.│ 2 Co. 9 Pions. - │ │ 18 Pont. Engs. │ 18 T. M. Co. - │ │ 18 Tel. Detch. │ 18 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ 18 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │57 Anti-Aircraft - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │36. │31. │36 │31. - │ │85. │ │85. - │ │86 Fus. │ │86. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 16 Drag. │2 Sqn. 16 Drag. - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │18 Art. Command: │18 Art. Command: - │ 45 F. A. Rgt. │ 45 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 2 Abt. 28 Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. (4 and 5 - │ │ Btries.). - │ │ 749 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 753 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1,362 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 Pion. Btn. No. 9:│9 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 2 Co. 9 Pions. │ 2 Co. 9 Pions. - │ 3 Co. 9 Pions. │ 3 Co. 9 Pions. - │ 18 T. M. Co. │ 18 T. M. Co. - │ 18 Tel. Detch. │ 101 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │18 Signal Command: - │ │ 18 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 54 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │23 Ambulance Co. │23 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │90 Field Hospital. │90 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │92 Field Hospital. - │ │18 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │551 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │47 Anti-Aircraft │ - │ Section. │ - │505 Anti-Aircraft │ - │ Btry. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (9th Corps District—Schleswig—Holstein.) - - - 1914. - - -BELGIUM-MARNE. - -1. At the outbreak of the war the 18th Division (of the 9th Army Corps, -with the 17th Division) formed a part of the 1st Army (Von Kluck). -Entraining at Aix la Chapelle August 8–10, it was before Liege on the -13th, went into action at Tirlemont on the 18th, at Mons on the 23d, -entered France on the 25th, crossed the Marne at Chateau Thierry on -September 3, and took part in the battle of the Marne on September 6 and -7, at Esternay and Courgivaux. - - -AISNE. - -2. After the retreat it took up its position north of the Aisne, where -it remained for more than a year in various parts of the sector. - - - 1915. - -In March, 1915, the 84th Infantry Regiment was taken from the 18th -Division to help in the formation of the 54th Division. - - -AISNE. - -1. Until October, 1915, the 18th Division occupied the sectors of the -Aisne. On June 3 the 86th Fusiliers attacked at Quennevieres, suffering -enormous losses. (Between June 18 and July 3 its 5th Company received at -least 115 men as replacements; the 8th Company, 120.) - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. From October, 1915, until June, 1916, the 18th Division was in -Champagne (Souain area). - - - 1916. - -1. On February 25, 1916, the 31st Infantry Regiment suffered heavy -losses south of St. Marie a Py; its 11th Company was entirely destroyed -or captured. - - -SOMME. - -2. From July to September, 1916, the 18th Division was in action along -the Somme (south of the Somme). At Belloy, on September 4, the 4th -Company of the 86th Fusiliers was destroyed with the exception of 23 -men. - - -ARTOIS. - -3. From October until the beginning of December the division was in the -Arras area (east). - -4. It left Artois about December 12 to take over a sector along the -Somme (Grandcourt). - - - 1917. - - -SOMME. - -1. About February 18, 1917, the 18th Division was withdrawn from the -front, then sent back into line at the beginning of March, at Puisieux- -Gommecourt (Somme). - - -ARTOIS. - -2. At the end of March it was transferred to Artois, north of the -Scarpe, and went into action at Roeux and Fampoux, from April 10 to -April 23. - -3. Relieved at the end of April, it went back into line about May 8, in -the area south of Arras, and from that date until the end of August -occupied sectors in the vicinity of Cambrai (Villers-Plouich, -Havrincourt, Marcoing). - - -FLANDERS. - -4. On August 27 the 18th Division was relieved from the Cambrai front -(Ribecourt-Marcoing sector) and entrained for Flanders, where it was -made an army reserve in the Ruddervoorde (northeast of Thourout). It was -there reorganized with replacements coming from troops of the 9th Corps -District stationed in Russia (taken from the 426th Infantry Regiment, -the 31st Landwehr Regiment, and the 3d Ersatz Reserve Regiment). - -5. It went into the sector Mangelaere about September 16 and underwent -the Franco-British attack of October 9, which caused it rather serious -losses. - - -RUSSIA. - -6. The 18th Division was relieved about October 14 and transferred to -Russia, where it made a rather short stay in the Vilna area. - - -ALSACE. - -7. It was back in Upper Alsace about the end of November, in the region -of Mulhouse, at the beginning of February, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 18th Division is recruited from Schleswig-Holstein (Prussians and -Danes). A certain proportion of Poles from Silesia appeared in the -replacements of 1917 (especially in the 31st Infantry Regiment). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 18th Division has always passed as being a good division. However, -in the course of the Franco-British attack of October 9, 1917, none of -its elements carried out the counterattacks described by their leaders; -however, in order to form a correct judgment of this, one must take -account of the intensity of the bombardment, the state of the terrain, -and the weakness of the effectives in line at that moment. - - - 1918. - - -CAMBRAI. - -1. The 18th Division left Alsace, entraining at Mulhouse, about the 12th -of February, and traveled via Thionville and Sedan to Bertry, where it -detrained after a journey of 2½ days. It relieved the 107th Division -near Gonnelieu (south of Cambrai) the 16th. It was withdrawn the -beginning of March, and had a few days’ training near Ligny en -Cambresis. - -2. It left here on the 17th and marched to Malincourt, where it stayed -three days. - - -ST. QUENTIN. - -3. It reenforced the battle front near Hargicourt (north of St. Quentin) -on March 21. The next day the division commander was killed. The -division was withdrawn about the 26th. - - -SOMME. - -4. During the night of March 29–30 the division relieved the 1st -Division near Sailly le Sec (south of Albert). Here again heavy losses -were suffered. The division received a draft of 500 men, mostly returned -wounded. It is not clear just what happened during this period and as -late as about the 18th of May, when the division was withdrawn, but it -seems as though its regiments and the regiments of the 50th Reserve -Division and the 199th Division inter-relieved each other. - - -TOURNAI. - -5. The division went to the Tournai region, where it rested, was -completely reconstituted, and trained. - - -SOISSONS. - -6. On August 1 it reenforced the battle front near Launoy (southwest of -Soissons), after having left Tournai July 21 and having detrained at La -Fere the following day. Toward the end of its tour in line (it was -withdrawn during the night of Oct. 12–13), it retreated along the line -Froidmont-Eppes. - - -OISE. - -7. The division was transported by truck and relieved the 22d Reserve -Division near Bernoville (northeast of St. Quentin) on October 15. On -the 17th it withdrew to Grougis, and then to the Sambre Canal. During -these operations it lost more than 500 prisoners. It was withdrawn about -the 28th. - -8. On November 4 the division reenforced the front near Hannapes (north -of Guise) and withdrew, with the remainder of the line, through Iron, -the Nouvion region, Boulogne sur Helpe, and Etroeung. It was still in -line on the 11th. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 18th Division is rated as being first class. Since the spring, -however, it has not been used to any great extent where heavy fighting -was in progress, and it may well be it has deteriorated. It is known -that part of the 6th Company of the 86th Regiment refused to go into -line on October 25 until it was threatened with being shot. - - - - - 18th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │53 Res. │84 Res. │35 Res. │84 Res. │35 Res. │31 Res. - │ │86 Res. │ │86 Res. │ │84 Res. - │36 Res. │31 Res. │36 Res. │31 Res. │ │86 Res. - │ │90 Res. │ │90 Res. │ │ - │ 9 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 9 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 9 Res. Jag. Btn. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Cavalry. │7 Res. Hus. Rgt. (3│7 Res. Hus. Rgt. │7 Res. Hus. Rgt. - │ Sqns.). │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │18 Res. F. A. Rgt. │18 Res. F. A. Rgt. │18 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (6 Btries.). │ (8 Btries.). │ (10 Btries.). - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2 - Liaisons. │ Pion. Btn. No. 9.│ Pion. Btn. No. 9.│ Pion. Btn. No. 9. - │ │18 Res. Pont. Engs.│218 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │18 Res. Tel. Detch.│18 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │18 Res. Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │95 Labor Btn. Anti- - │ │ │ Aircraft Section. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │35 Res. │31 Res. │35 Res. │31 Res. - │ │84 Res. │ │84 Res. - │ │86 Res. │ │86 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 6 Res. Hus. │2 Sqn. 16 Hus. Rgt. - │ Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │112 Art. Command: │112 Art. Command: - │ │ - │ 18 Res. F. A. Rgt.│ 18 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 126 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 757 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1250 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1304 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(318) Pion. Btn.: │318 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Res. Co. 9 │ 1 Co. 9 Res. - │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ 2 Res. Co. 9 │ 2 Co. 9 Res. - │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ 218 T. M. Co. │ 218 T. M. Co. - │ 9 Res. Searchlight│ 48 Searchlight - │ Section. │ Section. - │ 418 Tel. Detch. │418 Signal Command: - │ │ 418 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 115 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │513 Ambulance Co. │513 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │400 Field Hospital.│400 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │44 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │ │418 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │717 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (9th Corps District—Schleswig—Holstein and Mecklenburg.) - - - 1914. - -1. The 18th Reserve Division formed the 9th Reserve Corps, with the 17th -Reserve Division. - - -BELGIUM. - -2. From the outbreak of the war until August 22, 1914, the 18th Reserve -Division was guarding the coast of Schleswig-Holstein. Entraining about -this time, it went into Belgium, where it advanced rapidly. After taking -and sacking Louvain (Aug. 25) it occupied Hamme (Sept. 1), Termonde -(Sept. 4). - - -OISE. - -3. On the 9th it was hastily transferred by way of Tournai and -Valenciennes to the Oise area. Entraining on the 13th at Chauny, it -reenforced the front south of Noyon and went into action between -Carlepont and Lassigny (Sept. 15–21). - -4. At the beginning of October the 18th Reserve Division was taken to -the valley of the Avre. It fought in the vicinity of Roye (Laucourt, -Oct. 2–3). At the beginning of November the division front extended -between the Avre and Beuvraignes. - - -LASSIGNY. - -5. On November 15 it bore to the south and held the region of the Loges- -Lassigny wood. - - - 1915. - -In March, 1915, it gave the 90th Reserve Infantry Regiment to the 54th -Division, a new formation. - -1. The 18th Reserve Division occupied the Lassigny area until October, -1915, without any serious engagements. In October it took over elements -of the Hartz Division (6th Army), among others the 3d Battalion of the -31st Infantry Regiment which contained four battalions from May, 1915, -to September, 1916. - - -ARTOIS. - -2. About October 23 the division was sent to Artois (Givenchy), where it -launched several local attacks. - - - 1916. - -1. The 18th Reserve Division remained in the Liévin-Givenchy sector -until July, 1916. - - -SOMME. - -2. After a few days at rest, July 13 to July 28, it took part in the -battle of the Somme, north of Pozieres, in several serious attacks. - -3. It was reorganized in the Valenciennes area during the second half of -August. - -4. At the end of August, it was sent northeast of Lens (Pont a Vendin). - -5. At the beginning of October the 18th Reserve Division again went into -action along the Somme, north of Combles, (Morval, Sailly Saillisel). It -suffered heavily in a series of local attacks. - - -FLANDERS. - -6. Withdrawn from the front about October 12–16, the division was -transferred to Belgium. On October 23–25 it went into line north of -Ypres. - - - 1917. - -1. The 18th Reserve Division occupied the Ypres salient (Pilkem) until -the end of March, 1917. - - -ARTOIS. - -2. After a short rest at Roulers, the division was concentrated at Vitry -en Artois (Apr. 1). Going into action southeast of Arras (Heninel), it -underwent the British attack (Apr. 9), which caused it heavy losses (500 -prisoners). - -3. The division left the Artois front about April 15, and after a few -days at rest took over the sector of Cherisy-Guemappe (southeast of -Arras in May). - -4. At the beginning of June the 18th Reserve Division was relieved and -sent to rest. - - -FLANDERS. - -5. Transferred to Flanders about June 16, it first remained in reserve -behind the Messines front. On July 3 the division was in action west of -Houthem and suffered severe losses in consequence of local actions and -bombardments. - -6. Relieved about August 8, it was at rest in the Cambrai area until -August 16. It then occupied the quiet sector of Queant (west of Cambrai) -until the middle of October. - -7. It was sent to Flanders again on October 20, and went into line near -the Ypres-Menin railroad (Oct. 28–29). - - - RECRUITING. - -The 18th Reserve Division is recruited in Schleswig-Holstein. - -The Mecklenburgers, according to an order in 1917, had to return to -their national regiment, the 90th Infantry Reserve Regiment, which no -longer belonged to the division. A limited number of men from the 7th -and 10th Corps districts (Westphalia and Hanover) is found. - - - VALUE 1917—ESTIMATE. - -The 18th Reserve Division has the same value as the 17th Reserve -Division. At the end of 1917 it is difficult to form an opinion as to -its combat value. It has not been in any serious action since the battle -of Arras, having arrived in Flanders when the autumn operations were -about at an end. The morale of the division may be considered as -passable. (British Summary of Information, February, 1918.) - - - 1918. - -1. The 18th Reserve Division was relieved by the 214th Division in the -Gheluvelt sector on January 6. It went to rest in the vicinity of Menin -and while there was intensively trained in open warfare. - - -YPRES. - -2. On February 18 the division relieved the 214th Division in its former -sector north of Gheluvelt (east of Ypres). It was relieved by the 7th -Reserve Division about March 31. - - -LA BASSEE. - -3. It reinforced the battle front near Locon (northwest of La Bassee) on -April 9, and was withdrawn about the 18th, going to rest in the Sainghin -area (southeast of Lille). - -4. On May 14 it relieved the 25th Division west of Locon, and was -relieved by the extension of fronts of the neighboring divisions about -the 18th of June, when it went to rest in the region of Gondecourt (east -of La Bassee). - -5. About the 14th of July it relieved the 1st Guard Reserve Division -near Givenchy (north of the La Bassee Canal—west of La Bassee); relieved -September 3, it went to rest in the region north of Denain. - - -CAMBRAI. - -6. On the 29th of September the division reentered the line near -Proville and Rumilly (south of Cambrai), and was still in line when the -armistice was signed. It was thought that it had been withdrawn October -8, again on the 18th, and on the 4th of November, but considering the -speed with which the German withdrawal was executed, the confusion -necessarily incident thereto, and the fact that the division always -turned up a day or two later in the same relative position it had -previously occupied, it seems best to assume that it was continuously in -line. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 18th Reserve is considered a second-class division. It did not -distinguish itself in the Lys offensive, and it is reported that -thereafter it was to be used only as a holding division. At any rate, it -engaged in no other German offensives, and, indeed, no other heavy -fighting, until the beginning of October or sometime after practically -the whole front had become active on account of the combined allied -push. - - - - - 18th Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1914–15 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │19 Ldw. │19 Ldw. │20 Ldw. │19 Ldw. - │ │47 Ldw. │ │47 Ldw. - │ │72 Ldw. │28 Ldw. │133 Ldw. - │ │133 Ldw. │ │57 Ldw. - │ │ │ │72 Ldw. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │ │Ers. Sqn. 1 Horse Jag. Rgt. - │ │Ers. Sqn. 1 Uhlan Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │ │5 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. - │ │835 F. A. Btry. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│ │2 Res. Co. 1 Pions. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │344 Pion. Co. - │ │166 T. M. Co. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd Units. │ │Cyclist Co. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │43 Labor Btn. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │19 Ldw. │47 Ldw. │19 Ldw. │47 Ldw. - │ │57 Ldw. │ │57 Ldw. - │ │72 Ldw. │ │72 Ldw. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │Ers. Sqn. 12 Drag. Rgt. │4 Sqn. 4 Drag. Rgt. - │Ers. Sqn. 2 Uhlan Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │5 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. - │ 5 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│43 Pion. Btn.: │2 Landst. Co. 3 C. Dist. - Liaisons. │ │ Pions. - │ 2 Res. Co. 1 Pions. │117 Searchlight Section. - │ 344 Pion. Co. │518 Signal Command: - │ 166 T. M. Co. │ 518 Tel. Detch. - │ 218 Searchlight Section. │ - │ Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │258 Ambulance Co. │258 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │296 Field Hospital. │305 Field Hospital. - │305 Field Hospital. │18 Ldw. Field Hospital. - │18 Ldw. Field Hospital. │130 Vet. Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │534 M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd Units. │60 Cyclist Co. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │43 Labor Btn. │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (47th Landwehr Regiment: 5th Corps district.—Posen.) (57th Landwehr - Regiment: 7th Corps district.—Westphalia.) (72d Landwehr Regiment: 4th - Corps district.—Prussian Saxony.) - - - 1914–15. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. The 18th Landwehr Division is the former Bredow Division. - - -POLAND. - -2. After being engaged in September, 1914, in the battle of the Mazurian -Lakes, the Bredow Division fought in the Polish campaign: Battle of -Warsaw (Oct. 9–19, 1914); battles on the Rawka (Oct. 22–28); near -Czenstochow (Nov. 10-Dec. 15); between Pilica and Nidi, in the -mountainous region of Kielce (December, 1914, to July, 1915). - -3. In the middle of July, 1915, the division was in action near Sienno -and before Ivangorod (breaking of the Russian front), crossed the -Vistula (end of July), was in action between the Vistula and the Bug -(Aug. 8–18), and advanced in action as far as Slonim and the Upper -Chtchara (September). The front becoming stabilized in this area, the -Bredow Division took up its position southeast of Novo-Grudok (near -Goroditche in October and November). At the end of November it went into -the sector southeast of Liakhovitchi (south of Baranovitchi). The number -18 appears to be given to the Bredow Division in December. - - - 1916. - - -BARANOVITCHI. - -1. The 18th Landwehr Division remained on the front south of -Baranovitchi (Liakhovitchi) for more than two years (November, 1915, to -the beginning of 1918). From July 2 to July 9, 1916, it withstood the -Russian attacks in this area. - -2. In June, 1916, two regiments of the division, the 57th Landwehr and -the 133d Landwehr, were transferred to Volhynia (north of Lutsk), -assigned to the Rusche Division and were in action against the offensive -of Broussilov. The 57th Landwehr Regiment rejoined the 18th Landwehr -Division near Baranovitchi in August. The 133d Landwehr Regiment was -provisionally a part of the 92d Division. - - - 1917. - -1. The division held the sector Baranovitchi-Liakhovitchi. - -2. In October 900 men from the 18th Landwehr Division, chosen from among -the youngest, were entrained for the western front. In April a number -had been taken from the 72d Landwehr Regiment for the 5th Reserve -Division. In November the 47th Landwehr Regiment furnished men to the -15th Division. As the 18th Landwehr Division had received no -replacements since the end of July, the trench strength of the 72d -Landwehr Regiment had fallen, at the end of October, to 50–60 men per -company (Russian interrogation). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The division has been on the Russian front since the beginning of the -war. Combat value appears to be mediocre. - - - 1918. - -1. In February, 1918, the 18th Landwehr Division advanced into the -interior of Russia. The 72d Landwehr Regiment was identified between -Mohilev and Gomel on February 2. In May the 57th Landwehr Regiment held -the very long front from north of Kopys to south of Chklov. - -2. In the middle of June the division was in the Orcha region. It was -again identified in the region of Mohilev on the 22d of September. - -3. There were rumors during October that the division had come to the -Woevre, but since the division was never actually identified it is not -believed that it left Russia. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 19th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │37. │78. │37. │78. │37. │74. - │ │91. │ │91. │ │78. - │38. │73 Fus. │38. │73 Fus. │ │91. - │ │74. │ │74. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │17 Hus. Rgt. (3 │17 Hus. Rgt. (3 │17 Hus. Rgt. (2 - │ Sqns.). │ Sqns.). │ Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │19 Brig.: │19 Brig.: │19 Brig.: - │ 26 F. A. Rgt. │ 26 F. A. Rgt. │ 26 F. A. Rgt. - │ 62 F. A. Rgt. │ 62 F. A. Rgt. │ 62 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. │1 Pion. Btn. No. - Liaisons. │ │ 10: │ 10: - │ │ Field Co. 10 │ 1 Co. 10 Pions. - │ │ Pions. │ - │ │ 19 Pont. Engs. │ 19 T. M. Co. - │ │ 19 Tel. Detch. │ 19 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ 19 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │37. │74. │37. │74. - │ │78. │ │78. - │ │91. │ │91. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 17 Hus. Rgt.│3 Sqn. 17 Hus. Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │19 Art. Command: │19 Art. Command: - │ 26 F. A. Rgt. │ 26 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 93 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 740 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 905 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1156 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(1/10 or 127) Pion.│127 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ Btn.: │ - │ 1 Co. 10 Pions. │ 1 Co. 10 Pions. - │ │ - │ 5 Co. 10 Pions. │ 5 Co. 10 Pions. - │ 19 T. M. Co. │ 19 T. M. Co. - │ 296 Searchlight │ 50 Searchlight - │ Section. │ Section. - │ 19 Tel. Detch. │19 Signal Command: - │ 19 Pont. Engs. │ 19 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 4 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │25 Ambulance Co. │25 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │6 Field Hospital. │95 Field Hospital. - │95 Field Hospital. │97 Field Hospital. - │97 Field Hospital. │19 Vet. Hospital. - │19 Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │552 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (10th Corps District—Hanover and the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg.) - - - 1914. - -1. The 19th Division constituted, at the outbreak of the war, with the -20th Division, the 10th Army Corps (Hanover), which was a part of the 2d -Army (Von Buelow). - - -BELGIUM-MARNE. - -2. On August 3 one of its brigades, the 38th, was at Malmedy for the -attack upon Liége, where it went into action on the 5th. After the fall -of Liége the 19th Division, going around Namur on the north, fought at -Charleroi on the 23d, entered France on the 25th, and went into action -at Guise, at St. Quentin. It took part in the battle of the Marne on the -right of the 20th Division, and then withdrew with that division to the -northwest of Reims. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -3. In October it was in the same sector attached to the 7th Army (Von -Heeringen) and remained during the winter of 1914–15. - - - 1915. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. In March, 1915, the 73d Fusiliers left the division to become a part -of the 111th Division (a new formation). - -2. In April the 19th Division was sent (with the 20th) to Galicia, where -it took part in the offensive of Mackensen’s army. This campaign caused -heavy losses; in the 91st Infantry Regiment, between May and September, -the casualties totaled 127 officers and 4,291 men. (Official List of -casualties.) - -3. Entraining at Warsaw on September 17 the 19th Division, together with -the 20th, was taken to Antwerp, then, by way of Namur and Givet, to -Champagne. There it remained behind the front to reinforce the 3d Army -at the time of our attack on the Champagne front (September). - - -FRANCE. - -4. It was relieved about October 17. After a few days rest in the area -of Grandlup, Missy les Pierrepont, it occupied the Hurtebise-Vauclerc -line at the end of October. - - -AISNE. - -5. About December 19 it was withdrawn to the rear (Parfondru area). It -remained in reserve of the army and received training. - - - 1916. - -1. The division again went into line at the beginning of January, 1916 -(Hurtebise-Vauclerc sector) and remained there until the middle of May. -Then it was sent to Sissonne and received training until June 7. - - -RUSSIA. - -2. About June 8 it left Sissonne and entrained for the Eastern Front. -Itinerary: Laon-Sedan-Trèves-Coblentz-Limberg-Marburg-Cassel-Leipzig- -Breslau-Bautzen-Iwagorod-Kovel (June 12). - -3. The division was retrained on the Russian front from June until -November. It underwent the Broussilov offensive, and in November formed -a part of the 4th Austrian Army in action on the Volhynia front. - - -FRANCE. - -4. About November 8 it entrained and left Russia to return to the -Western Front. Itinerary: Kovel-Brest-Litowsk-Warsaw-Thorn-Berlin- -Hanover-Aix la Chapelle-Liége-Namur-Givet-Hirson. - -5. After a few days of rest, the 19th Division entrained for Rethel. It -was billeted in the vicinity until the end of December. - - - 1917. - -1. After a stay in Alsace (January, 1917) the 19th Division came into -reserve in Champagne in February. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. On February 24 it occupied the sector Ripont, Cernay en Dormois. - -3. On March 6 it was transferred to the Rheims front (Brimont, Cavaliers -de Coucy in April and May). Only its right wing was engaged in the -French offensive. - -4. Relieved on the 10th of June and sent to rest, it was in action -shortly afterwards southwest of Moronvilliers, then on the Cornillet- -Monc St. Blond front, where it underwent the French attacks of July 14 -and suffered heavy losses. - -5. On July 20, it left this area and in two days marched to the sector -north of Ville sur Tourbe. - - -MEUSE. - -6. About September 7 it was sent to the Verdun area (Beaumont- -Samogneux). It there launched several attacks. - -7. Relieved from the Beaumont sector at the end of December, the 19th -Division occupied the Forges sector (left bank of the Meuse) about -January 6, 1918. There it was relieved by the 84th Division beginning of -February. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 19th Division is recruited from Hanover. The 91st Infantry Regiment -is recruited in the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg. There were very few -replacements from other corps districts. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 19th Division must be considered a good division (September, 1917). - - - 1918. - -1. The division rested at Stenay until March 6, when it entrained and -traveled via Sedan-Charleville-Anor to Landrecies, going into billets at -Hecq. On the 17th it marched to Croix and in the evening proceeded via -Le Cateau to Honnechy. On the night of March 19–20 it marched to -Brancourt, and on the 21st followed up the attack as far as Maissemy. -The 91st Regiment crossed the Somme at Brie on the 25th and by the 28th -had reached Harbonnieres. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -2. It was in support until the 31st, when it was engaged near -Marcelcaves. In the fighting in this locality between the 30th and April -6, the division lost 50 per cent of its effectives. The heaviest losses -were incurred on March 31 at Brie where a battalion commander, ordered -to attack, was unable to do so because of his losses. - -3. The division rested until April 16 in the neighborhood of Proyart and -Framerville. About 1,000 men were received as reinforcements at this -time. - - -SOMME. - -4. It was engaged on April 18, north of Hangard, until the 20th. Two -days of rest at Harbonnieres followed, and it returned to line on the -24th. The French attack of the 26th caused the division severe losses -and it withdrew on April 28. It was reengaged on the same sector on May -6 and in line until May 29. While in line the division received drafts -of 1,200 men. - -5. The division rested until the 1st of June in the vicinity of Cambrai. -It marched toward the Lassigny front by night, passing through Ham (June -2), Esmery-Hallon, Tilloloy (June 7–8). - - -NOYON. - -6. It was engaged on June 9 in the Lataule wood and was in line until -the 14th. It entrained on the 21st and moved to Lorraine, where it -relieved the 3d Guard Division at Bezanges on June 25. It rested on this -quiet front until July 29, when the 81st Reserve Division from Flanders -relieved it. - - -VESLE. - -7. The division rested near Fort Brimont until mid-August, when it moved -by stages to the Vesle front. It entered the line northeast of Fismes on -September 1 and remained during the month. The division withstood the -French attack of the 31st, losing about 700 prisoners. It was forced to -retire on Ventelay and Chaudardes (Oct. 1), and later on Pontavert, -Craonne, toward Sissonne (Oct. 11–12). It was in second line about the -13th to 18th. - - -LAON. - -8. On October 19 it was again in line near Sissonne. In the retreat it -retired by Boucourt, la Ville aux Bois, Montcornet. After November 4 it -was identified near Renneval, Iviers, and Aubenton (Nov. 8). - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as first class. It was regarded as one of the -best German divisions. It resisted with great obstinacy the French -counterattack at Hangard, April 26. Its morale remained good until the -end of October. - - - - - 19th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │37 Res. │73 Res. │37 Res. │73 Res. │37 Res. │73 Res. - │ │78 Res. │ │78 Res. │ │78 Res. - │39 Res. │74 Res. │39 Res. │74 Res. │ │79 Res. - │ │ │ │ │ │ (2 - │ │ │ │ │ │ Btns.) - │ │92 Res. │ │92 Res. │39 Res. │74 Res. - │ │79 Res. │ │79 Res. │ │92 Res. - │ │ (2 │ │ (2 │ │ - │ │ Btns.) │ │ Btns.) │ │ - │ 10 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 10 Res. Jag. Btn. │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │6 Res. Dragoon Rgt.│6 Res. Drag. Rgt. │6 Res. Drag. Rgt. - │ (3 Sqns.). │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │19 Res. F. A. Rgt. │19 Res. F. A. Rgt. │19 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (6 Btries.). │ (8 Btries.). │ 2 Mountain Btry. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2 - Liaisons. │ Pion. Btn. No. │ Pion. Btn. No. │ Pion. Btn. No. - │ 10. │ 10. │ 10. - │ │19 Res. Tel. Detch.│6 Field Co. 1 Pion. - │ │ │ Btn. No. 10. - │ │19 Res. Pont. Engs.│219 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │19 Res. Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │19 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │39 Res. │73 Res. │39 Res. │73 Res. - │ │78 Res. │ │78 Res. - │ │92 Res. │ │92 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 6 Res. Drag.│3 Sqn. 6 Res. Drag. - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │19 Res. F. A. Rgt. │19 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │2 Abt. 3 Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. (Staff, and - │ │ 5, 7, and 9 - │ │ Btries.). - │ │741 Light Am. Col. - │ │742 Light Am. Col. - │ │745 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│319 Pion. Btn. │319 Pion. Btn. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │ - │ 1 Res. Co. 10 │ 1 Res. Co. 10 - │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ 219 T. M. Co. │ 2 Res. Co. 10 - │ │ Pions. - │ 290 Searchlight │ 54 Searchlight - │ Section. │ Section. - │ 419 Tel. Detch. │419 Signal Command: - │ │ 419 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 32 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │510 Ambulance Co. │510 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │46 Res. Field │46 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │47 Res. Field │48 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │48 Res. Field │200 Vet. Hospital. - │ Hospital. │ - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │718 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (10th Corps District.—Hanover; Grand Duchy of Oldenburg; Duchy of - Brunswick.) - - - 1914. - - -BELGIUM-MARNE. - -1. The 19th Reserve Division, constituting at the outbreak of the war, -with the 2d Reserve Guard Division, the 10th Reserve Corps, was a part -of the 2d Army (Von Buelow). It entrained near Cologne August 10–12, was -concentrated at the Elsenhorn Camp and entered Belgium on the 15th by -way of Spa. Going down the left bank of the Meuse near Liége, it crossed -the Sambre west of Charleroi on the 22d; went into action on the 23d at -Nalinnes; entered France on the 26th at Avesnes, and fought on the 29th -and 30th between St. Quentin and Ribemont. Continuing on its way through -Braine, it crossed the Marne at Dormans and took part in the battle of -the Marne between Vauchamps and Montmirail (Sept. 6 to 7). - -2. It retired on the 7th by way of Orbais, Vertus, Epernay, Rilly la -Montagne (Sept. 10), Rheims (Sept. 12). - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -3. It fought, in the middle of September, north of Rheims and -established itself on the front Brimont-Courcy-Bétheny (October- -December). - - - 1915. - -1. The division occupied the sector north of Rheims until the beginning -of February, 1915. - - -PERTHES. - -2. About February 2, elements of the division were transferred to the -Somme Py and went into action in the Perthes les Hurlus area, where they -took part in serious battles. - -3. The division remained in Champagne (Souain-Perthes) until the month -of April. - - -ALSACE. - -4. About the end of April it was sent to Alsace (valley of the Fecht). -At this time, the 10th Reserve Corps was broken up because of the -employment of its two divisions on two separate fronts (19th Reserve -Division, Vosges, 2d Reserve Guard Division, in the north). These two -divisions are now independent. The 19th Reserve Division suffered very -heavily in Alsace (valley of the Fecht) and lost 154 officers and 5,033 -men (Official List of Casualties), of whom 60 officers and 1,964 men -belong to the 74th Reserve Infantry Regiment. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -5. On September 30 the 37th Reserve Brigade entrained to reenforce the -units engaged in the Tahure sector (Champagne), where it went into -action on October 8. - - -ALSACE. - -6. The 37th Reserve Brigade rejoined the 39th Reserve Brigade in Alsace -at the beginning of November. At this time the entire division was -concentrated in the vicinity of Mulhouse. - -7. In December elements of the 19th Reserve Division took part in the -struggle for the possession of Hartmannswillerkopf (Dec. 21–29). - - - 1916. - -1. The 19th Reserve Division remained in the Meuse area until March, -1916. - - -VERDUN. - -2. About March 15 the division entrained and was transferred to Verdun. -It went into action in the sector Douaumont-Haudremont-Thiaumont (Apr. -17 to June 21). Its regiments made successive attacks and suffered -heavily (attacks of Apr. 17, 24, May 7, and June 21). At the end of -April and during the month of May, elements of the division were sent to -rest in the vicinity of Montmédy. - - -ARGONNE. - -3. At the beginning of July the 19th Reserve Division was withdrawn from -the Verdun front and went into the Argonne (La Harazee). It had lost 79 -per cent of its infantry at Verdun. From April 25 to July 19 the 4th -Company of the 74th Infantry Regiment had received no less than 195 men -as replacements; the 9th Company of the 73d Infantry Regiment, 211 men. - - -SOMME. - -4. On October 10 it was transferred to the Somme (sector of Gueudecourt -les Boeufs) and took part in limited actions which caused serious -losses. - - -CÔTES DE MEUSE. - -5. Relieved on October 26–28, it went into line on the Côtes de Meuse -(Les Éparges) on October 31. - - - 1917. - - -CHEMIN DES DAMES. - -1. On February 18, 1917, the 19th Reserve Division left the Éparges -sector for the front south of Laon. Concentrated in the region of -Arrancy-Ste. Croix, it went into line about March 1, on the crest of the -Chemin des Dames (Ailles-Hurtebise). It underwent the French attack of -April 16, which caused it to suffer severely (900 prisoners). - -On April 20 elements of the Division launched a counterattack (Poteau -d’Ailles). The 19th Reserves Division remained in line until April 21. - - -RUSSIA. - -2. After two weeks’ rest in the vicinity of Sissonne, the division was -transferred to Russia. It entrained at La Capelle on May 7. Itinerary: -Charleroi-Namur-Liége-Aix le Chapelle-Dusseldorf-Hanover-Berlin- -Bromberg-Koenigsberg-Shavli-Mitau; detraining at Gross-Ekkau on May 11, -it was called on July 23 to help the exhausted 226th Division between -Smorgoni and Krevo. - - -RIGA. - -3. At the end of August or the beginning of September the division took -part in the operations which began at the taking of Riga and of -Duenamuende (September). - - -FRANCE. - -4. On September 11 the division entrained near Uxkull for the Western -Front. Itinerary: Mitau-Shavli-Koenigsberg-Posen-Cottbus-Leipzig-Gotha- -Mayence-Kreuznach-Luxemburg-Sedan-Hirson. It detrained at Vervins on -September 17. - - -FLANDERS. - -5. Transferred to Flanders (Sept. 20–24) it occupied the Polygon wood -sector east of Ypres (Sept. 28). It underwent the British attack of -October 4, when it lost very heavily. It was relieved immediately. (On -Sept. 29 the 12th Company of the 92d Reserve Infantry Regiment had only -3 officers and 86 men.) - - -MEUSE. - -6. After a rest near Sedan, in the course of which it was reorganized -with mixed replacements from Beverloo and the recruit depot of the 228th -Division, the division went northwest of Verdun in October (Malancourt -sector). - -7. Sent to rest in the Stenay area on December 22, the 19th Reserve -Division occupied the Chaume wood sector on January 15, 1918. It was -still there at the beginning of March. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 19th Reserve Division is recruited from the 10th Corps District -(Hanover, Oldenburg, Brunswick). There are few elements foreign to the -district. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -During the French offensive on the Chemin des Dames on April 16 the 19th -Reserve Division gave the impression of having energetic and intelligent -leadership. The attitude of the men was generally good. - -The division suffered enormous losses on the Aisne. - -The quality of the replacements received and its stay on the Russian -front have diminished the value of this division, which was a good -combat unit. - -The presence of a certain number of Poles and Alsatians must be noted -who are inclined to desertion (67 deserters from the 73d Reserve -Infantry Regiment on Sept. 28, 1917). (November, 1917.) - - - 1918. - -1. About April 6 the division was relieved and moved to Belgium, -entering line at Dixmude on April 17. - - -BATTLE OF THE LYS. - -2. On the 25th the division moved south and reenforced the battle front -at Vierstraat. It fought in the Ypres area until May 1, when it was -relieved, after losing about 40 per cent of its effectives. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -3. The division appeared in Champagne on May 10, taking over the sector -west of the Suippe from the 232d Division. About June 1 a battalion of -the 78th Reserve Regiment was detached and took part in the attack on -Rheims. Afterwards it returned and the complete division was in its -sector on June 15. The division was withdrawn from Champagne just before -the July offensive. - -4. It was reengaged in Champagne on July 27 south of Le Mont sans Nom. -It continued in this sector until the 1st of September. - -5. The division moved directly from line in Champagne to line south of -Concy le Chateau, where it was engaged until October 14. Withdrawn from -the Selle front, elements of the division were immediately engaged on -the Oise at Mont d’Origny (Oct. 17), but the bulk of the division was -not identified until October 24, south of Catillon. Until the armistice -the division fought in the vicinity of Catillon (Nov. 4), Fesmy (5th), -Prisches (6th), Lemont Fontaine (8th). - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as first class. In 1918, except for the Lys -offensive in April, the division was engaged only on the defensive. - - - - - 19th. Ersatz Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │ │Ers. │45 Mixed │23 Ers. │45 Mixed │23 Ers. - │ │ Btns.: │ Ers. │ │ Ers. │ - │45 Mixed │45 and │ │32 Ers. │ │32 Ers. - │ Ers. │ 46. │ │ │ │ - │ │63 and │47 Mixed │47 and 48│47 Mixed │24 Ers. - │ │ 64. │ Ers. │ (Brig. │ Ers. │ - │ │ │ │ Ers. │ │ - │ │ │ │ Btns.).│ │ - │47 Mixed │47 and │ │ │ │40 Ers. - │ Ers. │ 48. │ │ │ │ - │ │88 and │ │88 and 89│ │ - │ │ 89. │ │ (Brig. │ │ - │ │ │ │ Ers. │ │ - │ │ │ │ Btns.).│ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │ │4 and 5 Sqns. 19 - │ │ │ Hus. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │1 Ers. Abtls. of │1 Ers. Abtls. of 28│45 Ers. F. A. Rgt. - │ the 28 and 48 F. │ and 48 F. A. │ - │ A. Rgts. │ Rgts. │ - │1 Ers. Abtls. of 32│1 Ers. Abtls. of 32│47 Ers. F. A. Rgt. - │ and 77 F. A. │ and 77 F. A. │ - │ │ Rgts. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 Ers. Co. 12 │1 Ers. Co. 12 │1 Ers. Co. 12 - Liaisons. │ Pions. │ Pions. │ Pions. - │1 Ers. Co. 22 │1 Ers. Co. 22 │1 Ers. Co. 22 - │ Pions. │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ │254 Pion. Co. │254 Pion. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │88 Res. Pion. Co. - │ │ │164 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │5 Bav. Ldw. Brig. │5 Bav. Ldw. Brig. │21 Labor Btn. - │ (4 Bav. Ldw. and │ (4 Bav. Ldw., 5 │ - │ 5 Bav. Ldw. │ Bav. Ldw., and 60│ - │ Rgts.) │ Res. Rgts.). │ - │ │100 Ldw. Inf. Rgt. │85 Labor Btn. - │ │9 Jag. Btn. │4 Btn. 15 Ldw. Rgt. - │ │ │ (Until April.) - │ │ │60 Res. Inf. Rgt. - │ │ │100 Ldw. Inf. Rgt. - │ │ │ (Until October.) - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │45 Ers. │23 Ers. │45 Ers. │23 Ers. - │ │ │ │ - │ │24 Ers. │ │24 Ers. - │ │ │ │ - │ │32 Ers. │ │32 Ers. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │5 Sqn. 19 Hus. Rgt.│5 Sqn. 19 Hus. Rgt. - │ │ - │1 Ers. Sqn. 12 C. │ - │ List. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │47 Ers. F. A. Rgt. │47 Ers. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│519 Pion. Btn.: │519 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Ers. Co. 12 │ 1 Ers. Co. 12 - │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ 1 Ers. Co. 22 │ 1 Ers. Co. 22 - │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ 254 Pion. Co. │ 164 T. M. Co. - │ 164 T. M. Co. │ 1 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 253 Searchlight │569 Signal Command: - │ Section. │ - │ 569 Tel. Detch. │ 569 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 47 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │272 Ambulance Co. │272 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │506 Field Hospital.│506 Field Hospital. - │507 Field Hospital.│518 Vet. Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │766 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (12th and 19th Corps Districts—Saxony.) - - - 1914. - - -VOSGES. - -1. The 19th Ersatz Division (Saxon) detrained on August 18, 1914, before -Strassburg. In action in the Vosges on the 20th, it went up the valley -of the Bruche and fought on the Meurthe below St. Die, at St. Michel, -and advanced to La Salle (Sept. 6). - - -LORRAINE. - -2. Having suffered in these engagements, the division was withdrawn. On -September 19 it was in the Blamont area, where it was reenforced by the -5th Bavarian Landwehr Brigade. It occupied the sector of Blamont-Ember- -Menil-Parroy. - - - 1915. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. In 1915, and until October, 1916, it guarded the same front in -Lorraine (from the canal of the Marne to the Rhine as far as the Cirey -area). - -2. About the month of April the 100th Landwehr was reattached to the -division, the battalions of which were grouped in July into 4 Ersatz -Regiments (Nos. 23, 32, 24, 40). - - - 1916. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. During its stay in Lorraine the 19th Ersatz Division was not engaged -in any serious fighting. The 23d Ersatz alone took part in the affair of -Thiaville, February 28, 1916. - - -COTES DE MEUSE. - -2. Relieved in the area of Badonviller-Leintrey, at the beginning of -October, 1916, the 19th Ersatz Division was reduced to three regiments -(23d, 32d, 24th Ersatz) and sent to the Briey area (Oct. 8) and from -there to Verdun (sector of Watronville-Damloup). - - - 1917. - - -COTES DE MEUSE. - -1. The 19th Ersatz Division remained in the same sector of the Cotes de -Meuse for almost all of the year 1917. It lost very slightly. - -2. Withdrawn from the sector Moranville-Watronville about November, the -division was sent to rest in the Longwy area. - - -BEZONVAUX. - -3. About December 8, it was assembled and sent to Spincourt where, on -December 11, it went into line north of Bezonvaux. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 19th Ersatz Division is recruited from the Kingdom of Saxony. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 19th Ersatz Division remained in Lorraine for a long time; it did -not take part in any serious battles. After October, 1916, it only -occupied quiet sectors on the Cotes de Meuse. - -It can not be considered as an attack division. - - - 1918. - -1. The division occupied the quiet Beaumont sector until June 30, when -it was put at rest near Longuyon until July 11. During this time the -division was given training to fit it for a war of movement. On July 16 -it was moved to the Rheims front. Entrained at Montmedy on the 12th, the -division reached Nouvion Porcien the next day, and went by stages to -Bermericourt (northeast of Rheims), where it rested in reserve. On the -17th it moved to the vicinity of Rozoy. - - -BATTLE OF THE AISNE AND MARNE. - -2. From July 20 to 31 the division was engaged in severe fighting at -Plessier-Huleu and Grand Rozoy. - -3. It rested near Marle until the 21st of August undergoing -reconstruction. It entrained on that date at Voyenne and reached La Fere -the next day, from where it marched to Barisis and Folembray. - - -BATTLE OF THE AILETTE. - -4. The division entered the line in the Quierzy-Manicamp-Champs area on -August 23. It sustained a French attack on the 28th, losing nearly 500 -prisoners. The division was withdrawn on September 3. - -5. The division was moved by train from Voyenne to Haboudange via Marle, -Montcornet, Sedan, Montmedy, Longuyon, Audun le Roman, Thionville, Metz, -and Benestroff. It marched to Hampont to the Huhnerwald Camp, where it -rested until September 15. - - -LORRAINE. - -6. It entered line at Arracourt on the 15th and occupied that quiet -sector until the end of hostilities. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. In 1918 it saw but two weeks’ -service on an active front. - - - - - 19th Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │91 Res. │383 Ldw. │91 Res. │383 Ldw. │ │383 Ldw. - │ │385 Ldw. │ │385 Ldw. │ │385 Ldw. - │ │388 Ldw. │ │388 Ldw. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │ (?) │2 Sqn. 6 Res. Hus. - │ │ │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │281 F. A. Rgt. │Art. Command: │ - │ │ 91 F. A. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │(419) Pion. Btn.: │519 Signal Command: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ 303 Pion. Co. │ 519 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 319 T. M. Co. │ - │ │ Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │226 Ambulance Co. │226 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │396 Field Hospital.│396 Field Hospital. - │ │91 Res. Field │10 Field Hospital. - │ │ Hospital. │ - │ │519 Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │788 M. T. Col. │788 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (383d Landwehr Regiment: 3d Corps District—Brandenburg. 385th Landwehr - Regiment: 7th Corps District—Westphalia. 388th Landwehr Regiment: 12th - Corps District—Saxony.) - - - 1916. - - -BELGIUM. - -1. The 19th Landwehr Division was formed at the same time as the -divisions of the 200 Series (September-October, 1916). It was formed at -Cortemarck on September 29, 1916, by the union of the 383d, 385th, and -388th Landwehr Regiments. These were made up of Landsturm battalions -(Service of Supplies) of the 4th Army in Belgium, to which were added -returned wounded. The 3d Battalion of the 388th Landwehr Regiment -(Saxon) is the old 4th Battalion of the 100th Landwehr. - - -DIXMUDE. - -2. In the beginning of October, 1916, the 19th Landwehr Division -replaced the 204th Division in the Dixmude-Steenstraat sector. It -remained there more than a year. - - - 1917. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. Relieved from the Dixmude front about the middle of October, 1917, -the 19th Landwehr Division was transferred to Russia at the beginning of -November. - - -RIGA. - -2. Arriving in the Riga area about November 15, it went into line near -the coast. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 19th Landwehr Division is made up either of elderly soldiers or -those of mediocre physical strength, forming a body of men incapable, it -appears, of an offensive effort. - -In Belgium, however, the division organized an assault troop capable of -making assaults. - - - 1918. - - -LIVONIA. - -1. The 19th Landwehr Division was identified on the shores of the Baltic -in March. The 383d Landwehr Regiment was at Libau on May 8; the 385th -Landwehr Regiment at Riga on the 15th. - - -FINLAND. - -2. Toward the end of July all three regiments of the division were -identified in Finland, but seem to have gone to Esthonia by August, -where they were again identified in October. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 20th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │39. │79. │39. │79. │40. │77. - │ │164. │ │164. │ │79. - │40. │77. │40. │77. │ │92. - │ │92. │ │92. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │17 Hus. Rgt. (3 │ │17 Hus. Rgt. (2 - │ Sqns.). │ │ Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │20 Brig.: │20 Brig.: │20 Brig.: - │ 10 F. A. Rgt. │ 10 F. A. Rgt. │ 10 F. A. Rgt. - │ 46 F. A. Rgt. │ 46 F. A. Rgt. │ 46 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. │1 Pion. Btn. No. - Liaisons. │ │ 10: │ 10: - │ │ Field Co. 10 │ 2 Co. 10 Pions. - │ │ Pions. │ - │ │ 20 Pont. Engs. │ 20 T. M. Co. - │ │ 20 Tel. Detch. │ 20 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ 20 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │40. │77. │40. │77. - │ │79. │ │79. - │ │92. │ │92. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │5 Sqn. 17 Hus. Rgt.│5 Sqn. 17 Hus. Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │20 Art. Command: │20 Art. Command: - │ 46 F. A. Rgt. │ 46 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 155 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 813 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 921 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1339 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(1/10 or 127) Pion.│10 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ Btn.: │ - │ 2 Co. 10 Pions. │ 2 Co. 10 Pions. - │ │ - │ 3 Co. 10 Pions. │ 3 Co. 10 Pions. - │ 20 T. M. Co. │ 20 T. M. Co. - │ (296) Searchlight │ 90 Searchlight - │ Section. │ Section. - │ 20 Tel. Detch. │ 20 Signal Command: - │ │ 20 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 83 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │24 Ambulance Co. │24 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Field Hospital. │100 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │93 Field Hospital. - │ │20 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │553 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │3 Gleiwitz Landst. │ - │ Depot │ - │Btn. (6 C. Dist. │ - │ Btn. No. 26). │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (10th Corps District—Hanover and Brunswick.) - - - 1914. - -The 20th Division and the 19th Division formed the 10th Army Corps -(Hanover). - - -FRANCE. - -1. At the outbreak of the war the 20th Division went to the Elsenborn -Camp, August 8–10, and entered Belgium on the 11th. It was a part, with -the 10th Corps, of the 2d Army (Von Buelow). It fought at Charleroi, at -Guise, at St. Quentin. It took part in the battle of the Marne from -September 6 to 9 (Congy, Mondement), after which it retired by way of -Neufchâtel sur Aisne to the northwest of Rheims. It took up its position -between the Aisne and Brimont. - - - 1915. - -At the beginning of 1915 it was still holding the lines in the vicinity -of Rheims. At the end of March the 164th Infantry Regiment was -transferred to the 111th Division (new formation). - - -GALICIA. - -2. At the end of April, with its regiments raised to four battalions -each, the 20th Division (as well as the 19th Division) was sent to -Galacia, where it took part in the operation of Mackensen’s army. It -lost very heavily there. From July 28 to September 23 the 11th Company -of the 77th Infantry Regiment received at least 133 men as replacements. - - -FRANCE. - -3. Brought back to France in September, the 20th Division took part, in -the month of October, in the battles in the Champagne. - -4. From November, 1915, to June, 1916, it held a sector north of the -Aisne (west of Craonne). - - - 1916. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. On June 8, 1916, the 20th Division, with all of the 10th Army Corps, -was transferred again to the Eastern Front. In four days it arrived in -the Kovel area by way of Berlin and Brest Litowsk. - -2. On June 13 it was engaged in stopping the Russian advance and then -occupied a sector near Kiselin. Its regiments were filled up in -September and October. - -From June to November the losses of the 92d Infantry Regiment had -averaged 160 men per company. (Statements of deserters.) This is the -number of the replacements received during the same period by the 9th -Company of the 77th Infantry Regiment. - - -FRANCE. - -3. The 20th Division was relieved on November 11 and entrained on the -15th for France. Itinerary: Warsaw-Kalich-Berlin-Dusseldorf-Aix la -Chapelle-Liége-Namur. Billeted first in the area of Anor Hirson, the -20th Division was sent to the Sissonne Camp, where its regiments -received training. - -4. At the end of December the division took over the sector of Moulin -sous Touvent, Chevillecourt, where it was relieved on January 30, 1917. - - - 1917. - -1. In February, 1917, the 20th Division was transferred to Alsace -(Sundgau) in anticipation of a French offensive. - -2. In the beginning of March it was brought back to the Laon area, where -it was billeted until the French attack of April 16; its regiments -received some replacements. - - -CHEMIN DES DAMES. - -3. In the night of April 16 all the units of the division were -assembled. On April 17–18 they took their positions along the plateau of -the Chemin des Dames on both sides of Cerny en Laonnois, relieving the -16th Reserve Division, which had suffered heavy losses. Between April 18 -and May 5 the three regiments of the 20th Division suffered heavy losses -from bombardments. On May 5 (renewal of the general attack by the -French) the division again lost heavily. It was relieved immediately -after the attack. (Apr. 27 to Aug. 10, the 10th Company of the 77th -Infantry Regiment had received not less than 211 men as replacements.) - -4. After a few weeks of rest, the division was put into line (end of -May) in a sector of Champagne (Moronvilliers). - - -RUSSIA. - -5. In the beginning of July it was relieved and transferred for a third -time to the Russian front, first in Galicia and then in Courland. It -remained there until September 19. At this date it entrained at Riga and -was brought back to France by way of Chavli, Kovno, Grodno, Bromberg, -Berlin, Hanover, Cologne, Aix la Chapelle, Mons, Valenciennes. - - -FLANDERS. - -6. Arriving at Roulers on September 27, it immediately went into action -in an attacking sector, north of Zonnebeke, without having any rest, on -October 4. - - -ARTOIS. - -7. Relieved almost immediately, it was put into line on October 17 in -the Queant sector, where it still was at the beginning of February, -1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -It is recruited from the Province of Hanover in the Duchy of Brunswick. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -It had very heavy losses on May 5, 1917 (many killed, 700 prisoners), -which, joined to the preceding losses, lessened the value of the 20th -Division very much. - -It is to be noted that two weeks before the attack of May 5 the units of -the division defended themselves obstinately. - - - 1918. - - -CAMBRAI. - -1. The division was relieved by the 119th Division about the middle of -January; it, in turn, relieved the 119th Division during the first week -in February. It was relieved by the 195th Division on February 16, and -marched to Aubigny au Bac; it reached Basaecles (southeast of Tournai) -the 18th. Here it was given a month’s course of training in open -warfare. - -2. On March 14 the division marched to Peruwelz and then via St. Amand- -Lourches-Bouchain, arriving at Pronville, where it entered line on the -20th. It advanced through Noreuil, Bapaume, Grevillers, Irles, and -Miraumont. During this fighting the division suffered severely, its -casualties amounting to 50 per cent of its effectives; very few officers -left. It did not advance with the rest of the line during the night of -the 24–25th, its place being taken by the 24th Division. It followed in -support of the line, however, and relieved the 24th Division east of -Colincamps on the 29th. A document captured on the 28th shows that the -strength of the 3d Battalion of the 77th Regiment (excluding the machine -gun company) was reduced to 214 men. Another battalion was reduced to 80 -men and 1 officer. - - -WOEVRE. - -3. The division was withdrawn early in April, and was sent to the Mars -la Tour region, where it rested and was reconstituted. About the 20th it -relieved the 82d Reserve Division in the Seuzey-Lamorville-Spada sector -(north of St. Mihiel); relieved toward the end of the month, it went to -the Arlon area, where it received large drafts (in large part of the -1919 class), and where it was put through a long and thorough course of -training. Toward the end of June it was transported to the Sedan area, -from which it marched (about July 15) toward Soissons. - - -SOISSONS. - -4. On the 21st of July the division reinforced the front near -Villemontoire (south of Soissons). Here heavy losses were again -suffered. It was relieved by the 50th Reserve Division on the 29th and -went to rest in the Chimay area, where it received a draft from the -disbanded 260th Reserve Regiment (78th Reserve Division). - - -ARRAS. - -5. On the night of the 27–28th of August the division moved up into the -Drocourt-Queant line, south of Drocourt, and during the following days -went into line in the Oppy sector (northeast of Arras), where a British -attack was expected. The division was withdrawn again during the night -of September 1–2. - -6. On the 3d of September it came into line near Ecourt St. Quentin -(south of Arleux), and covered the withdrawal across the Canal du Nord. -It was withdrawn on the 10th. - - -CAMBRAI. - -7. On the 12th it counterattacked in the Havrincourt sector (southwest -of Cambrai). During the subsequent fighting the division suffered heavy -losses. It was withdrawn on the 1st of October. - -8. After a few days’ rest it relieved the 21st Division in the -Montbrehain sector (southeast of Cambrai), where it fought until the -13th, when it was relieved and went to the vicinity of Montmedy, where -it rested for about three weeks. Losses, 70 per cent. - - -MEUSE. - -9. The division was expected to enter line west of the Meuse, but the -orders were changed suddenly, and it entered line to the east of it near -Reville on November 5. It remained in line until the 11th, not being -heavily engaged, however, all the prisoners captured subsequently -stating that they were members of rear-guard detachments. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 20th is rated as a first-class division. It fought well throughout -the year and suffered enormous losses. Besides the replacements already -noted, the division received a large draft from its recruit depot in -September (about 50 men per company); September 28, the 92d Regiment -received 93 men; October 30, the companies received 30 men apiece from -the 27th Reserve Regiment (197th Division, dissolved); the companies had -a combat strength of 80 to 100 men. - - - - - 20th Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918[14] - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │ │384 Ldw. │9 Ers. │384 Ldw. │9 Ers. │386 Ldw. - │ │386 Ldw. │ │386 Ldw. │ │ - │ │387 Ldw. │ │387 Ldw. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │3 Sqn. 4 Res. Hus. │3 Sqn. 4 Res. Hus. - │ │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │ │Art Command: │282 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ (Staff and 2 - │ │ │ Abt.). - │ │ 282 F. A. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │420 Pion. Btn.: │1 Ldw. Co. 9 C. - Liaisons. │ │ │ Dist. Pions. - │ │ 1 Ldw. Co. 9 │520 Signal Command: - │ │ Pions. │ - │ │ 3 Ers. Co. 24 │ 520 Tel. Detch. - │ │ Pions. │ - │ │ 320 T. M. Co. │ - │ │ 520 (Wurtt.) Tel. │ - │ │ Detch. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │227 Ambulance Co. │227 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │88 Field Hospital. │520 Vet. Hospital. - │ │183 Field Hospital.│ - │ │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - -Footnote 14: - - The units below are those grouped under the divisional postal sector - (660). Other units belonging to the 20th Landwehr Division, but - operating under other divisions, are listed as attached to such - division. - - - HISTORY. - - (384th Landwehr Regiment: 4th Corps District-Prussian Saxony. 386th - Landwehr Regiment: 9th Corps District-Mecklenburg. 387th Landwehr - Regiment: (?).) - - - 1916. - - -BELGIUM. - -1. The 20th Landwehr Division dates from September 29, 1916. It was -formed at Roulers from the 384th, 386th, and 387th Landwehr Regiments. -These regiments, formed at this time, respectively, at Menin, Renaix, -and Cooescant, were formed two-thirds of men from the Landsturm -battalions assigned to the Service of Supplies in Belgium, and one-third -of returned wounded. - - -DIXMUDE. - -2. At the beginning of October, 1916, the 20th Landwehr Division -relieved the 206th Division in the sector Dixmude-Schoorbakke. It was -retained there until the middle of November, 1917. - - - 1917. - - -CAMBRAI. - -1. Sent into line southwest of Cambrai (Nov. 1917), the division -suffered heavily in the British offensive of November 20, when it lost -2,773 men as prisoners. It was relieved the day after this action. - - -RUSSIA. - -2. Between November 28 and December 5, the 20th Landwehr Division was -transferred to the Eastern Front. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The division is of mediocre value. - - - 1918. - - -PINSK-UKRAINE. - -1. After having held the sector south of Pinsk from December, 1917, to -February, 1918, the 20th Landwehr Division went into the Ukraine in -March. The 384th Landwehr Regiment was in the region west of Gomel on -April 23; the division was at Jitomir in May. The division was still in -Ukraine on the 16th of October. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 21st Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │41. │87. │41. │87. │42. │80 Fus. - │ │88. │ │88. │ │81. - │42. │80 Fus. │42. │80 Fus. │ │87. - │ │81. │ │81. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │6 Uhlan Regt. │ │6 Uhlan Regt. (3 - │ │ │ Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │21 Brig.: │21 Brig.: │21 Brig.: - │ 27 F. A. Rgt. │ 27 F. A. Rgt. │ 27 F. A. Rgt. - │ 63 F. A. Rgt. │ 63 F. A. Rgt. │ 63 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. │1 Pion. Btn. No. - Liaisons. │ │ 21: │ 21: - │ │ Field Co. 21 │ 1 Co. 21 Pions. - │ │ Pions. │ - │ │ 21 Pont. Engs. │ 5 Co. 21 Pions. - │ │ 21 Tel. Detch. │ 21 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ 21 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ 21 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │42. │80 Fus. │42. │80. - │ │81. │ │81. - │ │87. │ │87. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │(?) 5 Sqn. 6 │2 Sqn. 6 Drag. Rgt. - │ Dragoon Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │21 Art. Command: │21 Art. Command: - │ 27 F. A. Rgt. │ 27 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 2 Abt. 14 Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. (5, 6, and 7 - │ │ Btries.). - │ │ 731 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1101 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1131 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(1/21 or 134) Pion.│21 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ Btn.: │ - │ 1 Co. 21 Pions. │ 1 Co. 21 Pions. - │ │ - │ 5 Co. 21 Pions. │ 5 Co. 21 Pions. - │ 21 T. M. Co. │ 18 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 21 Searchlight │ 21 T. M. Co. - │ Section. │ - │ 21 Tel. Detch. │21 Signal Command: - │ │ 21 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 41 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │46 Ambulance Co. │46 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │36 Field Hospital. │154 Field Hospital. - │21 Vet. Hospital. │303 Field Hospital. - │ │21 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │554 M. T. Col. │554 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │54 M. G. S. S. │ - │ Detch. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (18th Corps District—Hesse—Nassau, Hesse—Hombourg, Frankfort.) - - - 1914. - -The 21st Division belonged organically with the 25th Division of the -18th Army Corps District (Frankfort on the Main). - - -ARDENNES. - -1. In August, 1914, it formed a part of the 4th Army (Duke of -Wurttemberg). Entering Luxemburg on August 10, Belgium August 12, it -fought on the 20th at Neuf Chateau, on the 22d at Bertrix and Orgeo, on -the 24th at Matton, and crossed the Meuse on the 28th. - - -MARNE. - -2. In September it took part in the battle of the Marne between Vitry -and Sermaize (Etrepy, Pargny sur Saulx). From there it retired in the -direction of Rheims, being in action northwest of the city from -September 15 to 20. - -3. In October it was reassigned with the 18th Army Corps to the 2d Army, -which at this time formed the right flank of the German Army (vicinity -of Roye). - - - 1915. - - -SOMME. - -1. It was retained with its army corps for a year in the vicinity of -Roye (until Oct. 15, 1915). In March, the 25th Division transferred the -88th Infantry Regiment for the formation of the 56th Division. - -2. On October 15, 1915, it was withdrawn from the front and sent for a -long rest near St. Quentin. - - - 1916. - -The 80th Fusiliers took part in the attack at Frise on January 29, 1916. -A few days afterwards the 21st Division was transferred north of Verdun. - - -VERDUN. - -1. From February 27 to March 16 it was engaged at Verdun (Caures wood, -Louvemont, Douaumont). - -2. From March 17 to April 9 it was reorganized (imperial review on Apr. -1, at Marville). - -3. From April 10 to 25 it again attacked at Verdun. One may judge of the -losses by the replacements destined to make them good: From February 27 -to May 10 the 1st Company of the 80th Fusiliers received at least 205 -men; the 5th Company of the 81st Infantry Regiment at least 306 -(Soldbuecher). The total losses of the 21st Division from March 15 to -May 19, 1916, amounted to 8,549 officers and privates for the infantry -alone. (Official List of Casualties.) - -4. About May 15 the 21st Division occupied the sector west of Craonne, -where it was relieved in September. Two battalions of the 87th Infantry -Regiment were sent in haste to Fricourt at the time of the Somme -offensive (July 2). - - -SOMME. - -5. Between September 12 and 15 the 21st Division was transferred to the -Somme (sectors of Clery-Bouchavesnes), where it suffered heavily. - -6. At the beginning of October it was withdrawn from the Somme front and -sent to the Cotes de Meuse in the Apremont area, which it occupied until -November 10. - -7. At the end of November it again went into action on the Somme (sector -of Gomiecourt wood of Kratz) and remained there until February 10, when -it went to rest near Chaumont Porcien. - - - 1917. - - -AISNE. - -1. On February 26, 1917, the 21st Division was taken to the front south -of Berry au Bac, between the Godat and Loivre. - -2. The three regiments of the division were on line on April 16 and -underwent our attack, which caused them very heavy losses (2,319 -prisoners). - - -RUSSIA. - -3. Relieved, about April 19, the 21st Division rested for a few days in -the Neufchatel area and then entrained for the Eastern Front (about May -9). On the 16th it detrained at Vilna. After reorganization, it took -over a sector, on June 14, in the neighborhood of Postavy (north of Lake -Narotch), which it occupied until the end of September. There was no -important operation during this period. - - -FRANCE. - -4. On September 25 it was again transferred to France. Itinerary: Vilna- -Posen-Leipzig-Frankfort on the Main-Saarebruecken-Luxemburg-Sedan. - -5. Arriving from Russia on October 1, it went into line about the 28th, -in the sector northeast of Rheims. After a rest in January, it returned -there in February, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 21st Division is recruited in Hesse-Nassau, Hesse-Homburg, and -Frankfort. They have borrowed very few from other districts, except from -the 8th (Rhine Province), its neighbor. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 21st Division showed itself, in the course of our attack of April -16, 1916, as a good division, which put up a serious resistance. - -The 81st Infantry Regiment, however, was criticised for its conduct on -April 4. (Order of the 42d Brigade, of Apr. 9.) (See Appendix to the -British Summary of Information of May 12, 1917.) - -On the Russian front, according to the statement of a deserter (Nov. 7, -1917), the attempts at fraternization and exchange of the Russians were -badly received by order of the German commanders. - - - 1918. - -1. The division held the Clonay-La Pompelle sector until April 23. A -local operation was attempted on March 1, with the demolition of Fort La -Pompelle as the objective. - -2. When relieved on April 23, the division rested several days at -Warmeriville before being transported to St. Quentin. From there it -marched by stages to Rosieres en Santerre (May 1) and later to the Avre -front. - - -PICARDY. - -3. It relieved the 2d Bavarian Division, on May 3–4 in the sector south -of Thennes and held that sector for five weeks. On June 12, the division -moved into second line, and reappeared in line west of Castel-Bois -Senecat in mid-June. During local operations, June 26 and July 2, the -division lost a number of prisoners. It was relieved about the end of -July. - - -BATTLE OF THE SOMME. - -The division returned to line on August 13 to oppose the British drive -on the Somme. It was engaged north of Lihons (13th) and east of Proyart. -Toward the end of August it was forced to retreat through Cappy, Frise, -Clery, and Le Mont St. Quentin, until its relief on September 1. Twelve -hundred prisoners were lost during the fighting. - - -LA CHATEAU. - -5. On September 9, the division was reengaged northwest of Jeancourt for -four days, again losing heavily in prisoners. From the 13th to the 30th -the division rested in the vicinity of St. Quentin, close to the front. -It was put back in line at Bellicourt on the 30th and remained in until -October 7. - -6. The division rested in the Charleroi area and later at Ghent. It was -brought back to the front by stages and reengaged east of Deynze -(Petegem-Ouest de Nazareth) on October 31. In the closing days, the -division was identified south of Heurne (Nov. 5), Gelsen (8th), Wendle -(8th), south of Ghent (10th). - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as first class. In 1918 it was used entirely on -the defensive. At the end the regiments had been reduced to two -battalions of three companies. Morale was very low in the fall. Between -August 14 and the middle of October the division lost 2,473 prisoners on -the Somme battle front. - - - - - 21st Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │41 Res. │80 Res. │41 Res. │80 Res. │41 Res. │80 Res. - │ │87 Res. │ │87 Res. │ │87 Res. - │42 Res. │81 Res. │42 Res. │81 Res. │42 Res. │81 Res. - │ │88 Res. │ │88 Res. │ │88 Res. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │7 Res. Drag. Rgt. │7 Res. Drag. Rgt. │7 Res. Drag. Rgt. - │ (3 Sqns.). │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │21 Res. F. A. Rgt. │21 Res. F. A. Rgt. │21 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (6 Btries.). │ │ (9 Btries.). - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│4 Field Co. 2 Pion.│4 and 5 Field Cos. │4 and 5 Field Cos. - Liaisons. │ Btn. No. 11. │ 2 Pion. Btn. No. │ 2 Pion. Btn. No. - │ │ 11. │ 11. - │ │21 Res. Pont. Engs.│221 T. M. Co. - │ │21 Res. Tel. Detch.│21 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │21 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │44 Anti-aircraft - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │41 Res. │80 Res. │41 Res. │80 Res. - │ │87 Res. │ │87 Res. - │ │88 Res. │ │(?). - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 4 Res. Drag.│3 Sqn. 4 Res. Drag. - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - │1 Sqn. 7 Res. Drag.│ - │ Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │126 Art. Command: - │ │ - │ 21 Res. F. A. Rgt.│ 21 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.). │ - │ │ 136 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 808 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1286 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1350 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(321) Pion. Btn.: │11 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │ - │ 4 Co. 11 Pions. │ 4 Co. 11 Pions. - │ 5 Co. 11 Pions. │ 5 Co. 11 Pions. - │ 221 T. M. Co. │ 221 T. M. Co. - │ 421 Tel. Detch. │ 27 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │421 Signal Command: - │ │ 421 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 129 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │517 Ambulance Co. │517 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │51 Res. Field │51 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │52 Res. Field │69 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │421 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │749 M. T. Col. │719 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │21 Bav. Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ (Staff, 1 and 3 - │ │ Btries.). - │ │1 Ft. A. Rgt. - │ │ (Staff, 5 and 6 - │ │ Btries.). - │ │821 Light Am. Col. - │ │90 Artillery - │ │ Observation - │ │ Section. (Flash - │ │ Spotters.) - │ │103 Sound Ranging - │ │ Detch. - │ │202 Balloon Sqn. - │ │208 Reconnaissance - │ │ Flight. - │ │237 Carrier Pigeon - │ │ Loft. - │ │364 Carrier Pigeon - │ │ Loft. - │ │Elements attached - │ │ Aug. 24, 1918. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (18th Corps District—Hesse—Nassau and the south of Westphalia.) - - - 1914. - -1. At the outbreak of the war the 21st Reserve Division formed, with the -25th Reserve Division, the 18th Reserve Corps. It belonged to the 4th -Army (Prince Albrecht of Wurttemberg). Detraining near Saarburg (Rhine -Province) on August 10–12, it passed to the north of Luxemburg and -entered Belgian Luxemburg, by Martelange. - - -ARDENNES. - -2. After fighting at Neufchateau on August 22, the 21st Reserve Division -reached Carignan on the 25th, fought at Mouzon on the 28th, crossed the -Meuse at that point, and from there, by Grandpré, skirting the Argonne -to the west, it arrived at the Marne-Rhine Canal on September 6. - - -ARGONNE-CHAMPAGNE. - -3. At the battle of the Marne it went into action on the Saulx in the -vicinity of Mognéville (Sept. 7–10, south of Revigny). It effected its -retreat by way of the Givry en Argonne, Ste. Menehould, Vienne la Ville, -and stopped on the heights to the south of Cernay en Dormois on -September 14. - -4. The 21st Reserve Division established its positions in the sector of -Ville sur Tourbe and remained there until June, 1916. - - - 1915. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. From January to December, 1915, the division was in the sector of -Ville sur Tourbe north of Massiges à L’Aisne. - -2. In September the division took part in the Champagne battle. - - - 1916. - -1. The 21st Reserve Division continued to occupy the Massiges sector -from January to June, 1916. - - -VERDUN. - -2. After a rest in the Briey area from the end of June until July 15, -the division was sent to Verdun (sector of Fumin wood) where it went -into action from July 15–25 to the beginning of September. During this -period it suffered heavy losses, which made it necessary to give men as -replacements on August 12, taken from the 83d Landwehr Regiment and the -36th Reserve Infantry Regiment, taken in haste from the Argonne; at the -end of August it received conscripts of the 1917 class who had only been -called up in May, many of whom came from depots in Baden. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -3. At the beginning of September, the 21st Reserve Division came back -into its own sector of Ville sur Tourbe. A short time afterwards it gave -the 81st Reserve Infantry Regiment to the 222d Division a new formation. - -4. In the middle of October it was sent to rest in the Rethel area. - - -VERDUN. - -5. On August 26 and 27 it was concentrated in the vicinity of Senon- -Foameix. It occupied the sector of Hardaumont until December 7. After a -few days’ rest it was brought back into line at Verdun (Bezonvaux, on -Dec. 16). - - - 1917. - -1. The division left the Verdun front on January 11, 1917, very much -exhausted. - - -LORRAINE. - -2. On February 24, 1917, it took over the sector Letricourt-Moncel in -Lorraine. - - -AISNE. - -3. After a few days’ rest at Morhange it entrained on April 14 for the -Aisne. Detraining between Hirson and Vervins, it was concentrated in the -vicinity of Prouvais-Amifontaine. On April 18 and 19, after the French -advance of April 16 in the vicinity of Juvincourt, it took up its -position between the Miette and the Aisne as a reenforcement division, -and then to replace units in the line. It attacked on May 18, near the -Mauchamp Farm, and suffered heavy losses. - -4. Relieved between the 27th and 30th of May, it was sent to rest and -reorganized (June replacements; mostly men of the 1918 class). - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -5. It then occupied a sector in Champagne southwest of Nauroy from July -19–20 to October 22. - - -CAMBRAI. - -6. After a rest in the vicinity of Cambrai in November, it went into -action at the end of November, east of Cambrai (southeast of Bourlon). -It remained in line south of the Bapaume-Cambrai road until the end of -December. - - - RECRUITING. - -The division is recruited in Hesse-Nassau and the extreme southern part -of Westphalia. It received few outside elements except under exceptional -circumstances (e. g., on Aug. 12, 1916, at Verdun). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 21st Reserve Division is a good division. (October, 1917.) - -On the Aisne front (April to May, 1917) the 21st Reserve Division held a -difficult sector. The unsuccessful counterattacks which it launched -there diminished its offensive value. Nevertheless, on the whole, it -gave a good account of itself. - -In Champagne (August to October, 1917) its activity was limited to a few -assaults carried out energetically. - - - 1918. - -1. In the March offensive the division advanced from la Vacquerie to -Beaumont Hamel, which it reached on March 27. Here the line stabilized -and it held this sector throughout April, May, and June. It was relieved -by the 16th Reserve Division on the night of July 3–4. - - -BATTLE OF THE SOMME. - -2. The division rested in the Bapaume area until it returned to line -northwest of Hamelincourt on August 6–7, relieving the 5th Bavarian -Division. It met the British attack in the region and was driven back -through Croisilles, Cherisy, and St. Leger until its withdrawal on -August 30. Nine hundred prisoners were lost in the engagement. - -3. The division rested in the Tournai area until September 18, when it -reenforced the front south of Villers-Guislain. About this time the 81st -Reserve Regiment was broken up and distributed among the regiments of -the 21st Reserve Division. The division fought at Gouzeaucourt (28th), -Gonnelieu (30th), Banteux (30th), Gouy (Oct. 3), Beaurevoir (5th), -Villers Outreaux (8th), Clary (9th), Le Cateau (11th). After losing -1,550 prisoners the division was withdrawn on October 17. According to a -divisional order of October 1, the strength was so low as to warrant the -reduction in half of the normal allotment of kitchen and supply wagons. - -4. The division returned from close reserve on October 23 northeast of -Haussy. In the closing days it fought at Vendegies (24th), Ruesnes -(24th), Orsinval (Nov. 2), southwest of Wargnies le Grand (4th), east of -Villers Pol and in the Gommegnies sector (5th). The division withdrew on -November 8. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. During 1918 its service was -entirely in the area north and south of the Somme, where it saw a great -deal of heavy fighting. - - - - - 21st Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │11 Ldw. │20 Ldw. │11 Ldw. │20 Ldw. - │ │35 Ldw. │ │35 Ldw. - │ │435 Ldw. │ │435 Ldw. - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 6 Cuirassier Rgt. │4 Sqn. 6 Cuirassier Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │ (?) - │ 253 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(421) Pion. Btn.: │414 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Landst. Co. 14 C. Dist. │ 1 Ldw. Co. 3 C. Dist. - │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ 406 T. M. Co. │ 1 Landst. Co. 15 C. Dist. - │ │ Pions. - │ 521 Tel. Detch. │ 80 Searchlight Section. - │ │521 Signal Command: - │ │ 521 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 175 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │553 Ambulance Co. │553 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │54 Res. Field Hospital. │54 Res. Field Hospital. - │105 Res. Field Hospital. │ - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transports. │797 M. T. Col. │797 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (20th and 35th Landwehr Regiments: 3d Corps District—Brandenburg. 435th - Landwehr: Mixed—11th and 14th Corps Districts.) - - - 1917. - - -BELGIUM. - -1. The 21st Landwehr Division was formed in April, 1917, by the addition -of the 435th Regiment to the two regiments of the 11th Landwehr Brigade. -This brigade, until then independent, had come to Belgium the 2d of -August, 1914, had detached certain of its elements in Picardy, from the -end of September to the end of November, and had fought near Ypres in -November and December. From March to October, 1915, it acted as garrison -at Brussels and Antwerp. At the end of December, 1915, it reappeared on -the Belgian front between Dixmude and Ypres (from Steenstraat to the -Ypres-Zonnebeke road). - - -RUSSIA. - -2. In May, 1917, the 21st Landwehr Division was identified in the -vicinity of Arras. On May 16 it entrained for the Eastern Front. -Itinerary: Liege-Aix la Chapelle-Paderborn-Halle-Posen-Warsaw. -Detraining at Brest-Litovsk on May 21, it remained in training for 10 -days, was then sent to the Niémen front, and occupied the Vichnev sector -until March, 1918. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 21st Landwehr Division did work in the service of supplies in -Belgium and held very calm sectors in Russia. Its offensive value seems -mediocre. - -On the Russian front in January, 1918, the 20th Landwehr Regiment -received 600 men of the 1919 class in exchange for its men of 25 to 35 -years of age sent to the Western Front. Before being brought back to -France in March, 1918, the 35th Landwehr Regiment left its older men in -Russia and received 900 men of 19 to 30 years of age. - - - 1918. - -1. The division held the Badonviller sector from April 29 until the -armistice. The division was strong in the number of effectives, but -their quality and morale was low. The division was rated as a fourth- -class division. - - - - - 22d Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │43. │82. │43. │82. │43. │82. - │ │83. │ │83. │ │83. - │44. │32. │44. │32. │ │167. - │ │167. │ │167. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │6 Cuirassier Rgt. │ │6 Cuirassier Rgt. - │ (3 Sqns.). │ │ (2 Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │22 Brig.: │22 Brig.: │22 Brig.: - │ 11 F. A. Rgt. │ 11 F. A. Rgt. │ 11 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ 47 F. A. Rgt. │ 47 F. A. Rgt. │ 47 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. │1 Pion. Btn. No. - Liaisons. │ │ 11: │ 11: - │ │ Field Co. 11 │ 2 Co. 11 Pions. - │ │ Pions. │ - │ │ 22 Pont. Engs. │ 22 T. M. Co. - │ │ 22 Tel. Detch. │ 22 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ 22 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │2 Cyclist Co. (11 - │ │ │ Jag. Btn.). - │ │ │36 Air Sqn. - │ │ │109 Labor Btn. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │43. │82. │43. │82. - │ │83. │ │83. - │ │167. │ │167. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 6 Cuir. Rgt.│6 Sqn. 6 Cuirassier - │ │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │22 Art. Command: │22 Art. Command: - │ 11 F. A. Rgt. │ 11 F. A. Rgt. (not - │ │ including 4 and 5 - │ │ Abt.). - │ │ 50 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 1140 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1141 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1142 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(1/11 or 128) Pion.│128 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ Btn.: │ - │ 1 Co. 11 Pions. │ 1 Co. 11 Pions. - │ │ - │ 2 Co. 11 Pions. │ 2 Co. 11 Pions. - │ 22 T. M. Co. │ 225 T. M. Co. - │ 51 Searchlight │ 51 Searchlight - │ Section. │ Section. - │ 22 Tel. Detch. │22 Signal Command: - │ │ 22 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 109 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │Ambulance Co.: │26 Ambulance Co.: - Veterinary.│ │ - │ 103 Field │ 103 Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │ 107 Field │ 107 Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │ 110 Field │ 148 Vet. Hospital. - │ Hospital. │ - │ Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │52 Supply Train. │ - │51 Supply Train. │ - │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │2 Cyclist Co. (11 │ - │ Jag. Btn.). │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (11th Corps District—Electorate of Hesse.) - - - 1914. - -1. The 22d Division formed a part of the 11th Army Corps (Cassel) with -the 38th Division. - - -BELGIUM. - -2. One of its brigades, the 43d, was sent to Liege and entrained on -August 2–3, 1914. The other rejoined it there and after the surrender of -the city the 22d Division, with the rest of the 11th Army Corps, formed -a part of the 3d Army (Von Hausen). It went to Namur and then to Eastern -Prussia. - - -RUSSIA. - -3. In October the 22d Division (and the 11th Army Corps) was in Poland, -where it remained until May, 1915. It took part in the violent attacks -along the Bzura and the Rawka. - - - 1915. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. In April, 1915, the division gave the 32d Infantry Regiment to the -103d Division (a new formation). - -2. In July it was separated from the 38th Division. It took part in the -offensive of the 11th Army (Mackensen), and arrived on the Styr in -October. It then formed a part of the 4th Austrian Army. - - - 1916. - -1. In the spring of 1916 the 22d Division was in the rear of Vilna -(May), after having been at Mitau. On June 11 it entrained at Mitau for -Vilna. - - -GALICIA. - -2. It then formed a part of the troops destined to withstand the Russian -offensive in Galicia and took up its position on the Lipa. - - -ROUMANIA. - -3. In December it was sent to Roumania and operated in Moldavia. - - - 1917. - - -GALICIA. - -1. It returned in January, 1917, to the 4th Austrian Army on the Lipa. - -2. At the beginning of July it was in Volhynia (Mikolajow, northwest of -Brody). - -3. On July 7–9 the division was relieved and sent to the area south of -Tarnopol. It arrived there on July 15 and took part in the offensive -against the Russians. It suffered rather heavy losses in the beginning, -the Russians having resisted for several days. - -4. The 22d Division remained in this area until October 7. On this date -it was relieved and entrained for the Western Front (itinerary: -Brzezany-Torgau-Erfurt-Frankfort on the Main-Mayence-Sarrebrucken- -Thionville-Montmedy), detraining at Douzy (east of Sedan) about October -14. - -At the end of October the division, after a few days of rest, was put in -line in the Forges sector (Verdun area), where it had a few losses -(November, December). January 1918, it was on the front north of Verdun -(right bank of the Meuse). - - - RECRUITING. - -The 22d Division is recruited from the electorate of Hesse. Alsace- -Lorrainers were numerous during its stay on the Eastern Front. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 22d Division, coming from Russia, where it had had rather easy -victories, appeared to have a relatively good morale. Its spirit, -however, did not appear very combative (Nov. 1917). - - - 1918. - -1. The division was in line on the right bank of the Meuse (Samogneux- -Cote 344) from January, 1918, to the end of May, when it was relieved by -the 6th Bavarian Division. - -2. It was in reserve southwest of Reims on June 16, and came into line -at Anthenay on June 20. About the 1st of July the 103d Division relieved -the 22d Division, which went to rest in the neighborhood of Fismes and -Hourges. - - -BATTLE OF THE MARNE. - -3. The division was engaged southeast of Ville en Tardenois (Chambrecy, -Champlat, Velval) July 15–26. It fell back in the line Romigny-Ville en -Tardenois and was relieved on August 7. About 400 prisoners were lost in -this fighting. - - -BATTLE OF THE SOMME. - -4. The division rested in the Cambrai area until August 29, when it was -moved up to the line. On the 1st of September it was engaged on the -Arras-Cambrai road near Bullecourt. The British attack rolled it back on -Inchy and Marquion, where it was withdrawn on the 10th. The division -lost 1,100 prisoners in the week of fighting. - - -THE SCARPE. - -5. It rested until September 28, when it came into line north of Cambrai -(Epinoy), Sancourt, Blécourt. About October 1 it was moved north and -relieved the 48th Reserve Division north of the Scarpe. In the sector it -fought until October 23 (south east of Lille, St. Amand, southwest of -Odomez). - -6. Upon its relief, the division marched from Thulin, west of Mons, on -October 24 to the Le Quesnoy area, and on the next day relieved the -185th Division east of Gussignies. In November it was in the fighting -around Le Quesnoy and Gommegnies until its withdrawal on November 7. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. It was employed in the July -offensive, but made little headway. On the defensive the division -appears to have done better than many divisions of a higher rating. - - - - - 22d Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │43 Res. │71 Res. │43 Res. │71 Res. │43 Res. │71 Res. - │ │94 Res. │ │94 Res. │ │82 Res. - │44 Res. │32 Res. │44 Res. │32 Res. │ │94 Res. - │ │82 Res. │ │82 Res. │ │ - │ 11 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 11 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 11 Res. Jag. Btn. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Cavalry. │1 Res. Horse Jag. │1 Res. Horse Jag. │1 Res. Horse Jag. - │ Rgt. (3 Sqns.). │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │22 Res. F. A. Rgt. │22 Res. F. A. Rgt. │22 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (6 Btries.). │ │ (9 Btries.). - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2 - Liaisons. │ Pion. Btn. No. 4.│ Pion. Btn. No. 4.│ Pion. Btn. No. 4. - │ │22 Res. Pont. Engs.│222 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │22 Res. Tel. Detch.│22 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │22 Res. Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │43 Res. │71 Res. │43 Res. │71 Res. - │ │82 Res. │ │82 Res. - │ │94 Res. │ │94 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 1 Res. Horse│1 Sqn. 2 Uhlan Rgt. - │ Jag. Rgt. │ - │2 Sqn. 1 Res. Heavy│ - │ Cav. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │22 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ 22 Res. F. A. Rgt.│43 Ft. A. Btn. - │ (9 Btries.). │ (Staff, and 1, 2, - │ │ and 3 Btries.). - │ │737 Light Am. Col. - │ │1379 Light Am. Col. - │ │1380 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(322) Pion. Btn.: │322 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Res. Co. 4 │ 1 Res. Co. 4 - │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ 2 Res. Co. 4 │ 2 Res. Co. 4 - │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ 222 T. M. Co. │ 103 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 27, 251, and 271 │422 Signal Command: - │ Searchlight │ - │ Sections. │ - │ 422 Tel. Detch. │ 422 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 35 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │511 Ambulance Co. │511 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │21 Res. Field │23 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │50 Res. Field │50 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │422 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (11th Corps District—Electorate of Hesse and Thuringia.) - - - 1914. - -1. At the beginning of the war the 22d Reserve Division formed the 4th -Reserve Corps with the 7th Reserve Division. It was a part of the 1st -Army (Von Kluck). - - -BELGIUM. - -2. Concentrated at Dusseldorf (Aug. 10) the 22d Reserve Division reached -Brussels by way of Aix la Chapelle, Tongres, and Louvain. The 94th -Reserve Infantry Regiment remained at Brussels until September 5, when -it was hastily called to rejoin the division. The 71st Reserve Infantry -Regiment remained there until August 31 and then figured in the battle -of the Marne on September 6. - - -MARNE. - -3. The 44th Reserve Brigade joined to the 7th Reserve Division went to -Ath, Conde, Amiens (Aug. 30–31), and Creil (Sept. 2), almost without -combat, but by forced marches to the extreme right flank of the 1st -Army. In action on the right bank of the Ourcq, it withdrew to the north -of the Aisne. - -4. The 43d Reserve Brigade, of which only one regiment had fought with -the 44th from September 6 to 9 was filled upon the 9th and went to -Peronne. On September 11, strengthened by the 72d Reserve Regiment, -detached from the 7th Reserve Division, it was concentrated north of -Compiegne. - - -TRACY LE MONT. - -5. Until September 20 the 43d Reserve Brigade fought in the vicinity of -Tracy le Mont with some elements of the 7th Reserve Division. The 44th -Reserve Brigade was engaged with the majority of this division on the -Nouvron Plateau. - - -NOUVRON. - -6. On September 20 the 43d Reserve Brigade rejoined the 44th -(Hautebraye-Chevillecourt.) - -7. On November 12 elements of the division took part in the attack on -the Nouvron Plateau and suffered rather heavy losses. - - - 1915. - - -AISNE. - -1. The 22d Reserve Division occupied the lines between the Aisne and the -Oise until the autumn of 1915. - -2. In January, 1915, elements of the division took part in the battle -around Soissons. In April, 1915, the 32d Reserve Infantry Regiment -became a part of the 113th Division. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -3. At the end of October the 22d Reserve Division left the area -northwest of Soissons to go to Champagne (Souain sector). - - - 1916. - -1. The 22d Reserve Division left Champagne at the end of January, 1916; -it went to rest at Attigny, which it left on February 29. - - -VERDUN. - -2. From March 1 to 5, at the height of the Verdun offensive, the -division was reassembled between Dun and Vilosnes behind the front. On -March 6 it attacked on the left bank of the Meuse. It took part in the -operations in this sector (valley of the Forges and Corbeaux wood) until -the middle of April. In the first attacks of March the 6th Company of -the 82d Reserve Infantry Regiment required replacements of 90 men, among -whom were recruits from the 1916 class. After a few days of rest the 22d -Reserve Division again attacked at Verdun, south of Corbeaux wood and -near the Mort Homme (May 23 to beginning of June). It lost very heavily. -Its attacks at Verdun had cost it 90 per cent of its infantry. From -April 24 to June 26 the 1st and 4th Companies of the 11th Battalion of -Reserve Chasseurs had each received at least 204 men as replacements; -the 6th Company of the 94th Reserve Infantry Regiment, from March 9 to -June 15, 217 men; the 8th Company, 207 men. - -3. The division rested and was reorganized in the vicinity of Fourmies- -Hirson; it was then sent between St. Quentin and Tergnier. - - -SOMME. - -4. At the beginning of the Somme offensive the 22d Reserve Division was -concentrated southeast of Peronne on July 2. It went into action south -of the Somme (Biaches-Belloy), and suffered heavy losses (1,500 -prisoners between July 2 and July 10). - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -5. Transferred to Champagne, it rested for a few days and then went into -line east of Rheims (Auberive sector) and in the Prosnes sector at the -end of August. - -6. At the end of October, after it had rested in the Rethel-Vouziers -sector until November 10, the division was placed behind the Cambrai-St. -Quentin sector. - - -SOMME. - -7. It went back to the Somme at the beginning of December east of -Rancourt and remained there until December 20. - - - 1917. - -1. The 22d Reserve Division passed the month of January, 1917, at rest -in the Valenciennes area. - -2. In February it took over the Saillisel sector, where it took part in -secondary action. In March the division took part in the withdrawal and -established itself in the Hindenburg line between Gonnelieu and Le -Catelet. - -3. About May 20 the 22d Reserve Division went to rest in the -neighborhood of Lens and Tourcoing. - - -FLANDERS. - -4. On June 14 it went into line in the Comines sector, west of Warneton, -where it remained until the end of June. - -5. After a period of rest north of Lille (end of June to July 23–24) it -went into action southeast of Zillebeke, where it underwent the British -attack of July 31, and suffered very heavily. - -6. Relieved immediately after the attack, the division was sent to the -Bullecourt sector (Aug. 10-Sept. 22). - -7. Until October 5 it rested in the vicinity of Courtrai. At this date -it occupied the Becelaere sector as a counterattacking division, -supporting the 4th Guard Division, and suffered heavily from -bombardments (Oct. 5–21). - - -LORRAINE-ALSACE. - -8. At the beginning of November it was in line in Lorraine, southwest of -Delme, then in Alsace (sector of Aspach south of the Rhone-Rhine Canal -in December). - - - RECRUITING. - -The 22d Reserve Division is recruited from the Electorate of Hesse and -Thuringia. In case of emergency replacements are occasionally furnished -by neighboring corps districts (8th Corps in June, 1916). At the end of -October, 1917, unequally trained men were received from the Eastern -Front (the 71st Infantry Reserve Regiment receiving men from the depot -of the 146th Infantry Regiment, men from the Service of Supplies, -convalescents, or men of mediocre physical quality). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 22d Reserve Division is a mediocre division (December, 1917). The -units of the 11th Corps District have generally fought well during the -entire war. - -The 22d Reserve District lost very heavily in the battles of Verdun and -the Somme and from artillery fire at Ypres. - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF THE LYS. - -1. The division left Alsace about April 6 and came into the Lys battle -line on April 16 northeast of Bailleul. Its former sector in the Vosges -was taken over by an extension of the neighboring divisions. The route -of the division lay through Strasbourg, Treves, Cologne, Verviers, -Liege, Brussels, Courtrai-Roubaix, a journey of two days. The division -participated in heavy fighting about Kemmel until its relief on May 1. - -2. When relieved by the 117th Division, it marched to Roubaix, where it -rested for two days. From there it marched to Waereghem, where the 82d -Reserve Regiment rested for about eight days. About May 11 the 22d -Reserve Division entrained at Audenarde and was railed to Rieux, 5 miles -east of Cambrai. The division marched via Cambrai to the Montauban- -Longueval-Gullemont area, where it went into rest billets. On the night -of May 31-June 1 the 1st Battalion, 82d Reserve Regiment, reenforced the -122d Fusilier Regiment (243d Division) near Avelcy. - - -VERDUN. - -3. The division entrained in the Cambrai area on June 8 and traveled via -Valenciennes-Mons Charleroi-Dinant-Mezieres-Sedan to Ligny sur Meuse, -where it detrained on June 9. The next day it relieved the 53d Reserve -Division east of Bethincourt. It held the sector until about July 25. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -4. Entraining at Brieulles, the division moved by Sedan and Vouziers to -St. Morel and Savigny sur Aisne, where it rested until August 5. On the -6th it came into line in the St. Souplet-Somme Py sector, which it held -until August 23. - -5. The division left Champagne and moved from Semide by Laon-La Fere- -Tergnier to the Noyon area. Relieved August 24–27, it detrained at Flavy -le Martel and La Fere, and rested a day at Cugny, Petit Detroit, Bois de -Genlis, and Bois de Frieres before moving east of Noyon to cover the -retreat of elements of the 71st Division and the 105th Division. - - -NOYON. - -6. On August 29 it came into line and held the sector Mont St. Simeon- -Baboeuf. The division resisted the French attack until September 3, when -it fell back slowly toward the Crozat Canal, offering resistance at -Behericourt-Baboeuf (4th), Cuivry-Caillouel-Crepigny-Bethancourt (5th), -and Villequier Aumont (6th). It was relieved on the night of September -7–8 by the 11th Division and rested at Ribemont and then farther north -in the billets at Fontaine Notre Dame, Regny, and Homblieres. - - -ST. QUENTIN. - -7. From September 10 to 12 the division was relieving the 75th Reserve -Division in the sector Castres-Contescourt-Hill 98. The division held in -this vicinity until September 28 when the British advance north of St. -Quentin compelled it to retreat. Between October 2 and 5 the division -held the line Harley-Neuville-St. Amand. On the 8th it was again forced -to retreat. The division was relieved on October 15–16. In this fighting -the division lost at least one-third of its effectives. The battalion -had but three companies, and the effective strength of the infantry -companies averaged about 35. The entire division had but about 1,300 -infantry combatants. - -8. After its relief by the 18th Division on the night of October 15–16, -the division remained near the front at Grand Verly, Hannappes, and -Lesquielles. It was suddenly alerted on October 17 and obliged to return -to support the 18th Division west of Petit Verly. It put up a stiff -resistance on October 18, but was thrown back east of the Sambre Canal, -losing a large number of prisoners. - -In the closing week the division was at Favril (5th), Marvilles (6th). - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. It was heavily engaged at Kemmel -in April, after which it did not appear in an active front until the -autumn. The division resisted the Allied advance on the St. Quentin area -in September and October with great tenacity. - - - - - 22d Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918[15] - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │6 Ldw. │34 Ldw. │ │34 Ldw. (3d - │ │ │ │ Btn.). - │ │49 Ldw. │ │49 Ldw. (2d - │ │ │ │ Btn.). - │ │10 Landst. (4│ │ - │ │ Btns.). │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │ (z) │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │219 F. A. Rgt. (Staff and 3 - │ │ Abt.). - │ 219 F. A. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(422) Pion. Btn.: │522 Signal Command: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ (322) T. M. Co. │ 522 Tel. Detch. - │ 30 Searchlight Section. │ - │ 284 Searchlight Section. │ - │ Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │551 Ambulance Co. │11 Res. Field Hospital. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Field Hospital. │139 Vet. Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - -Footnote 15: - - The units below are those grouped under the 22d Landwehr Division - Postal Sector (380). Other units of the 22d Landwehr Division, but - functioning with other divisions, are carried as attached to such - division. - - - HISTORY. - - (2d Corps District—Pomerania.) - - - 1917. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. The 22d Landwehr Division was formed on the Eastern Front in the -vicinity of Riga, at the end of March, 1917. The 6th Landwehr Brigade, -which entered into its composition, had belonged to the 1st Landwehr -Division (former Jacobi Division), then had become independent when the -latter left the Riga front to go to Volhynia. It is then that the -addition of the 10th Landsturm Battalion to the Mitau group made the 22d -Landwehr Division from the 6th Landwehr Brigade. - - -COURLAND. - -2. From April to October, 1917, the 22d Landwehr Division remained on -the Riga front (vicinity of Olai). - - -VOLHYNIA. - -3. In October, it was transferred to the west of Kachovka (Volhynia), -where it remained until February, 1918. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 22d Landwehr Division remained on the Russian front from the time of -its formation, March, 1917. - - - 1918. - - -UKRAINE. - -1. In February, 1918, the 22d Landwehr Division advanced into the -Ukraine, where it was between Kiev and Koursk on the 24th of March. On -May 9 the division was near Jitomir. The 219th Field Artillery Regiment -was at Kiev on the 24th of May. On September 7 the division was -identified near Stochod. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 23d Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │45. │100 Gren.│45. │100 Gren.│45. │100 Gren. - │ │101 Gren.│ │101 Gren.│ │101 Gren. - │46. │108 Fus. │46. │108 Fus. │ │108 Fus. - │ │182. │ │182. │ │ - │ 12 Jag. Btn. │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │20 Hus. Rgt. │ │18 Hus. Rgt. (3 - │ │ │ Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │23 Brig.: │23 Brig.: │23 Brig.: - │ 12 F. A. Rgt. │ 12 F. A. Rgt. │ 12 F. A. Rgt. - │ 48 F. A. Rgt. │ 48 F. A. Rgt. │ 48 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. │1 Pion. Btn. No. - Liaisons. │ │ 12: │ 12: - │ │ Field Co. 12 │ 1 Co. 12 Pions. - │ │ Pions. │ - │ │ 23 Pont. Engs. │ 23 T. M. Co. - │ │ 23 Tel. Detch. │ 23 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ 23 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │45. │100 Gren.│45. │100. - │ │101 Gren.│ │101. - │ │108 Fus. │ │108. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqns. 20 Hus. │1 Sqn. 20 Hus. Rgt. - │ Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │23 Art. Command: │23 Art. Command: - │ 12 F. A. Rgt. │ 12 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 1 Abt. 19 Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. (1 and 3 - │ │ Btries.). - │ │ 891 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 959 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1100 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(1/12) Pion. Btn.: │23 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Co. 12 Pions. │ 1 Co. 12 Pions. - │ │ - │ 3 Co. 12 Pions. │ 3 Co. 12 Pions. - │ 6 Co. 12 Pions. │ 23 T. M. Co. - │ 23 T. M. Co. │ 125 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 23 Tel. Detch. │23 Signal Command: - │ │ 23 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 12 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │30 Ambulance Co. │30 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │114 Field Hospital.│114 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │117 Field Hospital. - │ │23 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (12th Corps District—Saxony.) - - - 1914. - - -BELGIUM. - -1. The 23d Division, on mobilization, was a part of the 12th Army Corps -with the 32d Division (2d Army, Von Hausen). It detrained on August -9–11, 1914, at Eifel, north of Treves, and entered Belgium on the 18th -by the north of Luxemburg. - - -MARNE. - -2. It went into action on August 23 at Dinant, crossed the Meuse on the -24th, entered France on the 26th, went to the west of Chalons and took -part in the battle of the Marne on September 7 at Sompuis (west of Vitry -le Francois). - - -AISNE. - -3. The 23d Division, with the 2d Army Corps, established itself in the -area northwest of Rheims. - - - 1915. - - -AISNE. - -1. The division held the front Craonne-Berry au Bac until July, 1916. In -this sector the losses were very slight. - -2. In March, 1915, some of its elements were in Champagne for a short -time. In April, the 182d Infantry Regiment was taken for the 123d -Division (a new formation). - - - 1916. - - -SOMME. - -1. On July 3, 1916, at the beginning of the Franco-English offensive, -the 23d Division detached some elements of the 101st and 108th Regiments -to reinforce the divisions engaged in the attack (region of Sovecourt- -Vermandovillers). - -2. From the end of July and until the 1st of September the 100th -Grenadier Regiment was incorporated in a new division (Franke Division), -which held the front from Deniecourt to Vermandovillers. - -3. The other regiments of the 23d Division continued to occupy the -sector of Craonne-Berry au Bac until the end of August. - -4. On September 4 the 101st and 108th Regiments, coming from Berry au -Bac, were sent to the Somme. They suffered considerable losses. - -5. About September 15 the 23d Division was regrouped with its normal -elements (the Franke Division being dissolved) and received 2,700 men as -replacements (men of the Landstrum called in April and May and young men -of the 1917 class, most of them having had not more than two or three -months’ service. The 12th Company of the 100th Grenadier Regiment -received at least 108 men as replacements on September 20). - -6. From October 1 to 6 the 23d Division went back into line between the -Chaulnes Railroad and the south of Vermandovillers. It again lost very -heavily during the time it remained in line until October 20. (The 2d -Company of the 108th Riflemen received, on Oct. 27, replacements of at -least 97 men, most of whom were returned wounded and convalescents. -Since Sept. 17 it had received at least 198 newcomers; the same holds -true for the 4th Company of the 104th Grenadier Regiment). - -7. Relieved about October 25, the division was sent to a sector in the -Roye (Beuvraignes) area in November. - - - 1917. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. It occupied this sector (between Armancourt and Roye) until the -moment of the German retirement and retired to St. Quentin on March 25, -1917. - -2. Relieved and sent to rest at the beginning of April in the Sedan -area, it went up in the middle of the month to the sector in Champagne -between Hill 232 (east of Nauroy) and the Suippe. - -3. On April 19 the 101st and 108th Infantry Regiments counterattacked -energetically and in very good order between the Teton and the Suippe -and obtained some local success for a short time. On April 20 the 100th -Infantry Regiment went into action in its turn. - -4. Upon the conclusion of these operations, the 23d Division took up its -position on the new front (west of Auberive) and remained there until -the beginning of December, after making up for the heavy losses suffered -in April. At the beginning of January, 1918, the 23d Division went to -occupy the sector of Loivre, northwest of Rheims, and in February the -sector of Courcy. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 23d Division is purely Saxon. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 23d Division is very good. - -It lost very heavily at the time of the offensive, April, 1917, in -Champagne, but still appeared good. - - - 1918. - -In February, 1918, the morale of the division seemed high. - -1. The division continued in the sector northwest of Rheims (Courcy- -Brimont) until about February 20, where it was relieved by the 213th -Division and moved toward the Somme front. - -2. It was transported to Neufchatel on the 23d. From there it proceeded -by stages to north of Guise (Esqueheries, La Neuville-le-Dorengt). It -rested and underwent training in this area until March 18. It marched by -night toward the front by way of Bohain, Fresnoy le Grand (where the -Kaiser inspected it), Le Verguier (evening of Mar. 21–22). - - -BATTLE OF THE SOMME. - -3. The division followed the advance in third line from March 22 to 29 -through Holnon, Beauvois, Athies, St. Christ, Chaulnes, Rosieres, -Beaucourt en Santerre. It was engaged from March 29 to April 3 -(Mezieres, Villers aux Erables, La Neuville Sire Bernard). Its advance -continued to a line east of Mailly-Rainval, Sauvillers. It was in second -line from April 2 to 7, when it returned to line near Grievesnes until -April 13. The division’s losses were estimated to have been about 70 per -cent in the fighting. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -4. When withdrawn from the Somme, on the 13th, the division was moved to -Champagne and took over a quiet sector east of Auberive on the 31st, -which it held until June 6. While in line the division was -reconstituted. - -5. The division rested in the vicinity of Bazoches from June 5 to 15, -undergoing intensive training. It came into line on the night of June -19–20 at St. Pierre Aigle, relieving the 45th Reserve Division. It was -retired from the front at Villers Cotterets about July 1. It rested near -Braisne until the 12th, when it marched toward the Marne front (Foret de -Ris) on July 12. - - -SECOND BATTLE OF THE MARNE. - -6. It reinforced the battle front southwest of Dormans on the 15th. It -crossed the Marne east of Courcelles north of Sawigny and advanced to La -Chapelle Monthodon. On the 17th it was checked and rolled back by the -Foret de Fere to Fresnes (south of Fere en Tardenoise, July 26). - - -ARTOIS. - -7. The division was withdrawn about the end of July and went to Chimay -to rest. On August 13 it entrained and moved to the Douai area via -Valenciennes, where it came into line on August 24 southwest of Arras. -The British attack forced it to give way to the line Beugny-Morchies, -with a loss of 700 prisoners. On the 5th the division withdrew from -line. - -8. The division rested until September 27, when it appeared in line -northeast of Bixschoote, southeast of the forest of Houthulst. After -five days of heavy fighting it was withdrawn from line. Eight hundred -prisoners were taken from the division. It was at rest near Gits until -the 14th, when it was again engaged north of Roulers until October 20. -On that date it passed to second line southeast of Ghent, where it was -again in contact with the Allies on November 8. The last identification -was at Sommersaeke, Aecke, on November 9. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as a third-class division. Its use in two -offensives of 1918 and its constant employment on active sectors in the -last six months of the war would seem to warrant a higher rating. - -At the end the effectives of the division was very much reduced. - - - - - 23d Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │45 Res. │100 Res. │45 Res. │100 Res. │45 Res. │100 Res. - │ │ Gren. │ │ Gren. │ │ Gren. - │ │101 Res. │ │100 Res. │ │101 Res. - │46 Res. │102 Res. │46 Res. │102 Res. │46 Res. │102 Res. - │ │103 Res. │ │103 Res. │ │103 Res. - │ 12 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 12 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 12 Res. Jag. Btn. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Cavalry. │Res. Hus. Rgt. (3 │ │Res. Hus. Rgt. - │ Sqns.). │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │23 Res. F. A. Rgt. │23 Res. F. A. Rgt. │23 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.). │ (6 Btries.). │ - │ │32 Res. F. A. Rgt. │32 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ (6 Btries.). │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │(?) Res. Co. 2 │4 Field Co. 2 Pion. - Liaisons. │ │ Pion. Btn. No. │ Btn. No. 12. - │ │ 12. │ - │ │23 Res. Pont. Engs.│2 Res. Co. 2 Pion. - │ │ │ Btn. No. 12. - │ │23 Res. Tel. Detch.│223 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │23 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │23 Res. Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │45 Res. │100 Res. │46 Res. │100 Res. - │ │ Gren. │ │ - │ │102 Res. │ │102 Res. - │ │392. │ │392. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Sqn. Res. Hus. │2 Sqn. 18 Res. Hus. - │ Rgt. (Saxon). │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │118 Art. Command: │118 Art. Command: - │ │ - │ 23 Res. F. A. Rgt.│ 23 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.). │ - │ │ 1 Abt. 15 Res. Ft. - │ │ A. Rgt. - │ │ 875 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1002 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1003 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│323 Pion. Btn.: │323 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │ - │ 4 Co. 12 Pions. │ 4 Co. 12 Pions. - │ │ - │ 2 Res. Co. 12 │ 4 Res. Co. 22 - │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ 5 Res. Co. 12 │ 223 T. M. Co. - │ Pions. │ - │ 223 T. M. Co. │ 133 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 423 Tel. Detch. │423 Signal Command: - │ │ 423 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 143 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │270 Ambulance Co. │270 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ (Sax.). │ - │520 Ambulance Co. │4 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │4 Res. Field │8 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │8 Res. Field │423 Vet. Hospital. - │ Hospital. │ - │423 Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │721 M. T. Col. │721 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (12th Corps District—Saxony.) - - - 1914. - - -BELGIUM-ARDENNES-CHAMPAGNE. - -1. The 23d Reserve Division, forming on mobilization the 12th Reserve -Corps, with the 24th Reserve Division, was a part in 1914 of the 3d -German Army (Von Hausen). It detrained on August 12–13 at Wengerohr -(Coblentz-Treves line), remained for a few days on the frontier north of -Luxemburg, and entered Belgium on the 19th. It crossed the Meuse at -Antree, below Dinant (Aug, 23), and entered France on the 27th by way of -Phillipville (Marienburg and Couvin). It went across Champagne by -Chateau Porcien, Tagnon, and Le Chatelet (Sept. 1), went to the east of -Rheims, crossed the Marne east of Epernay, and reached the railroad from -Sezanne to Vitry le Francois between Vassimont and Sommesous on -September 8. - - -MARNE. - -2. Engaged in the battle of the Marne, on the extreme right of the 3d -Army, the 23d Reserve Division suffered heavy losses (Sept. 8–9). - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -3. It retired, by way of Mourmelon, to the region of Moronvilliers -Auberive and took up its position there (end of September). - - - 1915. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. The 23d Reserve Division occupied the Champagne front (Auberive -sector) until the month of July, 1916. - -2. On September 25 it received the French offensive, which caused it -very heavy losses. At this time the 103d Reserve Infantry Regiment was -detached from the 23d Reserve Division and assigned to the Liebert -Division. In October it rejoined the 23d Reserve Division after being -reorganized. Its losses in the Champagne battle had been 140 killed, 751 -wounded, and 1,369 missing. On October 2 at least 115 men had been sent -to the 8th Company of the 103d Infantry Regiment as replacements. - - - 1916. - -1. The 23d Reserve Division was relieved from the sector of Auberive-St. -Souplet sector between July 15 and 20, 1916, and transferred to the -north of Peronne. - - -SOMME. - -2. It was engaged in the battle of the Somme (north of Hem to the Monacu -Farm) until August 12–14. The 100th Reserve Grenadier Regiment lost -1,700 men there (letter). The 7th Company of the 103d Infantry Regiment -received at least 113 men as replacements between August 1 and 17. - - -ARTOIS. - -3. After a rest in the vicinity of Douai, the division was sent south of -Lens (Angres-Souchez from the beginning of September to Oct. 20). Its -composition was modified by the substitution of the 392d Infantry -Regiment, formed by men taken from various Saxon regiments, for the 103d -Reserve Infantry Regiment. - - -SOMME. - -4. About the middle of October it was again on the Somme (north of -Gueudecourt). It remained there for five weeks and suffered very little. - - -ARTOIS. - -5. Relieved from the Somme on December 3 and 4 the 23d Reserve Division -remained at rest for a few days near Cambrai, and then took over the -sector east of Arras (between Roclincourt and Beaurains). The 101st -Reserve Infantry Regiment was transferred to a new Saxon Division, the -119th, and the 23d Reserve Division was reduced to three regiments. - - - 1917. - -1. The division occupied the Artois front during the winter of 1916–17. - -2. It was withdrawn at the end of March to go to Belgium. - - -FLANDERS. - -3. Sent to rest in the Bruges area for a fortnight; it then went in line -for a month north of Ypres (calm sector). - -4. It was in reserve in June and then went to the front on July 10 -between the railroad from Ypres to Staden and the Ypres-Roulers -Railroad. In the course of its relief (July 31) it suffered heavily from -the bombardment which preceded the British attack. - -5. Retained in Flanders, it took part on September 22 in the fighting in -the Passchendaele sector and underwent the British attack of September -26, which caused it heavy losses. (The 2d Company of the 100th Reserve -Infantry Regiment was reduced to 25 men.) - - -RUSSIA. - -6. After five days in line the 23d Reserve Division was relieved and -transferred to Russia, where it arrived on October 8. - -7. It appeared in the Vilna area between October 10 and 17. In the -middle of November it was identified near Postavy, where it still was at -the end of January, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 23d Reserve Division is purely Saxon. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 23d Reserve Division was not seriously engaged during the first half -of 1917, but has suffered heavily since that time. - -After the losses which it suffered in July, 1917, it received mediocre -replacements (elderly men and returned convalescents.) - -If one adds to that the heavy losses which it suffered at Passchendaele -in September, and in its four months’ stay on the Eastern Front, one may -rest assured that the morale and general quality of the division had -diminished in value for more than a year. (British Summary of -Information, Feb., 1918.) - - - 1918. - - -ARTOIS. - -1. In March the division was transferred to the Western Front. It -entrained near Dvinsk on March 16 and traveled via Vilna-Koenigsberg- -Marienburg-Schneidemuhl-Berlin-Hanover-Menden-Krefeld-Aix la Chapelle- -Hasselt-Louvain-Brussels-Courtrai-Lille, and detrained at Libercourt (16 -km. south of Lille) on March 22. It left for the front on March 26. - -It came into line in the Oppy sector on March 28. In the attack on this -day all three regiments of the division suffered heavy casualties. The -division continued in line in the vicinity until about June 25. - - -FLANDERS. - -2. When relieved in the Arras sector the division marched north and -relieved the 15th Reserve Division near Calonne sur la Lys about June -27. In later August the division extended its sector to the south to -include the front southwest of Vielle Chapelle, southeast of Merville -and east of Laventie. - -The division held this front through August and September. On September -30 the resting regiment of the division—the 100th Reserve Regiment—was -sent up to reenforce the Ypres front. It was engaged for two weeks in -the vicinity of Ledeghem. In October the division was engaged in the -Little area until about the 20th. It was taken out of line north of -Tournai and sent to relieve the 6th Bavarian Reserve Division on the -night of October 22–23 at Octeghem. It remained in line until a few days -before the armistice. The last identification was at Audenarde on -November 2. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. Its record of more than eight -months’ constant service in line in fairly active sectors indicated -considerable power of resistance. - - - - - 23d Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │14 Ldw. │27 Ldw. │13 Ldw. │26 Ldw. - │ │26 Ldw. │ │27 Ldw. - │ │66 Ldw. │ │66 Ldw. - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │ (?) │6 Sqn. 10 Hus. Rgt. - │ │43 Res. Cav. Detch. - │ │91 Ldw. Cav. Rgt. - │ │ (Schutz.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │ - │ 103 F. A. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(423) Pion. Btn.: │1 Landst. Co. 7 C. Dist. - Liaisons. │ │ Pions. - │ 347 Pion. Co. │264 Searchlight Section. - │ (323) T. M. Co. │283 Searchlight Section. - │ 523 Tel. Detch. │112 Searchlight Section. - │ │523 Signal Command: - │ │ 523 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │558 Ambulance Co. │558 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │70 Res. Field Hospital. │99 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │70 Res. Field Hospital. - │ │106 Res. Field Hospital. - │ │523 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transports │M. T. Col. │760 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (4th Corps District—Prussian Saxony.) - - - 1917. - -1. The 23d Landwehr Division, formed at the end of April, 1917, in the -Argonne, was composed of the independent 13th Landwehr Brigade (26th and -27th Landwehr Regiments) and of the 66th Landwehr Regiment taken from -the 5th Landwehr Division. This latter division furnished the staff of -its infantry brigade (14th Landwehr Brigade). - -2. After being assigned to the 23d Landwehr Division, the 13th Landwehr -Brigade occupied the sector of Boureuilles north of Vienne la Ville in -the Argonne. It was in the Argonne from September 1914. - - -RUSSIA. - -3. Almost as soon as it was formed the 23d Landwehr Division was -transferred to the Eastern Front (entraining of the 26th Landwehr -Regiment on May 19). Itinerary: Carignan-Liége—Coblentz-Cassel-Halle- -Cottbus-Gnessen-Graudenz-Koenigsberg-Chavli-Poneviej. Going into line -about May 25 in the vicinity of Illukst (Courland) the division remained -in this sector until February, 1918. It was too much weakened to -contribute replacements to the division destined to operate in France, -as, for example, the 87th Division. On December 28 the 1st and 2d -Companies of the 347th Infantry Regiment each received some 75 to 80 men -from the 23d Landwehr Division. - - - VALUE. - -The 23d Landwehr Division is composed entirely of elderly men; in May -1917, the recruit depots of the division furnished men from 40 to 46 -years of age. At the end of 1917 the best elements had been taken for -use on the Western Front. - - - 1918. - - -DVINSK. - -1. Beginning in February, the 23d Landwehr Division occupied the Dvinsk -region. A man of the division wrote from that city under date of March -15: “We have been here since the 20th of February. The 23d Landwehr -Regiment, to which I belong, is to remain in Russia for guard duty. We -hold the new frontier.” The 26th Landwehr and 27th Landwehr Regiments -and divisional headquarters were identified here on May 9. On the 18th -of May, elements of the 27th Landwehr Regiment were in the vicinity of -Riejitsa. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 24th. Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │47. │139. │47. │139. │47. │139. - │ │179. │ │179. │ │133. - │48. │106. │48. │106. │ │179. - │ │107. │ │107. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │18 Uhlan Rgt. │ │(?) Sqn. 19 Hus. - │ │ │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │24 Brig.: │24 Brig.: │24 Brig.: - │ 77 F. A. Rgt. │ 77 F. A. Rgt. │ 77 F. A. Rgt. - │ 78 F. A. Rgt. │ 78 F. A. Rgt. │ 78 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. │1 Pion. Btn. No. - Liaisons. │ │ 22: │ 22: - │ │ Field Co. 22 │ 1 Co. 22 Pions. - │ │ Pions. │ - │ │ 24 Tel. Detch. │ 24 T. M. Co. - │ │ 24 Pont. Engs. │ 24 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ 24 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │24 Art. Survey - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ │53 Labor Btn. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │89. │133. │89. │133. - │ │139. │ │139. - │ │179. │ │179. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 19 Hus. Rgt.│1 Sqn. 19 Hus. Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │24 Art. Command: │24 Art. Command: - │ 77 F. A. Rgt. │ 77 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 96 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ (Staff, and 1, 2, - │ │ and 3 Btries.). - │ │ 818 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1277 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1278 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(1/22) Pion. Btn.: │22 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 2 Co. 22 Pions. │ 2 Co. 22 Pions. - │ │ - │ 5 Co. 22 Pions. │ 5 Co. 22 Pions. - │ 2 Ers. Co. 24 │ 134 Searchlight - │ Pions. │ Section. - │ 24 T. M. Co. │24 Signal Command: - │ 22 Searchlight │ 24 Tel. Detch. - │ Section. │ - │ 24 Tel. Detch. │ 93 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │47 Ambulance Co. │47 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │307 Field Hospital.│307 Field Hospital. - │(?) 24 Vet. │311 Field Hospital. - │ Hospital. │ - │ │24 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (19th Corps District—Saxony.) - - - 1914. - -1. The 24th Division belongs to the 19th Army Corps. It is recruited in -the western part of the Kingdom of Saxony (Leipzig). - - -MARNE. - -2. At the outbreak of the war it formed a part with the 19th Army Corps, -of the 3d German Army (Von Hausen). One of its brigades, the 48th, sent -away secretly, detrained on August 4 at Pruem (Eifel), and entered the -north of Luxemburg on the 5th. The division concentrated in the -Houffalize on August 11, arrived on the banks of the Meuse on the 22d, -which it crossed on the 24th and 25th above Dinant. It was at Châlons on -September 5, and took part in the battle of the Marne on the 7th and 8th -between Vitry le François and Maisons en Champagne. From there it -returned to St. Hilaire le Grand. - - -FLANDERS. - -3. In October, 1914, the 24th Division went over to the 6th Army (Crown -Prince of Bavaria), and took up its position, which crosses the Lys -(Flanders). - - - 1915. - - -FLANDERS. - -1. In March, 1915, the 106th and 107th Infantry Regiments were -transferred to the 58th Division. The 24th Division, reduced to two -regiments, was filled up by taking the 133d Infantry Regiment from the -40th Division. The 19th Army Corps retained the Lys sector until the -month of August, 1917. It detached elements from its divisions to -reenforce other sectors at various times. - -2. In January, 1915, the 24th Division had elements in action at -L’Epinette. - -3. At the battle of Neuve Chapelle (March, 1915) and at Festubert (May- -June, 1915), it reinforced the 7th Army Corps. - -4. At the time of the Franco-British offensive in Artois, units of the -24th Division again acted as reenforcements at La Bassee-Souchez (June -and October, 1915). - - - 1916. - - -SOMME. - -1. Relieved at the beginning of August, 1916, in the sector of the Lys, -the 19th Army Corps was sent, about August 8, to the Somme, north of -Pozières, where it suffered considerable losses. - -2. At the end of August it was placed for several weeks in the sector of -Neuve Chapelle-La Bassée, then of Le Sars-Butte de Warlencourt. It took -part a second time in the battle of the Somme (October). - -The two divisions of the corps suffered very heavily during these two -engagements in the Franco-British offensive. The 24th division lost -6,217 men; that is, 69 per cent of its effectives. - -3. The 24th Division was withdrawn from the Somme about November 11 and -transferred to Flanders, where it occupied the line between the Ypres- -Comines Canal and the Douve (December and the first months of 1917). - - - 1917. - - -FLANDERS. - -1. When the British offensive was being prepared on the Wytschaete- -Messines front, the 24th Division was withdrawn from the Ypres-Comines -sector and stationed behind Lille (beginning of April, 1917). - -On the 7th of June it was sent toward the front; the 179th Infantry -Regiment was in action east of Wytschaete on the 8th, and the division -occupied the sector of Hollebeke, where it was retained until June 27. - -During this period the division suffered heavily. - -2. Relieved and sent to rest at the end of June, it went back into line -in Belgium (sector southwest of Houthem) during the month of August. - -3. It left the line at the beginning of October, and, after a few days -of rest, again took over a sector in the area southeast of Ypres -northwest of Zandvoorde—west of Gheluvelt. It left there at the end of -October to go to the south of the Scarpe, at Monchy le Preux, where it -was still in line at the beginning of February, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 24th Division is purely Saxon. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -In a general manner, the attitude of the 19th Army Corps has been rather -passive since trench warfare succeeded the war of movement. - -We may say that the Saxon is a courageous adversary. - -The 24th Division is good. - - - 1918. - -1. The division held the Monchy le Preux sector until about February 11, -when it was relieved by the 185th Division and transferred to the area -north of Valenciennes to rest and train. On March 16 it began to march -toward the Cambrai front. The route lay through Raismes, Haveluy, -Wallers, Aniche, Aubigny au Bac, Marquion. It reached the original -German front line on March 22 at 9 a. m. - - -BATTLE OF THE SOMME. - -2. The division followed the advance in reserve until the night of March -24–25, when it came in line south of Bapaume (Ligny-Tilloy). It advanced -in first line by Grevillers (26th), Achiet le Petit, Hebuterne (27th and -29th). From March 30 to April 5 it was in reserve. On the 6th the -division was reengaged near Hebuterne and Bucquoy until April 15. - -According to the German press, the Kaiser on March 27 telegraphed the -King of Saxony felicitating him on the success of the 24th Division. - -3. The division was at rest from April 15 to the end of May, first at -Bapaume and later at Valenciennes. - - -PICARDY. - -4. The division was engaged from May 28 to June 16 in the sector of the -Bois d’Aveluy (north of Albert). When relieved from this front it went -by railroad to the Cambrai area. The 139th Regiment went into camp at -Eswars and St. Martin; the 133d, at Raillencourt; the 179th, at -Ramillies and Escaudoewres. The division underwent training and executed -divisional maneuvers. Between the 5th and 10th of July the division -marched by Cambrai, Flesquieres, Havrincourt, Bertincourt to the region -Haplincourt Bus for the purpose of reengaging in the Aveluy sector where -the Germans expected an attack by the English. It remained a week in the -region and returned to its cantonments in the Cambrai area. - -About July 18 an order was issued placing the division at the -disposition of the 6th Army for a projected offensive in Flanders. This -order was revoked, and about July 20 the division entrained at Ivuy and -Sancourt and moved to Chaulnes (via Peronne). It remained in the -vicinity several days and then moved to Quesnel by narrow-gauge -railroad. - - -AVRE. - -5. From the 1st of August until the 17th the division opposed a lively -resistance to the French attack in the Avre. In this fighting the -division lost 800 prisoners. - - -LAON. - -6. The division rested a week west of Ham. It was engaged west of Coucy -le Chateau (Champs Folembray) from August 30 to September 9. It -retreated about the 9th to Baresis. On October 3 the division was -relieved north of the St. Gobain-Baresis railroad. - - -ST. QUENTIN. - -7. It was moved by trucks to Fontaine-Uterte (north of St. Quentin) and -engaged on October 4 near Sequehart. The division was forced back on -Montbrehain and Andigny. Three hundred and forty-five prisoners were -lost on the 8th. Two days later the division was relieved. On the 17th -the division was again identified in line at Vaux-Audigny, but was -withdrawn in a day or two. - -8. It arrived in an area northeast of Fourmies on October 23 and was -still there on the 26th. No later identification was secured. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as a third-class division. Its conduct in the -March offensive and in the defensive in August and October was above the -average and would warrant a higher rating. - - - - - 24th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │47 Res. │104 Res. │47 Res. │104 Res. │48 Res. │104 Res. - │ │106 Res. │ │106 Res. │ │107 Res. - │ │13 Res. │ │13 Res. │ │133 Res. - │ │ Jag. │ │ Jag. │ │ - │ │ Btn. │ │ Btn. │ │ - │48 Res. │107 Res. │48 Res. │107 Res. │ │ - │ │133 Res. │ │133 Res. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │Saxon Res. Hus. │Saxon Res. Hus. │3 Sqn. Saxon Res. - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. │ Hus. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │24 Res. F. A. Rgt. │24 Res. F. A. Rgt. │24 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.). │ │ (6 Btries.). - │ │ │40 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ (6 Btries.). - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │Res. Co. 2 Pion. │3 Res. Co. 12 - Liaisons. │ │ Btn. No. 12. │ Pions. - │ │24 Res. Pont. Engs.│4 Res. Co. 12 - │ │ │ Pions. - │ │24 Res. Tel. Detch.│224 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │24 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │24 Res. Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │28 Labor Btn. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │48 Res. │104 Res. │48 Res. │104 Res. - │ │107 Res. │ │107 Res. - │ │133 Res. │ │133 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. Saxon Res. │3 Sqn. 18 Res. Hus. - │ Hus. Rgt. │ Rgt. (Saxon). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │120 Art. Command: │120 Art. Command: - │ │ - │ 40 Res. F. A. Rgt.│ 68 F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.). │ - │ │ 5 Btry. 7 Res. Ft. - │ │ A. Rgt. - │ │ 64 (Saxon) Ft. A. - │ │ Btn. - │ │ 1115 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1116 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1117 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│324 Pion. Btn.: │324 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 5 Res. Co. 12 │ 1 Res. Co. 12 - │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ 6 Res. Co. 12 │ 6 Res. Co. 12 - │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ 224 T. M. Co. │ 126 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 424 Tel. Detch. │424 Signal Command: - │ │ 424 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 138 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │271 Ambulance Co. │271 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │1 Res. Field │1 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │424 Vet. Hospital. │7 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │ │424 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │722 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │50 M. G. S. S. - │ │ Detch. - │ │207 Reconnaissance - │ │ Flight. - │ │50 Balloon Sqn. - │ │17 Sound Ranging - │ │ Section. - │ │40 Art. Observation - │ │ Section. - │ │(Elements attached - │ │ June, 1918. - │ │ German document, - │ │ June 15–16, - │ │ 1918.) - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (19th Corps District—Saxony.) - - - 1914. - -1. The 24th Reserve Division (12th Reserve Corps with the 33d Reserve -Division) belonged at the outbreak of the war to the 3d German Army (Von -Hausen). - -2. Detraining on August 12–13, 1914, northeast of Trèves, (Coblentz- -Trèves railroad), entering Belgium by way of Viel-Salm on the 19th, it -advanced into France by way of the Ardennes and Champagne and from there -to Sompuis (west of Vitry le François, Sept. 8). - - -MARNE. - -3. Going into action on September 8 and 9 in the vicinity of Mailly, it -retired by way of Mourmelon and Sept-Saulx to the east of Rheims -(Moronvilliers-Vaudesincourt). It made a stand in this sector and -established its position there (end of September). - - - 1915. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. The 24th Reserve Division remained in line on the Champagne front -(north of Souain, south of St. Souplet-Moronvilliers) from September, -1914, until the beginning of July, 1916. In April, 1915, the 106th -Reserve Infantry Regiment was transferred to the 123d Division, a new -formation. - -2. At the end of September, 1915, it suffered very heavy losses while -opposing the French offensive. - - - 1916. - - -SOMME. - -1. Relieved from its sector in Champagne about the beginning of July, -1916, the 24th Reserve Division was transferred to the Somme. It went -into action between Longueval and Hardecourt, from the middle to the end -of July. - -2. Some elements of the division were still fighting on the Somme (near -Martinpuich in September). - - -ARTOIS. - -3. About September 21, the 24th Reserve Division was put in line north -of Arras (area from Lievin to Roclincourt). - - -SOMME. - -4. It left Artois in the middle of November to return to the Somme, -south of Bapaume (Le Transloy-Gueudecourt). It remained there until -December 12, then returned to Artois (sector east of Arras) at the end -of December. - - - 1917. - - -ARTOIS. - -1. The 24th Reserve Division occupied the sector east of Arras until -March 25, 1917. Relieved at this date, it was sent to rest northeast of -Ghent. - - -GALICIA. - -2. On April 26 it entrained for the Eastern Front. Itinerary: Herbestal- -Aix la Chapelle-Dusseldorf-Barmen-Leipzig-Dresden-Georlitz-Lemberg. -Detraining in Galicia, it went into line south of Brzezany, at the -beginning of May. It underwent the Russian offensive at the beginning of -July, in the course of which prisoners of the three regiments and a part -of the artillery of the division were left in the hands of the Russians -(366 prisoners from the 133d Reserve Infantry Regiment). - -3. Withdrawn from the front and reorganized, the 24th Reserve Division -again went into action on July 20 (German counterattack). It advanced as -far as Zbrucz and suffered new losses. - -4. About August 16 it took over the sector of Skala. - -5. Entraining for the Western Front on October 24, it detrained at -Bruges on the 31st. Itinerary: Stanislau-Lemberg-Breslau-Dresden- -Leipzig-Cassel-Trèves—Brussels. - - -CAMBRAI. - -6. After a rest in Belgium during the month of November, the 24th -Reserve Division fought at Cambrai (end of November). It remained in the -sector Flesquieres-Graincourt until the end of February, 1918. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 24th Reserve Division took part in numerous battles; it is a fairly -good division. - - - 1918. - -1. The division was relieved in the Cambrai sector on February 6 by the -27th Division and went to rest in the Ivny area. On the 28th it marched -via Cambrai-Sains Inchy to Prouville and went into line. - - -BATTLE OF THE SOMME. - -2. It took part in the initial attack and by the 22d had reached -Boursies. On the following day, the division advanced through Hermies to -Ruyaulcourt and was relieved in the evening. The division rested until -April 6 when it came into line north of Hangard where it was engaged -until April 19, when the 19th Division relieved it. The division -suffered very heavily from artillery and machine gun fire in this -sector. - -3. The division was at rest until May 1, when it returned to the front -south of the Somme, relieving the 1st Division. About the 24th of May -the division sideslipped north and took the sector astride the Somme. It -was relieved about the middle of June. - - -SECOND BATTLE OF THE MARNE. - -4. The division rested in the Cambrai area undergoing training. It left -Cambrai about July 19 and was engaged west of Fere en Tardenois on July -24. The division took part in the fighting on the Aisne until about -September 5. It passed to second line for about two weeks and returned -to line at Pinon on September 20. Until the armistice, it was constantly -engaged in resisting the Allied advance. It was identified at Verneuil -(Oct. 19), Chalaudry (21st), Mortiers (26th), Crecy (28th), and south of -Landouzy on November 7. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. It was used as an attack division -in March, but thereafter was engaged entirely on the defensive. It -appears to have resisted as well as the average German division. - - - - - 24th Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918[16] - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │9 Landwehr. │24 Landwehr. │ │24 Landwehr. - │ │48 Landwehr. │ │48 Landwehr. - │ │427. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │ - │ 250 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - -Footnote 16: - - The 24th Landwehr Division is considered as dissolved. - - - HISTORY. - - (24th and 48th Landwehr Regiments: 3d Corps District—Brandenburg.) - - - 1917. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. The 24th Landwehr Division was formed on the Eastern Front about -October, 1917, by the transformation of the 9th Landwehr Brigade (24th -and 48th Landwehr Regiments). - -This brigade, after forming a part of the war garrison of Koenigsberg -(August, 1914), then of the Sommer Division, had gone over to the new -10th Landwehr Division in 1915. - -Becoming independent, it held the sector of Lake Svir until September, -1915. - - -SPIAGLA. - -2. Made up of the 24th and 48th Landwehr Regiments, to which was -temporarily joined the 427th Infantry Regiment coming from the 205th -Division, the 24th Landwehr Division occupied the sector south of Lake -Narotch-Spiagla until February, 1918. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 24th Landwehr Division is of mediocre quality. - - - 1918. - -1. In January, 1918, the division was reduced to two regiments, the -427th Regiment having been sent to the Western Front. - - -LIVONIA. - -2. In March the division advanced into Russia and was identified about -the middle of May in the Ostrov-Reijitsa region. The 427th Regiment was -dissolved, but the 48th Landwehr Regiment was identified in Russia on -the 19th of September. It seems possible that the divisional staff was -also disbanded and that the 9th Landwehr Brigade, with the 48th Landwehr -Regiment under its orders, again became independent. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 25th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │49. │115 Body │49. │115 Body │49. │115 Body - │ │ Gd. │ │ Gd. │ │ Gd. - │ │ Inf. │ │ Inf. │ │ Inf. - │ │116. │ │116. │ │116. - │50. │117 Body │50. │117 Body │ │117 Body - │ │ Inf. │ │ Inf. │ │ Inf. - │ │118. │ │118. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │6 Dragoon Rgt. │ │6 Dragoon Rgt. (3 - │ │ │ Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │25 Brig.: │25 Brig.: │25 Brig: - │25 F. A. Rgt. │ 25 F. A. Rgt. │ 25 F. A. Rgt. - │61 F. A. Rgt. │ 61 F. A. Rgt. │ 61 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. │1 Pion. Btn. No. - Liaisons. │ │ 21: │ 21: - │ │ Field Co. 21 │ 2 Co. 21 Pions. - │ │ Pions. │ - │ │ 25 Tel. Detch. │ 89 Res. Pion. Co. - │ │ 25 Pont. Engs. │ Field Co. 25 - │ │ │ Pions. - │ │ │ 25 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ 25 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ 25 Pont. Engs. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │14 Anti-Aircraft - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │49. │115 Body │49. │115. - │ │ Gd. │ │ - │ │ Inf. │ │ - │ │116. │ │116. - │ │117 Body │ │117. - │ │ Inf. │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 6 Drag. Rgt.│1 Sqn. 6 Drag. Rgt. - │ (?) │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │25 Art. Command: │25 Art. Command: - │ 61 F. A. Rgt. │ 25 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 1 Abt. 24 Res. Ft. - │ │ A. Rgt. - │ │ 823 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 866 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1294 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(1/21 or 134) Pion.│129 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ Btn.: │ - │ 2 Co. 21 Pions. │ 3 Co. 21 Pions. - │ │ - │ 3 Co. 21 Pions. │ 89 Res. Pion. Co. - │ 89 Res. Pion. Co. │ 68 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 25 T. M. Co. │25 Signal Command: - │ 25 Tel. Detch. │ 25 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 7 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │45 Ambulance Co. │45 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Field Hospital. │298 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │304 Field Hospital. - │ │25 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │14 Anti-Aircraft │ - │ Section. │ - │16 Anti-Aircraft │ - │ Section (3.7 cm. │ - │ automatic guns). │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (18th Corps District—Grand Duchy of Hesse.) - - - 1914. - - -LUXEMBURG. - -1. The 25th Division, also known as the Hessian Grand Ducal Division, -formed, in August, 1914, with the 21st Division, the 18th Army Corps. On -August 3 its 50th Brigade set out for Koenigsmacher, near Thionville, as -covering troops. On August 10 and 11 the 25th Division entered the Grand -Duchy of Luxemburg, which it crossed, and entered Belgian Luxemburg on -the 19th. - - -ARDENNES. - -2. It formed a part of the 4th Army (Duke of Wurttemberg) and fought at -Maissin, northwest of Neufchateau on August 22. On August 24, it entered -France; on the 27th it crossed the Meuse below Mouzon. (On Aug. 31 the -losses had been such that the remnants of the 116th Infantry Regiment -formed only four companies.) - - -MARNE. - -3. On September 6 and the days immediately following the 25th Division -took part in the battle of the Marne between Vitry and Sermaize. In the -middle of the month, it was northwest of Rheims, on the Aisne-Marne -Canal. On September 26 it entrained at Laon for Ham. - - -SOMME. - -4. In October the 18th Army Corps was reattached to the 2d Army which -formed at this time the extreme right flank of the German Army (Péronne -area) and the division went into line—the Lihons-Chaulnes road to the -banks of the Avre. - - - 1915. - - -SOMME. - -1. The 25th Division was retained in this sector north of the Avre until -October 15, 1915. During this time it did not take part in any important -action. In March it ceded the 118th Infantry Regiment to the 56th -Division, a new formation. - -2. After a long rest in the St. Quentin area (the staff of the 18th Army -Corps was at Fresnoy le Grand in December, 1915, and that of the 25th -Division at Busigny in January, 1916) the 25th Division was transferred -to the sector north of Verdun at the beginning of February, 1916. - - - 1916. - - -VERDUN. - -1. On February 21, 1916, it took part in the general attack north of -Verdun. After advancing rapidly, the 18th Army Corps was stopped in the -area west of Douaumont. On March 9 it failed in its attacks on the -Haudremont Farm. - -2. The Army Corps was then sent to rest in the rear area to be -reorganized. - -3. About April 10, the 18th Army Corps reappeared in line (Caillette -wood). The 25th Division suffered very heavy losses in its attacks. - -4. Relieved about April 25, it was put in line about the middle of May -in the vicinity of Craonne. - - -SOMME. - -5. It was withdrawn from this sector about the 1st of September and -transferred to the Somme, where it went into action from September 15 to -October 1, and again lost very heavily. - -6. At the beginning of October the 25th Division left the Somme to -occupy the sector Apremont-Ailly wood in the Woevre. - -7. Again transferred to the Somme at the end of November, it was put -into line in the area north of Chaulnes (sector from Kratz wood to the -Demi-Lune). It was in this sector at the time of the retirement on March -16, 1916. - - - 1917. - -1. On this date it carried out its retreat by way of Villecourt-Matigny- -Douchy-Roupy, in the direction of St. Quentin. - - -ST. QUENTIN. - -2. On March 20 it began to withstand our advance on the line. Savy- -Dallon-Giffecourt, and when the front was stabilized on April 4 it -occupied the sector in front of St. Quentin and did not leave until the -end of May, after having pillaged the town. - -3. It spent the month of June at rest (area of Neuvillette-Bernot). - -4. On July 2 it went into line (Itancourt sector), and on July 18 -launched an attack upon the salient Moulin de Tous Vents (south of St. -Quentin). - - -FLANDERS. - -5. Relieved about the middle of September, it was sent to the active -sector of Flanders (north of Zandvoorde). - -6. At the beginning of October it was sent to rest in the Ghent area. - -7. It reappeared on the front, near Passchendaele, in the middle of -November, and remained there except for a few short intervals until its -relief on February 10, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 25th Division is recruited from the Grand Duchy of Hesse. Men are -furnished principally from the rest of the 18th Corps District and the -Rhine District (7th and 8th Corps Districts). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 18th Army Corps has been considered one of the best corps in the -German Army. - -In September, 1917, the morale of the 25th Division appeared good. At -this time, as the division had not taken part in any important actions -since September, 1916, it was difficult to form a judgment as to the -combat value of this organization. - -Its local operation on the salient of Moulin de Tous Vents (July 18, -1917) was carried out energetically. - - - 1918. - -1. The reports concerning the location of the 25th Division during -January and early February are conflicting, mention being made in some -of two reliefs; it seems most likely, however, that the division was not -relieved until February 10, when the 15th Division took over its sector -east of Passchendaele. - - -MONS. - -2. On the 15th it entrained at Iseghem and traveled via Courtrai-Ath- -Mons to Givry; from here it marched to Bavai (southwest of Mons), where -it underwent a course of intensive training in open warfare; cooperation -with tanks was featured. - - -ST. QUENTIN. - -3. The division marched from Pommereuil on the 16th, via Le Cateau and -Busigny, to Becquigny, and from there, on the 19th, to Wiancourt, -reenforcing the battle front near Le Verguier (northwest of St. Quentin) -on the 21st. It was relieved about the 30th, after having suffered heavy -losses. - - -AMIENS. - -4. On April 1 it went back into line southeast of Hangard en Santerre -(southeast of Amiens); it was withdrawn about the 12th and moved by easy -stages to the Lille area, where, on account of its good fighting on the -St. Quentin and Amiens fronts, it was inspected by the Kaiser on April -20. The commander of the 115th Regiment received Pour le Mérite at the -same time. - - -BETHUNE. - -5. During the night of the 26–27th of April it relieved the 240th -Division near Hinges (north of Bethune); relieved by the 36th Reserve -Division on the 10th of May, it went to rest in the area north of Douai. - - -LYS. - -6. On July 4 the division moved up into close reserve in the Laventie- -Estaires area, and during the night of the 6–7th it relieved the 16th -Division near Merville, north of the Lys. On the 20th it was withdrawn, -the 16th Division coming back into line, and went to the Lille area. - - -SOMME. - -7. After about a month’s rest it reenforced the front near Montauban -(southeast of Albert). The front was being forced back here, and so the -division passed successively through Hardecourt, Combles, and the St. -Pierre-Vaast wood, where it was withdrawn September 5, after losing -about 900 prisoners, and went to rest in the Bohain-Malincourt area. - - -CAMBRAI. - -8. The division reenforced the front near Briastre (east of Cambrai) on -October 11, and was withdrawn about the 28th. - - -VALENCIENNES. - -9. On November 1 it came back into line north of Valenciennes, and had -not been withdrawn on the 11th. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 25th is rated as a first-class division. It did very well in the -large amount of heavy fighting in which it participated during 1918, and -as a result suffered exceedingly heavy losses, especially in officers. -It received numerous large drafts, and so the division’s strength was -rather larger than the average. - - - - - 25th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │ │116 Res. │49 Res. │116 Res. │50 Res. │83 Res. - │ │118 Res. │ │118 Res. │ │118 Res. - │ │83 Res. │50 Res. │83 Res. │ │168. - │ │168. │ │168. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │4 Res. Dragoon Rgt.│4 Res. Dragoon Rgt.│4 Res. Dragoon Rgt. - │ (3 Sqns.). │ │ (2 Sqns.). - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │25 Res. F. A. Rgt. │25 Res. F. A. Rgt. │25 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (6 Btries.). │ │ (9 Btries., Nos. - │ │ │ 4–12). - │ │13 F. A. Rgt. │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 and 2 Res. Cos., │1 and 2 Res. Cos., │1 and 2 Res. Cos., - Liaisons. │ 2 Pion. Btn. No. │ 2 Pion. Btn. No. │ 2 Pion. Btn. No. - │ 11. │ 11. │ 11. - │ │25 Res. Pont. Engs.│1 Co. 29 Pions. - │ │ │ - │ │25 Res. Tel. Detch.│2 Co. 29 Pions. - │ │ │ - │ │ │225 T. M. Co. - │ │ │25 Res. Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │25 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918[17] - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │50 Res. │83 Res. │50 Res. │168. - │ │118 Res. │ │83 Res. - │ │168. │ │118 Res. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 4 Res. │2 Sqn. 4 Res. Drag. - │ Dragoon Rgt. │ Rgt. - │ │4 Sqn. 4 Res. Drag. - │ │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │127 Art. Command: │127 Art. Command: - │ │ - │ │ - │ 25 Res. F. A. Rgt.│ 25 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.). │ (6 4-gun 6 4-how. - │ │ Btries.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(325) Pion. Btn.: │2 Pion. Btn. No. - Liaisons. │ │ 11: - │ │ - │ 1 Res. Co. 11 │ 1 Res. Co. 11 - │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ 2 Res. Co. 11 │ 2 Res. Co. 11 - │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ 225 T. M. Co. │ 286 Pion. Co. - │ 20 Ldw. Field │ 225 T. M. Co. - │ Searchlight │ - │ Section. │ - │ 425 Tel. Detch. │ 425 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 151 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │518 Ambulance Co. │518 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │67 Field Hospital. │67 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │68 Field Hospital. │68 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │518 M. T. Col. │M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── -Footnote 17: - - Composition at time of dissolution, October, 1918. - - - HISTORY. - - (168th and 118th Reserve Regiments: 18th Corps District—Grand Duchy of - Hesse. 83d Reserve Regiment: 11th Corps District—Electorate of Hesse.) - - - 1914. - -1. At the outbreak of the war the 25th Reserve Division, forming with -the 21st Reserve Division the 18th Reserve Corps, belonged to the 4th -Army (Duke of Wurttemberg). - - -BELGIUM-ARGONNE. - -2. It detrained August 9–11 at Hermeskeil (southeast of Treves); entered -Luxemburg the 16th (by way of Remich); crossed Luxemburg on the 19th; -entered Belgium on the 20th. On the 22d it fought at Neufchateau; on the -22d, at Tremblois; crossed the Meuse on the 28th. To the west of the -Argonne the 25th Reserve Division advanced to the area of Revigny. At -the battle of the Marne it fought on the Saulx, in the neighborhood of -Brabant le Roy (Sept. 7–10). It retired by way of Ste. Menehould, -Moinemout, to the south of Cernay en Dormois (Sept. 14). - - -FLANDERS. - -3. In October the 25th Reserve Division was sent to Flanders, south of -the Lys. Toward the end of November it occupied a sector north of -Wytschaete. - - -RUSSIA. - -4. In December the division was transferred to the Eastern Front. It -took part, with the Fabeck Corps, in the operations on the Bzura -(December, 1914, to February, 1915). - - - 1915. - - -GALICIA. - -1. At the end of February, 1915, it was engaged in the Carpathians north -of the Dniester (Von der Marwitz Detachment); in June at Przemysl, then -at Lemberg. - - -BREST-LITOWSK. - -2. In July, the 25th Reserve Division took part in the offensive on -Brest-Litowsk. Its successes occasioned it heavy losses; the 5th Company -of the 168th Infantry Regiment received not less than 199 men as -replacements from June 19 to August 17. - - -SERBIA. - -3. The division took part in the Serbian campaign (October-November). - - -FRANCE. - -4. It was transferred to the Western Front at the beginning of December, -1917. It entrained at Weisskirchen (Hungary). Itinerary: Temesvar- -Budapest-Vienna-Ulm-Stuttgart-Spire-Deux Ponts-Saarbrucken-Sedan -(detrained on Dec. 11). - - -ARGONNE. - -5. On December 18, the 25th Reserve Division went into line on the -Argonne (La Harazee). - - - 1916. - -1. The division remained in the Argonne until the end of July, 1916. - - -VERDUN. - -2. At the beginning of July it was transferred to the Verdun area. It -was engaged in the sector of Thiaumont (July-August); in the Nawe wood -(August) and suffered heavy losses. It was again very much exhausted -resisting the French attack of October 24. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -3. Relieved after this attack, the 25th Reserve Division was sent to -rest in vicinity of Jametz and was reorganized. On November 16 it went -into line east of Auberive. In the course of November it received -important replacements, including a large proportion of the 1917 class. -Its reconstitution was not completed until February; 1917. - - - 1917. - -1. The division was retained on the Champagne front (Auberive) until the -end of January, 1917. - - -MEUSE. - -2. On February 27 it went into line on the right bank of the Meuse -(sector of Louvemont-Chambrettes-Caurieres wood) and remained there, -without any important losses, until June 20. - -3. After resting until July 6 in the vicinity of Juvigny, Jametz, -Marville, the 25th Reserve Division again occupied the front near Verdun -(north of Vacherauville). North of Louvemont it withstood the French -attack of August 20, which caused it to suffer very heavy losses (47 -officers and 1,150 men prisoners, of whom 1,012 belonged to 168th -Infantry Regiment). - - -VOSGES. - -4. The 25th Reserve Division, already weakened by an epidemic of -dysentery, was almost completely exhausted, when it was relieved on -August 25 on the Verdun front. Sent to rest in the vicinity of -Sarreburg, it took over a sector of the Vosges (Blamont), about -September 4. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -5. Relieved on September 25 and entraining on the 27th at Rechicourt, -the division was transferred to Champagne, where it occupied the sector -Nogent-l’Abbesse (Nov. 11 to beginning of February, 1918). - - - RECRUITING. - -The 25th Reserve Division is recruited from the Grand Duchy of Hesse, -the Electorate of Hesse, and Hesse-Nassau. At times replacements were -furnished from the Rhine districts, including the Grand Duchy of Baden -(especially in 1916). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 25th Reserve Division put up a splendid defense against the French -at the time of the attack on August 20, 1917. - -It was an excellent organization at the outbreak of the campaign, but it -seems (in spite of recent assertions of prisoners that it is still unfit -to attack and was put in the fourth class, Arbeits Division) that the -25th Reserve Division, although it is exhausted by too long stays in -line, is capable of rendering services even on an active front. -Therefore it must be considered as a good division of the second class -until more detailed information is received (Mar. 30, 1918). - - - 1918. - -1. The 25th Reserve Division was relieved by the 21st Division in the -Nogent-l’Abbesse sector on February 6, and went to the Vouziers area, -where it was put through a course of training, but not in open warfare. - - -AISNE. - -2. On the 20th it relieved the 10th Reserve Division near Juvincourt -(northwest of Rheims); it was withdrawn on April 11. - - -MONTDIDIER. - -3. The division moved north by easy stages, and relieved the 6th -Bavarian Reserve Division, west of Montdidier, on the 21st. Here it lost -near Cantigny (north) heavily while trying to prevent Cantigny from -falling to the Americans. It also lost even more heavily during the -offensive of August 9, and was pushed back to Dancourt (southwest of -Roye). It was withdrawn about the 18th. - - -ST. QUENTIN. - -4. On September 1 it reenforced the front near Voyennes (west of St. -Quentin). In the fighting that followed the division was forced back to -the Holnon wood (west of St. Quentin); it was withdrawn here about the -20th. - -5. On the 30th, it again reenforced the front in the Lehaucourt sector -(north of St. Quentin). It was withdrawn on October 11, and dissolved. -168th Regiment was transferred to the 21st Reserve Division. 83d Reserve -Regiment was disbanded and drafted to the 22d Division. 87th Reserve -Regiment was disbanded and drafted to the 48th Reserve Division. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -Until 1918 the 25th Reserve had been considered a second-class division. -It is to be noted, however, that although it was trained in February, -the training it received was not in open warfare—not to fit it to become -an attack division. Prisoners captured soon after stated that the -Germans considered it as little better than “a labor division.” It was -not used in any of the offensives made by the Germans, and was not very -tenacious on the defense in any sector that was at all active. Moreover, -two of the divisions that received replacements from the division when -it was disbanded were second class and the other was rated as a fourth- -class division. It was probably a third-class division. - - - - - 25th Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │25 Mixed │13 Ldw. │32 Res. │13 Ldw. │32 Res. │13 Ldw. - │ Ldw. │ │ │ │ │ - │ │16 Ldw. │ │16 Ldw. │ │16 Ldw. - │ │ │ │328 Ldw. │ │328 Ldw. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 6 Res. Drag.│2 Sqn. 6 Res. Drag.│2 Sqn. 6 Res. Drag. - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │254 F. A. Rgt. │244 Art. Command: │244 Art. Command: - │ │ 254 F. A. Rgt. │ 254 Ldw. F. A. - │ │ │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│407 T. M. Co. │425 Pion. Btn.: │425 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │525 Tel. Detch. │ 1 Res. Co. 21 │ 4 Co. 27 Pions. - │ │ Pions. │ - │ │ 4 Co. 27 Pions. │ 3 Landst. Co. 6 C. - │ │ │ Dist. Pions. - │ │ 407 T. M. Co. │ 12 Searchlight - │ │ │ Section. - │ │525 Tel. Detch. │525 Signal Command: - │ │ │ 525 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ 81 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │554 Ambulance Co. │554 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │414 Field Hospital.│414 Field Hospital. - │ │6 Ldw. Field │6 Ldw. Field - │ │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │ │525 Vet. Hospital. │525 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │M. T. Col. │790 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (7th Corps District—Westphalia.) - - - 1916. - - -AISNE. - -1. The 25th Landwehr Division was organized in part from the former 25th -Mixed Landwehr Brigade, independent (13th and 16th Landwehr Regiments), -which entered Belgium on August 20, 1914, and went immediately after the -battle of the Marne to the Laon area, where it occupied the Craonne-La -Ville aux Bois sector from the end of September, 1914, until almost the -end of 1916. - -2. In October, 1916, the 25th Landwehr Brigade was transformed into the -25th Landwehr Division by the addition of a third regiment, the Schuster -Regiment, which had existed for only a short time. - -3. The division was then sent to the west and sent into line between -Vailly and Chavonne (October). - - - 1917. - - -CHEMIN DES DAMES. - -1. At the beginning of February, 1917, the 186th Infantry Regiment was -added as a third regiment to the 25th Landwehr Division. The division -was still occupying the sector east of Vailly when the French offensive -was launched on April 16. The division suffered heavy losses, retiring -to the Chemin des Dames by way of Ostel, Aizy, Jouy (Apr. 16–22). - - -UPPER ALSACE. - -2. Relieved north of the Aisne about April 25, the 25th Landwehr -Division was transferred to Upper Alsace. At the beginning of May it -went into line near the Swiss frontier (Hirtzbach, Largitzen, Bisel). It -did not leave this sector since that time. - -3. In May the 186th Infantry Regiment was replaced by a new regiment, -the 328th Landwehr Regiment, formed by taking one battalion of each of -the three regiments of the 13th Landwehr Division. - - - RECRUITING. - -The division has a marked sectional quality; the infantry and field -artillery come entirely from Westphalia. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -This is purely a sector division. The 25th Landwehr Division has been in -line near the Swiss frontier for more than a year. - -Since its arrival in Upper Alsace (May, 1917) the division has possessed -an assault detachment supposed to carry out raids (June, 1918). - - - 1918. - - -ALSACE. - -1. The division remained in the Hirzbach-Swiss frontier sector all -through the year until the signing of the armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 25th Landwehr Division is rated as a fourth-class division, as being -fit to hold only a quiet sector. On the 11th of November, soon after the -hour fixed for the suspension of hostilities, a number of men came over -to the French lines to fraternize; they were taken prisoners. It seems -that there had been a great deal of revolutionary agitation in the -division. On October 8 a doctor had had his epaulettes cut to pieces; on -the 9th the Soldiers’ Council had come together and had elected -representatives; on the 10th the company commander (of at least one -company) had read the program for the organization of the Soldiers’ -Council. Prisoners state that the causes of this state of mind were the -recent defeats suffered by the German forces, the weariness caused by -four years of war, and the Kiel disturbances. From the 10th of November -on none of the advanced posts had been occupied, and the men refused to -do any work, the war having come to an end, to their mind. - - - - - 26th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │51. │119 Gren.│51. │119 Gren.│51. │119 Gren. - │ │125. │ │125. │ │121. - │52. │121. │52. │121. │ │125. - │ │122 Fus. │ │122 Fus. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │20 Uhlan Rgt. │20 Uhlan Rgt. │20 Uhlan Rgt. (3 - │ │ │ Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │26 Brig.: │26 Brig.: │26 Brig.: - │ 29 F. A. Rgt. │ 29 F. A. Rgt. │ 29 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ 65 F. A. Rgt. │ 65 F. A. Rgt. │ 65 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 Field Co. 1 Pion.│1 Field Co. 1 Pion.│1 and 5 Field Cos. - Liaisons. │ Btn. No. 13 │ Btn. No. 13: │ 1 Pion. Btn. No. - │ │ │ 13: - │ │ 26 Pont. Engs. │ 26 T. M. Co. - │ │ 26 Tel. Detch. │ 26 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ 26 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │51. │119 Gren.│51. │119. - │ │121. │ │121. - │ │125. │ │125. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │20 Sqn. 20 Uhlan │2 Sqn. 19 Uhlan - │ Rgt. (?). │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │26 Art. Command: │26 Art. Command: - │ 29 F. A. Rgt. (9 │ 29 F. A. Rgt. - │ Btries.). │ - │ │ 2 Abt. 5 Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. (5, 6, and - │ │ 13 Btries.). - │ │ 1376 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1377 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1378 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(1/13 or 129) Pion.│143 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ Btn.: │ - │ │ - │ 1 Co. 13 Pions. │ 1 Co. 13 Pions. - │ 5 Co. 13 Pions. │ 5 Co. 13 Pions. - │ 26 T. M. Co. │ 26 T. M. Co. - │ 311 Searchlight │ 140 Searchlight - │ Section. │ Section. - │ Tel. Detch. │26 Signal Command: - │ │ 26 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 70 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │3 Ambulance Co. │33 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │33 Ambulance Co. │250 Field Hospital. - │250 Field Hospital.│259 Field Hospital. - │259 Field Hospital.│26 Vet. Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │599 (?) M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (13th Corps District—Wurttemberg.) - - - 1914. - - -LORRAINE-ARGONNE. - -1. At the outbreak of the war the 26th Division formed the 13th Army -Corps, with the 27th Division, and was a part of the 5th Army (German -Crown Prince), and went into action on August 22 at Baranzy, northwest -of Longwy, and on August 24 near Longuyon. On August 31 it crossed the -Meuse in the vicinity of Sassey, proceeded between the Meuse and the -Argonne by way of Epinonville, Cheppy, Clermont, and Thiaucourt, fought -on September 6, 7, 8, and 9 near Pretz and Beauzée, and retired toward -Evre, Wally, and the Argonne (Apremont-Grurie wood). (On Sept. 11 the -8th Company of the 119th Grenadier Regiment had already had 3 officers -and 168 men as casualties; the 10th Company was reduced to 2 officers -and 59 men.) - - -FLANDERS. - -2. Separated then from the 27th Division, which remained in the Argonne, -the 26th Division was transferred west of Lille on October 8, and fought -at Fromelles, Aubert, and Maisnil from October 20 to 28. - -3. At the end of the month it went north and took part in the attacks -upon Messines on October 31. - - -RUSSIA. - -4. At the end of November the division entrained for Russia with the -25th Reserve Division, these two divisions forming the reorganized 13th -Army Corps. - - -POLAND. - -5. In December and January, 1915, it was a part of the Fabeck Corps, and -fought in Poland on the Bzura and the Rawka where it suffered heavily. - - - 1915. - -1. In March, 1915, the 26th Division was sent to the front north of -Prasnysz. It then composed the 13th Army Corps, with the 4th Guard -Division and the 3d Division. In May it gave the 122d Fusilier Regiment -to the 105th Division, a new formation. In June and July it took part in -the offensive upon the Narew. - - -SERBIA. - -2. Assigned to the army of Gen. von Koevess, it took part in the -campaign against Serbia (October) and advanced along the Morava to -Kragujevatz. - - -BELGIUM. - -3. Sent to rest at Belgrade, at the end of November, before its -departure for the Western Front, it entrained at Semlin on November 26 -and was transferred to Belgium. (Itinerary: Budapest-Vienna-Munich-Ulm- -Deux Ponts-Saarbrücken; detraining at Bertrix on Nov. 20.) - -4. In December it was concentrated in the vicinity of Courtrai, where -the 27th Division was and again formed the 13th Army Corps with this -division as it had done originally. - - - 1916. - -1. In January, 1916, the 26th Division went into line southeast of Ypres -(between Hooge and the south of Sanctuary wood). It held this sector -until the month of July and suffered heavy losses July 2 (Zillebeke). - - -SOMME. - -2. At the end of July the division was sent to the Somme and opposed the -British troops on the Longueval front. It lost very heavily while -resting at Guillemont. (Aug. 18–19). - - -FLANDERS. - -3. Relieved on August 25, it took over the sector of Wytschaete -(September to November 11). - - -SOMME. - -4. About November 11 the division left Flanders and returned to the -Somme. It occupied the Transloy sector from December 7 to the beginning -of March, 1917. - - - 1917. - - -ARTOIS. - -1. The division was in reserve during the month of March behind the -Artois front; went into action south of the Scarpe at the time of the -British offensive. On April 25 it launched a counterattack at Monchy le -Preux. - -2. Relieved in a fortnight and sent to rest, it went back to the same -sector (south of the Scarpe); remained there from May 31 to the end of -July without any important losses and went to rest near Cambrai during -the first half of August. - - -FLANDERS. - -3. From August 16 to September 4 it occupied the sector north of -Langemerck, where the artillery caused it heavy losses. - - -LORRAINE. - -4. Sent to rest in Lorraine, it was trained and was outfitted for -mountain warfare and then sent to the Italian front at the end of -September. - - -ITALY. - -5. It formed a part of the Berrer Corps (14th German Army) on October -20, fought northwest of Tolmino on October 24, entered Udine on the -28th, and reached the Tagliamento on the 29th. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 26th Division is recruited entirely in Wurttemberg. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 26th Division conducted itself well in the numerous battles in which -it took part. It is to be especially noted that at Poelcappelle, in -August, 1917, some units mutinied and left the first line vacant, when -the relief did not arrive quickly enough. This weakening of the morale -of the 26th Division was probably only temporary and will disappear, no -doubt, after a period of rest. (British Summary of Information, October, -1917.) - - - 1918. - - -FRANCE. - -1. The 26th Division, after having done very well in Italy, was -transported to the Western Front, detraining in the Freiburg region -(southeast of Dieuze), and remaining here until March 10. - - -CAMBRAI. - -2. The division entrained at Strassburg on the 11th and 12th, and -detrained near Peruwelz on the 13th and 14th, remaining in the -neighborhood of Valenciennes until the 17th; from here it proceeded by -night marches via Denain and Aniche to the Estrées-Ecourt-St. Quentin -region (south of Douai), where it arrived on the 20th. On the 26th it -went into close reserve near Fontaine les Croisilles, and the next day -it entered line near Hamelincourt (south of Arras). It attacked the next -day, but made no headway. It was relieved by the 111th Division on the -31st, and rested near Croisilles until April 3. - -3. Then it marched via Bapaume and Miraumont and entered line south of -Hébuterne (south of Arras), taking part in the unsuccessful attack of -the 5th. It was relieved about the 12th of May by the 16th Reserve -Division, and went to the Denain region to rest and refit. On June 15 it -was in army reserve in the Roye-Carrépuis area. - - -RHEIMS. - -4. About July 3 it went to the vicinity of Neuflize (northeast of -Rheims); the 15th it entered line north of Prosnes (southeast of -Rheims), and was withdrawn on the 17th. - -5. By traveling in trucks, the division reached Bazoches on the 21st; it -remained in reserve the 23d and 24th, and relieved the 45th Reserve -Division east of Saponay (northwest of Fere-en-Tardenois) during the -night of July 25–26. The Allied push forced the front back here, and the -division was identified north of Saponay on August 2, northeast of -Fismes on the 18th, east of Braine on the 20th. It was relieved about -the 10th of September and went to rest north of Pont Arcy (northwest of -Fismes). - -6. On the 3d of October it came back into line north of Soupir (east of -Vailly), and was still in line on November 11. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 26th is rated as a first-class division. While it was in Alsace -(January, February, and the first part of March) it was thoroughly -trained in open warfare, and so it was used as a shock division, but it -did not succeed in making much headway in its first two engagements. It -did fight tenaciously, however, then and in subsequent fighting, and was -mentioned in the German communiques of October 27 and November 2 as -having particularly distinguished itself. It suffered heavy losses, so -that despite the large numbers of reenforcements sent it from time to -time, its battalions were reduced to three companies. - - - - - 26th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │51 Res. │121 Res. │51 Res. │121 Res. │51 Res. │119 Res. - │ │180. │ │180. │ │180. - │ │99 Res. │ │99 Res. │52 Res. │121 Res. - │52 Res. │119 Res. │52 Res. │119 Res. │ │99 Res. - │ │120 Res. │ │120 Res. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │Wurtt. Res. Drag. │Wurtt. Res. Drag. │Wurtt. Res. Drag. - │ Rgt. (3 Sqns.). │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │26 Res. F. A. Rgt. │26 Res. F. A. Rgt. │26 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.). │ │ (6 Btries.). - │ │ │27 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ (6 Btries.). - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│4 Field Co. 2 Pion.│4 Field Co. 2 Pion.│4 Field Co. 13 - Liaisons. │ Btn. No. 13. │ Btn. No. 13. │ Pions. - │ │26 Res. Pont. Engs.│6 Field Co. 13 - │ │ │ Pions. - │ │26 Res. Tel. Detch.│226 T. M. Co. - │ │ │26 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │26 Res. Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Odd Units. │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │51 Res. │119 Res. │51 Res. │180. - │ │121 Res. │ │119 Res. - │ │180. │ │121 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 20 Uhlan │2 Sqn. 20 Uhlan - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │122 (Wurtt.) Art. │122 Art. Command: - │ Command: │ - │ 26 Res. F. A. Rgt.│ 26 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.). │ - │ │ 59 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 1261 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1262 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1316 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│326 Pion. Btn.: │326 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 4 Co. 13 Pions. │ 4 Co. 13 Pions. - │ │ - │ 6 Co. 13 Pions. │ 6 Co. 13 Pions. - │ 226 T. M. Co. │ 226 T. M. Co. - │ 426 Tel. Detch. │ 36 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │426 Signal Command: - │ │ 426 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 139 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │522 Ambulance Co. │522 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │502 Field Hospital.│502 Field Hospital. - │505 Field Hospital.│245 Vet. Hospital. - │146 Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Odd Units. │2 (Wurtt.) Cyclist │ - │ Co. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (13th Corps District—Wurttemberg.) - - - 1914. - - -VOSGES. - -1. At the beginning of the war the 26th Reserve Division, forming the -14th Reserve Corps with the 28th Reserve Division, was a part of the 7th -German Army. While the 99th Reserve Infantry Regiment formed in Alsace -and at once went to the valley of the Bruche, the 180th Infantry -Regiment went to Ste. Marie aux Mines on August 8. The three reserve -regiments (119th, 120th, 121st) detrained between Freiburg and Neu- -Breisach on August 8–11 and fought at the Donon and in the valley of the -Bruche from August 17 to 24. Going then to the western slope of the -Vosges, the division reached St. Die on August 28, then advanced as far -as Rougiville, from which place it was sent to Ste. Marie aux Mines. - - -SOMME. - -2. On September 11 the 26th Reserve Division was sent to the Somme and -assigned to the 2d Army. It went into action on both banks of the Ancre, -near Thiepval, near Miraumont and Beaumont Hamel, beginning on the 27th. - -3. It occupied this sector of the front (south of Hebuterne, north of -Ovillers) until July, 1916. During this period it did not take part in -any important action. - - - 1915. - - -ARTOIS. - -1. In March, 1915, the 120th Reserve Infantry Regiment was given to the -58th Division, a new formation. - -2. In May, 1915, elements of the 26th Reserve Division were sent to -Artois on detached service and fought at Neuville-St. Vaast. In June -some units of the 99th Reserve Regiment (3d and 4th Battalions) and the -180th Infantry Regiment took part in the battles around Arras (Le -Labyrinthe). - - -SOMME. - -3. At the beginning of July these elements rejoined the division, which -continued to hold the Somme sector before Bapaume. - - - 1916. - - -SOMME. - -1. On July 1, 1916, the 26th Reserve Division withstood the Franco- -British offensive north and south of the Ancre (Beaumont Hamel, -Ovillers, Thiepval). (The total of the losses on the Somme amounted to -10,042 men.) The 99th Reserve Infantry Regiment lost 48 officers and -2,070 men. (Official List of Casualties.) - - -ARTOIS. - -2. Relieved along the Somme about October 6, the division was sent south -of Arras (Monchy aux Bois) on October 10. Some elements of the division -were still engaged on both banks of the Ancre in November. - - - 1917. - - -HINDENBURG LINE. - -1. After having occupied the calm sector of Artois for the winter of -1916–17, the 26th Reserve Division took part in the withdrawal of the -German troops about March 20. It left the front of Monchy aux Bois and -retired southeast of Croisilles (Lagnicourt-Ecoust-St. Main). It fought -along this line until April 7–13 and suffered some losses (Noreuil, Apr. -2). - -2. After a rest of a month in the vicinity of Valenciennes, in the -course of which it sent some elements south of St. Quentin (Itancourt, -May 4–11), the 26th Reserve Division went back into line between Arras -and St. Quentin (Bullecourt-Queant) about May 17. - - -FLANDERS. - -3. On August 10 the division was withdrawn from the front and entrained -at Aubigny au Bac (south of Douai) for Belgium. It went into action -north of Langemarck (Aug. 19-Sept. 16). It was then sent to rest -(vicinity of Bohain, northeast of St. Quentin) until October 14. - -4. About October 17 the 26th Reserve Division went back into line north -of Ypres (The Ypres-Staden railroad—Houthulst wood) until October 23. - -5. Sent to rest south of Cortemarck, it was transferred at the end of -October to Eerneghem, where it was first in reserve. - -6. In the middle of November the 26th Reserve Division took over the -calm sector of Merckem, which it occupied until February, 1918, after a -short rest in the middle of December. - - - RECRUITING. - -Since the departure of the 99th Reserve Infantry Regiment, the 26th -Reserve Division is made up entirely of Wurttembergers. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 26th Reserve Division is a very good division, of a combative value -equal to that of the majority of the active divisions. In the battle of -the Somme, in 1916, it opposed a stubborn resistance to the British -advance and launched vigorous counterattacks. - -The division has not been seriously engaged since 1916; it was -thoroughly rested on the Flanders front. Not having been exposed to -violent battles and not having any great losses, its morale has not been -shaken. (British Summary of Information, February, 1918.) - - - 1918. - - -BELGIUM. - -1. The 26th Reserve Division was withdrawn from the Merckem sector on -the 20th of February, and went to the area west of Antwerp. Here, it was -very probably trained in open warfare, but the fact has not been -definitely established. - - -ARRAS. - -2. It left about March 11 and entered line near Hénin (southeast of -Arras) on the 24th. Its mission was to protect the troops engaged in the -main attack farther to the south against a flanking movement by the -British troops massed around Arras. In so doing, it became heavily -engaged, and is reported to have lost 60 per cent of its strength. It -was relieved on May 14, and went to rest in the Arleux area (south of -Douai). - -3. On June 9 it relieved the 41st Division east of Hebuterne. A week or -so later it extended its sector toward the south so as to relieve the -16th Reserve Division. It was relieved about July 23 by the 183d -Division, and went to rest in the Bapaume area, after having suffered -severe losses. - - -SOMME. - -4. On August 10 the division reenforced the front astride the Braye- -Corbie road (north of the Somme). It did not become heavily engaged this -time; withdrawn about the 18th, and went to rest in the Douai area. -Battalions were reduced to three companies. - - -ARRAS. - -5. It reenforced the front near Vis en Artois (on Arras-Cambrai road) on -August 27. After suffering heavy losses it was withdrawn on the 31st to -region north of Cambrai. - - -CAMBRAI. - -6. It came back into line on the 29th of September, after having rested -and thoroughly refitted, reenforcing the front near Tilloy (northwest of -Cambrai). It was heavily engaged, and fought very well. A few days later -Gen. von Beulow (commanding the 17th Army) sent a telegram to the King -of Saxony saying that the division had fought in an exemplary manner at -Cambrai, where it had several times reestablished the situation by its -counterattacks on the 29th, inflicting enormous losses on the enemy, and -thus preventing the town from falling into their hands. It was withdrawn -about the 9th of October. - - -VALENCIENNES. - -7. On the 13th it relieved the 22d Division near Herin (west of -Valenciennes). It had not been withdrawn on the 11th of November. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 26th Reserve is rated as a first-class division. It did not -distinguish itself in the fighting during 1918 (except on the Cambrai -front, as already noted), still it could be depended upon and on the -whole fought well. In this connection it is to be noted that the 26th -Division had been held in reserve to relieve the 26th Reserve in the -March offensive, but the relief was considered unnecessary. - - - - - 26th Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │51 Ldw. │119 Ldw. │51 Ldw. │119 Ldw. - │ │123 Ldw. │ │123 Ldw. - │ │124 Ldw. │ │124 Ldw. - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 20 Uhlan Rgt. │3 Sqn. 20 Uhlan Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │ - │ 116 F. A. Rgt. │116 F. A. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(426) Pion. Btn.: │(426) Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 4 Ldw. Co. 13 Pions. │ 4 Ldw. Co. 13 C. Dist. - │ │ Pions. - │ 6 Ldw. Co. 13 Pions. │ 3 Searchlight Section. - │ 326 T. M. Co. │526 Signal Command: - │ 526 Tel. Detch. │ 526 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 180 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │569 Ambulance Co. │569 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Field Hospital. │251 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │256 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (13th Corps District—Wurttemberg.) - - - 1917. - -1. The 26th Landwehr Division was formed on the Alsatian front at the -beginning of the year 1917. Two of its regiments, the 119th and 123d -Landwehr, forming the 51st Landwehr Brigade, had belonged to the 7th -Landwehr Division until that time. Its 3d Regiment, the 124th Landwehr, -came from the 2d Landwehr Division. - - -UPPER ALSACE. - -2. Since its formation the 26th Landwehr Division has continually -occupied the Upper Alsace front (north of Cernay, Hartmannswillerskopf). - - - RECRUITING. - -The division is entirely recruited from Wurttemberg. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 26th Landwehr Division is purely a sector division. Each regiment -has an assault troop composed of young men. - - - 1918. - - -ALSACE. - -1. The 26th Landwehr Division remained in the sector north of Cernay -(southwest of Colmar,) throughout 1918. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -In view of the division having been kept so long in what was probably -the most quiet sector on the whole front (only 1 prisoner was taken -after Dec. 15, 1917), when the need for troops was so great that fourth- -class divisions were frequently used on very active fronts, it would -seem that the 26th Landwehr was one of the poorest divisions in the -German Army. - - - - - 27th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │53. │123 Gren.│53. │123 Gren.│53. │123 Gren. - │ │124. │ │124. │ │124. - │54. │120. │54. │120. │54. │120. - │ │127. │ │127. │ │127. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │19 Uhlan Rgt. │19 Uhlan Rgt. │19 Uhlan Rgt. (3 - │ │ │ Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │27 Brig. │27 Brig. │27 Brig. - │ │ │ - │ 13 F. A. Rgt. │ 13 F. A. Rgt. │ 13 F. A. Rgt. - │ 49 F. A. Rgt. │ 49 F. A. Rgt. │ 49 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. │1 Pion. Btn. No. - Liaisons. │ │ 13. │ 13. - │ │ │ - │ │Field Co. 13 Pions.│2 Co. 13 Pions. - │ │27 Tel. Detch. │1 Res. Co. 24 - │ │ │ Pions. - │ │27 Pont. Engs. │Co. 29 Pions. - │ │ │27 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │27 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │23 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │68 Anti-Aircraft. - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │53. │123 Gren.│53. │120. - │ │120. │ │123. - │ │124. │ │124. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │5 Sqn. 19 Uhlan │5 Sqn. 19 Uhlan - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │27 Artillery │27 Art. Command: - │ Command. │ - │ 49 F. A. Rgt. │ 13 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 4 Abt. 13 Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. (11, 12, and - │ │ 13 Btries.). - │ │ 1289 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1290 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1291 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│129 Pion. Btn. │12 (Saxon) Pion. - Liaisons. │ (former 1 Pion. │ Btn.: - │ No. 13). │ - │2 Co. 13 Pions. │ 2 Co. 13 Pions. - │3 Co. 13 Pions. │ 3 Co. 13 Pions. - │ │ - │27 T. M. Co. │ 27 T. M. Co. - │52 Searchlight Co. │ 137 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │27 Tel. Detch. │27 Signal Command: - │ │ 27 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 154 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │31 Ambulance Co. │31 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │253 Field Hospital.│253 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │255 Field Hospital. - │ │27 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │560 M. T. Col. │560 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │3, 34, and 99 Anti-│ - │ Aircraft. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (13th Corps District—Wurttemberg.) - - - 1914. - -The 27th Division belongs to the 13th Army Corps (Royal Wurttemberg), -with the 26th Division. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. At the beginning of the war it formed a part of the 5th Army (German -Crown Prince). It was engaged in the battle of Longwy, August 22, 1914 -(between Longwy and Virton); on the 23d, north of Longuyon. On August -30, at Dun and Sassey, it crossed the Meuse and went south with the 5th -Army between the Meuse and the Argonne. It fought at Pretz and -Vaubécourt on September 6 and 7. Following the retirement to the north, -it took up its positions in the Argonne. - -2. At the beginning of October the 13th Army Corps was broken up and the -two divisions were separated for more than a year. - - -ARGONNE. - -3. The 27th Division remained in the Argonne until the end of 1915. - - - 1915. - - -ARGONNE. - -1. In the Argonne (Binarville-Grurie wood) the 27th Division was engaged -in mine warfare. In August, 1915, it took part in the local offensive of -the Army of the Crown Prince. - -2. In September, at the time of the French offensive, elements of the -53d Brigade were sent to Champagne (northwest of Massiges), where they -remained in reserve. - -3. In December the 27th Division entrained at Grandpré for the Courtrai -area, where the 13th Army Corps was re-formed as in the beginning, the -26th Division having returned from Serbia. - - - 1916. - - -YPRES. - -1. From January to July, 1916, the 13th Army Corps was in line southeast -of the Ypres salient. The 27th Division was on the left of the 26th, -between Sanctuary wood and the Ypres-Comines Canal. On February 24 units -of the 27th Division gained possession of the British trenches of Bluff -(north of the canal), but lost them on March 2. In this action the 123d -Grenadier Regiment lost very heavily. - -On June 2 the two divisions of the corps made a violent attack upon the -Canadians in the Cillebeke sector. They gained possession of Observation -Ridge, but were forced to abandon it by a counterattack. In these -battles the regiments lost heavily. - - -SOMME. - -2. At the end of July the 13th Army Corps was withdrawn from the Ypres -salient and transferred to the Somme front. On August 1 the 27th -Division went into line in the Guillemont sector. It put up a successful -resistance to the attacks upon the village, but had serious losses. - -3. It was relieved on August 25 and put in the Wytchaete sector, where -it remained for about two and one-half months (until Nov. 11). - -4. In the middle of November the 27th Division returned to the Somme a -second time, north of Sailly Saillisel. - - - 1917. - -1. The 27th Division was retained on the Somme until the beginning of -1917. On this date it was sent east of Cambrai. During the month of -March it was in line in the Roisel area. - - -ARTOIS. - -2. After a short rest in the vicinity of Valenciennes it went into -action in the Bullecourt sector (southeast of Arras), where it had very -heavy losses (Apr. 7 to May 11). The dissolution of the 627th Infantry -Regiment, formed in Wurttemberg, served to make up a part of its losses, -and 600 men from this regiment came to the 27th Division. - -3. Withdrawn about May 11 from the Arras front, the 27th Division -occupied a sector in the vicinity of Le Catelet (between Gonnelieu and -Honnecourt) at the beginning of June. - -4. At the beginning of August it was relieved; entrained on August 12 at -Caudry, and was transferred to Flanders by way of Lille-Tourcoing-Menin- -Ledeghem-Roulers. - -5. On August 26 it went into action northeast of Ypres (southeast of St. -Julien). In this sector it did not take part in any important attack but -suffered heavily from artillery fire. - -The division was sent to the rear on September 12–13 and rested for a -month northeast of Ghent. - -On October 11 it went back into line northeast of Ypres (near the Ypres- -Thourout railroad) and remained there until November 11. It was sent -almost immediately to Alsace, where it arrived between November 16 and -18. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 27th Division is recruited entirely from Wurttemberg. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 27th Division has fought well ever since the beginning of the war. -It seems that the heavy losses which it has suffered have weakened its -morale to a slight extent. Nevertheless, it may be considered as a very -good division (Dec. 9, 1917). - - - 1918. - - -CAMBRAI. - -1. The 27th Division remained in the region of Schlettstadt (north of -Colmar) until February 2. While here it received some 1919-class -recruits. It then went to Cambrai, where it arrived on the 4th. On the -6th it relieved the 24th Reserve Division west of Graincourt (southwest -of Cambrai). It was relieved by the 53d Reserve Division early in March -and went to the neighborhood of Avesnes le Sec (southwest of -Valenciennes), where it was trained in open warfare. - -2. Subsequently it was transferred to the Cambrai region. Between the -evening of March 20 and 5 a. m. on the 21st, it marched nearly 20 miles, -when it came into line near Villers-Guislain (south of Cambrai). It was -immediately heavily engaged and suffered severe losses. The 6th Company -of the 124th Regiment had lost 84 men by the time it had reached Fins. A -draft of 30 men was received at Guinchy. Withdrawn the 23d. - -3. On April 4 it relieved the 54th Reserve Division near Aveluy (north -of Albert). Fighting on the 5th, the 6th Company of the 124th Regiment -lost 50 per cent of its effectives. All three regiments suffered heavy -losses. One battalion of the 120th Regiment was practically annihilated. -It was relieved by the 3d Naval Division on the 24th and went to rest -south of Tournai. - -4. The division left on July 24 and marched via Landas-Marchiennes- -Neuville sur l’Escaut (south of Denain, rest)-St. Vaast (east of -Cambrai, rest)-Fins-Nurlu (rest)-Peronne, into line in the Morlancourt -sector (south of Albert), where it relieved the 107th Division about the -3d of August. In the heavy fighting that ensued it was forced back -through Bray and Suzanne. It was withdrawn the 28th after leaving more -than 1,400 prisoners in the hands of the British. It went to rest in the -vicinity of Briastre (south of Solesmes), and while here received as a -draft the dissolved 248th Reserve Regiment (54th Division disbanded). - - -MEUSE. - -5. The division now became army and corps reserve. On September 6 it -entrained and traveled to Spincourt, arriving on the 10th. It then -marched to Camp Priester (near Loison), where it remained 14 days as -army reserve. About the 26th it entered line near Flabas (north of -Verdun). Five days later it was withdrawn and went back to the camp and -remained eight days. - -6. Then it went to the Jaeger Lager near Billy (south of Longuyon). -About the 11th of October it entered line near Douaumont (north of -Verdun). On the 29th it was relieved and marched to the Jaeger Lager, -and then by truck via Stenay to a farm about 10 kilometers away. - -7. On November 1 it reenforced the front near Tailly (southwest of -Stenay); it was still in line on the 11th. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 27th has always been considered one of the very best German -divisions, and its conduct in the fighting during 1918 confirms its -rating as a first-class shock unit. It suffered severely, especially in -the spring, but not a great deal later on. Its moves toward the end of -the war seem to indicate that it was to form part of the reserve with -which the Germans hoped to regain the initiative. - - - - - 28th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │55. │109. │55. │109. │55. │109. - │ │Body │ │Body │ │Body - │ │ Gren. │ │ Gren. │ │ Gren. - │ │110 Gren.│ │110 Gren.│ │110 Gren. - │56. │40 Fus. │56. │40 Fus. │56. │40 Fus. - │ │111. │ │111. │ │111. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │5 Jag. z. Pf. │ │5 Jag. z. Pf. - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │28 Brig. │28 Brig. │28 Brig. - │14 F. A. Regt. │14 F. A. Regt. │14 F. A. Regt. - │50 F. A. Regt. │50 F. A. Regt. │50 F. A. Regt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Bn. No. 14:│1 Pion. Bn. No. 14: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ Field Co. 14 │ 1 Co. 14 Pions. - │ │ Pions. │ - │ │ 28 Tel. Detch. │ 3 Co. 36 Pions. - │ │ 28 Pont. Engs. │ 28 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ 28 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ 28 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │29 Antiaircraft 1st - │ │ │ Bav. Labor Bn. - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │56. │109. │55. │40. - │ │Body │ │109. - │ │ Gren. │ │ - │ │40 Fus. │ │110. - │ │110 Gren.│ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2d Sq. 5 Jag. z. │2 Sqn. 5 Horse Jag. - │ Pf. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │28 Art. Command: │28 Art Command: - │ 14 F. A. Regt. │ 14 F. A. Regt. - │ │ 55 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 801 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 991 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1129 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│130 Pion. Bn. │14 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ (former 1 Pion. │ - │ No. 14): │ - │ 2 Co. 14 Pions. │ 2 Co. 14 Pions. - │ │ - │ 3 Co. 14 Pions. │ 3 Co. 14 Pions. - │ 28 T. M. Co. │ 94 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 28 Tel. Detch. │28 Signal Command: - │ │ 28 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 55 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │35 Ambulance Co. │35 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │262, 292 Field │261 Field Hospital. - │ Hospitals. │ - │Vet. Hospital. │262 Field Hospital. - │ │28 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │67 Truck Train. │561 M. T. Col. - │Light Mun. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │40 M. G. │ - │ Sharpshooters │ - │ Detch. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (14th Corps District—Northern part Grand Duchy of Baden.) - - - 1914. - - -ALSACE-LORRAINE. - -1. The 28th Division formed a part of the 14th Army Corps with the 29th -Division, also from Baden. At the beginning of the campaign went to -Upper Alsace to reenforce the 29th Division; fought at Mulhousen on -August 9, and on the 13th west of Altkirch. Returning to Mulhousen on -the 14th, it entrained at Muelheim on the 16th for Petite Pierre. The -14th Army Corps was placed on the left flank of the 6th Army and took -part with it in the battle of the 20th. The 28th Division then crossed -the frontier and advanced to Mortagne at the beginning of September. On -September 11 it recrossed the frontier and went to the west of Pont à -Mousson, where it went into action between September 20 and 29. - - -ARTOIS. - -2. Withdrawn from La Haye at the end of the month, it entrained on -October 4 at Metz, detrained at Mons, and from there marched to the -front—La Bassée, Ablain, St. Nazaire. - - - 1915. - - -ARTOIS. - -1. From October, 1914, to May, 1915, its regiments were exhausted one -after the other on the plateau of Notre Dame de Lorette. (On November -30, 1914, the 110th Grenadier Regiment acknowledged casualties of 58 -officers and 3,814 men since the beginning of the campaign.) The 28th -Division again suffered very heavily during the winter (especially the -110th Grenadiers and the 40th Fusileers); finally it lost very heavily -from April 9 to May 3 (Carency-Ouvrages-Blancs). In the course of these -battles the 111th Infantry Regiment was almost completely destroyed. On -May 10 its first battalion had only 3 officers and 272 men. (Notebook of -the captain commanding the battalion.) The Casualty Lists report 32 -officers and 1,737 men as casualties. - -2. The division was relieved on May 15, sent to rest in the area Lens, -Pont à Vendin, Héuin-Liétard, and reorganized. - -3. About May 25 it was put back into line (Ablain-Lorette) and again -suffered very heavy losses. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -4. Withdrawn from Artois about June 13, it was transferred to the -northeast of Reims. Beginning with June 18, it occupied the front -between Bétheny and the Sillery-Beine road. In this sector it had only a -few local actions and very few losses. - -5. During the offensive of September, 1915, the division detached two -battalions (one from the 109th Grenadiers and one from the 110th -Grenadiers) to act as reinforcements in the Somme Py area. - -6. On October 19 and 20 a gas attack was rather poorly carried out by -the Badensian Infantry (La Pompelle-Prosnes front). - -7. The 28th Division was relieved about November 10. At the beginning of -December it went into the sector of Tahure-Butte du Mesnil which it -occupied for the entire winter without any notable action. - - - 1916. - -1. About the end of April, 1916, the 28th Division left the sector of -the Butte du Mesnil. It was sent to rest for a week in the Vouziers -area, and about May 5 went back into line (sector of Maisons de -Champagne-La Justice). During this time the units received intensive -training. - - -SOMME. - -2. During the first half of July the regiments of the division (minus -the 109th Infantry Regiment, which had remained in Champagne) were -successively relieved and transferred by way of Charleville, Hirson, and -St. Quentin to the Biaches area (Somme). Between July 16 and 20 they -established their positions between the Somme and the Barleux. - -3. The 28th Division was retained in this sector until the beginning of -October. It suffered heavy losses there, which were partially covered by -reenforcements sent from the depots of the 14th Army Corps (1915 and -1916 classes). - -4. At the beginning of October the division was sent to Champagne, into -the sector east of Tahure. It left this about the 20th and reoccupied it -from December until the end of January, 1917. - - - 1917. - - -MEUSE. - -1. At this time the 28th Division was transferred to the Verdun area. It -was sent into line in the Caurières wood sector and remained until the -beginning of September. It took part in the attacks on this front in the -middle of August. - - -ALSACE. - -2. Withdrawn from the Verdun area about the middle of September the -division was sent to Alsace, northwest of Altkirch and was in the front -line on October 20. It soon left this for the Montmedy area, then for -Laon, and finally for the Cambrai front where it fought at Gonnelieu on -November 30. Relieved at the beginning of December, it was sent to rest -in the Ardennes and, at the beginning of February, 1918, occupied a -sector at Mount Cornillet. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 28th Division is recruited almost exclusively from Baden. A slight -admixture from the 4th Corps District. The 40th Fusileers, although a -Prussian regiment, was recruited in the Grand Duchy of Baden. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 28th Division has always given a good account of itself and must be -considered a good division (July, 1917). - -At the beginning of March, 1917, it carried out an attack against the -Caurières wood with a great deal of vigor. A division order (dated Mar. -3, 1917) found on a corpse praises the heroism of the valiant troops of -the 28th Division and calls its regiments “The conquerors of Lorette.” - - - 1918. - - -AISNE. - -1. The division held the Butte du Mesnil sector continuously until May -13, when it rested for 10 days in the vicinity of Vouziers. On May 23 -the division entrained at Montcornet and was moved to the region of -Laon. It came into line on May 31, reenforcing the Aisne battle front -between Chateau de Maucreux and Troësnes. It was relieved on June 8 by -the 10th Reserve Division. - - -SECOND BATTLE OF THE MARNE. - -2. Its stay out of line was short, for on June 13 it again relieved the -50th Division near Verneuil; about this time the divisional commander, -Lieut. Gen. Hahn, was decorated. The division was withdrawn from the -Marne front about July 1. It returned to reenforce the battle line near -Chaumuzy, southwest of Rheims on July 24. It fell back to the Vesle, -where it held the line until August 26. - - -WOEVRE. - -3. The division then went to rest in the vicinity of Baroucourt for -three weeks. It left that place on September 14 and marched via -Amermont-Offleville-Gondrecourt Rouvers-Etain to a position in line near -Grimacourt and Hermeville, relieving the 8th Landwehr Division which -side slipped to the south. It held this sector until October 19, when it -was withdrawn and moved from Conflans, via Arlon, to Flanders on October -22. - - -MONS. - -4. On November 1, the division came into line at Maresches in which area -it fought until the armistice. The last identifications were at Sebourg -(Nov. 4), west of Roisin (6th), and Dour (9th). - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. It was not greatly used in 1918, -spending most of the time on quiet fronts. After the Vesle fighting in -August, the battalions of the division were reduced to three companies. - - - - - 28th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │55 Res. │109 Res. │55 Res. │109 Res. │55 Res. │109 Res. - │ │110 Res. │ │110 Res. │ │110 Res. - │56 Res. │40 Res. │56 Res. │40 Res. │ │111 Res. - │ │111 Res. │ │111 Res. │ │ - │ │9 Res. │ │8 Res. │ │ - │ │ Jag. │ │ Jag. │ │ - │ │ Bn. │ │ Bn. │ │ - │ │14 Res. │ │14 Res. │ │ - │ │ Jag. │ │ Jag. │ │ - │ │ Bn. │ │ Bn. │ │ - │ │ │ │55 Ldw. │ │ - │ │ │ │ Brig. │ │ - │ │ │ │ Ers. │ │ - │ │ │ │ Bn. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │8 Res. Drag. │8 Res. Drag. │8 Res. Drag. - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │29 Res. F. A. Rgt. │29 Res. F. A. Rgt. │28 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.). │ (29 btries.). │ (6 btries.). - │ │ │29 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ (6 btries.). - │ │ │ - │ │ │1 Ers. Abt. of 76 - │ │ │ F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2 - Liaisons. │ Pion. Bn. No. 13.│ Pion. No. 13. │ Pion. No. 13. - │ │28 Res. Pont. Engs.│228 T. M. Co. - │ │28 Res. Tel. Detch.│28 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │28 Res. Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │56 Res. │109 Res. │56 Res. │109 Res. - │ │110 Res. │ │110 Res. - │ │111 Res. │ │111 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3d Sq. 22d Drag. │3 Sqn. 22 Drag. - │ │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │29 Res. F. A. Rgt. │29 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 btries.). │ - │ │2 Abt. 1 Gd. Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. (7 and 9 - │ │ btries.). - │ │766 Light Am. Col. - │ │ - │ │918 Light Am. Col. - │ │1366 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│328 Pion. Bn. │328 Pion. Bn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │1st Co. 16th Pion. │ 4 Co. 16 Pions. - │4 Co. 16 Pion. │ 1 Ers. Co. 16 - │ │ Pions. - │228 T. M. Co. │ 72 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │428 Tel. Detch. │428 Signal Command: - │ │ 428 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 160 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │514 Ambulance Co. │514 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │56, 57 Res. Field │56 Res. Field - │ Hospitals. │ Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │57 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │ │428 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │725 Light Mun. Col.│725 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (14th Corps District—Baden.) - - - 1914. - - -VOSGES. - -1. At the beginning of the war the 28th Reserve Division formed in the -Grand Duchy of Baden, and constituting the 14th Reserve Corps, with the -26th Reserve Division, belonged to the 7th Army (Von Heeringen). The -division detraining near Emmendingen (Baden), entered Alsace by way of -Markolsheim on August 10. It was engaged in the valley of the Bruche -beginning on the 15th, fought at Donon on the 20th, and went down toward -the Meurthe, where it fought until September 5 (Nompatelize and la -Bourgonce), suffering heavy losses (two-thirds of the effectives of the -111th Reserve Infantry Regiment). - - -SOMME. - -2. After September 5 the 28th Reserve Division retired toward Blamont on -September 15. On September 22 and 23 it entrained at Teterchen -(Lorraine) for Cambria, where it detrained on September 26 and 27. It -was assigned to the 2d Army with the other division of the 14th Reserve -Corps. - - - 1915. - -1. The division occupied the sector crossed by the Albert-Bapaume road -(Ovillers to Fricourt) until July, 1916. - -In April, 1915, the 28th Reserve Division lost the 40th Reserve Infantry -Regiment, which went to the 115th Division, and its two battalions of -Chasseurs left it—one in January, the other in May. - -2. In August and September, 1915, elements of the division were in -reserve in the area south of St. Quentin. - - - 1916. - - -SOMME. - -1. The 28th Reserve Division did not have any great losses on the Somme -between October, 1915, and July, 1916. Its combat activity was weak -during this period. - -2. On July 1, 1916, the Division supported the entire weight of the -British offensive north of the Somme, and suffered very heavy losses -(casualties of the 111th Reserve Infantry Regiment, 39 officers and -1,821 men). - -3. On July 4 the division was withdrawn from the front, sent to rest, -and reorganized. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -4. Transferred to Champagne on July 10, it took over the sector west of -Auberive (July 14 to the beginning of October). - - -SOMME. - -5. The 28th Reserve Division was brought back to the Somme at Thiepval -about October 5; it was in action until the end of October and lost -heavily. On the one day of October 24 the 9th Company of the 111th -Reserve Infantry Regiment noted the arrival of 134 men as replacements. - - -MEUSE (AVOCOURT). - -Relieved about October 28, the division was sent to the Stenay area and -reorganized. - -Beginning of November, it occupied, at Verdun, the Avocourt sector at -Hill 304. - - - 1917. - -1. On the Avocourt front the 28th Reserve Division took part in a few -local engagements. It left this sector between April 7 and April 15. - - -CALIFORNIE PLATEAU. - -2. Concentrated in the area northwest of Montfaucon, the division -entrained about April 16 at Brieulles sur Meuse, Dun, Romagne and was -transferred to Rozoy sur Serre; from there it marched to the sector east -of Californie Plateau (Apr. 21). It underwent the French attack of May -4, which caused it heavy losses. Elements of the division lost very -heavily counterattacking on the days following. - -3. The division was relieved on May 18 and reorganized hastily -(replacements of 1,100 men including 25 per cent of the 1918 class and -men from the 626th Infantry Regiment dissolved). It was sent to Verdun -to the Talou sector on May 20. - - -VERDUN. - -4. The division, weakened by an epidemic of dysentery, was withdrawn -from the front on July 8 and sent to rest in the area of Marville-Jametz -until the beginning of August. - -5. It went back into line at this date, on the right bank of the Meuse -(Talou, Hill 344). It lost very heavily from the French attack of August -20 (47 officers and 1,150 men as prisoners) and was relieved on August -30. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -6. At the beginning of September it occupied the sector of Ville sur -Tourbe in Champagne. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 28th Reserve Division is recruited mostly from Baden. In addition, -there are men from Rhenish-Hesse and the Rhine districts. There was also -a small number of men from the 4th Corps District (1918 class). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The combat value of the 28th Reserve Division appears mediocre. - -During the entire time that it spent on the Somme (October, 1914-July, -1916), the division remained on the defensive. - -Having lost very heavily on the Somme, it showed no great activity on -the Somme (August-October, 1916). - -On the Californie Plateau (May, 1917), the 28th Reserve Division -appeared very much inferior to the guard. - -At Hill 344 (Aug. 20), the attitude of the regiments of the 28th Reserve -Division was rather passive, and the resistance was quite weak. - - - 1918. - -1. The division was relieved south of Beine (Champagne) on February 16. -It entrained on the following day for Cartignies, near Avesnes, where it -underwent training for offensive operations. It remained there until the -14th of March, when it commenced to march by night to the front via -Etreux-Fresnoy-Le Nouvion-Wassigny-Essigny le Petit Remancourt, arriving -in line on March 20. - - -BATTLE OF THE SOMME. - -2. The division was in the front line of the attack at Fayet on the -21st. On the 23d it passed through Savy and reached Vaux. On the 26th it -passed through Parvillers and Erches, proceeding on the 27th via Warsy -to Becquigny. The division distinguished itself in the fighting, though -at a heavy cost. Some companies are known to have lost 75 per cent of -their effectives. When withdrawn from the front line on March 29, the -division was held in reserve on the front at Davenscourt, Warsy, and -Gruny until April 17. Two thousand five hundred men, with a large -percentage of the 1919 class, were received at this time as -reinforcements. - - -BATTLE OF THE AISNE. - -3. The division rested in the Avesnes-Maubeuge area until May 22, when -it marched via Marle-Ste. Preuve-Montaigu May 22–27. The division was -used as an attack division to break through on the Aisne front. It -attacked southwest of Craonne on the 27th and advanced by Corbeny, -southwest of Craonne, Merval, east of Fismes, Treloup (30th) and -Jaulgonne. Prince von Buchau, the divisional commander, was killed on -May 30. In the advance to the Marne the division covered 60 kilometers. - - -CHATEAU THIERRY. - -4. The division was out of line June 3 to 7. On the 8th, it reentered -line before Bouresches (west of Chateau Thierry) where it opposed the 2d -United States Division until July 3. Heavy losses were received in the -fighting in the Bois Belleu on June 10–11. The division received a draft -of 200 men in June. The division was withdrawn on July 3 and rested -southwest of Soissons from July 7 to 18. - - -SOISSONS. - -5. It was alerted on July 18 and engaged south of Soissons (Berzy- -Courmelles) on the next day. It was heavily engaged until August 1, when -it entrained north of Laon and moved to north of Vouziers on August 1. -Here the division rested until the middle of August. A draft of 400 men -was received early in August. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -6. The division was engaged in the sector north of Mesnil les Hurlus -about August 20 until the end of the month, when it was withdrawn. - -7. After leaving the line at Tahure the division was shifted back and -forth behind the Argonne and Meuse sectors ready to be thrust into line. -It was moved from Juniville to Longuyon on September 5 and stayed at St. -Jean les Buzy (west of Conflans) until the 26th. From there it moved to -the Damvillers region, and on October 1 was sent to Milly and Villers -devant Dun. - - -MEUSE-ARGONNE. - -8. The division was engaged near Cunel from October 3 to 18, when it was -withdrawn to Stenay where it received replacements. The company strength -was brought up to 40–50 men. On the 24th it was again in line near -Bantheville and continued in to the end. It fell back north of Villers -devant Dun on November 1–2, where it was last identified. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as first class. It was one of the best of the -German divisions. It was used as an assault division in the Somme and -Aisne offensives and met with great success. Following the attack it -received in June in the Bois de Belleu, the division was not seriously -engaged until it was thrown in the Argonne in an effort to stop the -American advance. Its morale remained high up to the last though its -effectives dwindled. - - - - - 29th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │57. │113. │57. │113. │57. │113. - │ │114. │ │114. │ │114. - │58. │112. │58. │112. │58. │112. - │ │142. │ │142. │ │142. - │84. │169. │84. │169. │ │ - │ │170. │ │170. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │22 Drag. │ │5th Jag. z. Pf. - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │29 Brig. │29 Brig. │29 Brig. - │30 Regt. │30 Regt. │30 Regt. - │76 Regt. │76 Regt. │76 Regt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. No. 14. │1 Pion. No. 14. - Liaison. │ │ │ - │ │Field Co. 14 Pion. │2 Co. 14 Pion. - │ │29 Tel. Detch. │29 T. M. Co. - │ │29 Pont. Engs. │29 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │29 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │29 Div. M. G. Co. - │ │ │60 Labor Btn. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │58. │112. │58. │112. - │ │113. │ │113. - │ │142. │ │142. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │4 Sq. 5th Jag. z. │4 Sqn. 5 Horse Jag. - │ Pf. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │29 Art. Command: │29 Art. Command: - │ 30 Regt. │ 30 F. A. Regt. - │ │ 2 Abt. 9 Res. Ft. - │ │ A. Regt. - │ │ 734 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 827 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 932 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│130 Pion. Btn. │130 Pion. Btn. - Liaison. │ │ - │1 and 5 14 Pion. │1 Co. 14 Pion. - │29 T. M. Co. │5 Co. 14 Pion. - │29 Tel. Detch. │29 T. M. Co. - │ │185 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │29 Signal Command: - │ │ 29 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 31 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │36 Ambulance Co. │36 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │263, 266 Field │263 Field Hospital. - │ Hospitals. │ - │29 Vet. Hospital. │266 Field Hospital. - │ │29 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │562 Light Mun. Col.│562 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (14th Corps District—Southern part Grand Duchy of Baden and Upper - Alsace.) - - - 1914. - - -ALSACE-LORRAINE. - -1. The 29th Division is a division of Baden, like the 28th, with which -it formed the 14th Army Corps. Entering the campaign with its three -brigades, it fought at Mulhouse on August 9, 1914. On August 14 taken to -the right bank of the Rhine, it entrained for Zabern and took part in -the battle of the 20th, after which it crossed the French frontier of -Lorraine. Suffering heavily on the Meurthe, it retired to Dieuze, from -which place it was sent to the front at La Haye west of Pont a Mousson. - - -ARTOIS. - -2. It was transferred to the area north of Arras at the beginning of -October, 1914 (front of La Bassee, Ablain, St. Nazaire). - - - 1915. - - -ARTOIS. - -1. From October, 1914, to May, 1915, all the regiments of the 29th -Division suffered heavy losses on the plateau of Notre Dame de Lorette. -On January 28, 1915, the 3d Company of the 196th Infantry Regiment had -only 38 men left (letter). The 58th Brigade, especially, which contained -a greater number of Alsace-Lorrainers than the others, lost very heavily -in the course of this winter. At the end of November, 1914, the 142d -Infantry Regiment had already had casualties of 44 officers and 2,603 -men. On February 24, 1915, the 2d Company of the 142d Infantry Regiment -had already received 358 men as successive replacements. But it was from -May 8 to 13 that the regiments of the division suffered most heavily -(1,000 men of the 114th Infantry Regiment). In March the 84th Brigade -was taken from the 28th Division and transferred to the 52d Division (a -new formation). - -2. About May 15 the division was withdrawn from the front and sent to -the area of Lens, Pont a Vendin, Henin-Lietard. - -3. Sent back into line about May 25 (Souchez-Fond de Buval-Chateau de -Carleul), it again suffered heavy losses. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -4. The division was again relieved about June 13 and sent northeast of -Rheims (sector between the Sillery-Beine road and Prosne), on June 18. -It held these lines until the beginning of November. - -5. During its stay in the Rheims area, the 29th Division sent one -battalion of the 113th Infantry Regiment into the Champagne battle. - -6. On October 19 and 20 the 112th and 142d Infantry Regiments attempted -a gas attack upon the sector La Pompelle-Prosnes. During this period -(June to November, 1915) the losses of the division were insignificant. - -7. About November 10 the 29th Division left this sector to go farther -east, to the Tahure-Butte du Mesnil (Nov. 23). It occupied this sector -until the end of September, 1916. - - - 1916. - -1. During the entire winter of 1915–16 the 29th Division held the front -of Tahure-Butte du Mesnil without any notable action. In the course of -their period of rest in the Vouziers area its battalions continued their -training. - - -SOMME. - -2. At the end of September, the division was transferred to the Somme. -After this time the two divisions of the 14th Army Corps seemed to have -become “flying divisions.” The 114th Infantry Regiment was withdrawn -from the division and assigned to the 212th Division, later to 199th -Division. - -3. On October 4 the 29th Division went into action on the Somme east of -Cléry. It was retained in this area until the beginning of February, -1917. On January 31, its regiments, each of which contained four -battalions since the autumn of 1916, were reduced to three, the men of -the 4th battalion being assigned to the other three. - - - 1917. - -1. On February 15, 1917, the 29th Division was sent to rest north of St. -Quentin, where it worked on the Hindenburg line. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. Transferred to the Rethel area on April 1, it was engaged south of -Nauroy (west of Cornillet) on the 17th, where it lost heavily. It was -relieved about April 20 and filled up with men of the 1918 class and of -the 626th Infantry Regiment, dissolved at the end of April. - -3. From May 10 until about the middle of June, it occupied the sector of -Tahure-Butte du Mesnil. - -4. About June 14 it was sent to the rear and rested in the area east of -Vouziers-Attigny. The three regiments were filled up with important -replacements (men of the 1918 class and the last of the 1917 class -incorporated in the army in October, 1916). - - -VERDUN. - -5. About July 10–12, the 29th Division entrained for the Verdun front -and was sent into the sector of Avocourt wood. It underwent the French -attack the 17th which caused it great losses. - -6. On August 1 the 29th Division launched an attack to retake the -positions lost on the 17th. Taken to the rear at the beginning of -August, it was again engaged at the time of the French offensive of -August 20 and counter attacked unsuccessfully (west of Hill 304) -suffering heavy losses. - -7. Relieved on October 24–25, it went to rest in the area of Joeuf -(Landres, St. Georges, and vicinity), where it was reorganized. The -gravity of its losses caused conscripts of the 1918 class called out in -June, having only two months’ instruction, to be sent to it (5th company -of the 142d Infantry Regiment for example). - -8. About October 6, the division went back into line on the right bank -of the Meuse (north of Hill 344). It remained there until the last of -December. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 29th Division is recruited almost exclusively in Baden, the regional -character being accentuated by the return of the men from the 14th Corps -District who had been serving in the regiments of the 4th Corps -District. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Until the attacks of April, 1917, the 29th Division was considered a -good division, well trained and well officered. The cohesion of the -troops appears to have suffered from the large proportion of raw -replacements, in consequence of their losses. - -On August 21, 1917, the 142d Infantry Regiment launched a counter attack -(west of Hill 304) which failed because of lack of cohesion and liaison -between the different units and because of the heavy losses caused by -the French machine guns. - - - 1918. - - -VERDUN. - -1. The division held the Beaumont sector until about April 1, when it -was relieved by the 19th Ersatz Division. It rested in the Montmedy- -Virton area (Meix) from April 6 to 25. The division was high in -effectives at this time, the companies averaging 180 to 200 men. - -2. On April 25–28 the division was railed to Belgium via Sedan- -Charleville-Namur-Bruxelles-Courtrai. It marched to Wervieq, rested -there until April 30 and marched into line northeast of Mount Kemmel on -the night of May 1–2. - - -LYS. - -3. The division was in line until May 15 at Kemmel. Losses from -artillery fire were considerable. It was relieved by the 8th Division -and rested at Oostroosebeke (north of Courtrai) until June 14. - -4. On the night of the 14–15, the division entered line east of -Langemarck, relieving the 49th Reserve Division. On July 15, the 49th -Reserve Division returned and relieved the 29th Division, which rested -near Gits (Roulers) until the 25th. Then it entrained and moved to the -Laon district, detraining at Malmaison. From there the division was -taken in trucks on the Vesle front. - - -AISNE. - -5. It held the Courlaudon sector (east of Fismes) from August 1 to 31, -when it retreated to the Aisne (Maizy). It was withdrawn about September -8. It rested near Laon until the 15th, when it was reengaged north of -the Aisne (Allemant) from September 16 to 24. It retreated behind the -Ailette Canal (east of Anizy and Chavignon) and was relieved on October -1. - -6. The division left Laon on October 2 and was brought by rail and truck -to Fresnoy le Grand, coming into line on October 6 in that area. On the -7th and 8th French attacks forced the division to withdraw by Croix -Fonsomme, Seboncourt. On the 13th the division was relieved by elements -of the 81st Reserve Division and held in rear of the line. On the 18th -it was reengaged south of Le Cateau (Ribeauville). In November the -division retreated on the axes Fresmy, Prisches, in the direction of -Avesnes, where it was last identified on November 7. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as first class. In 1918 it was used to hold -active defensive sectors. In the middle of October its effectives had -greatly diminished. - - - - - 29th Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │29 │28 Ldw. │29 │28 Ldw. │29 Ldw. │28 Ldw. - │ (Mixed)│ │ (Mixed)│ │ │ - │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. │ │ │ - │ │29 Ldw. │ │29 Ldw. │ │29 Ldw. - │ │ │ │ (427). │ │ - │ │ │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │ │5 Sqn. 8 Uhlan Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │1 Ldst. Btry. 8 │247 Rgt. │247 Art. Command. - │ Corps. │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │ │Pion. Bn. - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ │182 T. M. Co. - │ │ │289 Wireless. - │ │ │302 Wireless. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │Field Hospital. - │ │ │Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │11th Ldst. Bn. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │ │ │29 Ldw. │28 Ldw. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │29 Ldw. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ (?) - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │4 Sqn. 8 Uhlan Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │ │ (?) - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │ (?) - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │555 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │327 Field Hospital. - │ │140 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (8th Corps District—Rhine Province.) - - - 1915. - -1. The 29th Landwehr Division was formed from the 29th Landwehr Brigade. -The latter was transformed into a division on the Russian Front about -November 1917. - - -FRANCE. - -2. Entering Belgium on August 20, 1914, at Charleroi on the 31st, at -Berry au Bac at the end of September, then attached to the 18th Army -Corps north of St. Quentin, then to the 14th Reserve Corps, the 29th -Landwehr Brigade was transferred to the Eastern Front at the end of -March, 1915. In April and May it was in Poland south of Rawa; it was -then attached to the Posen Corps (9th Corps). - - -COURLAND. - -3. The German offensive in the summer of 1915 sent the 28th Landwehr -Regiment to Courland (vicinity of Toukkoum, in August). This regiment -took up its position in October in the vicinity of Kalnzem (north of -Mitau). The 29th Landwehr Regiment, after taking part in the operations -at Vilna, was brought to the east of Olai, in October, and rejoined the -28th Landwehr Regiment in the vicinity of Kalnzem, at the beginning of -November. - - - 1916. - - -COURLAND. - -1. The 29th Landwehr Brigade remained on the Mitau Front (Kalnzem- -Chmarden) during the whole of the year 1916 and until March, 1917. It -then formed a part of the Winecken detachment. In October it received a -new regiment, the 427th Infantry Regiment, which was taken from it in -January, 1917. - - - 1917. - - -COURLAND. - -1. About the middle of March, 1917, the 29th Landwehr Brigade was -relieved north of Mitau and sent west of Jakobstadt. It appears to be in -reserve in this sector at the time of the operations against Riga. It -then came into line north of Kreuzburg (vicinity of Jakobstadt). - -2. About the month of November the 29th Landwehr Brigade was transformed -into the 29th Landwehr Division, which did not prevent the taking of men -from the division to reinforce its neighbor, the 77th Reserve Division. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -On the Russian Front since 1914, the elements of the 29th Landwehr -Division can have only a mediocre combat value. - - - 1918. - - -ESTHONIA. - -1. The 29th Landwehr Division occupied a very extended sector north of -Kreuzburg until March, 1918. The division was sent then to the Polotsk- -Vitebsk region and then to the Baltic Provinces. It was in Esthonia at -the beginning of May; to the west of Reval early in June. “I have been -in Esthonia three weeks now for guard duty,” a man wrote on May 19. The -division was identified here several times subsequently, the last -identification being on the 5th of September. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - 30th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │60. │99. │60. │99. │60. │99. - │ │143. │ │143. │ │105. - │ │ │ │ │ │ . - │85. │105. │85. │105. │ │143. - │ │136. │ │136. │ │ - │ 8 Jag. Bn. │ │ │ │ - │ 14 Jag. Bn. │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Jag. z. Pf. │ │8 Res. Hussars (2 - │ │ │ Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │30 Brig. │30 Brig. │30 Brig. - │51 Regt. │51 Regt. │51 Regt. - │84 Regt. │84 Regt. │84 Regt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. No. 15. │1 Pion. No. 15. - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │Fld. Co. 15 Pion. │1 Co. 15 Pion. - │ │30 Pont. Engs. │30 T. M. Co. - │ │30 Tel. Detch. │30 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │30 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │30 Antiaircraft - │ │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │60. │99. │68. │99. - │ │105. │ │105 - │ │ │ │ (Saxon). - │ │143. │ │143. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │8 Res. Hussars (?).│5 Sqn. 7 Drag. Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │30 Art. Command: │30 Art. Command: - │ 84 Regt. │ 84 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 10 Bav. Ft. A. - │ │ Btn. - │ │ 885 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1369 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1394 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│131 Pion. Bn. │15 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │1, 5/15 Pion. │ 1 Co. 15 Pions. - │30 T. M. Co. │ 5. Co. 15 Pions. - │30 Tel. Detch. │ 182 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │ 30 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 161 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - │ │30 Signal Command. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │37 and 39 Ambulance│30 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ Cos. │ - │Field Hospital. │275 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │276 Field Hospital. - │ │30 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │Light Mun. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │30 Antiaircraft │ - │ Detch. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (15th Corps—District, Alsace.) - - - 1914. - - -ALSACE-LORRAINE. - -The 30th Division constituted the 15th Army Corps (Strassburg) with the -39th Division. - -1. At the beginning of the campaign the 30th Division formed a part of -the 7th Army (Von Heeringen). Entraining on August 8, 1914, for Upper -Alsace, it fought there until the 13th. It was transferred from there to -south of Sarreburg and crossed the French frontier after the battle of -the 20th. It advanced by way of Raon l’Étape across the Meurthe. At the -beginning of September it was concentrated near Avricourt and went to -Tergnier; from there to Craonne and Hurtebise. It fought there from the -middle of September to the middle of October. - -2. Concentrated at Laon on October 20, the 30th Division (as well as the -39th Division) arrived on the Lys on the 29th. - - -FLANDERS. - -3. The 15th Army Corps, now a part of the 6th Army, went into action -southeast of Ypres, an area in which it remained for almost 15 months -(October, 1914-January. 1916). - - - 1915. - - -FLANDERS. - -1. Before our attacks of 1915, the 30th Division was attached, with the -15th Army Corps to the 4th Army. It went into action south of Ypres. - -The 136th Infantry Regiment left it in April and became a part of the -115th Division (a new formation). - - - 1916. - - -VERDUN. - -1. Toward the end of January, 1916, elements of the 30th Division were -transferred to Verdun to take part in the February offensive. - -2. On February 24 the 15th Army Corps, which was on the western wing of -the German attacking forces, went into action on the front of Maucourt- -Warcq. - -3. The regiments of the 30th Division suffered slightly during this -period, the battle having been less intense in the Woëvre. Only the -105th Infantry Regiment, in action as a reenforcement of the 3d Army -Corps, suffered very heavy losses. - -4. The 30th Division was not relieved after the battles of February and -the beginning of March. It remained in the sector and, on July 11, the -99th and 143d Infantry Regiments took part in a new offensive. On August -8 the 143d Infantry Regiment attacked the works of Thiaumont and was -decimated. At this time the regiments were filled from day to day by -irregular replacements. (Between July 7 and 19 more than 136 men were -sent to the 11th Company of the 99th Infantry Regiment.) - - -SOMME. - -5. About the end of September the 30th Division was relieved and sent to -rest in the Cambrai area. It went into line a short time afterwards, on -the Somme at Sailly Saillisel and remained there one month. It again -lost very heavily (the 143d Infantry Regiment lost half of its -effectives). - -6. Relieved at the end of November, the 30th Division was sent back to -the Verdun front. - - -MEUSE. - -7. After a rest near Dun sur Meuse, it went into line in the vicinity of -the Mort Homme, then of the Côte du Poivre and east of Louvemont (from -Dec. 15 to the end of January, 1917) without taking part there in any -important offensive or defensive engagement. - - - 1917. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. On March 1, 1917, it went into line in the sector east of Auberive -and was still there at the time of our spring offensive in Champagne. It -underwent this attack at the beginning of May and occupied the sector -until the middle of August. During this time, between April 17–20 and -the beginning of May, 1917, the losses of the 30th Division were very -great. The effectives of the 105th Infantry Regiment were reduced to 400 -men; this regiment had to be reorganized in the Argonne. - - -MEUSE. - -2. About August 25 the 30th Division was again transferred to the Meuse -and occupied the trenches in the vicinity of Forges-Bethincourt, where -its losses were slight. - - -CAMBRAI. - -3. About October 24 the division was relieved. The British attack on the -Cambrai front on November 20 caused it to be recalled in haste. It was -sent into line on the 23d, and remained there until about December 10. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -4. At rest in the Sedan area, it was sent to the Champagne front, -northwest of Auberive, about the middle of January, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -Of the three regiments of the division, one, the 105th Infantry -Regiment, is Saxon. Stationed in Alsace since 1871, it has represented -Saxony in the occupation of the Reichsland, and continues to draw its -recruits from Saxony. The other two, Prussian, are composed mostly of -Westphalians. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 30th Division is a good division and well commanded. - -The morale, which is good in the 99th and 143d Infantry Regiments, would -seem to be mediocre in the 105th Infantry Regiment (Saxon) in November, -1917. - -This last regiment, very much exhausted on April 17, 1917, was accused -by the other regiments of having given way. It was withdrawn from the -division for a month. - - - 1918. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. The middle of January the 30th Division relieved the 28th Reserve -Division near Ville sur Tourbe; it was relieved about the 20th of March -by the 52d Reserve Division, entrained near Vouziers and traveled via -Hirson and Marle to the area northwest of Laon. - - -MONTDIDIER. - -2. On the 27th it left and marched via Achery-Vendeuil-Jussy-Flavy le -Meldeux, Freniches-Libermont-Solente-Gruny, reaching Framicourt on the -12th of April, and entered line the following day south of Cantigny -(west of Montdidier). It was withdrawn on May 16. - -3. The division had suffered casualties amounting to 30 per cent of its -total effectives, and so when it was withdrawn, it moved to the region -south of Roye to refit. Here each company received between 40 and 50 -1919-class recruits, after which the division was trained. On June 12 it -reinforced the front near Courcelles (south of Montdidier). It suffered -heavy losses in the fighting that followed, and was withdrawn about the -22d. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -4. During the night of June 28–29 the division relieved the 1st Bavarian -Division astride the Souain-Sommey road. It seems to have been “leap- -frogged” by the 2d Bavarian Division on the 15th—the opening day of the -Champagne offensive—but it relieved the 2d Bavarian Division on the -19th. It was relieved by the 22d Division on August 10, and went to rest -in the Lens area. - - -CAMBRAI. - -5. On the 23d of September it left and moved to the Cambrai area, where -it arrived the following day. On the 27th it reenforced the battle front -south of Villers Guislain (south of Cambrai). It was pushed back -steadily in the ensuing weeks, and was withdrawn about the 28th of -October, southeast of Englefontaine (south of Quesnoy), and went to rest -in Maubeuge. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -Until this year the 30th had always been considered a first-class -division. During 1918, however, it was not used nearly so much as other -shock units. The fact that, although it was in line only a fortnight -after more than a month’s rest, it was not used in the attack of July 15 -in Champagne, but was put back into line as soon as it was seen that the -offensive there was a failure, is significant. It would seem that the -German High Command considered it as only a second-class division. - - - - - 30th Bavarian Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │84 Ldw. │70 Res. │5 Bav. │2 Bav. │5 Bav. │2 Bav. - │ │ │ Ers. │ Ers. │ Ers. │ Ers. - │5 Bav. │7 and 8 │ │4 Bav. │ │4 Bav. - │ Ers. │ Brig. │ │ Ers. │ │ Ers. - │ │ Res. │ │ │ │ - │ │ Bn. │ │ │ │ - │10 Bav. │11 Bav. │10 Bav. │11 Bav. │10 Bav. │11 Bav. - │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Ers. │ Res. - │ │14 Bav. │ │14 Bav. │ │14 Bav. - │ │ Res. │ │ Res. │ │ Res. - │ │ │84 Ldw. │70 Res. │84 Ldw. │70 Res. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │9 Res. Hus. │9 Res. Hus. │9 Res. Hus. - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │1st Frs. Abt. 13, │239 F. A. Rgt. │239 F. A. Rgt. - │ 31, and 80 F. │ │ - │A. Regts. │ │252 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │1 Mountain F. A. - │ │ │ Abt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│4 Co. 15 Pions. │4 Co. 15 Pions. │2 Ldw. Co. 15 Corps - Liaisons. │ │ │ Pions. - │2 Ldw. Co. 15 Corps│2 Ldw. Co. 15 Corps│249 Pion. Co. - │ Pions. │ Pions. │ - │ │ │88 Res. Pion. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │230 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Odd Units. │ │30 Res. Cyc. Co. │30 Res. Cyc. Co. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │1st Ldst. Btn. │ │1 Ldst. Btn. - │ Kempton. │ │ Passau, 1st Bav. - │ │ │ Corps No. 5. - │1st Bav. Corps No. │ │1 Ldst. Btn. - │ 13. │ │ Mindelheim, 1 - │ │ │ Bav. Corps No. - │ │ │ 14. - │ │ │1st Ldst. Btn. - │ │ │ Neustadt, 2 Bav. - │ │ │ Corps No. 4. - │ │ │1 Ldst. Btn. - │ │ │ Eisenach, 11 - │ │ │ Corps No. 12. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │5 Bav. │8 Bav. │5 Bav. │8 Bav. - │ Ers. │ Ldw. │ Ers. │ Ldw. - │ │15 Bav. │ │15 Bav. - │ │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │4 Bav. │ │4 Bav. - │ │ Ers. │ │ Ers. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2d Sq. 9 Res. Hus. │1 Sq. 1 Bav. Res. - │ │ Cav. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │8 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │4 Bav. F. A. Rgt. - │ (Elements). │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│22 Bav. Pion. Btn. │22 Bav. Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │13 Bav. Res. Pion. │ 13 Bav. Res. Pion. - │ Co. │ Co. - │5 Bav. Ldw. Pion. │ 5 Bav. Ldw. Pion. - │ Co. │ Co. - │230 T. M. Co. │ 22 Bav. - │ │ Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │430 Bav. Tel. │430 Signal Command: - │ Detch. │ - │ │ 430 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │23 Bav. Ambulance │23 Bav. Ambulance - Veterinary.│ Co. │ Co. - │5 Bav. Field │5 Bav. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │30 Bav. Vet. │36 Bav. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │Light Mun. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Odd Units. │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │54 Ldst. Foot Art. │ - │ Vtn. │ - │ │ - │2d Btry/5 Bav. F. │ - │ A. Rgt. │ - │ │ - │ │ - │4 Btry/5 Bav. F. A.│ - │ Regt. │ - │ │ - │9 Btry/5 Bav. F. A.│ - │ Rgt. │ - │ │ - │1 Ldst. Btn. │ - │ Bruchsal, 14 │ - │ Corps No. 3. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Bavaria.) - - - 1914. - - -ALSACE. - -1. The 30th Bavarian Reserve Division, constituted in August, 1914, half -of Prussian and half of Bavarian troops, operated in the Vosges -beginning with August 17, and entered St. Dié on the 27th. - -In 1915, with the 39th Reserve Division, formed after it, it made up the -Eberhardt Corps, since then the 15th Reserve Corps. These 2 divisions -comprised a total of 25 battalions, reserve units, Landwehr or Ersatz, -Bavarian for the most part, to which were subordinated Landsturm -Battalions. - -They were scattered, after the retirement of the first part of -September, 1914, among the valleys of the Plaine and the Liepvrette -(Ste. Marie aux Mines). - -The predominance of Bavarian troops in these Divisions had the effect of -causing both to be officially called Bavarian. As a matter of fact, they -were afterwards almost exclusively filled by Bavarian contingents. - - - 1915. - -1. In 1915 the 30th Bavarian Reserve Division continued to occupy the -same sector of the Vosges, south of the valley of the Plaine. It -remained there until May, 1917. The 39th Bavarian Reserve Division was -at its left, holding the lines as far as Ste. Marie aux Mines. - -2. In the spring of 1915, the Brigade Ersatz Battalions of the divisions -were grouped into regiments and became the 2d and 4th Bavarian Ersatz -Regiments, forming the 5th Bavarian Ersatz Brigade. - -3. The two Brigades of the 30th Bavarian Reserve Division took an active -part in the battles of La Fontenelle in June and July, 1915. - - - 1916. - -1. Vosges sector (south of the Valley of the Plaine, Senones, Le Ban-de- -Sapt). - -2. In October, 1916, the 11th and 14th Bavarian Reserve Regiments went -to the 1st Bavarian Landwehr Division and to the 9th Bavarian Reserve -Division. - -The 30th Bavarian Reserve Division received, in November, the 8th -Bavarian Landwehr Regiment from the 1st Bavarian Landwehr Division, and -in December the 15th Bavarian Landwehr Regiment, taken from the 39th -Bavarian Division, which received the 2d Bavarian Ersatz Regiment in -exchange. - - - 1917. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. In April, 1917, the 30th Bavarian Reserve Division was relieved from -the Vosges sector, which it had occupied since its formation, and sent -into line on the Lorraine front (sector of the Seille). - -2. At the end of October, it was transferred to Upper Alsace (north of -the Rhone-Rhine Canal), where it relieved the 3d Reserve Division. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 30th Bavarian Reserve Division is a sector division, as it has -occupied the front either in Lorraine or Alsace since its formation. Its -offensive value is mediocre. - -In the 8th Bavarian Landwehr and the 4th Bavarian Ersatz Regiments, the -average age of the men is 38 years. The men of the machine gun companies -are younger, according to the ordinary rule. In the 15th Bavarian -Landwehr Regiment the majority of the men are more than 30 years old. - -Each battalion of the 8th Bavarian Landwehr Regiment possesses an -assault troop composed of young men averaging 24 years of age. - -There is also a Divisional Assault Company. - - - 1918. - - -HAUTE ALSACE. - -1. The division remained in line north of the Rhine-Rhone Canal until -the armistice was signed. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division possesses very little fighting value. The men are, for the -most part, old, and the fathers of several children. Then, too, a great -many are those—untrained Landsturm—who usually, for physical defects, -were not inducted into the army when their classes were called to the -colors; these men complain of the hard work. Moreover, Bavarians came to -believe that Prussia was “using” them. It was found necessary to -establish shock detachments with each battalion, and these do all of the -necessary patrolling. - - - - - 31st Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │32. │70. │32. │70. │32. │70. - │ │174. │ │174. │ │174. - │62. │60. │62. │137. │ │166. - │ │137. │ │166. │ │ - │ │166. │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │7 Uhlan Rgt. │ │5 Sqn. 7 Uhlan Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │31 Brig.: │31 Brig.: │31 Brig.: - │ 31 F. A. Rgt. │ 31 F. A. Rgt. │ 31 F. A. Rgt. - │ 67 F. A. Rgt. │ 67 F. A. Rgt. │ 67 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. │1 Pion. Btn. No. - Liaisons. │ │ 27. │ 27. - │ │ Field Co. 27. │ 1 and 2 27 Pion. - │ │ Pion. │ - │ │ 31 Pont. Engs. │ 31 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ 31 Tel. Detch. │ 31 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ 31 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │Field Recruit Depot - │ │ │ 31 Div. - │ │ │153 Cyclist Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │32. │70. │32. │70. - │ │174. │ │166. - │ │166. │ │174. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │5 Sqn. 7 Uhlan Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │31 Art. Command: │31 Art. Command: - │ 31 F. A. Rgt. │ 31 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 44 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 1005 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1011 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1012 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│136 Pion. Btn.: │93 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Co. 27 Pion. │ 1 Co. 27 Pion. - │ │ - │ 31 T. M. Co. │ 3 Co. 32 Res. - │ │ Pion. - │ 505 Searchlight │ 31 T. M. Co. - │ Section. │ - │ 31 Tel. Detch. │ 40 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │31 Signal Command: - │ │ 31 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 116 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │262 Ambulance Co. │262 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Field Hospital. │326 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │333 Field Hospital. - │ │161 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │Light Mun. Col. │564 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │24 M. G. S. S. - │ │ Detch. - │ │2 and 3d Abt. 44 F. - │ │ A. Rgt. - │ │121 Ft. A. Rgt. - │ │1 Abt. 44 Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. - │ │2 Abt. 6 Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. - │ │1 Abt. 74 Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. - │ │134 Art. - │ │ Observation - │ │ Section. - │ │75 Sound Ranging - │ │ Detch. - │ │134 Balloon Sqn. - │ │105 Balloon Sqn. - │ │256 Reconnaissance - │ │ Flight. - │ │(Elements attached - │ │ May 15, 1918. - │ │ German document.) - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (21st Corps District—Lorraine, part of Lower Alsace, and southern - portion of the Rhine Province.) - - - 1914. - -Upon mobilization, the 31st Division, with the 42d Division, constituted -the 21st Army Corps. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. At the beginning of the war the 31st Division was a part of the 6th -Army (Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria). In August, 1914, it was on the -Lorraine frontier; on the 12th of August at Chateau Salins, Rechicourt. -It fought at Dieuze on August 20, where the 174th Infantry Regiment lost -half of its effectives. The division was at Luneville on the 23d, -marched upon Rehainviller, Gerbeviller on the 24th; at Rozelieure Essey -on the 26th; in the vicinity of Moyen-Domptail at the beginning of -September; it withdrew to Dieuze about September 11. - - -SOMME. - -2. Transferred to the vicinity of St. Quentin-Vermand, about September -18, the division occupied the vicinity of Fouquescourt on September 26 -and 27; attacked in the direction of Bouchoir on October 6. At the end -of October the division took over the front of Fouquescourt-Chaulnes and -kept it until the end of January, 1915. At this date the losses of the -174th Infantry Regiment, since the beginning of the war, amounted to 81 -officers and 3,521 men. (Official List of Casualties.) - - - 1915. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. About January 25, 1915, the 31st Division left the Somme for the -Eastern Front, leaving the 60th Infantry Regiment in France, and -detrained at Tilsit. - -2. Concentrated in Eastern Prussia, at the beginning of February, it was -a part of the Hindenburg Army. - -3. On February 14 it left the region of Augustowo to advance to the -east. It reached Sopockin on the 20th and took up its position with the -21st Army Corps on the line Sopockin-Chatbine (north of Grodno). On the -9th of March, in a counterattack of the Russians, it suffered heavy -losses. - -4. From March 29 to April 24 it took part in the battles in the vicinity -Kalwaria-Mariampol. - -5. At the end of April it was withdrawn from the front and reorganized. -From the time of its arrival in Russia until April 10, the first -battalion of the 166th Infantry Regiment had lost 17 officers and 1,022 -men, the 1st Company alone losing 5 officers and 336 men. - -6. At the end of July the division again occupied the lines near -Mariampol. - - -VILNA. - -7. In the month of August it took part in the offensive upon Vilna. It -advanced to Kovno on August 19, to Vilna at the end of September, and -reached the area Smorgoni-Soly, where it stopped in October. - -8. The division was relieved on October 6. It went back into line about -October 24, in the sector of Postawy-Lake Narotch. - - -NAROTCH. - -1. The 31st Division occupied the vicinity of Lake Narotch until its -departure for the Western Front in December, 1917. - -2. At the end of March, 1916, it opposed the Russian offensive in the -vicinity of this lake; it lost very heavily. - - - 1917. - - -BELGIUM. - -1. On December 5, 1917, it was relieved from the Russian front, and -after a few days rest at Vilna entrained for Belgium on December 16. -(Itinerary: Wirballen-Koenigsberg-Elbing-Dirschau-Ramberg (?) Aix la -Chapelle-Verviers.) It detrained about the 21st, in the vicinity of -Ghent and took up its position at the end of January, 1918 south of the -Ypres-Roulers line where it alternated with the 12th Reserve Division. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 31st Division is recruited mostly from the vicinity of Sarrebrucken -and St. Wendel in the Rhine Province. Most of the replacements are -furnished by Westphalia. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 31st Division was on the Russian front from February, 1915 to -December 1917. The quality is mediocre. - - - 1918. - - -YPRES. - -1. From January 19 to February 4 the division held the Moorslede sector -(south of Ypres-Roulers railway). The division rested until the 14th in -the vicinity of Lendelede. It relieved the 12th Reserve Division on the -14th in its old sector at Moorslede which it held until March 3, and -again from March 21 until April 4. - - -BATTLE OF THE LYS. - -2. About April 4 the division was withdrawn and marched to the Messines -front. The route lay through Menin, Werwicq, Comines, Warneton. It was -engaged on April 10 to 12 in the Bois de Ploegsteert. For its fighting -in this area the division was mentioned by the German communique of -April 13. From the 12th to the 17th, it was in second line. It fought -south and southwest of Kemmel from April 18 to 24 when it passed into -close support until the 26th. The division’s losses were large in this -severe engagement. The 3d Battalion of the 174th Regiment is known to -have lost from 60 to 70 per cent of its effectives. - -3. When relieved in the Kemmel area, the division rested north of -Tourcoing until May 6, undergoing reconstitution. It returned to line -north of Kemmel on the night of May 6–7, relieving the Alpine Corps. It -suffered heavily from the French attack of May 21, losing many -prisoners. It was relieved on May 24, and rested in the Courtrai-Menin -area until June 15. It was engaged in the sector south of Ypres from -June 15 until July 27. - - -WOEVRE. - -4. Following its arduous service on the Ypres front, the division was -moved to a quiet sector on the Woevre. It was moved from Belgium by way -of Brussels, Namur, Charleville, Sedan to Mars la Tour from where it -marched to the front and took over the St. Mihiel sector on July 29, -which it held until September 3. - - -BATTLE OF ST. MIHIEL. - -5. The division was resting in the area north of Dampvitoux when the -American attack was made on the St. Mihiel salient. It was brought into -line north of Thiaucourt on the 14th and held this sector until October -28. - - -MEUSE-ARGONNE. - -6. On the 31st, the division was engaged at Imecourt (northeast of -Grandpre) and took part in the final combats in that area. It was still -in line on November 11. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. In spite of its relatively low -quality it appears to have been used as an attack division in the Lys -offensive. The losses in the spring and the presence of numerous -Lorrainers in its composition lowered the value of the division after -May, 1918. - - - - - 32d Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │63. │102. │63. │102. │64. │102. - │ │103. │ │103. │ │177. - │64. │177. │64. │177. │ │103. - │ │178. │ │178. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │18 Hus. Rgt. │ │20 Hus. Rgt. (3 - │ │ │ Squadrons). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │32 Brig.: │32 Brig.: │32 Brig.: - │ 28 F. A. Rgt. │ 28 F. A. Rgt. │ 28 F. A. Rgt. - │ 64 F. A. Rgt. │ 64 F. A. Rgt. │ 64 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. │1 Pion. No. 12: - Liaisons. │ │ 12: │ - │ │ Field Co. 12 Pion.│ 2 Co. 12 Pion. - │ │ │ - │ │ 32 Pont. Engs. │ 32 T. M. Co. - │ │ 32 Tel. Detch. │ 32 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ 32 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │115 Labor Btn. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │63. │102. │63. │102. - │ │177. │ │103. - │ │103. │ │177. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 20 Hus. Rgt.│4 Sqn. 20 Hus. Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │32 Art. Command: │32 Art. Command: - │ 64 F. A. Rgt. │ 64 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 80 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 943 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1063 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1266 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│140 Pion. Btn.: │140 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 2 and 5 Cos. 12 │ 2 Co. 12 Pions. - │ Pion. │ - │ 32 T. M. Co. │ 5 Co. 12 Pions. - │ 32 Tel. Detch. │ 3 Res. Co. 12 - │ │ Pions. - │ │ 32 T. M. Co. - │ │ 220 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │32 Signal Command: - │ │ 32 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 20 (Saxon) - │ │ Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │28 Ambulance Co. │28 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │308 Field Hospital.│308 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │116 Field Hospital. - │ │32 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │Light Mun. Col. │565 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │61 M. G. │ - │ Sharpshooter │ - │ Detachment. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (12th Corps District—Saxony.) - - - 1914. - - -BELGIUM-MARNE. - -1. Upon the declaration of war the 32d Division, with the 23d Division, -formed the 12th Army Corps (1st Saxon Army Corps). On the night of -August 2, 1914, its 64th Brigade entrained for the frontier north of -Luxemburg to act as covering troops. The 32d Division was concentrated -there on the 10th and entered Belgium on the 13th. In August, it marched -with the 3d Army (von Hausen), fought on the right bank of the Meuse on -August 23 near Dinant, entered France, went into action on the 28th at -Signy l’Abbaye, and from there went down to Chalons. It took part in the -battle of the Marne to the left of the Guard at Lenharree on the extreme -right flank of the 6th Army and retired by way of Chalons, Mourmelon, -Betheniville to the northwest of Rheims. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. Reattached to the 7th Army (Von Heeringen), it took part in the -attacks in the vicinity of Rheims (northwest). - -3. When the front became stabilized it retained the sector of Berry au -Bac-Craonne and remained there until the month of July, 1915. - - - 1915. - - -AISNE. - -1. Sector Berry au Bac-Craonne. (During this period the losses of the -division were very small.) In April, 1915, the 178th Infantry Regiment -was taken from the 32d Division and assigned to the 123d Division (a new -formation). - - - 1916. - -1. Retained in the same calm sector and having taken part in no -important affair since October, 1914, the 32d Division retained its -combat value intact at the end of June, 1916. - - -SOMME. - -2. During the first days of the Franco-British offensive on the Somme -the 32d Division sent one battalion from reserve there, which went into -action from July 4 to July 7 in the vicinity of Belloy. - -3. Toward the end of July two of its regiments (102d and 103d Infantry -Regiments) helped to form (with elements from the 23d Division) the -provisional Franke Division, which fought on the Somme until September -10 (Deniecourt-Vermandovillers). The losses were very heavy. - -4. On the 4th of September the 177th Infantry Regiment was sent up in -its turn, but was in action only a few days in the vicinity of -Vermandovillers from September 4 to 10. Its losses were enormous (1,600 -men in 6 days). - -5. The Franke Division was withdrawn on September 10 and dissolved. - - -ARGONNE. - -6. The 32d Division, reformed (102d, 103d, 177th Infantry Regiments) and -reorganized, was sent north of Rheims and then to the Argonne (Four de -Paris and Avocourt wood). - - -SOMME. - -7. Relieved at the beginning of November, it entrained on the 3d and 4th -near Grandpre, detrained at Hirson, and on November 15 began to occupy -the sector between Bouchavesnes and northeast of Clery. - - - 1917. - -1. The 32d Division was retained in the Bouchavesnes sector until the -time of the German retirement in March, 1917. - -2. It left the Somme front at the end of March. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -3. After a period of rest in the vicinity of Sissonne, the division went -into action in the sector of Mont sans Nom (4 kilometers west of -Vaudesincourt on Apr. 17 and 18). Having lost heavily, the 3 regiments -were withdrawn on the 19th. - -4. On May 5 the division again went into line west of Tahure. - - -FLANDERS. - -5. About June 10 it was relieved, and after a few days of rest entrained -at Machault for Flanders. There it went into line near the Ypres-Menin -road. - -6. At the beginning of September it was withdrawn from the Ypres front -and sent to rest, then took over the sector Warneton-Messines and was -not relieved until the middle of January, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 32d Division is exclusively Saxon. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -In June, 1917, the morale of the division was very low because of the -losses suffered at Mont Haut. - -However, during the division’s stay in the Tahure sector from May to -June, 1917, there were only two desertions. - -Besides, Gen. von Der Decken is considered an energetic commander and it -is very probable that under his influence the morale has become more -satisfactory (September, 1917). - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF THE LYS. - -1. The division was relieved on January 15 by the 49th Reserve Division -and rested near Tournai until the beginning of March. It was railed to -Wambrechies and entered the line northwest of Lille about March 1. About -the 4th of April it was moved south and on April 9 was engaged at -Fleurbaix. It was withdrawn to rest on the 16th to Armentieres and -returned to line on the 18th, relieving the 117th Division. It was in -line until May 8, during which time it suffered heavy losses. A -replacement of 450 men was received on April 17. - -2. Relieved by the 35th Division, it rested in rear of the Lys front -until May 26, when it took over the sector west of Merville and held it -until the end of June. - - -WOEVRE. - -3. It was relieved about July 1 and railed to Lorraine, detraining near -Spincourt on July 4. About this time, the division received a draft of -1500 men. It was in line at Eix-Bezonveaux from July 15 to October 1, a -very quiet sector. The troops were marched to the rear on that date and -rested in the Eton-Loison area for two days. On the 3d the division -marched to Penard-Tilly, where it rested until the 5th, and on that -night marched to Breville. It came into line on October 9 on the right -bank of the Meuse, and was engaged in the Bois de Moirey region until -October 24. Losses were heavy, some companies being reduced to 15 men. -On November 3 the division reappeared in its former sector of Bezonvaux, -relieving the 106th A. H. D. It held this sector until the armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. It did well on the Lys in April, -but after that was not seriously engaged except for a few days in -October, when it was brought up to resist an American attack east of the -Meuse. In the fighting it did not distinguish itself. The morale of the -division was low in the latter half of 1918. - - - - - 33d Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │66. │98. │66. │98. │66. │98. - │ │130. │ │130. │ │130. - │67. │135. │67. │135. │67. │135. - │ │144. │ │144. │ │144. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │12 Jag. z. Pf. │ │4 Sqn. 12 Jag. z. - │ │ │ Pf. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │33 Brig.: │33 Brig.: │33 Brig.: - │ 33 Rgt. │ 33 Rgt. │ 33 Rgt. - │ 34 Rgt. │ 34 Rgt. │ 34 Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. │1 Pion. Btn. No. - Liaisons. │ │ 16: │ 16: - │ │ Field Co. 16 Pion.│ 1 Co. 16 Pion. - │ │ │ - │ │ 33 Tel. Detch. │ Field Co. 20 Pion. - │ │ │ - │ │ 33 Pont. Engs. │ 33 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ 33 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ 33 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │66. │98. │66. │98. - │ │135. │ │130. - │ │130. │ │135. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 12 Jag. z. │4 Sqn. 12 Horse - │ Pf. │ Jag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │33 Art. Command: │33 Art. Command: - │ 283 Rgt. │ 283 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 76 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 883 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1372 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1373 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│132 Pion. Btn.: │16 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 and 5 Cos. 16 │ 5 Co. 16 Pions. - │ Pion. │ - │ 1 Res. Co. 16 │ 1 Res. Co. 16 - │ Pion. │ Pion. - │ 33 T. M. Co. │ 34 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ (16) Searchlight │33 Signal Command: - │ Section. │ - │ 33 Tel. Detch. │ 33 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 74 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │42 Ambulance Co. │42 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │280, 282 Field │282 Field Hospital. - │ Hospitals. │ - │Vet. Hospital. │33 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │Light Mun. Col. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (16th Corps District—Lorraine.) - - - 1914. - -At the beginning of the war the 33d Division, with the 34th Division, -formed the 16th Army Corps (Metz). Reservists began arriving on July 29 -(Soldbuecher). - -1. At the outbreak of hostilities the 33d Division was a part of the 5th -Army (German Crown Prince). It invaded France by way of Audun le Roman, -went around by the north of Verdun, crossed the Meuse at Givry on -September 1 and advanced as far as Rambluzin and Heippes (20 kilometers -south of Verdun). - - -ARGONNE. - -2. After the battle of the Marne it took up its position in the Argonne. -Its advance had been costly. On September 24 the new commander of the -98th Infantry Regiment found it reduced 13 officers and 982 men -(document). - - - 1915. - - -ARGONNE. - -1. The 33d Division remained without interruption in the Argonne from -September, 1914, to about the middle of August, 1916. - - - 1916. - - -VERDUN. - -1. About August 10, 1916, the division was relieved from the Argonne -and, after a short rest behind the front, was sent into the line at -Verdun, east of Fleury. - -2. In this sector, the division lost rather heavily. It remained there -until the middle of September, at which time it took its place in the -sector Vauquois, giving the 144th Infantry Regiment to the 223d -Division, a new formation. - - -ARGONNE. - -3. During this latter period, which extended up to the middle of -December, the division was reorganized and absorbed the 4th Battalion, -suppressed, on October 31, in the 27th Landwehr Regiment. At the same -time, the 4th Battalions which the regiments of the division possessed, -were broken up. - - -SOMME. - -4. Transferred to the Somme about December 15, it there occupied the -sector east of Beaumont-Hamel and did not leave it until February 8, -1917. During these two months, its losses were rather serious. - - - 1917. - - -ARGONNE. - -1. Sent to rest in the Sedan area, the 33d Division went back into its -old sector Vauquois at the end of February, 1917. No important event -marks its stay in the Argonne after that time. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. On May 3, it was relieved and transferred to Champagne. It marched as -far as Pont Faverger and went into line at Cornillet and Mont Blond. It -took part in the battle on this front and suffered some losses (172 -prisoners from the 130th Infantry Regiment on May 20). - - -ARGONNE. - -3. Withdrawn from this region at the end of May, it was again sent to -the Argonne (Boureuilles-Vauquois), about June 7. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -4. At the end of September it came out of the Argonne, and about October -4 went to the area of Tahure, where it remained in line until February, -1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -Not being able to utilize the regional system of recruiting from annexed -Lorraine, the 33d Division is composed almost entirely of Westphalians -from the 7th Corps District. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 16th Army Corps, of which the 33d Division is a part, has always had -the reputation of being one of the best corps of the German Army. - -Although the 33d Division lost very heavily during the offensive of -April and May, 1917, it still appeared strong (October, 1917). - - - 1918. - -1. The division was relieved on January 4 by the 28th Reserve Division -and went to rest and train in the area northwest of Sedan. On March 14 -it was railed to the vicinity of Rozoy sur Serre and rested a week north -of Montcornet. From there the division proceeded by night marches via -Montcornet-Crecy sur Serre-Monceau le Neuf-Ribemont-Mezieres-Moy-ly -Fontaine-Gibercourt-Montescourt-Jussy-Flavy le Martel, where it arrived -on March 23. On the following night the division was billeted in -Villeselve and came into line astride the Ham-Noyon road on March 24. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -2. On the 25th the division fought its way through Noyon and on the -following days was engaged in heavy fighting about Suzoy and Mont -Renaud, which it failed to capture in spite of heavy sacrifices. It was -withdrawn on April 15. - -3. The division rested from April 15 to May 24 in the vicinity of Dercy, -Mortiers, Pierrepont, and Barenton sur Serre undergoing reconstitution. -It marched to the Aisne front by Coucy les Eppes, Bruyeres, and -Chamouille. - - -BATTLE OF THE AISNE. - -4. The division was engaged on May 27 in the front line of the attack -and advanced by Pancy, Courtecon, Verneuil, Pont-Arcy, Dhuizel, -Courcelles, Jouaignes (20th), Oulchy la Ville, south of Neuilly St. -Front, Dammard. In this last region losses were heavy on June 2. It was -relieved by the 78th Reserve Division on June 3. - - -SECOND BATTLE OF THE MARNE. - -5. The division rested south of Soissons from June 7 to July 11, when it -marched to the Marne front by Braisne, Fere en Tardenois, Foret de Ris. -It was in reserve on the 15th on the north of the Marne, west of -Dormans. On the 17th–18th it fell back on Beuvardes and Grisolles and -was engaged the next day southeast of Neuilly St. Front. In the heavy -fighting of the following days the division was thrown back south of -Oulchy le Chateau toward Fere en Tardenois (July 21–23). The division -withdrew until the Vesle was reached when it was relieved about July 31. - - -VERDUN. - -6. The division entrained southeast of Montcornet on August 6 and was -moved to Avocourt via Sedan-Charleville-Montmedy. It rested southeast of -Stenay until August 15. Replacements were received from the dissolved -33d Reserve Division in August. On August 21, the division entered line -near Ornes (north of Verdun) where it remained until the armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as first class. It was used as an assault -division in the Somme and Aisne offensives of 1918. It was disorganized -by its losses in the Marne retreat and never recovered its offensive -value. - - - - - 33d Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │66 Res. │67 Res. │66 Res. │67 Res. │66 Res. │67 Res. - │ │130 Res. │ │130 Res. │ │130 Res. - │8 Bav. │4 Bav. │8 Bav. │4 Bav. │8 Bav. │4 Bav. - │ │8 Bav. │ │8 Bav. │ │8 Bav. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Res. Hus. Rgt. (3│2 Res. Hus. Rgt. │2 Res. Hus. Rgt. - │ Sqns.). │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │4 Ers. Abts. of 33,│Ers. Abts. of 33, │33 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ 34, 69, 70 F. A. │ 34, 69, 70 F. A. │ - │ Rgts. │ Rgts. combined │ - │ │ into 33 Res. F. │ - │ │ A. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │3 Pion. Btn. No. │4 Field Co. 16 - Liaisons. │ │ 16: │ Pion. Btn.: - │ │ 1 Ers. Co. 20 │ 1 Ldw. Pion. Co 4, - │ │ Pion. │ corps. - │ │ 1 Ldw. Pion. Co. │ 233 T. M. Co. - │ │ 4, Corps. │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ 33 Res. Pont. │ 33 Pont. Engs. - │ │ Engs. │ - │ │ 33 Res. Tel. │ 33 Res. Tel. - │ │ Detch. │ Detch. - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Odd units. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │Battery of 8 Ft. A.│4 Anti-Aircraft - │ │ R. │ Detch. - │ │3 Abt. 18 Ft. A. R.│ - │ │ (elements). │ - │ │2 Btry. 8 Res. Ft. │ - │ │ A. R. │ - │ │1 and 2 Btries. 2 │ - │ │ Abt. 16 Ft. A. R.│ - │ │2 Abt. 2 Bav. Res. │ - │ │ Ft. A. R. │ - │ │ (elements). │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918[18] - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │66 Res. │67 Res. │66 Res. │364. - │ │130 Res. │ │67 Res. - │ │364. │ │130 Res. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 19 Hus. Rgt.│ - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │33 Res. F. A. Rgt. │33 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│233 Pion. Btn.: │333 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Ers. Co. 20 │ 333 Pion. Co. - │ Pion. │ - │ 1 Ldw. Co. 4 Pion.│ 1 Ldw. Co. 4 C. - │ │ Dist. Pions. (in - │ │ 3 Pion. Btn. No. - │ │ 16). - │ 233 T. M. Co. │ 14 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 14 Searchlight │ 233 T. M. Co. - │ Section. │ - │ 433 Tel. Detch. │ 433 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │274 Ambulance Co. │273 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │47 and 51 Field │51 Field Hospital. - │ Hospitals. │ - │Vet. Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │873 Light Mun. Col.│M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Odd units. │ │646 Supply Depot. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │47 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── -Footnote 18: - - Composition at the time of dissolution September, 1918. - - - HISTORY. - - (16th Corps District—Lorraine.) - - - 1914. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. Formed at Metz with the 8th Bavarian Brigade and the 66th Reserve -Brigade, the 33d Reserve Division was a part of the 5th Army (German -Crown Prince) at the outbreak of the war. In August, 1914, it took part -in the battles of Nomeny and went to Verdun by way of Gondrecourt, -Rouvres, Étain. On August 24 and 25 it was in action at Étain and -suffered heavily. On August 26 the 10th Company of the 8th Bavarian -Regiment had only 75 men left (notebook). - -At the beginning of September, it occupied both banks of the Moselle -south of Pont à Mousson, and about September 15 the vicinity of -Thiaucourt. - - -WOEVRE-LES ÉPARGES. - -2. At the end of September and the beginning of October it went back -into the sector South of Étain (Riaville, Bracquis). On October 8 the -8th Bavarian Brigade attacked Champlon and Fresnes; the 67th Reserve -Regiment attacked the Ville en Woëvre on October 9. After these battles, -the 33d Reserve Division took up its position on the Côtes de Meuse -(Combres, Les Éparges). - -3. In November the 66th Reserve Brigade was in Flanders—on the Yser -Canal from November 16 to 24, and left for Lorraine on November 25. - - - 1915. - - -CÔTES DE MEUSE. - -1. The 33d Reserve Division remained in line on the Côtes de Meuse until -the end of July, 1916. - -2. About January 17, 1915, elements of the 66th Reserve Brigade were -sent to the Bois le Pretre and suffered heavy losses. They rejoined the -division on the Côtes at the end of January. - - -LES EPARGES. - -3. From February to the end of April, 1915, the 33d Reserve Division -took part in the battles of Combres and of Les Éparges; it lost very -heavily there, especially in the actions of February 17 to 20. From -April 15 to May 1 no less than 140 men were sent as replacements to the -12th Company of the 67th Reserve Regiment. - -4. After reorganization the 33d Reserve Division went to the calmer -sector of Vaux les Palameix, Lamorville. - - -CALONNE. - -5. The division once more suffered heavy losses in the Calonne trench in -May, 1915. - -6. On July 17, 1915, the 130th Reserve Infantry Regiment was sent in -support of an attack on Les Éparges. After this period the 33d Reserve -Division occupied the sector south of Vaux les Palameix (Chevaliers -wood, Bouchot wood) without taking part in any important engagement. - - - 1916. - -1. On July 25, 1916, the division was relieved from the Côtes de Meuse -and sent to rest until August 25 in the area north of Briey. At this -time the 8th Bavarian Brigade was detached from the 33d Reserve Division -to serve in forming the 14th Bavarian Division and the 33d Reserve -Division was reorganized with three regiments, with the 66th Reserve -Brigade and the 364th Infantry Regiment (coming from the 8th Ersatz -Division). - - -VERDUN. - -2. On August 26 the division went into line on the front north of -Verdun, southwest of the fort of Vaux. It took part in the battles from -September 2 to 9 in the Vaux Chapitre wood and suffered very heavy -losses. The 12th Company of the 67th Reserve Infantry Regiment received -at least 142 men as replacements from September 13 to 21. - -3. After being reorganized the division underwent the French attack of -October 24, which again caused it considerable losses. Upon its relief -the 2d Battalion of the 130th Reserve Infantry Regiment was reduced to -45 combatants. (Notebook of an aspirant officer.) - -4. Withdrawn from the front on November 1, the 33d Reserve Division was -sent to rest and to be reorganized. It had suffered so heavily that -among the reenforcements at the beginning of 1917 we find untrained men -of the Landsturm II Ban. - - -LORRAINE. - -5. The division was then sent to Lorraine to the Blamont sector. - - - 1917. - -1. The division held the Lorraine front until March 10, 1917. - - -CHEMIN DES DAMES. - -2. After a month’s rest in the vicinity of Sarreburg, the 33d Reserve -Division was transferred to Marle (Apr. 16–19). On April 21 and 22 -elements of the division were distributed upon different points of the -Aisne front to replace the units exhausted by the French attack of April -16, and soon afterwards were regrouped north of Laffaux Mill. The 33d -Reserve Division suffered very heavy losses withstanding the French -attack of May 5 and counterattacking on the days following (May 5–7) -(1,000 prisoners); almost the entire 2d Battalion of the 67th Reserve -Infantry Regiment was captured. - -3. Withdrawn in part from the Aisne front on May 12, the 33d Division -again had some of its units in action between the Aisne Canal and -Laffaux Mill until May 23 (German attack of May 16, where the 130th -Reserve Infantry Regiment suffered heavy losses). - -4. At the end of May the 33d Reserve Division returned to the vicinity -of Sarreburg to rest and be reorganized. It received recruits not only -from the recruit depot of Beverloo, but also from the depot at Warsaw. - - -LORRAINE. - -5. About June 10 it again took over its former sector in Lorraine -(Blamont-Leintry). - - -VERDUN. - -6. On August 23 the division went into action on the Verdun front -(sector of Baumont-Chaume wood). It underwent the French attack of the -26th where it suffered heavily. It again had recourse to the Warsaw -recruit depot which sent it, among other reenforcements, untrained men -of the Landsturm second Ban. - -7. Relieved about September 10, the 33d Reserve Division was transferred -to Galicia by way of Metz, Frankfort, Erfurt, Dresden, Breslau, Cracow. - - -GALICIA. - -8. It was identified in Galicia at the beginning of October. - - - RECRUITING. - -After the 8th Bavarian Brigade was withdrawn the 33d Reserve Division -was exclusively Prussian. Its regiments were recruited almost entirely -from the Rhine Province and Westphalia. In May, 1917, however, following -the losses suffered on the Chemin des Dames, a great number of young men -came from Western Prussia (1918 class), coming from the large depots of -Beverloo and Warsaw. At the end of August the Warsaw depot sent -untrained men from the Landsturm II Ban from the 9th and 10th Corps -Districts. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 33d Reserve Division is a good division. - -At Verdun elements of the division fought vigorously and made the French -advance very difficult on October 24, 1916. - -Between May 5 and May 7, 1917, the division launched very violent -counterattacks against Laffaux Mill. Elements of the 364th Infantry -Regiment succeeded in capturing the Chateau de la Motte. In the sector -of Beaumont at Verdun the 1st Battalion of the 364th Infantry Regiment -put up a very stubborn resistance to the French on August 26, 1917. - -The 33d Reserve Division was very much exhausted by the attacks on the -Aisne. The reenforcement which it received on May 4, 1917, were mostly -men belonging to the 1918 class. On August 26, 1917, more than one- -fourth of the prisoners belonged to this class. - -In January, 1918, it already counted among its ranks young men of the -1919 class, who had arrived on January 14. - -Taking into account its recent long rest and its intensive training in -offensive warfare and the declarations of prisoners captured in March, -1918, who all declare that their division is an assault division -destined to take part in a great breaking through offensive, we must -conclude that the 33d Reserve Division has again become an organization -of high quality (Mar. 30, 1918). - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF THE AISNE. - -1. The division continued to hold its sector northwest of Rheims until -the Aisne offensive in May. It advanced with the rest of the line, -having as its objective the Marne River. It progressed through Cauroy -(27th), St. Thierry (28th), and Vrigny (31st). Here the line was -stabilized. The division was withdrawn June 20. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. On June 25 the division relieved the 88th Division in the Mont Têtu -sector (Eastern Champagne). It was on the extreme left of the German -attack east of Rheims on July 15, and suffered so heavily that it was -withdrawn on July 20. - -3. In mid-August the division was broken up. The 364th and 67th Reserve -Regiments were drafted to the 16th and 34th Divisions. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 33d Reserve Division was rated as fourth class. As a result of its -failure in the Aisne and Champagne offensives, it was disbanded in -August, 1918. - - - - - 34th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │68. │67. │68. │67. │68. │67. - │ │145. │ │145. │ │145. - │86. │30. │86. │30. │86. │30. - │ │173. │ │173. │ │173. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │16 Uhlan Rgt. │ │5 Sqn. 12 Jag. z. - │ │ │ Pf. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │34 Brig.: │34 Brig.: │34 Brig.: - │ 69 Rgt. │ 69 Rgt. │ 69 Rgt. - │ 70 Rgt. │ 70 Rgt. │ 70 Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. │1 Pion. Btn. No. - Liaisons. │ │ 16: │ 16: - │ │ Field Co. 16 Pion.│ 2 Co. 16 Pion. - │ │ │ - │ │ 34 Tel. Detch. │ 34 T. M. Co. - │ │ 34 Pont. Engs. │ 34 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ 34 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │Labor Btn. 34 Div. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │68. │67. │68. │30. - │ │30. │ │67. - │ │145. │ │145. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │5 Sqn. 12 Jag. z. │5 Sqn. 12 Horse - │ Pf. │ Jag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │34 Art. Command: │34 Art. Command: - │ 70 Rgt. │ (?) F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 116 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 1174 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1191 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1192 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│132 Pion. Btn.: │132 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 2 and 3 Cos. 16 │ 2 Co. 16 Pion. - │ Pion. │ - │ 34 T. M. Co. │ 3 Co. 16 Pion. - │ 259 Searchlight │ 34 T. M. Co. - │ Section. │ - │ 34 Tel. Detch. │ 193 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 34 Pont. Engs. │34 Signal Command: - │ │ 34 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 18 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │Ambulance Co. │41 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │281–283 Field │281 Field Hospital. - │ Hospitals. │ - │Vet. Hospital. │283 Field Hospital. - │ │34 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │Light Mun. Col. │567 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │44 M. G. S. S. Abt. - │ │249 Reconnaissance - │ │ Flight. - │ │119 Art. - │ │ Observation - │ │ Section. - │ │83 Balloon Sqn. - │ │534 Carrier Pigeon - │ │ Loft. - │ │(Elements attached - │ │ June 6, 1918. - │ │ German - │ │ documents.) - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (16th Corps District—Lorraine.) - - - 1914. - -Upon mobilization, the 34th Division and the 33d Division were organic -parts of the 16th Army Corps (Metz). - - -MEUSE. - -1. At the outbreak of the war the 34th Division marched with the 5th -Army (German Crown Prince), entered France on August 21, by Audun le -Roman and by way of Nouillon Pont, and reached the Meuse, which it -crossed at Vilosnes and Sivry on September 1. It advanced as far as -Beauzée and Seraucourt. - - -ARGONNE. - -2. After the battle of the Marne it retired to the north and took up its -position in the Argonne. - - - 1915. - - -ARGONNE. - -1. The 54th Division remained in the Argonne without interruption from -September, 1914, until about August 15, 1916. It took part there in the -offensives of January and July, 1915, where it suffered heavy losses. On -January 18, 1915, the 30th Infantry Regiment had already lost 56 -officers and 2,723 men. (Official List of Casualties.) - -2. After these violent battles, it received fairly large replacements. -The division suffered no serious losses in this sector during the period -which followed these engagements until its relief on Aug. 15, 1916. - - - 1916. - - -VERDUN. - -1. On this date the 34th Division was transferred to the right bank of -the Meuse at Verdun. - -2. It went into action in the Chiaumont sector at the end of August, -1916, and during the month of September, took part in some very severe -battles in this vicinity. - -3. On September 20, its losses were very great because of our attack. -The regiments of the 34th Division again lost heavily in the course of -our offensive of October 24, which succeeded in recapturing the -Douaumont Fort and the Thiaumont Works; on that day, their resistance -was rather weak. The 67th Infantry Regiment received about 71 men for -its 8th Company in the week of October 28-November 5. - - -VOSGES. - -4. On October 29 the 34th Division was relieved. Beginning with November -14, it occupied a calm sector in the Vosges, southwest of Senones. At -this time it received fairly large replacements. The 173d Infantry -Regiment was transferred to the 223d Division, a new formation. - - - 1917. - - -ARGONNE. - -1. At the beginning of February, 1917, the division returned to the -Argonne. It remained there a short time. In the middle of March, it was -relieved and transferred to the region north of Rheims (beginning of -April). - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. Immediately after our offensive of April 16, the 67th and 30th -Infantry Regiments went into action in the vicinity of Brimont, while -the 145th Infantry Regiment was sent to Cornillet as a reenforcement -from April 18 to 20. - -3. About April 25, the 34th Division was again concentrated in the -Brimont sector, where it relieved the 43d Reserve Division. - -4. About the middle of June it extended its sector to include the -stretch from the Champ du Seigneur to the Verrerie of Courcy. During the -attacks of April the division suffered very heavy losses; the 145th -Infantry Regiment lost about one-third of its effectives. - - -FLANDERS. - -5. On July 21 the 34th Division was relieved from the Rheims front and -sent to Flanders on August 7. It remained in reserve in the vicinity of -Dadizeele until August 12. It then went into action near the Ypres-Menin -road, where it had heavy losses. - - -WOEVRE. - -6. On August 24, it left this front for La Haye, where it went into line -southeast of Thiaucourt (vicinity of Flirey) and remained until October -31. - - -CAMBRAI. - -7. At the beginning of November, it was in the vicinity of Cambrai. It -took part in the German counterattack of November 30. - - -LAONNOIS. - -8. After a rest in December, the 34th Division occupied the sector of -Crandelain, on the Ailette, until January 7, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -Because of the difficulty of recruiting in its own corps district -(Lorraine), the 34th Division is composed mostly of Westphalians and men -from the Rhine Province. The name of “Magdeburg” given to the 67th -Infantry Regiment has only a historic value. - -The men, as a rule, belong to the classes of 1912 to 1918. - -The replacements received by the division in Lorraine (September, 1917) -brought in an undetermined number of men more than 25 years of age, -especially those of the Landsturm of about 30 years of age, withdrawn -from the Russian front and trained for a while in a depot in the -interior. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 34th Division was one of the good Divisions of the German Army. -Nevertheless, at the time of our attack upon Thiamont on October 24, -1916, it had a period of genuine weakness. - -Its attitude in the Brimont sector in April and May, 1917, was such that -it must still be classed among the good divisions. - -At Ypres, in August, 1917, charged with the defense of one of the most -important sectors, it did not realize the hopes of the German High -Command. - -According to the interrogation of a prisoner (February, 1918), the 34th -Division is a shock division destined to attack. - - - 1918. - - -LAON. - -1. Early in January the division which had been resting near Laon, -relieved the 3d Bavarian Division near Courtecon (south of Laon); -withdrawn toward the end of February, it went to rest near Liesse -(northeast of Laon), where it remained until March 15. - - -PICARDY. - -2. Then it marched toward the front via Marcy (west of Marle) and -Ribemont. On the 21st it entered line south of St. Quentin, took Benay, -which was its objective, crossed the canal, and took Jussy on the 23d. -It continued its advance as far as Pontoise (southeast of Noyon). It was -withdrawn on April 2, after having lost 50 per cent of its total -effectives, and went to rest in the area southeast of Roye. While here -it received 1,000 replacements. - -3. On the 10th, it came back into line south of Guiscard (north of -Noyon). It was withdrawn about the 20th, the 50th Division taking over -its sector. - -4. After spending about 10 days near Beaumont en Beine (southeast of -Ham) training in close and open order and in rifle practice, the -division relieved the 223d Division south of Appilly (east of Noyon) on -May 1. On the 15th, it received 15 replacements per company. It was -relieved by the 9th Bavarian Reserve Division on the 20th, and went to -rest, first in the region east of Chauny, and then in the St. Gobain -forest (south of La Fère). - - -AISNE. - -5. After having been in reserve four days near Pernant (west of -Soissons), the division reenforced the front near Ambleny (west of -Soissons) on June 12, attacking, the same day, with the Coeuvres-Vic sur -Aisne road as its objective. It could make no headway at all, and -suffered losses of about 30 per cent of its strength. It was withdrawn -about the 6th of July. - -6. On the 19th, it came back into line near Vauxbuin (southwest of -Soissons), and was withdrawn on the 22d after suffering severely; over -300 in prisoners alone. It went to rest in the Guise area; later, it -moved to the vicinity of Coucy le Château. While here, it received as a -draft the dissolved 67th Reserve Regiment (33d Reserve Division -disbanded). - - -AILETTE. - -7. The division reenforced the front near Cuts (southeast of Noyon) on -August 15. It was withdrawn on September 25. - - -ST. QUENTIN. - -8. It entrained the same day north of St. Gobain, and detrained in the -St. Bohain region the next day; it rested here for two days, and was -transported by truck to St. Quentin on the 28th. The following day, it -relieved the 221st Division southwest of that town. On the 30th, it was -forced to relinquish St. Quentin to the French. It continued to -withdraw, but fighting stubbornly, and was relieved on the 9th of -October near Fontaine-Uterte (northeast of St. Quentin). It rested for a -week between Avesnes and Maubeuge. - - -GUISE. - -9. It moved to the Petit Verly-Grougis region (northwest of Guise) on -the 17th, in support of the 81st Reserve Division, but that unit being -placed hors de combat by the attack of the 18th, the 34th Division found -itself in the front line, and even lost nearly 100 prisoners. It was -relieved on the 23d after losing nearly 700 more prisoners. It then -rested about a week in the Vervins region. - -10. On November 1, it returned to line near Puisieux (south of Guise), -and withdrew along the line Marly, Romery, Sommeron. It was still in -line on the 11th. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 34th has always been considered as one of the best second-class -divisions. As a result, however, of its heavy losses during the spring, -it contained large numbers of boys of the 1919 class. Having been -engaged without rest from the middle of August until the end of the war, -it was reduced to the point where it has less than 1,000 effectives -left. In all probability, it would soon have been dissolved had the war -continued. - - - - - 35th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │70. │21. │70. │21. │87. │141. - │ │61. │ │61. │ │61. - │87. │141. │87. │141. │ │176. - │ │176. │ │176. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │4 Jag. z. Pf. │ │5 Hus. Rgt. (2 - │ │ │ Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │35 Brig.: │35 Brig.: │35 Brig.: - │ 71 Rgt. │ 71 Rgt. │ 71 Rgt. - │ 81 Rgt. │ 81 Rgt. │ 81 Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. │1 Pion. Btn. No. - Liaisons. │ │ 17: │ 17: - │ │ Field Co. 17 Pion.│ 1 Co. 17 Pion. - │ │ 35 Tel. Detch. │ 4 Co. 36 Pion. - │ │ 25 Pont. Engs. │ 35 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ 35 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ 35 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │2 Assault Detch. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │87. │141. │87. │61. - │ │61. │ │141. - │ │176. │ │176. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 5 Hus. Rgt. │2 Sqn. 5 Hus. Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │35 Art. Command: │35 Art. Command: - │ 71 Rgt. │ 71 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 1 Abt. 18 Res. Ft. - │ │ A. Rgt. - │ │ 715 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 716 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1305 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│133 Pion. Btn.: │133 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 and 2 17 Pion. │ 1 Co. 17 Pions. - │ 35 T. M. Co. │ 2 Co. 17 Pions. - │ 35 Tel. Detch. │ 35 T. M. Co. - │ 36 Pont. Engs. │ 223 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │35 Signal Command: - │ │ 35 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 121 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │44 Amb. Co. │44 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │289, 293 Field │289 Field Hospital. - │ Hospts. │ - │35 Vet. Hospital. │293 Field Hospital. - │ │35 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │568 Light Mun. Col.│568 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (17th Corps District—Western Prussia.) - - - 1914–15. - - -EAST PRUSSIA. - -1. The 35th Division formed with the 36th Division the 17th Army Corps -(Danzig). It remained on the Eastern Front from the beginning of the war -until October, 1915. It took part in the battles of Gumbinnen and -Tannenberg, then in the two German offensives upon Warsaw. It -participated in the operations on the Bzura and the Narew, where it -remained until August 1, 1915. - - -RUSSIA. - -2. It was sent to rest near Bielostok, and at the end of September, -1915, the decision was made to send it to the Western Front. - -3. It entrained at Grodno about October 6, and arrived about the 10th in -the vicinity of Péronne where it was filled up. The 9th Company of the -176th Infantry Regiment received no less than 60 men between October 3 -and 13. - - -FRANCE. - -4. In the middle of October it went into the Roye sector and remained -there during the entire winter of 1915–16. - - - 1916. - - -SOMME. - -1. About May 25, 1916, it went slightly to the north and occupied the -sector between the Chaulnes-Amiens railroad and the south of Soyécourt. - -2. At the beginning of July, when the Somme battle began, the 35th -Division was holding the front from west of Vermandovillers to the south -of Chilly. The 176th Infantry Regiment was sent into line in the sector -of Herbécourt-Estrées on July 2 and lost 170 prisoners to the French. -This regiment lost heavily in the French attack of July 20 between -Belloy and the Ètoilé wood. - -3. On September 4 and the days following the 35th Division was effecting -a relief at the time of the French offensive and suffered considerably -because of this (almost 2,000 prisoners, 39 of whom were officers). - -4. It had to be retired from the front on September 8 and sent to rest -at Ham. Between October 15 and 20 it again went into line from the -southwest of Chaulnes to the southwest of Chilly. - -5. According to official calculations, the 35th Division had casualties -of 6,102 men, 68 per cent of the effectives engaged, in the course of -the battle of the Somme. - - - 1917. - - -ST. QUENTIN. - -1. The 35th Division remained in the vicinity of Chaulnes until the -German retirement. It took part in the retreat and established itself in -the Hindenburg Line south of St. Quentin at the end of March. - - -ARTOIS. - -2. After a few days of rest in the vicinity of Guise at the beginning of -April, the division took part in the battle of Arras in the second half -of April. At this time it lost about 50 per cent of its fighting men. -The 141st Infantry Regiment received in May 135 to 140 men per company -to make up for its losses (1918 class and men liberated by the -dissolution of the 618th Infantry Regiment). - - -FLANDERS. - -3. Sent to rest for the entire month of May in the vicinity of Lille and -filled up by replacements of 3,000 men coming from the recruit depot at -Warsaw on May 9, the 35th Division was sent into Belgium and occupied, -on May 31, the banks of the Ypres-Comines Canal. On June 7 it lost -heavily there (5,000 to 6,000 men, of whom 1,272 were prisoners). - -4. Reorganized on June 11 in the vicinity of Cambrai, by replacements -mostly made up of returned convalescents and wounded, the division was -then sent into line in a calm sector north of St. Quentin, where it -remained from June 21 to October 20. - - -FLANDERS. - -5. On October 22 and 23 it reappeared on the Flanders front in the -sector of the Houthulst wood. It had rather serious losses between -October 22 and 25. - -It was relieved on January 22, 1918, and sent to rest east of Bruges. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 35th Division is recruited from western Prussia with some help from -the 6th Corps District, especially in June, 1916 (important replacements -made up of miners from Silesia). There is a rather large proportion of -Poles, not only from the 17th Corps District, but also from the 5th and -6th Corps Districts. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 35th Division has taken part in numerous battles. Its quality has -been greatly weakened by the incorporation of recruits of the 1918 -class, and by the increase of the Polish elements. - -The 35th Division appears to be a mediocre division (July, 1917). - -The morale of the 141st Infantry Regiment, 50 per cent of which are -Poles, appears poor. (November, 1917.) - - - 1918. - - -YPRES. - -1. The division was at rest east of Bruges (Maldeghem) until about -February 17, when it was engaged in the vicinity of Merckem until March -20. - - -BATTLE OF THE LYS. - -2. It entrained at Pitthem on the 22d and moved to Carvin. It was in -reserve at Evin-Malmaison until March 27, and later in reserve south of -Lens (near Rouvroy) until April 1. It was moved to Lille and engaged -from April 8–9 to the 14th at Neuve-Chapelle, Lestrem, Locon, Neuf -Berquin. In the fighting on April 12 the division lost heavily. It was -withdrawn on April 14. - - -FLANDERS. - -3. The division rested near Armentiers until May 5, during which period -it was reviewed by the Kaiser. It was in the sector north of Bailleul -from May 8 to July 3. At this time the company effectives of the -division seems to have been about 50 men. The division rested at Bruges -from the 5th to the 17th, when it returned to the Merckem sector and -occupied it until August 18. Considerable replacements were received in -mid-August by the division. - - -ARTOIS. - -4. It rested near Lille (Aug. 19–24), and on August 25 was railed to -Douai. On the 26th the division occupied the Drocourt-Queant line and -fought in the area until about September 30, when it was relieved after -losing 800 prisoners. - - -BATTLE OF CAMBRESIS. - -5. The division was reengaged on October 1 northwest of Cambrai. It -withdrew to Abancourt (9th), Hem-Lenglet (11th), Denain north of Maing, -Famars (28th), northwest of Maresches (Nov. 1). It passed to second line -about the 1st of the month, returning on November 9 near Harchies. The -division was not in line on November 11. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. It was considered as a good -sector-holding division in 1918. - - - - - 35th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │5 Ldw. │2 Ldw. │5 Ldw. │2 Ldw. │5 Ldw. │2 Ldw. - │ │ │ │ │ (Mixed)│ - │ │9 Ldw. │ │9 Ldw. │ │9 Ldw. - │(z) │107 Ldw. │(z) │107 Ldw. │ │107 Ldw. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3d Res. Heavy │3d Res. Heavy │3d Res. Heavy - │ Cavalry. │ Cavalry. │ Cavalry. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │Ers. Abt. 35, 81 F.│35 Res. F. A. Rgt. │35 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ A. Rgt. │ │ 833d Battery. - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│2 Pion. Btn. No. │2 Pion. Btn. No. │235 T. M. Co. - Liaisons. │ 17. │ 17. │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │5 Ldst. Pion. Co. - │ │ │ 9th Corps. - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │167. │420. │167. │420. - │ │ │ │ - │ │421. │ │438. - │ │438. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Sq. 4 Jag. z. Pf.│Staff, 4 Horse Jag. - │ │ Rgt. - │ │2 Sqn. 4 Horse Jag. - │ │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │ (z) - │ │ - │ 35 Res. F. A. Rgt.│ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│335 Pion. Btn. │335 Pion. Btn. - Liaisons. │ │ - │1 Res. Co. 17 Pion.│1 Res. Co. 17 - │ │ Pions. - │235 T. M. Co. │149 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │35 Res. Searchlight│435 Signal Command: - │ Section. │ - │Tel. Detch. │ 435 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │238 Ambulance Co. │238 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Field Hospital. │291 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │435 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │Light Mun. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │93 Brig. reenforced│ - │ by 20 and 24 │ - │ Ldst. Btns. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (420th Infantry Regiment: 1st Corps District—East Prussia. 421st - Infantry Regiment: 2d Corps District—Pomerania. 438th Infantry Regiment: - 14th Corps District—Grand Duchy of Baden.) - - - 1914. - -The 35th Reserve Division is a Landwehr division. It has always occupied -the Eastern Front. - - -POLAND. - -1. At the outbreak of the war the 35th Reserve Division fought (Aug. -25–28) on the southern frontier of East Prussia, which it crossed. It -took part in the Polish campaign—southwest of Warsaw in October and -November, 1914, in the vicinity of Czenstochow in December. - - - 1915. - - -GALICIA. - -1. From January to March, 1915, the division was in line south of the -Pilica. From April to June it took part in the operations in the -Carpathians, then in the vicinity of Lemberg. - - -RUSSIA. - -2. In the middle of July it was replaced near Sokal (Galicia) by the -39th Austrian Division and went south of Grabowiec. The pursuit of the -Russians led it north of Cholm in the beginning of August, east of -Brest-Litovsk, near Kobrin in September, then to the Chtchara at the -mouth of the Oginski Canal in October. - -3. It took up its position along the canal north of Logischin. - - - 1916. - - -OGINSKI CANAL. - -1. The 35th Reserve Division remained in line along the Oginski Canal -for more than two years (Oct., 1915 to Feb., 1918). - -2. About October, 1916, the 5th Landwehr Brigade (2d and 9th Landwehr -Regiments) was assigned to the 226th Division (being formed in the -Smorgoni sector). The 35th Reserve Division received two new -regiments—the 420th and 421st Infantry Regiments. - - - 1917. - - -OGINSKI CANAL. - -1. The division was in the same sector. - -In July, 1917, the 438th Infantry Regiment became a part of the 35th -Reserve Division to replace the 107th Saxon Landwehr Regiment, which had -been transferred to the 45th Landwehr Division (Saxon). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Composed of Landwehr and Landsturm elements, retained for more than two -years in a calm sector of the Russian front, later in the Ukraine, the -35th Reserve Division has only a mediocre military value. - - - 1918. - - -UKRAINE. - -1. In March the division advanced into Ukraine, after having furnished -men to the 10th Landwehr Division, which was about to leave for the -Western Front. In this advance the division saw some fighting and -consequently suffered some losses. In April the division was identified -in the Gomel region. The division was identified in Ukraine early in -October, and so its reported presence in Flanders on September 20 -appears incorrect. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 36th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │69. │129. │69. │129. │71. │5 Gren. - │ │175. │ │175. │ │175. - │71. │5 Gren. │71. │5 Gren. │ │128. - │ │128. │ │128. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │5 Hus. Rgt. │ │4 Sq. 5 Hus. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │36 Brig.: │36 Brig.: │36 Brig.: - │ 36 Rgt. │ 36 Rgt. │ 36 Rgt. - │ 72 Rgt. │ 72 Rgt. │ 72 Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. │1 Pion. Btn. No. - Liaisons. │ │ 17: │ 17: - │ │ Field Co. 17 Pion.│ 2 Co. 17 Pion. - │ │ │ - │ │ 36 Tel. Detch. │ 3 and 4 Cos. 35 - │ │ │ Pion. - │ │ 36 Pont. Engs. │ 3 Co. 36 Pion. - │ │ │ 36 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ 36 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ 36 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │71. │5 Gren. │71. │5. - │ │175. │ │128. - │ │128. │ │175. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │4 Sq. 5 Hus. Rgt. │4 Sq. 5 Hus. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │36 Art. Command: │36 Art. Command: - │ 36 Rgt. │ 36 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 1 Abt. 4 Res. Ft. - │ │ A. Rgt. - │ │ 824 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1209 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1229 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 Pion. Btn. No. │17 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ 17: │ - │ 3 and 5 Cos. 17 │ 3 Co. 17 Pions. - │ Pion. │ - │ 36 T. M. Co. │ 5 Co. 17 Pions. - │ │ - │ 36 Tel. Detch. │ 36 T. M. Co. - │ │ 209 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │36 Signal Command: - │ │ 36 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 62 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │43 Ambulance Co. │43 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │288, 290 Field │288 Field Hospital. - │ Hospts. │ - │36 Vet. Hospital. │290 Field Hospital. - │ │36 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │569 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (17th Corps District—West Prussia.) - - - 1914. - -The 36th Division (with the 35th Division) was a part of the 17th Army -Corps (Danzig). - - -EAST PRUSSIA-RUSSIA. - -1. The 17th Army Corps, which comprises the 35th and 36th Divisions, was -sent to East Prussia in August, 1914, where it belonged to the 8th Army, -soon placed under the command of Von Hindenburg. With this army it took -part in the battle of Tannenberg on August 30, and in the battle of -Loetzen on September 9, then with the 9th German Army (Mackensen), in -the battle of Radom, on October 6. - -2. In the battles which mark the advance upon Warsaw and then the -retreat, the regiments of the 36th Division, and especially the 5th -Grenadier Regiment, suffered considerable losses (principally at Lodz -between Nov. 23 and Dec. 6). - - - 1915. - -1. During the winter of 1914–15 the 36th Division, with the 17th Army -Corps, took part in the actions along the Bzura until June. In July it -was on the Narew, later on the right bank of the Bug, and at the -beginning of September on the Chtchara River. - -2. At the end of September, 1915, at the time of the pressure exerted by -the Franco-British offensive, the 17th Army Corps entrained for the -Western Front. - - -FRANCE. - -3. Detraining at Peronne on October 10, it was sent to rest in the -vicinity of Ham until October 16. At this date it went into line in the -Roye sector. Until the battle of the Somme it was not seriously engaged. - - - 1916. - - -SOMME. - -1. Upon the outbreak of the Franco-British offensive on the Somme in -July, 1916, the 36th Division occupied the sector included between the -south of Chilly and the north of Andechy. It was not engaged as a whole -until October, the time when the battle front extended as far as the -Chaulnes-Chilly sector. Until then it had only sent detached units to -reenforce certain points south of the river. - -2. About the end of September it occupied the front from north of -Fouquescourt to the Chaulnes railroad. Relieved between October 15 and -20, and sent to rest between Nesle and Ham, it had to go back into line -on October 24–25 to replace, in the sector south of Ablaincourt-Chaulnes -wood, the divisions which our attacks north of Chaulnes had exhausted. -Its regiments lost heavily during this period. The 128th Infantry -Regiment lost more than the others, especially on November 7, 10, and -11. - -3. On December 8 the 36th Division left the front north of Chaulnes and -was sent north of Roye to the Fouquescourt sector. - - - 1917. - - -ST. QUENTIN. - -1. On March 17, 1917, it was included in the retirement and withdrew to -the Hindenburg Line, where it established itself, on March 23, south of -St. Quentin. - - -ARTOIS. - -2. After a month’s rest (Apr. 9-May 9) behind the front, the 36th -Division went into line southeast of Arras in the Guemappe sector. It -had only a few local engagements there and did not suffer any great -losses. - -3. It then spent a part of June at rest in the Douai area and took up -its position on July 4 in the sector of Oppy-Gavrelle (Artois). It did -not take part in any serious engagements there. - - -YPRES. - -4. Relieved at the end of August, it entrained at Douai on the 28th for -Courtrai and Isegsem. Sent on September 10–11 into the sector of -Poelcapelle, it had to be replaced there on the 23d because of the heavy -losses which it received from the British attack. - -5. The division left Flanders on September 27 to occupy a calm sector -west of St. Quentin, where it still was at the beginning of February, -1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 36th Division is recruited from the same region as the 35th -Division. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 36th Division was an excellent combat division. - -In the battles of the Somme and of Arras the 36th Division gave a good -account of itself. - -On the Ypres front the combat spirit of the division was less energetic -than in the preceding battles. The British Artillery, however, had -reduced its effectives by one-half. - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -1. The division was relieved in the sector north of St. Quentin about -February 1 and entered the sector south of St. Quentin within a few -days. It was in line when the Somme offensive came off and advanced in -the front line by Essigny le Grand, Clastres, Brouchy, Guiscard, -Campagne, Candor. From the 23d to the 25th it was in second line. On the -25th it was reengaged in the Lassigny area. The division was relieved on -April 8. - -2. The division rested in close support southeast of Roye until April -20. A draft of 300 men was received about this time. - -3. On April 20 the division was engaged southeast of Montdidier (Rollet) -until April 28. It was in reserve from the 28th to the beginning of May -in the vicinity of Roye. A draft of 1,000 men was received on April 29. -On May 9 the division was moved to Wasigny, where it rested until the -22d. It marched toward the Aisne front by night from May 22 to 27 via -Rozoy sur Serre, Montcornet, Liesse, Montaigu. - - -BATTLE OF THE AISNE. - -4. The division had in line on the 27th only one battalion of the 128th -Regiment (near Winterberg). The rest of the division followed the -advance in reserve, passing through Villers en Prayeres, Fismes, Villers -sur Fere. It was engaged from May 29 to the middle of June at Courmont, -Fresnes (29th), Jaulgonne (31st), east of Chateau Thierry. The division -withdrew from the sector east of Chateau Thierry about June 30. - - -SECOND BATTLE OF THE MARNE. - -5. It rested in the salient (near Fere en Tardenois) until July 14, -undergoing reconstitution. On that date it marched to the front and was -engaged the next day. It crossed the Marne and penetrated south of -Charteves, but was stopped and thrown back on Mezy and Fossoy. From July -20 to 22 it was in second line. Reengaged south of the Ourcq on 22d, the -division fought at Rocourt and Villeneuve sur Fere until July 27. - - -BATTLE OF THE SOMME. - -6. The division rested near Laon in early August. It was brought up to -resist the British attack north of Bapaume on August 24. It was still -under strength and was unable to check the advance. It was forced to -fall back on Vaulx Vraucourt, Ecoust St. Mein (27th–30th), Pronville, -and Inchy (Sept. 2–3). The losses in prisoners amounted to 800 in this -fighting. - -7. On the 16th of September the division was again in line south of La -Bassee. Beginning October 1 it retreated on Bauvin, Pont a Vendin, -Provin (16th), Attiches (18th), and toward the south of Tournai. It was -last identified at Bany on November 10. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. It was heavily engaged in 1918 -as a follow-up division in the attacks and to hold important defensive -sectors. - - - - - 36th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │69 Res. │21 Res. │69 Res. │21 Res. │69 Res. │21 Res. - │ │61 Res. │ │61 Res. │ │61 Res. - │70 Res. │5 Res. │70 Res. │5 Res. │70 Res. │5 Res. - │ │54. │ │54. │ │54. - │ │2 Res. │ │2 Res. │ │ - │ Jag. Btn. │ Jag Btn. │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │1 Res. Hus. Rgt. (3│1 Res. Hus. Rgt. │ - │ Sqns.). │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │36 Res. Rgt. (6 │36 Res. Rgt. (7 │36 Res. Rgt. (7 - │ Btries.). │ Btries.). │ Btries.). - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 Res. Co. 2, Pion.│1 Res. Co. 2, Pion.│1 Res. Co. 2, Pion. - Liaisons. │ No. 2. │ No. 2. │ No. 2. - │ │ 2 Co. 32 Res. │ 236 T. M. Co. - │ │ Pion. │ - │ │ 36 Res. Pont. │ 36 Res. Pont. - │ │ Engs. │ Engs. - │ │ 36 Res. Tel. │ 36 Res. Tel. - │ │ Detch. │ Detch. - │ │ │ 80 Art. Survey - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ │ 24 Sound Ranging - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │217 Anti-Aircraft - │ │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │69 Res. │5 Res. │69 Res. │54. - │ │61 Res. │ │5 Res. - │ │54. │ │61 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │5 Sq. 2 Guard │5 Sqn. 2 Gd. Drag. - │ Dragoon. │ Rgt. - │1 and 2 Sqns. 1st │ - │ Res. Uhlan Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │72 Art. Command: │72 Art. Command: - │ │ - │ 36 Res. Rgt. (9 │ 36 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ Btries.). │ - │ │ 3 Abt. 4 Res. Ft. - │ │ A. Rgt. - │ │ 833 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1252 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1306 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│336 Pion. Btn. │2 Pion. Btn. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Res. Co., 2 │1 Co. 2 Pions. - │ Pion. │ - │ 236 T. M. Co. │1 Res. Co. 2 Pions. - │ │ - │ 436 Tel. Detch. │236 T. M. Co. - │ │ - │ │45 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │436 Signal Command: - │ │ - │ │ 436 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 119 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │515 Ambulance Co. │515 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │398 Field Hospital.│10 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │12 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │ │138 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │Light Mun. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (17th Corps District—Western Prussia and the eastern part of Pomerania.) - - - 1914. - - -EAST PRUSSIA. - -1. At the outbreak of the war the 36th Reserve Division constituting, -with the 1st Reserve Division, the 1st Reserve Corps, was engaged in -East Prussia in the vicinity of Gumbinnen-Angerburg. - - -BZURA. - -2. Assigned to the 9th German Army (Mackensen), it fought on November 6 -on the left bank of the Vistula and on the Bzura at the beginning of -December. - - - 1915. - -1. At the beginning of 1915 the 36th Reserve Division took part in the -engagements on the line Bzura-Rawka-Bolimov (Jan. 4 and Feb. 5). - - -PRASNYSZ. - -2. On February 13 the division entrained, with the entire 1st Reserve -Corps, to reenforce the right wing of the Germany Army, which was -pushing back the Russians from East Prussia. Detraining at Ostrolenka, -it attacked in the vicinity of Mlawa, then near Prasnysz (April), where -the Russian counterattacks caused it to suffer heavy losses. - - -COURLAND. - -3. In May, it took part in the Hindenburg offensive in Courland. First -occupying the sector of Jurburg, north of Niemen, it reached Ponieviej -in July and from there pushed on to the vicinity of Dvinsk. The division -suffered heavily during this period. On October 15, the 61st Reserve -Infantry Regiment had an average of only 80 men per company (letter). - - -FRIEDRICHSTADT. - -4. In December, the 36th Reserve Division occupied the sector of -Friedrichstadt, southeast of Riga. - - - 1916. - -1. The division remained in its Courland sector (Friedrichstadt) until -September 24, 1916. - - -GALICIA. - -2. At the end of September and the beginning of October, it entrained at -Libau and was transferred to Galicia. The 54th Infantry Regiment was -engaged on October 3 east of Brzezany to oppose the advance of the -Russians. The rest of the division rejoined the rest of the 54th -Infantry Regiment on October 19, and remained in this area. - - - 1917. - -1. About the end of May, 1917, the 36th Reserve Division was relieved -from the sector south of Brzezany and entrained near Rohatyn (Galicia) -for the Western Front. Itinerary: Lemberg-Cracow-Oppeln-Munich- -Karlsruhe. - - -LORRAINE. - -2. Detraining in Lorraine on the 1st of June, the division received -training until June 24. At this date, it took over a calm sector in Haye -for a fortnight. - - -ARTOIS. - -3. Sent to the vicinity of Lens in July, the 36th Reserve Division -occupied the sector of Mericourt until the beginning of October. - - -FLANDERS. - -4. About October 20, it went into line east of Ypres (north of -Becelaere). - - - RECRUITING. - -The 36th Reserve Division is recruited from West Prussia and the eastern -part of Pomerania. It contained a large number of Alsace-Lorrainers -during its stay on the Western Front. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -In Russia the 36th Reserve Division took part in several major -operations. - -It did not come to the Western Front until June, 1917. - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF THE LYS. - -1. The division was relieved in the Foret de Holthust on April 4 by the -1st Landwehr Division, and marched via Amersveld to Cortemarch, where it -entrained and arrived at Courtrai on April 5. It left Courtrai on the -8th and marched toward Armentieres. On the 10th the division followed up -the German advance in support of an assault division, and on the 11th -came into action north of Armentieres. Losses were severe and the -division retired about April 13 to rest. It returned in the Ploegsteert -area on April 17 and went to rest in the Roulers area. On May 11, the -division came back to line for the third time north of Hinges. - -2. It was withdrawn about May 25, rested behind the front until June 11, -when it relieved the 235th Division northwest of Bethune, which sector -it held until about June 22. - - -LENS. - -3. On June 26 the division entered line in Artois area, southeast of -Loos. It held this quiet sector until October 2. - - -BELGIUM. - -4. On the night of October 4–5 the division relieved the 16th Bavarian -Division southwest of Roulers. From then until about November 4, the -division fought first in the Roulers area, and after October 15, at -Thielt (17th), Deynze (26th), Ecke (Nov. 2). It was withdrawn from line -about November 4 and did not reenter. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. It was heavily engaged on the Lys -in the spring without achieving much success. Thereafter the division -was employed on the defensive. - - - - - 37th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │73. │147. │73. │147. │73. │147. - │ │151. │ │151. │ │151. - │75. │146. │75. │146. │ │150. - │ │150. │ │150. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │11 Drag. Rgt. │ │11 Drag. Rgt. (3 - │ │ │ Squadrons). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │37 Brig.: │37 Brig.: │37 Brig.: - │ 73 Rgt. │ 73 Rgt. │ 73 Rgt. - │ 82 Rgt. │ 82 Rgt. │ 82 Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. │1 Pion. Btn. No. - Liaisons. │ │ 26: │ 26: - │ │ Field Co. 26 Pion.│ 1 Co. 26 Pion. - │ │ 37 Tel. Detch. │ 37 T. M. Co. - │ │ 37 Pont. Engs. │ 37 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ 37 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │73. │147. │73. │147. - │ │151. │ │150. - │ │150. │ │151. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Sq. 10 Jag. z. │3 Sqn. 10 Mounted - │ Pf. │ Jag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │37 Art. Command: │37 Art. Command: - │ 73 Rgt. │ 73 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 2 Abt. 16 Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. (2, 9 and 10 - │ │ Btries.). - │ │ 846 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 924 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1184 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│134 Pion. Btn.: │134 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 3 Co. 26 Pion. │ 3 Co. 26 Pions. - │ 250 Pion Co. │ 250 Pion. Co. - │ 37 T. M. Co. │ 37 T. M. Co. - │ 250 Searchlight │ 63 Searchlight - │ Section. │ Section. - │ 37 Tel. Detch. │37 Signal Command: - │ │ 37 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 82 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │40 Ambulance Co. │49 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │317, 318 Field │317 Field Hospital. - │ Hospital. │ - │Vet. Hospital. │318 Field Hospital. - │ │194 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │Light Mun. Col. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (20th Corps District—East Prussia.) - - - 1914. - -Upon mobilization, the 37th Division, with the 41st Division, formed the -20th Army Corps (Allenstein). - - -RUSSIA. - -1. At the beginning of the war the 37th Division was engaged on the -Eastern Front. It took part in the battle of Tannenberg at the end of -August, in the attempt against Warsaw in October, and in the battles on -the Rawka during the winter of 1914 and 1915. - - - 1915. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. In April, 1915, the 37th Division was on the Narew. In May it ceded -the 146th Infantry Regiment to the 101st Division, a new formation. The -battles lasted until the end of July on the Narew, which was crossed on -the 31st. The division was at Bielostok at the end of August, and -entered Grodno on September 2. - -2. In the course of September, it advanced from Niemen to the Berezina, -and in October it occupied a sector in the vicinity of Dvinsk (Lake -Sventen) on the stabilized front. It remained there until its departure -for the Western Front in December, 1916. - - - 1916. - -1. One of its regiments, the 150th Infantry Regiment, was temporarily -detached at the time of the Russian offensive of 1916 on the Stokhod and -then made a part of the 91st Division. - - -FRANCE. - -2. After taking part in the terrible battles on the Stokhod, in the -course of which it suffered enormous losses, the 150th Infantry Regiment -was transferred to Galicia at the end of September, 1916, and then -returned to the 37th Division. The division was sent to the Western -Front on December 10, 1916. Itinerary: Cracow-Breslau-Dresden-Leipzig- -Nuremburg-Karlsruhe-Rastatt-Strassburg-Colmar-Neu Breisach. - - - 1917. - - -UPPER ALSACE. - -1. Regrouped with its three regiments in Upper Alsace (vicinity of -Ferrette) at the end of 1916, the 37th Division spent some time at rest -and, in the middle of January, 1917, went into line in the sector which -extends from Niederlarg to the Swiss frontier. - -The division occupied this sector until the month of May. - -2. About May 1 it was relieved, entrained south of Mulhouse and sent to -Charleville by way of Strassburg, Sarrebruecken, and Sedan, from which -place it went to the vicinity of Gizy (6 kilometers from Sissonne). - - -AISNE. - -3. After a week’s rest, it went into line on the Aisne at the Chemins -des Dames, in the sector of Courtecon, which it occupied until the end -of July. - -4. During these two months (May 25 to the end of July), the 37th -Division did not play an important rôle. However, units of the division -carried out several local operations in the course of this period. On -July 14, units from the three regiments aided by the assault troops of -the 5th Assault Battalion, succeeded, at the expense of very heavy -losses, in reducing a salient near the Cerny sugar refinery. - - -ST. GOBAIN. - -5. On July 31 the 37th Division was relieved, and about August 3 went -into line in the St. Gobain sector (in front of Coucy le Chateau) which -it occupied until the end of November. On October 23 it suffered losses -(Mont des Singes) from our bombardments. On the 24th the division -withdrew its units across the canal and occupied the sector included -between the Brancourt-Quincy road and Anizy. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 37th Division is recruited from East and West Prussia. During its -stay on the Eastern Front it contained a large number of Alsace- -Lorrainers. Because of its circumscribed territorial extent, the 37th -Division contains an admixture of elements coming from other districts -(5th and 6th Corps Districts among others). Nevertheless, and in spite -of their official designations (from Moravia, from Ermeland), its -regiments are called “East Prussian” in the German communique of July -15, 1917. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -On July 14 and 15, 1917, the 37th Division attacked with great energy. -At that time, it seemed to be of good quality and of high morale. -However, according to statements of prisoners of the 151st Infantry -Regiment made in September, October, and November, the morale appears to -have weakened (Jan. 18, 1918). - -1918. - - -LAON. - -1. During January and early February the 37th Division and the 14th -Reserve Division relieved each other in the St. Gobain sector (north of -Soissons). It seems probable (though the fact has never been proved) -that during one of its periods out of line, the 37th Division was given -a course of training in open warfare. On February 20, the 37th relieved -the 14th Reserve in the same sector, and it was in turn relieved by the -14th Reserve about the 9th of March. - - -PICARDY. - -2. On March 21 the division reinforced the front near Benay (south of -St. Quentin) attacking with such dash that it received special mention -by Prof. Wegener in the Koelnische Zeitung. It was withdrawn on the -30th. - -3. The division rested for a few days between Champs and Folembray -(north of Soissons), and then entered line north of Thiescourt (west of -Noyon) on the 9th of April. It was withdrawn about the 20th, and went to -rest and refit in the area southeast of Avesnes. - - -AISNE. - -4. On May 27, the first day of the battle of the Aisne, the division -attacked near Presles (south of Laon), and advanced via Braine (the -28th) as far as the Troesnes-Longpont sector (east of Villers -Cotterets). It was relieved by the 115th Division on the 4th of June, -and went to the area northeast of Braine to rest and to be thoroughly -trained. - - -MARNE. - -5. It set out the evening of the 12th of July, and in two night marches, -reached its point of assembly in the woods north of Verneuil (northeast -of Dormans). It was planned that the 37th with three other divisions, -forming the v. Conta Group, should “leap-frog” the divisions in line, -and to sweep up the valley of the Marne, beginning with the line -Vincelles-Antheney and ending at a line passing north of Avenay and -north of Moslins. It was thought that this movement, combined with the -push of the units to the east of Rheims, would result in the fall of -that city and also of the Montagne de Rheims to the south. The division -attacked on the 15th, crossed the Marne, reached the Bois du Chataignier -(south of Mareuil-east of Dormans); and was stopped there. It delivered -its last counterattack on the 19th, and the order having been given, -crossed the Marne, and continued its retreat toward the north. It was -identified by prisoners for the last time on the 28th in the vicinity of -Champvoisy (north of Dormans). It then went to the Charleville area to -rest and refit; the 10th Landwehr Division having been disbanded, the -372d Regiment was drafted to the regiments of the 37th Division. - - -VERDUN. - -6. During the night of the 12th–13th of August, it relieved the 231st -Division to the north of Avocourt (north of Verdun). It was relieved by -the 117th Division about the 20th of September, and moved to the -vicinity of Billy (south of Longuyon,) where it rested for about a week. - - -ARGONNE. - -7. On September 26, it reinforced the 117th Division near Montfaucon, -where they counterattacked the same day. It was heavily engaged until -withdrawn October 1. - -8. It moved some kilometres to the west, in the vicinity of Exermont, in -anticipation of the American attack of October 4, and came into line in -that region on the 5th. It was engaged in a number of minor actions, -that proved quite costly; its losses in prisoners alone was 962. It was -withdrawn on the 18th, and went to rest near Verpel (northeast of -Grandpre). - -9. On November 9, the division came back into line near Abaucourt -(northeast of Verdun); it had not been withdrawn on the 11th. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 37th has always been considered a first-class shock division. It did -very well in the offensives in which it took part (Somme, Aisne, Marne), -and one of its regiments, the 147th, “The Marshal von Hindenburg -Regiment” was particularly mentioned in the German Communique for its -work on October 10. It suffered such heavy losses throughout the year -that, despite numerous large drafts of replacements, the regiments were -reduced to four companies of 80 men each at the end of the war. - - - - - 38th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │76. │71. │76. │71. │83. │94. - │ │95. │ │95. │ │95. - │83. │94. │83. │94. │ │96. - │ │96. │ │96. │ │ - │ 11 Jag. Btn. │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │6 Cuir. Rgt. (3 │6 Cuir. Rgt. (3 │2 Sqn. 6 Cuir. Rgt. - │ Sqns.). │ Sqns.). │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │38 Brig.: │38 Brig.: │38 Brig.: - │ 19 Rgt. │19 Rgt. │ 19 Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ 55 Rgt. │55 Rgt. │ 55 Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│3 Field Co., 1 │3 Field Co., 1 │3 Field Co., 1 - Liaisons. │ Pion. No. 11. │ Pion. No. 11. │ Pion. No. 11. - │ │ 38 Pont. Engs. │ 38 T. M. Co. - │ │ 38 Tel. Detch. │ 38 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ 38 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │25 Labor Btn. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │83. │94. │83. │94. - │ │95. │ │95. - │ │96. │ │96. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 6 Cuir. Rgt.│3 Sqn. 6 Cuir. Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │38 Art. Command: │38 Art. Command: - │ 19 Rgt. (9 │ 19 F. A. Rgt. - │ Btries.). │ - │ │ 61 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ (Staff, 1, 2, and - │ │ 3 Btries.). - │ │ 704 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 726 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1258 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│128 Pion. Btn. │125 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 3 Co. 11 Pion. │ 3 Co. 11 Pions. - │ 285 Pion. Co. │ 285 Pion. Co. - │ 38 T. M. Co. │ 46 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ Tel. Detch. │38 Signal Command: - │ │ 38 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 118 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │Ambulance Co. │27 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │108 Field Hospital.│104 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │108 Field Hospital. - │ │38 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │Light Mun. Col. │571 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (11th Corps District—Thuringian States.) - - - 1914. - - -BELGIUM. - -1. At the outbreak of the war the 38th Division, forming the 11th Army -Corps with the 22d Division, belonged to the 3d Army (Von Hausen), which -went through the Belgian Ardennes. It halted in front of Namur until the -surrender of this place. - - -EAST PRUSSIA-POLAND. - -2. In consequence of the invasion of East Prussia, the 38th Division as -well as the 22d Division, left Belgium about August 27. Going by way of -Aix la Chapelle, it detrained in East Prussia, where it fought from -September 9 to 11. From that place it was taken to the southern part of -Poland (Pinczow, Sept. 28; Opatow, Oct. 4). The enveloping movement of -the Russians obliged it to retire from the Lodz front with the army -group to which it was attached. It was assigned to the 9th Army -(Mackensen) in November and to the 10th Army in December. - -3. During the winter of 1914 and 1915 it took part in several important -engagements on the Bzura and the Rawka, as well as on the Pilica. - - - 1915. - - -POLAND. - -1. Returning to the 9th Army (Von Fabeck), at the beginning of 1915, the -38th Division fought in the vicinity of Rava, on March 6 and 7. It was -then separated from the 22d Division and rejoined the army detachment of -Von Gallitz, north of Warsaw. In May it transferred the 71st Infantry -Regiment to the 103d Division, a new formation. - -2. During the summer offensive it took part in numerous battles from -July 13 to September 19, advanced to the southeast of Bielostok, reached -the Svislotch on September 1 and marched beyond this until September 19. - - -FRANCE. - -3. At the end of September the 38th Division was concentrated in the -vicinity of Grodno and entrained for France on September 25. (Itinerary: -Lyck-Graudenz-Berlin-Hanover-Minden-Cologne-Aix la Chapelle-Liege-Namur- -Douai.) Detraining on October 1, it completed its reorganization. -Between August 30 and October 8 the 5th Company of the 94th Infantry -Regiment had received not less than 161 men as replacements. - - -OISE. - -4. Sent to the south of the Oise, the 38th Division went into line in -the sector of Tracy le Val., which it held until the beginning of May, -1916, without any serious engagements. - - - 1916. - - -VERDUN. - -1. On May 11, 1916, the division entrained at Tergnier and was -transferred to the Verdun front. - -2. On May 13 it took over the sector of Hill 304, which it did not leave -until October 10, seriously weakened by the battles which it had -sustained for five months (losses, 52 per cent of the infantry). - - -SOMME. - -3. Sent to the Somme on October 12, it went into action on October 12; -it went into action on October 22 at Thiepval-Grandcourt, and remained -there only three weeks, because of the severe losses which it suffered. - - -FLANDERS. - -4. It left the front on November 13 to go to rest and to be reorganized -on the coast of Flanders, between Ostend and the Dutch frontier. - -5. On December 19 it was brought back to the Somme. - - - 1917. - - -SOMME. - -1. In January, 1917, elements of the division were sent as -reenforcements north of Courcelette and southwest of Serre. - -2. On January 17 the entire 38th Division went into line in the vicinity -of Puisieux-Hébuterne, where it was relieved about March 8 without any -serious losses. - -3. On March 17 the division replaced the 4th Guard Division near Beugny -Bertincourt, which had lost heavily at the beginning of its retirement -to the Hindenburg Line, and the 38th Division itself continued to -withdraw by way of Beaumetz and Doignies. It took up its position -between Demicourt and Boursies, west of Cambrai, and remained there -until the end of April. - - -ARTOIS. - -4. After a period of rest in the Cambrai-Douai area during the first -half of May, the 38th Division took over the sector east of Arras (north -of the Scarpe), on May 16. It left this front on May 31, after having -been greatly weakened on the 16th, during the counterattacks on the -village of Rouex (800 men were sent to make up these losses from the -dissolved 624th Infantry Regiment). - - -FLANDERS. - -5. The division remained at rest at Douai, until June 8; at this time, -it was transferred to the vicinity of Gheluwe and sent into reserve to -reenforce finally the Messines front. - -6. On July 27, before the British attack, the 38th Division went into -line east of Ypres (Hooge). It suffered heavy losses on July 31, the day -of the attack, and also the three days preceding. - -7. Relieved on August 1, it was sent to Antwerp for rest and -reorganization (August). - - -ARTOIS. - -8. On September 2, it took over the sector of Monchy le Preux, south of -the Scarpe, where it again lost heavily from artillery fire. - - -FLANDERS. - -9. Withdrawn from the front on November 2, the 38th Division after a -week’s rest in the vicinity of Douai, again took over the lines north of -Ypres (Staden) from November 19 to November 25, then north of -Passchendaele where on December 3, a British attack inflicted heavy -losses upon it. - -10. The division was relieved on November 19 and sent to rest in the -vicinity of Bruges. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 38th Division is recruited from the small Thuringian States. At the -beginning of 1917, it included a rather large number of men from Baden, -almost all of whom have been withdrawn. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 38th Division is a good division. - -As a rule it gave a good account of itself in the numerous battles in -which it took part. On June 13, 1916, however, at the Mort Homme, the -94th Infantry Regiment is said to have refused to go over the top -(letter). - -The heavy losses which it suffered at the end of 1917 in the course of -the attack upon Ypres, were made up by the replacements composed, for -the most part, of the 1918 class. - -This element did not have a good effect upon the morale of the division. - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF THE LYS. - -1. The division remained in Passchendaele area until its relief by the -58th Division about April 5. It rested in the Lille area until the night -of April 15–16 when it entered the line at Meteren to reenforce the -battle line. It was withdrawn about May 8. - -2. The division rested at Provin after May 12. It entered line north of -Givenchy on May 21 and held that sector until July 5, when it was -relieved by the 1st Guard Reserve Division. It rested at Lille until -August 6, when it was alerted and railed to Cambrai, remaining there -until August 9. The division moved from Cambrai by motor trucks on -August 10 and came into line on the battle front near Lihons on the same -day. - - -SOMME. - -3. Until September 22, the division was engaged in resisting the allied -advance. It held a sector south of Chaulnes until August 20, when it -retired to the St. Christ area (22d). After the 8th of September the -division was falling back in a northeasterly direction by Péronne toward -Le Catelet. It was withdrawn from line near Hargicourt on September 22. - - -CAMBRAI. - -4. After a rest of only one week, the division was brought back to -reenforce the Cambrai battle front at Rumilly (Oct. 1). It was heavily -engaged until October 16 when it went to reserve in the Cambrai area. -Since August 11 the division had lost more than 2,000 prisoners. - - -BELGIUM. - -5. On October 29, the division returned to line northeast of Roubaix. It -remained in line until the armistice. The last identification was at -Renaix on November 8. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. Its worth as a defensive -division was proved by the extent to which it was used in the last three -months of the war. - - - - - 38th Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │38 Ldw. │77 Ldw. │38 Ldw. │77 Ldw. │38 Ldw. │77 Ldw. - │(Mixed). │78 Ldw. │(Mixed). │78 Ldw. │(mixed). │78 Ldw. - │ │ │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │ │ │1st Mobile Ers. - │ │ │Abt. 59 F. A. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │ │ - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │38 Ldw. │79 Res. │38 Ldw. │425. - │ │85 Ldw. │ │79 Res. - │ │77 Ldw. │ │77 Ldw. - │ │78 Ldw. │ │78 Ldw. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │2 Sqn. 17 Hus. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │145 Art. Command: │255 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. - │255 Ldw. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│438 Pion. Btn. │438 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │5 Ldst. Btn., 9 │ 2 Landst. Co., 2 - │ Army Corps. │ C. Dist. Pions. - │338 T. M. Co. │ 5 Landst. Co., 9 - │ │ C. Dist. Pions. - │538 Tel. Detch. │ 338 T. M. Co. - │ │ 243 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │538 Signal Command: - │ │ 538 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 9 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │557 Ambulance Co. │557 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │109 Res. Field │109 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │12 Ldw. Field │12 Ldw. Field - │ Hospt. │ Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │538 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │Light Mun. Col. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (38th Landwehr Division: 10th Corps District—Hanover.) - - - 1914. - -The grouping of the 38th Landwehr Brigade (77th and 78th Landwehr -Regiments) and of a mixed regiment, 79th Reserve Infantry Regiment, -formed the 38th Landwehr Division in April, 1917. - -1. The 38th Landwehr Brigade remained independent until it was assigned -to the 38th Landwehr Division. - - -FLANDERS. - -2. Arriving at Liége on October 21, 1914, the 38th Brigade remained -there about two months. Transferred to Flanders on October 27, it held -the sector north of the Passchendaele Canal (Nieuport) until the -beginning of November. - -3. After occupying the front of Ypres near Becelaere, the brigade came -into line before Passchendaele at the end of December. - - - 1915. - - -FLANDERS. - -1. In April, 1915, the 38th Landwehr Brigade took part in the second -battle of Ypres near Zonnebeke. - -2. On May 18 it was transferred from Roulers to La Bassée (Festubert) to -reenforce the 7th Army Corps. - -3. After a rest at Lille it went into line south of the Lys -(Frelinghien-Houplines) at the end of August. - - - 1916. - - -ARTOIS. - -1. Relieved from the north of Armentieres in March, 1916, the 38th -Landwehr Brigade was sent south of Arras (sector Wailly-Blaireville). - - -FLANDERS. - -2. In the middle of September it returned to the Armentieres front (from -the Armentières-Lille railroad to Aubers). It occupied this sector for a -year and a half. - - - 1917. - -1. In 1917 sector south of Armentières. - -In April, 1917, the 38th Landwehr Brigade was transformed into the 38th -Landwehr Division by the addition of a third regiment, the 79th Reserve- -85th Landwehr, a composite regiment (1st and 2d Battalions of the 85th -Landwehr Regiment, four companies of the 79th Reserve Regiment, the -eight others having entered into the composition of the 440th Reserve -Regiment of the 183d Division). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 38th Landwehr Division, formed of fairly old men, constitutes an -organization of the third class. It held an honorable position in the -battles of Ypres in 1914 and 1915, but, as a rule, its rôle was limited -to occupying calm sectors. (Belgian Summary of Information, February, -1918.) - - - 1918. - - -FLANDERS. - -1. The 38th Landwehr Division was relieved on January 16 in the sector -south of Armentieres by the 187th Division and went to rest in the -region east of Bruges. - -2. After a week’s rest it relieved the 8th Bavarian Reserve Division -north of Dixmude on January 22. It was relieved by the 214th Division on -February 20. - -3. On March 3 it relieved the 2d Naval Division east of Ramscappelle -(north of Bruges) in the sector just north of the one it previously -occupied. - -4. About the 10th of May the division side slipped toward the south, and -in so doing relieved the 19th Reserve Division. - -5. About the middle of October it side slipped southward. It was still -in line on the 11th of November, although it was forced with the rest of -the German line in Flanders, to withdraw considerably. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 38th Landwehr is rated as a fourth-class division. It could be and -was used only to hold a quiet sector. Most of the men were nearly 40 -years of age, and so it was found necessary to have a divisional -“Stosstrupp” for purposes of patrolling. - -On November 1 the Franco-American forces in Belgium started an offensive -in conjunction with the British 2d Army farther to the south. On the -same day, according to the Belgium communique, “The Belgian Army carried -out successful minor operations along the drainage canal,” and the -German communique said, “The 57th (13th Reserve Division) and the 79th -Reserve (38th Landwehr Division) Infantry Regiments distinguished -themselves in the course of this fighting.” - - - - - 39th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │61. │126. │61. │126. │61. │126. - │ │132. │ │132. │ │132. - │82. │171. │82. │171. │ │172. - │ │172. │ │172. │ │ - │ 8 Jag. Btn. │ │ │ │ - │ 14 Jag. Btn. │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │14 Drag. Rgt. │ │H. Res. Hus. Rgt. - │ │ │ (2 Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │39 Brig.: │39 Brig.: │39 Brig.: - │ │ │ - │ 66 Rgt. │ 66 Rgt. │ 66 Rgt. - │ 80 Rgt. │ 80 Rgt. │ 80 Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│2 and 3 Field Cos. │2 and 3 Field Cos. │2 and 3 Cos. 1 - Liaisons. │ 1 Pion. Btn. No. │ 1 Pion. Btn. No. │ Pion. Btn. No. - │ 15. │ 15. │ 15. Btn. No. 15. - │ │39 Pont. Engs. │39 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │39 Tel. Detch. │39 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │39 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │61. │126. │61. │126. - │ │132. │ │132. - │ │172. │ │172. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │1 and 2 Sqns. 8 │5 Sqn. 9 Drag. Rgt. - │ Res. Hus. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │39 Artillery │39 Art. Command: - │ Command: │ - │ 80 Rgt. │80 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 406 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 869 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1324 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1325 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│131 Pion. Btn. │136 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │ - │2 and 3 Cos. 15 │ 2 Co. 15 Pions. - │ Pions. │ - │39 T. M. Co. │ 3 Co. 15 Pions. - │Tel. Detch. │ 39 T. M. Co. - │ │ 58 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │39 Signal Command: - │ │ 39 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 84 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │38 Ambulance Co. │38 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │270, 271, 272 Field│270 Field Hospital. - │ Hospitals. │ - │Vet. Hospital. │272 Field Hospital. - │ │39 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │Light Mun. Col. │572 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (15th Corps District—Alsace.) - - - 1914. - - -ALSACE AND THE VOSGES. - -1. Upon mobilization, the 39th Division and the 30th Division formed the -5th Army Corps (Strassburg). - -At the beginning of the campaign the 39th Division was a part of the 7th -Army (Von Herringen). In the first days of August it fought in the pass -of the Bonhomme. On the 9th it went into Cernay and Mulhouse and was -transferred to Dabo (Vosges) on August 19. On August 20 it took part in -the battle of Albreschwiller and crossed the frontier on the 31st. It -advanced to a point between the Meurthe and the Mortagne and then -retreated fighting. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. Entraining on September 9, it was transferred to the northwest of -Rheims, where it fought between Craonne and Ailles until October. - - -FLANDERS. - -3. At the end of October it became a part of the 6th Army (Crown Prince -of Bavaria), of which the 15th Army Corps formed the right wing (north -of Lille) until the summer of 1915. - - - 1915. - - -FLANDERS. - -1. Before our attacks of 1915 it was attached to the 4th Army (Duke of -Wurttemberg), south of Ypres. At this time the 15th Army Corps became -the left wing of the 4th Army. In April the 39th Division gave the 171st -Infantry Regiment to the 115th Division, a new formation. - -2. The 39th Division was retained in the vicinity of Ypres until the -month of February, 1916. One of its regiments, the 172d Infantry -Regiment, suffered heavy losses there on September 25 (its 8th Company -received at least 111 men as replacements between September 28 and -October 16). - - - 1916. - - -VERDUN. - -1. At the beginning of 1916 various elements of the 15th Army Corps were -transferred to the vicinity of Verdun and concentrated on the right bank -of the Meuse, in the area Piennes-Etain-Ornel-Senon. - -2. At the beginning of the German offensive on February 24, the 39th -Division suffered relatively few losses, the battle being less intense -in the Woevre. But little by little all its units were engaged. On March -8, the 132d Infantry Regiment took part in the attacks upon Douaumont, -and on the 18th upon the Caillette wood. Its losses were enormous. On -July 11 the 126th Infantry Regiment was in action with two regiments of -the 30th Division. Almost all its battalions went successively to the -active sectors in the vicinity of Vaux (Aug. 18). At Verdun the division -lost 69 per cent of its infantry. - - -SOMME. - -3. On October 20 the 39th Division was relieved from the Verdun front -and transferred to the Somme. On the 29th it occupied the sector of -Sailly Saillisel. In the attack of Sailly Saillisel by the French troops -the three regiments of the division were all put into line -simultaneously and acted especially with the assault troops. In these -battles the losses of the division were very great (an average of 80 men -per company). In the 126th Infantry Regiment, the 4th Company received -at least 82 men as replacements between November 16 and 23; the 3d -Company, 106 men. - - -VERDUN. - -4. Withdrawn from the Somme, about November 11, the 39th Division was -again sent to Verdun. Between December 8 and December 12 it went into -the sector between the Louvemont road and the Chaufour wood and there -sustained our attack of December 15. It was relieved on the 20th, very -much exhausted, and went for reorganization near Vouziers. - - - 1917. - - -ARGONNE. - -1. About January 10, 1917, the division went into line in the sector of -Ville sur Tourbe (Argonne). It was withdrawn at the beginning of March. -In the course of this month, it was engaged in Champagne, in the attack -of March 27 at Cernay en Dormois. It remained in the sector of Massiges -until the beginning of May. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. It then went to the vicinity of Rheims (Loivre-Berry au Bac sector) -from May 11 to the beginning of July. - - -ARTOIS. - -3. Sent to rest near Asfeld, it then went into line west of Fontaine les -Croisilles (middle of July). Withdrawn from the Arras front, it occupied -the Loos sector in September. - - -FLANDERS. - -4. At the end of October, it went to Flanders, Passchendaele sector, -then Becelaere sector. - - -ARTOIS. - -5. At the end of November, it was again in Artois, north of La Bassee -Canal, a position which it was still occupying February, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 171st and 172d Infantry Regiments are recruited in the Rhine -District, in the widest sense of the word (Grand Duchy of Baden, Rhenish -Hesse, Rhine Province), and from Westphalia. - -The 126th Infantry Regiment, in Alsace since 1871, represents the -participation of Wurttemberg in the guard of the Reichsland. Besides its -maintenance by the younger recruiting classes, at the end of 1916 it -took some of the best elements from the 123d, 125th, and 126th Landwehr -Regiments (young Landsturm classes, then having at least 20 to 22 months -of service). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -In spite of its relatively high losses, the 39th Division did well on -the Somme (October to November, 1916). During its second engagement at -Verdun, the Division was much less brilliant. Its resistance was weak -(December, 1916). - - - 1918. - - -LA BASSEE. - -1. During the night of February 25–26 the 39th Division was relieved by -the 44th Reserve Division and went to rest near Sequedin (west of -Lille), where it is presumed to have been trained in open warfare. - - -PICARDY. - -2. About the middle of March, when the Germans were concentrating their -reserves on the Cambrai-St. Quentin front, the 39th Division left the -Lille area for the Cambrai front. On the 21st of March, when the initial -attack was delivered, the 39th Division was in reserve to the 20th -Division and only came into action on the evening of that day, at -Beaumetz (west of Cambrai). Encountering fighting of the severest kind, -the division had to be withdrawn to reserve by the evening of the 23d. - -3. The division reappeared in line on the 28th and continued to make -slow progress until it reached the area south of Hebuterne (west of -Bapaume). It was relieved on the 6th of April by the 26th Division and -went to rest in the Cambrai area. - - -LYS. - -4. It left this area about the 12th and marched by stages to the Lys -battle front, arriving on the 17th in the Estaires area (west of Lille). -The German attacks in this area had been successfully held up by the -British by this time and the division was not immediately required. On -the 30th it came into line northwest of Merville (west of Lille) and -relieved the 12th Reserve Division. The division was not heavily engaged -in this sector; it was relieved by the 44th Reserve Division on May 26 -and went to rest in the vicinity of Lille. - -5. On the 3d of July it relieved the 48th Reserve Division in the Vieux -Berquin sector (east of Hazebrouck), and was relieved by the 187th -Division during the night of July 13–14. It went to the Haubourdin area -(southwest of Lille) and there received training as an assault division. - - -ARRAS. - -6. During the night of August 2–3 it relieved the 185th Division south -of Neuville-Vitasse (south of Arras). In the heavy fighting that -followed the division lost over 1,300 prisoners and was driven back as -far as Cherisy, where it was withdrawn on the 30th and went to rest near -Aniches (east of Douai). - - -CAMBRAI. - -7. On September 18 the division reenforced the front near Ecourt-St. -Quentin (northwest of Cambrai). It was driven back as far as Palluel, -where it was relieved by the 58th Division on the 28th. - - -YPRES. - -9. The division entrained at Roulers and detrained at Menin, entering -line east of Gheluvelt (north of Menin) all on the same day. About the -25th of October it was withdrawn from line near Vichte (east of -Courtrai) to which point it had been driven back. It rested then for -about a week in the region of Audenarde. - -10. During the night of October 31-November 1 the division relieved the -23d Reserve Division in the Nukerke sector (south of Audenarde); it was -identified in line there on the 9th and was probably still there on the -11th. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 39th is rated as a second-class division. With the exception of a -statement in the German communique of October 2, that the 132d Regiment -had displayed “unusual fighting ability” in the operations north of -Menin, there is nothing to show that the division had distinguished -itself in any way in the fighting during 1918. - - - - - 39th Bavarian Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │1 Bav. Ers. │1 Bav. Ers. │1 Bav. Ers. │1 Bav. Ers. - │ │3 Bav. Ers. │ │3 Bav. Ers. - │ │81 Ldw. │9 Bav. Ers. │5 Bav. Ers. - │52 Ldw. │80 Ldw. │ │15 Bav. Ldw. - │ │29 Ers. │ │ - │ 8 Jag. Btn. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │ │1 Sqn. 2 Chev. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │1 Ers. Abt. 51 Rgt. │10 Bav. Res. Rgt. - │ │5 Mountain Gun Abt. - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│ │2 Ers. Co. 1 Pion. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │410 T. M. Co. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │1 Ldst. Btn. Duren. │8 Jag. Btn. (2d Cyc. Co.). - │8th Corps No. 18. │1 Ldst. Btn. Rosenheim (1 - │ │ Bav. Corps No. 4). - │ │Ldst. Btn. Landshut (1 Bav. - │ │ Corps No. 7). - │ │Ldst. Btn. Esslingen (13 - │ │ Corps No. 18). - │ │Ldst. Btn. Passau 2 (1 Bav. - │ │ Corps No. 6). - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │1 Bav. Ers. │1 Bav. Ers. │1 Bav. Ers. │1 Bav. Ers. - │ │2 Bav. Ers. │ │2 Bav. Ers. - │ │5 Bav. Ers. │ │5 Bav. Ers. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 2 Chev. Rgt. │1 Sqn. 2 Bav. Light Cav. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Artillery Command: │11 Bav. Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ 10 Bav. Res. Rgt. │111 Bav. Light Am. Col. - │ │112 Bav. Light Am. Col. - │ │165 Bav. Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│23 Bav. Pion. Btn.: │23 Bav. Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 20 Bav. Res. Pion. Co. │ 20 Bav. Res. Pion. Co. - │ 21 Bav. Res. Pion. Co. │ 21 Bav. Res. Pion. Co. - │ 410 T. M. Co. │ 23 Bav. Searchlight Section. - │ 9 Bav. Searchlight Section. │ 9 Bav. Searchlight Section. - │ 430 Bav. Tel. Detch. │439 Bav. Signal Command: - │ │ 439 Bav. Tel. Detch. - │ │ 105 Bav. Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │524 Ambulance Co. │20 Bav. Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │2 Bav. Field Hospital. │2 Bav. Field Hospital. - │24 Bav. Vet. Hospital. │51 Bav. Field Hospital. - │227 Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │40, 41, and 49 Bav. Light │ - │ Mun. Cols. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │1 Ldst. Btn. │ - │Ldst. Btn. Mosbach I (14 │ - │ Corps No. 1). │ - │Ldst. Btn. Passau II (1 Bav. │ - │ Corps No. 6). │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Bavaria.) - - - 1915. - - -ALSACE. - -1. The 39th Bavarian Reserve Division was formed in February, 1915, on -the Alsace front in the vicinity of Ste. Marie aux Mines. (See 30th -Bavarian Reserve Division.) - -It then comprised the 52d Landwehr Brigade, consisting of the 80th -Landwehr Regiment and 29th Ersatz Regiment (since become the 61st), and -the 1st Bavarian Ersatz Brigade (81st Landwehr Regiment, 3d and 1st -Bavarian Ersatz Regiments). After October, 1915, we find them officially -designated “Bavarian.” - -2. During 1915 and until the beginning of November, 1916, the 39th -Bavarian Reserve Division occupied the sector included between the Ban -de Sapt and Ste. Marie aux Mines. The elements of the division took part -in several local attacks in this region (south of Lusse in February, -1915; at La Fontenelle in June and July, 1915). - - - 1916. - - -ALSACE. - -1. 1916 same sector of Alsace (Ban de Sapt and Ste. Marie aux Mines). - -2. In March, 1916, the composition of the 39th Bavarian Reserve Division -was modified—the 81st Landwehr Regiment was replaced by the 15th -Bavarian Landwehr Regiment, coming from the 1st Bavarian Landwehr -Division. In July the division comprised the 1st Bavarian Ersatz Brigade -(1st and 3d Bavarian Ersatz Regiments) and the 9th Bavarian Ersatz -Brigade (the 15th Bavarian Landwehr Regiment and the 5th Bavarian Ersatz -Regiment, the latter having been formed in July). - -3. In October the 3d Bavarian Ersatz Regiment was assigned to the 9th -Bavarian Reserve Division and the 29th Ersatz Regiment to the 223d -Division, both being new formations. From that time on the 39th Bavarian -Reserve Division was entirely Bavarian. - -In November the 15th Bavarian Landwehr Regiment went over to the 30th -Bavarian Reserve Division, which sent the 2d Bavarian Ersatz Regiment in -its place to the 39th Bavarian Reserve Division. - - -VERDUN. - -4. Relieved from its sector in the Vosges about November 6, 1916, the -39th Bavarian Reserve Division was sent to the Verdun front in the -vicinity of Vaux. It underwent the French attack of December 15, during -which certain of its units (5th Bavarian Ersatz Regiment) suffered -heavily. It was withdrawn on December 17. - - - 1917. - - -ALSACE. - -1. In the middle of January, 1917, the 39th Bavarian Reserve Division -was sent back to its former sector in the vicinity of Ste. Marie aux -Mines (Wisembach, Lusse, Provenchères) which it occupied from then on -without changing. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Except in December, 1916, at Verdun, the 39th Bavarian Reserve Division -has always occupied the same sector of the Vosges. Its combat value -appears mediocre. - -The average age of the men in the 1st and 5th Bavarian Ersatz Regiments -is between 30 and 40 years (April to July, 1918). - -In February and March, 1918, all the younger elements (20 to 26 years) -were withdrawn from the division and sent to active and reserve -regiments. - - - 1918. - - -ALSACE. - -1. The 39th Bavarian Reserve Division was still in its sector in Alsace, -northwest of Ste. Marie aux Mines, on the 11th of November. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -It is rated as a fourth-class division. Most of the men are old, the -younger men having been combed out in February and March to be sent to -other organizations, and although the companies are large—the average -ration strength seems to be 200 men—the division has very little combat -value. - - - - - 40th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │88. │104. │88. │104. │88. │104. - │ │181. │ │181. │ │181. - │89. │133. │89. │133. │ │134. - │ │134. │ │134. │ │ - │ 13 Jag. Btn. │ 13 Jag. Btn. │ 13 Jag. Btn. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Cavalry. │19 Hus. Rgt. │19 Hus. Rgt. │19 Hus. Rgt. (3 - │ │ │ Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │40 Brig.: │40 Brig.: │40 Brig.: - │ │ │ - │ 32 Rgt. │ 32 Rgt. │ 32 Rgt. - │ 68 Rgt. │ 68 Rgt. │ 68 Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 and 2 Field Cos. │1 and 2 Field Cos. │1 and 2 Cos. 1 - Liaisons. │ 1 Pions. No. 32. │ 1 Pion. No. 22. │ Pion. No. 22. - │ │40 Pont. Engs. │ 40 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │40 Tel. Detch. │ 40 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ 40 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │Anti-Aircraft - │ │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │88. │104. │88. │104. - │ │181. │ │134. - │ │134. │ │181. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 19 Hus. Rgt.│2 Sqn. 19 Hus. Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │40 Artillery │40 Art. Command: - │ Command: │ - │ 32 Rgt. │ 32 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 403 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 877 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 960 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1408 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│141 Pion. Btn.: │141 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 and 3 Cos. 22 │ 3 Co. 22 Pions. - │ Pions. │ - │ 40 T. M. Co. │ 54 Res. Pion. Co. - │ 310 Searchlight. │ 40 T. M. Co. - │ 40 Tel. Detch. │ 131 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │40 Signal Command: - │ │ 40 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 171 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │48 Saxon Ambulance │48 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ Co. │ - │306, 309 Field │306 Field Hospital. - │ Hospitals. │ - │Vet. Hospital. │309 Field Hospital. - │ │40 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │Light Mun. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (19th Corps District—Saxony.) - - - 1914. - - -BELGIUM-MARNE. - -1. The 40th Division (4th Saxon) formed, with the 24th Division (2d -Saxon), the 19th Army Corps, which, at the outbreak of the war, was a -part of the 3d Army (Von Hausen). Detraining north of Trèves August -10–12, the division entered the north of Luxemburg on the 13th, Belgium -on the 18th. It crossed the Meuse on the 23d above Dinant, and entered -France by way of Fumay. It fought on August 30 at Chesnois, reached -Semide on September 1, Somme Py on September 2, Châlons on September 4. -On liaison with the right wing of the 4th Army, it took part in the -battle of the Marne west of Vitry le François. After the battle it -retired to Souain. - - -FLANDERS. - -2. At the beginning of October the 19th Army Corps was transferred to -Lille. It belonged to the 6th Army (Crown Prince of Bavaria). Attacked -by the British troops, it was forced back upon the line between -Ploegsteert wood and Grenier wood. - -At the end of October the 9th Company of the 107th Infantry Regiment -(24th Division) had only 38 men left (letter). - - - 1915. - -1. In 1915 and until August 1916 the two divisions of the 19th Army -Corps were retained in the zone of Ploegsteert and Grenier wood. - -2. Elements of the 40th Division were sent as reenforcements in the -battles of Neuve Chapelle (March 1915), of Festubert (May to June 1915) -and upon the occasion of the Franco-British offensives in Artois (La -Bassee-Souchez, June to October 1915). In March 1915, the 40th Division -was definitely reduced to three regiments, having given the 133d -Infantry Regiment to the 24th Division. - - - 1916. - - -SOMME. - -1. On August 8, 1916, the 40th Division took part in the battle of the -Somme in the region north of Pozières. It was in violent battles and was -withdrawn, very much exhausted. - - -ARTOIS. - -2. At the end of August, it went from the Somme front to the sector of -Neuve Chapelle-La Bassée Canal, where it remained for six weeks. - - -SOMME. - -3. About the middle of October, it returned to the Somme (sector north -of Le Sars-Butte de Warlencourt) for a second period of three weeks -during which its losses were again very heavy (the total losses of the -40th Division in August and October on the Somme were 6,127 men). - -On October 30, the 7th Company of the 104th Infantry Regiment received -at least 75 men as replacements (1917 class) who had had only three -months of service. - -4. Relieved from the Somme, the Division went into the sector of St. -Eloi-Messines about November 11. - - - 1917. - -1. The division left the Messines front about March 26, before the -beginning of the British offensive at Arras, and remained at rest in the -area of Renaix. - - -FLANDERS. - -2. It returned to line on April 23 in the same sector, and was subjected -to the artillery preparation for the battle of Messines, which caused it -extremely heavy losses. The 104th Infantry Regiment lost 224 men as -prisoners. - -On June 7, the first day of the attack, it was withdrawn from the front -and sent to rest in the vicinity of Bruges and Thielt until July 19. - -3. On July 22 it went into line north of Ypres in the sector of -Steenstraat-Het-Sas. It suffered the bombardment in the attack of July -31. - - -ST. QUENTIN. - -4. After a rest, in the course of which it was reorganized, it spent -several weeks in the sector of Itancourt, in the vicinity of St. -Quentin. During the months of August and September it received 2,300 men -as replacements. A large number came from the Russian front (244th -Reserve Infantry Regiment, 350th Landwehr Regiment, the 19th Landsturm -Battalion from the garrison of Posen; besides these, Saxons were -withdrawn from the 428th Infantry Regiment and the 8th Landsturm). - - -FLANDERS. - -5. On October 12 the 40th Division was transferred to Flanders for a -second time. From October 17 to 27 it occupied the sector of Langewaade- -Zevecoten, northeast of Bixschoote, and there underwent the attack of -October 27, which again caused it heavy losses. - - -RUSSIA. - -6. The division was then sent to Russia, where it arrived at the end of -November. It was there assigned to the 10th Army and took up its -position south of Smorgoni, where it still was at the beginning of -January, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 40th Division is purely Saxon. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The attitude of the division has generally been passive (especially -during the attack of July 31, 1917, north of Ypres). - -In the 104th Infantry Regiment (July 22–28) the men scattered under -fire, sometimes with their noncommissioned officers, and fled to a -distance of 8 kilometers behind the front. - -The same thing happened for the period October 17–27. In the 134th -Infantry Regiment, which was considered the best regiment of the -division, one-half of the 6th Company left the front line on October 24. - -Only the assault detachment offered any energetic resistance on October -27, 1917. - - - 1918. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. The 40th Division was identified in the region of Lake Narotch-Niemen -for the last time on the 15th of January. It then went into reserve in -the vicinity of Vilna. - - -FRANCE. - -2. The division was not identified between the 4th of February, when it -was stated as being “on the Eastern front,” and the 20th of March, when -it was in Lorraine. It very probably came from the East about the end of -February. - - -WOEVRE. - -3. On April 15 it relieved the 4th Bavarian Division near Regnieville -(west of Pont à Mousson). During this time whenever units were out of -line they were intensively trained. It was withdrawn on June 1, its -place being taken by the 183d Division. - - -MARNE. - -4. The division entrained at Jaulny the following day and traveled via -Rembercourt-Waville-Onville-Chambley-Mars la Tour-Jarny-Conflans- -Montmedy-Sedan-Mézières-Rethel, detraining at Asfeld la Ville on the 3d. -On the 16th it relieved the 2d Guard Division near Troësnes. This sector -was a quiet one until the beginning of the Allied counteroffensive of -July 18. The 40th Division was caught in this drive and was driven -northward. On the 24th it was relieved by the Bavarian Ersatz Division -and went to rest near Oisy le Verger (northwest of Cambrai). - - -ARRAS. - -5. On the 22d of August the division entered line near Courcelles le -Comte (south of Arras), counterattacking the same day. It was withdrawn -on the 31st. - - -YPRES. - -6. After a short rest near Roubaix, it relieved the 236th Division -southeast of Ypres on September 10. After losing nearly 1,300 prisoners, -the division was withdrawn from line near Wervicq, October 8, and went -to the Courtrai area, where it rested six days. - -7. On the 15th it reenforced the front near Gulleghem (northeast of -Menin). It was withdrawn from line in the Vichte sector (east of -Courtrai), about the 26th. - -8. On November 8 the division returned to line near Avelghem (northeast -of Roubaix), and was still in line on the 11th. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -Until 1918 the 40th (Saxon) Division had been considered as being a -second-class unit. It was soon noticed that practically all Saxon troops -were not fighting as well as before, and this was particularly true of -the 40th Division, for although its men were young and the number of -effectives high, it was used in none of the German offensives. It must -be considered a third-class division. - - - - - 41st Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │72. │18. │72. │18. │74. │18. - │ │59. │ │59. │ │148. - │74. │148. │74. │148. │ │152. - │ │152. │ │152. │ 9 Ldst. Btn. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────────────── - Cavalry. │10 Dragoon Rgt. │ │10 Drag. Rgt. (3 - │ │ │ Sqns.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │41 Brig.: │41 Brig.: │41 Brig.: - │ 35 Rgt. │ 35 Rgt. │ 35 Rgt. - │ 79 Rgt. │ 79 Rgt. │ 79 Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│2 Field Co. 1 Pion.│2 Field Co. 1 Pion.│2 Field Co. 1 Pion. - Liaisons. │ No. 26. │ No. 26. │ No. 26. - │ │41 Pont. Engs. │41 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │41 Tel. Detch. │41 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │41 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │41 Cyc. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │74. │18. │74. │18. - │ │148. │ │148. - │ │152. │ │152. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │1 Sq. 10 Dragoons. │4 Sqn. 10 Drag. - │ │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │41 Art. Command: │41 Art. Command: - │ 79 Rgt. │ 79 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 2 Abt. 15 Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. (5, 7, and 8 - │ │ Btries.). - │ │ 835 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1235 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1236 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│135 Pion. Btn. │26 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │1 and 2 Cos. 26 │ 1 Co. 26 Pions. - │ Pion. │ - │41 T. M. Co. │ 2 Co. 26 Pions. - │Tel. Detch. │ 41 T. M. Co. - │ │ 37 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │41 Signal Command: - │ │ 41 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 96 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │Ambulance Co. │261 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │316, 321, 323d │316 Field Hospital. - │ Field Hospitals. │ - │Vet. Hospital. │323 Field Hospital. - │ │145 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │Light Mun. Col. │574 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │10 Btry. 7 Res. Ft. - │ │ A. Rgt. - │ │41 Ft. A. Btry. - │ │65 Carrier Pigeon - │ │ Loft. - │ │574 Carrier Pigeon - │ │ Loft. - │ │72 Balloon Sqn. - │ │219 Reconnaissance - │ │ Flight. - │ │8, 29, and 245 M. - │ │ T. Col. - │ │140 Art. - │ │ Observation - │ │ Section. - │ │(Elements attached - │ │ Aug. 18, 1918. - │ │ German document.) - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (20th Corps District—Eastern portion of West Prussia.) - - - 1914. - -At the outbreak of the war the 41st Division and the 37th Division -formed the 20th Army Corps. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. At the beginning of hostilities the 41st Division was engaged against -Russia, first in East Prussia, then in Poland, beginning with October. -It was at Lodz at the beginning of December, at Skiernewice on the 20th, -and fought on the Rawka in January, 1915. - - - 1915. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. In February, 1915, transferred north of the Vistula, it operated -until summer between Prasnysz and the valley of Bobr-Narew. From there -it was taken to the northern frontier of East Prussia in July and -advanced as far as Mitau, from there to Jakobstadt. - - - 1916. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. Until October, 1916, the division occupied the same sector on the -Dvina, between Friedrichstadt and Jakobstadt. It underwent a Russian -offensive in March, 1916, and took part in an attack on May 10. In these -two actions it suffered serious losses. - - -ROUMANIA. - -2. On October 21, the 41st Division, destined to take part in the -Roumanian campaign, entrained southeast of Friedrichstadt, traveled by -way of Mitau, Grodno, Warsaw, Oppeln, Budapest, Temesvar, and detrained -on November 5 at Pay, south of Hatszeg. It went into action in the -vicinity of Jiu and advanced almost without fighting. It entered -Bucarest on December 6. On the 7th it again took up the pursuit of the -Roumanians. On reaching the Sereth the 41st Division encountered the -Russians. It remained in line until February 8, 1917. The losses of the -division, slight in the battles with the Roumanians, were greater in the -Russian attacks. - - - 1917. - - -FRANCE. - -1. Between February 8 and February 15 the 41st Division entrained at -Zilibia for the Western Front. (Itinerary: Bucarest-Salzburg-Munich-Ulm- -Augsburg-Thionville.) It detrained in Lorraine (Arsweiler, Ruxweiler, -Audun le Roman) on February 20. - -2. After a month of rest and training in Lorraine, during which it was -reorganized (the 148th Infantry Regiment received 600 men as -replacements), the division went into line, at the beginning of May, at -Bois le Prêtre. - -3. Between May 6 and May 9 it was transferred by way of Sedan to Rethel, -from which place it marched to the vicinity of Sissonne. - - -CALIFORNIE PLATEAU. - -4. Sent into line in the sector of Hurtebise for a very short stay (May -25–26 to May 28–29), it went into action on the 21st in the vicinity of -Chevreux. It took part there in the attack of June 3 upon Californie -Plateau, in the course of which its losses were serious (50 to 60 men -per company in the 152d Regiment, heavy losses in the 148th Infantry -Regiment). - -5. The 42d Division remained in the sector of Chevreux until June 25. -About July 3 it went to the east of the Butte du Mesnil. It remained in -this sector, without any notable occurrences, until the beginning of -November. - - -FLANDERS. - -6. On November 12 it was in the vicinity of Staden, Houthulst wood, -where it alternated with the 38th Division. Relieved on January 14, -1918, it went to rest near Bruges. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 41st Division is recruited principally from West Prussia. As the -region is not very large and has a relatively small population, the 41st -Division borrows from other districts (especially the 6th Corps -District). It contained a large number of Alsace-Lorrainers during its -stay on the Russian front. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 41st Division, coming from the Russo-Roumanian front, where it had -remained until the beginning of February, 1917, appears to have only a -mediocre military value. - -In the course of the attack of June 3, 1917, on the Californie Plateau, -the retreat of the 148th Infantry Regiment was carried out in a state of -extreme confusion. - -During its stay on the Champagne front the 41st Division showed no -offensive activity. (July 3-November, 1917.) - - - 1918. - - -FLANDERS. - -1. The 41st Division was relieved in the sector north of Ypres by the -38th Division toward the end of January, and went to rest near Bruges. -While here the artillery received new guns, and it seems probable that -the division was put through a course of training. - -2. During the night of February 25–26 the division relieved the 2d Guard -Reserve Division south of Westroosebeke (northeast of Ypres). About the -4th of March it was relieved by the 38th Division and went to rest in -the Turcoing area. - - -ARRAS. - -3. On the 26th of March the division was identified near Oppy (northeast -of Arras). Here it was heavily engaged, and the attack which it -attempted broke down through heavy casualties. - - -ALBERT. - -4. The division was identified in the same area on the 28th, but not -afterwards, and so it was very likely withdrawn during the next day or -two. Early in April the division moved up in support of the 21st Reserve -Division in the Beaumont-Hamel region (north of Albert), and during the -night of the 7th–8th it relieved the 1st Guard Reserve Division a little -farther to the north in the Puisieux sector (east of Hébuterne). On the -14th of April the division extended its front to the south so as to -relieve the 24th Division. On the 11th of June it was relieved by the -26th Reserve Division and went to rest and refit in the Douai area. - -5. On the 9th of July it relieved the 108th Division east of Villers- -Bretonneux (east of Amiens). Here it was caught in the Allied drive of -August 8, and after losing over 1,700 prisoners was withdrawn on the -10th. - -6. After resting a fortnight immediately behind the front, it came back -into line near Cappy (southeast of Bray) on the 25th. In the fighting -that followed the division lost more than 800 prisoners, and even more -killed and wounded. It was relieved early in September and went to rest -and to be reconstituted near Château Salins (northeast of Nancy). On -September 8 it received as a draft what was left of the dissolved 18th -Reserve Regiment (225th Division disbanded). - - -ARGONNE. - -7. Leaving Metz on October 6 and traveling via St. Juvin, the division -reenforced the front near Sommerance (east of Grandpré) on the 9th to -meet the American push of the 8th. It was withdrawn on the 31st after -having suffered very heavy losses. - -8. It rested a day or two immediately in rear of the front, and on the -3d it was thrown in near Nouart (southwest of Stenay), the Americans -having attacked again on the 1st. It was again withdrawn on the 8th, and -did not come back into line. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 41st has been considered a second-class division. With the exception -of its engagements in the spring near Albert and in the Argonne in -October and November, it has not done a great deal of fighting during -the year; during this fighting, however, it suffered very severely, so -that when it was withdrawn on the 8th of November its companies did not -have an average combatant strength of 25. On June 6 the commanding -general issued an order indicating an increase in the number of -instances in which subordinates emphatically refused to accompany their -units into line and in which officers neglected to enforce obedience to -orders, and insisting that the evil be remedied even though the men had -to be shot. - - - - - 42d Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │59. │97. │59. │97. │65. │17. - │ │138. │ │138. │ │131. - │65. │17. │65. │17. │ │138. - │ │131. │ │131. │ │ - │ │ │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │7 Uhlan Rgt. │1 Sqn. 7 Uhlan Rgt.│1 Sqn. 7 Uhlan Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │42 Brig.: │42 Brig.: │42 Brig.: - │8 F. A. Rgt. │8 F. A. Rgt. │ 8 F. A. Rgt. - │15 F. A. Rgt. │15 F. A. Rgt. │ 15 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│3 Field Co. (1 │3 and 5 Field Cos. │3 and 5 Field Cos. - Liaisons. │ Pion. Btn. No. │ (1 Pion. Btn. No.│ (1 Pion. Btn. No. - │ 27). │ 27). │ 27). - │ │42 Pont. Engs. │42 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │42 Tel. Detch. │42 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ - │ │ │42 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │65. │17. │65. │17. - │ │131. │ │131. - │ │138. │ │138. - │ Gd. Res. Jag. Btn.│ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 7 Drag. Rgt.│1 Sqn. 7 Drag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │42 Art. Command: │42 Art. Command: - │ 15 F. A. Rgt. │ 15 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 2 Abt. 15 Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. (4, 11, and - │ │ 12 Btries.). - │ │ 804 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1044 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 11045 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(1/27 or 136 Pion. │27 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ Btn.): │ - │ │ - │ 3 Field Co. 27 │ 3 Co. 27 Pions. - │ Pions. │ - │ 5 Field Co. 27 │ 5 Co. 27 Pions. - │ Pions. │ - │ 42 T. M. Co. │ 42 T. M. Co. - │ 229 Searchlight │ 14 Searchlight - │ Section. │ Section. - │ 345 Searchlight │42 Signal Command: - │ Section. │ - │ Tel. Detch. │ 42 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 147 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │263 Ambulance Co. │263 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Field Hospital. │269 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │368 Field Hospital. - │ │162 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │575 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (21st Corps District—Lorraine.) - - - 1914. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. Upon mobilization, the 42d Division and the 31st Division formed the -21st Army Corps. - -It was a part of the 6th Army (Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria), and fought, -at the beginning of August, 1914, across the Lorraine frontier, in the -vicinity of Château Salins, Dieuze, Rechicourt (Aug. 5–12). Engaged on -the 20th northeast of Dieuze, the 42d Division reached Lunéville on the -22d and attacked Rehainviller and Gerbeviller on the 24th. These days -had been very costly. On August 26 the 121st Infantry Regiment was -reduced to 31 officers and 1,562 men. (Official Document.) - -2. At the beginning of September it was sent to reenforce the 2d -Bavarian Corps. On September 3 it was in the vicinity of Moyen-Domptail. -It retired to Dieuze (Sept. 11–13) and entrained at Boulay on the 18th, -for Cambrai. - - -SOMME. - -3. On September 24 it was on the Somme. It fought at Gruny, Maucourt, in -the vicinity of Chaulnes-Pressoire (end of September to beginning of -October). It took up its position on the Chaulnes front, along the road -from Amiens to St. Quentin (November-December). - - - 1915. - -1. The 42d Division occupied the lines north of Chaulnes until the end -of January, 1915. On December 26, the losses of the 131st Infantry -Regiment since the beginning of the campaign amounted to 87 officers and -3,233 men. (Official List of Casualties.) - -2. About January 25 the 42d Division was relieved and entrained for the -Eastern Front with the 31st Division (21st Army Corps). - -3. Concentrated in East Prussia at the beginning of February, it formed -a part of the Hindenburg Army which was to force the Russians across the -frontier. - -4. From the vicinity of Augustowo (Feb. 14) it advanced rapidly to the -east; it reached Sopockin on the 20th, and took up its position with the -21st Army Corps on the line Sopockin-Chtabine (north of Grodno). On -March 9 the violent Russian counterattacks caused it heavy losses. - - -MARIAMPOL. - -5. At the beginning of March the 42d Division bore to the north; it was -at Kalwarjia on March 26; occupied the vicinity of Mariampol on April 2. -It fought in this sector from March 29 to April 24 and remained there -until August. (On Apr. 13 the losses of the first two battalions of the -131st Infantry Regiment since the 6th of February had been 1,672 men, -according to the Official Casualty List. The 7th Company had only 65 men -left on Apr. 7.) - - -VILNA. - -6. Renewing its forward march, the division reached Vilna on August 30; -continuing toward the east, it reached Herviaty-Vorniany on September -20, then went toward Lake Narotch, vicinity of Postavy, where the front -became stable. - -In the autumn the 97th Infantry Regiment was transferred to the 108th -Division, a new formation. - - - 1916. - - -LAKE NAROTCH. - -1. The 42d Division held its positions at Lake Narotch until April, -1917. - -2. At the end of March, 1916, it sustained the Russian attacks and -suffered great losses. - - - 1917. - - -GALICIA. - -1. On April 24, 1917, the 42d Division was relieved from the sector of -Lake Narotch and entrained at Vilna for the Western Front. The activity -along the Galician front caused its itinerary to be modified, and from -Warsaw it was sent to Lemberg. In reserve first, it went into action on -July 20 in the German counteroffensive of Brzezany, which took it to the -region south of Tarnopol (Grjimalov, July 31). - - -RIGA. - -2. Withdrawn from the Galician front at the beginning of August, it -entrained at Lemberg on the 24th, and was transferred to Neugut (between -Mitau and Jakobstadt) on August 27. It took part in the advance to Riga; -one of its regiments crossed the Dvina, in the vicinity of Uxkull, on -September 1. - - -OESEL ISLAND. - -3. At the end of September it was sent to Libau, where important forces -were being concentrated for the occupation of the islands in the Baltic. -On October 12 the 131st Infantry Regiment landed on the Oesel Island, -which it occupied until November 1. The 138th Infantry Regiment remained -at Moon until October 25. At the beginning of November the 42d Division -was transferred to the vicinity of Kovel. At the end of November it took -over a calm sector in the vicinity of Kachovka. - - -FRANCE. - -4. Entraining at Kovel on December 23, it arrived in France on December -28. (Itinerary: Warsaw-Thorn-Posen-Leipzig-Dortmund-Cologne-Herbestal- -Brussels. It detrained at Ascq on the 28th.) - -5. After a stay in the vicinity of Lille, it relieved the 4th Division -east of Armentières on January 23, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -As the regional system of recruiting could not furnish dependable -elements, the 42d Division is principally recruited from Westphalia and -the Rhine Province. The Alsace-Lorrainers were fairly numerous, however, -during the stay of the division on the Russian front. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 42d Division occupied the Eastern Front from February, 1915, until -the end of December, 1917. - -In the offensive operations in which the 42d Division took part in 1917 -the successes appear to have been fairly easy. The greater part of the -time it has not had to sustain any serious action and its losses have -been comparatively slight. - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF THE LYS. - -1. The division held the Armentieres sector until it was relieved about -March 22 by the 32d Division. On April 9 it reenforced the battle front -near Merris. It was engaged in heavy fighting, and between April 9 and -16 the losses of the division amounted to 50 per cent of the strength. -On April 17 it was relieved by the 12th Division. - -2. The division came in on the quiet Lens sector on April 25–26, -relieving the 220th Division. It held the sector until June 25, when it -was relieved by the 36th Reserve Division and moved to the region -southwest of Soissons, where on June 30 it relieved the 14th Division. -It suffered from the French attack of July 18, losing 1,400 prisoners. -It was withdrawn about July 22. - -3. The division rested nearly a month undergoing reconstitution by -elements from the dissolved 211th Division. The 390th Regiment was -completely merged with the 42d Division. From Laon the division moved to -Rethel. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -4. From its entry into the Champagne line on August 22 in relief of the -28th Division until October 1 it was engaged in resisting the French -offensive operations in Champagne, during which period it lost about -2,000 prisoners. The division was withdrawn on October 1. After two -weeks in the second line the division returned to line about October 14 -near Olizy. It continued in line until the armistice. After November 3 -the division was opposite the left flank of the American front. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. It was used as an attack division -in the Lys offensive, but thereafter was employed solely on the -defensive. The division had a good composition with a large percentage -of men of the younger classes. - - - - - 43d Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │85 Res. │201 Res. │85 Res. │201 Res. │85 Res. │201 Res. - │ │202 Res. │ │202 Res. │ │202 Res. - │86 Res. │203 Res. │86 Res. │203 Res. │86 Res. │203 Res. - │ │204 Res. │ │204 Res. │ │204 Res. - │ 15 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 15 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 15 Res. Jag. Btn. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Cavalry. │43 Res. Cav. Detch.│43 Res. Cav. Detch.│43 Res. Cav. Detch. - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │43 Res. F. A. Rgt. │43 Res. F. A. Rgt. │43 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.). │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│43 Res. Pion. Co. │43 Res. Pion. Co. │43 Res. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │43 Res. Pont. Engs.│243 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │43 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │43 Res. Ambulance │ - Veterinary.│ │ Co. │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918[19] - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │85 Res. │201 Res. │85 Res. │201 Res. - │ │202 Res. │ │202 Res. - │ │203 Res. │ │203 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │43 Res. Cav. Detch.│43 Res. Cav. Detch. - │2 Sqn. 17 Hus. Rgt.│ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │(?) Art. Command: - │ │ - │ 43 Res. F. A. Rgt.│ 43 Res. F. A. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│343 Pion. Btn.: │343 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 43 Res. Pion. Co. │ 4 Co. 2 Pion. Btn. - │ │ No. 17. - │ 4 Field Co. 17 │ 1 Res. Co. 23 - │ Pion. Btn. │ Pions. - │ 243 T. M. Co. │ 43 Res. Pion. Co. - │ 443 Tel. Detch. │ 243 T. M. Co. - │ │ 443 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │525 Ambulance Co. │525 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │72 Res. Field │72 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │73 Res. Field │237 Vet. Hospital. - │ Hospital. │ - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │730 T. M. Col. │730 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── -Footnote 19: - - Composition at the time of dissolution, September, 1918. - - - HISTORY. - - (From all of the Prussian territory, by selection, in the same manner as - the guard.) - - - 1914. - -1. The 43d Reserve Division (first series of reserve divisions engaged -in October, 1914) formed at this time, with the 44th Reserve Division, -the 22d Reserve Corps. It was formed from the regimental recruit depots -of the guard, and has preserved from that time a selective system of -recruiting from the whole of the Prussian territory. - -2. Going into training at the camp of Doeberitz at the beginning of -September, the 43d Reserve Division entrained on October 13 for Belgium, -and on the 19th it began fighting in the vicinity of Dixmude, Merckem, -Bixschoote, etc. It was in action there until the end of November. - - -YSER. - -3. After the battle of the Yser the elements of the division occupied -different parts of the front between Ypres and Nieuport. - - - 1915. - - -FLANDERS. - -1. At the beginning of January, 1915, the 86th Reserve Brigade was in -line at Westende. - -2. About the end of February the 43d Reserve Division was reconcentrated -and then sent to rest in the vicinity of Menin-Roulers until April 25. - - -ARTOIS. - -3. In May elements of the division were holding the sector Bixschoote- -Boesinghe (North of the Ypres salient). Another part of the division was -sent as a reenforcement north of Arras (Souchez) to oppose the French -offensive. The 202d Reserve Infantry Regiment lost 76 officers and 1,320 -men at Notre Dame de Lorette (Official List of Casualties). - - -RUSSIA. - -4. About the beginning of July the 86th Reserve Brigade was transferred -to Russia and took part in the offensive of Mackensen in Poland. Between -May 15 and September 29 the 204th Reserve Infantry Regiment listed as -casualties 63 officers and 3,511 men. (Official List of Casualties.) - - -CHAMPAGNE-SERBIA. - -5. The 85th Reserve Brigade, sent to Lorraine (Xivray), then to Woevre -(July to September), took part in the battle of Champagne (end of -September), and then rejoined the rest of the division in Serbia, where -the 43d Reserve Division took part in the campaign in October. - - - 1916. - - -FRANCE. - -1. The division left Serbia to return to France at the end of January -and beginning of February, 1916. - - -VERDUN. - -2. After a rest in the vicinity of Valenciennes (February-March) it was -sent to the Verdun front at the end of March, and went into action west -of the Meuse on April 10 (attacks of Bethincourt and the Mort Homme), -where it suffered heavy losses between April 10 and May 25. The 12th -Company of the 201st Reserve Infantry Regiment received not less than -185 men as replacements during the month of May. (Document.) - -3. Toward the end of May the 43d Reserve Division was withdrawn from the -front and sent to rest in the Thionville area. At Verdun it had lost 50 -per cent of its infantry. - - -RUSSIA. - -4. At the middle of June it entrained at Novion Porcien and was again -sent to Russia. Itinerary: Charleville-Trèves-Cassel-Leipzig-Dresden- -Breslau-Cracow-Lemberg-Stojanow (southwest of Sokal.) The 204th Reserve -Infantry Regiment detrained on June 19. - -5. On the Russian front the division was engaged west of Loutsk in the -German counteroffensive in June. (Its losses may be estimated from the -fact that the 12th Company of the 201st Reserve Infantry Regiment -received replacements of 152 men in July and August, the 3d Company at -least 145 men from July 9 to 29.) - - -FRANCE. - -6. On November 15 the division was brought back to the Western Front. -(Itinerary Oderberg-Leipzig-Frankfort-Mayence-Thionville-Sedan- -Thourout.) Reduced to three regiments by the assignment of the 204th -Reserve Infantry Regiment to the 218th Division, a new formation, it was -at rest for almost a month in the vicinity of Rethel. - - -VERDUN. - -7. In consequence of the French attack of December 15 north of Verdun, -the division was concentrated in the vicinity of Azannes. On December 17 -it relieved the remnants of the 10th Division in the Chambrettes sector. - - - 1917. - -1. The 43d Reserve Division remained at Verdun until January 31, 1917, -without being engaged in any important action. However, it suffered -rather heavy losses there. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. After a rest in Alsace, the division was sent to Champagne, where, on -February 22, it reenforced the front between Loivre and east of the -Cavaliers du Courcy. The French attack of April 16 caused it serious -losses. - - -ARGONNE. - -3. Relieved at the end of April, and reorganized, it went back into line -in the calm sector of Vauquois about May 9; the 12th Company of the -201st Reserve Infantry Regiment was filled up by the arrival of 100 men -(1918 class; men from the 613th and 614th dissolved Infantry Regiments). - -4. At the end of May the division was withdrawn from the Argonne. It was -rested and reorganized first in the Ardennes, then in the vicinity of -Laon. - - -CHEMIN DES DAMES. - -5. From July 18 to 20, it went into the sector Panthéon-Épine du -Chevregny (south of Pargny-Filain) and almost at once underwent the -artillery preparation and the French attack of July 30 which caused it -heavy losses, increased by the counterattacks which it attempted on July -31 and August 10. On July 30 the 12th Company of the 202d Reserve -Infantry Regiment had only 5 noncommissioned officers and 56 men left -(document). On August 10 the 201st Reserve Infantry Regiment was almost -completely destroyed and left 124 men as prisoners south of La Royère. - -6. The 43d Reserve Division was relieved from the Chemin des Dames on -August 23 and sent to rest until the end of September in the vicinity of -Laon. It was filled up and reorganized. - - -LA MALMAISON. - -7. Receiving training at the beginning of October in view of an -offensive which was to anticipate the expected French attack, the -elements of the 43d Reserve Division were engaged, beginning with -October 15, to reenforce weakened divisions at Vaudesson, La Malmaison, -and Bruyeres. They underwent the attack of October 23, which caused them -heavy losses (53 officers, 2,190 men, prisoners). The remnants of the -division were relieved on the Ailette on October 28. - - -RUSSIA. - -8. The division was sent to Russia soon afterwards, where it detrained -on November 11, in the vicinity of Baranovitchi, after five days’ -travel. It then relieved the 201st Division, scheduled to go to France. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 43d Reserve Division was recruited, as was the guard in which it had -its origin, from the whole of the Prussian territory. The trained men -(returned, wounded, and sick), who figure in the reenforcements which it -received, had the same origin (Guard, 1st Reserve Guard Division, 261st -and 262d Reserve Guard Ersatz Divisions, Guard Landsturm Battalions, -etc.). In April, 1917, the division absorbed a part of the 613th and -614th Regiments formed from the Guard recruit depots and dissolved on -March 31. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 43d Reserve Division has always been considered a very good -organization (December, 1917). - -On August 10, 1917, south of La Royère, the 201st Ersatz Regiment -attacked “with very great energy.” - -In October, 1917, at La Malmaison, the 43d Reserve Division was brought -up for reenforcement as an attacking division. - -Because of its recent losses (in the attack of Oct. 3) the 43d Reserve -Division needs to be completely reorganized before going into action -(December, 1917). - -It is to be noted that all the recruits of the division come from the -Guard recruit depots. (After the losses suffered on Apr. 16, 1917, the -division received 3,000 men from the depots of Brandenburg.) - -The human material at the disposition of the division is of high -quality. - - - 1918. - -1. The division left Russia on February 9 and arrived at the Camp Alten- -Grabon near Magdeburg about the middle of February. After resting there -about five weeks the division entrained on March 18 and traveled via -Bielefeld-Gladbach-Aachen-Visé—Hasselt-Louvain-Brussels-Denderleeuw- -Audenarde-Courtrai-Tourcoing to Lille, where the regiment detrained on -the 22d, billeting at Loos. On the night of April 1–2 the 202d Reserve -Infantry Regiment marched via Emmerin and Wattignies to Herrin, -continuing on the night of April 2–3 via Chemy-Camphin-Ostricourt to -Malmaison and thence to Herrin-Lietard. On April 4 the regiment -proceeded to Noyelles-Godault, on the 5th back to Malmaison, and thence -on the 7th to Billy Berclau. - - -LA BASSEE CANAL. - -2. The division was engaged at Festubert on April 9. The objective of -the division was to break through the enemy’s positions, force the -passage of the Lawe and the La Bassee Canals, and capture the heights of -Hinges and the town of Bethum. It was held up by British resistance at -Festubert and did not penetrate farther. On April 29 it was relieved by -the 9th Reserve Division. - - -SOMME. - -3. After its relief, the division rested in the area south of Lille -until June 24, when it relieved the 24th Reserve Division at -Bouzencourt. Until August 8, it held the sector on the Somme. In the -fighting in August, the division lost 600 prisoners. On August 20 it -returned to line at Bray and was engaged until the end of the month. The -total number of prisoners lost by the division in these two engagements -was 1,100. - -4. Early in September the division was broken up. The 203d Reserve -Regiment was turned into the Guard Ersatz Division, the 202d Reserve -Regiment to the 2d Guard Division. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. Its complete failure on the La -Bassee attack in April and its subsequently long retention in line on -the Somme prepared the way for its dissolution about the first of -September. - - - - - 44th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │87 Res. │205 Res. │87 Res. │205 Res. │87 Res. │205 Res. - │ │206 Res. │ │206 Res. │ │206 Res. - │88 Res. │207 Res. │88 Res. │207 Res. │88 Res. │207 Res. - │ │208 Res. │ │208 Res. │ │208 Res. - │ 16 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 16 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 16 Res. Jag. Btn. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Cavalry. │44 Res. Cav. Detch.│44 Res. Cav. Detch.│44 Res. Cav. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │44 Res. F. A. Rgt. │44 Res. F. A. Rgt. │44 Reg. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.) │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│44 Pion. Co. │44 Res. Pont. Co. │44 Res. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │44 Res. Pion. Engs.│5 Field Co. 29 - │ │ │ Pion. Rgt. - │ │ │244 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │44 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │44 Res. Ambulance │ - Veterinary.│ │ Co. │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │87 Res. │205 Res. │87 Res. │205 Res. - │ │206 Res. │ │206 Res. - │ │208 Res. │ │208 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │44 Res. Cav. Detch.│4 Sqn. 7 Drag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │44 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ 44 Res. F. A. Rgt.│2 Abt. 21 Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. (4 and 6 - │ │ Btries.). - │ │706 Light Am. Col. - │ │828 Light Am. Col. - │ │1322 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│344 Pion. Btn.: │344 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 44 Res. Pion. Co. │ 5 Co. 29 Pions. - │ │ - │ 5 Field Co. 29 │ 44 Res. Pion. Co. - │ Pion. Btn. │ - │ 244 T. M. Co. │ 244 T. M. Co. - │ 306 Searchlight │ 21 Searchlight - │ Sect. │ Section. - │ 444 Tel. Detch. │ 250 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │444 Signal Command: - │ │ 444 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 86 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │526 Ambulance Co. │526 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │73 Res. Field │71 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │238 Vet. Hospital. │75 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │ │238 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │731 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (3d Corps District—Brandenburg.) - - - 1914. - - -YSER. - -1. The 44th Reserve Division, formed between August and October, 1914, -like the other division of the 22d Reserve Corps (43d Reserve Division), -was trained at Jueterbog Camp and entrained on October 12. Detraining at -Termonde, it was in action at Dixmude and at Bixschoote in October and -November and lost very heavily. On November 9 the 3d Battalion of the -205th Reserve Infantry Regiment was reduced to 153 men. (Notebook.) - -2. After the battle of the Yser, it occupied several sectors north of -Ypres. - - - 1915. - - -NIEUPORT. - -1. The 44th Reserve Division remained on the Flanders front until the -month of June, 1915. - -2. On June 7 the division was relieved from the Lombartzyde-Nieuport -sector and transferred to the Eastern Front. - - -RUSSIA. - -3. Arriving in Russia in the middle of June, it took part in the -Mackensen offensive—battles of pursuit on the Galician frontier (June -22-July 16); battle of Krasnostaw (July 19–28) and of Biskupice (July, -29–30); battles up to the Bug (July 31 to Aug. 19); taking of Brest- -Litovsk on August 26. - - -SERBIA. - -4. In October it was sent to Serbia and went through the entire -campaign. - -5. At the end of December, it was sent to rest in Hungary. - - - 1916. - - -FRANCE. - -1. At the end of January, 1916, the 44th Reserve Division entrained for -France. (Itinerary: Inddis-Budapest-Vienna-Rosenheim-Cologne-Charleroi.) -It detrained at Landrecies-Valenciennes on February 6. It did some work -on the Somme front (the 306th Reserve Infantry Regiment near Peronne; -the 208th Reserve Infantry Regiment remained at Mesle until Mar. 14) and -then entrained at Landrecies on March 24. - - -VERDUN (MORT-HOMME). - -2. Concentrated in the vicinity of Buzancy, at the end of March, the -division went to the left bank of the Meuse. On April 11 the 86th -Reserve Brigade went into line in the Mort-Homme sector. The 44th -Reserve Division was in action beginning with April 25, and suffered -very heavy losses (April-May). - -3. On June 5 the 44th Reserve Division was withdrawn from the front, -reorganized, and sent to rest in the vicinity of Sedan (replacements -from the 3d and 5th Corps Districts). - - -SOMME. - -4. Transferred to the Somme (July 2 and 3), the division sent some of -its elements into action on the Estrees-Belloy front on July 4. It -underwent the French attacks between these two villages (July 6–10) and -launched a violent counterattack on the 7th and 8th. These engagements -caused it severe losses (9 officers and 522 men as prisoners). - - -LASSIGNY. - -5. Relieved on July 10, it spent a few days at rest, and on July 20 -entered the line in the sector of Lassigny-Beuvraignes. - -Between June 1 and July 15 the 205th Reserve Infantry Regiment, after it -had received men from the Beverloo depot, had received at least 145 men -for its 5th Company, 167 for its 8th; on July 14 the 1st Company of the -206th Infantry Regiment received at least 128 men; some (1917 class) had -only been in the service since May 5. - - -SOMME. - -6. Sent to rest in the middle of September, the 44th Reserve Division -again went into action on the Somme (Berny en Santerre-Genermont), -between October 9 and October 28, and again lost very heavily. - -7. It then came back into the Lassigny sector, where it was reorganized -(reinforcements of 300 to 400 men per regiment). It transferred the -207th Reserve Infantry Regiment to the 228th Division, a new -organization. - - - 1917. - - -LASSIGNY (RETREAT). - -1. In March, 1917, the 44th Reserve Division took part in the German -retreat and left the lines at Lassigny to take up its position between -La Fère and Moy (Mar. 25). - - -LA MALMAISON (WOËVRE). - -2. Sent into the reserve of the army at the end of March in the vicinity -of Marle St. Gobert, the division was concentrated on April 15 in the -vicinity of Monampteuil-Filain (Apr. 20). On the 21st, on both banks of -the Oise-Aisne Canal, it relieved the remnants of the division decimated -by the French offensive of April 16 and at La Malmaison received the new -attack of May 5. Very much exhausted (1,670 prisoners), it was replaced -at once (night of May 5–6) and transferred to the Woëvre first and then -to the Côtes de Meuse northeast of St. Mihiel, where the division took -over the sector of Chevaliers after being reorganized. It was withdrawn -October 25. - - -FLANDERS. - -3. On November 10 it went into line in Flanders, north of Passchendaele. - - -ARTOIS. - -Relieved at the end of the month, it was sent to the sector of Neuve -Chapelle. It was still there March 19, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 44th Reserve Division was mixed at the time of its formation (one -regiment from Hanover), but has since become purely Brandenburg by its -reduction to three regiments. However, this does not prevent the -occasional introduction of extraneous elements—for example, in July, -1916 (urgent call for available reserve at Beverloo). The 1917 class -then made its appearance on July 12, 1916 (in the 208th Reserve Infantry -Regiment); the 1918 class on April 13, 1917 (in the 205th Reserve -Infantry Regiment). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 44th Reserve Division has been designated an assault division. - -The 44th Reserve Division has not shown any great military value in the -course of the battles which it went into north of the Aisne. Certain -elements, however, fought well. One must note that the combat effectives -of the division were very much reduced by the artillery preparation -before the attack of May 5, 1917. - -After the battle of the Aisne, the division made up for its losses with -elements from the field recruit depots and two replacements, one coming -from Warsaw (1917 class), and the other from the 5th Corps District -(mostly returned wounded). - - - 1918. - - -LA BASSEE CANAL. - -1. About April 1st, the division was retired to the second line, from -which it returned on the night of April 12–13 to attack near Locon on -the 13th. It held a sector in that region until its relief by the 220th -Division on May 6–7. - -2. The division rested at Courrieres for three weeks. On May 26 it -relieved the 39th Division west of Vieux Berqum. Here it remained until -July 4, when it was relieved by the 207th Division. - - -SOMME. - -3. The division moved to the area northwest of Tournai early in July. -There it rested and received drafts until its return to line northeast -of Martinpuich on August 26. The division fell back on Flers (27th), -Beaulencourt (1st), Villers au Flos (2d), Ruyaulcourt (3d), southwest of -Havrincourt (7th). It was withdrawn from line on September 10 after -losing 700 prisoners. - -4. It was out of line for four weeks and unconfirmed reports indicated -its presence at Metz. However, it again appeared in line on the Cambrai- -St. Quentin front on October 10, north of Montay. It fought around Le -Cateau until the end of the month when it was withdrawn from line north -of Robersart. About the fourth of November the division was back in line -at Locquignol and in the closing days of the war it fell back to -Maubeuge. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as first class. It was not used in any of the -major offensives of 1918. - - - - - 44th Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │Rosenberg. │93 Ldw. │44 Ldw. │81 Ldw. - │ │382 Ldw. │ │93 Ldw. - │ │ │ │382 Ldw. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │ │Art. Command: - │ │ 270 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│ │(444) Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │ 411 T. M. Co. - │ │ - │ │ 544 Tel. Detch. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │274 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │360 Field Hospital. - │ │Vet. Hospital. - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1918 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │44 Ldw. │81 Ldw. │ (?) │81 Ldw. - │ │93 Ldw. │ │93 Ldw. - │ │382 Ldw. │ │382 Ldw. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 2 Uhlan Rgt. │3 Sqn. 2 Uhlan Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │134 Art. Command: │134 Art. Command: - │ 4, 5, 6, and 8 Abtl. 254 │ 61 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │ - │ 828 and 837 F. A. Btries. │ 822 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1268 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1321 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(444) Pion. Btn.: │444 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 2 Landst. Co. 7 C. Dist. │ 4 Landst. Co. 7 C. Dist. - │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ 4 Landst. Co. 7 C. Dist. │ 244 Searchlight Section. - │ Pions. │ - │ 411 T. M. Co. │544 Signal Command: - │ 544 Tel. Detch. │ 544 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 63 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │274 Ambulance Co. │274 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │268 Field Hospital. │360 Field Hospital. - │360 Field Hospital. │ - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (81st Landwehr Regiment: 18th Corps District—Grand Duchy of Hesse and - Hesse—Nassau. 93d Landwehr Regiment: 4th Corps District—Prussian Saxony. - 382d Landwehr Regiment: 7th Corps District—Westphalia.) - - - 1916. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. The 44th Landwehr Division was formed in April, 1917, by the grouping -of the 44th Landwehr Brigade (93d and 382d Landwehr Regiments) and the -81st Landwehr Regiment. The latter regiment had been successively -attached to the 39th Reserve Division (area of St. Dié until the spring -of 1916), to the Bavarian Ersatz Division (near Verdun until the end of -1916) and finally to the 54th Division (Flirey). - -2. The 44th Landwehr Brigade, called the Rosenberg Brigade until July, -1916, united in December, 1915, on the left bank of the Moselle, the 1st -Landwehr Ersatz Regiment, afterwards the 382d Landwehr Regiment -(formerly attached to the Norroy Brigade) and the 93d Landwehr, former -Von Gundlach Regiment of the Graudenz Corps, formed from two of the six -surplus Landwehr battalions of the 4th Corps District and of the 38th -Landwehr Brigade Ersatz Battalion (Hanover), identified Jeandelize in -June, 1915. It was attached to the 8th Ersatz Division at the beginning -of 1916. - -3. The 44th Landwehr Brigade held the Moselle front on the left bank of -the river until it was transformed into the 44th Landwehr Division. - - - 1917. - - -BOIS LE PRÊTRE. - -1. The formation of the 44th Landwehr Division in April, 1917, had no -effect upon the position of the elements which entered into its -composition. They continued to hold the left bank of the Moselle (Bois -le Prêtre) until October, 1917. - -2. In this sector the 44th Landwehr Division gave signs of its presence -only by a few unimportant raids. - - -UPPER ALSACE. - -3. On October 13, 1917, the 44th Landwehr Division was relieved from -Bois le Prêtre, entrained on the 16th at Arnaville, Pagny, Bayonville, -and was transferred to Alsace, detraining at Sierentz and Bartenheim. -During the night of the 18th–19th it went into line on both banks of the -Rhône-Rhine Canal. - -On November 7 the division suffered some losses at Schoenholz. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Composed for the most part of elderly men accustomed to holding calm -sectors, the 44th Landwehr Division is the antithesis of an attack -division. However, it knows how to organize and maintain a position and -there is reason to believe that it would do well on the defensive. - -Each of its regiments possesses an assault troop. - - - 1918. - -1. The division held the Altkirch sector throughout 1918 until the -armistice. The sector remained absolutely quiet. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 45th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │89 Res. │209 Res. │89 Res. │209 Res. │89 Res. │209 Res. - │ │212 Res. │ │212 Res. │ │212 Res. - │90 Res. │210 Res. │90 Res. │210 Res. │90 Res. │210 Res. - │ │211 Res. │ │211 Res. │ │211 Res. - │ 17 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 17 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 17 Res. Jag. Btn. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Cavalry. │45 Res. Cav. Detch.│45 Res. Cav. Detch.│45 Res. Cav. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │45 Res. F. A. Regt.│45 Res. F. A. Rgt. │45 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.). │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│45 Pion. Co. │45 Res. Pion. Co. │45 Res. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │45 Res. Pont. Engs.│90 Res. Pion. Co. - │ │ │245 T. M. Co. - │ │ │45 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │45 Res. Ambulance │ - Veterinary.│ │ Co. │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │90 Res. │210 Res. │90 Res. │210 Res. - │ │211 Res. │ │211 Res. - │ │212 Res. │ │212 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │45 Res. Cav. Detch.│45 Res. Cav. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │45 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ 45 Res. F. A. Rgt.│1 Abt. 20 Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. (1, 2, and 4 - │ │ Btries.). - │ │773 Light Am. Col. - │ │839 Light Am. Col. - │ │1210 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│II/21 or 345 Pion. │345 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ Btn.: │ - │ 6 Co. 21 Pions. │ 6 Co. 21 Pions. - │ 45 Res. Pion. Co. │ 45 Res. Pion. Co. - │ 245 T. M. Co. │ 245 T. M. Co. - │ 294 Searchlight │ — Searchlight - │ Section. │ Section. - │ 23 Res. │445 Signal Command: - │ Searchlight │ - │ Section. │ - │ 445 Tel. Detch. │ 445 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 141 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │527 Ambulance Co. │527 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │75 Res. Field │76 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │76 Res. Field │77 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │77 Res. Field │445 Vet. Hospital. - │ Hospital. │ - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │732 M. T. Col. │732 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (2d Corps District—Pomerania.) - - - 1914. - -1. The 45th Reserve Division (forming the 23d Reserve Corps with the -46th Reserve Division) belongs to the series of divisions formed between -August and October, 1914. It received its training at the Jueterbog -Camp, entrained on October 12, and detrained at Alost in Belgium. - - -YSER. - -2. On October 21, 1914, the 45th Reserve Division was engaged in the -battle of the Yser in the vicinity of Noordschoote-Steenstraat, and -suffered serious losses in the course of the battles, which were -prolonged until November (from Oct. 15 to Nov. 11 52 officers and 1,669 -men in the 212th Reserve Infantry Regiment, according to the Official -List of Casualties). - -3. In December elements of the division were in line in the vicinity of -Bixschoote. - - - 1915. - - -FLANDERS. - -1. The division remained in Belgium and in the vicinity of Armentières -during the entire year of 1915 and the first half of 1916. - -2. On April 22, 1915, it attacked in the Steenstraat sector and occupied -the village of Lizerne, which counter attacks obliged it to abandon. - - - 1916. - - -FLANDERS. - -1. The 45th Reserve Division continued to occupy the zone north of Ypres -(Steenstraat-Boesinghe) until March 3, 1916. The 209th and 212th Reserve -Infantry Regiments were temporarily detached (from the end of January to -the beginning of March) and assigned to the 26th Division in the -Becelaere sector. - - -MESSINES. - -2. On March 12 the division took over the sector of Messines, south of -Ypres. Until the month of September it did not take part in any -important action. - - -SOMME. - -3. At the beginning of September it was withdrawn from Flanders, sent to -the Somme, and engaged in the sector of Thiepval-Martinpuich (Sept. 9 to -24). On September 15 it withstood the British attack between Courcelette -and Thiepval, where it lost very heavily. - - -OISE. - -4. After a short rest in the vicinity of Bapaume the division was sent -to the Noyon area. It transferred the 209th Reserve Infantry Regiment to -the 207th Division, a new formation. At the beginning of October it went -into line on the left bank of the Oise at Tracy le Val. In the interval, -in order to fill up its regiments, it had to borrow from the Landsturm -battalions of the 2d Corps District (men of the Landsturm 2d Btn., -trained and untrained from the classes 1892 to 1894). - - - 1917. - -1. January 22, 1917, the 45th Reserve Division left the sector of Tracy -le Val for the Sissonne Camp, and received training there for three -weeks. Its regiments had been practically re-formed. Between September -24, 1916, and February 21, 1917, the 210th Reserve Infantry Regiment had -received 79 noncommissioned officers and 1,522 men. - -2. On February 12 it went into the sector Osly-Courtil-Chevillecourt, -west of Soissons. In March it retired in the direction of Coucy le -Château; it was put in reserve (Mar. 20 to Apr. 10) in the area north of -Laon. - - -AISNE-CHEMIN DES DAMES. - -3. On April 10, in anticipation of the French attack, the elements of -the division were concentrated near Filain. On the 7th the 210th Reserve -Infantry Regiment was in action south of the Ailette Canal (east of -Vauxaillon). The other regiments were sent west of the Oise-Aisne Canal -toward Braye en Laonnois. All the units underwent the attack of April -16, and were relieved between April 20 and 22, having suffered very -heavy losses. - -4. Concentrated and reorganized north of Laon (Crecy sur Serre), the -division again went into action near the Oise-Aisne Canal (Froidmont -Farm-Malval Farm, on May 3). Its losses were again very severe during -the new French attack of May 5. It was withdrawn from the front on the -6th. - - -VERDUN. - -5. Transferred to the vicinity of Conflans and reorganized, the division -went into line on the Côtes de Meuse (Calonne les Éparges) on May 27. - -6. After three months in the sector on the Côtes, the 45th Reserve -Division entrained at Conflans (Sept. 26) for Flanders. - - -FLANDERS. - -7. On September 22 it went into position in the Zonnebeke sector as a -counterattacking division. Elements of the division were engaged on -October 1 (Polygon wood), on the 4th (Zonnebeke), and from the 9th to -the 12th as reinforcements on the Passchendaele front. After the British -attack of October 12 the division, very much exhausted by these battles, -was relieved. - - -VERDUN. - -Transferred to the rear of the Côtes de Meuse, sent into line on the -heights northeast of St. Mihiel in November; it was sent to the vicinity -of Bohain in December. - - - RECRUITING. - -Mixed at the time of its formation (1 Hanseatic Regiment), the 45th -Reserve Division was recruited almost entirely from Pomerania, in theory -at least, after its reduction to three regiments. Like the other units -recruited from this province (4th Division), at the end of 1915 and -several times since then, it has received a relatively large proportion -of elderly men (1892 to 1894 classes, trained and untrained). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 45th Reserve Division fought well on the Somme. It put up a vigorous -defense on the Aisne in the course of its two engagements of April 16 -and May 6, 1917. - -The Pomeranians, who formed the greater part of its effectives, have a -military reputation to sustain. However, according to the statements of -prisoners, when the 212th Reserve Infantry Regiment came from the Verdun -front to Flanders it refused to attack on September 30, 1917. (British -Summary of Information, Oct. 4.) - - - 1918. - - -ST. QUENTIN. - -1. Toward the end of January the division relieved the 36th Division -near Faye (north of St. Quentin), the latter division side slipping -toward the south. It remained here and took part in the initial attack -of the Somme offensive; it was withdrawn about the 24th of March. It was -not entirely withdrawn on that date, however, for besides still having -some elements in line, the rest of the division was in close support as -a “follow up” division. In this fighting it lost heavily. - - -MONTDIDIER. - -2. A few days later it went to rest in the Montdidier area. Early in -April it entered line near Assainvillers (east of Montdidier), where it -was identified on the 6th, and was relieved by the 206th Division on the -18th, going to rest and refit in the region of Vouziers. - - -AISNE. - -3. On the 1st of June the division was in reserve northeast of Fère en -Tardenois, and on the 3d it reinforced the front near Chaudun (southwest -of Soissons); it was relieved by the 23d Division and went to rest near -Oulchy le Château (west of Fère en Tardenois). - - -MARNE. - -4. The allied counteroffensive having started on July 18, the division -was hurried into line near Montron (east of La Ferté Milon) to meet it. -Here it was heavily engaged and suffered severe losses. It was relieved -by the 26th Division on July 27. - -5. It did not have an opportunity to rest, however, for it relieved the -201st Division north of Fère en Tardenois two days later. It was -relieved on August 3, and went to rest in the Maubeuge region. It was -identified here on the 23d, but a few days afterwards, the Germans -fearing an American attack in Alsace, it was dispatched to the vicinity -of Muelheim, where it arrived prior to September 3. - - -CHAMPAGNE-ARGONNE. - -6. The division entrained on the 24th for Flanders, but was ordered to -detrain when it reached St. Morel (south of Vouziers) on the 26th and -remained there until midnight. Then the 212th Reserve Regiment entered -line in the Aire valley near Baulny, while the remainder of the division -moved farther to the west and entered line to the north of Fontaine en -Dormois (northeast of Suippes). On October 8 these elements came to the -east and the division was in line as a whole northwest of Châtel -Chéhéry. It was withdrawn on the 25th and went to rest in Lorraine in -the vicinity of Conflans (southwest of Briey). - -7. On the 4th of November it came back into line near Woël (northeast of -St. Mihiel); it was still here on the 11th. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 45th Reserve has been considered a second-class division. Heavily -engaged on the Somme (three times), on the Aisne, against the Allied -counteroffensive, and in the battle of the Meuse-Argonne, it has done a -great deal of heavy fighting during 1918, without, however, ever -particularly distinguishing itself. It suffered exceedingly heavy -losses. Early in September, the 212th Regiment received as a draft the -397th Regiment of the disbanded 222d Division. About the 16th of October -it received a very large draft of replacements among which were a -considerable number of elements of decidedly Bolshevistic tendencies. -Men deserted to the rear, to the enemy, and quite a few were punished -for insubordination to officers, and some for refusing to fight. The -morale of the whole division was very low. - - - - - 45th Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │45 Ldw. │107 Ldw. │45 Ldw. │107 Ldw. - │ │133 Ldw. │ │133 Ldw. - │ │350 Ldw. │ │350 Ldw. - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │ (?) │4 Sqn. Gd. (Saxon) Cav. - │ │ Rgt. - │ │23 Drag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │498 F. A. Rgt. - │ 408 F. A. Rgt. │1027 Light Am. Col. - │ │1043 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(445) Pion. Btn.: │183 Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 4 Res. Co. 22 Pions. │4 Landst. Co. 9 C. Dist. - │ │ Pions. - │ 345 T. M. Co. │221 Searchlight Section. - │ 545 Tel. Detch. │545 Signal Command: - │ │ 545 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │Ambulance Co. │639 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │355 Field Hospital. │355 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │45 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transports. │562 M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (19th Corps District—Saxony.) - - - 1917. - -1. The 45th Landwehr Division was formed on the Eastern Front in April, -1917. The 107th Landwehr Regiment was taken from the 35th Reserve -Division; the 133d Landwehr Regiment from the 92d Division; and the -350th Landwehr from the 91st Division, after having been a part of the -88th Division. - - -VOLHYNIA. - -2. Until February, 1917, the 45th Landwehr Division occupied a sector in -Volhynia, near the Kovel-Rovno railroad. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 45th Landwehr Division has been on the Eastern Front since its -formation. It appears to have only a mediocre offensive value. - - - 1918. - - -UKRAINE. - -1. In February, 1918, the division advanced toward Kiev. A man of the -133 Landwehr Regiment wrote from the Wolczek Camp (southeast of Kovel) -on the 15th of March: “Our regiment continues its march forward. It is -said to have suffered heavy losses. We are fighting against the -Bolsheviks; the Ukrainians are on our side.” Divisional headquarters -were at Poltava in April. - -2. In May the three regiments of the division were in the vicinity of -Kharkov. The division was again identified here on October 13. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 46th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │91 Res. │213 Res. │91 Res. │213 Res. │91 Res. │213 Res. - │ │214 Res. │ │214 Res. │ │214 Res. - │92 Res. │215 Res. │92 Res. │215 Res. │92 Res. │215 Res. - │ │216 Res. │ │216 Res. │ │216 Res. - │ 18 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 18 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 18 Res. Jag. Btn. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Cavalry. │46 Res. Cav. Detch.│46 Res. Cav. Detch.│46 Res. Cav. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │46 Res. F. A. Rgt. │46 Res. F. A. Rgt. │46 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.). │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│46 Res. Pion. Co. │46 Res. Pion. Co. │46 Res. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │46 Res. Pont. Engs.│1 Res. Co. 25 - │ │ │ Pions. - │ │ │246 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │46 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │46 Res. Ambulance │ - Veterinary.│ │ Co. │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │60 Anti-Aircraft - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ │3 Balloon Sqn. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918[20] - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │92 Res. │214 Res. │92 Res. │214 Res. - │ │215 Res. │ │215 Res. - │ │216 Res. │ │216 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │46 Res. Cav. Detch.│46 Res. Cav. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │(?) Art. Command: - │ │ - │ 46 Res. F. A. Rgt.│ 46 Res. F. A. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(346) Pion. Btn.: │46 Res. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 46 Res. Pion. Co. │1 Ldw. Co. 3 Bav. - │ │ C. Dist. Pions. - │ 246 T. M. Co. (23 │23 Res. Searchlight - │ Res. Searchlight │ Section. - │ Section). │ - │ 446 Tel. Detch. │246 T. M. Co. - │ │446 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │528 Ambulance Co. │528 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │335 Field Hospital.│335 Field Hospital. - │78 Res. Field │Vet. Hospital. - │ Hospital. │ - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │733 M. T. Col. │733 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │214 Res. Rgt. T. M.│ - │ Co. (Doc.). │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── -Footnote 20: - - Composition at the time of its dissolution, August, 1918. - - - HISTORY. - - (9th Corps District—Hanseatic Cities and Grand Duchies of Mecklenburg.) - - - 1914. - - -YSER. - -1. The 46th Reserve Division (belonging to the 23d Reserve Corps with -the 45th Division), formed between August and October, 1914, was trained -at the Lockstedt Camp, and entrained for Belgium on October 12. It went -into action in the battle of the Yser between Dixmude and Bixschoote on -October 21, 1914. - - -FLANDERS. - -2. After these battles, which lasted until about November 15, and in the -course of which it suffered heavy losses, the division remained in -Flanders and occupied the area of Bixschoote. On November 21 only 1 -officer remained in the 3d Battalion of the 214th Reserve Infantry -Regiment (letter); the 11th Company, which started with 253 men, had -only 90 left. - - - 1915. - - -FLANDERS. - -1. Between April 22 and April 27, 1915, the 46th Reserve Division, which -was still holding the front north of Ypres, took part in the battles -launched around Lizerne, Het-Sas, Steenstraat. - -2. During the rest of the year 1915 and until March, 1916, the 46th -Reserve Division (as well as the 45th Reserve Division) held the lines -between Dixmude and Ypres, without any important action, with periods of -rest in the vicinity of Bruges and Thourout. - - - 1916. - - -ST. ELOI-WYTSCHAETE. - -1. Relieved north of Ypres at the end of February, 1916, the 46th -Reserve Division was transferred to Werwicq, from which place on March -14 it went to the sector of St. Eloi, near Messines. - -2. The division lost very heavily in this sector, at the beginning of -April. After a short period of rest it took over the same line from May -to September. - - -SOMME. - -3. At the beginning of September it left the area south of Ypres to go -to the Somme. It went into action on September 8 between Vermandovillers -and the Chaulnes railroad and suffered rather heavy losses, especially -during the French attack of September 17; the 2d Battalion of the 214th -Reserve Infantry Regiment was almost completely destroyed (letter). - -4. Sent behind the front for a short time, about October 8, in the -vicinity of Ham, it came back into line on October 17–20 minus the 213th -Reserve Infantry Regiment, which was transferred to the 207th Division, -a new organization. It supported the attacks of the 21st, between -Ablaincourt and Chaulnes wood, where certain of its units lost very -heavily. After launching a counterattack on the 22d the division was -relieved on October 24–25. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -5. In November and December the reorganized division took over the -sector east of Rheims. - - - 1917. - -1. In January, 1917, the 46th Reserve Division was at rest in Lorraine. -On January 28 it entrained at Lorquin and was transferred to the Oise, -by way of Sarreburg, Thionville, Luxemburg, Namur, Maubeuge, St. -Quentin, Tergnier, Chauny. - - -MOULIN SOUS TOUVENT. - -2. On January 30 it went into the sector of Moulin sous Touvent- -Autreches, which it left about March 18 to retire to Barisis, Folembray, -and the lower Coucy wood. - - -FORÊT DE ST. GOBAIN. - -3. Established in the St. Gobain sector in April and May, it was -relieved on May 20 and sent to rest in the area of Marle and Vervins. It -was reorganized there (the 216th Reserve Infantry Regiment received 500 -men from the depot of the 76th Reserve Infantry Regiment at Hamburg). - - -CHEMIN DES DAMES. - -4. On June 13 the division went into line on the Chemin des Dames, took -part in the German attack of June 22 at the Épine de Chevregny-Royère -Farm, and in the attack of July 8 on the front Panthéon-Froidmont. In -these two actions it had heavy losses. It made up for these in part by -men taken from the 94th Division in Russia. - -5. Withdrawn from the Laon front on July 24, the division was sent to -rest and to be reorganized in the area of Montmédy. - -6. On August 12 it was transferred to Spincourt and placed in reserve on -the right bank of the Meuse during the French attack of August 20. - - -VERDUN. - -7. Engaged on August 22 at the Fosse wood-Chaume wood, it lost heavily -by the attack of August 26 and by its counterattack upon Beaumont. - -8. Relieved at once, it was reorganized and sent to rest in the vicinity -of Sedan-Longuyon from August 26 to the end of September. - - -MEUSE. - -9. The 46th Reserve Division reappeared from October 3 to November 10 in -the sector of Fosse wood-Chaume wood, where some elements launched an -attack on November 9 and suffered heavy losses. - -10. The division was at rest in the vicinity of Longwy from November 10 -to December 15. - - -LORRAINE. - -11. About December 17 it took over the sector west of Nomeny (Cheminot- -Eply) in Lorraine. It was still there at the beginning of April, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -Composed at the beginning of equal contingents from the 9th and 10th -Corps Districts (Schleswig-Holstein, Hanseatic cities, and Mecklenburg; -Hanover, Brunswick, Oldenburg), the division, since its reduction to -three regiments, is filled up from the Hanseatic cities and the Grand -Duchies of Mecklenburg. It has ceased, therefore, to be Prussian, a -thing which has a certain practical interest in its designation in -communiques, etc., and has not been able to develop any regional -sentiment or cohesion. It is to be noted that the reinforcements of 1917 -have been rather mixed (Poles, men from the 2d, 3d, and 5th Corps -Districts), partly because of their being taken from the Russian front, -and, during its recent stay in Lorraine, from the neighboring depot of -the 99th Infantry Regiment. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 46th Reserve Division may be considered a good division. - -The attack of July 8, 1917, was carried out energetically. The assault -troops attacked with “extraordinary fury.” - -The division fought bravely at Verdun in August, 1917. - -Weakened by battles and by an epidemic of dysentery (October-November), -it was sent to Lorraine for rest and reorganization. - -The division received intensive training and it would seem that in spite -of new, untrained recruits it will quickly regain its value. - - - 1918. - - -NOYON. - -1. The division was relieved about April 25 in Lorraine and transferred -to the Montdidier area, where it was at rest until June 10. On that day -it reenforced the Montdidier-Noyon battle front northeast of Gournay. In -the course of the attacks the division suffered considerable losses. -About July 2 it was relieved. It rested in rear of the Noyon front. - - -SOISSONS. - -2. On July 20 the division reenforced the battle front near Buzancy, -south of Soissons. It lasted but one week and was then withdrawn. - -3. The effectives of the division was very low, due to the failure to -receive drafts. Early in August the division was disbanded. The 214th -Reserve Regiment was transferred to the 4th Division, the 216th Reserve -Regiment to the 18th Reserve Division, and the 215th Reserve Regiment -was turned into the 4th Ersatz Division. The divisional commander, Maj. -Gen. Wasielewski, was retired. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. Although it was not heavily -engaged in 1918, its effective strength was allowed to dwindle to a very -low level and dissolution followed. - - - - - 46th Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918[21] - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │46 Ldw. │101 Ldw. │ │101 Ldw. - │ │103 Ldw. │ │(?) - │ │105 Ldw. │ │105 Ldw. - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 17 Uhlan Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │246 F. A. Rgt. (Rgt. - │ │ Staff). - │ 246 F. A. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(446) Pion. Btn.: │546 Signal Command: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 346 T. M. Co. │ 346 Tel. Detch. (Except - │ │ 1st Zug.) - │ 546 Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │638 Ambulance Co. │638 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │315 Field Hospital. │46 Vet. Hospital. - │46 Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - -Footnote 21: - - The elements below are those grouped under the Division Postal Sector - (728). Other units of the 46th Landwehr Division, operating in other - divisional sectors, are carried as attached to such divisions. - - - HISTORY. - - (12th Corps District—Saxony.) - - - 1917. - -The 46th Landwehr Division, composed of the 101st and 103d Landwehr -Regiments (taken from the 14th Landwehr Division) and of the 33d -Landsturm Battalion (taken from the 3d Reserve Division), was formed on -the Eastern Front about May, 1917. - - -SMORGONI. - -1. It occupied the sector of Smorgoni-Lake Narotch until the beginning -of 1918. - -2. About the month of September, 1917, it received a new regiment, the -105th Landwehr, formed in 1917, at the time of the withdrawal of the -Saxon battalions from the Prussian regiments of which they had been a -part (345th and 374th Infantry Regiments). In December a great number of -the young men were taken from the division to reenforce the 40th -Division (Saxon) before its departure for France. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The use made of the 46th Landwehr Division allows us to form an -appreciation of its value; it held a calm sector on the Russian front in -1917; occupied the Ukraine in 1918. - - - 1918. - - -VOLHYNIA. - -1. In January the division was on the Volhynian front, next to the 10th -Landwehr Division. - - -UKRAINE. - -2. In February it moved into the Ukraine, leaving behind elements whose -duty it was to gather the matériel which had been abandoned in the -Russian positions. - -3. About the middle of March the division held the sector north of -Mohilev. The 103d Landwehr Regiment was along the Berezina in April. The -101st Landwehr Regiment was reported in the vicinity of Minsk early in -May. The whole division was identified in the Minsk region the end of -the month, and also toward the end of September. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 47th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │93 Res. │217 Res. │93 Res. │217 Res. │93 Res. │217 Res. - │ │218 Res. │ │218 Res. │ │218 Res. - │94 Res. │219 Res. │94 Res. │219 Res. │94 Res. │219 Res. - │ │220 Res. │ │220 Res. │ │220 Res. - │ │ │ │ │ │13 - │ │ │ │ │ │ Landst. - │ │ │ │ │ │ (Wurtt.). - │ 19 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 19 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 19 Res. Jag. Btn. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Cavalry. │47 Res. Cav. Detch.│47 Res. Cav. Detch.│47 Res. Cav. Detch. - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │47 Res. F. A. Rgt. │47 Res. F. A. Rgt. │47 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.). │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│47 Res. Pion. Co. │47 Res. Pion. Co. │47 Res. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │47 Res. Pont. Engs.│91 Res. Pion. Co. - │ │ │247 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │47 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │47 Res. Ambulance │ - Veterinary.│ │ Co. │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │839 F. A. Btry. - │ │ │84 Anti-Aircraft - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ │80 Labor Btn. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918[22] - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │94 Res. │217 Res. │94 Res. │218 Res. - │ │219 Res. │ │219 Res. - │ │220 Res. │ │220 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │4 Sqn. 4 Horse Jag. - │ │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │47 Art. Command: │47 Art. Command: - │ │ - │ 47 Res. F. A. Rgt.│ 47 Res. F. A. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(347) Pion. Btn.: │47 Res. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 47 Res. Pion. Co. │91 Res. Pion. Co. - │ 91 Res. Pion. Co. │42 Res. Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 247 T. M. Co. │247 T. M. Co. - │ 335 Searchlight │447 Tel. Detch. - │ Section. │ - │ 42 Res. │147 Wireless Detch. - │ Searchlight │ - │ Section. │ - │ 447 Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │529 Ambulance Co. │529 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Field Hospital. │78 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │199 Vet. Hospital. │81 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │ │82 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │ │199 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── -Footnote 22: - - Composition at the time of dissolution, July, 1918. - - - HISTORY. - - (7th Corps District—Westphalia.) - - - 1914. - - -WOEVRE. - -1. The 47th Reserve Division, formed between August and October, 1914, -and composing the 24th Reserve Corps with the 48th Reserve Division, was -concentrated in the vicinity of Metz about October 20, sent to the -Woevre, south of Etain, on the 26th, went into action at Magnaville on -the 31st, and at Maucourt on November 6 to 11. - - -RUSSIA. - -2. On November 23 the 47th Reserve Division entrained for the Eastern -Front. - - -DUNAJEC. - -3. Detraining in the vicinity of Cracow at the beginning of December, it -went into action on the Dunajec (Neu-Sandec) west of Tarnow on the 8th, -where it suffered serious check on December 20. - - - 1915. - -1. On January 10, 1915, the 47th Reserve Division was identified on the -Dunajec-Gorlice front. - - -GALICIA. - -2. From the end of January to the month of April it occupied the front -west of Tarnow, near the Tarnow-Cracow railroad. - - -POLAND. - -3. It took part in the spring and summer offensive of 1915. On July 2 it -was on the right bank of the Vistula, in the vicinity of Janow. From -July 20 to August 9 it took part in the advance from the Wysnica to the -Wieprz, reached the Bug on October 19, the Jaselda on September 8, and -fought along this last river until the 12th. On the 13th it was at -Slonim. - -4. At the end of September it went to the vicinity of Baranovitchi. On -October 19 it held the lines near Lipsk. - - - 1916. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. The 47th Reserve Division remained in the sector of Lipsk- -Baranovitchi during the entire year of 1916 and until May, 1917, when it -entrained for France. On July 23 the 217th Reserve Infantry Regiment was -withdrawn from the division to aid in the formation of the 225th -Division. - - - 1917. - - -FRANCE. - -1. At the beginning of May, 1917, the 47th Reserve Division was -transferred to the Western Front. (Itinerary of the 219th Reserve -Infantry Regiment: Entrained on May 3 at Baranovitchi, Warsaw, Lodz, -Lissa, Glogau, Leipzig, Erfurt, Frankfort, Metz; detrained at -Bouillonville, near Thiaucourt, on May 7.) - - -AISNE. - -2. After a stay in the Woevre, at Bois le Prêtre, until the beginning of -June, and a short rest near Marle, the 47th Reserve Division went into -line north of Braye en Laonnois (west of the Épine de Chevregny) on June -20. It took part in the attacks launched in this sector and suffered -heavy losses from June 22 to July 8. Some of its elements were engaged -in the French attack of October 23, after which they retired to the -village of Chevregny. - -3. The 47th Reserve Division was relieved at the end of October. - - -FORÊT DE ST. GOBAIN. - -4. After a rest in the villages of the Serre valley, it took over the -sector of Septvaux in the Forêt de St. Gobain about November 20. - - - RECRUITING. - -Mixed at the time of its formation, the division has become entirely -Westphalian since its reduction to three regiments. The levies from the -Russian front in the course of 1917, however, introduced outside -elements (men from the 1st, 2d, and 3d Corps District in May, coming -from the 406th, 420th, and 421st Infantry Regiments). Thirteen prisoners -(220th Reserve Infantry Regiment) captured on October 1, 1917, north of -Braye en Laonnois, came from the following Provinces in Germany: 4 from -Westphalia, 2 from Hanover, 3 from East Prussia, 1 from the Rhine -Province, 1 from Oldenburg, 1 from Silesia, and 1 from Pomerania. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 47th Reserve Division is a mediocre division more fitted for defense -than attack, but still capable of effort after rest and reorganization. -It had won some reputation in the offensive at Poland and Courland. - -Its effectives include a large proportion of Poles. - -In the sector of Chevregny, Froidmont (June-July), it gave a good -account of itself, although sanitary conditions were very defective -(Dec. 1, 1917). - - - 1918. - -1. About the beginning of February the division was relieved by the 3d -Bavarian Division and went to train near Vervins. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -2. It was engaged in the Somme offensive on March 21 near Tergnier and -participated in the attack until the 25th. It was reengaged on April 1 -southwest of Lassigny and held that sector until May 2, when it was -relieved by the extension of the 206th Division. - -3. The division entrained at Ham on May 6 and moved to St. Quentin area. -From May 27 onward it followed up the advance behind the 113th Division, -and finally relieved that division on June 1 near Vierzy. It was -relieved on June 20. - - -MARNE. - -4. This division, although greatly weakened, was returned to line -without having been reconstructed, in the vicinity of Longpont. At this -time the division had not more than 40 to 50 rifles to a company. It -again suffered heavy losses, and about July 27 was retired to rest. - -5. The division was dissolved at Mainbresson on June 30. The 218th -Reserve Regiment was formed into one battalion, which became the 3d -Battalion of the 53d Reserve Infantry Regiment. The 219th Reserve -Regiment was drafted to the 159th Regiment. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. Its dissolution was occasioned -by its low effective strength following its losses and failure to -receive drafts. - - - - - 47th Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │47 Ldw. │104 Ldw. │47 Ldw. │104 Ldw. │47 Mixed │104 Ldw. - │ │ │ │ │ Ldw. │ - │ │106 Ldw. │ │106 Ldw. │ │106 Ldw. - │ │ │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │ │Ldw. Sqn. 18 Uhlan - │ │ │ Rgt. - │ │ │Sqn. 21 Uhlan Rgt. - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │19 C. Dist. Landst.│19 C. Dist. Landst.│19 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. - │ F. A. Btry. │ F. A. Btry. │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │ │ - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │47 Ldw. │100 Ldw. │47 Ldw. │100 Ldw. - │ │ Gren. │ │ - │ │104 Ldw. │ │104 Ldw. - │ │106 Ldw. │ │106 Ldw. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 20 Hus. Rgt.│Staff, 20 Hus. Rgt. - │ │ - │2 Ldw. Sqn. 19 C. │2 Sqn. 20 Hus. Rgt. - │ Dist. Cav. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │19 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ (except 3d Abt). - │ 19 Ldw. F. A. Rgt.│ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│447 Pion. Btn.: │6 Co. 22 Pions. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 6 Co. 22 Pions. │547 Signal Command: - │ 1 Res. Co. 22 │ 547 Tel. Detch. - │ Pions. │ - │ 347 T. M. Co. │ - │ Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │562 Ambulance Co. │562 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │24 Ldw. Field │24 Ldw. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │547 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │104 M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │136 Labor Btn. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (12th and 19th Corps District—Saxony.) - - - 1914. - -The 47th Landwehr Division came from the 47th Landwehr Brigade (104th -and 106th Landwehr Regiments) which was independent at first under the -command of Lieut. Gen. Mueller, and was made a division in the autumn of -1915. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. Detraining at Bourcy (northeast of Bastogne) on August 18, 1914, the -47th Landwehr Brigade arrived on the Champagne front immediately after -the battle of the Marne. - -2. On September 14, 1914, the brigade was in line in the vicinity of -Moronvilliers. It remained in Champagne until the beginning of 1917. - - - 1915. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. About the month of May, 1915, it left the sector Prosne Moronvilliers -for the north of Rheims, from Loivre to the Rheims-Witry road. - -2. Reenforced by the 113th Infantry Regiment, later by the 29th Reserve -Infantry Regiment, it formed the Mueller Division in October. - -3. At the end of September one battalion of the 104th Landwehr Regiment -was sent as a reenforcement into action south of Ste. Marie à Py to help -out the 133d Reserve Infantry Regiment during the French offensive. - - - 1916. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. The 47th Landwehr Brigade continued to occupy the Rheims sector -(Courcy-Betheny) during 1916. - -2. In the month of July it was made a division (47th Landwehr Division) -and received a 3d Regiment, the 391st Infantry Regiment (Saxon). - - - 1917. - - -OISE LA FÈRE. - -1. Withdrawn from the Rheims front about February 23, 1917, the 47th -Landwehr Division was sent into line west of La Fère during the -retirement of the German Army to the Hindenburg Line (Quessy-Travecy, -Mar. 23). It remained in the sector at La Fère until May 16. - - -RUSSIA. - -2. In the middle of May the division was transferred to the Eastern -Front, where it occupied the sector Goroditche-Tsirin. It exchanged with -the 219th Division, the 391st Infantry Regiment for the 100th Landwehr -Grenadier Regiment. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 47th Landwehr Division is a mediocre division. Its retention on the -Russian front is a sufficient indication of its value. - - - 1918. - - -UKRAINE. - -1. In February the 47th Landwehr Division left the Tsirin region and -took part in the advance into the Ukraine. On the 27th of April it was -between Gomel and Briansk; on the 5th of June, in the Kiev region. It -was identified in the same region several times subsequently, the last -date of identification being September 30. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 48th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │95 Res. │221 Res. │95 Res. │221 Res. │95 Res. │221 Res. - │ │222 Res. │ │222 Res. │ │222 Res. - │96 Res. │223 Res. │96 Res. │223 Res. │96 Res. │223 Res. - │ │224 Res. │ │224 Res. │ │224 Res. - │ 20 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 20 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 20 Res. Jag. Btn. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Cavalry. │48 Res. Cav. Detch.│48 Res. Cav. Detch.│48 Res. Cav. Detch. - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │48 Res. F. A. Rgt. │48 Res. F. A. Rgt. │48 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 btries.). │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│48 Res. Pion. Co. │48 Res. Pion. Co. │48 Res. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │48 Res. Pont. Engs.│274 Pion. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │(?) 2 Ldw. Pion. - │ │ │ Co. 6 C. Dist. - │ │ │248 T. M. Co. - │ │ │48 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │48 Res. Ambulance │ - Veterinary.│ │ Co. │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │96 Res. │221 Res. │96 Res. │221 Res. - │ │222 Res. │ │222 Res. - │ │223 Res. │ │223 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │5 Sqn. 1 Drag. Rgt.│5 Sqn. 1 Gd. Drag. - │ │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │48 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ 48 Res. F. A. Rgt.│1 Abt. 23 Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. (1 and 3 - │ │ Btries.). - │ │752 Light Am. Col. - │ │954 Light Am. Col. - │ │1382 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(348) Pion. Btn.: │348 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 48 Res. Pion. Co. │ 1 Res. Co. 26 - │ │ Pions. - │ 1 Res. Co. 26 │ 48 Res. Pion. Co. - │ Pion. Btn. │ - │ 248 T. M. Co. │ 248 T. M. Co. - │ 448 Tel. Detch. │ 214 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │448 Signal Command: - │ │ 448 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 69 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │530 Ambulance Co. │530 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │79 Res. Field │102 Field Hospital. - │ Hospital. │ - │Vet. Hospital. │79 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │ │448 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │587 M. T. Col. │735 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (18th Corps District—Hesse—Nassau and the Grand Duchy of Hesse.) - - - 1914. - -The 48th Reserve Division (belonging to the 24th Reserve Corps with the -47th Reserve Division) was formed between August and October, 1914, and -trained at the Oberhofen Camp. - - -ARTOIS. - -1. Concentrated near Metz in the middle of October, the 48th Reserve -Division was transferred on the 25th to the area between Armentières and -La Bassée (Fromelles), while the 47th Reserve Division was sent to the -Woevre. - -2. On November 1 the division held the line at Neuve Chapelle. Some -elements were sent farther north, west of Wytschaete, in the middle of -November. - - -RUSSIA. - -3. At the end of November the 48th Reserve Division left the Western -Front for Russia. - - -POLAND. - -4. On December 3 it was identified in Poland in the vicinity of Kalisch. -It then made a part of the X Army and fought west of the Rawka, near -Warsaw, at the end of December. - - - 1915. - -1. The 48th Reserve Division was engaged in Poland (Rawka) until January -28, 1915. - - -CARPATHIANS. - -2. On February 2 elements of the division fought in the Carpathians, -southeast of Beskides. It was then assigned to the German Army of the -South (Von Linsingen) and was opposed to the Russians in the vicinity of -the Uzsok Ridge (February-May). - - -GALICIA. - -3. Taking part in the spring and summer offensive of 1915, it marched to -Halicz in May; crossed the Dniester in the middle of June; advanced to -Brzezany-Tarnopol and was on the Zlota-Lipa at the end of July. One of -its regiments, the 224th Reserve Infantry Regiment, was renewed several -times; the list of losses from August to October show casualties of 70 -officers and 4,712 men, 3,100 of whom were reported as missing. The -greater part of these were Alsace-Lorrainers who had succeeded in -deserting. - -4. When the offensive was resumed in October and November the 48th -Reserve Division formed a part of the Bothmer Army and progressed from -the Zlota-Lipa as far as the Stripa. - - - 1916. - -1. The 48th Reserve Division was retained at the Stripa, west of -Tarnapol, during the winter and spring of 1916; it was still in this -sector at the time of the Russian attack (Broussilow offensive, June to -September). - - -ROUMANIA. - -2. In the beginning of October the division went into action with the -Falkenheim Army against Roumania, and fought in the vicinity of -Hermannstadt, then at Préoéal in November. - - -GALICIA. - -3. It then left the Transylvanian front and went to eastern Galicia, -where it was a part of the Bothmer Army. It took up its position between -Brzezan, and the Dniester. - - - 1917. - -1. At the beginning of 1917 the 224th Reserve Infantry Regiment left the -division and was transferred to the 215th Division, in process of -reorganization. - - -FRANCE. - -2. The 48th Reserve Division was relieved from its sector in May, 1917, -and transferred to the Western Front (Itinerary: Lemberg-Jaroslav- -Cracow-Oppeln-Breslau-Leipzig-Erfurt-Gotha-Eisenach-Frankfort-Worms- -Sarrebruecken-Thionville-Montmedy-Dun sur Meuse). It rested in the -vicinity of Stenay from May 27 to June 28. - - -VERDUN. - -3. It was first behind the Verdun front, on the left bank of the Meuse. -Toward the end of June it sustained the artillery preparation for the -French offensive of July 17, and sent some of its elements in as -reenforcements (Hill 304-Morthomme) on the day of the attack. - -4. Sent to rest and reorganized in the Stenay area at the end of July. -By an important draft of men of the 1918 class, it went back into the -same sector (Hill 304-Corbeaux wood) on August 20, at the time of the -new French attack, and lost heavily reenforcing and relieving units of -the 6th Reserve Division. - -5. Withdrawn from the front on August 24, it was employed on various -works until September 3 and then sent into the area of Damvillers. - -6. On September 12 it went into line north of Hill 344, which it left at -the end of the month to go to rest in the vicinity of Morhange. - - -LORRAINE-ALSACE. - -7. After holding the lines in Lorraine (middle of October to the middle -of November) northeast of Arracourt, the 48th Reserve Division was sent -to Alsace and went to rest for two months in the vicinity of Enisheim. - - - RECRUITING. - -Mixed upon formation (1 Thuringian Regiment), the division became, in -theory, a Hessian Division. The Alsace-Lorrainers were very numerous -during its stay on the Russian front, whence the desertions en masse -from the 224th Infantry Regiment in the summer of 1915. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -At the end of June, 1917, the 48th Reserve Division, coming from the -Russian front, went into line at Hill 304, after a month’s rest near -Stenay. But as the men were not accustomed to the activity of the -western front and were unable to sustain artillery fire for a long time, -they could only be kept in this sector for a few days. - -During the French attack of August 20 the 48th Reserve Division played -only a passive rôle. - -The 48th Reserve Division must be classed among the mediocre divisions -(December, 1917). - - - 1918. - -1. About March 1 the division was relieved by the 22d Reserve Division -and went into reserve in Alsace. It left that sector about April 1 and -came into line on the 14th southwest of Vieux Berquin. It was engaged in -that locality until its relief on the night of May 26–27 by the 32d -Division. - - -VIEUX BERQUIN. - -2. The division rested in the Lille area until June 28, when it returned -to its former sector at Vieux Berquin. Its stay here was short. On July -3 it was relieved by the 39th Division and entrained at Laventie the -next day for Douai. - - -SCARPE. - -3. On the night of July 6–7 the division relieved the 187th Division -southwest of Gavrelle. Throughout August and September the division held -this sector. It was relieved north of the Scarpe on the night of October -5–6 and moved south. - -4. The division was used to reenforce the Cambrai-St. Quentin front near -Cambrai on October 7. Thereafter almost until the day of the armistice -the division was engaged in opposing the British advance. The direction -of its retreat was through Awoingt (10th), Saulzoir (13th), Montrecourt -(14th), north of Haussy (17th), Vendegies (24th), Maresches (Nov. 1), -Jenlain (4th). The division received drafts from the dissolved 118th -Reserve Regiment (25th Reserve Division) in late October. It was -withdrawn from line about November 5. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. In 1918 it was engaged entirely -in defensive sectors and performed with credit. - - - - - 48th Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │ │38 │1 Landst.│38 │1 Landst.│38 - │ │ Landst.│ │ Landst.│ │ Landst. - │ │39 │ │40 │ │40 - │ │ Landst.│ │ Landst.│ │ Landst. - │ │47 │ │47 │ │47 - │ │ Landst.│ │ Landst.│ │ Landst. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │ │3 Sqn. 14 Uhlan - │ │ │ Rgt. - │ │ │1 Sqn. Gd. Res. - │ │ │ Uhlan Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │ (?) │Art. Command: │264 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 264 F. A. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1/28 Pion. Btn.: │224 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ 1 Landst. Co. 3 C.│ 1 Ldw. Co. Gd. C. - │ │ Dist. Pions. │ Dist. Pions. - │ │ 455 T. M. Co. │ 1 Landst. Co. 3 C. - │ │ │ Dist. Pions. - │ │ 590 Tel. Detch. │ 210 Searchlight - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ │548 Signal Command: - │ │ │ 548 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ 67 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │Ambulance Co. │602 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │80 Res. Field │51 Field Hospital. - │ │ Hospital. │ - │ │Vet. Hospital. │80 Res. Field - │ │ │ Hospital. - │ │ │570 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │800 M. T. Col. │800 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │2 Ratisbonne │ - │ │ Landst. Inf. Btn.│ - │ │ (3 Bav. C. Dist. │ - │ │ Btn. No. 14). │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (38th Landsturm: Brandenburg and Alsace. 40th Landsturm: Prussian - Saxony, Westphalia and the Rhine Province. 47th Landsturm: Hesse and - Thuringia.) - - - 1917. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. The 48th Landwehr Division appears to have been formed on the -Lorraine front in September, 1917, by the grouping of three new -regiments—the 38th Landsturm, the 39th Landsturm (Wurttemberg), and the -47th Landsturm—the elements of which had previously been employed behind -the front or in calm sectors. - -2. In September, 1917, the 48th Landwehr Division occupied the sector of -Avricourt (Leintrey-Gondrexon, Embermenil). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 48th Landwehr Division is composed of troops of mediocre value. - -The average age of the men is 40 years. A certain number of young -soldiers of the 1918 class are to be found in most of the units. Sent -into these Landsturm divisions because of their reduced physical -fitness, they left them for active or reserve units as soon as they -became hardened. - -There is a divisional assault company which has never shown any -offensive activity (July, 1918). - - - 1918. - -1. The division continued to hold the Delme sector until the armistice. -Nothing occurred to disturb the tranquility of that part of the front. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. The average age of its -effectives was near 40 years. At no time did the division take part in -any fighting. - - - - - 49th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │97 Res. │225 Res. │97 Res. │225 Res. │97 Res. │225 Res. - │ │226 Res. │ │226 Res. │ │226 Res. - │98 Res. │227 Res. │98 Res. │227 Res. │ │228 Res. - │ │228 Res. │ │228 Res. │ │ - │ 21 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 21 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 21 Res. Jag. Btn. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Cavalry. │49 Res. Cav. Detch.│49 Res. Cav. Detch.│49 Res. Cav. Detch. - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │49 Res. F. A. Rgt. │49 Res. F. A. Rgt. │49 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.) │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│49 Res. Pion. Co. │49 Res. Pion. Co. │49 Res. Pion. Co. - Liaison. │ │ │ - │ │49 Res. Pont. Engs.│249 T. M. Co. - │ │ │49 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │49 Res. Ambulance │ - Veterinary.│ │ Co. │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Odd units. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │97 Res. │225 Res. │97 Res. │225 Res. - │ │226 Res. │ │226 Res. - │ │228 Res. │ │228 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │49 Res. Cav. Detch.│2 Sqn. (?) Drag. - │ (?) │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) 49 Art. │49 Art. Command: - │ Command: │ - │ 49 Res. F. A. Rgt.│ 49 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 1 Abt. 25 Ft. A. - │ │ Rgt. (1, 2, and 4 - │ │ Btries.). - │ │ 788 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 972 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1,318 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(349) Pion. Btn.: │349 Pion. Btn.: - Liaison. │ │ - │ 49 Res. Pion. Co. │ 43 Res. Pion. Co. - │ 2 Ldw. Co. 4 │ 49 Res. Pion. Co. - │ Pions. │ - │ 249 T. M. Co. │ 249 T. M. Co. - │ 449 Tel. Detch. │ 188 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ │449 Signal Command: - │ │ 449 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 110 Wireless - │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │531 Ambulance Co. │531 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │85 Res. Field │83 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │155 Vet. Hospital. │85 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │ │155 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Odd units. │49 Res. Cyclist Co.│ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (4th Corps District—Prussian Saxony and part of Thuringia.) - - - 1914. - - -EAST PRUSSIA. - -1. The 49th Reserve Division, forming the 25th Reserve Corps with the -50th Reserve Division, was formed between August and October, 1914, -trained at the Warthe Camp, and sent to East Prussia on October 14, -1914, as a part of the 8th Army (Von Hindenburg). - - -POLAND. - -2. It took part in the offensive in Poland between the Vistula and the -Warta at the end of October, escaped from the enveloping movement -attempted by the Russians before Lodz (Nov. 25), and fought on the front -of the Bzura, Rawka, Bolimow, where it was repulsed in December. - - - 1915. - - -POLAND. - -1. At the beginning of January, 1915, the 49th Reserve Division was -again engaged on the Bzura and remained in this area until the summer of -the same year. In June it transferred the 227th Reserve Infantry -Regiment to the 107th Division, a new formation. - -2. Advancing in August with the Hindenburg offensive, it entered Warsaw -on August 7, took part in the pursuit of the Russians in the sector of -Skierniewicz, and stopped near Baranovitchi (Tsirin). - - - 1916. - -1. The 49th Reserve Division was still occupying the sector north of -Baranovitchi when the Russian offensive broke out in this region in -July, 1916. At this time elements of the division were sent to reenforce -the 35th Austrian Division between Baranovitchi and the north of Pripet. -This latter division was relieved a short time afterwards by the 49th -Reserve Division. - - -GALICIA. - -2. Sent into Galicia, the division held the lines southwest of Brody at -the beginning of October. At this time the 225th Reserve Infantry -Regiment was sent to Roumania. - - -CARPATHIANS. - -3. Made up only of the 226th and 228th Reserve Infantry Regiments, the -49th Reserve Division opposed the Russians on the Narajowka, then, at -the beginning of December and until January, 1917, fought in the -Carpathians in the vicinity of Worochta. - - - 1917. - - -ROUMANIA. - -1. In January, 1917, the 49th Reserve Division rejoined the 225th -Reserve Infantry Regiment (Roumania) in the valley of Uz. - -2. In the middle of January it was transferred to the Western Front. -(Itinerary: Szekely-Udvarhely-Goborin-Budapest-Oderberg-Oppeln-Breslau- -Goerlitz-Dresden-Leipzig-Halle-Liege-Mons-St. Ghislain, detraining on -Jan. 22.) - - -FRANCE. - -3. After a rest of two months in the vicinity of Mons, then in the -vicinity of Lille, the 49th Reserve Division went into line east of -Armentières, south of Frelinghien on March 20. - - -ARTOIS. - -4. Relieved at the end of April, it was engaged almost at once in the -sector of Fontaine les Croisilles, Bullecourt (southeast of Arras), -where it suffered very heavily from May 1 to May 21. On June 16, after -reorganization, the ranks of the 228th Reserve Infantry Regiment -contained more than two-fifths new recruits; more than one-fifth of the -men belonged to the 1918 class. - - -FLANDERS. - -5. Sent to rest and to be reorganized during the month of June in the -vicinity of Tournai-Audenarde, it went into line at the end of June in -the sector of Steenstraat-Bixschoote (north of Ypres), and suffered -heavy losses during the artillery preparation which preceded the Franco- -British attack of July 21. On July 28 it was withdrawn from the front -before the attack. - - -ARTOIS. - -6. The 49th Reserve Division rested and was reorganized in the month of -August between Lille and Tournai, and in September took over its old -Artois sector (Croisilles-Bullecourt), from which place it was relieved -at the end of October. - -7. After occupying the sector south of the Ypres-Menin road until -November 21, it went into action about November 26 in the same sector of -Croisilles-Bullecourt (Cambrai attack). - -8. At the end of December, the 49th Reserve Division was resting in the -Tourcoing area. - - - RECRUITING. - -Formed at the beginning by contingents from the 5th and 6th Corps -Districts (Posen and Silesia) the Division, beginning with the summer of -1915, received most of its reenforcements from the 4th Corps District. -At the present time it is entirely Saxo-Thuringian. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 49th Reserve Division is considered a good division. - -It fought well in Artois in May 1917. North of Ypres it suffered heavily -by the Franco-British bombardment at the end of July, 1917. It is to be -noted that under artillery fire units in the first line scattered and -fled. The remnants of the advanced elements deserted (30 men). - -On July 25, 1917, the 226th Reserve Infantry Regiment received -replacements of 500 to 700 men, principally of the 1918 class. - - - 1918. - - -MESSINES. - -1. About April 6 the division temporarily withdrew to reserve. It -returned on the 11th and carried out a divisional attack on Messines. It -was engaged until about April 25. - - -YPRES. - -2. Two days later the division relieved the 13th Reserve Division south -of Ypres, which in turn relieved it about May 2. It remained in rear of -the front while resting and was engaged east of Bixschoote on May 10. -Here the division remained until June 14, when the 29th Division -relieved it. The division rested in the Bruges area until July 10, when -it returned to its former sector northeast of Ypres. It held this sector -until about August 27, when the 11th Bavarian Division relieved it. - -3. The division entrained at Hooglede August 27 and traveled to -Courtrai, where it halted one day. On August 28 it moved to Iwuy, from -where it marched to Lallaing (near Douai) two days later. On September 1 -the division came into line near Fremicourt. It was engaged until about -September 16. - - -SCARPE-SOMME. - -4. The division rested in the Cambrai area until September 27, where it -was identified in line west of Gaincourt. It again retired from the -front about October 1 and rested in the Eswars area. On the Scarpe-Somme -front in September the division lost 1,100 prisoners. - -5. On the night of October 11–12 the division was again in line at -Courcelles les Lens. After holding this rather quiet sector for a week -the division moved north and on October 29 appeared on the Ypres front -at Anseghem in relief of the 7th Cavalry Division. It continued in line -until the armistice. The last identification was west of Audenarde on -November 2. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. It was used as a holding -division in important sectors on the British front during 1918. - - - - - 50th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │100. │39 Fus. │100. │39 Fus. - │ │53. │ │53. - │ │158. │ │158. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │2 Sqn. mounted Jag. Rgt. │1 Sqn. 16 Uhlan Rgt. - │3 Sqn. mounted Jag. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │50 Brig.: │50 Brig.: - │ 99 F. A. Rgt. (6 Batteries).│ 99 F. A. Rgt. - │ 100 F. A. Rgt. (6 Batteries,│ 100 F. A. Rgt. - │ 3 are Hows.). │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│99 Pion. Co. │99 Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │100 Pion. Co. │100 Pion. Co. - │ │4 Co. 23 Pions. - │ │1 T. M. Co. - │ │50 T. M. Co. - │ │50 Pont. Engs. - │ │50 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │ │50 Cyclist Co. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │1 Ldw. 7 C. Dist. Pion Co. │80 Antiaircraft Section. - │ │2 Res. Co. 2 Pion. Btn. No. - │ │ 27. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │100. │39 Fus. │100. │39 Fus. - │ │53. │ │53. - │ │158. │ │158. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 16 Uhlan Rgt. │1 Sqn. 16 Uhlan Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │50 Art. Command: │50 Art. Command: - │ 99 F. A. Rgt. (9 Batteries).│ 99 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 95 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ - │ │ 1178 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1179 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1204 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│50 Pion Btn.: │50 Pion Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 99 Pion. Co. │ 99 Pion. Co. - │ 100 Pion. Co. │ 100 Pion. Co. - │ 50 T. M. Co. │ 50 T. M. Co. - │ 99 Searchlight Section. │50 Signal Command: - │ 50 Tel. Detch. │ 50 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 13 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │50 Ambulance Co. │50 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │337 Field Hospital. │337 Field Hospital. - │338 Field Hospital. │338 Field Hospital. - │340 Field Hospital. │132 Vet. Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (7th Corps District—Westphalia.) - - - 1915. - -The 50th Division (one of the new divisions in the 50 to 58 series) was -formed in March, 1915, by taking three regiments from the three -divisions of the 7th Corps and 7th Reserve Corps (the 13th Division -giving the 158th Infantry, the 14th Division the 53d, and the 14th -Reserve Division the 39th Fusileer Division), all Westphalian Regiments. - -1. At the end of March, 1915, the 158th and 53d Infantry Regiments were -identified at Hirson (Aisne), while the 39th Fusileer Regiment was still -between Perthes and Tahure. In April the division was concentrated and -was identified in Champagne, May 14 (area south of Somme-Py). - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. From June to October it occupied the sector of Tahure (north of -Perthes and Mesnil les Hurlus). It there underwent the French offensive -of the end of September, which caused it very heavy losses—infantry, 130 -officers and 7,849 men casualties; the 100th Company of Pioneers lost 5 -officers and 135 men. - -3. Sent to rest and reorganized in the vicinity of Vouziers and of -Juniville (end of October to the end of November), it reappeared on -November 7 north of Prosnes (east of Reims). - - - 1916. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. In April, 1916, the division left the sector of Prosnes-Prunay, for -the front northeast of Verdun (Ornes). - - -VERDUN-VAUX. - -2. Going into action, at the beginning of May, north of Vaux, it took -part in the attacks launched upon the line Caillette wood-Damloup (June -1 to June 3), which ended in the capture of the fort of Vaux by the -158th Infantry Regiment on June 4. - -3. Very much exhausted by these battles, the division was sent to rest -and reorganized in the vicinity of Étain in June and July. - -4. In July elements of the division occupied the calm sectors of the -Woëvre. - -5. At the end of July the 50th Division went back into line at Verdun, -south of the fort of Vaux. It launched an attack on August 1 (La -Laufée), underwent the French offensives of August 8 and October 24, -suffering heavy losses, and held this sector until November. - - -ARGONNE. - -6. Sent to the Argonne, it took over the sector of Vauquois. - - - 1917. - -1. Withdrawn from the Argonne on February 15, 1917, the division -remained at rest in the area of Saulces-Champenoise until the end of -March, then in the camp at Sissonne, then at Thenailles, near Vervins -(beginning of April). - - -AISNE. - -2. Concentrated on April 8, it went into action on the 15th at -Juvincourt and there underwent the French attack of April 15. After -heavy losses it was relieved between April 29-April 27 and went for -reorganization to Nizy le Comte, near the Sissonne Camp. - - -CHEMIN DES DAMES. - -3. About May 10, the division went back into line east of Allment on the -Chemin des Dames. - -4. It was sent to rest in July in the vicinity of Mons en Laonnois, -Coucy les Eppes, Parfondru. - -5. At the beginning of August, it came back to the Chemin des Dames -(vicinity of Ailles), where, on October 15, the 9th Company of the 158th -Infantry Regiment was reduced to 50 men, including officers (letter). -Following the French offensive upon La Malmaison, the 50th Division -retired on November 1, to the north of the Ailette toward Neuville -(outside of Chamouille) and was still occupying this sector in December. - - - RECRUITING. - -Upon its formation the division was composed of Westphalian troops. The -recruiting is still almost exclusively Westphalian. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Since the battle of Vaux in June, 1916, the division likes to consider -itself a shock division. - -Its prolonged stay on the Ailette front (August to December) seems to -mean that it had to be put at rest for a fairly long time before being -engaged in an active sector. - -It must be regarded as a good division, capable of putting up a vigorous -defense (December). - - - 1918. - -1. The 50th Division was withdrawn from line near Ailles (west of -Craonne) on January 9, the neighboring divisions extending their fronts, -and moved by easy stages to the Chimay area, where it arrived on the -14th. It remained here for a month during which time it was thoroughly -trained in open warfare and brought up to strength. It then moved to the -La Capelle-Fontenelle area for rest and further training. - - -ST. QUENTIN. - -2. The middle of March the division moved up to the front, and on the -21st attacked in the front line southwest of St. Quentin; it captured -Holnon during the day, Etreillers on the 22d, Hangest en Santerre on the -29th, and reached Moreuil on the 30th. It was withdrawn about April 1, -after having suffered severely heavy losses, and went to rest, refit, -and train in the Lassigny region. - - -AISNE. - -3. On May 27, the division attacked near Craonne, reached Pontavert -toward noon and crossed the Aisne. The following day it crossed the -Vesle west of Breuil sur Vesle and continued to the south, where a -French counterattack was repelled. On the 30th it reached Goussancourt, -and then the Marne east of Dormans. After having suffered severe losses, -it was relieved by the 28th Reserve Division during the night of June -12–13, and went to rest in the Laon region. - - -RHEIMS. - -4. On the 19th of July the division was thrown into line just southwest -of Rheims to meet the Allies’ tightening at the bases of the Chateau- -Thierry salient. It was withdrawn early in August. - -5. About the 30th of September it came back into line northwest of -Rheims, near Prouilly and Cormicy. It remained here, and was driven -back—fighting stubbornly—passing near Brimont, Guignicourt, and Banogne, -where it was withdrawn on the 7th of November. - - -MEUSE. - -6. After a day’s rest, the division was put back into line on the 8th -near Mezieres; it had not been withdrawn when the armistice was signed. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 50th is rated as a first-class division. It distinguished itself in -the fighting during 1918. After the Somme offensive, it was praised by -Prof. Wegener in the Koelnische Zeitung. Immediately after the battle of -the Aisne Maj. Fritsch, in command of the 158th Regiment, was awarded -Pour le Mérite. After the Allied counteroffensive, Lieut. Gen. V. -Engelhuhten, the division commander, was decorated and made governor of -Riga, and the commander of the 53d Regiment was also decorated. The 58th -Regiment was mentioned as having particularly distinguished itself in -the fighting near Banogne in the German communique of October 30. Losses -suffered throughout the year were enormous, but the High Command did all -in its power to make these good. There are no desertions of record since -July 1, 1917. The morale was very good, everything being taken into -consideration. - - - - - 50th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │99 Res. │229 Res. │99 Res. │229 Res. │99 Res. │229 Res. - │ │230 Res. │ │230 Res. │ │230 Res. - │100 Res. │231 Res. │100 Res. │231 Res. │ │231 Res. - │ │232 Res. │ │232 Res. │ │ - │ 22 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 22 Res. Jag. Btn. │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │50 Res. Cav. Detch.│50 Res. Cav. Detch.│50 Res. Cav. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │50 Res. F. A. Rgt. │50 Res. F. A. Rgt. │50 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.). │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│50 Res. Pion. Co. │50 Res. Pion. Co. │50 Res. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │50 Res. Pont. Engs.│250 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │50 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │50 Res. Ambulance │ - Veterinary.│ │ Co. │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │99 Res. │229 Res. │99 Res. │229 Res. - │ │230 Res. │ │230 Res. - │ │231 Res. │ │231 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │50 Res. Cav. Detch.│50 Res. Cav. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │(z) Art. Command: │68 Art. Command: - │ │ - │ 50 Res. F. A. Rgt.│ 50 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 81 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ (Staff, 1, 2, and - │ │ 3 Btries.). - │ │ 705 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 902 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 923 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(350) Pion. Btn.: │350 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 50 Res. Pion. Co. │ 2 Res. Co. 19 - │ │ Pions. - │ 2 Res. Co. 19 │ 50 Res. Pion. Co. - │ Pion. Btn. │ - │ 250 T. M. Co. │ 250 T. M. Co. - │ 325 Searchlight │ 30 Searchlight - │ Section. │ Section. - │ 450 Tel. Detch. │450 Signal Command: - │ │ 450 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 60 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │532 Ambulance Co. │532 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Field Hospital. │21 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │84 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │ │450 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │737 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (10th Corps District—Hanover and Brunswick.) - - - 1914. - -1. The 50th Reserve Division (belonging to the 1st series of divisions -created between August and October, 1914), formed a part of the 25th -Reserve Corps with the 49th Reserve Division. It received its training, -at the time of its formation, in the Alten-Grabow Camp in the 4th Corps -District. - - -POLAND. - -2. In the middle of October the 50th Reserve Division and the 49th -Reserve Division belonged to the 8th Army (Von Hindenburg) and took part -in the second German offensive in Poland (battles between the Vistula -and the Warta in October, Lodz in November, on the Bzura-Rawka front in -December). - -Since November the 25th Reserve Corps has belonged to the 9th Army. - - - 1915. - -1. Engaged in the operations along the Bzura (region of Bolimow) during -the winter and spring of 1915, the 50th Reserve Division took part in -the summer offensive of Von Hindenburg and pursued the Russians to the -vicinity of Baranovitchi. In June it transferred the 232d Reserve -Infantry Regiment to the 107th Division, a new formation. - -2. In September the 25th Reserve Corps was dissolved—the 49th Reserve -Division remained in Russia, the 50th Reserved Division was transferred -to the Western Front. The division entrained at Kovno on October 7. -(Itinerary: Koenigsberg-Marienburg-Stettin-Hamburg-Bremen-Osnabrueck- -Muenster-Aix la Chapelle-Namur-Givet.) It detrained at Rethel October -13–14. - - -FRANCE-CHAMPAGNE. - -3. On October 16 the 50th Reserve Division was sent to Champagne. It -cooperated in the gas attack of October 27 in the vicinity of Rheims and -remained in line until December 19. - - -ARTOIS. - -4. Entraining at Witry les Rheims for Douai on December 21, it took over -the sector Roclincourt, east of Neuville-St. Vaast. - - - 1916. - -1. Having lost heavily at Neuville-St. Vaast, the 50th Reserve Division -was withdrawn from this sector in March, 1916, and south of Armentières -(Grenier wood), from April to September. It rested in this calm sector. - - -SOMME. - -2. About December 16 the division was relieved and went into action on -the Somme (Martinpuich-Flers), from September 20 to 28. It suffered very -heavily there. - -3. From October 6 to November 11 it occupied the sector south of the -canal of La Bassée (northeast of Vermelles). - -4. The division returned to the Somme, on both banks of the Ancre (near -Miraumont, Grandcourt), about November 20, and remained in this active -sector until December 22. - -5. At the end of December it went to rest in the vicinity of -Valenciennes. - - - 1917. - -1. In January, 1917, the elements of the 50th Reserve Division were in -reserve at Achiet le Petit. - - -SOMME. - -2. At the end of January the 50th Reserve Division came back into line -north of the Ancre (Beaumont-Hamel); it lost heavily there (200 -prisoners) on February 11. - -3. Withdrawn from the Somme front at the beginning of March, it went -into line east of Transloy (south of Bapaume) on March 13. It withdrew -to the Hindenburg Line, near Metz en Couture (southwest of Cambrai), and -remained there from the end of March to April 18. - - -ARTOIS. - -4. After a rest in the vicinity of Douai until the middle of May, the -division took over the sector of Oppy-Gavrelle, northeast of Arras, -where it did not take part in any important action (May 18 to June 10). - - -FLANDERS. - -5. Transferred to the Ypres front about June 11, in anticipation of the -British attack, it was kept in reserve in the vicinity of Roulers until -July 24. - -6. On July 31 the 50th Reserve Division went into action in St. Julien -and suffered heavy losses while fighting for the possession of the -village (Aug. 1–2). - -7. Relieved on August 10 it was sent to rest in the vicinity of Mons and -went back into line on September 20, was engaged on the 26th in the -vicinity of Gheluvelt, and left the Ypres front on October 3, after -serious losses—the 1st Company of the 231st Reserve Infantry Regiment -was reduced to 15 men after September 21, the 6th Company to 28. -(British Summary of Information, Oct. 24.) - - -LILLE. - -8. At the end of October it took over a sector in the vicinity of Lille -(Fromelles) (until the middle of December). - - -CAMBRAI. - -9. It then occupied the lines before Cambrai south of Marcoing and -Masnières (Dec. 21-Jan. 31, 1918). - - - RECRUITING. - -At the beginning the 50th Reserve Division was composed of drafts from -Silesia and Prussian Saxony, but after the end of 1915 it received most -of its replacements from the 10th Corps District. The 229th Reserve -Infantry Regiment is from Brunswick; the two others from Hanover. In -certain documents we find the division designated as “troops from lower -Saxony.” - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 50th Reserve Division took part in a great number of battles. - -Its morale was shaken by the heavy losses which it suffered; it has -improved very much. - -The division fought comparatively well at Ypres. - - - 1918. - -1. The 50th Reserve Division was withdrawn from line south of Marcoing -on the 31st of January, the neighboring divisions extending their -fronts, and went to the area east of Cambrai, where it received training -in open warfare. - - -PICARDY. - -2. On the 13th of March the division marched from Cagnoncles via -Carnières and Cattenières to Esnes, and on the 17th proceeded to Villers -Outreaux. On the 20th it came into line southwest of Cambrai and took -part in the attack of the 21st. The division suffered very heavy losses -and was relieved by the 9th Reserve Division on the 22d, going to rest -at Liéramont (northeast of Peronne). - -3. On the 23d the division followed up the advance behind the 9th -Reserve Division via St. Pierre-Vaast wood (24th), Rancourt-Combles -(25th), Montauban (26th), Fricourt (27th), and on the following day went -into line southwest of Albert, carrying out an unsuccessful attack. In -another attack against the ridge west of Dernancourt on April 5 the -division was beaten back with heavy losses. It was relieved on the 9th -and went to rest at Maricourt. - -4. During the night of April 17–18 it relieved the 18th Division near -Morlancourt (south of Albert). It was relieved by the 199th Division -early in May and went to rest and refit in the Solesmes area. - -5. On the 24th of May it traveled by rail to Montauban (south of -Albert), marched via Maricourt to Carnoy the following day, and came -into line during the night of May 27th–28th south of Albert. It was -relieved by the 54th Reserve Division on June 28 and went to rest near -Cambrai. - - -SOISSONS. - -6. On the 19th of July the division entrained at Le Cateau and traveled -via St. Quentin to Chauny, where it was loaded on trucks and sent to the -Forêt de Pinon. On the 28th it relieved the 20th Division near Buzancy -(south of Soissons). Here it was gradually forced to retire toward the -northeast, was finally withdrawn to the north of Braine about the 20th -of August, and went to the region between Laval and Laon. - -7. The presence of elements of the 231st Reserve Regiment was reported -the 4th of September west of Vauxaillon, and on the 6th to the south of -Neuville sous Margival, the rest of the regiment being in the Urcel- -Laval region. - -8. On September 14 the whole division went back into line east of -Soissons near the Mennejean Farm. This was surrounded by the French on -the 15th. The following day Sancy fell to them, too. The same day the -plateau to the east and northeast of the Mennejean Farm was captured. On -the 18th the division lost still more ground and prisoners; it was -withdrawn on the 21st and went to rest near St. Pierre a Arnes (south of -Machault). - - -RHEIMS. - -9. On the 2d of October the division came back into line northeast of -Rheims, near Bétheny, and went through very heavy fighting. It was still -in line on November 11. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -On October 11 the following was written: “The division did fairly well -in its recent encounters, the men, though lacking in enthusiasm, seeming -possessed by a dogged determination to do what they conceived to be -their duty. The morale, which was good, has been very much lowered by -recent losses.” That this statement is erroneous seems to be proved by -the fact that the German communiqués of October 22, November 1 and 2, -say that the division “had shown particular merit in the recent -fighting, retook their position in counterattack and repulsed hostile -attacks,” “bore the brunt of the fighting * * * without showing signs of -weariness,” and “again maintained their positions against heavy -attacks.” Therefore, although the division suffered heavy losses, -especially in the spring, it is still to be considered as second class. - - - - - 51st Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │101 Res. │233 Res. │101 Res. │233 Res. │101 Res. │233 Res. - │ │234 Res. │ │234 Res. │ │235 Res. - │102 Res. │235 Res. │102 Res. │235 Res. │102 Res. │234 Res. - │ │236 Res. │ │236 Res. │ │236 Res. - │ 23 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 23 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 23 Res. Jag. Btn. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Cavalry. │51 Res. Cav. Detch.│51 Res. Cav. Detch.│51 Res. Cav. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │51 Res. F. A. Rgt. │51 Res. F. A. Rgt. │51 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.). │ │ - │ │Mobile Ers. Detch. │ - │ │ of 26 F. A. Rgt. │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│51 Res. Pion. Co. │51 Res. Pion. Co. │51 Res. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │51 Res. Pont. Engs.│251 T. M. Co. - │ │ │51 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │51 Res. Ambulance │ - Veterinary.│ │ Co. │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Odd units. │ │ │Cylist Co. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │102 Res. │234 Res. │102 Res. │234 Res. - │ │235 Res. │ │235 Res. - │ │236 Res. │ │236 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │51 Res. Cav. Detch.│51 Res. Cav. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │51 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ 51 Res. F. A. Rgt.│ 1 Abt. 11 Res. Ft. - │ │ A. Rgt. - │ │ 896 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 897 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1395 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(351) Pion. Btn.: │351 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 7 Co. 28 Pions. │ 7 Co. 28 Pions. - │ 51 Res. Pion. Co. │ 51 Res. Pion. Co. - │ 251 T. M. Co. │ 33 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 258 Searchlight │451 Signal Command: - │ Section. │ - │ 451 Tel. Detch. │ 451 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 85 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │263 Vet. Hospital. │533 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │533 Ambulance Co. │87 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. - │87 Res. Field │88 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │90 Res. Field │263 Vet. Hospital. - │ Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │738 M. T. Col. │738 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Odd units. │Cylist Co. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (11th Corps District—Electorate of Hesse and Thuringia.) - - - 1914. - - -FLANDERS. - -1. The 51st Reserve Division (of the series of divisions created between -August and October, 1914), forming the 26th Reserve Corps with the 52d -Reserve Division, went into action northeast of Ypres in the middle of -October. It fought on the line Cortemarck-Moorslede on the 22d, reached -Langemarck on the 24th, and finally took up its position near -Poelcappelle. - - - 1915. - - -YPRES. - -1. The division remained in the area northeast of Ypres (Poelcappelle, -Langemarck, St. Julien) during the entire year of 1915, and until -September, 1916. In September, 1916, it transferred the 233d Reserve -Infantry Regiment to the 195th Division, a new formation, in consequence -of the Russian advance in Galicia. - - - 1916. - - -SOMME. - -1. On September 16, 1916, the 51st Reserve Division was relieved from -the sector of Wieltje (north of the Ypres-Zonnebeke road) and -transferred to the Somme. It went into action between Combles and Morval -about December 18 and suffered very heavy losses from the British attack -of the 26th. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. After occupying the Lille front (Neuve Chapelle) for a few days, the -division was sent to Champagne at the beginning of October. - -It took over the sector of Tahure-Rouvroy (south of Ripont) in the -middle of October. - - - 1917. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. The 51st Reserve Division remained on the Massiges front until the -middle of May, 1917, with a short rest at the end of February. - -2. It was engaged in the attacks on Maisons de Champagne in March, and -suffered quite heavily. - -3. In the middle of May it went into line near Nauroy and Moronvilliers -(Casque-Mont Haut), where it lost heavily. - -4. Withdrawn from the front about June 8, it returned, after a short -rest in the vicinity of Marvaux, to the sector east of Tahure (June 22- -Aug. 10). - - -MEUSE. - -5. Brought back to the right bank of the Meuse, after a rest in the -vicinity of Sedan-Montmédy, the division occupied the sector of -Samogneux-Hill 344, about August 22, and lost heavily (French attack of -Aug. 25, German attack of Sept. 9). - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -6. It was relieved about September 12 and sent to rest behind the -Champagne front. - - - RECRUITING. - -Mixed at the time of its formation, the division is actually recruited -in the 11th Corps District (Electorate of Hesse and Thuringia), and is -so designated in various documents. Beginning with March 13, 1917, it -has received young men of the 1918 class who have less than four months’ -training (236th Reserve Infantry Regiment). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 51st Reserve Division was good at the beginning of the war, but now -appears mediocre. - -Health conditions seem to be poor (August, 1917). - - - 1918. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. The 51st Reserve Division remained in the Vouziers being trained -until about the 20th of January, when it relieved the 52d Division near -the Butte du Mesnil. It was relieved early in March and went to the -Vouziers-Rethel area, where it received some more training in open -warfare. - - -PICARDY. - -2. On the 20th it entrained, and arrived at Etreux (north of Guise) the -following day. From there it marched via St. Quentin-Ham-Roye-Faverolles -to Montdidier, where it arrived on the 30th. The following day it -reenforced the front near Ayencourt (south of Montdidier), relieving the -9th Division. It was relieved by the 2d Division during the night of the -1st-2d of May and went to rest in the Chimay area. - - -AISNE. - -3. On the 30th of May the division, thoroughly rested and brought up to -strength, reenforced the battle front near Vauxbuin (southwest of -Soissons). Here it became heavily engaged and suffered severe losses, -especially the first two days. It was relieved near Cutry (southwest of -Soissons) on June 16, and went to rest near Oulchy le Chateau. - -4. During the night of July 19–20, the division reenforced the front -near Blanzy (south of Soissons). Here it became heavily engaged. It was -forced back by the Allied counteroffensive, and was withdrawn from line -south of Braine early in August. It went to rest near Marle. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -5. On September 28 the division entered line near Somme-Py (north of -Suippes). Here it was badly handled and had to be withdrawn on the 4th -of October, when it had been driven back to St. Etienne à Py. It then -rested for a day or two near Vouziers. - - -OISE. - -6. On the 6th it entrained at Vouziers and Vrizy and arrived at La -Ferté-Chevresis two days later. It was then put on trucks and moved up -to the front, taking over the Bernot-Origny sector (east of St. Quentin) -on the 8th. It was withdrawn about the 15th. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -7. After having rested a fortnight between the Oise and the Aisne, the -division entered line east of Rethel on the 31st, remaining in line -until the signing of the armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 51st Reserve is to be considered a good second-class division. It -did not distinguish itself by any brilliant fighting, but it did acquit -itself in the battles of the Somme and the Aisne and during the Allied -counteroffensive. It suffered exceedingly heavy losses, but these were -in large measure made good by drafts of 1919 class recruits. - - - - - 52d Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │104. │66. │104. │66. - │ │169. │ │169. - │ │170. │ │170. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │(2) Sqn. 16 Uhlan Rgt. │2 Sqn. 16 Uhlan Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │52 Brig.: │52 Brig.: - │ 103 F. A. Rgt. (6 Btries.). │ 103 F. A. Rgt. - │ 104 F. A. Rgt. (6 Btries., 3│ 104 F. A. Rgt. - │ of which are Hows.). │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│103 Pion. Co. │103 Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │104 Pion. Co. │104 Pion. Co. - │ │52 T. M. Co. - │ │52 Tel. Detch. - │ │52 Pont. Engs. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │ │52 Cyclist Co. - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │1 & 2 Potsdam Landst. Inf. │ - │ Btn. (3 C. Dist.). │ - │2 Co. 24 Pions. │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │56. │111. │56. │111. - │ │169. │ │169. - │ │170. │ │170. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 16 Uhlan Rgt. │4 Sqn. 16 Uhlan Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │52 Art. Command: │52 Art. Command: - │ 104 F. A. Rgt. (9 Btries.). │ 104 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 84 Ft. A. Btn. (Staff, 1, 2, - │ │ and 3 Btries.). - │ │ - │ │ 892 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 917 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1371 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│137 Pion. Btn.: │137 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 103 Pion. Co. │ 103 Pion. Co. - │ 104 Pion. Co. │ 104 Pion. Co. - │ 52 T. M. Co. │ 52 T. M. Co. - │ 103 Searchlight Section. │ 32 Searchlight Section. - │ 52 Tel. Detch. │52 Signal Command: - │ │ 52 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 46 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │52 Ambulance Co. │52 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │341 Field Hospital. │341 Field Hospital. - │342 Field Hospital. │342 Field Hospital. - │343 Field Hospital. │205 Vet. Hospital. - │205 Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │577 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │52 Cyclist Co. │ - │577 Divisional Supply Co. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │147 Giant Periscope Sect. │ - │ │ - │209 Field Sig. Section. │ - │210 Field Sig. Section. │ - │Pigeon Loft. │ - │107 Wireless Detch. │ - │57 Wireless Compass Station. │ - │52 Trench Wireless Detch. │ - │Power Buzzer Section. │ - │16 M. G. S. S. Detch. │ - │Staff of 203 Ft. A. Rgt. │ - │Staff of 3 Abtl. 27 Ft. A. │ - │ Rgt. │ - │1 Btry. 94 Ft. A. Btn. │ - │1 Btry. 14 Ft. A. Rgt. │ - │1 Btry. 4 Ft. A. Rgt. │ - │4 Naval Gun Btry. │ - │237 Close-range Btry. (3 7- │ - │ cm. guns). │ - │44 Art. Survey Section. │ - │ │ - │The following is according to│ - │ a captured German document │ - │ dated June 4, 1917: │ - │ │ - │87 Supply Train. │ - │103 M. T. Col. │ - │274 M. T. Col. │ - │725 M. T. Col. │ - │944 M. T. Col. │ - │2 Ammunition Train. │ - │4 Ammunition Train. │ - │136 Ammunition Train (new │ - │ pattern). │ - │65 Supply Train. │ - │663 Supply Depot. │ - │665 Supply Depot. │ - │107 Balloon Sqn. │ - │8 Air Sqns. (Protective │ - │ Flight). │ - │205 Air Sqn. (Reconnaissance │ - │ Flight). │ - │1 Co. 14 Labor Btn. │ - │2 Co. 14 Labor Btn. │ - │3 Co. 14 Labor Btn. │ - │1 Co. 56 Road Const. Btn. │ - │6 Co. 56 Road Const. Btn. │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (14th Corps District—Grand Duchy of Baden.) - - - 1915. - -The 52d Division (of the even 50 to 58 series) was formed in March, -1915, by taking the 169th and 170th Infantry Regiments from the 29th -Division (14th Army Corps, Baden), and the 66th Landwehr Regiment from -the 7th Division (4th Army Corps). On April 6, 1917, the last-named -regiment was replaced by the 111th Infantry Regiment (the 4th Regiment -of the 28th Division, also from Baden). - - -ARTOIS. - -1. In April, 1915, the 52d Division was in line south of Arras (Monchy -aux Bois, Hebuterne). It occupied this sector until September, 1916. - - - 1916. - - -SOMME. - -1. During the Franco-English offensive on the Somme the 52d Division -bore to the south and held the sector Hebuterne, Beaumont-Hamel, north -of Thiepval (September-November, 1916). - -2. On November 26 the division was withdrawn from the front and sent to -rest in the vicinity of Bouchain (December). - - - 1917. - - -ALSACE. - -1. On January 13, 1917, the 52d Division was sent to Alsace (northwest -of Bale). - -2. About the middle of January it took over the sector of Altkirch -(Carspach-Hirtzbach), which it held until the end of March. - -3. After a few days at rest (at the beginning of April) in the Grand -Duchy of Baden south of Muellheim, it entrained on April 16 north of -Bale and was transferred to the Aisne, already including men of the 1918 -class in its ranks. - - -AISNE. - -4. On April 21 it went into line south of Juvincourt. It occupied this -sector until July 10, with a period of rest from June 1 to 15. - - -CALIFORNIE PLATEAU. - -5. About July 24 it went back into line on the Californie Plateau, where -it launched an attack on September 14. - -6. Sent into rest in the vicinity of Sissonne about the end of -September, it appeared in the vicinity of Pinon about the middle of -October, where it went into action and lost heavily on the 23d. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -7. After a rest in the vicinity of Chimay (beginning of November), it -went into line on the Champagne front (Butte du Mesnil-Maisons de -Champagne); it remained there until December 15. - -8. From December 15 until January, 1918, it was at rest in the vicinity -of Vouziers. - - - RECRUITING. - -Since April, 1917, the 52d Division has been almost purely Badensian. -Besides the Badensians, who form almost all of the drafts, we find men -from the neighboring districts of the Empire (Rhine Province, Hesse- -Nassau). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -In general the morale of the 52d Division has appeared rather high. In -the sector of Juvincourt (April to July, 1917) the troops of the -division showed nerve and dash in the course of the local operations in -which they took part. - -The division had few losses until the month of September. - -However, it lost heavily on October 23 (the battle of La Malmaison), -especially the 170th Infantry Regiment. - - - 1918. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. The 52d Division, which had been resting near Vouziers since December -15, relieved the 52d Reserve Division near Tahure (northeast of Suippes) -on the 10th of January. During the time the division held this sector -the elements not actually in the front line were being trained in open -warfare. Early in March it was relieved by the 52d Reserve Division and -went to the Vouziers area, where it received still more intensive -training in the war of movement. - - -PICARDY. - -2. The division entrained near Vouziers on the 22d of March, and -detrained on the following day near Bohain. On the 24th it left and -marched via Fresnoy le Grand-Holnon wood (26th)-Bethenicourt (27th)- -Etalon-Liancourt-Fosse to Fresnoy les Roye. It relieved the 28th -Division near Hangest en Santerre (northwest of Montdidier) on the 28th. -It was relieved by the 76th Reserve Division on the 14th of April and -went to rest in the Sedan area. - - -AISNE. - -3. Here it was thoroughly reconstituted. It entrained on the 22d of May, -arriving at La Malmaison (southeast of Laon) the same day. On the 26th -it went into line near Juvincourt (east of Craonne), and took part in -the initial attack on the following day. It crossed the Aisne between -Pontavert and Gernicourt; proceeding via Bouvancourt and Guyancourt, it -crossed the Vesle at Jonquery on the 28th, reached Faverolles on the -29th, Olizy on the 31st, and the Marne, in the region of Verneuil, on -June 2. The division was at first ordered to cross the same day, but the -order was subsequently rescinded. It was withdrawn, after having -suffered severely, about the 10th, and was reported to be at rest in the -Sedan area on the 15th. On the 20th it was reported in reserve in the -Tournai region. - - -LENS. - -4. During the night of July 12–13 it relieved the 119th Division in the -Avion sector (south of Lens). It was relieved about the 5th of August by -the extension of fronts of flanking divisions. - - -ARMENTIERES. - -5. During the night of the 6th–7th it relieved the 207th Division near -Vieux Berquin (southwest of Bailleul), the 207th Division taking over -the sector just vacated by the 52d Division. On the 17th it was -withdrawn, the neighboring divisions extending their fronts. - - -BAPAUME. - -6. Five days later it reenforced the battle front near Miraumont (west -of Bapaume). It was withdrawn about the 4th of September, after having -lost over 1,300 prisoners, and went to rest in the Courtrai area. Here -the battalions were reduced to three companies, the strength of which -was further made up by drafts of the 29th Ersatz Regiment (223d Division -disbanded). - - -ARGONNE. - -7. On September 28 the division reenforced the front near Exermont -(southeast of Grandpre). In the heavy fighting that followed the -division was driven back to Landres et St. Georges, where it was -withdrawn about the 14th of October after having suffered heavy losses -(almost 600 in prisoners alone). - -8. During the night of October 31-November 1 the division, which had -received large numbers of replacements during its two weeks’ rest, -relieved the 41st Division east of Busancy (north of Grandpre). It was -still in line on the 11th. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 52d is rated as one of the best German divisions. It was in a great -deal of heavy fighting during 1918 (as in preceding years) and acquitted -itself most creditably. - - - - - 52d Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │103 Res. │237 Res. │103 Res. │237 Res. │103 Res. │237 Res. - │ │238 Res. │ │238 Res. │ │238 Res. - │104 Res. │239 Res. │104 Res. │239 Res. │104 Res. │239 Res. - │ │240 Res. │ │240 Res. │ │240 Res. - │ 24 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 24 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 24 Res. Jag. Btn. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Cavalry. │52 Res. Cav. Detch.│52 Res. Cav. Detch.│52 Res. Cav. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │52 Res. F. A. Rgt. │52 Res. F. A. Rgt. │52 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.). │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│52 Res. Pion. Co. │52 Res. Pion. Co. │52 Res. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │52 Res. Pont. Engs.│1 Ldw. Pion. Co. (9 - │ │ │ C. Dist.). - │ │ │2 Ers. Co. 24 - │ │ │ Pions. - │ │ │252 T. M. Co. - │ │ │52 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │52 Res. Ambulance │ - Veterinary.│ │ Co. │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │104 Res. │238 Res. │104 Res. │239 Res. - │ │239 Res. │ │239 Res. - │ │240 Res. │ │240 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │52 Res. Cav. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │69 Art. Command: - │ │ - │52 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ 52 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 51 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 894 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1365 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - │ │ 1393 Light Am. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(352) Pion. Btn.: │253 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 8 Co. 28 Pions. │ 8 Co. 28 Pions. - │ │ - │ 52 Res. Pion. Co. │ 52 Res. Pion. Co. - │ │ - │ 252 T. M. Co. │ 252 T. M. Co. - │ (?) 312 T. M. Co. │ 184 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 452 Tel. Detch. │452 Signal Command: - │ │ 452 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 23 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │534 Ambulance Co. │534 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │88 Res. Field │89 Field Hospital. - │ Hospital. │ - │Vet. Hospital. │90 Field Hospital. - │ │264 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (8th Corps District—Rhine Province.) - - - 1914. - - -FLANDERS. - -1. The 52d Reserve Division (belonging to the 26th Reserve Corps with -the 51st Reserve Division), formed between August and October, 1914, was -trained at the Senne Camp and entrained for Belgium on October 12. - -The division was engaged in the first battle of the Ypres about October -22. - -It fought in October and November in the vicinity of Langemarck- -Passachendaele and suffered heavy losses. Between October 18 and 28, the -240th Reserve Infantry Regiment listed casualties of 28 officers and -1,360 men. (Official List of Casualties.) - - - 1915. - - -YPRES. - -1. The division remained on the front north of Ypres (Pilckem, St. -Julien, Zonnebeke) during the year 1915 and until the month of -September, 1916. Certain of its regiments lost very heavily in April and -May—25 officers and 1,268 men casualties in the 240th Reserve Infantry -Regiment. (Official List of Casualties.) - - - 1916. - - -SOMME. - -1. About September 14, 1916, it was transferred to the Somme minus the -237th Reserve Infantry Regiment, sent to Galicia for the formation of -the 199th Division. - -It was engaged in the Lesboeufs sector (Sept. 16–29) and lost very -heavily in the British attack of the 26th. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. Sent to Champagne, it went into line at the Butte de Souain on -October 6, then on November 6 entered St. Marie à Py and the vicinity of -Tahure. - - - 1917. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. The 52d Reserve Division occupied the Tahure front south of Rouvroy -until April 20, 1917. It suffered losses at Maisons de Champagne, at the -end of March, which caused hasty replacements of the 1918 class with -only four months’ training to be sent. - - -SAPIGNEUL. - -2. Relieved between April 15 and 20, it went to the vicinity of Rethel -and passed in review at Asfeld on May 3; went into line on the 5th -southeast of Berry au Bac and underwent the French attack of the 7th -south of Sapigneul. (The 239th Reserve Division had 107 prisoners -taken.) On May 31 it again lost heavily while attacking Hill 108. - - -YPRES. - -3. The division was withdrawn from the Aisne front at the beginning of -July and transferred to Belgium. It went into action on the Ypres-Menin -road on the 31st, the day of the British offensive, and lost heavily. -The attacks of August 10 again caused serious losses—the remnants of the -1st Battalion of the 238th Reserve Infantry Regiment formed only two -companies at the time of their relief. (British Summary of Information, -Aug. 11.) - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -4. About August 11 the 52d Reserve Division left the Belgian front for -Champagne, where it again took over its own sector east of the Butte de -Souain about August 26. It remained there until the end of December. - - - RECRUITING. - -At the time of its formation the 52d Reserve Division was made up of one -Rhenish Regiment and three from Baden; to-day it is entirely Rhenish. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -In May and June, 1917, the 52d Reserve Division held a very difficult -sector south of Berry au Bac where it apparently lost very heavily. -However, it acted like a good division. - -During its rest in the vicinity of Vouziers, at the end of January, -1918, it was given very intensive training. It was considered as an -attack division. (Interrogation of prisoners, February, 1918.) - - - 1918. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. The 52d Reserve Division was relieved by the 52d Division in the -Tahure sector on January 10 and went to the vicinity of Vouziers, where -it was intensively trained in open warfare. - -2. Early in March it returned to line and relieved the 52d Division. It -was relieved on the 23d of April by the 1st Bavarian Division. - - -YPRES. - -3. It proceeded to march to Vouziers, where it entrained on the 28th -and, traveling via Mezières-Signy-Hirson-Mons-Tournai, detrained at -Mouscron on the 30th. On May 4 it marched to Wervicq, and on the -following day moved into line via Warneton and Messines, relieving the -3d Guard Division in the Voormezeele sector (south of Ypres). In the -fighting before Dickebusch on the 8th heavy losses were suffered. It was -withdrawn about the 25th, and went to rest near Menin. - -4. During the night of the 13th–14th of June it relieved the 58th -Division near Locre (south of Ypres). It was relieved on the 1st of -July, the flanking divisions extending their fronts, and went to rest in -the region southwest of Courtrai. - -5. On the 6th of August it came back into line, relieving the 58th -Division in the Kemmel sector (south of Ypres). It was withdrawn about -the 26th. - - -CAMBRAI. - -6. About the 2d of September it reenforced the front in the Bertincourt -sector (east of Bapaume). After having suffered severe losses in killed -and wounded, besides losing over 1,000 prisoners, it was relieved by the -6th Division near Havrincourt on the 16th. - - -COURTRAI. - -7. About the 27th it entered line near Moorslede (southwest of Roulers). -It suffered severe losses here, and was withdrawn early in October. - -8. On October 14 it relieved the Guard Ersatz Division in the Iseghem -sector (north of Courtrai). It was heavily engaged here, and was finally -withdrawn on the 25th. It did not reenter line. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 52d was rated as a second-class division, but it was probably not so -good as other divisions similarly rated, for although it was intensively -trained for use as a shock unit for almost two months in Champagne early -in the year it was not used in any of the German offensives. It is to be -noted, however, that the German communique of October 24 said, -“Southwest of Deynze the veteran 52d Reserve Division, which has been in -battle daily since October 14, repulsed the renewed attacks of the enemy -along the Deynze-Waregem railway.” - - - - - 53d Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │105 Res. │241 Res. │105 Res. │241 Res. │105 Res. │241 Res. - │ │242 Res. │ │242 Res. │ │243 Res. - │106 Res. │243 Res. │106 Res. │243 Res. │106 Res. │242 Res. - │ │244 Res. │ │244 Res. │ │244 Res. - │ 25 Res. Jag. Btn.│ 25 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 25 Res. Jag. Btn. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Cavalry. │53 Res. Cav. Detch.│53 Res. Cav. Detch.│53 Res. Cav. Detch. - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │53 Res. F. A. Rgt. │53 Res. F. A. Rgt. │53 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries.). │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│53 Res. Pion. Co. │53 Res. Pion. Co. │53 Res. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │53 Res. Pont. Engs.│53 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ │253 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │53 Res. Ambulance │ - Veterinary.│ │ Co. │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918[23] - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │105 Res. │241 Res. │105 Res. │241 Res. - │ │242 Res. │ │242 Res. - │ │243 Res. │ │243 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │53 Res. (?) Cav. │53 Res. Cav. Detch. - │ Detch. │ (Saxon). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │(?) Art. Command: - │ │ - │ 53 Res. F. A. Rgt.│ 53 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ (Saxon). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(353) Pion. Btn.: │53 Res. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ (Saxon). - │ 53 Res. Pion. Co. │279 Pion. Co. - │ 279 Pion. Co. │253 Searchlight - │ │ Section. - │ 253 T. M. Co. │453 Tel. Detch. - │ 453 Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │Ambulance Co. │535 (?) Ambulance - Veterinary.│ │ Co. - │94 Res. Field │92 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital (Saxon). - │Vet. Hospital. │453 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── -Footnote 23: - - Composition at the time of dissolution, October, 1918. - - - HISTORY. - - (241st and 242d Reserve Infantry Regiments: 12th Corps District—Saxony. - 243d Reserve Infantry Regiment: 19th Corps District—Saxony.) - - - 1914. - - -FLANDERS-YPRES. - -1. The 53d Reserve Division (of the 27th Reserve Corps with the 54th -Reserve Division), formed between August and October, 1914, were sent to -Belgium, and detrained on August 14 at Ath. It was engaged, with the -divisions of the same series, in the battle of Ypres, against the -British Army. Beginning on October 21, it fought on the front -Poelcappelle-Becelaere; southeast of Gheluvelt on October 29, and near -the Ypres-Menin road at the time of the great attack of November 11. It -suffered very heavy losses—the 25th Reserve Chasseurs Battalion, already -reduced to 225 men on October 31, had only 73 on November 4 (notebook). -On November 25 the 6th Company of the 241st Reserve Infantry Regiment -had only 7 of the men left who constituted it upon its departure from -Saxony (letter). - - - 1915. - - -FLANDERS. - -1. The division remained in line north of Ypres during the winter of -1914–15, alternating with the 54th Reserve Division in the sector -Broodseinde-Polygon wood. - -2. It took part in the second battle of Ypres, near Frezenberg and -Gravenstafel, where it again lost heavily. - -3. In June it occupied the sector of Wytchaete-St. Éloi and returned -northeast of Ypres (Verlorenhoek) in the middle of July. - - -CHAMPAGNE AND FLANDERS. - -4. At the beginning of October the 105th Reserve Brigade was sent to -Champagne to reenforce the lines near Tahure. The 106th Reserve Brigade -took over the sector of the Lys. - -5. In November the division was regrouped and sent to rest in the -vicinity of Ingelmunster (north of Courtrai). It remained behind the -front during the winter of 1915–16 in the vicinity of Roulers. - - - 1916. - - -LA BASSEE. - -1. At the end of March, 1916, the 53d Reserve Division left Flanders and -went into line on both banks of the La Bassee Canal. - - -SOMME. - -2. Sent to the Somme at the end of August, it was engaged southeast of -Maurepas (Le Forest) at the time of the French attack of September 3, -which ended in the capture of Le Forest and of Clery. It suffered heavy -losses in counterattacking and in withstanding the new French offensive -of September 13. Between September 6 and 12 the 241st Reserve Infantry -Regiment listed 12 officers and 1,502 men as casualties. On September 3 -the 244th Reserve Infantry Regiment had lost 400 prisoners. - - -LOOS. - -3. Relieved on September 14, it was transferred to the Loos front -(between Hulluch and the Lens-Béthune railroad), from September 21 to -October 5. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -4. On October 9 it was in Champagne, where it occupied the sector of -Prosnes, east of Rheims. - - -GALICIA. - -5. Withdrawn from the Champagne front, the 53d Reserve Division -entrained for the Eastern Front on November 17. (Itinerary: -Bétheniville-Rethel-Sedan-Trèves-Coblenz-Ems-Cologne-Halle-Cottbus- -Liegnitz-Breslau-Cracow-Tarnow-Jaroslaw-Przemysl-Lemberg-Rohatyn.) It -detrained at Pukow (south of Lemberg) on the 26th. - -6. It was sent into reserve behind the line of the Narajowka in -December. In the autumn of 1916 the 244th Reserve Infantry Regiment was -transferred to the 215th Division; later it was transferred to the 96th -Division (Saxon). - - - 1917. - -1. At the beginning of January, 1917, the 53d Reserve Division went into -line at the junction of the Narajowka and the Dniester, and remained in -this sector until the middle of June without any important engagement. - -2. Relieved and sent to rest in June, it took part in the German -counteroffensive begun on July 20 and advanced north of the Dniester. It -was identified on August 3 east of Krjivtche. - -3. The division was withdrawn from the front at the end of November and -entrained for Belgium in the middle of December. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 53d Reserve Division is purely Saxon. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 53d Reserve Division spent a year on the Eastern Front (November, -1916, to November, 1917). It is of mediocre quality. - - - 1918. - -1. The division was relieved in the Houthulst forest on February 12 and -went to rest in the Bruges area. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -2. On March 1–2 it relieved the 27th Division northeast of Flesquieres. -It took part in the initial attack on March 21, was withdrawn on the 22d -and went to rest near Bourlon wood. The division was in General -Headquarters reserve and on March 27 marched via Havrincourt- -Ruyaulcourt-Moislains-Bouchavesnes, crossing the Somme at Clery, and -continued to march via Raincourt to Rosieres en Santerre. The 241st -Reserve Regiment went into line near Moreuil on the night of April 1–2 -and relieved the 426th Regiment (88th Division); the 242d Reserve -Regiment went into line on the night of April 3–4, relieving the 100th -Body Grenadier Regiment (23d Division). On the morning of April 4 the -division attacked in the vicinity of Arriese Cour wood. The division at -this date was operating under the 18th German Army. About the middle of -April it was withdrawn from the Moreuil sector. - - -VERDUN. - -3. About May 1 the division was resting in rear of the Verdun front. It -relieved the 84th Division west of Bethincourt in the first week of May. -It held that quiet sector until the 11th of June, when a tired division -took its place and the 53d Reserve Division returned to an active front. - - -SOISSONS. - -4. The division detrained near Laon on June 14–15, and the next night -relieved the 6th Bavarian Reserve Division north of Le Port. Here it -participated in heavy fighting in July and August until its relief about -August 10. In this engagement the 243d Reserve Regiment was reduced to -three companies per battalion as a result of heavy losses. - -5. The division was taken to the region in rear of the Argonne front and -the process of dissolution begun. Before its completion the American -offensive in the Argonne began and elements of the division were used on -the United States front between September 29 and October 15. - -According to the available evidence, the 242d Reserve Regiment was -drafted to the 24th and 58th Divisions, the 241st Regiment to the 23d -Division, and the 243d Reserve Regiment to the 40th and 58th Divisions. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. It participated in the spring -Somme offensive, but thereafter did not play an important part in the -fighting. The low effective strength was directly responsible for the -dissolution of the division. - - - - - 54th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │108. │27 Res. │108. │84. - │ │90 Res. │ │27 Res. - │ │84. │ │90 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │ (?) │17 Hus. Rgt. (Sqn.). - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │54 Brig.: │54 Brig.: - │ 107 F. A. Rgt. (6 Btries.). │ 107 F. A. Rgt. - │ 108 F. A. Rgt. (6 Btries.). │ 108 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│107 Pion. Co. │107 Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │108 Pion. Co. │108 Pion. Co. - │ │54 T. M. Co. - │ │54 Pont. Engs. - │ │54 Tel. Detch. - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd Units. │ │54 Cyclist Co. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │54 Ft. A. Btn. │24 Labor Btn. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │108. │84. │(?) │84. - │ │27 Res. │ │27 Res. - │ │90 Res. │ │90 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 17 Hus. Rgt. │1 Sqn. 17 Hus. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │54 Art. Command: │55 Art. Command: - │ 108 F. A. Rgt. (9 Btries.). │ 108 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 54 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 746 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 955 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 966 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│Pion. Btn.: │138 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 107 Pion. Co. │ 107 Pion. Co. - │ 108 Pion. Co. │ 108 Pion. Co. - │ 1 Ldw. Co., 16 Pions. │ 97 Searchlight Section. - │ 54 T. M. Co. │54 Signal Command: - │ 107 Searchlight Section. │ 54 Tel. Detch. - │ 54 Tel. Detch. │ 87 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │54 Ambulance Co. │54 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │345 Field Hospital. │345 Field Hospital. - │348 Field Hospital. │348 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │54 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │578 M. T. Col. │578 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd Units. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │119 Labor Btn. │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (84th and 90th Reserve Infantry Regiments: 9th Corps - District—Schleswig—Holstein and Mecklenburg. 27th Reserve Infantry - Regiment: 4th Corps District—Prussian Saxony.) - - - 1915. - -1. The 54th Division was formed in March, 1915, by the removal of -regiments from divisions engaged at this time between the north of Noyon -and east of Soissons. - -Two of these regiments, the 84th (18th Division) and the 90th Reserve -(18th Reserve Division), came from the 9th Corps District (Schleswig- -Holstein and Mecklenburg); the third regiment, the 27th Reserve (7th -Reserve Division) was originally from Prussian Saxony (4th Corps -District). - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. Concentrated in March near Guise, the 54th Division was sent to -Champagne in the middle of April (vicinity of Perthes), where it -remained until July, 1915. - - -RUSSIA. - -3. In July it was transferred to Russia. It fought on the Narew (July -and August) and on the Niemen, southeast of Grodno, in September. - - -FRANCE-OISE. - -4. Brought back to France at the beginning of October, it went into line -on the 12th on the left bank of the Oise (Quennevières-Moulin sous -Touvent). - - - 1916. - -1. Withdrawn from the Oise front in January, 1916, the 54th Division -rested in the vicinity of La Fère until May. During this time it was -occupied in defensive works in the vicinity of Soissons-Craonne. - - -VERDUN. - -2. In May it was transferred to Verdun. It occupied the sector of Hill -304 on May 14. - -3. About September 11 it crossed to the right bank of the Meuse and -advanced north of Fleury. On October 24 it was dislodged by the French -attacks and thrown back with heavy losses north of Douaumont Fort. It -was relieved at the beginning of November. - - -LORRAINE. - -4. Having scarcely made good its losses, it went back into line on -November 5 north of Flirey en Haye. - - - 1917. - -1. The division remained in the calm sector of Flirey during the winter -of 1916–17. - - -AISNE. - -2. Relieved in the middle of April, 1917, it was sent behind the -Champagne front (vicinity of Asfeld). On April 21 it reenforced the -lines at Berry au Bac. It underwent the French attack of May 4, to which -it opposed a serious resistance on the Juvincourt Ridge, but suffered -heavy losses (650 prisoners). - -3. It was withdrawn from the Aisne front on May 10. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -4. Sent to the east of Rheims, the division occupied the sector south of -Somme Py from May 15 to July 24. It was filled up there in June by -several reenforcements, totaling about 2,000 men. - - -YPRES. - -5. On July 25 it entrained at Machault (southwest of Vouziers) for -Charleville, from which place it went to Belgium after a short rest. It -was in action east of Ypres from August 5 to 19, and suffered new losses -during the British attack of August 16. One company of the 90th Reserve -Infantry Regiment was reduced to one officer and four men. - - -CAMBRAI. - -6. Sent back into line at the end of August on the Cambrai front -(Havrincourt-Villers Plouich), the division again lost very heavily in -this sector, principally in the course of a tank attack on November 20 -(2,789 prisoners). - - -LORRAINE. - -7. Relieved immediately after this attack, it was sent to rest in -Lorraine and reorganized. Between August and November the division -received more than 3,000 replacements. (British Summary of Information.) - - - RECRUITING. - -Mixed upon its formation (Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg, Prussian -Saxony,) the 54th Division remained so with a tendency, nevertheless, to -make the 90th Reserve Infantry Regiment a pure Mecklenburg regiment and -to reserve the drafts from the rest of the 9th Corps District for the -84th Infantry Regiment. - -In January 1918, the 1919 class did not seem to be represented; the 90th -Reserve Infantry Regiment had just received replacements made up of men -put back in the 1917 and 1918 classes who entered the service in -September, 1917. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 54th Division held the most active sectors on the Western front; it -has everywhere given proof of great energy in its resistance, especially -at Cambrai in November, 1917. However, before the affair of Cambrai -rather frequent desertions proved that the losses incurred at Ypres had -weakened the morale of the troops; besides, the replacements received in -Lorraine were mostly composed of returned wounded of all ages. - -However, the 54th Division tried, during its stay in Lorraine, to -amalgamate all these elements and to renew their combat value by -intensive training and careful instruction (March, 1918). - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -The division was relieved in the sector north of Nancy about February 17 -by the 48th Landwehr Division. It remained in Lorraine in March -undergoing training for open warfare. It entrained near Dieuze on the -24th and traveled via Metz-Sedan-Charleville-Mons-Valenciennes to a -place about 10 miles east of Douai. The division expected to come into -line near Arras, but after resting one night at Douai it marched off -toward Peronne and arrived at Rosieres on April 2. It moved up to the -line north of Moreuil on the night of April 3–4, taking part in the -attack. The division withdrew on the night of the 5th–6th. It returned -to line south of Thennes on April 10 and stayed in about eight days. - - -SOMME. - -2. The division rested at Cambrai until the night of May 22–23, when it -relieved the 183d Division near Ville sur Ancre. It was relieved on June -20 by the 107th Division. Following its relief, the division rested -north of the Somme until August 3, when it was engaged near Antheuil. -About September 1 the division left its sector near Lassigny and -relieved the 105th Division northeast of Noyon. Here it was relieved on -September 10. - - -CAMBRAI-ST. QUENTIN. - -3. The division rested 15 days before it entered line northeast of -Hargicourt on September 25, relieving the 232d Division. It fought in -the Le Cateau area until October 12, when it retired to reserves in the -vicinity of Landrecies. On November 2 it was reengaged at Ors and -continued in line until the armistice. The last identification was at -Lemont-Fontaine on the 8th. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. In the last year its service was -largely on the defensive in active sectors. In this capacity it was -almost constantly in line. - - - - - 54th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │107 Res. │245 Res. │107 Res. │245 Res. │107 Res. │245 Res. - │ │246 Res. │ │246 Res. │ │247 Res. - │108 Res. │247 Res. │108 Res. │247 Res. │108 Res. │246 Res. - │ │248 Res. │ │248 Res. │ │248 Res. - │ 26 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 26 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 26 Res. Jag. Btn. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Cavalry. │54 Res. Cav. Detch.│54 Res. Cav. Detch.│54 Res. Cav. Detch. - │ (Wurtt.). │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │54 Res. F. A. Rgt. │54 Res. F. A. Rgt. │54 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries., 1–3 │ │ - │ Sax., 4–9 │ │ - │ Wurtt.). │ │ - │ │Ers. Abtl. 59 F. A.│ - │ │ Rgt. │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│54 Res. Pion. Co. │54 Res. Pion. Co. │54 Res. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ (Saxon). │ │ - │ │54 Res. Pont. Engs.│254 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ - │ │ │54 Pont. Engs. - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │54 Res. Ambulance │ - Veterinary.│ │ Co. │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918[24] - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │107 Res. │246 Res. │107 Res. │246 Res. - │ │247 Res. │ │247 Res. - │ │248 Res. │ │248 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │54 Res. Cav. Detch.│54 Res. Cav. Detch. - │ │ (Wurtt.). - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │(?) Art. Command: - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ 54 Res. F. A. Rgt.│ 54 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ (9 Btries. │ (Wurtt.). - │ Wurtt.). │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│(354) Pion. Btn.: │1 Res. Co. 13 - Liaisons. │ │ Pions. - │ 1 Res. Co. 13 │2 Res. Co. 13 - │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ 2 Res. Co. 13 │312 Searchlight - │ Pions. │ Section. - │ 254 T. M. Co. │254 T. M. Co. - │ 312 Searchlight │454 Tel. Detch. - │ Section. │ - │ 454 Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │536 Ambulance Co. │536 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ (Wurtt.). │ (Wurtt.). - │92 Res. Field │93 Res. Field - │ Hospital. │ Hospital - │ │ (Wurtt.). - │Vet. Hospital. │94 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital - │ │ (Wurtt.). - │ │246 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col │M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── -Footnote 24: - - Composition at the time of dissolution, September, 1918. - - - HISTORY. - - (13th Corps District—Wuerttemberg.) - - - 1914. - - -BELGIUM. - -1. The 54th Reserve Division, forming the 27th Reserve Corps with the -53d Reserve Division, was formed of men from Wurttemberg, with the -addition of one infantry regiment and one battalion of chasseurs from -Saxony. Trained at the Muensingen Camp, it went into action for the -first time on October 21, 1914, in Belgium at the battle of Ypres. On -October 29, it made an unsuccessful attack south of Gheluvelt, going -slightly to the north, it took part in the general attack of November 11 -in the vicinity of Zonnebeke, where it lost very heavily. From October -21 to November 20 the 248th Reserve Infantry Regiment listed 32 officers -and 1,395 men as casualties. (Official List of Casualties.) - - - 1915. - -1. The division remained in Flanders during the entire year of 1915, -occupying the front Becelaere-Polygon wood, between the Ypres-Menin wood -and the Roulers railroad. - -2. In April and May it suffered heavy losses during the second battle of -Ypres (Frezenberg, Verlorenhoek, Hooge). - - - 1916. - -1. At the end of January and beginning of February, 1916, the 54th -Reserve Division was withdrawn from the Ypres salient, concentrated in -the vicinity of Thielt, Ghent, and Hasselt and sent for training to the -Beverloo Camp (February-March). - - -ARTOIS. - -2. Toward the end of March it took over the sector south of Neuve -Chapelle (north of La Bassée) where it did not take part in any -important action. - - -SOMME. - -3. Relieved at the end of August, it was sent to the Somme (sector of -Combles-La Forest) and suffered very heavy losses between September 8 -and 18. - - -LORRAINE. - -4. After a short stay in the Loos salient (Vermelles-Hulluch road) at -the beginning of October the 54th Reserve Division was transferred to -Lorraine and sent into line in the vicinity of Blamont. - -5. At this time, the 245th Reserve Infantry Regiment (Saxon) was taken -from it to be assigned to the 192d Division. - - -VERDUN. - -6. At the end of November the division left Lorraine, was sent during -the course of December behind the front northwest of Cambrai, then to -the Meuse, where it went into line on December 22, west of Bezonvaux -(Les Chambrettes), after the French attack of December 16. - - - 1917. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. Withdrawn from the Verdun front about January 23, 1917, the 54th -Reserve Division took over, in Champagne, the sector included between -the Navarin Farm and the Tahure Hill. - -2. In March it sent one battalion of the 246th Reserve Infantry Regiment -into the attacks of Maisons de Champagne on March 27. - -3. At the beginning of May the division went as a reenforcement south of -Moronvilliers. It went into action from May 15 to June 10 (Téton, Mont -Haut) and lost heavily. - -4. About June 10–15, without any rest, it again took over the sector -west of Tahure, which it occupied until August 20–25. - - -HILL 304. - -5. Suddenly transferred to the Verdun area, the 54th Reserve Division -went into line on August 24, north of Hill 304; it remained there until -October 18. - - -FLANDERS. - -6. Sent to Flanders, it was in the Dixmude sector from October 29 until -March 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -Mixed at the time of its formation, the 54th Reserve Division became -exclusively Wurttemberg, by the departure of its Saxon elements. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Since the number of prisoners of the 54th Reserve Division in Champagne, -as in the vicinity of Verdun, March to October 1917, was very slight, it -has been practically impossible to obtain information concerning this -division (November 1918). - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -1. The division which had been holding the Dixmude sector entrained at -Bruges on March 14, and detrained at Cambrai on the following day. On -March 20 it marched to Seranvillers, and a day later proceeded via -Lesdain to the high ground west of Honnecourt. On the 22d it reached -Gouzeaucourt; on the 23d it passed through Lechelle, Bus, and Sailly -Saillisel; on the 24th it progressed north of Mametz wood, being engaged -near Rozieres on the 25th and at Ovillers on the 26th. The division was -relieved on April 4 by the 27th Division after suffering heavy losses at -Aveluy. - - -SOMME. - -2. The division was in reserve in immediate rear of the front until the -night of April 10–11, when it relieved the 13th Division at Ville sur -Ancre. The division held this sector until May 27 and again from June 28 -until August 25. It was withdrawn in the Mametz area where it had fallen -back upon the British attack. - -3. Early in September the division was dissolved. Prisoners stated that -the 248th Reserve Regiment was drafted to the 27th Division. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. Its efforts in the Somme -offensive were unsuccessful. Thereafter the effectives were used up and -the division dissolved. - - - - - 56th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │112. │35 Fus. │112. │35 Fus. - │ │88. │ │88. - │ │118. │ │118. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │ (?) │17 Hus. Rgt. (Sqn.). - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │56 Brig.: │56 Brig.: - │ 111 F. A. Rgt. (6 Btries.). │ 111 F. A. Rgt. - │ 112 F. A. Rgt. (6 Btries.). │ 112 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│111 Pion. Co. │111 Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │112 Pion. Co. │112 Pion. Co. - │ │6 Field Co. 23 Pions. - │ │2 Res. Co. 23 Pions. - │ │56 T. M. Co. - │ │56 Pont. Engrs. - │ │56 Tel. Detch. - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │ │56 Cyclist Co. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │112. │88. │112. │88. - │ │118. │ │118. - │ │186. │ │186. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 17 Hus. Rgt. │4 Sqn. 17 Hus. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │56 Art. Command: │56 Art. Command: - │ 112 F. A. Rgt. (9 Btries.). │ 112 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 56 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 855 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 858 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 893 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│Pion. Btn.: │139 Pion Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 111 Pion. Co. │ 111 Pion. Co. - │ 112 Pion. Co. │ 112 Pion. Co. - │ 56 T. M. Co. │ 56 T. M. Co. - │ 111 Searchlight Section. │ 186 Searchlight Section. - │ 56 Tel. Detch. │56 Signal Command: - │ │ 56 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 165 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │56 Ambulance Co. │56 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │349 Field Hospital. │349 Field Hospital. - │351 Field Hospital. │56 Vet. Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │56 Cyclist Co. │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (18th Corps District—Grand Duchy of Hesse and Hesse Nassau.) - - - 1915. - -The 56th Division was formed in March, 1915, of surplus regiments—the -35th Fusileer Regiment from the 6th Division (3d Corps District, -Brandenburg), the 88th and 118th Infantry Regiments from the 21st and -25th Divisions (18th Corps District, Hesse Nassau and the Grand Duchy of -Hesse). In May, 1917, the 35th Fusileer Regiment was replaced by the -186th Infantry Regiment (from the 25th Landwehr Division) recruited from -Hesse. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. Concentrated in March, 1915, near Vouziers, the 56th Division went to -the Champagne front, south of Ripont, in April. - - -GALICIA. - -2. At the beginning of May it was transferred to the Eastern Front. It -took part in the Galician offensive (battles of Jaroslau, on May 18, and -of Rudka, on June 18), where it lost heavily. - - -FRANCE. - -3. In June the division was brought back to the Western Front. -Entraining at Jaroslau on June 28, it detrained in the vicinity of -Valenciennes, where it remained at rest for a month. - - -LORRAINE. - -4. On July 28 the division went to Lorraine and remained as a reserve -troop in the vicinity of Pfalzburg-Zabern-Schirmeck. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -5. On September 25 it was sent to Champagne to oppose the French -offensive. It was engaged in the sector of Maison de Champagne, but was -soon retired on account of its losses. The infantry had casualties of -107 officers and 5,968 men. (Official List of Casualties.) - -6. After reorganization, it went into line north of Massiges and took -part in the attack of Mont Têtu at the beginning of November. It was -relieved in the middle of November. - -7. In December it returned to the Champagne front. - - - 1916. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. The 56th Division occupied the same calm sector south of Rouvroy -during the entire winter of 1915–16. - -2. Relieved on April 25, 1916, it was sent to rest in the vicinity of -Sedan. - - -VERDUN (MORT-HOMME). - -3. On May 26–27 it was sent into line on the left bank of the Meuse, at -the Mort Homme. It received a vigorous attack there on May 31, had heavy -losses, and continued to hold this sector until the middle of July. - - -ARTOIS. - -4. After a short rest in the vicinity of Sedan, it went to the Vimy -Ridge, in Artois (end of July-end of August). - - -SOMME. - -5. On August 24–25 it was engaged in the battle of the Somme, in -Belleville wood. On August 31 it launched a counterattack northeast of -the wood. It left the Somme on September 9. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -6. It then took over a quiet sector east of Rheims at Cernay-La -Pompelle. In the middle of November it returned to the Somme front (Pys) -until January 7, 1917. - - - 1917. - -1. In January, 1917, the 56th Division was sent to rest in the vicinity -of St. Quentin. - - -SOMME-HINDENBURG LINE. - -2. About February 11 it went back into line south of the Somme in the -vicinity of Biaches, retired at the end of March to the north of St. -Quentin, and from there went to Courrieres in the vicinity of the Lens -mines. - - -LENS. - -3. On April 10 it took over the sector of Lens, where it suffered -important losses from raids and local conflicts. It absorbed 1,000 men -from the 624th Infantry Regiment, dissolved, and some from the 625th -(Hessian). - - -MEUSE (RIGHT BANK). - -4. Withdrawn from the Lens front at the end of June, it remained at rest -in the vicinity of Buzancy and Grandpré in July, near Carignan, at the -beginning of August; spent the second half of August in the Woevre, -reenforcing the Verdun front east of Vaux. In September it occupied the -sector north of the Chaume wood-Baumont, where it was relieved at the -end of October. - - -MEUSE (LEFT BANK). - -5. About November 10 the 56th Division occupied the sector of Cheppy -wood, on the left bank of the Meuse, where it remained until March 20, -1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -Since the substitution of the 186th Infantry Regiment for the 35th -Fusileers, the division has become entirely Hessian. By analogy with the -9th Landwehr Division, we sometimes find it designated as “Rhine -troops”; the Rhine Provinces in general cooperate with Hesse and Hesse- -Nassau in sending its replacements. - -In the first months of 1918 the reenforcements received comprised men -from the 3d and 4th Corps Districts (Berlin and Silesia) belonging to -the industrial classes. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Having suffered heavily in the Galician campaign in 1915, and in -Champagne and at Verdun, the 56th Division had serious losses at Lens -between April and June, 1917. The 186th Infantry Regiment had heavy -losses during the battle of the Aisne (April, 1917) before joining the -56th Division. The division had few losses on the left bank of the Meuse -from January to March, 1918. - -Of 84 prisoners coming from three regiments of the 56th Division, -captured on March 16 and 17, 1918, more than half belong either to the -active or to the reserve. - - - 1918. - -1. The division was relieved west of the Meuse about March 19 by an -extension of the front of the 13th Reserve Division and underwent a -course of training for open warfare. At this time the companies had -about 180 to 200 effectives. It had no men of the 1919 class and few -Alsatians or Poles. The quality of men in the division was high. On -April 18 the division entrained at Cesse (northwest of Stenay) and -traveled via Sedan-Dinant-Charleroi-Braine le Comte-Tournai-Roubaix, -from where it marched to Croix. On the 21st the 118th Regiment proceeded -via Mouveaux-Bondues-Roucq to Halluin, where it rested until the 23d. On -the following day the regiment marched via Wervicq-Comines to Messines. - - -KEMMEL. - -2. The division came into line on the 25th and captured the village of -Kemmel. It was engaged in this vicinity until May 2, when it was -relieved by the 29th Division, and went to rest in the area north of -Menin. It returned to line on the night of May 11–12, relieving the 13th -Reserve Division on the Voormezeele sector. The division remained in -line South of Ypres until the night of June 3–4. - - -BELGIUM. - -3. After its relief the division rested in the Bruges area until its -return to line northeast of Bailleul on July 2. From then until October -19 the division remained in line on this front. It had fallen back east -of Roubaix when it was withdrawn. - -4. After several days in reserve the division was again in line near St. -Genois. The German communiqué of October 26 praised the fighting of the -118th Regiment. The last identification of the division was on November -8, when it was east of Avelghem. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. It was very actively engaged -during almost the entire last year of the war on the British front. - - - - - 58th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │116. │106. │116. │106. - │ │107. │ │107. - │ │120 Res. │ │120 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 18 Uhlan Rgt. │2 Sqn. 18 Uhlan Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │58 Brig.: │58 Brig.: - │ 115 F. A. Rgt. (Saxon) (6 │ 115 F. A. Rgt. - │ Btries.). │ - │ 116 F. A. Rgt. (Wurtt.) (6 │ 116 F. A. Rgt. - │ Btries.). │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│115 Pion. Co. (Saxon). │115 Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │116 Pion. Co. (Wurtt.). │116 Pion. Co. - │ │58 Tel. Detch. - │ │58 Pont. Engs. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd Units. │ │58 Cyclist Co. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │7 Labor Btn. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │116. │106. │116. │106. - │ │107. │ │107. - │ │103 Res. │ │103 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 18 Uhlan Rgt. │4 Sqn. 18 Uhlan Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │58 Art. Command: │58 Art. Command: - │ 115 F. A. Rgt. (9 Btries.). │ 115 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ 97 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ - │ │ 711 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 832 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 931 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│Pion. Btn.: │142 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 2 Res. 22 Pions. │ 115 Pion. Co. - │ 115 Pion. Co. │ 404 Pion. Co. - │ 404 Pion. Co. │ 58 T. M. Co. - │ 58 T. M. Co. │ 127 Searchlight Section. - │ 115 Searchlight Section. │58 Signal Command. - │ 58 Tel. Detch. │ 58 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 135 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │58 Ambulance Co. │58 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │353 Field Hospital. │353 Field Hospital. - │354 Field Hospital. │354 Field Hospital. - │58 Vet. Hospital │58 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │580 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd Units. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (19th Corps District—Saxony.) - - - 1915. - -The 58th Division was formed on March 7, 1915, at Roulers, of surplus -regiments taken from old divisions—the 106th and 107th Infantry -Regiments, Saxon, came from the 24th Division; the 120th Reserve -Infantry Regiment (Wurttemberg), from the 26th Reserve Division. At the -end of 1916 the last-named regiment was replaced by the 103d Reserve -Regiment (Saxon). The provincial homogeneity is thus realized. - -1. The division remained at Roulers until the beginning of May. - - -ARTOIS. - -2. On May 12, 1915, the 58th Division took part in the battle of Artois -(Carency, May 12–15) and suffered heavy losses. On May 12 and 14 the 1st -Battalion of the 106th Infantry Regiment had casualties of 22 officers -and 642 men. (Official List of Casualties.) The casualties of the -division amounted to 116 officers and 4,194 men. - -3. At the beginning of June the division fought at Neuville St. Vaast -(Le Labyrinthe.) - -4. It was at rest in the middle of June in the vicinity of Douai. - - -RUSSIA. - -5. On July 21 the division was transferred to Russia. (Itinerary: -Roubaix-Sedan-Longwy-Thionville-Trèves-Coblentz-Cassel-Berlin- -Marienburg-Koenigsberg-Loetzen.) - -6. It took part in the offensive against the Russians in August and -September (Narew, Bobr, Bielostok, Vilna) as far as Lake Narotch. - - -FRANCE. - -7. Brought back to France between October 16 and 22 (Itinerary: Vilna- -Kovno-Koenigsberg-Berlin-Hanover-Cassel-Frankfort-Mayence-Coblentz- -Trèves-Sarrebreucken), it took over a sector in Lorraine (Leintrey- -Domèvre) in November and December. - - - 1916. - -1. In January and February, 1916, the 58th Division was at rest in the -vicinity of Sarreburg. - - -LORRAINE. - -2. About February 25 it returned to the sector of Leintrey-Embermenil -and remained there until the middle of March. It celebrated its first -anniversary there—150 days of fighting, 1,200 kilometers on foot, 4,400 -by railroad (notebook). - - -VERDUN. - -3. Brought back to Verdun at this time, it took part in the attack of -Caillette wood, near Douaumont, on April 2. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -4. The division was withdrawn from the Verdun front about April 7 and -sent to rest in the vicinity of Rethel. On April 30 it went to -Champagne, where it occupied the sector east of Rheims (Bétheny-Cernay, -La Pompelle). - - -SOMME. - -5. In September the division was engaged on the Somme (Barleux). The 2d -Company of the 20th Reserve Infantry Regiment, 177 strong, was -destroyed, with the exception of 22 prisoners. - -6. After occupying a calm sector on the Yser from September 29 to -October 23, it again fought on the Somme (Courcelette-Grandcourt) in -November. - -7. On December 20 the division was withdrawn and reorganized—the 120th -Reserve Infantry Regiment left the division for the 204th Division, a -new formation, and went to Belgium. - - - 1917. - - -VERDUN. - -1. In January and February, 1917, the 58th Division became exclusively -Saxon (106th, 107th, 103d Reserve Infantry Regiments). It went to the -Verdun front and remained to the end of March, 1917. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. The latter part of March it went into line at Auberive, and suffered -heavy losses in the attack of April 16–17. Because of these losses, the -8th Company of the 103d Infantry Regiment required a minimum -reenforcement of 70 men. - - -RUSSIA-LAKE NAROTCH. - -3. Relieved about April 20, the 58th Division entrained on the 24th for -Russia. (Itinerary: Coblentz-Giessen-Halle-Lissa-Lodz-Warsaw-Brest- -Litowsk (Apr. 28).) It held the sector south of Lake Narotch from the -beginning of May until the beginning of October. - - -BELGIUM. - -4. On October 6 it was brought back to France. (Itinerary: Vilna- -Koenigsberg-Luebeck-Hamburg-Crefeld-Aix la Chapelle-Liége-Ghent-Bruges- -Thourout (Oct. 11).) - - -HOUTHULST WOOD. - -5. On October 17 it took over the sector south of Houthulst wood and -received the attack of October 22; it was relieved on the 24th. - -6. On October 31 it again occupied the sector which it left at the end -of November. - -7. It spent December at rest in the vicinity of Bruges. - - - RECRUITING. - -Mixed at the beginning (Saxon and Wurttemberg), like the 54th Reserve -Division, the division became homogeneous by exchanging its Wurttemberg -troops for Saxon units. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -When the 58th Division was on the Russian front, a division school was -formed in the month of June, 1917, with the purpose of teaching men the -method of attack. - -The division school was dissolved a few days before the departure for -Russia. As soon as they arrived on the Western Front it was made an -assault detachment of the division. - -On the Flanders front the 58th Division did not show any high combat -value. Rather frequent cases of abandoning the front line have been -proved (October, 1917). - - - 1918. - - -YPRES. - -1. About April 3 the division extended its left flank and relieved the -38th Division. At that time the division was holding two divisional -sectors. About May 19, it was relieved by the 49th Reserve Division and -moved to the Locre sector where it relieved the 31st Division a day -later. This sector was held by the division until the night of June -13–14 when it was relieved by the 52d Reserve Division. - -2. It rested in the Courtrai area until July 7 when it returned to line -west of Dranoutre in relief of the 121st Division. The 52d Reserve -Division again relieved it on August 9. - - -SCARPE-SOMME. - -3. The division entrained at Menin on August 25 and detrained at -Sancourt on the evening of the 26th coming into line on August 28 near -Hardecourt and Bullecourt. It sideslipped south about the 1st of -September and replaced the 52d Division which had been withdrawn. About -September 10 the division was withdrawn from the battle front after -suffering heavy losses. About this time the regiments of the division -were reduced to two battalions of three companies each. - -4. On September 27, the division relieved the 39th Division north of -Ecourt-St. Quentin. It retreated by Arleux to a point west of -Valenciennes where it was relieved about October 22. Two days later it -came into line farther south at Ghent and fought until November 7. The -final identifications were at Hecq (Nov. 4), north of Berlaimont (Nov. -5) and north of Pont-sur-Sambre (Nov. 6). - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. It was used as a strong -defensive division exclusively on the British front during 1918. - - - - - 75th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │75 Res. │249 Res. │75 Res. │249 Res. - │ │250 Res. │ │250 Res. - │ │251 Res. │ │251 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │75 Res. Cav. Detch. │75 Res. Cav. Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │75 Res. Brig.: │75 Res. Brig.: - │ 55 Res. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 55 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ Btries.). │ - │ 57 Res. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 57 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ Btries.). │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│75 Res. Pion. Co. │75 Res. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │75 Res. Pont. Engs. │275 T. M. Co. - │ │75 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │1 Ambulance Co. │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │75 Res. Train Detch. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │75 Res. Cyclist Co. │75 Res. Cyclist Co. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │Ers. Field Btn. of the 75th - │ │ Res. Div. - │ │Balloon Sqn. of the 75th Res. - │ │ Div. - │ │90 Labor Btn. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │75 Res. │249 Res. │75 Res. │249 Res. - │ │250 Res. │ │250 Res. - │ │251 Res. │ │251 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 2 Uhlan Rgt. │3 Sqn. 2 Drag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │55 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ 55 Res. F. A. Rgt. (9 │82 Ft. A. Btn. - │ Btries.). │ - │ │826 Light Am. Col. - │ │ - │ │1189 Light Am. Col. - │ │1190 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(375) Pion. Btn.: │375 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 75 Res. Pion. Co. │ 384 Pion. Co. - │ 384 Pion. Co. │ 75 Res. Pion. Co. - │ 275 T. M. Co. │ 275 T. M. Co. - │ 333 Searchlight Section. │ 65 Searchlight Section. - │ Tel. Detch. │475 Signal Command: - │ │ 475 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 145 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │537 Ambulance Co. │537 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │95 Res. Field Hospital. │98 Res. Field Hospital. - │99 Res. Field Hospital. │99 Res. Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │169 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │586 M. T. Col. │742 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │75 Res. Cyclist Co. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (249th and 250th Reserve Infantry Regiments, 14th Corps District—Grand - Duchy of Baden. 251st Reserve Infantry Regiment; 11th Corps - District—Electorate of Hesse.) - - - 1915. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. The 75th Reserve Division, trained at the Heuberg Camp in Baden, -included two regiments of the 14th Corps District and one from the 11th -Corps District. The first two were formed from the six field battalions -from Baden, Nos. 61 to 66; the third, from three Thuringian field -battalions, Nos. 58 to 60. - -2. Forming a part of the 38th Reserve Corps with the 76th Reserve -Division, it was sent to the Eastern Front at the end of January, 1915. - -3. On February 17 it was in the vicinity of Augustowo, after taking part -in the battle of Mazurian Lakes, where it lost heavily (250th Reserve -Infantry Regiment). - -4. At the end of February and the beginning of March it occupied the -front near Chtabin. - -5. On March 9 it attacked north of Ostrolenka and marched to Ossowiec. -It remained in the region north of Ostrolenka until the end of April. - -6. In the summer, it took part in the march upon Vilna and advanced -beyond this by way of Wileisk (Sept. 24), south of Lake Drisviaty (Oct. -6). - -7. At the end of October, the 75th Reserve Division went somewhat to the -south and took over the sector of Spiagla, south of Lake Narotch. - - - 1916. - - -LAKE NAROTCH. - -1. The division remained in line in the vicinity of Lake Narotch until -the end of July, 1916. In the spring of 1916, it received the Russian -offensive in this area. - -2. At the beginning of August, it was transferred to the Stokhod. We -find it southwest of Sviniouki on October 1; south of Kisselin on -November 9 (except the 251st Reserve Infantry Regiment sent to Galicia -on Oct. 30). - - -GALICIA. - -3. At the end of November, the entire division was in Galicia, where it -occupied the sector of the Narajowka (north of Halicz, Rohatyn). - - - 1917. - - -GALICIA. - -1. The 75th Reserve Division was retained in the vicinity of Halicz, and -of Brzezany until July, 1917 (in reserve from the end of March to the -end of May). - - -COURLAND. - -2. On July 25 the division left Galicia to go to Smorgoni, from which -place it was transferred to the Riga sector (Uxkull) at the end of -August. After the taking of Riga, it advanced beyond the Dvina and took -up its position on the Meloupe. - - -FRANCE. - -3. On December 1 the division entrained for France. (Itinerary: Riga- -Mitau-Kovno-Marienburg-Berlin-Hanover-Cassel-Cologne-Coblentz-Trèves- -Thionville-Metz-Charleville-Hirson-Vervins.) It detrained at St. Gobert -and Vervins about December 7. - - -AISNE. - -4. Sent to rest near Vervins, about December 26, the division took over -the sector of Chavignon-Urcel on the 27th. - - - RECRUITING. - -The divisions formed in 1915 were not homogeneous. The 75th Reserve -Division consists of two regiments from Baden and one from the -Electorate of Hesse. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Since the 75th Reserve Division comes from Russia and has only been on -the French front since the end of December 1917, it is difficult to form -a judgment as to the combat value of this organization. - -At the end of December elements of the division took part in maneuvers -supported by tanks (at Voulpaix, west of Verdun). (Interrogation of -prisoner, Feb. 20, 1918.) - -At the beginning of February the 251st Reserve Infantry Regiment took -part in a division maneuver in which the infantry had to fight simulated -tanks. (Interrogation of prisoner, Mar. 11, 1918.) - - - DISCIPLINE. - -It is to be noted that during the trip from Russia to France 40 men -belonging to the Minenwerfer and pioneer companies, were reported -missing. (Interrogation of prisoner, Jan. 31, 1918.) - - - 1918. - - -PICARDY. - -1. The division was relieved south of Laon on March 26 and went to Laon. -By way of Champignon (west of Crepy), Charmes, it marched to Chauny, -where it went into line on March 30. It was engaged until about April -14, and then went to rest north of St. Gobain. - - -BATTLE OF THE MATZ. - -2. It returned to line southeast of Canny sur Matz on the night of May -16–17 and took part in the battle of Noyon in June. It was relieved -about June 20 and rested until July 2. It was in line at Courcelles from -that date until August 18. Prior to the French attack on August 18, the -division counted about 3,000 combatants. It suffered important losses -between the 8th and 18th. - -3. The division rested in the Bois de Champien and Bois de Glandon until -August 23 and then in the Bois du Tunnel. On the 27th it went to Ham. On -the night of August 31-September 1 it relieved the 1st Reserve Division -in the sector Libermont-Bois du Tunnel. It fell back across the Canal du -Nord on September 3 and continued its retreat through Sommette, Dury, -Bray St. Christophe until it reached a position at Happencourt on -September 7. It was relieved on the 13th by the 22d Reserve Division. -The attack of August and September had completely disorganized the -division and greatly reduced its morale. - - -LE CATEAU. - -4. The division returned to line west of Bellenglise on September 20 and -was heavily engaged for 10 days. - - -WOEVRE. - -5. On November 10 the division came into line near Jametz on the -American front. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. Throughout 1918 its morale -appears to have been low, and after the battle of Matz its effectives -were greatly reduced. - - - - - 76th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │76 Res. │252 Res. │76 Res. │252 Res. - │ │253 Res. │ │253 Res. - │ │254 Res. │ │254 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │76 Res. Cav. Detch. │76 Res. Cav. Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │76 Res. Brig.: │76 Res. Brig.: - │ 56 Res. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 56 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ Btries.). │ - │ 58 Res. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 58 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ Btries.). │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│76 Res. Pion. Co. │76 Res. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │76 Res. Pont. Engs. │276 T. M. Co. - │ │76 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │1 Ambulance Co. │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │76 Res. Train Detch. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd Units. │76 Res. Cyclist Co. │76 Res. Cyclist Co. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │76 Res. │252 Res. │76 Res. │252 Res. - │ │253 Res. │ │253 Res. - │ │254 Res. │ │254 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 1 Res. Uhlan Rgt. │3 Sqn. 13 Uhlan Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │76 Art. Command: - │ 56 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ 56 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ 58 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ 2 Abt. 24 Ft. A. Rgt. (5th - │ │ and 7th Btries.). - │ │ 763 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1081 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1082 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(376) Pion. Btn.: │376 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 76 Res. Pion. Co. │ 77 Res. Pion. Co. - │ 77 Res. Pion. Co. │ 76 Res. Pion. Co. - │ 276 T. M. Co. │ 76 Searchlight Section. - │ 344 Searchlight Section. │476 Signal Command: - │ Tel. Detch. │ 476 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 188 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │538 Ambulance Co. │538 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │100 Field Hospital (Res.). │100 Res. Field Hospital. - │101 Field Hospital (Res.). │101 Res. Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │146 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │743 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd Units. │76 Res. Cyclist Co. │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (11th and 18th Corps District—Hesse Electoral, Hesse—Nassau, and Grand - Duchy of Hesse.) - - - 1915. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. The 76th Reserve Division (included in the 38th Reserve Corps with -the 75th Reserve Division), formed in January, 1915, grows out of three -field battalions (Feld bataillone), Nos. 55–57 of the 11th Corps -District, and out of six field battalions, Nos. 67–72 of the 18th Corps -District. It was sent toward Russia at the beginning of February, 1915. - -2. On February 13 it was identified in the region of Gumbinnen. It was -really part of the group which operated in the region of Wylkowyszki- -Mariampol. - -3. On March 2 it was on the Sopotzkyn-Chtabin front. - -4. In March it was northeast of Prasnysz. - -5. In April it was in the region of Suwalki-Augustowo. - -6. In May it was north of Suwalki. - -7. On June 23 the 76th Reserve Division went to the Dubissa area. - -8. On June 30, region of Eydtkuhnen. - -9. The summer offensive of 1915 brought it, through the region of Vilna, -to Kovno (Aug. 16) and then to the south of Smorgoni (Oct. 6–10). - -It was withdrawn from the front about October 15 and was at Vilna on -November 1 and in the region of Mitau on December 5. - - - 1916. - - -COURLAND. - -1. Then moved toward the north, the 76th Reserve Division took up a -sector on the Dvina, opposite Uxkull (Jan.-Aug., 1916). - - -ROUMANIA. - -2. From the 10th to the 20th of September the division was moved to the -Roumanian front. - -3. In October it took part in the battles in the regions of Hermannstadt -and Brasso (Kronstadt). - -4. At the end of October or beginning of November it occupied the -vicinity of Campolung. At the end of December, to the south of Rimnicu- -Sarat. - - - 1917. - - -ROUMANIA (FOCSANI). - -1. With the stabilization of the Roumanian front, it was in line to the -north and east to Focsani, where it remained from January to April, -1917. - -2. In May it was in reserve. At about this time it seems to have been -brought to the rear of the French front. - -3. The division reappeared in Roumania, in the vicinity of Focsani, from -August 6 to 14. It attacked on the 15th and suffered heavy losses. - -4. Put in reserve, near Focsani, it went back into line at the beginning -of October to the north of Iresti. It was still in that region at the -beginning of January, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 252d Regiment in Thuringe, 253d Regiment in Hesse-Nassau, and 254th -Regiment in the Grand Duchy of Hesse. These last two regiments may be -termed Rhenish regiments. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 76th Reserve Division was at all times used on the eastern front. - - - 1918. - -1. The division was moved to the Western Front in the spring after -exchanging its older men for younger men from the divisions remaining in -Roumania. It entrained at Focsani on March 7 and traveled by way of -Hermannstadt, Budapest, Breslau, Erfurt, Fulda, to Metz, where it -detrained on March 15. The 254th Reserve Regiment was in cantonments a -few days at Fort Luitpold and then went to Norroy le Veneur where it -remained about 12 days. It entrained on March 31 and proceeded by way of -Sedan and Charleville to Hirson (Apr. 1). From there it marched via -Remigny-Golancourt-Roye-Narvillers-Hangest-Plessier-Rozainvillers, where -it went into cantonments for three days. - - -MONTDIDIER. - -2. On the night of April 12–13 the division relieved elements of the 23d -Division between Malpart and La Chappelle-St. Aignan. About May 2 the -division extended its front to the north and relieved a part of the -240th Division. This was a defensive sector at this time. On May 9 the -French made an attack on Grivesnes Park while the 76th Reserve Division -was holding it. The attack was a complete surprise and caused many -casualties. Between April 10 and May 8 the losses averaged 30 to 35 men -per company and the number of combatants on May 9 was about 75 per -company. It was relieved in the middle of May. - - -VERDUN. - -3. The division entered line in the Verdun region to the south of -Bezonvaux on June 21. It was withdrawn from the quiet sector in mid- -July, and on the 29th relieved the 46th Reserve Division southwest of -Soissons. Until August 2 it was not involved in the attack. It defended -the flanks of the German retreat energetically until its withdrawal on -September 8. A week later its regiments were used singly to support the -units in line in delaying the French advance on the line Coucy le -Chateau-Ferny-Sorny. The losses in the fighting were considerable, -including 575 prisoners. It showed itself a good defensive division. - -4. On September 25 the division came in line on the extreme left of the -American line in the Argonne. On October 10 all three regiments were -opposite the United States troops in Grandpre. It remained in line until -November 8 before it was finally withdrawn. - -The excessive use of the division gave rise to serious internal -discontent. The rifle strength of the regiments was down to less than -300 by October 24, and the troops were demanding a rest. Some companies -refused to enter the line in mid-October. The divisional commander was -obliged to issue an appeal to the division on October 21 to hold out. -The entire rifle strength of the 2d Battalion, 254th Reserve Regiment, -was but 3 officers and 75 men on October 28. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. As a defensive sector holding -unit the division showed a power of sustained resistance that warranted -a higher classification. By the end the division had been completely -used up. - - - - - 77th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │77 Res. │255 Res. │77 Res. │255 Res. - │ │256 Res. │ │256 Res. - │ │257 Res. │ │257 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │77 Res. Cav. Detch. │77 Res. Cav. Detch. - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │77 Res. Brig.: │77 Res. Brig.: - │ 59 Res. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 59 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ Btries.). │ - │ 60 Res. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 60 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ Btries.). │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│77 Res. Pion. Co. │77 Res. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │77 Res. Pont. Engs. │277 T. M. Co. - │ │77 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │1 Ambulance Co. │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │77 Res. Train Detch. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │77 Res. Cyclist Co. │77 Res. Cyclist Co. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918[25] - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │77 Res. │255 Res. │77 Res. │332. - │ │256 Res. │ │257 Res. - │ │257 Res. │ │419. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 2 Horse Jag. Rgt. (?) │4 Sqn. 2 Horse Jag. Rgt. - │77 Res. Cav. Detch. (?) │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │(?) Art. Command: - │ 59 Res. F. A. Rgt. (9 │ 59 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ Btries.). │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(377) Pion. Btn.: │1 Co. 1 Pions. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 78 Res. Pion. Co. │1 Ldw. Co. 7 C. Dist. Pions. - │ 277 T. M. Co. │39 Res. Searchlight Section. - │ 39 Res. Searchlight Section.│277 T. M. Co. - │ 477 Tel. Detch. │477 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │539 Ambulance Co. │539 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │103 Field Hospital (Res.). │103 Res. Field Hospital. - │104 Field Hospital (Res.). │104 Res. Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │105 Res. Field Hospital. - │ │Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │744 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │77 Res. Cyclist Co. │77 Res. Cyclist Co. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │403 Pion. Btn. (?) - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── -Footnote 25: - - Composition at the time of dissolution. - - - HISTORY. - - (255th Regiment: 7th Corps District—Westphalia. 257th Regiment, 332d - Regiment: 8th Corps District—Rhenish Province.) - - - 1915. - -The 77th Reserve Division was formed at the Senne Cantonment (7th Corps -Region) in January, 1915, with six field battalions (Nos. 31–36) of the -7th Corps Region and three of the 8th, (Nos. 37–39.) With the 78th -Reserve Division, it composed the 39th Reserve Corps. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. Brought to the Eastern Front at the beginning of February, detraining -at Insterburg, it was a part of the army operating in Eastern Prussia -after February 12. - -2. At the beginning of March it was engaged on the Sopotzkyn-Chtabin -front in the region of Simno; on March 9 it covered the retreat of the -21st Corps and fell back to Seiny, Suwalki and Augustowo (Mar. 10 to -31). - -3. During May and June the 77th Reserve Division took part in the -Courland raid. On May 5 it was identified as being on the Rossieny- -Beisagola front (to the South of Chavli). - - -GRODNO. - -4. Taking part in the summer offensive, it advanced through the regions -of Grodno, Olita (Aug 30) and Vileiki (Sept 27). - -5. At the beginning of November it established itself in the vicinity of -Kchtchava, east of Novo-Alexandrovsk. - - - 1916. - - -COURLAND. - -1. The 77th Reserve Division stayed in the region north of Kchtchava—and -south of Dvinsk during all of 1916 and until August 1917. In August of -1916 it gave one of its regiments—the 256th—to the Mitau group and later -to the 218th Division. - - - 1917. - - -COURLAND. - -1. At the end of August, 1917, the 77th Reserve Division was transferred -from the region of the Dvinsk to the Riga front, being brought up to -strength by the addition of the 332d Regiment, the latter having -originally come from the 83d Division after having successively been -part of the 11th Landwehr Division and the 8th Cavalry Division. - -2. In October the 77th Reserve Division appeared in the vicinity of -Friedrichstadt; near Jakobstadt, at the end of October. The 255th -Regiment may have participated about this date in the occupation of the -island of Oesel. - -3. On November 5 the division is identified in the region of Libau; on -January 20, the 257th Regiment at Mitau; and to the northwest of the -Novo-Alexandrovsk-Dvinsk railway, the 255th Regiment on February 10. On -March 1 the 332d Regiment of Infantry was to leave “in order to advance -in the East” (letter). - - - RECRUITING. - -Principally Westphalia for the 255th Regiment; Rhenish provinces for the -257th and 332d Regiments. Numerous recruits from Lorraine and Alsace. -Poles in the 332d Regiment, which received the Ersatz Battalion of the -19th Infantry at the time it was formed. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 77th Reserve Division did not leave the Russian front. One of its -present regiments, the 332d, is a former regiment of the Posen garrison, -of which two of the three battalions were Rhenish Landsturm battalions. -Successive replacements gave this regiment the appearance of an ordinary -regiment. In January, 1918, the older and sickly men were released. - - - 1918. - -1. The division left Russia about April 1 and traveled via Magdebourg- -Hildesheim-Cologne-Gerolstein-Gouvy-Bastogne-Lebramont-Sedan-Liart- -Rozay-Montcornet, detraining in the vicinity of Laon on April 4. It -marched by stages toward Villers-Carbonnel-Athies, where it rested and -trained from April 11 to 19. On April 20 it entered the line north of -Hangard and was engaged until the end of the month. - - -SOMME. - -2. It returned to line east of Villers-Bretonneux on May 18 and held -that sector until July 4. - - -WOEVRE. - -3. The division was moved to the Woevre by Hirson and Montmedy and on -July 14 relieved the 183d Division in the Flirey sector. It held that -sector until the American attack on St. Mihiel on September 12. The -division suffered very heavy losses in prisoners, but had few other -casualties, the prisoners stating that they were completely cut off by -the American barrage. It was withdrawn on September 16 and did not -thereafter return to line. - -4. What remained of the 77th Reserve Division was reassembled at Pagny -and was occupied in organizing the ground between Pagny and Prenay. A -report of October 11 stated that the division passed through Berlin on -its way to the Balkan front on October 2. The division was then -considered as withdrawn from the Western Front. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. It was not seriously engaged -except in the St. Mihiel attack, which practically destroyed the -division. Its morale was only mediocre. Deserters from the Alsace- -Lorraine element in the division were numerous. - - - - - 78th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │78 Res. │258 Res. │78 Res. │258 Res. - │ │259 Res. │ │259 Res. - │ │260 Res. │ │260 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │78 Res. Cav. Detch. │78 Res. Cav. Detch. - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │78 Res. Brig.: │78 Res. Brig.: - │ 61 Res. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 61 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ Btries.). │ - │ 62 Res. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 62 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ Btries.). │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│78 Res. Pion. Co. │78 Res. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │78 Res. Pont. Engs. │2 Landst. Pion. Co. (2 C. - │ │ Dist.). - │ │278 T. M. Co. - │ │78 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │1 Ambulance Co. │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │78 Res. Train Detch. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │78 Res. Cyclist Co. │78 Res. Cyclist Co. - │ │83 Labor Btn. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918[26] - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │78 Res. │258 Res. │78 Res. │258 Res. - │ │259 Res. │ │259 Res. - │ │260 Res. │ │260 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 16 Hus. Rgt. │78 Res. Cav. Detch. - │ │2 Sqn. 16 Hus. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │78 Art. Command: │(?) Art. Command: - │ 62 Res. F. A. Rgt. (9 │ 62 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ Btries.). │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│378 Pion. Btn.: │79 Res. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 79 Res. Pion. Co. │80 Res. Pion. Co. - │ │ - │ 80 Res. Pion. Co. │299 Searchlight Section. - │ 278 T. M. Co. (299 │278 T. M. Co. - │ Searchlight Section). │ - │ 478 Tel. Detch. │478 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │540 Ambulance Co. │540 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │107 Res. Field Hospital. │106 Res. Field Hospital. - │108 Res. Field Hospital. │107 Res. Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │108 Res. Field Hospital. - │ │Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │745 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │78 Res. Cyclist Co. │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── -Footnote 26: - - Composition at the time of dissolution. - - - HISTORY. - - (258th Regiment: 8th Corps District—Rhenish Province. 259th Regiment: - 10th Corps District—Grand Duchy of Oldenberg. 260th Regiment: 10th Corps - District—Hanover.) - - - 1915. - -The 78th Reserve Division which, with the 77th Reserve Division, -constituted the 39th Reserve Corps as one of the reserve divisions -created during the winter of 1914–15. One of its regiments—the -258th—grew out of three field battalions of the 8th Corps Region (Nos. -40–42) and the 259th and the 260th out of six field battalions (Nos. -49–54) of the 10th Corps District. All three regiments were trained at -the Alten-Grabow cantonment (4th Corps District). - - -RUSSIA. - -1. In action on the Russian front to the north of Grodno, near Simno, -Kalvariia and Suwalki in March, 1915, it took part in the Courland raid -(region of Chavli) in May. It was engaged in the operations on the -Dubissa to the northeast of Rossieny from the end of May to the middle -of July. - -2. In July, with the Army of Niemen (Beulow) it took part in the -offensive against Russia, occupied the region of Poneviej, to the west -of Kupichki (August) arrived before Dvinsk in September and held a -position near the Illukst (September-December). - - - 1916. - - -COURLAND. - -1. The 78th Reserve Division remained in the Illukst (region of Dvinsk) -during the whole year 1916 and until the month of April, 1917. - - - 1917. - - -COURLAND. - -1. Relieved from the Illukst region on April 14, 1917, the division was -transferred to the Western Front. It entrained on April 15 (itinerary: -Kovno-Wirballen-Allenstein-Posen-Leipzig-Nuremberg-Karlsruhe-Friberg- -Muelheim) and detrained near Mulhausen on the 19th. - - -FRANCE (ALSACE). - -2. On April 25 it went into line in the Burnhaupt sector to the north of -the Rhône-Rhine Canal. - - -AISNE-AILETTE. - -3. Relieved on May 11, it was sent into the Aisne. For 10 weeks it -occupied (May 23-Aug. 5) the sector south of the Ailette, where it did -not participate in any action of importance. Beginning with June 19 it -made a series of local attacks in which the 258th Regiment suffered some -fairly big losses (especially on June 20, to the east of Vauxaillon). - - -VERDUN. - -4. Sent toward the Verdun front as a reserve at the time of the French -offensive of August 20, it was engaged to the north of Caurières -(southwest of the Ornes) on September 10. On September 13 it executed a -counterattack and continued to occupy this difficult sector until the -middle of October. - - -LORRAINE. - -5. Withdrawn from Verdun, the division immediately went into line along -the banks of the Seille (between Cheminot and Abaucourt) on October 14. -Its stay in Lorraine was devoid of any particular event. - - -HAYE. - -6. Toward the middle of December it was withdrawn from the Abaucourt -sector and put at rest for instruction in the region of Chambley-Mars la -Tour (Dec. 18 to Jan. 11, 1918), then sent to Seicheprey toward the -middle of January. It was identified as still there on March 29. - - - RECRUITING. - -One of the three regiments, the 258th, was Rhenish; the 259th was an -“Oldenberger” Regiment, while the 260th was a Hanoverian and -Brunswickian organization, terms found in documents, as well as the -designation Lower Saxony, a more general term. - -The neighboring corps districts (7th, Westphalia, and 9th, Schleswig- -Holstein) were occasionally called upon for replacements. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 78th Reserve Division showed up well on the Eastern Front and on the -French front. - -After a hard stay opposite Verdun, the division seems to have gone -through a moral crisis; relatively high number of desertions took place -in the 258th, and especially in the 259th Regiment. The intention of the -High Command in sending the division into Lorraine (October-December, -1917) is said to have been done with an idea of giving its chiefs an -opportunity of getting their units well in hand again. - -Nevertheless, the vigorous command and the fairly high number of -effectives, taken for the greater part from the younger classes, make -the 78th Reserve Division a combat division worthy of consideration. At -Jonville at the end of December, 1917, the division took part in assault -practice. - -It is to be noted that a certain number of recruits were from Alsace and -Lorraine. - - - 1918. - - -CHATEAU THIERRY. - -1. The division was relieved in the Woevre about May 11 by the 8th -Bavarian Reserve Division. It came into line on June 4 west of Dammard -(Ourcq region). It was engaged until about July 20 and then withdrawn. - -2. The division was disbanded at Montcornet on August 12. The 259th -Reserve Regiment was broken up and one battalion of it sent to each -regiment of the 2d Guard Division. The 260th Reserve Regiment was turned -as a draft to the 20th Division. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. After about two weeks of heavy -fighting on the Marne salient, the division was dissolved. - - - - - 79th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │79 Res. │261 Res. │79 Res. │261 Res. - │ │262 Res. │ │262 Res. - │ │263 Res. │ │263 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │79 Res. Cav. Detch. │79 Res. Cav. Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │79 Res. Brig.: │79 Res. Brig.: - │ 63 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ 63 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ 64 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ 64 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│79 Res. Pion. Co. │79 Res. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │79 Res. Pont. Engs. │83 Res. Pion. Co. - │ │279 T. M. Co. - │ │79 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │1 Ambulance Co. │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │79 Res. Train Detch. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd Units. │79 Res. Cyclist Co. │79 Res. Cyclist Co. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │79 Res. │261 Res. │79 Res. │261 Res. - │ │262 Res. │ │262 Res. - │ │263 Res. │ │263 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 16 Hus. Rgt. │3 Sqn. 16 Hus. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │79 Art. Command: │79 Art. Command: - │ 63 Res. F. A. Rgt. (9 │ 63 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ Btries.). │ - │ │ 2 Abt. 20 Ft. A. Rgt. (6 and - │ │ 8 Btries.). - │ │ 718 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 719 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1354 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│379 Pion. Btn.: │379 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 81 Res. Pion. Co. │ 81 Res. Pion. Co. - │ 1 Ers. Co. 24 Pions. │ 1 Ers. Co. 24 Pions. - │ 279 T. M. Co. │ 25 Searchlight Section. - │ 40 Res. Searchlight Section.│479 Signal Command: - │ 50 Searchlight Sections. │ 479 Tel. Detch. - │ 51 Searchlight Section. │ 64 Wireless Detch. - │ 79 Searchlight Sections. │ - │ 79 Res. Pont. Engs. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │541 Ambulance Co. │541 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │110 Field Hospital. │110 Res. Field Hospital. - │111 Field Hospital. │111 Res. Field Hospital. - │112 Field Hospital. │164 Vet. Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │746 M. T. Col. │746 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd Units. │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (261st and 262d Reserve Regiments: Entire Prussian territory by - selection, in the same manner as the Guard. 263d Reserve Regiment: 4th - Corps District—Prussian Saxony.) - - - 1915. - - -EASTERN PRUSSIA. - -1. The 79th Reserve Division was one of the divisions formed in the -winter of 1914–15, and, with the 80th Reserve Division, formed the 40th -Reserve Corps. It grew out of six field battalions of the Guard and -three field battalions. (Nos. 19–21) of the 4th Corps District. It was -trained at the Doeberitz cantonment and sent to Eastern Prussia at the -beginning of February, 1915, where it took part in the battle of the -Masure Lakes from the 7th to the 17th. - - -RUSSIA. - -2. It was identified in the vicinity of Lyck on February 13, as marching -toward Augustowo on the 14th and to the south of the Forest of Augustowo -on the 24th. - - -POLAND. - -3. From the end of February until the end of March it was engaged on the -Bobr, to the north of the Fortess of Ossoviec. At the end of March, -having come back in the northeast, it held the passes in the lakes to -the east of Suwalki-Augustowo. - -4. At the beginning of May the 40th Reserve Corps advanced toward -Kalwaria-Mariampol. - - -KOVNO. - -5. On June 9 the 79th Reserve Division appeared before Kovno; it took -part in the siege and the taking of this town (July-Aug. 18). - - -SMORGONI. - -6. The offensive against the Russians took it through Ochmiana (?) to -the south of Smorgoni (Aug. 27). The division took a position in this -region. - - -SMORGONI-KREVO. - -7. The division occupied the Krevo-Smorgoni (south of Vilna) sector from -the end of August, 1915, until some time in November, 1916. - - - 1916. - - -RUSSIA-FRANCE. - -1. Relieved from the Smorgoni sector at the end of November, 1916, the -79th Division was transferred to the Western Front. It entrained at -Mitau (Itinerary: Chavli-Grodno-Bielostok-Varsovie-Lodz-Kalisz-Glogau- -Cottbus-Halle-Paderborn-Duesseldorf-Aix la Chapelle-Herbesthal-Liege- -Louvain-Brussels) and detrained at Ascq (east of Lille) on December 10. - - -LILLE. - -2. Remained there at rest. - - - 1917. - - -LA BASSEE. - -1. About January 10, 1917, it took over the La Bassee-Vermelles sector -(up to Jan. 28). - - -LENS-VIMY. - -2. At the end of February it appeared in the Lens sector and on March 3 -on the Vimy front. On April 9 it was sorely tried by the British attack -on the heights of Vimy, where it lost 1,660 prisoners. - -3. It was relieved about April 14 and put at rest. - - -LILLE. - -4. On May 3 the division entered the line again in the quiet sector to -the southwest of Lille (between Boutillerie and Fauquissart). It stayed -there until July 8. - - -FLANDERS. - -5. After a few days rest at Templeuve it was transferred to Flanders, -where it was again at rest (east of Bruges) (July). - - -LANGEMARCK. - -6. At the beginning of the British offensive at Ypres (July 31) it was -brought to Langemarck as a “counterattack” division. Engaged on August 6 -it suffered very heavy losses and abandoned Langemarck during the attack -of the 16th. It was relieved on the 16th, having lost 75 per cent of its -strength. It was put at rest east of Cambrai and reorganized. - - -ST. QUENTIN. - -7. On September 1 it took over the sector northwest of St. Quentin -(Pontruet-Gricourt), which it occupied until November 28. - - -CAMBRAI. - -8. On November 21, by reason of the British offensive, it hastily put -two battalions in action at Masnières. - -9. At the beginning of December the 79th Reserve Division went into line -to the east of Gouzeaucourt. It was relieved in January, 1918, -reappeared on the front at the beginning of February near Gonnelieu, and -went back to rest at the end of the month. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 261st and 262d Regiments were taken from depots of the Guard and -were recruited like the latter, from all sections of Prussia. The 263d -Regiment was a “Magdeberg” unit (Prussian Saxony). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 79th Division, already sorely tried at Vimy in April, was much used -at Ypres in August, 1917. - -The 261st and 262d Regiments were completely demoralized during the -British attack and fled to the rear. According to an officer this panic -was due to the lack of combat spirit displayed by the 1918 class, which -made up an important part of the strength of the soldiers engaged. - -It arrived in a very worn out condition in the St. Quentin sector and -left it on November 28 with nearly full strength and replacement of -material. It should (December, 1917) be capable of putting forth an -appreciable effort. - -The soldiers from Alsace and Lorraine, formerly numerous in this -division, were withdrawn from this unit when it was sent to the French -front. Ninety-three of them remained in the 252d Regiment, who were -mostly sent to the Eastern Front on July 3, 1917 (German order). - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -1. The division reenforced the Somme battle front on March 21 near -Ronssoy. It advanced west of Epehy on March 22 and was withdrawn to -second line a day later. It followed up the advance and took part in the -attack near Meaulte on April 5, after which it was withdrawn. - - -BAILLEUL. - -2. It rested in Belgium for five weeks, and on May 26 entered the line -northwest of Bailleul. It was relieved on the night of June 19–20. - -3. The division rested in Roubaix area until July 20, when it was -transferred by rail to Tergnier (west of La Fere) and then marched to -Guny, west of Coucy le Chateau, where it remained in army reserve. On -August 8 the division was alarmed, and at mid-day was transferred in -motor busses via Chauny-Ham-Nesle to Rethonvillers, arriving before dawn -on the 9th. It came into action on the following day at 4 kilometers -northeast of Andechy. - - -SCARPE-SOMME. - -4. At once the division was heavily engaged with all nine battalions in -line. On the 13th its place was taken by the 121st Division, and it -rested for three or four days in the area southwest of Nesle. On the -16th the division relieved the 204th Division on the line east of -Goyencourt-Hill 81, west of Roye-Avre. It was heavily engaged in -opposing the French attacks until August 31, when it was withdrawn east -of Roye. - -5. On September 5 the division relieved the Alpine Corps at Epenancourt. -It fell back in a northeasterly direction by Atilly, southeast of -Vermand, southeast of Maissemy, Pontruet, and Gricourt. It was relieved -about October 8 after losing 2,200 prisoners in August and September. - - -SCARPE. - -6. When relieved, the division went to the Fres-Sancourt area (north of -St. Gobain), where it was in reserve. About the 14th it was taken to La -Ferte-Chevresis to construct rear positions. It was moved in trucks on -the 18th by Sains-Richaumont-Wiege-Villers les Guise-Iron near Etreux. -It went into line on the evening of the 18th, relieving elements of the -81st Division. It was engaged until the armistice. The line of retreat -was through Boue, Boulogne, Avesnes, Sobre le Chateau. In the last place -it was identified on November 10. - -At the end the effective strength of the division was greatly -diminished, although it had received drafts from the dissolved 201st and -202d Regiments. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. Throughout 1918 the division was -extensively used in important defensive sectors, in which it did fairly -well. - - - - - 80th Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │80 Res. │264 Res. │80 Res. │264 Res. - │ │265 Res. │ │266 Res. - │ │266 Res. │ │34 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │80 Res. Cav. Detch. │80 Res. Cav. Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │80 Res. Brig.: │80 Res. Brig.: - │ 65 Res. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 65 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ Btries.). │ - │ 66 Res. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 66 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ Btries.). │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│80 Res. Pion. Co. │80 Res. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │80 Res. Pont. Engs. │281 T. M. Co. - │ │80 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │1 Ambulance Co. │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │80 Res. Train Detch. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd Units. │80 Res. Cyclist Co. │80 Res. Cyclist Co. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │80 Res. │264 Res. │80 Res. │34 Res. - │ │266 Res. │ │264 Res. - │ │34 Res. │ │266 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 16 Hus. Rgt. │4 Sqn. 16 Hus. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │74 Art. Command: │74 Art. Command: - │ 66 Res. F. A. Rgt. (9 │ 66 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ Btries.) │ - │ │ 3 Abt. 27 Ft. A. Rgt. (8 and - │ │ 10 Btries.) - │ │ 899 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 900 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1370 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(380) Pion. Btn.: │380 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 82 Res. Pion. Co. │ 82 Res. Pion. Co. - │ 83 Res. Pion. Co. │ 83 Res. Pion. Co. - │ 280 T. M. Co. │ 280 T. M. Co. - │ 308 Searchlight Section. │ 96 Searchlight Section. - │ 480 Tel. Detch. │ 240 Searchlight Section. - │ │480 Signal Command: - │ │ 480 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 24 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │542 Ambulance Co. │542 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │59 Res. Field Hospital. │113 Res. Field Hospital. - │114 Res. Field Hospital. │114 Res. Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │165 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │T. M. Col. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd Units. │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (264th Regiment; 4th Corps District—Prussian Saxony and part of - Thuringia. 266th Regiment, 9th Corps District—Grand Duchies of - Mecklenberg. 34th Regiment, 2d Corps District—Pomerania.) - - - 1915. - - -EASTERN PRUSSIA. - -1. Organized during the winter of 1914–15, this division and the 79th -Reserve Division formed the 40th Reserve Corps. The 80th Reserve -Division was formed out of three field battalions of the 4th Corps -District (Nos. 22–24) and six field battalions (Nos. 43–48) of the 9th -Corps District. After training at the Lockstedt cantonment it was sent -to Eastern Prussia at the beginning of February, 1915. There it took -part in the battle of the Lakes of Masura from the 7th to the 17th. - - -POLAND. - -2. From the end of February to the beginning of March it was actively -engaged in the region of the fortress of Ossoviec and took part in -combats along the Polish frontier before the Russian retreat in Eastern -Prussia. In March it was brought back to the frontier of Eastern Prussia -and fought in the zone of the Suvalki government until July. It -exchanged the 265th Regiment for the 34th Regiment. - - -SMORGONI. - -3. At the time of the Summer offensive the division participated in the -taking of Kovno (Aug. 18), fought on the Niémen (Aug. 19, Sept. 8th) and -entered Vilna. It occupied the new front in the region of Smorgoni and -held this sector until March, 1916. - - - 1916. - - -NAROTCH LAKE. - -1. In March, 1916, the division opposed the Russian offensive on the -Narotch Lake front and occupied this sector until the month of December. - - -FRANCE. - -2. On December 23 it entrained for the Western Front. (Itinerary: -Lyntuny (northeast of Vilna)-Vilna-Kovno-Koenigsberg-Danzig-Stettin- -Hamberg-Hanover-Cologne-Aix la Chapelle-Liège-Mons.) It detrained at -Douai on the 29th and 30th of December and was put at rest at Waziers -(northeast of Douai) until the middle of January, 1917. - - - 1917. - - -ARTOIS. - -1. January 18, 1917, it went into line before Neuve Chapelle (north of -the canal of la Bassée). - -2. Relieved at about the beginning of March, it took over a sector to -the south of Lens (Mar. 14). Obliged to fall back to the Méricourt-Avion -line after the capture of the heights of Vimy by the British troops -(Apr. 9), it suffered serious losses in the course of that operation. - - -FLANDERS. - -3. On May 16 it was relieved from the Lens front and sent to rest in the -region of Trent until May 29. - -4. From May 29 to June 22 it held the Boesinghe-Wieltje sector, where it -took part in no engagements. - - -MEUSE. - -5. After resting, in July, in the region of Sedan-Montmédy, the 80th -Reserve Division was brought (July 20) as a reserve to the left bank of -the Meuse, and at the beginning of August to the right bank (region of -Juvigny-Jametz-Etraye). - - -VERDUN. - -6. On August 14 it drew near the front and on August 20 reenforced, near -Hill 344, the units strained by the French attack. On the 23d it -sustained very heavy losses and gave up the counter attack. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -7. At the beginning of September the division entrained for Champagne. -It occupied the Tahure sector the first half of September. - - -ARGONNE. - -8. At the beginning of October it took over the Boureuilles-Vauquois -sector, which it left on January 23, 1918, going to the Semide -cantonment for training. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 264th Regiment was recruited in the 4th Corps District and is -sometimes called an Altenberg regiment. The 266th Regiment is a -Mecklenberg unit. The 34th Regiment is Pomeranian in theory with a -fairly heterogeneous make-up like the greater number of the units from -Pomerania. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 80th Reserve Division, which seems to have had a high morale while -opposite the English front, did not come up to expectations on August -20, 1917, while opposite Verdun. It proved incapable of counter -attacking. It is reported that there were desertions and mutiny among -the men which resulted in the relieving of the general commanding the -brigade and of the commanding officer of the 264th Regiment. - -The 34th Regiment was completely exhausted during the attacks of August -20. - -In Argonne the losses of this division were very slight. At the Semide -cantonment (Jan. 23 to Feb. 20, 1918) the division went through various -maneuvers connected with open warfare. - - - 1918. - -1. The division was relieved in the Vauquois sector by the 237th -Division from Russia about March 18. It rested and trained until March -27, when it traveled by St. Quentin-Ham-Roye to the vicinity of Moreuil. - - -PICARDY. - -2. It reenforced the battle front north of Sauvillers on April 3, but -was withdrawn on the 7th and rested at Ribemont. Losses were heavy -during the brief engagement of the division. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -3. The division relieved the 14th Bavarian Division on April 21–22 in -the sector Cornillet-Mont Blond. It remained there until the July 15 -offensive, but did not take part in that action. On July 27 it returned -to line near Moronvilliers and held that sector until August 22. - - -AILETTE-AISNE. - -4. It marched to Paris and went into line there. Two days later it was -hastily relieved and marched to Chavignon. It entered line on the night -of September 2–3 northwest of Crouy. It was withdrawn on September 21. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -5. The division returned to Champagne and relieved the 213th Division on -September 27 at Loivre. It was engaged near Orainville, Aumenancourt, -Pont Givart until October 11. It was again in line on October 17 at -Nanteuil sur Aisne. It continued in line until the end of hostilities. -The last identification was near Wasigny on November 7. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. In general, it was used to hold -less important defensive sectors. - - - - - 81st Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │81 Res. │267 Res. │81 Res. │267 Res. - │ │268 Res. │ │268 Res. - │ │269 Res. │ │269 Res. - │ │ │ │39 Ldw. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │81 Res. Cav. Detch. │81 Res. Cav. Detch. - │4 Sqn. 7 Drag. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │81 Res. Brig.: │81 Res. Brig.: - │ 67 Res. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 67 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ Btries.). │ - │ 68 Res. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 68 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ Btries.). │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│81 Res. Pion. Co. │81 Res. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │81 Res. Pont. Engs. │84 Res. Pion. Co. - │ │281 T. M. Co. - │ │81 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │1 Ambulance Co. │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │81 Res. Train Detch. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd Units. │81 Res. Cyclist Co. │81 Res. Cyclist Co. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │47 Labor Btn. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │81 Res. │267 Res. │81 Res. │267 Res. - │ │268 Res. │ │268 Res. - │ │269 Res. │ │269 Res. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │81 Res. (?) Cav. Detch. │2 Sqn. 1 Drag. Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │(?) F. A. Rgt. - │ 67 Res. F. A. Rgt. (9 │2 Abt. 26 Ft. A. Rgt. (4 and - │ Btries.). │ 6 Btries.). - │ │980 Light Am. Col. - │ │ - │ │1019 Light Am. Col. - │ │1034 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(381) Pion. Btn.: │41 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 84 Res. Pion. Co. │ 84 Res. Pion. Co. - │ 85 Res. Pion. Co. │ 85 Res. Pion. Co. - │ 95 T. M. Co. │ 281 T. M. Co. - │ 281 T. M. Co. │ 56 Searchlight Section. - │ 14 Res. Searchlight Section.│481 Signal Command: - │ 360 Searchlight Section. │ 481 Tel. Detch. - │ 481 Tel. Detch. │ 137 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │543 Ambulance Co. │543 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Field Hospital. │120 Res. Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │302 Field Hospital. - │ │220 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd Units. │81 Res. Cyclist Co. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (267th Regiment: 2d Corps District—Pomerania. 268th Regiment: 6th Corps - District—Silesia. 269th Regiment: 3d Corps District—Brandenburg.) - - - 1915. - -The 81st Reserve Division was formed out of six field battalions of the -2d Corps District (Nos. 7–12) and three field battalions (Nos. 13–15) of -the 3d Corps District. The first six were used to form the 267th and the -268th and the last named three were used to form the 269th Regiment. The -division was instructed at the Warthe cantonment (5th Corps District) -before being sent to the Western Front. - -1. The 81st Reserve Division (with the 82d Reserve Division it -constituted the 41st Reserve Corps), was transported to Belgium and -detrained at Courtrai January 21, 1915. - - -SOMME. - -2. Sent to the Somme district, it was engaged to the north of Chaulnes -(Jan. 27-Mar. 28). - -3. At the end of March the division was sent toward the Eastern Front. - - -GALICIA-RUSSIA. - -The division was found on the Galician front in May (Jaslo, May 9); took -part in operations on the San, near Jaroslav (between San and the -Jaroslav-Przeworsk railway on May 15) then on the Bug (region of Krylov -in July). Going down the Bug by Vladova (August) it advanced up to the -west of Logitchin and the Oginsky Canal (north of Pinsk) in September. -The front becoming fixed, the division established itself in that -region. - - - 1916. - - -PINSK. - -1. The 81st Reserve Division stayed for more than two years in the -Oginski-Iasälda Canal sector (Sept., 1915-Dec., 1917). - -2. At the beginning of July, 1916, the 269th Regiment was identified -between the Styr and the Stokhod, doubtlessly as a reserve for the units -engaged against the Russian offensive. - - - 1917. - - -RUSSIA-FRANCE. - -1. In December, 1917, the division was relieved from its sector to the -north of Pinsk and transported to the Western Front. It entrained on -December 20 at Ivanovo (Itinerary: Soldau-Bromberg-Schneide-Muehl- -Berlin-Sarrebruck-Sedan-Cambrai), and detrained at Lille on December 26. -After resting in the vicinity of Lille it went into line to the south of -Fleurbaix (Jan. 24–25, 1918). It again occupied the same sector at the -beginning of April. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 267th and the 268th Regiments were originally Pomeranian and became -quite heterogeneous like all regiments from this province. The 268th -Regiment was in theory recruited in Silesia which contributes to a -maintenance of the mixed character of its personnel. The 269th is a -Brandenburg unit. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -On the Eastern Front from May, 1915, to the end of December, 1917. - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF THE LYS. - -1. The division was relieved on the night of April 8–9 by the 35th -Division at Neuve Chapelle. It moved northward and on the 12th -reenforced the battle front south of Meteren. In the attacks in this -area the 268th and 269th Reserve Regiments suffered heavy losses. It was -relieved by the 11th Reserve Division on April 28. - - -METEREN. - -2. On May 18 the division returned to its former sector at Meteren. It -held this sector until May 28, and again from June 6 to 12 and from June -18 to July 19. - - -LORRAINE. - -3. It entrained on the 22d at Roubaix and detrained at Haboudange on the -24th. The itinerary was Courtrai-Ghent-Louvain-Liege-Herbestal- -Gerolstein-Treves-Sarreguemines. After several days of rest near Chateau -Salins it relieved the 19th Division on the night of July 28–29. It held -this quiet sector until October 5, when it was relieved by the 87th -Division. - -4. It entrained on the 6th and detrained at Guise about October 8. On -the night of the 10th–11th it came into line near Seboncourt and was -heavily engaged until October 20, when it was withdrawn east of Bohain. -The division suffered heavy losses in this engagement. - -5. On October 26 the division reenforced the line south of Guise and -fought until the armistice. The last identification was south of Guise -on November 3. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. Its services in Flanders was of a -mediocre character. In the St. Quentin area in October it put up a good -resistance. - - - - - 82d Reserve Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │82 Res. │60. │82 Res. │270 Res. - │ │270 Res. │ │271 Res. - │ │271 Res. │ │272 Res. - │ │272 Res. │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │82 Res. Cav. Detch. │82 Res. Cav. Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │82 Res. Brig.: │82 Res. Brig.: - │ 69 Res. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 69 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ Btries.). │ - │ 70 Res. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 70 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ Btries.). │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│84 Res. Pion. Co. │86 Res. Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │82 Res. Pont. Engs. │82 Res. Pont. Engs. - │ │282 T. M. Co. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │1 Ambulance Co. │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │82 Res. Train Detch. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │82 Res. Cyclist Co. │82 Res. Cyclist Co. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │40 Labor Btn. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │82 Res. │270 Res. │82 Res. │270 Res. - │ │271 Res. │ │271 Res. - │ │272 Res. │ │272 Res. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │82 Res. Cav. Detch. │3 Sqn. 1 Drag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │70 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ 69 Res. F. A. Rgt. (9 │1 Abt. 18 Ft. A. Rgt. (2, 3, - │ Btries.). │ and 13 Btries.). - │ │755 Light Am. Col. - │ │ - │ │1224 Light Am. Col. - │ │1225 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(382) Pion. Btn.: │382 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 86 Res. Pion. Co. │ 348 Pion. Co. - │ 246 Pion. Co. │ 86 Res. Pion. Co. - │ 282 T. M. Co. │ 106 Searchlight Section. - │ 287 Searchlight Section. │482 Signal Command: - │ Tel. Detch. │ 482 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 174 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │544 Ambulance Co. │544 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │118 Res. Field Hospital. │115 Res. Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │119 Res. Field Hospital. - │ │221 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │749 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │82 Res. Cyclist Co. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │46 Labor Btn. │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (270th Regiment: 3d Corps District—Brandenburg. 271st and 272d - Regiments: 6th Corps District—Silesia.) - - - 1915. - -1. Formed during November, 1914-January, 1915, with three field -battalions of the 3d Corps District and six of the 6th Corps District -(Nos. 25–30) it was trained at the Jueterbog cantonment. The 82d Reserve -Division (which with the 81st Reserve Division formed the 41st Reserve -Corps) entrained on January 21 for the Somme. It included an additional -regiment—the 60th Infantry—which the 21st Corps had left in France -before leaving for Russia. - - -SOMME. - -2. It was engaged in February and March, 1915, to the north of Chaulnes. - -3. About March 28 it was transferred to the Eastern Front minus the 60th -Infantry, which joined the 121st Division. - - -GALICIA-RUSSIA. - -4. In May, 1915, the 82d Reserve Division as well as the 81st Reserve -Division took part in the German offensive along the San, which resulted -in the breaking up of the Russian front in Galicia. It was identified in -region of Jaslo (May 9) to the south of Radymno (May 12–21) and at -Medyka (June 4). Its pursuit of the Russians brought it together with -the 41st Reserve Corps to the Bug, in the vicinity of Grubeszow (July) -and to the northeast of Pinsk (September-October). During that offensive -the division suffered heavy losses. - - -PINSK. - -5. The Russian retreat being halted, the 82d Reserve Division took its -position in the Pinsk region (Nobel Lake, October-December). - - - 1916. - - -PINSK-NOBEL LAKE. - -1. The division remained the entire year in the Nobel Lake sector and up -to November, 1917. A soldier of the 270th Regiment wrote on November 8, -1917: “I have not loaded my gun since the middle of March.” - - - 1917. - - -RUSSIA-FRANCE. - -1. In November, 1917, the 82d Reserve Division was relieved by some -Landsturm units and re-formed (elimination of soldiers from Alsace and -Lorraine, etc.). - -2. At the beginning of December the division was transported to the -Western Front. - -3. The division entrained at Ivanovo on December 4 (Itinerary: Brest- -Litowsk-Varsovie-Kalisz-Glogau-Cottbus-Halle-Frankfort-Mainz-Kreuznach- -Sarrebrueck-Metz-Conflans) and detrained at Mars la Tour about December -10. - - - RECRUITING. - -In theory Brandenburg and Silesia. Very mixed personnel, seemingly -including men from Pomerania and the eastern Provinces of the Empire. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -In January, 1918, the 82d Reserve Division took part in maneuvers in the -vicinity of Thuméréville (northwest of Conflans). After these maneuvers -Lieut. Gen. Fuchs is said to have said that the division could be put in -class 3 of the combat units (Kampf Truppen, 3) a classification which is -just above that of labor troops. (Interrogation of prisoner, Mar. 4, -1918. See Bull. Rens. Second Army (French), No. 744.) - -The make-up of the division is heterogeneous and of mediocre quality and -includes returned wounded men, Landsturm, former railway guards, -dismounted troopers, and few recruits of the 1918 class. (Interrogation, -Jan. 22, 1918.) - -After a two-year stay in the Pinsk sector the 82d Reserve Division -lacked training when it returned on the Western Front (December, 1917). - - - 1918. - - -CANTIGNY. - -1. The division was relieved on April 20 in the Woevre and marched by -Conflans-Briey-Mairy to Landres, where it entrained. It moved via -Longuyon-Mezieres-Hirson and arrived at Wassigny, where it detrained on -May 5. On May 16 the division relieved the 30th Division west of -Cantigny. It was thrown out of the city by the American attack at the -end of the month. The division was withdrawn about July 22. - - -THIRD BATTLE OF THE SOMME. - -2. To reenforce the Somme battle front the division came into line on -August 9 between Hangest and Arvillers. It was withdrawn on the 18th -northwest of Roye, but a week later returned to its former sector. The -division fell back on the Canal du Nord on August 27, and on September 2 -took up a position between the Chaulnes-Ham railroad and a point north -of Moyencourt. It again retreated on the night of September 4–5 and -occupied a position at Etreillers-Roupy before the Siegfried-Stellung. - -The division was constantly engaged, resisting strongly, but being -gradually forced back. On the 28th it retired to the line of the St. -Quentin Canal. On October 8, a surprise attack threw it back to Fontaine -Notre Dame. Here it resisted fiercely. It was relieved about October 10 -and went to the Guise area. - -In this fighting the division lost 2,000 men. Its combatant strength was -estimated to be about 1,200 men on October 7. - -3. On October 14 the division reenforced the line east of Bernot and -fought for three days. It returned to the Guise area, but intervened -again west of Pleine-Selve on October 25. Until the armistice it was -engaged south of Guise, east of La Capelle, and at Liessies. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. After August it was almost -constantly in line in the St. Quentin area until its effectives were -almost completely consumed. - - - - - 83d Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │Doussin (1 │1 Garrison │165. │329. - │ Garrison │ Rgt. (329). │ │ - │ Brig., now │ │ │ - │ 165). │ │ │ - │Rudiger (2 │2 Garrison │ │330. - │ Garrison │ Rgt. (330). │ │ - │ Brig., now │ │ │ - │ 166). │ │ │ - │ │ │166. │331. - │ │3 Garrison │ │332. - │ │ Rgt. (331). │ │ - │ │4 Garrison │ │ - │ │ Rgt. (332). │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │ │2 Sqn. 92 Ldw. Cav. Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Von Conta F. A. Rgt. (Ers. │249 F. A. Rgt. - │ Abt. 61 F. A. Rgt.). │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│ │83 T. M. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │83 Pont. Engs. - │ │83 Tel. Detch. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │165. │329. │165. │255 Res. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │330. │ │4 Ldw. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │331. │ │346. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │83 Heavy Cav. Rgt. │3 Sqn. 11 Drag. Rgt. - │2 Sqn. 92 Ldw. Cav. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │80 Art. Command: - │ │ - │ 249 F. A. Rgt. │ 249 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 3 Abt. 28 Ft. A. Rgt. (7th - │ │ to 9th Btries.). - │ │ 796 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 798 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 951 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│83 Pion. Btn.: │83 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Ldw. Co. 1 Pions. │ 1 Ldw. Co. 1 C. Dist. Pions. - │ 246 Pion. Co. │ 1 Ldw. Co. 5 C. Dist. Pions. - │ 83 T. M. Co. │ 123 Searchlight Section. - │ 316 Searchlight Section. │83 Signal Command: - │ 83 Tel. Detch. │ 83 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 185 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │83 Ambulance Co. │83 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │49 Field Hospital. │49 Field Hospital. - │165 Field Hospital. │165 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │83 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │581 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │26 Bav. Ft. A. Btn. (1, 2, - │ │ and 4 Btries.). - │ │3 Abt. 5 Ft. A. Rgt. (6, 10, - │ │ and 11 Btries.). - │ │1 Art. Observation Section. - │ │121 Sound Ranging Section. - │ │8 Bav. Pion. Co. - │ │4 Co. 10 Labor Btn. - │ │2 Co. 35 Labor Btn. - │ │77 Balloon Sqn. - │ │(Elements attached, Aug. 14, - │ │ 1918. German document.) - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (329th and 331st Regiment: 5th Corps District—Posen and Lower Silesia. - 330th Regiment: 7th Corps District—Westphalia.) - - - 1915. - -The 83d Division was formed out of the garrison of defense of Posen -which went under the name of Posen Corps. It was engaged on the Eastern -Front from the beginning of the war. - -The Posen Corps composed of depot battalions of active regiments, of -reserve, of Landwehr, and even battalions of Landsturm, was divided into -four brigades. Its strength was distributed into two divisions, the 83d -and 84th, in June, 1915, and the battalions, which were at first formed -into regiments bearing the names of the respective commanders of these -regiments, were numbered 329 to 336, inclusive. - - -RUSSIA-POLAND. - -1. From March to June, with the Posen Corps, the regiments which were to -form the 83d Reserve Division took part in the Poland campaign to the -north of Pilica and on the Bzura. - - -VICHNEV. - -2. The 83d Division took part in the summer offensive against the -Russians. Leaving the Ostrolenka region (July) it advanced by way of -Grodno, Lipnichki (northeast of Lida, September) up to Vichnev -(October), where it established its position. - - - 1916. - - -VICHNEV. - -1. The division stayed in the Vichnev sector during the entire year 1916 -and until the month of April, 1917. - - - 1917. - -1. About the middle of April, 1917, the 83d Division was transferred -from Vichnev to Baranovitchi, where it was held some time as a reserve -and then to the northeast of Halicz, from which place it was transported -by automobiles to the Stanislau region (June 5). - - -GALICIA. - -2. At the beginning of July it was attacked by the Russians to the west -of Stanislau (serious losses on July 9, particularly 690 prisoners). It -afterwards took part in the German counteroffensive and advanced through -the Dniester valley up to the west of Chotin (beginning of August.) - -3. Relieved about the middle of September, the 83d Reserve Division was -sent to rest in the Czernovitz region and then put back in line to the -northeast of Bojan (October-November). - -4. At the end of November the division left the Bojan sector and became -a reserve for the Bothmer Army in back of the Czernovitz front. Before -leaving for the Western Front the 4th Division had sent it men from -Alsace and Lorraine (middle of December when the 36th Division had left -the former some months before.) - - - RECRUITING. - -Recruiting was mostly from Posen and Silesia with some support from -Westphalia and the Rhine Province. Coming from Galicia as late as March, -1918, the 83d Division could not come without the soldiers coming from -Alsace and Lorraine which other divisions which had left before had -transferred to it. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Mediocre division, formed to the extent of one third by older men. -Appears for the first time on the Western Front in April, 1918. - - - 1918. - - -YPRES. - -1. The division held the sector north of Ypres until July 18. After its -relief it rested a few days in Roulers and then entrained at -Lichterfelde for the Douai area. On August 16 it traveled via Cambrai -and detrained near Ruyanlcourt. Here it spent the night, moving up to -Flers the next morning. The division came into line on the 19th, when it -relieved the 3d Naval Division north of Albert. - - -SCARPE-SOMME. - -2. It was engaged at Thiepval, Bazentin le Grand, Courcelette, and -Martinpuich until about April 26, when it was withdrawn. - -3. On September 10, the division came into line in Lorraine with an -entirely new composition. It then included the 255th Reserve Regiment, -the 346th Regiment, and the 4th Landwehr Regiment grouped under the -brigade and divisional staff of the 83d Division. The 329th Regiment, -one of the former regiments of the division, was sent to Esthonia on -September 5. It had lost 700 casualties in the August fighting. The -reconstructed division held the Embermenil sector until the armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. After its transfer to the -Western Front, the division held a quiet sector except for a short time -on the Scarpe in August. - - - - - 84th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │Hoffmann, │5 Garrison │168. │334. - │ afterward │ Rgt. (333). │ │ - │ Schutze (3 │ │ │ - │ Garrison │ │ │ - │ Brig.) │ │ │ - │ (167). │ │ │ - │Reisswitz (4 │ │ │335. - │ Garrison │ │ │ - │ Brig.) │ │ │ - │ (168). │ │ │ - │ │6 Garrison │ │336. - │ │ Rgt. (334). │ │ - │ │7 Garrison │ │ - │ │ Rgt. (335). │ │ - │ │Schutze, │ │ - │ │ afterwards │ │ - │ │ Kroebel, │ │ - │ │ Rgt. (8 │ │ - │ │ Garrison │ │ - │ │ Rgt. “336”).│ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │84 Cav. Rgt. (Ers. Sqns. 8 │84 Cav. Rgt. - │ Drag., 3 Uhlan Rgts., and 2│ - │ and 4 Landst. Sqn. 5 C. │ - │ Dist.). │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │ │248 F. A. Rgt. - │ │847 F. A. Btry. - │ │854 F. A. Btry. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│ │272 Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │1 Ldw. Pion. Co. (12 C. - │ │ Dist.). - │ │3 Landst. Pion. Co. (13 C. - │ │ Dist.). - │ │84 T. M. Co. - │ │84 Pont. Engs. - │ │84 Tel. Detch. - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │1 Haguenau Landst. Inf. Btn. - │ │ (21 C. Dist. Btn. No. 12). - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │168. │335. │163. │335. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │336. │ │336. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │423. │ │423. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 84 Cav. (Heavy) Rgt. │3 Sqn. 16 Drag. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │54 Art. Command: - │ 248 F. A. Rgt. │ 248 F. A. Rgt. - │ 903 F. A. Btry. │ 3 Abt. 25 Ft. A. Rgt. (8 to - │ │ 10th Btries.). - │ │ 1007 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1008 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1009 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(?) Pion. Btn.: │84 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 272 Pion. Co. │ 2 Res. Co. 1 Pions. - │ │ - │ 1 Ldw. Co. 12 Pions. │ 272 Pion. Co. - │ │ - │ 84 T. M. Co. │ 84 T. M. Co. - │ 347 Searchlight Section. │ 52 Searchlight Section. - │ 84 Tel. Detch. │84 Signal Command: - │ │ 84 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 166 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │84 (?) Ambulance Co. │84 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │21 Ldw. Field Hospital. │77 Field Hospital. - │156 Field Hospital. │21 Ldw. Field Hospital. - │ │156 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │1008 M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │1 Anklam, Landst. Inf. Btn. │ - │ (2 C. Dist. Btn. No. 1). │ - │7 Posen Landst. Btn. (5 C. │ - │ Dist. Btn. No. 7). │ - │1 Glogau Landst. Btn. (5 C. │ - │ Dist. Btn. No. 15). │ - │1 Cottbus Landst. Ers. Btn. │ - │ (3 C. Dist. Btn. No. 23). │ - │2 Dresden Landst. Inf. Btn. │ - │ (12 C. Dist. Btn. No. 2). │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (335th and 336th Regiments: 5th Corps District—Posen. 423d Regiment: 5th - Corps District—Lower Silesia.) - - - 1915. - -The 84th Division with the 83d Division formed the Posen Corps and was -engaged on the Eastern Front from the beginning of the war. (See 83d -Division.) It was organized in June, 1915. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. After having fought in Poland to the north of Pilica (February to -June, 1915) the elements of the 84th Division operated in the region of -Bleudow. - -2. The 84th Division took part in the offensive against the Russians. It -advanced through the region of Bug (Aug. 17), through the southeast of -Bielsk (end of August) north of Slonim (September, battle from the 13th -to the 18th), up to the south of Novogrodek (Sept. 22). The front having -become stationary, the division took a position in the vicinity of -Deliatitchi (north of the Niemen). In December it gave up the 333d -Regiment of Infantry to the 89th Division, then recently organized. - - - 1916. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. The 84th Division stayed in the sector in the vicinity of the Niemen -(Liubtcha, Deliatitchi) during the entire year 1916. - -2. From July to October the 334th and 335th Regiments were detached as -reenforcements between Goroditche and Baranovitchi to meet the Russian -offensive. - - - 1917. - -1. In 1917 the division still occupied the same sectors along the Niemen -(Deliatitchi, Negnevitchi) until its departure for the Western Front -(December). - -2. About the month of June the 334th Infantry was transferred to the -94th Division and replaced by the 423d Infantry, to which the former -transferred some of its men. - -In December the division absorbed another lot of men from the 334th -Infantry and some from the Landsturm Battalion V. 15. Its strength had -since November included some young men of the class of 1919. - -3. At the end of December the division was transported to France. The 3d -Battalion of the 423d Regiment entrained at Novogrodek on December 31. -(Itinerary: Varsovie-Leipzig-Frankfort on the Main-Thionville) and -detrained at Arrancy (south of Longuyon) on January 7. The 2d Battalion -of the 336th Regiment entrained on December 28 and detrained at Landres -on January 3. - - - RECRUITING. - -The division was for the most part recruited from the 5th and the 7th -Corps Districts. This was but slightly changed by the incorporation of -the men of the Landsturm Battalion V. 15 which consisted mostly of -soldiers from Brandenburg and of the addition of those belonging to the -class of 1919 which came from the 4th Corps District. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 84th Division had been on the Eastern front since 1914. Its -offensive value was mediocre. - -On the Russian front it began to fraternize at the end of December. The -Germans were only allowed to do so in the presence of their officers. In -November and about December 20 the men in the division who were over 40 -years of age were transferred into Landsturm battalions or into -regiments staying in Russia, and replaced by young men nearly all -belonging to the class of 1919 (250 to the 84th Division in November). - - - 1918. - - -MONTDIDIER-NOYON. - -1. The division was relieved by the 53d Reserve Division about May 1. It -moved west and on May 25 relieved the 3d Bavarian Division in the -Lassigny sector. It was taken out in early June and rested until the -9th, when it returned to attack at Courcelles. It again retired on June -20 and rested until July 2. - - -LASSIGNY. - -2. On that date it was in line southeast of Belloy, where it was engaged -until mid-July. It rested near Antheuil until August 12, when it -reenforced the battle front south of Thiescourt. Then it was engaged -until about August 22. - - -OISE. - -3. One regiment—the 423d—entered line on the Oise on August 22 and by -September 4 all the division was in line near Quierzy. It was withdrawn -on September 15. - -4. On September 30 the division entered line at Trouquoy and south of -Sequehart. In the fighting in the first week of October the elements of -the division were badly mixed with other divisions. They were taken out -about October 9 and re-formed. - -5. It was reengaged on October 27 in the vicinity of Sissonne and fought -until the armistice. The last identification was east of Bucy les -Pierrepont on November 6. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. It was a very mediocre unit, -composed largely of Landsturm elements and of young recruits. It was -decimated by the fighting in the fall and its morale became very bad. A -contributing factor was a draft of 300 prisoners returned from Russia. - - - - - 85th Landwehr Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │69 Ldw. │17 Ldw. │169 Ldw. │61 Ldw. - │ │21 Ldw. │ │99 Ldw. - │ │61 Ldw. │170 Ldw. │17 Ldw. - │ │99 Ldw. │ │21 Ldw. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │85 Cav. Rgt. (4 Sqns.). │85 Cav. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Ers. Ants. of the 36, 71, and│85 F. A. Rgt. - │ 73 F. A. Rgts. │ - │ │93 F. A. Rgt. - │ │844 F. A. Btry. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│ │ - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │Zittau Landst. Inf. Btn. (12 - │ │ C. Dist. No. 7). - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │170 Ldw. │17 Ldw. │169 Ldw. │17 Ldw. - │ │21 Ldw. │ │21 Ldw. - │ │99 Ldw. │ │99 Ldw. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │5 Sqn. 6 Cuirassier Rgt. │5 Sqn. 6 Cuir. Rgt. - │(?) Sqn. 85 Cav. Rgt. │ - │Ers. Sqn. 12 Dragoon Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) │275 Field Artillery Rgt. - │ │ - │844 F. A. Btry. │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(485) Pion. Btn.: │1 Ldst. Pion. 4 Army Corps. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 2 Ers. Co. 26 Pions. │585 Tel. Detch. - │ 385 T. M. Co. │ - │ 22 Heavy Field Searchlight │ - │ Section. │ - │ Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │85 Ambulance Co. │320 Field Hospital. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Field Hospital. │181 Vet. Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │85 Cyclist Co. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │Zittau Landst. Inf. Btn. (12 │ - │ C. Dist. Btn. No. 7). │ - │Osterode Landst. Inf. Btn. │ - │ (20 C. Dist. Inf. Btn. No. │ - │ 8). │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (17th Landwehr: 21st Corps District—Lorraine. 21st Landwehr: 17th Corps - District—Western Prussia. 99th Landwehr: 15th Corps District—Alsace.) - - - 1915. - -The 85th Landwehr Division is the old Breugel Division, which at the -beginning of the war, together with the Woernitz Division (86th -Division), formed the Graudenz Corps (also known as the Zastrow Corps -and in 1915 the 17th Reserve Corps), and operated on the Eastern Front. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. Two of the regiments, the 17th Landwehr and the 99th Landwehr, went -to the Eastern Front, the former at the beginning of the war and the -latter in the spring of 1915. - - -POLAND. - -1. Until July, 1915, the Breugel Division was engaged in Poland -(Prasnysz, region of Mlawa). - -2. In July it took part in the offensive against the Russians, advancing -to the west of Pultusk (middle of July); besieged Novo-Georgievsk; was -on the Bug (beginning of August) and near Bielsk (end of August). The -61st Landwehr entered Warsaw on August 22 and remained there during the -month of September. - -3. With the stabilization of the front the former Breugel, now the 85th -Landwehr Division occupied the Vichnev sector (to the south of Krevo) on -the Little Berezina. - - - 1916. - - -VICHNEV. - -1. The 85th Landwehr Division remained on the Vichnev-Deliatitchi front -for more than two years (September, 1915—October, 1917). In September, -1917, it gave up the 61st Landwehr Regiment to the 217th Division, then -newly organized. - - - 1917. - - -VICHNEV. - -1. About the 15th of October, 1917, the 85th Landwehr Division moved to -the north. It left the Niemen region to go to the south of Dvinsk, near -the lake of Drisviaty. In December it extended its sector toward the -south (Vidzy). - - - RECRUITING. - -The 21st Landwehr was recruited in the 17th Corps District, or more -generally in western Prussia. There were numerous soldiers from Alsace -and Lorraine in the division. Frequent desertions on the part of the men -from Lorraine and men from the mining region of the Sarre in 1914 on the -French front led to the decision which sent the 17th Landwehr to Russia. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Remained a long while in quiet sectors on the Russian front. The 85th -Landwehr Division had but a very mediocre combat value. - - - 1918. - - -COURLAND. - -1. Toward the end of January the men of the 85th Landwehr Division were -still fraternizing in the Vidzy region. The 17th Landwehr Regiment was -in the vicinity of Jakobstadt in April and the 99th Landwehr Regiment -participated at this time in the operations in Finland. - - -UKRAINE. - -2. Early in May the whole division, with the exception of some elements -(14th Jaeger Battalion, 1st Guard Uhlan Regiment, 229th Mounted Machine -Gun Co.), moved to the Polotsk region. Regiments of the division were -identified in this area early in September. There was a rumor that the -division had been transferred to the Western Front early in October, but -this seems unlikely. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 86th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │Grossman │Reinhard │171. │341. - │ (171). │ (341). │ │ - │ │Krause (342). │ │342. - │Windhetm │Hoebel (343). │172. │343. - │ (172). │ │ │ - │ │Gropp (344). │ │344. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │86 Cav. Regt. (Ers. Sqns. 11 │ - │ Drag., 4 Horse Jag. Rgts., │ - │ 1 Ldw. Sqn. 17 C. Dist. │ - │ Cav., and Res. Ers. Sqn. 17│ - │ C. Dist. Cav.) │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │86 F. A. Rgt. │86 F. A. Rgt. - │ │220 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│ │86 T. M. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │86 Pont. Engs. - │ │86 Tel. Detch. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │110 Labor Btn. Briesen - │ │ Landst. Inf. Btn. (17 C. - │ │ Dist. No. 1). - │ │Neufahrwasser Landst. Inf. - │ │ Btn. (17 C. Dist. No. 8). - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │172. │341. │172. │341. - │ │ │ │ - │ │343. │ │343. - │ │344. │ │344. - │ │ │ │ - │ 4 Jag. Btn. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 7 Uhlan Rgt. │3 Sqn., 7 Uhlan Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │86 F. A. Rgt. - │ 86 (?) F. A. Rgt. │404 F. Art. Btn. - │ │971 Light Mun. Col. - │ │973 Light Mun. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│Pion. Btn.: │86 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 3 Ers. Co. 26 Pions. │ 3 Ers. 26th Pion. - │ 2 Co. 34 Res. Pions. │ 3 Pion. Btn. No. 34. - │ 86 T. M. Co. │ 19th Searchlight Section. - │ 328 Searchlight Section. │86 Div. Signal Command: - │ Tel. Detch. │ 86 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 157 Div. Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │86 Ambulance Co. │86 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │81 Field Hospital. │81 and 129 Field Hospitals. - │129 Field Hospital. │182 Vet. Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │797 M. T. Col. │583 M. T. Col. - │971 M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │86 Cyclist Co. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │2 Cologne Landst. Inf. Btn. │ - │ (8 C. Dist. Btn. No. 15). │ - │ │ - │7 Munst. Landst. Inf. Btn. (7│ - │ C. Dist. Btn. No. 69). │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (341st Regiment: 20th Corps District—Eastern part of Western Prussia. - 343d and 344th Regiments: 17th Corps District—Western Prussia.) - - - 1914. - -The 86th Division was organized during the summer of 1915 with the -elements of the Woernitz Division. The latter with the 85th Landwehr -Division, constituted the Suren Corps coming from the garrisons of -Graudenz, Kulm, and Marienburg, which was used on the Eastern Front from -the beginning of the war. There were 11 battalions of mobile depots -(active, reserve, and Landwehr) and two companies of depots of chasseurs -(jaeger). - - -POLAND. - -1. After having participated in the operations on the Polish front from -September to December, 1914, the troops which were to be formed into the -86th Division were then used in the region of Mlawa (trench warfare) -from the end of December, 1914, to the middle of May, 1915. Some of the -units were sorely tried. At Koslau (Nov. 12 to Dec. 25), then at -Prasnysz, the 4th Company of the mobile Ersatz battalion of the 18th -Infantry lost 2 officers and 266 men. (Casualty Report.) - - - 1915. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. From July, 1915, on the Woernitz Division, now the 86th Division, -took part in the German offensive and helped to break up the Russian -front near Prasnysz (July 13–17). Following up its advance, it fought on -the Narew after the taking of Pultusk. It took part in the battles of -Ostrowo (Aug. 8–10), of Bielsk (Aug. 19–25) and on the Niemen -(September). - -2. When the Russian front became stationary it found itself on the -Little Berezina and took a position to the east of Deliatitchi. - - - 1916. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. The 86th Division remained in the sector near the Little Berezina -until March. - -2. From the 18th of March to the 30th of April it took part in the -battle of Narotch, and until the month of July, occupied the Krevo- -Smorgoni sector. It then went on the Chtchara (July 9–26), opposed the -Russian offensive near Kovel from July 28 to November 4 and finally -established itself on the upper Styr and on the Stokhod, reduced in -strength by the transfer of the 342d Regiment to the 93d Division, then -just formed. - - - 1917. - - -VOLHYNIA. - -1. After having occupied the Stokhod front in front of Kovel until -April, 1917, the 86th Division put into line on April 22, to the south -of Kisselin. It remained there until January, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -Division sufficiently homogeneous (Prussian Provinces) with relatively -no other numerous elements from other Provinces. Having left the Russian -front at a late date, the division could not leave the soldiers coming -from Alsace and Lorraine behind. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 86th Division seemed to be a good division, composed of young and -vigorous men (March, 1918). - -On the Eastern Front it was rated as a first-class division. - - - 1918. - - -VOLHYNIA. - -1. The 86th Division left its sector in the Kiselin area toward the end -of January. It entrained at Rogozwo on the 29th and traveled via Brest- -Litowsk-Kalisch-Cottbus-Eisenach-Frankfort-Sarrebruecken-Metz-Sedan- -Rethel, and detrained at Le Chatelet on the 4th of February. - - -RHEIMS. - -2. It then marched via Neuflize-Isles-Boult-Fresnes, and entered line -near Betheny (northeast of Rheims) on the 27th, when it relieved the -242d Division. It was withdrawn about the 21st of May, and went to rest -near Asfeld. - -3. On the evening of the 26th it left and marched toward the front; the -27th it was in reserve; on the 28th it attacked near Trigny (west of -Rheims) and succeeded in advancing about 5 kilometers. On the 6th of -June the 86th and 232d Divisions, supported by the 33d Reserve Division, -captured the town of Bligny (southwest of Rheims), but lost it the same -afternoon when the French counterattacked. The 86th Division had quite -heavy losses. It was relieved on July 21 by the 50th Division and went -to rest in the region northwest of Rheims. - -4. On the 10th of August the division reenforced the front near Muizon -(west of Rheims). It was relieved by the 10th Reserve Division on the -28th. - - -LAON. - -5. During the night of September 18–19 it relieved the 50th Reserve -Division near the Colombe farm (south of Laon). It was relieved about -the 23d of October. - -6. The division came back into line on November 5 in the vicinity of -Marle; on the 7th it was identified northeast of Vervins; and on the 9th -at Hirson. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 86th was rated as a fourth-class division. It did not participate in -any of the great offensives during 1918, but it did attack vigorously on -two occasions and on the whole acquitted itself better than other -divisions similarly rated. - - - - - 87th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │Griepenkeri. │Leimbach │173. │345. - │ │ (345). │ │ - │ │Runge (346). │ │346. - │Normann. │Schwarz (347).│179. │347. - │ │8 Landst. │ │8 Landst. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │87 Cav. Rgt. │87 Cav. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │87 F. A. Abt. │87 F. A. Rgt. - │ │841 F. A. Btry. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│ │4 Co. 26 Pions. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │2 Ldw. Pion. Co. (Gd. C. - │ │ Dist.). - │ │87 T. M. Co. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │ │156 Cyclist Co. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │10 Labor Btn. - │ │75 Labor Btn. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │173. │345. │179. │345. - │ │ │ │ - │ │347. │ │347. - │ │8 Landst. │ │3d Res. Ers. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 3 Horse. Gren. Rgt. │1 Sqn. 3 Jag. z. Pf. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command. │3 Artillery Command: - │ 87 F. A. Regt. │ 38 Field Art. Rgt. - │ │ 34 Ft. Art. Btn. - │ │ 878 Light Mun. Col. - │ │ 975 Light Mun. Col. - │ │ 949 Light Mun. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│Pion. Btn.: │87 Pion. Btn. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 4 Co. 26 Pions. │ 242 Pion. Co. - │ │ - │ 3 Ldw. Co. 6 Pions. │ 2 Ers. Pion. Btn. No. 26. - │ 87 T. M. Co. │ 113 Searchlight Section. - │ 264 Searchlight Section. │87 Div. Signal Command. - │ 87 Tel. Detch. │ 87 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 163 Div. Wireless. Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │69 Ambulance Co. │69 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │131 Field Hospital. │131 and 132 Field Hospitals. - │132 Field Hospital. │191 Vet. Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │157 M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │156 Cyclist Co. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (345th Regiment; 5th Corps District—Posen. 347th Regiment; 2d Corps - District—Pomerania. 3d Reserve Ersatz Regiment; 9th Corps - District—Schleswig—Holstein.) - - - 1915. - -The 87th Division as well as the 89th Division came from the Thorn -Corps, which was engaged on the Eastern Front from the beginning of the -war. - - -RUSSIA-POLAND. - -1. Its battalions were made into a division at the beginning of June, -1915. Before that time the Ersatz battalions, from which it was formed, -belonged to the Griepenkerl and Plantier detachments (Thorn Corps), and -fought near the Polish frontier between the Vistula and Prasnysz. These -were the Leimbach-Zerener regiments which became the 345th, the Runge -which became the 346th and the Schwarz which became the 347th, and to -which latter unit the 8th Landsturm Regiment organized in June, 1915, at -the Elsenborn cantonment was joined. - -2. Beginning in July the elements of the 87th Division took part in the -offensive against the Russians: Battles between Drobin and the Vistula, -then to the west of Pultusk; pursuit fighting up to lower Narew (July -18–22); siege of Novo-Georgievsk (Aug. 13–19); battles of Niemen (Aug. -31-Sept. 8) and of Vilna (Sept. 9–26). - -3. After having fought between the Bogin and Drisviaty Lakes (Oct. -5–19), the division took up a position in that region. - - - 1916. - - -DRISVIATY LAKE. - -1. The 87th Division occupied the Drisviaty-Vidzy line the entire year -1916 and until the month of October, 1917. - - - 1917. - - -COURLAND. - -1. In October, 1917, the 87th Division relieved the 2d Division in the -Illukst sector. While there it received its first reenforcements from -the 1919 class. - -2. Relieved from that front at the end of December, the division was -brought together in the Kovno region. It got a great many men from the -23d Landwehr Division, especially from the 26th and 66th Landwehr -Regiments. - - - RECRUITING. - -This division was one of the most heterogeneous of the Prussian Army. -Not only were its regiments recruited in three different Provinces, but -the considerable amount of replacements received since November, 1917, -were from various different regions—men from the class of 1919 from the -9th and 11th Corps Districts in November, 1917, later from the 14th -Corps District; Landwehr from the 4th and 6th Corps Districts at the end -of December; men from the 8th, 14th, and 18th Corps Districts (a small -number) during its stay in Champagne. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 87th Division coming from Russia at the end of March seemed to have -but a mediocre combat value (April, 1918). - - - 1918. - -1. The division held the quiet sector at St. Marie a Py until June 18, -when it was relieved by the extension of the flanking divisions. The -division up to that time had had slight losses and was available for -active service. - - -SECOND BATTLE OF THE MARNE. - -2. It entered line on June 22 on the Aisne front near Bouresches. During -this period the division was engaged in harder fighting. In the American -attack south of Torcy the division lost heavily in killed and wounded on -June 25–26. Three hundred prisoners were taken on those days. It took -part in the German retreat until July 26, when it was withdrawn near -Charmel. - - -SCARPE-SOMME. - -3. The division rested at Charleville until August 25. It entrained and -moved to the Bapaume-Peronne area, where it was engaged on August 26–27, -south of Longueval. It was pushed back by Flers (29th), les Boeufs (Aug. -31), north of Morval (Sept. 1), Le Transloy (3d), east of Manancourt and -northeast of Etricourt (4th), northeast of Fins (7th), northwest of -Gonzencourt (9th). It was relieved on the night of September 11–12. -During this period in line the losses of the division were severe. More -than 1,000 prisoners were taken from this division. - -4. In spite of heavy losses it was given only a short rest at Vaucelles -(south of Cambrai), and again placed in line east of Villers Guislain on -September 18 for the purpose of delivering a counterattack. It was held -in line at this point until about September 28, when it retired to rest -at Walincourt. - - -LORRAINE. - -5. On October 12 the division came into line southwest of Chateau -Saline. It rested on that quiet front until about November 1, when it -was sent north, and on November 8 came in line at Haut Bugny. The last -identification was northeast of Rocquigny on November 10. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. As a sector holding unit it saw -heavy service on the Marne and in Picardy. - - - - - 88th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │21 Ldw. │10 Ldw. │175 Ldw. │(349) Ldw. - │ │38 Ldw. │ │(350) Ldw. - │1 Ldw. Ers. │4 Ldw. Ers. │176. │351. - │ │5 Ldw. Ers. │ │352. - │ │6 Ers. │177. │353. - │ │8 Ers. │ │(354). - │ │7 Ers. │ │ - │ │9 Ers. │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │6 C. Dist. Field Cav. Rgt. (2│88 Cav. Rgt.(4 Sqns. ex-Field - │ Sqns. of 6 Hus. Rgt. and 2 │ Cav. Rgt. 6 C. Dist.). - │ Sqn. of 2 Uhlan Rgt.). │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │1 Ers. Abt. 42 F. A. Rgt. │88 F. A. Rgt. - │ │223 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│1 Ldw. Co. 6 Pions. │6 Ldw. Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │2 Ldw. Co. 6 Pions. │ 88 T. M. Co. - │3 Ldw. Co. 6 Pions. │ 88 Pont. Engs. - │ │ - │ │ 88 Tel. Detch. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │31 Landst. Inf. Rgt. - │ │111 Labor Btn. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │176. │352. │176. │352. - │ │353. │ │353. - │ │425. │ │426. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │(?) Sqn. Horse Jag. Rgt. │1 Sq. 10 Jag. z. Pf. - │ │ - │ │ - │2 Sqn. 88 Cav. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │223 F. A. Rgt. │88th Field Art. Rgt. - │ │123 Foot Art. Btn. - │ │980, 982, and 1028 Light Mun. - │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│6 Ldw. Pion. Btn.: │88 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Ldw. Co. 6 Pions. │ 349 Pion. Co. - │ 2 Ldw. Co. 6 Pions. │ 3 Co. Res. Pion. Btn. No. - │ │ 33. - │ 88 T. M. Co. │ 88 T. M. Co. - │ 249 Searchlight Section. │ 92 Searchlight Section. - │ Tel. Detch. │88 Div. Signal Command: - │ │ 88 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 102 B. Div. Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │277 Ambulance Co. │277 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │141 Field Hospital. │54 and 141 Field Hospitals. - │26 Ldw. Field Hospital. │193 Vet. Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │111 Labor Btn. │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (352d and 353d Regiments; 6th Corps District—Silesia. 426th Regiments; - 9th Corps District—Hanseatic cities.) - - - 1915. - -1. The 88th Division grew out of the war garrison of Breslau, which was -made up of the 21st Brigade of Landwehr (10th and 38th Landwehr) and by -Silesian and Saxon Ersatz battalions. This originally was the Breslau -Corps, which after the brigade of Landwehr was taken from it, became the -Menges Division. The Ersatz battalions being formed into regiments, the -division then comprised three brigades—1st Landwehr Ersatz Brigade -(later the Schmiedecker Brigade), Paczensky (later Buddenbrock) Brigade, -and the Zenger Brigade. Its regiments bore the names 4th and 5th -Landwehr Ersatz and 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th Ersatz. - - -RUSSIA-POLAND. - -2. In April-May, 1915, the Menges Division fought on the Pilica. - -3. In July it was between the Vistula and Pilica taking part in the -offensive against Russia. - -4. It advanced in August through the region of Narew (to the south of -Pultusk, Aug. 4; to the north of Bielsk, Aug. 19). At the end of August -it reached the region of Vilna; to the west of Dvinsk in September. - - -DRISVIATY LAKE. - -5. When the front became stationary it took a position near the -Drisviaty Lake (September). - -6. The Menges Division became the 88th Division. The Ersatz Battalion -Brigades were regrouped and distributed between six regiments, numbered -349th and 350th Landwehr, 351st, 352d, 353d, 354th Regiments of -Infantry, forming in turn the 175th, 176th, and 177th Brigades. - - - 1916. - - -DRISVIATY LAKE. - -1. The 88th Division occupied the Drisviaty Lake sector from September, -1915, until September, 1917. - -2. In July, 1916, the division was reconstituted. The 354th Regiment -went to the 216th Division. In August the 349th Landwehr and the 350th -Landwehr Regiments were engaged on the Stokhod with the 150th Regiment -of the 37th Division. - -The 88th Division was now made up of the 351st, 352d, and 353d -Regiments. - - - 1917. - - -DRISVIATY LAKE. - -1. In May, 1917, the 123d Division gave the 88th Division the 425th -Regiment in exchange for the 351st Regiment of Infantry (Saxon). At this -time all the Saxon elements were out of this division and it became -entirely made up of Prussian personnel. - -2. Thus constituted (352d, 353d, and 425th) the 88th Division was -relieved from its position near Drisviaty Lake about September. It -remained in the Dvinsk region. - -3 The 425th Regiment was replaced by the 426th Regiment, the latter -coming from the 3d Division. - - - RECRUITING. - -The oldest regiments of the division, the 352d and the 353d, were -primarily recruited in Silesia, and the 426th in the 9th Corps District. - -Members of the 1919 class were identified with the division in April, -1918. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Average. - - - 1918. - - -ST. QUENTIN. - -1. Early in January the division left Russia and, traveling via Kovno- -Wirballen-Koenigsberg-Posen-Berlin-Trèves-Thionville, detrained at -Sedan. After resting and training in the Cambrai region, it entered line -in the Fresnoy sector (northwest of St. Quentin). It remained in line -here, although it had two 10-day rest periods during which it was -occupied only in field service training and in the usual practice -marches, excepting two manœuvres with artillery. It attacked on the -21st, and although held up a day in front of Holnon wood it did very -well, especially when it is considered that the division was considered -unfit for combat upon its arrival from Russia. - -2. Just before reaching Vermand on the 24th it stopped advancing, and -the line continuing to go forward it remained in reserve. On the 27th it -proceeded to the Moreuil area (southeast of Amiens), where it arrived -when the German advance was already checked. It was withdrawn about the -2d of April, after having suffered very heavy losses. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -3. About the 12th of April it relieved the 11th Division south of -Rouvroy in eastern Champagne. It was relieved about the 25th of June by -the 33d Reserve Division and went to rest near Monthois, where it was -trained. - -4. About the 13th of July it came back into line in the Tahure sector -just west of where it had previously been. The next day it attacked in -the first line; it could make no progress (it will be remembered that -thus the whole offensive was a failure) and suffered heavy losses, -especially on account of gas. It was relieved early in September and was -reported at rest south of Rethel on the 4th. - - -WOEVRE. - -5. On September 12 the division moved up behind the front near -Dampvitoux (north of Thiaucourt), but since it was soon seen that the -American offensive had only a limited objective it did not enter line -until the 23d. It was relieved by the 224th Division during the night of -October 16–17. - - -MEUSE-ARGONNE. - -6. The division arrived at Stenay during the night of the 19th–20th of -October and on the 21st entered line near Cunel (north of Montfaucon). -It remained in line until the armistice was signed. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -In March the British wrote: “From the bearing of prisoners of the 88th -Division, recently captured, it appears that this formation, which from -its composition might be expected to be indifferent is of a very fair -quality and well-disciplined. Men and officers are mostly young and -keen; many of the latter are active. - -“As a fighting formation, the 88th Division thus appears to have been -brought up to the standard of the majority of the German divisions in -the western theater and in addition has a leader well acquainted with -the conditions of warfare on this front.” - -Although its subsequent conduct was not such as to justify completely -the above estimate, it did at least prove that its rating as a fourth- -class unit was too low. - - - - - 89th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │21 Ldw. │10 Ldw. │178. │333. - │ │38 Ldw. │ │375. - │(In November the above passed│ │8 Ldw. - │ to the 14 Ldw Div.) │ │ - │Jonas (178). │333. │ │ - │ │375. │ │ - │ │8 Ldw. │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │89 Cav. Rgt. │89 Cav. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │89 F. A. Abt. │89 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │911 F. A. Btry. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│ │5 Co. 6 Pions. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │2 Res. Co. 17 Pions. - │ │89 T. M. Co. - │ │89 Pont. Engs. - │ │89 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd Units. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │11 Labor Btn. - │ │45 Labor Btn. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │178. │333. │178. │333. - │ │375. │ │375. - │ │8 Ldw. │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 11 Drag. Rgt. │4 Sqn. 11th Drag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │89 Field Art. Rgt. (Rgt. - │ │ Staff, 1 Abt. Staff Btries. - │ │ 1 to 3). - │ 89 F. A. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│Pion. Btn.: │5 Co. 26th Pion. Btn. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 5 Co. 26 Pions. │89 Div. Signal Command. - │ 2 Res. Co. 17 Pions. │89 Tel. Detch. - │ 89 T. M. Co. │ - │ Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │68 Ambulance Co. │68 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Field Hospital. │264 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │183 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │721 M. T. Col. │586 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd Units. │ │36 Bav. Mun. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (333d Regiment: 5th and 6th Corps District—Silesia. 375th Regiment: 17th - Corps District—Western Prussia. 8th Landwehr: 3d Corps - District—Brandenburg.) - - - 1915. - -The 89th Division reached its present form of organization about -October, 1915. With the 87th Division, it was used to form, while named -Westernhagen Division, the Thorn Corps, and was engaged on the Eastern -Front from the beginning of the war. It at first was comprised of the -21st Landwehr Brigade, taken from the Breslau Corps and the Jonas -Brigade (Keller Regiment and the 8th Landwehr) which became the 178th -Brigade. In November, 1915, this division having given up the 21st -Landwehr Brigade to form the 14th Landwehr Division, it brought up its -strength to three regiments by taking the 333d Regiment from the 84th -Division. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. During the middle of October, 1915, the 89th Division was identified -in the Krevo sector, which it occupied until the end of August, 1916. - - - 1916. - - -ROUMANIA. - -1. About the 24th of August, 1916, the 89th Division was transported to -the Transylvanian front (detraining near Maros-Ludas on Aug. 30). - -2. It fought in the vicinity of St. Georges de Brasso (middle of -October); near the Roumanian frontier in the valley of Buzeu (October- -November); on the Buzeu-Rimnicu-Sarat highway (end of December); and -near Plaginesci (Dec. 31). - - - 1917. - - -ROUMANIA. - -1. In the middle of January, 1917, the 89th Division was in line to the -north of Rimnicu. - -2. From the end of January to the middle of August it occupied a sector -north of Focsani, east of Odobesci. It took part in the attacks made, in -August, north of Focsani and suffered very heavy losses. After a few -days’ rest it took over the sector between Panciu and Marasesci. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 89th Division took part in the entire campaign against Roumania. - -It was kept on the Roumanian front until May, 1918. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Its offensive value seemed mediocre. - - - 1918. - - -ROUMANIA. - -1. In January, 1918, the division furnished a great many replacements to -the 76th Reserve Division which was destined to leave for the Western -Front; men were also sent to the 115th Division. - -2. Relieved southeast of Panciu early in January, the division remained -for some time in reserve in the Focsani region, then came back into line -northeast of that town. It was identified there in March and April. In -June the 375th Regiment was identified by contact near Drenoud in -Macedonia, but left soon after for the Panciu region where it was -identified on the 28th of July. The division was identified near -Bucharest late in October. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The Division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 91st Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │175 Ldw. │33 Ldw. │175 Ldw. │37 Ldw. │175 Ldw. │37 Ldw. - │ │349 Ldw. │ │349 Ldw. │ │349 Ldw. - │ │350 Ldw. │ │437. │ │437. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 5 Cuirassier│3 Sqn. 12 Mounted │2 Sqn. 10 Drag. - │ Rgt. │ Jag. Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │ │277 F. A. Rgt. │277 F. A. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│385 T. M. Co. │91 Pion. Btn.: │91 Pion. Btn. - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ 3 Co. 1 Pions. (?)│3 Ers. Co. Pion. - │ │ │ Btn. No. 1. - │ │ 3 Ers. Co. 1 │2 Ldst. Pion. Btn. - │ │ Pions. │ 6 Army Corps. - │ │ (91 T. M. Co.). │219 Searchlight - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ Tel. Detch. │91 Div. Signal - │ │ │ Command. - │ │ │91 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │67 Ambulance Co. │67 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │27 Ldw. Field │110 Field Hospital. - │ │ Hospital. │ - │ │Vet. Hospital. │27 Ldw. Field - │ │ │ Hospital. - │ │ │241 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │801 M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Odd Units. │ │Deuxponts Landst. │ - │ │ Inf. Btn. (2 C. │ - │ │ Dist. Btn. No. │ - │ │ 2). │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (37th Landwehr; 5th Corps District—Posen. 349th Landwehr; 8th Corps - District—Rhenish Province. 437th Regiment; 11th Corps - District—Thuringe.) - - - 1916. - -The 91st Division (Clausius Division) was formed about August, 1916, -from two Landwehr regiments—the 349th and the 350th, which constituted -the 175th Brigade, taken from the 88th Division—and an active regiment, -the 150th, temporarily transferred from the 37th Division. Later the -organization of the 91st Division was modified. - - -VOLHYNIA. - -1. As soon as it was organized the 91st Division was engaged on the -Stokhod, north of the Kovel-Sarny railway and in the vicinity of Borovno -(August, 1916). During these attacks the 150th suffered very big losses. -This regiment rejoined its division (the 37th) shortly thereafter and -was replaced by the 37th Landwehr, which had exercised a discreet -surveillance over the Austrian troops (Russian information). - - - 1917. - - -VOLHYNIA. - -1. During the year 1917 the 91st Division was kept in Volhynia in the -region of the Kovel-Sarny railway. - -2. About the month of April it transferred the 350th Landwehr to the -45th Landwehr Division. It received the 437th Infantry, which had been -organized in 1916 from Prussian elements taken from the 344th Infantry, -the 349th Landwehr, and the 350th Landwehr, and which was with Austrian -units. - -In November the division seemed to have no particular sector and is -“distributed among the little reliable troops of the Austrian Army,” -(Weekly Bulletin of Information of Russian Army, Dec. 16–23, 1917.) - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Kept in Russia for the occupation of Ukrainia, the 91st Division had but -a very small combat value (April, 1918). - - - 1918. - -1. The division was last identified in the Ukraine at the end of August. -There is evidence that the division was brought to the Western Front in -September. Reports and prisoners’ statements pointed to the presence of -the division in the Muelhausen area during October. However, it did not -come into line on the Western Front. The division was not identified -after the armistice among the retreating German units. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 92d Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │28 Ldw. │39 Ldw. │28 Ldw. │39 Ldw. - │ │419. │ │2 Ldw. - │ │432. │ │32 Ldw. - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │ (?) │1, 3, and 4 Sqns. 3 - │ │ Cuirassier Rgt. - │ │4 Sqn. Body Gd. Hus. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │12 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. (except - │ │ Rgt. Staff, 1 Abt. Staff, - │ │ 1 and 5 Btries., 2 Abt. - │ │ Staff, 7 and 9 Btries.). - │ 2 F. A. Rgt. │ - │ 895 F. A. Btry. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│Pion. Btn.: │1 Ldw. Co. 14 C. Dist. - Liaisons. │ │ Pions. - │ 346 Pion. Co. │120 Searchlight Section. - │ 92 T. M. Co. │92 Signal Command: - │ 92 Tel. Detch. │ 92 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │276 Ambulance Co. │276 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │5 Ldw. Field Hospital. │5 Ldw. Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │242 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (39th Landwehr; 7th Corps District—Westphalia. 32d Landwehr; 11th Corps - District—Thuringen.) - - - 1917. - -The 92d Division (Rusche Division) was formed at about the end of -November, 1916, on the Eastern Front. - - -VOLHYNIA. - -1. At first as a part of the Bernhardi Army, the 92d Division occupied -in Volhynia the Gorokhov-Kisselin sectors south of the Kovel-Rovno -railway (February-August, 1917). It was then made up of the 419th, 432d, -and the 133d Landwehr (Saxon), the latter being afterwards replaced by -the 39th Landwehr. - - -GALICIA. - -2. In August, 1917, the division was transferred toward the south and -put into line in the Zalosce (Galicia) sector. The 419th Infantry left -the division to join the 77th Division, with which it left for France. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Having occupied from the time of its organization until April, 1918, but -quiet Russian sectors, and, moreover, having given up its best men -(those less than 35 years of age), who were transferred to other -divisions on the Western Front, the 92d Division had but a mediocre -combat value. - -The 39th Landwehr, from the time of its formation in 1914, was noted in -Belgium for its acts of insubordination (recruited from the mining -population of Westphalia). - - - 1918. - -1. Relieved in the Zalosce sector in January, the division was in -reserve in the vicinity of Zborow during February. - - -UKRAINE. - -2. In April the division was in the Ukraine (39th Landwehr Regiment was -identified near Kiev on the 23d; the 432d Regiment was in the vicinity -of Klintsy on the 27th). The third regiment was the 32d Landwehr, left -behind by the 197th Division upon its departure for France in February. -The 432d Regiment sent to the Western Front was dissolved in May and was -divided between the 22d Reserve and 82d Division. The 2d Landwehr and -the 32d Landwehr Regiment were identified in the Ukraine early in -October. Toward the end of the month elements of the division were -reported along the Danube. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The Division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 93d Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │215. │342. │166. │342. │ (?) │433 (10 - │ │ │ │ │ │ and 11 - │ │ │ │ │ │ cos.). - │ │433. │ │433. │ │434. - │ │434. │ │434. │ (?) │ (?) - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │5 Sqn. 16 Drag. │5 Sqn. 16 Drag. - │ │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - │ │4 Sqn. 85 Cav. Rgt.│4 Sqn. 4 Hus. Rgt. - │ │ │85 Cav. (Heavy) - │ │ │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │ │Art. Command: │253 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ (except the Rgt. - │ │ │ Staff, and 1 and - │ │ │ 2 Abt. Staffs, - │ │ │ and 4 and 6 - │ │ │ Btries. of the 3 - │ │ │ Abt.). - │ │ 35 F. A. Rgt. │ - │ │ 899 F. A. Btry. │ - │ │ 900 F. A. Btry. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│1 Res. Co. 26 │Pion. Btn.: │81 Searchlight - Liaisons. │ Pions. │ │ Section. - │93 T. M. Co. │ 2 Ldw. Co. 1 │93 Signal Command: - │ │ Pions. │ - │ │ 1 Ldw. Co. 17 C. │ 93 Tel. Detch. - │ │ Dist. Pions. │ (except 2 Sect.). - │ │ 93 T. M. Co. │ - │ │ 93 Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │233 Ambulance Co. │ - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │Field Hospital. │ - │ │243 Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (433d Regiment: 18th and 20th Corps District—Hesse and Eastern Prussia. - 434th Regiment: 4th Corps District—Prussian Saxony.) - - - 1916. - -The 93d Division (von Kramsta) was formed on the Eastern Front about the -month of October, 1916 (region of Lida). One of its regiments, the 342d, -had come from the 86th Division. The 433d and the 434th were newly -created units. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. In November, 1916, the 93d Division was in line to the southeast of -Vichnev. At that time, with the 85th Landwehr Division, it formed the -17th Reserve Corps. - - - 1917. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. During the whole year 1917 the division stayed on the Little Berezina -(Vichnev) front with the 12th Army. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Mediocre combat value. - - - 1918. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. About the middle of December, 1917, the 93d Division left the -Berezina and advanced toward the east. - -2. It was in reserve near Minsk the 2d of March and in the Klintsy -region the 27th of April. The 342d Regiment had entrained on April 10 at -Lida for Belgium, where it was dissolved in May; its men being divided -between the 22d Reserves and 119th Division. - - -UKRAINE. - -3. About the middle of May the division was identified near Kiev, where -it was also identified as late as the 9th of September. - - -RUMANIA. - -4. Toward the end of October elements of the division were identified -along the Danube. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The Division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 94th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │(?) │334. │(?) │365. - │ │423. │ │439. - │ │45 Landst. │ │24 Ldw. - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 84 Heavy Cav. Rgt. │1 Sqn. 7 Uhlan Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │ (?) │8 F. A. Rgt. (Staff, 1 - │ │ Abt., 2 Abt., 4 and 5 - │ │ Btries., 3 Abt.). - │ │405 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │1042 Light Am. Col. - │ │1051 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│Pion. Btn.: │411 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ T. M. Co. │ 2 Ldw. Co. 5 C. Dist. - │ │ Pions. - │ Tel. Detch. │ 2 Ldw. Co. 8 C. Dist. - │ │ Pions. - │ │ 85 Searchlight Section. - │ │183 Signal Command: - │ │ 183 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 131 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │556 Ambulance Co. │551 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Field Hospital. │328 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │331 Field Hospital. - │ │519 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transport. │1233 M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Attached. │Bitterfeld Landst. Inf. │ - │ Btn. (4 C. Dist. Btn. No.│ - │ 4). │ - │Cosel Landst. Inf. Btn. (6 │ - │ C. Dist. No. 8). │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (46th Landstrum: 2d Corps District—Pomerania; 5th Corps - District—Silesia. 45th Landstrum: 6th Corps District—Silesia; 3d Corps - District—Brandenburg; 21st Corps District—Lorraine.) - - - 1917. - - -RUSSIA. - -The 94th Division was formed on the Eastern Front about June, 1917. At -that time it comprised the 334th and the 423d Regiments and the 45th -Landwehr. - -1. From June to December, 1917, the 94th Division occupied a sector in -the region of Niemen (Negnevitchi). - -2. In July, 1917, some elements of the division were transferred to the -vicinity of Baranovitchi to oppose a possible attack in that sector. - -In December the 423d Regiment was transferred to the 84th Division and -went with the latter to France. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Mediocre combat value. - - - 1918. - -1. When the 334th Regiment was transferred from Russia to the Western -Front in May, 1918, and was disbanded, the 94th Division was considered -as dissolved. - - -RIGA. - -2. About September 21, the 94th Division was reformed at Riga out of the -439th Regiment and the 365th Regiment. The 439th Regiment was taken out -of the 205th Division about the middle of September while stationed in -Esthonia and sent to Riga. The 365th Regiment, which took part in the -campaign of Osel Island, was sent to Riga in June. The 24th Landwehr -Regiment joined the division at Metz. - -3. The division left Riga about September 22 for Metz. (Route: Schawli- -Kowno-Eydthkulnen-Bromberg-Posen-Leipsig-Erfurt-Frankfurt-Kreuznach- -Neunkirchen-Metz.) The trip lasted about six days. - - -METZ. - -4. The division rested in the Metz area about one week. Then it was -joined by the 7th Hussar Regiment and the 8th Field Artillery Regiment. - - -WOEVRE. - -On October 11 the division relieved the 107th Division at Doncourt aux -Templiers. It held that sector without event until the armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was fairly strong in effectives in October. The men had -received little training and their morale was bad. - - - - - 95th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │(?) │271 Res. │(?) │422 (2d - │ │ │ │ Btn.). - │ │422. │ │52 Ldw. - │ │430 Ldw. │ │(?) - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │ (?) │4 Sqn. 19 Drag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │ (?) │69 Res. F. A. Rgt. (except - │ │ 1 and 5 Btries.). - │ │1017 Light Am. Col. - │ │1035 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│Pion. Btn.: │1 Landst. Co. 15 C. Dist. - Liaisons. │ │ Pions. - │ 1 Landst. Pion. Co. │148 Searchlight Section. - │ 95 T. M. Co. │95 Signal Command: - │ 95 Tel. Detch. │ 95 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │Ambulance Co. │644 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Field Hospital. │117 Res. Field Hospital. - │567 Vet. Hospital. │567 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transport. │1035 M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (422d Regiment: 4th Corps District-Prussian Saxony. 430th Landwehr: (?). - -52d Landwehr: 3d Corps District-Brandenburg.) - - - 1917. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. The 95th Division was formed on the Eastern Front about the month of -July, 1917. At that time it was made up of the 422d Regiment and 271st -Reserve Regiment and of the 430th Landwehr, the 271st being temporarily -transferred from the 82d Division. - - -PINSK. - -2. Until the end of 1917 the 95th Division occupied a sector in the -Pinsk region. In November it sent reenforcements to the 15th Division -(Western Front). - -3. In December it gave up its younger men to the 82d Reserve Division -then sent to the Western Front, and received in exchange older men—men -from Alsace and recruits from the class of 1919. At this time it is made -up of the 422d Regiment, the 430th Landwehr and the 52d Landwehr, the -271st Reserve Regiment having been returned to the 82d Division. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Composed of older men and recruits of the 1919 class, the 95th Division -seemed to have but a mediocre combat value. - - - 1918. - - -UKRAINE. - -1. In January many men of the division were sent to the 14th Division, -which was on the Western Front. In April the division was reported in -the Ukraine. The 430th Landwehr Regiment was to the north of Gloukhov -(east of Koursk) on April 27; the 52d Landwehr Regiment “400 kilometers -from Pinsk” on the 9th of May, after a three-day railroad journey. The -division was identified in the Gomel region toward the end of September. -Soon afterwards it was reported as having come to the Western Front, but -it was never identified there. It was rated as a fourth-class division. - - - - - 96th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │106 Res. │244 Res. │(?) │244 Res. - │ │102 Ldw. │ │102 Ldw. - │ │40 Ers. │ │40 Ers. - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 18 Hus. Rgt. │4 Sqn. 18 Hus. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │53 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ 32 Res. F. A. Rgt. │21 Ldw. Ft. A. Rgt. (1 and - │ │ 6 Btries.). - │ │876 Light Am. Col. - │ │947 Light Am. Col. - │ │1001 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│Pion. Btn.: │219 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │416 T. M. Co. │ 1 Co. 22 Pions. - │Tel. Detch. │ Ldw. Co. 19 C. Dist. - │ │ Pions. - │ │ 136 Searchlight Section. - │ │96 Signal Command: - │ │ 96 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │278 Ambulance Co. │278 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │5 Res. Field Hospital. │5 Res. Field Hospital. - │6 Res. Field Hospital. │6 Res. Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │568 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transport. │608 M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (102d Landwehr: 12th Corps District—Saxony. 244th Reserve Regiment and - 40th Ersatz: 19th Corps District—Saxony.) - - - 1917. - -The 96th Division was a newly formed unit, being organized on the -Galician front in July, 1917. - -One of its regiments, the 244th Reserve, was part of the 53d Reserve -Division (until the end of 1916) and later part of the 215th Division. - -The 40th Ersatz, formerly of the 19th Ersatz Division, also came to this -division from the 215th Division. As to the 102d Landwehr, it was with -the 82d Reserve Division in the vicinity of Pinsk. - - -GALICIA. - -1. After the Russian offensive beginning in July the 96th Division was -put into line in the Zborow sector. At the end of July it took part in -the German counteroffensive and advanced up to the Russian-Galician -frontier. It held the Husiatin sector until February, 1918, sending -important reenforcements in December, 1917, to the 241st Division -(Saxon). - - - RECRUITING. - -Division is entirely Saxon. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Coming from the Eastern Front at the beginning of April, 1918, the 96th -Division seemed to have only a mediocre combat value (April, 1918). - - - 1918. - -1. The division continued to hold the quiet sector south of Blamont -until the armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. It had practically no losses on -the Western Front. The companies averaged 115 men of an average age of -25 to 35 years. - - - - - 101st Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │201. │45. │201. │45. - │ │59. │ │59. - │ │146. │ │146. - │ │ │ 15 Res. Jag. Btn. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 10 Drag. Rgt. │11 Drag. Rgt. (2 Sqns.). - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │201 F. A. Rgt. │201 F. A. Rgt. - │ │1 Mountain A. Abt. - │ │Austro-Hung. Mountain Art. (3 - │ │ Btries.). - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│201 Pion. Co. │201 Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │101 Mountain T. M. Co. - │ │101 Pont. Engs. - │ │101 Tel. Detch. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918[27] - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │201. │11 Gren. │201. │45. - │ │146. │ │146. - │ │ │ │21 Res. - │ │9 Jag. Rgt. │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │(?) Sqn. 10 Drag. Rgt. │3 Sqn. 10 Drag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │138 Art. Command: - │ 209 F. A. Rgt. │ 201 F. A. Rgt. - │ 201 F. A. Rgt. (elements). │ - │ │ - │ 3 Mountain A. Abt. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(101) Pion. Btn.: │101 Pion. Co. (Mountain). - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 101 (Mountain) Pion. Co. │201 Pion. Co. - │ 201 Pion. Co. │201 Searchlight Section. - │ 205 Pion. Co. │101 Mountain T. M. Co. - │ 2 Ldw. Co. 9 Pions. │171 Mountain T. M. Co. - │ 101 Mountain T. M. Co. │101 Tel. Detch. - │ 171 Mountain T. M. Co. │101 Pion. Btn. - │ 201 Searchlight Section. │ - │ 101 Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │641 Ambulance Co. │101 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Field Hospital. │641 Ambulance Co. - │Vet. Hospital. │Field Hospital. - │ │Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │590 M. T. Col. - │ │4 Pack Trans. Col. (Wurtt.). - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │101 Cyclist Co. │101 Cyclist Co. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── -Footnote 27: - - Composition at the time of dissolution, July, 1918. - - - HISTORY. - - (146th Regiment: 20th Corps District—Eastern Prussia. 11th Grenadiers: - 6th Corps District—Silesia.) - - - 1915. - -The 101st Division was formed in May, 1915, with the 45th Infantry (from -the 2d Division), the 146th Regiment (from the 37th Division), and the -59th Regiment (from the 41st Division) all surplus regiments by reason -of the reduction of divisions to three regiments. Later the 101st -Division was subjected to a number of changes. - - -SERBIA. - -1. After having been part of the Army of the South, on the Bug, the -101st Division was identified on the Serbian frontier at the end of May -and the beginning of June. - - -GALICIA-POLAND. - -2. At the end of June it was brought back to Galicia by way of Budapest -and Stry and took part in the German offensive in Galicia, in Poland. It -was on the Dniester on June 30 and on the Zlota-Lipa on July 20. - -It was in the neighborhood of Lublin on August 12, at Siedlce on the -29th and advanced up to a position near Brest-Litowsk. - - -SERBIA. - -3. Chosen to participate in the offensive against Serbia, it was -entrained at Warsaw and went into action on the Serbian front on October -7. It was at Nish on December 9. - - - 1916. - - -SERBIA. - -1. At the end of January, 1916, the 101st Division was still in Serbia -and with the 103d Division formed the 4th Reserve Corps. - - -MACEDONIA. - -2. In February it was in front of Monastir. - - -VARDAR. - -3. In March, together with the 103d Division, it was near the Greek -frontier in the Vardar Valley (Guevgueli) (March to November). In August -it supported the 5th Bulgarian Division. - - -CERNA. - -4. In November the 45th and the 146th Regiments occupied the bend of the -Cerna, while the 59th Regiment continued to hold the left bank of the -Vardar. - - - 1917. - - -MACEDONIA. - -1. The Division was materially changed in 1917. The 45th was replaced by -the 11th Grenadiers, which had in November, 1916, left the 11th Division -in France to join the Hippel Division in front of Monastir. In June the -59th Regiment was withdrawn from the division and sent to the Roumanian -front. It was replaced by the 9th Jaeger Regiment. - -2. The 101st Division was kept on the Macedonian front (Vardar Valley, -Doiran, Monastir) to the end of 1917, seemingly after that it breaks up. -The 146th Infantry was still in the vicinity of Monastir in December and -was reported as being sent toward Constantinople and Palestine (March, -1918). In March, 1918, the 9th Regiment of Jaegers arrived in Alsace. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The division is rated as third class. - - - 1918. - -The 101st Division is considered as consisting of a divisional staff -only, administering Bulgarian units. The division is, therefore, no -longer counted as a German infantry division. The 12th active and 12th -and 13th Reserve Jaeger Battalions are considered independent units. - - - - - 103d Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │205. │32. │205. │32. - │ │71. │ │71. - │ │116 Res. │ │116 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │ │2 and 4 Sqn. Horse Gren. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │205 F. A. Rgt. │205 F. A. Rgt. - │4 Mountain A. Abt. │4 Mountain A. Abt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│205 Pion. Co. │205 Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │9 Co. 28 Pions. - │ │103 T. M. Co. - │ │103 Pont. Engs. - │ │103 Tel. Detch. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │205. │32. │205. │32. - │ │71. │ │71. - │ │116 Res. │ │144. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 6 Drag. Rgt. │3 Sqn. 6 Drag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │103 Art. Command: │103 Art. Command: - │ 205 F. A. Rgt. (9 Btries.). │ 205 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 3 Abt. 11 Res. Ft. A. Rgt. - │ │ 721 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 919 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1228 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│103 Pion. Btn.: │103 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 87 Res. Pion. Co. │ 87 Res. Pion. Co. - │ 9 Co. 28 Pions. │ 9 Co. 28 Pions. - │ 103 T. M. Co. │ 103 M. Co. - │ (205) Searchlight Section. │ 208 Searchlight Section. - │ 103 Tel. Detch. │103 Signal Command: - │ │ 103 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 15 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │103 Ambulance Co. │103 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │361 Field Hospital. │361 Field Hospital. - │362 Field Hospital. │362 Field Hospital. - │202 Vet. Hospital. │202 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │591 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Odd units. │Divisional M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │M. G. Co. of the 4 Gd. Gren. │ - │ Rgt. │ - │12 T. M. Co. │ - │24 Bomb Thrower. │ - │14 M. G. Co. │ - │75 M. G. S. S. Detch. │ - │2 Bav. M. G. S. S. Detch. │ - │1 Co. 629 Ambulance Co. │ - │102 Gd. Pions. │ - │2 Gd. Pion.Co. │ - │1 Co. 29 Pions. │ - │2 Co. 8 C. Dist. T. M. Btn. │ - │1 Co. 8 C. Dist. T. M. Btn. │ - │35 Flame-thrower Detch. │ - │1 Btry. 107 F. A. Rgt. │ - │22 Btries. 43 Res. F. Rgt. │ - │1 Btry. 43 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ - │2 Btries. 2 Gd. F. A. Rgt. │ - │7 Ft. Art. Rgt. │ - │4 Btries. 19 Ft. Art. Rgt. │ - │2 Btries. 1 Res. Ft. Art. │ - │ Rgt. │ - │1 Btry. 16 Ft. Art. Rgt. │ - │42 Art. Survey Section. │ - │127 Giant Periscope Section. │ - │306 Supply Train. │ - │497 Ammunition Train. │ - │117 Bav. Art. Ammunition │ - │ Train. │ - │42 Res. Art. Ammunition │ - │ Train. │ - │295 Ammunition Train. │ - │28 Ammunition Train. │ - │216 Ammunition Train. │ - │31 Supply Depot. │ - │13 Supply Depot. │ - │81 Field Bakery. │ - │10 Reconnaissance Flight. │ - │265 Reconnaissance Flight. │ - │111 Balloon Sqn. │ - │107 Balloon Sqn. │ - │37 Wireless Detch. │ - │1135 Signal Detch. │ - │289 Pigeon Loft. │ - │92 Pigeon Loft. │ - │2 Co. 87 Labor Btn. │ - │3 Co. 87 Labor Btn. │ - │100 Pris. of War Labor Btn. │ - │Chemnitz Landst. Labor Btn. │ - │2 Co. 11 Bav. Labor Btn. │ - │1 and 4 Cos. 72 Road Building│ - │ Btn. │ - │(According to a captured │ - │ document of Sept. 26, │ - │ 1917.) │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (32d Regiment: 11th. Corps District—Hesse—Electoral. 71st Regiment; 11th - Corps District—Thuringen. 116th Reserve Regiment: 18th Corps - District—Grand Duchy of Hesse.) - - - 1915. - -The 103d Division was formed at the Warthe cantonment in May, 1915, by -taking the 32d Regiment from the 22d Division, the 71st Regiment from -the 38th Division, and the 116th Reserve Regiment from the 25th Reserve -Division. - - -SERBIA. - -1. On May 10, 1915, the 103d Division was sent to a region near the -Serbian frontier and stayed there, together with the 101st Division, -until the end of June, between the Drave and the Save. - - -RUSSIA. - -2. During the summer it appeared on the Russian front and participated -in the offensive of the Linsingen Army—near Lemberg, July 29; near -Sokal, August 16. - -3. It was put at rest at the end of August. - - -SERBIA. - -4. Transferred to southern Hungary (September), it took part in the -Serbian campaign with the Gallwitz Army. It was at Kragujevac in -November and at Nish at the beginning of December. - -5. This expedition having been completed, it stayed at rest at Uskub, -the 71st Infantry going to Veles. - - - 1916. - - -MACEDONIA. - -1. In January, 1916, the 116th Reserve Regiment advanced up to Macedonia -and soon, at the end of February, the 103d Division was on the Greek -frontier (Lake Dorian sector), to the left of the 101st Division, with -which it formed the 4th Reserve Corps. - - -FRANCE. - -2. Entrained for France about April 27. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -3. Detrained at Châtelet sur Retourne about May 6 and was reviewed at -Avançon by the Emperor on the 9th and went into line on the 23d in the -Prosnes-Prunay sector to the east of the 58th Division (these two -divisions forming the 4th Reserve Corps). - - -VERDUN. - -4. The 103d Division left Champagne on June 16 for the Verdun front. It -was engaged on June 22 in the Vaux-Chapitre wood and took part in the -big attack of June 23 on the Souville Fort and the attack of July 11. -During this period (June-July) it suffered very heavy losses. - -5. Relieved at the end of July, it went into line in a sector near -Apremont Forest for a few days (until Aug. 2). - - -CÔTES DE MEUSE. - -6. From the beginning of August to September 15 it occupied the front -along the Côtes de Meuse (Bois des Chevaliers, Vaux les Palameix). - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -7. Transferred to Champagne (Sept. 20), the division took over the -Somme-Py sector, Tahure (until the beginning of October). - - -SOMME. - -8. The 103d Division was next sent to the Somme (detrained at Bohain, -Oct. 8). It was engaged between Bouchavesnes and the St. Pierre-Vaast -wood (Oct. 15 to Nov. 10). The 116th Reserve Regiment was particularly -put to the test. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -9. After a few days’ rest the division came back to Champagne (Nov. 13). -It occupied the Souain sector (Nov. 15 to Jan. 15, 1917). While there -was engaged only in a few local raids. In December and January it -received important reenforcements. - - - 1917. - - -VERDUN. - -1. The 103d Division in January, 1917, went to the Verdun front -(Samogneux-Louvemont). It stayed there four months and was always on the -defensive. - - -CHEMIN DES DAMES. - -2. Relieved on May 23, the division was transferred to the Aisne. It -held the Chemin des Dames sector (Malmaison, Les Bovettes, Panthéon, La -Royère) from May 26 to October 11–12. It only participated in the -attacks of June 6 and July 8 as supporting troops and as a result -suffered but slight losses during that period. - -3. Relieved from the Aisne front on October 11 the 103d Division was -sent to rest in the region of Sissonne. It seems to have been -transferred on October 24 toward the north of the Ailette as an -attacking division. - - -ST. QUENTIN. - -4. After a rest at the end of November and the first two weeks of -December in the vicinity of Origny-Ste. Benoite, the division took over -the sector of Itancourt (Dec. 27–28) near St. Quentin. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 32d Regiment and the 71st Regiment, recruited in Thuringen and -Hesse-Electoral, and the 116th Reserve Regiment in the Grand Duchy of -Hesse. Although the 3d Batallion of the 85th Landwehr was transferred to -the 116th as 3d Batallion of this unit, its recruiting was a great deal -less from the 9th Corps District than from the 18th Corps District. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The showing made by the 103d Division in the conflicts in which it was -engaged warrants its being classed among the good units. Its losses in -1917 were comparatively small. Its strength was gradually made up of -younger men by the transfer from it of the older soldiers. It was -classed as an attack division by the German Command. A secret order of -the 103d Division of September 20, 1917, contains the following: “Our -division, which was specially trained for offensive work, and which is -designated as an attack division (Angriffs division), is, in an -offensive, very superior to the adversary * * *.” - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -1. The division was in line south of St. Quentin on March 21 as the left -division of Von Conta group. It advanced toward Vendeuil without meeting -great resistance and reached there at midnight. The 22d it reached the -Crozat Canal and crossed at Liezon the next day. Placed in reserve on -the 23d, it followed the general advance by Villequier-Aumont (24th), -Quesmy (25th), Lagny (27th). On the 28th the division captured the -Dives-Lassigny road and relieved the 36th Division in that vicinity. It -attacked Plemont on March 30, but was unable to maintain its position -and fell back on April 1, after heavy losses. It was relieved about -April 15. - - -AISNE. - -2. About April 27 the division relieved the 108th Division at Corbeny. -It was still in line when the attack of May 27 started and advanced to -the Marne northwest of Chatillon via Romigny, Vandieres, Bois de -Mareuil. It was relieved by the 22d Division between June 24 and 26. - - -BATTLE OF THE MARNE. - -3. It rested near Fismes until it reentered line about July 14 in the -sector Anthenay-Bois de Trottes. It was engaged until about August 1, -when it was withdrawn from the battle front southwest of Rheims. - - -CHEMIN DES DAMES. - -4. The division rested at Malmaison until August 22, when it was engaged -north of St. Aubin. In that locality it remained in line until about -September 5. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -5. On September 26 the division entered line in Champagne, relieving the -202d Division in the area south of Fontaine en Dornmeois. It received -the full weight of the French attack and in four days in line lost more -than 2,000 prisoners, including 6 battalion commanders. - -6. After three weeks of rest, elements of the division were reengaged -southwest of Longwe on October 24. Other elements were identified in the -sector of the 76th Reserve Division and the 2d Landwehr Division, near -the junction of the American and French Armies. Elements continued to be -identified in this general locality until the armistice. Most of the -division appeared to have been opposed to the French Army. The last -identification was at Sedan. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. At the end its effectives were -greatly reduced. Discontent over their prolonged service in line had -lowered the morale of the division. - - - - - 105th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │209. │21. │209. │21. - │ │122 Fus. │ │122 Fus. - │ │129. │ │129. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │4 Mounted Jag. Rgt. (2 │4 Mounted Jag. Rgt. (Sqns.). - │ Sqns.). │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │209 F. A. Rgt. (7 Btries.). │209 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│209 Pion. Co. │209 Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │105 T. M. Co. - │ │105 Pont. Engs. - │ │105 Tel. Detch. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │209. │21. │209. │21. - │ │129. │ │129. - │ │400. │ │400. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │5 Sqn. 4 Mounted Jag. Rgt. │5 Sqn. 4 Mounted Jag. Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │105 Art. Command: - │ 259 F. A. Rgt. (2 Abts.). │ 259 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 1 Abt. 11 Ft. A. Rgt. - │ │ 901 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1103 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1138 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│105 Pion. Btn.: │105 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 209 Pion. Co. │ 209 Pion. Co. - │ 105 T. M. Co. │ 1 Co. 18 Pions. - │ 412 T. M. Co. │ 105 T. M. Co. - │ 11 Searchlight Section. │ 22 Searchlight Section. - │ 209 Searchlight Section. │105 Signal Command: - │ 105 Tel. Detch. │ 105 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 153 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │105 Ambulance Co. │105 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │363 Field Hospital. │363 Field Hospital. - │364 Field Hospital. │364 Field Hospital. - │365 Field Hospital. │105 Vet. Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │592 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (21st and 129th Regiments: 17th Corps District—Western Prussia. 400th - Regiment: 8th Corps District—Rhine Province.) - - - 1915. - -The 105th Division was formed at Thorn in May, 1915. At the outset it -comprised the 122d Regiment of Fusileers obtained from the 26th Division -(13th Corps District), the 21st Infantry from the 35th Division, and the -129th Infantry from the 36th Division (17th Corps District). - -In 1917 the 400th replaced the 122d Regiment (Wurttemberg). - - -SERBIA. - -1. In June, 1915, the 105th Division appeared on the Serbian front at -the same time as the 101st and 103d Divisions. - - -GALICIA. - -2. At the end of June it was transferred to Galicia via Budapest and -Stry. It participated in the offensive against the Russians on the Gnila -Lipa from June 24 to July 1, on the Zlota Lipa July 20. From Galicia it -went to Poland; fought at Krasnostaw at the end of July and between -Wieprz and the Jaselda until August 20. At the end of August it was on -the Chtchertchev-Brest-Kobryn railway front. - - -SERBIA AND BULGARIA. - -3. Chosen for the Serbian campaign, it again found itself in company -with the 101st and 103d Divisions and went into line on the Serbian -front in October but did not stay there long. While the 122d fusileers -pushed on in the south of this country, the 21st and the 129th entrained -in December for Eastern Bulgaria. - - - 1916. - - -BULGARIA. - -1. Assigned to watch the Roumanian frontier and the coast of the Black -Sea, the 21st went to Varna and the 129th from Choumla to the coast. -This mission did not end until May, 1916. - - -MACEDONIA. - -2. At this time the division was being re-formed in Macedonia, where the -three regiments were again together at the beginning of June. - - -GALICIA. - -3. The June Russian offensive was responsible for its return to Galicia -and at the end of the month it was in Bukovina. The 105th Division -operated in the region of Kolomea (end of June, beginning of July) and -suffered heavy losses. The 122d fusileers reported 26 officers and 1,165 -men out of action. The division next fought in Galicia to the east of -Stanislau in July and August (east of Tlumacz-Tysmienica), to the east -of Halicz in September. - -4. The division remained in the vicinity of Halicz until October. - - -COURLAND. - -5. Relieved from Galicia, the division was sent to Courland, to the -south of Kekkau (October). - -6. On October 20 it took over the sector to the west of Jakobstadt. - - - 1917. - - -JAKOBSTADT. - -1. The 105th Division occupied the Jacobstadt front until November, -1917. In April the 400th Regiment replaced the 122d which was -transferred to the 243d Division (old 8th Ersatz Division), a -Wurttemberg unit. The division took Jacobstadt on September 21. - - -FRANCE. - -2. On November 5 the 105th Division entrained at Mitau and was -transported to France. (Itinerary: Kovno-Koenigsberg-Schneidemuehl- -Berlin-Cassel-Coblenz-Treves-Thionville-Sedan-Mezieres.) It detrained at -Juniville (south of Rethel) on November 11 and rested in this region. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 21st and the 129th were classified as “troops from Western Prussia” -in an official document. Although the 21st was called the 4th -Pomeranian, it was actually recruited for the most part in the Province -of Western Prussia, which was its station in peace time. The 400th was, -by reason of its replacement depot, a Rhenish unit. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 105th Division was first put into line on the French front at the -beginning of January, 1918. It suffered losses in Galicia during the -Summer of 1916. - -Its long stay in the Courland sector had not increased its combat value. - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -1. The division was engaged west of Noyon on April 15 and remained in -that area until May 17, when it was relieved by the 223d Division. -Losses were very considerable in the early part of the division’s -occupation of that sector. - - -NOYON. - -2. It rested north of Noyon until May 31 when it reenforced the Aisne -battle front at Nampcel, east of the Oise. Throughout June it was -engaged in this sector. It attempted a local attack on Moulin sous -Touvent on July 3 without success. In minor operations in June and July -the division lost about 1,000 prisoners. In August it was heavily -engaged and forced back on Noyon, where it was relieved by the 54th -Division about September 1. - -3. The division rested for about three weeks in the area south of Ferte -Chevresis-Montigny sur Crecy. It was engaged at Septvaux about September -27. It fought in the retreat through Fourdrain as far as Mesbrecourt- -Assis sur Serre. It held that sector until the capture of Mesbrecourt on -October 22, after which it took up a position to the north. The division -was in the neighborhood of Pargny wood until November 5. Thereafter it -was identified at Vervins (6th), Voulpaix (7th), north of Wimy (9th). - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. As a sector holding division it -saw almost constant service most of which was in the Noyon area. Its -morale was greatly lowered in November. - - - - - 107th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │213. │52 Res. │213. │52 Res. - │ │227 Res. │ │227 Res. - │ │232 Res. │ │232 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │ (?) │3 Sqn. 1 Uhlan Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │213 F. A. Rgt. (7 Btries.). │213 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│213 Pion. Co. │213 Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │4 Co. 21 Pions. - │ │107 T. M. Co. - │ │107 Pont. Engs. - │ │107 Tel. Detch. - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │213. │52 Res. │ │52 Res. - │ │227 Res. │ │232 Res. - │ │232 Res. │ │448. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 1 Uhlan Rgt. │3 Sqn. 1 Uhlan Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │157 Art. Command: │157 Art. Command: - │ 213 F. A. Rgt. (9 Btries.). │ 213 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 154 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 713 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1283 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1353 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│107 Pion. Btn.: │107 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 213 Pion. Co. │ 4 Co. 21 Pions. - │ 4 Co. 21 Pions. │ 213 Pion. Co. - │ 91 T. M. Co. │ 26 Searchlight Section. - │ 107 T. M. Co. │107 Signal Command: - │ (213) Searchlight Section. │ 107 Tel. Detch. - │ 107 Tel. Detch. │ 128 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │107 Ambulance Co. │107 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │366 Field Hospital (?). │366 Field Hospital. - │166 Vet. Hospital. │97 Res. Field Hospital. - │ │166 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │593 M. T. Col. │593 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (52d Reserve Regiment: 3d Corps District—Brandenburg. 227th Reserve - Regiment: 4th Corps District—Prussian Saxony. 232d Reserve Division: - 10th Corps District—Hanover.) - - - 1915. - -The 107th Division was formed at Glogau in May, 1915, with regiments -transferred from the 49th Reserve Division (227th Reserve Regiment), -from the 50th Reserve Division (232d Reserve Regiment), and from the 5th -Reserve Regiment (52d Reserve Regiment). - - -GALICIA. - -1. The division took part in the battles near Lemberg (June 17–22). - - -RUSSIA. - -2. In July the division was engaged near the Bug, in the vicinity of -Grubeszow (July 19–30). - -3. On July 31 it fought to the northeast of Cholm. It was near Wlodawa -from August 13 to 17. - -4. On August 25 and 26 it participated in the taking of Brest-Litowsk. -It entered Pinsk on September 16. - - -SERBIA. - -5. From Pinsk it operated against Serbia, staying there from the -beginning of October to the end of November, 1915. - - - 1916. - - -COURLAND. - -1. In January, 1916, the division was in reserve in the vicinity of -Dvinsk, where it remained until March 15. - - -POSTAVY-SMORGONI. - -2. On March 18 it took over the sector to the north of Postavy. From May -to June 20 it was near Smorgoni. At the end of the month it was assigned -to meet the Russian offensive in Volhynia. - - -VOLHYNIA. - -3. It was engaged between the Styr and the Stokhod from June 21 until -the middle of July. - -4. In August and September it was still in Volhynia, near the Kovel- -Rovno railway. - - -KOVEL. - -5. The division stayed in this region and occupied the sector west of -Kachovka until the beginning of November, 1917. - - - 1917. - - -FRANCE. - -1. Relieved about November 9, 1917, from the Kovel sector, the 107th -Division entrained on the 13th at Poginski for the Western Front. -(Itinerary: Kovel-Brest-Litovsk-Warsaw-Posen-Frankfort on the Oder- -Berlin-Cassel-Coblenz-Treves-Thionville-Sedan-Charleville-Hirson.) It -detrained east of Cambrai on the 18th. - - -CAMBRAI. - -2. From November 21 on it was engaged to the southwest of Cambrai -(Noyelles-Rumilly). - -3. It was retired from the front about the end of December. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 52d Reserve Regiment remained a Brandenburger regiment, as at time -of its formation. The 227th Reserve Regiment, formed in the 5th Corps -District at the end of 1915, had a majority of effectives from the 4th -Corps District and still received replacements from Prussian Saxony. On -the other hand, the 232d Reserve Regiment, formed in the 4th Corps -District, recruited principally in Hanover (10th Corps District). The -107th Division had hence a heterogeneous organization. - - - 1918. - - -CAMBRAI. - -1. The division remained in line in the Gonnelieu sector until about -February 15, when it was relieved by the 18th Division from “B” Army and -went into reserve. On March 1 it returned and relieved the 18th Division -in its former sector at Gonnelieu. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -2. It was still in line when the offensive of March 21 began and -advanced via Mesnil to Avelny wood under the 39th Corps. It was relieved -on April 16 by the 16th Reserve Division near Anthuille and went to rest -near Cambrai. - -3. On May 16 the division came into line at Morlancourt, relieving the -199th Division, and held that sector until the night of May 23–24. It -rested in the Cambrai area until its return to line at Morlancourt on -the night of June 20–21. It was withdrawn about August 1. - - -THIRD BATTLE OF THE SOMME. - -4. When the British began the attack on August 8 the division hastily -returned to line near Proyart. Until the 28th it was hotly engaged at -Proyart, Mericourt, and Herleville. One thousand seven hundred prisoners -were taken from the division in this fighting. - - -WOEVRE. - -5. On September 3 the division started for Metz to rest. Its destination -was changed and it detrained at Conflans on September 16, marched via -Frianville-Brainville-Allamont-Moulotte to Harville, where it went into -line. The sector was a quiet one, and the battalions were well rested. - - -MEUSE-ARGONNE. - -6. The division left that sector on October 11 and went in trucks from -Conflans to Stenay via Longuyon-Montmedy-Sedan. By way of Dun sur Meuse -the division entered the line on October 14. One regiment had previously -entered line on the 11th. Until the 20th the division was engaged in -resisting without especial success the American attack. Two of the -regiments of the division were out of the line from the 20th to November -1. The total losses of the division up to this time were estimated at -2,100, including 352 prisoners. Two regiments of the division were again -engaged from November 1 to 10 in the Villers area, when the division was -considered withdrawn following a failure to identify it by contact. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. There was evidence that the -morale of the men was low as a result of the heavy casualties that the -division suffered throughout 1918. - - - - - 108th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │(?) │97. │(?) │97. - │ │137. │ │137. - │ │265 Res. │ │265 Res. - │ │ │ 14 Jag. Btn. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Cavalry. │ (?) │1 Res. Drag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │243 F. A. Rgt. (7 Btries.). │243 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│ (?) │1 Res. Co. 1 Pions. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │108 Pont. Engs. - │ │ - │ │108 Tel. Detch. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │885 F. A. Btry. - │ │ - │ │888 F. A. Btry. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918[28] - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │(?) │97. │5. │97. - │ │137. │ │137. - │ │265 Res. │ │265 Res. - │ 14 Jag. Btn. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │6 Sqn. 17 Hus. Rgt. │6 Sqn. 17 Hus. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │(?) Art. Command: - │ 243 F. A. Rgt. (9 Btries.). │ 243 F. A. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(108) Pion. Btn.: │108 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Res. Co. 1 Pions. │ 1 Res. Co. 2 Pion. Btn. No. - │ │ 1. - │ 1 Co. 33 Res. Pion. Btn. │ 1 Co. 33 Res. Pions. - │ 108 T. M. Co. │ 2 Landst. Co. 17 C. Dist. - │ │ Pions. - │ 275 Searchlight Section. │ 275 Searchlight Section. - │ 108 Searchlight Section. │ 108 T. M. Co. - │ 108 Tel. Detch. │ 108 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 108 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │264 Ambulance Co. │264 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │94 Field Hospital. │94 Field Hospital. - │258 Field Hospital. │334 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │197 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │2 Landst. Pion. Co. (17 C. │Attached. - │ Dist.). │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── -Footnote 28: - - Composition at the time of dissolution, October, 1918. - - - HISTORY. - - (97th and 137th Regiments: 21st Corps District—Lorraine. 265th Reserve - Regiment: 9th Corps District—Mecklenburg.) - - - 1915. - -The 108th Division was formed during the summer of 1915 in the Niemen -Army (Scholtz Army) by taking the 137th Infantry from the 31st Division, -the 97th Infantry from the 42d Division, and the 265th Reserve Infantry -from the 80th Reserve Division. It was called the Beckmann Division in -honor of its commanding general before it received the number 108. - - -COURLAND. - -1. About December 1 it went into line to the west of Sventen Lake -(region of Dvinsk). - - - 1916. - - -VOLHYNIA. - -1. In June, 1916, the division was transferred to Volhynia and opposed -the Russian offensive in the vicinity of Svinioukhi. Here it had heavy -losses. On June 16 the 1st Battalion of the 137th Infantry reported 24 -officers and 978 men out of action. (Casualty List). - -2. It was in this sector until its departure for the Western Front -(middle of December, 1917.) - - - 1917. - - -FRANCE. - -1. Entrained on December 12 in the vicinity of Brest-Litowsk. - -2. Detrained near Hirson about December 18 and stayed at rest for three -weeks in the vicinity of Aubenton. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 97th and the 137th of the old 21st Corps were among those regiments -which did not find a sufficient source of recruits in their home -stations and filled up their ranks with soldiers from the Rhine Province -and Westphalia. - -The 265th Reserve Regiment, originally recruited from the Hanseatic -cities, was now principally recruited in Mecklenberg. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 108th Division, coming from Russia, only went in line on the Western -Front on January 1, 1918. - -At the end of January, 1918, the 137th and 97th still had in its ranks -many men from Alsace and Lorraine, which must have been transferred -shortly thereafter. - - - 1918. - - -AISNE. - -1. After having had some training in the Vervins area, the 108th -Division relieved the 5th Reserve Division near Corbeny (northeast of -Craonne) during the night of January 22–23. It was relieved about the -21st of April by the 103d Division. - - -SOMME. - -2. On the 30th it relieved the 9th Bavarian Reserve Division near -Villers-Bretonneux (south of Corbie). During the night of May 19–20 it -extended its front to the south and relieved the jaeger division. It was -relieved by the 41st Division on the 9th of July, and went to rest in -the Cappy area, south of the Somme. - -3. On the 7th of August it relieved the 43d Reserve Division astride the -Somme (west of Bray). The next day the British captured 1576 men from -the division. It was withdrawn from line about the 23d. It went to the -Cambrai region, and was there disbanded—the 137th Regiment was -transferred to the 15th Division, the 97th Regiment to the 202d -Division, and the 265th Reserve Regiment was dissolved. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 108th was rated a third-class division, but considering that -although it was trained in assault tactics (in January) it was not used -in any of the German offensives, and that the only heavy fighting in -which it participated was when it was caught by the British attack of -the 8th of August, where it fought poorly, and also that the 15th and -202d Divisions—the units which received its regiments when it was -disbanded—were second and third class, respectively, this rating seems -to have been too high. - - - - - 109th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │174. │2 Gren. │174. │2 Gren. - │ │26 Res. │ │26 Res. - │ │376. │ │376. - │ │ │ 4 Btn. (57 Ldw. Rgt.). - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Cavalry. │ │98 Cav. Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │227 F. A. Rgt. │227 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│ │1 Ldw. Co. Gd. Pions. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │109 Pont. Engs. - │ │109 Tel. Detch. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918[29] - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │174. │2 Gren. │174. │2 Gren. - │ │26 Res. │ │26 Res. - │ │376. │ │376. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │5 Sqn. 10 Drag. Rgt. │2 Sqn. 10 Drag. Rgt. - │ │5 Sqn. 10 Drag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │ 109 Art. Command: - │ 227 F. A. Rgt. (9 Btries.). │ 227 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 2 Abt. 290 F. A. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(109) Pion. Btn.: │218 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Ldw. Co. Gd. Pions. │ 338 Pion. Co. - │ 2 Ldw. Co. 15 Pions. │ 2 Ldw. Co. 15 C. Dist. - │ │ Pions. - │ 109 T. M. Co. │ 276 Searchlight Section. - │ 276 Searchlight Section. │ 109 T. M. Co. - │ Tel. Detch. │ 109 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │228 Ambulance Co. │373 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │98 Field Hospital. │98 Field Hospital. - │277 Field Hospital. │27 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │109 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │434 M. T. Col. │595 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── -Footnote 29: - - Composition at the time of dissolution, September, 1918. - - - HISTORY. - - (2d Grenadiers: 2d Corps District—Pomerania. 26th Reserve Regiment: 4th - Corps District—Prussian Saxony. 376th Regiment: 1st Corps - District—Eastern Prussia.) - - - 1915. - -The 109th Division was formed in Courland in May, 1915. It obtained the -2d Grenadiers from the 3d Division, which has since then completely -changed its organization. It obtained the 26th Reserve Infantry from the -6th Reserve Division (3d Reserve Corps), and the 2d Ersatz Infantry -Regiment (Koenigsberg), which received the number 376. - - -PONIEVIEJ. - -1. It was a part of the Niemen Army from the time that army was -organized until its departure for the Roumanian front (November, 1916). -In July it was in the vicinity of Ponieviej. - - -JAKOBSTADT. - -2. At the end of October it took a position in front of Jakobstadt. - - - 1916. - - -COURLAND. - -1. In 1916 the 109th Division still occupied the same sector in the -vicinity of Jakobstadt to the southwest of Lievenhof (Buschhof). It -stayed there until November, 1916. - - -ROUMANIA. - -2. Transferred to Roumania, it took part in the campaign, valley of Jiu -(November), southeast of Rimnicu-Sarat (December). In the meanwhile it -headed the troops which entered Bucharest on December 6 (2d Grenadiers). - - - 1917. - - -ROUMANIA-NAMOLOASA. - -With the stabilization of the Roumanian front, the division took a -position near the junction of the Rimnicu in front of Namoloasa -(southeast of Focsani). It held this sector during the entire year 1917. - - - RECRUITING. - -A composite division. The 2d Grenadiers was Pomeranian; the 26th Reserve -Regiment was originally from Prussian Saxony, and the 376th got its -recruits from depots in Eastern Prussia. It first appeared on the -Western Front at the end of March, 1918. - - - 1918. - - -SOMME. - -1. The division came into line on the night of April 27–28 and relieved -the 19th Division west of Hangard. It continued to hold this sector -until August 10. In the first two days of the British attack the -division lost 1,544 prisoners. After its withdrawal the division was -taken to the vicinity of Trelon and disbanded. - -2. The 26th Reserve Regiment was drafted to the 36th Fusileer Regiment -and the 66th Regiment to the 113th Division. The 2d Grenadier Regiment -passed intact from the 109th Division to the 3d Reserve Division. The -376th Regiment was divided among the three regiments of the 1st -Division. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. After about four months in line -on the Somme the losses in casualties and prisoners led to the -dissolution of the division in September. - - - - - 111th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │221. │73 Fus. │221. │73 Fus. - │ │76. │ │76. - │ │164. │ │164. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │3 and 4 Sqn. 22 Dragoon Rgt. │3 and 4 Sqn. 22 Dragoon Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│221 Pion. Co. │221 Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │262 Pion. Co. - │ │111 T. M. Co. - │ │111 Pont. Engs. - │ │111 Tel. Detch. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │221 F. A. Rgt. (7 Btries.). │221 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │221. │73 Fus. │221. │73. - │ │76. │ │76. - │ │164. │ │164. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 22 Dragoon Rgt. │4 Sqn. 22 Drag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(111) Pion. Btn.: │111 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 221 Pion. Co. │ 221 Pion. Co. - │ 262 Pion. Co. │ 262 Pion. Co. - │ 111 T. M. Co. │ 111 T. M. Co. - │ 221 Searchlight Section. │ 199 Searchlight Section. - │ 111 Tel. Detch. │111 Signal Command: - │ │ 111 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 19 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │111 Art. Command: │111 Art. Command: - │ 221 F. A. Rgt. (9 Btries.). │ 94 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 2 Abt. 25 Ft. A. Rgt. (5 and - │ │ 7 Btries.). - │ │ 702 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 758 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1341 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │111 Ambulance Co. │111 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │370 Field Hospital. │370 Field Hospital. - │371 Field Hospital. │371 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │111 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (73d Fusileers, 164th Regiment: 10th Corps District—Hanover. 76th - Regiment: 9th Corps District—Hanseatic cities.) - - - 1915. - -The 111th Division was formed near Brussels on March 26, 1915, by -obtaining the 73d Fusileers from the 19th Division, the 164th Infantry -from the 20th Division, and the 76th Regiment from the 17th Division. - - -COTES DE MEUSE. - -1. About the middle of April, 1915, the 111th Division was in line along -the Cotes de Meuse (Calonne, Hattonchatel trench) after having detrained -on April 11 at Mars la Tour. - - -ARTOIS. - -2. In August it was transferred to Artois (Monchy au Bois sector). - - - 1916. - -1. The 111th Division stayed on the Artois front until August, 1916. - - -SOMME. - -2. About August 21 it was relieved and sent to the north of the Somme. -Engaged near Guillemont and Guinchy, it suffered serious losses (Aug. -25-Sept. 6). - - -COTES DE MEUSE. - -3. After a few days’ rest in the Cambrai region it was put into line -near Cotes de Meuse (Bois de Chevaliers, Sept. 15) and stayed there -until October 26. It was brought up to strength by the addition of 2,000 -replacements. - - -SOMME. - -4. At the end of October it was brought back to the Somme. At first it -was at rest in the region of Bohain and then took over a sector between -Bouchavesnes and the St. Pierre-Vaast wood. - - - 1917. - -1. In January, 1917, it was south of the Somme near Barleux, from which -position it was relieved a short time before it fell back on the -Hindenberg Line. - - -HINDENBURG LINE. - -2. It occupied the Bellicourt sector (north of St. Quentin) from May 10 -to about June 24. On May 7 and 15 it received 600 replacements (classes -of 1917 and 1918) to make up the losses sustained on April 27 at Arleux -en Gohelle. - -3. The division was then put at rest for a month in the vicinity of -Cambrai. - - -YPRES. - -4. It entrained on July 25 and 26 and was transported to Flanders, where -it was engaged on the 27th and 28th to the north of Ypres(Boesinghe- -Steenstraat). It met the artillery preparation and the attack of July -31, which caused it considerable losses. It was relieved the very night -of the attack and was temporarily reorganized at Bohain. - - -LORRAINE. - -5. Sent to Lorraine, it took the Regnieville sector (west of Pont à -Mousson) about August 20; rested and reorganized. - - -FLANDERS. - -6. It left this sector on October 14 to return to Flanders -(Poelcappelle). It detrained on the 16th at Alost and was engaged from -the 22d to the 26th and relieved November 4. - - -ARTOIS. - -7. From the end of November to January 8, 1918, it held the Monchy le -Preuxen-Vis en Artois sector (southeast of Arras). The division received -the remaining necessary replacements; the 73d Fusileers received, on -December 24, 400 men between the ages of 20 and 35, taken from the -Russian front (especially from the 15th Landwehr Division). - - - RECRUITING. - -The 76th Infantry was a Hanseatic unit while the 73d Fusileers was a -Hanoverian organization. As men from the 9th Corps District quite -frequently served in regiments from the 10th Corps District and -reciprocally, in case of necessity, the regiments of a division drew -without distinction from either source, it was to be expected that the -111th Division was termed as “regiments of Lower Saxony.” - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 111th Division, which was considered a good unit, was sorely tried -in Flanders by the Franco-British attack of July 31, 1917. Many men left -their formations either when going into line or under bombardment. The -division stayed but four days in line and had to be relieved without -having been able to counterattack. The 111th Division was composed of -young men, part of whom had experience in very active sectors. - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -1. The division was relieved by the 234th Division at Arleux about the -1st of March. It remained in rear of the front until March 21 when it -returned to its former sector to attack east of St. Leger. It had been -resting at Auberchicourt, which place it left on the 17th and marched -via Palluel to Villers lez Cagnicourt, arriving there on March 20. - -The division was in the first wave of the attack and advanced via -Ecoust, then south to Vaulx-Vraucourt on the 22d, Mory (24th). It passed -into second line about this time and reentered line north of -Hamelincourt on April 1 to relieve the 26th Division. After a week it -side-slipped south and relieved the 239th Division northeast of Ayette, -which sector it held until April 20. It was relieved by the 234th -Division. - -2. On May 6 the division relieved the 5th Bavarian Division north of -Bucquoy. It continued to hold this sector until August 17, when it was -relieved by the 4th Bavarian Division. - - -THIRD BATTLE OF THE SOMME. - -3. The division taken from the comparatively quiet Bucquoy sector was -used to reenforce the battle front at Favreuil on August 25. It was only -engaged four days in this sector. Withdrawn on the 29th, it moved -northward and on September 2 reenforced the front east of Hendecourt. It -fought then for three days before it was withdrawn. In these two brief -periods in line the division suffered very heavy casualties besides -losing 500 prisoners. - - -LENS. - -4. The division rested in the Tourcoing area until it reentered line -south of Acheville on the night of September 24–25 in relief of the -207th Division. It was engaged here until October 11, when the 49th -Reserve Division relieved it east of Lens. - -5. The division rested in the Douchy-Haspres area in support until -October 18, when it moved to Artres and came into line on the night of -October 20–21 at Monchaux sur Ecaillon. Until November 7 the division -was constantly in line. It was near Vendegies until October 24, and -later at Arties (28th), Farmars (29th), Jenlain (Nov. 2), Sebourg (4th), -west of Risin (5th), and near St. Amand (5th). It was out of line at the -armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. It was used as an assault -division on the Somme in March, but thereafter served as an intervention -division in the Somme area. The division showed considerable power of -resistance. - - - - - 113th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │225. │36 Fus. │225. │36 Fus. - │ │48. │ │48. - │ │32 Res. │ │32 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │ (?) │3 Sqn. 8 Cuirassier Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │225 F. A. Rgt. (7 Btries.) │225 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│225 Pion. Co. │225 Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │251 Pion. Co. - │ │252 Pion. Co. - │ │113 T. M. Co. - │ │113 Pont. Engrs. - │ │113 Tel. Detch. - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │114 Anti-Aircraft Section. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │225. │36 Fus. │225. │36 Fus. - │ │66. │ │66. - │ │32 Res. │ │27. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 8 Cuirassier Rgt. │3 Sqn. 8 Cuirassier Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art Command: │225 F. A. Rgt. - │ 225 F. A. Rgt. │407 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │1089 Light Am. Col. - │ │1172 Light Am. Col. - │ │1200 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│113 Pion. Btn.: │113 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 225 Pion. Co. │ 225 Pion. Co. - │ 251 Pion. Co. │ 251 Pion. Co. - │ 112 T. M. Co. │ 113 T. M. Co. - │ 113 T. M. Co. │ 67 Searchlight Section. - │ (226) Searchlight Section. │113 Signal Command: - │ 113 Pont. Engs. │ 113 Tel. Detch. - │ 113 Tel. Detch. │ 51 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │212 Ambulance Co. │212 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │372 Field Hospital. │372 Field Hospital. - │373 Field Hospital. │373 Field Hospital. - │113 Vet. Hospital. │113 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │597 M. T. Col. │597 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (4th Corps District—Prussian Saxony and part of Thuringe.) - - - 1915. - -The 113th division was organized near Sedan on March 26, 1915. Its three -infantry regiments were taken from old divisions: the 48th from the 5th -Division (3d Corps District-Brandenburg), the 36th from the 8th Division -(4th Corps District-Prussian Saxony), and the 32d Reserve from the 22d -Reserve Division (11th Corps District-Thuringe). - -In March, 1917, the 48th was replaced by the 66th Regiment (old 7th -Division from Prussian Saxony) taken from the 52d Division. - -1. Detraining at Conflans on April 8, the division spent a few days in -the Woevre. - - -CÔTES DE MEUSE. - -2. It appeared along the Côtes de Meuse (Calonne trench) on April 26, -1915. - -3. From that date until January 14, 1916, it stayed around the Côtes de -Meuse and in Woevre-Calonne trench, Ailly wood, St. Mihiel, Eparges, and -Bois Bouchot. - - - 1916. - -1. January and February, 1916, rested at Brainville and Conflans. - - -VERDUN. - -2. On February 24 the 113d Division was transferred to the Verdun front. -It participated in the attacks of the 8th and 9th of March against the -village of Douaumont and suffered considerable losses. In six weeks -spent around Douaumont the losses are said to have been 30 officers and -2,000 men put out of action (letter). - - -OISE. - -3. Relieved at the beginning of April it was put into line in a calm -sector—region of Soissons, then in the region of the Oise (Tracy le Val, -Puisaleine). - - -SOMME. - -4. In July, at the beginning of the Franco-British offensive, it -detached some of its elements in the Somme (Peronne, July 1, then at -Frise, Assevillers, and Belloy). The three rest battalions of the -division formed in an emergency an assembled regiment (notebook). - -5. After a new stay in the Soissons region (August and September) the -whole division was again engaged in the Somme between Rancourt and the -St. Pierre-Vaast wood. It suffered very heavy losses near Bouchavesnes -(Oct. 1–10). - -6. At rest from October 14 to 21 in Woevre. - - -CÔTES DE MEUSE. - -7. At the end of October, the 113th Division took over the Bonzee- -Ronvaux sector (Côtes de Meuse). - - - 1917. - -1. The 113th Division stayed around the Côtes de Meuse until the end of -January, 1917. - - -ALSACE. - -2. At the beginning of February it went into Alsace and occupied a -sector between the Thur and the Rhone-Rhine canal (March). - - -CHEMIN DES DAMES. - -3. On April 21 it was hastily entrained at Mulhouse and transferred to -the Aisne. It went into line on the 26th at Chemin des Dames and met the -second French offensive in the Courtecon-Malval farm region (May 5). - - -ST. GOBAIN FOREST. - -4. Relieved in the middle of May, it stayed at rest for six days in the -vicinity of Assis sur Serre and thereafter in a sector in the St. Gobain -forest (Deuillet-Fresnes). - -5. On August 10 it was put at rest behind Laon. - - -CRAONNE. - -6. It went back into line at the end of September in the Craonne sector. -As a result of the French offensive it fell back to the east of -Hurtebise where it was relieved about November 10. - -7. It rested in the Laon region from the middle of November to January -20. - - - RECRUITING. - -In 1917 the division took on a distinctly provincial aspect, its -regiments receiving replacements from Prussian Saxony (the 36th -Fusileers and the 66th Infantry) and in Thuringe (the 32d Reserve -Regiment). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 113th Division was a good unit. It put up an energetic resistance on -the Chemin des Dames on May 5, 1917. From that time up to the offensive -of March, 1918, it had not been seriously engaged. - - - 1918. - -1. Having finished its training in the Sissonne region, the 113th -Division relieved the 235th Division about the middle of January in the -Juvincourt sector (east of Craonne), and was itself relieved by the 5th -Reserve Division on the 21st of February. It trained for a week at -Vervins, and then moved to Wassigny, where it underwent more training -until the 16th of March, when it marched via Bohain and Fonsommes to -Bellicourt. - - -ST. QUENTIN. - -2. On the 21st it attacked in the first line near Maissemy (northwest of -St. Quentin). Although suffering very heavy losses, the division had -succeeded in pushing on as far as St. Christ-Briost and Pargny (on the -Somme) on the 24th. It was withdrawn shortly after (probably on the -26th). - - -AISNE. - -3. On the 27th of May the division reenforced the Aisne front near -Craonne and attacked in the first line. It was withdrawn about the 14th -of June and went to rest near Conde sur Aisne (east of Soissons). - -4. The division reenforced the front near Troissy (east of Dormans) on -the 15th of July. It was caught in the confusion caused by the Allied -counteroffensive, and was forced to retire. It was not identified after -the 22d, and so it seems as though it was not in line after that date -until prisoners were again taken on the 29th near Villers-Agron -(southeast of Fere en Tardenois), which is in a line almost due north of -where it had previously been engaged. Here it took over the part of the -line previously held by the 2d Guard Division. It was withdrawn early in -August and went to rest in the region southeast of Maubeuge. - - -CAMBRAI. - -5. On the 10th of September the division reenforced the front near Metz -en Couture (southwest of Cambrai). It was withdrawn from line near -Villers-Plouich (southwest of Cambrai) after having lost over 1,600 -prisoners about the 2d of October, and went to rest east of Denain. - -6. On the 22d it came back into line near Douchy (south of Denain). Two -days later it side-slipped toward the south. It was identified in line -to the north of Le Quesnoy in November, but was withdrawn a day or two -later. It did not return to line. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 113th was rated as a second-class division. Although the division -commander received Pour le Merite and the commander of the 36th Regiment -was also decorated after the battle of the Somme, the division does not -appear to have particularly distinguished itself there. On the whole, -however, its conduct though not brilliant was dependable. - - - - - 115th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │229. │136. │229. │136. - │ │171. │ │171. - │ │40 Res. │ │40 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │1 and 2 Sqn. 22 Dragoon Rgt. │1 and 2 Sqn. 22 Dragoon Rgt. - │ (one-half picked troops). │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │229 F. A. Rgt. (7 Btries.). │229 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│229 Pion. Co. │229 Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │115 T. M. Co. - │ │115 Pont. Engs. - │ │115 Tel. Detch. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │229. │136. │229. │136. - │ │171. │ │171. - │ │40 Res. │ │173. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 22 Dragoon Rgt. │2 Sqn. 22 Dragoon Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │115 Art. Command: - │ 229 F. A. Rgt. │ 229 Field Art. Rgt. - │ │ 94 Foot Art. Btn. - │ │1074, 1077, and 1078 Light - │ │ Mun. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(115) Pion. Btn. │43 Pion. Btn. - Liaisons. │ │ - │229 Pion. Co. │229 Pion. Co. - │2 Co. 33 Res. Pion. │2 Co. Res. Pion. Btn. No. 33. - │115 T. M. Co. │115 T. M. Co. - │229 Searchlight Section. │74 Searchlight Section. - │115 Tel. Detch. │115 Div. Signal Command. - │ │115 Tel. Detch. - │ │89 Div. Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │115 Ambulance Co. │115 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │350 Field Hospital. │376 and 377 Field Hospitals. - │376 Field Hospital. │167 Vet. Hospital. - │377 Field Hospital. │ - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │598 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (136th and 171st Regiments: 15th Corps District—Alsace. 40th Reserve - Regiment: 14th Corps District—Grand Duchy of Baden.) - - - 1915. - -Formed in April, 1915, near Tournai, the 115th Division received the -136th and 171st from the 30th and 39th Divisions (15th Corps), -respectively, and the 40th Reserve Regiment from the 28th Reserve -Division (14th Reserve Corps). - -1. In April, 1915, the 115th Division was in reserve in the Tournai- -Courtrai region. - - -ARTOIS. - -2. In May it was sent as a reenforcement to the north of Arras and -fought at Notre Dame de Lorette and Neuville St. Vaast and was sorely -tried. The infantry losses amounted to 128 officers and 5,208 men out of -action (Casualty List), of which 47 officers and 2,258 men belonged to -the 171st Regiment. - - -AISNE. - -3. Relieved about June 15, the 115th Division took over the Missy sur -Aisne sector (east of Soissons), which it occupied until the last days -of July. - - -RUSSIA. - -4. At the end of July it was transferred to the Eastern Front, and for a -time in August operated on the Narew. - -5. It took part in the summer offensive. It was before Kovno on August -19, in the region of Vileiki at the end of September, and near Narotch -Lake at the beginning of October. - - - 1916. - - -POSTAVY-NAROTCH LAKE. - -1. The 115th Division occupied the Postavy-Narotch Lake sector until the -beginning of August, 1916. - - -GALICIA. - -2. About August 2 the division was transferred to Galicia. It was -engaged to the west of Zalosce (south of Brody), August to September. - - -VOLHYNIA. - -3. In October it was in line in Volhynia to the west of Loutsk -(Sviniouki). The 171st was kept to the southwest of Brody with the -Melior detachment. - - -ROUMANIA. - -4. In the middle of December the 115th Division was transferred from -Volhynia to Roumania, where, together with the 109th Division, it made -up the 54th Corps, which operated between Buzeu and the Danube. - - - 1917. - - -ROUMANIA. - -1. In January, 1917, the 115th Division took a position on the Roumanian -front to the south of Namoloasa and stayed in this sector until the -middle of August. - -2. It was then in line to the north of Focsani, in the Panciu-Marasesti -region (August-December). - - - RECRUITING. - -The Grand Duchy of Baden and the Rhenish countries supplied the greater -part of the recruits. - - - 1918. - -1. The division was relieved on the Roumanian front on February 1 by an -Austrian division and rested in the Braila area during February and -March. On April 8 it entrained and traveled via Budapest-Vienna-Prague- -Dresden-Coblenz-Cologne-Aachen-Liege-Brussels to Lille, when it -detrained about April 18. About the 21st the division reentrained and -was railed to Antwerp, where it went through a course of intensive -training. - - -BATTLE OF THE MARNE. - -The division left Antwerp on May 21 and traveled via Brussels-Mons- -Maubeuge-Le Cateau-Bohain, detraining north of St. Quentin on May 22. -Four days later it continued its journey by rail to Versigny, southeast -of La Fere, and was billeted in the Crepy area until May 29. On the -following day it left and marched via Chaillevoois-Vailly (May 31)- -Ambrief (June 1)-Villers-Helon (2d) and relieved the 37th Division near -Longpont on the Aisne battle front on the night of June 2–3. It -withstood the Allied counterthrust at Corcy in July, suffering heavy -losses. It was relieved on the night of July 19–20. - - -VERDUN. - -2. The division was moved to Brieulles and in the first days of August -relieved the 22d Reserve Division in the sector Malancourt-Forges. In -this vicinity it remained until September 19, when it was relieved by -the 7th Reserve Division. - - -MEUSE-ARGONNE. - -3. On the second day of the American attack the division returned to -bolster up the line in the Gesnes area. The division now included the -173d Regiment, which came from the 223d Division (dissolved) to supplant -the 40th Reserve Regiment (disbanded). The division took part in the -several captures and recaptures of Gesnes. It fought hard and suffered -heavy losses before its relief on October 12 by the 3d Guard Division. -Two days later it came back to support the 3d Guard Division and was -engaged in the fighting around Romagne until October 18. On November 1 -the division again came into line near Remonville and fought until the -armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. It was badly hit on July 18 by -the French attack and later in the Argonne. It showed good qualities in -the Meuse fighting and was mentioned in the official German communiqué. - - - - - 117th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │233. │157. │233. │157. - │ │11 Res. │ │11 Res. - │ │22 Res. │ │22 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │ (?) │1 and 2 Sqn. 8 Cuirassier - │ │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │233 F. A. Rgt. (7 Btries.). │233 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│233 Pion. Co. │233 Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │117 T. M. Co. - │ │117 Pont. Engs. - │ │117 Tel. Detch. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │233. │157. │233. │11. - │ │11 Res. │ │157. - │ │22 Res. │ │450. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 8 Cuirassier Rgt. │1 Sqn. 8 Cuirassier Rgt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │233 F. A. Rgt. - │ 233 F. A. Rgt. │88 Foot Art. Btn. - │ │1068, 1069, and 1070 Light - │ │ Mun. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(117) Pion. Btn.: │117 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 233 Pion. Co. │ 233 Pion. Co. - │ 263 Pion. Co. │ 263 Pion. Co. - │ 117 T. M. Co. │ 117 T. M. Co. - │ 233 Searchlight Section. │ 147 Searchlight Section. - │ 117 Tel. Detch. │117 Div. Signal Command: - │ │ 117 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 187 Div. Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │117 Ambulance Co. │117 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │379 Field Hospital. │378 and 379 Field Hospitals. - │380 Field Hospital. │117 Vet. Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │6 Mountain Art. Btry. │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (6th Corps District—Silesia.) - - - 1915. - -The 117th Division was created by the 7th Army near Liart about April 7, -1915. Its three regiments were obtained from the 6th Corps and the 6th -Reserve Corps—the 157th Infantry from the 12th Division, the 11th -Reserve Regiment from the 11th Reserve Division, and the 22d Reserve -Regiment from the 12th Reserve Division. - -1. In April, 1915, the 117th Division was in Champagne (region of -Châtelet). - - -ARTOIS-NOTRE DAME DE LORETTE. - -2. Transferred to Artois, it was engaged to the north of Souchez and at -Notre Dame de Lorette (May and June). In this fighting it was hard hit, -107 officers and 5,255 men out of action, of whom 44 officers and 2,161 -men belong to the 11th Infantry. (Casualty List.) - -3. The division was re-formed at the end of June in the region of Lille. - - -LENS. - -4. Toward the middle of July it went back into line to the northwest of -Lens (from Vermelles to the Grenay-Lens railway). It suffered very heavy -losses in the attacks occurring at the end of September and the -beginning of October (Loos)—109 officers and 6,463 men out of action. -(Casualty List.) - -5. Taken away from the Artois front in the middle of October, it was put -at rest in the vicinity of Roubaix-Tourcoing. - - -FLANDERS. - -6. At the end of October it took over the Messines sector. - - - 1916. - -1. The 117th Division occupied the Messines front until the beginning of -March, 1916. - -2. Rest at Courtrai; instruction and training at the Beverloo Camp -(March-April and May). - - -YPRES. - -3. At the beginning of June the division went into line to the east of -Ypres (near the road from Ypres to Menin, and until July 20). - - -SOMME. - -4. On July 23 it went to the Somme (Pozieres); it was engaged from the -end of July to the middle of August. - -5. On August 17 the division entrained for the Eastern Front. - - -BUKOVINA. - -6. It was identified in the Carpathian Mountains as part of the 3d -Austro-Hungarian Army (region of Jablonica, October). - - - 1917. - - -CARPATHIAN MOUNTAINS. - -1. The 117th Division remained here (Jablonica, Worochta, Koeroesmezoe, -Jacobeni sectors) until the middle of May, 1917. - - -ROUMANIA. - -2. At the end of May it was transferred via Maramaros-Sziget to the -Roumanian front (Putna valley, region of Ocna, June-September). At rest -in Transylvania in September and was there reequipped for mountain -warfare. - - -ITALY. - -3. Sent to Italy at the beginning of October, it was on the 24th behind -Tolmino as an army reserve. In December it was on the left bank of the -Piave. - - - RECRUITING. - -Silesian division, with recruits coming especially from Upper Silesia -(mining district and mountainous districts), it was used on several -occasions as mountain troops (Carpathians, Italy). - -On the Carpathian, Roumanian, and Italian fronts (August, 1916-March, -1918). - - - 1918. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. The division rested in the vicinity of Vahl-Ebersing until April 6, -when it entrained at St. Avold and moved to Lille. It went into billets -near there on the 7th and came into line near Neuve Eglise on April 13. - - -BATTLE OF THE LYS. - -2. It was engaged in the Bailleul, Kemmel, and La Clyette area until the -1st of May. After a few days in support, the division reentered west of -Dranoutre on May 4 and held that sector until mid-May. - -3. The division rested near La Madeleine. Its units were very much -weakened. The 11th Reserve Regiment was disbanded about May 16 and -transferred its effectives to the other two regiments of the division. -It was replaced by the 11th Grenadier Regiment, which was brought from -the Macedonian front about May 21. The division remained at rest until -about June 3, when it was again reported in line near Voormezeele. - - -BATTLE OF THE SOMME. - -4. The division held that sector without event until June 25, when it -was withdrawn and sent to rest near Ghent. On August 4 it was moved by -rail to Peronne, where it went into the Vrely-Hangest wood sector until -August 18. In the British attack south of the Somme on August 8 the -division lost about 2,700 prisoners. - -On August 27 it reenforced the battle front at Maricourt for a couple of -days. It was withdrawn about September 1. - - -ARGONNE. - -5. The division rested and was reconstituted in rear of the Argonne -front in early September. The 22d Reserve Regiment suffered so heavily -on the Somme that it was dissolved and its men divided between the other -two regiments. The 450th Regiment from the dissolved 233d Division -replaced the 22d Reserve Regiment in the division. - -6. About September 12, the division relieved the 37th Division in line -near Avocourt. It was swamped in the first drive of the American Army on -September 26. Elements kept up the fight until September 29, when they -were withdrawn after having been pressed back to about Cierges. Its -defense was not particularly vigorous, but was better than that of the -divisions on either side. Its total losses were estimated at 3,200, -including 1,861 prisoners. - - -MEUSE. - -7. On November 2 the division returned to line just west of the Meuse. -While resting at Juvigny the division received replacements. In the -retreat it crossed to the east bank of the Meuse and was in line on the -day of the armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second-class. Up to the middle of June the -division seems to have been a holding rather than an attacking one. -After the Somme battle in August its effectives were feeble and morale -low. It had many older men, returned wounded, and convalescents, and a -large number of Poles and Alsatians. - - - - - 119th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │237. │46. │237. │46. - │ │58. │ │58. - │ │46 Res. │ │46 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │ │Wedel. Rgt. (1 and 3 Sqn. 1 - │ │ Uhlan Rgt. and 4 Sqn. 1 - │ │ Mounted Jag. Rgt.). - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │237 F. A. Rgt. (7 Btries.). │237 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│237 Pion. Co. │237 Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │119 T. M. Co. - │ │119 Pont. Engs. - │ │119 Tel. Detch. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │237. │46. │237. │46. - │ │58. │ │58. - │ │46 Res. │ │46 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 1 Mounted Jag. Rgt. │4 Sqn. 1 Jag. z. Pf. - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │119 Art. Command: │119 Artillery Command: - │ 237 F. A. Rgt. (9 Btries.). │ 237 Field Art. Rgt. - │ │ 2 Abt. 27 Foot Art. Rgt. - │ │ (Btries. 5 to 7). - │ │ 1274, 1275, and 1338 Light - │ │ Mun. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│119 Pion. Btn.: │119 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 237 Pion. Co. │273 Pion. Co. - │ 273 Pion. Co. │91 Searchlight Section. - │ 3 Res. Co. 32 Pion. Btn. │119 Div. Signal Command. - │ 119 T. M. Co. │119 Tel. Detch. - │ 237 Searchlight Section. │65 Div. Wireless Detch. - │ 119 Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │119 Ambulance Co. │119 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │605 Ambulance Co. │382 and 383 Field Hospitals. - │381 Field Hospital. │168 Vet. Hospital. - │382 Field Hospital. │ - │383 Field Hospital. │ - │168 Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │600 M. T. Col. │600 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │16, 17, 60, and 61 (?) Light │ - │ Machine Gun Sections. │ - │79 M. G. S. S. Detch. │ - │1 Co. 3 T. M. Btn. │ - │352 Pion. Mining Co. │ - │Kortemarck Pion. Park. │ - │Strovendorp Pion. Park. │ - │57 Ft. Art. Btn. │ - │157 Ft. Art. Btn. │ - │5 Btry. 7 Res. Ft. A. Rgt. │ - │404 Ft. Art. Btn. │ - │5 Btry. 39 Ldw. Ft. A. Rgt. │ - │6 Btry. 29 Ldw. Ft. A. Rgt. │ - │8 Quick-firing Mortar Co. │ - │182 Ft. A. Btry. │ - │187 Ft. A. Btry. │ - │428 Ft. A. Btry. │ - │478 and 642 Mountain Ft. Art.│ - │ Btries. │ - │2 and 4 Mountain Ft. Art. │ - │ Btries. (18 C. Dist.) │ - │1,000 Ft. Art. Btry. │ - │9 Art. Survey Section. │ - │819 Tel. Detch. │ - │62 Div. Wireless Detch. │ - │21 Pigeon Loft. │ - │218 Messenger-dog Detch. │ - │48 Reconnaissance Sqns. │ - │26 Combat Sqn. │ - │30 Balloon Sqn. │ - │4 Co. 44 Labor Btn. │ - │3 Co. 53 Labor Btn. │ - │4 Co. 122 Labor Btn. │ - │61 Supply Train. │ - │19, 108, 121 Bav. and 835 M. │ - │ T. Col. │ - │491 Ammunition Train. │ - │682, 711, and 758 Truck │ - │ Trains. │ - │587 Supply Train. │ - │571 Depot Supply Col. │ - │119 Supply Depot. │ - │ (According to a captured │ - │ document dated Sept. 29, │ - │ 1917.) │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (5th Corps District—Posen and Lower Silesia.) - - - 1915. - - -GALICIA-POLAND. - -1. Formed in April, 1915. Its three regiments were obtained from -divisions belonging to the 5th Army—the 46th from the 10th Division, the -58th from the 9th Division, and the 46th Reserve from the 10th Reserve -Division. Assembled in annexed Lorraine, it was sent to Galicia for the -April German offensive. The division took part in the battle of Gorlice -at the end of the month. - -2. In July it was in Poland, west of the Wieprz, and at the end of -October in the region of Baranovitchi. - - - 1916. - - -BARANOVITCHI. - -1. In January, 1916, the division held a sector to the east of -Baranovitchi (Russia). - - -NAROTCH LAKE. - -2. About March 28 it went to Narotch Lake and opposed the Russian -offensive. - -3. Sorely tried on March 30, it was relieved on April 7. - - -SMORGONI. - -4. In May it was found at the west of Smorgoni. - - -GALICIA. - -5. It was transferred to Galicia at the end of June at the time of the -Russian offensive. Engaged on July 27, it suffered heavy losses. The 1st -Battalion of the 58th was almost entirely captured and the division -retired 15 km. (letter). On August 7 new losses at Tlumacz. The division -was placed in reserve behind Stanislau until the beginning of September. -On September 6 it reappeared on the front in the region of Halicz. - - - 1917. - - -GALICIA. - -1. The division stayed near Halicz until March 9, 1917. It was then sent -to the vicinity of Brzezany, where it was almost immediately put in -reserve. - -2. At the beginning of May it was sent to the Western Front. (Itinerary: -Brzezany (May 3)-Lemberg-Breslau-Liegnitz-Dresden-Leipzig-Cassel- -Frankfort-Aix la Chapelle-Liége-Brussels-Roulers (May 8).) - - -FLANDERS. - -3. Ypres sector; went into line at the beginning of June and was -relieved on July 18. - -4. Bixschoote sector; went into line at the beginning of August. The -division met the attack in Flanders, in which it suffered serious losses -on August 16. The 9th Company of the 58th Infantry was reduced to 38 men -(notebook). On the 9th and 10th of October there were new engagements. - -5. Relieved from the front on October 15 the division rested in the -vicinity of Gand. - - -CAMBRAI. - -6. After a month’s rest the 119th Division went into line on the Cambrai -front to participate in the counterattacks which followed the surprise -attack of November 20. It fought here from the 23d to the 27th, not -without some losses. - -7. Relieved after December 6, the division was reorganized in the -vicinity of Solesmes. - - - RECRUITING. - -This division recruited from the 5th Corps District. A document dated -November 23, 1917, described the division as composed of “regiments of -Lower Silesia and Posen.” In order to overcome the majority of Poles, -the division received recruits from the 3d and 6th Corps Districts -(Brandenburg and Silesia), which were fruitful sources of recruiting. - -Twenty-one per cent of the prisoners taken from the 119th Division in -August, 1917, belonged to the 1917 class. The 1918 class was meagerly -represented. The 46th Reserve Regiment had a large proportion of Poles. -The soldiers from Alsace-Lorraine remained on the Eastern Front when the -division left Galicia (May, 1917). - - - 1918. - -1. About the end of January the division was relieved near Pronville by -the 20th Division. It replaced the 3d Guard Division astride the -Bapaume-Cambrai road about February 12. The date of its relief in this -sector is not known. A captured diary shows that the division was -training in the Helesmes area (north of Denain) until the middle of -March. On the 16th it marched to Noyelles sur Selle, and on the -following day reached Cambrai, where it remained until March 20. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -2. The division came into line near Inchy on the 21st and took part in -the initial attack. It was withdrawn on the 23d and rested two days. It -reappeared in line on the 25th and fought southeast of Hebuterne until -relieved by the 5th Bavarian Reserve Division on April 7–8. The division -lost heavily in this fighting. - - -BATTLE OF THE LYS. - -3. Withdrawn from the Somme, the division reentered the Lys battle line -on April 26 near Locon. It was engaged there until early in May (6th), -when it was withdrawn near Hinges and rested in the area Lille-Tournai -until June 11. On that date it marched to Orchies, was railed to Le -Forest, and from there came into line via Noyelles, relieving the 12th -Reserve Division on the night of June 13–14. While at rest the division -received a number of drafts, mostly of the 1919 class. - -4. The division held the Mericourt sector until the night of July 12–13, -when it was relieved by the 52d Division and took over the billets of -the 52d Division in the Orchies area. - -5. The division rested until August 1, when it moved to Ham via Douai- -Cambrai-Caudry-Bohain-St. Quentin. Then it rested until August 8, when -it was alarmed and rushed up in busses to the Le Quesnel sector. - - -BATTLE OF THE SOMME. - -6. On August 9 the division was engaged south of the Somme. In the -fighting it lost about 900 prisoners before its relief on August 17. On -August 27–28 it returned to line in the Misery-Licourt sector and -remained in line until September 24, when it was withdrawn from west of -Bellenglise. After a week’s rest the division reentered line at Estrees; -was engaged for 17 days in the Beaurevoir-Le Cateau area. Since August 8 -it has lost nearly 3,000 prisoners. - -YPRES. - -7. The division rested at Ghent until October 27, when it relieved the -3d Landwehr Division south of Machelen. It retreated via Olsene to -Nazareth, in which area it was withdrawn about November 9. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. It was used as an attack -division in the March and April offensives. While on the defensive in -August and September on the Somme it was decimated. - - - - - 121st Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │241. │60. │241. │60. - │ │7 Res. │ │7 Res. - │ │56 Res. │ │56 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │2 and 3 Sqns. 12 Horse Jag. │12 Horse Jag. Rgt. (? 2 - │ Rgt. │ Sqns.). - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │241 F.A. Rgt. │241 F.A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│241 Pion. Co. │241 Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │260 Pion. Co. - │ │4 Co. 27 Pions. - │ │121 T. M. Co. - │ │121 Pont. Engs. - │ │121 Tel. Detch. - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │Labor Btn. of the 121 Div. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │241. │60. │241. │60. - │ │7 Res. │ │7 Res. - │ │56 Res. │ │56 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 12 Horse Jag. Rgt. │2 Sqn. 12 Jag. z. Pf. - │ (?). │ - │2 Sqn. 12 Horse Jag. Schutz. │ - │ Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │121 Art. Command: - │ 241 F. A. Rgt. │ 241 F.A. Rgt. - │ │85 Foot Art. Btn. - │ │1217, 1219, and 1223 Light - │ │ Mun. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(121 Pion. Btn.): │121 Pion. Btn. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 241 Pion. Co. │241 Pion. Co. - │ 260 Pion. Co. │260 Pion. Co. - │ 121 T. M. Co. │104 Searchlight Section. - │ 241 Searchlight Section. │121 Div. Signal Command. - │ 121 Tel. Detch. │121 Tel. Detch. - │ │59 Div. Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │229 Ambulance Co. │229 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │384 Field Hospital. │384 and 385 Field Hospitals. - │385 Field Hospital. │206 Vet. Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │601 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (60th Regiment: 21st Corps District—Lower Alsace. 7th Reserve Regiment; - 5th Corps District—Posen. 56 Reserve Regiment; 7th Corps - District—Westphalia.) - - - 1915. - -The 121st Division was formed in the Falkenhausen Army in Lorraine in -April, 1915. Its three regiments came from divisions which had been in -existence for some time. The 60th came from the 31st Division (21st -Corps), the 7th Reserve from the 9th Reserve Division (5th Reserve -Corps), and the 56th Reserve from the 13th Reserve Division (7th Reserve -Corps). These regiments were brought together in the region of St. -Avold-Faulquemont at the beginning of April and on the 9th reached -Thiaucourt, Euvezin, and the Mort Mare wood (notebooks). - - -HAYE. - -1. The 121st Division next appeared in the Bois de Prêtre sector at the -beginning of May, 1915. - -2. It stayed there until the end of February, 1916. - - - 1916. - -1. The division left the Bois de Prêtre on March 1, 1916, and rested in -the vicinity of Metz. - - -VERDUN. - -2. On March 15 it came to the Verdun front (north of Vaux). On April 1 -it attacked and took the village of Vaux; it again attacked on April 11 -and made progress between Vaux and Douaumont, paying dearly for the -advance. - -3. Relieved from the Verdun front on April 20, it was put at rest near -St. Avold until May 15. It had lost 58 per cent of its infantry strength -in front of Verdun. From March 18 to May 30 the 6th Company of the 7th -Reserve Regiment received no less than 192 replacements. - - -SOMME. - -4. Transferred to Péronne by way of Sedan, Charleville, Hirson, and -Bohain, the 121st Division went into line on the left bank of the Somme -on May 18. - -5. On July 1, while in this sector, it was surprised by the French -offensive and suffered heavy losses (numerous prisoners). - -6. Relieved on July 4, it was put at rest and reorganized. - - -RUSSIA. - -7. On July 18 it entrained for the Eastern Front. (Itinerary: Aix la -Chapelle-Cologne-Thorn, Warsaw, and Brest-Litowsk.) - - -KOVEL. - -8. Taking over the Kovel sector on July 26, it launched counterattacks, -in which it was sorely tried. - - - 1917. - - -NAROTCH LAKE. - -1. At the beginning of January, 1917, the 121st Division left the Kovel -sector to go into the region of Narotch Lake and stayed in the latter -place until May 17. - - -FRANCE. - -2. On May 20 it entrained for France. (Itinerary: Vilna-Insterberg- -Allenstein-Bromberg-Landsberg-Berlin-Stendal-Minden-Duesseldorf-Aix la -Chapelle-Verviere-Liége-Brussels-Audenarde.) It detrained at Elsegem on -May 25. - - -CAMBRÉSIS. - -3. Transferred to Cambrai on June 10, it took over the Moruvres- -Avrincourt sector, which it occupied from June 12 to the beginning of -August. - - -FLANDERS. - -4. It was thereafter brought to the Ypres front to the south of the -railway running from Ypres to Roulers (Aug. 19). Artillery fire caused -it to lose heavily; the British attack of September 20, of which it bore -the brunt, increased its losses. Before the battle of the 20th the 12th -Company of the 56th Reserve Regiment was reduced to 65 men, of whom 40 -were men of the class of 1918. The 9th Company was entirely destroyed or -captured. - -5. Relieved in the night of the 21st of September the division was sent -to rest (region of Mars la Tour) and reorganized (more than 2,000 men -coming from the 605th and 614th Landstrum, Batallion X 12, and the 109th -Landwehr). These replacements were very heterogeneous—soldiers from -Westphalia, Hanover, Baden, Magdeberg (men previously wounded and -convalescents). - - -COTES DE MEUSE. - -6. At the beginning of October the 121st Division took over a sector -near Cotes de Meuse (les Éparges, Ravin de Malochis). It stayed there -until about April 10, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -The name “7th Brandenberger” for the 60th Infantry was only of historic -interest. The regiment recruited almost entirely in Westphalia. The 56th -Reserve Regiment was also recruited in Westphalia, and there were -numerous soldiers from there in the 7th Reserve Regiment to -counterbalance the numerous Poles in the 5th Corps District; hence the -make-up of the division was for the most part Westphalian. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 121st Division fought very well in its last battle in Flanders -(September, 1917) and was put to a good test. - -In March, 1918, the number of men in the ranks who had taken part in -these attacks was about 35 or 40 per cent, and the replacements used -after the battle of Flanders were generally of inferior military value. - - - 1918. - -1. The division was relieved on the Woevre about April 11. It entrained -on April 24 at Conflans and traveled via Sedan-Charleville-Hirson- -Valenciennes to Pont a Marcq, where it detrained on April 26, after a -journey of about 20 hours. It came into line in the Dranoutre sector on -May 2 in relief of the 10th Erzsatz Division. - - -LOCRE. - -2. It held the Locre sector until May 21, when it was relieved by the -16th Bavarian Division. On June 19 it returned to its former sector at -Dranoutre and held it until July 7. - -3. The division rested in the Tourcoing area until July 31, when it -entrained and traveled via Courtrai-Valenciennes-St. Quentin to Laon, -where it detrained on the following day. Here it rested until 5 p. m. on -August 8, when it was alarmed and marched to the La Fere area (19 -miles), arriving on the next day about 11 a. m. On the same day at 8 p. -m. the division was again alarmed and was moved in motor busses via -Chauny-Noyon-Roye to the Damery area, where it arrived on the 10th of -August about 10 a. m. and was immediately engaged. - - -BATTLE OF THE SOMME. - -4. The division fell back by Parvillers-Damery-Fresnoy-Cremery-Sept -Fours-Nesle to the east bank of the Somme Canal. It was relieved on the -night of September 1–2 by the 25th Reserve Division. The division lost -800 prisoners in this fighting. - -5. It rested in early September in the Maretz area (southeast of -Cambrai). On September 18 it was hurried to the line and counterattacked -at Bonyon that evening. Until October 1 it was engaged at Hargicourt, -Villeret, and Le Catelet. After only four days of rest the division -again came into line on October 5 in the Gouy area. It was withdrawn to -be reorganized on October 9. - -6. After resting near Maubeuge the division returned to line west of -Catillon on the night of October 18–19. It fought for about seven days -between that place and Ors. On November 6 it was engaged at Maroilles -and was in line near Limont-Fontaine on the day of the armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. It was an average division. In -the final campaign it showed no particular power of resistance and lost -abnormally in prisoners. - - - - - 123d Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │245. │178. │245. │178. - │ │182. │ │182. - │ │106 Res. │ │106 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │ │5 Sqn. 20 Hus. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │245 F. A. Rgt. │245 F. A. Rgt. - │246 F. A. Rgt. │246 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│245 Pion. Co. │245 Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │264 Pion. Co. - │ │1 Co. 2 Bav. Pions. - │ │123 T. M. Co. - │ │123 Pont. Engs. - │ │123 Tel. Detch. - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │96 Antiaircraft Section. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │245. │178. │245. │178. - │ │106 Res. │ │106 Res. - │ │351. │ │351. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │4 and 5 Sqn. 20 Hus. Rgt. │5 Sqn. 20 Hus. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │123 Art. Command: │123 Art. Command: - │ 245 F. A. Rgt. │ 245 Field Hospital. - │ │ 137 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 816 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1148 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1149 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(123) Pion. Btn.: │123 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 245 Pion. Co. │ 245 (Saxon) Pion. Co. - │ 264 Pion. Co. │ 264 (Saxon) Pion. Co. - │ 123 T. M. Co. │ 123 T. M. Co. - │ 245 Searchlight Section. │ 128 Searchlight Section. - │ 124 Tel. Detch. │123 Signal Command: - │ │ 123 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 168 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │123 Ambulance Co. │123 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │387 Field Hospital. │386 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │387 Field Hospital. - │ │236 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (178th and 351st Regiments: 12th Corps District—Saxony. 106th Reserve - Regiment: 19th Corps District—Saxony.) - - - 1915. - -The division was formed in April, 1915, by taking three regiments -(178th, 182d, and 106th Reserve) from established divisions of the 12th -Corps the 12th Reserve Corps (Saxons). In October, 1916, the 182d -Regiment was transferred to the 216th Division and was replaced by the -425th Infantry, which was also transferred from this division in March, -1917, and replaced by the 351st Regiment (Saxon). - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. In May, 1915, the 123d Division occupied the region northwest of -Rheims. - -2. At the end of May it was transported to Lille, where it seems to have -been transferred as a reserve; in the middle of June it was in the -vicinity of Arras. - - -ARTOIS. - -3. It next occupied different sectors in Artois. - -4. In September it held the Souchez front. On October 8 it took part in -the attack on Loos and left Artois in the middle of that month. - - -FLANDERS. - -5. After a rest at Lille the division went to Flanders (November), where -it held a sector south of the canal from Ypres to Comines. - - - 1916. - - -FLANDERS. - -1. In the middle of March, 1916, the 123d Division was put at rest near -Bruges. - -2. It was temporarily in line about April 9 at St. Éloi; then remained -as a reserve to the armies in the vicinity of Menin and Courtrai until -July 5. - - -SOMME. - -3. At this date it was transferred to the Somme and fought near -Hardecourt and Maurepas until July 22, losing more than 6,000 men. - - -RUSSIA. - -4. At the beginning of August, 1916, the 123d Division left the Western -Front for the Russian front. - - -NAROTCH LAKE. - -5. It went into line in the region of Narotch Lake about September. - - - 1917. - - -NAROTCH LAKE-MITAU. - -1. At the end of January, 1917, the 106th Reserve Regiment was detached -as a reenforcement in the Mitau sector, which was menaced by a Russian -attack. - -In March the 425th Infantry (Prussian) was exchanged for the 351st -Infantry, which had been grouped under this number since 1915, and was -originally three battalions of the Saxon replacement depot of the old -war garrison of Breslau. - - -SMORGONI. - -2. In the middle of August the division, which up to that time had held -the Narotch Lake sector, was engaged between Smorgoni and Krevo. - -3. It again returned to the Narotch Lake vicinity in November. - - -FRANCE. - -4. About November 8 it was transferred to France. (Itinerary: Chavli- -Varsovie-Lodz-Kalich-Cottbus-Cassel-Frankfort on the Main-Sarrebrueck- -Metz). It detrained at Piennes, Baroncourt, and was billeted in that -district for eight days. - - -MEUSE. - -5. About November 22 it took over a sector on the Verdun front (south of -Bezonvaux). It stayed there all winter. It was identified to the -southeast of Damloup in February, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -Since March, 1917, there have been but Saxons in the 123d Division. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 123d Division had but a mediocre combat value by reason of its long -stay in calm sectors on the Russian front. - -In Russia it fraternized on two occasions, the second one at the time of -its last stay on the Russian front. - -The losses of the division on the Russian front were almost nothing and -it suffered no losses on the Verdun front until February, 1918. - - - 1918. - - -VERDUN. - -1. The division continued to hold the uneventful Bezonvaux sector until -June 3, when it was relieved by the 7th Reserve Division. - - -RHEIMS. - -2. On the night of June 18–19 it relieved the 232d Division north of the -Bligny (southwest of Rheims). It participated in the attack of July 15 -and made a slight advance. On the 20th it was relieved. - -3. The division marched by Savigny-Trigny-Bourgogne-Houdicourt. It was -railed to Asfeld and rested at Sery. On the 27th it marched to Novion- -Porcien and was railed to Montmedy. From there it marched to Grand -Failly, where it camped until the 31st. - - -VERDUN. - -4. On August 8 the division relieved the 6th Bavarian Division near -Samogneux and rested in that sector until September 3. - - -ST. MIHIEL. - -5. After it rested in the St. Mihiel sector until September 12, it was -put into line at Thiaucourt to check the American offensive. It remained -there until the night of October 7–8, when it was withdrawn. - -6. The division was moved by autotrucks to Dun via Spincourt-Billy- -Damvillers-Haraumont-Fontaines, arriving there on the night of October -9–10. It marched into line near Cunel on October 11. - - -MEUSE-ARGONNE. - -7. The division was engaged in almost continuous fighting without any -major attack, until it was withdrawn on October 25. While it did not win -special merit for its defense, it fought persistently and was quick to -take every advantage of the terrain. The division lost 238 prisoners and -2,200 other casualties (estimated). The division was considered in -reserve of the 5th Army at the time of the armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. Its conduct in the July offensive -was mediocre and in the Argonne it did nothing to distinguish itself. - - - - - 183d Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │183. │183. │183. │183. - │ │184. │ │184. - │ │122 Res. │ │122 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │183 F. A. Abt. (3 Btries.). │183 F. A. Abt. - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│183 (Saxon) Pion. Co. │183 (Saxon) Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │401 T. M. Co. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918[30] - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │33 Res. │184. │33 Res. │184. - │ │418. │ │418. (Saxon). - │ │440 Res. │ │440 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 10 Hus. Rgt. │4 Sqn. 10 Hus. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │183 Art. Command: │183 Art. Command: - │ 183 F. A. Rgt. (9 Btries.). │ 183 (Saxon) F. A. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│183 Pion. Btn.: │183 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 2 Res. Co. 16 Pions. │ 2 Res. Co. 2 Pion. Btn. No. - │ │ 16. - │ 1 Res. Co. 20 Pions. │ 1 Res. Co. 20 Pions. - │ 183 (Saxon) Pion. Co. │ 183 (Saxon) Pion. Co. - │ 401 T. M. Co. │ 401 T. M. Co. - │ 183 Searchlight Section. │ 183 (Saxon) Tel. Detch. - │ 183 (Saxon) Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │575 Ambulance Co. │575 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │42 Field Hospital. │42 Field Hospital. - │344 Field Hospital. │344 Field Hospital. - │228 Vet. Hospital. │228 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │603 M. T. Col. │603 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── -Footnote 30: - - Composition at the time of dissolution October, 1918. - - - HISTORY. - - (184th Regiment: 4th Corps District—Prussian Saxony. 418th Regiment: - 18th Corps District—Grand Duchy of Hesse. 440th Reserve Regiment: 10th - Corps District—Hanover and Grand Duchy of Oldenberg.) - - - 1915. - -The 183d Division (known as the 183d Brigade until June, 1916) was -created at Cambrai in May, 1915. It comprised at that time the 183d -Infantry (Saxon) and the 184th Infantry (Prussian), to which there was -added in July, 1915, the 122d Reserve Regiment (Wurttemberg), three -newly formed regiments, the 184th being organized out of companies taken -from various regiments of the 7th and 8th Divisions. In November, 1916, -the 183d Division was modified. Two of its original regiments (the 183d -and the 122d Reserve) were respectively replaced by the newly formed -418th and 440th Reserve—the 418th Regiment being formed from companies -of the 111th Division, the Ersatz Division of the Guard, the 8th, Ersatz -Division, and the 10th Ersatz Division, and the 440th Reserve Regiment -being organized out of various elements, including the 3d Battalion of -the 79th Reserve Regiment and the 4th Battalion of the 75th Landwehr. - - -AISNE. - -1. In June, 1915, the 183d Brigade occupied the Missy sur Aisne sector -(east of Soissons). - -2. At the end of June it was engaged at Quennevieres. - - -LORRAINE. - -3. Transferred to Lorraine (end of July), it stayed there until the end -of September (region of Benestroff). - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -4. It was brought to the Champagne front (between Prunay and Souain) -about September 23 and opposed the French offensive (September-October). -The 184th Infantry was nearly wiped out on September 25, the 183d losing -a very large number of prisoners. - -5. Relieved from the front in November, the brigade was put at rest in -the vicinity of Charleroi. - - - 1916. - -1. In January, 1916, the division was in reserve in the vicinity of -Machault. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. From February to May it was on the Champagne front near the Souain- -Somme Py road. - -3. June; at rest (region of Tournai). At the end of June the 183d -Brigade became the 183d Division by changing the 183d Field Artillery -Detatchment into a regiment. - - -SOMME. - -4. On July 2 it was brought to the north of the Somme and engaged in the -vicinity of Pozières-Contalmaison until July 24. It suffered very heavy -losses here—from the 10th to the 15th the 184th Infantry lost about -2,000 men. - -5. About July 25 it was withdrawn from the front and reorganized. (It -received 2,000 replacements, mostly men from the 1916 and 1917 classes.) - - -ARTOIS. - -6. From the end of July to September 21: Neuville-St. Vaast sector -(north of Arras). - - -SOMME. - -7. From the beginning of October to the 21st it went into its second -engagement on the Somme (Belloy-Deniécourt sector) and was again sorely -tried. - - -CÔTES DE MEUSE. - -8. November 15 to February, 1917, Côtes de Meuse (Lamorville-Spada -sector.) In November the 183d Division was reorganized and became -entirely Prussian (present composition) - - - 1917. - -1. From the middle of February to the beginning of April, 1917, it was -at rest in the region of Conflans, then in the vicinity of Anizy le -Château. - - -CHEMIN DES DAMES. - -2. At the beginning of April the 183d Division came to strengthen the -Chavonne-Soupir-Braye en Laonnois sector. While opposing the French -attack of April 16 it suffered very heavy losses (2,100 prisoners), and -while fighting fell back to the Chemin des Dames (April 18–21). As a -result of the losses on the 16th the companies of the 184th Regiment -were reduced to 25 to 30 men. - -3. The division was relieved on April 21. In May the 184th Regiment -received 1,500 replacements from the 4th Corps District, half of which -belong to the class of 1918. - - -ALSACE. - -4. From May 11 to June 24 it held the Aspach-Rhone to Rhine Canal -sector. - -5. From the end of June to July 31 it was at rest, successively to the -south of Colmar (15 days), near Friberg, and to the south of Longuyon -(Pierrepont). - -6. It entrained at Longuyon for Belgium (July 31) and detrained at -Roulers the 1st and 2d of August. - - -FLANDERS. - -7. On August 15 the division was engaged near St. Julien (southwest of -Poelcappelle) until August 20. - - -CAMBRAI. - -8. After a short rest in the region of Cambrai it took over the -Vendhuile-Hargicourt sector, to the west of Catelet, on September 9. On -November 20 part of the 440th Reserve Regiment was sent as a -reenforcement to the south of Cambrai (Masnières); later the entire 183d -Division was transferred to the northeast of Vendhuile to cover the -flank of the German attack executed on November 30. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 183d was more homogeneous than it seemed at first glance. The -recruits of the 9th and 10th Corps District were often mixed and the -418th and 440th Regiments have many men from the same Provinces. Also -the 184th received in the main men from that portion of the 4th Corps -District which adjoined the 10th Corps District (Harz section). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -During the French attack of April 16, 1917, the division as a whole -showed up well. The 418th and the 440th Reserve gave proof of vigor and -courage and only gave way under continual pressure of the opposing -troops. - -It seemed that the German Command wished to reward the division for this -resistance by giving Gen. von Schuessler, commanding the 183d Division, -the Ordre pour le Mérite. - -The 183d Division was sorely tried in the course of these attacks and -had to be entirely reorganized. - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -1. The division held the Vendhulle sector until February 2, when it was -relieved by the 79th Reserve Division. It returned to this part of the -line on February 25, relieving the 79th Reserve Division. It took part -in the attack of March 21, advancing by Epehy (21st), Manancourt (23d), -to Bazentin (25th). It retired to rest at Contalmaison. - - -ALBERT. - -2. The division received drafts in early April. On the 16th it came into -line north of Albert and held there for four weeks. On the 13th of May -it was relieved by the 243d Division. - -3. On the 19th the division was engaged at Ville sur Ancre, but after -four days in line it was relieved and sent to a quiet sector. - - -WOEVRE. - -4. On June 22 the division took over the Regnieville sector, which it -held until July 14 without event. It was relieved by the 77th Reserve -Division on that date. - -5. It entrained at Thiaucourt on July 16 and traveled via Montmedy- -Sedan-Charleville-Charleroi-Mons-Valenciennes and detrained near Cambrai -on the night of July 17–18. From there it marched to Ypres, rested there -for six days, and on the 25th relieved the 26th Reserve Division in the -Hebuterne sector. - - -BATTLE OF THE SOMME. - -6. The division was struck by the British offensive in August, and -before it was withdrawn near Irles on August 24 it had suffered heavy -casualties, including the loss of 1,400 prisoners. - -7. It marched to Cambrai, where it remained three days. On the 28th it -was marched to Douai and entrained for Lille, from where it marched to -Templemars. On the night of September 3–4 it relieved the 18th Reserve -Division north of the La Bassee Canal. - -8. The division was engaged in the La Bassee sector until September 10. -Immediately after it was withdrawn from line the division was dissolved. -The 440th Reserve Regiment was sent as a draft to the 11th Division. The -other two regiments of the division were also disbanded and used as -drafts. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. It was used as an assault -division in the March offensive but thereafter deteriorated. It was next -seriously employed on the Somme in August, where its tremendous losses -robbed it of further utility. - - - - - 185th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │185. │185. │185. │185. - │ │186. │ │186. - │ │190. │ │190. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │185 F. A. Abt. (3 Btries.). │185 F. A. Abt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│185 Pion. Co. │185 Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │186 Pion. Co. (dissolved in - │ │ Aug.). - │ │190 T. M. Co. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │229. │65. │29. │65. - │ │161. │ │161. - │ │28. │ │28 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 5 Mounted Jag. Rgt. │3 Sqn. 5 Mounted Jag. Rgt. - │ (?) │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │185 F. A. Rgt. - │ 185 F. A. Rgt. (9. Btries.).│2 Abt. 16 Res. Ft. A. Rgt. - │ │838 Light Am. Col. - │ │1281 Light Am. Col. - │ │1348 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(185) Pion. Btn. │185 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │10 Co. 28 Pions. │ 10 Co. 28 Pions. - │ │ - │185 Pion. Co. │ 185 Pion. Co. - │402 T. M. Co. │ 89 Searchlight Section. - │185 Searchlight Section. │185 Signal Command: - │185 Tel. Detch. │ 185 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 134 Res. Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │576 Ambulance Co. │576 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │7 Field Hospital. │65 Field Hospital. - │65 Field Hospital. │267 Field Hospital. - │267 Field Hospital. │385 Vet. Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (65th and 161st Regiments: 8th Corps District—Rhenish Province. 28th - Reserve Regiment: 8th Corps District—Rhenish Province.) - - - 1915. - -The division was created in May, 1915. Merely a brigade (the 185th) at -the outset, it was composed of the 185th Infantry (from various Baden -regiments), of the 186th Regiment (Hessian elements), and of the 190th -Regiment (Westphalian elements). Later the 185th Brigade underwent -changes which entirely changed its original composition. - - -HÉBUTERNE. - -1. In June, 1915, the 185th and 186th Infantry Regiments were engaged in -the vicinity of Hébuterne. - -2. The three regiments of the 185th Brigade entrained at Douai at the -end of July and were transferred to Alsace. - - -ALSACE. - -3. At first it was in reserve in the region of Mulhouse; later it was -put in line between Altkirch and the Swiss frontier, where it stayed -until the end of September. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -4. At the beginning of October it was in Champagne holding the sector -west of the Souain-Somme Py road. - - - 1916. - -1. The 185th Brigade stayed on the Champagne front (Tahure) until the -middle of June, 1916. - - -SOMME. - -2. At the beginning of July it opposed the Franco-British offensive in -the Somme at the northeast of Fricourt, near Thiepval, Contalmaison, and -Bazentin (beginning of July to the 18th). It suffered serious losses. - -3. At the end of July it rested at St. Quentin, Vermand and Cateau. At -this time the 185th Brigade became the 185th Division by the -transformation of its field artillery detachment into a regiment. - - -OISE-AISNE. - -4. In August it held a sector to the west of Soissons (from the Oise to -Chevillecourt). The 185th Division was reorganized by the transfer of -its three infantry regiments which were replaced by the 65th and the -161st Infantry from the 15th Division and by the 28th Reserve Regiment -from the 16th Reserve Division—both Rhenish divisions. - - -SOMME. - -5. The 185th, thus reorganized, was brought back to the Somme about -September 7. It was engaged near Ginchy and Combles until the middle of -October. - -6. After a short stay north of Soissons (end of October to the beginning -of November) it came back for a third time in the Somme district -(Saillisel, night of Nov. 10–11). Here it was again put to a test. - -7. It left the Somme on December 9 and rested in Belgium (Alost). - - - 1917. - -1. At the beginning of January elements of the division were in line to -the south of Grenier wood (region of Lille). - - -FLANDERS. - -2. The division occupied a sector north of Ypres (Wieltje) from the -beginning of February to April 15. - - -ARTOIS. - -3. About April 20 it was engaged in front of Arras (to the north of the -Scarpe until the beginning of May). Losses sustained obliged it to have -recourse to a distant source for replacements: the Ersatz Truppe of -Warsaw (class of 1918 and men put back of the 1917 class), which -reenforcements arrived at top speed on May 5. - - -LA BASSÉE. - -4. The division held the La Basée sector (Hulluch-Vermelles) from the -end of May to September 21. - -5. In October it was at rest for three weeks in the vicinity of Carvin. - - -FLANDERS-CAMBRAI. - -6. Transferred to Belgium (Oct. 28) it took over a sector to the west of -Houthulst Forest (Nov. 6–7). In December it was on the Cambrai front -(until about Jan. 10, 1918). - - - RECRUITING. - -Since August, 1916, the division had been entirely composed of regiments -coming from the Rhine Province (8th Corps District) and as such is -entirely homogeneous. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 185th Division gave good account of itself in all the battles in -which it took part. - - - 1918. - -1. The 185th Division was withdrawn from the Cambrai front near -Gonnelieu, being relieved by the 9th Reserve Division during the night -of January 11–12. It went to the Solesmes area, where it was trained -with a view of being used in offensive operations. - - -ARRAS. - -2. About the middle of February it relieved the 24th Division near -Monchy le Preux (southeast of Arras). On the 28th of March it attacked -with all three regiments, and suffered heavy losses from enfilade -machine-gun fire; officer casualties for the division amounted to 90. It -was withdrawn about the 27th of April. - -3. It relieved the 26th Reserve Division near Mercatel (southeast of -Arras) between the 13th and 16th of May. It was relieved by the 39th -Division during the night of August 2–3. - - -SOMME. - -4. On the 18th it reenforced the front near Herleville (south of Bray). -It was withdrawn on September 5. - -5. On the 18th it reenforced the front near Villeret (northwest of St. -Quentin), and was withdrawn on the 1st of October. During these last two -engagements the division lost heavily, more than 2,050 in prisoners -alone. - -6. A week later it reenforced the front near Ligny en Cambresis (west of -Le Cateau). It was withdrawn on the 25th. - -7. After a fortnight’s rest it relieved the 6th Division southwest of -Mons on the 8th of November. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 185th was rated as a second-class division. Although trained in open -warfare, it was used in only one of the great German offensives, and -there did nothing to indicate that it merited a better rating. - - - - - 187th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │187. │187. │187. │187. - │ │188. │ │188. - │ │189. │ │189. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │ │5 and 6 Sqns. 16 Dragoon Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │231 F. A. Abt. │231 F. A. Abt. - │ │3 Mountain Art. Abt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│187 Pion. Co. │187 Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │192 T. M. Co. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │417 Anti-Aircraft Section. - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │187. │187. │187. │187. - │ │188. │ │188. - │ │189. │ │189. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 16 Dragoon Rgt. │5 Sqn. 16 Dragoon Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │6 Art. Command: - │ 231 Rgt. (9 Btries.). │ 231 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 66 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 720 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1267 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1320 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(187) Pion. Btn.: │187 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 187 Pion. Co. │ 1 Res. Co. 15 Pions. - │ 1 Res. Co. 15 Pions. │ 187 Pion. Co. - │ 187 T. M. Co. │ 187 T. M. Co. - │ Tel. Detch. │ 60 Searchlight Section. - │ │187 Signal Command: - │ │ 187 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 122 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │219 Ambulance Co. │219 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │28 Field Hospital. │28 Field Hospital. - │33 Field Hospital. │33 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │255 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │605 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (187th Regiment: 9th Corps District—Schleswig—Holstein. 188th Regiment: - 4th Corps District—Prussian Saxony. 189th Regiment: 3d Corps - District—Brandenburg.) - - - 1915. - -The 187th Division (the 187th Brigade until June, 1916) was created May -20, 1915. Its regiments were made up as follows: The 187th, from the 9th -Corps District; the 188th, from the 4th Corps District; and the 189th, a -Brandenburger unit. - - -ALSACE. - -1. In June, 1915, the 187th Brigade was sent to Alsace and stayed in -line in the Fecht valley and the vicinity (Metzeral-Sondernach- -Hilsenfirst-Reichackerkopf) until the end of December. - -2. It next went to rest in the vicinity of Colmar. - - - 1916. - - -ALSACE. - -1. At the end of January, 1916, it went back in line in the Fecht valley -and the region of Guebwiller. It was kept there until the summer, -participating in battles for the possession of the heights -(Hartmannswillerkopf, Reichackerkopf). - -2. At the beginning of July the 187th Brigade became the 187th Division -by the transformation of its field artillery detachment into a regiment. - - -TRANSYLVANIA. - -3. Relieved at the end of August from the Muenster, it rested eight days -at Rouffach then entrained at Colmar for the Roumanian front. -(Itinerary: Karlsruhe-Stuttgart-Ulm-Munich-Vienna-Budapest-Sieben- -Buergen.) - - -ROUMANIA. - -4. On September 13 it was engaged in Transylvania (region of -Hermannstadt, Tour Rouge passes), then took part in the battle of Brasso -(Kronstadt) at the beginning of October and in the operations in the -vicinity of Slanic (December). It suffered heavy losses. - - - 1917. - - -ROUMANIA-FRANCE. - -1. On February 11, 1917, the 187th Division left Roumania for the -Western Front. (Itinerary: Arad-Budapest-Oppeln-Breslau-Dresden- -Wuerzberg-Strassberg.) It was at rest near Dieuze (about six weeks). - - -LORRAINE. - -2. About April 20 it took over the Moncel-Arracourt sector. - - -AISNE. - -3. Hastily relieved on April 28, it entrained at Morhange on May 2 and -detrained in the vicinity of Amagne and was put into line on May 10 on -the Rheims front (north of Bermericourt; southeast of Berry au Bac) -until June 15. - -4. At rest in the Aussonce-La Neuville area (end of June to July) the -187th Division was held in reserve as a “Stossdivision” or -“Eingriffsdivision.” - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -5. About July 14 it was engaged in the Cornillet, Mont Blond, Mont Haut -sector, which it held until August 26. The 187th Infantry was -particularly tried during the attack of July 26. - -6. From August 26 to September 29 it was at rest in camps at La Neuville -en Tourne à Fuii later in the region of Vervins. - - -FLANDERS. - -7. Transferred to Belgium (Sept. 30), the division opposed the British -attack near Poelcappelle. It was partially relieved after the attack and -went into line and counter attacked on the 10th to the north of -Langemarck. Its losses in this sector were heavy. - -8. After a rest to the north of Bruges from the 12th of October to -November, it went back to the front near Blankaart (south of Dixmude). - - - RECRUITING. - -The three regiments of this division came from different Provinces—the -187th from Schleswig-Holstein, the 188th from Prussian-Saxony, and the -189th from Brandenburg. This was confirmed by a German communiqué which -mentioned “the attack troops from Schleswig-Holstein and Brandenberg” at -Mont Haut (July, 1917). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 187th Division was made up of young men who were well trained and -who came from active divisions. - -The 187th Division was a division equipped for mountain warfare. - - - 1918. - - -ARMENTIERES. - -1. The 187th Division was withdrawn from line south of Lake Blankaart -about the 10th of January, and on the 16th relieved the 38th Landwehr -Division near Bois Grenier (south of Armentieres). It was relieved by -the 6th Bavarian Division about February 20 and went to the Lille area, -where it most probably received training in open warfare, though the -fact has not been definitely established. - - -ARRAS. - -2. It left there and arrived at Douai on the 25th of March. It spent the -night of the 27th–28th in Vitry. On the 28th it reenforced the front -near Fampoux (east of Arras) on the 28th, when it attacked. A man of the -188th Regiment subsequently wrote: “We tried to break through on the -28/3/18, but only pushed Tommy back to his reserve line, and don’t -forget that it was with enormous losses to ourselves.” It was relieved -by the 2d Guard Reserve Division during the night of May 18–19, and went -to rest in the region east of Douai. - -3. During the night of June 18–19 it came back and relieved the 2d Guard -Reserve Division. It was relieved by the 48th Reserve Division on the -7th of July. - - -ARMENTIERES. - -4. After less than a week’s rest, the division came to the Armentieres -front and relieved the 39th Division between Neuf-Berquin and Vieux- -Berquin (north of Merville). It was relieved early in September by the -extension of fronts of the neighboring divisions. - - -CAMBRAI. - -5. On the 7th it reenforced the front in the Inchy en Artois sector -(west of Cambrai). After suffering exceedingly heavy losses, it was -withdrawn about the 28th and went to rest in the Boushain region. - - -DOUAI. - -6. October 3 it relieved the 15th Reserve Division in the Oppy sector -(west of Douai), and was withdrawn about the 20th. - -7. On the 27th it reenforced the front in the Chateau l’Abbaye sector -(northeast of St. Amand), but was withdrawn a few days later. - - -VALENCIENNES. - -9. It was identified in line near Quievrechain (northeast of -Valenciennes) on November 5. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 187th was rated as a second-class division. The only offensive in -which it participated was that of the Somme, where it did not -distinguish itself. Subsequently it was used only to hold the front. -Toward the end of the year it was very much reduced in strength. - - - - - 192d Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │192. │192. │192. │192. - │ │193. │ │193. - │ │25 Bav. │ │25 Bav. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │ │1 Ldw. Sqn. (12 C. Dist.). - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │192 F. A. Abt. (3 Btries.). │192 F. A. Abt. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│192 Pion. Co. │192 Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │404 T. M. Co. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │192. │183. │192. │183. - │ │192. │ │192. - │ │245 Res. │ │245 Res. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │(?) Sqn. 1 Res. Hus. Schutz. │1 Sqn. 18 Res. Hus. Rgt. - │ Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │192 Art. Command: - │ 192 F. A. Rgt. (9 Btries.). │ 192 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 58 (Saxon) Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ 850 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1150 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1162 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(192) Pion Btn.: │192 Pion. Btn. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 4 Co. 22 Pions. │4 Co. 22 Pions. - │ 192 Pion. Co. │192 (Saxon) Pion. Co. - │ 404 T. M. Co. │404 T. M. Co. - │ 192 Searchlight Section. │129 Searchlight Section. - │ 192 Tel. Detch. │192 Signal Command: - │ │ 192 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 173 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │29 Ambulance Co. │29 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │5 Res. Field Hospital. │2 Res. Field Hospital. - │23 Ldw. Field Hospital. │3 Res. Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │292 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (12th and 19th Corps Districts—Saxony.) - - - 1915. - -The 192d Brigade (became the 192d Division in June, 1916) was formed out -of regiments created by selection of men from various units. It was -formed at the beginning of June, 1915, with the 192d Infantry (Saxon), -formed out of elements taken from the 32d Division, the 193d -(Westphalian, 7th Corps District), detached after its creation to the -13th Reserve Division, and with the 25th Bavarian Regiment, formerly -belonging to the 4th Bavarian Division, the regiments of which had -contributed to the formation of this last regiment. - -1. Until the month of September, 1915, the three regiments of the -brigade occupied different sectors on the Western Front—the 192d near -Charency in August, the 193d on the Aisne (region of Chamouille), and -the 25th Bavarian near Warneton (Flanders) in July. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. At the end of September the elements of the 192d Brigade were brought -together in the rear of the Champagne front. Engaged as a reenforcement -against the French offensive (Sept. 27 to the beginning of October) near -the Souain-Somme Py road, it suffered heavy losses (50 officers and -3,594 men out of action, according to official lists). The brigade -stayed in the Souain sector until the end of November. - -3. In December it was at rest in the region of Bignicourt-Machault. - - - 1916. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. At the beginning of January, 1916, the 192d Brigade again took a -sector in Champagne (until Jan. 26). - -2. From the end of January to the beginning of March it was at rest in -the vicinity of Montcornet. - -3. From the 4th to the 18th of March the regiments were engaged in -making defensive works in the region of Laon. - - -VERDUN-BOIS D’AVOCOURT. - -4. On March 18 the brigade was brought near Vouziers and Stenay, then -assembled in the rear of the Verdun front on the left bank of the Meuse -(Mar. 22). On the 23d it relieved the 11th Bavarian Division, sorely -tried by the attacks on Malancourt and the Bois d’Avocourt. It took part -itself in the battles which effected the capture of that wood and -suffered heavy losses. From April 13 to May 10 the 11th Company of the -192d Infantry received at least 125 replacements and the 12th Company -116 replacements. - -5. The 192d Brigade stayed in the Malancourt-Avocourt wood sector until -the end of August, holding it alternately with the 11th Bavarian -Division. During this period (May-August) it only took part in local -engagements. - -6. In June it was changed into a division, its composition remaining -unchanged except for the expansion of its field artillery. - - -FLEURY-DOUAUMONT. - -7. On August 22 the new division was relieved and transferred to the -right bank of the Meuse (Charency-Longuyon). On the 28th it was engaged -in the Fleury-Douaumont sector. Its regiments were sorely tried by the -French attacks of September 3 and 9. - -8. Relieved from the front at the end of September and beginning of -October the division was entirely reorganized. The 193d Infantry went to -the 222d Division (being organized) and was replaced by the 418th, newly -formed; the 25th Bavarian went to the 14th Bavarian Division and was -replaced by the 245th Reserve Regiment of the 54th Reserve Division. - - -CÔTES DE MEUSE. - -9. About the end of October the 418th Regiment, which had been put in -line in the Moranville sector (Côtes de Meuse), replaced the 183d -Infantry in the 183d Division, the last-named regiment going to the 192d -Division, which was now entirely Saxon. - - -BEZONVAUX. - -The 192d Division, having thus acquired its present organization, took a -position to the east of Bezonvaux in December. - - - 1917. - - -VERDUN-BEZONVAUX. - -1. It occupied this sector until December, 1917, and during this long -period remained entirely passive. - - -HILL 344. - -2. Relieved from this calm sector about December 10, 1917, it -immediately went into line north of Hill 344, where it still was in -January, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -The division was entirely Saxon after the end of 1916. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 192d Division stayed more than a year in a very calm sector (east of -Bezonvaux, December 1916, to December, 1917). - -In January, 1918, the division might be considered as rested, but its -combat value at that time seemed rather mediocre. In the various actions -in which it took part on the Verdun front it did not distinguish itself. - - - 1918. - - -OISE. - -1. The division held the sector on the Verdun front until the middle of -April, when it was relieved, and on May 19 it relieved the 200th -Division southeast of Rouvrel. It was still in line when the Allies -attacked on August 8. About August 11 the division was withdrawn. - - -ST. MIHIEL. - -2. The division marched to Origny via Rosieres-Athies-St. Quentin. It -left there August 25 and went by train to Chambley via Ribemont-Crecy- -Mortiers-Marle-Charleville-Sedan-Montmedy-Longuyon-Metz, arriving on -August 26. On the 20th the division entered line in the tip of the St. -Mihiel salient. - -3. The division extracted itself from the salient and was relieved about -September 22, when the line had stabilized. It was moved west and again -came into line at Bezonvaux. - - -MEUSE-ARGONNE. - -4. From October 8 until about October 22 the division held the Bezonvaux -sector. It was then shifted northward to the area south of Etrayes, -where it remained until the armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. It did well at St. Mihiel, but in -its other sectors its conduct was mediocre. - - - - - 195th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │101 Res. │6 Jag. │101 Res. │6 Jag. │101 Res. │6 Jag. - │ │8 Jag. │ │8 Jag. │ │8 Jag. - │ │233 Res. │ │233 Res. │ │14 Jag. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │(3 Sqn. 14 Uhlan │2 Sqn. 14 Uhlan - │ │ Rgt.) │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │260 F. A. Rgt. │Art. Command: │260 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 260 F. A. Rgt. │860 Light Am. Col. - │ │ │873 Light Am. Col. - │ │ │1282 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │(195) Pion. Btn.: │195 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ 1 Co. 32 Res. │ 1 Co. 32 Res. - │ │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ │ 55 Res. Pion. Co. │ 55 Res. Pion. Co. - │ │ 195 T. M. Co. │ 102 Searchlight - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ 195 Tel. Detch. │195 Signal Command: - │ │ │ 195 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ 66 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │207 Ambulance Co. │207 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │22 Field Hospital. │22 Field Hospital. - │ │347 Field Hospital.│347 Field Hospital. - │ │ │231 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │860 M. T. Col. │607 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │64 (?). M. G. S. S.│ │ - │ Detch. │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (6th and 8th Jägers: Various sections of Prussia. 233d Reserve Regiment: - 11th Corps District—Thuringen.) - - - 1916. - -1. The division was organized in July, 1916, in the Ruddervoorde region -with the following elements: (1) 233d Reserve Regiment, obtained from -the 51st Reserve Division; (2) the 6th Jägers (5th and 6th Battalions of -Jägers, 14th Battalion of Jägers—the last after arriving on the Russian -front was thereafter replaced by the 2d Reserve Battalion of Jägers); -(3) 8th Jägers (4th, 16th, and 24th Battalions of Reserve Jägers). - - -GALICIA. - -2. It was shortly thereafter transferred to Galicia. - -3. The division took part in the open warfare of August, 1916. - -4. It next went into line with Austrian troops in the Zloczow sector. - - - 1917. - - -FRANCE. - -1. It was transferred to the Western Front at the end of April, 1917. -(Itinerary: Leniky-Cracovie-Oppeln-Breslau-Leipzig-Halle-Paderborn- -Essen-Duesseldorf-Aix la Chapelle-Verviers-Liége-Louvain-Brussels- -Cambrai.) - -2. The division was successively in line in the Ypres sector (May), in -the Wytschaete sector (June-July), and in the St. Quentin sector -(August). - -3. During the month of August it rested in the Walincourt region. - - -FLANDERS. - -4. From October 3 to 12 it fought in the Passchendaele sector. It -sustained heavy losses (more than 600 prisoners). - -5. Relieved on October 12 the division was reorganized at Meulebecke -from the 14th to the 18th and was transferred by rail to Gand. At the -time it was relieved the 233d Reserve was reduced to 800 men (story of -deserter). - -6. On about the 21st it entrained at Heydinge and was brought via -Brussels-Namur-Dinant-Givet-Charleville-Sedan-Montmedy and Conflans to -Haye, where it detrained on the 23d. - - -HAYE. - -7. On October 28 it took over a sector to the southwest of Thiaucourt -(Flirey). - - -ITALY. - -8. On November 11 the division was entrained at Metz for Italy. It -detrained at Trente on November 14, where it rested until the 24th. It -left Trente on December 3 without having participated in any engagement. -(Itinerary: Trente-Innsbruck-Munich-Carlsruhe-Offenberg-Friberg- -Mulhouse.) - - -ALSACE. - -9. Arriving on December 6, it was billeted in the region of Sundgau, -where it stayed until February, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -The division was very heterogeneous. The 233d came from Thuringen (11th -Corps District). The various jaeger regiments came from various depot -jaeger battalions (2d, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 11th Corps Districts). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 195th Division was sorely tried in Flanders in October, 1917. In -November, 1917, the greater part of its strength came from the classes -called during the war. The average age was 25. It can be classed as a -good division. - - - 1918. - - -CAMBRAI. - -1. The 195th Division left Alsace, where it had been resting since its -return from Italy, the 5th and 6th of February, and proceeded to -Valenciennes. On the 27th a prisoner was captured near Bullecourt -(northeast of Bapaume), who stated that his battalion had relieved -another battalion of the same regiment during the night of the -25th–26th. The 195th Division had probably relieved the 16th Bavarian -Division some days before. It was relieved by the 16th Bavarian Division -on the 2d of March. It was very probably trained in open warfare, but -the fact has not been definitely established. - -2. On the 21st it came back reenforcing the front near Noreuil -(northeast of Bapaume). The heavy fighting on this front did not come in -the first days of the offensive but a few days later the division was -heavily engaged, especially on the 28th and 31st near Bucquoy. This -represented an advance of only a few kilometers gained at the cost of -heavy losses in many attacks. It was relieved by the 17th Division -during the night of April 1–2. - -3. On the 9th it relieved the 16th Bavarian Division in the Ayette -sector (northwest of Bapaume). It remained here fighting hard until -relieved by the 5th Bavarian Reserve Division about the 24th. In this -fighting the losses were very heavy, especially in the 233d Reserve -Regiment (the commander of which was awarded Pour le Merite) which was -dissolved soon after; its place was taken by the 14th Jaeger Regiment. -It was sent to the Cambrai region to rest and refit. - - -MARNE. - -4. The first day of the battle of the Marne-July 15—it reenforced the -front near Chatillon sur Marne (northwest of Epernay). It was withdrawn -early in August and went to rest near Metz. - - -ST. MIHIEL. - -5. On the 14th of September, after the line reached by the American -First Army had stabilized, the division entered line in the Haumont -sector (northeast of St. Mihiel). It was not heavily engaged and was -withdrawn about the 28th. - - -MEUSE-ARGONNE. - -6. The division then moved to the Champagne front, where it reenforced -the front in the St. Etienne à Arnes sector (south of Machault) on the -6th of October. It was opposed by French troops until the 24th; after -that it was opposite the Americans on account of a readjustment of -sectors. It was withdrawn on the 29th. - -7. On the 2d of November it was thrown back into line near Verrieres -(northwest of Buzancy). Its losses were so heavy in this fighting, and -the division was in such a state of exhaustion, that although the -division was still in line on the 11th there were rumors that it was -soon to be dissolved. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 195th was rated a second-class division. Its conduct whenever -heavily engaged was such as to lead to the conclusion that it was one of -the better divisions of that class. - - - - - 197th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918[31] - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │210. │273 Res. │210. │273 Res. │210. │273 Res. - │ │7 Jag. │ │7 Jag. │ │7 Jag. - │ │ (Saxon).│ │ │ │ (Saxon). - │ │32 Ldw. │ │32 Ldw. │ │28 Ers. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 14 Uhlan │2 Sqn. 14 Uhlan │2 Sqn. 14 Uhlan - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │261 F. A. Rgt │(?) Art. Command: │(?) Art. Command: - │262 F. A. Abt. │ 261 F. A. Rgt. │ 261 F. A. Rgt. - │ (Saxon). │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│170 T. M. Co. │197 Pion. Btn.: │197 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ 90 Res. Pion. Co. │ 90 Res. Pion. Co. - │ │ 2 Co. 32 Res. │ 2 Co. 32 Res. - │ │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ │ 415 T. M. Co. │ 300 Searchlight - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ 195 Tel. Detch. │ 426 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ 197 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │208 Ambulance Co. │208 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │284 Field Hospital.│284 Field Hospital. - │ │532 Field Hospital.│532 Field Hospital. - │ │Vet. Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport │ │1053 M. T. Col. │M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - -Footnote 31: - - Composition at the time of dissolution Nov. 1, 1918. - - - HISTORY. - - (273 Reserve Regiment; 10th Corps District—Hanover and Brunswick. 7th - Jaeger; 12th and 19th Corps Districts—Saxony. 28th Ersatz; 14th Corps - District—Grand Duchy of Baden.) - - - 1916. - -The 197th Division was created in August, 1916, on the Eastern Front by -the union of the following regiments: (1) 273d Reserve Regiment, formed -out of four battalions taken from the 362d Infantry (4th Ersatz -Division); the 368th Infantry (10th Ersatz Division); the 130th Reserve -(33d Reserve Division) which all came from France. (2) 7th Jaegers (13th -Battalion of Jaegers), 25th and 26th Battalions of Reserve Jaegers, all -Saxon, and also all coming from France. (3) The 32d Landwehr, which had -been under orders of the 33d Division in the Argonne. - - -GALICIA. - -1. As part of the 2d Austrian Army (Boehm-Ermoli), the 197th Division -occupied in August 1916 the Zborow sector (northwest of Tarnopol) where -it met the offensive carried on by Broussilov. On August 10 the 7th -Regiment of Jaegers had 35 officers and 1,039 men out of action -(letter). - -2. In September it was in line to the northeast of Zalosce and to the -north of Zborow and later in the vicinity of Zloczow. - - - 1917. - - -GALICIA. - -1. The 197th Division stayed in this same Zloczow sector until July, -1917. While there it met the Russian attack of July 1, which reduced the -strength of the 1st Battalion of the 32d Landwehr to 160 men (letter). - -2. The division participated in the German counteroffensive of July 19 -and advanced by way of Zborow up to Husjatin (August), where it was -relieved to go into reserve. - -3. It went back into line at the beginning of September at Hlesczawa -(region of Trembowla). - -4. At the beginning of November the 32d Landwehr was replaced by the -28th Ersatz, taken from the Bavarian Ersatz Division, and originally -from the 14th Corps District (Grand Duchy of Baden). This replacement of -a mediocre regiment for a good one was the prelude of preparations for a -transfer to the Western Front. - - - RECRUITING. - -This division had a composite make-up. The 7th Jaegers was Saxon; the -28th Ersatz was from Baden; and the 273d was formed from battalions -coming from the 7th, 9th, and 10th Corps District and got its -replacements in theory from the 10th Corps District. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 197th Division, coming from Galicia, appeared for the first time on -the Western Front in March, 1918. All the maneuvers executed in the rear -and at rest in Galicia tended to accustom the units to defensive warfare -methods (Verteidigungskrieg). (Interrogation of a prisoner of the 273d -Reserve on Mar. 13, 1918.) - -This was also true of its stay in the Marchais region (February 1918). - - - 1918. - - -CHATEAU THIERRY. - -The division held the quiet Chemin des Dames sector until the Aisne -offensive of May 27. Attack divisions passed through the 197th Division, -which followed up the attack in close reserve and was engaged on May 31 -northwest of Chateau Thierry. It came in for some heavy local fighting -while opposite the 2d United States Division near Veuilly before it was -relieved on June 8. - - -VERDUN. - -2. It was moved to Eastern Champagne, and on June 23 relieved the 15th -Bavarian Division in the Ornes sector. During July the division received -drafts. It held this sector without loss until about the 1st of August. - - -ST. QUENTIN-OISE. - -3. On August 15 the division reenforced the front at Ribecourt. Until -September 10 it was constantly engaged in the Noyon fighting. After -resting nine days the division returned to line north of Gricourt, and -until October 19 resisted every foot of the way to Seboncourt. - -4. After the withdrawal from line the division was broken up. The 273d -Reserve Regiment and the 28th Ersatz Regiment were disbanded, while the -7th Jaeger Regiment passed intact to the 241st Division. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. It was heavily engaged on an -active front for two months in 1918 during which fighting it suffered so -heavily in casualties and morale that it was dissolved in late October. - - - - - 199th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │ │237 Res. │59 Ldw. │114. │59 Ldw. │114. - │ │4 Bav. │ │357. │ │357. - │ │ Res. │ │ │ │ - │ │9 Jag. │ │237 Res. │ │237 Res. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 14 Uhlan │1 Sqn. 14 Uhlan │1 Sqn. 14 Uhlan - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │263 F. A. Rgt. │Art. Command: │263 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 263 F. A. Rgt. │3 Abt. 2 Bav. Ft. - │ │ │ A. Rgt. - │ │ │927 Light Am. Col. - │ │ │1240 Light Am. Col. - │ │ │1241 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │(199) Pion. Btn.: │199 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ 199 T. M. Co. │ 6 Co. 23 Pions. - │ │ 330 Searchlight │ 286 Pion. Co. - │ │ Section. │ - │ │ 199 Tel. Detch. │ 199 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ 38 Searchlight - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ │199 Signal Command: - │ │ │ 199 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ 10 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │209 Ambulance Co. │209 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │Field Hospital. │68 Field Hospital. - │ │Vet. Hospital. │339 Field Hospital. - │ │ │244 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │M. T. Col. │609 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (114th Regiment: 14th Corps District—Southern part of the Grand Duchy of - Baden. 357th Regiment: 2d Corps District—Pomerania. 237th Reserve - Regiment: 8th Corps District—Rhine Province.) - - - 1916. - -The 199th Division was created in August, 1916, in the region of Stryj- -Halicz (Galicia), with troops coming from the Western Front. Until the -beginning of 1917 its infantry was made up as follows: The 237th Reserve -Regiment (coming from the 52d Reserve Division), the 4th Bavarian -Reserve Regiment (from the Bavarian Ersatz Division), and the 9th -Jaegers (12th and 13th Battalions of Reserve Jaegers (Saxon) and the 8th -Battalion of Jaegers). - - -GALICIA. - -1. From the end of August to the beginning of November the 199th -Division was engaged in Galicia (Brzezany, Halicz, Zlota-Lipa) and -suffered heavy losses. - -2. About November 1 the division was transferred to the Western Front. -(Itinerary: Lemberg-Cracaw-Breslau-Dresden-Leipzig-Coblenz-Treves- -Sedan.) It detrained at Dun and was billeted for three weeks in the -vicinity of Spincourt. - - -SOMME. - -3. Sent to the Champagne district at the end of November and then in the -Bohain region, it went into line in the Rancourt-Saillizel sector (end -of December). - - - 1917. - -1. At the beginning of 1917 the 114th and 357th replaced the 4th Reserve -and the 9th Jaegers. - - -SOMME. - -2. The 199th Division stayed on the Rancourt front until March, 1917. - - -HINDENBURG LINE. - -3. On March 27 it was identified to the east of Longavesnes; then at -Villers-Faucon, Lempire, in the new German positions (April). - - -ARTOIS. - -4. Relieved about April 20, it was engaged to the southeast of Arras -(Wancourt-Vis en Artois-Cherisy) and suffered heavy losses (April 27, -May 3). - -5. Coming back to the west of Catelet (Hargicourt-Bony) about the middle -of May, it left this line on June 8 to go to rest in the vicinity of -Ostend. - - -BELGIAN FLANDERS. - -6. In the middle of July it took over the Nieuport-Lombartzyde sector, -which it occupied until the beginning of August and was at rest near -Ostend from August 10 to the middle of September. - -7. It reappeared in the Lombartzyde sector until October 24. On November -10 after a short rest it was put in line to the north of Passchendaele, -where it was found, with the exception of some brief withdrawals for -rest, until February, 1918, when it went to rest near Courtrai. - - - RECRUITING. - -Division with composite elements; a regiment from Baden (the 114th, -active), a regiment from Pomerania (the 357th, growing out of brigade -Ersatz Battalions), and a Rhenish regiment (the 237th). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 114th was considered the best in the division. The 237th Reserve did -not seem to have a very good combat value. It did not hold its ground -when opposed by the British at Cherisy (April, 1917). It is said that a -company of this regiment refused to come out of the trenches in the -month of July, 1917. - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -1. The division left Flanders at the end of February and trained in the -Le Quesnoy area until the middle of March; left on the 17th for the -battle front. It marched to Escaromain, and on the 18th to Quievy. On -the day before the offensive the division marched via Caudry to Villers -Outreaux. It was not identified in the fight until the 25th at -Hardecourt. The next day it was at Maricourt wood, after which it -appears to have been withdrawn. On April 4 it relieved the 243d Division -south of Thennes. - -2. After its relief the division marched by stages via Beaucourt en -Santerre-Vauvillers-Peronne to Templeux, la Fosse, where it rested for a -fortnight. The heavy losses incurred by the division during its last -time in line south of the Somme were made good chiefly by drafts of the -1919 class from the depots at Warsaw and Bruges. The division contained -a large proportion of this class and its fighting quality suffered in -consequence. On the 26th of April the division moved to Maurepas and -proceeded to Maricourt on the 28th; from there it marched into line in -the Morlancourt sector. - -3. The division held the Morlancourt sector from about May 1 to 16. It -was relieved by the 107th Division and rested in the Valenciennes area -in June. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -4. It was engaged at Le Teton on July 15 and held a sector in that area -until the end of the month. - - -RHEIMS. - -5. On August 3 it reenforced the battle front at Sapicourt west of -Rheims. It was engaged in that area except for a week’s rest until the -end of September. - -6. After October 1 the division was engaged in Champagne in the region -of Orfeuil. It contested hotly the advance through Vaudy and Vouziers -until its relief in late October. It rested but a few days out of line -and after November 3 was engaged at St. Lambert, Roix-Terron, and Dom le -Mesnil (Nov. 10). - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second-class. It was used as an attack -division in March and did well. Thereafter it saw almost constant -service in resisting allied pushes. In October’s fighting it was -frequently spoken of by the German official communique. - - - - - 200th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │2 Jag. │3 Jag. (4│2 Jag. │3 Jag. (4│2 Jag. │3 Jag. - │ │ Btns.).│ │ Btns.).│ │ - │ │4 Jag. │ │4 Jag. │ │4 Jag. - │ │5 Jag. │ │5 Jag. │ │5 Jag. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │1 Sqn. 1 Uhlan Rgt.│2 Sqn. 1 Uhlan Rgt. - │ │ (passed to 228 │ - │ │ Div. in June, │ - │ │ 1917). │ - │ │2 Sqn. 2 Uhlan Rgt.│ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │257 F. A. Rgt. │(?) Art. Command: │22 F. A. Rgt. - │2 Mountain Art. │ 257 F. A. Rgt. │1 Abt. 26 Ft. A. - │ Abt. (Bavarian). │ │ Rgt. (1 and 3 - │ │ │ Btries.). - │ │ 7 Mountain Art. │843 Light Am. Col. - │ │ Abt. │ - │ │ │1157 Light Am. Col. - │ │ │1161 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │(220) Pion. Btn.: │42 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ 105 Pion. Co. │ 105 Pion. Co. - │ │ 282 Pion. Co. │ 282 Pion. Co. - │ │ 173 Mountain T. M.│ 173 T. M. Co. - │ │ Co. │ - │ │ 200 Tel. Detch. │ 99 Searchlight - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ │200 Signal Command: - │ │ │ 200 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ 50 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │214 Ambulance Co. │214 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │44 Field Hospital. │44 Field Hospital. - │ │370 Field Hospital.│19 Bav. Field - │ │ │ Hospital. - │ │Vet. Hospital. │300 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │35 Landst. Inf. │ │ - │ Rgt. │ │ - │37 Landst. Inf. │ │ - │ Rgt. │ │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - - 1916. - - -CARPATHIAN MOUNTAINS. - -1. The 200th Division, composed of three regiments of Jaegers, was -formed in July, 1916, in Galicia with the 3rd Jaeger Regiment (4 -battalions equipped with skis) coming from the Alpine Corps, with the -4th Jaegers (11th Battalion of Jaegers), 5th and 6th Battalions of -Reserve Jaegers, and with the 5th Jaegers (17th, 18th, and 23d -Battalions of Reserve Jaegers). - - -BUKOVINA. - -The 200th Division, together with the 1st Division, formed the -Carpathian Corps. The division took part in the counteroffensive in the -Carpathians against the Russians and beginning in September 1, 1916, -occupied a sector to the north of Mont Tomnatik (Bukovina.) - - - 1917. - - -BUKOVINA. - -1. The 200th Division stayed in the same part of the Carpathians (south -of Mt. Pnevié-Mt. Tomnatik) until July, 1917. At this time it took part -in the offensive waged in Bukovina and took a position north of the -Sereth. It was kept here until September. - -2. At the end of September the 200th Division was entrained for Italy. -Its itinerary to Vienna was Kolomea-Lemberg-Cracaw. - - -ITALY. - -3. Detraining in the vicinity of Laibach, it went toward the Italian -frontier, where it took about 15 days’ rest. On October 22 it drew near -the Italian frontier and on the 24th was engaged in the offensive on the -Isonzo and advanced by way of Cividale and Udine, where it fought the -Italian rear guards (Oct. 28–30). It reached Codroipo about November 3 -and Quero on the Piave the 23d. - - -MONT TOMBA. - -4. After a short period of rest it was again sent to the Mont Tomba -region in December. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 200th Division had recruits from the various mountainous districts -of the empire—Upper Silesia, Harz, Black Forest, etc.—which gave it a -certain character in spite of the different sources of its recruiting. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Composed of young and vigorous men with high morale, the 200th was one -of the best divisions in the German Army (1918). - - - 1918. - - -FRANCE. - -1. After having suffered heavy losses, the 200th Division was withdrawn -about the 1st of January, and went to rest for about a month southeast -of Bellune. Early in February, it entrained at Santa Lucia and traveled -via Rosenheim-Munich-Ulm-Freiburg-Colmar. It detrained at Bening and -went to rest and to be trained for about three weeks in the vicinity of -St. Avold. - - -MONTDIDIER. - -2. The division entrained near Marsal (southwest of Dieuze) on the 26th -of March and, traveling via Thionville-Luxemburg-Namur, detrained at -Cambrai two days later. It rested in the caserne here until the 31st, -when it marched to Peronne, where it remained in the English barracks -the 2d and 3d of April, when it marched via Guillaucourt to Moreuil -(northwest of Montdidier). During the night of the 7th–8th it relieved -the 14th Division west of Moreuil. It was relieved on May 14 by the 192d -Division. It was reported near Quesnoy the end of May and in the Le -Cateau region early in June. Men of one of its regiments were reported -as having been seen near Fere en Tardenois on the 3d of June. Again, -parts of the division were reported near Caudry and Chateau Thierry -during June. - - -MARNE. - -3. On the 15th of July the division attacked west of Dormans. It crossed -the Marne at Sailly, and was identified at Chapelle Monthod on the -following day. In this fighting, the division suffered very heavy -losses. The colonel and all the battalion commanders of the 3rd Jaeger -Regiment were lost. It was withdrawn from line on the 21st. - -4. During the night of the 26th–27th it came back into line near -Roncheres (north of Dormans), its mission being to cover the retreat -between Sergy and the Meuniere wood. It was withdrawn about the 3d of -August and went to the Sedan area, where it rested for a fortnight. - -5. During the night of the 22d–23d the division relieved the 22d Reserve -Division northwest of Souain. In the heavy fighting that followed the -division lost heavily. It was driven back to St. Etienne à Arnes, where -it was relieved by the 195th Division on the 6th of October. - - -WASSIGNY. - -6. The division then moved by easy stages, with frequent halts, via -Rozoy-Montcornet-Origny-Escautpont-Le Nouvion-Beaurepaire-Barzy. During -the night of October 22–23 it relieved the 5th Reserve Division near -Oisy (east of Wassigny). It had not been withdrawn on the 11th of -November. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 200th was rated as a second-class division. Composed of Jaeger -units, which are good fighters, it distinguished itself in the East and -in Italy, and did well in the heavy fighting it was called upon to do on -the Western Front, though not brilliantly. It was one of the best of the -second-class divisions. - - - - - 201st Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918[32] - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │401. │401. │402. │401. │402. │401. - │ │402. │ │402. │ │402. - │402. │403. │ │403. │ │403. - │ │404. │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │4 Sqn. 4 Mounted │4 Sqn. 7 Drag. Rgt. - │ │ Jag. Rgt. (?). │ - │ │4 Sqn. 7 Drag. Rgt.│ - │ │ (?). │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │401 F. A. Abt. │Art. Command: │156 Art. Command: - │402 F. A. Rgt. │ 401 F. A. Rgt. │ 402 F. A. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│401 Pion. Co. │(201) Pion. Btn.: │201 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ 385 Pion. Co. │ 385 Pion. Co. - │ │ 401 Pion. Co. │ 401 Pion. Co. - │ │ 181 T. M. Co. │ 358 Pion. Co. - │ │ 50 Searchlight │ 2 Res. Co. 7 - │ │ Section. │ Pions. - │ │ 201 Tel. Detch. │ 50 Searchlight - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ │ 181 T. M. Co. - │ │ │ 201 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │401 Ambulance Co. │401 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │401 Field Hospital.│401 Field Hospital. - │ │402 Field Hospital.│402 Field Hospital. - │ │66 Res. Field │66 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │ │Vet. Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │863 M. T. Col. │611 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Odd Units. │ │201 Cyclist Co. │201 Cyclist Co. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - -Footnote 32: - - Composition at the time of dissolution, November, 1918. - - - HISTORY. - - (401st Regiment; 20th Corps District. 402d Regiment; 17th Corps - District. 403d Regiment, 5th Corps District.) - - - 1916. - -The 201st is one of a series of divisions (numbered 201–204) created at -the beginning of July, 1916, at the time of the Russian offensive -conducted by Broussilov. - -The 201st Division was formed out of recruits obtained from depots in -the 5th, 17th and 20th Corps Districts. The Allenstein (401st) Regiment -and the Danzig (402d) Regiment came from the Arys cantonment. The Glogau -(403d) Regiment and the Posen (404th) came from the Warthe cantonment. -Men taken from the front, convalescents from depots and a majority of -young men from the class of 1917 made up the initial strength, which was -230 to 240 men per company. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. As soon as formed the division occupied a sector on the Russian front -(north of Baranovitchi) and stayed there from the beginning of July, -1916, to the beginning of December, 1917. During this period it only -took part in two local actions (November, 1916, and November, 1917). - - - 1917. - -1. The 404th Infantry was taken away from this division in the beginning -of 1917 and was joined to the divisions in the neighborhood (the 18th -Landwehr Division and later the 4th Landwehr Division). - - -RUSSIA-FRANCE. - -2. At the end of November, 1917, the 201st Division was relieved, -reassembled at Baranovitchi, and entrained for the Western Front. -(Itinerary: Baranovitchi-Brest-Litowsk-Warsaw-Chemnitz-Nuerenberg- -Heilbronn-Rastatt-Sarreguemines.) - - -LORRAINE. - -3. Beginning on December 15, elements of the 201st Division were put in -line on the right bank of the Moselle opposite the Xon (northeast of -Pont a Mousson). - - - RECRUITING. - -The eastern Provinces of the Empire. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 201st Division was composed to the extent of at least one-half of -young and vigorous men. It had not been exhausted physically and had in -no way lost its morale. Fraternization did not lessen its morale, but -rather raised it on account of their belief that war could be terminated -on the Western Front by an easy victory after peace was concluded with -Russia. - -Since its return from Russia its regiments had undergone an intensive -training in trench and open warfare (February, 1918). - - - 1918. - - -WOEVRE. - -1. The division held the Apremont sector (southeast of St. Mihiel) until -the end of May, when it was withdrawn. It rested and trained in the -Woevre (Sponville) until June 9. It entrained at Mars la Tour and moved -to Laon via Sedan and Liart. From there it marched to the Marne front -through Vailly-Lannoy-Brecy. - - -BATTLE OF THE MARNE. - -2. It was in line on the Chateau Thierry-Vaux sector from June 15 to the -end of July. In the attacks of late July the division was hit hard. It -was thrown back on Bezu-St. Germain, Beuvardes, Pere en Tardenois and -relieved about July 30. - -3. The division was moved to the Argonne in early August and about the -10th entered the Vacquois sector, which it held until the end of the -month. - - -BATTLE OF THE SOMME. - -4. It returned to the Somme area and on the night of September 6–7 -relieved the 6th Cavalry Division northeast of Fins. Until the 28th it -was engaged at Fins, Hendicourt, Gouzeaucourt, Villers, and Guislan. -Losses were very heavy, including 2,200 prisoners. - - -CAMBRESIS. - -5. After a week’s rest, the division reentered line south of Cambrai on -October 5 and fought in this region until the 15th. Here it lost another -650 prisoners. - -6. As a result of these extraordinary losses the division was dissolved -at Maubeuge on October 22. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. Its losses were unusually heavy -in prisoners whenever it was engaged in an active front. When it was -dissolved its effectives numbered less than 1,000 rifles. - - - - - 202d Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │ │405. │406. │408. │406. │97. - │ │406. │ │411. │ │408. - │ │407. │ │412. │ │411. - │ │408. │ │ │ │412. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │ │3 Sqn. 2 Gd. Uhlan - │ │ │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │406 F. A. Rgt. │Art. Command: │66 Art. Command: - │ │ 406 F. A. Rgt. │ 406 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ 65 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ │ 867 Light Am. Col. - │ │ │ 868 Light Am. Col. - │ │ │ 1387 Light Am. - │ │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │(202) Pion. Btn.: │202 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ 383 Pion. Co. │ 383 Pion. Co. - │ │ 402 Pion. Co. │ 402 Pion. Co. - │ │ 182 T. M. Co. │ 98 Searchlight - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ 352 Searchlight │ 182 T. M. Co. - │ │ Section. │ - │ │ Tel. Detch. │202 Signal Command: - │ │ │ 202 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ 91 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │403 Ambulance Co. │403 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │403 Field Hospital.│403 Field Hospital. - │ │404 Field Hospital.│404 Field Hospital. - │ │302 Vet. Hospital. │302 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │867 M. T. Col. │612 M. T. Col. - │ │983 M. T. Col. │ - │ │1387 M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Odd Units. │ │203 Cyclist Co. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (408th Regiment: Guard. 411th and 412th Regiments: 10th Corps - District—Hanover.) - - - 1916. - -The 202d Division was formed in October, 1916, in the Lockstedt -cantonment (9th Corps District, Altona). The 405th and the 406th were -organized at the Lockstedt cantonment, the 407th at the Altengrabow -cantonment, and the 408th comes from Guard depots. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. In the course of October, 1916, the 202d Division was sent to the -Russian front. Its organization was changed; it gave up the 405th to the -203d Division, the 406th and the 407th to the 205th Division. It was at -this time composed of the 408th and two regiments received from the 203d -Division, the 411th and the 412th (Hanover), which were formed at the -Munster cantonment as “coast-defense regiments.” - - -COURLAND. - -2. In December, 1916, the 202d Division was identified in the region of -Riga. - - - 1917. - -1. In March, 1917, and until the end of August, 1917, the 202d Division -occupied in Courland a sector in the vicinity of Toukkoum. - - -RIGA. - -2. In the middle of September it was at the east of Riga. It was also -identified at Riga on October 29. - -3. In November the 202d Division was entrained for the Western Front. -(Itinerary: Riga-Mitau-Insterburg-Koenigsberg-Thorn (408th)- -Schneidemuehl-Posen-Leipzig-Halle-Frankfort on the Main-Sarrebrueck- -Sarreguemines.) It detrained at Dieuze on November 20. - - -LORRAINE. - -4. The division stayed in the rear of the front in the vicinity of -Dieuze until the middle of January, 1918 (six weeks’ training). - - - RECRUITING. - -The 408th Regiment was built up out of depots of the Guard and was -recruited from all sections of Prussia. The 411th and 412th were -theoretically from Hanover, with some recruits furnished by the 9th -Corps District. - - - 1918. - -1. The division held the Lorraine sector until May 19, when it was -relieved by the 3d Guard Division. It entrained near Moyenvic on May 19 -and traveled via Metz-Spincourt-Longuyon-Sedan-Charleville-Marle to -Flavy le Martel, where it detrained on May 21. - - -OISE. - -2. On the night of May 22–23 it relieved the 11th Division west of -Noyon. It was in line when the attack of June was made and advanced by -Orval as far as Bethencourt. Here it remained in sector until about July -10, when it exchanged sectors with the 105th Division at Autreches. In -this area it was struck by the Allied attack in mid-August and forced -back on Audignicourt. The losses were very heavy, including 2,000 -prisoners. It was relieved on August 27. - -3. The division was railed to the vicinity of Vouziers after its relief -in line. While resting at Sugny (Sept. 2–12) it was re-formed. The 412th -Regiment was dissolved and its effectives distributed between the 408th -and 411th Regiments. The 97th Regiment, from the dissolved 108th -Division, replaced the 412th Regiment in the division. - -4. It was engaged in Champagne near Maisons de Champagne from September -12 to 24. After that it was in close support of the 42d Division until -the 27th, when it reentered line at Fontaine les Dormois. Until October -10 the division saw heavy fighting about Meuse and Challerange. It lost -very heavily, including more than 800 prisoners. - -5. The division rested from October 11 to 21. It was reengaged southeast -of Vouziers (near Falaise) on the 21st, and after the 1st of November -retreated by way of Longwe (2d), Boult aux Bois (34d) to the Meuse -(8th). - -When it appeared opposite the United States front on November 3, the -division had been completely shattered. The 411th Regiment, for -instance, had only three companies each with a rifle strength of 100 to -110 men. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. After the battle in eastern -Champagne in late September the division could be regarded as destroyed. - - - - - 203d Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │ │405. │405. │405. │405. │406. - │ │409. │ │409. │ │409. - │ │410. │ │410. │ │410. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │ │2 Sqn. Body Gd. - │ │ │ Hus. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │ │203 Art. Command: │203 Art. Command: - │ │ 406 F. A. Rgt. (2 │ 403 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ Abts.). │ - │ │ 403 F. A. Rgt. │ 2 Abt. 8 Res. Ft. - │ │ │ A. Rgt. - │ │ │ 778 Light Am. Col. - │ │ │ 969 Light Am. Col. - │ │ │ 977 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│403 Pion. Co. │Pion. Btn.: │417 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ 403 Pion. Co. │ 403 Pion. Co. - │ │ 183 T. M. Co. │ 1 Ers. Co. 23 - │ │ │ Pions. - │ │ Tel. Detch. │ 20 Searchlight - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ │ 183 T. M. Co. - │ │ │203 Signal Command: - │ │ │ 203 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ 152 Wireless - │ │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │Ambulance Co. │402 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │405 Field Hospital.│405 Field Hospital. - │ │Vet. Hospital. │406 Field Hospital. - │ │ │303 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Odd units. │ │202 Cyclist Co. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (406th Regiment; 3d Corps District—Brandenburg. 409th and 410th - Regiments; 9th Corps District—Schleswig—Holstein.) - - - 1916. - -The 203d Division was formed in Germany (September, 1916) and trained at -the Lockstedt cantonment (a great many men from the class of 1917; also -men previously wounded or sick and men taken from units at the front). - - -COURLAND. - -1. On October 20 the 303d Division took over a sector on the Dvina -(region north of Dvinsk.) - - - 1917. - - -RIGA. - -1. The division stayed on the Dvina until September, 1917. It -participated in the offensive on the Riga and fought to the north of -Friedrichstadt. - -2. After the taking of the town the 203d Division occupied a sector at -Grenyn. Favored by calm conditions, it gave up men to the 75th Reserve -Division, which was preparing to go to France. On December 8 it was -billeted in Riga. About December 18 the 405th Regiment left the Division -and was replaced by the 406th, coming from the 205th Division. In the -meanwhile the division had brought up its strength by obtaining men from -the 332d Infantry, which did not intend to leave until March, 1918 (with -the 77th Reserve Division). - - -FRANCE. - -3. At the end of December the 203d Division entrained for the Western -Front. The 410th left Riga on the 26th. (Itinerary: Eydtkuhnen- -Koenigsberg-Schneidemuehl-Berlin-Giessen-Coblenz-Treves-Thionville- -Charleville.) It detrained at Tournes in the night of January 1–2, 1918. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 406th recruits in Brandenburg, Schleswig-Holstein, and, to a lesser -extent, Hanover and the Hanseatic cities; furnished the recruits for the -409th and the 410th. The changes effected in the personnel during the -last part of the stay on the Russian front left these units fairly -heterogeneous. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The offensive value of the 203d Division in February, 1918, was only -mediocre. Before leaving for the Western Front the 405th, which was to -have remained in (hardly glorious) Russia, changed all its young men for -the older men in the other two regiments. The 203d was said to have -played a part in the Riga offensive. Gen. von Luettwitz commanding the -division, was said to have been relieved of his command a short time -thereafter. - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF REIMS. - -The division continued to hold the sector east of Reims (near Beine) -until the German offensive of July 15. It attacked west of Prunay and -penetrated as far as the Vesle. In front of Beaumont it lost very -heavily. After the failure of the attack the division held the sector -from Prunay to east of Les Marquises until August 30, when it was -relieved by the 9th Division. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. It rested near Laon until October 1, when it was reengaged in -Champagne between Orfeuil and Marvaux. In 8 days of severe fighting it -lost very heavily and was obliged to retire from line. - -3. The division was in army reserve until October 15, after which it was -engaged southeast of Vouziers near Olizy and Falaise. On November 1 it -was opposite the American front and took part in the final retreat of -the Meuse at Mohon. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. By the end of hostilities the -division was decimated and completely exhausted. - - - - - 204th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │407. │413. │407. │413. │407. │413. - │ │414. │ │414. │ │414. - │408. │415. │ │120 Res. │ │120 Res. - │ │416. │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │4 Sqn. 19 Uhlan │4 Sqn. 19 Uhlan - │ │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │407 F. A. Abt. │Art. Command: │204 Art. Command: - │408 F. A. Abt. │ 27 Res. F. A. Rgt.│ 27 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ 101 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ │ 1263 Light Am. - │ │ │ Col. - │ │ │ 1264 Light Am. - │ │ │ Col. - │ │ │ 1317 Light Am. - │ │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│404 Pion Co. │204 Pion Btn.: │204 Pion Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ 3 Res. Co. 13 │ 3 Res. Co. 13 - │ │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ │ 116 Pion. Co. │ 116 Pion Co. - │ │ 184 T. M. Co. │204 Signal Command: - │ │ Tel. Detch. │ 204 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ 75 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │563 Ambulance Co. │563 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │407 Field Hospital.│252 Field Hospital. - │ │408 Field Hospital.│407 Field Hospital. - │ │Vet. Hospital. │249 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Odd units. │ │204 Cyclist Co. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (13th Corps District—Wurttemberg.) - - - 1916. - -The 204th Division was formed in Germany in June and July, 1916. Its -original composition was the 407th Brigade (413th and 414th Infantry, -13th Corps District, Wurttemberg) and the 408th Brigade (415th and 416th -Infantry, 12th and 19th Corps Districts, Saxony). - -1. The two brigades, which had respectively been trained at the -Muensingen cantonment in Wurttemberg (the 407th) and at Neuhammer (the -408th), were brought together at the end of July, 1916. The division was -then sent to Belgium. It detrained at Cortemarck on July 27. - - -FLANDERS. - -2. Almost immediately put in line, the 204th occupied the Dixmude- -Bixschoote sector until October 1 and then the Ypres salient -(southeast). At the end of 1916 the 415th and the 146th Infantry were -taken from the front and transferred to the 212th Division and replaced -by the 120th Reserve Infantry (Wurttemberg), coming from the 58th -Division. - - - 1917. - -1. After four weeks’ rest in the region of Ghent in February, 1917, the -division came back to the sector at the southeast of Ypres. - -2. It was relieved on June 10, three days after the British attack -against the heights of Wytschaete-Messines. The division was only -partially subjected to this attack, but suffered some losses during the -artillery preparation. - - -ALSACE. - -3. After having been at rest at Gheluvelt on about June 20, the 204th -Division was transferred to the vicinity of Sarreberg, then on July 8 to -the west of Basle, where it remained until July 20. From July 20 until -August 15 it held a sector in Upper Alsace (north of the Rhone-Rhine -Canal). - - -FLANDERS. - -4. Again sent to Belgium, it went into line to the north of St. Julien, -southeast of Poelcappelle, at the end of August. No important -engagement. - - -CAMBRÉSIS. - -5. Relieved from the Ypres front on September 13, it took over a sector -near Cambrai (Boursies-Demicourt; Sept. 24-Nov. 13). - - -FLANDERS. - -6. Relieved about the middle of November, it went back to Flanders, -where it alternated with the 58th Division to the north of Poelcappelle -until the end of February. - - - RECRUITING. - -The division has been entirely made up of Wurttemberg recruits since -December, 1916. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Fairly good division. - - - 1918. - -1. After its relief northeast of Poelcappelle on February 28, the -division rested near Lille until March 21. Elements of the division were -in line at Fromelles on March 9 and others participated in a raid (the -13th) in the Boutillerie sector. - -2. The division left the Lille area on March 21 and marched in stages to -Douai, arriving there on the 27th. It was in support northwest of Vitry -en Artois on the 29th. On the 30th it marched toward the battle front -south of the Somme via Inchy-Peronne (Apr. 1), Assevillers, Rosieres, -south of Moreuil. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -3. It was engaged in the Braches-Sauvillers sector from April 1 to May -11. It was relieved by an extension of the front of the neighboring -divisions and retired to rest and train near Chaulnes until June 5. - - -BATTLE OF THE OISE. - -4. The division left Chaulnes about June 5 and marched in three days to -the Lassigny-Noyon front. It advanced in reserve on the 9th by Gury- -Mareuil-Lamotte. It was engaged south of Ribecourt near Bethancourt -until the 12th. From the 13th to the 18th the division was in reserve. -It was reengaged on the night of the 18th–19th and held the sector of -Vignemont-Antheuil until the 1st of August, when it was relieved by the -54th Division. - - -THIRD BATTLE OF THE SOMME. - -5. It rested in the suburbs of Lassigny until August 8. It then marched -to Damery, arriving there on the 10th and immediately entering line. In -the next week the division was thrown back by Damery, Villery les Roye -to Goyencourt. The division suffered heavy losses, including about 370 -prisoners near Roye. - - -LORRAINE. - -6. The division was railed to Lorraine and rested near Blamont during -September. Drafts amounting to about 700 men were incorporated in the -division in mid-September. - -7. The division left Lorraine on October 5 and detrained at Bertry on -the 7th. It was engaged on October 8 east of Catelet, and in the next 10 -days fell back through Cremont, Maretz, Sains, Souplet, Catillon. Its -heavy losses, including 1,200 prisoners, led to its withdrawal on -October 18. - -8. On October 22–23 the division was reengaged southeast of Le Cateau. -It held there until the breakdown of the line on November 5. Thereafter -it fell back on Maubeuge, through Favril, Limont, Fontaine. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. Before the attack of August it -had about 2,700 rifles. The losses in August had a depressing effect on -the morale of the troops. - - - - - 205th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │ │406. │403. │406. - │ │407. │ │407. - │ │439. │ │427. - │ │ │ │439. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │ │ (?) - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │405 F. A. Rgt. │Art. Command: - │ │ - │ │ 405 F. A. Rgt. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│377 Pion. Co. │(205) Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │ 377 Pion. Co. - │ │ 408 T. M. Co. - │ │ 205 Tel. Detch. - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │255 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │Field Hospital. - │ │Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │615 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1918 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │ │405. │403. │405. - │ │407. │ │407. - │ │439. │ │329. - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │ │2 Sqn. 13 Uhlan. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │405 F. A. Rgt. │405 Field Art. Rgt. (Rgt. - │ │ Staff, 1 and 2 Abt.). - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│ │(?) Pions. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │350 Searchlight Section. - │ │71 Searchlight Section. - │ │205 Div. Signal Command. - │ │205 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │255 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │215 and 216 Field Hospitals. - │ │305 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │615 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached. │612 Landst. Inf. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (405th, (?) 407th: 4th District-Prussian Saxony.) (439th: 15th District- - Alsace.) - - - 1916. - -The 205th Division was organized at the end of 1916, partly from new -regiments formed in the interior, partly from regiments taken from the -zone of the armies on the Eastern Front. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. The end of November, 1916, the division was reported behind the front -(region northeast of Vilna). At that time it comprised the 406th and -407th Infantry, taken from the 202d Division, and the 439th Infantry -formed in the region of Vilna. With the 226th Division next to it, it -belonged to the reenforced 3d Reserve Corps (10th Army). - - - 1917. - - -COURLAND. - -1. In January, 1917, the division was in line on the left bank of the Aa -(Courland). The 407th Infantry lost heavily in January and February. - -2. The division then occupied the front east of Kalzeen (region of -Mitau) from April to September. - -3. In October it was identified north of Lake Lobé. During the last -three months of 1917 many men were taken from this division for the -Western Front. In this manner it sent men to the 47th Reserve Division -in April, to the 14th Division at the end of October, and to the 75th -Reserve Division (before it left) in November. - - - RECRUITING. - -The division from its origin was of a very mixed composition. This -diversity increased following the many drafts taken from it in 1917 and -the diversity of origin of the men sent in exchange. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -On the Russian front since its organization. - -Fighting value mediocre. - - - 1918. - - -COURLAND. - -1. In February the 205th Division was to the southeast of Riga. - -2. In April it was in Livonia near Walk. About this time the commanding -general was decorated. Toward the beginning of June the division was -identified in the Narva region, where it remained until the end of the -war, with the exception of the 439th Regiment, which was transferred to -the 94th Division about the middle of September. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated third class. - - - - - 206th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │2 Res. │359. │2 Res. │359. │2 Res. │359. - │ Ers. │ │ Ers. │ │ Ers. │ - │ │394. │ │394. │ │394. - │ │4 Res. │ │4 Res. │ │4 Res. - │ │ Ers. │ │ Ers. │ │ Ers. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │2 Sqn. 2 Uhlan Rgt.│5 Sqn. 10 Drag. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │265 F. A. Rgt. │206 Art. Command: │206 Art. Command: - │ │ 265 F. A. Rgt. │ 265 Field Art. - │ │ │ Rgt. - │ │ │ 1 Abt. 27 Foot - │ │ │ Art. Rgt. - │ │ │ (Btries. 2 to 4). - │ │ │781, 1215, and 1230 - │ │ │ Light Mun. Cols. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │(206) Pion. Btn.: │206 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ 6 Co. 30 Pions. │ 2 Res. Co. Pion, - │ │ │ Btn. No. 27. - │ │ 2 Ldw. Co. 18 │ 6 Co. 30 Pion. - │ │ Pions. │ Btn. - │ │ 167 T. M. Co. │204 Searchlight - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ 206 Tel. Detch. │206 Div. Signal - │ │ │ Command. - │ │ │206 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │142 Div. Wireless - │ │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │210 Ambulance Co. │210 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │157 Field Hospital.│156 and 157 Field - │ │ │ Hospitals. - │ │158 Field Hospital.│306 Vet. Hospital. - │ │306 Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │781 M. T. Col. │616 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (359th Infantry: 3d District—Brandenberg. 394th Infantry: 9th - District—Schleswig—Holstein. 4th Reserve Ersatz: 10th District—Hanover.) - - - 1916. - -The 206th Division was organized in Belgium at the beginning of 1916. It -was composed of three infantry regiments—the 359th (9th, 10th, and 120th -Brigade Ersatz Battalions), the 394th, composed of men taken from the -17th Reserve Division, and the 4th Reserve Ersatz (36th, 37th, and 38th -Reserve Brigade Ersatz Battalions). - - -SOMME. - -1. After holding for some time in September the sector of Dixmude -(359th), the division was sent to the Somme in October, where it was -engaged at four different times (region of Péronne, La Maisonnette, and -vicinity of Marchelepot) and suffered heavy losses. - - -ALSACE. - -2. Relieved November 25 and entrained near St. Quentin for Alsace. Took -over the sector of Ban de Sapt until the beginning of January, 1917. - - - 1917. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. Sent to rest in the region of Chateau Salins and went into line about -the middle of February, 1917, between the forest of Bezange and -Leintrey. Remained there until April 20. - - -CHEMIN DES DAMES. - -2. Sent to the Laonnois, where it was stationed near Mont Cornet from -April 22 to 30, then at Laon from April 30 to May 4. Then went to the -Chemin des Dames (Laffaux, west of the Oise-Aisne Canal). Relieved June -10, after suffering very heavy losses. - - -LORRAINE. - -3. After a month’s rest in Lorraine at Blamont-Sarrebourg, the division -was in reserve about the middle of July in the region of Romagne- -Montfaucon. - - -HILL 304. - -4. At the end of July it took over the sector of Hill 304-Pommerieux, -where its losses were very heavy during the French attack of August 20 -(1,074 prisoners). Relieved in haste two days after this attack and sent -to rest behind the Reims front until the middle of September, and -received about 1,000 replacements taken from the Russian front. - - -REIMS. - -5. The division then held the Berru-Cernay sector, where it did not take -part in any important operations (middle of September to Nov. 24). - - -ST. QUENTIN. - -6. About November 28 sent to the St. Quentin front (Pontruet sector). - - - RECRUITING. - -“Regiments from Hanover, Schleswig-Holstein, and Brandenburg,” according -to a German communique which designated in this fashion the 4th Reserve -Ersatz, the 394th Infantry, and the 359th Infantry. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The division attacked energetically May 24, 1917, at the Panthéon, and -June 6 at La Royere. Composed of men from the active army, the reserve -and the Ersatz. It is a good division. Its three regiments gave proof of -good fighting qualities during the many local attacks at the Chemin des -Dames. - -It should, however, be noted that in front of Verdun the division did -not offer any resistance to the French attack of August 20, 1917. As -early as August 14 two regiments of this division had already had 100 -deserters. - -The sanitary conditions of this division were bad at this period (many -cases of dysentery). - - - 1918. - -1. The 206th Division was withdrawn from line in the sector northwest of -St. Quentin early in February, and went to rest in the region of Fresnoy -le Grand. After a short stay here it moved to the Fourmies area, where -it received intensive training in open warfare. - - -PICARDY. - -2. On March 16 the division began marching toward the front via -Wassigny-Fresnoy le Grand-Fonsommes-Fontaine Uterte. On the 20th it -rested in the Hindenburg Third Line. On the 22d it started out again via -Lesdins-Fayet, crossed the old front lines northwest of St. Quentin, and -spent the night in the former British lines in the Holnon wood. The -following day it marched to Martigny, where it spent the night in tents. -On the 24th it crossed the canal; the 4th Reserve Regiment encamped at -Voyennes; the 394th Regiment marched to Bethencourt and attacked along -the canal without suffering heavy losses. On the 26th, the 394th -proceeded by Damery and Andechy without being engaged; the 359th was -engaged at Guérbigny, and the 4th Ersatz reached the former German -trenches near Roye. During the night of the 27th–28th the division -entered Montdidier. The 28th, the 4th Ersatz was engaged at Mesnil-St. -Georges, leaving many prisoners in the hands of the French. On the 30th -the division attacked at Fontaine sous Montdidier. It was relieved -during the night of the 12th–13th of April by the 6th Bavarian Reserve -Division and went to rest in the region of Gruny, Sept-Fours and -Languevoisin. Here it was reconstituted. - -3. During the night of the 14th–15th it relieved the 45th Reserve -Division near Assainvillers (southeast of Montdidier). It was relieved -by the 222d Division on May 9, and was sent to the Nesles, where it was -identified on the 26th. Three days later it received 700 replacements -from its depot. It was also trained during the period spent here. Toward -the end of May it came to the vicinity of Baboeuf (east of Noyon); eight -days later it was near Bussy; then on June 8 in the Boulogne area. - - -OISE. - -4. On the 11th of June it came into line reenforcing the 19th Division -near Belloy (southeast of Montdidier). It was still in line at the time -of the attack of August 8, during the course of which it was forced back -with heavy losses as far as Boulogne le Grasse. It was withdrawn near -here on the 15th. - -5. After a brief rest it came back into line on the 22d near Pontoise -(southeast of Noyon). It was withdrawn on the 30th. - -6. On the 6th of September it came back into line near Fresnes (south of -Peronne). It was relieved by the 105th Division on the 20th. - - -CAMBRAI. - -7. On the 3d of October it relieved the 3d Naval Division, north of -Rumilly (south of Cambrai). From the 8th until the division was -withdrawn (about the 11th) it was heavily engaged and severely punished, -losing some 1,200 prisoners; it was forced back to Carnières (east of -Cambrai). - -8. The division rested and refitted for a fortnight and then reenforced -the front on November 1 near Villers-Pol (southeast of Valenciennes). It -continued in line but was made to fall back; prisoners were captured on -the 11th at Hyon (south of Mons). - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 206th was rated a second-class division. The division commander was -decorated after the battle of the Somme. On the other hand, the brigade -commander issued an order (Oct. 6) to remedy straggling in the division. -On the whole, however, the division did well, though not brilliantly. - - - - - 207th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │89 Res. │413. │89 Res. │98 Res. │89 Res. │98 Res. - │ │209 Res. │ │209 Res. │ │209 Res. - │ │213 Res. │ │213 Res. │ │213 Res. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │(?) Sqn. 7 Uhlan │4 Sqn., 7th Uhlan - │ │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │268 F. A. Rgt. │(?) Art. Command: │207 Art. Command: - │ │ 268 F. A. Rgt. │ 75 Field Art. Rgt. - │ │ │ 38 Ft. Art. Btn. - │ │ │834, 1217, and 1330 - │ │ │ Light Mun. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│236 Pion. Co. │(207) Pion. Btn.: │207 Pion. Btn. - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ 4 Co. 14 Pions. │3 Ers. Co. Pion. - │ │ │ Btn. No. 24. - │ │ 336 Pion. Co. │168 T. M. Co. - │ │ 169 T. M. Co. │190 Searchlight - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ 207 Tel. Detch. │207 Div. Signal - │ │ │ Command. - │ │ │207 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │98 Div. Wireless - │ │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │211 Ambulance Co. │211 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │240 (?) Ambulance │159 and 160 Field - │ │ Co. │ Hospitals. - │ │159 Field │307 Vet. Hospital. - │ │ Hospital. │ - │ │160 Field │ - │ │ Hospital. │ - │ │307 Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (98th Reserve: 16th District—Lorraine. 209th Reserve: 2d - District—Pomerania. 213th Reserve: 9th District—Schleswig—Holstein.) - - - 1916. - -1. The 207th Division was organized in Belgium toward the end of -September, 1916. The 45th Reserve Division furnished the 209th Reserve -and the 46th Reserve Division the 213th Reserve. Its third regiment, the -413th, which came from the 204th Division, was replaced by the 98th -Reserve (from the 212th Division) at the beginning of 1917. - - -FLANDERS. - -2. Assembled in October on the Belgium coast (Zeebrugge-Blankenberg) and -went into line before Ypres toward the end of November (Zonnebeke-Ypres -road to the Ypres-Comines Canal). - - - 1917. - -1. Held the Ypres front until the end of April, 1917. - - -ARTOIS. - -2. At the beginning of May it fought in Artois (Bullecourt, south of -Pronville). - - -MESSINES. - -3. Relieved about June 3 and went back into line in the region of Ypres, -east of Messines, June 12 to July 6. Did not have heavy losses in spite -of serious fighting. - -4. In July sent to rest in the vicinity of Roubaix. - - -YPRES. - -5. Beginning on the night of August 1–2, it was again engaged east of -Ypres in the vicinity of Hollebeke and Zandvoorde, and counterattacked -to recapture Hollebeke. Remained in this sector until October 8. - - -LENS. - -6. On October 20 took over the sector north of Lens, where it alternated -with the 220th Division. - - - RECRUITING. - -A composite division. The 98th Reserve got replacements principally from -Westphalia; the 209th Reserve from Pomerania; the 213th Reserve from -Schleswig-Holstein. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -This division has only a moderate fighting value. - - - 1918. - - -LENS. - -1. The division continued to hold the quiet Loos sector until April 13, -when it was relieved by the 220th Division. - - -LA BASSEE CANAL. - -2. It was engaged north of the La Basse Canal on the night of April -13–14. The 98th Reserve Regiment attacked on the 18th on the canal. -After the attack the three regiments held the line to the south of the -canal until the end of April. - -3. The division rested in early May. On the 18th it was engaged south of -the La Basse Canal, near Hulluch and Anchy les La Basse. It held this -sector without event until it was relieved on the night of July 1–2 by -the 10th Erzsatz Division. The regiment marched to Wahagnies, entrained -at Libercourt on the 3d and detrained near Bac St. Maur on the same day. - - -VIEUX BERQUIN-CAMBRAI. - -4. It relieved the 44th Reserve Division during the nights of July 3–4 -and 4–5 near Vieux Berquin. After a month it exchanged sectors (between -Aug. 6 and 8) with the 52d Division which had been holding a sector -south of Lens. The sector continued quiet in August and September. The -division was relieved on the night of the 24th–25th by the 111th -Division and reenforced the front northwest of Cambrai on September 28. -After three days of severe fighting and heavy losses it was obliged to -withdraw. - - -BELGIUM. - -5. The division was taken to Deynze about October 8 and came into line -on the 14th near Thielt between Pittem and Iseghem. It was pushed back -toward Denterghem (18th–19th) and later toward the line Courtrai-Ghent -(Deynze, Tulte, Waereghem, Oct. 21 to Nov. 1). The division withdrew to -reserve on November 1 and thereafter was out of line. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. Its morale was reported to be -indifferent at the end of October. - - - - - 208th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │185. │25. │185. │25. │185. │25. - │ │185. │ │185. │ │185. - │ │65 Res. │ │65 Res. │ │65 Res. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │1 Sqn. 6 Res. │1 Sqn. 6 Res. - │ │ Dragoon Rgt. │ Dragoon Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │267 F. A. Rgt. │Art. Command: │267 Field Art. Rgt. - │ │ 267 F. A. Rgt. │157 Foot Art. Btn. - │ │ │819, 1284, and 1357 - │ │ │ Light Mun. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │(208) Pion. Btn.: │208 Pion. Btn. - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ 252 Pion. Co. │252 Pion. Co. - │ │ 338 Pion. Co. │338 Pion. Co. - │ │ 16 T. M. Co. │16 T. M. Co. - │ │ 291 Searchlight │28 Searchlight - │ │ Section. │ Section. - │ │ 208 Tel. Detch. │208 Div. Signal - │ │ │ Command. - │ │ │208 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │80 Div. Wireless - │ │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │113 Ambulance Co. │113 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │78 Field Hospital. │78 and 300 Field - │ │ │ Hospitals. - │ │300 Field Hospital.│308 Vet. Hospital. - │ │308 Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │618 M. T. Col. │618 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (25th: 8th District—Rhine Province. 185th: 14th District—Grand Duchy of - Baden. 65th Reserve: 8th District—Rhine Province.) - - - 1916. - -The 208th Division was organized in the region of Sissonne at the -beginning of September, 1916. Its three infantry regiments came from -older divisions—the 25th from the 15th Division, the 185th from the -185th Division, the 65th Reserve from the 16th Reserve Division. - -Before being transferred to the 208th Division these regiments were -engaged in the battle of the Somme, where the 18th Infantry especially -was particularly tried (July 5–18). - - -GALICIA. - -1. On September 3 the division was sent to the Eastern Front, via -Luxemburg-Aix la Chapelle-Berlin-Leipzig-Cracow-Lemberg. - -2. Fought at Brzezany and Halicz from the middle of September to the end -of October. - - -FRANCE. - -3. About the beginning of November it returned to the Western Front, via -Lemberg-Budapest-Vienna-Salzburg-Rosenheim-Munich-Frankfurt-Cologne-Aix -la Chapelle-Liege. Detrained November 13 at Caudry. - - -SOMME-ANCRE. - -4. On November 18 it went into line north of the Ancre, where it was -seriously engaged in a series of local attacks. - -5. Relieved December 12 and went to rest northeast of Ghent. - - - 1917. - - -FLANDERS. - -1. At the beginning of February, 1917 the division took over the sector -Ypres-Comines Canal, which it held until February 25. - -2. After a month’s rest in the region north of Ghent it returned to the -front (sector Bixschoote-Langemarck) from March 28–29 to middle of -April. - - -ARTOIS. - -3. April 24 the division was engaged before Arras between Gavrelle and -Roeux and was severely tried during the British offensive. - - -HINDENBURG LINE (OISE). - -4. Withdrawn from the Artois front May 8 and went into line in a quiet -sector south of St. Quentin, between Berthenicourt and Moy, where it -remained for more than three months, May 14–15 to August 18. Received -about 1,000 replacements, among others from the 616th Infantry -dissolved, in May. - - -FLANDERS. - -5. About August 23 went to Flanders, via Origny-Le Cateau-Mons-Ghent- -Deynze-Lichtervelde. September 4–5 it went into the sector of -Langemarck. Though already sorely tried by artillery fire, it was -subjected to the British attack of September 20, which again caused it -very heavy losses. The 1st and 3d Companys of the 185th Infantry were -entirely destroyed or captured; the rest of the 1st Battalion was -reduced to a handful of men (letter). - - -ST. MIHIEL. - -6. Left the Flanders front September 29 and went to Lorraine where it -took over the St. Mihiel sector. - - -CAMBRAI-ST. QUENTIN. - -7. November 26 it entrained for the region of Cambrai where the 25th -Infantry fought on the 30th in support of the 34th Division. The -division then held the sector southwest of Villers Guislain-north of -Epehy until the beginning of February, 1918. Relieved at that time, and -at the beginning of March took over the sector west of Bellenglise, -northwest of St. Quentin. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 185th Regiment is a Baden regiment (German communiqué of Nov. 26, -1916). The other two regiments are from the Rhineland, and thus the -division may at times be designated under the general appellation of -“Rhenish troops.” - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The division took part in many battles on different fronts and generally -did well. - -When it was put in line at Ypres in September, 1917, 25 per cent of its -fighting forces belonged to the 1918 class, and these young elements -seem at this time to have weakened the fighting spirit of the division. -(Information from the British, October, 1917). - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -1. The division was in the Bellenglise line sector when the attack of -March 21 began. By the evening of the 21st it had advanced as far as le -Vergnier. The next day it advanced via Bernes and Catigny and entered -Peronne on the following day, remaining there until the 25th, when it -crossed the Somme near Biaches. On the 26th the division advanced 4 -kilometers encountering slight opposition, and on the 27th advanced 12 -kilometers without opposition. It reached Framerville on the 28th after -some fighting and on the 29th was engaged against a British -counterattack between Cayeux and Beaucourt. A day or so later it was -retired from the front near Marcelcave. The casualties of the division -in the offensive were estimated by the British as 70 per cent. - - -HANGARD. - -2. It rested near Clery, in the vicinity of Peronne, from April 1 to 18. -It came into line north of Hangard (night of Apr. 21–22) and was heavily -engaged until May 4. Again the division suffered very heavy losses. - - -WOEVRE. - -3. The division went to rest in the Valenciennes area on May 7. About -June 4 it entrained and traveled via Mons-Namur-Charleville-Conflans to -Chambley, where it detrained a day later. On the night of June 4–5 it -entered line of the quiet St. Mihiel sector and stayed there until the -end of July. - - -SECOND BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -4. Relieved on July 28, at St. Mihiel, the division was transported to -the Noyon area, and on August 12 was engaged near Belval (south of -Lassigny). In the next two months the division was constantly being -pressed back. The line of its retreat was through Beaurains-Genvry- -Guiscard-Berlancourt-Ville Selves-Crigny-Flavy le Martel-Benay-Cerisy -(south of St. Quentin). It was relieved by the 1st Reserve Division on -September 30. - -5. After hardly a week’s rest, the division reentered lines near Cambrai -(southwest of Merguies, later Haussy) about October 8. It held in that -sector until the 23d. Few days later it was reengaged between -Valenciennes and Le Quesnoy (Ruesnes), but after a few days in line -retired from the front. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. It took a prominent part in the -March offensive and thereafter was a strong defensive division. Although -its effectives were greatly diminished in the fall, its morale remained -above the average. - - - - - 211th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918[33] - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │ │27. │211. │27. │211. │27. - │ │75 Res. │ │75 Res. │ │75 Res. - │ │103 Res. │ │390. │ │390. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │1 Sqn. 2 Uhlan Rgt.│1 Sqn. 2 Uhlan Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │269 F. A. Rgt. │Art. Command: │(?) Art. Command: - │ │ 269 F. A. Rgt. │ 269 F. A. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │(211) Pion. Btn.: │1 Res. Co. 2 Pion. - Liaisons. │ │ │ Btn. No. 27. - │ │ 1 Res. Co. 27 │421 T. M. Co. - │ │ Pions. │ - │ │ 268 Pion. Co. │211 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 421 T. M. Co. │ - │ │ 211 Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │222 Ambulance Co. │222 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │170 Field Hospital.│170 Field Hospital. - │ │173 Field Hospital.│171 Field Hospital. - │ │Vet. Hospital. │173 Field Hospital. - │ │ │Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transports. │ │M. T. Col. │M. T.Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - -Footnote 33: - - Composition at the time of dissolution, August, 1918. - - - HISTORY. - - (27th; 4th District—Prussian Saxony. 75th Reserve; 9th - District—Schleswig—Holstein and Hansa towns. 390th; 18th - District—Hesse—Nassau.) - - - 1916. - -The 211th Division was organized September 15, 1916, at Tournai. - -The 27th Infantry came from the 27th Division (4th Army Corps), the 75th -Reserve from the 17th Reserve Division (9th Army Corps), the 103d -Reserve (which was replaced by the 390th in January, 1917) came from the -23d Reserve Division (Saxon). These three regiments fought in July to -August, 1916, in the battle of the Somme before being assigned to the -211th Division. - -1. About September 20, its organization being completed, the division -was sent north of the front of the Somme, to put up defensive works in -the region of Nurlu-Manancourt. - - -SOMME. - -2. October 14 it went into line at the St. Pierre-Vaast wood, from where -it was relieved November 6. - - -SOISSONS. - -3. It then took over the sector north and west of Soissons (Nov. 20). - - - 1917. - -1. In January, 1917, the 103d Reserve was transferred to the 58th -Division (Saxon) and replaced by the 390th, recruited in the Rhineland -and Hessa, coming from the 16th Reserve Division, which had been formed -from drafted companies as well as from elements of the 21st and 25th -Divisions and 25th Landwehr Brigade. - - -AISNE. - -2. The division, thus composed, held the Soissons sector until about -March 20. On this date it retired through Terny, Margival, to -Vauxaillon, where it established its lines and opposed the French attack -of April 16. - - -LAFFAUX. - -3. Temporarily withdrawn from the front on April 20, the division went -to the north of Laffaux, south of Vauxaillon, from May 10 to 25. During -these two periods on the Aisne front the division suffered heavy losses -(especially the 27th, which had already received men from the 1918 -class, among other reenforcements, at the end of April). It was -reorganized partly from the dissolution of the 625th Infantry (Hessian). - - -FOREST OF ST. GOBAIN. - -4. June 25 the division held the forest of St. Gobain (sector of -Bassoles-Aulers). At the end of July it took over the sector of Cerny- -Malval Farm. - -5. At the end of December it went to rest and train at Gizy (west of -Liesse) and vicinity for four weeks. - - - RECRUITING. - -The three infantry regiments came from three different Prussian -Provinces-Prussian Saxony (27th Infantry), Schleswig-Holstein and Hanse -towns (75th Reserve), Hesse-Nassau, 390th Infantry. The reenforcements -from the Russian front in 1917 also gave a certain number of Hanoverians -from the 411th Infantry. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The division had many losses on the Aisne in April to May, 1917, and was -completed by reenforcements containing a strong proportion of the 1918 -class. These young soldiers, according to prisoners’ statements, showed -only mediocre military qualities (counterattacks at Laffaux). - -During the four weeks which it spent in the vicinity of Liesse the -division took part in several training exercises (breaking through -maneuvers on an 8-kilometer front with simulated enemy tanks). -(Interrogation of prisoners, Mar. 7, 1918.) - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -1. The division was relieved the 8th of March in the Chamouille area and -went to rest and train near Laon until the 19th. It marched toward the -jumping off point east of La Fere by Crepy en Laonnois, arriving there -on the 20th. It followed up the attack at La Fere, crossing the Oise -near Travecy, until the 22d, when it was engaged west of Travecy. It -advanced through Farguiers-Quessy-Liez-Chauny-Quierzy-Varesnes, -suffering heavy losses, until the line stabilized near the Aisne Canal -at Manicamp and Champs. It held this sector until May 27. - - -OISE. - -2. When the French retired on the front, following the German advance to -the Marne, the division advanced as far as Moulin sous Touvent-Nampcel -(May 27–31). It held that sector until the beginning of July. It -withstood a French attack on July 3, lost 666 prisoners, and was at once -relieved by the 15th Division. - - -SOISSONS. - -3. The division rested until mid-July southeast of Soissons. It was -brought back on the 20th at Mercin-Vauxbuin to oppose the Allied -counterthrust and was in line until August 3. - -4. After its withdrawal the division was taken to the neighborhood of -Charleville and dissolved. The 390th Regiment and 75th Reserve Regiment -were broken up and sent as drafts to the 42d Division and the 87th -Division. The 27th Regiment replaced the dissolved 32d Reserve Regiment -in the 113th Division. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. It was in line almost without -interruption from February to August, 1918. When the effective strength -had reached a minimum the division was dissolved. - - - - - 212th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │57. │20. │212. │415. │ │182. - │ │114. │ │416. │ │ - │ │98 Res. │ │182. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │2 Sqn. 18 Uhlan │5 Sqn. 18 Hussars. - │ │ Rgt. │ - │ │ │Staff, 2 Bav. Uhlan - │ │ │ Rgt. - │ │ │1 to 4 Sqns. 2 Bav. - │ │ │ Uhlan Rgt. - │ │ │M. G. Sqn. 2 Bav. - │ │ │ Uhlan Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │279 F. A. Rgt. │67 Art. Command: │67 Artillery - │ (Saxon). │ │ Command: - │ │ 279 F. A. Rgt. │ 279 Field Art. - │ │ │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│2 Ldw. Pion. Co. │(212) Pion. Btn.: │212 Div. Signal - Liaisons. │ (14 C. Dist.). │ │ Command: - │ │ 3 Res. Co. 22 │ 212 Tel. Detch. - │ │ Pions. │ - │ │ 422 T. M. Co. │ - │ │ 212 Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │225 Ambulance Co. │177 Field Hospital. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │177 Field Hospital.│312 Vet. Hospital. - │ │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │757 M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (12th and 19th Districts—Saxony.) - - - 1916. - -The 212th Division was organized between the 5th and 15th of September, -1916, in the region of St. Quentin. At that time it comprised the -following three infantry regiments, taken from already existing -divisions: The 20th from the 6th Division, the 114th from the 29th -Division, and the 98th Reserve from the 10th Reserve Division. Later its -infantry composition was completely changed until the division from -being Prussian became entirely Saxon. - - -SOMME. - -1. From September 15 to October 3–5 the division was engaged north of -the Somme (sector of Cléry to Béthune-Péronne road). - -2. Withdrawn from the front October 5 and sent to rest in the region of -St. Quentin. Went back into line about the 25th, south of the Somme, -between Genermont and Ablaincourt. Suffered heavy losses (the 3d -Battalion of the 98th Reserves lost 297 prisoners). - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -3. The division left the Somme November 23–25 and went to rest (end of -November to beginning of December). Then went to the Champagne front -(sector of Prosnes—south of Ste. Marie a Py). - - - 1917. - -1. In January, 1917, the division was reorganized. The 98th Reserve and -the 20th went to the 207th Division and the 5th Guard Division, -respectively, and were replaced by the 9th Jäger Regiment (from the -199th Division) and the 415th (from the 204th Division). These were -Saxon regiments and they were joined a short time after by the 416th -(also from the 204th Division and Saxon), in place of the 114th, -assigned to the 199th Division. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. Thus composed the division continued to hold the Prosnes sector until -the end of March, 1917. - - -ROUMANIA. - -3. Relieved about March 25, before the attacks began and sent to -Roumania. - -At this time the 9th Regiment of Jägers left the division and went to -the 101st Division, in Macedonia. The 415th and 416th were sent to the -Russian-Roumanian front (region of Braila in July, then Focsani- -Tecuciu). The division was brought up to three regiments by the -assignment of the 182d (from the 216th Division), a Saxon regiment. The -division suffered heavy losses, especially the 182d Infantry, on -September 9. - -4. In December the division was relieved from the sector west of -Tecuciu. The 415th and 416th were identified southeast of Panciu -December 14; the 182d, northwest of Namoloasa, on the 20th. - - - RECRUITING. - -The division at the end of 1917 was entirely Saxon. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Remained on the Roumanian front during a part of 1917 and the beginning -of 1918. Moderate fighting value. - - - 1918. - -1. The division was still in Rumania on the 15th of April. - - -UKRAINE. - -2. Toward the end of May the division was identified north of Kherson. -All the younger men were sent to the Western Front, but the remainder of -the division did not leave this region. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 213th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │37 Res. │149. │37 Res. │149. │37 Res. │149. - │ │368. │ │368. │ │368. - │ │74 Res. │ │74 Res. │ │74 Res. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 5 Res. Hus. │2 Sqn. 5 Res. Hus. │2 Sqn. 5 Res. Hus. - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │272 F. A. Rgt. │213 Art. Command: │213 Art. Command: - │ │ 272 F. A. Rgt. │ 272 Field Art. - │ │ │ Rgt. - │ │ │ 79 Foot Art. Btn. - │ │ │733, 1104, and 1127 - │ │ │ Light Mun. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│284 Pion. Co. │(213) Pion. Btn.: │213 Pion Btn. - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │423 T. M. Co. │ 2 Res. Co. 28 │ 2 Res. Co. Pion. - │ │ Pions. │ Btn. No. 18. - │ │ 284 Pion Co. │ 284 Pion Co. - │ │ 378 T. M. Co. │ 423 T. M. Co. - │ │ 423 T. M. Co. │ 118 Searchlight - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ Tel. Detch. │ 234 Searchlight - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ │313 Div. Signal - │ │ │ Command. - │ │ │ 213 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ 26 Div. Wireless - │ │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │220 Ambulance Co. │220 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │68 (*) Field │168 and 169 Field - │ │ Hospital. │ Hospitals. - │ │168 Field │313 Vet. Hospital. - │ │ Hospital. │ - │ │169 Field │ - │ │ Hospital. │ - │ │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │179 M. T. Col. │623 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (149th: 2d District—Pomerania. 368th and 74th Reserves: 10th - District—Hanover.) - - - 1916. - -The 213th Division was formed near Spincourt, northeast of Verdun, at -the beginning of September, 1916. Its three infantry regiments came from -already existing divisions, the 149th from the 4th Division, the 74th -Reserves from the 19th Reserve Division, and the 368th (former Brigade -Ersatz Battalions 37 (Osnabrueck), 38 (Hanover), 39 (Hildesheim), from -the 10th Ersatz Division.) - - -SOMME. - -1. Although apparently destined for the Roumanian front, the division -was sent in all haste to the Somme on September 14. It fought beginning -the 18th east of Combles and suffered heavily. - - -AISNE. - -2. Withdrawn from the front at the end of September and moved to Bohain -by stages and from there was transported on October 1 to Coucy le -Chateau. On the same day it took over the Nouvron-Vingre sector north of -Vic sur Aisne. It remained there until the end of October, and after a -short rest went back into line in the same region (Moulin sous Touvent- -Autreches) at the beginning of November. - - - 1917. - -1. About January 4, 1917, the division was relieved from the Aisne front -and sent for a rest and training to the camp at Sissonne (region of -Lappion). Maneuvers with a view to open warfare. - - -OISE. - -2. After three weeks training it entrained at St. Erme on January 22; -detrained the same day at Apilly, near Chauny, and went into line -between the Oise and Quennevieres (Bailly-Pracy le Val). - -3. On March 17 it retired north of the Ailette in the direction of -Chauny and went in reserve in the region of Laon. - - -AISNE. - -4. An emergency call was sent for it at Sissonne April 16 and it was -brought to St. Erme and engaged beginning April 16–17 east of Craonne -(north of Ville aux Bois). Counterattacked violently in the region of -Juvincourt, but suffered considerable losses, which necessitated its -retreat, on April 21–22. - -5. Sent to rest near Amifontaine and reorganized (replacements -especially from the 617th Regiment (Stettin and vicinity), which was -dissolved) April 26 it was reengaged south of Corbeny and again suffered -heavily from the French attack of May 8 and from its counteroffensive of -the 10th. - -6. Left the Craonne front May 29 and went to rest by the Meuse -(Spincourt). - - -HILL 304. - -7. At the end of July, after two months’ rest, went into line east of -Hill 304. Only the 149th was engaged during the French attack of August -20, and it suffered heavy losses. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -8. Relieved August 25 and sent to Champagne (5 weeks’ rest near Asfeld), -then went into line before Brimont on October 5. - - - RECRUITING. - -Two of the regiments, the 74th Reserves and the 368th were from Hanover. -The 149th which as a rule was recruited in the second district -(Pomerania), was as a matter of fact very mixed, like the other -regiments of this district. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -A good division. However, the 149th, in line east of Hill 304, offered -no resistance to the French attack of August 20, 1917. The two other -regiments gave no assistance. - -Relatively small proportion of 1918 class men in August, 1917. - -During its stay in the rear (January, 1918) the division was trained for -open warfare. (Examination of prisoners, March, 1918.) - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF THE AISNE. - -1. The division continued to hold the quiet Brimont Courcy sector until -May 10, when it was relieved by the 242d Division. It rested near Asfeld -until the 24th, when it returned to the Brimont sector on the night of -the 24th–25th, and attacked on the 27th. It advanced through Loivre, -Merfy, and Guex until the line stabilized west of Reims (Vrigny-Ormes- -Champigny). It held that sector until September 27. - -2. It was moved in motor trucks on the 27th to south of Arnes, and the -next day was engaged near Ste. Marie a Py. The division was engaged -without pause until the armistice. In the first week of October it was -pushed back to Ste. Etienne a Arnes, losing 560 prisoners. From then it -retreated to east of Machault, between Vouziers and Attigny and later to -the region northeast of Attigny (Le Chesne-Louvergny). It was last -identified at Louvergny on November 6. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. Its morale remained fairly high, -and the division did well in the Ardennes in September-October. - - - - - 214th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │ │50. │214. │50. │214. │50. - │ │358. │ │358. │ │358. - │ │363. │ │363. │ │363. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │ (z) │1 Sqn. 16 Hus. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │ │(z) Art. Command: │214 Art. Command. - │ │ 44 F. A. Rgt. │44 Field Art. Rgt. - │ │ │1 Abt. 15 Foot Art. - │ │ │ Rgt. (Btries. 1 - │ │ │ to 3). - │ │ │922, 1246, and 1300 - │ │ │ Light Mun. Cols. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │(214) Pion. Btn.: │214 Pion. Btn. - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ 2 Res. Co. 23 │2 Res. Co. Pion. - │ │ Pions. │ Btn. No. 23. - │ │ 341 Pion. Co. │341 Pion. Co. - │ │ 424 T. M. Co. │47 Searchlight - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ 214 Tel. Detch. │214 Div. Signal - │ │ │ Command. - │ │ │214 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │112 Div. Wireless - │ │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │224 Ambulance Co. │224 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │25 Field Hospital. │25 and 274 Field - │ │ │ Hospitals. - │ │274 Field Hospital.│314 Vet. Hospital. - │ │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │M. T. Col. │624 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │22, 59, and 20 M. - │ │ │ G. Sec. Abt. - │ │ │4 Btry. 18 Foot - │ │ │ Art. Regt. - │ │ │150 Saxon Balloon - │ │ │ Detch. - │ │ │268 Aviation Detch. - │ │ │ (Oct. 29, 1918.) - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (50th: 5th District—Posen. 358th: 2d District—Pomerania. 363d: 8th - District—Rhine Province.) - - - 1916. - -The 214th Division was formed in Lorraine in September, 1916. Two of its -regiments came from the Ersatz Divisions—the 358th, former Brigade -Ersatz Battalions Nos. 1, 2, 5, and 50; from the Ersatz Guard Division; -the 363d, former Brigade Ersatz Battalions Nos. 29 (Aix la Chapelle), 30 -(Coblentz), and 31 (Trèves), from the 8th Ersatz Division. These two -regiments were for two years in the Haye. The 50th Infantry was taken -from the 10th Division (Verdun front). - - -SOMME. - -1. Started for the Eastern Front September 10, 1916, but was stopped at -Frankfort on Main and brought back to France to oppose the offensive on -the Somme. Hastily engaged at Rancourt September 19–20, but lost that -village. Lost heavily (600 prisoners) and was relieved October 2. - - -BOIS LE PRÊTRE. - -2. From October 15 to November 25 the division held the Bois le Pretre -sector. - - -SOMME. - -3. At the beginning of December it again went to the Somme in the region -of Bapaume (Gueudecourt). - - - 1917. - -1. The division was withdrawn from the Somme about February 6, 1917, and -went to rest; obtained replacements from the 609th Infantry (Rhineland). - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. About February 20 the division was north of Nouroy-Moronvilliers. Its -regiments were successively put in line beginning with the first part of -March, then were placed all together in line April 15. April 17 and 18 -the division opposed the French attacks on the Nauroy-Auberive front. -Its losses were considerable (19 officers and 1046 unwounded prisoners). -Losses of the 12th Company of the 50th Infantry, 129 men (document). - -3. On the night of the 18th–19th the division was relieved and sent to -rest southwest of Monthois and reorganized. The 5th Company of the 363d -Infantry received at least 134 replacements, mostly from the 1918 class, -some of them with only three months’ training. - - -ARGONNE. - -4. About May 4–5 the division went back into line south of Rouvroy -(Cernay en Dormois) and stayed there until July 22 or 23. No important -action during this period. - - -FLANDERS. - -5. During the first days of August the division was sent to Flanders via -Charleville, Namur, Brussels, and Ghent. It went to the Bixschoote- -Langemarck sector, where it fought until August 17 (battle of Flanders, -French attack of August 16). - - -CAMBRAI. - -6. After a rest on the coast it went to Douai August 23 and took over -the Oppy-Gavrelle sector (September to November). November 22 it went in -all haste to oppose the advance of the British army southwest of -Cambrai, and fought until December 4. At that date it was sent to rest -near Valenciennes. - - - RECRUITING. - -A composite division. The 50th (5th District) and the 358th (2d -District) had a pretty large proportion of Poles, and some -Brandenburgers to counterbalance them. The 363d was a Rhenish regiment, -as well as the field artillery of the division. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 214th Division must be considered as a good division. However, it -should be noted that in Champagne during the attack of April 17, it was -more or less demoralized by the losses suffered. A large number of men -are said to have fled during the preparatory artillery fire. - -At Ypres in August, 1917, the 358th and 363d opposed great resistance, -particularly where there were enough officers to hold the men under the -artillery fire. - -Of the three regiments of the division, the 50th was the worst; many -Poles. - - - 1918. - - -BELGIUM. - -1. The division held the Dixmude sector until April 5, when it was -relieved by the 6th Bavarian Division. It was withdrawn to Couckelaere -and Ichteghem, when it entrained on the 6th and 7th and traveled via -Thourout-Lichtervelde-Roulers-Coutrai to Lauwe, from where they marched -to Halluin. - - -LYS. - -2. It was engaged north of Armentieres from April 10 to 13 (Ploegsteert- -Neuve Eglise). It was relieved on the 13th–14th and went to rest near -Lille until May 19. On May 6 some elements of the division reenforced -the Alpine Corps at Locre for a short time. - - -ARRAS. - -3. On May 19–20 the division came in line east of Arras (Feuchy-Monchy -le Preux) and held that quiet sector until the British attacked them on -August 27. The division lost 1,171 prisoners and was relieved on the -28th. - - -PICARDY. - -4. The division rested until September 24, when it entered line -southwest of Douai (Sailly Ostrevent Biache, St. Vaast) and held there -until October 8. It retreated between Douai and Valenciennes as far as -east of St. Awand. It withdrew from line near Conde on the 24th. A day -later it was reengaged south of Valenciennes (Famars) and in line until -November 5. On the first 10 days of November the division lost 750 -prisoners. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. In 1918 it played a rather -colorless rôle. Its hardest fighting was in October in the Cambrai -battle. - - - - - 215th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │61 Res. │60 Res. │61 Res. │71 Ldw. │61 Res. │224 Res. - │ │2 Res. │ │224 Res. │ │2 Res. - │ │ Ers. │ │ │ │ Ers. - │ │40 Ers. │ │2 Res. │ │ - │ │ (Saxon).│ │ Ers. │ │ - │61 Res. │71 Ldw. │ │ │ │ - │ │2 Res. │ │ │ │ - │ │ Ers. │ │ │ │ - │ │40 Ers. │ │ │ │ - │ │ (Saxon).│ │ │ │ - │ │244 Res. │ │ │ │ - │ │ (Saxon).│ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┬┴─────────┴────────┬┴─────────┴──────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 8 Res. Hus. │3 Sqn. 8 Res. Hus. │ - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │274 F. A. Rgt. │274 F. A. Rgt. │274 Field Art. Rgt. - │ │ │1413 Light Mun. - │ │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │(215) Pion. Btn.: │6 Co. Pion. Btn. - Liaisons. │ │ │ No. 29. - │ │ 249 Pion. Co. │115 Searchlight - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ 6 Co. 29 Pions. │215 Div. Signal - │ │ │ Command. - │ │ 425 T. M. Co. │215 Tel. Detch. - │ │ Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │221 Ambulance Co. │221 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │166 Field Hospital.│315 Vet. Hospital. - │ │174 Field Hospital.│ - │ │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │M. T. Col. │625 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │21 Res. Jag. Btn. │ - │ │ (Until fall of │ - │ │ 1917.) │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (224th Reserve Infantry Regiment: 18th Corps District—Hesse—Nassau. 2d - Reserve Ersatz and 71st Landwehr Regiments: 11th Corps - District—Thuringia and Prussian Saxony.) - - - 1916. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. The 215th Division, formed about September, 1916, and comprising at -this time the 40th Ersatz Regiment, taken from the 19th Ersatz Division; -the 2d Reserve Ersatz, from the 1st Reserve Ersatz Brigade; the 60th -Reserve, from the 13th Landwehr Division, was identified for the first -time on September 29, 1916, on the Champagne front, east of Auberive. It -occupied the sector of Prosnes, south of Ste. Marie a Py, until the end -of November. - -2. Relieved in Champagne, the 215th Division was transferred to the -Eastern Front, leaving the 60th Reserve Regiment in France as a part of -the 221st Division and taking with it the 71st Landwehr Regiment from -the 13th Landwehr Division. - - -RUSSIA. - -3. Arriving in Russia at the beginning of December, the 215th Division -formed a part of the 22d Reserve Corps (Army of the Bug) and was -reenforced by the addition of the 244th Reserve Infantry Regiment from -the 53d Reserve Division. - - - 1917. - - -VOLHYNIA. - -1. At the beginning of 1917 the composition of the 215th Division was -again changed—the 244th Reserve Infantry Regiment went over to the 119th -Division and was replaced by the 224th Reserve Infantry Regiment from -the 48th Reserve Division. - -2. During the year 1917 the 215th Division occupied, in Volhynia, the -sector situated east of Gorokhov (northwest of Berestiecko). - -3. Its composition was once more modified—the 40th Ersatz Regiment was -transferred to a newly formed Saxon division, the 96th. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 215th Division was fairly homogeneous. It was mostly recruited from -the 11th and to some extent from the 18th Corps Districts (Thuringia, -the Electorate of Hesse, and Hesse-Nassau). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The division had been in Russia since December, 1916, and was only -mediocre. - - - 1918. - - -UKRAINE. - -1. Early in the year the division was still in Russia. It was identified -near Kiev on the 12th of March and in the Kharkov region in April. Early -in May the division had advanced to the Sea of Azov. Early in September, -all unmarried men less than 35 years of age (Alsace-Lorrainers included) -were sent to the Western Front, which probably explains the many reports -of the division having been sent to France. In all probability the -division never left the Ukraine. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 216th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │ │182. │177. │42. │(?) │42. - │ │354. │ │354. │ │354. - │ │21 Res. │ │59. │ │59. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │ │205 Cav. Sqn. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │54 F. A. Rgt. │54 F. A. Rgt. │216 Art. Command: - │ │ │ 54 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ 3 Abt. 10 Ft. A. - │ │ │ Rgt. (Staff, and - │ │ │ 9 and 11 Btries.) - │ │ │ 762 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│2 Gd. Ldw. Pions. │(216) Pion. Btn.: │217 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ 2 Ldw. Co. Gd. │ 247 Pion. Co. - │ │ Pions. │ - │ │ 216 Tel. Detch. │ 2 Ldw. Co. Gd. C. - │ │ │ Dist. Pions. - │ │ │ 78 Searchlight - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ │216 Signal Command: - │ │ │ 216 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ 167 Wireless - │ │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │260 Ambulance Co. │260 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │53 Field Hospital. │324 Field Hospital. - │ │324 Field Hospital.│332 Field Hospital. - │ │Vet. Hospital. │257 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (42d Infantry Regiment; 2d Corps District—Pomerania. 59th Infantry - Regiment; 20th Corps District—Eastern part of West Prussia. 354th - Infantry Regiment; 6th Corps District—Silesia.) - - - 1916. - -The 216th Division was formed in Galicia in July, 1916, by drafts upon -regiments of other divisions. At the time of formation it comprised the -182d Infantry Regiment, from the 123d Division (Saxon), the 354th -Infantry Regiment from the 38th Division and the 21st Reserve Infantry -Regiment from the 217th Division. - - -GALICIA-TRANSYLVANIA. - -1. In Galicia (Brzezany) beginning of October, the 216th Division was -transferred to the Transylvanian front (valley of the Olt) on November -8. - - -ROUMANIA. - -2. It took part in the Roumanian campaign. - -3. At the end of December it was south of Rimnicu-Sarat. - - - 1917. - - -ROUMANIA. - -1. In January, 1917, the 216th Division was in line east of Focsani, -where it remained until August. - -2. It took part in the attacks north of Focsani in August, where the -182d Infantry Regiment lost especially heavily. - -3. At this time the 42d and 59th Infantry Regiments, filled up in June -by men borrowed from the 76th Reserve Division, then in the rear of the -Roumanian front replaced the 182d Infantry Regiment, transferred to the -212th Division and the 21st Infantry Regiment, sent to the Macedonian -front. - -4. With this composition the 216th Division occupied the line north of -the mouth of the Buzeu. It was still there at the end of December. The -354th Infantry Regiment was identified on December 28 by fraternizing. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 42d Infantry Regiment, Pomeranian, and the 59th Infantry Regiment, -from Posen, also contained contingents from the 2d, 5th and 20th Corps -Districts, and since 1915 have contained a large number of Alsace- -Lorrainers. The 354 Infantry Regiment, formed from mobile depot -battalions of the former Breslau Garrison, replaced its 3d Battalion -(Saxon) by Prussians, and consisted almost entirely of drafts from -Silesia. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 216th Division fought and held sectors almost entirely on the -Roumanian front. - - - 1918. - -1. On the 1st of April the division started for the Western Front. It -traveled via Bucharest-Budapest-Prague-Dresden-Leipsig-Erfurt-Frankfort- -Thionville-Luxemburg-Namur-Mons-Valenciennes, and detrained at Orchies -and Somain from April 12 to 20. - - -KEMME. - -2. It entered line at Kemme on May 9 and with the exception of the first -week in June held that sector until June 18. - -3. The division rested and underwent training north of Courtrai -(Oostroosebeke-Marialoop) until July 23. It was then railed to Laon and -marched toward the front south of Fismes through Urcel, Brenelle, -Bozoches, Mont St. Martin. It was in reserve northeast of Cierges on -July 28–29. - - -VESLE-AISNE. - -4. It was engaged near Cierges and west of the Bois Meuniere on July 29 -and 30. The next day it returned north of Cierges and later to the Vesle -east of Fismes (Magneux). The division lost heavily in their retreat. It -held the sector on the Vesle until September 5, when it fell back -through Merval toward the line of the Aisne. It held on the line west of -Revillon, south of Villers en Prayeres until October 10. Again it gave -way before the Allied pressure and retired through Bouconville, north of -Aubigny (11th–12th), Montaigu (13th) toward Liesse-Sissonne. In this -area the division was withdrawn from line on October 23. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -5. Without having had an opportunity to rest, the division was returned -to line northwest of Chateau Porcien on October 25 and fought until -November 5. - -6. At the time of the armistice the division was considered in reserve -of 5th Army. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. Its conduct during the retreat to -the Vesle was good. The three months of constant service in line greatly -fatigued the troops and lowered the morale of the division. - - - - - 217th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │ │45. │18 Ldw. │9 Res. │18 Ldw. │9 Res. - │ │9 Res. │ │22 Ldw. │ │22 Ldw. - │ │22 Ldw. │ │29 Bav. │ │21 Res. - │ Nov. to Jan. 1 │ │ │ │ - │ │9 Res. │ │ │ │ - │ │22 Ldw. │ │ │ │ - │ │21 Res. │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │47 Res. Cav. Detch.│47 Res. Cav. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │ │65 Res. F. A. Rgt. │274 F. A. Rgt. (2d - │ │ │ Abt.). - │ │ │65 Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ (except 3d Btry. - │ │ │ and 2 Abt. Staff - │ │ │ and 4 and 6 - │ │ │ Btries.). - │ │ │1049, 1056, and - │ │ │ 1073 Light. Am. - │ │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│2 Res. Co. 17 │(217) Pion. Btn.: │2 Res. Co. 17 - Liaisons. │ Pions. │ │ Pions. - │ │ 2 Res. Co. 17 │130 Searchlight - │ │ Pions. │ Section. - │ │ 174 T. M. Co. │217 Signal Command: - │ │ 427 T. M. Co. │ 217 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 217 Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │Ambulance Co. │237 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │58 Field Hospital. │149 Field Hospital. - │ │149 Field Hospital.│317 Vet. Hospital. - │ │317 Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │1044 M. T. Col. │ - │ │1094 M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (9th Reserve Infantry Regiment: 2d Corps District—Pomerania. 22d - Landwehr Regiment: 6th Corps District—Upper Silesia. 29th Bavarian - Infantry Regiment: Mixed—Prussia and Bavaria.) - - - 1916. - -The 217th Division was formed on the Eastern Front about August, 1916. - - -ROUMANIA. - -1. Composed of the 9th Reserve Infantry Regiment from the 3d Reserve -Division, the 45th Infantry Regiment from the 101st Division, and the -22d Landwehr Regiment from the 4th Landwehr Division, the 217th Division -left the Brest-Litowsk area at the beginning of October, 1916, to take -part in the Roumanian campaign. - -2. It was in Dobroudja about the end of October; in the area south of -Bucarest in November. At the beginning of November the 45th Infantry -Regiment, which returned to Macedonia, was replaced by the 21st Infantry -Regiment from the 36th Reserve Division. - -3. At the end of December elements of the 9th Reserve Infantry Regiment -occupied the front south of Isaccea (Dobroudja). - - - 1917. - - -BRAILA. - -1. In January, 1917, the 217th Division was in the Braila area; in -February, at the mouth of the Buzeu. - - -ODOBESTI. - -2. In the month of May the division left the Braila front and went into -line northwest of Odobesti in the vicinity of Focsani. At this time it -acquired its definite organization: 9th Reserve, 29th Bavarian, and 22d -Landwehr Infantry Regiments. - - -PANCIU. - -3. From July to December the 217th Division remained in line northwest -of Panciu. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 217th Division was one of the most heterogeneous. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The division had been on the Roumanian front since October, 1916, and -was mediocre. - - - 1918. - - -ROUMANIA. - -1. Early in April the division was still on the Roumanian front, but was -leaving shortly for another theater. - - -UKRAINE. - -2. At the beginning of May the division was in the Kherson region. - - -CRIMEA. - -3. The middle of the month the division was near Sebastopol. - - -GEORGIA. - -4. About the middle of July elements of the division were identified at -Poti and Tiflis. - - -SERBIA. - -5. Early in October the division having moved to the vicinity of Nish -opposed the advance of the Serbian and allied troops. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 218th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918[34] - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │ │204 Res. │62. │204 Res. │ │256 Res. - │ │256 Res. │ │256 Res. │ │5 Ldw. - │ │ │ │ │ │ (2d - │ │ │ │ │ │ Btn.). - │ │5 Ldw. │ │5 Ldw. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │4 Sqn. 1 Gd. Drag. │4 Sqn. 1 Drag. Rgt. - │ │ Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │85 F. A. Rgt. │85 F. A. Rgt. │85 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ (except 2 Abt. - │ │ │ Staff, 4 and 6 - │ │ │ Btries.; 3d Abt. - │ │ │ Staff, 7 and 9 - │ │ │ Btries.). - │11 Mountain F. A. │ │ - │ Btry. │ │ - │ │ │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │(218) Pion. Btn.: │218 Signal Command: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ 2 Res. Co. 26 │ 218 Tel. Detch. - │ │ Pions. │ - │ │ 388 Pion. Co. │ - │ │ 428 T. M. Co. │ - │ │ 267 Searchlight │ - │ │ Section. │ - │ │ 218 Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │121 Ambulance Co. │121 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │145 Field Hospital.│145 Field Hospital. - │ │96 Field Hospital. │318 Vet. Hospital. - │ │367 Field Hospital.│ - │ │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │628 M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - -Footnote 34: - - The below comprises only the elements under 308th Postal Sector (Nov. - 13, 1918). The 62d Infantry Brigade, and elements of the 5th Landwehr - Regiment were in the 310th Postal Sector and are carried as attached - to other divisions. - - - HISTORY. - - (204th Infantry Regiment: Guard. 256th Reserve Infantry Regiment: 7th - Corps District—Westphalia. 5th Landwehr Regiment: 17th Corps - District—West Prussia.) - - - 1916. - -The division was formed on the Eastern Front about September, 1916. - - -GALICIA. - -1. Concentrated, beginning of October, in the Brest-Litovsk area, the -218th Division was transferred to Galicia, in the Brody, sector in the -middle of October. - - -ROUMANIA. - -2. Beginning of December the 218th Division was sent to the Roumanian -front. It was then composed of the 204th Infantry Regiment, taken from -the 43d Reserve Division; the 256th Reserve Infantry Regiment, from the -Mitau Group; and of the 5th Landwehr Regiment, taken from the 11th -Landwehr Division. It occupied the sector of Oitoz (December). - - - 1917. - - -ROUMANIA. - -1. The 218th Division remained in line between the valleys of the Trotus -and of the Putna (south of Ocna, northwest of Panciu) until July, 1917. - -2. At the end of July it was engaged in its sector in front of Kezdi- -Vasarhely and retired to the south bank of the Putna on July 29. - -3. In August and until the end of the year 1917 the 218th Division -remained in line in the vicinity of Soveja. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 204th Reserve Infantry Regiment was recruited from the whole of -Russia; the 256th Reserve Infantry Regiment from Westphalia and the -Rhine Districts; the 5th Landwehr Regiment from West Prussia. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 218th Division had been on the Roumanian front since December, 1916, -and was mediocre. - - - 1918. - - -ROUMANIA. - -In June the division was still in Roumania. Men under 35 years of age -were sent to the Western Front, which gave rise to the report of the -division’s presence in the Lille-Armentières region early in June. The -256th Reserve Regiment was identified in Macedonia early in July, but -the remainder of the division was still in Roumania the middle of -October. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 219th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │47 Ers. │101 Res. │47 Ers. │101 Res. - │ │391. │ │391. - │ │431. │ │431. - │ │(100 Ldw.). │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │ (?) │4 Sqn. 19 Hus. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │ (?) │45 Saxon Ers. F. A. Rgt. - │ │767 Light Am. Col. - │ │768 Light Am. Col. - │ │785 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(219) Pion. Btn.: │205 Pion. Btn. Rgt. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 254 Pion. Co. │ 377 Pion. Co. - │ 54 Bav. Pion. Co. │ 78 Res. Pion. Co. - │ 416 T. M. Co. │ 222 Searchlight Section. - │ 219 Tel. Detch. │219 Signal Command: - │ │ 219 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │444 Ambulance Co. │404 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │111 Field Hospital. │111 Field Hospital. - │153 Field Hospital. │153 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │226 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transports. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (12th and 19th Corps Districts—Saxony.) - - - 1917. - -The 219th Division (Saxon) appeared to have been formed in January, -1917. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. Concentrated in Lorraine and comprising the 431st Infantry Regiment, -made up of drafts from various Saxon Regiments, the 101st Infantry -Regiment, from the 23d Reserve Division, and the 100th Landwehr -Regiment, a surplus regiment of the 19th Ersatz Division, the 219th -Division occupied the sector of Blamont in February, 1917. - -2. It remained on the Lorraine front in the vicinity of Leintrey- -Badonviller until June 10. - - -ARTOIS. - -3. Sent to the north of France, it relieved the 79th Reserve Division -north of La Bassée (Neuvechapelle-Fromelles) on July 8. With the 42d -Landwehr Division, it exchanged the 100th Landwehr Regiment for the -391st Infantry Regiment, Saxon also. - - -RUSSIA. - -4. About the end of September the 219th Division was withdrawn from the -front and transferred to Russia at the beginning of October. - - -RIGA. - -5. It was in the Riga area in October and November. - - - RECRUITING. - -The division was entirely Saxon. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 219th Division had been in Russia since October, 1917, and was a -fairly good division. - - - 1918. - - -LIVONIA. - -1. The 219th Division took part in the occupation of Livonia; on the -17th of March it arrived at Dorpat. - - -SERBIA. - -2. The 101st Reserve and the 431st Landwehr Regiments were identified at -Nish on the 9th of October. The 391st Regiment was seen at Walk in -Livonia at the beginning of October, when the men said they were leaving -for the western theater (the regiment was never identified there). The -whole of the 219th Division had thus left the Russian front and two -regiments at least went to Serbia. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. - - - - - 220th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │4 Gd. │55 Res. │4 Gd. │190. │4 Gd. │190. - │ │99 Res. │ │55 Res. │ │55 Res. - │ │207 Res. │ │99 Res. │ │99 Res. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │4 Sqn. 14 Uhlan │4 Sqn. 14 Uhlan - │ │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │51 F. A. Rgt. │220 Art. Command: │220 Art. Command: - │ │ 51 F. A. Rgt. │ 51 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ 87 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ │ 938 Light Am. Col. - │ │ │ 1326 Light Am. - │ │ │ Col. - │ │ │ 1327 Light Am. - │ │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │220 Pion. Btn.: │220 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ 2 Res. Co. Gd. │ 2 Gd. Res. Pion. - │ │ Pions. │ Co. - │ │ 88 Bav. Pion. Co. │ 88 Res. Pion. Co. - │ │ 417 T. M. Co. │ 417 T. M. Co. - │ │ 220 Tel. Detch. │ 189 Searchlight - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ │220 Signal Command: - │ │ │ 220 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ 124 Wireless - │ │ │ Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │40 Ambulance Co. │40 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │55 Res. Field │55 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │ │74 Res. Field │74 Res. Field - │ │ Hospital. │ Hospital. - │ │276 Vet. Hospital. │276 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │630 M. T. Col. │630 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (190th Infantry Regiment and 55th Reserve Infantry Regiment; 7th Corps - District—Westphalia. 99th Reserve Infantry Regiment; 15th Corps - District—Alsace.) - - - 1916. - -The 220th Division was formed at the end of 1916 with regiments taken -from divisions then in line on the Somme and south of Artois. The 207th -Reserve Infantry Regiment coming from the 44th Reserve Division, the -55th Reserve Infantry Regiment and the 2d Reserve Guard Division and the -99th Reserve Infantry Regiment from the 26th Reserve Division. - - - 1917. - - -ARTOIS. - -1. Concentrated at Boyelles (west of Croisilles) on February 6, 1917, -the 220th Division went into line at Ransart, south of Arras. About -March 18 it took part in the retirement of the German forces and -established its position at Hénin sur Cojeul, Ecoust St. Menin, -Croisilles. It was engaged, in April, between Croisilles and Arras. In -April the 190th Infantry Regiment replaced the 207th Reserve Infantry -Regiment. - -2. Withdrawn from the Arras front at the end of April, the 220th -Division was sent to rest in the vicinity of Montagne du Nord, then to -Belgium between May 6 and 15. - -3. It came back to its old sector in Artois (Fontaine les Croisilles, -Bullecourt) about May 29, and remained there until about July 6. - - -LENS. - -4. After a rest in the rear of Douai, northwest of Lens, from the -beginning of July to the middle of August, the division was engaged near -Lens from August 16 to 22. - - -YPRES. - -5. At the beginning of October it was sent to Belgium. On the 12th it -went into line east of Zonnebeke. - - -CAMBRAI. - -6. Sent to rest about October 15 in the vicinity of Bruges, it then -fought on the Cambrai front, south of Crèvecoeur, at the end of November -(German counterattack). - -7. It was sent to rest in December. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 220th Division may be considered as Westphalian since two of its -regiments were normally filled up from the 7th Corps District, and since -the 99th Reserve Infantry Regiment, like a number of regiments in -Alsace, received most of its men from there. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The regiments of the 220th Division did not appear to have any great -offensive value. - -The division lost quite heavily in the sector of Lens at the beginning -of 1918. - - - 1918. - - -LA BASSÉE. - -1. During the night of December 31-January 1 it relieved the 1st Guard -Reserve Division in the Hulluch-Loos sector (south of La Bassée). On the -27th it was relieved by the 1st Guard Reserve Division. - -2. A day or two later it relieved the 207th Division in the sector to -the right of the one it had just held. During the night of the 18th–19th -of February it was relieved by the 207th Division. - -3. It went back to the Lens sector then and relieved the 1st Guard -Reserve Division on the 20th. It was not withdrawn until April 25, when -it was relieved by the 42d Division. During these three months the -division had about 1,600 casualties (mainly gas), and so now a week or -so was spent refitting in the region north of Douai. - -4. On May 6 it relieved the 44th Reserve Division southeast of Locon -(west of La Bassée). This front had been stabilized by now, but still -there was a great deal of artillery activity and constant raiding. The -division was withdrawn about the 1st of August, the neighboring -divisions extending their fronts. - - -BAPAUME. - -5. After a fortnight’s rest the division reenforced the front in the -Biefvillers sector (northwest of Bapaume) about the 20th of August. It -was withdrawn about the 3d of September after losing some 600 prisoners. - - -CAMBRAI. - -6. It rested again for a fortnight, and then reenforced the front near -Blécourt (north of Cambrai) about the 29th of the month. It was heavily -engaged here and suffered severely; withdrawn on the 13th of October. - - -VALENCIENNES. - -7. About the 21st it reenforced the front near Anzin (northwest of -Valenciennes). It was withdrawn on November 4. - -8. On the 7th it was put back into line near Elouges (southwest of -Ghislain); it was not withdrawn before the armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 220th Division was not used in any of the German offensives during -1918; on the contrary, its rôle seems to have been that of a holding -division. The 55th Reserve Regiment was mentioned as having displayed -“marked gallantry” in the German communiqué of October 2. It is rated as -a second-class division. - - - - - 221st Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │1 Res. │41. │1 Res. │41. │1 Res. │41. - │ Ers. │ │ Ers. │ │ Ers. │ - │ │60 Res. │ │60 Res. │ │60 Res. - │ │1 Res. │ │1 Res. │ │45. - │ │ Ers. │ │ Ers. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 2 Res. Uhlan│1 Sqn. 2 Res. Uhlan│5 Sqn. 8 Uhlan Rgt. - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │273 F. A. Rgt. │Art. Command: │221 Art. Command: - │ │ 273 F. A. Rgt. │ 273 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ 40 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │ │ (Staff, and 1, 2, - │ │ │ and 3 Btries.). - │ │ │ 126 Light Am. Col. - │ │ │ 1276 Light Am. - │ │ │ Col. - │ │ │ 1345 Light Am. - │ │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │(221) Pion. Btn.: │(221) Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ 2 Res. Co. 21 │ 1 Res. Co. 25 - │ │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ │ 1 Res. Co. 25 │ 2 Res. Co. 21 - │ │ Pions. │ Pions. - │ │ 431 T. M. Co. │ 431 T. M. Co. - │ │ 221 Tel. Detch. │ 200 Searchlight - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ │221 Signal Command: - │ │ │ 221 Tel. Detch. - │ │ │ 71 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │223 Ambulance Co. │223 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │161 Field Hospital.│161 Field Hospital. - │ │Vet. Hospital. │163 Field Hospital. - │ │ │321 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │M. T. Col. │631 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │ │7 Art. Observation - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ │82 Carrier Pigeon - │ │ │ Loft. - │ │ │21 M. G. S. S. - │ │ │ Detch. - │ │ │1 Btry. 39 Ft. A. - │ │ │ Rgt. - │ │ │2 Btry. 39 Ft. A. - │ │ │ Rgt. - │ │ │119 Balloon Sqn. - │ │ │238 Reconnaissance - │ │ │ Flight. - │ │ │ Elements attached - │ │ │ Sept. 29, 1918. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (41st Infantry Regiment: 1st Corps District—East Prussia. 60th Reserve - Infantry Regiment: 21st Corps District—Lorraine, 1st Reserve Ersatz - Regiment: Guard Depots.) - - - 1916. - -The 221st Division was formed in the Ardennes (vicinity of Mouzon) in -October, 1916, by taking the 41st Infantry Regiment from the 1st -Division, the 60th Reserve Infantry Regiment (21st Corps District) from -the 1st Bavarian Landwehr Division, and the 1st Reserve Ersatz Regiment -(Guard Depots) from the 1st Reserve Ersatz Brigade. - - -SOMME. - -1. A short time after its formation the 221st Division was transferred -south of the Somme. On October 21–23 it went into line east of Berny; it -remained there during the entire winter of 1916–17 and launched only a -few local attacks. - - - 1917. - - -HINDENBURG LINE. - -1. At the end of March, 1917, the division withdrew with the German Army -to the new positions on the Hindenburg Line, northwest of St. Quentin. - - -ARTOIS. - -2. Relieved about April 8, it rested for 10 days near Tournai, and on -April 27 went into line in the sector of Guémappe-Monchy le Preux -(southeast of Arras). It was seriously engaged against the British -offensive until May 8–9. - -3. About May 28 it returned to the Hindenburg Line between Moeuvres and -Havrincourt. - - -FLANDERS. - -4. On July 12 it left this sector for Flanders, where it was sent into -reserve near Winckel-St. Eloi. It did not take part as a whole in the -British attack of July 31. On August 1 the entire division was engaged -in the sector of Zonnebeke, where it launched a violent counterattack, -in the course of which it lost heavily. - -5. The 221st Division was relieved from the Ypres front during the night -of August 3–4, but left some units in line until the 10th. Transferred -to Champagne, it went into line east of Auberive on August 17, without -having had any rest. It there filled up its effectives (with -replacements comprising a large proportion of the 1918 class). Its -activity was not manifested there except by a few raids. - - -CAMBRAI. - -6. On November 7 the division left the Champagne front, was transferred -to Belgium, and remained at rest at Deynze until November 23. On this -date it was taken by railroad to the Cambrai front, attacked by the -British troops. Sent into line between Bourlon and Fontaine-Notre Dame -on the 27th, it took part in the German counterattack. Relieved on -December 7, it rested for a month in the vicinity of Douai. - - - RECRUITING. - -The division was very mixed. The 1st Reserve Ersatz Regiment, -originating in the Guard depots, was recruited from the entire Province -of Prussia; the 41st Infantry Regiment (from East Prussia) was one of -the regiments of the Prussian Army which had received the most -replacements because of losses; the 60th Reserve Infantry Regiment -comprised a majority of Westphalians and men from the Rhine Province, -but also a large number from other corps districts. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 221st Division always gave a good account of itself in the battles -in which it took part. The 1st Reserve Ersatz Regiment, especially, in -the course of the attacks of November, 1916, showed great tenacity on -the defensive and great vigor on the offensive. - -The morale of the 221st Division was good in November, 1917. The general -commanding the division and the major commanding the 41st Infantry -Regiment both received the order “Pour le Merite.” - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -1. The division continued to hold the sector near the Arras-Cambrai road -until shortly before the March offensive. It was withdrawn, given a -short rest, and attacked on the 21st at Queant. In two days it advanced -as far as Ervillers (north of Bapaume). From the 25th of March to April -16 it rested in close support. - -2. On April 16 the division was engaged the second time in the battle. -It entered south of Arras in the Boyelles sector and remained there -until May 25, when it was relieved by the 5th Bavarian Division. - -3. The division rested and trained for almost two months in the locality -east of Douai (Bruille, Somain, Aniches). The 45th Regiment, coming from -the Macedonian front, replaced the 1st Reserve Ersatz Regiment, which -was dissolved. Toward the end of July the division marched by stages to -Noyon. It was held in reserve west of that place from July 30-August 8. - - -BATTLE OF THE SANTERRE AND SECOND BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -4. On August 9 the division was engaged at Arvillers-Hangest. In two -days it was thrown back on Andechy, west of Roye. It was re-formed to -the north and then to the southwest of Nesle (Aug. 11–17). It was -reengaged on the 18th, and between that and the 27th fought north and -south of the Avre near Roye (St. Mard-Sancourt). Again it was pushed -back on the Canal du Nord at Buverchy-Libermont (Aug. 26–27). Its -retreat continued toward Ham (Sept. 3–4) and St. Quentin (5th–8th). -After that the division was in line near Fontaine les Cleres and Dallon -until September 28. About 1,000 prisoners were taken from the division -in this last sector. - -5. The division was reengaged almost immediately south of Joncourt, -Levergies, and Sequehart (Sept. 30). By October 10 it had reached -Fresnoy le Grand. It was withdrawn on the 10th and rested a week near -Bergues sur Sambre. - -6. On the 18th it was engaged in the sector of the forest d’Antigny -(near Wassigny). It retreated across the Sambre Canal on the 19th and -passed into reserve. On the 24th it was reengaged near the Serre River -(west of La Ferte Chevresis). In the final retreat it fell back through -La Herie la Vieville, Laigny, and east of Vervins. It was in line on -November 11. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as second class. It was used as an attack -division in the March offensive and as a counterattack division in the -last three months of the war. It was noted for its energetic higher -command. When called in to oppose the French attack near Roye in August, -the division had a rifle strength of 4,000. By the end of October this -had been reduced to about 1,000. The 45th Regiment was reduced to four -small companies by October 24. The 41st and 60th Reserve Regiments had -but three companies to a battalion. - -The division fought very well in spite of its losses and fatigue in the -final months. - - - - - 222d Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918[35] - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │7. │193. │7. │193. │7. │193. - │ │81 Res. │ │81 Res. │ │397. - │ │397. │ │397. │ │81 Res. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │3 Sqn. 2 Res. Uhlan│ - │ │ Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │278 F. A. Rgt. │Art. Command: │222 (?) Art. - │ │ │ Command: - │ │ 278 F. A. Rgt. │ 278 F. A. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│2 Res. Co. 27 │Pion. Btn.: │2 Res. Co. 2 Pion. - Liaisons. │ Pions. │ │ Btn. No. 27. - │ │ 2 Res. Co. 27 │345 Pion. Co. - │ │ Pions. │ - │ │ 345 Pion. Co. │432 T. M. Co. - │ │ 432 T. M. Co. │222 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 222 Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │231 Ambulance Co. │231 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │162 Field Hospital.│162 Field Hospital. - │ │175 Field Hospital.│175 Field Hospital. - │ │322 Vet. Hospital. │322 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │1071 M. T. Col. │M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - -Footnote 35: - - Composition at the time of dissolution, October, 1918. - - - HISTORY. - - (81st Reserve Regiment: 18th Corps District—Hesse—Nassau. 193d Reserve - Regiment: 7th Corps District—Westphalia. 397th Reserve Regiment: 2d - Corps District—Pomerania.) - - - 1916. - -Formed about September 11, 1916, behind the front north of Verdun, the -222d Division took two of its regiments from existing divisions—the 81st -Reserve Regiment from the 21st Reserve Division, and the 193d Reserve -Regiment from the 192d Division. Its third regiment, the 397th, was -formed at Stenay from elements of the 16th and 53d Reserve Regiments -(13th Reserve Division), of the 159th Regiment (14th Reserve Division), -of the 118th Infantry Regiment (56th Division), and especially from the -140th Infantry Regiment (4th Division). - -1. From September 15 to October 24, 1916, the 222d Division was at rest -in Alsace in the vicinity of Rouffach. - - -SOMME. - -2. Entrained on October 25, it was transferred to the vicinity of -Cambrai by way of Sarrebruecken, Aix la Chapelle, Brussels, Tournai. -About November 5 it went into action on the Somme front near Lesboeufs, -Le Transloy, and remained in line until December 7–8. - -3. After a few days of rest it was sent by railroad into the Laonnois. -Detraining at St. Erme between December 15 and 29 it took over the -sector of the Ville aux Bois (southeast of Craonne), which it occupied -until February 15, 1917. - - - 1917. - -1. Upon its release the 222d Division was employed in defensive works -behind the Aisne-Oise front (north of La Fère, St. Gobain, Laffaux, -Chavignon). - - -AISNE. - -2. About March 16, 1917, it was engaged east of Soissons (Vregny-Combe -Plateau); counterattacked on March 21 north of Missy sur Aisne; retired -in the direction of the Laffaux Mill-Jouy-Aizy (at the beginning of -April) and fought on this front April 18 to 21. - -The 193d Infantry Regiment, sent as reenforcement troops to Soupir, -suffered serious losses there and retired by way of Ostel on April 20. - -3. The 222d Division, having established its position between Laffaux -Mill and Malmaison Farm, was again severely tried during the attacks of -May 5 and 6. - -4. Withdrawn from the Aisne front on May 13, it was sent to rest in the -area Marle-Vervins and reorganized. - -5. At the end of June the division took over its former sector -(Laffaux), where the attack of July 8 was the only important action in -which it took part during this time, which lasted until the beginning of -August. - -6. After a short rest in the vicinity of Montigny, it came back into -line (Ailles—north of Hurtebise) about September 5 and remained in this -sector until November 2. At this time it took part in the withdrawal and -occupied new positions north of the Ailette. - -7. On November 28, the 222d Division was relieved in the sector of -Chermizy and sent to rest at Laon and in the vicinity of Marle (one -month’s training). - -8. At the end of December it occupied the front Brancourt-Anizy. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 81st Reserve Infantry Regiment and the 193d Infantry Regiment were -recruited in the Rhine districts (Hesse-Nassau, Rhine Province, and -Westphalia). Many elements from these same regions were in the 397th -Infantry Regiment in addition to Pomeranians. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Although it had suffered only slight losses since the beginning of -November, 1917, the 222d Division was exhausted by a stay of more than -seven months in the different sectors of the Aisne. It is a mediocre -division (January, 1918). - -During its rest in December the division received continual but moderate -training, like the maneuvers of peace times. (Interrogation of prisoner, -Feb. 4, 1918.) - - -AILETTE. - -1. This was a very quiet sector and the division remained here without -incident until the Somme offensive was well under way. However, the -division took part in the attacks of April 7 and 8, when the enemy -endeavored to squeeze out the new salient of Coucy le Château, which was -developed by the progress of the main advance toward Montdidier. It -suffered heavily in several attacks but gained little ground. - - -MONTDIDIER. - -2. About the 3d of May the division was withdrawn and sent to the front -southeast of Montdidier, where the main battle line had stabilized, but -where infantry was still continuing, and during the night of the -9th–10th relieved the 206th Division in the Assainvillers sector. -However, the sector soon grew quiet. The division remained in line and -took part in the battle of the Oise on June 9, advancing via Courcelles -to Mery. The division made but little headway (it will be remembered -that this whole offensive failed) and suffered heavy losses in several -days of hard fighting. It was relieved by the 11th Division about the -8th of July and went to rest near Coucy le Château. - - -SOISSONS. - -3. During the night of the 25th–26th the division reenforced the front -near Nouvron (northwest of Soissons). Here it was subjected to the full -weight of the attack of the 18th of August and was driven back to -Audignicourt and the Ailette. After having suffered very heavy losses -(1829 prisoners), it was withdrawn about the 27th and went to rest near -Laon. About the middle of September it was disbanded, the 81st Reserve -Regiment going to the 21st Reserve Division, the 193d Regiment going to -the 14th Division, and the 397th Regiment going to the 45th Reserve -Division. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 222d was rated a second-class division. It took little part in -offensive operations but was not incapable of putting up a tenacious -defense. In June two of its regiments threatened to leave the trenches -if they were not relieved, but the difficulty seems to have been -smoothed over though there was no relief until July 8. It is interesting -to note that the divisions receiving regiments when the 222d was -disbanded were all second-class units. - - - - - 223d Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918[36] - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │67. │144. │67. │144. │67. │144. - │ │173. │ │173. │ │173. - │ │29 Ers. │ │29 Ers. │ │29 Ers. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 3 Res. Drag.│(2 Sqn. 3 Res. │2 Sqn. 3 Res. Drag. - │ Rgt. │ Drag. Rgt.). │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │280 F. A. Rgt. │Art. Command: │(z) Art. Command: - │ │ 280 F. A. Rgt. │ 280 F. A. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│343 Pion. Co. │(223) Pion. Btn.: │5 Co. 23 Pions. - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ 5 Co. 23 Pions. │343 Pion. Co. - │ │ 343 Pion. Co. │433 T. M. Co. - │ │ 433 T. M. Co. │223 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 223 Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │232 Ambulance Co. │232 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │164 Field Hospital.│164 Field Hospital. - │ │170 Field Hospital.│176 Field Hospital. - │ │176 Field Hospital.│Vet. Hospital. - │ │Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │M. T. Col. │M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - -Footnote 36: - - Composition at the time of dissolution, October, 1918. - - - HISTORY. - - (144th Infantry Regiment: 16th Corps District—Lorraine. 173d Infantry - Regiment: 16th Corps District—Lorraine. 29th Ersatz Regiment: 14th Corps - District—Grand Duchy of Baden.) - - - 1916. - -The 223d Division was concentrated at Mulhousen at the beginning of -October, 1916. Its regiments formerly belonged to other divisions. The -144th Infantry Regiment was taken from the 3d Division on the Verdun -front; the 173d from the 34th Division, then at Thiaumont; the 29th -Ersatz from the 39th Bavarian Reserve Division, on the Lorraine front. - -1. Entraining at Mulhousen on October 26, 1916, the 223d Division was -transferred to the north by way of Sarrelouis-Treves-Aix la Chapelle- -Louvain-Brussels-Valenciennes, and detrained north of Cambrai on October -28. During the night of November 11–12 it came to the Ancre front -(Serre-Grandcourt) and lost heavily there. - -2. Relieved about November 25, it was sent to rest in the area east of -Cambrai. Elements of the 173d Infantry Regiment were sent on detached -service south of Bapaume (Ligny-Tilloy). - - - 1917. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. At the end of January, 1917, the 223d Division left the Cambrai area -for Champagne. It occupied the sector north of Rheims (Witry les Rheims, -March and April). - -2. About April 27 it was engaged south of Nauroy at Mont Cornillet and -lost heavily between April 30 and May 8. - - -GALICIA. - -3. Withdrawn from the Champagne front about May 18, the 223d Division -was transferred to Galicia. (Itinerary: Amagne (May 21)-Sedan- -Thionville-Sarrebruecken-Frankfort-Leipzig-Breslau-Cracow-Lemberg.) It -detrained at Zloczow, May 26. - -4. At the beginning of July it opposed the Russian offensive in the -vicinity of Brzezany; on July 18, it took part in the Austro-German -counterattack and marched in the direction of Husiatyn, which it reached -on the 30th and remained in line there until the middle of December. It -was sent in reserve on this date, and prepared to leave for the Western -Front, borrowing men from the regiments of the 83d Division. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 223d Division was recruited from Westphalia and the Rhine Province -so far as concerns the 144th and 173d Infantry Regiments. The 29th -Ersatz Regiment came from the Grand Duchy of Baden. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 223d Division may be considered good. - - - 1918. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -1. The division rested in a camp at Sissonne until March 19, after which -it was railed to La Fere, arriving there on March 21. - -2. On the second day of the attack it was engaged near Tergnier-Chauny -and advanced to the Guiscard region by the 24th. Shortly after its -withdrawal from Guiscard (25th) it took over the Morlincourt-Appilly -sector on the Oise (east of Noyon) and held it until May 1. - - -EAST OF OISE. - -3. It rested near Guiscard during the first half of May. On the 15th it -was engaged in front of Noyon (Larbroye-Mont Renaud-Pont l’Eveque) until -the 30th. It took part in the Oise offensive of June, crossing the river -and advancing in the Bois de Carlepont in the direction of Caisnes and -Cuts. It established itself on the line Bailley-Tracy le Val-Oise and -held that sector until the French attack of August 18. - - -OISE-AISNE. - -4. The French attack of the 18th threw the division back on Salency. It -was relieved on the 22d and railed to Anizy le Chateau the same day. -From there it was taken to north of Soissons and reengaged on the 29th -on the line Chauvigny-Juvigny. In these two engagements the division -lost 688 prisoners. - -5. The division had lost heavily in March and in the August fighting. -Its morale was poor. The authority of the officers was low and -desertions were frequent. As a result the division was dissolved in -September. Its effectives were turned into the 52d, 103d, and 115th -Divisions. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. Prior to the March offensive it -had been regarded a good division. - - - - - 224th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │ │19 Ldw. │216. │19 Ldw. │216. │19 Ldw. - │ │61 Ldw. │ │61 Ldw. │ │61 Ldw. - │ │429 Ldw. │ │429 Ldw. │ │429 Ldw. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │(?) Sqn. 10 Mounted│4 Sqn. 10 Mounted - │ │ Jag. Rgt. │ Jag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │284 F. A. Rgt. │224 Art. Command: │224 Art. Command: - │ │ 284 F. A. Rgt. │ 284 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ │ 795 Light Am. Col. - │ │ │ 1015 Light Am. - │ │ │ Col. - │ │ │ 1029 Light Am. - │ │ │ Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │224 Pion. Btn.: │423 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ 2 Co. 27 Pions. │ 2 Co. 27 Pions. - │ │ 434 T. M. Co. │ 3 Landst. Co. 9 C. - │ │ │ Dist. Pions. - │ │ Tel. Detch. │ 251 Searchlight - │ │ │ Section. - │ │ │224 Signal Command: - │ │ │ 224 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │234 Ambulance Co. │234 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │181 Field Hospital.│336 Field Hospital. - │ │330 Field Hospital.│324 Field Hospital. - │ │324 Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │794 M. T. Col. │ - │ │795 M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Attached. │ │1 Landst. Pion. Co.│ - │ │ (8 C. Dist.). │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (429th Landwehr: 3d Corps District—Brandenburg. 19th Landwehr: 5th Corps - District—Posen. 61st Landwehr: 17th Corps District—West Prussia.) - - - 1916. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. Upon its formation the 224th Division appeared on the Eastern Front -about October, 1916. - -2. At this time it was near the 31st Division, north of Lake Narotch. - - - 1917. - - -VOLHYNIA-SVINIOUKI. - -1. At the beginning of February, 1917, the composition of the 224th -Division appeared to be as follows: 19th Landwehr Regiment taken from -the 18th Landwehr Division; 61st Landwehr Regiment, from the 85th -Landwehr Division, and the 429th Landwehr Regiment, a new formation -(1916). - -2. The 224th Division then occupied the sector of Sviniouki in Volhynia. -It remained there during the entire year of 1917, during the latter -months furnishing important replacements to the Western Front, to such a -degree that in November the companies of the 429th Landwehr did not have -more than 100 men left (Russian interrogation). - - - RECRUITING. - -The 224th Division was recruited from Brandenburg and the eastern -Provinces of the empire. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The division was on the Russian front from its formation and was of -mediocre combat value. - -In December, 1917, in Volhynia, 50 men of the youngest classes were -taken from each company of the 429th Landwehr Regiment to be sent to the -Flanders front. - -In January, 1918, the companies of the 61st Landwehr Regiment were -composed of men of the Landsturm. (Prisoner’s statement, Jan. 13.) - - - 1918. - - -VOLHYNIA. - -At the beginning of March the division left the Sviniouki region and -went via Pinsk to Gomel. - - -UKRAINE. - -2. Toward the end of April the division was identified in the Vorojva -region (southwest of Koursk). On the 9th of September the division was -identified a little farther to the north in the Delgorod region. - - -WOEVRE. - -3. On September 29 the division was relieved (probably by the 45th -Landwehr Division) and, entraining at Sadtowo, traveled via Kubiantz- -Kharkov-Kiev-Kovel-Kattovitz-Dresden-Frankfort on the Main-Saarbrueken- -Metz-Batilly, where it detrained on October 12. Resting here until the -16th, it marched via Bruville-Mars la Tour-Chambley and relieved the -88th Division during the night of the 16th–17th south of Dampvitoux. The -division was identified by prisoners on November 7 here and does not -seem to have been withdrawn before the armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was a very poor one. About the middle of the summer the -best men were chosen to be sent to the Western Front. They were paraded -before the commanding general and when they reached the place where he -was standing they dropped their guns and went back to the caserne. Later -when the whole division was to come to the west, the men were far from -satisfied, not being entirely consoled when they were informed that they -were to enter a quiet sector. - - - - - 225th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918[37] - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │5 Ers. │18 Res. │5 Ers. │18 Res. │5 Ers. │373. - │ │217 Res. │ │217 Res. │ │18 Res. - │ │373. │ │373. │ │217 Res. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 13 Uhlan │3 Sqn. 13 Uhlan │3 Sqn. 13 Uhlan - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │ │225 Art. Command: │225 Art. Command: - │ │ 47 F. A. Rgt. │ 47 F. A. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │(225) Pion. Btn.: │259 Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ │ - │ │ 259 Pion. Co. │413 T. M. Co. - │ │ 344 Pion. Co. │225 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 413 T. M. Co. │ - │ │ Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │259 Ambulance Co. │240 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │155 Field Hospital.│259 Ambulance Co. - │ │172 Field Hospital.│155 Field Hospital. - │ │265 Vet. Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │ │M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - -Footnote 37: - - Composition at the time of the dissolution, September, 1918. - - - HISTORY. - - (18th Reserve: 18th Corps Division—East Prussia. 217th Reserve: 7th - Corps District—Westphalia. 373d Infantry Regiment: 1st Corps - District—East Prussia.) - - - 1916. - -The 225th Division, including the 18th Reserve Infantry Regiment (from -the 1st Reserve Division), the 217th Reserve Infantry Regiment (from the -47th Reserve Division), and the 373d Infantry Regiment (from the 10th -Landwehr Division), was formed on the Eastern Front in the vicinity of -Wladimir-Volynski about September, 1916. - - -ROUMANIA-TRANSYLVANIA. - -1. In November, 1916, the 225th Division was transferred to the -Roumanian Carpathians. It was there in December in the valley of the Uz. - - - 1917. - - -ROUMANIA. - -1. During the first half of 1917 the 225th Division occupied the calm -sectors in the vicinity of Uz (Hills 1031 and 1640). - -2. In July the 373d Infantry Regiment was transferred to the valley of -the Putna to withstand the Russo-Roumanian offensive. The division took -part in the Austro-German counterattack and established its positions -near Ocna in September and October. - - -FRANCE. - -3. Relieved about November 11, it went to Bereczk, where it entrained on -the 18th for the Western Front. (Itinerary: Kronstadt (Brasso)-Budapest- -Vienna-Munich-Carlsruhe-Sarrebruecken.) It detrained on November 25 at -Vallieres-Vantoux, near Metz, and from there was transferred to the -vicinity of Vigneulles (Cote de Meuse). - - -COTES DE MEUSE. - -4. On December 4–5, it took over the sector of Chevalierswood, south of -Vaux les Palameix-Seuzey. - - - RECRUITING. - -Two regiments were drawn from East Prussia (18th Reserve and 372d -Infantry Regiment), the 217th Reserve from Westphalia. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 225th Division which comprised drafts from Baden, Alsace, -Westphalia, East Prussia, and the Rhine was not homogeneous and was not -considered as a fighting division. - -The 18th Reserve Regiment had a bad reputation. On January 6, 1917, it -refused to attack at Hill 1298 in Hungary. (Interrogation of prisoners -Feb. 3 and Mar. 17, 1918.) - -The division included a large number of Poles. However, men of the young -classes gradually replaced the older men, who still made up a large part -of the division in 1917; consequently, the combat value of the division -may have improved. - - - 1918. - -1. The division held the Woevre sector until the beginning of May. It -entrained at Jeandelize about May 15 and was railed by Sedan, Givet, -Dmant, Namur, Charleroi, Mons, and Cambrai. It detrained near Peronne -and marched toward the Avre front by Chaulnes, Rosieres en Santerre. - - -BATTLE OF THE SANTERRE. - -2. It was engaged north of Moreuil (east of the Villers aux Erables- -Thennes) on May 22. The Allied attack struck the division and threw it -back on Beaufort, losing 2,358 prisoners. It was relieved on the 10th -and rested 15 days. Reengaged on the 25th east of Albert (Contalmaison, -Montauban) the division again lost heavily. It was withdrawn on the -30th. - -3. After its withdrawal the division was dissolved to the profit of the -1st Reserve Division and 2d Division. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. In the August fighting in Picardy -it did not make a strong resistance. In the two engagements in August -the division lost 3,593 prisoners. - - - - - 226th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── - │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918[38] - ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── - │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── - Infantry. │5 Ldw. │2 Ldw. │5 Ldw. │2 Ldw. │5 Ldw. │2 Ldw. - │ │9 Ldw. │ │9 Ldw. │ │9 Ldw. - │ │ │ │ │ │ Rgt. - │ │439. │ │427. │ │427. - ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── - Cavalry. │ │1 Sqn. 4 Mounted │1 Sqn. 4 Mounted - │ │ Jag. Rgt. │ Jag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Artillery. │ │64 Res. F. A. Rgt. │(?) Art. Command: - │ │ │ 64 Res. F. A. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Engineers and│ │(226) Pion. Btn.: │2 Ers. Co. 18 - Liaisons. │ │ │ Pions. - │ │ 2 Ers. Co. 18 │Searchlight - │ │ Pions. │ Section. - │ │ (?) T. M. Co. │430 T. M. Co. - │ │ 26 Searchlight Co.│226 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 226 Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Medical and │ │257 Ambulance Co. │257 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ │ - │ │Field Hospital. │Field Hospital. - │ │262 Vet. Hospital. │262 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── - Transport. │ │471 M. T. Col. │635 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── - -Footnote 38: - - Composition at the time of dissolution, May, 1918. - - - HISTORY. - - (2d Corps District—Pomerania.) - - - 1916. - -The 226th Division was formed about December, 1916. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. At the end of December it was identified on the Eastern Front in the -vicinity of Smorgoni, forming, with the 205th Division, the 3d -(reenforced) Reserve Corps of the 10th Army. - - - 1917. - -1. The 226th Division included in 1917 the 2d and 9th Landwehr Regiments -(5th Landwehr Brigade), taken from the 35th Reserve Division, and the -439th Infantry Regiment, formed in 1916. - - -SMORGONI. - -2. The division occupied the sector of Smorgoni-Krevo from January until -August, 1917. In this sector it received the Russian attacks of July 2 -and 23, which caused it very heavy losses, in consequence of which -Emperor William II called himself commander of the 2d Landwehr Regiment. - -3. About the beginning of August the 226th Division was relieved south -of Smorgoni and replaced the 123d Division south of Lake Svir. In -November the 2d Landwehr Regiment sent men to reenforce the 121st -Division and the 9th Landwehr to reenforce the 2d Guard Division. - - -LAKE NAROTCH. - -4. In December the division was in line north of Lake Narotch, relieving -the 31st Division, which was sent to the Western Front. - - - 1918. - -1. The division was still there in January, 1918. It was dissolved in -June. - - -ROUMANIA. - -2. The presence of the headquarters of the 226th Division at Targovistea -was reported early in October. These headquarters apparently had under -its order the 58th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment, of which the -headquarters and three batteries are at Bucharest, the remaining -batteries at Durnu Margurelf, Targovistea, and Cantulung. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 227th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │49 Ldw. │417. │49 Ldw. │417 and 477. - │ │441. │ │ - │ │477. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │ (?) │1 Sqn. 10 Hus. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │92 F. A. Rgt. │227 Art. Command: - │ │ 92 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 3 Abt. 20 Ft. A. Rgt. (9 - │ │ and 11 Btries.). - │ │ 853 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1102 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 113 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│227 Pion. Btn.: │227 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 339 Pion. Co. │ 339 Pion. Co. - │ 347 Pion. Co. │ 347 Pion. Co. - │ 162 T. M. Co. │ 162 T. M. Co. - │ 227 Tel. Detch. │ 213 Searchlight Section. - │ │227 Signal Command: - │ │ 227 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 155 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │65 Ambulance Co. │65 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │278 Field Hospital. │278 Field Hospital. - │285 Field Hospital. │285 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │208 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │637 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (417th Infantry Regiment; 14th Corps District—Grand Duchy of Baden. - 441st Infantry Regiment; 18th Corps District—Hesse—Nassau. 477th - Infantry Regiment; 8th Corps District—Rhine Province.) - - - 1917. - -The 227th Division, formed in March, 1917, was composed of three newly- -formed regiments—the 417th (Baden), the 441st (18th District-Hesse), the -477th, formed by drafts upon the units of the 38th and 13th Divisions -and upon the 16th Corps, then attached after its formation in the autumn -of 1916 to the 33d Division of this corps. - - -ARGONNE. - -1. The 227th Division was identified for the first time on March 27, -1917, on the Argonne front. It occupied the calm sector of the Fille- -Morte until May 26. - - -AISNE. - -2. About June 1 it went into line south of the Aisne (La Neuville-Godat) -and extended its sector, at the beginning of July, to Hill 108 -(Sapigneul). - -3. Relieved about August 5, it was sent for rest and training to the -Asfeld area. On August 20 it went into line north of Berry au Bac, -between the Miette and Hill 108, from which it was withdrawn on August -2. - -The division did not take part in any important engagement on the Aisne -front. Its losses were very slight. - - -FLANDERS. - -4. On October 5 and 6 the 227th Division entrained at Amagne (east of -Rethel), and was transferred to Belgium by way of Hirson-Toumai- -Courtrai-Thielt. Detraining at Pitthem on October 6 and 7, it reached -the front north of Poepcappelle on the night of the 8th–9th, was in -action for a week and suffered very heavy losses. - -5. The division left the Ypres front about October 15 to go to Ghent -(two days), then into the Champagne in the vicinity of Aussonce. It was -filled up with three replacements, the most important of which was made -up of 1,200 men taken from units on the Eastern Front, especially from -the 12th Landwehr Division, from the same Provinces as the 227th -Division (end of October). - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -6. At the beginning of November the 227th Division went into line north -of Cornillet. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 227th Division was recruited from the Rhine Districts (Baden, Hesse- -Nassau, the Rhine Province), which gives rise to a certain homogeneity. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 227th Division lost very heavily in Flanders and received as -replacements a certain number of men coming from the Russian front whose -combat value was mediocre (October, 1917). - -The 227th Division was of only mediocre offensive value. - - - 1918. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. About the middle of January the 227th Division was relieved by the -28th Division and went to the Juniville area, where it was intensively -trained in open warfare with a view to its being used as an assault -division. - -2. On February 16 it relieved the 28th Division. It was withdrawn toward -the end of March. - - -PICARDY. - -3. About the 10th of April it relieved the 5th Guard Division near Canny -sur Matz (west of Lassigny). The battle of the Somme had come to end by -this time, and so, although there was still considerable artillery -activity here, the division was not seriously engaged in infantry -attacks, and remained in line until relieved by the 75th Reserve -Division during the night of May 16–17, when it went to rest and be -trained in the region of Ham. - - -OISE. - -4. On June 7 it started to march to the front via Ognolles-Champien -Wood-Beuvraignes-Crapeaumesnil. On the 9th it attacked through the line -and succeeded in passing Ricquebourg, Ressons, and Marqueglise. This -advance cost the divisions heavy losses, and it suffered still more -heavily when the French counterattacked in force on the 12th. The -following day it was relieved by the 17th Reserve Division and marched -by stages to the region east of St. Quentin. - - -WOEVRE. - -5. About the 20th it entrained at Origny and traveled via Charleville- -Sedan-Longuyon-Conflans-Dampvitoux, where it detrained the 21st and 22d. -It relieved the 8th Bavarian Reserve Division in the St. Baussant- -Richecourt sector (south of Thiaucourt) on the 27th. It was relieved by -the 10th Division on the 22d of August. - - -SOISSONS. - -6. About the 30th it reenforced the front in the Terny-Sorny sector -(north of Soissons). It was withdrawn about the 8th of September. - - -AISNE. - -7. There was some talk of dissolving the division at this time, but it -was not done, and it came back into line, relieving the 17th Division in -the Pont-Arcy sector (east of Vailly) on the 17th. It remained in line, -falling back via Monchâlons-Coucy les Eppes-Pierrepont-Montcornet- -Ebouleau-Renneval-Jeantes la Ville. It had not been withdrawn on the -11th. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 227th was rated a third-class division. It was in no heavy fighting -during 1918 until June, when it did not distinguish itself, neither -advancing far nor holding its ground in counterattack. Its conduct, -however, can not be characterized as poor. It is to be noted, moreover, -that the division commander was awarded “Pour le Mérite” in July. - - - - - 228th. Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │104. │35 Fus. │104. │35. - │ │48. │ │48. - │ │207 Res. │ │207 Res. - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 1 Uhlan Rgt. │1 Sqn. 1 Uhlan Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │228 Art. Command: │228 Art. Command: - │ 39 F. A. Rgt. │ 39 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 92 Ft. A. Btn. (Staff, and - │ │ 1, 2, and 3 Btries). - │ │ 1143 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1144 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1145 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(228) Pion. Btn.: │228 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 389 Pion. Co. │ 389 Pion. Co. - │ 395 Pion. Co. │ 395 Pion. Co. - │ 197 T. M. Co. │ 197 T. M. Co. - │ Tel. Detch. │ 116 Searchlight Section. - │ │228 Signal Command: - │ │ 228 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 56 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │567 Ambulance Co. │567 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │63 Field Hospital. │63 Field Hospital. - │260 Field Hospital. │260 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │55 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transport │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (3d Corps District—Brandenburg.) - - - 1917. - -The 228th Division appears to have been formed in the Sedan area in May, -1917. Its three regiments belonged to the 3d Corps District—the 35th -Fusileer Regiment was taken from the 56th Division, the 48th Infantry -Regiment from the 113th Division, and the 207th Reserve Regiment from -the 220th Division. - - -VERDUN. - -1. On June 22, 1917, the 228th Division was identified on the Verdun -front in the sector of Les Chambrettes (35th Fusileers). It was still in -line on the right bank of the Meuse (Louvemont) when the French attacks -of August 20–24 were launched. It lost heavily there. “Our regiment has -only two companies left” (letter from a man of the 48th Infantry -Regiment, Aug. 23). - - -CÔTES DE MEUSE. - -2. Relieved about August 24, it was sent to rest for a few days, then -into line again about September 6 on the Côtes de Meuse (between -Moulainville and Damploup). It was reorganized in both men and material. -At the end of September 900 men came as replacements from the 1st Corps -District (returned wounded for the most part). The 35th Fusileer -Regiment, decimated in August, remained in the rear for reorganization. - - - RECRUITING. - -The division was purely Brandenburg (infantry and field artillery). - -For its reorganization after the attacks of August 20–24, 1917, the -228th Division received replacements from the 1st Corps District. A -replacement unit was formed from the 3d Corps District, but the men are -said to have refused to leave for the Western Front. In default of men -from Brandenburg, they called upon the 1st Corps District. -(Interrogation of prisoner, Sept. 30, 1917.) - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -This was a fairly good division. - - - 1918. - -1. The division was relieved northeast of Verdun in mid-February and -went to rest and train southeast of Montmedy (near Marville) until March -17. It was then railed to Picardy via Montmedy, Sedan, Hirson, Aulnoye. -From there it moved toward the front by Croix, Maurois, Beaurevoir, -Bellicourt, Roisel, Maurepas, Bray, arriving there on the 27th. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -2. It was engaged on the 29th–30th near Le Hamel, north of Marcelcave, -and participated in heavy fighting about Hamel until April 13. All three -regiments lost heavily in the attack. The 207th Reserve Regiment was too -weak to hold more than 160 yards of front. The 35th Fusileer Regiment -lost 700 men in killed and wounded. After resting from April 13 to 18 -the division was reengaged on the 18th. It attacked at Villers- -Bretonneux on the 24th without success. After suffering very heavy -losses the division was withdrawn on April 27–28. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -3. On the 28th it entrained east of Peronne and was railed to -Valenciennes, where it rested until May 6–7. From rest the division -proceeded to south of Vouziers (May 7) and entered line near Tahure on -the 13th and held that quiet sector until July 15. It did not attack in -the offensive in Champagne, but remained behind in reserve of the 88th -Division. Later it was used by battalions in support of units in line -until the end of the month. - -4. From the end of July to September 12 the division held a quiet sector -of the line near Maisons de Champagne. - -5. On the 12th it was moved to Spincourt by Mezieres, Sedan, Montmedy, -Longuyon. It rested and trained until the 28th, when it marched toward -the front at Romagne sous Montfaucon (Sept. 28 to Oct. 2). - -6. The division was engaged near Cunel on October 8. Four days later it -shifted to the right bank of the Meuse (east of Sivry sur Meuse) and -held there until November 5. It retreated toward Fontaine and Ecurey -after that date. The division was still in line on the day of the -armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. After its failure on the Somme in -the spring it was used on unimportant sectors until October. It did not -distinguish itself in the Meuse-Argonne battle. - - - - - 231st Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │231. │442. │231. │442. - │ │443. │ │443. - │ │444. │ │444. - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │ │1 Sqn. 9 Drag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │3 Gd. Res. F. A. Rgt. - │ 3 Gd. Res. F. A. Rgt. │90 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │910 Light Am. Col. - │ │912 Light Am. Col. - │ │1135 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(231) Pion. Btn.: │231 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 353 Pion. Co. │ 353 Pion. Co. - │ 354 Pion. Co. │ 354 Pion. Co. - │ 358 (?) T. M. Co. │ 181 Searchlight Section. - │ 418 T. M. Co. │231 Signal Command. - │ 231 Tel. Detch. │ 231 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 57 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │243 Ambulance Co. │243 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │183 Field Hospital. │184 Field Hospital. - │184 Field Hospital. │217 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │227 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transport. │641 M. T. Col. │641 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Guard.) - - - 1917. - -The 231st Division was formed on January 15, 1917, at the Zossen Camp, -near Berlin. Its infantry regiments (442d, 443d, and 444th) were formed -from the depots of the Guard and the 43d Reserve Division, likewise a -subsidiary of the Guard. Initial effectives: 235 to 240 men per company, -one-half of the 1918 class, one-fourth of returned sick and wounded, -one-fourth men withdrawn from the front. The composition is practically -the same for the divisions Nos. 231 to 242, as regards infantry and -pioneers. - - -HAYE. - -1. The 231st Division left the Zossen Camp on March 30, 1917, detrained -at Audun le Roman on April 3, and went into line on the 13th at Flirey -(Haye). It did not show any activity there and left the front on May 12. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. Entraining at Jaulny on May 16, it was concentrated in the vicinity -of Epoye, northeast of Rheims, and went into line on May 18–19 north of -La Pompelle. - - -MONT HAUT. - -3. In the middle of June it went into line in the Nauroy sector, between -Cornillet and Mont Haut, and suffered the French attack of the 18th, -which caused it heavy losses (especially in the 443d Infantry Regiment, -where the 10th Company had only 1 officer and 10 men left). It was -relieved about July 6. - -4. After two weeks’ rest in the vicinity of Rethel the division was sent -into line at Bermericourt on July 21. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 231st Division was recruited from the entire extent of Prussian -territory, the same as the Guard from whose depots it was formed. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -At the time of the formation of the 231st Division 40 per cent of the -men were of the 1918 class. In consequence of replacements, the -proportion of the men of this class appeared to be 50 per cent in -November, 1917. - -The 231st Division opposed an honorable resistance to the French assault -of June 18, 1917, at Le Cornillet. - -However, taking into consideration that it has never given proof of -offensive qualities, it seems impossible to class it among the good -divisions. - - - 1918. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -1. Early in February the 231st Division was relieved by the 213th -Division and went to the Givet-Namur area for training in open warfare. - - -PICARDY. - -2. On the 21st of March it was in support behind the 45th Reserve -Division. Two days later it attacked southwest of Ham in the direction -of Esmery-Hallon, suffering heavy losses. It was in reserve near Roye on -the 28th. Early in April it was resting near Laon, and later in the -month it moved to the Marle area, where it was reconstituted. - - -AISNE. - -3. It then relieved the 3d Reserve Division in the Bouconville sector -(southeast of Laon) early in May. On the 27th other divisions attacked -through its sector, the 231st following up in reserve via Fismes and -Fère en Tardenois. It became engaged on the 30th near Beuvardes and -advanced through Verdilly to Château Thierry; relieved by the 201st -Division about the 16th of June. It refitted in the Laon region, -entrained at Sissonne, and traveled via Asfeld to Dun sur Meuse. - - -VERDUN. - -4. About the 1st of July it relieved the Bavarian Ersatz Division in the -Avocourt sector (northwest of Verdun). It was relieved by the 37th -Division on the 7th of August. - - -PICARDY. - -5. The division traveled via Sedan-Laon-Chauny and reenforced the front -near Appilly (east of Noyon). In the fighting that followed the division -was forced to withdraw through Lagny, Champagne, Villeselve, Artemps, -Mont d’Origny, and Hauteville. It was withdrawn about the 20th of -October. - -6. After having rested about a week it came back into line west of Guise -about the 28th. Again it fell back, being identified east of Guise and -southeast of Etreux. It was still in line on the 11th of November. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division did not distinguish itself during the battle of the Somme, -but, on the other hand, it did not do badly, for soon afterwards the -division commander was granted “Pour le Mérite.” After the Aisne -offensive the brigade commander also received it. The division was -mentioned in the German official communiqués of September 4 and October -31. Its losses necessitated the reduction of the battalions to three -companies but did not lower the morale to any great extent. It should be -considered as a good second-class division. - - - - - 232d Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │232. │445. │232. │445. - │ │446. │ │446. - │ │447. │ │447. - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 1 Uhlan Rgt. │4 Sqn. 1 Uhlan Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │37 F. A. Rgt. │232 Art. Command: - │ │ 37 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 776 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 981 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1093 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(232) Pion Btn.: │232 Pion Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 355 Pion Co. │ 346 Pion. Co. - │ 356 Pion Co. │ 356 Pion. Co. - │ 419 T. M. Co. │ 419 T. M. Co. - │ 232 Tel. Detch. │ 119 Searchlight Section. - │ │232 Signal Command: - │ │ 232 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 162 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │244 Ambulance Co. │244 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │185 Field Hospital. │185 Field Hospital. - │186 Field Hospital. │186 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │267 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transport. │642 M. T. Col. │642 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (445th Infantry Regiment: 1st Corps District—East Prussia. 446th and - 447th Infantry Regiments: 20th Corps District—Eastern section of West - Prussia.) - - - 1917. - -The 232d Division belonged to the series of divisions 231 to 242, formed -in January, 1917, by drafts upon the depots (1918 class) and upon the -front. It was recruited principally from the 1st and 20th Corps -Districts (East Prussia). - -After its formation the division was sent for training to the Arys Camp -and then, on April 3, 1917, to the Eastern Front. - - -COURLAND. - -1. On April 6 the 232d Division went into line in the vicinity of -Illukst; it remained there until July. - - -SMORGONI. - -2. Relieved by the 2d Division, coming from Flanders on July 7, it -entrained on the 9th, was transferred by railroad to Soly on July 11, -and from there went to the sector of Smorgoni-Krevo, where it suffered -the Russian attack of July 22. - - -GALICIA. - -3. On July 31 the 232d Division left the Smorgoni front for Galicia. It -went into line northeast of Tarnapol, west of Zbaraz. It was identified -there on December 25 (fraternization with the Russians). It was during -this rest period, in November and December, that the division received -its first reenforcements of the 1919 class, which it later took to -France. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 232d Division was recruited from East and West Prussia, with a -certain number of Alsace-Lorrainers. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Having always occupied the Eastern Front from its formation (beginning -of 1917) until March, 1918, the 232d Division was of mediocre combat -value (April, 1918). - -In the 445th Infantry Regiment the majority of men were very young; many -belonged to the 1919 class (April, 1918). (Interrogation of prisoner.) - -In the 2d Company of the 1st Battalion of the 447th Infantry Regiment, -one-third belonged to the 1919 class (May, 1918). (Interrogation of -prisoner.) - - - 1918. - -1. The division held the sector west of Vaudesincourt until about May -10, when it went to rest in the Juniville-Neuflize area. While there the -division was trained for mobile warfare. - - -BATTLE OF THE AISNE. - -2. On May 22 the division left the region of Juniville and moved in -three marches to Lor and Le Thour (north of Asfeld). On May 26 the -division left Lor and advanced toward the battle front, following the -86th Division. It passed the former French first line near Juvincourt, -arrived near Treslon-Bouleuse on May 29, and on the 30th was engaged to -the right of the 86th Division, near Sarey, where it relieved the troops -of the 7th Reserve Division. - -3. After that date the division was in the sector on the west bank of -the Ardre near Chambrecy. The division losses were small during the -first three days of the offensive, but later it suffered seriously, -especially in its unsuccessful attack on Bligny on June 4. The division -was relieved on the 18th by the 123d Division. - -4. It marched by stages to Asfeld and was railed to Montmedy. On the -night of June 28–29 it relieved the 19th Ersatz Division in the Beaumont -sector. It held the quiet sector until August 18, when it was withdrawn. -On the night of August 26–27 the division entrained and traveled via -Montmedy-Sedan-Charleville-Revin-Charleroi-Mons-Valenciennes-Cambrai, -detraining near Etricourt and Manancourt on August 28 after a journey of -28 hours. - - -BAPAUME. - -5. The division was engaged in the Bapaume area (Le Forest, -Bouchavesnes, Moislains) on August 29. It lost 1,500 prisoners before it -was withdrawn on September 9. - -6. It rested in the Le Cateau area until September 21, when it -reenforced the battle front northwest of Hargicourt. After four days it -was relieved by the 54th Division and rested near La Capelle. It had -been there but 10 days when it was hurried to the Oise front by motor -trucks. - -7. On October 6 it was engaged at Lesdins, with the exception of the -447th Regiment, which remained at rest at Pont a Bucy and joined the -division later. It continued in line until about the end of the month, -when it retired from the Villers le Sec vicinity. It was considered in -reserve of the German 18th Army at the time of the armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as 4th class. By October its morale was very low -and its combat value small. On October 25 the division had but 850 -infantrymen, 300 machine gunners, and 120 trench mortar effectives. -After August there were but three companies to a battalion and but two -battalions to the 446th Regiment in October. Influenced by Bolshevists, -elements of the division refused to go into action in October. - - - - - 233d Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918[39] - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │243. │448. │243. │448. - │ │449. │ │449. - │ │450. │ │450. - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │ │3 Sqn. 9 Drag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │81 F. A. Rgt. │233 Art. Command: - │ │ 81 F. A. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(233) Pion. Btn.: │233 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 357 Pion. Co. │ 357 Pion. Co. - │ 358 Pion. Co. │ 358 Pion. Co. - │ 420 T. M. Co. │ 420 T. M. Co. - │ 233 Tel. Detch. │ 233 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │245 Ambulance Co. │245 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │187 Field Hospital. │187 Field Hospital. - │188 Field Hospital. │188 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │268 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transport. │880 M. T. Col. │643 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - -Footnote 39: - - Composition at the time of dissolution, September, 1918. - - - HISTORY. - - (448th and 449th Infantry Regiments: 2d Corps District—Pomerania. 450th - Infantry Regiment: 17th Corps District—West Prussia.) - - - 1917. - -The 233d Division, formed at the Hammerstein Camp in January, 1917, -recruited its infantry (448th, 449th, 450th Regiments) from the 2d and -17th Corps Districts. It then contained 40 per cent of the 1918 class -and 40 per cent returned wounded. - -1. After six weeks in training at Hammerstein, the 233d Division was -transferred to Beverloo, where it continued its training from the end of -February to the beginning of April. - -2. About April 10 it occupied a calm sector between La Fère and -Alaincourt. - - -FLANDERS. - -3. On May 16 it left the Oise front and went to Flanders. Sent into line -at Ypres, on both sides of the Ypres-Roulers road (May 19–20), the -division had very heavy losses in this sector toward the end of July, -during the artillery preparation which preceded the British attack of -the 31st. “In the course of the nine weeks passed in Flanders the 450th -Infantry Regiment lost 900 men, more than half of whom were killed.” -(Letter of Aug. 6.) - -4. Relieved on the eve of the attack, the 233d Division was brought back -by railroad into the Guise area and sent to rest for two weeks. - -5. From the middle of August until September 28 it occupied the sector -of St. Quentin (Gauchy), after having pillaged the city the same as -several other divisions. - - -FLANDERS. - -6. On October 2 it entrained for Flanders and was sent by way of Origny, -Le Cateau, Maubeuge, Mons, Ath, Ghent, Deynze. From October 5 to 12 it -was engaged southeast of Sonnebeke and lost very heavily during the -British attacks of October 6 and 9. - - -LORRAINE. - -7. The division was withdrawn from the Ypres front on October 12, sent -to rest for four days at Sottegem, then sent to Lorraine by way of -Brussels, Namur, Hirson, Charleville, Sedan, Metz. Detraining at -Sarreburg, it rested from the 20th to the 29th, then went into line -south of Blamont. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 233d Division was recruited from Pomerania and West Prussia, with a -certain admixture from the neighboring Provinces (3d and 5th Corps -Districts). - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -A German official document of June 12, 1917, gives the following -appreciation of the troops of the 233d Division engaged at that moment -in the Ypres sector: “These men are too young to be able to furnish -prolonged resistance and to have great endurance in a critical -situation. Nevertheless, their conduct is generally good. One cannot say -that this organization is in a good condition; it is not suited for -trench warfare.” (Report from the 2d Battalion of the 450th Regiment.) - -It is to be noticed, however, that the 233d Division was left in line -northeast of Ypres until July 29. - -Since that time the division took part in numerous battles and improved. - -It contained a certain number of Poles and some Alsatians. - -From January 20 to February 24, 1918, it received special training for -the warfare of movement, in the vicinity of Zabern-Haguenau. - -It was a fairly good division. - - - 1918. - - -KEMMEL. - -1. The division was railed to Flanders in the middle of April and -detrained at Zarren (southwest of Thourout). It marched toward the front -south of Ypres through Ardoye, Tourcoing. It was engaged on April 25 at -Mount Kemmel and took part in the heavy fighting there until May 3. Its -losses were heavy in this engagement. - -2. The division rested near Sottegem in Belgium until May 19. It was -then transferred to Peronne. During June a regiment of the division came -into line southwest of Morlancourt for a short period and reenforced the -54th Division. The rest of the division rested at Caudry, Bretigny, -Morcourt until July 6. - - -THIRD BATTLE OF THE SOMME. - -3. It was engaged on that date north and south of Alvert, where it was -still in line at the time of the British attack of August 22. It was -thrown back on Fricourt, La Boisselle, Bazentin le Grand, Montauban, -where it was relieved on August 30, after losing 1,422 prisoners. - -4. Following the heavy losses in August the division was dissolved. The -448th Regiment was transferred to the 107th Division, replacing the -227th Reserve Regiment, dissolved. The 405th Regiment replaced the 22d -Reserve Regiment, dissolved in the 117th Division; while the men of the -449th Regiment were allotted to the 448th and 450th Regiments. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. - - - - - 234th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │234. │451. │234. │451. - │ │452. │ │452. - │ │453. │ │453. - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 13 Dragoon Rgt. │1 Sqn. 13 Drag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │234 Art. Command: - │ 4 F. A. Rgt. │ 4 F. A. Rgt. - │ │3 Abt. 21 Ft. A. Rgt. (7 - │ │ and 9 Btries.). - │ │841 Light Am. Col. - │ │847 Light Am. Col. - │ │1340 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(234) Pion. Btn.: │234 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 359 Pion. Co. │ 359 Pion. Co. - │ 360 Pion. Co. │ 360 Pion. Co. - │ 429 T. M. Co. │ 201 Searchlight Section. - │ 234 Tel. Detch. │234 Signal Command: - │ │ 234 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 126 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │246 Ambulance Co. │246 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │189 Field Hospital. │189 Field Hospital. - │190 Field Hospital. │190 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │269 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │644 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (451st and 452d Infantry Regiments: 3d Corps District—453d Infantry - Regiment: 4th Corps District—Prussian Saxony.) - - - 1917. - -The 234th Division was formed on January 6, 1917, at the camp of -Altengrabow. Its infantry regiments were recruited from the 3d and 4th -Corps Districts (Berlin-Magdeburg) and were composed of men of the 1918 -class (50 per cent) and of returned wounded and men withdrawn from the -front (50 per cent). - - -ST. QUENTIN. - -1. After three months’ training at Altengrabow, the 234th Division -entrained, on March 28, for the Western Front. Going by way of -Magdeburg-Aix la Chapelle-Liége-Brussels-Mons, it detrained on March -30–31 at Le Cateau, from which place it marched to the sector of Fayet, -northwest of St. Quentin (on the Hindenburg Line) on April 8. - -On April 14 the division was attacked by British troops and lost heavily -(451st Infantry Regiment, 400 prisoners). This regiment again suffered -seriously in the course of violent battles with the French east of -Fayet, August 9 to 11. - - -YPRES. - -2. About September 1 the 234th Division was relieved northwest of St. -Quentin and sent to Roulers, by way of Bohain, Le Cateau, Denain, Lille, -Courtrai, and Menin. In reserve first near Hooglede, on the Ypres front -at the time of the British attack, it counterattacked on September 20, -northeast of St. Julien. On September 23–24 it again went into reserve -and after the British attack of the 26th sent some of its elements into -action southeast of Zonnebeke on September 27. - -3. Exhausted by these battles the division left the Ypres front for the -Lille area. It had lost about one-half of its effectives. - - -LA BASSÉE. - -4. It went into line north of La Bassée Canal on October 7, remained -there six weeks, and about November 24 went to the Cambrai area. - - -ARTOIS. - -5. On December 7 it took over the sector north of Bullecourt. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 234th Division was recruited from Brandenburg and Prussian Saxony. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 234th Division lost very heavily at Ypres in September, 1917; these -losses had some effect upon its morale. At all events, it acquired a -certain combat experience in the course of these engagements. - -The 451st Infantry Regiment seemed to be considered the best one in the -division by the German High Command. - -In the 453d Infantry Regiment, September, 1917, many officers belonged -to the Reserve and to the Landwehr; some of these, during the war, were -retired for inefficiency (document). - - - 1918. - - -PICARDY. - -1. The 234th Division remained in the Bullecourt sector until relieved -by the 111th Division on the 8th of February, when it went to rest in -the Douai area. - -2. About the end of the month it relieved the 111th Division. On the -opening of the Somme offensive on the 21st of March, although not -engaged in the initial attack, the division was severely engaged in the -fighting around Croisilles, and on the 31st some of its elements carried -out a costly and unsuccessful attack against Boisleux-St. Mare. It was -relieved about the 7th of April by the 231st Division. - -3. The division rested a fortnight and then relieved the 111th Division -in the Ayette sector on the 20th. During the night of the 24th–25th of -May it was relieved by the 17th Division. - -4. About June 21 it relieved the 17th Division. When the British -attacked on the 21st of August, the division was thrown back upon -Hamelincourt with heavy losses (including 1,585 prisoners). It was -withdrawn on the 24th to the Douai region. - -5. On the 22d of September it reenforced the front in the Gavrelle -sector, being withdrawn a few days later. - -6. On the 30th it came into line north of Cambrai in the Tilloy sector. -Withdrawn about the 15th of October. - -7. On the 18th it reenforced the front near Raches (northeast of Douai). -It was relieved by the 35th Division about the 10th of November. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 234th was rated a third-class division. In the fighting around Arras -in the spring it acquitted itself fairly well, and its commanding -general received the “Pour le Mérite.” Its conduct during the rest of -the year was mediocre. - - - - - 235th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918[40] - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │235. │454. │235. │454. - │ │455. │ │455. - │ │456. │ │456. - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │5 Sqn. 9 Dragoon Rgt. │5 Sqn. 9 Drag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │235 Art. Command: │235 Art. Command: - │ 6 F. A. Rgt. │ 6 F. A. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│235 Pion. Btn.: │235 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 361 Pion. Co. │ 361 Pion. Co. - │ 362 Pion. Co. │ 362 Pion. Co. - │ 435 T. M. Co. │ 435 T. M. Co. - │ 235 Tel. Detch. │ 235 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │247 Ambulance Co. │247 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │191 Field Hospital. │191 Field Hospital. - │192 Field Hospital. │192 Field Hospital. - │ │Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transport. │961 M. T. Col. │645 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - -Footnote 40: - - Composition at the time of dissolution, August, 1918. - - - HISTORY. - - (454th and 455th Infantry Regiments: 5th Corps District—Posen. 456th - Infantry Regiment: 6th Corps District—Silesia.) - - - 1917. - -The 235th Division was formed in January, 1917, in the camps of the -Warta and of Neuhammer, with elements from the 5th and 6th Corps -District. Its regiments were made up mostly of men from the 1918 class -(50 per cent) and the remainder from returned sick and wounded and men -withdrawn from the front (initial strength, 230 to 235 men per company). - -1. After six weeks of intensive training, the 235th Division was -concentrated at Posen and sent to the Western Front on February 20, by -way of Dresden-Aschaffenburg-Frankfort-Aix la Chappelle-Namur. It passed -a new period of training in the Sissonne Camp, and on March 15 was sent -to the St. Quentin area. - - -ST. QUENTIN. - -2. At the beginning of April it went into line in the Itancourt sector. -Its losses were enormous, principally from the attack of April 13, which -necessitated replacements of 2,216 men during the following weeks. - -3. Relieved at the beginning of July, it was sent to rest east of St. -Quentin (Fontaine Notre Dame). - - -YPRES. - -4. On July 25 it entrained at Guise for Belgium. Concentrated in the -vicinity of Iseghem-Roulers, it went to the Ypres front on July 28–31, -east of Wieltje, received the artillery preparation and the British -attack of the 31st, which caused it very heavy losses. The 454th -Infantry Regiment had very heavy losses (4th Company was reduced to 31 -men) and was filled up hastily from the resources of the large depot at -Beverloo (about 60 men per company). - -5. The 235th Division was withdrawn from the front on August 1 and spent -a week at rest in Flanders. - -6. In the course of August it was transferred to Laonnois, in the -vicinity of Montcornet. - - -AISNE. - -7. About September 10 it took over the sector of Juvincourt-Corbeny, -where the French attack of November 21 again occasioned it serious -losses (400 prisoners). A prisoner of the 456th Infantry Regiment -declared that in this company not more than one-fourth of the men were -left who composed it in January. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 235th Division was recruited from the Provinces of Posen and of -Silesia; consequently, contained a large number of Poles. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 235th Division appeared to have only mediocre offense value. - -Following the battle of November 21, 1917, in the Juvincourt sector, the -commander of the 456th Infantry Regiment and the commander of the 2d -Battalion of the same regiment were relieved in disgrace. - -The division received training in the warfare of movement during January -and February, 1918. - - - 1918. - -1. The division entrained at Sierentz (Alsace) April 4–5 and traveled -via Mulhausen, Strasbourg, Treves, Cologne, Lille, Brussels, and Ghent. -It detrained at St. Andre, north of Lille, on the 8th–9th and rested in -that vicinity until the 22d. - - -FLANDERS. - -2. It entered line east of Robecq on the night of April 22–23 and -remained in that sector until May 11. During this engagement the -division lost very heavily. - -3. The division entrained at Lille on the 12th and was railed via Ghent, -Brussels, Namur, Charleville, and Sedan. It detrained north of Briey on -the 14th. - - -WOEVRE. - -4. It was engaged on the heights of the Meuse (Vaux les Palameix-Bois -des Chevaliers) from May 24–25 to August 8. It was withdrawn from north -of St. Mihiel on the 8th and dissolved at Conflans. - -5. The 545th Regiment was drafted to the 10th Division. The 11th -Division and 82d Reserve Division received elements of the 456th -Regiment. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. Its only active service in 1918 -was near Armentieres, for which the division was commended by the Kaiser -in his order dissolving the division. - - - - - 236th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │236. │457. │236. │457. - │ │458. │ │458. - │ │459. │ │459. - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 13 Drag. Rgt. │4 Sqn. 13 Drag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │7 F. A. Rgt. │7 F. A. Rgt. - │ │3 Abt. 16 Ft. A. Rgt. (11 - │ │ and 13 Btries.) - │ │956 Light Am. Col. - │ │1337 Light Am. Col. - │ │1343 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│363 Pion. Btn.: │363 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 363 Pion. Co. │ 363 Pion. Co. - │ 364 Pion. Co. │ 364 Pion. Co. - │ 436 T. M. Co. │ 436 T. M. Co. - │ 236 Tel. Detch. │ 202 Searchlight Section. - │ │236 Signal Command: - │ │ 236 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 125 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │248 Ambulance Co. │248 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │193 Field Hospital. │193 Field Hospital. - │194 Field Hospital. │194 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (457th and 458th Infantry Regiments; 7th Corps District—Westphalia. - 459th Infantry; Regiment; 16th Corps District—Lorraine.) - - - 1917. - -The 236th Division was formed at the Senne Camp at the end of December, -1916 and the beginning of January, 1917. Recruited from the 7th and 16th -Corps Districts its regiments were composed of men belonging to the 1918 -class (40 per cent) and of returned wounded. - - -CAMBRESIS. - -1. The 236th Division entrained at the Senne and Paderborn Camps on -April 11 1917, and went to Cambrai by way of Dusseldorf-Aix la Chapelle- -Liége-Namur-Charleroi-Valenciennes. Detraining at Caudry on April 13, it -went into line southwest of Cambrai (Trestault-Gouzeaucourt) on the -18th. On April 24 it was attacked by British troops, lost the village of -Villers Plouich, and suffered heavily (340 prisoners). - -2. On May 9 it was sent to rest in the vicinity of Cambrai. - - -ARTOIS. - -3. It then occupied the sector of Cherisy (southeast of Arras) from June -4 to September 2, and did not go into any serious action during this -period. - - -FLANDERS. - -4. The division left Artois at the beginning of September, was sent to -rest at Courtrai until the 17th, went to Iseghem by railroad, then -marched to Roulers. Until September 20 it remained in reserve as a -counterattacking division. Between the 20th and 26th, it was in a -violent battle east of Ypres, toward the Polygon wood and between this -wood and Zonnebeke to oppose the British advance. Before going into -line, on September 20, the 2d Battalion of the 459th Infantry Regiment, -had lost more than 200 men from artillery fire; on the 22d, the 8th -Company had only 15 men left. - -5. Withdrawn from the Flanders front, during the night of September -28–29, the 236th Division was sent to rest in the vicinity of Douai. - - -ARTOIS. - -6. On October 6 it went into line north of the Scarpe, between the Roeux -and the Gavrelle; it enlarged its sector toward the north at the -beginning of November. It was filled up by replacements taken from the -Russian front; 400 men coming from the 32d Landwehr Regiment (197th -Division) arrived in November. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 236th Division was recruited from Westphalia and the Rhine Province. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 236th Division had serious losses while fighting at Ypres and its -morale was weakened in consequence. It may be considered a mediocre -division (February, 1918). - -According to a deserter’s statement (Jan. 23, 1918), the 236th Division -was a shock division in 1917. - - - 1918. - -1. The division was engaged from March 21 to April 3. On the March Somme -offensive, first at Cherizy, later at Heninel. It was relieved south of -Arras on the night of April 3–4 and moved to Passchendaele by way of -Aubigny au Bac, Iseghem, and Meulebeke. - - -YPRES. - -2. It entered line at Passchendaele on April 6 and held a sector in this -vicinity until June 22, when it was relieved by the 31st Division. The -division rested during July at Deynze. It again held the sector -southwest of Ypres from August 10 to September 13. - - -LORRAINE. - -3. The division moved from Flanders by way of Tourcoing-Brussels- -Liége—Aachen-Cologne-Bonn-Bingen-Coblenz-Kreuznach to Strasburg. It did -not detrain there, but was suddenly ordered to Metz, where it arrived on -September 24 in the afternoon. It marched to Loringen, stayed one night -and marched to Mars la Tour on September 26. The next morning it marched -to Jarny and entrained there, going to Dun sur Meuse (via Longuyon and -Montmedy). From Dun it marched through Doulcon to Villers, then to -Cunel, and then forward into position. - -4. The division was heavily engaged from September 29 to its retirement -on October 17. It distinguished itself particularly, fighting stubbornly -and successfully for many days in succession. It lost only 413 prisoners -but its casualties were very heavy, estimated at 3,000. On November 4 -the division was reengaged south of Beaumont and continued in line until -the armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. Apart from the fighting on the -Meuse, the division did not do anything notable. - - - - - 237th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │244. │460. │244. │460. - │ │461. │ │461. - │ │462. │ │462. - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 13 Uhlan Rgt. │4 Sqn. 13 Uhlan Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │83 F. A. Rgt. │83 F. A. Rgt. - │ │3 Abt. 23 Ft. A. Rgt. (7 - │ │ and 9 Btries.). - │ │783 Light Am. Col. - │ │1013 Light Am. Col. - │ │1057 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(237) Pion. Btn.: │237 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 365 Pion. Co. │ 365 Pion. Co. - │ 366 Pion. Co. │ 360 Pion. Co. - │ (437) T. M. Co. │ 124 Searchlight Section. - │ 237 Tel. Detch. │237 Signal Command: - │ │ 237 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 25 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │249 Ambulance Co. │249 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │195 Field Hospital. │195 Field Hospital. - │196 Field Hospital. │196 Field Hospital. - │272 Vet. Hospital. │198 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transport. │551 M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Attached. │4 Landst. Pion. Co. (10 C. │ - │ Dist.). │ - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (8th and 21st Corps Districts—Rhine Province and Lorraine.) - - - 1917. - -The 237th Division was formed in January, 1917, at the Elsenborn Camp -(one-half men of the 1918 class; the rest, returned sick and wounded and -men taken from the front). - - -RUSSIA. - -1. Detraining in Russia in the vicinity of Baranovitchi in March, 1917, -the 237th Division went into line south of Vichnev, on the Little -Berezina, about the beginning of April. - - -GALICIA. - -2. Relieved on June 25, it was transferred to Galicia by way of Brest- -Litowsk. On July 7 it was sent into line in the vicinity of Konioukhi. - -3. It was engaged on July 21 northwest of Zbrow, and pursued the -Russians by way of Trembowla (July 26) as far as Husiatin, where the -front became stabilized. The division continued to occupy various -sectors in this area until the end of 1917. It was identified south of -Husiatin on December 12 (fraternization). - - - RECRUITING. - -The 237th Division was recruited principally from the Rhine District. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 237th Division occupied the Russian front from its formation until -the beginning of January, 1917. - -Its combat value was mediocre. - - - 1918. - -1. On the 4th of January the division was relieved by Austrian troops -and marched by easy stages to Buckas, in the direction of Lemberg. On -March 4 it entrained between Brody and Lemberg and traveled via Lemberg- -Brest-Litowsk-Warsaw-Kalisz-Goerlitz-Leipzig-Frankfort on the Main- -Thionville-Sedan, detraining at St. Juvin on the 12th. It went into -cantonments at St. Georges. - - -ARGONNE. - -2. During the night of the 14th–15th it relieved the 80th Reserve -Division west of Avocourt. While here it exchanged its Alsace-Lorrainers -for more trustworthy men of the 9th Landwehr Division. It was withdrawn -about the middle of May. - - -AISNE. - -3. On the 26th and 27th the division entrained at Grandpre and St. -Juvin, went through Sedan and Charleville and detrained at Bucy les -Pierrepont (north of Sissonne) on the 27th and 28th. The division then -marched via Sissonne—the Plateau de Californie-Fismes-Dravegny-Monthiers -(northwest of Château Thierry). On the 1st of June it attacked in the -Belleau wood, as a result of which it suffered heavy losses. It was -withdrawn about the 22d. - - -ARGONNE. - -4. The division entrained at Athies (east of Laon) and detrained near -St. Juvin on the 30th. The division remained here a few days and then -relieved the 240th Division in the Vauquois sector. While in line here -the division received more than 2,000 replacements. It was withdrawn on -August 14. - - -AILETTE. - -5. It entrained at St. Juvin and went to St. Quentin and Ham; then it -went by truck to the Coucy wood, and then to St. Paul aux Bois (south of -Chauny). On the 21st it reenforced the 1st Bavarian and the 222d -Divisions near St. Aubin. It was withdrawn early in September, after -having fallen back upon Coucy le Château. It rested then for a fortnight -in the St. Gobain forest. - - -SERRE-OISE. - -6. On the 25th of September it relieved the 34th Division in the Servais -sector (south of La Fère). The division remained in line until the end -of the war, falling back through Deuillet-Anguilcourt-La -Ferté—Chevresis-Villers le Sec to the La Capelle region, and suffering -very heavy losses. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The 237th was rated a fourth-class division. While it was in line in the -Argonne in the spring the men (encouraged by their officers) fraternized -with the French troops opposing them. Its morale was influenced to a -most surprising extent by the measure of success of the German forces. -The result was that while it was high in the spring it became low as -soon as the tide turned. On August 22, while the division was in line on -the Ailette, 80 men, armed and with ammunition, surrendered to 4 French -soldiers. In this engagement (about 10 days) more than 900 prisoners -were lost. While the division was in line the last time it lost over -1,000 prisoners. At the end of October the division had only about 800 -rifles. - - - - - 238th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │238. │463. │238. │463. - │ │464. │ │464. - │ │465. │ │465. - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 13 Drag. Rgt. │2 Sqn. 13 Drag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │238 Art. Command: │238 Art. Command: - │ 62 F. A. Rgt. │ 62 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 53 Ft. A. Rgt. (Staff and - │ │ 1, 2, and 4 Btries.). - │ │ 944 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1211 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1233 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│238 Pion. Btn.: │238 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 367 Pion. Co. │ 367 Pion. Co. - │ 438 T. M. Co. │ 368 Pion. Co. - │ 238 Tel. Detch. │ 205 Searchlight Section. - │ 368 Pion. Co. │238 Signal Command: - │ │ 238 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 30 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │250 Ambulance Co. │250 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │197 Field Hospital. │197 Field Hospital. - │198 Field Hospital. │198 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │273 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transport. │648 M. T. Col. │648 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (463d Infantry Regiment: 9th Corps District—Hanseatic cities. 464th - Infantry Regiment: 9th Corps District—Schleswig—Holstein and - Mecklemburg. 465th Infantry Regiment: 10th Corps District—Hanover.) - - - 1917. - -The 238th Division was formed at the beginning of January, 1917, at the -Lockstedt Camp, near Hamburg. Its infantry regiments were recruited from -the 9th Corps District (Schleswig-Holstein, Hanseatic cities, and -Mecklemburg) and from the 10th Corps District (Hanover), and were -composed in part (50 per cent) of men of the 1918 class. - -1. After a training of almost three months, the 238th Division entrained -at Lockstedt, on April 13, 1917, by way of Hamburg, Trèves, Sedan, -Namur, Cambrai; it went to Caudry and Bertry (north), where it detrained -on the 16th. - - -HINDENBURG LINE. - -2. On April 20 it went into line in the sector of Vendhuille-Bellicourt, -which it left on May 20 to go to rest in the vicinity of Douai (until -May 28). - - -ARTOIS. - -3. At the end of May it took over the sector of Roeux-Gavrelle, north of -the Scarpe. It remained on this part of the front until September 27 and -was not in any serious engagement. On June 6, however, the 463d Infantry -Regiment suffered heavy losses in its 3d Battalion, which the two others -hastily filled up (letter of June 10), and left 170 prisoners. - - -FLANDERS. - -4. Sent to Flanders, the division remained at rest for a few days at -Roulers, then in reserve in the vicinity of West-Roosebeke. On October -13 it went into line southwest of Passchendaele. Having suffered heavily -from the British attack of October 30, it was hastily relieved on the -31st. - - -ST. QUENTIN. - -5. It entrained on November 6 at Ledeghem. Detraining at Geise, it went -to Macquigny, and after a few days of rest occupied the sector south of -St. Quentin-Itancourt (Nov. 11–12). - - - RECRUITING. - -The 238th Division was recruited the same as the 111th Division, from -Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklemburg, the Hanseatic cities, and Hanover. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 238th Division was of mediocre value, but better than the majority -of the divisions of this series. - -The large proportion of young recruits in the ranks of the 238th -Division gave rise to the nickname “The Division of the First -Communicants.” - - - 1918. - -1. The division rested and underwent training in the vicinity of Origny- -St. Benoite from the 1st of February to March 19. It was brought up to -the front south of St. Quentin during the night of March 19–20. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -2. On the 21st the division attacked at Grugies and in two days advanced -by Grand-Serancourt and across the canal near St. Simon. From the 23d to -the 29th it advanced in reserve by Libermont-Beaulieu les Fontaines- -Beuvraignes. It was reengaged on the 29th at Rollot and Boulogne la -Grasse until mid-April. The division suffered heavy casualties in the -Somme battle. - - -RHEIMS. - -3. The division was engaged southeast of Rheims (Cernay les Rheims, -northeast of St. Leonard) from April 18 to July 20. It carried out a -local attack on Rheims on May 30 and June 1. The division did not take -part in the offensive of July 15 except by artillery activity. - -4. The division rested at Boult sur Suippe from July 20 to 28. From the -end of July to August 20 it held its former sector at Cernay les Rheims. -Relieved in that sector, it marched by stages toward Brancourt-Coucy le -Chateau via Neufchatel sur Aisne, Marchais, Bruyeres (Aug. 21–28). - - -AISNE. - -5. On August 31 the division was engaged at Leuilly-Terny. After -September 10 it fought in the vicinity of Quincy-Basse-Aulers until -October 12. On that date it retired toward Crepy and withdrew from line. -The division started for Marle to rest but was alerted on the 14th and -taken in trucks to east of Mart d’Origny. On the 15th it was again in -the first line. Two of the regiments had but two battalions and the -infantry effectives totaled 1,800. The period between the 18th and 24th -of October was relatively quiet on the divisional sector. Following -French attacks of October 25 and 26, the division fell back on a -prepared position in front of Guise. Here it held until November 5, when -it began a retreat by Audigny in the direction of La Capelle. - -The last identification was at Buironfosse on November 6. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. Its morale was mediocre, and its -effectives few during the latter half of 1918. - - - - - 239th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │239. │466. │239. │466. - │ │467. │ │467. - │ │468. │ │468. - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 9 Drag. Rgt. │4 Sqn. 9 Drag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │55 F. A. Rgt. - │ 55 F. A. Rgt. │78 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │909 Light Am. Col. - │ │1239 Light Am. Col. - │ │1293 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(239) Pion. Btn.: │239 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 369 Pion. Co. │ 369 Pion. Co. - │ 370 Pion. Co. │ 370 Pion. Co. - │ 439 T. M. Co. │ 439 T. M. Co. - │ 239 Tel. Detch. │ 89 Searchlight Section. - │ │ 237 Searchlight Section. - │ │239 Signal Command: - │ │ 239 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 11 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │251 Ambulance Co. │251 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │199 Field Hospital. │199 Field Hospital. - │200 Field Hospital. │200 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │239 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │649 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (466th Infantry Regiment: 11th Corps District—Electorate of Hesse. 407th - Infantry Regiment: 11th Corps District—Thuringia. 468th Infantry - Regiment: 18th Corps District—Hesse—Nassau.) - - - 1917. - -The 239th Division belonged to the series of 12 divisions (231st to -242d) formed in Germany at the beginning of 1917, a strong proportion -(50 per cent) of the 1918 class. It includes the 466th, 467th, and 468th -Infantry Regiments recruited from the 11th and 18th Corps Districts -(Electorate of Hesse, Thuringia, and Hesse-Nassua, and the Grand Duchy -of Hesse). - -1. From the beginning of January, 1917, to the middle of February, the -239th Division was in the training camps Ohrdruf and of Darmstadt. It -entrained on February 17 and went to Rethel. It continued its training -for some time behind the Champagne front. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -2. The entire division went into line north of Souain (Somme Py) on -March 27. It remained there until May 15 without any important -engagement. One battalion of the 467th Infantry Regiment was sent to -Auberive as a reenforcement at the time of the French attack on April -16. - -3. The division was at rest in the vicinity of Machault and at Asfeld -from the end of May to the beginning of June. - -4. About June 10 it went into line northeast of Reims (Cernay sector), -then at the beginning of August northeast of Courcy. It occupied this -sector until October 6 without having any important battle. - - -FLANDERS. - -5. Transferred to Flanders by way of Hirson and Courtrai, the 239th -Division went into line northeast of Poelcappelle on October 23. It lost -heavily during the British attack of November 26 and continued to hold -this sector, alternating with the 3d Naval Division. - -6. Relieved about November 24, the 239th Division was sent to rest -northeast of Ghent, then to the vicinity of Lille, at the beginning of -September. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 466th Infantry Regiment came from the Electorate of Hesse; the 467th -Regiment was called Thuringian in an official document; the 468th -Regiment came from Hesse-Nassau. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 239th was a fairly good division. - -Considering the missions which have been assigned to it by the German -High Command, it seems that the 239th Division is better than most of -the divisions of this series. - - - 1918. - -1. The division trained in the Bourghelles area until March 17. On that -date the division marched toward the front via Bersee-Douai-Estrees- -Soudemont-Villers les Cagnicourt-Noreuil-Mory. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -2. It came into line on the 26th north of Courcelles, attacking Ayette -on the 27th. It lost heavily, including numerous prisoners on April 2. -The division was relieved on April 6 and rested a week at Aubigny au -Bac. It entrained on the 11th and moved to Libercourt. - - -HANDES. - -3. The division was engaged from April 15 to 23 east of Robecq. Elements -took part in the attack of the 18th, in which the losses were very -heavy. - - -LORRAINE. - -4. After its relief on the 23d the division was railed to Lorraine by -Mons-Namur-Sedan-Montmedy-Metz. It rested and was reconstituted near -Dieuze from the end of April to May 13. At this time the division was -reenforced by a draft coming from the 233d Reserve Regiment of the -dissolved 195th Division. - - -AVRICOURT. - -5. The division held the quiet Avricourt sector from May 13 to June 20. -It was relieved by the 7th Cavalry Division and railed to Champagne. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -6. It rested and trained in the vicinity of Rethel-Attigny. About the -10th of July it marched toward the front and on the 15th was engaged in -the Champagne offensive at Vaudesincourt. After the attack it held the -sector until the beginning of October. - -7. The division was attacked at Mont sans Nom on September 26, and on -October 4 fell back on the line Betheniville-Hauvine, and later in the -direction of Rethel (Oct. 12). The division was in reserve during the -middle of October. Toward the end of the month the division was -reengaged near Rethel. Its line of retreat in the last weeks was through -Le Quesnoy, Jolimetz, Bermeries, south of Bavai, where it was identified -on November 8. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. In October the division was very -tired and its morale was low. Numerous infractions of discipline -occurred. Its battalions were reduced to three companies at the -beginning of August. - - - - - 240th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │240. │469. │240. │469. - │ │470. │ │470. - │ │471. │ │471. - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │8 Sqn. 13 Drag. Rgt. │3 Sqn. 13 Drag. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │240 Art. Command: - │ 271 F. A. Rgt. │ 271 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 3 Abt. 6 Res. Ft. A. Rgt. - │ │ 1092 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1336 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1342 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(240) Pion Btn.: │240 Pion Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 371 Pion Co. │ 371 Pion. Co. - │ 372 Pion Co. │ 372 Pion Co. - │ 440 T. M. Co. │ 440 T. M. Co. - │ 240 Tel. Detch. │ 203 Searchlight Section. - │ │240 Signal Command: - │ │ 240 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 127 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │252 Ambulance Co. │252 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │204 Field Hospital. │204 Field Hospital. - │205 Field Hospital. │205 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │240 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transport. │1092 M. T. Col. │650 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (469th and 470th Infantry Regiments: 14th Corps District—Grand Duchy of - Baden. 471st Infantry Regiment: 15th Corps District—Alsace.) - - - 1917. - -The 240th Division was recruited in the depots of the 14th Corps -District (Baden). Like all the divisions of this series, the 240th -Division received a large contingent from the 1918 class at the time of -its formation. - - -ALSACE. - -1. After a period of intensive training (Feb. 4 to Mar. 28) in the -training camps of Oberhofen and of Heuberg, the 240th Division was sent -to Mulhousen about the end of March and went into line between the -Rhone-Rhine Canal and Hirzbach (south of Altkirch) until August 20. - - -WOEVRE. - -2. About August 25 it was sent to the Woevre in the sector of Calonne -trench, in September. - - -YPRES. - -3. Entraining at Conflans (Oct. 5–6) it appeared in Flanders on the 9th. -It went into action between the Ypres-Staden railroad and Poelcappelle -and suffered heavy losses in the course of the British attacks of -October 9 and 12. - - -CAMBRAI. - -4. Relieved during the night of October 13–14, it was sent to Artois. On -October 23 it took over the sector of Bullecourt (southeast of Arras). -On November 20, it lost heavily from the British attack launched north -of Bullecourt at the same time as on the Cambrai front (700 prisoners). - -5. About the middle of December it was withdrawn from the front and sent -to rest in the vicinity of Douai. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 240th Division was recruited principally from Baden, some elements -from the Rhine Districts. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The 240th Division appeared to be of mediocre combat value. - - - 1918. - - -LENS. - -1. The division was in line in the sector Fresnoy-Oppy at the beginning -of the Somme offensive. It took no part in the attack on Vimy Ridge of -March 28, but remained in support. It was relieved in this sector on -April 8. - - -BATTLE OF THE LYS. - -2. It moved northward and was engaged north of Bethune (Hinges-Robecq on -April 14.) In two weeks’ fighting in this sector the division lost very -heavily including many prisoners. - - -ARGONNE. - -3. Withdrawn on April 27, the division rested at Lille a week. It -entrained about May 8 for the Argonne and detrained at St. Juvin. -Engaged at Boureuilles-Vauqunois on May 13 the division held that quiet -sector until July 10. - - -CHAMPAGNE. - -4. The division was taken to Semide and held in reserve during the -offensive of the 15th to be used as an exploiting division. When the -attack failed the division was directed west of Reims via Machault, -Warmeriville, Brimont. It camped at Jonchery from July 21 to 23. - - -REIMS. - -5. On the 23d the division was engaged in the Bois de Reims. After the -27th it retreated on the Montagnes de Bligny, and later toward Aubilly- -Bouleuse. On August 5 it passed into second line, and was relieved 10 -days later. It rested 5 days west of Chateau Porcien and returned to -line in the Prunay sector on August 13. There it held firm until October -10. - -6. After its relief it waited near Rethel until the 14th, when it was -railed to Stenay via Sedan. On October 17 it was engaged north of St. -Juvin, Champigneulle, east of the Argonne forest. It continued in line -until the end, retreating toward Mouzon. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. Its effectives were greatly -reduced and its morale low in October. - - - - - 241st Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │246. │472. │246. │472. - │ │473. │ │473. - │ │474. │ │474. - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │(?) 5 Sqn. 18 Hus. Rgt. │2 Sqn. 18 Hus. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │48 F. A. Rgt. │241 Art. Command: - │ │ 48 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 102 Ft. A. Btn. (Staff, 1, - │ │ 2, and 3 Btries.). - │ │ 1055, 1061, and 1062 Light - │ │ Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(241) Pion. Btn.: │241 Pion. Btn. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 373 Pion Co. │ 373 Pion. Co. - │ 374 Pion. Co. │ 374 Pion. Co. - │ (441) T. M. Co. │ 441 T. M. Co. - │ 241 Tel. Detch. │ 5 Searchlight Section. - │ │241 Signal Command: - │ │ 241 Tel. Detch. - │ │ 27 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │253 Ambulance Co. │253 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │206 Field Hospital. │206 Field Hospital. - │207 Field Hospital. │207 Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │274 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │651 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (12th and 19th Corps Districts—Saxony.) - - - 1917. - -The 241st Division was formed at the beginning of 1917 and composed of -new regiments (type of divisions 231 and following). - -The 473d and 574th Infantry Regiments were formed in the camp at -Zeithain in January, 1917, by drafts from the 1918 class and the depots -and regiments of the 19th Corps District (Saxony). The 472d Infantry -Regiment was originally in the 12th Corps District (Dresden) formed in -the same way. - - -RUSSIA. - -1. On March 1, 1917, the 241st Division went to Brest-Litowsk. In April -it took over the sector of Postavy in the vicinity of Lake Narotch, -where it remained until the middle of June. - - -GALICIA. - -2. Relieved by the 21st Division, it entrained on June 17 at Sventsiany, -northwest of Lake Narotch, and went to Galicia, southwest of Brzezany, -detraining on June 22. At the beginning of July, it went into line in -this region and took part in the German counteroffensive at the end of -July advancing south of Skala at the beginning of August. It took up a -position on the Zbrucz. - -3. After this time the 241st Division occupied various sectors of the -Galician front (Koroskow, Husiatin). - - - RECRUITING. - -The 241st Division was entirely Saxon. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -It was on the Eastern Front from the time of its formation until -February, 1918. “Our new regiment is a gang of headstrong kids.” (Letter -from a man of the 473d Infantry Regiment, Apr. 2, 1917.) - - - 1918. - -1. The division rested in the vicinity of Signy l’Abbaye until March 15. -It then proceeded by steps toward the St. Gobain forest (Fressancourt, -Mar. 24). - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -2. It was engaged south of the Oise (Amigny-Septvaux) from March 25–26 -to April 5. Between the 6th and 9th it advanced from Septvaux and -Fresnes toward Coucy, encountering heavy losses. The division received -the thanks of the King of Saxony for its conduct in this fighting. - - -BATTLE OF THE AISNE. - -3. The division held the sector of Coucy le Chateau until May 29. On the -29th it attacked and advanced as far as Crecy au Mont. It halted on the -line Nouvron-Vingre and held there until relieved at the end of June. In -the attack of June 5–6 toward Vic sur Aisne the division lost heavily. -On the 23d of June it received a draft of 1,500 men. - - -SECOND BATTLE OF THE MARNE. - -4. It rested near Coucy le Chateau for about a week, and on July 10 was -engaged south of the Aisne between Ambleny and Pernaut. Then it was -struck by the Allied attack on the 18th and thrown back on Mercin. The -division lost 42 officers and 2,074 men as prisoners alone. It was -relieved at a date between July 22 and 26. - - -SECOND BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -5. The division rested and was reconstituted at Vouplaix, Sains -Richaumont near Vervins until August 20. It was moved to La Fere (22d) -and on the 25th engaged east of Noyon (Baboeuf-Appilly) and September 4. -After that date it fell back gradually by Chauny, Fravecy, on Vendeuil, -where it was relieved about September 20. - - -CAMBRAI-ST. QUENTIN. - -6. After 10 days’ rest the division was reengaged north of St. Quentin -(Romicourt-Montbrehain) from October 1 to 10. It lost about 1,900 -prisoners in this engagement. - - -MEUSE-ARGONNE. - -7. The division rested nearly a month at Audun la Roman after October -22. The 7th Saxon Jaeger Regiment from the dissolved 197th Division had -replaced the dissolved 472d Regiment when it appeared in line on -November 5 east of the Meuse. The last identification was at Murvaux on -November 7. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. Its heavy losses of prisoners -indicate its poor quality. - - - - - 242d Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │242. │127. │242. │127. - │ │475. │ │475. - │ │476. │ │476. - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │2 Sqn. Wurtt. Res. Drag. │2 Sqn. Wurtt. Res. Drag. - │ Rgt. │ Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │242 Art. Command: - │ 281 F. A. Regt. │ 281 F. A. Regt. - │ │ 3 Abt. 13 Ft. A. Rgt. (9 - │ │ and 10 Btries.). - │ │ 751 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1091 Light Am. Col. - │ │ 1105 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│39 Pion. Btn.: │242 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 375 Pion. Co. │ 375 Pion. Co. - │ 376 Pion. Co. │ 376 Pion. Co. - │ 442 T. M. Co. │ 442 T. M. Co. - │ 242 Tel. Detch. │242 Signal Command: - │ │ 76 Wireless Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │32 Ambulance Co. │32 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │208 Field Hospital. │208 Field Hospital. - │503 Field Hospital. │503 Field Hospital. - │275 Vet. Hospital. │275 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transport │M. T. Col. │652 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Attached │ │78 M. G. S. S. Detch. - │ │14 Art. Observation - │ │ Section. - │ │221 Reconnaissance Flight. - │ │17 Balloon Sqn. - │ │243 Carrier Pigeon Loft. - │ │Elements attached, June 7, - │ │ 1918. (German document.) - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (13th Corps District—Wurttemberg.) - - - 1917. - -The 242d Division was formed at the end of 1916. Like all of the -divisions of the same series, the 1918 class entered largely into the -composition of the regiments (475th and 476th). These two were recruited -from the 13th Corps District (Wurttemberg). Initial effectiveness, 235 -to 240 men per company. - -The 127th Infantry Regiment is an active peace-time regiment taken from -the 27th Division. - -1. On March 11, 1917, the 475th and 476th Infantry Regiments left the -camp of Muensingen, where they had received training since January, and -went to Lorraine. They were joined there by the 127th Infantry Regiment. - - -LORRAINE. - -2. From March 29 to April 30 the 242d Division was in line between -Abaucourt and Bezange wood. - -3. From May 4 to 15 it was employed upon defensive works north of the -Suippe. - - -CHAMPAGNE-CORNILLET. - -4. During the night of May 15–16 it went into line south of Nauroy -(Grille-Cornillet wood), where the French attack of May 20 caused it -heavy losses (3 officers and 194 men prisoners). Several companies of -the 476th Infantry Regiment remained in the Cornillet tunnel. - -5. The 242d Division was relieved during the night of May 31-June 1, and -after a few days’ rest northeast of Lavannes went into line in a calm -sector near Betheny from June 3–4 until August 6. - -6. The 242d Division was at rest in the Charleville area from August 7 -to 20. - - -MEUSE. - -7. On August 20 it was transferred to the right bank of the Meuse -(Beaumont sector). It received the French attack of August 26 (7 -officers and 390 men prisoners, mostly from the 475th Infantry -Regiment). It counterattacked to relieve Beaumont and remained in line -until September 10. - - -AISNE. - -8. From the beginning of October until December 16 it held the sector of -Berry au Bac, where its only activity consisted in one raid on November -12. - - - RECRUITING. - -The 242d Division was recruited entirely from Wurttemberg. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -In Champagne the 242d Division showed itself energetic and tenacious -(May, 1917). - -It was a good division, with a high morale, and the prisoners talked -very little (December, 1917). - -The 242d Division was listed as an assault division and received the -training for divisions of that category (February-March, 1918). - -The 475th and 476th Infantry Regiments, however, were considered only -mediocre. - - - 1918. - -1. The division marched to its entraining point at Bergnicourt (west of -Junville) on March 22–24 and entrained for Guise. From there it marched -by night toward the Montdidier-Noyan front via Ly Fontaine, Guiscard, -Margny aux Cerises. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -2. It was engaged near Conchy les Pots, Orvillers, Sorel from March 29 -to April 8, then near Boulogne la Grasse, Mortemer, from April 10 to 26. -The division’s losses were heavy. - - -BATTLE OF THE AISNE. - -3. After its relief it was transported to Champagne, detraining near Le -Chatelet sur Retourne. There it rested three weeks. It entered in line -between Brimont and Vitry les Reims after May 20. It attacked on the -27th and advanced by Merfy (29th), Tinquex (31st), as far as the line -Betheny, Courcelles, St. Brice (June 2). It held that sector until the -1st of August, when it retreated on La Neuvillette and held the front -Betheny-Vitry road. It was relieved about September 26. - -4. The division was engaged northeast of St. Pierre a Arnes from October -5 to 11. It then fell back on Rethel. On the 20th it was moved to the -area east of Vouziers and put in reserve. On October 23 it was engaged -near Chestres, and later near Ballay, Quatre-Champs until November 4. -Beginning on the 4th it retired in the direction of Sedan by Rancourt -(Nov. 8). - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. It was a fair division, although -the discipline was relaxed after September. - - - - - 243d Division (formerly 8th Ersatz Division). - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1914–15 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - _Infantry. │29 Mixed Ers. │29, 30, and 31│29 Mixed Ers. │363. - │ │ Brig. Ers. │ │ - │ │ Btns. │ │ - │ │32, 80, and 86│ │364. - │ │ Brig. Ers. │ │ - │ │ Btns. │ │ - │41 Mixed Ers. │41, 42, 49, │51 Mixed Ers. │365. - │ │ and (50), │ │ - │ │ Brig. Ers. │ │ - │ │ Btns. │ │ - │51 Mixed Ers. │51 and 52 │ │51 Ers. - │ │ Brig. Ers. │ │ - │ │ Btns. │ │ - │ │53 and 54 │ │52 Ers. - │ │ Brig. Ers. │ │ - │ │ Btns. │ │ - │ │ │ (Composition in October.) - │ │ │ │51 Ers. - │ │ │ │52 Ers. - │ │ │ │365. - │ │ │ │400. - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │Cav. Detchs. of the 29, 41, │8 Cav. Sqn. - │ and 51 Ers. Brigs. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Ers. Abtls. of the 23, 27, │8 Ers. Brig.: - │ 44, 29, and 65 F. A. Rgts. │ - │ │ 92 F. A. Rgt. - │ │ 65 Ers. F. A. Rgt. - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│1 Ers. Co. 16 Pions. │1 Ers. Co. 3 Pion. Btn. No. - Liaisons. │ │ 16. - │1 Ers. Co. 21 Pions. │1 Ers. Co. 21 Pions. - │ │253 Pion. Co. - │ │306 Pion. Co. - │ │162 T. M. Co. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached │ │117 Labor Btn. - │ │44 Ldw. Brig. (93 Ldw. and - │ │ 382 Ldw. Rgts.). - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - _Infantry. │247. │122 Fus. │247. │122. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │478. │ │478. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │479. │ │479. - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 19 Uhlan Rgt. 13 C. │3 Sqn. 19 Uhlan Rgt. - │ Dist. Ers. Cav. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │238 F. A. Rgt. (formerly 65 │238 F. A. Rgt. - │ Ers. F. A. Rgt.). │ - │ │36 Ft. A. Btn. - │ │1151 Light Am. Col. - │ │1152 Light Am. Col. - │ │1163 Light Am. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(243) Pion. Btn.: │243 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 253 Pion. Co. │ 1 Res. Co. 13 Pions. - │ 306 Pion. Co. │ 2 Res. Co. 13 Pions. - │ 100 T. M. Co. │ 16 Searchlight Section. - │ 162 T. M. Co. │243 Signal Command: - │ 443 T. M. Co. │ 243 Tel. Detch. - │ 248 Searchlight Section. │ 8 Wireless Detch. - │ Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │420 Ambulance Co. │420 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │137 Field Hospital. │93 Res. Field Hospital. - │138 Field Hospital. │94 Res. Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │277 Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport │M. T. Col. │653 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Attached │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (243d Division (former 8th Ersatz Division): 18th Corps District- - Wurttemberg.) - - - 1914–15. - -The 243d Division is the former 8th Ersatz Division. The latter was -formed in August, 1914, with the help of the surplus trained men in the -depots (Reserve and Landwehr 1st Ban.) in the proportion of 1 battalion -per active brigade. In this way it comprised 13 brigade Ersatz -battalions grouped into 3 mixed brigades (29th, 41st, and 51st). - - -LORRAINE. - -1. Detraining on August 17, 1914, at Sarrebruecken, in the rear of the -6th Army, elements of the 8th Ersatz Division went into action on the -20th. It fought at Hoéville and Serres, north of Luneville, on the 25th -and took part in the attacks upon Nancy the first part of September. -Sent to the rear of the front in the vicinity of Morhange, it was -transferred to Haye at the end of September to relieve the 14th Corps. -It stayed there for two years between Limey on the west and Le Pretre -wood on the east. - -2. In August, 1915, the brigade Ersatz battalions were grouped into -regiments. The 8th Ersatz Division was then composed of the 363d, 364th, -and 365th Infantry Regiments (Prussian) and of the 51st and 52d Ersatz -Regiments (Wurttemberg). It continued to hold the lines in Haye, south -of Thiaucourt. - - - 1916. - - -LE PRETRE WOOD. - -1. Until the beginning of October, 1916, the 8th Ersatz Division -occupied the sector of the Pretre wood, north of Fey en Haye. In August -it lost the 364th Infantry Regiment, assigned to the 33d Reserve -Division, and on September 20 the 363d, which entered into the -composition of the 214th Division. It received a new regiment, the 400th -Infantry Regiment, formed in September by drafts upon its infantry -units. - - -SOMME. - -2. Leaving the 400th Infantry Regiment in Haye, and composed of three -regiments (365th Infantry Regiment, 51st and 52d Ersatz Regiments), the -8th Ersatz Division went to the Somme on October 3. After a rest in the -vicinity of Le Catelet until the 10th it went into the sector east of -south of Bouchavesnes, where it did not take part in any important -action. - - -LORRAINE. - -3. Relieved on November 18, it returned to Lorraine at Fey en Haye. It -went into line southeast of Thiaucourt November 25, where the 400th -Infantry Regiment was again assigned to the division. - - - 1917. - -1. The 8th Ersatz Division remained on the Lorraine front, southeast of -Thiaucourt, until about May 10, 1917. In February the 400th Infantry -Regiment was sent to Russia. - -At the beginning of May the division underwent several changes—it gave -the 365th Infantry Regiment to the 5th Landwehr Division and received -the 122d Fusileer Regiment (Wurttemberg) from the 105th Division. The -51st and 52d Ersatz Regiments received the 478th and 479th. The 8th -Ersatz Division, already called Wurttemberg, then became the 243d -Division. - - -AISNE. - -2. The reserve, first (behind the Rheims front), behind Brimont and -Neufchâtel, the 243d Division then occupied the front between Miette and -the Aisne (north of Berry au Bac) from May 29 to August 20. - - -MEUSE HILL 344. - -3. Transferred to Verdun, the division went into action at Hill 344 on -September 9. The 479th Infantry Regiment lost heavily during the attack -of the 9th. The 122d Infantry Regiment took part in the attack of -October 2 and also had losses. - - -MEUSE (LEFT BANK). - -4. About October 6 the 243d Division was relieved and sent to rest near -Stenay. On October 17 it took up its position on the left bank of the -Meuse (Bethincourt sector), where it still remained in December. - - - RECRUITING. - -The division had become purely Wurttemberg. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The elements of the 243d Division appeared good. They were never engaged -in very active sectors, except at Hill 344 in September, 1917. At Verdun -they showed only mediocre combat value. - - - 1918. - -1. The division was relieved in the sector northwest of Verdun at the -end of January and traveled by rail to the Stenay area north of -Montfaucon, where it rested and trained until March 20. On that day it -entrained at Stenay and traveled via Sedan-Charleville-Hirson-Ors to -Bazeul. On the 22d the division marched by night via Le Cateau and -Montbrehain to Raisel, crossed the Somme at St. Christ-Briost and came -into line reenforcing the front on the night of March 25–26. - - -BATTLE OF PICARDY. - -2. It advanced in the first line of the attack through Guillancourt, -Villers aux Erables, and attacked Moreuil on the 30th. It suffered very -heavy losses, amounting to 50 per cent between March 26–30 at Estrees -and Ignancourt, and in the attack on Moreuil. Two companies of the 122d -Fusileer Regiment lost more than 207 of their fighting strength. The -division was withdrawn about April 4. On April 2 the division received a -draft of 350 to 400 men. - - -PICARDY. - -3. The division was reengaged north and east of Villers Bretonneux, -relieving the 228th Division. On the 24th it made an unsuccessful attack -on Villers Bretonneux. On the 27th it was withdrawn to close reserve and -rested until May 13. - - -THIRD BATTLE OF THE SOMME. - -4. Between May 13 and July 7 the division was in line near Albert. It -rested until August 10, when it was engaged east of Morlancourt, north -of the Somme. It was forced back by Chuignolles, Proyart, Fouconcourt, -Fay, Dompierre until its relief on August 29. Four hundred prisoners -were lost in that engagement. It was again in line between September 2 -and 9 east of Bouchavesnes. - -5. The division rested in upper Alsace during September. It returned to -Coutrai on October 6 and was engaged south and east of Le Cateau (St. -Benin, Bazeul, Catillon and later east of Landrecies), mid-October to -1st of November. On November 6 it was again engaged south of Aulnoye and -retreated east of Maubeuge, where it was last identified on November 9. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class. It was largely used on active -fronts and did creditably. - - - - - 255th Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1915 │ 1916 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │31 Ldw. │30 Ldw. │31 Ldw. │30 Ldw. - │ │68 Ldw. │ │68 Ldw. - │ │1 Ers. Ldw. │ (?) │2 Ers. Ldw. - │ │2 Ers. Ldw. │ │3 Ers. Ldw. - │ │3 Ers. Ldw. │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - │ │ │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │Hus. Detch. │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│ │2 Ldw. Co. 11 C. Dist. Pions. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │1 Ldw. Co. 16 C. Dist. Pions. - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │ - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │ - │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - ─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── - Infantry. │31 Ldw. │30 Ldw. │82 Ldw. │68 Ldw. - │ │86 Ldw. │ │94 Ldw. - │32 Ldw. │68 Ldw. │ │153 Ldw. - │ │94 Ldw. │ │ - │ │153 Ldw. │ │ - │ (Composition after August, │ │ - │ 1917.) │ │ - │31 Ldw. │68 Ldw. │ │ - │ │94 Ldw. │ │ - │ │153 Ldw. │ │ - ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── - Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 7 Hus. Rgt. │4 Sqn. 7 Hus. Rgt. - │1 Sqn. 15 C. Dist. Landst. │ - │ Cav. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │301 F. A. Rgt. - │ 301 F. A. Rgt. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Engineers and│(255) Pion. Btn.: │255 Pion. Btn.: - Liaisons. │ │ - │ 1 Ldw. Co. 8 C. Dist. Pions.│ 1 Ldw. Co. 8 C. Dist. Pions. - │ Metz Landst. Pion. Co. │ Landst. Ers. Co. 11 C. Dist. - │ │ Pions. - │ 455 T. M. Co. │ 209 Searchlight Section. - │ 15 Searchlight Section. │255 Signal Command: - │ 255 Tel. Detch. │ 255 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Medical and │623 (?) Ambulance Co. │627 Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Field Hospital. │192 Field Hospital. - │566 Vet. Hospital. │ - ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── - Transport. │M. T. Col. │ - ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (Former Metz Detachment. 68th Landwehr: 16th Corps District—Lorraine and - the Rhine Province. 94th Landwehr: 11th Corps District—Electorate of - Hesse and Thuringia. 153d Landwehr: 4th Corps District—Prussian Saxony.) - - - 1915–16. - - -LORRAINE. - -1. The 255th Division is the former Metz Detachment, the composition of -which was remodeled and which was changed into a division in May, 1917. - -2. The Metz Detachment, composed of the 31st Landwehr Brigade (30th and -68th Landwehr Regiments) and of the 1st, 2d, and 3d Ersatz Landwehr -Regiments, occupied the same sector of Lorraine between the Moselle and -Abaucourt (north of Pont à Mousson) from the end of October, 1914, to -1917. - - - 1917. - -1. About May, 1917, the Metz Detachment became the 255th Division. It -then comprised the 31st Landwehr Brigade (30th and 68th Landwehr -Regiments) and three regiments of recent organization, the 86th, 94th, -and 153d Landwehr, formed by grouping the battalions of the old -dissolved Ersatz regiments. - -2. With this composition, the 255th Division continued to hold the front -along the Moselle (right bank) until the month of October. - -3. In July and August the 30th and 86th Landwehr Regiments left the -255th Division to form the new 31st Independent Landwehr Brigade. The -latter remained in line on the right bank of the Moselle. The 255th -Division, reduced to three regiments (68th, 94th, and 153d Landwehr), -went to the left bank (Le Prêtre wood) about October 13. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -Mediocre. - - - 1918. - -1. The division continued to hold its sector in the Bois le Pretre until -the American attack on September 12. At that time the company strength -was 180 to 200, with an effective rifle strength of 100. The men were -mostly between 37 and 45 years of age. - -2. The attack of the 12th of September threw the division back on -Vandieres and Preny, where it was still in line at the time of the -armistice. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. - - - - - 301st Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │ │ │ │48 Landst. - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Cavalry. │ │1 Sqn. 9 Res. Hus. Rgt. - │ │3 Sqn. 9 Res. Hus. Rgt. - │ │4 Sqn. 9 Res. Hus. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Artillery. │ │217 F. A. Rgt. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│ │342 Pion. Co. - Liaisons. │ │ - │ │410 T. M. Co. - │ │310 Tel. Detch. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │ │Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │ │Field Hospital. - │ │Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transport. │ │M. T. Col. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Attached. │84 Brig.: │1 Rastatt Landst. Inf. Btn. - │ │ (XIV/5). - │ 70 Res. Inf. Rgt. │10 Ldw. Rgt. - │ 9 Res. Hus. Rgt. │56 Ldw. Rgt. - │ 252 F. A. Rgt. │3 Btn. 2 Bav. Ers. Rgt. - │ │ Landst. Inf. Btns. - │ 342 Pion. Co. │2 Koeln (8 C. Dist. Btn. - │ │ No. 14). - │ 410 T. M. Co. Landst. Inf.│8 C. D. No. 7 (Bonn). - │ Btns. │ - │ 3 Bav. C. Dist. No. 13 (2 │14 C. D. No. 1 (Mosbach). - │ Nurnberg). │ - │ 16 C. D. No. 7 (2 Sarre- │18 C. D. No. 10 - │ Louis). │ (Friedberg). - │ 14 C. D. No. 5 (Rastatt). │1 Bav. C. D. No. 15 - │ │ (Dillingen). - │ │1 Bav. C. D. No. 9 - │ │ (Augsburg). - │ │7 C. D. No. 49 (Elberfeld). - │ │ (According to order of - │ │ battle, Aug. 12, 1918.) - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - (10th Landwehr Regiment: 6th Corps District—Silesia. 56th Landwehr - Regiment: 7th Corps District—Westphalia.) - - - 1917. - - -VOSGES. - -1. The 301st Division, apparently formed about the middle of 1917, was -simply a military unit without permanent elements. - -2. To this division were attached the 70th Reserve (84th Landwehr -Brigade) from April, 1917, until the beginning of June, 1918 (Vosges -front west of Senones and in the vicinity of Ban de Sapt), the 2d -Bavarian Ersatz Regiment (an organic part of the 39th Bavarian Reserve -Division) from June, 1917, and several Landsturm Battalions. - -3. The sector of the 301st Division extends on the Vosges front from La -Plaine as far as Provenchères. The headquarters of the division was at -Saulxures. - - - VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. - -The division was mostly made up of elderly men. The troops assigned to -the 301st Division were supposed to occupy calm sectors. - -The 10th Landwehr Regiment was made up for the most part (three- -quarters) of Silesians and Prussians from the Province of Posen. There -were some Alsatians (4 in the 6th Company). - - - 1918. - -1. The division remained in its sector in Army Detachment A without -event throughout 1918. Its losses were negligible. The companies had an -average ration strength of 170 men; an average trench strength of 105. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as fourth class. It was one of the lowest of that -class in value. The morale was low and desertions frequent. - - - - - 302d Division. - - - COMPOSITION. - - ─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── - │ 1917 │ 1918 - ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── - │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. - ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── - Infantry. │ (?) │42. │22. │11 Gren. - │ │45. │ │9 Jag. - │ │10 Jag. │ │10 Jag. - │ (After June 1917.) │ │ - │22. │45. │ │ - │ │21 Res. │ │ - │ │10 Jag. │ │ - ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── - Artillery. │Art. Command: │ - │ 10 F. A. Rgt. (elements). │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Engineers and│Pion. Btn.: │Pion. Btn. No. 19 - Liaisons. │ │ (elements). - │ 19 Pion. Btn. (elements). │205 Pion. Co. - │ 205 Pion. Co. │172 Mountain T. M. Co. - │ 172 Mountain T. M. Co. │302 Tel. Detch. - │ Tel. Detch. │ - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Medical and │202 Ambulance Co. │Ambulance Co. - Veterinary.│ │ - │Field Hospital. │Field Hospital. - │Vet. Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. - ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── - Transport. │672 (?) M. T. Col. │(?) 672 M. T. Col. - ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────── - - - HISTORY. - - - 1917. - - -MACEDONIA. - -1. The 302d Division (former Hippel Division) was organized on the -Macedonian front toward the end of 1916. At the beginning it included -elements of various nationalities. It appears to have become entirely -German during the first part of 1917. At this time its composition was -as follows: The staff of the 22d Infantry Brigade (coming from the 11th -Division); the 42d Infantry Regiment from the 3d Division; the 45th -Infantry Regiment from the 101st Division and the 10th Jäger Regiment -(the latter formed by grouping the Jäger and Fusileer Battalions of the -Guard and the 9th and 12th Jäger Battalions). In January, 1917, the 45th -Infantry Regiment had replaced the 11th Grenadier Regiment, transferred -to the 101st Division and which had come to the Hippel Division in -November. - -2. The elements of the 302d Division occupied the Macedonian front -(Monastir-Boucle de la Cerna) in 1917 and until the end of February, -1918. - -3. In June, 1917, the 42d Infantry Regiment, the same as the 59th -Regiment of the 101st Division, left the Macedonian front for Roumania -(vicinity of Rimnicu-Sarat). It was definitely detached from the 302d -Division and replaced by the 21st Reserve Infantry Regiment from the -216th Division. - - - 1918. - -1. The divisional staff operated in Macedonia until it surrendered as a -complete unit, divisional commander, staff, and troops, numbering 7,000, -about the 1st of October. - - - VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE. - -The division was rated as third class at the time of its retirement from -the Western Front. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES - - - 1. Changed “(?) Dion. Detchs.” to “(?) Pion. Detchs.” on p. 47. - 2. Changed “Cuichy-Canal” to “Cuinchy-Canal” on p. 56. - 3. Changed “2 Vac. Pion. Detch.” to “2 Cav. Pion. Detch.” on p. 69. - 4. Added “VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.” heading on p. 77. - 5. Changed “Mauberge” to “Maubeuge” on pp. 95 and 276. - 6. Changed “abrustungs” to “abrüstungs” on p. 192. - 7. Changed “Tanganrog” to “Taganrog” on p. 272. - 8. Changed “Buskeque” to “Bousbecque” on p. 274. - 9. Changed “Duenamuemde” to “Duenamuende” on p. 301. -10. Changed “Ghissegnies” to “Gussignies” on p. 326. -11. Changed “Kalwariia-Mariampol” to “Kalwaria-Mariampol” on pp. 397 and - 538. -12. Changed “Rambluzim” to “Rambluzin” on p. 403. -13. Changed “Dhinzel” to “Dhuizel” on p. 404. -14. Changed “Grandelain” to “Crandelain” on p. 411. -15. Changed “Rozoy sur Sene” to “Rozoy sur Serre” on p. 420. -16. Added “1918.” sub-heading on p. 427. -17. Changed “October 19.” to “August 19.” on p. 437. -18. Changeed “Brandeberg” to “Brandenburg” on pp. 577 anf 593. -19. Changed “Yores” to “Ypres” on p. 615. -20. Changed “Schuz” to “Schutz” on p. 616. -21. Added footnote anchor after “COMPOSITION.” heading on p. 639. -22. Changed “405th Infantry Regiment” to “445th Infantry Regiment” on p. - 719. -23. Silently corrected typographical errors. -24. Retained anachronistic and non-standard spellings as printed. -25. 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