Chapter XXIV: Part 24

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 The division was at first ordered to cross the same day, but the order was subsequently rescinded. It was withdrawn, after having suffered severely, about the 10th, and was reported to be at rest in the Sedan area on the 15th.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.