Histories of two hundred and fifty-one divisions of the German army which participated in the war (1914-1918)

Chapter XXVII: Part 27

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─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────
│ 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. │ │
─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────

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. │ │
─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────

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. │ │
─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────

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Histories of two hundred and fifty-one divisions of the German army which participated in the war (1914-1918)Chapter XXVII: Part 27

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