Chapter XXIX: Part 29

(178th and 351st Regiments: 12th Corps District—Saxony. 106th Reserve
Regiment: 19th Corps District—Saxony.)

1915.

The division was formed in April, 1915, by taking three regiments (178th, 182d, and 106th Reserve) from established divisions of the 12th Corps the 12th Reserve Corps (Saxons). In October, 1916, the 182d Regiment was transferred to the 216th Division and was replaced by the 425th Infantry, which was also transferred from this division in March, 1917, and replaced by the 351st Regiment (Saxon).

CHAMPAGNE.

1. In May, 1915, the 123d Division occupied the region northwest of Rheims.

2. At the end of May it was transported to Lille, where it seems to have been transferred as a reserve; in the middle of June it was in the vicinity of Arras.

ARTOIS.

3. It next occupied different sectors in Artois.

4. In September it held the Souchez front. On October 8 it took part in the attack on Loos and left Artois in the middle of that month.

FLANDERS.

5. After a rest at Lille the division went to Flanders (November), where it held a sector south of the canal from Ypres to Comines.

1916.

FLANDERS.

1. In the middle of March, 1916, the 123d Division was put at rest near Bruges.

2. It was temporarily in line about April 9 at St. Éloi; then remained as a reserve to the armies in the vicinity of Menin and Courtrai until July 5.

SOMME.

3. At this date it was transferred to the Somme and fought near Hardecourt and Maurepas until July 22, losing more than 6,000 men.

RUSSIA.

4. At the beginning of August, 1916, the 123d Division left the Western Front for the Russian front.

NAROTCH LAKE.

5. It went into line in the region of Narotch Lake about September.

1917.

NAROTCH LAKE-MITAU.

1. At the end of January, 1917, the 106th Reserve Regiment was detached as a reenforcement in the Mitau sector, which was menaced by a Russian attack.

In March the 425th Infantry (Prussian) was exchanged for the 351st Infantry, which had been grouped under this number since 1915, and was originally three battalions of the Saxon replacement depot of the old war garrison of Breslau.

SMORGONI.

2. In the middle of August the division, which up to that time had held the Narotch Lake sector, was engaged between Smorgoni and Krevo.

3. It again returned to the Narotch Lake vicinity in November.

FRANCE.

4. About November 8 it was transferred to France. (Itinerary: Chavli- Varsovie-Lodz-Kalich-Cottbus-Cassel-Frankfort on the Main-Sarrebrueck- Metz). It detrained at Piennes, Baroncourt, and was billeted in that district for eight days.

MEUSE.

5. About November 22 it took over a sector on the Verdun front (south of Bezonvaux). It stayed there all winter. It was identified to the southeast of Damloup in February, 1918.

RECRUITING.

Since March, 1917, there have been but Saxons in the 123d Division.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 123d Division had but a mediocre combat value by reason of its long stay in calm sectors on the Russian front.

In Russia it fraternized on two occasions, the second one at the time of its last stay on the Russian front.

The losses of the division on the Russian front were almost nothing and it suffered no losses on the Verdun front until February, 1918.

1918.

VERDUN.

1. The division continued to hold the uneventful Bezonvaux sector until June 3, when it was relieved by the 7th Reserve Division.

RHEIMS.

2. On the night of June 18–19 it relieved the 232d Division north of the Bligny (southwest of Rheims). It participated in the attack of July 15 and made a slight advance. On the 20th it was relieved.

3. The division marched by Savigny-Trigny-Bourgogne-Houdicourt. It was railed to Asfeld and rested at Sery. On the 27th it marched to Novion- Porcien and was railed to Montmedy. From there it marched to Grand Failly, where it camped until the 31st.

VERDUN.

4. On August 8 the division relieved the 6th Bavarian Division near Samogneux and rested in that sector until September 3.

ST. MIHIEL.

5. After it rested in the St. Mihiel sector until September 12, it was put into line at Thiaucourt to check the American offensive. It remained there until the night of October 7–8, when it was withdrawn.

6. The division was moved by autotrucks to Dun via Spincourt-Billy- Damvillers-Haraumont-Fontaines, arriving there on the night of October 9–10. It marched into line near Cunel on October 11.

MEUSE-ARGONNE.

7. The division was engaged in almost continuous fighting without any major attack, until it was withdrawn on October 25. While it did not win special merit for its defense, it fought persistently and was quick to take every advantage of the terrain. The division lost 238 prisoners and 2,200 other casualties (estimated). The division was considered in reserve of the 5th Army at the time of the armistice.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. Its conduct in the July offensive was mediocre and in the Argonne it did nothing to distinguish itself.

183d Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────
│ 1915 │ 1916
─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────
│ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment.
─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────
Infantry. │183. │183. │183. │183.
│ │184. │ │184.
│ │122 Res. │ │122 Res.
─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────
Cavalry. │ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Artillery. │183 F. A. Abt. (3 Btries.). │183 F. A. Abt.
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Engineers and│183 (Saxon) Pion. Co. │183 (Saxon) Pion. Co.
Liaisons. │ │
│ │401 T. M. Co.
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Medical and │ │
Veterinary.│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Transport. │ │
─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────

─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────
│ 1917 │ 1918[30]
─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────
│ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment.
─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────
Infantry. │33 Res. │184. │33 Res. │184.
│ │418. │ │418. (Saxon).
│ │440 Res. │ │440 Res.
─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────
Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 10 Hus. Rgt. │4 Sqn. 10 Hus. Rgt.
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Artillery. │183 Art. Command: │183 Art. Command:
│ 183 F. A. Rgt. (9 Btries.). │ 183 (Saxon) F. A. Rgt.
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Engineers and│183 Pion. Btn.: │183 Pion. Btn.:
Liaisons. │ │
│ 2 Res. Co. 16 Pions. │ 2 Res. Co. 2 Pion. Btn. No.
│ │ 16.
│ 1 Res. Co. 20 Pions. │ 1 Res. Co. 20 Pions.
│ 183 (Saxon) Pion. Co. │ 183 (Saxon) Pion. Co.
│ 401 T. M. Co. │ 401 T. M. Co.
│ 183 Searchlight Section. │ 183 (Saxon) Tel. Detch.
│ 183 (Saxon) Tel. Detch. │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Medical and │575 Ambulance Co. │575 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │
│42 Field Hospital. │42 Field Hospital.
│344 Field Hospital. │344 Field Hospital.
│228 Vet. Hospital. │228 Vet. Hospital.
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Transport. │603 M. T. Col. │603 M. T. Col.
─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────
Footnote 30:

Composition at the time of dissolution October, 1918.

HISTORY.

(184th Regiment: 4th Corps District—Prussian Saxony. 418th Regiment:
18th Corps District—Grand Duchy of Hesse. 440th Reserve Regiment: 10th
Corps District—Hanover and Grand Duchy of Oldenberg.)

1915.

The 183d Division (known as the 183d Brigade until June, 1916) was created at Cambrai in May, 1915. It comprised at that time the 183d Infantry (Saxon) and the 184th Infantry (Prussian), to which there was added in July, 1915, the 122d Reserve Regiment (Wurttemberg), three newly formed regiments, the 184th being organized out of companies taken from various regiments of the 7th and 8th Divisions. In November, 1916, the 183d Division was modified. Two of its original regiments (the 183d and the 122d Reserve) were respectively replaced by the newly formed 418th and 440th Reserve—the 418th Regiment being formed from companies of the 111th Division, the Ersatz Division of the Guard, the 8th, Ersatz Division, and the 10th Ersatz Division, and the 440th Reserve Regiment being organized out of various elements, including the 3d Battalion of the 79th Reserve Regiment and the 4th Battalion of the 75th Landwehr.

AISNE.

1. In June, 1915, the 183d Brigade occupied the Missy sur Aisne sector (east of Soissons).

2. At the end of June it was engaged at Quennevieres.

LORRAINE.

3. Transferred to Lorraine (end of July), it stayed there until the end of September (region of Benestroff).

CHAMPAGNE.

4. It was brought to the Champagne front (between Prunay and Souain) about September 23 and opposed the French offensive (September-October). The 184th Infantry was nearly wiped out on September 25, the 183d losing a very large number of prisoners.

5. Relieved from the front in November, the brigade was put at rest in the vicinity of Charleroi.

1916.

1. In January, 1916, the division was in reserve in the vicinity of Machault.

CHAMPAGNE.

2. From February to May it was on the Champagne front near the Souain- Somme Py road.

3. June; at rest (region of Tournai). At the end of June the 183d Brigade became the 183d Division by changing the 183d Field Artillery Detatchment into a regiment.

SOMME.

4. On July 2 it was brought to the north of the Somme and engaged in the vicinity of Pozières-Contalmaison until July 24. It suffered very heavy losses here—from the 10th to the 15th the 184th Infantry lost about 2,000 men.

5. About July 25 it was withdrawn from the front and reorganized. (It received 2,000 replacements, mostly men from the 1916 and 1917 classes.)

ARTOIS.

6. From the end of July to September 21: Neuville-St. Vaast sector (north of Arras).

SOMME.

7. From the beginning of October to the 21st it went into its second engagement on the Somme (Belloy-Deniécourt sector) and was again sorely tried.

CÔTES DE MEUSE.

8. November 15 to February, 1917, Côtes de Meuse (Lamorville-Spada sector.) In November the 183d Division was reorganized and became entirely Prussian (present composition)

1917.

1. From the middle of February to the beginning of April, 1917, it was at rest in the region of Conflans, then in the vicinity of Anizy le Château.

CHEMIN DES DAMES.

2. At the beginning of April the 183d Division came to strengthen the Chavonne-Soupir-Braye en Laonnois sector. While opposing the French attack of April 16 it suffered very heavy losses (2,100 prisoners), and while fighting fell back to the Chemin des Dames (April 18–21). As a result of the losses on the 16th the companies of the 184th Regiment were reduced to 25 to 30 men.

3. The division was relieved on April 21. In May the 184th Regiment received 1,500 replacements from the 4th Corps District, half of which belong to the class of 1918.

ALSACE.

4. From May 11 to June 24 it held the Aspach-Rhone to Rhine Canal sector.

5. From the end of June to July 31 it was at rest, successively to the south of Colmar (15 days), near Friberg, and to the south of Longuyon (Pierrepont).

6. It entrained at Longuyon for Belgium (July 31) and detrained at Roulers the 1st and 2d of August.

FLANDERS.

7. On August 15 the division was engaged near St. Julien (southwest of Poelcappelle) until August 20.

CAMBRAI.

8. After a short rest in the region of Cambrai it took over the Vendhuile-Hargicourt sector, to the west of Catelet, on September 9. On November 20 part of the 440th Reserve Regiment was sent as a reenforcement to the south of Cambrai (Masnières); later the entire 183d Division was transferred to the northeast of Vendhuile to cover the flank of the German attack executed on November 30.

RECRUITING.

The 183d was more homogeneous than it seemed at first glance. The recruits of the 9th and 10th Corps District were often mixed and the 418th and 440th Regiments have many men from the same Provinces. Also the 184th received in the main men from that portion of the 4th Corps District which adjoined the 10th Corps District (Harz section).

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

During the French attack of April 16, 1917, the division as a whole showed up well. The 418th and the 440th Reserve gave proof of vigor and courage and only gave way under continual pressure of the opposing troops.

It seemed that the German Command wished to reward the division for this resistance by giving Gen. von Schuessler, commanding the 183d Division, the Ordre pour le Mérite.

The 183d Division was sorely tried in the course of these attacks and had to be entirely reorganized.

1918.

BATTLE OF PICARDY.

1. The division held the Vendhulle sector until February 2, when it was relieved by the 79th Reserve Division. It returned to this part of the line on February 25, relieving the 79th Reserve Division. It took part in the attack of March 21, advancing by Epehy (21st), Manancourt (23d), to Bazentin (25th). It retired to rest at Contalmaison.

ALBERT.

2. The division received drafts in early April. On the 16th it came into line north of Albert and held there for four weeks. On the 13th of May it was relieved by the 243d Division.

3. On the 19th the division was engaged at Ville sur Ancre, but after four days in line it was relieved and sent to a quiet sector.

WOEVRE.

4. On June 22 the division took over the Regnieville sector, which it held until July 14 without event. It was relieved by the 77th Reserve Division on that date.

5. It entrained at Thiaucourt on July 16 and traveled via Montmedy- Sedan-Charleville-Charleroi-Mons-Valenciennes and detrained near Cambrai on the night of July 17–18. From there it marched to Ypres, rested there for six days, and on the 25th relieved the 26th Reserve Division in the Hebuterne sector.

BATTLE OF THE SOMME.

6. The division was struck by the British offensive in August, and before it was withdrawn near Irles on August 24 it had suffered heavy casualties, including the loss of 1,400 prisoners.

7. It marched to Cambrai, where it remained three days. On the 28th it was marched to Douai and entrained for Lille, from where it marched to Templemars. On the night of September 3–4 it relieved the 18th Reserve Division north of the La Bassee Canal.

8. The division was engaged in the La Bassee sector until September 10. Immediately after it was withdrawn from line the division was dissolved. The 440th Reserve Regiment was sent as a draft to the 11th Division. The other two regiments of the division were also disbanded and used as drafts.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as second class. It was used as an assault division in the March offensive but thereafter deteriorated. It was next seriously employed on the Somme in August, where its tremendous losses robbed it of further utility.

185th Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────
│ 1915 │ 1916
─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────
│ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment.
─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────
Infantry. │185. │185. │185. │185.
│ │186. │ │186.
│ │190. │ │190.
─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────
Cavalry. │ │
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Artillery. │185 F. A. Abt. (3 Btries.). │185 F. A. Abt.
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Engineers and│185 Pion. Co. │185 Pion. Co.
Liaisons. │ │
│ │186 Pion. Co. (dissolved in
│ │ Aug.).
│ │190 T. M. Co.
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Medical and │ │
Veterinary.│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Transport. │ │
─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────

─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────
│ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────
│ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment.
─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────
Infantry. │229. │65. │29. │65.
│ │161. │ │161.
│ │28. │ │28 Res.
─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────
Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 5 Mounted Jag. Rgt. │3 Sqn. 5 Mounted Jag. Rgt.
│ (?) │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │185 F. A. Rgt.
│ 185 F. A. Rgt. (9. Btries.).│2 Abt. 16 Res. Ft. A. Rgt.
│ │838 Light Am. Col.
│ │1281 Light Am. Col.
│ │1348 Light Am. Col.
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Engineers and│(185) Pion. Btn. │185 Pion. Btn.:
Liaisons. │ │
│10 Co. 28 Pions. │ 10 Co. 28 Pions.
│ │
│185 Pion. Co. │ 185 Pion. Co.
│402 T. M. Co. │ 89 Searchlight Section.
│185 Searchlight Section. │185 Signal Command:
│185 Tel. Detch. │ 185 Tel. Detch.
│ │ 134 Res. Wireless Detch.
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Medical and │576 Ambulance Co. │576 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │
│7 Field Hospital. │65 Field Hospital.
│65 Field Hospital. │267 Field Hospital.
│267 Field Hospital. │385 Vet. Hospital.
│Vet. Hospital. │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Transport. │M. T. Col. │
─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────

HISTORY.

(65th and 161st Regiments: 8th Corps District—Rhenish Province. 28th
Reserve Regiment: 8th Corps District—Rhenish Province.)

1915.

The division was created in May, 1915. Merely a brigade (the 185th) at the outset, it was composed of the 185th Infantry (from various Baden regiments), of the 186th Regiment (Hessian elements), and of the 190th Regiment (Westphalian elements). Later the 185th Brigade underwent changes which entirely changed its original composition.

HÉBUTERNE.

1. In June, 1915, the 185th and 186th Infantry Regiments were engaged in the vicinity of Hébuterne.

2. The three regiments of the 185th Brigade entrained at Douai at the end of July and were transferred to Alsace.

ALSACE.

3. At first it was in reserve in the region of Mulhouse; later it was put in line between Altkirch and the Swiss frontier, where it stayed until the end of September.

CHAMPAGNE.

4. At the beginning of October it was in Champagne holding the sector west of the Souain-Somme Py road.

1916.

1. The 185th Brigade stayed on the Champagne front (Tahure) until the middle of June, 1916.

SOMME.

2. At the beginning of July it opposed the Franco-British offensive in the Somme at the northeast of Fricourt, near Thiepval, Contalmaison, and Bazentin (beginning of July to the 18th). It suffered serious losses.

3. At the end of July it rested at St. Quentin, Vermand and Cateau. At this time the 185th Brigade became the 185th Division by the transformation of its field artillery detachment into a regiment.

OISE-AISNE.

4. In August it held a sector to the west of Soissons (from the Oise to Chevillecourt). The 185th Division was reorganized by the transfer of its three infantry regiments which were replaced by the 65th and the 161st Infantry from the 15th Division and by the 28th Reserve Regiment from the 16th Reserve Division—both Rhenish divisions.

SOMME.

5. The 185th, thus reorganized, was brought back to the Somme about September 7. It was engaged near Ginchy and Combles until the middle of October.

6. After a short stay north of Soissons (end of October to the beginning of November) it came back for a third time in the Somme district (Saillisel, night of Nov. 10–11). Here it was again put to a test.

7. It left the Somme on December 9 and rested in Belgium (Alost).

1917.

1. At the beginning of January elements of the division were in line to the south of Grenier wood (region of Lille).

FLANDERS.

2. The division occupied a sector north of Ypres (Wieltje) from the beginning of February to April 15.

ARTOIS.

3. About April 20 it was engaged in front of Arras (to the north of the Scarpe until the beginning of May). Losses sustained obliged it to have recourse to a distant source for replacements: the Ersatz Truppe of Warsaw (class of 1918 and men put back of the 1917 class), which reenforcements arrived at top speed on May 5.

LA BASSÉE.

4. The division held the La Basée sector (Hulluch-Vermelles) from the end of May to September 21.

5. In October it was at rest for three weeks in the vicinity of Carvin.

FLANDERS-CAMBRAI.

6. Transferred to Belgium (Oct. 28) it took over a sector to the west of Houthulst Forest (Nov. 6–7). In December it was on the Cambrai front (until about Jan. 10, 1918).

RECRUITING.

Since August, 1916, the division had been entirely composed of regiments coming from the Rhine Province (8th Corps District) and as such is entirely homogeneous.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 185th Division gave good account of itself in all the battles in which it took part.

1918.

1. The 185th Division was withdrawn from the Cambrai front near Gonnelieu, being relieved by the 9th Reserve Division during the night of January 11–12. It went to the Solesmes area, where it was trained with a view of being used in offensive operations.

ARRAS.

2. About the middle of February it relieved the 24th Division near Monchy le Preux (southeast of Arras). On the 28th of March it attacked with all three regiments, and suffered heavy losses from enfilade machine-gun fire; officer casualties for the division amounted to 90. It was withdrawn about the 27th of April.

3. It relieved the 26th Reserve Division near Mercatel (southeast of Arras) between the 13th and 16th of May. It was relieved by the 39th Division during the night of August 2–3.

SOMME.

4. On the 18th it reenforced the front near Herleville (south of Bray). It was withdrawn on September 5.

5. On the 18th it reenforced the front near Villeret (northwest of St. Quentin), and was withdrawn on the 1st of October. During these last two engagements the division lost heavily, more than 2,050 in prisoners alone.

6. A week later it reenforced the front near Ligny en Cambresis (west of Le Cateau). It was withdrawn on the 25th.

7. After a fortnight’s rest it relieved the 6th Division southwest of Mons on the 8th of November.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The 185th was rated as a second-class division. Although trained in open warfare, it was used in only one of the great German offensives, and there did nothing to indicate that it merited a better rating.

187th Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────
│ 1915 │ 1916
─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────
│ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment.
─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────
Infantry. │187. │187. │187. │187.
│ │188. │ │188.
│ │189. │ │189.
─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────
Cavalry. │ │5 and 6 Sqns. 16 Dragoon Rgt.
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Artillery. │231 F. A. Abt. │231 F. A. Abt.
│ │3 Mountain Art. Abt.
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Engineers and│187 Pion. Co. │187 Pion. Co.
Liaisons. │ │
│ │192 T. M. Co.
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Medical and │ │
Veterinary.│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Transports. │ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Attached. │ │417 Anti-Aircraft Section.
─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────

─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────
│ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────
│ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment.
─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────
Infantry. │187. │187. │187. │187.
│ │188. │ │188.
│ │189. │ │189.
─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────
Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 16 Dragoon Rgt. │5 Sqn. 16 Dragoon Rgt.
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Artillery. │Art. Command: │6 Art. Command:
│ 231 Rgt. (9 Btries.). │ 231 F. A. Rgt.
│ │ 66 Ft. A. Btn.
│ │ 720 Light Am. Col.
│ │ 1267 Light Am. Col.
│ │ 1320 Light Am. Col.
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Engineers and│(187) Pion. Btn.: │187 Pion. Btn.:
Liaisons. │ │
│ 187 Pion. Co. │ 1 Res. Co. 15 Pions.
│ 1 Res. Co. 15 Pions. │ 187 Pion. Co.
│ 187 T. M. Co. │ 187 T. M. Co.
│ Tel. Detch. │ 60 Searchlight Section.
│ │187 Signal Command:
│ │ 187 Tel. Detch.
│ │ 122 Wireless Detch.
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Medical and │219 Ambulance Co. │219 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │
│28 Field Hospital. │28 Field Hospital.
│33 Field Hospital. │33 Field Hospital.
│Vet. Hospital. │255 Vet. Hospital.
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Transports. │M. T. Col. │605 M. T. Col.
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Attached. │ │
─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────

HISTORY.

(187th Regiment: 9th Corps District—Schleswig—Holstein. 188th Regiment:
4th Corps District—Prussian Saxony. 189th Regiment: 3d Corps
District—Brandenburg.)

1915.

The 187th Division (the 187th Brigade until June, 1916) was created May 20, 1915. Its regiments were made up as follows: The 187th, from the 9th Corps District; the 188th, from the 4th Corps District; and the 189th, a Brandenburger unit.

ALSACE.

1. In June, 1915, the 187th Brigade was sent to Alsace and stayed in line in the Fecht valley and the vicinity (Metzeral-Sondernach- Hilsenfirst-Reichackerkopf) until the end of December.

2. It next went to rest in the vicinity of Colmar.

1916.

ALSACE.

1. At the end of January, 1916, it went back in line in the Fecht valley and the region of Guebwiller. It was kept there until the summer, participating in battles for the possession of the heights (Hartmannswillerkopf, Reichackerkopf).

2. At the beginning of July the 187th Brigade became the 187th Division by the transformation of its field artillery detachment into a regiment.

TRANSYLVANIA.

3. Relieved at the end of August from the Muenster, it rested eight days at Rouffach then entrained at Colmar for the Roumanian front. (Itinerary: Karlsruhe-Stuttgart-Ulm-Munich-Vienna-Budapest-Sieben- Buergen.)

ROUMANIA.

4. On September 13 it was engaged in Transylvania (region of Hermannstadt, Tour Rouge passes), then took part in the battle of Brasso (Kronstadt) at the beginning of October and in the operations in the vicinity of Slanic (December). It suffered heavy losses.

1917.

ROUMANIA-FRANCE.

1. On February 11, 1917, the 187th Division left Roumania for the Western Front. (Itinerary: Arad-Budapest-Oppeln-Breslau-Dresden- Wuerzberg-Strassberg.) It was at rest near Dieuze (about six weeks).

LORRAINE.

2. About April 20 it took over the Moncel-Arracourt sector.

AISNE.

3. Hastily relieved on April 28, it entrained at Morhange on May 2 and detrained in the vicinity of Amagne and was put into line on May 10 on the Rheims front (north of Bermericourt; southeast of Berry au Bac) until June 15.

4. At rest in the Aussonce-La Neuville area (end of June to July) the 187th Division was held in reserve as a “Stossdivision” or “Eingriffsdivision.”

CHAMPAGNE.

5. About July 14 it was engaged in the Cornillet, Mont Blond, Mont Haut sector, which it held until August 26. The 187th Infantry was particularly tried during the attack of July 26.

6. From August 26 to September 29 it was at rest in camps at La Neuville en Tourne à Fuii later in the region of Vervins.

FLANDERS.

7. Transferred to Belgium (Sept. 30), the division opposed the British attack near Poelcappelle. It was partially relieved after the attack and went into line and counter attacked on the 10th to the north of Langemarck. Its losses in this sector were heavy.

8. After a rest to the north of Bruges from the 12th of October to November, it went back to the front near Blankaart (south of Dixmude).

RECRUITING.

The three regiments of this division came from different Provinces—the 187th from Schleswig-Holstein, the 188th from Prussian-Saxony, and the 189th from Brandenburg. This was confirmed by a German communiqué which mentioned “the attack troops from Schleswig-Holstein and Brandenberg” at Mont Haut (July, 1917).

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 187th Division was made up of young men who were well trained and who came from active divisions.

The 187th Division was a division equipped for mountain warfare.

1918.

ARMENTIERES.

1. The 187th Division was withdrawn from line south of Lake Blankaart about the 10th of January, and on the 16th relieved the 38th Landwehr Division near Bois Grenier (south of Armentieres). It was relieved by the 6th Bavarian Division about February 20 and went to the Lille area, where it most probably received training in open warfare, though the fact has not been definitely established.

ARRAS.

2. It left there and arrived at Douai on the 25th of March. It spent the night of the 27th–28th in Vitry. On the 28th it reenforced the front near Fampoux (east of Arras) on the 28th, when it attacked. A man of the 188th Regiment subsequently wrote: “We tried to break through on the 28/3/18, but only pushed Tommy back to his reserve line, and don’t forget that it was with enormous losses to ourselves.” It was relieved by the 2d Guard Reserve Division during the night of May 18–19, and went to rest in the region east of Douai.

3. During the night of June 18–19 it came back and relieved the 2d Guard Reserve Division. It was relieved by the 48th Reserve Division on the 7th of July.

ARMENTIERES.

4. After less than a week’s rest, the division came to the Armentieres front and relieved the 39th Division between Neuf-Berquin and Vieux- Berquin (north of Merville). It was relieved early in September by the extension of fronts of the neighboring divisions.

CAMBRAI.

5. On the 7th it reenforced the front in the Inchy en Artois sector (west of Cambrai). After suffering exceedingly heavy losses, it was withdrawn about the 28th and went to rest in the Boushain region.

DOUAI.

6. October 3 it relieved the 15th Reserve Division in the Oppy sector (west of Douai), and was withdrawn about the 20th.

7. On the 27th it reenforced the front in the Chateau l’Abbaye sector (northeast of St. Amand), but was withdrawn a few days later.

VALENCIENNES.

9. It was identified in line near Quievrechain (northeast of Valenciennes) on November 5.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The 187th was rated as a second-class division. The only offensive in which it participated was that of the Somme, where it did not distinguish itself. Subsequently it was used only to hold the front. Toward the end of the year it was very much reduced in strength.

192d Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────
│ 1915 │ 1916
─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────
│ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment.
─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────
Infantry. │192. │192. │192. │192.
│ │193. │ │193.
│ │25 Bav. │ │25 Bav.
─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────
Cavalry. │ │1 Ldw. Sqn. (12 C. Dist.).
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Artillery. │192 F. A. Abt. (3 Btries.). │192 F. A. Abt.
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Engineers and│192 Pion. Co. │192 Pion. Co.
Liaisons. │ │
│ │404 T. M. Co.
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Medical and │ │
Veterinary.│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Transport. │ │
─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────

─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────
│ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────
│ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment.
─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────
Infantry. │192. │183. │192. │183.
│ │192. │ │192.
│ │245 Res. │ │245 Res.
─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────
Cavalry. │(?) Sqn. 1 Res. Hus. Schutz. │1 Sqn. 18 Res. Hus. Rgt.
│ Rgt. │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │192 Art. Command:
│ 192 F. A. Rgt. (9 Btries.). │ 192 F. A. Rgt.
│ │ 58 (Saxon) Ft. A. Btn.
│ │ 850 Light Am. Col.
│ │ 1150 Light Am. Col.
│ │ 1162 Light Am. Col.
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Engineers and│(192) Pion Btn.: │192 Pion. Btn.
Liaisons. │ │
│ 4 Co. 22 Pions. │4 Co. 22 Pions.
│ 192 Pion. Co. │192 (Saxon) Pion. Co.
│ 404 T. M. Co. │404 T. M. Co.
│ 192 Searchlight Section. │129 Searchlight Section.
│ 192 Tel. Detch. │192 Signal Command:
│ │ 192 Tel. Detch.
│ │ 173 Wireless Detch.
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Medical and │29 Ambulance Co. │29 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │
│5 Res. Field Hospital. │2 Res. Field Hospital.
│23 Ldw. Field Hospital. │3 Res. Field Hospital.
│Vet. Hospital. │292 Vet. Hospital.
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Transport. │M. T. Col. │
─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────

HISTORY.

(12th and 19th Corps Districts—Saxony.)

1915.

The 192d Brigade (became the 192d Division in June, 1916) was formed out of regiments created by selection of men from various units. It was formed at the beginning of June, 1915, with the 192d Infantry (Saxon), formed out of elements taken from the 32d Division, the 193d (Westphalian, 7th Corps District), detached after its creation to the 13th Reserve Division, and with the 25th Bavarian Regiment, formerly belonging to the 4th Bavarian Division, the regiments of which had contributed to the formation of this last regiment.

1. Until the month of September, 1915, the three regiments of the brigade occupied different sectors on the Western Front—the 192d near Charency in August, the 193d on the Aisne (region of Chamouille), and the 25th Bavarian near Warneton (Flanders) in July.

CHAMPAGNE.

2. At the end of September the elements of the 192d Brigade were brought together in the rear of the Champagne front. Engaged as a reenforcement against the French offensive (Sept. 27 to the beginning of October) near the Souain-Somme Py road, it suffered heavy losses (50 officers and 3,594 men out of action, according to official lists). The brigade stayed in the Souain sector until the end of November.

3. In December it was at rest in the region of Bignicourt-Machault.

1916.

CHAMPAGNE.

1. At the beginning of January, 1916, the 192d Brigade again took a sector in Champagne (until Jan. 26).

2. From the end of January to the beginning of March it was at rest in the vicinity of Montcornet.

3. From the 4th to the 18th of March the regiments were engaged in making defensive works in the region of Laon.

VERDUN-BOIS D’AVOCOURT.

4. On March 18 the brigade was brought near Vouziers and Stenay, then assembled in the rear of the Verdun front on the left bank of the Meuse (Mar. 22). On the 23d it relieved the 11th Bavarian Division, sorely tried by the attacks on Malancourt and the Bois d’Avocourt. It took part itself in the battles which effected the capture of that wood and suffered heavy losses. From April 13 to May 10 the 11th Company of the 192d Infantry received at least 125 replacements and the 12th Company 116 replacements.

5. The 192d Brigade stayed in the Malancourt-Avocourt wood sector until the end of August, holding it alternately with the 11th Bavarian Division. During this period (May-August) it only took part in local engagements.

6. In June it was changed into a division, its composition remaining unchanged except for the expansion of its field artillery.

FLEURY-DOUAUMONT.

7. On August 22 the new division was relieved and transferred to the right bank of the Meuse (Charency-Longuyon). On the 28th it was engaged in the Fleury-Douaumont sector. Its regiments were sorely tried by the French attacks of September 3 and 9.

8. Relieved from the front at the end of September and beginning of October the division was entirely reorganized. The 193d Infantry went to the 222d Division (being organized) and was replaced by the 418th, newly formed; the 25th Bavarian went to the 14th Bavarian Division and was replaced by the 245th Reserve Regiment of the 54th Reserve Division.

CÔTES DE MEUSE.

9. About the end of October the 418th Regiment, which had been put in line in the Moranville sector (Côtes de Meuse), replaced the 183d Infantry in the 183d Division, the last-named regiment going to the 192d Division, which was now entirely Saxon.

BEZONVAUX.

The 192d Division, having thus acquired its present organization, took a position to the east of Bezonvaux in December.

1917.

VERDUN-BEZONVAUX.

1. It occupied this sector until December, 1917, and during this long period remained entirely passive.

HILL 344.

2. Relieved from this calm sector about December 10, 1917, it immediately went into line north of Hill 344, where it still was in January, 1918.

RECRUITING.

The division was entirely Saxon after the end of 1916.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 192d Division stayed more than a year in a very calm sector (east of Bezonvaux, December 1916, to December, 1917).

In January, 1918, the division might be considered as rested, but its combat value at that time seemed rather mediocre. In the various actions in which it took part on the Verdun front it did not distinguish itself.

1918.

OISE.

1. The division held the sector on the Verdun front until the middle of April, when it was relieved, and on May 19 it relieved the 200th Division southeast of Rouvrel. It was still in line when the Allies attacked on August 8. About August 11 the division was withdrawn.

ST. MIHIEL.

2. The division marched to Origny via Rosieres-Athies-St. Quentin. It left there August 25 and went by train to Chambley via Ribemont-Crecy- Mortiers-Marle-Charleville-Sedan-Montmedy-Longuyon-Metz, arriving on August 26. On the 20th the division entered line in the tip of the St. Mihiel salient.

3. The division extracted itself from the salient and was relieved about September 22, when the line had stabilized. It was moved west and again came into line at Bezonvaux.

MEUSE-ARGONNE.

4. From October 8 until about October 22 the division held the Bezonvaux sector. It was then shifted northward to the area south of Etrayes, where it remained until the armistice.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. It did well at St. Mihiel, but in its other sectors its conduct was mediocre.

195th Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────
│ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────
│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────
Infantry. │101 Res. │6 Jag. │101 Res. │6 Jag. │101 Res. │6 Jag.
│ │8 Jag. │ │8 Jag. │ │8 Jag.
│ │233 Res. │ │233 Res. │ │14 Jag.
─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────
Cavalry. │ │(3 Sqn. 14 Uhlan │2 Sqn. 14 Uhlan
│ │ Rgt.) │ Rgt.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Artillery. │260 F. A. Rgt. │Art. Command: │260 F. A. Rgt.
│ │ 260 F. A. Rgt. │860 Light Am. Col.
│ │ │873 Light Am. Col.
│ │ │1282 Light Am. Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Engineers and│ │(195) Pion. Btn.: │195 Pion. Btn.:
Liaisons. │ │ │
│ │ 1 Co. 32 Res. │ 1 Co. 32 Res.
│ │ Pions. │ Pions.
│ │ 55 Res. Pion. Co. │ 55 Res. Pion. Co.
│ │ 195 T. M. Co. │ 102 Searchlight
│ │ │ Section.
│ │ 195 Tel. Detch. │195 Signal Command:
│ │ │ 195 Tel. Detch.
│ │ │ 66 Wireless Detch.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Medical and │ │207 Ambulance Co. │207 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │ │
│ │22 Field Hospital. │22 Field Hospital.
│ │347 Field Hospital.│347 Field Hospital.
│ │ │231 Vet. Hospital.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Transport. │ │860 M. T. Col. │607 M. T. Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Attached. │64 (?). M. G. S. S.│ │
│ Detch. │ │
─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────

HISTORY.

(6th and 8th Jägers: Various sections of Prussia. 233d Reserve Regiment:
11th Corps District—Thuringen.)

1916.

1. The division was organized in July, 1916, in the Ruddervoorde region with the following elements: (1) 233d Reserve Regiment, obtained from the 51st Reserve Division; (2) the 6th Jägers (5th and 6th Battalions of Jägers, 14th Battalion of Jägers—the last after arriving on the Russian front was thereafter replaced by the 2d Reserve Battalion of Jägers); (3) 8th Jägers (4th, 16th, and 24th Battalions of Reserve Jägers).

GALICIA.

2. It was shortly thereafter transferred to Galicia.

3. The division took part in the open warfare of August, 1916.

4. It next went into line with Austrian troops in the Zloczow sector.

1917.

FRANCE.

1. It was transferred to the Western Front at the end of April, 1917. (Itinerary: Leniky-Cracovie-Oppeln-Breslau-Leipzig-Halle-Paderborn- Essen-Duesseldorf-Aix la Chapelle-Verviers-Liége-Louvain-Brussels- Cambrai.)

2. The division was successively in line in the Ypres sector (May), in the Wytschaete sector (June-July), and in the St. Quentin sector (August).

3. During the month of August it rested in the Walincourt region.

FLANDERS.

4. From October 3 to 12 it fought in the Passchendaele sector. It sustained heavy losses (more than 600 prisoners).

5. Relieved on October 12 the division was reorganized at Meulebecke from the 14th to the 18th and was transferred by rail to Gand. At the time it was relieved the 233d Reserve was reduced to 800 men (story of deserter).

6. On about the 21st it entrained at Heydinge and was brought via Brussels-Namur-Dinant-Givet-Charleville-Sedan-Montmedy and Conflans to Haye, where it detrained on the 23d.

HAYE.

7. On October 28 it took over a sector to the southwest of Thiaucourt (Flirey).

ITALY.

8. On November 11 the division was entrained at Metz for Italy. It detrained at Trente on November 14, where it rested until the 24th. It left Trente on December 3 without having participated in any engagement. (Itinerary: Trente-Innsbruck-Munich-Carlsruhe-Offenberg-Friberg- Mulhouse.)

ALSACE.

9. Arriving on December 6, it was billeted in the region of Sundgau, where it stayed until February, 1918.

RECRUITING.

The division was very heterogeneous. The 233d came from Thuringen (11th Corps District). The various jaeger regiments came from various depot jaeger battalions (2d, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 11th Corps Districts).

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 195th Division was sorely tried in Flanders in October, 1917. In November, 1917, the greater part of its strength came from the classes called during the war. The average age was 25. It can be classed as a good division.

1918.

CAMBRAI.

1. The 195th Division left Alsace, where it had been resting since its return from Italy, the 5th and 6th of February, and proceeded to Valenciennes. On the 27th a prisoner was captured near Bullecourt (northeast of Bapaume), who stated that his battalion had relieved another battalion of the same regiment during the night of the 25th–26th. The 195th Division had probably relieved the 16th Bavarian Division some days before. It was relieved by the 16th Bavarian Division on the 2d of March. It was very probably trained in open warfare, but the fact has not been definitely established.

2. On the 21st it came back reenforcing the front near Noreuil (northeast of Bapaume). The heavy fighting on this front did not come in the first days of the offensive but a few days later the division was heavily engaged, especially on the 28th and 31st near Bucquoy. This represented an advance of only a few kilometers gained at the cost of heavy losses in many attacks. It was relieved by the 17th Division during the night of April 1–2.

3. On the 9th it relieved the 16th Bavarian Division in the Ayette sector (northwest of Bapaume). It remained here fighting hard until relieved by the 5th Bavarian Reserve Division about the 24th. In this fighting the losses were very heavy, especially in the 233d Reserve Regiment (the commander of which was awarded Pour le Merite) which was dissolved soon after; its place was taken by the 14th Jaeger Regiment. It was sent to the Cambrai region to rest and refit.

MARNE.

4. The first day of the battle of the Marne-July 15—it reenforced the front near Chatillon sur Marne (northwest of Epernay). It was withdrawn early in August and went to rest near Metz.

ST. MIHIEL.

5. On the 14th of September, after the line reached by the American First Army had stabilized, the division entered line in the Haumont sector (northeast of St. Mihiel). It was not heavily engaged and was withdrawn about the 28th.

MEUSE-ARGONNE.

6. The division then moved to the Champagne front, where it reenforced the front in the St. Etienne à Arnes sector (south of Machault) on the 6th of October. It was opposed by French troops until the 24th; after that it was opposite the Americans on account of a readjustment of sectors. It was withdrawn on the 29th.

7. On the 2d of November it was thrown back into line near Verrieres (northwest of Buzancy). Its losses were so heavy in this fighting, and the division was in such a state of exhaustion, that although the division was still in line on the 11th there were rumors that it was soon to be dissolved.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The 195th was rated a second-class division. Its conduct whenever heavily engaged was such as to lead to the conclusion that it was one of the better divisions of that class.

197th Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────
│ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918[31]
─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────
│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────
Infantry. │210. │273 Res. │210. │273 Res. │210. │273 Res.
│ │7 Jag. │ │7 Jag. │ │7 Jag.
│ │ (Saxon).│ │ │ │ (Saxon).
│ │32 Ldw. │ │32 Ldw. │ │28 Ers.
─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────
Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 14 Uhlan │2 Sqn. 14 Uhlan │2 Sqn. 14 Uhlan
│ Rgt. │ Rgt. │ Rgt.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Artillery. │261 F. A. Rgt │(?) Art. Command: │(?) Art. Command:
│262 F. A. Abt. │ 261 F. A. Rgt. │ 261 F. A. Rgt.
│ (Saxon). │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Engineers and│170 T. M. Co. │197 Pion. Btn.: │197 Pion. Btn.:
Liaisons. │ │ │
│ │ 90 Res. Pion. Co. │ 90 Res. Pion. Co.
│ │ 2 Co. 32 Res. │ 2 Co. 32 Res.
│ │ Pions. │ Pions.
│ │ 415 T. M. Co. │ 300 Searchlight
│ │ │ Section.
│ │ 195 Tel. Detch. │ 426 T. M. Co.
│ │ │ 197 Tel. Detch.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Medical and │ │208 Ambulance Co. │208 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │ │
│ │284 Field Hospital.│284 Field Hospital.
│ │532 Field Hospital.│532 Field Hospital.
│ │Vet. Hospital. │Vet. Hospital.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Transport │ │1053 M. T. Col. │M. T. Col.
─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────

Footnote 31:

Composition at the time of dissolution Nov. 1, 1918.

HISTORY.

(273 Reserve Regiment; 10th Corps District—Hanover and Brunswick. 7th Jaeger; 12th and 19th Corps Districts—Saxony. 28th Ersatz; 14th Corps District—Grand Duchy of Baden.)

1916.

The 197th Division was created in August, 1916, on the Eastern Front by the union of the following regiments: (1) 273d Reserve Regiment, formed out of four battalions taken from the 362d Infantry (4th Ersatz Division); the 368th Infantry (10th Ersatz Division); the 130th Reserve (33d Reserve Division) which all came from France. (2) 7th Jaegers (13th Battalion of Jaegers), 25th and 26th Battalions of Reserve Jaegers, all Saxon, and also all coming from France. (3) The 32d Landwehr, which had been under orders of the 33d Division in the Argonne.

GALICIA.

1. As part of the 2d Austrian Army (Boehm-Ermoli), the 197th Division occupied in August 1916 the Zborow sector (northwest of Tarnopol) where it met the offensive carried on by Broussilov. On August 10 the 7th Regiment of Jaegers had 35 officers and 1,039 men out of action (letter).

2. In September it was in line to the northeast of Zalosce and to the north of Zborow and later in the vicinity of Zloczow.

1917.

GALICIA.

1. The 197th Division stayed in this same Zloczow sector until July, 1917. While there it met the Russian attack of July 1, which reduced the strength of the 1st Battalion of the 32d Landwehr to 160 men (letter).

2. The division participated in the German counteroffensive of July 19 and advanced by way of Zborow up to Husjatin (August), where it was relieved to go into reserve.

3. It went back into line at the beginning of September at Hlesczawa (region of Trembowla).

4. At the beginning of November the 32d Landwehr was replaced by the 28th Ersatz, taken from the Bavarian Ersatz Division, and originally from the 14th Corps District (Grand Duchy of Baden). This replacement of a mediocre regiment for a good one was the prelude of preparations for a transfer to the Western Front.

RECRUITING.

This division had a composite make-up. The 7th Jaegers was Saxon; the 28th Ersatz was from Baden; and the 273d was formed from battalions coming from the 7th, 9th, and 10th Corps District and got its replacements in theory from the 10th Corps District.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 197th Division, coming from Galicia, appeared for the first time on the Western Front in March, 1918. All the maneuvers executed in the rear and at rest in Galicia tended to accustom the units to defensive warfare methods (Verteidigungskrieg). (Interrogation of a prisoner of the 273d Reserve on Mar. 13, 1918.)

This was also true of its stay in the Marchais region (February 1918).

1918.

CHATEAU THIERRY.

The division held the quiet Chemin des Dames sector until the Aisne offensive of May 27. Attack divisions passed through the 197th Division, which followed up the attack in close reserve and was engaged on May 31 northwest of Chateau Thierry. It came in for some heavy local fighting while opposite the 2d United States Division near Veuilly before it was relieved on June 8.

VERDUN.

2. It was moved to Eastern Champagne, and on June 23 relieved the 15th Bavarian Division in the Ornes sector. During July the division received drafts. It held this sector without loss until about the 1st of August.

ST. QUENTIN-OISE.

3. On August 15 the division reenforced the front at Ribecourt. Until September 10 it was constantly engaged in the Noyon fighting. After resting nine days the division returned to line north of Gricourt, and until October 19 resisted every foot of the way to Seboncourt.

4. After the withdrawal from line the division was broken up. The 273d Reserve Regiment and the 28th Ersatz Regiment were disbanded, while the 7th Jaeger Regiment passed intact to the 241st Division.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. It was heavily engaged on an active front for two months in 1918 during which fighting it suffered so heavily in casualties and morale that it was dissolved in late October.

199th Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────
│ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────
│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────
Infantry. │ │237 Res. │59 Ldw. │114. │59 Ldw. │114.
│ │4 Bav. │ │357. │ │357.
│ │ Res. │ │ │ │
│ │9 Jag. │ │237 Res. │ │237 Res.
─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────
Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 14 Uhlan │1 Sqn. 14 Uhlan │1 Sqn. 14 Uhlan
│ Rgt. │ Rgt. │ Rgt.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Artillery. │263 F. A. Rgt. │Art. Command: │263 F. A. Rgt.
│ │ 263 F. A. Rgt. │3 Abt. 2 Bav. Ft.
│ │ │ A. Rgt.
│ │ │927 Light Am. Col.
│ │ │1240 Light Am. Col.
│ │ │1241 Light Am. Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Engineers and│ │(199) Pion. Btn.: │199 Pion. Btn.:
Liaisons. │ │ │
│ │ 199 T. M. Co. │ 6 Co. 23 Pions.
│ │ 330 Searchlight │ 286 Pion. Co.
│ │ Section. │
│ │ 199 Tel. Detch. │ 199 T. M. Co.
│ │ │ 38 Searchlight
│ │ │ Section.
│ │ │199 Signal Command:
│ │ │ 199 Tel. Detch.
│ │ │ 10 Wireless Detch.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Medical and │ │209 Ambulance Co. │209 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │ │
│ │Field Hospital. │68 Field Hospital.
│ │Vet. Hospital. │339 Field Hospital.
│ │ │244 Vet. Hospital.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Transport. │ │M. T. Col. │609 M. T. Col.
─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────

HISTORY.

(114th Regiment: 14th Corps District—Southern part of the Grand Duchy of
Baden. 357th Regiment: 2d Corps District—Pomerania. 237th Reserve
Regiment: 8th Corps District—Rhine Province.)

1916.

The 199th Division was created in August, 1916, in the region of Stryj- Halicz (Galicia), with troops coming from the Western Front. Until the beginning of 1917 its infantry was made up as follows: The 237th Reserve Regiment (coming from the 52d Reserve Division), the 4th Bavarian Reserve Regiment (from the Bavarian Ersatz Division), and the 9th Jaegers (12th and 13th Battalions of Reserve Jaegers (Saxon) and the 8th Battalion of Jaegers).

GALICIA.

1. From the end of August to the beginning of November the 199th Division was engaged in Galicia (Brzezany, Halicz, Zlota-Lipa) and suffered heavy losses.

2. About November 1 the division was transferred to the Western Front. (Itinerary: Lemberg-Cracaw-Breslau-Dresden-Leipzig-Coblenz-Treves- Sedan.) It detrained at Dun and was billeted for three weeks in the vicinity of Spincourt.

SOMME.

3. Sent to the Champagne district at the end of November and then in the Bohain region, it went into line in the Rancourt-Saillizel sector (end of December).

1917.

1. At the beginning of 1917 the 114th and 357th replaced the 4th Reserve and the 9th Jaegers.

SOMME.

2. The 199th Division stayed on the Rancourt front until March, 1917.

HINDENBURG LINE.

3. On March 27 it was identified to the east of Longavesnes; then at Villers-Faucon, Lempire, in the new German positions (April).

ARTOIS.

4. Relieved about April 20, it was engaged to the southeast of Arras (Wancourt-Vis en Artois-Cherisy) and suffered heavy losses (April 27, May 3).

5. Coming back to the west of Catelet (Hargicourt-Bony) about the middle of May, it left this line on June 8 to go to rest in the vicinity of Ostend.

BELGIAN FLANDERS.

6. In the middle of July it took over the Nieuport-Lombartzyde sector, which it occupied until the beginning of August and was at rest near Ostend from August 10 to the middle of September.

7. It reappeared in the Lombartzyde sector until October 24. On November 10 after a short rest it was put in line to the north of Passchendaele, where it was found, with the exception of some brief withdrawals for rest, until February, 1918, when it went to rest near Courtrai.

RECRUITING.

Division with composite elements; a regiment from Baden (the 114th, active), a regiment from Pomerania (the 357th, growing out of brigade Ersatz Battalions), and a Rhenish regiment (the 237th).

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 114th was considered the best in the division. The 237th Reserve did not seem to have a very good combat value. It did not hold its ground when opposed by the British at Cherisy (April, 1917). It is said that a company of this regiment refused to come out of the trenches in the month of July, 1917.

1918.

BATTLE OF PICARDY.

1. The division left Flanders at the end of February and trained in the Le Quesnoy area until the middle of March; left on the 17th for the battle front. It marched to Escaromain, and on the 18th to Quievy. On the day before the offensive the division marched via Caudry to Villers Outreaux. It was not identified in the fight until the 25th at Hardecourt. The next day it was at Maricourt wood, after which it appears to have been withdrawn. On April 4 it relieved the 243d Division south of Thennes.

2. After its relief the division marched by stages via Beaucourt en Santerre-Vauvillers-Peronne to Templeux, la Fosse, where it rested for a fortnight. The heavy losses incurred by the division during its last time in line south of the Somme were made good chiefly by drafts of the 1919 class from the depots at Warsaw and Bruges. The division contained a large proportion of this class and its fighting quality suffered in consequence. On the 26th of April the division moved to Maurepas and proceeded to Maricourt on the 28th; from there it marched into line in the Morlancourt sector.

3. The division held the Morlancourt sector from about May 1 to 16. It was relieved by the 107th Division and rested in the Valenciennes area in June.

CHAMPAGNE.

4. It was engaged at Le Teton on July 15 and held a sector in that area until the end of the month.

RHEIMS.