Chapter XXX: Part 30

5. On August 3 it reenforced the battle front at Sapicourt west of Rheims. It was engaged in that area except for a week’s rest until the end of September.

6. After October 1 the division was engaged in Champagne in the region of Orfeuil. It contested hotly the advance through Vaudy and Vouziers until its relief in late October. It rested but a few days out of line and after November 3 was engaged at St. Lambert, Roix-Terron, and Dom le Mesnil (Nov. 10).

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as second-class. It was used as an attack division in March and did well. Thereafter it saw almost constant service in resisting allied pushes. In October’s fighting it was frequently spoken of by the German official communique.

200th Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────
│ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────
│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────
Infantry. │2 Jag. │3 Jag. (4│2 Jag. │3 Jag. (4│2 Jag. │3 Jag.
│ │ Btns.).│ │ Btns.).│ │
│ │4 Jag. │ │4 Jag. │ │4 Jag.
│ │5 Jag. │ │5 Jag. │ │5 Jag.
─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────
Cavalry. │ │1 Sqn. 1 Uhlan Rgt.│2 Sqn. 1 Uhlan Rgt.
│ │ (passed to 228 │
│ │ Div. in June, │
│ │ 1917). │
│ │2 Sqn. 2 Uhlan Rgt.│
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Artillery. │257 F. A. Rgt. │(?) Art. Command: │22 F. A. Rgt.
│2 Mountain Art. │ 257 F. A. Rgt. │1 Abt. 26 Ft. A.
│ Abt. (Bavarian). │ │ Rgt. (1 and 3
│ │ │ Btries.).
│ │ 7 Mountain Art. │843 Light Am. Col.
│ │ Abt. │
│ │ │1157 Light Am. Col.
│ │ │1161 Light Am. Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Engineers and│ │(220) Pion. Btn.: │42 Pion. Btn.:
Liaisons. │ │ │
│ │ 105 Pion. Co. │ 105 Pion. Co.
│ │ 282 Pion. Co. │ 282 Pion. Co.
│ │ 173 Mountain T. M.│ 173 T. M. Co.
│ │ Co. │
│ │ 200 Tel. Detch. │ 99 Searchlight
│ │ │ Section.
│ │ │200 Signal Command:
│ │ │ 200 Tel. Detch.
│ │ │ 50 Wireless Detch.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Medical and │ │214 Ambulance Co. │214 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │ │
│ │44 Field Hospital. │44 Field Hospital.
│ │370 Field Hospital.│19 Bav. Field
│ │ │ Hospital.
│ │Vet. Hospital. │300 Vet. Hospital.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Transport. │ │M. T. Col. │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Attached. │35 Landst. Inf. │ │
│ Rgt. │ │
│37 Landst. Inf. │ │
│ Rgt. │ │
─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────

HISTORY.

1916.

CARPATHIAN MOUNTAINS.

1. The 200th Division, composed of three regiments of Jaegers, was formed in July, 1916, in Galicia with the 3rd Jaeger Regiment (4 battalions equipped with skis) coming from the Alpine Corps, with the 4th Jaegers (11th Battalion of Jaegers), 5th and 6th Battalions of Reserve Jaegers, and with the 5th Jaegers (17th, 18th, and 23d Battalions of Reserve Jaegers).

BUKOVINA.

The 200th Division, together with the 1st Division, formed the Carpathian Corps. The division took part in the counteroffensive in the Carpathians against the Russians and beginning in September 1, 1916, occupied a sector to the north of Mont Tomnatik (Bukovina.)

1917.

BUKOVINA.

1. The 200th Division stayed in the same part of the Carpathians (south of Mt. Pnevié-Mt. Tomnatik) until July, 1917. At this time it took part in the offensive waged in Bukovina and took a position north of the Sereth. It was kept here until September.

2. At the end of September the 200th Division was entrained for Italy. Its itinerary to Vienna was Kolomea-Lemberg-Cracaw.

ITALY.

3. Detraining in the vicinity of Laibach, it went toward the Italian frontier, where it took about 15 days’ rest. On October 22 it drew near the Italian frontier and on the 24th was engaged in the offensive on the Isonzo and advanced by way of Cividale and Udine, where it fought the Italian rear guards (Oct. 28–30). It reached Codroipo about November 3 and Quero on the Piave the 23d.

MONT TOMBA.

4. After a short period of rest it was again sent to the Mont Tomba region in December.

RECRUITING.

The 200th Division had recruits from the various mountainous districts of the empire—Upper Silesia, Harz, Black Forest, etc.—which gave it a certain character in spite of the different sources of its recruiting.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

Composed of young and vigorous men with high morale, the 200th was one of the best divisions in the German Army (1918).

1918.

FRANCE.

1. After having suffered heavy losses, the 200th Division was withdrawn about the 1st of January, and went to rest for about a month southeast of Bellune. Early in February, it entrained at Santa Lucia and traveled via Rosenheim-Munich-Ulm-Freiburg-Colmar. It detrained at Bening and went to rest and to be trained for about three weeks in the vicinity of St. Avold.

MONTDIDIER.

2. The division entrained near Marsal (southwest of Dieuze) on the 26th of March and, traveling via Thionville-Luxemburg-Namur, detrained at Cambrai two days later. It rested in the caserne here until the 31st, when it marched to Peronne, where it remained in the English barracks the 2d and 3d of April, when it marched via Guillaucourt to Moreuil (northwest of Montdidier). During the night of the 7th–8th it relieved the 14th Division west of Moreuil. It was relieved on May 14 by the 192d Division. It was reported near Quesnoy the end of May and in the Le Cateau region early in June. Men of one of its regiments were reported as having been seen near Fere en Tardenois on the 3d of June. Again, parts of the division were reported near Caudry and Chateau Thierry during June.

MARNE.

3. On the 15th of July the division attacked west of Dormans. It crossed the Marne at Sailly, and was identified at Chapelle Monthod on the following day. In this fighting, the division suffered very heavy losses. The colonel and all the battalion commanders of the 3rd Jaeger Regiment were lost. It was withdrawn from line on the 21st.

4. During the night of the 26th–27th it came back into line near Roncheres (north of Dormans), its mission being to cover the retreat between Sergy and the Meuniere wood. It was withdrawn about the 3d of August and went to the Sedan area, where it rested for a fortnight.

5. During the night of the 22d–23d the division relieved the 22d Reserve Division northwest of Souain. In the heavy fighting that followed the division lost heavily. It was driven back to St. Etienne à Arnes, where it was relieved by the 195th Division on the 6th of October.

WASSIGNY.

6. The division then moved by easy stages, with frequent halts, via Rozoy-Montcornet-Origny-Escautpont-Le Nouvion-Beaurepaire-Barzy. During the night of October 22–23 it relieved the 5th Reserve Division near Oisy (east of Wassigny). It had not been withdrawn on the 11th of November.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The 200th was rated as a second-class division. Composed of Jaeger units, which are good fighters, it distinguished itself in the East and in Italy, and did well in the heavy fighting it was called upon to do on the Western Front, though not brilliantly. It was one of the best of the second-class divisions.

201st Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────
│ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918[32]
─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────
│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────
Infantry. │401. │401. │402. │401. │402. │401.
│ │402. │ │402. │ │402.
│402. │403. │ │403. │ │403.
│ │404. │ │ │ │
─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────
Cavalry. │ │4 Sqn. 4 Mounted │4 Sqn. 7 Drag. Rgt.
│ │ Jag. Rgt. (?). │
│ │4 Sqn. 7 Drag. Rgt.│
│ │ (?). │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Artillery. │401 F. A. Abt. │Art. Command: │156 Art. Command:
│402 F. A. Rgt. │ 401 F. A. Rgt. │ 402 F. A. Rgt.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Engineers and│401 Pion. Co. │(201) Pion. Btn.: │201 Pion. Btn.:
Liaisons. │ │ │
│ │ 385 Pion. Co. │ 385 Pion. Co.
│ │ 401 Pion. Co. │ 401 Pion. Co.
│ │ 181 T. M. Co. │ 358 Pion. Co.
│ │ 50 Searchlight │ 2 Res. Co. 7
│ │ Section. │ Pions.
│ │ 201 Tel. Detch. │ 50 Searchlight
│ │ │ Section.
│ │ │ 181 T. M. Co.
│ │ │ 201 Tel. Detch.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Medical and │ │401 Ambulance Co. │401 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │ │
│ │401 Field Hospital.│401 Field Hospital.
│ │402 Field Hospital.│402 Field Hospital.
│ │66 Res. Field │66 Res. Field
│ │ Hospital. │ Hospital.
│ │Vet. Hospital. │Vet. Hospital.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Transport. │ │863 M. T. Col. │611 M. T. Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Odd Units. │ │201 Cyclist Co. │201 Cyclist Co.
─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────

Footnote 32:

Composition at the time of dissolution, November, 1918.

HISTORY.

(401st Regiment; 20th Corps District. 402d Regiment; 17th Corps
District. 403d Regiment, 5th Corps District.)

1916.

The 201st is one of a series of divisions (numbered 201–204) created at the beginning of July, 1916, at the time of the Russian offensive conducted by Broussilov.

The 201st Division was formed out of recruits obtained from depots in the 5th, 17th and 20th Corps Districts. The Allenstein (401st) Regiment and the Danzig (402d) Regiment came from the Arys cantonment. The Glogau (403d) Regiment and the Posen (404th) came from the Warthe cantonment. Men taken from the front, convalescents from depots and a majority of young men from the class of 1917 made up the initial strength, which was 230 to 240 men per company.

RUSSIA.

1. As soon as formed the division occupied a sector on the Russian front (north of Baranovitchi) and stayed there from the beginning of July, 1916, to the beginning of December, 1917. During this period it only took part in two local actions (November, 1916, and November, 1917).

1917.

1. The 404th Infantry was taken away from this division in the beginning of 1917 and was joined to the divisions in the neighborhood (the 18th Landwehr Division and later the 4th Landwehr Division).

RUSSIA-FRANCE.

2. At the end of November, 1917, the 201st Division was relieved, reassembled at Baranovitchi, and entrained for the Western Front. (Itinerary: Baranovitchi-Brest-Litowsk-Warsaw-Chemnitz-Nuerenberg- Heilbronn-Rastatt-Sarreguemines.)

LORRAINE.

3. Beginning on December 15, elements of the 201st Division were put in line on the right bank of the Moselle opposite the Xon (northeast of Pont a Mousson).

RECRUITING.

The eastern Provinces of the Empire.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 201st Division was composed to the extent of at least one-half of young and vigorous men. It had not been exhausted physically and had in no way lost its morale. Fraternization did not lessen its morale, but rather raised it on account of their belief that war could be terminated on the Western Front by an easy victory after peace was concluded with Russia.

Since its return from Russia its regiments had undergone an intensive training in trench and open warfare (February, 1918).

1918.

WOEVRE.

1. The division held the Apremont sector (southeast of St. Mihiel) until the end of May, when it was withdrawn. It rested and trained in the Woevre (Sponville) until June 9. It entrained at Mars la Tour and moved to Laon via Sedan and Liart. From there it marched to the Marne front through Vailly-Lannoy-Brecy.

BATTLE OF THE MARNE.

2. It was in line on the Chateau Thierry-Vaux sector from June 15 to the end of July. In the attacks of late July the division was hit hard. It was thrown back on Bezu-St. Germain, Beuvardes, Pere en Tardenois and relieved about July 30.

3. The division was moved to the Argonne in early August and about the 10th entered the Vacquois sector, which it held until the end of the month.

BATTLE OF THE SOMME.

4. It returned to the Somme area and on the night of September 6–7 relieved the 6th Cavalry Division northeast of Fins. Until the 28th it was engaged at Fins, Hendicourt, Gouzeaucourt, Villers, and Guislan. Losses were very heavy, including 2,200 prisoners.

CAMBRESIS.

5. After a week’s rest, the division reentered line south of Cambrai on October 5 and fought in this region until the 15th. Here it lost another 650 prisoners.

6. As a result of these extraordinary losses the division was dissolved at Maubeuge on October 22.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. Its losses were unusually heavy in prisoners whenever it was engaged in an active front. When it was dissolved its effectives numbered less than 1,000 rifles.

202d Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────
│ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────
│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────
Infantry. │ │405. │406. │408. │406. │97.
│ │406. │ │411. │ │408.
│ │407. │ │412. │ │411.
│ │408. │ │ │ │412.
─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────
Cavalry. │ │ │3 Sqn. 2 Gd. Uhlan
│ │ │ Rgt.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Artillery. │406 F. A. Rgt. │Art. Command: │66 Art. Command:
│ │ 406 F. A. Rgt. │ 406 F. A. Rgt.
│ │ │ 65 Ft. A. Btn.
│ │ │ 867 Light Am. Col.
│ │ │ 868 Light Am. Col.
│ │ │ 1387 Light Am.
│ │ │ Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Engineers and│ │(202) Pion. Btn.: │202 Pion. Btn.:
Liaisons. │ │ │
│ │ 383 Pion. Co. │ 383 Pion. Co.
│ │ 402 Pion. Co. │ 402 Pion. Co.
│ │ 182 T. M. Co. │ 98 Searchlight
│ │ │ Section.
│ │ 352 Searchlight │ 182 T. M. Co.
│ │ Section. │
│ │ Tel. Detch. │202 Signal Command:
│ │ │ 202 Tel. Detch.
│ │ │ 91 Wireless Detch.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Medical and │ │403 Ambulance Co. │403 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │ │
│ │403 Field Hospital.│403 Field Hospital.
│ │404 Field Hospital.│404 Field Hospital.
│ │302 Vet. Hospital. │302 Vet. Hospital.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Transport. │ │867 M. T. Col. │612 M. T. Col.
│ │983 M. T. Col. │
│ │1387 M. T. Col. │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Odd Units. │ │203 Cyclist Co. │
─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────

HISTORY.

(408th Regiment: Guard. 411th and 412th Regiments: 10th Corps
District—Hanover.)

1916.

The 202d Division was formed in October, 1916, in the Lockstedt cantonment (9th Corps District, Altona). The 405th and the 406th were organized at the Lockstedt cantonment, the 407th at the Altengrabow cantonment, and the 408th comes from Guard depots.

RUSSIA.

1. In the course of October, 1916, the 202d Division was sent to the Russian front. Its organization was changed; it gave up the 405th to the 203d Division, the 406th and the 407th to the 205th Division. It was at this time composed of the 408th and two regiments received from the 203d Division, the 411th and the 412th (Hanover), which were formed at the Munster cantonment as “coast-defense regiments.”

COURLAND.

2. In December, 1916, the 202d Division was identified in the region of Riga.

1917.

1. In March, 1917, and until the end of August, 1917, the 202d Division occupied in Courland a sector in the vicinity of Toukkoum.

RIGA.

2. In the middle of September it was at the east of Riga. It was also identified at Riga on October 29.

3. In November the 202d Division was entrained for the Western Front. (Itinerary: Riga-Mitau-Insterburg-Koenigsberg-Thorn (408th)- Schneidemuehl-Posen-Leipzig-Halle-Frankfort on the Main-Sarrebrueck- Sarreguemines.) It detrained at Dieuze on November 20.

LORRAINE.

4. The division stayed in the rear of the front in the vicinity of Dieuze until the middle of January, 1918 (six weeks’ training).

RECRUITING.

The 408th Regiment was built up out of depots of the Guard and was recruited from all sections of Prussia. The 411th and 412th were theoretically from Hanover, with some recruits furnished by the 9th Corps District.

1918.

1. The division held the Lorraine sector until May 19, when it was relieved by the 3d Guard Division. It entrained near Moyenvic on May 19 and traveled via Metz-Spincourt-Longuyon-Sedan-Charleville-Marle to Flavy le Martel, where it detrained on May 21.

OISE.

2. On the night of May 22–23 it relieved the 11th Division west of Noyon. It was in line when the attack of June was made and advanced by Orval as far as Bethencourt. Here it remained in sector until about July 10, when it exchanged sectors with the 105th Division at Autreches. In this area it was struck by the Allied attack in mid-August and forced back on Audignicourt. The losses were very heavy, including 2,000 prisoners. It was relieved on August 27.

3. The division was railed to the vicinity of Vouziers after its relief in line. While resting at Sugny (Sept. 2–12) it was re-formed. The 412th Regiment was dissolved and its effectives distributed between the 408th and 411th Regiments. The 97th Regiment, from the dissolved 108th Division, replaced the 412th Regiment in the division.

4. It was engaged in Champagne near Maisons de Champagne from September 12 to 24. After that it was in close support of the 42d Division until the 27th, when it reentered line at Fontaine les Dormois. Until October 10 the division saw heavy fighting about Meuse and Challerange. It lost very heavily, including more than 800 prisoners.

5. The division rested from October 11 to 21. It was reengaged southeast of Vouziers (near Falaise) on the 21st, and after the 1st of November retreated by way of Longwe (2d), Boult aux Bois (34d) to the Meuse (8th).

When it appeared opposite the United States front on November 3, the division had been completely shattered. The 411th Regiment, for instance, had only three companies each with a rifle strength of 100 to 110 men.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. After the battle in eastern Champagne in late September the division could be regarded as destroyed.

203d Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────
│ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────
│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────
Infantry. │ │405. │405. │405. │405. │406.
│ │409. │ │409. │ │409.
│ │410. │ │410. │ │410.
─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────
Cavalry. │ │ │2 Sqn. Body Gd.
│ │ │ Hus. Rgt.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Artillery. │ │203 Art. Command: │203 Art. Command:
│ │ 406 F. A. Rgt. (2 │ 403 F. A. Rgt.
│ │ Abts.). │
│ │ 403 F. A. Rgt. │ 2 Abt. 8 Res. Ft.
│ │ │ A. Rgt.
│ │ │ 778 Light Am. Col.
│ │ │ 969 Light Am. Col.
│ │ │ 977 Light Am. Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Engineers and│403 Pion. Co. │Pion. Btn.: │417 Pion. Btn.:
Liaisons. │ │ │
│ │ 403 Pion. Co. │ 403 Pion. Co.
│ │ 183 T. M. Co. │ 1 Ers. Co. 23
│ │ │ Pions.
│ │ Tel. Detch. │ 20 Searchlight
│ │ │ Section.
│ │ │ 183 T. M. Co.
│ │ │203 Signal Command:
│ │ │ 203 Tel. Detch.
│ │ │ 152 Wireless
│ │ │ Detch.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Medical and │ │Ambulance Co. │402 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │ │
│ │405 Field Hospital.│405 Field Hospital.
│ │Vet. Hospital. │406 Field Hospital.
│ │ │303 Vet. Hospital.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Transport. │ │M. T. Col. │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Odd units. │ │202 Cyclist Co. │
─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────

HISTORY.

(406th Regiment; 3d Corps District—Brandenburg. 409th and 410th
Regiments; 9th Corps District—Schleswig—Holstein.)

1916.

The 203d Division was formed in Germany (September, 1916) and trained at the Lockstedt cantonment (a great many men from the class of 1917; also men previously wounded or sick and men taken from units at the front).

COURLAND.

1. On October 20 the 303d Division took over a sector on the Dvina (region north of Dvinsk.)

1917.

RIGA.

1. The division stayed on the Dvina until September, 1917. It participated in the offensive on the Riga and fought to the north of Friedrichstadt.

2. After the taking of the town the 203d Division occupied a sector at Grenyn. Favored by calm conditions, it gave up men to the 75th Reserve Division, which was preparing to go to France. On December 8 it was billeted in Riga. About December 18 the 405th Regiment left the Division and was replaced by the 406th, coming from the 205th Division. In the meanwhile the division had brought up its strength by obtaining men from the 332d Infantry, which did not intend to leave until March, 1918 (with the 77th Reserve Division).

FRANCE.

3. At the end of December the 203d Division entrained for the Western Front. The 410th left Riga on the 26th. (Itinerary: Eydtkuhnen- Koenigsberg-Schneidemuehl-Berlin-Giessen-Coblenz-Treves-Thionville- Charleville.) It detrained at Tournes in the night of January 1–2, 1918.

RECRUITING.

The 406th recruits in Brandenburg, Schleswig-Holstein, and, to a lesser extent, Hanover and the Hanseatic cities; furnished the recruits for the 409th and the 410th. The changes effected in the personnel during the last part of the stay on the Russian front left these units fairly heterogeneous.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The offensive value of the 203d Division in February, 1918, was only mediocre. Before leaving for the Western Front the 405th, which was to have remained in (hardly glorious) Russia, changed all its young men for the older men in the other two regiments. The 203d was said to have played a part in the Riga offensive. Gen. von Luettwitz commanding the division, was said to have been relieved of his command a short time thereafter.

1918.

BATTLE OF REIMS.

The division continued to hold the sector east of Reims (near Beine) until the German offensive of July 15. It attacked west of Prunay and penetrated as far as the Vesle. In front of Beaumont it lost very heavily. After the failure of the attack the division held the sector from Prunay to east of Les Marquises until August 30, when it was relieved by the 9th Division.

CHAMPAGNE.

2. It rested near Laon until October 1, when it was reengaged in Champagne between Orfeuil and Marvaux. In 8 days of severe fighting it lost very heavily and was obliged to retire from line.

3. The division was in army reserve until October 15, after which it was engaged southeast of Vouziers near Olizy and Falaise. On November 1 it was opposite the American front and took part in the final retreat of the Meuse at Mohon.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as second class. By the end of hostilities the division was decimated and completely exhausted.

204th Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────
│ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────
│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────
Infantry. │407. │413. │407. │413. │407. │413.
│ │414. │ │414. │ │414.
│408. │415. │ │120 Res. │ │120 Res.
│ │416. │ │ │ │
─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────
Cavalry. │ │4 Sqn. 19 Uhlan │4 Sqn. 19 Uhlan
│ │ Rgt. │ Rgt.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Artillery. │407 F. A. Abt. │Art. Command: │204 Art. Command:
│408 F. A. Abt. │ 27 Res. F. A. Rgt.│ 27 Res. F. A. Rgt.
│ │ │ 101 Ft. A. Btn.
│ │ │ 1263 Light Am.
│ │ │ Col.
│ │ │ 1264 Light Am.
│ │ │ Col.
│ │ │ 1317 Light Am.
│ │ │ Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Engineers and│404 Pion Co. │204 Pion Btn.: │204 Pion Btn.:
Liaisons. │ │ │
│ │ 3 Res. Co. 13 │ 3 Res. Co. 13
│ │ Pions. │ Pions.
│ │ 116 Pion. Co. │ 116 Pion Co.
│ │ 184 T. M. Co. │204 Signal Command:
│ │ Tel. Detch. │ 204 Tel. Detch.
│ │ │ 75 Wireless Detch.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Medical and │ │563 Ambulance Co. │563 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │ │
│ │407 Field Hospital.│252 Field Hospital.
│ │408 Field Hospital.│407 Field Hospital.
│ │Vet. Hospital. │249 Vet. Hospital.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Transport. │ │M. T. Col. │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Odd units. │ │204 Cyclist Co. │
─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────

HISTORY.

(13th Corps District—Wurttemberg.)

1916.

The 204th Division was formed in Germany in June and July, 1916. Its original composition was the 407th Brigade (413th and 414th Infantry, 13th Corps District, Wurttemberg) and the 408th Brigade (415th and 416th Infantry, 12th and 19th Corps Districts, Saxony).

1. The two brigades, which had respectively been trained at the Muensingen cantonment in Wurttemberg (the 407th) and at Neuhammer (the 408th), were brought together at the end of July, 1916. The division was then sent to Belgium. It detrained at Cortemarck on July 27.

FLANDERS.

2. Almost immediately put in line, the 204th occupied the Dixmude- Bixschoote sector until October 1 and then the Ypres salient (southeast). At the end of 1916 the 415th and the 146th Infantry were taken from the front and transferred to the 212th Division and replaced by the 120th Reserve Infantry (Wurttemberg), coming from the 58th Division.

1917.

1. After four weeks’ rest in the region of Ghent in February, 1917, the division came back to the sector at the southeast of Ypres.

2. It was relieved on June 10, three days after the British attack against the heights of Wytschaete-Messines. The division was only partially subjected to this attack, but suffered some losses during the artillery preparation.

ALSACE.

3. After having been at rest at Gheluvelt on about June 20, the 204th Division was transferred to the vicinity of Sarreberg, then on July 8 to the west of Basle, where it remained until July 20. From July 20 until August 15 it held a sector in Upper Alsace (north of the Rhone-Rhine Canal).

FLANDERS.

4. Again sent to Belgium, it went into line to the north of St. Julien, southeast of Poelcappelle, at the end of August. No important engagement.

CAMBRÉSIS.

5. Relieved from the Ypres front on September 13, it took over a sector near Cambrai (Boursies-Demicourt; Sept. 24-Nov. 13).

FLANDERS.

6. Relieved about the middle of November, it went back to Flanders, where it alternated with the 58th Division to the north of Poelcappelle until the end of February.

RECRUITING.

The division has been entirely made up of Wurttemberg recruits since December, 1916.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

Fairly good division.

1918.

1. After its relief northeast of Poelcappelle on February 28, the division rested near Lille until March 21. Elements of the division were in line at Fromelles on March 9 and others participated in a raid (the 13th) in the Boutillerie sector.

2. The division left the Lille area on March 21 and marched in stages to Douai, arriving there on the 27th. It was in support northwest of Vitry en Artois on the 29th. On the 30th it marched toward the battle front south of the Somme via Inchy-Peronne (Apr. 1), Assevillers, Rosieres, south of Moreuil.

BATTLE OF PICARDY.

3. It was engaged in the Braches-Sauvillers sector from April 1 to May 11. It was relieved by an extension of the front of the neighboring divisions and retired to rest and train near Chaulnes until June 5.

BATTLE OF THE OISE.

4. The division left Chaulnes about June 5 and marched in three days to the Lassigny-Noyon front. It advanced in reserve on the 9th by Gury- Mareuil-Lamotte. It was engaged south of Ribecourt near Bethancourt until the 12th. From the 13th to the 18th the division was in reserve. It was reengaged on the night of the 18th–19th and held the sector of Vignemont-Antheuil until the 1st of August, when it was relieved by the 54th Division.

THIRD BATTLE OF THE SOMME.

5. It rested in the suburbs of Lassigny until August 8. It then marched to Damery, arriving there on the 10th and immediately entering line. In the next week the division was thrown back by Damery, Villery les Roye to Goyencourt. The division suffered heavy losses, including about 370 prisoners near Roye.

LORRAINE.

6. The division was railed to Lorraine and rested near Blamont during September. Drafts amounting to about 700 men were incorporated in the division in mid-September.

7. The division left Lorraine on October 5 and detrained at Bertry on the 7th. It was engaged on October 8 east of Catelet, and in the next 10 days fell back through Cremont, Maretz, Sains, Souplet, Catillon. Its heavy losses, including 1,200 prisoners, led to its withdrawal on October 18.

8. On October 22–23 the division was reengaged southeast of Le Cateau. It held there until the breakdown of the line on November 5. Thereafter it fell back on Maubeuge, through Favril, Limont, Fontaine.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. Before the attack of August it had about 2,700 rifles. The losses in August had a depressing effect on the morale of the troops.

205th Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── │ 1916 │ 1917 ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── Infantry. │ │406. │403. │406. │ │407. │ │407. │ │439. │ │427. │ │ │ │439. ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── Cavalry. │ │ (?) ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Artillery. │405 F. A. Rgt. │Art. Command: │ │ │ │ 405 F. A. Rgt. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Engineers and│377 Pion. Co. │(205) Pion. Btn.: Liaisons. │ │ │ │ 377 Pion. Co. │ │ 408 T. M. Co. │ │ 205 Tel. Detch. │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Medical and │ │255 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │ │Field Hospital. │ │Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Transport. │ │615 M. T. Col. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Attached. │ │ ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────

─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── │ 1918 │ 1918 ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── Infantry. │ │405. │403. │405. │ │407. │ │407. │ │439. │ │329. │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── Cavalry. │ │2 Sqn. 13 Uhlan. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Artillery. │405 F. A. Rgt. │405 Field Art. Rgt. (Rgt. │ │ Staff, 1 and 2 Abt.). │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Engineers and│ │(?) Pions. Liaisons. │ │ │ │350 Searchlight Section. │ │71 Searchlight Section. │ │205 Div. Signal Command. │ │205 Tel. Detch. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Medical and │ │255 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │ │215 and 216 Field Hospitals. │ │305 Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Transport. │ │615 M. T. Col. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Attached. │612 Landst. Inf. Rgt. │ ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────

HISTORY.

(405th, (?) 407th: 4th District-Prussian Saxony.) (439th: 15th District-
Alsace.)

1916.

The 205th Division was organized at the end of 1916, partly from new regiments formed in the interior, partly from regiments taken from the zone of the armies on the Eastern Front.

RUSSIA.

1. The end of November, 1916, the division was reported behind the front (region northeast of Vilna). At that time it comprised the 406th and 407th Infantry, taken from the 202d Division, and the 439th Infantry formed in the region of Vilna. With the 226th Division next to it, it belonged to the reenforced 3d Reserve Corps (10th Army).

1917.

COURLAND.

1. In January, 1917, the division was in line on the left bank of the Aa (Courland). The 407th Infantry lost heavily in January and February.

2. The division then occupied the front east of Kalzeen (region of Mitau) from April to September.

3. In October it was identified north of Lake Lobé. During the last three months of 1917 many men were taken from this division for the Western Front. In this manner it sent men to the 47th Reserve Division in April, to the 14th Division at the end of October, and to the 75th Reserve Division (before it left) in November.

RECRUITING.

The division from its origin was of a very mixed composition. This diversity increased following the many drafts taken from it in 1917 and the diversity of origin of the men sent in exchange.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

On the Russian front since its organization.

Fighting value mediocre.

1918.

COURLAND.

1. In February the 205th Division was to the southeast of Riga.

2. In April it was in Livonia near Walk. About this time the commanding general was decorated. Toward the beginning of June the division was identified in the Narva region, where it remained until the end of the war, with the exception of the 439th Regiment, which was transferred to the 94th Division about the middle of September.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated third class.

206th Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────
│ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────
│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────
Infantry. │2 Res. │359. │2 Res. │359. │2 Res. │359.
│ Ers. │ │ Ers. │ │ Ers. │
│ │394. │ │394. │ │394.
│ │4 Res. │ │4 Res. │ │4 Res.
│ │ Ers. │ │ Ers. │ │ Ers.
─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────
Cavalry. │ │2 Sqn. 2 Uhlan Rgt.│5 Sqn. 10 Drag.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Artillery. │265 F. A. Rgt. │206 Art. Command: │206 Art. Command:
│ │ 265 F. A. Rgt. │ 265 Field Art.
│ │ │ Rgt.
│ │ │ 1 Abt. 27 Foot
│ │ │ Art. Rgt.
│ │ │ (Btries. 2 to 4).
│ │ │781, 1215, and 1230
│ │ │ Light Mun. Cols.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Engineers and│ │(206) Pion. Btn.: │206 Pion. Btn.:
Liaisons. │ │ │
│ │ 6 Co. 30 Pions. │ 2 Res. Co. Pion,
│ │ │ Btn. No. 27.
│ │ 2 Ldw. Co. 18 │ 6 Co. 30 Pion.
│ │ Pions. │ Btn.
│ │ 167 T. M. Co. │204 Searchlight
│ │ │ Section.
│ │ 206 Tel. Detch. │206 Div. Signal
│ │ │ Command.
│ │ │206 Tel. Detch.
│ │ │142 Div. Wireless
│ │ │ Detch.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Medical and │ │210 Ambulance Co. │210 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │ │
│ │157 Field Hospital.│156 and 157 Field
│ │ │ Hospitals.
│ │158 Field Hospital.│306 Vet. Hospital.
│ │306 Vet. Hospital. │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Transport. │ │781 M. T. Col. │616 M. T. Col.
─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────

HISTORY.

(359th Infantry: 3d District—Brandenberg. 394th Infantry: 9th
District—Schleswig—Holstein. 4th Reserve Ersatz: 10th District—Hanover.)

1916.

The 206th Division was organized in Belgium at the beginning of 1916. It was composed of three infantry regiments—the 359th (9th, 10th, and 120th Brigade Ersatz Battalions), the 394th, composed of men taken from the 17th Reserve Division, and the 4th Reserve Ersatz (36th, 37th, and 38th Reserve Brigade Ersatz Battalions).

SOMME.

1. After holding for some time in September the sector of Dixmude (359th), the division was sent to the Somme in October, where it was engaged at four different times (region of Péronne, La Maisonnette, and vicinity of Marchelepot) and suffered heavy losses.

ALSACE.

2. Relieved November 25 and entrained near St. Quentin for Alsace. Took over the sector of Ban de Sapt until the beginning of January, 1917.

1917.

LORRAINE.

1. Sent to rest in the region of Chateau Salins and went into line about the middle of February, 1917, between the forest of Bezange and Leintrey. Remained there until April 20.

CHEMIN DES DAMES.

2. Sent to the Laonnois, where it was stationed near Mont Cornet from April 22 to 30, then at Laon from April 30 to May 4. Then went to the Chemin des Dames (Laffaux, west of the Oise-Aisne Canal). Relieved June 10, after suffering very heavy losses.

LORRAINE.

3. After a month’s rest in Lorraine at Blamont-Sarrebourg, the division was in reserve about the middle of July in the region of Romagne- Montfaucon.

HILL 304.

4. At the end of July it took over the sector of Hill 304-Pommerieux, where its losses were very heavy during the French attack of August 20 (1,074 prisoners). Relieved in haste two days after this attack and sent to rest behind the Reims front until the middle of September, and received about 1,000 replacements taken from the Russian front.

REIMS.

5. The division then held the Berru-Cernay sector, where it did not take part in any important operations (middle of September to Nov. 24).

ST. QUENTIN.

6. About November 28 sent to the St. Quentin front (Pontruet sector).

RECRUITING.

“Regiments from Hanover, Schleswig-Holstein, and Brandenburg,” according to a German communique which designated in this fashion the 4th Reserve Ersatz, the 394th Infantry, and the 359th Infantry.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The division attacked energetically May 24, 1917, at the Panthéon, and June 6 at La Royere. Composed of men from the active army, the reserve and the Ersatz. It is a good division. Its three regiments gave proof of good fighting qualities during the many local attacks at the Chemin des Dames.

It should, however, be noted that in front of Verdun the division did not offer any resistance to the French attack of August 20, 1917. As early as August 14 two regiments of this division had already had 100 deserters.

The sanitary conditions of this division were bad at this period (many cases of dysentery).

1918.

1. The 206th Division was withdrawn from line in the sector northwest of St. Quentin early in February, and went to rest in the region of Fresnoy le Grand. After a short stay here it moved to the Fourmies area, where it received intensive training in open warfare.

PICARDY.

2. On March 16 the division began marching toward the front via Wassigny-Fresnoy le Grand-Fonsommes-Fontaine Uterte. On the 20th it rested in the Hindenburg Third Line. On the 22d it started out again via Lesdins-Fayet, crossed the old front lines northwest of St. Quentin, and spent the night in the former British lines in the Holnon wood. The following day it marched to Martigny, where it spent the night in tents. On the 24th it crossed the canal; the 4th Reserve Regiment encamped at Voyennes; the 394th Regiment marched to Bethencourt and attacked along the canal without suffering heavy losses. On the 26th, the 394th proceeded by Damery and Andechy without being engaged; the 359th was engaged at Guérbigny, and the 4th Ersatz reached the former German trenches near Roye. During the night of the 27th–28th the division entered Montdidier. The 28th, the 4th Ersatz was engaged at Mesnil-St. Georges, leaving many prisoners in the hands of the French. On the 30th the division attacked at Fontaine sous Montdidier. It was relieved during the night of the 12th–13th of April by the 6th Bavarian Reserve Division and went to rest in the region of Gruny, Sept-Fours and Languevoisin. Here it was reconstituted.

3. During the night of the 14th–15th it relieved the 45th Reserve Division near Assainvillers (southeast of Montdidier). It was relieved by the 222d Division on May 9, and was sent to the Nesles, where it was identified on the 26th. Three days later it received 700 replacements from its depot. It was also trained during the period spent here. Toward the end of May it came to the vicinity of Baboeuf (east of Noyon); eight days later it was near Bussy; then on June 8 in the Boulogne area.

OISE.

4. On the 11th of June it came into line reenforcing the 19th Division near Belloy (southeast of Montdidier). It was still in line at the time of the attack of August 8, during the course of which it was forced back with heavy losses as far as Boulogne le Grasse. It was withdrawn near here on the 15th.

5. After a brief rest it came back into line on the 22d near Pontoise (southeast of Noyon). It was withdrawn on the 30th.

6. On the 6th of September it came back into line near Fresnes (south of Peronne). It was relieved by the 105th Division on the 20th.

CAMBRAI.

7. On the 3d of October it relieved the 3d Naval Division, north of Rumilly (south of Cambrai). From the 8th until the division was withdrawn (about the 11th) it was heavily engaged and severely punished, losing some 1,200 prisoners; it was forced back to Carnières (east of Cambrai).

8. The division rested and refitted for a fortnight and then reenforced the front on November 1 near Villers-Pol (southeast of Valenciennes). It continued in line but was made to fall back; prisoners were captured on the 11th at Hyon (south of Mons).

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The 206th was rated a second-class division. The division commander was decorated after the battle of the Somme. On the other hand, the brigade commander issued an order (Oct. 6) to remedy straggling in the division. On the whole, however, the division did well, though not brilliantly.

207th Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────
│ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────
│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────
Infantry. │89 Res. │413. │89 Res. │98 Res. │89 Res. │98 Res.
│ │209 Res. │ │209 Res. │ │209 Res.
│ │213 Res. │ │213 Res. │ │213 Res.
─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────
Cavalry. │ │(?) Sqn. 7 Uhlan │4 Sqn., 7th Uhlan
│ │ Rgt. │ Rgt.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Artillery. │268 F. A. Rgt. │(?) Art. Command: │207 Art. Command:
│ │ 268 F. A. Rgt. │ 75 Field Art. Rgt.
│ │ │ 38 Ft. Art. Btn.
│ │ │834, 1217, and 1330
│ │ │ Light Mun. Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Engineers and│236 Pion. Co. │(207) Pion. Btn.: │207 Pion. Btn.
Liaisons. │ │ │
│ │ 4 Co. 14 Pions. │3 Ers. Co. Pion.
│ │ │ Btn. No. 24.
│ │ 336 Pion. Co. │168 T. M. Co.
│ │ 169 T. M. Co. │190 Searchlight
│ │ │ Section.
│ │ 207 Tel. Detch. │207 Div. Signal
│ │ │ Command.
│ │ │207 Tel. Detch.
│ │ │98 Div. Wireless
│ │ │ Detch.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Medical and │ │211 Ambulance Co. │211 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │ │
│ │240 (?) Ambulance │159 and 160 Field
│ │ Co. │ Hospitals.
│ │159 Field │307 Vet. Hospital.
│ │ Hospital. │
│ │160 Field │
│ │ Hospital. │
│ │307 Vet. Hospital. │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Transport. │ │M. T. Col. │
─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────

HISTORY.

(98th Reserve: 16th District—Lorraine. 209th Reserve: 2d
District—Pomerania. 213th Reserve: 9th District—Schleswig—Holstein.)

1916.

1. The 207th Division was organized in Belgium toward the end of September, 1916. The 45th Reserve Division furnished the 209th Reserve and the 46th Reserve Division the 213th Reserve. Its third regiment, the 413th, which came from the 204th Division, was replaced by the 98th Reserve (from the 212th Division) at the beginning of 1917.

FLANDERS.

2. Assembled in October on the Belgium coast (Zeebrugge-Blankenberg) and went into line before Ypres toward the end of November (Zonnebeke-Ypres road to the Ypres-Comines Canal).

1917.

1. Held the Ypres front until the end of April, 1917.

ARTOIS.

2. At the beginning of May it fought in Artois (Bullecourt, south of Pronville).

MESSINES.

3. Relieved about June 3 and went back into line in the region of Ypres, east of Messines, June 12 to July 6. Did not have heavy losses in spite of serious fighting.

4. In July sent to rest in the vicinity of Roubaix.

YPRES.

5. Beginning on the night of August 1–2, it was again engaged east of Ypres in the vicinity of Hollebeke and Zandvoorde, and counterattacked to recapture Hollebeke. Remained in this sector until October 8.

LENS.

6. On October 20 took over the sector north of Lens, where it alternated with the 220th Division.

RECRUITING.

A composite division. The 98th Reserve got replacements principally from Westphalia; the 209th Reserve from Pomerania; the 213th Reserve from Schleswig-Holstein.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

This division has only a moderate fighting value.

1918.

LENS.

1. The division continued to hold the quiet Loos sector until April 13, when it was relieved by the 220th Division.

LA BASSEE CANAL.

2. It was engaged north of the La Basse Canal on the night of April 13–14. The 98th Reserve Regiment attacked on the 18th on the canal. After the attack the three regiments held the line to the south of the canal until the end of April.

3. The division rested in early May. On the 18th it was engaged south of the La Basse Canal, near Hulluch and Anchy les La Basse. It held this sector without event until it was relieved on the night of July 1–2 by the 10th Erzsatz Division. The regiment marched to Wahagnies, entrained at Libercourt on the 3d and detrained near Bac St. Maur on the same day.

VIEUX BERQUIN-CAMBRAI.

4. It relieved the 44th Reserve Division during the nights of July 3–4 and 4–5 near Vieux Berquin. After a month it exchanged sectors (between Aug. 6 and 8) with the 52d Division which had been holding a sector south of Lens. The sector continued quiet in August and September. The division was relieved on the night of the 24th–25th by the 111th Division and reenforced the front northwest of Cambrai on September 28. After three days of severe fighting and heavy losses it was obliged to withdraw.

BELGIUM.

5. The division was taken to Deynze about October 8 and came into line on the 14th near Thielt between Pittem and Iseghem. It was pushed back toward Denterghem (18th–19th) and later toward the line Courtrai-Ghent (Deynze, Tulte, Waereghem, Oct. 21 to Nov. 1). The division withdrew to reserve on November 1 and thereafter was out of line.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as second class. Its morale was reported to be indifferent at the end of October.

208th Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────
│ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────
│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────
Infantry. │185. │25. │185. │25. │185. │25.
│ │185. │ │185. │ │185.
│ │65 Res. │ │65 Res. │ │65 Res.
─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────
Cavalry. │ │1 Sqn. 6 Res. │1 Sqn. 6 Res.
│ │ Dragoon Rgt. │ Dragoon Rgt.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Artillery. │267 F. A. Rgt. │Art. Command: │267 Field Art. Rgt.
│ │ 267 F. A. Rgt. │157 Foot Art. Btn.
│ │ │819, 1284, and 1357
│ │ │ Light Mun. Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Engineers and│ │(208) Pion. Btn.: │208 Pion. Btn.
Liaisons. │ │ │
│ │ 252 Pion. Co. │252 Pion. Co.
│ │ 338 Pion. Co. │338 Pion. Co.
│ │ 16 T. M. Co. │16 T. M. Co.
│ │ 291 Searchlight │28 Searchlight
│ │ Section. │ Section.
│ │ 208 Tel. Detch. │208 Div. Signal
│ │ │ Command.
│ │ │208 Tel. Detch.
│ │ │80 Div. Wireless
│ │ │ Detch.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Medical and │ │113 Ambulance Co. │113 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │ │
│ │78 Field Hospital. │78 and 300 Field
│ │ │ Hospitals.
│ │300 Field Hospital.│308 Vet. Hospital.
│ │308 Vet. Hospital. │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Transport. │ │618 M. T. Col. │618 M. T. Col.
─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────

HISTORY.

(25th: 8th District—Rhine Province. 185th: 14th District—Grand Duchy of
Baden. 65th Reserve: 8th District—Rhine Province.)

1916.

The 208th Division was organized in the region of Sissonne at the beginning of September, 1916. Its three infantry regiments came from older divisions—the 25th from the 15th Division, the 185th from the 185th Division, the 65th Reserve from the 16th Reserve Division.

Before being transferred to the 208th Division these regiments were engaged in the battle of the Somme, where the 18th Infantry especially was particularly tried (July 5–18).

GALICIA.

1. On September 3 the division was sent to the Eastern Front, via Luxemburg-Aix la Chapelle-Berlin-Leipzig-Cracow-Lemberg.

2. Fought at Brzezany and Halicz from the middle of September to the end of October.

FRANCE.

3. About the beginning of November it returned to the Western Front, via Lemberg-Budapest-Vienna-Salzburg-Rosenheim-Munich-Frankfurt-Cologne-Aix la Chapelle-Liege. Detrained November 13 at Caudry.

SOMME-ANCRE.

4. On November 18 it went into line north of the Ancre, where it was seriously engaged in a series of local attacks.

5. Relieved December 12 and went to rest northeast of Ghent.

1917.

FLANDERS.

1. At the beginning of February, 1917 the division took over the sector Ypres-Comines Canal, which it held until February 25.

2. After a month’s rest in the region north of Ghent it returned to the front (sector Bixschoote-Langemarck) from March 28–29 to middle of April.

ARTOIS.

3. April 24 the division was engaged before Arras between Gavrelle and Roeux and was severely tried during the British offensive.

HINDENBURG LINE (OISE).

4. Withdrawn from the Artois front May 8 and went into line in a quiet sector south of St. Quentin, between Berthenicourt and Moy, where it remained for more than three months, May 14–15 to August 18. Received about 1,000 replacements, among others from the 616th Infantry dissolved, in May.

FLANDERS.

5. About August 23 went to Flanders, via Origny-Le Cateau-Mons-Ghent- Deynze-Lichtervelde. September 4–5 it went into the sector of Langemarck. Though already sorely tried by artillery fire, it was subjected to the British attack of September 20, which again caused it very heavy losses. The 1st and 3d Companys of the 185th Infantry were entirely destroyed or captured; the rest of the 1st Battalion was reduced to a handful of men (letter).

ST. MIHIEL.

6. Left the Flanders front September 29 and went to Lorraine where it took over the St. Mihiel sector.

CAMBRAI-ST. QUENTIN.

7. November 26 it entrained for the region of Cambrai where the 25th Infantry fought on the 30th in support of the 34th Division. The division then held the sector southwest of Villers Guislain-north of Epehy until the beginning of February, 1918. Relieved at that time, and at the beginning of March took over the sector west of Bellenglise, northwest of St. Quentin.

RECRUITING.

The 185th Regiment is a Baden regiment (German communiqué of Nov. 26, 1916). The other two regiments are from the Rhineland, and thus the division may at times be designated under the general appellation of “Rhenish troops.”

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The division took part in many battles on different fronts and generally did well.

When it was put in line at Ypres in September, 1917, 25 per cent of its fighting forces belonged to the 1918 class, and these young elements seem at this time to have weakened the fighting spirit of the division. (Information from the British, October, 1917).

1918.

BATTLE OF PICARDY.

1. The division was in the Bellenglise line sector when the attack of March 21 began. By the evening of the 21st it had advanced as far as le Vergnier. The next day it advanced via Bernes and Catigny and entered Peronne on the following day, remaining there until the 25th, when it crossed the Somme near Biaches. On the 26th the division advanced 4 kilometers encountering slight opposition, and on the 27th advanced 12 kilometers without opposition. It reached Framerville on the 28th after some fighting and on the 29th was engaged against a British counterattack between Cayeux and Beaucourt. A day or so later it was retired from the front near Marcelcave. The casualties of the division in the offensive were estimated by the British as 70 per cent.

HANGARD.

2. It rested near Clery, in the vicinity of Peronne, from April 1 to 18. It came into line north of Hangard (night of Apr. 21–22) and was heavily engaged until May 4. Again the division suffered very heavy losses.

WOEVRE.

3. The division went to rest in the Valenciennes area on May 7. About June 4 it entrained and traveled via Mons-Namur-Charleville-Conflans to Chambley, where it detrained a day later. On the night of June 4–5 it entered line of the quiet St. Mihiel sector and stayed there until the end of July.

SECOND BATTLE OF PICARDY.

4. Relieved on July 28, at St. Mihiel, the division was transported to the Noyon area, and on August 12 was engaged near Belval (south of Lassigny). In the next two months the division was constantly being pressed back. The line of its retreat was through Beaurains-Genvry- Guiscard-Berlancourt-Ville Selves-Crigny-Flavy le Martel-Benay-Cerisy (south of St. Quentin). It was relieved by the 1st Reserve Division on September 30.

5. After hardly a week’s rest, the division reentered lines near Cambrai (southwest of Merguies, later Haussy) about October 8. It held in that sector until the 23d. Few days later it was reengaged between Valenciennes and Le Quesnoy (Ruesnes), but after a few days in line retired from the front.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as second class. It took a prominent part in the March offensive and thereafter was a strong defensive division. Although its effectives were greatly diminished in the fall, its morale remained above the average.

211th Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────
│ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918[33]
─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────
│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────
Infantry. │ │27. │211. │27. │211. │27.
│ │75 Res. │ │75 Res. │ │75 Res.
│ │103 Res. │ │390. │ │390.
─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────
Cavalry. │ │1 Sqn. 2 Uhlan Rgt.│1 Sqn. 2 Uhlan Rgt.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Artillery. │269 F. A. Rgt. │Art. Command: │(?) Art. Command:
│ │ 269 F. A. Rgt. │ 269 F. A. Rgt.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Engineers and│ │(211) Pion. Btn.: │1 Res. Co. 2 Pion.
Liaisons. │ │ │ Btn. No. 27.
│ │ 1 Res. Co. 27 │421 T. M. Co.
│ │ Pions. │
│ │ 268 Pion. Co. │211 Tel. Detch.
│ │ 421 T. M. Co. │
│ │ 211 Tel. Detch. │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Medical and │ │222 Ambulance Co. │222 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │ │
│ │170 Field Hospital.│170 Field Hospital.
│ │173 Field Hospital.│171 Field Hospital.
│ │Vet. Hospital. │173 Field Hospital.
│ │ │Vet. Hospital.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Transports. │ │M. T. Col. │M. T.Col.
─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────

Footnote 33:

Composition at the time of dissolution, August, 1918.

HISTORY.

(27th; 4th District—Prussian Saxony. 75th Reserve; 9th
District—Schleswig—Holstein and Hansa towns. 390th; 18th
District—Hesse—Nassau.)

1916.

The 211th Division was organized September 15, 1916, at Tournai.

The 27th Infantry came from the 27th Division (4th Army Corps), the 75th Reserve from the 17th Reserve Division (9th Army Corps), the 103d Reserve (which was replaced by the 390th in January, 1917) came from the 23d Reserve Division (Saxon). These three regiments fought in July to August, 1916, in the battle of the Somme before being assigned to the 211th Division.

1. About September 20, its organization being completed, the division was sent north of the front of the Somme, to put up defensive works in the region of Nurlu-Manancourt.

SOMME.

2. October 14 it went into line at the St. Pierre-Vaast wood, from where it was relieved November 6.

SOISSONS.

3. It then took over the sector north and west of Soissons (Nov. 20).

1917.

1. In January, 1917, the 103d Reserve was transferred to the 58th Division (Saxon) and replaced by the 390th, recruited in the Rhineland and Hessa, coming from the 16th Reserve Division, which had been formed from drafted companies as well as from elements of the 21st and 25th Divisions and 25th Landwehr Brigade.

AISNE.