Chapter XXXIII: Part 33

7. On the 18th it reenforced the front near Raches (northeast of Douai). It was relieved by the 35th Division about the 10th of November.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The 234th was rated a third-class division. In the fighting around Arras in the spring it acquitted itself fairly well, and its commanding general received the “Pour le Mérite.” Its conduct during the rest of the year was mediocre.

235th Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918[40] ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── Infantry. │235. │454. │235. │454. │ │455. │ │455. │ │456. │ │456. ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── Cavalry. │5 Sqn. 9 Dragoon Rgt. │5 Sqn. 9 Drag. Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── Artillery. │235 Art. Command: │235 Art. Command: │ 6 F. A. Rgt. │ 6 F. A. Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── Engineers and│235 Pion. Btn.: │235 Pion. Btn.: Liaisons. │ │ │ 361 Pion. Co. │ 361 Pion. Co. │ 362 Pion. Co. │ 362 Pion. Co. │ 435 T. M. Co. │ 435 T. M. Co. │ 235 Tel. Detch. │ 235 Tel. Detch. ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── Medical and │247 Ambulance Co. │247 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │191 Field Hospital. │191 Field Hospital. │192 Field Hospital. │192 Field Hospital. │ │Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── Transport. │961 M. T. Col. │645 M. T. Col. ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────

Footnote 40:

Composition at the time of dissolution, August, 1918.

HISTORY.

(454th and 455th Infantry Regiments: 5th Corps District—Posen. 456th
Infantry Regiment: 6th Corps District—Silesia.)

1917.

The 235th Division was formed in January, 1917, in the camps of the Warta and of Neuhammer, with elements from the 5th and 6th Corps District. Its regiments were made up mostly of men from the 1918 class (50 per cent) and the remainder from returned sick and wounded and men withdrawn from the front (initial strength, 230 to 235 men per company).

1. After six weeks of intensive training, the 235th Division was concentrated at Posen and sent to the Western Front on February 20, by way of Dresden-Aschaffenburg-Frankfort-Aix la Chappelle-Namur. It passed a new period of training in the Sissonne Camp, and on March 15 was sent to the St. Quentin area.

ST. QUENTIN.

2. At the beginning of April it went into line in the Itancourt sector. Its losses were enormous, principally from the attack of April 13, which necessitated replacements of 2,216 men during the following weeks.

3. Relieved at the beginning of July, it was sent to rest east of St. Quentin (Fontaine Notre Dame).

YPRES.

4. On July 25 it entrained at Guise for Belgium. Concentrated in the vicinity of Iseghem-Roulers, it went to the Ypres front on July 28–31, east of Wieltje, received the artillery preparation and the British attack of the 31st, which caused it very heavy losses. The 454th Infantry Regiment had very heavy losses (4th Company was reduced to 31 men) and was filled up hastily from the resources of the large depot at Beverloo (about 60 men per company).

5. The 235th Division was withdrawn from the front on August 1 and spent a week at rest in Flanders.

6. In the course of August it was transferred to Laonnois, in the vicinity of Montcornet.

AISNE.

7. About September 10 it took over the sector of Juvincourt-Corbeny, where the French attack of November 21 again occasioned it serious losses (400 prisoners). A prisoner of the 456th Infantry Regiment declared that in this company not more than one-fourth of the men were left who composed it in January.

RECRUITING.

The 235th Division was recruited from the Provinces of Posen and of Silesia; consequently, contained a large number of Poles.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 235th Division appeared to have only mediocre offense value.

Following the battle of November 21, 1917, in the Juvincourt sector, the commander of the 456th Infantry Regiment and the commander of the 2d Battalion of the same regiment were relieved in disgrace.

The division received training in the warfare of movement during January and February, 1918.

1918.

1. The division entrained at Sierentz (Alsace) April 4–5 and traveled via Mulhausen, Strasbourg, Treves, Cologne, Lille, Brussels, and Ghent. It detrained at St. Andre, north of Lille, on the 8th–9th and rested in that vicinity until the 22d.

FLANDERS.

2. It entered line east of Robecq on the night of April 22–23 and remained in that sector until May 11. During this engagement the division lost very heavily.

3. The division entrained at Lille on the 12th and was railed via Ghent, Brussels, Namur, Charleville, and Sedan. It detrained north of Briey on the 14th.

WOEVRE.

4. It was engaged on the heights of the Meuse (Vaux les Palameix-Bois des Chevaliers) from May 24–25 to August 8. It was withdrawn from north of St. Mihiel on the 8th and dissolved at Conflans.

5. The 545th Regiment was drafted to the 10th Division. The 11th Division and 82d Reserve Division received elements of the 456th Regiment.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. Its only active service in 1918 was near Armentieres, for which the division was commended by the Kaiser in his order dissolving the division.

236th Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────
│ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────
│ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────
Infantry. │236. │457. │236. │457.
│ │458. │ │458.
│ │459. │ │459.
─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────
Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 13 Drag. Rgt. │4 Sqn. 13 Drag. Rgt.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Artillery. │7 F. A. Rgt. │7 F. A. Rgt.
│ │3 Abt. 16 Ft. A. Rgt. (11
│ │ and 13 Btries.)
│ │956 Light Am. Col.
│ │1337 Light Am. Col.
│ │1343 Light Am. Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Engineers and│363 Pion. Btn.: │363 Pion. Btn.:
Liaisons. │ │
│ 363 Pion. Co. │ 363 Pion. Co.
│ 364 Pion. Co. │ 364 Pion. Co.
│ 436 T. M. Co. │ 436 T. M. Co.
│ 236 Tel. Detch. │ 202 Searchlight Section.
│ │236 Signal Command:
│ │ 236 Tel. Detch.
│ │ 125 Wireless Detch.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Medical and │248 Ambulance Co. │248 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │
│193 Field Hospital. │193 Field Hospital.
│194 Field Hospital. │194 Field Hospital.
│Vet. Hospital. │Vet. Hospital.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Transport. │M. T. Col │
─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────

HISTORY.

(457th and 458th Infantry Regiments; 7th Corps District—Westphalia.
459th Infantry; Regiment; 16th Corps District—Lorraine.)

1917.

The 236th Division was formed at the Senne Camp at the end of December, 1916 and the beginning of January, 1917. Recruited from the 7th and 16th Corps Districts its regiments were composed of men belonging to the 1918 class (40 per cent) and of returned wounded.

CAMBRESIS.

1. The 236th Division entrained at the Senne and Paderborn Camps on April 11 1917, and went to Cambrai by way of Dusseldorf-Aix la Chapelle- Liége-Namur-Charleroi-Valenciennes. Detraining at Caudry on April 13, it went into line southwest of Cambrai (Trestault-Gouzeaucourt) on the 18th. On April 24 it was attacked by British troops, lost the village of Villers Plouich, and suffered heavily (340 prisoners).

2. On May 9 it was sent to rest in the vicinity of Cambrai.

ARTOIS.

3. It then occupied the sector of Cherisy (southeast of Arras) from June 4 to September 2, and did not go into any serious action during this period.

FLANDERS.

4. The division left Artois at the beginning of September, was sent to rest at Courtrai until the 17th, went to Iseghem by railroad, then marched to Roulers. Until September 20 it remained in reserve as a counterattacking division. Between the 20th and 26th, it was in a violent battle east of Ypres, toward the Polygon wood and between this wood and Zonnebeke to oppose the British advance. Before going into line, on September 20, the 2d Battalion of the 459th Infantry Regiment, had lost more than 200 men from artillery fire; on the 22d, the 8th Company had only 15 men left.

5. Withdrawn from the Flanders front, during the night of September 28–29, the 236th Division was sent to rest in the vicinity of Douai.

ARTOIS.

6. On October 6 it went into line north of the Scarpe, between the Roeux and the Gavrelle; it enlarged its sector toward the north at the beginning of November. It was filled up by replacements taken from the Russian front; 400 men coming from the 32d Landwehr Regiment (197th Division) arrived in November.

RECRUITING.

The 236th Division was recruited from Westphalia and the Rhine Province.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 236th Division had serious losses while fighting at Ypres and its morale was weakened in consequence. It may be considered a mediocre division (February, 1918).

According to a deserter’s statement (Jan. 23, 1918), the 236th Division was a shock division in 1917.

1918.

1. The division was engaged from March 21 to April 3. On the March Somme offensive, first at Cherizy, later at Heninel. It was relieved south of Arras on the night of April 3–4 and moved to Passchendaele by way of Aubigny au Bac, Iseghem, and Meulebeke.

YPRES.

2. It entered line at Passchendaele on April 6 and held a sector in this vicinity until June 22, when it was relieved by the 31st Division. The division rested during July at Deynze. It again held the sector southwest of Ypres from August 10 to September 13.

LORRAINE.

3. The division moved from Flanders by way of Tourcoing-Brussels- Liége—Aachen-Cologne-Bonn-Bingen-Coblenz-Kreuznach to Strasburg. It did not detrain there, but was suddenly ordered to Metz, where it arrived on September 24 in the afternoon. It marched to Loringen, stayed one night and marched to Mars la Tour on September 26. The next morning it marched to Jarny and entrained there, going to Dun sur Meuse (via Longuyon and Montmedy). From Dun it marched through Doulcon to Villers, then to Cunel, and then forward into position.

4. The division was heavily engaged from September 29 to its retirement on October 17. It distinguished itself particularly, fighting stubbornly and successfully for many days in succession. It lost only 413 prisoners but its casualties were very heavy, estimated at 3,000. On November 4 the division was reengaged south of Beaumont and continued in line until the armistice.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. Apart from the fighting on the Meuse, the division did not do anything notable.

237th Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────
│ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────
│ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────
Infantry. │244. │460. │244. │460.
│ │461. │ │461.
│ │462. │ │462.
─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────
Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 13 Uhlan Rgt. │4 Sqn. 13 Uhlan Rgt.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Artillery. │83 F. A. Rgt. │83 F. A. Rgt.
│ │3 Abt. 23 Ft. A. Rgt. (7
│ │ and 9 Btries.).
│ │783 Light Am. Col.
│ │1013 Light Am. Col.
│ │1057 Light Am. Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Engineers and│(237) Pion. Btn.: │237 Pion. Btn.:
Liaisons. │ │
│ 365 Pion. Co. │ 365 Pion. Co.
│ 366 Pion. Co. │ 360 Pion. Co.
│ (437) T. M. Co. │ 124 Searchlight Section.
│ 237 Tel. Detch. │237 Signal Command:
│ │ 237 Tel. Detch.
│ │ 25 Wireless Detch.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Medical and │249 Ambulance Co. │249 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │
│195 Field Hospital. │195 Field Hospital.
│196 Field Hospital. │196 Field Hospital.
│272 Vet. Hospital. │198 Vet. Hospital.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Transport. │551 M. T. Col. │
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Attached. │4 Landst. Pion. Co. (10 C. │
│ Dist.). │
─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────

HISTORY.

(8th and 21st Corps Districts—Rhine Province and Lorraine.)

1917.

The 237th Division was formed in January, 1917, at the Elsenborn Camp (one-half men of the 1918 class; the rest, returned sick and wounded and men taken from the front).

RUSSIA.

1. Detraining in Russia in the vicinity of Baranovitchi in March, 1917, the 237th Division went into line south of Vichnev, on the Little Berezina, about the beginning of April.

GALICIA.

2. Relieved on June 25, it was transferred to Galicia by way of Brest- Litowsk. On July 7 it was sent into line in the vicinity of Konioukhi.

3. It was engaged on July 21 northwest of Zbrow, and pursued the Russians by way of Trembowla (July 26) as far as Husiatin, where the front became stabilized. The division continued to occupy various sectors in this area until the end of 1917. It was identified south of Husiatin on December 12 (fraternization).

RECRUITING.

The 237th Division was recruited principally from the Rhine District.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 237th Division occupied the Russian front from its formation until the beginning of January, 1917.

Its combat value was mediocre.

1918.

1. On the 4th of January the division was relieved by Austrian troops and marched by easy stages to Buckas, in the direction of Lemberg. On March 4 it entrained between Brody and Lemberg and traveled via Lemberg- Brest-Litowsk-Warsaw-Kalisz-Goerlitz-Leipzig-Frankfort on the Main- Thionville-Sedan, detraining at St. Juvin on the 12th. It went into cantonments at St. Georges.

ARGONNE.

2. During the night of the 14th–15th it relieved the 80th Reserve Division west of Avocourt. While here it exchanged its Alsace-Lorrainers for more trustworthy men of the 9th Landwehr Division. It was withdrawn about the middle of May.

AISNE.

3. On the 26th and 27th the division entrained at Grandpre and St. Juvin, went through Sedan and Charleville and detrained at Bucy les Pierrepont (north of Sissonne) on the 27th and 28th. The division then marched via Sissonne—the Plateau de Californie-Fismes-Dravegny-Monthiers (northwest of Château Thierry). On the 1st of June it attacked in the Belleau wood, as a result of which it suffered heavy losses. It was withdrawn about the 22d.

ARGONNE.

4. The division entrained at Athies (east of Laon) and detrained near St. Juvin on the 30th. The division remained here a few days and then relieved the 240th Division in the Vauquois sector. While in line here the division received more than 2,000 replacements. It was withdrawn on August 14.

AILETTE.

5. It entrained at St. Juvin and went to St. Quentin and Ham; then it went by truck to the Coucy wood, and then to St. Paul aux Bois (south of Chauny). On the 21st it reenforced the 1st Bavarian and the 222d Divisions near St. Aubin. It was withdrawn early in September, after having fallen back upon Coucy le Château. It rested then for a fortnight in the St. Gobain forest.

SERRE-OISE.

6. On the 25th of September it relieved the 34th Division in the Servais sector (south of La Fère). The division remained in line until the end of the war, falling back through Deuillet-Anguilcourt-La Ferté—Chevresis-Villers le Sec to the La Capelle region, and suffering very heavy losses.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The 237th was rated a fourth-class division. While it was in line in the Argonne in the spring the men (encouraged by their officers) fraternized with the French troops opposing them. Its morale was influenced to a most surprising extent by the measure of success of the German forces. The result was that while it was high in the spring it became low as soon as the tide turned. On August 22, while the division was in line on the Ailette, 80 men, armed and with ammunition, surrendered to 4 French soldiers. In this engagement (about 10 days) more than 900 prisoners were lost. While the division was in line the last time it lost over 1,000 prisoners. At the end of October the division had only about 800 rifles.

238th Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────
│ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────
│ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────
Infantry. │238. │463. │238. │463.
│ │464. │ │464.
│ │465. │ │465.
─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────
Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 13 Drag. Rgt. │2 Sqn. 13 Drag. Rgt.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Artillery. │238 Art. Command: │238 Art. Command:
│ 62 F. A. Rgt. │ 62 F. A. Rgt.
│ │ 53 Ft. A. Rgt. (Staff and
│ │ 1, 2, and 4 Btries.).
│ │ 944 Light Am. Col.
│ │ 1211 Light Am. Col.
│ │ 1233 Light Am. Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Engineers and│238 Pion. Btn.: │238 Pion. Btn.:
Liaisons. │ │
│ 367 Pion. Co. │ 367 Pion. Co.
│ 438 T. M. Co. │ 368 Pion. Co.
│ 238 Tel. Detch. │ 205 Searchlight Section.
│ 368 Pion. Co. │238 Signal Command:
│ │ 238 Tel. Detch.
│ │ 30 Wireless Detch.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Medical and │250 Ambulance Co. │250 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │
│197 Field Hospital. │197 Field Hospital.
│198 Field Hospital. │198 Field Hospital.
│Vet. Hospital. │273 Vet. Hospital.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Transport. │648 M. T. Col. │648 M. T. Col.
─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────

HISTORY.

(463d Infantry Regiment: 9th Corps District—Hanseatic cities. 464th
Infantry Regiment: 9th Corps District—Schleswig—Holstein and
Mecklemburg. 465th Infantry Regiment: 10th Corps District—Hanover.)

1917.

The 238th Division was formed at the beginning of January, 1917, at the Lockstedt Camp, near Hamburg. Its infantry regiments were recruited from the 9th Corps District (Schleswig-Holstein, Hanseatic cities, and Mecklemburg) and from the 10th Corps District (Hanover), and were composed in part (50 per cent) of men of the 1918 class.

1. After a training of almost three months, the 238th Division entrained at Lockstedt, on April 13, 1917, by way of Hamburg, Trèves, Sedan, Namur, Cambrai; it went to Caudry and Bertry (north), where it detrained on the 16th.

HINDENBURG LINE.

2. On April 20 it went into line in the sector of Vendhuille-Bellicourt, which it left on May 20 to go to rest in the vicinity of Douai (until May 28).

ARTOIS.

3. At the end of May it took over the sector of Roeux-Gavrelle, north of the Scarpe. It remained on this part of the front until September 27 and was not in any serious engagement. On June 6, however, the 463d Infantry Regiment suffered heavy losses in its 3d Battalion, which the two others hastily filled up (letter of June 10), and left 170 prisoners.

FLANDERS.

4. Sent to Flanders, the division remained at rest for a few days at Roulers, then in reserve in the vicinity of West-Roosebeke. On October 13 it went into line southwest of Passchendaele. Having suffered heavily from the British attack of October 30, it was hastily relieved on the 31st.

ST. QUENTIN.

5. It entrained on November 6 at Ledeghem. Detraining at Geise, it went to Macquigny, and after a few days of rest occupied the sector south of St. Quentin-Itancourt (Nov. 11–12).

RECRUITING.

The 238th Division was recruited the same as the 111th Division, from Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklemburg, the Hanseatic cities, and Hanover.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 238th Division was of mediocre value, but better than the majority of the divisions of this series.

The large proportion of young recruits in the ranks of the 238th Division gave rise to the nickname “The Division of the First Communicants.”

1918.

1. The division rested and underwent training in the vicinity of Origny- St. Benoite from the 1st of February to March 19. It was brought up to the front south of St. Quentin during the night of March 19–20.

BATTLE OF PICARDY.

2. On the 21st the division attacked at Grugies and in two days advanced by Grand-Serancourt and across the canal near St. Simon. From the 23d to the 29th it advanced in reserve by Libermont-Beaulieu les Fontaines- Beuvraignes. It was reengaged on the 29th at Rollot and Boulogne la Grasse until mid-April. The division suffered heavy casualties in the Somme battle.

RHEIMS.

3. The division was engaged southeast of Rheims (Cernay les Rheims, northeast of St. Leonard) from April 18 to July 20. It carried out a local attack on Rheims on May 30 and June 1. The division did not take part in the offensive of July 15 except by artillery activity.

4. The division rested at Boult sur Suippe from July 20 to 28. From the end of July to August 20 it held its former sector at Cernay les Rheims. Relieved in that sector, it marched by stages toward Brancourt-Coucy le Chateau via Neufchatel sur Aisne, Marchais, Bruyeres (Aug. 21–28).

AISNE.

5. On August 31 the division was engaged at Leuilly-Terny. After September 10 it fought in the vicinity of Quincy-Basse-Aulers until October 12. On that date it retired toward Crepy and withdrew from line. The division started for Marle to rest but was alerted on the 14th and taken in trucks to east of Mart d’Origny. On the 15th it was again in the first line. Two of the regiments had but two battalions and the infantry effectives totaled 1,800. The period between the 18th and 24th of October was relatively quiet on the divisional sector. Following French attacks of October 25 and 26, the division fell back on a prepared position in front of Guise. Here it held until November 5, when it began a retreat by Audigny in the direction of La Capelle.

The last identification was at Buironfosse on November 6.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. Its morale was mediocre, and its effectives few during the latter half of 1918.

239th Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────
│ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────
│ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────
Infantry. │239. │466. │239. │466.
│ │467. │ │467.
│ │468. │ │468.
─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────
Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 9 Drag. Rgt. │4 Sqn. 9 Drag. Rgt.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Artillery. │Art. Command: │55 F. A. Rgt.
│ 55 F. A. Rgt. │78 Ft. A. Btn.
│ │909 Light Am. Col.
│ │1239 Light Am. Col.
│ │1293 Light Am. Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Engineers and│(239) Pion. Btn.: │239 Pion. Btn.:
Liaisons. │ │
│ 369 Pion. Co. │ 369 Pion. Co.
│ 370 Pion. Co. │ 370 Pion. Co.
│ 439 T. M. Co. │ 439 T. M. Co.
│ 239 Tel. Detch. │ 89 Searchlight Section.
│ │ 237 Searchlight Section.
│ │239 Signal Command:
│ │ 239 Tel. Detch.
│ │ 11 Wireless Detch.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Medical and │251 Ambulance Co. │251 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │
│199 Field Hospital. │199 Field Hospital.
│200 Field Hospital. │200 Field Hospital.
│Vet. Hospital. │239 Vet. Hospital.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Transport. │M. T. Col. │649 M. T. Col.
─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────

HISTORY.

(466th Infantry Regiment: 11th Corps District—Electorate of Hesse. 407th
Infantry Regiment: 11th Corps District—Thuringia. 468th Infantry
Regiment: 18th Corps District—Hesse—Nassau.)

1917.

The 239th Division belonged to the series of 12 divisions (231st to 242d) formed in Germany at the beginning of 1917, a strong proportion (50 per cent) of the 1918 class. It includes the 466th, 467th, and 468th Infantry Regiments recruited from the 11th and 18th Corps Districts (Electorate of Hesse, Thuringia, and Hesse-Nassua, and the Grand Duchy of Hesse).

1. From the beginning of January, 1917, to the middle of February, the 239th Division was in the training camps Ohrdruf and of Darmstadt. It entrained on February 17 and went to Rethel. It continued its training for some time behind the Champagne front.

CHAMPAGNE.

2. The entire division went into line north of Souain (Somme Py) on March 27. It remained there until May 15 without any important engagement. One battalion of the 467th Infantry Regiment was sent to Auberive as a reenforcement at the time of the French attack on April 16.

3. The division was at rest in the vicinity of Machault and at Asfeld from the end of May to the beginning of June.

4. About June 10 it went into line northeast of Reims (Cernay sector), then at the beginning of August northeast of Courcy. It occupied this sector until October 6 without having any important battle.

FLANDERS.

5. Transferred to Flanders by way of Hirson and Courtrai, the 239th Division went into line northeast of Poelcappelle on October 23. It lost heavily during the British attack of November 26 and continued to hold this sector, alternating with the 3d Naval Division.

6. Relieved about November 24, the 239th Division was sent to rest northeast of Ghent, then to the vicinity of Lille, at the beginning of September.

RECRUITING.

The 466th Infantry Regiment came from the Electorate of Hesse; the 467th Regiment was called Thuringian in an official document; the 468th Regiment came from Hesse-Nassau.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 239th was a fairly good division.

Considering the missions which have been assigned to it by the German High Command, it seems that the 239th Division is better than most of the divisions of this series.

1918.

1. The division trained in the Bourghelles area until March 17. On that date the division marched toward the front via Bersee-Douai-Estrees- Soudemont-Villers les Cagnicourt-Noreuil-Mory.

BATTLE OF PICARDY.

2. It came into line on the 26th north of Courcelles, attacking Ayette on the 27th. It lost heavily, including numerous prisoners on April 2. The division was relieved on April 6 and rested a week at Aubigny au Bac. It entrained on the 11th and moved to Libercourt.

HANDES.

3. The division was engaged from April 15 to 23 east of Robecq. Elements took part in the attack of the 18th, in which the losses were very heavy.

LORRAINE.

4. After its relief on the 23d the division was railed to Lorraine by Mons-Namur-Sedan-Montmedy-Metz. It rested and was reconstituted near Dieuze from the end of April to May 13. At this time the division was reenforced by a draft coming from the 233d Reserve Regiment of the dissolved 195th Division.

AVRICOURT.

5. The division held the quiet Avricourt sector from May 13 to June 20. It was relieved by the 7th Cavalry Division and railed to Champagne.

CHAMPAGNE.

6. It rested and trained in the vicinity of Rethel-Attigny. About the 10th of July it marched toward the front and on the 15th was engaged in the Champagne offensive at Vaudesincourt. After the attack it held the sector until the beginning of October.

7. The division was attacked at Mont sans Nom on September 26, and on October 4 fell back on the line Betheniville-Hauvine, and later in the direction of Rethel (Oct. 12). The division was in reserve during the middle of October. Toward the end of the month the division was reengaged near Rethel. Its line of retreat in the last weeks was through Le Quesnoy, Jolimetz, Bermeries, south of Bavai, where it was identified on November 8.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. In October the division was very tired and its morale was low. Numerous infractions of discipline occurred. Its battalions were reduced to three companies at the beginning of August.

240th Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────
│ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────
│ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────
Infantry. │240. │469. │240. │469.
│ │470. │ │470.
│ │471. │ │471.
─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────
Cavalry. │8 Sqn. 13 Drag. Rgt. │3 Sqn. 13 Drag. Rgt.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Artillery. │Art. Command: │240 Art. Command:
│ 271 F. A. Rgt. │ 271 F. A. Rgt.
│ │ 3 Abt. 6 Res. Ft. A. Rgt.
│ │ 1092 Light Am. Col.
│ │ 1336 Light Am. Col.
│ │ 1342 Light Am. Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Engineers and│(240) Pion Btn.: │240 Pion Btn.:
Liaisons. │ │
│ 371 Pion Co. │ 371 Pion. Co.
│ 372 Pion Co. │ 372 Pion Co.
│ 440 T. M. Co. │ 440 T. M. Co.
│ 240 Tel. Detch. │ 203 Searchlight Section.
│ │240 Signal Command:
│ │ 240 Tel. Detch.
│ │ 127 Wireless Detch.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Medical and │252 Ambulance Co. │252 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │
│204 Field Hospital. │204 Field Hospital.
│205 Field Hospital. │205 Field Hospital.
│Vet. Hospital. │240 Vet. Hospital.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Transport. │1092 M. T. Col. │650 M. T. Col.
─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────

HISTORY.

(469th and 470th Infantry Regiments: 14th Corps District—Grand Duchy of
Baden. 471st Infantry Regiment: 15th Corps District—Alsace.)

1917.

The 240th Division was recruited in the depots of the 14th Corps District (Baden). Like all the divisions of this series, the 240th Division received a large contingent from the 1918 class at the time of its formation.

ALSACE.

1. After a period of intensive training (Feb. 4 to Mar. 28) in the training camps of Oberhofen and of Heuberg, the 240th Division was sent to Mulhousen about the end of March and went into line between the Rhone-Rhine Canal and Hirzbach (south of Altkirch) until August 20.

WOEVRE.

2. About August 25 it was sent to the Woevre in the sector of Calonne trench, in September.

YPRES.

3. Entraining at Conflans (Oct. 5–6) it appeared in Flanders on the 9th. It went into action between the Ypres-Staden railroad and Poelcappelle and suffered heavy losses in the course of the British attacks of October 9 and 12.

CAMBRAI.

4. Relieved during the night of October 13–14, it was sent to Artois. On October 23 it took over the sector of Bullecourt (southeast of Arras). On November 20, it lost heavily from the British attack launched north of Bullecourt at the same time as on the Cambrai front (700 prisoners).

5. About the middle of December it was withdrawn from the front and sent to rest in the vicinity of Douai.

RECRUITING.

The 240th Division was recruited principally from Baden, some elements from the Rhine Districts.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 240th Division appeared to be of mediocre combat value.

1918.

LENS.

1. The division was in line in the sector Fresnoy-Oppy at the beginning of the Somme offensive. It took no part in the attack on Vimy Ridge of March 28, but remained in support. It was relieved in this sector on April 8.

BATTLE OF THE LYS.

2. It moved northward and was engaged north of Bethune (Hinges-Robecq on April 14.) In two weeks’ fighting in this sector the division lost very heavily including many prisoners.

ARGONNE.

3. Withdrawn on April 27, the division rested at Lille a week. It entrained about May 8 for the Argonne and detrained at St. Juvin. Engaged at Boureuilles-Vauqunois on May 13 the division held that quiet sector until July 10.

CHAMPAGNE.

4. The division was taken to Semide and held in reserve during the offensive of the 15th to be used as an exploiting division. When the attack failed the division was directed west of Reims via Machault, Warmeriville, Brimont. It camped at Jonchery from July 21 to 23.

REIMS.

5. On the 23d the division was engaged in the Bois de Reims. After the 27th it retreated on the Montagnes de Bligny, and later toward Aubilly- Bouleuse. On August 5 it passed into second line, and was relieved 10 days later. It rested 5 days west of Chateau Porcien and returned to line in the Prunay sector on August 13. There it held firm until October 10.

6. After its relief it waited near Rethel until the 14th, when it was railed to Stenay via Sedan. On October 17 it was engaged north of St. Juvin, Champigneulle, east of the Argonne forest. It continued in line until the end, retreating toward Mouzon.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. Its effectives were greatly reduced and its morale low in October.

241st Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────
│ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────
│ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────
Infantry. │246. │472. │246. │472.
│ │473. │ │473.
│ │474. │ │474.
─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────
Cavalry. │(?) 5 Sqn. 18 Hus. Rgt. │2 Sqn. 18 Hus. Rgt.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Artillery. │48 F. A. Rgt. │241 Art. Command:
│ │ 48 F. A. Rgt.
│ │ 102 Ft. A. Btn. (Staff, 1,
│ │ 2, and 3 Btries.).
│ │ 1055, 1061, and 1062 Light
│ │ Am. Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Engineers and│(241) Pion. Btn.: │241 Pion. Btn.
Liaisons. │ │
│ 373 Pion Co. │ 373 Pion. Co.
│ 374 Pion. Co. │ 374 Pion. Co.
│ (441) T. M. Co. │ 441 T. M. Co.
│ 241 Tel. Detch. │ 5 Searchlight Section.
│ │241 Signal Command:
│ │ 241 Tel. Detch.
│ │ 27 Wireless Detch.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Medical and │253 Ambulance Co. │253 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │
│206 Field Hospital. │206 Field Hospital.
│207 Field Hospital. │207 Field Hospital.
│Vet. Hospital. │274 Vet. Hospital.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Transport. │M. T. Col. │651 M. T. Col.
─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────

HISTORY.

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

1917.

The 241st Division was formed at the beginning of 1917 and composed of new regiments (type of divisions 231 and following).

The 473d and 574th Infantry Regiments were formed in the camp at Zeithain in January, 1917, by drafts from the 1918 class and the depots and regiments of the 19th Corps District (Saxony). The 472d Infantry Regiment was originally in the 12th Corps District (Dresden) formed in the same way.

RUSSIA.

1. On March 1, 1917, the 241st Division went to Brest-Litowsk. In April it took over the sector of Postavy in the vicinity of Lake Narotch, where it remained until the middle of June.

GALICIA.

2. Relieved by the 21st Division, it entrained on June 17 at Sventsiany, northwest of Lake Narotch, and went to Galicia, southwest of Brzezany, detraining on June 22. At the beginning of July, it went into line in this region and took part in the German counteroffensive at the end of July advancing south of Skala at the beginning of August. It took up a position on the Zbrucz.

3. After this time the 241st Division occupied various sectors of the Galician front (Koroskow, Husiatin).

RECRUITING.

The 241st Division was entirely Saxon.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

It was on the Eastern Front from the time of its formation until February, 1918. “Our new regiment is a gang of headstrong kids.” (Letter from a man of the 473d Infantry Regiment, Apr. 2, 1917.)

1918.

1. The division rested in the vicinity of Signy l’Abbaye until March 15. It then proceeded by steps toward the St. Gobain forest (Fressancourt, Mar. 24).

BATTLE OF PICARDY.

2. It was engaged south of the Oise (Amigny-Septvaux) from March 25–26 to April 5. Between the 6th and 9th it advanced from Septvaux and Fresnes toward Coucy, encountering heavy losses. The division received the thanks of the King of Saxony for its conduct in this fighting.

BATTLE OF THE AISNE.

3. The division held the sector of Coucy le Chateau until May 29. On the 29th it attacked and advanced as far as Crecy au Mont. It halted on the line Nouvron-Vingre and held there until relieved at the end of June. In the attack of June 5–6 toward Vic sur Aisne the division lost heavily. On the 23d of June it received a draft of 1,500 men.

SECOND BATTLE OF THE MARNE.

4. It rested near Coucy le Chateau for about a week, and on July 10 was engaged south of the Aisne between Ambleny and Pernaut. Then it was struck by the Allied attack on the 18th and thrown back on Mercin. The division lost 42 officers and 2,074 men as prisoners alone. It was relieved at a date between July 22 and 26.

SECOND BATTLE OF PICARDY.

5. The division rested and was reconstituted at Vouplaix, Sains Richaumont near Vervins until August 20. It was moved to La Fere (22d) and on the 25th engaged east of Noyon (Baboeuf-Appilly) and September 4. After that date it fell back gradually by Chauny, Fravecy, on Vendeuil, where it was relieved about September 20.

CAMBRAI-ST. QUENTIN.

6. After 10 days’ rest the division was reengaged north of St. Quentin (Romicourt-Montbrehain) from October 1 to 10. It lost about 1,900 prisoners in this engagement.

MEUSE-ARGONNE.

7. The division rested nearly a month at Audun la Roman after October 22. The 7th Saxon Jaeger Regiment from the dissolved 197th Division had replaced the dissolved 472d Regiment when it appeared in line on November 5 east of the Meuse. The last identification was at Murvaux on November 7.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as fourth class. Its heavy losses of prisoners indicate its poor quality.

242d Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────
│ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────
│ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────
Infantry. │242. │127. │242. │127.
│ │475. │ │475.
│ │476. │ │476.
─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────
Cavalry. │2 Sqn. Wurtt. Res. Drag. │2 Sqn. Wurtt. Res. Drag.
│ Rgt. │ Rgt.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Artillery. │Art. Command: │242 Art. Command:
│ 281 F. A. Regt. │ 281 F. A. Regt.
│ │ 3 Abt. 13 Ft. A. Rgt. (9
│ │ and 10 Btries.).
│ │ 751 Light Am. Col.
│ │ 1091 Light Am. Col.
│ │ 1105 Light Am. Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Engineers and│39 Pion. Btn.: │242 Pion. Btn.:
Liaisons. │ │
│ 375 Pion. Co. │ 375 Pion. Co.
│ 376 Pion. Co. │ 376 Pion. Co.
│ 442 T. M. Co. │ 442 T. M. Co.
│ 242 Tel. Detch. │242 Signal Command:
│ │ 76 Wireless Detch.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Medical and │32 Ambulance Co. │32 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │
│208 Field Hospital. │208 Field Hospital.
│503 Field Hospital. │503 Field Hospital.
│275 Vet. Hospital. │275 Vet. Hospital.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Transport │M. T. Col. │652 M. T. Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Attached │ │78 M. G. S. S. Detch.
│ │14 Art. Observation
│ │ Section.
│ │221 Reconnaissance Flight.
│ │17 Balloon Sqn.
│ │243 Carrier Pigeon Loft.
│ │Elements attached, June 7,
│ │ 1918. (German document.)
─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────

HISTORY.

(13th Corps District—Wurttemberg.)

1917.

The 242d Division was formed at the end of 1916. Like all of the divisions of the same series, the 1918 class entered largely into the composition of the regiments (475th and 476th). These two were recruited from the 13th Corps District (Wurttemberg). Initial effectiveness, 235 to 240 men per company.

The 127th Infantry Regiment is an active peace-time regiment taken from the 27th Division.

1. On March 11, 1917, the 475th and 476th Infantry Regiments left the camp of Muensingen, where they had received training since January, and went to Lorraine. They were joined there by the 127th Infantry Regiment.

LORRAINE.

2. From March 29 to April 30 the 242d Division was in line between Abaucourt and Bezange wood.

3. From May 4 to 15 it was employed upon defensive works north of the Suippe.

CHAMPAGNE-CORNILLET.

4. During the night of May 15–16 it went into line south of Nauroy (Grille-Cornillet wood), where the French attack of May 20 caused it heavy losses (3 officers and 194 men prisoners). Several companies of the 476th Infantry Regiment remained in the Cornillet tunnel.

5. The 242d Division was relieved during the night of May 31-June 1, and after a few days’ rest northeast of Lavannes went into line in a calm sector near Betheny from June 3–4 until August 6.

6. The 242d Division was at rest in the Charleville area from August 7 to 20.

MEUSE.

7. On August 20 it was transferred to the right bank of the Meuse (Beaumont sector). It received the French attack of August 26 (7 officers and 390 men prisoners, mostly from the 475th Infantry Regiment). It counterattacked to relieve Beaumont and remained in line until September 10.

AISNE.

8. From the beginning of October until December 16 it held the sector of Berry au Bac, where its only activity consisted in one raid on November 12.

RECRUITING.

The 242d Division was recruited entirely from Wurttemberg.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

In Champagne the 242d Division showed itself energetic and tenacious (May, 1917).

It was a good division, with a high morale, and the prisoners talked very little (December, 1917).

The 242d Division was listed as an assault division and received the training for divisions of that category (February-March, 1918).

The 475th and 476th Infantry Regiments, however, were considered only mediocre.

1918.

1. The division marched to its entraining point at Bergnicourt (west of Junville) on March 22–24 and entrained for Guise. From there it marched by night toward the Montdidier-Noyan front via Ly Fontaine, Guiscard, Margny aux Cerises.

BATTLE OF PICARDY.

2. It was engaged near Conchy les Pots, Orvillers, Sorel from March 29 to April 8, then near Boulogne la Grasse, Mortemer, from April 10 to 26. The division’s losses were heavy.

BATTLE OF THE AISNE.

3. After its relief it was transported to Champagne, detraining near Le Chatelet sur Retourne. There it rested three weeks. It entered in line between Brimont and Vitry les Reims after May 20. It attacked on the 27th and advanced by Merfy (29th), Tinquex (31st), as far as the line Betheny, Courcelles, St. Brice (June 2). It held that sector until the 1st of August, when it retreated on La Neuvillette and held the front Betheny-Vitry road. It was relieved about September 26.

4. The division was engaged northeast of St. Pierre a Arnes from October 5 to 11. It then fell back on Rethel. On the 20th it was moved to the area east of Vouziers and put in reserve. On October 23 it was engaged near Chestres, and later near Ballay, Quatre-Champs until November 4. Beginning on the 4th it retired in the direction of Sedan by Rancourt (Nov. 8).

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. It was a fair division, although the discipline was relaxed after September.

243d Division (formerly 8th Ersatz Division).

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────
│ 1914–15 │ 1916
─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────
│ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment.
─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────
_Infantry. │29 Mixed Ers. │29, 30, and 31│29 Mixed Ers. │363.
│ │ Brig. Ers. │ │
│ │ Btns. │ │
│ │32, 80, and 86│ │364.
│ │ Brig. Ers. │ │
│ │ Btns. │ │
│41 Mixed Ers. │41, 42, 49, │51 Mixed Ers. │365.
│ │ and (50), │ │
│ │ Brig. Ers. │ │
│ │ Btns. │ │
│51 Mixed Ers. │51 and 52 │ │51 Ers.
│ │ Brig. Ers. │ │
│ │ Btns. │ │
│ │53 and 54 │ │52 Ers.
│ │ Brig. Ers. │ │
│ │ Btns. │ │
│ │ │ (Composition in October.)
│ │ │ │51 Ers.
│ │ │ │52 Ers.
│ │ │ │365.
│ │ │ │400.
─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────
Cavalry. │Cav. Detchs. of the 29, 41, │8 Cav. Sqn.
│ and 51 Ers. Brigs. │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Artillery. │Ers. Abtls. of the 23, 27, │8 Ers. Brig.:
│ 44, 29, and 65 F. A. Rgts. │
│ │ 92 F. A. Rgt.
│ │ 65 Ers. F. A. Rgt.
│ │
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Engineers and│1 Ers. Co. 16 Pions. │1 Ers. Co. 3 Pion. Btn. No.
Liaisons. │ │ 16.
│1 Ers. Co. 21 Pions. │1 Ers. Co. 21 Pions.
│ │253 Pion. Co.
│ │306 Pion. Co.
│ │162 T. M. Co.
│ │
│ │
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Medical and │ │
Veterinary.│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Transport │ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Attached │ │117 Labor Btn.
│ │44 Ldw. Brig. (93 Ldw. and
│ │ 382 Ldw. Rgts.).
─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────

─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────
│ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────
│ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment.
─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────
_Infantry. │247. │122 Fus. │247. │122.
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │478. │ │478.
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │479. │ │479.
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────
Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 19 Uhlan Rgt. 13 C. │3 Sqn. 19 Uhlan Rgt.
│ Dist. Ers. Cav. Detch. │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Artillery. │238 F. A. Rgt. (formerly 65 │238 F. A. Rgt.
│ Ers. F. A. Rgt.). │
│ │36 Ft. A. Btn.
│ │1151 Light Am. Col.
│ │1152 Light Am. Col.
│ │1163 Light Am. Col.
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Engineers and│(243) Pion. Btn.: │243 Pion. Btn.:
Liaisons. │ │
│ 253 Pion. Co. │ 1 Res. Co. 13 Pions.
│ 306 Pion. Co. │ 2 Res. Co. 13 Pions.
│ 100 T. M. Co. │ 16 Searchlight Section.
│ 162 T. M. Co. │243 Signal Command:
│ 443 T. M. Co. │ 243 Tel. Detch.
│ 248 Searchlight Section. │ 8 Wireless Detch.
│ Tel. Detch. │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Medical and │420 Ambulance Co. │420 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │
│137 Field Hospital. │93 Res. Field Hospital.
│138 Field Hospital. │94 Res. Field Hospital.
│Vet. Hospital. │277 Vet. Hospital.
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Transport │M. T. Col. │653 M. T. Col.
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Attached │ │
│ │
│ │
─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────

HISTORY.

(243d Division (former 8th Ersatz Division): 18th Corps District-
Wurttemberg.)

1914–15.

The 243d Division is the former 8th Ersatz Division. The latter was formed in August, 1914, with the help of the surplus trained men in the depots (Reserve and Landwehr 1st Ban.) in the proportion of 1 battalion per active brigade. In this way it comprised 13 brigade Ersatz battalions grouped into 3 mixed brigades (29th, 41st, and 51st).

LORRAINE.

1. Detraining on August 17, 1914, at Sarrebruecken, in the rear of the 6th Army, elements of the 8th Ersatz Division went into action on the 20th. It fought at Hoéville and Serres, north of Luneville, on the 25th and took part in the attacks upon Nancy the first part of September. Sent to the rear of the front in the vicinity of Morhange, it was transferred to Haye at the end of September to relieve the 14th Corps. It stayed there for two years between Limey on the west and Le Pretre wood on the east.

2. In August, 1915, the brigade Ersatz battalions were grouped into regiments. The 8th Ersatz Division was then composed of the 363d, 364th, and 365th Infantry Regiments (Prussian) and of the 51st and 52d Ersatz Regiments (Wurttemberg). It continued to hold the lines in Haye, south of Thiaucourt.

1916.

LE PRETRE WOOD.

1. Until the beginning of October, 1916, the 8th Ersatz Division occupied the sector of the Pretre wood, north of Fey en Haye. In August it lost the 364th Infantry Regiment, assigned to the 33d Reserve Division, and on September 20 the 363d, which entered into the composition of the 214th Division. It received a new regiment, the 400th Infantry Regiment, formed in September by drafts upon its infantry units.

SOMME.

2. Leaving the 400th Infantry Regiment in Haye, and composed of three regiments (365th Infantry Regiment, 51st and 52d Ersatz Regiments), the 8th Ersatz Division went to the Somme on October 3. After a rest in the vicinity of Le Catelet until the 10th it went into the sector east of south of Bouchavesnes, where it did not take part in any important action.

LORRAINE.

3. Relieved on November 18, it returned to Lorraine at Fey en Haye. It went into line southeast of Thiaucourt November 25, where the 400th Infantry Regiment was again assigned to the division.

1917.

1. The 8th Ersatz Division remained on the Lorraine front, southeast of Thiaucourt, until about May 10, 1917. In February the 400th Infantry Regiment was sent to Russia.

At the beginning of May the division underwent several changes—it gave the 365th Infantry Regiment to the 5th Landwehr Division and received the 122d Fusileer Regiment (Wurttemberg) from the 105th Division. The 51st and 52d Ersatz Regiments received the 478th and 479th. The 8th Ersatz Division, already called Wurttemberg, then became the 243d Division.

AISNE.

2. The reserve, first (behind the Rheims front), behind Brimont and Neufchâtel, the 243d Division then occupied the front between Miette and the Aisne (north of Berry au Bac) from May 29 to August 20.

MEUSE HILL 344.

3. Transferred to Verdun, the division went into action at Hill 344 on September 9. The 479th Infantry Regiment lost heavily during the attack of the 9th. The 122d Infantry Regiment took part in the attack of October 2 and also had losses.

MEUSE (LEFT BANK).

4. About October 6 the 243d Division was relieved and sent to rest near Stenay. On October 17 it took up its position on the left bank of the Meuse (Bethincourt sector), where it still remained in December.

RECRUITING.

The division had become purely Wurttemberg.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The elements of the 243d Division appeared good. They were never engaged in very active sectors, except at Hill 344 in September, 1917. At Verdun they showed only mediocre combat value.

1918.

1. The division was relieved in the sector northwest of Verdun at the end of January and traveled by rail to the Stenay area north of Montfaucon, where it rested and trained until March 20. On that day it entrained at Stenay and traveled via Sedan-Charleville-Hirson-Ors to Bazeul. On the 22d the division marched by night via Le Cateau and Montbrehain to Raisel, crossed the Somme at St. Christ-Briost and came into line reenforcing the front on the night of March 25–26.

BATTLE OF PICARDY.

2. It advanced in the first line of the attack through Guillancourt, Villers aux Erables, and attacked Moreuil on the 30th. It suffered very heavy losses, amounting to 50 per cent between March 26–30 at Estrees and Ignancourt, and in the attack on Moreuil. Two companies of the 122d Fusileer Regiment lost more than 207 of their fighting strength. The division was withdrawn about April 4. On April 2 the division received a draft of 350 to 400 men.

PICARDY.

3. The division was reengaged north and east of Villers Bretonneux, relieving the 228th Division. On the 24th it made an unsuccessful attack on Villers Bretonneux. On the 27th it was withdrawn to close reserve and rested until May 13.

THIRD BATTLE OF THE SOMME.

4. Between May 13 and July 7 the division was in line near Albert. It rested until August 10, when it was engaged east of Morlancourt, north of the Somme. It was forced back by Chuignolles, Proyart, Fouconcourt, Fay, Dompierre until its relief on August 29. Four hundred prisoners were lost in that engagement. It was again in line between September 2 and 9 east of Bouchavesnes.

5. The division rested in upper Alsace during September. It returned to Coutrai on October 6 and was engaged south and east of Le Cateau (St. Benin, Bazeul, Catillon and later east of Landrecies), mid-October to 1st of November. On November 6 it was again engaged south of Aulnoye and retreated east of Maubeuge, where it was last identified on November 9.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. It was largely used on active fronts and did creditably.

255th Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────
│ 1915 │ 1916
─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────
│ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment.
─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────
Infantry. │31 Ldw. │30 Ldw. │31 Ldw. │30 Ldw.
│ │68 Ldw. │ │68 Ldw.
│ │1 Ers. Ldw. │ (?) │2 Ers. Ldw.
│ │2 Ers. Ldw. │ │3 Ers. Ldw.
│ │3 Ers. Ldw. │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────
Cavalry. │Hus. Detch. │
│ │
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Artillery. │ │
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Engineers and│ │2 Ldw. Co. 11 C. Dist. Pions.
Liaisons. │ │
│ │1 Ldw. Co. 16 C. Dist. Pions.
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Medical and │ │
Veterinary.│ │
│ │
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Transport. │ │
─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────

─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────
│ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────
│ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment.
─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────
Infantry. │31 Ldw. │30 Ldw. │82 Ldw. │68 Ldw.
│ │86 Ldw. │ │94 Ldw.
│32 Ldw. │68 Ldw. │ │153 Ldw.
│ │94 Ldw. │ │
│ │153 Ldw. │ │
│ (Composition after August, │ │
│ 1917.) │ │
│31 Ldw. │68 Ldw. │ │
│ │94 Ldw. │ │
│ │153 Ldw. │ │
─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────
Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 7 Hus. Rgt. │4 Sqn. 7 Hus. Rgt.
│1 Sqn. 15 C. Dist. Landst. │
│ Cav. Detch. │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Artillery. │Art. Command: │301 F. A. Rgt.
│ 301 F. A. Rgt. │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Engineers and│(255) Pion. Btn.: │255 Pion. Btn.:
Liaisons. │ │
│ 1 Ldw. Co. 8 C. Dist. Pions.│ 1 Ldw. Co. 8 C. Dist. Pions.
│ Metz Landst. Pion. Co. │ Landst. Ers. Co. 11 C. Dist.
│ │ Pions.
│ 455 T. M. Co. │ 209 Searchlight Section.
│ 15 Searchlight Section. │255 Signal Command:
│ 255 Tel. Detch. │ 255 Tel. Detch.
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Medical and │623 (?) Ambulance Co. │627 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │
│Field Hospital. │192 Field Hospital.
│566 Vet. Hospital. │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Transport. │M. T. Col. │
─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────

HISTORY.

(Former Metz Detachment. 68th Landwehr: 16th Corps District—Lorraine and the Rhine Province. 94th Landwehr: 11th Corps District—Electorate of Hesse and Thuringia. 153d Landwehr: 4th Corps District—Prussian Saxony.)

1915–16.

LORRAINE.

1. The 255th Division is the former Metz Detachment, the composition of which was remodeled and which was changed into a division in May, 1917.

2. The Metz Detachment, composed of the 31st Landwehr Brigade (30th and 68th Landwehr Regiments) and of the 1st, 2d, and 3d Ersatz Landwehr Regiments, occupied the same sector of Lorraine between the Moselle and Abaucourt (north of Pont à Mousson) from the end of October, 1914, to 1917.

1917.

1. About May, 1917, the Metz Detachment became the 255th Division. It then comprised the 31st Landwehr Brigade (30th and 68th Landwehr Regiments) and three regiments of recent organization, the 86th, 94th, and 153d Landwehr, formed by grouping the battalions of the old dissolved Ersatz regiments.

2. With this composition, the 255th Division continued to hold the front along the Moselle (right bank) until the month of October.

3. In July and August the 30th and 86th Landwehr Regiments left the 255th Division to form the new 31st Independent Landwehr Brigade. The latter remained in line on the right bank of the Moselle. The 255th Division, reduced to three regiments (68th, 94th, and 153d Landwehr), went to the left bank (Le Prêtre wood) about October 13.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

Mediocre.

1918.

1. The division continued to hold its sector in the Bois le Pretre until the American attack on September 12. At that time the company strength was 180 to 200, with an effective rifle strength of 100. The men were mostly between 37 and 45 years of age.

2. The attack of the 12th of September threw the division back on Vandieres and Preny, where it was still in line at the time of the armistice.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as fourth class.

301st Division.

COMPOSITION.