Part 12
The 3d Guard Division was rated as one of the best German divisions. It was completely exhausted in the offensive of March and April and suffered from a low morale in July and August. The Argonne Battle losses were very severe for the division. The regiments were reduced to 200 and 300 effectives.
3d Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │5. │2 Gren. │5. │2 Gren. │6. │34 Fus. │ │9 Gren. │ │9 Gren. │ │42. │6. │34 Fus. │6. │34 Fus. │ │4 Ldw. │ │42. │ │42. │ (1, 2, and 4 │ │ │ │ │ Btns.). ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────────────── Cavalry. │3 Horse Gren. Rgt. │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │3 Brig.: │3 Brig.: │3 Brig.: │ 2 F. A. Rgt. │ 2 F. A. Rgt. │ 2 F. A. Rgt. │ 38 F. A. Rgt. │ 38 F. A. Rgt. │ 38 F. A. Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. 2:│1 Pion. Btn. No. 2: Liaisons. │ │ │ │ │ Field Co. 2 Pions.│ 1 Co. 2 Pions. │ │ │ │ │ 3 Pont. Engs. │ 3 Pont. Engs. │ │ │ │ │ 3 Tel. Detch. │ 3 Tel. Detch. │ │ │ │ │ │ 3 T. M. Co. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │ │ │ Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transports. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │6. │426. │6. │381. │ │428. │ │(?) │ │4 Ldw. │ │428. │ (1, 2, and 4 │ │ │ Btns.). │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │3 Horse Gren. Rgt. │3 Sqn. 3 Horse │ (3d Sqn.). │ Gren. Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │3 Art. Command: │(?). │ 38 F. A. Rgt. │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│1 Pion. Btn. No. 2:│108 Pion. Btn.: Liaisons. │ │ │ 1 Co. 2 Pions. │ 1 Co. 6 Ldw. │ │ Pions. │ 3 Tel. Detch. │ 2 Ldw. Co. 4 C. │ │ Dist. Pion. │ 3 Co. 32 Pions. │ 110 Searchlight │ │ Section. │ 3 T. M. Co. │3 Signals Command: │ 283 and 301 │ 3 Tel. Detch. │ Searchlight │ │ Sections. │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │7 Ambulance Co. │7 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │18 Field Hospital. │23 Field Hospital. │24 Field Hospital. │24 Field Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. │189 Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transports. │6 Truck train. │ │7 Truck train. │ │436 M. T. Col. │ ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
HISTORY.
(Second District—Pomerania).
1914.
1. The 3d and 4th Division together composed the 2d Army Corps (Stettin).
2. At the beginning of the war it gave up one of its five regiments, the 54th Infantry, for the formation of the 36th Reserve Division, which operated against Russia.
BELGIUM.
3. In August, 1914, the 3d Division formed a part of the 1st Army (Von Kluck). It invaded Belgium the 13th and 14th of August, passing through Visé (Aug. 14), Hasselt (Aug. 17), Aerschot (Aug. 19), Laeken (Aug. 21) and entered France on the 24th.
MARNE.
4. It was at Cambrai on the 26th and on the Somme the 28th. It took part in the Battle of the Marne at Vareddes on the 7th of September (district northeast of Meaux).
5. Was situated to the north of Soissons after the retreat. The 2d of October it was in the district south of Roye; on the 4th it fought near Beauvraignes.
6. At the beginning of November it was transported to Flanders (Wytschaete-Messines District) where it remained till the end of the month.
RUSSIA.
7. It then entrained for Russia (end of November). On its arrival it was divided. The 5th Brigade was attached to the 8th Army in Oriental Prussia, the 6th Brigade to the 10th Army to the east of Lodz.
1915.
1. During the first months of 1915 the two brigades remained separated and changed position with their respective armies. The 5th Brigade went into the government of Souvalki near the frontier of Oriental Prussia; the 6th into Poland near Prasnysz and the Narew.
2. In May, at the time of the formation of new divisions, the 5th Brigade was broken up. The 2d Grenadiers, then in Courland, went over to the Homeyer Brigade which then became the 109th Division; the 9th Grenadiers went as the Third Regiment to the 3d Guard Division which abandoned one of its brigades (the 5th Guard) for the formation of a 4th Guard Division.
3. The 3d Division, reduced to the 6th Brigade, completed itself by the addition of the 4th Landwehr Regiment (1st, 2d, and 4th Battalions). The progress of the Russian offensive conducted it into the Vidzy District, where it firmly established itself.
1916.
1. Its composition varied still more in the course of the year 1916 and it lost the two active regiments which it still had. The 42d Infantry left it in September to go to the Kovel District and from there to Macedonia; in December the 34th Fusiliers left it definitely in order to go to Courland. In exchange it received two regiments formed in the autumn, the 426th and the 428th Infantry.
1917.
1. There was no change of composition or position during 1917.
1918.
The division remained in the east throughout the year. Its movements were obscure.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated fourth class.
3d Landwehr Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │18 Ldw. │6 Ldw. │18 Ldw. │6 Ldw. │18 Ldw. │6 Ldw. │ │7 Ldw. │ │7 Ldw. │ │7 Ldw. │19 Ldw. │37 Ldw. │ │19 Ldw. │37 Ldw. │19 Ldw. │ │46 Ldw. │ │46 Ldw. │ │46 Ldw. ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │1 Ldw. Cav. Rgt. (3│1 Ldw. Cav. Rgt. │1 Ldw. Cav. Rgt. │ Sqns.). │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │3 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │3 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │3 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │ (Ers. Abils. of │ │ │ 20, 41, and 56, │ │ │ F. A. Rgts.) │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│ │ │1 Ldw. Survey Sect. Liaisons. │ │ │ │ │ │2 Ldw. Survey Sect. │ │ │ │ │ │1 Ers. Co. 5 Pions. │ │ │ │ │ │303 T. M. Co. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │ │ │ Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transports. │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Attached. │17 Mixed Ers. Brig.│ │ │ (17, 18, 19, 20, │ │ │ and 77 Brig. Ers.│ │ │ Btns.). │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │17 Ldw. │6 Ldw. │17 Ldw. │6 Ldw. │ │4 Ldw. │ │7 Ldw. │37 Ldw. │46 Ldw. │ │46 Ldw. │ │327 Ldw. │ │ ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │ (?) │3 Sqn. 4 Drag. Rgt. │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │Art. Command: │3 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 3 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │ │ (9 Btries.). │ │ 913 Batry. │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│(403) Pion. Btn.: │418 Pion. Btn: Liaisons. │ │ │ 1 Ers. Co. 5 │ 1 Ers. Co. 5 │ Pions. │ Pions. │ 4 Co. 17 Pions. │ 139 Searchlight │ │ Section. │ 344 Pion. Co. │503 Signal Command: │ 303 T. M. Co. │ 503 Tel. Detch. │ 246 Searchlight │ │ Section. │ │ 503 Tel. Detch. │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │230 Ambulance Co. │230 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │21 Ldw. Field │322 Field Hospital. │ Hospital. │ │Vet. Hospital. │22 Ldw. Field │ │ Hospital. │ │503 Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transports. │537 M. T. Col │773 M. T. Col. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Attached. │2 Neuss Landst. │ │ Inf. Btn. (8 │ │ │ │ │ │C. Dist. Btn. No. │ │ 22.). │ ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
HISTORY.
(Fifth District—Posen.)
1914.
RUSSIA.
At the beginning of the war the 3d Landwehr Division formed a part of the 2d Landwehr Corps (old 6th Landwehr Corps) and always occupied the eastern front.
POLAND.
1. Up to the German offensive of the summer of 1915 the 3d Landwehr Division, along with the 2d Landwehr Corps, participated in the Polish campaign. At the end of October, 1914, it was identified before Warsaw (Rawa-Vistula); in the middle of November it was in retreat to the south and east of Czenstochow; in December it was to the west of Kielce.
1915.
POLAND.
1. In January, 1915, the 2d Landwehr Corps was still in the Kielce District.
2. Toward the middle of February a brigade (19th Landwehr Brigade) was detached to the northeast of Warsaw (Plock-Mlawa). Reassembled to the west of Kielce in April, the 3d Landwehr Division remained between the Vistula and the Pilica until July.
BARANOVITCHI.
3. The division took part in the offensive against the Russians (July- August); it was before Ivangorod July 20 and arrived in the vicinity of Baranovitchi toward the end of August.
4. In October it was in the line near Goroditche. In November it took the Liakhovitchi sector (south of Baranovitchi).
1916.
1. The 3d Landwehr Division remained to the southeast of Baranovitchi (Liakhovitchi) for more than two years (November, 1915-January, 1918). The 37th Landwehr became independent in July, 1916, and received various successive additions. About the same date the 3d Landwehr Division furnished a part of the elements necessary to the formation of the 420th Infantry. In return the 327th Landwehr was assigned to it, and it kept this regiment until June, 1917, ceding it at that time to the 4th Landwehr Division.
1917.
1. Liakhovitchi sector. In November the 3d Landwehr Division sent an important reinforcement to the 9th Division (particularly to the 7th Grenadiers); two months later a smaller reinforcement was sent to the 43d Reserve Division, which was preparing to leave the eastern front.
1918.
The division remained in the eastern theatre throughout the year.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division remained on the Russian front from the beginning of the war. Fighting value mediocre. It was rated as fourth class.
3d Bavarian Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │5 Bav. │22 Bav. │5 Bav. │22 Bav. │6 Bav. │17 Bav. │ │23 Bav. │ │23 Bav. │ │23 Bav. │6 Bav. │17 Bav. │6 Bav. │17 Bav. │ │18 Bav. │ │18 Bav. │ │18 Bav. │ │ ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │3 Bav. Light Cav. │ │3 Bav. Light Cav. │ Rgt. │ │ Rgt. (3 Sqns.). ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │3 Bav. Brig.: │3 Bav. Brig.: │3 Bav. Brig.: │ │ │ │ 5 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 5 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 5 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ │ │ │ 12 Bav. F. A. Rgt.│ 12 Bav. F. A. Rgt.│ 12 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│1 and 3 Field Cos. │1 and 3 Field Cos. │1 and 3 Field Cos. Liaisons. │ 2 Bav. Pion. Btn.│ 2 Bav. Pion. Btn.│ 2 Bav. Pion. Btn. │ │3 Bav. Pont. Engs. │13 Bav. Res. Pion. │ │ │ Co. │ │3 Bav. Tel. Detch. │3 Bav. T. M. Co. │ │ │ │ │ │3 Bav. Pont. Engs. │ │ │ │ │ │3 Bav. Tel. Detch. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │ │ │ Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transports. │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Attached. │ │ │Inf. Pion. Co. of │ │ │ the 3 Bav. Div. ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │6 Bav. │17 Bav. │6 Bav. │17 Bav. │ │18 Bav. │ │18 Bav. │ │23 Bav. │ │23 Bav. │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │4th Sqn. 3 Bav. │4 Sqn. 3 Bav. Light │ Light Cav. Rgt. │ Cav. Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │3 Bav. Art. │3 Bav. Art. │ Command: │ Command: │ 12 Bav. F. A. │ 12 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ Rgt.? │ │ │ 1 Abt. 2 Bav. Ft. │ │ A. Rgt. │ │ 149 Bav. Light Am. │ │ Col. │ │ 150 Bav. Light Am. │ │ Col. │ │ 162 Bav. Light Am. │ │ Col. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│5 and 7 Bav. Pion. │2 Bav. Pion. Btn.: Liaisons. │ Cos. │ │3 Bav. T. M. Co. │ 5 Bav. Pion. Co. │ │ │2 Bav. Searchlight │ 7 Bav. Pion. Co. │ Section. │ │3 Bav. Tel. Detch. │ 3 Bav. Searchlight │ │ Section. │ │3 Bav. Signals │ │ Command: │ │ 3 Bav. Tel. Detch. │ │ 77 Wireless Detch. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │4 Bav. Ambulance │4 Bav. Ambulance Veterinary.│ Co. │ Co. │9 Bav. Field │9 Bav. Field │ Hospital. │ Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. │16 Bav. Field │ │ Hospital. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transports. │683 Bav. M. T. Col.│683 Bav. M. T. Col. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Attached. │ │ │ │ ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
HISTORY.
(Second Bavarian District—Bavaria, Bavarian Palatinate.)
1914.
LORRAINE.
1. At the time of the declaration of war the 3d Bavarian Division and the 4th Bavarian Division constituted the 2d Bavarian Army Corps. At the beginning of August, 1914, the 2d Bavarian Army Corps formed a part of the 6th Army (Crown Prince of Bavaria). It detrained at Faulquemont (Lorraine) on August 8, and the 3d Bavarian Division was to the north of Château-Salins on the 10th. It took part in the Battle of Morhange on the 20th, passed the frontier, pillaged Gerbeviller on its way, and advanced as far as the left bank of the Mortagne. Forced to turn back, it moved near Metz the 15th of September and entrained the 19th.
SOMME-FLANDERS.
2. Similar to the 1st Bavarian Army Corps, the 2d Bavarian Army Corps was attached to the 2d Army and fought in the Peronne District (end of September); then it was transported to Flanders, where it rejoined the 6th Army.
3. From November, 1914, to October, 1915, the 2d Bavarian Army Corps occupied the front from the Ypres-Comines Canal as far as Douve. During this period it generally remained on the defensive.
1915.
1. In April, 1915, the 3d Bavarian Division ceded the 22d Infantry to the 11th Bavarian Division, formed at this time.
In June, 1915, the 3d Bavarian Division was sent as a reinforcement for a short time to the Arras sector.
ARTOIS.
2. In the month of October the 2d Bavarian Army Corps (3d and 4th Bavarian Divisions) was transported to the Auchy-Loos sector and kept there until August, 1916.
1916.
1. In the Loos sector the 2d Bavarian Army Corps showed itself very active. It undertook mine works and executed them with great rapidity. At the end of April it attempted a gas attack; this latter had no success, however.
SOMME.
2. The 3d Bavarian Division left the Loos sector with its Army Corps about August 25 and went into the Somme District. It occupied the Martinpuich-Bazentin-le-Petit sector up to the 15th of September and fought with characteristic stubbornness. Its total losses during this period reached 4,976 men (55 per cent).
3. The Division retired from the Somme September 27 and was sent to the Douve sector (from this river to the Armentières-Lille railroad). It remained there till the end of March, 1917.
1917.
ARTOIS.