Part 14
─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918[3] ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── Infantry. │5 Gd. │5 Ft. │5 Gd. │5 Ft. │ │5 Gren. │ │5 Gren. │ │93 Res. │ │93 Res. ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── Cavalry. │2d Sqn. Gd. Res. Drag. Rgt. │2d Sqn. Gd. Res. Drag. Rgt. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Artillery. │4 Gd. Art. Command: │4 Gd. Art. Command: │ 6 Gd. F. A. Rgt. │ 6 Gd. F. A. Rgt. │ │ 3 Abt. 1 Gd. Ft. A. Rgt. (5, │ │ 6, and 10 Btries.). │ │ 1208 Light Am. Col. │ │ 1285 Light Am. Col. │ │ 1359 Light Am. Col. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Engineers and│106 Pion. Btn.: │106 Pion. Btn.: Liaisons. │ │ │ 261 Pion. Co. │ 261 Pion. Co. │ 269 Pion. Co. │ 269 Pion. Co. │ 4 Gd. T. M. Co. │ 4 Gd. T. M. Co. │ 315 Searchlight Section. │4 Gd. Signals Command: │ 4 Gd. Tel. Detch. │ 4 Gd. Tel. Detch. │ │ 61 Wireless Detch. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Medical and │267 Ambulance Co. │267 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │392 Field Hospital. │392 Field Hospital. │397 Field Hospital. │397 Field Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. │4 Gd. Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Transports. │13 Gd. Truck Train. │533 M. T. Col. │533 M. T. Col. │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Attached. │32 M. G. S. S. Detch. │44 Observation Group. │70 Anti-Aircraft Section. │72 Sound Ranging Section. │ │244 Reconnaissance Flight. │ │20 Balloon Sqn. ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── Footnote 3:
According to a document of Aug. 21, 1918.
HISTORY.
1915.
The 4th Guard Division was formed on the Russian front in March, 1915.
RUSSIA.
1. From March 14 to July 12 the 4th Guard Division was in line near Przasnysz. It belonged to Gallwitz’s army, which was operating north of the Vistula.
2. From July 13 to September 28 the division took part in many fights, notably on the Narew, and took part in the pursuit as far as the region of the marshes of Lithuania.
3. Withdrawn from the front and reached Kovno on foot, where it entrained for the Western Front on October 10 via Koenigsberg, Luebeck, Hamburg, Aix-la-Chapelle, Namur. Detrained at Douai and sent to rest.
FRANCE.
4. From November 14 to 26 it occupied a sector near Arras, then went to rest near Cambrai.
5. From December 15, 1915, to January 4, 1916, it built entrenchments in the region of Wytschaete-Messines.
1916.
1. During January and February, 1916, the 4th Guard Division continued its entrenching work in the sector Wytschaete-Messines and held the sector at the same time.
2. Until the end of April, 1917, the 4th Guard Division, together with the 1st Reserve Guard Division, formed the reserve corps of the guard. Both these divisions were put through a course of training with a view to active operations.
3. From May 9 to July 23 the division remained in line northeast of Neuville-St. Vaast.
SOMME.
4. Engaged in the battle of the Somme July 25 (Estres sector), suffered heavy losses and was withdrawn August 19. Engaged again after a few days of rest and fought some severe local battles until September 10 (Thiepval sector).
5. After seven days of rest behind the Flanders front it held a quiet sector north of Ypres from September 17 to October 25.
6. From November 6 to 25 it was again sent to the Somme, where it was subjected to several heavy local attacks (Warlencourt sector).
1917.
1. Remained in the Warlencourt sector until March 17, 1917. It was relieved immediately after it had retired to the Hindenburg line.
LENS.
2. After three weeks’ rest in the region of Tournai it was sent by stages to the south of Lens, where it went back in the lines. It suffered considerable losses there. Withdrawn from the front July 11.
3. At rest in the region of Pont-a-Vendin and Meurchin. On August 15 the division was hurried up to the north of Lens. It attacked to regain the lost ground but in vain. Its losses were extremely heavy.
4. The division stayed in line until September 15.
FLANDERS.
5. At rest for a week behind the front. Entrained September 23 and 24 at Carvin for Flanders.
6. It was at first in the reserve of the army, but went into line September 27 east of Zonnebeke. After one of its regiments had attacked and was stopped by the British artillery fire (Oct. 22), the division obtained replacements and on October 4 renewed its attempt to retake the heights lost on September 26. Warned by a British attack, they became demoralized and fled in disorder toward Becelaere. The losses of the 4th Guard Division were so heavy that it had to be relieved on October 5 to 7.
7. Entrained for Guise and arrived there October 10. Went into line on the 14th in the sector of Itancourt, southeast of St. Quentin, and was still holding it in December. Its forces were much reduced by the attacks in Flanders and were reinforced by neighboring units (13th Landwehr Division).
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
Formerly an excellent combat unit, having that traditional esprit de corps which animated the regiments of the Prussian Guards. At the present time (November, 1917) it has lost a good part of its fighting value. It seems to have been much weakened by the battle of Ypres (October, 1917).
1918.
GUISE.
1. The division rested during January near d’Origny Ste. Benoite (west of Guise).
SOMME.
2. On February 4 the division came into line northwest of Bellenglise. It was relieved about the middle of February.
3. Upon relief, it marched via Bohain to St. Souplet, near Le Cateau. Here the division underwent a course of training in this area until March 18, when it marched via Bohain-Brancourt-Montbrehain-Ramicourt back to its old sector at Bellenglise, arriving in line March 20.
BATTLE OF PICARDY.
4. The division attacked in the first line and advanced by Hesbecourt March 21–26. Passing into support for eight days it was reengaged April 3–8 near Bouzencourt and le Hamel, suffering very heavy losses. Between the 8th and the 24th the division rested. It was in line again near Marcelcave from the 22d to the end of April, participating in the attack at Villers-Bretoneaux on the 24th. Heavy losses were again sustained.
5. Again the division went to rest at St. Souplet, near le Cateau. The 2d Battalion of the 427th Regiment, dissolved, arrived as a reinforcement for the division on May 27. The division was moved by rail to Flavy le Martel on night of June 1. It marched by nights to Canny sur Matz (by Golancourt, Guiscard, and Candor) and entered the line on the night of June 8–9.
BATTLE OF THE OISE.
6. The division attacked on the 9th between Roye sur Matz and Canny sur Matz. It penetrated by Marquelise to Antheuil. The French counterattack threw it back north of Antheuil on the 11th. The division stayed in line until the 19th.
LORRAINE.
7. After resting at Bohain until June 29 the division was moved to Lorraine by Valenciennes-Brussels-Namur-Saarburg. Here it was rested and reconstituted.
8. The division returned by rail to Athies sur Laon on July 22. From there it marched to Mousey sur Aisne by stages and then in trucks to Mareuil en Dole on July 25.
BATTLE OF THE MARNE, VESLE, AISNE.
9. The division was engaged July 27 southeast of Fere en Tardenois. It fell back toward Fismes on August 1–2, from where it was shifted into the Courlandon-Breuil sector, which it held from August 14 to the beginning of September. On the 5th it moved to the south of Glennes, remaining there until the 30th, when it fell back across the canal. The division was relieved on October 2, but turned back to line on the 5th to cover the retreat near Benu au Bac. On the 7th it went to rest for a week.
ARDENNES.
10. Reengaged west of Chateau Porcien from October 14 to November 5. The 93d Regiment was mentioned in the German communique of November 2 as fighting especially well. In the retreat the division passed through Renneville and Rubigny, where it was last identified on November 11.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was always regarded as a first-class fighting division, although the losses on the Somme in March and the setback on the Oise in June lowered its value. Constant fighting impaired the morale and kept the effectives low, but the division was always to be included in the first-class divisions.
4th Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │7. │14. │7. │14. │7. │14. │ │149. │ │149. │ │149. │8. │49. │8. │49. │8. │49. │ │140. │ │140. │ │140. ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │12 Drag. Rgt. (v. │12 Drag. Regt. │ │ Arnim). │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │4 Brig.: │4 Brig.: │4 Brig.: │ 17 F. A. Rgt. │ 17 F. A. Rgt. │ 17 F. A. Rgt. │ 53 F. A. Rgt. │ 53 F. A. Rgt. │ 53 F. A. Rgt. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│ │1 Pion. Btn. No. 2:│1 Pion. Btn. No. 2: Liaisons. │ │ │ │ │ Field Co. 1 Pion. │ 2 Co. 2 Pions. │ │ Btn. No. 2. │ │ │ 4 Pont. Engs. │ 4 T. M. Co. │ │ 4 Tel. Detch. │ 4 Pont. Engs. │ │ │ 4 Tel. Detch. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │ │ │ Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transport. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Attached. │ │ │ ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │8. │14. │8. │14. │ │49. │ │49. │ │140. │ │140. │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │3d Sqn. Horse Gren.│2 Sqn. 3 Horse │ Rgt. │ Gren. Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │4 Art. Command: │4 Art. Command: │ 53 F. A. Rgt. │ 53 F. A. Rgt. │ │ 48 Ft. A. Btn. │ │ 939 Light Am. Col. │ │ 945 Light Am. Col. │ │ 1319 Light Am. │ │ Col. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│114 Pion. Btn.: │114 Pion. Btn.: Liaisons. │ │ │ 2 Co. 2 Pions. │ 2 Co. 2 Pions. │ │ │ 5 Co. 2 Pions. │ 5 Co. 2 Pions. │ 2 Co. 114 Pions. │ 4 T. M. Co. │ 4 T. M. Co. │ 55 Searchlight │ │ Section. │ 7 Searchlight │ 4 Signals Command: │ Section. │ │ 4 Tel. Detch. │ 4 Tel. Detch. │ 4 Pont. Engs. │ 72 Wireless Detch. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │6 Ambulance Co. │6 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │17 Field Hospital. │17 Field Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. │19 Field Hospital. │ │131 Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transport. │8 Truck Train. │537 M. T. Col. │9 Truck Train. │ │537 M. T. Col. │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Attached. │Construction Co. │ ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
HISTORY.
(Second District—Pomerania.)
1914.
FRANCE.
1. At the beginning of the campaign the 4th Division fought on the Western Front until November, 1914. It detrained at Rheydt on August 9 and 10, and entered Belgium on the 14th and France on the 25th. Fought at Sailly-Saillisel on the 28th; reached Grand-Morin September 5 and fought at Acy en Multien on the 6th. After retreating to the north of Soissons it remained south of Roye from the end of September to the end of October, and was near Ypres in November.
RUSSIA.
2. Sent to Russia and took part in the second offensive on Warsaw.
1915.
1. In January it took part in the battles of Bolimow. In February it went to the Carpathians (Army of the South under Linsingen). Took part in the offensive on Lemburg.
2. About September 27, 1915, it was relieved in the region south of Baranovitchi and entrained at Kobryn for the Western Front.
FRANCE.
3. It arrived in the vicinity of Sedan at the beginning of October. After a few days’ rest it marched to the north of Tahure.
4. On October 30 the division took part in the attack of Butte De Tahure and suffered severe losses.
5. At the beginning of November it left Champagne for the region of Reims where its units went into the trenches on November 8. Until the beginning of April, 1916, it held the sector northwest of Prunay.
1916.
1. At the beginning of April the division was sent to rest in the vicinity of Rethel. During this period (Nov. 15 to Apr. 16) its losses were light.
VERDUN.
2. At the beginning of May the division was sent to the region of Verdun. On May 4 it took part on the attack on Hill 304, where it suffered heavy losses.
3. Relieved May 15 and sent to rest in the region of Mouzon-Carignan, from where it went to the region of Damvillers.
4. At the beginning of July it was sent to hold the sector of Thiaumont at the moment when the French recommenced their offensive in that region. Its losses were very heavy.
5. On August 3 it left Thiaumont for the region of Cumieres, on the left bank of the Meuse (Aug. 5).
6. At the end of September it held the sector Malancourt-Avocourt.
7. Relieved at the end of October and trained at Dun. After a short rest it went into line in December northeast of Vaux.
1917.
1. The division remained in the Vaux sector until April 17.
2. It relieved the 10th Reserve Division in the region of Satigneul (night of Apr. 15–16) a few hours before the beginning of our attack. It remained in this sector until May 5 and was subjected to French attacks of April 16 and May 4.
3. Beginning May 5, it was relieved and went into camp in the region of Caurel.
CHAMPAGNE.
4. On May 7 and the following days it went into the sector of Grille Mont Haut and held this until June 19.
5. The division was put in reserve on this date in the region Epove- Warmeriville.
6. Went into line in the sector Moronvilliers (July 19 and days following) until the end of October.
BELGIUM.
7. At the end of October it entrained at Juniville and went to Belgium, where it held the sector Poelcapelle until November 24.
8. It went into line again east of Armentieres on November 30 and was still in that sector on January 11, 1918.
RECRUITING.
In spite of heavy losses suffered several times, it would seem that they wished to keep up the Pomeranian character of the 4th Division, although it received in September, 1915, some men of the 1915 class from Hesse- Nassau, and later on a number of Brandenburgers and Silesians, as the third and sixth districts often furnished their ratio to the districts temporarily out of men. A great majority of men, however, came from Pomerania, and as the resources of this Province in men are limited it was necessary, to keep up the provincial composition of this division, to draw from the Landwehr depots and the battalions of Pomeranian Landsturm. Since it was impossible to maintain the quality of the division, it seems that they were anxious to maintain its nationality.
VALUE.
The 4th Division was always a very good division and gave proof of very fine military qualities in all the battles in which it took part, especially in the sector of Sapigneul during the offensives of April 16 and May 4, 1917. It would seem that the nature of the replacements they received, especially the most recent ones, has considerably altered the value of this division.
1918.
1. The division was relieved from the front of Armentieres on January 23, and went to rest and instruction in the Oisene area (southwest of Deyuze). After four weeks the division entrained at Roubaix on March 16 and detrained at Douai on the following day. Hence it marched by stages to Neuville St. Remy, a suburb of Cambrai. The division was concentrated south of Inchy on the night of March 20–21.
BATTLE OF PICARDY.
2. Engaged on March 21, the division advanced by Doignies and Herrnies. It passed to rest on the 24th and was reengaged from March 26 to April 6 at Miraumont, Hebuterne, and Colincamps. The division suffered very heavy losses in the engagement.
3. Relieved from the Hebuterne front on April 6, the division rested two weeks in the Bapaune-Cambrai area. The division moved north to the Lys front via Douai-Lille.
BATTLE OF THE LYS.
4. The division was in line west of Merville from April 23 to May 14.
5. While at rest north of Tournai, the division was reconstituted and prepared for another heavy engagement.
6. The division entrained for Loos on June 30 and moved on to Sailly sur la Lys on July 18.
THE LYS WITHDRAWAL.
7. The division came into line near Merris on July 27. It lost 500 prisoners south of Meteren on August 18. On the 30th the division fell back on Bailleul and later to Bac St. Maur and Fleurbaix. It was relieved at Fleurbaix on October 11.
8. The division rested from the 11th to the 21st near Denain.
9. Again the division was engaged to the east and northeast of Solesmes and near Le Quesnoy, retreating to Beaurain, Ghissignies, and Ruesnes. It passed in the second line on November 1, but came back to the line south of Le Quesnoy about November 5. It retreated by Locquignol toward Maubeuge, where it was last identified on November 9.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The 4th Division was a very good division. In 1918 its morale was mediocre, due to the young recruits.
4th Ersatz Division.
COMPOSITION.