Part 16
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │7 Bav. │5 Bav. │7 Bav. │5 Bav. │7 Bav. │5 Bav. │ │9 Bav. │ │9 Bav. │ │5 Bav. │ │ │ │ │ │ Res. │5 Bav. │5 Bav. │5 Bav. │5 Bav. │ │9 Bav. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ Res. │ │ │ │8 Bav. │ │8 Bav. │ │ │ │ Res. │ │ Res. │ │ ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │5 Bav. Light Cav. │ │5 Bav. Light Cav. │ │ │ (3 Sqns.). ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │4 Bav. Brig.: │4 Bav. Brig.: │4 Bav. Brig.: │ │ │ │ 2 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 2 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 2 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 11 Bav. F. A. Rgt.│ 11 Bav. F. A. Rgt.│ 11 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│2d Field Co. │2d Field Co. │2d and 5th Field Liaisons. │ │ │ Cos. │2 Bav. Pion. Btn. │2 Bav. Pion. Btn. │2 Bav. Pion. Btn. │ │4 Bav. Pont. Engs. │4 Bav. T. M. Co. │ │4 Bav. Tel. Detch. │4 Bav. Pont. Engs. │ │ │4 Bav. Tel. Detch. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │ │ │ Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transports. │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Attached. │ │ │35 Labor Btn. ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │7 Bav. │5 Bav. │7 Bav. │4 Bav. │ │5 Bav. │ │5 Bav. │ │ Res. │ │ │ │9 Bav. │ │9 Bav. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │3 Bav. Light Cav. │5 Sqn. 3 Bav. Light │ (5th Sqn.). │ Cav. Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │4 Bav. Art. │4 Bav. Art. │ Command: │ Command: │2 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 2 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │11 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 2 Abt. 4 Bav. F. │ (?). │ A. Rgt. │ │ 122 Bav. Light Am. │ │ Col. │ │ 134 Bav. Light │ │ Am. Col. │ │ 135 Bav. Light │ │ Am. Col. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│6 Bav. Pion. Co. │8 Bav. Pion. Btn.: Liaisons. │ │ │9 Bav. Pion. Co. │ 6 Bav. Pion. Co. │4 Bav. T. M. Co. │ 9 Bav. Pion. Co. │4 Bav. Tel. Detch. │ 14 Bav. T. M. Co. │ │ 4 Bav. Searchlight │ │ Section. │ │4 Bav. Signal │ │ Command: │ │ 4 Bav. Tel. Detch. │ │ 108 Bav. Wireless │ │ Detch. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │5 Bav. Ambulance │5 Bav. Ambulance Veterinary.│ Co. │ Co. │11 Bav. Field │11 Bav. Field │ Hospital. │ Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. │12 Bav. Field │ │ Hospital. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transports. │M. T. Col. │684 Bav. M. T. Col. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Attached. │ │ ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
HISTORY.
(Second Bavarian District—Bavaria and Lower Franconia.)
1914.
1. At mobilization the 4th Bavarian Division, with the 3d Bavarian Division, formed the 2d Bavarian Army Corps. It transferred its 8th Brigade (Metz Garrison) to the 33d Reserve Division and replaced it by the 5th Bavarian Reserve Brigade, organized in the Palatinate. The other brigade, the 7th, detrained, commencing August 3, between Morhange and Remilly. The reserve brigade detrained August 10 at St. Avold. Assembled the 18th in the rear of the Metz-Strasbourg Railroad and with the 2d Bavarian Army Corps constituted the 6th Army (Crown Prince Ruprecht of Bavaria).
LORRAINE.
2. On August 20 it fought west of Morhange. Then it captured the fort of Manonviller (with the 22d Bavarian of the 3d Bavarian Division) and advanced to Mortagne, south of Luniville. September 11 it was withdrawn to the rear.
SOMME.
3. September 18 the division entrained at Metz for Namur, from where it went to the north of Peronne (Sept. 25). It then became part of the 2d Army and fought from September 26 to the middle of October in the region north of the Somme (Fricout, Mametz, Montauban).
FLANDERS.
4. During the third and fourth weeks of October (beginning the 23d) it went to Flanders (6th Army) south of Ypres. It held the sector of Wytschaete from November 14 to October 15 and was on the defensive. November 9 the 5th Infantry was reduced to less than 800 men (notebooks).
1915.
In March, 1915, the 8th Reserve Infantry was transferred from this division to the 10th Bavarian Division.
ARTOIS.
1. September 26, 1915, some of its units fought on the Loos-Hulluch front at the time of the British attack. In the counter attack, during which these troops retook ditch No. 8, they suffered severe losses.
In November the whole division was in the region of Loos south of Hulluch, where it stayed until August 16. In this sector it carried on mine warfare. About the end of April, 1916, it lost 1,100 men while attempting a gas attack.
1916.
SOMME.
1. Toward the end of August, 1916, the division was sent to the Somme.
2. It was engaged between Martinpuich and Longueval, where it fought violent battles for the Bois Haut (Aug. 25–28 to Sept. 15). Its total losses were 5,361 men, or 60 per cent of its effectives.
FLANDERS.
3. Again sent to Flanders and held the sector northeast of Armentieres (east of the Bois de Ploegsteert) from October 16 to June 17.
1917.
1. In June, 1917, while still in line in front of Bois de Ploegsteert, it was in part subjected to the British attack against Messines ridge, and suffered especially from the artillery preparations. It lost 200 prisoners.
2. Relieved from the Belgian front about June 16 and sent to rest in the region of Audenarde until July 7.
3. Beginning July 9, it was engaged southeast of Armentieres (between the Lys and Wez-Macquart) July and August.
4. Withdrawn from the Armentieres sector in the middle of September and went into line northeast of Ypres, between Zonnebeke and Passchendaele, from September 26 to October 27. Suffered heavy losses (30 per cent of its forces).
LORRAINE.
5. October 11 entrained at Pitthem and went to Conflans the 13th from where it went into line in the region of Thiaucourt (Limey sector). It was there still in February, 1918.
RECRUITING.
Lower Franconia and Bavarian Palatinate.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The 4th Bavarian Division went through some very severe offensive and defensive fights and came through them with honors.
The prisoners examined gave proof of vigor and tenacity if not of intelligence. As soon as it is filled up again this division shall again take its place on the most effective fronts (December, 1917).
It is to be noted that February, 1918, it is not yet completely filled up and does not seem to be in shape for an offensive.
1918.
1. The division remained in the quiet Thiaucourt sector until late March when it was relieved by the 40th Division. On April 14 it entrained at Nancieulles and traveled via Audun le Romain-Longuyon-Sedan-Charleville- Hirson-Avesnes-Denain-Orchies to Rouchin. It marched to Armentieres, arriving on April 16, and proceeded to reserve near Bailleul on the following day.
KEMMEL.
2. On the 23d of April the division came into line northeast of Dranoutre, suffered heavy losses about here, and was relieved about May 1.
3. The division rested until June 11 in the north of France. During this time it was reviewed by the King of Bavaria and Prince Franz. The division commander was decorated.
FLANDERS.
4. It returned to line near Merris about June 11. It continued in line, suffering heavy losses until July 10.
5. The division rested out of line until August 17.
6. It was reengaged on August 17 east of Bucquoy, coming from Lille via Cambrai Velu Beugny. It was withdrawn from the battle north of Bapaume on August 25, after losing 1,600 prisoners.
7. The division rested near Tourcoing until late in September.
8. On September 29 the division was identified in line in Champagne, north of Maure. Its composition had been changed by the disbandment of the 5th Bavarian Reserve Regiment and the substitution of the 4th Bavarian Regiment from the dissolved 14th Bavarian Division. The division continued on this front, with short periods in the second line, until November 4. It was identified north of Marvaux (October 4), near Monthois (October 11), between Namdy and Falaise (October 19). The division was considered in reserve 3d Army between November 4 and the armistice.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was of the first quality. It saw heavy fighting and showed itself very aggressive in attack and tenacious in defense. The extensive replacements which have been necessary did not improve the morale, but due to the high quality and spirit of the organization, it was always to be considered as a first-class division.
4th Cavalry Division (Dismounted).
COMPOSITION.
───────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────── │ 1918 ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┬─────────────────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┼─────────────────────── │39 Cav. │38 Ldw. Inf. Rgt. │ │40 Ldw. Inf. Rgt. │ │9 Res. Schutzen Uhlan │ │ Rgt. │ │89 Schutzen Rgt. │ │87 Schutzen Rgt. ───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┴─────────────────────── Engineers and Liaisons.│2 Ldw. Pion. Co., 14 C. Dist. Pions. ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── Medical and Veterinary.│99 Ambulance Co. ───────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────── Attached. │Landst. Inf. Btns. │VII-54 Munster. │XIV-14 Bruchsae. │IV-15 Jorgan. │XVI-7 2d Saarlouis. │XIV-51st Offenburg. ───────────────────────┴───────────────────────────────────────────────
HISTORY.
1918.
1. The 4th Cavalry Division entrained in the Riga region on the 1st of April, 1918, for the Western Front. It detrained at Molsheim in Alsace on April 7, and went into line near the Ban de Sapt (Vosges). The division had recently been reorganized. During April a report was received stating that Lieut Gen. von Krame, commander of the 39th Cavalry Brigade, had been decorated. The division continued to hold the Alsace sector until the armistice.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as fourth class.
5th Guard Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── Infantry. │2 Gd. │3 Ft. │2 Gd. │3 Ft. │ │3 Gren. │ │3 Gren. │ │20. │ │20. ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 2 Gd. Uhlan Rgt. │1 Sqn. 2 Gd. Uhlan Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── Artillery. │5 Gd. Art. Command: │5 Gd. Art. Command: │ 4 Gd. F. A. Rgt. │ 4 Gd. F. A. Rgt. │ │ 1 Abt. 1 Gd. Res. Ft. A. │ │ Rgt. │ │ 1180 Light Am. Col. │ │ 1181 Light Am. Col. │ │ 1203 Light Am. Col. ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── Engineers and│100 Pion. Btn.: │100 Pion. Btn.: Liaisons. │ │ │ 4 Gd. Pions. │ 4 Gd. Pion. Co. │ 1 Gd. Res. Pion. Co. │ 1 Gd. Res. Pion. Co. │ 9 Gd. T. M. Co. │ 9 Gd. T. M. Co. │ (?) 28 Searchlight │ 195 Searchlight Section. │ Section. │ │ 5 Gd. Tel. Detch. │5 Gd. Signal Command: │ │ 5 Gd. Tel. Detch. │ │ 149 Wireless Detch. ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── Medical and │3 Ambulance Co. │3 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │8 Field Hospital. │8 Field Hospital. │9 Field Hospital. │9 Field Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. │5 Gd. Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── Transports. │M. T. Col. │680 M. T. Col. │680 Divisional M. T. Col. │ ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── Odd units. │Field Recruit Depot No. │ │ 815. │ ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── Attached. │3 Abt. 43 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ │2 Abt. 3 Bav. Ft. A. Rgt. │ │2 Abt. 11 Res. Ft. A. Rgt. │ │2 Abt. 21 Ft. A. Rgt. │ │3 Btry. 57 Ldw. Ft. A. Rgt.│ │5 Btry. 57 Ldw. Ft. A. Rgt.│ │6 Btry. 57 Ldw. Ft. A. Rgt.│ │10 Btry. 13 Res. Ft. A. │ │ Rgt. │ │11 Btry. 13 Res. Ft. A. │ │ Rgt. │ │6 Btry. 17 Bav. Ft. A. Rgt.│ │464 Ft. A. Btry. │ │4 Co. 8 T. M. Btn. │ │3 Co. 8 T. M. Btn. │ │1 Co. 5 Road. Const. Btn. │ │ No. 72. │ │3 Co. 166 Labor Btn. │ │43 Res. Pion. Co. │ │199 Signal Btn. │ │307 Signal Btn. │ │2 Field Signal Co. │ │60 Balloon Section. │ │114 Supply Train. │ │21 Munition Train. │ │181 Munition Train. │ │190 Munition Train. │ │374 Munition Train. │ │517 Munition Train. │ │560 Supply Train. │ │50 Supply Train. │ │1 Field Bakery. │ ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────
HISTORY.
1917.
Organized in February, 1917, from regiments transferred from already existing units (3d Foot Guards, transferred from the 1st Guard Division; 3d Grenadier Guards, transferred from the 2d Guard Division; 20th Infantry, from the 212th Division, previously belonging to the 6th).
CRAONNE.
1. It appeared for the first time in line about March 20 between Craonne and Hurtebise, where it suffered heavy losses, April 16 to 18.
2. Relieved May 4 and went to a calm sector in the region of Preqmontreq.
3. About June 5–6 it was sent to rest in the region north and northwest of Laon. June 20 it was located in the region of Sissonne, where it remained until July 7.
CALIFORNIE PLATEAU.
4. On the night of July 7–8 it arrived in this sector. It executed a violent attack on July 19 and again suffered heavy losses. Relieved July 27.
5. Reinforced by drafts from depots in Brandenburg and rested in the region of Mauregny en Haye and Barenton sur Cerre, and then went through a methodical and intensive training at the camp at Chivy les Etouvelles.
CHEMIN DES DAMES.
6. About August 20 it relieved the 43d Reserve Division on the Chemin des Dames between Panthéon and La Royere; suffered considerable losses during the French offensive of October 23.
7. In the region of Vervins at the beginning of November, with its battalions greatly reduced.
8. Went into line near Hargicourt at the end of November.
RECRUITING.
The 20th Infantry (3d Brandenburg) was a regiment from the Province of Brandenburg.
The 3d Foot Guards and the 3d Grenadier Guards were drawn not only from Brandenburg, but generally from the Kingdom of Prussia.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The 5th Guard Division must be considered one of the best divisions of the German Army. Its regiments are extremely good.
The Division had been brought to the Aisne to retake the Californie Plateau, and it showed wonderful energy in this work (July 19, 1917). October 23, 1917, at the Chemin des Dames, in spite of its great losses and of the fact that the 1918 class formed about 20 per cent of its effectives, the division showed great resistance, and left only a comparatively small number of prisoners in our hands (about 300).
1918.
1. The division arrived at Fourmies on January 10 for training and maneuvers. About February 14 it marched to Avesnes, where it rested until March 5. It then marched to St. Quentin by night marches, passing through Homblieres, Dallow, Happencourt, Tugny, and crossed the Crozat Canal between Ham and St. Simon on March 23.
BATTLE OF PICARDY.
2. On the night of the 23d it relieved the 45th Reserve Division in front of Golancourt, where it met a lively resistance. From the 24th to the 27th it was in army reserve resting in the region Golancourt le Plesses Patte d’Oie. On the 28th it moved
by Flavy le Meldux, Ecuvilly, Catigny, Candor, and entered line west of Lassigny on the 29th, relieving the 1st Bavarian Division. On the 30th it attacked west of the Roye sur Matz railroad but was stopped by our counterattacks. Until April 10 the division was in line at Beuvraignes and at Roye sur Matz. On the 8th it received 400 men, mostly of the 1919 class, in reinforcements.
3. Withdrawn from line on April 4, the division moved by degrees to the northeast of Laon on April 24, where it was reorganized, reinforced, and rested near Rozay sur Serre. By night marches it moved to the Aisne front and entered line on May 26, between Corbeny and the Californie Plateau.
BATTLE OF AISNE.
4. It fought in the offensive from May 27 to 30, advancing by Guyencourt, Fismes, Crugny, Cierges, and Vincelles. Between May 31 and June 7 it was in reserve at Coulonges, Sergy, Beuvardes, Grisolles, and Sommelous. The division was reengaged northwest of Chateau Thierry on June 7 against the American 2d Division.
CHATEAU THIERRY.
5. In the three weeks the division was in the Torcy-Hautevesnes sector it lost most heavily. Several companies of the 20th Regiment were annihilated on June 8–9; the others were reduced to 30–40 rifles. The division lost about one-half its effectives in this period.
6. It was withdrawn about June 30 and reconstituted in reserve of the Torcy sector near Coincy from July 1 to 17.
BATTLE OF THE MARNE.
7. The division came back on the 18th and engaged in rear-guard fighting near Monthiers and Grisolles. It was engaged on defensive works near Blanzy les Fismes from July 29 to August 8.
8. It rested in the region of Bruyeres from August 2–8, when it was transported to Belgium by Marle-Hirson to rest. On the 31st it was alerted and entrained, the regiments following with a day’s interval by Mauberg-St. Quentin, detraining at Laon and Crepy en Laonnois. From that point it moved by foot to Vauxaillon front.
AISNE-AILETTE.
9. On September 3 the division relieved the 238th Division east of Louilly. In the succeeding days it suffered very heavily. It was relieved on September 16.
10. The division left the Laon area on September 16 and detrained that night at St. Juvin, where it rested until September 24. The heavy losses of the division were made good while there.
ARGONNE.
11. It entered the line opposite the American 1st Army on September 27 in the region of Montblainville. After heavy losses, which caused a partial disintegration of the division, it withdrew on October 8. The 3d Guard Grenadier Regiment was practically destroyed in this fighting.
WOEVRE.
12. It was transported to the Woevre and on October 19 was engaged east of Verdun at Chatillon sous les Cotes. Here it remained until the armistice.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as a first-class division, but after its rough handling in the Hautevesnes-Torcy sector it lost much of its value as an attack division.
Both on the Aisne in September and in the Argonne the division’s losses were extremely heavy. Battalions were reduced to three companies in October. By the 20th of October the remnants of the companies were combined to make one.
5th Division.
COMPOSITION.