Part 26
Among the various German units which were engaged in front of Verdun and at Californie Plateau, the 9th Division was one of those which showed the least resistance.
1918.
1. The division was relieved on the Chemin des Dames front on December 29 and went to rest and train in the Guise area until the middle of March, when it proceeded to the battle front.
BATTLE OF PICARDY.
2. It was at Marcyon March 20. On the 21st it followed up the attack without being engaged through Happencourt, Artemps, Tugny, Dury, Pithon, Ham, and Nesle (Mar. 25). It was engaged on the 26th near Roye and advanced by Montdidier to west of Mesnil-St. Georges March 27–28. Its attack of March 30 on Ayencourt-Royancourt met with heavy losses.
MONTDIDIER.
3. The division was withdrawn on April 1 for a short rest, during which it received a draft of 400 men. It returned to line southwest of Montdidier and was in line from April 5 to 8.
4. Until the 18th it was in reserve near La Boissiere and later near Nesle until April 24.
5. It rested near Hirson and Vervins during May, again receiving drafts to the number of 300 men.
BATTLE OF THE AISNE.
6. On May 20 it marched by night stages to the Aisne front, passing through Froidmont, Verneuil sur Serre, and Bruyeres. On the opening day it advanced in reserve by Presles, Monampteuil, and Pargny Filain. It was engaged on the 28th at Sancy-Vregny and advanced in the first line south of Soissons, Venizel, Missy sur Aisne, Courmelles, Noyant, Chazelle, and Poisy (May 30). Its losses in front of Chazelle were particularly heavy. It was relieved on June 8. An official German document gives the division losses between May 28 and June 2 as 96 officers and 2,830 men.
7. It rested in the vicinity of Rethel and Novion-Porcien (June 15 to July 7) and reconstituted by drafts. It moved toward the Aisne front on July 10, going into reserve northeast of Rheims for a week. Alerted on the 17th it moved to Oulchy le Chateau.
SECOND BATTLE OF THE MARNE.
8. The division was engaged near Hartennes and Varcy from July 20 to August 2. It was driven back on Fismes on that date and relieved the next day.
9. In August it rested and trained near Vailly and in the vicinity of Laon. After the 24th it was north of Rheims.
CHAMPAGNE.
10. The division was engaged east of La Pompelle from September 20 to the beginning of October. On the 3d it was forced back on Isles Bazancourt, and later to Nanteuil sur Aisne. On October 17 it was relieved.
11. Two days later it was entrained for Flanders, but at Mons directed toward Avesnes and La Capelle.
12. Its last engagement was north of Guise from October 21 to November 4; then near Novin and Avesnes. 1,800 prisoners were taken on November 4.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as a first-class division. Its performance in 1918 was not of the best, however. It was engaged in the Somme, Aisne, and Marne actions without winning special credit. Discipline was reported to be lax, and morale poor at the end.
9th Reserve Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │17 Res. │6 Res. │17 Res. │19 Res. │17 Res. │6 Res. │ │7 Res. │ │7 Res. │ │19 Res. │ │19 Res. │ │6 Res. │ │102 │ │ │ │ │ │ (Ldw.). │ │5 Res. │ │5 Res. │ │5 Res. │ │ Jag. │ │ Jag. │ │ Jag. │ │ Btn. │ │ Btn. │ │ Btn. │ │ │ │ │ │98 Res. │ │ │ │ │ │395. ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │3 Res. Dragoon Rgt.│ │3 Res. Dragoon Rgt. │ (3 Sqns.). │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │9 Res. F. A. Rgt. │9 Res. F. A. Rgt. │9 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ (6 Btries.). │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│4 Field Co. 2 Pion.│4 Field Co. 2 Pion.│4 Co. 2 Pion. Btn. Liaisons. │ Btn. No. 5. │ Btn. No. 5 │ No. 5. │2 Res. Co. 2 Pion. │2 Res. Co. 2 Pion. │2090 T. M. Co. │ Btn. No. 5. │ Btn. No. 5 │ │ │9 Res. Pont. Engs. │9 Pont. Engs. │ │ │ │ │9 Res. Tel. Detch. │9 Tel. Detch. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │ │ │ Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transports. │ │ │ ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │18 Res. │6 Res. │18 Res. │6 Res. │ │19 Res. │ │19 Res. │ │395. │ │395. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │1 and 3 Sqns. 3 │3 Sqn. 3 Res. Drag. │ Res. Dragoon Rgt.│ Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │97 Art. Command: │97 Art. Command: │ │ │ 9 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ 9 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ (9 Btries.). │ │ │ 29 Ft. A. Btn. │ │ (Staff and 1 and │ │ 3 Btries.). │ │ 735 Light Am. Col. │ │ 1287 Light Am. │ │ Col. │ │ 1361 Light Am. │ │ Col. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│309 Pion. Btn.: │309 Pion. Btn.: Liaisons. │ │ │ 4 Co. 55 Pions. │ 4 Co. 5 Pions. │ │ │ 1 Res. Co. 18 │ 1 Res. Co. 18 │ Pions. │ Pions. │ 209 T. M. Co. │ 209 T. M. Co. │ 409 Tel. Detch. │ 29 Searchlight │ │ Section. │ │409 Signal Command: │ │ 409 Tel. Detch. │ │ 28 Wireless Detch. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │519 Ambulance Co. │519 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │Field Hospital. │13 Res. Field │ │ Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. │25 Res. Field │ │ Hospital. │ │409 Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transports. │M. T. Col. │708 M. T. Col. ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
HISTORY.
(Fifth District—Posen.)
1914.
The division was part of the 5th Reserve Corps with the 10th Reserve Division.
MEUSE-WOEVRE.
1. At the beginning of the war it belonged to the 5th German Army (Imperial Crown Prince). Concentrated in the region of Sarrebruck and crossed the southern part of Belgian Luxemburg; fought August 22 near Ville en Montois and September 1 in the region of Consenvoye-Flabas, and was kept east of the Meuse near Sivry September 2. Toward the end of September and the beginning of October the division sent a few units to the left bank of the Meuse (Forges-Malancourt-Chattancourt). The division established itself in Woevre during the last two weeks of October and at the beginning of November in the region Etraye-Wavrille- Romagne, where it did some fighting at Maucourt November 10.
FLANDERS.
2. About November 13 the division was sent from the region of Verdun to Flanders. Some units of the division fought near Poelcappelle and south of Bixschoote in support of the 3d Reserve Corps. It suffered very heavy losses.
3. Again sent to Woevre during the month of December.
1915.
WOEVRE.
1. In January, 1915, the division held the region Gincrey-Etrain-Warcq. It remained in this section during the whole of 1915 and until the end of February, 1916. In April it transferred its 7th Reserve Infantry to form the 121st Division.
1916.
VERDUN.
1. A few days before the Verdun offensive (end of February, 1916,) the regiments of the division were relieved. The 6th Reserve and the 19th Reserve organized with their best units one attack battalion each. These battalions took part with the 15th Army Corps in the violent action at the beginning and suffered heavy losses.
2. March 7 its units were reorganized behind the front and the division advanced through Maucourt-Ornes and established itself north of Vaux. March 9 and 10 the three regiments of the division attacked successfully the village and fort of Vaux. They were repulsed nearly everywhere with very heavy losses.
3. About March 12 the division was relieved from before Vaux and sent to rest in the region of Senon-Amel.
4. Went back into line about March 20 south of Damploup. It did not attack any more, but bombardments caused it heavy losses.
5. Relieved about the end of April and sent to rest in the vicinity of Saverne (Alsace) until June 12.
CHAMPAGNE.
6. About June 20 it went into line in Champagne (sector of Souain- Tahure) but did not take part in any important action.
SOMME.
7. Withdrawn from the front about September 20 or 25 and sent to the Somme. Engaged between the eastern limit of Bouchavesnes and the main Péronne road until October 18. It had a few losses.
8. After a period of rest, probably in the vicinity of Vouziers, it was again sent to the Somme, first behind the front southeast of Bapaume December 1, then about December 17 in line in the sector of Bouchavenes- Bois de St. Pierre-Vaast until February, 1917.
1917.
1. In February, 1917, the division held on the Somme the sector north of the Ancre—south of Achiet le Petit.
2. Withdrawn from the front about March 10 and sent to rest in the region of Cambrai, and was established on a new front about March 20 west of Catelet near Gouzeaucourt, Villers Guislain.
ARTOIS.
3. About April 15 it was relieved and went into line south of the Scarpe, northeast of Monchy le Preaux, from the beginning of May till the beginning of June.
FLANDERS.
4. It was again at the front east of Armentieres from the middle of June till about July 10, then after a rest in the vicinity of Ghent it was in line on the Ypres road at Menin, east of Klein-Zillebeke, from August 10 to September 25, and fought especially on the 20th, on which date it suffered heavily. The 11th Company of the 6th Reserve Infantry was reduced to 20 men, and the 12th to 27. The 19th Reserve Infantry had the same losses. The 3d Company of the 395th Infantry lost half of its men. (Summary of information Sept. 21 and Oct. 24, 1917.)
CAMBRAI.
5. Reorganized in the region of Cambrai and from that time on held various sectors of this front. It fought November 23 to 30 at Banteux, Masnières, and in December south of Marcoing. In January, 1918, it was at La Vacquerie and was relieved there February 21.
RECRUITING.
The Province of Posen, with a few units from other districts, for example the ninth, to reduce the proportion of Poles.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The division fought well in many battles at the end of 1917, especially east of Ypres and before Cambrai.
1918.
BATTLE OF PICARDY.
1. The division reinforced the front southwest of Cambrai on March 22 and advanced by Montauban-Maricourt to west of Albert. It was relieved about the 1st of April. After losing heavily in the offensive it was withdrawn.
LENS.
2. It came into line in the quiet sector near Lens about April 10, relieving the 12th Reserve Division. On the 23d it shifted its sector south to Avion. The 12th Reserve Division returned from the Lys front to relieve it on about April 29.
3. The division moved north and entered the battle line in the Festubert sector on April 29. It continued in this sector until September 27, effecting only local reliefs. It reentered at once at Marcoing on September 29. A month later it arrived at Ath from line and went into line on November 2 at Hermes. The last identification was at Ellezelle on November 10.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as a second-class division. During 1918 its length of stay on the British front was remarkable. Nothing is known of its morale or losses.
9th Landwehr Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── │ 1915 │ 1916 ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── Infantry. │43 Ldw. │32 Ldw. │76 Ldw. │79 Ldw. │ │83 Ldw. │ │83 Ldw. │49 Mixed Ldw. │116 Ldw. │49 Ldw. │116 Ldw. │ │118 Ldw. │ │118 Ldw. │ │56 Ldw. │ │ ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── Cavalry. │Ldw. Cav. Rgt. (18 C. Dist.).│Ldw. Cav. Rgt. (18 C. Dist.). ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Artillery. │Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Engineers and│1 Ldw. Pion. Co. (18 C. │2 Ldw. Pion. Co. (10 C. Liaisons. │ Dist.). │ Dist.). │ │1 Ldw. Pion. Co. (18 C. │ │ Dist.). │ │309 T. M. Co. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Medical and │ │ Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Transports. │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Attached. │ │ │ │ ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────
─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── Infantry. │76 Ldw. │83 Ldw. │76 Ldw. │83 Ldw. │ │116 Ldw. │ │116 Ldw. │ │118 Ldw. │ │118 Ldw. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 4 Res. Drag. Rgt. │1 Sqn. 4 Res. Drag. Rgt. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │9 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │ 9 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Engineers and│(409) Pion. Btn.: │409 Pion. Btn.: Liaisons. │ │ │ 2 Ldw. Pion. Co. (10 C. │ 2 Ldw. Co. 10 C. Dist. │ Dist.). │ Pions. │ 1 Ldw. Pion. Co. (18 C. │ 1 Ldw. Co. 18 C. Dist. │ Dist.). │ Pions. │ 309 T. M. Co. │ 309 T. M. Co. │ 509 Tel. Detch. │ 183 Searchlight Section. │ │509 Signal Command: │ │ 509 Tel. Detch. │ │ 136 Wireless Detch. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Medical and │566 Ambulance Co. │566 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │62 Field Hospital. │62 Field Hospital. │86 Field Hospital. │13 Ldw. Field Hospital. │396 Field Hospital. │509 Vet. Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Transports. │221 M. T. Col. │ │904 M. T. Col. │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Attached. │151 Labor Btn. │ │171 Labor Btn. │ ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────
HISTORY.
(83d Landwehr: Eleventh District—Thuringia and Electoral Hesse. 116th Landwehr and 118th Landwehr: Eighteenth District—Grand Duchy of Hesse.)
1915.
ARGONNE.
1. This division was organized in the Argonne at the beginning of 1915 from infantry units in sector in that region and in Champagne. The 43d Landwehr Brigade detrained at Boulay (Lorraine) August 20, 1914, and fought in the Woevre the 24th. The 49th Landwehr Brigade was sent to Luxemburg August 20, followed the Eighteenth Reserve Corps, and took part with it in the battle of the Marne. In October the two brigades were in the Argonne.
2. From the time of its organization did not leave the Argonne. From the beginning of 1915 it held the sector at or near the Aisne (north of Ville sur Tourbe and north of Vienne le Chateau).
1916.
ARGONNE.
1. Sector north of Vienne le Chateau, from the region of Rouvroy to the ravine of Fontaine aux Charmes.
1917.
ARGONNE.
1. Sector north of Vienne le Chateau.
RECRUITING.
83d Landwehr: Electorate Hesse and Thuringia. 116th and 118th Landwehr: Grand Duchy of Hesse and Rhenish country. The document of July 11, 1917, calls the two regiments in question “Rhenish.”
At the end of 1917 and during the first months of 1918 the division exchanged a large number of men with the divisions stationed near it, which modified its regional composition to a certain degree.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
Sector division. (1918.)
The division had one storm company in July, 1917, and each regiment had a “Stosstrupp.”
1918.
The division continued to hold the sector in the Argonne Woods until the American attack on September 26. It was engaged on the opening days and withdrew on the 28th. The shattered elements were re-formed and reentered at once on the extreme right flank of the 4th French Army in the vicinity of the Aisne. The last identification was at Villers sur le Mont on November 10.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as a fourth-class division. On the defensive it showed some fighting ability.
9th Bavarian Reserve Division.
COMPOSITION.