Part 32
─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │24. │23. │24. │23. │ │62. │ │62. │ │63. │ │63. │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 2 Uhlan Rgt.│4 Sqn. 2 Uhlan Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │12 Art. Command: │12 Art. Command: │ 21 F. A. Rgt. │ 21 F. A. Rgt. │ │ 68 Ft. A. Btn. │ │ 851 Light Am. Col. │ │ 887 Light Am. Col. │ │ 937 Light Am. Col. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│1 Pion. Btn. No. 6:│6 Pion. Btn. Liaisons. │ │ │ 2 Co. 6 Pions. │2 Co. 6 Pions. │ 3 Co. 6 Pions. │3 Co. 6 Pions. │ 12 T. M. Co. │12 T. M. Co. │ 6 Searchlight │100 Searchlight │ Section. │ Section. │ 10 Tel. Detch. │12 Signal Command: │ 116, 117, and 118 │ 12 Tel. Detch. │ Signal Detch. │ │ │ 182 Wireless │ │ Detch. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │15 Ambulance Co. │15 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │51 Field Hospital. │57 Field Hospital. │57 Field Hospital. │60 Field Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. │12 Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transports. │27 Supply Train. │545 M. T. Col. │M. T. Col. │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Attached. │17 Antiaircraft │ │ section. │ ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
HISTORY.
(6th Corps District—Upper Silesia.)
1914.
FRANCE.
1. The 12th Division, forming with the 11th Division the 6th Army Corps (Breslau), formed a part of the 5th Army (German Crown Prince) at the beginning of the war, took part in the battle of August 22 at Rossignol les Bulles, entered France August 24, passed the Meuse above Mouzon on August 28, and took part in the battle on September 7 at Laheycourt and Villotte near Louppy.
CHAMPAGNE.
2. After the battle of the Marne it was engaged (Sept. 21) at Berru and at Nogent l’Abbesse (east of Rheims). It remained on the Rheims front until the middle of June, 1915.
1915.
ARTOIS.
1. In April the 12th Division gave the 157th Infantry Regiment to the 117th Division, a new formation.
2. Toward the middle of June, 1915, the 6th Army Corps was relieved on the Rheims front and transferred to Artois. The 12th Division then occupied a sector to the south of Souchez, from which it was relieved toward the end of September. In the Souchez sector it took part in some very heavy engagements (1st to the 16th of July).
3. After a rather short rest period in the region of Cambrai, the division took its position in the sector which crosses the Somme (during the first half of October).
1916.
SOMME.
1. On the 1st of July, 1916, the 12th Division received the entire weight of the English attack north of the Somme (sectors Contalmaison- Hardecourt) and suffered very heavily (losses 61.5 per cent).
2. It was relieved on July 12 and reorganized in the vicinity of Cambrai.
3. About the 20th of July the 12th Division again took part in the battle of the Somme (in the sector northeast of Pozières), where it suffered heavy losses.
4. About the 9th of August it was relieved, and on the 21st went into the calm sector of Monchy aux Bois (south of Arras), which it held until October 16.
ANCRE.
5. The 12th Division then held (Oct. 25 to Nov. 19) the sector north of the Ancre (Beaumont-Hamel) and suffered heavy losses (Nov. 14).
6. It was transferred to Champagne and took over the sector of Prunay on December 12.
RUSSIA.
7. At the end of December it was relieved from this quiet sector and entrained on December 28, at Warmeriville for the Russian front by the route Aix la Chapelle-Cologne-Hanover-Luneburg-Hamburg-Stettin- Königsberg-Tilsit-Chavli-Ponieviej. It detrained southwest of Illuxt on January 2, 1917.
1917.
1. On the Russian front the 12th Division did not take part in any important battles. (Sector in the region of Dwinsk.)
FRANCE.
2. Relieved about the end of May, 1917, it returned to the Western Front. Itinerary Jelowka (May 27) -Insterburg-Posen-Leipzig-Weimar- Cologne-Saarbrucken. Detrained at Metz June 3 and reentrained on the 9th at Ars sur Moselle for Mouscron, by way of Metz-Luxemburg-Namur-Tournai, and detrained at Gheluwe.
3. It remained in reserve first on the Wytschaete-Messines front, and then (Aug. 1) relieved the 22d Reserve Division in the sector east of Klein-Zillebeke after the Franco-British attack. In this sector the division did not engage in battle but suffered greatly from artillery bombardments.
ITALY.
4. It was relieved on August 20 and transferred to Alsace for reorganization and rest. It remained in the region west of Bale until the end of September. It was then sent to the Italian front, to the 14th German Army, where it was engaged in the Tolmino sector on October 25, and relieved on the Piave about the 8th of December.
FRANCE.
5. The 12th Division was brought back from Italy to the French front about December 25. At the beginning of January, 1918, it was in the neighborhood of Zabern.
RECRUITING.
The 12th Division is recruited from Upper Silesia, a great mining and industrial center, which suffices to insure its own full recruiting and even helps out other districts less populated or temporarily below strength. The sending of these men outside of the district has the advantage of reducing, in its own regiments, the Polish element, which dominates in Upper Silesia.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The 12th Division fought well at the Somme.
It appears to have been reorganized during its stay at Zabern (January, 1918). It has always been considered a good division.
1918.
LORRAINE.
1. On January 24 the 12th division entered the Domevre sector, relieving the 233d Division. It was relieved on February 20 and went to rest and train in Alsace. On March 18 it entrained at Froeschweiler and moved to Ath, from where it marched to the Gory-Belloune area, south of Douai (a march of 40 miles).
BATTLE OF PICARDY.
2. On the 23d the division moved to Drury and up the Cambrai-Arras road to Vis en Artois, coming into line on the night of March 23–24. It attacked on the 24th, but was held up by the British artillery fire. It remained in line until April 1, making little progress in spite of heavy and costly fighting.
BATTLE OF THE LYS.
3. The division rested in the suburbs of Douai until mid-April. It was engaged northeast of Merris on the 17th. It appears to have received replacements in the interim. The division passed into the second line on May 18, after suffering especially heavy losses. In recognition of the service of the 12th Division, south of Arras and in the Lys battle, Gen. Lequis, the division commander, received the Order of Merit in May.
4. The division was at rest near Renaix (Belgium) from May 29 to July 12. It entrained at Audenarde on the 12th and moved to Perenchies (via Coutrai and Lille).
METEREN.
5. The division was engaged south of Meteren on the night of July 19–20; here it remained until August 28. In a local operation on August 18 the division lost 300 prisoners, otherwise the sector was quiet.
BATTLE OF CAMBRAI.
6. It entrained near Armentieres on August 28 and went to a point north of Douai (Le Forest). It was engaged southeast of Morchies on September 3, and in the days following was driven back on Inchy en Artois, Marquion (3d to 13th). By the end of September it had passed Bourlon, Epinoy, Aubencheul au Bac, and Fressies. The division was relieved about October 6. The division lost more than 1,100 prisoners.
7. It was reengaged on October 11 southeast of Armentieres. It retreated by Lille (Oct. 20) east of Tourcoing, and at Helchin. On the 25th it was relieved.
8. On November 3 it was again in line east of Joulain and remained until the armistice. In withdrawing the division passed Maresches, Jenlain, Autreppe, and Blangies.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as a second-class division. It was actively engaged in the spring offensives and did well. After the middle of July it was almost constantly engaged in hard defensive fighting.
12th Reserve Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │22 Res. │38 Res. │22 Res. │38 Res. │22 Res. │23 Res. │ │51 Res. │ │51 Res. │ │38 Res. │23 Res. │22 Res. │23 Res. │22 Res. │ │51 Res. │ │23 Res. │ │23 Res. │6 Res. │Jag. Btn. │6 Res. │Jag. Btn.│6 Res. │Jag. Btn.│ │ ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │4 Res. Uhlan Rgt. │4 Res. Uhlan Rgt. │4 Res. Uhlan Rgt. │ (3 Sqns.). │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │12 Res. F. A. Rgt. │12 Res. F. A. Rgt. │12 Res. F. A. Regt. │ (6 Btries.). │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2 Liaisons. │ Pion. Btn. No. 6.│ Pion. Btn. No. 6.│ Pion. Btn. No. 6. │ │12 Res. Pont. Engs.│212 T. M. Co. │ │ │ │ │12 Res. Tel. Detch.│12 Res. Pont. Engs. │ │ │ │ │ │12 Res. Tel. Detch. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │ │ │ Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transports. │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Attached. │ │ │7 and 132 Anti- │ │ │ Aircraft │ │ │ Sections. │ │ │8 Bav. Labor Btn. ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │22 Res. │23 Res. │22 Res. │23 Res. │ │38 Res. │ │38 Res. │ │51 Res. │ │51 Res. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │ (?) │2 Sqn. 4 Res. Hus. │ │ Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │99 Art. Command: │ │ │ 12 Res. F. A. Rgt.│ 12 Res. F. A. │ (9 Btries.). │ Regt. │ │ 133 Ft. A. Btn. │ │ 830 Light Am. Col. │ │ 1243 Light Am. │ │ Col. │ │ 1297 Light Am. │ │ Col. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│312 Pion Btn.: │312 Pion Btn.: Liaisons. │ │ │ 1 Res. Co. 6 │ 1 Res. Co. 6 │ Pions. │ Pions. │ 2 Res. Co. 6 │ 2 Res. Co. 6 │ Pions. │ Pions. │ 212 T. M. Co. (23)│ 212 T. M. Co. │ (?) Searchlight │ │ Section. │ │ 412 Tel. Detch. │ 105 Searchlight │ │ Section. │ │412 Signal Command: │ │ 412 Tel. Detch. │ │ 114 Wireless │ │ Detch. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │Ambulance Co. │520 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │30 Res. Field │30 Res. Field │ Hospital. │ Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. │31 Res. Field │ │ Hospital. │ │412 Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transports. │711 M. T. Col. │711 M. T. Col. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Attached. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
HISTORY.
12th Reserve Division: (6th Corps District-Silesia).
1914.
The 12th Reserve Division formed, with the 11th Reserve Division, the 6th Reserve Corps, formed in Silesia at the time of mobilization.
MEUSE-ARGONNE.
1. At the outbreak of the war, the division detrained at Sarrebruecken; fought in the neighborhood of Arrancy from the 22d to the 25th of August; remained at Mangiennes from the 27th to the 30th; crossed the Meuse on September 1; was beaten back with heavy losses on September 2 near Cierges; was at Rarécourt on the 7th and near Triaucourt on the 9th; spread out to the east of the Argonne upon Gercourt (11th to the 13th) and Montfaucon (Sept. 17).
2. At the end of September to the end of October took up its position east of Varennes in the district of Malancourt-Chattancourt and toward the end of October took its final position north of Bethencourt (southeast of Cuisy-Bois de Forges).
3. The division occupied this sector until the German offensive upon Verdun (end of February, 1916).
1915.
1. January to December, 1915, sector north of Bethencourt-Bois de Forges.
In April the 27th Infantry Regiment Reserve was transferred to the 117th Division, a new formation.
2. In September, 1915, elements of the 12th Reserve Division (battalion of the 23d Reserve Infantry Regiment) were detached in Champagne (Main de Massiges) to reinforce divisions engaged in fighting.
1916.
1. At the end of February, when the Verdun offensive began, the 12th Reserve Division still held the line in the region of Bois de Forges.
VERDUN.
2. On the 6th of March, 1916, the division went into action; it took the village of Forges and, on March 10, the Corbeaux wood. It vainly attacked the Mort Homme.
3. It was withdrawn from the Verdun front in the middle of May, after suffering heavy losses (71 per cent of its infantry). It was first at rest in the Thionville region, and then in reserve in the Cambrai region, at the beginning of June.
SOMME.
4. On July 2 it took part in the battle of the Somme (sector of Montauban-Hardecourt). It counterattacked near the Trônes wood and suffered very heavy losses. It was relieved about July 14, completely exhausted. (On the 10th of July not a single officer remained in the 2d Battalion of the 38th Reserve Infantry Regiment (letter). From the 17th of March to the 5th of July the 5th Company of the 23d Reserve Infantry Regiment received no less than 326 men as replacements).
5. On July 15 it was sent to rest in the Manancourt region. Elements of the division still remained in line, along the Somme near Guillemont, until August 1.
FLANDERS.
6. From the beginning of August until September 26–27, the 12th Reserve Division occupied a sector north of the Lys, near Armentières (Warneton- Messines), where it once more suffered losses.
SOMME.
7. At the end of September the division was once more on the Somme front (Barleux-Berny). It remained there until the beginning of November without suffering any great losses.
ARTOIS.
8. Transferred to Artois, it went into line on Vimy Ridge (sector Vimy- Roclincourt) at the beginning of December. It suffered fairly heavy losses. At the present time, 17 per cent of the prisoners from the 51st Reserve Infantry Regiment belong to the 1917 class.
1917.
1. The 12th Reserve Division remained on the Vimy front until February 27, 1917.
2. It was resting in the Avesnes region during the month of March.
3. From April 9–12 to May 24 it held the lines between Itancourt and the Oise.
ST. QUENTIN.
4. After a fortnight’s rest in the Guise region, it occupied (from the beginning of June to Aug. 6–8), the St. Quentin sector (south of Fayet).
FLANDERS.
5. On August 7 the division entrained for Flanders, at Fresnoy le Grand. Disembarking near Courtrai, it was first in reserve near Passchendaele. A few of the elements of the division engaged in battle at Langemarck on the 17th of August. It was in line in the St. Julien sector (northeast of Ypres) on August 20, and relieved on August 24, after suffering heavy losses.
ST. QUENTIN.
6. In rest at Origny, from August 29 to September 9, the division then occupied the sector southwest of St. Quentin (Sept. 9 to Nov. 11–12).
It left at this latter date to occupy the front south of Passchendaele until the middle of February, 1918, being relieved several times in the interval.
RECRUITING.
Silesia, especially Upper Silesia. In 1916, following the losses suffered at Verdun, a great number of the replacement troops consisted of men from the 3d and 4th Corps Districts (Brandenburg and Prussian Saxony) and of the 1916 class, and of returned convalescents of the 9th and 10th Corps Districts (Schleswig-Holstein and Hanover). This measure was not only dictated by necessity, but contributed to counterbalance the original Polish element.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
At Ypres (August, 1917), a certain number of men of the 51st Reserve Infantry Regiment refused to go into the trenches; according to prisoners, desertions to the rear were frequent, especially among the younger men.
The combat morale of the 12th Reserve Division may, however, have been restored during its long stay in the relatively quiet sector of St. Quentin (September to November, 1917).
1918.
FLANDERS.
1. On February 4 the division relieved the 12th Reserve Division in the Moorslede sector which it held until February 14.
LENS.
2. It was relieved by the 31st Division and moved south to relieve the 17th Division on night of February 17–18. It held this front until about April 10, when it was relieved by the 9th Reserve Division.
BATTLE OF THE LYS.
3. The division reinforced the battle front at Neuve Eglise on April 13 and fought until about April 25, suffering heavy losses. One company of the 51st Reserve Regiment was reduced to 9 men.
4. Upon relief, the division returned to its former sector near Lens, where it was identified near Avion on April 27. It remained here until June 14, when it moved north and entered the line northeast of Hinges on June 17–18. About August 6, the division was relieved by the 1st Guard Reserve Division.
ARRAS.
5. It moved to Douai and rested until its return to line near Ecoust on night of August 30–31 to resist the British attack. Before its withdrawal on the 11th it had lost nearly 900 prisoners.
LENS.
6. The division rested at Cambrai during September and reentered the Lens sector on October 2. During October it was engaged at Noyelles (11th), Wattines (19th), and Rumignies (21st). It appears to have been out of line for a few days, returning on the night of November 3–4 west of Orsinval. It was at Wargnies le Petit (5th), St. Waast la Vallee (6th), Bavai (7th), northeast of Taisnieres (9th), and Villers St. Guislain (11th).
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as second class. It appears to have been used principally as a sector-holding division on moderately active fronts.
12th Landwehr Division.
COMPOSITION.