Part 39

(30th Bavarian Infantry Regiment: 1st Bavarian Corps District. 31st Bavarian Infantry Regiment: 2d Bavarian Corps District. 32d Bavarian Infantry Regiment: 3d Bavarian Corps District.)

1917.

The 15th Bavarian Division was formed in December, 1916, and January, 1917, at Nuremburg, of elements coming from the three Bavarian corps districts in the manner of the divisions 231–242; that is to say, a very large proportion of the men of the 1918 class, together with returned wounded and sick and men taken from units at the front.

1. From February 1 to March 1, 1917, the three regiments of the division received instruction for mountain troops in Upper Bavaria, near the Austrian frontier.

2. On March 1 the 15th Bavarian Division was transferred to the Charleroi area, where it remained one month; there it received training in the war of movement.

LORRAINE.

3. At the end of March it was transferred to Lorraine; it occupied the Leintrey sector (Parroy wood) until the beginning of May.

AISNE.

4. From Lorraine it went to the Laonnois area (Sissonne, La Selve, May 12); went into line southwest of Juvincourt on May 19–20; launched an attack on June 28–29 southeast of Corbeny, and left the front at the end of July.

5. After a rest in the Sedan area the division entrained on August 20 for the Verdun front.

MEUSE (HILL 304).

6. Detraining at Stenay and Dun (Aug. 22–24), it went into line north of Hill 304 (Forges Stream). The French attack on the 24th occasioned serious losses.

MEUSE (RIGHT BANK).

7. The 15th Bavarian Division was relieved from Hill 304 about October 16; went from there to the right bank of the Meuse, and then into line at Beaumont (Oct. 24).

RECRUITING.

The 15th Bavarian Division is recruited from all of Bavaria.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

In September, 1917, the 15th Bavarian Division appeared strong.

In the 31st Bavarian Infantry Regiment two-thirds of the men were recruits belonging to the 1918 class.

The division suffered few losses on the Verdun front after November, 1917.

1918.

1. During the spring the division made use of the quiet Bezouvaux sector to train the men in machine gun and assault tactics. It was relieved on July 23 and rested south of Longwy (Villers la Montagne) until July 4. It was moved to Sault St. Remy, by Carignan, Sedan, Rethel (July 4–5). Until the 11th it rested in a camp, when it marched by night toward the front.

BATTLE OF RHEIMS.

2. On the 15th it was engaged in the offensive east of Prunay. It advanced to north of Thuizy, suffering very heavy losses, estimated to have been 30 to 40 per cent. It remained in line until mid-August. After 10 weeks’ rest the division was again engaged about September 1 north of Prosnes until September 29.

MEUSE-ARGONNE.

3. The division was placed in line farther to the east, near Somme Py, where it remained until about September 29, at which time it was put in reserve north of Bouillon. In the fighting all three regiments were exhausted, but the losses of the 31st Bavarian Regiment were particularly heavy. Six hundred prisoners were taken from the division at this time.

4. The division rested from October 5 to 10. At this time the 18th Bavarian Reserve Regiment, from the disbanded Bavarian Ersatz Division, was divided among the three regiments of the division.

5. It came into line on October 13 east of Grandpre and was engaged on the United States front until November 11. It did not offer a vigorous resistance to the American attacks at first, but in late October and early November it did all in its power to check the American advance.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as a third-class. The heavy losses in Champagne in September and October, the prevalent sickness, political discontent, and dissatisfaction with Prussia continued to give the division a low morale.

16th Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │30. │28. │30. │28. │30. │28. │ │68. │ │68. │ │68. │31. │29. │31. │29. │31. │29. │ │69. │ │69. │ │69. ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │8 Cuirassier Rgt. │ │8 Cuirassier Rgt. │ │ │ (3 and 4 Sqns.). ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │16 Brig.: │16 Brig.: │16 Brig.: │ 23 F. A. Rgt. │ 23 F. A. Rgt. │ 23 F. A. Rgt. │ 44 F. A. Rgt. │ 44 F. A. Rgt. │ 44 F. A. Rgt. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│2 and 3 Field Cos. │1 Pion. Btn. No. 8:│1 Pion. Btn. No. 8: Liaisons. │ 1 Pion. Btn. No. │ │ │ 8. │ │ │ │ 2 Field Co. 8 │ 2 Co. 8 Pions. │ │ Pions. │ │ │ 3 Field Co. 8 │ 3 Co. 8 Pions. │ │ Pions. │ │ │ 16 Pont. Engs. │ 16 T. M. Co. │ │ 16 Tel. Detch. │ 16 Pont. Engs. │ │ │ │ │ │ 16 Tel. Detch. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │ │ │ Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transports. │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Attached. │ │ │113 Labor Btn. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────

─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │30. │28. │30. │28. │ │29. │ │29. │ │68. │ │68. │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 7 Hus. Rgt. │1 Sqn. 7 Hus. Rgt. │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │16 Art. Command: │16 Art. Command: │ 23 F. A. Rgt. │ 23 F. A. Rgt. │ │ 32 Ft. A. Btn. (3 │ │ Btries.). │ │ 1252 Light Am. │ │ Col. │ │ 1253 Light Am. │ │ Col. │ │ 1307 Light Am. │ │ Col. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│125 Pion Btn. (1 │8 Pion. Btn: Liaisons. │ Pion. Btn. No. │ │ 8): │ │ 2 Co. 8 Pions. │ 2 Co. 8 Pions. │ │ │ 3 Co. 8 Pions. │ 3 Co. 8 Pions. │ │ │ 169 T. M. Co. │ 169 T. M. Co. │ 293 Searchlight │ 44 Searchlight │ Section. │ Section. │ 16 Tel. Detch. │16 Signal Command: │ │ 16 Tel. Detch. │ │ 120 Wireless │ │ Detch. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │20 Ambulance Co. │20 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │80 Field Hospital. │76 Field Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. │80 Field Hospital. │ │16 Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transports. │M. T. Col. │549 M. T. Col. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Attached. │ │188 and 417 Pigeon │ │ Lofts. │ │208 Balloon Sqn. │ │7 Reconnaissance │ │ Flight. │ │57 Art. Observation │ │ Section (Flash- │ │ spotters). │ │10 Co. 97 Labor │ │ Btn. │ │38 Div. Pont. Engs. │ │1294 Light Am. Col. │ │(Elements attached │ │ July 17, 1918; │ │ from German │ │ documents.) ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────

HISTORY.

(8th Corps District—Rhine Province.)

1914.

ARDENNES-MARNE.

1. In August, 1914, the 16th Division (belonging to the 8th Army Corps, together with 16th Division) was a part of the 4th German Army (Duke of Wurttemberg). It entered Luxemburg at the beginning of August (28th Infantry Regiment), there received the rest of its reservists on the 7th, entered Belgian Luxemburg on the 20th, and went into action on the 23d at Bièvre and Gédinne. From there, by way of Sedan and Donchery (Aug. 26), forming the extreme right of the 4th Army, it went through Champagne, reached Suippes on September 3, and crossed the Marne near Vitry le François, where it came into contact with the French forces. It retired, having suffered heavily, by way of Somme-Yèvre—Herpont-St. Mard sur Auve-Somme Bionne, and stopped near Perthes les Hurlus, where it made a stand.

CHAMPAGNE.

2. The 16th Division occupied the sector Souain-Perthes during the winter of 1914 and 1915; it there withstood strong attacks.

BELGIUM.

3. In November and December, 1914, the division detached certain of its elements (31st Brigade, 29th and 69th Infantry Regiments) in Belgium, in the Langemarck area.

ALSACE.

4. In the middle of December the 31st Brigade was sent to Alsace for work near Mulhouse. It formed a part of the Fuchs Division, was in line north of Thann and rejoined the 30th Brigade opposite Perthes at the end of December.

1915.

ARTOIS.

1. Withdrawn from the Champagne front about April 18–19, 1915, the 16th Division was sent to rest in the Briey area, then transferred, about May 15, north of Arras.

2. It lost very heavily at Souchez and Neuville-St. Vaast, withstanding the offensive of May. The 69th Infantry Regiment lost 42 officers and 1,609 men. (Official List of Casualties.)

AISNE.

3. The division left Artois in the middle of June and, after a few days of rest near St. Quentin, went into line in the middle of July, east of Soissons (Chavonne-Soupir sector).

NOUVRON.

4. At the end of October it took over the sector of Nouvron, west of Soissons.

1916.

1. The 16th Division remained on the Aisne front until the end of July, 1916.

SOMME.

2. Entraining at Folembray, it was transferred to Ham and Nesle. After a short stay in the Maucourt sector (northwest of Roye) at the beginning of August, it took part in the battle of the Somme near Pozières- Thiepval, where it suffered very heavy losses (Aug. 10–24); the 3d Company of the 29th Infantry Regiment lost 131 men at Pozières (letter).

BERRY AU BAC.

3. In September the reorganized 16th Division (especially with men of the 1917 class) occupied a quiet sector west of Berry au Bac. In October the 69th Infantry Regiment was withdrawn from the 16th Division, which now has three regiments (30th Brigade).

SOMME.

4. Relieved about the 3d of October from the sector west of Berry au Bac, the division entrained at Laon and was transferred to the Somme. It went into line (Lesboeufs-Sailly-Saillisel) on October 9 and suffered heavy losses.

RUSSIA.

5. On October 26 the division left the Somme, returned for a few days (Nov. 5–16) to the front northwest of Soissons and entrained for Russia on November 20. Itinerary: Liege-Aix la Chapelle-Dusseldorf-Hanover- Magdeburg-Berlin-Skernewitzy-Warsaw-Brest- Litowsk-Kovel-Turisk. It detrained on November 25.

1916.

GALICIA.

1. On the Russian front the 16th Division occupied the Kiselin sector, south of Kovel (until the beginning of May, 1917).

FRANCE.

2. On May 17, entraining near Kieslin, the division returned to France via Vladimir Volynski-Kovel-Brest Litowsk-Warsaw-Kalich-Cottbus-Leipzig- Cassel-Coblentz-Gerolstein-Sedan-Attigny, where it detrained on May 21.

FLANDERS.

3. After a rest at Ecordal, on June 4 the division was sent to Flanders. Detraining at Orchies, it marched to Wambrechies; it there remained for 12 days. On June 26 it went into line at Warneton, where the British attack of July 31 did not cause it any serious losses.

4. About the 23d of September the 16th Division was sent to rest in the Bruges area.

YPRES.

At the beginning of October it was sent to the Ypres front.

Some elements were engaged on October 3 and 4 against the British attacks east of Zonnebeke. On October 6 the division went to the southeast of Poelcappelle and supported the local offensives, against the British troops (Oct. 9–12).

The 16th Division remained behind the front from October 12 to November 24.

At this date it took over the sector north of Becelaere and a short time afterwards that of Passchendaele (east), where it was relieved about the middle of January, 1918.

RECRUITING.

The 16th Division is recruited almost exclusively from the Rhine Provinces.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

Before being engaged on the Somme the 16th Division had gained a wonderful reputation. It was known as the “Iron Division.” In the battle of the Somme it did not, however, distinguish itself in any way.

At Warneton and at Ypres (June and October, 1917) it fought stubbornly in spite of its heavy losses.

1918.

YPRES.

1. The division was at rest in Belgium (Meulebeke area) until about March 1, when it was engaged east of Passchendaele until March 23.

2. It entrained at Pitthem and moved to reserve at Tourcoing until April 4. Later it was at Lille until April 10.

BATTLE OF THE LYS.

3. The division was engaged on April 4 north of Neuve Chapelle and south of Merville on the 12th. On the 17th the 68th Regiment was to attack but was unable to do so through weakness and lack of food. Two regimental commanders were included in the heavy casualties. It was relieved east of St. Venant on May 1.

MERVILLE.

4. The division rested in Belgium (Braine, south of Brussels) for about two weeks. On the 19th it was in line southwest of Merville. It was relieved by the 25th Division on the night of July 6–7. After 10 days’ rest the division returned to its former sector and continued in line until August 18.

5. After leaving the line on August 18 it rested near Haubourdin until the 26th, when it entrained for Raches (north of Douai). It marched toward the front east of Arras by Douai and Vitry, entering the line near Vis en Artois on August 30.

THIRD BATTLE OF THE SOMME.

6. The division fought near Dury and Hendecourt until mid-September, losing more than 1,500 prisoners. It rested at Bruges until its return to line north of Lens on September 26. It was driven back toward Pont a Vendin and Courrieres, northwest of Orchies, Hollain, and Antoing. The division was withdrawn about November 6 from the Antoing area.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as a second-class division. During 1918 it fought entirely on the British front, chiefly on the defensive.

16th Reserve Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │29 Res. │28 Res. │29 Res. │28 Res. │29 Res. │28 Res. │ │68 Res. │ │68 Res. │ │68 Res. │31 Res. │29 Res. │31 Res. │29 Res. │31 Res. │29 Res. │ │65 Res. │ │65 Res. │ │65 Res. │ │ │ │ │ Feb. to July. │ │ │ │ │ │28 Res. │ │ │ │ │ │68 Res. │ │ │ │ │ │25 Res. │ │ │ │ │ Aug. to Sept. │ │ │ │ │ │190. │ │ │ │ │68 Res. │ │ │ │ │ │ │Hippe │ │ │ │ │ │ Rgt. │ │ │ │ │ Sept. to Dec. │ │ │ │ │ │190. │ │ │ │ │ │29 Res. │ │ │ │ │ │390. ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │2 Heavy Res. Cav. │2 Heavy Res. Cav. │2 Heavy Res. Cav. │ Rgt. (3 Sqns.). │ Rgt. │ Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │16 Res. F. A. Rgt. │16 Res. F. A. Rgt. │16 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ (6 Btries.). │ (8 Btries.). │ (9 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. 8.│ Pion. Btn. No. 8.│ Pion. Btn. No. 8. │ │16 Res. Pont. Engs.│10 Co. 28 Pions. │ │ │ │ │16 Res. Tel. Detch.│216 T. M. Co. │ │ │ │ │ │16 Res. Pont. Engs. │ │ │ │ │ │16 Res. Tel. Detch. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │ │ │ Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transports. │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Attached. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────