Part 55

1. The 28th Division formed a part of the 14th Army Corps with the 29th Division, also from Baden. At the beginning of the campaign went to Upper Alsace to reenforce the 29th Division; fought at Mulhousen on August 9, and on the 13th west of Altkirch. Returning to Mulhousen on the 14th, it entrained at Muelheim on the 16th for Petite Pierre. The 14th Army Corps was placed on the left flank of the 6th Army and took part with it in the battle of the 20th. The 28th Division then crossed the frontier and advanced to Mortagne at the beginning of September. On September 11 it recrossed the frontier and went to the west of Pont à Mousson, where it went into action between September 20 and 29.

ARTOIS.

2. Withdrawn from La Haye at the end of the month, it entrained on October 4 at Metz, detrained at Mons, and from there marched to the front—La Bassée, Ablain, St. Nazaire.

1915.

ARTOIS.

1. From October, 1914, to May, 1915, its regiments were exhausted one after the other on the plateau of Notre Dame de Lorette. (On November 30, 1914, the 110th Grenadier Regiment acknowledged casualties of 58 officers and 3,814 men since the beginning of the campaign.) The 28th Division again suffered very heavily during the winter (especially the 110th Grenadiers and the 40th Fusileers); finally it lost very heavily from April 9 to May 3 (Carency-Ouvrages-Blancs). In the course of these battles the 111th Infantry Regiment was almost completely destroyed. On May 10 its first battalion had only 3 officers and 272 men. (Notebook of the captain commanding the battalion.) The Casualty Lists report 32 officers and 1,737 men as casualties.

2. The division was relieved on May 15, sent to rest in the area Lens, Pont à Vendin, Héuin-Liétard, and reorganized.

3. About May 25 it was put back into line (Ablain-Lorette) and again suffered very heavy losses.

CHAMPAGNE.

4. Withdrawn from Artois about June 13, it was transferred to the northeast of Reims. Beginning with June 18, it occupied the front between Bétheny and the Sillery-Beine road. In this sector it had only a few local actions and very few losses.

5. During the offensive of September, 1915, the division detached two battalions (one from the 109th Grenadiers and one from the 110th Grenadiers) to act as reinforcements in the Somme Py area.

6. On October 19 and 20 a gas attack was rather poorly carried out by the Badensian Infantry (La Pompelle-Prosnes front).

7. The 28th Division was relieved about November 10. At the beginning of December it went into the sector of Tahure-Butte du Mesnil which it occupied for the entire winter without any notable action.

1916.

1. About the end of April, 1916, the 28th Division left the sector of the Butte du Mesnil. It was sent to rest for a week in the Vouziers area, and about May 5 went back into line (sector of Maisons de Champagne-La Justice). During this time the units received intensive training.

SOMME.

2. During the first half of July the regiments of the division (minus the 109th Infantry Regiment, which had remained in Champagne) were successively relieved and transferred by way of Charleville, Hirson, and St. Quentin to the Biaches area (Somme). Between July 16 and 20 they established their positions between the Somme and the Barleux.

3. The 28th Division was retained in this sector until the beginning of October. It suffered heavy losses there, which were partially covered by reenforcements sent from the depots of the 14th Army Corps (1915 and 1916 classes).

4. At the beginning of October the division was sent to Champagne, into the sector east of Tahure. It left this about the 20th and reoccupied it from December until the end of January, 1917.

1917.

MEUSE.

1. At this time the 28th Division was transferred to the Verdun area. It was sent into line in the Caurières wood sector and remained until the beginning of September. It took part in the attacks on this front in the middle of August.

ALSACE.

2. Withdrawn from the Verdun area about the middle of September the division was sent to Alsace, northwest of Altkirch and was in the front line on October 20. It soon left this for the Montmedy area, then for Laon, and finally for the Cambrai front where it fought at Gonnelieu on November 30. Relieved at the beginning of December, it was sent to rest in the Ardennes and, at the beginning of February, 1918, occupied a sector at Mount Cornillet.

RECRUITING.

The 28th Division is recruited almost exclusively from Baden. A slight admixture from the 4th Corps District. The 40th Fusileers, although a Prussian regiment, was recruited in the Grand Duchy of Baden.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 28th Division has always given a good account of itself and must be considered a good division (July, 1917).

At the beginning of March, 1917, it carried out an attack against the Caurières wood with a great deal of vigor. A division order (dated Mar. 3, 1917) found on a corpse praises the heroism of the valiant troops of the 28th Division and calls its regiments “The conquerors of Lorette.”

1918.

AISNE.

1. The division held the Butte du Mesnil sector continuously until May 13, when it rested for 10 days in the vicinity of Vouziers. On May 23 the division entrained at Montcornet and was moved to the region of Laon. It came into line on May 31, reenforcing the Aisne battle front between Chateau de Maucreux and Troësnes. It was relieved on June 8 by the 10th Reserve Division.

SECOND BATTLE OF THE MARNE.

2. Its stay out of line was short, for on June 13 it again relieved the 50th Division near Verneuil; about this time the divisional commander, Lieut. Gen. Hahn, was decorated. The division was withdrawn from the Marne front about July 1. It returned to reenforce the battle line near Chaumuzy, southwest of Rheims on July 24. It fell back to the Vesle, where it held the line until August 26.

WOEVRE.

3. The division then went to rest in the vicinity of Baroucourt for three weeks. It left that place on September 14 and marched via Amermont-Offleville-Gondrecourt Rouvers-Etain to a position in line near Grimacourt and Hermeville, relieving the 8th Landwehr Division which side slipped to the south. It held this sector until October 19, when it was withdrawn and moved from Conflans, via Arlon, to Flanders on October 22.

MONS.

4. On November 1, the division came into line at Maresches in which area it fought until the armistice. The last identifications were at Sebourg (Nov. 4), west of Roisin (6th), and Dour (9th).

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as second class. It was not greatly used in 1918, spending most of the time on quiet fronts. After the Vesle fighting in August, the battalions of the division were reduced to three companies.

28th Reserve Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │55 Res. │109 Res. │55 Res. │109 Res. │55 Res. │109 Res. │ │110 Res. │ │110 Res. │ │110 Res. │56 Res. │40 Res. │56 Res. │40 Res. │ │111 Res. │ │111 Res. │ │111 Res. │ │ │ │9 Res. │ │8 Res. │ │ │ │ Jag. │ │ Jag. │ │ │ │ Bn. │ │ Bn. │ │ │ │14 Res. │ │14 Res. │ │ │ │ Jag. │ │ Jag. │ │ │ │ Bn. │ │ Bn. │ │ │ │ │ │55 Ldw. │ │ │ │ │ │ Brig. │ │ │ │ │ │ Ers. │ │ │ │ │ │ Bn. │ │ ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │8 Res. Drag. │8 Res. Drag. │8 Res. Drag. │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │29 Res. F. A. Rgt. │29 Res. F. A. Rgt. │28 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ (9 Btries.). │ (29 btries.). │ (6 btries.). │ │ │29 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ │ │ (6 btries.). │ │ │ │ │ │1 Ers. Abt. of 76 │ │ │ F. A. Rgt. │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2 Liaisons. │ Pion. Bn. No. 13.│ Pion. No. 13. │ Pion. No. 13. │ │28 Res. Pont. Engs.│228 T. M. Co. │ │28 Res. Tel. Detch.│28 Res. Pont. Engs. │ │ │ │ │ │28 Res. Tel. Detch. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │ │ │ Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transports. │ │ │ ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────

─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │56 Res. │109 Res. │56 Res. │109 Res. │ │110 Res. │ │110 Res. │ │111 Res. │ │111 Res. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │3d Sq. 22d Drag. │3 Sqn. 22 Drag. │ │ Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │29 Res. F. A. Rgt. │29 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ (9 btries.). │ │ │2 Abt. 1 Gd. Ft. A. │ │ Rgt. (7 and 9 │ │ btries.). │ │766 Light Am. Col. │ │ │ │918 Light Am. Col. │ │1366 Light Am. Col. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│328 Pion. Bn. │328 Pion. Bn.: Liaisons. │ │ │1st Co. 16th Pion. │ 4 Co. 16 Pions. │4 Co. 16 Pion. │ 1 Ers. Co. 16 │ │ Pions. │228 T. M. Co. │ 72 Searchlight │ │ Section. │428 Tel. Detch. │428 Signal Command: │ │ 428 Tel. Detch. │ │ 160 Wireless │ │ Detch. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │514 Ambulance Co. │514 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │56, 57 Res. Field │56 Res. Field │ Hospitals. │ Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. │57 Res. Field │ │ Hospital. │ │428 Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transports. │725 Light Mun. Col.│725 M. T. Col. ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────

HISTORY.

(14th Corps District—Baden.)

1914.

VOSGES.

1. At the beginning of the war the 28th Reserve Division formed in the Grand Duchy of Baden, and constituting the 14th Reserve Corps, with the 26th Reserve Division, belonged to the 7th Army (Von Heeringen). The division detraining near Emmendingen (Baden), entered Alsace by way of Markolsheim on August 10. It was engaged in the valley of the Bruche beginning on the 15th, fought at Donon on the 20th, and went down toward the Meurthe, where it fought until September 5 (Nompatelize and la Bourgonce), suffering heavy losses (two-thirds of the effectives of the 111th Reserve Infantry Regiment).

SOMME.

2. After September 5 the 28th Reserve Division retired toward Blamont on September 15. On September 22 and 23 it entrained at Teterchen (Lorraine) for Cambria, where it detrained on September 26 and 27. It was assigned to the 2d Army with the other division of the 14th Reserve Corps.

1915.

1. The division occupied the sector crossed by the Albert-Bapaume road (Ovillers to Fricourt) until July, 1916.

In April, 1915, the 28th Reserve Division lost the 40th Reserve Infantry Regiment, which went to the 115th Division, and its two battalions of Chasseurs left it—one in January, the other in May.

2. In August and September, 1915, elements of the division were in reserve in the area south of St. Quentin.

1916.

SOMME.

1. The 28th Reserve Division did not have any great losses on the Somme between October, 1915, and July, 1916. Its combat activity was weak during this period.

2. On July 1, 1916, the Division supported the entire weight of the British offensive north of the Somme, and suffered very heavy losses (casualties of the 111th Reserve Infantry Regiment, 39 officers and 1,821 men).

3. On July 4 the division was withdrawn from the front, sent to rest, and reorganized.

CHAMPAGNE.

4. Transferred to Champagne on July 10, it took over the sector west of Auberive (July 14 to the beginning of October).

SOMME.

5. The 28th Reserve Division was brought back to the Somme at Thiepval about October 5; it was in action until the end of October and lost heavily. On the one day of October 24 the 9th Company of the 111th Reserve Infantry Regiment noted the arrival of 134 men as replacements.

MEUSE (AVOCOURT).

Relieved about October 28, the division was sent to the Stenay area and reorganized.

Beginning of November, it occupied, at Verdun, the Avocourt sector at Hill 304.

1917.

1. On the Avocourt front the 28th Reserve Division took part in a few local engagements. It left this sector between April 7 and April 15.

CALIFORNIE PLATEAU.

2. Concentrated in the area northwest of Montfaucon, the division entrained about April 16 at Brieulles sur Meuse, Dun, Romagne and was transferred to Rozoy sur Serre; from there it marched to the sector east of Californie Plateau (Apr. 21). It underwent the French attack of May 4, which caused it heavy losses. Elements of the division lost very heavily counterattacking on the days following.

3. The division was relieved on May 18 and reorganized hastily (replacements of 1,100 men including 25 per cent of the 1918 class and men from the 626th Infantry Regiment dissolved). It was sent to Verdun to the Talou sector on May 20.

VERDUN.

4. The division, weakened by an epidemic of dysentery, was withdrawn from the front on July 8 and sent to rest in the area of Marville-Jametz until the beginning of August.

5. It went back into line at this date, on the right bank of the Meuse (Talou, Hill 344). It lost very heavily from the French attack of August 20 (47 officers and 1,150 men as prisoners) and was relieved on August 30.

CHAMPAGNE.

6. At the beginning of September it occupied the sector of Ville sur Tourbe in Champagne.

RECRUITING.

The 28th Reserve Division is recruited mostly from Baden. In addition, there are men from Rhenish-Hesse and the Rhine districts. There was also a small number of men from the 4th Corps District (1918 class).

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The combat value of the 28th Reserve Division appears mediocre.

During the entire time that it spent on the Somme (October, 1914-July, 1916), the division remained on the defensive.

Having lost very heavily on the Somme, it showed no great activity on the Somme (August-October, 1916).

On the Californie Plateau (May, 1917), the 28th Reserve Division appeared very much inferior to the guard.

At Hill 344 (Aug. 20), the attitude of the regiments of the 28th Reserve Division was rather passive, and the resistance was quite weak.

1918.

1. The division was relieved south of Beine (Champagne) on February 16. It entrained on the following day for Cartignies, near Avesnes, where it underwent training for offensive operations. It remained there until the 14th of March, when it commenced to march by night to the front via Etreux-Fresnoy-Le Nouvion-Wassigny-Essigny le Petit Remancourt, arriving in line on March 20.

BATTLE OF THE SOMME.

2. The division was in the front line of the attack at Fayet on the 21st. On the 23d it passed through Savy and reached Vaux. On the 26th it passed through Parvillers and Erches, proceeding on the 27th via Warsy to Becquigny. The division distinguished itself in the fighting, though at a heavy cost. Some companies are known to have lost 75 per cent of their effectives. When withdrawn from the front line on March 29, the division was held in reserve on the front at Davenscourt, Warsy, and Gruny until April 17. Two thousand five hundred men, with a large percentage of the 1919 class, were received at this time as reinforcements.

BATTLE OF THE AISNE.

3. The division rested in the Avesnes-Maubeuge area until May 22, when it marched via Marle-Ste. Preuve-Montaigu May 22–27. The division was used as an attack division to break through on the Aisne front. It attacked southwest of Craonne on the 27th and advanced by Corbeny, southwest of Craonne, Merval, east of Fismes, Treloup (30th) and Jaulgonne. Prince von Buchau, the divisional commander, was killed on May 30. In the advance to the Marne the division covered 60 kilometers.

CHATEAU THIERRY.

4. The division was out of line June 3 to 7. On the 8th, it reentered line before Bouresches (west of Chateau Thierry) where it opposed the 2d United States Division until July 3. Heavy losses were received in the fighting in the Bois Belleu on June 10–11. The division received a draft of 200 men in June. The division was withdrawn on July 3 and rested southwest of Soissons from July 7 to 18.

SOISSONS.

5. It was alerted on July 18 and engaged south of Soissons (Berzy- Courmelles) on the next day. It was heavily engaged until August 1, when it entrained north of Laon and moved to north of Vouziers on August 1. Here the division rested until the middle of August. A draft of 400 men was received early in August.

CHAMPAGNE.

6. The division was engaged in the sector north of Mesnil les Hurlus about August 20 until the end of the month, when it was withdrawn.

7. After leaving the line at Tahure the division was shifted back and forth behind the Argonne and Meuse sectors ready to be thrust into line. It was moved from Juniville to Longuyon on September 5 and stayed at St. Jean les Buzy (west of Conflans) until the 26th. From there it moved to the Damvillers region, and on October 1 was sent to Milly and Villers devant Dun.

MEUSE-ARGONNE.

8. The division was engaged near Cunel from October 3 to 18, when it was withdrawn to Stenay where it received replacements. The company strength was brought up to 40–50 men. On the 24th it was again in line near Bantheville and continued in to the end. It fell back north of Villers devant Dun on November 1–2, where it was last identified.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as first class. It was one of the best of the German divisions. It was used as an assault division in the Somme and Aisne offensives and met with great success. Following the attack it received in June in the Bois de Belleu, the division was not seriously engaged until it was thrown in the Argonne in an effort to stop the American advance. Its morale remained high up to the last though its effectives dwindled.

29th Division.

COMPOSITION.