Part 75
2. The division rested at Cambrai until the night of May 22–23, when it relieved the 183d Division near Ville sur Ancre. It was relieved on June 20 by the 107th Division. Following its relief, the division rested north of the Somme until August 3, when it was engaged near Antheuil. About September 1 the division left its sector near Lassigny and relieved the 105th Division northeast of Noyon. Here it was relieved on September 10.
CAMBRAI-ST. QUENTIN.
3. The division rested 15 days before it entered line northeast of Hargicourt on September 25, relieving the 232d Division. It fought in the Le Cateau area until October 12, when it retired to reserves in the vicinity of Landrecies. On November 2 it was reengaged at Ors and continued in line until the armistice. The last identification was at Lemont-Fontaine on the 8th.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as second class. In the last year its service was largely on the defensive in active sectors. In this capacity it was almost constantly in line.
54th Reserve Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │107 Res. │245 Res. │107 Res. │245 Res. │107 Res. │245 Res. │ │246 Res. │ │246 Res. │ │247 Res. │108 Res. │247 Res. │108 Res. │247 Res. │108 Res. │246 Res. │ │248 Res. │ │248 Res. │ │248 Res. │ 26 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 26 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 26 Res. Jag. Btn. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Cavalry. │54 Res. Cav. Detch.│54 Res. Cav. Detch.│54 Res. Cav. Detch. │ (Wurtt.). │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │54 Res. F. A. Rgt. │54 Res. F. A. Rgt. │54 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ (9 Btries., 1–3 │ │ │ Sax., 4–9 │ │ │ Wurtt.). │ │ │ │Ers. Abtl. 59 F. A.│ │ │ Rgt. │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│54 Res. Pion. Co. │54 Res. Pion. Co. │54 Res. Pion. Co. Liaisons. │ (Saxon). │ │ │ │54 Res. Pont. Engs.│254 T. M. Co. │ │ │ │ │ │54 Pont. Engs. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │ │54 Res. Ambulance │ Veterinary.│ │ Co. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transport. │ │ │ ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918[24] ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │107 Res. │246 Res. │107 Res. │246 Res. │ │247 Res. │ │247 Res. │ │248 Res. │ │248 Res. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │54 Res. Cav. Detch.│54 Res. Cav. Detch. │ │ (Wurtt.). ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │(?) Art. Command: │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 54 Res. F. A. Rgt.│ 54 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ (9 Btries. │ (Wurtt.). │ Wurtt.). │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│(354) Pion. Btn.: │1 Res. Co. 13 Liaisons. │ │ Pions. │ 1 Res. Co. 13 │2 Res. Co. 13 │ Pions. │ Pions. │ 2 Res. Co. 13 │312 Searchlight │ Pions. │ Section. │ 254 T. M. Co. │254 T. M. Co. │ 312 Searchlight │454 Tel. Detch. │ Section. │ │ 454 Tel. Detch. │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │536 Ambulance Co. │536 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ (Wurtt.). │ (Wurtt.). │92 Res. Field │93 Res. Field │ Hospital. │ Hospital │ │ (Wurtt.). │Vet. Hospital. │94 Res. Field │ │ Hospital │ │ (Wurtt.). │ │246 Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transport. │M. T. Col │M. T. Col. ─────────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────────── Footnote 24:
Composition at the time of dissolution, September, 1918.
HISTORY.
(13th Corps District—Wuerttemberg.)
1914.
BELGIUM.
1. The 54th Reserve Division, forming the 27th Reserve Corps with the 53d Reserve Division, was formed of men from Wurttemberg, with the addition of one infantry regiment and one battalion of chasseurs from Saxony. Trained at the Muensingen Camp, it went into action for the first time on October 21, 1914, in Belgium at the battle of Ypres. On October 29, it made an unsuccessful attack south of Gheluvelt, going slightly to the north, it took part in the general attack of November 11 in the vicinity of Zonnebeke, where it lost very heavily. From October 21 to November 20 the 248th Reserve Infantry Regiment listed 32 officers and 1,395 men as casualties. (Official List of Casualties.)
1915.
1. The division remained in Flanders during the entire year of 1915, occupying the front Becelaere-Polygon wood, between the Ypres-Menin wood and the Roulers railroad.
2. In April and May it suffered heavy losses during the second battle of Ypres (Frezenberg, Verlorenhoek, Hooge).
1916.
1. At the end of January and beginning of February, 1916, the 54th Reserve Division was withdrawn from the Ypres salient, concentrated in the vicinity of Thielt, Ghent, and Hasselt and sent for training to the Beverloo Camp (February-March).
ARTOIS.
2. Toward the end of March it took over the sector south of Neuve Chapelle (north of La Bassée) where it did not take part in any important action.
SOMME.
3. Relieved at the end of August, it was sent to the Somme (sector of Combles-La Forest) and suffered very heavy losses between September 8 and 18.
LORRAINE.
4. After a short stay in the Loos salient (Vermelles-Hulluch road) at the beginning of October the 54th Reserve Division was transferred to Lorraine and sent into line in the vicinity of Blamont.
5. At this time, the 245th Reserve Infantry Regiment (Saxon) was taken from it to be assigned to the 192d Division.
VERDUN.
6. At the end of November the division left Lorraine, was sent during the course of December behind the front northwest of Cambrai, then to the Meuse, where it went into line on December 22, west of Bezonvaux (Les Chambrettes), after the French attack of December 16.
1917.
CHAMPAGNE.
1. Withdrawn from the Verdun front about January 23, 1917, the 54th Reserve Division took over, in Champagne, the sector included between the Navarin Farm and the Tahure Hill.
2. In March it sent one battalion of the 246th Reserve Infantry Regiment into the attacks of Maisons de Champagne on March 27.
3. At the beginning of May the division went as a reenforcement south of Moronvilliers. It went into action from May 15 to June 10 (Téton, Mont Haut) and lost heavily.
4. About June 10–15, without any rest, it again took over the sector west of Tahure, which it occupied until August 20–25.
HILL 304.
5. Suddenly transferred to the Verdun area, the 54th Reserve Division went into line on August 24, north of Hill 304; it remained there until October 18.
FLANDERS.
6. Sent to Flanders, it was in the Dixmude sector from October 29 until March 1918.
RECRUITING.
Mixed at the time of its formation, the 54th Reserve Division became exclusively Wurttemberg, by the departure of its Saxon elements.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
Since the number of prisoners of the 54th Reserve Division in Champagne, as in the vicinity of Verdun, March to October 1917, was very slight, it has been practically impossible to obtain information concerning this division (November 1918).
1918.
BATTLE OF PICARDY.
1. The division which had been holding the Dixmude sector entrained at Bruges on March 14, and detrained at Cambrai on the following day. On March 20 it marched to Seranvillers, and a day later proceeded via Lesdain to the high ground west of Honnecourt. On the 22d it reached Gouzeaucourt; on the 23d it passed through Lechelle, Bus, and Sailly Saillisel; on the 24th it progressed north of Mametz wood, being engaged near Rozieres on the 25th and at Ovillers on the 26th. The division was relieved on April 4 by the 27th Division after suffering heavy losses at Aveluy.
SOMME.
2. The division was in reserve in immediate rear of the front until the night of April 10–11, when it relieved the 13th Division at Ville sur Ancre. The division held this sector until May 27 and again from June 28 until August 25. It was withdrawn in the Mametz area where it had fallen back upon the British attack.
3. Early in September the division was dissolved. Prisoners stated that the 248th Reserve Regiment was drafted to the 27th Division.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as second class. Its efforts in the Somme offensive were unsuccessful. Thereafter the effectives were used up and the division dissolved.
56th Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── │ 1915 │ 1916 ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── Infantry. │112. │35 Fus. │112. │35 Fus. │ │88. │ │88. │ │118. │ │118. ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── Cavalry. │ (?) │17 Hus. Rgt. (Sqn.). ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Artillery. │56 Brig.: │56 Brig.: │ 111 F. A. Rgt. (6 Btries.). │ 111 F. A. Rgt. │ 112 F. A. Rgt. (6 Btries.). │ 112 F. A. Rgt. │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Engineers and│111 Pion. Co. │111 Pion. Co. Liaisons. │ │ │112 Pion. Co. │112 Pion. Co. │ │6 Field Co. 23 Pions. │ │2 Res. Co. 23 Pions. │ │56 T. M. Co. │ │56 Pont. Engrs. │ │56 Tel. Detch. │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Medical and │ │ Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Transports. │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Odd units. │ │56 Cyclist Co. ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────
─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── Infantry. │112. │88. │112. │88. │ │118. │ │118. │ │186. │ │186. ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 17 Hus. Rgt. │4 Sqn. 17 Hus. Rgt. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Artillery. │56 Art. Command: │56 Art. Command: │ 112 F. A. Rgt. (9 Btries.). │ 112 F. A. Rgt. │ │ 56 Ft. A. Btn. │ │ 855 Light Am. Col. │ │ 858 Light Am. Col. │ │ 893 Light Am. Col. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Engineers and│Pion. Btn.: │139 Pion Btn.: Liaisons. │ │ │ 111 Pion. Co. │ 111 Pion. Co. │ 112 Pion. Co. │ 112 Pion. Co. │ 56 T. M. Co. │ 56 T. M. Co. │ 111 Searchlight Section. │ 186 Searchlight Section. │ 56 Tel. Detch. │56 Signal Command: │ │ 56 Tel. Detch. │ │ 165 Wireless Detch. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Medical and │56 Ambulance Co. │56 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │349 Field Hospital. │349 Field Hospital. │351 Field Hospital. │56 Vet. Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Transports. │M. T. Col. │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Odd units. │56 Cyclist Co. │ ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────
HISTORY.
(18th Corps District—Grand Duchy of Hesse and Hesse Nassau.)
1915.
The 56th Division was formed in March, 1915, of surplus regiments—the 35th Fusileer Regiment from the 6th Division (3d Corps District, Brandenburg), the 88th and 118th Infantry Regiments from the 21st and 25th Divisions (18th Corps District, Hesse Nassau and the Grand Duchy of Hesse). In May, 1917, the 35th Fusileer Regiment was replaced by the 186th Infantry Regiment (from the 25th Landwehr Division) recruited from Hesse.
CHAMPAGNE.
1. Concentrated in March, 1915, near Vouziers, the 56th Division went to the Champagne front, south of Ripont, in April.
GALICIA.
2. At the beginning of May it was transferred to the Eastern Front. It took part in the Galician offensive (battles of Jaroslau, on May 18, and of Rudka, on June 18), where it lost heavily.
FRANCE.
3. In June the division was brought back to the Western Front. Entraining at Jaroslau on June 28, it detrained in the vicinity of Valenciennes, where it remained at rest for a month.
LORRAINE.
4. On July 28 the division went to Lorraine and remained as a reserve troop in the vicinity of Pfalzburg-Zabern-Schirmeck.
CHAMPAGNE.
5. On September 25 it was sent to Champagne to oppose the French offensive. It was engaged in the sector of Maison de Champagne, but was soon retired on account of its losses. The infantry had casualties of 107 officers and 5,968 men. (Official List of Casualties.)
6. After reorganization, it went into line north of Massiges and took part in the attack of Mont Têtu at the beginning of November. It was relieved in the middle of November.
7. In December it returned to the Champagne front.
1916.
CHAMPAGNE.
1. The 56th Division occupied the same calm sector south of Rouvroy during the entire winter of 1915–16.
2. Relieved on April 25, 1916, it was sent to rest in the vicinity of Sedan.
VERDUN (MORT-HOMME).
3. On May 26–27 it was sent into line on the left bank of the Meuse, at the Mort Homme. It received a vigorous attack there on May 31, had heavy losses, and continued to hold this sector until the middle of July.
ARTOIS.
4. After a short rest in the vicinity of Sedan, it went to the Vimy Ridge, in Artois (end of July-end of August).
SOMME.
5. On August 24–25 it was engaged in the battle of the Somme, in Belleville wood. On August 31 it launched a counterattack northeast of the wood. It left the Somme on September 9.
CHAMPAGNE.
6. It then took over a quiet sector east of Rheims at Cernay-La Pompelle. In the middle of November it returned to the Somme front (Pys) until January 7, 1917.
1917.
1. In January, 1917, the 56th Division was sent to rest in the vicinity of St. Quentin.
SOMME-HINDENBURG LINE.
2. About February 11 it went back into line south of the Somme in the vicinity of Biaches, retired at the end of March to the north of St. Quentin, and from there went to Courrieres in the vicinity of the Lens mines.
LENS.
3. On April 10 it took over the sector of Lens, where it suffered important losses from raids and local conflicts. It absorbed 1,000 men from the 624th Infantry Regiment, dissolved, and some from the 625th (Hessian).
MEUSE (RIGHT BANK).
4. Withdrawn from the Lens front at the end of June, it remained at rest in the vicinity of Buzancy and Grandpré in July, near Carignan, at the beginning of August; spent the second half of August in the Woevre, reenforcing the Verdun front east of Vaux. In September it occupied the sector north of the Chaume wood-Baumont, where it was relieved at the end of October.
MEUSE (LEFT BANK).
5. About November 10 the 56th Division occupied the sector of Cheppy wood, on the left bank of the Meuse, where it remained until March 20, 1918.
RECRUITING.
Since the substitution of the 186th Infantry Regiment for the 35th Fusileers, the division has become entirely Hessian. By analogy with the 9th Landwehr Division, we sometimes find it designated as “Rhine troops”; the Rhine Provinces in general cooperate with Hesse and Hesse- Nassau in sending its replacements.
In the first months of 1918 the reenforcements received comprised men from the 3d and 4th Corps Districts (Berlin and Silesia) belonging to the industrial classes.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
Having suffered heavily in the Galician campaign in 1915, and in Champagne and at Verdun, the 56th Division had serious losses at Lens between April and June, 1917. The 186th Infantry Regiment had heavy losses during the battle of the Aisne (April, 1917) before joining the 56th Division. The division had few losses on the left bank of the Meuse from January to March, 1918.
Of 84 prisoners coming from three regiments of the 56th Division, captured on March 16 and 17, 1918, more than half belong either to the active or to the reserve.
1918.
1. The division was relieved west of the Meuse about March 19 by an extension of the front of the 13th Reserve Division and underwent a course of training for open warfare. At this time the companies had about 180 to 200 effectives. It had no men of the 1919 class and few Alsatians or Poles. The quality of men in the division was high. On April 18 the division entrained at Cesse (northwest of Stenay) and traveled via Sedan-Dinant-Charleroi-Braine le Comte-Tournai-Roubaix, from where it marched to Croix. On the 21st the 118th Regiment proceeded via Mouveaux-Bondues-Roucq to Halluin, where it rested until the 23d. On the following day the regiment marched via Wervicq-Comines to Messines.
KEMMEL.
2. The division came into line on the 25th and captured the village of Kemmel. It was engaged in this vicinity until May 2, when it was relieved by the 29th Division, and went to rest in the area north of Menin. It returned to line on the night of May 11–12, relieving the 13th Reserve Division on the Voormezeele sector. The division remained in line South of Ypres until the night of June 3–4.
BELGIUM.
3. After its relief the division rested in the Bruges area until its return to line northeast of Bailleul on July 2. From then until October 19 the division remained in line on this front. It had fallen back east of Roubaix when it was withdrawn.
4. After several days in reserve the division was again in line near St. Genois. The German communiqué of October 26 praised the fighting of the 118th Regiment. The last identification of the division was on November 8, when it was east of Avelghem.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as second class. It was very actively engaged during almost the entire last year of the war on the British front.
58th Division.
COMPOSITION.