Part 77

─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── │ 1915 │ 1916 ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── Infantry. │76 Res. │252 Res. │76 Res. │252 Res. │ │253 Res. │ │253 Res. │ │254 Res. │ │254 Res. ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── Cavalry. │76 Res. Cav. Detch. │76 Res. Cav. Detch. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Artillery. │76 Res. Brig.: │76 Res. Brig.: │ 56 Res. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 56 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ Btries.). │ │ 58 Res. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 58 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ Btries.). │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Engineers and│76 Res. Pion. Co. │76 Res. Pion. Co. Liaisons. │ │ │76 Res. Pont. Engs. │276 T. M. Co. │ │76 Res. Pont. Engs. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Medical and │1 Ambulance Co. │ Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Transports. │76 Res. Train Detch. │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Odd Units. │76 Res. Cyclist Co. │76 Res. Cyclist Co. ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────

─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── Infantry. │76 Res. │252 Res. │76 Res. │252 Res. │ │253 Res. │ │253 Res. │ │254 Res. │ │254 Res. ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 1 Res. Uhlan Rgt. │3 Sqn. 13 Uhlan Rgt. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │76 Art. Command: │ 56 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ 56 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ │ │ 58 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ 2 Abt. 24 Ft. A. Rgt. (5th │ │ and 7th Btries.). │ │ 763 Light Am. Col. │ │ 1081 Light Am. Col. │ │ 1082 Light Am. Col. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Engineers and│(376) Pion. Btn.: │376 Pion. Btn.: Liaisons. │ │ │ 76 Res. Pion. Co. │ 77 Res. Pion. Co. │ 77 Res. Pion. Co. │ 76 Res. Pion. Co. │ 276 T. M. Co. │ 76 Searchlight Section. │ 344 Searchlight Section. │476 Signal Command: │ Tel. Detch. │ 476 Tel. Detch. │ │ 188 Wireless Detch. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Medical and │538 Ambulance Co. │538 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │100 Field Hospital (Res.). │100 Res. Field Hospital. │101 Field Hospital (Res.). │101 Res. Field Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. │146 Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Transports. │M. T. Col. │743 M. T. Col. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Odd Units. │76 Res. Cyclist Co. │ ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────

HISTORY.

(11th and 18th Corps District—Hesse Electoral, Hesse—Nassau, and Grand Duchy of Hesse.)

1915.

RUSSIA.

1. The 76th Reserve Division (included in the 38th Reserve Corps with the 75th Reserve Division), formed in January, 1915, grows out of three field battalions (Feld bataillone), Nos. 55–57 of the 11th Corps District, and out of six field battalions, Nos. 67–72 of the 18th Corps District. It was sent toward Russia at the beginning of February, 1915.

2. On February 13 it was identified in the region of Gumbinnen. It was really part of the group which operated in the region of Wylkowyszki- Mariampol.

3. On March 2 it was on the Sopotzkyn-Chtabin front.

4. In March it was northeast of Prasnysz.

5. In April it was in the region of Suwalki-Augustowo.

6. In May it was north of Suwalki.

7. On June 23 the 76th Reserve Division went to the Dubissa area.

8. On June 30, region of Eydtkuhnen.

9. The summer offensive of 1915 brought it, through the region of Vilna, to Kovno (Aug. 16) and then to the south of Smorgoni (Oct. 6–10).

It was withdrawn from the front about October 15 and was at Vilna on November 1 and in the region of Mitau on December 5.

1916.

COURLAND.

1. Then moved toward the north, the 76th Reserve Division took up a sector on the Dvina, opposite Uxkull (Jan.-Aug., 1916).

ROUMANIA.

2. From the 10th to the 20th of September the division was moved to the Roumanian front.

3. In October it took part in the battles in the regions of Hermannstadt and Brasso (Kronstadt).

4. At the end of October or beginning of November it occupied the vicinity of Campolung. At the end of December, to the south of Rimnicu- Sarat.

1917.

ROUMANIA (FOCSANI).

1. With the stabilization of the Roumanian front, it was in line to the north and east to Focsani, where it remained from January to April, 1917.

2. In May it was in reserve. At about this time it seems to have been brought to the rear of the French front.

3. The division reappeared in Roumania, in the vicinity of Focsani, from August 6 to 14. It attacked on the 15th and suffered heavy losses.

4. Put in reserve, near Focsani, it went back into line at the beginning of October to the north of Iresti. It was still in that region at the beginning of January, 1918.

RECRUITING.

The 252d Regiment in Thuringe, 253d Regiment in Hesse-Nassau, and 254th Regiment in the Grand Duchy of Hesse. These last two regiments may be termed Rhenish regiments.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 76th Reserve Division was at all times used on the eastern front.

1918.

1. The division was moved to the Western Front in the spring after exchanging its older men for younger men from the divisions remaining in Roumania. It entrained at Focsani on March 7 and traveled by way of Hermannstadt, Budapest, Breslau, Erfurt, Fulda, to Metz, where it detrained on March 15. The 254th Reserve Regiment was in cantonments a few days at Fort Luitpold and then went to Norroy le Veneur where it remained about 12 days. It entrained on March 31 and proceeded by way of Sedan and Charleville to Hirson (Apr. 1). From there it marched via Remigny-Golancourt-Roye-Narvillers-Hangest-Plessier-Rozainvillers, where it went into cantonments for three days.

MONTDIDIER.

2. On the night of April 12–13 the division relieved elements of the 23d Division between Malpart and La Chappelle-St. Aignan. About May 2 the division extended its front to the north and relieved a part of the 240th Division. This was a defensive sector at this time. On May 9 the French made an attack on Grivesnes Park while the 76th Reserve Division was holding it. The attack was a complete surprise and caused many casualties. Between April 10 and May 8 the losses averaged 30 to 35 men per company and the number of combatants on May 9 was about 75 per company. It was relieved in the middle of May.

VERDUN.

3. The division entered line in the Verdun region to the south of Bezonvaux on June 21. It was withdrawn from the quiet sector in mid- July, and on the 29th relieved the 46th Reserve Division southwest of Soissons. Until August 2 it was not involved in the attack. It defended the flanks of the German retreat energetically until its withdrawal on September 8. A week later its regiments were used singly to support the units in line in delaying the French advance on the line Coucy le Chateau-Ferny-Sorny. The losses in the fighting were considerable, including 575 prisoners. It showed itself a good defensive division.

4. On September 25 the division came in line on the extreme left of the American line in the Argonne. On October 10 all three regiments were opposite the United States troops in Grandpre. It remained in line until November 8 before it was finally withdrawn.

The excessive use of the division gave rise to serious internal discontent. The rifle strength of the regiments was down to less than 300 by October 24, and the troops were demanding a rest. Some companies refused to enter the line in mid-October. The divisional commander was obliged to issue an appeal to the division on October 21 to hold out. The entire rifle strength of the 2d Battalion, 254th Reserve Regiment, was but 3 officers and 75 men on October 28.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. As a defensive sector holding unit the division showed a power of sustained resistance that warranted a higher classification. By the end the division had been completely used up.

77th Reserve Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── │ 1915 │ 1916 ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── Infantry. │77 Res. │255 Res. │77 Res. │255 Res. │ │256 Res. │ │256 Res. │ │257 Res. │ │257 Res. ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── Cavalry. │77 Res. Cav. Detch. │77 Res. Cav. Detch. │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Artillery. │77 Res. Brig.: │77 Res. Brig.: │ 59 Res. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 59 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ Btries.). │ │ 60 Res. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 60 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ Btries.). │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Engineers and│77 Res. Pion. Co. │77 Res. Pion. Co. Liaisons. │ │ │77 Res. Pont. Engs. │277 T. M. Co. │ │77 Res. Pont. Engs. │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Medical and │1 Ambulance Co. │ Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Transport. │77 Res. Train Detch. │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Odd units. │77 Res. Cyclist Co. │77 Res. Cyclist Co. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Attached. │ │ ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────

─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918[25] ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── Infantry. │77 Res. │255 Res. │77 Res. │332. │ │256 Res. │ │257 Res. │ │257 Res. │ │419. ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 2 Horse Jag. Rgt. (?) │4 Sqn. 2 Horse Jag. Rgt. │77 Res. Cav. Detch. (?) │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │(?) Art. Command: │ 59 Res. F. A. Rgt. (9 │ 59 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ Btries.). │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Engineers and│(377) Pion. Btn.: │1 Co. 1 Pions. Liaisons. │ │ │ 78 Res. Pion. Co. │1 Ldw. Co. 7 C. Dist. Pions. │ 277 T. M. Co. │39 Res. Searchlight Section. │ 39 Res. Searchlight Section.│277 T. M. Co. │ 477 Tel. Detch. │477 Tel. Detch. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Medical and │539 Ambulance Co. │539 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │103 Field Hospital (Res.). │103 Res. Field Hospital. │104 Field Hospital (Res.). │104 Res. Field Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. │105 Res. Field Hospital. │ │Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Transport. │M. T. Col. │744 M. T. Col. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Odd units. │77 Res. Cyclist Co. │77 Res. Cyclist Co. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Attached. │ │403 Pion. Btn. (?) ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── Footnote 25:

Composition at the time of dissolution.

HISTORY.

(255th Regiment: 7th Corps District—Westphalia. 257th Regiment, 332d Regiment: 8th Corps District—Rhenish Province.)

1915.

The 77th Reserve Division was formed at the Senne Cantonment (7th Corps Region) in January, 1915, with six field battalions (Nos. 31–36) of the 7th Corps Region and three of the 8th, (Nos. 37–39.) With the 78th Reserve Division, it composed the 39th Reserve Corps.

RUSSIA.

1. Brought to the Eastern Front at the beginning of February, detraining at Insterburg, it was a part of the army operating in Eastern Prussia after February 12.

2. At the beginning of March it was engaged on the Sopotzkyn-Chtabin front in the region of Simno; on March 9 it covered the retreat of the 21st Corps and fell back to Seiny, Suwalki and Augustowo (Mar. 10 to 31).

3. During May and June the 77th Reserve Division took part in the Courland raid. On May 5 it was identified as being on the Rossieny- Beisagola front (to the South of Chavli).

GRODNO.

4. Taking part in the summer offensive, it advanced through the regions of Grodno, Olita (Aug 30) and Vileiki (Sept 27).

5. At the beginning of November it established itself in the vicinity of Kchtchava, east of Novo-Alexandrovsk.

1916.

COURLAND.

1. The 77th Reserve Division stayed in the region north of Kchtchava—and south of Dvinsk during all of 1916 and until August 1917. In August of 1916 it gave one of its regiments—the 256th—to the Mitau group and later to the 218th Division.

1917.

COURLAND.

1. At the end of August, 1917, the 77th Reserve Division was transferred from the region of the Dvinsk to the Riga front, being brought up to strength by the addition of the 332d Regiment, the latter having originally come from the 83d Division after having successively been part of the 11th Landwehr Division and the 8th Cavalry Division.

2. In October the 77th Reserve Division appeared in the vicinity of Friedrichstadt; near Jakobstadt, at the end of October. The 255th Regiment may have participated about this date in the occupation of the island of Oesel.

3. On November 5 the division is identified in the region of Libau; on January 20, the 257th Regiment at Mitau; and to the northwest of the Novo-Alexandrovsk-Dvinsk railway, the 255th Regiment on February 10. On March 1 the 332d Regiment of Infantry was to leave “in order to advance in the East” (letter).

RECRUITING.

Principally Westphalia for the 255th Regiment; Rhenish provinces for the 257th and 332d Regiments. Numerous recruits from Lorraine and Alsace. Poles in the 332d Regiment, which received the Ersatz Battalion of the 19th Infantry at the time it was formed.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 77th Reserve Division did not leave the Russian front. One of its present regiments, the 332d, is a former regiment of the Posen garrison, of which two of the three battalions were Rhenish Landsturm battalions. Successive replacements gave this regiment the appearance of an ordinary regiment. In January, 1918, the older and sickly men were released.

1918.

1. The division left Russia about April 1 and traveled via Magdebourg- Hildesheim-Cologne-Gerolstein-Gouvy-Bastogne-Lebramont-Sedan-Liart- Rozay-Montcornet, detraining in the vicinity of Laon on April 4. It marched by stages toward Villers-Carbonnel-Athies, where it rested and trained from April 11 to 19. On April 20 it entered the line north of Hangard and was engaged until the end of the month.

SOMME.

2. It returned to line east of Villers-Bretonneux on May 18 and held that sector until July 4.

WOEVRE.

3. The division was moved to the Woevre by Hirson and Montmedy and on July 14 relieved the 183d Division in the Flirey sector. It held that sector until the American attack on St. Mihiel on September 12. The division suffered very heavy losses in prisoners, but had few other casualties, the prisoners stating that they were completely cut off by the American barrage. It was withdrawn on September 16 and did not thereafter return to line.

4. What remained of the 77th Reserve Division was reassembled at Pagny and was occupied in organizing the ground between Pagny and Prenay. A report of October 11 stated that the division passed through Berlin on its way to the Balkan front on October 2. The division was then considered as withdrawn from the Western Front.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. It was not seriously engaged except in the St. Mihiel attack, which practically destroyed the division. Its morale was only mediocre. Deserters from the Alsace- Lorraine element in the division were numerous.

78th Reserve Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── │ 1915 │ 1916 ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── Infantry. │78 Res. │258 Res. │78 Res. │258 Res. │ │259 Res. │ │259 Res. │ │260 Res. │ │260 Res. ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── Cavalry. │78 Res. Cav. Detch. │78 Res. Cav. Detch. │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Artillery. │78 Res. Brig.: │78 Res. Brig.: │ 61 Res. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 61 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ Btries.). │ │ 62 Res. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 62 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ Btries.). │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Engineers and│78 Res. Pion. Co. │78 Res. Pion. Co. Liaisons. │ │ │78 Res. Pont. Engs. │2 Landst. Pion. Co. (2 C. │ │ Dist.). │ │278 T. M. Co. │ │78 Res. Pont. Engs. │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Medical and │1 Ambulance Co. │ Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Transports. │78 Res. Train Detch. │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Odd units. │78 Res. Cyclist Co. │78 Res. Cyclist Co. │ │83 Labor Btn. ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────