Part 78
─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918[26] ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── Infantry. │78 Res. │258 Res. │78 Res. │258 Res. │ │259 Res. │ │259 Res. │ │260 Res. │ │260 Res. ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 16 Hus. Rgt. │78 Res. Cav. Detch. │ │2 Sqn. 16 Hus. Rgt. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Artillery. │78 Art. Command: │(?) Art. Command: │ 62 Res. F. A. Rgt. (9 │ 62 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ Btries.). │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Engineers and│378 Pion. Btn.: │79 Res. Pion. Co. Liaisons. │ │ │ 79 Res. Pion. Co. │80 Res. Pion. Co. │ │ │ 80 Res. Pion. Co. │299 Searchlight Section. │ 278 T. M. Co. (299 │278 T. M. Co. │ Searchlight Section). │ │ 478 Tel. Detch. │478 Tel. Detch. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Medical and │540 Ambulance Co. │540 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │107 Res. Field Hospital. │106 Res. Field Hospital. │108 Res. Field Hospital. │107 Res. Field Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. │108 Res. Field Hospital. │ │Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Transports. │M. T. Col. │745 M. T. Col. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Odd units. │78 Res. Cyclist Co. │ │ │ ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── Footnote 26:
Composition at the time of dissolution.
HISTORY.
(258th Regiment: 8th Corps District—Rhenish Province. 259th Regiment: 10th Corps District—Grand Duchy of Oldenberg. 260th Regiment: 10th Corps District—Hanover.)
1915.
The 78th Reserve Division which, with the 77th Reserve Division, constituted the 39th Reserve Corps as one of the reserve divisions created during the winter of 1914–15. One of its regiments—the 258th—grew out of three field battalions of the 8th Corps Region (Nos. 40–42) and the 259th and the 260th out of six field battalions (Nos. 49–54) of the 10th Corps District. All three regiments were trained at the Alten-Grabow cantonment (4th Corps District).
RUSSIA.
1. In action on the Russian front to the north of Grodno, near Simno, Kalvariia and Suwalki in March, 1915, it took part in the Courland raid (region of Chavli) in May. It was engaged in the operations on the Dubissa to the northeast of Rossieny from the end of May to the middle of July.
2. In July, with the Army of Niemen (Beulow) it took part in the offensive against Russia, occupied the region of Poneviej, to the west of Kupichki (August) arrived before Dvinsk in September and held a position near the Illukst (September-December).
1916.
COURLAND.
1. The 78th Reserve Division remained in the Illukst (region of Dvinsk) during the whole year 1916 and until the month of April, 1917.
1917.
COURLAND.
1. Relieved from the Illukst region on April 14, 1917, the division was transferred to the Western Front. It entrained on April 15 (itinerary: Kovno-Wirballen-Allenstein-Posen-Leipzig-Nuremberg-Karlsruhe-Friberg- Muelheim) and detrained near Mulhausen on the 19th.
FRANCE (ALSACE).
2. On April 25 it went into line in the Burnhaupt sector to the north of the Rhône-Rhine Canal.
AISNE-AILETTE.
3. Relieved on May 11, it was sent into the Aisne. For 10 weeks it occupied (May 23-Aug. 5) the sector south of the Ailette, where it did not participate in any action of importance. Beginning with June 19 it made a series of local attacks in which the 258th Regiment suffered some fairly big losses (especially on June 20, to the east of Vauxaillon).
VERDUN.
4. Sent toward the Verdun front as a reserve at the time of the French offensive of August 20, it was engaged to the north of Caurières (southwest of the Ornes) on September 10. On September 13 it executed a counterattack and continued to occupy this difficult sector until the middle of October.
LORRAINE.
5. Withdrawn from Verdun, the division immediately went into line along the banks of the Seille (between Cheminot and Abaucourt) on October 14. Its stay in Lorraine was devoid of any particular event.
HAYE.
6. Toward the middle of December it was withdrawn from the Abaucourt sector and put at rest for instruction in the region of Chambley-Mars la Tour (Dec. 18 to Jan. 11, 1918), then sent to Seicheprey toward the middle of January. It was identified as still there on March 29.
RECRUITING.
One of the three regiments, the 258th, was Rhenish; the 259th was an “Oldenberger” Regiment, while the 260th was a Hanoverian and Brunswickian organization, terms found in documents, as well as the designation Lower Saxony, a more general term.
The neighboring corps districts (7th, Westphalia, and 9th, Schleswig- Holstein) were occasionally called upon for replacements.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The 78th Reserve Division showed up well on the Eastern Front and on the French front.
After a hard stay opposite Verdun, the division seems to have gone through a moral crisis; relatively high number of desertions took place in the 258th, and especially in the 259th Regiment. The intention of the High Command in sending the division into Lorraine (October-December, 1917) is said to have been done with an idea of giving its chiefs an opportunity of getting their units well in hand again.
Nevertheless, the vigorous command and the fairly high number of effectives, taken for the greater part from the younger classes, make the 78th Reserve Division a combat division worthy of consideration. At Jonville at the end of December, 1917, the division took part in assault practice.
It is to be noted that a certain number of recruits were from Alsace and Lorraine.
1918.
CHATEAU THIERRY.
1. The division was relieved in the Woevre about May 11 by the 8th Bavarian Reserve Division. It came into line on June 4 west of Dammard (Ourcq region). It was engaged until about July 20 and then withdrawn.
2. The division was disbanded at Montcornet on August 12. The 259th Reserve Regiment was broken up and one battalion of it sent to each regiment of the 2d Guard Division. The 260th Reserve Regiment was turned as a draft to the 20th Division.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as third class. After about two weeks of heavy fighting on the Marne salient, the division was dissolved.
79th Reserve Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── │ 1915 │ 1916 ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── Infantry. │79 Res. │261 Res. │79 Res. │261 Res. │ │262 Res. │ │262 Res. │ │263 Res. │ │263 Res. ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── Cavalry. │79 Res. Cav. Detch. │79 Res. Cav. Detch. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Artillery. │79 Res. Brig.: │79 Res. Brig.: │ 63 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ 63 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ │ │ 64 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ 64 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Engineers and│79 Res. Pion. Co. │79 Res. Pion. Co. Liaisons. │ │ │79 Res. Pont. Engs. │83 Res. Pion. Co. │ │279 T. M. Co. │ │79 Res. Pont. Engs. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Medical and │1 Ambulance Co. │ Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Transports. │79 Res. Train Detch. │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Odd Units. │79 Res. Cyclist Co. │79 Res. Cyclist Co. ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────
─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── Infantry. │79 Res. │261 Res. │79 Res. │261 Res. │ │262 Res. │ │262 Res. │ │263 Res. │ │263 Res. ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 16 Hus. Rgt. │3 Sqn. 16 Hus. Rgt. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Artillery. │79 Art. Command: │79 Art. Command: │ 63 Res. F. A. Rgt. (9 │ 63 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ Btries.). │ │ │ 2 Abt. 20 Ft. A. Rgt. (6 and │ │ 8 Btries.). │ │ 718 Light Am. Col. │ │ 719 Light Am. Col. │ │ 1354 Light Am. Col. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Engineers and│379 Pion. Btn.: │379 Pion. Btn.: Liaisons. │ │ │ 81 Res. Pion. Co. │ 81 Res. Pion. Co. │ 1 Ers. Co. 24 Pions. │ 1 Ers. Co. 24 Pions. │ 279 T. M. Co. │ 25 Searchlight Section. │ 40 Res. Searchlight Section.│479 Signal Command: │ 50 Searchlight Sections. │ 479 Tel. Detch. │ 51 Searchlight Section. │ 64 Wireless Detch. │ 79 Searchlight Sections. │ │ 79 Res. Pont. Engs. │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Medical and │541 Ambulance Co. │541 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │110 Field Hospital. │110 Res. Field Hospital. │111 Field Hospital. │111 Res. Field Hospital. │112 Field Hospital. │164 Vet. Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Transports. │746 M. T. Col. │746 M. T. Col. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Odd Units. │ │ ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────
HISTORY.
(261st and 262d Reserve Regiments: Entire Prussian territory by selection, in the same manner as the Guard. 263d Reserve Regiment: 4th Corps District—Prussian Saxony.)
1915.
EASTERN PRUSSIA.
1. The 79th Reserve Division was one of the divisions formed in the winter of 1914–15, and, with the 80th Reserve Division, formed the 40th Reserve Corps. It grew out of six field battalions of the Guard and three field battalions. (Nos. 19–21) of the 4th Corps District. It was trained at the Doeberitz cantonment and sent to Eastern Prussia at the beginning of February, 1915, where it took part in the battle of the Masure Lakes from the 7th to the 17th.
RUSSIA.
2. It was identified in the vicinity of Lyck on February 13, as marching toward Augustowo on the 14th and to the south of the Forest of Augustowo on the 24th.
POLAND.
3. From the end of February until the end of March it was engaged on the Bobr, to the north of the Fortess of Ossoviec. At the end of March, having come back in the northeast, it held the passes in the lakes to the east of Suwalki-Augustowo.
4. At the beginning of May the 40th Reserve Corps advanced toward Kalwaria-Mariampol.
KOVNO.
5. On June 9 the 79th Reserve Division appeared before Kovno; it took part in the siege and the taking of this town (July-Aug. 18).
SMORGONI.
6. The offensive against the Russians took it through Ochmiana (?) to the south of Smorgoni (Aug. 27). The division took a position in this region.
SMORGONI-KREVO.
7. The division occupied the Krevo-Smorgoni (south of Vilna) sector from the end of August, 1915, until some time in November, 1916.
1916.
RUSSIA-FRANCE.
1. Relieved from the Smorgoni sector at the end of November, 1916, the 79th Division was transferred to the Western Front. It entrained at Mitau (Itinerary: Chavli-Grodno-Bielostok-Varsovie-Lodz-Kalisz-Glogau- Cottbus-Halle-Paderborn-Duesseldorf-Aix la Chapelle-Herbesthal-Liege- Louvain-Brussels) and detrained at Ascq (east of Lille) on December 10.
LILLE.
2. Remained there at rest.
1917.
LA BASSEE.
1. About January 10, 1917, it took over the La Bassee-Vermelles sector (up to Jan. 28).
LENS-VIMY.
2. At the end of February it appeared in the Lens sector and on March 3 on the Vimy front. On April 9 it was sorely tried by the British attack on the heights of Vimy, where it lost 1,660 prisoners.
3. It was relieved about April 14 and put at rest.
LILLE.
4. On May 3 the division entered the line again in the quiet sector to the southwest of Lille (between Boutillerie and Fauquissart). It stayed there until July 8.
FLANDERS.
5. After a few days rest at Templeuve it was transferred to Flanders, where it was again at rest (east of Bruges) (July).
LANGEMARCK.
6. At the beginning of the British offensive at Ypres (July 31) it was brought to Langemarck as a “counterattack” division. Engaged on August 6 it suffered very heavy losses and abandoned Langemarck during the attack of the 16th. It was relieved on the 16th, having lost 75 per cent of its strength. It was put at rest east of Cambrai and reorganized.
ST. QUENTIN.
7. On September 1 it took over the sector northwest of St. Quentin (Pontruet-Gricourt), which it occupied until November 28.
CAMBRAI.
8. On November 21, by reason of the British offensive, it hastily put two battalions in action at Masnières.
9. At the beginning of December the 79th Reserve Division went into line to the east of Gouzeaucourt. It was relieved in January, 1918, reappeared on the front at the beginning of February near Gonnelieu, and went back to rest at the end of the month.
RECRUITING.
The 261st and 262d Regiments were taken from depots of the Guard and were recruited like the latter, from all sections of Prussia. The 263d Regiment was a “Magdeberg” unit (Prussian Saxony).
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The 79th Division, already sorely tried at Vimy in April, was much used at Ypres in August, 1917.
The 261st and 262d Regiments were completely demoralized during the British attack and fled to the rear. According to an officer this panic was due to the lack of combat spirit displayed by the 1918 class, which made up an important part of the strength of the soldiers engaged.
It arrived in a very worn out condition in the St. Quentin sector and left it on November 28 with nearly full strength and replacement of material. It should (December, 1917) be capable of putting forth an appreciable effort.
The soldiers from Alsace and Lorraine, formerly numerous in this division, were withdrawn from this unit when it was sent to the French front. Ninety-three of them remained in the 252d Regiment, who were mostly sent to the Eastern Front on July 3, 1917 (German order).
1918.
BATTLE OF PICARDY.
1. The division reenforced the Somme battle front on March 21 near Ronssoy. It advanced west of Epehy on March 22 and was withdrawn to second line a day later. It followed up the advance and took part in the attack near Meaulte on April 5, after which it was withdrawn.
BAILLEUL.
2. It rested in Belgium for five weeks, and on May 26 entered the line northwest of Bailleul. It was relieved on the night of June 19–20.
3. The division rested in Roubaix area until July 20, when it was transferred by rail to Tergnier (west of La Fere) and then marched to Guny, west of Coucy le Chateau, where it remained in army reserve. On August 8 the division was alarmed, and at mid-day was transferred in motor busses via Chauny-Ham-Nesle to Rethonvillers, arriving before dawn on the 9th. It came into action on the following day at 4 kilometers northeast of Andechy.
SCARPE-SOMME.
4. At once the division was heavily engaged with all nine battalions in line. On the 13th its place was taken by the 121st Division, and it rested for three or four days in the area southwest of Nesle. On the 16th the division relieved the 204th Division on the line east of Goyencourt-Hill 81, west of Roye-Avre. It was heavily engaged in opposing the French attacks until August 31, when it was withdrawn east of Roye.
5. On September 5 the division relieved the Alpine Corps at Epenancourt. It fell back in a northeasterly direction by Atilly, southeast of Vermand, southeast of Maissemy, Pontruet, and Gricourt. It was relieved about October 8 after losing 2,200 prisoners in August and September.
SCARPE.
6. When relieved, the division went to the Fres-Sancourt area (north of St. Gobain), where it was in reserve. About the 14th it was taken to La Ferte-Chevresis to construct rear positions. It was moved in trucks on the 18th by Sains-Richaumont-Wiege-Villers les Guise-Iron near Etreux. It went into line on the evening of the 18th, relieving elements of the 81st Division. It was engaged until the armistice. The line of retreat was through Boue, Boulogne, Avesnes, Sobre le Chateau. In the last place it was identified on November 10.
At the end the effective strength of the division was greatly diminished, although it had received drafts from the dissolved 201st and 202d Regiments.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as third class. Throughout 1918 the division was extensively used in important defensive sectors, in which it did fairly well.
80th Reserve Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── │ 1915 │ 1916 ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── Infantry. │80 Res. │264 Res. │80 Res. │264 Res. │ │265 Res. │ │266 Res. │ │266 Res. │ │34 Res. ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── Cavalry. │80 Res. Cav. Detch. │80 Res. Cav. Detch. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Artillery. │80 Res. Brig.: │80 Res. Brig.: │ 65 Res. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 65 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ Btries.). │ │ 66 Res. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 66 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ Btries.). │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Engineers and│80 Res. Pion. Co. │80 Res. Pion. Co. Liaisons. │ │ │80 Res. Pont. Engs. │281 T. M. Co. │ │80 Res. Pont. Engs. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Medical and │1 Ambulance Co. │ Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Transports. │80 Res. Train Detch. │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Odd Units. │80 Res. Cyclist Co. │80 Res. Cyclist Co. ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────