Part 86
4. The division remained in the vicinity of Halicz until October.
COURLAND.
5. Relieved from Galicia, the division was sent to Courland, to the south of Kekkau (October).
6. On October 20 it took over the sector to the west of Jakobstadt.
1917.
JAKOBSTADT.
1. The 105th Division occupied the Jacobstadt front until November, 1917. In April the 400th Regiment replaced the 122d which was transferred to the 243d Division (old 8th Ersatz Division), a Wurttemberg unit. The division took Jacobstadt on September 21.
FRANCE.
2. On November 5 the 105th Division entrained at Mitau and was transported to France. (Itinerary: Kovno-Koenigsberg-Schneidemuehl- Berlin-Cassel-Coblenz-Treves-Thionville-Sedan-Mezieres.) It detrained at Juniville (south of Rethel) on November 11 and rested in this region.
RECRUITING.
The 21st and the 129th were classified as “troops from Western Prussia” in an official document. Although the 21st was called the 4th Pomeranian, it was actually recruited for the most part in the Province of Western Prussia, which was its station in peace time. The 400th was, by reason of its replacement depot, a Rhenish unit.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The 105th Division was first put into line on the French front at the beginning of January, 1918. It suffered losses in Galicia during the Summer of 1916.
Its long stay in the Courland sector had not increased its combat value.
1918.
BATTLE OF PICARDY.
1. The division was engaged west of Noyon on April 15 and remained in that area until May 17, when it was relieved by the 223d Division. Losses were very considerable in the early part of the division’s occupation of that sector.
NOYON.
2. It rested north of Noyon until May 31 when it reenforced the Aisne battle front at Nampcel, east of the Oise. Throughout June it was engaged in this sector. It attempted a local attack on Moulin sous Touvent on July 3 without success. In minor operations in June and July the division lost about 1,000 prisoners. In August it was heavily engaged and forced back on Noyon, where it was relieved by the 54th Division about September 1.
3. The division rested for about three weeks in the area south of Ferte Chevresis-Montigny sur Crecy. It was engaged at Septvaux about September 27. It fought in the retreat through Fourdrain as far as Mesbrecourt- Assis sur Serre. It held that sector until the capture of Mesbrecourt on October 22, after which it took up a position to the north. The division was in the neighborhood of Pargny wood until November 5. Thereafter it was identified at Vervins (6th), Voulpaix (7th), north of Wimy (9th).
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as third class. As a sector holding division it saw almost constant service most of which was in the Noyon area. Its morale was greatly lowered in November.
107th Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── │ 1915 │ 1916 ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── Infantry. │213. │52 Res. │213. │52 Res. │ │227 Res. │ │227 Res. │ │232 Res. │ │232 Res. ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── Cavalry. │ (?) │3 Sqn. 1 Uhlan Rgt. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Artillery. │213 F. A. Rgt. (7 Btries.). │213 F. A. Rgt. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Engineers and│213 Pion. Co. │213 Pion. Co. Liaisons. │ │ │ │4 Co. 21 Pions. │ │107 T. M. Co. │ │107 Pont. Engs. │ │107 Tel. Detch. │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Medical and │ │ Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Transport. │ │ ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────
─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── Infantry. │213. │52 Res. │ │52 Res. │ │227 Res. │ │232 Res. │ │232 Res. │ │448. ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 1 Uhlan Rgt. │3 Sqn. 1 Uhlan Rgt. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Artillery. │157 Art. Command: │157 Art. Command: │ 213 F. A. Rgt. (9 Btries.). │ 213 F. A. Rgt. │ │ 154 Ft. A. Btn. │ │ 713 Light Am. Col. │ │ 1283 Light Am. Col. │ │ 1353 Light Am. Col. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Engineers and│107 Pion. Btn.: │107 Pion. Btn.: Liaisons. │ │ │ 213 Pion. Co. │ 4 Co. 21 Pions. │ 4 Co. 21 Pions. │ 213 Pion. Co. │ 91 T. M. Co. │ 26 Searchlight Section. │ 107 T. M. Co. │107 Signal Command: │ (213) Searchlight Section. │ 107 Tel. Detch. │ 107 Tel. Detch. │ 128 Wireless Detch. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Medical and │107 Ambulance Co. │107 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │366 Field Hospital (?). │366 Field Hospital. │166 Vet. Hospital. │97 Res. Field Hospital. │ │166 Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Transport. │593 M. T. Col. │593 M. T. Col. ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────
HISTORY.
(52d Reserve Regiment: 3d Corps District—Brandenburg. 227th Reserve Regiment: 4th Corps District—Prussian Saxony. 232d Reserve Division: 10th Corps District—Hanover.)
1915.
The 107th Division was formed at Glogau in May, 1915, with regiments transferred from the 49th Reserve Division (227th Reserve Regiment), from the 50th Reserve Division (232d Reserve Regiment), and from the 5th Reserve Regiment (52d Reserve Regiment).
GALICIA.
1. The division took part in the battles near Lemberg (June 17–22).
RUSSIA.
2. In July the division was engaged near the Bug, in the vicinity of Grubeszow (July 19–30).
3. On July 31 it fought to the northeast of Cholm. It was near Wlodawa from August 13 to 17.
4. On August 25 and 26 it participated in the taking of Brest-Litowsk. It entered Pinsk on September 16.
SERBIA.
5. From Pinsk it operated against Serbia, staying there from the beginning of October to the end of November, 1915.
1916.
COURLAND.
1. In January, 1916, the division was in reserve in the vicinity of Dvinsk, where it remained until March 15.
POSTAVY-SMORGONI.
2. On March 18 it took over the sector to the north of Postavy. From May to June 20 it was near Smorgoni. At the end of the month it was assigned to meet the Russian offensive in Volhynia.
VOLHYNIA.
3. It was engaged between the Styr and the Stokhod from June 21 until the middle of July.
4. In August and September it was still in Volhynia, near the Kovel- Rovno railway.
KOVEL.
5. The division stayed in this region and occupied the sector west of Kachovka until the beginning of November, 1917.
1917.
FRANCE.
1. Relieved about November 9, 1917, from the Kovel sector, the 107th Division entrained on the 13th at Poginski for the Western Front. (Itinerary: Kovel-Brest-Litovsk-Warsaw-Posen-Frankfort on the Oder- Berlin-Cassel-Coblenz-Treves-Thionville-Sedan-Charleville-Hirson.) It detrained east of Cambrai on the 18th.
CAMBRAI.
2. From November 21 on it was engaged to the southwest of Cambrai (Noyelles-Rumilly).
3. It was retired from the front about the end of December.
RECRUITING.
The 52d Reserve Regiment remained a Brandenburger regiment, as at time of its formation. The 227th Reserve Regiment, formed in the 5th Corps District at the end of 1915, had a majority of effectives from the 4th Corps District and still received replacements from Prussian Saxony. On the other hand, the 232d Reserve Regiment, formed in the 4th Corps District, recruited principally in Hanover (10th Corps District). The 107th Division had hence a heterogeneous organization.
1918.
CAMBRAI.
1. The division remained in line in the Gonnelieu sector until about February 15, when it was relieved by the 18th Division from “B” Army and went into reserve. On March 1 it returned and relieved the 18th Division in its former sector at Gonnelieu.
BATTLE OF PICARDY.
2. It was still in line when the offensive of March 21 began and advanced via Mesnil to Avelny wood under the 39th Corps. It was relieved on April 16 by the 16th Reserve Division near Anthuille and went to rest near Cambrai.
3. On May 16 the division came into line at Morlancourt, relieving the 199th Division, and held that sector until the night of May 23–24. It rested in the Cambrai area until its return to line at Morlancourt on the night of June 20–21. It was withdrawn about August 1.
THIRD BATTLE OF THE SOMME.
4. When the British began the attack on August 8 the division hastily returned to line near Proyart. Until the 28th it was hotly engaged at Proyart, Mericourt, and Herleville. One thousand seven hundred prisoners were taken from the division in this fighting.
WOEVRE.
5. On September 3 the division started for Metz to rest. Its destination was changed and it detrained at Conflans on September 16, marched via Frianville-Brainville-Allamont-Moulotte to Harville, where it went into line. The sector was a quiet one, and the battalions were well rested.
MEUSE-ARGONNE.
6. The division left that sector on October 11 and went in trucks from Conflans to Stenay via Longuyon-Montmedy-Sedan. By way of Dun sur Meuse the division entered the line on October 14. One regiment had previously entered line on the 11th. Until the 20th the division was engaged in resisting without especial success the American attack. Two of the regiments of the division were out of the line from the 20th to November 1. The total losses of the division up to this time were estimated at 2,100, including 352 prisoners. Two regiments of the division were again engaged from November 1 to 10 in the Villers area, when the division was considered withdrawn following a failure to identify it by contact.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as third class. There was evidence that the morale of the men was low as a result of the heavy casualties that the division suffered throughout 1918.
108th Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── │ 1915 │ 1916 ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── Infantry. │(?) │97. │(?) │97. │ │137. │ │137. │ │265 Res. │ │265 Res. │ │ │ 14 Jag. Btn. ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼───────────────────────────── Cavalry. │ (?) │1 Res. Drag. Rgt. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Artillery. │243 F. A. Rgt. (7 Btries.). │243 F. A. Rgt. │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Engineers and│ (?) │1 Res. Co. 1 Pions. Liaisons. │ │ │ │108 Pont. Engs. │ │ │ │108 Tel. Detch. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Medical and │ │ Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Transport. │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Attached. │ │885 F. A. Btry. │ │ │ │888 F. A. Btry. ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────
─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918[28] ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── Infantry. │(?) │97. │5. │97. │ │137. │ │137. │ │265 Res. │ │265 Res. │ 14 Jag. Btn. │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── Cavalry. │6 Sqn. 17 Hus. Rgt. │6 Sqn. 17 Hus. Rgt. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │(?) Art. Command: │ 243 F. A. Rgt. (9 Btries.). │ 243 F. A. Rgt. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Engineers and│(108) Pion. Btn.: │108 Pion. Btn.: Liaisons. │ │ │ 1 Res. Co. 1 Pions. │ 1 Res. Co. 2 Pion. Btn. No. │ │ 1. │ 1 Co. 33 Res. Pion. Btn. │ 1 Co. 33 Res. Pions. │ 108 T. M. Co. │ 2 Landst. Co. 17 C. Dist. │ │ Pions. │ 275 Searchlight Section. │ 275 Searchlight Section. │ 108 Searchlight Section. │ 108 T. M. Co. │ 108 Tel. Detch. │ 108 Tel. Detch. │ │ 108 Wireless Detch. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Medical and │264 Ambulance Co. │264 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │94 Field Hospital. │94 Field Hospital. │258 Field Hospital. │334 Field Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. │197 Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Transport. │M. T. Col. │M. T. Col. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Attached. │2 Landst. Pion. Co. (17 C. │Attached. │ Dist.). │ │ │ ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────── Footnote 28:
Composition at the time of dissolution, October, 1918.
HISTORY.
(97th and 137th Regiments: 21st Corps District—Lorraine. 265th Reserve Regiment: 9th Corps District—Mecklenburg.)
1915.
The 108th Division was formed during the summer of 1915 in the Niemen Army (Scholtz Army) by taking the 137th Infantry from the 31st Division, the 97th Infantry from the 42d Division, and the 265th Reserve Infantry from the 80th Reserve Division. It was called the Beckmann Division in honor of its commanding general before it received the number 108.
COURLAND.
1. About December 1 it went into line to the west of Sventen Lake (region of Dvinsk).
1916.
VOLHYNIA.
1. In June, 1916, the division was transferred to Volhynia and opposed the Russian offensive in the vicinity of Svinioukhi. Here it had heavy losses. On June 16 the 1st Battalion of the 137th Infantry reported 24 officers and 978 men out of action. (Casualty List).
2. It was in this sector until its departure for the Western Front (middle of December, 1917.)
1917.
FRANCE.
1. Entrained on December 12 in the vicinity of Brest-Litowsk.
2. Detrained near Hirson about December 18 and stayed at rest for three weeks in the vicinity of Aubenton.
RECRUITING.
The 97th and the 137th of the old 21st Corps were among those regiments which did not find a sufficient source of recruits in their home stations and filled up their ranks with soldiers from the Rhine Province and Westphalia.
The 265th Reserve Regiment, originally recruited from the Hanseatic cities, was now principally recruited in Mecklenberg.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The 108th Division, coming from Russia, only went in line on the Western Front on January 1, 1918.
At the end of January, 1918, the 137th and 97th still had in its ranks many men from Alsace and Lorraine, which must have been transferred shortly thereafter.
1918.
AISNE.
1. After having had some training in the Vervins area, the 108th Division relieved the 5th Reserve Division near Corbeny (northeast of Craonne) during the night of January 22–23. It was relieved about the 21st of April by the 103d Division.
SOMME.
2. On the 30th it relieved the 9th Bavarian Reserve Division near Villers-Bretonneux (south of Corbie). During the night of May 19–20 it extended its front to the south and relieved the jaeger division. It was relieved by the 41st Division on the 9th of July, and went to rest in the Cappy area, south of the Somme.
3. On the 7th of August it relieved the 43d Reserve Division astride the Somme (west of Bray). The next day the British captured 1576 men from the division. It was withdrawn from line about the 23d. It went to the Cambrai region, and was there disbanded—the 137th Regiment was transferred to the 15th Division, the 97th Regiment to the 202d Division, and the 265th Reserve Regiment was dissolved.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The 108th was rated a third-class division, but considering that although it was trained in assault tactics (in January) it was not used in any of the German offensives, and that the only heavy fighting in which it participated was when it was caught by the British attack of the 8th of August, where it fought poorly, and also that the 15th and 202d Divisions—the units which received its regiments when it was disbanded—were second and third class, respectively, this rating seems to have been too high.
109th Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── │ 1915 │ 1916 ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── Infantry. │174. │2 Gren. │174. │2 Gren. │ │26 Res. │ │26 Res. │ │376. │ │376. │ │ │ 4 Btn. (57 Ldw. Rgt.). ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼───────────────────────────── Cavalry. │ │98 Cav. Rgt. │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Artillery. │227 F. A. Rgt. │227 F. A. Rgt. │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Engineers and│ │1 Ldw. Co. Gd. Pions. Liaisons. │ │ │ │109 Pont. Engs. │ │109 Tel. Detch. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Medical and │ │ Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Transports. │ │ ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────