Part 96
4. On November 18 it went into line north of the Ancre, where it was seriously engaged in a series of local attacks.
5. Relieved December 12 and went to rest northeast of Ghent.
1917.
FLANDERS.
1. At the beginning of February, 1917 the division took over the sector Ypres-Comines Canal, which it held until February 25.
2. After a month’s rest in the region north of Ghent it returned to the front (sector Bixschoote-Langemarck) from March 28–29 to middle of April.
ARTOIS.
3. April 24 the division was engaged before Arras between Gavrelle and Roeux and was severely tried during the British offensive.
HINDENBURG LINE (OISE).
4. Withdrawn from the Artois front May 8 and went into line in a quiet sector south of St. Quentin, between Berthenicourt and Moy, where it remained for more than three months, May 14–15 to August 18. Received about 1,000 replacements, among others from the 616th Infantry dissolved, in May.
FLANDERS.
5. About August 23 went to Flanders, via Origny-Le Cateau-Mons-Ghent- Deynze-Lichtervelde. September 4–5 it went into the sector of Langemarck. Though already sorely tried by artillery fire, it was subjected to the British attack of September 20, which again caused it very heavy losses. The 1st and 3d Companys of the 185th Infantry were entirely destroyed or captured; the rest of the 1st Battalion was reduced to a handful of men (letter).
ST. MIHIEL.
6. Left the Flanders front September 29 and went to Lorraine where it took over the St. Mihiel sector.
CAMBRAI-ST. QUENTIN.
7. November 26 it entrained for the region of Cambrai where the 25th Infantry fought on the 30th in support of the 34th Division. The division then held the sector southwest of Villers Guislain-north of Epehy until the beginning of February, 1918. Relieved at that time, and at the beginning of March took over the sector west of Bellenglise, northwest of St. Quentin.
RECRUITING.
The 185th Regiment is a Baden regiment (German communiqué of Nov. 26, 1916). The other two regiments are from the Rhineland, and thus the division may at times be designated under the general appellation of “Rhenish troops.”
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The division took part in many battles on different fronts and generally did well.
When it was put in line at Ypres in September, 1917, 25 per cent of its fighting forces belonged to the 1918 class, and these young elements seem at this time to have weakened the fighting spirit of the division. (Information from the British, October, 1917).
1918.
BATTLE OF PICARDY.
1. The division was in the Bellenglise line sector when the attack of March 21 began. By the evening of the 21st it had advanced as far as le Vergnier. The next day it advanced via Bernes and Catigny and entered Peronne on the following day, remaining there until the 25th, when it crossed the Somme near Biaches. On the 26th the division advanced 4 kilometers encountering slight opposition, and on the 27th advanced 12 kilometers without opposition. It reached Framerville on the 28th after some fighting and on the 29th was engaged against a British counterattack between Cayeux and Beaucourt. A day or so later it was retired from the front near Marcelcave. The casualties of the division in the offensive were estimated by the British as 70 per cent.
HANGARD.
2. It rested near Clery, in the vicinity of Peronne, from April 1 to 18. It came into line north of Hangard (night of Apr. 21–22) and was heavily engaged until May 4. Again the division suffered very heavy losses.
WOEVRE.
3. The division went to rest in the Valenciennes area on May 7. About June 4 it entrained and traveled via Mons-Namur-Charleville-Conflans to Chambley, where it detrained a day later. On the night of June 4–5 it entered line of the quiet St. Mihiel sector and stayed there until the end of July.
SECOND BATTLE OF PICARDY.
4. Relieved on July 28, at St. Mihiel, the division was transported to the Noyon area, and on August 12 was engaged near Belval (south of Lassigny). In the next two months the division was constantly being pressed back. The line of its retreat was through Beaurains-Genvry- Guiscard-Berlancourt-Ville Selves-Crigny-Flavy le Martel-Benay-Cerisy (south of St. Quentin). It was relieved by the 1st Reserve Division on September 30.
5. After hardly a week’s rest, the division reentered lines near Cambrai (southwest of Merguies, later Haussy) about October 8. It held in that sector until the 23d. Few days later it was reengaged between Valenciennes and Le Quesnoy (Ruesnes), but after a few days in line retired from the front.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as second class. It took a prominent part in the March offensive and thereafter was a strong defensive division. Although its effectives were greatly diminished in the fall, its morale remained above the average.
211th Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918[33] ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │ │27. │211. │27. │211. │27. │ │75 Res. │ │75 Res. │ │75 Res. │ │103 Res. │ │390. │ │390. ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │ │1 Sqn. 2 Uhlan Rgt.│1 Sqn. 2 Uhlan Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │269 F. A. Rgt. │Art. Command: │(?) Art. Command: │ │ 269 F. A. Rgt. │ 269 F. A. Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│ │(211) Pion. Btn.: │1 Res. Co. 2 Pion. Liaisons. │ │ │ Btn. No. 27. │ │ 1 Res. Co. 27 │421 T. M. Co. │ │ Pions. │ │ │ 268 Pion. Co. │211 Tel. Detch. │ │ 421 T. M. Co. │ │ │ 211 Tel. Detch. │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │ │222 Ambulance Co. │222 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │170 Field Hospital.│170 Field Hospital. │ │173 Field Hospital.│171 Field Hospital. │ │Vet. Hospital. │173 Field Hospital. │ │ │Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transports. │ │M. T. Col. │M. T.Col. ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
Footnote 33:
Composition at the time of dissolution, August, 1918.
HISTORY.
(27th; 4th District—Prussian Saxony. 75th Reserve; 9th District—Schleswig—Holstein and Hansa towns. 390th; 18th District—Hesse—Nassau.)
1916.
The 211th Division was organized September 15, 1916, at Tournai.
The 27th Infantry came from the 27th Division (4th Army Corps), the 75th Reserve from the 17th Reserve Division (9th Army Corps), the 103d Reserve (which was replaced by the 390th in January, 1917) came from the 23d Reserve Division (Saxon). These three regiments fought in July to August, 1916, in the battle of the Somme before being assigned to the 211th Division.
1. About September 20, its organization being completed, the division was sent north of the front of the Somme, to put up defensive works in the region of Nurlu-Manancourt.
SOMME.
2. October 14 it went into line at the St. Pierre-Vaast wood, from where it was relieved November 6.
SOISSONS.
3. It then took over the sector north and west of Soissons (Nov. 20).
1917.
1. In January, 1917, the 103d Reserve was transferred to the 58th Division (Saxon) and replaced by the 390th, recruited in the Rhineland and Hessa, coming from the 16th Reserve Division, which had been formed from drafted companies as well as from elements of the 21st and 25th Divisions and 25th Landwehr Brigade.
AISNE.
2. The division, thus composed, held the Soissons sector until about March 20. On this date it retired through Terny, Margival, to Vauxaillon, where it established its lines and opposed the French attack of April 16.
LAFFAUX.
3. Temporarily withdrawn from the front on April 20, the division went to the north of Laffaux, south of Vauxaillon, from May 10 to 25. During these two periods on the Aisne front the division suffered heavy losses (especially the 27th, which had already received men from the 1918 class, among other reenforcements, at the end of April). It was reorganized partly from the dissolution of the 625th Infantry (Hessian).
FOREST OF ST. GOBAIN.
4. June 25 the division held the forest of St. Gobain (sector of Bassoles-Aulers). At the end of July it took over the sector of Cerny- Malval Farm.
5. At the end of December it went to rest and train at Gizy (west of Liesse) and vicinity for four weeks.
RECRUITING.
The three infantry regiments came from three different Prussian Provinces-Prussian Saxony (27th Infantry), Schleswig-Holstein and Hanse towns (75th Reserve), Hesse-Nassau, 390th Infantry. The reenforcements from the Russian front in 1917 also gave a certain number of Hanoverians from the 411th Infantry.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The division had many losses on the Aisne in April to May, 1917, and was completed by reenforcements containing a strong proportion of the 1918 class. These young soldiers, according to prisoners’ statements, showed only mediocre military qualities (counterattacks at Laffaux).
During the four weeks which it spent in the vicinity of Liesse the division took part in several training exercises (breaking through maneuvers on an 8-kilometer front with simulated enemy tanks). (Interrogation of prisoners, Mar. 7, 1918.)
1918.
BATTLE OF PICARDY.
1. The division was relieved the 8th of March in the Chamouille area and went to rest and train near Laon until the 19th. It marched toward the jumping off point east of La Fere by Crepy en Laonnois, arriving there on the 20th. It followed up the attack at La Fere, crossing the Oise near Travecy, until the 22d, when it was engaged west of Travecy. It advanced through Farguiers-Quessy-Liez-Chauny-Quierzy-Varesnes, suffering heavy losses, until the line stabilized near the Aisne Canal at Manicamp and Champs. It held this sector until May 27.
OISE.
2. When the French retired on the front, following the German advance to the Marne, the division advanced as far as Moulin sous Touvent-Nampcel (May 27–31). It held that sector until the beginning of July. It withstood a French attack on July 3, lost 666 prisoners, and was at once relieved by the 15th Division.
SOISSONS.
3. The division rested until mid-July southeast of Soissons. It was brought back on the 20th at Mercin-Vauxbuin to oppose the Allied counterthrust and was in line until August 3.
4. After its withdrawal the division was taken to the neighborhood of Charleville and dissolved. The 390th Regiment and 75th Reserve Regiment were broken up and sent as drafts to the 42d Division and the 87th Division. The 27th Regiment replaced the dissolved 32d Reserve Regiment in the 113th Division.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as second class. It was in line almost without interruption from February to August, 1918. When the effective strength had reached a minimum the division was dissolved.
212th Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │57. │20. │212. │415. │ │182. │ │114. │ │416. │ │ │ │98 Res. │ │182. │ │ ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │ │2 Sqn. 18 Uhlan │5 Sqn. 18 Hussars. │ │ Rgt. │ │ │ │Staff, 2 Bav. Uhlan │ │ │ Rgt. │ │ │1 to 4 Sqns. 2 Bav. │ │ │ Uhlan Rgt. │ │ │M. G. Sqn. 2 Bav. │ │ │ Uhlan Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │279 F. A. Rgt. │67 Art. Command: │67 Artillery │ (Saxon). │ │ Command: │ │ 279 F. A. Rgt. │ 279 Field Art. │ │ │ Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│2 Ldw. Pion. Co. │(212) Pion. Btn.: │212 Div. Signal Liaisons. │ (14 C. Dist.). │ │ Command: │ │ 3 Res. Co. 22 │ 212 Tel. Detch. │ │ Pions. │ │ │ 422 T. M. Co. │ │ │ 212 Tel. Detch. │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │ │225 Ambulance Co. │177 Field Hospital. Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │177 Field Hospital.│312 Vet. Hospital. │ │Vet. Hospital. │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transport. │ │757 M. T. Col. │ ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
HISTORY.
(12th and 19th Districts—Saxony.)
1916.
The 212th Division was organized between the 5th and 15th of September, 1916, in the region of St. Quentin. At that time it comprised the following three infantry regiments, taken from already existing divisions: The 20th from the 6th Division, the 114th from the 29th Division, and the 98th Reserve from the 10th Reserve Division. Later its infantry composition was completely changed until the division from being Prussian became entirely Saxon.
SOMME.
1. From September 15 to October 3–5 the division was engaged north of the Somme (sector of Cléry to Béthune-Péronne road).
2. Withdrawn from the front October 5 and sent to rest in the region of St. Quentin. Went back into line about the 25th, south of the Somme, between Genermont and Ablaincourt. Suffered heavy losses (the 3d Battalion of the 98th Reserves lost 297 prisoners).
CHAMPAGNE.
3. The division left the Somme November 23–25 and went to rest (end of November to beginning of December). Then went to the Champagne front (sector of Prosnes—south of Ste. Marie a Py).
1917.
1. In January, 1917, the division was reorganized. The 98th Reserve and the 20th went to the 207th Division and the 5th Guard Division, respectively, and were replaced by the 9th Jäger Regiment (from the 199th Division) and the 415th (from the 204th Division). These were Saxon regiments and they were joined a short time after by the 416th (also from the 204th Division and Saxon), in place of the 114th, assigned to the 199th Division.
CHAMPAGNE.
2. Thus composed the division continued to hold the Prosnes sector until the end of March, 1917.
ROUMANIA.
3. Relieved about March 25, before the attacks began and sent to Roumania.
At this time the 9th Regiment of Jägers left the division and went to the 101st Division, in Macedonia. The 415th and 416th were sent to the Russian-Roumanian front (region of Braila in July, then Focsani- Tecuciu). The division was brought up to three regiments by the assignment of the 182d (from the 216th Division), a Saxon regiment. The division suffered heavy losses, especially the 182d Infantry, on September 9.
4. In December the division was relieved from the sector west of Tecuciu. The 415th and 416th were identified southeast of Panciu December 14; the 182d, northwest of Namoloasa, on the 20th.
RECRUITING.
The division at the end of 1917 was entirely Saxon.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
Remained on the Roumanian front during a part of 1917 and the beginning of 1918. Moderate fighting value.
1918.
1. The division was still in Rumania on the 15th of April.
UKRAINE.
2. Toward the end of May the division was identified north of Kherson. All the younger men were sent to the Western Front, but the remainder of the division did not leave this region.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as fourth class.
213th Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │37 Res. │149. │37 Res. │149. │37 Res. │149. │ │368. │ │368. │ │368. │ │74 Res. │ │74 Res. │ │74 Res. ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 5 Res. Hus. │2 Sqn. 5 Res. Hus. │2 Sqn. 5 Res. Hus. │ Rgt. │ Rgt. │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │272 F. A. Rgt. │213 Art. Command: │213 Art. Command: │ │ 272 F. A. Rgt. │ 272 Field Art. │ │ │ Rgt. │ │ │ 79 Foot Art. Btn. │ │ │733, 1104, and 1127 │ │ │ Light Mun. Col. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│284 Pion. Co. │(213) Pion. Btn.: │213 Pion Btn. Liaisons. │ │ │ │423 T. M. Co. │ 2 Res. Co. 28 │ 2 Res. Co. Pion. │ │ Pions. │ Btn. No. 18. │ │ 284 Pion Co. │ 284 Pion Co. │ │ 378 T. M. Co. │ 423 T. M. Co. │ │ 423 T. M. Co. │ 118 Searchlight │ │ │ Section. │ │ Tel. Detch. │ 234 Searchlight │ │ │ Section. │ │ │313 Div. Signal │ │ │ Command. │ │ │ 213 Tel. Detch. │ │ │ 26 Div. Wireless │ │ │ Detch. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │ │220 Ambulance Co. │220 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │68 (*) Field │168 and 169 Field │ │ Hospital. │ Hospitals. │ │168 Field │313 Vet. Hospital. │ │ Hospital. │ │ │169 Field │ │ │ Hospital. │ │ │Vet. Hospital. │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transport. │ │179 M. T. Col. │623 M. T. Col. ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
HISTORY.
(149th: 2d District—Pomerania. 368th and 74th Reserves: 10th District—Hanover.)
1916.
The 213th Division was formed near Spincourt, northeast of Verdun, at the beginning of September, 1916. Its three infantry regiments came from already existing divisions, the 149th from the 4th Division, the 74th Reserves from the 19th Reserve Division, and the 368th (former Brigade Ersatz Battalions 37 (Osnabrueck), 38 (Hanover), 39 (Hildesheim), from the 10th Ersatz Division.)
SOMME.
1. Although apparently destined for the Roumanian front, the division was sent in all haste to the Somme on September 14. It fought beginning the 18th east of Combles and suffered heavily.
AISNE.
2. Withdrawn from the front at the end of September and moved to Bohain by stages and from there was transported on October 1 to Coucy le Chateau. On the same day it took over the Nouvron-Vingre sector north of Vic sur Aisne. It remained there until the end of October, and after a short rest went back into line in the same region (Moulin sous Touvent- Autreches) at the beginning of November.
1917.
1. About January 4, 1917, the division was relieved from the Aisne front and sent for a rest and training to the camp at Sissonne (region of Lappion). Maneuvers with a view to open warfare.
OISE.
2. After three weeks training it entrained at St. Erme on January 22; detrained the same day at Apilly, near Chauny, and went into line between the Oise and Quennevieres (Bailly-Pracy le Val).
3. On March 17 it retired north of the Ailette in the direction of Chauny and went in reserve in the region of Laon.
AISNE.
4. An emergency call was sent for it at Sissonne April 16 and it was brought to St. Erme and engaged beginning April 16–17 east of Craonne (north of Ville aux Bois). Counterattacked violently in the region of Juvincourt, but suffered considerable losses, which necessitated its retreat, on April 21–22.
5. Sent to rest near Amifontaine and reorganized (replacements especially from the 617th Regiment (Stettin and vicinity), which was dissolved) April 26 it was reengaged south of Corbeny and again suffered heavily from the French attack of May 8 and from its counteroffensive of the 10th.
6. Left the Craonne front May 29 and went to rest by the Meuse (Spincourt).
HILL 304.
7. At the end of July, after two months’ rest, went into line east of Hill 304. Only the 149th was engaged during the French attack of August 20, and it suffered heavy losses.
CHAMPAGNE.
8. Relieved August 25 and sent to Champagne (5 weeks’ rest near Asfeld), then went into line before Brimont on October 5.
RECRUITING.
Two of the regiments, the 74th Reserves and the 368th were from Hanover. The 149th which as a rule was recruited in the second district (Pomerania), was as a matter of fact very mixed, like the other regiments of this district.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
A good division. However, the 149th, in line east of Hill 304, offered no resistance to the French attack of August 20, 1917. The two other regiments gave no assistance.
Relatively small proportion of 1918 class men in August, 1917.
During its stay in the rear (January, 1918) the division was trained for open warfare. (Examination of prisoners, March, 1918.)
1918.
BATTLE OF THE AISNE.