Part 98
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │ │45. │18 Ldw. │9 Res. │18 Ldw. │9 Res. │ │9 Res. │ │22 Ldw. │ │22 Ldw. │ │22 Ldw. │ │29 Bav. │ │21 Res. │ Nov. to Jan. 1 │ │ │ │ │ │9 Res. │ │ │ │ │ │22 Ldw. │ │ │ │ │ │21 Res. │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │ │47 Res. Cav. Detch.│47 Res. Cav. Detch. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │ │65 Res. F. A. Rgt. │274 F. A. Rgt. (2d │ │ │ Abt.). │ │ │65 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ │ │ (except 3d Btry. │ │ │ and 2 Abt. Staff │ │ │ and 4 and 6 │ │ │ Btries.). │ │ │1049, 1056, and │ │ │ 1073 Light. Am. │ │ │ Col. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│2 Res. Co. 17 │(217) Pion. Btn.: │2 Res. Co. 17 Liaisons. │ Pions. │ │ Pions. │ │ 2 Res. Co. 17 │130 Searchlight │ │ Pions. │ Section. │ │ 174 T. M. Co. │217 Signal Command: │ │ 427 T. M. Co. │ 217 Tel. Detch. │ │ 217 Tel. Detch. │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │ │Ambulance Co. │237 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │58 Field Hospital. │149 Field Hospital. │ │149 Field Hospital.│317 Vet. Hospital. │ │317 Vet. Hospital. │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transport. │ │1044 M. T. Col. │ │ │1094 M. T. Col. │ ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
HISTORY.
(9th Reserve Infantry Regiment: 2d Corps District—Pomerania. 22d Landwehr Regiment: 6th Corps District—Upper Silesia. 29th Bavarian Infantry Regiment: Mixed—Prussia and Bavaria.)
1916.
The 217th Division was formed on the Eastern Front about August, 1916.
ROUMANIA.
1. Composed of the 9th Reserve Infantry Regiment from the 3d Reserve Division, the 45th Infantry Regiment from the 101st Division, and the 22d Landwehr Regiment from the 4th Landwehr Division, the 217th Division left the Brest-Litowsk area at the beginning of October, 1916, to take part in the Roumanian campaign.
2. It was in Dobroudja about the end of October; in the area south of Bucarest in November. At the beginning of November the 45th Infantry Regiment, which returned to Macedonia, was replaced by the 21st Infantry Regiment from the 36th Reserve Division.
3. At the end of December elements of the 9th Reserve Infantry Regiment occupied the front south of Isaccea (Dobroudja).
1917.
BRAILA.
1. In January, 1917, the 217th Division was in the Braila area; in February, at the mouth of the Buzeu.
ODOBESTI.
2. In the month of May the division left the Braila front and went into line northwest of Odobesti in the vicinity of Focsani. At this time it acquired its definite organization: 9th Reserve, 29th Bavarian, and 22d Landwehr Infantry Regiments.
PANCIU.
3. From July to December the 217th Division remained in line northwest of Panciu.
RECRUITING.
The 217th Division was one of the most heterogeneous.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The division had been on the Roumanian front since October, 1916, and was mediocre.
1918.
ROUMANIA.
1. Early in April the division was still on the Roumanian front, but was leaving shortly for another theater.
UKRAINE.
2. At the beginning of May the division was in the Kherson region.
CRIMEA.
3. The middle of the month the division was near Sebastopol.
GEORGIA.
4. About the middle of July elements of the division were identified at Poti and Tiflis.
SERBIA.
5. Early in October the division having moved to the vicinity of Nish opposed the advance of the Serbian and allied troops.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as fourth class.
218th Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918[34] ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │ │204 Res. │62. │204 Res. │ │256 Res. │ │256 Res. │ │256 Res. │ │5 Ldw. │ │ │ │ │ │ (2d │ │ │ │ │ │ Btn.). │ │5 Ldw. │ │5 Ldw. │ │ ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │ │4 Sqn. 1 Gd. Drag. │4 Sqn. 1 Drag. Rgt. │ │ Rgt. │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │85 F. A. Rgt. │85 F. A. Rgt. │85 F. A. Rgt. │ │ │ (except 2 Abt. │ │ │ Staff, 4 and 6 │ │ │ Btries.; 3d Abt. │ │ │ Staff, 7 and 9 │ │ │ Btries.). │11 Mountain F. A. │ │ │ Btry. │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│ │(218) Pion. Btn.: │218 Signal Command: Liaisons. │ │ │ │ │ 2 Res. Co. 26 │ 218 Tel. Detch. │ │ Pions. │ │ │ 388 Pion. Co. │ │ │ 428 T. M. Co. │ │ │ 267 Searchlight │ │ │ Section. │ │ │ 218 Tel. Detch. │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │ │121 Ambulance Co. │121 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │145 Field Hospital.│145 Field Hospital. │ │96 Field Hospital. │318 Vet. Hospital. │ │367 Field Hospital.│ │ │Vet. Hospital. │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transport. │ │628 M. T. Col. │ ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
Footnote 34:
The below comprises only the elements under 308th Postal Sector (Nov. 13, 1918). The 62d Infantry Brigade, and elements of the 5th Landwehr Regiment were in the 310th Postal Sector and are carried as attached to other divisions.
HISTORY.
(204th Infantry Regiment: Guard. 256th Reserve Infantry Regiment: 7th Corps District—Westphalia. 5th Landwehr Regiment: 17th Corps District—West Prussia.)
1916.
The division was formed on the Eastern Front about September, 1916.
GALICIA.
1. Concentrated, beginning of October, in the Brest-Litovsk area, the 218th Division was transferred to Galicia, in the Brody, sector in the middle of October.
ROUMANIA.
2. Beginning of December the 218th Division was sent to the Roumanian front. It was then composed of the 204th Infantry Regiment, taken from the 43d Reserve Division; the 256th Reserve Infantry Regiment, from the Mitau Group; and of the 5th Landwehr Regiment, taken from the 11th Landwehr Division. It occupied the sector of Oitoz (December).
1917.
ROUMANIA.
1. The 218th Division remained in line between the valleys of the Trotus and of the Putna (south of Ocna, northwest of Panciu) until July, 1917.
2. At the end of July it was engaged in its sector in front of Kezdi- Vasarhely and retired to the south bank of the Putna on July 29.
3. In August and until the end of the year 1917 the 218th Division remained in line in the vicinity of Soveja.
RECRUITING.
The 204th Reserve Infantry Regiment was recruited from the whole of Russia; the 256th Reserve Infantry Regiment from Westphalia and the Rhine Districts; the 5th Landwehr Regiment from West Prussia.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The 218th Division had been on the Roumanian front since December, 1916, and was mediocre.
1918.
ROUMANIA.
In June the division was still in Roumania. Men under 35 years of age were sent to the Western Front, which gave rise to the report of the division’s presence in the Lille-Armentières region early in June. The 256th Reserve Regiment was identified in Macedonia early in July, but the remainder of the division was still in Roumania the middle of October.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as fourth class.
219th Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── Infantry. │47 Ers. │101 Res. │47 Ers. │101 Res. │ │391. │ │391. │ │431. │ │431. │ │(100 Ldw.). │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── Cavalry. │ (?) │4 Sqn. 19 Hus. Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── Artillery. │ (?) │45 Saxon Ers. F. A. Rgt. │ │767 Light Am. Col. │ │768 Light Am. Col. │ │785 Light Am. Col. ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── Engineers and│(219) Pion. Btn.: │205 Pion. Btn. Rgt. Liaisons. │ │ │ 254 Pion. Co. │ 377 Pion. Co. │ 54 Bav. Pion. Co. │ 78 Res. Pion. Co. │ 416 T. M. Co. │ 222 Searchlight Section. │ 219 Tel. Detch. │219 Signal Command: │ │ 219 Tel. Detch. ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── Medical and │444 Ambulance Co. │404 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │111 Field Hospital. │111 Field Hospital. │153 Field Hospital. │153 Field Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. │226 Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── Transports. │M. T. Col. │ ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────
HISTORY.
(12th and 19th Corps Districts—Saxony.)
1917.
The 219th Division (Saxon) appeared to have been formed in January, 1917.
LORRAINE.
1. Concentrated in Lorraine and comprising the 431st Infantry Regiment, made up of drafts from various Saxon Regiments, the 101st Infantry Regiment, from the 23d Reserve Division, and the 100th Landwehr Regiment, a surplus regiment of the 19th Ersatz Division, the 219th Division occupied the sector of Blamont in February, 1917.
2. It remained on the Lorraine front in the vicinity of Leintrey- Badonviller until June 10.
ARTOIS.
3. Sent to the north of France, it relieved the 79th Reserve Division north of La Bassée (Neuvechapelle-Fromelles) on July 8. With the 42d Landwehr Division, it exchanged the 100th Landwehr Regiment for the 391st Infantry Regiment, Saxon also.
RUSSIA.
4. About the end of September the 219th Division was withdrawn from the front and transferred to Russia at the beginning of October.
RIGA.
5. It was in the Riga area in October and November.
RECRUITING.
The division was entirely Saxon.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The 219th Division had been in Russia since October, 1917, and was a fairly good division.
1918.
LIVONIA.
1. The 219th Division took part in the occupation of Livonia; on the 17th of March it arrived at Dorpat.
SERBIA.
2. The 101st Reserve and the 431st Landwehr Regiments were identified at Nish on the 9th of October. The 391st Regiment was seen at Walk in Livonia at the beginning of October, when the men said they were leaving for the western theater (the regiment was never identified there). The whole of the 219th Division had thus left the Russian front and two regiments at least went to Serbia.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as third class.
220th Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │4 Gd. │55 Res. │4 Gd. │190. │4 Gd. │190. │ │99 Res. │ │55 Res. │ │55 Res. │ │207 Res. │ │99 Res. │ │99 Res. ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │ │4 Sqn. 14 Uhlan │4 Sqn. 14 Uhlan │ │ Rgt. │ Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │51 F. A. Rgt. │220 Art. Command: │220 Art. Command: │ │ 51 F. A. Rgt. │ 51 F. A. Rgt. │ │ │ 87 Ft. A. Btn. │ │ │ 938 Light Am. Col. │ │ │ 1326 Light Am. │ │ │ Col. │ │ │ 1327 Light Am. │ │ │ Col. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│ │220 Pion. Btn.: │220 Pion. Btn.: Liaisons. │ │ │ │ │ 2 Res. Co. Gd. │ 2 Gd. Res. Pion. │ │ Pions. │ Co. │ │ 88 Bav. Pion. Co. │ 88 Res. Pion. Co. │ │ 417 T. M. Co. │ 417 T. M. Co. │ │ 220 Tel. Detch. │ 189 Searchlight │ │ │ Section. │ │ │220 Signal Command: │ │ │ 220 Tel. Detch. │ │ │ 124 Wireless │ │ │ Detch. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │ │40 Ambulance Co. │40 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │55 Res. Field │55 Res. Field │ │ Hospital. │ Hospital. │ │74 Res. Field │74 Res. Field │ │ Hospital. │ Hospital. │ │276 Vet. Hospital. │276 Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transport. │ │630 M. T. Col. │630 M. T. Col. ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
HISTORY.
(190th Infantry Regiment and 55th Reserve Infantry Regiment; 7th Corps District—Westphalia. 99th Reserve Infantry Regiment; 15th Corps District—Alsace.)
1916.
The 220th Division was formed at the end of 1916 with regiments taken from divisions then in line on the Somme and south of Artois. The 207th Reserve Infantry Regiment coming from the 44th Reserve Division, the 55th Reserve Infantry Regiment and the 2d Reserve Guard Division and the 99th Reserve Infantry Regiment from the 26th Reserve Division.
1917.
ARTOIS.
1. Concentrated at Boyelles (west of Croisilles) on February 6, 1917, the 220th Division went into line at Ransart, south of Arras. About March 18 it took part in the retirement of the German forces and established its position at Hénin sur Cojeul, Ecoust St. Menin, Croisilles. It was engaged, in April, between Croisilles and Arras. In April the 190th Infantry Regiment replaced the 207th Reserve Infantry Regiment.
2. Withdrawn from the Arras front at the end of April, the 220th Division was sent to rest in the vicinity of Montagne du Nord, then to Belgium between May 6 and 15.
3. It came back to its old sector in Artois (Fontaine les Croisilles, Bullecourt) about May 29, and remained there until about July 6.
LENS.
4. After a rest in the rear of Douai, northwest of Lens, from the beginning of July to the middle of August, the division was engaged near Lens from August 16 to 22.
YPRES.
5. At the beginning of October it was sent to Belgium. On the 12th it went into line east of Zonnebeke.
CAMBRAI.
6. Sent to rest about October 15 in the vicinity of Bruges, it then fought on the Cambrai front, south of Crèvecoeur, at the end of November (German counterattack).
7. It was sent to rest in December.
RECRUITING.
The 220th Division may be considered as Westphalian since two of its regiments were normally filled up from the 7th Corps District, and since the 99th Reserve Infantry Regiment, like a number of regiments in Alsace, received most of its men from there.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The regiments of the 220th Division did not appear to have any great offensive value.
The division lost quite heavily in the sector of Lens at the beginning of 1918.
1918.
LA BASSÉE.
1. During the night of December 31-January 1 it relieved the 1st Guard Reserve Division in the Hulluch-Loos sector (south of La Bassée). On the 27th it was relieved by the 1st Guard Reserve Division.
2. A day or two later it relieved the 207th Division in the sector to the right of the one it had just held. During the night of the 18th–19th of February it was relieved by the 207th Division.
3. It went back to the Lens sector then and relieved the 1st Guard Reserve Division on the 20th. It was not withdrawn until April 25, when it was relieved by the 42d Division. During these three months the division had about 1,600 casualties (mainly gas), and so now a week or so was spent refitting in the region north of Douai.
4. On May 6 it relieved the 44th Reserve Division southeast of Locon (west of La Bassée). This front had been stabilized by now, but still there was a great deal of artillery activity and constant raiding. The division was withdrawn about the 1st of August, the neighboring divisions extending their fronts.
BAPAUME.
5. After a fortnight’s rest the division reenforced the front in the Biefvillers sector (northwest of Bapaume) about the 20th of August. It was withdrawn about the 3d of September after losing some 600 prisoners.
CAMBRAI.
6. It rested again for a fortnight, and then reenforced the front near Blécourt (north of Cambrai) about the 29th of the month. It was heavily engaged here and suffered severely; withdrawn on the 13th of October.
VALENCIENNES.
7. About the 21st it reenforced the front near Anzin (northwest of Valenciennes). It was withdrawn on November 4.
8. On the 7th it was put back into line near Elouges (southwest of Ghislain); it was not withdrawn before the armistice.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The 220th Division was not used in any of the German offensives during 1918; on the contrary, its rôle seems to have been that of a holding division. The 55th Reserve Regiment was mentioned as having displayed “marked gallantry” in the German communiqué of October 2. It is rated as a second-class division.
221st Division.
COMPOSITION.