─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────_Histories of two hundred and fifty-one divisions of the German army which participated in the war (1914-1918)

│ 1917 │ 1918

─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────

│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.

─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────

Infantry. │3. │4 Gren. │3. │4 Gren.

│ │33 Fus. │ │33 Fus.

│ │44. │ │44.

│ │ │ │

─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────

Cavalry. │10 Horse Jag. Rgt. │10 Horse Jag. Rgt.

│ (2d Sqn.). │ (2 Sqn.).

─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────

Artillery. │2 Art. Command: │2 Art. Command:

│ 1 F. A. Rgt. │ 1 F. A. Rgt.

│ │ 4 Abt. 6 Res. Ft.

│ │ A. Rgt.

│ │ 872 Light Am. Col.

│ │ 1,364 Light Am.

│ │ Col.

│ │ 1,392 Light Am.

│ │ Col.

─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────

Engineers and│1 Pion. Btn. No. 1:│1 Pion. Btn.:

Liaisons. │ │

│ 2 Co. 1 Pion. │ 2 Co. 1 Pion.

│ │

│ 4 Co. 1 Pion. │ 4 Co. 1 Pion.

│ 2 T. M. Co. │ 4 Searchlight

│ │ Section.

│ 2 Searchlight │ 2 Signals Command.

│ Section. │

│ 2 Tel. Detch. │ 2 Tel. Detch.

│ │ 159 Wireless

│ │ Detch.

─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────

Medical and │Ambulance Co. │5 Ambulance Co.

Veterinary.│ │

│11 Field Hospital. │11 Field Hospital.

│12 Field Hospital. │12 Field Hospital.

│195 Vet. Hospital. │195 Vet. Hospital.

─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────

Transport. │535 M. T. Col. │535 M. T. Col.

─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────

Attached. │150 Bav. Anti- │

│ Aircraft Section.│

│Cyclist Detch. 2 │

│ Landst. Btn. │

─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────

HISTORY.

(First District—Oriental Prussia.)

1914.

The first and second divisions formed the 1st Army Corps.

RUSSIA.

1. At the beginning of the war the 2d Division was sent to the Russian

front. Up to the month of November it participated in the operations in

Oriental Prussia (Tannenberg, Aug. 27–29).

2. In November, 1914, the 2d Division, minus one brigade, which

continued to hold its old sector, was withdrawn and included in the

group which attacked in the direction of Lodz and operated between the

Vistula and the Warta; continuing its activities, it attempted to cross

the Bzura-Rawka opposite Warsaw in the district of Lowicz.

1915.

1. At the beginning of February, 1915, it reappeared in Oriental Prussia

and participated in the offensive which ejected the Russians from this

Province. It was engaged in its entirety in the district of Lyck and

marched upon Augustowo and Grodno.

2. The Russian counter attack launched in the vicinity of Prasnysz

toward the end of March drew the 2d Division to this sector.

3. In July during the development of the Hindenburg offensive, it

emerged from the Ostrolenka-Pultusk line and proceeded in a northerly

direction.

4. Upon the stabilization of the front the 2d Division held a sector

between Illukst and Lake Drisviaty (Dwinsk District).

1916.

1. At the end of July, 1916, portions of the 2d Division were assigned

to duty in Galicia to oppose the Russian advance.

1917.

1. The reconstituted 2d Division was engaged in the Mitau sector up to

the end of January, 1917; all its units were identified in the vicinity

of Kalnzen.

2. On February 8 it entrained at Mitau for the western front.

(Itinerary: Chavli, Kovno, Insterburg, Konigsberg, Stettin, Hamburg,

Munster, Aix-la-Chapelle, Liège, Louvain, Bruxelles, Audenarde.)

BELGIUM.

3. Detrained February 13 and remained at rest up to the end of March. It

received reinforcements of various classes of men (wounded,

convalescents, class 1917 reservists).

4. The division occupied the Wytschaete sector from the 25th of March to

the beginning of June. (On April 15 and May 10 and 15 it received the

first reinforcements from the class of 1918, the last having had only

three months’ instruction; in all, 4,460 men between January 1 and June

1.) On June 7 it left 2,825 men in the hands of British troops.

5. On June 10 the 2d Division retired from the Belgian front. It was

placed at rest in the district of Audenarde in June and then entrained

for the eastern front (end of June).

RUSSIA.

6. It arrived in Russia at the beginning of July and was put at rest in

the district of Vilna. On July 14 it was identified in the Illukst

District.

FRANCE.

7. It returned to France on the 25th of November. It entrained on this

date at Kovno and was transported over the following itinerary:

Insterburg, Thorn, Posen, Frankfort-sur-Oder, Berlin, Paderborn,

Crefeld, Aix-la-Chapelle, Liège, Namur, Vouziers (Nov. 30).

8. On December 27 it relieved the 1st Bavarian Division in the Souain-

Somme-Py sector.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

Except during the period March-June, 1917, when the 2d Division was

fighting in Belgium, it continuously occupied the Russian front from the

beginning of the war till December, 1917.

1918.

CHAMPAGNE.

1. The 2d Division remained in line in the Souaine-Somme-Py region until

relieved by the 87th Division about April 2. It went back to the Army

depot at Semide, where it stayed about a week drilling and maneuvering.

April 10 it entrained at Machault, and went via Rethel, Liart, Marle,

and detrained at La Ferté-Chevresis, encamping in the vicinity. It

traveled by St. Simon (Apr. 11), Ham, Solente (5 km. east of Roye), and

Laboissiére, where it stayed until April 30.

MONTDIDIER.

2. May 1 the division relieved the 51st Reserve Division at Monchel,

south of Montdidier; relieved August 31.

ST. QUENTIN.

3. The division was identified in line near Essigny-le-Grand, south of

St. Quentin, September 5; it was relieved about the 15th by the

extension of the fronts of the neighboring divisions.

4. During the night of September 20–21 it went back into line north of

St. Quentin, in the Bellenglise sector. It was withdrawn about the 10th.

5. The division rested for a fortnight in the Avesnes area, then came

into line October 24, relieving the 19th Reserve Division east of

Ribemont (southeast of St. Quentin). It was withdrawn from line early in

November and did not return.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The 2d is rated as a third-class division. It was used in a great deal

of heavy fighting and suffered severe losses (July 23 it lost 54

officers and 1,800 men in prisoners alone west of the Avre; the 9th and

10th of August it lost 443 prisoners; in its engagements between August

8 and October 1 it lost over 1,500 prisoners). Nevertheless, it was

never used as an attacking division, but confined itself to holding the

sectors allotted it; on account of its weakened condition and lowered

morale (there are several cases of insubordination on record), it did

not acquit itself any too well.

2d Landwehr Division.

COMPOSITION.

─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────

│ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916

─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────

│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.

─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────

Infantry. │53 Mixed │124 Ldw. │53 Mixed │124 Ldw. │53 Mixed │124 Ldw.

│ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. │

│ │125 Ldw. │ │125 Ldw.│ │125 Ldw.

│9 Bav. │6 Bav. │9 Bav. │6 Bav. │ (.) │120 Ldw.

│ Mixed │ Ldw. │ Mixed │ Ldw. │ │

│Ldw. │7 Bav. │Ldw. │7 Bav. │ │122 Ldw.

│ │ Ldw. │ │ Ldw. │ │

│ │ │ │ │ 6 Res. Jag. Btn.

─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼───────────────────

Cavalry. │3 Ldw. Sqn. (13 C. │3 Ldw. Sqn. (13 C. │3 Ldw. Sqn. (13 C.

│ Dist.). │ Dist.). │ Dist.).

│ │ │3 Landst. Sqn. (13

│ │ │ C. Dist.).

─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────

Artillery. │1 Ldw. Btry. │1 Ldw. Btry. │2 Ldw. Rgt.

│ Landst. Btn. (13 │ Landst. Btn. (13 │

│ C. Dist.). │ C. Dist.). │

│ │ │

Engineers and│ │ │6 Co. 13 Pion.

Liaisons. │ │ │

│ │ │3 Co. 18 Pion.

│ │ │

│ │ │302 T. M. Co.

│ │ │

Medical and │ │ │

Veterinary.│ │ │

│ │ │

Transport. │ │ │

─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────

─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────

│ 1917 │ 1918

─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────

│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.

─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────

Infantry. │54 Ldw. │120 Ldw. │54 Ldw. │120 Ldw.

│ │ │ │

│ │122 Ldw. │ │122 Ldw.

│ │125 Ldw. │ │125 Ldw.

│ │ │ │

─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────

Cavalry. │3 Ldw. Sqn. (13 C. │4 Sqn. 20 Uhlan

│ Dist.). │ Rgt.

│4 Sqn. 20 Uhlan │

│ Rgt. │

─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────

Artillery. │142 Art. Command: │2 Ldw. F. A. Rgt.

│ │

│ 2 Ldw. Rgt. │

─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────

Engineers and│(402) Eng. Btn.: │402 Pion. Btn.:

Liaisons. │ │

│ 1 Ldw. Co. 13 │ 1 Ldw. Co. 13 C.

│ Pion. │ Dist. Pions.

│ 5 Ldw. Co. 13 │ 5 Ldw. Co. 13 C.

│ Pion. │ Dist. Pions.

│ 302 T. M. Co. │ 302 T. M. Co.

│ 299 Searchlight │ 224 Searchlight

│ Section. │ Section.

│ 502 Tel. Detach. │502 Signals

│ │ Command.

│ │ 502 Tel. Detach.

│ │ 176 Wireless

│ │ Detach.

─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────

Medical and │572 Ambulance Co. │572 Ambulance Co.

Veterinary.│ │

│Ldw. Field Hosp. │254 Field Hospital.

│ Vet. Hospital. │

│ │25 Ldw. Field

│ │ Hospital.

│ │502 Vet. Hospital.

─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────

Transport. │722 M. T. Col. │772 M. T. Col.

─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────

HISTORY.

(Thirteenth District—Wurttemberg.)

1914.

ARGONNE.

1. The 2d Landsturm Division (Franke Division) forms a part of the

Argonne group and has continuously occupied sectors of this district

since September, 1914. At the beginning of the campaign it comprised a

Wurttemberg and a Bavarian brigade. Engaged at Etain August 24, 1914, it

crossed the Meuse at Stenay on the 31st.

2. Beginning with September it occupied the line in the woods of Cheppy

and Malancourt.

1915.

ARGONNE.

1. Vauquois-bois de Malancourt sector.

2. At the end of September, 1915, portions of the division (one

battalion of the 6th and one of the 7th Bavarian Landsturm) were

assigned to service in the district of Massiges; they rejoined the

Vauquois sector at the end of October.

1916.

ARGONNE.

1. Vauquois-bois d’Avocourt and Malancourt sector.

2. At the beginning of 1916 the 2d Landsturm Division was reconstituted

with exclusively Wurttemberg elements, including the 120th Landsturm,

withdrawn from the Bavarian Ersatz Division, and the 122d Landsturm,

proceeding from the 1st Bavarian Landsturm Division. The 9th Bavarian

brigade went over to the 1st Bavarian Landsturm Division.

1917.

ARGONNE.

1. In the Cheppy-bois d’Avocourt wood sector.

2. At the end of August, 1917, the 2d Landsturm Division changed places

with the 2d Bavarian Division and took the Nord Four sector of Paris-

Bolante-Courte-Chausse.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

Sector division. Did not leave Argonne from the beginning of the war. On

several occasions it furnished young men to active and reserve

Wurttemberg regiments, replacing them by older Landsturm men.

1918.

ARGONNE.

The division remained in line in the Apremont sector, engaging in but

little activity until the American attack of September 26. From that

time on until it was withdrawn, October 25, it fought a great deal.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

Most of the young men of the division were taken from it to be sent to

other organizations early in the year. October 12 the corps commander

telegraphed the King of Wurttemberg (the 2d Landwehr Division comes from

Wurttemberg): “The 2d Landwehr Division * * * has particularly

distinguished itself by its bravery and intrepidity during the last

combats in the Argonne and has thus contributed toward the failure of

the enemy’s attempt to break through.” It was badly used on the opening

day of the American attack, but it fought hard. It loaned companies to

various other divisions, including the 1st and 5th Guard Divisions, and

for days at a time these Landwehr troops were making the greatest

resistance in the Aire Valley. While the division lost only 795

prisoners during the offensive, its total losses undoubtedly are above

5,000, there being evidence to show that many companies did not have

more than 25 men, there being only three companies per battalion, and—in

at least one case—only two battalions in the regiment. It is rated as a

fourth-class division.

2d Bavarian Division.

COMPOSITION.

│ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916

│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.

Infantry. │3 Bav. │3 Bav. │3 Bav. │3 Bav. │4 Bav. │12 Bav.

│ │20 Bav. │ │20 Bav. │ │15 Bav.

│4 Bav. │12 Bav. │4 Bav. │12 Bav. │ │20 Bav.

│ │15 Bav. │ │15 Bav. │ │

─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────

Cavalry. │4 Bav. Light Cav. │ │3 Sqns. 4 Bav.

│ Rgt. │ │ Light Cav. Rgt.

│ │ │

Artillery. │2 Bav. Brig.: │2 Bav. Brig.: │2 Bav. Brig.:

│ │ │

│ 4 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 4 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 2 Bav. F. A. Rgt.

│ 9 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 9 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 9 Bav. F. A. Rgt.

│ │ │

Engineers and│2 Field Co. 1 Bav. │2 Field Co. 1 Bav. │2 and 4 Field Cos.

Liaisons. │ Pion. Btn. │ Pion. Btn. │

│ │2 Bav. Pont. Engs. │1 Bav. Pion. Btn.

│ │2 Bav. Tel. Detch. │2 Res. Co. 19

│ │ │ Pions.

│ │ │2 Bav. T. M. Co.

│ │ │2 Bav. Pont. Engs.

│ │ │

│ │ │2 Bav. Tel. Detch.

│ │ │

Medical and │ │ │

Veterinary.│ │ │

│ │ │

Transport. │ │ │

─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────

│ 1917 │ 1918

─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────

│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.

─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────

Infantry. │4 Bav. │12 Bav. │4 Bav. │12 Bav.

│ │15 Bav. │ │15 Bav.

│ │20 Bav. │ │20 Bav.

│ │ │ │

─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────

Cavalry. │2 and 3 Sqns. 8 │3 Sqns. 8 Bav.

│ Bav. Light Cav. │ Light Cav. Rgt.

│ Rgt. │

─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────

Artillery. │2 Bav. Art. │2 Bav. Art.

│ Command: │ Command:

│ 9 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 9 Nav. F. A. Rgt.

│ │ 1 Abt. 3 Bav. Res.

│ │ Ft. A. Rgt.

│ │ 151 Bav. Light Am.

│ │ Col.

│ │ 153 Bav. Light Am.

│ │ Col.

│ │ 160 Bav. Light Am.

│ │ Col.

─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────

Engineers and│2 and 4 Bav. Pion. │7 Bav. Pion. Btn.:

Liaisons. │ Cos. │

│2 Bav. T. M. Co. │ 2 Bav. Pion. Co.

│2 Bav. Tel. Detch. │ 4 Bav. Pion. Co.

│ │

│ │ 2 Bav. T. M. Co.

│ │2 Bav. Signals

│ │ Command:

│ │ 2 Bav. Tel. Detch.

│ │ 107 Wireless

│ │ Detch.

─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────

Medical and │2 Bav. Ambulance │2 Bav. Ambulance

Veterinary.│ Co. │ Co.

│Field Hospital. │6 Bav. Field

│ │ Hospital.

│Vet. Hospital. │8 Bav. Field

│ │ Hospital.

─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────

Transport. │M. T. Col. │682 M. T. Col.

─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────

HISTORY.

(First Bavarian District—Southwest of Bavaria, Bavarian Swabia.)

1914.

LORRAINE.

1. At the beginning of August the 2d Bavarian Division which, with the

1st Bavarian Division, formed the 1st Bavarian Corps, was a part of the

army of the Crown Prince of Bavaria (6th Army). The 3d Brigade, covering

troops, detrained at Reding near Saarburg, the 3d of August. On the 9th

the division was at its full strength. It proceeded to the frontier,

reached Badonviller, and retired as far as Gosselming (west of Saarburg)

the 17th of August, gave battle there on the 20th, and recrossed the

frontier. It advanced as far as Xaffévillers (Sept. 7), whence it

retired to Morhange (Sept. 10). On September 15 the division entrained

at Metz. It detrained near Namur, gained Peronne by stages, and was

engaged at Foucaucourt the 24th.

SOMME.

2. Together with the 1st Bavarian Corps it was attached to the 2d Army

(Von Bülow), operating on the Somme in the district of Peronne. It took

part in the fiercely contested battles which took place there but a

short time after the stabilization of the front and suffered serious

losses. At the beginning of the campaign, October 30, the 12th Infantry

had 50 officers and 1,910 men who were unable to take part in action

(lists of losses).

3. The division was maintained in this district up to the month of

October, 1915, first to the south of the Somme, later, at the beginning

of November, 1914, between Dompierre and Maricourt.

1915.

ARTOIS.

1. In April, 1915, the division was reduced to three regiments through

the cession of the 3d Infantry to the 11th Bavarian Division. Between

the 10th and 15th of October, 1915, the 2d Bavarian Division was placed

on the Artois front in the Neuville-Souchez sector.

2. About the 20th of December it was in the line at Bailleul-Sire-

Berthoult between the western part of the Lille road and the Arras road.

3. It remained there until the beginning of May, 1916.

1916.

VERDUN.

1. At this date it was relieved and transported to Verdun. It

participated in the violent battles which took place there in May and

June in the vicinity of Douaumont and suffered serious losses (50 per

cent of its personnel). It was reconstituted in June in the district of

Merke-Romagne-sur-les-Cotes (reinforcement of from 50 to 100 men per

company), and went back to the line near Thiaumont. It suffered serious

losses in the attack of June 23 (the companies of the 12th Bavarian

Regiment were reduced to about 40 men).

LORRAINE.

2. The 2d Bavarian Division was withdrawn from this zone of combat about

the 15th of July and was sent to the Apremont-St. Mihiel sector, where

it was reconstituted. It received numerous reinforcements (convalescents

and class 16 men). During this period, which extends up to October 15,

it did not take part in any serious operation.

SOMME.

3. At the end of October it was transported to the Somme (Sailly-

Saillisel sector), where it was again put to a severe test.

4. After staying a month in the Somme district it reoccupied the lines

in the St. Mihiel sector at the beginning of December.

1917.

CALIFORNIE PLATEAU.

1. The 2d Bavarian Division was withdrawn from the St. Mihiel sector

between the 2d and 5th of May, 1917, and entrained at Mars-la-Tour on

the 6th, whence it was transported via Conflans to Montcornet, where,

during the night of the 8th, it gained the sector situated to the east

of Hurtebise.

2. From the 9th on the 2d Bavarian Division engaged some of its elements

on the salient northeast of Californie Plateau (May 9 and 10).

3. The division occupied this sector up to the end of May and

participated in serious engagements notably those of the 13th and 22d of

May to the northwest of the plateau. It was put to a very severe test.

(The 9th Company of the 20th Battalion was reduced to 45 men.)

ARGONNE.

4. The 2d Bavarian Division was relieved at the beginning of June and

sent to rest for 15 days at Camp Sissonne; later it was transported to

the Argonne, where it occupied the Grande Courte-Chausse sector. During

this rest it received two reinforcements—700 to 800 men June 28 and 300

men in July.

5. At the end of August it changed sectors and went into the line toward

Bois d’Avocourt (Bois de Cheppy).

MEUSE.

6. The division was withdrawn from this sector at the end of October and

remained in repose in the vicinity of Stenay up to the middle of

November, whence it was directed to the sector west of the Bois-le-

Chaume. The 12th Bavarian Regiment, which had been sent in reserve to

the southeast of Altkirch about the 10th of November to ward off an

expected French attack in Alsace, rejoined the division December 6.

7. The 2d Bavarian Division remained in this sector (southeast of

Beaumont) up to January, 1918, and then went to rest in the district of

Longwy.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 2d Bavarian Division participated on the 9th and 10th of May, 1917,

in violent but unsuccessful counterattacks on the salient northeast of

the Californie Plateau. It appears that the Bavarians were always placed

in the most dangerous positions and that they were sacrificed by the

Prussians.

In spite of this condition the 2d Bavarian Division still showed itself

as a good division (July, 1917).

1918.

MEUSE.

1. The division remained in line north of the Bois des Fosses until

relieved by the 19th Reserve Division, January 14. It went then to the

Longwy region, where it was put through a stiff course of training in

open warfare.

AMIENS.

2. March 23 it entrained at Audun-le-Roman, and traveled via Longwy-

Sedan-Charleville-Hirson-Anor-Avesnes-Le Cateau-Bertry-Caudry to

Cambrai, where it detrained March 24–25. At first the division marched

in the direction of Bapaumes, but was diverted in a southerly direction

on the way and passed through Le Transloy-Sailly-Saillisel-Péronne-

Villers-Carbonnel-Estrees-Foucaucourt and billeted at Beaucourt-en-

Santerre on the night of March 30–31. April 2 it attacked at Morisel,

and two days later to the southwest of Morisel. It fought then until the

15th, when it side-slipped to the north, relieving the 54th Division,

its place being taken by the 15th Division. It was relieved about May 4

by the 21st Division.

3. It moved to the area southeast of Ghent, and there was reconstituted

and trained. June 2, it relieved the 14th Bavarian Division in the

Morisel sector. It was relieved the middle of the month by the extension

of fronts of the neighboring divisions.

CHAMPAGNE.

4. It rested in rear of the front in Champagne for about a month and

then entered line in the Navarin sector (north of Souain), being

identified by prisoners, July 15. It was withdrawn on the 20th.

VESLE.

5. August 4 the division relieved the 22d Division at Jonchery (on the

Vesle, east of Fismes). It remained in line, taking part in the general

retirement, until the armistice.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The 2d Bavarian is one of the very best German shock divisions. It was

called upon to do a great deal of heavy fighting, and always acquitted

itself well. It suffered severe losses in consequence, but these were

made good as long as the German High Command had replacements at its

disposal.

2d Bavarian Landwehr Division.

COMPOSITION.

Histories of two hundred and fifty-one divisions of the German army which participated in the war (1914-1918) · 第 6 / 78 段