(Baranovitchi sector) and went to France, via Brest-Litovsk-Warsaw-
Oppeln-Breslau-Goerlitz-Dresden-Leipzig-Sondershausen-Frankfort on Main-
Sarrebrucken-Metz. It detrained at Mars la Tour.
WOEVRE.
3. It was then sent to St. Maurice sous les Cotes, where it rested for a
few days and then went to the Cotes de Meuse, east of the Combres
Heights. It went into the sector before Combres (Calonne trench) on May
15 or 16, and there became accustomed to the Western Front.
CALIFORNIE PLATEAU.
4. Relieved May 27, it was sent behind the Aisne front; spent about
three weeks in the Sissonne region, and about June 19 went into line on
Californie Plateau near Chaevreux. On June 24, July 3 and 22, the
division executed some violent attacks on Californie Plateau, and some
of its units lost half their men.
5. Partially relieved about July 23, the units of the division were sent
to rest successively at St. Erme, Ramecourt, and La Selve. Before August
10 it was back on Californie Plateau (region of Craonne south of
Corbeny).
6. The division took part on the same position in the general retreat of
November 1 which brought the German lines back to the north of the
Ailette following the French attack of La Malmaison. The division
remained on these new lines (south and west of Corbeny) until January
22, 1918.
7. Relieved on this date and put through a course of training in the
region of Chimay. On February 18 it marched to the sector of Juvincourt.
RECRUITING.
Brandenburg.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The division is considered by the Germans as a very good division. Its
original elements came from the best corps, the Brandenburg corps, but
it contains a large proportion of Poles. The division needs rest and
replacements. When reconstituted it will probably again be a good unit.
(Dec. 29, 1917.)
1918.
LAON.
1. On February 21 the division relieved the 113th Division at
Juvincourt, which sector it held until March 26.
PICARDY.
2. It was withdrawn to reinforce the battle front at Chauny, where it
appeared on April 2. About April 11, it retired to second line, from
which it returned to the battle front on April 25, relieving the 242d
Division at Couchy le Pots. The division continued to hold this sector
until early June.
NOYON.
3. Between June 1 and 10 it was moved from the Couchy le Pots sector to
reinforce the Montdidier-Noyon battle front, where it was identified on
June 12 near Courcelles. It was withdrawn on June 17.
4. During July the division rested in rear of the Amiens front.
SOMME.
5. It came into line on August 8 at Trace le Mont. In the opening week
of the offensive it lost many prisoners and retired from the line about
August 20 to rest near St. Gobain. On the 29th it returned to line near
Arblencourt-Champs. It withdrew early in September but returned to
support the 80th Reserve Division in a counterattack executed in the
region Sancy-Vauxillon September 16–18.
6. Following this the division was rested near Laon. On October 7 it was
entrained and moved to the region of Tupigny-Mennevret.
7. It was engaged on October 9 to the east of Bohain before the extreme
right of the 4th British Army. It was relieved in this sector on October
23 by the 200th Division. At this time the division was very low in
effectives; two regiments had three battalions of three companies and
one regiment had but two battalions. The average company strength was
about 50 men.
8. Retired to rest for 15 days, the division returned to line on
November 5, near Wiege Faty. It was last identified at Trelon on
November 11.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as a second-class division. In the earlier years
it was a very good division, but through losses and lack of
reinforcements during 1918 considerably reduced its value.
5th Ersatz Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────
│ 1916 │ 1917
─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────
│ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment.
─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────
Infantry. │37 Mixed Ldw. │73 Ldw. │37 Ldw. │3 Res. Ers.
│ │74 Ldw. │ │73 Ldw.
│2 Res. Ers. │4 Res. Ers. │ │74 Ldw.
│ │3 Res. Ers. │ │
─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────
Cavalry. │8 Cuirassier Rgt. (Ers. │8 Cuirassier Rgt. (Ers.
│ Sqn.). │ Sqn.).
│ │88 Cav. Rgt. (3 Sqn.).
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Artillery. │102 F. A. Abtl. (1 Ers. Abt. │102 F. A. Regt.
│ 26 F. A. Rgt). │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Engineers and│161 T. M. Co. │Pion. Btn.:
Liaisons. │ │
│ │ (?) 2 Landst. Co. 9 C. Dist.
│ │ Pions.
│ │ 405 T. M. Co.
│ │ 303 Searchlight Section.
│ │ 555 Tel. Detch.
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Medical and │ │269 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │
│ │(?) (11 Ldw.) Field Hospital.
│ │505 Vet. Hospital.
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Transports. │ │763 M. T. Col.
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Attached. │ │2 Insterburg Landst. Inf.
│ │ Btn. (1 C. Dist. Btn. No.
│ │ 6).
─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────
─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────
│ 1918 │ 1918
─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────
│ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment.
─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────
Infantry. │37 Ldw. │73 Ldw. │37 Ldw. │73 Ldw.
│ │74 Ldw. │ │74 Ldw.
│ │8 Landst. │ │(?)
│ │ │ │
─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────
Cavalry. │ │1 Sqn. 16 Drag. Rgt.
│ │
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Artillery. │ │250 Ldw. F. A. Rgt.
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Engineers and│ │2 Landst. Co. 9 C. Dist
Liaisons. │ │ Pions.
│ │111 Searchlight Section.
│ │
│ │555 Signal Command.
│ │555 Tel. Detch.
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Medical and │ │269 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │
│ │500 Field Hospital.
│ │11 Ldw. Field Hospital.
│ │505 Vet. Hospital.
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Transports. │ │763 M. T. Col.
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Attached. │ │
│ │
│ │
─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────
HISTORY.
(73d Landwehr and 74th Landwehr: Tenth District—Hanover. 8th Landsturm;
Eighth District—Rhine Province.)
1916.
The 5th Ersatz Division was organized in the fall of 1915 with the name
of Basedow Division. It comprised the 37th Landwehr Brigade (73d and
74th Landwehr); until then attached to the 26th Reserve Corps, and the
2d Reserve Ersatz Brigade (3d Ersatz Reserve and 4th Reserve Brigade),
situated in the Dixmude sector. With the 4th Ersatz Division, the
Basedow Division, which became the 5th Ersatz Division in 1916,
constituted at the end of 1915 the Werde Corps.
BELGIUM.
1. From January to October, 1916 the division remained in Belgium
(region of Yser, then southeast of Ypres). However, the 4th Ersatz
Reserve was transferred to the 206th Division at the beginning of
September.
SOMME.
2. Withdrawn from the Ypres front at the beginning of October, the
division was sent to the Somme and engaged north of Courcelette from
October 19 to 30.
3. In November it was sent to rest behind the Champagne front.
RUSSIA.
4. At the beginning of December it was sent to Russia (the 73d Landwehr
entrained December 11 northeast of Reims, via Dusseldorf-Hamburg-
Koenigsburg-Tilsit-Poneviej. Detrained at Elovka the 16th).
1917.
COURLAND.
Sent into line in the Illukst sector (region of Dvinsk) at the beginning
of January 1917 and remained in this country during the whole year
(Illukst, Lake Stenten, Kchtchava). Its losses were very small—17 killed
and 20 wounded in the 3d Ersatz Reserve from the end of December, 1916,
to the end of August, 1917. Because the sector was so quiet the division
had only small forces during the last months of 1917. The 73d Landwehr
at the end of November had only 60 to 65 men per company (examination of
Russians).
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The division remained for a long time in the quiet sectors of the
Russian front and seems to have had only moderate fighting value.
1918.
COURLAND.
1. The 5th Ersatz Division was still in the vicinity of Dvinsk in
February. In March it exchanged the 3d Ersatz Regiment for the 8th
Landsturm Regiment of the 87th Division, the latter being on the point
of leaving for France.
LIVONIA.
2. The division advanced into Livonia (in March) and remained in the
Pskov-Ostrov region as late as June 27th. The 74th Landwehr Regiment was
identified here on August 6, but the rest of the division was identified
near Mitau during July.
3. Toward the end of October, it was reported that the division, having
been refitted, had come to the Western Front via Trier and Rethel;
however, the division was never actually identified on the Western
Front.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as 4th class.
5th Landwehr Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────
│ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916
─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────
│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────
Infantry. │14 Ldw. │36 Ldw. │14 Ldw. │36 Ldw. │14 Ldw. │36 Ldw.
│ │66 Ldw. │ │66 Ldw. │ │66 Ldw.
│ │17 Ldw. │30 Ldw. │25 Ldw. │30 Ldw. │25 Ldw.
│30 Ldw. │25 Ldw. │ │65 Ldw. │ │65 Ldw.
│ │65 Ldw. │ │ │ │
─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────
Cavalry. │ │ │4 Sqn. 1 Uhlan Rgt.
│ │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Artillery. │ │ │1 and 2 Landst. 4
│ │ │ C. Dist.
│ │ │ Batteries. F. A.
│ │ │256 Ldw. F. A. Rgt.
│ │ │ (left in July).
│ │ │
│ │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Engineers and│1 Ldw. 11 C. Dist. │ │1 Ldw. 11 C. Dist.
Liaisons. │ Pion. Co. │ │ Pion. Co.
│ │ │1 Ldw. 16 C. Dist.
│ │ │ Pion. Co.
│ │ │305 T. M. Co.
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Medical and │ │ │
Veterinary.│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Transports. │ │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Attached. │ │93 Ldw. Inf. Regt. │
│ │ (June to Sept.) │
─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────
│ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────
│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────
Infantry. │30 Ldw. │25 Ldw. │30 Ldw. │25 Ldw.
│ │36 Ldw. │ │36 Ldw.
│ │65 Ldw. │ │65 Ldw.
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────
Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 16 Uhlan │2 Sqn. 16 Uhlan
│ Rgt. │ Rgt.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Artillery. │Art. Command: │256 Ldw. F. A. Rgt.
│ │
│ │
│ 256 Ldw. F. A. │1,415 Light Am.
│ Rgt. │ Col.
│ │
│ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Engineers and│(405) Pion. Btn.: │405 Pion. Btn.:
Liaisons. │ │
│ 1 Ldw. 11 C. Dist.│ 1 Ldw. Co. 11 C.
│ Pion. Co. │ Dist. Pions.
│ 1 Ldw. 16 C. Dist.│ 1 Ldw. Co. 16 C.
│ Pion. Co. │ Dist. Pions.
│ 305 T. M. Co. │ 305 T. M. Co.
│ 321 Searchlight │ 217 Searchlight
│ Section. │ Section.
│ Tel. Detch. │505 Signal Command:
│ │ 505 Tel. Detch.
│ │ 92 Wireless Detch.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Medical and │Ambulance Co. │12 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │
│151 Field Hospital.│67 Field Hospital.
│Vet. Hospital. │79 Field Hospital.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Transports. │M. T. Col. │775 M. T. Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Attached. │ │
│ │
─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
HISTORY.
(25th Landwehr and 65th Landwehr: Eighth District—Rhine Province. 36th
Landwehr: Fourth District—Prussian Saxony.)
1914.
The 5th Landwehr Division is composed of two Landwehr brigades meant to
be the war garrison of Metz, where they detrained August 9 and 10, 1914:
14th Landwehr Brigade from the Fourth District (36th Landwehr and 66th
Landwehr); 30th Landwehr Brigade from the Eighth District (25th Landwehr
and 65th Landwehr). The 17th Landwehr was under the 14th Brigade.
WOEVRE.
1. During the first days of September the 14th Landwehr Brigade was
engaged at Fresnes and Marcheville (in Woevre), near the 33d Reserve
Division. It fought on the Cotes de Meuse, near Champlon and Les
Eparges, at the beginning of October and suffered heavy losses there.
2. In December the two brigades (14th Landwehr Brigade and 30th Landwehr
Brigade) were united in the Woevre (Warcq, Hennemont, Marcheville,
Champlon, Saulx). The division at that time was part of the Von Strantz
detachment.
1915.
1. The division remained in the sector between Warcq and Saulx en Woevre
during the whole of 1915. In January the 17th Landwehr, from which many
men had deserted, was sent to Russia, where it assisted in the formation
of the 85th Landwehr Division.
1916.
COTES DE MEUSE.
1. At the time of the Verdun offensive the division was present during
the attacks on the Cotes de Meuse, near Braquis, Ronvaux, Manhuelles, at
the end of February to March, 1916.
2. Toward the end of March the 14th Landwehr Brigade took the place of
the First Guard Ersatz Brigade (Guard Ersatz Division) in the Apremont
sector.
3. The 30th Landwehr Brigade was kept before the Cotes de Meuse (region
of Fresnes en Woevre) until July. It then rejoined the other brigade
east of St. Mihiel.
1917.
FOREST OF APREMONT.
1. The division from this time on did not leave the Forest of Apremont
sector. In April, 1917, the 66th Landwehr was transferred to the 23d
Landwehr Division, newly organized, and soon sent to Russia.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
A sector unit.
1918.
1. On April 12 the division undertook a local operation in the Apremont
sector in an effort to divert troops and artillery from the Somme front.
About 800 men of the Storm Battalion were engaged. Forty-seven prisoners
were lost in the attack. Aside from this the sector continued very quiet
until September 12.
BATTLE OF ST. MIHIEL.
2. The division was engaged in the attack in the St. Mihiel salient. It
lost heavily in prisoners, among whom were the entire staff of the 3d
Battalion, 65th Landwehr Regiment, which was taken on September 12 in
the Bois de Thiaucourt. The division retreated with orders to take up
positions between the first and second positions of the Hindenburg line.
Here it had orders to hold the Mihiel Zone under all circumstances.
3. The division continued in line until the armistice.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The 5th Landwehr Division was rated as a fourth-class division. In 1918
it held the Apremont sector continuously, showing no initiative or
capacity for offensive operation, but due to the small losses and heavy
effectives it offered as much resistance to our attack in September as
did the other German divisions in the salient.
5th Bavarian Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────
│ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916
─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────
│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────
Infantry. │9 Bav. │14 Bav. │9 Bav. │14 Bav. │9 Bav. │14 Bav.
│ │21 Bav. │ │21 Bav. │ │21 Bav.
│10 Bav. │7 Bav. │10 Bav. │7 Bav. │10 Bav. │7 Bav.
│ │19 Bav. │ │19 Bav. │ │19 Bav.
│ 2 Bav. Res. Jag. │ 2 Bav. Res. Jag. │ │
│ Btn. │ Btn. │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────┴─────────
Cavalry. │7 Bav. Light Cav. │7 Bav. Light Cav. │7 Bav. Light Cav.
│ Rgt. │ Rgt. │ Rgt. (2 Sqns.).
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Artillery. │5 Bav. Brig.: │5 Bav. Brig.: │5 Bav. Brig.:
│ │ │
│ 6 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 6 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 6 Bav. F. A. Rgt.
│ │ │
│ 10 Bav. F. A. Rgt.│ 10 Bav. F. A. Rgt.│ 10 Bav. F. A. Rgt.
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Engineers and│1 and 4 Field Cos. │1 and 4 Field Cos. │1 and 4 Field Cos.
Liaisons. │ 3 Bav. Pion. Btn.│ 3 Bav. Pion. Btn.│ 3 Bav. Pion. Btn.
│ │5 Bav. Pont. Engs. │5 Bav. T. M. Co.
│ │5 Bav. Tel. Detch. │5 Bav. Pont. Engs.
│ │ │5 Bav. Tel. Detch.
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Medical and │ │ │
Veterinary.│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Transport. │ │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Attached. │ │ │84 Labor Btn. Anti-
│ │ │ Aircraft.
│ │ │Section 1 Bav.
│ │ │ Balloon Sqn.
─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────
│ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────
│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────
Infantry. │10 Bav. │7 Bav. │10 Bav. │7 Bav.
│ │19 Bav. │ │19 Bav.
│ │21 Bav. │ │21 Bav.
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────
Cavalry. │2 Bav. Light Cav. │4 Sqns. 2 Bav.
│ Rgt. (4 Sqns.). │ Light Cav. Rgt.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Artillery. │5 Bav. Art. │5 Bav. Art.
│ Command: │ Command:
│ 6 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │ 10 Bav. F. A. Rgt.
│ (6 Btries.). │
│ │ 3 Abt. 1 Bav. F.
│ │ A. Rgt. (Staff,
│ │ and 9, 10, and 11
│ │ Btries.).
│ │103 Bav. Light Am.
│ │ Col.
│ │109 Bav. Light Am.
│ │ Col.
│ │166 Bav. Light Am.
│ │ Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Engineers and│(S) 5 Bav. Pion. │3 Bav. Pion. Btn.:
Liaisons. │ Btn.: │
│ 10 Bav. Pion. Co. │ 10 Bav. Pion. Co.
│ 13 Bav. Pion. Co. │ 13 Bav. Pion. Co.
│ 5 Bav. T. M. Co. │ 5 Bav. Searchlight
│ │ Section.
│ 5 Bav. Tel. Detch.│5 Bav. Signal
│ │ Command:
│ │ 5 Bav. Tel. Detch.
│ │ 100 Bav. Wireless
│ │ Detch.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Medical and │3 Bav. Ambulance │6 Bav. Ambulance
Veterinary.│ Co. │ Co.
│6 Bav. Ambulance │21 Bav. Field
│ Co. │ Hospital.
│Field Hospital. │25 Field Hospital.
│Vet. Hospital. │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Transport. │114 M. T. Col. │685 M. T. Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Attached. │ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
HISTORY.
(Upper and Middle Franconia—Bavaria.)
1914.
LORRAINE.
1. At the beginning of the war the division was a part of the 3d
Bavarian Army Corps, with the 6th Bavarian Division, and was part of the
6th Army (Crown Prince Ruprecht of Bavaria). Detrained between Boulay
and Courcelles from August 9 to 11, it fought August 20 on the right of
the 2d Bavarian Corps at Oron, Lusy, Fremery. Crossed the frontier on
the 22d and advanced to Sanon, fighting on the 25th at Serres and
Hoéville, and on September 2 at Einville Wood. During the days following
it formed the left of the troops attacking Nancy by way of Champenoux.
WOEVRE.
2. After its failure the division was assembled at Metz on September 13
and 14. The 19th it was at Mars-la-Tour. From there going through La
Haye it reached the Cotes de Meuse. The 7th Infantry took Nonsard the
20th and Heudicourt the 21st. Marching on the left of the 6th Bavarian
Division, which went up the hill, the 5th Bavarian Division, walking
along the summit, established itself in the forest of Apremont at the
beginning of September 25 and held it during the whole of 1915, and,
except for the months of October and November, 1915, during the summer
of 1916. Its losses were quite high during the first two months of the
campaign. On October 14 the 1st Company of the 14th Infantry had only 1
officer and 41 men (notebooks).
1915.
CHAMPAGNE.
1. October 6, 1915, the division was sent to Champagne, via Audun le
Roman-Longuyon-Sedan, to relieve the 16th Reserve Division which had
been crushed by the French attack of September 25. It was engaged south
of Tahure (La Courtine) beginning October 13.
WOEVRE.
2. At the beginning of December it returned to its old sector east of
St. Mihiel.
1916.
ARTOIS.
1. In July, 1916, the division was withdrawn from the St. Mihiel salient
and sent to Artois. It held the Lens-Vimy sector until the end of
August, 1916.
SOMME.
2. September 7 to 8 it was engaged in the Somme (Delville Wood-Ginchy).
It suffered heavy losses in the fights around Ginchy and during the
British attack of September 15 (Flers, Gueudecourt).
ARTOIS.
3. Relieved September 20, it went back into line after a few days of
rest in the sector Neuve-Chapelle, south of the Armentieres road.
1917.
ARTOIS.
1. The division remained on the front south of Armentieres during the
whole winter 1916 to 1917. In February it was reduced to three regiments
on the transfer of the 14th Infantry to the 16th Bavarian Division,
newly organized.
2. It left the lines at the end of April, but at the beginning of May
went to the sector north of Arras, where it fought heavily at Fresnoy on
May 7 and southeast of Gavrelle on June 28.
BELGIUM.
3. Withdrawn from the Oppy-Gavrelle front July 1 and sent to rest near
the Belgian-Dutch front. It went through a period of training at the
Brasschaet camp in July.
FLANDERS.
4. About August 6 it entrained and went to Gits, via Lokeren, Ghent,
Thielt, and Pitthen. From there it went to Roulers. On August 10 held
the sector south of St. Julien, east of Ypres, where it suffered heavy
losses in the fighting of August 15 and days following. Relieved August
24.
5. After a period of rest the division went back into line September 8
in the quiet sector of Deulemont (south of the Lys) and held it until
the end of February, 1918.
RECRUITING.
Upper and Middle Franconia (3d Bavarian District).
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
Although not among the best Bavarian divisions, it was a good combat
unit. In 1917 it did well at Arras and on the Ypres front where it
suffered heavy losses (information from the British, February, 1918).
1918.
1. About February 13 the division was relieved, moved to Tourcoing (Feb.
14), and trained in that area until March 17, when it marched to
Roubaix. It entrained and moved to Fressies (5 miles north of Cambrai),
rested until the 19th, and moved to the front.
BATTLE OF PICARDY.
2. It was engaged east of Cambrai (Vaux-Vrancourt) on March 22. Retiring
to second line about April 4, it rested near Sapignies until about April
11, when it was identified southeast of Boyelles. It was relieved by the
111th Division on May 6.
3. The division trained in the Somain area until May 22, when it was
moved by trucks via Cantin and Palluel to Ecourt. A day later it marched
to Bullecourt and relieved the 221st Division on night of May 24–25.
Lieut. Gen. v. Endres, the division commander, was promoted to the
command of the 1st Bavarian Corps about this time. The division was
relieved in the Boyelles sector on July 15 by the 21st Reserve Division.
BATTLE OF THE SOMME.
4. After resting behind the Arras Front the division entered the line
near Lihons on August 10. After suffering heavy losses it withdrew from
the battle front south of Peronne on September 24 and retired to the Le
Cateau region.