began, the 15th Reserve Division detached some of its elements to
reenforce divisions engaged along the Somme, especially at Flaucourt
(July 2 and 3), Hem wood, and the Vermandovillers area (August).
AISNE.
3. Some of these elements returned to the Aisne and were reassigned to
the Liebert (new 15th Reserve Division) and the Dumrath Division.
SOMME.
4. The 17th and 30th Reserve Infantry Regiments remained in the Somme
area. Separated at first, at the end of August they formed the 32d
Brigade reattached to the 35th Division which held the front in the area
of Estrees-Ablaincourt (September).
5. At the beginning of October the 15th Reserve Division once more
reorganized its original elements, and occupied the lines between
Fouquescourt and the north of Andechy.
6. The division was relieved from the Somme front about December 15.
1917.
SOMME.
1. Once more in line in the Fouquescourt sector, the division took part
in the German withdrawal by way of Ercheu, Moyencourt (Mar. 17), Ham
(Mar. 19).
2. It was sent to rest in the Maubeuge area (?) (end of March and
April).
ARTOIS.
3. About May 2 it went into line in the Fresnoy sector (north of Arras),
where it went into action about May 3.
4. It was withdrawn from the Artois front on May 10 and transferred to
the Eastern Front (May 21 to May 28).
GALICIA.
5. Sent to Galicia, it occupied the sector south of Brzezany, where it
underwent the Russian attack of July 1. Then it took part in the
offensive against the Russians at the end of July, and suffered heavy
losses near Husiatin, where it remained until August 24. Sent to the
rear of Zbrucz it held this sector from September 15 to December 7.
FRANCE.
6. Relieved at this date, it remained in the Jablona area until December
19, and entrained on the 30th for the Western Front. Itinerary: Brest
Litowsk-Warsaw-Karlish-Halle-Frankfort on the Main-Mayence-
Sarrebruecken-Thionville-Sedan. It detrained on January 7, in the Dun
area, where it went to rest.
The 15th Reserve Division suffered very heavy losses in Galicia (July
and Aug., 1917).
At the end of February, 1918, these losses, according to the statements
of deserters, had not yet been made good by sufficient replacements.
In Russia there was no exchange of the older men of the division for men
of the 1919 class.
RECRUITING.
The 15th Reserve Division is recruited from the Rhine districts in
general. The elements from the 9th Corps District, introduced by the
assignment of one battalion of the 76th Landwehr Regiment to the 69th
Reserve Infantry Regiment, have almost disappeared with the arrival of
successive replacements.
1918.
1. During its occupancy of the Verdun sector the division underwent
intensive training which was to fit it for operations on the Western
Front. It was relieved about April 15. The division commenced entraining
at Stenay about April 23 and traveled via Givet-Dinant-Namur-Charleroi-
Braine le Comte-Ath-Tournai, and detrained between Tournai and Lille.
One regiment marched to Haubourdin (12 miles), where it rested several
days.
HINGE.
2. On the night of May 1–2 the division came into line east of St.
Venant. It held this sector for 10 months. Toward the end of June it was
relieved by the 23d Reserve Division.
ARRAS.
3. On July 11 the division entered the line southwest of Oppy. It was
engaged at Gavrelle, Oppy, and Arleux until October 9 when the 187th
Division relieved it.
4. The division returned to line on the 12th to reinforce the front east
of Bohain and fought until the end of October in the region east of
Wassigny. There was some talk in the division of the dissolution, as no
drafts of importance were received during September or October.
5. On November 6 the division was again in line. In the closing days of
the war it was engaged north of Beaurepaire, southeast of Limont-
Fontaine, southwest of Aites and Obrechies (10th).
VALUE.
The division was rated as third class. During 1918 the division was
almost constantly in line holding defensive sectors, which it did with
fair success.
15th Landwehr Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────
│ 1915 │ 1916
─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────
│ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment.
─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────
Infantry. │10 Ldw. │12 Ldw. │10 Ldw. │12 Ldw.
│ │52 Ldw. │ │52 Ldw.
│27 Ldw. │53 Ldw. │27 Ldw. │53 Ldw.
│ │55 Ldw. │ │55 Ldw.
─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────
Cavalry. │1 Ldw. Sqn. 3 C. Dist. │
│2 Ldw. Sqn. 7 C. Dist. │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Artillery. │1 and 2 Landst. 3 C. Dist. F.│15 Ldw. F. A. Rgt.
│ A. Btries. │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│Landst. F. A. Btry. 7 C. │
│ Dist. │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Engineers and│ │246 Pion. Co.
Liaisons. │ │
│ │247 Pion. Co.
│ │315 T. M. Co.
│ │
│ │
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Medical and │ │
Veterinary.│ │
│ │
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Transports. │ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Attached. │ │42 Art. Survey Section.
─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────
─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────
│ 1917 │ 1918[12]
─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────
│ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment.
─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────
Infantry. │10 Ldw. │12 Ldw. │ │53 Ldw.
│ │52 Ldw. │ │
│ │53 Ldw. │ │
│ │55 Ldw. │ │
─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────
Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 5 Hus. Rgt. │
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Artillery. │Art. Command: │15 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. (Regt.
│ │ Staff, 2 Abt. Staff, and 4
│ │ and 6 Btries., 3 Abt.
│ │ Staff, 7 and 9 Btries. not
│ │ included).
│ 15 Ldw. F. A. Rgt. │
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Engineers and│415 Pion. Btn. │109 Wireless Detch.
Liaisons. │ │
│ 246 Pion Co. │
│ 247 Pion. Co. │
│ 315 T. M. Co. │
│ 247 Searchlight Section. │
│ Tel. Detch. │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Medical and │552 Ambulance Co. │7 Ldw. Field Hospital.
Veterinary.│ │
│3 Ldw. Field Hospital. │515 Vet. Hospital.
│7 Ldw. Field Hospital. │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Transports. │M. T. Col. │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Attached. │ │
─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────
Footnote 12:
The elements below are those grouped under the 797 Postal sector.
Other elements belonging to the 15th Landwehr Division, but operating
under other division staffs, are listed as attached to such division.
HISTORY.
(12th Landwehr Regiment: 3d Corps District—Brandenburg. 53d and 55th
Landwehr Regiments: 7th Corps District—Westphalia.)
1915.
OISE.
1. The 15th Landwehr Division (Sack Division) was formed about the month
of March, 1915, from two independent Landwehr brigades (the 10th and
27th) which had been holding, since September, 1914, the sectors of the
Oise south of Noyon.
2. The 10th Brigade, entering Belgium on August 19, was at Tirlemont on
September 1 and had been sent rapidly to the Oise at the beginning of
the retreat from the Marne. It had gone into action at Blerancourt,
Bellefontaine, Cuts, on September 15 and 16. The 27th Brigade, coming
from Aix la Chapelle August 17, had advanced by way of Louvain, Douai,
Cambrai, Bepaume, and Amiens and had likewise been in action on
September 15 and 16 at Rivecourt and Nampcel.
3. After its formation the 15th Landwehr Division continued to occupy
the Oise sector of Thiescourt (Ribecourt) until 1917.
1916.
1. The division held the Oise sector of Thiescourt (southwest of Noyon).
1917.
1. The Oise sector of Thiescourt was held by the division until 1917.
In the middle of March, 1917, the 15th Landwehr Division took part in
the withdrawal of the German troops and retired southeast of St. Quentin
by way of Salency, Chauny, and La Fere.
GALICIA.
2. Relieved at the end of March, it was transferred to the Eastern
Front. Itinerary: Charleroi-Luxemburg-Treves * * * Breslau-Cracow-
Lemberg. (Some elements of the division had already left before the
withdrawal to the Hindenburg line and had entrained at Noyon.)
3. In Galicia the 15th Landwehr Division occupied the sector west of
Brody until the beginning of 1918.
Almost immediately after its arrival the 52d Landwehr Regiment was
withdrawn from the division (April, 1917).
Like the other Landwehr divisions on the Eastern Front, the 15th
Landwehr Division at the end of 1917 had given its best elements to
divisions operating in France (especially to the 111th Division).
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The division is purely a sector division.
1918.
UKRAINE.
1. Early in March the 15th Landwehr Division marched toward Rovno; from
there it was transported to Kiev.
2. On May 11 the division was south of Ekaterinoslav; the 12th Landwehr
Regiment at Sebastopol and the 53d Landwehr Regiment likewise being in
the Crimea.
CAUCASUS.
3. Toward the end of May elements of the division were identified in the
Kertch region, the 12th Landwehr Regiment, however, being on the Vardar
front. The division was still here the latter part of September. During
this time all of the younger men were sent to the Western Front.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as fourth class.
15th Bavarian Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────
│ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────
│ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────
Infantry. │23 Bav. │30 Bav. │23 Bav. │30 Bav.
│ │31 Bav. │ │31 Bav.
│ │32 Bav. │ │32 Bav.
─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────
Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 7 Bav. Light Cav. │3 Sqn. 7 Bav. Light Cav.
│ Rgt. │ Rgt.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Artillery. │Art. Command: │7 Bav. F. A. Rgt.
│ 7 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │23 Bav. Ft. A. Btn.
│ │148 Bav. Light Am. Col.
│ │152 Bav. Light Am. Col.
│ │155 Bav. Light Am. Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Engineers and│15 Bav. Pion. Btn.: │15 Bav. Pion. Btn.:
Liaisons. │ │
│ 24 Bav. Pion. Co. │ 24 Bav. Pion. Co.
│ 25 Bav. Pion. Co. │ 25 Bav. Pion. Co.
│ 15 Bav. T. M. Co. │ 15 Bav. T. M. Co.
│ 15 Bav. Tel. Detch. │ 15 Bav. Searchlight
│ │ Section.
│ │15 Bav. Signal Command:
│ │ 15 Bav. Tel. Detch.
│ │ 170 Wireless Detch.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Medical and │25 Bav. Ambulance Co. │25 Bav. Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │
│64 Bav. Field Hospital. │64 Bav. Field Hospital.
│65 Bav. Field Hospital. │65 Bav. Field Hospital.
│15 Bav. Vet. Hospital. │
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Transport. │696 M. T. Col. │696 M. T. Col.
─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────
HISTORY.
(30th Bavarian Infantry Regiment: 1st Bavarian Corps District. 31st
Bavarian Infantry Regiment: 2d Bavarian Corps District. 32d Bavarian
Infantry Regiment: 3d Bavarian Corps District.)
1917.
The 15th Bavarian Division was formed in December, 1916, and January,
1917, at Nuremburg, of elements coming from the three Bavarian corps
districts in the manner of the divisions 231–242; that is to say, a very
large proportion of the men of the 1918 class, together with returned
wounded and sick and men taken from units at the front.
1. From February 1 to March 1, 1917, the three regiments of the division
received instruction for mountain troops in Upper Bavaria, near the
Austrian frontier.
2. On March 1 the 15th Bavarian Division was transferred to the
Charleroi area, where it remained one month; there it received training
in the war of movement.
LORRAINE.
3. At the end of March it was transferred to Lorraine; it occupied the
Leintrey sector (Parroy wood) until the beginning of May.
AISNE.
4. From Lorraine it went to the Laonnois area (Sissonne, La Selve, May
12); went into line southwest of Juvincourt on May 19–20; launched an
attack on June 28–29 southeast of Corbeny, and left the front at the end
of July.
5. After a rest in the Sedan area the division entrained on August 20
for the Verdun front.
MEUSE (HILL 304).
6. Detraining at Stenay and Dun (Aug. 22–24), it went into line north of
Hill 304 (Forges Stream). The French attack on the 24th occasioned
serious losses.
MEUSE (RIGHT BANK).
7. The 15th Bavarian Division was relieved from Hill 304 about October
16; went from there to the right bank of the Meuse, and then into line
at Beaumont (Oct. 24).
RECRUITING.
The 15th Bavarian Division is recruited from all of Bavaria.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
In September, 1917, the 15th Bavarian Division appeared strong.
In the 31st Bavarian Infantry Regiment two-thirds of the men were
recruits belonging to the 1918 class.
The division suffered few losses on the Verdun front after November,
1917.
1918.
1. During the spring the division made use of the quiet Bezouvaux sector
to train the men in machine gun and assault tactics. It was relieved on
July 23 and rested south of Longwy (Villers la Montagne) until July 4.
It was moved to Sault St. Remy, by Carignan, Sedan, Rethel (July 4–5).
Until the 11th it rested in a camp, when it marched by night toward the
front.
BATTLE OF RHEIMS.
2. On the 15th it was engaged in the offensive east of Prunay. It
advanced to north of Thuizy, suffering very heavy losses, estimated to
have been 30 to 40 per cent. It remained in line until mid-August. After
10 weeks’ rest the division was again engaged about September 1 north of
Prosnes until September 29.
MEUSE-ARGONNE.
3. The division was placed in line farther to the east, near Somme Py,
where it remained until about September 29, at which time it was put in
reserve north of Bouillon. In the fighting all three regiments were
exhausted, but the losses of the 31st Bavarian Regiment were
particularly heavy. Six hundred prisoners were taken from the division
at this time.
4. The division rested from October 5 to 10. At this time the 18th
Bavarian Reserve Regiment, from the disbanded Bavarian Ersatz Division,
was divided among the three regiments of the division.
5. It came into line on October 13 east of Grandpre and was engaged on
the United States front until November 11. It did not offer a vigorous
resistance to the American attacks at first, but in late October and
early November it did all in its power to check the American advance.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as a third-class. The heavy losses in Champagne
in September and October, the prevalent sickness, political discontent,
and dissatisfaction with Prussia continued to give the division a low
morale.
16th Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────
│ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916
─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────
│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────
Infantry. │30. │28. │30. │28. │30. │28.
│ │68. │ │68. │ │68.
│31. │29. │31. │29. │31. │29.
│ │69. │ │69. │ │69.
─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────
Cavalry. │8 Cuirassier Rgt. │ │8 Cuirassier Rgt.
│ │ │ (3 and 4 Sqns.).
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Artillery. │16 Brig.: │16 Brig.: │16 Brig.:
│ 23 F. A. Rgt. │ 23 F. A. Rgt. │ 23 F. A. Rgt.
│ 44 F. A. Rgt. │ 44 F. A. Rgt. │ 44 F. A. Rgt.
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Engineers and│2 and 3 Field Cos. │1 Pion. Btn. No. 8:│1 Pion. Btn. No. 8:
Liaisons. │ 1 Pion. Btn. No. │ │
│ 8. │ │
│ │ 2 Field Co. 8 │ 2 Co. 8 Pions.
│ │ Pions. │
│ │ 3 Field Co. 8 │ 3 Co. 8 Pions.
│ │ Pions. │
│ │ 16 Pont. Engs. │ 16 T. M. Co.
│ │ 16 Tel. Detch. │ 16 Pont. Engs.
│ │ │
│ │ │ 16 Tel. Detch.
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Medical and │ │ │
Veterinary.│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Transports. │ │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Attached. │ │ │113 Labor Btn.
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────
│ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────
│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────
Infantry. │30. │28. │30. │28.
│ │29. │ │29.
│ │68. │ │68.
│ │ │ │
─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────
Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 7 Hus. Rgt. │1 Sqn. 7 Hus. Rgt.
│ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Artillery. │16 Art. Command: │16 Art. Command:
│ 23 F. A. Rgt. │ 23 F. A. Rgt.
│ │ 32 Ft. A. Btn. (3
│ │ Btries.).
│ │ 1252 Light Am.
│ │ Col.
│ │ 1253 Light Am.
│ │ Col.
│ │ 1307 Light Am.
│ │ Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Engineers and│125 Pion Btn. (1 │8 Pion. Btn:
Liaisons. │ Pion. Btn. No. │
│ 8): │
│ 2 Co. 8 Pions. │ 2 Co. 8 Pions.
│ │
│ 3 Co. 8 Pions. │ 3 Co. 8 Pions.
│ │
│ 169 T. M. Co. │ 169 T. M. Co.
│ 293 Searchlight │ 44 Searchlight
│ Section. │ Section.
│ 16 Tel. Detch. │16 Signal Command:
│ │ 16 Tel. Detch.
│ │ 120 Wireless
│ │ Detch.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Medical and │20 Ambulance Co. │20 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │
│80 Field Hospital. │76 Field Hospital.
│Vet. Hospital. │80 Field Hospital.
│ │16 Vet. Hospital.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Transports. │M. T. Col. │549 M. T. Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Attached. │ │188 and 417 Pigeon
│ │ Lofts.
│ │208 Balloon Sqn.
│ │7 Reconnaissance
│ │ Flight.
│ │57 Art. Observation
│ │ Section (Flash-
│ │ spotters).
│ │10 Co. 97 Labor
│ │ Btn.
│ │38 Div. Pont. Engs.
│ │1294 Light Am. Col.
│ │(Elements attached
│ │ July 17, 1918;
│ │ from German
│ │ documents.)
─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
HISTORY.
(8th Corps District—Rhine Province.)
1914.
ARDENNES-MARNE.
1. In August, 1914, the 16th Division (belonging to the 8th Army Corps,
together with 16th Division) was a part of the 4th German Army (Duke of
Wurttemberg). It entered Luxemburg at the beginning of August (28th
Infantry Regiment), there received the rest of its reservists on the
7th, entered Belgian Luxemburg on the 20th, and went into action on the
23d at Bièvre and Gédinne. From there, by way of Sedan and Donchery
(Aug. 26), forming the extreme right of the 4th Army, it went through
Champagne, reached Suippes on September 3, and crossed the Marne near
Vitry le François, where it came into contact with the French forces. It
retired, having suffered heavily, by way of Somme-Yèvre—Herpont-St. Mard
sur Auve-Somme Bionne, and stopped near Perthes les Hurlus, where it
made a stand.
CHAMPAGNE.
2. The 16th Division occupied the sector Souain-Perthes during the
winter of 1914 and 1915; it there withstood strong attacks.
BELGIUM.
3. In November and December, 1914, the division detached certain of its
elements (31st Brigade, 29th and 69th Infantry Regiments) in Belgium, in
the Langemarck area.
ALSACE.
4. In the middle of December the 31st Brigade was sent to Alsace for
work near Mulhouse. It formed a part of the Fuchs Division, was in line
north of Thann and rejoined the 30th Brigade opposite Perthes at the end
of December.
1915.
ARTOIS.
1. Withdrawn from the Champagne front about April 18–19, 1915, the 16th
Division was sent to rest in the Briey area, then transferred, about May
15, north of Arras.
2. It lost very heavily at Souchez and Neuville-St. Vaast, withstanding
the offensive of May. The 69th Infantry Regiment lost 42 officers and
1,609 men. (Official List of Casualties.)
AISNE.
3. The division left Artois in the middle of June and, after a few days
of rest near St. Quentin, went into line in the middle of July, east of
Soissons (Chavonne-Soupir sector).
NOUVRON.
4. At the end of October it took over the sector of Nouvron, west of
Soissons.
1916.
1. The 16th Division remained on the Aisne front until the end of July,
1916.
SOMME.
2. Entraining at Folembray, it was transferred to Ham and Nesle. After a
short stay in the Maucourt sector (northwest of Roye) at the beginning
of August, it took part in the battle of the Somme near Pozières-
Thiepval, where it suffered very heavy losses (Aug. 10–24); the 3d
Company of the 29th Infantry Regiment lost 131 men at Pozières (letter).
BERRY AU BAC.
3. In September the reorganized 16th Division (especially with men of
the 1917 class) occupied a quiet sector west of Berry au Bac. In October
the 69th Infantry Regiment was withdrawn from the 16th Division, which
now has three regiments (30th Brigade).
SOMME.
4. Relieved about the 3d of October from the sector west of Berry au
Bac, the division entrained at Laon and was transferred to the Somme. It
went into line (Lesboeufs-Sailly-Saillisel) on October 9 and suffered
heavy losses.
RUSSIA.
5. On October 26 the division left the Somme, returned for a few days
(Nov. 5–16) to the front northwest of Soissons and entrained for Russia
on November 20. Itinerary: Liege-Aix la Chapelle-Dusseldorf-Hanover-
Magdeburg-Berlin-Skernewitzy-Warsaw-Brest- Litowsk-Kovel-Turisk. It
detrained on November 25.
1916.
GALICIA.
1. On the Russian front the 16th Division occupied the Kiselin sector,
south of Kovel (until the beginning of May, 1917).
FRANCE.
2. On May 17, entraining near Kieslin, the division returned to France
via Vladimir Volynski-Kovel-Brest Litowsk-Warsaw-Kalich-Cottbus-Leipzig-
Cassel-Coblentz-Gerolstein-Sedan-Attigny, where it detrained on May 21.
FLANDERS.
3. After a rest at Ecordal, on June 4 the division was sent to Flanders.
Detraining at Orchies, it marched to Wambrechies; it there remained for
12 days. On June 26 it went into line at Warneton, where the British
attack of July 31 did not cause it any serious losses.
4. About the 23d of September the 16th Division was sent to rest in the
Bruges area.
YPRES.
At the beginning of October it was sent to the Ypres front.
Some elements were engaged on October 3 and 4 against the British
attacks east of Zonnebeke. On October 6 the division went to the
southeast of Poelcappelle and supported the local offensives, against
the British troops (Oct. 9–12).
The 16th Division remained behind the front from October 12 to November
24.
At this date it took over the sector north of Becelaere and a short time
afterwards that of Passchendaele (east), where it was relieved about the
middle of January, 1918.
RECRUITING.
The 16th Division is recruited almost exclusively from the Rhine
Provinces.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
Before being engaged on the Somme the 16th Division had gained a
wonderful reputation. It was known as the “Iron Division.” In the battle
of the Somme it did not, however, distinguish itself in any way.
At Warneton and at Ypres (June and October, 1917) it fought stubbornly
in spite of its heavy losses.
1918.
YPRES.
1. The division was at rest in Belgium (Meulebeke area) until about
March 1, when it was engaged east of Passchendaele until March 23.
2. It entrained at Pitthem and moved to reserve at Tourcoing until April
4. Later it was at Lille until April 10.
BATTLE OF THE LYS.