of Merville on the 12th. On the 17th the 68th Regiment was to attack but
was unable to do so through weakness and lack of food. Two regimental
commanders were included in the heavy casualties. It was relieved east
of St. Venant on May 1.
MERVILLE.
4. The division rested in Belgium (Braine, south of Brussels) for about
two weeks. On the 19th it was in line southwest of Merville. It was
relieved by the 25th Division on the night of July 6–7. After 10 days’
rest the division returned to its former sector and continued in line
until August 18.
5. After leaving the line on August 18 it rested near Haubourdin until
the 26th, when it entrained for Raches (north of Douai). It marched
toward the front east of Arras by Douai and Vitry, entering the line
near Vis en Artois on August 30.
THIRD BATTLE OF THE SOMME.
6. The division fought near Dury and Hendecourt until mid-September,
losing more than 1,500 prisoners. It rested at Bruges until its return
to line north of Lens on September 26. It was driven back toward Pont a
Vendin and Courrieres, northwest of Orchies, Hollain, and Antoing. The
division was withdrawn about November 6 from the Antoing area.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as a second-class division. During 1918 it fought
entirely on the British front, chiefly on the defensive.
16th Reserve Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────
│ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916
─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────
│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────
Infantry. │29 Res. │28 Res. │29 Res. │28 Res. │29 Res. │28 Res.
│ │68 Res. │ │68 Res. │ │68 Res.
│31 Res. │29 Res. │31 Res. │29 Res. │31 Res. │29 Res.
│ │65 Res. │ │65 Res. │ │65 Res.
│ │ │ │ │ Feb. to July.
│ │ │ │ │ │28 Res.
│ │ │ │ │ │68 Res.
│ │ │ │ │ │25 Res.
│ │ │ │ │ Aug. to Sept.
│ │ │ │ │ │190.
│ │ │ │ │68 Res. │
│ │ │ │ │ │Hippe
│ │ │ │ │ │ Rgt.
│ │ │ │ │ Sept. to Dec.
│ │ │ │ │ │190.
│ │ │ │ │ │29 Res.
│ │ │ │ │ │390.
─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────
Cavalry. │2 Heavy Res. Cav. │2 Heavy Res. Cav. │2 Heavy Res. Cav.
│ Rgt. (3 Sqns.). │ Rgt. │ Rgt.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Artillery. │16 Res. F. A. Rgt. │16 Res. F. A. Rgt. │16 Res. F. A. Rgt.
│ (6 Btries.). │ (8 Btries.). │ (9 Btries.).
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Engineers and│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2│1 and 2 Res. Cos. 2
Liaisons. │ Pion. Btn. No. 8.│ Pion. Btn. No. 8.│ Pion. Btn. No. 8.
│ │16 Res. Pont. Engs.│10 Co. 28 Pions.
│ │ │
│ │16 Res. Tel. Detch.│216 T. M. Co.
│ │ │
│ │ │16 Res. Pont. Engs.
│ │ │
│ │ │16 Res. Tel. Detch.
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Medical and │ │ │
Veterinary.│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Transports. │ │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Attached. │ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────
│ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────
│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────
Infantry. │31 Res. │29 Res. │31 Res. │29 Res.
│ │30 Res. │ │30 Res.
│ │68 Res. │ │68 Res.
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────
Cavalry. │2 (?) Heavy Res. │4 Sqn. 8 Cuirassier
│ Cav. Rgt. │ Rgt.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Artillery. │106 Art. Command: │106 Art. Command:
│ │
│ 16 Res. F. A. │ 16 Res. F. A. Rgt.
│ Regt. (9 │
│ Btries.). │
│ │ 127 Ft. Art. Btn.
│ │ 724 Light Am. Col.
│ │ 810 Light Am. Col.
│ │ 1352 Light Am.
│ │ Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Engineers and│(316) Pion. Btn.: │316 Pion. Btn.:
Liaisons. │ │
│ 1 Res. Co. 8 │ 1 Res. Co. 8
│ Pions. │ Pions.
│ 2 Res. Co. 8 │ 2 Res. Co. 8
│ Pions. │ Pions.
│ 216 T. M. Co. │ 8 Searchlight
│ │ Section.
│ 416 Tel. Detch. │ 216 T. M. Co.
│ │416 Signal Command:
│ │ 416 Tel. Detch.
│ │ 130 Wireless
│ │ Detch.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Medical and │512 Ambulance Co. │512 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │
│Field Hospital. │39 Res. Field
│ │ Hospital.
│416 Vet. Hospital. │40 Res. Field
│ │ Hospital.
│ │416 Vet. Hospital.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Transports. │M. T. Col. │715 M. T. Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Attached. │ │16 and 134 Art.
│ │ Observation
│ │ Section.
│ │16 Balloon Sqn.
│ │213 Reconnaissance
│ │ Flight.
│ │2.208 Pigeon Loft.
│ │(Elements attached
│ │ Sept. 30, 1918;
│ │ from German
│ │ documents.)
─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
HISTORY.
(8th Corps District—Rhine Province.)
1914.
1. At the outbreak of the war the 16th Reserve Division with the 15th
Reserve Division was a part of the 8th Reserve Corps and belonged to the
4th Army (Duke of Wurttemberg).
CHAMPAGNE.
2. On August 14, 1914, it entered Luxemburg; on the 21st, Belgium. It
went into action at St. Hubert on the 22d; at Matton on the 24th;
crossed the Meuse at Sedan with heavy losses August 26–28. Entering
Champagne by way of Vouziers, it took part in the battle of the Marne,
along the canal from the Marne to the Rhine (Heiltz le Maurupt-
Bignicourt-Le Buisson).
3. On September 9 it began its retreat, and retired by way of Suippes
(Sept. 14) to Cernay en Dormois. About September 20 it stopped in the
area of Minaucourt-Massiges and took up its position there.
4. The 16th Reserve Division occupied this sector of Champagne (north of
Massiges) until the month of October, 1915. (On the 30th of January,
1915, the 29th Reserve Infantry Regiment had had a total of 79 officers
and 3,090 men casualties.)
1915.
1. At the time of the French offensive in Champagne the 16th Reserve
Division went into battle east of the road from Tahure to Perthes les
Hurlus (Sept. 25). It was then a part of a new group under the orders of
Gen. Ditfurth.
2. Having suffered heavily from these attacks, the 16th Reserve Division
was relieved about October 15 and sent to the rest in the Chesne area.
Between October 8 and 14 no less than 223 men came to the 5th Company of
the 68th Reserve Infantry Regiment as replacements (in this number,
recruits of the 1915 class who had had four months’ instruction).
AISNE.
3. At the end of October the 16th Reserve Division was sent north of the
Aisne, where it took over the sector between Soissons and Vailly.
1916.
1. The 16th Reserve Division remained in line east of Soissons until
February 16, 1916.
AISNE.
2. In the middle of February it went to the west of Soissons, in the
sector of Moulin sous Touvent-Autreches, which it occupied until the
month of October.
3. In February the 16th Reserve Division lost two of its regiments, the
65th and 29th Reserve Infantry Regiments, which were replaced by a
single regiment, the 35th Reserve Infantry Regiment. It was then
composed of the 25th, 28th, and 68th Reserve Infantry Regiments.
4. At the beginning of the battle of the Somme, July 2, the 25th Reserve
Infantry Regiment (2 battalions) was sent by itself as a reinforcement
in the Barelaux area. The 28th Reserve Infantry Regiment left the 16th
Reserve Division at the end of July to be attached to the 185th
Division, likewise on the Somme.
5. The 16th Reserve Division, composed of the 68th Reserve Infantry
Regiment and of two other regiments, the 190th Infantry Regiment and the
Provisional Hippe Regiment, continued to occupy the sector of Moulin
sous Touvent (August).
6. The 68th Reserve Infantry Regiment in its turn was sent to the Somme.
It went into action near Deniécourt (September-October). One may
calculate its losses by the fact that the 5th Company received at least
55 men as replacements between October 2 and 6.
7. The 16th Reserve Division then comprised the 29th Reserve Infantry
Regiment, once more attached to the division, the 190th Infantry
Regiment, and the 390th Infantry Regiment, which replaced the Hippe
Regiment above mentioned. Thus constituted, it was retained in the area
Moulin sous Touvent-Autreches until the month of October.
SOMME.
8. Relieved on October 15, it entrained at Tergnier and was transferred
to the Somme. It took part in the St. Pierre-Vaast wood in local
operations, in the course of which it suffered heavily (Nov. 4 to 28).
9. About December 12 the 16th Reserve Division was sent north of the
Aisne. It went into line in the Cerny en Laonnois area.
At this time the division was once more reorganized. It again received
the 68th Reserve Infantry Regiment, which came back from the Somme. The
190th Infantry Regiment was transferred to the 47th Division, and the
390th Infantry Regiment, which was assigned to the 211th Division, was
replaced by the 30th Reserve Infantry Regiment.
1917.
1. With this composition (29th, 68th, and 30th Reserve Infantry
Regiments) the 16th Reserve Division occupied the sector of Cerny en
Laonnois from January to April, 1917.
CHEMIN DES DAMES.
2. It underwent the French offensive of April 16 between Chivy and the
Cerny sugar refinery, where it suffered very heavily (1,100 prisoners).
3. Relieved on the Aisne front about April 20, the division was sent to
the Sissonne Camp, where it was reorganized (beginning of May).
LORRAINE.
4. About May 10 it went into line between the Sanon and Gondrexon, in
Lorraine.
ALSACE.
5. The division was sent to Alsace about June 20 and remained in the
Ferette area, where its training was vigorously carried out.
GALICIA.
6. On July 7, 1917, the 16th Reserve Division entrained for the Eastern
Front.
7. Detraining on the 12th in the area of Rohatyn-Bourchtyn (Galicia), it
went into action on the 15th near Halucz, along the Dneister, and
reached Khotin, where the Russian retreat halted.
8. At the end of August it occupied a new sector north of Bojan, east of
Czernowitz (taking of Bojan, Aug. 27).
FRANCE.
9. The 16th Reserve Division was withdrawn from the front about November
15 and entrained for France near Czernowitz (Nov. 20). Itinerary:
Kolomea-Stanislau-Lemberg-Przeymsl-Cracow-Oppeln-Breslau-Dresden-
Chemnitz-Nuremberg-Karlsruhe-Haguenau-Saareguemines-Thionville-Sedan-
Bucy les Pierrepont, where it detrained on November 29.
CAMBRAI.
10. Going into action southwest of Cambrai (Marcoing) on December 6, it
was still in this sector at the beginning of March, 1918.
RECRUITING.
The 16th Reserve Division is recruited from the Rhine Province and all
the Rhine districts. Thus, in October, 1916, it received men from the
mining district of Westphalia, and also in March, 1917.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The 16th Reserve Division was a good division. It was very much
exhausted on April 16 and 17, 1917, in the Cerny sector. During this
action the 30th Reserve Infantry Regiment was remarkable for its
desperate resistance and had only 50 prisoners taken.
During its stay in Lorraine (May and June, 1917) the 16th Reserve
Division maintained a purely defensive attitude. The losses suffered on
the Aisne and the nature of the replacements received appear to have
sensibly diminished the combat value of the 30th Reserve Infantry
Regiment.
In October, 1917, on the Galician front, the 16th Reserve Division was
considered incapable of participating in active operations because of
the large proportion of older men and the weakness of its effectives
(according to prisoners’ statements).
1918.
PICARDY.
1. The division attacked on March 21 south of Marcoing. It was taken out
on the 3d day of the offensive and sent to rest in the Ancre area. About
April 10 the division relieved the 107th Division on the Ancre and held
a sector until the 107th Division returned and relieved on April 27.
BATTLE OF THE SCARPE-SOMME.
2. The division rested near Puisieux until May 15, when it entered the
line northwest of Beaumont Hamel and remained until about June 15. It
rested in the neighborhood of Haplincourt until about July 4, when it
returned to the Beaumont-Hamel sector. The British attack in August
forced the division to retire through Muraumont (23d), Grandcourt
(24th), Le Barque (25th), and Flers (27th). It was withdrawn on August
28, after suffering heavy losses.
3. The division again came into line on September 5 north of Equancourt.
In five days’ fighting it lost 600 prisoners. On September 10 it went to
rest in the Bruges area, where it was until October 1.
BELGIUM.
4. On October 1 the division relieved the 16th Bavarian Division on the
Ypres battle front, southeast of Staden. Throughout October it was
engaged at Hooglede, Staden, and near Wynghene. It was withdrawn on
October 28 and remained out of line in the Ghent area until the
armistice.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as second class. It was engaged as a sector-
holding unit in active fronts during 1918.
16th Landwehr Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────
│ 1915 │ 1916
─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────
│ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment.
─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────
Infantry. │2 Ldw. │3 Ldw. │2 Ldw. │3 Ldw.
│ │374 (Jacobi │ │374.
│ │ Rgt.). │ │
│ │379 Ldw. │ │379 Ldw.
│ │ (Tietz │ │
│ │ Rgt.). │ │
│ │378 (3 C. │ │
│ │ Dist.). │ │
─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────
Cavalry. │ │94 Cav. Rgt.
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Artillery. │ │101 F. A. Rgt.
│ │
│ │
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Engineers and│ │2 Ers. Co. 18 Pions.
Liaisons. │ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Medical and │ │
Veterinary.│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Transport. │ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Odd units. │ │157 Cyclist Co.
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Attached. │ │
│ │
─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────
─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────
│ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────
│ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment.
─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────
Infantry. │2 Ldw. │3 Ldw. │2 Ldw. │3 Ldw.
│ │374. │ │374.
│ │ │ │
│ │379 Ldw. │ │379 Ldw.
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────
Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 8 Cuirassier Rgt. │1 Sqn. 6 Cuirassier Rgt.
│5 Sqn. 94 Cav. Rgt. (?) │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Artillery. │Art. Command: │101 F. A. Rgt.
│ 101 F. A. Rgt. │791 Light Am. Col.
│ │794 Light Am. Col.
│ │1046 Light Am. Col.
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Engineers and│(416) Pion Btn.: │3 Ers. Co. 18 Pions.
Liaisons. │ │
│ 2 Co. 34 Res. Pions. │1 Landst. Co. 8 C. Dist.
│ │ Pions.
│ 3 Ers. Co. 18 Pions. │83 Searchlight Section.
│ 316 T. M. Co. │516 Signal Command:
│ 2 Light Fort Searchlight │ 516 Tel. Detch.
│ Section. │
│ Tel. Detch. │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Medical and │71 Ambulance Co. │71 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │
│21 Field Hospital. │21 Field Hospital.
│142 Field Hospital. │216 Vet. Hospital.
│151 Field Hospital. │
│Vet. Hospital. │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Transport. │996 M. T. Col. │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Odd units. │ │
─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────
Attached. │1 C. Dist. Landst. Inf. Btn. │
│ No. 22. │
─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────
HISTORY.
(374th Infantry Regiment and 3d Landwehr Regiment: 1st Corps
District—East Prussia. 379th Landwehr Regiment: 3d Corps
District—Brandenburg.)
1915.
POLAND.
1. The 16th Landwehr Division (Landwehr Division of Koenigsberg, Sommer
Division), providing the war garrison of Koenigsberg, took part in the
battles on the East Prussian frontier in October, 1914, with a few of
its future elements (1st Ersatz Battalion of the 12th Landwehr
Regiment).
It was in the region of Mariampol from April until the end of August,
1915. It was identified in the Lipsk sector on August 30.
RUSSIA.
2. After the summer offensive it was sent to the sector between Krevo
and Smorgoni (September).
1916.
1. The division was in the Krevo-Smorgoni sector during 1916.
1917.
1. Krevo-Smorgoni sector.
On July 22 and 23, 1917, the 16th Landwehr Division suffered very heavy
losses withstanding Russian attacks in this area.
During the months which followed it gave its best elements to troops on
the Western Front or to those assigned to the Western Front. At the end
of November 70 per cent of the men of the 379th Landwehr Regiment were
between the ages of 40 and 47 years (Russian interrogatory).
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The 16th Landwehr Division has always been on the Russian front. Its
combat value appears mediocre.
1918.
1. The 16th Landwehr Division was still in line near Krevno in January.
Moving then toward the east, it was near Orcha in April, and near
Kharkov early in May. The 346th Infantry Regiment, which had remained in
Russia after the departure for France of the two other regiments of the
14th Landwehr Division seems to have been attached to the 16th Landwehr
Division.
SEA OF AZOV.
2. Early in September the division was identified in the Taganrog
region.
ROUMANIA.
3. The division left the Don region and went to Constantinople. It did
not remain here however, but left immediately for Roumania, being
identified at Constanza on October 28.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as fourth class.
16th Bavarian Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────
│ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────
│ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────
Infantry. │9 Bav. │11 Bav. │9 Bav. │8 Bav.
│ │14 Bav. │ │11 Bav.
│ │21 Bav. │ │14 Bav.
─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────
Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 7 Bav. Light Cav. │4 Sqn. 7 Bav. Light Cav.
│ Rgt. │ Rgt.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Artillery. │Art. Command: │8 Bav. F. A. Rgt.
│ 3 Bav. F. A. Rgt. │1 Abt. 5 Bav. Ft. A. Rgt.
│ │709 Light Am. Col.
│ │130 Bav. Light Am. Col.
│ │144 Bav. Light Am. Col.
│ │161 Bav. Light Am. Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Engineers and│(16 Bav.) Pion. Btn.: │16 Bav. Pion. Btn.:
Liaisons. │ │
│ 14 Bav. Res. Pion. Co. │ 14 Bav. Res. Pion. Co.
│ 15 Bav. Res. Pion. Co. │ 15 Bav. Res. Pion. Co.
│ 16 Bav. T. M. Co. │16 Bav. Signal Command:
│ 16 Bav. Tel. Detch. │ 16 Bav. Tel. Detch.
│ │ 104 Bav. Wireless Detch.
│ │ 16 Bav. T. M. Co.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Medical and │8 Bav. Ambulance Co. │8 Bav. Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │
│29 Bav. Field Hospital. │29 Bav. Field Hospital.
│Vet. Hospital. │52 Bav. Field Hospital.
─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────
Transports. │Mt. Col. │697 M. T. Col.
─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────
HISTORY.
(3d Bavarian Corps District.)
1917.
The 16th Bavarian Division was formed at the end of January, 1917, by
taking three infantry regiments from existing Bavarian divisions—the 6th
Bavarian Division furnished the 11th Bavarian Infantry Regiment; the 5th
Bavarian Division the 14th Bavarian Infantry Regiment; the 6th Bavarian
Reserve Division the 21st Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment. The 3d
Field Artillery Regiment came from the 6th Bavarian Division.
ARTOIS.
1. On February 12, 1917, the 16th Bavarian Division replaced the 6th
Bavarian Reserve Division south of Lens, opposite Souchez. It suffered
serious losses there in February and March (raids by Canadian troops).
After a period of rest, in March, in the Douai area, the division
returned opposite Souchez and suffered in the British attack of April 9,
which forced it back beyond Vimy Ridge. It was relieved on April 11,
very much exhausted.
FLANDERS-MESSINES.
2. Toward the end of April the 16th Bavarian Division took over the calm
sector of Armentieres (East), south of the Lys (Deulemont-Frelinghien).
At the beginning of June, on account of the menace of the British attack
on the Messines front, the division was transferred north of the Lys.
During the battle which started on June 9 it was not engaged as a whole;
it sent some of its elements southeast of Messines to reenforce the 4th
Bavarian Division.
3. The 16th Bavarian Division left the Lys sector, beginning of
September, to go into reserve near Dadizeele, east of Ypres.
4. On September 20 it came up to replace the Bavarian Ersatz Division,
which was very much exhausted by the British attack. It counterattacked
north of the Lys. Its losses were such that it was relieved the next
day.
5. After a period of rest at Bruges, the 16th Bavarian Division occupied
the coast sector (Lombartzyde) from October 25 to November 22.
CAMBRESIS.
6. Transferred to the Cambrai front, it went into line on December 3
(Bullecourt-Queant) and launched a local attack on the 12th.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The 16th Bavarian Division appears to be of good combat value. It may be
compared with the best Bavarian Divisions. It was very much exhausted at
Ypres in 1917, but in general its morale remained high.
1918.
BATTLE OF PICARDY.
1. The division did not participate in the initial attack of March 21,
but remained in reserve of the front at Rumancourt. On the 23d it
marched toward the front through Vaulx Vraucourt. The division was
engaged at Sapignies on March 25, and on the 27th advanced on
Gomiecourt, Courcelles, and Moyenneville. The division was relieved on
April 7 and rested until the 26th.
YPRES.
2. It was reengaged south of the Scarpe, south of Feuchy, until May 19,
when it moved north and took over a sector at Dranoutre. The route
followed was through Cambrai-Tourcoing-Bousbecque. On June 20 it went
out to rest in the Lille area until the beginning of July. It returned
to its former sector on July 4 and remained there until the end of July.
BATTLE OF THE SCARPE-SOMME.
3. It rested in the Lille area until August 20, when it moved south and
was engaged west of Bapaume (Grevillers) in a German counterattack. It
was thrown back on Avesnes les Bapaume (26th), Bancourt (30th), Villers
au Flos (1st), until its relief on September 5. Losses of the division
were heavy in this fighting.
4. The division went into reserve in Belgium at Iseghem until the 28th.
At this time the 8th Bavarian Regiment, coming from the 14th Bavarian
Division, replaced the 21st Bavarian Reserve, which was disbanded.
BATTLE OF DIXMUDE.