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

│ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916

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

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

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

Infantry. │73. │147. │73. │147. │73. │147.

│ │151. │ │151. │ │151.

│75. │146. │75. │146. │ │150.

│ │150. │ │150. │ │

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

Cavalry. │11 Drag. Rgt. │ │11 Drag. Rgt. (3

│ │ │ Squadrons).

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

Artillery. │37 Brig.: │37 Brig.: │37 Brig.:

│ 73 Rgt. │ 73 Rgt. │ 73 Rgt.

│ 82 Rgt. │ 82 Rgt. │ 82 Rgt.

│ │ │

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

Liaisons. │ │ 26: │ 26:

│ │ Field Co. 26 Pion.│ 1 Co. 26 Pion.

│ │ 37 Tel. Detch. │ 37 T. M. Co.

│ │ 37 Pont. Engs. │ 37 Tel. Detch.

│ │ │ 37 Pont. Engs.

│ │ │

Medical and │ │ │

Veterinary.│ │ │

│ │ │

Transports. │ │ │

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

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

│ 1917 │ 1918

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

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

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

Infantry. │73. │147. │73. │147.

│ │151. │ │150.

│ │150. │ │151.

│ │ │ │

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

Cavalry. │3 Sq. 10 Jag. z. │3 Sqn. 10 Mounted

│ Pf. │ Jag. Rgt.

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

Artillery. │37 Art. Command: │37 Art. Command:

│ 73 Rgt. │ 73 F. A. Rgt.

│ │ 2 Abt. 16 Ft. A.

│ │ Rgt. (2, 9 and 10

│ │ Btries.).

│ │ 846 Light Am. Col.

│ │ 924 Light Am. Col.

│ │ 1184 Light Am.

│ │ Col.

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

Engineers and│134 Pion. Btn.: │134 Pion. Btn.:

Liaisons. │ │

│ 3 Co. 26 Pion. │ 3 Co. 26 Pions.

│ 250 Pion Co. │ 250 Pion. Co.

│ 37 T. M. Co. │ 37 T. M. Co.

│ 250 Searchlight │ 63 Searchlight

│ Section. │ Section.

│ 37 Tel. Detch. │37 Signal Command:

│ │ 37 Tel. Detch.

│ │ 82 Wireless Detch.

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

Medical and │40 Ambulance Co. │49 Ambulance Co.

Veterinary.│ │

│317, 318 Field │317 Field Hospital.

│ Hospital. │

│Vet. Hospital. │318 Field Hospital.

│ │194 Vet. Hospital.

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

Transports. │Light Mun. Col. │

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

HISTORY.

(20th Corps District—East Prussia.)

1914.

Upon mobilization, the 37th Division, with the 41st Division, formed the

20th Army Corps (Allenstein).

RUSSIA.

1. At the beginning of the war the 37th Division was engaged on the

Eastern Front. It took part in the battle of Tannenberg at the end of

August, in the attempt against Warsaw in October, and in the battles on

the Rawka during the winter of 1914 and 1915.

1915.

RUSSIA.

1. In April, 1915, the 37th Division was on the Narew. In May it ceded

the 146th Infantry Regiment to the 101st Division, a new formation. The

battles lasted until the end of July on the Narew, which was crossed on

the 31st. The division was at Bielostok at the end of August, and

entered Grodno on September 2.

2. In the course of September, it advanced from Niemen to the Berezina,

and in October it occupied a sector in the vicinity of Dvinsk (Lake

Sventen) on the stabilized front. It remained there until its departure

for the Western Front in December, 1916.

1916.

1. One of its regiments, the 150th Infantry Regiment, was temporarily

detached at the time of the Russian offensive of 1916 on the Stokhod and

then made a part of the 91st Division.

FRANCE.

2. After taking part in the terrible battles on the Stokhod, in the

course of which it suffered enormous losses, the 150th Infantry Regiment

was transferred to Galicia at the end of September, 1916, and then

returned to the 37th Division. The division was sent to the Western

Front on December 10, 1916. Itinerary: Cracow-Breslau-Dresden-Leipzig-

Nuremburg-Karlsruhe-Rastatt-Strassburg-Colmar-Neu Breisach.

1917.

UPPER ALSACE.

1. Regrouped with its three regiments in Upper Alsace (vicinity of

Ferrette) at the end of 1916, the 37th Division spent some time at rest

and, in the middle of January, 1917, went into line in the sector which

extends from Niederlarg to the Swiss frontier.

The division occupied this sector until the month of May.

2. About May 1 it was relieved, entrained south of Mulhouse and sent to

Charleville by way of Strassburg, Sarrebruecken, and Sedan, from which

place it went to the vicinity of Gizy (6 kilometers from Sissonne).

AISNE.

3. After a week’s rest, it went into line on the Aisne at the Chemins

des Dames, in the sector of Courtecon, which it occupied until the end

of July.

4. During these two months (May 25 to the end of July), the 37th

Division did not play an important rôle. However, units of the division

carried out several local operations in the course of this period. On

July 14, units from the three regiments aided by the assault troops of

the 5th Assault Battalion, succeeded, at the expense of very heavy

losses, in reducing a salient near the Cerny sugar refinery.

ST. GOBAIN.

5. On July 31 the 37th Division was relieved, and about August 3 went

into line in the St. Gobain sector (in front of Coucy le Chateau) which

it occupied until the end of November. On October 23 it suffered losses

(Mont des Singes) from our bombardments. On the 24th the division

withdrew its units across the canal and occupied the sector included

between the Brancourt-Quincy road and Anizy.

RECRUITING.

The 37th Division is recruited from East and West Prussia. During its

stay on the Eastern Front it contained a large number of Alsace-

Lorrainers. Because of its circumscribed territorial extent, the 37th

Division contains an admixture of elements coming from other districts

(5th and 6th Corps Districts among others). Nevertheless, and in spite

of their official designations (from Moravia, from Ermeland), its

regiments are called “East Prussian” in the German communique of July

15, 1917.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

On July 14 and 15, 1917, the 37th Division attacked with great energy.

At that time, it seemed to be of good quality and of high morale.

However, according to statements of prisoners of the 151st Infantry

Regiment made in September, October, and November, the morale appears to

have weakened (Jan. 18, 1918).

1918.

LAON.

1. During January and early February the 37th Division and the 14th

Reserve Division relieved each other in the St. Gobain sector (north of

Soissons). It seems probable (though the fact has never been proved)

that during one of its periods out of line, the 37th Division was given

a course of training in open warfare. On February 20, the 37th relieved

the 14th Reserve in the same sector, and it was in turn relieved by the

14th Reserve about the 9th of March.

PICARDY.

2. On March 21 the division reinforced the front near Benay (south of

St. Quentin) attacking with such dash that it received special mention

by Prof. Wegener in the Koelnische Zeitung. It was withdrawn on the

30th.

3. The division rested for a few days between Champs and Folembray

(north of Soissons), and then entered line north of Thiescourt (west of

Noyon) on the 9th of April. It was withdrawn about the 20th, and went to

rest and refit in the area southeast of Avesnes.

AISNE.

4. On May 27, the first day of the battle of the Aisne, the division

attacked near Presles (south of Laon), and advanced via Braine (the

28th) as far as the Troesnes-Longpont sector (east of Villers

Cotterets). It was relieved by the 115th Division on the 4th of June,

and went to the area northeast of Braine to rest and to be thoroughly

trained.

MARNE.

5. It set out the evening of the 12th of July, and in two night marches,

reached its point of assembly in the woods north of Verneuil (northeast

of Dormans). It was planned that the 37th with three other divisions,

forming the v. Conta Group, should “leap-frog” the divisions in line,

and to sweep up the valley of the Marne, beginning with the line

Vincelles-Antheney and ending at a line passing north of Avenay and

north of Moslins. It was thought that this movement, combined with the

push of the units to the east of Rheims, would result in the fall of

that city and also of the Montagne de Rheims to the south. The division

attacked on the 15th, crossed the Marne, reached the Bois du Chataignier

(south of Mareuil-east of Dormans); and was stopped there. It delivered

its last counterattack on the 19th, and the order having been given,

crossed the Marne, and continued its retreat toward the north. It was

identified by prisoners for the last time on the 28th in the vicinity of

Champvoisy (north of Dormans). It then went to the Charleville area to

rest and refit; the 10th Landwehr Division having been disbanded, the

372d Regiment was drafted to the regiments of the 37th Division.

VERDUN.

6. During the night of the 12th–13th of August, it relieved the 231st

Division to the north of Avocourt (north of Verdun). It was relieved by

the 117th Division about the 20th of September, and moved to the

vicinity of Billy (south of Longuyon,) where it rested for about a week.

ARGONNE.

7. On September 26, it reinforced the 117th Division near Montfaucon,

where they counterattacked the same day. It was heavily engaged until

withdrawn October 1.

8. It moved some kilometres to the west, in the vicinity of Exermont, in

anticipation of the American attack of October 4, and came into line in

that region on the 5th. It was engaged in a number of minor actions,

that proved quite costly; its losses in prisoners alone was 962. It was

withdrawn on the 18th, and went to rest near Verpel (northeast of

Grandpre).

9. On November 9, the division came back into line near Abaucourt

(northeast of Verdun); it had not been withdrawn on the 11th.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The 37th has always been considered a first-class shock division. It did

very well in the offensives in which it took part (Somme, Aisne, Marne),

and one of its regiments, the 147th, “The Marshal von Hindenburg

Regiment” was particularly mentioned in the German Communique for its

work on October 10. It suffered such heavy losses throughout the year

that, despite numerous large drafts of replacements, the regiments were

reduced to four companies of 80 men each at the end of the war.

38th Division.

COMPOSITION.

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

│ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916

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

Infantry. │76. │71. │76. │71. │83. │94.

│ │95. │ │95. │ │95.

│83. │94. │83. │94. │ │96.

│ │96. │ │96. │ │

│ 11 Jag. Btn. │ │ │ │

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

Cavalry. │6 Cuir. Rgt. (3 │6 Cuir. Rgt. (3 │2 Sqn. 6 Cuir. Rgt.

│ Sqns.). │ Sqns.). │

Artillery. │38 Brig.: │38 Brig.: │38 Brig.:

│ 19 Rgt. │19 Rgt. │ 19 Rgt.

│ │ │

│ 55 Rgt. │55 Rgt. │ 55 Rgt.

│ │ │

Engineers and│3 Field Co., 1 │3 Field Co., 1 │3 Field Co., 1

Liaisons. │ Pion. No. 11. │ Pion. No. 11. │ Pion. No. 11.

│ │ 38 Pont. Engs. │ 38 T. M. Co.

│ │ 38 Tel. Detch. │ 38 Pont. Engs.

│ │ │ 38 Tel. Detch.

│ │ │

Medical and │ │ │

Veterinary.│ │ │

│ │ │

Transports. │ │ │

Attached. │ │ │25 Labor Btn.

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

│ 1917 │ 1918

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

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

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

Infantry. │83. │94. │83. │94.

│ │95. │ │95.

│ │96. │ │96.

│ │ │ │

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

Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 6 Cuir. Rgt.│3 Sqn. 6 Cuir. Rgt.

│ │

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

Artillery. │38 Art. Command: │38 Art. Command:

│ 19 Rgt. (9 │ 19 F. A. Rgt.

│ Btries.). │

│ │ 61 Ft. A. Btn.

│ │ (Staff, 1, 2, and

│ │ 3 Btries.).

│ │ 704 Light Am. Col.

│ │ 726 Light Am. Col.

│ │ 1258 Light Am.

│ │ Col.

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

Engineers and│128 Pion. Btn. │125 Pion. Btn.:

Liaisons. │ │

│ 3 Co. 11 Pion. │ 3 Co. 11 Pions.

│ 285 Pion. Co. │ 285 Pion. Co.

│ 38 T. M. Co. │ 46 Searchlight

│ │ Section.

│ Tel. Detch. │38 Signal Command:

│ │ 38 Tel. Detch.

│ │ 118 Wireless

│ │ Detch.

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

Medical and │Ambulance Co. │27 Ambulance Co.

Veterinary.│ │

│108 Field Hospital.│104 Field Hospital.

│Vet. Hospital. │108 Field Hospital.

│ │38 Vet. Hospital.

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

Transports. │Light Mun. Col. │571 M. T. Col.

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

Attached. │ │

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

HISTORY.

(11th Corps District—Thuringian States.)

1914.

BELGIUM.

1. At the outbreak of the war the 38th Division, forming the 11th Army

Corps with the 22d Division, belonged to the 3d Army (Von Hausen), which

went through the Belgian Ardennes. It halted in front of Namur until the

surrender of this place.

EAST PRUSSIA-POLAND.

2. In consequence of the invasion of East Prussia, the 38th Division as

well as the 22d Division, left Belgium about August 27. Going by way of

Aix la Chapelle, it detrained in East Prussia, where it fought from

September 9 to 11. From that place it was taken to the southern part of

Poland (Pinczow, Sept. 28; Opatow, Oct. 4). The enveloping movement of

the Russians obliged it to retire from the Lodz front with the army

group to which it was attached. It was assigned to the 9th Army

(Mackensen) in November and to the 10th Army in December.

3. During the winter of 1914 and 1915 it took part in several important

engagements on the Bzura and the Rawka, as well as on the Pilica.

1915.

POLAND.

1. Returning to the 9th Army (Von Fabeck), at the beginning of 1915, the

38th Division fought in the vicinity of Rava, on March 6 and 7. It was

then separated from the 22d Division and rejoined the army detachment of

Von Gallitz, north of Warsaw. In May it transferred the 71st Infantry

Regiment to the 103d Division, a new formation.

2. During the summer offensive it took part in numerous battles from

July 13 to September 19, advanced to the southeast of Bielostok, reached

the Svislotch on September 1 and marched beyond this until September 19.

FRANCE.

3. At the end of September the 38th Division was concentrated in the

vicinity of Grodno and entrained for France on September 25. (Itinerary:

Lyck-Graudenz-Berlin-Hanover-Minden-Cologne-Aix la Chapelle-Liege-Namur-

Douai.) Detraining on October 1, it completed its reorganization.

Between August 30 and October 8 the 5th Company of the 94th Infantry

Regiment had received not less than 161 men as replacements.

OISE.

4. Sent to the south of the Oise, the 38th Division went into line in

the sector of Tracy le Val., which it held until the beginning of May,

1916, without any serious engagements.

1916.

VERDUN.

1. On May 11, 1916, the division entrained at Tergnier and was

transferred to the Verdun front.

2. On May 13 it took over the sector of Hill 304, which it did not leave

until October 10, seriously weakened by the battles which it had

sustained for five months (losses, 52 per cent of the infantry).

SOMME.

3. Sent to the Somme on October 12, it went into action on October 12;

it went into action on October 22 at Thiepval-Grandcourt, and remained

there only three weeks, because of the severe losses which it suffered.

FLANDERS.

4. It left the front on November 13 to go to rest and to be reorganized

on the coast of Flanders, between Ostend and the Dutch frontier.

5. On December 19 it was brought back to the Somme.

1917.

SOMME.

1. In January, 1917, elements of the division were sent as

reenforcements north of Courcelette and southwest of Serre.

2. On January 17 the entire 38th Division went into line in the vicinity

of Puisieux-Hébuterne, where it was relieved about March 8 without any

serious losses.

3. On March 17 the division replaced the 4th Guard Division near Beugny

Bertincourt, which had lost heavily at the beginning of its retirement

to the Hindenburg Line, and the 38th Division itself continued to

withdraw by way of Beaumetz and Doignies. It took up its position

between Demicourt and Boursies, west of Cambrai, and remained there

until the end of April.

ARTOIS.

4. After a period of rest in the Cambrai-Douai area during the first

half of May, the 38th Division took over the sector east of Arras (north

of the Scarpe), on May 16. It left this front on May 31, after having

been greatly weakened on the 16th, during the counterattacks on the

village of Rouex (800 men were sent to make up these losses from the

dissolved 624th Infantry Regiment).

FLANDERS.

5. The division remained at rest at Douai, until June 8; at this time,

it was transferred to the vicinity of Gheluwe and sent into reserve to

reenforce finally the Messines front.

6. On July 27, before the British attack, the 38th Division went into

line east of Ypres (Hooge). It suffered heavy losses on July 31, the day

of the attack, and also the three days preceding.

7. Relieved on August 1, it was sent to Antwerp for rest and

reorganization (August).

ARTOIS.

8. On September 2, it took over the sector of Monchy le Preux, south of

the Scarpe, where it again lost heavily from artillery fire.

FLANDERS.

9. Withdrawn from the front on November 2, the 38th Division after a

week’s rest in the vicinity of Douai, again took over the lines north of

Ypres (Staden) from November 19 to November 25, then north of

Passchendaele where on December 3, a British attack inflicted heavy

losses upon it.

10. The division was relieved on November 19 and sent to rest in the

vicinity of Bruges.

RECRUITING.

The 38th Division is recruited from the small Thuringian States. At the

beginning of 1917, it included a rather large number of men from Baden,

almost all of whom have been withdrawn.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 38th Division is a good division.

As a rule it gave a good account of itself in the numerous battles in

which it took part. On June 13, 1916, however, at the Mort Homme, the

94th Infantry Regiment is said to have refused to go over the top

(letter).

The heavy losses which it suffered at the end of 1917 in the course of

the attack upon Ypres, were made up by the replacements composed, for

the most part, of the 1918 class.

This element did not have a good effect upon the morale of the division.

1918.

BATTLE OF THE LYS.

1. The division remained in Passchendaele area until its relief by the

58th Division about April 5. It rested in the Lille area until the night

of April 15–16 when it entered the line at Meteren to reenforce the

battle line. It was withdrawn about May 8.

2. The division rested at Provin after May 12. It entered line north of

Givenchy on May 21 and held that sector until July 5, when it was

relieved by the 1st Guard Reserve Division. It rested at Lille until

August 6, when it was alerted and railed to Cambrai, remaining there

until August 9. The division moved from Cambrai by motor trucks on

August 10 and came into line on the battle front near Lihons on the same

day.

SOMME.

3. Until September 22, the division was engaged in resisting the allied

advance. It held a sector south of Chaulnes until August 20, when it

retired to the St. Christ area (22d). After the 8th of September the

division was falling back in a northeasterly direction by Péronne toward

Le Catelet. It was withdrawn from line near Hargicourt on September 22.

CAMBRAI.

4. After a rest of only one week, the division was brought back to

reenforce the Cambrai battle front at Rumilly (Oct. 1). It was heavily

engaged until October 16 when it went to reserve in the Cambrai area.

Since August 11 the division had lost more than 2,000 prisoners.

BELGIUM.

5. On October 29, the division returned to line northeast of Roubaix. It

remained in line until the armistice. The last identification was at

Renaix on November 8.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as second class. Its worth as a defensive

division was proved by the extent to which it was used in the last three

months of the war.

38th Landwehr Division.

COMPOSITION.

│ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916

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

Infantry. │38 Ldw. │77 Ldw. │38 Ldw. │77 Ldw. │38 Ldw. │77 Ldw.

│(Mixed). │78 Ldw. │(Mixed). │78 Ldw. │(mixed). │78 Ldw.

│ │ │ │ │ │

Cavalry. │ │ │

Artillery. │ │ │1st Mobile Ers.

│ │ │Abt. 59 F. A. Rgt.

Engineers and│ │ │

Liaisons. │ │ │

│ │ │

Medical and │ │ │

Veterinary.│ │ │

│ │ │

Transports. │ │ │

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

│ 1917 │ 1918

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

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

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

Infantry. │38 Ldw. │79 Res. │38 Ldw. │425.

│ │85 Ldw. │ │79 Res.

│ │77 Ldw. │ │77 Ldw.

│ │78 Ldw. │ │78 Ldw.

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

Cavalry. │ │2 Sqn. 17 Hus. Rgt.

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

Artillery. │145 Art. Command: │255 Ldw. F. A. Rgt.

│255 Ldw. Rgt. │

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

Engineers and│438 Pion. Btn. │438 Pion. Btn.:

Liaisons. │ │

│5 Ldst. Btn., 9 │ 2 Landst. Co., 2

│ Army Corps. │ C. Dist. Pions.

│338 T. M. Co. │ 5 Landst. Co., 9

│ │ C. Dist. Pions.

│538 Tel. Detch. │ 338 T. M. Co.

│ │ 243 Searchlight

│ │ Section.

│ │538 Signal Command:

│ │ 538 Tel. Detch.

│ │ 9 Wireless Detch.

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

Medical and │557 Ambulance Co. │557 Ambulance Co.

Veterinary.│ │

│109 Res. Field │109 Res. Field

│ Hospital. │ Hospital.

│12 Ldw. Field │12 Ldw. Field

│ Hospt. │ Hospital.

│Vet. Hospital. │538 Vet. Hospital.

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

Transports. │Light Mun. Col. │

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

HISTORY.

(38th Landwehr Division: 10th Corps District—Hanover.)

1914.

The grouping of the 38th Landwehr Brigade (77th and 78th Landwehr

Regiments) and of a mixed regiment, 79th Reserve Infantry Regiment,

formed the 38th Landwehr Division in April, 1917.

1. The 38th Landwehr Brigade remained independent until it was assigned

to the 38th Landwehr Division.

FLANDERS.

2. Arriving at Liége on October 21, 1914, the 38th Brigade remained

there about two months. Transferred to Flanders on October 27, it held

the sector north of the Passchendaele Canal (Nieuport) until the

beginning of November.

3. After occupying the front of Ypres near Becelaere, the brigade came

into line before Passchendaele at the end of December.

1915.

FLANDERS.

1. In April, 1915, the 38th Landwehr Brigade took part in the second

battle of Ypres near Zonnebeke.

2. On May 18 it was transferred from Roulers to La Bassée (Festubert) to

reenforce the 7th Army Corps.

3. After a rest at Lille it went into line south of the Lys

(Frelinghien-Houplines) at the end of August.

1916.

ARTOIS.

Histories of two hundred and fifty-one divisions of the German army which participated in the war (1914-1918) · 第 45 / 78 段