took part in the advance into the Ukraine. On the 27th of April it was
between Gomel and Briansk; on the 5th of June, in the Kiev region. It
was identified in the same region several times subsequently, the last
date of identification being September 30.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as fourth class.
48th Reserve Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────
│ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916
─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────
│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────
Infantry. │95 Res. │221 Res. │95 Res. │221 Res. │95 Res. │221 Res.
│ │222 Res. │ │222 Res. │ │222 Res.
│96 Res. │223 Res. │96 Res. │223 Res. │96 Res. │223 Res.
│ │224 Res. │ │224 Res. │ │224 Res.
│ 20 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 20 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 20 Res. Jag. Btn.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Cavalry. │48 Res. Cav. Detch.│48 Res. Cav. Detch.│48 Res. Cav. Detch.
│ │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Artillery. │48 Res. F. A. Rgt. │48 Res. F. A. Rgt. │48 Res. F. A. Rgt.
│ (9 btries.). │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Engineers and│48 Res. Pion. Co. │48 Res. Pion. Co. │48 Res. Pion. Co.
Liaisons. │ │ │
│ │48 Res. Pont. Engs.│274 Pion. Co.
│ │ │
│ │ │(?) 2 Ldw. Pion.
│ │ │ Co. 6 C. Dist.
│ │ │248 T. M. Co.
│ │ │48 Res. Pont. Engs.
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Medical and │ │48 Res. Ambulance │
Veterinary.│ │ Co. │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Transport. │ │ │
─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────
│ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────
│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────
Infantry. │96 Res. │221 Res. │96 Res. │221 Res.
│ │222 Res. │ │222 Res.
│ │223 Res. │ │223 Res.
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────
Cavalry. │5 Sqn. 1 Drag. Rgt.│5 Sqn. 1 Gd. Drag.
│ │ Rgt.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │48 Res. F. A. Rgt.
│ │
│ 48 Res. F. A. Rgt.│1 Abt. 23 Ft. A.
│ │ Rgt. (1 and 3
│ │ Btries.).
│ │752 Light Am. Col.
│ │954 Light Am. Col.
│ │1382 Light Am. Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Engineers and│(348) Pion. Btn.: │348 Pion. Btn.:
Liaisons. │ │
│ 48 Res. Pion. Co. │ 1 Res. Co. 26
│ │ Pions.
│ 1 Res. Co. 26 │ 48 Res. Pion. Co.
│ Pion. Btn. │
│ 248 T. M. Co. │ 248 T. M. Co.
│ 448 Tel. Detch. │ 214 Searchlight
│ │ Section.
│ │448 Signal Command:
│ │ 448 Tel. Detch.
│ │ 69 Wireless Detch.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Medical and │530 Ambulance Co. │530 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │
│79 Res. Field │102 Field Hospital.
│ Hospital. │
│Vet. Hospital. │79 Res. Field
│ │ Hospital.
│ │448 Vet. Hospital.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Transport. │587 M. T. Col. │735 M. T. Col.
─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
HISTORY.
(18th Corps District—Hesse—Nassau and the Grand Duchy of Hesse.)
1914.
The 48th Reserve Division (belonging to the 24th Reserve Corps with the
47th Reserve Division) was formed between August and October, 1914, and
trained at the Oberhofen Camp.
ARTOIS.
1. Concentrated near Metz in the middle of October, the 48th Reserve
Division was transferred on the 25th to the area between Armentières and
La Bassée (Fromelles), while the 47th Reserve Division was sent to the
Woevre.
2. On November 1 the division held the line at Neuve Chapelle. Some
elements were sent farther north, west of Wytschaete, in the middle of
November.
RUSSIA.
3. At the end of November the 48th Reserve Division left the Western
Front for Russia.
POLAND.
4. On December 3 it was identified in Poland in the vicinity of Kalisch.
It then made a part of the X Army and fought west of the Rawka, near
Warsaw, at the end of December.
1915.
1. The 48th Reserve Division was engaged in Poland (Rawka) until January
28, 1915.
CARPATHIANS.
2. On February 2 elements of the division fought in the Carpathians,
southeast of Beskides. It was then assigned to the German Army of the
South (Von Linsingen) and was opposed to the Russians in the vicinity of
the Uzsok Ridge (February-May).
GALICIA.
3. Taking part in the spring and summer offensive of 1915, it marched to
Halicz in May; crossed the Dniester in the middle of June; advanced to
Brzezany-Tarnopol and was on the Zlota-Lipa at the end of July. One of
its regiments, the 224th Reserve Infantry Regiment, was renewed several
times; the list of losses from August to October show casualties of 70
officers and 4,712 men, 3,100 of whom were reported as missing. The
greater part of these were Alsace-Lorrainers who had succeeded in
deserting.
4. When the offensive was resumed in October and November the 48th
Reserve Division formed a part of the Bothmer Army and progressed from
the Zlota-Lipa as far as the Stripa.
1916.
1. The 48th Reserve Division was retained at the Stripa, west of
Tarnapol, during the winter and spring of 1916; it was still in this
sector at the time of the Russian attack (Broussilow offensive, June to
September).
ROUMANIA.
2. In the beginning of October the division went into action with the
Falkenheim Army against Roumania, and fought in the vicinity of
Hermannstadt, then at Préoéal in November.
GALICIA.
3. It then left the Transylvanian front and went to eastern Galicia,
where it was a part of the Bothmer Army. It took up its position between
Brzezan, and the Dniester.
1917.
1. At the beginning of 1917 the 224th Reserve Infantry Regiment left the
division and was transferred to the 215th Division, in process of
reorganization.
FRANCE.
2. The 48th Reserve Division was relieved from its sector in May, 1917,
and transferred to the Western Front (Itinerary: Lemberg-Jaroslav-
Cracow-Oppeln-Breslau-Leipzig-Erfurt-Gotha-Eisenach-Frankfort-Worms-
Sarrebruecken-Thionville-Montmedy-Dun sur Meuse). It rested in the
vicinity of Stenay from May 27 to June 28.
VERDUN.
3. It was first behind the Verdun front, on the left bank of the Meuse.
Toward the end of June it sustained the artillery preparation for the
French offensive of July 17, and sent some of its elements in as
reenforcements (Hill 304-Morthomme) on the day of the attack.
4. Sent to rest and reorganized in the Stenay area at the end of July.
By an important draft of men of the 1918 class, it went back into the
same sector (Hill 304-Corbeaux wood) on August 20, at the time of the
new French attack, and lost heavily reenforcing and relieving units of
the 6th Reserve Division.
5. Withdrawn from the front on August 24, it was employed on various
works until September 3 and then sent into the area of Damvillers.
6. On September 12 it went into line north of Hill 344, which it left at
the end of the month to go to rest in the vicinity of Morhange.
LORRAINE-ALSACE.
7. After holding the lines in Lorraine (middle of October to the middle
of November) northeast of Arracourt, the 48th Reserve Division was sent
to Alsace and went to rest for two months in the vicinity of Enisheim.
RECRUITING.
Mixed upon formation (1 Thuringian Regiment), the division became, in
theory, a Hessian Division. The Alsace-Lorrainers were very numerous
during its stay on the Russian front, whence the desertions en masse
from the 224th Infantry Regiment in the summer of 1915.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
At the end of June, 1917, the 48th Reserve Division, coming from the
Russian front, went into line at Hill 304, after a month’s rest near
Stenay. But as the men were not accustomed to the activity of the
western front and were unable to sustain artillery fire for a long time,
they could only be kept in this sector for a few days.
During the French attack of August 20 the 48th Reserve Division played
only a passive rôle.
The 48th Reserve Division must be classed among the mediocre divisions
(December, 1917).
1918.
1. About March 1 the division was relieved by the 22d Reserve Division
and went into reserve in Alsace. It left that sector about April 1 and
came into line on the 14th southwest of Vieux Berquin. It was engaged in
that locality until its relief on the night of May 26–27 by the 32d
Division.
VIEUX BERQUIN.
2. The division rested in the Lille area until June 28, when it returned
to its former sector at Vieux Berquin. Its stay here was short. On July
3 it was relieved by the 39th Division and entrained at Laventie the
next day for Douai.
SCARPE.
3. On the night of July 6–7 the division relieved the 187th Division
southwest of Gavrelle. Throughout August and September the division held
this sector. It was relieved north of the Scarpe on the night of October
5–6 and moved south.
4. The division was used to reenforce the Cambrai-St. Quentin front near
Cambrai on October 7. Thereafter almost until the day of the armistice
the division was engaged in opposing the British advance. The direction
of its retreat was through Awoingt (10th), Saulzoir (13th), Montrecourt
(14th), north of Haussy (17th), Vendegies (24th), Maresches (Nov. 1),
Jenlain (4th). The division received drafts from the dissolved 118th
Reserve Regiment (25th Reserve Division) in late October. It was
withdrawn from line about November 5.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as second class. In 1918 it was engaged entirely
in defensive sectors and performed with credit.
48th Landwehr Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────
│ 1917 │ 1918 │ 1918
─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────
│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────
Infantry. │ │38 │1 Landst.│38 │1 Landst.│38
│ │ Landst.│ │ Landst.│ │ Landst.
│ │39 │ │40 │ │40
│ │ Landst.│ │ Landst.│ │ Landst.
│ │47 │ │47 │ │47
│ │ Landst.│ │ Landst.│ │ Landst.
─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────
Cavalry. │ │ │3 Sqn. 14 Uhlan
│ │ │ Rgt.
│ │ │1 Sqn. Gd. Res.
│ │ │ Uhlan Rgt.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Artillery. │ (?) │Art. Command: │264 F. A. Rgt.
│ │ 264 F. A. Rgt. │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Engineers and│ │1/28 Pion. Btn.: │224 Pion. Btn.:
Liaisons. │ │ │
│ │ 1 Landst. Co. 3 C.│ 1 Ldw. Co. Gd. C.
│ │ Dist. Pions. │ Dist. Pions.
│ │ 455 T. M. Co. │ 1 Landst. Co. 3 C.
│ │ │ Dist. Pions.
│ │ 590 Tel. Detch. │ 210 Searchlight
│ │ │ Section.
│ │ │548 Signal Command:
│ │ │ 548 Tel. Detch.
│ │ │ 67 Wireless Detch.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Medical and │ │Ambulance Co. │602 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │ │
│ │80 Res. Field │51 Field Hospital.
│ │ Hospital. │
│ │Vet. Hospital. │80 Res. Field
│ │ │ Hospital.
│ │ │570 Vet. Hospital.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Transport. │ │800 M. T. Col. │800 M. T. Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Attached. │ │2 Ratisbonne │
│ │ Landst. Inf. Btn.│
│ │ (3 Bav. C. Dist. │
│ │ Btn. No. 14). │
─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
HISTORY.
(38th Landsturm: Brandenburg and Alsace. 40th Landsturm: Prussian
Saxony, Westphalia and the Rhine Province. 47th Landsturm: Hesse and
Thuringia.)
1917.
LORRAINE.
1. The 48th Landwehr Division appears to have been formed on the
Lorraine front in September, 1917, by the grouping of three new
regiments—the 38th Landsturm, the 39th Landsturm (Wurttemberg), and the
47th Landsturm—the elements of which had previously been employed behind
the front or in calm sectors.
2. In September, 1917, the 48th Landwehr Division occupied the sector of
Avricourt (Leintrey-Gondrexon, Embermenil).
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The 48th Landwehr Division is composed of troops of mediocre value.
The average age of the men is 40 years. A certain number of young
soldiers of the 1918 class are to be found in most of the units. Sent
into these Landsturm divisions because of their reduced physical
fitness, they left them for active or reserve units as soon as they
became hardened.
There is a divisional assault company which has never shown any
offensive activity (July, 1918).
1918.
1. The division continued to hold the Delme sector until the armistice.
Nothing occurred to disturb the tranquility of that part of the front.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as fourth class. The average age of its
effectives was near 40 years. At no time did the division take part in
any fighting.
49th Reserve Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────
│ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916
─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────
│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────
Infantry. │97 Res. │225 Res. │97 Res. │225 Res. │97 Res. │225 Res.
│ │226 Res. │ │226 Res. │ │226 Res.
│98 Res. │227 Res. │98 Res. │227 Res. │ │228 Res.
│ │228 Res. │ │228 Res. │ │
│ 21 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 21 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 21 Res. Jag. Btn.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Cavalry. │49 Res. Cav. Detch.│49 Res. Cav. Detch.│49 Res. Cav. Detch.
│ │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Artillery. │49 Res. F. A. Rgt. │49 Res. F. A. Rgt. │49 Res. F. A. Rgt.
│ (9 Btries.) │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Engineers and│49 Res. Pion. Co. │49 Res. Pion. Co. │49 Res. Pion. Co.
Liaison. │ │ │
│ │49 Res. Pont. Engs.│249 T. M. Co.
│ │ │49 Res. Pont. Engs.
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Medical and │ │49 Res. Ambulance │
Veterinary.│ │ Co. │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
│ │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Transports. │ │ │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Odd units. │ │ │
─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────
│ 1917 │ 1918
─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────
│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.
─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────
Infantry. │97 Res. │225 Res. │97 Res. │225 Res.
│ │226 Res. │ │226 Res.
│ │228 Res. │ │228 Res.
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────
Cavalry. │49 Res. Cav. Detch.│2 Sqn. (?) Drag.
│ (?) │ Rgt.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Artillery. │(?) 49 Art. │49 Art. Command:
│ Command: │
│ 49 Res. F. A. Rgt.│ 49 Res. F. A. Rgt.
│ │ 1 Abt. 25 Ft. A.
│ │ Rgt. (1, 2, and 4
│ │ Btries.).
│ │ 788 Light Am. Col.
│ │ 972 Light Am. Col.
│ │ 1,318 Light Am.
│ │ Col.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Engineers and│(349) Pion. Btn.: │349 Pion. Btn.:
Liaison. │ │
│ 49 Res. Pion. Co. │ 43 Res. Pion. Co.
│ 2 Ldw. Co. 4 │ 49 Res. Pion. Co.
│ Pions. │
│ 249 T. M. Co. │ 249 T. M. Co.
│ 449 Tel. Detch. │ 188 Searchlight
│ │ Section.
│ │449 Signal Command:
│ │ 449 Tel. Detch.
│ │ 110 Wireless
│ │ Detch.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Medical and │531 Ambulance Co. │531 Ambulance Co.
Veterinary.│ │
│85 Res. Field │83 Res. Field
│ Hospital. │ Hospital.
│155 Vet. Hospital. │85 Res. Field
│ │ Hospital.
│ │155 Vet. Hospital.
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Transports. │M. T. Col. │
─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────
Odd units. │49 Res. Cyclist Co.│
─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
HISTORY.
(4th Corps District—Prussian Saxony and part of Thuringia.)
1914.
EAST PRUSSIA.
1. The 49th Reserve Division, forming the 25th Reserve Corps with the
50th Reserve Division, was formed between August and October, 1914,
trained at the Warthe Camp, and sent to East Prussia on October 14,
1914, as a part of the 8th Army (Von Hindenburg).
POLAND.
2. It took part in the offensive in Poland between the Vistula and the
Warta at the end of October, escaped from the enveloping movement
attempted by the Russians before Lodz (Nov. 25), and fought on the front
of the Bzura, Rawka, Bolimow, where it was repulsed in December.
1915.
POLAND.
1. At the beginning of January, 1915, the 49th Reserve Division was
again engaged on the Bzura and remained in this area until the summer of
the same year. In June it transferred the 227th Reserve Infantry
Regiment to the 107th Division, a new formation.
2. Advancing in August with the Hindenburg offensive, it entered Warsaw
on August 7, took part in the pursuit of the Russians in the sector of
Skierniewicz, and stopped near Baranovitchi (Tsirin).
1916.
1. The 49th Reserve Division was still occupying the sector north of
Baranovitchi when the Russian offensive broke out in this region in
July, 1916. At this time elements of the division were sent to reenforce
the 35th Austrian Division between Baranovitchi and the north of Pripet.
This latter division was relieved a short time afterwards by the 49th
Reserve Division.
GALICIA.
2. Sent into Galicia, the division held the lines southwest of Brody at
the beginning of October. At this time the 225th Reserve Infantry
Regiment was sent to Roumania.
CARPATHIANS.
3. Made up only of the 226th and 228th Reserve Infantry Regiments, the
49th Reserve Division opposed the Russians on the Narajowka, then, at
the beginning of December and until January, 1917, fought in the
Carpathians in the vicinity of Worochta.
1917.
ROUMANIA.
1. In January, 1917, the 49th Reserve Division rejoined the 225th
Reserve Infantry Regiment (Roumania) in the valley of Uz.
2. In the middle of January it was transferred to the Western Front.
(Itinerary: Szekely-Udvarhely-Goborin-Budapest-Oderberg-Oppeln-Breslau-
Goerlitz-Dresden-Leipzig-Halle-Liege-Mons-St. Ghislain, detraining on
Jan. 22.)
FRANCE.
3. After a rest of two months in the vicinity of Mons, then in the
vicinity of Lille, the 49th Reserve Division went into line east of
Armentières, south of Frelinghien on March 20.
ARTOIS.
4. Relieved at the end of April, it was engaged almost at once in the
sector of Fontaine les Croisilles, Bullecourt (southeast of Arras),
where it suffered very heavily from May 1 to May 21. On June 16, after
reorganization, the ranks of the 228th Reserve Infantry Regiment
contained more than two-fifths new recruits; more than one-fifth of the
men belonged to the 1918 class.
FLANDERS.
5. Sent to rest and to be reorganized during the month of June in the
vicinity of Tournai-Audenarde, it went into line at the end of June in
the sector of Steenstraat-Bixschoote (north of Ypres), and suffered
heavy losses during the artillery preparation which preceded the Franco-
British attack of July 21. On July 28 it was withdrawn from the front
before the attack.
ARTOIS.
6. The 49th Reserve Division rested and was reorganized in the month of
August between Lille and Tournai, and in September took over its old
Artois sector (Croisilles-Bullecourt), from which place it was relieved
at the end of October.
7. After occupying the sector south of the Ypres-Menin road until
November 21, it went into action about November 26 in the same sector of
Croisilles-Bullecourt (Cambrai attack).
8. At the end of December, the 49th Reserve Division was resting in the
Tourcoing area.
RECRUITING.
Formed at the beginning by contingents from the 5th and 6th Corps
Districts (Posen and Silesia) the Division, beginning with the summer of
1915, received most of its reenforcements from the 4th Corps District.
At the present time it is entirely Saxo-Thuringian.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The 49th Reserve Division is considered a good division.
It fought well in Artois in May 1917. North of Ypres it suffered heavily
by the Franco-British bombardment at the end of July, 1917. It is to be
noted that under artillery fire units in the first line scattered and
fled. The remnants of the advanced elements deserted (30 men).
On July 25, 1917, the 226th Reserve Infantry Regiment received
replacements of 500 to 700 men, principally of the 1918 class.
1918.
MESSINES.
1. About April 6 the division temporarily withdrew to reserve. It
returned on the 11th and carried out a divisional attack on Messines. It
was engaged until about April 25.
YPRES.
2. Two days later the division relieved the 13th Reserve Division south
of Ypres, which in turn relieved it about May 2. It remained in rear of
the front while resting and was engaged east of Bixschoote on May 10.
Here the division remained until June 14, when the 29th Division
relieved it. The division rested in the Bruges area until July 10, when
it returned to its former sector northeast of Ypres. It held this sector
until about August 27, when the 11th Bavarian Division relieved it.
3. The division entrained at Hooglede August 27 and traveled to
Courtrai, where it halted one day. On August 28 it moved to Iwuy, from
where it marched to Lallaing (near Douai) two days later. On September 1
the division came into line near Fremicourt. It was engaged until about
September 16.
SCARPE-SOMME.
4. The division rested in the Cambrai area until September 27, where it
was identified in line west of Gaincourt. It again retired from the
front about October 1 and rested in the Eswars area. On the Scarpe-Somme
front in September the division lost 1,100 prisoners.
5. On the night of October 11–12 the division was again in line at
Courcelles les Lens. After holding this rather quiet sector for a week
the division moved north and on October 29 appeared on the Ypres front
at Anseghem in relief of the 7th Cavalry Division. It continued in line
until the armistice. The last identification was west of Audenarde on
November 2.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as second class. It was used as a holding
division in important sectors on the British front during 1918.
50th Division.
COMPOSITION.