8. At the beginning of October it took over the Boureuilles-_Histories of two hundred and fifty-one divisions of the German army which participated in the war (1914-1918)

sector, which it left on January 23, 1918, going to the Semide

cantonment for training.

RECRUITING.

The 264th Regiment was recruited in the 4th Corps District and is

sometimes called an Altenberg regiment. The 266th Regiment is a

Mecklenberg unit. The 34th Regiment is Pomeranian in theory with a

fairly heterogeneous make-up like the greater number of the units from

Pomerania.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 80th Reserve Division, which seems to have had a high morale while

opposite the English front, did not come up to expectations on August

20, 1917, while opposite Verdun. It proved incapable of counter

attacking. It is reported that there were desertions and mutiny among

the men which resulted in the relieving of the general commanding the

brigade and of the commanding officer of the 264th Regiment.

The 34th Regiment was completely exhausted during the attacks of August

20.

In Argonne the losses of this division were very slight. At the Semide

cantonment (Jan. 23 to Feb. 20, 1918) the division went through various

maneuvers connected with open warfare.

1918.

1. The division was relieved in the Vauquois sector by the 237th

Division from Russia about March 18. It rested and trained until March

27, when it traveled by St. Quentin-Ham-Roye to the vicinity of Moreuil.

PICARDY.

2. It reenforced the battle front north of Sauvillers on April 3, but

was withdrawn on the 7th and rested at Ribemont. Losses were heavy

during the brief engagement of the division.

CHAMPAGNE.

3. The division relieved the 14th Bavarian Division on April 21–22 in

the sector Cornillet-Mont Blond. It remained there until the July 15

offensive, but did not take part in that action. On July 27 it returned

to line near Moronvilliers and held that sector until August 22.

AILETTE-AISNE.

4. It marched to Paris and went into line there. Two days later it was

hastily relieved and marched to Chavignon. It entered line on the night

of September 2–3 northwest of Crouy. It was withdrawn on September 21.

CHAMPAGNE.

5. The division returned to Champagne and relieved the 213th Division on

September 27 at Loivre. It was engaged near Orainville, Aumenancourt,

Pont Givart until October 11. It was again in line on October 17 at

Nanteuil sur Aisne. It continued in line until the end of hostilities.

The last identification was near Wasigny on November 7.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. In general, it was used to hold

less important defensive sectors.

81st Reserve Division.

COMPOSITION.

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

│ 1915 │ 1916

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

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

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

Infantry. │81 Res. │267 Res. │81 Res. │267 Res.

│ │268 Res. │ │268 Res.

│ │269 Res. │ │269 Res.

│ │ │ │39 Ldw.

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

Cavalry. │81 Res. Cav. Detch. │81 Res. Cav. Detch.

│4 Sqn. 7 Drag. Rgt. │

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

Artillery. │81 Res. Brig.: │81 Res. Brig.:

│ 67 Res. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 67 Res. F. A. Rgt.

│ Btries.). │

│ 68 Res. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 68 Res. F. A. Rgt.

│ Btries.). │

│ │

Engineers and│81 Res. Pion. Co. │81 Res. Pion. Co.

Liaisons. │ │

│81 Res. Pont. Engs. │84 Res. Pion. Co.

│ │281 T. M. Co.

│ │81 Res. Pont. Engs.

│ │

Medical and │1 Ambulance Co. │

Veterinary.│ │

│ │

Transports. │81 Res. Train Detch. │

Odd Units. │81 Res. Cyclist Co. │81 Res. Cyclist Co.

Attached. │ │47 Labor Btn.

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

│ 1917 │ 1918

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

Infantry. │81 Res. │267 Res. │81 Res. │267 Res.

│ │268 Res. │ │268 Res.

│ │269 Res. │ │269 Res.

│ │ │ │

Cavalry. │81 Res. (?) Cav. Detch. │2 Sqn. 1 Drag. Rgt.

│ │

Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │(?) F. A. Rgt.

│ 67 Res. F. A. Rgt. (9 │2 Abt. 26 Ft. A. Rgt. (4 and

│ Btries.). │ 6 Btries.).

│ │980 Light Am. Col.

│ │

│ │1019 Light Am. Col.

│ │1034 Light Am. Col.

Engineers and│(381) Pion. Btn.: │41 Pion. Btn.:

Liaisons. │ │

│ 84 Res. Pion. Co. │ 84 Res. Pion. Co.

│ 85 Res. Pion. Co. │ 85 Res. Pion. Co.

│ 95 T. M. Co. │ 281 T. M. Co.

│ 281 T. M. Co. │ 56 Searchlight Section.

│ 14 Res. Searchlight Section.│481 Signal Command:

│ 360 Searchlight Section. │ 481 Tel. Detch.

│ 481 Tel. Detch. │ 137 Wireless Detch.

Medical and │543 Ambulance Co. │543 Ambulance Co.

Veterinary.│ │

│Field Hospital. │120 Res. Field Hospital.

│Vet. Hospital. │302 Field Hospital.

│ │220 Vet. Hospital.

Transports. │M. T. Col. │

Odd Units. │81 Res. Cyclist Co. │

Attached. │ │

HISTORY.

(267th Regiment: 2d Corps District—Pomerania. 268th Regiment: 6th Corps

District—Silesia. 269th Regiment: 3d Corps District—Brandenburg.)

1915.

The 81st Reserve Division was formed out of six field battalions of the

2d Corps District (Nos. 7–12) and three field battalions (Nos. 13–15) of

the 3d Corps District. The first six were used to form the 267th and the

268th and the last named three were used to form the 269th Regiment. The

division was instructed at the Warthe cantonment (5th Corps District)

before being sent to the Western Front.

1. The 81st Reserve Division (with the 82d Reserve Division it

constituted the 41st Reserve Corps), was transported to Belgium and

detrained at Courtrai January 21, 1915.

SOMME.

2. Sent to the Somme district, it was engaged to the north of Chaulnes

(Jan. 27-Mar. 28).

3. At the end of March the division was sent toward the Eastern Front.

GALICIA-RUSSIA.

The division was found on the Galician front in May (Jaslo, May 9); took

part in operations on the San, near Jaroslav (between San and the

Jaroslav-Przeworsk railway on May 15) then on the Bug (region of Krylov

in July). Going down the Bug by Vladova (August) it advanced up to the

west of Logitchin and the Oginsky Canal (north of Pinsk) in September.

The front becoming fixed, the division established itself in that

region.

1916.

PINSK.

1. The 81st Reserve Division stayed for more than two years in the

Oginski-Iasälda Canal sector (Sept., 1915-Dec., 1917).

2. At the beginning of July, 1916, the 269th Regiment was identified

between the Styr and the Stokhod, doubtlessly as a reserve for the units

engaged against the Russian offensive.

1917.

RUSSIA-FRANCE.

1. In December, 1917, the division was relieved from its sector to the

north of Pinsk and transported to the Western Front. It entrained on

December 20 at Ivanovo (Itinerary: Soldau-Bromberg-Schneide-Muehl-

Berlin-Sarrebruck-Sedan-Cambrai), and detrained at Lille on December 26.

After resting in the vicinity of Lille it went into line to the south of

Fleurbaix (Jan. 24–25, 1918). It again occupied the same sector at the

beginning of April.

RECRUITING.

The 267th and the 268th Regiments were originally Pomeranian and became

quite heterogeneous like all regiments from this province. The 268th

Regiment was in theory recruited in Silesia which contributes to a

maintenance of the mixed character of its personnel. The 269th is a

Brandenburg unit.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

On the Eastern Front from May, 1915, to the end of December, 1917.

1918.

BATTLE OF THE LYS.

1. The division was relieved on the night of April 8–9 by the 35th

Division at Neuve Chapelle. It moved northward and on the 12th

reenforced the battle front south of Meteren. In the attacks in this

area the 268th and 269th Reserve Regiments suffered heavy losses. It was

relieved by the 11th Reserve Division on April 28.

METEREN.

2. On May 18 the division returned to its former sector at Meteren. It

held this sector until May 28, and again from June 6 to 12 and from June

18 to July 19.

LORRAINE.

3. It entrained on the 22d at Roubaix and detrained at Haboudange on the

24th. The itinerary was Courtrai-Ghent-Louvain-Liege-Herbestal-

Gerolstein-Treves-Sarreguemines. After several days of rest near Chateau

Salins it relieved the 19th Division on the night of July 28–29. It held

this quiet sector until October 5, when it was relieved by the 87th

Division.

4. It entrained on the 6th and detrained at Guise about October 8. On

the night of the 10th–11th it came into line near Seboncourt and was

heavily engaged until October 20, when it was withdrawn east of Bohain.

The division suffered heavy losses in this engagement.

5. On October 26 the division reenforced the line south of Guise and

fought until the armistice. The last identification was south of Guise

on November 3.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. Its services in Flanders was of a

mediocre character. In the St. Quentin area in October it put up a good

resistance.

82d Reserve Division.

COMPOSITION.

│ 1915 │ 1916

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

Infantry. │82 Res. │60. │82 Res. │270 Res.

│ │270 Res. │ │271 Res.

│ │271 Res. │ │272 Res.

│ │272 Res. │ │

Cavalry. │82 Res. Cav. Detch. │82 Res. Cav. Detch.

Artillery. │82 Res. Brig.: │82 Res. Brig.:

│ 69 Res. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 69 Res. F. A. Rgt.

│ Btries.). │

│ 70 Res. F. A. Rgt. (6 │ 70 Res. F. A. Rgt.

│ Btries.). │

│ │

Engineers and│84 Res. Pion. Co. │86 Res. Pion. Co.

Liaisons. │ │

│82 Res. Pont. Engs. │82 Res. Pont. Engs.

│ │282 T. M. Co.

│ │

Medical and │1 Ambulance Co. │

Veterinary.│ │

│ │

Transport. │82 Res. Train Detch. │

Odd units. │82 Res. Cyclist Co. │82 Res. Cyclist Co.

Attached. │ │40 Labor Btn.

│ 1917 │ 1918

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

Infantry. │82 Res. │270 Res. │82 Res. │270 Res.

│ │271 Res. │ │271 Res.

│ │272 Res. │ │272 Res.

│ │ │ │

Cavalry. │82 Res. Cav. Detch. │3 Sqn. 1 Drag. Rgt.

Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │70 Res. F. A. Rgt.

│ 69 Res. F. A. Rgt. (9 │1 Abt. 18 Ft. A. Rgt. (2, 3,

│ Btries.). │ and 13 Btries.).

│ │755 Light Am. Col.

│ │

│ │1224 Light Am. Col.

│ │1225 Light Am. Col.

Engineers and│(382) Pion. Btn.: │382 Pion. Btn.:

Liaisons. │ │

│ 86 Res. Pion. Co. │ 348 Pion. Co.

│ 246 Pion. Co. │ 86 Res. Pion. Co.

│ 282 T. M. Co. │ 106 Searchlight Section.

│ 287 Searchlight Section. │482 Signal Command:

│ Tel. Detch. │ 482 Tel. Detch.

│ │ 174 Wireless Detch.

Medical and │544 Ambulance Co. │544 Ambulance Co.

Veterinary.│ │

│118 Res. Field Hospital. │115 Res. Field Hospital.

│Vet. Hospital. │119 Res. Field Hospital.

│ │221 Vet. Hospital.

Transport. │M. T. Col. │749 M. T. Col.

Odd units. │82 Res. Cyclist Co. │

Attached. │46 Labor Btn. │

HISTORY.

(270th Regiment: 3d Corps District—Brandenburg. 271st and 272d

Regiments: 6th Corps District—Silesia.)

1915.

1. Formed during November, 1914-January, 1915, with three field

battalions of the 3d Corps District and six of the 6th Corps District

(Nos. 25–30) it was trained at the Jueterbog cantonment. The 82d Reserve

Division (which with the 81st Reserve Division formed the 41st Reserve

Corps) entrained on January 21 for the Somme. It included an additional

regiment—the 60th Infantry—which the 21st Corps had left in France

before leaving for Russia.

SOMME.

2. It was engaged in February and March, 1915, to the north of Chaulnes.

3. About March 28 it was transferred to the Eastern Front minus the 60th

Infantry, which joined the 121st Division.

GALICIA-RUSSIA.

4. In May, 1915, the 82d Reserve Division as well as the 81st Reserve

Division took part in the German offensive along the San, which resulted

in the breaking up of the Russian front in Galicia. It was identified in

region of Jaslo (May 9) to the south of Radymno (May 12–21) and at

Medyka (June 4). Its pursuit of the Russians brought it together with

the 41st Reserve Corps to the Bug, in the vicinity of Grubeszow (July)

and to the northeast of Pinsk (September-October). During that offensive

the division suffered heavy losses.

PINSK.

5. The Russian retreat being halted, the 82d Reserve Division took its

position in the Pinsk region (Nobel Lake, October-December).

1916.

PINSK-NOBEL LAKE.

1. The division remained the entire year in the Nobel Lake sector and up

to November, 1917. A soldier of the 270th Regiment wrote on November 8,

1917: “I have not loaded my gun since the middle of March.”

1917.

RUSSIA-FRANCE.

1. In November, 1917, the 82d Reserve Division was relieved by some

Landsturm units and re-formed (elimination of soldiers from Alsace and

Lorraine, etc.).

2. At the beginning of December the division was transported to the

Western Front.

3. The division entrained at Ivanovo on December 4 (Itinerary: Brest-

Litowsk-Varsovie-Kalisz-Glogau-Cottbus-Halle-Frankfort-Mainz-Kreuznach-

Sarrebrueck-Metz-Conflans) and detrained at Mars la Tour about December

10.

RECRUITING.

In theory Brandenburg and Silesia. Very mixed personnel, seemingly

including men from Pomerania and the eastern Provinces of the Empire.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

In January, 1918, the 82d Reserve Division took part in maneuvers in the

vicinity of Thuméréville (northwest of Conflans). After these maneuvers

Lieut. Gen. Fuchs is said to have said that the division could be put in

class 3 of the combat units (Kampf Truppen, 3) a classification which is

just above that of labor troops. (Interrogation of prisoner, Mar. 4,

1918. See Bull. Rens. Second Army (French), No. 744.)

The make-up of the division is heterogeneous and of mediocre quality and

includes returned wounded men, Landsturm, former railway guards,

dismounted troopers, and few recruits of the 1918 class. (Interrogation,

Jan. 22, 1918.)

After a two-year stay in the Pinsk sector the 82d Reserve Division

lacked training when it returned on the Western Front (December, 1917).

1918.

CANTIGNY.

1. The division was relieved on April 20 in the Woevre and marched by

Conflans-Briey-Mairy to Landres, where it entrained. It moved via

Longuyon-Mezieres-Hirson and arrived at Wassigny, where it detrained on

May 5. On May 16 the division relieved the 30th Division west of

Cantigny. It was thrown out of the city by the American attack at the

end of the month. The division was withdrawn about July 22.

THIRD BATTLE OF THE SOMME.

2. To reenforce the Somme battle front the division came into line on

August 9 between Hangest and Arvillers. It was withdrawn on the 18th

northwest of Roye, but a week later returned to its former sector. The

division fell back on the Canal du Nord on August 27, and on September 2

took up a position between the Chaulnes-Ham railroad and a point north

of Moyencourt. It again retreated on the night of September 4–5 and

occupied a position at Etreillers-Roupy before the Siegfried-Stellung.

The division was constantly engaged, resisting strongly, but being

gradually forced back. On the 28th it retired to the line of the St.

Quentin Canal. On October 8, a surprise attack threw it back to Fontaine

Notre Dame. Here it resisted fiercely. It was relieved about October 10

and went to the Guise area.

In this fighting the division lost 2,000 men. Its combatant strength was

estimated to be about 1,200 men on October 7.

3. On October 14 the division reenforced the line east of Bernot and

fought for three days. It returned to the Guise area, but intervened

again west of Pleine-Selve on October 25. Until the armistice it was

engaged south of Guise, east of La Capelle, and at Liessies.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. After August it was almost

constantly in line in the St. Quentin area until its effectives were

almost completely consumed.

83d Division.

COMPOSITION.

│ 1915 │ 1916

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

Infantry. │Doussin (1 │1 Garrison │165. │329.

│ Garrison │ Rgt. (329). │ │

│ Brig., now │ │ │

│ 165). │ │ │

│Rudiger (2 │2 Garrison │ │330.

│ Garrison │ Rgt. (330). │ │

│ Brig., now │ │ │

│ 166). │ │ │

│ │ │166. │331.

│ │3 Garrison │ │332.

│ │ Rgt. (331). │ │

│ │4 Garrison │ │

│ │ Rgt. (332). │ │

Cavalry. │ │2 Sqn. 92 Ldw. Cav. Rgt.

│ │

Artillery. │Von Conta F. A. Rgt. (Ers. │249 F. A. Rgt.

│ Abt. 61 F. A. Rgt.). │

│ │

Engineers and│ │83 T. M. Co.

Liaisons. │ │

│ │83 Pont. Engs.

│ │83 Tel. Detch.

│ │

Medical and │ │

Veterinary.│ │

│ │

Transport. │ │

Attached. │ │

│ │

│ 1917 │ 1918

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

Infantry. │165. │329. │165. │255 Res.

│ │ │ │

│ │330. │ │4 Ldw.

│ │ │ │

│ │331. │ │346.

│ │ │ │

Cavalry. │83 Heavy Cav. Rgt. │3 Sqn. 11 Drag. Rgt.

│2 Sqn. 92 Ldw. Cav. Rgt. │

Artillery. │Art. Command: │80 Art. Command:

│ │

│ 249 F. A. Rgt. │ 249 F. A. Rgt.

│ │ 3 Abt. 28 Ft. A. Rgt. (7th

│ │ to 9th Btries.).

│ │ 796 Light Am. Col.

│ │ 798 Light Am. Col.

│ │ 951 Light Am. Col.

Engineers and│83 Pion. Btn.: │83 Pion. Btn.:

Liaisons. │ │

│ 1 Ldw. Co. 1 Pions. │ 1 Ldw. Co. 1 C. Dist. Pions.

│ 246 Pion. Co. │ 1 Ldw. Co. 5 C. Dist. Pions.

│ 83 T. M. Co. │ 123 Searchlight Section.

│ 316 Searchlight Section. │83 Signal Command:

│ 83 Tel. Detch. │ 83 Tel. Detch.

│ │ 185 Wireless Detch.

Medical and │83 Ambulance Co. │83 Ambulance Co.

Veterinary.│ │

│49 Field Hospital. │49 Field Hospital.

│165 Field Hospital. │165 Field Hospital.

│Vet. Hospital. │83 Vet. Hospital.

Transport. │M. T. Col. │581 M. T. Col.

Attached. │ │26 Bav. Ft. A. Btn. (1, 2,

│ │ and 4 Btries.).

│ │3 Abt. 5 Ft. A. Rgt. (6, 10,

│ │ and 11 Btries.).

│ │1 Art. Observation Section.

│ │121 Sound Ranging Section.

│ │8 Bav. Pion. Co.

│ │4 Co. 10 Labor Btn.

│ │2 Co. 35 Labor Btn.

│ │77 Balloon Sqn.

│ │(Elements attached, Aug. 14,

│ │ 1918. German document.)

HISTORY.

(329th and 331st Regiment: 5th Corps District—Posen and Lower Silesia.

330th Regiment: 7th Corps District—Westphalia.)

1915.

The 83d Division was formed out of the garrison of defense of Posen

which went under the name of Posen Corps. It was engaged on the Eastern

Front from the beginning of the war.

The Posen Corps composed of depot battalions of active regiments, of

reserve, of Landwehr, and even battalions of Landsturm, was divided into

four brigades. Its strength was distributed into two divisions, the 83d

and 84th, in June, 1915, and the battalions, which were at first formed

into regiments bearing the names of the respective commanders of these

regiments, were numbered 329 to 336, inclusive.

RUSSIA-POLAND.

1. From March to June, with the Posen Corps, the regiments which were to

form the 83d Reserve Division took part in the Poland campaign to the

north of Pilica and on the Bzura.

VICHNEV.

2. The 83d Division took part in the summer offensive against the

Russians. Leaving the Ostrolenka region (July) it advanced by way of

Grodno, Lipnichki (northeast of Lida, September) up to Vichnev

(October), where it established its position.

1916.

VICHNEV.

1. The division stayed in the Vichnev sector during the entire year 1916

and until the month of April, 1917.

1917.

1. About the middle of April, 1917, the 83d Division was transferred

from Vichnev to Baranovitchi, where it was held some time as a reserve

and then to the northeast of Halicz, from which place it was transported

by automobiles to the Stanislau region (June 5).

GALICIA.

Histories of two hundred and fifty-one divisions of the German army which participated in the war (1914-1918) · 第 58 / 78 段

8. At the beginning of October it took over the Boureuilles-Vauquois