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

3. Chosen to participate in the offensive against Serbia, it was

entrained at Warsaw and went into action on the Serbian front on October

7. It was at Nish on December 9.

1916.

SERBIA.

1. At the end of January, 1916, the 101st Division was still in Serbia

and with the 103d Division formed the 4th Reserve Corps.

MACEDONIA.

2. In February it was in front of Monastir.

VARDAR.

3. In March, together with the 103d Division, it was near the Greek

frontier in the Vardar Valley (Guevgueli) (March to November). In August

it supported the 5th Bulgarian Division.

CERNA.

4. In November the 45th and the 146th Regiments occupied the bend of the

Cerna, while the 59th Regiment continued to hold the left bank of the

Vardar.

1917.

MACEDONIA.

1. The Division was materially changed in 1917. The 45th was replaced by

the 11th Grenadiers, which had in November, 1916, left the 11th Division

in France to join the Hippel Division in front of Monastir. In June the

59th Regiment was withdrawn from the division and sent to the Roumanian

front. It was replaced by the 9th Jaeger Regiment.

2. The 101st Division was kept on the Macedonian front (Vardar Valley,

Doiran, Monastir) to the end of 1917, seemingly after that it breaks up.

The 146th Infantry was still in the vicinity of Monastir in December and

was reported as being sent toward Constantinople and Palestine (March,

1918). In March, 1918, the 9th Regiment of Jaegers arrived in Alsace.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The division is rated as third class.

1918.

The 101st Division is considered as consisting of a divisional staff

only, administering Bulgarian units. The division is, therefore, no

longer counted as a German infantry division. The 12th active and 12th

and 13th Reserve Jaeger Battalions are considered independent units.

103d Division.

COMPOSITION.

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

│ 1915 │ 1916

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

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

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

Infantry. │205. │32. │205. │32.

│ │71. │ │71.

│ │116 Res. │ │116 Res.

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

Cavalry. │ │2 and 4 Sqn. Horse Gren. Rgt.

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

Artillery. │205 F. A. Rgt. │205 F. A. Rgt.

│4 Mountain A. Abt. │4 Mountain A. Abt.

│ │

Engineers and│205 Pion. Co. │205 Pion. Co.

Liaisons. │ │

│ │9 Co. 28 Pions.

│ │103 T. M. Co.

│ │103 Pont. Engs.

│ │103 Tel. Detch.

│ │

Medical and │ │

Veterinary.│ │

│ │

Transports. │ │

Odd units. │ │

Attached. │ │

│ │

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

│ 1917 │ 1918

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

Infantry. │205. │32. │205. │32.

│ │71. │ │71.

│ │116 Res. │ │144.

Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 6 Drag. Rgt. │3 Sqn. 6 Drag. Rgt.

Artillery. │103 Art. Command: │103 Art. Command:

│ 205 F. A. Rgt. (9 Btries.). │ 205 F. A. Rgt.

│ │ 3 Abt. 11 Res. Ft. A. Rgt.

│ │ 721 Light Am. Col.

│ │ 919 Light Am. Col.

│ │ 1228 Light Am. Col.

Engineers and│103 Pion. Btn.: │103 Pion. Btn.:

Liaisons. │ │

│ 87 Res. Pion. Co. │ 87 Res. Pion. Co.

│ 9 Co. 28 Pions. │ 9 Co. 28 Pions.

│ 103 T. M. Co. │ 103 M. Co.

│ (205) Searchlight Section. │ 208 Searchlight Section.

│ 103 Tel. Detch. │103 Signal Command:

│ │ 103 Tel. Detch.

│ │ 15 Wireless Detch.

Medical and │103 Ambulance Co. │103 Ambulance Co.

Veterinary.│ │

│361 Field Hospital. │361 Field Hospital.

│362 Field Hospital. │362 Field Hospital.

│202 Vet. Hospital. │202 Vet. Hospital.

Transports. │ │591 M. T. Col.

Odd units. │Divisional M. T. Col. │

Attached. │M. G. Co. of the 4 Gd. Gren. │

│ Rgt. │

│12 T. M. Co. │

│24 Bomb Thrower. │

│14 M. G. Co. │

│75 M. G. S. S. Detch. │

│2 Bav. M. G. S. S. Detch. │

│1 Co. 629 Ambulance Co. │

│102 Gd. Pions. │

│2 Gd. Pion.Co. │

│1 Co. 29 Pions. │

│2 Co. 8 C. Dist. T. M. Btn. │

│1 Co. 8 C. Dist. T. M. Btn. │

│35 Flame-thrower Detch. │

│1 Btry. 107 F. A. Rgt. │

│22 Btries. 43 Res. F. Rgt. │

│1 Btry. 43 Res. F. A. Rgt. │

│2 Btries. 2 Gd. F. A. Rgt. │

│7 Ft. Art. Rgt. │

│4 Btries. 19 Ft. Art. Rgt. │

│2 Btries. 1 Res. Ft. Art. │

│ Rgt. │

│1 Btry. 16 Ft. Art. Rgt. │

│42 Art. Survey Section. │

│127 Giant Periscope Section. │

│306 Supply Train. │

│497 Ammunition Train. │

│117 Bav. Art. Ammunition │

│ Train. │

│42 Res. Art. Ammunition │

│ Train. │

│295 Ammunition Train. │

│28 Ammunition Train. │

│216 Ammunition Train. │

│31 Supply Depot. │

│13 Supply Depot. │

│81 Field Bakery. │

│10 Reconnaissance Flight. │

│265 Reconnaissance Flight. │

│111 Balloon Sqn. │

│107 Balloon Sqn. │

│37 Wireless Detch. │

│1135 Signal Detch. │

│289 Pigeon Loft. │

│92 Pigeon Loft. │

│2 Co. 87 Labor Btn. │

│3 Co. 87 Labor Btn. │

│100 Pris. of War Labor Btn. │

│Chemnitz Landst. Labor Btn. │

│2 Co. 11 Bav. Labor Btn. │

│1 and 4 Cos. 72 Road Building│

│ Btn. │

│(According to a captured │

│ document of Sept. 26, │

│ 1917.) │

HISTORY.

(32d Regiment: 11th. Corps District—Hesse—Electoral. 71st Regiment; 11th

Corps District—Thuringen. 116th Reserve Regiment: 18th Corps

District—Grand Duchy of Hesse.)

1915.

The 103d Division was formed at the Warthe cantonment in May, 1915, by

taking the 32d Regiment from the 22d Division, the 71st Regiment from

the 38th Division, and the 116th Reserve Regiment from the 25th Reserve

Division.

SERBIA.

1. On May 10, 1915, the 103d Division was sent to a region near the

Serbian frontier and stayed there, together with the 101st Division,

until the end of June, between the Drave and the Save.

RUSSIA.

2. During the summer it appeared on the Russian front and participated

in the offensive of the Linsingen Army—near Lemberg, July 29; near

Sokal, August 16.

3. It was put at rest at the end of August.

SERBIA.

4. Transferred to southern Hungary (September), it took part in the

Serbian campaign with the Gallwitz Army. It was at Kragujevac in

November and at Nish at the beginning of December.

5. This expedition having been completed, it stayed at rest at Uskub,

the 71st Infantry going to Veles.

1916.

MACEDONIA.

1. In January, 1916, the 116th Reserve Regiment advanced up to Macedonia

and soon, at the end of February, the 103d Division was on the Greek

frontier (Lake Dorian sector), to the left of the 101st Division, with

which it formed the 4th Reserve Corps.

FRANCE.

2. Entrained for France about April 27.

CHAMPAGNE.

3. Detrained at Châtelet sur Retourne about May 6 and was reviewed at

Avançon by the Emperor on the 9th and went into line on the 23d in the

Prosnes-Prunay sector to the east of the 58th Division (these two

divisions forming the 4th Reserve Corps).

VERDUN.

4. The 103d Division left Champagne on June 16 for the Verdun front. It

was engaged on June 22 in the Vaux-Chapitre wood and took part in the

big attack of June 23 on the Souville Fort and the attack of July 11.

During this period (June-July) it suffered very heavy losses.

5. Relieved at the end of July, it went into line in a sector near

Apremont Forest for a few days (until Aug. 2).

CÔTES DE MEUSE.

6. From the beginning of August to September 15 it occupied the front

along the Côtes de Meuse (Bois des Chevaliers, Vaux les Palameix).

CHAMPAGNE.

7. Transferred to Champagne (Sept. 20), the division took over the

Somme-Py sector, Tahure (until the beginning of October).

SOMME.

8. The 103d Division was next sent to the Somme (detrained at Bohain,

Oct. 8). It was engaged between Bouchavesnes and the St. Pierre-Vaast

wood (Oct. 15 to Nov. 10). The 116th Reserve Regiment was particularly

put to the test.

CHAMPAGNE.

9. After a few days’ rest the division came back to Champagne (Nov. 13).

It occupied the Souain sector (Nov. 15 to Jan. 15, 1917). While there

was engaged only in a few local raids. In December and January it

received important reenforcements.

1917.

VERDUN.

1. The 103d Division in January, 1917, went to the Verdun front

(Samogneux-Louvemont). It stayed there four months and was always on the

defensive.

CHEMIN DES DAMES.

2. Relieved on May 23, the division was transferred to the Aisne. It

held the Chemin des Dames sector (Malmaison, Les Bovettes, Panthéon, La

Royère) from May 26 to October 11–12. It only participated in the

attacks of June 6 and July 8 as supporting troops and as a result

suffered but slight losses during that period.

3. Relieved from the Aisne front on October 11 the 103d Division was

sent to rest in the region of Sissonne. It seems to have been

transferred on October 24 toward the north of the Ailette as an

attacking division.

ST. QUENTIN.

4. After a rest at the end of November and the first two weeks of

December in the vicinity of Origny-Ste. Benoite, the division took over

the sector of Itancourt (Dec. 27–28) near St. Quentin.

RECRUITING.

The 32d Regiment and the 71st Regiment, recruited in Thuringen and

Hesse-Electoral, and the 116th Reserve Regiment in the Grand Duchy of

Hesse. Although the 3d Batallion of the 85th Landwehr was transferred to

the 116th as 3d Batallion of this unit, its recruiting was a great deal

less from the 9th Corps District than from the 18th Corps District.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The showing made by the 103d Division in the conflicts in which it was

engaged warrants its being classed among the good units. Its losses in

1917 were comparatively small. Its strength was gradually made up of

younger men by the transfer from it of the older soldiers. It was

classed as an attack division by the German Command. A secret order of

the 103d Division of September 20, 1917, contains the following: “Our

division, which was specially trained for offensive work, and which is

designated as an attack division (Angriffs division), is, in an

offensive, very superior to the adversary * * *.”

1918.

BATTLE OF PICARDY.

1. The division was in line south of St. Quentin on March 21 as the left

division of Von Conta group. It advanced toward Vendeuil without meeting

great resistance and reached there at midnight. The 22d it reached the

Crozat Canal and crossed at Liezon the next day. Placed in reserve on

the 23d, it followed the general advance by Villequier-Aumont (24th),

Quesmy (25th), Lagny (27th). On the 28th the division captured the

Dives-Lassigny road and relieved the 36th Division in that vicinity. It

attacked Plemont on March 30, but was unable to maintain its position

and fell back on April 1, after heavy losses. It was relieved about

April 15.

AISNE.

2. About April 27 the division relieved the 108th Division at Corbeny.

It was still in line when the attack of May 27 started and advanced to

the Marne northwest of Chatillon via Romigny, Vandieres, Bois de

Mareuil. It was relieved by the 22d Division between June 24 and 26.

BATTLE OF THE MARNE.

3. It rested near Fismes until it reentered line about July 14 in the

sector Anthenay-Bois de Trottes. It was engaged until about August 1,

when it was withdrawn from the battle front southwest of Rheims.

CHEMIN DES DAMES.

4. The division rested at Malmaison until August 22, when it was engaged

north of St. Aubin. In that locality it remained in line until about

September 5.

CHAMPAGNE.

5. On September 26 the division entered line in Champagne, relieving the

202d Division in the area south of Fontaine en Dornmeois. It received

the full weight of the French attack and in four days in line lost more

than 2,000 prisoners, including 6 battalion commanders.

6. After three weeks of rest, elements of the division were reengaged

southwest of Longwe on October 24. Other elements were identified in the

sector of the 76th Reserve Division and the 2d Landwehr Division, near

the junction of the American and French Armies. Elements continued to be

identified in this general locality until the armistice. Most of the

division appeared to have been opposed to the French Army. The last

identification was at Sedan.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. At the end its effectives were

greatly reduced. Discontent over their prolonged service in line had

lowered the morale of the division.

105th Division.

COMPOSITION.

│ 1915 │ 1916

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

Infantry. │209. │21. │209. │21.

│ │122 Fus. │ │122 Fus.

│ │129. │ │129.

Cavalry. │4 Mounted Jag. Rgt. (2 │4 Mounted Jag. Rgt. (Sqns.).

│ Sqns.). │

Artillery. │209 F. A. Rgt. (7 Btries.). │209 F. A. Rgt.

│ │

Engineers and│209 Pion. Co. │209 Pion. Co.

Liaisons. │ │

│ │105 T. M. Co.

│ │105 Pont. Engs.

│ │105 Tel. Detch.

│ │

Medical and │ │

Veterinary.│ │

│ │

Transports. │ │

│ 1917 │ 1918

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

Infantry. │209. │21. │209. │21.

│ │129. │ │129.

│ │400. │ │400.

Cavalry. │5 Sqn. 4 Mounted Jag. Rgt. │5 Sqn. 4 Mounted Jag. Rgt.

│ │

Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │105 Art. Command:

│ 259 F. A. Rgt. (2 Abts.). │ 259 F. A. Rgt.

│ │ 1 Abt. 11 Ft. A. Rgt.

│ │ 901 Light Am. Col.

│ │ 1103 Light Am. Col.

│ │ 1138 Light Am. Col.

Engineers and│105 Pion. Btn.: │105 Pion. Btn.:

Liaisons. │ │

│ 209 Pion. Co. │ 209 Pion. Co.

│ 105 T. M. Co. │ 1 Co. 18 Pions.

│ 412 T. M. Co. │ 105 T. M. Co.

│ 11 Searchlight Section. │ 22 Searchlight Section.

│ 209 Searchlight Section. │105 Signal Command:

│ 105 Tel. Detch. │ 105 Tel. Detch.

│ │ 153 Wireless Detch.

Medical and │105 Ambulance Co. │105 Ambulance Co.

Veterinary.│ │

│363 Field Hospital. │363 Field Hospital.

│364 Field Hospital. │364 Field Hospital.

│365 Field Hospital. │105 Vet. Hospital.

│Vet. Hospital. │

Transports. │M. T. Col. │592 M. T. Col.

HISTORY.

(21st and 129th Regiments: 17th Corps District—Western Prussia. 400th

Regiment: 8th Corps District—Rhine Province.)

1915.

The 105th Division was formed at Thorn in May, 1915. At the outset it

comprised the 122d Regiment of Fusileers obtained from the 26th Division

(13th Corps District), the 21st Infantry from the 35th Division, and the

129th Infantry from the 36th Division (17th Corps District).

In 1917 the 400th replaced the 122d Regiment (Wurttemberg).

SERBIA.

1. In June, 1915, the 105th Division appeared on the Serbian front at

the same time as the 101st and 103d Divisions.

GALICIA.

2. At the end of June it was transferred to Galicia via Budapest and

Stry. It participated in the offensive against the Russians on the Gnila

Lipa from June 24 to July 1, on the Zlota Lipa July 20. From Galicia it

went to Poland; fought at Krasnostaw at the end of July and between

Wieprz and the Jaselda until August 20. At the end of August it was on

the Chtchertchev-Brest-Kobryn railway front.

SERBIA AND BULGARIA.

3. Chosen for the Serbian campaign, it again found itself in company

with the 101st and 103d Divisions and went into line on the Serbian

front in October but did not stay there long. While the 122d fusileers

pushed on in the south of this country, the 21st and the 129th entrained

in December for Eastern Bulgaria.

1916.

BULGARIA.

1. Assigned to watch the Roumanian frontier and the coast of the Black

Sea, the 21st went to Varna and the 129th from Choumla to the coast.

This mission did not end until May, 1916.

MACEDONIA.

2. At this time the division was being re-formed in Macedonia, where the

three regiments were again together at the beginning of June.

GALICIA.

3. The June Russian offensive was responsible for its return to Galicia

and at the end of the month it was in Bukovina. The 105th Division

operated in the region of Kolomea (end of June, beginning of July) and

suffered heavy losses. The 122d fusileers reported 26 officers and 1,165

men out of action. The division next fought in Galicia to the east of

Stanislau in July and August (east of Tlumacz-Tysmienica), to the east

of Halicz in September.

4. The division remained in the vicinity of Halicz until October.

COURLAND.

5. Relieved from Galicia, the division was sent to Courland, to the

south of Kekkau (October).

6. On October 20 it took over the sector to the west of Jakobstadt.

1917.

JAKOBSTADT.

1. The 105th Division occupied the Jacobstadt front until November,

1917. In April the 400th Regiment replaced the 122d which was

transferred to the 243d Division (old 8th Ersatz Division), a

Wurttemberg unit. The division took Jacobstadt on September 21.

FRANCE.

2. On November 5 the 105th Division entrained at Mitau and was

transported to France. (Itinerary: Kovno-Koenigsberg-Schneidemuehl-

Berlin-Cassel-Coblenz-Treves-Thionville-Sedan-Mezieres.) It detrained at

Juniville (south of Rethel) on November 11 and rested in this region.

RECRUITING.

The 21st and the 129th were classified as “troops from Western Prussia”

in an official document. Although the 21st was called the 4th

Pomeranian, it was actually recruited for the most part in the Province

of Western Prussia, which was its station in peace time. The 400th was,

by reason of its replacement depot, a Rhenish unit.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 105th Division was first put into line on the French front at the

beginning of January, 1918. It suffered losses in Galicia during the

Summer of 1916.

Its long stay in the Courland sector had not increased its combat value.

1918.

BATTLE OF PICARDY.

1. The division was engaged west of Noyon on April 15 and remained in

that area until May 17, when it was relieved by the 223d Division.

Losses were very considerable in the early part of the division’s

occupation of that sector.

NOYON.

2. It rested north of Noyon until May 31 when it reenforced the Aisne

battle front at Nampcel, east of the Oise. Throughout June it was

engaged in this sector. It attempted a local attack on Moulin sous

Touvent on July 3 without success. In minor operations in June and July

the division lost about 1,000 prisoners. In August it was heavily

engaged and forced back on Noyon, where it was relieved by the 54th

Division about September 1.

3. The division rested for about three weeks in the area south of Ferte

Chevresis-Montigny sur Crecy. It was engaged at Septvaux about September

27. It fought in the retreat through Fourdrain as far as Mesbrecourt-

Assis sur Serre. It held that sector until the capture of Mesbrecourt on

October 22, after which it took up a position to the north. The division

was in the neighborhood of Pargny wood until November 5. Thereafter it

was identified at Vervins (6th), Voulpaix (7th), north of Wimy (9th).

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. As a sector holding division it

saw almost constant service most of which was in the Noyon area. Its

morale was greatly lowered in November.

107th Division.

COMPOSITION.

│ 1915 │ 1916

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

Infantry. │213. │52 Res. │213. │52 Res.

│ │227 Res. │ │227 Res.

│ │232 Res. │ │232 Res.

Cavalry. │ (?) │3 Sqn. 1 Uhlan Rgt.

Artillery. │213 F. A. Rgt. (7 Btries.). │213 F. A. Rgt.

│ │

Engineers and│213 Pion. Co. │213 Pion. Co.

Liaisons. │ │

│ │4 Co. 21 Pions.

│ │107 T. M. Co.

│ │107 Pont. Engs.

│ │107 Tel. Detch.

│ │

Medical and │ │

Veterinary.│ │

│ │

Transport. │ │

Histories of two hundred and fifty-one divisions of the German army which participated in the war (1914-1918) · 第 62 / 78 段