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

│ 1917 │ 1918

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

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

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

Infantry. │213. │52 Res. │ │52 Res.

│ │227 Res. │ │232 Res.

│ │232 Res. │ │448.

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

Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 1 Uhlan Rgt. │3 Sqn. 1 Uhlan Rgt.

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

Artillery. │157 Art. Command: │157 Art. Command:

│ 213 F. A. Rgt. (9 Btries.). │ 213 F. A. Rgt.

│ │ 154 Ft. A. Btn.

│ │ 713 Light Am. Col.

│ │ 1283 Light Am. Col.

│ │ 1353 Light Am. Col.

Engineers and│107 Pion. Btn.: │107 Pion. Btn.:

Liaisons. │ │

│ 213 Pion. Co. │ 4 Co. 21 Pions.

│ 4 Co. 21 Pions. │ 213 Pion. Co.

│ 91 T. M. Co. │ 26 Searchlight Section.

│ 107 T. M. Co. │107 Signal Command:

│ (213) Searchlight Section. │ 107 Tel. Detch.

│ 107 Tel. Detch. │ 128 Wireless Detch.

Medical and │107 Ambulance Co. │107 Ambulance Co.

Veterinary.│ │

│366 Field Hospital (?). │366 Field Hospital.

│166 Vet. Hospital. │97 Res. Field Hospital.

│ │166 Vet. Hospital.

Transport. │593 M. T. Col. │593 M. T. Col.

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

HISTORY.

(52d Reserve Regiment: 3d Corps District—Brandenburg. 227th Reserve

Regiment: 4th Corps District—Prussian Saxony. 232d Reserve Division:

10th Corps District—Hanover.)

1915.

The 107th Division was formed at Glogau in May, 1915, with regiments

transferred from the 49th Reserve Division (227th Reserve Regiment),

from the 50th Reserve Division (232d Reserve Regiment), and from the 5th

Reserve Regiment (52d Reserve Regiment).

GALICIA.

1. The division took part in the battles near Lemberg (June 17–22).

RUSSIA.

2. In July the division was engaged near the Bug, in the vicinity of

Grubeszow (July 19–30).

3. On July 31 it fought to the northeast of Cholm. It was near Wlodawa

from August 13 to 17.

4. On August 25 and 26 it participated in the taking of Brest-Litowsk.

It entered Pinsk on September 16.

SERBIA.

5. From Pinsk it operated against Serbia, staying there from the

beginning of October to the end of November, 1915.

1916.

COURLAND.

1. In January, 1916, the division was in reserve in the vicinity of

Dvinsk, where it remained until March 15.

POSTAVY-SMORGONI.

2. On March 18 it took over the sector to the north of Postavy. From May

to June 20 it was near Smorgoni. At the end of the month it was assigned

to meet the Russian offensive in Volhynia.

VOLHYNIA.

3. It was engaged between the Styr and the Stokhod from June 21 until

the middle of July.

4. In August and September it was still in Volhynia, near the Kovel-

Rovno railway.

KOVEL.

5. The division stayed in this region and occupied the sector west of

Kachovka until the beginning of November, 1917.

1917.

FRANCE.

1. Relieved about November 9, 1917, from the Kovel sector, the 107th

Division entrained on the 13th at Poginski for the Western Front.

(Itinerary: Kovel-Brest-Litovsk-Warsaw-Posen-Frankfort on the Oder-

Berlin-Cassel-Coblenz-Treves-Thionville-Sedan-Charleville-Hirson.) It

detrained east of Cambrai on the 18th.

CAMBRAI.

2. From November 21 on it was engaged to the southwest of Cambrai

(Noyelles-Rumilly).

3. It was retired from the front about the end of December.

RECRUITING.

The 52d Reserve Regiment remained a Brandenburger regiment, as at time

of its formation. The 227th Reserve Regiment, formed in the 5th Corps

District at the end of 1915, had a majority of effectives from the 4th

Corps District and still received replacements from Prussian Saxony. On

the other hand, the 232d Reserve Regiment, formed in the 4th Corps

District, recruited principally in Hanover (10th Corps District). The

107th Division had hence a heterogeneous organization.

1918.

CAMBRAI.

1. The division remained in line in the Gonnelieu sector until about

February 15, when it was relieved by the 18th Division from “B” Army and

went into reserve. On March 1 it returned and relieved the 18th Division

in its former sector at Gonnelieu.

BATTLE OF PICARDY.

2. It was still in line when the offensive of March 21 began and

advanced via Mesnil to Avelny wood under the 39th Corps. It was relieved

on April 16 by the 16th Reserve Division near Anthuille and went to rest

near Cambrai.

3. On May 16 the division came into line at Morlancourt, relieving the

199th Division, and held that sector until the night of May 23–24. It

rested in the Cambrai area until its return to line at Morlancourt on

the night of June 20–21. It was withdrawn about August 1.

THIRD BATTLE OF THE SOMME.

4. When the British began the attack on August 8 the division hastily

returned to line near Proyart. Until the 28th it was hotly engaged at

Proyart, Mericourt, and Herleville. One thousand seven hundred prisoners

were taken from the division in this fighting.

WOEVRE.

5. On September 3 the division started for Metz to rest. Its destination

was changed and it detrained at Conflans on September 16, marched via

Frianville-Brainville-Allamont-Moulotte to Harville, where it went into

line. The sector was a quiet one, and the battalions were well rested.

MEUSE-ARGONNE.

6. The division left that sector on October 11 and went in trucks from

Conflans to Stenay via Longuyon-Montmedy-Sedan. By way of Dun sur Meuse

the division entered the line on October 14. One regiment had previously

entered line on the 11th. Until the 20th the division was engaged in

resisting without especial success the American attack. Two of the

regiments of the division were out of the line from the 20th to November

1. The total losses of the division up to this time were estimated at

2,100, including 352 prisoners. Two regiments of the division were again

engaged from November 1 to 10 in the Villers area, when the division was

considered withdrawn following a failure to identify it by contact.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. There was evidence that the

morale of the men was low as a result of the heavy casualties that the

division suffered throughout 1918.

108th Division.

COMPOSITION.

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

│ 1915 │ 1916

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

Infantry. │(?) │97. │(?) │97.

│ │137. │ │137.

│ │265 Res. │ │265 Res.

│ │ │ 14 Jag. Btn.

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

Cavalry. │ (?) │1 Res. Drag. Rgt.

Artillery. │243 F. A. Rgt. (7 Btries.). │243 F. A. Rgt.

│ │

Engineers and│ (?) │1 Res. Co. 1 Pions.

Liaisons. │ │

│ │108 Pont. Engs.

│ │

│ │108 Tel. Detch.

│ │

Medical and │ │

Veterinary.│ │

│ │

Transport. │ │

Attached. │ │885 F. A. Btry.

│ │

│ │888 F. A. Btry.

│ 1917 │ 1918[28]

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

Infantry. │(?) │97. │5. │97.

│ │137. │ │137.

│ │265 Res. │ │265 Res.

│ 14 Jag. Btn. │ │

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

Cavalry. │6 Sqn. 17 Hus. Rgt. │6 Sqn. 17 Hus. Rgt.

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

│ 243 F. A. Rgt. (9 Btries.). │ 243 F. A. Rgt.

Engineers and│(108) Pion. Btn.: │108 Pion. Btn.:

Liaisons. │ │

│ 1 Res. Co. 1 Pions. │ 1 Res. Co. 2 Pion. Btn. No.

│ │ 1.

│ 1 Co. 33 Res. Pion. Btn. │ 1 Co. 33 Res. Pions.

│ 108 T. M. Co. │ 2 Landst. Co. 17 C. Dist.

│ │ Pions.

│ 275 Searchlight Section. │ 275 Searchlight Section.

│ 108 Searchlight Section. │ 108 T. M. Co.

│ 108 Tel. Detch. │ 108 Tel. Detch.

│ │ 108 Wireless Detch.

Medical and │264 Ambulance Co. │264 Ambulance Co.

Veterinary.│ │

│94 Field Hospital. │94 Field Hospital.

│258 Field Hospital. │334 Field Hospital.

│Vet. Hospital. │197 Vet. Hospital.

Transport. │M. T. Col. │M. T. Col.

Attached. │2 Landst. Pion. Co. (17 C. │Attached.

│ Dist.). │

│ │

Footnote 28:

Composition at the time of dissolution, October, 1918.

HISTORY.

(97th and 137th Regiments: 21st Corps District—Lorraine. 265th Reserve

Regiment: 9th Corps District—Mecklenburg.)

1915.

The 108th Division was formed during the summer of 1915 in the Niemen

Army (Scholtz Army) by taking the 137th Infantry from the 31st Division,

the 97th Infantry from the 42d Division, and the 265th Reserve Infantry

from the 80th Reserve Division. It was called the Beckmann Division in

honor of its commanding general before it received the number 108.

COURLAND.

1. About December 1 it went into line to the west of Sventen Lake

(region of Dvinsk).

1916.

VOLHYNIA.

1. In June, 1916, the division was transferred to Volhynia and opposed

the Russian offensive in the vicinity of Svinioukhi. Here it had heavy

losses. On June 16 the 1st Battalion of the 137th Infantry reported 24

officers and 978 men out of action. (Casualty List).

2. It was in this sector until its departure for the Western Front

(middle of December, 1917.)

1917.

FRANCE.

1. Entrained on December 12 in the vicinity of Brest-Litowsk.

2. Detrained near Hirson about December 18 and stayed at rest for three

weeks in the vicinity of Aubenton.

RECRUITING.

The 97th and the 137th of the old 21st Corps were among those regiments

which did not find a sufficient source of recruits in their home

stations and filled up their ranks with soldiers from the Rhine Province

and Westphalia.

The 265th Reserve Regiment, originally recruited from the Hanseatic

cities, was now principally recruited in Mecklenberg.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 108th Division, coming from Russia, only went in line on the Western

Front on January 1, 1918.

At the end of January, 1918, the 137th and 97th still had in its ranks

many men from Alsace and Lorraine, which must have been transferred

shortly thereafter.

1918.

AISNE.

1. After having had some training in the Vervins area, the 108th

Division relieved the 5th Reserve Division near Corbeny (northeast of

Craonne) during the night of January 22–23. It was relieved about the

21st of April by the 103d Division.

SOMME.

2. On the 30th it relieved the 9th Bavarian Reserve Division near

Villers-Bretonneux (south of Corbie). During the night of May 19–20 it

extended its front to the south and relieved the jaeger division. It was

relieved by the 41st Division on the 9th of July, and went to rest in

the Cappy area, south of the Somme.

3. On the 7th of August it relieved the 43d Reserve Division astride the

Somme (west of Bray). The next day the British captured 1576 men from

the division. It was withdrawn from line about the 23d. It went to the

Cambrai region, and was there disbanded—the 137th Regiment was

transferred to the 15th Division, the 97th Regiment to the 202d

Division, and the 265th Reserve Regiment was dissolved.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The 108th was rated a third-class division, but considering that

although it was trained in assault tactics (in January) it was not used

in any of the German offensives, and that the only heavy fighting in

which it participated was when it was caught by the British attack of

the 8th of August, where it fought poorly, and also that the 15th and

202d Divisions—the units which received its regiments when it was

disbanded—were second and third class, respectively, this rating seems

to have been too high.

109th Division.

COMPOSITION.

│ 1915 │ 1916

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

Infantry. │174. │2 Gren. │174. │2 Gren.

│ │26 Res. │ │26 Res.

│ │376. │ │376.

│ │ │ 4 Btn. (57 Ldw. Rgt.).

Cavalry. │ │98 Cav. Rgt.

│ │

Artillery. │227 F. A. Rgt. │227 F. A. Rgt.

│ │

Engineers and│ │1 Ldw. Co. Gd. Pions.

Liaisons. │ │

│ │109 Pont. Engs.

│ │109 Tel. Detch.

│ │

Medical and │ │

Veterinary.│ │

│ │

Transports. │ │

│ 1917 │ 1918[29]

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

Infantry. │174. │2 Gren. │174. │2 Gren.

│ │26 Res. │ │26 Res.

│ │376. │ │376.

│ │ │ │

Cavalry. │5 Sqn. 10 Drag. Rgt. │2 Sqn. 10 Drag. Rgt.

│ │5 Sqn. 10 Drag. Rgt.

Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │ 109 Art. Command:

│ 227 F. A. Rgt. (9 Btries.). │ 227 F. A. Rgt.

│ │ 2 Abt. 290 F. A. Rgt.

Engineers and│(109) Pion. Btn.: │218 Pion. Btn.:

Liaisons. │ │

│ 1 Ldw. Co. Gd. Pions. │ 338 Pion. Co.

│ 2 Ldw. Co. 15 Pions. │ 2 Ldw. Co. 15 C. Dist.

│ │ Pions.

│ 109 T. M. Co. │ 276 Searchlight Section.

│ 276 Searchlight Section. │ 109 T. M. Co.

│ Tel. Detch. │ 109 Tel. Detch.

Medical and │228 Ambulance Co. │373 Ambulance Co.

Veterinary.│ │

│98 Field Hospital. │98 Field Hospital.

│277 Field Hospital. │27 Field Hospital.

│Vet. Hospital. │109 Vet. Hospital.

Transports. │434 M. T. Col. │595 M. T. Col.

Footnote 29:

Composition at the time of dissolution, September, 1918.

HISTORY.

(2d Grenadiers: 2d Corps District—Pomerania. 26th Reserve Regiment: 4th

Corps District—Prussian Saxony. 376th Regiment: 1st Corps

District—Eastern Prussia.)

1915.

The 109th Division was formed in Courland in May, 1915. It obtained the

2d Grenadiers from the 3d Division, which has since then completely

changed its organization. It obtained the 26th Reserve Infantry from the

6th Reserve Division (3d Reserve Corps), and the 2d Ersatz Infantry

Regiment (Koenigsberg), which received the number 376.

PONIEVIEJ.

1. It was a part of the Niemen Army from the time that army was

organized until its departure for the Roumanian front (November, 1916).

In July it was in the vicinity of Ponieviej.

JAKOBSTADT.

2. At the end of October it took a position in front of Jakobstadt.

1916.

COURLAND.

1. In 1916 the 109th Division still occupied the same sector in the

vicinity of Jakobstadt to the southwest of Lievenhof (Buschhof). It

stayed there until November, 1916.

ROUMANIA.

2. Transferred to Roumania, it took part in the campaign, valley of Jiu

(November), southeast of Rimnicu-Sarat (December). In the meanwhile it

headed the troops which entered Bucharest on December 6 (2d Grenadiers).

1917.

ROUMANIA-NAMOLOASA.

With the stabilization of the Roumanian front, the division took a

position near the junction of the Rimnicu in front of Namoloasa

(southeast of Focsani). It held this sector during the entire year 1917.

RECRUITING.

A composite division. The 2d Grenadiers was Pomeranian; the 26th Reserve

Regiment was originally from Prussian Saxony, and the 376th got its

recruits from depots in Eastern Prussia. It first appeared on the

Western Front at the end of March, 1918.

1918.

SOMME.

1. The division came into line on the night of April 27–28 and relieved

the 19th Division west of Hangard. It continued to hold this sector

until August 10. In the first two days of the British attack the

division lost 1,544 prisoners. After its withdrawal the division was

taken to the vicinity of Trelon and disbanded.

2. The 26th Reserve Regiment was drafted to the 36th Fusileer Regiment

and the 66th Regiment to the 113th Division. The 2d Grenadier Regiment

passed intact from the 109th Division to the 3d Reserve Division. The

376th Regiment was divided among the three regiments of the 1st

Division.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. After about four months in line

on the Somme the losses in casualties and prisoners led to the

dissolution of the division in September.

111th Division.

COMPOSITION.

│ 1915 │ 1916

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

Infantry. │221. │73 Fus. │221. │73 Fus.

│ │76. │ │76.

│ │164. │ │164.

Cavalry. │3 and 4 Sqn. 22 Dragoon Rgt. │3 and 4 Sqn. 22 Dragoon Rgt.

Engineers and│221 Pion. Co. │221 Pion. Co.

Liaisons. │ │

│ │262 Pion. Co.

│ │111 T. M. Co.

│ │111 Pont. Engs.

│ │111 Tel. Detch.

│ │

Artillery. │221 F. A. Rgt. (7 Btries.). │221 F. A. Rgt.

│ │

Medical and │ │

Veterinary.│ │

│ │

Transports. │ │

│ 1917 │ 1918

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

Infantry. │221. │73 Fus. │221. │73.

│ │76. │ │76.

│ │164. │ │164.

Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 22 Dragoon Rgt. │4 Sqn. 22 Drag. Rgt.

Engineers and│(111) Pion. Btn.: │111 Pion. Btn.:

Liaisons. │ │

│ 221 Pion. Co. │ 221 Pion. Co.

│ 262 Pion. Co. │ 262 Pion. Co.

│ 111 T. M. Co. │ 111 T. M. Co.

│ 221 Searchlight Section. │ 199 Searchlight Section.

│ 111 Tel. Detch. │111 Signal Command:

│ │ 111 Tel. Detch.

│ │ 19 Wireless Detch.

Artillery. │111 Art. Command: │111 Art. Command:

│ 221 F. A. Rgt. (9 Btries.). │ 94 F. A. Rgt.

│ │ 2 Abt. 25 Ft. A. Rgt. (5 and

│ │ 7 Btries.).

│ │ 702 Light Am. Col.

│ │ 758 Light Am. Col.

│ │ 1341 Light Am. Col.

Medical and │111 Ambulance Co. │111 Ambulance Co.

Veterinary.│ │

│370 Field Hospital. │370 Field Hospital.

│371 Field Hospital. │371 Field Hospital.

│Vet. Hospital. │111 Vet. Hospital.

Transports. │M. T. Col. │

HISTORY.

(73d Fusileers, 164th Regiment: 10th Corps District—Hanover. 76th

Regiment: 9th Corps District—Hanseatic cities.)

1915.

The 111th Division was formed near Brussels on March 26, 1915, by

obtaining the 73d Fusileers from the 19th Division, the 164th Infantry

from the 20th Division, and the 76th Regiment from the 17th Division.

COTES DE MEUSE.

1. About the middle of April, 1915, the 111th Division was in line along

the Cotes de Meuse (Calonne, Hattonchatel trench) after having detrained

on April 11 at Mars la Tour.

ARTOIS.

2. In August it was transferred to Artois (Monchy au Bois sector).

1916.

1. The 111th Division stayed on the Artois front until August, 1916.

SOMME.

2. About August 21 it was relieved and sent to the north of the Somme.

Engaged near Guillemont and Guinchy, it suffered serious losses (Aug.

25-Sept. 6).

COTES DE MEUSE.

3. After a few days’ rest in the Cambrai region it was put into line

near Cotes de Meuse (Bois de Chevaliers, Sept. 15) and stayed there

until October 26. It was brought up to strength by the addition of 2,000

replacements.

SOMME.

4. At the end of October it was brought back to the Somme. At first it

was at rest in the region of Bohain and then took over a sector between

Bouchavesnes and the St. Pierre-Vaast wood.

1917.

1. In January, 1917, it was south of the Somme near Barleux, from which

position it was relieved a short time before it fell back on the

Hindenberg Line.

HINDENBURG LINE.

2. It occupied the Bellicourt sector (north of St. Quentin) from May 10

to about June 24. On May 7 and 15 it received 600 replacements (classes

of 1917 and 1918) to make up the losses sustained on April 27 at Arleux

en Gohelle.

3. The division was then put at rest for a month in the vicinity of

Cambrai.

YPRES.

4. It entrained on July 25 and 26 and was transported to Flanders, where

it was engaged on the 27th and 28th to the north of Ypres(Boesinghe-

Steenstraat). It met the artillery preparation and the attack of July

31, which caused it considerable losses. It was relieved the very night

of the attack and was temporarily reorganized at Bohain.

LORRAINE.

5. Sent to Lorraine, it took the Regnieville sector (west of Pont à

Mousson) about August 20; rested and reorganized.

FLANDERS.

6. It left this sector on October 14 to return to Flanders

(Poelcappelle). It detrained on the 16th at Alost and was engaged from

the 22d to the 26th and relieved November 4.

ARTOIS.

7. From the end of November to January 8, 1918, it held the Monchy le

Preuxen-Vis en Artois sector (southeast of Arras). The division received

the remaining necessary replacements; the 73d Fusileers received, on

December 24, 400 men between the ages of 20 and 35, taken from the

Russian front (especially from the 15th Landwehr Division).

RECRUITING.

The 76th Infantry was a Hanseatic unit while the 73d Fusileers was a

Hanoverian organization. As men from the 9th Corps District quite

frequently served in regiments from the 10th Corps District and

reciprocally, in case of necessity, the regiments of a division drew

without distinction from either source, it was to be expected that the

111th Division was termed as “regiments of Lower Saxony.”

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 111th Division, which was considered a good unit, was sorely tried

in Flanders by the Franco-British attack of July 31, 1917. Many men left

their formations either when going into line or under bombardment. The

division stayed but four days in line and had to be relieved without

having been able to counterattack. The 111th Division was composed of

young men, part of whom had experience in very active sectors.

1918.

BATTLE OF PICARDY.

1. The division was relieved by the 234th Division at Arleux about the

1st of March. It remained in rear of the front until March 21 when it

returned to its former sector to attack east of St. Leger. It had been

resting at Auberchicourt, which place it left on the 17th and marched

via Palluel to Villers lez Cagnicourt, arriving there on March 20.

Histories of two hundred and fifty-one divisions of the German army which participated in the war (1914-1918) · 第 63 / 78 段