1. The division rested in the vicinity of Vahl-Ebersing unti_Histories of two hundred and fifty-one divisions of the German army which participated in the war (1914-1918)

when it entrained at St. Avold and moved to Lille. It went into billets

near there on the 7th and came into line near Neuve Eglise on April 13.

BATTLE OF THE LYS.

2. It was engaged in the Bailleul, Kemmel, and La Clyette area until the

1st of May. After a few days in support, the division reentered west of

Dranoutre on May 4 and held that sector until mid-May.

3. The division rested near La Madeleine. Its units were very much

weakened. The 11th Reserve Regiment was disbanded about May 16 and

transferred its effectives to the other two regiments of the division.

It was replaced by the 11th Grenadier Regiment, which was brought from

the Macedonian front about May 21. The division remained at rest until

about June 3, when it was again reported in line near Voormezeele.

BATTLE OF THE SOMME.

4. The division held that sector without event until June 25, when it

was withdrawn and sent to rest near Ghent. On August 4 it was moved by

rail to Peronne, where it went into the Vrely-Hangest wood sector until

August 18. In the British attack south of the Somme on August 8 the

division lost about 2,700 prisoners.

On August 27 it reenforced the battle front at Maricourt for a couple of

days. It was withdrawn about September 1.

ARGONNE.

5. The division rested and was reconstituted in rear of the Argonne

front in early September. The 22d Reserve Regiment suffered so heavily

on the Somme that it was dissolved and its men divided between the other

two regiments. The 450th Regiment from the dissolved 233d Division

replaced the 22d Reserve Regiment in the division.

6. About September 12, the division relieved the 37th Division in line

near Avocourt. It was swamped in the first drive of the American Army on

September 26. Elements kept up the fight until September 29, when they

were withdrawn after having been pressed back to about Cierges. Its

defense was not particularly vigorous, but was better than that of the

divisions on either side. Its total losses were estimated at 3,200,

including 1,861 prisoners.

MEUSE.

7. On November 2 the division returned to line just west of the Meuse.

While resting at Juvigny the division received replacements. In the

retreat it crossed to the east bank of the Meuse and was in line on the

day of the armistice.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as second-class. Up to the middle of June the

division seems to have been a holding rather than an attacking one.

After the Somme battle in August its effectives were feeble and morale

low. It had many older men, returned wounded, and convalescents, and a

large number of Poles and Alsatians.

119th Division.

COMPOSITION.

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

│ 1915 │ 1916

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

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

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

Infantry. │237. │46. │237. │46.

│ │58. │ │58.

│ │46 Res. │ │46 Res.

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

Cavalry. │ │Wedel. Rgt. (1 and 3 Sqn. 1

│ │ Uhlan Rgt. and 4 Sqn. 1

│ │ Mounted Jag. Rgt.).

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

Artillery. │237 F. A. Rgt. (7 Btries.). │237 F. A. Rgt.

│ │

Engineers and│237 Pion. Co. │237 Pion. Co.

Liaisons. │ │

│ │119 T. M. Co.

│ │119 Pont. Engs.

│ │119 Tel. Detch.

│ │

Medical and │ │

Veterinary.│ │

│ │

Transport. │ │

Attached. │ │

│ │

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

│ 1917 │ 1918

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

Infantry. │237. │46. │237. │46.

│ │58. │ │58.

│ │46 Res. │ │46 Res.

Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 1 Mounted Jag. Rgt. │4 Sqn. 1 Jag. z. Pf.

│ │

Artillery. │119 Art. Command: │119 Artillery Command:

│ 237 F. A. Rgt. (9 Btries.). │ 237 Field Art. Rgt.

│ │ 2 Abt. 27 Foot Art. Rgt.

│ │ (Btries. 5 to 7).

│ │ 1274, 1275, and 1338 Light

│ │ Mun. Col.

Engineers and│119 Pion. Btn.: │119 Pion. Btn.:

Liaisons. │ │

│ 237 Pion. Co. │273 Pion. Co.

│ 273 Pion. Co. │91 Searchlight Section.

│ 3 Res. Co. 32 Pion. Btn. │119 Div. Signal Command.

│ 119 T. M. Co. │119 Tel. Detch.

│ 237 Searchlight Section. │65 Div. Wireless Detch.

│ 119 Tel. Detch. │

Medical and │119 Ambulance Co. │119 Ambulance Co.

Veterinary.│ │

│605 Ambulance Co. │382 and 383 Field Hospitals.

│381 Field Hospital. │168 Vet. Hospital.

│382 Field Hospital. │

│383 Field Hospital. │

│168 Vet. Hospital. │

Transport. │600 M. T. Col. │600 M. T. Col.

Attached. │16, 17, 60, and 61 (?) Light │

│ Machine Gun Sections. │

│79 M. G. S. S. Detch. │

│1 Co. 3 T. M. Btn. │

│352 Pion. Mining Co. │

│Kortemarck Pion. Park. │

│Strovendorp Pion. Park. │

│57 Ft. Art. Btn. │

│157 Ft. Art. Btn. │

│5 Btry. 7 Res. Ft. A. Rgt. │

│404 Ft. Art. Btn. │

│5 Btry. 39 Ldw. Ft. A. Rgt. │

│6 Btry. 29 Ldw. Ft. A. Rgt. │

│8 Quick-firing Mortar Co. │

│182 Ft. A. Btry. │

│187 Ft. A. Btry. │

│428 Ft. A. Btry. │

│478 and 642 Mountain Ft. Art.│

│ Btries. │

│2 and 4 Mountain Ft. Art. │

│ Btries. (18 C. Dist.) │

│1,000 Ft. Art. Btry. │

│9 Art. Survey Section. │

│819 Tel. Detch. │

│62 Div. Wireless Detch. │

│21 Pigeon Loft. │

│218 Messenger-dog Detch. │

│48 Reconnaissance Sqns. │

│26 Combat Sqn. │

│30 Balloon Sqn. │

│4 Co. 44 Labor Btn. │

│3 Co. 53 Labor Btn. │

│4 Co. 122 Labor Btn. │

│61 Supply Train. │

│19, 108, 121 Bav. and 835 M. │

│ T. Col. │

│491 Ammunition Train. │

│682, 711, and 758 Truck │

│ Trains. │

│587 Supply Train. │

│571 Depot Supply Col. │

│119 Supply Depot. │

│ (According to a captured │

│ document dated Sept. 29, │

│ 1917.) │

HISTORY.

(5th Corps District—Posen and Lower Silesia.)

1915.

GALICIA-POLAND.

1. Formed in April, 1915. Its three regiments were obtained from

divisions belonging to the 5th Army—the 46th from the 10th Division, the

58th from the 9th Division, and the 46th Reserve from the 10th Reserve

Division. Assembled in annexed Lorraine, it was sent to Galicia for the

April German offensive. The division took part in the battle of Gorlice

at the end of the month.

2. In July it was in Poland, west of the Wieprz, and at the end of

October in the region of Baranovitchi.

1916.

BARANOVITCHI.

1. In January, 1916, the division held a sector to the east of

Baranovitchi (Russia).

NAROTCH LAKE.

2. About March 28 it went to Narotch Lake and opposed the Russian

offensive.

3. Sorely tried on March 30, it was relieved on April 7.

SMORGONI.

4. In May it was found at the west of Smorgoni.

GALICIA.

5. It was transferred to Galicia at the end of June at the time of the

Russian offensive. Engaged on July 27, it suffered heavy losses. The 1st

Battalion of the 58th was almost entirely captured and the division

retired 15 km. (letter). On August 7 new losses at Tlumacz. The division

was placed in reserve behind Stanislau until the beginning of September.

On September 6 it reappeared on the front in the region of Halicz.

1917.

GALICIA.

1. The division stayed near Halicz until March 9, 1917. It was then sent

to the vicinity of Brzezany, where it was almost immediately put in

reserve.

2. At the beginning of May it was sent to the Western Front. (Itinerary:

Brzezany (May 3)-Lemberg-Breslau-Liegnitz-Dresden-Leipzig-Cassel-

Frankfort-Aix la Chapelle-Liége-Brussels-Roulers (May 8).)

FLANDERS.

3. Ypres sector; went into line at the beginning of June and was

relieved on July 18.

4. Bixschoote sector; went into line at the beginning of August. The

division met the attack in Flanders, in which it suffered serious losses

on August 16. The 9th Company of the 58th Infantry was reduced to 38 men

(notebook). On the 9th and 10th of October there were new engagements.

5. Relieved from the front on October 15 the division rested in the

vicinity of Gand.

CAMBRAI.

6. After a month’s rest the 119th Division went into line on the Cambrai

front to participate in the counterattacks which followed the surprise

attack of November 20. It fought here from the 23d to the 27th, not

without some losses.

7. Relieved after December 6, the division was reorganized in the

vicinity of Solesmes.

RECRUITING.

This division recruited from the 5th Corps District. A document dated

November 23, 1917, described the division as composed of “regiments of

Lower Silesia and Posen.” In order to overcome the majority of Poles,

the division received recruits from the 3d and 6th Corps Districts

(Brandenburg and Silesia), which were fruitful sources of recruiting.

Twenty-one per cent of the prisoners taken from the 119th Division in

August, 1917, belonged to the 1917 class. The 1918 class was meagerly

represented. The 46th Reserve Regiment had a large proportion of Poles.

The soldiers from Alsace-Lorraine remained on the Eastern Front when the

division left Galicia (May, 1917).

1918.

1. About the end of January the division was relieved near Pronville by

the 20th Division. It replaced the 3d Guard Division astride the

Bapaume-Cambrai road about February 12. The date of its relief in this

sector is not known. A captured diary shows that the division was

training in the Helesmes area (north of Denain) until the middle of

March. On the 16th it marched to Noyelles sur Selle, and on the

following day reached Cambrai, where it remained until March 20.

BATTLE OF PICARDY.

2. The division came into line near Inchy on the 21st and took part in

the initial attack. It was withdrawn on the 23d and rested two days. It

reappeared in line on the 25th and fought southeast of Hebuterne until

relieved by the 5th Bavarian Reserve Division on April 7–8. The division

lost heavily in this fighting.

BATTLE OF THE LYS.

3. Withdrawn from the Somme, the division reentered the Lys battle line

on April 26 near Locon. It was engaged there until early in May (6th),

when it was withdrawn near Hinges and rested in the area Lille-Tournai

until June 11. On that date it marched to Orchies, was railed to Le

Forest, and from there came into line via Noyelles, relieving the 12th

Reserve Division on the night of June 13–14. While at rest the division

received a number of drafts, mostly of the 1919 class.

4. The division held the Mericourt sector until the night of July 12–13,

when it was relieved by the 52d Division and took over the billets of

the 52d Division in the Orchies area.

5. The division rested until August 1, when it moved to Ham via Douai-

Cambrai-Caudry-Bohain-St. Quentin. Then it rested until August 8, when

it was alarmed and rushed up in busses to the Le Quesnel sector.

BATTLE OF THE SOMME.

6. On August 9 the division was engaged south of the Somme. In the

fighting it lost about 900 prisoners before its relief on August 17. On

August 27–28 it returned to line in the Misery-Licourt sector and

remained in line until September 24, when it was withdrawn from west of

Bellenglise. After a week’s rest the division reentered line at Estrees;

was engaged for 17 days in the Beaurevoir-Le Cateau area. Since August 8

it has lost nearly 3,000 prisoners.

YPRES.

7. The division rested at Ghent until October 27, when it relieved the

3d Landwehr Division south of Machelen. It retreated via Olsene to

Nazareth, in which area it was withdrawn about November 9.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as second class. It was used as an attack

division in the March and April offensives. While on the defensive in

August and September on the Somme it was decimated.

121st Division.

COMPOSITION.

│ 1915 │ 1916

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

Infantry. │241. │60. │241. │60.

│ │7 Res. │ │7 Res.

│ │56 Res. │ │56 Res.

Cavalry. │2 and 3 Sqns. 12 Horse Jag. │12 Horse Jag. Rgt. (? 2

│ Rgt. │ Sqns.).

│ │

Artillery. │241 F.A. Rgt. │241 F.A. Rgt.

│ │

Engineers and│241 Pion. Co. │241 Pion. Co.

Liaisons. │ │

│ │260 Pion. Co.

│ │4 Co. 27 Pions.

│ │121 T. M. Co.

│ │121 Pont. Engs.

│ │121 Tel. Detch.

│ │

Medical and │ │

Veterinary.│ │

│ │

Transport. │ │

Attached. │ │Labor Btn. of the 121 Div.

│ 1917 │ 1918

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

Infantry. │241. │60. │241. │60.

│ │7 Res. │ │7 Res.

│ │56 Res. │ │56 Res.

Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 12 Horse Jag. Rgt. │2 Sqn. 12 Jag. z. Pf.

│ (?). │

│2 Sqn. 12 Horse Jag. Schutz. │

│ Rgt. │

Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │121 Art. Command:

│ 241 F. A. Rgt. │ 241 F.A. Rgt.

│ │85 Foot Art. Btn.

│ │1217, 1219, and 1223 Light

│ │ Mun. Col.

Engineers and│(121 Pion. Btn.): │121 Pion. Btn.

Liaisons. │ │

│ 241 Pion. Co. │241 Pion. Co.

│ 260 Pion. Co. │260 Pion. Co.

│ 121 T. M. Co. │104 Searchlight Section.

│ 241 Searchlight Section. │121 Div. Signal Command.

│ 121 Tel. Detch. │121 Tel. Detch.

│ │59 Div. Wireless Detch.

Medical and │229 Ambulance Co. │229 Ambulance Co.

Veterinary.│ │

│384 Field Hospital. │384 and 385 Field Hospitals.

│385 Field Hospital. │206 Vet. Hospital.

│Vet. Hospital. │

Transport. │M. T. Col. │601 M. T. Col.

Attached. │ │

HISTORY.

(60th Regiment: 21st Corps District—Lower Alsace. 7th Reserve Regiment;

5th Corps District—Posen. 56 Reserve Regiment; 7th Corps

District—Westphalia.)

1915.

The 121st Division was formed in the Falkenhausen Army in Lorraine in

April, 1915. Its three regiments came from divisions which had been in

existence for some time. The 60th came from the 31st Division (21st

Corps), the 7th Reserve from the 9th Reserve Division (5th Reserve

Corps), and the 56th Reserve from the 13th Reserve Division (7th Reserve

Corps). These regiments were brought together in the region of St.

Avold-Faulquemont at the beginning of April and on the 9th reached

Thiaucourt, Euvezin, and the Mort Mare wood (notebooks).

HAYE.

1. The 121st Division next appeared in the Bois de Prêtre sector at the

beginning of May, 1915.

2. It stayed there until the end of February, 1916.

1916.

1. The division left the Bois de Prêtre on March 1, 1916, and rested in

the vicinity of Metz.

VERDUN.

2. On March 15 it came to the Verdun front (north of Vaux). On April 1

it attacked and took the village of Vaux; it again attacked on April 11

and made progress between Vaux and Douaumont, paying dearly for the

advance.

3. Relieved from the Verdun front on April 20, it was put at rest near

St. Avold until May 15. It had lost 58 per cent of its infantry strength

in front of Verdun. From March 18 to May 30 the 6th Company of the 7th

Reserve Regiment received no less than 192 replacements.

SOMME.

4. Transferred to Péronne by way of Sedan, Charleville, Hirson, and

Bohain, the 121st Division went into line on the left bank of the Somme

on May 18.

5. On July 1, while in this sector, it was surprised by the French

offensive and suffered heavy losses (numerous prisoners).

6. Relieved on July 4, it was put at rest and reorganized.

RUSSIA.

7. On July 18 it entrained for the Eastern Front. (Itinerary: Aix la

Chapelle-Cologne-Thorn, Warsaw, and Brest-Litowsk.)

KOVEL.

8. Taking over the Kovel sector on July 26, it launched counterattacks,

in which it was sorely tried.

1917.

NAROTCH LAKE.

1. At the beginning of January, 1917, the 121st Division left the Kovel

sector to go into the region of Narotch Lake and stayed in the latter

place until May 17.

FRANCE.

2. On May 20 it entrained for France. (Itinerary: Vilna-Insterberg-

Allenstein-Bromberg-Landsberg-Berlin-Stendal-Minden-Duesseldorf-Aix la

Chapelle-Verviere-Liége-Brussels-Audenarde.) It detrained at Elsegem on

May 25.

CAMBRÉSIS.

3. Transferred to Cambrai on June 10, it took over the Moruvres-

Avrincourt sector, which it occupied from June 12 to the beginning of

August.

FLANDERS.

4. It was thereafter brought to the Ypres front to the south of the

railway running from Ypres to Roulers (Aug. 19). Artillery fire caused

it to lose heavily; the British attack of September 20, of which it bore

the brunt, increased its losses. Before the battle of the 20th the 12th

Company of the 56th Reserve Regiment was reduced to 65 men, of whom 40

were men of the class of 1918. The 9th Company was entirely destroyed or

captured.

5. Relieved in the night of the 21st of September the division was sent

to rest (region of Mars la Tour) and reorganized (more than 2,000 men

coming from the 605th and 614th Landstrum, Batallion X 12, and the 109th

Landwehr). These replacements were very heterogeneous—soldiers from

Westphalia, Hanover, Baden, Magdeberg (men previously wounded and

convalescents).

COTES DE MEUSE.

6. At the beginning of October the 121st Division took over a sector

near Cotes de Meuse (les Éparges, Ravin de Malochis). It stayed there

until about April 10, 1918.

RECRUITING.

The name “7th Brandenberger” for the 60th Infantry was only of historic

interest. The regiment recruited almost entirely in Westphalia. The 56th

Reserve Regiment was also recruited in Westphalia, and there were

numerous soldiers from there in the 7th Reserve Regiment to

counterbalance the numerous Poles in the 5th Corps District; hence the

make-up of the division was for the most part Westphalian.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 121st Division fought very well in its last battle in Flanders

(September, 1917) and was put to a good test.

In March, 1918, the number of men in the ranks who had taken part in

these attacks was about 35 or 40 per cent, and the replacements used

after the battle of Flanders were generally of inferior military value.

1918.

1. The division was relieved on the Woevre about April 11. It entrained

on April 24 at Conflans and traveled via Sedan-Charleville-Hirson-

Valenciennes to Pont a Marcq, where it detrained on April 26, after a

journey of about 20 hours. It came into line in the Dranoutre sector on

May 2 in relief of the 10th Erzsatz Division.

LOCRE.

2. It held the Locre sector until May 21, when it was relieved by the

16th Bavarian Division. On June 19 it returned to its former sector at

Dranoutre and held it until July 7.

3. The division rested in the Tourcoing area until July 31, when it

entrained and traveled via Courtrai-Valenciennes-St. Quentin to Laon,

where it detrained on the following day. Here it rested until 5 p. m. on

August 8, when it was alarmed and marched to the La Fere area (19

miles), arriving on the next day about 11 a. m. On the same day at 8 p.

m. the division was again alarmed and was moved in motor busses via

Chauny-Noyon-Roye to the Damery area, where it arrived on the 10th of

August about 10 a. m. and was immediately engaged.

BATTLE OF THE SOMME.

4. The division fell back by Parvillers-Damery-Fresnoy-Cremery-Sept

Fours-Nesle to the east bank of the Somme Canal. It was relieved on the

night of September 1–2 by the 25th Reserve Division. The division lost

800 prisoners in this fighting.

5. It rested in early September in the Maretz area (southeast of

Cambrai). On September 18 it was hurried to the line and counterattacked

at Bonyon that evening. Until October 1 it was engaged at Hargicourt,

Villeret, and Le Catelet. After only four days of rest the division

again came into line on October 5 in the Gouy area. It was withdrawn to

be reorganized on October 9.

6. After resting near Maubeuge the division returned to line west of

Catillon on the night of October 18–19. It fought for about seven days

between that place and Ors. On November 6 it was engaged at Maroilles

and was in line near Limont-Fontaine on the day of the armistice.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. It was an average division. In

the final campaign it showed no particular power of resistance and lost

abnormally in prisoners.

123d Division.

COMPOSITION.

│ 1915 │ 1916

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

Infantry. │245. │178. │245. │178.

│ │182. │ │182.

│ │106 Res. │ │106 Res.

Cavalry. │ │5 Sqn. 20 Hus. Rgt.

Artillery. │245 F. A. Rgt. │245 F. A. Rgt.

│246 F. A. Rgt. │246 F. A. Rgt.

│ │

Engineers and│245 Pion. Co. │245 Pion. Co.

Liaisons. │ │

│ │264 Pion. Co.

│ │1 Co. 2 Bav. Pions.

│ │123 T. M. Co.

│ │123 Pont. Engs.

│ │123 Tel. Detch.

│ │

Medical and │ │

Veterinary.│ │

│ │

Transports. │ │

Attached. │ │96 Antiaircraft Section.

Histories of two hundred and fifty-one divisions of the German army which participated in the war (1914-1918) · 第 65 / 78 段

1. The division rested in the vicinity of Vahl-Ebersing until April 6,