─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬────────────────_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. │245. │178. │245. │178.

│ │106 Res. │ │106 Res.

│ │351. │ │351.

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

Cavalry. │4 and 5 Sqn. 20 Hus. Rgt. │5 Sqn. 20 Hus. Rgt.

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

Artillery. │123 Art. Command: │123 Art. Command:

│ 245 F. A. Rgt. │ 245 Field Hospital.

│ │ 137 Ft. A. Btn.

│ │ 816 Light Am. Col.

│ │ 1148 Light Am. Col.

│ │ 1149 Light Am. Col.

Engineers and│(123) Pion. Btn.: │123 Pion. Btn.:

Liaisons. │ │

│ 245 Pion. Co. │ 245 (Saxon) Pion. Co.

│ 264 Pion. Co. │ 264 (Saxon) Pion. Co.

│ 123 T. M. Co. │ 123 T. M. Co.

│ 245 Searchlight Section. │ 128 Searchlight Section.

│ 124 Tel. Detch. │123 Signal Command:

│ │ 123 Tel. Detch.

│ │ 168 Wireless Detch.

Medical and │123 Ambulance Co. │123 Ambulance Co.

Veterinary.│ │

│387 Field Hospital. │386 Field Hospital.

│Vet. Hospital. │387 Field Hospital.

│ │236 Vet. Hospital.

Transports. │M. T. Col. │

Attached. │ │

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

HISTORY.

(178th and 351st Regiments: 12th Corps District—Saxony. 106th Reserve

Regiment: 19th Corps District—Saxony.)

1915.

The division was formed in April, 1915, by taking three regiments

(178th, 182d, and 106th Reserve) from established divisions of the 12th

Corps the 12th Reserve Corps (Saxons). In October, 1916, the 182d

Regiment was transferred to the 216th Division and was replaced by the

425th Infantry, which was also transferred from this division in March,

1917, and replaced by the 351st Regiment (Saxon).

CHAMPAGNE.

1. In May, 1915, the 123d Division occupied the region northwest of

Rheims.

2. At the end of May it was transported to Lille, where it seems to have

been transferred as a reserve; in the middle of June it was in the

vicinity of Arras.

ARTOIS.

3. It next occupied different sectors in Artois.

4. In September it held the Souchez front. On October 8 it took part in

the attack on Loos and left Artois in the middle of that month.

FLANDERS.

5. After a rest at Lille the division went to Flanders (November), where

it held a sector south of the canal from Ypres to Comines.

1916.

FLANDERS.

1. In the middle of March, 1916, the 123d Division was put at rest near

Bruges.

2. It was temporarily in line about April 9 at St. Éloi; then remained

as a reserve to the armies in the vicinity of Menin and Courtrai until

July 5.

SOMME.

3. At this date it was transferred to the Somme and fought near

Hardecourt and Maurepas until July 22, losing more than 6,000 men.

RUSSIA.

4. At the beginning of August, 1916, the 123d Division left the Western

Front for the Russian front.

NAROTCH LAKE.

5. It went into line in the region of Narotch Lake about September.

1917.

NAROTCH LAKE-MITAU.

1. At the end of January, 1917, the 106th Reserve Regiment was detached

as a reenforcement in the Mitau sector, which was menaced by a Russian

attack.

In March the 425th Infantry (Prussian) was exchanged for the 351st

Infantry, which had been grouped under this number since 1915, and was

originally three battalions of the Saxon replacement depot of the old

war garrison of Breslau.

SMORGONI.

2. In the middle of August the division, which up to that time had held

the Narotch Lake sector, was engaged between Smorgoni and Krevo.

3. It again returned to the Narotch Lake vicinity in November.

FRANCE.

4. About November 8 it was transferred to France. (Itinerary: Chavli-

Varsovie-Lodz-Kalich-Cottbus-Cassel-Frankfort on the Main-Sarrebrueck-

Metz). It detrained at Piennes, Baroncourt, and was billeted in that

district for eight days.

MEUSE.

5. About November 22 it took over a sector on the Verdun front (south of

Bezonvaux). It stayed there all winter. It was identified to the

southeast of Damloup in February, 1918.

RECRUITING.

Since March, 1917, there have been but Saxons in the 123d Division.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 123d Division had but a mediocre combat value by reason of its long

stay in calm sectors on the Russian front.

In Russia it fraternized on two occasions, the second one at the time of

its last stay on the Russian front.

The losses of the division on the Russian front were almost nothing and

it suffered no losses on the Verdun front until February, 1918.

1918.

VERDUN.

1. The division continued to hold the uneventful Bezonvaux sector until

June 3, when it was relieved by the 7th Reserve Division.

RHEIMS.

2. On the night of June 18–19 it relieved the 232d Division north of the

Bligny (southwest of Rheims). It participated in the attack of July 15

and made a slight advance. On the 20th it was relieved.

3. The division marched by Savigny-Trigny-Bourgogne-Houdicourt. It was

railed to Asfeld and rested at Sery. On the 27th it marched to Novion-

Porcien and was railed to Montmedy. From there it marched to Grand

Failly, where it camped until the 31st.

VERDUN.

4. On August 8 the division relieved the 6th Bavarian Division near

Samogneux and rested in that sector until September 3.

ST. MIHIEL.

5. After it rested in the St. Mihiel sector until September 12, it was

put into line at Thiaucourt to check the American offensive. It remained

there until the night of October 7–8, when it was withdrawn.

6. The division was moved by autotrucks to Dun via Spincourt-Billy-

Damvillers-Haraumont-Fontaines, arriving there on the night of October

9–10. It marched into line near Cunel on October 11.

MEUSE-ARGONNE.

7. The division was engaged in almost continuous fighting without any

major attack, until it was withdrawn on October 25. While it did not win

special merit for its defense, it fought persistently and was quick to

take every advantage of the terrain. The division lost 238 prisoners and

2,200 other casualties (estimated). The division was considered in

reserve of the 5th Army at the time of the armistice.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. Its conduct in the July offensive

was mediocre and in the Argonne it did nothing to distinguish itself.

183d Division.

COMPOSITION.

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

│ 1915 │ 1916

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

Infantry. │183. │183. │183. │183.

│ │184. │ │184.

│ │122 Res. │ │122 Res.

Cavalry. │ │

Artillery. │183 F. A. Abt. (3 Btries.). │183 F. A. Abt.

│ │

Engineers and│183 (Saxon) Pion. Co. │183 (Saxon) Pion. Co.

Liaisons. │ │

│ │401 T. M. Co.

│ │

Medical and │ │

Veterinary.│ │

│ │

Transport. │ │

│ 1917 │ 1918[30]

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

Infantry. │33 Res. │184. │33 Res. │184.

│ │418. │ │418. (Saxon).

│ │440 Res. │ │440 Res.

Cavalry. │4 Sqn. 10 Hus. Rgt. │4 Sqn. 10 Hus. Rgt.

Artillery. │183 Art. Command: │183 Art. Command:

│ 183 F. A. Rgt. (9 Btries.). │ 183 (Saxon) F. A. Rgt.

Engineers and│183 Pion. Btn.: │183 Pion. Btn.:

Liaisons. │ │

│ 2 Res. Co. 16 Pions. │ 2 Res. Co. 2 Pion. Btn. No.

│ │ 16.

│ 1 Res. Co. 20 Pions. │ 1 Res. Co. 20 Pions.

│ 183 (Saxon) Pion. Co. │ 183 (Saxon) Pion. Co.

│ 401 T. M. Co. │ 401 T. M. Co.

│ 183 Searchlight Section. │ 183 (Saxon) Tel. Detch.

│ 183 (Saxon) Tel. Detch. │

Medical and │575 Ambulance Co. │575 Ambulance Co.

Veterinary.│ │

│42 Field Hospital. │42 Field Hospital.

│344 Field Hospital. │344 Field Hospital.

│228 Vet. Hospital. │228 Vet. Hospital.

Transport. │603 M. T. Col. │603 M. T. Col.

Footnote 30:

Composition at the time of dissolution October, 1918.

HISTORY.

(184th Regiment: 4th Corps District—Prussian Saxony. 418th Regiment:

18th Corps District—Grand Duchy of Hesse. 440th Reserve Regiment: 10th

Corps District—Hanover and Grand Duchy of Oldenberg.)

1915.

The 183d Division (known as the 183d Brigade until June, 1916) was

created at Cambrai in May, 1915. It comprised at that time the 183d

Infantry (Saxon) and the 184th Infantry (Prussian), to which there was

added in July, 1915, the 122d Reserve Regiment (Wurttemberg), three

newly formed regiments, the 184th being organized out of companies taken

from various regiments of the 7th and 8th Divisions. In November, 1916,

the 183d Division was modified. Two of its original regiments (the 183d

and the 122d Reserve) were respectively replaced by the newly formed

418th and 440th Reserve—the 418th Regiment being formed from companies

of the 111th Division, the Ersatz Division of the Guard, the 8th, Ersatz

Division, and the 10th Ersatz Division, and the 440th Reserve Regiment

being organized out of various elements, including the 3d Battalion of

the 79th Reserve Regiment and the 4th Battalion of the 75th Landwehr.

AISNE.

1. In June, 1915, the 183d Brigade occupied the Missy sur Aisne sector

(east of Soissons).

2. At the end of June it was engaged at Quennevieres.

LORRAINE.

3. Transferred to Lorraine (end of July), it stayed there until the end

of September (region of Benestroff).

CHAMPAGNE.

4. It was brought to the Champagne front (between Prunay and Souain)

about September 23 and opposed the French offensive (September-October).

The 184th Infantry was nearly wiped out on September 25, the 183d losing

a very large number of prisoners.

5. Relieved from the front in November, the brigade was put at rest in

the vicinity of Charleroi.

1916.

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

Machault.

CHAMPAGNE.

2. From February to May it was on the Champagne front near the Souain-

Somme Py road.

3. June; at rest (region of Tournai). At the end of June the 183d

Brigade became the 183d Division by changing the 183d Field Artillery

Detatchment into a regiment.

SOMME.

4. On July 2 it was brought to the north of the Somme and engaged in the

vicinity of Pozières-Contalmaison until July 24. It suffered very heavy

losses here—from the 10th to the 15th the 184th Infantry lost about

2,000 men.

5. About July 25 it was withdrawn from the front and reorganized. (It

received 2,000 replacements, mostly men from the 1916 and 1917 classes.)

ARTOIS.

6. From the end of July to September 21: Neuville-St. Vaast sector

(north of Arras).

SOMME.

7. From the beginning of October to the 21st it went into its second

engagement on the Somme (Belloy-Deniécourt sector) and was again sorely

tried.

CÔTES DE MEUSE.

8. November 15 to February, 1917, Côtes de Meuse (Lamorville-Spada

sector.) In November the 183d Division was reorganized and became

entirely Prussian (present composition)

1917.

1. From the middle of February to the beginning of April, 1917, it was

at rest in the region of Conflans, then in the vicinity of Anizy le

Château.

CHEMIN DES DAMES.

2. At the beginning of April the 183d Division came to strengthen the

Chavonne-Soupir-Braye en Laonnois sector. While opposing the French

attack of April 16 it suffered very heavy losses (2,100 prisoners), and

while fighting fell back to the Chemin des Dames (April 18–21). As a

result of the losses on the 16th the companies of the 184th Regiment

were reduced to 25 to 30 men.

3. The division was relieved on April 21. In May the 184th Regiment

received 1,500 replacements from the 4th Corps District, half of which

belong to the class of 1918.

ALSACE.

4. From May 11 to June 24 it held the Aspach-Rhone to Rhine Canal

sector.

5. From the end of June to July 31 it was at rest, successively to the

south of Colmar (15 days), near Friberg, and to the south of Longuyon

(Pierrepont).

6. It entrained at Longuyon for Belgium (July 31) and detrained at

Roulers the 1st and 2d of August.

FLANDERS.

7. On August 15 the division was engaged near St. Julien (southwest of

Poelcappelle) until August 20.

CAMBRAI.

8. After a short rest in the region of Cambrai it took over the

Vendhuile-Hargicourt sector, to the west of Catelet, on September 9. On

November 20 part of the 440th Reserve Regiment was sent as a

reenforcement to the south of Cambrai (Masnières); later the entire 183d

Division was transferred to the northeast of Vendhuile to cover the

flank of the German attack executed on November 30.

RECRUITING.

The 183d was more homogeneous than it seemed at first glance. The

recruits of the 9th and 10th Corps District were often mixed and the

418th and 440th Regiments have many men from the same Provinces. Also

the 184th received in the main men from that portion of the 4th Corps

District which adjoined the 10th Corps District (Harz section).

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

During the French attack of April 16, 1917, the division as a whole

showed up well. The 418th and the 440th Reserve gave proof of vigor and

courage and only gave way under continual pressure of the opposing

troops.

It seemed that the German Command wished to reward the division for this

resistance by giving Gen. von Schuessler, commanding the 183d Division,

the Ordre pour le Mérite.

The 183d Division was sorely tried in the course of these attacks and

had to be entirely reorganized.

1918.

BATTLE OF PICARDY.

1. The division held the Vendhulle sector until February 2, when it was

relieved by the 79th Reserve Division. It returned to this part of the

line on February 25, relieving the 79th Reserve Division. It took part

in the attack of March 21, advancing by Epehy (21st), Manancourt (23d),

to Bazentin (25th). It retired to rest at Contalmaison.

ALBERT.

2. The division received drafts in early April. On the 16th it came into

line north of Albert and held there for four weeks. On the 13th of May

it was relieved by the 243d Division.

3. On the 19th the division was engaged at Ville sur Ancre, but after

four days in line it was relieved and sent to a quiet sector.

WOEVRE.

4. On June 22 the division took over the Regnieville sector, which it

held until July 14 without event. It was relieved by the 77th Reserve

Division on that date.

5. It entrained at Thiaucourt on July 16 and traveled via Montmedy-

Sedan-Charleville-Charleroi-Mons-Valenciennes and detrained near Cambrai

on the night of July 17–18. From there it marched to Ypres, rested there

for six days, and on the 25th relieved the 26th Reserve Division in the

Hebuterne sector.

BATTLE OF THE SOMME.

6. The division was struck by the British offensive in August, and

before it was withdrawn near Irles on August 24 it had suffered heavy

casualties, including the loss of 1,400 prisoners.

7. It marched to Cambrai, where it remained three days. On the 28th it

was marched to Douai and entrained for Lille, from where it marched to

Templemars. On the night of September 3–4 it relieved the 18th Reserve

Division north of the La Bassee Canal.

8. The division was engaged in the La Bassee sector until September 10.

Immediately after it was withdrawn from line the division was dissolved.

The 440th Reserve Regiment was sent as a draft to the 11th Division. The

other two regiments of the division were also disbanded and used as

drafts.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

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

division in the March offensive but thereafter deteriorated. It was next

seriously employed on the Somme in August, where its tremendous losses

robbed it of further utility.

185th Division.

COMPOSITION.

│ 1915 │ 1916

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

Infantry. │185. │185. │185. │185.

│ │186. │ │186.

│ │190. │ │190.

Cavalry. │ │

│ │

Artillery. │185 F. A. Abt. (3 Btries.). │185 F. A. Abt.

│ │

Engineers and│185 Pion. Co. │185 Pion. Co.

Liaisons. │ │

│ │186 Pion. Co. (dissolved in

│ │ Aug.).

│ │190 T. M. Co.

│ │

Medical and │ │

Veterinary.│ │

│ │

Transport. │ │

│ 1917 │ 1918

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

Infantry. │229. │65. │29. │65.

│ │161. │ │161.

│ │28. │ │28 Res.

Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 5 Mounted Jag. Rgt. │3 Sqn. 5 Mounted Jag. Rgt.

│ (?) │

Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │185 F. A. Rgt.

│ 185 F. A. Rgt. (9. Btries.).│2 Abt. 16 Res. Ft. A. Rgt.

│ │838 Light Am. Col.

│ │1281 Light Am. Col.

│ │1348 Light Am. Col.

Engineers and│(185) Pion. Btn. │185 Pion. Btn.:

Liaisons. │ │

│10 Co. 28 Pions. │ 10 Co. 28 Pions.

│ │

│185 Pion. Co. │ 185 Pion. Co.

│402 T. M. Co. │ 89 Searchlight Section.

│185 Searchlight Section. │185 Signal Command:

│185 Tel. Detch. │ 185 Tel. Detch.

│ │ 134 Res. Wireless Detch.

Medical and │576 Ambulance Co. │576 Ambulance Co.

Veterinary.│ │

│7 Field Hospital. │65 Field Hospital.

│65 Field Hospital. │267 Field Hospital.

│267 Field Hospital. │385 Vet. Hospital.

│Vet. Hospital. │

Transport. │M. T. Col. │

HISTORY.

(65th and 161st Regiments: 8th Corps District—Rhenish Province. 28th

Reserve Regiment: 8th Corps District—Rhenish Province.)

1915.

The division was created in May, 1915. Merely a brigade (the 185th) at

the outset, it was composed of the 185th Infantry (from various Baden

regiments), of the 186th Regiment (Hessian elements), and of the 190th

Regiment (Westphalian elements). Later the 185th Brigade underwent

changes which entirely changed its original composition.

HÉBUTERNE.

1. In June, 1915, the 185th and 186th Infantry Regiments were engaged in

the vicinity of Hébuterne.

2. The three regiments of the 185th Brigade entrained at Douai at the

end of July and were transferred to Alsace.

ALSACE.

3. At first it was in reserve in the region of Mulhouse; later it was

put in line between Altkirch and the Swiss frontier, where it stayed

until the end of September.

CHAMPAGNE.

4. At the beginning of October it was in Champagne holding the sector

west of the Souain-Somme Py road.

1916.

1. The 185th Brigade stayed on the Champagne front (Tahure) until the

middle of June, 1916.

SOMME.

2. At the beginning of July it opposed the Franco-British offensive in

the Somme at the northeast of Fricourt, near Thiepval, Contalmaison, and

Bazentin (beginning of July to the 18th). It suffered serious losses.

3. At the end of July it rested at St. Quentin, Vermand and Cateau. At

this time the 185th Brigade became the 185th Division by the

transformation of its field artillery detachment into a regiment.

OISE-AISNE.

4. In August it held a sector to the west of Soissons (from the Oise to

Chevillecourt). The 185th Division was reorganized by the transfer of

its three infantry regiments which were replaced by the 65th and the

161st Infantry from the 15th Division and by the 28th Reserve Regiment

from the 16th Reserve Division—both Rhenish divisions.

SOMME.

5. The 185th, thus reorganized, was brought back to the Somme about

September 7. It was engaged near Ginchy and Combles until the middle of

October.

6. After a short stay north of Soissons (end of October to the beginning

of November) it came back for a third time in the Somme district

(Saillisel, night of Nov. 10–11). Here it was again put to a test.

7. It left the Somme on December 9 and rested in Belgium (Alost).

1917.

1. At the beginning of January elements of the division were in line to

the south of Grenier wood (region of Lille).

FLANDERS.

2. The division occupied a sector north of Ypres (Wieltje) from the

beginning of February to April 15.

ARTOIS.

3. About April 20 it was engaged in front of Arras (to the north of the

Scarpe until the beginning of May). Losses sustained obliged it to have

recourse to a distant source for replacements: the Ersatz Truppe of

Warsaw (class of 1918 and men put back of the 1917 class), which

reenforcements arrived at top speed on May 5.

LA BASSÉE.

4. The division held the La Basée sector (Hulluch-Vermelles) from the

end of May to September 21.

5. In October it was at rest for three weeks in the vicinity of Carvin.

FLANDERS-CAMBRAI.

6. Transferred to Belgium (Oct. 28) it took over a sector to the west of

Houthulst Forest (Nov. 6–7). In December it was on the Cambrai front

(until about Jan. 10, 1918).

RECRUITING.

Since August, 1916, the division had been entirely composed of regiments

coming from the Rhine Province (8th Corps District) and as such is

entirely homogeneous.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 185th Division gave good account of itself in all the battles in

which it took part.

1918.

1. The 185th Division was withdrawn from the Cambrai front near

Gonnelieu, being relieved by the 9th Reserve Division during the night

of January 11–12. It went to the Solesmes area, where it was trained

with a view of being used in offensive operations.

ARRAS.

2. About the middle of February it relieved the 24th Division near

Monchy le Preux (southeast of Arras). On the 28th of March it attacked

with all three regiments, and suffered heavy losses from enfilade

machine-gun fire; officer casualties for the division amounted to 90. It

was withdrawn about the 27th of April.

3. It relieved the 26th Reserve Division near Mercatel (southeast of

Arras) between the 13th and 16th of May. It was relieved by the 39th

Division during the night of August 2–3.

SOMME.

4. On the 18th it reenforced the front near Herleville (south of Bray).

It was withdrawn on September 5.

5. On the 18th it reenforced the front near Villeret (northwest of St.

Quentin), and was withdrawn on the 1st of October. During these last two

engagements the division lost heavily, more than 2,050 in prisoners

alone.

6. A week later it reenforced the front near Ligny en Cambresis (west of

Le Cateau). It was withdrawn on the 25th.

7. After a fortnight’s rest it relieved the 6th Division southwest of

Mons on the 8th of November.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

Histories of two hundred and fifty-one divisions of the German army which participated in the war (1914-1918) · 第 66 / 78 段