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

│ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918

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

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

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

Infantry. │1 Res. │41. │1 Res. │41. │1 Res. │41.

│ Ers. │ │ Ers. │ │ Ers. │

│ │60 Res. │ │60 Res. │ │60 Res.

│ │1 Res. │ │1 Res. │ │45.

│ │ Ers. │ │ Ers. │ │

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

Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 2 Res. Uhlan│1 Sqn. 2 Res. Uhlan│5 Sqn. 8 Uhlan Rgt.

│ Rgt. │ Rgt. │

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

Artillery. │273 F. A. Rgt. │Art. Command: │221 Art. Command:

│ │ 273 F. A. Rgt. │ 273 F. A. Rgt.

│ │ │ 40 Ft. A. Btn.

│ │ │ (Staff, and 1, 2,

│ │ │ and 3 Btries.).

│ │ │ 126 Light Am. Col.

│ │ │ 1276 Light Am.

│ │ │ Col.

│ │ │ 1345 Light Am.

│ │ │ Col.

Engineers and│ │(221) Pion. Btn.: │(221) Pion. Btn.:

Liaisons. │ │ │

│ │ 2 Res. Co. 21 │ 1 Res. Co. 25

│ │ Pions. │ Pions.

│ │ 1 Res. Co. 25 │ 2 Res. Co. 21

│ │ Pions. │ Pions.

│ │ 431 T. M. Co. │ 431 T. M. Co.

│ │ 221 Tel. Detch. │ 200 Searchlight

│ │ │ Section.

│ │ │221 Signal Command:

│ │ │ 221 Tel. Detch.

│ │ │ 71 Wireless Detch.

Medical and │ │223 Ambulance Co. │223 Ambulance Co.

Veterinary.│ │ │

│ │161 Field Hospital.│161 Field Hospital.

│ │Vet. Hospital. │163 Field Hospital.

│ │ │321 Vet. Hospital.

Transport. │ │M. T. Col. │631 M. T. Col.

Attached. │ │ │7 Art. Observation

│ │ │ Section.

│ │ │82 Carrier Pigeon

│ │ │ Loft.

│ │ │21 M. G. S. S.

│ │ │ Detch.

│ │ │1 Btry. 39 Ft. A.

│ │ │ Rgt.

│ │ │2 Btry. 39 Ft. A.

│ │ │ Rgt.

│ │ │119 Balloon Sqn.

│ │ │238 Reconnaissance

│ │ │ Flight.

│ │ │ Elements attached

│ │ │ Sept. 29, 1918.

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

HISTORY.

(41st Infantry Regiment: 1st Corps District—East Prussia. 60th Reserve

Infantry Regiment: 21st Corps District—Lorraine, 1st Reserve Ersatz

Regiment: Guard Depots.)

1916.

The 221st Division was formed in the Ardennes (vicinity of Mouzon) in

October, 1916, by taking the 41st Infantry Regiment from the 1st

Division, the 60th Reserve Infantry Regiment (21st Corps District) from

the 1st Bavarian Landwehr Division, and the 1st Reserve Ersatz Regiment

(Guard Depots) from the 1st Reserve Ersatz Brigade.

SOMME.

1. A short time after its formation the 221st Division was transferred

south of the Somme. On October 21–23 it went into line east of Berny; it

remained there during the entire winter of 1916–17 and launched only a

few local attacks.

1917.

HINDENBURG LINE.

1. At the end of March, 1917, the division withdrew with the German Army

to the new positions on the Hindenburg Line, northwest of St. Quentin.

ARTOIS.

2. Relieved about April 8, it rested for 10 days near Tournai, and on

April 27 went into line in the sector of Guémappe-Monchy le Preux

(southeast of Arras). It was seriously engaged against the British

offensive until May 8–9.

3. About May 28 it returned to the Hindenburg Line between Moeuvres and

Havrincourt.

FLANDERS.

4. On July 12 it left this sector for Flanders, where it was sent into

reserve near Winckel-St. Eloi. It did not take part as a whole in the

British attack of July 31. On August 1 the entire division was engaged

in the sector of Zonnebeke, where it launched a violent counterattack,

in the course of which it lost heavily.

5. The 221st Division was relieved from the Ypres front during the night

of August 3–4, but left some units in line until the 10th. Transferred

to Champagne, it went into line east of Auberive on August 17, without

having had any rest. It there filled up its effectives (with

replacements comprising a large proportion of the 1918 class). Its

activity was not manifested there except by a few raids.

CAMBRAI.

6. On November 7 the division left the Champagne front, was transferred

to Belgium, and remained at rest at Deynze until November 23. On this

date it was taken by railroad to the Cambrai front, attacked by the

British troops. Sent into line between Bourlon and Fontaine-Notre Dame

on the 27th, it took part in the German counterattack. Relieved on

December 7, it rested for a month in the vicinity of Douai.

RECRUITING.

The division was very mixed. The 1st Reserve Ersatz Regiment,

originating in the Guard depots, was recruited from the entire Province

of Prussia; the 41st Infantry Regiment (from East Prussia) was one of

the regiments of the Prussian Army which had received the most

replacements because of losses; the 60th Reserve Infantry Regiment

comprised a majority of Westphalians and men from the Rhine Province,

but also a large number from other corps districts.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 221st Division always gave a good account of itself in the battles

in which it took part. The 1st Reserve Ersatz Regiment, especially, in

the course of the attacks of November, 1916, showed great tenacity on

the defensive and great vigor on the offensive.

The morale of the 221st Division was good in November, 1917. The general

commanding the division and the major commanding the 41st Infantry

Regiment both received the order “Pour le Merite.”

1918.

BATTLE OF PICARDY.

1. The division continued to hold the sector near the Arras-Cambrai road

until shortly before the March offensive. It was withdrawn, given a

short rest, and attacked on the 21st at Queant. In two days it advanced

as far as Ervillers (north of Bapaume). From the 25th of March to April

16 it rested in close support.

2. On April 16 the division was engaged the second time in the battle.

It entered south of Arras in the Boyelles sector and remained there

until May 25, when it was relieved by the 5th Bavarian Division.

3. The division rested and trained for almost two months in the locality

east of Douai (Bruille, Somain, Aniches). The 45th Regiment, coming from

the Macedonian front, replaced the 1st Reserve Ersatz Regiment, which

was dissolved. Toward the end of July the division marched by stages to

Noyon. It was held in reserve west of that place from July 30-August 8.

BATTLE OF THE SANTERRE AND SECOND BATTLE OF PICARDY.

4. On August 9 the division was engaged at Arvillers-Hangest. In two

days it was thrown back on Andechy, west of Roye. It was re-formed to

the north and then to the southwest of Nesle (Aug. 11–17). It was

reengaged on the 18th, and between that and the 27th fought north and

south of the Avre near Roye (St. Mard-Sancourt). Again it was pushed

back on the Canal du Nord at Buverchy-Libermont (Aug. 26–27). Its

retreat continued toward Ham (Sept. 3–4) and St. Quentin (5th–8th).

After that the division was in line near Fontaine les Cleres and Dallon

until September 28. About 1,000 prisoners were taken from the division

in this last sector.

5. The division was reengaged almost immediately south of Joncourt,

Levergies, and Sequehart (Sept. 30). By October 10 it had reached

Fresnoy le Grand. It was withdrawn on the 10th and rested a week near

Bergues sur Sambre.

6. On the 18th it was engaged in the sector of the forest d’Antigny

(near Wassigny). It retreated across the Sambre Canal on the 19th and

passed into reserve. On the 24th it was reengaged near the Serre River

(west of La Ferte Chevresis). In the final retreat it fell back through

La Herie la Vieville, Laigny, and east of Vervins. It was in line on

November 11.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

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

division in the March offensive and as a counterattack division in the

last three months of the war. It was noted for its energetic higher

command. When called in to oppose the French attack near Roye in August,

the division had a rifle strength of 4,000. By the end of October this

had been reduced to about 1,000. The 45th Regiment was reduced to four

small companies by October 24. The 41st and 60th Reserve Regiments had

but three companies to a battalion.

The division fought very well in spite of its losses and fatigue in the

final months.

222d Division.

COMPOSITION.

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

│ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918[35]

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

Infantry. │7. │193. │7. │193. │7. │193.

│ │81 Res. │ │81 Res. │ │397.

│ │397. │ │397. │ │81 Res.

Cavalry. │ │3 Sqn. 2 Res. Uhlan│

│ │ Rgt. │

Artillery. │278 F. A. Rgt. │Art. Command: │222 (?) Art.

│ │ │ Command:

│ │ 278 F. A. Rgt. │ 278 F. A. Rgt.

Engineers and│2 Res. Co. 27 │Pion. Btn.: │2 Res. Co. 2 Pion.

Liaisons. │ Pions. │ │ Btn. No. 27.

│ │ 2 Res. Co. 27 │345 Pion. Co.

│ │ Pions. │

│ │ 345 Pion. Co. │432 T. M. Co.

│ │ 432 T. M. Co. │222 Tel. Detch.

│ │ 222 Tel. Detch. │

Medical and │ │231 Ambulance Co. │231 Ambulance Co.

Veterinary.│ │ │

│ │162 Field Hospital.│162 Field Hospital.

│ │175 Field Hospital.│175 Field Hospital.

│ │322 Vet. Hospital. │322 Vet. Hospital.

Transport. │ │1071 M. T. Col. │M. T. Col.

Footnote 35:

Composition at the time of dissolution, October, 1918.

HISTORY.

(81st Reserve Regiment: 18th Corps District—Hesse—Nassau. 193d Reserve

Regiment: 7th Corps District—Westphalia. 397th Reserve Regiment: 2d

Corps District—Pomerania.)

1916.

Formed about September 11, 1916, behind the front north of Verdun, the

222d Division took two of its regiments from existing divisions—the 81st

Reserve Regiment from the 21st Reserve Division, and the 193d Reserve

Regiment from the 192d Division. Its third regiment, the 397th, was

formed at Stenay from elements of the 16th and 53d Reserve Regiments

(13th Reserve Division), of the 159th Regiment (14th Reserve Division),

of the 118th Infantry Regiment (56th Division), and especially from the

140th Infantry Regiment (4th Division).

1. From September 15 to October 24, 1916, the 222d Division was at rest

in Alsace in the vicinity of Rouffach.

SOMME.

2. Entrained on October 25, it was transferred to the vicinity of

Cambrai by way of Sarrebruecken, Aix la Chapelle, Brussels, Tournai.

About November 5 it went into action on the Somme front near Lesboeufs,

Le Transloy, and remained in line until December 7–8.

3. After a few days of rest it was sent by railroad into the Laonnois.

Detraining at St. Erme between December 15 and 29 it took over the

sector of the Ville aux Bois (southeast of Craonne), which it occupied

until February 15, 1917.

1917.

1. Upon its release the 222d Division was employed in defensive works

behind the Aisne-Oise front (north of La Fère, St. Gobain, Laffaux,

Chavignon).

AISNE.

2. About March 16, 1917, it was engaged east of Soissons (Vregny-Combe

Plateau); counterattacked on March 21 north of Missy sur Aisne; retired

in the direction of the Laffaux Mill-Jouy-Aizy (at the beginning of

April) and fought on this front April 18 to 21.

The 193d Infantry Regiment, sent as reenforcement troops to Soupir,

suffered serious losses there and retired by way of Ostel on April 20.

3. The 222d Division, having established its position between Laffaux

Mill and Malmaison Farm, was again severely tried during the attacks of

May 5 and 6.

4. Withdrawn from the Aisne front on May 13, it was sent to rest in the

area Marle-Vervins and reorganized.

5. At the end of June the division took over its former sector

(Laffaux), where the attack of July 8 was the only important action in

which it took part during this time, which lasted until the beginning of

August.

6. After a short rest in the vicinity of Montigny, it came back into

line (Ailles—north of Hurtebise) about September 5 and remained in this

sector until November 2. At this time it took part in the withdrawal and

occupied new positions north of the Ailette.

7. On November 28, the 222d Division was relieved in the sector of

Chermizy and sent to rest at Laon and in the vicinity of Marle (one

month’s training).

8. At the end of December it occupied the front Brancourt-Anizy.

RECRUITING.

The 81st Reserve Infantry Regiment and the 193d Infantry Regiment were

recruited in the Rhine districts (Hesse-Nassau, Rhine Province, and

Westphalia). Many elements from these same regions were in the 397th

Infantry Regiment in addition to Pomeranians.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

Although it had suffered only slight losses since the beginning of

November, 1917, the 222d Division was exhausted by a stay of more than

seven months in the different sectors of the Aisne. It is a mediocre

division (January, 1918).

During its rest in December the division received continual but moderate

training, like the maneuvers of peace times. (Interrogation of prisoner,

Feb. 4, 1918.)

AILETTE.

1. This was a very quiet sector and the division remained here without

incident until the Somme offensive was well under way. However, the

division took part in the attacks of April 7 and 8, when the enemy

endeavored to squeeze out the new salient of Coucy le Château, which was

developed by the progress of the main advance toward Montdidier. It

suffered heavily in several attacks but gained little ground.

MONTDIDIER.

2. About the 3d of May the division was withdrawn and sent to the front

southeast of Montdidier, where the main battle line had stabilized, but

where infantry was still continuing, and during the night of the

9th–10th relieved the 206th Division in the Assainvillers sector.

However, the sector soon grew quiet. The division remained in line and

took part in the battle of the Oise on June 9, advancing via Courcelles

to Mery. The division made but little headway (it will be remembered

that this whole offensive failed) and suffered heavy losses in several

days of hard fighting. It was relieved by the 11th Division about the

8th of July and went to rest near Coucy le Château.

SOISSONS.

3. During the night of the 25th–26th the division reenforced the front

near Nouvron (northwest of Soissons). Here it was subjected to the full

weight of the attack of the 18th of August and was driven back to

Audignicourt and the Ailette. After having suffered very heavy losses

(1829 prisoners), it was withdrawn about the 27th and went to rest near

Laon. About the middle of September it was disbanded, the 81st Reserve

Regiment going to the 21st Reserve Division, the 193d Regiment going to

the 14th Division, and the 397th Regiment going to the 45th Reserve

Division.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The 222d was rated a second-class division. It took little part in

offensive operations but was not incapable of putting up a tenacious

defense. In June two of its regiments threatened to leave the trenches

if they were not relieved, but the difficulty seems to have been

smoothed over though there was no relief until July 8. It is interesting

to note that the divisions receiving regiments when the 222d was

disbanded were all second-class units.

223d Division.

COMPOSITION.

│ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918[36]

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

Infantry. │67. │144. │67. │144. │67. │144.

│ │173. │ │173. │ │173.

│ │29 Ers. │ │29 Ers. │ │29 Ers.

Cavalry. │2 Sqn. 3 Res. Drag.│(2 Sqn. 3 Res. │2 Sqn. 3 Res. Drag.

│ Rgt. │ Drag. Rgt.). │ Rgt.

Artillery. │280 F. A. Rgt. │Art. Command: │(z) Art. Command:

│ │ 280 F. A. Rgt. │ 280 F. A. Rgt.

Engineers and│343 Pion. Co. │(223) Pion. Btn.: │5 Co. 23 Pions.

Liaisons. │ │ │

│ │ 5 Co. 23 Pions. │343 Pion. Co.

│ │ 343 Pion. Co. │433 T. M. Co.

│ │ 433 T. M. Co. │223 Tel. Detch.

│ │ 223 Tel. Detch. │

Medical and │ │232 Ambulance Co. │232 Ambulance Co.

Veterinary.│ │ │

│ │164 Field Hospital.│164 Field Hospital.

│ │170 Field Hospital.│176 Field Hospital.

│ │176 Field Hospital.│Vet. Hospital.

│ │Vet. Hospital. │

Transport. │ │M. T. Col. │M. T. Col.

Footnote 36:

Composition at the time of dissolution, October, 1918.

HISTORY.

(144th Infantry Regiment: 16th Corps District—Lorraine. 173d Infantry

Regiment: 16th Corps District—Lorraine. 29th Ersatz Regiment: 14th Corps

District—Grand Duchy of Baden.)

1916.

The 223d Division was concentrated at Mulhousen at the beginning of

October, 1916. Its regiments formerly belonged to other divisions. The

144th Infantry Regiment was taken from the 3d Division on the Verdun

front; the 173d from the 34th Division, then at Thiaumont; the 29th

Ersatz from the 39th Bavarian Reserve Division, on the Lorraine front.

1. Entraining at Mulhousen on October 26, 1916, the 223d Division was

transferred to the north by way of Sarrelouis-Treves-Aix la Chapelle-

Louvain-Brussels-Valenciennes, and detrained north of Cambrai on October

28. During the night of November 11–12 it came to the Ancre front

(Serre-Grandcourt) and lost heavily there.

2. Relieved about November 25, it was sent to rest in the area east of

Cambrai. Elements of the 173d Infantry Regiment were sent on detached

service south of Bapaume (Ligny-Tilloy).

1917.

CHAMPAGNE.

1. At the end of January, 1917, the 223d Division left the Cambrai area

for Champagne. It occupied the sector north of Rheims (Witry les Rheims,

March and April).

2. About April 27 it was engaged south of Nauroy at Mont Cornillet and

lost heavily between April 30 and May 8.

GALICIA.

3. Withdrawn from the Champagne front about May 18, the 223d Division

was transferred to Galicia. (Itinerary: Amagne (May 21)-Sedan-

Thionville-Sarrebruecken-Frankfort-Leipzig-Breslau-Cracow-Lemberg.) It

detrained at Zloczow, May 26.

4. At the beginning of July it opposed the Russian offensive in the

vicinity of Brzezany; on July 18, it took part in the Austro-German

counterattack and marched in the direction of Husiatyn, which it reached

on the 30th and remained in line there until the middle of December. It

was sent in reserve on this date, and prepared to leave for the Western

Front, borrowing men from the regiments of the 83d Division.

RECRUITING.

The 223d Division was recruited from Westphalia and the Rhine Province

so far as concerns the 144th and 173d Infantry Regiments. The 29th

Ersatz Regiment came from the Grand Duchy of Baden.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 223d Division may be considered good.

1918.

BATTLE OF PICARDY.

1. The division rested in a camp at Sissonne until March 19, after which

it was railed to La Fere, arriving there on March 21.

2. On the second day of the attack it was engaged near Tergnier-Chauny

and advanced to the Guiscard region by the 24th. Shortly after its

withdrawal from Guiscard (25th) it took over the Morlincourt-Appilly

sector on the Oise (east of Noyon) and held it until May 1.

EAST OF OISE.

3. It rested near Guiscard during the first half of May. On the 15th it

was engaged in front of Noyon (Larbroye-Mont Renaud-Pont l’Eveque) until

the 30th. It took part in the Oise offensive of June, crossing the river

and advancing in the Bois de Carlepont in the direction of Caisnes and

Cuts. It established itself on the line Bailley-Tracy le Val-Oise and

held that sector until the French attack of August 18.

OISE-AISNE.

4. The French attack of the 18th threw the division back on Salency. It

was relieved on the 22d and railed to Anizy le Chateau the same day.

From there it was taken to north of Soissons and reengaged on the 29th

on the line Chauvigny-Juvigny. In these two engagements the division

lost 688 prisoners.

5. The division had lost heavily in March and in the August fighting.

Its morale was poor. The authority of the officers was low and

desertions were frequent. As a result the division was dissolved in

September. Its effectives were turned into the 52d, 103d, and 115th

Divisions.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. Prior to the March offensive it

had been regarded a good division.

224th Division.

COMPOSITION.

│ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918

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

Infantry. │ │19 Ldw. │216. │19 Ldw. │216. │19 Ldw.

│ │61 Ldw. │ │61 Ldw. │ │61 Ldw.

│ │429 Ldw. │ │429 Ldw. │ │429 Ldw.

Cavalry. │ │(?) Sqn. 10 Mounted│4 Sqn. 10 Mounted

│ │ Jag. Rgt. │ Jag. Rgt.

Artillery. │284 F. A. Rgt. │224 Art. Command: │224 Art. Command:

│ │ 284 F. A. Rgt. │ 284 F. A. Rgt.

│ │ │ 795 Light Am. Col.

│ │ │ 1015 Light Am.

│ │ │ Col.

│ │ │ 1029 Light Am.

│ │ │ Col.

Engineers and│ │224 Pion. Btn.: │423 Pion. Btn.:

Liaisons. │ │ │

│ │ 2 Co. 27 Pions. │ 2 Co. 27 Pions.

│ │ 434 T. M. Co. │ 3 Landst. Co. 9 C.

│ │ │ Dist. Pions.

│ │ Tel. Detch. │ 251 Searchlight

│ │ │ Section.

│ │ │224 Signal Command:

│ │ │ 224 Tel. Detch.

Medical and │ │234 Ambulance Co. │234 Ambulance Co.

Veterinary.│ │ │

│ │181 Field Hospital.│336 Field Hospital.

│ │330 Field Hospital.│324 Field Hospital.

│ │324 Vet. Hospital. │

Transport. │ │794 M. T. Col. │

│ │795 M. T. Col. │

Attached. │ │1 Landst. Pion. Co.│

│ │ (8 C. Dist.). │

HISTORY.

(429th Landwehr: 3d Corps District—Brandenburg. 19th Landwehr: 5th Corps

District—Posen. 61st Landwehr: 17th Corps District—West Prussia.)

1916.

RUSSIA.

1. Upon its formation the 224th Division appeared on the Eastern Front

about October, 1916.

2. At this time it was near the 31st Division, north of Lake Narotch.

1917.

VOLHYNIA-SVINIOUKI.

1. At the beginning of February, 1917, the composition of the 224th

Division appeared to be as follows: 19th Landwehr Regiment taken from

the 18th Landwehr Division; 61st Landwehr Regiment, from the 85th

Landwehr Division, and the 429th Landwehr Regiment, a new formation

(1916).

2. The 224th Division then occupied the sector of Sviniouki in Volhynia.

It remained there during the entire year of 1917, during the latter

months furnishing important replacements to the Western Front, to such a

degree that in November the companies of the 429th Landwehr did not have

more than 100 men left (Russian interrogation).

RECRUITING.

The 224th Division was recruited from Brandenburg and the eastern

Provinces of the empire.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The division was on the Russian front from its formation and was of

mediocre combat value.

In December, 1917, in Volhynia, 50 men of the youngest classes were

taken from each company of the 429th Landwehr Regiment to be sent to the

Flanders front.

In January, 1918, the companies of the 61st Landwehr Regiment were

composed of men of the Landsturm. (Prisoner’s statement, Jan. 13.)

1918.

VOLHYNIA.

At the beginning of March the division left the Sviniouki region and

went via Pinsk to Gomel.

UKRAINE.

2. Toward the end of April the division was identified in the Vorojva

region (southwest of Koursk). On the 9th of September the division was

identified a little farther to the north in the Delgorod region.

WOEVRE.

3. On September 29 the division was relieved (probably by the 45th

Landwehr Division) and, entraining at Sadtowo, traveled via Kubiantz-

Kharkov-Kiev-Kovel-Kattovitz-Dresden-Frankfort on the Main-Saarbrueken-

Metz-Batilly, where it detrained on October 12. Resting here until the

16th, it marched via Bruville-Mars la Tour-Chambley and relieved the

88th Division during the night of the 16th–17th south of Dampvitoux. The

division was identified by prisoners on November 7 here and does not

seem to have been withdrawn before the armistice.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

Histories of two hundred and fifty-one divisions of the German army which participated in the war (1914-1918) · 第 73 / 78 段