Part 51
─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │96 Res. │221 Res. │96 Res. │221 Res. │ │222 Res. │ │222 Res. │ │223 Res. │ │223 Res. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │5 Sqn. 1 Drag. Rgt.│5 Sqn. 1 Gd. Drag. │ │ Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │(?) Art. Command: │48 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ │ │ 48 Res. F. A. Rgt.│1 Abt. 23 Ft. A. │ │ Rgt. (1 and 3 │ │ Btries.). │ │752 Light Am. Col. │ │954 Light Am. Col. │ │1382 Light Am. Col. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│(348) Pion. Btn.: │348 Pion. Btn.: Liaisons. │ │ │ 48 Res. Pion. Co. │ 1 Res. Co. 26 │ │ Pions. │ 1 Res. Co. 26 │ 48 Res. Pion. Co. │ Pion. Btn. │ │ 248 T. M. Co. │ 248 T. M. Co. │ 448 Tel. Detch. │ 214 Searchlight │ │ Section. │ │448 Signal Command: │ │ 448 Tel. Detch. │ │ 69 Wireless Detch. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │530 Ambulance Co. │530 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │79 Res. Field │102 Field Hospital. │ Hospital. │ │Vet. Hospital. │79 Res. Field │ │ Hospital. │ │448 Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transport. │587 M. T. Col. │735 M. T. Col. ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
HISTORY.
(18th Corps District—Hesse—Nassau and the Grand Duchy of Hesse.)
1914.
The 48th Reserve Division (belonging to the 24th Reserve Corps with the 47th Reserve Division) was formed between August and October, 1914, and trained at the Oberhofen Camp.
ARTOIS.
1. Concentrated near Metz in the middle of October, the 48th Reserve Division was transferred on the 25th to the area between Armentières and La Bassée (Fromelles), while the 47th Reserve Division was sent to the Woevre.
2. On November 1 the division held the line at Neuve Chapelle. Some elements were sent farther north, west of Wytschaete, in the middle of November.
RUSSIA.
3. At the end of November the 48th Reserve Division left the Western Front for Russia.
POLAND.
4. On December 3 it was identified in Poland in the vicinity of Kalisch. It then made a part of the X Army and fought west of the Rawka, near Warsaw, at the end of December.
1915.
1. The 48th Reserve Division was engaged in Poland (Rawka) until January 28, 1915.
CARPATHIANS.
2. On February 2 elements of the division fought in the Carpathians, southeast of Beskides. It was then assigned to the German Army of the South (Von Linsingen) and was opposed to the Russians in the vicinity of the Uzsok Ridge (February-May).
GALICIA.
3. Taking part in the spring and summer offensive of 1915, it marched to Halicz in May; crossed the Dniester in the middle of June; advanced to Brzezany-Tarnopol and was on the Zlota-Lipa at the end of July. One of its regiments, the 224th Reserve Infantry Regiment, was renewed several times; the list of losses from August to October show casualties of 70 officers and 4,712 men, 3,100 of whom were reported as missing. The greater part of these were Alsace-Lorrainers who had succeeded in deserting.
4. When the offensive was resumed in October and November the 48th Reserve Division formed a part of the Bothmer Army and progressed from the Zlota-Lipa as far as the Stripa.
1916.
1. The 48th Reserve Division was retained at the Stripa, west of Tarnapol, during the winter and spring of 1916; it was still in this sector at the time of the Russian attack (Broussilow offensive, June to September).
ROUMANIA.
2. In the beginning of October the division went into action with the Falkenheim Army against Roumania, and fought in the vicinity of Hermannstadt, then at Préoéal in November.
GALICIA.
3. It then left the Transylvanian front and went to eastern Galicia, where it was a part of the Bothmer Army. It took up its position between Brzezan, and the Dniester.
1917.
1. At the beginning of 1917 the 224th Reserve Infantry Regiment left the division and was transferred to the 215th Division, in process of reorganization.
FRANCE.
2. The 48th Reserve Division was relieved from its sector in May, 1917, and transferred to the Western Front (Itinerary: Lemberg-Jaroslav- Cracow-Oppeln-Breslau-Leipzig-Erfurt-Gotha-Eisenach-Frankfort-Worms- Sarrebruecken-Thionville-Montmedy-Dun sur Meuse). It rested in the vicinity of Stenay from May 27 to June 28.
VERDUN.
3. It was first behind the Verdun front, on the left bank of the Meuse. Toward the end of June it sustained the artillery preparation for the French offensive of July 17, and sent some of its elements in as reenforcements (Hill 304-Morthomme) on the day of the attack.
4. Sent to rest and reorganized in the Stenay area at the end of July. By an important draft of men of the 1918 class, it went back into the same sector (Hill 304-Corbeaux wood) on August 20, at the time of the new French attack, and lost heavily reenforcing and relieving units of the 6th Reserve Division.
5. Withdrawn from the front on August 24, it was employed on various works until September 3 and then sent into the area of Damvillers.
6. On September 12 it went into line north of Hill 344, which it left at the end of the month to go to rest in the vicinity of Morhange.
LORRAINE-ALSACE.
7. After holding the lines in Lorraine (middle of October to the middle of November) northeast of Arracourt, the 48th Reserve Division was sent to Alsace and went to rest for two months in the vicinity of Enisheim.
RECRUITING.
Mixed upon formation (1 Thuringian Regiment), the division became, in theory, a Hessian Division. The Alsace-Lorrainers were very numerous during its stay on the Russian front, whence the desertions en masse from the 224th Infantry Regiment in the summer of 1915.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
At the end of June, 1917, the 48th Reserve Division, coming from the Russian front, went into line at Hill 304, after a month’s rest near Stenay. But as the men were not accustomed to the activity of the western front and were unable to sustain artillery fire for a long time, they could only be kept in this sector for a few days.
During the French attack of August 20 the 48th Reserve Division played only a passive rôle.
The 48th Reserve Division must be classed among the mediocre divisions (December, 1917).
1918.
1. About March 1 the division was relieved by the 22d Reserve Division and went into reserve in Alsace. It left that sector about April 1 and came into line on the 14th southwest of Vieux Berquin. It was engaged in that locality until its relief on the night of May 26–27 by the 32d Division.
VIEUX BERQUIN.
2. The division rested in the Lille area until June 28, when it returned to its former sector at Vieux Berquin. Its stay here was short. On July 3 it was relieved by the 39th Division and entrained at Laventie the next day for Douai.
SCARPE.
3. On the night of July 6–7 the division relieved the 187th Division southwest of Gavrelle. Throughout August and September the division held this sector. It was relieved north of the Scarpe on the night of October 5–6 and moved south.
4. The division was used to reenforce the Cambrai-St. Quentin front near Cambrai on October 7. Thereafter almost until the day of the armistice the division was engaged in opposing the British advance. The direction of its retreat was through Awoingt (10th), Saulzoir (13th), Montrecourt (14th), north of Haussy (17th), Vendegies (24th), Maresches (Nov. 1), Jenlain (4th). The division received drafts from the dissolved 118th Reserve Regiment (25th Reserve Division) in late October. It was withdrawn from line about November 5.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as second class. In 1918 it was engaged entirely in defensive sectors and performed with credit.
48th Landwehr Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918 │ 1918 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │ │38 │1 Landst.│38 │1 Landst.│38 │ │ Landst.│ │ Landst.│ │ Landst. │ │39 │ │40 │ │40 │ │ Landst.│ │ Landst.│ │ Landst. │ │47 │ │47 │ │47 │ │ Landst.│ │ Landst.│ │ Landst. ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │ │ │3 Sqn. 14 Uhlan │ │ │ Rgt. │ │ │1 Sqn. Gd. Res. │ │ │ Uhlan Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │ (?) │Art. Command: │264 F. A. Rgt. │ │ 264 F. A. Rgt. │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│ │1/28 Pion. Btn.: │224 Pion. Btn.: Liaisons. │ │ │ │ │ 1 Landst. Co. 3 C.│ 1 Ldw. Co. Gd. C. │ │ Dist. Pions. │ Dist. Pions. │ │ 455 T. M. Co. │ 1 Landst. Co. 3 C. │ │ │ Dist. Pions. │ │ 590 Tel. Detch. │ 210 Searchlight │ │ │ Section. │ │ │548 Signal Command: │ │ │ 548 Tel. Detch. │ │ │ 67 Wireless Detch. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │ │Ambulance Co. │602 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │80 Res. Field │51 Field Hospital. │ │ Hospital. │ │ │Vet. Hospital. │80 Res. Field │ │ │ Hospital. │ │ │570 Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transport. │ │800 M. T. Col. │800 M. T. Col. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Attached. │ │2 Ratisbonne │ │ │ Landst. Inf. Btn.│ │ │ (3 Bav. C. Dist. │ │ │ Btn. No. 14). │ ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
HISTORY.
(38th Landsturm: Brandenburg and Alsace. 40th Landsturm: Prussian Saxony, Westphalia and the Rhine Province. 47th Landsturm: Hesse and Thuringia.)
1917.
LORRAINE.
1. The 48th Landwehr Division appears to have been formed on the Lorraine front in September, 1917, by the grouping of three new regiments—the 38th Landsturm, the 39th Landsturm (Wurttemberg), and the 47th Landsturm—the elements of which had previously been employed behind the front or in calm sectors.
2. In September, 1917, the 48th Landwehr Division occupied the sector of Avricourt (Leintrey-Gondrexon, Embermenil).
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The 48th Landwehr Division is composed of troops of mediocre value.
The average age of the men is 40 years. A certain number of young soldiers of the 1918 class are to be found in most of the units. Sent into these Landsturm divisions because of their reduced physical fitness, they left them for active or reserve units as soon as they became hardened.
There is a divisional assault company which has never shown any offensive activity (July, 1918).
1918.
1. The division continued to hold the Delme sector until the armistice. Nothing occurred to disturb the tranquility of that part of the front.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as fourth class. The average age of its effectives was near 40 years. At no time did the division take part in any fighting.
49th Reserve Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1914 │ 1915 │ 1916 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │97 Res. │225 Res. │97 Res. │225 Res. │97 Res. │225 Res. │ │226 Res. │ │226 Res. │ │226 Res. │98 Res. │227 Res. │98 Res. │227 Res. │ │228 Res. │ │228 Res. │ │228 Res. │ │ │ 21 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 21 Res. Jag. Btn. │ 21 Res. Jag. Btn. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Cavalry. │49 Res. Cav. Detch.│49 Res. Cav. Detch.│49 Res. Cav. Detch. │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │49 Res. F. A. Rgt. │49 Res. F. A. Rgt. │49 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ (9 Btries.) │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│49 Res. Pion. Co. │49 Res. Pion. Co. │49 Res. Pion. Co. Liaison. │ │ │ │ │49 Res. Pont. Engs.│249 T. M. Co. │ │ │49 Res. Pont. Engs. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │ │49 Res. Ambulance │ Veterinary.│ │ Co. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transports. │ │ │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Odd units. │ │ │ ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
─────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │97 Res. │225 Res. │97 Res. │225 Res. │ │226 Res. │ │226 Res. │ │228 Res. │ │228 Res. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │49 Res. Cav. Detch.│2 Sqn. (?) Drag. │ (?) │ Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │(?) 49 Art. │49 Art. Command: │ Command: │ │ 49 Res. F. A. Rgt.│ 49 Res. F. A. Rgt. │ │ 1 Abt. 25 Ft. A. │ │ Rgt. (1, 2, and 4 │ │ Btries.). │ │ 788 Light Am. Col. │ │ 972 Light Am. Col. │ │ 1,318 Light Am. │ │ Col. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│(349) Pion. Btn.: │349 Pion. Btn.: Liaison. │ │ │ 49 Res. Pion. Co. │ 43 Res. Pion. Co. │ 2 Ldw. Co. 4 │ 49 Res. Pion. Co. │ Pions. │ │ 249 T. M. Co. │ 249 T. M. Co. │ 449 Tel. Detch. │ 188 Searchlight │ │ Section. │ │449 Signal Command: │ │ 449 Tel. Detch. │ │ 110 Wireless │ │ Detch. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │531 Ambulance Co. │531 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │85 Res. Field │83 Res. Field │ Hospital. │ Hospital. │155 Vet. Hospital. │85 Res. Field │ │ Hospital. │ │155 Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transports. │M. T. Col. │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Odd units. │49 Res. Cyclist Co.│ ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
HISTORY.
(4th Corps District—Prussian Saxony and part of Thuringia.)
1914.
EAST PRUSSIA.
1. The 49th Reserve Division, forming the 25th Reserve Corps with the 50th Reserve Division, was formed between August and October, 1914, trained at the Warthe Camp, and sent to East Prussia on October 14, 1914, as a part of the 8th Army (Von Hindenburg).
POLAND.
2. It took part in the offensive in Poland between the Vistula and the Warta at the end of October, escaped from the enveloping movement attempted by the Russians before Lodz (Nov. 25), and fought on the front of the Bzura, Rawka, Bolimow, where it was repulsed in December.
1915.
POLAND.
1. At the beginning of January, 1915, the 49th Reserve Division was again engaged on the Bzura and remained in this area until the summer of the same year. In June it transferred the 227th Reserve Infantry Regiment to the 107th Division, a new formation.
2. Advancing in August with the Hindenburg offensive, it entered Warsaw on August 7, took part in the pursuit of the Russians in the sector of Skierniewicz, and stopped near Baranovitchi (Tsirin).
1916.
1. The 49th Reserve Division was still occupying the sector north of Baranovitchi when the Russian offensive broke out in this region in July, 1916. At this time elements of the division were sent to reenforce the 35th Austrian Division between Baranovitchi and the north of Pripet. This latter division was relieved a short time afterwards by the 49th Reserve Division.
GALICIA.
2. Sent into Galicia, the division held the lines southwest of Brody at the beginning of October. At this time the 225th Reserve Infantry Regiment was sent to Roumania.
CARPATHIANS.
3. Made up only of the 226th and 228th Reserve Infantry Regiments, the 49th Reserve Division opposed the Russians on the Narajowka, then, at the beginning of December and until January, 1917, fought in the Carpathians in the vicinity of Worochta.
1917.
ROUMANIA.
1. In January, 1917, the 49th Reserve Division rejoined the 225th Reserve Infantry Regiment (Roumania) in the valley of Uz.
2. In the middle of January it was transferred to the Western Front. (Itinerary: Szekely-Udvarhely-Goborin-Budapest-Oderberg-Oppeln-Breslau- Goerlitz-Dresden-Leipzig-Halle-Liege-Mons-St. Ghislain, detraining on Jan. 22.)
FRANCE.
3. After a rest of two months in the vicinity of Mons, then in the vicinity of Lille, the 49th Reserve Division went into line east of Armentières, south of Frelinghien on March 20.
ARTOIS.
4. Relieved at the end of April, it was engaged almost at once in the sector of Fontaine les Croisilles, Bullecourt (southeast of Arras), where it suffered very heavily from May 1 to May 21. On June 16, after reorganization, the ranks of the 228th Reserve Infantry Regiment contained more than two-fifths new recruits; more than one-fifth of the men belonged to the 1918 class.
FLANDERS.
5. Sent to rest and to be reorganized during the month of June in the vicinity of Tournai-Audenarde, it went into line at the end of June in the sector of Steenstraat-Bixschoote (north of Ypres), and suffered heavy losses during the artillery preparation which preceded the Franco- British attack of July 21. On July 28 it was withdrawn from the front before the attack.
ARTOIS.
6. The 49th Reserve Division rested and was reorganized in the month of August between Lille and Tournai, and in September took over its old Artois sector (Croisilles-Bullecourt), from which place it was relieved at the end of October.
7. After occupying the sector south of the Ypres-Menin road until November 21, it went into action about November 26 in the same sector of Croisilles-Bullecourt (Cambrai attack).
8. At the end of December, the 49th Reserve Division was resting in the Tourcoing area.
RECRUITING.
Formed at the beginning by contingents from the 5th and 6th Corps Districts (Posen and Silesia) the Division, beginning with the summer of 1915, received most of its reenforcements from the 4th Corps District. At the present time it is entirely Saxo-Thuringian.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The 49th Reserve Division is considered a good division.
It fought well in Artois in May 1917. North of Ypres it suffered heavily by the Franco-British bombardment at the end of July, 1917. It is to be noted that under artillery fire units in the first line scattered and fled. The remnants of the advanced elements deserted (30 men).
On July 25, 1917, the 226th Reserve Infantry Regiment received replacements of 500 to 700 men, principally of the 1918 class.
1918.
MESSINES.
1. About April 6 the division temporarily withdrew to reserve. It returned on the 11th and carried out a divisional attack on Messines. It was engaged until about April 25.
YPRES.
2. Two days later the division relieved the 13th Reserve Division south of Ypres, which in turn relieved it about May 2. It remained in rear of the front while resting and was engaged east of Bixschoote on May 10. Here the division remained until June 14, when the 29th Division relieved it. The division rested in the Bruges area until July 10, when it returned to its former sector northeast of Ypres. It held this sector until about August 27, when the 11th Bavarian Division relieved it.
3. The division entrained at Hooglede August 27 and traveled to Courtrai, where it halted one day. On August 28 it moved to Iwuy, from where it marched to Lallaing (near Douai) two days later. On September 1 the division came into line near Fremicourt. It was engaged until about September 16.
SCARPE-SOMME.
4. The division rested in the Cambrai area until September 27, where it was identified in line west of Gaincourt. It again retired from the front about October 1 and rested in the Eswars area. On the Scarpe-Somme front in September the division lost 1,100 prisoners.
5. On the night of October 11–12 the division was again in line at Courcelles les Lens. After holding this rather quiet sector for a week the division moved north and on October 29 appeared on the Ypres front at Anseghem in relief of the 7th Cavalry Division. It continued in line until the armistice. The last identification was west of Audenarde on November 2.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as second class. It was used as a holding division in important sectors on the British front during 1918.
50th Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── │ 1915 │ 1916 ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── Infantry. │100. │39 Fus. │100. │39 Fus. │ │53. │ │53. │ │158. │ │158. ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── Cavalry. │2 Sqn. mounted Jag. Rgt. │1 Sqn. 16 Uhlan Rgt. │3 Sqn. mounted Jag. Rgt. │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Artillery. │50 Brig.: │50 Brig.: │ 99 F. A. Rgt. (6 Batteries).│ 99 F. A. Rgt. │ 100 F. A. Rgt. (6 Batteries,│ 100 F. A. Rgt. │ 3 are Hows.). │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Engineers and│99 Pion. Co. │99 Pion. Co. Liaisons. │ │ │100 Pion. Co. │100 Pion. Co. │ │4 Co. 23 Pions. │ │1 T. M. Co. │ │50 T. M. Co. │ │50 Pont. Engs. │ │50 Tel. Detch. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Medical and │ │ Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Transports. │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Odd units. │ │50 Cyclist Co. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Attached. │1 Ldw. 7 C. Dist. Pion Co. │80 Antiaircraft Section. │ │2 Res. Co. 2 Pion. Btn. No. │ │ 27. ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────
─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┬────────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼────────────── Infantry. │100. │39 Fus. │100. │39 Fus. │ │53. │ │53. │ │158. │ │158. ─────────────┼──────────────┴──────────────┼──────────────┴────────────── Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 16 Uhlan Rgt. │1 Sqn. 16 Uhlan Rgt. │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Artillery. │50 Art. Command: │50 Art. Command: │ 99 F. A. Rgt. (9 Batteries).│ 99 F. A. Rgt. │ │ 95 Ft. A. Btn. │ │ │ │ 1178 Light Am. Col. │ │ 1179 Light Am. Col. │ │ 1204 Light Am. Col. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Engineers and│50 Pion Btn.: │50 Pion Btn.: Liaisons. │ │ │ 99 Pion. Co. │ 99 Pion. Co. │ 100 Pion. Co. │ 100 Pion. Co. │ 50 T. M. Co. │ 50 T. M. Co. │ 99 Searchlight Section. │50 Signal Command: │ 50 Tel. Detch. │ 50 Tel. Detch. │ │ 13 Wireless Detch. ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Medical and │50 Ambulance Co. │50 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │337 Field Hospital. │337 Field Hospital. │338 Field Hospital. │338 Field Hospital. │340 Field Hospital. │132 Vet. Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Transports. │M. T. Col. │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Odd units. │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────── Attached. │ │ │ │ │ │ ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────
HISTORY.
(7th Corps District—Westphalia.)
1915.
The 50th Division (one of the new divisions in the 50 to 58 series) was formed in March, 1915, by taking three regiments from the three divisions of the 7th Corps and 7th Reserve Corps (the 13th Division giving the 158th Infantry, the 14th Division the 53d, and the 14th Reserve Division the 39th Fusileer Division), all Westphalian Regiments.
1. At the end of March, 1915, the 158th and 53d Infantry Regiments were identified at Hirson (Aisne), while the 39th Fusileer Regiment was still between Perthes and Tahure. In April the division was concentrated and was identified in Champagne, May 14 (area south of Somme-Py).
CHAMPAGNE.
2. From June to October it occupied the sector of Tahure (north of Perthes and Mesnil les Hurlus). It there underwent the French offensive of the end of September, which caused it very heavy losses—infantry, 130 officers and 7,849 men casualties; the 100th Company of Pioneers lost 5 officers and 135 men.
3. Sent to rest and reorganized in the vicinity of Vouziers and of Juniville (end of October to the end of November), it reappeared on November 7 north of Prosnes (east of Reims).
1916.
CHAMPAGNE.
1. In April, 1916, the division left the sector of Prosnes-Prunay, for the front northeast of Verdun (Ornes).
VERDUN-VAUX.
2. Going into action, at the beginning of May, north of Vaux, it took
## part in the attacks launched upon the line Caillette wood-Damloup (June
1 to June 3), which ended in the capture of the fort of Vaux by the 158th Infantry Regiment on June 4.
3. Very much exhausted by these battles, the division was sent to rest and reorganized in the vicinity of Étain in June and July.
4. In July elements of the division occupied the calm sectors of the Woëvre.