Part 64
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 Withdrawn from the Somme, the division reentered the Lys battle line on April 26 near Locon. It was engaged there until early in May (6th), when it was withdrawn near Hinges and rested in the area Lille-Tournai until June 11.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 On August 27–28 it returned to line in the Misery-Licourt sector and remained in line until September 24, when it was withdrawn from west of Bellenglise.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 It retreated via Olsene to Nazareth, in which area it was withdrawn about November 9.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. ─────────────┴─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────
─────────────┬─────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────── │ 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.