Part 72
The division was a very poor one. About the middle of the summer the best men were chosen to be sent to the Western Front. They were paraded before the commanding general and when they reached the place where he was standing they dropped their guns and went back to the caserne. Later when the whole division was to come to the west, the men were far from satisfied, not being entirely consoled when they were informed that they were to enter a quiet sector.
225th Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918[37] ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │5 Ers. │18 Res. │5 Ers. │18 Res. │5 Ers. │373. │ │217 Res. │ │217 Res. │ │18 Res. │ │373. │ │373. │ │217 Res. ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │3 Sqn. 13 Uhlan │3 Sqn. 13 Uhlan │3 Sqn. 13 Uhlan │ Rgt. │ Rgt. │ Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │ │225 Art. Command: │225 Art. Command: │ │ 47 F. A. Rgt. │ 47 F. A. Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│ │(225) Pion. Btn.: │259 Pion. Co. Liaisons. │ │ │ │ │ 259 Pion. Co. │413 T. M. Co. │ │ 344 Pion. Co. │225 Tel. Detch. │ │ 413 T. M. Co. │ │ │ Tel. Detch. │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │ │259 Ambulance Co. │240 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │155 Field Hospital.│259 Ambulance Co. │ │172 Field Hospital.│155 Field Hospital. │ │265 Vet. Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transport. │ │ │M. T. Col. ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
Footnote 37:
Composition at the time of the dissolution, September, 1918.
HISTORY.
(18th Reserve: 18th Corps Division—East Prussia. 217th Reserve: 7th Corps District—Westphalia. 373d Infantry Regiment: 1st Corps District—East Prussia.)
1916.
The 225th Division, including the 18th Reserve Infantry Regiment (from the 1st Reserve Division), the 217th Reserve Infantry Regiment (from the 47th Reserve Division), and the 373d Infantry Regiment (from the 10th Landwehr Division), was formed on the Eastern Front in the vicinity of Wladimir-Volynski about September, 1916.
ROUMANIA-TRANSYLVANIA.
1. In November, 1916, the 225th Division was transferred to the Roumanian Carpathians. It was there in December in the valley of the Uz.
1917.
ROUMANIA.
1. During the first half of 1917 the 225th Division occupied the calm sectors in the vicinity of Uz (Hills 1031 and 1640).
2. In July the 373d Infantry Regiment was transferred to the valley of the Putna to withstand the Russo-Roumanian offensive. The division took
## part in the Austro-German counterattack and established its positions
near Ocna in September and October.
FRANCE.
3. Relieved about November 11, it went to Bereczk, where it entrained on the 18th for the Western Front. (Itinerary: Kronstadt (Brasso)-Budapest- Vienna-Munich-Carlsruhe-Sarrebruecken.) It detrained on November 25 at Vallieres-Vantoux, near Metz, and from there was transferred to the vicinity of Vigneulles (Cote de Meuse).
COTES DE MEUSE.
4. On December 4–5, it took over the sector of Chevalierswood, south of Vaux les Palameix-Seuzey.
RECRUITING.
Two regiments were drawn from East Prussia (18th Reserve and 372d Infantry Regiment), the 217th Reserve from Westphalia.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The 225th Division which comprised drafts from Baden, Alsace, Westphalia, East Prussia, and the Rhine was not homogeneous and was not considered as a fighting division.
The 18th Reserve Regiment had a bad reputation. On January 6, 1917, it refused to attack at Hill 1298 in Hungary. (Interrogation of prisoners Feb. 3 and Mar. 17, 1918.)
The division included a large number of Poles. However, men of the young classes gradually replaced the older men, who still made up a large part of the division in 1917; consequently, the combat value of the division may have improved.
1918.
1. The division held the Woevre sector until the beginning of May. It entrained at Jeandelize about May 15 and was railed by Sedan, Givet, Dmant, Namur, Charleroi, Mons, and Cambrai. It detrained near Peronne and marched toward the Avre front by Chaulnes, Rosieres en Santerre.
BATTLE OF THE SANTERRE.
2. It was engaged north of Moreuil (east of the Villers aux Erables- Thennes) on May 22. The Allied attack struck the division and threw it back on Beaufort, losing 2,358 prisoners. It was relieved on the 10th and rested 15 days. Reengaged on the 25th east of Albert (Contalmaison, Montauban) the division again lost heavily. It was withdrawn on the 30th.
3. After its withdrawal the division was dissolved to the profit of the 1st Reserve Division and 2d Division.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as third class. In the August fighting in Picardy it did not make a strong resistance. In the two engagements in August the division lost 3,593 prisoners.
226th Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────────┬─────────────────── │ 1916 │ 1917 │ 1918[38] ─────────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬─────────┼─────────┬───────── │Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment.│Brigade. │Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────── Infantry. │5 Ldw. │2 Ldw. │5 Ldw. │2 Ldw. │5 Ldw. │2 Ldw. │ │9 Ldw. │ │9 Ldw. │ │9 Ldw. │ │ │ │ │ │ Rgt. │ │439. │ │427. │ │427. ─────────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴─────────┼─────────┴───────── Cavalry. │ │1 Sqn. 4 Mounted │1 Sqn. 4 Mounted │ │ Jag. Rgt. │ Jag. Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Artillery. │ │64 Res. F. A. Rgt. │(?) Art. Command: │ │ │ 64 Res. F. A. Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Engineers and│ │(226) Pion. Btn.: │2 Ers. Co. 18 Liaisons. │ │ │ Pions. │ │ 2 Ers. Co. 18 │Searchlight │ │ Pions. │ Section. │ │ (?) T. M. Co. │430 T. M. Co. │ │ 26 Searchlight Co.│226 Tel. Detch. │ │ 226 Tel. Detch. │ ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Medical and │ │257 Ambulance Co. │257 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │ │ │Field Hospital. │Field Hospital. │ │262 Vet. Hospital. │262 Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼───────────────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────────── Transport. │ │471 M. T. Col. │635 M. T. Col. ─────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────────
Footnote 38:
Composition at the time of dissolution, May, 1918.
HISTORY.
(2d Corps District—Pomerania.)
1916.
The 226th Division was formed about December, 1916.
RUSSIA.
1. At the end of December it was identified on the Eastern Front in the vicinity of Smorgoni, forming, with the 205th Division, the 3d (reenforced) Reserve Corps of the 10th Army.
1917.
1. The 226th Division included in 1917 the 2d and 9th Landwehr Regiments (5th Landwehr Brigade), taken from the 35th Reserve Division, and the 439th Infantry Regiment, formed in 1916.
SMORGONI.
2. The division occupied the sector of Smorgoni-Krevo from January until August, 1917. In this sector it received the Russian attacks of July 2 and 23, which caused it very heavy losses, in consequence of which Emperor William II called himself commander of the 2d Landwehr Regiment.
3. About the beginning of August the 226th Division was relieved south of Smorgoni and replaced the 123d Division south of Lake Svir. In November the 2d Landwehr Regiment sent men to reenforce the 121st Division and the 9th Landwehr to reenforce the 2d Guard Division.
LAKE NAROTCH.
4. In December the division was in line north of Lake Narotch, relieving the 31st Division, which was sent to the Western Front.
1918.
1. The division was still there in January, 1918. It was dissolved in June.
ROUMANIA.
2. The presence of the headquarters of the 226th Division at Targovistea was reported early in October. These headquarters apparently had under its order the 58th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment, of which the headquarters and three batteries are at Bucharest, the remaining batteries at Durnu Margurelf, Targovistea, and Cantulung.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as fourth class.
227th Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── Infantry. │49 Ldw. │417. │49 Ldw. │417 and 477. │ │441. │ │ │ │477. │ │ ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── Cavalry. │ (?) │1 Sqn. 10 Hus. Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── Artillery. │92 F. A. Rgt. │227 Art. Command: │ │ 92 F. A. Rgt. │ │ 3 Abt. 20 Ft. A. Rgt. (9 │ │ and 11 Btries.). │ │ 853 Light Am. Col. │ │ 1102 Light Am. Col. │ │ 113 Light Am. Col. ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── Engineers and│227 Pion. Btn.: │227 Pion. Btn.: Liaisons. │ │ │ 339 Pion. Co. │ 339 Pion. Co. │ 347 Pion. Co. │ 347 Pion. Co. │ 162 T. M. Co. │ 162 T. M. Co. │ 227 Tel. Detch. │ 213 Searchlight Section. │ │227 Signal Command: │ │ 227 Tel. Detch. │ │ 155 Wireless Detch. ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── Medical and │65 Ambulance Co. │65 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │278 Field Hospital. │278 Field Hospital. │285 Field Hospital. │285 Field Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. │208 Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── Transport. │M. T. Col. │637 M. T. Col. ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────
HISTORY.
(417th Infantry Regiment; 14th Corps District—Grand Duchy of Baden. 441st Infantry Regiment; 18th Corps District—Hesse—Nassau. 477th Infantry Regiment; 8th Corps District—Rhine Province.)
1917.
The 227th Division, formed in March, 1917, was composed of three newly- formed regiments—the 417th (Baden), the 441st (18th District-Hesse), the 477th, formed by drafts upon the units of the 38th and 13th Divisions and upon the 16th Corps, then attached after its formation in the autumn of 1916 to the 33d Division of this corps.
ARGONNE.
1. The 227th Division was identified for the first time on March 27, 1917, on the Argonne front. It occupied the calm sector of the Fille- Morte until May 26.
AISNE.
2. About June 1 it went into line south of the Aisne (La Neuville-Godat) and extended its sector, at the beginning of July, to Hill 108 (Sapigneul).
3. Relieved about August 5, it was sent for rest and training to the Asfeld area. On August 20 it went into line north of Berry au Bac, between the Miette and Hill 108, from which it was withdrawn on August 2.
The division did not take part in any important engagement on the Aisne front. Its losses were very slight.
FLANDERS.
4. On October 5 and 6 the 227th Division entrained at Amagne (east of Rethel), and was transferred to Belgium by way of Hirson-Toumai- Courtrai-Thielt. Detraining at Pitthem on October 6 and 7, it reached the front north of Poepcappelle on the night of the 8th–9th, was in
## action for a week and suffered very heavy losses.
5. The division left the Ypres front about October 15 to go to Ghent (two days), then into the Champagne in the vicinity of Aussonce. It was filled up with three replacements, the most important of which was made up of 1,200 men taken from units on the Eastern Front, especially from the 12th Landwehr Division, from the same Provinces as the 227th Division (end of October).
CHAMPAGNE.
6. At the beginning of November the 227th Division went into line north of Cornillet.
RECRUITING.
The 227th Division was recruited from the Rhine Districts (Baden, Hesse- Nassau, the Rhine Province), which gives rise to a certain homogeneity.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The 227th Division lost very heavily in Flanders and received as replacements a certain number of men coming from the Russian front whose combat value was mediocre (October, 1917).
The 227th Division was of only mediocre offensive value.
1918.
CHAMPAGNE.
1. About the middle of January the 227th Division was relieved by the 28th Division and went to the Juniville area, where it was intensively trained in open warfare with a view to its being used as an assault division.
2. On February 16 it relieved the 28th Division. It was withdrawn toward the end of March.
PICARDY.
3. About the 10th of April it relieved the 5th Guard Division near Canny sur Matz (west of Lassigny). The battle of the Somme had come to end by this time, and so, although there was still considerable artillery
## activity here, the division was not seriously engaged in infantry
attacks, and remained in line until relieved by the 75th Reserve Division during the night of May 16–17, when it went to rest and be trained in the region of Ham.
OISE.
4. On June 7 it started to march to the front via Ognolles-Champien Wood-Beuvraignes-Crapeaumesnil. On the 9th it attacked through the line and succeeded in passing Ricquebourg, Ressons, and Marqueglise. This advance cost the divisions heavy losses, and it suffered still more heavily when the French counterattacked in force on the 12th. The following day it was relieved by the 17th Reserve Division and marched by stages to the region east of St. Quentin.
WOEVRE.
5. About the 20th it entrained at Origny and traveled via Charleville- Sedan-Longuyon-Conflans-Dampvitoux, where it detrained the 21st and 22d. It relieved the 8th Bavarian Reserve Division in the St. Baussant- Richecourt sector (south of Thiaucourt) on the 27th. It was relieved by the 10th Division on the 22d of August.
SOISSONS.
6. About the 30th it reenforced the front in the Terny-Sorny sector (north of Soissons). It was withdrawn about the 8th of September.
AISNE.
7. There was some talk of dissolving the division at this time, but it was not done, and it came back into line, relieving the 17th Division in the Pont-Arcy sector (east of Vailly) on the 17th. It remained in line, falling back via Monchâlons-Coucy les Eppes-Pierrepont-Montcornet- Ebouleau-Renneval-Jeantes la Ville. It had not been withdrawn on the 11th.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The 227th was rated a third-class division. It was in no heavy fighting during 1918 until June, when it did not distinguish itself, neither advancing far nor holding its ground in counterattack. Its conduct, however, can not be characterized as poor. It is to be noted, moreover, that the division commander was awarded “Pour le Mérite” in July.
228th. Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── Infantry. │104. │35 Fus. │104. │35. │ │48. │ │48. │ │207 Res. │ │207 Res. ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── Cavalry. │1 Sqn. 1 Uhlan Rgt. │1 Sqn. 1 Uhlan Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── Artillery. │228 Art. Command: │228 Art. Command: │ 39 F. A. Rgt. │ 39 F. A. Rgt. │ │ 92 Ft. A. Btn. (Staff, and │ │ 1, 2, and 3 Btries). │ │ 1143 Light Am. Col. │ │ 1144 Light Am. Col. │ │ 1145 Light Am. Col. ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── Engineers and│(228) Pion. Btn.: │228 Pion. Btn.: Liaisons. │ │ │ 389 Pion. Co. │ 389 Pion. Co. │ 395 Pion. Co. │ 395 Pion. Co. │ 197 T. M. Co. │ 197 T. M. Co. │ Tel. Detch. │ 116 Searchlight Section. │ │228 Signal Command: │ │ 228 Tel. Detch. │ │ 56 Wireless Detch. ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── Medical and │567 Ambulance Co. │567 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │63 Field Hospital. │63 Field Hospital. │260 Field Hospital. │260 Field Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. │55 Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── Transport │M. T. Col. │ ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────
HISTORY.
(3d Corps District—Brandenburg.)
1917.
The 228th Division appears to have been formed in the Sedan area in May, 1917. Its three regiments belonged to the 3d Corps District—the 35th Fusileer Regiment was taken from the 56th Division, the 48th Infantry Regiment from the 113th Division, and the 207th Reserve Regiment from the 220th Division.
VERDUN.
1. On June 22, 1917, the 228th Division was identified on the Verdun front in the sector of Les Chambrettes (35th Fusileers). It was still in line on the right bank of the Meuse (Louvemont) when the French attacks of August 20–24 were launched. It lost heavily there. “Our regiment has only two companies left” (letter from a man of the 48th Infantry Regiment, Aug. 23).
CÔTES DE MEUSE.
2. Relieved about August 24, it was sent to rest for a few days, then into line again about September 6 on the Côtes de Meuse (between Moulainville and Damploup). It was reorganized in both men and material. At the end of September 900 men came as replacements from the 1st Corps District (returned wounded for the most part). The 35th Fusileer Regiment, decimated in August, remained in the rear for reorganization.
RECRUITING.
The division was purely Brandenburg (infantry and field artillery).
For its reorganization after the attacks of August 20–24, 1917, the 228th Division received replacements from the 1st Corps District. A replacement unit was formed from the 3d Corps District, but the men are said to have refused to leave for the Western Front. In default of men from Brandenburg, they called upon the 1st Corps District. (Interrogation of prisoner, Sept. 30, 1917.)
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
This was a fairly good division.
1918.
1. The division was relieved northeast of Verdun in mid-February and went to rest and train southeast of Montmedy (near Marville) until March 17. It was then railed to Picardy via Montmedy, Sedan, Hirson, Aulnoye. From there it moved toward the front by Croix, Maurois, Beaurevoir, Bellicourt, Roisel, Maurepas, Bray, arriving there on the 27th.
BATTLE OF PICARDY.
2. It was engaged on the 29th–30th near Le Hamel, north of Marcelcave, and participated in heavy fighting about Hamel until April 13. All three regiments lost heavily in the attack. The 207th Reserve Regiment was too weak to hold more than 160 yards of front. The 35th Fusileer Regiment lost 700 men in killed and wounded. After resting from April 13 to 18 the division was reengaged on the 18th. It attacked at Villers- Bretonneux on the 24th without success. After suffering very heavy losses the division was withdrawn on April 27–28.
CHAMPAGNE.
3. On the 28th it entrained east of Peronne and was railed to Valenciennes, where it rested until May 6–7. From rest the division proceeded to south of Vouziers (May 7) and entered line near Tahure on the 13th and held that quiet sector until July 15. It did not attack in the offensive in Champagne, but remained behind in reserve of the 88th Division. Later it was used by battalions in support of units in line until the end of the month.
4. From the end of July to September 12 the division held a quiet sector of the line near Maisons de Champagne.
5. On the 12th it was moved to Spincourt by Mezieres, Sedan, Montmedy, Longuyon. It rested and trained until the 28th, when it marched toward the front at Romagne sous Montfaucon (Sept. 28 to Oct. 2).
6. The division was engaged near Cunel on October 8. Four days later it shifted to the right bank of the Meuse (east of Sivry sur Meuse) and held there until November 5. It retreated toward Fontaine and Ecurey after that date. The division was still in line on the day of the armistice.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as third class. After its failure on the Somme in the spring it was used on unimportant sectors until October. It did not distinguish itself in the Meuse-Argonne battle.
231st Division.
COMPOSITION.
─────────────┬───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────── │ 1917 │ 1918 ─────────────┼─────────────┬─────────────┼─────────────┬───────────── │ Brigade. │ Regiment. │ Brigade. │ Regiment. ─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼───────────── Infantry. │231. │442. │231. │442. │ │443. │ │443. │ │444. │ │444. ─────────────┼─────────────┴─────────────┼─────────────┴───────────── Cavalry. │ │1 Sqn. 9 Drag. Rgt. ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── Artillery. │Art. Command: │3 Gd. Res. F. A. Rgt. │ 3 Gd. Res. F. A. Rgt. │90 Ft. A. Btn. │ │910 Light Am. Col. │ │912 Light Am. Col. │ │1135 Light Am. Col. ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── Engineers and│(231) Pion. Btn.: │231 Pion. Btn.: Liaisons. │ │ │ 353 Pion. Co. │ 353 Pion. Co. │ 354 Pion. Co. │ 354 Pion. Co. │ 358 (?) T. M. Co. │ 181 Searchlight Section. │ 418 T. M. Co. │231 Signal Command. │ 231 Tel. Detch. │ 231 Tel. Detch. │ │ 57 Wireless Detch. ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── Medical and │243 Ambulance Co. │243 Ambulance Co. Veterinary.│ │ │183 Field Hospital. │184 Field Hospital. │184 Field Hospital. │217 Field Hospital. │Vet. Hospital. │227 Vet. Hospital. ─────────────┼───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────── Transport. │641 M. T. Col. │641 M. T. Col. ─────────────┴───────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────
HISTORY.
(Guard.)
1917.
The 231st Division was formed on January 15, 1917, at the Zossen Camp, near Berlin. Its infantry regiments (442d, 443d, and 444th) were formed from the depots of the Guard and the 43d Reserve Division, likewise a subsidiary of the Guard. Initial effectives: 235 to 240 men per company, one-half of the 1918 class, one-fourth of returned sick and wounded, one-fourth men withdrawn from the front. The composition is practically the same for the divisions Nos. 231 to 242, as regards infantry and pioneers.
HAYE.
1. The 231st Division left the Zossen Camp on March 30, 1917, detrained at Audun le Roman on April 3, and went into line on the 13th at Flirey (Haye). It did not show any activity there and left the front on May 12.
CHAMPAGNE.
2. Entraining at Jaulny on May 16, it was concentrated in the vicinity of Epoye, northeast of Rheims, and went into line on May 18–19 north of La Pompelle.
MONT HAUT.
3. In the middle of June it went into line in the Nauroy sector, between Cornillet and Mont Haut, and suffered the French attack of the 18th, which caused it heavy losses (especially in the 443d Infantry Regiment, where the 10th Company had only 1 officer and 10 men left). It was relieved about July 6.
4. After two weeks’ rest in the vicinity of Rethel the division was sent into line at Bermericourt on July 21.
RECRUITING.
The 231st Division was recruited from the entire extent of Prussian territory, the same as the Guard from whose depots it was formed.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
At the time of the formation of the 231st Division 40 per cent of the men were of the 1918 class. In consequence of replacements, the proportion of the men of this class appeared to be 50 per cent in November, 1917.
The 231st Division opposed an honorable resistance to the French assault of June 18, 1917, at Le Cornillet.
However, taking into consideration that it has never given proof of offensive qualities, it seems impossible to class it among the good divisions.
1918.
CHAMPAGNE.
1. Early in February the 231st Division was relieved by the 213th Division and went to the Givet-Namur area for training in open warfare.
PICARDY.
2. On the 21st of March it was in support behind the 45th Reserve Division. Two days later it attacked southwest of Ham in the direction of Esmery-Hallon, suffering heavy losses. It was in reserve near Roye on the 28th. Early in April it was resting near Laon, and later in the month it moved to the Marle area, where it was reconstituted.
AISNE.
3. It then relieved the 3d Reserve Division in the Bouconville sector (southeast of Laon) early in May. On the 27th other divisions attacked through its sector, the 231st following up in reserve via Fismes and Fère en Tardenois. It became engaged on the 30th near Beuvardes and advanced through Verdilly to Château Thierry; relieved by the 201st Division about the 16th of June. It refitted in the Laon region, entrained at Sissonne, and traveled via Asfeld to Dun sur Meuse.
VERDUN.
4. About the 1st of July it relieved the Bavarian Ersatz Division in the Avocourt sector (northwest of Verdun). It was relieved by the 37th Division on the 7th of August.
PICARDY.
5. The division traveled via Sedan-Laon-Chauny and reenforced the front near Appilly (east of Noyon). In the fighting that followed the division was forced to withdraw through Lagny, Champagne, Villeselve, Artemps, Mont d’Origny, and Hauteville. It was withdrawn about the 20th of October.
6. After having rested about a week it came back into line west of Guise about the 28th. Again it fell back, being identified east of Guise and southeast of Etreux. It was still in line on the 11th of November.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division did not distinguish itself during the battle of the Somme, but, on the other hand, it did not do badly, for soon afterwards the division commander was granted “Pour le Mérite.” After the Aisne offensive the brigade commander also received it. The division was mentioned in the German official communiqués of September 4 and October 31. Its losses necessitated the reduction of the battalions to three companies but did not lower the morale to any great extent. It should be considered as a good second-class division.
232d Division.
COMPOSITION.