(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.

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.