COMPOSITION.

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 About July 25 it was withdrawn from the front and reorganized.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.

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.

The 183d was more homogeneous than it seemed at first glance. The recruits of the 9th and 10th Corps District were often mixed and the 418th and 440th Regiments have many men from the same Provinces. Also the 184th received in the main men from that portion of the 4th Corps District which adjoined the 10th Corps District (Harz section).

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

During the French attack of April 16, 1917, the division as a whole showed up well. The 418th and the 440th Reserve gave proof of vigor and courage and only gave way under continual pressure of the opposing troops.

It seemed that the German Command wished to reward the division for this resistance by giving Gen. von Schuessler, commanding the 183d Division, the Ordre pour le MÉrite.

The 183d Division was sorely tried in the course of these attacks and had to be entirely reorganized.

1918.

Battle of Picardy.

1. The division held the Vendhulle sector until February 2, when it was relieved by the 79th Reserve Division. It returned to this part of the line on February 25, relieving the 79th Reserve Division. It took part in the attack of March 21, advancing by Epehy (21st), Manancourt (23d), to Bazentin (25th). It retired to rest at Contalmaison.

2. The division received drafts in early April. On the 16th it came into line north of Albert and held there for four weeks. On the 13th of May it was relieved by the 243d Division.

3. On the 19th the division was engaged at Ville sur Ancre, but after four days in line it was relieved and sent to a quiet sector.

Woevre.

4. On June 22 the division took over the Regnieville sector, which it held until July 14 without event. It was relieved by the 77th Reserve Division on that date.

5. It entrained at Thiaucourt on July 16 and traveled via Montmedy-Sedan-Charleville-Charleroi-Mons-Valenciennes and detrained near Cambrai on the night of July 17–18. From there it marched to Ypres, rested there for six days, and on the 25th relieved the 26th Reserve Division in the Hebuterne sector.

Battle of the Somme.

6. The division was struck by the British offensive in August, and before it was withdrawn near Irles on August 24 it had suffered heavy casualties, including the loss of 1,400 prisoners.

7. It marched to Cambrai, where it remained three days. On the 28th it was marched to Douai and entrained for Lille, from where it marched to Templemars. On the night of September 3–4 it relieved the 18th Reserve Division north of the La Bassee Canal.

8. The division was engaged in the La Bassee sector until September 10. Immediately after it was withdrawn from line the division was dissolved. The 440th Reserve Regiment was sent as a draft to the 11th Division. The other two regiments of the division were also disbanded and used as drafts.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as second class. It was used as an assault division in the March offensive but thereafter deteriorated. It was next seriously employed on the Somme in August, where its tremendous losses robbed it of further utility.