(187th Regiment: 9th Corps District—Schleswig—Holstein. 188th Regiment: 4th Corps District—Prussian Saxony. 189th Regiment: 3d Corps District—Brandenburg.)

1915.

The 187th Division (the 187th Brigade until June, 1916) was created May 20, 1915. Its regiments were made up as follows: The 187th, from the 9th Corps District; the 188th, from the 4th Corps District; and the 189th, a Brandenburger unit.

Alsace.

1. In June, 1915, the 187th Brigade was sent to Alsace and stayed in line in the Fecht valley and the vicinity (Metzeral-Sondernach-Hilsenfirst-Reichackerkopf) until the end of December.

2. It next went to rest in the vicinity of Colmar.

1916.

Alsace.

1. At the end of January, 1916, it went back in line in the Fecht valley and the region of Guebwiller. It was kept there until the summer, participating in battles for the possession of the heights (Hartmannswillerkopf, Reichackerkopf).

2. At the beginning of July the 187th Brigade became the 187th Division by the transformation of its field artillery detachment into a regiment.

Transylvania.

3. Relieved at the end of August from the Muenster, it rested eight days at Rouffach then entrained at Colmar for the Roumanian front. (Itinerary: Karlsruhe-Stuttgart-Ulm-Munich-Vienna-Budapest-Sieben-Buergen.)

Roumania.

4. On September 13 it was engaged in Transylvania (region of Hermannstadt, Tour Rouge passes), then took part in the battle of Brasso (Kronstadt) at the beginning of October and in the operations in the vicinity of Slanic (December). It suffered heavy losses.

1917.

Roumania-France.

1. On February 11, 1917, the 187th Division left Roumania for the Western Front. (Itinerary: Arad-Budapest-Oppeln-Breslau-Dresden-Wuerzberg-Strassberg.) It was at rest near Dieuze (about six weeks).

Lorraine.

2. About April 20 it took over the Moncel-Arracourt sector.

Aisne.

3. Hastily relieved on April 28, it entrained at Morhange on May 2 and detrained in the vicinity of Amagne and was put into line on May 10 on the Rheims front (north of Bermericourt; southeast of Berry au Bac) until June 15.

4. At rest in the Aussonce-La Neuville area (end of June to July) the 187th Division was held in reserve as a “Stossdivision” or “Eingriffsdivision.”

Champagne.

5. About July 14 it was engaged in the Cornillet, Mont Blond, Mont Haut sector, which it held until August 26. The 187th Infantry was particularly tried during the attack of July 26.

6. From August 26 to September 29 it was at rest in camps at La Neuville en Tourne À Fuii later in the region of Vervins.

Flanders.

7. Transferred to Belgium (Sept. 30), the division opposed the British attack near Poelcappelle. It was partially relieved after the attack and went into line and counter attacked on the 10th to the north of Langemarck. Its losses in this sector were heavy.

8. After a rest to the north of Bruges from the 12th of October to November, it went back to the front near Blankaart (south of Dixmude).

The three regiments of this division came from different Provinces—the 187th from Schleswig-Holstein, the 188th from Prussian-Saxony, and the 189th from Brandenburg. This was confirmed by a German communiquÉ which mentioned “the attack troops from Schleswig-Holstein and Brandenberg” at Mont Haut (July, 1917).

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 187th Division was made up of young men who were well trained and who came from active divisions.

The 187th Division was a division equipped for mountain warfare.

1918.

Armentieres.

1. The 187th Division was withdrawn from line south of Lake Blankaart about the 10th of January, and on the 16th relieved the 38th Landwehr Division near Bois Grenier (south of Armentieres). It was relieved by the 6th Bavarian Division about February 20 and went to the Lille area, where it most probably received training in open warfare, though the fact has not been definitely established.

Arras.

2. It left there and arrived at Douai on the 25th of March. It spent the night of the 27th–28th in Vitry. On the 28th it reenforced the front near Fampoux (east of Arras) on the 28th, when it attacked. A man of the 188th Regiment subsequently wrote: “We tried to break through on the 28/3/18, but only pushed Tommy back to his reserve line, and don’t forget that it was with enormous losses to ourselves.” It was relieved by the 2d Guard Reserve Division during the night of May 18–19, and went to rest in the region east of Douai.

3. During the night of June 18–19 it came back and relieved the 2d Guard Reserve Division. It was relieved by the 48th Reserve Division on the 7th of July.

Armentieres.

4. After less than a week’s rest, the division came to the Armentieres front and relieved the 39th Division between Neuf-Berquin and Vieux-Berquin (north of Merville). It was relieved early in September by the extension of fronts of the neighboring divisions.

Cambrai.

5. On the 7th it reenforced the front in the Inchy en Artois sector (west of Cambrai). After suffering exceedingly heavy losses, it was withdrawn about the 28th and went to rest in the Boushain region.

Douai.

6. October 3 it relieved the 15th Reserve Division in the Oppy sector (west of Douai), and was withdrawn about the 20th.

7. On the 27th it reenforced the front in the Chateau l’Abbaye sector (northeast of St. Amand), but was withdrawn a few days later.

Valenciennes.

9. It was identified in line near Quievrechain (northeast of Valenciennes) on November 5.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The 187th was rated as a second-class division. The only offensive in which it participated was that of the Somme, where it did not distinguish itself. Subsequently it was used only to hold the front. Toward the end of the year it was very much reduced in strength.