COMPOSITION.

1916.

The 197th Division was created in August, 1916, on the Eastern Front by the union of the following regiments: (1) 273d Reserve Regiment, formed out of four battalions taken from the 362d Infantry (4th Ersatz Division); the 368th Infantry (10th Ersatz Division); the 130th Reserve (33d Reserve Division) which all came from France. (2) 7th Jaegers (13th Battalion of Jaegers), 25th and 26th Battalions of Reserve Jaegers, all Saxon, and also all coming from France. (3) The 32d Landwehr, which had been under orders of the 33d Division in the Argonne.

Galicia.

1. As part of the 2d Austrian Army (Boehm-Ermoli), the 197th Division occupied in August 1916 the Zborow sector (northwest of Tarnopol) where it met the offensive carried on by Broussilov. On August 10 the 7th Regiment of Jaegers had 35 officers and 1,039 men out of action (letter).

2. In September it was in line to the northeast of Zalosce and to the north of Zborow and later in the vicinity of Zloczow.

1917.

Galicia.

1. The 197th Division stayed in this same Zloczow sector until July, 1917. While there it met the Russian attack of July 1, which reduced the strength of the 1st Battalion of the 32d Landwehr to 160 men (letter).

2. The division participated in the German counteroffensive of July 19 and advanced by way of Zborow up to Husjatin (August), where it was relieved to go into reserve.

3. It went back into line at the beginning of September at Hlesczawa (region of Trembowla).

4. At the beginning of November the 32d Landwehr was replaced by the 28th Ersatz, taken from the Bavarian Ersatz Division, and originally from the 14th Corps District (Grand Duchy of Baden). This replacement of a mediocre regiment for a good one was the prelude of preparations for a transfer to the Western Front.

RECRUITING.

This division had a composite make-up. The 7th Jaegers was Saxon; the 28th Ersatz was from Baden; and the 273d was formed from battalions coming from the 7th, 9th, and 10th Corps District and got its replacements in theory from the 10th Corps District.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 197th Division, coming from Galicia, appeared for the first time on the Western Front in March, 1918. All the maneuvers executed in the rear and at rest in Galicia tended to accustom the units to defensive warfare methods (Verteidigungskrieg). (Interrogation of a prisoner of the 273d Reserve on Mar. 13, 1918.)

This was also true of its stay in the Marchais region (February 1918).

1918.

Chateau Thierry.

The division held the quiet Chemin des Dames sector until the Aisne offensive of May 27. Attack divisions passed through the 197th Division, which followed up the attack in close reserve and was engaged on May 31 northwest of Chateau Thierry. It came in for some heavy local fighting while opposite the 2d United States Division near Veuilly before it was relieved on June 8.

2. It was moved to Eastern Champagne, and on June 23 relieved the 15th Bavarian Division in the Ornes sector. During July the division received drafts. It held this sector without loss until about the 1st of August.

St. Quentin-Oise.

3. On August 15 the division reenforced the front at Ribecourt. Until September 10 it was constantly engaged in the Noyon fighting. After resting nine days the division returned to line north of Gricourt, and until October 19 resisted every foot of the way to Seboncourt.

4. After the withdrawal from line the division was broken up. The 273d Reserve Regiment and the 28th Ersatz Regiment were disbanded, while the 7th Jaeger Regiment passed intact to the 241st Division.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. It was heavily engaged on an active front for two months in 1918 during which fighting it suffered so heavily in casualties and morale that it was dissolved in late October.