(98th Reserve: 16th District—Lorraine. 209th Reserve: 2d District—Pomerania. 213th Reserve: 9th District—Schleswig—Holstein.)

1916.

1. The 207th Division was organized in Belgium toward the end of September, 1916. The 45th Reserve Division furnished the 209th Reserve and the 46th Reserve Division the 213th Reserve. Its third regiment, the 413th, which came from the 204th Division, was replaced by the 98th Reserve (from the 212th Division) at the beginning of 1917.

Flanders.

2. Assembled in October on the Belgium coast (Zeebrugge-Blankenberg) and went into line before Ypres toward the end of November (Zonnebeke-Ypres road to the Ypres-Comines Canal).

1917.

1. Held the Ypres front until the end of April, 1917.

Artois.

2. At the beginning of May it fought in Artois (Bullecourt, south of Pronville).

Messines.

3. Relieved about June 3 and went back into line in the region of Ypres, east of Messines, June 12 to July 6. Did not have heavy losses in spite of serious fighting.

4. In July sent to rest in the vicinity of Roubaix.

Ypres.

5. Beginning on the night of August 1–2, it was again engaged east of Ypres in the vicinity of Hollebeke and Zandvoorde, and counterattacked to recapture Hollebeke. Remained in this sector until October 8.

Lens.

6. On October 20 took over the sector north of Lens, where it alternated with the 220th Division.

RECRUITING.

A composite division. The 98th Reserve got replacements principally from Westphalia; the 209th Reserve from Pomerania; the 213th Reserve from Schleswig-Holstein.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

This division has only a moderate fighting value.

1918.

Lens.

1. The division continued to hold the quiet Loos sector until April 13, when it was relieved by the 220th Division.

La Bassee Canal.

2. It was engaged north of the La Basse Canal on the night of April 13–14. The 98th Reserve Regiment attacked on the 18th on the canal. After the attack the three regiments held the line to the south of the canal until the end of April.

3. The division rested in early May. On the 18th it was engaged south of the La Basse Canal, near Hulluch and Anchy les La Basse. It held this sector without event until it was relieved on the night of July 1–2 by the 10th Erzsatz Division. The regiment marched to Wahagnies, entrained at Libercourt on the 3d and detrained near Bac St. Maur on the same day.

4. It relieved the 44th Reserve Division during the nights of July 3–4 and 4–5 near Vieux Berquin. After a month it exchanged sectors (between Aug. 6 and 8) with the 52d Division which had been holding a sector south of Lens. The sector continued quiet in August and September. The division was relieved on the night of the 24th–25th by the 111th Division and reenforced the front northwest of Cambrai on September 28. After three days of severe fighting and heavy losses it was obliged to withdraw.

Belgium.

5. The division was taken to Deynze about October 8 and came into line on the 14th near Thielt between Pittem and Iseghem. It was pushed back toward Denterghem (18th–19th) and later toward the line Courtrai-Ghent (Deynze, Tulte, Waereghem, Oct. 21 to Nov. 1). The division withdrew to reserve on November 1 and thereafter was out of line.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as second class. Its morale was reported to be indifferent at the end of October.