(25th: 8th District—Rhine Province. 185th: 14th District—Grand Duchy of Baden. 65th Reserve: 8th District—Rhine Province.)

1916.

The 208th Division was organized in the region of Sissonne at the beginning of September, 1916. Its three infantry regiments came from older divisions—the 25th from the 15th Division, the 185th from the 185th Division, the 65th Reserve from the 16th Reserve Division.

Before being transferred to the 208th Division these regiments were engaged in the battle of the Somme, where the 18th Infantry especially was particularly tried (July 5–18).

Galicia.

1. On September 3 the division was sent to the Eastern Front, via Luxemburg-Aix la Chapelle-Berlin-Leipzig-Cracow-Lemberg.

2. Fought at Brzezany and Halicz from the middle of September to the end of October.

France.

3. About the beginning of November it returned to the Western Front, via Lemberg-Budapest-Vienna-Salzburg-Rosenheim-Munich-Frankfurt-Cologne-Aix la Chapelle-Liege. Detrained November 13 at Caudry.

Somme-Ancre.

4. On November 18 it went into line north of the Ancre, where it was seriously engaged in a series of local attacks.

5. Relieved December 12 and went to rest northeast of Ghent.

1917.

Flanders.

1. At the beginning of February, 1917 the division took over the sector Ypres-Comines Canal, which it held until February 25.

2. After a month’s rest in the region north of Ghent it returned to the front (sector Bixschoote-Langemarck) from March 28–29 to middle of April.

Artois.

3. April 24 the division was engaged before Arras between Gavrelle and Roeux and was severely tried during the British offensive.

Hindenburg Line (Oise).

4. Withdrawn from the Artois front May 8 and went into line in a quiet sector south of St. Quentin, between Berthenicourt and Moy, where it remained for more than three months, May 14–15 to August 18. Received about 1,000 replacements, among others from the 616th Infantry dissolved, in May.

Flanders.

5. About August 23 went to Flanders, via Origny-Le Cateau-Mons-Ghent-Deynze-Lichtervelde. September 4–5 it went into the sector of Langemarck. Though already sorely tried by artillery fire, it was subjected to the British attack of September 20, which again caused it very heavy losses. The 1st and 3d Companys of the 185th Infantry were entirely destroyed or captured; the rest of the 1st Battalion was reduced to a handful of men (letter).

St. Mihiel.

6. Left the Flanders front September 29 and went to Lorraine where it took over the St. Mihiel sector.

Cambrai-St. Quentin.

7. November 26 it entrained for the region of Cambrai where the 25th Infantry fought on the 30th in support of the 34th Division. The division then held the sector southwest of Villers Guislain-north of Epehy until the beginning of February, 1918. Relieved at that time, and at the beginning of March took over the sector west of Bellenglise, northwest of St. Quentin.

RECRUITING.

The 185th Regiment is a Baden regiment (German communiquÉ of Nov. 26, 1916). The other two regiments are from the Rhineland, and thus the division may at times be designated under the general appellation of “Rhenish troops.”

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The division took part in many battles on different fronts and generally did well.

When it was put in line at Ypres in September, 1917, 25 per cent of its fighting forces belonged to the 1918 class, and these young elements seem at this time to have weakened the fighting spirit of the division. (Information from the British, October, 1917).

1918.

Battle of Picardy.

1. The division was in the Bellenglise line sector when the attack of March 21 began. By the evening of the 21st it had advanced as far as le Vergnier. The next day it advanced via Bernes and Catigny and entered Peronne on the following day, remaining there until the 25th, when it crossed the Somme near Biaches. On the 26th the division advanced 4 kilometers encountering slight opposition, and on the 27th advanced 12 kilometers without opposition. It reached Framerville on the 28th after some fighting and on the 29th was engaged against a British counterattack between Cayeux and Beaucourt. A day or so later it was retired from the front near Marcelcave. The casualties of the division in the offensive were estimated by the British as 70 per cent.

Hangard.

2. It rested near Clery, in the vicinity of Peronne, from April 1 to 18. It came into line north of Hangard (night of Apr. 21–22) and was heavily engaged until May 4. Again the division suffered very heavy losses.

Woevre.

3. The division went to rest in the Valenciennes area on May 7. About June 4 it entrained and traveled via Mons-Namur-Charleville-Conflans to Chambley, where it detrained a day later. On the night of June 4–5 it entered line of the quiet St. Mihiel sector and stayed there until the end of July.

Second Battle of Picardy.

4. Relieved on July 28, at St. Mihiel, the division was transported to the Noyon area, and on August 12 was engaged near Belval (south of Lassigny). In the next two months the division was constantly being pressed back. The line of its retreat was through Beaurains-Genvry-Guiscard-Berlancourt-Ville Selves-Crigny-Flavy le Martel-Benay-Cerisy (south of St. Quentin). It was relieved by the 1st Reserve Division on September 30.

5. After hardly a week’s rest, the division reentered lines near Cambrai (southwest of Merguies, later Haussy) about October 8. It held in that sector until the 23d. Few days later it was reengaged between Valenciennes and Le Quesnoy (Ruesnes), but after a few days in line retired from the front.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as second class. It took a prominent part in the March offensive and thereafter was a strong defensive division. Although its effectives were greatly diminished in the fall, its morale remained above the average.