(224th Reserve Infantry Regiment: 18th Corps District—Hesse—Nassau. 2d Reserve Ersatz and 71st Landwehr Regiments: 11th Corps District—Thuringia and Prussian Saxony.)

1916.

Champagne.

1. The 215th Division, formed about September, 1916, and comprising at this time the 40th Ersatz Regiment, taken from the 19th Ersatz Division; the 2d Reserve Ersatz, from the 1st Reserve Ersatz Brigade; the 60th Reserve, from the 13th Landwehr Division, was identified for the first time on September 29, 1916, on the Champagne front, east of Auberive. It occupied the sector of Prosnes, south of Ste. Marie a Py, until the end of November.

2. Relieved in Champagne, the 215th Division was transferred to the Eastern Front, leaving the 60th Reserve Regiment in France as a part of the 221st Division and taking with it the 71st Landwehr Regiment from the 13th Landwehr Division.

Russia.

3. Arriving in Russia at the beginning of December, the 215th Division formed a part of the 22d Reserve Corps (Army of the Bug) and was reenforced by the addition of the 244th Reserve Infantry Regiment from the 53d Reserve Division.

1917.

Volhynia.

1. At the beginning of 1917 the composition of the 215th Division was again changed—the 244th Reserve Infantry Regiment went over to the 119th Division and was replaced by the 224th Reserve Infantry Regiment from the 48th Reserve Division.

2. During the year 1917 the 215th Division occupied, in Volhynia, the sector situated east of Gorokhov (northwest of Berestiecko).

3. Its composition was once more modified—the 40th Ersatz Regiment was transferred to a newly formed Saxon division, the 96th.

RECRUITING.

The 215th Division was fairly homogeneous. It was mostly recruited from the 11th and to some extent from the 18th Corps Districts (Thuringia, the Electorate of Hesse, and Hesse-Nassau).

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The division had been in Russia since December, 1916, and was only mediocre.

1918.

Ukraine.

1. Early in the year the division was still in Russia. It was identified near Kiev on the 12th of March and in the Kharkov region in April. Early in May the division had advanced to the Sea of Azov. Early in September, all unmarried men less than 35 years of age (Alsace-Lorrainers included) were sent to the Western Front, which probably explains the many reports of the division having been sent to France. In all probability the division never left the Ukraine.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as fourth class.