Histories of two hundred and fifty-one divisions of the German army which participated in the war (1914-1918)

217th Division.

United States. War Department. General Staff

COMPOSITION.

	1916		1917		1918
	Brigade.	Regiment.	Brigade.	Regiment.	Brigade.	Regiment.
Infantry.		45.	18 Ldw.	9 Res.	18 Ldw.	9 Res.
		9 Res.		22 Ldw.		22 Ldw.
		22 Ldw.		29 Bav.		21 Res.
	Nov. to Jan. 1
		9 Res.
		22 Ldw.
		21 Res.
Cavalry.			47 Res. Cav. Detch.		47 Res. Cav. Detch.
Artillery.			65 Res. F. A. Rgt.		274 F. A. Rgt. (2d Abt.).
					65 Res. F. A. Rgt. (except 3d Btry. and 2 Abt. Staff and 4 and 6 Btries.).
					1049, 1056, and 1073 Light. Am. Col.
Engineers and Liaisons.	2 Res. Co. 17 Pions.		(217) Pion. Btn.:		2 Res. Co. 17 Pions.
			?2 Res. Co. 17 Pions.		130 Searchlight Section.
			?174 T. M. Co.		217 Signal Command:
			?427 T. M. Co.		?217 Tel. Detch.
			?217 Tel. Detch.
Medical and Veterinary.			Ambulance Co.		237 Ambulance Co.
			58 Field Hospital.		149 Field Hospital.
			149 Field Hospital.		317 Vet. Hospital.
			317 Vet. Hospital.
Transport.			1044 M. T. Col.
			1094 M. T. Col.

HISTORY.

(9th Reserve Infantry Regiment: 2d Corps District—Pomerania. 22d Landwehr Regiment: 6th Corps District—Upper Silesia. 29th Bavarian Infantry Regiment: Mixed—Prussia and Bavaria.)

1916.

The 217th Division was formed on the Eastern Front about August, 1916.

Roumania.

1. Composed of the 9th Reserve Infantry Regiment from the 3d Reserve Division, the 45th Infantry Regiment from the 101st Division, and the 22d Landwehr Regiment from the 4th Landwehr Division, the 217th Division left the Brest-Litowsk area at the beginning of October, 1916, to take part in the Roumanian campaign.

2. It was in Dobroudja about the end of October; in the area south of Bucarest in November. At the beginning of November the 45th Infantry Regiment, which returned to Macedonia, was replaced by the 21st Infantry Regiment from the 36th Reserve Division.

3. At the end of December elements of the 9th Reserve Infantry Regiment occupied the front south of Isaccea (Dobroudja).

1917.

Braila.

1. In January, 1917, the 217th Division was in the Braila area; in February, at the mouth of the Buzeu.

Odobesti.

2. In the month of May the division left the Braila front and went into line northwest of Odobesti in the vicinity of Focsani. At this time it acquired its definite organization: 9th Reserve, 29th Bavarian, and 22d Landwehr Infantry Regiments.

Panciu.

3. From July to December the 217th Division remained in line northwest of Panciu.

RECRUITING.

The 217th Division was one of the most heterogeneous.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The division had been on the Roumanian front since October, 1916, and was mediocre.

1918.

Roumania.

1. Early in April the division was still on the Roumanian front, but was leaving shortly for another theater.

Ukraine.

2. At the beginning of May the division was in the Kherson region.

Crimea.

3. The middle of the month the division was near Sebastopol.

Georgia.

4. About the middle of July elements of the division were identified at Poti and Tiflis.

Serbia.

5. Early in October the division having moved to the vicinity of Nish opposed the advance of the Serbian and allied troops.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as fourth class.

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