1914.

The 21st Division belonged organically with the 25th Division of the 18th Army Corps District (Frankfort on the Main).

Ardennes.

1. In August, 1914, it formed a part of the 4th Army (Duke of Wurttemberg). Entering Luxemburg on August 10, Belgium August 12, it fought on the 20th at Neuf Chateau, on the 22d at Bertrix and Orgeo, on the 24th at Matton, and crossed the Meuse on the 28th.

Marne.

2. In September it took part in the battle of the Marne between Vitry and Sermaize (Etrepy, Pargny sur Saulx). From there it retired in the direction of Rheims, being in action northwest of the city from September 15 to 20.

3. In October it was reassigned with the 18th Army Corps to the 2d Army, which at this time formed the right flank of the German Army (vicinity of Roye).

1915.

Somme.

1. It was retained with its army corps for a year in the vicinity of Roye (until Oct. 15, 1915). In March, the 25th Division transferred the 88th Infantry Regiment for the formation of the 56th Division.

2. On October 15, 1915, it was withdrawn from the front and sent for a long rest near St. Quentin.

1916.

The 80th Fusiliers took part in the attack at Frise on January 29, 1916. A few days afterwards the 21st Division was transferred north of Verdun.

Verdun.

1. From February 27 to March 16 it was engaged at Verdun (Caures wood, Louvemont, Douaumont).

2. From March 17 to April 9 it was reorganized (imperial review on Apr. 1, at Marville).

3. From April 10 to 25 it again attacked at Verdun. One may judge of the losses by the replacements destined to make them good: From February 27 to May 10 the 1st Company of the 80th Fusiliers received at least 205 men; the 5th Company of the 81st Infantry Regiment at least 306 (Soldbuecher). The total losses of the 21st Division from March 15 to May 19, 1916, amounted to 8,549 officers and privates for the infantry alone. (Official List of Casualties.)

4. About May 15 the 21st Division occupied the sector west of Craonne, where it was relieved in September. Two battalions of the 87th Infantry Regiment were sent in haste to Fricourt at the time of the Somme offensive (July 2).

Somme.

5. Between September 12 and 15 the 21st Division was transferred to the Somme (sectors of Clery-Bouchavesnes), where it suffered heavily.

6. At the beginning of October it was withdrawn from the Somme front and sent to the Cotes de Meuse in the Apremont area, which it occupied until November 10.

7. At the end of November it again went into action on the Somme (sector of Gomiecourt wood of Kratz) and remained there until February 10, when it went to rest near Chaumont Porcien.

Aisne.

1. On February 26, 1917, the 21st Division was taken to the front south of Berry au Bac, between the Godat and Loivre.

2. The three regiments of the division were on line on April 16 and underwent our attack, which caused them very heavy losses (2,319 prisoners).

Russia.

3. Relieved, about April 19, the 21st Division rested for a few days in the Neufchatel area and then entrained for the Eastern Front (about May 9). On the 16th it detrained at Vilna. After reorganization, it took over a sector, on June 14, in the neighborhood of Postavy (north of Lake Narotch), which it occupied until the end of September. There was no important operation during this period.

France.

4. On September 25 it was again transferred to France. Itinerary: Vilna-Posen-Leipzig-Frankfort on the Main-Saarebruecken-Luxemburg-Sedan.

5. Arriving from Russia on October 1, it went into line about the 28th, in the sector northeast of Rheims. After a rest in January, it returned there in February, 1918.

RECRUITING.

The 21st Division is recruited in Hesse-Nassau, Hesse-Homburg, and Frankfort. They have borrowed very few from other districts, except from the 8th (Rhine Province), its neighbor.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 21st Division showed itself, in the course of our attack of April 16, 1916, as a good division, which put up a serious resistance.

The 81st Infantry Regiment, however, was criticised for its conduct on April 4. (Order of the 42d Brigade, of Apr. 9.) (See Appendix to the British Summary of Information of May 12, 1917.)

On the Russian front, according to the statement of a deserter (Nov. 7, 1917), the attempts at fraternization and exchange of the Russians were badly received by order of the German commanders.

1918.

1. The division held the Clonay-La Pompelle sector until April 23. A local operation was attempted on March 1, with the demolition of Fort La Pompelle as the objective.

2. When relieved on April 23, the division rested several days at Warmeriville before being transported to St. Quentin. From there it marched by stages to Rosieres en Santerre (May 1) and later to the Avre front.

Picardy.

3. It relieved the 2d Bavarian Division, on May 3–4 in the sector south of Thennes and held that sector for five weeks. On June 12, the division moved into second line, and reappeared in line west of Castel-Bois Senecat in mid-June. During local operations, June 26 and July 2, the division lost a number of prisoners. It was relieved about the end of July.

Battle of the Somme.

The division returned to line on August 13 to oppose the British drive on the Somme. It was engaged north of Lihons (13th) and east of Proyart. Toward the end of August it was forced to retreat through Cappy, Frise, Clery, and Le Mont St. Quentin, until its relief on September 1. Twelve hundred prisoners were lost during the fighting.

5. On September 9, the division was reengaged northwest of Jeancourt for four days, again losing heavily in prisoners. From the 13th to the 30th the division rested in the vicinity of St. Quentin, close to the front. It was put back in line at Bellicourt on the 30th and remained in until October 7.

6. The division rested in the Charleroi area and later at Ghent. It was brought back to the front by stages and reengaged east of Deynze (Petegem-Ouest de Nazareth) on October 31. In the closing days, the division was identified south of Heurne (Nov. 5), Gelsen (8th), Wendle (8th), south of Ghent (10th).

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as first class. In 1918 it was used entirely on the defensive. At the end the regiments had been reduced to two battalions of three companies. Morale was very low in the fall. Between August 14 and the middle of October the division lost 2,473 prisoners on the Somme battle front.