(41st Infantry Regiment: 1st Corps District—East Prussia. 60th Reserve Infantry Regiment: 21st Corps District—Lorraine, 1st Reserve Ersatz Regiment: Guard Depots.)

1916.

The 221st Division was formed in the Ardennes (vicinity of Mouzon) in October, 1916, by taking the 41st Infantry Regiment from the 1st Division, the 60th Reserve Infantry Regiment (21st Corps District) from the 1st Bavarian Landwehr Division, and the 1st Reserve Ersatz Regiment (Guard Depots) from the 1st Reserve Ersatz Brigade.

Somme.

1. A short time after its formation the 221st Division was transferred south of the Somme. On October 21–23 it went into line east of Berny; it remained there during the entire winter of 1916–17 and launched only a few local attacks.

1917.

Hindenburg Line.

1. At the end of March, 1917, the division withdrew with the German Army to the new positions on the Hindenburg Line, northwest of St. Quentin.

Artois.

2. Relieved about April 8, it rested for 10 days near Tournai, and on April 27 went into line in the sector of GuÉmappe-Monchy le Preux (southeast of Arras). It was seriously engaged against the British offensive until May 8–9.

3. About May 28 it returned to the Hindenburg Line between Moeuvres and Havrincourt.

Flanders.

4. On July 12 it left this sector for Flanders, where it was sent into reserve near Winckel-St. Eloi. It did not take part as a whole in the British attack of July 31. On August 1 the entire division was engaged in the sector of Zonnebeke, where it launched a violent counterattack, in the course of which it lost heavily.

5. The 221st Division was relieved from the Ypres front during the night of August 3–4, but left some units in line until the 10th. Transferred to Champagne, it went into line east of Auberive on August 17, without having had any rest. It there filled up its effectives (with replacements comprising a large proportion of the 1918 class). Its activity was not manifested there except by a few raids.

Cambrai.

6. On November 7 the division left the Champagne front, was transferred to Belgium, and remained at rest at Deynze until November 23. On this date it was taken by railroad to the Cambrai front, attacked by the British troops. Sent into line between Bourlon and Fontaine-Notre Dame on the 27th, it took part in the German counterattack. Relieved on December 7, it rested for a month in the vicinity of Douai.

RECRUITING.

The division was very mixed. The 1st Reserve Ersatz Regiment, originating in the Guard depots, was recruited from the entire Province of Prussia; the 41st Infantry Regiment (from East Prussia) was one of the regiments of the Prussian Army which had received the most replacements because of losses; the 60th Reserve Infantry Regiment comprised a majority of Westphalians and men from the Rhine Province, but also a large number from other corps districts.

The 221st Division always gave a good account of itself in the battles in which it took part. The 1st Reserve Ersatz Regiment, especially, in the course of the attacks of November, 1916, showed great tenacity on the defensive and great vigor on the offensive.

The morale of the 221st Division was good in November, 1917. The general commanding the division and the major commanding the 41st Infantry Regiment both received the order “Pour le Merite.”

1918.

Battle of Picardy.

1. The division continued to hold the sector near the Arras-Cambrai road until shortly before the March offensive. It was withdrawn, given a short rest, and attacked on the 21st at Queant. In two days it advanced as far as Ervillers (north of Bapaume). From the 25th of March to April 16 it rested in close support.

2. On April 16 the division was engaged the second time in the battle. It entered south of Arras in the Boyelles sector and remained there until May 25, when it was relieved by the 5th Bavarian Division.

3. The division rested and trained for almost two months in the locality east of Douai (Bruille, Somain, Aniches). The 45th Regiment, coming from the Macedonian front, replaced the 1st Reserve Ersatz Regiment, which was dissolved. Toward the end of July the division marched by stages to Noyon. It was held in reserve west of that place from July 30-August 8.

Battle of the Santerre and Second Battle of Picardy.

4. On August 9 the division was engaged at Arvillers-Hangest. In two days it was thrown back on Andechy, west of Roye. It was re-formed to the north and then to the southwest of Nesle (Aug. 11–17). It was reengaged on the 18th, and between that and the 27th fought north and south of the Avre near Roye (St. Mard-Sancourt). Again it was pushed back on the Canal du Nord at Buverchy-Libermont (Aug. 26–27). Its retreat continued toward Ham (Sept. 3–4) and St. Quentin (5th–8th). After that the division was in line near Fontaine les Cleres and Dallon until September 28. About 1,000 prisoners were taken from the division in this last sector.

5. The division was reengaged almost immediately south of Joncourt, Levergies, and Sequehart (Sept. 30). By October 10 it had reached Fresnoy le Grand. It was withdrawn on the 10th and rested a week near Bergues sur Sambre.

6. On the 18th it was engaged in the sector of the forest d’Antigny (near Wassigny). It retreated across the Sambre Canal on the 19th and passed into reserve. On the 24th it was reengaged near the Serre River (west of La Ferte Chevresis). In the final retreat it fell back through La Herie la Vieville, Laigny, and east of Vervins. It was in line on November 11.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as second class. It was used as an attack division in the March offensive and as a counterattack division in the last three months of the war. It was noted for its energetic higher command. When called in to oppose the French attack near Roye in August, the division had a rifle strength of 4,000. By the end of October this had been reduced to about 1,000. The 45th Regiment was reduced to four small companies by October 24. The 41st and 60th Reserve Regiments had but three companies to a battalion.

The division fought very well in spite of its losses and fatigue in the final months.