COMPOSITION.

1916.

Formed about September 11, 1916, behind the front north of Verdun, the 222d Division took two of its regiments from existing divisions—the 81st Reserve Regiment from the 21st Reserve Division, and the 193d Reserve Regiment from the 192d Division. Its third regiment, the 397th, was formed at Stenay from elements of the 16th and 53d Reserve Regiments (13th Reserve Division), of the 159th Regiment (14th Reserve Division), of the 118th Infantry Regiment (56th Division), and especially from the 140th Infantry Regiment (4th Division).

1. From September 15 to October 24, 1916, the 222d Division was at rest in Alsace in the vicinity of Rouffach.

Somme.

2. Entrained on October 25, it was transferred to the vicinity of Cambrai by way of Sarrebruecken, Aix la Chapelle, Brussels, Tournai. About November 5 it went into action on the Somme front near Lesboeufs, Le Transloy, and remained in line until December 7–8.

3. After a few days of rest it was sent by railroad into the Laonnois. Detraining at St. Erme between December 15 and 29 it took over the sector of the Ville aux Bois (southeast of Craonne), which it occupied until February 15, 1917.

1917.

1. Upon its release the 222d Division was employed in defensive works behind the Aisne-Oise front (north of La FÈre, St. Gobain, Laffaux, Chavignon).

Aisne.

2. About March 16, 1917, it was engaged east of Soissons (Vregny-Combe Plateau); counterattacked on March 21 north of Missy sur Aisne; retired in the direction of the Laffaux Mill-Jouy-Aizy (at the beginning of April) and fought on this front April 18 to 21.

The 193d Infantry Regiment, sent as reenforcement troops to Soupir, suffered serious losses there and retired by way of Ostel on April 20.

3. The 222d Division, having established its position between Laffaux Mill and Malmaison Farm, was again severely tried during the attacks of May 5 and 6.

4. Withdrawn from the Aisne front on May 13, it was sent to rest in the area Marle-Vervins and reorganized.

5. At the end of June the division took over its former sector (Laffaux), where the attack of July 8 was the only important action in which it took part during this time, which lasted until the beginning of August.

6. After a short rest in the vicinity of Montigny, it came back into line (Ailles—north of Hurtebise) about September 5 and remained in this sector until November 2. At this time it took part in the withdrawal and occupied new positions north of the Ailette.

7. On November 28, the 222d Division was relieved in the sector of Chermizy and sent to rest at Laon and in the vicinity of Marle (one month’s training).

8. At the end of December it occupied the front Brancourt-Anizy.

RECRUITING.

The 81st Reserve Infantry Regiment and the 193d Infantry Regiment were recruited in the Rhine districts (Hesse-Nassau, Rhine Province, and Westphalia). Many elements from these same regions were in the 397th Infantry Regiment in addition to Pomeranians.

Although it had suffered only slight losses since the beginning of November, 1917, the 222d Division was exhausted by a stay of more than seven months in the different sectors of the Aisne. It is a mediocre division (January, 1918).

During its rest in December the division received continual but moderate training, like the maneuvers of peace times. (Interrogation of prisoner, Feb. 4, 1918.)

Ailette.

1. This was a very quiet sector and the division remained here without incident until the Somme offensive was well under way. However, the division took part in the attacks of April 7 and 8, when the enemy endeavored to squeeze out the new salient of Coucy le ChÂteau, which was developed by the progress of the main advance toward Montdidier. It suffered heavily in several attacks but gained little ground.

Montdidier.

2. About the 3d of May the division was withdrawn and sent to the front southeast of Montdidier, where the main battle line had stabilized, but where infantry was still continuing, and during the night of the 9th–10th relieved the 206th Division in the Assainvillers sector. However, the sector soon grew quiet. The division remained in line and took part in the battle of the Oise on June 9, advancing via Courcelles to Mery. The division made but little headway (it will be remembered that this whole offensive failed) and suffered heavy losses in several days of hard fighting. It was relieved by the 11th Division about the 8th of July and went to rest near Coucy le ChÂteau.

Soissons.

3. During the night of the 25th–26th the division reenforced the front near Nouvron (northwest of Soissons). Here it was subjected to the full weight of the attack of the 18th of August and was driven back to Audignicourt and the Ailette. After having suffered very heavy losses (1829 prisoners), it was withdrawn about the 27th and went to rest near Laon. About the middle of September it was disbanded, the 81st Reserve Regiment going to the 21st Reserve Division, the 193d Regiment going to the 14th Division, and the 397th Regiment going to the 45th Reserve Division.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The 222d was rated a second-class division. It took little part in offensive operations but was not incapable of putting up a tenacious defense. In June two of its regiments threatened to leave the trenches if they were not relieved, but the difficulty seems to have been smoothed over though there was no relief until July 8. It is interesting to note that the divisions receiving regiments when the 222d was disbanded were all second-class units.