COMPOSITION.

1916.

The 223d Division was concentrated at Mulhousen at the beginning of October, 1916. Its regiments formerly belonged to other divisions. The 144th Infantry Regiment was taken from the 3d Division on the Verdun front; the 173d from the 34th Division, then at Thiaumont; the 29th Ersatz from the 39th Bavarian Reserve Division, on the Lorraine front.

1. Entraining at Mulhousen on October 26, 1916, the 223d Division was transferred to the north by way of Sarrelouis-Treves-Aix la Chapelle-Louvain-Brussels-Valenciennes, and detrained north of Cambrai on October 28. During the night of November 11–12 it came to the Ancre front (Serre-Grandcourt) and lost heavily there.

2. Relieved about November 25, it was sent to rest in the area east of Cambrai. Elements of the 173d Infantry Regiment were sent on detached service south of Bapaume (Ligny-Tilloy).

1917.

Champagne.

1. At the end of January, 1917, the 223d Division left the Cambrai area for Champagne. It occupied the sector north of Rheims (Witry les Rheims, March and April).

2. About April 27 it was engaged south of Nauroy at Mont Cornillet and lost heavily between April 30 and May 8.

Galicia.

3. Withdrawn from the Champagne front about May 18, the 223d Division was transferred to Galicia. (Itinerary: Amagne (May 21)-Sedan-Thionville-Sarrebruecken-Frankfort-Leipzig-Breslau-Cracow-Lemberg.) It detrained at Zloczow, May 26.

4. At the beginning of July it opposed the Russian offensive in the vicinity of Brzezany; on July 18, it took part in the Austro-German counterattack and marched in the direction of Husiatyn, which it reached on the 30th and remained in line there until the middle of December. It was sent in reserve on this date, and prepared to leave for the Western Front, borrowing men from the regiments of the 83d Division.

RECRUITING.

The 223d Division was recruited from Westphalia and the Rhine Province so far as concerns the 144th and 173d Infantry Regiments. The 29th Ersatz Regiment came from the Grand Duchy of Baden.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 223d Division may be considered good.

1918.

Battle of Picardy.

1. The division rested in a camp at Sissonne until March 19, after which it was railed to La Fere, arriving there on March 21.

2. On the second day of the attack it was engaged near Tergnier-Chauny and advanced to the Guiscard region by the 24th. Shortly after its withdrawal from Guiscard (25th) it took over the Morlincourt-Appilly sector on the Oise (east of Noyon) and held it until May 1.

3. It rested near Guiscard during the first half of May. On the 15th it was engaged in front of Noyon (Larbroye-Mont Renaud-Pont l’Eveque) until the 30th. It took part in the Oise offensive of June, crossing the river and advancing in the Bois de Carlepont in the direction of Caisnes and Cuts. It established itself on the line Bailley-Tracy le Val-Oise and held that sector until the French attack of August 18.

Oise-Aisne.

4. The French attack of the 18th threw the division back on Salency. It was relieved on the 22d and railed to Anizy le Chateau the same day. From there it was taken to north of Soissons and reengaged on the 29th on the line Chauvigny-Juvigny. In these two engagements the division lost 688 prisoners.

5. The division had lost heavily in March and in the August fighting. Its morale was poor. The authority of the officers was low and desertions were frequent. As a result the division was dissolved in September. Its effectives were turned into the 52d, 103d, and 115th Divisions.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. Prior to the March offensive it had been regarded a good division.