(429th Landwehr: 3d Corps District—Brandenburg. 19th Landwehr: 5th Corps District—Posen. 61st Landwehr: 17th Corps District—West Prussia.)

1916.

Russia.

1. Upon its formation the 224th Division appeared on the Eastern Front about October, 1916.

2. At this time it was near the 31st Division, north of Lake Narotch.

1917.

Volhynia-Sviniouki.

1. At the beginning of February, 1917, the composition of the 224th Division appeared to be as follows: 19th Landwehr Regiment taken from the 18th Landwehr Division; 61st Landwehr Regiment, from the 85th Landwehr Division, and the 429th Landwehr Regiment, a new formation (1916).

2. The 224th Division then occupied the sector of Sviniouki in Volhynia. It remained there during the entire year of 1917, during the latter months furnishing important replacements to the Western Front, to such a degree that in November the companies of the 429th Landwehr did not have more than 100 men left (Russian interrogation).

RECRUITING.

The 224th Division was recruited from Brandenburg and the eastern Provinces of the empire.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The division was on the Russian front from its formation and was of mediocre combat value.

In December, 1917, in Volhynia, 50 men of the youngest classes were taken from each company of the 429th Landwehr Regiment to be sent to the Flanders front.

In January, 1918, the companies of the 61st Landwehr Regiment were composed of men of the Landsturm. (Prisoner’s statement, Jan. 13.)

1918.

Volhynia.

At the beginning of March the division left the Sviniouki region and went via Pinsk to Gomel.

Ukraine.

2. Toward the end of April the division was identified in the Vorojva region (southwest of Koursk). On the 9th of September the division was identified a little farther to the north in the Delgorod region.

Woevre.

3. On September 29 the division was relieved (probably by the 45th Landwehr Division) and, entraining at Sadtowo, traveled via Kubiantz-Kharkov-Kiev-Kovel-Kattovitz-Dresden-Frankfort on the Main-Saarbrueken-Metz-Batilly, where it detrained on October 12. Resting here until the 16th, it marched via Bruville-Mars la Tour-Chambley and relieved the 88th Division during the night of the 16th–17th south of Dampvitoux. The division was identified by prisoners on November 7 here and does not seem to have been withdrawn before the armistice.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was a very poor one. About the middle of the summer the best men were chosen to be sent to the Western Front. They were paraded before the commanding general and when they reached the place where he was standing they dropped their guns and went back to the caserne. Later when the whole division was to come to the west, the men were far from satisfied, not being entirely consoled when they were informed that they were to enter a quiet sector.