(417th Infantry Regiment; 14th Corps District—Grand Duchy of Baden. 441st Infantry Regiment; 18th Corps District—Hesse—Nassau. 477th Infantry Regiment; 8th Corps District—Rhine Province.)

1917.

The 227th Division, formed in March, 1917, was composed of three newly-formed regiments—the 417th (Baden), the 441st (18th District-Hesse), the 477th, formed by drafts upon the units of the 38th and 13th Divisions and upon the 16th Corps, then attached after its formation in the autumn of 1916 to the 33d Division of this corps.

Argonne.

1. The 227th Division was identified for the first time on March 27, 1917, on the Argonne front. It occupied the calm sector of the Fille-Morte until May 26.

Aisne.

2. About June 1 it went into line south of the Aisne (La Neuville-Godat) and extended its sector, at the beginning of July, to Hill 108 (Sapigneul).

3. Relieved about August 5, it was sent for rest and training to the Asfeld area. On August 20 it went into line north of Berry au Bac, between the Miette and Hill 108, from which it was withdrawn on August 2.

The division did not take part in any important engagement on the Aisne front. Its losses were very slight.

4. On October 5 and 6 the 227th Division entrained at Amagne (east of Rethel), and was transferred to Belgium by way of Hirson-Toumai-Courtrai-Thielt. Detraining at Pitthem on October 6 and 7, it reached the front north of Poepcappelle on the night of the 8th–9th, was in action for a week and suffered very heavy losses.

5. The division left the Ypres front about October 15 to go to Ghent (two days), then into the Champagne in the vicinity of Aussonce. It was filled up with three replacements, the most important of which was made up of 1,200 men taken from units on the Eastern Front, especially from the 12th Landwehr Division, from the same Provinces as the 227th Division (end of October).

Champagne.

6. At the beginning of November the 227th Division went into line north of Cornillet.

RECRUITING.

The 227th Division was recruited from the Rhine Districts (Baden, Hesse-Nassau, the Rhine Province), which gives rise to a certain homogeneity.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 227th Division lost very heavily in Flanders and received as replacements a certain number of men coming from the Russian front whose combat value was mediocre (October, 1917).

The 227th Division was of only mediocre offensive value.

1918.

Champagne.

1. About the middle of January the 227th Division was relieved by the 28th Division and went to the Juniville area, where it was intensively trained in open warfare with a view to its being used as an assault division.

2. On February 16 it relieved the 28th Division. It was withdrawn toward the end of March.

Picardy.

3. About the 10th of April it relieved the 5th Guard Division near Canny sur Matz (west of Lassigny). The battle of the Somme had come to end by this time, and so, although there was still considerable artillery activity here, the division was not seriously engaged in infantry attacks, and remained in line until relieved by the 75th Reserve Division during the night of May 16–17, when it went to rest and be trained in the region of Ham.

Oise.

4. On June 7 it started to march to the front via Ognolles-Champien Wood-Beuvraignes-Crapeaumesnil. On the 9th it attacked through the line and succeeded in passing Ricquebourg, Ressons, and Marqueglise. This advance cost the divisions heavy losses, and it suffered still more heavily when the French counterattacked in force on the 12th. The following day it was relieved by the 17th Reserve Division and marched by stages to the region east of St. Quentin.

Woevre.

5. About the 20th it entrained at Origny and traveled via Charleville-Sedan-Longuyon-Conflans-Dampvitoux, where it detrained the 21st and 22d. It relieved the 8th Bavarian Reserve Division in the St. Baussant-Richecourt sector (south of Thiaucourt) on the 27th. It was relieved by the 10th Division on the 22d of August.

Soissons.

6. About the 30th it reenforced the front in the Terny-Sorny sector (north of Soissons). It was withdrawn about the 8th of September.

7. There was some talk of dissolving the division at this time, but it was not done, and it came back into line, relieving the 17th Division in the Pont-Arcy sector (east of Vailly) on the 17th. It remained in line, falling back via MonchÂlons-Coucy les Eppes-Pierrepont-Montcornet-Ebouleau-Renneval-Jeantes la Ville. It had not been withdrawn on the 11th.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The 227th was rated a third-class division. It was in no heavy fighting during 1918 until June, when it did not distinguish itself, neither advancing far nor holding its ground in counterattack. Its conduct, however, can not be characterized as poor. It is to be noted, moreover, that the division commander was awarded “Pour le MÉrite” in July.