(451st and 452d Infantry Regiments: 3d Corps District—453d Infantry Regiment: 4th Corps District—Prussian Saxony.)

1917.

The 234th Division was formed on January 6, 1917, at the camp of Altengrabow. Its infantry regiments were recruited from the 3d and 4th Corps Districts (Berlin-Magdeburg) and were composed of men of the 1918 class (50 per cent) and of returned wounded and men withdrawn from the front (50 per cent).

St. Quentin.

1. After three months’ training at Altengrabow, the 234th Division entrained, on March 28, for the Western Front. Going by way of Magdeburg-Aix la Chapelle-LiÉge-Brussels-Mons, it detrained on March 30–31 at Le Cateau, from which place it marched to the sector of Fayet, northwest of St. Quentin (on the Hindenburg Line) on April 8.

On April 14 the division was attacked by British troops and lost heavily (451st Infantry Regiment, 400 prisoners). This regiment again suffered seriously in the course of violent battles with the French east of Fayet, August 9 to 11.

Ypres.

2. About September 1 the 234th Division was relieved northwest of St. Quentin and sent to Roulers, by way of Bohain, Le Cateau, Denain, Lille, Courtrai, and Menin. In reserve first near Hooglede, on the Ypres front at the time of the British attack, it counterattacked on September 20, northeast of St. Julien. On September 23–24 it again went into reserve and after the British attack of the 26th sent some of its elements into action southeast of Zonnebeke on September 27.

3. Exhausted by these battles the division left the Ypres front for the Lille area. It had lost about one-half of its effectives.

La BassÉe.

4. It went into line north of La BassÉe Canal on October 7, remained there six weeks, and about November 24 went to the Cambrai area.

Artois.

5. On December 7 it took over the sector north of Bullecourt.

RECRUITING.

The 234th Division was recruited from Brandenburg and Prussian Saxony.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 234th Division lost very heavily at Ypres in September, 1917; these losses had some effect upon its morale. At all events, it acquired a certain combat experience in the course of these engagements.

The 451st Infantry Regiment seemed to be considered the best one in the division by the German High Command.

In the 453d Infantry Regiment, September, 1917, many officers belonged to the Reserve and to the Landwehr; some of these, during the war, were retired for inefficiency (document).

1918.

Picardy.

1. The 234th Division remained in the Bullecourt sector until relieved by the 111th Division on the 8th of February, when it went to rest in the Douai area.

2. About the end of the month it relieved the 111th Division. On the opening of the Somme offensive on the 21st of March, although not engaged in the initial attack, the division was severely engaged in the fighting around Croisilles, and on the 31st some of its elements carried out a costly and unsuccessful attack against Boisleux-St. Mare. It was relieved about the 7th of April by the 231st Division.

3. The division rested a fortnight and then relieved the 111th Division in the Ayette sector on the 20th. During the night of the 24th–25th of May it was relieved by the 17th Division.

4. About June 21 it relieved the 17th Division. When the British attacked on the 21st of August, the division was thrown back upon Hamelincourt with heavy losses (including 1,585 prisoners). It was withdrawn on the 24th to the Douai region.

5. On the 22d of September it reenforced the front in the Gavrelle sector, being withdrawn a few days later.

6. On the 30th it came into line north of Cambrai in the Tilloy sector. Withdrawn about the 15th of October.

7. On the 18th it reenforced the front near Raches (northeast of Douai). It was relieved by the 35th Division about the 10th of November.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The 234th was rated a third-class division. In the fighting around Arras in the spring it acquitted itself fairly well, and its commanding general received the “Pour le MÉrite.” Its conduct during the rest of the year was mediocre.