(463d Infantry Regiment: 9th Corps District—Hanseatic cities. 464th Infantry Regiment: 9th Corps District—Schleswig—Holstein and Mecklemburg. 465th Infantry Regiment: 10th Corps District—Hanover.)

1917.

The 238th Division was formed at the beginning of January, 1917, at the Lockstedt Camp, near Hamburg. Its infantry regiments were recruited from the 9th Corps District (Schleswig-Holstein, Hanseatic cities, and Mecklemburg) and from the 10th Corps District (Hanover), and were composed in part (50 per cent) of men of the 1918 class.

1. After a training of almost three months, the 238th Division entrained at Lockstedt, on April 13, 1917, by way of Hamburg, TrÈves, Sedan, Namur, Cambrai; it went to Caudry and Bertry (north), where it detrained on the 16th.

Hindenburg Line.

2. On April 20 it went into line in the sector of Vendhuille-Bellicourt, which it left on May 20 to go to rest in the vicinity of Douai (until May 28).

Artois.

3. At the end of May it took over the sector of Roeux-Gavrelle, north of the Scarpe. It remained on this part of the front until September 27 and was not in any serious engagement. On June 6, however, the 463d Infantry Regiment suffered heavy losses in its 3d Battalion, which the two others hastily filled up (letter of June 10), and left 170 prisoners.

4. Sent to Flanders, the division remained at rest for a few days at Roulers, then in reserve in the vicinity of West-Roosebeke. On October 13 it went into line southwest of Passchendaele. Having suffered heavily from the British attack of October 30, it was hastily relieved on the 31st.

St. Quentin.

5. It entrained on November 6 at Ledeghem. Detraining at Geise, it went to Macquigny, and after a few days of rest occupied the sector south of St. Quentin-Itancourt (Nov. 11–12).

RECRUITING.

The 238th Division was recruited the same as the 111th Division, from Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklemburg, the Hanseatic cities, and Hanover.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 238th Division was of mediocre value, but better than the majority of the divisions of this series.

The large proportion of young recruits in the ranks of the 238th Division gave rise to the nickname “The Division of the First Communicants.”

1918.

1. The division rested and underwent training in the vicinity of Origny-St. Benoite from the 1st of February to March 19. It was brought up to the front south of St. Quentin during the night of March 19–20.

Battle of Picardy.

2. On the 21st the division attacked at Grugies and in two days advanced by Grand-Serancourt and across the canal near St. Simon. From the 23d to the 29th it advanced in reserve by Libermont-Beaulieu les Fontaines-Beuvraignes. It was reengaged on the 29th at Rollot and Boulogne la Grasse until mid-April. The division suffered heavy casualties in the Somme battle.

Rheims.

3. The division was engaged southeast of Rheims (Cernay les Rheims, northeast of St. Leonard) from April 18 to July 20. It carried out a local attack on Rheims on May 30 and June 1. The division did not take part in the offensive of July 15 except by artillery activity.

4. The division rested at Boult sur Suippe from July 20 to 28. From the end of July to August 20 it held its former sector at Cernay les Rheims. Relieved in that sector, it marched by stages toward Brancourt-Coucy le Chateau via Neufchatel sur Aisne, Marchais, Bruyeres (Aug. 21–28).

Aisne.

5. On August 31 the division was engaged at Leuilly-Terny. After September 10 it fought in the vicinity of Quincy-Basse-Aulers until October 12. On that date it retired toward Crepy and withdrew from line. The division started for Marle to rest but was alerted on the 14th and taken in trucks to east of Mart d’Origny. On the 15th it was again in the first line. Two of the regiments had but two battalions and the infantry effectives totaled 1,800. The period between the 18th and 24th of October was relatively quiet on the divisional sector. Following French attacks of October 25 and 26, the division fell back on a prepared position in front of Guise. Here it held until November 5, when it began a retreat by Audigny in the direction of La Capelle.

The last identification was at Buironfosse on November 6.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. Its morale was mediocre, and its effectives few during the latter half of 1918.