(466th Infantry Regiment: 11th Corps District—Electorate of Hesse. 407th Infantry Regiment: 11th Corps District—Thuringia. 468th Infantry Regiment: 18th Corps District—Hesse—Nassau.)

1917.

The 239th Division belonged to the series of 12 divisions (231st to 242d) formed in Germany at the beginning of 1917, a strong proportion (50 per cent) of the 1918 class. It includes the 466th, 467th, and 468th Infantry Regiments recruited from the 11th and 18th Corps Districts (Electorate of Hesse, Thuringia, and Hesse-Nassua, and the Grand Duchy of Hesse).

1. From the beginning of January, 1917, to the middle of February, the 239th Division was in the training camps Ohrdruf and of Darmstadt. It entrained on February 17 and went to Rethel. It continued its training for some time behind the Champagne front.

Champagne.

2. The entire division went into line north of Souain (Somme Py) on March 27. It remained there until May 15 without any important engagement. One battalion of the 467th Infantry Regiment was sent to Auberive as a reenforcement at the time of the French attack on April 16.

3. The division was at rest in the vicinity of Machault and at Asfeld from the end of May to the beginning of June.

4. About June 10 it went into line northeast of Reims (Cernay sector), then at the beginning of August northeast of Courcy. It occupied this sector until October 6 without having any important battle.

5. Transferred to Flanders by way of Hirson and Courtrai, the 239th Division went into line northeast of Poelcappelle on October 23. It lost heavily during the British attack of November 26 and continued to hold this sector, alternating with the 3d Naval Division.

6. Relieved about November 24, the 239th Division was sent to rest northeast of Ghent, then to the vicinity of Lille, at the beginning of September.

RECRUITING.

The 466th Infantry Regiment came from the Electorate of Hesse; the 467th Regiment was called Thuringian in an official document; the 468th Regiment came from Hesse-Nassau.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The 239th was a fairly good division.

Considering the missions which have been assigned to it by the German High Command, it seems that the 239th Division is better than most of the divisions of this series.

1918.

1. The division trained in the Bourghelles area until March 17. On that date the division marched toward the front via Bersee-Douai-Estrees-Soudemont-Villers les Cagnicourt-Noreuil-Mory.

Battle of Picardy.

2. It came into line on the 26th north of Courcelles, attacking Ayette on the 27th. It lost heavily, including numerous prisoners on April 2. The division was relieved on April 6 and rested a week at Aubigny au Bac. It entrained on the 11th and moved to Libercourt.

Handes.

3. The division was engaged from April 15 to 23 east of Robecq. Elements took part in the attack of the 18th, in which the losses were very heavy.

Lorraine.

4. After its relief on the 23d the division was railed to Lorraine by Mons-Namur-Sedan-Montmedy-Metz. It rested and was reconstituted near Dieuze from the end of April to May 13. At this time the division was reenforced by a draft coming from the 233d Reserve Regiment of the dissolved 195th Division.

Avricourt.

5. The division held the quiet Avricourt sector from May 13 to June 20. It was relieved by the 7th Cavalry Division and railed to Champagne.

Champagne.

6. It rested and trained in the vicinity of Rethel-Attigny. About the 10th of July it marched toward the front and on the 15th was engaged in the Champagne offensive at Vaudesincourt. After the attack it held the sector until the beginning of October.

7. The division was attacked at Mont sans Nom on September 26, and on October 4 fell back on the line Betheniville-Hauvine, and later in the direction of Rethel (Oct. 12). The division was in reserve during the middle of October. Toward the end of the month the division was reengaged near Rethel. Its line of retreat in the last weeks was through Le Quesnoy, Jolimetz, Bermeries, south of Bavai, where it was identified on November 8.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. In October the division was very tired and its morale was low. Numerous infractions of discipline occurred. Its battalions were reduced to three companies at the beginning of August.