1914.

Belgium-Marne.

1. Upon the declaration of war the 32d Division, with the 23d Division, formed the 12th Army Corps (1st Saxon Army Corps). On the night of August 2, 1914, its 64th Brigade entrained for the frontier north of Luxemburg to act as covering troops. The 32d Division was concentrated there on the 10th and entered Belgium on the 13th. In August, it marched with the 3d Army (von Hausen), fought on the right bank of the Meuse on August 23 near Dinant, entered France, went into action on the 28th at Signy l’Abbaye, and from there went down to Chalons. It took part in the battle of the Marne to the left of the Guard at Lenharree on the extreme right flank of the 6th Army and retired by way of Chalons, Mourmelon, Betheniville to the northwest of Rheims.

Champagne.

2. Reattached to the 7th Army (Von Heeringen), it took part in the attacks in the vicinity of Rheims (northwest).

3. When the front became stabilized it retained the sector of Berry au Bac-Craonne and remained there until the month of July, 1915.

1915.

Aisne.

1. Sector Berry au Bac-Craonne. (During this period the losses of the division were very small.) In April, 1915, the 178th Infantry Regiment was taken from the 32d Division and assigned to the 123d Division (a new formation).

1916.

1. Retained in the same calm sector and having taken part in no important affair since October, 1914, the 32d Division retained its combat value intact at the end of June, 1916.

Somme.

2. During the first days of the Franco-British offensive on the Somme the 32d Division sent one battalion from reserve there, which went into action from July 4 to July 7 in the vicinity of Belloy.

3. Toward the end of July two of its regiments (102d and 103d Infantry Regiments) helped to form (with elements from the 23d Division) the provisional Franke Division, which fought on the Somme until September 10 (Deniecourt-Vermandovillers). The losses were very heavy.

4. On the 4th of September the 177th Infantry Regiment was sent up in its turn, but was in action only a few days in the vicinity of Vermandovillers from September 4 to 10. Its losses were enormous (1,600 men in 6 days).

5. The Franke Division was withdrawn on September 10 and dissolved.

Argonne.

6. The 32d Division, reformed (102d, 103d, 177th Infantry Regiments) and reorganized, was sent north of Rheims and then to the Argonne (Four de Paris and Avocourt wood).

Somme.

7. Relieved at the beginning of November, it entrained on the 3d and 4th near Grandpre, detrained at Hirson, and on November 15 began to occupy the sector between Bouchavesnes and northeast of Clery.

1. The 32d Division was retained in the Bouchavesnes sector until the time of the German retirement in March, 1917.

2. It left the Somme front at the end of March.

Champagne.

3. After a period of rest in the vicinity of Sissonne, the division went into action in the sector of Mont sans Nom (4 kilometers west of Vaudesincourt on Apr. 17 and 18). Having lost heavily, the 3 regiments were withdrawn on the 19th.

4. On May 5 the division again went into line west of Tahure.

Flanders.

5. About June 10 it was relieved, and after a few days of rest entrained at Machault for Flanders. There it went into line near the Ypres-Menin road.

6. At the beginning of September it was withdrawn from the Ypres front and sent to rest, then took over the sector Warneton-Messines and was not relieved until the middle of January, 1918.

RECRUITING.

The 32d Division is exclusively Saxon.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

In June, 1917, the morale of the division was very low because of the losses suffered at Mont Haut.

However, during the division’s stay in the Tahure sector from May to June, 1917, there were only two desertions.

Besides, Gen. von Der Decken is considered an energetic commander and it is very probable that under his influence the morale has become more satisfactory (September, 1917).

1918.

Battle of the Lys.

1. The division was relieved on January 15 by the 49th Reserve Division and rested near Tournai until the beginning of March. It was railed to Wambrechies and entered the line northwest of Lille about March 1. About the 4th of April it was moved south and on April 9 was engaged at Fleurbaix. It was withdrawn to rest on the 16th to Armentieres and returned to line on the 18th, relieving the 117th Division. It was in line until May 8, during which time it suffered heavy losses. A replacement of 450 men was received on April 17.

2. Relieved by the 35th Division, it rested in rear of the Lys front until May 26, when it took over the sector west of Merville and held it until the end of June.

Woevre.

3. It was relieved about July 1 and railed to Lorraine, detraining near Spincourt on July 4. About this time, the division received a draft of 1500 men. It was in line at Eix-Bezonveaux from July 15 to October 1, a very quiet sector. The troops were marched to the rear on that date and rested in the Eton-Loison area for two days. On the 3d the division marched to Penard-Tilly, where it rested until the 5th, and on that night marched to Breville. It came into line on October 9 on the right bank of the Meuse, and was engaged in the Bois de Moirey region until October 24. Losses were heavy, some companies being reduced to 15 men. On November 3 the division reappeared in its former sector of Bezonvaux, relieving the 106th A. H. D. It held this sector until the armistice.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The division was rated as third class. It did well on the Lys in April, but after that was not seriously engaged except for a few days in October, when it was brought up to resist an American attack east of the Meuse. In the fighting it did not distinguish itself. The morale of the division was low in the latter half of 1918.