1915.

1. The 88th Division grew out of the war garrison of Breslau, which was made up of the 21st Brigade of Landwehr (10th and 38th Landwehr) and by Silesian and Saxon Ersatz battalions. This originally was the Breslau Corps, which after the brigade of Landwehr was taken from it, became the Menges Division. The Ersatz battalions being formed into regiments, the division then comprised three brigades—1st Landwehr Ersatz Brigade (later the Schmiedecker Brigade), Paczensky (later Buddenbrock) Brigade, and the Zenger Brigade. Its regiments bore the names 4th and 5th Landwehr Ersatz and 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th Ersatz.

Russia-Poland.

2. In April-May, 1915, the Menges Division fought on the Pilica.

3. In July it was between the Vistula and Pilica taking part in the offensive against Russia.

4. It advanced in August through the region of Narew (to the south of Pultusk, Aug. 4; to the north of Bielsk, Aug. 19). At the end of August it reached the region of Vilna; to the west of Dvinsk in September.

Drisviaty Lake.

5. When the front became stationary it took a position near the Drisviaty Lake (September).

6. The Menges Division became the 88th Division. The Ersatz Battalion Brigades were regrouped and distributed between six regiments, numbered 349th and 350th Landwehr, 351st, 352d, 353d, 354th Regiments of Infantry, forming in turn the 175th, 176th, and 177th Brigades.

1916.

Drisviaty Lake.

1. The 88th Division occupied the Drisviaty Lake sector from September, 1915, until September, 1917.

2. In July, 1916, the division was reconstituted. The 354th Regiment went to the 216th Division. In August the 349th Landwehr and the 350th Landwehr Regiments were engaged on the Stokhod with the 150th Regiment of the 37th Division.

The 88th Division was now made up of the 351st, 352d, and 353d Regiments.

1917.

Drisviaty Lake.

1. In May, 1917, the 123d Division gave the 88th Division the 425th Regiment in exchange for the 351st Regiment of Infantry (Saxon). At this time all the Saxon elements were out of this division and it became entirely made up of Prussian personnel.

2. Thus constituted (352d, 353d, and 425th) the 88th Division was relieved from its position near Drisviaty Lake about September. It remained in the Dvinsk region.

3 The 425th Regiment was replaced by the 426th Regiment, the latter coming from the 3d Division.

RECRUITING.

The oldest regiments of the division, the 352d and the 353d, were primarily recruited in Silesia, and the 426th in the 9th Corps District.

Members of the 1919 class were identified with the division in April, 1918.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

Average.

St. Quentin.

1. Early in January the division left Russia and, traveling via Kovno-Wirballen-Koenigsberg-Posen-Berlin-TrÈves-Thionville, detrained at Sedan. After resting and training in the Cambrai region, it entered line in the Fresnoy sector (northwest of St. Quentin). It remained in line here, although it had two 10-day rest periods during which it was occupied only in field service training and in the usual practice marches, excepting two manoeuvres with artillery. It attacked on the 21st, and although held up a day in front of Holnon wood it did very well, especially when it is considered that the division was considered unfit for combat upon its arrival from Russia.

2. Just before reaching Vermand on the 24th it stopped advancing, and the line continuing to go forward it remained in reserve. On the 27th it proceeded to the Moreuil area (southeast of Amiens), where it arrived when the German advance was already checked. It was withdrawn about the 2d of April, after having suffered very heavy losses.

Champagne.

3. About the 12th of April it relieved the 11th Division south of Rouvroy in eastern Champagne. It was relieved about the 25th of June by the 33d Reserve Division and went to rest near Monthois, where it was trained.

4. About the 13th of July it came back into line in the Tahure sector just west of where it had previously been. The next day it attacked in the first line; it could make no progress (it will be remembered that thus the whole offensive was a failure) and suffered heavy losses, especially on account of gas. It was relieved early in September and was reported at rest south of Rethel on the 4th.

Woevre.

5. On September 12 the division moved up behind the front near Dampvitoux (north of Thiaucourt), but since it was soon seen that the American offensive had only a limited objective it did not enter line until the 23d. It was relieved by the 224th Division during the night of October 16–17.

Meuse-Argonne.

6. The division arrived at Stenay during the night of the 19th–20th of October and on the 21st entered line near Cunel (north of Montfaucon). It remained in line until the armistice was signed.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

In March the British wrote: “From the bearing of prisoners of the 88th Division, recently captured, it appears that this formation, which from its composition might be expected to be indifferent is of a very fair quality and well-disciplined. Men and officers are mostly young and keen; many of the latter are active.

“As a fighting formation, the 88th Division thus appears to have been brought up to the standard of the majority of the German divisions in the western theater and in addition has a leader well acquainted with the conditions of warfare on this front.”

Although its subsequent conduct was not such as to justify completely the above estimate, it did at least prove that its rating as a fourth-class unit was too low.