HISTORY.
1917.
Organized in February, 1917, from regiments transferred from already existing units (3d Foot Guards, transferred from the 1st Guard Division; 3d Grenadier Guards, transferred from the 2d Guard Division; 20th Infantry, from the 212th Division, previously belonging to the 6th).
Craonne.
1. It appeared for the first time in line about March 20 between Craonne and Hurtebise, where it suffered heavy losses, April 16 to 18.
2. Relieved May 4 and went to a calm sector in the region of Preqmontreq.
3. About June 5–6 it was sent to rest in the region north and northwest of Laon. June 20 it was located in the region of Sissonne, where it remained until July 7.
Californie Plateau.
4. On the night of July 7–8 it arrived in this sector. It executed a violent attack on July 19 and again suffered heavy losses. Relieved July 27.
5. Reinforced by drafts from depots in Brandenburg and rested in the region of Mauregny en Haye and Barenton sur Cerre, and then went through a methodical and intensive training at the camp at Chivy les Etouvelles.
Chemin des Dames.
6. About August 20 it relieved the 43d Reserve Division on the Chemin des Dames between Panthéon and La Royere; suffered considerable losses during the French offensive of October 23.
7. In the region of Vervins at the beginning of November, with its battalions greatly reduced.
8. Went into line near Hargicourt at the end of November.
RECRUITING.
The 20th Infantry (3d Brandenburg) was a regiment from the Province of Brandenburg.
The 3d Foot Guards and the 3d Grenadier Guards were drawn not only from Brandenburg, but generally from the Kingdom of Prussia.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The 5th Guard Division must be considered one of the best divisions of the German Army. Its regiments are extremely good.
The Division had been brought to the Aisne to retake the Californie Plateau, and it showed wonderful energy in this work (July 19, 1917). October 23, 1917, at the Chemin des Dames, in spite of its great losses and of the fact that the 1918 class formed about 20 per cent of its effectives, the division showed great resistance, and left only a comparatively small number of prisoners in our hands (about 300).
1918.
1. The division arrived at Fourmies on January 10 for training and maneuvers. About February 14 it marched to Avesnes, where it rested until March 5. It then marched to St. Quentin by night marches, passing through Homblieres, Dallow, Happencourt, Tugny, and crossed the Crozat Canal between Ham and St. Simon on March 23.
Battle of Picardy.
2. On the night of the 23d it relieved the 45th Reserve Division in front of Golancourt, where it met a lively resistance. From the 24th to the 27th it was in army reserve resting in the region Golancourt le Plesses Patte d’Oie. On the 28th it moved
by Flavy le Meldux, Ecuvilly, Catigny, Candor, and entered line west of Lassigny on the 29th, relieving the 1st Bavarian Division. On the 30th it attacked west of the Roye sur Matz railroad but was stopped by our counterattacks. Until April 10 the division was in line at Beuvraignes and at Roye sur Matz. On the 8th it received 400 men, mostly of the 1919 class, in reinforcements.
3. Withdrawn from line on April 4, the division moved by degrees to the northeast of Laon on April 24, where it was reorganized, reinforced, and rested near Rozay sur Serre. By night marches it moved to the Aisne front and entered line on May 26, between Corbeny and the Californie Plateau.
Battle of Aisne.
4. It fought in the offensive from May 27 to 30, advancing by Guyencourt, Fismes, Crugny, Cierges, and Vincelles. Between May 31 and June 7 it was in reserve at Coulonges, Sergy, Beuvardes, Grisolles, and Sommelous. The division was reengaged northwest of Chateau Thierry on June 7 against the American 2d Division.
Chateau Thierry.
5. In the three weeks the division was in the Torcy-Hautevesnes sector it lost most heavily. Several companies of the 20th Regiment were annihilated on June 8–9; the others were reduced to 30–40 rifles. The division lost about one-half its effectives in this period.
6. It was withdrawn about June 30 and reconstituted in reserve of the Torcy sector near Coincy from July 1 to 17.
Battle of the Marne.
7. The division came back on the 18th and engaged in rear-guard fighting near Monthiers and Grisolles. It was engaged on defensive works near Blanzy les Fismes from July 29 to August 8.
8. It rested in the region of Bruyeres from August 2–8, when it was transported to Belgium by Marle-Hirson to rest. On the 31st it was alerted and entrained, the regiments following with a day’s interval by Mauberg-St. Quentin, detraining at Laon and Crepy en Laonnois. From that point it moved by foot to Vauxaillon front.
Aisne-Ailette.
9. On September 3 the division relieved the 238th Division east of Louilly. In the succeeding days it suffered very heavily. It was relieved on September 16.
10. The division left the Laon area on September 16 and detrained that night at St. Juvin, where it rested until September 24. The heavy losses of the division were made good while there.
Argonne.
11. It entered the line opposite the American 1st Army on September 27 in the region of Montblainville. After heavy losses, which caused a partial disintegration of the division, it withdrew on October 8. The 3d Guard Grenadier Regiment was practically destroyed in this fighting.
Woevre.
12. It was transported to the Woevre and on October 19 was engaged east of Verdun at Chatillon sous les Cotes. Here it remained until the armistice.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as a first-class division, but after its rough handling in the Hautevesnes-Torcy sector it lost much of its value as an attack division.
Both on the Aisne in September and in the Argonne the division’s losses were extremely heavy. Battalions were reduced to three companies in October. By the 20th of October the remnants of the companies were combined to make one.