HISTORY.
(25th Landwehr and 65th Landwehr: Eighth District—Rhine Province. 36th Landwehr: Fourth District—Prussian Saxony.)
1914.
The 5th Landwehr Division is composed of two Landwehr brigades meant to be the war garrison of Metz, where they detrained August 9 and 10, 1914: 14th Landwehr Brigade from the Fourth District (36th Landwehr and 66th Landwehr); 30th Landwehr Brigade from the Eighth District (25th Landwehr and 65th Landwehr). The 17th Landwehr was under the 14th Brigade.
Woevre.
1. During the first days of September the 14th Landwehr Brigade was engaged at Fresnes and Marcheville (in Woevre), near the 33d Reserve Division. It fought on the Cotes de Meuse, near Champlon and Les Eparges, at the beginning of October and suffered heavy losses there.
2. In December the two brigades (14th Landwehr Brigade and 30th Landwehr Brigade) were united in the Woevre (Warcq, Hennemont, Marcheville, Champlon, Saulx). The division at that time was part of the Von Strantz detachment.
1915.
1. The division remained in the sector between Warcq and Saulx en Woevre during the whole of 1915. In January the 17th Landwehr, from which many men had deserted, was sent to Russia, where it assisted in the formation of the 85th Landwehr Division.
1916.
Cotes de Meuse.
1. At the time of the Verdun offensive the division was present during the attacks on the Cotes de Meuse, near Braquis, Ronvaux, Manhuelles, at the end of February to March, 1916.
2. Toward the end of March the 14th Landwehr Brigade took the place of the First Guard Ersatz Brigade (Guard Ersatz Division) in the Apremont sector.
3. The 30th Landwehr Brigade was kept before the Cotes de Meuse (region of Fresnes en Woevre) until July. It then rejoined the other brigade east of St. Mihiel.
1917.
Forest of Apremont.
1. The division from this time on did not leave the Forest of Apremont sector. In April, 1917, the 66th Landwehr was transferred to the 23d Landwehr Division, newly organized, and soon sent to Russia.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
A sector unit.
1918.
1. On April 12 the division undertook a local operation in the Apremont sector in an effort to divert troops and artillery from the Somme front. About 800 men of the Storm Battalion were engaged. Forty-seven prisoners were lost in the attack. Aside from this the sector continued very quiet until September 12.
Battle of St. Mihiel.
2. The division was engaged in the attack in the St. Mihiel salient. It lost heavily in prisoners, among whom were the entire staff of the 3d Battalion, 65th Landwehr Regiment, which was taken on September 12 in the Bois de Thiaucourt. The division retreated with orders to take up positions between the first and second positions of the Hindenburg line. Here it had orders to hold the Mihiel Zone under all circumstances.
3. The division continued in line until the armistice.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The 5th Landwehr Division was rated as a fourth-class division. In 1918 it held the Apremont sector continuously, showing no initiative or capacity for offensive operation, but due to the small losses and heavy effectives it offered as much resistance to our attack in September as did the other German divisions in the salient.