HISTORY.
(Third Bavarian District—Upper Palatinate, Upper and Middle Franconia.)
1914.
Lorraine.
1. The division constituted, with the 5th Bavarian Reserve Division, the 1st Bavarian Reserve Corps, and at the beginning of the war was part of the army of Crown Prince Ruprecht of Bavaria (6th Army). It detrained from August 11 to 13 between Sarreguemines and Sarralbe. It fought August 20 on the left of the 21st Corps at Loudrefeing, was engaged the 26th at Maixe, September 2 at Deuxville, northwest of Luniville, and remained a few days longer behind Luniville.
2. On September 13 it was in line on the Seille and the Paris-Avricourt Railroad and remained there until the last days of the month.
Artois.
3. September 28 and 29 the division entrained at Metz. Detrained the 30th and October 1 at Valenciennes. Engaged north of Arras (Roclincourt-Carency) in October and November and took position in the sector.
1915.
In January, 1915, the division was increased by the 39th Landwehr Infantry (Westphalian), coming from Brussels and sent as punishment to the Artois front. In March and April two of its regiments were transferred, the 6th Reserve to the 10th Bavarian Division, and the 13th to the 11th Bavarian Division.
Artois.
1. May 9, 1915, the division suffered very heavy losses during the French offensive of Carency-Souchez. (The 10th Reserve Infantry lost 35 officers and 1,711 men, the 1st Reserve Bavarian Battalion of Chasseurs lost 13 officers and 750 men.)
2. In the middle of June the division was moved south of the Scarpe in front of Arras (Blangy sector).
1916.
In January, 1916, the 39th Landwehr Infantry went to Russia.
1. The division remained in Artois until August, 1916, and was increased by a regiment from the 1st Bavarian Division (3d Reserve Infantry later replaced by the 12th Reserve Infantry).
Somme.
2. Relieved about August 7, the division was sent to the Somme and was engaged near Maurepas from the middle of August to September. Heavy losses. August 19 the 2d Battalion of the 10th Reserve Infantry was reduced to 150 men (letter). September 1 the 3d Battalion of the 7th Reserve Infantry borrowed 200 men from the 5th Bavarian Ersatz (letter).
Aisne.
3. In the middle of September the division was sent to the Aisne, where it held a quiet sector east of Craonne until the end of November.
Somme.
4. About December 9 the division returned to the Somme (south of Saillisel.)
1917.
1. The division was withdrawn from the Somme front at the end of January, 1917, and sent to rest in the vicinity of Cambrai until April.
Aisne.
2. At the beginning of April it was sent east of Laon to the region of St. Erme, and reinforced the front south of Juvincourt between the Miette and the Aisne about April 12 in anticipation of the French offensive. It was subjected to the attack of the 16th and suffered heavy losses (2,000 prisoners).
St. Mihiel.
3. Withdrawn from the Aisne front about April 20, the division was reconstituted north of Laon (?), and on May 1 held the St. Mihiel sector (Chauvoncourt-Spada).
4. October 7 it left the region of St. Mihiel.
Flanders.
5. Sent to Flanders and sent into line October 12 near the Ypres-Roulers Railroad (Zonnebeke). In November it was left of Artois, where it held, after intervals of relief, a sector north of the Scarpe (from Gavrelle to Acheville). It was still there at the end of February, 1918.
RECRUITING.
3d Bavarian Division (Upper Palatinate, Upper and Middle Franconia).
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
Good division, which has always fought well (October, 1917). April 16, 1917, it fought with great tenacity.
1918.
1. Early in January the division was relieved in its sector north of the Scarpe and went to rest north of Douai.
Scarpe.
2. It was reengaged southeast of Gavrelle on February 21, when it was in line during the attack. It took no prominent part in the offensive and was withdrawn about the 1st of April.
Somme.
3. On April 7–8 it came in line south of Hebuterne, where it was engaged until April 16. After eight days’ rest it came into line south of the Ayette, relieving the 195th Division on April 24. It was not withdrawn until July 24.
Alsace.
4. The division moved to Muelhausen, via Belgium and Germany, a trip of 10 days. While at rest there it was frequently alerted in anticipation of an expected Allied attack in that region. On September 4 it returned through Germany and Belgium to Douai, where the British were attacking.
5. It left Douai on September 22, detraining at Dun sur Meuse on September 23. From there the division marched to the front.
Meuse-Argonne.
6. On September 27 it was engaged at Daunevoux. It was engaged throughout the entire Meuse-Argonne battle on the American front. At Montfaucon it was forced back with heavy losses. The division affected relief by regiments, which were sent to close support to be reconstituted by drafts. Five hundred replacements were received early in October. The initial company combat strength averaged 60 men. On November 4 this had been reduced to 20. During the retreat of November 1–2 the division crossed the Meuse and took up a position on the east bank.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The 5th Bavarian Reserve Division was rated as a second-class division. Apart from the Meuse-Argonne offensive, it did not see much heavy fighting during the year. Its effectives had been almost completely used up by the time of the armistice.