HISTORY.
(Third District—Brandenburg.)
1914.
The 6th Reserve Division belonged organically to the 3d Reserve Corps, like the 5th Reserve Division.
Belgium.
1. At the beginning of the war the 3d Reserve Corps belonged to the 1st German Army (Gen. von Kluck). The 6th Reserve Division detrained August 10 in the region of Crefeld, entered Belgium the 17th, passed through Belgian Limburg at the beginning of September, moved on Malines to oppose the Belgian offensive. September 9 the division attacked the Belgian troops in the region of Louvain and then took part in the siege of Antwerp.
Yser.
2. After the fall of Antwerp it moved toward the sea from October 13 to 16, through Ghent, Bruges, and Ostend. It concentrated near Thourout October 19 and fought along the Yser Canal. It fought violently in the region of Nieuport-Dixmude at the end of October and the beginning of November.
Russia.
3. At the beginning of December the 3d Reserve Corps went to Russia, the 6th Reserve Division being withdrawn from the Belgian front about the middle of November.
1915.
Poland.
1. On arriving on the Eastern Front the division was engaged on the Bzura and before Warsaw (9th Army, under Mackensen).
2. In July, 1915, it became a part of Von Buelow’s army, which marched on the left wing (north) of the German forces during the offensive against Russia (summer and fall of 1915).
Dvina.
3. In November the division still belonged to Von Buelow’s army, called the Niemen army, and was engaged on the Dvina.
1916.
Courland.
1. In February, 1916, the division (8th Army under Von Buelow) held a sector in the region of Riga-Friedrichstadt.
2. During its stay in Russia the division did not have very heavy losses except in July, 1916, when it opposed violent Russian attacks near Kekkau.
1917.
Courland.
1. Relieved from the Kekkau sector in May, 1917, and was sent to the Western Front.
France.
2. Entrained about May 6 at Mitau and sent via Cottbus, Cassel, Coblentz, Treves, Thionville to Dun, where it detrained May 13.
Mort Homme-Hill 304.
3. At the end of May the division went into line on the left bank of the Meuse in the sector Mort Homme-Hill 304. On June 29 some of the units of the division supported an attack attempted by the 10th Reserve Division against Hill 304 and suffered heavy losses. August 20 the French offensive struck them. Its losses were enormous. Two of its regiments, the 24th Reserve and 20th Reserve, were nearly wiped out. The 35th Reserve was not weakened quite so much, yet was seriously diminished. The division lost 2,800 prisoners.
Russia.
4. Withdrawn from the front, the division was sent to Galicia at the end of September. It was still there January 31 on the old Austro-Russian frontier after furnishing reinforcements to the Western Front.
RECRUITING.
Brandenburg.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The 6th Reserve Division, a short time after its return from the Eastern Front, was considered about as follows: “Its value is mediocre. In spite of its units from Brandenburg and the recent creation of shock troops, its long stay in Russia has greatly depreciated its fighting value” (July 11, 1917).
This judgment was completely verified August 20, 1917: “The 6th Reserve Division on the whole opposed no resistance to the French attack of August 20 at any point. * * * The conduct of a good number of its officers seems not to have been edifying. A good many seized the pretext of intoxication or gave unsatisfactory reasons for withdrawing to the rear” (October, 1917).
The German command thought best to send this division back to the Eastern Front (September, 1917).
1918.
France.
The 6th Reserve Division entrained at Zborow the evening of March 8, and traveled via Sokal-Brest Litovsk-Varsovia-Kaliscz-Lissa-Gorlitz-Bautzen-Dresden-Leipsic-Weimar-Erfurth-Eisenach-Bebra-Fulda-Hanau-Frankfort-Mainz-Kreuznach-Thionville-Sedan to Balhain (northeast of Asfeld), where it arrived March 15.
The division rested at Villers (near Asfeld) until the 25th of March, when it reentrained and traveled to Crécy sur Serre. From there it marched via Mesbrecourt-Pouilly sur Serre-La Fère-Liez-Commonchon to the area northeast of Noyon, and remained in reserve for some days. Elements of the division came into line west of Chauny at the end of March, but were soon withdrawn. About the 1st of April the whole division marched to Roye and remained there until the 15th, when it continued its march via Erches and Arvillers to Plessier, relieving the 2d Guard Division southwest of Moreuil May 1.
The beginning of August it was relieved by the 24th Division and shortly after it was dissolved and the men composing it were sent as drafts to the 5th and 6th Divisions.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The only aggressive action of the division on the Western Front during 1918 was a raid carried out by a battalion against the French lines in the La Gaune woods (southwest of Moreuil) early in May; it was not a success, and it is estimated that practically the whole attacking force was wiped out. The 6th Reserve is rated as a third-class division.