HISTORY.
(Upper Palatinate and part of Lower Bavaria.)
1914.
Lorraine.
1. In August, 1914, the 6th Bavarian Division with the 5th Bavarian Division constituted the 3d Bavarian Corps and was part of the 6th Bavarian Army (Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria). One of its brigades, the 11th, detrained, beginning August 4, at Remilly as a covering force. August 20 the division fought on the right of the 5th Bavarian Division at Prevecourt and Delme. They crossed the French frontier with this division on the 22d and were engaged the 25th at Maixe on the Sanon and north of Luneville during the first days of September. Also with the 5th Bavarian Division, it was near Champenoux September 8, at the time of the attack against Nancy until the 11th, and then retreated.
Cotes de Meuse.
2. Assembled at Metz from the 14th to the 17th, the division went on the 18th to the west of the Moselle. It reached and climbed the Cotes de Meuse the 21st and attacked the fort of the Camp des Romains and St. Mihiel the 27th.
St. Mihiel.
3. Following these attacks which continued during October and ended in the capture of the fort and of St. Mihiel, the division established itself from Chauvoncourt to Spada in November to December.
1915.
St. Mihiel.
1. The division remained in the sector of the St. Mihiel salient (Chauvoncourt-Spada-Lamorville) during the whole of 1915 and until June, 1916.
1916.
Verdun.
1. About June 20, 1916, the 11th Bavarian Brigade was relieved from the St. Mihiel sector and sent to Longuyon and from there to the Verdun front. It participated in opposing the French attack of June 23 (with the Alpine Corps) on Thiaumont and suffered heavy losses.
2. Sent to rest July 4.
3. The 12th Brigade withdrew from the St. Mihiel front July 13 and 16 and went into line before Fleury, beginning July 17 to 18 (11th Regiment). Its losses were such that on July 26 the replacement depot of the 11th Infantry at Ratisbonne was ordered by telegraph to furnish immediately 500 replacements (letter).
4. On August 2 and 3 the whole division was fighting in this sector and lost heavily.
Somme.
5. The division left the Verdun front about August 5. After a short stay in the Argonne it was sent to the Somme at the beginning of September, fought between Flers and Gueudecourt September 15 to 27 and again suffered serious losses.
Artois.
6. On August 1 the division took over the sector of Neuve Chapelle-Festubert, and remained there until May 10, 1917.
1917.
1. At the end of January, 1917, the 11th Infantry and the 3d Field Artillery were transferred to the 6th Bavarian Division (new).
Artois.
2. The division was relieved from the Neuve Chapelle sector May 10 and went into line northeast of Arras (Oppy, Fresnoy, Acheville), in the middle of May. They suffered some loss from gas attacks.
Flanders.
3. The division left Artois September 10 and went to Flanders (sector northeast of Langemarck) September 29. The British attack of October 4 caused it heavy losses and it lost Poelcappelle to the British.
4. Relieved October 8, sent to rest, and reorganized.
Artois.
5. On October 18 it appeared south of the La Bassee Canal, where it suffered again from gas attacks.
RECRUITING.
Upper Palatinate and part of Lower Bavaria (Third Bavarian district).
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The morale of the division was good. On the Fresnoy front in 1917 it showed activity and enterprise. It always reacted quickly against attacks, but it seems that it could easily be persuaded to adopt a more passive attitude if circumstances were such as to permit it (information of the British, February, 1918).
1918.
1. The 6th Bavarian Division was relieved south of the La Bassee Canal by the 4th Ersatz Division, January 18, and went to rest in the area south of Tournai.
Lille.
2. About the middle of February it relieved the 187th Division south of the Bois Grenier (west of Lille). About the 24th it was relieved by the 10th Ersatz Division, and went back nearer Lille, where it probably received training in open warfare, although this fact has never been definitely established.
Cambrai.
3. For the Somme offensive, the division was sent to the Cambrai front, entering the line March 20, near Bullecourt, and attacking the following day. Little progress was made by the Germans on this part of the front, and the division lost heavily in many attacks. It was withdrawn about March 26.
Dixmude.
4. April 4 it relieved the 214th Division south of Dixmude. A very elaborate attack against the Belgians was planned to take place here April 17, and it was to be made by the 6th Bavarian Division and some elements of adjoining units. It was presumed that the German successes at Mount Kemel had shaken the line to the north and that the whole Ypres salient could be captured. Preparations were made, and the attack attempted, but it failed completely, and the Belgians not only threw the enemy back but took a great many prisoners. It was withdrawn about the 19th and went to rest for a week near Ruddervoorde (south of Bruges), although some of its elements held part of the sector of the 1st Landwehr Division east of Merckem for a day or two.
Verdun.
5. The division was sent to the Verdun region via Brussels-Namur-Sedan-Montmédy, and went into camp in the vicinity of Chauvency (west of Montmedy), where it remained 10 days.
Meuse.
6. May 24 it relieved the 22d Division near Beaumont (north of Verdun).
Roye.
7. It was relieved about August 7, and after resting a few days moved up to the Roye region. It was identified in the Bois des Loges August 16; it had relieved the 206th Division. The division remained in line retiring in the face of the Allied advance, but fighting stubbornly, especially near Campagne, Montigny, and Essigny le Grand; at the last-named place it counterattacked violently, but in vain, September 29. It was still in line when the armistice was signed.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The 6th Bavarian is rated as one of the 45 best enemy divisions. It suffered extremely heavy losses, but since it always fought well—though not brilliantly, during 1918—the German High Command sent it as many replacements as it could. The morale has always been good, but quite anti-Prussian.