HISTORY.
(16th Bavarian Reserve Regiment: First Bavarian District. 17th Bavarian Reserve Regiment: Second Bavarian District. 20th Bavarian Reserve Regiment: (?).)
1914.
Flanders.
1. This division was organized in Bavaria in September, 1914, and sent to Belgium about October 21. Assembled in the vicinity of Lille and was sent toward Dadizeele the 27th and was near Gheluvelt October 29, but does not seem to have been in the fight.
2. November 1 it was sent south of Ypres between Hollebeke and Messines. It attacked in the direction of Wytschaete November 2 and suffered heavy losses: 11th Company, 4 officers and 181 men (16th Reserve Regiment); 6th company of the 17th Reserve Regiment, 5 officers and 228 men (casualty lists). November 6 the 3d company of the 21st Reserve Regiment was reduced to 3 provisional officers and 63 men (notebook).
1915.
Flanders.
1. The division remained in the Messines-Wytschaete sector until the beginning of March, 1915.
2. Relieved between March 6 and 8 and sent the 11th as reinforcements to the 7th Corps at Neuve Chapelle. Then sent to rest in the region of Roubaix in March.
Lille.
3. Beginning of April it went into line southwest of Lille between Grenier Wood and Aubers and held this sector until the end of September, 1916.
1916.
1. July 19, 1916, the division suffered heavy losses in opposing the British attack southeast of Laventie.
Somme.
2. Relieved from the Lille front about September 27 and engaged in the Somme district near Eaucourt l’Abbaye and Gueudecourt until October 13. Again suffered heavily.
Artois.
3. October 25 it took over the Vimy-Lievin sector, south of Lens.
1917.
1. The division held the front south of Lens during all the winter of 1916 to 1917 and executed many raids.
2. February 12 sent to rest near Douai and reorganized in February and March. One of its regiments, the 21st Reserve, was transferred to the 16th Bavarian Division, newly organized.
3. March 14 it went into line north of the La Bassee Canal.
4. Withdrawn from this sector at the end of April and was engaged May 8 northeast of Arras, at Oppy Gavrelle, until May 11. In the middle of June it returned to this sector for a few days and does not seem to have suffered heavy losses.
Ypres.
5. After a rest near Douai until the end of June the division was sent to Flanders. Was first placed in reserve south of Thielt during the first few weeks of July and engaged the 18th southeast of Ypres in the Ledeghem sector. Lost heavily from the artillery preparation and was relieved July 30 before the British attack.
Alsace.
6. Sent to Alsace and held the Altkirch sector from the middle of August to beginning of October.
Laonnois.
7. About October 16 to 17 it was sent to the region of Lizy, southwest of Laon. It relieved on the Ailette, east of Anizy le Chateau, about October 25, the remains of the 14th and 52d Divisions, decimated by the French attack of the 23d.
8. The division was not heavily engaged in the sector of Lizy. It continued to hold it in November and December 1917 and January 1918. During this period it was sent to Vervins for rest and training.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The division was organized as an attack unit. From January 24 to February 19, 1918, it went through a training for the offensive in the vicinity of Vervins including breaking-through maneuvers, Feb. 1 with a Prussian division at Vallee aux Bleds; another divisional maneuver February 11 before the German Crown Prince and Gen. Ludendorff; third divisional maneuver February 18 (examination of prisoners, Feb. 28, 1918). It is to be noted that in Flanders, where the division had the only important fight it had in 1917 it suffered heavily. Its morale was so weakened that it had to be withdrawn before the British attack.
1918.
Vervins.
1. The 6th Bavarian Reserve Division was relieved in the Anizy le Chateau region by the 6th Division, January 24 and went to the vicinity of Vervins where it was put through a course of training in open warfare, in which artillery and aeroplanes participated. These exercises were supervised by the Crown Prince and Ludendorff.
2. February 22 it relieved the 6th Division in its former section. About the end of the month the division was relieved by elements of the 13th Landwehr Division, and by the extension of the flanks of the neighboring divisions, going to rest in the Chauny region.
Somme.
3. Toward the middle of April the division relieved the 206th Division near Mesnil St. Georges (southwest of Montdidier). It was relieved by the 25th Reserve Division April 21.
Ailette.
4. There is some doubt as to where the division went; it was reported northeast of Ghent, northeast of Laon, and in Lorraine. There is some evidence to show that it relieved the 222d Division near Anizy le Chateau during the night of May 2–3. This front was very quiet until the German offensive of May 27, in which attack the 6th Bavarian Reserve Division did not attack in the front line—being “leap-frogged” by the 5th and 6th Divisions acting as shock units—but followed up the advance coming into line between these two divisions during the night of the 27th–28th. It was at this time definitely identified. In the attack on Terny (May 28), the division met with strong resistance and suffered heavily. June 1 it captured Le Port, but lost it again to the French on June 7, with severe losses. It was relieved about the 15th by the 53d Reserve Division.
Marne.
5. July 17 it was identified near Passy sur Marne (west of Dormans). It was withdrawn August 6 and spent a fortnight refitting.
Bapaume.
6. August 23 it reinforced the front near Ervillers (northwest of Bapaume) having traveled via Cambrai, Bourlon, and Beugnâtre. The division was withdrawn early in September.
Ypres.
7. It relieved the 8th Division southwest of Messines during the night of September 17–18. Just before coming into line the 17th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment was dissolved and its men drafted to the other two regiments of the division. It was replaced by the 25th Bavarian Infantry Regiment from the 14th Bavarian Division which was dissolved at this time. Likewise, the 6th Bavarian Reserve Field Artillery Regiment was dissolved and replaced by the 19th Bavarian Field Artillery Regiment from the 10th Bavarian Division disbanded in July. The division remained in line until the armistice was signed, withdrawing through Wytschaete-Houthem-Comines-Marcke-Ooteghem and Krinstraat.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The 6th Bavarian Reserve is rated as a second-class division, which seems justified not only from opinions concerning its ability as a fighting unit coming from Allied sources, but also from the fact that, although it had a course of training in “breaking through” in February, it was never so used by the German High Command, serving rather as a “follow up” division. (Cf. May 27 offensive.) The division suffered heavy losses during its 1918 engagements; indeed, some prisoners captured the middle of September said that it was to be broken up. They were mistaken, but one of the infantry regiments and the artillery regiment were disbanded.