HISTORY.
(16th Bavarian: First Bavarian District—Lower Bavaria. 6th Reserve Bavarian and 8th Reserve Bavarian: Second Bavarian District—Bavarian Palatinate.)
1915.
This division was organized in Belgium in March, 1915. Its three infantry regiments were drawn from already existing Bavarian divisions—the 16th Bavarian from the 1st Bavarian Division, the 6th Reserve Bavarian from the 5th Bavarian Reserve Division, and the 8th Bavarian Reserves from the 4th Bavarian Division.
1. In April, 1915, the division was in the region of Tournai.
Somme.
2. In May it took over the sector of Lihons-Estrees road to Foucaucourt, which it occupied until the Franco-British offensive of 1916.
3. In October some units of the division were sent as reinforcements to Neuville-St. Vaast and to Champagne.
1916.
Somme.
1. Remained in the Foucaucourt-Lihons sector until the middle of June, 1916.
2. At the end of June it was sent south of Bapaume and took part in the battle of the Somme near Contalmaison, Bazentin le Petit, and Longueval from July 1 to the end of July. The 6th Reserve Infantry suffered heavily. Its 2d Battalion lost 11 officers and 724 men (casualty lists).
Galicia.
3. About the middle of August the division was sent to the Eastern Front (Stanislau) and the trip lasted from August 13 to 18.
Bukovina.
4. September and October: Bukovina (Dorna-Vatra, Kirlibaba, west of Mont Capoul). It fought against the right wing of the Roumanian Army.
Transylvania.
5. From November, 1916, to the end of January, 1917, it held the sector of Tolgyes in Transylvania.
1917.
Galicia.
1. At the beginning of February, 1917, the division left the Roumanian front and went to Galicia (sector of Zalosce) from February to May, being attached to the 2d Austro-Hungarian Army.
France.
2. In May the division returned to France, via Zloczow (May 19), Lemberg, Cracow, Breslau, Frankfort on Main, Treves.
Alsace.
Detrained about May 25 in the region of Mulhouse; then was sent to rest and training in Upper Alsace at the beginning of June and sent to Belgium (June 12 to 14).
Flanders.
3. Fought south of the Ypres-Comines canal where it opposed the attack of July 31. It then went to the region of Catelet (sector of Gonnelieu) from August 12 to the end of September. It was near Becelaere in October.
Russia.
4. At the end of October it was again sent to the Eastern Front. After a few weeks’ rest at Brest Litovsk it returned to France without having fought. Entrained November 22 at Brest Litovsk and detrained in Lorraine the 27th. Itinerary: Warsaw-Posen-Erfurt.
Lorraine.
5. On November 29 to 30 it went into line in the forest of Bezange and was relieved in the middle of January, 1918.
RECRUITING.
The 16th Infantry: Lower Bavaria. The two other regiments: Bavarian Palatinate.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The greater part of the division is composed of young men. It does not seem to have suffered any losses for a long time. However, its morale seems to have been shaken at times. When it was sent from St. Quentin to Ypres at the end of September, 1917, it is believed that the officers of the 16th Infantry had trouble in preventing a mutiny. (British Information Bulletin, Oct. 12, 1917.)
1918.
1. The division was relieved in the Vosges on May 13 and rested near Dieuze until May 30. It entrained and moved by Metz and Sedan, Charleville, Liart, and detrained near Laon on the 30th–31st. It moved to the front by Bruyeres, Braye en Laennois, Mont Notre-Dame, Neuilly-St. Front.
Battle of the Aisne and Marne.
2. It was reengaged southeast of Troësnes-Passy en Valois (on the Ourcq) from June 5 to July 18. It was thrown back on Rozet St. Albin (July 20) and then west of Armentieres (21st). About that date the division was relieved.
The division was dissolved in August and its units sent to the 6th Bavarian Reserve Division, 11th Bavarian Division, and 14th Bavarian Division.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as a second-class division. In 1918 it saw but six weeks of active fighting before it was dissolved.