HISTORY.
12th Reserve Division: (6th Corps District-Silesia).
1914.
The 12th Reserve Division formed, with the 11th Reserve Division, the 6th Reserve Corps, formed in Silesia at the time of mobilization.
Meuse-Argonne.
1. At the outbreak of the war, the division detrained at Sarrebruecken; fought in the neighborhood of Arrancy from the 22d to the 25th of August; remained at Mangiennes from the 27th to the 30th; crossed the Meuse on September 1; was beaten back with heavy losses on September 2 near Cierges; was at Rarécourt on the 7th and near Triaucourt on the 9th; spread out to the east of the Argonne upon Gercourt (11th to the 13th) and Montfaucon (Sept. 17).
2. At the end of September to the end of October took up its position east of Varennes in the district of Malancourt-Chattancourt and toward the end of October took its final position north of Bethencourt (southeast of Cuisy-Bois de Forges).
3. The division occupied this sector until the German offensive upon Verdun (end of February, 1916).
1915.
1. January to December, 1915, sector north of Bethencourt-Bois de Forges.
In April the 27th Infantry Regiment Reserve was transferred to the 117th Division, a new formation.
2. In September, 1915, elements of the 12th Reserve Division (battalion of the 23d Reserve Infantry Regiment) were detached in Champagne (Main de Massiges) to reinforce divisions engaged in fighting.
1916.
1. At the end of February, when the Verdun offensive began, the 12th Reserve Division still held the line in the region of Bois de Forges.
Verdun.
2. On the 6th of March, 1916, the division went into action; it took the village of Forges and, on March 10, the Corbeaux wood. It vainly attacked the Mort Homme.
3. It was withdrawn from the Verdun front in the middle of May, after suffering heavy losses (71 per cent of its infantry). It was first at rest in the Thionville region, and then in reserve in the Cambrai region, at the beginning of June.
Somme.
4. On July 2 it took part in the battle of the Somme (sector of Montauban-Hardecourt). It counterattacked near the Trônes wood and suffered very heavy losses. It was relieved about July 14, completely exhausted. (On the 10th of July not a single officer remained in the 2d Battalion of the 38th Reserve Infantry Regiment (letter). From the 17th of March to the 5th of July the 5th Company of the 23d Reserve Infantry Regiment received no less than 326 men as replacements).
5. On July 15 it was sent to rest in the Manancourt region. Elements of the division still remained in line, along the Somme near Guillemont, until August 1.
Flanders.
6. From the beginning of August until September 26–27, the 12th Reserve Division occupied a sector north of the Lys, near Armentières (Warneton-Messines), where it once more suffered losses.
Somme.
7. At the end of September the division was once more on the Somme front (Barleux-Berny). It remained there until the beginning of November without suffering any great losses.
Artois.
8. Transferred to Artois, it went into line on Vimy Ridge (sector Vimy-Roclincourt) at the beginning of December. It suffered fairly heavy losses. At the present time, 17 per cent of the prisoners from the 51st Reserve Infantry Regiment belong to the 1917 class.
1917.
1. The 12th Reserve Division remained on the Vimy front until February 27, 1917.
2. It was resting in the Avesnes region during the month of March.
3. From April 9–12 to May 24 it held the lines between Itancourt and the Oise.
St. Quentin.
4. After a fortnight’s rest in the Guise region, it occupied (from the beginning of June to Aug. 6–8), the St. Quentin sector (south of Fayet).
Flanders.
5. On August 7 the division entrained for Flanders, at Fresnoy le Grand. Disembarking near Courtrai, it was first in reserve near Passchendaele. A few of the elements of the division engaged in battle at Langemarck on the 17th of August. It was in line in the St. Julien sector (northeast of Ypres) on August 20, and relieved on August 24, after suffering heavy losses.
St. Quentin.
6. In rest at Origny, from August 29 to September 9, the division then occupied the sector southwest of St. Quentin (Sept. 9 to Nov. 11–12).
It left at this latter date to occupy the front south of Passchendaele until the middle of February, 1918, being relieved several times in the interval.
RECRUITING.
Silesia, especially Upper Silesia. In 1916, following the losses suffered at Verdun, a great number of the replacement troops consisted of men from the 3d and 4th Corps Districts (Brandenburg and Prussian Saxony) and of the 1916 class, and of returned convalescents of the 9th and 10th Corps Districts (Schleswig-Holstein and Hanover). This measure was not only dictated by necessity, but contributed to counterbalance the original Polish element.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
At Ypres (August, 1917), a certain number of men of the 51st Reserve Infantry Regiment refused to go into the trenches; according to prisoners, desertions to the rear were frequent, especially among the younger men.
The combat morale of the 12th Reserve Division may, however, have been restored during its long stay in the relatively quiet sector of St. Quentin (September to November, 1917).
1918.
Flanders.
1. On February 4 the division relieved the 12th Reserve Division in the Moorslede sector which it held until February 14.
Lens.
2. It was relieved by the 31st Division and moved south to relieve the 17th Division on night of February 17–18. It held this front until about April 10, when it was relieved by the 9th Reserve Division.
Battle of the Lys.
3. The division reinforced the battle front at Neuve Eglise on April 13 and fought until about April 25, suffering heavy losses. One company of the 51st Reserve Regiment was reduced to 9 men.
4. Upon relief, the division returned to its former sector near Lens, where it was identified near Avion on April 27. It remained here until June 14, when it moved north and entered the line northeast of Hinges on June 17–18. About August 6, the division was relieved by the 1st Guard Reserve Division.
Arras.
5. It moved to Douai and rested until its return to line near Ecoust on night of August 30–31 to resist the British attack. Before its withdrawal on the 11th it had lost nearly 900 prisoners.
Lens.
6. The division rested at Cambrai during September and reentered the Lens sector on October 2. During October it was engaged at Noyelles (11th), Wattines (19th), and Rumignies (21st). It appears to have been out of line for a few days, returning on the night of November 3–4 west of Orsinval. It was at Wargnies le Petit (5th), St. Waast la Vallee (6th), Bavai (7th), northeast of Taisnieres (9th), and Villers St. Guislain (11th).
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as second class. It appears to have been used principally as a sector-holding division on moderately active fronts.