HISTORY.
(30th Bavarian Infantry Regiment: 1st Bavarian Corps District. 31st Bavarian Infantry Regiment: 2d Bavarian Corps District. 32d Bavarian Infantry Regiment: 3d Bavarian Corps District.)
1917.
The 15th Bavarian Division was formed in December, 1916, and January, 1917, at Nuremburg, of elements coming from the three Bavarian corps districts in the manner of the divisions 231–242; that is to say, a very large proportion of the men of the 1918 class, together with returned wounded and sick and men taken from units at the front.
1. From February 1 to March 1, 1917, the three regiments of the division received instruction for mountain troops in Upper Bavaria, near the Austrian frontier.
2. On March 1 the 15th Bavarian Division was transferred to the Charleroi area, where it remained one month; there it received training in the war of movement.
Lorraine.
3. At the end of March it was transferred to Lorraine; it occupied the Leintrey sector (Parroy wood) until the beginning of May.
Aisne.
4. From Lorraine it went to the Laonnois area (Sissonne, La Selve, May 12); went into line southwest of Juvincourt on May 19–20; launched an attack on June 28–29 southeast of Corbeny, and left the front at the end of July.
5. After a rest in the Sedan area the division entrained on August 20 for the Verdun front.
Meuse (Hill 304).
6. Detraining at Stenay and Dun (Aug. 22–24), it went into line north of Hill 304 (Forges Stream). The French attack on the 24th occasioned serious losses.
Meuse (Right Bank).
7. The 15th Bavarian Division was relieved from Hill 304 about October 16; went from there to the right bank of the Meuse, and then into line at Beaumont (Oct. 24).
RECRUITING.
The 15th Bavarian Division is recruited from all of Bavaria.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
In September, 1917, the 15th Bavarian Division appeared strong.
In the 31st Bavarian Infantry Regiment two-thirds of the men were recruits belonging to the 1918 class.
The division suffered few losses on the Verdun front after November, 1917.
1918.
1. During the spring the division made use of the quiet Bezouvaux sector to train the men in machine gun and assault tactics. It was relieved on July 23 and rested south of Longwy (Villers la Montagne) until July 4. It was moved to Sault St. Remy, by Carignan, Sedan, Rethel (July 4–5). Until the 11th it rested in a camp, when it marched by night toward the front.
Battle of Rheims.
2. On the 15th it was engaged in the offensive east of Prunay. It advanced to north of Thuizy, suffering very heavy losses, estimated to have been 30 to 40 per cent. It remained in line until mid-August. After 10 weeks’ rest the division was again engaged about September 1 north of Prosnes until September 29.
Meuse-Argonne.
3. The division was placed in line farther to the east, near Somme Py, where it remained until about September 29, at which time it was put in reserve north of Bouillon. In the fighting all three regiments were exhausted, but the losses of the 31st Bavarian Regiment were particularly heavy. Six hundred prisoners were taken from the division at this time.
4. The division rested from October 5 to 10. At this time the 18th Bavarian Reserve Regiment, from the disbanded Bavarian Ersatz Division, was divided among the three regiments of the division.
5. It came into line on October 13 east of Grandpre and was engaged on the United States front until November 11. It did not offer a vigorous resistance to the American attacks at first, but in late October and early November it did all in its power to check the American advance.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as a third-class. The heavy losses in Champagne in September and October, the prevalent sickness, political discontent, and dissatisfaction with Prussia continued to give the division a low morale.