HISTORY.
(13th Corps District—Wurttemberg.)
1914.
Vosges.
1. At the beginning of the war the 26th Reserve Division, forming the 14th Reserve Corps with the 28th Reserve Division, was a part of the 7th German Army. While the 99th Reserve Infantry Regiment formed in Alsace and at once went to the valley of the Bruche, the 180th Infantry Regiment went to Ste. Marie aux Mines on August 8. The three reserve regiments (119th, 120th, 121st) detrained between Freiburg and Neu-Breisach on August 8–11 and fought at the Donon and in the valley of the Bruche from August 17 to 24. Going then to the western slope of the Vosges, the division reached St. Die on August 28, then advanced as far as Rougiville, from which place it was sent to Ste. Marie aux Mines.
Somme.
2. On September 11 the 26th Reserve Division was sent to the Somme and assigned to the 2d Army. It went into action on both banks of the Ancre, near Thiepval, near Miraumont and Beaumont Hamel, beginning on the 27th.
3. It occupied this sector of the front (south of Hebuterne, north of Ovillers) until July, 1916. During this period it did not take part in any important action.
1915.
Artois.
1. In March, 1915, the 120th Reserve Infantry Regiment was given to the 58th Division, a new formation.
2. In May, 1915, elements of the 26th Reserve Division were sent to Artois on detached service and fought at Neuville-St. Vaast. In June some units of the 99th Reserve Regiment (3d and 4th Battalions) and the 180th Infantry Regiment took part in the battles around Arras (Le Labyrinthe).
Somme.
3. At the beginning of July these elements rejoined the division, which continued to hold the Somme sector before Bapaume.
1916.
Somme.
1. On July 1, 1916, the 26th Reserve Division withstood the Franco-British offensive north and south of the Ancre (Beaumont Hamel, Ovillers, Thiepval). (The total of the losses on the Somme amounted to 10,042 men.) The 99th Reserve Infantry Regiment lost 48 officers and 2,070 men. (Official List of Casualties.)
Artois.
2. Relieved along the Somme about October 6, the division was sent south of Arras (Monchy aux Bois) on October 10. Some elements of the division were still engaged on both banks of the Ancre in November.
1917.
Hindenburg Line.
1. After having occupied the calm sector of Artois for the winter of 1916–17, the 26th Reserve Division took part in the withdrawal of the German troops about March 20. It left the front of Monchy aux Bois and retired southeast of Croisilles (Lagnicourt-Ecoust-St. Main). It fought along this line until April 7–13 and suffered some losses (Noreuil, Apr. 2).
2. After a rest of a month in the vicinity of Valenciennes, in the course of which it sent some elements south of St. Quentin (Itancourt, May 4–11), the 26th Reserve Division went back into line between Arras and St. Quentin (Bullecourt-Queant) about May 17.
Flanders.
3. On August 10 the division was withdrawn from the front and entrained at Aubigny au Bac (south of Douai) for Belgium. It went into action north of Langemarck (Aug. 19-Sept. 16). It was then sent to rest (vicinity of Bohain, northeast of St. Quentin) until October 14.
4. About October 17 the 26th Reserve Division went back into line north of Ypres (The Ypres-Staden railroad—Houthulst wood) until October 23.
5. Sent to rest south of Cortemarck, it was transferred at the end of October to Eerneghem, where it was first in reserve.
6. In the middle of November the 26th Reserve Division took over the calm sector of Merckem, which it occupied until February, 1918, after a short rest in the middle of December.
RECRUITING.
Since the departure of the 99th Reserve Infantry Regiment, the 26th Reserve Division is made up entirely of Wurttembergers.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The 26th Reserve Division is a very good division, of a combative value equal to that of the majority of the active divisions. In the battle of the Somme, in 1916, it opposed a stubborn resistance to the British advance and launched vigorous counterattacks.
The division has not been seriously engaged since 1916; it was thoroughly rested on the Flanders front. Not having been exposed to violent battles and not having any great losses, its morale has not been shaken. (British Summary of Information, February, 1918.)
1918.
Belgium.
1. The 26th Reserve Division was withdrawn from the Merckem sector on the 20th of February, and went to the area west of Antwerp. Here, it was very probably trained in open warfare, but the fact has not been definitely established.
Arras.
2. It left about March 11 and entered line near Hénin (southeast of Arras) on the 24th. Its mission was to protect the troops engaged in the main attack farther to the south against a flanking movement by the British troops massed around Arras. In so doing, it became heavily engaged, and is reported to have lost 60 per cent of its strength. It was relieved on May 14, and went to rest in the Arleux area (south of Douai).
3. On June 9 it relieved the 41st Division east of Hebuterne. A week or so later it extended its sector toward the south so as to relieve the 16th Reserve Division. It was relieved about July 23 by the 183d Division, and went to rest in the Bapaume area, after having suffered severe losses.
Somme.
4. On August 10 the division reenforced the front astride the Braye-Corbie road (north of the Somme). It did not become heavily engaged this time; withdrawn about the 18th, and went to rest in the Douai area. Battalions were reduced to three companies.
Arras.
5. It reenforced the front near Vis en Artois (on Arras-Cambrai road) on August 27. After suffering heavy losses it was withdrawn on the 31st to region north of Cambrai.
Cambrai.
6. It came back into line on the 29th of September, after having rested and thoroughly refitted, reenforcing the front near Tilloy (northwest of Cambrai). It was heavily engaged, and fought very well. A few days later Gen. von Beulow (commanding the 17th Army) sent a telegram to the King of Saxony saying that the division had fought in an exemplary manner at Cambrai, where it had several times reestablished the situation by its counterattacks on the 29th, inflicting enormous losses on the enemy, and thus preventing the town from falling into their hands. It was withdrawn about the 9th of October.
Valenciennes.
7. On the 13th it relieved the 22d Division near Herin (west of Valenciennes). It had not been withdrawn on the 11th of November.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The 26th Reserve is rated as a first-class division. It did not distinguish itself in the fighting during 1918 (except on the Cambrai front, as already noted), still it could be depended upon and on the whole fought well. In this connection it is to be noted that the 26th Division had been held in reserve to relieve the 26th Reserve in the March offensive, but the relief was considered unnecessary.