HISTORY.
(17th Corps District—Western Prussia and the eastern part of Pomerania.)
1914.
East Prussia.
1. At the outbreak of the war the 36th Reserve Division constituting, with the 1st Reserve Division, the 1st Reserve Corps, was engaged in East Prussia in the vicinity of Gumbinnen-Angerburg.
Bzura.
2. Assigned to the 9th German Army (Mackensen), it fought on November 6 on the left bank of the Vistula and on the Bzura at the beginning of December.
1915.
1. At the beginning of 1915 the 36th Reserve Division took part in the engagements on the line Bzura-Rawka-Bolimov (Jan. 4 and Feb. 5).
Prasnysz.
2. On February 13 the division entrained, with the entire 1st Reserve Corps, to reenforce the right wing of the Germany Army, which was pushing back the Russians from East Prussia. Detraining at Ostrolenka, it attacked in the vicinity of Mlawa, then near Prasnysz (April), where the Russian counterattacks caused it to suffer heavy losses.
Courland.
3. In May, it took part in the Hindenburg offensive in Courland. First occupying the sector of Jurburg, north of Niemen, it reached Ponieviej in July and from there pushed on to the vicinity of Dvinsk. The division suffered heavily during this period. On October 15, the 61st Reserve Infantry Regiment had an average of only 80 men per company (letter).
Friedrichstadt.
4. In December, the 36th Reserve Division occupied the sector of Friedrichstadt, southeast of Riga.
1916.
1. The division remained in its Courland sector (Friedrichstadt) until September 24, 1916.
Galicia.
2. At the end of September and the beginning of October, it entrained at Libau and was transferred to Galicia. The 54th Infantry Regiment was engaged on October 3 east of Brzezany to oppose the advance of the Russians. The rest of the division rejoined the rest of the 54th Infantry Regiment on October 19, and remained in this area.
1917.
1. About the end of May, 1917, the 36th Reserve Division was relieved from the sector south of Brzezany and entrained near Rohatyn (Galicia) for the Western Front. Itinerary: Lemberg-Cracow-Oppeln-Munich-Karlsruhe.
Lorraine.
2. Detraining in Lorraine on the 1st of June, the division received training until June 24. At this date, it took over a calm sector in Haye for a fortnight.
Artois.
3. Sent to the vicinity of Lens in July, the 36th Reserve Division occupied the sector of Mericourt until the beginning of October.
Flanders.
4. About October 20, it went into line east of Ypres (north of Becelaere).
RECRUITING.
The 36th Reserve Division is recruited from West Prussia and the eastern part of Pomerania. It contained a large number of Alsace-Lorrainers during its stay on the Western Front.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
In Russia the 36th Reserve Division took part in several major operations.
It did not come to the Western Front until June, 1917.
1918.
Battle of the Lys.
1. The division was relieved in the Foret de Holthust on April 4 by the 1st Landwehr Division, and marched via Amersveld to Cortemarch, where it entrained and arrived at Courtrai on April 5. It left Courtrai on the 8th and marched toward Armentieres. On the 10th the division followed up the German advance in support of an assault division, and on the 11th came into action north of Armentieres. Losses were severe and the division retired about April 13 to rest. It returned in the Ploegsteert area on April 17 and went to rest in the Roulers area. On May 11, the division came back to line for the third time north of Hinges.
2. It was withdrawn about May 25, rested behind the front until June 11, when it relieved the 235th Division northwest of Bethune, which sector it held until about June 22.
Lens.
3. On June 26 the division entered line in Artois area, southeast of Loos. It held this quiet sector until October 2.
Belgium.
4. On the night of October 4–5 the division relieved the 16th Bavarian Division southwest of Roulers. From then until about November 4, the division fought first in the Roulers area, and after October 15, at Thielt (17th), Deynze (26th), Ecke (Nov. 2). It was withdrawn from line about November 4 and did not reenter.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as third class. It was heavily engaged on the Lys in the spring without achieving much success. Thereafter the division was employed on the defensive.