HISTORY.
(13th Corps District—Wuerttemberg.)
1914.
Belgium.
1. The 54th Reserve Division, forming the 27th Reserve Corps with the 53d Reserve Division, was formed of men from Wurttemberg, with the addition of one infantry regiment and one battalion of chasseurs from Saxony. Trained at the Muensingen Camp, it went into action for the first time on October 21, 1914, in Belgium at the battle of Ypres. On October 29, it made an unsuccessful attack south of Gheluvelt, going slightly to the north, it took part in the general attack of November 11 in the vicinity of Zonnebeke, where it lost very heavily. From October 21 to November 20 the 248th Reserve Infantry Regiment listed 32 officers and 1,395 men as casualties. (Official List of Casualties.)
1915.
1. The division remained in Flanders during the entire year of 1915, occupying the front Becelaere-Polygon wood, between the Ypres-Menin wood and the Roulers railroad.
2. In April and May it suffered heavy losses during the second battle of Ypres (Frezenberg, Verlorenhoek, Hooge).
1916.
1. At the end of January and beginning of February, 1916, the 54th Reserve Division was withdrawn from the Ypres salient, concentrated in the vicinity of Thielt, Ghent, and Hasselt and sent for training to the Beverloo Camp (February-March).
Artois.
2. Toward the end of March it took over the sector south of Neuve Chapelle (north of La Bassée) where it did not take part in any important action.
Somme.
3. Relieved at the end of August, it was sent to the Somme (sector of Combles-La Forest) and suffered very heavy losses between September 8 and 18.
Lorraine.
4. After a short stay in the Loos salient (Vermelles-Hulluch road) at the beginning of October the 54th Reserve Division was transferred to Lorraine and sent into line in the vicinity of Blamont.
5. At this time, the 245th Reserve Infantry Regiment (Saxon) was taken from it to be assigned to the 192d Division.
Verdun.
6. At the end of November the division left Lorraine, was sent during the course of December behind the front northwest of Cambrai, then to the Meuse, where it went into line on December 22, west of Bezonvaux (Les Chambrettes), after the French attack of December 16.
1917.
Champagne.
1. Withdrawn from the Verdun front about January 23, 1917, the 54th Reserve Division took over, in Champagne, the sector included between the Navarin Farm and the Tahure Hill.
2. In March it sent one battalion of the 246th Reserve Infantry Regiment into the attacks of Maisons de Champagne on March 27.
3. At the beginning of May the division went as a reenforcement south of Moronvilliers. It went into action from May 15 to June 10 (Téton, Mont Haut) and lost heavily.
4. About June 10–15, without any rest, it again took over the sector west of Tahure, which it occupied until August 20–25.
Hill 304.
5. Suddenly transferred to the Verdun area, the 54th Reserve Division went into line on August 24, north of Hill 304; it remained there until October 18.
Flanders.
6. Sent to Flanders, it was in the Dixmude sector from October 29 until March 1918.
RECRUITING.
Mixed at the time of its formation, the 54th Reserve Division became exclusively Wurttemberg, by the departure of its Saxon elements.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
Since the number of prisoners of the 54th Reserve Division in Champagne, as in the vicinity of Verdun, March to October 1917, was very slight, it has been practically impossible to obtain information concerning this division (November 1918).
1918.
Battle of Picardy.
1. The division which had been holding the Dixmude sector entrained at Bruges on March 14, and detrained at Cambrai on the following day. On March 20 it marched to Seranvillers, and a day later proceeded via Lesdain to the high ground west of Honnecourt. On the 22d it reached Gouzeaucourt; on the 23d it passed through Lechelle, Bus, and Sailly Saillisel; on the 24th it progressed north of Mametz wood, being engaged near Rozieres on the 25th and at Ovillers on the 26th. The division was relieved on April 4 by the 27th Division after suffering heavy losses at Aveluy.
Somme.
2. The division was in reserve in immediate rear of the front until the night of April 10–11, when it relieved the 13th Division at Ville sur Ancre. The division held this sector until May 27 and again from June 28 until August 25. It was withdrawn in the Mametz area where it had fallen back upon the British attack.
3. Early in September the division was dissolved. Prisoners stated that the 248th Reserve Regiment was drafted to the 27th Division.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as second class. Its efforts in the Somme offensive were unsuccessful. Thereafter the effectives were used up and the division dissolved.