HISTORY.
(261st and 262d Reserve Regiments: Entire Prussian territory by selection, in the same manner as the Guard. 263d Reserve Regiment: 4th Corps District—Prussian Saxony.)
1915.
Eastern Prussia.
1. The 79th Reserve Division was one of the divisions formed in the winter of 1914–15, and, with the 80th Reserve Division, formed the 40th Reserve Corps. It grew out of six field battalions of the Guard and three field battalions. (Nos. 19–21) of the 4th Corps District. It was trained at the Doeberitz cantonment and sent to Eastern Prussia at the beginning of February, 1915, where it took part in the battle of the Masure Lakes from the 7th to the 17th.
Russia.
2. It was identified in the vicinity of Lyck on February 13, as marching toward Augustowo on the 14th and to the south of the Forest of Augustowo on the 24th.
Poland.
3. From the end of February until the end of March it was engaged on the Bobr, to the north of the Fortess of Ossoviec. At the end of March, having come back in the northeast, it held the passes in the lakes to the east of Suwalki-Augustowo.
4. At the beginning of May the 40th Reserve Corps advanced toward Kalwaria-Mariampol.
Kovno.
5. On June 9 the 79th Reserve Division appeared before Kovno; it took part in the siege and the taking of this town (July-Aug. 18).
Smorgoni.
6. The offensive against the Russians took it through Ochmiana (?) to the south of Smorgoni (Aug. 27). The division took a position in this region.
Smorgoni-Krevo.
7. The division occupied the Krevo-Smorgoni (south of Vilna) sector from the end of August, 1915, until some time in November, 1916.
1916.
Russia-France.
1. Relieved from the Smorgoni sector at the end of November, 1916, the 79th Division was transferred to the Western Front. It entrained at Mitau (Itinerary: Chavli-Grodno-Bielostok-Varsovie-Lodz-Kalisz-Glogau-Cottbus-Halle-Paderborn-Duesseldorf-Aix la Chapelle-Herbesthal-Liege-Louvain-Brussels) and detrained at Ascq (east of Lille) on December 10.
Lille.
2. Remained there at rest.
1917.
La Bassee.
1. About January 10, 1917, it took over the La Bassee-Vermelles sector (up to Jan. 28).
Lens-Vimy.
2. At the end of February it appeared in the Lens sector and on March 3 on the Vimy front. On April 9 it was sorely tried by the British attack on the heights of Vimy, where it lost 1,660 prisoners.
3. It was relieved about April 14 and put at rest.
Lille.
4. On May 3 the division entered the line again in the quiet sector to the southwest of Lille (between Boutillerie and Fauquissart). It stayed there until July 8.
Flanders.
5. After a few days rest at Templeuve it was transferred to Flanders, where it was again at rest (east of Bruges) (July).
Langemarck.
6. At the beginning of the British offensive at Ypres (July 31) it was brought to Langemarck as a “counterattack” division. Engaged on August 6 it suffered very heavy losses and abandoned Langemarck during the attack of the 16th. It was relieved on the 16th, having lost 75 per cent of its strength. It was put at rest east of Cambrai and reorganized.
St. Quentin.
7. On September 1 it took over the sector northwest of St. Quentin (Pontruet-Gricourt), which it occupied until November 28.
Cambrai.
8. On November 21, by reason of the British offensive, it hastily put two battalions in action at Masnières.
9. At the beginning of December the 79th Reserve Division went into line to the east of Gouzeaucourt. It was relieved in January, 1918, reappeared on the front at the beginning of February near Gonnelieu, and went back to rest at the end of the month.
RECRUITING.
The 261st and 262d Regiments were taken from depots of the Guard and were recruited like the latter, from all sections of Prussia. The 263d Regiment was a “Magdeberg” unit (Prussian Saxony).
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The 79th Division, already sorely tried at Vimy in April, was much used at Ypres in August, 1917.
The 261st and 262d Regiments were completely demoralized during the British attack and fled to the rear. According to an officer this panic was due to the lack of combat spirit displayed by the 1918 class, which made up an important part of the strength of the soldiers engaged.
It arrived in a very worn out condition in the St. Quentin sector and left it on November 28 with nearly full strength and replacement of material. It should (December, 1917) be capable of putting forth an appreciable effort.
The soldiers from Alsace and Lorraine, formerly numerous in this division, were withdrawn from this unit when it was sent to the French front. Ninety-three of them remained in the 252d Regiment, who were mostly sent to the Eastern Front on July 3, 1917 (German order).
1918.
Battle of Picardy.
1. The division reenforced the Somme battle front on March 21 near Ronssoy. It advanced west of Epehy on March 22 and was withdrawn to second line a day later. It followed up the advance and took part in the attack near Meaulte on April 5, after which it was withdrawn.
Bailleul.
2. It rested in Belgium for five weeks, and on May 26 entered the line northwest of Bailleul. It was relieved on the night of June 19–20.
3. The division rested in Roubaix area until July 20, when it was transferred by rail to Tergnier (west of La Fere) and then marched to Guny, west of Coucy le Chateau, where it remained in army reserve. On August 8 the division was alarmed, and at mid-day was transferred in motor busses via Chauny-Ham-Nesle to Rethonvillers, arriving before dawn on the 9th. It came into action on the following day at 4 kilometers northeast of Andechy.
Scarpe-Somme.
4. At once the division was heavily engaged with all nine battalions in line. On the 13th its place was taken by the 121st Division, and it rested for three or four days in the area southwest of Nesle. On the 16th the division relieved the 204th Division on the line east of Goyencourt-Hill 81, west of Roye-Avre. It was heavily engaged in opposing the French attacks until August 31, when it was withdrawn east of Roye.
5. On September 5 the division relieved the Alpine Corps at Epenancourt. It fell back in a northeasterly direction by Atilly, southeast of Vermand, southeast of Maissemy, Pontruet, and Gricourt. It was relieved about October 8 after losing 2,200 prisoners in August and September.
Scarpe.
6. When relieved, the division went to the Fres-Sancourt area (north of St. Gobain), where it was in reserve. About the 14th it was taken to La Ferte-Chevresis to construct rear positions. It was moved in trucks on the 18th by Sains-Richaumont-Wiege-Villers les Guise-Iron near Etreux. It went into line on the evening of the 18th, relieving elements of the 81st Division. It was engaged until the armistice. The line of retreat was through Boue, Boulogne, Avesnes, Sobre le Chateau. In the last place it was identified on November 10.
At the end the effective strength of the division was greatly diminished, although it had received drafts from the dissolved 201st and 202d Regiments.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division was rated as third class. Throughout 1918 the division was extensively used in important defensive sectors, in which it did fairly well.