HISTORY.
1914.
France.
1. Entrained August 9 to 11 (notebooks). Detrained at Beutgenbach (12 kilos east of Malmedy). Entered Belgium August 14. Crossed the Meuse at Huy August 18. Crossed the Sambre at Auvelais (Aug. 22) on the right of the 1st Guard Division. Fought at Falisolle and Aisemont the 23d; at Mettet the 24th. Fought on the 29th at Haution and Vallee-aux-Bleds; on the 30th at St. Pierre (west of Vervins), on the left of the 1st Guard Division.
2. From there via Lugny, Boncourt, La Malmaison, Ville-aux-Bois, Sarcy, Epernay, Avize, Vertus; fought after September 6 at Ecury-le-Repos and Normee.
3. Retreated on the 9th at Vertus; 10th at Tauxieres; 11th at Thuizy. Was before Reims until September 30.
4. In Artois in October (Bucquoy, Monchy-aux-Bois, Adinfer), near the 1st Guard Division. Split up in November like the latter; sent one of its brigades, the 4th, in the region of Ypres (Gheluvelt), and remained there until the end of December.
1915.
Russia.
1. In January the division was again assembled. At rest at Douai from the end of January till the middle of February. On the Monchy-aux-Bois-Puisieux front till the end of March. Entrained March 30 at Cambrai for Schelestadt (Alsace), where it was placed at rest.
2. In April transferred to Galicia (Neu-Samdek, Apr. 26–30).
3. Beginning on May 2 it took part in Mackensen’s offensive—Battle of Gorlitz, May 2–3; at Jaroslav, May 16; battle of Krasnostav, July 17; crossed the Bug August 24. At Zegrje, on the Narew, September 14.
4. On September 16 it returned to Novo-Georgievsk and entrained for the western front. Detrained at Nivelles September 20.
France-Lorette.
5. The division was at rest for one month in Belgium.
6. On October 25 entrained for Orchies and reached Henin-Lietard by stages and fought at Lorette on November 5 for 6 days. It suffered casualties again there.
7. The division went into line in the region between Noyon and Roye.
1916.
France-Somme.
1. The 2d Guard Division remained in the sector of the region Noyon-Roye until August, 1916.
2. On August 15 it was sent to the Somme region (Chilly), where it suffered heavy losses both to the north and to the south of Peronne.
3. From October 1 to the end of December, 1916, it fought for a second time south of Peronne.
1917.
1. At the end of January the division was sent to rest near Guise. To the east of Clery-sur-Somme, end of February.
2. Then it held the Siegfried line, near Roisel and St. Quentin, for five or six days (beginning of March).
3. Entrained for Vervins and sent back to rest (Mar. 16 to Apr. 12).
Chemin des Dames.
4. About April 12 the division was sent to Sissonne. Went into line between Hurtebise and Craonne (Apr. 20 to 22), supporting or relieving the units of the 5th Guard Division. It remained for three weeks in the region of Craonne and Amifontaine. It suffered new losses and still heavier ones on Californie Plateau.
5. On May 11 the division went to the Argonne by road (La Harazee, May 17) and was reorganized, receiving replacements from the 613th, 614th, and 615th Regiments, which were dissolved.
Russia.
6. Withdrawn from the line at the beginning of July and entrained for the eastern front (from July 4 to 10), via Charleville, Givet, Namur, Liege, Herbestal, Hanover, Berlin, Posen, Skalmiercyze, Ozidof.
7. Took part in the attack on the Sereth (July 19); relieved August 1 and sent to rest.
Riga.
8. On August 9 entrained at Horlodylow and took part in the attack on Uxkull (Sept. 1). On the 4th it entered Riga.
France.
9. From September 7 to 9 the division entrained for France, via Zanke, Mitaul Vilna, Kovno, Posen, Berlin, Hanover, Dusseldorf, Aix-la-Chapelle, Liege, Namur, Givet, Charleville.
La Malmaison.
10. Beginning September 21 it was sent to Laon. About the 28th it went into line in the Malmaison sector. On October 23 the French attack commenced and caused them very heavy losses (1,800 prisoners, of whom 50 officers, and many wounded). Relieved on the 25th and its regiments, much reduced in strength, were sent to the Region of Vervins.
11. In the middle of November it held the sector of St. Mihiel, Forests of Apremont. The regiment received replacements from the interior and from the Russian front taken from the 226th Division.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The 2d Guard Division had the reputation of being a good division. It suffered heavy losses in the Aisne sector in May, 1917. However, even after this attack the morale of the men on the whole seemed quite high. At the Malmaison attack, October 23, the troops of the division, after three days, were completely defeated.
During the last battles the division showed only moderate fighting value.
1918.
1. The 2d Guard Division was relieved by the 201st Division January 11 and went to rest at Metz.
2. Here the division underwent a 10 weeks’ course of training. March 18 it entrained at Metz and traveled via Thionville to St. Amand, where it detrained on the evening of March 19. It went then via Marchiennes (Mar. 20–21), Montigny (Mar. 21–22), to Lambres, where it arrived the evening of March 22. After 5 days’ rest here the division moved up to the line at Vitry-en-Artois (Mar. 27) to reinforce the front for the attack north of the Scarpe on the 28th. Except for one battalion of the 1st Guard Grenadier Regiment, the division took part in the fighting, as the attack was unsuccessful.
Moreuil.
3. The following day it marched via Arleux-Morchies-Beaumetz-Haplincourt-Le Fansloy-Les Boeufs-Maricourt, crossing the Somme at Suzanne-Proyart-Framerville-Caix-Mézières. It went into reserve east of Mailly-Raineval, where it remained until April 5, when it came into line north of Rouvrel. It was relieved by the 6th Reserve Division May 2.
Aisne.
4. The division reinforced the Aisne battle front about May 26 to the west of Vailly. It was relieved, June 17, by the 40th Division.
Marne.
5. After a rest in the Marle region the division reinforced the front near Chatillon-sur-Marne July 15. It was withdrawn on the 22d.
Somme.
6. August 27 the division reinforced the front south of the Somme near Dompierre. It was relieved, September 3, by the Alpine Corps, after suffering heavy losses, and losing 1,450 prisoners.
Le Catelet.
7. During the night of September 11–12 it reinforced the front near Ronssoy (west of Le Catelet). It was withdrawn October 9.
Ypres.
8. After resting a fortnight the division relieved the 52d Reserve Division at Machelen, October 24. It was relieved by the 6th Cavalry Division November 4, and did not return to line.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The 2d Guard Division is rated as a first-class assault division. It participated in a great deal of heavy fighting during 1918 and always acquitted itself very well. It was mentioned in the official communiqués on several occasions. Between the end of August and October 9 it had lost 2,800 in prisoners alone. Indeed, its losses must have been very heavy, since there is positive evidence at hand to show that it received 4,000 replacements between August 10 and October 10.