HISTORY.
(Thirteenth District—Wurttemberg.)
1914.
Argonne.
1. The 2d Landsturm Division (Franke Division) forms a part of the Argonne group and has continuously occupied sectors of this district since September, 1914. At the beginning of the campaign it comprised a Wurttemberg and a Bavarian brigade. Engaged at Etain August 24, 1914, it crossed the Meuse at Stenay on the 31st.
2. Beginning with September it occupied the line in the woods of Cheppy and Malancourt.
1915.
Argonne.
1. Vauquois-bois de Malancourt sector.
2. At the end of September, 1915, portions of the division (one battalion of the 6th and one of the 7th Bavarian Landsturm) were assigned to service in the district of Massiges; they rejoined the Vauquois sector at the end of October.
1916.
Argonne.
1. Vauquois-bois d’Avocourt and Malancourt sector.
2. At the beginning of 1916 the 2d Landsturm Division was reconstituted with exclusively Wurttemberg elements, including the 120th Landsturm, withdrawn from the Bavarian Ersatz Division, and the 122d Landsturm, proceeding from the 1st Bavarian Landsturm Division. The 9th Bavarian brigade went over to the 1st Bavarian Landsturm Division.
1917.
Argonne.
1. In the Cheppy-bois d’Avocourt wood sector.
2. At the end of August, 1917, the 2d Landsturm Division changed places with the 2d Bavarian Division and took the Nord Four sector of Paris-Bolante-Courte-Chausse.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
Sector division. Did not leave Argonne from the beginning of the war. On several occasions it furnished young men to active and reserve Wurttemberg regiments, replacing them by older Landsturm men.
1918.
Argonne.
The division remained in line in the Apremont sector, engaging in but little activity until the American attack of September 26. From that time on until it was withdrawn, October 25, it fought a great deal.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
Most of the young men of the division were taken from it to be sent to other organizations early in the year. October 12 the corps commander telegraphed the King of Wurttemberg (the 2d Landwehr Division comes from Wurttemberg): “The 2d Landwehr Division * * * has particularly distinguished itself by its bravery and intrepidity during the last combats in the Argonne and has thus contributed toward the failure of the enemy’s attempt to break through.” It was badly used on the opening day of the American attack, but it fought hard. It loaned companies to various other divisions, including the 1st and 5th Guard Divisions, and for days at a time these Landwehr troops were making the greatest resistance in the Aire Valley. While the division lost only 795 prisoners during the offensive, its total losses undoubtedly are above 5,000, there being evidence to show that many companies did not have more than 25 men, there being only three companies per battalion, and—in at least one case—only two battalions in the regiment. It is rated as a fourth-class division.