HISTORY.
1914.
France.
1. In August, 1914, the 3d Guard Division was first directed to the Western Front. It fought below Namur.
Russia.
2. The 27th of August the division was transported to Silesia via Oriental Prussia. It took part in the invasion of southern Poland.
3. The group of armies of which it formed a part was turned back and was obliged to retire to Lodz.
4. During the winter of 1914–15 it took part in the severe engagements on the Bzura.
1915.
1. At the beginning of 1915 the 3d Guard Division was dismembered; the 5th Brigade was sent to Oriental Prussia; the 6th Brigade, to the south of the Carpathians, was engaged in the Uzsok defile distinct.
2. In March, 1915, the 6th Brigade alone formed the 3d Guard Division, with the addition of the 9th Grenadier Regiment to its own two regiments. Thus formed, the 3d Guard Division took part in the campaign of the summer of 1915. (Carpathians Oriental Galicia. Linsingen’s army.)
3. The division took up its position before Tarnopol and passed the winter of 1915–16 there. (Bothmer’s army.)
1916.
France.
1. In April, 1916, the 3d Guard Division was transported to the Western Front. It occupied a sector in Champagne and took part in no serious engagements.
2. It was sent to rest at Valenciennes the 1st of June.
Somme.
3. The 1st of July (beginning of the Franco-British offensive) the 3d Guard Division went into the line on the Somme. It was put to a severe test there, particularly in the Thiepval district (57.5 per cent loss).
4. After the Somme it was sent to the Dixmude front.
Galicia.
5. It was transported to Galicia (beginning of September) by the following itinerary: Liège, Cologne, Leipzig, Dresden, Cracow, Przemysl.
6. At Halicz the 3d Guard Division took part in the German counteroffensive, and again suffered great losses.
France.
7. It was sent back to the Western Front on the 24th of November by the following itinerary: Lemberg, Jaroslaw, Gorlitz, Dresden, Chemnitz, Nurnberg, Heilbronn, Strasbourg, Mulhouse, Rheinweiler, and having arrived there the 20th of November, was sent to rest for a month.
1917.
Lorraine.
1. Beginning with January and up to April 6, 1917, the division occupied the sector of the forest of Parroy.
2. The 8th of April it entrained at Metz, and arrived at Cambrai via Montmedy, Sedan, and Charleville.
Artois.
3. Engaged in action before Arras in order to repulse the English offensive from April 15 on, it participated in severe battles (May).
4. On the 18th of May the division was relieved and sent into the Cambrai district. After a short period of repose it occupied the Pronville-Inchy-en-Artois sector (June 1–22).
5. It was sent in reserve to the Bruges sector (June 22).
6. It was transported to Thourout the 9th of July and remained there at rest until July 29.
Ypres.
7. On the 31st of July, the date of the great British attack, the 3d Guard Division suffered very heavy losses (1,000 prisoners) in relieving the 23d Reserve Division in the Pilken sector.
Alsace.
8. It was relieved the 5th and 6th of August and transported to Alsace, where it was placed at rest. At the beginning of September it occupied the Altkirch sector.
Flanders.
9. About the 7th of October the division was again sent to Flanders to the northeast of Zonnebecke.
10. The 3d Guard Division left the Ypres front (Zonnebecke) at the beginning of November, 1917.
Cambrai.
11. After remaining in the vicinity of Ghent it went into action before Cambrai near the Bourlon wood (Nov. 22).
12. It was relieved the 10th of December and went to rest in the Vendegies District (south of Valenciennes—division maneuvers).
1918.
Cambrai.
1. The division returned to the line in the sector, southwest of Cambrai on January 10, relieving the 21st Reserve Division. It remained in line until the 119th Division relieved it on February 12.
2. The division retired to Hem-Lenglet (north of Cambrai) where it rested and underwent instruction.
Battle of Picardy.
3. The division entered the line on March 19, between Inchy-en-Artois and Pronville. Engaged in the advance between the 21st and 24th. It suffered heavy losses on the 22d in the fighting north of Beaumetz, passing to the second line on the 24th. The division came back and participated in the fighting about Bucquoy and Hebuterne, March 26-April 3.
4. Returning from the Somme front about April 4, the division was at rest until April 18.
Battle of the Lys.
5. The division was engaged on the Lys, northeast of Estaires, after April 18, then north of Kemmel from April 30 to May 5. Heavy losses featured the fighting.
6. After resting at Halluin for seven days the division was moved by rail to Lorraine by the route Namur, Treves, Saarbruck, Sarreguemines.
Lorraine.
7. On May 18 the division relieved the 202d Division in the Chateau Salins sector. While in this quiet sector the division received reinforcements. When it left the line on June 24, the division was comparatively fresh and an available reinforcement for a battle front.
Champagne.
8. On leaving Lorraine the division moved to Rozay-sur-Lene, July 1, and later southward to Hannogne.
9. In the offensive of July 15, the division fought east of Rheims in the region of des Monts. Between the 15th and 31st heavy losses were suffered. It is known to have received a draft of 300 men in July.
10. While at rest behind the Champagne front further drafts of men from Russia and Rumania were received.
11. The division held the line in Champagne north of St. Hilaire-le-Grand from August 15 to September 18.
12. Upon relief the division was first sent to Laon, but was hastily entrained and hurried to Machault, where it entered the line immediately.
Battle of Argonne.
13. From September 27 to October 5 the division was engaged between Somme-Py and Manre; then it fought near Orfeuil where 900 prisoners were lost. Acting as a rear guard, the division covered the retreat from Machault to Voziers. Extremely heavy losses were reported in this period.
14. Withdrawn on the 8th, the division was moved by truck to Romagne. After two days in reserve it entered the line on the 12th, now opposing the first American Army. In this sector it fought vigorously, making perhaps the stiffest resistance encountered in the offensive.
15. The division went out on October 17 and rested until the 26th.
16. Reengaged northeast of Attigny (Rilly-aux-Dies) on the 26th, the division continued in line until the armistice. The last identification was southeast of Mezieres on November 7. Five hundred prisoners were lost by the division during their last period in line.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The 3d Guard Division was rated as one of the best German divisions. It was completely exhausted in the offensive of March and April and suffered from a low morale in July and August. The Argonne Battle losses were very severe for the division. The regiments were reduced to 200 and 300 effectives.