6. Relieved at the end of August it went back into line at the beginning of September southeast of Arras (Vis en Artois). It lost especially heavy during the gas attacks. (It received, on Oct. 23, 40 men per company, coming from Hamburg and Beverloo, slightly trained, and on Nov. 10 men taken from the Russian front.) (Summary of Information, Dec. 2.)
7. The 17th Reserve Division left Artois in the middle of November.
Flanders.
8. Sent to Flanders the division took over the sector at Becelaere about November 18. The division was engaged against the British attack of December 3 and suffered heavy losses. It underwent violent attacks and left the front in the beginning of January, 1918.
RECRUITING.
The division is recruited in Schleswig-Holstein, the Hanseatic cities, and adjacent parts of Hanover. Some replacement troops were from Westphalia, and in September, 1916, men from Brandenburg of the 1917 class.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
During the year 1917 the 17th Reserve Division launched a great number of terrible attacks on the Arras front and in Flanders.
At Becelaere (Dec., 1917) it gave proof of great stubbornness. The 162d Infantry Regiment carried out a successful attack in this sector on December 14. However, a few months before, on June 18, the 163d Infantry Regiment is said to have refused to advance. (Summary of Information, June 19.)
Although this division is not one of the best in the German Army and its morale is mediocre it is capable of offering serious resistance.