Cambrai.
2. The division entrained at Strassburg on the 11th and 12th, and detrained near Peruwelz on the 13th and 14th, remaining in the neighborhood of Valenciennes until the 17th; from here it proceeded by night marches via Denain and Aniche to the Estrées-Ecourt-St. Quentin region (south of Douai), where it arrived on the 20th. On the 26th it went into close reserve near Fontaine les Croisilles, and the next day it entered line near Hamelincourt (south of Arras). It attacked the next day, but made no headway. It was relieved by the 111th Division on the 31st, and rested near Croisilles until April 3.
3. Then it marched via Bapaume and Miraumont and entered line south of Hébuterne (south of Arras), taking part in the unsuccessful attack of the 5th. It was relieved about the 12th of May by the 16th Reserve Division, and went to the Denain region to rest and refit. On June 15 it was in army reserve in the Roye-Carrépuis area.
Rheims.
4. About July 3 it went to the vicinity of Neuflize (northeast of Rheims); the 15th it entered line north of Prosnes (southeast of Rheims), and was withdrawn on the 17th.
5. By traveling in trucks, the division reached Bazoches on the 21st; it remained in reserve the 23d and 24th, and relieved the 45th Reserve Division east of Saponay (northwest of Fere-en-Tardenois) during the night of July 25–26. The Allied push forced the front back here, and the division was identified north of Saponay on August 2, northeast of Fismes on the 18th, east of Braine on the 20th. It was relieved about the 10th of September and went to rest north of Pont Arcy (northwest of Fismes).
6. On the 3d of October it came back into line north of Soupir (east of Vailly), and was still in line on November 11.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The 26th is rated as a first-class division. While it was in Alsace (January, February, and the first part of March) it was thoroughly trained in open warfare, and so it was used as a shock division, but it did not succeed in making much headway in its first two engagements. It did fight tenaciously, however, then and in subsequent fighting, and was mentioned in the German communiques of October 27 and November 2 as having particularly distinguished itself. It suffered heavy losses, so that despite the large numbers of reenforcements sent it from time to time, its battalions were reduced to three companies.