VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
The division possesses very little fighting value. The men are, for the most part, old, and the fathers of several children. Then, too, a great many are those—untrained Landsturm—who usually, for physical defects, were not inducted into the army when their classes were called to the colors; these men complain of the hard work. Moreover, Bavarians came to believe that Prussia was “using” them. It was found necessary to establish shock detachments with each battalion, and these do all of the necessary patrolling.
31st Division.
COMPOSITION.
| 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brigade. | Regiment. | Brigade. | Regiment. | Brigade. | Regiment. | Brigade. | Regiment. | Brigade. | Regiment. | |
| Infantry. | 32. | 70. | 32. | 70. | 32. | 70. | 32. | 70. | 32. | 70. |
| 174. | 174. | 174. | 174. | 166. | ||||||
| 62. | 60. | 62. | 137. | 166. | 166. | 174. | ||||
| 137. | 166. | |||||||||
| 166. | ||||||||||
| Cavalry. | 7 Uhlan Rgt. | 5 Sqn. 7 Uhlan Rgt. | 5 Sqn. 7 Uhlan Rgt. | |||||||
| Artillery. | 31 Brig.: | 31 Brig.: | 31 Brig.: | 31 Art. Command: | 31 Art. Command: | |||||
| 31 F. A. Rgt. | 31 F. A. Rgt. | 31 F. A. Rgt. | 31 F. A. Rgt. | 31 F. A. Rgt. | ||||||
| 67 F. A. Rgt. | 67 F. A. Rgt. | 67 F. A. Rgt. | 44 Ft. A. Btn. | |||||||
| 1005 Light Am. Col. | ||||||||||
| 1011 Light Am. Col. | ||||||||||
| 1012 Light Am. Col. | ||||||||||
| Engineers and Liaisons. | 1 Pion. Btn. No. 27. | 1 Pion. Btn. No. 27. | 136 Pion. Btn.: | 93 Pion. Btn.: | ||||||
| Field Co. 27. Pion. | 1 and 2 27 Pion. | 1 Co. 27 Pion. | 1 Co. 27 Pion. | |||||||
| 31 Pont. Engs. | 31 T. M. Co. | 31 T. M. Co. | 3 Co. 32 Res. Pion. | |||||||
| 31 Tel. Detch. | 31 Tel. Detch. | 505 Searchlight Section. | 31 T. M. Co. | |||||||
| 31 Pont. Engs. | 31 Tel. Detch. | 40 Searchlight Section. | ||||||||
| 31 Signal Command: | ||||||||||
| 31 Tel. Detch. | ||||||||||
| 116 Wireless Detch. | ||||||||||
| Medical and Veterinary. | 262 Ambulance Co. | 262 Ambulance Co. | ||||||||
| Field Hospital. | 326 Field Hospital. | |||||||||
| Vet. Hospital. | 333 Field Hospital. | |||||||||
| 161 Vet. Hospital. | ||||||||||
| Transports. | Light Mun. Col. | 564 M. T. Col. | ||||||||
| Attached. | Field Recruit Depot 31 Div. | 24 M. G. S. S. Detch. | ||||||||
| 153 Cyclist Co. | 2 and 3d Abt. 44 F. A. Rgt. | |||||||||
| 121 Ft. A. Rgt. | ||||||||||
| 1 Abt. 44 Ft. A. Rgt. | ||||||||||
| 2 Abt. 6 Ft. A. Rgt. | ||||||||||
| 1 Abt. 74 Ft. A. Rgt. | ||||||||||
| 134 Art. Observation Section. | ||||||||||
| 75 Sound Ranging Detch. | ||||||||||
| 134 Balloon Sqn. | ||||||||||
| 105 Balloon Sqn. | ||||||||||
| 256 Reconnaissance Flight. | ||||||||||
| (Elements attached May 15, 1918. German document.) | ||||||||||
HISTORY.
(21st Corps District—Lorraine, part of Lower Alsace, and southern portion of the Rhine Province.)
1914.
Upon mobilization, the 31st Division, with the 42d Division, constituted the 21st Army Corps.