2. Relieved and sent to rest in June, it took part in the German counteroffensive begun on July 20 and advanced north of the Dniester. It was identified on August 3 east of Krjivtche.
3. The division was withdrawn from the front at the end of November and entrained for Belgium in the middle of December.
RECRUITING.
The 53d Reserve Division is purely Saxon.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The 53d Reserve Division spent a year on the Eastern Front (November, 1916, to November, 1917). It is of mediocre quality.
1918.
1. The division was relieved in the Houthulst forest on February 12 and went to rest in the Bruges area.
Battle of Picardy.
2. On March 1–2 it relieved the 27th Division northeast of Flesquieres. It took part in the initial attack on March 21, was withdrawn on the 22d and went to rest near Bourlon wood. The division was in General Headquarters reserve and on March 27 marched via Havrincourt-Ruyaulcourt-Moislains-Bouchavesnes, crossing the Somme at Clery, and continued to march via Raincourt to Rosieres en Santerre. The 241st Reserve Regiment went into line near Moreuil on the night of April 1–2 and relieved the 426th Regiment (88th Division); the 242d Reserve Regiment went into line on the night of April 3–4, relieving the 100th Body Grenadier Regiment (23d Division). On the morning of April 4 the division attacked in the vicinity of Arriese Cour wood. The division at this date was operating under the 18th German Army. About the middle of April it was withdrawn from the Moreuil sector.