Flanders.
5. About August 23 went to Flanders, via Origny-Le Cateau-Mons-Ghent-Deynze-Lichtervelde. September 4–5 it went into the sector of Langemarck. Though already sorely tried by artillery fire, it was subjected to the British attack of September 20, which again caused it very heavy losses. The 1st and 3d Companys of the 185th Infantry were entirely destroyed or captured; the rest of the 1st Battalion was reduced to a handful of men (letter).
St. Mihiel.
6. Left the Flanders front September 29 and went to Lorraine where it took over the St. Mihiel sector.
Cambrai-St. Quentin.
7. November 26 it entrained for the region of Cambrai where the 25th Infantry fought on the 30th in support of the 34th Division. The division then held the sector southwest of Villers Guislain-north of Epehy until the beginning of February, 1918. Relieved at that time, and at the beginning of March took over the sector west of Bellenglise, northwest of St. Quentin.
RECRUITING.
The 185th Regiment is a Baden regiment (German communiqué of Nov. 26, 1916). The other two regiments are from the Rhineland, and thus the division may at times be designated under the general appellation of “Rhenish troops.”
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The division took part in many battles on different fronts and generally did well.