4. On July 12 it left this sector for Flanders, where it was sent into reserve near Winckel-St. Eloi. It did not take part as a whole in the British attack of July 31. On August 1 the entire division was engaged in the sector of Zonnebeke, where it launched a violent counterattack, in the course of which it lost heavily.
5. The 221st Division was relieved from the Ypres front during the night of August 3–4, but left some units in line until the 10th. Transferred to Champagne, it went into line east of Auberive on August 17, without having had any rest. It there filled up its effectives (with replacements comprising a large proportion of the 1918 class). Its activity was not manifested there except by a few raids.
Cambrai.
6. On November 7 the division left the Champagne front, was transferred to Belgium, and remained at rest at Deynze until November 23. On this date it was taken by railroad to the Cambrai front, attacked by the British troops. Sent into line between Bourlon and Fontaine-Notre Dame on the 27th, it took part in the German counterattack. Relieved on December 7, it rested for a month in the vicinity of Douai.
RECRUITING.
The division was very mixed. The 1st Reserve Ersatz Regiment, originating in the Guard depots, was recruited from the entire Province of Prussia; the 41st Infantry Regiment (from East Prussia) was one of the regiments of the Prussian Army which had received the most replacements because of losses; the 60th Reserve Infantry Regiment comprised a majority of Westphalians and men from the Rhine Province, but also a large number from other corps districts.
VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.
The 221st Division always gave a good account of itself in the battles in which it took part. The 1st Reserve Ersatz Regiment, especially, in the course of the attacks of November, 1916, showed great tenacity on the defensive and great vigor on the offensive.
The morale of the 221st Division was good in November, 1917. The general commanding the division and the major commanding the 41st Infantry Regiment both received the order “Pour le Merite.”