Composition during the War The Infantry Division was mobilised in the
Military Region in August 1914. Its infantry was originally organized as two brigades. In November 1916, the division was triangularized. The two regiments of the 3rd Brigade were sent to the 51st Infantry Division, while those of the 4th Brigade, and the newly attached 208th (which came from the 51st Division) went directly under divisional command. Infantry :3rd Brigade :: Infantry Regiment from August 1914 to November 1916 ::
Infantry Regiment from August 1914 to November 1916 :4th Brigade :: Infantry Regiment from August 1914 to armistice (under direct divisional control from November 1916) :: Infantry Regiment from August 1914 to armistice (under direct divisional control from November 1916) : Infantry Regiment from November 1916 to armistice : A battalion of pioneers from the Territorial Infantry Regiment from August 1918 to armistice Artillery : Field Artillery Regiment from the mobilisation to armistice :: battery from July 1916 to January 1918 :: battery from January 1918 to armistice :: 6th Artillery Group from 15 June 1918 to armistice Cavalry : 1st Squadron/ Chasseur Regiment from mobilisation to armistice Engineers : Engineers Regiment :: 1/2 Company from mobilisation to armistice :: 1/2
bis Company from January 1915 to January 1916 :: 1/52 Company from January 1916 to armistice :: 1/71 Company from January 1917 to armistice : Sappers from the 21st Regiment from January 1916 to January 1917
History 1914 4–13 August :Transport by railroad to the region of
Auvillers-les-Forges and crossing the
Meuse to reach
Revin and
Givet.
13–23 August : Movement, via
Olloy, to
Dinant. : 15 August, combat at Dinant, formed defence in front of the Meuse, via Dinant and
Anbée. : 22 August, movement towards
Charleroi.
23–29 August : Engaged in the
Battle of Charleroi, via
Saint-Gérard. : 24 August, return, via
Couvin, to the region of
Guise : 26 August, combat at
Gué-d'Hossus.
29 August – 6 September : Engaged in the
Battle of Guise; combat at
Sains-Richaumont. : 30 August, return, via
Crécy-sur-Serre,
Pontavert and
Baizil, to the South of
Esternay.
6–13 September : Engaged in the
Battle of the Marne. : 6–10 September,
Battle of Deux Morins : Combat in Esternay,
Bergères-sous-Montmirail and
Fontaine-Chacun. : 10 September, continue, via
Verneuil and
Ville-Dommange, until
Reims.
13 September – 12 December : Engaged in the
Battle of Aisne : combat in the region of
Bétheny,
la Neuvillette. : 16 September, movement along the road heading North-West; combat at
Cholera Farm and towards
la Ville-aux-Bois. Stabilisation and occupation of a sector towards
Gernicourt and
Beau marais Forest, heading left, on 15 October, until the
moulin Pontoy, and to the right, on 1 November, until
cote 108 : 12–14 October, French attack on Cholera Farm and the Ville-aux-Bois Forest. : 4 November, attack and capture of
Sapigneul. : 11 November, capture of cote 108.
12 December 1914 – 12 January 1915 : Retreat from the front towards
Fismes. : 16 December, transport by van to
Cuperly. : 20 December or thereabouts, movement to
La Cheppe, heading to
Laval, to take part in the
Battle of Champagne: Engaged on 9 January 1915, North of
Mesnil-lès-Hurlus.
1915 12–20 January : Retreat from the front and back to
Bussy-le-Château.
20 January – 2 March : Occupation of the sector towards Mesnil-lès-Hurlus : 16 March, French attack on
les Mamelles, leading to violent combat in the region (Battle of Champagne)
2 March – 5 April : Retrait from the front and back to
Courtisols (arriving 14 March) : 20 and 21 March, movement to the region of
Avize; rest. : 29 March, transport by van towards
Vavincourt, then, at the end of April, movement towards the South-East of
Verdun.
5–11 April : Engaged in the
1st Battle of la Woëvre, towards
Buzy Forest and the East of
Braquis.
11–29 April : Retreat from the front (arriving on 18th); further movement, via
Souilly and
Les Hauts-de-Chée, to
Commercy.
29 April – 11 May : Movement towards the front; 30 April, attack on
Ailly Forest, leading to occupation of a sector towards Ailly Forest : 5 May, German attack, and French counter-attack.
11–15 May : Retreat from the front, and transport by van to the regions of
Épernay and
Fismes.
15 May – 3 September : Movement towards the front and occupation of a sector of
Berry-au-Bac and the
moulin Pontoy, reduced to the right, on 18 August, to la Miette, then, on 31 August, up to
la Ville-aux-Bois.
3 September – 2 October : Retreat from the front, and rest at
Guyencourt.
2 October 1915 – 12 February 1916 : Movement to the front, and occupation of a sector of
Sapigneul and
la Miette. : 12 November, movement along the road, and occupation of a new sector between Berry-au-Bac and
Temple Farm, extended to the left, on 20 November, up to the Pontoy windmill: :
Battle of Mines at
cote 108.
1916 12–21 February : Retreat from the front and regrouping at
Ville-en-Tardenois; rest and instruction.
21 February – 8 March : Transport by train, movement to the region of Verdun. : 26 February, engaged by accident in the
Battle of Verdun, at
Douaumont (violent combat)
8 March – 14 April : Retreat from the front and rest at
Bar-le-Duc. : April, transport by van to the region of
Dormans; rest. : 11 April, movement to Fismes.
14 April – 24 July : Occupation of a sector between the road from
Paissy to
Chermizy-Ailles and
Soupir, reduced to the right on 17 July up to
Troyon.
24 July – 3 September : Retreat from the front and rest at Ville-en-Tardenois. : 7 August, transport by truck to the region of
Conty. : Rest south-west of
Amiens until 25 August, towards
Corbie.
3 September – 5 October : Movement to the front; engaged in the
Battle of the Somme, towards
le Forest and the Forest of
Maurepas : 14 September, capture of
Priez farm. : 19–26 September, capture of the line (further battles in the area, and the capture of
Combles, on the 26th) : 27 September, again engaged, towards Combles and
Morval, leading to Combles and Frégicourt (former municipality reunited with
Combles in 1834).
5–9 October : Retreat from the front and rest at Conty.
9–16 October : Transport by van to the region of
Châlons-sur-Marne and rest at
Somme-Vesle.
16 October – 30 November : Movement to the front and occupation of a sector at
Maisons de Champagne and the
butte du Mesnil.
30 November – 14 December : Retreat from the front, and rest at
Possesse.
14 December 1916 – 6 January 1917 : Movement to the camp at
Mailly, rest and instruction.
1917 6 January – 27 February : Gradual movement to the front, while occupying a sector covering Maisons de Champagne and
la Courtine : 15 February, violent German attack.
21 February – 6 March : Retreat from the front, movement through the region of
Sainte-Menehould, via
Dampierre-le-Château,
l'Épine,
Sarry,
Athis and
Vinay.
6 March – 8 April : Movement via Dormans; instruction (work at the Aisne)
8–19 April : Movement to the front and occupation of a sector covering
Craonne and
le Ployron. : 16 April, engaged in the
Battle of the Aisne : combat on the Craonne plateau; defence, and organisation of their captured positions.
19 April – 7 July : Retreat from the front and rest at
Ventelay; from 25 April, rest at
Viels-Maisons. : 9 May, gradual movement towards the camp at Mailly; rest and instruction. : 15 June, gradual movement towards
Provins; rest and instruction.
7–30 July : Transport by van to
Flandres. : 14 July, movement of the infantry to the front and occupation of a sector covering
Het-Sas (under the orders of the
D.I.)
30 July – 4 August : Retrait from the front; rest in the region of
Roesbrugge-Haringe.
4–22 August : Mouvement towards the front and rest in the region of
Bikschote : 16 August, offensive against
Martje Vaert and
Broenbeck (
Battle of Langemarck – part of the
Battle of Passchendaele)
22 August – 6 October : Retreat from the front; rest and instruction in the region of
West-Cappel.
6–16 October : Occupation of a sector north of Bixschoote and
Langemark (together with the British Army) : : 9 October, offensive in the forest of
Houthulst, attack on
Mangelaare (part of the
Battle of Poelcappelle).
16 October – 21 November : Retreat from the front, then rest, instruction and work at
Bergues.
21 November – 7 December : Occupation of a sector north of Langemarck and
Kloosterschool (together with the British front) 7
December 1917 – 17 January 1918 : Retreat from the front (relieved by the British Army). Rest at
Gravelines. : 11 December, gradual movement to the region of
Senlis; rest.
1918 17 January – 20 March : Gradual movement to
Soissons : 22 January, work on the position in the region. : 8 February, gradual movement towards
Roucy; then work on the position in the region.
20–31 March : Movement towards the front and occupation of a sector in the region of Miette, Ployon.
31 March – 20 May: Retreat from the front; movement towards Fismes, and, on 3 April, towards
Écuiry; rest. : 14 April, bridging the Oise towards
Choisy-au-Bac. : 2 May, movement towards
Warluis; rest. Led to work on the position in the region of
Beauvais.
20–31 May : Movement towards
Marseille-en-Beauvaisis. : 28 May, transport by train south to
Compiègne. : Soon afterwards, to
Montigny-Lengrain, to join the
Third Battle of the Aisne.
31 May – 18 July : Movement to the front and occupation of a sector covering
Dammard and
Troësnes: frequent local actions, particularly on 29, 30 June and 1 July, to the east of
Mosloy.
18–27 July : Engaged, at Troësnes to the south, in the
Battle of soissonnais et l'Ourq (
Second Battle of the Marne) : Progression towards
Épaux-Bézu and through the region of
Rocourt-Saint-Martin northward.
27 July – 19 August : Retreat from the front; movement towards
Mareuil-sur-Ourcq, then to
Pierrefonds; rest. 19–29 August : Movement to
Vic-sur-Aisne and occupation of a sector north of
Autrêches. : Engaged in the
Battle of Noyon, at
l'Ailette, via
Pont-Saint-Mard. 29 August – 11 September : Retreat from the front and rest at
Pont-Sainte-Maxence.
11 September – 28 October : Transport via van to Alsace; from 15 September, occupation of a sector covering
Burnhaupt-le-Haut and
Leimbach.
28 October – 11 November : Retreat from the front and gradual movement to
Ceintrey; preparing offensive.
Hierarchy The division was part of the
1ier Corps d'Armée from mobilisation in August 1914 until the
Armistice of 11 November 1918. ==The Second World War==