3. On June 5 the 3d Bavarian Division began to relieve the 40th Division in the Messines sector. The British attack took place on the 7th during this relief. The division lost the village and the summit of Messines. It suffered considerable loss and left 1,531 prisoners in the hands of the enemy. (The 17th Battalion was reduced to 800 men; the 23d suffered about equal losses; the 18th lost fewer men.) LORRAINE. 4. The 3d Bavarian Division was withdrawn from the Messines sector June 8, 1917, and taken to the Conflans area. After a short period of repose, during which it was partially reconstituted, it was put into the line in the sector of the Bezange forest (south of Château-Salins) July 18. 5. The 3d Bavarian Division received a reinforcement of 4,500 men—convalescents, exclusively—between June 8 and the end of August. (At the end of August the personnel averaged only 120 men who drew rations (80 combatants) per company in the 17th Battalion.) The losses sustained the 7th of June had not been made good by the 28th of August. 6. The division was sent into Lorraine for rest and reconstitution, remaining on the defensive, and pursuing the instruction of its detachments in the use of light minenwerfers and assault tactics. AISNE. 7. It left Lorraine in the middle of October. On the 28th it occupied the Aisne front to the north of Braye-en-Laonnois (Trucy sector). The 17th Battalion was the only one to engage in the October battles which preceded the German retreat to the north of the Ailette. VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE. The 3d Bavarian Division is one of the best German units. It always fought well, showing great energy in the offensive and preserving a great tenacity in the defensive. Nevertheless, the fighting value of this division appears to have diminished during the course of the year 1917. 1918. 1. About January 1 the division was relieved and went into training in the region Fournes-Chimay, where it remained for four weeks. ST. GOBAIN. 2. The division relieved the 47th Reserve Division near Septvaux about February 1, and occupied the line until March 28. 3. Retired from the front on the 28th; the division was sent toward Chauny-La Fere, where it constituted the reserve division of the 8th Reserve Corps. NOYON. 4. In April the division alternated between short periods in line and brief rests. North of Plemont it relieved the 7th Reserve Division about April 2, was relieved by the 1st Bavarian Division a few days later, and returned to line about April 11, relieving the 1st Bavarian Division. About this time the division received a draft of 900 men of the 1919 class. 5. The division was withdrawn from the Lassigny front about May 25. BATTLE OF THE OISE.