▁colon ies , ▁the ▁French ▁could ▁replace ▁losses , ▁until ▁the ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁cons cription ▁class ▁became ▁available ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁Of ▁the ▁ ▁divisions ▁in ▁France , ▁ ▁in ▁reserve ▁and ▁another ▁ ▁could ▁be ▁obtained ▁by ▁sw apping ▁tired ▁units ▁for ▁fresh ▁ones ▁on ▁quiet ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁front . ▁ ▁Lud endor ff ▁admitted ▁priv ately ▁to ▁Gener alle ut nant ▁( L ie utenant - General ) ▁Hermann ▁von ▁Ku hl , ▁the ▁Chief ▁of ▁Staff ▁of ▁He eres gruppe ▁K ron pr in z ▁Ru pp recht ▁von ▁Bayern ▁( Ar my ▁Group ▁Ru pp recht ▁of ▁Bav aria ) ▁who ▁wrote ▁in ▁his ▁di ary ▁that ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 9 ▁August , ▁H inden burg ▁and ▁Lud endor ff ▁re organ ised ▁the ▁army ▁groups ▁on ▁the ▁Western ▁Front , ▁by ▁incorpor ating ▁all ▁but ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁Army ▁in ▁Fland ers ▁into ▁the ▁army ▁group ▁structure ▁on ▁the ▁active ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Western ▁Front . ▁The ▁administrative ▁re organisation ▁e ased ▁the ▁distribution ▁of ▁men ▁and ▁equipment , ▁yet ▁made ▁no ▁difference ▁to ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁numbers ▁and ▁to ▁the ▁growing ▁Franco - B rit ish ▁superior ity ▁in ▁weapons ▁and ▁am mun ition . ▁New ▁divisions ▁were ▁needed ▁and ▁the ▁man power ▁for ▁them ▁and ▁rep lac ements ▁for ▁the ▁losses ▁of ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁had ▁to ▁be ▁found . ▁The ▁superior ity ▁in ▁man power ▁enjoyed ▁by ▁the ▁Ent ente