709th Static Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)

Last updated

709th Static Infantry Division
German: 709. (bodenständige) Infanterie-Division
709th Infanterie-Division Logo 1.svg
ActiveMay 1941 – June 1944
CountryFlag of Germany (1935-1945).svg  Nazi Germany
Branch Army
Type Static infantry
RoleCoastal Defence
Size Division
Engagements Invasion of Normandy
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Karl-Wilhelm von Schlieben

The 709th Static Infantry Division was a German Army infantry division in World War II. It was raised in May 1941 and used for occupation duties during the German occupation of France in World War II until the Allied invasion. It was on the Normandy coast when the invasion occurred and so fought in the Battle of Normandy. The division was trapped in the Cotentin Peninsula and destroyed in the defense of Cherbourg.

Contents

History

The 709th Static Infantry Division was a coastal defence unit assigned to protect the eastern and northern coasts of the Cotentin Peninsula. This included the sites of the Utah Beachhead and the US airborne landing zones. Its sector covered over 250 km, running in a line from the northeast of Carentan, via Barfleur-Cherbourg-Cap de la Hague to a point west of Barneville. This included the 65 km land front of Cherbourg Harbour.

The Division included a number of "Ostlegionen" eastern units of various nationalities, mainly from the occupied countries of eastern Europe. These were a mixture of volunteers, conscripts and former Soviet prisoners-of-war who had chosen to fight in the German Army rather than suffer the harsh conditions of prisoners. Two battalions of the 739th Grenadier Regiment were Georgian battalions. Two further battalions were also designated as Ost units in the divisional order of battle. These battalions were led by German officers and NCOs.

The commander of the division at the time of the D-Day landings was General Karl-Wilhelm von Schlieben who took command in December 1943 after two and a half years of continuous command of Eastern Front combat units, including the 108th Panzer Grenadier Regiment, 4th Rifle Brigade, 208th Infantry Division and the 18th Panzer Division.

The quality of the troops in the 709th had been reduced as personnel were constantly transferred to the Eastern Front including entire divisional combat units such as the 1st Battalion of the 739th Grenadier Regiment. A high percentage of the division had no combat experience. However, the 709th was acquainted with its sector and well trained for defense. Although after months of sustained labour work on coastal defences caused the combat readiness of its troops to be significantly reduced.

Elements of the 709th were heavily engaged on D-Day, defending the peninsula against US airborne landings and against the US 4th Infantry Division landing on Utah Beach. Ten days later the division reported that it had sustained around 4,000 casualties from an initial strength of over 12,000. General Schlieben surrendered ‘Fortress’ Cherbourg to the Americans on 29 June 1944.

Commanders

Organization (June 1944)

Related Research Articles

The German 206th Infantry Division, was a military unit that served during World War II. Like most German infantry units it had no motorization, and relied on leg and horse mobility.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">208th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)</span> Military unit

The 208th Infantry Division, or 208.Infanterie-Division in German, was a large military unit that served during World War II. Like most German infantry divisions, the bulk of its troops were foot-mobile infantry supported by horse-drawn artillery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">218th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)</span> Military unit

The 218th Infantry Division (218.Infanterie-Division) was an infantry division of the German Army that served in World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">22nd Air Landing Division</span> Military unit

The 22nd Infantry Division, which soon became the 22nd Air Landing Division, was a specialized German infantry division in World War II. Its primary method of transportation was gliders. The division played a significant role in the development of modern day air assault operations. Towards the end of the war, the formation was reshaped into the 22nd Volksgrenadier Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">60th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)</span> Military unit

The 60th Infantry Division was formed in late 1939, from Gruppe Eberhardt, a collection of SA units that had been engaged in the capture of Danzig during the Invasion of Poland. This division was unusual in that its manpower was largely drawn from the SA and the police.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">334th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)</span> Military unit

The 334th Infantry Division was a German Army infantry division in World War II. Originally formed in November 1942, it surrendered to the Allies at the conclusion of the Tunisian Campaign in May 1943. The division was reconstituted on 3 June 1943 in France within the 1st Army, with the staff of the 80th Infantry Division as well as remnants of the old division and replacement units. It spent the remainder of the war serving on the Italian Front.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">716th Static Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)</span> Military unit

The 716th Static Infantry Division was a World War II, German Army infantry division. It was raised on May 2, 1941, and sent to German-occupied France in June 1941. Many of the division's troops were elderly Germans and conscripts from other German-occupied countries. The division also had some young German conscripts as well. As a bodenständig it was not equipped with the standard configuration of vehicles and heavy weapons. Much of the division's artillery and anti-tank guns were from captured armaments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">91st Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)</span> Military unit

The 91st Air Landing Division was a German Army infantry division in World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">243rd Static Infantry Division</span> Military unit

The 243rd Static Infantry Division was an infantry division of the German Army raised in July 1943. It was stationed in the Cotentin Peninsula when the Allies invaded in June 1944.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">26th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)</span> Military unit

The 26th Infantry Division was a pre-World War II German Infantry Division of the 1st mobilisation wave. It was mobilised for World War II on September 26, 1939, disbanded on September 10, 1944, near Radom and reformed as the 26th Volksgrenadier Division on September 17, 1944, near Poznań by absorption of the new 582nd Volksgrenadier Division of the 32nd mobilisation wave. Remnants of the Division entered U.S. captivity in the Harz region in 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">32nd Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)</span> Military unit

The 32nd Infantry Division of the German Army was mobilized on 1 August 1939 for the upcoming invasion of Poland. At that time, it consisted of the usual German infantry division elements: three infantry regiments of three battalions each, one three-battalion regiment of light artillery, one battalion of heavy artillery, a Panzerjäger (anti-tank) Battalion, a reconnaissance (Aufklärungs) Battalion, a Signals Battalion, a Pioneer (Engineer) Battalion, and divisional supply, medical, and administrative units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">83rd Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)</span> Military unit

The 83rd Infantry Division,, was a German reserve and security formation during World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">162nd Turkestan Division</span> Military unit

The 162nd Turkistan Division was a military division that was formed by the German Army during the Second World War. It drew its men from prisoners of war who came from the Caucasus and from Turkic lands further east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">97th Jäger Division (Wehrmacht)</span> Military unit

The 97th Jäger Division was a light infantry Division of the German Army during World War II. It can trace its origins to the 97th Light Infantry Division which was formed in December 1940. It was then redesignated the 97th Jäger Division in July 1942. It fought in the Battle of Kursk and suffered heavy losses. It was then transferred to the lower Dnieper river area and fought well during the retreat through Ukraine. It was transferred to Slovakia in October 1944 and surrendered to the Red Army near Deutschbrod in May 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">319th Static Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)</span> Military unit

The 319th Static Infantry Division was a German Army static division during World War II. It was raised in November 1940 from units of the 87th, 169th and the 299th Infantry Divisions. On 30 April 1941 the 319th Division replaced the 216th Infantry Division in the Channel Islands defense and remained in that position until its capture in May 1945 by British forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">126th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)</span> Military unit

The 126th Infantry Division was a German division in World War II. It was formed on 18 October 1940 in Sennelager.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">214th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)</span> Military unit

The 214th Infantry Division was a German division in World War II. It was formed on 26 August 1939.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">81st Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)</span> Military unit

The 81st Infantry Division was an infantry division of the German Army during World War II.

The 134th Infantry Division was a German division in World War II. It was formed in October 1940.

The 416th Infantry Division was a German infantry division of World War II.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "709th German Infantry Division". D-Day Overlord. 19 February 2016.