German 716th Static Infantry Division
Encyclopedia
The 716th Static Infantry Division (German: 716. Infanterie-Division) was a World War II
, German Army 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, especially Russians. As such 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.
in France
for training. Following this, the Division was deployed along the Normandy
coast in May 1942. Its duties included coastal defense, air raid protection and defensive fortification construction. After a short period of deployment to Amiens
and Brussels
the Division was transferred to Caen
. The Division would face Allied forces during D-Day
on June 6, 1944.
The 716th Division covered the Normandy coast north of Caen, from the mouth of the River Orne in the east to the Carentan Estuary in the west. As such the Division had elements present on Omaha
, Gold
, Juno
and Sword
Beaches. An artillery regiment was stationed at the Merville Battery. They were also charged with guarding what became known as Pegasus Bridge
and as such were likely to be the first German ground troops in action on D-Day.
During the fighting after D-Day, the Division fought defensively around Caen and Villers-Bocage
. According to the commanding officer, Generalleutnant Wilhem Richter, "My division had been defeated and badly beaten up in Normandy". The Division was removed from frontline duty on July 10, 1944 and luckily avoided the carnage of the Falaise Pocket
.
Redeployed to the south of France, the Division took up coastal security positions in the region of Salses-Perpignan-Elne, close to the Spanish border. Thereafter, the Division was ordered to withdraw on August 19, 1944 and retreated through Languedoc
to the region around Lyon
. After this movement the Division was engaged by the French resistance
before later arriving in the area of Schlettstadt in Alsace
.
In October 1944 the 716th Infantry Division was in the region of Oberrhein (near Colmar
) where it fought at Neunkirch-Obenhein and was nearly wiped out in heavy fighting in January 1945. The remains of the Division was reconstituted as the 716th Volksgrenadier Division in April 1945 before surrendering to American units at Kempten
in May 1945.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, German Army 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, especially Russians. As such 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.
Divisional history
Formed in Bielefeld, the Division was transferred to RouenRouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
for training. Following this, the Division was deployed along the Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
coast in May 1942. Its duties included coastal defense, air raid protection and defensive fortification construction. After a short period of deployment to Amiens
Amiens
Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...
and Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
the Division was transferred to Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
. The Division would face Allied forces during D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
on June 6, 1944.
The 716th Division covered the Normandy coast north of Caen, from the mouth of the River Orne in the east to the Carentan Estuary in the west. As such the Division had elements present on Omaha
Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach is the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II...
, Gold
Gold Beach
Gold Beach was the code name of one of the D-Day landing beaches that Allied forces used to invade German-occupied France on 6 June 1944, during World War II....
, Juno
Juno Beach
Juno or Juno Beach was one of five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during the Second World War. The sector spanned from Saint-Aubin, a village just east of the British Gold sector, to Courseulles, just west of the British Sword sector...
and Sword
Sword Beach
Sword, commonly known as Sword Beach, was the code name given to one of the five main landing areas along the Normandy coast during the initial assault phase, Operation Neptune, of Operation Overlord; the Allied invasion of German-occupied France that commenced on 6 June 1944...
Beaches. An artillery regiment was stationed at the Merville Battery. They were also charged with guarding what became known as Pegasus Bridge
Pegasus Bridge
Pegasus Bridge is a bascule bridge , built in 1934, that crossed the Caen Canal, between Caen and Ouistreham, in Normandy, France....
and as such were likely to be the first German ground troops in action on D-Day.
During the fighting after D-Day, the Division fought defensively around Caen and Villers-Bocage
Villers-Bocage
Villers-Bocage may refer to the following communes in France:* Villers-Bocage, Calvados, in the Calvados département, and the site of the Battle of Villers-Bocage* Villers-Bocage, Somme, in the Somme département...
. According to the commanding officer, Generalleutnant Wilhem Richter, "My division had been defeated and badly beaten up in Normandy". The Division was removed from frontline duty on July 10, 1944 and luckily avoided the carnage of the Falaise Pocket
Falaise pocket
The battle of the Falaise Pocket, fought during the Second World War from 12 to 21 August 1944, was the decisive engagement of the Battle of Normandy...
.
Redeployed to the south of France, the Division took up coastal security positions in the region of Salses-Perpignan-Elne, close to the Spanish border. Thereafter, the Division was ordered to withdraw on August 19, 1944 and retreated through Languedoc
Languedoc
Languedoc is a former province of France, now continued in the modern-day régions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées in the south of France, and whose capital city was Toulouse, now in Midi-Pyrénées. It had an area of approximately 42,700 km² .-Geographical Extent:The traditional...
to the region around Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
. After this movement the Division was engaged by the French resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
before later arriving in the area of Schlettstadt in Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
.
In October 1944 the 716th Infantry Division was in the region of Oberrhein (near Colmar
Colmar
Colmar is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.It is the capital of the department. Colmar is also the seat of the highest jurisdiction in Alsace, the appellate court....
) where it fought at Neunkirch-Obenhein and was nearly wiped out in heavy fighting in January 1945. The remains of the Division was reconstituted as the 716th Volksgrenadier Division in April 1945 before surrendering to American units at Kempten
Kempten
Kempten can refer to:* Kempten im Allgäu, a town in Bavaria, Germany* Kempten ZH, a district of the town of Wetzikon in the canton of Zurich, Switzerland* Kempton Park, Gauteng, a city in South Africa which was named after Kempten in Bavaria...
in May 1945.
Order of battle
The 716th's complement when raised in 1941 was:- Divisional Staff
- 726 Infantry Regiment
- 736 Infantry Regiment
- 1716 Artillery Regiment
- 716 Panzerjaeger Company
- 716 Pioneer Battalion
- 716 Signals Battalion
- 716 Supply Troops
- Administration Platoon
See also
- VolksgrenadierVolksgrenadierVolksgrenadier was the name given to a type of German Army division formed in the Autumn of 1944 after the double loss of Army Group Center to the Soviets in Operation Bagration and the Fifth Panzer Army to the Allies in Normandy. The name itself was intended to build morale, appealing at once to...
- Division (military)Division (military)A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
, Military unit, List of German divisions in WWII - HeerGerman ArmyThe German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
, WehrmachtWehrmachtThe Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...