German 916th Grenadier Regiment
Encyclopedia
Grenadier Regiment 916 was an infantry regiment of the Wehrmacht
from 1943 until 1945.
It was set up in the area around Saint-Lô
and then sent to Omaha Beach
in December 1943.
Oberst
i.G. Ernst Goth was the commander of Grenadier Regiment 916 (Gren Reg 916) from the beginning to the end around 29 July 1944 in the Saint-Lô area where the whole 352nd Infantry Division was deactivated.
Gren Reg 916 was split up in the Omaha Beach area and fought against the United States 29th
and 1st
infantry divisions on D-Day
. The Headquarter of the Regiment was in Trévières
. The companies were close to the Villages: Vierville
, St. Laurent
, Colleville-sur-Mer
as second line to counterattack the Allied
forces once they landed.
Oberst (Colonel
) Goth held the highest rank on the German side on D-Day and personally led counter-attacks to regain ground.
The 916th withdrew on 8 June from the Omaha Beach area and made the retreat to Saint-Lô. Fighting the US Divisions with only rifle
s, machine gun
s and handgrenades. Very little supply reached the combatant
s. Soldiers of the Regiment can be found at the German war cemetery at La Cambe
in Normandy
.
The oldest reenactment group portraying Grenadier Regiment 916 today is known as GR916 in New England. This group has related units located throughout both the UK and the USA.
Wehrmacht
The 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:...
from 1943 until 1945.
It was set up in the area around Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô is a commune in north-western France, the capital of the Manche department in Normandy.-History:Originally called Briovère , the town is built on and around ramparts. Originally it was a Gaul fortified settlement...
and then sent to Omaha Beach
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...
in December 1943.
Oberst
Oberst
Oberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
i.G. Ernst Goth was the commander of Grenadier Regiment 916 (Gren Reg 916) from the beginning to the end around 29 July 1944 in the Saint-Lô area where the whole 352nd Infantry Division was deactivated.
Gren Reg 916 was split up in the Omaha Beach area and fought against the United States 29th
U.S. 29th Infantry Division
The 29th Infantry Division is an infantry division of the United States Army based in Fort Belvoir, Virginia. It is a formation of the United States Army National Guard and contains units from Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina....
and 1st
U.S. 1st Infantry Division
The 1st Infantry Division of the United States Army is the oldest division in the United States Army. It has seen continuous service since its organization in 1917...
infantry divisions on 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...
. The Headquarter of the Regiment was in Trévières
Trévières
Trévières is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Administration:Trévières is part of the communauté de communes de Trévières, which includes 25 communes and has its seat in Formigny....
. The companies were close to the Villages: Vierville
Vierville
Vierville may refer to the following communes in France:* Vierville, Eure-et-Loir* Vierville, Manche* Vierville-sur-Mer...
, St. Laurent
Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer
Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Colleville-sur-Mer
Colleville-sur-Mer
Colleville-sur-Mer is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.The beach next to the coastal village was one of the principal beachheads during the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, designated Omaha beach....
as second line to counterattack the Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
forces once they landed.
Oberst (Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
) Goth held the highest rank on the German side on D-Day and personally led counter-attacks to regain ground.
The 916th withdrew on 8 June from the Omaha Beach area and made the retreat to Saint-Lô. Fighting the US Divisions with only rifle
Rifle
A rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls. The raised areas of the rifling are called "lands," which make contact with the projectile , imparting spin around an axis corresponding to the...
s, machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
s and handgrenades. Very little supply reached the combatant
Combatant
A combatant is someone who takes a direct part in the hostilities of an armed conflict. If a combatant follows the law of war, then they are considered a privileged combatant, and upon capture they qualify as a prisoner of war under the Third Geneva Convention...
s. Soldiers of the Regiment can be found at the German war cemetery at La Cambe
La Cambe
La Cambe is a military war grave cemetery, located close to Bayeux, France. Presently containing in excess of 21,000 German military personnel of World War II, it is maintained and managed by the German War Graves Commission.-History:...
in 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:...
.
The oldest reenactment group portraying Grenadier Regiment 916 today is known as GR916 in New England. This group has related units located throughout both the UK and the USA.
External links
- Oberst i.G. Ernst Goth
- La Cambe (In German)
- GR916