16.

Luftwaffe Division
This division was formed in December 1942, initially with two thre-battalion infantry regiments, one antitank battalion, one artillery regiment (three battalions) and an engineer battalion. The division was moved to the Netherlands in February 1943, where it remained until the allied invasion.1 In November 1943 the division was takem over by the army. It was reorganized into three two-battalion infantry regiments and a Fsilier Battailon was formed.2 The structure of the division looked like this on 1 June 19443:

All infantry battalions had 56 machine guns and eight mortars (8 cm). The AT company of each infantry regiment had six guns. In the 31. Rgt. they were 7,5 cm, while the other two regiments had 5 cm guns. Also each AT company had three 2 cm Flak guns and 18 Panzerschreck.4 The Panzerjger Abteilung had the following equipment5: 1. Kompanie: three 5 cm guns and six 7,5 cm guns, all of them towed (motorized) 2. Kompanie: two StuG 7,5 cm 3. Kompanie: twelve 2 cm guns, all of them towed (motorized) The artillery regiment had the following equipment6: 1. Batterie: No guns 2. Batterie: four 7,62 cm guns 3. Batterie: four 7,62 cm guns 4. Batterie: four 7,62 cm guns 5. Batterie: No guns 6. Batterie: four 7,62 cm guns 7. Batterie: four 12,2 cm howitzers 8. Batterie: four 12,2 cm howitzers 9. Batterie: four 12,2 cm howitzers The Pioniere Battailon had 33 machine guns and six flame thowers. The Fsiliere Battailon was organized like the infantry battalions except that it had one company on bicycles and only six mortars.7 At the end of May 1944 the division numbered 9 354 men.8 The division began the march to Normandy 16 - 24 June. Exactly how many men it brought along is unclear. One document states that the division had a strength of only 60 - 70 men in each company, since it left soldiers in the Netherlands to man static weapons there.10 However, another document states that the division left the Netherlands with 9 816 men, 28 artillery pieces and 32 AT guns.11 The latter document though is dated 30 August 1944, more than two months after the transfer to Normandy. It is quite possible that the division left a considerable number of men in the Netherlands, but who later joined the division in Normandy. When the division moved to Normandy by train, it was not subject to air attack, and its losses during the march was negligeable.12

The mobility of the division was poor, it only had 57 % of its authorized number of horses and the motorized components had only 50 % of their vehicles.13 On 1 July all trains but one had unloaded.14 One day later two battalions, I./32 and II./46, were already comitted, while II./32 and I./46 were ready for action.15 The 31. Inf.Rgt. was close to the front, while the remainder of the division was still between the combat area and the unloading area.16 The first major action any units from 16. LW Division participated in was the British operation Charnwood. Those elements of the division that were involved in operation Charnwood were badly hit. It was reported that those infantry units that were comitted west of Orne suffered 75 % casualties.17 This is a high percentage, but probably the division only deployed one regiment west of Orne, or eight companies. If, as indicated above, the companies only had a rifle strength of 60 - 70 men each, there were only about 500 infantry men involved from the division. Probably the infantry strength was somewhat higher, since reinforcements may have been brought forward during the operation. On 9 July eight StuG III were sent to the division.18 During the British Goodwood operation the division suffered serious casualties. All commanders and staffs of infantry regiments and battalions were put out of action. Also 36 company commanders were casualties. This made it difficult to rebuild the division, and on 23 July Eberbach suggested that the division should be used to rebuild the 21. Pz.Div.19 Evidently the infantry was used to replenish 21. Pz.Div., while the rest of the division was used to form the 16. Inf.Div.20 The division was formally disbanded on 4 August.21
Notes: G. Tessin, Verbnde und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS (Mittler & Sohn, Frankfurt am Main and Biblio Verlag, Osnabrck 1966-1975). Ibid. Anlagen zum KTB LXXXVIII. A.K. Ia, Gliderung 16. Lw.Felddiv., Stand 1.6.44, T314, R1622, F000657. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Der Kommandierende General und Befehlshaber der Truppen des Heeres in den Niederlanden (Generalkommando LXXXVIII A.K.) Abt. Ia, Az: K95 Nr. 1495/44 g.Kdos, den 1.6.44, T314, R1622, F000651-678. Der Kommandierende General und Befehlshaber der Truppen des Heeres in den Niederlanden (Gen.Kdo. LXXXVIII. A.K.) Ia Nr. 2467/44 g.Kdos., 30.8.44, T314, R1626, F000481. Der Kommandierende General und Befehlshaber der Truppen des Heeres in den Niederlanden (Gen.Kdo. LXXXVIII. A.K.) Ia Nr. 2467/44 g.Kdos., 30.8.44, T314, R1626, F000481. Karl Sievers, Bericht ber den Einsatz der 16. Luftwaffenfelddivision in der Normandie beiderseits der Orne-Mndung vom 1.7. - 23.7.1944, MS # A-959, p. 2f.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

10 AOK 7 Ia Nr. 1844/44 geh. 26.6.44, T312, R1565, F001339. 11 12

13 OKH Org.Abt. (I) Nr. I/6475/44 geh. 21.6.44, T78, R421, F6390305. 14 OB West Ia Nr. 5185/44 g.Kdos, 1.7.44, T311, R28, F7034124. 15 OB West Ia Nr. 5197/44 g.Kdos, 2.7.44, T311, R28, F7034134. 16 Ibid. 17 Pz.Gr. West Ia Nr. 236/444 g.Kdos., Tagesmeldung 8.7.44, T313, R420, F8713855. 18 Lieferungen der Pz.Fahrzeuge, Bd. ab Mai 1943, BA-MA RH 10/349. 19 Pz.Gr. West Ia Nr. 522/44 g.Kdos. v. 23.7.44, T313, R420, F8713976. 20 Tessin, op. cit. 21 Ibid.