355th Infantry Division
355th Infantry Division | |
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355. Infanterie-Division | |
Active | 1 May 1943 – 2 November 1943 |
Country | Army (Wehrmacht) |
Type | Infantry |
Size | Division |
Engagements | |
Commanders | |
Commander | Dietrich Kraiss |
The 355th Infantry Division (
History
The 355th Infantry Division was formed on 1 May 1943 as one of the "Gisela Divisions" in the south of German-occupied France.[1]: 271 The Gisela Divisions (355th and 356th Infantry Divisions) had followed the "Brunhilde Division", the 282nd Infantry Division, and were so-named because of the respective codewords ("Brunhilde" and "Gisela") that had led to their assembly. The Allgemeines Heeresamt ordered the assembly of the Brunhilde Division, the 282nd, on 12 January 1943 after a directive to this effect had been issued eight days prior, on January 4. The order to assemble the 282nd Infantry Division was later extended to include the two Gisela Divisions, the 355th and 356th.[2]: 66f. For the entire duration of service, the division was led by Dietrich Kraiss,[3] who later commanded 352nd Infantry Division, in charge of Omaha Beach on 6 June 1944.[4]: 16
The personnel used for the assembly of the 355th Infantry Division came from the
In June 1943, the division was transferred to Army Group A and was attached to the German forces in Crimea, where it subsequently was subordinated to XXXXII Army Corps under 8th Army.[1]: 271 On 24/25 August, the division's strength was recorded by 8th Army as 7,500 personnel (combat strength: 3,855), 24 light field artillery and 6 heavy field artillery, 3 100mm cannons, and 39 anti-tank guns (13 medium, 26 heavy).[5]: 298 It participated in the Crimean campaign and in the Third Battle of Kharkov before being attached to LII Corps of 1st Panzer Army in the Zaporizhzhia sector in October.[1]: 271
Division Group 355 | |
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Divisionsgruppe 355 | |
Active | 24 November 1943 – 27 July 1944 |
Country | Army (Wehrmacht) |
Type | Infantry |
Size | Regiment |
Having suffered heavy casualties at
The Division Group 355 existed until 27 July 1944, when it was renamed Grenadier Regiment 866. Its superior formation at the time of this final redesignation was the 161st Infantry Division.[1]: 271f.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Tessin, Georg (1974). Die Landstreitkräfte 281–370. Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939–1945. Vol. 9. Biblio.
- ^ Tessin, Georg (1977). Die Waffengattungen - Gesamtübersicht. Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939–1945. Vol. 1. Osnabrück: Biblio.
- ISBN 9780811734370.
- ISBN 1841763675.
- ISBN 9780306811500.
- ISBN 0812829921.