352nd Infantry Division: Difference between revisions

The 352nd Infantry Division was formed in [[German-occupied France|occupied France]] in early November 1943; this followed the [[Oberkommando der Wehrmacht|German High Command]] order issued in September that year to raise ten new infantry divisions to replace losses on the [[Eastern Front (World War II)|Eastern Front]]. These new divisions were to be combat ready by May 1944. The 352nd was placed under the command of ''[[Generalleutnant]]'' [[Dietrich Kraiss]]. Once up to strength and trained, the 352nd was expected to transfer to the Eastern Front, however there was no clear timetable or confirmation of that deployment and by March 1944, with the threat of an Allied invasion in the West, the 352nd received orders to prepare for the defence of the [[Atlantic Wall]], in the [[Normandy]] area. The 352nd, when formed, was a mix of experienced soldiers drawn from worn-out or disbanded divisions that had served on the Eastern front, young German, conscripts and a significant number of [[Ostlegionen|Ost]] volunteers, the latter mainly employed in divisional support roles. Throughout the training period there were shortages of men, equipment, and fuel and by early 1944 the Divisiondivision, though reasonably equipped, was far from properly prepared for front-line infantry combat.