3rd Parachute Division (Germany)
The 3rd Parachute Division was set up in October 1943 in France in Reims space, starting from February 1944 in the east of Brittany Brest. It consisted of volunteers from the Parachute Training Units and volunteers of the Luftwaffe field divisions. The guide took Major General Heilmann.
History
The division was on June 7 - moved out of the room Brest to the invasion front - one day after the Normandy landings (D -Day). The troupe was taken over by Lieutenant General Schimpf. She fought among other things in common with the 17th SS Panzer Grenadier Division " Götz von Berlichingen " to the St. Lo area, later in the so-called Falaise Gap. The Division broke through along with other units ( II Parachute Corps ) in a gap between the front Cham Bois and Argentan and was almost completely wiped out during the outbreak. The commander of the 9th Parachute Regiment Major Kurt Stephani was here on August 20, 1944. On August 28, the Division of General Meindl at work could be withdrawn from the front, since no heavy weapons were no longer available. The 3rd Parachute Division was used as a rear guard for the 5th Panzer and 7th Army, said on September 4, 1944 Mons, a large part in captivity came as the Panzer Division with the grenadiers to quickly deposed and the paratroopers could not follow.
The survivors of the Division were moved to the Cologne area. After the start of the Allied Airborne Company Market Garden on 17 September 1944, crossed the Rhine at Emmerich and moved into there position between the Rhine and Waal. As of October 1944, the Division took part in rearguard actions. Then it was moved in preparation for company Wacht am Rhein, the upcoming Battle of the Bulge in the room with Else Born. After the start of the German attack on 16 December 1944, the Division had to deny heavy fighting and suffered heavy losses here. On 24 December 1944, the Division was at Malmedy. In January 1945, the retreat began through the Eifel to the area east of Bonn. Finally, the Division was included in April 1945 in the Ruhr pocket and surrendered or been destroyed there.
Structure
- Parachute Regiment Hunter 5 (3 battalions )
- Parachute Regiment hunters 8 (3 battalions )
- Parachute Hunters Regiment 9 (3 battalions )
- Parachute - Panzer - Jäger- Division 3
- Parachute Artillery Regiment 3
- Parachute Flak - Division 3
- Parachute Engineer Battalion 3
- Parachute Grenade Launcher Battalion 3
- Parachute Field Replacement Battalion 3
- Parachute - air news department 3
- Parachute sanitary department 3