277th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Coat of arms of the 277th Infantry Division

The 277th Infantry Division was a German infantry division during World War II . The division was established on May 22, 1940. The formation of this division was planned in the event of a longer campaign in the west . Due to the rapid end of the western campaign through the conclusion of an armistice with France , the formation of the division was canceled before it was completed on July 22, 1940.

Installed again on November 17, 1943 in Croatia . The division was later stationed at various locations in France . Used in the fighting after the Allied landings in Normandy, the unit suffered heavy losses and was very much decimated in the Falaise pocket in August 1944.

The division was reorganized again in September 1944 under the slightly different name as the 277th Volksgrenadier Division .

literature

  • Georg Tessin : Associations and troops of the German Wehrmacht and Waffen SS in World War II 1939–1945 . Volume 6: The Land Forces 71–130 . Biblio-Verlag, Osnabrück 1972, ISBN 3-7648-0872-1 , pp. 126-130.
  • Mitcham, Samuel W., Jr. (2007a). German Order of Battle. Volume Two: 291st - 999th Infantry Divisions, Named Infantry Divisions, and Special Divisions in WWII. PA; United States of America: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3437-0 .
  • Mitcham, Samuel W., Jr. (2007b). Panzer Legions: A Guide to the German Army Tank Divisions of WWII and Their Commanders. Mechanicsburg, PA, United States: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3353-3 .