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84. Infanteriedivision at Wesel
The division was reformed in Kleve. In December 1944, Grenadier-Regiment Kalzmann was added to the division and renamed Grenadier-Regiment 1062. On 16 October 1944 division had Luftwaffen-Festungs-Bataillon XVII (17th Air Force Fortress Battalion) added to its strength.
84. Infanteriedivision was undergoing rebuilding when the British attacked across the Rhine into the division's positions around Wesel. They were made up of new recruits, reserve troops, as well as two battalions of special troops. One was an Ear Battalion made up of hard of hearing and deaf troops, and the other was the Stomach Battalion made up of troops with stomach conditions that required a special diet.
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Nachtäger
The British Army is at the Rhine, ready to cross into Germany with their new Comet tanks. However, the night-fighters of Panzerdivision Clausewitz, with their infra-red equipment, await them in the shadows...
Learn more about Nachtjäger here... |
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The division's infantry was still organised as an older Type 43 division with three MG42 machine-guns in each platoon and the rest of the platoon armed with K98 rifles. However, they were armed with a higher proportion of Panzerfausts than had been seen in Normandy.
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The division was smashed by the British attack on the bridgehead at Wesel. The remnants of the division retreated from the British onslaught and formed into Kampfgruppe Fiebig (named after their divisional commander). The division had been greatly weakened by the attack. They retreated back to the Teutoburg Forest Line, where they were attacked by Americans troops of the US Ninth Army around 29 March. They then retreated from there through the area of Damme. |
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Wesel, after Allied bombardment |
Generalmajor Heinz Fiebig |
Initially the division belonged to the First Parachute Army (1. Fallschirm Armee) until 31 March 1945, when it was transferred to the newly raised 39. Panzerkorps (which included Panzerdivision Clausewitz) and moved to the area of Lauenburg and Uelzen to be rebuilt around 5 April.
How much in the way of replacements it received is unclear, but they were not at full strength when they were engaged again and pushed back through the area between Uelzen and Salzwedel to the Lüchow-Dannenberg Bridgehead on the southern back of the Elbe River around 18 April..
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By 23 April the remnants of the division had been pushed north across the Elbe by the US 5th Armored Division through Dömitz to Ludwigslust. |
Commander
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Generalmajor Heinz Fiebig (December 44 to May 45)
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Order of Battle (October 1944) |
Grenadier-Regiment 1051 |
Grenadier-Regiment 1052 |
Grenadier-Regiment 1062 |
Artillerie-Regiment 184 |
Pionier-Bataillon 184
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Feldersatz-Bataillon 184 |
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 184
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Divisions-Füsilier-Bataillon 184
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Supply units
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Last Updated On Thursday, April 23, 2015 by James at Battlefront
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