Soldbuch 89. Infanterie Division Normandy WIA Belgium 1944

Soldbuch to Otto Wolbrandt who was called-up for military service in early 1941. After his basictrainings he became part of a few field units;

- Landesschutzen Battalion 317

- Marsch Battalion III/4

- Pak Kompanie Sicherungs Regiment 1

- Sicherungs Battalion 959, stationed in Northern France near Angers

- Grenadier Regiment 1050, 89. Infanterie Division.

Within the last unit he was part of the 4th (Schwere) Kompanie)

The division was organized as an infanterie division on the 25th Mobilization Wave in January 1944, and moved to Norway in February to complete its formation. The division moved to Amiens, France, in June 1944 after the Allied landings in Normandy where it received its divisional fusilier (reconnaissance) battalion, field replacement battalion and briefly a fourth battalion for its divisional artillery which went instead to the 711th Infantry Division.

• Füsilier Battalion 189

• Grenadier Regiment 1055 - two battalions

• Grenadier Regiment 1056 - two battalions

• Artillery Regiment 189

• Anti-Tank Battalion 189 - one company only

The division is estimated to have had a strength of just 8,000 to 8,500 men, but a report on 18 July 1944 stated the division had 100% mobility in its horse-drawn elements, and 83% of its motorized elements.  The division arrived in Normandy at the end of July 1944, and on 3 August subordinated to 1st SS Panzer Corps.

On 4 August 1944 the division was deployed as follows:

• Grenadier Regiment 1056, 3rd Battalion of Artillery Regiment 189, Anti-Tank Battalion 189 around Falaise-Bretteville

• Grenadier Regiment 1055, Füsilier Battalion 189, 2nd Battalion of Artillery Regiment 189 near Thiberville

• 1st Battalion of Artillery Regiment 189 south of Lisieux

On 6 August 1944 elements of the division went into action accompanied by 13 Sturmpanzer IVs attached from Sturmpanzer Abteilung 217. The division's positions were attacked during Operation TOTALIZE on 7 August 1944 and about 4,000 men were lost in the ensuing fighting. By 25 August the division had just six artillery pieces still in service.

After Normandy the Division withdrawal north through Belgium towards Germany.

On 14-9-1944 he was in a fieldhospital? from Landesschutzen Battalion B for a wounding to his face by schrapnel. The unit was fighting on the Belgium - German border near Mutzenich - Moschau.

Most probarly wounded in Belgium and brought back a few miles into Germany.

On 11 October 1944 he was awarded the Wounded Badge in Black.

Most probarly he returned to his old unit and was taken POW shortly after in the Hurtgenwald.

On page 3 there’s a POW number.

Heavy used condition, some pages are loose and missing page 1-2.

Code: B24240

Colorization done by me. The colorized photo doesn’t come with the item.