16th Luftwaffe Field Division

German Luftwaffe 1935-1945.
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Dan Behr
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16th Luftwaffe Field Division

Post by Dan Behr »

Hi

I am interested in the average age in this division and wondered if anyone has any information on this or can direct me to a source please?

Regards
Lorenz
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Re: 16th Luftwaffe Field Division

Post by Lorenz »

Following its formation on 1 December 1942, it was reorganized as a stationary (bodenständige) coast defense division in summer 1943. Although its divisional history does not indicate the average age of its personnel, its function generally suggests men in their 30's. The fact that it was quickly destroyed in Caen in early July 1944 gives some testimony to the fact that it probably was not beefed up with younger, better trained troops after it was taken over by the Heer on 1 November 1943.

L.
Dan Behr
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Re: 16th Luftwaffe Field Division

Post by Dan Behr »

Thanks

I was hoping that as it was used as a replacement for the Panzer Lehr it was at least considered a a reasonable fighting force.

cheers

Dan
Lorenz
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Re: 16th Luftwaffe Field Division

Post by Lorenz »

Dan -

"Poorly trained and very low morale" is how the source cited below characterizes the Division's manpower. The majority of the men were surplus Luftwaffe personnel originally trained to service and repair aircraft and perform other duties normally associated with airfields. They had been torn away from these comparatively prestigeous technical jobs, given a few weeks of infantry training and transported to the Dutch coast to man bunker positions. To a man, they wanted to go back to their old jobs and did not want to be in the infantry. Their morale was very low and the quality of their officers wasn't much better. In their first exposure to combat west of the Orne near Caen on 2 July 1944, the Division's 8 infantry companies were quickly overrun, suffered 75% casualties, and the remainder broke and ran. You can read all about the Division in considerable detail in its 25-page unit history in the following source:

Muñoz, Antonio J. Göring’s Grenadiers: The Luftwaffe Field Divisions 1942-1945. Bayside: Axis Europa Books, 2002. ISBN: 1-891227-40-8. Hb (oversize). Dj. Illus. Maps. Dwgs. Charts. Color plates. Bibliography. Pages 243-68.

L.
Leerhöy
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Re: 16th Luftwaffe Field Division

Post by Leerhöy »

Dan Behr wrote:Thanks

I was hoping that as it was used as a replacement for the Panzer Lehr it was at least considered a a reasonable fighting force.

cheers

Dan
Replacement for the Panzer Lehr..?

Kim
Interested in anything regarding 21. Panzerdivision in Normandy, as well as DKW NZ 350-I and Opel Olympia OL38
Dan Behr
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Re: 16th Luftwaffe Field Division

Post by Dan Behr »

Leerhöy wrote:
Dan Behr wrote:Thanks

I was hoping that as it was used as a replacement for the Panzer Lehr it was at least considered a a reasonable fighting force.

cheers

Dan
Replacement for the Panzer Lehr..?

Kim
Were they not put in line to give PL a chance to rest and refit?

Apparently not necessarily a qualitative replacement but a quantative one to plug a gap once the PL left the line.
Dan Behr
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Re: 16th Luftwaffe Field Division

Post by Dan Behr »

Lorenz wrote:Dan -You can read all about the Division in considerable detail in its 25-page unit history in the following source:

Muñoz, Antonio J. Göring’s Grenadiers: The Luftwaffe Field Divisions 1942-1945. Bayside: Axis Europa Books, 2002. ISBN: 1-891227-40-8. Hb (oversize). Dj. Illus. Maps. Dwgs. Charts. Color plates. Bibliography. Pages 243-68. L.
Thanks, now on my "wants" list.
Leerhöy
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Re: 16th Luftwaffe Field Division

Post by Leerhöy »

Dan Behr wrote:
Leerhöy wrote:
Dan Behr wrote:Thanks

I was hoping that as it was used as a replacement for the Panzer Lehr it was at least considered a a reasonable fighting force.

cheers

Dan
Replacement for the Panzer Lehr..?

Kim
Were they not put in line to give PL a chance to rest and refit?

Apparently not necessarily a qualitative replacement but a quantative one to plug a gap once the PL left the line.
Hello Dan,

No, 16.Lw.Feld-Div - or at least parts of the division - replaced 21.Pz.Div. north of Caen, just prior to Operation Charnwood. As I remember, H.Gr.B issued the orders for this replacement on June 23.

Regards

Kim
Interested in anything regarding 21. Panzerdivision in Normandy, as well as DKW NZ 350-I and Opel Olympia OL38
Dan Behr
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Re: 16th Luftwaffe Field Division

Post by Dan Behr »

Thanks Kim

Getting my Panzer divisions mixed up!

I've rexcently been reading Hans von Luck as well !
Lorenz
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Re: 16th Luftwaffe Field Division

Post by Lorenz »

Dan and Kim -

The 16. Feld-Div. (L) began departing Holland and moving to the Normandy area on 16 June, along with 276. Inf.Div. and 277. Inf.Div. Progress by train was slow due to the heavily damaged rail network and Allied air attacks. The Division’s forward elements arrived in Caen on 25 June with the bulk of the Division there by 1 July. The total strength of the Division on arrival in Normandy was 9,816, 28 field guns and 32 anti-tank guns of various calibers. Of this total, 7,416 men were in Caen by the evening of 1 July. The plan called for 16. Feld-Div. (L) to relieve 21. Pz.Div. along a 10-12 kilometer sector of the front line and 276. Inf.Div. was to relieve 12. SS-Pz.Div. Hitler Jugend. But plans are often changed. In this case, Rommel decided at the last minute to relieve the Panzer-Lehr Div. with 16. Feld-Div. (L) and just as the Division’s infantry were moving into Pz.-Lehr’s vacated positions, the British 3rd Armoured Division attacked these positions and quickly decimated the poorly trained and inexperienced ex-Luftwaffe troops.

[Muñoz, op.cit., pp.252-56]

L.
Leerhöy
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Re: 16th Luftwaffe Field Division

Post by Leerhöy »

Hello Lorenz,

Are you absolutely sure about that source..? According to the war diary for Pz.Gr.W - "Kriegstagesbuch Panzer-Armeeoberkommando 5", at least on June 28th 16.Lw.Feld-Div was assigned to LXXXVI A.K., along with 21.Pz.Div., while Pz.Lehr-Div. was assigned to XXXXVII.Pz.Korps. July 2nd that situation was not changed, according Pz.Gr.W Kriegstagesbuch. On July 8th LXXXVI A.K. reports that 16.Lw.Feld-Div is being hit hard (and why should they report that to Pz.Gr.W, if 16.Lw.Feld-Div was assigned to XXXXVII Pz.Korps?), and Pz.Gr.W subsequently requests support to 16.Lw.Feld-Div. from I. SS-Pz.Korps. Still on July 8th Pz.Gr.W orders 21.Pz.Div back to Caen "zur unterstützung der 16.Lw.Feld-Div im Raum Lebisey - Herouville" (which was one of 21.Pz.Div. old positions) On July 18th, according to Pz.Gr.W, 16.Lw.Feld-Div was still assigned to LXXXVI A.K., along with 21.Pz.Div.

I do not know much about Pz.Lehr-Div., but according to Zetterling, it was relieved by 276.Inf.Div.(?)

Regards

Kim
Interested in anything regarding 21. Panzerdivision in Normandy, as well as DKW NZ 350-I and Opel Olympia OL38
Lorenz
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Re: 16th Luftwaffe Field Division

Post by Lorenz »

Kim and Dan -

For the disputed time frame, 1 and 2 July, Muñoz has the following source footnotes:

Meyer, Hubert. The History of the 12. SS-Panzer-Div. Hitler Jugend (Winnipeg: J.J. Fedorowicz Publishing, Inc., 1994), page 96.
OB West Ia Nr. 5185/44 g.Kdos., 1.7.44, NARS Microcopy T-311, Roll 28, frame 7034124.
OB West Ia Nr. 5197/44 g.Kdos., 2.7.44, NARS Microcopy T-311, Roll 28, frame 7034134.
Mitcham, Dr. Samuel W. The Desert Fox in Normandy: Rommel’s Defense of Fortress Europe (Westport (Connecticut): Praeger Publishers, 1997), page 160.

I will withhold comment for the period after 2 July because it’s off topic, being beyond the scope of Dan’s original question, and because I would have to devote some hours of research to cover the remaining time frame up to 18 July. I just don’t have the time right now as I have family in town from the U.K.

Lorenz
Leerhöy
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Re: 16th Luftwaffe Field Division

Post by Leerhöy »

Hello Dan and Lorenz,

Lorenz - perfectly OK. It would be interesting to see those OB-West NARA files.

Getting back to Dan's original question, I found a NARA document in my files last night, "Report on Commitment of the 16 Air Force Field Division in Normandy on both sides of the Orne outlet 1 - 23 July 1944". It is signed, "Sievers, Maj General (I believe he was division commander during the Normandy operations(?), and it is dated "Allendorf, 3 June 1946". In the document Sievers has a few comments on personnel, age, training, etc. I can mail the document, if any of you are interested.

Re the move to Normandy he also notes, "The division suffered no losses during this movement, and by the end of June and the beginning of July 1944 it was in position to begin the relief of the 21 Pz Div and elements of the 716 Division".

Best regards from a today unusually sunny Denmark

Kim
Interested in anything regarding 21. Panzerdivision in Normandy, as well as DKW NZ 350-I and Opel Olympia OL38
Dan Behr
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Re: 16th Luftwaffe Field Division

Post by Dan Behr »

Leerhöy wrote:Hello Dan and Lorenz,

Lorenz - perfectly OK. It would be interesting to see those OB-West NARA files.

Getting back to Dan's original question, I found a NARA document in my files last night, "Report on Commitment of the 16 Air Force Field Division in Normandy on both sides of the Orne outlet 1 - 23 July 1944". It is signed, "Sievers, Maj General (I believe he was division commander during the Normandy operations(?), and it is dated "Allendorf, 3 June 1946". In the document Sievers has a few comments on personnel, age, training, etc. I can mail the document, if any of you are interested.
Re the move to Normandy he also notes, "The division suffered no losses during this movement, and by the end of June and the beginning of July 1944 it was in position to begin the relief of the 21 Pz Div and elements of the 716 Division".

Best regards from a today unusually sunny Denmark

Kim
Hi Kim

I would love a copy. I will pm my e-mail

Regards

Dan
Lorenz
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Re: 16th Luftwaffe Field Division

Post by Lorenz »

Kim and Dan -

Yes, Gen.Maj. Karl Sievers commanded 16. Feld-Div. (L) from 22 August 1943 to 25 July 1944. He was always Heer, not Luftwaffe. The document cited that's dated 3 June 1946 is one of the 2,250 Foreign Military Study (FMS) manuscipts or monographs written by German commanders and staff officers after the war at the request of U.S. Army Europe (USAEUR). The idea was to not only produce studies of events they participated in based on their personal recollections and personal diaries, but to pay them and keep them busy during the first 10 years after the war ended so the Allied occupation authorities could keep track of them and minimize the possibility of German officer corps conspiracies developing. These studies for the most part were written without access to command and unit KTBs and Anlagen and therefore lack detail and specificity, except where it might come from personal papers or diaries in the author's possession.

L.
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