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Lineage
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Infanterie-Regiment 348/216.Inf.Div
Grenadier-Regiment 348/216.Inf.Div
Grenadier-Regiment 980/272.Inf.Div
Grenadier-Regiment 980 began as Inf.Rgt.348 of the 216.Inf.Div.,
and sometime in 1942 the designation changed to Grenadier-Regiment 348. On
December 16th, 1943 the division was rebuilt as the 272.Inf.Div. and Grenadier-Regiment 348
became Grenadier-Regiment 980. When the 272.Inf.Div was again rebuilt, this time as the 272.Volks.Gren,.Div.,
Grenadier-Regiment 980 retained its designation and ended WWII as such.
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Traditions
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The 216.Inf.Div and 272.Inf.Div were known as Niedersächsische Infanterie
Divisions. Originally all recruiting was done from this area of Germany giving these units
a purely Niedersachsen flavor, as indicated by the unit symbol of this Regiments parent units.
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Campaigns
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Western Campaign 1940
Eastern Front 1941-1943
Western Front 1944-1945
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History
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After surviving the campaign in Russia for 3 years, the newly-formed
Grenadier-Regiment 980 spent the first half of 1944 doing relatively quiet
occupation duty on the Spanish-French border. Immediately following the
Normandy Invasion, the unit was packed up and shipped via train to the front.
Constant Allied air-attacks killed and wounded many of the Regiments horses as
well as personell and anti-tank equipment. GR980 arrived on the front July 13th,
1944, and went immediately into battle. They fought alongside units such as
the 1.SS, 2.SS, and to a great
degree 12.SS-HJ. GR980 was often praised for
their action in battle although they were not seen as an elite unit. After having
participated in heavy action around Caen GR980 was eventually caught in the
Falaise Pocket. Those who survived escaped to the north under continual
harassment from the French resistance. GR980 later fought in the Hürtgen forest,
specifically around Schmidt, Kesternich, and the Kall trail. When pushed back
to the Remagen bridgehead, they were assigned to defend a town Hitler had
designated a "fortress". The unit came into American control when WWII ended in May of
1945.
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Organization
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1944
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1.Kompanie (light infantry)
2.Kompanie (light infantry)
3.Kompanie (light infantry)
4.Kompanie (light infantry)
5.Kompanie (light infantry)
6.Kompanie (light infantry)
7.Kompanie (light infantry)
13.Kompanie
14.Kompanie (Panzerzerstörer)
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Commanders
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War Service
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Resources
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German Order of Battle 1944, by Allied Intelligence
The German Infantry Handbook 1939-1945, by Alex Buchner
German Order of Battle World War II, Vol I, by George Nafziger
Deutsche Verbände und Truppen 1918-1939, by George Tessin
Die 216./272. Niedersächsishe Infanterie Division, by Martin Jenner
Die deutsche Feldpostübersicht 1939-1945 Band 1-3, by Nobert Kannapin
Verbände und Truppen der deutchen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS... Band 1-14, by Georg Tessin
Die Truppenkennzeichen der Verbände u. Einheiten der deutchen Wehrmacht u. Waffen-SS Band 1-4, by Shmitz and Thies
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