4th Luftwaffe Field Division (Germany)

The 4th Luftwaffe Field Division was a German infantry formation which fought during World War II.

History and organisation

The division was formed in 1942 in the area of Third Air Command (Berlin). In November 1942, it was assigned to Army Group Centre on the Eastern Front. By 1943 it had the following organisation:

*Staff
*49. Jäger Regiment
*50. Jäger Regiment
*51. Jäger Regiment
*4. Panzerjäger Battalion
*4. Artillery Regiment
*4. Fusilier Battalion
*4. Pioneer Battalion
*4. Signals Battalion
*4. Feldersatz Battalion
*Supply Troops

In the summer of 1944, the 4th Luftwaffe Field Division was holding a salient north of Vitebsk as part of Third Panzer Army's LIII Corps, with the 6th Luftwaffe Field Division on its right flank, and the 246th Infantry Division on its left. The commencement of the Soviet Operation Bagration on 22 June 1944 saw the entire corps surrounded within days, after the Soviet 43rd and 39th Armies managed to break through defensive lines to the north and south. LIII Corps' commander, General Friedrich Gollwitzer, moved the 4th Luftwaffe Field Division southwest of Vitebsk, intending to spearhead a breakout operation, but the division was encircled at Ostrovno and annihilated on or around 26 June.

Commanders

*Lieutenant-General Rainer Stahel (25 September 1942)
*Major-General Hans-Georg Schreder (22 November 1942)
*Major-General Wilhelm Völk (8 April 1943)
*Major-General Hans Sauerbrey (5 November 1943)
*Major-General Wilhelm Völk (20 November 1943)
*Major-General Heinrich Geerkens (December 1943)
*Lieutenant-General Robert Pistorius (24 Jan 1944 - KIA 27 June 1944)

See also

* Division (military), Military unit, List of German divisions in WWII
* Luftwaffe, Wehrmacht

References

* " [http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=2682] ". Article at axishistory.com. Retrieved July 04, 2007.