254. INFANTERIE-DIVISION - UNIT HISTORY 129 DATE LOCATION ACTIVITY CHAIN OF COMMAND 1939/03/00 Lingen, Wehrkreis VI Activation of 254.ID (4.Welle) by conversion of 254.LdwD, formation, training 1939/09/01 Lingen Operational readiness (source: Potsdam catalog) 1939/09/05 Grevenbroich, Bedburg, Goch, Movement, Geilenkirchen, Geldern training 1939/10/13 Goch, Cleves, Emmerich Border security, training (source: situation maps Lage West) C.O.: Gen.Lt. Walter Behschnitt, 1940/04/30-1942/03/23 1940/05/10 Grave, Netherlands Invasion, Hertogenbosch, Breda offensive engagements 1940/05/18 Antwerp, Brussels, Ath, Advance, Renaix, Menin, Belgium offensive engagements 1940/05/30 Dunkirk, France Battle for 1940/06/05 Calais, Boulogne, Etaples, Berck, Offensive engagements, Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, coastal defense, Abbeville, Rue, Samer, Montreuil occupation duty 1941/04/05 Preussisch Stargard (Starogard), Transfer, Dirschau (Tczew), Poland occupation duty, training 1941/05/13 Wormditt (Orneta) Movement, preparations for Subordinate to: AK 38, 1941/05/04-1941/07/03 the invasion of Russia 1941/06/17 Insterburg (Chernyakhovsk) Assembly 1941/06/22 Taurage, Kelme, Seduva, Birzai, Invasion, Pasvalys, Lithuania offensive engagements 1941/07/05 Plavinas, Jaunjelgava, Velena, Advance, AOK 18 (Armeereserve), 1941/07/04-1941/07/14 Vecpiebalga, Ape, Latvia offensive engagements AK 26, 1941/07/15-1941/08/14 Aseri, Jogeva, Paide, Tapa, Kunde, Viljandi, Estonia www.maparchive.ru [email protected] 130 DATE LOCATION ACTIVITY CHAIN OF COMMAND 1941/08/12 Sonda, Reval (Tallinn) Mopping-up action, security AK 42, 1941/08/15-1941/08/31 1941/09/09 Narva-Joesuu, Estonia, Movement, AOK 18, 1941/09/01-1941/09/14 Kingisepp, Krasnoye Selo, Russia defensive operations AK 26, 1941/09/15-1941/09/16 Mga, Glazhevo, Volkhov River, AK 38, 1941/09/16-1941/09/28 Kirishi, Chudovo, Lyuban AK 39 Pz, 1941/09/29-1941/10/12 AK 1, 1941/10/12-1942/10/20 1942/04/01 Babino, Apraksin Bor, Chervino, Movement, C.O.: Gen.Lt. Friedrich Koechling, 1942/04/10-1943/08/15 Finev Lug, Krivino, Rogavka, defensive operations, Subordinate to: AK 38, 1942/10/20-1943/01/14 Spasskaya Polist1 position defense 1943/01/09 Chudovo to Demyansk pocket, Transfer, Gruppe Hoehne (AK 2), 1943/01/15-1943/02/26 Olkhovets, Zdrinoga, Fedorovo regrouping, defensive operations 1943/02/24 Pustoshka, Lyadiny, Soltsy Disengagement movements AK 10, 1943/02/26-1943/03/08 1943/03/09 Gatchina, Krasnoye Selo, Movement, AOK 18, 1943/03/09-1943/03/14 Krasny Bor, Izhora River position defense AK 50, 1943/03/14-1943/03/21 1943/07/23 Mga AK 54, 1943/03/21-1943/07/31 Records of the 254.ID are reproduced on rolls 1761-1767 of Microfilm Publication T315 and are described following the unit history. Although no records of this division were available in the National Archives for 1940/10/01-1941/06/09 (situation maps of Lage West and Ost were used covering that period), or after 1943/07/31, records of OKH/AHA, H37/85 (MR 1303), the general officer personnel files, and situation maps of Lage Ost show: 1943/08/01 Mga Position defense C.O.: Gen.Lt. Alfred Thielmann, 1943/08/15-1944/03/21, and 1944/01/01 Vinnitsa Transfer to the southern sector 1944/04/20-1944/12/18 1944/01/11 Lipovets, Ilintsy, Nemirov Defensive operations 1944/03/16 Dzhurin, Bar, Olkhovets Disengagement movements 1944/03/24 Borshchev, Chortkov, Buchach Redesignation as Kpf.Gr. 254 1944/05/02 Monastyriska Reorganization as 254.ID, disengagement movements 1944/07/16 Podgaitsy, Vybranovka, Stry Movement, defensive operations 1944/07/29 Sambor, Russia, Redesignation as Kpf.Gr. 254, Ustrzyki Dolne, Poland movement, defensive operations 1944/08/12 Sanok, Rymanow, Dukla, Reorganization as 254.ID Snina, Slovakia movement, defensive operations 1944/10/30 Vysna, Radvan, Presov, Budimir, Movement, defensive operations Bidovce, Gelnica, Levoca Gen.Maj. Richard Schmidt, 1944/12/18-1945/03/01 1945/01/29 Strehlen (Strzelin), Withdrawal, defense Lower Silesia 1945/03/01- Schweidnitz, Ziegenhals Withdrawal, 1945/04/17 (Glucholazy) defensive operations www.maparchive.ru [email protected] 254. INFANTERIE-DIVISION 131 CONTENTS JATS5 ITEIN ND. 1 sr la, <TB 2, H?ft 1«, Drders, reports, and maps 1940/02/36-1940/J5/2"? 254.TO W6368/4 pactaining to regrouping, training, border security, and preparations for the invasion of th<=» Netherlands ani Belgium in the Goch, Cleves, and Emmerich areas, b-21 Feb 1940; and the invasion of the Netherlands, 10 la/, and advance and offensive engagements in ftrave, Hartogenbosch, and Breda, 11-17 May, and in the Antwerp, Brussels, Ath, Fenaix, and Menin areas of Belgium, 18-27 May 1943. Special directives concerning supply, signal communications, use of engineers, and reconnaissance (damaged by fire). la, Anlagen zum KTB 2, Heft 3. Orders, reports, and 1940/07/39- 13 '4 3/3 9/30 1 751 235 maps pertaining to coastal defense, occupation duty, cagcoupina, and contact between infantry and artillery in the Boulogne, Etaples, Berck, Sal n t- Valery-sur-Somme, Abbeville, Rue, 3utrsau, Satner, and Montreuil areas (no records available for the parioi 1 Oct 1940-9 Jui 1941). Order-of-battie charts. la, Anlagen zum KTB 2. Conscript of daily radio 1940/05/1 0-1940/J 5/2 6 254. in WM63/7 327 messages. Ic, TB. Activity report concerning enemy operations in 1940/05/10- 1940/06/16 254oTP <i6B63/9 1 73 1 596 tn3 Netherlands from Srave to Breda, 10-17 May, in from Antwerp to Ypres, 18-29 Fay, and in France T\ .,* \, 1 ~-\s ^ ^ ^ -. t ., ,, I_/UIII\J.I.A. ci i_ rm «j u 11 , Co. j. a IS , Boulogne, and Etaples areas, 5-16 Jun 1Q40. Ic, \nlagenband I zum TB. Orders, reports, and maps 1940/03/18- 1940/37/04 254. TO 1 7 Si 5 pertaining to the tactical disposition of enemy forces in tne Netherlands, Belgium, and France before and luring the western campaign; division and enemy oparations; surrender negotiations with the Belgian Arnei Forces, 28-29 May; the battle for Dunkirk, France, 30 May-4 Jun; and advance, offensive engagements, and occupation of the French coast in th? Calais, Boulogne, and Etaples areas, 5 Jun-4 Jul 1940. Ic, \nlagenband TI zum TB. OKW bulletins citing 1940/04/31-1940/0b/16 254.TO W6368/12 1731 334 www.maparchive.ru [email protected] 132 254. INFANTERIE-DTVISTON CONTENTS OATE5 N3. 15C information on the military situation and reports on troop recreation. la, XT3 4, Toil T. Quartering and trainina in the 194 1/06/13-1341/10/25 254.10 21100/1 1 !'•> 1 371 rfornditt (Orneta) area, 10-16 Jan; assembly in the Insteuburg (Chernyakho/sk) area, 17-21 Jun; invasion of Lithuania, 22 Jun, and offensive engagements in the rauraqc, Kelme, Seduv^, Pasvalys, and Rirzai areas, 23 Jun-4 J'll, in the J^kabpils, Jaunielgava, Plavinas, Ve^piabalqa, Velena, and Ape areas of Latvia, 5-12 Jul, and in the Voru, Vil-jandi, Jogeva, Paide, Tapa, <uaia, and Aseri area^ of Estonia, 13 Jul-11 A ug; mo/ament to and mopping-up action and security activity in tha Sonda and Peval (Tallinn) areas of Estonia, 12 Aug-8 Sep; movement to Krasnoye Solo, Russia, defensive op3rations; and movement to the Mga area, 26 Sep-25 Oct 1941. A register of officers and casualty and strength reports. la, KIB U, Teil TT. War -journal concerning defensive 1941/10/26-1941/12/23 254.ID 21100/? 1 751 999 operations in the Mga, Glazhevo, and Podsol*ye areas south of Lake Ladoga aad along the Volkhov River. la, KT3 4, Teil ITT. War -journal concerning movement 1941/12/24-1942/34/02 ?54.T:> 21100/3 to ani defensive operations and regrouping in the Kiclshi, Chudovo, and Lyuban areas in the Volkhov Fiver sector south of Lake Ladoga. la, Abhandlunq u^ber die Kaempfe urn den Wolchow-Kesse1. 1942/01/24-1942/05/21 754.TD 21158 Afteraction reports concerning the battles in the Volkhov River Docket. I~, PB. Activity report concerninq enemy operations, 254.in 79055 43 J losses, and unit identification in the Volkhov River sector and troop entertainment; interrogation suanaries; and maps showing the location of enemv units fa-ing the 254.TD. la, KTB 5. War journal concerning defensive and 194?/04/D1-19'42/12/31 254. TH 3415U/1 4S2 assault operations in the Babino, Apraksin Bor, Chsrvino, Finev Lug, and Krivino areas, 1 Apr-31 Hay, www.maparchive.ru [email protected] 254. T?JFANTERTJ?,-DIVISION 133 CONTENTS DATES and in th» Pogavka area, 1-30 Jun; position defense in th2 Spasskaya Polist1 area, 1 Jul-31 Dec; and planned mD/e:nept of Gren.Rgt. '474 to Griqorovo, 2 Jan 1943. Reports on enemy operations, a reqister of officprs, ind casualty and strength reports. la, ^nlaqpnband 1 zu:n KT3 5. Daily roports concernina 1-1-942/J 1 7 b 2 defensive operations, training, and th^ formation of ?rupp? K'oechlina (consistinq of elements of the 254. TD and the 291. ID) , 25 Anr; daily intelligence reports re.jardina pn^mv operations; and strenqth and status r e p D u t s . la, ^nlaqonhand 2 zura KTB c>. Daily reports concernirq defensive and assault operations and da^ly intelliqence reports reaardina enemy operations. [a, Anlagenhand 3 ZMTI KTB 5 . Daily reports concerning '47 iefansive operations and the disbandment of Gruppe KD33hling, 2 Jnr 1942, overlays showinq the tactical disposition of the division, and daily intelliqence reports regarding enemv op^r^ t i or s. la, Anlagenband U zum KT3 5. Daily reports concernina 19U 2/06/1 1- 1942/,) 7/2 2 >5U.