430th Infantry Division

430th Infantry Division
German: 430. Infanterie-Division
Active24 October 1939 – 25 July 1940
Country Nazi Germany
Branch Heer (Wehrmacht)
TypeInfantry
Sizemultiple Battalions (officially: Division)

The 430th Infantry Division for Special Deployment (German: 430. Infanterie-Division z.b.V.) was an infantry division of the Heer, the ground forces of the German Wehrmacht, during World War II. The division was active from October 1939 to July 1940. Its structure diverged immensely from the usual German infantry division, as it was used mainly to oversee guard battalions and did not contain its own dedicated infantry regiments, as infantry divisions usually did.

History

The 430th Infantry Division was formed on 24 October 1939 in Cottbus in Wehrkreis III for General Command XXI (the later XXI Corps),[1]: 158  as an aide formation to ease the guidance of multiple Landesschützen (conscript militia) forces.[2]: 272  In March 1940, the division had four Landesschützen Battalions (301, 310, 319, 723) under its supervision, leaving it well short of the nine infantry battalions (organized into three regiments, which the 430th Infantry Division also did not have) that a regular German infantry division typically had at this time.[1]: 158  The initial divisional commander was Kurt Schreiber, who was replaced on 1 December 1939 by Maximilian Renz.[3]

During its occupation duties in German-occupied Poland, the 430th Infantry Division served opposite the Brody sector along the German-Soviet frontier.[3]

On 20 May 1940, shortly after the beginning of the German invasion of the Netherlands (as part of the greater Battle of France), the 430th Infantry Division staff was ordered to join the forces in the German-occupied Netherlands and placed under the supervision of the Wehrmacht Commander Netherlands (German: Wehrmacht-Befehlshaber Niederlande), the Higher Command XXXVII. The division was subsequently dissolved on 25 July 1940; its military postal address was instead given to the Wehrmacht Command in Utrecht (German-occupied Netherlands) for continued use.[1]: 158 

The division's personnel was divided between the 429th and 431st z.b.V. divisions, both disbanded on 26 March 1943.[4]: 338f. 

References

  1. ^ a b c Tessin, Georg (1975). Die Landstreitkräfte 501–630. Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939–1945. Vol. 11. Biblio.
  2. ^ Mitcham, Samuel W. (1985). Hitler's Legions: The German Army Order of Battle, World War II. Stein and Days Publishing. ISBN 0812829921.
  3. ^ a b Mitcham, Samuel W. (2007). "430th Infantry Division". German Order of Battle: 291st–999th Infantry Divisions, Named Infantry Divisions, and Special Divisions in World War II. Stackpole Books. ISBN 9780811734370.
  4. ^ Nafziger, George F. (2000). The German Order of Battle: Infantry in World War II. London: Greenhill Books. ISBN 1853673935.