The Infantry Division Courland (German: Infanterie-Division Kurland) was an infantry division of the German army during World War II.
The division was initially known under various different names, subsequently as 388th Field Training Division (388. Feldausbildungs-Division), Field Training Division North (Feldausbildungs-Division Nord) and Field Training Division Courland (Feldausbildungs-Division Kurland).
The 388th Field Training Division (388. Feldausbildungs-Division) was formed on 9 September 1942 with two regiments (numbered 639 and 640) to serve as a training formation for the recruits of Army Group North on the Eastern Front; the division's personnel was drawn from Wehrkreis I for the staff, from Wehrkreis VIII for Infantry Training Regiment 639 and from Wehrkreis II for Infantry Training Regiment 640. The division was formed without artillery or divisional support units.[1]: 50 Each of the two regiments contained three battalions, of which each battalion contained three companies each with six light machine guns and one 50mm mortar. Two of the battalions were additionally equipped with a company of nine heavy machine guns and three 80mm mortars each, whereas the respective third battalion of both regiments contained a pioneer platoon (with two light machine guns), a signals platoons, an infantry support sections (with two 75mm guns) and a Panzerjäger section (with two 37mm anti-tank guns and one light machine gun).[2]: 578
On 3 December 1943, orders were issued to expand the division in the timeframe until 1 April 1944 with four regiments (that were also to include newly formed Panzerjäger formations). However, the expansion was never fully implemented and three battalions instead passed on to other formations (two battalions to 61st Infantry Division, one battalion to 126th Infantry Division). On 15 March 1944, the 388th Field Training Division received the Grenadier Field Training Battalion 391 from the 391st Field Training Division. The 388th Field Training Division was redesignated "Field Training Division North" on 19 May 1944.[1]: 50
Throughout the division's history (as well as during the history of its subsequent redesignations), it was commanded by Johann Pflugbeil,[3] whose advanced age and limited abilities as a field commander (in the estimation of German higher ups) had already lead to several previous appointments to less prestigious and combat-ready formations, such as Landwehr Command Breslau or the 221st Security Division (the latter of which became notable through its numerous war crimes).[4]: 165
Field Training Division North
Created on 19 May 1944 from the former 388th Field Training Division, the Field Training Division North continued to field the two previous regiments (now named Grenadier Training Regiment 639 and 640) and did not field any additional artillery or divisional support units.[5]: 175 On 25 January 1945, in response to the fact that Army Group North had gotten trapped in the Courland Pocket, Army Group North was renamed "Army Group Courland",[6]: 524 thus rendering the name of the division out of date. On 2 February 1945, it was renamed "Field Training Division Courland".[5]: 133
The Field Training Division Courland, created on 2 February 1945 through the redesignation of Field Training Division North, was itself soon renamed to become Infantry Division Courland on 15 February 1945.[5]: 133
Infantry Division Courland
Infantry Division Courland was created when Field Training Courland was renamed on 15 February 1945. The division contained the same two regiments as before: Grenadier Field Training Regiment 639 and Grenadier Field Training Regiment 640. There was still no artillery or divisional support provided to the divisions.[5]: 133 It remained in the Courland Pocket, along with the various forces of 16th Army and 18th Army.[7]: 439 At the end of the war, the division was still commanded by Pflugbeil.[4]: 165
References
^ abTessin, Georg (1975). Die Landstreitkräfte 501–630. Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939–1945 (in German). Vol. 11. Biblio.
^Nafziger, George F. (2000). The German Order of Battle: Infantry in World War II. London: Greenhill Books. ISBN1853673935.
^Mitcham, Samuel W. (2007). "388th Field Training Division". German Order of Battle: 291st–999th Infantry Divisions, Named Infantry Divisions, and Special Divisions in World War II. Stackpole Books. ISBN9780811734370.
^ abHartmann, Christian (2009). Wehrmacht im Ostkrieg: Front und militärisches Hinterland 1941/42 (in German). Oldenbourg. ISBN9783486702262.
^ abcdTessin, Georg (1980). Die Landstreitkräfte: Namensverbände / Die Luftstreitkräfte (Fliegende Verbände) / Flakeinsatz im Reich 1943–1945. Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939–1945 (in German). Vol. 14. Osnabrück: Biblio. ISBN3764811110.
^Lakowski, Richard (2008). "Der Zusammenbruch der deutschen Verteidigung zwischen Ostsee und Karpaten". In Müller, Rolf-Dieter (ed.). Die Militärische Niederwerfung der Wehrmacht. Das Deutsche Reich und der Zweite Weltkrieg (in German). Vol. 10/1. München: Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt. pp. 491–681. ISBN9783421062376.
^McCroden, William T.; Nutter, Thomas E. (2019). German Ground Forces of World War II: Complete Orders of Battle for Army Groups, Armies, Army Corps, and Other Commands of the Wehrmacht and Waffen SS, September 1, 1939 to May 8, 1945. Savas Beatie. ISBN9781611211092.
