716th Static Infantry Division (Germany)

716th Infantry Division (Static)
Wehrmacht 716 Infantry Division insignia
Active	1941–1945
Country	Nazi Germany
Branch	Wehrmacht Heeren
Type	Static Infantry
Role	Coastal Defence
Size	Division (~8,000 men)
Engagements	Invasion of Normandy

The 716th Static Infantry Division (German: 716. Infanterie-Division) was a World War II, German Army infantry division. It was raised on May 2, 1941, and sent to German-occupied France in June 1941. Many of the division's troops were elderly Germans and conscripts from other German occupied countries, especially Ukrainians. As such, it was not equipped with the standard configuration of vehicles and heavy weapons. Much of the division's artillery and anti-tank guns were from captured armaments.

The 716.Infanterie-Divisionen was mobilized for occupation duties in the 15.Welle (Wave) Replacement Army on 02 May 1941, at WKr VI. Munster. After formation in Bielefeld, and transfer to Occupied France, it was assigned to AOK 15 in June 1941 and employed at Saint-Lo, and Soissons. It was transferred to AOK 7 in June 1942 and relocated to Normandie, with duties including coastal defence, air raid protection and defensive fortification construction. After short movements to Amiens and Brussels, when returned amongst the divisions in Normandy; few were as weak as the Inf-Div 716., it having no combat experience.

On D-Day, The Division was responsible for Küsten Verteidigung Abschnitt - Divisional Coastal Defensive Section: 7 KVA ‘H1’ - KVA Caen. Having the task of defeating landings it manned an extended line of defensible posts, along its assigned 47 km of Normandy Coast, and deployed all other unit resources then available above the Basse Normandie: Calvados-Baie de Seine Coastal Plain. Fighting with additionally allocated LXXXIV Korps resources, the tactical situation and the terrain saw the Division 'split' across two Regimental Coastal Defensive Sections: Küsten Verteidigungs Gruppe Courseulles and Küsten Verteidigungs Gruppe Riva-Bella. To the west, K.V.-Gruppe Courseulles commanded all Divisional troops from Asnelles to Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, seeing it attempt to defeat landings at Gold Beach and Juno Beach. In the east up to the AOK 7 / AOK 15 Boundary, K.V.-Gruppe Riva-Bella commanded the tactical situation from Langrune-sur-Mer to Le Home Varaville, becoming responsible to defeat landings at Sword Beach and by the British 6th Airborne Division; astride the River Orne.