Operation Nordwind 1945 Hitlers last offensive in the West. 1/18th Scale Cars; 1/24th Scale Assembly Kits; 1/24th Scale Cars; 1/43rd Scale Cars; . So its quite possible! The original story, if there even was one, was told and retold and distorted until everyone and their brother claimed to know the guys that did it. The platoon lost four men missing and two wounded in the ensuing engagement. Volksgrenadier-Division. There are no German records or histories which indicate that, on 18th December 1944, a Tiger I or a Tiger II was knocked out in or around St. Vith. Germanys Tiger Tanks VK45.02 to TIGER II. Slayden had been sent to Jones by Middleton as an adviser until the 106th Division could become acclimated. Could a Panther be a possibility? What Jones did not tell Hoge was that in one of those regiments his own son was serving at regimental headquarters. VGD division was absorbed into the 26. The division was formed in Denmark, in September 1944, by redesignating 571. It was at full strength and supplied with the latest equipment. VGD captured St. Vith, winning a great victory. Now with a new armored combat command due to arrive at 0700 hours the next day, and with the rest of the division to follow, Jones believed he would soon have the potential to deal with both the Schnee Eifel and Winterspelt emergencies. Early on the 19th, the Germans made reconnaissance probes. Those men were a scrappy bunch. As far as Im aware no Ferdinands (all upgraded to Elefants at the stage of Ardennes Offensive) were used in the Ardennes and better yet all Elefants were in Eastern Front with the 614.sPzJgK (formerly 2./653.sPzJgAbt) after August 1944. The U.S. 9th Armored Division arrived in the European Theater of Operations in late October 1944 as a reserve for Maj. Gen. One, the 18th Volksgrenadier Division, was holding the northern reaches of the Schnee Eifel. 2014 Division 4. Out of the 1,467 tanks the Germans brought with them to the Battle of the Bulge on the 16th of December, 1944, 52 of them were Tiger IIs and 14 of them were Tiger Is. Hoge departed Faymonville at approximately 1800, arriving at General Joness headquarters in the St. Josephs Kloster about a half hour later. 18th Panzer Division (later 18th Artillery Division) 19th Panzer Division (previously 19th Infantry Division) 20th Panzer Division 21st Panzer Division (previously 5th Light Division) 22nd Panzer Division 23rd Panzer Division 24th Panzer Division (previously 1st Cavalry Division) 25th Panzer Division The 18th Volksgrenadier Division(18th VGD) was a volksgrenadierdivision of the German Army(Heer) during the Second World War, active from 1944 to 1945. Anderson, Thomas. At least 900 soldiers who had stood in front of the town were either dead or captured. To execute this maneuver, Hoges entire command would have to move all the way up to St. Vith and back down again. The closest primary German armored thrust route to the south ran through Burg Reuland, also about five miles from St. Vith. Despite nearly a foot of snow, the ground underneath was still soft, and with the passage of only a few heavy vehicles it was soon churned into a morass of mud. The Seventh Armored Division in the Battle of St. Vith. VGD) was a volksgrenadierdivision of the German Army(Heer) during the Second World War, active from 1944 to 1945. Osprey Publishing, 2002. 2014. Infanterie-Division . Stackpole Books, 2015. Not only does Troop Es version of the story involve a different unit than the original story, it also takes place in a different location, note the following map. However, just as the Americans began their pursuit, the Germans noticed them and began traversing their turret to face them. 16 Dec 2022 08:28:00 The supply trains led the way north on N27 to St. Vith. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. All in all, the only things that the American claims concerning the famed M8 Greyhound versus Tiger engagement can agree on are that on the 18th of December 1944 an M8 Greyhound from some unit of the 87th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron killed some sort of German tank in or around the town of St. Vith. On the morning of the December 20, three tank destroyers were placed in support of Company C, 27th AIB. At about noon that day, the 62nd Volksgrenadier Divisions 190th Regiment had broken through north of the 424th Infantrys Cannon Company. Ridgways plan was premised on the assumption that that the American forces in this goose egg-shaped defense could be supplied by air; however, whoever drew up the plan was thinking in terms of supply requirements for the lighter airborne divisions, not for fuel-hungry and shell-reliant armored forces. English PDF (15 MB) Jan B-513 German General Staff Officers, Casualties. The 18th Volksgrenadier Division (18th VGD) was a volksgrenadier division of the German Army (Heer) during the Second World War, active from 1944 to 1945.. The leading vehicles of General Hoges command entered St. Vith on Sunday morning just as dawn was breaking and halted close to the 106th Divisions command post at the St. Joseph Kloster. 1946. Panzer Tracts, 2001. The 18th Volksgrenadier Division under the command of Generalmajor Gnther Hoffmann-Schnborn patrolled the Schnee Eifel area. CCBs new position blocked the main Winterspelt-St. Vith highway and the valley of the Braunlauf Creek, a second natural corridor leading to St. Vith. The bridge at Steinebruck was intentionally left intact by General Hoge on the outside chance that some of the American troops trapped in the vicinity of the Schnee Eifel might be able to maneuver their way there. The ground was frozen solid. The division, which was under the command of Gnther Hoffmann-Schnborn, absorbed . Once in St. Vith, Jones explained that only the leading elements of the 7th Armored Division had arrived thus far and that St. Viths northern approach was under attack. He is being outflanked and is retiring west another 2,000 yards refusing both flanks. When a particularly heavy onslaught was launched against 7th Armored, near 9th Armoreds left flank, Company A, 14th Tank Battalion shifted its mediums to fire directly on Breitfield in support of its armored neighbor to the north. 18th Flak Division 651 . How to use 'poor shape' in a sentence? 281st Security Division (281. For faster navigation, this Iframe is preloading the Wikiwand page for 18th Volksgrenadier Division. His troops remained in place, and the pullout to the west side of the Our River began at dusk. The German 20th Infantry Division was an infantry division of Nazi Germany.HistoryThe was established in 1934 under the cover name. Its population in 1944 was about 2,000, and its citizens were very much pro-German. Volksgrenadier Division 5. They were repulsed by machine-gun fire. Ten tanks, numerous supply vehicles, armored cars, and jeeps were lost to enemy action. Sell, buy or rent Panzers in Winter: Hitler's Army and the Battle of the Bulge (Praeger Security I 9780275971151 0275971155, we buy used or new for best buyback price with FREE shipping and offer great deals for buyers. War Department, 1944. CCB, 9th Armored was linked on its left with CCB, 7th Armored and what was left of the 424th Infantry Regiment on its right. Mastering all the usages of 'poor shape' from sentence examples published by news publications. By this time the Germans had essentially closed the trap on the two infantry regiments on the Schnee Eifel. By 2300 enemy patrols tested 27th AIBs new position and a night attack was thrown back with the help of D Troop, 89th Recon. When Model released the Fhrer Escort Brigade to General Manteuffel, he thought that he would be able to gain quick access to the St. Vith road network. By 1300 on the 21st, the entire line was ablaze with German artillery, rockets, tanks, and infantry. There are two likely candidates, the first being a Panzer IV. On 18 January 1945, the final alignment became (XVIII Corps, U. S. First Army, 12th Army Group) -- the alignment in the hierarchy given here. Add to cart. Troop D, 89th Recon had positioned its troop headquarters and first platoon to cover the bridge over the Our. Zaloga, Steven. During the afternoon of December 19, Hoge visited Clarkes command post in St. Vith and expressed his frustration with the current chain of command. Under the command of Gnther Hoffmann-Schnborn, the new division absorbed elements of the 18th Luftwaffe Field Division. Dragon 1625 1/16th Obersturmfuhrer Totenkopf Division Budapest 1945 R 275.00. The 18th Volksgrenadier Division (18th VGD) was a volksgrenadier division of the German Army (Heer) during the Second World War, active from 1944 to 1945. Mines were laid. It was around 1200 hours and all was quiet when suddenly a German heavy tank was spotted slowly approaching the American line, a Tiger I. Panzertruppen Volume 2 The Complete Guide to the Creation & Combat Deployment of The German Tank Forces 1943-1945. The division had lost four companies of armored infantry. Rebuilding the blown bridge to get their assault guns across was their first priority. Troop D, 89th Recon and Company D, 14th Tank Battalion formed a line from Grufflingen to Thommen, and Companies B and C of the 14th Tank Battalion took up positions between Thommen and Maldange. I am weighing toward a stray Panzer IV or maybe a SP gun like the one you described. Although it was beaten off, the attacking Germans were identified as new to the area, soldiers of the 9th SS Panzer Division, a cause for considerable concern at this point in the battle. To this end, General Hoge was in the town of Monschau to check on the possibility of getting his command across in that area. Once St. Vith was taken, Model intended to drive the brigade swiftly for the Meuse River or cut behind the opposition on the Elsenborn Ridge that was bottling up the Sixth Panzer Army. That evening General Clarke also put his command into Commanster. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "aefa00eeca3d30bd3e762fcc54816f6d" );document.getElementById("f87928873f").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This battalion hit the 424ths Cannon Company at the Weissenhof crossroads. Zaloga, Steven. Eisernes Kreuz 2.Klasse (1914) Periode: Eerste Wereldoorlog (1914-1918) Toegekend op: 30 oktober 1917. Gen. William Hoges Combat Command B (CCB) of the 9th was attached to V Corps to support the 2nd Infantry Division in its planned attack through the Monschau Forest as part of the U.S. Armys strategy to capture or destroy the Roer River dams. Rather than reaching the Meuse and driving on to Antwerp, the offensive stalled and eventually was turned back. Zaloga, Steven, and Tony Bryan. To cover this dangerous gap in the line C Company, 27th AIB was ordered to the Our between Troop D, 89th Recon and Company A, 27th AIB. St. Vith is built on a low hill surrounded on all sides by slightly higher rises. The greatest danger existed in the 424ths position because the regiments flank lay vulnerable to attacks by the 116th Panzer Division to the south. Your email address will not be published. An M8 Greyhound armored car of Troop B, 87th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron was lying in a concealed position just northeast of the vitally important crossroads town of St. Vith, Belgium. The attacks made east of St. Vith on 18 December were carried by a part of the 294th Infantry [German], whose patrols had been checked by the 168th Engineers [US] the previous day. At about 2130, General Clarke phoned General Hoge to tell him that the enemy was entering St. Vith from the north and that his forces were withdrawing to form a new line northwest of the city. The resulting blast damaged the bridge to such an extent that the Germans would not be able to bring vehicles across for at least 24 hours. The entire division was to follow shortly thereafter. Having failed to find a soft spot to the north, the Germans then moved against Hoges 9th Armored command in the south; however, even before this attack got going three German tanks were knocked out and the rest of the probing force withdrew. As the offensive steam came to an end in the Ardennes, the division went on the defensive, and there they would stay. The village of St. Vith lay approximately 12 miles behind the front lines on December 16, 1944, the day the offensive code-named Operation Watch on the Rhine began. Good Tank, Poor Deployment | T-34-76 and T-34-85 in Yugoslav Partisan Service. Task Force Jones and the 112th Infantry eventually found their way into 82nd Airborne Division lines during the night of the 24th, but not before the units suffered heavy losses. First Edition, Stackpole Books, 2005. Ridgway knew Hoge to be calm, courageous, and imperturbable. In my opinion, the only definite conclusion that can be made from all this is that some American vehicle engaged something at St. Vith on the night of the 18th. The CCB command post was moved to Neubruck, a small group of farmhouses on Braunlauf Creek about two miles southwest of St. Vith. Jentz, Thomas, and Hilary Doyle. Encyclopedia of German tanks of World War Two. The time was approximately 1800 on Saturday, December 16, when Combat Command B of the 9th Armored Division began its move to St. Vith. Not long after Rodt fell to the Fhrer Escort Brigade, an attack came against the 7th Armored from the direction of Recht. It is time to withdraw.. The new sector assigned to CCB was on the fringe of territory the Sixth Panzer Army had mapped out for its further maneuvers. South of Sixth Panzer Army was General Manteuffels Fifth Panzer Army, with the Seventh Army on its left. Tigers In Combat II. Andrews, Frank L. The Defense of St. Vith in the Battle of the Ardennes December, 1944. 13 relations. At about midday, the field marshal sent a message to General Hasbrouck: You have accomplished your missiona mission well done. There is no comparison to Tiger. (function (d, s, n) { Encyclopedia of German tanks of World War Two. Inform us! Orders for CCB, 9th Armored to move to a new defensive position were issued at 1600. The division was formed in Denmark, in September 1944, by redesignating the 571st Volksgrenadier Division.The division, which was under the command of Gnther Hoffmann-Schnborn, absorbed elements of the 18th Luftwaffe Field Division. Lucht anticipated that the Americans would counterattack the next day, but that their reaction would be too late to avoid complete encirclement. The division retrained as 22.Luftlande-Division (Air Landing Division) for rapid tactical deployment to capture enemy airbases and performed in that role during the . The division fought in the Ardennes, inflicting on the 106th US Infantry Division the worst defeat suffered by U.S. forces in the ETO, when over 8,000 US soldiers surrendered to the volksgrenadiers. VGD led by Heinz Kokott, Heinrich Himmler's brother-in-law. Company A of the 14th Tank Battalion had some trouble disengaging. The 424th Infantry still blocked the road to the Our River and Steinebruck. Double-talking his identification over the radio with allusions to West Point football days, Ridgway gave Hoge a location at which to meet him. The guns from a platoon of Shermans, the antiaircraft company, and a mortar platoon supplied a covering barrage, which broke up the German assault and inflicted heavy casualties. Although the Germans were facing stiff resistance all along the American defensive line, they were determined to take St. Vith. Hoge has just reported an attack. Two regiments of the 62nd Volksgrenadier Division attacked 9th Armored positions early that morning, their goal to gain the Salm River at Salmchateau. Seventh Armored Division Association 2517 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington 8, D.C., 1947. The story begins on the 18th of December 1944, two days after the start of the German offensive. They were followed in order by the half-tracks and other vehicles of the 27th AIB, the tank companies, the antiaircraft company, and the engineers. Field Marshal Montgomery, believing that Ridgways Corps could not attack successfully toward Vielsalm and that the American forces within the goose egg could better be used in support of other forces committed to the northern shoulder defense, decided upon a general withdrawal. By midnight on the 19th, the horseshoe- shaped defense of St. Vith had taken form. The fall of Rodt effectively split 7th Armoreds CCA from General Clarkes CCB. Although General Jones was deeply worried about his two regiments on the Schnee Eifel, he was also highly concerned about the German advances in the Winterspelt area where his 424th Infantry Regiment was defending. However, there is one major issue with this explanation, Panzer IVs were not attacking Troop B. Luftwaffe-Feld-Division. A second attempt on the bridge, made by about 40 men four hours later, was also thrown back by machine-gun fire. September 18th, 1944: Kdr. Boylan, Vincent L. Letter to Robert W. Hasbrouck. The only known witness to the supposed event, Captain Walter Henry Anstey, died on 26th October 2003 at the age of 90, taking the truth of the events that day to his grave. Combat Interviews of the 38th Armored Infantry Battalion, 7th Armored Division: The St. Vith Salient and Manhay, December 17-23, 1944. The reason for this comparative respite was due to the fact that the roads to the German rear were completely jammed. Looking at German records The Fhrerbegleit Brigade with one Panzerabteilung of four companies of Pzkw IV and a Sturmgeschutzabteilung with four batteries of StuG III were in reserve assembled in the area around Daun on the 17th and not yet in action only beginning to move up at 1600H on the 18th. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. Im going to guess that they just created this all up in their head. At 0130 the 27th AIB was hit hard and the sector held by Company B, 9th Engineers was deeply penetrated, causing the armored infantry to fall back under the protective guns of Company A, 14th Tank Battalion. Infanterie-Division . The 18th Volksgrenadier Division (18th VGD) was a volksgrenadier division of the German Army ( Heer) during the Second World War, active from 1944 to 1945. Additionally, the M8s 37 mm M6 gun is more than capable of penetrating the rear hull and rear casemate armor of the StuG III. The 18th Volksgrenadier Division (18. Cole, Hugh M. The Ardennes: Battle of the Bulge. The silhouettes of the Panzer IV and the Tiger I are quite similar, especially due to their rectangular shapes and rounded turret (rounded through the later use of a curved armor plate around the otherwise angular turret). At daybreak on December 21, the Germans launched their first assault of the day on CCB, 9th Armored. Companies A and B held a line from Grufflingen to Hohenbusch with Company A, 14th Tank Battalion to their north. . Infanterie-Division Hamburg 19453 . The rounded portion of the horseshoe was composed of Colonel Dwight Rosebaums CCA, 7th Armored between Poteau and Rodt and General Clarkes CCB, 7th Armored in the very center protecting St. Vith. Company C, 27th AIB withdrew under heavy artillery and sniper fire but managed to destroy a number of German vehicles. The column came upon stragglers from the 424th Infantry retreating in disarray toward St. Vith. Personally I have not believed this event at all. Chamberlain, Peter, et al. [1] On March 6, 1945, when Botsch was ordered to take command of the LIIIrd Army Corps, the 18. VGD) was a volksgrenadier division of the German Army (Heer) during the Second World War, active from 1944 to 1945.. 1940 194111. Which specific Tiger II this was is unknown. Situated next to B Company were Company A, 27th AIB and Company D, 14th Tank Battalion. The Battle at St. Vith, Belgium 17-23 December 1944 An Historical Example of Armor in the Defense. Clarke, Bruce. Johnston, W. Wesley. 'poor shape' in a sentence. 4 Grosstraktor to Panzerbefehlswagen IV. It was to cross the Meuse on both sides of Liege before advancing on to Antwerp. 18th Artillery Division 651. Manteuffel had hoped for considerably more on the 19th. The next notable version of this tale comes from a 1966 book by the US Army Armor School titled The Battle at St. Vith, Belgium 17-23 December 1944: A Historical Example of Armor in the Defense. There are a few notable issues raised by this morning report and record of events entry, the most obvious one being that the M8 Greyhound is reported as being from Troop A of the 87th, not Troop B of the 87th, as it is in the contemporary story. Operation Nordwind 1945 Hitlers last offensive in the West. The 18th Volksgrenadier Division (18.Volksgrenadier-Division; 18. 2014. The StuG III was a turretless assault gun based on the Panzer III. He also said that they got a new Greyhound. Established in 1941, the unit was deployed in German-occupied areas of the Soviet Union, in the Army Group North Rear Area. That is correct, however, that was off the topic of this story. At about 1700, the enemy attacked along the Schoenberg road from the east; at 1830, they came down the Malmedy road from the north, and at 2000, an attack started from the southeast along the Prum road. js.src = "//player.ex.co/player/710cf52d-720a-4250-8e95-fc85dcedab01"; The Tiger I was a 57 tonne German heavy tank that has become one of the most famous tanks in history. Schiffer Publishing, 1996. Fire from the 16th Field Artillery broke up other enemy formations trying to assemble on the high ground to the south. M8 Greyhound Light Armored Car 1941-91. After the Tiger I had passed, the armored car then slipped out of its concealed position and began accelerating towards the tank in an attempt to close the gap between the two. Much like the Panzer IV, the StuG III was a mainstay of the German army as well as Germanys most produced armored fighting vehicle of the war with over 9,400 produced. Johnston, W. Wesley. Jentz, Thomas, and Hilary Doyle. The 18th Volksgrenadier Division was to attack along the two roads from Schoenberg, with the Fhrer Escort Brigade assaulting from the north. When you get surprised like this, you become cautious.Undoubtedly much, if not most, of the armor encountered by Manteuffels probing actions during the early days of the German offensive belonged to CCB, 9th Armored Division. This is puzzling, to say the least. Schneider, Wolfgang. Jentz, Thomas, and Hilary Doyle. Under the command of Gnther Hoffmann-Schnborn, the new division absorbed elements of the 18th Luftwaffe Field Division. At CCB, 9th Armored Divisions headquarters in Faymonville, General Hoge was just finishing up his briefing for his commands move to the Losheim Gap and Manderfeld when the call came through from General Jones informing him of 9th Armoreds new Winterspelt mission. The Germans attacked the center of the 27th AIB. Jentz, Thomas, and Hilary Doyle. War Department Field Manual FM 2-20 Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop Mechanized. However, the monumental traffic jams in the Losheim Gap and at Schoenberg continued to delay both the 18th Volksgrenadier Division and the Fhrer Escort Brigade, and not until after daylight on the 20th would a bridge be ready at Steinebruck for the 62nd Volksgrenadier Division. Luftlande-Division 19416 19421944 19453 22 22. At 0200 on December 22, the Fhrer Escort Brigade launched its attack against the town of Rodt, a small village west of St. Vith. VGD. Our database is searchable by subject and updated continuously. It is possible that it was really a Tiger tank. At approximately 0530 on December 16, eight German armored divisions and 13 infantry divisions launched their all-out attack on five divisions of the U.S. First Army. German Division Nr. First Edition, Stackpole Books, 2004. According to two combat interviews given by men of the 87th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, the 87th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadrons After Action Report for the month of December 1944, and Lieutenant Colonel Boylans 1946 letter, on 18th December 1944, the Germans attacked the 87th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron (minus Troop B) with infantry and tanks. Contents 1 Allied Forces 1.1 12th Army Group 1.1.1 U.S. First Army 1.1.1.1 V Corps 1.1.1.2 VII Corps 1.1.1.3 XVIII Airborne Corps 1.1.2 U.S. Third Army 1.1.2.1 III Corps 1.1.2.2 VIII Corps 1.1.2.3 XII Corps Ardennes 1944: Hitlers Last Gamble. VGD) was a volksgrenadier division of the German Army (Heer) during the Second World War, active from 1944 to 1945.. First-time contributor Charles Gutierrez is the son of a 9th Armored Division veteran. However, after careful analysis, it can be said with certainty that neither a Tiger I nor a Tiger II was killed by an M8 Greyhound from any troop of the 87th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron on 18th December 1944 near St. Vith. VGD led by Heinz Kokott, Heinrich Himmler's brother-in-law. With the unexplained disappearance of D Troop from the 89th Reconnaissance Platoon, Company B, 27th AIB became the leading element. Hoge immediately got on the phone and ordered Engeman to move out. Volksgrenadier-Division; 18. fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); However, it cannot be definitively stated that this is another version of the M8 Greyhound versus Tiger story due to its ambiguity. Given that the rear hull armor of a Tiger II is 80 mm of RHA angled at 30 degrees, it is essentially impossible for the M8 Greyhounds 37 mm M6 gun to penetrate the rear hull armor of the Tiger II. Daniel P. Kneeland, Grafton, Ma. At about 0930, the enemy attacked St. Vith from Hunningen to the north, apparently in an effort to envelop Clarkes left flank. Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz (1918) Periode: Eerste Wereldoorlog (1914-1918) . 6 Schwere Panzerkampfwagen DW to E-100. The provisional company of 424th stragglers disappeared during the night. . On December 16th at 4:00 a.m., they took the twenty-two foot macadam road following the Our River valley towards Manderfield. The 14th Tank Battalion was on its way to the Steinebruck bridge when Brig. Penguin Books, 2016. Ninth Armored and its attachments traveled southwest on N26 to the junction with N33 west of Beho, then turned north on N33 to Salmchateau, and finally west on N183 through Lierneux to Malempre-Jevigne, southeast of Manhay. }(document, 'script', 'exco-player')); The M8 Greyhound was a small, 7.9 tonne American armored car with 6.4 mm to 25.4 mm of armor, only enough to protect against rifle caliber bullets, and armed with a 37 mm M6 main gun, a peashooter at this point in the war. First Edition, Stackpole Books, 2005. Required fields are marked *. The fortified goose egg ran nearly 10 miles in diameter, containing a mass of forest and only one decent road running northwest to southwest. One Day at Stavelot, a Tale of Two Archives The Tiger II vs US Tank Destroyers in the Ardennes. Osprey Publishing, 2010. Elements of the 62nd Volksgrenadier had taken the eastern half of Winterspelt during the night, and at daybreak reinforcements finally drove Colonel Reids 1st Battalion from the village. . Six paved or macadam roads converged at St. Vith, but none of these was considered by the Germans to be a major military trunk line. History. Panzer Tracts No. Such was not the case, however, and by the evening of the December 20, the Germans were feeling the growing negative effects of the St. Vith salient. Clerks were running everywhere and junior staff officers were arguing among themselves; upstairs, however, Hoge found General Jones remarkably composed. The division was formed in Denmark, in September 1944, by redesignating 571.Volksgrenadier-Division.Under the command of Gnther Hoffmann-Schnborn, the new division absorbed elements of the 18th Luftwaffe Field .