18. WEHRPASS - 9. Panzer Division - Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 11 - Close Combat Clasp - NORMANDY - ARNEHM!
Wehrpass to Stabsgefreiten Helmut Beyer serving with Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 11. Issued on 22.07.1939. Original photo.
All units are listed on page 12. Awards: Wound Badge in Black, Tank Assault Badge in Bronze, East Medal, 1939 Iron Cross 2nd Class, and Close Combat Clasp in Bronze on 29.10.1944. Campaign list from 05.03.1940 to 21.08.1944. From 06.07.1944 to 21.08.1944 he was deployed in France (Normandy). At this time he served with the Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 11. Stabsgefreiter Beyer was also trained on the "Gewehrgranatgerät" (rifle grenade).
The division was alerted on July 27, 1944 and relocated to Normandy. From August 6, 1944, the division assembled in the area around Alencon, where it first encountered the Americans on August 10, 1944. The division lost most of its equipment in heavy defensive battles and under constant air attacks. From August 19, the division joined the German retreat to the west and assembled in Lorraine as the "Restkampfgruppe 9. Panzer-Division". At the beginning of September 1944, the division still had a strength of 3 Panzergrenadier companies, 1 Panzer company, 2 Panzer artillery batteries and 10 tanks from Panzer Brigade 105. Despite this, the division was deployed southwest of Aachen. On 27 September 1944, after the Battle of Normandy, Panzer Brigade 105 and Panzer Battalion 2105 were incorporated into the division. For this purpose, the division moved to the area south of Arnhem. However, the division's deployment was unsuccessful in the counterattack by Army Group B on Elst. After a short replenishment west of Xanten, the division was deployed for another relief attack for the 15th Army in the Venlo-Sittard area (27-30 October), which was followed by a further, short-term replenishment in the Rheydt area. From 15 November 1944, the division was involved in heavy defensive fighting around Geilenkirchen. The fighting lasted until December 4th. The division then took part in the Ardennes offensive, where it was deployed west of the Meuse. The fighting for Rochefort, and later for Donchamps and Longchamps, was now purely defensive in nature. On February 7th, 1945, the division's own HKL was back on the West Wall. From February 24th to March 4th, 1945, the division fought for the Erft section, for Erkelenz and for the artillery protection positions. In the battle for Cologne, there was heavy house-to-house fighting. After the loss of the city, the division built a final defensive position on the Cologne-Frankfurt/Main motorway. From March 25th, 1945, it retreated via the Sieg to the Betzdorf-Siegen area on the southern front of the developing Ruhr pocket. Here the division was taken prisoner by the Americans at the end of April 1945.
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