History of the 29th Panzergrenadier Division
The division was mobilized in August 1939 and joined the XIV Corps of the
German 10th Army for the invasion of Poland. It took part in the encirclement
of Polish forces at Radom, Poland and committed the Massacre in Ciepielów.
In December 1939 it was transferred to the west. During the invasion of
France it joined the 16th Army. As a strategic reserve it was used during the
drive for the English Channel. After the Dunkirk evacuation it joined Heinz
Guderian's Panzer Group for an advance through eastern France. It was then employed
in occupation duties until early 1941.
Taking part in Operation Barbarossa it was attached to the German 4th Army
and took part in a number of actions against isolated Soviet formations at
Minsk, Smolensk and Bryansk. It was then sent to support Guderian's Panzer Army
near Tula. The division lost most of its vehicles and many killed and captured
during the retreat from Moscow at Mordves, south of Kashira in the Moscow
oblast. In 1942 it spent the first 6 months in action near Orel and then in
July 1942 was assigned to the German 6th Army as part of Army Group South. It
took part in the fighting on the approaches to Stalingrad, and in the city
itself. It was redeployed to serve as the 4th Panzer Army's mobile reserve at
the end of September, and relocated behind the IV Corps guarding the southern
flank of the 6th Army forces in Stalingrad.
When the Red Army's second pincer attack was launched from the south, the
division was pushed into the south-west corner of the pocketed German forces.
Having been held in reserve for most of the Stalingrad campaign, the division
was at 90% combat strength according to its situation reports. On 21 January
1943 it was attacked by the Soviet 21st Army, and was destroyed.
It was then reconstituted in France in the early spring from the recently
formed 345th Infantry Division. It was transferred to the Sicilian Campaign as
the 29th Panzergrenadier Division for sometime in the defense of the Northern
Route to Messina. Thereafter it fought in Italy at Salerno, Anzio, and San Pietro
and was destroyed by the British in northern Italy just before the end of the
war.
The unit was directly involved in the counter offensives at Anzio beachhead
and with the defense of casino though to the end. When relieved would be posted
to one of the other locations either to maintain defenses or prepare for a
counter attack.
As the 29th Panzergrenadiers the army group was rearmed in France
1943 and then immediately sent to Italy where they fought at Monte Cassino,
Salerno, Anzio was finally defeated in the north of Italy.