Retreat from Normandie / August 1944 (Eisenhower Farm / Gettysburg, PA)

Even though this is a public display event, we will be basing our impressions on portraying the members of Nr. 5 Kompanie, Gren. Regt. 980 / 272nd Infantrie Division two months after the D-Day landings. 

The 272nd Inf. Div. was formed from remnants of the 216th Inf. Div. which had fought on the central sector of the eastern front since January 1942. In November 1943 the 216th was withdrawn and sent to western Europe to be used as cadre for the new 272nd Inf. Div. It was composed of veterans and a varied mix of Germans and Osten Truppen (Russians and Poles).  In April 1944 it was sent to the 19. Armee in southern France. While there, the division continued training while doing occupation duty on the Spanish-French border in the Perpignon area.

On July 2nd in response to the Allied invasion of France, the division began to move from the Mediterranean coast to Normandy by rail. After much delay caused by Allied air-attacks, GR 980 arrived at the front around Caen on July 13th (the 272nd gradually relieved the 1. SS Pz. Div.).

The 272nd participated in heavy combat soon after it arrived in Normandy.  It was engaged in hedgerow fighting commonly seen in the area.  The 272nd also took part in the fighting against British forces around the cities Caen and Lisieux.  In Lisieux, the British 7th Armoured division & the 51st Highland Infantry division were surprised by the aggressiveness of the 272nd, which resulted in fierce street fighting.  When the division began to be relieved, it was transferred to the east, taking over the sector of 21. Pz. Div. in the Troarn area.