The 242nd Infantry Division was a

division Division or divider may refer to: Mathematics *Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication *Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division Military *Division (military), a formation typically consisting ...

of the German Army in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

World War II

242. Infanterie-Division was formed in Gross-Born (Borne Sulinowo) on 9 July 1943, when Division A, formed from convalescents of the disbanded 298. Infanterie-Division, was re-designated. From 8 August to 5 October 1943, the unit was subordinated to 15th Army in Antwerp and

Gent Gent is a shortened form of the word gentleman. It may also refer to: * Ghent (Dutch language, Dutch: Gent), a Belgian city ** K.A.A. Gent, a football club from Ghent ** K.R.C. Gent, a football club from Ghent ** Gent RFC, a rugby club in Ghen ...

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, before being transferred to 19th Army under

Army Group G Army Group G (''Heeresgruppe G'') fought on the Western Front of World War II and was a component of OB West. History When the Allied invasion of Southern France took place, Army Group G had eleven divisions with which to hold France south of ...

Toulon Toulon (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Tolon , , ) is a city on the French Riviera and a large port on the Mediterranean coast, with a major naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, and the Provence province, Toulon is th ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

. In 1944, the division fought against the Western Allies in Operation Dragoon. After being ordered to defend Toulon to the last bullet, and to give the rest of Army Group G a chance to withdraw,

Generalleutnant is the Germanic variant of lieutenant general, used in some German speaking countries. Austria Generalleutnant is the second highest general officer rank in the Austrian Armed Forces (''Bundesheer''), roughly equivalent to the NATO rank of ...

Johannes Bäßler and his 242nd division held out for 10 days, until 26 August 1944, when Bäßler was critically wounded and surrendered the division. The division was formally disbanded on 7 October 1944.

Order of Battle 1944

;Commanders *

Johannes Bäßler - in command from formation (20 July 1943) until 26 August 1944 ;Units *765th Grenadier Regiment (4 battalions) *917th Grenadier Regiment (4 battalions) *918th Grenadier Regiment (4 battalions) *242nd Artillery Regiment (3 battalions) *242nd Panzerjäger Battalion *242nd Reconnaissance Battalion *242nd Pioneer Battalion *242nd Signals Battalion *242nd Division Support Units The fourth battalions of all three Grenadier regiments were battalions of the

Ostlegionen ''Ostlegionen'' ("eastern legions"), ''Ost-Bataillone'' ("eastern battalions"), ''Osttruppen'' ("eastern troops"), and ''Osteinheiten'' ("eastern units") were units in the Army of Nazi Germany during World War II made up of personnel from the ...

conscripts from Poland and Russia.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:242nd Infantry Division (Wehrmacht) Infantry divisions of Germany during World War II Military units and formations established in 1943 Military units and formations disestablished in 1944