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4th Parachute Division (Germany)

German WWII airborne division

Field	Value
unit_name	4th Parachute Division
native_name
image	4. Fallschirmjäger Division.png
image_size	140px
caption	Divisional insignia
dates	1943–45
country	Nazi Germany
branch	Luftwaffe
type	Fallschirmjäger
size	Division
command_structure	I Parachute Corps
notable_commanders	Heinrich Trettner
battles	Battle of Anzio

The 4th Parachute Division, (), was a divisional-sized formation in the Luftwaffe during World War II.

History

It was formed in Venice, Italy, in November 1943, from elements of the 2 Fallschirmjäger Division and the XII Battalion of the Italian paratrooper regiment 184th Infantry Regiment "Nembo". Its first combat action was against the Allied landings at Anzio (Operation Shingle) as part of the I. Fallschirm Korps in January 1944.

After Anzio, the division fought a rear guard action in front of Rome, and was the last German unit to leave the city on 4 June; it withdrew towards Viterbo Siena Firenze and then managed to halt the Allies at the Futa pass.

In the winter of 1944/1945 it was positioned on the Gothic Line. In March 1945, the division had to send the II Battalion, 12 Fallschirmjäger Regiment and the 2nd Company from the Pionier Battalion to the new 10 Fallschirmjager Division, which was being formed in Austria.

War crimes

The division has been implicated in Pedescala massacre (Veneto), between 30 April and 2 May 1945, when 63 civilians were executed.

Order of battle

Structure of the division:

Headquarters
10th Parachute Regiment
11th Parachute Regiment
12th Parachute Regiment
4th Parachute Artillery Regiment
4th Parachute Tank Destroyer Battalion
4th Parachute Engineer Battalion
4th Parachute Signal Battalion
4th Parachute Anti-Aircraft Battalion
4th Parachute Heavy Mortar Battalion
4th Parachute Field Replacement Battalion
4th Parachute Divisional Supply Group

Commander

Heinrich Trettner

References

;Citations ;Bibliography

Quarrie Bruce, German Airborne Divisions: Mediterranean Theatre 1942–45, Osprey Publishing, 2005,
Windrow Martin, Luftwaffe Airborne and Field Units, Osprey Publishing, 1972,

References

"axis.history".
Quarrie, p 46
It then fought at [[Rimini]] and [[Bologna]] and surrendered to the Allies on May 2, 1945.Windrow, p 17
"Pedescala Valdastico 30.4.1945–2.5.1945". Atlas of Nazi and Fascist Massacres in Italy.
"4. Fallschirm-Jäger-Division". Atlas of Nazi and Fascist Massacres in Italy.
"German Order of Battle, 291st–999th Infantry Division, named infantry divisions, and special divisions in World War II".

Info: Wikipedia Source

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fallschirmjäger-divisions military-units-and-formations-established-in-1943 military-units-and-formations-disestablished-in-1945 war-crimes-of-the-wehrmacht

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