The 243. Infanterie-Division was formed in July 1943 by the redesignation of Division B which had been undergoing formation from convalescents of the 387. Infanterie-Division. The division was largely destroyed in June 1944 defending the Cotentin peninsula. The remnants fought on as a Kampfgruppe until the division was formally disbanded on 12 September 1944.

Commanders

Generalmajor Hermann von Witzleben (? Aug 1943 - 10 Jan 1944)
Generalleutnant Heinz Hellmich (10 Jan 1944 - 17 June 1944) (KIA) (1)
Generalmajor Bernhard Klosterkemper (17 June 1944 - 26 Sep 1944)

Operations Officers (Ia)

Hauptmann Dahman (1943)
Major Erhard Gemmrig (1 Feb 1944-5 Sep 1944)

Area of operations

Austria (Aug 1943 - Oct 1943)
France (Oct 1943 - Sep 1944)

Order of battle (1944)

Grenadier-Regiment 920
Grenadier-Regiment 921
Grenadier-Regiment 922
Artillerie-Regiment 243
Pionier-Bataillon 243
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 243
Nachrichten-Abteilung 243
Feldersatz-Bataillon 243
Versorgungseinheiten 243

Attached Heerestruppe:
Panzer-Abteilung 206 (equipped with 20 x Hotchkiss H-39, 10 x Somua S-35, 2 x Renault R-35, 6 x Renault Char B1 bis)

Footnotes

1. Heinz Hellmich was killed on 17 June 1944 by a strafing Allied fighter plane.

Sources used

French Maclean - Quiet Flows the Rhine: German General Officer Casualties in World War II
Georg Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht 1933-1945
Steven J. Zaloga – Osprey Campaign 104: D-Day 1944 (2) – Utah Beach & the US Airborne Landings

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -