20 January 1943 Part 5

20 January 1943 Refitting and bringing major formations to readiness Annex 15

LXXXIV Army Corps Headquarters, Ia 139/43, top secret. To Seventh Army; reference Army Ia 5809/42 of 4 January 1943.

1. The duties and organisation of the reception organisation are set out in the enclosed corps order Ia 58/43 (Enclosure 1). After the departure of the 165th Division, the 319th Infantry Division will provide the reception cadres for the 13th Companies and 3rd Batteries; the 709th and 716th Infantry Divisions will provide those for the 14th Companies.

2. The proposed accommodation area for a division from the Eastern Front is shown in Enclosure 2. The accommodation has been reconnoitred. Most can be provided on a barracks basis in schools, seminaries, hotels, spa establishments and empty huts. District Chief A or B should be made responsible for the detailed preparation.

3. Proposed reception centres: one battalion at Argentan, accommodation for 1,200 men and fixed cooking facilities for 700; one battalion at Vire, 1,500 and 900 respectively; one battalion at Mayenne, 1,000 and 1,000; one artillery battalion at Domfront, 1,100 and 300.

4. Formation of the reception organisation has been prepared according to a timetable. Experience shows that feeding arriving replacement transports is difficult until the divisional units or new equipment arrive. Corps Headquarters has therefore planned to detach field kitchens and lorries for provisioning. To avoid reducing the mobility of the deployed divisions in combat or when shifting reserves, the corps proposes that the Army provide these vehicles now.

Enclosed map: accommodation area for a division from the Eastern Front.

T-314 Roll 1604, T314_R1604_English_Translation.docx. 20 January 1943 | Source PDF pages 44–45. Selected island-related text; document or report date governs placement.