9th Infantry Division German made cut edge

9th Infantry Division German made cut edge Patch, original, WW2.

The 9th Infantry Division saw its first combat on November 8, 1942, during Operation Torch when its elements landed in Algiers, Safi, and Port Lyautey. With the collapse of the French resistance, on November 11, 1942, the division patrolled along the border of the Spanish Sahara.

In February 1943, the 9th was sent back to Tunisia where it was engaged in patrols and small defensive actions in particular towards Tébessa during the Battle of Kasserine. On March 28, 1943, he launched an attack in southern Tunisia, towards Gabès, then reached Bizerte on May 7.

In June 1943, the 9th took part in Operation Husky, landed in Palermo, and captured Randazzo and Messina. The division is then directed to England where it undergoes extensive training.

On June 10, 1944, the 9th Division landed at Utah Beach (D-Day + 4) with the mission of cutting the Cotentin peninsula (which it did on June 18 at Barneville-Carteret), then pushing on Cherbourg and taking the city1

After a brief rest, the unit was engaged in July 1944 in the fighting around Saint-Lô and in August took part in the fighting in the Falaise Pocket, then pursued the German troops that had escaped from the pocket towards the east. .

On August 28 the 9th Division crossed the Marne, crossed Sarrelouis, then held defensive positions from Montjoie to Losheim in November-December 1944 before moving north to Bergrath, then launching, on December 10, an attack in the direction of the Roer, while holding Echtz and Schlich.

From mid-December to January 1945, during the Ardennes Offensive, the division held defensive positions from Kalterherberg to Elsenborn.

On January 30, 1945 the division leaving from Monschau crosses the Roer arrives on the Rhine, in Remagen, on March 7. After taking and setting up a bridgehead, the 9th Division crossed the Remagen bridge, closed the Ruhr pocket, before traveling, from April 14, 1945, 240 km eastward reaching Nordhausen and attacking the troops. German forces in the Harz mountains, until April 20. On April 21, the division joined the 3rd DBUS along the Mulde River near Dessau, and held that line until VE Day.