[4] After the 15th Army was cut off along the English Channel coast by the capture of Antwerp by Allied forces behind them, the Germans left behind garrisons in the coastal ports as "fortresses" to be defended to the end.

On August 30, the division contributed Lieutenant Colonel Ludwig Schroeder to command the Calais fortress, and possibly additional troops, as it and the rest of 15th Army withdrew from the coast.

On September 17, the division was located around Boxtel and its strength was reported at approximately 1,000 infantry with some artillery and anti-tank support.

[6][1] During this retreat, it was fortuitously situated close to the initial airborne landings of Operation Market Garden and immediately committed to defend against it.

[6] After Market-Garden, the Division continued to oppose Allied advances in this area, including assaults by the XII British Corps from the South through October and the early part of November.