Transferred to south west France as a static division in June manning on the coastal defenses in the Gironde / Bordeaux region.

(2) The 708th division was split up on 2 July with the 360th regiment along with two fortress battalions and batteries remaining in the Gironde position under the command of Generalmajor Edgar Arndt.

Over the next three days fierce night and street fighting between Aaron and Mayenne erupted which almost destroyed the Kampfgruppe with the remainder retreating towards Sille Le Guilliame and Domfront on 9 August.

Kampfgruppe Oberst Kutzen defending Laval and the Laval Luftwaffe airfield (elements of 91st Infantry Division, 17th SS, 708 Fusilier battalion, Flak Abteilung 842, 124 and members of the V &VI companies of Sicherungs Regiment 195) many were caught in a pincer movement and surrounded (1667 prisoners) with escaping units retreating towards Le Mans on the route National.

The division reorganised and prepared a new blocking line as more elements of the 9th Panzer arrived to defend Le Mans, again being savaged at Evron and Saint Suzanne (where majority of the artillery regiment was destroyed or captured) retreating through Sillé-le-Guillaume north towards Alençon, several hasty kampfgruppes were thrown together to prevent the breakthrough, however against overwhelming odds the front had collapsed by the 10th.

II Abteilung 12 x 7.62cm IKH 290(r) in II./1708 Art 76 mm M1927 regimental guns were placed into service as the 7.62 cm Infanteriekanonehaubitze 290(r), horse drawn.