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Wilhelm Falley (1897–1944) was the first German general to be killed during the Normandy Landings in France. He was commander of the 91st Infantry Division. Falley was killed by a paratrooper of the US 82nd Airborne Division, near Sainte-Mère-Église, Normandy. ==Biography== Wilhelm Falley was born in Metz, Alsace-Lorraine ''(at that time a part of the German Empire)'', on September 25, 1897. Falley joined the Imperial German Army straight from school. Enlisted in the 93rd Infantry Regiment, he fought during the First World War as a junior officer. After the war, he continued his career in the army, gradually climbing the ranks. In 1936, Falley became an instructor at the military school in Munich. Falley was Company Commander twice during the 1930s in the 5th Infantry Regiment, first the 5th Company and later the 18th Company. Following two battalion commands, 3-238th Infantry and 2-433rd Infantry, Falley was appointed commander of the 4th Infantry Regiment on April 21, 1941. As a Lieutenant Colonel, he was awarded for bravery the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 26 November 1941. As a Colonel in February 1942, he became commander of an officers' school, until June 1943. Promoted to Major General (Generalmajor) in December 1943, and Lieutenant General (Generalleutnant) in May 1944, he held various commands before being appointed Commander of the 91st ''Luftlande Infanterie-Division'' in April 1944. Lieutenant General Wilhelm Falley was the first German general to fall in action during the Normandy landings. On D-Day, Falley was returning from Rennes, where a war game had been organized by the High Command, to his Division headquarters, in Picauville, near Sainte-Mère-Église. Ambushed, his car, riddled with bullets, crashed against a wall. Falley was shot by Malcolm D. Brannen, a 1st Lieutenant of Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne.〔''Das Mühlenanwesen bei Bernaville und der Tod des Generalleutnants Wilhelm Falley'' ()〕 Falley was buried in the German military cemetery at Orglandes. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Wilhelm Falley」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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