Wilhelm Falley
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Wilhelm Falley | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 25 September 1897 |
| Died | 6 June 1944 (aged 46) |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance |  German Empire  Weimar Republic  Nazi Germany |
| Branch |  Imperial German Army Reichsheer German Army |
| Service years | 1914–1944 |
| Rank | Lieutenant general |
| Commands | 91st Infantry Division |
| Conflicts | World War I World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
| Relations | ∞ 1926 Hildegard Emma Amalie Maier (1905–1998); 1 son |
Wilhelm Ernst Gottlieb Falley (25 September 1897 – 6 June 1944) was the first German general to be killed during the Normandy landings in France. At the time, he was commander of the 91st Infantry Division.
Falley joined the Anhalt Infantry Regiment No. 93 as a volunteer on 4 December 1914 during the First World War. After his basic training, he was transferred to the front on 25 August 1915 as a lieutenant in the reserve. In early December 1916, Falley was transferred to the staff of the 7th Guards Infantry Regiment as a mortar officer.
After the end of the war, Falley was taken into active military service on 29 January 1919 and served as an ordnance officer on the staff of the 4th Guards Regiment on Foot. With the formation of the Provisional Reichswehr, he joined the Reichswehr Infantry Regiment 29 and was transferred to the Infantry Regiment 5 on 1 October 1920.
Promoted to major general on 1 December 1943 as commander of the 246th Infantry Division, and lieutenant general on 1 May 1944, he held various commands before being appointed commander of the 91st Infantry Division in April 1944.
