Together with the bombing raids, heavy artillery bombardments preceded the main thrust of J. Lawton Collins' VII Corps. Opposed to his units were the shattered forces of LXXXI Corps, commanded by Friedrich Köchling. The LXXXI Corps consisted of three divisions: the 3rd Panzergrenadier Division, the 246th Infantry Division and the 12th Volksgrenadier Division. Another unit, the 47th Volksgrenadier Division, was in the process of being transferred to the front. It was mostly made up of 18– and 19-year-old Luftwaffe personnel. All the German divisions were seriously understrength, but mobile artillery and tank reserves were available.