Most (although not all) Volksgrenadier Divisions were based on earlier Infanterie Divisions, that had suffered heavy losses, particularly in the summer of 1944. A prime example being 352 VG Division which was formed in September '44 from the remains of 352 Infanterie Division which had been pretty much destroyed in Normandy. As mentioned above, not only did take they on new recruits, they also built on previous experiences, having more SMG's being a very noticeable feature.