Each Platoon Troop was allotted 2 light 350cc motorcycles (for the messengers), 1 4-seat personnel carrier, and 1 Raupenschlepper Ost tracked prime mover. Each Company Troop was allotted 5 light draft horses. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Each Mortar Squad was allotted 8 infantry carts (1 light draft horse for every 2 carts) and 1 Pleskau 2 wagon drawn by 2 light draft horses. The Heavy Company supplanted the Machine Gun Companies as the Infantry Battalions' integral fire support formation. The remaining 3 horses were riding horses for the Company Commander and 2 Messengers. The German Army would have been rolling with 13-man rifle squads during the invasion of Poland in 1939. 1× 12cm Mortar Platoon (1 Officer and 46 Enlisted), 2× Motor Vehicle Drivers (Kraftwagenfahrer), Grenadier (OR-1) to Obergefreiter (OR-3) mounted on 350cc motorcycles, Unteroffizier (OR-4) to Unterfeldwebel (OR-6), armed with 1 MP40 submachine gun, , Grenadier (OR-1) to Obergefreiter (OR-3), armed with 1 Kar98k rifle each (2 Mortar Crew per squad could man light machine guns and were armed with 1 pistol and 1 machine gun each rather than rifles). Machine gun companies of infantry regiments had their guns mounted on two-horse carriages. The 15cm sIG 33 (Sf) auf Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf. The commander was armed with a machine pistol and a semi-automatic pistol, while the NCO was unusually author-ised just a pistol. Infantry company teams within combined arms battalions (CABs) in the Armored brigade combat team (ABCT). Not to mention the early-war rifle company anti-tank rifle sections were removed, although this was probably offset by the introduction of superior man-portable anti-tank weapons. This would mean about 12 Panzerfausts per rifle platoon if distributed equally, or 4 per squad. Its chief was Colonel General Keitel. If a squad were to lose its machine gun, those personnel were typically redistributed to squads that still had one. This made for a platoon total of 12 infantry carts, 2 wagons, 10 light draft horses, and 1 riding horse. Two additional 300-round ammo boxes were carried by the riflemen. In 1927, Germany’s leading artillery maker, Rheinmetall, received an order for a new, lightweight 75mm gun for the infantry. Assault Gun or Self-Propelled Artillery Battalion Combat Engineers Battalion Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion Tank Regiment Tank Battalion; Tank Battalion Mechanized Infantry Regiment Mechanized Infantry Battalion; Road Motorized Infantry Battalion; Road Motorized Infantry Battalion Mechanized Infantry Regiment Mechanized Infantry Battalion These Machine-gun Companies were numbered 1, 2 and 3 throughout the entire regiment. A Machine Gun Training Centre was also established at Grantham in England. The German armored and infantry attacks were preceded by the shelling of the American positions with at least 657 light, medium, and heavy guns and howitzers and 340 multiple rocket launchers. This division consisted of three infantry regiments (about 2,000 men each), o… Each Platoon Troop was allotted 1 riding horse for the Platoon Commander. Three riflemen from Company A did the same. What I mean by that is that it used parts of two distinct K.St.N. , the German Army's heavy weapons companies, from May 1944 to the end of World War II. However, they did look different from the rifle platoons at the start of the war. Harry Stemple, William L. Adams, and Rodney M. Jennings climbed aboard Panther 127 and took over one of its machine guns, probably the antiaircraft MG 34. An additional 4 light draft horses hauled the components of the field kitchen. In the company's baggage train, the horse-related billets were reduced from 5 drivers from the buck and 1 driver from the sattle to just 4 drivers from the buck. Explosions ripped through E Company, killing a platoon leader and an entire 12-man rifle squad and knocking out the company’s antitank guns. ), Heavy Company of the Infantry Battalion (New Type). Although there was provision for fire and maneuver in the rifle squads (the lowest tactical unit), with the machine gun team supporting riflemen in an assault, more often than not (especially in the defense) the riflemen would essentially act as protection for the machine gun. B was the first attempt to test the performance of this concept. Before 1943, these 2 boxes would have been carried by an ammunition bearer (a third member for the LMG Team). For comparison, each, 1× Company Troop Leader (Kompanietruppführer), to Unterfeldwebel (OR-6), armed with 1 Kar98k, , Grenadier (OR-1) to Obergefreiter (OR-3), , mounted on saddle horses, armed with 1 Kar98k rifle each (1 also acts as a Horse Leader), → 2× Field Cable Troops (Feldkabeltruppen), 1× Field Cable Troop Leader (Feldkabeltruppenführer), Unteroffizier (OR-4) to Unterfeldwebel (OR-6) for 1 troop and Grenadier (OR-1) to Obergefreiter (OR-3) for the other troop, armed with 1 MP40 submachine gun, 3× Telephone Operators/Wiremen (Fernsprecher Mannschaften), Grenadier (OR-1) to Obergefreiter (OR-3), armed with 1 Kar98k. The German motorized infantry division represents a definite step in the direction of the armored division as shown by its organization: Strength: Approximately 15,000 officers and enlisted men. German Organisation in WW2. BBX49 Parachute Company (Plastic) BBX53 Rifle Company (Plastic) BR701 BEF Company HQ; BR702 BEF Rifle Platoon; BR704 BEF Machine-gun Platoon; BR728 Vickers MMG Platoon; BR729 3-inch Mortar Platoon; BR741 Company HQ (8th Army) BR742 Rifle Platoon (8th Army) The machine guns were redistributed to the rifle companies in the light role. (May 1944, The following was the organization of the, Schwere Kompanie eines Infanteriebataillons (n.A. from tripods). (See Figures 40 to 50.) Approximately 36 Panzerfausts were meant to be available to each rifle company to be distributed as needed depending on the situation. The field cook was then given double-duty of a horse driver from the buck. The smaller infantry divisions had some 15,000 men and were less heavily armed. The three runners carried rifles, as did the wagon driver. The German armored divisions in … Known as the Infantry Division 1944, this new formation had a strength of 12,772 men as opposed to the 17,734 soldiers of a division in 1939, although its firepower had actually increased. Each heavy machine gun team had 2 infantry carts hauled by 1 light draft horse. In the second of this series on the men behind the counters I look at the workhorse of the German army, the infantry platoon.. Hitler was commander-in-chief of the Wehrmacht, i.e. German SS Panzergrenadier Company (Motorized) (1944-45) Headquarters 3 Rifle Platoons Headquarters 3 Squads 2 x 9mm SMG 1 x PSK 2 x 7.92mm LMG 2 x G98 Rifle (Assistant LMG Gunners) 4 x G98 Rifle Weapons Platoon Headquarters 2 HMG Squads 2 HMG Sections 1 x 7.92mm HMG Mortar Squad 2 Mortar Sections 1 x 81mm Mortar Anti-tank Squad 4 x PSK. There was a mountain gun variant, the 7.5 cm le.GebIG 18. In 1939 the GermanReich was divided into thirteen geographical military districts, each of which provided the pe… In March 1939, theWehrmacht Supreme Command Oberkommando der Wehrmacht – or OKW for short – was founded to control the operations of the German armed forces. German infantry tactics in WWII emphasized an aggressive offense with t… In 1941, each rifle platoon had 4 rifle squads (10 men each) and a light mortar troop. Second, the main source for this is the US Manual “German Squad in Combat” from the Military Intelligence Service released in January 1943. The rifle platoon was the lowest level where fire and maneuver could practically take place. There was also an MG-42 or MG-34 machine gun in the light role that would be used by the Schreiber. The assistant machine gunner carried 4 additional 50-round belt drums as the first-line ammo load and a 300-round ammo box. In 1914, each rifle company was supported by a heavy machine gun … Infantry Regiments, each with three Infantry Battalions, an Infantry Gun Company and an Infantry Anti -tank Company. 1× Company HQ Section Leader (Kompanietruppführer), 1× Vehicle Leader (Führer der Gefechtsfahrzeuge), , Unteroffizier (OR-4) mounted on a bicycle, armed with 1 pistol, , Grenadier (OR-1) to Obergefreiter (OR-3), , armed with 1 Kar98k rifle each (1 mounted on a bicycle), , Grenadier (OR-1) to Obergefreiter (OR-3), Each company troop was allotted one light draft horse that hauled 2 infantry carts (infanteriekarren), 1× ​Administrative First Sergeant (Hauptfeldwebel), , Unteroffizier (OR-4), armed with 1 MP40 submachine gun, 1× Field Cook NCO (Feldkochunteroffizier), 1× Writer/Machine Gunner (Schreiber/M.G.Schütze), 1× Armorer Assistant (Waffenmeistergehilfe), , Grenadier (OR-1) to Obergefreiter (OR-3), armed with 1 Kar98k rifle each, 1× Pay Clerk/Food Supply NCO (Verpflegungsunteroffizier), , Grenadier (OR-1) to Obergefreiter (OR-3), armed with 1 Kar98k rifle. As far as the rifle platoons were concerned, there were no major changes since the last organizaitonal change. This obviously varied and it could be expected under normal circumstances, Panzerfausts would be hauled in the platoon or company wagons when not needed. to form one of the companies of the battalion. Afterward, the German Reichswehr placed light artillery in the infantry order of battle. From 1943, the lack of available replacements for the Wehrmacht began to become apparent, reducing the division’s TOE strength and introducing a new organization. This is based upon the organization laid out in KStN … ", The following was the organization of the. The riflemen themselves were not competent at covering a maneuvering machine gun. The army was led by the Army High Command Oberkommando des Heeres – OKH for short – with its general staff. The number of infantry carts per platoon was also reduced from 3 carts to 2 carts. By piecing together these K.St.N. This was almost certainly done to lean out the rifle companies to cope with an increasingly desperate manpower situation. ), or Heavy Company of the Infantry Battalion (New Type), the German Army's heavy weapons companies, from May 1944 to the end of World War II. Two important points, first a squad rarely acted alone on the battlefield, it was used in coordination with other squads of its platoon and/or company. ", Schwere Kompanie eines Infanteriebataillons (n.A.) and using the gliederung as a guide I think I … This bears many similarities to Western and German formations, with the obvious exception of the Political Officer (Com- Originally the German antitank company, which is organically a part of the infantry regiment, had 12, 37-mm antitank guns and four light machine guns. Again shellfire erupted, hitting another M10, which burst into flames. KStN 151n "Schwere Kompanie eins Infanteriebataillons (n.A.)" For transport, the mountain variant could be broken down into six to ten packs, the heaviest weighing 74.9 kg. THE GERMAN WORLD WAR II ORGANIZATIONAL SERIES 1/I 01.09.39 Mechanized Army Formations and Waffen-SS Formations (3rd Revised Edition) 1/II-1 01.09.39 1 st and 2 nd Welle Army Infantry Divisions 1/II-2 01.09.39 3 rd and 4 th Welle Army Infantry Divisions 1/III 01.09.39 Higher Headquarters — Mechanized GHQ Units — Static Units (2nd Revised Edition) The Men Behind the Counters The German Infantry Platoon By Dave Murray January 2013. Thus, the ammo boxes would be carried by hand. 1× ​Administrative First Sergeant (Hauptfeldwebel), Unteroffizier (OR-4) to Unterfeldwebel (OR-6) mounted on horse, , Unteroffizier (OR-4) to Unterfeldwebel (OR-6), armed with 1 pistol, Unteroffizier (OR-4) to Unterfeldwebel (OR-6), 1× Field Cook NCO (Feldkochunteroffizier), , Grenadier (OR-1) to Obergefreiter (OR-3), armed with 1 Kar98k rifle each, , Grenadier (OR-1) to Obergefreiter (OR-3), armed with 1 Kar98k rifle, 1× Writer/Machine Gunner (Schreiber/M.G.Schütze), , Grenadier (OR-1) to Obergefreiter (OR-3), armed with 1 pistol, 1× Food Supply NCO (Verpflegungsunteroffizier), 1× Heavy Machine Gun Platoon (1 Officer and 54 Enlisted), 1× Armorer Assistant (Waffenmeistergehilfe), , Grenadier (OR-1) to Obergefreiter (OR-3), , armed with 1 MG42/MG34 machine gun (heavy role) and 1 pistol, , Grenadier (OR-1) to Obergefreiter (OR-3), armed with 1 Kar98k rifle each. The concept of mounting a heavy infantry gun on a tank chassis was born out of the need for providing the German infantry formations with more mobile artillery support. Personnel authorized Kar98k rifles had an ammunition load of 9x 5-round clips (45 rounds) on the march and 12x 5-round clips (60 rounds) in combat. One light draft horse and 2 infantry carts were allotted to each of the Company Troop's 2 Field Cable Troops. The crew was protected by an armoured shield. Each Platoon Troop was allotted 2 Pleskau 2 wagons (each drawn by 2 light draft horses) and 1 riding horse for the Platoon Commander. Additionally, the Company Troop had 1 Sd Kfz 2 "Kettenkrad" light half track tractor which one of the Messengers was mounted on. In combat, up to 2 grenades (Model 24 stick or Model 39 hand grenades) could be carried by each member of a rifle squad. The heavy-weapons company of the infantry battalion includes an infantry howitzer platoon. The regimental infantry howitzer company is equipped with 120-mm mortars and 75-mm infantry howitzers only, and the regimental antitank company has been replaced by a bazooka company equipped with 72 bazookas. , the German Army's standard rifle company, from May 1944 to the end of World War II. This should not be confused with the. The mortar squad was allotted 1 3-ton truck and 4 Raupenschlepper Ost tracked prime movers. Personnel authorized submachine guns had a standard ammunition carriage of 6x 32-round magazines (192 rounds) carried in 2 3-cell ammunition pouches. 3× Platoons (0-1 Officer and 32-33 Enlisted Each), 1× Deputy Squad Leader (Stellvertreter Gruppenführer), , Grenadier (OR-1) to Obergefreiter (OR-3), armed with 1 MP40 submachine gun, , armed with 1 MG42/MG34 machine gun and 1 pistol, 1× Assistant Machine Gunner (M.G.Schütze 2). The type ‘a’ consisted of a Battalion Headquarters (which included the Commander’s staff, a Communication Detachment and the Battalion Trains), three Rifle Companies There was also an additional Machine Gun Company but these were considered to be independent of the other companies, being of a different strength and structure. Unlike in the U.S. Army and British Army, there were no special pouches or bags for carrying ammo for squad-level auomatic weapons or machine gun belts. There were no revolutionary changes to the standard German rifle company throughout the war, although minor, more incremental changes did occur. Pfcs. Each of the Machine Gun Teams was allotted 1 light draft horse that pulled 2 infantry carts. The primary changes from late-1943 to this organization was the movement of the 81mm mortars from the rifle companies to this battalion-level formation and the reduction in machine guns from 3 machine gun platoons (total of 12 guns) to 1 machine gun platoon (total of 6 guns). Going through the documents it actually got more interesting as this unit actually had a split company. Mind this was also after a reduction in manpower. 1 Company Troop; 1 Baggage Train; 3 Rifle Platoons; 1 Heavy Machine Gun Squad; Discussion The German Infantry Handbook 1939-1945: [Alex Buchner, pioneer, Covers formations, rifle columns, light infantry weapons, equipment, rank insignia, armament, rifle groups, recon, the company, panzerjäger units, support services and operational histories of the German infantry., strength, veterinary units] on Amazon.com. 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