Structure of an infantry division of the Wehrmacht

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The structure of an infantry division of the Wehrmacht and its equipment were different. The designation waveform was used to distinguish between the two . The infantry - divisions of a wave were identical in strength and equipment.

The infantry divisions of the 1st wave of formation of the Wehrmacht were large units that were established between 1934 and 1939. The infantry division of the 1st wave of formation had the following strengths according to the war strength certificate (KStN): 518 officers , 102 officials, 2,573 NCOs and 13,667 men .

According to the War Equipment Certificate (KAN), the armament consisted of: 3,681 pistols , 12,609 carbines 98k , 312 submachine guns 40 , 90 anti- tank rifles 38 or 39 , 425 light machine guns 34 , 110 heavy machine guns 34 with field mounts, 84 light 5 cm grenade launchers 36 , 54 8 , 1 cm grenade launchers 34 , 75 3.7 cm PaK 36 , 20 7.5 cm light infantry guns 18 , 6 15 cm infantry guns 33 , 36 10.5 cm light field howitzers 18 , 12 15 cm heavy field howitzers 18 , 9 flamethrowers 35 and 3 light armored cars Sd.Kfz. 221 .

Horses and vehicles were available: 1743 riding horses, 3632 draft horses for the artillery and 895 drawn vehicles, 31 with trailers, 500 bicycles, 530 motorcycles, 190 with sidecars, 394 passenger cars, 536 trucks with 67 trailers.

Structure of the 5th Inf.Div (1st wave of deployment) of the Wehrmacht in 1940
Division troops Inf.Div. 1st wave

Division staff

(Strength: 98 officers and men); Commander ( major general or lieutenant general )

Management department

Adjutancy

  • IIa Division adjutant (major, officers' personnel matters)
  • IIb representative division adjutant (captain, personnel matters of NCOs and men)
  • III Divisional Court Martial (Judge-Martial)

Quartermaster's Department

  • Ib 2nd General Staff Officer (Major, Head of Quartermaster's Department)
  • O2 2nd orderly officer (assistant to Ib)
  • Ib / WuG (captain, supplement, replenishment and maintenance of weapons, ammunition and equipment of all kinds)
  • Ib / Kfz (captain, replacement, replenishment and repair of vehicles.)
  • IVa Divisionsintendant (directorate, provision of food, food, clothing and equipment)
  • IVb division doctor (senior physician, superior of all medical services in the division)
  • IVc division veterinarian (senior staff veterinarian, superior of all veterinary services in the division)
  • IVd Catholic and Protestant pastor
  • IVz staff paymaster with billing center (payment of military wages, etc.)
  • Motorbike reporting train
  • Card office, printer train

Combat troops

Infantry regiment

3 infantry regiments (respective strength: 75/7/493/2474 [officers / civil servants / NCOs / men])

  • Regimental staff with commander of the infantry regiment ( colonel ), adjutant, orderly officer, intelligence officer
  • Regimental news train
    • Platoon leader ( lieutenant ), also intelligence officer of the regiment, mounted
    • Platoon with radio master, mounted, 2 communication mechanics
    • 1 small telephone troop a, 2 medium telephone troops a
    • 4 backpack radio teams d
    • 2 four-horse telephone cars, 1 two-horse small radio car
  • Regimental cavalry
    • Platoon leader ( Oberfeldwebel )
    • Platoon troop
    • 3 groups of riders (respective strength: 1/7)
    • 1 two-horse combat vehicle with driver and blacksmith, 1 small field kitchen with driver and 2 field cooks, 1 accounting officer with bicycle
  • Regimental spy train
    • Platoon leader (lieutenant), mounted
    • Train troop with train troop leader, 3 detectors, horse keeper, medical sergeant with bicycle
    • 6 pioneer groups (each strength: 1/9)
    • 3 two-horse equipment cars, 1 two-horse gas protection car
  • Regimental music
    • 37 musicians (2 large and 2 small flutes in C, 2 oboes, 2 bassoons, 9 clarinets, 4 French horns, 2 soprano cornets, 2 tenor horns, 1 baritone tuba, 4 bass tuba, 4 trumpeters, 3 trombones, 1 snare drum, 1 bass drum)
  • Infantry gun company (covered) with 6 light 7.5 cm and 2 heavy 15 cm infantry guns
    • Company commander (captain), mounted
    • Company team with intelligence officer, 3 telephones, 3 detectors, 2 surveyors, 2 computers, 1 rangefinder, 1 horse keeper (mounted) and 1 four-horse observation car with 2 drivers from the saddle
    • 3 light infantry gun platoons with 2 light 7.5 cm infantry guns each and 2 four-horse ammunition trailers (one per battalion)
    • 1 heavy infantry gun train with 2 heavy 15 cm infantry guns and 2 four-horse ammunition trailers
    • Combat train with a large field kitchen, field blacksmith car, metal smith, forage master
    • Catering pack
    • Baggage train
  • Panzerjäger company (motorized) with 12 anti-tank guns 3.7 cm and 4 light machine guns
    • Company commander (first lieutenant)
    • Company squad
    • 4 anti-tank trains with 3 anti-tank guns each 3.7 cm (6 soldiers per gun) and light machine-gun troop (3 soldiers) (one per battalion)
    • War train
  • 3 infantry battalions (respective strength: 14/1/846 NCOs and men)
    • Battalion headquarters
    • News relay
      • Squadron Leader (Sergeant)
      • 2 small telephone crews a
      • 4 backpack radio teams d
      • 1 two-horse communication equipment car
    • Infantry pioneer platoon (this only met when necessary from specially trained soldiers from the infantry companies)
    • 3 rifle companies each with 12 light machine guns, 3 light grenade launchers, 3 anti-tank rifles
      • Company commander (captain), mounted
      • Company team with squad leader, 4 detectors, 2 detectors with bicycles, 1 horse keeper, 2 paramedics
      • 3 rifle platoons (respective strength: 1/0/6/43) with platoon leader, platoon troop, 4 groups and grenade launcher troop
      • 3 anti-tank rifles (each strength: 1/6) with 3 anti-tank rifles each
      • Battalion with sergeant major , battalion commander, weapons and equipment sergeant , 3 two-horse combat vehicles, 2 field cooks with four-horse field kitchen
      • Catering convoy I with Fourier, two-horse field catering wagon with driver
      • Catering group II with catering sergeant, 3 t truck with driver and co-driver
      • Baggage train with accountant, assistant accountant, tailor, shoemaker, saddler, motorcyclist with sidecar wheel, 3 ton truck with driver and co-driver for the company office, 3 ton truck with driver and co-driver for the soldiers' luggage
    • Machine gun company with 12 heavy machine guns, 6 heavy 8.1 cm grenade launchers
      • Company commander (captain)
      • Company troop with troop leader, observation sergeant, 2 directional sergeants, 1 rangefinder, 2 bike detectors, 1 reporting rider, 1 horse keeper, news relay
      • 3 heavy machine gun platoons with platoon leader, platoon troop, 2 groups with 2 heavy machine guns each
      • Heavy grenade launcher platoon with platoon leader, platoon troop, 3 groups each with 2 heavy 8.1 cm grenade launchers
      • hawser
  • light infantry column
    • Coloneman, mounted
    • 2 motorcyclists
    • 3 trains with 8 two-horse vehicles each

All units in the regiment, with the exception of staff vehicles and the tank destroyer company, were drawn.

Artillery Regiment

(Thickness: 114/10/427/2321)

  • Staff with commander (Colonel), adjutant, 1st and 2nd orderly officer, artillery liaison officer, intelligence officer, catering officer, regimental doctor, regimental veterinarian, Ia clerk, armorer, equipment officer, radio master
  • Stick battery
    • Artillery Liaison Command (AVKo)
    • News train
    • Artillery survey team
    • Printer train
    • Weather train
  • 3 light artillery divisions (each strength: 20/2/82/505) (depending on cooperation, one per regiment)
    • Staff with commander (major), adjutant, orderly officer, intelligence platoon leader, artillery survey troop leader, department doctor, department veterinarian, purser, Ia Schreiber
    • Stick battery
      • Message train with 1 medium telephone group a (four-in-hand), 1 medium telephone group b (two-in-hand), 1 large telephone group a (six-in-hand), 2 backpack radio troops b (on foot), 2 backpack radio troops b (mounted)
      • Artillery Liaison Force (AVT)
      • Survey crew
    • 3 batteries each with 4 light field howitzers 10.5 cm and 2 light MG (strength: 4/0/30/137)
      • Battery chief (captain) with command team
      • Surveying squadron with observation officer, observation sergeant, Richtkreis NCO I, computing squad leader, scissor telescope NCO
      • News relay with news sergeant, 2 field cable troops on foot, 2 telephone troops mounted, 2 radio troops on foot
      • 2 gun squadrons with battery officer, Richtkreis Unteroffizier II, fire control sergeant, 2 light field howitzers 10.5 cm, 2 light machine guns
      • 1st and 2nd ammunition squadron with 4 ammunition wagons each
      • Combat convoy I with field kitchen, supply sergeant, repair team, service engineer
      • Catering group II with accountant, office
      • Luggage train with saddler, cobbler, tailor
    • Artillery column (motorized) with 36 t loading capacity
  • heavy artillery division
    • Staff, news relay and survey train
    • 3 batteries each with 4 heavy field howitzers 15 cm and 2 light MG
    • Artillery column (motorized) with 36 t loading capacity

All units in the regiment, except staff vehicles, were drawn.

Intelligence department

(Thickness: 19/2/90/512)

  • Staff with commander ( Rittmeister ), adjutant, orderly officer, leader of the intelligence train, department doctor, department veterinarian, leader of the maintenance squadron, chief paymaster
  • Detector relay with 5 bicycle and 5 motorcycle detectors
  • News train (strength: 1/29 NCOs and men) with telephone troop (motorized), radio squad a (motorized), 3 knapsack radio squad b (mounted), telephone squad (mounted), communications equipment car (horse drawn)
  • Cavalry squadron with 9 light machine guns
    • Squadron Chief (Rittmeister)
    • Squadron Troop
    • 3 cavalry units (each strength: 1/42 NCOs and men) with 1 platoon and 3 groups each
    • Carriage (strength: 28 NCOs and men) with 1 horse-drawn field kitchen, 6 horse-drawn wagons, 1 horse-drawn field smithy
  • Bicycle squadron with 9 light machine guns, 2 heavy machine guns and 3 light grenade launchers
    • Squadron Chief (Rittmeister)
    • Squadron Troop
    • 3 bicycle trains with 1 platoon leader each, 3 detectors and 3 groups (12 soldiers each with 1 light machine gun), light grenade launchers
    • heavy platoon with platoon leader, platoon troop, sMG squadron with 2 heavy machine guns
    • War train
    • Catering pack
    • Baggage train
  • heavy squadron with 2 light infantry guns 7.5 cm, 3 anti-tank guns 3.7 cm and 3 light armored cars
    • Squadron Chief (Rittmeister)
    • Squadron Troop
    • Cavalry gun platoon with 2 light 7.5 cm infantry guns, in six horses
    • Pakistani train with 3 3.7 cm Pak, 1 light MG
    • Armored reconnaissance troop with 2 armored reconnaissance vehicles, armored radio vehicles
    • Combat convoy with field kitchen (motorized), ammunition truck, repair truck, fuel truck
    • Catering pack
    • Baggage train

Panzerjäger detachment

(Strength: 550 soldiers)

  • Staff with Commander (Major)
  • News train
  • 3 tank destroyer companies each with 12 anti-tank guns 3.7 cm and 6 light machine guns (one per regiment)
    • Company commander (first lieutenant)
    • Company squad
    • 4 tank destroyer platoons each with 3 anti-tank guns 3.7 cm each with 6 soldiers and 1 light machine-gun troop with 3 soldiers
    • War train
  • hawser

All units in the department were motorized.

Engineer Battalion

(Thickness: 17/1/60/442)

  • Staff with commander (major), officer z. b. V., adjutant, catering officer, battalion doctor, assistant doctor, battalion veterinarian and staff
  • Message train (Strength: 1/0/4/27)
  • Battalion music (music master and 27 musicians)
  • 1st and 2nd engineer company (hauled) with 9 light machine guns, 3 anti-tank rifles, 3 flame throwers each
    • Company commander (captain)
    • Company team (strength: 1/7) with 2 riding horses, 1 car, 2 motorcycles
    • 3 platoons with 52 pioneers each, with platoon troops (strength: 1/5), 3 pioneer groups (each strength: 1/14)
    • Ammunition and machine troops with 14 soldiers and 3 trucks, 2 of them with trailers (compressed air generator)
    • Battle corps with two-horse field wagons, field kitchen
    • Catering convoy I and II with two-horse field wagons, medium-sized trucks
    • Baggage train with medium-sized trucks
  • 3. Engineers company (motorized) with (strength: 4 officers and 194 NCOs and men) 6 cars, 16 group trucks and 7 motorcycles
  • Bridge column B (mot.) (Strength: 2/0/13/87)
    • Group leaders (strength: 1 officer and 5 non-commissioned officers and men) with 1 car and 3 bikes
    • 1st pontoon train (strength: 1 officer and 35 NCOs and men) with 1 car, 1 motorcycle, 4 medium-sized half-track towing vehicles, each with an attached two-axle pontoon wagon (one half-pontoon on top), 4 medium-sized lorries with one two-axle pontoon wagon attached Half pontoon), 2 trucks with attached trestle wagons, 2 medium-sized trucks with 2 attached bank beam wagons, medium-sized truck with a single-axle trailer for 1 motorboat
    • 2nd pontoon train (strength: 36 NCOs and men) as 1st pontoon train, but with a two-axle trailer with 6 assault boats on it
    • Supplementary train (strength 8 soldiers) with a sidecar motorcycle, 2 medium-sized trucks with 2 attached ramp cars, medium-sized truck with a single-axle ferry cable trailer
    • Catering and baggage train (strength: 1 officer, 15 NCOs and men) with 1 motorized field kitchen, 2 sidecar bikes, 1 light truck, 1 fuel truck
  • light pioneer column (hauled)
    • Column leader
    • 3 trains with 3 two-horse vehicles each

News department

  • Staff with commander (major), adjutant, head of the news operations (LdN), technical inspector, leader of the motor vehicle. Repair team, department doctor, paymaster
  • Telephone company (partial mot.) (Strength: 5/0/40/190)
    • 5 telephone trains with a total of 11 large telephone troops (mot.) Each with 1/6, 6 large telephone troops (covered) with 1/8 each, 3 medium-sized telephony troops (mot.) Each with 2/6, 2 small telephone troops (mot.) With 1/3 each
    • Battle procession
    • Catering bunch
    • Large luggage
  • Funkkompanie (mot.) (Strength: 5/0/41/197)
    • Company squad
    • 4 radio groups with a total of 3 medium radio groups b with 2/6 each, 2 medium radio groups c with 1/2 each, 8 small radio groups a with 1/6 each, 4 backpack radio groups b with 1/4 each, 4 backpack radio groups d with 1 / each 2, 3 listening and 1 eavesdropping troops, 1 key troop
    • War train
    • Catering pack
    • Baggage train
  • light message column (motorized)

Rear services

Administrative services

(Strength: 3/28/195 NCOs and men)

  • Catering office with 7 officials, 15 NCOs and crews, plus 1 car, 3 trucks and 1 motorcycle
  • Bakery company with 2 officers, 2 officials, 138 NCOs and men, plus 5 cars, 24 trucks with 5 attached mobile field ovens, 6 motorcycles
  • Butcher's train with 1 officer, 1 official, 42 NCOs and men, plus 1 car, 6 trucks, 2 motorcycles

(all units motorized)

Replenishment services

  • 1st - 3rd Small truck convoy with 3 officers and 90 NCOs and men, plus 3 cars, 33 trucks (transportable 3 t each), 9 motorcycles, load capacity per column 30 t transportable (one per regiment)
  • 4th-6th Hauled column with 3 officers and 90 NCOs and men, plus 36 two-horse army vehicles (transportability 700 kg each), 3 cars, 6 motorcycles (one per regiment)
  • 7th fuel column with officer, 34 non-commissioned officers and men, plus a car, 11 trucks (capacity 25 m³), ​​3 motorcycles
  • Workshop company with officer, 7 engineers, 94 NCOs and men, plus 6 cars, 19 trucks (4 of them with trailers), 6 motorcycles
  • Supply company with 5 officers, 240 NCOs and men, plus a car, 14 trucks, 7 motorcycles

(Units partially motorized)

Medical services

  • 1. Medical company (horse drawn) with 5 medical officers, 2 civil servants, 160 NCOs and crews, plus 17 horse drawn vehicles, 45 horses, 1 car, 1 truck, 2 motorcycles, cycling squadron
  • 2nd medical company (motorized) with 184 soldiers, plus 4 cars, 21 trucks, 6 motorcycles
  • Field hospital (motorized) with 6 medical officers, 4 officials, 66 NCOs and men, plus 6 cars, 11 trucks, 2 motorcycles
  • 2 columns of ambulance vehicles (motorized) with 121 soldiers each, plus 36 ambulance vehicles, 2 cars, 8 motorcycles

Veterinary services

  • Veterinary company (horse drawn) with 7/1/24/203, plus 88 horses, 21 horse drawn vehicles, 1 car, 9 trucks, 3 motorcycles
    • Company commander (staff veterinary)
    • Collective relay
    • Hospital staff
    • Supply relay

Security services

  • Feldgendarmeriezug (motorized) with officer and 36 NCOs, plus 7 cars, 1 truck, 8 motorcycles

Field Post Services

  • Field post office (mot.) With field postmaster with 17 field post officials, plus 2 cars and 2 trucks

References

See also

literature

  • Alex Buchner: The manual of the German infantry 1939-1945. Dörfler Zeitgeschichte Verlag, Utting 2001, ISBN 3-89555-041-8 .
  • Werner Haupt : The German infantry divisions. Volume 1: Infantry, Jäger, People's Grenadier Divisions 1921–1945. Podzun-Pallas-Verlag, Friedberg 1991, ISBN 3-7909-0413-9 .
  • Veit Scherzer : Formation history of the army and the reserve army 1939 to 1945. Structure, strength, equipment, armament (= German troops in World War II. Volume 1) . Partial volume A. Scherzers Militaer-Verlag, Ranis / Jena 2007, ISBN 978-3-938845-07-3 , p. 97–112 ( limited preview in Google Book search).
  • Georg Tessin : Associations and troops of the German Wehrmacht and Waffen SS in World War II 1939–1945. Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück 1977.
  • Burkhart Müller-Hillebrand : The Army 1933-1945. Development of the organizational structure. Volume 2. The lightning campaigns 1939–1941. The army in the war up to the beginning of the campaign against the Soviet Union in June 1941 . Mittler, Frankfurt am Main 1956, p. 129–137 (structure 1st – 10th wave).

Web links

Remarks

  1. ↑ These armored cars were the only armored vehicles in the division