Structure of an infantry division of the Wehrmacht of the 2nd wave of deployment

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The structure of an infantry division of the 2nd wave of deployment of the Wehrmacht was largely similar to that of a division of the 1st wave of deployment . Until 1938, the divisions of the 2nd wave to be deployed during mobilization were designated as reserve divisions . When the German mobilization began on August 26, 1939, 19 infantry divisions were set up.

In contrast to the divisions of the 1st wave of deployment, the infantry had no grenade launchers and no heavy infantry guns, and the artillery had no observation department. In addition, there were no music bands. The divisions consisted of active units (6%), class I reservists who had completed full training (83%) and class II who had only received three-month short training (8%). The remaining 3% belonged to the Landwehr . The nominal strength was 491 officers , 98 officials, 2,273 NCOs and 12,411 men for a total of 15,273 men. In the course of the Second World War , the structure and armament of an infantry division of the 1st wave of formation were adjusted.

Division commander

Division staff

(Strength: 98 officers and men)

  • Motorbike reporting train
  • Card office, printer train

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

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.)

Fencing troop

Infantry regiment

Three infantry regiments with each (strength: 75/7/493 / 2,474 [officers / officials / 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
    • small telephone troops a, 2 medium telephone troops a
    • 4 backpack radio teams d
    • 2 four-horse telephone cars, two-horse small radio car
  • Regimental cavalry
    • Platoon leader ( Oberfeldwebel )
    • Platoon troop
    • 3 groups of riders (strength: 1/7)
    • two-horse combat vehicle with driver and blacksmith, small field kitchen with driver and 2 field cooks, 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 (strength: 1/9)
    • 3 two-horse equipment cars, one two-horse gas protection car
  • 3 infantry battalions, each battalion with (strength: 14/1/846 NCOs and men)
    • Battalion headquarters
    • News relay
      • Squadron Leader (Sergeant)
      • 2 small telephone crews a
      • 4 backpack radio teams d
      • 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 9 light machine guns, 3 anti-tank rifles
      • Company commander (captain), mounted
      • Company team with squad leader, 4 detectors, 2 detectors with bicycles, horse keeper, 2 paramedics
      • 3 rifle platoons (strength: 1/0/6/43) with platoon leader, platoon troop, 4 groups
      • 3 anti-tank rifles (strength: 1/6) with 3 anti-tank rifles each
      • Battalion with sergeant major , battalion leader, 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
      • Company commander (captain)
      • Company squad with squad leader, observation sergeant, 2 directional sergeants, rangefinder, 2 bike detectors, reporting rider, horse keeper, news relay
      • 3 heavy machine gun platoons with platoon leader, platoon troop, 2 groups with 2 heavy machine guns each
      • hawser
  • Infantry Gun Company (13th Company ) (drawn) with 8 light 7.5 cm infantry guns
    • Company commander (captain), mounted
    • Company team with intelligence sergeant, 3 telephones, 3 detectors, 2 surveyors, 2 computers, rangefinder, horse keeper (mounted) and four-horse observation car with 2 drivers from the saddle
    • 4 light infantry gun trains, each with 2 light 7.5 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
  • Anti-tank company (motorized) (14th company) with 12 anti-tank guns 3.7 cm, 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) and light machine-gun troop (3 soldiers)
    • War train
  • 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 anti-tank 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 Schreiber, 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 with (strength: 20/2/82/505)
    • Staff with commander (major), adjutant, orderly officer, intelligence platoon leader, artillery survey troop leader, department doctor, department veterinarian, purser, Ia Schreiber
    • Stick battery
      • Intelligence train with medium telephone troop a (four-in-hand), medium telephone troop b (two-in-hand), large telephone troop 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, with
    • 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 repair 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 (strength: 1/42 NCOs and men) each with a platoon and 3 groups
    • Carriage (strength: 28 NCOs and men) with horse-drawn field kitchen, 6 horse-drawn wagons, horse-drawn field blacksmiths
  • Bicycle squadron with 9 light machine guns, 2 heavy machine guns and 3 light grenade launchers
    • Squadron Chief (Rittmeister)
    • Squadron Troop
    • 3 bicycle trains each with a platoon leader, 3 detectors and 3 groups (12 soldiers each with a 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
    • Anti-tank train with 3 3.7 cm anti-tank guns, 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

Anti-tank department

(Strength: 550 soldiers)

  • Staff with Commander (Major)
  • News train
  • 3 anti-tank companies each with 12 anti-tank guns 3.7 cm and 6 light machine guns
    • Company commander (first lieutenant)
    • Company squad
    • 4 anti-tank trains each with 3 anti-tank guns 3.7 cm each with 6 soldiers and a light machine-gun squad 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)
  • 1st and 2nd pioneer companies (drawn) each with 9 light machine guns, 3 anti-tank rifles, 3 flame throwers
    • 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 (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 T (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 motorized field kitchen, 2 sidecar bikes, light truck, 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
    • War train
    • Catering pack
    • Baggage train
  • 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 one listening party, key party
    • 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 a car, 3 trucks and a 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 an officer, an officer, 42 NCOs and men, plus a car, 6 trucks, 2 motorcycles

(all units motorized)

Replenishment services

  • 1st - 3rd Small truck convoy with 3 officers and 90 NCOs and crews, plus 3 cars, 33 trucks (3 t), 9 motorcycles, loading capacity per column 30 t transportability
  • 4th-6th Hauled column with 3 officers and 90 NCOs and men, plus 36 two-horse army vehicles (transportable 700 kg each), 3 cars, 6 motorcycles
  • 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

(all units 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, a car, a 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, one 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, one truck, 8 motorcycles

Field Post Services

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

Overview

Division number Home military district No. of Inf.Rgter Deviation from normal structure
50 III 121, 122, 123 Infantry like 1st wave of deployment, reconnaissance department missing, but 1 squadron of cyclists
52 IX 163, 181, 205
56 IV 171, 192, 234 A clearing-up department is missing, but a squad of cyclists
57 VII 179, 199, 217 Cavalry squadron of the reconnaissance department is missing
58 X 154, 209, 220
60 II 92, 243, 244 Infantry like 1st wave of deployment
61 I. 151, 162, 176
62 VIII 164, 183, 190 A clearing-up department is missing, but 1 squad of cyclists
68 III 169, 188, 196
69 VI 159, 193, 236
71 XI 191, 194, 211
72 XII 105, 124, 266 Infantry like 1st wave of deployment, reconnaissance department missing, but 1 cyclist squadron, 1 San.Kompanie missing
73 XIII 170, 186, 213 A clearing-up department is missing, but a squad of cyclists
75 II 172, 202, 222
76 III 178, 203, 230
78 V 195, 215, 238
79 XII 208, 212, 226
86 VI 167, 184, 216
87 IV 173, 185, 187

References

Web links

literature

  • Alex Buchner: The manual of the German infantry 1939-1945. Dörfler Zeitgeschichte Verlag, ISBN 3-89555-041-8 .
  • Werner Haupt : The German infantry divisions. Podzun-Pallas-Verlag, Friedberg, Volume 1.
  • 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. 113–124 ( 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. 132 (structure of 2nd wave of installation).