The German Infantry and Grenadier Battalion
The German Infantry Battalion underwent a seemingly constant series of changes and reorganisations during the war, beginning in 1939 and peaking in 1944/45. The overall structure of the Battalion remained largely unaltered; Battalion Headquarters with Communications and Trains elements, a Machine Gun or Heavy Company, and three Rifle Companies. Each amendment reduced the manpower strength of the Battalion, but sought to alleviate the effect through increased automatic firepower.
German unit organisation was detailed in Kriegsstarkenachweisung (KStN) tables, almost literally translated as 'war strength instructions'. Because the German Army issued these tables for Company (and sometimes Platoon) level units the number of tables produced during the conflict is quite staggering. It also takes a fair amount of time and space to type up the sources...
The German Infantry Battalion 1939 to 1942
Derived from the following KStN tables -
(Battalion Headquarters) - Stab eines Jnfanteriebataillons (Reich), Nr 111(R), datum 01.10.37
(Rifle Company) - Schutzenkompanie b (Reich), Nr 131b (R), datum 01.10.37
(Machine Gun Company) - Maschinengewehrkompanie b, Nr 151b, datum 01.10.37
Please note, a revised Stab eines Infanteriebataillons KStN was issued during 1942, but it seems no copy of this has survived.
(Rifle Company) - Schutzenkompanie c, Nr 131c, datum 01.02.41
(Machine Gun Company) - Maschinengewehrkompanie c, Nr 151c, datum 01.02.41
The German Grenadier Battalion 1943 to 1945
Derived from the following KStN tables -
(Battalion Headquarters) - Stab eines Infanteriebataillons (n.A.), Nr 111n, datum 01.12.43
(Rifle Company) - Schutzenkompanie (n.A.), Nr 131n, datum 01.12.43
(Machine Gun Company) - Maschinengewehrkompanie (n.A.), Nr 151n, datum 01.12.43
(Rifle Company) - Schutzenkompanie (n.A.), Nr 131n, datum 01.05.44
(Heavy Company) - schwere Kompanie eines Jnfanteriebataillons (n.A.), Nr 151n, datum 01.05.44
The Volks Grenadier Battalion 1944 to 1945
Derived from the following KStN tables -
(Battalion Headquarters and Supply Platoon) - Stab und Versorgungzug eines Grenadierbataillons, Nr 111V, datum 01.09.44
(Rifle Company) - Grenadierkompanie, Nr 131V, datum 01.09.44
(Heavy Company) - schwere Kompanie eines Grenadierbataillons, Nr 151V, datum 01.09.44
(Rifle Company) - Grenadierkompanie, Nr 131V, datum 01.11.44
(Battalion Headquarters and Supply Platoon (Bicycle)) - Stab und Versorgungzug eines Grenadierbataillons (auf Fahrradern), Nr 111cV, datum 01.09.44
(Rifle Company (Bicycle)) - Grenadierkompanie (auf Fahrradern), Nr 131cV, datum 01.09.44
(Heavy Company (Bicycle)) - schwere Kompanie eines Grenadierbataillons (auf Fahrradern), Nr 151cV, datum 01.09.44
(Rifle Company (Bicycle)) - Grenadierkompanie (auf Fahrradern), Nr 131cV, datum 01.11.44
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