The Motorized and Bicycle Panzer Grenadier Battalion, 1944 to 1945
In late 1944, as the Wehrmacht entered its final phase, the Panzer Grenadier Battalions were reorganised one last time. The Germany Army now faced shortages in every conceivable area, including fuel and transport. That meant it was now almost impossible to sustain the previous levels of motorisation dedicated to the Panzer Grenadiers.
The Panzer Grenadier Battalion, circa late 1944
Battalion Headquarters (4 Officers, 15 men)
Communications Platoon (29 men)
Supply Company (7 Officers, 110 men)
Company HQ (3 Officers, 16 men)
Medical Detachment (1 Officer, 4 men)
Maintenance Detachment (2 Officers, 35 men)
Fuel Detachment (6 men)
Munitions Detachment (8 men)
Supply Detachment (1 Officer, 41 men)
Heavy Company (3 Officers, 155 men)
Company HQ (1 Officer, 18 men)
Light Flak Platoon (1 Officer, 39 men)
Three Heavy Machine Gun Platoons, each (1 Officer or NCO, 32 men)
Mortar Company (3 Officers, 125 men)
Company HQ (1 Officer, 14 men)
Two 8-cm Mortar Platoons, each (1 Officer or NCO, 32 men)
12-cm Mortar Platoon (1 Officer, 37 men)
Munitions Section (9 men)
Three Rifle Companies (3 Officers, 114 men), each comprised of;
Company HQ (1 Officer, 16 men)
Tank Destroyer Group (7 men)
Sturm Platoon, comprised of;
Platoon HQ (1 Officer or NCO, 3 men)
Three Rifle Squads, each comprised of 9 men
Two Rifle Platoons, each comprised of;
Platoon HQ (1 Officer or NCO, 3 men)
Three Rifle Squads, each comprised of 9 men
Total Strength of 802 all ranks (26 Officers and 776 men)
Points of note
The Battalion changed to a six Company configuration; three Rifle, one Heavy, one Mortar and one Supply, still with a Battalion HQ and Signal Platoon. The Rifle Companies had lost their integral heavy weapons, but fire support was still impressive, at least where units came close to strength. Of most significance was that the three Rifle Companies had lost their trucks and field cars, leaving only the service and support troops motorised. In an effort to alleviate transportation problems, some Battalions were organised as 'Bicycle Mobile' units, which increased the strength of their Rifle Companies slightly.
The elements of the Battalion
Heavy Machine Gun Platoon - each Platoon served four heavy machine guns, maintaining the previous total of twelve across the Battalion.
Light Flak Platoon - still fielded six 2-cm weapons, now more likely towed than truck mounted.
8-cm Mortar Platoon - the two Platoons each served four tubes, actually increasing the number of weapons from six to eight
12-cm Mortar Platoon - still maintained four weapons.
The Rifle Company - the Rifle Company underwent the most extensive amendments, principal of which was the deletion of its transport assets.
In the Platoons, Squad strength was reduced to an NCO and eight men. Platoon HQ controlled three such Squads, itself comprising no more than a Commander, stretcher bearer and two runners. It was intended that the first or Sturm Platoon would be armed almost entirely with the Stg44 assault rifle, only the medic carrying a pistol, making for a paper total of no less than thirty assault rifles. Where weapons were unavailable MP40 submachine guns may well have been substituted.
The two Rifle Platoons were more conventional. In their squads, the leaders carried machine pistols, two men each a light machine gun and pistol. The assistant leader, both assistant gunners and the remaining three men all carried rifles. One rifle within each Squad was equipped with a grenade launcher, while two of the rifles in the Platoon were semi-automatic sniper weapons. At Platoon HQ the leader carried a machine pistol, the stretcher bearer a pistol and the two messengers rifles. Interestingly, one of the messengers in each of the three Platoons doubled as a radio operator, suggesting radios were devolved right down to the Platoon level.
Company HQ now provided some fire support, with a Tank Destroyer Group of three two-man teams, each with an 8.8-cm Panzerschreck. There were also four snipers, three of them armed with the G43. Initially at least, Company HQ included a transport detachment of eight 3-ton trucks to lift the Rifle Platoons, but even this meagre allocation was subsequently deleted, probably without even being issued.
In Bicycle equipped Battalions there were some differences to the Rifle Company. Company HQ was enlarged by two men, the Panzerschreck Group remaining unchanged. The three Platoons were still organised as one Sturm and two Rifle. Each Platoon HQ added a bicycle mechanic and each Squad in each Platoon was increased to ten men. These extra men were armed with either the Stg44 or standard bolt action rifle as appropriate to their Platoon, and every man in the Platoon was assigned a bicycle. In each of the two Rifle Platoons there were two rifle grenade launchers per Squad, and two sniper rifles in the Platoon.
Summary
The demise of the Panzer Grenadiers between 1940 and 1945 provides a good barometer of the declining fortunes of the German Army. Their motor transport made them an indispensable tool in the Blitzkrieg campaigns of the early years. As the war dragged on though, and the Army found itself fighting more defensive operations, they were reduced to the same stubborn defensive actions as their foot slogging comrades in the Infantry.
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The Motorized Panzer Grenadier Battalion