The Motorized Schutzen (Panzer Grenadier Battalion), 1939 to 1940
Returning to the subject of the Panzer Grenadiers after several years spent researching the British Army, I had forgotten just how complex the early war organisation of these German units was.
From 1939 to 1942 the infantry troops of the Panzer Division were known as Schutzen, which is variously translated into English as protection or guard. This reflected the role of the infantry within a Panzer Division as first and foremost to provide an escort for the tanks. Unlike The German Infantry and Grenadier Battalion the Schutzen were fully motorized using a mix of cars, trucks, lorries and motorcycles.
One of the most striking features of the early war German Panzer Divisions is the almost complete lack of organisational uniformity. Each Division differed in some way or other to the rest, and this same diversity was also found in the Schutzen Battalions. As a result, and also because of the loss of numerous KStN tables, it is only possible to offer an overview of the early war Schutzen Battalions.
The Panzer Grenadier Battalion, circa 1939 to 1940 (Type “A”)
Battalion Headquarters (5 Officers, 12 men)
Communications Platoon (25 men)
Battalion Train and Maintenance (3 Officers, 31 men)
Heavy Company (4 Officers, 144 men)
Company HQ (1 Officer, 7 men)
Company Train and Maintenance (20 men)
Anti-tank Platoon (1 Officer, 29 men)
Infantry Gun Platoon (1 Officer, 32 men)
Pioneer Platoon (1 Officer, 56 men)
Machine Gun Company (4 Officers, 181 men)
Company HQ (1 Officer, 18 men)
Company Train and Maintenance (20 men)
Two Machine Gun Platoons, each (1 Officer, 37 men)
Mortar Platoon (1 Officer, 69 men)
Three Rifle Companies (4 Officers, 179 men), each comprised of;
Company HQ (1 Officer, 9 men)
Company Train and Maintenance (22 men)
Machine Gun Section (16 men)
Three Rifle Platoons, each comprised of;
Platoon HQ (1 Officer, 4 men)
Light Mortar Section (4 men)
Three Rifle Squads, each comprised of 12 men
Suggested Total Strength of
958 all ranks (28 Officers and 930 men)
Battalion Headquarters (5 Officers, 12 men)
Communications Platoon (25 men)
Battalion Train and Maintenance (3 Officers, 31 men)
Pioneer Platoon (1 Officer, 56 men)
Heavy Company (5 Officers, 189 men)
Company HQ (1 Officer, 7 men)
Company Train and Maintenance (20 men)
Anti-tank Platoon (1 Officer, 29 men)
Two Infantry Gun Platoons, each (1 Officer, 32 men)
Mortar Platoon (1 Officer, 69 men)
Three Rifle Companies (5 Officers, 222 men), each comprised of;
Company HQ (1 Officer, 9 men)
Company Train and Maintenance (22 men)
Machine Gun Platoon (1 Officer, 41 men)
Three Rifle Platoons, each comprised of;
Platoon HQ (1 Officer, 4 men)
Light Mortar Section (4 men)
Three Rifle Squads, each comprised of 14 men
Suggested Total Strength of 1008 all ranks (29 Officers and 979 men)
Points of note
Two points need to be clarified regarding the above summaries. Firstly, the designation of Type "A" and Type "B" is entirely my own, as there were two versions of the Motorized Schutzen Battalion in concurrent use for both the invasions of Poland and France.
What I have termed the Type "A" would appear to have been used by the majority of units during 1939. This gave the Battalion three Rifle Companies, a Machine Gun Company, which included a Mortar Platoon, and a fifth, Heavy Company, equipped with towed infantry and anti-tank guns. The Type "B" altered this format, breaking up the Machine Gun Company and adding the Mortar Platoon to the Heavy Company. This organisation became the dominant version during 1940.
Secondly is that, as mentioned, numerous KStN tables relating to the early war Panzer arm are lost. Where numbers of personnel appear in italics that signifies an attempt by me to 'reverse engineer' the missing data, using a combination of sources, and no small amount of head scratching. I make no claim that my calculations are unquestionably accurate, and any comments or clarifications would be welcomed (as would copies of any of the missing tables!).
The elements of the Battalion
Battalion Headquarters - comprised the command staff of the Battalion, transported by field cars and motorcycles.
Communications Platoon - fulfilled the same role as that in the Infantry of maintaining radio and line communications within the Battalion.
Anti-tank Platoon - the original anti-tank gun of the Schutzen was the 3.7-cm Pak 35/36. This small lightweight weapon was found severely wanting upon encountering the heavily armoured British and French tanks in the campaign of 1940, but due to a lack of replacements the 3.7-cm was kept in service far beyond its days. The Platoon served three such weapons, towed by whatever vehicle was available from the myriad types deployed, the ideal being the Kfz69 light truck.
Infantry Gun Platoon - the Infantry Gun Platoon served a pair of 7.5-cm weapons, towed by Kfz69 or similar vehicles, plus a third with an ammunition trailer. Platoon HQ had two light cars, one of which was for a small signals detachment.
Pioneer Platoon - there was a large Pioneer Platoon, well equipped with trucks and motorcycles. It deployed three Squads, each of an NCO and twelve men, each Squad armed with a single MG34.
Machine Gun Platoon - in the Type "A" organisation, the Battalion had two Machine Gun Platoons, each Platoon serving four weapons, each team transported by its own Kfz69.
Mortar Platoon - the Platoon had six 8-cm mortars, divided into three Sections. Each Section had two mortars with three Kfz70 light trucks to carry the weapons and ammunition. Platoon HQ added a light car and motorcycle combination.
The Rifle Company - it is within the area of the Rifle Company that the greatest amount of 'reverse engineering' is required. Not only were there two types of Rifle Company in use, but in many Schutzen Battalions there were two motorised Rifle Companies and one Motorcycle Rifle Company, the latter of which had a different organisation.
It does at least seem that the Rifle Platoons of both the Type "A" and "B" Schutzen Battalions had the same allocation of transport. Platoon HQ had a light car and a motorcycle, plus a Kfz70 light truck for the 5-cm Mortar Section. There were then three Rifle Squads, each carried in a pair of Kfz70 light trucks. The principle difference between the two types of Platoon concerned firepower, with a single MG34 per Rifle Squad in the Type "A", which was increased to two light machine guns per Squad in the Type "B". Using the Motorcycle Rifle Company as a guide, I would suggest that the Type "A" Squad was twelve men strong, increased to fourteen in the Type "B" with the inclusion of a second light machine gun team.
On this basis, the twelve men Squad was likely to have consisted of an NCO, an assistant leader, six riflemen, a two man MG34 team and two drivers. The two LMG crewmen would have each carried a pistol, the remainder of the Squad rifles. In the fourteen man Squad the only difference would have been the addition of a second MG34 team. Platoon HQ might then have been an Officer and a stretcher bearer, each armed with a pistol, a messenger, a motorcycle messenger and a driver for the light car, all armed with rifles. The Platoon also a 5-cm Mortar Section, which would appear to have been provided with its own Kfz70 truck. The standard crew for the 5-cm was of an NCO and two gunners, and there seems no reason to suspect that the Schutzen would have differed from it, other than to add a driver for the truck. The two gunners would have probably been armed with pistols, the NCO and driver rifles.
Company level fire support in the Type "A" organisation consisted of a Section with two MG34s in the heavy role, mounted on sustained fire tripods. The Type "B" Company had a full Platoon of four such weapons, because unlike the Type "A" the Type "B" Schutzen Battalion had no Machine Gun Company.
Summary
The above should give a good indication of the look of the motorised infantry operating with the Panzer Divisions in the opening years of the war. The Battalion represented a very high concentration of cars, trucks and motorcycles, all of which were at a premium in the German Army at this time.
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The Motorized Panzer Grenadier Battalion
German Divisional Organisations