The Weapons Company
While the individual Rifle Company could contain some weapons element, the bulk of such firepower was concentrated in the Support or Weapons Company.
The Weapons Company operated in an entirely different way to the Rifle Companies. Unlike the Rifle Platoons, which fought alongside one another in a cohesive manner, the constituent Platoons of the Weapons Company served in a more fragmented fashion. The Platoons themselves were also liable to have to elements detached to provide close support to a particular Rifle Company.
Such was the variation in the make-up of Weapons Companies across the armies of World War Two, that it is impossible to refer to a 'typical' version. This would also largely duplicate the work done in other areas of the site. As a result, this segment will examine the deployment considerations of the types of Platoon generally found within the Weapons companies of the day.
Weapons Company Headquarters
The Weapons Company commander maintained responsibility for the deployment of his men, even in their most diffuse state. His command post was most often sited at Battalion Headquarters, so he could offer immediate advice to the Battalion commander on the best use of his weapons in the overall action.
The Weapons Company usually provided a sizeable concentration of both manpower and transportation. A large part of the Company HQ was therefore devoted to logistical and maintenance matters, while the Germans also included a notable communications portion.
Other areas of combat support, namely Pioneers and snipers, will be discussed separately. The links below lead to descriptions of the various types of fire support unit contained within the Weapons Company.
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Infantry Tactics of World War Two