Basic Organization of Infanterie-Division (mot)

Creation of the first four Infanterie-Division (mot). The build-up of Infanterie-Division (mot) was intended to keep up with fast-moving panzer divisions, and so they were completely equipped with motor vehicles. The first four motorized infantry divisions (2., 13., 20. and 29.) were directly upgraded from infantry divisions during 1937 to 1939, so they kept most of the features of their parent ones. Each motorized infantry division had three motorized infantry regiments plus one motorized artillery regiment as its major combat components, the division also had other supportive units (Table 1). The detail organization and firepower distribution of Infanterie-Regiment (mot) in 1939 is introduced in other section.

Infanterie-Division (mot) in 1939

Table 1. Basic organization of Infanterie-Division (mot) on 1 Sep 1939.

The motorized infantry division had a total of nine motorized infantry battalions as its backbone which was further supported by three motorized light artillery battalions and one motorized heavy artillery battalion. The final organization of the Infanterie-Division (mot) was investigated during 1938 to have higher maneuverability and flexible command. An organization with six motorized infantry battalions instead of nine with supporting weapons was to be planned and tested. The major sub-unit of each divisions is showed in Table 2.

Sub-unit numbering of the Infanterie-Divisions (mot) in 1939

Table 2. Sub-unit numbering of the Infanterie-Divisions (mot) on 1 Sep 1939. * Infanterie- Regiemnt (mot) 86 and II/Artillerie-Regiment (mot) 29 were detached to 10. Panzer-division. ** Stab of Artillerie-Regiment (mot) 56 with I, II and III/Artillerie-Regiment (mot) 20.

Reorganization during October 1939 to May 1940. After Polish campaign each of the four motorized infantry divisions detached on motorized infantry regiment to other formations, most of them were panzer divisions (Table 3).

Reorganization of Detached Infanterie-Regiment (mot) in 1939

Table 3. Reorganization of detached Infanterie-Regiment (mot) from Infanterie-Division (mot) after Polish campaign in 1939. Div: division, Rgt: regiment, Inf-Div (mot): Infanterie-Division (mot), Inf-Rgt (mot): Infanterie-Regiment (mot), "GD": "Grossdeutschland", Pz-Div: Panzer-Division, Sch-Rgt: Schuetzen-Regiment.

Thus the motorized infantry division remained only two motorized infantry regiments with six battalions and one motorized artillery regiment (Table 4). This became the standard organization in the further formation of motorized infantry division. The motorized artillery regiment was also decreased to only three battalions, with two motorized light artillery battalions and one motorized heavy artillery battalions. The motorized light anti-aircraft company was also withdraw from motorized anti-tank battalion and was reorganized as self-propelled light anti-aircraft company under the control of high HQ.

Infanterie-Division (mot) in 1940

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Table 4. Basic organization of Infanterie-Division (mot) on 10 May 1940.

The major sub-unit of each divisions during this period is showed in Table 5.

Sub-unit numbering of the Infanterie-Divisions (mot) in 1940

Table 5. Sub-unit numbering of the Infanterie-Divisions (mot) on 10 May 1940. * The Panzer- Jaeger-Abteilung (mot) had only two companies.

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