Basic Organization of Schützen-Regiment (mot.) in 1942

Creation of the 25. Panzer-Division and Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 146. 15 February 1942, Oslo, Norway, the Schützenverband Oslo was converted to new panzer division. The Schützen-Regiment Oslo was organized as Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 146 with three battalions. The first two battalions were initially equipped with bicycles and the third battalion had only two motorcycle rifle companies. The first two battalion were motorized gradually between August to December 1942 and the third battalion also received a third motorcycle company in August 1942. The major combat components in the 25. Panzer-Division included Panzer-Abteilung 214, Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 146, and Artillerie-Regiment (mot.) 91. The division was not combat-ready until June 1943.

Reorganization of Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 104 and Infanterie-Regiment (mot.) 200. April 1942, North Africa, the MG-Bataillon (mot.) 8 and Kradschützen-Bataillon 15 later became first and third battalion of Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 104 in the 21. Panzer-Division, respectively. April 1942, North Africa, the Infanterie-Regiment Stab z.b.V. 200 joined the 90. leichte Afrika-Division (mot. Tropendienst) and redesigned Infanterie-Regiment (mot.) 200 with two battalions from different regiments: the 1st battalion came from 3rd battalion of Infanterie-Regiment 347 and the 2nd battalion came from 3rd battalion of Schützen-Regiment 155.

Reorganization of Panzer-Division in 1942. There were several tentative steps to halt this dangerous trend to keep balance between panzer and rifle units. The motorcycle rifle battalion was extracted from the motorized rifle brigade and merged with motorized reconnaissance battalion during 1941 to 1942. Although they remained the title of Kradschützen, they played the reconnaissance role under the division command. The panzer divisions had one panzer regiment with one, or two, or three battalions, one motorized rifle brigade with two two-battalion regiments, one motorized artillery regiment with three battalions, one motorized reconnaissance battalion, one motorized antitank battalion and one motorized engineer battalion (Table 19, 1. Panzer-Division in 1942 as an example).

1. Panzer-Division in 1942

1

1 II.

1 113 1

73

2 37 1

Table 19. Major combat components of the 1. Panzer-Division in 1942 (Back line service is not shown).

Reorganization of Schützen-Regiment (mot.) in Panzer-Division. The Schützen-Regimenter were reorganized after first Russian Winter Campaign in early 1942. Each regiment had reorganized in a standard formation with one motorized HQ company, two battalions and one motorized infantry gun company. There were also an additional motorized anti-aircraft company in some regiments. The five companies were reorganized into four companies in the battalion. The motorized infantry gun company was renumbered as 9. Kompanie and the motorized anti-aircraft company was numbered as 10. Kompanie. The motorized MG company was disbanded and the elements of the company was absorbed by three motorized rifle companies.

Reorganization of 15. and 21. Panzer-Division in 1942. The fighting in the North Africa Campaign was quite different from the East Front Campaign. The motorized rifle regiments in the North Africa Campaign were frequently forced to operate very much on their own. The 15. and 21. Panzer-Division had one panzer regiment with two battalions, ONE motorized rifle regiment with THREE battalions, one motorized artillery regiment with three battalions, one motorized reconnaissance battalion, one motorized antitank battalion and one motorized engineer battalion (Table 20 , 21. Panzer-Division in 1942 as an example).

21. Panzer-Division in 1942

21

5 II. I.

104

155

39 200 3

Table 20. Major combat components of the 15. Panzer-Division in 1942 (Back line service is not shown).

Reorganization of Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 104 and 115 in 21. and 15. Panzer-Division. The Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 104 and 115 were reorganized in early 1942. Each regiment had reorganized in a standard formation with one motorized HQ company, three battalions, one motorized infantry gun company and one motorized pioneer company. The motorized infantry gun company was renumbered as 13. Kompanie and the motorized pioneer company was numbered as 14. Kompanie. The battalion had four identical motorized rifle company and WITHOUT motorized MG company or motorized heavy company (Table 21, Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 104 in 1942 as example).

Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 104 in 1942

104

Table 21. Basic organization of Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 104 in 1942. The battalion and company levels show the traditional German tactical symbols.

Firepower of Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 104 in 1942

Table 22. Firepower distribution in Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 104 in 1942, MG: machine gun, IG: infantry gun.

List of Composition in Schützen-Regiment (mot.) in 1942. There were 46 motorized rifle regiments in 25 Panzer-Divisionen.

There were total 383 motorized rifle-related companies in 46 motorized rifle regiments and the composition included 238 motorized rifle companies (61%), 75 motorized heavy companies (20%), 53 armored rifle companies (14%), 14 armored heavy companies (4%), and three motorcycle rifle companies (1%).