GERMAN DIVISIONS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 232, 28 June 1944, Page 5

GERMAN DIVISIONS

Strength And Composition In Normandy (British Official Wireless.) (Received June 27, 7 p.m.) RUGBY, June 26. An indication of the strength and composition of the German forces opposing the Allied armies in Normandy is given by a war correspondent from the Allied headquarters. He says; “Our troops in Normandy have not met all types of German military formations, but they have opposed the most characteristic units. “The panzer division, of which there are four identified on the French front, has undergone many changes since the formation of these units at the beginning of the war. The armoured reconnaissance unit generally has five companies—• two armoured car, two infantry and a heavy company with supporting armament. There is a tank regiment with a normal establishment of two battalions, but there is variation. Each division has its own organization and particular type of tank. One battalion usually has Mark iV tanks, while the other has Panthers. All divisions may not be equipped, in this way. The 21st Panzer Division in Normandy has one battalion using Mark IVs while the other has French tanks. Panzer grenadiers consist of infantry carried * in vehicles. There are normally two regiments of them and each regiment has two battalions, of which the first is nearly always carried in armoured vehicles and follows the tanks much more closely than the second, which is carried in lorries. The artillery usually comprises three batteries with self-propelled howitzers, and there is often an anti-air-craft battery attached and sometimes an assault gun battery is co-opted. , “The S.S. organization is different from the rest, and it gets the pick of everything and more personnel. Its panzer grenadiers have three battalions instead of two, and four regimental companies. These regiments have anti-air-craft, engineer and motor-cycle companies. The large divisions have something more than 20,000 men. But in general they are below strength, though if any divisions in Normandy are up . to strength it will be these S.S. organizations. The only difference between the panzer and the panzer grenadier divisions in the S.S. is that the grenadiers have no tanks or only one battalion, but they may have assault guns instead. “As far as the infantry divisions are concerned, there has been a general reduction in strength in the past year or two. Each platoon has been reduced from four squads to three, and each squad from 10 men to nine. Each regiment is only of two battalions instead of three, and the strength of a company has fallen from about 190 to 140. Field divisions have not normally more than six battalions, and only lower-grade divisions. which are used for coast defence where large numbers are needed, have nine battalions. These lower establishments are often composed of older men. with a proportion of foreign elements. They usually have less artillery than the field divisions. The foreign elements are usually in the transport., but there are completely foreign battalions with German officers. Parachute divisions have a standard strength of about 12,000 men.