The Infantry Division

The German Infantry Division was the backbone of the German Army. The German infantry Division, throughout the war, was not fully mechanised or even motorised. During the early years of the war in Russia German forces were also still heavily dependant on captured arms and equipment. This was due to the fact that the German armed forces grew at a rate that German industry was not able to sustain and that a lot of captured equipment was significantly better than early German produced equipment.
Every German soldier was an infantryman first, whether he be a cook, signaller, engineer or driver. Only after training as an infantryman was completed was the soldier allowed to specialise. Like most western armies, but unlike the Russians, the German soldier was well trained and expected to be able to use any of the weapons he may come across and not just the one he was issued with. In times of need therefore, the soldier could use his rifle, heavy machine gun, the battalion mortars, battalion anti-tank guns or whatever weapon came to hand. German infantry units also usually had their own organic anti-tank weapons and artillery. This had the effect of lessening the front line troops reliance on outside support and when the situation depended on it they could operate independently.
The German command structure at the tactical level was, in the early war years, very well integrated, with all arms combining to assist one another. The German army had far fewer junior officers and this had the effect of causing senior NCO's and those existing junior officers to assume more responsibility and thus show greater initiative than would be expected in another army.

The Infantry Division 1939 - 1942

The German Infantry Division between 1939 and 1942 was comprised from a Divisional HQ, which was formed from a Divisional staff Company and a mapping Platoon. The Division itself was comprised of three Infantry Regiments and various integral support elements. These included a reconnaissance Battalion consisting of a mounted Squadron, a bicycle Squadron, an armoured Section, equipped with 2 SdKfz 221 armoured cars and a heavy Squadron, formed from an anti-tank Platoon equipped with 3 x 37mm Pak 36 and an infantry gun Platoon equipped with 2 x 75mm leIG 18 guns. Other Divisional support elements included an artillery Regiment which comprised of a Regimental staff, an observation Battalion, three medium Battalions each consisting of three batteries, equipped with 4 x 105mm leFH 18 guns and a heavy Battalion consisting of three batteries equipped with 4 x 150mm sFH 18 guns. All guns were usually horse drawn, as towing vehicles were reserved for Panzer and Motorized Divisions. The Divisions engineer Battalion consisted of an HQ platoon, three pioneer Companies and a motorized bridging Column. The final support element within the Division was the anti-tank Battalion, which was formed by an HQ Platoon, a heavy machine gun Company, equipped with 12 x 20mm AA guns and three anti-tank gun Companies, each equipped with 12 x 37mm Pak 36 guns.
The infantry Regiments within the Division were comprised of three infantry Battalions, each formed from three rifle Companies and their integral support elements. These consisted of a machine gun Company equipped with 8 x MG's on sustained fire mounts and 6 x 81mm mortars and an infantry gun Company equipped with 2 x 150mm sIG 33 and 6 x 75mm leIG 18 guns.
Each infantry Battalion consisted of an HQ Platoon of 30 men and three rifle Companies. Support elements within the Battalion were provided by a support Company consisting of three Platoons. These were an HQ Platoon of 8 men, an MG Platoon of 30 men, equipped with 6 x MG's on sustained fire mounts and a mortar Platoon of 30 men with 6 x 81mm mortars. Each of the rifle Companies was comprised of an HQ section of 12 men and 3 rifle platoons. These were in turn each formed from an HQ section of 6 men and 3 rifle sections, each of 10 men. Support elements within the Company consisted of a heavy weapons Platoon with an HQ section of 4 men, a mortar Section of 9 men, equipped with 3 x 50mm mortars and an MG section with 12 men, equipped with 3 x MG's on sustained fire mounts. In practice the heavy weapons platoon would often be split between the three rifle platoons.

The Infantry Division 1943 - 1945

From 1943 until 1945 the basic infantry Division was reorganised. The level of manpower was reduced, but a corresponding attempt to maintain the level of firepower was made.
Within the Division the reconnaissance Battalion was deleted and instead a bicycle mounted reconnaissance Platoon was introduced within every Regiment. The anti-tank Battalion was motorised to a degree, consisting of an armoured anti tank Company equipped with 14 JagdPanzers, which could be JgdPzr IV's, Hetzers or Stug's, organised into three Platoons of 4 vehicles and an HQ section of 2 vehicles, a motorised anti tank Company consisting of 12 x 75mm Pak 40 guns, towed by either lorry or halftrack and a motorised AA Company equipped with 12 x 20mm or 37mm AA guns. The engineer Battalion also took over the role of the heavy weapons Company. It was comprised of three engineer Companies, each equipped with 2 x 81mm mortars, 2 x MG's with sustained fire mounts and 6 portable flamethrowers. The engineer Battalion under ideal circumstances would be mounted in trucks, however by this stage of the war heavy equipment would often be horse drawn and the troops would be mounted on bicycles.
At Regimental level an anti-tank Company was added which consisted of a Platoon equipped with 3 x 50mm Pak 38 guns and 2 Platoons equipped with Panzerfausts. Within the Regiments, the number of infantry Battalions was reduced to two. Some Divisions had a fusilier Battalion attached, which was organised identically to a rifle Battalion, but was mounted on bicycles. It would sometimes act as the Divisions reconnaissance force.
Within the infantry Battalions themselves, changes were made to composition of the support Company. The 6 x 81mm mortars were replaced by 4 x 120mm heavy mortars. Within the rifle Companies, the heavy weapons platoon saw its 3 x 50mm mortars replaced with 2 x 81mm mortars.

The Panzergrenadier Division 1943 - 1945

From 1943 onwards, many Infantry Divisions were re-designated Panzer Grenadier Divisions. Although having an armoured designation, the Panzer Grenadier Division was actually an infantry formation. However, it did have an armoured element, with at least one battalion of infantry carried in half tracks and armoured support provided by its own StuG Battalion. The Divisions artillery Regiment also tended to be self-propelled, as opposed to horse drawn.
The Panzer grenadier Division was comprised of an HQ company, two Panzer Grenadier Regiments and a motorised engineer Battalion. In addition the Panzer Grenadier Division had a StuG Battalion, which consisted of an HQ Platoon equipped with 3 Stugs and three StuG Companies. Each of these was formed from an HQ Platoon equipped with 2 StuG's and three Platoons, each equipped with 4 StuG's. Support elements within the StuG Battalion comprised of a support Company consisting of a StuG Platoon, equipped with 4 x StuG IIIF's with 105mm guns, a motorized signal Platoon, an AA Platoon equipped with 3 x quad 20mm guns mounted on halftracks and an armoured engineer Platoon mounted in 5 x SdKfz 250's. Other support elements within the Division included an artillery Regiment consisting of an HQ Company, equipped with 3 x 20mm AA guns and a towed howitzer Battalion. This was formed from an HQ platoon equipped with 3 x 20mm AA guns and three Batteries, a heavy howitzer Battery equipped with 4 x 150mm sFH 18 howitzers and two light howitzer Batteries each equipped with 4 x 105mm leFH 18 howitzers. The Division also had an armoured artillery Battalion consisting of an HQ Platoon, one Battery equipped with 6 x Hummel, 150mm howitzers and two Batteries each equipped with 6 x Wespe, 105mm howitzers. The Division also had a motorized anti-tank Battalion formed by a HQ Company equipped with 3 x 75mm Pak 40 vehicle towed guns, two armoured AT Companies each equipped with 14 Jagdpanzers of various types and one motorized AT Company equipped with 12 x 75mm Pak 40 vehicle towed guns. There was also a motorized anti-aircraft Battalion comprised of one Company equipped with 12 x quad 20mm guns and two Companies each equipped with 4 x vehicle towed 88mm guns. The final support element within the Division was an armoured reconnaissance Battalion. This was formed by an HQ platoon, an armoured car Company equipped with 16 x SdKfz 231's, which were grouped into four platoons and three motorcycle Companies, each consisting of an HQ platoon, an MG Platoon equipped with 4 x MG's on sustained fire mounts and three rifle Platoons. Support elements within the reconnaissance Battalion included a support Company comprising of 2 x 75mm le IG 18 guns, 3 x 50mm Pak 38 guns and an engineer platoon.

The Volksgrenadier Division 1944 - 1945

Initially the title Volksgrenadier was added to the designation of particular divisions that had aquitted themselves with particular distinction in combat. However by 1944 due to manpower shortages, the army reserve was almost entirely staffed by old men and boys. In a move to improve the morale of the units of the reserve army the infantry divisions were designated Volksgrenadier.
The Volksgrenadier Division consisted of an HQ Company, three infantry Regiments each consisting of two Battalions, an anti tank Battalion, a fusilier Company, an artillery Regiment and an engineer Battalion. The infantry Regiments were comprised of an HQ Company, including an engineer Platoon and a bicycle mounted reconnaissance Platoon. Support elements within the infantry Regiment included an anti-tank Company armed with panzerfausts, an infantry gun Company comprised of two platoons, one equipped with 4 x 120mm mortars and the other with 4 x 75mm Pak 40, horse towed guns.