Basic Organization of Panzergrenadier-Regiment in Panzer-Division During 1945

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Table 26. Panzer-Division 45

Table 27. Kampfgruppe Panzer-Division 45

Table 28. Panzer-Regiment 45

Table 29. Firepower of II. Abteilung in Panzer-Regiment 45

Table 30. Panzergrenadier-Regiment (mot) 45

Table 31. Firepower of Panzergrenadier-Regiment (mot) 45

Figure 1. Ratio among Panzer, Schuetzen and Panzergrenadier during 1935 to 1945

Table 32. Firepower of Schuetzen and Panzergrenadier-Regiment during 1935 to 1945

The structure of the Panzer-Divisions could no longer be compared with the corresponding organization and combat strength after six years fighting in all front lines. On 25 Mar 1945, the order of "Grundgliederung der Panzer-Division 45" (Table 26) was issued to go into effect immediately for all Panzer-Divisions of the Feldheeres. Divisions for which personnel and equipment strengths were too low to reach were reorganized as Kampfgruppe (Table 27). As the new order was promulgated only six weeks before the final surrender, it is hard to find whether the existing Panzer-Divisions were really reorganized into the "Type 45 Panzer-Division". But some of the new Panzer-Divisions with sounding titles were built as such organization.

Panzer-Division 45

Panzer-Regiment	I. Abteilung
	II. Abteilung
Panzergrenadier-Regiment (mot)	I. Bataillon
	II. Bataillon
Panzergrenadier-Regiment (mot)	I. Bataillon
	II. Bataillon
Panzer Jaeger-Abteilung
Panzer Aufklaerung-Abteilung
Heeres Flak Artillerie-Abteilung
Panzer Artillerie-Regiment
Panzer Pioniere-Bataillon

Table 26. Major combat components of Type 45 Panzer-Division.

Kampfgruppe Panzer-Division 45

Panzer-Regiment	I. Abteilung
	II. Abteilung
Panzergrenadier-Regiment (mot)	I. Bataillon
	II. Bataillon
Panzer Jaeger-Abteilung
Panzer Aufklaerung-Abteilung
Heeres Flak Artillerie-Abteilung
Panzer Artillerie-Regiment
Panzer Pioniere-Bataillon

Table 27. Major combat components of Type 45 Kampfgruppe Panzer-Division.

The size and strength were dramatically reduced in the Type 45 Panzer-Division. The ratio between panzer and panzergrenadier was down to 1 : 5 in Type 45 Panzer-Division and even down to 1 : 3 in Type 45 Kampfgruppe Panzer-Division. The Panzer-Regiment contained only one hybrid panzer battalion and one Panzergrenadier-Abteilung (Table 28), this organization was nearly the same as the short-lived Panzer/Panzergrenadier-Brigade in 1944. The decision ot institute the hybrid regiment was the result of practical front experiences gained over the war years. But it was too late and too weak to meet their enemies.

Panzer-Regiment 45

Panzer-Regiment Stab
I. Abteilung Werkstatt-Kompanie Versorgungs-Kompanie	1. Kompanie
	2. Kompanie
	3. Kompanie
	4. Kompanie
	5. Flak-Kompanie
II. Abteilung Versorgungs-Kompanie	6. Kompanie
	7. Kompanie
	8. Kompanie

Table 28. Basic organization of Panzer-Regiment in Type 45 Panzer-Division.

The size of the second battalion in the Panzer-Regiment was reduced to only three half-tracked companies without heavy company as firepower support. The overall firepower of this battalion decreased greatly (Table 29).

Firepower of II. Abteilung in Panzer-Regiment 45

	LMG	2 cm Flak	7.5 cm IG	PS
Total	69	18	6	3

Table 29. Firepower distribution of II. Abteilung of Panzer-Regiment in Type 45 Panzer-Division. LMG: light machine gun, IG: infantry gun, PS: Panzerschrecks.

With the half-tracked battalion merged into the Panzer-Regiment, the Panzergrenadier-Regiment no longer contained SdKfz 251 SPW. Due to the severe shortage of both manpower and materials, the regiment became semi-motorized (Table 30).

Panzergrenadier-Regiment (mot) 45

Panzergrenadier-Regiment Stab
I. Bataillon Versorgungs-Kompanie	1. Kompanie
	2. Kompanie
	3. Kompanie
	4. Schwere-Kompanie
	5. Schwere-Kompanie
II. Bataillon Versorgungs-Kompanie	6. Kompanie
	7. Kompanie
	8. Kompanie
	9. Schwere-Kompanie
	10. Schwere-Kompanie
	11. IG-Kompanie
	12. Pioniere-Kompanie

Table 30. Basic organization of Panzergrenadier-Regiment (mot) in Type 45 Panzer-Division

Although the regiment still could field twelve companies, six of them were motorized Panzergrenadier on foot. The advantages of both mobility and firepower of the once great Panzergrenadier-Regiment were no longer existed (Table 31).

Firepower of Panzergrenadier-Regiment (mot) 45

	LMG/HMG	2 cm Flak/PS	15 cm IG	8 cm/12 cm Mortar
Stab	7/0	0/3
I. Bataillon	46/8	6/12		8/4
II. Bataillon	46/8	6/12		8/4
11. Kompanie	2/0		4
12. Kompanie	9/0	0/9
Total	110/16	12/36	4	16/8

Table 31. Firepower distribution of Panzergrenadier-Regiment (mot) in Type 45 Panzer-Division. LMG: light machine gun, HMG: heavy machine gun, IG: infantry gun, PS: Panzerschrecks.

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As a summary, we compare the proportion among Panzer, Schuetzen and Panzergrenadier arms at the battalion level during different war time period (Figure 1). As a direct result of the diminution of panzer strength the Panzer-Division increased dependence upon its panzergrenadier components. Not only was it strengthened numerically, but it became burdened with all kinds of heavy weapons (Table 32).

Figure 1. Ratio among Panzer, Schuetzen and Panzergrenadier at battalion level in Panzer-Division during 1935 to 1945. The data is according to the standard organization of the Panzer-Division in different war time periods. Variations of Heeres, SS and Luftwaffe Panzer-Divisions are not included.

Firepower of Schuetzen and Panzergrenadier-Regiment during 1935 to 1945

	LMG/HMG	2 cm Flak/FT	le/m/s Pak/PS	7.5 cm/15 cm IG	le/m/s Mortar
1935	60/32		6/0/0/0		4/0/0
1939	62/28		6/0/0/0	4/0	30/0/0
1942	188/36	12/0	9/9/0/0	8/4	0/18/0
1943	294/24	13/24	9/0/9/0	14/6	0/12/4
1944	214/26	28/24		12/6	0/14/8
1945	110/16	12/0	0/0/0/36	0/4	0/16/8

Table 32. Firepower of Schuetzen and Panzergrenadier-Regiment in different war time periods. The data of Panzergrenadier-Regiment (mot) and SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment are not included. LMG: light machine gun, HMG: heavy machine gun, le Pak: 3.7 cm Pak, m Pak: 5 cm Pak, s Pak: 7.5 cm Pak, PS: Panzerschrecks, IG: infantry gun, le Mortar: 5 cm Mortar, m Mortar: 8 cm Mortar, s Mortar: 12 cm Mortar.

One of the most interesting aspects while I study the motorization of German infantry and grenadier is that there were various types of equipments and subunits within these formations. There are also many conflict data about these formations, I read a lot of reference and put the most reliable data on this home page. The concept of Panzer-Panzergrenadier cooperation became the standard rule for tank-infantry action after World War II. Although the hybrid Panzer-Regiment in "Type 45 Panzer-Division" failed to prove success, this concept still greatly influences the post-war formation of armor troops in many countries, including the Combined Force Brigade in Taiwan.