Here is hopefully the first of many posts outlining and detailing stats and info about the Armies that fought in WW11.

Our first to tackle is the

GERMAN 1939 INFANTRY DIVISION

A German Infantry Division had the strength of 17,000 men, although most divisions were well below this figure following losses during the campaign. In some cases a division could be down to only 60 men as is the case after the Eastern Front Campaign.

A typical Infantry Division consisted of a headquarters, 3 regiments, an artillery regiment, a reconnaissance battalion, and anti-tank battalion, an engineer battalion, a signals battalion, and support units. The one major advantage the German Infantry Divisions had throughout the war was their large numbers of machine guns, which gave Infantry squads massive firepower.

The German Infantry Divisions mostly relied on horse drawn vehicles for their transportation. Except for the reorganization of the Infantry platoon from three to four squads after the Polish Campaign in 1939, and the temporary increase in the number of horses in the divisions employed in Russia from 1941 to 1943, the German three-regiment, nine-battalion division remained unchanged until the fall of 1943.

Statistics of the German 1939 Infantry Division:

Typical organization of the division:

• Division Staff Company
• Mapping Platoon
• 3 Infantry Regiments – each regiment had; 3250 troops and 3 battalions. Each battalion had; three rifle companies.
• Machine Gun Company
• Infantry Gun Company
• Reconnaissance Battalion
• Mounted Squadron
• Bicycle Squadron
• Heavy Squadron
• Anti-tank Platoon
• Infantry Gun Platoon
• Armored Reconnaissance Troop
• Artillery Regiment: 2500 troops with 3 Light Artillery Battalions and one Heavy Artillery Battalion
• Observation Battalion
• Panzerjager Battalion: 550 troops with 3 Panzerjager Companies
• Heavy Machine Gun Company
• Pioneer Battalion: 843 troops with 2 Pioneer Companies
• Signals Battalion: 474 troops
• Replacement Battalion
• Plus: Bakery, butcher, medical and veterinary support – 2300 troops

Divisional Firepower:
• Light machine guns: 527
• Heavy machine guns: 116
• 20 mm anti-aircraft.anti-tank guns: 11

Mortars:
• 50 mm: 84
• 81 mm: 58

Infantry Guns:
• 75mm” 20
• 150 mm: 6

Artillery:
• 105 mm howitzers: 36
• 105 mm guns: 4
• 150 mm howitzers: 8
• Flamethrowers: 20

Transport:
• 5300 horses
• 1100 horse-drawn vehicles
• 950 motor vehicles
• 430 motorcycles.