Basic Organization of Schützen-Regiment (mot.) in 1940

Reorganization of Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 1, 2, and 3. The motorized rifle regiments in the first three Panzer-Divisions were reorganized after Polish campaign as follow.

Each regiment received one motorized infantry battalion detached from motorized infantry division. The regiment now had three battalions (Table 9, Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 1 as an example). The first two battalions remained the same structure. The third, newly attached, battalion remained the basic structure of the previous motorized infantry battalion with three motorized rifle companies and one motorized machine gun company, except a fifth motorized heavy rifle company was created under the battalion.

Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 1 in 1940

1.
III.	II.	I.

Table 9. Basic organization of Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 1 in 1940. The battalion and company levels show the traditional German tactical symbols.

The regiment had a total of 15 companies and the firepower of these companies was also increased except the motocycle rifle companies (Table 10).

Firepower of Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 1 in 1940

Table 10. Firepower distribution in Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 1 in 1940, MG: machine gun, IG: infantry gun.

After reorganization a well balance between panzer and riflewas reached in the ratio of 4:4 (including motorcycle rifle battalion) at the battalion level in the first three Panzer-Divisions during early 1940.

Reorganization of Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 33 for 4. Panzer-Division. The 4. Panzer-Division had only one motorized rifle regiment as the War began. After Polish campaign it received Infanterie-Regiment (mot.) 33 with its 2nd and 3rd battalions from 13. Infanterie-Division (mot.) on 18th October 1939. Thus the ratio between panzer and schützen at the battalion level became 4:4 in the 4. Panzer-Division during early 1940. 1 Apr 1940, Würzburg, the regiment was redesigned Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 33 (Table 11).

Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 33 in 1940

33.
II.	I.

Table 11. Basic organization of Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 33 in 1940. The battalion and company levels show the traditional German tactical symbols.

The composition of the regiment was quite different. The regimental HQ had one motorized signal platoon and motorcycle rifle platoon. The second battalion had three motorized rifle companies and one motorized MG company. The third battalion had one motorcycle rifle company, two motorized rifle companies and one motorized MG company. There was NO motorized heavy company in battalion. However, the regiment did have one motorized heavy infantry gun company and one motorized antitank company under its control. The firepower of the Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 33 in 1940 (Table 12)was NOT as powerful as that of Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 12 of the 4. Panzer-Division in 1938 (Table 5 ).

Firepower of Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 33 in 1940

Table 12. Firepower distribution in Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 33 in 1940, MG: machine gun, IG: infantry gun.

Reorganization of Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 69 and 86 for 10. Panzer-Division. 1 November 1939, Prague, 10. Panzer-Division received Infanterie-Regiment (mot.) 69 with its 2nd battalion from 20. Infanterie-Division (mot.). 1 Apr 1940, Hamburg-Wandsbek, the regiment received the 3rd battalion of Infanterie-Regiment (mot.) 86 as its 1st battalion and was redesigned Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 69. The 2nd battalion of the regiment was equipped with amored personnel carrier SdKfz 251 and the 5th company of the battalion was the first to receive 25 vehicles. 1 Apr 1940, Mühlhausen, Infanterie-Regiment (mot.) 86 transferred its 3rd battalion to its sister regiment and was redesigned Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 86.

Reorganization of leichte Divisions into Panzer-Divisions. Long before the Polish campaign, the OKH had made the decision to convert all four leichte Divisions into Panzer-Divisions. The conversion occured during Sep 1939 to Jan 1940 as follow.

The process of reorganization was slightly different in each division. In general, the first three reorganized Panzer-Divisions (6., 7., and 8. Panzer-Divisions) received one Panzer-Regiment with two battalions from Heeres Truppen. So these divisions had three panzer battalions. The 9. Panzer-Division had only one panzer regiment with two battalions. The Kavallerieschützen-Regimenter (mot.) were redesigned Schützen-Regiments (mot). The Aufklärung-Regiment Stab was disbanded, the Kradschützen-Bataillon and Aufklärung-Abteilung in the regiment were remained in the same division or sent to other mechanized formations. Other units remained the same organization.

Creation of 11. Schützen-Brigade (mot.). 8 December 1939, Meiningen, the HQ of 11. Schützen-Brigade (mot.) was setup as an independent brigade with the recruits from the region of Meiningen-Hamburg-Magdeburg in WK-IX and replacement units in WK-IX, X, XI, II and III. 7 Demcember 1939, Hamburg, the HQ and 1st batallion of Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 110 was setup from Infanteire-Ersatz-Regiment (mot.) 20, Infanterie-Ersatz-Bataillon 69, 76 and 90. The 2nd battalion was converted from Infanterie-Ersatz-Regiment (mot.) 13 in Magdeburg. The Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 111 was formed in Erfurt with HQ and two battalions from Infanterie-Ersatz-Regiment 29 and Infanterie-Ersatz-Regiment 2 in WK-IX.

Organization of Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 110 and Schuetzen-Regiment (mot.) 111. The composition of this regiment was quite different. The regimental HQ had one motorized signal platoon and armored car platoon. The battalion had three motorized rifle companies, one motorized MG company and one motorized heavy company. The regiment also have one infantry motorcycle company under its control. The organization of the motorized rifle regiment shows in Table 13.

Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 110 in 1940

110.
II.	I.

Table 13. Basic organization of Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 110 in 1940. The battalion and company levels show the traditional German tactical symbols.

The regiment had a total of 11 companies and the firepower of the motorized infantry companies has 12 light MG and three light mortar but without heavy MG. The hevay MG was concentrated in the motorized MG company (Table 14).

Firepower of Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 110 in 1940

Table 14. Firepower distribution in Schützen-Regiment (mot.) 110 in 1940, MG: machine gun, IG: infantry gun.

List of Composition in Schützen-Regiment (mot.) in 1940. There were 17 motorized rifle regiments in 10 panzer divisions and one motorized rifle brigade.

There were total 149 motorized rifle-related companies in 17 motorized rifle regiments and the composition included 83 motorized rifle companies (62%), 20 motorized heavy companies (15%), 18 motorized MG companies (13%), 11 motorcycle rifle companies (8%), and 8 armored rifle companies (2%).