Guest Steve M Posted 6 January , 2004 Share Posted 6 January , 2004 Greetings from the Great White North (-12 C, fresh snow on the way) Can someone please give me the manpower breakdown of a typical German Unit for 1916. How many Sections to a Company ? (did they have sections ?) Four companies to a Battalion (how many men per company ?) Three (four) battalions to a Regiment ? (total manpower of a regiment ?) How does this compare to a British Unit (same period). Were they approximatly the same complement of men ? Thanks SteveM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 6 January , 2004 Share Posted 6 January , 2004 Hello Steve, I suspect you mean a typical German frontline Infantry Unit? When exactly in 1916? January or December? It makes a big difference. Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Steve M Posted 6 January , 2004 Share Posted 6 January , 2004 Hi Jan, The area would be Verdun, France (Jan/Feb 1916), on the eve of the battle (and the subsequent storming of Fort Douaumont (Feb 25/26th)). Yes a typical German Infantry Frontline Unit. Did it vary between Regiments ? Thanks Steve M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 6 January , 2004 Share Posted 6 January , 2004 Hello, Normal strength for an Infanterie-Bataillon was (until someway in 1916): Battalion Commander, 4 Company Commanders, 18 Lieutenants, Battalion Doctor and his assistant, Paymaster, 1054 NCO's and men (among them 30 'Trainsoldaten'), 58 horses and 19 carriages. A German Infantry Regiment had three battalions and a Machine Gun Company, consisting in 1914 of 4 officers, 95 NCO's and men, 45 horses, 6 MGs and a reserve MG and 7 carriages. During the war the number of MGs in a MGCoy was brought to 12 and a number of temporary MG units were created that further increased the number of men and MGs in a regiment. Somewhre 1915-1916 from these temporary MG units, a second MG Company was made for each regiment. Each regiment had three battalions, consisting each of four companies, and a MGCoy. An infantry Company had each three platoons (Züge), a platoon was 4 sections (Korporalschaften) and a section was 2 groups (Gruppen - 8 men and a lance corporal). Of course if the unit was engaged a few weeks, the strength could drop a lot. Units occupying quieter sectors often didn't get as many MGs, recruits etc. Hope this helps... Regards, Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Steve M Posted 6 January , 2004 Share Posted 6 January , 2004 Thanks Jan, thats just what I was looking for. Cheers SteveM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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