Creating the Battle of the Bulge.....Wacht Am Rhine (2 Viewers)

Organic German Cavalry in WW2


German doctrine has always laid great emphasis on strong and aggressive reconnaissance at all echelons as a basis for dispositions and operations. This ranged from distant strategic reconnaissance by air forces and by large cavalry or motorized units to constant local patrolling by groups of four or five men from a rifle platoon.

In planning for World War II, the German High Command allotted a full, organic reconnaissance battalion to each division, except for coast defense and other static divisions. The organization of the battalion was identical in virtually all German infantry divisions and was retained without any essential change until 1943, except that there was a tendency in some units to replace the horses by bicycles.

Basically, the battalion consisted of one horse troop, one bicycle troop, a heavy weapons troop, and a communications platoon. The horse troop had three platoons (each of three squads) and a heavy machine gun section. The heavy machine gun section had 21 heavy machine guns; each squad had one light machine gun. The troop's strength was 205 men, 213 horses, and 3 horse-drawn wagons.

In 1943 a new and smaller type of infantry division was introduced in which the reconnaissance battalion was replaced by a shock infantry unit known as the Fusilier battalion. One company of this unit was mounted on bicycles while the rest were horse mounted. It had to serve both as the divisional reconnaissance element and as the reserve battalion for all three infantry regiments, which had been reduced to two battalions each.

The Germans experimented with even smaller divisional setups, but this Fusilier battalion was restored in the 1945-type division, with the horses eliminated and the entire battalion (except heavy weapons elements) mounted on bicycles. The employment of divisional reconnaissance battalions adhered to the usual principles of modern cavalry tactics. The units were used aggressively and skilfully for counter-reconnaissance, screening, flank protection, and covering withdrawals.

Though not strictly a part of the cavalry arm, the mounted platoon in the headquarters company of each infantry regiment in the German Army was used to spearhead regimental movements, for reconnaissance before and during action, and for screening and covering purposes. It consisted of three squads, a headquarters section, and a train, totalling 31 men and 31 horses. In later war operations some horses of the platoon were replaced by bicycles. This replacement was true of all divisions of the Volksgrenadier and 1945 types.

http://www.lonesentry.com/articles/germanhorse/index.html
 

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more horses
 

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If I did Winter those wagons would be a must, really like the horse theme and bicycles in WW11, makes a change from seeing endless tanks. The backdrop for these scenes is a treat. Thanks for sharing. Cheers, Robin.
 
My favorite thread,great pic's again matey.

If I did Winter those wagons would be a must, really like the horse theme and bicycles in WW11, makes a change from seeing endless tanks. The backdrop for these scenes is a treat. Thanks for sharing. Cheers, Robin.

thanks, I too have been hoping for some more horses. More pics in due course. I also like dogs and kitchens
 

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thanks, I too have been hoping for some more horses. More pics in due course. I also like dogs and kitchens

I'm ever so glad you do Kevin and thanks for sharing them with us {bravo}}{bravo}}{bravo}}
 
I'm ever so glad you do Kevin and thanks for sharing them with us {bravo}}{bravo}}{bravo}}

wow where did u get the dog with a red cross, it's a great inclusion for a diorama

Thanks Joe, I enjoy your dios too.

Phoong, part of HonourBound medic set - they did winter and summer.
 

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Excellent pictures, one of my favorite subjects. Very good use of the different TS lines.
 

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Love the pic of the horses with the Jerry armour Kevin. Awesome stuff mate.

Tom
 

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The bad weather was vital to the German success, keeping away Allied air power. Advance at dusk under cloud cover ....

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[FONT=&quot]http://www.avalanchepress.com/German_Infantry_Guns.php

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[FONT=&quot]German Infantry Guns
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]By Mike Bennighof, Ph.D.
March 2012[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Hard experience in the First World War taught most European armies the need to support infantry with light artillery under their own control. These took the form of trench mortars and small cannon known as “infantry guns,” ranging from 37mm to 75mm caliber. They usually had only direct-fire capability, not being designed to lob shells over long ranges.
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[FONT=&quot]Afterward, the German Reichswehr placed light artillery in the infantry order of battle. In 1927, Germany’s leading artillery maker, Rheinmetall, received an order for a new, lightweight 75mm gun for the infantry. It had pneumatic tires and was intended to be drawn by a truck or half-track prime mover. A lightweight splinter shield protected the four-man gun crew. An unusual “shotgun” breech action allowed the crew to huddle tightly behind the shield while re-loading: after firing, the barrel would slide back over the breech block, with the muzzle pointed toward the ground and the breech end pointing upwards. The crew could then easily slide the next shell into the barrel and lock it back into position to fire again.
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[FONT=&quot]At less then 900 pounds, the gun could easily be manhandled into position, and this feature made it very popular within the Army. With its short barrel, range was not great — 3,900 yards — but more than enough to provide direct support to the infantry. Initially it had only high-explosive shells, much smaller than the standard load for a 75mm piece (about 5 kilograms). During the war the guns would also receive hollow-charge anti-tank rounds.
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[FONT=&quot]For mountain troops, a variant with large spoked wooden wheels could be broken into six to 10 pack loads, allowing it to be carried by a train of mules or even very strong men. The gun had the same barrel and breech, but a lighter trail and no splinter shield. A similar gun was provided for airborne troops. Crews preferred the mountain gun variant: despite the anachronistic appearance of its wooden wheels, these were much larger than the tires on the standard gun and made it much easier to handle in action.
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[FONT=&quot]Issue of the weapons varied throughout the war, but almost every formation had some of them. Standard regimental tables called for a company of six 75mm guns in three two-gun platoons, plus a platoon with two heavy 150mm infantry guns. Late in the war, many battalions had their own two-gun platoon. Mountain battalions always had two mountain guns in their organization. [/FONT]

Mix of Mountford gun, HB and TGM figures. Foliage etc JGM.

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