Fallschirmjäger Divisions
RETHYMNON Airfield 20MAY1941 0700h
The Fallschirmjäger divisions were genuinely elite troops and should usually be graded as Veteran in NQM.
BOX 057: Fallschirmjäger link here.
Divisional HQ including Fallschirmjäger Signal Battalion and Fahrad Aufklärungs Kompanie CSO orbat annotated in blue
Commander (C3) on foot or in Kubelwagen or staff car
Signals Vehicle (C3)
Bicycle Recce (R1)
Fallschirmjäger Regiment HQ x 3
Regimental Commander, Regt Gun (3.7cmm PaK or sPzB 41 ), optional SdKfz 2 Kettenkrad limber* = (CS2or3)
Regt Comd + Regt Gun (3.7cmm PaK or sPzB 41 ), optional SdKfz 2 Kettenkrad limber (C3)
(These bases together comprise a strength 2 or 3 Command stand RSO/DSO scale)
Fallschirmjäger Battalion x up to 9
Comd + MMG + 0-1 81 or 50mm Mortar + 0-1 ATk Rifle (CS3)
3 Rifle bases = (F3)
Rifle base (F3)
or
NQM RSO/DSO scale 6 strength point battalions, for CSO a battalion is Sp3
Fallschirmjäger Artillery Regiment
RHQ comd (C3)
FOO(O1)
10.5cm Leichtgeshutz 40 (S3) + Kettenrad limber (L3)
7.5cm Gebirgsgeschutz 36 (S3) + Kettenrad limber (L3)
10.5cm Leichtgeshutz 40 + Kettenkrad limber (S3)
7.5cm Gebirgsgeschutz 36 + Kettenkrad limber (S3)
Fallschirmjäger Flak Regiment
2cm Flak (S3) + limber may be self propelled or motorised (L3)
8.8cm Flak (S3) + SdKfz 7 limber (L3)
2cm FlaK + limber may be self propelled or motorised (S3) or
8.8cm FlaK + SdKfz 7 limber (S3)
Fallschirmjäger Anti- Tank Battalion
7.5cm Pak 40 or 5cm Pak 38 (S3) + Limber (L3)
7.5cm Leichtgeshütz 40 (S3) + Limber (L3)
7.5cm PaK 40 or 5cm Pak 38 + Limber (S3) or
7.5cm Leichtgeshütz 40 + Limber (S3)
One gun may be self propelled or a Stug later in the war.
Sdkfz2 with 7.5cm recoilless gun (7.5 cm Leichtgeschütz 40)
Fallschirmjäger Pioneer Battalion
3 Pioneer Stands (E3)
2 Trucks (L3), or 1 with optional Trailer (L3) replacing 1 truck.
Truck +2 Pioneer Stands = 3(E1)
The following Divisions were raised. I have briefly recorded where they fought:
1st – Autumn 1942 Russia, Sicily, Italy including CASSINO.
2nd – Nov 1942 North Afrika as the 2nd Parachute Brigade at ALAMEIN (when it comprised 4 Bns with 3.7cm PaK), Russia, France
3rd – Late 1943 Normandy, FALAISE, Ardennes, Ruhr.
4th – Jan 1944 ANZIO, Northern Italy
5th – June 1944 Normandy, FALAISE, Ardennes.
6th – June 1944 Normandy, MONS, ARNHEM, RHINE.
7th Air – The original Parachute Division. EBAN EMAL, Greece, Crete, Russia, LENINGRAD. Used to form the 1st Parachute Division in Autumn 1942
7th Fallschirmjaeger – September 1944 ARNHEM, RHINE.
8th – December 1944 REICHSWALD. Never exceeded Regimental strength.
9th – 1940 Holland, Crete.
10th – March 1945. Battlegroup strength only formed from remnants of the 1st and 4th. Danube Valley.
Luftwaffe Field Division (1943 onwards)
Not to be outdone by the SS, Goering created new divisions “imbued with the spirit of National Socialism“. It proved to be a disaster, diverting much needed material and manpower from the Wehrmacht. No-one was surprised. The uniforms were smart though. If you grade Luftwaffe divisions as anything other than green or conscript then you are probably an incurable optimist.
Divisional HQ including Field Signal Company and Field Fusileer Company
1 Commander (in Kubelwagen or staff car) (C3), 1 Signals Vehicle (C3), Comd + 2 Rifles (CF3)
1 Commander (in Kubelwagen or staff car) (C3), 1 Signals Vehicle (C3), Rifle (F3)
Field Infantry Regiment HQ x 2
RHQ Comd, Mortar, 0-1 Atk rifle or panzershreck or 7.5cm/15cm Regt Gun (CS2-3)
RHQ Comd, Mortar, or Atk rifle or panzershreck or 7.5cm/15cm Regt Gun (CS3)
Field Infantry Battalion x 6
Comd + MMG + 50mm Mor or LMG (CS3), 3 Rifles (F3)
Rifle (F3)
Field Artillery Regiment
RHQ Comd (C3), FOO (O1), 10.5cm Divisional gun (S3) + limber (L3)
10.5cm Divisional gun + limber (S3)
Field Flak Battalion
BHQ Comd (C3), 2cm FlaK or Flakvierling (S3) + limber (L3)
2cm FlaK or Flakvierling + limber (S3)
Field Anti- Tank Battalion
3.7cm/5cm/7.5cm/7.62cm Gun (S3) + Limber (L3)
3.7cm/5cm/7.5cm/7.62cm Gun + Limber (S3)
Field Engineer Battalion
Comd + Engineer + Flamethrower (E3), Wagon or Truck (L3) + optional trailer (L3)
Truck + Engineer + Flamethrower = 3(E1)
The short histories of the Luftwaffe Field Divisions are instructive:
1st, 9th, 10th and 13th – Disbanded after heavy losses incurred in the the retreat from LENINGRAD Jan 1944.
2nd and 3rd – Sent to Army Group Centre. Disbanded early 1944.
4th and 6th – Sent to Army Group Centre. Destroyed at VITEBSK July 1944.
5th – Sent to Army group South. Disbanded after heavy losses incurred in the Soviet 1942/43 Winter Offensive.
7th and 8th- Sent to Army Group Don, Army Detachment Hollindt for the relief of STALINGRAD. Survivors of 7th were absorbed into 15th Field Division; the 8th survivors were disbanded in summer 1943.
11th – Sent to the Agean Islands, then Greece, retreating through the Balkans to survive to the end of the war.
12th – Sent to Army Group North, suffering a similar fate to the other Field divisions, but benefiting from reinforcements as the other Field divisions disbanded. Survived to the end of the war.
14th – Sent to Norway. Never saw combat.
15th – Sent to Army group Don, disintegrating after only a few days of action. Count this one as Green. Absorbed survivors of the 7th. Disbanded after the battle of TAGENROG in autumn 1943.
16th – Stationed in Holland. Sent to Normandy in June 1944 as the 45th Field Infantry Regiment in time to be overrun by the British at CAEN. Survivors eventually went to the 16th Infantry Division.
17th – Posted to the French Atlantic coast. Defended PARIS. Destroyed by the U.S. 1st Army.
18th – Posted to Northern France and Belgium. Defended PARIS. Destroyed in the MONS Pocket.
19th – Served in Holland and Belgium. Transferred to Italy. Incurred heavy casualties. Survivors transferred to Denmark.
20th – Transferred from Denmark to Ital;, where it suffered heavy losses and was disbanded in 1945.
21st – Sent to Army Group North, suffering a similar fate to the other Field divisions, but surviving long enough to end the war in the COURLAND Pocket
22nd – Never fully formed. Never saw combat. Even the Luftwaffe had discerned a pattern by then.
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