21. Panzer Division - org. Jan 1945

[Wolf]

I’d like some help with establishing the organisation of the 21. Pz Div before the fighting near Hatten-Rittershoffen in January 1945. Basically what I’m looking for is information and numbers of the fighting elements of the division, what strength and types of weapons did the Division posses just before the fighting in Alsace 1945….

21. Pz Div

Pz Rgt 22
I Abteilung – how many tanks, what type(s)….? (any StuGs?)

PzGren Rgt 125
I, II Btl – roughly what strength did the battalions have, any half-tracks…? Any supporting companies, what types of AT-guns etc…?

PzGren Rgt 192
I, II Btl – roughly what strength did the battalions have, any half-tracks…? Any supporting companies, what types of AT-guns etc…?

Pz-Artillerie Rgt 155
I, II, II Abt – number of artillery pieces and what types…?

PzAA 21
How many companies, strengths, vehicle types…?

Heeres Flak Abt 305
Number of guns, types…? Any SP-Flak weapons…?

Panzerjäger-Abteilung 200
Strength, what types of vehicles…? Any towed AT-guns? What calibre…?

Pz Pi Btl 220
How many companies, motorisation…?

[Jan-Hendrik]

He you might find detailed data for 1.2.45 :

http://forum.panzer-archiv.de/viewtopic.php?t=995

Jan-Hendrik

[Panzeralex]

Hi
On 15.1.45 in 21 Pz.D were:
6/21/10 Pz. IV lg
15/24/26 Pz V
0/1/0 Bef Pz IV
4/1/0 Beob Pz IV
1/0/0 Berge Pz III
2/0/1 Berge Pz V
13/4/0 Pz IV/70
2/8/0 Flak Pz IV
0/2/0 Pz 38 (t)
1/3/0 Jg Pz IV on 30.12.44

combat-ready/in repair/in transit

Best regards,
Panzeralex

[Martin Block]

The status report of 21. Pz.Div. dated 1.1.1945 shows the following strength and composition:

Div.Stab mit Div.Begl.Kp.

Pz.Rgt. 22
Rgt.Stb. u. Stbskp. (1 Bef.Pz. V, 3 Möbelwagen, 4 Wirbelwind)
Stb. u. Stbskp. I. Abt. (? illegible) Bef.Pz. V, (? illegible) Bef.Pz IV, 3 Wirbelwind)
1. Kp. (18 Pz. V)
2. Kp. (17 Pz. V)
3. Kp. (16 Pz. IV)
4. Kp. (14 Pz. IV)
Of these 9 Pz. IV and 31 Pz. V were operational.

II./Pz.Rgt. 22 not present (in Grafenwöhr, never returned to division)

Pz.Gren.Rgt. 125
I.(SPW) Btl.
4 Kpn.
II.(mot.) Btl.
4 Kpn.
10.(Pi.) Kp.(mot.) (just light infantry weaons available, no engineer equipment)
Exact number of SPW in I./125 on 1.1.1945 not given but later report from 5.1.1945 listed just 3 with Stabskp., 9 in 1. and 3 in 4. Kp., 2. and 3. had none. All SPW were still French conversions. In addition one Somua with Pak 40 was also present)
Battalion had le. & s.MG, m.Gr.Wf., 2 cm Flak (towed and on French SPW) and one platoon with 7,5 cm Pak 40 mot.Z. available.
9.(s.I.G.) Kp. not yet present, but on the way (towed guns only)


Pz.Gren.Rgt. 192 ('extra' weapons in Rgt.Stbskp.: 1 - Marder II and 1 - Somua with 7,5 cm Pak 40)
I.(mot.) Btl.
4 Kpn.
II.(mot.) Btl.
4 Kpn.
9.(s.I.G.) Kp. (6 15 cm s.I.G. mot.Z.)
10.(Pi.) Kp. (mot.) (just light infantry weaons available, no engineer equipment)
Battalion had le. & s.MG, m.Gr.Wf., 2 cm Flak mot.Z. available, no other heavy A/T guns other than the 'extras' above)

Pz.Art.Rgt. 155
I. Abt.
2 le.F.H. and 1 s.F.H.(mot.Z.) batteries with a total of 9 - 10,5 cm le.F.H. and 4 15 cm s.F.H.
II. Abt.
2 le.F.H.(mot.Z.) batteries with a total of 10 - 10,5 cm le.F.H.
III. Abt.
2 batteries with a total of 8 - 15 cm s.F.H.(mot.Z.) and 1 battery with 4 - 10 cm Kanonen

H.Flak-Art.Abt. 305
1. Bttr. (2 - 8,8 cm Flak)
2. Bttr. (3 - 3,7 cm Flak Einlinge, 3 - 3,7 cm Flak-Zwillinge)
3. Bttr. (4 - 2 cm Flak Einlinge, 5 - 2 cm Flak Vierlinge)
All weapons towed, none sp

Pz.A.A. 21
Stbskp., 1.-4.Kp. (fully armored with a total of 5 le., 8 s.Pz.Späh-Wg. (Sd.Kfz. 222, 223, 231, 232, 233) and about 70 le. and m.SPW (numbers partially illegible) including 250/1, /2, /3, /5, /7, /8, /9, /10, 251/1, /2, /3, /4, /7, /8, /9, /11, /20). Only about 2/3 of the vehicles were combat ready.

Pz.Jg.Abt. 200
1. Kp. (4 Jagdpz. IV L/48)
2. Kp. (0 Jagdpz.)
3. Kp. (9 - 7,5 cm u. 6 - 8,8 cm Pak mot.Z.)
17 new Panzer IV/70(V) were already on the way and arrived a few days later

Pz.Pi.Btl. 200
1. u. 2. Kp.(mot.)
3. Kp. (SPW) (numbers and types not given)

Pz.Nachr.Abt. 200
1.(Fernm.) Kp.
2.(Fu) Kp.

Pz.FEB 200
4 Kpn.

Versorgungstruppen


Total personnel strenght of division on 1.1.1945: 11987 O/NCO/OR, i.e. 2620 short of authorized strenght of 14607.

[Wolf]

Vielen Dank, all - but especially Martin, exactly what I wanted to know!