I am intrigued as to why the German Army is the West did not simply form two complete Panzer Divisions in 1940?
I know that they did eventually formed 22 and 23 Panzer from France based armoured units in 1941 but would it not have been more efficient to form these earlier. If nothing else for administrative efficiency, training purposes and to act as an emergency reserve for other Panzer units.
Beute Panzer Divisions
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Christoph Awender
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Re: Beute Panzer Divisions
Hello,
The Wehrmacht formed and reorganised a lot of armoured units in 1940. To form new armoured formations does not just need tanks ... the main problem with the fast growing number of armoured units were specialists (personnel) and special equipment like repair, maintenance, transport etc.. assets.
/Christoph
The Wehrmacht formed and reorganised a lot of armoured units in 1940. To form new armoured formations does not just need tanks ... the main problem with the fast growing number of armoured units were specialists (personnel) and special equipment like repair, maintenance, transport etc.. assets.
/Christoph
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magicdragon
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Re: Beute Panzer Divisions
Christoph
I agree up to a point, but independent Beute formations historically created in 1940-41 would have needed a range of specialists anyway just to keep them in operation? Yes it would required more men and materials (raid the equipment depots just like Becker did and train drawn the men from 700 series divs deployed in France) but this would have been a process started in late 1940 so by mid 1941 they would have largely complete. I think I am right is saying that other Panzer divisions only received some of their support formations shortly before they where deployed in the field? My point is that in an emergency 2 Panzer Div almost at full complement and which had trained as cohesive formations would have been one hell of weapon!
I agree up to a point, but independent Beute formations historically created in 1940-41 would have needed a range of specialists anyway just to keep them in operation? Yes it would required more men and materials (raid the equipment depots just like Becker did and train drawn the men from 700 series divs deployed in France) but this would have been a process started in late 1940 so by mid 1941 they would have largely complete. I think I am right is saying that other Panzer divisions only received some of their support formations shortly before they where deployed in the field? My point is that in an emergency 2 Panzer Div almost at full complement and which had trained as cohesive formations would have been one hell of weapon!