Panzer Jäger: German anti-Tank Battlions of World War Two

In the Wehrmacht Divisional Organisation the provision of anti-tank capacity had special importance. From the time they started rearming the Germans recognised the necessity of having effective anti-armour protection; they had after all seen the effectiveness of mass tank attacks in 1917-18. They therefore made a generous allocation of anti-vehicle weapons throughout the Division. Reconnaissance and Infantry components both had their anti-tank companies or sections while other elements had a limited organic anti-tank capacity. The Division as a whole, however, was also provided with a specialist anti­tank unit which had its own, positive role to play. This, initially was called the Panzer Abwehr Abteilung (Anti-tank Abteilung or Battalion) was a Battalion-sized unit reporting direct to Divisional HQ and seen from the start as not only providing defence against enemy attacks but also as accompanying the assault units in an attack to destroy enemy armoured counterthrusts. Accordingly it was, from the start, fully motorised even in otherwise horse-drawn Divisions and the motorisation was not regarded merely as transport; it gave tactical mobility. Thus each gun detachment had two medium cars, one towing the weapon while the other towed a light two wheeled limber trailer with ready-use ammunition. The platoon had its own command vehicle and dispatch rider and the organisation was extremely flexible.