Panzer Lehr on June 8th

[Mark W. Tonner]

Hi John;

Some notes on Panther equipped formations:

Organization of a Type '43' Panzer Division: 10 January 1943

from the notes for the Panzer division:

- for the Panther Mk V equipped battalion:

Panther Bn Staff Coy: - Signals Pl: 3x Pz Mk V PzBefWg; Recce Pl: 5x Pz Mk V
Panther Pz Coy: - Coy HQ: 2x Pz Mk V; 1st to 4th Platoons with 5x Pz Mk V each

and from notes for the Pz Mk IV equipped battalion of a Pz regiment (issued 1 Nov 43):

Pz Regt Staff Coy: - Signals Pl: 3x Pz Mk V PzBefWg; Recce Pl: 4x Pz Mk V

and from notes for the Panther Mk V equipped Pz Regt (issued 1 Nov 43):

Panther Pz Regt Staff Coy: - Signals Pl: 3x Pz Mk V PzBefWg; Recce Pl: 4x Pz Mk V
Panther Pz Bn Staff Coy: - Signals Pl: 3x Pz Mk V PzBefWg; Recce Pl: 5x Pz Mk V
Panther Pz Coy: - Coy HQ: 2x Pz Mk V; 1st to 4th Platoons with 5x Pz Mk V each

Organization of a Type '44' Panzer Division: 1 August 1944

from the notes for the Panzer regiment:

Regimental Staff Coy: 3x Pz Mk V PzBefWg

I Battalion:

Bn Staff Coy: 5x Pz Mk V and 3x Pz Mk V PzBefWg
4x Pz Coy: each 17 or 22 Panther Mk V

organizational change issued on 1 November 1944:

Regimental Staff Coy: 3x Pz Mk V
Panther Pz Bn Staff Coy: 3x Pz Mk V
Panther Pz Bn Recce Pl: 5x Pz Mk V
Panther Pz Coy: - Coy HQ: 2x Pz Mk V; 1st to 4th Platoons with 5x Pz Mk V each

Notes on I/Pz Regt 6:

10 January 1944: 3x Coys with 22x Mk V each
22 March 1944: 4x Coys with 22x Mk V each
June 1944: 4x Coys with 22x Mk V each
5 June 1944: orders issued to reorganize as part of a Type '44' Panzer Division
15 October 1944: reorganized into 2x Coys with 14x Mk V each

The 'Panther' strength of the Pz Lehr Div in June 1944 (pre-invasion) from OKH records was 89

Source: The German Order of Battle Panzers and Artillery in World War II, by G. F. Nafziger, based on OKH records held by the U.S. National Archives.

Cheers