Weapon Support Vehicles Identification

[NID_2575]

Does anyone have any information on how vehicle numbering worked for a Gepanzerte Panzergrenadierkompanies (Mechanized Company) attached weapon support vehicles? I really want to know how they were identified within Panzer Lehr as it was the Heer’s Demonstration Division organized in a fully mechanized force structure.

The attached weapon support I am referring to are the two (2) Sdkfz 251/2 - Schützenpanzerwagen (Granatwerfer). 81 mm Mortar carriers and two (2) Sdkfz 251/9 - Schützenpanzerwagens(7.5 cm KwK37) each with 75 mm L/24 low velocity gun. These four (4) half-tracks with their additional weaponry were assigned to almost every company within the Battalions of Panzer Lehr.

I understand that due to repair, combat damage and other issues that vehicles rotated in and out of companies. I am trying to formulate what an “Ideal” as in nothing ever went wrong, numbering system would have been when they were added to a company.

I understand that Lear was a fully armored division with each Company, only in a perfect situation, being issued roughly 15 Sdkfz 251/1 - Schützenpanzerwagen. Standard personnel carriers, or other variant half-track, for their grenadiers and in an this ideal situation the numbering would be depicted as follows for a platoon from the first company:

HQ 101, 102,103
1st Zug (squad) 111, 112,113,114
2nd Zug (squad) 121,122,123,124
3rd Zug (squad) 131,132,133,134

Would the Sd Kfz251/2 and Sd Kfz 251/9 be assigned and receive a number attached to a squad? For example:

Conf. A

1st Zug (squad) 111, 112,113,114 (115, 116)
2nd Zug (squad) 121,122,123,124 (125)
3rd Zug (squad) 131,132,133,134 (135)


Or would they be formed into their own Zug (squad) with their Platoon Lieutenant issued a Sd Kfz251/1 for overseeing the entire platoon and both the Sd Kfz251/2 and Sd Kfz 251/9 serving in the same platoon deployed together? For example:

Conf. B

HQ 101, 102
1st Zug (squad) 111, 112,113,114
2nd Zug (squad) 121,122,123,124
3rd Zug (squad) 131,132,133,134

Weapons Support
(4th Zug (squad) (141,142,143,144,145)

If so would the Sd Kfz251/2 adopt the lower #’s? The larger numbers? or were the Numbering alternated?

Or was their something else all together?


I am trying to historically model, as close as reasonable, an ideal Gepanzerte Panzergrenadierkompanie force representing the 902. Panzergrenadierregiment II/902. Battalion 5th Company of Panzer Lehr at full strength, having its correct organization and identification on each model.... an ideal show piece.

I know that ideal and perfect are hard to support, and the word never is sure to be disproved by something or someone. However what is the best guess or fact out there, as there had to be a way to identify these vehicles, and when they were first organized it was on paper, only later deployed within their companies. They had to have some logical way to be incorporated.

Any help, ideas, or resources are all welcome and appreciated!

Thank you for your responses and the time at reading this super long post