Feldgrau.net

Dear All,
The Wehrmacht used Roman numerals to identify battalions i.e. I and II etc.
They used numbers to identify the Kompanie, 1 to 4 being I Battalion, 5 to 8 II Battalion, 9 to 12 III Battalion then additional Kompanies 13 onwards for support weapons.
However did they use numbers to identify individual Zug within the Kompanie e.g. 1-Zug, 2-Zug etc. and was a numbering system also used for individual Gruppen within the Zug. If not how were individual Gruppen identified?
I am presuming that for an Infantry Kompanie: 1-Kompanie would contain 1-Zug : Gruppe 1, Gruppe 2, Gruppe 3, Gruppe 4 then 2-Zug : Gruppe 1, Gruppe 2, Gruppe 3, Gruppe 4 and similarly for 3-Zug
Have I got this correct?
Over to the experts...

Hello,

Correct...
BAsically the rule before the war was - 1.Gruppe - I.Zug - 1.Kompanie - I.Bataillon - Inf.Rgt.1. While most KStn already 1939 show 1.Zug not I.Zug etc...

/Christoph

Christoph, wold it not also be correct to say that within a unit the Gruppen within the Zug were often known by the name of their commander ?

Hello Alan,

Yes that is absolutely correct... from veterans and combat reports Gruppen, Züge, Kompanien, Bataillone, Regimenter etc.. were often called by their commanders.

/Christoph

Thank you for your quick response Christoph.
The numbering would therefore be:

1.Gruppe - 1.Zug - 1.Kompanie - I.Bataillon - Inf.Rgt.1.
2.Gruppe - 1.Zug - 1.Kompanie - I.Bataillon - Inf.Rgt.1.
3.Gruppe - 1.Zug - 1.Kompanie - I.Bataillon - Inf.Rgt.1.
4.Gruppe - 1.Zug - 1.Kompanie - I.Bataillon - Inf.Rgt.1.

1.Gruppe - 2.Zug - 1.Kompanie - I.Bataillon - Inf.Rgt.1.
2.Gruppe - 2.Zug - 1.Kompanie - I.Bataillon - Inf.Rgt.1.
3.Gruppe - 2.Zug - 1.Kompanie - I.Bataillon - Inf.Rgt.1.
4.Gruppe - 2.Zug - 1.Kompanie - I.Bataillon - Inf.Rgt.1.

1.Gruppe - 3.Zug - 1.Kompanie - I.Bataillon - Inf.Rgt.1.
2.Gruppe - 3.Zug - 1.Kompanie - I.Bataillon - Inf.Rgt.1.
3.Gruppe - 3.Zug - 1.Kompanie - I.Bataillon - Inf.Rgt.1.
4.Gruppe - 3.Zug - 1.Kompanie - I.Bataillon - Inf.Rgt.1.

Hope I have this correct and yes I understand that many formations were often known by their commander's name.
Thanking you once again
Steve Grethe