An infantryman in 1934 wearing the standard field jacket and trousers of the period. Belt equipment includes ammunition pouches, each holding 15 rounds of 7.92 mm ammunition for the Gew 98 in his right hand. His boots are the experimental buckled boots of 1934, which did not go into general service.
1: The German national colours, initially found on the left side of the helmet but then moved to the right when the national emblem (2) was introduced.
2: The national emblem for helmets, placed on the left side of the helmet, in white.
3: The 1916-pattern helmet with studs either side designed to allow an armour-plated brow piece to be fitted, to protect sentries in the trenches of the First World War.
4: The national emblem as applied to the uniform jacket.
5: Rank chevrons to the end of 1936: (i) senior private (Oberschütze); (ii) lance-corporal (Gefreiter); (iii) corporal (Obergefreiter); (iv) senior corporal (Oberstabsgefreiter). Sergeants’ ranks were shown on their epaulets.
6: The shoulder board for an infantryman of 30 Infantry Regiment. Up to the war these were worn obviously, but as soon as operations started they were either covered with cloth or worn reversed, to conceal unit identity from the enemy.
7: Garrison cap or side hat. It was worn by soldiers in barracks and sometimes under the steel helmet to insulate the head against cold weather.
8: The Gewehr 98, the standard issue rifle of the First World War. This weapon was redesigned in the early 1930s as a shorter, more effective rifle with a turned-down bolt handle. With a calibre 7.92 mm (although known generally as 7.9 mm or 8 mm), the magazine held five rounds and it weighed over 4.3 kg (9 lb), and was sighted from 150 to 2,000 metres (164–2,187 yards). (See also 14a.)
9: The bayonet which was fixed below the muzzle of the rifle on a mounting post welded to the barrel, also shown is the black leather scabbard.
10: A five-round clip for the rifle.
11: The Pistole 08 or Luger. A 9 mm semi-automatic, it dated from before the First World War. It was superseded by the Walther P38 pistol (the holster is also seen).
12: Belt kit as seen from the rear. The upper full picture shows a rifleman in full field or marching order in 1935, with gas mask can, bayonet, entrenching tool, water bottle, bread bag and gas mask. Rolled over the pack are his greatcoat and shelter half. The detail shows how the entrenching tool was fixed to the belt.
14: The Type 24 hand grenade and a pamphlet for instruction.
14a: Pamphlets for instruction.
15: The transitional boot, with three buckles on the outside. It was soon abandoned as it was prone to let water in and was awkward in heavy undergrowth.
16: A military torch and battery. Note the coloured slides which were interchangeable.
1: The MG 08 water-cooled machine gun in the anti-aircraft role. The gun is mounted on the standard sled-style mounting, which has been raised to allow the gun to fire at a high angle against aircraft. The water cooling tube can be seen coming down below the gun muzzle. In the foreground is the range taker, a sergeant of the Reichswehr. The gun commander is observing through binoculars and also carries a map case, binocular case, bayonet, bread bag and gas mask container on his belt. The spurs are standard for this period (1933–34). The gunner is behind the weapon, aiming through the ring sights. An ammunition carrier is to the right of the gun.
When used in a high angle role (not shown) the sled-style mounting was extremely heavy (over 19 kg/40 lb) and the gun weighed approximately the same. During the First World War the gun was excellent in fixed positions, but extremely tiring to move on the battlefield. It was later modified to include a fixed bipod and a water jacket without pipe and reservoir. This version overheated quickly and was still too cumbersome.
2: The MG 08 in its normal role as an infantry anti-personnel weapon. During the campaign in Poland many reservists in third or fourth wave divisions were issued with this weapon, and were unable to use it, having been trained on the MG 34. The same applied to the MG 13.
3: The MG 13 was an air-cooled, magazine-fed, light machine gun. Here it is shown in the high angle role.
4: Magazine filling with a filler. Five-round clips are loaded into the box, and the slide pushes the cartridges out of their clips and straight into the MG 13 magazine.
5: Magazine filling by hand. The action is very similar to that used to load the rifle.
1: The MG 34 mounted on the Dreibein or tripod for high angle anti-aircraft work. The ring sight (detachable) is also seen and in detail (1a).
The weapon was seen in many roles wherever the Wehrmacht went.
2: A standard ammunition box and a belt of 50 7.92 mm rounds.
3: The MG 34 mounted on its tripod for sustained fire work. Mounted like this it could be used as a heavy machine gun in the machine gun company of the infantry battalion. The gun was capable of indirect firing, and is shown fitted with the dial sight (MG-Zieleinrichtung). It was necessary to change the barrel every 250 rounds when in continuous action. Overheating could lead to rounds ‘cooking off’ or in serious cases, to barrel warping.
4: The MG-Zieleinrichtung dial sight. This was used to aim via indicating stakes. The gun and sight would be aimed at one of the stakes, giving a lay on a specific bearing. A correction was then set on the sight, and the gun traversed to bring the sight back on to the original stake. The gun was now laid off on the new bearing, and after elevation had been applied, the gun could fire.
5: A 75-round drum magazine and belt tab. The tab was needed to load the gun from the drum with the feed cover closed.
6: An unloaded ammunition belt. This fixed link belt could be loaded with rifle cartridges simply and quickly. The ammunition belts were sometimes joined to give a greater supply to the gun. An ammunition man would feed the rounds to the gun from a standard ammunition box.
7: The double 150-round ammunition drum. This required a special feed mechanism, but it was soon discontinued because of over-complication.
8: The MG 34 gunner’s tool case and tools. Apart from spanners and a split case extractor, the case (worn on the belt) also held a spare bolt for the gun.
9: Spare barrel case.
1: The 5 cm mortar and a two-man team. The mortar is being levelled before firing. The mortar weight was 14 kg (31 lb); range 50–519 m (55–568 yds.
2: The 5 cm mortar.
3: Mortar bomb case and contents.
4: Section of an HE 5 cm mortar bomb, weighing 800 g (2 lb) with TNT filling.
5: The 8 cm infantry mortar. This was a much more effective weapon, firing a 3.5 kg (7 1b 12 oz) round out to 1,200 m (1,312 yd). Actual calibre was 81.4 mm, and the weapon weighed 57 kg (125 lb). Rate of fire: six rounds in 8–9 seconds, then 10–15 rpm. It fired HE, smoke and illumination bombs.
1: An anti-tank section in training hitch their 3.7 cm PaK (Panzerabwehrkanone) 35/36 L/45 to a light tractor (Sd.Kfz.10). The crew consisted of the gun commander, the gun layer, the loader/firer, two ammunition men and the driver of the prime mover. The gun weighed 432 kg (952 lb), making it very easy to move and manoeuvre, even by hand. It was 3.4 m long (11 ft). Barrel elevation was from –6˚ to +25˚, with a traverse of 60˚. Production began in 1928 and over 15,000 had been produced by 1941. Six of these guns were organic to every infantry regiment. Early versions had ‘cart’ wheels, later ones the pneumatic wheels shown here. It weighed 405 kg (892 lb horse drawn) or 515 kg (1,135 tractor-drawn); traverse was 11˚, elevation –10˚ to +75˚; maximum range was 4,600 m (or 5,030 yds) charge super, with a rate of fire of 8–12 rpm. The breech mechanism was designed on the shotgun principle, and the breech dropped to expose the gun chamber. Developed from 1927, it was first issued in 1932. The normal crew was six men, including gun commander, gun layer, loader/firer, fuse setter and two ammunition men. The gun could be manhandled in the field, although it was designed to be either horse- or tractor-drawn. The gun was also issued for mountain service as the 7.5 cm leGebIG (leichtes Gebirgsinfanteriegeschütz) 18.
2: A shell for the 3.7 cm PaK. This armour-piercing tracer shell weighed 1.5 kg (3 lb 3 oz) complete, with a projectile weight of 700 g (1 lb 8 oz). The tracer fuse was in the projectile base and ignited after 60 yards flight. The projectile was marked 3.7 cm Pak Pzgr (3.7 cm anti-tank shell). Later the gun was used to fire the tungsten cored Pzgr. 40. Muzzle velocity firing AP shot was 762 mps, and the effective range was (theoretically) 549 m (600 yds). Penetration at 30˚ at 100 m was 50 mm; at 500 m 36 mm. The gun fired with a shotgun-style breech action. On ejection of the fired cartridge the breech rear dropped and the casing was ejected automatically. A new round and cartridge were then loaded.
The HE shell for the 7.5 cm leIG (not shown), weighed 5.45 kg (12 lb). The cartridge case and charge were separate. The shell fired included HE, HE Al (an aluminium flash powder mix for observation) and a hollow charge shell for anti-tank work.
3: The gun in action. The gun commander is observing trough binoculars (a), the gun layer (b) is to the left of the breech, the loader (c) to the right. Behind them is the ammunition carrier (d).
This illustration shows a German infantry platoon moving to engage with the enemy. The platoon is the company advance guard, and has support weapons (medium machine guns, medium mortars and infantry guns) immediately behind it as it advances.
A, B, C and D indicate the enemy positions. A, B and C are the outpost section of an enemy platoon based around the village at D. C includes a light machine gun team.
The German platoon is advancing with three sections in line, the fourth section being at the rear. Platoon command is behind the middle section, both of which are advancing along the line of the road leading north. 1 Section advances to the right of the road, 3 section to the left. The main body of the company follows at 13.
As the centre section (3) comes through the cutting, it is subjected to effective fire from the enemy at A and B. It immediately takes up fire positions at 3, with its machine gun on the other side of the road at 4. Platoon HQ now moves to 7 and the platoon commander issues his orders as follows:
1 section will attack the enemy at A and B, supported by the section machine gun at 2.
2 section will provide fire cover and support from its positions 3 and 4 for the move and attack by 1 section.
3 section (5) will make a left flanking attack on C, with support from their section machine gun at 6.
The 5 cm mortar will fire smoke on Smoke area 1 from position 8 to cover the moves by 1 and 3 sections.
4 section (12) will remain in reserve.
A company heavy machine gun section of two guns will move to 9. If either section 1 or 3 fires a red signal flare, launch fire support for them on to their target. They will then move to C on completion of this assault.
A medium mortar section will fire smoke from position 10 on Smoke target 1.
Regimental artillery (2 guns) will fire from position 11. The guns will fire HE on enemy area D.
After completion 1 and 3 sections will stay where they are, and platoon HQ, all machine guns and the 5 cm mortar will move up to enemy area B–C in preparation for the company attack on enemy area D. Support weapons will join.
The German combination of infantry machine guns, mortars and artillery, available so quickly after contact, was one of the main reasons for their success in the attack in the early part of the war. The weight of fire would force the enemy to keep his head down, allowing the attacking infantry (at 1, 3 and 5) to make their moves and their final assault. The Germans believed that overwhelming fire superiority was the key to infantry operations; it was for this reason that so many machine guns were provided. Smoke was used prolifically to very good tactical effect.
The map shows infantry operations in Warsaw east of the Danzig station. The east end of the bridge is the stop line, agreed between the Germans and the Russians.
1: A 3.7 cm Pak takes on a Polish armoured car in front of the west road block on the bridge and destroys it.
2: An MG 34 team covers the rear of the infantry at (3) and (6) and is ready to move up to (1) when ordered.
3: Infantry and a PzKpfw I wait for orders to advance towards the bridge. They will advance through (1) in coordination with the infantry at (6), making sure both sides of the road are covered by infantry and armour supporting fire.
4: Another 3.7 cm Pak fires on the west road block from the river embankment, backed by a PzKpfw I at (5).
6: The second assault group follow an armoured car which is firing on the west road block.
7: Reinforcements approach the battle zone pushing their bicycles.
8: An 8 cm infantry mortar fires smoke onto the bridge to obscure German movements from the east road block and the Polish machine gun position on the east bank.
9: Heavy field artillery fires further support onto the east bank of the river on and around the east road block.
The attack will concentrate on the west road block first, and infantry and armour will destroy that objective. The next move is across the bridge under covering fire with smoke to destroy the east road block. The move across the bridge will be made by infantry using tanks as cover.
1: The platoon commander carries an MP38 and a magazine case for three magazines on his belt, as well as his map case.
2: Wire cutters.
3: Minefield marker flags.
4: German army torch. Many were issued, but men sometimes bought their own. The red filter was useful for night work, as it affected night sight to a much lesser degree.
5a/5b: The MP 38 submachine gun in section and from the left side. An effective weapon at short ranges, it suffered from exposure to dust, mud and constant rain. The weapon weighed 4.1 kg (9 lb), and had a rate of fire of 500 rpm.
6: Issue binoculars. These had a plain lens with a graticule for range estimation and for calculating lead when firing at moving targets.
7: Issue march compass and case. Carried by section commanders, platoon sergeants and commanders and used for direction maintenance on the march, and for fire orders for indirect fire by medium machine guns, mortars and artillery.
8: The Walther 9 mm P38, which replaced the Luger as the standard pistol of the German army in 1940.
9: The Walther signal pistol and cartridges. The pistol was 2.7 cm calibre, and widely issued as light signals were frequent, especially white flares to show where German troops were. Cartridges emitted white, red, yellow, green and blue flares.
10: The magazine loading tool for MP 38 magazines which loaded individual cartridges into the magazine.
11: A leather three-magazine pouch for the MP 38. Often two were worn, one of which had a small pocket for (10).
12: Three MP 38 magazines. Each magazine held 32 rounds of 9 mm parabellum cartridges, with a muzzle velocity of 390 mps.
13: An officer’s map case. Inside were maps, with pockets for pencils and markers. This could be worn on belt loops, or on a sling around the neck.
14: Standard army issue whistle. Used to signal start orders to troops.