War Without Garlands: Operation Barbarossa 1941-1942 (89 page)

Appendices

 

1. German casualties, Operation ‘Barbarossa’ 1941–2

Notes

1. Note the comparison to French campaign figures.
   
2. Includes entire Ostfront (ie Army Groups North, Centre and South).
   
3. Figures in brackets are officers.
   
4. January figures are 1 Jan–10 Feb inclusive.
   
5. February figures are 10 Feb–10 Mar inclusive.
   
6. Source: Kriegstagebuch des OKW. 1940-41 (II) P. 1120-21 and 1942 (I) P. 298 and 306.
   

 

2. German casualties reflected in Division manning equivalents

Figures are numbers of Divisions

Notes

1. Figures based on an Infantry Division: 518 Officers, 2,573 NCOs, 13,667 men and 102
   Beamte
   (ie Officials/Clerks). Panzer Divisions were less men: 471 officers and 13,255 other ranks.
   
2. June figures are for 10 days.
   
3. Fall of casualties from November onwards reflect the impact of weather on the scale and intensity of fighting.
   
4. NCO casualties rise as they take over officer appointments.
   
5. Calculated from OKW monthly casualty returns. (See Appendix 1)
   

 

3. The fighting elements within a German Division

THE INFANTRY DIVISION

TOTAL PERSONNEL 
  518 Officers.
2,573 NCOs.
13,667 Men.
102
Beamte.
An average total of 16,860 men.

‘Teeth’ (ie combat element)

Three Infantry Regiments each of:   75 Officers.
493 NCOs.
2,474 Men.
7
Beamte

In addition staff, intelligence platoon, cavalry platoon, engineer platoon and anti-tank company.

Totalling 9,147 Officers and men.

Reconnaissance Battalion 623 Officers and men.

Anti-Tank Battalion 550 Officers and men.

Engineer Battalion 520 Officers and men.

Between the front line and rear.

Artillery Regiment 2,872 Officers and men.

Light Infantry ‘Column’ 30 Men.

Signals Bn 474 Officers and men.

‘Tail’ (ie rear area logistic and other support) Rückwärtige Dienste

Supply Services (
Versorgungsdienste
) – Rations platoon, baker company, Butcher platoon,

Military Police and
Feldpost
platoon:..............226 Officers and men.

Logistics column/Train – 6 Columns (3 mot and 3 horse-drawn): .....................................................................180 Officers and men.

POL (Petrol, Oil and Lubricants) Column: ..35 Officers and men.

Workshop Company: ....................................102 Officers and men.

Transport Company: .....................................245 Officers and men.

Medical Services – 2 Medical Companies, 1 Field hospital and 2 medical transport platoons: ........................................................616 Officers and men.

One Veterinary Company ..............................235 Officers and men, 890 horses.

In an Infantry Division there are about 10,840 ‘fighters’ or combat elements able to close with the enemy. This represents 64% of the Division.

Source:
based on an evaluation of figures taken from Alex Bucher:
Das Handbuch Der Deutschen Infanterie. 1939-45
.

THE PANZER DIVISION

Variable in size but generally: .........................471 Officers and 13,255 other ranks.

2,685 different vehicles including 357 armoured, mainly tracked, fighting vehicles.

‘Teeth’/fighting element

Headquarters..................................................32 Officers and 109 men.

Panzer Regiment with 3 Panzer Bns .............69 Officers and 1,592 men.

Infantry Brigade and 2,197 men each ...........2 Regiments and 1 Armoured Inf Regt of 61 Officers.

Assault Gun Battalion ....................................20 Officers and 861 men.

Reconnaissance Battalion ...............................24 Officers and 861 men.

Engineer Battalion .........................................26 Officers and 958 men.

Between ‘Teeth’ and ‘Tail’

Artillery Regiment of 3 battalions .................69 Officers and 1,580 men each.

Anti-Aircraft Battalion ...................................22 Officers and 742 men.

Signals Battalion ............................................16 Officers and 742 men.

‘Tail’/Logistics and supporting services

Division Services ...........................................64 Officers and 1,821 men.

In a Panzer Division just under 50% of the officers and men, on average, actually close with the enemy.

Source:
D. Crow:
Armoured Fighting Vehicles of Germany
.

4. A snapshot of Soviet battle casualties

 

Average daily losses 1941

Against German Army Group North:

 

Against Army Group Centre:

 

Against Army Group South:

Source:
Ed. Col-Gen G. F. Krivosheev:
Soviet Casualties and Combat Losses in the Twentieth Century;
pp. 101, 110-121 and 260-261.