Nazi Panzer Division

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 193, 16 August 1941, Page 16

Nazi Panzer Division

A GERMAN panzer division consists of approximately 2000 motor vehicles led by a spearhead of heavv tanks. These tanks are not employed as the French used them, to knock out enemy machine gun posts, antitank guns and field guns. Thev act as "an army of manoeuvre." They aim to do their work, not mainly in the battle zone, but bv opening a passage through that zone for motorised infantry, and also for field and medium artillery carried on wheels, or trucks, so that it can keep pace with the infantry and go wherever it goes. The German artillery is decentralised. Little units of artillerv are attached to each infantrv regiment, to each tank regiment and to the motorised units. The aeroplanes have taken over most of the long range artillery work of the last war. They do jobs which the artillery cannot do quickly enough, because it cannot get into position as rapidly as tanks. But artillery still has the job of breaking down any prolonged resistance The Russian tactic is to sever the connection between the tanks—the spearhead of the panzer attack—and the supporting mechanised infantrv, artillery and supply vehicles. Russia's successful resistance is due to launching its counter-blitz—an attack similar to that of the Germans and

on a parallel line, but up to 40 miles distant. The spearhead turns when it reaches the rear of the enemy's lines and endeavours to cut off his supports and supplies. The composition of a panzer division is—3B4 tanks, 48 heavy 84 medium and 252 light; 230 troop carriers; 96 motorised artillerv; 27 dive bombers; 258 armoured motorcycles; 1000 service vehicles; four battalions of motorised infantryengineers and signallers.