Machine Gun Companies

Roadkill · 03-22-2004, 11:18 PM

I'm just about to finish up a translation project for Jamese about the 187th Infantry Regiment during WWI. It starts in 1915 and goes through November 1916 from the Western to the Romanian front. I learned a lot about the organization and tactics of the German Infantry Regiments, and also the first hand personal accounts of the battles. I was particularly interested in the Machine Gun Companies. The Regiments had Machine Gun Companies that were managed by Regimental Staff and attached to specific units from Battalion down to platoon size sections as the situation required. There were standard, field, and mountain specific types, but I was unable to determine if these were specific units or adapted to the situation. They were managed in the same way as artillery and engineer units. When in the defense they would take a sector and man it on their own, being under the command of a platoon Sgt or Lieutenant. If the situation warranted they would be pulled from the line and placed elsewhere. When in the attack they would be held as reserve and when the position occupied would move up and set up for the inevitable counterattack which in most cases was dreaded more than the assualt. Transport was a problem, especially in the mountains and mud. In one battle a single machine gun under the command of a Lieutenant was able to set up and hit a Romanian company from the flank. Over 200 dead were counted. There was no mention however of any specific gun by type or name. There were rifles, artillery, revolvers,and machine guns in a general sense only. Only once was an enemy weapon mentioned, it was a "carbine" instead of the old style rifles. Overall Infantry tactics was also interesting. Jamese has offered to make the history available, if you have an interest in German WWI history in an area which does not have a lot written then you may find it worth your time to read. I can guarantee you won't find this published anywhere else. Lot more work than I thought it would be but I have enjoyed it and James has worked out a deal for me on a 1937 S42 worth my time.

rk

Doubs · 03-23-2004, 12:20 AM

That sounds like a fascinating read, RK. I would certainly be interested in the material.

Having recently purchased a copy of the book "Imperial German Army 1914 - 18, Oragnization, Structure, Orders-of-Battle" from Geo. Anderson, I took a quick look at the section on Machine Gun Formations. There is quite a bit of information but one point the author makes is that at the beginning of the war there were 323 MG Companies - each with 6 heavy MG's - and 43 MG Ersatz detatchments equaling an additional 14 MG Companies. By war's end there were roughly 2500 MG Companies, each with 12 heavy MG's. In addition, there were 6 light MG's in each infantry and Jager Company...... an 18 fold increase in the firepower available. Is it any wonder that the MG-34 & MG-42 became the foundation for future German infantry tactics?

03-22-2004, 11:18 PM	#1
Roadkill User Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 1,632 Thanks: 1 Thanked 28 Times in 17 Posts	Machine Gun Companies I'm just about to finish up a translation project for Jamese about the 187th Infantry Regiment during WWI. It starts in 1915 and goes through November 1916 from the Western to the Romanian front. I learned a lot about the organization and tactics of the German Infantry Regiments, and also the first hand personal accounts of the battles. I was particularly interested in the Machine Gun Companies. The Regiments had Machine Gun Companies that were managed by Regimental Staff and attached to specific units from Battalion down to platoon size sections as the situation required. There were standard, field, and mountain specific types, but I was unable to determine if these were specific units or adapted to the situation. They were managed in the same way as artillery and engineer units. When in the defense they would take a sector and man it on their own, being under the command of a platoon Sgt or Lieutenant. If the situation warranted they would be pulled from the line and placed elsewhere. When in the attack they would be held as reserve and when the position occupied would move up and set up for the inevitable counterattack which in most cases was dreaded more than the assualt. Transport was a problem, especially in the mountains and mud. In one battle a single machine gun under the command of a Lieutenant was able to set up and hit a Romanian company from the flank. Over 200 dead were counted. There was no mention however of any specific gun by type or name. There were rifles, artillery, revolvers,and machine guns in a general sense only. Only once was an enemy weapon mentioned, it was a "carbine" instead of the old style rifles. Overall Infantry tactics was also interesting. Jamese has offered to make the history available, if you have an interest in German WWI history in an area which does not have a lot written then you may find it worth your time to read. I can guarantee you won't find this published anywhere else. Lot more work than I thought it would be but I have enjoyed it and James has worked out a deal for me on a 1937 S42 worth my time. rk

03-23-2004, 12:20 AM	#2
Doubs User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Byron, Georgia Posts: 1,695 Thanks: 792 Thanked 1,677 Times in 551 Posts	That sounds like a fascinating read, RK. I would certainly be interested in the material. Having recently purchased a copy of the book "Imperial German Army 1914 - 18, Oragnization, Structure, Orders-of-Battle" from Geo. Anderson, I took a quick look at the section on Machine Gun Formations. There is quite a bit of information but one point the author makes is that at the beginning of the war there were 323 MG Companies - each with 6 heavy MG's - and 43 MG Ersatz detatchments equaling an additional 14 MG Companies. By war's end there were roughly 2500 MG Companies, each with 12 heavy MG's. In addition, there were 6 light MG's in each infantry and Jager Company...... an 18 fold increase in the firepower available. Is it any wonder that the MG-34 & MG-42 became the foundation for future German infantry tactics?