Machine Gun Companies

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?

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03-23-2004, 12:20 AM	#2
Doubs User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Byron, Georgia Posts: 1,747 Thanks: 832 Thanked 1,805 Times in 595 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?