Company Officer's Handbook Of The German Army - All Gauge Page

COMBAT TEAMS 75
corporated in the Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion. The Panzer Reconnaissance
Battalion will use its new details to form a fourth (rifle) company, replenish the
3d Company, .and enroll specialists in the 5th and 6th Companies.
The Headquarters personnel of the dissolved units will be formed into "organizational
staffs," strength up to 15, with three motor trucks each, under command
of an officer. These staffs will include all personnel necessary for winding up the
affairs of the unit--clerks, specialist noncommissioned officers, armorers, etc.
By 29 July 1943 the evacuation of Sicily had begun, and the
Germans, fearing amphibious operations behind their lines, formed
Combat Team Paulus. Its mission was to prevent landings on the
favorable beach in the Fiumefreddo area. The composition of this
team, which was named after the commanding officer of the 1st
Company, Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion, was as follows:
1st Company, Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion;
One battery, 2d Battalion, 33d Artillery Regiment (170-mm guns);
9th Company, 1st Panzer Grenadier Regiment;
Alarm Company 3 , Ist Battalion, Hermann Goring Tank Regiment;
One Company, Ist Battalion, Hermann Gbring Tank Regiment (with eight
mixed tanks);
A special company (less engineer platoon), assigned by division headquarters
(the engineer platoon was assigned to Headquarters Company);
One battery antiaircraft artillery (88-mm guns).
29. COMBAT TEAMS IN ITALY
a. General
The following lists show the organization and missions of some
German combat teams which have been employed during the
present campaign on the Italian mainland. Information on the
fire power of two of the groups was available and has been included.
3 Alarm companies consisting of dismounted tank crews were employed as an
infantry reserve by Headquarters, Hermann G6ring Tank Regiment. An order of
the Hermann Goring Panzer Division, dated 21 July 1943, for the withdrawal from
combat of certain units, directed that they be replaced by alarm companies
assembled as a panzer alarm battalion.