Did the German infantry ever operate independently from the Panzers?

Question

How would you describe the roles of the recee companies of the infantry?

Answer 1

Remember that about 80% of German Infantry in WW2 was not mobile, mechanized infantry. It was foot infantry, not much different to WW1 German Infantry in its arms and equipment ... and WW1 Infantry had hardly ever found it easy to attack against well-entrenched enemy positions.

So most German Infantry in WW2 (apart from the semi-armored Panzer Grenadiers, that were used in mobile warfare offensive roles) was used “independently” of Panzers in the following roles: -

[a] When on the offensive, following along behind (often days behind) the Panzers to hold the territory that they had won.

[b] In street fighting in larger cities, where the Panzers were too vulnerable to close quarters ambush to be risked.

[c] To dig in and hold defensive positions.

As the war progressed, German Infantry units gradually deteriorated in fighting strength. Their combat losses in manpower were not fully replaced, although they did receive some modest equipment upgrades. The more glamorous Panzers, etc. got most of the inadequate supply of replacements and materiel available. One consequence, especially from mid-1943, was that Panzer units had to be held ready to stiffen or rescue Infantry units under attack: the Infantry hadn’t the strength and equipment to do their work by themselves.

You asked specifically about the role of Infantry reconnaissance companies. For the most part, these were just ordinary Infantry companies, with no special equipment. To increase their mobility, Infantry recon units were often equipped with bicycles: but these were of no great use off the road network ... which meant that, on the Russian Front, they were not of great use for most of the time. Their special role was, of course, to reconnoiter (= scout) in advance of the main body of Infantry. Their lack of any really useful equipment (again, except in the PzGr divisions, with their armored cars and halftracks) meant that they were usually not very good at that job.

Answer 2

Of course they operated independently at times. There wasn't enough Panzers to go around. Many infantry units did have lightly armored vehicles to provide support or anti-tank fire power. But they did not always have tank support.

Recce units are the scouts, they go out and find the enemy, determine his strength and disposition so that proper plans can be made.

Answer 3

Yep. Panzers got all the press, but the queen of battle is still the poor bloody infantry.

Answer 4

Of course they did and, the Panzer's weren't used as much as you think, they were actually afraid of them being in harms way, they were used as a propaganda machine as much as a war machine. My dad told me the American military were afraid of the Panzer's, being much bigger and better armed then our own Sherman's. The Panzer's had the 90 mm big guns while the Sherman's had the smaller 60's

Of course the Infantry followed the tanks, the same way our own military did, for protection.

Answer 5

Many times.

Answer 6

Infanty would be use to hold areas in defence with armour held back in reserve for counter attack