Panzergrenadier

Osprey Panzer Series

by Thomas Anderson

Using first-hand accounts and many previously unpublished images, this highly illustrated new book provides a detailed analysis of Germany's Panzergrenadier in World War II.

Throughout history, infantry has been the main attacking force deployed by armies around the world, but positioning substantial infantry forces has always required precious time to assemble the troops to launch an attack or form defensive positions. Transportation of men and their equipment has been a major issue through the ages, and one that was only partly alleviated by the establishment of railway systems in the 19th century and motor vehicles in the early 20th century. With the development of the German Panzerwaffe, military planners realized both the enormous potential of the tank as a breakthrough weapon, but also the issues faced by support units following the attacking force – including the infantry. A tank assault moved rapidly forwards and this required a motorized infantry which could keep pace with the attack and provide all necessary support. This motorized infantry element for a Panzer division was an integral Schützenbrigade (rifle brigade), and it was equipped with a suitable means of transport – the Sch ü tzenpanzerwagen (armoured personnel carrier).

During Operation Barbarossa , German forces were faced by the Red Army and unforeseen weather conditions. With the onset of the harsh Russian winter the operation failed, and the war in the east entered a new phase. From experience gained from the operation, a new arm of the military was the Panzergrenadier . This groundbreaking book describes the development and evolution of the armoured infantry force that accompanied the German Panzers as they crossed the battlefields of Europe, as well as detailing the vehicles and equipment that were developed to support their specialized role.

304 pages, Hardcover

Published September 14, 2021

About the author

Thomas Anderson is a German national who specialises in German World War II vehicles. Most of his work are derived from the Bundesarchive and also the archives of the various military establishments throughout Europe.

Reviews

[Shyue Chou Chuang · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume by Thomas Anderson focuses on the panzergrenadier's vehicles. It does not examine the fighting man per se but rather what vehicles the panzergrenadiers were equipped with and also the combat formations and its organisation. The volume traces the vehicles and combat formations operating them from the inception of the armoured infantry force to the end of the war. This is not a technical history nor a technical examination of the vehicles. The volume presents information from the Bundesarchiv on the formation of the new infantry from 1936, the schutzenpanzerwagen, the panzergrenadiers in Poland 1939, in France 1940, in 1941. It also presents the variants of the schutzenpanzerwagen, the 1942 armoured infantry, 1943, and 1944. A final chapter describes the weapons mounted. Numerous black and white photos from the Bundesarchiv and the American National Archives adorn this volume. Like others in this series on German armour in the Second World War, this volume has a few glaring typos. There are no line drawings, nor colour profiles of the featured vehicles.

All in all, this is a decent compilation of information concerning the Panzergrenadiers' vehicles.