Heer Fusilier units in the German Army

[bigjarofwasps]

Hi Guys,

Can anyone give me any details on Fusilier units in the German Army, during WWII, what was their role?

BJOW

[Schwartzvogel2008]

http://www.gd-uk.org/panzerfuesilierhistory.html

[MajorBloodnok]

Hi,

as far as I know the "F?silier" title was a purely traditional honorary designation.

See http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliede.../Infanterie.htm

See Paragraph VII. Sonstige Infanterie-Verb?nde

Maybe more details tomorrow. Have to check my private library first.

Regards,

Mike

Edited December 8, 2008 by MajorBloodnok

[bigjarofwasps]

Cheers Guys.

Did the Fusiliers wear sleeve cuffs, with Fusilier on them, or just that of their parent unit? What other badges did they wear?

Did any Fusilier units fight the Allies during 1944/45, or were they all deployed in the east?

[MajorBloodnok]

Hello BJOW,

I fear you'll have to click on every single regiment or battalion in the list to find out.

For example F?silier-Regiment 39 was re-formed after being annihilated in Russia and subsequently fought on the Western Front.

Certain Infanterie-Regiments were re-named to establish a link with F?silier-Regiments of the old "Imperial Army" with the purpose of carrying on their regimental tradition.

Also divisional reconnaissance units were re-organised as "Divisions-F?silier-Bataillone".

Hope to be wiser tomorrow.

Regards,

Mike

Edited December 8, 2008 by MajorBloodnok

[Ed Maroli]

I may be wrong, but I think they wore green piping like the jagers but without any sleeve patch.

~ED

[MajorBloodnok]

Hi BJOW & Ed,

Ed, I'm sorry but I have to disagree.

I checked the relevant literature and this is the result:

1. F?silier-Regimenter (Fusilier Regiments)

By OKH decree of 15th October 1942 all infantry regiments were re-styled "Grenadier-Regimenter".

Those infantry regiments carrying on the traditions of Fusilier or Rifle Regiments of the old Imperial

Army could apply to be named "F?silier-Regiment" or "Sch?tzen-Regiment".

This resulted in the emergence of the following "F?silier-Regimenter":

22, 26, 27, 34, 68, 202, 230, 334

The named regiments "Feldherrnhalle" and "Gro?deutschland" received the honorary title of Fusiliers

resulting in:

F?silier-Regiment Feldherrnhalle; F?silier-Regiment-Gro?deutschland; Korps-F?silier-Regiment

Gro?deutschland

They retained infantry white as their Waffenfarbe plus their old regimental number.

So their uniforms should not have changed at all.

I checked "Davis" and could not find a distinguishing "F" for Fusiliers.

There was no special sleeve cuff for Fusiliers. (Could not find one in "Davis" anyway.)

2. "Divisions-F?silier-Bataillone" (Divisional Fusilier Batallions)

Now things are getting confusing!

A restructuring of infantry divisions (n.A. 44 / new style 44) on the Eastern Front resulted in one

"extra" divisional batallion.

These "Divisions-Bataillone" were named "F?silier-Bataillone".

The "Aufk?rungsabteilung der Division" (divisional reconnaissance unit) was either merged with

this F?silier-Bataillon or when it did not exist upgraded to a F?silier-Bataillon. (26.07.1943)

By decree of 1/9/43 these Divisions-F?silier-Bataillone were to be assigned the number of their

respective division.

Now it's time to get confused and baffled. We all know what Fusiliers are, don't we?

By a decree of 23/2/44 the following 57 Divisions-F?silier-Bataillone were to by styled "Divisions-

F?silier-Bataillon (A.A.) (= old style):

1, 6, 7, 11, 12, 15, 21 23, 24, 26, 30-32, 34.36, 45, 46 57, 58 62 65, 68, 69, 75, 94, 110-112, 121,

125, 134 168 170 171, 208, 227 254, 256, 257, 263, 269, 271, 299, 305, 329, 331, 333-335, 349,

352, 353, 356, 362, . 378.

These Divisional "Fusilier" Batallions were assigned the tradition of former cavalry regiments!

[A Divisional Fusilier Batallion was organised like a normal Grenadier batallion: 4 companies, including a

heavy company.]

This meant that these A.A. Divisional Fusilier Batallions were assigned the Kavallerie-Waffenfarbe

Yellow!

Consequently their sub-units were called "Schwadron" (squadron) and NOT Kompanie!

Captains would be "Rittmeister" rather than Hauptmann and Feldwebel were called "Wachtmeister".

To confuse us even more:

The remaing Divsions-F?silier-Bataillone bore infantry white.

But in addition 38 companies of these "infantry fusiliers" were also re-styled "Schwadrone" tasked

with perpetuating the tradition of former imperial cavalry regiments!

So "Divisions-F?silier-Bataillone" bore the number of their respective division. Their Waffenfarbe could

be either white or yellow.

The shoulder straps of the "infantry fusiliers" should have borne a distinctive letter to distinguish them from infantry regiments bearing the same number, perhaps "D" for divisional troops or their old "A" for Aufkl?rungsabteilung?

The first company was equipped with bicycles.

Questions remain.

Kind regards,

Mike

Edited December 9, 2008 by MajorBloodnok

[leigh kitchen]

Did they not form bicycle troops?

[MajorBloodnok]

Hi Leigh,

yes, the first company or squadron was equipped with bicycles.

Regards,

Mike

[MajorBloodnok]

Cheer up!

To complete the confusion - we have quite forgotten about the Luftwaffe ground troops!

"Fallschirm"-Panzergrenadier-Divisions 1 & 2 "Hermann G?ring" each had a "Fallschirm"-Panzer-F?silier-Batallion (1 & 2).

Nil desperandum!

[Paul R]

The LW Field Division F?silier units had the green collar tabs with the white(waffenfarbe) outter piping and white piped shoulder straps.