The standard German field howitzer was the 10.5cm leichte Feldhaubitze 16 (leFH 16), which equipped the light battalions of a panzergrenadier division’s artillery regiment. It was a sound and sturdy piece, with a useful range and weight of shell. It was perhaps rather too sturdy for its purpose, because its considerable weight meant that the 10.5cm leFH could not be dragged out of the all-prevailing mud in Russia when the weather worsened, thereby limiting its effectiveness as a support weapon.
Many panzergrenadier divisions also contained a 10.5cm Kanone 18 gun battery. These were far from satisfactory, being much too heavy for the weight of shell fired. Admittedly the 10.5cm K 18 had a very decent range, but it was only in service because other weapons were not available in enough numbers.
¦ 10.5 cm K 18
Calibre: 105mm; Length: 5.46m (16.64ft); Weight: 5624kg (12,4011b); Range: 19,075m; Projectile weight: 15.14 kg (33.381b)
A scene from the training manual, illustrating how a line of panzergrenadiers can be staggered, as long as the rearmost man is closer to the two men in front of him than the distance between them, to avoid fatal accidents.
The heaviest artillery pieces that might equip a panzer-grenadier division were the 17cm Kanone 18 and the 21cm Morsers. For example, the 15th Panzer Grenadier Division’s 33rd Panzer Artillery Battalion had three batteries of the 170mm K 18 and a single battery of the heavier weapon. Despite their considerable size (and weight) both were excellent howitzers, and fired a wide range of useful projectiles in support of the panzergrenadiers.
¦ 17cm K 18
2.ALIBRE: 172.5mm; Length: 8.529m (28ft); Weight: 17,520kg 38,6321b); Maximum range: 29,600m; Projectile weight: 68kg ,1501b) (HE)
¦ 21cm Morser 18
Ialibre: 210.9mm; Length: 6.51m (21.4ft); Weight: 16,700kg 36,8171b); Maximum range: 16,700m; Projectile weight: 121kg 2671b) (HE)
The demands to equip panzergrenadier divisions with mough artillery led to much captured equipment being ised. For example, in September 1943 the 18th Panzer Srenadier Division’s 18 th Artillery Regiment had a battery )f 152mm Russian howitzers in its 1st Battalion and a bat--tery of 155mm French guns in its 3rd Battalion. Such a variety of guns could lead to problems with ammunition supply.
World History
