Aufklärungsabteilung

An Aufklärungsabteilung (lit. reconnaissance detachment) was a Battalion sized reconnaissance unit attached to a German division during the Second World War.

The Aufklärungsabteilung was the eyes and ears of the parent division. They were equipped with Motorcycle combinations (BMW R75s, Zundapps etc), VW Kübelwagens (later Schwimmwagens and light model Sd.Kfz 250/1 halftracks) and the I.(Heavy Armoured Car) and II.(Light Armoured Car Companies were equipped with light armour in the form of Sd.Kfz 22 and 23 series armoured cars and later Sd.Kfz 250/9 halftracks. As with all German combat formations, there is no real way of describing a basic Aufklärungsabteilung, as the formation varied from division to division. Panzer Aufklärungsabteilungen were attached to Panzer divisions, and were generally better equipped (i.e all troops transported by halftrack, an anti-tank gun (PaK) component was included.

The Abteilung had to be able to move quickly, and as it's mission was reconnaissance, it was not equipped to deal with enemy medium or heavy armour, although these engagements did happen quite frequently. The addition of an anti tank company later in the war was to deal with these engagements, still, the Abteilung's armoured vehicles were no match for T-34's or M4 Shermans.

The breakdown of several example Aufklärungsabteilung can be found below.

Example Orders of Battle

SS-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 1 (Attached to 1.SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler) Mid 1941

• Stab/SS-AufkAbt.1 Headquarters unit

• I./SS-AufkAbt.1 Heavy Armoured Car Company (Sd.Kfz 222 / 231)

• II./SS-AufkAbt.1 Motorised Recon Company (Motorcycle / Car / Truck mounted Infantry)

• III./SS-AufkAbt.1 Motorised Recon company (Motorcycle / Car / Truck mounted Infantry)

Panzer Aufklärungsabteilung-2 (Attached to 2 Panzer Division) Late 1944 Stab AufkAbt. 2 Headquarters’ unit.

• 1./AufkAbt. 2 (first company) Heavy Armoured Car Company (no infantry armoured cars only)

• 2./AufkAbt. 2 Light Armoured Car Company (no infantry armoured cars only)

• 3./AufkAbt. 2 Light Armoured Half-Track Company (SPW 250) (Infantry on half-tracks only)

• 4./AufkAbt. 2 Light Armoured Half-Track Company (SPW 250) (Infantry on half-tracks only)

• 5./AufkAbt. 2 Heavy (support) Company (SPW 251) This company had infantry guns, Pak 40s etc.

• Supply Company