31st SS Volunteer Grenadier Division

The 31st SS Volunteer Grenadier Division (German: 31. SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Division) (Hungarian: 31. SS-önkéntes-gránátoshadosztály) (Serbian: 31. Dobrovoljacka Grenadirska SS Divizija) was a German infantry division of the Waffen-SS during the Second World War. The division was commanded for most of its existence by SS-Brigadeführer, Gustav Lombard. The division was formed of German, Hungarian, Serbian and other Volksdeutsche (ethnic Germans), mostly from the Batschka region. In addition to this, it was formed from the German personnel and equipment from the dissolved 23rd Waffen Mountain Division of the SS 'Kama'. By October 26th, 1944, Army Group South deployed the division to the frontlines to assist in securing the Danube, despite its inadequate weaponry, complete lack of heavy weapons, and inadequate training.[1]

31st SS Volunteer Grenadier Division
31. SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Division
31st SS Volunteer Grenadier Division symbol, used as early as November 1944[1]
Active4th October 1944 – 8th May 1945[1]
Country Nazi Germany
Branch Waffen-SS
TypeGrenadier
RoleInfantry
Size11,000 (16th December, 1944)[1]
Nickname(s)‘Kukuruz Division’
‘Division Batschka’
(Hungarian: Bácska-hadoszály) (Serbian: Bačka Divizija)
‘Division Lombard’[1]
Motto(s)"Meine Ehre heißt Treue!"
Engagements
Commanders
Notable
commanders
[1]

During the division’s stay in Lower Styria, an order from the 16th of January, 1945 reorganised the division from a Type 1944 division to a Type 1945 division. A month later on the 17th of February, 1945, orders were given for the immediate transfer of the division to Silesia in the Görlitz area in preparation for an upcoming offensive operation. Portions of the division were still under the 17th Army's command in the Hirschberg region, incorporated into their order of battle as army reservists.[1]

Organization

The 31st SS Division was created by combining the 23rd Waffen Mountain Division of the SS 'Kama' and the conscription of Volksdeutsche in the Batschka region, primarily in Hungary after the third drive of recruitment in 1944 which saw the Hungarian government withdraw their control over its German minority’s. The formation order issued on the 4th of September, 1944 shows that the Order of Battle was of a typical German-horse-drawn division. The division assumed the form of what the Germans designated as a "Type 1944 Infantry Division", which is partially motorised but still mostly horse-drawn, possessing three infantry regiments comprising three battalions and about 100 artillery pieces. The order decreed that the division was to be organised as follows:[1]

Division Staff
  • Motorised Mapping Office
  • SS Field Police Troop 31 (Partially motorised)
SS Volunteer Grenadier Regiment 78
  • Regimental Staff
  • Staff Company
  • I Battalion with 1st-4th Grenadier Companies
  • II Battalion with 5th-8th Grenadier Companies
  • III Battalion with 9th-12th Grenadier Companies
  • 13th Infantry Gun Company (2 heavy and 6 light mortars)
  • 14th Panzerzerstörer Company (1 motorised Panzerjäger platoon with 3 x 7.5cm anti-tank guns, and 2 Panzerzerstörer platoons)
SS Volunteer Grenadier Regiment 79
  • Regimental Staff
  • Staff Company
  • I Battalion with 1st-4th Grenadier Companies
  • II Battalion with 5th-8th Grenadier Companies
  • III Battalion with 9th-12th Grenadier Companies
  • 13th Infantry Gun Company (2 heavy and 6 light mortars)
  • 14th Panzerzerstörer Company (1 motorised Panzerjäger platoon with 3 x 7.5cm anti-tank guns, and 2 Panzerzerstörer platoons)
SS Volunteer Grenadier Regiment 80
  • Regimental Staff
  • Staff Company
  • I Battalion with 1st-4th Grenadier Companies
  • II Battalion with 5th-8th Grenadier Companies
  • III Battalion with 9th-12th Grenadier Companies
  • 13th Infantry Gun Company (2 heavy and 6 light mortars)
  • 14th Panzerzerstörer Company (1 motorised Panzerjäger platoon with 3 x 7.5cm anti-tank guns, and 2 Panzerzerstörer platoons)
SS Volunteer Artillery Regiment 31
  • Regimental Staff
  • Staff Battery
  • I Abteilung with Staff Battery and 1st-3rd Batteries (Each with 4 x 10.5cm light field howitzers)
  • II Abteilung with Staff Battery and 4th-6th Batteries (Each with 4 x 10.5cm light field howitzers)
  • III Abteilung with Staff Battery and 7th-9th Batteries (Each with 4 x 10.5cm light field howitzers)
  • IV Abteilung with Staff Battery and 10th-12th Batteries (Each with 4 x 15cm heavy field howitzers)
SS Volunteer Panzerjäger Abteilung 31
  • Staff Company
  • Mixed Staff Company
  • 1st Motorised Panzerjäger Company (9-12 guns)
  • 2nd Sturmgeschütz Company (10-14 guns, also known as a Sturmgeschütz Abteilung)
  • 3rd Flak Company (12 x 2cm self-propelled guns)
SS Volunteer Verwaltungstruppen Abteilung 31
  • Staff Company (Motorised)
  • SS Bakery Company 31 (Motorised)
  • SS Butchery Company 31 (Motorised)
  • SS Administrative Company 31 (Motorised)
  • SS Field Post Office 31 (Motorised)
SS Volunteer Fusilier Battalion 31
  • Staff Company
  • 1st Motorcycle Company
  • 2nd-3rd Fusilier Companies (Bicycles)
  • 4th (Heavy Weapons) Company
SS Volunteer Nachrichten Battalion 31
  • Staff Company(Partially motorised with a messenger dog section)
  • 1st Telephone Company (Partially motorised)
  • 2nd Radio Company (Motorised)
  • Supplies section (Partially motorised, also known as a Light Signals Column)
SS Volunteer Supply Abteilung 31
  • Staff, Commander Divisional Supply Troops (Partially motorised)
  • 1st and 2nd Supply Columns (Motorised, also known as Motor Vehicle Companies)
  • 3rd and 4th Supply Columns (Horse-drawn, also known as Supply Squadrons)
  • SS Volunteer Supply Company
SS Volunteer Medical Abteilung 31
  • Staff Company
  • 1st SS Volunteer Medical Company 31
  • 2nd SS Volunteer Medical Company 31 (Motorised)
  • SS Volunteer Motor Ambulance Company 31 (Motorised)
SS Volunteer Feldersatz Battalion 31
  • Staff Company
  • 1st-5th Companies
  • Supplies Company
SS Volunteer Veterinary Company 31
  • 1st SS Veterinary Company 31
  • 2nd SS Veterinary Company 31
SS Volunteer Pioneer Battalion 31
  • Staff Company
  • 1st-3rd Pioneer Companies (Partially equipped with bicycles)
SS Volunteer Motor Vehicle Workshop Company 31 (Motorised)

See also

References

Footnotes
  1. Pencz 2010.

Bibliography
  • Pencz, R. (2010). For the Homeland: The 31st Waffen-SS Volunteer Grenadier Division in World War II. Stackpole military history series. Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3582-7. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
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