Company Officer's Handbook Of The German Army - Command and ...

OFFENSIVE PRINCIPLES 9
specific assignments to watch the roofs, the various floors of buildings,
and cellar windows. Side streets are blocked immediately, and
at night searchlights are kept ready to illuminate roofs. The Germans
endeavor to keep constant contact with the artillery, and
single light guns may accompany the infantry in order to engage
points of resistance with direct fire. Extensive use also is made of
rocket weapons and mortars.
When a section of a town is captured, the Germans close up all
side streets leading from the occupied area, block all exits of houses,
and then begin a house-to-house search with details assigned to
specific tasks, such as mopping up roofs, attics, basements, courtyards,
and staircases. Cellars and attics are occupied first in organizing
for defense.
4. RECONNAISSANCE
a. General
In the German Army, normal reconnaissance is carried out by
the division reconnaissance battalion. Reconnaissance patrols are
likely to be mixed, and may include cyclists, motorcyclists, cavalry,
or armored cars, depending on the type of division, and may be
strongly reinforced with mobile close-support and antitank weapons
to enable them to cope with special situations. A relatively large
number of antitank guns, which are likely to be self-propelled, are
allotted to reconnaissance forces; this is also true of advance
guards, in wh:ich the antitank guns are placed well forward.
The importance of reconnaissance was stressed by General Jiirgen
von Arnim, the German commander in the Tunisian Campaign,
in a general order. He said: "For correct handling of troops it is
indispensable to know about the enemy. If one does not, one runs
blindly into enemy fire. Therefore-reconnaissance and again reconnaissance!
It must be carried out by sectors, from ridge to ridge
(including reconnaissance of future artillery observation posts), in
exactly the same way as the attack-to ensure that the supporting
weapons follow up in time."