The Order of Battle for Das Reich as of June 1944

The following Order of Battle shows Das Reich 2nd SS-Panzer Division as of early 1944. It is worth noting that SS-Divisions were typically much larger than normal German army units, usually about twice the size in terms of manpower. An SS-Division was therefore a powerful force, especially the early ones such as 1st SS-Panzer Division Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler, 2nd SS-Panzer Division Das Reich and 3rd SS-Panzer Division Totenkopf. The average manpower of an SS-Panzer division was about 19,000, but the largest that I have seen was 22,300 for Leibstandarte and the smallest around 3000 for the later Divisions such as 38th SS-Grenadier Division Nibelungen.

A rough guide to the fighting efficiency and combat performance of an SS-Division can be gained from the number of Knights Crosses awarded to members during the war. Das Reich had a total of 69, more than any other SS-Division (the next was Leibstandarte with 58 and some of the SS Divisions formed later on in the war had none).

Das Reich in June 1944 was close to its full staff complement and would have had about 19,200 men in total. The split was approximately as follows:

SS-Divisional Headquarters ... 150 men. Heinrich Bernhard Lammerding was the commander in June 1944.
SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment 3 Deutschland ... 3,200 men
SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment 4 Der Führer ... 3,200 men. On the 10th of June, Sylvester Stadler was the commander of the Regiment, Adolf Diekmann the commander of the 1st Battalion, Helmut Kämpfe was the commander of the 3rd battalion and Otto Weidinger who became Regimental commander on 14th June was with the Regiment for familiarisation purposes.
SS-Panzer Regiment 2 ... 2,400 men
SS-Panzer Artillerie Regiment 2 ... 2,200 men
SS-Panzer Jäger Abteilung (Tank Hunter / Self Propelled Gun Detachment) 2 ... 510 men
SS-Aufklärungs Abteilung (Reconnaissance Detachment) 2 ... 950 men.
SS-Pioneer Abteilung (Pioneer Detachment) 2 ... 1000 men
SS-Nachrichten Abteilung (Signals Detachment) 2 ... 510 men
SS-Flak Abteilung (Anti-Aircraft Detachment) 2 ... 820 men
SS-Sturmgeschütz Abteilung (Assault Gun Detachment) 2 ... 350 men. Karl Gerlach was the ordnance officer on 9th June 1944.
SS-Nebelwerfer Abteilung (Smoke-screen Detachment)) 2 ... 480 men
Other support units, such as medical, posts, police, quartermaster etc to a total of ... 3400 men.

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