"26th VG Division, recon battalion, Flamierge, Bulge" Topic

Hi: trying to figure out details of a battle at Flamierge, west of Mande St. Etienne on December 23, 1944. The overall unit was 26th Volksgrenadiers commanded by Kokott attacking 401st Glider Infantry. Was supported by 2nd Panzer Division and overall was part of 115th PzGrenadier regiment. Research says was attacked by about 15 Panthers.

Also references use of 26th Recon Battalion. What kind of vehicles were in such a Volksgrenadier recon battalation?

Bicycles

overall attacking unit was 39th Fusilier Regiment of 26th VG.

As Rich says, at best they would have had bicycles.

The first German units moving west to cross the Cleve River on 17/18 December were not panzers or armoured recce but recce elements of 26VG on bicycles :)

Yes, the Fusilier Bn was simply a slightly revised Volks Grenadier Bn, made more mobile courtesy of bicycles. They were authorised a very few motor vehicles but mostly it was down to horse power and pedalling.

PDF link

Gary

Perhaps commandeered, abandoned, US vehicles too, since many units were surprised during the initial days of attacks, and rapidity of the German advances.

Thanks all! I did some further research and this particular division commander, Kokott, apparently had been successful scrounging vehicles for his Fusilier regiment so perhaps I'll supplement the bicycles with Kubelwagens, Horst cars and maybe the odd truck or two.

As noted, Fusilier battalions were simply a slightly more mobile infantry battalion. Some of them were entirely on bikes (and horses), some of them only had a single company of cyclists.

VG infantry regiments had a small integral recce element (more bikes and horses!) so the divisional Fusilier battalion was often just used as an extra infantry battalion.

Some lucky divisions didn't have a fusilier battalion at all, however 26th VGD was one of the better VG divisions, being a reorganised regular infantry division.