Reconnaissance Troops
'Forest-Fighting and Reconnaissance Training in Finland' (Part IV)
This post continues the translation of a German pamphlet from 1944. The following links will take you to the first three posts in this series.
Types of Reconnaissance Troops
Reconnaissance troops take their names from the missions they perform. Thus, we employ:
Reconnaissance troops that explore (Aufklärungsspähtrupps)
Reconnaissance troops that fight (Kampfspähtrupps)
for information
to destroy
to disrupt
Reconnaissance troops that conduct special missions, such as
capturing prisoners
ambushing enemy forces (Lauerpähtrupps)
exploring distant areas (Fernaufklärung)
Aufklärungsspähtrupps obtain information about the enemy by observing. If they must, they will fight. That said, they avoid combat whenever they can.
Kampfspähtrupps do things like disrupting the enemy supply system, demolishing specific military installations, and blowing up bridges.
Lauerpähtrupps ambush enemy forces in order to capture prisoners and destroy partisan units.
The great expanse of the Finnish and Soviet theaters of operation leads us to employ long-distance reconnaissance troops (Fernspähtrupps). In addition to conducting reconnaissance, these units disrupt enemy logistics and destroy supply depots and the like. The strength, organization, and equipment of a Fernspähtrupp reflect the mission it has been given.
When fighting against partisans, the Finns employ long-distance reconnaissance units as hunting commands (Jagdkommandos).
In addition to these special missions, each reconnaissance troop will, without receiving particular orders to that effect, collect information about the enemy forces and terrain in the places through which it moves.
Source
Waldkampf und Spähtauppausbildung im Finnland (Forest-Fighting and Reconnaissance Training in Finland) (Berlin: Oberkommando des Heeres, 1944) US National Archives , Microfilm Series T-283 (German Military and Technical Manuals) Roll 54 (MEGA)
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