Source: U.S. War Department "Handbook On German Military Forces" (Mar'45)
Officially released from restricted status by the U.S. Army Center For Military History.
1. GENERAL
The Germans make extensive use of mines which they consider
a most effective defensive weapon. Minefields are utilized chiefly
to cover defensive actions and retreats, although limited
use is made of them in offensive actions for flank protection.
In a static situation the Germans regard minefields as an
element of the front line position, laid out according to an
over-all mine plan developed in close conjunction with that for
the fields of fire of all weapons. Within recent months,
standard German doctrine for minefield location has been
modified. Instead of laying dense minefields in front of
the main line of resistance, dispersed mines are laid there,
while the minefields proper are sited within the main
battle position.
2. SURVEYING OF MINEFIELDS
The Germans consider it necessary to survey the location
of minefields and individual mines within the minefields.
German engineers are instructed to choose reference points
(Festpunkte or FP) for minefields which easily can be
identified. At a grade crossing, at the intersection of two
improved roads, at the edge of a village, or some such
favorable location, this can be done without any difficulty.
In some instances however, the Germans are forced to use
"guide wire" and auxiliary fixed points (Vermessungspunkte or VP).
A type of auxiliary fixed point that has proved practicable
is the center of an equilateral triangle with sides 15 to 25
feet long. The corner points and the fixed point itself may
be stakes, rails, or concrete or steel girders about 3 feet
in length connected with barbed wire. Such a fixed point
can be reestablished easily because even heavy shelling
will rarely destroy more than one or two stakes.
A minefield is limited by the four corner points A1, A2, A3,
A4. The corner points are marked clockwise, A1 and A2 forming
the base line on the German side. The survey of the field
refers to one or both points of the base line. Auxiliary
fixed points, called "mine stakes" (Minenpfahle), are
used if necessary. Fixed points may be reference points
found on the map or auxiliary fixed points established by
the troops. Distances are measured in meters; azimuth readings
are taken on the German issue compass - divided in 6,400 mils
like the U.S. compass but read counterclockwise, and marked
with the letters KZ (Kompasszahl). The new-type compass
called "march compass" has clockwise graduation and is
indicated with the letters MKZ. The Germans use the magnetic
azimuth and always proceed in their survey from the
friendly toward the enemy side.
The Germans believe that it is advantageous to lay a
continuous chain of reference points 600 to 900 feet
apart, through a division sector. This chain can be
used to determine the location of ditches, trenches,
obstacles, and pillboxes, as well as minefields. Individual
points are designated with Roman numerals, starting on the
right flank of the division sector.
3. LAYING OF MINEFIELDS
a. PATTERNS
To assure the greatest possible effect, minefields are normally
laid out in definite patterns. The Germans make an exception to
this practice, however, in sectors where they do not intend
to undertake offensive actions. There they disperse the mines
irregularly in the areas between defensive positions.
The main belts of a major antitank minefield laid in a uniform
pattern normally consist of antitank mines with a sprinkling
of antipersonnel mines in the forward edge of the field. Both
types may be fitted with anti-lifting devices, and some of
the antipersonnel mines have trip wires attached. In some instances,
these mines are placed in the intervals between the diagonal
wires of a double-apron fence, with trip wires fastened
to the diagonals.
A number of antitank mines are laid in the forward edge of
antipersonnel minefields to prevent armored vehicles from detonating
the main belt of antipersonnel mines. The forward edges of minefields
of all types often are sown with explosive charges placed in
wooden boxes fitted with pressure fuses. These act as both
antitank and antipersonnel mines and discourage the use of
detectors to locate the mines.
Forward of most regular fields, and particularly in front of
lanes, mines may be found widely spaced or scattered at
random in unmarked groups. Mines also are laid in spaces
running out at right angles from the forward edge of the
minefield to damage vehicles moving along the field in
search of lanes.
All pressure-type antitank and antipersonnel mines are laid
in lines. For measuring distances and spaces, the troops use
a mine-measuring wire (Minenmessdraht) which they themselves
make from old telephone wire. The mine-measuring wire is
24 meters (about 25 yards) long, and every meter (3 feet 3 inches)
is marked with a piece of wood. The rings on the ends are about
five inches in diameter. The measuring wire, in addition to
measuring the distance between fixed points, serves to lay out
right angles by staking out a triangle of 6, 8, and 10 meters
respectively. Spaces between mines are determined by reference
to the marks on wire; the four rings on one end are used to
offset the rows.
The density of a minefield depends upon the interval between
mines and the number of rows. The table above represents the density.
Mine lanes are left open for patrols, and passage lanes for
assault troops. For permanent patrols new lanes are made from
time to time, and the old ones closed. A mine-free safety strip
is provided on the Germans' side.
The Germans normally lay mine belts in individual sections
80 by 105 feet. The sections usually are staggered, and, for
extensive mine belts, they are combined in units of three or
four to form forward or reverse arrowheads, or echelons.
Minefields arranged in echelon are surveyed by using corner
posts on the hostile side of intermediate minefields as survey
points.
The Germans emphasize that minefields must be covered by fire,
although during a hasty retreat they often do not tend to
follow this principle. It is common for a regular minefield
to have a listening post with two men at the rearward edge;
about 70 or 80 yards farther to the rear there usually is
a covering party of four or five men armed with one or two
light machine guns.
When the Germans are in hasty withdrawal, they usually lay
a large number of small nuisance minefields. These fields
contain many different types of mines, which often are
unmarked and show every evidence of hurried laying. The
consequent lack of pattern uniformity makes their detection
and clearance a laborious and dangerous task. Though no
consistency is noted in layout and types of mines in such
fields, the Germans show certain preferences in their
choice of sites for them.
b. LOCATION
In general, mines are laid either close to, or on, roads;
on airfields and railways; and along telegraph routes. Surfaced
portions of roads are usually avoided by the hasty mine layer,
but khaki-painted T-Mines sometimes are placed on the surface
at dips in the road, in the hope that drivers will be unable
to check their vehicles in time to avoid them. The Germans
also place mines along the shoulders of the road opposite
narrow places where drivers have to detour to pass, and at
the entrances to defiles where they have to pull off the
road to wait for vehicles moving in the opposite direction.
Other places usually sown with antitank mines are turnouts,
sharp bends, the unsurfaced islands sometimes found at
crossroads, berms, and well worn wheel ruts.
c. CONCEALMENT
The Germans, with great ingenuity, attempt to make their mines
difficult to detect. They bury them as much as 24 inches below
the surface where they explode only after passage of a
number of vehicles has compacted the earth cover sufficiently
to operate the fuze. They put explosives in wooden boxes to
prevent the effective operation of ordinary mine detectors,
and mark tire prints in the earth on top of the mine by
drawing a detached axle and wheels over it.
The Germans also show considerable ingenuity in siting
random antipersonnel mines on the line of the hostile advance.
Road demolitions are plentifully sown with S-Mines and
kilometer posts at points where vehicular drivers have to
dismount to read directions are similarly treated. S-Mines
also are placed in ditches, often close to the trip wire
peg of another mine.
Nuisance fields on lines of communication generally are
closely spaced, occasionally so closely as to cause sympathetic
detonation. This is particularly possible when mines are laid
with their pressure plates almost flush with the surface of
the ground and only lightly covered with earth.
German dummy minefields take various forms. In some cases a
trip wire is laid to give the appearance of a minefield
perimeter wire, with the usual lanes, and the ground is
disturbed at regular intervals. Scrap metal, often dispersed
with real mines, is placed in shallow holes to cause a
reaction in the mine detector. Dummy mines often are wired
in and connected with booby traps.
