3rd Panzer Division (Bundeswehr)
The 3rd Armored Division was established on July 2, 1956 in Hamburg and was one of the first major units of the Army of the Bundeswehr. The 3rd Armored Division was stationed in the North German Plain between the rivers Elbe and Weser. Last rod seat was Buxtehude. The 3rd Armored Division was filed on September 30, 1994 out of service. Last commander was Major-General Gerd Schultze- Rhonhof.
Badge
The Association of insignia of the 3rd Panzer Division showed two crossed white horse heads on a red background. The horse is the Sachsenross and is borrowed in this representation crossed the ornate gable decoration of the Low German hall house ( Lower House ). The red base coat of arms was followed by the presentation of the Lower Saxon coat of arms. The crest was the closeness to the stationing locations in Lower Saxony. Like all Division emblem of the army, this one bordered with a silver cord with Woven black thread. The Badge of the original subordinate brigades - except for the Panzerlehrbrigade 9, which was followed by another heraldic representation form - differed only by their different colored border by the Association of insignia of the 3rd Division.
History
Army Structure I
The 3rd Armored Division was established on July 2, 1956 in Hamburg- Rahlstedt and parts in Flensburg from former soldiers and volunteers and subordinated to the First Corps in Münster. In 1958, the Division was incorporated into the NATO command structures. The staff moved from Hamburg in 1958 to Buxtehude in the Estetal barracks. First Division were under:
- The Panzerkampfgruppe A 3
- The armored battle group B 3
- As well as divisional troops Panzer Grenadier Battalion 3
- The Infantry Battalion 13
- The tank battalion 3
- The tank battalion 13
- The armored reconnaissance battalion 3
- The tank destroyer battalion 3
- Armoured Artillery Regiment 3
- The armored antiaircraft artillery battalion 3
- The Armored Engineer Battalion 3
- Panzer Signal Battalion 3
- The medical battalion 3 ( from 1957 renamed Medical Battalion 1 and placed under the 1st Infantry Division )
- The quartermaster battalion 3
- The light vehicle repair company 3
- The Military Police Company 3
- The music corps I B and II B.
Briefly, the battle group C3 and the battle group A6 was also under the division, but moved in 1959 to the 7th Armoured Division and the 6th Panzer Grenadier Division.
Army Structure II
In the Army structure 2, the division was reclassified to 1960. The battle groups of the Division were renamed Panzergrenadier Brigade 7 and 8 Armoured Brigade. Division the Panzerlehrbrigade addition, under was now 9 (formerly Panzer Lehr Kampfgruppe ) which summarized the teaching battalions of troops schools of tank destroyers, the armored force, the armored infantry and armored reconnaissance in Munster, Bremen - Gröpelingen and Bremen- Grohn. In 1958, the troops of the armored force schools, armored infantry and reconnaissance were summarized for common Panzertruppenschule in Munster. In peace was under the Panzerlehrbrigade 9 of Panzertruppenschule. Furthermore, the Division came under the Army structure 2 this Division troops:
- Staff and Headquarters Company
- Artillery Regiment 3
- The field artillery battalion 31
- The air defense artillery battalion 3
- The Signal Battalion 3
- The armored reconnaissance battalion 3
- The engineer battalion 3
- The medical battalion 3
- The repair Battalion 430
- The Army Band 3
Army structures III and IV
In the Army structure IV, the combat brigades of the division, a repair and a supply battalion were among other things streamlined and Division assumed. Following the implementation of the Army structure 4 to the early 1980s consisted of the Division:
- Staff and Headquarters Company
- The Panzergrenadier Brigade 7 in Hamburg
- The 8 Armoured Brigade in Lüneburg
- The artillery regiment 3 in Stade
- The Division troops: the air defense regiment 3 in Hamburg
- The armored reconnaissance battalion 3 in Luneburg
- The engineer battalion 3 in Stade
- The Signal Battalion 3 in Buxtehude
- The telecommunications company 3 ( EW ) in Rotenburg / Wümme
- The medical battalion 3 in Hamburg
- The supply battalion 3 in Stade
- The repair Battalion 3 in Rotenburg / Wümme
- The Army Season 3 in Rotenburg / Wümme
- The Army Band 3 in Luneburg
- The Field Artillery Battalion 31 in Lüneburg
- The box replacement battalions 31 to 35 (not active)
- The Battalion 36 (not active) in Zeven - Aspe
- The Battalion 37 (not active) in Buxtehude
- The backup Battalion 38 (not active) in Zeven - Aspe
Army structure V
In the Army structure 5 1994 8 Armoured Brigade and the artillery regiment 3 was dissolved, the Panzergrenadier Brigade 7 was incorporated into the 6th Panzer Grenadier Division and the Panzerlehrbrigade 9 was placed under the 7th Armoured Division. Dissolved continued the anti-aircraft Regiment 3, the pioneer battalion 3, the Signal Battalion 3, the supply battalion 3, the Army Season 3 and the NBC defense company 3 The Armored Reconnaissance Battalion 3 moved to 1st Armored Division, the medical battalion 3 to the Military District Command VIII, the Army Band 3 to 6. Panzer Grenadier Division. On 30 September 1994, the 3rd Panzer Division was decommissioned.
Inserts
The Division supported until its dissolution in many disasters, for example, in the storm surges in 1962 and at break of the Elbe- Seiten Canal in 1976. In January 1979, elements of the division during the snow disaster in northern Germany were in use. 1993 elements of the division in Somalia have been used as part of UNOSOM II.