Battalions and Companies of Infantry
The staff of each battalion had a commander, usually a major, a captain (so-called staff captain), the battalion adjutant (usually a second lieutenant), four company commanders (captains), four first lieutenants, eight second lieutenants, (These were the four officers in a company. The company commander and three platoon commanders—first platoon (first lieutenant) doubled as the vice company commander—and the platoon commanders of second and third platoons (second lieutenants)).a battalion-doctor (Stabsarzt), an assistant doctor, the Paymaster(Zahlmeister) and 1054 other ranks. The three “staff” captains of the battalions, together with the vice commander of the regiment and the three staff officers of the regimental staff, were active officers of the reserve to take over commanding roles in reserve and Landwehr formations upon mobilization. After mobilization, many active officers could be found with reserve formations, and many reserve officers were mobilized to serve with active formations. This pattern was one of the secrets that gave reserve formations a combat value comparable with active formations.
The battalion had 58 horses and 19 wagons. The four ammunition wagons, the medical wagon, and the four field kitchens were considered fighting baggage (Gefechtsbaggage). They belonged to the companies. The other ten baggage wagons were counted as heavy baggage (Große Baggage). This heavy baggage consisted of two staff baggage wagons, five food wagons, and three battalion ammo wagons. The companies had four wagons each. The company ammo wagon carried 14,400 rounds of rifle ammo as each soldier carried 150 rounds of so-called pocket ammo; the field kitchen; the engineer equipment wagon that carried 100 small spades, 10 small and five big axes, 4 wire-cutters to cut wire up to 5mm; and a baggage wagon called the Kompaniepackwagen.
There was an unappreciated, secret advantage that German active units had over their opponents. This advantage was a horse-drawn wagon that was actually a mobile field kitchen with a 200 liter cooking kettle and a coffee maker. Through local requisitioning, a series of ingredients including meat could be made into a stew while the mobile field kitchen marched with the company. When the company stopped, the troops could simply line up and be served hot food. Known as a Gulaschkanone,not all units were equipped with one. For instance, the artillery, the cavalry, and the Landwehr formations did not have them. The Gulaschkanone allowed the infantry to cover greater distances. In the French army, cooking was a squad function. This expectation of squad food preparation was not only time-consuming, but it often resulted in no food when the soldiers had to march out leaving the food half prepared.