The staff of the first armored flamethrower unit was formed on 5 March 1940 and its three companies were formed on 21 March. It was attached to the 18. Panzer-Division for the invasion of the Soviet Union with the strength of 24 Panzer II, 42 Panzer II (F), 5 Panzer III and one Panzerbefehlswagen III. After suffering heavy losses it was withdrawn from the front on 5 November 1941 for rest and refitting turning over the serviceable tanks to the 18. Panzer-Division.
It was converted to a normal Panzer-Abteilung on 22 December 1941 and redesignated I. Abteilung/Panzer-Regiment 100 and on 5 February is was redesignated Panzer-Abteilung Großdeutschland and made a part of the Infanterie-Division Großdeutschland (mot).

Order of battle

Stab
Stabskompanie
3 x Panzerkompanie (F)
Staffel
leichte Panzerflammkolonne
Panzer-Werkstattzug

Insignia

The unit insignia was a multi-coloured flame.

Sources used

Tom Jentz & Hilary Doyle - Flammpanzer: German flamethrowers 1941-1945
Thomas L. Jentz - Panzertruppen
Fred Koch - Flammenwerfer des deutschen Heeres bis 1945
Georg Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht 1933-1945

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -