Hungarian Infantry Forces in 1944 After their experience on the Don River in the winter of 1942/43 the Hungarians instituted a number of changes to their infantry forces in 1943. The first of these reforms was known as the Szabolcs I plan and was updated in early 1944 to the Szabolcs II plan. The new infantry divisions were based around three 3-battalion infantry regiments (the forces on the Don were two regiment light divisions). They were upgraded with heavier artillery, replacing the old 80mm field guns with 100mm howitzers and reinforced by 149mm howitzers. An effort was made to obtain heavier anti-tank weapons such as the 75mm PaK40 from the Germans and each infantry regiment was issued with nine of these. Another lesson learned from the Germans was the need for the infantry to have their own armour and the Assault Artillery was formed with the intention to have a battalion of Zrínyi assault howitzers available to each infantry division. As war continued to push closer the Hungarian border, provisions were made for mobilising more forces in the form of Reserve or Replacement divisions. These were formed along the same organisation as the first line divisions, but usually had less artillery available, with just three instead of four battalions, and no assault artillery battalion.

The other infantry forces the Hungarian had at hand for home defence were the various border troops. These included the Border Guard, Border Police, Mountain Border Police and the traditional border levy of the Székler Command. The Border Police were part of the Ministry of the Interior and their roles included customs and excise, and immigration control, but in times of war they could be mobilised to defend the border. The Mountain Border Police were mobilised in times of war to provide the two Hungarian Mountain Brigades and new Border Guard units were raised to replace them. The Border Guard came under the Army and also patrolled the borders in peacetime, but they also provided fortress companies for the guarding of strategic passes and fought if Hungary was invaded. Hungarian Infantry (PDF)... Intelligence Briefing for Hungarian Infantry Division Forces 1944 to 1945 Inside you will find intelligence briefings for: Puskás Század (Rifle Company) Felderítö Század (Reconnaissance Infantry Company) Utász Század (Pioneer Company) Határvadász Század (Border Guard Company) Hungarian Border Fighting in 1944... The Battle for Torda 1944...