Panzerkampfwagen I (MG) Ausführung A, France 1940
By the time of the Western Campaign in May 1940, the role and presence of the Panzerkampfwagen I (Pz.Kpfw.I) in frontline German armored units had significantly diminished. The increasing production and deployment of more capable tanks, such as the Panzerkampfwagen III (Pz.Kpfw.III) and the Czech-designed Panzerkampfwagen 38(t), meant that the older, lightly armored Pz.Kpfw.I tanks were becoming less essential on the battlefield.
At the start of the campaign in the West, only 554 Pz.Kpfw.I (M.G.) remained in frontline units. This decrease in numbers was a result of the transition to more advanced models better suited for modern warfare. The Pz.Kpfw.I had already seen action in earlier conflicts and was beginning to show its limitations in terms of firepower and protection.
In April 1940, Panzer-Abteilung z.b.V.40, a special-purpose unit, was dispatched to Denmark and Norway with 29 Pz.Kpfw.I (M.G.), demonstrating that these tanks were still in use, albeit in secondary roles. During the Western Campaign, an additional 48 Pz.Kpfw.I (M.G.) were sent to frontline units as replacements, but these tanks suffered heavy losses, with 182 being total write-offs. This high casualty rate, amounting to about 26% of the Pz.Kpfw.I (M.G.) deployed, underscored the tank’s vulnerability in the intense combat situations it faced.
The Pz.Kpfw.III had become the preferred command tank for most company commanders, replacing the smaller kl.Pz.Bef.Wg. (small command tanks), which were then reassigned to Artillerie-Regiments within the Panzer-Divisions. These command vehicles, known as Panzer-Beobachtungswagen (artillery observation tanks), played a critical role in coordinating artillery support during the campaign. For example, specific allocations included six kl.Pz.Bef.Wg. to Artl.Rgt.73 in the 1st Panzer Division, four to Artl.Rgt.74 in the 2nd Panzer Division, and others distributed similarly across various divisions.
In addition, each Panzer-Jaeger-Abteilung (anti-tank battalion) equipped with the 4.7 cm Pak Sfl. (self-propelled anti-tank gun) received four Pz.Kpfw.I (M.G.) Ausf.B as command tanks. These command tanks were issued for the Abteilung commander and the company commanders, reflecting the continued but specialized use of the Pz.Kpfw.I in leadership and coordination roles, even as its frontline combat role declined.