Erkennungsmarke 18.SS-Freiw.Pz.Gren.Div. "Horst Wessel"

[florian_geyer72]

Hello all,
I've just bought this dog tag. It's in zinc and seems to be good old one.

http://WWW.i12.photobucket.com/album...zGr_dogtag.jpg


Please let me know if it's a fake or not.

Thank you very much !

[Matt L]

I don't see anything obviously wrong with it- the unit is correctly designated and I don't recognize the text as a known fake type.

[florian_geyer72]

great !

Hello,
Matt , thank you for your informations.
I was a little bit afraid because i saw any incorporation unit number.

But i know that you're right.


Best regards.


F.

[Gaspare]

nice thin fonts...hey Matt, maybe you can get the photo on the forum so it will be here for reference. thanks , G.

[-Michael]

The SS-Pz.Gren.Ers.Btl.18 Breslau wasn't a unit of the 'Horst Wessel'-Division, it was a replacement unit. The unit was called SS-Pz.Gren.Ers.Btl.18 from 15.04.1944 till 31.01.1945.

[Matt L]

Actually it was- while it wasn't a combat formation, it was directly associated with the Division: SS-Panzergrenadier-Ersatz-Bataillon 18 was formerly SS-Grenadier-Ersatz-Bataillon 31, and if you look at that unit's specifics, you'll find this:

SS-Grenadier-Ersatz-Bataillon 31
* 1.11.1943 in Breslau aus dem für die 1. und 2. SS-Infanterie-Brigade zuständigen Ersatzbataillon Ost
in Breslau; 15.4.1944 in Breslau umbenannt in SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Ersatz-Bataillon 18 für die 18. SS-
Panzer-Grenadier-Division "Horst Wessel".

That last bit of information really ought to appear with the data for Ersatz-Bataillon 18, but for some reason it doesn't. A good illustration of the benefits of deeper research and cross-referencing for sure

Matt

[-Michael]

Thank you for that information, and sorry for my bad information.