Erkennungsmarke Granite

[Pietje]

A friend asked me if someone knows what number erkennungsmarke number the Sturmgruppe Graniet had.... Is there someone with suggestions what that micht have been?

Thanks in advance,

Peter

[Ian Tannahill]

Dear Peter,

I have never seen an identity disc that was worn by a member of Sturmgruppe Granit at the time of the capture of the Fortress of Eben Emael. However, my guess is that many of the members of Sturmgruppe Granit would have worn an identity disc that bore the five digit code of the unit to which they belonged to prior to being assigned to Sturmgruppe Granit. For most members of Sturmgruppe Granit I suspect that this would have been Pi-Zug/Fallsch-Jager-Rgt. 1.

Having said this I am aware of a specific Erkennungsmarken assigned to Sturm-Abt. "Koch" - Zug Witzig and I believe that it is possible that persons from non Fallschirmjager units who were assigned to Sturmgruppe Granit, such as Egon Delica, may have been issued an identity disc bearing this five digit code.

Unfortunately without seeing identity discs worn by members of Sturmgruppe Granit it is difficult to provide an accurate answer to your question.

Lastly, in the hope preventing the sale of fake identity discs proclaiming to have belonged to members of Sturmgruppe Granit I am reluctant to provide any details concerning the five digit codes referred to above. I hope that you understand.

Best wishes,

Ian

[John Hodgin]

A friend asked me if someone knows what number erkennungsmarke number the Sturmgruppe Graniet had.... Is there someone with suggestions what that micht have been?

Thanks in advance,

Peter

May I ask why he wants to know.
Regards,
John

[Pietje]

From historical point of view:- I think it is to look if they were the same as those of the Fallschirm Pionier Battalion of 7 Fliegerdivision at that time. Appart from that I think he need some background information to make a reproduction soldbuch and disk that he can show to people how such a item did look like....

He and I are both members of a small Dutch reenactment group that has been asked by the Museum staff of Eben Emael to do a display on Eben Emael next year in May ....

[Michael N]

Talk about being shady!

[Ypenburg]

A friend asked me if someone knows what number erkennungsmarke number the Sturmgruppe Graniet had.... Is there someone with suggestions what that micht have been?

Thanks in advance,

Peter

Most (> 25) of the FJ's burried in Maastricht had 60550
a couple (>5) had 62867 (2 listed as Flieger)
1 listed as "PiZug II./FJR1"

[Ian Tannahill]

Giday everyone,

Prior to Peter initiating this thread I had never given much thought to the Erkennungsmarke carried by members of Sturmabteilung Koch. I had always simply lived in hope that one day I might stumble across an identity disc bearing the distinctive MOB (typically a five or six digit code) of either Sturmanabteilung Koch or Sturmgruppe Granit.

Having given the matter some thought, I find that I have possibly more quenstions than I have answers.

It has always been my understanding that most Fallschirmjäger were issued an Erkennungsmarke, or identity disc, bearing the MOB of the first airborne unit to which they were assigned.

It has also been my understanding that most Fallschirmjäger, despite belonging to more than one airborne unit, always retained the Erkennungsmarke they were initially given.

Having said this I wish to share with you the following observations.

I have only ever seen three Soldbuchs that belonged to members of Sturmabteilung Koch. In each case the Erkennungsmarken recorded in their Soldbuch comprised the MOB of one of several companies of the Luftlande Sturm Regiment.

I know of only one former member of Sturmabteilung Koch who still had his Erkennungsmarke. This bore the MOB of the 2nd Kompanie of the Luftlande Sturm Regiment.

What conclusions, if any, can we draw from this?

Based upon Ypenburg's comments, it would appear that some members of Sturmabteilung Koch may have carried Erkennungsmarke bearing the MOB of Sturmabteilung Koch. What do others think?

Further, is it possible because Sturmabteilung Koch was disbanded in July 1940 that all of the Jäger who had an Erkennungsmarke bearing the MOB of this unit were required to exchange them for an Erkennungsmarke issued by the unit to which they were subsequently assigned, ie one of several companies of the Luftlande Sturm Regiment? Again, what do others think?

Perhaps this might explain why I have never seen an Erkennungsmarke bearing the MOB of Sturmabteilung Koch.

Best wishes,


Ian

[Ypenburg]

It is my understanding that Sturmabteilung Koch wasn't disbanded but used as "Stamtruppe" for the Luftlande Sturm Regiment i.a.w. the Abteilung became a Regiment.