2nd Pz Abwehr Komp. 215 - Help Needed

[Huntzman]

Hi All,

Just picked up some dog tags to add to a display and was hoping that someone more well versed in military units might be able to assist me in better identifying the command.

2. Pz. Abw. Komp. 215

This is not my forte so any help would be greatly appreciated. I have tried to search the name on my own without any luck. Maybe I am just looking in the wrong place. I find wording close, but not exact so I am not sure if I am just misunderstanding it.

Any help greatly appreciated.

I will attached a scan of the dogtag in question.

Andrew

[Huntzman]

[tenoriodj]

HI there

I´m sure this disc belonged to a soldier in 2. Kompanie, Pz Abwehr Abt., renamed Panzerjäger Abt. in 1940, belonging to the 215 Infanterie Division.

I happen to have a friend in Stuttgart who happens to be the Divisional Historian, youngest RK holder in the division, youngest Hauptmann in the Heer at 22 etc, Dr. Hans Mehrle . We visit a couple of times per year. I have a couple of the books so let me know if you need more info.

Brief summary in german: http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/...onen/215ID.htm

Panzerabwehr-Abteilung 215

Aufgestellt am 26. August 1939 in Heilbronn. Am 14. März 1940 in
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 215 umbenannt. Am 19. Juni 1940 unterstütze die Abteilung die Infanterie-Regimenter der Division beim Durchbruch durch die Maginot-Linie. Am 5. Dezember 1940 wurde die 3. Kompanie an die Panzerjäger-Abteilung 235 abgegeben, am 13. Januar 1941 folgt die 2. Kompanie an die Panzerjäger-Abteilung 7. Die Abteilung wurde im November 1941 an den Wolchow verlegt. Hier wurde die Abteilung zusammen mit der 11. und 12. / Infanterie-Regiment 390 in Gladj als Stützpunktbesatzung eingesetzt. Am 26. August 1942 in
Schnelle Abteilung 215 umbenannt und um eine Radfahr-Schwadron erweitert. Im Januar 1944 aufgelöst.
Neu aufgestellt am 10. Mai1944 aus der Panzerjäger-Kompanie 215 mit drei Kompanien. Im Februar 1945 bei Gotenhafen zerschlagen.

Ersatztruppenteil war die Panzerabwehr-Ersatz-Abteilung 5.

[Huntzman]

Thanks for the reply. I had seen the infromation you posted, but truthfully it all reads like Greek to me

OK, so if I am right to assume that in 1939 it started out as 2. Kompanie, Pz Abwehr Abt, 215 Infanterie.

In 1940 it was renamed as Panzerjäger Abt.

OK, two questions.

1. When the unit was renamed, would they have taken this old dogtag and given the soldier a new one with Panzerjäger Abt on it ?

2. What was the difference between Panzer Abwehr Komp. and Panzerjäger ?

Thanks for the help.

It would be great to find out as much as possible about this unit.

Andrew

[Simon O.]

1. no
2. none

The full name of the unit would be. 2 Kompanie, Panzer-Abwehr Abteilung 215, 215 Infanterie Division. or in other words the 2nd company of the division's anti-tank battalion. Each company would have been equipped with 12 3.7cm Pak36 towed anti-tank guns.

what you can tell though is that this tag was issued between the unit's formation during the general call up of late august 39 and march 1940. What happened to the guy after that is anyones guess. But assuming he remained with the 2 Kp. then he would have followed it when it was detached from the 215 ID in early 1941 and sent to the 7 Infanterie Division to become the 3 Kp. of Panzerjäger abteilung 7

[Huntzman]

Simon

Thanks for the information. That helps out a great deal. I always like to be able to associate as much information as possible with a particular to maintain it's link to history.

I figure these items will eventually leave my possession and it will be nice to pass along the history with it.

Andrew