SS Vehicle Number - Verbandkasten

[floriskok]

Hello Guys,

I don't know in which section to ask this but can anyone tell me what the
vehicle number "SS 183-112" stands for? Which unit?

I have a Verbandkasten with this number on the front and a WSS marking
on the inside.

Best regards,

Floris

[me6_130]

Hello Floris,

In the following link, 1st post, a member talks about the data on an SS soldbuch, and mentions the number of a vehicle. Perhaps it might give you a clue with your verbandkasten number.

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=203566

Carles

[floriskok]

Thanks carles. The vehicle number in the other thread proofs that the number on
my Verbandkasten indeed is a SS vehicle number. I guess it's difficult to find out
which unit / regiment used it?

[me6_130]

I have sometimes seen verbandkasten WH, LW + numbers. I imagine they are only the number plates but I don't know if there is any way if spotting and identifying what unit or kind of vehicle they are. Perhaps there was a Wehrmacht office for number plates.

Carles

There is one right now:

[Lennard]

no plates

Hi,

Once the war had started and numbers progressed to six and seven digits, most WH number plates were allocated to vehicles either at their manufacturing site/factory, or immediately afterwards at the their next stop in the distribution chain, the nearest HZa.

The problem is that a vehicle in a HZa can still be many months away from actually being allocated to a unit, so A WH number only represents the local authority/district in which the manufacturing plant or the HZa was located.

However for any other the services (SS, WL, WM, OT, FP, Pol, etc.,) the vehicle would be renumbered when received. using groups of numbers held by the receivimg units own administrative office.

And that is why those other services can sometimes have their units identified from their number plates, but never for WH (unless the receiving WH unit administrative staff kept their own list, which somethimes dids happen).

So SS -932 592 (possibly a SdKfz 251) mentioned above, can be positively identified as a vehicle from 9/SS PzG Rgt 26, but for sure there will be the original WH number under the new SS number paintwork .

I do not know what unit SS-181 xxx was allocated too, but there is a photo of SS-932 653 (a SdKfz 251) in the 12SS Divisional History by Georges Bernage & Hubert Mayer, Editions Heimdal.

regards lennard

[me6_130]

Thanks Lennard for the explanation.

Floris,

I guess that, unless someone has a list of number plates related to SS units, you will have to start tracing any pic of SS vehicles to try to relate your verbandkasten to one. I can't help because I don't collect SS.

Regards,

Carles

[Lennard]

numbers

Hi Carles and Floris,

I have been scanning photos for many years and trying to relate SS numbers to units, its just unfortunate that 181 has never appeared for me or any other numbers close by, e.g. 180 or 182, but they are obviously out there somewhere, so keep looking.

This number versus units is not a precise method, as some units do share the same prefix numbers, but for the larger divisional units its fairly accurate, they being the sole user of a specific prefix. After all to the Germans it was only numbers, it was never meant to be a method of identifying units, its just administration to them at the time, but very useful to us post-war.

For example the prefix SS-203 xxx I have seen on vehicles carrying 2nd, 7th and 17 SS divisional insignia. Whereas SS-204 xxx only on 17th SS, but again SS-205 xxx can be seen on 2nd, 5th and 12th SS vehicles.

The reason that the vast majority of new vehicles first carry a WH number is again administration only, in that new vehicles are considered Wehrmacht property (the W) and are army vehicles (the H of WH), consequently everybody else only gets vehicles allocated to them by the Wehrmacht Heers organisation, so then they change numbers.

cheers lennard

[floriskok]

Hello Lennard,

Very interesting information.

The number on my Verbandkasten doesn't start with 181 but is 183-112.

Perhaps you might have a picture of a vehicle with this number?

Best regards,

Floris

Hi Carles and Floris,

I have been scanning photos for many years and trying to relate SS numbers to units, its just unfortunate that 181 has never appeared for me or any other numbers close by, e.g. 180 or 182, but they are obviously out there somewhere, so keep looking.

This number versus units is not a precise method, as some units do share the same prefix numbers, but for the larger divisional units its fairly accurate, they being the sole user of a specific prefix. After all to the Germans it was only numbers, it was never meant to be a method of identifying units, its just administration to them at the time, but very useful to us post-war.

For example the prefix SS-203 xxx I have seen on vehicles carrying 2nd, 7th and 17 SS divisional insignia. Whereas SS-204 xxx only on 17th SS, but again SS-205 xxx can be seen on 2nd, 5th and 12th SS vehicles.

The reason that the vast majority of new vehicles first carry a WH number is again administration only, in that new vehicles are considered Wehrmacht property (the W) and are army vehicles (the H of WH), consequently everybody else only gets vehicles allocated to them by the Wehrmacht Heers organisation, so then they change numbers.

cheers lennard

[Lennard]

numbers

Hi Floris,

Ok SS-183, but unfortunately still no luck, the nearest numbers to 183 that I have are SS-171 xxx, 7th SS and SS-190 xxx which is on both 9th SS and 17th SS vehicles.

It may well have belonged to a unit with very few vehicles as well.

Incidently it could be any type of vehicle that had your number, except probably motorcycles, as they rarely carried Verbandenkasten, they are just numbers and do not mean any particular type of vehicle.

So yes, its definitely a photo required carrying your number and a unit insignia to be really sure of the unit.

cheers lennard