German dogtag - What a coincidence !

**Steve T** · 03-15-2009, 06:36 PM

Hey guys

Couldn't wait to show you this !!!

I was rearranging my relics cupboard to allow more space for my recent finds when I noticed something i simply don't KNOW how i missed before !

Remember about 8 weeks back I first posted about finding a German dogtag on the communal site of the airfield I search......and then I posted twice more with the latest post showing you I had found 3 quarters of dogtags a week ago, two of which matched ? And Ade found out which regiment & company it was from ?

WELL !! You ain't gonna believe this !!! The first fragment I found.......

MATCHES THE THIRD FRAGMENT I FOUND 8 WEEKS AFTER !!!!!

Have a butchers yourselves !!!

AMAZING !!!!

Look at the 4 and the 2.....the edges are in the other piece which, when put together, makes the number whole !

It reads.....

A NR 493.
2. L.E.BTL. 243.

Does this now make it identifiable ? Hope so

Steve T

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 03-15-2009 06:36 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**Ostm63** · 03-15-2009, 07:14 PM

Great luck you have, now you must find the bottom half
of the EKM

**Adrian Stevenson** · 03-15-2009, 07:46 PM

Hi Steve, that is great!

I don't understand some of the markings on the tag. The "NR" in front of the mans roll number has me confused, but I should add that I am not a tag collector.

However, "A" is the man's blood group.

Cheers, Ade.

**Steve T** · 03-15-2009, 07:46 PM

Ostmark - I'll give it a go ! Going back next Saturday.....this time with my son and a second Metal detector.....Double finds !

Ade - Thanks

I couldn't work out the NR either. At first i thought it could be short for 'Number' but then I remembered it was a German dogtag.....Number is 'zahl' in German isn't it ?

Steve T

**Adrian Stevenson** · 03-15-2009, 09:20 PM

Hi Steve, I have had a think and a look at one of my books. How about 2 Kompanie / Landesschützen-Ersatz-Bataillon 243.

I am open to correction on this (as in all things)

BTW Nummer is also number in German so that could fit.

Cheers, Ade.

**bikerboyzx6r** · 03-15-2009, 09:32 PM

Hi Guys
Brilliant luck!!!
This photo was posted by another member and also shows NR... So probably Nummer as mentioned!
Dan

**Steve T** · 03-15-2009, 10:16 PM

Nice one Dan !

And Ade.....that is certainly a possibility. Ersatz = Replacement ? My German is kinda rusty

Landesscutzen is 'national' something or other

Told you it was rusty

Steve T

**Adrian Stevenson** · 03-15-2009, 11:45 PM

Hi Steve, the way the German Army was organised was much more complex that that of the Allies. It can be a nightmare to understand.

Landesschützen were basically reserve units. So IF I am correct, the tag would be for a reserve replacement unit.

One of the problems with German dog tags too is an often lack of overall standardisation with the way a tag can be marked. Units basically did things their own way within a loose framework.

Cheers, Ade.

**Steve T** · 03-18-2009, 04:06 PM

My hunch is like yours and Ade's.......short for 'nummer'

Steve T

sokkmonkey · 07-08-2009, 05:40 PM

While Typically "NR" means "Nacrichts Regiment" and "Nr" means number in standard German abbreviations, seems the stamper of this tag only had capital letters. Now looking at the whole thing, I can say the NR 493 is the guys personal number,

2. L.E.BTL. 243 is the second light Battalion of the 243 infantry division-
243. Infanterie-Division was formed July 1943 by the redesignation of Division B which had been undergoing formation from convalescents of the 387. Infanterie-Division. The division was largely destroyed in June 1944 defending the Cotentin peninsula. The remnants fought on as a Kampfgruppe until the division was formally disbanded 12 Sep 1944.

Commanders
Generalmajor Hermann von Witzleben (? Aug 1943 - 10 Jan 1944)
Generalleutnant Heinz Hellmich (10 Jan 1944 - 17 June 1944) (KIA) (1)
Generalmajor Bernhard Klosterkemper (17 June 1944 - 26 Sep 1944)

Operations Officers (Ia)
Hauptmann Dahman (1943)
Major Erhard Gemmrig (1 Feb 1944-5 Sep 1944)

Area of operations
Austria (Aug 1943 - Oct 1943)
France (Oct 1943 - Sep 1944)

Order of battle (1944)
Grenadier-Regiment 920
Grenadier-Regiment 921
Grenadier-Regiment 922
Artillerie-Regiment 243
Pionier-Bataillon 243
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 243
Nachrichten-Abteilung 243
Feldersatz-Bataillon 243
Versorgungseinheiten 243

Attached Heerestruppe:
Panzer-Abteilung 206 (equipped with 20 x Hotchkiss H-39, 10 x Somua S-35, 2 x Renault R-35, 6 x Renault Char B1 bis)

Footnotes
1. Heinz Hellmich was killed 17 June 1944 by a strafing Allied fighter plane.