Need help with a German dog tag that I have

[Panda]

I happen to have an old relic dog tag from my grandfather. I'm realitivly new to this thing so I figure I might as well ask the experts. At the top it says 3240 and at the bottom K. E. u. A.A 11
please help me

[zwerge]

I happen to have an old relic dog tag from my grandfather. I'm realitivly new to this thing so I figure I might as well ask the experts. At the top it says 3240 and at the bottom K. E. u. A.A 11
please help me

Can you post a picture?

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Panda, welcome to the forum!

Your tag reads as follows:

The number "3240" is his roll number. German tags did not give a soldiers name like Allied tags. A master roll list was kept and your Grandfather was number 3240 on that roll.

He was a member of a reccon unit, Aufklärungsabteilung 11. Here is some info on his unit:

Aufgestellt am 26. August 1939 in Allenstein aus dem Kavallerie-Regiment 4 und der 11. Infanterie-Division unterstellt. Am 1. März 1942 wurden die Reiter in Radfahr-Schwadronen umgegliedert. Am 14. Oktober 1942 wurde die Einheit in Radfahr-Abteilung 11, am 24. März 1943 in Aufklärungs-Abteilung 11 und im Oktober 1944 in Divisions-Füsilier-Bataillon 11 umbenannt.

If you don't read German I can give you a rough translation.

Situated on 26th August 1939 in Olsztyn as Cavalry Regiment 4 and part of the 11th Infantry Division. On 1st March 1942 the riders in bicycling squadrons were reclassified. On 14th October 1942 the unit was changed to Bicycle unit 11, on 24th March 1943 to Reccon unit 11 and in October 1944 renamed Divisional Fusilier Battalion 11.

So you can see the unit was renamed several times, which was common as units were re-organised and modernised. Reccon units on bicycles were common in the German Army at this point in time.

His unit would have fought in Russia for 4 years as part of 11th Inf Div.

However, there is one very important point to make here. German dog tags were issued to you by the unit into which you first joined the Army. You kept this tag throughout your service EVEN if you transfered to another unit. You would only be issued with a new tag giving details of your current unit if you lost your original one.

Hope this help?

Cheers, Ade.

[Panda]

Thank you very much for this info, and sorry I don't have pics as my Father still has the dogtag in his keep

[Adrian Stevenson]

My pleasure.

If you can photograph it sometime in the future that would be great. Also if you have any photos of your Grandad to share that would also be great.

Cheers, Ade.

[wiaderny]

K. E. u. A.A 11

Kraft Ersatz und Ausbildungs Abteilung 11