Infantry Dog Tag Real or Fake???

[noble]

Hi Guys,

Could anyone tell me if this is a real or fake please,

Thanks Again.

[Matt L]

I don't see anything obviously wrong with it.

[ObKrieger]

I am having trouble finding anything about Jaeger-Regiment 195. Is Lexicon der Wehrmacht complete?

[noble]

hi obkrieger.
the j is actually an i for infantry.

[ObKrieger]

Germans and their funny letters... lol

Thanks for the correction.

[noble]

thanks for that matt.
it hasnt got a blood group letter.
is that because its an early erkennungsmarken.

[KMMorris]

Did some looking and apparently this person was in a motorized infantry unit until it was converted in late 1942

Morris

[Matt L]

I am having trouble finding anything about Jaeger-Regiment 195. Is Lexicon der Wehrmacht complete?

In older German script, a capital I looks rather like a J, just without the complete cross bit at the top- it was still commonly seen in the 40s and for whatever reason, the Wehrmacht liked using a 'J' as that 'I'. They used the usual Latin 'I' as well though. To avoid the confusion you encountered, 'Jäger' is generally abbreviated 'Jäg', and not just 'J'. And 'J.R.' is always 'Infanterie-Regiment'.

thanks for that matt.
it hasnt got a blood group letter.
is that because its an early erkennungsmarken.

No problem and likely that's the case- this soldier was an original member of the Regiment, prior to the start of the war, and it's suggested that it wasn't until late 1941 that blood group letters began to be added to discs. There's almost no wear on the neck cord holes, suggesting the disc wasn't worn much or for very long too. Sometimes a letter would be added to an older disc, sometimes not- this one either just never did or the soldier wasn't in service long enough to get one.

Apparently in January of 1940 the II. Bataillon went to IR 524 so possibly this soldier got a new disc- it was normal practice for soldiers to wear the same disc throughout their service, but there are instances where upon going to a new unit, there was a new disc. Perhaps this is one of those.

I don't see anything about IR195 ever being motorized though- where'd you find that Morris?

[noble]

the seller said it was it was found at stalingrad.
what do you think matt.

[Matt L]

Yup, that makes sense; you have to look on the Lexikon der Wehrmacht site and you'll see that II./ IR195 became II./ IR524 and that unit was destroyed at Stalingrad. The Lexikon is an excellent resource