SS Totenkopf Dog Tag

[Glenn66]

And being a member of the 4th kompanie would suggest your guy was a machine gunner too.

[HD1450]

And being a member of the 4th kompanie would suggest your guy was a machine gunner too.

cheers Glenn

[Matt L]

Indeed, the 4., 8, and 12. Kompanien of a Regiment were the 'MG' Kompanien, although just now checking the KStNs (151 b/c- I've rediscovered how useful they can be), I see that from 1937 on, a Machinengewehrkompanie also had several schwere Granatwerfer as well (8cm usually); their primary weapons were 8 sMG (mounted MG34 or later 42) and by 1941 12 of them, and 6 sGrW (schwere Granatwerfer 34) in the 3. Zug. Since MGs were common in all units of the Wehrmacht, the designation Machinengewehrkompanie referred to the 'heavy' mounted weapon for static use primarily; since mortars were added, it's actually more accurate to refer to these as the heavy weapons companies.

[HD1450]

And I noticed the photo of the disc's reverse shows the roll number begins with '1'- a typical pre-/ early-war Infanterie-type Kompanie had around 190 men according to the KStN 131b and c, so if the actual number is below that, this guy was an original member of the unit.

Matt , i got the tag today & looking on the back is the number '1' as can been seen & after looking between the cord is just a single '4' , so it looks as if '14' is the number .

[rbminis]

Very nice addition Mark!
Congratulations,
Ralph.

[HD1450]

Very nice addition Mark!
Congratulations,
Ralph.

Thanks Ralph

[Matt L]

Matt , i got the tag today & looking on the back is the number '1' as can been seen & after looking between the cord is just a single '4' , so it looks as if '14' is the number .

So there you are; he was an original member of the unit when the roll was made. That means whatever history you can find for the unit would apply. It's true he may have been transferred at some point, but there's no way to know, and he might just as easily have stayed with that unit his entire service time.

Oh and I should make it clear that's a Wehrmacht KStN; I don't know if the Waffen-SS adhered to the same exact makeup, but it's all I have to go by at the moment.

[HD1450]

Thanks Matt , appreciate your comments