Luftwaffe Balloon Observation Battery

[Douglas]

Luftwaffe 1st Pattern Die Stuck EM buckle with tab marked to Balloon Battery

Buckle marked:
Seiper & Shone diamonds

Tab marked:
R. SIEPER & SOHNE
1936
LUDENSCHEID

Unit marked:
Li BAbt II 43
Lichtmessbatterie Beobachtungsabteilung (artillery observation or survey battalion (sound and flash)

I believe Li is a Lichtmess-Batterie or Balloon battery.

II. / Flak-Regiment 43 (gem. mot.)
15.11.38 fromed in DEssau-Kochstedt from the I. / Flak-Regiment 26 with five batteries.
11.38 - 8.39 under Luftverteidigungskommando 3. ( Air Defense Command 3)
1939 took part in the Polish campaign.
5.40 In 1940, the detachment took part in the French campaign under the staff of flak regiment 103.
22.6.41 From June 1941, the division participated in the attack on Russia, subordinated to II. Flakkorps, supporting Panzer-Gruppe 1 from under the staf of Flak-Regiment General Göring.
1942 subordinate to the staff of the Flak Regiment 153 in the 10th Flak Division.
1943 saw action at Rossosch and Voronesh among other places.
1.44 under 17. Flak-Division (Stab/Flak-Regiment 48)
2.44 under 17. Flak-Division (Stab/Flak-Regiment 48)
3.44 under 17. Flak-Division (Stab/Flak-Regiment 48)
4.44 under 10. Flak-Division (Stab/Flak-Regiment 48)
5.44 under 17. Flak-Division (Stab/Flak-Regiment 48)
6.44 under 17. Flak-Division (Stab/Flak-Regiment 48)
7.44 under 17. Flak-Division (Stab/Flak-Regiment 48)
8.44 under 15. Flak-Division (Stab/Flak-Regiment 104)
10.44 under 15. Flak-Division (Stab/Flak-Regiment 133)
1944 saw action at Buza and Romanesti
1945 the detachment was located in the area of Papa and Komorn at the end of the war.