Tracker Dogs Serving with SS Mountain Division

[Robert Hurst]

Hi

At home I have a book on Waffen SS Mountain Divisions, and in this book there is a photograph of a marching column of Waffen SS Mountain troops, at the head of this column there are six Waffen SS soldiers with various breeds of dog on leads. The Unit concerned was from the Prinz Eugen Division, and the photograph was taken in the Balkan Theatre of Operations.

What I would like to know is this, were dogs a normal part of a mountain divisions complement, and if not, was this just normal for operations in the Balkans.

The only reason why I have posted this is because I have never come across dogs accompanying mountain troops before in any of the photos I have seen relating to German mountain troops either Heer or Waffen SS.

Thanks in advance

Regards

Bob

[Jason Pipes]

I'm working on an extensive book on the 5.Gebirgs-Division and as part of my source materials I am using a collection of about 1000 original photos. Amongts the photos from the Campaign in Greece I have found many photos of 5.Gebirgs-Division soldiers with German Shepards that are being used in the frontline in the tracking or spotting role. I also have another set from the 1.Gebirgs-Division and in that set too I've found photos of soldiers with German Shepards in the frontline.

As such, I am of the belief that German Shepards or other dogs were indeed a somewhat standard addition to many German mountain units in the spotting and tracking role. In that sense I don't think the SS and Heer mountain units were very different.

[Christoph Awender]

Hello Robert!

Dog platoons were indeed organic parts of some mountain divisions.
I know for sure of "Prinz Eugen" and "Karstjäger".

They were attached to the Nachrichtenabteilung so were mainly in a messenger role. I also have fotos of Heer units with search dogs but didn´t find any confirming sources to determine the units.
Attached is the Gliederung of the "Karstjäger" division and see the dogs attached to the Nachr.Abt.

Christoph