SS Feldersatz-Batallion. 5 (Wiking)

[GuidoS]

Hello all!

I've been busy researching a person who served in the following units after he came out of a lazaret in Riga:

From April '44 until August '44 in the
Einheit 4.Kompanie SS-Feldersatz-Batallion 5 "Wiking"

and latest report came from the Adolf Hitler Kaserne in Berlin-Lichterfelde as part of the Stab und 1.-5.Kompanie, SS- Feldersatz-Battaillon 5.



I have some questions according to the information about his unit. Hopefully you guys could help me out with these questions.

-How can we best define the Feldersatz batallion ? As a battalion of rehabilitation and retraining?

-Does the einheit number specify the tasks of the einheit? If so, what was the specific task of the forth einheit? (I heard once it was a heavy weapons unit? with mortars and heavy MG's?)

-The report tells us that he was last know at the Adolf Hitler Kaserne in Berlin-Lichterfelde as part of the Stab und 1.-5.Kompanie, SS- Feldersatz-Battaillon 5. How come he was in Berlin an this Kaserne and not at the front where the division was at the time? Training?!

I hope you can help me out in this matter!


With best regards,

Guido

[John P. Moore]

I think someone has the SS-Feldersatz Btl 5 "Wiking", which was always a field unit mainly engaged in training new replacements, confused with the SS-Panzergrenadier Ausbildung und Ersatzbattalion 5 which trained new recruits and was a temporary home for convalescing soldiers that was stationed at Ellwangen/Jagst in 44-45. Neither of those units was ever in Berlin and someone might have the SS-Pz.Gren. AuE.Btl.5 mixed up with the SS-Pz.Gren.AuE.Btl.1 that was associated with the LAH and was stationed in the Berlin area.

John

[GuidoS]

Thank you John for this information!

On photographic evidence in the lazeret i saw his name and rank on a little board above his head that said he was a Grenadier. So the mix up for SS-Feldersatz Btl 5 "Wiking" and SS-Panzergrenadier Ausbildung und Ersatzbattalion 5 is most likely true! As he was a panz. gren..

About the Berlin story, i'll have to find out some more! Thanks anyway!

Any information about the number of the units (einheit)?

Really thanks again! Opens new doors and possibility's!!

Any more information or relevant books (in German, Dutch or English) are really welcome!!!