Wonderful zinc Erkennungsmarke from a member of the 1./Artillerie-Ersatz-Abteilung "Grossdeutschland".

This unit was formed on 1 June 1942 to provide artillery replacement personnel for Infanterie-Division "Grossdeutschland". It was part of the Ersatz-Brigade "Grossdeutschland" and was reformed into Artillerie-Ersatz-und-Ausbildungs-Abteilung "Grossdeutschland" on 12 April 1943.

The tag was found in former Memelland, nowadays part of Lithuania, where the "Grossdeutschland" division was fighting in Autumn 1944.

The tag itself is a classic textbook example for this unit.

It has an extra hole punched into it, most probably done by the owner.

Really nice piece.