Luftwaffe dog tag

[Bob Lyons]

Hi all,

I have a Luftwaffe Other Ranks Erkennungsmarke or dog tag, that was recently uncovered using a metal detector from the old Murchison POW camp (Camp 13) here in Victoria,

the camp is about a two hour drive out of Melbourne, and the remains of the camp are still scattered about the old site.

This particular tag is for a Luftwaffe soldier (probably an NCO, as officer's were kept nearby at Dhuringile), and the unit was II./StG 77, with the personal number of the individual

being #30.

I have been in contact with the German WASt., and all they could give me was that the man was still alive, was born in 1918, and had applied for a pension in 1980, I am still trying

to find out if the records held here in Australia will reveal his name and details, the POW archives are held here in Melbourne, and I have requested a search using the dogtag,

but so far nothing back, so I thought I would post it here, and any assistance on finding out the man's details would be greatly appreciated......

Photo of the tag, and a couple of POW camp tokens for the canteen, plus some recovered German military buttons, still retaining some of their wartime paint, along with an

Italian wartime tunic button as well.....

Bob

[Bob Lyons]

The tag by itself....

[Bob Lyons]

And a photo from a recent 'After The Battle' magazine, showing the front gate of the POW camp (ATB Nr. 144), the article was written by David Mitchell-Hill Green.

[Bob Lyons]

A couple more photos from the magazine (ATB #144), with a nice then & now comparison....

[Bob Lyons]

and today....

[Bob Lyons]

The memorial built by the HK Kormoran survivors still exists....

[Bob Lyons]

Wartime photo of the Kormoran memorial.....

[Bob Lyons]

Now sitting alone out in the Australian bush...... (ATB Photo)

[Bob Lyons]

A bit closer, the plain Iron Cross emblem on top is a recent addition by local historians......

[Bob Lyons]

and how it looked a few years back on one of my visits to the area.....

[Bob Lyons]

and a little bit of colour just for the occasion.....

[Bob Lyons]

The old cell blocks still survive, here is a wartime view.....

[Bob Lyons]

inside the block....

[Bob Lyons]

a lot of the graffiti from the POW's survives to this day, this pic from ATB....

[Bob Lyons]

The cell block is now just used to dump rubbish, here is a shot from a few years back on one of my visits....

[Bob Lyons]

and another photo, showing some of the old barracks foundations.

I can post up some more photos if there is any interest, but sure would love to find out some more info on the dogtag if anyone can assist.....

Best wishes

Bob

[Bob Lyons]

I also meant to add in my initial post, the soldier (airman) was probably captured in North Africa, as that is where the majority of the POW's were from, apart from

the survivors of the Kormoran. (and a handful from Greece and Crete).

Bob