Stammbattr.Beob.Ers.Abt.6 EKM (NL/BEL/GER)

The dog tag or 'Erkennungsmarke' shows normal signs of wear. It belonged to a soldier who served in the Stammbatterie Beobachtungs Ersatz Abteilung 6. The abteilung was formed in August of 1939 in Lemgo. It trained and delivered soldiers for different Beobachtungs-Abteilungen, Leichte Beobachtungs-Abteilungen and Stellungs-Beobachtungs-Abteilungen. In 1943 the abteilung became 
Beobachtungs-Ersatz- und Ausbildungs-Abteilung 6. In September 1944 the abteilung was used to form 4 companie and was named Grenadier Bataillon BEA 6. The bataillon consisted out young and old men, Volksdeutsche and limited ability men. They where equipped with captured rifles from different countries. They crossed the Dutch border near Venlo and via Roermond to Weert and then to the Albert Canal, Belgium. Here they suffered their first casualties. They saw action for 4 weeks and lost 75% of the soldiers before they pulled back to Lemgo. In Oktober 1944 the abteilung was part of Division 466. When the Allies crossed the Rhine river in March 1945 the abteilung again formed 4 kompanies as an Infanterie Bataillon. A large part of the bataillon was captured in Raum Warburg - Bad Driburg by the Americans. 200 Soldiers that stayed behind and fought, till the end of the war, against the British (even the 1.British Tank Korps). 

Very interesting dog tag of a not often seen unit.
A Stammkompanie was a unit that trained the soldiers. Often the soldiers of this kompanie were soldiers who had frontline experience and/or where no longer fully usable on the front due to injuries. Of course this changed later in the war and they also where put into action as there was a shortage of (front)soldiers.
The 'B' on the tag stands for the bloodtype of the soldier.