I don't know. It was from an article on Leningrad Tigers. And I am not happy with the 712 number. When the 502nd Tank Battalion was sent to the Eastern Front in August 1942, it initially only had four Tigers but more were sent from the training ground as they were made ready up to the initial strength of 20 Tigers to a battalion. The tank in question should belong to the 502nd Tank Battalion Initially, A number like 123 meant that the vehicle was 1st kompanie, 2nd platoon, 3rd vehicle. At the start 1st Kompanie was the only one was deployed to the area, the remaining kompanies were still forming. At that time the 1st vehicle would have been a Tiger, 2nd vehicle a PzIII. 3rd a Tiger and fourth a PzIII. Later in 1942 at full strength, a Battalion consisted of 20 Tigers and 16 Panzer IIIs, composed of two kompanies, each with four platoons of two Tigers and two Panzer IIIs. Each company commander would have an additional Tiger, and battalion command would have another two.
Later formations had a standard organization of 45 Tiger Tanks, composed of 3 companies of 14 Tigers each, plus 3 command vehicles.
The tank in the photo with a 712 number should mean 7th Kompanie, 1st Platoon, 2nd vehicle. I have also seen a 712 on an AK Tiger. A Panzer Divisions Panzer Regiment normally had two Battalions each of four companies and the companies were numbered consecutively from 1 to 8 Any extra companies added on such as Tiger or Sturmgeschutze simply followed on in the same sequence.
Perhaps Frank can help us out?
Terry
