Some years ago Hans Weber was able to crack the code, so to speak, of how 1. Kompanie, Panzer-Aufklδrungs-Abteilung 2. numbered their Panzerspδhwagen (PSW). The sequence is believed to have included these numbers:
111, 112
121, 122
131, 132
141, 142
151, 152
161, 162
171, 172
181, 182
191, 192
1101, 1102
1111, 1112
1121, 1122
1131, 1132
1141, 1142
1151, 1152
[NB: given the ongoing debate over numbers and types of actual vehicles in the Kompanie and the common instance of having distinctly numbered commander and deputy commander's vehicles in a given Kompanien, there may be the possibility "101" and "102" also existed in 1./PzAA2]
Essentially, instead of following the official guidelines many other units appeared to adopt, where the unit was split into a relatively low number of Zuge (ie platoons) with several vehicles in each Zuge; instead 1./PzAA2 split their unit into several Truppen (ie troops), with only two vehicles in each Truppe.
The actual make up of the Kompanie as far as PSW types go is yet to be agreed upon, but it is clear the majority of vehicles were Sdkfz 234/2 (ie in modern parlance Pumas), probably 25 to begin with; plus originally perhaps up to six SdKfz 233 in the last three Truppen (ie 13-15). Note: there is some debate as to the presence of perhaps at least one SdKfz 222 and a handful of SdKfz 231/232 mixed in with the Pumas in Normandie, plus perhaps at a later stage SdKfz 234/1 and 234/3, but photos of any of these types are yet to be verified.
The growing number of photos available have also now revealed another aspect of the numbering system adopted by 1./PzAA2, which involved the additional application of Truppe numbers on the vehicles lower sides, along these lines:
111 - White 1 on fwd bin doors, 112- Black 1 on fwd bin doors
121 - White 2 on fwd bin doors, 122- Black 2 on fwd bin doors
131 - White 3 on fwd bin doors, 132- Black 3 on fwd bin doors
141 - White 4 on fwd bin doors, 142- Black 4 on fwd bin doors
151 - White 5 on fwd bin doors, 152- Black 5 on fwd bin doors
161 - White 6 on fwd bin doors, 162- Black 6 on fwd bin doors
171 - White 7 on fwd bin doors, 172- Black 7 on fwd bin doors
181 - White 8 on fwd bin doors, 182- Black 8 on fwd bin doors
191 - White 9 on fwd bin doors, 192- Black 9 on fwd bin doors
1101 - White 10 on fwd bin doors, 1102- Black 10 on fwd bin doors
1111 - White 11 on fwd bin doors, 1112- Black 11 on fwd bin doors
1121 - White 12 on fwd bin doors, 1122- Black 12 on fwd bin doors
1131 - White 13 on fwd bin doors, 1132- Black 13 on fwd bin doors
1141 - White 14 on fwd bin doors, 1142- Black 14 on fwd bin doors
1151 - White 15 on fwd bin doors, 1152- Black 15 on fwd bin doors
[NB: In the case of "1111" and "111" the Truppe number was repeated on the LHS of the rear plate, but its not clear if this was a completely uniform feature on 1./PzAA2 PSW at this stage, as both "181" and the "1152" would appear not to have LH rear numbers. Better photos would be needed to verify these cases. Also, it can only
assumed at this stage the white and black Truppe numbers appeared on the sides of non-SdKfz 234/2 types, like the SdKfz 233, as photos are yet to confirm this]
The following photographs (amongst others) have helped shed light on these numbering arrangements:
Baz
