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were supposed to b« numbered consecutively. For instance,Hunderschaft 33 means that at least 3300 of these men are at thetime located in the particular EG. Numbered worker detachmentsare, however, very rare^ identified in captured documents, andsystematic records are apparently kept not below EG level, ifkept at all.A larger formation called Arbeitsabteilung and composed of 3Bereitschaften, (or Hundertschaften), led by an Afrteilungsfuhrer,i s used only on special occasions, when large masses of manpowerare required on a particular construction job.122. Bautrupps (Construction Detachments) and Arbeitstrupps(Labour Petachnents)The term Trupps (detachments) in the OT is reserved for workerdetachments which stand high in the classification of OT personnelaccording to race and nationality (see Table V). Accordingly theterm Bautrupps is the earliest unit designation in the OT: it canbe traced back to the OT worker units employed on the West Wall in1939/40, when they were predominantly German.The term itself was taken from the designation given to arrayGKQ construction units, which in due time were entirely replacedby the OT worker detachments. The term fell into gradual disuse,with the absorption of foreign elements into OT worker formations,including Zwangsarbeiter. It was revived (but still restricted toNordics and "reliable" volunteers) when special emergency detachmentswere activated in France to repair air raid damage. Other,presumably less skilled, personnel were attached to the variouscomponents of Army Group West, in anticipation of the Alliedlandings in France. The designation Arbeitstrupps (Labour detachments)was given to these latter detachments, wnose functions atthe time were to assist the army service units.At the present time, the designation Bautrupps is also givento the Front-OT companies activated in the autumn and winter of1942i/45 (see par a. 123 below). The designation Arbeitstrupps i snow given to temporary formations of OT Service personnel detailedto function as auxiliaries to local Bautrupps in case of seriousair raid damage in the vicinity. Such auxiliary formations areresponsible for assistance in the case of air raid damage withina radius of twelve miles of their station. For supplementarydiscussion of Bautrupps and Arbeitstrupps, see IA13 and IB16.123. Front-OT Brigades, Regiments, Battalions and Companies.The formation of picked OT personnel into Front-OT Bri^des,Regiments, Battalions acd Companies, is the last stage in thedevelopment of OT emergency detachments activated for the purposeof coping with the task of restoring communications in forwardareas, damaged by Allied air raids. The original order for theiractivation, signed by HITLER on 13 October 1944, disclosed thateight Brigades were planned in all, consisting of about 10,000men each.Each company (or Bautrupp, see para. 122 above) was to haveat its disposal enough equipment to enable it, in case ofnecessity, to control personnel three times its own strength.Units were activated in the autumn and winter of 192»2/45, but i tis doubtful whether total effective strength at any time'approximatedthe total projected strength. Eleven battalions have so farbeen identified belonging to three separate Regiments, and topossibly two or three separate Brigades. xa Units identified; Bns. 250,251,252,353 of Regfc.20; Bns.260261,262,263,264 of Regt. 22; Bn.220 of Regt. (?); Bn.462 ofRegt. 103 of Brig. 4.