I have a photo album of an SA Sturm for 1937-38. In the intoduction, it lists what I think are the previous names of the formation. Here is what it says:

R4/14a ... 11/33 - 4/34
R4/14 ... 4/34 - 7/34
4/R14 ... 7/34 - 5/35
4/R14 ... 5/45 - 2/37
5/15 ... 2/37

Throughout the whole period, the head guy was Sturmhauptfuhrer Schneider.

Can anyone help me by explaining the unit numbers ?

Thanks
Daev

Number before the slash is the Sturm number, an R indicating a reserve Sturm. Number after the slash is the Standarte number.

Thanks, Mark.

Does the above chronology seem valid to you ? The way it is shown in the intro to the book, it makes it appear as it is one unit that changed designations with time.

Thanks for any help,
Dave

You are correct Dave. As the number of members increased in the time of the old fighters, the units changed and new units in the area were created and numbers were added. This is why you see some of the old SA Standards with several unit patches on one standart flag.
It is very difficult to determine what unit a uniform comes from when researching a find unless you have the tailor's tag with the date of origin in the pocket or inside the collar.
After the Roehm affair and the stablization of the SA, things settled down.
If you think the SA is bad, try to figure out HJ items and trace a uniform missing insignias.
Ron Weinand

I looked at SA records during breaks on SS research trips to various archives. Numerous units designation changes. Unlike SS that moved elements and retained the primary designation, or disbanded/rebuilt with same title later, the SA is rather a mess. Same with Personalakte being "spotty" with a lot handwritten material instead of typed.

At least they typed the SA DAL issues.

Interesting to note that the unit began life as (most likely) a small reserve Sturm of a standarte that was divided alphabetically, something you see very early on.The Standarte was consolidated, at which point the Standarte became reserve, then reformed as part of the 15th Standarte.