Ritterkreuz trager hunters!

[bratwurstdimsum]

Ok, here is a toughy. Get your thinking caps on...

A series of photos from Marc B's site (up for sale) of a Ritterkreuz winner just being presented his Gong.

Here's what I can glean from the photos.
1) Scenery and buildings look suspiciously like russia
2) Helmets have no decals (except for a higher ranking WW1 vet) so probably 1943 and after.

I did a quick search for Gefreiter on my "Die Ordenstrager...." CD and got quite a few but if I could eliminate some of the branches of the Heer that would be good also...

Can I assume he's not :
Paratroop,
volksgrenadier,
panzergrenadier,
Gebirgsj******228;ger
Being presented the award in 1945 as most of the uniforms are M36s/M40s etc (also would seriously doubt a Corporal in the field would have access to a m36 uniform in 1945)

Which leaves:
Artillery
Grenadier
Infanterie
Pioneer
J******228;ger

[ShoulderBoards]

xxxx

[ShoulderBoards]

xxxx

[bratwurstdimsum]

Ok got a list of 79 possible recipients who were gefreiters. 79 out of 4777 ... and the RKT supposed to have been egalitarian

Eliminating:
Paras, Pioneer, Artillerie, and special groups with cuff titles leaves us with 58.

But if we restrict to 1943-1944 this list becomes: 31

Branches left are:
Füsilier
Gebirgsjäger
Grenadier
Jäger
Panzer-Grenadier
Panzerjäger
Schnelle

Any more ideas?

[bratwurstdimsum]

Judging from the overcoats being worn, and the condition of the trees and grass; these photographs were probably taken sometime in the fall or early spring.

ok shoulderboards, factor in the following:

Fall: October and November (2 months),
Winter: December through March (4 months) and
Spring: April and May (2 months)

Taking out:
June-September

We get the following list:

Drees Karl-Heinz - 08.02.44 - 14./G.R.552
Jacobs Martin - 26.12.43 - 2./G.R.431
Kuhnert Manfred - 22.01.44 - 14./G.R.442
Langer Albert - 07.04.44 - 1./G.R.51
Lösing Werner - 29.02.44 - 12./G.R.67
Magerfleisch F riedr.-Wilh. - 20.01.43 - 3./Schnelle Abteilung 376
Mlinar Stefan -24.06.44 - 5./G-J.R 13
Piechukla Alois - 11.04.43 - 2./Panzer-G.R.33
Radermacher Karl - 04.05.44 - 6./G.R.45
Rausch Werner - 26.03.43 - 3./Panzerjäger-Abteilung 294
Richter Franz - 14.05.44 - 1/Panzer-G.R.114
Söchting Fritz - 16.04.43 - 2./Schnelle Abteilung 329
Steffani Wilhelm - 04.05.44 - 13./G.R.948
Twillemeyer Alois - 15.03.44 - Stab/Füsilier-Bataillon (Aufklärungs-Abteilung) 81
Wrangel Werner - 08.02.43 - 1./Panzerjäger-Abteilung 183
Zerth Jakob - 21.04.44 - 3./G.R.467

[bratwurstdimsum]

Well, I did some searches and got about half the recipient's photos...I reckon the guy is a dead ringer for #3 Manfred Kuhnert what do you reckon? It can't be any of the other guys because they have Inf & Gen Assault badges on them.

[bratwurstdimsum]

*** deleted ***

[Rich G]

My guess, with the MG34's on tripods that it is:

Lösing, Werner (Gefreiter) 12. (MG) / GR 67 29.2.1944

[bratwurstdimsum]

what a keen eye you have Richard.

on that basis I had another look at das Ritterkreuz and I found that there are 6 MG gunners that got the RK.

One of them fits the bill for the date range 1942 and season.

Rinkowski, Leo MG-Sch******252;tze 5./GrenRgt 670 21.09.1944
Flad, Eugen MG-Sch******252;tze 2.(Radf.)/DivF******252;sBtl 252 20.07.1944
Richter, Franz MG-Sch******252;tze 1./PzGrenRgt 114 14.05.1944
******214;sterreicher, Karl MG-Sch******252;tze 11./GrenRgt 186 18.12.1942
Schweitzer, Heinz MG-Sch******252;tze 13./PzGrenRgt 103 09.07.1944
Radermacher, Karl (based on his own statements an MG Schultz) 04.05.1944

Is it normal to display weapons like that at a ceremony? if its an MG batallion then what is the significance of the pak and the mortars?


Picture is of ******214;sterreicher, it certainly looks like him but these stormtroopers look all the same to me

Cheers

Jeff

[Rich G]

My guess, with the MG34's on tripods that it is:

Lösing, Werner (Gefreiter) 12. (MG) / GR 67 29.2.1944

Actually, now I don't think it is him because too many leaves on the trees for February!

Look at the equipment... heavy mortars, 37mm anti-tank(?)/infantry support, MG34's on tripods... what kind of unit had that arsenal? That must be a key to working this one out.

BTW I don't the picture of Österreicher matches our mystery man.

Regards
Rich

[bratwurstdimsum]

AH yes the trees... I hadn't looked. Still cold enough for gloves and jackets though

well similar nose and eyes but alas I contradicted myself...the award was made in 1942 when the order for the helmet decals was not official yet...

[bratwurstdimsum]

Interesting reading from Heinrich Haape's "Moscow Tram Stop", if only an indication of what the weather was like in 1941.

Pg 181:

On 13th November we awoke and shivered. An Icy Blast from the North-East knifed across the snowy countryside....the thermometer kept falling and by sundown had reached minus twelve degrees Centigrade.

Pg 359:

...on 25th March, when there was a three hour thaw at midday. Then it became cold again and by evening a blizzard was raging across the wide snowfields....it was the first sign of the approach of a new spring.

I think to be safe we can assume November to March (early) is written off as well.

We get the following list:

Langer Albert - 07.04.44 - 1./G.R.51
Piechukla Alois - 11.04.43 - 2./Panzer-G.R.33
Radermacher Karl - 04.05.44 - 6./G.R.45
Rausch Werner - 26.03.43 - 3./Panzerj******228;ger-Abteilung 294
Richter Franz - 14.05.44 - 1/Panzer-G.R.114
S******246;chting Fritz - 16.04.43 - 2./Schnelle Abteilung 329
Steffani Wilhelm - 04.05.44 - 13./G.R.948
Zerth Jakob - 21.04.44 - 3./G.R.467

[bratwurstdimsum]

Look at the equipment... heavy mortars, 37mm anti-tank(?)/infantry support, MG34's on tripods... what kind of unit had that arsenal? That must be a key to working this one out.

Got one...

Panzer divisions have a rifle regiment attached to them. In the Rifle Regmt there are (amongst other things) :

3.7cm PaKs towed by Krupp-Protz gun tractors
50 and 81 mm mortars

[ShoulderBoards]

xxx

[Denis]

Hi Jeff

Your guy is Heinz Berger, RK as of 17/09/41 as Gefr. dR in 4/IR 187 (87 ID).

By the way, the overseas caps are a very important element to date the picture, more than the decals on helmets, IMO.

Best regards
Denis