Ritterkreuz trager hunters!

[bratwurstdimsum]

Always coming to save the day Denis

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

Is that because everyone was wearing m43 "ski" caps by then? I didn't think that was a "hard and fast" rule due to soldiers wearing what suited them or supplies being low.

so what tipped it for you? There are still 2 other infanterie Gefreiters awarded the RK in '41

"Brinkforth, Hubert" 14./Infanterie-Regiment" 07.03.41
"Stöckert, Herbert" 9./Infanterie-Regiment 156" 10.10.41

[Denis]

Always coming to save the day Denis



Is that because everyone was wearing m43 "ski" caps by then? I didn't think that was a "hard and fast" rule due to soldiers wearing what suited them or supplies being low.

so what tipped it for you? There are still 2 other infanterie Gefreiters awarded the RK in '41

"Brinkforth, Hubert" 14./Infanterie-Regiment" 07.03.41
"Stöckert, Herbert" 9./Infanterie-Regiment 156" 10.10.41

Hi Jeff

My criteria were the following ones :
A gefreiter RKT belonging to the WH, who has not been awarded the RK posthumously and who has received the RK before June 1943 (as far as I remember, the very first M43 caps were available from the second semester of 1942 onward but I wanted to be sure to exclude no possibility).
From a gut feeling, I would have said that these photos were taken before April 42, at the latest (as you perfectly noted : many M36 jacket, the ioverseas caps, not a lot of IAB/GAB, no CCC, pak 37 instead of PAK 50,…). And I was nearly sure that I have already seen a close picture from the third one.
After that, you have to look for among the 21 possibilities left by the criteria.
Berger was the first one in alphabetical order….
Regards
Denis

[bratwurstdimsum]

No pics for the other two but this one....

Brinkforth



Definitely not him.

[bratwurstdimsum]

Denis sent me this Graf postcard...I think he may be onto a winner. Please note I have reversed the picture and added original for easier comparison!

[bratwurstdimsum]

I went past a shop in Hong Kong called "King and Country" that sells tin soldiers, imagine my amazement when I saw this, Needless to say I bought it.

[Elwyn]

I have passed by that toy soldier shop also -- not quite "toy" when it comes to the price. The awarding gen was Bogislav v Studnitz, Kmdr 87 ID.

Cheers
Elwyn