This week's RKT (3)

[WJW]

Original private portrait of
Unteroffizier d.R. Ferdinand Roos
3./Pionier B. 6
RK 16.08.1943
Kursk Battle (Operation "Zitadelle")
Pionier Roos crawled, alone, 300 m in front of the German lines in order to explode a bridge over the Kroma River. He was continuously under enemy fire sustaining 3 shrapnel wounds in his left hand and face. Whilst still 250 m away from the bridge he was shot through the lung. Still he did not give up. Once at the bridge he blew a mine he carried as well as 5 others which a pioneer team had left there. Roos then crawled back. Weak from the loss of blood he was taken to hospital, recovering finally in the Homburg hospital where he received his RK. This portrait was taken by a photographer in Homburg.



WJW

[JackHyv]

great picture, great story!

Jack

[Simon O.]

Interesting that he doesn't have his EKII and EKI yet in the picture.

[Akira Takiguchi]

Only KVK2 ribbon on his day of award celemony in a hospital.

[WJW]

I had also noted the fact that he was not wearing the EK1 and EK2. My theory was that maybe, being wounded in the lung, his tunic with said decorations got left behind somewhere. Either on the battlefield or in one of the three hospitals he was in before Homburg hospital. Here a later private portrait with EK1 and EK2.



WJW

[Simon O.]

Or did he get all 3 together? Am i seeing things here or is that a KVM ribbon under the EKII? Or is it just an Ost overlapping his KVK?

[edit] looking at the first photo it does indeed seem to be a KVM ribbon. Very unusual!

[Akira Takiguchi]

was looking carelessly - there's a line - KVM!

[stgeorge64]

WJW & Akira

Excellent RKT photographs!

WJW, please keep the ´RKT of the week´ going!

Regards Richard.