DKiG awarding.

[noggin]

Hi again , just need some clarification on Lt Gunter Rudolph of 1/KG 4. I found he was KIA when their aircraft 5J+JH ( 4594 ) crashed due to flak damage in 8/2/42 at Celadice in Slovakia. But I also found out he received the DKiG
9/4/42. Would this have been awarded posthumously for say actions in which he was killed or could it be he was awarded the medal but was killed before he could received it ? 3 crew were killed when the aircraft crashed , Uffz Anton Grupper was WIA but I can't find anymore info on him.

TIA Shaun

[Chris Goss]

Shaun
Not sure what you are asking as you have answered it yourself! It was probably awarded for a series of missions not the one during which he was killed and yes, it was posthumous and highly unlikely that he was wearing it 2 months before it was promulgated

[noggin]

Thanks , I thought it would be awarded posthumously , I wasn't sure though if these awards were given to next of kin or whether I had the dates wrong so just thought I'd clear it first with more knowledgeable people.

[Matti Salonen]

I have the location "Bei Tschekotz, 16 km östlich Staraja Russa, Rußland".
There was no Anton Grupper in the crew but Otto Gröper (Bordfunker).

Matti

[Chris Goss]

Definitely 9 Apr 42. Paperwork would have gone through, he would have been killed, award promulgated

[noggin]

Thanks Chris. I may be wrong then Matti but I was working on Tschekotz and couldn't find it in Russia were I thought it would be. But google put it in the Celadice area of Slovakia. As I say I maybe wrong it wouldn't be the first time. Have you anymore details please ?

[Chris Goss]

Otto Gröper was awarded the Ehrenpokal 5 Jan 42. Lt Günter Rudolph was born 22 Jul 20 in Minden and killed 16 km east of Staraja-Russa

[Matti Salonen]

No more details in my database.

Matti

[noggin]

Thanks again , were the crew from the raid on Newark I was first looking into. Lt Metzmacher wasn't on their final flight.

[noggin]

Would Tschekotz have still been on the German side of the front line by then ? I see KG4 Wiki entry says Stab. 4KG had relocated to Pskov in Jan 42 and were flying supplies to the Demyansk Pocket Feb/March suffering heavy losses. Obviously Rudolph's crew being one.