Schrijnen, Remy (Waffen SS)

Date of birth:: December 24th, 1921 (Kumtich, Tienen/Flemish Brabant, Belgium)
Date of death:: July 27th, 2006 (Hagen/North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany)
Service number:: SS-Nr.: // NSDAP-Nr.:
Nationality:: Belgian

Biography

Career:
1941: SS-Panzergrenadier Ausbildungs- und Ersatzbatallion 11;
?: SS-Freiwilligen-Legion "Flandern";
?: SS-Freiwilligen-Sturmbrigade "Langemarck";
?: 5. Panzerjäger-Kompanie, I. Bataillon, 6. SS-Freiwilligen-Sturmbrigade "Langemark";
?: 27. SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Division "Langemarck" (wallonische Nr. 1).

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Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Schwarz

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen in Bronze

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: SS-Sturmman (Private 1st Class)
Awarded on:: May 25th, 1944

Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Silber

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: SS-Sturmman (Private 1st Class)
Awarded on:: August 3rd, 1944

Trouwkenteken R. Tollenaere

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: SS-Sturmman (Private 1st Class)
Unit:: Richtschütze, 5. Panzerjäger-Kompanie, I. Bataillon, 6. SS-Freiwilligen-Sturmbrigade "Langemarck", Waffen-SS
Awarded on:: September 21st, 1944

On 29.07.1944 Schrijnen was serving as the crew of a Pak 40 in the middle of a major Soviet tank/infantry attack. His position was hit by a heavy artillery barrage, with several rounds impacting just 10 metres behind the gun. Schrijnen was hit by several shell splinters, but the four other crewman all became casualties. Under the weight of the Soviet attack the order was given to withdraw. Schrijnen however disobeyed the order and remained behind to cover his comrades. Despite being wounded, exhausted and vastly outnumbered he was still able to knock out 4 T-34s and 3 IS-2s before his gun was destroyed.

Later, counterattacking German forces found Schrijnen unconscious on the battlefield. He would receive the Knight's Cross for his actions this day as well as for prior successes as an anti-tank gunner.

He got his Ritterkreuz on that date aswell as the promotion from SS-Sturmann to SS-unterscharführer.