Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

in silver

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Oberscharführer (Staff Sergeant)

Unit:

Zugführer, 3. Schwadron, SS-Panzer-Regiment 5, 5. SS-Panzer-Division 'Wiking'

Awarded on:

October 16th, 1944

Ruf’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows…

“On the 13.08.1944 the enemy broke through our frontline with overwhelming forces and occupied the village of Sulejow. By this the connection to the 5. Jäger-Division (along the corps boundary) was severed and the construction of a new defensive line in this sector thrown into doubt.

The infantry had been so weakened by the fighting in the previous days that it was only possible to create a frontline from a chain of resistance nests. Oberscharführer Ruf and his Zug were deployed in order to secure the creation of the frontline on the eastern edge of the Lochow wood (see sketch). Once he arrived he immediately decided to attack the village of Sulejow despite the lack of infantry support so as to create a foothold here. From this position he would be able to cover the regrouping of our infantry against attacks aimed at Sulejow.

After a tough battle Ruf, having repelled numerous enemy close-in attacks, succeeded in fighting through to the village centre. Here he encountered a Pakfront of 10 Pak (7.62 cm) and an enemy tank assembly area in the woods south and southeast of Sulejow, which contained about 20-30 enemy tanks and assault guns. After destroying the enemy Pakfront, he moved to the southern edge of the village and from here engaged the enemy armour in the woods south and southeast of Sulejow.

At this point 8 enemy tanks with mounted infantry emerged from the woods southeast of Sulejow in a counterattack. Ruf destroyed all the enemy tanks as well as a large portion of the infantry. Another 7 enemy tanks that launched a renewed attack against Sulejow, this time from the south, were also destroyed by Ruf. From his position on the village edge, Ruf held his ground during two days of heavy defensive battles. He prevented every additional infantry thrust against Sulejow and by extension the German frontline west of the village that was currently being constructed.

Thanks to the independent decision by Ruf to capture and then hold Sulejow against strong Russian attacks, it was possible for our infantry to reorganize and secure a connection to the neighbouring division. During the defensive battle here, Ruf destroyed 15 enemy tanks, 12 Pak, 6 heavy mortars and 300 Russians. He achieved this battlefield success with 4 Panzer IVs.”

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)