Richard John (soldier)

Richard John
Born	11 April 1916 Loos
Died	21 June 2010(2010-06-21) (aged 94) Braunschweig
Allegiance	Nazi Germany (to 1945) West Germany
Service / branch	Heer Bundeswehr
Years of service	1939–45 1956–68
Rank	Oberfeldwebel (Wehrmacht) Hauptfeldwebel (Bundeswehr)
Unit	Grenadier-Regiment 445
Battles / wars	World War II Operation Barbarossa Battle of Białystok–Minsk Battle of Kiev (1941) Battle of Kursk Battle of Smolensk (1943) Operation Bagration Bobruysk Offensive
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Richard John (11 April 1916 – 21 June 2010) was a highly decorated Oberfeldwebel in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Richard John was captured by Soviet forces at the end of the war and was held until 1955. He joined the Bundeswehr in 1956 and retired in 1968 as a Hauptfeldwebel.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Infantry Assault Badge
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black
  • in Silver
  • in Gold
• Close Combat Clasp
  • in Bronze
• Eastern Front Medal
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 4 May 1944 as Feldwebel and company troop leader in the 2. / Grenadier-Regiment 445

References

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)