Rudolf Roy
Encyclopedia
Rudolf Roy Jr. was a Untersturmführer
(Second Lieutenant) in the Waffen SS during World War II
, awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany
during World War II
.
, Berlin
and was named after his bricklayer father. He attended the local elementary school and at the age of 13 joined the Hitler Youth
. In April 1934, he joined the Landwehr
(Militia) and was stationed in East Prussia
until December 1934. He was then trained as a machine locksmith and became skilled in his trade.
In November 1938 he volunteered to join the Allgemeine-SS when he was aged 18.
(Tank Hunter) Battalion. He took part in Operation Barbarossa
the invasion of the Soviet Union
in 1941 and was awarded the Iron Cross
II class.
Roy was promoted to Unterscharführer
(Sergeant) in January 1943 and transferred to the 1st Battery under the command of Karl Heinz Prinz
and was awarded the Iron Cross I class in September.
In April 1944 the entire Panzerjäger Battalion was transferred to the newly formed 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend. They were classed as unfit for combat when the Allies landed in Normandy
on 6 June as they were still forming, so they did not reach the front until July when Roy was also promoted to Oberscharführer
(Technical Sergeant).
The 12th SS Panzerjäger Battalion did not waste any time and were quickly sent into action and credited with being largely responsible for the defeat of the Allied Operation Totalise
over 8–10 August. Roy and his gunner Fritz Eckstein
were credited with destroying eight tanks on 8 August and the next day knocked out a further 13 tanks, and within five days had knocked out a total of 26 tanks, which brought his total up to 36 tanks destroyed.
His citation for the Knight's Cross reads;
Roy did not survive the war but was killed during the Battle of the Bulge
on 17 December 1944, while attacking the lines of the US 99th Infantry Divisions. He was killed by a sniper
.
Obersturmführer (First Lieutenant) Helmut Zeiner reported;
He was posthumously promoted to Untersturmführer
and is buried in the War cemetery in Bonn
- Bad Godesberg
Germany, grave number 756.
Untersturmführer
Untersturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the German Schutzstaffel first created in July 1934. The rank can trace its origins to the older SA rank of Sturmführer which had existed since the founding of the SA in 1921...
(Second Lieutenant) in the Waffen SS during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Early life
Rudolf Roy Jr. was born on the 15 August 1920 in SpandauSpandau
Spandau is the fifth of the twelve boroughs of Berlin. It is the fourth largest and westernmost borough, situated at the confluence of the Havel and Spree rivers and along the western bank of the Havel, but the least populated.-Overview:...
, Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and was named after his bricklayer father. He attended the local elementary school and at the age of 13 joined the Hitler Youth
Hitler Youth
The Hitler Youth was a paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party. It existed from 1922 to 1945. The HJ was the second oldest paramilitary Nazi group, founded one year after its adult counterpart, the Sturmabteilung...
. In April 1934, he joined the Landwehr
Landwehr
Landwehr, or Landeswehr, is a German language term used in referring to certain national armies, or militias found in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Europe. In different context it refers to large scale, low strength fortifications...
(Militia) and was stationed in East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
until December 1934. He was then trained as a machine locksmith and became skilled in his trade.
In November 1938 he volunteered to join the Allgemeine-SS when he was aged 18.
World War II
In 1940, Roy was assigned to the 1st Company, Training and Reserve Battalion, Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler for basic military training and then sent to the 3rd Battery, 1st SS PanzerjägerPanzerjäger
Panzerjäger was a branch of service of the Wehrmacht during the Second World War which were the anti-tank arm-of-service who operated anti-tank artillery, and made exclusive use of the tank destroyers which were also named Panzerjäger...
(Tank Hunter) Battalion. He took part in Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
the invasion of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in 1941 and was awarded the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
II class.
Roy was promoted to Unterscharführer
Unterscharführer
Unterscharführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party used by the Schutzstaffel between 1934 and 1945. The SS rank was created after the Night of the Long Knives...
(Sergeant) in January 1943 and transferred to the 1st Battery under the command of Karl Heinz Prinz
Karl Heinz Prinz
Karl-Heinz Prinz was a Sturmbannführer in the Waffen-SS during World War II, who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross: which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.-Early life:Karl-Heinz Prinz was born...
and was awarded the Iron Cross I class in September.
In April 1944 the entire Panzerjäger Battalion was transferred to the newly formed 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend. They were classed as unfit for combat when the Allies landed in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
on 6 June as they were still forming, so they did not reach the front until July when Roy was also promoted to Oberscharführer
Oberscharführer
Oberscharführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that existed between the years of 1932 and 1945. Translated as “Senior Squad Leader”, Oberscharführer was first used as a rank of the Sturmabteilung and was created due to an expansion of the enlisted positions required by growing SA membership...
(Technical Sergeant).
The 12th SS Panzerjäger Battalion did not waste any time and were quickly sent into action and credited with being largely responsible for the defeat of the Allied Operation Totalise
Operation Totalise
Operation Totalize was an offensive launched by Allied troops of the First Canadian Army during the later stages of the Operation Overlord, from August 8 to August 13, 1944...
over 8–10 August. Roy and his gunner Fritz Eckstein
Fritz Eckstein
Fritz Eckstein was an Unterscharführer in the Waffen SS during World War II. Who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II....
were credited with destroying eight tanks on 8 August and the next day knocked out a further 13 tanks, and within five days had knocked out a total of 26 tanks, which brought his total up to 36 tanks destroyed.
His citation for the Knight's Cross reads;
The dawn of 9.8.1944, enemy tanks penetrated into the rear of Kampfgruppe Waldmüller through the gaps in the HKL near Soignolles, dominating all supply lines from Hill 111.
Oberscharführer Roy was ordered to attack and destroy the enemy tanks with his Panzerjäger 39. Roy crept up on the tanks with courage and mobility, and within short time knocked out 8 English tanks. By doing so he created the prerequisite for the withdrawal ordered that evening.
At 21:30, because of the constantly increasing enemy fire, the Kampfgruppe began its disengagement as commanded. In the middle of the withdrawal enemy tanks launched a surprise attack on the Kampfgruppe in the village of Soignolles. In an independent decision Oberscharführer Roy attacked the tanks in the flank. Of the 15 attacking enemy tanks only 2 were able to escape.
Oberscharführer Roy destroyed 13 tanks on this day, within 5 days 26, and increased his total number of knocked out English and Russian tanks to 36.
Roy did not survive the war but was killed during the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
on 17 December 1944, while attacking the lines of the US 99th Infantry Divisions. He was killed by a sniper
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
.
Obersturmführer (First Lieutenant) Helmut Zeiner reported;
We followed a narrow, occasionally winding forest lane to a spot where it split and dropped off. There, all hell broke loose. The enemy had armor-piercing weapons, snipers in the trees, and a few Shermans in ambush position. Oberscharführer Roy, who had taken over 1. platoon in my place, was driving behind me. He was killed by a shot to the head.
He was posthumously promoted to Untersturmführer
Untersturmführer
Untersturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the German Schutzstaffel first created in July 1934. The rank can trace its origins to the older SA rank of Sturmführer which had existed since the founding of the SA in 1921...
and is buried in the War cemetery in Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
- Bad Godesberg
Bad Godesberg
Bad Godesberg is a municipal district of Bonn, southern North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. From 1949 till 1990 , the majority of foreign embassies to Germany were located in Bad Godesberg...
Germany, grave number 756.