...above, taken on the occasion of the presentation of the Ritterkreuz to 6./KG 53 pilot Ofw. Waldemar Teige on 10 June 1942 at Krowje Selo on the Eastern Front. Seen left, Generaloberst Keller is handing over the award to Teige which was for 12 Luftsiege (probably night-fighting) and around 240 combat sorties. Teige's aircraft - He 111 H-6 A1+AC -was hit by anti-aircraft fire during an attack on the rail station at Ostaschkow near Dno on 3 October 1942. Teige brought the aircraft back over German lines, enabling the crew to bale out successfully. However his own chute caught up on the aircraft's tail and he plunged to his death. Far right is Oblt. Walter Spellig.
below; He 111 H "A1+AP" flown by Staffelkapitän 6./ KG 53 Hptm Andreas Zahn returning from a sortie during 1941
More scenes from 6./ KG 53. Michael Meyer's current Ebay sales are here
Feting the 2000th sortie of 6./ KG 53 He 111 H in Krowjw Selo in Rußland during the summer of 1943. The sortie was flown by Ofw. Heinz Gossow and crew. - this is the same Heinz Gossow who went on to fly in the Defence of the Reich with JG 301. Below, Staffelkapitän Hptm Heinz Zöller is seen congratulating Ofw. Gossow. Zöllner was Kapitän of 6. Staffel from 11.6.1943 to 26.9.1943 and awarded the RK on 5 April 1944. He wa KIA on 5.11.1944.
