Paul-Hubert Rauh
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First Austrian Republic (to 1934)
Federal State of Austria (to 1938)
Nazi Germany (to 1945) Second Austrian Republic
Luftwaffe
Austrian Air ForcePaul-Hubert Rauh | |
|---|---|
| Born | 15 November 1913 |
| Died | 30 August 2005 (aged 91) |
| Allegiance | First Austrian Republic (to 1934) Federal State of Austria (to 1938) Nazi Germany (to 1945) Second Austrian Republic |
| Branch | Luftwaffe Austrian Air Force |
| Service years | 1933–1945 1956–1974 |
| Rank | Major (Wehrmacht) Oberst (Bundesheer) |
| Unit | NJG 1 NJG 4 |
| Commands | II./Nachtjagdgeschwader 4 |
| Conflicts | World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
| Other work | Steyr-Daimler-Puch |
Paul-Hubert Rauh (15 November 1913 – 30 August 2005) was a Luftwaffe night fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, and its variants were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. Rauh claimed 31 aerial victories, all of them at night.[Note 1] In the 1956 he joined Bundesheer, and retired 1974 as an Oberst.
Rauh was kept in British custody until his release in February 1946. Initially he worked for the Steyr-Daimler-Puch. In 1956, Rauh joined the military service of the Austrian Air Force (Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte) holding the rank of Hauptmann (captain). He served as flight instructor with Fliegerregiment 1 (1st Flight Regiment). In 1958, he was promoted to Major (major) and in 1961 was transferred to the Kommando der Luftstreitkäfte (Air Force Command) where for the following 13 years he was tasked with procurement. He was promoted to Oberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel) in 1967 and to Oberst (colonel) in 1972. His main obligation was equipment and supplies for airfields and fueling. Rauh retired in 1974.[1]
Aerial victory claims
Rauh was credited with 31 nocturnal aerial victories, 29 of which were four-engined bombers, claimed in 152 combat missions.[2]
| Chronicle of aerial victories | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victory | Date | Time | Type | Location | Serial No./Squadron No. |
| – 4./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 – | |||||
| 1 | 28 April 1942 | 00:37 | Wellington[3] | Montplaisir | Wellington W5627/No. 304 Polish Bomber Squadron[4] |
| – 9./Nachtjagdgeschwader 4 – | |||||
| 2 | 7 May 1942 | 00:25 | Halifax[5] | ||
| 3 | 19 May 1942 | 23:51 | Wellington[5] | Wellington X3671/No. 156 Squadron RAF[6] | |
| 4 | 17 September 1942 | 00:37 | Halifax[7] | east of Maubeuge | Halifax W7770/No. 405 Squadron RCAF[8] |
| – 3./Nachtjagdgeschwader 4 – | |||||
| 5 | 10 March 1943 | 01:56 | Halifax[9] | Wallingen | |
| 6 | 14 July 1943 | 02:28 | Lancaster[10] | 18 km (11 mi) southwest of Cambrai | Lancaster DS660/No. 115 Squadron RAF[11] |
| – 6./Nachtjagdgeschwader 4 – | |||||
| 7 | 16 July 1943 | 01:56 | Halifax[10] | 500 m (550 yd) east east Saquenay | |
| – 3./Nachtjagdgeschwader 4 – | |||||
| 8 | 20 December 1943 | 19:14 | Halifax[12] | Mannheim | |
| 9 | 20 December 1943 | 19:20 | Halifax[12] | 24 km (15 mi) west-southwest Koblenz | |
| 10 | 31 March 1944 | 00:32 | four-engined bomber[13] | Kehlen-Giessen | |
| – Stab III./Nachtjagdgeschwader 4 – | |||||
| 11 | 1 June 1944 | 02:05 | Lancaster[14] | 7 km (4.3 mi) west of Rambouillet | |
| 12 | 3 June 1944 | 01:01 | four-engined bomber[14] | Mantes-Rambouillet | |
| – Stab II./Nachtjagdgeschwader 4 – | |||||
| 13 | 3 June 1944 | 01:10 | four-engined bomber[14] | Dreux area | |
| 14 | 7 June 1944 | 00:20 | four-engined bomber[15] | Saint-Lô area | |
| 15 | 7 June 1944 | 00:31 | four-engined bomber[15] | Saint-Lô area | |
| – II./Nachtjagdgeschwader 4 – | |||||
| 16 | 8 June 1944 | 02:21 | Halifax[16] | Rambouillet | |
| 17 | 16 June 1944 | 00:51 | Lancaster[17] | Albert | |
| 18 | 8 July 1944 | 01:32 | four-engined bomber[18] | SC-99 | |
| 19 | 19 July 1944 | 01:55 | four-engined bomber[19] | Vitry-le-François | |
| 20 | 25 July 1944 | 00:17 | Lancaster[20] | Orléans | Lancaster PB265/No. 576 Squadron RAF[21] |
| 21 | 29 July 1944 | 01:07 | four-engined bomber[22] | Coulommiers | Lancaster PB198/No. 90 Squadron RAF[23] |
| 22 | 7 August 1944 | 23:50 | four-engined bomber[24] | Le Havre-Lisieux | |
| 23 | 21 November 1944 | 18:45 | four-engined bomber[25] | Ruhr area | |
| 24 | 21 November 1944 | 19:02 | four-engined bomber[25] | Ruhr area | |
| 25 | 21 February 1945 | 01:15 | four-engined bomber[26] | ||
| 26 | 5 March 1945 | 20:22 | four-engined bomber[27] | ||
| 27 | 5 March 1945 | 20:40 | four-engined bomber[27] | ||
| 28 | 5 March 1945 | 20:50 | four-engined bomber[27] | ||
| 29 | 7 March 1945 | 20:55 | Lancaster[27] | Friesenhagen-Altenkirchen | |
| 30 | 7 March 1945 | 21:42 | Lancaster[27] | ||
| 31 | 21 March 1945 | 04:35 | Lancaster[28] | ||
