Paul-Hubert Rauh

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 was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Paul-Hubert Rauh claimed 31 aerial victories, all of them at night.^{[Note 1]} In the 1956 he joined Bundesheer, and retired 1974 as an Oberst.

Paul-Hubert Rauh
Born	15 November 1913 Wolkersdorf, Austria
Died	30 August 2005(2005-08-30) (aged 91) Pitten, Austria
Allegiance	First Austrian Republic (to 1934) Federal State of Austria (to 1938) Nazi Germany (to 1945) Second Austrian Republic
Branch	Luftwaffe Austrian Air Force
Years of service	1933–1945 1956–1974
Rank	Major (Wehrmacht) Oberst (Bundesheer)
Unit	NJG 1 NJG 4
Commands	II./Nachtjagdgeschwader 4
Battles / wars	World War II Defense of the Reich
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Other work	Steyr-Daimler-Puch

Later life

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]

Awards

• Flugzeugführerabzeichen
• War Merit Cross with Swords
  • 2nd Class (1 August 1940)
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold
  • in Bronze (15 May 1942)
  • in Silver (3 December 1943)
  • in Gold (3 December 1943)
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (10 June 1942)
  • 1st Class (25 September 1942)
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black (30 November 1944)
• Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 10 July 1944^[2]
• German Cross in Gold on 20 August 1944 as Hauptmann in the II./Nachtjagdgeschwader 4^[29]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 28 April 1945 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the II./Nachtjagdgeschwader 4^[30][31]

Notes

1. For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter aces.