Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

October 29th, 1939

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

May 16th, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)

Unit:

Zugführer 11./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1

Awarded on:

May 24th, 1940

During the aerial attack on Rotterdam on the 10.05.1940 Oberleutnant Kerfin and his Zug had a special mission to complete. After landing near the suburb of Feyenoord, Kerfin and his men stormed through the village and found an electric street car at the edge of Rotterdam. They commandeered it and rode to a point just before their objective, the Maas island at the river bend in the southeast of the city. They eliminated the AA battery on this island, then fought their way over the Willems bridge and created a small bridgehead on the north bank of the Maas.

This bridgehead was then reinforced by elements of the 9./Infanterie-Regiment 16, leading to a total strength of about 60 German troops in the bridgehead. Kerfin and his men then held it for five days until relieved by friendly forces, despite being given permission to retreat if the situation demanded it. For this act he would be decorated with the Knight’s Cross.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)