Original Item: Only One Grouping Available. This is an extensive German WWII Luftwaffe document and medal grouping belonging to Leutnant Werner Roos, an officer of 3./schwere Flak-Abteilung 304 (v) who served in Italy during 1944. The grouping includes his original 1939 Iron Cross 2nd Class with ribbon, Black Wound Badge, corresponding award documentation, his Flak Artillery Combat Badge award certificate, an original Reich Sports Badge qualification booklet, and an original duplicate Wehrmacht driver's license retaining an excellent uniformed photograph.

Also included are photocopies of earlier youth-organization identification documents associated with Werner Roos. Although these are not original period documents, they provide additional biographical information and photographic reference relating to his earlier life.

Most importantly, the documents establish a particularly complete 1944 chronology. Roos suffered his first qualifying wound or injury on 7 August 1944, received the Iron Cross 2nd Class on 6 September 1944, was formally issued his Black Wound Badge certificate on 15 September, received his military driver's authorization in October, and was awarded the Kampfabzeichen der Flakartillerie on 17 December 1944. All three combat award documents identify him with the same Luftwaffe Flak unit.

The medals and documents show expected period age and handling. The EKII retains its blackened center and silver-colored frame, with visible toning and areas of verdigris. The ribbon remains present with expected creasing and minor wear. The suspension ring appears to have been cut open at some point, though it still securely holds the ribbon as intended. The Black Wound Badge retains considerable dark finish to the obverse, while the reverse shows more noticeable oxidation and areas of finish loss. The pin and catch assembly remain intact.

The paper documents show minor spotting and handling wear, but remain substantially complete and legible. The Reich Sports Badge booklet is particularly attractive, retaining its photograph, handwritten qualification entries, stamps, and award certificate. The Wehrmacht driver's license also retains an excellent original portrait of Roos in Luftwaffe officer's uniform. Please consult the photographs carefully for the exact condition of every component.

Award Documents, Transcription & Translation

Iron Cross 2nd Class Award Certificate

The certificate reads:

IM NAMEN DES FÜHRERS
VERLEIHE ICH
DEM

Leutnant
Werner Roos
3. schw. Flakabt. 304 (v)

DAS
EISERNE KREUZ
2. KLASSE

Gefechtsstand, den 6.9.1944

General der Flieger
u. Kommandierender General
der Dtsch. Lw. in Italien

Translation:
“In the name of the führer, I award to Lieutenant Werner Roos, 3rd Battery, Heavy Flak Battalion 304 (v), the Iron Cross 2nd Class. Command Post, 6 September 1944. General of Aviators and Commanding General of the German Luftwaffe in Italy.”

The certificate carries the appropriate official stamp and a handwritten general officer's signature. The position printed beneath the signature identifies the signer as the General der Flieger und Kommandierender General der Deutschen Luftwaffe in Italien. On this date that command was held by General der Flieger Maximilian Ritter von Pohl, whose Italian command was reorganized under this title on 6 September 1944.

The physical EKII accompanying the documents is the familiar 1939 pattern with an iron center and silver-colored frame, suspended from its black-white-red ribbon. No maker marking can be found.

Black Wound Badge Certificate

The second combat award document reads:

Besitzzeugnis

Dem
Leutnant Werner Roos

3./schwere Flakabteilung 304(v)

ist auf Grund
seiner am 7. August 1944 erlittenen
erstmaligen Verwundung oder Beschädigung

das
Verwundetenabzeichen
in Schwarz

verliehen worden.

Gefechtsstand, den 15. Sept. 1944

[signature]
Major und Abteilungskommandeur

Translation:
“Certificate of Possession. Lieutenant Werner Roos, 3rd Battery, Heavy Flak Battalion 304 (v), has, on account of his first wound or injury suffered on 7 August 1944, been awarded the Wound Badge in Black. Command Post, 15 September 1944. Major and Battalion Commander.”

The accompanying Black Wound Badge is the pressed-steel 1939 pattern with helmet and crossed swords within a wreath. The reverse appears to have the numbered maker marking “93,” the maker code for Richard Simm & Söhne of Gablonz an der Neiße.

Flak Combat Badge Award Certificate

The later award document reads:

VERLEIHUNGSURKUNDE

Im Namen des Oberbefehlshabers der Luftwaffe
verleihe ich dem

Leutnant
Werner Roos
3./schw. Flakabteilung 304 (v)

das

Kampfabzeichen der Flakartillerie

Gefechtsstand, den 17. Dez. 1944

[signature]

General der Flieger
u. Kommandierender General
der Dtsch. Lw. in Italien

Translation:
“Award Certificate. In the name of the Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe, I award Lieutenant Werner Roos, 3rd Battery, Heavy Flak Battalion 304 (v), the Flak Artillery Combat Badge. Command Post, 17 December 1944. General of Aviators and Commanding General of the German Luftwaffe in Italy.”

The Kampfabzeichen der Flakartillerie, generally known to collectors as the Luftwaffe Flak Combat Badge, had been instituted in January 1941 for qualifying combat performance by Luftwaffe anti-aircraft personnel. Roos's certificate is dated only a few months before the end of German operations in Italy.

The Flak Combat Badge itself is not shown with this grouping.

Reich Sports Badge Booklet

Also included is Roos's original Reichssportabzeichen, Deutsche Reichsauszeichnung für Leibesübungen qualification booklet for men. It contains a youthful photograph of Roos, his signature, official stamps, and the completed records for the required athletic groups.

The identification page gives:

Werner Roos
Born: 25 May 1921

The booklet records successful completion of the required athletic tests in Hannover during August 1942. Among the surviving handwritten entries are swimming, long jump, 400-meter running, throwing/strength exercises, and a 10,000-meter run. The entries are individually signed or stamped by the examining officials.

The final award page reads in relevant part:

Herrn Werner Roos
wird hiermit, nachdem die Bedingungen der fünf Gruppen erfüllt sind, das
Reichssportabzeichen
in Bronze
verliehen.

Berlin, den 31. August 1942

Translation:
“Mr. Werner Roos is hereby awarded the German Reich Sports Badge in Bronze, the requirements of the five groups having been fulfilled. Berlin, 31 August 1942.”

Duplicate Wehrmacht Driver's License

The identification page reads in part:

Zweitschrift
Wehrmacht-Führerschein

für den
Lt. Werner Roos

Truppenteil usw.:
Feldpostnummer
L 50752

geboren am 25. Mai 1921
in Frankfurt/Main

The interior authorization states that:

Der Lt. Werner Roos erhält die Erlaubnis, nach bestandener Prüfung ein Kraftfahrzeug mit Antrieb durch Verbrennungsmaschine der Klassen 1 u. 3 zu führen.

O.U., den 19.10.1944

Translation:
“Lieutenant Werner Roos is authorized, after passing the examination, to operate a motor vehicle powered by an internal-combustion engine of Classes 1 and 3. Field location, 19 October 1944.”

The facing page retains a particularly clear photograph of Roos wearing his Luftwaffe officer's uniform and peaked cap, together with his handwritten signature.

Of considerable interest, the field post number written in this license, L 50752, is recorded for 3. Batterie schwere Flak-Abteilung 304 (v). Earlier the same number had belonged to schwere Flak-Batterie z.b.V. 1518, the battery used to reconstitute the 3rd Battery of schwere Flak-Abteilung 304. This provides an additional independent link between the driver's license and the unit named on Roos's three combat award documents.

Schwere Flak-Abteilung 304 had been formed at Jena in August 1939 and was redesignated schwere Flak-Abteilung 304 (v) in 1942. The unit moved to Sicily late that year, serving around Marsala and Trapani during 1943. Its composition changed substantially during the Mediterranean campaign. Significantly, the original 3rd Battery was transferred to schwere Flak-Abteilung 192, while schwere Flak-Batterie z.b.V. 1518 was used as the replacement 3rd Battery, the battery to which Roos's later field post number L 50752 was assigned. By 1944 the battalion was operating on the Italian mainland and is recorded in the Florence area; it continued northward and was in the Padua area in 1945.

Taken as a whole, this is an especially substantial named Luftwaffe Flak officer grouping. It follows Roos from youth documentation and athletic qualification into wartime service, records his unit through multiple independent documents, identifies the date of his first wound, and preserves three separate late-war combat awards from the Italian campaign. The inclusion of two excellent period portraits and the matching physical EKII and Black Wound Badge makes the grouping particularly cohesive.