A Minesweeper sailor receives an award document in a port in France in mid-wartime.

Bottom photo: Commodore (later Vice Admiral) Friedrich Oskar Ruge (Knight’s Cross winner on October 21, 1940) was F.d.M. (Führer der Minensuchboote West or Leader of Minesweepers West) and then B.S.W. (Befehlshaber der Sicherung West or Commander of Security West), seen here inspecting a Minensuchflottille in France in 1941.

Above: R-Boats (Minenräumboote) in action;  Below: Minesweeper flotilla in formation