Hi Alcius, o.k., nice
Wow, that's pretty cool indeed
Also cool, this one: A Ritterkreuzträger's life saved by ... his Ritterkreuz!
Hi Alcius,
Wow, this is something
Hi Alcius,
Hope it helps a little bit?alcius wrote: ↑20 Aug 2022, 11:29... if you can add some more news ...
Leutnant Horst Zinner – Pzabt 5 – HRC for 7 kills
He got his EK 1 in Nov. 1943 with Pz.Abt. 5 so very likely has a higher number, but it's not known to me.
Oberfähnrich Kurt Grafe – Pzabt 103 – GCG for 6 kills
As far as I can read the newspaper clipping, these 6 tank kills were the score of his Zug. But on the other hand, he already served in Poland 1939 and France etc., so it's likely that he had MORE than just 6 tank kills to his credit. But ..., I don't have any other details.
Major Rudolf Haen – Pzabt 103 - + 34 kills
GCG for 15 kills, KC for 19 kills
Well, very likely much more than 34 tank kills. The 15 tanks were for an action on 18.9.1942 (Ehrenblatt), the GCG was awarded for actions BEFORE that. He got the EK1 as early as July 1941 while still with Pz.Rgt. 18 and the EK2 for actions in Poland with Pz.Rgt. 4. The Ritterkreuz was awarded for an action at the end of October 1942, during which his company scored 20 tank kills, while the 19 tank kills in the Stalingrad Kessel were scored later on 12.1.1943. I don't know if he still climbed into a tank during his duty as Abteilungskommandeur with Pz.Abt. 103 in Italy, but at least did so on 31.10.1943 (engagement with his 3 Befehlspanzer). But obviously he leads from the "Front", so ..., a real tank ace in my opinion!
Oberleutnant Fritz Sacha – Pzabt 160 – KC for 9 kills
GCG ???
Well, his group of 4 own Panzers scored 4 KWI, but Oblt. Sacha climbed out of his tank to lead the Grenadiere, than this group (including Sacha) shot another 5 tanks, no maybe 2 tank kills for the KC action. The date was 16.1.1943. He originates from Pz.Rgt. 2 and I don't have other information on him.
Leutnant Vincenz Rossler – Pzabt 190 – KC for 6 kills
Correct. He got the EK1 in Juli 1944 with 2./Lw.-Pz.Jg.Abt. 20 (Sturmgeschütz), so, of course, could have scored more that those 6 M4.
Leutnant Karl-Heinrich Gsell – Pzrgt 35 - KC for 16 kills
Do you have a newspaper clipping for that?
I know that he had 5 tank kills one day in July 1943, the next day his Zug scored 12 more. He got the EK2 and EK1 on 22./23.7.1943, so maybe that's this action. On one day in November 1943 he scored 11 tanks out of 22 kills by his Zug. He got the Ritterkreuz for action around a village in January 1944. Later on, on 10.2.1945 his company scored at least 10 tanks ..., so obviously he had more than 16 tank kills.
Hauptmann Peter Eckhardt Gilow – Pzrgt 1 – 7 kills
KC for 7 kills , GCG ???
From the Divisionsgeschichte 1. Pz.Div. and history of 2./Pz.Rgt. 1 (of whom he become the Chef in Sept. 1941. I know, that his company had a score of 100 tanks as early as Oct. 1941, and a score of 118 tanks in April 1942. Ritterkreuz action was on 2.9.1942, while on 4.9.1942 the company with 5 own tanks scored another 15 tank kills. So ..., as he got the GCG before the Ritterkreuz he for sure scored more than 7 tank kills.
Oberfeldwebel Helmut Kohla – Pzrgt 21 – KC for 9 kills
GCG ???
A difficult one, information is, that his Zug scored 25 tank kills, of whom he scored 13 personally. I think it's possible that the 9 tanks leading to his Ritterkreuz could be added to this number, but I'm not sure to be true ...
Leutnant Wolfgang Eichler – Pzrgt 29 – KC for 15 kills
Hot action that day (10. Nov. 1943), he got his EK1 also with 6./Pz.Rgt. 29 on 1.11.1942, but still as a Feldwebel, got the EK2 in Juli 1941. As he survived until 4.7.1944, his total for sure was much higher.
Oerfeldwebel Ludwig Bloos Pzrgt 11 – KC for 9 kills
GCG ?????
On of those "old" Oberfeldwebel, got the EK2 and EK1 as early as 1941 and the GCG for additional action up to spring 1943. He scored at least 2 more tanks on 30.10.1944 and for sure has a much higher total of tank kills to his credit.
Hauptmann Friedrich-Karl Nökel – Pzrgt 31 - + 15 kills
KC for 11 Kills, GCG for 3 Kills
In France his company scored 19 tank kills on 15.5.1940, afterwards he scored 2 tanks with his Panzer III. On 7.4.1942 the 1. company scored some tanks near Bjeloj, leading scorer Nökel. On 7.7.1942 he had some tank kills to his credit. On 29.11.1942 his 5. company scored 15 T34. Between 23.-25.2.1943 he personally scored 3 tanks (58 tanks by his company). On 2.7.1944 he scored 11 tanks (company's score = 22 tanks, 30 A/T guns). In early 1945 he was still in action - so, I would expect around 40 tank kills by Hptm. Nökel.
Hauptmann Werner Schirp – Pzrgt 6 – KC for 5 kills
Ah, do you have a newspaper for me?
He had his Frontbewährung with Pz.Rgt. 6 in 1941, than as a Leutnant in early 1942 returned to the Regiment and got both EK2 and EK1. He than went with the I./Pz.Rgt. 6 to the Normandy (Panther tanks) and in 1945 was engaged in Hungary. I don't know much about this officer, unfortunately.
Feldwebel Erwin Bohlken – Pzrgt 1 – KC for 22 kills
GCG ???
Hm, another of these "old" Feldwebel, getting the EK2 in Juli 1941, the EK1 in Sept. 1942 ... Do you have a newspaper clipping for him? At Tscherkassy he at least scored 2 tank kills with his Panther, on 31.7.1944 it is said that 3 Panthers destroyed 22 tanks, Ritterkreuz action must have been in 1945!?
Do you have a newspaper clipping for him?
Hauptmann Hellmut Schmidt – Pzrgt 19 – KC for 6 kills
GCG ???
He's from Pz.Rgt. 10, not Pz.Rgt. 19, a typo ...
He got his EK2 as early as 1940 in France, and the EK1 at the end of 1941 in Russia. Ritterkreuz action was on 27.8.1943 during which his company scored 37 tank kills (35 T34, 2 KW1 - 6 by Schmidt, who was heavily wounded), but on 12./13.8.1943 the company scored another 19 tank kills. He continued to serve as Kommandeur of I./Pz.Rgt. 10 in 1945. So, I'm sure, he also had a much higher score.
Feldwebel Georg König – Pzrgt 18 - KC +12 kills
KC for shot down a dozen enemy tanks
He was a tank driver up to Juni 1943, just than changed into the Panzerkommandant position as a Zugführer. Ritterkreuz action was on 17.7.1943 while he shot 9 out of 25 T34 within 15 min. He was wounded in August 1943, so I don't know his score up to then. In early 1945 it is said that he was with 1./Pz.Abt. Kummersdorf and on 17.4.1945 have scored another 14 tank kills with a Königstiger, but was heavily wounded (lost one eye) that day.
I wonder if you have a newspaper clipping for König showing 12 tank kills?
Plus 14 would give him a least 26 tanks.
Wachtmeister Rudi Tessenow – Pzrgt 24 – KC for 11 kills
Action on 24.3.1945. He was with the 11. Schwadron/Pz.Rgt. 24 (at least) since the new employment of the III./Pz.Rgt. 24 in the autumn of 1943. And this Abteilung was highly successful against sowjet tanks. So, one may expect a higher total for him of course. He got the EK1 on 25.5.1944.
Hauptmann Andreas Thaler – Pzrgt 25 – KC for 7 kills
Ah, I don't have anything on this officer, would like to see the newspaper clipping for him. He was wounded early Sept. 1943 and was used in Germany, but in Febr. 1945 came back to I./Pz.Rgt. 25 as Kommandeur.
Hauptmann Hans-Siegfried Graf von Rothkirch - + 10 kills
GCG – Pzrgt 31 - +5 kills, KC – Pzrgt26 – for 5 kills
While with the Panthers of I./Pz.Rgt. 31 in the winter of 1943/44 he in the period 5.-8.12.1943 scored 5 tanks, but the company was successful also afterwards of course. Also his company was successful against tanks in the winter of 1942/43. For sure he had more than 10 tank kills.
Do you have a newspaper clipping for him?
Hauptmann Oskar Eysser -Pzrgt 31
KC - with his Panther Kompanie destroyed 173 enemy tanks
GCG ??? HRC - ???
Another one of this long serving tank commanders, getting the EK2 in 1939 already and the EK1 in 1940. The Panther-Abteilung of Pz.Rgt. 31 was highly successful (see Graf Rothkirch) in the winter of 1943/44, also in the summer of 1944. The 173 tanks scored in October 1944 where with just 15 Panthers, so I at least would like to credit him with 20 tanks, even more probably ...
Hauptmann Wolfgang Everling – Pzrgt 36
KC – with 4 Panther destroyed 17 enemy tanks
The Wehrmachtsbericht from 29.1.1945 says with 5 own tanks. Everling, after the French campaign became Leutnant and remained in Germany, only returned to the front in the autumn of 1944 with the newly equipped I./Pz.Rgt. 36 (Panther). He got the EK1 there on 8.10.1944.
Hauptmann Erich Schneider – Pzrgt 9
KC -with 8 Panthers destroyed 39 tanks
Well, no Panthers at that time but Panzer IV lang, and 22 tank kills on the second day of this Ritterkreuz action (26.12.1943), while on the first day (25.12.1943) 17 tanks where shot by the Abteilung (unknown number of Panzer IV). Schneider served in Poland and France, but was wounded in June 1940 and remained in Germany until the winter of 1943/44.
Hauptmann Hartmuth Meinecke – Pzrgt GD
HRC with 3 panzer destroyed 21 tanks
GCG – Pzrgt 39 - ???
From several sources I just knew of 1 tank on 1.9.1941 and 1 tank on 7.7.1942, the next day he was heavily wounded. He was a Zugführer with 6./Pz.Rgt. 39 which was rather successful against sowjet tanks. Went to Pz.Rgt. Großdeutschland in March 1944 (Adjutant) and in early February 1945 became Chef of 2./s.Pz.Abt. GD (Tiger). He got the Ehrenblattspange for a "Tat am 16.2.1945 bei Zinten", where 24 tanks out of 30 were killed by just 3 own Panzers and some days later another 11 tanks where killed by his small Kampfgruppe. It's said that Hartmut Meinecke fell that day, but at least there's no proof for that. Fate unknown to me! I'm not sure if the 16.2.1945 (award for the Ehrenblatt) or the 13.2.1945 (according to the book by Jung on Pz.Rgt. GD, which also claimed it to have been Panther tanks) was the day his group had 24 tank kills, but I think it should be the 16.2.1945 and he should have had Tiger tanks under his command.
--> see below, Salzburger Zeitung
Leutnant Franz Graf Ledebur – Pzrgt 2
GCG with 4 panzer destroyed 35 enemy tanks
Hm ..., do you have a newspaper clipping for this man?
I know (Wehrmachtsbericht plus archival sources) that on 24.10.1943 his group of Panthers from 2./Pz.Rgt. 2 destroyed 35 tanks plus 2 A/T guns, but with the Zug of Ofw. Gros (1./Pz.Rgt. 2) accounting for 15 of them, so 20 tanks this day by the Graf Ledebur company. I./Pz.Rgt. 2 also was highly successful against sowjet tanks, Graf Ledebur fell on 11.1.1944. I don't know what's the reason for him getting the GCG. He was Adjutant of I./Pz.Rgt. 2 up to Stalingrad.
