Knight's Cross Holders of the Afrikakorps

Knight's Cross Holders of the Afrikakorps
Author: Franz Kurowski
Publisher: Schiffer Pub Limited
Total Pages: 351
Release: 1996
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9780764300660

Each recipient is presented in a capsule biography including date of birth, awarding of the various Knights Cross grades, and other particulars to rank and career. Each is also shown in a World War II era photograph.

Knight's Cross Holders of the U-boat Service

Knight's Cross Holders of the U-boat Service
Author: Franz Kurowski
Publisher: Schiffer Pub Limited
Total Pages: 307
Release: 1995
Genre: Ritterkreuz.
ISBN: 9780887407482

Each recipient is presented in a capsule biography including dates of birth, awarding of the various Knights Cross grades, and other particulars to rank and career. Each is also shown in a World War II era photograph.

Knight's Cross and Oak-Leaves Recipients 1941–45

Knight's Cross and Oak-Leaves Recipients 1941–45
Author: Gordon Williamson
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 159
Release: 2022-09-01
Genre: History
ISBN: 1472859596

The remarkable early successes of the armed forces of the Third Reich prompted the decision that the supreme decoration for personal valour or outstanding leadership – the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross – was insufficient. To mark further acts of gallantry a new distinction was created in June 1940: the Oak-Leaves clasp. Further decorations in the form of the Swords and, finally, the Diamonds were added. This second title in our series describes and illustrates a selection of recipients of the Knight's Cross and Oak-Leaves between 1941 and early 1944, when the Wehrmacht was engaged on all fronts, as well as at sea and in the air.

The Complete Knight's Cross

The Complete Knight's Cross
Author: Kevin Brazier
Publisher: Fonthill Media
Total Pages: 438
Release: 2021-07-11
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN:

The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, to give it its full name, owes its origins to the 'Pour le Merite' (Blue Max), an imperial award dating back to 1740. The Complete Knight's Cross volumes tell the story of all 7,364 men who were granted the award (including all the disputed awards). The three volumes have over 200 photos of holders of the medal and over 100 photos of their graves. Volume One deals with 1939-41 (numbers 1-1267) and is subtitled 'The Years of Victory'. Volume Two deals with 1942-43 (numbers 1268-3685) and is subtitled 'The Years of Stalemate'. Volume Three deals with 1944-45 (numbers 3686-7364) and is subtitled 'The Years of Defeat'. The recipients are listed in the order of the date of award. Each entry starts with the recipient's rank and name, followed by details of the action or actions for which they were granted the award. Other interesting facts and stories are also included for many of the awards. Burial locations, where known, are also given. Any higher awards (Oak Leaves, Swords, Diamonds and the ultimate Golden award) are also covered.

Desert Knight

Desert Knight
Author: Gunter Halm
Publisher: Frontline Books
Total Pages: 224
Release: 2020-11-19
Genre: History
ISBN: 9781526706249

The Knight's Cross was the German Army's highest award for valor, and only 0.04 per cent of the soldiers who served in the Second World War received this prestigious medal; even fewer survived. In this extremely rare memoir, Günter Halm recounts his experiences with the Afrika Korps where he was employed as a gunner with an anti-tank platoon of Panzergrenadier-Regiment 104 of the 21. Panzer-Division. During the First Battle of El Alamein in July 1942 he destroyed seven tanks of the British 23rd armored Brigade at Ruweisat Ridge, a deed for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross from the hands of Rommel himself. His courage resulted in him being sent for officer training and, with the rank of Leutnant, was deployed in Normandy as an ordnance officer with Panzergrenadier-Regiment 192. He was involved in the massacre in the Falaise Pocket in August 1944, where he was captured by Allied forces and shipped to a prisoner of war camp in the USA. Desert Knight is a unique book, translated and presented by two highly-regarded historians, which portrays some of the most significant events of the Second World War though the eyes of a humble but courageous German soldier.

Knight's Cross

Knight's Cross
Author: David Fraser
Publisher:
Total Pages: 648
Release: 1993
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN:

In any numbering of the great captains of history, the name of Erwin Rommel must stand in the first rank. He was the outstanding Axis field commander of the Second World War, and was respected, even admired, as well as feared by his opponents. Here, it seemed to the Allies, was a supremely professional soldier: chivalrous, decent, untainted by the crimes of the Nazi regime, carrying out his duty with often dazzling success.

Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe

Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe
Author: Jeremy Dixon
Publisher: Pen and Sword Military
Total Pages: 350
Release: 2023-12-30
Genre: History
ISBN: 1399030744

The German fighter pilots of the Second World War are among the undoubted heroes of the conflict, their reputation for flying skill, single-minded determination and solitary courage hasn’t diminished or been clouded by controversy over the years. Their daring and commitment, often displayed when, towards the end of the war, they were fighting against the odds, matches that of any of the other air forces they fought against. This detailed, highly illustrated reference book, which covers the exploits of the most famous and successful individuals among them, shows just how effective and undaunted they were. All the Luftwaffe day fighter pilots who flew single-seater aircraft and won the Knight’s Cross during the war are featured. The entries give information about their early lives and pre-war careers and record how many aircraft they shot down, the type of aircraft involved and where and when the combat took place. Included are accounts of particular actions which led to the award of the Knight’s Cross, and the fate of these remarkable pilots later in the war and in the post-war world is described too. Jeremy Dixon’s book will be fascinating reading and reference for anyone who is interested in the aviation history of the Second World War.

Afrikakorps 1941 - 1942

Afrikakorps 1941 - 1942
Author: Pier Paolo Battistelli
Publisher: Independently Published
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2024-05-03
Genre: History
ISBN:

A complete and exhaustive analysis of the actual composition and organisation of the German Afrika Korps and of the Panzer Armee Afrika between the time of the first arrival of German troops in Libya in February 1941 to the battle of El Alamein in October 1942. Commands, subordinated units and the divisions that fought in the Western Desert campaign are described in detail to provide for each one of them the basic organisation, the changes intervened in the unit structure and in the divisional composition down to battalion and company level. Details are provided for special units like the Sonderverband 288 and the Kampfgruppe Burkhardt, the Sonderkommando Dora and other units like the Kampfgruppe Hecker. For each division details and changes in organisation are accompanied by chapters on status, Kampfgruppe formed and unit commanders. The appendices include a complete order of battle for the German forces in Africa in May 1942 and a complete and exhaustive list of all the Knight's Cross winners in North Africa between 1941 and 1943. A must for any researcher interested in the German Army and in the North African campaign.

Rommel's Desert Commanders

Rommel's Desert Commanders
Author: Samuel W. Mitcham
Publisher: Stackpole Books
Total Pages: 248
Release: 2008-07-07
Genre: History
ISBN: 1461751586

New perspective on the most famous campaign of the legendary Desert Fox Details on the contributions and animosities of Rommel's subordinates Includes accounts of Tobruk, Gazala, El Alamein, and other battles In Libya and Egypt in 1941 and 1942, German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel achieved immortality as the Desert Fox, battling and usually defeating numerically superior enemies. Until now, historians have generally overlooked the talented cast of characters who supported Rommel during this campaign. Distinguished military historian Samuel Mitcham recounts the battles of the Afrika Korps through the men who served Rommel as staff officers and commanders of divisions, regiments, and battalions--soldiers like Ludwig Crüwell and Walter Nehring, two of World War II's best panzer commanders, and Ernst-Günther Baade, who wore a kilt and carried a broadsword into battle.

Rommel's Desert War

Rommel's Desert War
Author: Samuel W. Mitcham, Jr.
Publisher: Stackpole Books
Total Pages: 276
Release: 2007
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 9780811734134

The most famous battles of one of World War II's most legendary commanders Told largely from Rommel's perspective, using his papers and letters In a series of battles marked by daring raids and quick-armored thrusts against a numerically superior enemy, Erwin Rommel, the notorious Desert Fox, and his Afrika Korps waged one of World War II's toughest campaigns in the North African desert in 1942. The Axis campaign climaxed in June with the recapture of Tobruk, a triumph that netted 33,000 prisoners and earned Rommel a field marshal's baton. By fall, however, after setbacks at Alam Halfa and the 2 battles of El Alamein, the Afrika Korps teetered on the brink of defeat, which would come in Tunisia 6 months later.