Heinrich Walter Born (November 6, 1918 in Mettmann, Rhineland - January 19, 2008 in Zweibrücken).
Career:
- 3 November 1937: Entry into the 9th Company/Infantry Regiment 118 Zweibrücken.
- November 10, 1937: 2nd Company/Border Infantry Regiment 127.
- As a junior non-commissioned officer (since June 1939) securing the Westwall; battles between the Moselle and Rhine rivers and in the Hornbach area.
- 25 October 1939 to 26 January 1940: Offiziers-Anwärter training course at the Infanterieschule Döberitz.
- January 27, 1940 Commanded to 2nd Company of Infantry Regiment 125
- 28 February 1940 elected officer by the officer corps of the 1st Battalion; Leutnant with effect from 1 April 1940.
- Until 24 June 1940: participation in the 1940 Western campaign.
- 19 April 1941: Adjutant of the 1st Battalion of the Infantry Regiment 125. Participation in the Balkan campaign: Metaxas Line, Yugoslavia and Crete, then moved to Africa with Infantry Regiment 125.
- 1 December 1942 Adjutant of the Panzergrenadier Regiment 433.
- 17 January 1943 wounded, flew via Tripoli and Italy to Germany.
- After convalescence, subordinated to the Panzergrenadier training battalion 104 in Landau.
- 1 April 1943 Adjutant at the training course for reserve officer applicants at the General Command of the XIIth Army Corps.
- May 1, 1943 Teaching officer of the teaching department of the commander of tank troops in the Rhine District.
- Participation in the Battle of the Bulge and in the Lower Rhine as leader of the 4th Company/Panzer Grenadier Regiment 104 (since December 1944).
During these fights Born exhibited extraordinary bravery and was proposed for the Ritterkreuz. Contrary to the order to fall back he had set up a blocking action with 10 volunteers against a Canadian attack, which was carried out with 30 to 40 tanks along with infantry. The attack was repulsed, and this enabled two divisions to detach themselves from the enemy, who would otherwise have been captured. In the book by Denis and Shelagh Whitaker "Endkampf am Rhein" the battles in the Reichswald are described.
"The Panzer Grenadier Regiment 104 was deployed between Goch and Uedem in February 1945. Here in the Niers area the enemy tried to reach Weeze. Around Höst and beyond the Niers lay the battalions "Holub" and "Theis" of Grenadier Regiment 104. Oberstleutnant Nolte, the regimental commander, led the defensive fighting against superior enemy forces from the Heishof. Leutnant Born was particularly distinguished by his personal bravery in these back and forth swaying battles and was proposed for the Knight's Cross. In this time there was heavy tank fighting around Keppeln, where the Canadians suffered heavy losses. Tanks were shot down there in rows, and the exact losses are not fully known".
Final battles for Germany on the Western Front:
- 20. April 1945 promoted to Hauptmann; entry in the Soldbuch by the Regimentskommandeur.
- He was wounded again on April 20, 1945 and taken to the reserve hospital St. Martin-Hospital in Delmenhorst, where he was taken prisoner on the same day, from where he was released into the French zone on November 13, 1945.
- After the war he studied law in Heidelberg and Mainz, after passing the 1st and 2nd state examinations he obtained his doctorate (Dr. iur. utr.). (Doctor of Law/Doctor of Jurisprudence) he founded a law firm in Zweibrücken in 1955.
Born received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 14 April 1945 as a Leutnant and leader of the 4th Company / Panzer Grenadier Regiment 104 and combat group leader in the 15th Panzer Grenadier Division.
Career:
- 3 November 1937: Entry into the 9th Company/Infantry Regiment 118 Zweibrücken.
- November 10, 1937: 2nd Company/Border Infantry Regiment 127.
- As a junior non-commissioned officer (since June 1939) securing the Westwall; battles between the Moselle and Rhine rivers and in the Hornbach area.
- 25 October 1939 to 26 January 1940: Offiziers-Anwärter training course at the Infanterieschule Döberitz.
- January 27, 1940 Commanded to 2nd Company of Infantry Regiment 125
- 28 February 1940 elected officer by the officer corps of the 1st Battalion; Leutnant with effect from 1 April 1940.
- Until 24 June 1940: participation in the 1940 Western campaign.
- 19 April 1941: Adjutant of the 1st Battalion of the Infantry Regiment 125. Participation in the Balkan campaign: Metaxas Line, Yugoslavia and Crete, then moved to Africa with Infantry Regiment 125.
- 1 December 1942 Adjutant of the Panzergrenadier Regiment 433.
- 17 January 1943 wounded, flew via Tripoli and Italy to Germany.
- After convalescence, subordinated to the Panzergrenadier training battalion 104 in Landau.
- 1 April 1943 Adjutant at the training course for reserve officer applicants at the General Command of the XIIth Army Corps.
- May 1, 1943 Teaching officer of the teaching department of the commander of tank troops in the Rhine District.
- Participation in the Battle of the Bulge and in the Lower Rhine as leader of the 4th Company/Panzer Grenadier Regiment 104 (since December 1944).
During these fights Born exhibited extraordinary bravery and was proposed for the Ritterkreuz. Contrary to the order to fall back he had set up a blocking action with 10 volunteers against a Canadian attack, which was carried out with 30 to 40 tanks along with infantry. The attack was repulsed, and this enabled two divisions to detach themselves from the enemy, who would otherwise have been captured. In the book by Denis and Shelagh Whitaker "Endkampf am Rhein" the battles in the Reichswald are described.
"The Panzer Grenadier Regiment 104 was deployed between Goch and Uedem in February 1945. Here in the Niers area the enemy tried to reach Weeze. Around Höst and beyond the Niers lay the battalions "Holub" and "Theis" of Grenadier Regiment 104. Oberstleutnant Nolte, the regimental commander, led the defensive fighting against superior enemy forces from the Heishof. Leutnant Born was particularly distinguished by his personal bravery in these back and forth swaying battles and was proposed for the Knight's Cross. In this time there was heavy tank fighting around Keppeln, where the Canadians suffered heavy losses. Tanks were shot down there in rows, and the exact losses are not fully known".
Final battles for Germany on the Western Front:
- 20. April 1945 promoted to Hauptmann; entry in the Soldbuch by the Regimentskommandeur.
- He was wounded again on April 20, 1945 and taken to the reserve hospital St. Martin-Hospital in Delmenhorst, where he was taken prisoner on the same day, from where he was released into the French zone on November 13, 1945.
- After the war he studied law in Heidelberg and Mainz, after passing the 1st and 2nd state examinations he obtained his doctorate (Dr. iur. utr.). (Doctor of Law/Doctor of Jurisprudence) he founded a law firm in Zweibrücken in 1955.
Born received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 14 April 1945 as a Leutnant and leader of the 4th Company / Panzer Grenadier Regiment 104 and combat group leader in the 15th Panzer Grenadier Division.
Source :
Jim Haley photo collection
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=335547897218063&set=p.335547897218063&type=1&theater
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