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Thursday, August 6, 2020

Eichenlaub Action of Franz Bäke

Major der Reserve Dr.med.dent. Franz Bäke in front of a Panzerkampfwagen III. He is wearing the Eichenlaub #262 zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, which he received on 1 August 1943 as Kommandeur II.Abteilung / Panzer-Regiment 11 / 6.Panzer-Division. The following wartime excerpt describes why Bäke was awarded the Eichenlaub: “On the 11 July 1943 the reinforced Panzer-Regiment 11 reached the village of Kasatschja, which was located northeast of Belgorod at a point 12 km before the Donez river. Bäke persuaded his regimental commander to go against the divisional order by capturing the village of Rschawez by night and creating a bridgehead over the Sswernyi Donez. During the following night Bäke’s Vorausabteilung (II./Panzer-Regiment 11 and the II.(SPW)/Panzergrenadier-Regiment 114) thrust past enemy anti-tank gun positions before finding itself side by side with a column of 20 T-34s. Then 6 T-34s began to surround Bäke’s command Panzer, which was only armed with a wooden gun as camouflage. Bäke and his Ordonnanzoffizier, Leutnant Zobel, left the command Panzer and eliminated 4 T-34s with magnetic anti-tank grenades. The charges placed by the Major on the 5th and 6th tanks did not explode. Bäke clambered onto an approaching Panzer sent to support them and directed it to destroy both of these enemy tanks. The partially destroyed bridge near Rschawez was taken.” The recommendation was Submitted on 27 July 1943.


Source :
ECPAD Archives (courtesy of Blanluet Christophe)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/152986901863424/?ref=search
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/28188/B%C3%A4ke-Franz.htm

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