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Sunday, December 6, 2020

Ritterkreuz Actions of Ekkehard Kylling-Schmidt

 

Ekkehard Kylling-Schmidt (21 June 1918 - 28 August 2000) received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes #606 on 20 October 1941 as Leutnant and Führer 3.Kompanie / I.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 26 / 30.Infanterie-Division. The medal was awarded for the following actions: 12 July 1941 Forcing the enemy to give up their strong position near Kudka; 25 July 1941 Relieving an officer reconnaissance unit east of Rwy and personally destroying a tank in the process; 30 July 1941 Storming multiple enemy field positions west of Gosstjosh; 12 August 1941 A reconnaissance towards Lowatj (west of Pleschakowa), which made possible the German seizure of the enemy bridgehead here; and 28 August 1941 Launching an independent flank attack on a hill just south of Nagatkina and thereafter securing a great number of heavy enemy guns at the bridge site near Iwanowka.

Kylling-Schmidt received the Eichenlaub #150 for his Ritterkreuz on 4 December 1942 as Oberleutnant and Chef 4.Kompanie / I.Bataillon / Füsilier-Regiment 26 / 30.Infanterie-Division. The medal was awarded for further combat achievements, as outlined here: 27 September 1941 Closing the gap between the III.Bataillon / Grenadier-Regiment 27 and the Grenadier-Regiment 6 after the enemy had launched a sally from Point 61.3 (NW of Lushno) to the Demyansk-Lytschkowo road. In the fighting which followed he brought every enemy onslaught to a halt and with his handful of men destroyed two enemy tanks in close combat; 2 October 1941 Recapturing the German main line west of Aleshenka after an enemy penetration NW of Jamnik and near Point 55.4 (on the road Jamnik-Lytschkowo), with the consequent capture of 40 moderately constructed enemy field positions. After this Kylling and his Kompanie defended the northern edge of the village of Ssloboda against 16 enemy tanks with infantry support. The Germans were despite their efforts forced to pull back, with Kylling being the last to break contact with the enemy. As he was changing position with a light machine gun he became wounded in the thigh; and 17-30 September 1941 During the defensive battles around Lytschkowo he once again distinguished himself. Particularly noteworthy was a lone recon mission he conducted that brought him within just a few metres of the enemy positions. By this it was possible to clean up the enemy penetration here.


Source :
Denis Daum photo collection
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/39319/Kylling-Schmidt-Ekkehardt.htm

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