Ritterkreuz Action of Karl-Willi Lumpp

Karl-Willi "Peter" Lumpp (26 June 1915 - 31 March 2001) received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 18 July 1943 as Oberleutnant der Reserve and Führer 3.Kompanie / I.Bataillon / Grenadier-Regiment 226 / 79.Infanterie-Division. Here is his story: After repeated efforts to smash through the centre of the German Blue Line, the Soviet 56th Army shifted its main effort northwards in late May 1943 and tried to advance along the Kiyevskoye–Varenikovskaya road. The German 79.Infanterie-Division had been destroyed at Stalingrad in February but it was quickly reconstituted and sent to the Kuban in mid-May. Yet despite its ad hoc constitution, the new 79.Infanterie-Division proved very solid in the defence, even when attacked by masses of Soviet infantry and tanks on 27 May. The key to the German main line of defence in this sector proved to be the tiny village of Borisovka, just east of Kiyevskoye, held by I./Grenadier-Regiment 226. Relentless Soviet artillery bombardments and attacks decimated the German battalion, reducing it to just 83 men, but the village was held. After the battalion commander was badly wounded, Oberleutnant d. R. Karl-Will Lumpp, commander of 3.Kompanie, assumed command of the survivors. On the morning of 28 May, the Soviet 32nd Guards Rifle Division mounted an all-out attack, supported by tanks and artillery, which overran most of Borisovka. Lumpp was wounded, and after most of their ammunition was exhausted, his men were forced to retreat into one corner of the village. However, German doctrine was always to counterattack before the enemy could consolidate on the objective and Lumpp managed to rally the last 50 survivors and lead them in a desperate effort to recover the village. The Germans surged forward, armed with entrenching tools, bayonets and rifle butts and caught the Soviet infantry by surprise. A frenzied, close-quarter melee ensued, while Lump managed to destroy a Soviet tank with a magnetic mine. The fighting in Borisovka was vicious and typical of the infantry combat in the Kuban. Caught off balance by Lumpp's counterattack, the Soviets abandoned the village and retreated. Lumpp, who was wounded six times, was awarded the Ritterkreuz for his accomplishment in preventing an enemy breakthrough.

Source :
https://www.facebook.com/ILoveMilitaryHistory/posts/1091746604687574
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/39271/Lumpp-Karl-Willi-Peter.htm