Willy Apitz (27 January 1916 - 28 February 2004) received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 1 January 1944 as Obergefreiter and Funker in 10.Batterie / IV.Abteilung / Artillerie-Regiment 81 / 97.Jäger-Division. In the autumn of 1943, after heavy fighting at the Kuban bridgehead, the 97. Jäger-Division withdrew to the Kerch Strait on the Crimean peninsula. From there they moved to the lower Dnieper, between the bridgeheads of Nikopol and Kherson, fighting against the 4th Ukrainian Front. Obergefreiter Apitz found himself engaged in his Division’s heavy defensive combat. In this time, while he was serving as a radio operator at a forward observation post, all of his comrades were killed during a large-scale Soviet attack. When the Soviets proceeded to launch a renewed thrust with tanks and infantry, Apitz decided to personally direct the fire of his attached artillery even though he had no training in this role. However, despite being all alone, he managed to fulfill this role effectively and direct devastating artillery fire onto the attacking Soviet forces. A unit of Soviet infantry that were passing by suddenly attacked Apitz at his position. He initially held them off with his carbine before ordering his own artillery to bombard his position. He had to repeat the order twice before his stunned comrades proceeded to do just that. Fierce artillery fire was then plastered on Apitz’s position for about a minute. However Apitz survived. By the time the firing ceased and the smoke cleared, the Russians had suffered such losses that they withdrew to their starting positions. The enemy attack was finally completely repulsed.
For this feat, Obergefreiter Willy Apitz was awarded the Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse on 27 November 1943. Oberkommando der Wehrmacht also appreciated that his action was decisive for the success of the defense against the Soviet offensive and he was awarded the Ritterkreuz at the recommendation of his superiors, also receiving his promotion to Unteroffizier.
Source :
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=207409&p=2450865#p2450865
https://sites.google.com/site/gymdietaexplosive2015/a/apitz-willy
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/28123/Apitz-Willy.htm
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