Hubert Brinkforth received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 7 May 1941 as Gefreiter and Richtschütze in 14.Kompanie (Panzerjäger) / III.Bataillon /
Infanterie-Regiment 25 (motorisiert) / 2.Infanterie-Division
(motorisiert). The following wartime excerpt describes why Brinkforth
was awarded the Ritterkreuz: “On 27 May 1940 Gefreiter Brinkforth,
the gunner of a Pak gun, shot up a deeply echeloned English tank
formation during the defensive fighting near Abbeville. He did this from
a forward position 6 km in front of the main battle line along the
southern edge of the village of Huppy, one of the most important points
of the bridgehead. By allowing the enemy armour to approach within a
range of 100 metres he destroyed 11 tanks within 20 minutes despite the
heavy cannon and machine gun fire that plastered his own position. This
exemplary behaviour also inspired the Pak crews near Gefreiter
Brinkforth to give their utmost in this battle, and the result was that
the strong English attack was defeated.”
It should be noted that, after the war, the former gun commander Unteroffizier Horst Nickstat wrote that 2 of these 11 tanks were destroyed by another gun from the Kompanie!
It should be noted that, after the war, the former gun commander Unteroffizier Horst Nickstat wrote that 2 of these 11 tanks were destroyed by another gun from the Kompanie!
Ritterkreuz award ceremony for Obergefreiter Hubert Brinkforth (anti-tank commander in 5.Kompanie / Schützen-Regiment 25 / 12.Panzer-Division) which were held on 1 April 1941 at the Tucheler Heide Truppenübungsplatz, northern Poland. From left to right: Oberst Werner Hühner (Kommandeur Schützen-Regiment 25), Obergefreiter Brinkforth, and Generalmajor Josef Harpe (Kommandeur 12. Panzer-Division).
Ritterkreuz award ceremony for Obergefreiter Hubert Brinkforth (anti-tank commander in 5.Kompanie / I.Bataillon / Schützen-Regiment 25 / 12.Panzer-Division) which were held on 1 April 1941 at the Tucheler Heide Truppenübungsplatz, northern Poland. His battalion commander Major Klaus Freiherr von Hardenberg - who was also a Ritterkreuzträger - is on the left.
Source :
https://crainsmilitaria.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=778
https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Brinkforth,_Hubert
https://www.elgrancapitan.org/foro/viewtopic.php?t=27019
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/28709/Brinkforth-Hubert.htm
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