Ritterkreuz award ceremony for Oberleutnant Wilhelm Walther (Stosstruppführer in 4.Kompanie / Baulehrbataillon z.b.V. 800) which were held after the end of the Battle of France, summer 1940. Walther received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 24 June 1940 for capturing a strategic bridge at Gennep during the assault on the Netherlands. Leading an 8-man team disguised as Dutch military police escorting German prisoners, they made their assault seizing the bridge and disabling the detonators.Oberleutnant Wilhelm Walther was assigned to 4. Kompanie, Bau-Lehr-Bataillon z.b.V. 800 on 15 March 1940. He was Kompanie Führer until 31 May, by which time he had become the first of his unit to receive the coveted Ritterkreuz (Knight’s Cross).
The first task for Oberleutnant Walther after joining the battalion was to secure one of a series of objectives in the Netherlands preparatory to the German invasion of that country. On 10 May 1940, he led a small team in seizing a railway bridge, some 300 metres in length, that spanned the River Meuse near the town of Gennep.
The initial strength of the commando group was probably no more than a dozen in total. This included three Dutch Kampfdolmetscher (combat interpreters) wearing German-manufactured Koninklijke Marechaussee (gendarmerie) uniforms. Walther and his German contingent were their ‘prisoners’ – with sub-machine guns concealed beneath long coats, six stick grenades slung behind their backs, and with egg grenades in each man’s gas mask canister and Brotbeutel (‘bread bag’). In the early hours of the morning, the team was taken by lorry towards the German–Dutch border.
There, one of the Dutch volunteers asked to withdraw. He was disarmed and held at a German border post. The remainder continued on foot. After some two and a half hours, when just short of their objective, Walther called a halt and observed what lay ahead: a defence system that included concrete bunkers and a numerically superior local guard force. After half an hour, Walther and his team broke cover, advancing in plain view. Exactly what occurred next is debatable. On reaching the bridge, there was some sort of scuffle and several guards were overpowered. This enabled a Feldwebel to enter the guardhouse, where he set to severing telephone wires. While this was taking place, someone at the far end of the bridge opened fire, wounding another Feldwebel in the hand. Leaving two team members with their Dutch prisoners and the lightly wounded man, Walther and the others pressed on. Midway, more wires were seen and surreptitiously cut. For whatever reason, the small group met with no further opposition until they neared the opposite side, when they encountered a guard force of platoon-strength, if not more. The Dutchmen seemed hesitant, clearly uncertain how to deal with such a situation. After only a cursory search, five men took charge of the ‘prisoners’, leading them towards the western bridgehead. At the same time, one of Walther’s Dutchmen returned the way he had come, with the pretext of collecting his bicycle, and joined the team members there.
Walther’s mission was not going well. He and his men – only four or five at this stage – were covered by their escorts’ rifles and so prevented from producing their own weapons. Just when it seemed that the mission had failed, Walther noticed in the distance what he took to be steam from an expected German armoured train. Seizing the initiative, he shouted a warning: ‘Panzerzug von hinten, volle Deckung!’ (‘Armoured train behind, get under cover!’). This had the desired effect, distracting the guards and enabling the Germans to escape and take up firing positions. Meanwhile, those at the eastern bridgehead began to shift a heavy barrier, to clear the way for the approaching armoured train. This was achieved under fire, during which an Obergefreiter was badly wounded.
The train arrived with German troops, some of whom joined in the shooting, misidentifying Walther and his men. Walther was wounded and left momentarily partially deaf when a round pierced the right side of his helmet. After the mistake was realised and the situation brought under control, remaining bunkers were cleared, sometimes while under German artillery fire, and by about 06:00 it was all over. An estimated thirty to forty Dutch prisoners had been taken, apparently without fatalities on either side.
For his performance, on 24 June 1940 Oberleutnant Walther was decorated with the Ritterkreuz. Years later, he explained: ‘By crossing the Gennep bridge, 9. Panzer-Division was able to set off for the Peelstellung [defence line] and, after a successful breakthrough, was able to establish contact with the Fallschirmjäger who had landed near Moerdjik as early as 12 May. Thus, the southern entrance way to “Fortress Holland” was firmly in German hands.’ The operation would be used as an example during future training for ‘Brandenburg’ troops, demonstrating, as it did, the ability to think fast and improvise and never to accept defeat, whatever the odds.
The first task for Oberleutnant Walther after joining the battalion was to secure one of a series of objectives in the Netherlands preparatory to the German invasion of that country. On 10 May 1940, he led a small team in seizing a railway bridge, some 300 metres in length, that spanned the River Meuse near the town of Gennep.
The initial strength of the commando group was probably no more than a dozen in total. This included three Dutch Kampfdolmetscher (combat interpreters) wearing German-manufactured Koninklijke Marechaussee (gendarmerie) uniforms. Walther and his German contingent were their ‘prisoners’ – with sub-machine guns concealed beneath long coats, six stick grenades slung behind their backs, and with egg grenades in each man’s gas mask canister and Brotbeutel (‘bread bag’). In the early hours of the morning, the team was taken by lorry towards the German–Dutch border.
There, one of the Dutch volunteers asked to withdraw. He was disarmed and held at a German border post. The remainder continued on foot. After some two and a half hours, when just short of their objective, Walther called a halt and observed what lay ahead: a defence system that included concrete bunkers and a numerically superior local guard force. After half an hour, Walther and his team broke cover, advancing in plain view. Exactly what occurred next is debatable. On reaching the bridge, there was some sort of scuffle and several guards were overpowered. This enabled a Feldwebel to enter the guardhouse, where he set to severing telephone wires. While this was taking place, someone at the far end of the bridge opened fire, wounding another Feldwebel in the hand. Leaving two team members with their Dutch prisoners and the lightly wounded man, Walther and the others pressed on. Midway, more wires were seen and surreptitiously cut. For whatever reason, the small group met with no further opposition until they neared the opposite side, when they encountered a guard force of platoon-strength, if not more. The Dutchmen seemed hesitant, clearly uncertain how to deal with such a situation. After only a cursory search, five men took charge of the ‘prisoners’, leading them towards the western bridgehead. At the same time, one of Walther’s Dutchmen returned the way he had come, with the pretext of collecting his bicycle, and joined the team members there.
Walther’s mission was not going well. He and his men – only four or five at this stage – were covered by their escorts’ rifles and so prevented from producing their own weapons. Just when it seemed that the mission had failed, Walther noticed in the distance what he took to be steam from an expected German armoured train. Seizing the initiative, he shouted a warning: ‘Panzerzug von hinten, volle Deckung!’ (‘Armoured train behind, get under cover!’). This had the desired effect, distracting the guards and enabling the Germans to escape and take up firing positions. Meanwhile, those at the eastern bridgehead began to shift a heavy barrier, to clear the way for the approaching armoured train. This was achieved under fire, during which an Obergefreiter was badly wounded.
The train arrived with German troops, some of whom joined in the shooting, misidentifying Walther and his men. Walther was wounded and left momentarily partially deaf when a round pierced the right side of his helmet. After the mistake was realised and the situation brought under control, remaining bunkers were cleared, sometimes while under German artillery fire, and by about 06:00 it was all over. An estimated thirty to forty Dutch prisoners had been taken, apparently without fatalities on either side.
For his performance, on 24 June 1940 Oberleutnant Walther was decorated with the Ritterkreuz. Years later, he explained: ‘By crossing the Gennep bridge, 9. Panzer-Division was able to set off for the Peelstellung [defence line] and, after a successful breakthrough, was able to establish contact with the Fallschirmjäger who had landed near Moerdjik as early as 12 May. Thus, the southern entrance way to “Fortress Holland” was firmly in German hands.’ The operation would be used as an example during future training for ‘Brandenburg’ troops, demonstrating, as it did, the ability to think fast and improvise and never to accept defeat, whatever the odds.
The bridge over the Maas near Gennep on 10 May 1940 after it was prevented from being blown up ahead of the advance of 18. Armee.
The bridge over the Maas near Gennep on 10 May 1940 after it was
prevented from being blown up ahead of the advance of 18. Armee.
Ritterkreuz award ceremony for Oberleutnant Wilhelm Walther (Stosstruppführer in
4.Kompanie / Baulehrbataillon z.b.V. 800). Awarding the medal is an unknown Luftwaffe officer.
Ritterkreuz award ceremony for Oberleutnant Wilhelm Walther (Stosstruppführer in
4.Kompanie / Baulehrbataillon z.b.V. 800). Awarding the medal is an unknown Luftwaffe officer.
Source :
"Brandenburger: Wartime Photographs of Wilhelm Walther" by Anthony Rogers
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewforum.php?f=5
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/41428/Walther-Wilhelm.htm
"Brandenburger: Wartime Photographs of Wilhelm Walther" by Anthony Rogers
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewforum.php?f=5
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/41428/Walther-Wilhelm.htm
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