Othmar HERMES Wehrmacht Knights Cross - Signed Card

OTHMAR HERMES - KNIGHTS CROSS - Signed Card

Othmar Hermes was serving in the 6th Kompanie of the Grenadier-Regiment 464 when in April 1944 his Unit was the spearhead of an attempt to capture a dominant hill near Kovel in Poland.

Due to heavy Soviet resistance the German attack ground to a halt and became bogged down in the face of withering MG and mortar fire. Sensing that the German Units were vulnerable, the Soviets launched a counter-attack with the goal of totally ejecting the Germans from the field. Othmar Hermes, a gefreiter, decided to assault the Soviet positions on the higher ground and eliminate the MG positions. Hermes gathered a few men and stormed the Soviet positions, then held them against desperate Soviet counter-attacks. The hill was being pounded by both Soviet and German artillery, Hermes firing red flares in the hope German guns would recognise that their were German soldiers in the position. However, Hermes and several of his men were seriously wounded by shell splinters, Hermes losing his right arm. By this time, reinforcements from his Regiment were able to reach him and consolidate the position, with Hermes being evacuated to the rear.

For his actions Hermes was awarded the Knights Cross on 11th June 1944 - at just 19 years old he was the youngest recipient of that medal in the entire German Army!

This is a very nice Signed Card!