Walther Gerhold

Walther Gerhold
Born (1921-06-08)8 June 1921
Benolpe
Died 2 March 2013(2013-03-02) (aged 91)
Lünen
Allegiance  Nazi Germany (to 1945)
Service/branch  Kriegsmarine
Years of service 1940–45
Rank Marine-Schreiber-Obergefreiter
Polizeihauptkommissar
Unit 3. Torpedobootsflottille
Kleinkampfmittelflottille 261 and 361
Battles/wars

World War II

Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Other work Polizei

Walther Gerhold (8 June 1921 – 2 March 2013) was a Marine-Schreiber-Obergefreiter in the Kriegsmarine during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Gerhold was awarded the Knight's Cross for his contribution in the Neger one man mini-submarine attack on the ORP Dragon in the night of 5/6 July 1944. The presentation of the Knight's Cross was made by Konteradmiral Hellmuth Heye on 14 July 1944 in Lübeck.[1] Gerhold died aged 91 in Lünen on 2 March 2013.[2]

Awards and decorations

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording Direct English translation
18 July 1944 Die im Wehrmachtbericht verschiedentlich gemeldete Versenkung feindlicher Schiffe durch neuartige Kampfmittel der Kriegmarine ist auf den Einsatz von Torpedos zurückzuführen, die durch einen Mann an den Feind gebracht werden. Bei diesem Einsatz hat sich der Matrosen-Obergefreite Walter Gerhold besonders ausgezeichnet.[6] Those several times in the Wehrmacht communique reported sinking of enemy ships by new weaponry of the Navy is caused by the deployment of torpedoes, which are brought to the enemy by a man. In these operations, the Sailor-Corporal Walter Gerhold has particularly distinguished himself.

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Dörr 1995, p. 202.
  2. ↑ "Gerhold Walther". Ruhr Nachrichten (in German). Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Dörr 1995, p. 200.
  4. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 162.
  5. ↑ Scherzer 2007, p. 332.
  6. ↑ Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 166.

Bibliography

  • Dörr, Manfred (1995). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Überwasserstreitkräfte der Kriegsmarine—Band 1: A–K [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Surface Forces of the Navy—Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2453-2. 
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. 
  • Range, Clemens (1974). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kriegsmarine [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Navy]. Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 978-3-87943-355-1. 
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. 
  • Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939-1945 Band 3, 1. Januar 1944 bis 9. Mai 1945 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 3, 1 January 1944 to 9 May 1945] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2. 
  • Huß, Jürgen (2009). Ritterkreuzträger im Mannschaftsstand 1941 - 1945. Zweibrücken: VDM Nickel. ISBN 978-3-86619-042-9. 

External links

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