Willy Wesche

Updated on Jan 28, 2024

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Years of service 1916–20 1936–45 Other work Bank clerk Service/branch German Army		Commands held Grenadier-Regiment 427 Name Willy Wesche Rank Oberst
Born 8 January 1899 Westerode ( 1899-01-08 ) Allegiance German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1920) Nazi Germany (to 1944) Battles/wars World War I World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Bialystok–Minsk Battle of Smolensk (1941) Battle of Moscow Battles of Rzhev Battle of Smolensk (1943) Operation Bagration Bobruysk Offensive † Died June 27, 1944, Babruysk, Belarus Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Willy Wesche (8 January 1899 – 27 June 1944) was a highly decorated Oberst in the Wehrmacht during World War II, and one of only 882 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Willy Wesche was killed on 27 June 1944 in Bobruysk, Belarus during the Bobruysk Offensive. he was posthumously awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross on 6 August 1944.

Awards and decorations

Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918

Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)

2nd Class (15 August 1941)

1st Class (4 October 1941)

Eastern Front Medal

Infantry Assault Badge

Close Combat Clasp

in Bronze

in Silver

German Cross in Gold on 20 July 1942 as Major in the II./Infanterie-Regiment 430

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Knight's Cross on 9 April 1943 as Major and commander of Grenadier-Regiment 430

541st Oak Leaves on 6 August 1944 as Oberst and commander of Grenadier-Regiment 427

References

Willy Wesche Wikipedia

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