Bopp, Alfred

Date of birth:: June 4th, 1915 (Offenburg/Baden, Germany)
Date of death:: August 15th, 1983 (Karlsruhe/Baden-Württemberg, Germany)
Nationality:: German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

Finally reached during the Second World War the rank of Hauptmann. After the war he served until 30th September 1973 with the Bundeswehr, where he finally reached the rank of Oberstleutnant.

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Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
Unit:: Chef 9. / Infanterie-Regiment 916 / 86.Infanterie-Division
Awarded on:: December 21st, 1940

The following wartime excerpt describes why Bopp was awarded the Knight’s Cross…

“Following the breakthrough of the 12. Armee through the Weygand position, on the 13. and 14.06.1940 the enemy brought up strong reserves from Verdun in order to construct a new defensive position along and south of the Argonne forest. This line would shield those enemy forces in the fortress triangle Montmedy—Diedenhofen—Verdun. The ruthless and superior leadership of Oberleutnant Bopp with his subordinated elements of the Infanterie-Regiment 216 ensured that those elements of the 12. Armee in the southern foothills of the Argonne were able to break through this position both swiftly and with relatively minor losses.”

The following press article goes into further detail as to these actions…

“Oberleutnant Bopp undertook a dangerous reconnaissance mission with 2 NCOs and 5 men, and over the course of this he was cut off from his retreat after breaking into the fortifications near Velosnes. But thanks to his presence of mind he succeeded in finding a hiding place within a barn located in the heavily fortified and occupied village. Here he was able to observe the inner activities of the French within the fortifications for about 40 hours. By doing this he obtained valuable information concerning the type, strength, disposition and morale of the French troops. He was able to withdraw with his patrol without losses by imitating a French changing of the guard.”