Schulte, Ernst

Date of birth:: April 26th, 1912 (Lüdenscheid/Westphalia, Germany)
Date of death:: April 17th, 1942 (H.V.Pl. San.Kp. 1/240, Stary/Crimea, Soviet Union)
Buried on:: German War Cemetery Sevastopol-Gontscharnoje
Plot: 6. Row: 21. Grave: 1509.
Nationality:: German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

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Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Obergefreiter (Corporal)
Unit:: Geschützführer 1. / Flak-Regiment 14 (motorisiert)
Awarded on:: June 23rd, 1942

The following press article from the Deutsche Nachrichtenbüro (dated 01.07.1942) describes why Schulte received his Knight's Cross...

"The Führer has, upon the recommendation of Reichsmarschall Göring, awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross to Obergefreiter Schulte, gun commander in a Flak-Regiment.

Obergefreiter Ernst Schulte (born in Lüdenscheid on the 26.04.1912) especially distinguished himself through cold-bloodedness and decisiveness during an enemy armoured attack on the Kerch peninsula. After his gun commander had fallen out of action, he took over leadership of the gun while defending in the first line of the antitank defenses. He destroyed 11 of the attacking enemy tanks and heavily damaged another 5, bringing the attack to a standstill. The brave corporal fought on despite being wounded until he was badly wounded again. He has by now succumbed to these injuries."

Awarded posthumously.