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Erwin Kressmann
Erwin Kressman fought in the assault on Poland as company commander and Platoon leader. He was also invovled in the Western campaign and was promoted to Staff Sergeant. In June 1941 he was transferred to Russia and saw action in the Demjansk pocket and in May 1942, Kressmann was sent to the Crimea with Panzerjaeger Abt. Kressmann participated in the assault on Sevastopol. He was sent to the northern Russian front - the Battle of Leningrad as well as trench warfare at the Wolchow. In July 1943, Kressmann became the commander of 1st company of the new heavy Panzerjaeger Abteilung 519, From December 13th to February 18th, 1944, Kressmann was part of two Battles of Witebsk under the 3rd Panzerarmee. Kressmann was decorated with the German Cross in Gold for bravery on January 25, 1944. On June 22, 1944 Kressman was involved in the third battle of Witebek, his unit sustaining very heavy casualties. Kressman got the Knight's cross for actions in Schmidt and Kommerscheidt from November 4th to November 7th, 1944. Kressmann also fought in the Battle of the Bulge. At the beginning of May 1945 and after he destroyed two T-34 Russian tanks with T-mines, Kresmmann was severely wounded by mortar. He was able to cross the Elbe river and became a US P.O.W. He died on 19th March 2017.
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| Knights Cross |
| Erwin Kressmann - Signed Aviation Art Prints, Paintings and Drawings Military and Aviation Signatures |
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| Text for the above items : |
Jagdverbande Mitte, Pomerania, Germany, March 1945 by David Pentland. In early 1945 Obersturmfuhrer Walter Girg was given command of a small unit of SS commandos whose task was to operate Russian tanks behind enemy lines. One such mission took him to the area of the enemy-encircled Kolberg garrison. The German forces there however believed Girg and his men to be Seydlitz agents (German soldiers working for the Soviet forces) and they were taken to be shot. Luckily the mistake was discovered a short time later and Girg remained in Kolberg until 18 March 1945 when the garrison was evacuated by sea. |
Tiger at the Gate, Berlin, 30th April 1945 by David Pentland. A Tiger I and PAK 40 anti tank gun of the Muncheberg Division, field a final defence of the capital in front of the Brandenburg Gate under the shattered remains of the famous Linden trees. The under-strength division had just been formed the previous month from a mixture of ad hoc units and various marks of tank. Despite this it put up a spirited fight until its final destruction in early May. |
Defence of the Reichstag, Berlin, 1st May 1945 by David Pentland. On the 30th April, Untersharfuhrer Georg Diers and his crew of tank 314, were ordered to take up a defensive position at the Reichstag buildings. This was one of only two remaining King Tigers belonging to Heavy SS Tank Battalion 503 in Berlin. By that evening they had knocked out about 30 T34s, and the following day led a successful counterattack against the Kroll Opera House directly opposite the Reichstag. Their efforts though, merely postponed the inevitable and by the end of the day the order was given to abandon the position and prepare to break out of Berlin. |
Assault on Voronezh, Russia, 2nd - 7th July 1942 by David Pentland. Sturmgeschutz IIIF of Stug Battalion Grossdeutschland, and supporting infantry from GD Regiment 1 battle against Soviet forces defending the strategically important city of Voronezh on the Don. Combined arms operations such as this proved the value of the assault gun, which took a terrible toll on enemy armour and men alike. |
Operation Winter Tempest by David Pentland. Panzer IVF2 tanks of 6th Panzer Division, Panzer Armee Hoth, attempt to fight their way through to the beleaguered Sixth Army at Stalingrad, 12th December 1942. On the 21st the operation was abandoned when the expected breakout from Stalingrad failed to materialise, the relief column was only 25 miles from the city. |
Operation Zitadelle by David Pentland. Panzer v Ausf. D Panthers of SS Panther Division Das Reich make their debut during the initial stages of the German summer offensive for Kursk. This unit with others of the SS Panzer Korps made the deepest advances into the well-prepared Soviet lines. Complete success however, was to elude them when outrunning their supporting divisions at Prokhorovka they were forced to halt for six days. |
Fight for Kowel, Poland, March/April 1944 by David Pentland. Although in the process of regrouping after their escape from the Cherkassy Pocket, Panthers and Panzer Grenadiers of the crack 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking are part of the relief force hastily assembled and thrown in to free the strategically important city of Kowel in the Pripet Marshes. By April 10th the Soviet encirclement of the city was broken and Wiking were pulled out of the line to continue refitting. |
Panther at the Zoo, Tiergarten, Berlin, 2nd May 1945 by David Pentland. Below the vast bulk of the Zoo Bunker one of three giant Flak towers designed to defend Berlin from air attack, some remnants of the citys defenders gather in an attempt to break out of the doomed capital. Amongst which are troops from the 9th Fallschirmjager and Munchberg Panzer Divisions, including a rare nightfighting equipped Panther G of Oberleutnant Rasims Company, 1/29th Panzer Regiment. |
Kampfgruppe Peiper by David Pentland. Oberssturmbannfuhrer Jochim Peiper, commander of the armoured spearhead of 1st SS Panzer Division, in conference with some of the officers of other units under his command. Aside from men and tanks of his own division, these included King Tigers of the 501st heavy tank battalion and paratroops of 1st battalion, 9th Fallschirmjäger regiment. |
Rommel in Normandy, France, 2nd July 1944 by David Pentland. Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel, commander of Army Group B, consults with his former subordinate from North Africa, now divisional commander of the elite Panzer Lehr, General Fritz Bayerlein and the Colonel Rudolf Gerhardt of Panzer Regiment Lehr, over the imminent transfer of the division to confront the Americans at St. Lo. |
Escape to the Elbe, Berlin, 3rd May 1945 by David Pentland. Following Hitlers death, the decision was taken by the officers and men of Sturmartillerie Brigade 249 to break out of the doomed capital. Shortly before midnight on the 3rd, what remained of the unit fought to the edge of the city at Spandau. By this time the brigade had been split into two elements, the first under Hauptmann Herbert Jaschke successfully punched their way out to the west. The second group was not so lucky, and its survivors fell into Soviet captivity. |
Kerscher's Defence of Neuhauser Forest by David Pentland. Oberfeldwebel Albert Kerscher, commander of 2nd company 511 Heavy Tank Battalion aided by a Panzer IV, two Hetzers, a Kingtiger and a Pak gun, successfully defended against concerted Soviet air and armoured attacks, his action buying valuable time for the evacuation of German wounded from Pilau and scoring his 100th victory in the process. |
Barkmann's Corner by David Pentland. Ernst Barkmann's (Das Reich, 2nd SS Panzer Division) famous day long solo engagement against an American Armoured breakthrough towards St. Lo, Normandy, 26th July 1944. |
The Last Battle, Berlin, 30th April 1945 by David Pentland. Unterscharfurher Karl-Heinz Turk of the Schwere SS Panzerabteilung 503, in one of the units few remaining Kingtigers, defends the Potsdammer Platz along with elements of the Munchberg Division against the rapidly encroaching Soviet forces. |
Panther Stellung, Monte Cassino, Italy, 21st -22nd May 1944 by David Pentland. While commanding an emplaced Panther tank turret east of Piedimonte, the young Gefreiter Herbert Fries, from 2./FschPzJagAbt 1, slowed down the Allies who were trying to outflank what was left of 1FJD. In two days he and his crew knocked out 17 enemy tanks. |
Hornisse, Central Russia, November 1943 by David Pentland. Hornet self propelled 88mm anti-tank guns of Heavy Anti-tank Battalion 519 attached to 3rd Army, Army Group Center. Oberleutnant Erwin Kressmann commanded 1st company, while its 1st platoon was led by the soon to be famous Lt Albert Ernst, who in an engagement during the Witebsk battles destroyed 14 Soviet tanks with just 21 rounds. |
Lull in the Battle, Central Russia, December 1943 by David Pentland. Hornet self propelled 88mm anti-tank guns of Heavy Anti-tank Battalion 519 attached to 3rd Army, Army Group Center. Oberleutnant Erwin Kressmann commanded 1st company, while 1st platoon was led by the soon to be famous Lt Albert Ernst, who in an engagement during the Witebsk battles destroyed 14 Soviet tanks with just 21 rounds. |
Winter Offensive, Ardennes Forest, Germany, December 1944 by David Pentland. Jagdpanther self propelled 88mm anti-tank guns of Heavy Anti-tank Battalion 519 attached to 6th SS Panzer Army during the ill fated Ardennes offensive. Only the 1st company commanded by Hautmann Erwin Kressmann took part in the campaign. |
Jagdpanthers in the Ardennes, Ardennes Forest, Germany, December 1944 by David Pentland. Jagdpanther self propelled 88mm anti-tank guns of Heavy Anti-tank Battalion 519 attached to 6th SS Panzer Army during the ill fated Ardennes offensive. Only the 1st company commanded by Hauptmann Erwin Kressmann took part in the campaign. |
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