Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

September 19th, 1939

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

May 15th, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)

Unit:

Führer des leichten zuges in der 2. / Panzer-Regiment 6 / 3.Panzer-Division / XVI. Armee-Korps / 12.Armee

Awarded on:

June 29th, 1940

The following press excerpt describes why Buchterkirch was awarded the Knight’s Cross…

“Oberleutnant Buchterkirch very favourably influenced the course of the attack in his sector through his brave actions. He personally destroyed 6 enemy tanks with his Panzer (which later burned out due to a direct hit), and his Zug as a whole destroyed 18 enemy tanks.”

The following excerpt from a Propaganda-Kompanie report (dated 10.01.1942) further details why Buchterkirch received the high award…

“On the 15.05.1940 Buchterkirch knocked out 6 enemy tanks with his own Panzer near Ernage, and through his intervention here a Moroccan counterattack was thrown back. In the subsequent pursuit a breakthrough was forced at this location towards the Dyle position. His own Panzer was knocked out during this fighting and burned out. Oberleutnant Buchterkirch continued to fight on foot, and he established contact with the riflemen of the Schützen-Regiment of his Brandenburgischen Panzer-Division. 6 days later, on the 21.05.1940, Buchterkirch succeeded in extracting friendly supply elements from strong enemy bunker fire. On the 13.06.1940 he manage to seize the Seine crossings near Pont sur Seine through his determined and swift acton. 3 days after this success he destroyed 5 enemy tanks in the forest before Saulieu and enabled the riflemen of his Panzer-Division to capture strong enemy infantry forces.”

106th Award.
Submitted on June 26th 1940.
Preliminary document and decoration on June 30th 1940 to AOK 6.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

July 6th, 1941

50th Award

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

July 6th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)

Unit:

Kompaniechef 2. / Panzer-Regiment 6 / 3.Panzer-Division / Panzergruppe 2 / Heeresgruppe Mitte

Awarded on:

December 31st, 1941

Awarded for his actions during the opening stages of Operation Barbarossa. On the 23.06.1941 he and his Kompanie destroyed 12 enemy tanks near Buchowiecze in just a few minutes. On the 24.06.1941 Buchterkirch succeeded in creating a bridgehead over the Szczara river near Minicze, and on the following day he conducted a ruthless pursuit battle as far as Filipowicze. He then launched a thrust on the 07.07.1941 that made it as far as the heights southeast of Luki.

The following excerpt from a Propaganda-Kompanie report (dated 10.01.1942) further details why Buchterkirch received the high award…

“After reconnoitring the area on foot on the 24.06.1941 a bridgehead was created over the Sczara river in a second attack on the following night. Over the course of both attacks Buchterkirch’s Kompanie destroyed 6 tanks, 2 armoured cars, 22 artillery pieces, 9 anti-tank guns, 3 gun embrasures, 5 MGs and 2 mortars. A forward march was launched to a point about 7 km east fo Siemiawka (2 km west of Filopowicze), and in the process his Kompanie destroyed 22 tanks, 5 armoured cars, 16 artillery pieces and 27 anti-tank guns. Attack against Sluck with a thrust through to the eastern edge of the city, 4 artillery pieces and 4 anti-tank guns of the enemy destroyed. Attack against Shlobin at the start of July, wherein 4 tanks, 4 artillery pieces, 4 anti-tank guns, 2 mortars, 6 MGs and an observation post were destroyed. Attack against Grudinowka on the 13.07.1941, in the process 2 artillery pieces, 4 anti-tank guns, 1 mortar and 2 MGs were destroyed. Then a coup-de-main was launched against the railway bridge located 7 km southeast of Tschaussy; in the process 11 artillery pieces, 7 anti-tank guns, 2 mortars and 2 MGs were destroyed.”

44th Award

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Silver version