Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leutnant der Reserve (2nd Lieutenant of Reserves)

Unit:

Zugführer 5./Lehr-Regiment z.b.V. 800 "Brandenburg"

Awarded on:

December 9th, 1942

On the 09.10.1942 a force of Brandenburgers under the command of Leutnant Lau commenced a risky operation aimed at the road and railway bridges over the Terek river west of Arik. The primary objective was to take the 120 meter long railway bridge first and foremost, with not enough being known about the road bridge to incorporate it into the planning.

At dawn Lau led his force of 35 men and was able to take the Soviets at the bridge by surprise. They rolled up the earth bunkers and trenches there and cut the ignition wires to the demolition charges. The surprise was so complete that an immediate attack from the hedgehog position on the far side of the river also managed to disable the ignition wires leading to the road bridge. Both bridges were thus still intact when the troops from the 13. Panzer-Division arrived to relieve the Brandenburgers. Later on it turned out that the Soviets had stuffed 4 tons of explosives into three of the railway bridge supports, while also placing 32 aerial bombs under the first arch of the bridge.

For bringing the operation to the desired victorious conclusion, Leutnant Lau would receive the Knight’s Cross.