Ahrens, Wilhelm "Willi" (Grenadier-Regiment 17)

Date of birth:: October 1st, 1912 (Goslar/Lower Saxony, Germany)
Date of death:: August 26th, 1998 (Gummersbach/North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany)
Nationality:: German

Biography

Promotions:
Unteroffizier
Feldwebel
10.07.1940: Leutnant
Oberleutnant
01.01.1943: Hauptmann
00.00.1945: Major
31.03.1970: Oberstleutnant

Career:
25.08.1939: 9./ Infanterie-Regiment 17
17.06.1940: 11./ Infanterie-Regiment 17
00.00.1940: Führer - 11./ Infanterie-Regiment 17
18.12.1941: Chef - 9./ Infanterie-Regiment 17
22.01.1944: Kommandeur - Stab III./ Grenadier-Regiment 17

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Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: August 5th, 1941

Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Schwarz

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: September 28th, 1941

Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Ehrenblattspange des Heeres und Waffen-SS

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
Awarded on:: February 1942

Was written in the Ehrenblatt in February 1942 and received the clasp when it was introduced.

Ehrenblattspange des Heeres und Waffen-SS

Deutsches Kreuz in Gold

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
Unit:: Chef, 9. Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 17, 31. Infanterie-Division
Awarded on:: April 14th, 1942

Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" (Ostmedaille)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Hauptmann (Captain)
Unit:: Kommandeur, III. Bataillon, Grenadier-Regiment 17, 31.Infanterie-Division
Awarded on:: May 4th, 1944

Wilhelm Ahrens commanded an Infanterie-Bataillon during the oft-forgotten defensive battles of Army Group Centre during the winter of 1943-44. He was awarded the Knight’s Cross for the defensive accomplishments of his Bataillon at the Propoisk-Mogilev road on the 31.03.1944.

Sources

Photo 1: Wilco Vermeer
- FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
- PATZWALL, K. & SCHERZER, V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001.
- THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Biblio-Verlag, Osnabrück, 1987.
- Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
- Award documents and newspaper clippings