Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Feldwebel (Sergeant)

Unit:

Führer, 6. Kompanie, II. Bataillon, Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 4, 1. Fallschirmjäger-Division, Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

January 14th, 1945

Awarded for his multiple achievements at the front, which included the following…

1) Leading a daring patrol near Orsogna with another soldier. Here the two men snuck into the attic of a house that was being used as the command post by a British regiment. He and his comrade observed the enemy for 38 hours and returned to the German lines with valuable intelligence.

2) Defending a bridgehead southwest of Savio at the end of October 1944. On one morning his Kompanie came under attack by 10 tanks and a battalion of infantry, however this attack was repulsed. The Allies renewed their attack in the afternoon, this time against the left neighbour. Here they achieved a 1 km deep penetration with 9 tanks and infantry, all while covering Donth’s sector with artillery fire. An enemy battalion supported by 20 tanks then advanced towards Donth’s Kompanie and the road it was defending under the protection of a creeping barrage. Donth launched a counterattack with his Kompanie HQ squad, destroyed 6 Sherman tanks with his men in close combat and continued the counterthrust against the enemy infantry. He and his men relieved two encircled friendly squads and subsequently liberated 4 heavily wounded comrades that had been captured by the enemy.

3) His defensive success on a hill east of Bologna near the end of November 1944. Here Donth launched a stormtroop like attack against an allied jump-off position without any artillery preparation in order to restore the combat situation. This operation was a complete success. He and his men captured 81 prisoners (including 3 officers) as well as the equipment of two companies.

4) Launching a night attack in platoon strength against a British battalion in December 1944, forcing the latter to give up control of Monte Castellaro.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberjäger

Unit:

6. Kompanie, II. Bataillon, Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 4, 1. Fallschirmjäger-Division, Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

June 14th, 1944

Date awarding 14th June 1944 according to announcement in Luftwaffen-Verordnungsblatt.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

June 22nd, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

June 12th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

November 15th, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

May 20th, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

February 1st, 1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

March 20th, 1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

April 22nd, 1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

December 15th, 1956