Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Hauptmann der Reserve (Captain of Reserves)

Unit:

Kommandeur III./Grenadier-Regiment 116 / 9. Infanterie-Division

Awarded on:

June 24th, 1944

The following press excerpt (taken from the 24.06.1944 edition of the Schottener Zeitung) describes why Frank would be awarded the Knight’s Cross…

“On the evening of the 05.04.1944, following hard fighting, the Bataillon of a Gießener Grenadier-Regiment under the command of Hauptmann der Reserve Erich Frank reached the area north of Kujalnizky—Liman (northwest of Odessa). Here it occupied a bridgehead, and from there it was tasked with securing the retreat route over the river for friendly heavy weapons and columns that were currently slogging their way through knee-deep mud.

Already during the occupation of the security line Hauptmann Frank was forced to strike at a Soviet unit behind the frontline that was in the process of thrusting against the flank of the slowly moving columns. Leading at the head of two hastily-assembled assault detachments, he threw the Soviets back in an energetic night counterattack. He then established the 6 km wide rearguard position of his Bataillon. About an hour before midnight the enemy began to attack the thinly spread defensive front of the Bataillon at numerous locations, attacking with about a battalion-sized force at each one. Heavy mortar fire plastered the makeshift foxholes that had been dug out of the mud, and soon here, there and everywhere the sound of the oncoming Soviet masses and their cries of ‘Urrä’ could be heard. Hauptmann Frank and his exhausted Grenadiers fought a desperate battle for 4 hours. In this time the commander would personally position himself at the head of a few soldiers and throw the Russians back via counterattacks wherever they forced a penetration into the German lines through weight of numbers.

Ammunition was scarce, as the munitions vehicles could no longer come forward through the deep mud. And just as the last rounds were fired a strong enemy assault unit broke through as far as the Bataillon command post. With empty weapons and cries of ‘Hurra!’, Hauptmann Frank and a few of his Grenadiers launched themselves against the Soviets and forced them to retreat after a bitter struggle. The Bataillon commander spotted a heavily wounded soldier just in front of an enemy MG. Without regard for the heavy Soviet fire he rushed to the spot and loaded the man onto his back. Despite being wounded by hand grenades he carried on with his burden and reached friendly lines.

At around 04:00 the Bataillon began to withdraw in accordance with its orders. However after having moved just a few hundred metres it had to turn around and face the hotly pursuing Soviets, as elements of a column were still stuck fast on the only retreat route and could only be set in motion again with great difficulty. The fight went back and forth once again. Hauptmann Frank and his thin line of men continued to defend their posts against he oncoming Soviets, although by now his men could barely continue to stand.

While they continued to retreat slowly, all the while fending off the hard-pressing enemy, a force of enemy troops thrusted to the northern tip of the Chadshibenskij-Liman and blocked the path of the approx. 100 vehicles (including guns and heavy anti-tank guns) which had yet to cross the kilometre long embankment that ran through impassable swampland. Hauptmann Frank first established order in the panicking column with iron resolve. He then requisitioned all men with weapons to join his Bataillon, and with this Kampfgruppe he stormed against the Soviets over open terrain while leading at the head of his men. His example inspired Grenadiers, artillerymen and supply troops alike to give their utmost. After heavy firefights and bitter close combat the Soviets were thrown back with the loss of more than 100 dead. The embankment was clear again, and the last of the column could flee across it under the protection of Frank’s Bataillon.”