Buschhausen, Friedrich-Wilhelm
- Date of birth:
- December 11th, 1908 (Düsseldorf-Benrath, Germany)
- Date of death:
- October 1st, 2004 (Köln, Germany)
- Nationality:
- German
Biography
Was on 31st December 1938 promoted to Rittmeister with entry date of 1st January 1939.
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Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Rittmeister
- Unit:
- Kavallerie-Schützen-Regiment 10
- Awarded on:
- October 9th, 1939
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
- Unit:
- 10. / Schützen-Regiment 3
- Awarded on:
- November 20th, 1939
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
- Unit:
- 10. / Schützen-Regiment 3
- Awarded on:
- November 20th, 1939
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Hauptmann (Captain)
- Unit:
- 6. / Schützen-Regiment 10
- Awarded on:
- November 26th, 1940
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Hauptmann (Captain)
- Unit:
- 6. / Schützen-Regiment 10
- Awarded on:
- September 18th, 1941
Bronze version.
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Hauptmann (Captain)
- Unit:
- 6. / Schützen-Regiment 10
- Awarded on:
- December 16th, 1941
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Hauptmann (Captain)
- Unit:
- Chef 6. / Schützen-Regiment 10
- Awarded on:
- December 24th, 1941
Preliminary award document dated on 24th December, the definitive "Verleihungsurkunde" is dated on 28th December 1944.
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Major
- Unit:
- Kommandeur I. / Panzergrenadier-Regiment 69 / 10.Panzer-Division
- Awarded on:
- May 10th, 1943
Buschhausen’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows…
“On the 22.12.1942, at the beginning of the Christmas battle for the Dj. el Ahmera, Major Buschhausen took over the combat leadership of the southern group. The forces available to this unit were inadequate and inexperienced in mountain warfare. The situation was very critical. The Americans employed liberal amounts of ammunition and tanks, and they succeeded in achieving a penetration at the defile east of the Dj. el Ahmera. The enemy captured summit after summit on the mountain massif until they finally took over the commanding Hill 290. Fighting at the head of the handful of Kompanien available to him, and charging under heavy fire, Major Buschhausen succeeded in launching his own series of counterthrusts. By the end of the 23.12.1942 he had succeeded in recapturing the lost ground from the much numerically superior enemy after much hard fighting. In total he captured around 300 prisoners and destroyed 2 heavy tanks (among other things). The enemy sustained such bloody losses that they were compelled to relieve their frontline troops with an elite English regiment on the same day.
However already on the 24.12.1942 the battle reignited to an even greater extent. After an unbelievably massive barrage by all weapons the enemy tide was unleashed. Attacking frontally, they captured one hill after another. They thrust through the thinly held right flank of Buschhausen’s Bataillon (in such a state due to a lack of troops) and into the rear of this badly battered Bataillon. After this Hill 290 was once again lost, and the enemy were eventually able to also get into the deep flank. However Major Buschhausen remained unworried about the danger in his rear, and with exemplary calm he organized a counterattack for the following night with the small forces that could be hastily assembled. This counterattack was to strike the enemy in their flank. Showing skillful combat leadership, he led his Kompanien in the nocturnal assault even though not all of his troops were brought up in time, and with these he hit the enemy where they least expected it. Always among the forward ranks of his men, Major Buschhausen broke into the enemy positions by surprise. He threw the enemy back in close combat, recaptured the lost territory, pursued the enemy (inflicting heavy losses in the process) and ultimately reconquered the entire mountain massif.
Both of these engagements were decisive for the holding of the Tunisian bridgehead. Several praiseworthy statements were issued by the higher commands, and in the enclosed New Year’s order the supreme commander paid tribute to the achievements of Buschhausen’s Bataillon.
Major Buschhausen and his brave Bataillon later participated in the major offensive by our forces in northern Tunisia. Subordinated to General Schmid’s Kampfgruppe, they thrust deep into the enemy on the 26.02.1943. As the rightly adjacent Bataillon charged with covering the flank of Buschhausen’s Bataillon was smashed by the enemy it was impossible to prevent Buschhausen’s Bataillon from being cut off. The unit was subjected to heavy artillery fire, which inflicted heavy losses and put Major Buschhausen and his staff in a critical position. The enemy repeatedly made offers of surrender to the Bataillon, however such suggestions were rejected. Buschhausen only pulled back to the rear after being ordered to do so, and he succeeded in doing this through his exemplary calm, confident leadership and skillful utilization of a cloudburst. As a result he saved his high-quality Bataillon with all of its weapons and equipment from certain destruction.
Although the Bataillon had by now sustained significant losses it went on to serve under the Division von Manteufel (North Tunisia) a few days later as an assault Bataillon, and in this capacity it once again achieved great success under the firm and decisive leadership of Major Buschhausen.
The 1st English Armoured Division and then another infantry division sought to force a breakthrough west of Mezzouna (mid-Tunisia) along both sides of the pass road located there. Supported by liberal quantities of ammunition and tanks, their goal was to cut off the 1. Armee. In response Major Buschhausen set in motion a non-stop drive towards the south along roads that were in some places completed muddied up. Buschhausen entered the battle at the last minute on the 23.03.1943, throwing himself frontally against the much numerically superior enemy and forcing them back. The enemy were not quick to give up however, and they launched one armoured attack after another, with each one being supported by multi-hour bombardments that saw tens of thousands of shells being expended. Serving as a Kampfgruppe commander, Buschhausen fought at every hotspot of the fighting. Under his command over 15 enemy heavy tanks were destroyed (among other things). Given the overall situation the enemy was compelled to thrust towards the ocean and into the rear of the southern Armee. As such they attacked on every day during the time period 23.-26.03.1943, with each subsequent attack being stronger than the last.
All attacks failed; for Buschhausen was able to compel his own battered Bataillon (which had suffered over 700 casualties since the end of December) to offer up the highest standard of bravery. Again, as so often before, Buschhausen brought about a decisive deed and saved an entire Armee by virtue of his personality.”
Award date of 10 May 1944 according to the "Vorläufiges Besitzzeugnis" that was dated 1st October 1943.
“On the 22.12.1942, at the beginning of the Christmas battle for the Dj. el Ahmera, Major Buschhausen took over the combat leadership of the southern group. The forces available to this unit were inadequate and inexperienced in mountain warfare. The situation was very critical. The Americans employed liberal amounts of ammunition and tanks, and they succeeded in achieving a penetration at the defile east of the Dj. el Ahmera. The enemy captured summit after summit on the mountain massif until they finally took over the commanding Hill 290. Fighting at the head of the handful of Kompanien available to him, and charging under heavy fire, Major Buschhausen succeeded in launching his own series of counterthrusts. By the end of the 23.12.1942 he had succeeded in recapturing the lost ground from the much numerically superior enemy after much hard fighting. In total he captured around 300 prisoners and destroyed 2 heavy tanks (among other things). The enemy sustained such bloody losses that they were compelled to relieve their frontline troops with an elite English regiment on the same day.
However already on the 24.12.1942 the battle reignited to an even greater extent. After an unbelievably massive barrage by all weapons the enemy tide was unleashed. Attacking frontally, they captured one hill after another. They thrust through the thinly held right flank of Buschhausen’s Bataillon (in such a state due to a lack of troops) and into the rear of this badly battered Bataillon. After this Hill 290 was once again lost, and the enemy were eventually able to also get into the deep flank. However Major Buschhausen remained unworried about the danger in his rear, and with exemplary calm he organized a counterattack for the following night with the small forces that could be hastily assembled. This counterattack was to strike the enemy in their flank. Showing skillful combat leadership, he led his Kompanien in the nocturnal assault even though not all of his troops were brought up in time, and with these he hit the enemy where they least expected it. Always among the forward ranks of his men, Major Buschhausen broke into the enemy positions by surprise. He threw the enemy back in close combat, recaptured the lost territory, pursued the enemy (inflicting heavy losses in the process) and ultimately reconquered the entire mountain massif.
Both of these engagements were decisive for the holding of the Tunisian bridgehead. Several praiseworthy statements were issued by the higher commands, and in the enclosed New Year’s order the supreme commander paid tribute to the achievements of Buschhausen’s Bataillon.
Major Buschhausen and his brave Bataillon later participated in the major offensive by our forces in northern Tunisia. Subordinated to General Schmid’s Kampfgruppe, they thrust deep into the enemy on the 26.02.1943. As the rightly adjacent Bataillon charged with covering the flank of Buschhausen’s Bataillon was smashed by the enemy it was impossible to prevent Buschhausen’s Bataillon from being cut off. The unit was subjected to heavy artillery fire, which inflicted heavy losses and put Major Buschhausen and his staff in a critical position. The enemy repeatedly made offers of surrender to the Bataillon, however such suggestions were rejected. Buschhausen only pulled back to the rear after being ordered to do so, and he succeeded in doing this through his exemplary calm, confident leadership and skillful utilization of a cloudburst. As a result he saved his high-quality Bataillon with all of its weapons and equipment from certain destruction.
Although the Bataillon had by now sustained significant losses it went on to serve under the Division von Manteufel (North Tunisia) a few days later as an assault Bataillon, and in this capacity it once again achieved great success under the firm and decisive leadership of Major Buschhausen.
The 1st English Armoured Division and then another infantry division sought to force a breakthrough west of Mezzouna (mid-Tunisia) along both sides of the pass road located there. Supported by liberal quantities of ammunition and tanks, their goal was to cut off the 1. Armee. In response Major Buschhausen set in motion a non-stop drive towards the south along roads that were in some places completed muddied up. Buschhausen entered the battle at the last minute on the 23.03.1943, throwing himself frontally against the much numerically superior enemy and forcing them back. The enemy were not quick to give up however, and they launched one armoured attack after another, with each one being supported by multi-hour bombardments that saw tens of thousands of shells being expended. Serving as a Kampfgruppe commander, Buschhausen fought at every hotspot of the fighting. Under his command over 15 enemy heavy tanks were destroyed (among other things). Given the overall situation the enemy was compelled to thrust towards the ocean and into the rear of the southern Armee. As such they attacked on every day during the time period 23.-26.03.1943, with each subsequent attack being stronger than the last.
All attacks failed; for Buschhausen was able to compel his own battered Bataillon (which had suffered over 700 casualties since the end of December) to offer up the highest standard of bravery. Again, as so often before, Buschhausen brought about a decisive deed and saved an entire Armee by virtue of his personality.”
Award date of 10 May 1944 according to the "Vorläufiges Besitzzeugnis" that was dated 1st October 1943.
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Hauptmann (Captain)
- Unit:
- Kp.Chef, 6. Kompanie, II. Bataillon, Schützen-Regiment 10, 9. Panzer-Division, Heer
- Awarded on:
- April 18th, 1941
No Vorschlagsnummer.
Sources
- Photo 1: Willi Schumacher Collection
- - FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
- KUROWSKI, F., Knight's Cross Holders of the Afrikakorps, Schiffer Publishing Ltd., Atglen, United States, 1996.
- 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, 1993.
- Axis History Forum via Awardholders / unit
- Kurowski F., Knight's Cross Holders of the Afrikakorps
- Award documents and promotion document via H.-P. Rackete
- Go2War2.nl
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