• StuG III Sturmgeschütz

Date of birth:

January 6th, 1921 (Welsede/Rinteln, Germany)

Date of death:

November 15th, 1999 (Moisburg-Podendorf, Germany)

Service number:

SS-Nr.: // NSDAP-Nr.:

Nationality:

German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

04.09.1939: joined the SS in the 2. Ersatz-Kompanie, SS-Regiment 'Germania', Langenhorn, Hamburg
00.00.1940: Funker-Lehrgang, 2. Ersatz-Kompanie, SS-Narichten-Abteilung, Unna
00.05.1940: Funker, SS-Sturmgeschütz-Batterie, SS-Regiment Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
00.04.1941: Operation Marita - the Balkans
01.10.1941: promoted to SS-Rottenführer
01.08.1942: promoted to SS-Unterscharführer
00.00.1942: SS-Uscha, Sturmgeschütz-Kommandant, SS-Sturmgeschütz-Batterie, SS-Regiment Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler - destroyed 21 tanks and 11 anti tank guns at Shitomir
00.02.1943: promoted to SS-Oberscharführer, Zugführer, 3. Batterie, 1. SS Sturmgeschütz-Bataillon LSSAH
00.09.1943: SS-Junker, SS-Junkerschule
09.11.1943: promoted to SS-Hauptscharführer
00.11.1944: SS-Standartenoberjunker, Führer, Kampfgruppe 'Henke' - Operation Market Garden
20.04.1945: promoted to SS-Untersturmführer der Reserve
StuG ace credited with 38 kills

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1941

in silver

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS- Rottenführer (Corporal)

Awarded on:

December 5th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Oberscharführer (Staff Sergeant)

Unit:

Zugführer, 3. Batterie, SS-Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 1, 1. SS-Panzer-Division "Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler", Waffen-SS

Awarded on:

February 12th, 1944

Fritz Henke was a platoon leader in the StuG battalion of the LSSAH in late 1943. Near the end of that year, on the 29.12.1943, Henke was helping protect a group of friendly infantry when a small tank attack was launched. He destroyed 2 tanks, but this initial incursion was soon followed up by a much heavier assault. Thus followed a fierce battle that lasted the whole day. On one occasion, he knocked out a Soviet command tank from which the enemy commander escaped, only to be hit by a pistol shot by Henke. By the end of the day he had destroyed a total of 21 tanks and 11 AT guns. For his notable success, without much friendly support at that, he was later presented with the Knight’s Cross. He had destroyed 38 tanks in total by this time.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Unterscharführer (Sergeant)

Awarded on:

July 13th, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Oberscharführer (Staff Sergeant)

Unit:

SS-Panzerjäger-Abteilung 1, 1. SS-Panzer-Division "Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler", Waffen-SS

Awarded on:

November 9th, 1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Hauptscharführer (Sergeant Major)

Unit:

SS-Panzerjäger-Abteilung 1, 1. SS-Panzer-Division "Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler", Waffen-SS

Awarded on:

April 15th, 1945

• Photo 1: Willi Schumacher Collection
• - FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
  - MOONEY, PETER, Waffen-SS Knights and their Battles, Schiffer Military History, 2016.
  - SCHNEIDER, J.W., Their Honor Was Loyalty!, Bender (R.James) Publishing, 1993.
  - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Biblio-Verlag, Osnabrück, Germany, 1985.
  - Onderzoek via Panzer-Archiv Forum