Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Unit:

97. Jäger-Division

Awarded on:

January 22nd, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Gefreiter

Unit:

21. Luftwaffen-Feld-Division

Awarded on:

February 16th, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

November 25th, 1943

Presented in Feldlazerett II, Vianna

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Unit:

7. Fallschirmjäger-Division

Awarded on:

March 19th, 1945

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)

Unit:

Zugführer 3. / Fallschirm-Sturmgeschütz Brigade 12 (mot)

Awarded on:

April 28th, 1945

Stehle's Knight's Cross recommendation reads as follows...

"Leutnant Stehle held the main battle line at the southern edge of the city of Loikum alone and with unwavering fortitude against the almost continuously firing enemy artillery, mortars, tanks, armoured cars and infantry weapons on the 26.03.1945, through the following night and on the 27.03.1945. Despite the heavily fractured state of the frontline (which in some places didn’t even exist at all), Leutnant Stehle advanced twice with his Sturmgeschütz a kilometre in front of the line without any infantry protection. In this way he destroyed 5 armoured cars (of a force of 20) on the 26.03.1945 and 2 Shermans out of a strong enemy tank force on the following day. Through his outstanding attitude and performance, Leutnant Stehle held against the overwhelming enemy pressure, prevented a breakthrough in the left flank of the division and the rolling up of its front on the west side of the island (see sketch 1).

On the 30.03.1945 a strong enemy tank thrust crossed the German-Dutch border by the customs house on the road Beenolt—Winterswijk.

Positioned completely alone, and without escorting infantry, Leutnant Stehle drove 2 km in front of the main battle line. Here he forced the enemy to come to a halt by destroying 3 armoured cars and 1 Sherman. The enemy did not attack at this position again. Thus, on top of the demonstrated bravery with implications for the successful outcome on the entire divisional front earlier on, Leutnant Stehle prevented an enemy penetration in the sector of the 7. Fallschirm-Jäger-Division and a rollup of the front in the sector of the neighbouring division.

In total Leutnant Stehle has destroyed 19 tanks and 8 armoured cars. After successfully defending against a strong infantry attack on the 01.04.1945, Leutnant Stehle was severely wounded by a hit from an enemy anti-tank gun, his sixth wound of the war."

According to his Soldbuch the awarding should have been on 7th April 1945.