Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Major

Unit:

Kommandeur, I. Bataillon, Infanterie-Regiment 131, 44. Infanterie-Division

Awarded on:

August 5th, 1940

The following wartime excerpt describes why Raucheisen received the Knight’s Cross…

“Major Raucheisen succeeded in securing a bridgehead across the demolished Oise bridge at Port de Marence despite the presence of numerous enemy MG positions on the opposite river bank. In order to reconnoiter the crossing conditions here he personally swam across the 70 meter wide Oise River with 11 men, all while under enemy fire. Then he committed additional elements of his Bataillon across the river on inflatable boats in order to eject the enemy forces that were still dug-in at the crossing site. The creation of this bridgehead (which compromised the enemy’s entire Oise defensive position) was of decisive importance for the German leadership.”