Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leutnant der Reserve (2nd Lieutenant of Reserves)

Unit:

Zugführer, 5. Kompanie, Feldersatz-Bataillon 215, 215. Infanterie-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

December 11th, 1944

On the 28.10.1944, during the fighting near Lake Lielauce (Courland), the Soviets succeeded in tearing open the German front at the boundary between Grenadier-Regiment 380 and Grenadier-Regiment 390. A Soviet breakthrough appeared imminent, and so Generalleutnant Frankewitz ordered Leutnant Mozer’s Kompanie into the battle as the last available force. The intent of this move was for the Kompanie to help cover the withdrawal of German forces to the Brunhilde Position.

As Leutnant Mozer was leading the way with his Kompanie HQ squad he heard engine noises while passing through a thick wood. Moving to the edge of the woods, he saw that a large Soviet motorized column (which included tanks) was approaching along the road parallel to the wood edge. As they were still about 500 meters away, Mozer ordered his Züge into positions along the road. He personally took his II. Zug and moved it to a section of the forest where the treeline was almost directly adjacent to a road bend.

From here he ordered his men to wait until the Soviets had been engaged by his I. Zug further along the road. After this happened, Mozer and the men nearby opened up with Panzerfausts and MG fire. They inflicted terrible carnage on the Red Army soldiers directly in front of them, and it was not long before the column was smashed. Mozer himself destroyed a T-34 tank with a Panzerfaust. Afterwards he and his Kompanie formed a security line in the area.

Leutnant Mozer would eventually be awarded the Knight’s Cross for preventing a potentially catastrophic breakthrough by the Soviets in this area.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)