Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)

Unit:

Zugführer, I. Abteilung, Flak-Regiment 38, Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

June 14th, 1940

The following contemporary press article describes the Knight’s Cross actions of Horst Harras as follows…

“On the 24.05.1940 Oberleutnant Horst Harras succeeded in making the wall of the Boulogne citadel ripe for an attack with a gun from his heavy Flak Batterie. Under heavy defensive fire he brought the gun into position 20-30 metres from the wall. After he had opened up breaches in the wall with the gun, he pressed on into the citadel with his Erkundungsoffizier and an Unterwachtmeister in order to reconnoitre the possibilities for an attack. He was thus the first German soldier to enter the Boulogne citadel. He thereafter stormed the guard’s walkway with a Schützen Kompanie. Despite the heavy fire, against which the attackers responded in kind from the middle castle, Harras and his men managed to disarm 2500 men from the garrison. He then forced the commander to cease resistance and took the rest of the garrison (some 6000 men) prisoner. Thus, through outstanding bravery, courage and dedication to duty, Oberleutnant Harras brought about the fall of the Boulogne citadel in a coup-de-main.”