Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)

Unit:

Ordonnanz-Offizier, II. Bataillon, Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 13, 4. Gebirgs-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

December 4th, 1942

On the 29.10.1942 the II./Gebirgs-Jäger-Regiment 13 occupied an important hill position along the Maikop—Tuapse road, northeast of Tuapse itself. After several failed attempts to retake it the Soviets decided to try to capture the so-called “Schwabenköpfle” once and for all with a fresh Brigade. On the night of the 01./02.11.1942 a Soviet company, reinforced with heavy machine-guns, managed to bypass the left flank of the German Bataillon and attack it from the rear, penetrating the defensive perimeter as dawn broke.

Leutnant Helmer, ordnance officer in the Bataillon, had the mission of restoring contact with the cut off elements of the Bataillon. However the aforementioned Soviet Kompanie soon appeared between the Bataillon command post and the left Kampfgruppe, and had furthermore cut all the wire links to the Kampfgruppe. In order to deal with this critical situation for the whole Bataillon, Helmer rallied a handful of pack animal leaders, messengers and cooks in the vicinity and launched a swift thrust into the flank of the Soviets on his own initiative. He was able to virtually wipe them out in close combat and restore contact with the left wing of the Bataillon.

Now Helmer continued to direct the defensive battle in the area from a forward command post. A force of four oncoming Soviet battalions crashed against the German positions on the hill a total of five times, however each time they were pushed back with counterthrusts. After seven hours of battle the attacking Soviet brigade had been defeated, and at 11:30 Helmer was able to report the following message…

“Attack repulsed! The Schwabenköpfle is firmly in our hands. Original positions remain occupied!”

Helmer would be awarded the Knight’s Cross for his role in bringing about this defensive victory.