Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)

Unit:

Führer 2./Pionier-Bataillon 158

Awarded on:

September 2nd, 1944

On the 25.07.1944 Leutnant Pikrot and his Pionier-Kompanie found themselves attached to the hard-pressed 225. Infanterie-Division, defending on its right flank and dead in the path of a Soviet assault spearhead. Pikrot and his Pioniere managed to separate the Soviet infantry from the tanks and allow the latter to overrun them. They then knocked out 16 of the attacking 28 tanks in close combat and forced the rest to retreat.

Pikrot and his Kompanie thus prevented a Red Army breakthrough here, one which (if successful) would have caused the collapse of the whole defensive front of the 225. Infanterie-Division. In recognition of this feat Pikrot would be decorated with the Knight’s Cross.