Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Stabsgefreiter (Staff Lance Corporal)

Unit:

Melder 2./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 12

Awarded on:

October 7th, 1944

On the 16.08.1944 the 4. Panzer-Division was launched an attack north of Akmene (Lithuania). It continued into the following day, one on which the Panzergrenadier-Regiment 12 and the I./Panzergrenadier-Regiment began an attack against Vegeri from the southeast. By the early afternoon the village of Rubeni had been captured. But about a kilometre east of here the attack bogged down before a new Soviet Pakfront, and the German troops were forced to go over to the defensive.

Suddenly, during the evening, the men of Panzergrenadier-Regiment 12 came under attack by a force of Soviet infantry and 3 tanks from the rear. At this point Stabsgefreiter Jerschke, currently operating as a messenger, recognized the danger the tanks posed for his comrades and quickly got a hold of some anti-tank weapons. Using the approaching darkness as cover, and with fire support from his comrades, he eliminated all 3 Soviet tanks one after the other with close combat weapons. A few prisoners were also taken.

For his bold actions, which ensured that the attack of the Division could continue the next day as planned, Jerschke would be awarded the Knight’s Cross.