Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant-colonel)

Unit:

Kommandeur III./Infanterie-Regiment "Großdeutschland"

Awarded on:

July 19th, 1940

Awarded the Knight’s Cross for his Bataillon’s achievements during Operation “Niwi”, the airlanding operation behind Allied lines conducted on the 10.05.1940 with Fi 156 Storchs. 98 such aircraft were to fly 400 German soldiers behind enemy lines to capture two important villages. The northern group was to capture Nives. The southern group (commanded by Garski himself) had Witry as its objective.

The first aircraft containing Garski and a few other soldiers made it to a meadow near Witry. However most of the followup aircraft were delayed and ended up following stragglers of the northern group. Thus Garski’s initial force only consisted of Garski himself, his adjutant, the combat clerk, the ordnance officer, a Zugführer, five men and two machine guns. 60 km separated these men from their ground relief.

After capturing some Belgian vehicles, reinforcements finally arrived at 08:00 in the shape of two Züge with 80 men altogether. With these the defensive front was improved by occupying the village of Traimont with a front to the west opposite Neufchateau. Several enemy patrols were captured in the process. Additional reinforcements, including mortars and anti-tank rifles, arrived over the course of the next several hours.

Following the capture of Witry itself, and the fending off of some Belgian armoured cars, a patrol arrived from the northern group. Garski issued Krüger’s unit an order to take the high ground near Witry, wherein his mortars would provide some limited support. The attack started at 13:20, and by 14:45 it was successfully concluded.

The GD soldiers now fought further towards the east. They entered the village of Fauvillers and cleared it of the Belgian Chasseurs d’Ardennes that were defending it. Shortly after this contact was finally established with the foremost German ground troops, signalling the completion of the operation.

In total the III. Bataillon lost 9 dead, 7 wounded and 3 missing. In return it had delayed the advance of allied reinforcements to the frontline by hours and opened the way to the west for the German ground troops. Its commander would be recognized appropriately for this feat.