Balthasar Woll

Balthasar Woll
Nickname Bobby
Born 1 September 1922
Wemmetsweiler, Germany
Died 18 March 1996 (1996-03-19) (aged 73)
Wemmetsweiler
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branch Waffen SS
Years of service 1941–1945
Rank Oberscharführer
Unit 3rd SS Division Totenkopf
1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
101st SS Heavy Panzer Detachment
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Iron Cross 1st Class
Iron Cross 2nd Class
Eastern Front Medal
Tank Destruction Badge
Wound Badge in Black

Balthasar "Bobby" Woll was a Oberscharführer in the Waffen SS who was also awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. He was born in Wemmetsweiler on 1 March 1922, (died 18 March 1996).[1]

After an apprenticeship as an electrician, he reported on 15 August 1941 as a volunteer for the Waffen SS. He was posted as a machine gunner to the 3rd Company, 1st SS Totenkopf Infantry Regiment. He was wounded during the fighting at the Demyansk Pocket and sent to hospital in Germany. While recovering from his wounds he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd class and the Wound Badge in black, in July 1942.[1]

After his recovery he retrained as a tank gunner and at the end of 1942 posted to the 13th Heavy Tank Company, SS Panzer Regiment 1, 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler where he met his tank commander Michael Wittmann.[1]

By the time of Operation Citadel they were one of the best tank crews in the Division, and in September 1943 was awarded the Iron Cross 1st class, having destroyed 80 tanks and 107 anti tank guns.[1]

He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross in January 1944 the 1st and only tank gunner to receive the award and in October 1944 promoted to Oberscharführer.[1]

When Wittmann was killed in Normandy in 1944, Woll was in command of his own tank and severely wounded, but survived the war.

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References

  1. ^ a b c d e Michael Wittmann and the Waffen SS Tiger Commanders of the Leibstandarte in ... By Patrick Agte p.236

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