Wilhelm Beck

Wilhelm Beck
Born 22 December 1919(1919-12-22)
Bitz, Germany
Died 10 June 1944(1944-06-10) (aged 24)
Caen, France
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
Service/branch Waffen-SS
Years of service 1936–1944
Rank Hauptsturmführer
Unit

1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler

12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend
Commands held Battery, Sturmgeschütz Battalion 1st SS Panzer Grenadier Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
2nd Company, 1st SS Panzer Grenadier Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
2nd Company, 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend"
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Iron Cross 1st Class
Iron Cross 2nd Class
Panzer Assault Badge
winterschlacht-Osten
Wound Badge- Silver

Wilhelm Beck (22 December 1919 — 10 June 1944) was a Hauptsturmführer (Captain) in the 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler. He was born on the 22 December 1919 at Bitz in Württemberg Germany. He enlisted in the SS and rose to the rank of Hauptsturmführer being awarded the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd class and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

In 1940 Oberscharführer (Technical Sergeant) Beck served with Michael Wittmann in the LSSAH Sturmgeschütz Battery and by the time of Operation Barbarossa he had been promoted to Unterstrumführer (Second Lieutenant) and given command of a platoon in the Sturmgeschütz (self-propelled artillery/StuG) battery.[1] During the advance to the Black Sea at the port city of Kerson Beck engaged a Russian Gunboat and a Submarine [2] In 1942 the LSSAH Sturmgeschütz (StuG) unit was brought up to battalion strength and Beck was given command of one of the Batteries, the Battalion commander being Max Wünsche.[3]

Beck was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for his actions in the Third Battle of Kharkov, by this time he had been transferred to the II/Battalion of the SS Panzer Regiment 1 LSSAH, Beck and his unit destroyed more than 100 Soviet artillery pieces and over 10 T-34 tanks in 3 weeks of fighting.[4][5] In 1943 Beck was promoted to Hauptsturmfurher and assigned to 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend, as 2nd Company Commander,[6] he was replaced by SS Ostuf Gaede when the Division was moved to France in 1944 and Beck was appointed as the Liaison officer between the LSSAH and 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend, he was killed in a carpet bombing attack by Allied forces near Caen on the 10 June 1944.[7]

Wilhelm Beck is buried at the German Cemetery at La Cambe near Caen, France.

See also

References

  1. ^ Michael Wittman Volume Two By Patrick Agte p.79
  2. ^ Michael Wittman Volume Two By Patrick Agte p.81
  3. ^ Michael Wittman Volume Two By Patrick Agte p.82
  4. ^ The 12th SS By Hubert Meyer p.194
  5. ^ "orion47". Archived from the original on 2009-10-27. http://web.archive.org/web/20091027084643/http://geocities.com/~orion47/. 
  6. ^ SS Officer Personnel File, NARA
  7. ^ Grenadiers By Kurt Meyer p.234

External links