april april austrian born division commander german_army world war recipients knight oak leaves commissioned shortly outbreak world war served austro hungarian forces eastern italian fronts company commander world war decorated times bravery leadership wounded occasions finishing war immediately war served militia formed resist incorporation home town newly created kingdom serbs served absorbed transferred german_army commanded anti tank battalion invasion poland awarded 2nd 1st class promoted intervention friend adjutant command served france transferred north_africa command rifle regiment awarded knight leadership soldiers captured new_zealand troops days later precipitated successful mass escape prisoner war collection point briefly commanded light division late wounded recovered sent eastern commanded 12th 12th division east taking 25th regiment brigade headquarters transferred promoted received oak leaves outstanding commitment leadership soviet winter commanded later appointed train command croatian infantry division led fighting yugoslav partisans dying wounds inflicted month war austrian barracks named early life career born austro hungarian empire father german farmer mother maria née partially heritage twin brother killed action near present day ukraine child spoke german hungarian remained fluent life entering cadet school vienna accepted described slim muscular metres tall graduated august posted recently 4th formed world war purely regiment wore mountain cap german badge 22nd regiment eastern marched area position river baptism fire attack russians august received inadequate artillery support suffered heavy casualties wounded shot chest spent time military hospital employed regimental replacement battalion instructor april known activities period involved heavy fighting winter temperatures dropped june received orders transferred southern italy entered war central powers previous month order following morning russians launched offensive region austrians suffered immediately committed battle army commander general der lieutenant general later stated courage stopped russians led fighting especially company formed regimental rear guard withdrawal river june point parts damaged train build defensive position wounded times fighting remained soldiers actions demonstrated personal bravery awarded military merit cross 3rd class german und italian late september transferred valley southern promoted lieutenant placed command 2nd company fairly quiet winter followed austrians undertook reconnaissance italian positions took prisoners captured weapons august italian troops captured advanced position kilometre southwest metres peak rocky called position italians overlooked positions rear areas movement impossible group commander colonel tasked company capture allowed determine best way complete mission january february cadet sergeant italian position night dominated ground protected barbed wire february located narrow channel considered approach exposing assault force italian fire plan involved silent attack company channel artillery preparation warn italians impending assault days delay caused heavy attack commenced february approach march foot men disappeared neck snow snow filled depressions depth snow meant march channel took hours instead thirty minutes estimated reached channel climb high smooth ice wall enter highly experienced unable scale company assembled channel dawn beginning break threatening expose assembled force flanking italian positions came forward carrying trunk grows tree line alps trunk reach channel troops able enter help troops glow candles italian position assault took italians completely surprise officers soldiers surrendered loss dead including officer wounded italian response concentrate available artillery fire position exposed direct italian fire austrians exposed position deep snow extremely cold winds altitude metres day company lost dead seriously wounded night february italians commenced days unsuccessful carried consecutive waves weeks starting february member italian 11th line near described experiences diary march prior withdrawal company wounded face italian hand grenade company relieved april men leadership assault awarded order iron crown 3rd class italians companies lost men assault force consisting battalions lost officers men april regiment deployed austrian spring offensive awarded bronze military merit medal ribbon german der mit leading successful attack italian position end june regiment transported rail reinforce austro hungarian forces hard pressed july regiment fire brigade helped prevent penetration russian offensive pass task completed regiment promptly transferred fight italians southern regiment arrived august remained late autumn fighting 8th 9th 10th 11th battles october wounded hospitalised recovered assigned regimental replacement battalion spring months summer employed instructor preparing young officers service january awarded silver military merit medal ribbon august appointed command machine gun company served subsequent advance river november regiment establish instrumental rallying troops regiment came heavy fire landed italian river leadership crucial stage river crossing awarded bar silver military merit medal began preparatory course future attendance german vienna war ended posted wars war nationalism largely absent officers changed war end war propaganda combined wider aspirations encourage nationalist sentiment cases resulted mutiny units months war states succeed austria-hungary approved allies october dual monarchy austria-hungary dissolved days later new nation states emerged territory belonging realm nationalist movements called greater autonomy independence divided new states german austria exact line new border unclear november returned hometown important railway junction point economic importance sides occupied city december served adjutant 1st battalion militia arms provided provincial government unsuccessful attempt recapture forces ensure remained german austria provincial government supported actions subsequently issued warrant ordering arrest treason despite failure actions important demonstrating negotiating final border towns northern bank river german treaty saint signed later retained austrian republic accepted new german joining 11th rapidly promoted captain october posted 5th battalion deployed assist transfer region hungary austria changed according biographers time austrian police wanted speak alleged arms trafficking offences decision change related police inquiries married child born year promoted rank major having worked frontier italy trained border guards proving accomplished passed examinations general staff july appointed honorary citizen german town years 5th attended ski courses mountain leadership courses developed interest automotive technology briefly served military headquarters february following year placed general staff officer list posted headquarters promotion lieutenant colonel followed year son entered military cadet school march following absorbed rank german_army troop officer general staff officer mid august attended training armoured troops school south berlin given command 42nd anti tank battalion 2nd light division soon moved join leaving year old cadet school graduation world war poland france commanded brigadier september invasion poland division involved difficult fighting central poland following month awarded 2nd class winter 2nd reclassified converted 7th division preparation invasion france low countries february arrived command division remained charge invasion got battalion fought suffered casualties battle trying stop heavily armoured tanks anti tank guns soldiers derided guns tank door failure penetrate tanks battalion tried protect exposed flank division overrun situation saved anti aircraft guns field artillery able knock british tanks direct fire received reports personal courage battle recognised aspects subordinate leadership style mirrored june promoted june awarded 1st class french surrender attached division 25th regiment gain knowledge armoured tactics december appointed command 7th rifle regiment division remain division long transferred command replaced difficulty working remained command 7th rifle regiment occupation duties southwestern france germany division preparation invasion soviet_union intervention adjutant major posted new role germany raising headquarters service north_africa despite difference age rank wives firm friends formation battalions drawn north_africa august raised newly promoted general der placed command handed soon followed battalions regiment north_africa arriving early september found equipped having furnished vehicles anti tank guns battalion considered sufficient attack defensive positions completely inadequate mobile operations september regiment joined siege taking positions end october composite special purpose division prepared attack fortress strong british reconnaissance force reported far south moving west egyptian border placed command sent meet british force consisted regiment arrived theatre heavy weapons insufficient ammunition vehicles following day deployed high ground airfield afternoon british armoured cars tanks appeared force hard pressed hold positions barring british approach south south east little tank support available face superior force fought hard known commander forward rallying troops thick counter attacks launched regain ground troops captured elements november captured troops mainly days guard temporary collection point observed elements 15th division travelling returning sortie rear british assault prisoners war surrounded largely symbolic barbed wire fence addition small guard force makeshift camp surrounded scattered british headquarters units approached officer charge watching progress german tanks knocked ground seeing german soldiers subdued guards took foot nearby german column taking keys vehicle drove distant german tanks warn approaching men staff soon actions british soon lifted siege regiment acted rearguard withdrawal axis forces december previously strong regiment muster seven officers men withdrawal ally friend killed vehicle accident commander newly renamed killed allied air raid december appointed temporarily command division december wounded head hand remained post recommended knight leadership duly awarded december harsh conditions desert warfare begun affect health end december sent home leave eastern 12th march appointed command 12th eastern division main reserve formation joined brigade headquarters located coast near west 12th consisted 5th 25th subordinate formation general der 18th army fought penetrated deep area operations attempt relieve arrived command elements command fighting total 18th army engaged destroying cut soviet units able start gather brigade end june collecting organising brigade received news son seriously wounded leg axis capture pioneers decorated 1st class july 12th division finally concentrating near kilometres south east brigade reclassified brigade found change mildly amusing noting transport consisted mainly peasant train carriages attacked task regiments battalions conducting series tank infantry operation exercises august september visited hospital naples leave returned find brigade fire brigades frustrated complained staff appear purpose usually bypassed division commander staff october able collect scattered troops arrange transported south area west near boundary time apparent brigade headquarters employed originally intended brigade staff divisions 25th regiment command remained 12th division taking 25th regiment commander fallen ill new area concentrated training getting know men conducting anti partisan operation named november lacking experience counter regiment achieved little concentrated troops efforts securing winter quarters building shelters regiment vehicles kilometres east soviet forces threatening break november 12th received orders march march east undertaken freezing conditions heavy snow difficult men lit small rear trucks warm clear snow roads initially ordered south east soon changed east reached marched ordered turn north help stop soviet breakthrough south head division 25th regiment attacked route march elements holding village fighting continued extreme cold december forward directing battle ended destruction soviet tank rifle brigades area days rest december regiment marched north east stop soviet forces moving river valley difficult terrain weather conditions regiment exhausted constant fighting changed hands december fighting escalated forces sector reinforced forced temporarily withdraw surrounding forest fierce fighting continued 12th division detached short notice january divisional staff reported brave leadership fighting january division time headed north west january received orders report berlin february reluctant lose outstanding regimental commander formal assessment november assessed having command division supplemented january bravery command 25th regiment january arrived leave visit wife spent months officers reserve pool german march promoted days later recipient knight recognition outstanding commitment commander 25th regiment winter modest habits rarely worn knight cross usually wearing ribbon neck merely added device ribbon time opportunity meet mentor attended course divisional commanders referred fool course early summoned berlin advised entrusted command 11th division absence suffering heart problems despite good news appointed divisional command expressed disappointment allocated division need organisation fully equipped strength modern division 11th division took command finished rebuilding suffering losses attempted relief december battle february march formed general der operation control component prior launching targeting soviet corps southwest line main assault southern aimed cutting forces attack north areas west link attack south region afternoon july successfully conducted preliminary operation breach minefields secure heights overlooking nearly kilometres deep soviet defensive positions near essentially series defensive positions minefields reinforced anti tank weapons division achieved objectives preliminary operation commenced main assault july advanced right flank left powerful progress hampered minimal air support difficult terrain constant soviet fighting alongside led captured heavily fortified village evening july breached belt formidable soviet defences division reached river north northeast kilometres short objective set july bridge night july continued advance july alongside days divisions overcame resistance series soviet desperate july reached position east road heights kilometres south having defeated advanced elements soviet 10th point previously rough terrain opened aid men division vast plain planned meet northern stalled north heavy fighting gained northern penetration soviet achieved operation twice days attempted punch soviet defences north east corps fought tanks ordered attack upper reaches kilometres east followed captured divisions link defeat soviet forces concentrated july orders cancelled week division fought defensive battles conflict arose subordinate commanders key staff support style leadership modelled mentor nearly week division bore soviet attacks july wrote letter stated wished battalion regimental commander deal large day told day expect return command instead spent weeks commanding heavy fighting soviet attacks finally august received message advising relieved arrived day days later returned disappointed felt good impression fighting retained commander division reason relief unclear performance commanding division markedly worse comparable divisional commanders preceding battles possible army headquarters decided better suited fighting insurgents native balkans especially given local languages yugoslavia new division weeks leave sent austria train command croatian infantry division appointed command august according biographers aware appointed temporarily command earlier year got disappointment given permanent command division commencing august assembled trained austria croatian division raised service following sister divisions infantry regiment divisional artillery regiment formed infantry regiment signals battalion pioneer battalion built german officers specialists soldiers regular army croatia croatian troops included young officers division commanded germans battalion company level nearly cases commonly referred division division wore uniform shield upper right sleeve right steel helmet originally intended use eastern long formation germans decided division utilised outside observed given experience balkan languages suitable command division months whip division shape ensure equipped staffed tasks lay ahead soon croatian soldiers familiar tall frame commander austro hungarian decorations familiar wore spoke language training remarked assembled officers gentlemen know discussing win war fought fronts come russia clear victory tolerate discussions career officers joined guaranteed win war fight victory guaranteed duty fight means inevitable doom fight chance victory pointless serves damage possible germany preventing advance communist oriented partisans north struggle comments extremely dangerous know officers officers men court shot similar revealed speaker believe ultimate victory recognised difficulties faced volunteers allegiance divided regime partisans young officer world war commanded croatian soldiers knew brave fighters war served multi ethnic army austrian officers spoke german understand understood contrast new command consisted croatian soldiers hardly understood german patriotism assumed saw german discipline standards second order business main role officers maintain fight despite headquarters fortunate der commander divisional reconnaissance battalion served africa decided needed reliable proven officer divisional chief operations arranged promoted major appointed lead operations staff days later arrived fresh eastern served operations departments corps army level experience working brave difficult commanders introduction abrupt general angry having left chief operations long approach command way place guns maintain division time time speak telephone radio understanding good order contact grand jerusalem lived berlin request division division included company infantry battery artillery staffed muslims soon arrived departed leave christmas new year period leaving arrange rail transport division initial deployment area southwest initial clearing operations division deployed rail january combat partisans western parts puppet state known german croatian deployment view adriatic task known partisans focused securing adriatic coastline croatian including islands inland task included securing crucial supply route areas particular port largely dominated partisans italian capitulation autumn division placed command headquarters established division responsibility security railway line 1st division completed lead elements pressed service clear partisans nearby village arrived train january met station informed ready decide time attack partisan forces besieging garrison near launched response shook hand according spell broken time chief operations good working relationship operation involved drive southwest january initially led engagements croatian soldiers panicked german leaders quickly wounded killed went forward ensured troops pressed home attacks january relieved advance continued south villages area secured bodies killed recovered found stripped equipment found naked success operation gave inexperienced soldiers greater confidence commanders followed operation push coast forcing passes mountain range passes metres sea level snow knee thigh deep delayed mines division captured passes ensuring troops worked carefully order casualties days fighting began urge advance faster resisted knowing division inexperienced followed series engagements road coast close quarter fighting captured destroyed division supply dump northwest secured allocated task securing coastline coast far southward village directed secure divisional supply route started improving bases road including italian forts established passes spread coastline supported elements divisional artillery pioneers began building fortifications feared allied invasion troops linked responsible coast southeast supply situation quickly difficult partisan route allied bombing coastal shipping harbour fighting late february early march supported battalion advanced south stopped deep snow partisans attacked supply lines killing soldiers bodies dead soldiers looted mutilated captured battalion independently pursued partisans returned looted items march occupied adriatic islands encountering partisan resistance month conducted operation river valley assisted enforcing conscription orders population divisional area spring lightly armed mobile hunter teams company battalion strength conduct follow sightings partisans transport moving travel convoy security division able restore land connection garrison reliant supply sea italian surrender drove partisan battalions outskirts difficulties faced division fighting mountains lack mountain artillery accompany battalions field divisional artillery equipped field range kilometres seriously limited artillery cover provided mobile operations march occupied adriatic islands encountering partisan resistance month conducted operation river valley assisted enforcing conscription orders population divisional area spring lightly armed mobile hunter teams company battalion strength conduct follow sightings partisans transport moving travel convoy security division able restore land connection garrison reliant supply sea italian surrender drove partisan battalions outskirts difficulties faced division fighting mountains lack mountain artillery accompany battalions field divisional artillery equipped field range kilometres seriously limited artillery cover provided mobile operations april promoted identified partisan 13th division valley huge hiding captured italian arms ammunition villages fake graves major concern feared allied landing mid april ordered blow clear area parts supported divisional artillery battalion weeks division pushed partisan 13th division north area captured sufficient material equip divisions including tons small arms ammunition tons artillery ammunition attacked area captured village partisans road response planned operation morning star clear partisan forces region elements croatian infantry division regiment battalion 1st regiment units involved according german sources resulted significant partisan losses including killed captured capturing weapons ammunition vehicles animals large amounts equipment efforts operation division received mention armed forces daily radio broadcast division received german reinforcements formed field replacement battalion population areas secured division high proportion serbs situation arisen area austro hungarian empire ottoman_empire division secured area responsibility clear members division war raging serbs roman catholic serbian orthodox churches destroyed elements division observe smoke valleys occupied serbs investigation find burned houses dead wounded civilians attacks summoned croatian civil military leadership divisional area headquarters meantime ordered battalions division away positions eastern croatian officials arrived headquarters protested exposed attack shouted officers soldiers murderers threatened withdraw division coast leaving area croatian swore perpetrators attacks punished ensure occur future kept garrisons populated valleys weeks order protect serbs neighbours division saw action partisans end war fighting alongside grouping units numbered troops death legacy months war division engaged defence northern adriatic coast april city fell partisans following day desperate fighting control pass mountains personally took fighting shot head noon transported hospital tank died following day chief operations officer described giant stature lean muscular despite years demanding commander demanding stated frequently forefront fighting carrying austrian armed forces barracks named continuously years september promotions august major january june march april awards decorations austria-hungary military 3rd class october order iron crown 3rd class march military merit medal bravery bronze august 1st silver january 2nd silver january september stripes march bravery december special cross bravery april medal merit gold october 2nd class october 1st class june bronze september black december infantry july knight oak leaves knight cross december commander march commander
Johann Mickl