"At the start of February 1944 the Soviets succeeded in penetrating the
lines of a weak friendly flanking screen using their own numerically
superior forces in an attack from the direction of Schazilki. They also
created a bridgehead on the northern bank of the Beresina river. Thus,
on the 06.02.1944, a friendly assault troop operation was set into
motion. The objective of this attack was to recapture the main trench
position of the enemy bridgehead (located along a strongly fortified
railroad embankment), which would remove the danger of this bridgehead
being used as a viable base for future Soviet offensive operations.
During the course of this attack the assault troop to which Gefreiter
Zastrow belonged came under coordinated fire by all weapons of the
foremost Bolshevik bunkers and MG nests. Then, at the decisive moment,
Gefreiter Zastrow’s flamethrower malfunctioned. In this critical moment
for the whole assault troop, Gefreiter Zastrow decided to toss aside his
flamethrower and eliminate a commanding enemy MG position with a box of
grenades that he dragged up to throwing range. A heavy firefight
followed, and although he himself became wounded in the process he
managed to eliminate this Bolshevik MG nest with 16 hand grenades. He
then went into position once again and eliminated a neighboring enemy strong point with well-directed rifle fire (despite coming under heavy
fire himself once again). By doing so he facilitated the approach of his
assault troop against an enemy bunker, and once it had been stormed the
final attack objective was attained. The independent and fearless intervention of Gefreiter Zastrow on this day was decisive for the success that was achieved." from his Knight's Cross to the Iron Cross citation, awarded on March 6, 1944 as Gefreiter of the 2. / Pioniere-Battalion 81 / 45.Infanterie-Division.
Another bold enemy elite,
Brian
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