Iron Cross 1st Class : SS Rottenfuhrer W Karle, 1 SS Infantry Brigade

Iron Cross Second Class, 1939. Unnamed as issued. A straight bladed pin and loop catch are mounted vertically on the reverse of the medal.

[Full text is available in the attached document] Born on 14 March 1923, Wilhelm Karle volunteered for service in the Waffen SS at Nurnberg on 4 June 1940. After completing his training, Karle was posted to a signals company before being transferred to Debica in East Poland for infantry training. After completing his infantry course, he was posted to the 10th Company, 10th Infantry Regiment of the 1st SS Infantry Brigade. This unit was based at Kracow, Poland where it was being brought up to strength with men and materials.

On 23 July 1941, the unit moved into German occupied territories in Russia where they began operations in the rear areas of German Army Group South. They fought against Red Army units that had been cut off by the rapid German advance and Partisan units. During this period, the Brigade had taken 7000 prisoners of war. In early August 1941, the brigade was involved in heavy fighting against partisan forces in the Pinsk Marshes. The 10th Infantry Regiment killed or captured over 800 partisans, but sustained heavy casualties.

By the middle of August, the 1st SS Infantry Brigade were operating in the rear areas of the German 17th Army Corps and crossed the Dnieper River near Kiev soon after. During the fighting in Kiev, Karle sustained his first wound.