Germany – Third Reich: The excellent small document group to Knight’s Cross recipient Unteroffizier later Lieutenant of the Reserve Arnold Huebner, I/Flak Regiment who was one of only two other ranks to receive the Knight’s Cross in the North Africa theatre. He would destroy eight tanks within a few minutes during the attempted British breakthrough at Halfaya Pass on 16th June 1941, and would destroy a further eight near Badie on 18th November 1941 whilst attached to the 21st Panzer Division. Huebner’s total score as a gun aimer was 24 Tanks and an Artillery Battery. He would be awarded the Knight’s Cross on 7th March 1942, and returning to Germany in October 1942 would see service against the Allied Forces in Normandy before being taken Prisoner by the Americans at the end of the war.
Award Certificate:
Luftwaffe Ground Assault Badge awarded at Wiesbaden as an Unteroffizier on 27th August 1943.
Documents:
1) Promotion Certificate to the rank of Wachtmeister (Sergeant) on 30th March 1944
2) Document commemorating the second reunion of members of the Afrika Korps in Stuttgart in September 1952. Signed by the widow of Field Marshall Rommel and by Lieutenant General (retired) Fritz Bayerlein.
Bayerlein had received the Knights Cross on 26th December 1941, the Oakleaves on 8th July 1943 and the Swords on 20th July 1944.
Photo:
A 10cm x 15 cm signed photograph of the recipient posing in tropical uniform as a Corporal wearing the Knights Cross.
Arnold Huebner served from September 1940 until October 1942 with I/Flak Regiment. 33 (trop) in North Africa, these period only interrupted by training courses in Germany. On 16th June 1941 his was positioned at Hill 208 between Capuzzo and Sidi Aziz, where the British forces tried to break through the Halfaya Pass (operation “Battleaxe”). This action was unsuccessful as the British did not manage to pass Hill 208.
Huebner destroyed 8 British Tanks here within a few minutes. On 18th November 1941 his unit was attached to the 21st Panzer Division near Bardia. Here he destroyed another 8 Tanks. His total score as gun-aimer was 24 Tanks and an Artillery Battery. The Knights Cross was awarded to him on 7th March 1942, resulting him being the first Corporal in the Afrika Korps to receive the award.
In 1942 he was transferred to Germany. After his home leave, he was sent to Stolpmunde anti-aircraft artillery school for a Huebner was soon released from the course. Because of an accident, Huebner was transferred to the Flak Replacement Department 9 as an instructor. By 1944 he was serving in the area of Tours in France and would end up involved in the fighting against Allied troops after the invasion of Normandy.
He would complete a weapon master’s course in Halle and shortly afterwards would undertake an Officer’s course. He would be moved to Nuremberg with a battery from the anti-aircraft department and would end up organising the defence of the city using anti-aircraft guns on behalf of the city commander. After the city was surrounded, he managed to escape, and retreating across the Danube, would be taken Prisoner of War by the Americans on 5th May 1945, only once he had been captured did he learn he’d been commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Reserve on 1st May 1945.
After his release from captivity he settled in Western Germany and worked as a master electrician in Gelsenkirchen-Buer, where he lived until he died in 1981.
He was one of only two enlisted men to be awarded the Knight’s Cross for actions in North Africa, the other being Gunter Halm.
During his service he would also be awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class, Iron Cross 1st Class, Luftwaffe Flak Badge, Cuff Title ‘Afrika’, Italo-German African Campaign Medal
