Busch, Ernst Bernard Wilhelm, born 06-07-1885 in Essen-Steele, 
Germany, the son of the orphanage director in Essen-Steele, Wilhelm Ernst Busch. He began his military career at the age of twelve when he entered the Bensberg cadet institute in 1897. In 1901 he moved to the Prussian main cadet school in Groß-Lichterfelde,
where he passed his Abitur in 1904 and was then accepted into the Prussian army as an ensign. Busch served on the Western Front during World War I. He was awarded the Pour le Mérite 
in 1918. Busch was a bon vivant and liked first class red wine and riding horse. After the war, Busch remained in the army and was appointed Inspector of Transport Troops in 1925. He was promoted in 1930 to Oberstleutnant and given command of the Infantry Regiment No. 9. Busch served under Wilhelm List 
during the Invasion of Poland of 1939, and the following year he led the German Sixteenth Army during the Western Offensive. 
He was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross 
by Adolf Hitler (did you know) (see William Hitler) for his efforts. Busch here with Generaloberst Franz Halder
Germany, the son of the orphanage director in Essen-Steele, Wilhelm Ernst Busch. He began his military career at the age of twelve when he entered the Bensberg cadet institute in 1897. In 1901 he moved to the Prussian main cadet school in Groß-Lichterfelde, where he passed his Abitur in 1904 and was then accepted into the Prussian army as an ensign. Busch served on the Western Front during World War I. He was awarded the Pour le Mérite in 1918. Busch was a bon vivant and liked first class red wine and riding horse. After the war, Busch remained in the army and was appointed Inspector of Transport Troops in 1925. He was promoted in 1930 to Oberstleutnant and given command of the Infantry Regiment No. 9. Busch served under Wilhelm List during the Invasion of Poland of 1939, and the following year he led the German Sixteenth Army during the Western Offensive. He was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross by Adolf Hitler (did you know) (see William Hitler) for his efforts. Busch here with Generaloberst Franz Halder 
took part in Operation Barbarossa and succeeded on 08-08-1941 General der Artillerie, Christian Hansen 
as commander of the 16th Army He took Demyansk before taking part in the siege of Leningrad. Despite a counter-attack by the Red Army, Busch’s troops held the line from Staraya Russa to Ostashkov After a brave defence of his position he was promoted to field marshal and gave his command to General der Infanterie, 
Paul Laux. 
On 29-08-1944 Paul Laux crashed during a reconnaissance flight. He died of his injuries on 02-09-1944, age 56. Busch commanded now Army Group Centre in 1943 and 1944 but after the disastrous defeat of June 1944, he was sacked by Hitler early in July 1944 and replaced by Field Marshal der Panzertruppe, Walter Model. 
On 25-01-1945, after Army Group Centre it was encircled in the Königsberg pocket, Army Group Centre was renamed Army Group North, Heeresgruppe Nord, and Army Group A, Heeresgruppe A, became Army Group Centre. The latter formation retained its name until the end of the war in Europe. Busch was recalled in March 1945 when he became head of Army Group Northwest. Along with General der Flieger, Kommandeur der 1st Fallschirmjäger Regiment, Kurt Student
and his 1st Parachute Army 
, Busch had the task of trying to halt the advance of Field Marshal, Bernard Montgomery 
and the Allies into Germany.Death and burial ground of Busch, Ernst Bernard Wilhelm.
Busch surrendered to Montgomery on 03-05-1945,
and died in a prisoner of war camp in Aldershot, England of angina pectoris, on 17-07-1945, age 60. He is buried at Cannock Chase German war cemetery, Staffordshire. Also buried here is SS Obergruppenführer, Chief of the Persönlicher Stab Reichsführer SS, (Himmler’s personal staff), Maximillian von Herff 
and the commander of the 55th Jagdgeschwader, Oberst Alois Stoeckl. 
Message(s), tips or interesting graves for the webmaster: robhopmans@outlook.com
Leave a Reply