Brinkforth, Hubert, born 15-04-1916 in Marl was a non-commissioned officer of the Wehrmacht during the World War II. Hubert served as a gunner in the 14th Company (Antitank Defense) / 25th Infantry Regiment / 2nd Infantry Division
under command of General Josef Harpe, during the Battle of France, in heavy defensive fighting near Abbeville, his regiment was ordered to take an advanced position and secure the beachhead, 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from the main battle line. On the southern outskirts of Huppy, its 3.7 cm Pak 36 gun repelled a British tank attack on 27-05-1940. He managed to destroy 11 enemy British tanks over the course of the 20-minute battle. For this achievement he was promoted to Gefreiter and received the Iron Cross 2nd Class of Adolf Hitler himself. General Erich von Manstein
also nominated him for the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross. He became the first soldier to receive the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross.
At the time of the ceremony with the 25th Rifle Regiment, which was already part of the 12th Panzer Division. Brinkforth received the Knight’s Cross on 01-04-1941 from General Josef Harpe
at the training grounds in the Tucheler Heide.
In the course of the morning, the Führer presented Obergefreiter Brinkforth in the Reich Chancellery personally with the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross.



Brinkforth became a Obergefreiter in March of 1941, promoted to Unteroffizier on 01-07-1941.
Death and burial ground of Brinkforth Hubert.





He died on 05-06-1942, in battle, in Pogostje, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. He was buried at the Sologubovka Military Cemetery, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Block 4, Row 12, Grave 1184..


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