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| Original SS-Division Nordland Cuff Title |
The Swede SS-Untersturmführer Hans-Gösta Pehrsson became Commander of the so called Schwedenzug of SS-Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 11 of the 11.SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division Nordland during the battles in the Baltics. He was promoted to SS-Obersturmführer on June 21 1944 and led his company through the retreat from the
Courland to Stettin (Pomerania) and on to
Berlin. One of his fellow soldiers remembered Hans-Gösta Pehrsson this way:
The place was called Trekni. Pehrsson received an order for the 3rd company directly from SS-Brigadeführer Joachim Ziegler: Attack! Conquer one strategically important point and keep it until the last men are alive!' After the attack, once we had driven the enemies away from the upland and occupied their bunkers, only a few men from Pehrsson's company had remained. It was terrible bloodshed, one-on-one. The Russians knew what was at stake and tried to use all possible means to reconquer the upland. For four days we tried to stay strong and beat off the enemy's attacks. On the fifth day we had to retreat. Pehrsson's command point was about 100 meters behind the bunker line. I'll never forget the moment he saw us. He yelled: Cowards, go back!, and then he led his MG to attack and we followed him. We surprised the Russians, who were certain of their win, with 12 men. Russians had not seen it coming and we managed to capture more than 100 Russians [October 16-19 1944]. Pehrsson was promoted to SS-Hauptsturmführer on April 15 1945 and became deputy commander and Ic (intelligence section) of Nordlands HQ's staff. He was captured by the Soviets during the final
Battle of Berlin, but managed to escape and returned back to Sweden in the summer of 1945. Waffen-SS commander Hans-Gösta Pehrsson ended the war having been awarded a row of decorations; the Iron Cross First Class, Close Combat Clasp in Silver, Wound Badge in Silver, Panzer Assault Badge in Silver, Infantry Assault Badge and the rare Honour Roll Clasp of the Army. Top image: Hans-Gösta Pehrsson as SS-Untersturmführer of
Panzergruppe Saalbach on the Estonian front in the spring of 1944. National Archives of Norway.
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ReplyDeleteIn this photos you can also see the Danish Front Fighters Badge on the Swedish combat officer's right pocket.
ReplyDeletePehrsson is here seen wearing the 2nd lt collar patches and shoulder stripes. Awards include both iron crosses, black wound badge and infantry assault badge. Fighting in Estonia and Courland on the shores of the Baltic meant the Swede could almost see home but he intended to stay until the end.
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