ϟϟ-Untersturmführer der Waffen-SS Günther

Alfred Günther as SS-Hauptscharführer

Alfred Günther from Magdeburg in Sachsen joined the SS-Verfügungstruppe in 1937 and commanded 3.Kompanie of SS-Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 1 of the Leibstandarte SS until 1943. Günther distinguished himself through his extraordinary bravery and ruthless devotion to duty throughout the war. He became the first member of the Assault Gun Battery to be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Günther then joined the schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101 where he later came to command Tiger n°311. Each Panzerkampfwagen Tiger was given a three-figure turret number – the first signified the company, the second the platoon, and the third the individual vehicle number. Alfred Günther was killed aged 27 in Évrecy in Normandy when his tank received a direct hit by an aircraft bomb on June 15 1944. Most sources give his final rank as SS-Hauptscharführer, however he was posthumously promoted to SS-Untersturmführer. John P. Moore also gives his final rank as SS-Untersturmführer in the publication Führerliste der Waffen-SS. Alfred Günther is buried at the German war cemetery of La Cambe in France: Block 30 Row 8 grave 303. Image: Alfred Günther pictured here as a SS-Hauptscharführer after receiving the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on March 3 1943. Photo by SS-KB Johan King. Credit: Bekors. c. Bundesarchiv.