BUCK Friedrich Oberscharführer Buck, Friedrich * 30.01.1922 Friedensthal, Krs. Ackermann + 25.09.2015 Awarded Knights Cross: 27.01.1945 as: Oberscharführer Führer 5./KavRgt 15 "Florian Geyer" Signed Postwar photo measuring 4” x 6” He was also one of only 631 men to be awarded the very rare Close Combat Clasp in Gold for 50 days hand to hand combat, only one of 98 who were awarded both the Knights Cross and CCCG September 1941, Buck reported for service in the Elite. After completing his training he was assigned to the Regiment "Der Fuhrer" in 1942 as a machine gunner. In the next few months, under the command of Otto Kumm , he will be deployed mainly in the contested Rshew area In June 1942, a separate division was formed from all available Elite rider units, which was allocated to many Volksdeutsche. Buck was transferred to the newly formed Florian Geyer division. In many struggles, he was one of the few experienced soldiers in the division, with Buck being assigned to the SS Cavalry Regiment 15 of the new Elite Cavalry Division , later renamed to the 8th Cavalry Division, Florian Geyer , After training, the division was deployed from September 1942 onwards in the front sections of Demidov and Welish, where the trained cavalry were used here mostly for infantry. Equipped with numerous horses, the units of the division served partly as a so-called "fire brigade" because of the mobility in rough terrain. In the winter of 1942, the division in the Medvedowo area was in a strong mode of defense and suffered severe losses. Buck himself, meanwhile leader of the troop, was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class and the Sturmabzeichen for his assignments in the area of Welikie Luki, the Rshew-Bogen and Orel in 1943. Buck quickly gained a special reputation as a squad leader . As a train and commander, he and his comrades attacked enemy artillery positions and performed reconnaissance missions. After the heavy losses of the division in the Ukraine , the division deployed to Hungary. At that time, he already wore the 1st Class Iron Cross and was wounded at least five times. He also destroyed numerous enemy armored cars . Fortress Budapest Bucks Division, among other things, was together with the 22nd Volunteer Cavalry Division since the company "Panzerfaust" in Budapest. On the 25th of December, Budapest was completely enclosed. In the resulting boiler, surrounded by nearly 200,000 Bolsheviks of the Red Army, there were 800,000 remaining inhabitants, including 33,000 German and 37,000 Hungarian soldiers of the 3rd Hungarian Army under the command of the SS Obergruppenfiihrer and General of the Police Karl Pfeffer-Wildenbruch and General Iván Hindy . Fought to defend Budapest In January 1945, Frederick Buck, chief superior of the 5th Squadron of the Cavalry Regiment 18, fought in the Budapest kettle, where he was awarded the Knights Cross. The Donauschwabe Buck was, along with Arthur Phleps,were the only recognized Rumanian-German knight-cross-bearer of the Waffen SS . On February 12, 1945, the remaining German units attacked the Budapest Battle and attempted to blow the kettle to reach their own lines. Buck personally stood at the head of his company. Although some 800 men were able to break out of the entire division, Buck was seriously wounded in the attack. In this way, he got into Soviet war . Because of the severity of his 7th wound, he was already released at the end of 1945. Price: $45.00 Please contact us before ordering to confirm availability and shipping costs. Buy now with your credit card other ways to buy