Karl Torley

Karl Torley
Born	(1913-10-16)16 October 1913 Iserlohn
Died	19 July 1943(1943-07-19) (aged 29) Kalynivka, Ukraine
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1935–1944
Rank	Oberstleutnant (Posthumously)
Commands held	I./Infanterie-Regiment 60 (mot.)
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of France Invasion of Yugoslavia Operation Barbarossa Battle of Brody (1941) Battle of Kiev (1941) Battle of Voronezh (1942) Battle of the Caucasus
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Karl Torley (16 October 1913 – 19 July 1943) was a highly decorated Oberstleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II, and one of only 882 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Karl Torley was killed on 19 July 1943 in Kalynivka, Ukraine. He was posthumously promoted to Oberstleutnant

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Eastern Front Medal
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 23 November 1941 as Oberleutnant and commander of 2./Infanterie-Regiment 60
  • 132nd Oak Leaves on 11 October 1942 as Hauptmann and commander of 1./Infanterie-Regiment 60 (mot.)

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht