Johannes Kümmel was born in Coswig, Saxony on July 21st of 1909. He
joined the Reichswehr in 1928 and quickly obtained a rank of
Unteroffizer (Junior NCO). Kümmel remained in the military as the
Reichswehr became the new Wehrmacht and in 1938 was transferred to the
newly formed 8th Panzer Regiment of the 10th Panzer Division at
Boblingen near Stuttgart, southwestern Germany. In 1939, he was promoted
to the rank of Oberfeldwebel (First Sergeant) and received the command
of panzer platoon in the 1st Company. He commanded the unit during the
Polish Campaign and was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class on September
27th of 1939. Johannes Kümmel received the award as a recognition for
taking part in numerous operation including knocking out three Polish
light tanks (or probably tankettes). On October 20th of 1939, after the
conclusion of the Polish Campaign, Kümmel was awarded the Iron Cross 1st
Class for knocking out four more enemy tanks during the campaign. Soon
after, he was promoted to the rank of Oberleutnant (First Lieutenant).
On
April 1st of 1940, Johannes Kümmel was promoted to the rank of
Hauptmann (Captain) and received the command of the 1st Company of 8th
Panzer Regiment. During the German offensive in the West of 1940, 10th
Panzer Division was part of Guderian's XIX Panzer Corps, which broke
through at Sedan, fought in the Low Countries and France, finally
reaching the English Channel. Kümmel as the commander of the company
remained at the frontlines and on June 5th of 1940, was slightly wounded
when a mine blew up his tank.
After the defeat of France on June
25th of 1940, Germany was forced to help Italian ally in their
unsuccessful struggle against the British in North Africa. On January
18th of 1941, 8th Panzer Regiment was transferred to the 15th Panzer
Division (formed on February 1st of 1940). The division along with 5th
Leichte (Panzer) Division formed new Deutsches Afrika Korps (German
Africa Corps) commanded by Erwin Rommel, destined for Tripoli. On
February 14th of 1941, leading elements 5th Leichte (Panzer) Division
along with their commander Erwin Rommel landed in Tripoli and were
joined in early May by 15th Panzer Division. Germans found Italians to
be demoralized by the defeats inflicted upon them by British from May of
1940 during fighting in Cyrenaica (Operation Compass). The 8th Panzer
Regiment had 20 Panzerkampfwagen IV, 71 Panzerkampfwagen III and 55
Panzerkampfwagen I, Panzerkampfwagen II and command tanks.
On
June 15th of 1941, British under General Wavell launched Operation
Battleaxe and again fighting took place in Cyrenaica. At Halfaya Pass,
which has been converted to defensive strongpoint, Hauptmann Wilhelm
Bach and his group held his position, while Italian Division Trento held
area Sollum-Capuzzo-Bardia under the command of 15th Panzer Division.
Johannes Kümmel and 8th Panzer Regiment with some 80 tanks were in
reserve between Bardia and Capuzzo. British moved towards Capuzzo and
Sollum, while attacking Bardia with 50 tanks from 7th Armored Division.
The attack was temporarily halted by a single 88mm gun, which destroyed
three leading enemy tanks. The rest of British tanks halted their attack
to regroup and attack again under cover of smoke. This delay allowed
the 8th Panzer Regiment to reach the area of Capuzzo and attack the
enemy with the 1st Panzer Battalion including Kümmel's company with two
short-barrel Panzerkampfwagen IV tanks. They soon knocked-out one
British Matilda II and reinforced by company's Panzerkampfwagen III
tanks continued to fire at the enemy armor. Fierce tank battle resulted
and Johannes Kümmel found himself in the center of it all. During the
battle, panzer commanded by Oberleutnant Peters was hit and he called
Kümmel to ask for covering fire, while leaving their panzer. Johannes
Kümmel soon found himself firing at two enemy tanks, which kept firing
to finish off Peters' panzer. He soon knocked them out and regrouped his
company to attack British anti-tank positions. German panzer destroyed
the enemy positions and the battle soon involved the entire 8th Panzer
Regiment. Then, another group of 20 British Matilda IIs were spotted on
the flank and regiment's commander Hans Cramer ordered Johannes Kümmel
to attack the enemy and protect the flank. With half of his company
including two Panzerkampfwagen IV tanks, Kümmel soon knocked out eight
enemy tanks, putting an end to the British attack. British advance was
halted but both sides suffered heavy losses. Following the action, on
June 18th, Kümmel received his nickname: "Der Löwe von Capuzzo" (The
Lion of Capuzzo) and his tank was decorated with the "roaring lion" by
his fellow soldiers. On July 9th of 1941, Kümmel was awarded the
Knight's Cross following the recommendation by the commander of the 15th
Panzer Division Generalleutnant Neumann-Silkow himself for his heroic
action.
In May of 1942, Johannes Kümmel was given the command of
1st Panzer Battalion in time of the German offensive in Cyrenaica and
into Egypt - Operation Theseus, which was launched on May 26th of 1942.
On June 15th, Kümmel tanks reached the coast and by the evening took
Port Piastrino. On June 21st of 1942, Tobruk garrison surrenders to
Rommel's forces. Following the fall of Tobruk, three more offensive took
place, two launched by the British to drive the Axis out of Egypt and
Cyrenaica and one by the Germans to drive into Egypt. Before the last
British offensive, on October 11th of 1942, Kümmel was awarded the
Oakleaves to his Knight's Cross. In November of 1942, he was given the
command of Panzer Battalion and on December 1st, received a promotion to
the rank of Major. Following his promotion, Kümmel was transferred to
Southern Italy.
Back, in Europe, Kümmel was promoted to the rank
of Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) and was assigned at the
Headquarters of XIV Panzer Corps under General Hans Valentin Hube in
Southern Italy. In October of 1943, he received command of 26th Panzer
Regiment of the 26th Panzer Division, which fought at Salerno and
Cassino areas. On January 30th, Kümmel's regiment was part of the
attacking force, which was to destroy the enemy landing at Anzio-Nettuno
but failed. Second attack on the enemy forces was to take place on
February 27th of 1944, but Kümmel didn't take part in as the day earlier
he was killed in a road accident near Cisterna. On May 20th of 1944,
Johannes Kümmel was posthumously promoted to the rank of Oberst
(Colonel). In his memory, there was a plate erected in his hometown of
Boblingen on April 7th of 1943, honoring Johannes Kümmel as the holder
of Knight's Cross with Oakleaves.
Source :
http://www.achtungpanzer.com/gen13.htm
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