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| Major Walter Fromm, KC, Kom. I./FlaK-Regiment 33 (Mot. FlaK Regiment) {Hauptman (Captain) when Awarded KC in NA} |  |
Hauptman Walter Fromm Battr. Chef. I./FlaK Rgt.33 at Tripoli Harbor February 19, 1941... here with Rommel
Fromm being awarded the Knights Cross on July 5, 1941
WALTER FROMM
Born on February 2, 1910 in Dingelstadt, Erft District, Thuringia.
Ultimate rank: Major.
Last service position: Commanding officer of the 69th Motorized Flak Regiment
Knight's Cross on July 9, 1941 while commanding officer of I. Bat./FlaK-Regiment 33 (mot.) or I Battalion, 33rd Motorized Flak Regiment with the rank of Hauptmann (Captain).
Walter Fromm entered the Hannover-Munden Police Academy at the age of 18. In 1935 he was assigned to the anti-aircraft forces. Fromm saw action in Spain with the Condor Legion and during the campaign in Western Europe he served as regimental adjutant with the 202./FlaK-Regt. or 202nd Flak Regiment. In October 1940 Fromm became the commanding officer of I./FlaK-Regiment 33 Mot. or I Battalion, 33rd Motorized Flak Regiment.
Fromm and his men first stepped onto African soil on February 19, 1941. During the Battle of Sollum his battalion, operating in a ground role, destroyed 92 enemy tanks in three days, including a large number of Mark II heavy tanks. Fromm was decorated with the Knight's Cross for this success.
During the German winter advance of 1941, Fromm was badly wounded in the storming of EI Hamid and was forced to leave Africa. He subsequently took command of the 697./FlaK Bat. (Trop) or 697th Flak Battalion (tropical) in Furth, where he trained replacement flak soldiers for Africa.
As Instruction Group Commander at Air Warfare School VI at Kitzingen, Fromm was also responsible for training upcoming flak officers. In August Fromm, by now a Major, requested and was given command of the 69th Motorized Flak Regiment at Marseille. His unit was responsible for anti-aircraft defense of the area from the Rhone down to the Italian border.
Following the allied landings in southern France Fromm was captured by French troops on August 27, 1944. He endured a series of serious humiliations at the hands of the French and several attempts were made to steal his Knight's Cross.
Fromm was released from prison detention in 1951. The following year he rejoined the police. He was active an active member of the German veterans of North Africa and organized the 7th reunion of the German Afrikakorps in Munster.
Bibliography
Knights Cross Holders of the AFRIKAKORPS by Franz Kurowski, Schiffer
François de Lannoy also has a list of the NA Knights Cross winners in his book AFRIKAKORPS from Heimdal
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