Heer KC holder hauptmann Thörner and his Iron Threefoil

[bovec1313]

I've found quite amazing story (and I believe a well known) about British Lieutenant Colonel Jack Churchill and his captor, German hauptmann Johannes Thörner.

Lieutenant Colonel Jack Churchill was a commander of British Two Commando unit in Yugoslavian coast. Thorner, a commander of III/118 Div. had fought heavily with his unit against Churchill and finally defeated and captured him on June 1944. Thomas disregarding a standing order that all Commandos were to be executed and saw to it that prisoners was treated correctly. Before leaving Thorner's care Churchill wrote a letter to the German officer thanking him.

Thorner was subsequently captured by the Americans near Vienna and Yugoslav authorities demanded that he be turned over to them and most likely sentenced to death. To concince the Americans of his good character, Thorner showed them the letter from Churchill. Back home in UK, Churchill guesses that Thorner had probably been take a prisoner and went to Allied authorities and offered to appear in Thorner's defense. A story had a happy end, Thorner wasn't handed over to Yugoslav authorities.

By some luck I come to a passion of a rare document, a decree of highest Croatian order, Order of the Iron Threefoil Class I (a kind of parallel to German KC; however only three (!!!!!) Class I with or without oak branches (for bravery) were awarded to Croatians during WWII; 15 Class II orders, 114 Class III orders and 833 Class IV orders); making this decoration a rarest Croatian military award.)

Thorner was decorated with Order of the Iron Threefoil Class I on October 1944, ''as a recognition for, being a commander of a stronghold on island Brac, after repelled 10 enemy attacks and been left without hand grenades, he had personally leaded his men into attack, and forced enemy together with LieutColonel Churchill, commander of Allied forces on island Vis, to surrender; and thus destroyed supreme enemy who landed on island.''

Decree is signed by Croatian Fürher Ante Pavelic and Minister of Defense Forces Ustasha general Ante Vokic.

I'm posting a picture a famous Churchill letter (from the book Partisans and Guerilas by Ronald H. Baqiley) and Decree from my collection.

[bovec1313]

Decree for Thörner's Order of the Iron Threefoil Class I.