SS-Obersturmführer Gerrit-Jan Pulles

[MPeters]

Hello, I am new here and I am looking for any information on SS-Obersturmführer Gerrit-Jan Pulles (The Netherlands) 3./SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 49. He was born 7 Jan 1923. Does anyone know anything about him or his family, his father was Mayor of Eindhoven in the mid 40's. Also I have found sites that list his name unfortunately my only language is English and that limits me on information since they are in dutch or german.

Than-you Marni

[Richard Schoutissen]

Hello, I am new here and I am looking for any information on SS-Obersturmführer Gerrit-Jan Pulles (The Netherlands) 3./SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 49. He was born 7 Jan 1923. Does anyone know anything about him or his family, his father was Mayor of Eindhoven in the mid 40's. Also I have found sites that list his name unfortunately my only language is English and that limits me on information since they are in dutch or german.

Than-you Marni

Hello MPeters,

SS-Obersturmführer Gerrit-Jan Pulles (Born at Eindhoven, the Netherlands) Missing In Action, last seen wounded, during battle at Pommern in March 1945.

[Marc Rikmenspoel]

Pulles was a Dutchman, as can be guessed by his biographical details already mentioned. His family were NSB supporters, which is how his father got his mayoral position. Pulles was a veteran of the Legion Nederland who graduated from Bad Tölz, and was assigned to the Brigade Nederland. He won the German Cross in Gold on December 18, 1944, for service early in 1944. His recommendation was filed on November 2 of that year, by acting SS-PGR 49 De Ruyter commander and Knight's Cross winner Fritz Bunse. The recommendation mainly cited actions during the retreat from Oranienbaum to the Narva River, with one final action cited on July 2, 1944. Pulles was wounded during the Tannenberg Line fighting in August 1944, and was assigned first to the Nordland Division's Training & Replacement Battalion, and then to SS-FGR 83 of the Landstorm Nederland Brigade. He rejoined the Nederland Brigade/Division in Pomerania in February 1945, upon completing his recovery.Pulles had been promoted to Ostuf. on November 9, 1944.

Pulles was last seen in early March 1945, near Reetz. This is a town in Pomerania, in the Arneswalde area, and PG Division Nederland defended the area following the end of the Sonnenwende offensive, before falling back towards Altdamm. Pulles had been wounded, and unit survivors later told the Red Cross that he was in the vicintity of the Stug. of Dutch Knight's Cross winner Gerardus Mooyman. Pulles disappeared then, and probably died either near Reetz or in the retreat in the following days.

Most of the above comes from Patrick Agte's bookEuropas Freiwillige der Waffen-SS, about the non-German high award winners of the Waffen-SS.

[John P. Moore]

Here is the Vorschlag for his German Cross in Gold as it appears in my "Führerliste der Waffen-SS" publication.

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[John P. Moore]

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[John P. Moore]

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[John P. Moore]

approval recommendations by division and corps commanders

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