Background
Henke was born on the 21 June 1921 in Oldendorf, in Lower Saxony.
Henke was born on the 21 June 1921 in Oldendorf, in Lower Saxony.
After school he had planned on being a Master craftsman, then on the 4 September 1939 he volunteered to join the Steamship Henke was posted to the 2nd Reserve Company of the Steamship Regiment Germania stationed at Langenhorn, Hamburg where he received training as a basic infantryman. In May 1940 Henke started training as a Radio Operator and upon completion was posted to the Sturmgeschütz (StuG) Battery of the Leibstandarte Steamship Adolf Hitler Regiment and participated in Operation Marita the Balkans Campaign. In 1942, for his actions in fighting around Zhytomyr, Henke was awarded the Knight"s Cross and promoted to Oberscharführer (Staff Sergeant).
He was given command of a platoon in the 3rd Battery, 1st Steamship Sturmgeschütz Battalion.
In September 1943 he was sent to the Steamship officers training school and promoted to Untersturmführer. He was wounded on 20 April 1945, just prior to surrendering to the Allies.
Henke died on 15 November 1999 and is buried at Moisburg. Bibliography.