On 18 March 1945, the Soviet 10th Guards Army opened the sixth Battle of Kurland. South of Schruden the Soviet 8th Guards Division broke the seam along the left sector of the 290.Infanterie-Division and the 11.Infanterie-Division. Portions of the 105.Infanterie-Division were quickly brought up. The Kampfgruppe Hauptmann Stapelfeld, the commanding officer of I.Batallion, Grenadier-Regiment 358), reinforced with Sturmgeschütze, counterattacked at the point where the breach had been made. Hauptmann Stapelfeld was killed in action. His adjutant, Oberleutnant Bleher, immediately assumed command of the Kampfgruppe. A devil's battle from hell developed in the woods. While Bleher managed to reach the ordered objective on 23 March, he was wounded in the process. Moreover, Bleher managed to encircle the 8th Guards Division that was destroyed by the 31 March between Lapuki and Ziemeli. Four hundred Soviets managed to escape through a gap near the battered Soviet 20th Guards Division.
In a communiqué dated 8 May 1945 from the communications station Kurland to the Army Headquarters (FS v.08.05.1945 von F.St.Kurland an OKH/PA/P5a,1.Staffel): The endorsement for the recommended decoration dated 5 May 1945 I hereby award on 6 May 1945 the Knight's Cross to the Iron Cross to:
1. Oberleutnant G.Bleher
Der Oberbefehlshaber
der
Heeresgruppe Kurland
gez. Hilpert/Gen.d.Inf.