Rank and File
A Clerk’s War
Thursday 18th to Sunday 21st June 1941 (
Part II)
Our scientists now have an improved version of the miniature radar for use in our single engine planes. Once we have converted our aircraft to the new equipment, our fighters will be able to intercept the enemy far better, and our vulnerable close air supports planes will be able to avoid danger. Now we have an opportunity to finally throw out the 1918 handbook that comprises our strategic bomber command. It will just take a few months to write a new manual and put it into effect.
The subject of the first movement order of Saturday was not unexpected, but the target was a shock. 2nd Fallschirmjäger was to board the Ar 232 “Taussendfüsslers” at Riga airbase. Its destination: Tallinn. 1st Fallschirmjäger is still not ready to be loaded onto transport planes, so the 2nd must take and hold the city alone until then. The plan, as it was whispered to me by a very senior officer, is that the troops holding Tallin are to be the bait. The marines at Narva are blocking the exit. When the Russians react to the bait, the Baltic Army will close the door by driving to Pskov.
A “Taussendfüssler” at Riga prepares to take off
While still reflecting on the strategy of OKH (are they being too clever?) I picked the next document. For a second I thought I had misread the numbers, but I double-checked: it was correct. 3,344 of our soldiers have been killed in Bereznica in the past 9 days, and Rommel has had enough. He has told General von Langermann und Erlenkamp to withdraw, leaving the battlefield to the Soviets. Both 6th Panzer and 16.ID (mot) are totally exhausted and will be unavailable for anything more than garrison duties for some time. Once again the futility of attacking large concentrations of Russians in the Pripyat Marshes had been confirmed. When will our generals learn?
We did beat off the Red Army attack in Vievis without much trouble but the next report from the front was even more distressing than that from Bereznica. Polen Army Sud is suffering badly from Rommel’s rash attacks or perhaps more from his reluctance to admit defeat. At least von Manstein calls off battles that are becoming meat-grinders. Soleczniki, although we are in control of the province, is a Pyrrhic victory. More than 4,000 good soldiers lie among the trees, together with 3,500 Russians. Rommel has lost 7,500 men in just two battles: this rate of attrition cannot be accepted.
Sirvintos should be an easier assignment for Brennecke, his 73.ID against the single 67 Strelkovaya. He has started well, a sudden assault giving him a temporary advantage over Alyushin’s men.
General Petzel had an even easier task in Kremenchuts’ka, though it didn’t seem so at the beginning. He too had just his own division, 34.ID, but he was opposed by two good units, with two others giving direct support. We don’t know the cause, but General Mironov ordered a retreat at 6PM. Yet another case where Stavka has pulled good units out of combat. Are they preparing a defence line further east, along the Dnieper?
Battle of Kremenchuts’ka
If von Kluge concentrated on his own objectives he might find his lack of troops less of a problem. Österreich Army has ordered Bock to take Tsvitkove – not itself a bad idea, but a long way north of their assigned front. It isn’t as if it were a real opportunity to do damage, as 36.ID is being held up by stubborn resistance, despite a local breakthrough. These sorts of battles (single divisions with little hope of reinforcement) have a bad habit of turning ugly.
It was the Sturm-Marines, however,whose heroism lifted morale through the whole country. (Well, they gave Minister Goebbels the raw material: his writers and photographers did the rest). I fear we will hear of the daring and courageous invasion of Narva for months to come. Photographs of groups of heavily armed men rowing Floßsacks are everywhere, and stories of troops still dripping seawater liberating the cowed but grateful Estonians from the grip of Communism are immensely popular. Göring, never one to miss out on publicity, made sure that stock film of aircraft dropping bombs were included, with a few photographs of him looking simultaneously stern and happy. The Kriegsmarine too is milking the occasion for all it is worth, with newsreels showing the guns of the “Bismark” throwing death and destruction at the enemy. Only a cynic would remember that the “Bismark” and her crew are currently lolling about in the sun in Gibraltar. It had its effect though as hundreds of young men with leadership potential are rushing to sign up for the forces (that is where we currently have the most need).
Battle of Narva
The “Bismark” supposedly supporting the attack on Narva: maybe it will fool the Royal Navy
Two good victories (by which I mean where we suffered a lot less casualties than we inflicted) in Boryspil’ and Birzai were closely followed with the news that another administrative blunder by Kesselring had cost us the province of Sigulda. This area, on the northern shore of the River Daugava opposite Riga, was supposed to have been our starting point for the drive to Pskov. When the Fallschirmjägers were ordered to Riga, Baltic Army HQ neglected to divert another division to relieve them. Even the most dim-witted Red Army general could not turn down such a gift. There was a short attempt by the “Falkenberg” division to regain control, but OKH was not about to see von Küchler’s division destroyed to save Kesselring’s reputation. For once OKH moved swiftly: Kesselring was ordered that Sigulda was no longer a key objective and that he was to look for alternative routes across the Daugava. A relieved von Küchler could call back his men, but already 29 were dead in the pointless attack: the far bank was firmly held by 18,000 men determined to stay put.
The Luftwaffe could only send bombers to Narva, Sirvintos and Korets’ because of the weather, but the VVS still responded to that. Their air control must be in a bad way, though, as their fighters arrived long after our bombers had left for home. The trip wasn’t in vain, however, as Fisser was waiting with 6 Jagdgeschwader. Our investment in radar and detection techniques pays off sometimes, and General Major Rog will have plenty of empty parking spots at his airbase tonight.
Before dusk, a grim indication of what the loss of Sigulda may cost us. Von Both thought he saw an opportunity to make a lightly opposed crossing of the Daugava into Jakabpils, but things have already started to go wrong. With effectively just one division Rybalko is easily holding 68.ID away from the north bank, and casualties are mounting.
Somebody in the Österreich Army HQ has remembered their primary task: Friedrich-Willich is pushing along the coast of the Schwarze Meer towards the Crimea. 2nd Gebirgsjäger is making good progress towards the mouth of the Dnieper, and Mykolayivk should soon be clear of Russian troops.
As I reported earlier, 3rd Gebirgsjäger met little resistance in Tsybuliv. There was a flurry of excitement when Brand signalled that he was under fire from cavalrymen, but this soon dissipated. 14 Kavalriyskaya could not stand up to real pressure and by mid-afternoon they too had given up any hope of holding the province.
Another rapid victory in Zhytomyr kept spirits up, as Crüwell’s panzers swept the remnants of seven Soviet divisions out of the way. In reality it wasn’t a battle: it was just a few shots exchanged with retreating Russians. By the time the bulk of 3rd Panzer arrived there was nobody at home.
In the air, the Luftwaffe was able to do a bit more, supporting a few more attacks, but the VVS was able to kill 89 of our men in Aizkraukle, as though von Both did not already have enough problems in crossing the Daugava. It was a one-off: Waber was quick to respond and Smushkevich did not get to repeat his earlier success.
Air Battle of Aizkraukle
Sirvintos is now under the control of the Reich, with Brennecke chalking up another easy win. Unfortunately for him, his victory was dwarfed by two other events late in the day. The first was the start of the assault on Kyiv. 161.Infanterie under Major General Cochenhausen has led off the attack, and his men are under intense fire from the defenders. Kyiv is a key objective, however, and Cochenhausen can expect assistance, with Müller-Michels already leading his Ju-188s over the city.
Battle of Kyiv
Forcing our way into the heart of Kyiv will be long and painful
The best news was last. The Latvian pocket has been eliminated. And the trapped Soviet Army has laid down its arms. (Though strangely, we have heard that not one divisional or above commander has been located among the prisoners – they have all somehow made it back through our lines to the Soviet territory.) The last battle, for Ventspils, was bloody and brutal, as the Russians were aware that there was no more retreating. More than 100,000 men were involved, and nearly 5,000 of them were killed. But as dusk approached the fighting stopped. At least 70,000 men surrendered, but we believe that the total number may be more: several units disintegrated during the last few battles and it is thought that perhaps another 50,000 more prisoners may be floating about. Whatever the correct figure, we are sure of one thing: 13 enemy divisions are no more.
The war is over for these Russians, carrying their wounded out of Ventspils
Finalised Battles during the period 18th to 22nd June 1941
Wilno: 673/23,522: 409/25,740
Kaniv: 298/19990: 240/54,131
Konets’: 995/19,595: 537/33,498
Horodyche: 53/19,991: 200/9,891
Baranowicze: 290/9,994: 550/27,476
Pinsk: 2,228/19,603: 874/84,048
Voresens’k: 1,758/19,991: 850/35,012
Tsybuliv: 56/9,996: 70/8,711
2nd Horodyche: 40/8,000: 31/9,994
Aizkraukle: 1,446/31,984: 1,804/27,810
Kirovohrad: 60/10,000: 106/8,339
Kaniv: 29/19,449: 246/6,911
2nd Wilno: 70/9,994: 75/16,829
Baryshivka: 112/9,995: 160/15,841
Ukmerge: 2,641/59,917: 2,464/110,888
Bereznika: 3,344/21,989: 1,888/42,938
Vievis: 74/9,643: 51/17,996
Soleczniki: 4,167/51,934: 3,555/76,839
Narva: 447/33,981: 1,195/19,987
Boryspil’: 555/29,985: 1,244/36,733
Birzai: 867/19,995: 1,222/33,875
Sigulda: 29/9,536: 4/17,985
2nd Tsybuliv: 91/9,938: 326/14,991
Ventspils: 2,441/31,020: 2,355/73,076
Sinvintos: 179/9,147: 206/9,904
Total Battle Casualties for the period 18th to 22nd June 1941
German:
22,943
Russian:
20,662
Prior Battle Casualties
German: 147,603
Russian: 157,423
Total Battle Casualties to date
German: 22,943 + 147,603 =
170,546
Russian: 20,662 + 157,423 =
178,085
Leningrad Area
Riga – Wilno
Jekabpils: No change (32% complete)
Lubieszów: No change (30% complete)
Konets’: No change (57% complete)
Berezne: No change (77% complete)
Kyiv: 4th leichte is moving to assist Cochenhausen who is only facing a single garrison division. Unfortunately two motorised divisions have been detected moving towards the centre of the city (27% complete)
Novo Odesa: Rodin has been reinforced with 16 Tankovaya, and has 17 Tankovaya and 62 Turkestanskaya in reserve. All three additional units ares showing the effects of recent fighting, but it looks as though General Glokke’s first victory be a bit longer in arriving. Although he has ordered his men to assault the enemy, it is a futile last effort. (28% complete)
Kirovohrad: Popov’s 14 Tankovaya is just holding, and 53 Strelkovaya is moving up from the rear, but Heißing’s men should beat them to it. (63% complete)
Mykolayivk: No change other than Shyvdkoi has started a tactical withdrawal (79% complete)
Tsvitkove: 24 Kranozamskaya Kavaleriyskaya is moving up as a reserve (36% complete)
Bombing Summary
Luftwaffe
Ukmerge: Keller with 7th Kampffliegerkorps: 294 (294)
Wilno: Löhr with 2nd Schlachtfliegerkorps: 183, 197, 143, 86 (609)
Ventspils: Wever with 8th Kampffliegerkorps: 261, 244, 242, 165 (912)
Boryspil’: Müller-Michel with 5th Kampffleigerkorps: 263, 267, 174, 308, 328, 192 (1,532)
Soleczniki: Sperrle with 1st Kampffliegerkorps: 249, 344, 273, 250 (1,116)
Novo Odesa: Udet with 3rd Schlachtfliegerkorps: 138, 261, 74, 124 (597)
Narva: Wever with 8th Kampffliegerkorps: 208, 151, 166 (525)
Narva: Kitzinger with 3rd Kampffliegerkorps: 326, 352 (678)
Sirvintos: Löhr with 2nd Schlachtfliegerkorps: 189, 185, 193, 188, 107 (862)
Korets’: Müller-Michel with 5th Kampffliegerkorps: 320 (320)
Tsvitkove: Kesselring with 1st Schlachtfliegerkorps: 203, 208, 156, 122 (689)
Kyiv: Müller-Michel with 5th Kampffliegerkorps: 251, 171 (422)
VVS
Aizkraukle: Smushkevich with 77th and 25th ShAD: 89 (89)
Total Bombing Casualties for the period 18th to 22nd June 1941
German:
89
Russian:
8,556
Prior Bombing Casualties
German: 1,546
Russian: 104,144
Total Bombing Casualties to date
German: 89 + 1,546 =
1,635
Russian: 8,556 + 104,144 =
112,700
Total East Front Casualties for the period 18th to 22nd June
German: 22,943 + 89 =
23,032
Russian: 20,662 + 8,556 =
29,218
Prior East Front Casualties
German: 149,149
Russian: 261,567
Total East Front Casualties to date
German: 23,032 + 149,149 =
172,181
Russian: 29,218 + 261,567 =
290,785