Rank and File
A Clerk’s War
15th June to 16th June 1939
Anticipation made me hurry to work a bit earlier than normal, but everything seemed normal when I got there. I checked my office and wandered around hoping to overhear a snippet of conversation. Nothing. Finally, I decided to push things along a little (I have said that curiosity is a major weakness of mine) and called my counterpart in the Foreign Ministry. I don’t really like to call him much, he is a bit of a bore, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
After the normal formalities, I explained to him that we had a few meetings last night but I had no minutes to file. Given there were Foreign Ministry officials present I wondered if he had spare copies of the meetings for my files, as obviously my staff had lost ours. He was very condescending as he explained these were secret meetings (as if I didn’t know!) and no minutes were available as yet. He did say, however, that I would know all about it within 24 hours. So I just have to wait.
There was a pile of military updates on my desk that had arrived during the night so I quickly reviewed them. The first was depressing, even though expected. Von Wietersheim’s attempt to recover Allenstein has been called off after only a day: the Poles reinforced the province and we had no spare troops to increase our attack. Losses were kept low, only 126 on our side, to 225 Polish casualties.
Next were a couple of victories to cheer me up. Lubliniec in particular was a great result. 2nd Leichte Panzer and the Falkenburg Division are racing forward, having inflicted 1620 casualties on the Poles for the loss of 431 men. Von Kuchler is getting quite reputation as a successful commander.
The crew of a Pzkpfw III of 2nd Leichte Panzer Division take a well earned break during the advance into Lubliniec.
The other win, although not as impressive, was still respectable. De Angelis finally took Sieradz, and did manage to kill 655 Poles, but lost 983 of his own men. In the battle report, he notes that his initial information was that all the Poles were fleeing in confusion, but that he found large numbers of enemy prepared to stand their ground. He was outnumbered two to one, so this meant some heavy fighting. As a result, the bulk of the Poles managed to escape. He is trying to explain his failure to achieve a resounding victory, but I know how the Heer works: it is all about results. De Angelis will not be getting promoted soon unless his performance improves.
Another battle for Sensburg began during the night. 68.Infanterie Division under von Both made a night attack, hoping to catch the defending 27 Dywizjon Piechoty off-guard. It doesn’t seem to have worked: Krzyanowski’s men are not moving so it looks like von Both will have to do it the hard way. Those East Prussian forests are proving a graveyard for both armies.
Some good news for a change from the west, as Christiansen with 5 geschwader caught two French bomber wings unescorted over Metz. The French aborted their mission and fled, and the action was so quick we are not even sure if they suffered losses.
At noon came to announcement I had been waiting for: the Hungarian Regent, Miklos Horthy and the Prime Minister, Pal Teleki, made a joint public announcement that, due to Polish intransigence in border negotiations, Hungary was joining Germany in her war against Poland. As Poland’s allies were supporting her, Hungary was regrettably also declaring war against the Allied coalition of the United Kingdom, France, Iraq, Oman, Yemen, Bhutan, Nepal, Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Greece and Denmark.
We no longer fight alone! I have seen the maps of the disposition of Polish units: they have stripped the Hungarian border. The Magyar Honvedseg should be able to move north immediately. Surely the Poles must realise they have no hope and surrender?
A publicity photograph for the newspapers: a Hungarian 39M Csaba scout car and troops ready to cross into Poland
There was a lot of celebratory backslapping and cheering after the announcement, and some-one even opened a bottle of champagne. I think this was bit over the top, as while it is good news, we haven’t yet seen what the Hungarians will do. There are rumours that the Hungarian Government was not too keen to make this decision, and that enormous pressure was put on Tileki. We will just have to wait and see. It can’t be denied that the addition of 88 fresh regiments is a relief, even if privately our officers will cast doubts on the quality of the Hungarians.
The jubilation was tempered by news of yet another reverse in St Wendel as Zaiser once again was forced to retreat, leaving 482 dead on the battlefield. The French lost only 270 men. The report the general filed indicated he has now lost 20% of his original strength of 10,000 men.
We don’t know whether the Polish Army has spread the news of the Hungarian intervention, but it hasn’t affected General Anders. He is making an attempt to take back Lubliniec, but von Kuchler’s Falkenburg Division should have no difficulty repulsing his 6th Infantry Division. (I must make a note to have a word to the head of the Heer reports section. It is several weeks since the Fuhrer rewarded 4.Infanterie by allowing it to be renamed the"Falkenburg" Division, and we are still getting reports using the old name. I should not have to correct junior clerks. How can we run an army surrounded by such inefficiency?)
Second Battle of Lubliniec
French fighters belatedly showed up over Metz, and there was a dogfight with roughly equal numbers of planes on both sides, but our Messerschmitts prevailed (or so the report says – it is noticeably lacking in verifiable details).
Early on the 16th Heeresgruppe East accelerated the pace in Poland. Two more attacks began, in Wloclawek and Tyrawa Woloska. General Neuling and his 71.Infanterie are already in contact with the enemy in Wloclawek, while Volkmann has two Gebirgsjager divisions (1 and 3) attacking from Krynica and Gorlice into Tyrawa Woloska. He is opposed by only one cavalry division (Nowogrodzko BK) but our information is that this is an over-strength unit with four full brigades totalling 12,000 men.
Battle of Wloclawek
Battle of Tyrawa Woloska
Little else came in for the rest of the day, and while the Hungarians in the border areas are moving, there is no mention of ground combat. Let us hope they come into contact with Polish forces soon, and that they shoulder some of the burden of fighting. We don’t want them to have stroll in the countryside and end up occupying half the country for no effort.
There was a brief message from General Neuling to say he has managed to encircle some Poles in Wloclawek, but he is still heavily outnumbered. He wanted to know when 15.Infanterie will arrive from Torun to take the Poles on the flank.
Bombing summary
15th June
Allenstein: Kesselring with 4 x Ju 87B:
89, 81, 101, 73
Pirmasens: Sperrle with 1x Bf 109G, 2 x He 111:
82
Brodnica: Kitzinger with 2 x He 111:
175
Pirmasens: von Greim with 1 x Bf 109G, 2 x He 111:
159
Sieradz: Grauert with 2 x He 111:
84
Brodnica: Kitzinger with 4 x He 111:
177, 135
Pirmasens: Sperrle with 2 x Bf 109G, 4 x He 111:
154, 142
Ozenna: Keller with 2 x He 111 (and one Hungarian TAC):
115
Brodnica: Kesselring with 4 x Ju 87B:
81
Wieruszow: Grauert with 2 x He 111:
94
Sensburg: Kitzinger with 2 x He 111:
127
Bombing Ozenna: the Hungarians join the fight!
A Ju 86K of the Honved Legiero that assisted in the bombing of Ozenna – Hungary’s first combat action of the war.
16th June
Tyrawa Woloska: Keller with 2 x He 111:
99, 57
Wieruszow: Grauert with 2 x He 111:
101, 131, 73
Brodnica: Kesselring with 2 x Ju 87B:
92, 98, 63
Sensburg: Kitzinger with 4 x He 111:
146, 155
Ozenna: Keller: 2 x He 111 (with 3 Hungarian fighters and one TAC):
54
Ozenna: Keller with 2 x He 111:
71
A second attack on Ozenna: more Hungarian planes join in
Keller’s He 111s were attacked over Krakow by Kalkus with 3 brigades of Polish fighters, but soon 2 geschwader of Messerchmitts and 3 Hungarian fighter units joined in. The Poles beat a hasty retreat.
Fall Weiss at end of 16th June (note the Hungarians preparing to cross the border)
Westwall at end of 16th June
Once again as I was leaving several conference rooms were being sealed off. And again, large numbers of Wehrmacht and diplomatic staff could be seen arriving. One noticeable difference between the attendees, however, was a large number of Kriegsmarine officers. My suspicions of what was happening were put beyond doubt when I saw a familiar face: Count Ciano, the Italian Foreign Minister.
I would be prepared to bet a week’s salary that I know what is being discussed tonight. Italy’s entry into the war! With another front to worry about, maybe some of the pressure will come off the Westwall. I suddenly remembered something that put it beyond doubt. In tonight’s military position papers there had been a map of the French Alps. I had simply flicked over it as an example of military thoroughness, showing all the information at hand. But off course, it was in preparation of a now area of combat.
The French-Italian border
Things are really starting to move. Then I realised something. It is only one month since war began, and already half Europe is involved. What will happen over the next year?