Rank And File
A Clerk’s War
May 20th to May 21st 1939
I woke refreshed if a bit stiff – I will need to find a more comfortable bed. My staff let me sleep through some events, as I saw when I opened my office door. A stack of papers were piled up, waiting for my approval.
At least it was good news. Two more commanders have claimed victories!
General Pfeffer in Marienburg was the first. He reports that just after midnight the Poles broke off action and started to retreat. He did not claim responsibility; in a truly magnanimous gesture he has paid tribute to General von Massow. The attack on Danzig (which in my ignorance I saw as very risky) was obviously designed to save Marienburg. The Poles, hit from the rear, could not sustain their offensive.
The second victory was in Rybnik. General Ludke is a quiet achiever. Without the glamour of the Panzer leaders, he has simply stuck to his job (assisted by Rauert’s Heinkels) and as a result he has seized the first Polish territory.
The Polish air force continues to be a thorn in the side of the Luftwaffe. Not only is Pawlowski hitting Lyck and Heller bombing Johannisberg, but General Lohr has reported that Kalkus and his three interceptor brigades are active over Tarnowskie Gory. Lohr’s Stukas are handling the attacks, but it is an added problem for the pilots. Luckily for Lohr it was a one-off attack, but soon we heard that again Kalkus is dog-fighting over Danzig with Udet’s Stukas.
Perhaps a bit rattled at the massive fighter hedge he met at Dortmund, Newall has altered targets. The RAF was detected approaching Hannover, but obviously Newall was not aware that Major General Waber’s 6th Fliegerkorps was based at the local air field. Nearly 300 fighters were in the air to meet the strategic bombers, and after a few hours of fighting, Waber reported that his pilots had shot down between more than 5% of the attacking bombers. Despite the best efforts of the 6th Fliegerkorps the bombers still managed to reach their targets, however, and Hannover took heavy damage. 3 out of 4 factory complexes were knocked out, but the precious oil production was intact. More importantly, Newall did not return – he must be repairing his damaged bombers.
A publicity photograph released by the Luftwaffe, showing men of the 6th Fliegerkorps near their newly issued Bf 109E fighters, waiting for news of an incoming RAF raid. The changeover from the Bf 109D is going at full speed.
We had our first bulletin from the Kriegsmarine just before lunch, and it was not good. Commander Doenitz has had to return to Wilhelmshaven with 2 Unterseebootsflotte (10th and 11th Unterseebootsflottille) after being attacked by carrier aircraft near the Bressay Bank. The U-boats never identified the carrier (they didn’t even see it) but the markings on the planes showed they were from 9th Carrier Air Group. Not a good start for the submarines, but at least losses were slight – the 10th suffered about 10% casualties and the 11th about 30%. My brother-in-law Christoph is with the 10th, and I trust he is OK. I won’t mention this to Helga. Assman’s 1 Unterseebootsflotte has made it to the Azores and is searching the area for merchant shipping.
At 5PM word came from the Air Ministry. Goering has lost patience von dem Bach-Zelewski, the commander of the Army of East Prussia. He has taken personal command of the two Bf 109G air wings and has ordered 1st Jagdfliegerkorps to clear the skies over Goldap and 2nd Jagdfliegerkorps to gain air superiority over Johannisburg. It did not take long before Major General Lohr with JG 20 was tangling with Heller’s bombers over the open plains of Goldap.
Virtually simultaneously came more good news, this time from Suwalki. Von Sodenstern has beaten Zongollowicz’s 55 Dywijon Piechoty (Rez) and 60. and 52 Infanterie Divisions are advancing. The General reports casualties were within expectations: 426 men. We estimate the Poles lost at least 1,470.
More action was reported at 7PM as General Bergman ordered 14. and 15.Infanterie Divisions to take the province of Swietochlowice from Piekanski’s 27th Infantry Division. He has advised that the going will be tough and not to expect a swift result. The Poles are entrenched in heavy forest and resistance will be difficult to dislodge, despite our two to one advantage.
Battle of Swietochlowice
Late that night, just as the day’s Luftwaffe reports were being handed out, Guderian claimed victory in Leszno. 1st Leichte Panzer Division is already re-organising for its next mission, and Guderian is champing at the bit, restless at the delay necessary after an attack. Given the number of men involved (at the end of the battle there were about 70,000 men involved) our casualties were very low, only 705. The Poles lost over 2,400, and are fleeing in disorder, adding to Guderian’s frustration.
Although very reluctant to do so, the Luftwaffe has been pressured into not only providing daily details of its successes, but what could be seen as its failures: our casualties from enemy bombing. I would wager that Goering is fuming. I wouldn’t be surprised if this was one reason he has taken direct control of the Jagdfliegerkorps.
Lyck: Pawlikowski with 1 x Tactical bomber brigade:
Johannisburg: Heller with 2 x Tactical bomber brigade: 40, 88, 56, 57
Although Pawlikowski’s planes were sighted several times over Lyck, not one casualty was reported. No-one knows why. It could have been a failure in the reporting procedure, or maybe the bombing was ineffectual (the area is heavily forested, Model’s troops have armour and the Polish planes carry light bomb loads). 1 Dywizjon Bombowy was not heard of after the fighters were ordered to the air so perhaps they were deterred by the threat.
Rybnik: Grauert with 2 x He 111: 71
Tarnowskie-Gory: Lohr with 2 x Stukas: 36, 41, 62, 15
Naklo nad Notecia: Muller-Michiels with 2 x He 111: 55, 88
Danzig: Wolff with 2 x Stukas, 2 x He 111: 93, 104, 116 (only 3 attacks due to interference by Kalkus’ fighters)
Leszno: Kesselring with 2 x Stukas: 34, 48, 59, 27
Naklo nad Notecia: Kitzinger with 4 x He 111: 167, 132
In what seems to be an attempt to relieve some of the pressure on General Agricola in Johannisburg, General Model has been ordered to attack Grawejo. Outnumbered, the 5th Panzer Division has moved forward into the forests to take on General Norwid-Neugebar’s 25 Dywizjon Piechoty and 28 Infantry Division. Several officers here see this as a waste of an offensive asset, but the majority see the attack as the only way to save 56. and 72.Infanterie. Model is certainly taking it seriously, and has achieved an early breakthrough.
I cat-napped during the night as more news arrived intermittently. Von Obstfelder regained the initiative in Schneidermuhl, managing to ambush some of Maczek’s men, 1st Panzer Division moved up to attack Danzig from the East, Erfurth’s 1.Infanterie Divison suffered a shock attack in Rosenburg, Wolkowicki launched a major assault on Allenstein, Agricola has begun a counter-attack in Johannisburg and von Scheppenburg achieved a breakthrough in Tarnowskie Gory.
General Dennerlein has at last managed to move his Osterreich headquarters near enough to the front to take active command. His objective is to take Krakow, in a pincer movement with Polen Army Sud. We hope he will move quickly, if only to take some of the pressure off the Army of East Prussia by dragging troops south.
The Kriegsmarine liaison officers were happy for once – we have received our first confirmed sinking from the U-boats. The much maligned IIBs have sunk 2 ships on the Danzig-Boston route, catching them completely unawares in the Mouth of the Thames! That should give the Royal Navy something to think about! Talk about a poke in the eye – sinking merchantmen only miles from the enemy’s capital!
Much to everyone’s surprise, Heinrich Himmler has elected to take active duty (perhaps in annoyance at Frick winning the Head of Security position he coveted). He is now leading his 2.Infanterie Division in an attack on 3 Dywizjon Piechoty, commanded by General Orlik-Lukoski. With Guderian having taken Lezsno to his right, he is confident enough to attack Koscian.
Dennerlein has wasted no time. Hours after the arrival of the Osterreich Army headquarters, General Volkmann threw 1st and 6th Gebirgsjager Divisions at the Poles in the province of Krynica. Our resident military experts expect this to be a short battle: the mountain troops should make short work of 1 Nowgrodska Brygada Kavelerii and the Krakow headquarters troops.
Give him his due, Dennerlein can get his men moving. While Volkmann’s men were crossing the border, the Osterreich Army’s bomber attachments were in the air, heading for Zywiec. That should distract Osinski’s 12 Dywizjon Piechoty from its attack on 4th Gebirgsjager in Ruzomberok.
My brother has taken part in his first battle, and it has been a success. General von Manstein has captured the city of Poznan at a cost of 778 men. The tank units are virtually unharmed (the” poor bloody infantry” taking the losses as usual). Polish losses are gauged to be about 1950. The first Polish city is on our hands.
Alarming news came at 4AM. As von Sodenstren’s 60.Infanterie moved forward after the battle of Suwalki, they clashed with the Polish 22 Dywizjon Piechoty, a mountain unit. It seems that Strzlecki, the commander of the mountain troops, has decided that he will not surrender Suwalki without a fight. 60.Infanterie has lost nearly 1000 men so far, so this will be a test of von Sondenstern’s men. He has some good news: in the skies above him, Lorzer’s Gustavs were dealing out punishment to Heller’s two bomber bri
Second Battle of Suwalki. Note the Baltische Flotte providing shore bombardment to support von Massow's 23.Infanterie Division in its attack on Danzig
Heller had enough of the air combat, and switched targets to Goldap, where he was met by von Greim, commanding the other fighter air wing. The Poles no longer can operate with impunity in the skies above East Prussia, and not before time. We have lost hundreds of good men to their bombers.
I was just eating a sandwich for lunch and nearly choked when I heard that we have lost the province of Allenstein. Wolkowicki’s assault has been a total success. Von Wietersheim’s 11.Division, having suffered 1452 casualties, has been forced to retreat, and the Poles are moving forward, having lost 810 men.
The news of the defeat was offset, at least in part, by Geyr von Schweppenburg’s swift victory in Tarnowskie Gory. The attack only started at 9AM yesterday, and by 4PM today he had driven the the 6th Infantry Division from the field, leaving 827 of its men behind. Our losses were minimal, only 222. The pundits were right – von Schweppenburg’s skill and numerical advantage were critical to the easy victory.
For once the rest of the day was fairly quiet. A report from Danzig indicated a shock attack has been successful (at least temporarily) in reducing the effectiveness of the defenders. Von Massow is being helped by shore bombardment from the Baltische Flotte, which has sailed close to shore. 60.Infanterie, even though weakened by its losses, has also shocked Strzlecki’s mountain troops, and von Sodenstern hopes to have 52.Infanterie Division join him soon. In Krynica, the Gebirgsjagers are going well, although it is now apparent that the Poles are staging a tactical withdrawal, probably hoping to buy time for another cavalry unit, Kresowa Brygada Kavelerii ,to join the battle. Good news for General Ruoff – 60.Infanterie (motorised) has joined his attack on Ostrzesow. By advancing from the province of Rawicz, General de Angelis and his fresh troops will put more pressure on the unfortunate and tiring 11th and 26th Polish Infantry Divisions.
Fall Weiss: end of Day 5
I nearly forgot events on the border with Denmark. General Bramer reports that all is well and that sometime tomorrow he expects to have thrown the Danes out of Flensburg. If the Danes think von Rundstedt will stop there, they have not done their homework. He will take it as a personal slight that they attacked his area of responsibility, and will pay them back tenfold.
The daily Luftwaffe reports show a marked decline in Polish activity, while our air force has increased bombing missions with Keller’s 2nd Taktischeluftkorps now available to assist the Army of Osterreich.
I have the advantage of also seeing daily damage reports from the individual units, however, and some of them have 10% of their aircraft unavailable for duty. I am not sure how long this round the clock bombing can continue without serious damage.
Tarnowskie Gory: Grauert with 2 x He 111: 57, 134, 91
Swietochlowice: Lohr with 2 x Stuka: 38, 79, 57
Poznan: Muller-Michiels with 2 x He 111: 33,
Naklo nad Notecia: Wolff with 2 x He 111: 49, 107, 123
Danzig: Kitzinger with 2 x He 111: 92, 105, 111
Koscian: Kesselring with 2 x Stuka: 32, 54, 39
Zywiec: Keller with 2 x He 111: 85, 111, 70
Goldap: Heller with 2 tactical bomber brigades: 35 (it seems he has been driven off by the Gustavs).
A better day, though the loss of Allenstein after so many died to protect it is a bitter blow. Surely we will not tolerate this affront to the honour of the Reich?