Rank and File
A Clerk’s War
Tuesday 1st to Sunday 6th July 1941 (
Part II)
Minister Schacht will be pleased with the efforts of our chemical engineers, as they have further improved our oil refining technology. We will be able to get more fuel from the same amount of oil, which is vital as a greater proportion of the Heer becomes dependent on motorised transport of some sort. No new research has been started, as the Wehrmacht’s demand for officers is becoming pressing. The Führer has decreed that we must achieve a level of 140% of demand before he will be satisfied. We are currently at about 130%, so many more young men are required.
Today a senior review panel reported their findings on the administration of the Heer. There have been some serious blunders and the report makes several recommendations. The most common mistake is giving different units the same name. This has occurred no less than three times! From today General Ott’s 3.ID (mot) will be known as 43.ID (mot), General Crüwell’s 3rd PzD will be 13th PzD and Bock’s 36.ID will be 136.ID. A more serious problem was discovered with 168.ID (mot). Somehow 102nd Infantry Brigade was assigned to this unit although it has no transport! The brigade has been withdrawn to be equipped with its full complement of trucks which will take about two months. Until it is returned to 168.ID (mot), General von Bünau must make do with two infantry brigades and a regiment of armoured cars.
A police investigation into theft at one of our manufacturing plants has led to the seizure of dozens of vehicles. Could these be some of the missing trucks of 102nd Infantry? It seems likely as the only other explanation is criminal negligence on the part of whoever placed the order. A guard has been stationed to protect the property of the Heer while further enquiries are carried out.
While I leafed through the administrative report, pursing my lips and shaking my head at the inefficiencies it revealed, I was able to ignore the overnight delivery of news from the East. My desire to ignore was because it showed a distressing lack of commitment by some units. I can understand that General Brand has been forced to back out of Chornabai: he is now facing more than 50,000 troops and 3rd Gebirgsjäger has suffered 1,300 casualties. And I can accept that Keppler may have found his tanks becoming mired in the mud of Slutsk and been unable to push back his opponent’s 36,000 men. But why has Wünnenberg conceded Braslaw to a single infantry division that can surely be on the verge of total collapse? As far as I can see 9th Panzer has lost just 16 men so far, but the whole armoured division is withdrawing, leaving General Rogadov in control of the battlefield.
General Kleinheisterkamp is keeping the traditions of 1st Panzerkorps alive by overrunning the hapless 19 Voronezhska in Dzisna. At least one panzergeneral knows how to do things! Admittedly Dzisna is flat and the enemy was caught in the open, but he has shown how a bit of élan can carry the day.
46 and 76.ID (mot) are licking their wounds in the rear (they are heading to Myronivka where they will rest for the next week or so) 25.ID and 100.ID (mot) hare shouldering the burden of crossing the Dniepr at Yahotyn. General von Förster is in overall command of our forces, while the Soviet Shirov has three divisions with which to hold the province. Only one of these is fresh, but the natural barrier of the river is a major impediment and the Balkans Army is not confident of success.
Two provinces to the south-east, Heunert and 61.ID have clawed their way to victory in Cherkasy, assisted by the last minute arrival of Bieß and the “Bitburg” division. It was a close run thing, with Heunert’s men dead on their feet, only a few bullets rattling in the bottom of their ammunition boxes and the guns of their attached artillery regiment nearly out of shells. (As many of the barrels needed replacement after a week’s continuous firing this was not so important!). 61.ID is now on its way to Lysianka, a trip which will take some time: the weary men are only able to maintain a slow march, and the vehicles that are still able to move are carrying the wounded and a few essential supplies. There was a brief scare as 161.ID came under attack from Chornabai, but this was brief and caused Heunert no real concern.
In the neighbouring province of Smila, Österrieich Army has another repeat attack underway, into Chornabai. Brand’s 3rd Gebirgsjägers are on their way to Tsybuliv where temporary camps have been set up, but 112.ID has moved into Smila and General Veith is already implementing his own plan as to how to cross the Dniepr. He has been assisted by a General Leonov’s incredibly rash decision to cross the Dniepr himself, attacking Heunert’s exhausted men before Bieß could get his own men into position. Leonov must have thought that having beaten off Brand’s attack that he had some time before his own base would be under threat again. If that was the case he was seriously deluded: General von Kluge has shown he is just as determined as General Guderian to cross the Dniepr. As soon as Veith ordered his artillery and tank destroyer regiments to begin shelling the opposite bank Leonov realised his error and called back 134 and 144 Strelkovaya, but the damage had been done. His best units have expended much of their ammunition and stored supplies and despite a huge advantage in numbers he cannot feel too confident of holding Chornabai, particularly if Veith receives any reinforcements. I am sure General von Kluge has requested that his adjutants advise him of any nearby units capable of immediate departure to the front.
To the north, in Livani, von der Chevallerie has cleared the way to the Daugava without too much trouble, though his men are fairly tired. Though not too tired to start digging foxholes and entrenchments and to clear fire lanes to the river. We can expect von Manstein to move up fresh troops as soon as possible, to cross the Dauguva before the Russians can react.
Presumably it is part of his plan for Curtze to strike at Haritonov in Daugavpils. Although there is little chance that 20.ID (mot) can shift Haritonov’s two divisions, it will prevent him from blocking any attempt to cross the river to the north in Rezekne.
Tuesday morning, great news – we now have the most powerful fighting vehicle in the world! The Pzkpfw VI (H) has been revealed to great fanfare and publicity. Reliability trials have been carried out and the results were so good that we have immediately started production. As vehicles roll off the production line they will be railed to Latvia to replace the temporary heavy tanks of our two schwere Panzer divisions. With the schwere divisions happy, the researchers are now looking into improved engines for a new tank for the standard panzer divisions.
The first “Tiger” is prepared to leave the Henschel factory and head east
During the night General Köstring tried another crossing of the Dniepr at Zgurovka. He has been given another division (386.ID (mot)) and his own unit is still in good condition despite his aborted attempt just a few days ago. The Russians are now reduced to an infantry and a cavalry division so Köstring has a better chance than before.
General Brämer and 12.ID have finally arrived at Artyz in Romania, and have been assigned to XII Armeekorps. General Rothkirch und Trach has instructed Brämer to take his unit to Mikolayivk and await further orders. 27.ID is still on its way to the Österreich Army, and should arrive in a day or so.
Air Vice-Marshall Newall must have thought that the recent activities of the VVS had stripped the West of Jagdgeschwader. If that was the case, he made his decision to bomb Leipzig on a faulty assumption. Generalleutnant Bogatsch and 5th Jagdfliegerkorps, assisted by our network of radar installations, were waiting to show the RAF that the Reich could still defend its borders. Bogatsch was almost clinical in his destruction of the British strategic bombers, first hitting them over Borken, then again at Leipzig itself and finally delivering the coup de grace over Eindhoven. As the depleted bomber squadrons straggled back over the Channel, Bogatsch’s air combat analysts carried out debriefings and received reports from Luftwaffe observation officers on the ground. A conservative estimate is that we destroyed 89 aircraft: about 27% of Newall’s original force.
That good news was followed quickly by more good news from the Baltic Army. Brandenburger’s heavy tanks have cleared sufficient defenders to allow his motorised infantry to cross the Daugava into Sigulda. With a pontoon bridge up the panzers were soon among the Russian infantry and the battle was over. General Kesselring is rushing more infantry divisions into Sigulda: the river line has been breached.
With the risk of Russian snipers gone, our engineers can really get to work strengthening the bridge across the Daugava. It needs to be strong: soon it will have to bear the 60 tonne weight of replacement PzKpfw VI(H) Tigers crossing on their way to 1st schwere Panzer.
Although I am aware that Sigulda was the more significant battle, to me the news from Polatsk was more important. lePzD “Angriff” is mopping up as the Russian trucks stream east. The casualty reports show a decisive win, but to me the critical fact was that my Familienname is absent. Heinz is still leading a charmed life.
With a bridgehead across the Daugava, attention swung south to Kremenchuk where the Österreich Army is making a promising attack on a lightly defended stretch of the Dniepr. 7th Gebirgsjäger is moving as fast as possible to get a bridge constructed and General Förster has advised General von Kluge that resistance is fading. As long as the Russians cannot react by sending in fresh troops, we will have a bridgehead in the south within a day. Already Udet’s dive bombers are over the area, eliminating any group that dares to disrupt our attack. His reconnaissance reveals just 7,850 soldiers: two infantry brigades, a rocket artillery regiment and an anti-air detachment. It is now up to the 11th Pioniere Regiment attached to 7th Gebirgsjägers. How fast can they build a bridge?
Polen Army Nord HQ has decided that Slutsk is essential to its plan to capture Minsk. With Keppler’s panzertruppen still cleaning mud from their vehicles and counting their dead, von Manstein has arranged a mass assault by no less than three infantry divisions. 28,000 soldiers are available to General von Salmuth and he is wasting no time. Lvov has a slight advantage in numbers, but some of these have already been trapped and the battle is evenly poised. Air support and a possible flank attack from Malkowicze could be the decisive factors.
Österreich Army HQ is setting a trap for a Russian armour division in Novo Odesa. The road to Odessa through Ochakiv is clear and the city appears undefended. We already hold Mykolayivk and General Eppich has carried out a lighting attack on Bobrynets’, harrying Potapov and his men to the east. Should the Russian tank commander go for the bait and move west, von Kluge is ready to cut off his line of retreat. (And Odessa is not really at risk 12.ID, newly acquired by Österreich Army, is already on its way north from Romania and its trains, slow as they are, are far quicker than an armoured division moving into enemy held territory.
Hardly affected by the river crossing, 1st schwere Panzer is already expanding its bridgehead, pushing into the heavy forests of Cesis. Still with 11,676 effective soldiers, Brandenburger had no fear of Chrisyakov’s 10,000 men, particularly as they are already shaken from earlier fighting. His confidence was well based, as after a few shots the entire Russian division turned tail.
The best news had been kept to last. Against enormous odds (Marshall Budennij had 85,500 men in 9 divisions compared to Crüwell’s single panzer division) we have won the battle of Makhrovka! 13th Panzer division (previously the duplicate 3rd) lost just over 1,000 of its men and quite a few tanks, but the enormous mass of Soviet troops is flowing east, its officers unable to halt the retreat. Truly a magnificent victory and a display of what can be achieved with determination and persistence.
Finalised Battles for the period 1st to 6th July 1941
Vodoskhovyshche: 241 (9,992): 261 (15,997)
Polis’ke: 845 (9,255): 344 (76,310)
Domantove: 1,371 (19,986) 672 (27,870)
Postawy: 210 (21,991): 432 (16,693)
Wilejka: 131(31,981): 438 (15,241)
Polatsk: 32 (19,995): 101 (28,227)
2nd Polatsk: 60 (19,965): 120 (17,985)
Livani: 312 (18,916): 190 (49,136)
Yahotyn: 3,635 (29,983): 1,008 (48,800)
Braslaw: 107 (10,000): 192 (34,717)
Zgurovka: 379 (19,513): 81 (60,005)
Stolpce: 1,114 (39,349): 1,773 (43,704)
Jekabpils: 1,308 (19,996): 1,261 (37,161)
2nd Braslaw: 16 (9,891): 69 (9,897)
Chornabai: 1,322 (29,773): 654 (51,179)
Slutsk: 89 (9,991) 57 (36,601)
Dzisna: 28 (12,000): 189 (8,999)
Cherkasy: 1,381 (19,957): 1,420 (42,997)
2nd Cherkasy: 26 (17,843): 26 (8,511)
2nd Livani: 128 (18,626): 481 (8,999)
Sigulda: 655 (23,981): 610 (8,999)
2nd Polatsk: 206 (20,000): 436 (8,999)
Bobrynets’: 45 (9,993): 59 (8,996)
Makhrovka: 1,050 (9,620): 1,140 (85,552)
Cesis: 9 (11,676): 15 (9,999)
Total Battle Casualties for the period 1st to 6th July 1941
German:
14,700
Russian:
12,029
Prior Battle Casualties
German: 180,445
Russian: 187,447
Total Battle Casualties to date
German: 14,700 + 180,445 =
195,145
Russian: 12,029 + 187,447 =
199,476
Ergli: Von Weichs has received help from 68.ID (from Jekabpils) and 2nd schwere Panzer has swung its tanks north-east to join 101.ID. Despite this help, progress is still depressingly slow. (19% complete)
Daugavpils: 28.ID is marching from Svedasai but will take a day or so to arrive. Perhaps Curtze may be able to cross the river.(33% complete)
Zaslwaye: Stavak must place great importance on Minskl, as it is reinforcing the surrounding areas. 313 Strelkovaya has been withdrawn but the newly refitted 80 Strelkovaya has replaced it. 198 and 218 Motorizavannaya are now in reserve, but Ponedelin still has three divisions to oppose Steiner’s single panzer division. In response, Steiner has ordered an assault, but his men are tiring rapidly. (54% complete)
Slutsk: to the south of Minsk, however, von Salmuth is going well. Lvov and his 5 Kavaleriy have already fled, and Badanov is struggling to hold his men in place as 28,000 men bear down on him. (59% complete)
Janów Poleski – Baryshivka
Peresyaslav Khmel’nyts’kyy: Rösener’s men are standing up well under the onslaught, but Korshilov is throwing thousands of men into the battle and out soldiers are gradually conceding ground. (70% complete)
Zgurovka: Ratnikov and the two HQ units are safely away, leaving General Resehtev to hold with about 15,000 men. Köstring is more than satisfied with the course of the battle and expects th3 Bessarabskaya Kavaleriy to break soon. Then it will be the turn of the infantry and he will be across the Dniepr. (61% complete)
Polis’ke: Schack’s men are no longer so confident. They have been bogged down from the beginning of the attack and now we have information that another Soviet division has moved up as a reserve. (13% complete)
Kremenchuk: Progress with the river crossing is going better than expected. Österreich Army has found another division to support the Gebirgsjägers and it will arrive soon. (79% complete)
Chornabai: No change (48% complete)
Yahotyn: 2nd leichte Panzer has swept into Yahotyn from the south east, and von Förster simultaneously lauched an assault. (47% complete)
Bombing Summary for the period 1st to 6th July 1941
Bobrovytsye: Schwartzkopff with 2nd Kampffliegerkorps: 237, 222, 228 (687)
Vodoskhovyshche: Kesselring with 1st Schlachtfliegerkorps: 82 (82)
Wilejka: Grauert with 4th Kampffliegerkorps: 218 (218)
Postawy: Kitzinger with 3rd Kampffliegerkorps: 234 (234)
Zgurovka: Schwartzkopff with 2nd Kampffliegerkorps: 323, 346, 294 (963)
Yahotyn: Kesselring with 1st Schlachtfliegerkorps: 166, 148 (314)
Stolpce: Grauert with 4th Kampffliegerkorps: 220, 29 (249)
Stolpce: Kitzinger with 3rd Kampffliegerkorps: 253 (253)
Stoplce: Hoffman von Waldau with 4th Schlachtfliegerkorps: 218 (218)
Polatsk: Kitzinger with 3rd Kampffliegerkorps: 205, 350, 319, 101 (975)
Sigulda: Wever with 8th Kampffliegerkorps: 180 (180)
Noviska: Schwartzkopff with 2nd Kampffliegerkorps: 389, 204 (593)
Chornabai: Dörstling with 6th Kampffleigerkorps: 191, 333, 230 (754)
Zaslawye : Sperrle with 1st Kampffleigerkorps: 327, 358, 184 (869)
Zazlawye: Weise with 5th Schlachtfleigerkorps: 122, 209, 115 (446)
Daugavpils: Kitzinger with 3rd Kampffliegerkorps: 312, 260, 233 (805)
Kremenchuk: Udet with 3rd Schlachtfleigerkorps: 95, 95 (190)
Total Bombing Casualties for the period 1st to 6th July 1941
German:
Nil
Russian:
8,030
Prior Bombing Casualties
German: 1,817
Russian: 125,637
Total Bombing Casualties to date
German: Nil + 1,817 =
1,817
Russian: 8,030 + 125,637 =
133,667
Total East Front Casualties for the period 1st to 6th July 1941
German: 14,700 + Nil =
14,700
Russian: 12,029 + 8,030 =
20,059
Prior East Front Casualties
German: 182,262
Russian: 313,084
Total East Front Casualties to date
German: 14,700 + 182,262 =
196,962
Russian: 20,059 + 313,084 =
333,143
As can be seen supply is moving well, but our stockpiles have been reduced from nearly 1,000,000 tonnes to just over 300,000 tonnes. Fuel is less of a problem, with at least 900,000 tonnes still in reserve.