Rank and File
A Clerk’s War
A Clerk’s War
Friday 19th to Friday 26th September 1941 (Part I)
OKW: Berlin
Minister Göring changed his tactics to keep research funding tied to the Luftwaffe. When a new ground training programme for our Langstrecken-Großbombers was completed, he argued that diverting the funds to develop improved interception tactics for our fighters would allow them to better protect the soldiers on the ground. With manpower still our major problem he easily swung Cabinet his way. Luckily for him, no-one except for Minister Raeder questioned the performance of the heavy bombers. As far as can be determined, they are at full readiness, yet have not carried out a mission for weeks. Million of reichsmarks have been invested in these aircraft which should be devastating Soviet factories and production facilities. All Göring could do was promise to look into the matter and advise Major-General Fröhlich that he is now to take orders from Polen Army Nord HQ.
Only days later, however, the Heer showed that that it was still the dominant arm of the Wehrmacht in the tussle for research funds. When our armaments and heavy industry teams announced that the new designs for artillery barrels and ammunition had been successfully completed, every pfennig was transferred to a project investigating methods to improve our infantry assault techniques. The new barrels, which had been trialled in action in the East, have been given the go ahead for full production and all artillery units are to be upgraded to the 15cm sFH 40. (Although the public release extolled the additional range (now 15,400 metres), the research report shows that there are still considerable problems with the basic design of the sFH 18.)
Field trials of the new weapon in Russia
We now have another panzer division available: 8th PzDiv has been assigned to 3rd Panzerkorps, currently attached to Polen Army Sud. General Reinhardt is in command. With our manpower levels getting dangerously low, this will probably be the last 12,000 man panzer unit. On the other hand, our two Fallschirmjäger Divsions have both received an additional regiment, taking them to 12,000 men each. A review of manpower use in the Wehrmacht has revealed that there are still many combat divisions on guard duty in the west. To free up some of these for use in Russia, two new coastal defence divisions (2 infantry regiments, an anti-air regiment and a rocket artillery regiment) are to be formed, and should be ready by the end of winter.
Baltic Army (Kesselring)
Position at end of 26th September 1941
Position at end of 26th September 1941
One could almost feel sorry for General Primakov. Beaten twice in 10 days by Jahn’s marines, his tired and demoralised men halted in Sortavala where they were joined by the Sinkiangese Di’1 Shi. If Proiamkov thought that having 19,000 men under his command and the benefit of pre-war fortifications gave him a chance of holding his ground, he was wrong. On Monday 2nd Sturm-Marine Division smashed both units in just 12 hours, and then it was a race between the Russians and their allies to see who got out of the province first.
If Primakov thought that would be the end, he was mistaken. On the 2th, 2nd Marine caught up with him again, in Suojärvi. But now the exertions of the long chase were starting to take their toll. Instead of another rapid collapse, 142 Strelkovaya held the first assault, and Jahn had to fight a more conventional battle.
More important than Jahn’s northern pursuit was the start of Baltic Army’s push east. At 4PM on 22nd Leeb engaged 51 Strelkovaya and 41 Kaveleriy in Khvoynaya. It was not easy, as Muzich’s men were well rested and prepared, even able to mount local counter-attacks. Both sides were reinforced and it was not until morning of the 26th that the Soviets grudgingly withdrew.
In some areas the Soviets are still a threat: 13.ID is hit with a counter-attack as it advances into Khvoynaya
Just to the north of Leeb’s 13.ID, von Schobert also moved east, into Pikalevo. He was opposed by two rifle divisions but our intelligence was that these were in poor condition. Our intelligence may have been correct, but the wooded terrain and the network of trenches and pre-ranged artillery proved tough for 31.ID and 1st Sturm-Marine. As of midnight on the 26th, the Russians still retained possession, though von Schobert has not asked for assistance. Nevertheless, Wever and 8th Kampffliegerkorps did carry out three missions on 25th, killing at least 850 enemy.
Hube need no assistance in Krasnomayskiy. The heavy tanks of 2nd schwere Panzer moved across the featureless plain virtually impervious to the Soviet infantry and cavalry. This division has now been completely outfitted with the new Tigers, and they showed their worth by clearing the Russians out in a matter of hours.
A virtually brand new Tiger of 2nd schwere Panzer Division has a break after the battle
Polen Army Nord (von Manstein)
Position at the end of 26th September 1941
Position at the end of 26th September 1941
My brother Heinz has got through another battle unscathed. Poplavski could not hold out long enough in the woods of Ugra for his reinforcements. With some luck “Angriff” will be allowed some time to recover. Although von Manstein would have been glad to hear of Harpe’s victory, he was probably more pleased with the news that Kalmukoff had taken Selizhavoro. The Russians scraped up 62,000 men to block the northern road to Moskva, but our three divisions could not be stopped. The defenders fled and it will take time for Stavka to re-instil discipline, let alone re-supply them.
Von Manstein, however, is aware (as is everyone in OKH) that the weather is turning. Von Weichs needed no encouragement to speed up the advance. 101.ID (mot) found little resistance in Rzev, despite the large numbers of enemy troops present. None of the three divisions buried in the forests had any will to fight, and on the 22nd the last of them had left.
Reports from reconnaissance aircraft attached to Wiese’s 5th Schlachtfliegerkorps confirmed that the Soviet forces in Rzev are nearly out of food and ammunition, and that many are already fleeing.
The early promise of a quick victory in Torzok has been shown to be a mirage. The Russians chose to make a stand and 60,000 men marched into the forests with orders to halt the drive on Moskva. They failed, but we had to commit three divisions to the fight, divisions von Manstein wanted to keep fresh for new assaults. Nearly 2,000 of our men died. Nevertheless, the pressure from the Army of Polen Nord HQ was such that General Barckhausen immediately took 44.ID into Vydropuzhsk, held by Lutchinski with 30,000 men. After 4 days the Russians broke, but it was a Pyrrhic victory. With another 1,000 men dead, 44.ID has been sent to the rear to reorganise.
At 6PM on 21st, my hopes for a rest for 3rd lePzD were dashed. Heinz and his Pzkpfw 38(t) were to head back into the Russian woods, this time in Zubcov. The opposition is a single weak motorised division, so perhaps this won’t take long. I am not so sure: as we push deeper into Russia I expect the defence to become more stubborn. Supply distances are less, and units will recover a little more quickly. Our supply lines, however, are getting longer and longer.
Neither the armour nor the infantry are confident that the undergrowth does not conceal enemy troops
In fact, to show that they were still able to manoeuvre, the Russians were able to pull back the weak motorised unit and insert two rifle divisions. The potentially dangerous situation was controlled by the arrival of General Brennecke and 73.ID. He took command, pointing out that rooting Russians from the woods was a job for infantry, not tanks. He did well, driving off the original defenders, only to find a second line deeper in the trees, held by yet another rifle division.
The Luftwaffe can claim a lot of the credit for Kreß von Kressenstein’s win in Viaz’ma. While our men fought well, they must acknowledge that thousands of Russians killed in the 10 effective bombing raids were critical. Not to mention the protection afforded by the fighter screen that extended over the entire battlefield. After the 20th not a single bomb fell on von Kressenstein’s men in Gorki. The Luftwaffe was well aware that Viaz’ma is a key province: possibly on the direct axis of the advance to the Kremlin.
Evidence of the effectiveness of the Luftwaffe: the remains of Russian transport
Also on a straight line to Moskva is Starista. The experienced Pfeffer and 21.ID did not expect it would take long to drive out 19 “Voronezhskaya”, but Kotlyarov held his unit together for nearly four days. Outnumbered, low on food and ammunition, the Ivans showed that they were prepared to suffer to buy time for the defenders of Moskva. Just before dawn on the 26th they broke, but a few more battles like that and winter will be on us.
While Heinz and his comrades struggled through the undergrowth of Zubcov, 1.ID moved around that battle to strike at 218 Motorizavannaya in Znamenka. Tanaschinin and his men were nowhere near ready for such an attack, and lasted just 24 hours.
Two of von Manstein’s most effective generals teamed up for the attack on Mar’ino. Both decorated veterans of the last war, Kalmukoff and von der Chavallerie have General Ktylov beaten, and he knows it. 180 Strelkovaya is trying to salvage something by covering the retreat of 306 and 316 Strelkovaya, but the combination of 88.ID from Vysokoye and 95.ID from Torzok is too much for them to hope for more than to delay the inevitable.
Moskva is getting closer and closer. 5th Panzer Division, fully rested and having replaced all its lost men and vehicles, showed one of the new Soviet mechanised divisions what a real armoured force can do. It took just two days to completely crush 209 Mechanised, inflicting nearly 5: 1 casualties. Kleinheisterkamp is within striking range of the airbase at Kaluga, which is likely to be one of the key components for the final assault on the Kremlin.
Stavka must realise that the BA-10 armoured car is no longer suitable for modern warfare
General Wünnenberg has been given responsibility for the northern flank of Polen Army Nord. He is to ensure that the Soviets cannot force a gap at the vulnerable juncture with the Baltic Army. Most officers would consider this a defensive role, but not Wünnenberg. He took 9th Panzer deep into Vyshnij Volecek, overrunning the mixed cavalry/infantry defence. When queried about his action, the irrepressible Wünnenberg replied that he had heard that Hube’s Tigers were advancing into Krasnomayskij and he thought his orders compelled him to keep the front line straight. Apparently this was accepted by von Manstein: success is hard to punish.
Polen Army Sud (Rommel)
Situation at the end of 26th September 1941
Situation at the end of 26th September 1941
General Rommel has implemented the necessary changes to alter the focus of his army. All his generals are to swing towards the Russian capital. Schlömer showed he was ready, his 9,000 motorised infantry swinging into Mosal’sk, backed by the 15cm guns of his regiment of Sturmpanzers. The Soviet tanks and cavalry were not capable of holding their positions against a determined attack, and the battle lasted just 11 hours.
From Sukhinichi, von Sponeck sent evidence that the Russian defences are collapsing on a vast scale. After breaking through a fragile front line consisting of 51 “Perekopskaya”, he found no less than 7 HQ units strung along the roads heading east. Some of these were key units, such as the Western Front and the 4th and 9th Armiya HQ, that one would expect to be heavily guarded and far in the rear. 4th Panzer could not keep up with the retreating Russians, but it would appear that our advance has been too swift for Stavka to react, and that the Red Army lacks the wherewithal to protect its administrative personnel. Maybe we will be in Moskva by Weihnachten.
More evidence of a possible collapse came from Fukino. The battle that began on the 9th September ended on the 22nd: nearly two weeks of continually escalating fighting. What had started as 7th Panzer attempting a river crossing opposed by two Russian divisions ended as a titanic struggle involving 135,000 men. Finally von Hubicki can allow his men to rest and bury their 1,500 dead. It had been a tough fight, but to force a river in the face of 74,000 men is an impressive feat.
Crossing a river under fire is always perilous
The transfer of 1 Hadtest south could have led to a fracture in the line, but both Rommel and Guderian are too experienced to allow this to occur. They have co-operated to ensure the reorganisation went smoothly, and nowhere is this shown more than in the “pocketing” of Brjansk. 6th Panzer division lanced into Ljubohna from the north, scattering the Soviet defenders who were concentrating more on escaping east than keeping the road to (and from) Brjansk open. At 7AM von Langermann und Erlenkamp confirmed that his men controlled all road and rail links in the province. The only way out of Brjansk was through a narrow corridor into Belye-Berega.
The Russian general Turchinskij was observed to be preparing Brjansk for a siege: he had four divisions in the city and another moving up. While Rommel wants to trap the Soviet divisions in the area, he does not want an enemy strongpoint preventing his link up with the Balkans Army. In any event, OKH has ordered that the city be captured. So it was to be expected that Polen Army Sud HQ directed 1st Panzer (temporarily assigned from Polen Army Nord) and 87.ID to move against Turchinskij. General Nehring, who has been given command of the force, will need to move swiftly, before the Soviets have time to build supply stockpiles and dig in around the city. It is expected that the Balkans Army will support the attack from the south.
Taking Brjansk may take some time
1 Hadtest (Shvoy)
The Hungarian panzers were taken by surprise when Kondrusev sent his men into Kirov under cover of darkness. Just after midnight on 20th 51 “Perekopskaya” and 3 “Bessarabiya” hit 2 Páncéloshados and for a while the outcome of the battle appeared to hang in the balance. What Kondrusev did not know was that General von Sponeck had already been ordered by 3rd Panzerkorps to take his 4th Panzer Division to relieve the Hungarians. The arrival of hundreds of medium tanks and thousands of motorised infantry was decisive, the Russians calling off the attack within hours.
Nothing could detract, however, from the victory in Deniskowicze. Shvoy’s HQs must be crowded with Soviet banners and flags following the Russian surrender. Although they could perhaps have fled further into the marshes, the soldiers were too weary and hungry to keep going. At least 70,000 men were captured, and who knows how many others lie dead or dying in the swamps. The “Pripyat pocket” is now closed for good.
Shvoy had only a few days to bask in the success of Deniskowicze. (His men may have wanted him to have more – they must have been desperate for dry clothes and warm beds after weeks of fighting in the mud and marshes). OKH had a new mission for his army: as the much requested reinforcements for Heeresgruppe Sud. Von Stülpnagl’s HQ cannot possibly manage more than five armies, so the Balkans Sicherung Army (now far to the rear) has been attached directly to OB Sud. 1 Hadtest has been ordered to head for Odessa and the coast of the Schwarze Meer. Guderian will need to move his army north to link up with Polen Army Sud.
Few if any of the Hungarians will travel south by rail or vehicle: these at least won’t have to walk
Balkans Army (Guderian)
Situation at the end of 26th September 1941
General Warlimont, far to the south attacking Belgorod from Scigry, was caught on the flank when the Russians attacked this Italian-held province. 45.ID was forced to call off the attack on Belgorod and Warlimont took control of 1a Div “Supergas” and 14a Div “Isonzo” and prepared to hold off the onslaught. General Ryzhow had the advantage, however, as while 4 “Smolenskaya” held the combined German-Italian force, 21 Gorno-Kaveleriy swept in from Staryi-Oskol. Weakened by continuous fighting and marching, Warlimont’s men could not withstand the fresh and enthusiastic Soviets and after a day we abandoned the hard-won territory.
Russian cavalry occupy Scigry
More bad news came from General Schmidt. His tanks were shown to be vulnerable on the narrow forest paths of Verhkopol’e. His Panzer IIIs could not defeat the well hidden and numerous Russian tanks, and the prospect of thousands of infantry armed with anti-tank rifles and guns buried in the bushes made his commanders reluctant to move without any infantry of their own.
At least there was better news from Orel: the Russian conscripts of the garrison divisions finally ran out of courage. After holding off tanks, artillery and motorised infantry for a week, they started to seep out of the city. A trickle became a flood and soon our scouts found deserted positions and empty streets. Not only have we secured the manufacturing capacity of the city (damaged but not destroyed) we have already started to get the small airbase functional.
Luckily for General Jodl, his joint German-Hungarian force achieved their objectives in Pochep before 8 gyal. was withdrawn. The loss of 6,000 men, however, would not have been Jodl’s main problem. Had the Russians held out a little longer, he may have had to abandon the attack due to lack of supplies. The four German divisions that advanced adjacent to Brjansk have been forced to halt. In fact, 8 gyal cannot join the rest of 1 Hadtest as they move south, waiting for the supply wagons to make their arduous trek to the front.
General Guderian is hopeful he may create a new pocket, around Brjansk. On the 23rd Crüwell and 13th Panzer headed north-east into Karacev, achieving a swift victory for minimal cost. Somehow ample supplies are getting through to this sector, so it should not be long before our troops are moving again. Another massive surrender by the Soviets before winter would be a wonderful to end the campaigning year.
Doing his part, von Förster harried the Russians in the Brjansk area, keeping them off balance by hitting Verkhopol’e again. 45 “Volynskaya” and 8 Tankovaya had only a day or so of rest after throwing back Schmidt’s panzers before they had to face 20,000 fresh infantry (von Förster has been assisted by Völckers’ 108.ID (mot)). To give them credit, the exhausted Russians fought hard for 2 days before lack of ammunition forced them to retreat.
Battle of Verkhopol’e: could we trap more Russian divisions?
When the Italians were driven out of Zmiyevka it fell to General Phleps to consolidate the right flank of the Balkans Army. With 20,000 motorised troops at his disposal it was not difficult. Lanichev may have had a slight edge in initial numbers, but this was more than off-set by the higher morale and experience of 98.ID (mot) and 345.ID (mot). Between 9AM and 9PM on our columns were opposed: after that there was nothing but sporadic firing from Russian stragglers. Who would have thought this nondescript area would be the scene of three battles in a week?
General Cochenhausen has been given the honour of closing the Brjansk pocket. 161.ID (mot) has made contact with the enemy forward defences in Belye-Berega and is making good progress. Balkans Army HQ has stressed that speed is of the essence: Guderian does not want a single Russian to escape Brjansk.
End of Part I
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