Andreapol jan 1942

[tigre]

Hello to all.

I wish to know more about the engagement where the german 189 IR/ 81 ID after hard figths, stopped the soviet 249. Schützendivision nearby Ochwat on jan 1942. The german regiment arrived at Andreapol's train station on 05 jan 1942 and the Siberian schutzen division was attacking from Peno leading SW towards Andreapol.

Thanks in advance and regards. Tigre.

[tigre]

Hello to all. Could someone here kindly enlighten me up about the actions of those German divisions involved in these operation (12 ID, 123 ID)?


Shot at 2007-08-03

Source: http://rkkaww2.armchairgeneral.com/maps.htm

Cheers. Tigre.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; something I've gotten after a while........

Against the Russian tanks of General Jeremenko.

The report of Heinz Schmitt, in the 81. Infantry division, Infantry Regiment 189.

The division was in France in December 1941, still recovering from the campaign in the west, which owing God, went out well and without much losses for the division. Heinz Schmitt writes in his diary:

"About a mild Christmas at the Atlantic coast nothing happened. On December 22 1941 came the order: Keep march-ready. On December 23 1941 the companies climbed into the railroad cars. Where? It did not seem to far. One had gotten neither special food supply, nor winter clothes and also nothing about new weapons, and no technical equipment. Nobody believed the slogan, told from the regiment staff by the railroad cars: We are going to the east front. To Russia. (Drang nach osten).

The wheels resounded over the rails across the France. The holy evening was celebrated in the straw of the railroad cars. My comrades began to freeze in their light coats. By Germany. By Poland. In Warsaw we received a food supply. Next time was already in the middle of White Russia, in Minsk. A cold weather, - 25 Celsius degrees below zero, crept by the railroad car walls. The wagon furnace glowed. Nevertheless my comrades and I frozen miserably. After thirteen days of continuous travel, the companies were detrained on January 05 1942. We stood on the station of Andreapol: high snow received us and a cold weather of 30 Celsius degrees below zero.

Source: http://www.deutsche-landser.de/berichte/14001.htm

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; something more........

Against the Russian tanks of General Jeremenko.

The report of Heinz Schmitt, in the 81. Infantry division, Infantry Regiment 189.

No one of the men had winter coat, there were not caps nor lappets. Before they could obtain those items by themselves already there were cases of freezing in fingers and ears. The War Diary of the II AK registered the following: the winter equipment of the regiment exceeds any description. Nevertheless, before it was possible to equip the regiment, with a manpower of almost 3000 men, from the essential elements, arrived the order stating its engagement against the enemy. To stop to the regiments of the 249 Guards Rifle Division of Jeremenko which had assaulted Peno in its advance in southwestern direction on Andreapol.

Battalions of red skiers were already on the Ochwat lake. We arrived at the same time as the battery from AR 181 (Artillery regiment 181), and we were sent immediately to the town to stop the Russians, who wanted to seize of the western edge of the village under the protection of smoke-barrage. As we knew later, they were divisions of riflemen of Siberia. The Siberians approached shouting, with a loud " Hurra" on the freezed lake.

Meanwhile Hauptmann Neumann and his 11. Company tried to repel the assault of the Siberians along the embankment to give us a breathing. The Russians had to be stopped in the space between the rivers Duna and Volga the time sufficient to settle down at least one provisional line of defense. It was necessary to avoid the advance of the Russian divisions towards the road in the direction of Vitebsk and Smolensk to the rear of the Army Group Center in order to connect with the red armies which attacked from the south.

Source: http://www.deutsche-landser.de/berichte/14001.htm

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; something more........

Against the Russian tanks of General Jeremenko.

The report of Heinz Schmitt, in the 81. Infantry division, Infantry Regiment 189.

The Oberfeldwebel Maziol was deployed with his Platoon in the southwestern corner of Ochwat when the shout “tanks” was listened to and already the first armored of light type entered the locality; to certain distances followed by others: one, two, three ..... altogether eight armored. It was a Soviet armored battalion.

The tanks shoot against the houses, crushing their straw ceilings; they wanted to destroy our lodgings, which we had not occupied since we had penetrated into the village. I saw this method of battle several times more in Russia. My Platoon was next to the one of the Oberfeldw Maziol, under cover in a corner, because the tanks carried out machine-gun fire on the infantry. The Ofw Maziol then said in his unmistakable Silesian accent as it was spoken in Oppeln (Opole): if these arrive up to here, they will break our necks and then they will crush Andreapol soon”, adding “we must use concentrated demolition charges”.

Quickly we joined the grenades with our almost freezed fingers; already the first tank roared past the first houses. It is the moment of Mueller, he jumped and then ran behind the tank, he climbed and while with the left hand he clung to the hatchway in the right he held the grenades; with his teeth cleared the pin and waiting for two seconds he threw the load within the tank, soon down .......

A second tank stopped and its hatchway opened, the Russian had seen what had happened but he was neutralized with machine-gun fire and looked for cover within the tank; Mueller climbed and threw another load of grenades in the still open hatch. Both tanks were surrounded in smoke.

Source: http://www.deutsche-landser.de/berichte/14001.htm

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; the last part........

Against the Russian tanks of General Jeremenko.

The report of Heinz Schmitt, in the 81. Infantry division, Infantry Regiment 189.

Through the cloud of smoke appeared a third tank which tried to go in reverse gear but it was clogged in the snow. Maziol jumped onto the turret but he cannot open the hatchway, the Soviet gunner opened fire from the interior and soon he tried to verify the effect but when seeing Maziol he hurried inside but the hand-grenades rolled with him to the interior. The other five tanks in seeing what happened to the rest turned back and withdrew.

When breaking the dawn again attacked the Siberian infantry; Oberstleutnant Proske of the I. Battalion was immediately fixed to the ground and Hauptmann Neumann of the 11. Company which fought on the embankment of the railroad had gave up territory. During the night of the 13 of January of 1942, the thermometer descended to - 42 ºC. In each company between 20 and 30 men suffered of serious freezing. In the morning the manpower of the companies had been reduced to 60 riflemen. In the sector of the I. Battalion still were three small villages where the men could procure something of heat. The horses were outdoors shaking of cold.

One day we attacked a village where was a nest of machine guns in the tower of the church; after surrounding the building we blew all the complex, that thanks to God was of wood. In this day the resistance was broken down and soon we hunted to the Russians by a wooded zone until about 10 kilometers where they could not wait for aid of their tanks. Here fell the Oberst when he left for a reconnaissance and he never returned. On the following day the tide became against us because the Soviets came back with support of their tanks and forced to us to moved back the 10 kilometers overwhelming the last defenses. That night about 160 men marched towards the German lines where only 40 arrived after two days of march. The IR 189 had left 1100 men died on the battle field.

Source: http://www.deutsche-landser.de/berichte/14001.htm

It's all folks. Cheers. Raúl M .