End of June sergeant told me. Theissen, I'm now in its operation. I was now happy, to be included at last in a combat operation and get a fixed place of operation. I have held this post until the dissolution of the battery. And I is exactly knew, in this “Ballistic” Matter.

Until I was put in the B I I was still under the thumb of the long Beckurts in the B. The roster saw ever morning and afternoon 2 Hours before service, Tuition or other education. And this service was even, If we had alarm at night times longer. So we left we like life. Early we could until just before 9^h sleep, ate breakfast radio music in jaunty, made up 11^h Service, Since we needed just someone to listen, What told us the. After strong lunch we heard music, or who was tired, lay down until 14^h the skin lazy. Then again 2 A quiet service hours. Then followed the after work. The catering wagon came and brought the cold meals. We ate even once properly and sold us the time as we wanted. No loud Word fell, everything was going so calmly and of course on, I was quite surprised about. I was only the noisy bustle, the disputes and Krakeelen in the II barrack stayed, so me the rest in the B I directly solemnly occurred. I gave to my part now and tried not to disturb this comradely life. As “Newbie” was I also not shy and cautious. But from day to day I found down more to the other and I felt they saw in me a comrades, as if I already for many years belonged to them. When I today I reach the time in the, so I have to be grateful, to have such comrades get. Got a package one, so it was on the table and we could take us what we wanted. There were jam or Kunsthonig for us, so the container on the table have been made and it was on no one, whether I now 3 or 4 Aß cuts more of it. So I could bring a whole series of examples. You all [show] What spirit in this operation, there was. What us teams still out of the service employment was, was the indicative line and the Feuerbereitschaften. That went half early 3^h Los and went to evening 10^h. But in the evening visited us always Airmen of the air base and wanted to be inaugurated by us the secrets of the flak shooting. Others again interesting things told us of their flights against the enemy.

The boss, the SIEBECK made now to captain, was not there, He had to the Abtlg. Kdr. represented. lieutenant. Heudel came on soon. When he left us this guy, He would however be happy to at “his” Battery remained. But “so God willing” He would have to now on. (He was happy yet, that he gives birth to from the dangerous fortkonnte.) So Oblt was the Chief. Schönberg, a Chemnitzer. This was a magnificent, young guy. He made with all kinds of stupid things. He brought into a totally different spirit in us. I know just yet, how he after a football game completely naked in our well rose and then walked as an officer in the birthday by the battery. He took everything on the light and funny page. Lt. Kruchen also made with the bustle. He could not different. It was also the juvenile behavior of Schönberg's, what it later with purity Kingdom as verfe[]NDE. According to his opinion would be “Schönberg no officer”. Even spit Hampe had to watch sad, as Schoenberg canceled all planned Apelle from the roster. This was Hampes speciality, Apelle perform. You could notice this times, perhaps made with subsequent Assembly, but otherwise, it had nothing to further. Meine Sache war immer am Tage des Karabiner-Apells mich im Kino zu amüsieren.

Now I will digress briefly from the warlike events and me the daily and official events, They were partly cheerful or serious nature for us, turn to. It is now been, that the other countries had a great anger on the flak, because we have been used in the Hinterlande Yes from time to time. And at such times we had a really pleasant life.

What we have now on air base. The most important was the sauna and the bath. It was a true delight for us, If we each week could wash the dust and sweat us. With the visit of the bath, a cinema was usually connected. I saw every film which ran there, and there were only the latest shown. Even in our position, the Weir surprised us(erzi)support with some well gelungenen events. So a KdF group enjoyed us in our defense childcare shanty [“Strength through joy”], a different times had to admit still a concert an air force Chapel, because their first concert was a huge success. A nice hour was also, as we be the war settled on a beautiful sunny days, put us in the grass and listened to the pop melodies of a Lautsprecherwagens, which had come to us.

The meals I can not complain about in General. I'm always become fed up. Burnt down as our kitchen with entire inventories, suffered no deterioration in the supply. Motorists however, There lived, had covered the opportunity quickly and under the guideline of Bergens of inventories they did what they could achieve only aside. So, they had real, Chocolate, Canned meat etc.. on their car. hidden. We are in the position got only 2 Scho-CA-Cola cans [“Flyer-chocolate”] and some canned meat, because they could no longer pick up the stuff because fire taste. We were also quite well supplied with personal demand items. Several times we were pretty drunk and a number “drunken bodies” showed us, the the Sutlers' brandy and-rum have not missed its effects. Particularly he sucked. “Goks” (Rum with sugar lumps) did not miss its effect. I drank with course fixed, was still not blue. Some from the BI operation fell together on the device when the night alarm. Again others were worn in the Leichenzuge in the barracks. Thank God, them that no officer has seen something.

The Russian came at 7. and 8. at night again and dropped numerous Leuchtbomben, to determine the success of his Großangriffs. This was probably quite flawed, so he started yet a concentric attack. This was most 9. at the same time, as most 7. This time there were but over 150 Machines.

It started exactly as most 7. Came, Hunters rose up, Sirens wail, great excitement everywhere. And then they came back from all directions. Highly and deeply they flew and back and forth. We shot at getting the Association, He was most dangerous for us. Then suddenly a large cloud of black smoke in the air. One [Iljuschin] IL2 had a 8,8 Get direct hit and was torn. An association [Petljakow] PE2 dropped phosphorus, the burning bright yellow, letting a long plume of smoke behind him, flew to the ground. The stuff was but poorly thrown, and it fell into a village and put there some huts on fire, instead of causing any damage on the premises of the flying eagle.

The air above us was like a hellish Inferno. The radiant chains of 2 cm saußten through the air, the yellow balls of 3,7 and 5 the black clouds of explosive of the heavy flak whistled cm everywhere the enemy contrary to and in between. The flak attacks, the howling of the bombs, the explode of the grenades, the resounding roar of the defensive movements of aircraft: all that was a hell concert, as I have not had experienced it. It was sometimes so dangerous (or looked at least as), that even the B II lay on the ground. And in these moments Oblt. Heudel on the mound of the B I, He was probably with this “brave behavior” the long-awaited EK II. purchase. He later also received it. But also the worst is past Yes, and peace was also on this night so again. This time are round 200 Aircraft flown in and which were 20 shot down. 12 by Hunter, 8 of the flak.

That were 2 heavy day for the flak of Sechtschinskaja and, I think, We can be proud of our commitment and our successes. The following nights were still very rich in Einflügen, but serious damages were not caused. The last Russian major attack would be to notice, that on the runway 2 or 3 Machines have been taken. On the whole, the Russian success was very “Malo”.

I completely forgot to mention, that most 5. June afternoon of overbearing clouds suddenly one NAB-25 stuck, turned on the runway a curve and finally again in the clouds of protection sought. Shortly thereafter, the machine came again, but from another direction, flew back to on the runway and went very deep down. The light flak shot obsessively. The NAB-25 received results, tried to pull up sharply, swished down and smashed to the ground. This should probably be a reconnaissance by fire. This wagemut-Russian attack was the prelude to the subsequent heavy days and nights.

The attacks were the first hit on 6. night and the two bombs in the battery. The 7. Finally brought the long expected major attack. It was in the evening, as the Sun was already deep in the West. I was at the cleaning before our accommodation, There fell on me, that a German Hunter started after the other, What was the case but otherwise never. It was something like 15 Machines. Suddenly, the air sirens on the Horst wailing her warning song. Since we got the message already: “Several foe organizations approaching the square from the direction of 1-3, Distance … km.” Highest Feuerbereitschaft. Everything was made ready to defence, Ammunition ready placed etc.. We were cool on a hot battle. I, in the excitement, put on the rock, Koppel with Patronentaschen drum, Stahlhelm on, Carbine in the hand and also stormed in anticipation of the enemy. (Later, I have to keep as the rest, and stood in collarless or sleeves in combat.)

The flight registration items have been reinforced: The entire measuring scale staring in the air. Because even the first reported an association from the direction of 1. Through the glass, we saw, that it was Schlachtflieger. Suddenly another reported still bandaged from 1, der flog höher und wurde als [Petljakow] PE 2 Association identified. Both organizations flew north past to us. We studied further, as by the phone and the flight registration posts came, that in the direction of 3-6 several are approaching. Now we had certainty, that the concentrated major attack is now increasing. Some instructions of officers have been sent. The two North vorbeigeflogenen associations had turned and attacked from the West, from the Sun out, at. I needed to go on this day in the conversion. I saw therefore to, as the approaching associations were fired on from the other batteries. We also opened fire on a PE-2 following us Association. We were served exactly and got back the moment, If the triggered bombs into noise into the battery. But this time we were lucky. No bombs were us. We saw, as the bombs of the aircraft classified, they saw at ever increasing speeds down turf until our eyes could no longer follow the bombs. Over there on air base smoke rose- and dust clouds high.

The Association of PE-2 was still not out of our shooting range, [da] also came out from the deep according Sun an association flying in less of about 15 [Junkers] JL2. Now, the matter was already dangerous. I quickly jumped into a man-made pit cover. There was still the possibility, that the JL2 with their gun on the flak get started. A large number 2 cm and 3,7 cm anti-aircraft guns opened fire on this Association also. In the middle of this fire spells the JL2 to attack the airfield continued to. Lowered the muzzle and the muzzle flash of their kews flashed on in the sloping downward flight and shot their rocket bombs with a loud hissing and hiss from then 2 Clouds of smoke back[to]Let. At this moment I shot indeed also a few times in the air, found it but pleasant to watch, What is above all played and whether it is still dangerous for us. Also here I saw flying bombs on us across. It came even more associations serviced, from all directions, but they came more or less in our shooting range. You were by the 4 other heavy batteries fired on. Conservatory Russian hunters showed to their presence by their original Gebrumme. You highly evangelizing about us.

After the last Association (by my count, there were a total of about 120 Machines) to the East was used, could we remove the Stahlhelm, wipe the sweat from the forehead and a calming cigarette smoke. The German hunters came back after. The result of the launch was sent. I know the number but no longer.

In the afternoons of this day, I took leave of R. Doelle, He was in the military barracks of childcare for honor. The huge fire spells, the flak before Sechtschinskaja brought the attacking enemy machines contrary to, was like a last greeting of his flak mate, that now continue their post survey. The funeral was the next day morning. Detachments of the batteries were in a square around the open grave. The Catholic Pastor, as well as lieutenant. SIEBECK remembered the fallen in short speeches. Sergeant. Theissen said in his obituary: “Earlier have failed like you, only after we learned to appreciate your true value!” After 3 Salvos were fired, We marched down. On the marshes, we saw a large number of bomb craters, flowing from the day before, somewhere in the outdoors, rather than on the runway were. I have then later every time, When the gang in the movies about the military cementary led me, Grave fresh laid a bouquet of colorful wild flowers on the.