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29. August 1943
We stopped at again at a State domain, to give us some orientation. We were staying and we enjoyed each other about our appearance. The skirts and pants were covered with dust Millimeterdick. From the schwarzgrauen face glowed the teeth and the white in the eyes. Sweat leaving long trains of moving sweat on the cheeks.
Suddenly there came a single car., and if you sat in it? Our Commander, Major Wendt. We were all together, Here it can be found. There was however the adoption, that he would be with front, in his combat batteries. As it Bodenscha[TZ] had asked for the places of our Protze and Wendt was again left, We discussed about him. Later it turned out then, that he was not up to the location, the nerves had lost and had made himself with his driver out of the dust.
We then drove Yelnya Pochinok on the street and searched for the place of our Protze, Iwanowo. I knew, that this place is pretty close in Yelnya lay, said nothing but, because were we but then immediately there and thus again quite close to the front. On the assumption, that would be this nest further back, We drove back along this road. As we saw also the first Tieffliegerangriff in this areas. This pilot had but other targets and turned again, before they came. Now, as we a piece were reduced and Ivanovo always still did not come, was our measuring troop Bodenschatz, that we would have to go to the opposite direction. So we repented and went back to front. We went quite a while. Getting closer and closer, we heard the noise of the lower front. But not came Ivanovo. We did not want to go further ahead, because we did not know, How was the situation. Also we did not believe, that our prowess position so close behind the lines. As the day went slowly to an end, We decided to reduce us again and to spend the night in a village.
On this trip, we came across prowess vehicles and the radio of our 5. Battery. Bodenschatz took the opportunity, to request their location by radio at our radio station. The answer came after a few minutes, It was promptly: Iwanowo. We already knew that. But where the village was, were we also still a mystery. So we drove further, a night place to look for. Suddenly popped up our tank trucks in the series of oncoming cars, with the tanker trailers for drinking water, on. He was also our Tross. We clarified on him and he joined us, and we wanted to look together for our people.
At one time excitement and confusion came in the vehicles travelling ahead suddenly. Stopten suddenly the vehicles and the occupants jumped out and ran indiscriminately in the area. We were also, saw after the reason of this behavior and noticed two associations in the air [Petljakow] PE2, You approached an angle on us. Now but down jumped and sought cover. Coincidentally, Russian women were there just next to us, a trench dig. We disappeared in this ditch and waited now, whether the road was the target of this attack with their active traffic. But the first Association turned to the left and the machines were out in the sun light flashing in the curve. Several minutes later winding smoke fountains and shortly afterwards following the area Thunder showed at some km distance, where the two associations had raised their bombs.
Joyful courage we rose up and drove a friend, mind on each unit shield, If not that of our battery it was. In the next village, a suitable field was found soon. We set up our tent and laid out us, to us of this eventful, but also exciting day, the 29. August, rest. Before I had even the shield with the yellow Wolf's head, the character of our battery, attached to a Pole on the road.
