Few kilometers from Yelnya we had to stop and waited for our boss, He came back from a briefing. He announced the location of the ranks and gave commands. The situation was about following: We should again in the area, where we once were, However, should we remain right rail and should 2 ge km behind the front to the air age in position[hen]. The position, We had left here a few days ago, was occupied by the Russians. How well, that we had left this position.

Now it was clear to us, What was us. The Protzenfahrzeuge were returned. We made ready us. Koppel with Patronentaschen strapped to, Carrying structure to do so and the Stahlhelm ready placed. All of us was […] clear, What is it for a risk, to lay a heavy Flakbatterie so close behind the front. Yes every gunshot could get there. Also, the extensive and valuable device not is here, to build a so dangerous position. Many of us were located in such positions. It was something new for me. I was even looking forward, as I took up that matter. Whether anxiety or fear grabs me, or whether me again, Ungeschehene and Unerlebte with driving forward. A restlessness infested me already, was it for me to speak a ride into the unknown. But the proximity and presence of my comrades had their act together me. Their silence and indifference voted me differently. Where I car go there the B, Since we just all go out with.

And so we drove off. The guns, We, a Muni cars and a tank wagon. First, it went through Yelnya. There still a real offered us, Inland about image. To cite just one example, because I come later once it too. In Yelnya, there was a soldier's House. There was still the most traffic and the Rote-Kreuz-Schwestern looked still merrily waving out the window. We left the city in a southeasterly direction.

Because the road to bad and was extended, We went next to the road on fields and meadows, where soon a smooth road was extended. Stagnation encountered it often, because us very many vehicles, more Yes all columns. That came before us slowly in Spanish. Artillery and other vehicles drove back and only we as flak drove. Sundry we heard already munkeln of: the Russians of zetar, breakthrough, our back etc.. Now we realized, that our air position 2 km behind the front is something impossible. Although our leadership was precisely oriented, They however insisted the company.

The troops, the us met all of us looked at joyful face. I do not know but now, whether they were happy because we sometimes had to forward in the shit, or they were pleased that finally the dreaded 8,8 Cannons went forward, or have they laughed at us, because we drove the Russians directly into the hands.

We left the road and drove right into the ground. It once went on a free area, It was already “make small”, Visit of the enemy, and it went in a breakneck ride on these posts. Only the damned dust clouds, They moved from the vehicles behind you, verwünschten we, because they were widely. And we saw a Garnet Lunar times. Also on this small road still columns came forward to us. Our battery held again.

In Yartsevo, we were but not for long. Sunday, the 28. Flak travel day was again. We packed up again and took drawing up. Great excitement arose, as the small dog, He herumtrieb with the boss and his driver, was not to be found. As a result even the departure also was delayed. As this dog had finally found, We drove los and faster, It was an unbroken journey to Smolensk, through which we pass was in the dark. Again it went on the Roslawler road, then after Pochinok, where was held. At dawn it went forward again on the road to Yelnya, that we had only happened a few days ago in the opposite direction. In fine weather, the trip was wonderful. During a short break I witnessed, how in the context of a bet a driver of a living mouse bit off the head. He then spat the head and said, It would have tasted sweet.

Middle during packaging of the device, a boxer came as long remaining post. This was but a mountain of packages, Letters and newspapers. When we had then charged everything and even had increased, We found time to open the packages only. And then was cost of everything and everyone got something from.

Then as quickly as possible, we made, that we bodly from this position, because we saw, how an other Flakbatterie in the fire was hostile artillery. Our way ran again across the zerwühlte and open road into to Yelnya, where we arrived at the beginning of the night. We drove further. Soon, our chef for this night but ordered final stop, because Russian bombers attacked the area and scattering their bombs indiscriminately in the area. It jumped in the ditch and there was wait for the command to the continuing.

As the air was again pure, It went on. The road was covered with sand high. The vehicle wheels are produced in the sand and some followers, for example. the KDO-Hi device [“Command support unit”], floated at greatest risk, that the expensive box umkippte. But it all went well, and in the morning, we achieved without failure Pochinok. Then it went to the beautiful paved road to Smolensk. Shortly before that we were still on a State[s]good rest. By Smolensk, the battery was closed, and it not attracted little look up, as the heavy tractors with their freezing chain noise and cheerful, singing soldiers on it, braußten through the busy streets.

I will say it right, it again went to Yartsevo. Just next to our position we show off and made the battery feuerbereit. We did not know only, why we came just after Yartsevo. The front was 15 km and was currently calm. It will have been so, If you with a unit did not know where, you put it after Yartsevo. There was not much to shoot.

One night, during the watch, I got to know the thunderstorm in the infinite Russian lands. Convulsing flashes and Flash Feuerscheine lit up the pitch black night into day. Terribly booming Thunderclaps echoed through the night. This includes a huge Platschregen, he instantly turned the loamy Earth into a tough sludge. I was glad, as I was able to return in the tent. In the tent it was dry, The tarpaulins held tight.

The battle was actually small. In the next morning one scanned us [Iljuschin] IL 2 in about 20 m height. Our 2 Although cm could install hits, You abprallten but as a result of the sharp angle of the target. Otherwise hunters in our shot came during the day only to once. During the night but we learned the “quiet Willy” right to know. On a moonlit night, this biplane flew a and back again. Very many were however captured by the bright light headlamp tentacles and thus exposed to a concentric flak.

We took on many machines in the dark. The Russian pilots tried to the best defensive maneuver with their machines. One went for example. Dive stop download. We thought “Launch”, But shortly after he flew over us across. Another was fired on by us to 50 m above the ground: Then we had to stop shooting, because we would have otherwise done more damage to the Earth as in the air. One [Polikarpow] U-2 flew to us. Suddenly it rustled in the air, then just next to our B I stand a Puffen and a large narrow Earth fountain mounted high. He wanted to meet but really I state our B. He had probably seen our electric lighting. In short, that night, some were “quiet Willy's” shot down and the next day brought Oblt. Reinecking a piece of gray plywood, by a downed flier came with home. We saw also the Luftwaffe here very actively. So I could observe, as an association [Heinkel] He 111 put a bomb row, She had it in itself, on the hochsteigenden Earth as we- and saw columns of smoke.

Our pots were a novelty for the young and the old soldiers. Clearly, we saw the oblique rising plumes of this terrible missiles and shortly afterwards the huge detonation of Einschlages, We could even hear. One day as a blechener pop whistled it in the air, and shortly thereafter. Aha, the Russian scored in our vicinity. I got me pretty soon used to these new sounds and learned to distinguish soon launch and impact. But even in this position, you were numbered days. The order to the rebase was given, was again lifted to be given final.

On Sunday, 14.8. (Flak travel day) We packed back together. Morning, the weather was beautiful. It went back to Jnotchkino and then right off the road to Yelnya. Since it began to rain. The dusty streets with tough mud were covered in no time, so that the riders had to watch hell, not slip or stuck. On this way to Yelnya I met once Russia. The streets were a single mud- and puddle area, the houses built in poor and patched with all the possible and patched, the people dressed licentie. The fields were unkempt, until we saw only a Veldt. The city of Yelnya itself was almost extinct. We went then on the road to fun-Demensk about yet 15 km and were then away near the village of Medvezh'ye in a Bush area in position.

Since the front from here only 12 km was away, had to be disguised all. The Geschützrohre were wrapped so with branches, that you could hold them for a tree. The building of the tents was no pleasure, because in the Grase wet from the rain it seemed to be no good Commons. But after enough straw was been brought, could we very well establish our tents.

Our first lunch in this position brought finally boiled potatoes and goulash.. Already during the last period in Sechtschinskaja our potatoes to end were gone, and so there were about 14 Day long only noodles, Macaroni, Rice and grains in all possible preparations. Now we had can find again potatoes and there was a Cookware also again fully. Has also our young these days, cooking gewandter Werner Lotz from 8 l milk a pudding for us cope made, the look really could be. Our measuring crew leader was at that time Lance Sergeant. Bodenschatz. Sergeant. Theißen was on vacation. I came out for the time being not so good with Bodenschatz. Is it because he likes to hintenanstellte us young corporal something or is it due to his being and feel what I liked not and has never promised.