At 3. soon our spit right found it, again rebase to make. It returned again to Baltutino and then on. Soon our small column waved off to the right, again in the green forest. There we set up us again comfortably. How beautiful we had I there yet with the B in the last few days. We have resumed and sold us the time to all possible stuff, While experienced our Geschützbedienungen some excitement and sleepless nights.

Suddenly came on the afternoons 2 Man from our battery to us. A driver and a Kradmelder. Filthy and shipping speckt they looked. Vehicles they had of course no more. You were somewhere in the gutter. They reported very nice stuff. The two guys had very good fight out, until they finally had found the position of the prowess. Also they were continue to say nothing about the fate of the battery.

For a change, we sent on some people of our operation, the times the surrounding villages wanted to watch, whether because organize something there. When they did too long, should I go to search, and they heimholen. I'm going to leave. Up the first Hill. Nothing to see. The second Hill up. Since I saw in the distant some villages. You were me but too far to go. So I went to when things again. And that was good, because as I to serve came back, you just made everything to the descent finished. I asked whether the Russians are coming, or whatever else actually going. Then it answered me: “The battery is here!”

In fact, our combat battery was constructed near vorbeiführenden road. We thought back now it outputs something. But far from. When all train cars were marschbereit we went with the battery closed further forward. On the road was still a [Petljakow] PE-2 Combined distance and threw the bombs in a far away from the village. 8,8 Flak shot down some machines. Our boss told us a few hours later, that a rescue machine was controlled by a woman and that she would have asked after their capture, If she would shot! In this example, you can see, that the Russians also have instilled the baiting their people: The Germans shoot immediately all prisoners. And why had Russia used women as pilot. Had this rich country already at that time lack of well-trained soldiers?

After a ride through deep gorges and steep, dangerous roads we came after Glinka, a small town on the railway line Yelnya Smolensk, 70 km from Smolensk. Since this place until the afternoon of the PE 2 Association was attacked, was the place extinct total. Our boss was no good night and we returned to, until we set up our tents at night in a well. The front was not more distant, We at the numerous flares and the screaming of the fog Launcher launches saw this and the dull roar of the impacts was quite near the front us know. I will report later about the ground fights of our firing battery.

It is now slipped my mind in the course of time, How did the message to us. I think, our spit had a passenger car. with some Uffz. sent off, to see, whether you can make the connection to the battery. In any case, this car was there again soon and it said around quickly: Our battery has been, Thanks to pure lists of tactics, can escape the noose, has but still struggles to survive. I can no longer recall, whether the battery has already passed the heavy fighting at Sukhoi Petschinok, or whether they were only on the day on.

After front driven 4 Also a number of wishes and commands for the master-sentinel brought with man. A large truck was so immediately. loaded with ammunition, Catering, missing equipment, Cigarettes, some crates schnapps, with post and last but not least a big push rugs, which were urgently wanted. The car drove los accompanied with all good wishes. I think, the car would be stuck as a result of the very poor road conditions, and would have been only on their return the battery.

The old rest enlisted again in our beautiful prowess. We had our radio, as always, also this time built up, and it was also here in the forest beautiful music. The Russian Schlachtflieger braußten often about us across. Cumbersome, they came angebrummt. Could be but only a few German hunters look, so you took [Iljuschin] IL 2 fast away, because else would the durcheinandergemöbelt and not rarely the German hunters had to claim victories.

On the morning of the next day, 31.8., wanted to make our spit rebase, because the front in the course of the night on the ditch should be withdrawn. Dort sollte die neue [battlefront] HVAC arise. At night, Yelnya lichterloh burned and we thought only: Hopefully we haun off soon. Perhaps the Ivan is faster here, as we think. And the sharp pop of armoured launches came pretty close.

Thank God it went in the first dawning and away. Our spit as prowess led us back to Baltutiwo and turn right, again in a forest. Atm a friend on the way met our dear Tünn a short stop, the Fourier was in a different battery. This was quickly a few large sausages Tünn, which were included in our service with great joy.

As warm meals we got twice in a row huge blows boiled potatoes and goulash of our kitchen. It was the food, which should be brought forward. There was no way, This project run. It rose slowly to the question in us, What actually happened to our combat battery.

It came the message, that our battery is included. Since we could not hope so, anyone to see once again. Our 1. Battery was located in security, Although she should also forward. But so was just our age, everywhere some schmußen, be the first anywhere, (Yes, we were most 29. Half day earlier as, as the other batteries, and so ours are mess directly in the Rummel, While the other (same) heavy batteries were reversed.

When we woke up the next morning, was our dear Uffz. Beckurtz before our tent. Bodenschatz would please also soon him with joy around the neck. He knew but now, where our spit was with the train vehicles. Peter Beckurtz reported, that they were the evening of yesterday's day in Ivanovo and had then made rebase. A few 100 m from our campsite away had spent the night they, without knowing, that we are in its neighbourhood.

I was not built in, We came to the Tross again. Who knows, where we had to go because with. I would be driven I alone and breadth rather even a day with the B through the country. Na, We went back to the baggage train and reported us at the main guard master. He and the small few people were certainly pleased, that the already lost B I operation itself had again met.

On this mornings we obtained still a position of prowess in a small wood. Our vehicles have been disguised and we made it ourselves comfortable in the warm sunshine. Since now our kitchen was again with us, We had to with potato Peel for 2 Battrien. The food should be managed to forward.

However we were disturbed many times in our peace by enemy Schlachtflieger, brummten about us across and later attacked a village, where was an important bridge. Russian hunters bustled about us. We shot several times with the carbine in the air. Because but the race had to be cleaned again and again and our spit “the dumb and useless Knallerei” prohibition, We have a shooting. Evening sailed on SS in this space. You should probably back to stabilize the situation. Also in our neighborhood were Pakgeschütze of them in a position. We are as times went and looked at the gun.

Still would be to mention, that during this day also the Luftwaffe several times appeared with strong powers. Several [Heinkel] He 111 Associations with 60 Machines flew in the battle area and occupied the enemy positions with bombs. Also a[n] I got to know type of aircraft, which I had seen yet. It was the Schlachtflieger [Henschel] HS 129. As a result of their ignorance we thought it only for enemy machines. We could well see, how this Schlachtflieger at low altitude over the enemy lines flew, continuously back and forth. This very powerful spukten their kews. I had the impression, as if our HS 129 dangerous for the Russians are, because it crossed Yes for a while through the enemy lines. In contrast to the [Iljuschin] IL 2, the distance come, throw their bombs and make that they disappear again.

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.