So life flowed there quietly and satisfied. Tourists have come and gone. You brought with interesting news from home. Also my friend Gerhard and I expected with holiday. To raise the intellectual level of the battery, the battery management instituted so-called study groups. I had the high honor, to guide the Working Group for stenography. Non-commissioned officers and soldiers wanted to be inaugurated by me in the high art of fast writing. We do not were added but, because since the rebase in between came.

In the Ju[l]i flared the huge battle of Orel, where the German and the Russian offensive clashed. The Luftwaffe flew from our Horst in this combat area. It was mostly [Heinkel] He 111 or [Junkers] Ju 88 Associations of approximately 40 – 50 Machines. Also flew Hunter there. It was me directly scary at this time. Stock on our part and the Russian came only once at night, made Blitzlichaufnahmen or threw some bombs. Our view was, that sometime soon a major attack would be at the place and to do so, he explains to now at night, because it can fly at the days only in high-altitude. Night for night, enemy air activity was. We could go sometimes only in the shack when the Sun announced the new day. It was also sometimes very thrilling and exciting, If slammed bombs in our neighbourhood. In our Protze houses burned down and the telephone line after the Protze was hit several times. Other times we had to book the drivers from the Protze into the battery. We want that at night to the Heranschleppen of ammunition. It was not uncommon, If we in one night 800, 1000, or even 1200 Hunted shot into the sky. Visible successes were however not to notice. The next morning, a car was sent off and he brought them new ammunition, so much we wanted to have. For us it was not like in the army, where only so and got so much shot and was allowed to shoot only as much shot, as approved by the staff, If you ever allowed to shoot.

For us quite unexpectedly the Eagle carrier of Colonel-General visited us Ritter von Greim, Leaders of the air fleet 6. Some time later, we had to surround the position with local defence statuses. Because this area with partisans was riddled. In about 40 West of us there was a larger gang group. There always flew from our airport [ARADO] AR 66 and [Focke-Wulf] FW 58, very old and slow machines. You submitted to, to let go of this gang of nests in the air. Flew for a change also times 4 [Messerschmitt] Me 110 there and “played” with this dark human. The activity of the bands was noticeable also in our vicinity. On the runway, some flew times [Heinkel] He 111 in the air. Then teachings about a detention Sprengladung were all units, the man had found, carried out. A truck of our 2. Battery was driving on a straight face. Result: 2 Tote. One night I observed, how flew the Roslavl Briansk railway line in very many places in the air.

It came before us like a godsend, that was the days and nights before and after Pentecost complete peace in the air. So we could recover us once quite and the stomach came away while also not bad. You were abundant at the evening high jinks Marketenderwere determined. You fulfilled its purpose in the right way. Late June / early July the enemy air activity decreased strongly. But still our flew [Heinkel] He 111 and [Junkers] Ju 88. Stock in the space of Orel. That was continuously. A fantastic sight was each time, If an Association of Ju 88 came back and the machines went one after another dive at depth. In these movements, I realized, that already a niedergehendes dive plane must have a harsh moral shock of the opponent. The weather was beautiful. Simply wonderful. One day as a heavy storm came once and since one got an electric shock when calling, flowing from a lightning. Since then the listener only with reluctance when thunderstorms was attacked. In the last days of June, I was my inducted into the B. Since then, I took part in the joys and sorrows of this community. After I have purchased there great self-confidence and sense of responsibility, What was me for my later life very useful.

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.