14. Mai 1942
3 o’clock in the morning. Here we go again! It’s not even light yet and the damn engines are already starting up in the forest. We are still down in the bunker and hear it clearly. The company chief says dryly that the messenger will be here in a minute, and then we hear him arriving at the double and rumbling down the steps.
The tank on the swathe has rolled closer and is now firing directly at our bunker positions, which it has recognised in the meantime. Our pak there tries to drive the monster away with its small grenades. Then it is recognised, and now the steel colossus roars its fire into its position. One man after the other at the gun falls out bleeding until a direct hit destroys the gun. Only one man remains.
Now the dance begins. Russian artillery engages to support the tank advance. The forest now cracks and splinters with shell impacts. A mortar shell explodes close to the embrasure of a bunker. The splinters hit a soldier in the face. He collapses, badly wounded. The medical bunker in the middle of the homestead is already full, but more and more wounded drag themselves there and disappear into the cave.
Damn it, why aren’t the tanks coming?! In the crash of the impacts we hear them humming and roaring close in front of us, but they don’t come out. Does the forest hinder them so much after all, or is it just war of nerves? Soviet infantry are not yet to be seen either. Maybe they suspect a mine belt in front of our positions and that’s why they are approaching so slowly. If only they knew how ridiculously few mines we have, and that we can’t really counter the tanks at all. We have no armour-piercing weapons on the forester’s lodge. If the Iwans had grit, they could overrun us in ten minutes. But they don’t dare. Evening falls, and again they have not dared to break in. And again the night falls on the poor, brave crew of the forester’s lodge.
Under the cover of darkness, a flurry of activity begins. Ammunition and rations vehicles approach from behind, unload and take back the wounded. The tension has eased a little. We eat our evening meal. It was the only meal today. Then we sink onto our bunk, tired. Only the guards have to keep watch and fight against the leaden tiredness.
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