Knight's Cross w oak leaves recipient original war diary Arko 176 war in Russia Pt 1, Colonel Forst

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Episode 121

This private 1938 footage, of a German artillery formation taken just one year before the war began, shows well the relatively slow process that modernizing the German Wehrmacht was. A majority of the artillery, which was the element of the German army with the most firepower, was still largely horse drawn as war approached. The footage also fits in well with part one of a new multi-part series which will follow the original war diary from a Colonel in the artillery named Werner who would also go on to lead the 293rd ID the 106th ID would become a General and also a Knght’s Cross with oak leaves recipient. At the end of this video I’ll show the net part in the artillery munitions training film that covers duds, so stick around, it’s worth it.

This fantastic 40-page original war diary that I was able to win at auction covers the dates from Feb 1 of 1941 until the 12th of November 1941. Colonel Forst describes the creation of Arko 146 Artillerie Kommandeur 146 that was part of the 47th Army Corps in Army Group Center during the Russian campaign that was under the command of General Lemelsen. We’ll follow his diary entries that cover the 17th and 19th PzDs and the 29th ID and covers the battles for Smolensk and Bryansk. It’ll make an interesting series so go ahead and subscibe if you haven’t yet. I should also now take the time to thank my Patreon supporters who make buying these original sources possible. If you are not yet a Patreon supporter please consider becoming one. supporters get access to exclusive film footage that can’t be shown here. Open a free account on my website and see an example of the footage.

Now, let’s get back to Colonel Forst…

On Saturday February 1 I was discharged from the Artillery school at Jüterbog after having completed the task of creating learning material for the trainees. It was about time for me to get in contact with the staff of my new unit - Arko 146 - that was being put together in Hannover, to personally see that we’d be getting everything that we’d need. On February 3rd I arrived in Hannover and on February 4th I greeted my personal staff which to be honest seemed a bit undermanned. It was made up of my 1a, or second in command, first lieutenant Lingl, aid-decamp lieutenant Bücking (who I was able to bring with me from A.R. or Artillery Regiment 76), the Artillery Communications Officer Leutenant Lenz, the Weaponry Officer Leutenant Hüser, and the Munitions Officer Leutenant von Grdowki who I was also later able to bring in from the Training Department 76. Frost goes on naming officer that were responsible for secretarial, logistical and transportation duties.

He continues… It took a considerable amount of time adjusting the staff until it was organized into an efficient and acceptable group. That some of the key positions would be held by trusted men from Artillery Regiment 76 was no accident.

There was considerable stress and effort expended in putting together the needed motorized fleet. With the pushed production of new vehicle it was extremely difficult to get the needed spare parts. It was literally a fight to get the vehicles we needed into working order but little by little we were able to master the situation. An important part of the process was trying out each individual vehicle for its designated purpose to make sure it was adequate. That really was a lot of work that involved a lot of running around and testing. These preparations continued even after the unit was transferred from Hannover to Kassel.

On Sunday, the 9th of February I was able to get home to Wuppertal for a long weekend to tighten up all my loose knots. Not until early Tuesday did I return which coincidentally meant that I missed the English bomber attack on Hannover which took place in waves on February 11. As reported It was a considerably heavy raid. When I did arrive in Hannover orders had already arrived which were to send me on the following day to Munich to take part in a conference being held under the leadership of General of the Artillery Grün. Just back from visiting my in-laws, I’d hoped to now be able to meet up with my brother-in-law which would now be impossible because of the order. The conference in Munich which went from February 13th to 18th was very informative. Each of us who took part had plenty to bring home and think about. On the last day of the conference I received new by telephone that the unit would be moved from Hannover to Kassel and that they were already waiting for me there.