2nd SS PzD Das Reich Original War Diary Pt 5 - 5th SS PzD Wiking, 1st SS PzD LAAH, 3rd SS Totenkopf

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Episode 116

This nice combat footage fits in well with the series covering the unit which would eventually become the 2. SS PzD Das Reich. Following an original war diary we are embedded with the unit up through the winter of 1941/42 where it was the lead element of Operation Typhoon, the attack on Moscow.

In Part 5 of the series, In addition to using this sensational war-diary I’ll add footage from this late 1941 German training film. I’ll add original situational maps, and introduce an associated entry from the war-diary of the German High Command. If you like this kind of material please subscribe to the channel.

In part 4 of this series Kurt organized the bringing forward of desperately needed supplies through a hail of Soviet artillery fire. Now with the munitions necessary to assault Hill 215, his entry for July 10th continues.

At 18hr and without any preparatory artillery fire the battalion begins the attack. After advancing a good way up the incline, the Russians start in again with heavy artillery fire. This in combination with the well focused small arms fire from the enemy’s multiple prepared defensive positions bring our advance to a halt. At this key moment Oberscharführer, or Technical Sergeant, Plauensteiner from the 5th Company sees dug in Russians on his platoon’s flank and orders an immediate, direct frontal attack. We suddenly receive heavy flanking fire from light machine-guns and I am able to make out an MG nest on the hill in the edge of a forested area. I quickly gather three men from the company and we head off in their direction, using obstacles in the terrain for cover. We manage to move in close and after throwing two hand grenades and firing off a salvo from my MP-40 the Soviet nest is silenced. With the way clear our formation storms the enemy trenches, and the enemy, having takien heavy casualties, retreats in disarray.

As late afternoon turns to night it begins getting dark. The individual companies are divided up for guard duty and a unit of pioneers sets to work de-mining the road which cuts through the territory and then put it back into usable condition. A truck from the 8th Company that was bringing up munitions to the front passing by a forested area hits a mine but somehow the munition cargo doesn’t explode. None of the 3 passengers are injured, escaping the incident with nothing more than a scare. It turns out to be part of a large Soviet minefield which we somehow miraculously avoided.

In part 3, we saw how a Soviet armored counter attack on July 6 lead to the dividing up of the SS Division Reich in order to protect the 10th PzD’s left flank. On July 7 an enemy parachute drop behind German lines showed that the thrust was more than diversionary, intending to spring soviet troops that were trapped in the Bialystok-Minsk pocket. By July 8th the Soviet armor attack had been contained and the airborne troops neutralized. This is an entry in the German High Command official war diary for July 9th.

That gives us an overview of how the SS Division Reich fit in to Army Group Center at the time of Kurt’s entries. He continues on July 10th.

Around midnight the Russians hit us again with a massive artillery barrage, but this time we’re well protected by their defensive positions and no noteworthy damage is sustained. At sunrise there isn’t a trace of the enemy. it seems that once again the massive artillery barrage was done to cover their retreat. We are able to continue the advance to the river without coming into contact with the enemy. The 2nd and 9th armies continue on with their march to the east. The battle for Bialystok and the area to the west of Minsk has been successfully and decisively completed.

In part 6 we’ll cover the units crossing of the Dnjepr River so remember to subscribe and hit the bell icon to receive notifications.