Tony Le Tissier - With Our Backs to Berlin

1) Enemy is digging in from direction of WUHDEN in a second trench running from the shot-up Panther to here from the direction of the main road. Thus there is a danger that this trench will eventually lead to the track and form a second continuous trench between you and us.

2) Fire direction is being tried via tank, as own set is u/s.

2) Request permission to fire upon identified heavy weapons.

The ODER is clearly visible.

From II 0946 For establishment of new fire direction it will be necessary for the command tank to drive to the firing position of the 2nd Battalion, Armoured Artillery Regiment ‘Kurmark’.

From II 1026 To 13 Company: Prepare for orders to fire.

To II 1037 Give short basis for commendation of Sergeant Hennecke.

To II 1055 Fire direction will be conducted via tank. From 1130 hours reciprocal callsign is ROTHKELCHEN.

From II 1132 To Regiment: Sergeant Hennecke has as Forward Observer in heavy fighting under the heaviest artillery fire so outstandingly conducted himself, that a considerable part of successful defence is attributable to him.

From II 1218 To Regiment: Request urgent running harassing fire on SPERBER, EMIL, DROSSEL by all available artillery resources.

To II Still no orders from Corps.

There followed recommendations for the award of the Iron Cross First Class for six officer cadets, and Second Class for a further 38 officer cadets, 26 other ranks and eight Volkssturm men, the promotion of Second Lieutenant Heinrich to lieutenant and Gunner Brandenburg to bombardier for his outstanding conduct as a radio operator under the heaviest enemy fire.

All the while Colonel Willy Langkeit, the ‘Kurmark’ divisional commander, was doing his utmost to get permission from the XIth SS Panzer Corps commander, the fanatical Nazi SS-General Matthias Kleinheisterkamp, to give permission for the garrison to break out, but so far without success.

The log continues:

From II Where is resupply?

To Commanding Officer 300: Request further harassing fire during the whole night on DROSSEL, SPERBER, GUSTAV.

Query: Where is 6 Company? Conditions for wounded bad.

From II 1910 Strength of Grenadier Regiment 300 and Engineer Regiment 309: 4/11/30, plus 1/9 wounded.

From II To Commanding Officer 300:

Some enemy barrages from heavy mortars, otherwise quiet.

From II Artillery working well. Request once more urgent artillery action during night on GUSTAV, DROSSEL and EMIL. Greetings please from 6, 7 and 8 Companies. The fire has not gone out yet.

From II 2118 To Regiment:

Fighting strength: 5 officers, 55 officer cadets, 17 senior NCOs, 107 other ranks, plus 2 tank crews.

Wounded: 1 officer cadet, 3 other ranks.

Wounded of 2nd Battalion/1242 in KLESSIN 54.

Request supply of following: flares, batteries, machine gun ammunition, Verey cartridges, replacement machine gun, food.

There was a second successful supply drop by the Luftwaffe that night with thirteen containers recovered.

The whole of 22 March Klessin lay under heavy bombardment from artillery, mortars, anti-tank guns and heavy machine gun fire. The situation had become almost untenable, as the radio log records:

From II 0500 Barrages on GUSTAV and TONI.

From II 0510 Barrages up 100m and 100m more to left.

From II To 13 Company: Once TONI fired, one barrage on MARS, where enemy forming up.

From II Order to 13 Company cancelled.

To II 0555 Has enemy broken in?

From II 0618 What is the situation on the left?

From II 0621 Russians broke in 2 Company at 0500 hours. 7 Russians in trench left behind a machine gun when thrown out again. 1 dead and 2 wounded in this. 2nd Battalion/Armoured Artillery Regiment ‘Kurmark’ fired well-laid bombardments during the night. Situation restored.

Waiting urgently for food, Verey cartridges, hand grenades and machine gun ammunition.

From II 0920 Request one salvo harassing fire on RITTERSPORN, from where sound of tanks.

From II 1003 Enemy bombardment with heavy mortars. Situation for wounded bad.

From II To 13 Company: Request harassing fire on MARS and ILONA from 11 to 1300 hours. Timing from Regiment.

From II Expecting enemy attack. Under running artillery bombardment. Conditions for wounded unbearable.

From II 1000 KLESSIN fortress boundaries: From crossroads at western exit SE 300m, NE 250m, N 300m, W 150m, S 150m. Please pass on to Luftwaffe.

From II 1111 To Regiment: Prepare barrage all round.

From II Is barrage ready?

To II Barrage is ready.

From II 1148 MARS, GUSTAV, ILONA, one salvo.

From II 1200 Bombardment of own positions by Russians.

From II 1203 Query: Has salvo been fired on MARS, ILONA, GUSTAV?

From II 1209 One salvo on DROSSEL.

From II 1217 Prepare barrage all round once more.

From II Enemy attack. Fire barrages on GUSTAV, TONI, RABE, MARS and keep firing.

From II Barrage on GUSTAV urgent.

From II Barrage on GUSTAV urgent. Keep on firing, and DROSSEL.

From II Enemy attack. Barrages on DROSSEL, GUSTAV and SPERBER.

From II Fire again on GUSTAV urgent. Enemy attacking!

From 7 Coy Enemy attack on KLESSIN clearly visible. Barrage on hollow!

To 7 Coy Where exactly is enemy attack? Give exact areas.

From II Fire rockets 600m further to north.

From II Fire on GUSTAV again.

From II 1247 Enemy is attacking from directions of 49.7, 56.2 and 16.8, from north and northwest.

From II Request concentrated fire on GUSTAV. One running barrage on RITTERSPORN 2.

To 7 Coy The enemy attacking KLESSIN is most urgently to be forced to ground with machine guns.

From 7 Coy Enemy attack from WUHDEN toward west swung round on KLESSIN and from the dip in front of our own Sector on KLESSIN.

To II Do you have lamps for a night supply air drop?

From II 1344 To 13 Company: 2 salvoes on MARS.

From II 1347 Situation re-established, cleared up. Casualties from enemy artillery fire expected.

To II 1350 Query: Have all attacks been beaten back?

From II 1355 Prepare for further all round fire.

To II 1419 How was the last rocket barrage?

From II 1435 To 2nd Battalion/Armoured Artillery Regiment ‘Kurmark’:

One salvo on GUSTAV immediately.

From II Query: Is the barrage ready? Command TONI 100m up, otherwise in own trenches.

To II 1448 Barrage ready.

From II 1448 …and thrown out again in a counterattack. The enemy was being driven on by commissars. Current statements from prisoners. We are expecting further enemy attacks.

Casualties not yet reviewed.

Conditions for wounded very, very bad.

Cover hardly possible. Reserves fully committed.

Urgently request fighter aircraft support.

To II What is situation?

From II 1540 Relief today urgently necessary. The enemy is occupying the eastern part of the SCHLOSS and is constantly reinforcing. Forces for a counterattack not available. Please relieve urgently.

From II Barrage all round.

From II Continual barrage all round urgent.

To 7 Coy Force the enemy now attacking southern KLESSIN to the ground with all your weapons.

From II Barrage all round urgent.

From II Where is the barrage?

To II Where is the main enemy point of attack?

From II East and south of SCHLOSS.

From II 1630 Heavy losses. We are fighting to the last man.

To II 1643 Hold on. Decision applied for.

From II One battery on GUSTAV. Own artillery firing too short.

From II To 2nd Battalion/Armoured Artillery Regiment ‘Kurmark’: one salvo on SPERBER.

From II One salvo on GUSTAV.

From II 1711 Situation difficult. We must fear the worst this evening.

From II To 2nd Battalion/Armoured Artillery Regiment ‘Kurmark’: one salvo on GUSTAV.