Das Reich at Uschakowa 1941

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Ste
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Das Reich at Uschakowa 1941

#1

Post by Ste » 21 Dec 2009, 19:47

Uscha Karl Forster
Rttf Josef Klaiber
Strm Michael Buschner
Strm Hermann Oldeboershius
Strm Willi Schwenk
Scht Walter Schyma

All of them were in service in 1./SS-Kradsch.Btl. SS-Div. “Reich” and all of them KIA on 26.7.1941 at Uschakowa and all of them awarded with the Honor Roll Clasp on 28.8.1941.
Can someone give me more information of what happened?
Thank you.

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tigre
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Re: Das Reich at Uschakowa 1941

#2

Post by tigre » 22 Dec 2009, 01:56

Hello Ste :D, the action what you're looking for took place during the heavy fights in the arch of Jelnja; see below

From July 24 to 26 the enemy repeatedly attacked the entire thinly held position occupied by the Corps with freshly brought up troops despite suffering bloody losses. The Corps position extended for 50 km. and was occupied by only 14 battalions. The enemy artillery was stronger from one day to the next, and the heavy and heaviest calibers with abundant ammunition were being brought forward. The attacks were supported by tanks. When a small breakthrough is cleared up in the south the report comes that another breakthrough has occurred in a different position. Enemy tanks appeared near Jelnja and brought disorder to the rearward services. Despite this not a foot of ground was lost and the weak battalions of both Divisions fought admirably. Daily many tanks were destroyed, for example, on July 25 alone 78 tanks were destroyed. The SS troops particularly distinguished themselves with their fearlessness and bravery. They jumped onto the heavy Russian tanks, which could not be destroyed by even the 5 cm. Pak, and fired into the vision slits with pistols and poured gasoline over the tanks and set them afire.

On the afternoon of July 24 a serious breakthrough of the Pi. Btl. 41 at Uschakowa placed the entire northern position in danger. The breakthrough was cleared up late in the evening under the active and decisive personal command of the 1a of SS Div. “Reich” using the last reserve of the Div., the SS Pioniere. At any rate, the Corps could not fail to recognize that the situation was becoming daily more critical due to the lack reserves by the Divisions and the Corps. The most effective counterattack reserve – the Panzer Brig. of the 10th Pz. Div. - was at this time immobilized due to the oil shortage. Only on the night of July 25 - 26 did the Corps receive as its only reserve the Geb. Pi. Btl. 85.

Source: Report by 46th Pz Corps on Battle of Jelnja (courtesy of Robert Westby).

Feliz Navidad - Feliz Natal - Frohe Weihnachten - Joyeux Noël - Merry Christmas. :wink:

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).


Ste
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Re: Das Reich at Uschakowa 1941

#3

Post by Ste » 22 Dec 2009, 21:52

Great Tigre,thank you for the information.
My question was a little different:they were in the same unit,KIA the same day and awarded with the same award.
I was thinking if they were killed maybe while assaulting a position or they died defending an important position with MG and hand grenades,or maybe killed in a hand to hand combat,after have repelled various Soviet attacks.

Anyway thank you for the "background"

vk_77
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Re: Das Reich at Uschakowa 1941

#4

Post by vk_77 » 23 Dec 2009, 04:04

Thank you Tiger!Very interesting as usual.Little correct.Uschakowo not Uschakowa.It is about 10 km nothward of Elnya (Smolenskaya Oblast)
With best regards from Russia.Vadim.

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Re: Das Reich at Uschakowa 1941

#5

Post by vk_77 » 23 Dec 2009, 04:33

it was 100 Rifle Division against Das Reich near Uschakowo.Uschakowo change hands about six times during 24-27 july 41.
Later, 100 RD became the First Guard Rifle Division (CO general Russiyanov I.N.) for taking Elnya 6.09.41.
source:Руссиянов И. Н. В боях рожденная... — М.: Воениздат, 1982.
руссиянов.jpg
Hero of Soviet Union Russiyanov I.N.
руссиянов.jpg (26.92 KiB) Viewed 1447 times
With best regards from Russia.Vadim

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tigre
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Re: Das Reich at Uschakowa 1941

#6

Post by tigre » 23 Dec 2009, 06:58

Hello Vadim and thanks for your tip :D; Ste you should get the book "Hot motors, cold feet : a memoir of service with the Motorcycle Battalion of SS-Division "Reich" 1940-1941. Autor: Helmut Günther. Here something I could get from somewhere..........

It was 31 July 1941. Many of the motorcyclits who had left Kirchdorf laughing and singing lay forever in the gigantic cemetery near Jelnja or had found their graves where they had fallen. After one of the intense defensive engagements on the northeast front of Jelnja, Gruppe Forster of the 1./ SS Kradschützen Btl (Das Reich) which had the mission of screening the left flank of the company was annihilated and was found later..........

The squad leader, SS Unterscharführer Forster, with his hand on the arming wire of the last hand grenade - shot in the head -

Machine gunner Nº 1 SS Rottenführer Klaiber his shoulder still on the gun - shot in the head -

Machine gunner Nº 2 SS Sturmmann Buschner and Sturmmann Walter Schyma - shot in the head -

Sturmmann Willi Schwenk was a friend of the author and had been transferred a few days earlier to the 1. Company.

So all of them had been killed while defending an important position (and the company's left flank) with MG and hand grenades and after have repelled various Soviet attacks. (as you told!).

Feliz Navidad - Feliz Natal - Frohe Weihnachten - Joyeux Noël - Merry Christmas. :wink:

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).

Ste
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Re: Das Reich at Uschakowa 1941

#7

Post by Ste » 23 Dec 2009, 11:18

Thank you guys for all the informations.Helmut Gunther is the same who also write the story of the 17th SS?

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tigre
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Re: Das Reich at Uschakowa 1941

#8

Post by tigre » 08 Sep 2018, 22:21

Hello to all :D; just in case....................................

Hot motors, cold feet : a memoir of service with the Motorcycle Battalion of SS-Division "Reich" 1940-1941.

Source: https://picclick.com/Hot-Motors-Cold-Fe ... id=1&pid=2

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).
Attachments
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