Letter 213

In the Field Nov 21* 1943

Dear Beloved at Home !.

It gets dark early and the evenings are so long so I will write again a few lines. I am in a small hut, the owners were forced to make room for us and fled so the German Army has a home to get to. It is already getting pretty cold now, and we are 4 Kilometers away from the Russians. Today the Russian started another attack and he left a few knocked Panzers on the field of Battle. The Machine guns fire ceaseless all day around us the sky is lit by signal rockets, Bombs and Shells exploding everywhere. This is the way it keeps going on here, but for us Artillery men there is the advantage that we don’t fire all day and night so we can close our eyes for a few hours. Others have to stand guard in the front trench. Of myself I can only write that I am well, today we even had a ration of Schnapps, I wish I could send you all the cigars that we get now. The Russian cigars are plentyfull in storage here ‚So how are you at home now? Will you have the Garage done by Christmas? That is all, for now, all the very best

Heinrich.

From: Pvt 1st Class Heinrich Bredemeier , FP # 10331 Art.Regt 117

To: Heinrich Bremeier, Rehren A.O. #12 near Rinteln-Weser

For November 21* 1943 the Wehrmacht report had this to say:

Northeast of Kertsch the enemy tried again to extend his Bridgehead but he was beaten back and lost 18 Tanks by our extremely accurate Artillery fire and attacks by our Luftwaffe. The Russians attacked the Bridgehead of Nikopol south of Dnjeprpetrowsk and north of Kirwoi Rog. The Battle is still in progress but all enemy breakthrough attempts were repulsed and 248 enemy Tanks were destroyed. 107 of these were destroyed by LII Army Corps.

The Capital of the Reich , Berlin, was once again the target of a British Bomber fleet last night, several fires broke out in different parts of the city, many house and Churches were destroyed the Civilian Population had some losses.