Letter 48

Ukraine July 19th 1941

Dear Parents and Grand Dad!

I just had a letter from you and thanking you very much. As I see from your letter , most of the young men from Rehren are fighting now in Russia. Today we are marching from South to North towards Kiev but we do not know the plans of the High

Command, all we have to do is to march and march . The places we passed looked terrible, everything in ruins from the fighting. I counted 60 heavy Russian tanks knocked out and laying on the side and more than 600 trucks and other vehicles. I don’t hear Radio and I don’t get newspapers so I beg you to keep all the Newspapers that have news from Russia in it. Let us hope that the Russians do not retreat into the far reaches of Asia, so we don’t have to spend a winter here . I had 10 days of Battle here in Russia and the worst days were June 28th - 29th and 30th. I wont forget the day when we were aiding the Infantry in a forest battle near Dubno , we had formed 2 pockets and surrounded the Russians and we sat right between the two pockets, and could not get away. We had run out of Artillery ammunition . By radio we contacted the Division Command so 3 hours later 8 Junkers JU 52 planes came with ammunition so we could continue our firing. By June 30th, finally our own salvation came in the form of a German Panzer Battalion . Our Battery had a few wounded but no fatalities. For us the enemy planes are the main danger because our own fighter planes can not be everywhere, the airspace is just to huge above the entire length of the front. We have a Machine Gun as a defence against air craft too and when we fire tracers, the Russian pilots usually turn back. They are on the whole cowards .

I am so glad to hear that you are mastering the hay harvest that fast, the Wheat and Rye has a good stand here too. I am happy that you had the tractor repaired and so you can get fresh onto the coming harvest.

How are you Grand Dad, I hope you are well, and keep looking after our Horses , Dear Mother, the parcel with Sausage I had but send me something more to eat, like Cookies or cake. We don’t get much bread either here , the Ukrainians are very nice people , so for now give my Greetings to all Friends and Relatives , I have not the time to write to each and everyone.

Greetings Heinrich.

From: Pvt Heinrich Bremeier, FP # 10331 = Artillery Regt 117 of the 111™ Inf Division

To: Family H.Bredemeier, Rehren A.O. #12 near Rinteln-Weser