Letter 49

July 1941

Dear Parents and Grand Dad.

Thank you for the letter from June 6th and also the card came from June 13th. I can see that all is well back home and that goes for me too. I read that the Rye and Wheat is doing good because it rained but you have to give the ground back next year. How much is the diameter of the tractor belt drive? Have you got the new Corn Mill machine? And while you at it, make sure you get the money from the stolen firewood. I would love to help out there , I am not much interested in things here. If I get alive out of this war, I will thak God for it , We are 40 KM from Kiew and the Russians holding stubborn. We in the same place for several days and enemy Artillery is plastering our positions. The only Comrade here with me from home is Gerhard Dieckmann from Ahlen. There is not another Schaumburger in my Battery. Fritz Meiers from Rolfhagen is in another Battery it means in another Artillery Battalion. He has FP # 10331 B , Karl Séffler from Krückeberg and M. Rehling from Borstel are here too, I met them yesterday. They atr drivers in an Ammunition group. We all wished ourself a good home coming soon. I was so sadly surprised that my old friend Horst Meier has died of his wounds. These are sad news for all of us. Always the best men are killed in war. We are now in a position to get a few extras, going and raid a potato field we boil them, . I suppose you have harvested the Oil Rape? Let me know how much, do you get enough Diesel for the Tractor? I will close now,

Your Heinrich.

From: Pvt H.Bredenmeier FP # 10331 Artillery Regt 117

To: Family H. Bredenmeier Rehrn A/O 12, Near Rinteln. Weser.