by Ian Baxter
For three long months Army Group South had fought a series of bitter and bloody battles in order to stem the gradual deterioration of its forces in southern Russia. Conditions for the Germany Army and the Waffen-SS between January and March 1944 were dismal. Supplies were inadequate, and replacements in men were far below what was needed to sustain its divisions along the entire front. To make matters worse in early January a 110-mile breach between Army Group Centre and Army Group South had developed. Neither army group had sufficient forces to plug the gap and by the end of the month the gap opened even wider when the Belorussian Front pushed the 2nd Army to the lone of the Ipa River.
For the next few weeks further pressure was applied on Army Group South. By this time the German front was disintegrating under persistent overwhelming enemy attacks. German mobile reserves had all been worn down to almost extinction and this led to a number of units being encircled. One of the largest pockets to develop was in the Kovel-Korsun area of the lower Dnieper where seven German divisions and the premier 5th SS Wiking Division were trapped. By using some the last Panzers in the area, Manstein managed to drive a wedge and create a corridor for the encircled men and held it open to allow them to escape. The remnants of the shattered divisions that successfully broke out struggled southeast under continuous Russian fire.
A FlaK gunner protecting a position against aerial attack. The projectiles used for this weapon were airburst shells. The airburst shell was favoured for their anti-personnel capabilities against troops in cover.
A photograph taken during the early winter of 1944 showing a well camouflaged 10.5cm I.FHI8M gun crew wearing various personal equipment prior to going into action. These light field howitzers were constantly modified during the war in order to increase their ranges.
To the north of Kovel-Korsun the situation of the rest of Manstein's Army Group was equally dire. The bulk of the men were totally exhausted. The worn out 1st and 4th Panzer armies were all that were left to support troop operations in the south, and they were being slowly compressed against the Carpathian Mountains. By early March advanced Soviet units had reached the outskirts of the city of Tarnopol. Within days of their arrival Red Army troops advanced through the ravaged city but were soon beaten back by strong German defences. As German soldiers fought for Tarnopol Hitler issued another order appealing for his forces on the Eastern Front to use towns and cities and surrounding areas as fortified positions in order to slow down the Soviet drive westward. In other words he was calling upon every soldier to hold to the last man. Many troops that were given this awesome task of defending the towns and cities nicknamed these suicidal assignments as Himmelfahrts-Kommnandos (missions to Heaven).
In the city of Tarnopol conditions for the troops were appalling. For days they held out inside the ruins whilst being subjected to a number of sustained bombardments from heavy Soviet artillery. By 21 March, the Red Army of the 1st and 4th Tank Armies smashed through the front swiftly carrying along with them like driftwood, remnants of the German defensive line consisting mainly of the 68th Infantry and 7th Panzer Divisions. Two days later the Russian 1st Tank Army wheeled west with all its might and hammered its way through bewildered German infantry divisions that were defending Tarnopol. Those troops that were defending surrounding areas were thrown back some ten miles, leaving behind a garrison inside the doomed city. Some of the defenders of Tarnopol reported that the scenes were reminiscent of Stalingrad. For the next three weeks the four thousand strong garrison held out. When a rescue mission by the 9th SS Division tried to relieve the trapped force only fifty-three men managed to break out during the night of April 15/16 and reach the German lines. The rest were captured or killed.
In Army Group North and Wehrmacht troops can be seen the front lines. For some weeks Army Group North had been trying in vain to hold positions along its northern defences against strong Russian forces.
In spite the horrifying casualties and huge losses of equipment inflicted upon Army Group South, its forces as a whole during the winter of 1944 had generally defended its positions relatively well against terrible odds. In fact in some places it even held the line. When Model replaced Manstein at the end of March the crisis in the south was temporarily relieved as the Russian winter offensive gradually died away. The Red Army after nearly eight months of continuous movement had at last given respite to the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS. However, unbeknown to Army Group South, the Russians were preparing for a massive attack against the German centre, which was to carry them to the banks of the River Vistula in Poland. The German Army was soon to be vanquished from the Soviet Union.
A soldier in a defensive position armed with an MP38/40 machine pistol. He is wearing a white washed steel helmet and a two-piece white camouflage smock and black leather boots.
From the same defensive position and German infantry can be seen inside the trench wearing two-piece snowsuits and their steel helmets have received an application of white wash for camouflage.
German troops withdraw westward following the capture of Leningrad on 26 January 1944. All the soldiers are wearing the two piece snow suit and armed with the Mauser bolt action rife.
Gebirgsjager troops fire a 7.5cm Geb36 gun. Firing an artillery piece in the snow could be frequently problematic for the gun crew. The recoil would regularly drive the weapon deep into the snow and would often cause inaccurate firing. For this reason this 7.5cm Geb36 gun has been modified – its wheels have been removed and replaced with sturdy gun trails.
A white washed 15cm s.FHI8 heavy field howitzer is being readied for action. The 15cm field howitzer was designed to attack targets deeper into the enemy rear. This included command posts, reserve units, assembly areas, and logistic facilities. Note the stacked pile of wicker ammunition cases.
During a lull in the fighting and Wehrmacht troops can be seen cooking food over an open fire in the snow. During this period the Germans in Army Group North had managed to temporarily strengthen its defences in the region and hold back the Red Army.
Two soldier in a trench armed with Mauser riles and wearing white camouflage smocks. Although the white camouflage smock was a popular and practical item of winter clothing it tended to be worn night and day for weeks. Soon they became filthy, thus defeating the objective of the white camouflage.
A light MG42 machine gunner and crew in the snow during defensive actions in Army Group North. Although along many sectors of the front the Germans were successfully holding back the advancing Red Army, it came with a high price in men and materials.
A photograph taken the moment a 15cm s.IG.33 is fired in anger against enemy positions. Although the German soldier was capable of meeting the highest standards, fighting courageously with self-sacrifice against massive numerical superiority, he could only delay the enemy, not defeat them.
Two photographs taken in sequence during the winter of 1944 showing a 10.5cm light field howitzer in action against an enemy position. The 10.5cm light field howitzer was a very versatile weapon and was widely used by both the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS until the end of the war. All German infantry divisions had field artillery regiments and these consisted of batteries that contained the 10.5cm I.FHI8 light field howitzer. During this period of the war another 10.5cm I.FHI8M was introduced. Unlike this model in the photograph it had a muzzle break to help mitigate against excessive recoilforces, which allowed heavier shells to be fired, increasing the guns range as well.
A mortar crew pose for the camera out in the snow during defensive actions in Army Group South in late January early February I944.
Wehrmacht troops being supported by a StuG.III in the snow. The StuG.III had been a very popular assault gun on the battlefield. The vehicles had initially provided crucial mobile fire support to the infantry, and also proved their worth as invaluable anti-tank weapon. However, by the early winter of 1944 the StuG was primarily used as an anti-tank weapon, thus depriving the infantry of vital fire support.
Tracked and wheeled vehicles have halted on a road
during the winter of 1944 towing antitank guns towards the front lines. An Sd.Kfz.2 or Kettenkrad can be seen trundling along the road carrying supplies and a soldier onboard.
Wearing Greatcoats and two piece camouflage smocks a 10.5cm heavy infantry gun crew are preparing their weapon for firing. The gun's projectiles can be seen stacked on wooden ammunition cases.
Two Wehrmacht soldiers wearing the two piece reversible winter camouflage suit white-side-out are sited inside dug-out both armed with the MP38/40 machine pistol. Two stick grenades can also be identified nearby.
Fighting in the extreme arctic conditions and a mortar crew inside a dug-out prepare to fire one of the projectiles against an enemy target.
Two photographs of Wehrmacht troops wearing white camouflage winter smocks preparing to use their PaK35/36 anti-tank gun. This weapon was the first anti-tank gun mass produced and saw service in both the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS.
From a slit trench soldiers can be seen poised for action. The soldier nearest to the camera is armed with the Kar98 carbine bolt-action rifle which was the standard issue piece of weaponry supplied to the German Army throughout the war. Attached to his black leather belt is a P38 holster and bayonet for his rifle.
Two photographs showing soldiers wearing the revisible winter clothing. Apart from being extremely comfortable and warm, these uniforms provided the wearer with greater freedom of movement, especially with personal equipment.
Soldiers wearing white camouflage smocks inside a trench along the Panther Line in early February I944. Both the German I6th and 18th Armies were ordered to hold the line on the Luga River, east of a series of heavily constructed defences known as the Panther Line.
A Waffen-SS soldier not wearing any white camouflage takes cover by lying in the snow during defensive operations somewhere on the Eastern Front.
The crew of a Hummel self-propelled gun wearing the reversible parka grey-side out have halted in a field with a battery of Hummel's during a defensive action in very early 1944. The Hummel mounted the standard I5cm heavy field howitzer in a lightly armoured fighting compartment built on the chassis of a Pz.Kpfw.III/IV.
Desperately required vehicles for the Eastern Front have arrived on special railroad flat cars and are being unloaded for delivery to the badly depleted forces. By this period of the war Panzer divisions required massive numbers of replacements, but because there were so many that needed replacing in the field the Panzer divisions were compelled to carry on regardless.
Two rather dirty and dishevelled Wehrmacht soldiers sit next to their shelter along the Panther Line in February I944. Note the captured Soviet PPsH submachine gun piled next to other riles. This reliable weapon was very popular with the German soldiers until the end of the war.
A photograph taken the moment a modified 10.5cm le FH 18/42 is fired against an enemy target during fighting in Army Group Centre in early 1944. The gun has received an application of winter white wash paint and blends well with the local terrain.
The crew of a PaK35/36 anti-tank gun prepare their gun for action. Due to the local terrain being a mix of snow, grass and mud, because of the thaw, two of the crew have taken to wearing their two piece camouflage suits grey-side-out.
A well camouflaged troop leader armed with a 9mm MP38/40 machine-pistol. The MP38/40 machine pistol was commonly called the “Schmeisser”. He is also armed with a M1924 stick grenade and wears a pair of 6 × 30 field binoculars.
A 10.5cm infantry gun in action somewhere on the Eastern Front in early 1944. Throughout the war the 10.5cm gun provided both the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS with a versatile, relatively mobile, base of fire.
Luftwaffe field troops rest next to their temporary accommodation during operations in early 1944. By late 1943 Luftwaffe field divisions strength on the Eastern Front varied from 6,000-16,000. Most had to make do with second-rate weaponry or captured equipment.
A halftrack tows an 8.8cm FlaK gun towards the front lines in early 1944. Losses suffered in the continuous battles of early 1944 would further weaken and reduce the effectiveness of the German Army. Time was now running out.
Infantryman sit beside a shelter during operations in early 1944. The shelters which the Germans built were called Halbgruppenunterstande (group and half-group living bunkers). These were to become essential for the Landser if they were to survive the ceaseless artillery and terrible freezing weather conditions.
A light MG34 machine gunner lying near the entrance of his dug-out. By this period of the war the East German infantry divisions had been severely mauled. A number had suffered serious losses, but could still be re-equipped without withdrawing them completely from combat.
Well concealed inside a wooded area the crew of white-washed 7.5cm PaK40 can be seen with their deadly anti-tank weapon. The PaK40 had spaced-armour shield which was held together by large bolts. These bolts also had drilled holed that allowed the crews to thread foliage through them.
Three Wehrmacht troops rest next to a deserted building in early 1944. The troop leader on the right is armed with an MP38/40 machine-pistol, whilst his comrades are equipped with the Kar98K bolt action rifle.
A light MG42 machine gun crew out in a field. The train of view for the gunner must have been immense and would have certainly offered a very good opportunity for detecting enemy movement from some distance away.
On the front line and Waffen-SS troops tuck into their rations. Rations among these soldiers seem plentiful with loaves of bread and various tins of rations spread along the trench. Within months food supplies to the front lines had severely diminished making life for the soldier very difficult.
A mortar crew prepare their weapon for action in the snow. The Germans enjoyed considerable standardisation in mortar types with three basic weapons, though production shortfalls ensured that a range of foreign mortars served in both the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS.
Pieces of foliage have been applied to this whitewashed Hummel during the winter of 1944. By this period of the war much of the burden had fallen on the assault artillery and tank destroyer battalions to try and stem the Red Army onslaught.
Five photographs all showing the s.IG33 artillery gun during action on the Eastern Front in 1944. A typical infantry regiment controlled three infantry battalions, an infantry gun company with six 7.5cm I.IGI8 and two I5cm s.IG33 guns, and an anti-tank company with twelve 3.7cm PaK35/36 guns. The 15cm s.IG33 infantry gun was regarded the workhorse pieces operated by specially trained infantrymen.
A mortar crew with the 8cm GW 34 mortar being used against a Soviet target in the snow. This weapon remained the standard German infantry mortar throughout the war. Note that the crew have used their entrenching tool to dig a hole of snow out in order to position the mortar for firing.
SS Panzergrenadiers have earned themselves a bottle of beer each following heavy fighting. During the last two years of the war the number of Panzergrenadier divisions grew and they soon earned the respect of being called the Panzer Elite. With the mounting losses of men and armour, the Panzergrenadiers displayed outstanding ability and endurance in the face of overwhelming odds.
Chapter Four
Bagration and Aftermath
By June 1944, German strategy was faced with a full-fledged two front war. More than fifty-three percent of the army was fighting in Russia, whilst the other forty-seven percent were in Western Europe trying to stem the Allied invasion along the Normandy coast. On the Eastern Front the German Army strength had reached a new low of some 2,242,649 against more than six million Russian troops. The best-equipped and most effective segment of the German force, the Waffen-SS, reached a strength of some 400,000 men. Of this total the bulk of the most elite SS combat formations were fighting in France. In the East the SS were distributed on the northern, central and southern fronts and were intended to act as the backbone of the German fighting machine. Many of its commanders were well aware of the seriousness of the military situation and looked ahead to the coming battles, knowing that that they were bound by
orders for which they could not successfully achieve. In front of them stood a huge enemy army whose strength was almost three times their own.
From a trench inside a forest a soldier is armed with a Kar89K bolt action rifle with attached gun sight, and can be seen aiming the weapon at a selected target.
An interesting photograph showing a well camouflaged soldier armed with the lethal Panzerschreck or tank shocker. The popular name given by the troops for this weapon was the Raketenpanzerbüchse or rocket tank rifle, abbreviated to RPzB. It was an 8.8cm reusable anti-tank rocket launcher developed during the latter half of the war. Another popular nickname was Ofenrohr or stove pipe.