Photo taken at Ramuschewo, Demjansk Pocket (Larsen Collection).
The Iron Cross and the wound
The success was short lived, however, as the Russians had already re-occupied the positions during the morning of 28 May 1942. Laurits Jensen participated in this action, and along with 18 other soldiers of Free Corps Denmark, he received the Iron Cross Second Class for his efforts. On 1 June 1942, he was promoted to Sturmmann. The majority of the Danish volunteers, who participated in the battles at the Demyansk-Pocket, were at some point wounded. At one point, a shrapnel of a grenade hit Laurits Jensen in his shoulder, which was later surgically removed.
Group of Frikorps Danmark soldiers.
I have not been successful in discovering when he was wounded, but during the leave of absence in the autumn of 1942, he gave the shrapnel to his sister as a souvenir, and for many years, the family had the shrapnel displayed. In addition, it is certain that during the leave of absence in 1942, he went to a photographer and got a fine portrait photograph. A picture, which resembles a normal young man of that period, with nicely combed hair and fine clothes. The sister still has the tie, which he wore on the picture. Home for a leave of absence Free Corps Denmark was withdrawn from the battles at Demyansk in August 1942, where after there would be a leave of absence.
Group of Danish volunteers, probably in Biakowo or Vassilevschina (Larsen).
A leave of absence, which already in the beginning evolved into a disaster. They may have been praised at the start, when their special train arrived at “Godsbanegaarden” in Copenhagen on 8 September 1942. Afterwards, however, the festivities came to a halt, and the rest of the tour across Copenhagen was particularly tense. For Laurits Jensen, his leave of absence was calm, but he could not let go of the war.
He had a brought home a difficult task from the Demyansk-Pocket. During the tough battles on 2 June 1942, in which Free Corps Denmark had to move the main frontline 150 meters closer to the Russian positions, many soldiers of the Corps fell. Among them was Peder Moerch Pedersen of 1st Company, a comrade of Laurits Jensen. He had the dreary task to inform Peder Moerch Pedersens family, who lived in the village of Vrensted, about 32 kilometers from Arentsminde, about the death of their son on the Eastern Front. During his visit to the parents, Laurits Jensen fell in love with the sister of Peder Moerch Pedersen. The sister loved Laurits Jensen as well, and during his brief leave of absence in Denmark, they became engaged to be married. The parents were excited about this, but at same time sad due to the information Laurits Jensen brought them.
Two Danish volunteers, at the right Leon Langebeck, MIA in Hungary 1945.
Demjansk. Right, Poul Windekilde Hansen. Middle, Jens Andreas Kristensen.
Back to the Eastern Front
On 13 October 1942, the leave of absence ended for Laurits Jensen and the rest of Free Corps Denmark. On 10 November 1942, Laurits Jensen joined the DNSAP of Frits Clausen as member number 48 651. A new front awaited, which was the exact opposite of the front during the summer in 1942. This was winter war against the Russians. Free Corps Denmark had been assigned to 1st SS-Infanterie-Brigade, and at first they were supposed to combat and eliminate partisans. Instead, Free Corps Denmark was placed at a part of the front, where a major Russian attack was expected. Christmas Eve in 1942 had a calm start, and the Russians knew that the Germans in particular would like this to be a calm day. The Christmas mail from Denmark had been distributed among the companies. The bunkers were decorated, and the wooden ovens provided warmth in the cold Russian winter. K.B. Martinsen, commander of Free Corps Denmark, along with his adjutant, Obersturmführer Knud Thorgils, had visited the different companies and wished the soldiers a merry Christmas.
Frikorps Danmark in Copenhagen, September 1942.
Right, K.B.Martinsen. Left, KB Flemming Helweg Larsen.
Map of the area of the Velikiye-Luki front, 1942-1943.
However, K.B. Martinsen was worried, as he expected a major Russian attack, and it did not improve the situation that he was located at the headquarter of Free Corps Denmark, as he could not be informed about a possible Russian attack.
He had forbidden the soldiers to drink of the Christmas spirits, which had been handed out to the soldiers, as they should be prepared for a major Russian attack. K.B. Martinsen and Knud Thorgils trip among the companies was late in the afternoon, as the Russians had a clear view of the snow-covered paths in daylight. At 5 pm, K.B. Martinsen and Knud Thorgils started their trip to the soldiers at the different watch posts and the companies. As the men were very chatty, the trip took a while longer than planned. At 10 pm, they were back at the headquarters, where they finally could enjoy some Christmas dinner, which the creative chefs of Free Corps Denmark served, among this a slaughtered pig, which provided them with some good Christmas roasts. The headquarters had been decorated with the Dannebrog flag and leaves of spruce to try to create a nice Christmas spirit.
Group of Danish volunteers in Velikie Luki, Winter 1942/43 (Larsen Collection).
Laurits Jensen falls
It was not quiet for long, however, as the alarm sounded at 11 pm, as large Russian forces launched an attack. Russian infantry, consisting of 200-300 men, attacked the left flank of Free Corps Denmark, which also was the place of a unit of 21.Luftwaffe-Felddivision. The Luftwaffe-Felddivision was quickly overrun by the Russians, whereby the 1st Company of Free Corps Denmark was left behind in their trapped position. Tough battles raged in particular at the towns of Kondratovo and Laskaturino. There were hand-to-hand battles with fists and bayonets. The 4th Company of Free Corps Denmark was in a withdrawn position, compared to the other companies, and the Russians quickly breached the positions of 1st Company. This meant that 4th Company could not provide artillery support, without risking hitting their own soldiers. 2nd Company and its commander, Obersturmführer Bent Worsøe-Larsen, had installed themselves in a barn, and was well underway in celebrating Christmas. He was ordered to aid 1st Company as quickly as possible.
Bent Worsøe-Larsen.
Danish volunteers, Winter 1942/43.
Vagn Oest, a telephone operator of 1st Company, had hidden himself in the ruins of a bombed house. From here, he could report on the exact bombing locations to 4th Company. The Russians had neutralized all the soldiers of Free Corps Denmark, who were in the ruins, except the telephone operator.
Laurits Jensen, Dog Tag (Larsen Collection).
The grave of Laurits Jensen.
Vagn Oest had the only telephone connection that worked, as the rest had been lost. Shortly thereafter, the positions were bombed, while at the same time 2nd Company had arrived there. The battle continued throughout the night, until the Russian soldiers were neutralized at 6 am on 25 December 1942. A couple of hours later, the Russians launched major attack. However, Free Corps Denmark was far better prepared this time, but the Russians still got a hold of the outskirts of Kondratovo. It was not until the 26 December 1942 that the remnants of 1st Company could be withdrawn to safe positions. Sturmmann Laurits Jensen fell on 25 December 1942, due to several shots in the chest, along with 15 other soldiers of Free Corps Denmark.
The French volunteers of the N.S.K.K. Motorgruppe Luftwaffe
by Christophe Leguérandais
In 1942, with Russian front operations, more and more Germans were drafted into the Wehrmacht due to casualties which had become extremely high. Men and resources that once seemed superfluous to victory, now were necessary to hold the front. As a result, drivers and mechanics were badly needed and to fill its ranks, the National Socialist Motor Corps accepted non-Nordics enlistments. The way to the creation of the French section of the N.S.K.K. was opened. In spite of the German occupation of their country since 1940, French citizens became a target for this foreign recruitment, parallel to the L.V.F. or the Todt Organization. The reasons for volunteering were mainly ideological due to anti- Bolshevikpropaganda from various collaborationist parties, but some were adventurers, some without political aspirations, attracted by rates of pay
and allowances.
In 1942, the N.S.K.K. had paid more attention to the non-Germanic recruits as these Frenchmen in uniform.
For some, the Nazional Socialist Motorized Corps was a stepping stone to join the SS armed forces. When the Waffen SS began recruiting members to fight on Eastern Front (authorized in France in 1943), ex-French N.S.K.K. volunteers were candidates. In total during the war, near 2000 men were recruited throughout the country.
Winter 42-43 with the local population in Russia.
From France to Belgium
Even if prior to 1942, a number of Frenchmen had been serving individually in N.S.K.K. units, in July of this year, it became officially recognized by the Vichy Government. The French section recruiting office was located at “1 rue Godot-de-Mauroy” in Paris, led by “Capitaine Troupeau”, a member of the fringe pro-Nazi party “La Ligue française” from Pierre Costantini, ever involved in the L.V.F. project. Even if such organization was to serve the interests of the Reich, he intended to use the N.S.K.K. in order to consolidate his alliance with the German authorities.
June 1943, during the training at Grammont, west of Bruxelles.
The conditions and benefits of enlistment were shortly announced in the newspapers. Recruits had to be French, in good health, and without criminal records.The age limits were set between eighteen and fifty years of age. Those accepted would have pay, indemnities for them and financial arrangements for their families, pensions in case of disability with the existing scales of the German Army. Morevover membership in this unit did not require any prior knowledge of motorized transport or combat experience. After having passed a short medical examination in Paris and signed a contract for the duration of the war, the 150 first recruits that made up the first contingent were sent to Belgium at Vilvoorde. Attached to the Luftwaffe, they were assigned to the 4th Regiment N.S.K.K.. Five months of basic training awaited them with German instructors, most convalescents. Men wore the grayish-blue air force uniform with a left collar patch carries the emblem of the N.S.K.K. (the right collar patch was for the rank).
The changing of the guard in Belgium.
Their own arm badge was with the French flag, the Vichy’s Francisque (a central battle axe) and “N.S.K.K.” in black letters across the top of the shield. Their oval metal ID tag, bore the inscription MOT-GR-L-Ausl KRFTF (Motor, Gruppe, Luftwaffe, Auslander, Kraftfahrer). They were also required to swear an oath of allegiance to Adolf Hitler as commander-in-chief. While they were on active service, their mail was dispatched by the German feldpost once it had been stamped with a unit cachet. Normally it would pass through a censor office, usually the one at Frankfurt (using cachets bearing the letter “e”) for mail to southern France and the one at Cologne for mail to northern France (using cachets beraing the letter “c”). with a fresh batch of volunteers arriving each week from France to replenish the ranks, including ex-L.V.F. members still soldiers in the “great Franco-German cause”, training continued, and in December, two transport companies were merged, established at the Shaffen Airfield and in Diest.
In autumn 1943, during a military parade at Grammont.
Hans Ströhle, commander of the 4th Company, here in Belgium in 1943.
Both were ready for the great adventure, destined behind front line service to the immediate needs of the German war effort, even if victorious conclusion to the campaign appeared not so imminent.
Behind the front lines in Eastern front
The first transports of members embarked by train for Rostov-on-Don (at the disposal of Luftgau Rostow am Don) in January 1943 had arrived in Soviet Union at the mercy of anexceptional Russian winter. Few could have imagined the severity of the weather conditions that they would eventually have to endure. During operations between Stalino and Dnepropetrovsk the Frenchmen were used as lorry-drivers to transport German Army supplies and ammunition. In the end of February, the Second Company was send by train to Lemberg then on the road: 1064 kilometers by Lemberg-Brody-Rowno-Jitomir-Kiev-Poltawa-Kharkov. In the march to the front, some Frenchmen proved themselves incapable ofdriving the trucks even over short distances without losing large quantities of equipment, sometimes agreed by company commander’s orders. Apart from a few idealists, most of the cadres appear to have enlisted primarily to avoid the front, including the men selected to command the unit. Moreover they showed their inability to endure the rigours of the campaign due to their ages and poor rations, lacking in initiatives, instances of their incompetence was numerous. The result of these actions was a breakdown in discipline, reducing the capacity of the final result. On 124 trucks initially, 70 in Osnowa, near Kharkov, only arrived. Left without the usual forceful German involvement and direction that might have saved the company, material quickly dissolved. In end of March, the companies were ordered to reassemble at the training base and were then sent back to Belgium where the commander of the Second Company formed a German small clique for mutual protection against French drivers. The ineptitude of the commander must be seen as a major factor in the collapse of the unit. Indeed, the causes were many, but paramount among them, the increasing hostility between Germans and Frenchmen was marked by a pronounced lack of communications.
Some comrades of the 4th Company in Grammont, before going to Italy.
November 1943, awaiting a train in Bruxelles to be transported to Italy.
The results were further demoralization and greater hatred. In this atmosphere it was inevitable that quarrels saw nearly 300 volunteers (of 600) dismissed and traveled back to France.
In Italy
German military leaders began to restructure the French unit as 2nd Battalion N.S.K.K. Luftwaffe of the 4th Regiment, under the command of the NSKK-Staffelführer Josef Seigel. The ex-members were amalgamated with new enlisted and successive contingents, and the reorganization saw three ‘new’ companies called 4th, 5th and 6th.
André Henriot, son of the Vichy’s Minister of Information and Berthet, members enlisted in the Kolonne 443 in March 1944 in Italy at Pietole.
For them, strenuous and unpleasant training period started. The first companies were unprepared for such an abrupt commiment in campaign, and accordingly it was necessary to inquire into the reasons for such haste. They received sufficient instructions in weaponry or survival techniques. “They want to make us SS members?” reminded a veteran. As the units were ready for action on November 1943, the battalion was sent to Italy. In January, the troops themselves were divided into 3 companies of ten columns each (Kolonnen inGerman) operating behind German lines throughout all the North of the country. They worked for the Luftwaffe, O.T., sometimes Heere, but never the N.S.K.K.. The stalemate with the Allies along the Italian front, and the successful German defense of Monte Cassino combined with the demands of the Wehrmacht for more material, resulted in the decline of trucks and men. Despite the camaraderie, some of them deserted in Italy and sometimes joined various partisan units.
The NSKK-Sturmführer Hans Ströhle,Kompanieführer of the Fourth Company, Second battalion in Italy, summer 1944.
Needless to say the true initial potential of the Kolonnen were only an effective military force in theory in summer despite the fact their Personalausweis were changed against Soldbuch in July. In September, the formation of the Waffen-Grenadier-Brigade der SS “Charlemagne” saw progressively the integration of all the Frenchmen fighting on the Axis side: L.V.F., Kriegsmarine, Schutzkommando OT, and other German paramilitary units, N.S.K.K. included. However, members in Italy won’t be touched by this incorporation.
Some recipients of Iron Cross 2nd Class awards in Italy in 1944 with tropical uniforms.
The last months
In December, the rest of the unit was regrouped and sent in Denmark in the airfield of Alesøe, near Odensee and was to be designated as security for the Messerschmitt jets which were nor flying for lack of fuel. The companies were divided into 2 groups of 400 men with each a staff. Due to the failure of the German defensive in Budapest, the first group travelled to Hungary at t
he end of February-March 1945, where men fighting, military necessity. The second group were also sent some weeks after but never arrived and was sent in Austria, where as a consequence end of war stopped its activities.
Before concluding, we can say that contrary to the L.V.F. which was a military unit in the hands of French political men (and near a political movement), the French section of N.S.K.K. was only used for military objectives. Don’t forget too the other French volunteers in N.S.K.K. units assigned to the Todt Organization, with another uniform, principally operating in France on the Atlantic Wall but also everywhere Germans needed them.
THE AXIS FORCES 1 (WW2 Axis Forces) Page 3