Bloody Stalingrad

by Andrew McGregor

  Tatu shrugged, his mind seeming blank in the darkness, struggling to even comprehend the question for a few seconds. Then he spoke, his voice hushed, ‘If we can get to other units or Gumrak, then there will be some food…we will need to move in the morning no matter what the weather is like…or the Russkies will get us!’

  Hase nodded thoughtfully, seeing Petru wink at him from across the back of the vehicle in the darkness. Leaning back, he closed his eyes, the hunger seeming to grind at his stomach.

  It was bitterly cold as the light began to creep into the back of the vehicle, the wind still shaking the tarpaulin covering. Hausser slowly looked around the soldiers, his eyes saddened as he saw their pain. Several were shivering from the cold or fever, the first signs of exposure beginning to spread across their features. He sighed, glancing at Tatu, the Romanian forcing a smile as the officer grimaced, ‘We should move!’

  Tatu nodded, clearing his throat as he raised his voice, ‘Right men, it’s time to go and find the rest of the Germans! They are hiding from us today so they can keep all the food to themselves…it is our job to get that food…a simple game really!’

  A couple of the soldiers grinned, another raising his eyes as they stared at the officer, Hausser nodding as he indicated to the men shivering, ‘It will be very cold, keep together and place the weaker men in the centre of the group. We are making for a small village and with any luck will meet some German units on the way…they will have food for us.’

  Several of the men nodded grimly…a couple of others looking away, their belief gone. Slowly and reluctantly, one of the soldiers at the back of the lorry untied the tarpaulin, the men struggling towards the opening as the snowflakes and freezing air swept into the back of the lorry.

  They trudged on, the wind nearly as strong as the previous day as snow blew across the twenty plus men. Two soldiers were now being supported in the centre of the group as their fevers and physical conditions weakened further, another couple causing concern as the soldiers braced themselves against the freezing wind. The snow storm was weakening, but still intense as they tramped over undulations in the snow covered terrain, the occasional body or pieces of abandoned equipment just visible above the frozen white blanket.

  Pushing their boots through the snow, the German soldiers forced their bodies forward, the wind and snow seeming to fight their every step. Their faces turned from the wind chill and force, their helmets frosted white as their greatcoats, upturned collars and scarves became covered in snow once more.

  The freezing air swept into their lungs, the jabbing pain as their bodies fought the intrusion bringing tears to their eyes, tears they could not afford to shed in the wind. Wiping their gloves continually across their eyes to protect them, the frost scraping across their foreheads and grazing their skins’ surface continually.

  Trekking up an incline, the pace began to slow, Hausser struggling behind as he tried to physically force them forward. Tatu dropped back, pushing with him as the soldiers struggled up the iced slope. A body protruding from the snow next to them…a discarded rifle and water bottle, half frozen into the ice. Another body lay near the top of the slope, the snow blowing and swirling across them with more force now as they climbed.

  Hausser bit his lip, his frustration becoming overwhelming as he glanced at Tatu, his voice breaking, ‘This is too much for them! We need to find the German line!’

  Tatu nodded, pushing the soldier in front, the men nearing the crest of the slope, Petru squinting through the snowfall beyond the brow and shouting, ‘Herr Leutnant! Soldiers in the distance!’

  They slowly struggled to the crest, spurred on by hope, the group almost collapsing in joy as they saw the outlines of the halftracks through the blizzard. Several soldiers broke from the group, staggering down the slope and falling into the snow. Hausser grasped Udet’s arm, preventing his fall, the young Berliner stumbling as the man next to him bolted forwards. Hase grasped his other arm, the two supporting Udet as they struggled down the slope.

  In the distance, the German officer turned as one of his soldiers called out, the German infantrymen lowering their weapons as they recognised the greatcoats staggering towards them. Several soldiers lunged forward to assist the oncoming men, their faces drawn, but clearly relieved.

  The 60th Motorised Divisions vehicles were sitting behind two pak guns, the German positions nearly three hundred metres from the crest. Infantrymen sat or lay in shallow foxholes, the ground frozen too solid to dig deeper, their grim faces looking round as the small group approached.

  Leutnant Hausser saluted as the captain looked down on him from the rear compartment of the Sdkfz 251, the officer wrapped in a padded greatcoat as he saluted back. The captain smiling briefly at the relief on the men around the carrier, ‘Which unit are you from?’

  Hausser sucked air, the cough causing his voice to rasp, ‘76th Infantry Division, Herr Hauptmann…we got lost and are looking for our unit.’

  The captain nodded, staring back beyond them up the slope, the snowfall lightening, ‘The 76th is positioned to the north of Gumrak…or what is left of it.’ He shifted his stance uncomfortably, ‘Have you seen the Russkies?’

  Hausser shook his head, ‘Not since yesterday…we were cut off in the attack, so came eastwards when they blew up the guns…we have some sick men…shall we proceed to Gumrak?’

  The officer sniffed, adjusting the ear muffs over his ears, ‘There is a collection point in a village to the southeast, make your way there with your men…there is a halftrack leaving shortly for the worst cases, the rest of you will have to walk.’

  The Leutnant nodded, ‘Is there any food? My men have not eaten since yesterday morning…they are weak.’

  The captain placed his gloves on the metal plate, ‘Perhaps at the village, we have limited supplies for ourselves Leutnant.’ He indicated to the front carrier, a cloud of exhaled air escaping from his mouth, ‘Place the worst of your men in there…the rest of you set off immediately…unless there is room for you all. We will need as many as we can muster to protect Gumrak airfield, the Russkies are apparently approaching Pitomnik already. Once the storm lifts, the enemy will probably advance in strength further…we will be seeing them really soon.’ The captain stiffened, lifting his collar, ‘Keep an eye out on the road south Leutnant…there are roaming Russian units everywhere.’

  The Sdkfz 251’s engine revved as the tracks spun momentarily, the vehicle jolting forward as it began to climb the slope in front. The soldiers, packed into the rear compartment shivered against the cold, the snow falling heavily again. The halftrack ground up the slope, the tracks screeching against the ice either side as the armoured vehicle skidded upwards.

  Petru stood at the front of the rear compartment, his gloved hands around the mounted MG34 behind its protective plate. Grinding his teeth against the cold, he stared into the flurrying snow, his nerves taut as he jerked the heavy gun back and forth, having heard shooting in the distance. In the rear compartment, the soldiers were crammed together, the space designed for twelve or fourteen men now overcrowded with over twenty.

  Reaching the top of the rise, the carrier swept onto the downward track, the vehicle turning to the right to negotiate the slope. Looming up in the distance, the military police checkpoint smouldered from a recent battle, the building shattered and roof collapsed. A T34 sat burning some four hundred metres to the west, a number of dead Russian infantry lying in the snow around their tank. Around the burnt building, several bodies of the military policemen lay in their defensive sandbagged positions, the direct hits from the Russian tank having ended their lives.

  Several of the carrier’s occupants rose in curiosity as the tracks squealed past, a pak gun in the field to their left having ended the Russian reconnaissance unit’s infiltration. Several German soldiers were picking through the wreckage of the building, a few more eagerly scrambling across the snow towards the Russian bodies, keen to relieve them of any food rations they may have been carrying.

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bsp; Petru shook his head in annoyance, glancing at Leutnant Hausser, ‘Order is breaking down…we are now looting corpses for food before they are even cold!’

  Hausser nodded solemnly, lowering himself back into the carrier as the engines rose in volume, the vehicle climbing the next slope towards the village beyond.

  Crossing over the next hill, the small village lay to the left, smoke rising from two of the buildings chimneys as the carrier approached, eventually pulling into the opening at the side of the track. Several other vehicles sat around in a semi-circle, a kubelwagen jeep, two Opel Blitz lorries and an Sdkfz 221 placed behind some sandbags, its heavy machine gun pointing west.

  As the rear doors opened on the carrier, the soldiers slowly clambered out, stretching their cramped legs and rubbing their arms against the cold. Across the track, facing out towards the Russian lines, several shallow slit trenches and positions had been improvised, the cold infantry sitting in their defences as they stared cautiously out into the snowfall searching for silhouettes or shadows, listening for the murmur of diesel engines.

  Gathering the men around, Hausser raised his voice, ‘Get out of the cold as quickly as possible, but do not disrupt the residents…they have been through enough during this struggle.’ He nodded to Tatu, several soldiers in greatcoats trooping past as they went to relieve the forward positions, ‘We will go and locate the kitchens and see if there is any food for us. If there is, we will stay the night here and move onto towards the airfield tomorrow. The wounded will be transported, the rest of us will have to walk…so get plenty of sleep.’ He glanced round, a senior officer approaching from behind, his face spinning back, voice barking, ‘Strammstehen!’

  The general saluted as the boots crunched together in the snow, several of the bedraggled men swaying with fevers and from lack of food. His eyes concerned with the sight before him, he indicated behind him, ‘Get these men into quarters now! Ensure they get some rations!’

  Hausser turned sharply, saluting, ‘Leutnant Hausser, Herr Heerfuhrer. 76th Infantry Division.’ He glanced down in surprise as the general extended his hand, the senior officer smiling warmly, his furred collar and earmuffs compliment his leather greatcoat. Gingerly shaking his hand, Hausser glanced round as his men were beckoned forward, other soldiers walking quickly to help the soldiers that seemed weaker and ushering them towards the buildings of the village.

  Hausser looked the general in the eyes, ‘Thank you Sir…my men are weak and need attention.’

  The general smiled again, ‘We will see to that…the next transports for the airfield leave tomorrow morning…we are a collection point for the wounded and are awaiting more from the north…’ His eyes narrowed, ‘That’s if the Russkies don’t get here first!’ He laughed out loud, Hausser grinning in polite response.

  The general turned, indicating for the Leutnant to walk with him through the small hamlet, the snowflakes swirling around them, ‘We will provide your men with food and warmth for the night in the buildings…let them rest as they are near breaking point. In the morning…set off for the airfield. I think the Russians will be coming soon…further south, the 44th Infantry Division is fighting for its life, so are most other units…we will soon be back in the city with perhaps no airfields other than Stalingradski…then we really will be near the end.’ The general nodded knowingly to him, sighing, ‘We are a medical and supply unit mostly and already I am using my troops as front line soldiers…even I can see the writing on the wall here Leutnant.’ He smiled again, ‘You seem to have been through a lot, come and have a drink with me this evening and we will discuss the situation.’ The general indicated to a small building ahead, his mittens of superior quality.

  Hausser strained his eyes, hesitating, ‘Where are the local residents? There were a number when we came through here last…’

  The general sniffed, ‘We ejected them as we needed the buildings…I think they are in a hut to the east…or so my adjutant said, why?’

  Hausser shook his head in anger, his voice grinding beneath his scarf, ‘These are their homes general…what else can we put these people through? You could have used them to help you, to feed the wounded…anything!’

  The generals’ eyes widened in surprise, ‘They are just Russian peasants…nothing more…they should survive in that hut…’

  Hausser’s eyes widened, ‘Herr General…the Russian peasants you currently are talking of have surrounded us, defeated our relief effort and are currently advancing towards us…’ The Leutnant’s eyes dropped, realising his error, his fatigue and hunger overcoming his better judgement, ‘I am sorry Herr General…I have been disrespectful.’

  The general shook his head, smiling, ‘I understand Leutnant…times have been hard, seeing your men killed…going through such hardship would wear down any man.’ He turned to look at Hausser, his eyes strained, ‘I will ensure any spare rations are sent to them…not that there is much.’ His eyes softened, ‘The Russkies will be here soon…what will they do to them if I invite them to help our wounded?’

  Hausser nodded, looking away in embarrassment, ‘Thank you Herr General. I will go and visit them later with one or two of my men, tell them what to expect soon…I think they deserve that.’

  The general nodded, ‘Very well…I will arrange some rations to go with you if we have them.’ He raised his hand informally to his cap, smiling warmly, ‘Go and check on your men Leutnant…I hope to see you later.’

  Hausser stiffened, saluting formally, ‘Yes, Herr General.’

  Leutnant Hausser, Hase, Tatu and Petru trudged through the snow, the flakes falling around them as darkness fell across the sky. The small hut was some distance from the hamlet, the four men struggling across the iced snow, stumbling on items frozen beneath. The shadow of the building loomed up in front of them, some fifty metres away, the broken ram shackled stone barns roof bowed, the supports worn with several sections of the upper covering cracked or broken.

  The few supplies they carried were simple, some bread and slices of horse meat…a small meal, but one they believed the villagers would accept. Reaching the outer side of the building, the bitter cold sweeping around the structure…Hausser crunched through the snow, looking for the entrance. Finding a broken doorway, he glanced inside through the cracked frame, the cold darkness seeming still. Pushing against the door, it creaked, then moved inwards, Hausser pulling his head back as the odour from inside caught in his nostrils.

  Stiffening, he stepped inside, his eyes accustoming themselves to the darkness as he stood in the doorway. The elderly couples lay around the floor, their bodies frozen in embrace, the life having left them some hours earlier. Hausser shook his head in frustration, then glanced round again, seeing there were no younger bodies in the small cold room. He drew back, the closeness to death seeming to trouble him as Tatu shouted his name from a short distance away. Turning, he strode across the snow, his boots crunching as he approached the sound.

  In the fading light, the bodies sat hunched together, the women cradling their relatives in frozen reassurance. Hase was on his knees a short distance away, Petru sat beside him, his arm stretched tightly round his shoulders as they shook. Hausser stepped towards them, his eyes extending over Hase’s shoulder to see the small shadowed body against the white snow…the body of a small boy.

  Chapter Ninety Four: Gumrak Revisited

  Leutnant Hausser trudged through the snow with fourteen men, the wind whipping around their bodies as they advanced slowly southwards in grim silence. Having left mid-morning from the hamlet to the north, awaiting the night’s storm to subside, they had struggled forward for three hours, the temperature remaining steady at below freezing.

  The occasional thunder of artillery and gunfire to their right accompanied their walk, the weakening storm provoking further Russian attacks against the defenders on the shrinking western flank. Most of the wounded and those suffering from exposure had been transported ahead in the few halftracks and lorries available, a number being left be
hind, the soldiers grimly hearing that those less likely to live would now have to wait longer for a lift to potential safety…if they survived, they would then be assessed for the next trip.

  Mounting a rise, the soldiers looked down towards Gumrak airfield in the distance, their hopes rising of perhaps another meal after the small mess tin of soup and bread they had consumed in the early morning. White camouflaged Junker transport planes lumbered in towards the airfield, the dull drone of their engines beginning to fill the landscape around the field, the small black puffs of flak hanging in the air to their right.

  Hausser turned to the group, indicating ahead, ‘We will head for the checkpoint at the corner…stick together and don’t wander off.’ He grinned at Tatu, ‘We must also try and find Udet…he is not getting out that easily after his ride in an armoured carrier!’

  The Romanian quartermaster grinned, indicating to one of the heavy transport aircraft lumbering into the air, ‘He may already have gone Herr Leutnant…that would be a shame, I had a shopping list for him!’

  The emaciated soldiers grinned around them, a couple shivering as Hausser pointed for them to proceed down the slope. Trudging forward, they watched as thin soldiers to the right were wearily building snow walls and defensive positions, the ground frozen too solid to dig into without explosives.

  Several artillery pieces were being manhandled forward…a number of paks and several smaller 37mm guns, the bedraggled soldiers behind struggling with ammunition boxes and shells, the fuel insufficient to use vehicles. Petru shook his head in distain, despair beginning to fill his mind as he saw the desperate defensive measures.

  They neared the checkpoint, two sentries staring at them blankly as they approached, Hausser stepping forward as one man slowly rose, nodding to him, ‘Leutnant Hausser, 76th Infantry Division and my men, we are here to check on our wounded.’