7/18/41 SS Advance on Orsha

[robot]

Orsha Belorussia
7/18/1941
1700 Hours

We have been given our orders today. We are to advance against the Russians holding Orsha. We have been told they will have a large force holding here consisting of a huge force of tanks and infantry in support. We can also expect a heavy concentration of artty to be dropped on us and maybe even some planes. No confirmation on the planes.

B is to move on the north objective along a road that runs west to east all the way the length of the map. They will move out about 600 yards on this road then vere north for maybe 700 yards to a small section of swamps. There is a low ridge that runs north to south this will take them on the east side of this ridge. Behind this swamp lies there objective. It is along way to go but other way was to try and cut across the swamp. there tank support has moved on top of this ridge with a clear shot at the objective. Will bring up the sig 150 and At guns and also place them on this ridge in support.

C and A in the center must move along the center road that runs west to east the intire length of the map also. C after moving along this road for near 700 yards is to then vere south towards the southern objective. They too will be moving south along the east face of a long ridge. They have the longest ground to cover before they are in front of there objectives. Also as in the north there tank support will be situated along this ridge giving cover and support for there approach to the flags. There sig 150 and AT guns will also occupye these ridges.

A will not use the road as C will need it but move along side of the road 50 yards north so as to start at the same time as C. They too after moving out along side the road for around 650 yards will vere north. But only have to go maybe 150 norths to be right in front of the objectives. they too will have a small long ridge to there west or rear flank. This too will be used by there tanks and heavy guns as a place to fire on any enemy at the objectives.

I hear the tanks engines begining to rev up so this battle will be starting within the next few minutes. Our men are primed and up for this battle against the red horde. Im sure each and every man under my command will eqit them self with pride and dignity today. I am proud and honered to command these men in battle They have never let me down so far.

Our big 150 we have in support today has fired there open salvos so this hellish war continues.

HQ: SS Panzer
Col: Karl Vogel Commanding

[robot]

Orsha Belorussia
7/18/1941
1730 Hours

C in the south has moved around and south on the east side of the small ridge now. They are with in 250 yards of there flags. But all of a sudden a god awful bunch of Russian armor has appeared. It is bearing down on the objective as a matter of fact they have taken 2 of the objective flags so far. There must be at least 25 tanks in this group of all kinds. Our tanks siting on the small ridge have a clear shot at all these steel giants. A full fledged fight between the Russian armor and our boys began about 15 minutes ago. We took out about 25 of there tanks while we lost somewhere around 3 in the heavy exchange of fire. This heavy armor attack did not only start in the southern part of the map. But they sent just as many to the center and the north objectives taking the north and center ones almost immediatly. All of our armor opened up on them at the same time and we tore hugh holes in this massive advancing front of armor.

Our infantry may not have reached there objectives but by placing our tanks all on these low ridges we were more or less prepared for the Russian horde as it appeared. Trying to rush our sig33 and Sp AT guns to the hills they were way in the rear of the infantry colum. We need every thing that can fire at the Russian armor as soon as they can get there. I heard one of our tanks screaming over the radio a few minuts ago something to the effect of Dam where did all those tanks come from. He reported he saw at least 93 tanks coming at them. With reports I am recieving I guess we will be lucky if we come out of this battle with more then half our tanks in running condition. Got reports that one of the fallen tanks was commanded by Carl Mueller a veteran from the first ww. Heard reports he took out 3 tanks before he fell tho. Havent heard if the drew survived or not sure hope so men like him dont come along too often. Think he had some where around 50 kills marked on the sides of his tank.

I went out and looked over the field as much as I could. Ill tell you true I myself dont see how were going to push the Russians back today. My heart sank when I saw so much armor facing us across those small valleys between the hills there on and the small ridges we occupy. Those small men advancing down the valleys between so much might scared the hell out of me. But to the credit of the infantry they did not shirk there duty and moved without any hesatation between all those giant killers. Have called in the big 150 on the steel that is across the way staring us in the face. Hope this if nothing else will slow there approach.

You can hear the heavy cough of the guns from the tank almost constsantly firing. Our guns continue to answer every burst from there side so we must be holding our own. This is one big tank battle the biggest one I have been involved in since this war began. Only time will tell if i have placed my men to the best advantage. Today will make or break me im sure.

HQ: X SS Panzer
Col: Karl Vogel Commanding

[robot]

Orsha Bellorussia
7/18/1941
1755 Hours

The Russian spirit is broken. Some tanks and infantry have begun retreating towards there rear areas. They are leaving twisted and shreded masses of steel laying all over the battlefield. These once mighty giants of destruction are nothing but twisted pieces of junk with wisps of smoke rising from them. I have never seen anything like this before in all my battles. It is a mass junkyard of grotesque shapes left lying decaying in the sunlight. The Russians put every thing they had into one big massive armor assault.

B in the north has taken there objectives and have begun there advance towards the rear one. The stupid ass Russians made a big blunder here with there tanks. I told you before about the swamp that was just infront of the objective. Well the Russians decided to send at least 12 tanks right down the center of this swamp. Our gunners caught them out in all this ooze and slime and buried them right in the middle of this swamp. There has been constant screaming from the enemy crews trying to get out of the swamp and escape the snakes and bugs and horrible things that roam the swamp.

C in the south has also taken and secured the southern flags and will begin there ne advance towards the rear. They had no where near the concentration of enemy troops and tanks to contend with. Not like the center and the north section. At least the Russian guns have been quite during this whole battle for some strange reason. They usually have an over abundance of artty.

A in the center has about 150 yards before they acomplish there task for the day. We have had very little loss of man power. I guess due to the fact the we have not seen much in the way of soviet infantry. And also due to the loss of firepower from there big guns. They opted to come with a whole mass of armor today this hurt them. Our tank gunners have had a field day.

I have given orders we are to move forward with in the next ten minutes and clean out any surviving crews in and amongst the bent and torn hulks of the enemy tanks. Have issued a standing order for the day there are to be no prisoners taken at all today. it was a stroke of genius getting our tanks and guns up on the western ridges before the Russians showed up. Did not matter that the infantry did not get into position till just before most of the Russian tanks were burning. Most of the fight was done across the small valleys at long range anyways. From all reports I have we lost some where around 5 tanks and 2 sp AT guns and one sig33. This seems a miracle to me what with all the lead that was flying around the last 55 minutes. I know at least 75 of there tanks were taken out hell I can count 25 tanks from my vantage point.

HQ: X SS Panzer
Col: Karl Vogel Commanding

[robot]

Orsha Belorussia
7/18/1941
1825 Hours

2 hours of very hard and intense battle but we have put the Russians into retreat at last. All objectives are in our hands and secure with the Russians in full retreat. Once we had crushed there hugh tank force the fight went out of them. We took out 165 of there tanks from the three ridges at the very first of the fight. We only lost 8 tanks to there onslaught due to the very excellent marksmanship of our tank gunners. I think they were surpprised to see our tanks waiting for them and we got in the first shots as they came over the hills towards us. Then our infantry went in among the wrecked and torn hulks and wiped out the remaining crews as they fled the horror.

The enemy put up a very stiff resistence at the bridge after we came over the center hill. But our troops with the tanks at there backs cut wide gaping holes in the squads who were trying to defend the approches to the bridge. A brief fifteen minute struggle insued at the bridge but the outcome was already decided at the battle of the hills when we destroyed there intire tank force. The infantry holding the bridge did not have a chance in hell. Every man was cut down within that 15 minute struggle. The Russians lost 1872 men today to very poor use of there tank force. And the stroke of luck when I placed all my tank force across from the hills they had to come over to reach the objectives. Where our losses in men was only 117 but even that hurts when they are friends and comrads for as long as we have been.

After we took the bridge it was only somewhere around 800 yards to the rear objectives. All we did after the bridge was to dig them out and push hard on there tails till we reached the rear objectives and the battle was successfully compleated. The right flank during this time was pushing ne and shoving that flank towards our guns in the center. All in all this was a great battle for us as we delt so much damage the Red hordes. They came with a hugh tank force and left with nothing but memories of burnt and blasted steel.

Once again we will have a month before we go back into the front lines against the Russians. Hope to get some upgrades to our destroyed tanks. Those PzIIIH with the 50mm guns are so much better then the 37mm PzIIIe and with the extra armor they hold up so much better. I know several took direct hits and kept on fighting with no apparent damage.

HQ: X SS Panzer
Col: Karl Vogel Commanding