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West of Jaroslaw:410 Hours 10/13/39

We have been ordered to assault against the Poles holding out side of Jaroslaw Poland. There is a severe thunder storm and visability is about 50 yards. The attack started at 0400 hours. Our 150s opened up on the enemy to try and soften them up. The Engineers moved out at this time too. I have 3 plattoons advancing 200 yards south of the center VH. They have been ordered to open a 150 yd wide corrider thru the mine fields. At 0410 they reached and began to clear the mines.

On there north flank and advancing down a road is 2 more platoons of engineers. The road is about 50 yards north of the center VH. They have not reached the mine field yet because of the weather they missed the turn off south. It is taken them some time to retrack and head south on the road. Should reach the field in about 10 more minutes.

I have a large tank force behind them. They are to help the main force take the center then swing north East about 300 yards near a river is VH. It sits on a low hill about 300 yards long.

To the south of center VH about 150 yards is a long hill about 1000 yards long. If you run south east on this hill to southern tip and slightly south east behind hill is southern VH.

The main force has 3 platoons of Grenidiers with 2 sec HMG. They are supported by 2 sec PZV and 1 sec light tanks. They also have with them 1 sec 37MM ATG and a sec of 88s. Plus 3 sec sig 150s although i dont see what good they will be in this weather. 1st Lt Hizelberger is in command of this force. I expect him to do well and accomplish his mission.

Commander XV Panzer Grenidier Group: Baron Rak Rokert

West of Jaroslaw:0430 10/13/39

The Engineers have opened the mine field for my main force. The troops have moved thru and advanced about 200 yds. This was done fairly quick and i salute them. Although i think the 150 barrge helped an awful lot. Visabily will now be a factor on how well they move forward. I am conserving my off board artty as well as i am able too. Have been picking spots about 400 yds in advance of there movement.

The tank force on the left of there flank is still held up by the mines. This means the main force will not have any cover on there left flank for awhile. My ATG and sig 150s are next to usless in this pea soup. Have been able to use my 50 and 81 mortars very well tho. When we sight the enemy we are able to roust them out of there holes rather easy. But they just scoot back and redig in till we are able to find them again.

The right flank has taken a bad pounding of 100MM and 81MM fire. They have lost quite a bit of there personel and several armored cars so far. I have reassigned two plattoons of engineers to help them out. They should reach them in a very short time. Also a platoon of medium tanks is on the way from the north to help them. I have also ordered the three plattoons of engineers in the north to get out ahead of my tanks there. The mistake in taking the wrong turn up there really hurt us on getting all my force thru the field at the same time.

The stratagy so far has been for the ground pounders to locate and suppress the enemy. Then the tanks move up and either chase or obliterate them. They are really not the power in this battle as they were last month. There long range capability has suffered this time.

Commander XV Panzer Grenadier Group: Baron Rak Rokert

West of Jaroslaw: O450 Hours 10/13/39

The main force is within 200 yds of the center VH. We have encountered a lot of Poles so far. We have destroyed several plattons of infantry and mounted troops. At least 5 AT rifle teams and heavy MGs. Also knocked out couple 37 MM type weapons. No pillboxes or MG nests so far thank heaven.

The tank force has begun to move fairly well with the engineers out in front leading the way. Will soon be caught up with the main force. The plattoon of medium tanks has reached the men on the right flank and they are starting to move again towards the south objectives.

The 81 mortars have quited down some since we dropped some 150s on them. The 100MM was quite for the last 20 minutes but started up again bout 5 minutes ago.

Commander XV Panzer Genadier Group: Rak Rokert

West of Jaroslaw:0510 Hours 10/13/39

The main force is within 150 yards of first objective. I t has been a slug fest all the way. Its move 50 yards do battle poles retreat another 50 yards. Move up find them again and repeat all over. We are losing men as we go and it gets harder to make them move again.

Once i lose the use of my 81MM mortars it will be even tougher. After we make them move back i then bombard the area where we are to move to next. They then are down in there holes and we dont get too much return fire this way.

The tank force still has about 600 yards to reach there objective. The south flank has about the same distance to go. The problem i have there is the platoon of men leading the way has been decimated. The platoon of engineers have almost made it to the front of them. As soon as they start to lead the way im sure they will make there objective too.

I can not take any chance to move tanks out in front of the men. If i do im sure they will be lost. My stratagy has been as follows and has been working fairly well. Each squad moves forward and dislodges the enemy and forces them to retreat. I then move the armor 50 yards in front of them. This comes up on the enemy while in a high state of depression. They fire at them and force another retreat back another 50 yards. I then move the tank back to the same area as the squad they are supporting. Then i set up a mortar barrage on where i think the enemy has moved. This again gives them more suppression again move the squad up to the anemy and chase them back further. Works most of the time but not always. This is very slow and hard work to say the least.

Commander XV Panzer Grenadiers Group: Baron Rak Rokert

Go and get them, Robot.

Those battles with bad visibility can be a very frustrating task, especially against an ene-
my with high moral. I never fought against the Poles in such conditions, but it may be-
come a very nasty thing.

West of Jaroslaw:0525 Hours 10/13/39

We have broken thru the center defenses and have taken the VHs there. Two plattoons of infantry and one of Engineers has begun the long trek towards the rear objectives. Although there strength has been cut down to nearly half they are still in good spirits. They are supported by sec light tanks and 2 sections of PZVIs. Long way to go and im sure there will be a lot of big guns and maybe tanks in the way. They are on the slopes of the hill which is behind there captured VH. As soon as they reach the crest and go down the other side it will be another 1000 yards or less to rear objective.

The left flank of tanks and engineers has been makin steady progress towards the norfth VHs. Slow going here but think we have broke there back too. Thay too have lost a lot of men with squads down to below half strength. Couple of PZ38 got impatient and tried to move around the engineers left flank. Needless to say they paid with there lives. Should have seen the 3 remaining tanks of there plattoon jump back in behind the advance there. This low visability has really cut back on my movement rate and the help the tanks are. They are about 200 yards from the base of the hill the vh is on.

The south flank has been held up too, by what i think is more then a company size force here. We have taken out at least 3 wiz 37 here. The plattoon that was out in front of the PZ38 tanks has lost one squad ,there mortar and heavy MG. The Engineers plattoon that i sent down to help them has been hit hard too. We are in the progress of getting them reorganized and on the way again. They must proceed over a small hill to the front of them. They will then drop down the other side on to the VH. The front slope of this hill is heavily protected with what i think is the company of troops. Have directed my remaining 150s to lay a barrage on this hill.

Commander XV Panzer Grenadiers Group: Baron Rak Rokert

West of Jaroslaw; 0600 Hours 10/13/39

The battle has been raging for two hours now. We have broken thru on all fronts. There are small pockets of resistence still to deal with. The ones that are left are die hards tho. I have lost a lot of troops and quite a bit of armor too. Mostly due to impatience on my part. Ive got to use caution more and not get in too big of a hurry.

The south flank has taken there VH. Have left the remains of the plattoon of engineers there to guard it. While the remains of the plattoon of PZ38 close back up on the center, fot yhe push to the rear VHs.

The center has moved about 300 yards or more past there objective. Have run into two MG nests. These were delt with in short order. Behind the nest about 150 yards was where there 81 mortars were set up. I have elimenated about 7 of those so far. We are near 1500 yards from the rear VH. It is behind a hugh clump of trees. Really a forest with some paths running thru them. I will have to use these paths if i expect to reach the VH. To the south of this one is the other rear VH. It too sits behind a forest, but easily excessable from the north one. This is why i headed for the northern one first. I have put all my remaining 150 off board on pounding all around these VHs.

The north tank force has not reached there objective as yet. They are having a tough time of moving forward. Lot more resistance here then i expected. The Engineers have really been chewed up. Made a lot of mistakes also allowing tanks to move too fast. They will take the VH very soon i am sure of this. But at what cost to equipment and lifes i dont know. I can only hope there will be no more losses before they accomplish there mission. I know that my center is the only hope i have of taking all the VH now.

Commander XV Panzer Grenadiers Group: Baron Rak Rokert

West of Jaroslaw: 0620 Hours 10/13/39

The North flank has taken there objective at last. Lost a couple more armored cars there. Also more losses to the engineer plattoon. They have begun to move south east towards the rear VH. In the process they have found and destroyed 4 mortars one 46MM and three 81mm.

The center has moved into the woods and have bout 400 yards to go to the rear VH located bout 250 yards north of the last one. While moving into the woods they have located and destroyed two 37MM ATGs and 2 AA guns.

My 150 have been bombarding both rear VHs which i hope drives any defenders further to the rear. The Poles have lost a tremendous amount of life and equipment. But then again so have we in this battle. I just hope this push whips them and we can go home.

Commander XV Panzer Grenadier Group: Baron Rak Rokert

West of Jaroslaw: 0640 Hours 10/13/39

The battle is over and we managed to get all the VHs. The battle came out as a draw due to the fact we lost too much of our armor and troops. It was a tough battle due to the visability being only 50 yards. Our tanks was at a distinct disadvantage. It was mostly a foot soldier fight all the way. The troops had to dig them out yard by yard. I am proud of the way our troops handled there self in this very diffulcut fight.

The losses are as follow:
Men ---281----1048
Artty------1-------32
Soft ------4
APC ------5
AFV -----11--------3

We have been ordered to embark on trains taking us back to Germany for a rest. We will need the time to heal and regroup. To get new replacements for the good men we lost. Also need to get replacement armor which i hope is some of the PZIII ive been hearing about. It has an extra MG emplacement on it and heavier armor plate.

There has been some scuttlebutt that we will be heading to some where in Belgium. Just as long as we get some much needed time off. I also heard some talk it may not be for a few months before we have to leave for there. I sure hope so i want to spend some time with my wife and kids.

I hope you will agree on the medals i recommened. Especially for the posthumus award for SGT Stoltz. A very brave deed he did saving the crew of the PZ38t tank while under heavy fire from the enemy.

Commander XV Panzer Grenadiers Group: Baron Rak Rokert