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From the Donetz to the Volga with the 297. ID. Excerpts from the war diary of the Advanced Detachment of the 297th Infantry Division.

(July 11 to August 2, 1942: three weeks without fuel)
Saturday July 11, 1942 (382nd day of the war): At 2:00 a.m. the march towards Belolutskaya on the Aidar began; hundreds of prisoners, deserters, tractor drivers with carts loaded with things; Pursuing the retreating enemy, at 7:00 a.m. we managed to reach their rear in Dontsovka. At 11:20 a.m., after reaching Kamenka, a radiogram indicated that large enemy forces, at least one tank regiment, were approaching. After the battle, the enemy retreated and 171 prisoners were captured (including 1 engineer officer of the tank forces, who gave important testimony and was immediately sent to the division), 1 anti-tank rifle, 2 trucks and many cattle. Losses: 1 soldier was slightly wounded.

Sunday July 12, 1942 (383rd day of the war): At 5:00 a.m. the march towards Krisskoye continues; Everywhere there is a retreat of scattered enemies and columns of tractors. Order to return to Novo-Nikolskoye: the deserter speaks of 20-25 tanks covering the retreat. Clouds of dust mark the enemy's escape routes. The Stukas attack retreating tanks and columns. With the onset of darkness, the blind terrain and darkness make continuation of the attack impossible; The bridge is also impassable. An anti-tank platoon set fire to a tank with a 3-inch gun (7,62 cm), as well as wagons with ammunition. Noise of movement until 2:00 a.m., motorized columns heading south. The vanguard assumes a perimeter defense. Losses: 1 soldier killed.

Monday July 13, 1942 (384th day of the war): At 3:10 a.m., 10 Soviet tanks tried to break through north of Novo-Nikolskoye; The 14th Company of the Infantry Regiment 524 shot down 1 tank and damaged 2 heavy tanks; others turned around. At 4:00 a.m. hours reconnaissance east of the stream: only scattered remains of the enemy; 5 new American trucks and 1 all-wheel drive vehicle. At 8:30 a.m., after reinforcing the bridge, the march continues towards Petrovsky. The roads were completely ruined after the rainy weather. Several tanks were sighted in the southeast as well as 3 heavy tanks at Berezovo as anti-tank guns fired on them, an enemy tank that suddenly appeared on the flank opened fire in response. The leader of the detachment, Major Oechsle, was seriously wounded by a tank shell and both his legs were torn off below the knees; Shortly after being evacuated to the main dressing post, he died from a blocked vein. His simple soldier's grave is located 300 meters west of the bridge near Novo-Nikolskoye. Oberleutnant Behrens took command of the detachment. The tanks turned southeast and left the firing range. Loot: approximately 700 cubic meters of rye, 400 cubic meters of wheat, 400 cubic meters of flax, 96 cubic meters of sunflower grains; approximately 35 cubic meters of oats, 14 cubic meters of barley, 5 small locomotives. Losses: 1 non-commissioned officer killed, 1 officer wounded and killed at the main dressing station (Major Gustav Oechsle *). 2 more troops were injured.

Tuesday, July 14, 1942 (385th day of the war): At 2:00 a.m. the advance detachment leaves for Mikhailovo-Alexandrovsky. There is no contact with the enemy. At 2:00 p.m. - continuation of the march towards Novo-Poltava.

Wednesday, July 15, 1942 (386th day of the war): division day of rest. 1. Squadron is raking forests east of Novo-Poltava. The 14th Company of the Infantry Regiment 524 took 96 prisoners. Exploration to the south.

Thursday July 16, 1942 (387th day of war): By order of the division, the march towards Kolodezi began at 3:00 a.m. The march is hampered by the poor condition of the roads, which were washed away by the rain.

* Kommandeur, Aufklärungs-Abteilung 297.

Sources: https://nordrigel.livejournal.com/124493.html#cutid1
http://www.stalingrad-feldpost.de/Trupp ... 97_id.html
https://www.amazon.de/Stalingrad-1941-1 ... 3924170002

Cheers. Raúl M .

Hello to all ; more............................

From the Donetz to the Volga with the 297. ID. Excerpts from the war diary of the Advanced Detachment of the 297th Infantry Division.

Friday, July 17, 1942 (388th day of the war): The march begins at 2:30 a.m. (according to the radiogram). The roads are clogged with columns of all kinds. At 12:15 p.m. the day's objective was achieved. The number of prisoners and deserters continues to increase. Many grains and livestock were captured. At 7:30 p.m. the task was received to conduct reconnaissance in Pervomaiskoye, although it was reported several times that the detachment was out of fuel. Loot: 360 prisoners, 835 quintals of rye, 180 quintals of wheat, 15 quintals of oats, several hundred pigs, many horses and cows.

Saturday, July 18, 1942 (399th day of the war): The march towards Fomino, scheduled for 2:30 a.m., did not begin due to lack of fuel. Around noon the trucks with fuel arrived, after having traveled 270 kilometers. Once the fuel is distributed to all units, it will be enough for a trip of only 12 to 15 kilometers.

Sunday, July 19, 1942 (400th day of the war): Due to lack of fuel, the detachment had a day of rest.

Monday, July 20, 1942 (401st day of the war): At 04:00 - start of the march. Bad roads, narrow bridges, infantry units on the same route. After 21 km, at Derevyanschenskoye, due to lack of fuel, the 2. Anti-tank Company and the 3. Sapper Company had to be abandoned. The reconnaissance battalion tries, with the last remaining fuel, to reach the objective of the day: Selivanovskaya, and succeeds.

Tuesday, July 21, 1942 (402nd day of the war): Due to lack of fuel, the advance detachment is forced to stop...

Wednesday, July 22, 1942 (403rd day of war): The advance detachment never received fuel and remains in place. The detachment commander, Dr. Glate, has been recalled to his anti-tank detachment.

The war diary says that the reconnaissance battalion spent another whole week without refueling and received the first fuel only on July 29, which was enough only for one day, then stopped again on August 2.

Sources: https://nordrigel.livejournal.com/124493.html#cutid1
http://www.stalingrad-feldpost.de/Trupp ... 97_id.html
https://www.amazon.de/Stalingrad-1941-1 ... 3924170002

Cheers. Raúl M .

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From the Donetz to the Volga with the 297. ID. The Chir Bridge is captured intact!
(Oberst Moritz von Drebber, C.O. of the 523rd Infantry Regiment).

As soon as our motorized units were able to get some fuel, at the beginning of August 1942 we struck at Nizhne-Chirskaya on the Don. It is located slightly south of the confluence of the Chir and the Don. The advanced battalions, advancing on foot towards the end, burst into the city, where they engaged in battle with the enemy rearguards. During this battle, our advanced units broke through to an intact bridge over the Chir, 300 m long, which was an example of craftsmanship and Russian construction art. This was especially lucky, since previously on all the rivers we had only encountered blown-up bridges. In fact, we managed to get ahead of the Soviet sappers, who were already ready to send the bridge into the air.

In the shortest possible time, the entire forward battalion was transferred to the other side. I received an order from the Corps Commander, General von Seydlitz, to be on the dominant heights west of Nizhne-Chirskaya and monitor the situation with our neighbors so as not to miss the opportunity to create a bridgehead north of Chir as quickly as possible. In the near future I also had to consider the possibility of strong Soviet counterattacks. I had an overview far into the territory still held by the enemy and I saw Soviet columns leaving for Verkhne-Chirskaya... I immediately decided to transport the entire regiment across the bridge; the enemy on the northern bank was still holding out in places in densely overgrown and obscured areas.

In the evening the bridgehead was already firmly in our hands. The next morning at 2.00 a.m. we launched an offensive, overcame the sleeping posts and broke into Verkhne-Chirskaya. Further advance was impossible - the Soviets met us with heavy machine gun and artillery fire from strong positions, so we had to go on the defensive. Although the troops were very exhausted, they did not waste a single hour, immediately beginning to dig positions that could give some guarantee that they could be held. In addition to the construction of fortifications, an appropriate fire covering system was organized. The enemy reconnaissance groups that soon appeared were repelled.

Three more days later, after powerful artillery preparation, masses of enemy infantry went on the attack, but were driven back. There were no reserves that could help me in such a situation. After about 10 days, we noticed that enemy tanks were taking up their starting positions and preparing to attack. Some of them broke through into the village of Verkhne-Chirskaya itself, but fortunately, the infantry accompanying them was cut off and stopped by fire. After that the tanks crawled back! An enemy breakthrough in a neighboring sector, due to which we were cut off for several hours, ended with the enemy infantry being destroyed or captured. The decisive role in this success was played by the blows of the “pieces”.

After repelling countless Soviet attacks targeting the bridge over the Chir, our artillery was significantly strengthened. Now we ourselves went on the offensive in a northeast direction. A few days later it became clear that the Soviets had managed to escape across the Don at Kalach and thus avoid a decisive battle west of the Don. Our breakthrough to the Don was successful.

After this, the day came for our troops when the 297th Infantry Division left the long-term subordination of the 6th Army and transferred to the 4th Panzer Army (Colonel General Hoth). We understood that the 6th Army would break through to the Volga by a direct route, trying to attack and capture Stalingrad from the west. Colonel General Hoth and his army had to cross the Don south of Nizhne-Chirskaya and break through to Stalingrad from the south, through the Kalmyk steppes.

Now the 297th Infantry Division marched south, crossing the Don on a pontoon bridge on August 15, 1942, while at the same time tanks were transported to the east bank on a pontoon ferry. At Potemkinskaya we entered the area between the Don and the Volga, where a decisive battle was to unfold, which determined the course of the Second World War...

Sources: https://nordrigel.livejournal.com/124493.html#cutid1
http://www.stalingrad-feldpost.de/Trupp ... 97_id.html
https://www.amazon.de/Stalingrad-1941-1 ... 3924170002

Cheers. Raúl M .

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Across the Don to the Kalmyk steppe.

Hitler first wanted to seize the oil fields in the Caucasus, since at the beginning and summer of 1942 he and his entourage understood that the German Wehrmacht needed more fuel to successfully complete the war. For this purpose, the former Army Group South (Field Marshal von Bock) was divided into two army groups:

1) Army Group "A" (Field Marshal List) - was supposed to capture the oil fields of the Caucasus, primarily Maykop and Grozny;
2) Army Group "B" (Field Marshal von Bock, from July 15 - Colonel General von Weichs) - after eliminating the Soviet bridgeheads west of the Don, must cross the river, from the Kalmyk steppes reach Stalingrad, occupy it and the western bank of the Volga.

From the German armed forces on the Don to the borders of former Germany there were already almost 2,500 km, supply problems were already creating difficulties in the area between the Donets and the Don, where the 6th Army was forced to stand without fuel for two weeks. Supply was carried out only from remote unloading points from the railway in Kharkov, Stalino and Donbass. It has already been described dramatically how the advance detachment could not continue the pursuit of the randomly fleeing enemy, since the motorized units of the division had no mobility. For the exhausted troops, in fact, the real goal was the elimination of Soviet bridgeheads west of the Don and the organization of defense for the winter along its high western bank... However, for the “superman”, as Hitler believed, who thought that he knew the art of war better than his generals, this it wasn't enough.

On July 29, 1942, Hitler sent his personal adjutant, General Schmundt, to Paulus. For Hitler, the issue of capturing Stalingrad was a matter of prestige, just as for Stalin it was a matter of honor to hold the city named after him... Paulus told Schmundt quite clearly: “The 6th Army is too weak to attack Stalingrad!” The request to send additional divisions was rejected.

On July 30, Hitler changed his previous plan - first of all to seize the oil fields of the Caucasus, and sent the tank corps of Colonel General Hoth through Elista and the Kalmyk steppes to the north. At that moment, Hoth's tanks were already stationed just 100 km from the Caspian Sea. Such a “hunt for two birds with one stone” (as Stalin once ironically remarked regarding Hitler’s “commandership”) was Hitler’s gravest mistake. Due to the disagreement of the Chief of the General Staff Halder and Field Marshal List with the withdrawal of tanks from the Caucasus, they were both removed from their posts.

So on August 4, the tank corps of Hoth rushed in an accelerated march in the direction of Aksai and by August 6 was already on the railway to Stalingrad, at the Tinguta station, just 37 km from the city on the Volga. There he encountered a very stubborn defense. The Soviets transported numerous half-finished tanks from their tank factory in Stalingrad on special trucks, dug them around this station, supplied them with a good number of shells and held the defense in them until the last grenade... In addition, the Soviets transferred here three fresh and well-equipped divisions (381st, 126th and 204th) from Stalin’s reserve east of the Volga and two new tank brigades, which were hit by a German attack at Tinguta. Subsequently, the divisions remaining at Stalingrad constantly received reinforcements at night across the Volga, while in the German units, despite the high military professionalism of their commanders, the actual combat strength of the companies dropped to 40-50 people, and the supply of ammunition, food and fuel did not work normally. On August 6-8, 1942, Hoth fought near Tinguta only with his own forces, since the 6th Army from August 7 to 14 was completely occupied with the destruction of part of the Soviet bridgehead west of the Don.

Before August 14, the 6th Army managed to encircle three Soviet armies with attacks from the south to Kalach and the north to Kletskaya and force the Soviets to flee across the Don. In this last successful encirclement battle for the Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front, 57,000 prisoners were taken, 1,000 tanks and 750 guns were destroyed or captured, but strong Soviet formations were able to escape and retain several small bridgeheads west of the Don - there was no force to eliminate them.

On the day of the Ascension of the Virgin Mary (August 15, 1942), after the successful end of the battle at Kalach, the 6th Army crossed the Don in four places, over four pontoon bridges there, each about 350 meters long. The 297th Infantry Division crossed the Don at Potemkinskaya and entered the Kalmyk steppes. Today this village does not exist - it and many more square kilometers of the Kalmyk steppe are covered by the wide (35 km wide) Tsimlyansk reservoir, a continuation of the Volga-Don Canal.

Sources: https://nordrigel.livejournal.com/124493.html#cutid1
http://www.stalingrad-feldpost.de/Trupp ... 97_id.html
https://www.amazon.de/Stalingrad-1941-1 ... 3924170002

Cheers. Raúl M .

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Across the Don to the Kalmyk steppe.

From August 27, the division fought many days of bloody battles around Abganerovo. Abganerovo has 21 burial places left for the division’s military personnel.

While we were marching and fighting, we, of course, had no idea that on August 9, Churchill and the representative of the ill Roosevelt, Harriman, visited Stalin in Moscow. On those same days, German tanks entered Maikop - wells there were set on fire, oil reserves were taken out or destroyed... Stalin energetically demanded that the British and Americans open a “second front” and land on the Atlantic coast of France. Although such an operation was planned for 1943, Churchill promised it would happen soon. As a result, Canadian troops with tanks and special units landed in Dieppe on the French bank of the “canal” on August 25, 1942. This “test invasion” was defeated on the same day.

After the battles at Abganerovo and Tinguta, the 297th Infantry Division was deployed to the northeast and in September fought in positions approximately 20 km south of Stalingrad, defending with a front to the east. The Kalmyk steppes were a plain without trees or shade and with few “roads”, rather paths, which, however, provided excellent opportunities for unlimited movement in any direction, where the war was going on by compass and it was only approximately clear where the “foreign positions” began.. The landing of the ambulance Junkers (Ju-52) near our dressing station did not have the slightest technical problems.

In September we encountered problems with rain, when our trenches filled with water and washed away with mud, and supply trucks were 3-4 days late... Only the prisoners had no problems on their way to the west...

In this rather bare area, without shelter, I conducted field services with great caution, constantly posting air observers from among my comrades. It was very dangerous to receive a random artillery shell or a “mortar salute.” Although we often set up our field altar a couple of hundred meters from the front line, in some lowland, I cannot remember that during the services the enemy specifically interfered with us.

In mid-October, we received an order to begin building bunkers in numerous shallow depressions, and also to prepare for the preparation of winter shelters in the bare steppe. The temperature at night was already below freezing. I could not believe that we were really going to spend the whole winter in these beams, and therefore we, both priests, still lived in a tent for a long time. My evangelical colleague Pruessner helped me with clothes.

In this tent we usually spent time in the evenings having “ecumenical conversations”, and during the day we went to different battalions, trying to visit the maximum number of units in a short time. In our relatively calm sector in the direction west of Beketovka, 15 km south of Stalingrad, crises also occurred when the Russians, having transferred new divisions from the east, offered fierce resistance and even launched counterattacks. The former constant marches ended. Units of the 297th Infantry Division here and there tried to adapt their positions to the open steppe. There was no other place even for the regimental command post...

Sources: https://nordrigel.livejournal.com/124493.html#cutid1
http://www.stalingrad-feldpost.de/Trupp ... 97_id.html
https://www.amazon.de/Stalingrad-1941-1 ... 3924170002

Cheers. Raúl M .

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The battle between the Don and the Volga before the start of the war of position in front of Stalingrad. (Oberst Moritz von Drebber, Commander of the 523rd Infantry Regiment).

The 297th Infantry Division marched in the heat from Potemkinskaya through Aksai and Vodinsky to Abganerovo. During this march, individual units of the 6. Army boldly managed to reach the Volga on the northern outskirts of Stalingrad. Here are two reasons why this success was not taken advantage of immediately:

1. The 6th Army was forced to deploy a division north to cover the flank, where the Soviets were increasing their attack, especially against Germany's allies;
2. This division was simply not enough to occupy Stalingrad from the north. Now our advance towards the city from the south became decisive.

However, already during the first attacks on enemy positions, it became clear that balkas were extremely convenient for defense. Deep ravines stretch from west to east, parallel to each other for short distances. As a result of many weeks of work by thousands of Stalingrad residents, they were converted into fortresses, surrounded by wide and long anti-tank ditches. In total there were four lines of defense, which could only be taken with terrible losses. An attempt to conquer them in hand-to-hand combat failed. The 297th and 371st Infantry, 29th Motorized, 14th and 24th Panzer Divisions and five Romanian divisions participated in these tenacious battles.

After these four positions were taken, the 297th Infantry Division reached the commanding ridge of the heights on September 12, from which the city of Stalingrad was clearly visible. Meanwhile, the 71st Infantry Division of the 6th Army made its way to the Volga in the southern part of the city. There were simply not enough forces to capture the center; The fight in the city was for each house.

Von Richthofen's bomber formations bombed the city. We were going to continue advancing, according to the order, we regrouped our forces, directing the offensive directions to the east, as well as towards Beketovka. After initial success, we quickly encountered fierce resistance, forcing us to go on the defensive.

The 522nd, 523rd and 524th Infantry Regiments of the 297th Infantry Division were located between the Romanian 20th Division on the right and the German 371st Infantry Division on the left. A trench war began that caused the greatest tragedy in German military history and became the turning point of this great and bloody war.

Sources: https://nordrigel.livejournal.com/124493.html#cutid1
http://www.stalingrad-feldpost.de/Trupp ... 97_id.html
https://www.amazon.de/Stalingrad-1941-1 ... 3924170002

Cheers. Raúl M .

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The battle between the Don and the Volga before the start of the war of position in front of Stalingrad. (Unteroffizier Josef Steinbauer, II./ AR 297).

After crossing the Don on the pontoon bridge on August 15, 1942, we entered the endless steppe landscape, where far and wide there was not a single tree, but only dust and more dust. The day of the march before Aksai we were surprised by a strong sand storm; The hopelessness of the Kalmyk steppe became clear to us. On August 19 we marched to Aksai, where we met our tank units approaching from the south, from the Caucasus, who then supported us.

In the foothills of Stalingrad, about 70 kilometers south of the city on the Volga, near Abganerovo, strong counterattacks began. The heavy losses among soldiers hidden in the lowlands and ravines were as unexpected as the intense bombardment of our front line by enemy artillery. Particularly dangerous were the so-called "Stalin organs", which fired many rockets at once, the destruction zone of which reached dimensions of 300x500 meters.

The Soviets wanted to prevent our division from advancing through the Kotelnikovo-Stalingrad line. Until August 29, our right flank was completely open, until Romanian and German units finally arrived there, placing themselves at the level of our division. On August 30, the combat march continued. New positions were occupied for a short time; At night we return to the road. We took some units from the 371st Infantry Division, whose provision of horse-drawn transport was significantly worse than that of our division... We moved further and further northeast. The morning of August 31 began with a massive attack by our artillery against the enemy at dawn, our attack aircraft attacked low-level enemy positions and the tanks of the 29. Motorized Division went on the attack. This day and the next brought us even closer to Stalingrad (albeit with losses). Despite the continuous marches and battles, our offensive spirit remained just as strong!

In the first days of September we again encountered stubborn enemy resistance. Their artillery fire against our firing positions again caused us heavy losses. On September 4, the 522nd Infantry Regiment found itself in a critical situation and had to withdraw for a short time. On September 7, it was finally relieved by our “own” 523rd Infantry Regiment, what for the II. Group of the 297th Artillery Regiment meant a new change of positions, since it was attached to the 523rd Regiment.

The night of September 9 was long remembered by the division's soldiers who were there at that time: an endless row of lights on German bombers was displayed over Stalingrad, while the Soviets searched the sky with their searchlights. There was a very peculiar feeling when seeing a large number of light cones from the searchlights that illuminated the sky over the city and the Volga...

The defenders of Stalingrad, with the help of the civilian population, dug eight anti-tank ditches; Subsequently, most of the 6th Army found death in them...

In one of these ditches, on September 10, we took a new position; We were separated from the southern part of Stalingrad only by a height defended by the Soviets. Night after night, Russian "coffee grinders" visited our positions, slowly flying around them and dropping small bombs every 30 minutes. During the day, mortar shots were fired along our lines: people did not rest, could not sleep peacefully. At the end of September there were already clear nights with temperatures below zero...

Many colleagues suffered from jaundice, which caused them to itch all over their bodies, which was made even worse by lice. After crossing the Don, we had a rather monotonous diet: we ate mainly what we managed to capture: cattle, horses and grain from those reserves that the Russians did not have time to burn when leaving the Chir.

The columns with food crossed the bare steppe to our positions only at night, so we received our horse meat soup almost cold. As a result, the liver suffered greatly, people became susceptible to infections, and jaundice and similar diseases could lead to death.

During the intense fighting, units tried to reinforce their shelters with beams and iron sheets from destroyed houses. From September 19 to 25, a huge curtain of black smoke rose over the center of Stalingrad, the result of powerful bombing and artillery fire.

At the end of October, day after day, our positions were subjected to prolonged and extremely powerful artillery and mortar fire. The initiative gradually passed into the hands of the Soviets.

Sources: https://nordrigel.livejournal.com/124493.html#cutid1
http://www.stalingrad-feldpost.de/Trupp ... 97_id.html
https://www.amazon.de/Stalingrad-1941-1 ... 3924170002

Cheers. Raúl M .

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The battle between the Don and the Volga - End of November 1942.

November 28, 1942: So far, the attack of about two Russian divisions with tanks against the 297th Infantry Division and the western wing of the 371st Infantry Division, focusing on Jagodniki on both sides, which had been in marching since morning hours, been rejected.

The IV. Army Corps reported at 4:50 p.m.: The enemy launched today the expected major attack in the sector of the 297th Infantry Division. The enemy attack carried out in the morning with the participation of several regiments with about 50 tanks, focusing on the front north of Jagodniki, was repulsed with the destruction of 15 enemy tanks, which were on both sides of the main attack , especially to the east of Zybenko, were carried out mostly in battalion strength and were repulsed.
- Further attacks against the left wing of the 297th Infantry Division on both sides of Jagodniki caused 2 breakthroughs in the afternoon on both sides of Jagodniki and to the northwest of Jagodniki, which should be cleared tomorrow.

- With the 297th Infantry Division, the enemy attack, which was carried out with tank support on the right wing of the division, was partially repulsed by a counterattack. Aside from a local penetration, the main line of resistance north of Jagodniki is once again in our hands. Counterattack to recover the first line in that place with the rise of the moon.

November 29, 1942: In the 297th Infantry Division the counterattack used to close the penetration point northwest of Jagodniki gained little ground despite strong enemy resistance.
-The enemy continued its attacks today against the Front of the 297th Infantry Division, supported by numerous tanks, focusing on the Zybenko and Jagodniki sectors.

November 30, 1942: IV. Army Corps 4:40 p.m. (Oblt. Humbert / Oblt. Schier):
After the heavy losses suffered in recent days against the 297th Infantry Division, confirmed by observations and statements from prisoners, the enemy did not continue its attacks today. However, taking into account the continued strong movements and accumulations on both sides of Jagodnij observed today, the Corps is counting on tomorrow.
- Continuation of enemy attacks from the Varwarowka-Jagodny area.

Sources: https://nordrigel.livejournal.com/124493.html#cutid1
http://www.stalingrad-feldpost.de/Trupp ... 97_id.html
https://www.amazon.de/Stalingrad-1941-1 ... 3924170002

Cheers. Raúl M .

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The battle between the Don and the Volga - Beginning of December 1942.

December 1, 1942: The 297th Infantry Division receives enemy harassing fire with varying intensity. In the afternoon, an enemy attack at battalion level, accompanied by 1 tank, was repelled northwest of Jagodniki.

December 2, 1942: After intense fire preparations, which at times extended to the left wing of the 29th Infantry Division (motorized), the enemy used infantry in force today. Troops with up to 40 tanks (probably several infantry divisions, brigades and armored brigades involved) led several large-scale attacks against the 297th Infantry Division's sector. The focus of enemy attacks was directed against the Jagodniki-Jelchi sections. According to a provisional report from the 297th Infantry Division, the enemy attack continued north of Jagodniki.

December 3, 1942: The enemy continued its attacks against the front of the 297th Infantry Division today. The attacks have apparently decreased in intensity due to the very high losses suffered there in recent days. After a brief preparation of fire, at 09:00 the enemies again began attacks on the Jagodniki - Jelchi section.
In the afternoon, in the sector of the 297th Infantry Division, northwest of Jagodniki, a local irruption occurred. The counterattack to recapture the resistance line is underway. The enemy, about 25 men, who had penetrated east of Zybenko was destroyed.

December 6, 1942: Enemy movements up to battalion strength with single guns are observed in front of the 297th Infantry Division in several directions, mainly in the Dreihügelgrab (Three Barrows) area, indicating relief movements.

December 7, 1942: In the sector of the 297th Infantry Division, west of Jelchi, defense against a reconnaissance in force of the enemy of unknown magnitude.

December 8, 1942: After a brief artillery preparation, the enemy launched the expected attack at 7:25 a.m. on the left wing of the 297th Infantry Division, focusing on Dreihügelgrab.

December 9, 1942: In the 297th Infantry Division, on the resistance line east of Zybenko, an enemy shock troop that had broken in was repulsed.

Sources: https://nordrigel.livejournal.com/124493.html#cutid1
http://www.stalingrad-feldpost.de/Trupp ... 97_id.html
https://www.amazon.de/Stalingrad-1941-1 ... 3924170002

Cheers. Raúl M .

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The battle between the Don and the Volga - Late December 1942.

December 19, 1942: The 297th Infantry Division to Wypassnoye and from there in a general southerly direction.

December 20, 1942: In the sector of the 297th Infantry Division, enemy fire and entrenchment activity were livelier than in the previous days, as the enemy had previously been reinforced with 1 battery. Several enemy anti-tank guns were positioned west of Karpovka, one was destroyed by a direct hit.

December 21, 1942: In the sector of the 297th Infantry Division, three enemy reconnaissance patrols were repelled east of Zybenko and 1 assault patrol was repelled near Dreihügelgrab. Yesterday evening, enemy trench reinforcements were observed in the area of ​​the Eastern Front, east of Zhelchi.
In the 297th Infantry Division, south-west of Rakotini, the position was occupied by stronger infantry than previously observed.

22 December 1942: An enemy assault patrol was repelled on the central front of the 297th Infantry Division, north of Jagodniki.

27 December 1942: In the sector of the 297th Infantry Division, a stronger assault group managed to penetrate the main line of resistance east of Zybenko around midnight. Counterattack underway.

29 December 1942: Early in the morning in the sector of the 297th Infantry Division, east of Zybenko, the main line of resistance was restored by an immediate counterattack and was left in its own hands, except for one bunker.

Sources: https://nordrigel.livejournal.com/124493.html#cutid1
http://www.stalingrad-feldpost.de/Trupp ... 97_id.html
https://www.amazon.de/Stalingrad-1941-1 ... 3924170002

Cheers. Raúl M .

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The Battle between the Don and the Volga - January 1943.

January 2, 1943: In the morning, in the sector of the 297th Infantry Division, an enemy assault group was repelled on the railway line west of Zybenko, with heavy losses for the enemy. Since 2:00 a.m., enemy reconnaissance advances supported by a tank have been taking place.
In the sector of the 297th Infantry Division, an enemy reconnaissance in force carried out with tank support on the railway bend west of Zybenko was repelled. On the rest of the front, apart from the defense of an enemy assault group north of the Gernaya-Polyana state farm, there have been no changes compared to the daily report.

January 4, 1943: The Pi Btl 297 (without the 2nd Coy) and 2 assault guns were moved from Zybenko to the area 5 km north of Jagodniki.

January 8, 1943: In the central sector of the 297th Infantry Division, 3 shock troops and 2 reconnaissance troops were driven back northwest of Jagodniki during the night. Heavy machine gun fire in the Zybenko area and enemy tank fire in the Tarwarovka area.
In the morning, the 297th Infantry Division repelled an enemy assault group west of Zybenko. At dawn, preliminary work was carried out by an enemy group of 150 men and another of 300 men on the main line of resistance between Zybenko and Jagodniki. At the same time, enemy reconnaissance in force south of Dreihügelgrab were repelled.

10 January 1943: 10 enemy reconnaissance and shock troops of up to 60 men were repulsed in the sector of the 297th Infantry Division, especially near Zybenko and further east, as well as in the Dreihügelgrab section, with heavy losses for the enemy.
For this, the 297th Infantry Division was given all available forces. Fierce fighting to seal off the assault site north of Jagodniki continues. On the right wing of the division, persistent enemy attacks were repelled throughout the day up to Zybenko. To the northeast, 25 enemy tanks temporarily broke through. The enemy, with about a regiment's strength, managed to break through to the main line of resistance 3 km east of Zybenko after the forces there failed. They are currently trying to advance towards the rear of the units that are holding the front to the east. The mopping up of the enemy incursion is taking place in the area located 2 km west of Jelchi.
After intense fighting, the enemy achieved a local gap 400 m wide on both sides of the Dreihügelgrab. The situation there has been rectified.

Sources: https://nordrigel.livejournal.com/124493.html#cutid1
http://www.stalingrad-feldpost.de/Trupp ... 97_id.html
https://www.amazon.de/Stalingrad-1941-1 ... 3924170002

Cheers. Raúl M .

Hello to all ; more............................

The Battle between the Don and the Volga - January 1943.

January 11, 1943: The deep breakthrough point north of Jagodniki and smaller penetrations near the 297th/371st Infantry Divisions cannot be cleared due to lack of forces. Blockade there is only possible by fire.

-Southern Front: At the breakthrough point east of Zybenko the enemy presses forward with more infantry and tanks and tries to seal it off. Deep breakthrough at Jagodniki and smaller penetration points at the 297th/371st Infantry Divisions cannot be cleared due to lack of forces. Blockade there is only possible by fire.

-The two breakthrough points on either side of the Dreihügelgrab near the left wing battalion of the 297th Infantry Division were cleared, except for one strong point, capturing numerous prisoners.
-By evening, the 297th Infantry Division repelled further attacks east of Zybenko.

In the area south of Height 111.5, east of Zybenko, enemy forces with regimental-level strength are encountered. The strength and losses of the units holding east of this incursion are severe. The penetration point north of Jagodniki is being closed with all available forces and from the northwest, the 1. Gren. Rgt. (mot.) 71 is on the move to close the entry point east of Zybenko. Two heavy enemy tanks have rolled over mines northwest of Jagodniki and destroyed.

-In the 297th Infantry Division, the enemy is behaving calmly at the entry point near and south of Krawzow and at the road junction 1 km northeast of Zybenko. The infantry battalion just west of it remains surrounded. Units east of the two-lane highway (2 km east of Zybenko) - 2 km northwest of Jagodniki retreat to the new line of resistance. Enemy units on ridge 119.7 are driven back to the south in a counterattack.

January 15, 1943: The remnants of the 29th, 3rd Infantry Divisions (motorized), 376th, and 297th Infantry Divisions return to their final position on the railway line near and northwest of Joropoponowo. The VIII. Army Corps will withdraw to the intermediate position Rossoshka-Pitomnik the following night (it was not attacked today).

January 22, 1943: The 76th Infantry Division, the 29th Infantry Division (motorized), the 3rd Infantry Division (motorized) and the 297th Infantry Division are destroyed.

The southern front, Stalingrad and the northern front are resisting attacks from superior forces here. Ammunition is running out here too.

Sources: https://nordrigel.livejournal.com/124493.html#cutid1
http://www.stalingrad-feldpost.de/Trupp ... 97_id.html
https://www.amazon.de/Stalingrad-1941-1 ... 3924170002

It's all. Cheers. Raúl M .