OBV Guest Review II

After Action Report

Alt Bedforddorf

By Bill Donegan

Feldwebel Matt Santos and two jagers of 5/.Hochgebirgsbataillon 4, after marching to the outskirts of Alt Bedforddorf, found an abandoned farm house on the eastern edge of the village, and settled in for a rest.  Feldwebel Santos and the other jager who fed and watered the dog (Blitz), remained at the farm while I wandered into the village to see if I could find some intertainment and refreshment.

I walked into the village and noticed that the rear guard of the Grossdeutschland was just leaving, after having cleared the village of the enemy..  The dorf was practically a ghost town with only a spattering of old women left hanging their laundry out to dry.  An ss Rottenfuhrer, riding a bicycle approached me and invited me to join he and his commander for a drink at the local pub.  He directed me to a house where the Unterscharfuhrer, Amon Kaltenbrunner was being interviewed by a Kriegsberichter, Ron Wenig.

I located the Hauptquartier of the Schwere SS-Panzerabteilung 102, Aufklarungs-Zug, near a church at the far western edge of town near the church, and waited for the interview to conclude.  Following some photographs by the Kriegsberichter, Amon Kaltenbrunner (Steve Leiss), the Rotenfuhrer, an ss schutz, the kriegsberichter and my self took a walk down the street towards the bar.

We were all enjoying our spazierengang telling witzes.  As we approached a row of houses located on a tree shaded street, a shot rang out, and Unterscharfuhrer Kaltenbrunner fell dead! The kriegsberichter, who had just interviewed him went to check on him and was also shot dead!  The Rottenfurher ordered us to take cover and return fire.

The Rottenfuhrer, who was only armed with his pistol, quickly expended all of his ammunition,  He was trying to retrieve Kaltenbrunner’s weapon when he was wounded in the shoulder.  He managed to rearm himself and continued to direct fire towards the sniper. He was suddenly swarmed by a squad of Russians, but we could not fire for fear of hitting him. I saw that he was then trying to shoot himself in order to avoid capture, but he was out of ammo. The Russians dragged him away behind the house from where all the shooting was comming. That left only me and the ss private who was covering me while I retreated.  I saw a sniper firing at us around the corner of the house.  We traded fire with the sniper but he could not hit us as were were behind some big trees and we could not him him as he kept ducking behind the house. I asked the ss mann to cover me while I ran to a better firing position.  I ran across the street and jumped into a thick growth of a bush.  From my new position I could look through the front window of the house and through the side window at the Russians who were hiding there.  I took careful aim and shot the Russian sniper in the head by shooting through both windows of the house.  Things fell silent for a time.  We reloaded and counted our rounds.  We were almost out of ammo. Then I shouted at the Russians telling them to surrender because they were surrounded.  I then ran back across the street behind a larger tree from which I could observe the front and the rear and the  side of the house to prevent them from out flanking us..  I only wish we had more numbers!  The ss private, who had been lying flat in the street decided to move to another position.  That’s when we heard a whistle blow and then a swarm of Russians appeared firing everything they had. I got off all five shots from my K-98 and had to reload.  I was safe behind the tree but the SS Mann was hit and killed.

The Russians had retreated, but not before leaving five of their dead on the other side of my tree!  Then I was alone!  I reloaded the last five rounds of my ammo. I then yelled at the Russians ordering them to surrender.  It was quiet.  Sudenly I heard another whistle blow.  This was it.  The Russian squad charged my position.  I only got off one shot before I was hit in the arm and dropped my weapon.  I tried to get to my bayonette but before I could draw I was jumped and knocked to the ground by five Russians.  I fained death to see what they would do.  They were as tired as I was when one of them tried to pull me up for some reason.  Since I was dead weight he could not lift me.. Then I said I can get up by myself.  Then they all grinned at me and took me prisoner.

The Russians had been stranded and abandoned in a school house outside of town not too far from the farm house where the other two of my kameraden were sleeping. I heard that they were taking me there for questioning.  Then as were approached the bar the Russians decided to stop for a drink.  The Russiand then became quite drunk from celebrating and I was able to escape. While trying to make my way back to the farm house a German ambulance arrived and I was helped inside. I was evacuated to the rear where I was able to write this report.

The ambulance picked up the bodies of the other kameraden and I was able to retrieve the Kriegsberichter’s camera.  I am forwarding to you his photographs of the fallen heroes.

Submitten by Hellmut Heudtlass (Bill Donegan.