Many fine historians and authors alike have exhaustively covered the Theatre of Operations on the Eastern Front. Having said that, I felt the following translated report by General von Vietinghoff-Scheel is a perfect reflection of the grim situation that all combatants on the Eastern Front faced.

Corps Orders of the Day No. 5

After one of the hard defensive battles on the north-east of Jelnja, Förster's Group of the 1st Motorcycle Battalion which as assigned to cover the left flank of the company, was found as follows:

The group leader, SS-Unterscharführer Förster, with his hand on the release cord of his last grenade, was shot in the head.
Rifleman No. 1, SS-Rottenführer Klaiber, his M-G still at his shoulder and a cartridge in the breech, was shot in the head.
Rifleman No. 2, SS-Sturmmann Buschner, Rifleman No. 3, SS-Sturmmann Schyma, dead in foxholes.
The dispatch rider, SS-Sturmmann Oldeboerhuis, was dead on his knees by his motorcycle, with his hands on the handlebars, killed in that moment as he sought to deliver the last dispatch.
The driver, SS-Sturmmann Schwenk, was dead in his foxhole.

Of the enemy, here were only dead men to be seen who lay in a semicircle around the group's position, a hand grenade's throwing distance away.

An example of what "Defence" means! We stand in respect and awe before such heroism!

I have applied for these names to be published in the Roll of Honour of the German Army.

General Officer Commanding
Signed von Vietinghoff-Scheel
General of the Panzer Troops

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