German Corporal posing for a photograph in his uniform and equipment, February 1915.

The following is excerpts of 22-year-old Danish-German soldier Hemming Skov's account of his participation in the Battle of Tannenberg on August 30, 1914, today 109 years ago.

The day prior, he had been billeted in the town or Ortelsburg - Szczytno. Translated by myself:

"The following morning, after we had entered the streets, the bullets began hissing; the Russians lay right outside of town, and in the space of a few minutes, the German rifles began thundering outwards from all the upper windows of the houses.

But soon, the Russian artillery began bombarding the town, thereby making August 30 an unforgettable day.

The shells initially came one by one, but eventually it turned into an incessant whistling and hissing.

During this shelling, which lasted from morning till afternoon, and during which Ortelsburg was left in ruins, I was in the town at all times.

And in the midst of this terrible horror, I was ordered to run through town with ammunition to supply the foremost infantry with cartridges.

In full swing I hurried through the streets, where the one house after the other turned to smithereens.

Fire and smoke and dust were my surroundings, trees and rocks were hurled up in the air, glowing shell fragments whistled past my ears, and the heavy booms from the explosions fesgened everything. I somehow made it to the outskirts of town without unscathed, where my ammunition was picked up.

At noon, our heavy guns began spewing their fat 'growls'. Before then, we had been without artillery.

One round after the other howled above town, and it wasn't long before the Russian artillery was silenced.

The town was now more calm, but above the entire town the German shells howled incessantly.

Ortelsburg was annihilated that day. But the Russian Army's fate was determined too.

Don't forget to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Comments

THE LEGEND OF TRAPPER NELSON.

THE LEGEND OF TRAPPER NELSON. As you ride up the Loxahatchee River from its mouth in Jupiter, the canopy of slash pines and cabbage palms eventually starts to close in on you. Wildlife hides in the gnarled thickets of mangrove. Everything about this place feels prehistoric. The turns become more and more hairpin, deceiving and disorienting you, as turtles and alligators eye you wearily before slipping beneath the murky water. Nearly eight miles up the northwest fork of the river, a weathered, wooden boathouse juts out into the dark water: the first sign of human existence seen for miles. Alongside it is a dock that leads through a bamboo thicket into what was once the heart of wild Florida: Trapper Nelson’s homestead, zoo and jungle garden. The biggest attraction, though, was Trapper himself. Known as Tarzan of the Loxahatchee, he’d wrestle alligators, trap wildcats, and dazzle guests with his infallible good looks and stories of the wild. He was a man who lived witho...

During the Vietnam War, one of the most dangerous jobs was undertaken by a select few known as "tunnel rats."

During the Vietnam War, one of the most dangerous jobs was undertaken by a select few known as "tunnel rats." These unsung heroes were American, Australian, and New Zealand soldiers specially trained as combat engineers, who crawled through Viet Cong underground tunnels to perform perilous covert search and destroy missions.⁠ ⁠ Tunnel rats gently prodded for armed mines in order to disarm them — and prayed that they survived with both their legs intact. Most men were volunteers and tended to be of smaller stature, making it easier for them to maneuver through the cramped subterranean spaces Don't forget to leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

A Waffen SS soldier belonging to "Der Füger" SS Division walks ammo up to the front lines during the invasion of France during May, 1940.

A Waffen SS soldier belonging to "Der Füger" SS Division walks ammo up to the front lines during the invasion of France during May, 1940. The Waffen SS played a crucial role in the invasion of France, they were the spearhead of the infantry. The Waffen-SS quickly gained themselves a reputation for being ruthless and effective killers on the battlefield. Civilians and combatants alike for their effectiveness and brutality. They used this fear as a weapon and manipulation tool convincing many that the Germans were the right nation and they had better futures there. This fear also gave them great control over the population and allowed them to do whatever they wanted which included rape, murder, and executions. Since they were the most fit and capable soldiers in the entire Wehrmacht the were used as the poster-boy for the German army which gave them even more of a false ego. Many of their songs like "SS Marschiet in Feindesland" glorified their brutal a...

WORLD OF ALL

Search This Blog