Description
Wehrmacht Soldbuch – Ernst Ames
MISSING Pages 1 – 4
Awards: CCC Bronze, Black Wounds Badge, Assault Badge, Iron Cross Second class, Eastern Front Medal.
Issued: Various weapon systems, P.38 Pistol and a winter uniform.
Wounded: shot in the chest with a bullet and survived in January of 1944. On healing he seems to what seems to be sent Landeschützen Batl 3 – in Berlin in 1945. Although he was captured in the West by US Troops so he somehow made it out.
Ames was NCO in Artillerie Regiment 134 (134 Infanterie Division)
Divisional History
From 21 On May 1st, the march to the staging area took place, which ended around June 5th. The division then advanced to the Bug about 45 km north-west of Brest-Litovsk.
On June 22nd, the day the war against the Soviet Union began, the 134th Infantry Division crossed the Bug near Mielnik. Army Corps. While the 134th Infantry Division faced only evasive opponents in the first days of the war, between June 25 and 29 it was involved in heavy fighting in the Nowy Dvor, Porozow, Podorosk, Lyskow area. After a brief rest, the division started its advance through Belarus on July 4th. The bulk of the division was initially able to advance to Slutsk on the runway. In mid-July, however, the advance stalled because before the XXXXIII. Army Corps Marching LIII. Army Corps at the Berezina met strong enemy resistance. The 45th ID fought and struggled through the Pripet swamps about 110 km south of the 134th ID at this time (15th July Turov). From mid-July to early August 1941, the 134th Infantry Division moved to the area south of Bobruisk, where it had to fend off Soviet counterattacks. The division’s front gradually expanded from Glussk to Parichi to 50 km to the east. The southern neighbor, separated by the huge swampy areas between Pripet and Berezina, was the 45th Infantry Division. Between August 11th and 14th the two divisions interacted for the first time in the Schazilki/Yakimowskaya Ssloboda area on the Beresina. After crossing the Berezina, the 134th Infantry Division continued to the east and crossed the Djnepr at Streschin and Zhikhov. The division then advanced on Retschiza from the north, while the 45th Infantry Division came from the west and crossed the Dnieper at Bronnoje, just south-east of Retschiza. Towards the end of August the paths of the two divisions crossed between Retschiza and Gomel. While the 45th Infantry Division crossed the Ssosh just south of Gomel, the 134th Infantry Division crossed this river at Sharpilovka on August 26 after clearing the Dnieper-Ssosh angle. The subsequent southern swing of the two divisions in the direction of the Dessna was already part of the introductory operations to the Battle of Kiev. On September 8th, the 134th Infantry Division took Tschernigow against tough enemy resistance and then advanced in a southeasterly direction. The 45th Infantry Division crossed the Dessna on 9 September with lively Russian air activity and now also attacked to the south-east. On September 14th the armored spearheads of the Genobst meet. Guderian of the North and of the Comb. Kleist from the south around 150 km east of Kiev and close a huge pincer around 5 Soviet armies. And now the infantry is being hurried, the 44th, 45th, 62nd, 79th, 111th, 134th, 168th and 298th Divisions are tasked with clearing out the great pocket. On September 20th the 45th Infantry Division received orders to accelerate from the Priluki area to reach the Jagotin narrows. The 134th Infantry Division initially advanced to the south-east. Since September 21, both divisions have been subordinate to the LI. Army Corps of the 6th Army and are, so to speak, on loan to Army Group South. The heavy fighting that followed, which lasted until September 29, was characterized by desperate Soviet attempts to break out using four armored trains on the Kiev-Poltava railway that ran through the theater of operations, as well as ruthless infantry attacks. While the 45th ID attacked mainly from the east (Jagotin) to the west (Berezany), the 134th Infantry Division pushed into this area from the south-east and south. After several local crises, the Battle of Kiev ended in a heavy, but not decisive, defeat for the enemy. The 45th ID and 134th ID returned to Army Group Center, the new target was Moscow. Hitler and his OKW believed that all you had to do was march – a serious mistake! Both divisions were now under the Higher Command XXXIV, whose task was flank protection to the south and south-east for the 2nd Panzer Army. From September 30, both divisions marched off in a north-easterly direction. The route led via Priluki, Konotop, Putiwil to the Krupez/Rylsk area, which was reached around October 8th. In this area remained the divisions, torn wide apart, stuck in the mud until mid-November. Because on October 7th the first snow fell and until roads and paths became drivable again, they initially turned into morass. Apart from fighting with a stronger group of enemy forces that broke out of the Bryansk pocket between October 15 and 18. no major combat operations took place during this period. From November 7th we can finally go on again, but without winter equipment for people, weapons and vehicles and this at temperatures of already minus 20°C. The 134th Infantry Division now took a more northerly course, reached Dmitriev around 14 November with IR445 without contact with the enemy and then turned east towards Fatesh. From Fatesh the division advances to the north-east and comes into contact with combat again at Droskowo (36 km west-northwest of Livny). The opponent is thrown and on 25.11. Livny taken. The HK XXXIV now ordered its two divisions to target Yelez as their next target. The boundary between the two divisions – 134th ID on the left, 45th ID on the right – was the Ssossna. The 134th Infantry Division fought its way through Tschernowa, Schatowa, Kasaki to the area west of Jelets. Against increasing enemy resistance, the 45th Infantry Division advanced from Rylsk south past Livny, via Dubrowa, Krugloye, Strelezkoye into the area south of Yelez. The distance to the right neighbor, the 95th Infantry Division, was already more than 30 km. On the 4th/5th 12th, against bitter enemy resistance, 134th Infantry Division took the western and northern parts of Jelets, 45th Infantry Division captured the southeastern part of the city and the eastern suburb of Olshanets on December 5th. XXXIV now ordered its two divisions to target Yelez as their next target. The boundary between the two divisions – 134th ID on the left, 45th ID on the right – was the Ssossna. The 134th Infantry Division fought its way through Tschernowa, Schatowa, Kasaki to the area west of Jelets. Against increasing enemy resistance, the 45th Infantry Division advanced from Rylsk south past Livny, via Dubrowa, Krugloye, Strelezkoye into the area south of Yelez. The distance to the right neighbor, the 95th Infantry Division, was already more than 30 km. On the 4th/5th 12th, against bitter enemy resistance, 134th Infantry Division took the western and northern parts of Jelets, 45th Infantry Division captured the southeastern part of the city and the eastern suburb of Olshanets on December 5th. XXXIV now ordered its two divisions to target Yelez as their next target. The boundary between the two divisions – 134th ID on the left, 45th ID on the right – was the Ssossna. The 134th Infantry Division fought its way through Tschernowa, Schatowa, Kasaki to the area west of Jelets. Against increasing enemy resistance, the 45th Infantry Division advanced from Rylsk south past Livny, via Dubrowa, Krugloye, Strelezkoye into the area south of Yelez. The distance to the right neighbor, the 95th Infantry Division, was already more than 30 km. On the 4th/5th 12th, against bitter enemy resistance, 134th Infantry Division took the western and northern parts of Jelets, 45th Infantry Division captured the southeastern part of the city and the eastern suburb of Olshanets on December 5th. Kasaki in the room west of Yelez. Against increasing enemy resistance, the 45th Infantry Division advanced from Rylsk south past Livny, via Dubrowa, Krugloye, Strelezkoye into the area south of Yelets. The distance to the right neighbor, the 95th Infantry Division, was already more than 30 km. On the 4th/5th 12th, against bitter enemy resistance, 134th Infantry Division took the western and northern parts of Jelets, 45th Infantry Division captured the southeastern part of the city and the eastern suburb of Olshanets on December 5th. Kasaki in the room west of Yelez. Against increasing enemy resistance, the 45th Infantry Division advanced from Rylsk south past Livny, via Dubrowa, Krugloye, Strelezkoye into the area south of Yelets. The distance to the right neighbor, the 95th Infantry Division, was already more than 30 km. On the 4th/5th 12th, against bitter enemy resistance, 134th Infantry Division took the western and northern parts of Jelets, 45th Infantry Division captured the southeastern part of the city and the eastern suburb of Olshanets on December 5th.
December 6th and 7th was already devoted to defending against enemy attacks, with the Red Air Force making an increasing appearance in recent days. With a lack of winter equipment and insufficient supplies, the fighters suffered from bitter cold down to almost minus 40 degrees. What had to come came; a loss-making retreat from which the entire German eastern army could not recover. During the night of December 7th and 8th, Jelets, which is more to the east of Moscow, had to be abandoned. The 134th Infantry Division retreated along the Yelets-Verkhovje railway line, the 45th Infantry Division south of it. During the next three weeks, both divisions were subjected to the most severe physical and mental stress.
At the beginning of January 1942, another HKL with a front to the east was set up on the Trudy River, approx. 45 km north-west of Liwny, where the 45th ID remained until shortly before the start of the German summer offensive in 1942. In the first half of January 1942, the 134th Infantry Division was provisionally refreshed in the Orel area, but from the end of January it was already fighting again around and south of Kzyn (approx. 90 km north-west of Orel). The Soviets attacked in this area almost continuously until mid-March in order to force a breakthrough on Orel.
The defensive success in the context of the XLVII. Pz. K. the 134th ID had an excellent share. The thaw that began at the end of March ushered in a period of trench warfare on the Resseta, which lasted until the end of July. In August, a limited target attack by the 134th Infantry Division led to checkered fighting in the Shisdra sector and finally to defense along this river from the beginning of September. Location, order and the jungle terrain led to the construction of what the division history says “medieval-looking, 2.50 m high palisade position”, which, however, proved its worth. The year 1942 ended with active reconnaissance and shock troop activity in the 134th Infantry Division, which, despite the advance of the German Wehrmacht into the Caucasus, did not show a favorable conclusion to the campaign against the Soviet Union. The 45th ID
While the 45th Infantry Division was forced to withdraw as early as the end of January as a result of the far-reaching effects of the Stalingrad defeat, the 134th Infantry Division was still defending the Shisdra position in March. Around this time, the 45th Infantry Division had been hastily transported by rail from Orel via Bryansk to the southeast in order to prevent a Soviet breakthrough at Komaritschi (about 160 km south of the 134th Infantry Division). After the situation had been stabilized, the Soviets were denied any further success in this sector until mid-August. The failure of the German pincer operation against Kursk (“Operation Zitadelle”) and the Russian counter-attacks at Orel and Kharkov determine the further combat operations of both the 45th and the 134th ID. On 12. July began the Soviet offensive against the Shisdra-Bolchow sector (approx. 90 km north-west of Orel), in which the 134th Infantry Division was deployed at the time. Defensive battles that resulted in heavy losses forced Orel to give up on August 3, 1943. The greater situation required another withdrawal of the 134th Infantry Division in a west-southwest direction. Around September 16 the division advanced to the Dessna position, but remained there only a few days and then, towards the end of September, continued to retreat to the Ssosh. The German leadership had planned a “final position” on the Dnieper and Ssosh. The 45th Infantry Division also retreated further west in five stages from August 16 and took up position in the Ssosh bridgehead south-east and south of Gomel from September 27. She did not stay there long, because the development of the situation 20 – 30 km southwest. Gomel made from 9. Rapid intervention by the 45th Infantry Division in this area was necessary in October. While it was initially possible to prevent a Soviet breakthrough to the north behind the Ssosh front, by mid-November 1943 the signs were already pointing to storms again. As early as October 15 the enemy had succeeded in forming a bridgehead on the west bank of the Dnieper near Loyev (55 km south of Gomel). From this base, on November 10, with far superior forces, he launched a major attack in a north-westerly direction with the aim of winning the Gomel-Bobruisk line. After five days of bitter fighting, the Soviets managed to cross the Gomel-Kalinkovichi railway line to the north. The 45th Infantry Division was therefore accelerated to the Retschiza area from November 15th. Despite the greatest bravery of the defenders, the opponent was able to win on 17/18. 11. Invade Rechiza from the west and north-west. The 45th Infantry Division was now quickly directed back to the east bank of the Dnieper in order to prevent the enemy – crossing the Berezina from the south – from reaching Bobruisk and thereby creating a very threatening situation for Army Group Center. A race to the Berezina now began: the Soviets on the west bank of the Dnieper, the 1st 45th Infantry Division on the east bank of the river. While the last rearguards were still fighting at Retschiza, the first advance detachment rolled north on trucks, crossed the Dnieper just north of the mouth of the Berezina on the 22nd and came into contact with the enemy the very next day. Although the opponent succeeded
Back to the 134th ID At the beginning of October 1943, the division took up position on the west bank of the Ssosh opposite Wetka (22 km north-east of Gomel). The enemy had not remained idle in this section either, but was striving for a breakthrough with the objectives of Gomel, Rogachev and Bobruisk. Since October 8th, the 45th and 134th Infantry Divisions had again a joint supreme command, namely the XXXV. Army Corps On October 12, after massive artillery preparations with all calibers and the use of numerous attack aircraft and bombers, the enemy attacked in a small area west of Wetka and was able to break into Chaltsch on the west bank of Ssosh. After the lockdown and counterattack, the situation was completely restored. The enemy had taken heavy casualties, but their own were not to be overlooked either. On the 27th. After regrouping and reinforcements, the Soviets tried again to break through in the Wetka area. Using four rifle divisions, they were able to break into Chaltsch again. The situation worsened this time because the enemy had also succeeded in breaking into the neighboring division on the left, which threatened to widen to a breakthrough on Gomel in the rear of 134th Infantry Division. The brave effort of the whole division from the commander Genlt. It was thanks to Schlemmer to the last group of riflemen that the enemy could not reach his goal again. Of course, the division’s defensive success was again associated with painful losses of its own. But the enemy didn’t give up yet. On November 12 the enemy attacked the Wetka sector with even stronger forces, on November 14 there was a strong tank deployment and on 19.11. a massive deployment of the Red Air Force. The heavy fighting lasted until November 25th. out, according to orders, the division then sat down in the direction of Shlobin. The bloody losses of the division in the three defensive battles at Wetka amounted to 69 officers and 2,173 non-commissioned officers and men.
The successful defensive battles of the 134th ID northeast of Gomel and the 45th ID in the Retschiza area in October/November 1943 averted the danger for Army Group Center of being rolled up from south to north. The larger situation continued to give cause for concern, for in spite of everything the Soviets had succeeded in November in separating Ninth Army from Second Army south of the Berezina. The gap had to be closed again, so there was no respite for the exhausted 134th Infantry Division, which moved into the Beresina bridgehead of Parichi on 3 December. In the attacking battles of the 134.ID together with the 16.Pz.D. and some other units succeeded on 21.12. the connection with the 4.Pz.D. approaching from the south. to establish, the gap between 9th and 2nd Army was closed again.
From December 22, 1943 to March 1944, the 134th Infantry Division remained in bulk south of the Berezina between Parichi and Kobylshchina. After checkered battles, with the division temporarily losing the Füs. Btl. 45 had been supplied, the 134th Infantry Division was deployed on the left wing of the 9th Army on the Drut north of Rogachev. 45th and 134th Infantry Division had the XXXV again as a joint high command. Army Corps. The 45.ID was defending the right section of the XXXV at this time. Army Corps, 50 km south-east of Bobruisk. On June 24, 1944, the Soviets began their summer offensive in the sector of what was then our 9th Army. At 2:30 a.m., hundreds of enemy guns suddenly roared and their shells rained down on the trenches, bunkers and artillery positions of the 134th Infantry Division Then groups of attack aircraft threw themselves into the main battlefield, closely followed by the Soviet infantry, soon followed by tanks, which had quickly crossed the Drut on prepared underwater bridges. By the evening of that day, the 134th Infantry Division had been thrown back about 7 to 12 km, and the 439th and 445th Regiments were badly damaged. A thin resistance line was built up at night on the Dobritsa stream. But on June 25, the enemy continued his attack with undiminished strength. By evening the division had been broken up into combat groups, which again took up positions on the Dobyssna River; encirclement threatened on the left wing. Yesterday’s counterattack by a combat group of the 20.Pz.D. (Army Reserve) and today’s counterattack by the GR 133 of the 45.ID (corps reserve) had only temporarily brought local relief. Much of the divisional artillery had already been lost. The big fight continues the next day. The division only occasionally has radio contact with the corps, the transmission of orders and reports to and from its own combat groups has become a matter of chance. The remnants of regiments 439 and 446 are between Dobyssna and Ola on the evening of June 26, GR 445 ceased to exist as an independent unit yesterday. Again the Red Air Force dominated the airspace unchallenged. At 7:00 p.m. it became known that Soviet tanks were behind the division 15-20 km northeast of Bobruysk on the runway leading from Mogilev. When the morning of June 27 broke, Despite all bravery, there were only scattered combat groups in the forest and bush area between the Mogilev-Bobruisk and Rogachev-Bobruisk runways. Lieutenant General Philipp, division commander since the beginning of June, handed over the leadership of the no longer existing 134th Infantry Division to the commander of GR439 and then ended his own life. During the night of June 27th and 28th, various combat groups of the division took part in the breakout attempt of the XXXV. Army Corps to the Northwest. A few smaller groups reached the west bank of the Berezina via one of the two bridges near Bobruisk and took part in the eruption of the XXXXI in the night of June 28-29. Panzer Corps part. A combat group of the 134th Infantry Division was found on June 29 about 55 km north-west of Bobruisk in the area of 4th Army.
For the majority of the 134th ID, however, June 27, 1944 meant the end through death, missing, wounded or imprisonment. Only a few groups and lone fighters, totaling around 1,000 men, managed to reconnect with German troops.
Comments:
A very nice pictorial history, also showing his Medal Pillow at his funeral, also pictures of him wearing the Close Combat Clasp are nice. A nice little Soldbuch to a Close Combat senior soldier. Particularly I like the photos of him in Uniform combined with the picture of him as an older man.
