Russian Snipers (April 1917)

Diary of a Stosstrupp Leader (Part 21)

Fedor Karlovich Burkhardt Spring Landscape (1900)

This post continues the translation of the diary of a German soldier who fought in the First World War. Readers can find links to other posts in this series in the following guide.

Diary of a Stosstrupp Leader

1 April 1917 (Sunday)

I went to church.

At five in the morning, we went forward, where we discovered that the communications trenches and drainage ditches had fallen into a deplorable condition.

We were up to our knees in water and mud.

The forward trenches were likewise in an awful state, full of water and mud, mud and water.

Nothing changed. We worked with superhuman efforts.

A light frost fell.

The useless mud began to diminish.

Moisture hung heavy in the air. We saw thunderstorm towards the north and the south.

We pumped both day and night.

We constantly stand in icy water.

The weather improved. We even enjoyed a bit of sunshine during the day.

We stand a lot of duty, as we are down to four Portepeeträger. In addition to our regular watches, all hands stand to in the trenches, from three thirty until five every morning and every afternoon.

Named for the sword-knot (porte épée) that he wore, a Portepeeträger enjoyed a status comparable to that of a staff non-commissioned officer or chief petty officer of the US armed forces of today. Ranks in this category included Feldwebel (first sergeant), Vizefeldwebel (gunnery sergeant), and Fähnrich (senior officer candidate).

Good weather! The mud dries slowly.

8 April 1917 (Sunday)

My platoon presented me with a ‘bouquet’ of cats (Kätzenstrauß).

I received two packages from home and five letters.

The Russian cats came into my shelter. Alas, they quickly caught their fill of mice and so were gone by the end of the evening.

11 April 1917

The weather was warm and sultry, our rations mediocre. We got bread with a type of marmalade we called ‘annoyance’ (Ärgernis).

Private Havanski received a light wound to his head. After the wound was dressed, he volunteered to remain with the platoon. However, as he made his way through the trenches, he was hit in the head again. This time, the wound proved futile. The Russian sniper must have used the white bandage as a point of aim.

13 April 1917

The Russians waved to us. We responded with rifle fire.

14 April 1917

Three men and I inspected the kitchen. We counted the iron rations set aside for each company and then we returned to the trenches.

Once again, we were shot at from two directions. It rained until the middle of the night.

15 April 1917 (Sunday)

The sun shone.

16 April 1917

At noon, I went to the machine gun house for a discussion of a tactical situation (taktische Besprechung).

The night was warm, with a sky full of stars.

17 April 1917

The weather was cold and rainy.

I bunked with Reserve Lieutenant Hennenthal in a platoon commander’s shelter in front of the barricade.

18 April 1917

While still cold, weather improved somewhat.

19 April 1917

I went to Kolpytow (a town four or five kilometers from the front trench) for a regimental class: a discussion of a tactical situation.

20 April 1917

Little of note happened. I stood a lot of duty. Action was limited to an exchange of surprise concentrations of fire from small-caliber artillery pieces.

22 April 1917 (Sunday)

I made another visit to the Machine Gun House. We finished the class led by Captain Rettig, the machine gun officer of the regiment. Afterwards, we drank beer.

At six or so, I returned to the trenches.

23 April 1917

In the morning, in the new sap near the machine gun position, one of men was killed by a shot in the head.

We were surprised by the concentrated fire of Russian finned trench mortar bombs, of a type entirely new to us.

Towards six (in the evening), 3/97 (3rd Company, 1st Battalion, 97th Infantry) relieved us.

I get quarters, with Röser, Hinnenthal, and Wessels, in the big platoon commander shelter U 35.

24 April 1917

The platoons went to the delousing station and did some drill. Thus, the platoon commanders had no duties to perform. The other gentlemen bought, for five marks, a big can of herring, which we ate.

We enjoyed a rest that lasted until Sunday.

The regimental band played in the camp.

30 April 1917 (Monday)

At five thirty (in the morning), we went forward to position 1. B.

All hands stood do in the trench from eight to nine in the evening and from three to four on the following morning.

To be continued …

Sources

The text comes from Alwin Lydding Meine Kriegstagbuch (My War Diary), an unpublished manuscript that I found at the Bundesarchiv (German Federal Archive) (Folder N 382/1).