9 - “From one mess to another”

Summary

Combat in late 1942: the 126th and 121st Infantry Divisions

During the remainder of 1942, Red Army pressure on the exterior of the pocket continued. Between July and September, the Northwest Front launched three major assaults on German positions. Though none of these operations affected the 123rd ID in any significant way, the grim logic of attrition led to a general decrease in available German manpower within the Demiansk position, forcing Army Group North to transfer more units into the pocket. One of these units was the 126th ID, which took up a position on the southern side of the land bridge, next to the 123rd ID.

After bearing the full brunt of the Soviet attack on the Volkhov river in January and then participating in the prolonged struggle to destroy the trapped Red Army forces during the spring, the 126th ID was pulled out of the line in early July for what it believed was a long and hard-earned period of rest and refitting. Following a little more than two-week break, however, the division was ordered to deploy in the Demiansk land bridge. The division found this “completely surprising” and complained that “the full combat strength of the division was in no way restored [and] the combat value of the division was accordingly limited.” Army Group North’s manpower crunch, however, was such that even mauled divisions were needed in the lines. One soldier wrote,

unfortunately the war still isn’t over. But we are hoping for the best, that it will soon be over … we will be moved out from here in the next few days and deployed somewhere else. From one mess to another.