At Leningrad's Gates

brief.

May the future be guided by the Almighty to bring hope, love, understanding, and peace to this world.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

There are a number of people who assisted us in our endeavor to tell William Lubbeck’s story.

We are indebted to Maury Hurt, who initially introduced us and encouraged us to write this work. His constant readiness to support the project in any way possible proved invaluable. We would also like to thank his family, who so graciously played host following our meetings in Asheville.

Back in Germany, Bill’s sisters Marlene, Christa, and Margarete played an important role in helping to recollect a number of the events described in the book. In the United States, his children Harold, Marion, and Ralph also offered their encouragement and memories.

There are a number of others who assisted the project in a variety of ways. William and Mary Eleanor Hurt and Amy and Fred Trainer reviewed the text and offered us countless suggestions on wording and content. We also greatly appreciate Scott Jenkinson’s timely aid in dealing with a variety of technical problems.

Professor Bill Forstchen at Montreat College provided us with helpful advice on writing and organizing a memoir. We are also grateful for the assistance of Professors Stephen Fritz at East Tennessee State University and Kurt Piehler at the University of Tennessee, who presented a number of useful ideas as we developed the book.

Finally, we would like to thank David Farnsworth and Steve Smith at Casemate Publishers who appreciated the importance of this story and guided it to publication.

William Lubbeck and David Hurt

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A GERMAN INFANTRY REGIMENT IN WORLD WAR II (Organization and Equipment) 1940

A) REGIMENTAL UNITS

1) Regimental commander, regimental staff, ordinance officer, communication officer, staff captain. Also staff platoon, including office personal, messengers, and drivers.

2) Regimental supply unit (Tross)

Regimental medical officer (M.D.), two veterinarians, weapon repair platoon, kitchen, food supply units (Tross), food supply officer, paymaster, and luggage unit.

3) Communications platoon (Nachrichten Zug)

Communications sergeant, four telegraph units (Range: 9.3 miles), and four telephone units (Range: 2.5 miles).

4) Cavalry platoon (Reiterzug)

Three units, one wagon, one blacksmith, and one kitchen.

5) Engineering unit with six engineering platoons, six light machine guns, and three tool wagons.

B) THREE INFANTRY BATTALIONS

1) Each with battalion commander, adjutant, ordinance officer, battalion medical officer, veterinarian, and battalion staff.

2) First battalion:

Infantry companies 1, 2, and 3, each with twelve light machineguns and three 50-mm mortars; plus one machinegun company (Company 4) with twelve heavy machineguns and six 80-mm mortars, and a supply unit.

3) Second battalion:

Infantry companies 5, 6, and 7, plus one machinegun company (Company 8) (Armament the same as in first battalion).

4) Third battalion:

Infantry companies 9, 10, and 11 plus one machine company (Company 12) (Armament is the same as in first battalion).

C) ONE HEAVY WEAPONS COMPANY (Company 13)

1) One company commander, four weapons platoons, communication platoon, and supply units.

Armament:

Platoons 1, 2, and 3 with two 75-mm light howitzers each (Range: 5,630 yards or 3.2 miles).

Platoon 4 with two 150-mm heavy howitzers (Range: 5,140 yards or 2.9 miles).

In 1942, a platoon with three 105-mm mortars was added.

D) ONE ANTITANK COMPANY (Company 14)

1) One company commander and four weapon platoons.

Armament:

Each platoon with three 37-mm anti-tank guns, one light machinegun, and supply units.

In 1941, two 37-mm guns were replaced with two 50-mm guns.

E) Each Company had its own master sergeant, responsible for supply units, weapon repair sergeant, and field kitchen as well as medical person.

Sergeants usually command company platoons.

F) TOTAL REGIMENTAL ARMAMENT:

118 Light machineguns

36 Heavy machineguns

27 50-mm mortars

18 80-mm mortars

6 75-mm light howitzers (In 1942, three add’l 105-mm mortars) 

2 150-mm heavy howitzers

12 37-mm anti-tank guns (In 1941, two 50-mm)

APPENDIX B REFERENCE OF PLACE NAMES

This book uses the names of population centers and geographic locations as they were known at the time. Following is a list of how are known today.

Historic Name — Contemporary Usage

Dudergof — Mozhaiskii

Duna River — Daugava River

Dunaburg — Daugavpils

Elbing — Elblag

Fischhausen — Primorsk

Frisches Haff — Vistula Isthmus

Frische Nehrung — Vistula Isthmus

Gdingen — Gdynia

Gulf of Danzig — Gulf of Gdansk

Heiligenbeil — Mamonovo