—— Day-to-Day Life on the Front Line ——49always, I armed myself comprehensively: two pistols – one in the
holster, the other in my boot – several handgrenades, including
a couple of antitank ones, in my belt, and a Finnish knife. In my
shoulder bag was a gas mask. I attached a small sapper’s shovel in a
cover to my belt – we did not go out on operations without it. I had
left a big spade in my firing site, where I was now heading.
I was not weighed down by all this stuff unnecessarily. Like
every sniper, I knew that it would be needed at some time or other,
especially in the event of a oneonone with the enemy in no man’s
land. If I had a supply of provisions, I would not get him. You fight
worse on a full stomach; when you have eaten, you relax and feel
like going to sleep. And the slightest blunder on the front line may
cost you your life. We did not even take water with us when we
went out ‘hunting’. Weapons, bandages and cartridges – that is
what a sniper supplies himself with in the first instance. It is also
better to leave your overcoat in the dugout; it is no great effort to
make do with a padded jacket – you can move around more easily
in it.
It was time to set off, before dawn broke. Everyone in the dugout
offered me a warm farewell and wished me a safe return. This had
become customary for us; who knows whether you will come back
from the ‘hunt’ safe and sound? But it was not done to voice this
aloud – such was the established order of things.
In any case I invariably told the lads where I was going and
where I would be sitting. Also informed of this were the company
commander, military security and reconnaissance. I was sure that
my location and activities would be followed by more than one
pair of eyes and this gave one more confidence in the successful
outcome of any such operation. You got a feeling that even if your
comrades were not at all close physically, they were almost beside
you in spirit.
Firstly, military security... I sat down, took a breather, and
had a chat with the lads, advising them once again to keep an eye
on my observation point. They had only just arrived for their shift
and would remain here till darkness fell. The rest of my journey