14. Oct. 1944, F/B attack in Lorraine

[Nasenbär]

Hi all,

I have asked the veteran again after presenting him with the details of the german Korps report:

He thought of just 3 casualties. He remembers running to the left of the train (looking in the driving direction), there was a slight uphill slope on that side (the direction he ran), they were not shot at there.

The casualties must have occured because some of the men take cover directly beside the train in roadside ditches on the other side of the train.

He also said, that the fighter bombers made two runs on the train.

Last weekend while driving to the german archives at Freiburg I made a little detour directly to Sarraltroff to have a look there. There is an cementery there but just with french and german fallen from the First World War (fightings there in August 1914). No casualties from the Second War.

I also found this slight uphill slope on the left side of the train line while looking into the direction to Sarrebourg, on both sides of the village.

You may have a look at google.maps, streetview is available for that village, look for (as an example)

Sarraltroff, 1, Rue de la Schneymuhle

and than change for "street view"...

Next time I'm there I may try to find some older people and ask them, if they can remember the story of an german train being attacked by allied planes... (hope they can speak german because I can't speak french)...

Oliver