Excerpt from the memoirs of Werner Mork

90
th
Light Infantry Division
Werner Mork 1943
In the northern part of the islan of !arinia in !eptem"er of 1943 the #erman $g%ests& left this isle in
haste' In the so%th the (mericans ha lane )itho%t any pro"lems or harships' *hen they i )hat
)e )ere not a"le to o+ they isarme the Italians an mae them prisoners' (ll that )ithin the
frame)ork of the cease,fire "et)een the (llies an the Italians' -o) the .anks )ere the $g%ests& on
the islan' *hey then complete a goo piece of )ork' *hey mae the islan free of malaria )ith the
help of DD*+ the po)erf%l )eapon against all sorts of pests+ "%t a"ove all of the (nopheles mos/%ito'
In contrast to %s+ the (mericans )ere no longer plag%e "y these creat%res' *he .anks )ere spare that
)hich pestere %s an claime so many victims' 0%r tactical goal+ the islan of !arinia+ )as more
greatly affecte "y the (nopheles mos/%ito than "y the #erman s)or that no) ha "ecome so %ll'
Even tho%gh the malaria )as eliminate an )o%l not tro%"le %s anymore+ I still reali1e that I ha no
iea )hat )as "efore me' *he #erman s)or in !arinia ha fallen into is%se+ no) 2oca,2ola an
che)ing g%m co%l "ring a ne) salvation to the islan'
(s I mae the )ithra)al from !arinia to)ar 2orsica I tho%ght over the past months an my time as
a solier' 3o%r years prior+ in !eptem"er of 1939 I enliste' I )ante to "e a solier in com"at' I
)ante+ as a #erman to contri"%te to 45ictory4 an to take part in s%ccessf%l an victorio%s con/%ests'
-o) I no longer ha any s%ch esigns+ I took part in 4s%ccessf%l4 retreats from (frica an no) !arinia'
What )as to "ecome of me6 I no longer expecte goo an %plifting experiences' I no longer looke
for)ar to s%ccesses+ con/%ests an ne) victories' We )ere only on the islan for a short time' We
i not have the pleas%re of lingering for a )hile to settle o)n an relax+ perhaps to stay here %ntil the
en of the )ar+ in spite of the malaria' -o) )e )ere fleeing from o%r former allies an ae to that
the (mericans )ere not only a"ove %s in the skies "%t also closing from o%r rear' 0nce again a h%ge
"ill )as coming %e for an enormo%s loss of material+ tanks+ heavy g%ns+ s%pplies an "elongings' 7%t
there )as also the loss of men to consier+ not from malaria this time "%t from real hostilities' We )ere
no longer safe'
La Maalena+ !arinia toay
In the cro)e conf%sion of the har"or of la Maalena I someho) manage to mane%ver my "aggage
cart o%t of the long )aiting lines an move to)ar the front' I i not like this mass of men an
vehicles' *his gro%ping )as a spleni target for enemy attacks+ an I tho%ght a"o%t *o"r%k )here
from high altit%e the 7ritish fle) their rais )ith s%ch grim res%lts' *herefore it )as my am"ition to
get to the next islan as /%ickly as possi"le "efore the .anks )ith their "om"er s/%arons t%rne the
place into an inferno+ espite o%r 3lak cannons' !omeho) I manage to get to the fore an then I ha
the l%ck to get onto a ferry along )ith other passengers an vehicles' We got to the port at 7onifacio
82orsica9 %nharme' In 7onifacio )ere gathere vehicles that )o%l take %s in a tight col%mn to)ar
the north to 7astia+ the only large port an airfiel in 2orsica'
7onifacio+ 2orsica toay
3rom 7astia )e )o%l go on to the continent+ to Italy+ if everything )orke o%t right' *here )ere+
ho)ever+ certain iffic%lt pro"lems partic%larly in the ranks of o%r Division' *hat is to say in the ranks
of the men )ho )ere s%ppose to "e o%r leaers an )ho )ante to evac%ate accoring to rank'
Except for the roa on the east coast of 2orsica the rest of the islan )as hel "y the 2orsican
partisains an the 3ree 3rench troops )ho lane in (:accio on the 13
th
an 14
th
of !eptem"er 1943'
*hey )ere no) "attling the #erman %nit that fo%n itself in their )ay' *he %nit )as o%tn%m"ere an
it )as /%estiona"le ho) long they co%l keep the 2orsicans an 3rench from o%r escape ro%te on the
east roa' *he roa )as alreay %ner fire in several places an it )as "ecoming more an more
perilo%s to make the trip' *here )ere alreay the first cas%alties of men an vehicles that )ere
"locking the roa+ making passage partic%larly ticklish' *he fates of the ea an )o%ne )ere very
grim' *he ea )ere left "ehin an only the )alking )o%ne co%l "e care for an "ro%ght along
)ith %s' Many fell into the hans of the 2orsicans an the 3rench an )e )ere horrifie to think )hat
might happen to them'
(mong all of these harships there )as a glimmer of light+ or so it seeme at the time' We learne that
on !eptem"er 1;
th
1943 #erman troops ha free Il D%ce an that he intene to "%il an ne) fascist
government in Italy' Even "etter than that+ )e also hear that a massive co%nter attack against the
(mericans aro%n !alerno ha p%t them in consiera"le istress' *hese reports a)oke in %s a feeling
of optimism+ )e ha a sliver of hope that things :%st might t%rn o%t for the "etter' !ome of %s "egan to
think that )e might have left !arinia a little too soon' <erhaps )e sho%ln4t have let the Itaker 8slang
term for Italians= Eyeties9 "%ffalo %s so /%ickly+ "%t rather )e sho%l have mo%nte an initiative against
these mo%setrap h%cksters' >nfort%nately this sort of thinking )asn4t realistic' ( )ithra)al )as the
only )ay to prevent a massacre on the islan' 0n the gro%n the Itaker o%tn%m"ere %s an overhea
there )as the (merican (ir 3orce+ )ho then lane troops' (ll of that masse against %s co%l only
have lea to a "loo"ath' *he 90
th
Division along )ith other %nits of the navy an air force ha
"ecome a restless+ oome cohort' (ll of these )ishf%l tho%ghts )ere mere fantasy' We t%rne o%r
tho%ghts "ack to this very %npleasant retreat ro%te an the tho%ght that in spite of the attacks on it )e
might still "e a"le to reach 7astia an from there get to the continent' *he one protection )e ha )ere
the artillery that fire on the hills along the escape ro%te an ca%se the enemy to stop firing for long
perios' We %se these pa%ses to move o%r vehicles as /%ickly as possi"le as far as )e co%l' 7y itself
this c%m"ersome+ harrie col%mn of vehicles )as efenseless' With only small arms )e co%l not
%nertake any s%"stantial efence'
(ll of %s )ho )ere proceeing to)ar 7astia )ere very happy an thankf%l to "e %ner the po)erf%l
protection of the heavy artillery an )e "elieve that )e act%ally ha a chance to get to 7astia )itho%t
"eing mo)e o)n' ?o)ever+ :%st o%tsie of 7astia everything came to a halt' *he reason )as that
o%r col%mn "egan taking heavy artillery fire :%st o%tsie the port area' *he fire )as coming from the
"arrels of #erman @@ mm cannons+ "%t this time they )ere not %ner #erman comman' A%st a fe)
ays prior+ the g%ns )ere in Italian hans' *he 3Bhrer+ (olf ?itler+ ha a short )hile ago mae a gift
of these "atteries to his frien Il D%ce an Mr' M%ssolini ha place them in 2orsica to protect the city
an port of 7astia' 7%t no) the Italians )ere not staning "y the g%ns' Instea it )as the 3ree 3rench
%ner the comman of a former !!,>nterscharfBhrer Cthere )as a !! %nit in 2orsicaD )ho )as from
Lothringen an ha gone over to the 3ree 3rench an )as no) fighting against his ex,comraes' ?e
"lithely let fly )ith 4his4 cannon' -o) )e no longer ha the protection of the @@4s+ instea )e ha
irect fire on o%r col%mn from the same sort of cannons' *his )as a go a)f%l sit%ation that )as that
)as only toppe,off "y air,roppe leaflets orering %s to %nconitionally s%rrener an telling %s that
there )as no longer any )ay to escape this islan' *hen )e hear over lo%speakers the voice of the
ex,>nterscharfBhrer )ho mae kno)n to %s his ees an his feelings'
#erman @@ mm flack cannons
*his )as no :oy for %s an )e c%rse the "laggar )ho ha "etraye his comraes' *hen $o%r& @@4s
move for)ar an )hat next transpire m%st have "een %ni/%e in this )ar' ( %el commence
"et)een @@4s that most certainly came o%t of the same goo #erman factory' *he exchange i not last
long' $0%r& "atteries silence the opposing g%ns an the )ay )as cleare to the port an to the air
fiel' *hen it "ecame clear that the port )as totally %n%sa"le' *he channel )as "locke )ith sc%ttle
ships' *he rest of the "oats in the port )ere not sea )orthy+ "eca%se )ith opene valves none of the
"oats )o%l go' *he last hope of the Division )as the air fiel+ a rather vag%e hope given the n%m"er
of soliers that neee transport' 7%t it )as the "est hope )e ha since other)ise events )o%l "e
ictate "y o%r enemies'
A%nker E;+ nickname (%ntie A>
*he air fiel in 7astia lay in a "asin ringe "y "ea%tif%l mo%ntains' 0nly in the irection of the sea )as
it free from mo%ntains+ an that )as the irection the aircraft )o%l fly to the mainlan+ if they still
co%l' 0n the air fiel chaos prevaile mixe )ith a frantic "%stle' 0n the gro%n sat )aiting several
"rave $*anten A>,E;& 8trF (%nt A>+ a common nickname for the A%nker E;9 aircraft that )ere reay to
pack their cargo hols f%ll of enliste men' 7%t overhea )ere the comraes from the neigh"oring
postal coe+ the (merican fighter "om"ers' *he 3lak cannons fire like cra1y an it flashe an
"oome all aro%n %s' *here )ere some #erman ME,109 fighters+ "%t )hen the $others& came they
took off+ "%t not to attack+ "%t rather to take to the shao)s an shelter of the mo%ntains to circle
aro%n an lan )hen the air attacks )ere over' *hat s%rprise %s soliers an )e )onere )hat )as
going on+ "%t the ME,1094s ha "een orere to escort the A>,E;4s on their flight over the sea an to
protect them+ so )e "elieve' 7%t I soon learne that this )asn4t so m%ch the case' When they )ere
really neee+ there )ere none that co%l help %s'
Loaing an take,off ran very slo)ly' Each aske himself if an ho) it )o%l "e possi"le not only to
transporte this h%ge gro%p of soliers+ "%t also to get them safely to the mainlan' !%ch /%estions
m%st have also greatly occ%pie the Division 2ommaner+ #enreralle%tnant 3reiherr von
L%ngersha%sen' ("ove all )as his $great concern& a"o%t )here on the mainlan his troops co%l "e
eposite' 0nly "eca%se of this i he %se his a%thority over the senior Gegiment 2ommaner+ to
/%ickly fly off in the irection of Italy' ?e co%l o it+ so he i it an got a seat in one of the planes'
?e i not )ant to "e the last one on the islan+ "%t rather the first one on the mainlan'
*his $moel "ehavior& immeiately set a preceent on the air fiel' ?arly )as the Division
2ommaner gone+ than the Gegiment 2ommaner )ho ha taken over the Division gave comman of
the Division over to the senior 7attalion 2ommaner' ?e gave it in t%rn to the senior 2ompany 2hief
an that )as o%r "elove 2hief+ 0"erle%tnant *schecho)' ?e playe the same game to his "enefit "y
haning comman to another 0"erle%tnant' !o it )as that at the en of this perfiio%s line of men the
Division stoo %ner the comman of s%"alterns' *he lives of an entire Division )ere in play+ "%t
these men playe another game+ the game of their o)n safety' *hey )ere only after saving their o)n
lives an getting to safety )itho%t a "ack)ar glance at the troops entr%ste to them' We )ere only
$things& to them' Wasn4t there sometime an someplace a notion of tr%st an o"ligation given the
officers regaring the men they commane6 *hat m%st have "een a long time ago+ no) there )as a
ne) %nerstaning of honor an tr%stH 7%t %nconitional o"eience )as expecte from the rank an
file troops an it )as enforce "y all means+ even )eapons' <%nishment )ent as far as the eath
penaltyH -evertheless+ it m%st "e sai that a short time later these men ha to pay for their notion of
honor an tr%st' *hey i not come "efore a co%rt marshal+ "%t rather "efore an ethics committee' *he
3reiherr L%ngersha%sen )as sentence to prison an later he "ecame !tatkommanant of Leip1ig or
Dresen' *he other men+ )ho )ere so /%ick to get to the mainlan+ also receive short :ail terms' 0%r
2hef event%ally ret%rne to %s after a )hile'
*his "reako%t of conf%sion engenere an iiotic pro"lem )ith competence+ an among all of it I ha a
very %n%s%al experience' *hro%gh my concern for my "aggage+ an getting a seat on a A>,E; an )ith
very fee"le exc%ses I event%ally fo%n myself "efore the latest $2ommaner& of the Division+ an it
t%rne o%t to "e an 0"erle%tnant name $MorkH& It )as pro"a"ly a s%rprise for "oth of %s' It soon
"ecame clear that these t)o $Morks& )ere relate' In the city of ?amm there is a golsmith an
:e)eler name Mork )ho has his shop in the northern part of the city' ?is father )as a co%sin of my
granfather+ the eler Wilhelm Mork in ?amm on 0sten)all+ the father of my father' (ltho%gh
complicate+ )e fig%re it o%t' (n )e+ the t)o yo%ng Morks+ meet each other on the air fiel at
7astia' We "oth "elonge to the 90
th
Division' In o%r short isc%ssion he tol me that he )o%l see to
it that %ring this imprompt% reorgani1ation of the Division I )o%l come into it as the main office
acco%ntant )ith a rank of s%"orinate officer in this existing position' -ext he got me a seat on the
next A>,E; that )as reay for take,off+ moving me ahea of several others+ ass%ming that the plane
)o%l get off the gro%n' !he took,off an I )as once again on "oar an airplane'
Later on the mainlan I trie to get together )ith my relative+ "%t it never happene "eca%se the
opport%nity i not present itself' (nother reason )as that I ha fallen ill' It is possi"le that he fell
%ring the intense fighting at Monte 2assino+ "eca%se I co%l not contact him after the )ar either'
*here )ere a lot of things after the )ar that i not happen that one ha hope to o' It seems too "a
toay+ "%t then there )ere many pro"lems that prevente it' (n no) it is too late'
Loaing a A>,E; %ring the evac%ation
I ha a seat on a A>,E; thanks entirely to my ne)ly iscovere relative' 0nce again something ha
happene to me that one can only call 4estiny+4 if that is not too granilo/%ent a term' 7%t it is
extraorinary )hat I experience "y chance that often save my life like this instance+ even )hen :%st a
short time later it )o%l look very m%ch other)ise' In the plane it )as packe' 0nly )ith great effort
i the three overloae A>,E;4s get off the gro%n' *he planes mae a formation )herein the mile
plane )as at a higher altit%e than the t)o flanking planes' I )as in the mile aircraft' *he clim"ing
a"ility of the overloae planes )as very limite an )e fle) only a fe) h%nre meters a"ove the
)ater'
<,3@ Lightning fighter plane
It )as near the islan of El"a that these three aircraft )ere s%enly attacke "y (merican Lightning
8<,3@9 fighters' *he attack came from the left an the .anks came in at the same altit%e as the t)o
lo)er flying A>,E;4s' 7oth planes )ere hit an immeiately fell into the sea' It )as a )oner that the
plane that I fo%n myself in )as not hit+ an that )as only "eca%se )e )ere slightly higher than the
others an not in the g%n sights of the (merican fighters' It )as another )oner that )e )ere not
attacke' *he fighters )o%l have ha to make a t%rn to get into position an i not have the time or
f%el to chance it' *his )as the opinion of o%r flight cre) after )e lane' *hey tho%ght that the three
(merican fighter planes )ere ret%rning from a sortie an s%enly sa) an opport%nity present itself to
take a shot at the formation+ "%t co%ln4t na" the thir A>,E;' (n "y a fl%ke I )as in the thir plane'
0nce again I ha increi"le goo l%ck an )as again safe "y the skin of my teeth+ instea of "eing
o)ne in the Meiterranean I )as a"le to lan safely at the airport in Livorno' I )as on the continent
on soli gro%n' 7%t those of %s )ho came tho%gh safely )alke the gro%n )ith shaky legs' *he all
prevailing horror sei1e %s har in o%r very "ones' *he moment of fright that )e experience only
laste secons+ "%t it hit %s very har' With o%r o)n eyes )e sa) the crash of the t)o other aircraft f%ll
of o%r comraes )ho left 7astia hale an hary an no) fo%n their graves in the Meiterranean sea'
*o see these planes crash )as a horri"le experience' ?opef%l yo%ng men )ho "elieve that they ha a
goo life "efore them+ f%ll of goo cheer at having left 2orsica an )ho "elieve that they )o%l fin
safety on the continent= these are the yo%ng men )ho lost their yo%ng lives :%st min%tes from laning in
Livorno' We hear that several resc%e "oats left El"a+ "%t )e also hear that they fo%n no s%rvivors'
*ranslation "yF
Daniel !et1er
httpFIIhome'comcast'netIJhset1er
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