Part of The KB41 Collection On This Day Series

This is the fourth letter written by Herbert in 1943 to his family from service. This being another critical update of Herbert from his time in Russland. As previously mentioned in other letters, Herbert's Kompanie had sustained some heavy losses and this worried Herbert's family back home in Kiel. These letters giving vital updates of his conditions and activities as Herbert waits to move to the frontline. This Feldpost is also a "Feldpostkarte" as apposed to a Feldpost letter and envelope as previously sent in the series. This Feldpostkarte has some more information that adds to the information known about Herbert. The address to his family is the same but we see "Grenadier" used for the first time clearly which shows the change of unit rank from Soldat to Grenadier.

The letter being written on the 19th September 1943 and posted later on the 21st September 1943 showing the slight delay in post leaving Russland for home.

The Feldpost in German reads as:

O.U., 19.9.43

Ihr Lieben! Nun will ich endlich wieder von mir hören lassen. Leider muß ich mit meinen Briefumschlägen haushalten, ich habe nur noch 4 Stck, sonst hätte ich längst wieder von mir hören lassen, außerdem läßt der Dienst auch nicht mehr soviel Freizeit wie in den ersten Tagen. Jedenfalls geht es mir gut. Ich hoffe dasselbe von Euch zu hören, wenn erst die Post eingetrudelt ist. Hoffentlich ist es bald soweit. Ich habe nämlich allerhand zu erwarten. In der 1. Zeit habe ich nur so mit dem Briefpapier geaast, bis ich merkte, daß es so nicht mehr weiterging. Na, in den nächsten Tagen gibt es Marketenderware, hoffentlich sind Briefe dabei und Zigaretten. Schicken braucht Ihr jetzt nichts mehr, da unser Aufenthalt nicht mehr von langer Dauer sein wird. Es wird zwar Nachgeschickt, aber mit den Paketen dauert es dann viel zu lange, wartet nun lieber bis ich eine feste F.P.N. hab. Es grüßt Euch Euer Herbert

The Felpost in English reads as:

O.U., 19.9.43

Dear all! Now I finally want you to hear from me again. Unfortunately I have to be careful with my envelopes, I've only got 4 left, otherwise you'd have heard from me again long ago, but beside that the service doesn't leave me as much free time as in the first days. In any case, I'm doing well. I hope to hear the same from you once the post has arrived. Hopefully it will be soon. I have a lot to look forward to. In the first days I just fiddled around with the stationery until I realized that it couldn't go on like that. Well, in the next few days, there should be Sutler goods, hopefully with stationeries and cigarettes. You don't need to send anything now, as our stay will not be as long anymore. It would be forwarded, but it would take too long to get the parcels. You better wait until I have a firm F.P.N. Greetings Yours Herbert

This letter updates Herbert's family but Herbert writes sadly straight away that he has to be careful of how often he writes as now he is at in Russland Herbert only four Feldpost letters left to send home. This is why Herbert says that he hasn't written any letters as frequent, this is addition to Herbert's service gives him little time to write. Despite this Herbert recalls that he is doing well and hoping to hear from his family back home in Kiel soon. Herbert expresses how he looks forward to hearing from them.

Herbert explains how in the first days with his new company he wasted some paper when writing, sending likely too often to people and didnt realise thay writing supplies were not like they used to be. Despite this Herbert details how he is hopeful a "Sutler" will be avaliable soon. A Sutler is a Civillian based store who sells to the army, from here Herbert hopes to purchase more stationary and of course some cigarettes (despite saying he wanted to stop when he was taken ill before)

Herbert concludes this breif Feldpostkarte by telling his famimy not to send anything to him as he wont be where he is for much longer and if forwarded it would be delayed. Herbert writes that they should wait until he gets a firm "F.P.N"- this meaninh " Feld Post Number. As Feldpost numbers were assigned to units and kept up-to-date, based on where they were. Herbert concluding as always, Euer Herbert, Yours Herbert.