Witzel, R. Mit Mörsern, Haubitzen und Kanonen

As an artillery officer in peace and war 1939-1945. When Rudolf Witzel was called up at the beginning of September 1936 to join the II / Artillery Regiment 42 in Bielefeld, a long-cherished wish came true for him. After two years of military training as a reserve officer candidate, he continued his law studies, which he had begun before his military service and which he completed with a grade examination. When he was drafted into the heavy artillery division (mot.) 777, he went to France, where the division experienced its baptism of fire in the night of 18 to 19 May 1940. Transferred to Poland on 16 March 1941, Rudolf Witzel took part in the campaign against Southern Russia and experienced the attack on Rostov with Artillery Regiment 4 of the 14th Panzer Division. After being seriously wounded and spending a long time in hospital, he was assigned to the heavy artillery division (mot.) 844 as a first lieutenant of the reserve and battery commander. He saw action in the battles between the Don and the Caucasus and experienced the 5th and 6th Battles of Kuban during the army's retreat, in the defence of which the artillery played a decisive role. He experienced the end of the war with the Army Artillery Corps 412 in Mecklenburg as part of the army "Wenck" and returned home after a short captivity.