In all the comforts of open railroad cars, Paul's unit travels west during a six day journey from western Russia back to Hungary.


Hungarian Soldiers Returning Home, 1943

7. Rohamtüzér Osztály - (7th Assault Gun Battalion)

The 7th Assault Gun Battalion replaced the 1st Assault Gun Battalion with the First Army in August 1944 after undergoing training in Germany with their new StuG G assault guns.

In late September they were moved from the northwestern border with the Ukraine to the Transylvania border to take part in the defence against the Soviet invasion. There, their 2nd Battery made a famous counterattack against the Soviet 18th Tank Corps near Királyhegyes, knocking out twelve Soviet T-34 tanks, but losing all nine of their StuGs. However, only three were completely destroyed and the others were recovered the next day.

The 7th Assault Gun Battalion was next fighting on the Tisza River in the region of Szentes, Csongrád and Kecskemét, taking a heavy toll on Soviet tanks before being almost destroyed in October at the Szentes bridgehead. The remaining ten StuG G assault guns were placed in reserve with the Hungarian 3rd Army.

During its battles on the Tisza River the battalion destroyed 67 tanks and 14 other vehicles. 

After the battle of the Szentes bridgehead the battalion was withdrawn to Budapest where it fought with Group Billnitzer.

[High Resolution]

7. Rohamtüzér Osztály StuG G [HR]

A Bofors 40 mm automatic cannon mounted on a  railroad flatbed car was set up to provide some security to military trains against partisan harassment and air attacks. In bitter cold, this particular unit is parked beside what appears to be a hay loading ramp. The bark of an automatic canon often discouraged partisan heroism, Paul reported.

