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.



Armed Hungarian Railroad Car

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

Paul Nagy's artillery unit was rotated back to Hungary during 1943. At an unknown Russian railroad station, home-bound soldiers have no reason to conceal their elation at this turn of events,   But for most, the war was not over yet, with more heavy fighting coming as the Soviets reached Central Europe in 1944. Surviving combat, Paul eventually became an American POW in Austria.
