June 14th, 1937
It was a dark, cloudy day. Our leader spoke to us yesterday, it made me feel good. Since then the sky turned black amist the reality of what was happening. I was now able to see the shore now. It was full of small machinegun nests and 3 small pillboxes. Our Officer spoke, his words never left my mind, "Here men, today will build our empire. Starting with the beaches of Riga nothing can stop us. Follow me up the beach, save your ammo. They got tank traps to stop our transports there. Use those for cover. I won't be far, Ill see you on the beach."
He turned around as the first mortar fire began landing. The splashes soaked us making us heavy with water. There was a large flash on the beach followed by a massive explosion infront of us. It was a few seconds later when we heard the sound of travelling projectiles over our heads. Our ships begun the bombardment, followed by the explosions of 150mm shells on the beach. It continued for a few minutes untill we stoped, I heard the sand underneath our boat, we were there. It was then when our doors began to open a mortar landed directly on the ship to our left blowing it to pieces. The doors were fully open and we charged forward like mindless robots. A few guys went down like bricks but somehow I made it. I was right behind our officer as he zig zaged his way through bullets. I heard them flying pass me as I ran. We found ourself behind a tank trap when he asked me, " Can ya shoot?"
I replied to him, I applied for sniper but was bearly beaten out."
He was yelling over the sound of explosions, "Over to the left, that gun is mowing down our guys here. Try and get it.
I went to shoot but my gun was jammed. My officer cursed at me, though he knew it wasnt my fault. We ran forward, I passed him as I ran for my life. Then I heard a mortar, I kept running to hear an explosion behind me. As I leaned down on a tank trap I saw the torn body of my officer laying motionless. All I saw looking back at the beach was men falling and explosions. There were three boats burning, though everything looked okay I guess. We were making heavy progress amist everything. A radioman fell down beside me to look up at me, he asked for me to make a call to the cruiser to hit the pillbox. I didnt know what to say but I did it. It took about 20 seconds untill the entire thing was blown to bits. I ran forward and took the gun of a fallen man ahead of me. I shot a fleeing Lativian soldier, adrenalin rushed through my body as I smiled. I shot two more along with a gunner in a machine gun nest. Everybody was firing at the enemy as we charged. I tossed a grenade as far as I could too see it land in a machine gun nest sending both troops flying. It felt like forever but in three hours we had the entire beachhead. A week later we would own the entire province. I was the man chosen to replace our old fallen officer. I would be wounded on the attack on the Latvian capital from a shot in the shoulder. -Memoirs of an annonymous soldier.
