28th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division Wallonien - A Shaky Beginning - Career With The Heer

Career With The Heer

Upon its arrival at the front, the Battalion was assigned to the rear area to participate anti-partisan duties. At this stage, the German commanders saw the undersized Battalion as a political statement, rather than a combat worthy formation, and so were hesitant to commit it to a major action.

After a brief stint serving under Panzergruppe 1, the Battalion was attached to the 17. Armee. During this period, the Walloons were the subject of ridicule by their German counterparts, and several complaints were filed with the OKW. The Battalion suffered casualties during the winter of 1941-42, and the combination of this and the ridicule of the Walloons by the Germans meant that the Battalion's morale plummeted. To make matters worse, on 10 December all the Battalions heavy weapons were confiscated and distributed to combat units. With the Walloons close to outright mutiny, the Germans appointed a new commander, Belgian staff officer Hauptmann B.E.M. Pierre Pauly and attached a German liaison officer.

Before these changes could take effect, the Battalion was thrown into the line to halt a Soviet breakthrough near Dnepropetrovsk on the Donets River. Fighting alongside the SS Germania regiment from the SS-Division Das Reich, the Walloons defended the village of Gromovayabalka from attacks by large enemy forces. After a second attack on 28 February 1942 took most of the village, Pauly rallied his men and in fierce house to house fighting recaptured the position. On 2 March, the Battalion was relieved. During this action, the Walloons had lost over a third of their strength, but gained the respect of their Heer counterparts. Among those who received decorations was Leon Degrelle, who was also promoted to Feldwebel for his bravery in the action.

The action at Gromovayabalka had restored the Battalion's morale, and soon after Pauly was replaced by Hauptmann Georges Tchekhoff, a former Imperial Russian Naval officer who had emigrated to Belgium after the October Revolution. More recruits from the Rexists arrived to restore the strength of the Battalion, and in May it was attached to the 97th Jäger Division. Hauptmann Lucien Lippert replaced Tchekoff as the formations commander, and he proved popular with the men. During the reforming of the Battalion, Degrelle was finally commissioned as a Leutnant.

During Fall Blau offensive into the Caucasus, the Walloons were positioned to guard the supply lines of the assault, seeing little action. In early August, the Walloons were called upon to clear a small village. During this battle, Degrelle was awarded the Iron Cross second class. In late August, the Battalion was pulled out of action and posted to flank security. During this time it came into contact with Felix Steiner's SS-Division Wiking. Degrelle and Steiner got along well, and Degrelle was impressed by the ethos of the Waffen-SS. In December, Degrelle was ordered to Berlin to coordinate the formation of a second Walloon Battalion, but Degrelle had already decided to take his Walloons to the Waffen-SS.