HILL 253, 40 MILES NORTH OF KURSK, July 9, 1943.  Operation
Citadel had begun, but instead of the desired lightning
breakthrough, the fighting had taken on the characteristics
of WWI trench warfare.  In four days of grueling combat, the
XLI Panzer Corps had managed to penetrate the defenses of the
Soviet 13th Army to a depth of only about five miles.  The
Corps, now being slowly forced onto the defensive by
increasing enemy pressure, needed to secure a strong position
on which to anchor its left flank and free its mobile
elements; such a spot was the commanding height of Hill 235
near the village of Ponyri, where some of the most intensive
fighting of the entire Eastern campaign was taking place.  On
July 9th the Germans stormed and captured Hill 239 and to
exploit this success, an assault on Hill 235 was ordered.