commanding officer, was wounded in April 1942. He was replaced with Conrad Schellong, another German officer, who had previously served in the Wiking Division. The Legion was withdrawn from the front in June 1942 after almost six months in combat but were re-deployed to the region again in August 1942. They were finally withdrawn from the line in March 1943 in anticipation of the unit's reorganisation. Ukraine Soon after arriving at Dębica, the Legion was ordered to move on to Milowitz in Bohemia. In May 1943, the Flemish Legion was amalgamated with other Flemish volunteers to form the new SS-Sturmbrigade Langemarck on the orders of Heinrich Himmler. Tensions between the Flemish volunteers and the SS, however, led to some members refusing to take the SS oath of allegiance. The Germans again insisted that the volunteers take the oath in October 1943. Some 200 "rebels" who refused were transferred to other units or penal units. In August, the VNV's leader Hendrik Elias announced that the VNV would not recruit more members for the German army. The allocation of the title Langemarck, in memory of the bloody World War I battle fought at Langemarck, West Flanders in 1914, was intended to represent Flemish-German camaraderie. However, the Flemings themselves did not understand why they had been given a title which represented the losses suffered by German soldiers trying to take over their country in 1914. The Flemings felt a jealousy that their French speaking countrymen, the Walloons, were granted as a title their home region. Despite this, significant numbers of Flemings continued to sign up for service with the Waffen-SS. In addition to the veterans of Flandern, the Sturmbrigade now gained a contingent of new Flemish volunteers, an anti-tank Panzerjäger company, an assault gun battalion equipped with StuGs and a FlaK battalion. In October 1943, the brigade was renamed 6th SS Volunteer Sturmbrigade Langemarck. In December 1943, the Langemarck was ready to be sent to the front. The total unit strength was 2,022 men. On 26 December 1943, Langemarck was sent to Ukraine to act as a part of Army Group South. Fighting alongside the 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich, the brigade participated in the heavy defensive battles in the region of Kiev and Zhitomir. In January, 1944 the Langemarck and elements of Das Reich were encircled by Soviet forces near Zhitomir. Despite this, they fought their way out of the kessel