16 th MECHANIZED BRIGADE OF THE 7 th MECHANIZED CORPS IN THE PYATIKHAT OPERATION OF 1943
Dmitry I. Tushkanov
Volzhsky Institute of Economics, Pedagogy and Law, Volzhsky, Russian Federation
Igor V. Tushkanov
Volgograd State University, Volgograd, Russian Federation
Abstract Introduction. The Pyatikhat offensive operation of the Steppe (2 nd Ukrainian) front completes a series of major battles in 1943, but it remains poorly studied, especially on the issue of the actions of individual units (corps, divisions, and brigades). Methods and materials. Declassification of a large set of archival materials allows gradually eliminating this gap in the historiography of the Great Patriotic War. Conducting an objective analysis of combat logs, comparing them with previously published sources has allowed considering the participation of the 16 thmechanized brigade in the first stage of the Pyatikhat operation from October 15 to November 5, 1943. Analysis. The article discusses the process of forming and training of the brigade in July-September, the breakthrough of the German defense, the liberation of the city of Pyatikhat and other localities from October 15 to 21.1943, defensive battles on the approaches to KrivoyRog ( from October 21 to November 4,1943) .Results. Forthe 16 th mechanized brigade formed in summer 1943, participation in this operation was a real baptism of fire. Together with other brigades of the 7 thmechanized corps, it actively participated in the liberation of the city of Pyatikhatka and other localities. At the same time, soldiers of the brigade showed mass heroism, breaking through the defense of the Nazis and destroying enemy's equipment. Then, retreating slightly under the counterattacks of fresh German units, the 16 th MB steadfastly and courageously defended the lines assigned to it. The analysis of the ratio of losses of the brigades personnel and similar damage to the enemy shows that in the Pyatikhat operation, the 16 th mechanized brigade performed its task with high efficiency, and most of its officers proved themselves competent commanders and courageous soldiers.
Key word: Great Patriotic War, Lower Dnieper strategic offensive operation, Pyatikhat operation, 7 th mechanized corps, 16 th mechanized brigade.
Citation. Tushkanov DI, Tushkanov I. V 16 th Mechanized Brigade of the 7 th Mechanized Corps in the Pyatikhat Operation of 1943. Vestnik Volgogradskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Seriya 4. Istoriva. Regionovedenie. Mezhdunarodnye otnosheniya [Science Journal of Volgograd State University. History. Area Studies. International Relations], 2020, vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 66-76. (in Russian). DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15688/jvolsu4.2020.3.6
Introduction. The history of the Great Patriotic War will not lose its relevance for researchers and readers, not only because this war became the bloodiest in our history, but also due to the lack of a description of the hostilities of many units and formations of the Red Army and their participation in various operations, as widely, and little known. The latter include the Pyatikhat operation of the 2nd Ukrainian (until October 20, 1943 - Steppe) Front, which was carried out from October 15 to November 23, 1943, as part of the Nizhnedneprovsk strategic offensive operation of 1943. As a result, our troops advanced almost 100 km and reached the nearest approaches to Krivoy Rog and Kirovograd. The right-bank bridgehead of the Red Army on the Lower Dnieper became strategic, which ensured the liberation of the south of the Right-Bank Ukraine in 1944 [1, p. 637].
Methods and materials. A significant expansion of the range of archival sources on the history of individual units and formations (combat logs, descriptions of combat activities, memoirs, etc.) available to researchers makes it possible to thoroughly study the battles of the Great Patriotic War, analyzing the actions and interaction of individual units during defensive and offensive operations ... A comprehensive study of various sources made it possible to consider the course of hostilities at different levels (individual servicemen - subunits - units - formations).
The need for such research is long overdue. For example, to date, the Pyatikhat operation has been insufficiently studied. In 1961, in a 6-volume edition on the history of the war, the liberation of the Pyati-Khatki as part of the Krivoy Rog operation was mentioned [7, p. 347-350]. In a collective work devoted to the combat path of the 5th Guards Tank Army, the actions of the army in the Pyati-Khat operation are described [2, p. 86-114]. This battle is considered in the memoirs of Soviet commanders I.S. Konev [9, p. 67-74], A.S. Zhadov [3, p. 134-141], P.A. Rotmistrova [11, p. 246-252]. The role of the 7th mechanized corps in the operation was investigated in detail by S.A. Pogrebny [10, p. 9-17]. In 2012, in the 3rd volume of the 12-volume "History of the Great Patriotic War," the Pyatikhat operation is shown in general terms based on the above memoirs [1, p. 635-637]. But her full-fledged historical research is not yet available. Despite the fact that in the available works the actions of armies, corps and divisions are described in sufficient detail, smaller combat units (brigades, regiments, battalions) are often mentioned in passing in separate episodes of memoirs and monographs.
The use of the problem-chronological method made it possible to study the combat actions of a particular brigade in the interconnection of other facts and events of the Pyatikhat operation. The system-structural method contributed to a holistic analysis of the actions of both larger formations (corps, army) and brigade units (battalions, companies, platoons). The retrospective method made it possible to reveal the historical reality, the activities of individuals, the sequence of changes based on cause-and-effect relationships, and to establish some patterns. The statistical method was used to analyze the numerical strength, the number of weapons and ammunition, and the ratio of losses.
Analysis. The 7th MK, formed on August 1, 1943 in the Kosterevski tank camps near Moscow, was intended to break through the well-fortified enemy defenses. In addition to auxiliary units, it included three mechanized brigades (16th, 63rd and 64th) and 41st Guards Tank Brigade [12].
The commander of the 16th MBR was Colonel A.M. Zheleznyak, Chief of Staff - Major H.L. Egudkin [4, l. 3]. During August and September 1943, the officers and fighters of the brigade were actively engaged in "combat and political training for putting together brigades and their headquarters, while achieving well-coordinated work of battalion headquarters, brigade regiments to control troops in modern combat" [5, p. 55], and special attention was paid to carrying out operations to break through the enemy's defenses. Subsequently, the former commander of the machine-gun platoon, Petty Officer ML Gershman, noted: “We were well prepared, because there was enough ammunition for training” [8]. His memoirs are valuable in that they describe the situation from the side of ordinary soldiers and junior commanders.
The 16th MRB included three motorized rifle battalions (the commander of the 1st MRB - Captain F.P. Vakatov, the commander of the 2nd MRB - Major I.D.Koshev, the commander of the 3rd MRB - Major Denisov), an artillery battalion ( captain V.P. Teplov), mortar battalion (captain V.M.Saiko), 240th tank regiment (major V.S.Shekurov), companies: management, reconnaissance, anti-tank rifles, machine gunners, automobile, technical support, engineering nominal, anti-aircraft machine gun; medical platoon and commandant platoon [4, l. 3]. By September 30, 1943, the brigade had 369 officers, 1,173 sergeants, 2,101 privates, 35 T-34 tanks, 248 vehicles, 12 guns (45 mm),
12 guns (76 mm), 6 mortars (120 mm), 30 mortars (82 mm) [4, l. 2-3]. The fighters were also armed with easel and light machine guns, anti-tank rifles, NISH and 1111D machine guns, and rifles.
On October 1, the corps began redeploying by rail and two weeks later concentrated in the village of Khandileevka, Poltava region, where it became operational under the 5th Guards Tank Army (commander - PA Rotmistrov) [5, p. 56 about]. In the evening
On October 13, the 16th MBR, the first of the corps units, began to cross the Dnieper and by the morning of the next day established a foothold south of the Dnieper [4, p. 5], and the brigade commander, Colonel A.M. Zheleznyak immediately received a verbal combat order from the front commander I.S. Konev to unite all parts of the corps that crossed the Dnieper and be ready to march.
On the morning of October 15, after a powerful artillery barrage and bombardment, the troops of the Steppe Front began an offensive against the German positions. Subsequently I.S. Konev recalled: “Being at the observation point of P.A. Rotmistrov, I saw that the enemy's defense was breaking under the onslaught of our troops, and decided to speed up the breakthrough in the afternoon to bring the 5th Guards Tank Army into battle <...> At 15:00. in the zone of the 37th army, the 7th mechanized corps was brought into battle ”[9, p. 69]. In its composition, the 16th MBR entered the breakthrough.
On the way to the village. The Mishurin Rog brigade was met with heavy artillery and mortar fire from the enemy, and was also bombed, which forced it to take up a battle formation. The 1st MRB went to the left of the Mishurin Rog - Verkhne-Kamenistaya highway, the 2nd MRB advanced to the right of this highway, the tank regiment was heading in the battle formations of motorized rifle battalions, artillery and mortars advanced after the attacking units [4, p. 6-7]. The Germans actively counterattacked our troops, using tanks and infantry, but parts of the brigade, successfully smashing and throwing back the enemy, reached his minefields in 4-5 rows [5, l. 56 rev.], Where they were forced to stay for an hour and a half. The combat log of the 7th MK reports: “At 19.00, having successfully overcome minefields, despite the heavy bombardment from the air of battle formations, the corps continued to successfully advance in two directions ”[5, p. 56 v.]. The 16th MBR together with the 3rd tank battalion of the 41st Guards Tank Brigade made up the left column of the advancing troops in the direction of the village. Vasilyevka and Verkhne-Kamenistaya.
Despite the fierce resistance of the Germans, the brigade's offensive continued at night. At midnight, the soldiers of the battalion of Captain F.P. Vakatov, with the support of tanks, attacked the fortified center of enemy resistance, eliminating 5 tanks, 7 vehicles, about 40 soldiers and officers, losing 29 killed and 69 wounded. Battalion of Major I.D. Kokoev attacked to the right of the 1st MRB, destroyed 2 tanks, 3 vehicles and up to 20 enemy soldiers and officers. His losses were: 13 killed and 29 wounded [4, p. 7]. Then, preventing the Germans from gaining a foothold for defense, both battalions reached the Bezymyannye Heights area just south of the village of Mikhailovka by 8 am on October 16. 3rd MRB remained in the reserve of the brigade commander [4, p. eight]. Then the offensive of the brigade, like other parts of the corps, slowed down due to the organized artillery and machine-gun fire of the Nazis,
The combat log of the 16th MBR indicated: “During the day, 16.10.43. the enemy, showing great activity with tanks and aircraft, made 4 massive raids on parts of the brigade in the concentration area - up to 140 sorties ”[4, p. eight]. In general, despite the difficult weather conditions (rainy weather, mud) and enemy resistance, the breakthrough of the German defense was completed, and an offensive began directly on the town of Pyatikhatki.
As a result of two-day fighting, units of the 16th MBR destroyed up to 150 enemy soldiers and officers, took 2 Nazis prisoner, knocked out 8 tanks and about 30 vehicles. At the same time, the brigade lost 81 people killed, 175 wounded, 10 tanks and four 45-mm guns [4, p. eight]. Our units were forced to literally break through the defenses of the Germans, who offered fierce resistance (as evidenced by the numbers of losses and the scanty number of prisoners). The headquarters of the 7th MK noted: “The officers, sergeants and enlisted personnel of the corps, showing courage and perseverance, keeping fuel and materiel, continued to move forward. The commander of the 5th Guards Tank Army ... was satisfied with the actions of the corps and ordered the distinguished ones to be presented for rewarding ”[5, p. 56]. In the battles near Mikhailovka, among the distinguished fighters, the brigade leadership singled out the company of senior lieutenant Kuznetsov, which destroyed 5 German tanks, as well as the company of senior lieutenant Chaikin, which repulsed two enemy counterattacks, destroying up to 20 Germans [4, p. 8], while Chaikin himself died a heroic death.
In the evening of October 16, the commander of the 16th MBR received an order to attack with Verkhne-Kamenistaya, and then move forward and "by the end of the day, 17.10.43, capture the town of Pyatikhatki" [4, p. nine]. Parts of the brigade from 8 am went on the offensive, bypassing two motorized rifle battalions (2nd and 3rd) Verkhne-Kamenistaya. The T-34 tank regiment marched ahead in the battle formations of the attacking companies, while the mortar battalion and the artillery battalion were at the strongpoint south of Mikhailovka and fired at the German resistance center. The rapid onslaught of our soldiers was crowned with success, and by 11 o'clock Verkhne-Kamenistaya was liberated. At the same time, parts of the brigade destroyed up to 300 enemy soldiers and officers, knocked out 9 tanks, including 4 heavy, 28 vehicles, captured 2 long-range guns and 1 six-barreled mortar, having lost 63 people killed, 140 wounded, 8 tanks, 7 cars and 3 armored vehicles [4, l. nine]. It should be noted that the attack on Verkhne-Kamenistaya was very well organized. This led to significant success with relatively fewer losses than in previous battles.
During the liberation of Verkhne-Kamenistaya, “the units of Captain F.P. Va-katov, Major I.D. Kokoev and many other officers, sergeants and privates who have shown samples of courage and combat skills, which are presented by the command to government awards ”[4, p. nine]. Among them is the chief of staff of the 16th MBR H.L. Yegudkin singled out: junior lieutenant Tarnopolsky, whose platoon suppressed three enemy firing points; Sergeant Major Chernov, who was the first to break into the German trenches; Red Army machine gunner Yastrebov; Red Army soldier I.F. Navodsky, who knocked out the Tiger tank; Lieutenant F.F. Podreyny, who destroyed the self-propelled artillery unit.
Having captured Verkhne-Kamenistaya, the brigade's units continued to engage in offensive battles and liberated the village during October 17 and 18. Petrovka, Budenovka, Voroshilovka, Pervomayskoe, Vinogradovka, Chistopolye, and by the evening of October 18 they reached the town of Pyatikhatki. The vanguard, consisting of the 1st and 2nd MRB, with the support of tanks at 9 pm, fought the enemy directly in Pyatikhatki. The rest of the units pulled up, with the exception of the artillery battalion and the ministry, which, due to lack of fuel, seriously lagged behind [4, p. ten]. Apparently, the brigade's offensive was so swift that the logisticians did not have time to deliver fuel for the cars, since the main task was to provide the tanks with fuel and ammunition.
The Germans, using the available self-propelled artillery installations "Ferdinand" and an armored train, tried with all their might to hold such an important stronghold and railway junction, but our units as part of the 1st, 2nd MRB with the active assistance of tanks at 23:00 on October 18 were swift blows from the north and west knocked out the enemy and liberated Pyatikhatki [4, l. ten]. The corps headquarters noted that “the 41st Guards Tank Brigade, the 16th Mechanized Brigade distinguished themselves in the battles” [5, p. 57]. The Nazis, leaving the city, continued to retreat indiscriminately to the southwest. During the liberation of Pyatikhatki, the soldiers of the 16th MBR captured 8 railway echelons with ammunition, transport and food, including
1 echelon with serviceable German tanks and 1 echelon of wounded Germans. In addition, the brigade's trophies included 24 tanks, 6 heavy guns, 160 vehicles, 25 motorcycles,
2 warehouses with fuel, 1 warehouse with ammunition. In the battles of October 17-18, units of the 16th MBR destroyed up to 200 invaders, captured 3 Germans (not counting the echelon with the wounded), knocked out 5 tanks, 3 guns and a lot of machine guns [4, p. ten]. The 16th MBR itself “lost 63 people killed, 127 wounded; 3 tanks, one 45-mm cannon, 4 cars ”[4, l. eleven]. The ratio of the losses of the defending Germans and our advancing units, the list of captured trophies, show that the German command planned to keep Pyatikhatki at all costs, but our troops, with their swift offensive using the coverage of the city from two sides, managed to liberate it quickly and with relatively small losses.
In the opinion of the brigade command, in the battles for the capture of Pyatikhatki and other settlements they distinguished themselves: Captain D.V. Trifonov, who, when taking s. Zaporozhye assumed command of the company and led it forward; the commander of the 3rd company of the 1st MRB, Lieutenant I. M. Saulov; senior lieutenant I. I. Sytchenko, company commander, which seized 8 vehicles and an ammunition depot in Vinogradovka; Red Army soldier F.V. Noskov, who was the first to break into the trenches near Vasilievka and personally destroyed two Nazis; senior sergeant Khripkov and Red Army soldier Sidorov, who showed excellent combat skills; junior lieutenant Yaglyev, whose platoon was the first to enter Pyatikhatki; Sergeant Blikov who knocked out a tank from an ATR; Sergeant G.A. Sobolev and the Red Army soldier K.K. Samokhin, who knocked out 2 tanks from PTR [4, l. eleven]. In addition to the listed heroes, there are many more officers
By the morning of October 19, the main units of the brigade reached the area of the Zarya Kommunizma state farm (2 km west of Pyatikhatki) and occupied a temporary defense around it [4, p. 11], after lunch the artillery battalion and the mortar battalion pulled up there. In the evening of this day, the 7th MK received the task of attacking German positions on the approaches to Krivoy Rog and liberating this city [5, p. 57v.]. Its implementation began the very next day.
In accordance with the order received, at 11 o'clock on October 20, units of the brigade set out on Krivoy Rog, having reconnaissance and outpost in front of a platoon of the 11th GR and an engineer-mine company [4, p. 12]. The Germans put up stubborn resistance to our advancing units "leading increased artillery and mortar fire, undertaking counterattacks by small groups of infantry" [5, p. 57v.]. The situation was aggravated by heavy rains, which made local roads impassable for all types of transport and a lack of fuel. In this regard, on the morning of October 21, the 7th MK was given a new task "by attacking a tank brigade with motorized infantry in the direction of Andreevka, Chumakovka - to encircle and destroy the enemy in the Saksagan area, and then concentrate in the Krasny Kut area, meaning to advance on Krivoy Horn "[5, l. 58]. The attack of all brigades of the corps began at 8 a.m. of the same day. Our fighters had to overcome the strong resistance of the Nazis, waging fire engagement and being subjected to continuous bombardment from the air and counterattacks by enemy tanks and infantry. As a result, the 16th MBR, like other parts of the corps, were forced to go over to the defensive on the southern outskirts of the village. Chervono-Ivanovka and Grushevat. On the evening of October 21, as noted in the brigade log of combat operations, "the enemy did not undertake a counterattack, there was a rare artillery-mortar and machine-gun exchange of fire, enemy aircraft repeatedly bombarded the battle formations of our units and a neighbor on the right - the 64th MBR" [4, p. 12]. As it became known later, the German command pulled up large reserves to Krivoy Rog and was preparing a counteroffensive. conducting fire combat and being subjected to continuous bombardment from the air and counterattacks by enemy tanks and infantry. As a result, the 16th MBR, like other parts of the corps, were forced to go over to the defensive on the southern outskirts of the village. Chervono-Ivanovka and Grushevat. On the evening of October 21, as noted in the brigade log of combat operations, "the enemy did not undertake a counterattack, there was a rare artillery-mortar and machine-gun exchange of fire, enemy aircraft repeatedly bombarded the battle formations of our units and a neighbor on the right - the 64th MBR" [4, p. 12]. As it became known later, the German command pulled up large reserves to Krivoy Rog and was preparing a counteroffensive. conducting fire combat and being subjected to continuous bombardment from the air and counterattacks by enemy tanks and infantry. As a result, the 16th MBR, like other parts of the corps, were forced to go over to the defensive on the southern outskirts of the village. Chervono-Ivanovka and Grushevat. On the evening of October 21, as noted in the brigade log of combat operations, "the enemy did not undertake a counterattack, there was a rare artillery-mortar and machine-gun exchange of fire, enemy aircraft repeatedly bombarded the battle formations of our units and a neighbor on the right - the 64th MBR" [4, p. 12]. As it became known later, the German command pulled up large reserves to Krivoy Rog and was preparing a counteroffensive. as noted in the brigade log of combat operations, "the enemy did not undertake a counterattack, there was a rare artillery-mortar and machine-gun exchange of fire, enemy aircraft repeatedly bombarded the battle formations of our units and a neighbor on the right - the 64th MBR" [4, p. 12]. As it became known later, the German command pulled up large reserves to Krivoy Rog and was preparing a counteroffensive. as noted in the brigade log of combat operations, "the enemy did not undertake a counterattack, there was a rare artillery-mortar and machine-gun exchange of fire, enemy aircraft repeatedly bombarded the battle formations of our units and a neighbor on the right - the 64th MBR" [4, p. 12]. As it became known later, the German command pulled up large reserves to Krivoy Rog and was preparing a counteroffensive.
A new attack, in order to master s. Saev-ka for further advancement to Krivoy Rog, the 16th MBR began at dawn on October 22. The 1st MRB with a mortar company advanced on Saevka along the valley of the river. Saksagan; 3rd MRB with the same support moved to the western outskirts of Saevka; The 2nd MRB with attached batteries of the anti-tank artillery regiment (IPTAP), having performed a preliminary roundabout maneuver, attacked from the south. The tanks followed the battle formations of the units, the artillery accompanied the offensive, trying to suppress the nodes of resistance of the Nazis with their fire. During the day, fighting the enemy, by 16 o'clock parts of the brigade were liberated from. Saksagan, Saevka, Taranova Balka and reached the western outskirts of the village of Chumakovka [4, l. 13]. As our troops advanced, the Germans put up more and more stubborn resistance, passing into frequent counterattacks with infantry and Tiger tanks,
Having consolidated their positions on the southeastern outskirts of the village of Chumakovka, the Nazis met our advancing units with strong machine-gun and artillery fire. The brigade was forced to stop and prepare for a new attack, scheduled for 4 am on October 23 [4, p. fourteen]. Meanwhile, German aviation continued to heavily bomb our battle formations, and reinforcements were approaching the defending Germans: infantry and tanks.
On October 23, battalions of the 16th MBR, having launched an offensive, almost immediately got involved in a meeting battle with counterattacking German units. At the same time, heavy fire from 20 tanks, 4 self-propelled guns, 1 artillery and 2 mortar batteries, enemy aircraft fell upon our soldiers [4, p. fourteen]. As a result, the brigade had to urgently go over to the defense. As M.L. Gershman: “They put everyone in a chain, and a kilometer from us German tanks. They would have smeared us in an open field with caterpillars, but saved ... a tank regiment. An unforgettable picture. On the lead tank, next to the driver's hatch, the regiment commander stands and shows the crews the direction of movement and where to fire. Near the tank, shells burst, but he was not even touched, even though he went on the attack like a suicide bomber, without covering himself with armor. They stopped the Germans in a frontal attack ”[8]. As a result of this battle, the Nazis lost up to a company of infantry, 3 guns and 2 tanks; the brigade lost 28 people killed, 132 wounded, 7 tanks [4, p. fourteen]. Among the dead was the commander of the 240th tank regiment, Major V.S. Shekurov (whom M.L. Gershman recalled), and the chief of staff of the regiment, Major P.M. Lashin.
As noted in the combat log of the 16th MBR on the evening of October 23: “As a result of the small number of equipment and personnel remaining in the brigade, the brigade commander decided to temporarily suspend the offensive and gain a foothold on the occupied line” [4, p. fifteen]. A similar situation was in the corps: "During the day, units and formations of the corps fought offensive battles, but had no success" [5, p. 59]. Thus, by introducing fresh forces into the battle, the Nazis managed to halt the offensive of our troops.
Over the next day (October 24), units of the brigade fought with the enemy for Chumakovka, which was liberated by 18:00. In the evening, the commander of the 16th MBR gave the order to the unit commanders to switch to temporary defense, making a night march to Andreev-ku. “Fulfilling the assigned task during the night, parts of the brigade marched along the route: Chumakovka - Andreevka and by 6.00 concentrated and took up defense” [4, p. fifteen]. Taking up the defensive position, our fighters fought the enemy during October 25.
At 9 o'clock in the evening of the same day, units of the 89th Infantry Division passed through the battle formations of the brigade, trying to break through the German defenses in a night attack. The battle lasted until 2 am: the Nazis fired heavily from all weapons, so our infantry, without achieving success, withdrew to their original positions [4, p. sixteen]. All daylight hours on October 26, units of the 16th MBR continued to occupy defensive lines near Andreevka, conducting artillery-mortar and machine-gun firefight with the enemy. "10/26/43. at 20.00. a combat order was received for the redeployment of the brigade to Alekseevka as a reserve of the corps commander ”[4, p. 16], which was executed during the day on October 27. In the evening of this day, the 7th MK received the task “to take possession of Vesely Kut, Kudashevka by night attack by 7.00.28.10.43, advancing in the direction of Novy Mir, Krasnoe Morning to seize Art. Teplavka, Red morning, where to leave one brigade for cover from the west. The main forces of the corps to advance behind the 18th tank corps, providing the right flank of the army ”[5, p. 60 rev.]. Thus, the command of the 2nd Ukrainian Front began a new attempt to liberate Krivoy Rog.
As part of this operation, the 16th MBR had the task of concentrating after a night march in the village. Novo-Lozovatka, where to wait for a new order [4, l. 17], without coming into contact with the enemy, as a reserve. At the same time, the German command, having concentrated large reserves, with massive aviation support, threw them into the offensive. As noted in the combat log of the 7th MK: “The enemy, retreating in battle, collected and regrouped his forces, pulling up aviation and tank units and on the night of 28 to 29.10.43 he managed to break through our defenses in the Gurovka, Gruzka area and start to develop success on Lozovatka, aiming to surround and destroy our units located in a narrow “bag” between the two rivers Saksagan and Ingulets ”[5, p. 61v.]. Thus, the brigade, while remaining the corps commander's reserve, was no longer intended to consolidate the success in the attack,
Unfortunately, by the end of October 29 on this sector of the front for our units, the situation had deteriorated sharply. Parts of the brigade had to leave the battle and make a night march, retreating to Lozovatka. The headquarters of the 7th MK noted: “Overcoming difficulties, by dawn on 10/30/43 the corps units reached the indicated line, where they went over to the defensive with units of the 37th Army, having the following units position. The battle formation is in line with mechanized brigades, and a tank brigade is the commander's reserve. On the right flank the 64th MBR <...> On the left flank - the 63rd MBR <...> The 16th MBR with two batteries of the 109th IPTAP defends the area from the cemetery to the eastern outskirts of Lozovatka, providing a junction of two brigades " [5, l. 61v.]. Parts of the brigade took up defensive positions on the same principle: motorized rifle battalions at the front line, an artillery battalion at the strong point, tanks behind the infantry battle formations.
All day on October 30, the 16th MBR, as part of the corps, had to strain all forces to defend Lozovatka. In the corps magazine it was noted that the Nazis "with forces of up to 30-40 tanks and 10-15 vehicles with infantry attacked Lozovatka, aviation successfully bombed our battle formations of 30-40 enemy aircraft, disorganizing the defense" [5, p. 62]. Major H.L. Egudkin, describing the actions of the brigade, pointed out that the enemy, “pulling up a large number of tanks, artillery and infantry, under the strong influence of aviation, twice attacked our units in order to capture Lozovatka, but the enemy's attacks were repulsed, the enemy lost 3 tanks on the battlefield, 9 motor vehicles and up to 80 infantry. At about 4.30 pm on 10/30/43, from the southeast, the enemy pulled up to 120 vehicles and up to 80 tanks to the Lozovatka area and, renewing their attacks, tried to cross the river. Ingulets "[4, l. 18]. Despite the courage and heroism of our soldiers, the Germans managed to find a ford along the river at night from 30 to 31 October. Ingulets and ferry 25 Tiger tanks to the eastern bank and to the infantry battalion, reaching the southern outskirts of Lozovatka.
At dawn on October 31, the Nazis repeatedly tried to strengthen their grouping, and they succeeded in the middle of the day, which sharply worsened the situation of our soldiers. The brigade's combat log noted: “At 12.30 a verbal order was received from the corps commander to withdraw units to Chervona Dolina <..> Tanks covered the passage of our units. The enemy, having seized Nedai Water and went out to howl, the bank of the river Ingulets subjected a column of our units to cross-fire shelling. Having reached Chervona Dolina, the brigade's units began to take up the defense, but the enemy with superior forces again bombarded our units, and the brigade retreated in the direction of the Volnaya Dolina ”[4, p. nineteen]. Here, motorized rifle battalions took up defensive positions, and tanks and artillery concentrated behind the battle formations of infantry in readiness to repel the attacks of the Nazis.
The situation for the Soviet troops became critical, as evidenced by the order of the command recorded in the combat log of the 7th MK: “The corps commanders personally check the location of fire weapons, bury all artillery and tanks in the ground. Have 10 tanks in reserve. During the night from November 1 to November 2, replenish the units with ammunition and fuel. To complete the entire regrouping of troops by 6.00 2.11.43. To the personnel, announce the order of the Military Council: “Not one step back” ”[6, p. 72v.]. Meanwhile, the stubborn and heroic resistance of our fighters in the previous days bore fruit: the offensive impulse of the Germans was shot down, positional battles began. On November 2, at 8 pm, Lieutenant Colonel S.V. arrived at the command post of the 16th MBR. Laskov, who temporarily assumed command of the brigade [4, p. 21]. Since the combat log says nothing, why and when did the former commander, Colonel A.M. Zheleznyak, it can be assumed that he was removed from office after the retreat of the brigade on October 29-31.
Since the morning of November 3, no active combat operations have been conducted on the brigade's front sector. By the evening it became clear that parts of the 7th MK were heavily bled. For example, in the 16th MBR, only 7 tanks remained on the move (16 needed repair) and 160 riflemen [4, p. 22]. Therefore, it seems quite reasonable to order the front commander to transfer the corps to the second line of defense.
On the night of November 3 to 4, corps units carried out the surrender of their advanced areas to units of the 15th and 188th rifle divisions of the 37th army, and by dawn, regrouping, put themselves in order, producing a supply of fuel, ammunition and food [6, l ... 73]. At about 10 a.m. on November 4, the Nazis launched simultaneous attacks against the right and left flanks of the 16th MBR with up to two companies with the support of artillery and tanks in each direction. The attacks were repelled by the joint actions of tanks, artillery and infantry of the brigade and the 188th rifle division [4, p. 23]. At the end of this day, the 16th MBR finally transferred the defense sector to units of the 188th Infantry Division and, after a short rest, made a march.
By 4 pm on November 5, the brigade was located in the area of the village of Lozovatka, where the newly appointed Colonel M.V. Hotim-sky [4, l. 24]. The officers and men of the 16th MBR had something to report to their new commander. As a result of the fighting from October 15 to November 4, brigade units destroyed up to 3,300 enemy soldiers and officers, captured 652 Nazis, knocked out or burned 84 tanks, 28 self-propelled guns, 325 vehicles, 64 guns, 56 mortars, 5 six-barreled mortars, 8 observation posts were liquidated [4, p. 24]. But the brigade also suffered serious losses during this period, which led to a large reduction in its composition and combat capabilities. Killed 128 officers, 604 sergeants, 1,025 privates; 12 tanks, 15 guns, 11 mortars, 53 vehicles, 9 armored cars were lost [4, p. 23a, 246].
From 5 to 23 November, the brigade was engaged in combat training, maneuvering, was in reserve, preparing to act in the second echelon of the advancing units, but did not participate in serious hostilities [4, p. 26-31]. Subsequently, the 16th MBR successfully continued its combat path as part of the 7th MK [10, p. 20-107], received the honorary title Shumlinskaya, the Order of Suvorov II degree and the honorary title Khinganskaya.
Results. Thanks to the journals of military operations of units and formations introduced into scientific circulation, it is possible to study defensive and offensive operations of the Great Patriotic War in sufficient detail. The Pyatikhat operation, developed and carried out under the leadership of I.S. Konev, it should be admitted that it is still poorly studied. For the 16th MBR, formed in the summer of 1943, participation in this operation became a real baptism of fire. Together with other brigades of the 7th MK, she actively participated in the liberation of Pya-Tikhatka and other settlements. At the same time, the brigade's fighters showed massive heroism, breaking through the Nazis' defenses and destroying the enemy's equipment. Then, retreating slightly under the counterattacks of fresh German units, the 16th MBR steadfastly and courageously defended the lines entrusted to it.
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Information About the Authors
Dmitry I. Tushkanov, Candidate of Sciences (History), Associate Professor, Department of State and Law History, Volzhsky Institute of Economics, Pedagogy and Law, Sovetskaya St., 6.404 111 Volzhsky, Russian Federation,
[email protected] ,
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5280-9205
Igor V. Tushkanov, Candidate of Sciences (History), Candidate of Sciences (Jurisprudence), Associate Professor, Acting Head of the Department of Theory and History of Law and State, Volgograd State University, Prosp. Universitetsky, 100.400062 Volgograd, Russian Federation,
[email protected] ,
https://orcid.Org/0000-0001-8398-5025
VolSU Bulletin. Series 4, History. Regional studies. International relationships. 2020.Vol. 25. No. 3