2RHPZ
09-16-2005, 06:03 PM
http://www.iremember.ru/infantry/bessonov/bess.jpg
A "miracle"
The commanders did not dare to mount a night attack, and the attack was shifted to the next morning. At dawn the battalion - all that was left of its three companies, started to advance through the forest to the left of the road. We did not know anything about the enemy. First everything was nice and quiet, no shots were fired at us, the enemy did not see us, and we did not see the enemy. However, this did not last for long, enemy spotted us and opened rifle and machine gun fire at us. We returned fire and advanced forward in short rushes.
Outnumbered German infantry retreated, or better said fled after our attack, however, we got under fire from three German assault guns, which turned out to be in some fifty meters from us. We had to take cover behind trees, as the assault guns fired at almost every single soldier.
Link (http://www.iremember.ru/infantry/bessonov/bessonov1.htm)
Night fight
At some time the shooting died down and I decided to walk along the captured trenches. I wanted to support my soldiers and show them that I was with them, which is important to the soldiers especially in the difficult situations.
Sergeant Savkin showed me grenades, helmets, ammunition magazines and mess-tins hidden in the niches in the trenches. I ordered not to touch it. But one soldier either dozing off or jumping up to stay warm brushed on something and was blown up. His body flipped up and he fell as an empty sack, dead. He was the only casualty we had from those "surprises".
Some time later the German infantry attacked us again. But their tanks stayed where they were. By that time our tanks moved up and together we bit the attack off. Our fire forced the infantry to the ground. The German tanks opened fire on the houses setting them on fire. The night battle is always a heavy one, and this battle lasted all night. We couldn't see anything and fired at the muzzle flushes or sometimes at some silhouettes. We couldn't see the results of our fire and its effectiveness was low.
Link (http://www.iremember.ru/infantry/bessonov/bessonov.htm)
A "miracle"
The commanders did not dare to mount a night attack, and the attack was shifted to the next morning. At dawn the battalion - all that was left of its three companies, started to advance through the forest to the left of the road. We did not know anything about the enemy. First everything was nice and quiet, no shots were fired at us, the enemy did not see us, and we did not see the enemy. However, this did not last for long, enemy spotted us and opened rifle and machine gun fire at us. We returned fire and advanced forward in short rushes.
Outnumbered German infantry retreated, or better said fled after our attack, however, we got under fire from three German assault guns, which turned out to be in some fifty meters from us. We had to take cover behind trees, as the assault guns fired at almost every single soldier.
Link (http://www.iremember.ru/infantry/bessonov/bessonov1.htm)
Night fight
At some time the shooting died down and I decided to walk along the captured trenches. I wanted to support my soldiers and show them that I was with them, which is important to the soldiers especially in the difficult situations.
Sergeant Savkin showed me grenades, helmets, ammunition magazines and mess-tins hidden in the niches in the trenches. I ordered not to touch it. But one soldier either dozing off or jumping up to stay warm brushed on something and was blown up. His body flipped up and he fell as an empty sack, dead. He was the only casualty we had from those "surprises".
Some time later the German infantry attacked us again. But their tanks stayed where they were. By that time our tanks moved up and together we bit the attack off. Our fire forced the infantry to the ground. The German tanks opened fire on the houses setting them on fire. The night battle is always a heavy one, and this battle lasted all night. We couldn't see anything and fired at the muzzle flushes or sometimes at some silhouettes. We couldn't see the results of our fire and its effectiveness was low.
Link (http://www.iremember.ru/infantry/bessonov/bessonov.htm)