Tank Rider: Into the Reich with the Red Army

To the west of the village where we were there was a dominant hill. At regular intervals, according to the schedule, I had to occupy it together with my platoon in order to warn the unit if the Germans attacked, although it was significantly far behind our defences (some 5 or 7 kilometres). The Brigade would also send a couple of T-34 tanks and sometimes guns from the artillery battalion, normally a section of 76 mm guns (two guns). We did not like going there, as we had to live in poorly built dugouts and we only received food in flasks from the battalion kitchen. The Germans sometimes delivered artillery strikes on the hill, but my platoon did not suffer any losses.

In November we had a chance to get a photograph taken at a Pole’s shop. In one picture I stand with Petr Shakulo and a soldier from the machine-gun company, the second one was given to me as a gift by Alex Guschenkov. Besides Guschenkov, there are submachine-gun platoon leader Oplesnin, Chernyshov’s orderly, 1st company commander Nikolai Chernyshov, the 2nd company commander Shtokolov and his orderly in the picture. Alexander Guschenkov, machine-gun platoon leader of our 1st company, wrote on the reverse of the picture: ‘For good and long memory to Evgeni from Alex. Remember how we fought together, how we drank and partied together in Poland – 28 November, 1944.’

THE VISTULA–ODER OPERATION

The war left such a tragic trace
And put so many men in graves
That after twenty, thirty years
Survivors don’t believe they live

K. SIMONOV

^{Map to show the Vistula-Oder operation, 12 January 1945 to 26 January 1945.}

Our preparation for the upcoming battles on the Sandomir bridgehead was over. In late December, 1944, we marched on foot from the village where we had been staying, not far from the front line. Our battalion concentrated in a forest, and for several days we slept at campfires using branches of pine trees to sleep on. After that we built dugouts and installed stoves that we made from empty fuel barrels. Rain capes or pieces of tarpaulin served as doors for dugouts. Frost was not that heavy – 10 to 12 degrees – but we were freezing to our bones. Of course it was warmer in dugouts. We did not have any training during that period; we were given all our time for rest. We slept as much as we wanted, checked our weapons and did all kinds of small things – mostly we played cards and wrote letters home.

They took us officers to the front line several times. We went to the trenches to work out the routes of advance for tanks with tank riders. We also got to know the tank crews. We did not know when the grand offensive was to start – such things were kept secret. However, one could feel that the moment was coming, and this is why we were somewhat excited, even nervous. The two worst things are waiting for something and catching up with someone.

Finally, the big day, 12 January, 1945, came. After a long artillery preparation and air force strikes, infantry units of the front went over to the offensive and in a dashing assault captured the first and the second defence lines of the enemy. Artillery preparation and air force strikes lasted at least one-and-a-half hours, if I am not mistaken. Guns, including 76 mm to 152 mm, 82 mm, 120 mm and 160 mm mortars, as well as Katyushas firing on the enemy defences. Bombers and Il-2 Shturmoviks raided the defences as well. It was a permanent rumble; we even had to shout, as we could not hear each other. The enemy’s positions were covered with a thick cloud of smoke, some debris was flying in the air, and something was burning and exploding there. The enemy could only return sporadic fire, as almost all artillery and mortars were suppressed.

After the Field Army’s infantry units broke through the defences, our turn came. The task of our Brigade as well as the whole Tank Army was to enter the gap, develop the advance towards the Oder and then capture a bridgehead on its left, western bank.