Tank Rider: Into the Reich with the Red Army

We started to march after breakfast, first on foot and then we clambered aboard the tanks. The battalion was moving as the Brigade’s forward task force, and the Germans did not try to set up serious defences, but by the end of the day a strong German delaying force stopped us. Our companies attacked several times, but were thrown back with losses in personnel. German artillery, especially anti-tank guns, were especially active. We had to stop and dig in. During daytime the enemy did not let us move – as soon as they spotted movement they opened fire. Only with the arrival of darkness could we move – we put ourselves in order and counted our losses. Just as I was lying down to have a nap, an orderly found me and passed on the order of the battalion commander to go to battalion staff. When I came to Kozienko, I saw deputy brigade commander Starovoit and tank regiment commander Stolyarov at his CP. They were all in a tent that was set up in a hollow. They had a portable electric lamp in the tent. It was not battalion commander Kozienko, but tank regiment commander Stolyarov who addressed me: ‘You, Bessonov, have got an important mission,’ he said. ‘With three tanks you and your platoon must cut the road that the Germans are using, you must stop them, advance forward and capture the German artillery, thus securing the Brigade’s further advance.’ I really did not want to go there to die, I really wanted to sleep. That was my second night and second day without sleep. Yes, it was an order, but I lost my self-control: ‘Don’t you have any other officers except Bessonov in the battalion? I always have to go first, I’ve been 48 hours without sleep already!’ Lieutenant Colonel Starovoit answered to me: ‘We did not choose you at random, we believe that you will complete the mission and we are more doubtful about the other officers.’ Major Kozienko repeated the order: ‘Go and fulfil the order.’ What could I do, it was an order and I had to obey it! The tank platoon leader also came up to us. We knew each other from previous battles and quickly developed a co-ordination plan. I had a comment to make here as well, saying that the tanks should assist the tank riders, not hide, as it was in the night action for the village the night before. Major Stolyarov was not offended with my comment; on the contrary, he drew the tanker’s attention to it: ‘A tank is designed for a battle, it is not just a coach for tank riders.’

At night from 14 to 15 January we moved forwards to complete our mission. I put a squad (seven or eight men) on each of the three tanks that I had. The tanks deployed in a line some 20 or 25 metres apart. The tanks drove forward at low speed on my command. There was intensive German traffic on the road, and so the Germans could not hear the noise of our tank engines. It was a dark and cloudy night, one could not see stars. We advanced towards the road and stopped some 30 metres from it. As we had previously arranged, each tank fired one round from its main gun, a long machine-gun burst and then ceased fire. At the same moment the tank riders jumped off the tanks and rushed to the road, firing their submachine-guns on the move at the German vehicles. When we ran up to the road, the German column stopped. Cars stood there filled with luggage and sacks full of German food and wine. The Germans ran like a hare before hounds – I was always amazed by how quickly they could run. Apparently, this was a retreat or relocation of a large unit’s staff. The enemy was thrown from the road and the way for Brigade lay open. We threw the bags on the tanks and rushed forward, capturing an artillery battery with prime movers, one of which still had the engine running. We did not see the Germans, but in the darkness we could hear that they were running away, breaking bushes and tree branches. Yes, Germans were fast runners, great runners – especially when death was looking them in the eye.