Where the Iron Crosses Grow

In contrast, the Black Sea Fleet became increasingly irrelevant. On October 5, the fleet decided to dispatch the destroyers Kharkov, Sposobnyi, and Bezposhchadny under Captain 2nd Rank G. P. Negoda from Tuapse to bombard German coastal traffic between Yalta and Feodosiya. As Negoda’s squadron approached Feodosiya around 0530hrs, they ran into the German S-28, S-42, and S-45; a brief naval skirmish resulted in no damage to either side. However, it was clear that the element of surprise was lost, and after briefly shelling Yalta Negoda’s squadron beat a hasty retreat. The VVS-ChF managed to provide three fighters for cover over the squadron, and they managed to shoot down a German reconnaissance plane at 0810hrs. Nevertheless, Ju-87 Stukas from III./StG 3 found the destroyers at 0900hrs and crippled Kharkov with three bomb hits. Negoda tried to tow the Kharkov, but his squadron suffered repeated air attacks, damaging the other two destroyers. At 1413hrs, the Bezposhchadny was hit by four bombs and broke in two. The other two destroyers were sunk by 1835hrs. Altogether, three destroyers with 716 sailors were lost for no appreciable gain, and once again the Black Sea Fleet proved unable to operate in daylight in waters controlled by the Luftwaffe. When he learned of this naval disaster, Stalin ordered that all major warships of the Black Sea Fleet be placed in reserve and used only with his permission – effectively putting Soviet naval capabilities in the Black Sea on par with the Kriesgmarine.

CHAPTER 8 The Red Army Returns to the Crimea, 1943

“The Crimea is the largest prison camp in the world.”

Soviet radio propaganda broadcast, winter 1943/44

General der Pioniere Erwin Jaenecke was an unusual German army-level commander since he came from the engineers, not the infantry, cavalry, or artillery. He took command of AOK 17 in June 1943, just five months after being badly wounded at Stalingrad and being flown out on one of the last transport planes. The 53-year-old Jaenecke had spent most of his military career since 1911 in engineer or logstic assignments. He saw no frontline service in the first two years of World War II, and was a senior staff officer in Paris until February 1942. Jaenecke was also a good friend of Friederich Paulus, commander of AOK 6, with whom he had served in pre-war staff duty. Despite never having commanded infantry units before, Jaenecke was given command of the newly raised 389. Infanterie-Division and sent to the Eastern Front, where he participated in the advance to the Volga and the vicious city fighting around the tractor works in Stalingrad. Like many German soldiers who found themselves encircled at Stalingrad in the winter of 1942/43, Jaenecke became critical of Hitler and his conduct of the war. He openly urged his friend Paulus to disobey Hitler’s orders and attempt a breakout, saying that, “your own head is nothing compared to the lives of so many soldiers.”¹ Paulus ignored him and all other advice. Jaenecke was badly wounded on January 17, 1943, and was fortunate to be flown out a week later. After three months convalescing in France, he returned to the Eastern Front as summer 1943 arrived. Assigned to a backwater theater in the Kuban and given command of another army threatened with isolation and encirclement, Jaenecke was less than enthusiastic about his situation.