Where the Iron Crosses Grow

Although there was only a German coastal artillery unit, a platoon of military police, and a few Romanian troops in Yevpatoriya, they were not caught by surprise. After the rapid loss of Feodosiya, Manstein had put all other coastal units on high alert, no matter what the weather. As Buslaev’s small craft approached the piers, searchlights switched on and caught the Russians in the act of landing. The largest contingent of 500 troops landed at the main passenger pier, with Buslaev bringing his minesweeper Vzryvatel’ alongside. The Germans and Romanians opened fire with machine guns and mortars, killing about 50 naval infantrymen just as they landed on the pier. Subsequent groups jumped directly into the shallow-but-freezing water and waded ashore, using the pier for cover. A nearby coastal battery fired on the pier and one round struck the bridge of the Vzryvatel’, killing Buslaev. German forward observers directed fire against the landing from the roof of the nearby Crimea Hotel. The pier itself was damaged by an explosion, which made it difficult for the other Soviet ships to unload heavy weapons and supplies. Eventually, Lieutenant Vladimir P. Tityulin rallied enough troops underneath the pier to push inland and overrun the Crimea Hotel by 0500hrs. Two other companies had landed separately on two smaller piers and also gradually fought their way into part of the city. Not long after the landing, the Vzryvatel’ ran aground on a sandbar just 50 yards offshore, and became hopelessly stuck. One sub-chaser and a tugboat remained to offer assistance, but the rest of the flotilla departed before dawn, since the Luftwaffe was sure to arrive once the sun came up.

In Yevpatoriya, the Soviet naval infantrymen expanded their control over the southern part of the city, but German blocking positions equipped which machine guns prevented them from moving too far inland. Meanwhile, news of the Soviet landing at Yevpatoriya had reached Manstein’s headquarters, and he ordered several units to head there immediately. Oberstleutnant Oskar von Boddien’s Aufklärungs-Abteilung 22 was in the lead, followed by Oberstleutnant Hubertus-Maria Ritter von Heigl’s Pionier-Bataillon 70 and Oberst Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller’s Infanterie-Regiment 105 of the 72. Infanterie-Division. The lead elements of these units began to arrive after 1000hrs, but the Germans decided to wait until all the reinforcements were assembled before launching their counterattack.

Oktyabrsky tried to send reinforcements to Yevpatoriya. Another naval infantry battalion was loaded aboard the destroyer Smyshlyonyi, the coastal minesweeper Yakor’, and four MO-IV sub-chasers, but could not land at Yevpatoriya on the night of January 5/6 due to a violent storm. On the morning of January 6, the German counterattack started, supported by artillery and the Luftwaffe. German artillery demolished the Crimea Hotel and began reducing other Soviet strongpoints. Engineers from Pionier-Bataillon 70 used flamethrowers to burn Soviet pockets of resistance. A battery of 10.5cm howitzers was brought up to engage the stranded Vzryvatel’ with direct fire, and they repeatedly punctured its hull. Soviet sailors bravely refused to abandon their ship until it was reduced to a burning wreck; there was only a single survivor. By the evening of January 6 there were only 120 naval infantrymen left out of the original landing force of 740 men. Captain Buzinov led a breakout effort, hoping to reach either Sevastopol or nearby partisan units. The naval infantrymen mounted a desperate frontal attack against one of the German blocking positions, manned by troops of the Aufklärungs-Abteilung 22. A wild close-quarter melee ensued, with submachine guns and grenades in the dark. Sixty Russians were killed, but Oberstleutnant von Boddien was also killed. The remaining Russians fled into the darkness, but Buzinov and a group of 17 naval infantrymen were cornered the next morning in a nearby village, where they made a last stand. Only four sailors, led by Captain-Lieutenant Ivan F. Litovchuk, managed to reach Soviet lines at Sevastopol.

The Germans stamped out the last resistance in Yevpatoriya on the morning of January 7. One sailor escaped by swimming out in the icy water using a float and was picked up by a Soviet patrol boat. Altogether, the Germans claimed 600 Soviets killed and 203 captured, which was virtually the entire landing force and the naval crews. The Soviets later claimed that the Germans executed wounded naval infantrymen – which is quite possible – and then began rounding up civilians in the city who had aided the landing force. Thousands were imprisoned, deported as forced labor to Germany, or simply turned over to Einsatzgruppe D for elimination.