Where the Iron Crosses Grow

Oddly, Guz had only his 1163rd Rifle Regiment on the line, defending behind the antitank ditch and centered upon the Mekenzievy Mountain station, while he kept the 1165th and 1167th Rifle Regiments further south, near the position known as Fort Stalin. Although many Russian officers were prejudiced against the ethnic Caucasian troops in this unit, the division had performed well in stopping the German offensive in December 1941. Since then, Guz’s riflemen had transformed the bombed-out artillery barracks west of the train station into a fortified strongpoint, and they manned a half-dozen bunkers overlooking the antitank ditch. Another key position – called the “Forsthaus” by the Germans – was located on the boundary of Guz’s 345th Rifle Division and Potapov’s depleted 79th NIB, but held by the 2nd Perekop Naval Infantry Regiment. Most of the Soviet artillery in this sector was still intact, even though Smelkov’s 134th Howitzer Regiment had lost one battery and Soviet artillerymen were told to “fire sparingly.”⁵²

On June 9, Hansen kept up the pressure, beginning with a bombardment of the Mekenzievy Mountain station area with 60cm, 42cm, 35.5cm, and 24cm heavy-artillery fire from Zuckertort’s Heeresartillerie. Most of the Soviet bunkers were made of timber and stones and could not withstand a direct hit from large-caliber rounds. Then, instead of using Wolff’s 22. Infanterie-Division as his main effort, as in the previous two days, Hansen brought up the relatively fresh IR 438 from Generalmajor Fritz Lindemann’s 132. Infanterie-Division to mount a deliberate attack across the western end of the antitank ditch. Guz had been expecting Choltitz’s IR 16 and Buhse’s IR 47 to continue their direct advance down the rail line toward the station, and was caught by surprise by the German tactical flexibility in switching the Schwerpunkt from one unit to another. Infanterie-Regiment 438 attacked the antitank ditch near the boundary between the 95th and 345th Rifle Divisions – a typical German effort to exploit the weaknesses of Soviet inter-unit coordination. Two German battalions crossed the ditch and quickly overwhelmed the Soviet infantrymen from the 1163rd Regiment, who were still reeling from the effects of heavy artillery. Using rolling Stuka attacks that lasted for over an hour, Richthofen’s Fliegerkorps VIII also disrupted Guz’s ability to shift his reserves to deal with the German breakthrough on his left flank. Once the Germans were across the antitank ditch, they began spreading out laterally to roll up Guz’s forward defense, while pioneers began filling in the ditch. Once this was accomplished, assault guns moved up to support the soldiers. With the Soviet defensive line tottering, Wolff attacked with his 22. Infanterie-Division, and Guz’s entire line began to give way. Choltitz’s IR 16 surged across the antitank ditch and overran the Mekenzievy Mountain station and the artillery barracks, despite the presence there of a battery of four 76.2mm antitank guns from the 674th Anti-Tank Regiment. The German advance was so rapid that a number of Russian artillery officers were captured near the train station. Under interrogation, they revealed a great deal about the location and condition of the Soviet artillery to the 22. Infanterie-Division’s Ic (intelligence officer).⁵³ On Choltitz’s left flank, Buhse’s IR 47 advanced, pushing back the 2nd Perekop NIR. The 50. Infanterie-Division mounted a supported attack that captured the Forsthaus from the 79th NIB. Between the train station and the Forsthaus, German troops encountered Soviet Coastal Battery 704, which was equipped with two 130mm turrets from the sunken cruiser Chervona Ukraina. Commanded by Lieutenant V. I. Durikov, the battery put up a good fight against the German infantry and assault guns, but it was eventually overrun and Pavlov was killed.⁵⁴

The third day of the German ground offensive ended as another stunning tactical success everywhere except on the flanks. In the west, the 95th Rifle Division stood like a rock atop the “Neuhaus” hill and its 241st Rifle Regiment repulsed efforts by the 132. Infanterie-Division to reach Coastal Battery No. 30. Hansen’s main effort had broken through a portion of the Soviet second defense line and captured 381 prisoners at the relatively low cost of 961 casualties, including 216 dead or missing.⁵⁵