Book of Memory and Glory - Znamenskaya offensive operation. Book of Memory and Glory - Znamenskaya Offensive Operation Love and Sex

After the Germans were driven back from Moscow, fighting continued in this place for almost a year and a half.
The whole ground is covered in barbed wire, shell casings, and cartridges.
the village of Studenoye was with the Germans and the village of Sloboda (1 km to the East) with ours
239th Red Banner Rifle Division: From 01 to 01/05/1942 it fought unsuccessfully for Sukhinichi, then the division received an order to go to the Meshchovsk area, with a view to further attacking Serpeisk (two companies were left to block Sukhinichi). Participation in the capture of Meshchovsk was not required; the division moved to Serpeisk. In the afternoon of 01/07/1942, she occupied Serpeisk and continued the offensive in a northwestern direction. On January 12, 1942, she fought in the area of ​​Kirsanovo, Pyatnitsa, Shershnevo, Krasny Kholm, developing an attack in the direction of Chiplyaevo station (8 kilometers northwest of Bakhmutov). From January 16, 1942 she was subordinate to the commander of the 1st Guards Cavalry Corps.

Re: 326th Roslavl Red Banner Rifle Division
« Reply #1: 28 02 2011, 15:21:06 »
The new directive required the 10th Army to reach the area of ​​Kozelsk with its main forces by the end of December 27, to capture the large railway junction and the city of Sukhinichi by the same date with mobile advance detachments, and also to conduct deep reconnaissance to the northwest in the direction of Baryatinskaya station, to the west to the city of Kirov and to the south of it to the city of Lyudinovo.
The 239th and 324th rifle divisions were already beyond the Oka River and were approaching Kozelsk. To their left at the crossing was the 323rd Infantry Division, the 322nd and 328th divisions entered the battle for access to the left bank of the river in the Belev area. The 330th Rifle Regiment came in contact with them, the 325th and 326th went behind the center of the army in the second echelon. On December 31, by order of the front commander, they took up defense: the 325th in the Kozelsk area, the 326th in the Mekhovoe, Berezovka, Zvyagino area, subsequently the 325th Infantry Division was ordered to attack Meshchovsk, Mosalsk, i.e. north of Sukhinichi, the 326th Rifle Regiment received the task of attacking Baryatinskaya along the Sukhinichi - Chiplyaevo railway.
At the stations Matchino, Probozhdenie and Tsekh, the 330th and 326th divisions captured large warehouses of Soviet-made ammunition. On January 9, there were about 36 thousand shells and mines. This immediately eased our situation. The 761st and 486th army artillery regiments, which finally arrived at Sukhinichi on January 25, began to be supplied from these same warehouses.
The commander of the 1099th regiment, Major F.D. Stepanov, decided to bypass Baryatinskaya from the south with one battalion, and strike from the north, through Red Hill, with two battalions. The first attempt to occupy Baryatinskaya on the move was unsuccessful. The enemy already in Red Hill put up stubborn resistance. It was January 10th. The battle dragged on until darkness. A snowstorm arose. The battalion advancing from the south lost its way. The battalion commander, senior lieutenant Romankevich, figured out the mistake only when he got out a little southwest of Baryatinskaya. Contact with the regiment commander was lost. However, the battalion commander was not at a loss. By his decision, the battalion cut the country road to Studenovo and the railway going west to the Zanoznaya station. We quickly made snow trenches. Four soldiers sent with reports from the battalion to the regiment, as it turned out later, were killed by the Nazis.
Having no information about this battalion, the division commander brought the 1097th regiment from the south to operate on Baryatinskaya. With an attack by two regiments, the station and the village of Baryatinskaya were liberated on the morning of January 11.
Romankevich’s battalion also played an important role here. The enemy with all his convoys rushed from Baryatinskaya to the west, but suddenly, in the complete darkness of the night, he was met by fire from 12 machine guns of this battalion. Up to 300 Nazis were destroyed, many mortars and machine guns were captured, as well as a large convoy.
At the station there was a large warehouse with Soviet ammunition. They were abandoned by our troops during the retreat. During their retreat, the Nazis did not have time to destroy the warehouse. There were huge reserves of 76, 122, 152 and 85 mm shells, 82 mm mines, hand grenades and rifle cartridges. Subsequently, from this warehouse, for several months, troops not only of our army, but also of neighboring ones were supplied (94).
Here at the station, German warehouses with large reserves of grain and hay were captured. All this also turned out to be very necessary for us.
By the end of January 11, the 326th Division occupied Staraya Sloboda, Perenezhye, and Baryatinskaya.
As the 326th and 330th Rifle Divisions approached Baryatinskaya and Kirov, information was received that many enemy transport planes with troops were landing nearby at a large airfield every day. This information was completely confirmed. Throughout January, the enemy hastily transported military units from the west by air. The Goering Guard Regiment, the Airborne Regiment, the 19th Airfield Battalion and the 13th Aircraft Battalion arrived from Germany to protect the airfield. The last two battalions were previously in France. The capture of prisoners confirmed the presence of units of the 34th and rear of the 216th infantry divisions in the area.
The enemy deployed a police battalion to cover the Zanoznaya and Borets stations. In Zanoznaya there was also a detachment of two battalions formed from vacationers of the 216th Infantry Division. There were up to 800 people there. At the airfield itself there was an artillery anti-aircraft group of Wedesheim. It also included field artillery batteries. In general, in the area of ​​​​Shemelinka, Zanoznaya, Shaikovka, Goroditsa, Studenovo there were enemy forces up to an infantry division.
The nearby airfield played a very important role in the actions of enemy aircraft. It was necessary to take it. I assigned this task to the 326th and 330th divisions. The 326th Infantry Division was entrusted with the main task of capturing the airfield. The 330th Infantry Division, with a strike from two regiments from the south, assisted it in successfully completing the task. Having advanced to their lines by the end of January 12, parts of the divisions covered the airfield from the east, north, south and partly from the west. On the approaches to it the enemy put up stubborn resistance. During the fighting, the intensive landing of new military teams from Ju-52 aircraft did not stop.
By the end of January 15, the airfield was almost completely surrounded. The enemy could only retreat to the northwest in the area of ​​the villages of Priyut and Degonka.
During January 16 and 17, our regiments again attacked the airfield, but the attack was unsuccessful. The attackers suffered severely from enemy air raids, having no cover against them. The fighting for the airfield was fierce. In these battles, the soldiers of both divisions showed dedication, tenacity, bravery, courage and resourcefulness. After putting the units in order and regrouping, the 326th Division again launched an attack on the airfield on the night of January 19. Intense fighting continued throughout the day. However, we were unable to take the airfield. Despite the shelling conducted from open positions by our small artillery, the landing and takeoff of enemy transport and combat aircraft continued, although he suffered considerable losses in aircraft. From January 12 to the end of the month, our artillery knocked out 18 large enemy aircraft. In prolonged battles for the airfield area, our units were unable to break the enemy’s resistance, mainly due to the action of his combat aircraft, and suffered heavy losses. The regiments of the 330th and 326th rifle divisions each had 250–300 bayonets left. During the period from January 9 to January 19 alone, the 326th Infantry Division lost 2,562 people killed and wounded. The offensive capabilities of both divisions were clearly exhausted.
At the same time, there was a threat of being surrounded by units of the 330th and 326th Rifle Divisions from the flanks. This happened, firstly, in connection with the enemy going on the offensive from Lyudinovo and Zhizdra in the direction of Sukhinichi with simultaneous attempts to help this attack with attacks from the Milyatinsky plant, Chiplyaevo, Fomino 2nd, Fomino 1st areas. In this regard, both regiments of the 330th Infantry Division had to be taken from the airfield and returned to the Kirov area.

During December 6, northwest of GOMEL, our troops continued to conduct offensive battles, during which they occupied several settlements.

In the CHERNYAKHOV area, our troops repelled attacks by large forces of enemy tanks and infantry.

South-west of KREMENCHUG, our troops, having broken the enemy’s resistance, captured the city of ALEXANDRIA and the heavily fortified strongholds of its defense VERBOVKA, MOSKOVSKOE, EFIMOVKA, ZALOMY, PLOSKOYE, GUTNITSKAYA, KRASNOSELYE, TSIBULEVO, VESELY KUT, VODYANA, KONSTANTINOVKA, YASINOVATKA, 30VKA, Zvenigorodka, GOLOVKOVKA , OLYMPIADOVKA, NOVO-NIKOLAEVKA, MARYANOVKA, railway stations DI-KOVKA, ALEEVKA, MOROZOVKA, BAYDAKOVKA. As a result of a swift attack, our troops cut the SMELA-Znamenka railway.

In other sectors of the front there was reconnaissance and artillery and mortar fire.

During December 5, our troops on all fronts knocked out and destroyed 33 German tanks. In air battles and anti-aircraft artillery fire, 25 enemy aircraft were shot down.

German and Finnish barbarians are destroying residential areas and non-military facilities in Leningrad.

The artillery of the German-Finnish invaders, located near Leningrad, has been systematically shelling residential areas of Leningrad for many months. Over the past two to three weeks, the artillery shelling has noticeably intensified. Having suffered the complete failure of all attempts to capture Leningrad, the German-Finnish villains, in impotent anger, take out their military failures on civilians. It is known that at this time there are no military installations in Leningrad, so it is obvious to everyone that the systematic shelling of the city has one goal, namely: the destruction of residential buildings, the destruction of cultural monuments, and the extermination of civilians in Leningrad. It should be noted that the main inspirers of the barbaric, inexplicable from the point of view of military necessity, destruction of Leningrad were Finnish officers. The Finnish government thinks that if Finnish and German troops destroy Leningrad, then the question of ensuring the security of Leningrad will no longer be necessary for the Soviet Union. But the German and Finnish invaders will certainly miscalculate this time too. The Soviet people and the Red Army have sufficient forces to defend Leningrad, guarantee the future security of Leningrad, dispel the vile machinations of the German and Finnish invaders into dust and force them to bear full responsibility for the atrocities committed.

North-west of Gomel, our troops continued their offensive. Units of the N-formation, repelling German counterattacks, moved forward and occupied several strong points of enemy defense. Particularly stubborn battles took place for one settlement. The Germans concentrated a lot of artillery and machine guns on its approaches and offered fierce resistance. Soviet units disorganized the German defense with flank attacks and, after hand-to-hand combat, captured the point. Hundreds of enemy corpses and a lot of enemy weapons remained on the battlefield. Units of another formation destroyed over 400 enemy soldiers and officers during the day.

In the Chernyakhov area, large forces of enemy tanks and infantry attacked our positions. The fierce battle continued all day. Units of the N-formation repelled all enemy attacks and destroyed 700 German soldiers and officers. 8 enemy tanks and 3 self-propelled guns were burned and destroyed. In another sector, our unit, in a stubborn five-hour battle, destroyed 4 tanks, a Ferdinand self-propelled gun, 2 armored personnel carriers and destroyed up to 300 Nazis.

South-west of Kremenchug, units of the N-formation, after powerful artillery and aviation preparation, attacked enemy positions. Our fighters broke through the powerful defensive lines of the Germans and, rapidly moving forward, cut the Smela-Znamenka railway. The enemy suffered heavy losses. In the battle for one point alone, Soviet units destroyed 900 Nazis, 11 tanks, 5 artillery and 3 mortar batteries of the enemy. 6 tanks, 5 self-propelled guns, over 40 armored personnel carriers and vehicles, 6 ammunition depots, weapons and military equipment were captured. In another sector, our troops broke the German resistance and captured the regional center of the Kirovograd region, the city of Alexandria, which is an important stronghold of the enemy’s defense. In the battles for the city of Alexandria, the enemy suffered great losses in men and equipment. Soviet fighters captured a lot of weapons, ammunition and military materials. Taken.

An enemy boat and 3 self-propelled barges were sunk in the Black Sea.

Lithuanian partisans of the “For the Motherland” detachment set fire to an enemy train with gasoline stationed at one railway station. There was a fire. The fire destroyed most of the station buildings and structures. A group of partisans from another Lithuanian detachment derailed 2 German military echelons following the front line in two days. As a result of the crashes, 2 locomotives and many carriages with their cargo were destroyed.

The captured non-commissioned officer of the 3rd company of the 37th Grenadier Regiment of the 6th German Infantry Division, Paul Erlenkeser, said: “Until recently, I served in the 1st Battalion of the 362nd Grenadier Regiment, located in Norway near the mountains. Trondheim. In September, our entire battalion was sent to the Soviet-German front. We traveled along the route Oslo - Skagerrak Strait - Stettin - Thorn - Warsaw. In occupied Soviet territory, the partisans fired at our train several times and killed more than 20 soldiers. At the front we were immediately thrown into battle. After one unsuccessful attack, 16 soldiers, a sergeant major and a non-commissioned officer remained in the 3rd company. In subsequent battles, the battalion suffered even heavier losses. No more than 30-40 soldiers survived there. Everyone is in a very depressed mood. It became clear to everyone that certain death awaited us. Some soldiers openly scold and blaspheme Hitler for driving people to slaughter, despite the absence of any chance of victory for Germany. The other day, the Russians, after artillery preparation, went on the attack. We could not stop them. Many ran to the rear, but I and a small group of soldiers remained in place. We all raised our hands up and surrendered."

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During December 5, northwest of Propoisk, our troops, overcoming enemy resistance and counterattacks, captured the heavily fortified strongholds of his defense Dvorovy, Bovki, and Dabuzha.

North-west of Gomel, our troops advanced forward with stubborn battles and occupied several settlements.

In the Cherkassy area, our troops repelled attacks by enemy infantry and tanks.

West and southwest of Kremenchug, our troops, as a result of stubborn battles, captured the heavily fortified enemy strongholds of Vetrovka, Ivankovtsy, Voloshchino-Orlovka.

In other sectors of the front - reconnaissance and artillery and mortar fire.

A few days ago, the enemy landed troops on the Kinburg Spit and occupied Forshtadt and Pokrovsky farms. With a decisive attack by our troops, the enemy landing force was completely destroyed by the morning of December 5th. More than 500 enemy soldiers and officers were captured. The enemy left up to 700 killed soldiers and officers on the battlefield. Trophies taken.

During December 4, our troops on all fronts knocked out and destroyed 28 German tanks. In air battles and anti-aircraft artillery fire, 34 enemy aircraft were shot down.

North-west of Propoisk, our infantry and artillery units, overcoming the resistance of the enemy relying on intermediate defensive lines, moved forward and occupied several settlements. The Germans brought fresh reserves into action and repeatedly launched counterattacks, but were driven back with heavy losses. Soviet soldiers destroyed 500 enemy soldiers and officers, 2 artillery batteries and 20 machine guns. In one locality, our units captured 8 guns, 4 mortars, 13 machine guns, 100 rifles, machine guns and 2 radio stations. Prisoners were taken.

North-west of Gomel, our troops continued their offensive and, as a result of fierce fighting, occupied several settlements. The enemy puts up strong fire resistance and often launches counterattacks. As a result of a successful maneuver, units of the N unit destroyed the garrison of a heavily fortified German stronghold. There were 120 enemy corpses left on the streets of the point. 2 guns, 17 machine guns and an ammunition depot were captured. In another sector, our fighters penetrated behind enemy lines, killed 70 German soldiers and destroyed 13 vehicles with military cargo.

In the Cherkassy region, our troops continued to repel attacks by enemy tanks and infantry. In one area, the Germans threw 50 tanks and an infantry regiment into battle. Soviet units dealt a decisive counterattack to the enemy and drove him back to his original positions. There were 400 killed Nazis left on the battlefield. Our artillerymen, operating in infantry combat formations, burned 6 German tanks, 2 self-propelled guns and destroyed 25 machine guns. In another section, units of the N-formation repelled all attempts by the Germans to seize advantageous positions. The enemy lost up to 500 of his soldiers and officers killed in fruitless attacks. 9 enemy tanks were burned and destroyed.

West of Kremenchug, units of the N-formation, as a result of stubborn battles that turned into hand-to-hand combat, occupied several heavily fortified enemy strongholds. The enemy suffered heavy losses. In one area alone, 800 Nazis and 8 tanks were destroyed. 3 tanks, 2 self-propelled guns, 19 armored personnel carriers and vehicles, 3 warehouses with ammunition and military equipment were captured. In another sector, our units knocked out the Germans from several settlements, destroying 300 enemy soldiers and officers, 6 guns and 24 machine guns. Trophies and prisoners were captured.

The Kuibyshev partisan detachment, operating in one of the districts of the Pinsk region, on November 15 attacked the Germans who were robbing the residents of the village of Puchiny. Taking the fascist robbers by surprise, the partisans exterminated 24 Nazis. The rest escaped. On the same day, the partisans blew up 535 meters of the railway track and derailed the enemy’s military train. The next day, a group of partisans organized the collapse of another enemy train with military equipment. A steam locomotive and 13 platforms with cars were destroyed.

There is a decline in morale in the enemy camp. This is confirmed not only by the testimony of prisoners of war, but also by captured documents captured from the enemy. The other day, our units captured an order from the commander of the 8th German Army, General Weller, which states: “Instances when German soldiers allow themselves to make careless statements are becoming more and more frequent. Examples: It has been established that, retreating from Poltava, German soldiers declared: “We will still be able to hold out until the Dnieper, but if we have to give up our positions on the Dnieper, we will lay down our arms, since the war will be lost.” One senior treasurer among his comrades expressed the opinion that German officers and soldiers had already lost faith in victory... An SS lieutenant told one young soldier that German propaganda was false. At the beginning of the war, she awakened in the German people vain, deceptive hopes of victory and deceived them. One corporal who arrived from the front said that the Germans could not do anything against the superior forces of the Russians, so German troops were often forced to flee... It is necessary, the commander of the 8th German Army threatens in his order, to strictly warn the soldiers against repeating such facts... In the future, the most decisive measures will be taken.”

Below is an act about the atrocities of the Nazi scoundrels in the village of Akimovka, Zaporozhye region: “The Germans ruled our village for more than two years. During this time, fascist cannibals destroyed 100 civilians of Akimovka. Hitler's executioners hanged Alexander Makarov, shot Nikolai Sheludko, Lida Anokhina, Nadezhda Sheludko, Prokhor Torgashev and many others. Hundreds of collective farmers and employees were arrested and subjected to brutal torture in the dungeons of the Gestapo. The occupiers took about 400 people to hard labor in Germany. The German military authorities threw out all the Ukrainians and Russians who lived on Voroshilovskaya Street from their houses, settled German colonists there and renamed the street “German”. Ukrainians and Russians were strictly forbidden to pass along this street, which the Soviet people called “the street of slave owners.” By order of Commandant Brenner, collective farmers were obliged to supply the colonists with flour, milk, butter and other products. There was only one school for German children in the village. Ukrainian and Russian schools were closed. During the occupation and especially during the retreat, the Nazi scoundrels caused enormous destruction. They blew up and burned a high school, many residential buildings of collective farmers and employees, all the buildings of a dairy, horse breeding, pig, sheep and poultry farms, a steam mill and an apiary. The barbarians cut down a beautiful collective farm orchard covering an area of ​​several tens of hectares.”

The act was signed by: the chairman of the village council A. Pariy, residents of the village of Akimovka - O. Rakitsky, T. Reshetov, M. Sheludko, B. Makarova, G. Nikiforov and S. Savchenko.

On December 1, 1943, the Tehran Conference of the leaders of the USSR, USA, and Great Britain, which had been held since November 28, 1943, ended. The Tehran Conference adopted the “Declaration on Joint Action in the War against Germany and on Post-War Cooperation of the Three Powers.”

Nizhnedneprovsk strategic offensive operation(see map - Battle of the Dnieper (330 KB)). At 11 a.m. on December 1, after air and artillery preparation, the enemy resumed the offensive with the goal of breaking through the encirclement ring around the garrison of the city of Cherkassy. His main efforts this time were concentrated along the Belozerye - Cherkassy road. Having broken through the defenses of the 52nd Army of K. A. Koroteev in the area of ​​Lake Rakita, enemy tanks reached the railway box east of mark 107.3, where they were met by our artillery fire. Simultaneously with the enemy’s attack on Cherkassy from the south, part of the forces of the Cherkassy garrison struck from the north and united in the area of ​​107.3 with their group advancing along the Belozerye-Cherkassy road from the Belozerye and Stepanky areas. As a result of this, the 18th and 21st regiments of the 7th Guards Airborne Division found themselves cut off from the main forces of the army.

On December 2 and 3, the enemy repeatedly tried to separate the encircled regiments and destroy them piecemeal, but he failed to achieve his goal.

December 2, 1943. 894th day of the war

December 3, 1943. 895th day of the war

December 4, 1943. 896th day of the war

On the morning of December 4, units of K. A. Koroteev’s 52nd Army went on the offensive and, after a stubborn battle, united with the 18th Regiment of the 7th Guards Airborne Division. However, they failed to develop their success in the direction of brick factories. Meanwhile, the 21st Regiment, occupying a perimeter defense in the area of ​​brick factories and repelling numerous enemy attacks. Due to the difficult situation of the units of the 7th Guards Airborne Division, it was decided to withdraw them to the area of ​​Russkaya Polyana and Geronimovka.

By the end of December 5, as a result of six days of stubborn fighting, the troops of the 52nd Army in the Cherkassy region occupied the line: Dubievka, mark 111.5, the New Plowman collective farm, a military camp, a city cemetery, a tobacco factory, Lenin Street, a sawmill in the north -eastern outskirts of the city.

December 5, 1943. 897th day of the war

December 6, 1943. 898th day of the war

Nizhny Dnieper strategic offensive operation. On December 6, the 5th Guards Army of the 2nd Ukrainian Front led an offensive southwest of Kremenchug and, after fierce fighting, captured the city of Alexandria. The enemy tried to delay the advance of Soviet troops on the approaches to Znamenka and was forced to withdraw part of the forces from the Cherkassy direction and transfer them to strengthen their Alexandria group.

Taking into account the current situation, the commander of the 52nd Army K. A. Koroteev on December 6 again decided to continue the offensive with the goal of finally capturing the city of Cherkassy and advancing to Smela. During December 6-8, part of the troops fought in the city and the main forces were preparing for the decisive assault.

December 7, 1943. 899th day of the war

December 8, 1943. 900th day of war

December 9, 1943. 901st day of war

Nizhny Dnieper strategic offensive operation. On December 9, at 8:30 a.m., after a 30-minute artillery preparation, the assault on the city of Cherkassy began. From the first minutes of the battle, the enemy put up stubborn resistance. The fighting was most fierce in the area of ​​the railway station. The 7th Guards Airborne Division slowly moved forward, repelling counterattacks by enemy infantry and tanks and clearing the city from the enemy. By the end of the day she had taken possession of the railway station. The rifle divisions of the 52nd Army conducted an offensive directly in the city, cleared a number of neighborhoods from the enemy and repelled his counterattacks in the afternoon.

On December 9, the 5th Guards Army of the 2nd Ukrainian Front captured the Znamenka railway junction. In these battles, the partisans provided significant assistance to the Red Army units.

December 10, 1943. 902nd day of war

Nizhny Dnieper strategic offensive operation. On December 10, intense fighting broke out in the area of ​​the railway station in the city of Cherkassy. On the morning of December 10, the enemy counterattacked units of the 29th Guards Airborne Regiment. Due to the surprise of the attack, the enemy managed to crush the regiment's units on the left flank and disrupt its battle formations. The regiment, under enemy pressure, retreated to the area of ​​the railway station, but by 18:00 it had again captured the area it had previously abandoned. On December 10, units of K. A. Koroteev’s 52nd Army, leading battles in the city, captured thirteen neighborhoods.

December 11, 1943. 903rd day of the war

Nizhny Dnieper strategic offensive operation. On December 11, the 52nd Army of K. A. Koroteev of the 2nd Ukrainian Front occupied another twelve blocks of the city of Cherkassy. By the end of the day, only the southeastern part of the city was in enemy hands. During the street battles, assault groups operated in the combat formations of the advancing troops. In street battles, our troops widely used hand smoke grenades and bottles with a combustible mixture, which were a good means of blinding and destroying enemy fire weapons and their defensive structures.

December 12, 1943. 904th day of the war

The Treaty of Friendship, Mutual Assistance and Post-War Cooperation between the USSR and the Czechoslovak Republic was signed in Moscow.

Nizhny Dnieper strategic offensive operation. On December 12, the left flank units of the 294th Infantry Division of the 52nd Army stormed the railway station near the pier of the city of Cherkassy. The advance of army units in the city slowed down significantly. The enemy resisted, intending to hold out until their reserves arrived from Smela. The commander of the 52nd Army, K. A. Koroteev, reinforced the troops advancing in the direction of the main attack of the army at the expense of the 294th Infantry Division. On the night of December 13, the army troops completed their regrouping and took up their starting position for the offensive.

December 13, 1943. 905th day of the war

Gorodok operation. The Gorodok offensive operation of the troops of the 1st Baltic Front began, which lasted until December 31, 1943 (see map - Gorodok offensive operation (79 KB)). The operation was carried out with the aim of eliminating the Gorodok ledge, which formed at the final stage of the Nevelsk operation. It was planned to use counter strikes from the 11th Guards and 4th Shock Armies in the direction of Bychikha station to defeat the enemy’s Gorodok group, capture the city of Gorodok and advance on Vitebsk. The ledge was defended by 8 infantry and air field divisions, 1 tank division and a number of individual units of the 3rd Tank Army of Army Group Center.

On the morning of December 13, it became warmer, the sky became cloudy, visibility deteriorated to the limit and the use of aviation was extremely difficult. The artillery preparation, which began at 9 o'clock in the morning, lasted almost two hours with interruptions, since there was not enough ammunition, then the fire was transferred to the depths. At the same time, the rifle units moved into the attack.

The advanced units of the 11th Guards Army managed to break into the enemy's position and capture almost all the trenches of the first position of the defense line throughout the entire breakthrough area. But it was not possible to move forward further. The enemy command, using tactical reserves (two regiments of the 129th Infantry Division), soon consolidated its battle formations in the depths of the defense. By 16:00 on December 13, the troops of the 11th Guards Army managed to capture the trenches of the second position of the defense line, and soon one of the regiments of the 84th division reached the Nevel-Gorodok highway.

The 4th Shock Army completely broke through the main line of enemy defense. By the end of the day, in the offensive sector of the 2nd Guards Rifle Corps of General A.P. Beloborodoi, the prerequisites had been created for the introduction of the 5th Tank Corps of General M.G. Sakhno and the 3rd Guards Cavalry Corps of General N.S. Oslikovsky into the breakthrough.

Nizhny Dnieper strategic offensive operation. At 9 o'clock on December 13, the 52nd Army of K. A. Koroteev of the 2nd Ukrainian Front began an assault on the city of Cherkassy. The 294th Rifle Division, having captured several houses on the outskirts of the city, by 15:00 wedged itself into the depths of the enemy’s defenses. The 7th Guards Airborne Division made no progress at the beginning of the assault. To ensure the successful completion of the assault on the city, the army's artillery kept the enemy concentration areas under continuous fire, and the aviation controlled the enemy's main communications. Personnel from the rear units were sent to combat units that suffered significant losses.

Attacking the enemy, army troops captured almost all the major buildings of the city. By the end of the day, the 7th Guards Airborne Division had reached the southeastern outskirts of the city. Units of the 254th Rifle Division knocked out the enemy from their positions along the railway embankment and, having overcome several enemy barriers by 10 p.m., continued the offensive. The 373rd Rifle Division repulsed all enemy counterattacks and captured three more neighborhoods during the day.

December 14, 1943. 906th day of the war

Gorodok operation. On the morning of December 14, the offensive continued. The divisions operating on the left flank and in the center of the 11th Guards Army of K. N. Galitsky did not achieve serious success, since the enemy brought reserves here overnight. On December 14, the 1st Tank Corps was brought into battle on the right wing of the 11th Guards Army. The 84th Guards Rifle Corps of G. B. Peters of the 36th Guards Corps of General P. G. Shafranov, together with the 1st Tank Corps of V. V. Butkov, advanced 4 kilometers in the first half of the day. In the afternoon, Ya. S. Vorobyov’s 83rd Guards Division entered the battle. The division, rapidly moving forward, inflicted significant losses on the enemy, which helped the advancement of the neighboring 360th Infantry Division.

In the morning, in the zone of action of the 2nd Guards Corps of the 4th Shock Army, the 5th Tank Corps of General M. G. Sakhno was introduced into the breakthrough. At about 5 p.m., the advance detachment of the 24th tank brigade from the corps of M. G. Sakhno with a landing of machine gunners from the 47th Nevelsk division of G. I. Chernov captured the Blokhi station, cutting the railway and blowing up the railway bridge located south of the station.

Nizhny Dnieper strategic offensive operation. At 2:30 a.m. on December 14, the assault on the city of Cherkassy was completed. Having gained a foothold in it with part of its forces, the 52nd Army of K. A. Koroteev began pursuing the enemy in the directions to Smela and Krasnaya Sloboda. On December 14, the capital of our homeland, Moscow, greeted the troops who captured the city of Cherkassy with a salute.

December 15, 1943. 907th day of the war

Nizhny Dnieper strategic offensive operation. During the offensive along the right bank of the Dnieper, troops of the 4th Guards Army of the 2nd Ukrainian Front joined forces with the 52nd Army fighting on a bridgehead in the area of ​​Cherkassy.

Continuing to pursue the remnants of the defeated enemy units retreating from the city of Cherkassy in the southern and southwestern directions, the 52nd Army of K. A. Koroteev by the end of December 15 reached the Budishche line, the eastern outskirts of Bol. Staroselye, the northern bank of the Irdyn swamp, the northern outskirts of Belozerye, Stepanka and further along the left bank of the river. Tyasmin to Khudoleevka (28 km southeast of Cherkassy). An attempt by our troops to cross the Irdyn swamp and the river. Tyasmin and taking possession of the city of Smela was not crowned with success. The enemy, taking advantage of the delay of the main forces of the 52nd Army in the Cherkassy region, managed to strengthen its troops in the Smela area, firmly strengthen this direction and repel all attacks of the advanced units of the army, which cleared only Belozerye and Basy of the enemy.

December 16, 1943. 908th day of the war

Gorodok operation. On December 16, the 1st Tank Corps reached the Bychikha station area, where it linked up with the 5th Tank Corps of the 4th Shock Army. Units of 4 enemy infantry divisions were surrounded.

December 17, 1943. 909th day of the war

Gorodok operation. In difficult weather and terrain conditions, with an acute shortage of ammunition, Soviet troops managed to encircle and basically destroy enemy troops in the inter-lake region south of Nevel, to capture a very operationally important area, which could serve as a springboard for a rush to Gorodok and Vitebsk, since the troops of adjacent flanks The 11th Guards and 4th Shock Armies took up an overhanging position in relation to the enemy formations defending on the northeastern approaches to Gorodok. The five-day offensive led to the clearing of the enemy from the entire perimeter of the eastern, northern and western fronts of the Gorodok ledge. The throat of the breakthrough of Soviet troops south of Nevel expanded to 40 kilometers.

December 18, 1943. 910th day of the war

December 19, 1943. 911th day of war

December 20, 1943. 912th day of the war

Gorodok operation. On the morning of December 20, the 11th Guards, 4th Shock and 43rd armies continued the offensive. The main burden of solving the task of capturing Gorodok fell on the 11th Guards Army. The town is surrounded on three sides by water barriers. The lakes and rivers were covered with ice, but it was very difficult to overcome the open ice space, over which the coastal heights dominated. A powerful defensive system was created around the Town, which included four lines, of which the last one, which ran along the outskirts of the city, was especially difficult to break through. The enemy, relying on the prepared line, offered fierce resistance.

Nizhny Dnieper strategic offensive operation. The Lower Dnieper strategic offensive operation, which took place from September 26 to December 20, 1943, ended. Troops of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Ukrainian Fronts completed the liberation of Left Bank Ukraine in the lower reaches of the Dnieper, blocked the Crimean group of enemy troops from land and captured a bridgehead on the western bank of the Dnieper up to 400 km along the front and up to 100 km in depth, which then played a big role in the liberation of Right Bank Ukraine.

The duration of the operation was 86 days. The width of the combat front is 750-800 km. The depth of advance of Soviet troops is 100-300 km. Average daily rate of advance: rifle formations - 2 - 4 km, tank and mechanized - 5 -10 km. The number of troops at the beginning of the operation was 1,506,400 people. Human losses in the operation: irretrievable - 173,201 people (11.5%), sanitary - 581,191 people, total - 754,392 people, average daily - 8,772 people.

December 21, 1943. 913th day of the war

Gorodok operation. During two days of fierce battles, the 11th Guards Army of K. N. Galitsky advanced 35 kilometers on the left flank and in the center, breaking through two defensive lines; on the right flank, the advance was 15 kilometers. Nevertheless, Gorodok was not taken, and the plan to encircle the main enemy forces defending on its outskirts was in danger of being disrupted. The enemy skillfully maneuvered and stubbornly resisted. The matter was also complicated by the need to withdraw the 1st Tank Corps from the battle. Unfortunately, shortcomings in troop management also emerged.

December 22, 1943. 914th day of the war

Kyiv defensive operation (1943). The Kiev defensive operation, which took place from November 13 to December 22, 1943, ended. As a result of 40-day defensive battles, the troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front retreated 35-40 km in the Kiev direction, at the same time bleeding the strike group of German troops, preventing the enemy from breaking through to Kyiv from the southwest and restoring defenses on the Dnieper. Soviet troops stabilized the front at the line east of Chernyakhov, Radomyshl, Stavishch, Yurovka (see map - Kiev offensive and defensive operations of 1943 (112 KB)).

The number of troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front at the beginning of the operation was 730,000 people. Human losses in the operation: irretrievable - 26,443 people (3.6%), sanitary - 61,030 people, total - 87,473 people, average daily - 2,187 people.

December 23, 1943. 915th day of the war

Gorodok operation. On December 23 at 11 o'clock artillery preparation began before the assault on Gorodok. After an hour-long artillery bombardment of the enemy defense, the 11th Guards Army of K. N. Galitsky and the 43rd Army of K. D. Golubev went on the offensive. The attacking units broke into the fortifications of the enemy's third defensive line in several key directions, and then everywhere. Fierce hand-to-hand fighting broke out in the trenches and communication passages.

December 24, 1943. 916th day of the war

Gorodok operation. At about two o'clock in the morning on December 24, the signal was given to storm the Town. The 83rd and 26th Guards divisions attacked from the west, and the 11th Guards attacked from the east. The enemy put up stubborn resistance on both directions, opening heavy fire on the squares and organizing counterattacks using tanks and self-propelled guns. Then N. L. Soldatov’s 5th Guards Division was sent to storm the city from the north. Having crossed the river bed on ice, they broke into the northern outskirts of the city.

The enemy had to withdraw part of the forces from the eastern front of the city perimeter. This allowed the 11th Guards Division of A.I. Maksimov to break through to the southeastern outskirts of the city. On the western approaches to the city, the 10th Tank Brigade of A. O. Burlyga and the 83rd Guards Division of Ya. S. Vorobyov reached the station. The last knot of resistance in the city center was taken with the help of artillery and mortar fire and a tank landing. On the evening of December 24, Moscow saluted the troops of the 1st Baltic Front who liberated Gorodok.

Artillery preparation began 15 minutes ahead of schedule with a random salvo of one rocket launcher, supported by other vehicles and artillery fire along the entire offensive zone of the 1st Ukrainian Front. The investigation of what happened by the head of counterintelligence and the front prosecutor, which began that same morning on the orders of G.K. Zhukov, showed that the artillery preparation was not disrupted. It only started ahead of schedule, but was carried out according to the planned schedule. Since the infantry and tanks were ready to go on the offensive and were in their original positions, they were given the command to go on the attack 15 minutes earlier than planned at the 51st minute of artillery preparation.

As a result of artillery and aviation preparation, the enemy's fire system at the front line and in the immediate depths was suppressed, and the bulk of the fire weapons were destroyed. The attacking units moved forward without encountering serious resistance, at a pace of 2-3 km per hour. Only in the afternoon at the line Brusilov, Solovyovka, Turbovka, the enemy tried to organize a defense. Having created separate pockets of resistance there, he launched counterattacks with up to an infantry battalion with 8-10 tanks. In the Solovyovka area alone, up to 30 tanks took part in the enemy counterattack.

The enemy's tactical defense zone in the 38th Army zone was broken through 20 km along the front and up to 12 km in depth. The 1st Guards Army of A. A. Grechko and the 18th Army of K. N. Leselidze achieved the same successes. At 14.00, the 3rd Guards Tank Army of P. S. Rybalko and the 1st Tank Army of M. E. Katukov were introduced into the breakthrough. Due to the short December day, some tasks could not be completed to completion. The attackers only managed to approach the intended line. Brusilov and the forest to the south were not cleared of the enemy. Solovyovka was only partially occupied. With the onset of darkness, the troops consolidated on the achieved lines, and part of the forces continued to carry out the task of the day. At 1 hour 30 minutes Brusilov was liberated from the enemy, and after him the rest of the village of Solovyovka.

December 25, 1943. 917th day of the war

Gorodok operation. After the loss of Gorodok, on the night of December 25, the enemy began to withdraw his 3rd and 4th airfield divisions and the 6th Army Corps to a previously prepared line covering Vitebsk.

December 26, 1943. 918th day of war

December 27, 1943. 919th day of the war

December 28, 1943. 920th day of war

December 29, 1943. 921st day of war

December 30, 1943. 922nd day of war

December 31, 1943. 923rd day of the war

Gorodok operation. By the end of December 31, Soviet troops reached a defensive line northwest of Vitebsk, prepared in advance by the enemy, where they went on the defensive. The Gorodok operation, which took place from December 13 to December 31, 1943, ended. The troops of the 1st Baltic Front broke through five enemy defensive lines, defeated 6 enemy infantry and 1 tank divisions, occupied an area up to 170 kilometers along the front and up to 60 kilometers in depth, liberated 2,623 settlements, eliminated the Gorodok ledge, and created conditions for an attack on Vitebsk direction.

During the operation, Soviet troops took an overhanging position in relation to the northern flank of Army Group Center and disrupted its flank connection with Army Group North. The enemy was forced to begin the withdrawal of the 16th Army of Army Group North from Nevel, which lasted from December 30, 1943 to January 8, 1944. This made it possible for the 2nd Baltic Front to advance. Already by January 4, his troops reached the line Novosokolniki, Loshkovo, Lake Uscho, having traveled 30-40 kilometers without a fight.

The Nevelsko-Gorodok offensive operation of the troops of the 1st Baltic Front, which took place from October 6 to December 31, 1943, ended. The number of troops of the 1st Baltic Front at the beginning of the operation was 1,980,000 people. Human losses in the operation: irretrievable - 43,551 people (2.2%), sanitary - 125,351 people, total - 168,902 people, average daily - 1,941 people.

Zhitomir-Berdichev operation. The 13th and 60th armies continued to advance north of Zhitomir, whose mobile units blocked Novograd-Volynsky and cut off the escape route from Zhitomir to the west. The enemy was forced to withdraw his troops to the southwest. On December 31, Zhitomir was liberated by the troops of the 1st Guards and 18th armies.

Along the entire front of the 38th Army, the enemy fought holding defensive battles. The enemy offered strong resistance on the right flank of the army at the Komsomolskoye-Turbov line, where the divisions of F.E. Sheverdin's 74th Rifle Corps continued to slowly move forward. In the center and especially on the left flank, the enemy offered weak resistance and retreated towards Vinnitsa and to the south.

The right flank of the 40th Army, advancing in the Uman direction, also successfully advanced south. The fighting took place 50 km south of Belaya Tserkov in the area of ​​​​the settlements of Cherepin and Strizhevka. The left flank units of the 40th Army fought for Bila Tserkva. They engulfed the city on three sides, leaving only the roads to the east free.

Sovinformburo. During December 31, west of NEVEL, our troops fought offensive battles, during which they occupied more than 60 settlements, including ASTRILOV, ALYABLEVO, MISHOVO, BALAKIREVA, MOSEEVO, VELIKOE SELO, POGREBISHCHE, GORODISHCHE, SHCHERBAKI, DEMESHKINO, KOPACHEVO.

In the VITEBSK direction, our troops fought offensive battles, as a result of which they knocked out the enemy from several heavily fortified strongholds of his defense and cut the VITEBSK-ORSHA highway.

The troops of the 1st UKRAINIAN Front, as a result of a bold maneuver and a decisive assault, captured the regional center of Ukraine, the city and railway junction of ZHYTOMYR, and also occupied more than 150 settlements with battles, including the regional center of the Vinnitsa region, the city of POGREBISHCHE, large settlements of LUGINKI, KRASNOSTAVYE, KOLTSKYE, OSTAPS, RADHOSCHA, BONDAREVKA, USCHITSA, SUSHKI, OLD BUDA, VACLAVPOL, KOLODIEVKA, VYSHPOL, VERESY, SANDS, VERTOKIEVKA, KODNIA, SKAKOVKA, BIZHIKA NIZGURTSY, ZHURBINTSY, STAROSTYNTSY, NOVOFASTOV, SHALIEVKA, SHAMRAEVKA, POLOGY, TROSTYANSKAYA NOVOSELITSA, STEPANOVNA and railway stations LUGINY, EMELYANOVKA, PRYAZHEVO, KODNYA, MAKHARINTSY, RASTOVITSA, ZARUDINTSY, RZHEVUSSKAYA.

Chronicle of the Great Patriotic War/March 1943

Chronicle of the Great Patriotic War 1941: June · July · August · September · October · November · December · 1942: January · February · March … Wikipedia

Chronicle of the Great Patriotic War 1941: June · July · August · September · October · November · December · 1942: January · February · March … Wikipedia

From North to South.

Karelian Front, 7 Separate Army - no changes

Leningrad Front, Volkhov Front, 2nd Baltic Front - no changes. Preparations are underway for the January offensive.

Blockade day after day
DECEMBER 3, Friday
More than 140 heavy shells hit the city today.
One of these one hundred and forty exploded at 15:35 not far from Nevsky Prospekt, near Palace Square. It exploded when it hit a tram. 50 people were killed, 25 wounded. One of the wounded, a 3rd grade student at school No. 79, Valya Galyshev, wrote from the hospital to his father at the front: “On December 3, I was traveling from school on tram No. 12. They announced shelling of the area, the tram stopped, everyone began to get out of the car. At this time a shell hit nearby, then a second one hit, everyone fell... My ears began to ring. Then I felt something warm in my right leg and saw blood. Then an ambulance arrived and took me to the hospital.
Dad and the fighters! Avenge me and the other guys..."
In addition to Vali Galyshev, 104 people were wounded in the city that day. 69 died.

1st Baltic Front.
On December 13, 1943, an offensive operation began by the troops of the right wing of the 1st Baltic Front of the Red Army with the aim of eliminating the Gorodok ledge, which formed at the final stage of the Nevelsk operation. The ledge was defended by 8 German infantry and airfield divisions, 1 tank division and a number of individual units of the 3rd Tank Army of Army Group Center. The plan of the Soviet command was to defeat the Gorodok group of fascists with counter strikes of the 11th Guards and 4th Shock Armies of the Front (General I. Bagramyan) in the direction of Bychikha station, capture the city of Gorodok and advance on Vitebsk.

Western Front.

Supreme Command Headquarters DIRECTIVE No. 30256 TO THE COMMANDER OF THE TROOPS OF THE WESTERN FRONT, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE HEADQUARTERS TO TRANSFER THE DIRECTION OF THE MAIN IMPACT
December 3, 1943 00 h 50 min

1. Stop the offensive of the right wing of the front after receiving this.
2. Leave no more than 10-12 divisions at the Dobromysl and Baevo front.
By December 15, regroup 18-20 divisions with the main means of reinforcement in the area of ​​Velikoye Selo, Dobromysl, Liozno. Regroup to be done secretly from the enemy. In the Dobromysl-Baevo sector, continue intensified reconnaissance and make extensive use of mock-ups of tanks and guns.
3. Reinforce the 10th Army by 10.12 with four or five infantry divisions and continue the offensive in the Mogilev direction in cooperation with the right wing of the Belarusian Front.
4. Report the orders given.

Headquarters of the Supreme High Command I. STALIN A. ANTONOV

Belorussian Front

After the liberation of Gomel, parts of the front slowly advanced between the Sozh and Dnieper rivers in a northwestern direction.

1st Ukrainian Front.
On December 6, in the Chernyakhov area, the enemy broke through the front and marched more than 70 km. went to the Korosten-Kyiv railway line. By December 15, he had eliminated bridgeheads on the western bank of the Teterev River. Fierce fighting took place in the Malin area. According to German data, Soviet losses amounted to 6,000 killed and captured.

it is worth noting:
December 1 - air raid on Apostolovo station. 2 trains destroyed
December 2 - the village of Bandurovka was liberated. 27 tanks and 25 armored personnel carriers captured
December 3 - Novo-Georgievsk was liberated. 12 tanks captured.
December 4 - air raid on Znamenka station. 50 wagons with ammunition, 20 tanks with fuel, MZA battery were destroyed (data collected after the liberation of Znamenka)
December 7 - 2 tanks captured
December 8 - New Prague liberated, 5 self-propelled guns captured
On December 9, Soviet troops captured the city of Znamenka. In the city, 94 tanks and armored vehicles, 52 armored personnel carriers, 684 cars, 420 motorcycles and bicycles, 152 guns, 120 mortars, 373 machine guns, 22 warehouses were captured
December 15 - 2 tanks were captured in the Kirovograd direction. German BEPO destroyed

In total, the enemy left at least 142 tanks and self-propelled guns on the battlefield

Separate Maritime Army

Litvin G.A., Smirnov E.I. Liberation of Crimea

In the afternoon of December 6, the enemy managed to break through the defenses on the southern outskirts of Eltigen. Gladkov sent a telegram to General Petrov: “The enemy captured half of Eltigen. Some of the wounded were captured. At 16.00 I decide to launch a counterattack with my last forces. If we remain alive at 22.00 I will carry out your 05". (Order 05 - about the breakthrough to Cape Ak-Burun - author's note).
The pilots always supported the combat operations of the paratroopers. On December 8, in 25 air battles, they shot down 22 enemy aircraft. The losses of the 4th Air Army amounted to 7 aircraft.

Let's look again at the events from the other side of the front: December 6, 1943.
Russian counterattacks on Eltigen. They are supported by aviation and artillery. Partisans operate northwest of Bagerovo. 226 prisoners were captured. Of these, six are officers. 16 enemy aircraft were shot down by fighters and eight by anti-aircraft gunners.

At 22:00 on December 6, the paratroopers made a breakthrough. The breakthrough group included the 1339th Infantry Regiment (in front - the 2nd Battalion of Captain P.K. Zhukov) and the 386th Separate Marine Battalion. The cover group on the left was the 1337th Infantry Regiment, on the right - the 1331st. The medical battalion and about 200 wounded were located in the center of the battle formation. Many seriously wounded could not break through. They asked for weapons and ammunition to cover their comrades.
Colonel Gladkov's group of up to 2,000 people crushed the enemy with an unexpected and swift attack. Along the marshy northern shore of Lake Cherubashskoye, the paratroopers broke out of encirclement and went behind enemy lines. After a 25-kilometer night march, tired, battle-weary, with very little ammunition left, they attacked Mount Mithridates (height 91.4 m), where the enemy’s artillery observation posts were located.

clandestine sabotage activities behind enemy lines

On December 7, Ivanovsky, burgomaster of Minsk, chairman of the Belarusian Rada of Trust, was liquidated

the most active partisan actions took place in the Leningrad region

On the European theater of operations

On the night of 2–3 December 1943, the Royal Air Force carried out its fifth raid on Berlin. 401 bombers dropped their 1,686 tons of bombs on the capital of the Reich. 40 planes were shot down.
The destruction of Berlin as well as Hamburg was the main ambition of Marshal Harris, but for some reason he did not take into account that the city was very heavily defended and was beyond the reach of the Oboe system.
In five planned and executed raids on Berlin, in which a total of 2,212 British aircraft took part, 8,656 tons of bombs were dropped. Among the civilian population, 2,700 were killed, an estimated quarter of a million people were left homeless, and almost 70,000 apartments were reduced to rubble. 123 British bombers were shot down.

On the evening of December 2, 1943, 96 German bombers took off from Milan to attack Bari, an important port city of 250,000 on the Adriatic Sea, east of Naples.
Lieutenant Ziegler: “In the evening, together with two other vehicles, we took off as gunners and markers. Our Junkers 88 was fully loaded with jamming strips and flare bombs. It was already dark when we crossed the coast south of Ravenna. We needed to approach the target from the Adriatic, so we climbed to 7000 meters and, to our surprise, found that the harbor of Bari was illuminated, as in the most peaceful times. We started throwing out interference strips and, since the harbor was all on fire, we decided to save on flare bombs.”
That evening, 30 Allied ships were finishing loading in the port of Bari, loading military materials and food. To speed up the work, all lights were turned on when darkness fell. After the leading German vehicles scattered foil to paralyze the work of the Allied radars, German bombers appeared almost unnoticed over Bari. And only after the first bombs began to explode in the port did the anti-aircraft guns open fire.
Not a single searchlight illuminated the sky during the attack, not a single balloon blocked the airspace above Bari, not a single Allied fighter appeared in the sky. Never before has a raid of this magnitude been carried out so smoothly and with absolutely no losses. After direct hits, two ships loaded with ammunition exploded. The explosion was so powerful that window panes in houses within a 12-kilometer radius were blown out. An oil pipeline in the port was damaged, which caught fire along with refueling ships and tankers, adding to the fires on previously affected ships. All this merged into one sea of ​​fire.
This raid, which lasted only 20 minutes, was one of the most successful of the entire war. Never again, with the exception of Pearl Harbor, have so many ships been sunk by one blow. More than 1,000 sailors and port security personnel were killed. Weeks passed before the harbor was able to resume operations. This was one side of the tragedy. The second was revealed decades after the war. When the bombing began, the SS John Harvey was moored at the pier, and 17 other ships were either at the pier or at anchor. They were loaded not only with weapons and ammunition, but also with heavy mustard gas, 100 tons in bombs, each weighing 45.5 kilograms, which was an extremely dangerous chemical warfare agent prohibited for use by international law. The Allies wanted it in their arsenal in the Italian theater of war "just in case."
At the very beginning of the raid, the SS John Harvey received a direct hit and sank with its crew. And although the gas bombs were without fuses, many of them cracked, and the dangerous war material began to spread throughout the port. The gas spreading over the surface of the water, most of which, fortunately, went into the open sea, began to pose a mortal danger to those who survived the raid but were still in the water. Many of the sailors and soldiers were pulled ashore from the gas-contaminated waters, but none of those rescued or rescuers knew anything about mustard gas. The naval command of the port knew what cargo was on board the SS John Harvey, but in the chaos of the bombing and fire, no one remembered it. Some of the survivors later recalled that they smelled “the smell of garlic,” but no one paid any attention to this. And in overcrowded hospitals, no one took care of people who were stained with oil but not injured. They were simply distributed to apartments in their own wet and gas-soaked clothes. And within two hours the first complaints began to arrive. People talked about the unbearable pain in their eyes, as if sand had gotten into them. It was only 12 hours later that the port authority discovered some gas bombs and finally began to think about the cargo of the SS John Harvey. Hospitals were immediately informed that some of those rescued may have come into contact with mustard gas. And 18 hours after the bombing, the first cases of death from gas poisoning were reported. In total, 617 people were counted gassed, of whom 83 died. The latter died a month after the accident. If rescue teams and doctors had been aware of the nature of the cargo and taken appropriate measures, many deaths could have been avoided.
The case of the Bicester ship was also strictly classified. He was not injured during the raid and, taking 30 people on board, at the direction of the port authorities, went to Taranto. After 4 hours, in the open sea, the entire crew collapsed from unbearable pain in their eyes. When the Bicester finally reached Taranto 18 hours after the raid, the almost completely blind crew managed to moor the ship with great difficulty.
The bombing of the port of Bari and the destruction of all materiel, ammunition and food a few weeks before the Allied landings at Anzio and Nettuno, which was supposed to open the way to Rome, stopped their advance for a long time.

Pacific Theater of Operations - without changes

December 4 - photo from the American aircraft carrier Yorktown