Tigers to the Front ETO (id:#63839)

(WASLC's Rally Point! # 4.3 ID: RP17)   [next]   [previous]

North of Smerdyna, Russia 1943-02-11 (4 others)

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Overview:

The morning of 10 February 1943 dawned. It was still not yet light when the Russian artillery fire began to fall on the German positions near Krasny Bor and north of Smerdyna. The Soviets launched a pincer attack from the area south of the Pogostye pocket in the east and the Kolpino-Krasny Bor area in the west in an effort to capture Mga and the Kirov rail line. The Russians penetrated three kilometers into the German lines. They captured Krasny Bor but were halted at the Ishora River. The Spanish “Blue Division’s” Fusilier Battalion lost 90 percent of its effectiveness. Nevertheless it held on until a counterattack by the 212th Infantry Division under Generalmajor Reyman threw back the Soviet forces. On 11 February, the 1st Company, 502nd Heavy Panzer Battalion launched a counterattack with the 27th SS-Freiwilligen Grenadier Division. The small force of Tigers, whose mission was to drive the Soviets out of the former positions of the Blue Division, moved off again. Suddenly enemy tanks appeared. Within seconds, Oberfeldwebel Hans Bolter counted ten, approaching from the snow covered woods to the right. The shells fired by the Tigers smashed into the wave of attacking Soviet tanks in rapid succession. . .

Defender: Russian (42nd Soviet Army)  

Errata (source)