On July 6, 1941, the formation of the 50th and 53rd cavalry divisions.

The 50th Cavalry Division was formed in the city of Armavir, Krasnodar Territory, Colonel Issa Alexandrovich Pliev was appointed commander of the division.

The 53rd cavalry division was formed in the city of Stavropol, brigade commander Kondrat Semenovich Melnik was appointed commander

The Kuban villages - Prochnookopskaya, Labinskaya, Kurgannaya, Sovetskaya, Voznesenskaya, Otradnaya, the huge villages of the collective farm Stavropol region - Trunovskoye, Izobilnoye, Ust-Dzhegutinskoye, Novo-Mikhailovskoye, Troitskoye - sent their best sons to the cavalry divisions.

Not only those who received mobilization summons went to the cavalry, not only soldiers, sergeants and reserve officers. In these July days, forever remembered by the Soviet people, hundreds of applications were submitted to commanders, regiments and district military commissars from citizens of non-conscription age with a request to accept them as volunteers in the ranks of the Soviet cavalry. Nikolai Chebotarev, a young Stakhanovite cutter from the Armavir garment factory, wrote in his statement: “I ask you to enroll me as a fighter in your regiment. I want to fulfill my duty to the Motherland, the duty of a member of the Komsomol and a citizen of our great Motherland. I will defend the Soviet land from fascist bandits until my last breath. A participant in the First World War and the Civil War, fifty-year-old Pavel Stepanovich Zhukov, who served in the Beloglinsky regiment of the First Cavalry Army, submitted a statement to the district military commissar: “I am ready to saddle a war horse. I decided to volunteer, I ask you to send me to the regiment.”

A group of former Red Guards and Red Partisans of Stavropol applied for admission to the army and called on "all former Red Guards and Red Guards of the Stavropol region to stand up for our socialist Motherland, to help our valiant Red Army destroy the Nazi hordes that encroached on our sacred land."

Pliev I.A. Melnik I.S.

The camps in the village of Urupskaya and near Stavropol came to life. Under mighty oaks and century-old poplars, Don and Kabardian horses, carefully bred on horse-breeding collective farms, stretched out in long rows on field hitching posts. Dozens of blacksmiths worked day and night, shoeing and reforging young horses. In the barracks and in the tents, at the camp lines and in the clubs, in the canteens and in the warehouses, the colorfully dressed mass of people roared and shimmered with thousands of voices. They left the sanitary checkpoints and showers - already in military uniform- platoons and squadrons. People received weapons, equipment, horses, took an oath of allegiance to the Motherland - they became soldiers.

Senior officers were sent from regular cavalry units, from academies and schools. The bulk of junior officers, almost all political workers, as well as the entire sergeant and enlisted personnel came from the reserve. Yesterday's engineers and milling workers, teachers and head teachers, instructors of district committees and party organizers of collective farms, combine operators and tractor drivers, agronomists and quality inspectors became squadron and platoon commanders, political instructors, artillerymen, machine gunners, cavalrymen, snipers, sappers, signalmen, and riders.

On July 13, the newly formed cavalry divisions received an order from the commander of the North Caucasian Military District: to load and follow into the army. There was no time for training and coordination of divisions, the Motherland was going through difficult days.

The camps were empty. Long columns of squadrons, artillery batteries, machine-gun carts stretched across the steppe. The tops of the Kubans, famously shifted on one side, were reddened. The wind, running up, slightly stirred the ends of the colored hoods thrown behind the backs.

The cavalry columns were drawn to the railway stations. Echelons set off one after another from Armavir and Stavropol, hurrying to where the battles raged.

At the Staraya Toropaya station, lost in the boundless forests between Rzhev and Velikiye Luki, on July 18, the unloading of the 50th Cavalry Division under the command of Colonel Pliev began.

Commissar of the 50th Cavalry Division

Ovchinnikov A.A.

The trains, one by one, stopped at the station. The soldiers led the stagnant horses out of the wagons, resounding the forest with a sonorous, joyful neighing, carried out saddles, weapons, equipment. Regimental guns and anti-tank guns, machine-gun carts and wagons covered with tarpaulin rolled off the platforms. The small station Staraya Toropa, probably, has never seen such a revival in all the time of its existence.

The harsh nature of the Smolensk region seemed to bloom with bright colors. Among the dark green pines and firs, under the white-trunked birch trees, the scarlet tops of the cubans and hoods flickered. Squadrons and batteries left, hiding in a pine forest. And the Cossack song frightened his age-old silence.

By evening, the last echelon arrived and unloaded, the entire division concentrated in the forest. Preparations for the march began. Scouts were sent to establish contact with the enemy and to communicate with their troops. Staff officers checked the readiness of regiments and squadrons for battle.

Early in the morning the order to march was received. The 37th Cavalry Regiment under the command of Colonel Vasily Golovsky was assigned to the vanguard. The division commander warned of a likely meeting with enemy motorized units, ordered to keep anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons in full combat readiness. The officers marked on the maps the tactical lines and the timing of their passage, the battle formation in case of meeting with large enemy forces.

The saddle horn sounded. Regiments quickly left their bivouacs, long marching columns stretched to the southwest.

The cavalry marched through dense forests, among peat bogs, past Lake Verezhuni, surrounded by thickets of such reeds that the rider freely hid in it. The division's path lay to the crossing over the Mezha River near the village of Zhaboyedovo. Accustomed to the expanses of the steppe, the cavalrymen were somehow uncomfortable in these forest jungles that stretched for hundreds of kilometers.

By the end of the next day, the division reached the northern bank of the Mezha River and stopped for a big halt in the forest.

According to the headquarters of the 29th Army, the advanced units of our rifle formations were to be located at the Kanat-Ordynka line. However, the patrols sent forward did not find their troops anywhere. Local residents said that large enemy forces were moving along the highways going from Dukhovshchina to Staraya Torop and Bely.

The division commander decided to organize a deep reconnaissance and set up an enemy grouping in battle on the southern coast of the Mezha. Captain Batluk and Senior Lieutenant Lyushchenko, who had already shown themselves to be energetic squadron commanders, were called to headquarters. Looking at the expanded map, Colonel Pliev set them a task.

Tonight, cross the Mezha River and quietly get close to Troitskoye. During the day, hide in the forest, watch the movement along the highways to Bely and Staraya Torop, and establish what kind of forces the enemy has, where they are going, are there tanks, how many of them? The officers made notes on their maps. Pliev looked at them, did not hurry, calmly helped when they were not particularly quickly oriented. - With the onset of darkness, surround the Trinity outposts with machine guns; reconnoiter the places of outposts and the approach to these places in advance. An hour before dawn, make a short artillery raid on the village and attack swiftly, like a Cossack, so that not a single Nazi leaves. Be sure to capture prisoners, documents and immediately deliver to me!

On the night of July 22, both squadrons crossed to South coast Borders. The horsemen went to Troitsky along the forest paths and hid in a pine forest a kilometer from the forest occupied by the enemy unit. Little sidings scattered through the forest; they were ordered to follow the movements of the enemy and to seize prisoners without noise.

The first to meet the enemy were the scouts of senior sergeant Georgy Krivorotko, a Komsomol member from the village of Voznesenskaya. The siding came out onto one of the roads, which turned in a dense forest from the highway to the crossing. The cavalrymen dismounted, left their horses behind the trees, crawled up to the road. Ten paces away from them, from time to time, large gray trucks passed, crowded with soldiers, who loudly shouted, laughed, played harmonicas, sang some songs. The scouts tried to fire on the enemy from an ambush, but the senior sergeant categorically cut him off:

No noise, lads, I do not allow ...

Krivorotko, firmly remembering the captain's order to seize the "tongue", that is, a living enemy, thought to himself: "How can that devil Hitler's spymati, secretly still not making noise? .. Why not a dud!"

But I figured it out. He collected several rawhide chumburas, tied them into a long and strong lasso, attached one end of the lasso at a height of about a meter to a pine tree growing near the road, and freely lowered the other end across the road and sprinkled needles on top. He himself hid behind a tree on the other side of the road and, grabbing the noose at the free end of the lasso, began to wait. Corporal Zakhar Fedorov and two soldiers received an order: “I’m like a gook, grab that devil’s tongue by the scruff of the neck and knit it without a peep!”

A quarter of an hour has passed. Private Nikolai Savin, sitting on a tree, cuckooed the cuckoo once - a conventional sign that one Nazi was coming. The rumble of a motor was heard rapidly approaching. The scouts crouched, ready to jump. Krivorotko, tensing his muscles, rested his feet on the trunk of a tree.

A motorcyclist appeared from behind the pines. A face covered with gray dust in huge glasses flashed, an unfamiliar to the eye short uniform of a gray-greenish color. The motorcycle was rapidly approaching the ambush. Krivorotko pulled the noose with a jerk. The lasso rose in front of the motorcyclist's chest. The Nazi, not having time to slow down, from full speed ran into an elastic, like a string, belt, flew out of the saddle and stretched out on the road.

The scouts fell on the stunned motorcyclist, twisted his arms with chainslides, prudently wrapped his hood around his mouth. In less than three minutes, the Nazis, bound hand and foot, were thrown across the saddle, jumped on horses. Krivorotko ordered:

Gallop!..

Before the enemy soldier could recover, the riders rushed him to a forest clearing, where saddled horses stood, cavalrymen sat and lay.

The prisoner was sent to headquarters. There they read the order of the 6th Infantry Division, captured in his field bag, which contained a lot of valuable information about the enemy grouping on the southern bank of the Mezha River.

Twilight came on quickly. Impenetrable darkness enveloped the forest, the noise of motors was no longer heard from the highways.

Outposts moved to their places along the explored paths. Not a sound, not a rustle!.. The needles, which covered the ground and roads with a thick layer, concealed both the cautious tread of horses and the light movement of machine-gun carts.

At precisely three o'clock Captain Batluk raised his signal pistol. High in the sky, a red rocket caught fire, slowly burning down, went out over the silent village, illuminating its indistinct outlines.

Immediately, regimental guns opened fire from the edge of the forest. A few seconds later, a flash broke out in Troitskoye. several purple-red breaks. The guns fired continuously. The echo boomed through the awakened forest.

Panic broke out in the village. Motors whirred. The blinding lights of car headlights flashed.

The artillery bombardment stopped as suddenly as it had begun. On the outskirts of the village, gunfire ensued. But now, drowning out everything, from three sides there was heard some especially formidable in the darkness of this July night, growing with every second "Hurrah!" I heard a fast approaching horse stomp...

Kozaken! .. Kozaken! .. - the Nazis shouted in horror.

Riders raced down the village street. Blades gleamed dully. The night fight began. Shouts, groans of the wounded, shots, bursts of machine guns, neighing of horses, and above all this - an incessant, for a moment, drawn out “Hurrah!”

From the roads leading out of Troitsky, there was shooting, machine guns rattled rhythmically - the outposts shot the fleeing Nazis.

Soon everything was quiet. In the east it was getting light fast. A serene, quiet morning rose over the expanses of the forest. Dismounted cavalry pulled out of the cellars and basements, from the attics and from the sheds of the half-dressed Nazis who had hidden there. From time to time a short firefight broke out: some did not want to surrender ...

The 8th company of the 58th Infantry Regiment, stationed in Troitskoye, was almost completely destroyed. More than a hundred enemy corpses were counted on the street and in the yards, many of them lay around the location of the outposts. A German lieutenant and seventeen soldiers dejectedly wandered along the road, surrounded by cavalrymen. Three dozen machine guns were captured, which the soldiers willingly dismantled. Eight light machine guns, six mortars, bags with maps and documents taken from prisoners made up the trophies of the reconnaissance detachment.

The squadrons crossed the Mezha River and pulled through the forest to the location of the division. They walked merrily; the soldiers, excited by the successful night battle, were animatedly sharing their impressions.

53rd Cavalry Division Crossed the Mezha River dark night, east of the village of Kolenidovo. The lead detachment of the 50th Cavalry Regiment left the forest at dawn. Ahead, on either side of the road, lay a small village.

The edge of the slowly rising sun floated out from behind the trees. Its slanting rays illuminated the tops of the pines, glided across the glade, lit the dew on the grass with thousands of sparkling diamonds, gilded the distant roofs of the houses.

Breaking the morning silence, shots rained down from the outskirts, machine-gun bursts crackled. The head outpost dismounted, got involved in a firefight. Senior Lieutenant Kurbangulov deployed a squadron to support the outpost. The machine guns taken from the carts fired, the cannon fired.

The regiment commander jumped up. Having ordered the squadron to advance along the road, and the battery to support it with fire, he himself led the main forces around the right. Hiding behind the trees, three squadrons crept almost to the outskirts.

Driving forward, Colonel Semyon Timochkin saw an enemy artillery battery. The guns stood only half a kilometer away, still covered with haystacks, and fired at the stale chains of the fourth squadron. This was a rare case in modern warfare: the gunners were carried away by shooting and did not notice the cavalry, which had come out almost to the flank of the battery.

The decision came instantly: “attack in the cavalry!” The colonel ordered Major Sergei Aristov to deploy a regiment for an attack, and a machine-gun squadron to support the attack with fire from carts from behind the flank. Squadrons quickly lined up at the edge, to the left, carts galloped out, turning towards the village. The carriers jumped off their saddles and grabbed the indigenous horses by the bridle.

It was quiet at the edge of the forest. With greedy, restless eyes, the cavalry peered ahead, trying to see the enemy that was not yet visible. His hands fiddled nervously with the reins.

The squadron commanders did not take their eyes off the colonel. He sat motionless on his black horse, looking through binoculars. Suddenly, quickly releasing the binoculars from his hands, he pulled out a curved Caucasian blade from its scabbard and raised it above his head. Commands were heard all at once:

Checkers, to battle! .. Attack, march-ma-a-arsh! ..

Machine guns fired. The riders rushed to the battery. Black clods of earth flew from under the hooves, the distance to the guns was rapidly decreasing. A German officer was shouting something, pointing his parabellum right into the faces of the gunners. With a lingering "hooray!" horsemen flew into the battery, cut down the Nazis, fired, trampled on horses. Some of the gunners started to run. Others stood motionless with their hands raised. Leaving a few soldiers at the captured guns, the regimental commander led the squadrons further towards the village.

The shooting stopped immediately. On the road, along the roadsides, along the forest, enemy infantrymen ran, often stopping and firing back. Near the village, the squadrons came under fire and began to dismount. Near the outskirts, among the haystacks, there were four howitzers with the Rheinmetall. 1940". Mountains of shells in wicker baskets were stacked near the guns, heaps of spent cartridges were piled up, corpses were lying around. Gloomily stood, surrounded by cavalry, sixteen captured artillerymen.

The main forces were moving towards the village. Having familiarized himself with the situation, the division commander, brigade commander Melnik, ordered the vanguard to advance along the highway. The approaching 44th and 74th cavalry regiments turned right and left, hiding in the forest. They were tasked with bypassing the village and destroying the enemy defending there.

Major Radzievsky interrogated the prisoners. He was answered by a non-commissioned officer with an iron cross on board his uniform. When Melnik appeared, the Nazis respectfully stretched out.

Anything interesting, Alexei Ivanovich? - Miller asked Radzievsky.

Nothing new, comrade brigade commander, - the chief of staff smiled. - Only now the non-commissioned officer is crucifying that he is an old ideological opponent of Hitler, sympathizes with the communists.

The chief of staff translated. The Nazi threw his hand up to the visor and gave a command. Artillerymen jumped to the guns, quickly deployed howitzers. The non-commissioned officer stood a little to the side, shouted something again. A binocular appeared in his hands from somewhere, he looked in the direction of Zhaboedov, turned halfway to the guns:

A volley struck. The gun barrels rolled back and then smoothly settled into place. fast, mechanical movements the Nazis reloaded the guns. Our soldiers looked at these soulless machine guns with a feeling of deep contempt.

On the outskirts of the village, where the enemy infantry energetically fired back from the advancing cavalrymen, four black pillars shot up. The non-commissioned officer looked up from the binoculars, looked ingratiatingly at the division commander, said in a pleased voice: “Ze-er gut ...” He gave a new command, and when the numbers changed the settings, he again shouted: “Fire! ..”

Howitzers roared again, shells from Rheinmetal guns flew. Four more grenades exploded among the Nazi infantrymen.

Fire!.. Fire!..

The howitzers roared again and again ... Unther positively liked the role of battery commander, which he could not even think of an hour ago. Whom to shoot at - he obviously did not bother at all; he professionally prided himself only on the accuracy of his fire.

The chains of the vanguard regiment came close to Zhaboyedovo. Enemy fire has noticeably weakened; obviously the German shells were doing their job. To the right and left, cavalry broke out of the forest. The wind blew "Hurrah!" The miller, looking up from the binoculars, threw: "Genug!" The howitzers fell silent. The Nazis, who had previously worked briskly, somehow immediately wilted, faded. The cavalry began to talk:

They beat their own - and at least something ...

Great Hitler fooled them! ..

In this battle, the battalion of the 18th German infantry regiment was defeated. The prisoners said that the 6th Infantry Division was given the task of advancing around our units defending at the turn of the Vop River, and that the appearance of the cavalry was a complete surprise to them.

The 50th Cavalry Division approached the Mezha River near the village of Ordynka, where the scouts found a ford.

At this time, senior sergeant Korzun's patrol was making its way in the direction of Troitsky. The scouts rode in single file, somewhat to the side of the road, hiding behind the trees.

Korzun - an elderly, stout man with a thick mustache and the Order of the Red Banner on his tunic - did not take his eyes off the head patrol carefully moving ahead. The watch was led by his fellow countryman, friend and brother-soldier in the Civil War, Corporal Yakovchuk. Here Yakovchuk pulled the reins, stopped the sentinels, quickly raised his rifle over his head - a conventional sign that he had noticed the enemy. There was the rumble of motorcycles.

Reason to the right! .. - Korzun said hoarsely.

The scouts hid behind the pines.

To foot combat, all get down! Korzun continued to command. - Statsyuk, Kochura, Trofimenko - remain horse breeders! The rest, follow me, - and ran to the road, jerking the shutter on the go. All six lay down in a roadside ditch. The head watch was no longer visible.

The crackle of engines was heard very close. From the side, as if emerging from somewhere, five motorcyclists appeared. They had machine guns on their chests. Shots crackled. The scouts, firing on the run, rushed to the road. Not a single Nazi managed to escape: three lay motionless near the cars that continued to rumble, two were taken alive. They furiously fought back from the hefty cavalry who had mounted on them, and - already disarmed - continued to shout something, eyes flashing angrily. One of them dangled from his waist belt two motley hens, tied by their paws, with their heads down.

Korzun came close to the prisoners, looked sternly at them, pulling his blade half out of its scabbard, and impressively said:

Well, sha, chicken eaters! ..

The Nazis calmed down, subdued.

The vanguard 47th Cavalry Regiment crossed the river from the move and continued to march.

The cavalry columns moved along the forest road with a frisky gait. In the head outpost there was a platoon under the command of Lieutenant Tkachenko. The outpost had not passed even five kilometers from the crossing, as the patrols reported that the enemy had appeared.

Tkachenko ordered his assistant to lead the platoon, while he himself gave spurs to his horse and galloped out onto a high-rise that stood to the side, overgrown with young spruce. Half a kilometer ahead, along the edge of the forest, an infantry column was dusting, about about a company. The lieutenant looked ahead and at the flanks of the column, but did not notice either the outpost, or the lookouts, or the observers. The Nazis walked in even rows, slowly, with their sleeves rolled up to the elbows and the collars of their uniforms widely unbuttoned.

Here, bastards, how they go to a picnic! Tkachenko said aloud. Turning in the saddle, he shouted: - Osipchuk!

The young soldier drove up to the platoon leader. Tkachenko ordered:

Gallop to the senior lieutenant! Report that an enemy company is advancing along the road. I turn right with the outpost, go around the forest and fire on the Nazis from the flank.

Osipchuk descended from the high-rise, pulled out the bay with a whip, and immediately let him into the quarry. Dust swirled from under the hooves. The outpost disappeared behind the trees. After walking through the forest about a hundred and fifty meters, Tkachenko gave the command:

To foot combat, tear-ah-ah! ..

The horsemen jumped off their saddles, hastily handing over the reins to the groomsmen, and removed their rifles from behind. The lieutenant scattered the soldiers into a chain, ran to the edge of the forest, ordered again:

Lie down!.. Open fire only on my command...

Dust rose around a bend in the road, and the swaying ranks of an enemy infantry column flashed through it. Tkachenko jumped up and shouted in a broken voice:

Oh-oh-oh!.. Beat them, bastards!..

The forest came to life. Rifles crackled, machine guns fired...

The commander of the lead detachment, Senior Lieutenant Ivankin, having received Tkachenko's report, led the squadron to the right and deployed it at the edge of the forest. The squadron of Senior Lieutenant Vikhovsky, which was following, opened to the left and continued to move along the road, masking itself with thick undergrowth. As soon as firing was heard ahead, both squadrons went into a field gallop. A few minutes later, the cavalry jumped out into an open field three hundred meters from the enemy column.

Vikhovsky released his horse into the quarry; the cavalry followed him. On the right, riders of the first squadron jumped out of the forest. Far ahead of them, next to Ivankin, galloped political instructor Biryukov, conspicuous by his snow-white mare. Squadrons from two sides rushed to the enemy.

The horse attack was so swift that the enemy company, which had already lost two dozen soldiers from the fire attack of the marching outpost, was immediately crushed, chopped, and trampled. The cavalry rushed on, but a new enemy column emerged from the forest. The Nazis ran scattered into a chain, then lay down and opened fire. The squadrons dismounted. The grooms galloped off the horses into the forest. A shootout began. Reinforcements approached the enemy. Colonel Yevgeny Arsentiev deployed another squadron, sending it to support two lead ones. The regimental battery took up a firing position behind the high-rise, with frequent fire pressed the Nazis who had risen to the attack to the ground. The division commander ordered Colonel Vasily Golovsky to deploy his regiment to the right of the vanguard. A fierce battle ensued.

Out of the forest, overtaking the infantry, dark gray vehicles broke out. Black crosses outlined in wide white stripes were clearly visible on the towers.

Lieutenant Amosov ordered:

On your hands, roll out the guns to the edge!

The crews froze at the guns, the gunners crouched at the eyepieces of the sights, the thin barrels of forty-five millimeters stared at the approaching tanks. And the tanks are no more than three hundred meters ... two hundred and fifty ... two hundred ...

On the fascist tanks - battery, fire! .. - the long-awaited command was heard. The shots rang out almost simultaneously. The guns were instantly reloaded.

Battery, fire!.. Fire!.. Fire!..

It burns... it burns!.. - joyful voices were heard.

The stern, pale faces of the gunners lit up with a smile. The tank, rushing forward, turned sharply to the right, stopped, listing on its side. From under the tower, rapidly thickening, poured smoke.

The gunner of the second gun, Sergeant Doolin, pulled the trigger. The anti-tank gun roared softly. Stopped like another tank rooted to the spot; a tongue of flame shot out of a torn hole in the frontal part. The rest of the cars turned around and rushed back, under the cover of the forest. The enemy infantry lay down. Sapper shovels flashed, black piles of earth grew over the heads of the soldiers - the Nazis dug in.

The enemy batteries rumbled again. At the beginning of the war, cavalrymen did not like to dig in: in peacetime, the cavalry did little of this, and now they had to put on a shovel! The shelling continued for about twenty minutes, then tanks appeared again from the forest. Fires of shots flashed from the towers, red threads of tracer bullets stretched. The tanks crawled up to the chain of the squadron buried in the ground.

Political instructor Biryukov, slightly rising, shouted:

Who is not afraid of the Nazis, follow me! - and crawled forward in a plastunsky way, clinging to the ground. Behind him - with bundles of grenades, with bottles of incendiary liquid - soldiers crawled. Biryukov was the first to approach the tanks. Something flashed in the air, there was an explosion, flames swirled from under the tracks. The tank, shrouded in bluish smoke, froze a dozen steps from the political instructor who crouched to the ground ...

The division commander was informed that a group of submachine gunners was going around our flanks in the woods, obviously trying to reach the crossing.

Dusk began to fall. There was heavy shooting, rockets cut through the darkness. All this was new even for people who had already been fired upon during the world and civil wars. The enemy seemed strong, skillful, well maneuvering.

A communications officer arrived and reported that the brigade commander Melnik decided to withdraw his regiments across the river at nightfall. Colonel Pliev was forced to make the same decision: an enemy infantry regiment with artillery and a dozen tanks was found in front of his dismounted units, ammunition was running out, and patrols reported that new enemy columns were advancing from the southwest to the river.

As soon as it was completely dark, the artillery withdrew from its position and began to retreat to the ford; dismounted regiments followed her. At the crossing, the cavalry dismantled the horses, lined up, mounted, squadron after squadron crossed to the north coast.

The enemy noticed the withdrawal and again went on the offensive. Howitzer batteries continuously beat on the forest that surrounded the ford.

The artillery and machine-gun squadron of the rearguard regiment had already crossed the river Mezha and taken up firing positions. The horsemen went across the river. Colonel Golovskoy remained on the south bank with two squadrons. They slowly retreated to the crossing. The Nazis followed them, but did not go over to the attack. Near the shore again had to lie down. The regimental commander ordered the enemy to come closer.

The enemy batteries continued to fire, but the shells were bursting far beyond the river. Behind the backs of the cavalrymen, the unhurried Mezha splashed quietly. From the river carried a coolness, the smell of a swamp.

And then thick, moving chains of enemy infantry appeared out of the darkness. The soldiers marched to their full height, slashing the night with automatic bursts.

The command was given:

Oh-oh-oh!..

The shore was girded with flashes of shots. Shouts of "heil!" were replaced by the groans of the wounded. Submachine gunners subsided, rockets went out: the Nazis lay down. Artillery also ceased fire.

On a completely broken ford, the squadrons crossed the river and joined the regiment. During the reflection of this attack, Colonel Golovskoy was seriously wounded.

The 50th cavalry division gathered, moved along the northern shore of the Mezha in the direction of Lake Yemlen and stood here for a day's rest. At the same time, the 53rd Cavalry Division was concentrating in the area of ​​Lake Plovnoye.

At the end of July, east and southeast of Smolensk, Soviet troops began to launch counterattacks on the troops of the Nazi Army Group Center. The blows were inflicted: from the Bely district in the direction of Dukhovshchina, Smolensk; from the Yartsevo region also to Dukhovshchina and from the Roslavl region in the direction of Pochinki, Smolensk. Down the Dnieper, Soviet troops drove the Nazis out of Rogachev and Zhlobin. The enemy troops, having suffered serious losses, by the beginning of August went over to the defensive on the front Velikiye Luki, Lomonosovo, the Vop River, Yelnya, Roslavl, the Sozh River, Novy Bykhov, Rogachev, Glussk, Petrikov.

The troops of the Western Front fought stubborn battles. The Headquarters of the Supreme High Command decided to allocate large cavalry formations for operations behind enemy lines.

Marshal Soviet Union S. K. Timoshenko united the 50th and 53rd cavalry divisions concentrated on the right wing of the Western Front and set them the task of striking at the rear of the enemy, pinning down enemy units operating in the Yartsevo area, and preventing the Nazi command from to strengthen our Yelnin grouping, against which our counterattack was being prepared.

Dovator L.M.

Colonel Lev Mikhailovich Dovator was appointed commander of the cavalry group, and regimental commissar Fyodor Fedorovich Tulikov was appointed military commissar.

Immediately on assignment, Dovator went to the divisions that were on vacation in the forests around the lakes Emlen and Plovnoe. He visited every regiment, squadron, battery, and not just visited, but deeply - like a good, diligent owner - got acquainted with all aspects of the life of his new, large "economy".

Short in stature, stocky, tightly built, dressed in a protective tunic and blue breeches, in high-gloss boots with shiny spurs - Dovator gave the impression of a smart officer, accustomed to carefully take care of his appearance. A brand new order of the Red Banner, received by him for distinction in battles at the Solovyovskaya crossing across the Dnieper, gleamed with enamel on his chest.

Dovator walked around the location of the units, looked closely, asked the soldiers and officers about the battles in which they participated, about the pre-war service. He once served in the North Caucasus with the 12th Kuban Cossack Division, recruited in the same area where the 50th Cavalry Division was now formed. Many of the old changeling fighters recognized the commander of the cavalry group as their former squadron commander. With such "old men" Dovator spoke for a long time, recalled common acquaintances, joked merrily.

For a long time the equestrians remembered such an episode. During the review, Dovator ordered the squadron commander, Captain Batluk, who had a reputation not only as a combat commander, but also as an excellent combatant:

Unpack this saddle!

Batluk spread a blanket on the ground near the hitching post, put a saddle taken from a makeshift rack on it, with clear, habitual movements of the trooper began to take out of the saddlebags: a brush for cleaning a horse, a comb, a net of hay, a sack, a bag with spare horseshoes, nails and spikes, a halter , a pair of linen, footcloths, soap, a towel, a bag with sewing and gun accessories, a sakwa with tea, sugar and salt, a can of canned food, a pack of biscuits and other small items that, according to the charter, a rider is supposed to have on a hike.

Captain Batluk beamed with pride for a serviceable subordinate whose saddle fell under his arm. Dovator looked at the captain with a smile.

And how many cartridges, oats, canned food and crackers does a cavalryman carry with him? - tilting his head to the left out of habit and slightly lifting his right shoulder, as if aiming at his interlocutor, he asked Batluk.

Batluk was a little offended in his soul for this “exam” in the presence of not only the division commander and regiment commander, but also the soldiers standing around, but he answered clearly, as in a report:

According to the charter, Comrade Colonel, the rider carries an emergency supply in a saddle bag: oats for a horse for a day, canned food, crackers, sugar, tea, and one hundred and twenty cartridges for a rifle.

And how many days did you have to fight on the Mezha River, not seeing your convoys in the eyes and remembering the parents of all business executives in the world? - still smiling with the corners of his eyes, continued Dovator.

Batluk, not understanding what they wanted from him, answered not so clearly, but still accurately:

Six days, Comrade Colonel.

So, the fighters and horses ate for a day, and listened to the radio for five days? - dryly threw Dovator. He was irascible by nature. I knew this for myself, by long military training I tried to get rid of this shortcoming.

There was an awkward silence for several minutes.

And if we left all these brushes, underpants and chain chumbura in the wagon train, with which, by the way, only tie elephants in the circus, and not horses on a hike, - continued Dovator, - and give the rider in the saddle bag not for a day of oats, but for three days, yes, three hundred rounds of ammunition, how much would the maneuverability of the cavalry increase? Perhaps, on the second day, I wouldn’t have to yell: “There are no cartridges, no bread, no oats, I can’t fight!” Yes, and our business executives would live much calmer! - finished Dovator and went on, past the completely embarrassed Batluk, who did not wait for gratitude for the excellent pack of saddles in his dashing squadron, which became famous in the first battles ...

Dovatator served in Soviet army eighteen years old, in 1928 he joined the party. passed the harsh military service: was a Red Army soldier, chemical instructor, cadet of a normal school, platoon commander, political commissar and squadron commander, chief of staff of a regiment and brigade. He knew the soldier and officer well, and ardently believed in their moral and combat qualities.

But now he looked at his new units especially meticulously, trying to immediately reveal the reasons that prevented the cavalry from fully fulfilling the task assigned to it and breaking through into the rear of the enemy. From the experience of serving in the territorial regiment, Dovator knew the shortcomings of units with reduced training periods: the lack of proper coherence between squadrons and regiments, insufficient practical command skills among officers. And this was in peacetime, in the territorial units, which underwent three to four months of training every year. And now he was given divisions that went to the front a week after the start of formation. The commander of the cavalry group had something to think about!

Dovator looked at the cheerful, tanned faces of rested people. With pleasure, the trooper-cavalryman noted that the horsemen carefully looked after the horses, walked with drafts, which clearly served the inner outfit.

But Dovator saw something else. In conversations with his new subordinates, he noticed their rave reviews about (alas, few!) Cavalry attacks, their somewhat exaggerated impression of encounters with enemy tanks and machine gunners. Dovator concluded that the average commanding and political staff, who came mainly from the reserve, had lagged behind, that many of the officers were trying to fight in the forty-first year with the same methods that they fought in the period civil war that the art of commanding cavalry in modern combat and its interaction with supporting combat equipment has not been sufficiently mastered. A native of Belarus, well acquainted with the combat area, Dovator noticed the insufficient adaptability of the cavalrymen, who grew up in the steppe expanses, to the situation of the wooded and swampy Smolensk region.

He stopped at the carts standing under the pines, turning to the squadron commander, he asked:

How did you, comrade senior lieutenant, operate in the valley of the Mezha River, among forests and swamps, when you have machine guns on quadruple carts?

Senior Lieutenant Kuranov was one of those inveterate machine gunners about whom they say - jokingly or seriously - that they can "sign" from the "Maxim", that is, knock out their name on the target with half a dozen cartridges. In the concept of Kuranov, an easel machine gun, a tachanka, two numbers on the sides of a machine gun, a rider, squeezing the reins of four powerful horses (of course, best of all - white as swans!) - are as inseparable from each other as a person’s body, head, hands, legs. He wanted to report all this to the colonel, but remembered the battle near Prokhorenka, when his machine guns got stuck in a swamp and the second squadron barely pulled them out. I remembered ... and said nothing.

Beautiful, no doubt, - said Dovator, - when you see a machine-gun cart on a golope. The hero of the civil war and dies! But now it's already the forty-first year, and not the Kuban, but the Smolensk region - a centuries-old forest and peat bogs! I’m almost a local myself,” he continued. - My homeland is the village of Khotino, Beshenkovichi district, Vitebsk region; it's a hundred and fifty kilometers from here. I have known the local forests well since childhood. In them, as a boy, he collected mushrooms, berries, and caught birds. On them in the twenty-third year, with a detachment of rural Komsomol members, he drove the kulak gang of Kapustin, and yet she was hiding in the most remote forest thickets. Here, comrade senior lieutenant, a cart for an easel machine gun is a coffin! You won’t turn off the road anywhere on it: the axle will fly or you’ll break the drawbar. It will not pass along the forest path, it will not make its way through the swamp, and the squadrons will have to fight without machine guns.

Dovator turned to Pliev and decisively finished:

Order, Issa Alexandrovich, that pack saddles be made for all heavy machine guns in the regimental forges and draw the most serious attention of all regimental commanders to this. The day after tomorrow I will watch machine-gun squadrons.

Dovator with regimental commissar Tulikov returned to headquarters. As a matter of fact, the headquarters in the modern concept did not yet exist. In addition to the commander of the cavalry group, the commissar and the chief of staff, there was no one else. Dovator, immediately after his arrival, ordered that one officer, two sergeants and three soldiers on the best horses be assigned from each regiment to carry out communications service. For control in battle, he assumed for the time being to use the radio stations of the division in which he himself would be. The light cavalry divisions at that time did not have wired communications at all.

The dovatator dismounted from his horse, slowly climbed the steps to the porch, and entered the hut. Lieutenant Colonel Kartavenko gave him the intelligence reports he had just received and wanted to leave. The colonel detained the chief of staff.

Give, Andrey Markovich, preliminary orders to the division commanders, - looking through the window somewhere into the forest distance, Dovator spoke quietly. - Readiness for a campaign - in two days. Do not take artillery with you. In the regiments, allocate four heavy machine guns for the campaign. For each machine gun, have two clockwork horses and five thousand rounds of ammunition. Radio stations remount on packs.

Kartavenko, listening attentively, opened the clipboard, took out a field book, and began to quickly write down.

Cars, wagons, camp kitchens, sick people, - said Dovator, - leave weak horses in the parking lots and unite in each division under the command of one of the deputy regiment commanders. Have the riders from the saddlebags put everything in the convoy. Leave only bowlers, spoons, horse bags and one brush per compartment. Give each soldier three days of oats, canned food, crackers, three hundred cartridges and three hand grenades. The division commanders will personally check everything and report to me by the end of the twelfth.

Dovator developed a plan to strike at the enemy's rear. He carefully studied the terrain and the enemy grouping in front of the army front, analyzed our past actions. Since the enemy, with up to two infantry divisions, went over to the defensive along the southern bank of the Mezha River, having advanced units on the northern bank in some places, Dovator chose a section of the river to cross his cavalry much to the east, behind the unfinished railway from the Zemtsy station in Lomonosov. On the map, this area was marked as a swampy, forested area with occasional small villages. The enemy did not have a solid front here, he was limited to the defense of settlements on the highways. It was in this area that Dovator decided to break through behind enemy lines.

Dovator summoned the commanders, commissars and chiefs of staff of divisions and told them:

The Headquarters of the Supreme High Command gave ours and several other cavalry groups the task of breaking through into the enemy's deep rear. The cavalry must break normal work enemy communications, disrupt the command and control of enemy troops, pull as many of his troops as possible from the front. By our actions, we must help the troops of the Western Front to delay the Nazi offensive against Moscow.

We have been given a great honor. The Headquarters sends us among the first to attack. We will personify our entire Soviet Army in the eyes of the Soviet people who have temporarily fallen under the yoke of the enemy. And the names of our divisions and regiments will go down in history. After all, life is short, and fame is long! - Dovator finished with his favorite saying...

On August 13, 1941, the reserve troops of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command under the command of General of the Army G.K. Zhukov launched a counterattack on the enemy in the Yelnya area. The 15th, 78th, 263rd and 268th infantry divisions of the enemy, as well as part of the forces of the 10th Panzer Division and the SS Reich Motorized Division, suffered heavy losses and were driven back from their positions.

In the early morning of that day, two patrols were sent from each cavalry division on the best horses under the command of the most courageous and experienced officers. The patrols were supposed to reconnoiter the routes along which the divisions were to advance, and to find crossings on the Mezha River.

At 5 p.m. the cavalry group left their bivouacs and moved southwest. The horses had a good rest on the night grazing, they walked briskly. The horsemen rode, talking animatedly. All conversations were conducted around Dovator. Everyone was captivated by the inexhaustible energy of the new group commander, his confidence in success. During these few days, he became close, understandable, his commander for everyone.

The 53rd Cavalry Division reached the Mezha River through a huge swamp overgrown with copse and shrubs called the Savkin Pokos tract, which was marked on the map without a single path. Parts of the 50th Cavalry Division were sent even further east and made up the left column of the cavalry group.

The route was extremely difficult. For the first five or six kilometers, the regiments walked in a chain, stretching out one at a time. Under the hooves of the horses, the swamp champed; the further it went, the deeper it became. An hour later the vanguard regiment stood up.

Colonel Dovator went to the vanguard. Ahead lay a huge swamp, surrounded by a dark formation of birches and aspens. Patrols sent to the sides could not find any detour.

Hurry three squadrons! Chop trees, lay on the swamp, cover with branches, reeds and go forward! - ordered Dovator to the commander of the vanguard, Major Krasnoshapka.

The squadrons dismounted. The horsemen began to chop down trees with axes, mow down reeds with swords; night was falling fast.

Having arranged the flooring, the cavalrymen almost gropingly began to move forward. Snoring and spinning their ears, the Donchaks and Kabardians, accustomed to the expanses of the steppe, cautiously stepped along the unsteady flooring, oscillating over the swamp. In 12 hours, only 14 kilometers of the path laid by the cavalrymen were covered. By dawn, the division passed the Savkin mowing tract. A swampy forest stood like a wall in front, but here it was still possible to move, only stopping here and there to fill up especially sticky places with cut branches.

At noon, when there were six kilometers left to the Mezha River, Colonel Dovator ordered to stop. Soon one of the patrols sent out the day before returned. Lieutenant Panasenko reported that he had found a ford not marked on the map, which no one was guarding. The ford is surrounded by a swamp, overgrown with reeds and shrubs, its depth is about a meter. It was just what Dovator was looking for.

As soon as it got dark, the horsemen moved to the ford. The vanguard regiment was supposed to cross first and then ensure the crossing of the main forces. Together with him, rescue teams were sent forward, made up of the best swimmers.

The vanguard quickly crossed the river, but the bottom was very broken. The crossing was delayed. Horses stumbled on the bottom loosened by hundreds of hooves, many of them lost their balance, fell and swam. The riders jumped into the water; holding on to the stirrups, by the ponytails, they swam side by side. Some people swallowed a fair amount of cold water, smelling of marsh grass. The Nazis did not find the cavalry crossing. Long before dawn the 53rd Cavalry Division was already on the south bank. After walking another fifteen kilometers, she stood at a big halt.

The 50th Cavalry Division also successfully overcame the difficult path. At night, the squadrons, not noticed by the enemy, crossed the Mezha River.

The cavalry group came close to the enemy defense, the basis of which was the settlements on the roads leading from Dukhovshchina to Bely and Staraya Torop.

Along the southern bank of the Mezha River, northwest of Dukhovshchina, the enemy did not have a continuous front. The 129th Infantry Division, which was defending on the Dukhovshchinsky Bolshak, occupied settlements on roads controlled by mobile groups of motorized infantry with tanks.

The third battalion of the 430th regiment of the 129th infantry division occupied the resistance center in the mouth. The village was adapted for defense. At a height of 194.9 and in the village of Podvyazye, there was a node of resistance of the second battalion. In the forest were located the firing positions of the third division of the 129th artillery regiment, which was supported by the 430th infantry regiment.

The divisions conducted reconnaissance for two days. Small reconnaissance groups and patrols reported that it was impossible to pass in the place of the planned breakthrough between Podvyazye and Ustye, since the junction of these two strongholds was allegedly heavily mined and well shot through. But the information of the scouts turned out to be unreliable, since they did not come close to the strongholds.

Dovator summoned the commanders of divisions and regiments. He led them to the edge of the forest near the strongholds and spent the whole day observing the enemy's defenses. Reconnaissance managed to establish that the junction between the Podvyazye and the Mouth is not covered by anyone and is not guarded. Here, an oral combat order was given to go behind enemy lines.

The 37th Cavalry Regiment under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Lasovsky was assigned to the vanguard to carry out the breakthrough. The actions of the avant-garde provided: from the Podvyazye side - a barrier consisting of a reinforced squadron of senior lieutenant Sivolapov, and a squadron of senior lieutenant Ivankin was sent towards the Mouth.

The vanguard had to act dismounted. The main forces of the group at this time in the cavalry are waiting in their original position for the results of the actions of the vanguard.

If the vanguard passes between the strongholds of the enemy imperceptibly, then the main forces will move after it, avoiding getting involved in the battle.

Ivankin I.V.

Having given a verbal combat order, the group commander gathered all the commanders and commissars of the regiments.

The enemy will pursue us with motorized units and tanks, since the infantry cannot catch up with the cavalry. We have no artillery with us. Tanks must be dealt with by other means. - Dovator spoke quickly, in short energetic phrases. It was felt that all this was well thought out to him and he wants his subordinates to understand him just as well. - Form groups of tank destroyers in squadrons. Select the most courageous, calm, battle-tested people in these groups. Give them more anti-tank and hand grenades, bottles of flammable liquid, machine guns. - Dovator carefully looked at the serious, concentrated faces of the officers. - Remember yourself and inspire your subordinates that the main thing in the fight against tanks is a man, our Soviet soldier. These people will have to prove to everyone that the tank is not terrible for those who are not afraid of it ...

At about one in the morning, Lieutenant Dubinin's scouts entered the junction between the enemy's strongholds. At three thirty minutes, the vanguard crossed the Podvyazye-Ustye road.

The morning of August 23, 1941 turned out to be fresh in autumn. Over the swampy lowlands of the Smolensk region, overgrown with low birch and alder forests, fog spread. Visibility did not exceed two hundred paces. Nature was waking up slowly. There was a lazy, not at all military silence all around ...

Dovator, wrapped in a cloak, lay under a pine tree near the command post of the 50th Cavalry Division. It was not yet four when he opened his eyes, jumped resiliently to his feet, glanced at his watch, shivering slightly from the matinee climbing under his tunic, and said:

It's time, Issa Alexandrovich...

Pliev approached Dovator. His swarthy, freshly shaven face burned from the cold spring water; slightly drawn by the sharp smell of cologne. Easily fingering the leather lanyard of the checkers with the fingers of a small hand, Pliev calmly and quietly, as always, reported:

The division is ready, Lev Mikhailovich...

A little aside, the orderly held the horses by the bridle. Kazbek, shimmering with silver, flirted with the orderly's horse, and Hakobyan mockedly rudely shouted at the colonel's favorite. At some distance, a group of officers and submachine gunners of the staff guards stood.

Dovator easily got into the saddle, dismantled the reins and rode towards the road. It was evident how the riders were moving in the fog - the main forces of the cavalry group were entering the breakthrough.

The Nazis heard thousands of horse hooves. Machine guns crackled. Enemy artillery opened fire. The dismounted regiments started a fight.

The squadron commander, Senior Lieutenant Lyushchenko, led his soldiers to attack the enemy trenches that could be seen not far away. Lushchenko was immediately wounded. Lieutenant Agamirov took command of the squadron. Thundered "hurrah". The Nazis were driven out of the trenches and hastily retreated to the village.

The dismounted 50th Cavalry Regiment under the command of Colonel Timochkin broke the resistance of the enemy infantry and drove it out of the trenches near Podvyazye. The enemy again tried to delay our advance, but was attacked by three squadrons of the reserve, led by the chief of staff of the division, Major Radzievsky. Cavalrymen in cavalry formation pursued the remnants of the defeated second battalion.

Meanwhile, the main forces were crossing the road. It dawned quickly. The fog cleared and lay in separate islands in the damp lowlands. A jagged dark blue ribbon, already strongly touched by autumn gilding, rose on the other side of the road a pine forest.

Together with his regiment, the squadron of senior lieutenant Ivankin, removed from the barrier, crossed the road. At the edge of the forest, the rumble of engines and the clang of caterpillars was heard. On the road, waddling over potholes, there were three tanks. The first one saw Ivankin tanks. The tanks were to the left of his squadron, they were no more than three hundred meters away. There was not a second to lose, as enemy vehicles could crush the tail of the division's column. Ivankin gave an unusual command in the equestrian ranks:

Molotov cocktails, grenades, to battle! Gallop!..

The squadron rushed to attack the tanks. A minute, and explosions of grenades were heard. The tankers, taken by surprise, did not have time to fire a single shot. The lead car, engulfed in flames, stopped. Tankers jumped out of the opened hatch and, raising their hands, looked in fright at the horsemen rushing past. Two other cars hurriedly left, firing from a machine gun.

For resourcefulness and courage, Ivan Vasilyevich Ivankin was awarded the order Red Banner.

The Nazis managed to quickly close the breakthrough, cutting off the horsemen of the 50th cavalry regiment and the first squadron of the 37th cavalry regiment. The main forces of the cavalry group concentrated in a pine forest behind the road. This forest, small in size, could not cover the numerous cavalry. It was necessary to break into a large forest on the Dukhovshchinsky Highway. There was an open field in front of the forest. Dovator ordered all heavy machine guns to be advanced against the strongholds and, under the cover of their fire, to attack the Nazi barrier on the highway during the day.

The 50th Cavalry Division operated in the first echelon, and the 53rd Cavalry Division acted in the second echelon. The 37th Cavalry Regiment was still in the forefront.

Lieutenant Colonel Anton Lasovsky led the regiment at a pace in dismembered formation. When the Nazis opened fire, the regiment commander raised the squadrons into a gallop and, 400–500 meters away, gave the command for a cavalry attack. The attack was supported by squadrons of the 43rd Cavalry Regiment under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Georgy Smirnov.

The third battalion of the 430th Infantry Regiment, which was attacked by a cavalry attack, was almost destroyed; the second battalion also suffered heavy losses.

Cavalry divisions concentrated in the forest south of the road. The way into the depths of the enemy's location was open.

The fighting cavalry advanced rapidly to the southwest. Ominous rumors about the breakthrough of the Soviet cavalry spread along the rear of the enemy.

Enemy soldiers and officers, who were lucky enough to escape from the defeated garrisons, spread panicky news about the approach of numerous Russian cavalry. The fascist German command was forced to withdraw a number of units from the front and throw them against the cavalry.

The actions of the cavalry group under the command of Dovator behind enemy lines were distinguished by great thoughtfulness.

As a rule, during the day the cavalry hid away from the main roads and settlements and rested. Only indefatigable patrols darted through the forests in all directions, attacked single vehicles, captured prisoners. At night, the divisions made another leap, moving into areas designated by the group commander on the basis of data collected by patrols. Dedicated squadrons and even entire regiments raided enemy garrisons and destroyed them in short night skirmishes.

One of the participants in this dashing raid, junior political instructor Ivan Karmazin, composed a song that was not particularly artistic, but was lovingly performed throughout the war (mp3 file).

Through dense forests, with a cheerful song,

With sharp blades, on dashing horses

Kuban Cossacks are moving in columns,

To fight valiantly with the Germans in battles.

Oh, hit, Cubans! Ruby, guardsmen!

Slay the vile fascists, give no mercy!

For victorious deeds, for the defense of the Motherland

We were driven by Dovator, the beloved general.

With the name of Dovator, the brave commander,

We went to defend the Motherland against the enemy.

Where did the dovaters, the Kuban Cossacks,

Hordes of Nazis found their death.

We marked our path with glorious victories.

We beat the Nazis, we beat and we will beat:

Bullets, grenades, mines, machine guns,

Machine gun "Maxima" and a blade to chop ...

The population of the liberated regions arranged a touching meeting for the cavalrymen. Soviet people shared with the cavalrymen the last bag of oats, the last piece of bread, they were guides, they reported everything they knew about the enemy.

Colonel Dovator's cavalry rolled like an unstoppable avalanche along enemy rear lines, and in front of them a formidable rumor rushed about the breakthrough of huge masses of Soviet cavalry. The headquarters of General Strauss, in order to at least disperse the panic a little, published an order stating that not a hundred thousand Cossacks broke into the German rear, as the alarmists say, but only three cavalry divisions, numbering ... eighteen thousand sabers. Dovator took in the raid only about three thousand horsemen, twenty-four machine guns and not a single gun!

On August 27, the cavalry group approached the Velizh-Dukhovshchina highway, which was one of the most important communications of the 9th German army. In all directions, patrols scattered like a fan, looking for objects for raids. And several squadrons were sent to the highway and neighboring roads to defeat enemy convoys.

The patrol of junior lieutenant Krivorotko intercepted an enemy staff car at a small bridge on the highway. The Nazis began to shoot back, killed one of our soldiers. Scouts Kikhtenko and Kokurin, jumping out of the ditch, began to throw hand grenades under the bus. The car caught fire and several people jumped out of it. Machine guns crackled. The Nazis fell like sheaves on the road. Krivorotko rushed into the car and began to throw field bags, raincoats, suitcases with some papers out of it. From the captured documents, it was established that the enemy headquarters was located in the large settlement of Ribshevo.

One of the squadrons went to the highway between Rudnya and Guki. As soon as the horsemen had time to dismount, the rumble of motors was heard ahead. Four tanks were moving along the road.

The squadron commander, Senior Lieutenant Tkach, managed to warn the soldiers to shoot only at the Nazis jumping out of the cars. He himself, holding an anti-tank grenade in his hand, hid behind a huge pine tree that grew near the road.

As soon as the lead vehicle was level with the pine tree, the Weaver jumped out, threw a heavy grenade with a strong throw and immediately hid again. There was an explosion. A tank with a broken caterpillar spun in place, spraying the forest with machine-gun fire. The weaver, after waiting for the car to turn astern, threw a bottle of combustible mixture onto the motor part. The tank fired up.

The second tank knocked out political instructor Borisaiko. A former instructor of the district committee of the party, a twenty-eight-year-old healthy man, Borisaiko puzzled the squadron commander while still on the campaign, telling him:

Petr Alekseevich, I made an invention of a defensive nature ... I invented anti-tank artillery of the Sasha Borisaiko system. Nah, love it...

The weaver barely held on to a heavy construction of three hand grenades, tightly twisted with a telephone cable with an anti-tank grenade.

Is it possible to throw such a weight? ..

And I, Pyotr Alekseevich, as I used to do at physical culture competitions, throw something light, so it hurts my arm later, - the political instructor answered with a broad smile. - I like to swing harder and hit from the whole shoulder ...

When Borisaiko threw his deadly "invention" under an enemy tank, there was a powerful explosion that caused the tank's ammunition to detonate. The car was blown to pieces. Borisaiko was stunned by the explosion. When he awoke, he saw that a third tank was turning around just a few steps from the shapeless lump of smoking metal, apparently intent on leaving.

You can't escape, you bastard! .. - Borisaiko shouted and threw two incendiary bottles into the tank in a row. The car was on fire. The political instructor snatched a hand grenade from the hands of a soldier lying next to him, rushed to the tank, and threw the grenade into the opened hatch. A pillar of fire shot up from there, pouring thick brown smoke.

For the destruction of two enemy tanks, Alexander Efimovich Borisaiko was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.

The tank behind also began to turn around. Komsomol member Nikon Frolov ran across him and threw a bunch of grenades almost point-blank. The tank sank heavily and froze in place.

Ivan Vasilyevich Ivinkin was an experienced, combat officer. As a young man, he volunteered for the Red Army, fought against the White Guards and interventionists during the Civil War, joined the Communist Party, and was wounded. Having retired to the reserve, he worked for eight years as a military head of one of the secondary schools in the city of Grozny. He was used to doing everything thoughtfully, calmly, carefully.

Leading two squadrons, Senior Lieutenant Ivankin organized an ambush where the highway descended in a long, rounded loop to a bridge across a very swampy stream. The cavalrymen dismounted on both sides of the highway and waited patiently. The sentinels reported that an enemy motorized column was coming from the west.

Now hear, comrade senior lieutenant, how my “Maxim” sings, - senior sergeant Ivan Akulov said, lowering the sight stand.

Twelve motorcyclists left the forest. In two lines they slowly moved along the roadsides. Following them appeared seven trucks, in the backs of which sat soldiers in steel helmets in even rows.

More and more cars came out from behind the trees, quickly gliding on the rounding and going down to the bridge.

Akulov, squeezing the handles of the butt plate, caught sight of the lead machine and smoothly pulled the trigger. A machine gun fired, rifles crackled, machine guns crackled. Trucks began to slow down, move off the road. Behind them, cars were speeding downhill. Within minutes, the entire convoy was destroyed. On the banks of the river, on the roadbed, around the burning bridge, 58 trucks, four fuel trucks and three Opel cars remained.

While the squadrons dealt with enemy columns on the roads, the 47th cavalry regiment surrounded the village of Guki, where the SS punitive detachment raged. Dismounted squadrons broke into the village from three sides. Within half an hour, everything was over - more than a hundred corpses in black uniforms remained in a small Smolensk village.

Driving down the street, the regiment commander noticed a piece of paper whitening on the wall - an announcement about a bonus for the murder or the extradition of Dovator. Colonel Arsentiev held the reins, turning to the orderlies, he said:

Come on, lads, carefully remove this piece of paper. I'll take it to Lev Mikhailovich, let him read how much Adolf Hitler gives for his head.

Cavalrymen bravely acted on enemy communications. The fascist German command was forced to withdraw significant infantry and tank forces from the front and throw them against the cavalry group. Enemy units from three sides covered the area of ​​operations of the 50th and 53rd cavalry divisions northeast of the Velizh Bolshak and began combing the forest roads. Horse reconnaissance reported that enemy troops were concentrating in Ribshev and Rudna, trying to surround the cavalrymen. We had to get out of the area as soon as possible.

Dovator tried to report the situation to the headquarters of the 29th army, but the cavalry group went so far from its troops that its radio stations could not contact the army headquarters. Ammunition and food were running out. Dovator decided to withdraw, but before leaving to raid the enemy headquarters. He knew that General Strauss had left Ribszew with his headquarters, and only the topographical department, which happened to be delayed, and a fleet of trucks remained there.

Intelligence was sent in order to determine the most convenient approaches to Ribshev, the composition of the garrison, and the location of the headquarters guards. Together with the patrols, two nurses went to reconnaissance - Goryushina and Averkina.

Dressed in peasant dresses, the girls, together with the partisan Alexei Blizhnetsov, walked along the highway leading to Ribshev in the evening. Soon the travelers were overtaken by a truck. In the cockpit, next to the driver, sat a German lieutenant. The car drove forward a little and stopped. The Nazi, opening the door, shouted in broken Russian:

Please, beauties, come here! ..

The girls lined up with the car. The lieutenant offered to take them to Ribshev. Pretending to be embarrassed, Lena Averkina nudged her friend with her elbow:

Let's go, Anka!

The officer made room, the girls climbed into the cockpit. Bliznetsov also raised his leg over the side, but the young soldier sitting on top got up, threw up his machine gun, and shouted rudely:

Tsuryuk!.. Ryuska svolsh...

From a conversation with a random fellow traveler, the girls learned that the enemy headquarters was located in the school building. In Ribszew, on the square in front of the school, they noticed rows of trucks covered with tarpaulin.

The lieutenant invited the girls to an officer's party. When the Nazis got drunk, the scouts, seizing a convenient moment, slipped out into the yard, got out to the outskirts of the gardens, bypassed the well-marked field guard and rushed into the forest. At midnight they returned safely to headquarters and told what they had seen. Lena brought an officer's field bag, taken at the party, with a map and documents. For courageous intelligence and valuable information about the enemy, Komsomol members Anna Goryushina and Elena Averkina were awarded the Order of the Red Banner. - On the night of August 29, the cavalry raided Ribshevo and defeated the enemy security battalion. Huge warehouse topographic maps and several dozen trucks were burned.

After that, the cavalry group concentrated in the forest. The enemy surrounded the entire area with troops deployed from the front. His aircraft systematically bombed the forests in squares. Heavy bombs rumbled into the thicket, trees fell, forming blockages on the roads.

The cavalry group started back. At dawn, the planes detected her movement, air attacks began. Along the roads, following the retreating cavalry, tanks and motorized infantry of the enemy moved, tightening the encirclement and pressing the cavalry to the huge swamp. The situation was becoming very serious.

Soviet people came to the rescue. The commander of one of the local partisan detachments offered to lead the cavalry through the swamp, which was considered impassable. Knowing that the Nazis would never dare to climb into such a swamp, Dovator decided to overcome the quagmire at night.

Dovator especially carefully organized this difficult march. A squadron that had distinguished itself in battle more than once, led by senior lieutenant Vikhovsky, was sent forward as the lead detachment. To cover the retreat, a squadron of an exceptionally stubborn and calm officer, Senior Lieutenant Sivolapov, stood out. The dovatator called him to him and ordered:

Stay with the squadron at this line until I give the signal that the divisions have passed the quagmire. I forbid you to leave before the signal. No matter what enemy forces attack you, hold out to the last soldier, to the last bullet!

The squadron will not leave without your signal, Comrade Colonel, - Sivolapov answered briefly, looking straight into Dovator's eyes. The clerk shook his hand firmly.

Even before sunset, one squadron from each division set out to the northeast, towards the front. They were supposed to disorient the enemy and distract him from the main forces. The “frames” attached to the cavalry soon tracked down the columns of these squadrons stretching along the forest roads. Junkers spun over the forest, explosions of air bombs thundered, machine guns and automatic guns of bombers crackled. Then the squadrons turned sharply off the roads and followed the main forces, which were marching through the forest to the north, to an impenetrable quagmire.

The night of August 31 enveloped the dense forests of the Smolensk region. This night was perhaps the most difficult in this cavalry raid.

Following the guides - the partisans Gudkov and Molotkov - a string of horsemen stretched across the swamp, in impenetrable darkness. We went in a column one by one, both divisions in the back of the head one another. Soon I had to dismount and move on the reins. The horsemen walked along a barely noticeable path, jumping from bump to bump, now and then stumbling and falling into the swampy mud.

The movement was extremely exhausting. We often had to stop to give a rest to exhausted, hungry horses, tired people who had not slept for several nights.

Behind, where the rear detachment remained, a skirmish began. Explosions of shells were heard, frequent shots of semi-automatic guns.

Sivolapov is being attacked... - Dovator said, turning to Kartavenko, who was following him. The chief of staff did not answer.

Before dawn, there were still two hours left, when from the lead detachment they passed along the chain: "We went out on solid ground." Dovator immediately ordered to give a signal to Sivolapov's squadron to withdraw. Red and white rockets soared over the pines. Everyone immediately cheered up, the most tired pulled themselves up, walked more cheerfully.

The pain is over.

Coming out of the quagmire, the cavalrymen stopped, cleaned themselves up a bit, watered the horses in the forest stream, gave them grass to eat, and moved on. The radio operators finally caught the army radio, accepted the order of the army commander: to leave in the same direction. Towards the cavalry group, facilitating its breakthrough to its troops, the rifle units of the Western Front were supposed to strike.

Without stopping, the cavalry marched to the northeast, and only in the dead of night did Dovator rest his units. Four patrols on the best horses went further, to the site of the planned breakthrough on the Dukhovshchinsky Highway; they were ordered to clarify the location of the enemy.

By dawn, three patrols returned and reported that the enemy was in the same position.

On September 1, the cavalry made another forty-kilometer march and concentrated in the forest south of the village of Ustye. Here the fourth siding awaited her. Lieutenant Nemkov reported to Dovator detailed information about the enemy's defenses.

As soon as it got dark, the cavalry attacked the enemy without firing a shot, defeated the first battalion of the 430th Infantry Regiment, broke through the enemy position, passed the battle formations of their rifle formations and were withdrawn to the army reserve.

The strike of the cavalry group of Colonel Dovator was of great operational importance. The cavalry traveled about three hundred kilometers through the roadless wooded and swampy regions of the Smolensk region, penetrated deep into the rear of the 9th German Army, demoralized its work, distracted - during the hot battles near Yelnya - more than two infantry divisions with forty tanks from the front line. The horsemen destroyed over 2,500 enemy soldiers and officers, 9 tanks, more than two hundred vehicles, and several military depots. Numerous trophies were captured, which were then used by partisan detachments.

The news of the glorious exploits of the cavalry swept across the country. After the message of the Soviet Information Bureau dated September 5, 1941, the first correspondence appeared in Pravda "Raid of the cavalry Cossack group." The army newspaper "Battle Banner" devoted a special issue to the horsemen. The Soviet government highly appreciated the exploits of the cavalrymen. L.M. Dovator, K.S. Melnik and I.A. Pliev were awarded military rank major general. 56 most distinguished soldiers, sergeants and officers of the cavalry group were awarded orders and medals of the Soviet Union.

From the Mezha River to the Lama River

By dawn on September 19, 1941, the cavalry, which was on vacation after the completion of the raid, made a forty-kilometer transition and advanced into the line of Borki, Zharkovsky. The patrols were sent forward with the task of establishing an enemy grouping on the southern bank of the Mezha River.

The scouts managed to get soldiers' books and medallions, letters and diaries. On the basis of these documents, it was established that the 110th Infantry Division, having suffered heavy losses in the August battles in the Nevel direction, was withdrawn to the reserve, received reinforcements and is now moving to the forefront.

The squadrons of the forward detachment prepared the defense well. The soldiers dug full-profile trenches, built dugouts with ceilings of thick logs, and carefully camouflaged the artillery.

At dawn on October 1, enemy artillery opened heavy fire on the location of our forward detachment. Half an hour later, the enemy, with a strength of up to an infantry regiment, went on the attack. For six hours, the cavalry beat off continuous attacks of enemy infantry. The Nazis tried to go around the right flank of the 47th Cavalry Regiment and press it against the river, but were driven back with heavy losses.

As soon as information was received about the beginning of the enemy offensive, the main forces of the 50th Cavalry Division marched to the Mezha River.

The commander of the 43rd Cavalry Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Smirnov, sent Captain Batluk's first squadron to the lead detachment with a platoon of heavy machine guns and two regimental cannons, setting him the task of ensuring the deployment of the regiment.

Captain Batluk with the commander of a machine-gun platoon, making reconnaissance of the area, discovered an enemy infantry battalion marching in a marching column. The Nazis moved quickly, clearly, keeping alignment and maintaining distances between companies and platoons.

Belousov, bring the machine guns to the edge! - ordered Batluk and galloped to the dismounted squadron.

On the first platoon, into the chain! .. Follow me, run! .. - he shouted.

The machine-gun platoon drove out to the edge of the forest. Some three hundred meters from the calmly marching Nazis, machine-gun carts were made for battle. A few minutes later, the crews of senior sergeant Matveev, sergeants Stepanenko and Odnoglazov were already ready for battle. To the right of the machine gunners, a platoon of Lieutenant Nemkov was deployed. Farther away, bent figures of soldiers from other platoons with rifles and machine guns in their hands flickered between the trees. The enemy column continued to march in the same direction...

The orderly ranks of the Nazis were immediately broken, they rushed in all directions from the road and lay down in the ditches.

Batluk launched a squadron into the attack, the chains rushed forward. At that moment the captain fell. Political instructor Shumsky took command and the squadron continued the attack. Shumsky was also wounded, but did not leave the battlefield. The Nazis did not accept the bayonet fight and began to retreat with heavy losses. The squadron went into pursuit, but in turn was counterattacked on the flank by enemy reserves. Under the onslaught of superior enemy forces, the cavalry began to retreat.

The last to leave the battle, covering the retreat of his comrades, was a platoon commanded by Junior Lieutenant Nikifor Sinkov, a former soldier of the 6th Chongar Division of the First Cavalry Army. The Nazis captured a sparse platoon chain from both flanks. Sinkov gave the command: "Crawl out in threes! .." - and, seriously wounded, fell.

Lying not far from him, a Komsomol member, Private Rebrov, a volunteer from the village of Sovetskaya, crept up to the junior lieutenant under heavy fire, lifted him onto his shoulders and crawled after his platoon. Three times he had to stop and shoot back from the advancing Nazis. Rebrov was also wounded, but he did not abandon his commander and continued to crawl. When he was wounded a second time, Rebrov's strength left him. He carefully lowered Sinkov to the ground and covered the commander, who had not yet regained consciousness, with his body. Saving the life of an officer, the brave warrior sacredly fulfilled his military duty, while giving his life.

Withdrawing, the cavalry dug in again.

Early in the morning of October 4, enemy artillery resumed shelling our positions. For three days the cavalry had held their defensive lines! The shelling continued for half an hour, then the guns fell silent. The cavalry prepared to meet the enemy infantry, but it did not appear from its trenches. From the west, the sharp rumble of motors grew rapidly.

Air!..

Over the tops of the pines, 17 bombers were heading northeast in three echelons. They bombed our positions for more than forty minutes.

As soon as the planes disappeared, the enemy artillery spoke again. Twelve tanks appeared at the edge of the forest, followed by infantry at full height. Having let the tanks up to two hundred meters, forty-five-millimeter cannons hit them from the front edge from shelters. One car spun in place with a broken caterpillar, the second caught fire. Regimental guns fired rapidly at the infantry. Unable to withstand the intense fire, the enemy infantry lay down. The tanks turned back, leaving one burning and two wrecked vehicles. The attack was repulsed.

In the afternoon, General Pliev was called to the telephone.

Issa Aleksandrovich, the situation is getting more complicated, - the voice of General Dovator was heard in the receiver. - The enemy is advancing on White with large forces. The army commander ordered the 53rd Cavalry Division to be sent there immediately. You will have to rely only on your own strength.

Pliev hung up, thought about something for several minutes, listening to the roar of cannon fire, then turned to the chief of staff:

Comrade Solovyov, I have decided to switch to a mobile defense. Give the order to Lasovsky: immediately break away from the enemy, retreat behind the line of the Zemtsy-Lomonosovo railway at wide gaits, take an intermediate line of defense along the Chernushka River and let the rest of the regiments pass through their battle formations on it. Smirnov and Arsentiev continue to defend stubbornly until the rear guard takes up defense.

On the right flank of the division, the cavalry groups pulled into the forest, and half an hour later the 37th cavalry regiment was already trotting to a new line of defense.

The Nazis resumed their attacks. Their artillery and heavy mortars fired on our positions for about twenty minutes, then dense infantry lines appeared again with seven tanks in front. The second attack was also repulsed, but on the south bank of the Mezha, the enemy went almost to Zharkovskaya, threatening to cut off the cavalry's escape route.

But in the east, red rockets caught fire - Anton Lasovsky reported that his regiment took up defensive positions. The general and the chief of staff rode to personally withdraw the regiments of the first echelon from the battle. The regiments were to retreat in squadrons and immediately take up defense on the third line.

The Nazis had not yet had time to prepare for a new attack, and the horsemen had already rushed into the forest, quickly dismantled their horses and got lost in the forest thicket. A roar was heard behind them, the enemy batteries again began to carefully process the trenches left by the cavalry. Soon the enemy noticed that he was hitting an empty place. 22 bombers appeared in the sky, looking for cavalry. It was not possible to find her on the march, and the Junkers had to drop bombs anywhere.

With this maneuver, Pliev bought time. Only in the evening did the advance units of the enemy reach Chernushka, where they were met by the fire of the outposts, prudently advanced to the western bank of the river. The Nazis turned around and launched an offensive; their artillery bombarded the river with a hail of shells. The three cavalry platoons left on the western bank fired for half an hour, retreated to the grooms and joined the regiment.

The enemy still managed to find our defenses. His batteries shifted their fire to the east coast, but the squadrons were spread out in such a sparse chain that the shells did little harm to them. The enemy infantry continued to stubbornly move forward. Soon both flanks of the 37th Cavalry Regiment were outflanked, with up to three enemy infantry battalions advancing from the front.

Then General Pliev ordered the rearguard to retreat beyond the third line of defense, already occupied by the 43rd and 47th cavalry regiments.

The maneuverable defense of the cavalry pretty much exhausted the enemy. For the third time that day, the main body of the 110th Infantry Division was forced to deploy for battle. Again, they had to change firing positions, set new tasks for regiments, battalions, companies, and organize the interaction of infantry with artillery and tanks. All this significantly slowed down the offensive.

After an hour and a half battle on the third line, the cavalry regiments broke away from the enemy at dusk and retreated to a new line, where the rearguard had already taken up defense again.

So during October 4, the cavalry held back the onslaught of an entire enemy infantry division, reinforced with tanks and supported by aircraft.

Large enemy forces rushed to Bely, for the defense of which the army commander allocated a group of General Lebedenko. Fierce fighting broke out southwest of the city. The Nazis pressed especially hard along the Dukhovshchina-Bely highway, creating a threat of a breakthrough here at the junction of our two rifle formations.

By the end of October 3, the 53rd Cavalry Division approached the Belyi area. General Lebedenko set the brigade commander Melnik the task of saddling the Dukhovshchinsky Highway and stopping the enemy's advance. The 50th and 44th Cavalry Regiments dismounted and took up defensive positions. Throughout the night, the enemy conducted reconnaissance with strong reconnaissance groups, but could not penetrate our position anywhere. During the night, the squadrons dug in and made blockages along the highway, which passed through the dense forest.

For two days there were battles on the near approaches to the city of Bely. Our units fought off one attack after another, and often they themselves launched counterattacks in order to restore their position. The Nazis were losing time, and this threatened to disrupt their offensive plan.

At dawn on October 6, the enemy threw aircraft into battle. Bombers in groups of up to eighty planes each attacked our positions. From the explosions of air bombs, the forest was covered with smoke, centuries-old trees fell with a roar, and in some places a dry forest caught fire. The air was so hot that it was difficult to breathe.

The enemy, intensifying the onslaught, broke through south of Bely. Tanks and motorized infantry, bypassing the city from the southeast, turned towards Zhirkovsky Hill, Sychevka. The army commander gave the order to withdraw. Rifle units, folding into marching columns, stretched along the forest roads to new defensive lines. Their retreat was covered by cavalry.

The enemy launched even more persistent attacks, in which numerous tanks supported the infantry. Planes literally "hung" over our positions. Under the pressure of the numerically superior enemy forces, the dismounted cavalry regiments began to gradually retreat. In order to give them the opportunity to break away from the enemy and retreat to the horse-drawn horses, the brigade commander Melnik ordered his reserve to attack the advancing enemy infantry in cavalry formation.

At the edge of a large forest clearing, to the right of the highway, squadrons of the 74th cavalry regiment lined up, a regimental battery and machine-gun carts took up firing positions on the right flank.

Squadrons of the 50th and 44th cavalry regiments of Colonel Semyon Timochkin and Major Boris Zhmurov began to emerge from the forest, firing back from the advancing enemy. A few minutes later, the Nazis poured into the clearing.

Cannons roared, machine guns fired. Under their fire, the enemy infantrymen lay down, and then rushed back into the forest. Then Major Sergei Krasnoshapka pulled out a wide Kuban blade from its scabbard, shouted: “Checkers, to battle! .. Follow me! ..” - and strongly sent his Akhal-Teke horse with spurs. Squadrons rushed after the regimental commander.

The cavalry attack came as a complete surprise to the enemy.

The squadrons crushed the enemy infantry and, before she had time to recover, hid in the forest.

After three days of fighting in the valley of the Mezha River, the 50th Cavalry Division withdrew to the Olenina-Bely highway and for another four days repelled enemy attempts to bypass the right flank of the army. On October 9, the approaching rifle units replaced the division, and the cavalry set out in the direction of Vyazovakh, where the 53rd cavalry division was already moving from Bely. An order was received from the commander of the Western Front to withdraw the cavalry group to the reserve for replenishment.

Having united, both divisions headed for the Osuga station, located on the railway Rzhev - Vyazma, but the enemy managed to forestall the cavalry. The 41st German motorized corps, having captured Kholm Zhirkovsky, Novo-Dugino and Sychevka, developed an offensive against Rzhev. The cavalry withdrew to the Medvedovsky forest. The dispatched patrols brought disappointing news: along the highway along the railway track, motorized columns of the enemy are moving north, and from the west, his pursuing units are pressing on the rearguards.

On the night of October 11, the cavalry group approached the big road. It was damp, cold, very dark. An endless stream of tanks, trucks with infantry and guns on trailers, special vehicles walked past. The engines howled heavily, the headlights shone dimly through the frequent mesh of the inclement autumn rain. Carefully, trying not to make noise, the vanguard 37th and 74th cavalry regiments pulled up.

The flow of cars began to thin out a little, and at last the movement stopped. The highway, cut with deep ruts, full of dirty water, cut by caterpillars, was empty. The command sounded: “Straight-I-yamo-oh! ..” Hundreds of horse hooves chugged through the mud. The vanguard of the 50th Cavalry moved forward, crossed the road, pulled on, hiding in impenetrable darkness. In the distance, the headlights flickered again - another enemy column was approaching.

The squadrons, which did not have time to cross the highway, again took refuge in the copse. General Pliev ordered to detain the vanguard that had crossed the road until the rest of the units were concentrated. In front of the machines of the quarry, several horsemen raced and seemed to melt into the darkness.

Trucks, tanks, guns, tractors started moving again. The cars skidded and stopped frequently. Nearby, the hoarse, angry voices of soldiers wrapped in spotted raincoats, pushing huge vehicles covered with mud-stained tarpaulins, sounded. Finally, this column disappeared behind the trees. The cavalry continued to cross the highway.

There were still three squadrons of the 43rd Cavalry Regiment, following in the rear guard, when a long line of lights again appeared from behind a hillock to the right. The enemy could delay the cavalry for a long time, and before dawn there was not so much left.

Headlight fire! Squadrons, platoon, gallop! ..

Shots rang out from the darkness. The lights stopped and began to go out. There were flashes from the other side as well, and projectiles fired at random, tracing bullets, howled over their heads. Platoon after platoon the cavalry galloped across the highway.

Pliev stood, intensely peering ahead. Nearby, hooves squelched in the mud, the figure of a horseman floated out; the cloak made her look huge and clumsy. A chilled voice said:

Comrade General, only the third squadron remained...

Move your weapons faster! replied the division commander. Lieutenant Colonel Smirnov disappeared into the darkness of the autumn night.

When the last cannon was transported across the road, Pliev quietly shouted back: “Third, straight-yamo-oh! ..” - and rode next to Senior Lieutenant Tkach.

Two kilometers to the left of the highway, the 53rd Cavalry Division crossed ...

3rd German tank group captured Rzhev and Zubtsov; columns of tanks and motorized infantry moved along the roads further to the East - to Pogorely Gorodishche, Shakhovskaya, Volokolamsk. Our troops retreated to Moscow with heavy defensive battles.

The cavalry group advanced on a forced march to the area of ​​the Knyazhy Gory station, but the enemy again forestalled it. The horsemen were forced to move on without stopping. Making their way along the back roads, the 50th and 53rd Cavalry Divisions made surprise raids on enemy barriers occupying the road junctions, and continued to march to connect with their troops.

The first frost hit. Broken, deeply rutted field roads were frozen; the dirt was frozen in huge lumps. It became extremely difficult for horses shod for summer horseshoes without thorns. The squadrons of the cavalry regiments were greatly thinned out, and there had been no replenishment since the beginning of the war.

Dovator, Tulikov, the commanders and commissars of the divisions all the time hurried the units, this was insistently demanded by the situation. And exhausted, for several days in a row did not sleep and malnourished people on emaciated, unshod horses again and again rushed to the attack. The cavalry smashed the motorized infantry, knocked out and burned the tanks, repulsed the continuous attacks of enemy bombers.

On the Volokolamsk highway

On October 13, the cavalry group left the encirclement and concentrated in the forests east of Volokolamsk.

Here the cavalry group entered the operational subordination of the 16th Army under the command of K.K. Rokossovsky. Rokossovsky was ordered: “to go out with the 18th militia rifle division to the Volokolamsk region, subjugate all the units located there, approaching there or leaving the encirclement, and organize defense in the strip from the Moscow Sea (Volga reservoir) in the north to Ruza in south, preventing the enemy from breaking through it.

Here is how Konstantin Konstantinovich recalls these days: “The first to enter the area north of Volokolamsk was the cavalry corps under the command of L. M. Dovator. The Cavalry Corps, though greatly thinned, was at that time an impressive force. Its fighters and commanders have repeatedly participated in the battles, as they say, sniffed gunpowder. The command and political staff had already gained combat experience and knew what cavalry soldiers were capable of, studied the strengths and weaknesses of the enemy.

Particularly valuable in those conditions was the high mobility of the hull, which made it possible to use it to maneuver in threatened directions, of course, with appropriate reinforcements, without which the horsemen would not be able to fight enemy tanks.

The corps commander Lev Mikhailovich Dovator, about whom I had already heard from Marshal Timoshenko, made a good impression on me. He was young, cheerful, thoughtful. Apparently he knew his stuff well. The mere fact that he managed to get the corps out of the encirclement combat-ready spoke of the talent and courage of the general.

There was no doubt that the task entrusted to the corps would be carried out skillfully.

The Rokossovsky cavalry group was tasked with organizing defense on a broad front north of Volokolamsk up to the Volga reservoir.

On October 17, the Nazis attacked the positions of the cavalry group. But the dismounted cavalry successfully repelled all attacks. The Germans failed to advance on this line.

On the morning of October 26, the Germans launched a new offensive against Volokolamsk. The main blow fell on the positions of the 316th Infantry Division of General Panfilov. Now, in addition to the infantry, at least two tank divisions acted against it. The caval group was urgently removed from their positions and transferred to the aid of the Panfilovites.

Nevertheless, on October 27, using large forces of tanks and infantry, the enemy, breaking through the defenses of the 690th rifle regiment, at 16 hours captured Volokolamsk. He tried to intercept and highway eastern city, going to Istra, but this attempt failed: the cavalrymen of the 50th division of General Pliev, who arrived in time, together with artillery, stopped the enemy.

By the beginning of November 1941, through the heroic efforts of the Red Army, the offensive of the Nazi troops was delayed both in the central sector and on the entire Soviet-German front. Operation "Typhoon" remained unfinished, but this did not mean that the Nazi command refused to carry it out. By this time, no more than 500 sabers remained in the divisions of the cavalry group.

The command of the Wehrmacht once again in 1941 prepared for an attack on Moscow, replenished and regrouped its troops. In the meantime, local battles were going on at the front.

The cavalry group of General Dovator concentrated in the Novo-Petrovskoye area, covering from the south the left flank of the 316th Infantry Division of General Panfilov, who was defending on the Volokolamsk Highway. Being a few kilometers behind the lines of their troops, the cavalry put their units in order after three months of almost continuous battles and campaigns. On November 7, the composite regiment of the cavalry group took part in the festive parade on Red Square.

In late October - early November, the Germans captured several settlements on its left flank, including Skirmanovo. Located on the heights, only eight kilometers from the Volokolamsk highway, Skirmanovo dominated the surrounding area, and enemy artillery shot through the highway from there. At any time, it could be expected that the enemy from the Skirman ledge would want to cut this highway and go to the rear of the main parts of the 16th Army. On November 4-7, Rokossovsky's troops tried to drive the enemy out of Skirmanov, but did not reach their goal.

The possibility of eliminating the threat was discussed with Rokossovsky in Zvenigorod by the commander of the Western Front. Commander-16 could not attract many forces to participate in the operation. The 50th Cavalry Division, the 18th Infantry Militia Division and the 4th Tank Brigade of M.E. Katukov, who had recently arrived in the 16th Army, were to take Skirmanovo.

The battles for the capture of this point continued from 11 to 14 November. The Nazis stubbornly defended themselves, and the fact that Rokossovsky's troops, very limited in strength and means, and even on the eve of a new Nazi offensive, managed to recapture such an important point from the enemy and inflict significant losses on him, says a lot. Skirmanovo and Kozlovo, liberated from the invaders, represented a cemetery of German equipment, correspondents of central newspapers counted thirty-six only burnt and broken tanks. Among the trophies captured in Skirmanovo were 150-millimeter guns, many mortars, dozens of vehicles. The streets of the villages were strewn with the corpses of fascist soldiers. But the losses of Rokossovsky's troops were also great - 200 killed and 908 wounded.

The success achieved near Skirmanovo could not be developed; the 16th Army did not have enough strength for more. Nevertheless, on November 15, unexpectedly, an order was received from the commander of the Western Front - to strike from the area north of Volokolamsk against the enemy's Volokolamsk grouping. The preparation period was determined by one night. Rokossovsky's request to at least extend the preparation period was not taken into account.

As expected, a private counterattack, launched on November 16 on the orders of the front, did little good. At first, taking advantage of surprise, they even managed to wedge three kilometers into the location of German troops. But at this time, they launched an offensive and our units that had advanced forward had to hastily return.

The caval group, as always, turned out to be a lifesaver and covered the withdrawal of other units to their positions. The enemy attacked her from all sides. Only thanks to their mobility and ingenuity of the commanders, the cavalry escaped and avoided complete encirclement.

By the morning of November 16, the caval group took up defensive positions. The 50th cavalry division saddled the highway leading to the Volokolamsk highway from the direction of Ruza, the 53rd cavalry division went on the defensive, covering the highway going from Mikhailovsky to Novo-Petrovskoye. The headquarters of the cavalry group is located in Yazvische.

At dawn on November 16, 1941, the "general" offensive of the Nazi troops on Moscow began.

The main blow on the northern wing of the enemy was delivered by the 4th and 3rd tank groups. In the area where this blow was delivered, the 316th rifle division General Panfilov, the 1st Guards Tank Brigade of General Katukov and parts of the cavalry group of General Dovator.

At about eight o'clock, observers observed 46 bombers approaching from the southwest under the cover of 19 fighters. The bombers, link by link, dived on the cavalry who had broken into the ground, bombed, fired from cannons and machine guns. The villages caught fire from the many bombs dropped. The forest was knocked down by the force of the explosions, the ice on the Lama River was covered with huge polynyas and cracks. The anti-aircraft battery of the cavalry group met air attack and lit two Junkers.

Following a flurry of artillery fire, an enemy offensive began in the zone of the 50th Cavalry Division, where the 43rd and 37th Cavalry Regiments were defending in Morozov and Ivantsovo. Up to 30 tanks attacked forward squadrons. Following the tanks, the infantry came out of the forest (Scheme 3).

Because of the deep snow in the fields, the tanks could not turn around and moved in columns along the roads. The infantrymen, falling into the snowdrifts almost to the waist, fell behind. The guns that were with the forward squadrons opened rapid fire. The guns were echoed by the muffled shots of anti-tank rifles.

Soon four enemy vehicles caught fire, two more stopped with crippled, punched sides; the rest began to deploy in battle formation. Forward, raising a snow whirlwind, heavy tanks broke out. The armored hulks were slowly advancing, flanking the location of the forward squadrons, which continued to shoot back. General Pliev ordered to give a signal about the withdrawal of advanced squadrons to the main forces. A few minutes later, rare chains of dismounted cavalry pulled back across the snowy field. Their retreat was covered by anti-tank guns.

Tanks, accompanied by infantry, crawled further towards Lama. Our artillery struck from the main line of defense. Before reaching the river, the tanks turned, leaving two more vehicles hit by shells. The enemy infantry could not even get close to the distance of rifle and machine-gun fire. The first enemy attack bogged down.

The Nazis pulled up reserves, regrouped, and again dense infantry lines crept forward after the tanks. The front of the enemy offensive became much wider, sweeping over Morozovo and Ivantsovo. In the first echelon, up to an infantry regiment and 52 tanks advanced.

Our troops repelled the second attack of the enemy, and after it - the third and fourth. Despite the fact that it was almost dark, the attacks continued with unrelenting force. Enemy chains advanced on our positions, rolled back, rebuilt, replenished and rushed forward again.

In the evening, the enemy still managed to break into the flaming pile of ruins, which in the morning was called the village of Ivantsovo. The commander of the 37th Cavalry Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Lasovsky, took his soldiers five hundred meters to the north. The right-flank 43rd Cavalry Regiment held the ruins of Morozov for another half an hour, but, bypassed on both flanks, was under the threat of encirclement. The regiment commander, Lieutenant Colonel Smirnov, ordered the squadrons to retreat behind a deep ravine that stretched northeast of the village. The regiment again took up defense at the edge of the forest. The Nazis managed to capture the entire front line of defense of the 50th Cavalry Division. On the site of the 53rd Cavalry Division, enemy attacks were repulsed.

To restore the situation in the defense zone of the 50th Cavalry Division, Dovator decided to drive the enemy out of the villages occupied by him by a night counterattack.

The ruins of houses in Morozov and Ivantsovo burned down. A frosty night descended over the Moscow region. In the west, huge blazes of conflagrations blazed across the entire horizon. Over the front line of the enemy now and then rockets soared into the sky. Machine guns fired. Long beams of searchlights darted across the sky. It was quiet and dark on our side...

The regiments turned around, covering the ruins of the village from three sides. The gray ranks swayed, moved forward, moving into a wide trot. There were a hundred and fifty steps to the ruins. They still didn't notice anything.

The sentinels scribbled from machine guns, bursting into the street at a field gallop. Commands were heard, the horses gave way, snow dust swirled, “Hurrah!”

From the ruins, from the hastily dug trenches, the clatter of rifles was heard, machine guns rattled, semi-automatic guns began to beat. The Nazis resisted, but were surrounded by quickly dismounted cavalrymen and defeated. The grooms brought in the horses. The 43rd Cavalry Regiment moved at a trot towards Morozov, one squadron bypassed the village from the south. The sentinels rushed forward and soon reported that there was no one in the ruins: the enemy did not accept the battle and hastily retreated to the southern bank of the Lama River. Both regiments began to take up their former defensive positions ...

As soon as the dim, late November dawn dawned, on November 17, enemy attacks resumed. The 5th Panzer Division continued its persistent attacks against General Pliev's cavalrymen, who were defending themselves between the Volokolamsk Highway and the Lama River. In the direction of Novo-Petrovskoye, units of the 10th Panzer Division advanced against the regiments of the brigade commander Melnik.

The Nazis threw a lot of dive bombers into battle. Artillery and heavy mortars hit the positions of the Soviet troops. After that, thick lines of infantry went on the attack with dozens of tanks in front. And again, under fire from our dilapidated trenches, the Nazis were forced to retreat to their original position. The battle continued unabated for fifteen hours.

Ten tanks broke through at the junction of our two squadrons and rushed to the command post of the regiment. The senior political officer Kazakov, having gathered a group of orderlies, messengers, horsemen, hastily organized the defense.

Ivan Globin, a member of the Komsomol from the village of Prochnookopskaya, pressed himself against the trunk of a perennial pine whitened with snow and peered vigilantly ahead. In his hand was a bottle of combustible mixture. The tanks crawled up. Streams of steam curled in the frosty air from hard-working motors. Shots of tank guns thundered, machine guns crackled. Shells screeched past, tracer bullets whipped through the trees, through the snowdrifts, and hissed out in the snow.

Globin estimated the distance to the nearest tank, moving slightly to his left. When there were twenty-five paces left, he planted his boots more firmly on the trampled snow, led right hand back. The steel hulk crawled past. Bullets cracked sharply in a nearby pine tree. Globin screwed up his eyes for a second, somehow shrunk all over, but immediately regained control of himself, leaned forward sharply, and threw the bottle. Rumor caught the sound of breaking glass. Behind the turret of the tank that had advanced forward, a light flashed. Puffed up smoke. The tank, poking its nose into a tree, blazed. The same fate befell another tank, knocked out by Globin with a bunch of hand grenades. For his heroic deed, the brave Komsomol member was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.

The tanks stopped, intensifying their fire. The deputy commander of the regiment, Major Skugarev, knocked out an enemy vehicle, but was seriously wounded. Lieutenant Zakharchenko's platoon of anti-tank rifles came to the rescue and knocked out three more tanks. Then the survivors hurried back.

The battery of Lieutenant Alexei Amosov occupied a firing position at the forefront, directly behind the battle formations of the dismounted squadrons. The guns, painted with whitewash, were dug deep into the frozen ground; only long thin trunks, securely covered by steel shields, could be seen above the snow. Camouflage nets were stretched over the guns with densely woven pieces - white matter. Already fifteen meters away, the guns looked like small snow mounds.

The day before, the battery fought a heavy battle. Five tanks, an armored car and eleven vehicles with infantry were destroyed by well-aimed shots from artillerymen, more than a hundred Nazis died from fragments of their shells.

Rockets shot up over the outpost line. Automatic shots were heard from the trenches, machine guns rattled, mines began to explode.

Seventeen tanks, accompanied by infantry, firing on the move, moved straight at the battery. Shells burst between the guns, fragments screeching through the air.

On tanks, armor-piercing, aim at flank vehicles. Battery - fire! ..

The left-flank tank stood up with a running start, poking its gun barrel into a snowdrift. Senior Sergeant Dulin has already had three destroyed tanks on his battle record!

Two more cars froze in the snowy field. The battery rattled with frequent shots; gun commanders independently chose targets. The squadrons concentrated all their rifle and machine-gun fire on the enemy infantry, cut it off from the tanks and forced it to lie down in the snow.

The heavy tank approached about a hundred meters. Dulin caught sight of the tank's turret, pulled the descent. Before the gun barrel had time to fall into place after the shot, a flame burst out from under the turret, an explosion rumbled, the tank stood very close to the gun.

The attack was repulsed.

Three more times the Nazis went on the attack. Another four tanks and an armored vehicle were knocked out by artillerymen; two of them were destroyed by the calculation of the communist Tikhon Dulin. The enemy failed to pass through the firing position of the battery. Nineteen gunners of this battery were awarded for distinction in this battle. Lieutenant Amosov and Senior Sergeant Dulin received the Order of the Red Banner.

At the end of the day, the enemy infantry bypassed Morozovo and Ivantsovo and, accompanied by seven tanks, rushed to Matrenino, where the division headquarters was located. Communication with the headquarters was interrupted. The 37th and 43rd cavalry regiments were surrounded.

Lieutenant Colonels Lasovsky and Smirnov left their positions, which had become unnecessary, and concentrated squadrons in the forest east of Ivantsovo. It was decided to go to Chismena, to look for the headquarters of the division. There were rears, horsemen. I had to go on foot, hungry, in summer uniforms. Through the Volokolamsk highway they broke through with a fight. We stopped for the night in the village. Before dawn, the regiments reached the command post of the 50th Cavalry Division.

The 53rd Cavalry Division, operating to the left, repulsed seven enemy attacks. At noon, the Nazis managed to break through at the junction of the regiments of the first echelon. Thick chains of enemy reserves advanced to the breakthrough site. Colonel Timochkin threw a squadron of senior lieutenant Ipatov with three tanks into a counterattack. By attacking tanks and dismounted cavalry on the flank, the Nazis were thrown off the road into deep snow, they rushed back, but from the other flank they were attacked by a squadron of Senior Lieutenant Kurbangulov. The battalion of the 86th motorized regiment was defeated.

For almost two hours the enemy made no attacks and only in the coming darkness again threw up to four infantry battalions with 30 tanks at the cavalry. Under their onslaught, the squadrons of the 50th and 74th cavalry regiments left Sychi and Danilkovo and again took up defense.

By the end of the day, the 111th motorized regiment of the enemy broke through the Volokolamsk highway to the rear of the division, but the brigade commander Melnik transferred the reserve 44th cavalry regiment with tanks, which drove the enemy back and restored the situation.

It was the fourth day of continuous fierce battle for Moscow. The battle reached its peak on 19 November. On this day, 37 Cossacks of the 4th squadron of Lieutenant Krasilnikov from the 37th cavalry regiment of the 50th division accomplished their immortal feat. Lasovsky's regiment fought in a semi-encirclement. The 4th squadron was on the left open flank in the Fedyukovo, Sheludkovo sector. Lieutenant Krasilnikov was killed. There were no more officers in the squadron. The command was taken over by the junior political instructor Mikhail Ilyenko.

From the combat report of the headquarters of the 50th Cavalry Division:

"To the commander of the cavalry group, Major General Dovator, a combat report # 1.74 of the headquarters of the 50th cavalry division. Railway barracks (northeast of Fedyukovo).

22h 30 min. 11/19/41

1. Up to an enemy infantry battalion with 31 tanks, artillery and mortars occupies Sheludkovo. Up to 40 tanks and up to 50 vehicles with infantry - Yazvische.

2. At 18.00, the enemy, supported by tanks, occupied Hill 236.1 and the outskirts of Fedyukovo, but the counterattack of the 37th Cavalry Regiment was knocked out, and the situation was restored.

3. Trophies - 2 light machine guns, 1 mortar.

Enemy losses - 28 tanks and up to an infantry company.

Our losses (according to incomplete data) - 36 people killed, 44 people wounded. Completely dropped out the 4th squadron of the 37th cavalry regiment (killed).

In the 37th cavalry regiment, 36 people and 1 heavy machine gun remained ... "

At dawn, the squadron was attacked by enemy infantry with ten tanks. Having destroyed six tanks with grenades and bottles of combustible mixture, the Cossacks repelled the attack. A few hours later, the Germans threw twenty tanks into battle. At the request of Dovator, General Katukov sent five thirty-fours led by senior lieutenant Burda to help the thinned defenders of the line. Having lost seven tanks, the Germans withdrew again, and the Katukovites returned to their line of defense. Reflecting the third attack, all the remaining Cossacks of the squadron were killed. But the tanks did not pass to Moscow in their area.

Let us recall the names of all 37 Cossack heroes: junior political instructor M. G. Ilyenko, N. V. Babakov (commander platoon commander), K. D. Babur, N. I. Bogodashko, L. P. Vyunov, A. P. Gurov, N. S. Emelyanenko (squad leader), A. N. Emelyanov, N. N. Ershov, A. S. Zhelyanov, I. P. Zruev, A. M. Indyukov, I. Ts. Ilchenko, I. N. Kirichkov, V. K. Kozyrev, E. M. Konovalov, N. A. Kutya (department commander), N. A. Lakhvitsky, D. Ya. Mamkin, A. P. Marinich, P. Ya. Meyus, I. Ya. Nosoch, G. T. Onishchenko, V. I. Pitonin, S. P. Podkidyshev, L. G. Polupanov (squad leader), P. Ya. Radchenko, A. I. Rodionov, A. F. Rodomakhov, P. M. Romanov, G. A. Savchenko, A. A. Safaryan, V. Sivirin, M. K. Chernichko, V. G. Shapovalov, N. K. Shevchenko, N. S. Yatsenko.

In the area of ​​​​the village of Denkovo, where in those days the command post of Dovator was located on mass grave memorial complex the words are carved on a concrete stele: "In 1941, the heroic defenders of Moscow stood here to death - the guardsmen of generals I.V. PANFILOV, L.M. DOVATOR. Eternal glory heroes!"

At 3 p.m. on November 20, a combat order was received from the commander of the 16th Army, General Rokossovsky: the cavalry group to retreat behind the Volokolamsk highway, covering the right flank of the 8th Guards (former 316th) Rifle Division. On the same day, November 20, the Dovator cavalry group was transformed into the 3rd Cavalry Corps, and on November 22, the 20th Cavalry Division under the command of Colonel A.V. Stavenkov, which arrived from Central Asia.

20th Mountain Cavalry Division

Commander of Colonel Stavenkov A.V.

Formed in July 1934 on the basis of the 7th Turkestan Cavalry Brigade. Before the war, she was part of the 4th Cavalry Corps.

22kp (comm. mr.)

50kp (comm. mr)

74 kp (commander)

The 20th Red Banner Order of Lenin Cavalry Division arrived in the Army from the Central Asian Military District in mid-November 1941. The personnel of the division had already fired, gained combat experience. It was one of our oldest regular cavalry divisions. Formed at the beginning of 1919 on the orders of M.V. Frunze to fight the White Cossack cavalry, the division went through a glorious military path: it smashed the Kolchak corps rushing to the Volga, fought the road to Turkestan, fought the Basmachi in Central Asia, was awarded two orders. The division was well equipped and armed.

By the end of November 21, 1941, our troops retreated to the line of the Istra reservoir, the Istra River. The waterways were blown up. Water spilled over tens of kilometers, blocking the path of the enemy. The offensive of the Nazis in the Volokolamsk-Istra direction was suspended.

The fascist German troops were forced to deliver the main blow to the north. The 3rd tank group launched an offensive along the banks of the Volga reservoir to Klin, Solnechnogorsk. In the same direction - through Teryaeva Sloboda, Zakharovo - columns of tanks and vehicles of the 46th motorized corps of the 4th tank group stretched.

The commander of the Western Front, General of the Army G.K. Zhukov, having advanced units of the 7th Guards Rifle Division of Colonel Gryaznov to the Solnechnogorsk direction, ordered the cavalry to be transferred to the Leningrad Highway, setting it the task of holding back the onslaught of the enemy until the approach of front reserves.

At dawn on November 23, 1941, the commander of the 3rd Cavalry Corps, General Dovator, received an order from the commander of the 16th Army: to move in a forced march to the Solnechnogorsk region. The 44th cavalry division, two tank battalions from the army reserve and two battalions of the 8th Panfilov Red Banner Guards Rifle Division came under his command.

44th Cavalry Division

Commander Kuklin P.F.

Formed in July 1941 in Tashkent.

45kp(comm. mr.)

51kp (comm. Mr.)

54 kp (commander)

The enemy resumed the offensive in the morning, but was driven back by units of the 20th Cavalry Division. Dovator ordered the commander of this division, Colonel Stavenkov, who arrived at the headquarters of the corps:

Cover the march of the main forces of the corps to the new area of ​​concentration. On my radio signal, break away from the enemy and retreat in the direction of Solnechnogorsk.

At 9 o'clock in the morning, the 50th Cavalry Division was already moving in regimental columns through Nudol to the crossing of the Istra reservoir, located near the village of Pyatnitsa. They were followed by units of the 53rd Cavalry Division.

After heavy fighting with units of the enemy's 2nd Panzer and 35th Infantry Divisions at the turn of the Bolshaya Sestra River, units of the 20th Cavalry Division withdrew along the Teryaev Sloboda-Nudol highway and again blocked the enemy's path. The 103rd Gissar Red Banner and Order of the Red Star Cavalry Regiment under the command of Major Dmitry Kalinovich and the 124th Red Banner Cavalry Regiment, commanded by Major Vasily Prozorov, with batteries of the 14th Red Banner Cavalry Artillery Battalion under the command of Major Pyotr Zelepukhin, defended in an eight-kilometer strip Kadnikovo, Vasilyevsko-Soyminovo. The 22nd Baldzhuan Red Banner Cavalry Regiment under the command of Major Mikhail Sapunov was in the second echelon.

The division commander, Colonel Anatoly Stavenkov, returned to Pokrovsko-Zhukovo. The chief of staff reported to him that the 8th Guards Rifle Division, which was defending to the left, had left Novo-Petrovskoye and was engaged in a heavy battle with large enemy forces, pushing infantrymen onto the ice of the Istra reservoir. The patrols sent to the right to establish contact with Colonel Kuklin have not yet returned; The radio didn't work either.

At about 10 o'clock in the morning, the enemy intensified their artillery shelling and resumed the offensive. The squadrons met the enemy with fire. Enemy chains lay down. Mortars fired in frequent bursts. A wall of gaps rose above the enemy's battle formations. The 111th motorized regiment, leaving up to two hundred corpses of soldiers and officers and four wrecked tanks on the battlefield, hastily retreated to its original position.

After the failed frontal offensive, the Nazis undertook a roundabout maneuver. The enemy began to bypass our flank from the north. Five tanks with armored infantry troops shot down the outpost, broke into Kadnikovo and moved in a column along the street, going into the rear of our artillery positions.

A soldier jumped out of the gate of one house and rushed to cut across the roaring cars. Sapper Viktonenko, clutching an anti-tank grenade in each hand, ran across the street and stopped a few steps from the lead tank. Thundered almost merged into one two explosions. The tank sank and tilted, crushing the hero with its tracks.

The rest of the tanks began to cautiously walk around the burning vehicle. Another tank was hit; he poked at the fence and finally blocked the road. Then our batteries hit the accumulated cars in unison. Only two tanks managed to escape from the village.

The body of Komsomol member Viktonenko was removed from under an enemy tank and buried in the square of the village of Kadnikovo.

Soon the division received an order by radio to withdraw from the battle and withdraw in the direction of the village of Pyatnitsa.

The main body of the 3rd Cavalry Corps moved northeast all day. Artillery cannonade was heard ahead, the wind carried rifle and machine-gun fire. It was Colonel Kuklin's cavalrymen who continued to hold their positions on the northern shore of the Istra reservoir. Behind, from the side of Nudol, the roar of battle was also heard - the division of Colonel Stavenkov covered the march maneuver of the main forces of the cavalry.

Dovator rode forward and stopped at the edge of the forest, inspecting the passing regiments. The 50th Cavalry Division was ahead. Pliev drove up, stopped next to the corps commander. Both silently looked at the well-known faces of soldiers and officers tested in battles. Squadrons and batteries stretched past, fighting in the July days on the Mezha River, raiding enemy rear lines, retreating to Moscow with heavy fighting.

Shaggy cloaks and scarlet hoods of officers, overcoats and earflaps of soldiers flashed by. Regimental colors floated by, covered with a protective tarpaulin. Guns and machine-gun carts rumbled along the icy road.

In the battles in the Volokolamsk direction, the ranks of the horsemen were greatly thinned. The commanders of the regiments Smirnov and Lasovsky, commissars Abashkin and Rud were seriously wounded. The squadron commanders Vikhovsky, Ivankin, Tkach, Kuranov, Lyushchenko, who became famous in battles, as well as political instructors Borisaiko and Shumsky, were out of order. Lieutenant Krasilnikov, secretary of the party organization of the regiment Sushkov, scout Krivorotko, machine gunner Akulov fell to the death of a hero. Many soldiers and officers gave their lives on the outskirts of their native Moscow.

In front of the corps commander, regiments passed, outwardly more like squadrons. But a stern, trained eye noticed that the columns on the march were moving in an orderly, harmonious manner. Regimental commanders famously fly up, reporting to Dovator. The soldiers are drawn up, equalizing the ranks, unanimously respond to the general's greeting. Behind the squadrons and batteries move the foremen, on duty, as it should be according to the charter. Everything shows that there are well-disciplined units, firmly soldered in battles and campaigns.

It was already about midnight when Dovator arrived at the corps headquarters. Lieutenant Colonel Kartavenko reported that the enemy had occupied Solnechnogorsk, and its advanced units had advanced to the Selishchevo-Obukhovo line.

The general sat down at the table and pushed the map forward. Softly stepping on felt boots, the adjutant entered the room.

Comrade General, Colonel Kuklin and tank battalion commanders have arrived.

Ask here.

The door opened to let in the intruders. A short man in a gray bekesh with a hood over his shoulders, the colonel, with a clear movement, put his hand to his earflaps, reported:

Comrade General, the 44th Cavalry Division, in accordance with the order of the army commander, has come under your command.

The dovator, standing up at the first words of the report, shook the colonel's hand firmly and offered to sit down. Kuklin withdrew while the commanders of the tank battalions reported that their battalions were armed with new tanks in regular numbers, and the crews were staffed by regular tankers who had already been in battle. At these words, Dovator's face brightened.

Report the situation, Comrade Colonel, - he turned to Kuklin.

Kuklin, leaning over the map, briefly reported that his division, after three days of fighting, had retreated to the eastern bank of the Istra River, the regiments had suffered significant losses, but were ready to carry out any combat mission. The forward battalions of the 23rd and 106th Infantry Divisions operate near the enemy; the Nazis had significantly fewer tanks. “Since the enemy tank divisions were left somewhere behind, obviously they are putting themselves in order after the fighting on the banks of the Volga reservoir near Klin,” thought Dovator. - The enemy occupied Solnechnogorsk late. The Nazis do not conduct reconnaissance at night.

The attendant got up.

I decided to strike back at the enemy,” he spoke. “The Nazis are sure that tomorrow, or rather today,” he corrected himself, glancing at his watch, “they will already be on the outskirts of Moscow. The enemy is not yet aware of the approach of cavalry and tanks. Our blow will take him by surprise. We will win a day or two to approach and deploy front-line reserves ...

Kuklin involuntarily burst out:

That's great! .. I'm sorry, Comrade General, - he immediately realized.

The blow is delivered from the south-east by the 44th and 50th cavalry divisions with both tank battalions, - continued Dovator. Kartavenko habitually quickly marked on the map. - The 53rd Cavalry Division should saddle the Leningrad Highway and the October Railway; with the approach of the battalions of the 8th Guards Rifle Division, transfer the defense to them and attack Solnechnogorsk from the east. The 20th Cavalry Division will form a corps reserve.

Liaison officers of the corps headquarters galloped to the unit with a combat order. Tireless instructors of the political department left, having received the task: during the rest of the night to gather the communists and with their help to bring to each fighter a new combat mission and the importance of its successful completion for the entire course of the defense of the capital.

Under the cover of night, the cavalry regiments went to their original position. Clashing with caterpillars, tanks crawled, occupied the firing positions of the battery. Ahead, the lights flickered all night, the distant noise of engines was heard: the enemy divisions were pulling up to Solnechnogorsk, preparing for a new decisive attack on Moscow.

On a frosty, overcast morning on November 24, 1941, the 3rd Cavalry Corps counterattacked the enemy.

The 50th Cavalry Division dealt the main blow. The right-flank 37th Cavalry Regiment, advancing two kilometers, was held up by enemy infantry fire. The 47th Cavalry Regiment, advancing on the left flank of the division, also made little progress.

Then General Pliev brought into battle a reserve regiment with both tank battalions. Dismounted squadrons broke into Selishchevo. The enemy threw an infantry battalion into the counterattack, but was crushed by cavalrymen, who for the first time went on the attack along with the new Ural T-34 tanks.

Squadrons of the 43rd Cavalry Regiment bypassed Martynovo from the north, where the enemy continued to offer stubborn resistance, and broke into the location of the Nazis. Hand grenades flew, the soldiers threw themselves at bayonets. Captain Sakharov's lead squadron attacked the enemy right behind the tanks; other divisions followed suit. After a fierce street battle, the second battalion of the 240th German infantry regiment was defeated.

The cavalry strike was a complete surprise to the enemy. The fascist German command began hastily pulling up reserves from Solnechnogorsk. Junkers appeared in the sky. The enemy brought into battle the main forces of the 23rd and 106th infantry divisions and about 50 tanks. Two enemy battalions with eight tanks attacked the left flank of the 50th Cavalry Division and began to enter the rear of the cavalry. General Pliev led the last squadron remaining in his reserve and, with the support of tanks, led him to counterattack. The enemy was pushed back. Our units began to go over to the defensive at the reached line.

The 53rd Cavalry Division went on the offensive around noon, advanced up to seven kilometers, captured a howitzer battery, about a hundred prisoners. But the enemy command pulled up reserves, threw its bombers on the cavalry, and the brigade commander Melnik was forced to give the order to gain a foothold on the achieved lines.

A sudden attack by the 3rd Cavalry Corps thwarted the advance of a large enemy grouping from Solnechnogorsk towards Moscow. The Nazis were driven back, suffered significant losses and lost a whole day, which were used by the Soviet command. The head battalions of the 7th Guards Rifle Division began to unload at the Povarovo station in order to take up defense on the Leningrad Highway.

For another two days the cavalrymen held their positions. The enemy, having brought into battle the 2nd Panzer Division and large aviation forces, made one attack after another, but all in vain. In these battles, the Nazis lost only seven hundred soldiers and officers, 22 tanks and three bombers killed.

On November 26, the enemy managed to advance somewhat along the Leningrad Highway and wedged between the 53rd Cavalry Division and the battalions of the 7th Guards Rifle Division. Enemy tanks and motorized infantry captured Esipovo and Peshki.

The corps commander transferred the 50th Cavalry Division with both tank battalions to the right flank. With the blow of horsemen, tankers and guards shooters, the enemy grouping that had broken through was thrown back. In this battle, the death of the brave fell, leading their soldiers to attack, captain Kulagin and senior political instructor Kazakov.

Three days of precious time were given to the Soviet command as a result of a bold blow and a staunch defense of the cavalrymen and foot soldiers. During this time, the front-line reserves took up defense, covered the Leningrad highway and again blocked the path to Moscow for the Nazi troops.

On the morning of November 27, good news came to the headquarters of the cavalry corps. By order No. 342 of November 26, 1941, the cavalry corps was awarded the rank of guards.

“... For the courage shown in battles with the German invaders, for the steadfastness, courage and heroism of the personnel, the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command transformed:

3rd Cavalry Corps - to the 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps (corps commander Major General Dovator Lev Mikhailovich);

50th Cavalry Division - to the 3rd Guards Cavalry Division (division commander Major General Pliev Issa Aleksandrovich);

53rd Cavalry Division - to the 4th Guards Cavalry Division (commander of the division, brigade commander Melnik Kondrat Semenovich);

Guards banners are awarded to the indicated corps and divisions "

The decisive days of the battle for Moscow have come. Our country, the Soviet troops strained every effort to hold back the fierce onslaught of the enemy.

The fascist German command concentrated the 23rd and 106th infantry and 2nd tank divisions on the Leningrad Highway and categorically ordered them to break through to Moscow along the shortest path from the northwest. Parts of the 40th motorized corps managed to capture the city of Istra.

The troops of the 16th Army, under the onslaught of a numerically superior enemy with heavy defensive battles, retreated to the east.

By November 29, the Nazis had transferred the 5th Panzer and 35th Infantry Divisions to the eastern bank of the Istra River and reached Alabushev, threatening to close the encirclement around the cavalry corps.

In the afternoon, the corps commander decided to begin the withdrawal of divisions from the battle in order to again go on the defensive outside the enemy encirclement. To the staff officers who went to the divisions to transmit the combat order and control its execution, Dovator said:

Tell the commanders and commissars of the units and let every soldier know this: the enemy slipped south of our location, found himself almost behind our lines; we will strike to the east, break the enemy ring and again go over to the defense with the front to the west. Do not leave the enemy not only a single gun or machine gun, but not even a single wagon wheel. I categorically demand: to take out to the rear all the wounded, as well as the bodies of those who died in battle, to be buried with military honors. Commanders, communists, Komsomol members to be the first to break through, the last to retreat! ..

The main burden of the breakthrough fell on the part of the 20th Cavalry Division, which was defending on the left flank of the corps.

On the morning of November 30, enemy infantry and tanks resumed their attacks along the Leningrad Highway. Two infantry regiments with tanks broke through to the rear of the division. The division was in the ring. Bombers continuously bombed the forest through which our units retreated. Age-old trees, tumbled down by the blast wave, interfered with the movement.

At noon, the 124th Cavalry Regiment, approaching the line of the October Railway, was met by fire from enemy tanks and submachine gunners who had broken through ahead. The regiment turned around and rushed from the move in the direction of Chashnikovo, where it again took up defensive positions. His right-flank units established contact with the rifle battalions of Colonel Gryaznov's division.

Squadrons of the 22nd Cavalry Regiment, supported by fire from the 14th Cavalry Artillery Battalion, located at the edge of the forest, launched an attack on Alabushevo, drove the Nazis out of the village, but were immediately attacked on the flank by two infantry battalions with 46 tanks. Enemy batteries fired on the village. One of the first shells was seriously wounded division commander Colonel Stavenkov. Lieutenant Colonel Tavliev took command of the division.

The squadrons withdrew a kilometer and dug in at the edge of the forest, closing the flank with units of the 124th cavalry regiment.

The enemy went on the attack several more times, trying to drive the cavalry off its defensive line, but to no avail.

The 103rd Cavalry Regiment covered the breakthrough of the main forces of the division. Dismounted squadrons deployed along the railroad and highway and repelled several infantry attacks. Having failed, the enemy began to bypass our battle formations in the forest. Fierce fights ensued; the reserve squadron was drawn into the battle, and behind it special units: chemists, sappers, anti-aircraft gunners.

Three tanks with a landing party of submachine gunners bypassed the left flank of the regiment and rushed to the headquarters. Here was the Honorary Revolutionary Red Banner of the Central Executive Committee of the RSFSR, which the regiment was awarded for the capture of the Hissar fortress in 1921 and the defeat of the bands of the Emir of Bukhara Seid-Alim Khan. Nearby stood the Battle Banner with the Order of the Red Star from the All-Bukhara Central Executive Committee for the defeat in 1922 of the Basmachi gangs of Enver Pasha and Ibrahim Bek.

The regimental headquarters was guarded by eleven soldiers of the commandant's platoon with two light machine guns and an anti-tank rifle. They went into battle. Senior Sergeant Lukash knocked out the lead tank with a bunch of hand grenades, armor-piercers set fire to the second tank, and the third got stuck in a snowdrift and fired machine guns.

The unequal battle lasted for more than half an hour. All the defenders of the regimental banners, except for one - the wounded junior sergeant Stepan Onuprienko, were killed. Onuprienko, straining his last strength, inserted a disk into the machine gun and slashed point-blank at the pressing Nazis. Leaving the dead and wounded in the snow, the enemies crawled back behind the trees.

Almost losing consciousness, junior sergeant Onuprienko got up, threw a grenade and, hit by a third bullet, fell, covering with his body the covered banners covered with snow.

The cavalrymen, who arrived in time for the shots, threw back the Nazis and carefully lifted the solidifying body of the hero and two regimental shrines - Banners, defending which Stepan Onuprienko gave his life. Three wrecked enemy tanks stood near the headquarters of the regiment, up to forty corpses of the Nazis were lying around.

With the onset of darkness, the enemy ceased their attacks. Units of the 103rd Cavalry Regiment joined their division, which again took up defensive positions on the Leningrad Highway, in the village of Bolshie Rzhavki.

Units of the 3rd Guards Cavalry Division, through whose combat formations the first-echelon cavalry divisions leaving the battle, were retreating, found themselves deep in the rear of the enemy. During the day, the Nazis several times went over to the attack on the horsemen, but had no success. As soon as it got dark, General Pliev led the division to break through. The vanguard regiment knocked down enemy barriers with short blows, punching the way for the main forces. By dawn, parts of the division left the encirclement and concentrated in the village of Chernaya Gryaz, where they again went on the defensive. The division included the 1st Special Cavalry Regiment, formed from the workers of Moscow.

Thus, the enemy's attempt to encircle and destroy the 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps and break through in its defense zone towards Moscow failed. All parts of the body in perfect order, with all military equipment, broke out of the ring of three enemy divisions and again took up defense on the near approaches to the capital.

From this line, the horse guards have not retreated a single step!

The defensive period of the great battle near Moscow has ended.

The enemy's "general" attack on the capital of the Soviet Union failed. Instead of a lightning strike by three tank groups, in the steel "pincers" of which Hitler intended to clamp the Soviet troops defending Moscow, the Army Group Center was forced to literally crawl towards Moscow. On the outflanking, outer flanks, the Nazis managed to advance a hundred kilometers in twenty days of the offensive, but our defenses were not broken anywhere.

By December 5, 1941, the enemy grouping, exhausted by heavy losses, began to go over to the defensive at the Kalinin, Yakhroma, Kryukovo, Naro-Fominsk line, west of Tula, Mordves, Mikhailov, Yelets.

At the most critical moment, when in a number of places the front line passed through summer cottages near Moscow, the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command ordered the Soviet Army to launch a decisive counteroffensive.

On December 6, the troops of the Western Front delivered powerful blows to the flanks of the 3rd, 4th and 2nd German tank groups, which had reached the near approaches to Moscow and Tula. The reserve 1st shock, 20th and 10th armies, concentrated in the area of ​​Dmitrov, Yakhroma, Khimki and south of Ryazan, having gone on the offensive, broke the stubborn resistance of the enemy. Following them, the troops of the 16th Army, Lieutenant General K.K. Rokossovsky, began to strike at the enemy. The 7th and 8th Guards Rifle, 44th Cavalry Divisions and the 1st Guards Tank Brigade, having defeated the enemy's Kryukov grouping, captured Kryukov and exterminated the enemy garrison that refused to lay down their arms. The 18th Infantry Division of Colonel Chernyshev drove the Nazis out of Shemetov. The 9th Guards Rifle Division of General Beloborodov captured the Nefedovo road junction.

Developing success, the armies of the right wing of the Western Front defeated the 3rd and 4th tank groups and on December 6-10 advanced westward from 25 to 60 kilometers. The troops of the left wing continued to pursue the defeated 2nd enemy tank army. To the north, a counteroffensive was launched by the troops of the Kalinin Front, led by Lieutenant General I. S. Konev and given the task of defeating the 9th German Army and freeing Kalinin. To the south, the troops of the right wing of the Southwestern Front (commander "Marshal of the Soviet Union S. K. Timoshenko, member of the Military Council N. S. Khrushchev) dealt a strong blow to the 2nd German Army in the Yelets area. The enemy units, which were hit by these crushing blows, tried to continue the offensive for several more days, but in the end were forced to stop it.

The counteroffensive of the Soviet Army unfolded on a huge front from Kalinin to Kastornoye.

There is no irony in the title. This article will give examples of how Soviet cavalry formations beat the Nazi panzer divisions and panzercorps in the tail and mane.

During the years of the notorious perestroika, one can recall how its "foremen" hysterically stigmatized the "hard-nosed cavalrymen" who interfered with the creation of a mighty tank Red Army. And, they say, that's the only reason the Red Army suffered severe defeats at the beginning of the war.

But time passed, the archives opened and amazing things began. It suddenly became clear that very often it was the cavalry formations of the Red Army that fought much more successfully against German tank and motorized formations than tankers. And their counterattacks put the Germans in a critical position. And it turned out that the tankers, acting precisely together with the cavalry, achieved much more success than acting independently.

This is September 1941. The 24th motorized army corps of the 2nd Panzer Group of Guderian broke into the rear of the Soviet Southwestern Front. "Fast Heinz", unlike Kleist and Manstein, did not get hit in the teeth in June near Brody and Rovno or in July near Soltsy. And so the Nazi general felt very comfortable. And he followed with the headquarters of his tank group on the heels of the 24th motorized corps. And suddenly, on September 17-21, in the Romne region, this German corps receives a furious blow. Guderian himself admitted in his memoirs that he experienced a very unpleasant sensation when the cavalry almost broke through to his command post. This counterattack was inflicted by the 2nd Cavalry Corps of General Belov together with

1st Guards Rifle Division (former 100th Rifle) and 1st Tank Brigade. And gave a brutal beating to the Germans.

And after that, Guderian continued to get. On September 30, at Shtepovka, Belov's 2nd Cavalry Corps, together with the 1st Guards Moscow Proletarian Motorized Rifle and the same 1st Tank Brigade, inflicted severe damage on the 25th Motorized Division of the 2nd Tank Army (as Guderian's tank group became known). As a result, this division, instead of taking part in the attack on Moscow, was forced to lick its wounds for several days.

But Guderian's troubles did not end there again. With the 2nd Cavalry Corps (since November 26, 1941 - the 1st Guards Cavalry Corps) on November 25, 1941, the 17th Tank Division of his tank army collided near Kashira. The cavalrymen were ahead of the Nazis in the exit to Kashira by just a few hours, having made an exhausting 100-km march from the area west of Serpukhov in less than a day. But, having gone out to Kashira, the cavalrymen did not sit on the defensive on the morning of November 26, but launched a counterattack on the 17th Panzer Division. Stunned by the unexpected blow, the Germans backed away. The 173rd Rifle Division (3,500 men and a 176.2 mm cannon), units of the 112th Panzer Division (several dozen light tanks

T-26), then the 9th tank brigade and two separate tank battalions entered the battle. The strength of the blows steadily increased. And if in other sectors of the front near Moscow the Germans tried to advance until December 5, then near Kashira Belov's cavalry, together with infantrymen and tankers, drove them back already on November 26.

Now fast forward to February 1943. These days, the German command, having gathered large forces of tanks and motorized infantry, organized a counteroffensive in the Donbass and near Kharkov. And so the 2nd SS Panzergrenadier Division "Das Reich" attacked the positions of the Soviet troops. She managed to crush the defense of the Soviet rifle units, to defeat the approaching tank units. But when the SS division attacked units of the 6th Guards Cavalry Corps, the SS men received a fierce rebuff. They never managed to cope with the cavalry. Skillfully maneuvering, the cavalry constantly evaded the blows of the SS, caught them in "fire bags", and delivered sudden counterattacks. As a result, the Das Reich division got out of harm's way from the area where the cavalrymen were defending.

Now let's look at the end of July - the beginning of August 1943. Soviet troops are advancing on the Germans, dug in on the Oryol bridgehead. The 11th Guards Army broke through the defenses of the enemy troops on the northern face of the Oryol salient. Mobile formations were introduced into the gap - the 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps, the 1st and 5th Tank Corps, then the 25th Tank Corps and the 4th Tank Army. The Germans were forced to hastily transfer tank formations to a threatening direction. Among other formations, an elite tank-grenadier division arrived from Belgorod. Greater Germany". And on July 25, she took part in the counterattack of the German troops near Karachev.

At the time of entry into battle in the division "Grossdeutschland" there were 195 tanks - 84 Pz.Kpfw. IV, 96 Pz.Kpfw. V "Panther" ("Panther") and 15 Pz.Kpfw. VI Ausf. E "Tiger" ("Tiger"). By the end of August 2, the division remained combat-ready: Pz.Kpfw. IV - 28, Pz.Kpfw. V "Panther" ("Panther") - 32 and Pz.Kpfw. VI Ausf. E "Tiger" ("Tiger") - 5, total - 65 tanks. Thus, during the nine-day battles, the losses of the division amounted to more than 65% of military equipment (56 Pz.Kpfw. IV, 64 Pz.Kpfw. V and 10 Pz.Kpfw. VI Ausf. E). At the same time, from the Soviet side, this division was opposed by formations of the 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps, reinforced by anti-tank artillery. And in a week + two days of fighting against cavalrymen, Grossdeutchland lost MORE armored vehicles than fighting against Katukov's 1st Panzer Army during Operation Citadel.

In general, Marshal of the Soviet Union K.K. wrote very warmly about the cavalrymen. Rokossovsky in his memoirs. At the same time, he especially emphasized that cavalrymen almost never went to saber attacks on horseback. Basically, they attacked the enemy on foot. Saber attacks were very rare, only when the cavalrymen acted in the depths of the enemy's defenses and attacked his rear units. And Rokossovsky especially noted that after the cavalry divisions received enough artillery, their mobility acquired special value. During the day, the cavalry division could go up to 60-70 kilometers and be ready to immediately join the battle, while the 40-kilometer transition completely exhausted the infantry unit moving on foot, and it needed time to rest, then to join the battle. At the same time, compared with a tank or mechanized formation, cavalrymen were less demanding on roads, bridges and fords across rivers, and, if necessary, could move almost off-road.

Therefore, it must be admitted that the formation of dozens of "light" cavalry divisions in the second half of 1941 was completely justified. Yes, these divisions were not particularly suitable for the offensive. But on the other hand, they were an ideal tool for parrying the breakthroughs of German troops in a strategic defense. Travel 60-70 kilometers per day, go to the area of ​​​​the German breakthrough, take up defensive lines on the move, engage in battle and conduct mobile defense, slowing down the pace of the German offensive, the cavalry divisions could do it perfectly. And in cooperation with tank brigades, cavalrymen turned into an ideal means of conducting maneuverable defense.

Unfortunately, during the years of the notorious perestroika, the so-called. the superintendents managed to silence those who did not agree with their demagogy when they poured mud on the Soviet cavalrymen. The excessive secrecy of military archives also played a negative role. Many archival funds of the Ministry of Defense relating to the combat operations of the same cavalry formations were declassified only at the end of the 90s of the twentieth century. And this made it difficult to expose the insinuations of the "foremen of perestroika", who sucked fabrications out of their fingers, they say, "one person, crystal honest, told him."

But as soon as the archives were opened, it turned out that in 1941-1942, and even in 1943, Soviet cavalrymen fought with German tank and motorized formations often much more successfully than tank brigades and even corps. The cavalrymen did not rush into frontal counterattacks on german tanks, constantly maneuvered, launched counterattacks on the flanks, acted on the rear of the Germans, destroying vehicles with ammunition and fuel, without which a tank or motorized division very quickly turned into infantry, reinforced with tanks as fixed firing points. And lost all its penetrating and striking power.

And when the Red Army seized the strategic initiative and drove the Nazis to the West, cavalry-mechanized groups operated with invariable success on all fronts. So, in the Belorussian, Lvov-Sandomierz and Yassy-Kishinev strategic offensive operations, 5 horse-mechanized groups participated: KMG of the 1st Belorussian Front (4th Guards Cavalry and 1st Mechanized Corps), KMG of the 3rd Belorussian Front (3 1st Guards Cavalry and 3rd Guards Mechanized Corps), two KMGs of the 1st Ukrainian Front (1st Guards Cavalry and 25th Tank Corps; 6th Guards Cavalry and 31st Tank Corps), KMG of the 2nd Ukrainian Front (23rd Tank and 5th Guards Cavalry Corps). Already during the Belarusian operation, another cavalry-mechanized group was created: the 2nd Guards Cavalry and 11th Tank Corps. And the names of the KMG commanders I.A. Plieva and N.S. Oslikovsky became legendary. The 1st Guards KMG of General Pliev (4th and 6th Guards Cavalry Corps and the 4th Guards Mechanized Corps) especially distinguished themselves in battles in Hungary.

And it is no coincidence that by the end of the war, ALL seven cavalry corps and the entire 21 cavalry division of the Army in the Field were GUARDS. No other branch of the military could boast that all of its formations in the Army in the Field bear the rank of Guards.

Andrey RAIZFELD

Andrey RAIZFELD

A special chapter is devoted to the role of the cavalry in our army in wartime and before the war. Those interested in the details will easily find them there. We quote only the conclusion.

“Stories about stupid, backward cavalrymen throwing themselves at tanks with sabers are, at best, a delusion of people who are poorly versed in tactical and operational issues. As a rule, these misconceptions are the result of dishonesty of historians and memoirists. The cavalry was quite an adequate means of conducting maneuverable combat operations in 1939-1945. The Red Army demonstrated this most clearly. The cavalry of the Red Army in the prewar years has undergone a sharp reduction. It was believed that she could not seriously compete with tank and motorized formations on the battlefield. Of the 32 cavalry divisions and 7 corps directorates available by 1938, 4 corps and 13 cavalry divisions remained by the beginning of the war. However, the experience of the war showed that with the reduction of the cavalry hastened. The creation of only motorized units and formations was, firstly, unbearable for domestic industry, and secondly, the nature of the terrain in the European part of the USSR in many cases did not favor the use of vehicles. All this led to the revival of large cavalry formations. Even at the end of the war, when the nature of hostilities had changed significantly compared to 1941-1942, 7 cavalry corps successfully operated in the Red Army, 6 of them bore the honorary title of guards. In fact, during its decline, the cavalry returned to the standard of 1938 - 7 departments of cavalry corps. The Wehrmacht cavalry experienced a similar evolution - from one brigade in 1939 to several cavalry divisions in 1945. In 1941-1942. The horsemen played a crucial role in defensive and offensive operations, becoming the indispensable "quasi-motorized infantry" of the Red Army. In fact, before the appearance in the Red Army of large independent mechanized formations and formations, cavalry was the only maneuverable means of the operational level. In 1943-1945, when the mechanisms of tank armies were finally fine-tuned, the cavalry became a subtle tool for solving especially important tasks in offensive operations. Tellingly, the number of cavalry corps was approximately equal to the number of tank armies. There were six tank armies in 1945, and seven cavalry corps. Most of both of them bore the rank of Guards by the end of the war. If the tank armies were the sword of the Red Army, then the cavalry was a sharp and long sword. Typical task of cavalrymen in 1943-1945. there was the formation of an outer front of encirclement, a breakthrough far into the depths of the enemy defenses at a time when the old front was crumbling and a new one had not yet been created. On a good highway, the cavalry certainly lagged behind the motorized infantry. But on dirt roads and in wooded and swampy areas, it could advance at a pace quite comparable to that of motorized infantry. In addition, unlike motorized infantry, the cavalry did not require a constant delivery of many tons of fuel. This allowed the cavalry corps to advance deeper than most of the mechanized formations and ensure a high rate of advance for the armies and fronts as a whole. Cavalry breakthroughs on great depth allowed to save the forces of infantrymen and tankmen. Only a person who does not have the slightest idea about the tactics of the cavalry and has a vague idea of ​​​​its operational use can assert that the cavalry is a backward branch of the army, only due to the thoughtlessness of the leadership remaining in the Red Army.

It should be added to this that a number of military commanders, like Voroshilov and Budyonny, should not be represented as "anti-motorists". As Pykhalov shows, it is somehow difficult to attribute to this category the same Voroshilov, who in a number of speeches speaks of a future war as a “war of engines”.

If the cavalry was already so far behind, then it is reasonable to ask how the enemy was doing with this. The Germans did not experience a shortage of cavalry. In addition to the 3rd and 4th cavalry divisions created at the height of the war, they also had SS divisions (8th Florian Geir and later formed by Maria Theresa and Lützow) and "foreign divisions of the ground forces" (1st and 2nd cavalry), and the Allied cavalry (4 Romanian divisions, Hungarians, Italians, Croats). In addition, in each infantry division there were combat cavalry units, a reconnaissance battalion cavalry squadron. There were 173 horses in it - riding and harnessed to machine-gun carts (a tachanka repeatedly ridiculed by "whistleblowers"). If we count only 118 infantry divisions thrown against the USSR on June 22, 1941, and only their cavalry squadrons, then we get 20414 cavalry fighters. Three Soviet divisions.

With a light foot on the hand of "fast" Heinz, one of the real episodes that occurred at the very beginning of the Second World War became a persistent myth. Apparently Guderian had to demonstrate the all-destroying technical power of the valiant Wehrmacht. Well, at the same time, the backwardness of the opponents of the Millennium Reich. Guderian writes: "The Polish Pomeranian cavalry brigade, due to ignorance of the design data and methods of action of our tanks, attacked them with melee weapons and suffered monstrous losses."

His words are happily picked up by both sides. According to the German version, the Polish cavalry mistook the German tanks for models and boldly rushed with their bare heel on a saber saber on the tanks in the cavalry formation. According to the Polish version, the cavalrymen in the tragic time for Greater Poland showed exceptional courage, going into an unequal battle against mechanical armored monsters, demonstrating a rare stupidity, a real chivalrous spirit.

In fact, everything was much more prosaic.
The battle near Kroyants, which took place on September 1, 1939, formed the basis of the story of a cavalry charge. Guderian's memoirs speak of a cavalry charge on 3 September. Historian A. Isaev describes the battle as follows: the Polish 18th Pomeranian Lancers fought a defensive battle in the morning of September 1. In the afternoon, the regiment was ordered to attack the German infantry from the rear and then retreat back. The maneuver detachment of the regiment (1st and 2nd squadrons and two platoons of the 3rd and 4th squadrons) was supposed to enter the infantry from the rear, and after the attack, retreat to the Polish fortifications in the town of Rytel.

The detachment discovered that the German battalion was located on a halt 300-400 m from the edge of the forest. It was decided to attack, using the effect of surprise. The commander of the 18th regiment, Colonel Mastalezh, took part in the attack. The cavalrymen merrily cut down with their sabers the infantrymen who were taken by surprise and fled, until German armored vehicles appeared from the forest, opening machine-gun fire. Also, one German gun entered the battle. The Poles were forced to retreat, having suffered heavy losses, half of the riders survived. According to modern data, after a cavalry attack, three officers (including the regiment commander) and 23 lancers were killed, one officer and about 50 lancers were wounded.
Thus, the cavalrymen did not attack the tanks, but cut down the gaping Fritzian infantrymen until they themselves were fired upon by armored vehicles, after which they had to tick.

But no one was interested in the facts. The myth turned out to be beneficial to both sides. So in the film by A. Wajda "Flying" in 1959 there is an episode with this insanely brave attack :-):

A fairly well-known Polish artist, Jerzy Kossak, painted an epic painting in 1939. "Battle of Kutno". As a creative intellectual, Jerzy didn’t know a damn thing about tanks in particular, and about the war in general, and had a very distant impression. Therefore, it delivers everything here - from firing a pistol at a triplex, German tankers surrendering under the mighty pressure of a lancer, and ending with a pike blow in the forehead to an unknown armored monster, clearly crawling out of the artist's hungover fantasies:

Apparently realizing that he got excited with the imperishable, in 1943 Kossak redrawn his masterpiece:
I must say right away that this did not help much:

But on the other hand, the battle was captured on an epic canvas. Although, to justify the Fritz artist, it must be said that this work was drawn by him for the magazine Der pimpf for October 1939. Some explanations - Der Pimpf is the magazine of the German youth organization Jungvolk (Hitler Youth for the smallest).

What is remarkable in turn this masterpiece? The one that drives the Polish lancers with pissed rags, attacks the Polish cavalry tank Neubaufahrzeug, A prototype of a Rheinmetall heavy tank according to the terms of reference dated 1933. 5 units were produced, two of non-armored steel, three are quite combat vehicles. All battle tanks (let me remind you 3 units!) Fought in 1940 in Norway as part of the 40th Special Purpose Tank Battalion (Panzer-Abteilung z.b.V.40), 1 of them was lost in battle with the British on April 26, 1940 (according to other sources, 21.04 .40). The other two were scrapped by the Hans for metal in 1942.

German tanks Nb.Fz. (Neubaufahrzeug) in the yard of the Rheinmetall AG plant in Düsseldorf, before being shipped to Norway

German multi-turreted tank Neubaufahrzeug (Nb.Fz.) of the 40th Special Purpose Tank Battalion (Panzer-Abteilung z.b.V.40), on Oslo street. In the background, a small command vehicle Kleiner Panzerbefehlswagen Sd.Kfz.265 (Kl.Pz.Bf.Wg.), created on the basis of the light tank Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.B.

Destroyed German heavy multi-turreted tank Neubaufahrzeug (Nb.Fz.) of the 40th Special Purpose Tank Battalion (Panzer-Abteilung z.b.V.40) on the road in the Ringsaker area.

Accordingly, these "heavy" tanks in Poland could not be. And in general, there were no tanks from the German side in this battle, there were armored vehicles.
Here is such a mythical episode used in propaganda by both sides.

No sooner had the Wehrmacht launched an attack on Poland on September 1, 1939 than the strange story. The Polish lancers, that is, the light cavalry, were strongly opposed to the German tanks. Armed with spears, they attacked the steel machines as if they were made of cardboard, and paid for their ignorance with death. Soon the German propaganda media were writing about the suicidal cavalry, the Poles, who attacked with spears and shouts. The international press picked up the episode and replicated it. 20 years later, the Polish director Andrzej Wajda, in his film Letna, created a kind of monument, dedicating it to the heroic resistance of the Poles against a superior enemy.

The unequal battle between tanks and cavalry is one of the strongest and most indelible narratives of tank warfare, writes the German historian Markus Pellmann in his dissertation Tanks and the Mechanization of War. Growing up with more and more details, the story eventually entered the history of war memories, history books and memoirs of General Heinz Guderian, who probably took part in the creation of German tank weapons. Only one step was missing before scientific publications. Hitler's biographer Joachim Fest wrote of a "deadly Donquixote". And Karl-Heinz Frieser, one of the best experts on tank war, mentions in his famous book "The Blitzkrieg Legend" that Polish cavalry attacked German tanks with sabers.

Context

The troops of the Red Army raped even Russian women whom they released from the camps

The Telegraph UK 01/24/2002

Did the Wehrmacht survive thanks to Stalin?

Die Welt 01/13/2017

Die Welt: what stopped the Wehrmacht near Moscow?

Die Welt 07.12.2016

When the Wehrmacht first turned back

Die Welt 06.09.2016
Although the tank was "a significant type of weapon land war in the 20th century,” history for a long time bypassed this topic. Pellmann, scientific director of the Bundeswehr's Center for Military History and Social Sciences in Potsdam, decided to change that. The framework is quite wide, which covers both military and technical development, and the symbolic meaning of this weapon. As an example of multilateral analysis, the author proposes to analyze the unequal duel of 1939.

The place itself cannot be unequivocally determined. After the newspaper "Wehrmacht" on September 13, 1939 wrote about the "almost grotesque attack" of the Polish cavalry regiment, another propaganda newspaper added fuel to the fire in 1940. So, the German leading tanks during the offensive in the so-called corridor, that is, between Pomerania and East Prussia, was attacked by Polish cavalry. And not far from Bransk, near the Lithuanian border, a similar operation was carried out. “Everyone knows that you have only one real tank, while the rest are dummies,” the prisoner of war is quoted.

After 1945, Guderian's Memoirs of a Soldier (1951) was heavily cited. Former general wrote about the Polish cavalry brigade Pomorska, which on September 3 in Tucholsky forests, due to "ignorance of the structure and actions of our tanks, attacked with melee weapons and suffered devastating losses." After that, similar episodes in different versions were reflected in the memoirs of individual military formations.

In the documents of the German divisions, which are stored in the Federal Archives in Freiburg, Pellmann goes on the trail of "the core of this story." So, apparently, this happened in the first days of the war, when the dismounted units of German tank formations or their infantry escorts were attacked by the Polish cavalry.

But this happened in a completely different form than was then actively described. So, in the military diary of the 4th Panzer Division it was said: “We saw the enemy, the cavalry, which very skillfully and nimbly, using natural obstacles (water barriers and forests), fought in the rear.” The chronicler of the 10th Panzer Division recorded the following: “During the battle in the forest, the Pole turned out to be an extremely skillful opponent. Of particular note is the conduct of the battle of the Pomorsk cavalry brigade in the Tucholsky forests.

Indeed, in the early days of the war in Poland, a strange hybrid combat situation probably arose, writes Pelman. But it was not about irresponsible "deadly quixoticism", but about a random combination of circumstances. As a rule, Polish cavalrymen acted effectively against tankers when, covered by field fortifications, they started the battle with anti-tank guns. “Only in the journalistic discourse they began to write about the cavalry as an exciting story about the struggle of cavalrymen against tanks instead of philistine stories…,” sums up Pelmann.

It is this mythical story that has become attractive due to its duality. From a German perspective, the unequal battle was evidence of ignoring the enemy and misleading ordinary soldiers due to irresponsible leadership. And from the Polish point of view, the duel is interpreted as a heroic feat.

The materials of InoSMI contain only assessments of foreign media and do not reflect the position of the editors of InoSMI.