How the Soviet 2nd Shock Army was saved

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Text taken from a  V Kontake post by THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR from Sergey Veter

How the Soviet 2nd Shock Army was saved

About the measures taken to withdraw the 2nd Shock Army from encirclement.

Information from the Chief of Staff of the Volkhov Front to the Commander of the 2nd Shock Army

Copies: The Commander of the 59th and 52nd Armies

To the Chief of the General Staff of the Red Army.

June 23, 1942 04:00

1. Since June 10, the troops of the 59th and 52nd armies have been engaged in fierce battles almost continuously. These battles involved the 58th and 24th Rifle brigades, 2,374 and 165 Rifle Division,, 25 Cavalry Division, 87 Cavalry Rifle Regiment, one regiment each from 372 and 191 Rifle divisions, five fully equipped battalions from 378 and 4th Guards Rifle Divisions, courses for lieutenants of the 59th Army, reserve political personnel of the front PU, 7th Guards and 29th Tank brigades, at least 60 tanks. The offensive was supported by 207 guns, 144 mortars and three guards mortar divisions.

During these battles, the troops suffered heavy losses, but without stopping their attacks, they persistently struck blow after blow. On June 19, the enemy's resistance was broken. In the direction of the narrow-gauge railway, rifle units of the 24th Rifle Brigade with tanks, having made a narrow passage, approached the river. Expanding, and the tanks with a small landing party, as it became known from your reports, linked up with units of the 46th Rifle Division and the 25th and 57th Infantry brigades. On the next day, these tanks supported the advance of the 46th Rifle Division.

On June 21, at the cost of exceptional troop tension, the breakthrough was secured. Units of the 53rd Army, reaching the river. Expanding, at the same time they formed the walls of the corridor and on June 22 they turned: to the north - with the forces of 25 Cavalry Division, 2 rifle regiments, 191 and 372 Rifle regiments and 58 Rifle Regiment and to the south - with the forces of 24 Rifle Regiment, 374 Rifle Regiment. At the same time, the 165th Rifle Division / 52nd Army assists the 374th Rifle Division, operating along the southern road. The narrow gauge railway and road will be restored on June 23.

To ensure the passage of vehicles of the 2nd Shock Army on the road on the night of June 24, massive PC and artillery fire is being prepared on both sides of the road.

2. About 3,500 wounded and 800 soldiers and commanders of the 2nd Shock Army entered the formed and consolidated breakthrough on June 22 (as of 22.00). The evacuation continues.

3. The 59th and 52nd armies continue their offensive on 23.6 from 8.00 with the task of expanding the breakthrough to three km.

4. CP of the front commander and his deputy for ABTV - highway north of Myasnoy Bor.

STELMAKH RUBCHIY Central Leningrad Medical

Institute of the Russian Federation. F. 204. On. 47. D L. 45. Original.

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On the need to clarify the position of the 46th Rifle Division

ORDER

from the Chief of Staff of the Volkhov Front to the Chief of Staff

2 1st Shock Army

June 23, 1942 12:00 am

Immediately report where the 46th Rifle Division is located. All parts are not found in the breakthrough (corridor). Send liaison officers to avoid surprise attacks on your troops.

WITH

TELMAKH Ryabchiy

TsAMO RF. F. 204. On. 97. D. 98. L. 57. Original

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About the complication of the situation in the area of ​​operations of the 2nd Shock Army

REPORT

from the Chief of Staff of the Volkhov Front No. 18/781/Op to the General Staff of the Red Army

June 23, 1942 24:00.

1. The situation in the defensive sectors of the 2nd Shock Army has become more complicated. The troops have left Novaya Kerest and are fighting at the first intermediate line along the eastern bank of the river. Cross. In the Maloye Zamoshye area, units of the 305th Rifle Division repelled six enemy attacks, firmly holding their positions. Trophies and one prisoner were captured.

There were no significant changes at the breakthrough site. During the day's fighting, the corridor was slightly expanded in its eastern part and its sides were strengthened. The width of the formed corridor from the east is 1.5 km, from the west - about one km. 6,400 wounded and 930 armed soldiers and commanders from the 2nd Shock Army were evacuated along this corridor by 12.00. In the narrow part of the passage along the river. A selected detachment with five sneakers was sent to ensure the reliability of its hold and normal evacuation.

2. Tomorrow, to expand the corridor, the 4th Guards Rifle Division and the 7th Guards Tank Brigade, replenished with tanks, are brought into battle. All front aviation will be used to support the northwestern defense sector of the 2nd Shock Army.

The 930 soldiers who left on June 23 were put in order and were sent in an organized manner to the reserve of the 2nd Shock Army to strengthen its defense.

3. The 2nd Shock Army carried out the following preparatory measures for the withdrawal of materiel and vehicles. The artillery is partly loaded onto narrow-gauge railway platforms, and partly provided with trailers, vehicles and fuel. Motor transport consisting of 1,300 vehicles is divided into echelons (75% of them are equipped with fuel). Shields have been prepared to block destroyed sections of roads while traveling.

Evacuation is ensured by: a) placing a tank landing along the road; b) the area occupied by the enemy, adjacent to the sides of the roads, will be subjected to heavy fire treatment by the Guards mortar regiments and artillery.

4. On the night of June 23, the Front Air Force dropped seven tons of food, 138,240 cartridges, to the troops of the 2nd Army.  1,940 kg of fuel and lubricants. At the same time, transport aviation suffered heavy losses. Fire and fighters shot down five Douglass and five U-2 aircraft. Due to the current situation, air transportation will no longer be carried out. Under the cover of machine gunners, 6.5 tons of food were sent on packs.

Fighter and bomber aircraft attacked the enemy in the sector of the 2nd Army in the area of ​​Novaya Kerest, Olkhovka. A total of 76 combat missions were carried out. five enemy aircraft were shot down in air battles. Our losses: Five planes did not return.

5. Enemy aviation from dawn until 12.00 was especially active in the battle formations of the 2nd [strike] A troops and in the breakthrough area, where the enemy carried out 294 sorties.

STELMAKH RUBCHIY

TSAMO RF. F. 204. On. 89. D. 99. L. 73-74. Script.