The 250 ID - Krasny Bor 1943.

German Heer 1935-1945.

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Ricardo Silva
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Re: The 250 ID - Krasny Bor 1943.

Post by Ricardo Silva »

tigre,
does the name Enrique Piñeiro Díaz ring a bell to you?
I've read that name in a prisioners list of the blue division, and in it stated that he was from buenos aires.
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Re: The 250 ID - Krasny Bor 1943.

Post by Ricardo Silva »

I add another name,
José Uriel Lozano, also from Buenos Aires.
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tigre
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Re: The 250 ID - Krasny Bor 1943.

Post by tigre »

Hello Ricardo :D; nope indeed (no, para nada)...I'll try to check them. I think because Argentina, as well as Portugal, were neutrals states at that time, all those guys who enlisted themselves to fight in the Axis side, were joined in the shadow and (now being the losers) will remain there. Cheers. Raúl M 8).
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Re: The 250 ID - Krasny Bor 1943.

Post by Ricardo Silva »

I had seen those names in a forum, in a list of 286 prisioners from the Blue Division, that had returned in 1954 in the ship "Semiramis". Well, i digged deeper, and found it also on a newspaper (La Vanguardia 30/03/1954), and guess what, its true, these two guys were from buenos aires and spent 10 years in captivity. They are number 111 and 266 in the list. And there is also one portuguese among them, i already knew about these one, but only now i found out that he was not killed, because he was MIA in the first day of Krasny Bor, a bad day to go MIA...
La vanguardia has a good digital "Hemeroteca", so, here it is the link to that page:
http://hemeroteca.lavanguardia.es/previ ... 0oroquieta
and if anyone wants to see the full list, this is the first of the two pages:
http://hemeroteca.lavanguardia.es/previ ... en%20rusia
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tigre
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Re: The 250 ID - Krasny Bor 1943.

Post by tigre »

Thank you very much for those tips Ricardo :wink:. Cheers. Raúl M 8).
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Re: The 250 ID - Krasny Bor 1943.

Post by tigre »

Hello to all :D; more follows.......................

A river of blood: Ishora subsector.

The terrible attrition suffered by the Soviets on the 10th meant that, in the days which following, the 72nd Division - now the only which was attacking the Spanish - was unable to launch much more than limited attacks, with one or two battalions on each occasion. The fighting throughout the day on February 11 was characterized not only by the hardness, but also by some confusion. In the area of the Paper factory, the remnants of the 1 / Recce 250, gunners of the 7th / Art 250 under Muñoz Aceras and the 8th / Art 250, under Castro and the tank-hunters of the 14th / 262 of Gonzalez del Yerro were defending with tooth and nails.

In the morning there was a Spanish attempt to storm Staraia Mysa, which was rejected. The role of the day corresponded to the 1. / 263 of Captain Urbano, who performed a new try around noon, supported by the Assault Platoon of the 262 º. But inevitably, the losses of the 1./ 263 and the Assault Platoon of the 262 º were atrocious and the Soviets counterattacked one more time with mass, regained Staraia Mysa again. In the evening the Spanish units almost annihilated were relieved by other forces, no less battered: the remnants of the 5. / 269, and the 2. and 3. / 263, ie, units that had launched the counterattack last night and barely had managed to retreat to the Paper Factory.

Sources: Morir en Rusia. La División Azul en Krasny Bor.
http://members.libreopinion.com/ch1492/ ... u_div.html

Cheers. Raúl M 8).
Serás lo que debas ser o no serás nada. General José de San Martín.
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Re: The 250 ID - Krasny Bor 1943.

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Hello to all :D; more follows.......................

A river of blood: Ishora subsector.

The center of resistance "North" was put under the command of Captain Garcia Calvo, who had been so effectively commanding the III º / 262. He had the men of the companies 13th / 262 and 14th / 262 which fortunately had few casualties on the 10th, the 1st / 269, arrived as reinforcement, and a joint company formed by the Assault’s Platoon of the 269 th Regiment, a Platoon of the 7th / 269 and a Platoon of Sappers.

The center of resistance "Medium", under the direction of Captain Prudence Ortega
Gil, had the remnants of his squadron, the l º / Recce 250, the remnants of the companies which had counterattacked on the 10th (5th / 269 and 2nd and 3 rd / 263) as well as survivors of the Reserve Battalion 250. The total strength was about 350 men.

The center of resistance "South", commanded by Captain Gordon Merry, had also brought together some 350 fighters, among them, the remnants of the 15th / 262 and the 1 / 263, a Platoon of Sappers, the mortars of the 4th / 263 and a newly arrived Platoon of the 9th / 269 and the 9th/ 263. This unit would has the responsibility of making a new assault on Staraia Mysa on Feb 12, which failed, while the Soviets attacked in turn Podolovo, but were also rejected.

Sources: Morir en Rusia. La División Azul en Krasny Bor.
http://members.libreopinion.com/ch1492/ ... u_div.html

Cheers. Raúl M 8).
Serás lo que debas ser o no serás nada. General José de San Martín.
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sebastian
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Re: The 250 ID - Krasny Bor 1943.

Post by sebastian »

the captain of the resistance center south his name is Gordon Merry...weird sounding name for a spanish captain isnt it?
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Re: The 250 ID - Krasny Bor 1943.

Post by tigre »

Indeed Seb, may be one "Legionario" (foreign legion). Cheers. Raúl M 8).

PS: here goes a little (indeed he was spanish)

Pedro Gordon Merry

Born in Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz) on May 21, 1917. He entered the Infantry Academy in January 1936. In Seville on July 18 took part actively in the National Movement. Being lieutenant and captain was among the wounded belonging to the 10 and 14 Flags (Banderas) of the Legion. Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel by the merits made at the battle of Krassnij-Boor (Soviet Union) in the Spanish Volunteer Division. At 49 years promoted to Brigadier General, the youngest of Spain. Commanded the Division n2 Guzmán el Bueno, rising to lieutenant general in 1973 and was named Captain General of the Sixth Military Region (Valladolid). In 1975 he was appointed Captain General of the Second Military Region, a position he held until 1981 when he goes to the Reserve and was relieved as commander of the region by Lt. Gen. Saavedra Palmeyro (after the "push's" attempt of Lt Col Tejero, General Milans del Bosch et al on 23 Feb 81). Died in 1993.
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Re: The 250 ID - Krasny Bor 1943.

Post by sebastian »

thanks for the additional info tigre!

cheers
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Re: The 250 ID - Krasny Bor 1943.

Post by tigre »

You're welcome Seb :wink:. Cheers. Raúl M 8).
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Re: The 250 ID - Krasny Bor 1943.

Post by tigre »

Hello to all :D; more follows.......................

A river of blood: Ishora subsector.

The Spanish artillery in the area was relocated to new firing positions and the same day 12 it received as reinforcement the 13th / 269, the infantry cannon Company of the 269 Infantry Regiment. In Podolovo it was linked to the Estonians, who until the end of March were fellow-sufferers of the Spanish.

In addition to the aforementioned resistance centers on orders of the Commander of Sapper, Bellod, and counting among its leaders with Aramburu and Arozarena, it was created the so-called "Ishora’s Mobile Group”, composed primarily of elements of Sappers, prepared to intervene where were needed along the lines. Aramburu followed Bellod in its command shortly afterwards due to the latter illness.

On the 12th, on the other hand, began the reorganization of the I ° / 262, starting with Companies 1st and 2nd, while 3rd and 4th initiated its reconstitution the next day. Shortly afterwards the battalion would be sent also to Ishora.

Sources: Morir en Rusia. La División Azul en Krasny Bor.
http://members.libreopinion.com/ch1492/ ... u_div.html

Cheers. Raúl M 8).
Attachments
Global Situation on Krasny Bor - 12 Feb 1943.
Global Situation on Krasny Bor - 12 Feb 1943.
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Re: The 250 ID - Krasny Bor 1943.

Post by Ricardo Silva »

During the Kransy Bor battle, at least one portuguese was captured, he was José Alberto Rodrigues Esteves, a soldier from the I.R. 263, who was caught on 10-02-1943, and released in 1954... I'm also going trough the personal files and believe that a few others may have been killed/wounded during those days. It was a battle full of acts of bravery, and the last major battle to be fought by a spanish major unit.
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Re: The 250 ID - Krasny Bor 1943.

Post by tigre »

Hello to all :D; more follows.......................

A river of blood: Ishora subsector.

On the 13th finally returned to the Spanish lines the heroic group of gunners under Reinlein who had remained at the southern end of Krasny Bor fighting in the defense of a threatened German battery, and also did the same the gunners under Andrada, who after fighting tenaciously to defend their pieces ended up retreating to the east, with the men of the 4th SS Division.

The General Esteban-Infantes himself imposed Reinlein the Individual Military Medal next day. The same day, Sviridov did a sad balance of their attack. The tremendous mass of human and material forces that had put into play had pushed back the German-Spanish lines (Blue Division and 4th SS Division) over a width of 14 kilometers, but with only a depth of 4 to 5 kms. For such a modest boost his 55th Army had at least 10.000 casualties as it was estimated by his own staff.

On February 15 the Soviets launched again a strong attack on the Ishora in Sansonovka and the Paper factory, followed by another no less virulent on 24 March. Only allowed them to accumulate losses. And the last major action on the Spanish lines occurred on March 19, now against the III ° / 262, which had not moved an inch from their positions and, therefore, was still effectively blocking the road Leningrad-Moscow.

Sources: Morir en Rusia. La División Azul en Krasny Bor.
http://members.libreopinion.com/ch1492/ ... u_div.html

Cheers. Raúl M 8).
Attachments
Monthly casualties of the Blue Division.
Monthly casualties of the Blue Division.
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Re: The 250 ID - Krasny Bor 1943.

Post by tigre »

Hello to all :D; the end.......................

The judgment of the Germans.

Immediately after the battle, the German high command in the Army Group "North" issued very tough judgments over the Spanish. It could be understand: they were totally under the impact of what happened at Stalingrad.

Seeing how the Soviets broke the Spanish line in Krasny Bor, so automatic, it was assumed that the Spanish, these "cousins of the Italians" had also "collapsed", opening a gap in Germany deployment. But then, as soon as more detailed information was available, this fleeting negative image over the Spanish disappeared. In the end, the resistance of the Spanish in Krasny Bor eventually became one of the elements on which was based the prestigious that the Blue Division still maintains today among the Germans soldiers.

The motivations were different. On the southern front, in the Don and Volga, had been deployed Italian, Hungarian and Romanian drafted soldiers . In the Army Group "North", however, all foreign troops present (Spanish, Dutch, Flemish, Belgians, Norwegians, Estonians, Latvians) were composed of volunteers who knew exactly why they had been Russia: its convictions about the anti-communism.

Sources: Morir en Rusia. La División Azul en Krasny Bor.
http://members.libreopinion.com/ch1492/ ... u_div.html

It's all folks. Cheers. Raúl M 8).
Serás lo que debas ser o no serás nada. General José de San Martín.
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