The 250 ID - Krasny Bor 1943.

German Heer 1935-1945.

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tigre
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Re: The 250 ID - Krasny Bor 1943.

Post by tigre »

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

The sector of the Ishora:

The Soviet vanguards were in position of crossing the Ishora in the sector of the great meander, where the Factory of Paper was located and in the zone of Staraia Mysa and Sansonovka, and even threatened the Spanish PC in Raykolovo. In the most northern zone, where it was deployed the IIIº/262, the enemy infantry attack against its lines, was moderate and in fact and in the end the forces which tried that ended up moving towards the East, to infiltrate by the breach open in the Reserve Battalion 250º and to try to attack it by the flank and the rear. But that demanded to cross the Ishora by the Factory of Paper and around mid-morning of day 10, the Soviets already had reached that point.

But this maneuver was not successful either because antitank of 14ª/262 of Captain González del Yerro and the guns of the Batteries 7ª/Art. 250 (Captain Muñoz Aceras) and 8ª/Art. 250 (Captain Castro Sanmartín) routed the enemy with low shots, whereas the rest of the Squadron 1º/ Recce. 250, to which joined the commander of the unit, Captain Ortega, were defended with energy in the great meander of the Ishora.

More due south, in Staraia Mysa, the situation was not less dramatic. Staraia Mysa fell in enemy hands but the Soviets did not manage to cross the Ishora on day 10 either and Sansonovka stayed under Spanish control, although with great problems.

The most audacious elements of the vanguard of the 72ª Division, once broken the front of Reserve Battalion 250º, advanced until Staraia Mysa, therefore the 3ª/263 and elements of the 4ª/263 were sent with urgency to Podolovo, in the middle of the way between Raikolovo and Staraia Mysa to create a cover screen.

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.

Post by tigre »

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

The sector of the Ishora:

The enemy pressure was very hard and around 11:00 hours it was ordered to the bulk of the 3ª/263, now under Lieutenant Rosaleny (Captain Marzo, very ill, had remained back with a Platoon, as one small operational reserve), and to the 4ª/263 to improve its own positions by crossing to the other bank of the river. The assault to the hostil shore (in Russian hands) implied many losses and caused that the enemy redoubled his pressure, hence around 12:00 hours fell in combat Captain Castro Cardús and Lieutenant Martin took over the control of the 4ª/263.

General Esteban-Infantes designated a new Commander for that subsector. Coming from Vyarlevo, where he was leading the so called Battalion of Repatriation which was going to return to Spain, arrived Lieutenant Colonel Robles Pazos. Esteban-Infantes ordered to him to settle down some kind of line between the lshora and the Leningrad-Moscow highway.

As quickly as possible the rest of Iº/263 and the IIº/269 had been summoned. Therefore Major (Comandante) Blanco Linares, Commanding Officer of the Iº/263, received the order stating that he should progress from Podolovo, crossing the Ishora to its Eastern margin, in North direction.

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.

Post by sebastian »

im still following up tigre!
Cheers
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Re: The 250 ID - Krasny Bor 1943.

Post by tigre »

Thanks for your pictures' complement Seb :up: . 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.......................

The sector of the Ishora:

The 2ª/263 would do it close to the river, and the 5ª/269 would advance next to the old antitank ditch which had been built by the Soviets in 1941. In center it would march the 3ª/263 and, marching behind them and in support, some elements of the 4ª/263 (machine guns).

When the Spaniards reached Staraia Mysa took place violent shocks, but in the end the Soviets were expelled from the village and the vanguard continued the advance. Nevertheless, when the Spanish vanguard progressing towards the north, the Red Army counterattacked on its flank and in a heavy combat expelled the Spaniards from Staraia Mysa.

In the meanwhile, the 2ª/263, the elements of the 3ª/263, the 4ª/263 and the 5ª/269 (this last one without never obtain a close contact with its companions), had followed its progression towards the North, although there were lost contact with Major (Comandante) Blanco Linares. Then they received a strong Soviet counterattacks by its flank, coming from the lines where had been deployed the 7ª/262. The dark, the lack of the Major Blanco Linares and the hardness of the enemy attack, finished to dislocate to the Spanish troops.

The counterattack failed, not only Staraia Mysa seemed lost, but the threat extended to the neighboring village of Sansonovka, where it was fought hard all night, with many losses. Nevertheless, all these losses ended up obtaining that the Soviets did not cross the lshora towards the W.

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.

Post by tigre »

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

An unexpected reinforcement: the Estonian soldiers.

The night had fallen and in Raykolovo, the Spanish Command looked for, with anxiety, more men to cover the breach stretched to Krasny Bor. But the great surprise for Robles was to see the arrival of Battalion which seemingly was German. Yes, their uniforms were German, but in fact they were volunteers of the 659º Estonian Battalion (Captain Mikumägi), that came to protect the 928º Battalion of Coastal Artillery of the Army (HKAA 928). Without thinking twice, Robles, although perfectly knew where were the German batteries, instead of sending the estonian in that direction, he "confiscated" those soldiers and sent them to occupy positions at Podolovo. On the following day arrived more Estonian soldiers, of the 658º Battalion, under orders of Captain Rebane, who assumed the command of all the Estonian troops in the sector. Not much after the Estonians also arrived at Podolovo, another unit of foreign volunteers, a flemish SS Company was deployed near the Spanish sector. For the flemish the name of Krasny Bor would be also ineffaceable in turn, although it would be several days later.

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.

Post by tigre »

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

Another Spanish bolt: East and South of Krasny Bor.

The hard battle of breakthrough and the bloody and chaotic combats by the streets of Krasny Bor (in which the 63ª Guards Division suffered serious losses and exhausted its capacity of pressing) convinced the Soviets that the route through Mishkino-Nikolskoye was the one that now offered more possibilities, so after the breakthrough of the Spanish front, the Division which had remained so far in second echelon and therefore it had not suffered so many losses, the 45ª Guards Division of Krasnov, started up in that direction, the one foreseen for its use.

It was not going to be easy for Krasnov. The zone by that they had to cross, in the northern edge of Krasny Bor, had been bottled since long time by the enthusiastic resistance of the 3ª/262 (Huidobro and later Altura) and the 5ª/262 (Palacios). The German artillery, on the other hand, conscious of the enemy movement, crushed the men of Krasnov. The Commanders Reinlein and Bellod had taken over the defense of Krasny Bor. Bellod assured the control in the East sector. His "front" stretched from the location of the Battery 2ª/Art. 250 and towards the East until Stepanovka.

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.......................

Another Spanish bolt: East and South of Krasny Bor.

The fight immediately focused on two key points: the area Stepanovka-Chernisovo and the station of Popovka: both opened the routes to the East, towards Nikolskoye. The Soviets fought to open the road which ran from Stepanovka and ended up dislodging the Spanish. Next the soviet met a battle group which was improvised on the march, led by the SS Obersturmbannführer Bock, of the artillery of the 4th SS Division, which unsuccessfully tried to contain the Russians between Stepanovka and Chernisovo, although ultimately delayed so much the Russian advance that Bock earned for it the Knight Cross. Upon reaching Chernisovo, the Russians overran the position of the Spanish 9th / Art 250, there was seriously injured captain Andrada.

With the same emphasis the Soviets pushed against Popovka, the small village whose station, a narrow gauge railway, was also vital for them. The Russian finally occupied it after a fierce defense. Krasnov eventually finding their way and his advanced elements reached Mishkino by the end of the day. But Krasnov had a narrow corridor which was pressed on his flank by Bellod (in Stepanovka) and Bock (in Porkusi), letting him only a narrow bottleneck to progress.

Around 18:30 Bellod by then a commander increasingly overwhelmed at last received a pleasant surprise: the arrival of the vanguard of the 374 German Infantry Regiment-of Oberst Paul Gerd von Below. This speed surprised when it was compared with the timid progress of Heckel’s 390th Infantry Regiment. But while the 390th had remained months in the trenches and neither Heckel nor his men were accustomed to a war of movement, the 374th Regiment was employed in a partisan fight, therefore it had become accustomed to rapid movements within wooded areas and also it had participated in the very fluid fighting north of Sinyavino.

Just landed in Sablino, it had marched hastily due north along the railway lines. Without many formalities Bellod handed over to the Germans the control of the area and marched with his men to Sablino, except for the survivors of the 2º/ Expl. 250 º, they were so exhausted that they preferred the risk a involvement in new clashes that the night march. They would leave to Sablino next day.

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.

Post by tigre »

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

Another Spanish bolt: East and South of Krasny Bor.

Reinlein seemed to be determined that the Soviet 63rd Guards Division, which was exhausted, could not get some rest; the night came and the soviet division could not dominate effectively even the center of Krasny Bor. Luckily for Reinlein and his men, the stubborn resistance of Aramburu and Arozarena kept pretty busy the Soviets in the western sector of Krasny Bor, so, together with Comandante (Maj) La Cruz, Reinlein was able to organize a sufficient number of defensive cores to deny the enemy control of the area.

Reinlein got a fleeting contact with the divisional Advanced CP at 15:00 hours, from where he was informed that the 390th Regiment was in march to help them. Reinlein launched himself down the road until he could reach Oberst Heckel, finding him very unwilling to move, so he returned to Krasny Bor to continue managing their own "guerrilla warfare." His only joy was to see appear at last at 15:30 hours, the "Luftwaffe", which sent its squadrons of "Stukas" to crush the enemy's rear.

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.......................

Another Spanish bolt: East and South of Krasny Bor.

The enemy came to the southern edge of the population, where it was located the evacuation station. The wounded Captain Andújar, took over the less serious injured to repel the attack. But the enemy was advancing with the support of a monstrous KV-1. A simple sapper, Antonio Ponte Anido, seeing that the giant was going to slaughter their comrades, and the "Molotov cocktails" did nothing against it, like the other more sophisticated means such as magnetic charges that had been glued to its thick armor , rushed to the combat vehicle with two anti-tank mines, which he placed before its chains. The explosion finally stopped the tank, but also swept away the life of the heroic soldier.

Around 19:30, Bellod and Reinlein had decided to send the Assault Platoon available in the HQ of the 250th Anti-Tank Battalion to liaise with the encircled men. It was not possible. Without the urgent arrival of the German 390th Regiment, nothing could save those brave. Reinlein finally received the order to abandon the sector, which was the responsibility of the Germans since 16:30. But as the Germans did not appear, he refused to leave the area without waiting for the men of Aramburu and Arozarena. Around 20:00 the German artillery shortened its shots. Finally, at 24:00, Reinlein and La Cruz decided to obey the order of Esteban-Infantes which stated to leave the area and withdraw towards the positions where the German 390th Regiment remained static. However, in the southernmost part of Krasny Bor they found face to face with the German battery located there (the 2nd of the Coastal Group 289 º - HKAA 289) and its leader implored them to help him to protect these pieces. La Cruz insisted in accomplishing the orders, so he followed the march, but Reinlein, Captain De Andrés and a handful of Spanish gunners returned to take up their weapons to protect those barrels.

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.

Post by Ricardo Silva »

My congratulations to both Tigre and Sebastian on this great thread about the blue division,
i am doing a research about the portuguese volunteers in the blue division and i have already found a few of them, i'm going to spain in november to get some more info, and i have already received the data on the blue division from NARA. Nonetheless, it's not being easy, since they were so few, and they're existence was lost in time.
There were a few interviews in local newspapers, a small war diary and other small pieces of information. While a few came directly from Portugal, most of them were former viriatos, portuguese who fought on the nacionalist side of the spanish civil war, they stayed in spain (in the foreign legion) and eventually volunteered when the blue division was being formed in 1941.
Up untill now, i only managed to find regular soldiers, and although it's obvious that none of them were officers (all of these came from the regular spanish army), there might be a few NCO's among them.
There are rumors about an all portuguese unit called Legiao Verde, and also, about a depot unit of portuguese soldiers, but i dismiss these since there is no info about such units within the Blue Division structure, and also, it is very doubtfull that such a situation would be allowed (for political reasons). One rumour caught my atention, on wikipedia: "Although the Portuguese volunteers were few (Portugal tried to maintain a more neutral position, and only let a limited number of volunteers leave for Germany) they did the same their neighbors did, wearing a field gray uniform with a shield on the very same position with the word "Portugal" and the Portuguese red and green banner." I've never saw any image with such a banner, and again...i consider this just another rumour. Does anyone know anything about this?
Keep up the good work
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sebastian
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Re: The 250 ID - Krasny Bor 1943.

Post by sebastian »

ricardo,

thanks for joining us,i only heard of a 100-200 portuguese but that was witout any source,just mouth-to mouthg so i cannot confirm this a 100%,but i would like to hear from it when you find more about it.Maybe Tigre has more on this subjct...he got a well of information that has no end :-)

Cheers
sebastian
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tigre
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Re: The 250 ID - Krasny Bor 1943.

Post by tigre »

Hello Seb and Ricardo :D; thanks for your words :wink:. Nevertheless those guys from Portugal were elusive indeed, nothing so far. 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.

Post by Ricardo Silva »

They were few, and indeed, very elusive...the first one that i discovered was a man called Joao Rodrigues Junior, he was a gardner in his previous civil life in a small town near lisbon. He was born in 1916, wen't to spain to fight against the republicans, and ended up in the spanish foreign legion. When war broke up in russia, he wen't with the first wave, and in august 1942, he was back in lisbon and gave an interview to a local newspaper, he wen't back to spain where he died with when he was only 40, in 1956. And that's it, i know that he was just a soldier, but he didn't left family or any other info.
And the problem is that most of them follow the same pattern. It's almost a police work to discover who they were. I0m using documents from portugal, spain, germany and usa, because it's almost a puzzle with pieces in this 4 countries.
I've been reading the NARA roll about the blue division, and as i suspected, until now i haven't read nothing about them. This happens because none of them was an officer (at least, i still haven't found one). Have any of you worked with the Avila archive? I'm going there in november to see if i can get some info.
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Re: The 250 ID - Krasny Bor 1943.

Post by tigre »

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

The wrath of the Russian generals.

It had finished the day 10th, and the Soviet commands were blazing. Nothing had gone according to the plan.

The 72nd Rifle Division had not cleared the Leningrad-Moscow highway because after breaking the front had not been able to cross the Ishora, either by the Paper factory nor Staraia Mysa.

The 43rd Rifle Division had opened the flank of the 4th SS Division after breaking the front of the I°/ 262, but so slowly allowing the Germans to articulate new defenses.

The 63rd Guards Division had bled itself in breaking the front of the I°/ 262 and was also involved in numerous skirmishes against the tenacious spanish soldiers.

On the 45th Guards Division, its only regiment in action, the 129th, along with the 250th Brigade, still were fighting to stay in Popovka. The 222nd Armored Brigade, as well the 123rd Motorized and the 35th of skiers also under Krasnov’s orders, had progressed to the east, but slowly and chaotically and his Commander had lost all control over these units which had been added.

So the furious general Govorov, Commander of the Front, ordered his withering dismissal and was relieved by General Liubovtsev, then 2nd in Command of the 55th Army.

Within hours, Russian commanders had gone from euphoria to anger just contained. Whether Govorov, Commander of the Front, and Sviridov, Commander of the 55th Army reproached his subordinates the dismal level of coordination shown the units so far, which had not taken advantage of the waste of firepower that had been used. What was clear was that the deadlines set for "Operation North Star" began to be of problematic compliance.

It was the fear of criticism they would receive from Moscow, and further the explosions of Zhukov’s anger, that fueling the anger of Govorov and Sviridov against their subordinates. But the anger had also another source. Govorov and Sviridov simply never imagined that the Blue Division were to resist as it was resisting, the Soviet propaganda presented the division as a mixture of mercenaries and adventurers and their ranks were filled "with criminals especially released from jails" (sic).

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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