The battle on the Kursk Bulge lasted for five days.
In the Orlov-Kursk direction, units of the Central Front successfully repelled the onslaught of Wehrmacht soldiers. On the Belgorod sector of the front the situation was much more difficult - the strategic initiative remained in the hands of the German command. The forces of the 6th Army and the 1st Tank Army, retreating, fought fierce battles. The counterattacks inflicted on the enemy were also unsuccessful. The German offensive in the southeastern direction continued. Elite divisions of the Nazi troops were advancing to the southeast, threatening the rear of our two fronts at once.
The site of the decisive battle was to be a small patch of land in the area of the village of the same name. railway station"Prokhorovka".
If you look at the map, we will see a bridgehead about 30 km wide, formed by the railway embankment and the Psel River. It was quite convenient to defend it, since the embankment and the swampy river bank created natural barriers to flank attacks. The Soviet command in planning proceeded from the geographical features of the area of proposed combat operations. The terrain here made it possible to stop the German breakthrough, and then launch a decisive counterattack with the forces of the Steppe Front.
The 5th Guards Combined Arms and 5th Guards Tank Army, by order of the command on July 9, moved to the Prokhorovka area.
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A German breakthrough in the Prokhorovka area would have opened up the possibility for Hitler's troops to strike both Kursk and the rear of the central front. But not only this was the reason for the change in the direction of the main attack from Oboyan to Prokhorovka. Perhaps the intelligence received about the actions of our troops had an impact. It was easier to stop the supposed counterattack of the Red Army, minimizing the possibility of flanking tank attacks in this area, sandwiched between the swampy floodplain of the Psel River and a high railway embankment. The terrain simultaneously neutralized the numerical superiority in tanks Soviet troops and made it possible to take advantage of the advantages of German military equipment in firepower. Thus, both armies concentrated huge tank forces in the Prokhorovka area and had exclusively offensive intentions in the upcoming battle. In the current situation, an oncoming tank battle was simply impossible to avoid. |
The tank battle of Prokhorovka became one of the most ambitious tank battles. Now they are arguing about the exact number of tanks, artillery and other equipment that took part in the battles near Prokhorovka. But the fact that there were more of them than ever is not disputed by anyone. The German headquarters used almost all its reserves, gathering an unprecedented tank fist for its favorite tactic - breaking through the defense with tank wedges.
Initially, the Headquarters hoped to launch a counterattack on the flank of the 4th Tank Army, but a change in the direction of the German attack (from Oboyan to Prokhorovka) mixed up all the cards and complicated the situation.
For the attack it was planned to use the 5th Guards Combined Arms Army (under the command of Zhadov), the 5th Guards Tank Army (under the command of Rotmistrov), reinforced by two tank corps, as well as the forces of the 1st Tank Army and the 7th and 6th Combined Arms Guards Armies. . But the counterattacks inflicted by the Germans and attempts to bypass the main forces of the Steppe (Voronezh) Front did not allow them to fully fulfill their plans.
In the Belgorod direction.
The Tigers are on fire.
Stubborn fighting in the Belgorod direction continues. For tens of kilometers the horizon above the steppe is shrouded in smoke. The planes are getting cramped in the air. The roar of battle does not cease on earth.
The Germans continue to introduce new forces into the battle. They throw 20-30 heavy Tiger tanks forward. They are followed by self-propelled guns. And the third wave of medium tanks with infantry rolls in.
By using such echeloning of its mechanized troops, the enemy is counting on the invulnerability of the Tigers. However, our artillery and even infantry steadfastly repel the onslaught of the enemy’s armored forces. The Tigers are on fire. In just one day, several dozen German T-6 heavy tanks were knocked out and burned here. The Germans rushed forward. The N tank unit, defending one highway, fired at them from closed positions and tore apart the enemy column in such a way that self-propelled guns and infantry lagged behind the tanks. Then, letting the Tigers get closer, our tank crews and armor-piercing gunners shot them. Twenty Tigers remained knocked out on the battlefield.
The enemy made a second attempt to break through the defense line. The tankers let through about 40 enemy vehicles, then closed this passage and, holding the German tanks in pincers, burned them.
The tank guards fight stubbornly in difficult conditions. The Germans threw up to 250 tanks against them, concentrating this entire mass of armor in one narrow area. But the guardsmen steadfastly hold the line, destroying enemy equipment and manpower.
Fierce battles also take place in the air. The Germans gathered large forces of their aviation in this area. Squadrons were transferred here from the south and west. The enemy is trying to break the resilience of our troops with air strikes. But in the sky, Soviet aviation gives a worthy rebuff to its enemies. In two days of air battles, the pilots of our front sector destroyed about 250 enemy aircraft.
At the same time, our bomber and attack aircraft boldly destroy enemy tanks. Six attack aircraft under the command of the brave pilot Vitruk disabled 15 tanks in one approach to an enemy column.
The Germans hastily send in more and more reinforcements. To do this, they use not only trucks, but also “10-52” transport aircraft and “Giant” type gliders. Our pilots are successfully fighting them.
A group of fighters led by Guard Lieutenant Ivan Sytov, conducting reconnaissance, discovered an airfield of transport aircraft. There were 13 Junkers-52s there. Some of them were already preparing to take off. Sytov attacked the airfield on the move. Having dropped bombs on the aircraft parking lots, the pilots began their attack at low level. Three large transport vehicles were completely burned out, others were heavily damaged. Their fate was shared by another Yu-52 that was in the air. Noticing our fighters, the Nazi wanted to land, but crashed into the ground.
In one day, our attack aircraft and bombers destroyed 4 crossings, destroyed 15 tanks and up to 90 trucks, scattered and partially destroyed up to three infantry battalions.
They stand courageously on the lines of defense soviet soldiers. Five times the Germans attacked the platoon of junior lieutenant Voronkin, but, met with powerful fire, they rolled back with heavy losses.
The commander of the artillery division, twice the order bearer, Captain Savchenko, with his artillerymen, repelled eight fierce attacks of the Germans. The artillerymen knocked out seven enemy tanks. Savchenko was wounded, but remained in service and continues to lead the battle.
The Germans sent large forces of motorized infantry against the N unit. Hoping to capture the mortar positions with one blow. But the brave fighters responded to the blow with a double blow and, with the fire of their mortars, destroyed more than two hundred enemy soldiers and officers, several heavy machine guns and three German mortars.
The artillerymen, commanded by Comrade Getman, especially distinguished themselves in battles. They had to withstand several attacks from heavy German tanks. The artillerymen did not flinch before this iron wave. Four tanks were destroyed in the first meeting by the brave gunners Voronikhin and Ivanov. Sergeant Major Bogomolov burned three Tigers. The German attacks were repulsed.
The battle in the Belgorod direction is becoming more and more fierce and hot. At the cost of huge losses in one of the sectors, by the end of the day a group of German tanks managed to wedge into our defenses. But this path of theirs is littered with corpses German soldiers, burnt and broken armor of German tanks. Our units hold each line with great tenacity.
V. Poltoratsky
Specialist. Izvestia correspondent.
Active army, July 8.
The first battles in the Prokhorovka area began on the evening of June 11. Mainly these were attempts German divisions improve our positions and go to the flanks of our central group. Despite the fact that the Germans were unable to bypass and hit the flank of our troops, they had to use significant forces and even bring in reserves to stop the breakthroughs.
At 8 a.m. on July 12, our troops carried out artillery preparation, and at 8:15 a.m. launched a counteroffensive.
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On our side, the forces of the 5th Guards Tank and 5th Guards Combined Arms Army, as well as two separate tank corps (2nd and 2nd Guards) took part in the frontal attack. They were opposed by the 1st Leibstandarte-SS Division "Adolf Hitler", the 2nd SS Panzer Division "Das Reich" and the 3rd SS Panzer Division "Totenkopf" ("Totenkopf").
The time to launch the offensive was not chosen by chance - the rising sun blinded the Germans, making it difficult to shoot accurately. This was extremely important, because the German units included “Tigers” and “Ferdinands”, capable of penetrating the frontal armor of our T-34s from a distance of up to 2 km. Our tanks needed to reduce the distance to 500 meters, and even under this condition only the side armor of the Tiger was penetrated. This advantage could only be neutralized in close combat, due to higher maneuverability.
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During the first battles, German tanks sometimes managed to penetrate our front line. There were cases when the enemy broke through up to one and a half kilometers into the defense, but not a single one of the tanks that broke through came back. All of them were destroyed in our defense zone. It is interesting to consider one of these cases in detail. |
Literally an hour after the start of the Soviet offensive, the tank armies of both sides clashed in a fierce battle . The largest tank battle of the Great Patriotic War began. On the main site there were about 1000-1200 Soviet and German tanks and self-propelled artillery units.
According to eyewitnesses, the roar was heard for many kilometers, and the swarm of planes from a distance seemed like a cloud. The explosions lifted the earth into the air and the entire field was on fire. The sun was covered with a dense suspension of dust, sand and ash, and there was the smell of burnt, hot metal and gunpowder. Burning aircraft parts were falling from above. The soldiers were suffocating from the heavy, suffocating smoke that spread across the field and stung their eyes. Tanks were distinguished by their silhouettes. Above the field there was the roar of explosions, the roar of engines and the grinding sound of colliding cars.
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Belgorod direction, July 13 (Special correspondent TASS). Stubborn, fierce battles with the advancing Nazis have continued for the eighth day. For the eighth day, day and night, our tank crews, artillerymen, armor-piercing soldiers, and infantrymen, tirelessly, have been repelling the onslaught of large enemy forces. Thousands of corpses of the Nazis lie on the Russian black soil plains and ravines. The enemy is missing many hundreds of tanks, guns, vehicles and planes in their vaunted divisions. |
Operational summary for July 12
On July 12, our troops continued to fight with the enemy in the Oryol-Kursk and Belgorod directions. Particularly stubborn battles took place in the Belgorod direction.
During the day of fighting, our troops in the Oryol-Kursk and Belgorod directions knocked out and destroyed 122 German tanks. In air battles and anti-aircraft artillery, 18 German aircraft were shot down.
According to updated data for July 11, in the Orel-Kursk and Belgorod directions, 31 German aircraft were shot down in air battles and anti-aircraft artillery fire, and 71 enemy aircraft were shot down.
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In the Oryol-Kursk direction, our units repelled enemy attacks. The enemy did not attack with such large forces as it had been in previous days. During seven days of intense fighting, the Nazis suffered heavy losses. Desperate to break through the Soviet defenses, the Germans today sought to improve their positions in certain sectors of the front. In one sector, enemy infantry and tanks launched attacks several times, but with the subsequent counterattack of Soviet soldiers, the Germans were thrown back to their original lines. Up to 1,000 enemy soldiers and officers, 17 tanks, 6 guns, 25 machine guns and an enemy mortar battery were destroyed.
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Fierce fighting continued in the Belgorod direction. Enemy tanks and infantry, supported by artillery and aviation, repeatedly attacked our positions throughout the day. Having failed to achieve success in one sector, the Germans transferred their attacks to another. However, all enemy attacks failed. The unit, under the command of Guard Captain Comrade Dotsenko, repelled two fierce attacks by the Germans and destroyed over a battalion of Nazis. The N tank unit launched a sudden flank attack on the advancing enemy and destroyed 46 German tanks. Up to a regiment of German infantry and 30 tanks attacked the positions defended by the battalion, where the commander of the guard was Captain Comrade Belgin. For twelve hours, the guards repelled the attacks of the Nazis. Having lost 15 tanks and over 500 soldiers and officers, the enemy was forced to retreat. The crew of the tank, under the command of Lieutenant Comrade Butenko, set fire to one tank and disabled two more enemy tanks with a ram. In two days, 8 German tanks were blown up on mines laid by sappers of the unit, where the commander was Comrade Ivchar.
The fighting took place not only in the central direction; on July 12, several tank battles of various sizes broke out in the Prokhorovka area.
South of Prokhorovka, the Kempf tank group tried to enter the left flank of our forces. The Army reserves transferred there were able to stop the German offensive.
Near Prokhorovka, where the most ambitious tank battle raged, at an altitude of 266.6 no less dramatic events took place. The enemy threw up to 100 tanks to capture the heights. They were opposed by soldiers of the 95th Guards Division.
In this battle, 16 heavy German tanks moved towards the gun of Guard Sergeant Andrei Borisovich Danilov. Their fire set fire to a car with ammunition, which began to explode, showering the area with shrapnel. Under enemy fire, the gun numbers failed one after another, but even when he was left alone, Danilov continued the unequal battle, even after the gun was knocked out and tilted to the side, the brave fighter continued to fire. As a result of a three-hour battle, the German tank attack fizzled out. There were 5 enemy vehicles left burning on the battlefield. For this feat of the Guard, Sergeant Danilov was awarded the title of Hero Soviet Union.
On July 12, 1943, in the battle for height 226.6 (in the Belgorod direction), the enemy launched more than 80 tanks into the attack, 50% of them of the T-6 type, covering with self-propelled and field artillery and mortars with strong air pressure.
He brought the tanks close and began shooting at heavy enemy vehicles at point-blank range with fire from his gun.
16 German heavy tanks began to press on the gun in a semi-circle, a direct hit set fire to a nearby vehicle with ammunition, and the shells on the burning vehicle began to explode, showering the gun with shrapnel from the rear.
Enemy tanks fired hurricane fire from cannons and machine guns at the guns, aviation cleared the way for their advancing tanks, but the brave crew heroically repulsed the attack of the enemy tigers.
One by one, the gun numbers went out of order, with one gun commander heroically continuing the unequal fight against the advancing enemy tanks, which came close to the gun.
The gun was knocked out by a direct hit from a shell and fell on its side, continuing to fire until the last shell.
For 3 hours the gun fought an unequal battle with enemy tanks; the gunner was also wounded; ammunition was running out. Left alone, he heroically, not sparing his life, continued to shoot the advancing tanks.
The attack of the German tanks fizzled out, leaving 5 burning tigers on the battlefield, covering themselves with frontal armor and firing back, the remaining 11 tanks began to hastily retreat.
The brave Commander won the unequal battle, inflicting heavy damage on the enemy. This is how Comrade always fought the enemy. Danilov.
Worthy of the government award of the title of “Hero of the Soviet Union” and the Order of Lenin.
At about 13 o'clock the Germans made another attempt to turn the tide of the battle in the main direction, throwing in the 11th Panzer Division from reserve, which, together with the Death's Head division, struck our right flank. The attack was repelled by the selfless actions of units of the 5th Guards Army and two brigades of the 5th Guards Mechanized Corps that came to the rescue.
Meanwhile, our tanks began to push the enemy to the west. By evening, the forces of the 5th Tank Army were able to push the enemy back 10-15 km, leaving the battlefield in their rear.
The tank battle was won, and the German advance on Prokhorovka was stopped.
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Fierce fighting continued in the Belgorod direction. The Germans strive to achieve success at any cost, but everywhere they encounter stubborn resistance from Soviet troops. In some areas, our units launched counterattacks and pushed back the Nazis who had penetrated our defenses. The enemy is suffering heavy losses in equipment and manpower. Just yesterday, in different areas, our fighters knocked out and destroyed more than a hundred German tanks, including 20 Tiger tanks, destroyed 250 vehicles and a lot of enemy manpower. |
Stubborn counterattacks by our tank units.
(From a special correspondent for Red Star)
In the Belgorod direction, stubborn battles between our troops and enemy infantry and tanks continue. Despite the fact that the Germans suffer enormous losses in battles, they do not give up hope of breaking through our defenses and are rushing forward with all their might. Units of the N formation staunchly repulse German attacks and do not allow the enemy to expand his wedge. In recent days, the defenders have begun to launch counterattacks more and more often. Typically, hot battles break out in such areas. The enemy cannot withstand counter attacks from the defenders. Suffering heavy losses, he is forced to retreat or maneuver in search of other directions for attack.
The counterattacks of our units intensified after tank units were introduced into the battle. Over the past few days, Soviet tank crews have inflicted a number of sensitive blows on the enemy.
In the area of two heights occupied by our troops, the Germans concentrated large forces of tanks and infantry. These heights dominate the surrounding area, and the enemy apparently decided to take them at any cost. He launched several attacks towards the heights. Each of his attacks involved several dozen tanks and significant infantry forces. The battle lasted the whole day. The N unit, holding back the enemy's pressure, inflicted considerable damage on him, not allowing him to break through to the heights.
While the fighting was going on here, the N tank unit, unnoticed by the enemy, reached his flank. The tankers quickly prepared for active operations, took up their starting positions and simultaneously launched a counterattack on two directions. This blow was completely unexpected for the enemy. Despite the fact that the German flank was covered by fairly large forces, they could not withstand the blow of our tanks and were forced to retreat to another line with losses.
The flank counterattack of our tanks, naturally, had a favorable effect on the defenders during the battle at the top of the German wedge. The enemy immediately weakened his attacks there. The N unit, in turn, launched a counterattack and inflicted serious losses on the Germans.
In another sector, one of our tank units, together with infantry units and artillerymen, repelled four fierce enemy attacks in a day. The situation here was such that the main brunt of enemy attacks fell on the tank unit. The German attacks were distinguished by great tenacity. The first echelon of enemy tanks was approaching the defenders' positions. Some of our tanks came out to meet him, while the rest fired from closed positions. A short battle broke out, and the enemy was forced to retreat. But soon a new group of enemy tanks appeared. The artillery duel began again, and this was repeated several times.
No matter how the enemy tried to break the resistance of our tankers, no matter how he maneuvered, feeling for the weak points of the defense, he was unable to break through into its depths. Our tankers fought a long and difficult battle, but still managed to hold their positions. Especially strong blows were inflicted on the enemy where the interaction of tanks with artillery and infantry was better organized. For example, in one area the Germans lost about two dozen tanks, several self-propelled guns and a large number of infantry.
Our tanks quite often have to meet German “tigers”. In these cases, as a rule, our KV heavy tanks come out to meet the enemy “tigers”. Usually the battles here are especially fierce, and there has never been a case where our KVs retreated before the German Tigers.
In one sector, the numerical superiority in tanks was on the side of the Germans. When the attack began, our tank crews allowed the enemy closer and opened fire on the German “tigers” from the spot. Having lost four vehicles, the enemy began to maneuver and tried to hide in the folds of the terrain. Then our KVs left their positions and with a bold counterattack drove the enemy back, destroying two more Tigers.
Meeting stubborn resistance from our troops, the enemy begins to maneuver his tanks, makes detours, and tries to reach the flanks of the defending units. Our tankers figure out the enemy’s tactics in time and strive to strike at him at the moment when he is maneuvering and looking for new directions for attacks.
Major B. Dubkov.
Belgorod direction.
Before the start of this battle, the weather was dry and sunny, there were ripened grains... And two weeks later the entire field became black, riddled with craters, full of twisted, burnt and soot-covered metal. “A huge number of burnt tanks, tank rams, the smell of burnt metal, mangled equipment and the overwhelming smell of decomposing corpses.” No one had buried anyone yet, it was summer heat and the view of the field was an illustration of the theme “the horrors of war.”
As eyewitnesses recalled, after the battle of Prokhorovka the front became quiet for three days. There was deathly silence. The cannonade of guns suddenly stopped. The artillery did not fire, the aircraft did not fly, everything froze.
According to the main German tank authority Guderian, it was a "decisive defeat".
The losses suffered and the organized withdrawal of German troops did not allow the development of a counterattack with the aim of encircling and defeating the German tank divisions. Hitler's troops lost up to a quarter of their tanks in the battle, which completely exhausted the attacking potential in the Belgorod direction. The German advance was stopped. The Citadel plan failed.
So the last major one is over offensive German troops on the eastern front. Until the victorious year of 1945, our army never for a second let go of the strategic initiative.
On July 12, 1943, the largest oncoming tank battle took place in the Prokhorovka area Second World War.The event, which was included in all history textbooks of the Second World War under the name of the Battle of Prokhorovka, developed on the southern front of the Kursk Bulge from July 10 to July 16, 1943 near Prokhorovka. It was on July 10, after failure in their advance to Oboyan, that the Germans directed their main attack on the Prokhorovka railway station.
The offensive was carried out by the 2nd SS Panzer Corps (commander Hausser), which included the divisions "Totenkopf", "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler" and "Reich". In a few days they broke through two lines of fortifications of Soviet troops and reached the third - 10 km southwest of the Prokhorovka station. After a fierce battle, the Germans occupied the Komsomolsiy state farm and the northern bank of the Psel River. On July 11, the enemy advanced to the outskirts of Prokhorovka, breaking through the defenses of the 2nd Tank Corps and the 183rd Rifle Division. The Soviet divisions sent to the breakthrough area were able to stop the Germans. The attacks of the 2nd SS Panzer Corps with the aim of reaching the Prokhorovka-Kartashovka line did not achieve any results.
The Soviet command decided to launch a powerful counterattack on the morning of July 12 and destroy the enemy troops wedged into the defense. For this operation it was planned to involve the 5th, 6th, 7th Guards Armies, as well as the 5th Guards and 1st Tank Armies. However, due to the complicated situation, only the 5th Guards Tank (commander P.A. Rotmistrov) and 5th Guards (commander A.S. Zhadov) armies could participate in the counterattack. The 5th Guards Tank Army included the 18th Tank Corps, the 29th Tank Corps, and the 5th Guards Mechanized Corps. The army was reinforced by the 2nd Guards Tatsin Tank Corps and the 2nd Tank Corps.
Early in the morning of July 12, several dozen German tanks made a breakthrough in the Melekhovo direction. The Germans managed to occupy the villages of Ryndinka, Vypolzovka and Rzhavets. Soviet attack aircraft attacked the tanks of the Adolf Hitler division. The strike group of German troops conducted its offensive on several sectors of the front.
At 8:30 a.m. on July 12, formations of the 5th Guards Combined Arms and 5th Guards Tank Armies, after a 15-minute artillery preparation, launched a counterattack. The tanks of the Adolf Hitler division came under heavy fire from Soviet guns. Armored avalanches moved towards each other. About 1,200 tanks and self-propelled guns simultaneously participated in the battles on both sides. The largest oncoming tank battle in history took place on a field near Prokhorovka between the railway and the bend of the Psel River. The 170th and 181st tank brigades of the 18th Tank Corps, the 25th, 31st and 32nd tank brigades of the 29th Tank Corps, with the support of units of the 9th Guards Airborne Division and the 42nd, went on the attack. th Guards Division.
In the bend of the Psel River, units of the 95th Guards Rifle Division fought a heavy battle with the SS division “Totenkopf”. On the left flank of the 5th Guards Tank Army, the 2nd Guards Tatsinsky Tank Corps, as well as the 183rd Rifle Division of the 69th Army, went on the offensive. The enemy was attacked from the air by aircraft of the 2nd and parts of the 17th Air Armies, as well as long-range aviation. This is how the commander of the 2nd Air Army, Air Marshal S.A. Krasovsky, describes these events: “On the morning of July 12, our bombers and attack aircraft dropped thousands of anti-tank bombs on battle formations tank troops the enemy... The ground units supported echeloned bombing operations, striking at concentrations of enemy tanks in the Gryaznoye area, Oktyabrsky village, Mal. Mayachki, Pokrovka, Yakovlevo...”
On the field near Prokhorovka, real tank duels began. It was a confrontation not only between tactics and the skill of the crews, but also between the tanks themselves.
In the German units, medium tanks T-IV modifications G and H (hull armor thickness - 80 mm, turret - 50 mm) and heavy T-VIE "Tiger" tanks (hull armor thickness 100 mm, turret - 110 mm) fought. Both of these tanks had powerful long-barreled guns (75 mm and 88 mm caliber), which penetrated almost any area of armor protection Soviet tanks(with the exception of the IS-2 heavy tank at a distance of over 500 meters). The Soviet T-34 tanks that took part in the battle had an advantage over all German tanks in speed and maneuverability, but the thickness of their armor was inferior to the Tiger, and their guns were less powerful than those on German medium and heavy tanks.
Our tanks wedged themselves into the battle formations of the German troops, trying to gain an advantage through speed and maneuverability, and shoot the enemy from close range into the side armor. Very soon the battle formations were mixed. Close combat at short distances deprived the Germans of the advantages of powerful guns. It was crowded due to the mass of armored vehicles that could not turn around and maneuver. They collided, their ammunition exploded, and tank turrets torn off by the explosion flew up tens of meters. The smoke and soot made it difficult to see what was happening; dozens of bombers, attack aircraft and fighters were flying over the battlefield. Soviet aviation dominated the air.
The commander of the 5th Guards Tank Army, P.A. Rotmistrov, recalled the events near Prokhorovka: “Until late in the evening, there was an incessant roar of engines, the clanging of tracks, and exploding shells on the battlefield. Hundreds of tanks and self-propelled guns were burning. Clouds of dust and smoke clouded the sky...”
In the middle of the day, the most intense and stubborn battles took place on the northern slopes of height 226.6 and along the railway. Here, fighters of the 95th Guards Rifle Division repelled attempts by the SS Totenkopf division to break through the defenses in a northern direction. The 2nd Guards Tank Corps ousted the Germans west of the railway and began a rapid offensive against the villages of Kalinin and Teterevino. In the afternoon, the advanced units of the SS Reich division were able to advance, occupying the Belenikhino station and the Storozhevoy village. At the end of the day, the “Dead Head” division, having received reinforcements with powerful aviation and artillery support, broke through the defenses of the 95th and 52nd rifle divisions and reached the villages of Vesely and Polezhaev. Enemy tanks tried to break through to the Prokhorovka-Kartashovka road, but the enemy was stopped by the heroic efforts of the soldiers of the 95th Guards Rifle Division. A platoon under the command of Senior Lieutenant P. Shpetny destroyed 7 enemy tanks. The platoon commander, who was seriously wounded, threw himself under the tank with grenades. P. Shpetny was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. “The breakthrough of German tanks into this area created dangerous situation on the flanks of the 5th Guards Tank Army and the 33rd Guards Rifle Corps,” wrote A.S. Zhadov in his memoirs.
The fighting on July 12 led to huge losses in the Adolf Hitler and Death's Head divisions, which greatly weakened their combat capabilities.
In his book “Memories and Reflections,” Marshal G.K. Zhukov writes: “During July 12, there was greatest battle tankers, artillerymen, riflemen and pilots, especially fierce in the Prokhorovsk direction, where the 5th Guards Tank Army under the command of General P.A. operated most successfully. Rotmistrov."
Over the next three days, fierce fighting took place south of Prokhorovka. In this sector, the 3rd Panzer Corps of the Kempf Army Group tried to break through the defenses of the 69th Army in the area between the Seversky and Lipovy Donets rivers. However, Soviet troops held back the onslaught of the Germans.
On July 16, the Germans stopped their attacking actions and began to retreat towards Belgorod.Troops of the Voronezh and reserve Steppe fronts began to pursue German units.
The German Citadel plan failed. The Wehrmacht's tank forces were badly battered and could no longer restore their former strength. The period of retreat of German troops began.
During the entire post-war period, no study was carried out in which the chronological framework was clearly and clearly established, the course of the battle was outlined, the scale, the exact number of armored vehicles used, and their losses on both sides were fully and objectively assessed.
They say that motor oil is thicker than blood (especially if it is oil from Continent LLC). A lot of both were shed in this battle...
In the literature published until recently, these issues are covered, as a rule, without analysis or references to the combat documents of the formations participating in the battle. At best, the authors cite the opinions of the participants in this event to support their point of view without critically understanding them. A significant contribution to the confusion with numbers and facts was made by big number articles, as a rule, published on holidays. Some journalists did not bother to seriously and painstakingly deal with these issues.
Thus, over time, the history of the battle acquired a large number of inaccuracies and myths, turning into a legend. But no matter how it was, this does not detract from the great feat of the Red Army soldiers!
“In Soviet official historiography, this battle is given not only the loud title of the greatest tank battle that took place during the Second World War, it is also called one of the largest in the entire military history battles using tank troops, writes Alexander Dedov. “However, the history of this battle is still full of “blank spots.” There is still no exact data on the chronological framework and the number of armored vehicles that took part in it. And how the battle itself took place is described very contradictorily by different researchers; no one can objectively assess the losses.
And at the same time they forget to mention the battle of Senno! It was here, more than 50 kilometers southwest of Vitebsk, on July 6, 1941, that more than two thousand combat vehicles of the USSR and the Third Reich fought to the death in a brutal, bloody battle. And this is more than twice the amount of equipment that was involved in the battles on the Kursk Bulge, where, according to the official Soviet version, 1,200 Soviet and German tanks and self-propelled artillery units fought.
For the general reader, information about the "tank duel" appeared only ten years after the battle, in 1953, when it became available " Battle of Kursk", book by I. Markin. It was the Battle of Prokhorovka that was named one of the most important components of this battle, since after Prokhorovka the Germans were forced to retreat to their original positions. The question arises as to why the Soviet command hid information about the battle near Prokhorovka?
The answer, most likely, lies in the desire to keep the huge losses, both human and armored vehicles, secret, especially since it was the fatal mistakes of the military leadership that led to their occurrence.
It is well known that the Battle of Prokhorovka was won by the Red Army, but few people know that it lasted not one, but six whole days, and the tank battle on July 12, 1943 was only its beginning. But who won it - Rotmistrov or Hausser? Soviet historiography declares an unconditional victory, while delicately keeping silent about the price that the tank crews of the 5th Guards Tank Army paid for it. German historians put forward their own arguments: by the evening of July 12, the battlefield remained with the Germans, and the ratio of losses was clearly not in favor of the Red Army. Modern Russian researchers also have their own vision of the events that took place in July 1943. Let's try to figure out who won this battle. As an evidence base, we will use the opinion of Candidate of Historical Sciences V.N. Zamulin, a former employee of the Prokhorov Field Museum and, perhaps, the most prominent specialist in the history of the Battle of Kursk.
First, you need to understand the main myth of the Soviet era - the number of tanks that directly took part in the battle. The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, citing the works of Soviet military leaders, gives a figure of 1,500 tanks - 800 Soviet and 700 German. In fact, on the Soviet side, the strike group included only the 29th and 18th tank corps of the 5th Guards TA of Lieutenant General Rotmistrov with a total of 348 vehicles (2).
It is more difficult to quantify the forces of the German side. The II SS Panzer Corps included three motorized divisions. As of July 11, 1943, the motorized division “Leibstandarte CC Adolf Hitler” had 77 tanks and self-propelled guns in service. Motorized SS division "Totenkopf" - 122 and motorized SS division "Das Reich" - 95 tanks and self-propelled guns of all types. Total: 294 cars (1). The position in the center (in front of the Prokhorovka station) was occupied by the Leibstandarte, its right flank was covered by Das Reich, the left by the Totenkopf. The battle took place on a relatively small area of terrain up to 8 kilometers wide, crossed by ravines and bounded on one side by the Psel River and on the other by a railway embankment. It is necessary to take into account that most of The tanks of the “Totenkopf” division solved tactical problems of capturing the bend of the Psel River, where the infantrymen and artillerymen of the 5th Guards Army held the defense, and the tanks of the “Das Reich” division were located behind the railroad tracks. Thus, the Soviet tankers were opposed by the Leibstandarte division and an unknown number of tanks from the Totenkopf division (in the area along the river), as well as the Das Reich division on the left flank of the attackers. Therefore, indicate the exact number of tanks that participated in repelling the attack of two tank corps of the 5th Guards. TA, it is not possible.
Before the attack, on the night of July 11-12. Due to the fact that the 5th Guards. The TA changed its initial positions for the attack twice; its command, concentrating forces in the area of the Prokhorovka station, did not conduct reconnaissance - there was no time. Although the current situation urgently required it: on the eve of July 11, SS units ousted Soviet infantrymen and dug in half a kilometer from the southern outskirts of Prokhorovka. By bringing up artillery, they created a powerful line of defense overnight, strengthening themselves in all tank-dangerous directions. About three hundred guns were deployed in a 6-kilometer area, including rocket-propelled mortars and 8.8 cm FlaK 18/36 anti-aircraft guns. However, the main German “trump card” on this section of the front was the 60 tanks of the Leibstandarte division, most of which were in reserve by the morning (behind the anti-tank ditch at an altitude of 252.2).
Self-propelled guns of the SS division "Das Reich" fire at the positions of the 183rd SD in the Belenikhino area.
July 11, 1943
Source: http://militera.lib.ru/h/zamulin_vn2/s05.gif
At 5 o'clock in the morning, before the offensive of the 5th Guards. TA, Soviet infantry tried to dislodge the SS men from their positions, but came under heavy fire German artillery, retreated, bearing heavy losses. At 8.30 the command was sounded: “Steel, steel, steel,” and Soviet tanks began to advance. The Soviet tank crews did not succeed in a swift attack, as it seems to many to this day. First, the tanks had to make their way through the infantry battle formations, then carefully move forward along the passages in the minefields. And only then, in full view of the Germans, did they begin to deploy into battle formations. In total, the first echelon operated 234 tanks and 19 self-propelled guns of two corps - the 29th and 18th. The nature of the terrain forced the forces to be gradually introduced into battle - in some places battalion-by-battalion, with significant time intervals (from 30 minutes to an hour and a half, which, as it turned out later, allowed the Germans to destroy them one by one). The main task for the Soviet tank crews was to capture the powerful center of the German defense - the Oktyabrsky state farm, in order to gain further opportunity for maneuver.
From the very beginning the battle became extremely fierce. Four tank brigades, three batteries of self-propelled guns, two rifle regiments and one battalion of a motorized rifle brigade rolled into the German fortified area in waves, but, encountering powerful resistance, retreated back again. Almost immediately after the start of the attack, active bombing of Soviet troops by groups of German dive bombers began. Considering that the attackers did not have air cover, this sharply worsened their situation. Soviet fighters appeared in the sky very late - only after 13.00.
Attack of the brigades of the 18th TC in the area of the village of Andreevka. July 12, 1943
Source: http://militera.lib.ru/h/zamulin_vn2/36.jpg
The first, main attack of two Soviet corps, which looked like a single attack, lasted until approximately 11.00 and ended with the 29th Tank Corps moving to the defense, although units of the 18th Tank Corps continued to try to take the state farm, outflanking it. Another part of the tanks of the 18th Corps, supporting the infantry, advanced on the right flank and fought in the villages on the river bank. The goal of this tank group was to strike at the junction between the positions of the Leibstandarte and Totenkopf divisions. On the left flank of the troops, tankmen of the 32nd Tank Brigade of the 29th Tank Corps made their way along the railway track.
Soon the attacks of the main forces of the 29th Corps resumed and continued until approximately 13.30–14.00. The tankers nevertheless drove the SS men out of the Oktyabrsky, suffering in the process colossal losses– up to 70% of equipment and personnel.
By this time, the battle had acquired the character of separate battles with enemy anti-tank defenses. The Soviet tank crews did not have a unified command; they attacked in the indicated directions and fired at enemy tanks and artillery positions that appeared in the firing sectors of their guns.
“...There was such a roar that blood flowed from my ears. The continuous roar of engines, the clanging of metal, the roar, the explosions of shells, the wild rattle of torn iron... From point-blank shots, turrets collapsed, guns twisted, armor burst, tanks exploded. We lost the sense of time; we felt neither thirst, nor heat, nor even blows in the cramped cabin of the tank. One thought, one desire: while you are alive, beat the enemy. Our tankers, who got out of their wrecked vehicles, searched the field for enemy crews, who were also left without equipment, and beat them with pistols and grappled hand-to-hand. I remember the captain who, in some kind of frenzy, climbed onto the armor of a damaged German “Tiger” and hit the hatch with a machine gun in order to “smoke out” the Nazis from there...”(GSS G.I. Penezhko).
By noon, it became clear to the Soviet command that the counterattack plan had failed.
At this time, in the bend of the Psel River, the German division “Totenkopf”, having captured a section of the eastern bank of the river, pulled up artillery and opened fire on the strike wedge of the 18th Tank Corps, which was operating on the right flank of the advancing Soviet troops. Observing the advance of the corps and unraveling the plan of the Soviet command, the Germans launched a series of counterattacks, using compact tank groups supported by artillery, aviation and motorized infantry. Fierce oncoming battles began.
Source: http://history.dwnews.com/photo/2014-01-31/59393505-44.html
It was units of the 18th Corps that made the deepest and most massive breakthrough in the German defense zone, going to the rear of the Leibstandarte positions. The headquarters of the 2nd SS TC reported on the situation: “Large enemy forces, 2 regiments with about 40 tanks, attacked our units east of Vasilyevka, through Prelestnoye, Mikhailovka, Andreevka, then, turning south, advanced to the area north of the Komsomolets state farm.” The situation has been restored. It is obvious that the enemy intends to attack from Storozhevoy in the direction of the bend of the railway line and from the north in the direction of the Komsomolets state farm to cut off our forces that have advanced to the northeast.”
Attack of Soviet tanks and infantry in the Prokhorovka area, July 1943
Source: http://history.dwnews.com/photo/2014-01-31/59393505-49.html
Real maneuver battles of tank groups flared up after formations of the 18th and 29th Tank Corps pushed the SS men to the southwestern slopes of height 252.2. This happened around 14.00–14.30. Then groups of tanks from both Soviet corps began to break through to the west of Andreevka, to Vasilyevka, as well as to the area of height 241.6, where fierce oncoming tank battles also took place at short distances. On the left flank, separate groups of Soviet tanks broke through along the railroad, also in a southwestern direction.
“...The situation has become extremely tense,– recalled the former commander of a tank platoon of the 170th Tank Brigade, at that time Lieutenant V.P. Bryukhov. – The battle formations of the troops were mixed up, it was not possible to accurately determine the front line. The situation changed hourly, even minutely. The brigades then advanced, then stopped, then retreated back. It seemed that the battlefield was crowded not only with tanks, armored personnel carriers, guns and people, but also with shells, bombs, mines and even bullets. Their soul-chilling paths flew, intersected and intertwined into a deadly ligature. The terrible blows of armor-piercing and sub-caliber shells shook, pierced and burned through the armor, broke out huge pieces of it, leaving gaping holes in the armor, maimed and destroyed people. Tanks were burning. The explosions caused five-ton towers to break off and fly off to the side 15–20 meters. Sometimes the upper armor plates of the tower were torn off, flying high into the air. Slamming their hatches, they somersaulted in the air and fell, instilling fear and horror in the surviving tankers. Often, strong explosions caused the entire tank to fall apart, instantly turning into a pile of metal. Most of the tanks stood motionless, their guns mournfully lowered, or were on fire. Greedy flames licked the red-hot armor, sending up clouds of black smoke. Tankers who were unable to get out of the tank were burning along with them. Their inhuman cries and pleas for help shocked and clouded the mind. The lucky ones who got out of the burning tanks rolled on the ground, trying to knock the flames off their overalls. Many of them were overtaken by an enemy bullet or shell fragment, taking away their hope for life... The opponents turned out to be worthy of each other. They fought desperately, harshly, with frantic detachment. The situation was constantly changing, it was confusing, unclear and uncertain. The headquarters of corps, brigades and even battalions often did not know the position and condition of their troops ... "
By 1500, the strength of both Soviet tank corps had exhausted itself. The brigades have 10-15 vehicles left in service, and some have even less. However, the counterattack continued, as the Soviet command at all levels received orders not to stop and to continue the offensive. It was at this time that the greatest danger arose of German tank units launching a counteroffensive, which jeopardized the entire outcome of the battle. From this point on, the attacks continued mainly by infantry, supported by small groups of tanks, which, naturally, could not change the course of the battle in favor of the attackers.
Judging by reports from the front line, the fighting ended between 20.00 and 21.00. However, on the Storozhevoy farm the fighting continued even after midnight, and the Soviet troops were unable to hold it.
Scheme of combat operations in the offensive zone of the main counterattack group of the front on July 12, 1943
It is difficult to find a person who has never heard of Prokhorovka. The battles at this railway station, which lasted from July 10 to July 16, 1943, became one of the most dramatic. For the next anniversary, a story about the background, the main participants in the battle and the little-known battles that took place on July 12 to the west of the station.
West of Prokhorovka. Map
Background and participants in the battle
On July 5, 1943, the Battle of Kursk began. The troops of Army Group South of the Wehrmacht dealt a powerful blow to the southern front of the Kursk Bulge. Initially, the Germans, with the forces of the 4th Tank Army, sought to advance in a northern direction along the Belgorod-Kursk highway. The troops of the Voronezh Front under the command of Nikolai Fedorovich Vatutin met the enemy with stubborn defense and were able to stop his advance. On July 10, the German command, trying to achieve success, changed the direction of the main attack to Prokhorovka.
Three panzergrenadier divisions of the 2nd SS Panzer Corps advanced here: “Totenkopf”, “Leibstandarte” and “Reich”. They were opposed by the troops of the Voronezh Front, to strengthen which the 5th Guards Tank and 5th Guards Armies were transferred from the Headquarters reserve.
To stop the enemy’s advance and defeat his formations, on July 12 N.F. Vatutin decided to launch a powerful counterattack on German positions. The main role was assigned to two new armies. The main blow in the area west of Prokhorovka was to be delivered by the 5th Guards Tank Army.
However, on July 10 and 11, events occurred that complicated preparations for the counterattack. In particular, the 2nd SS Panzer Corps was able to approach Prokhorovka, and one of its divisions, the “Dead Head”, managed to create a bridgehead on the northern bank of the Psel River. Because of this, part of the forces intended to participate in the counterattack had to be brought into battle prematurely by Vatutin. On July 11, two divisions (95th Guards and 9th Guards Airborne) from the 5th Army entered into battle with the 2nd SS Panzer Corps, blocking its path to Prokhorovka and blocking the German forces on the bridgehead. Due to the advance of the Germans, the initial areas of army formations for participation in the counterattack had to be moved to the east. Greatest influence This had an impact on the troops of the 5th Guards Tank Army - the tanks of its two tank corps (18th and 29th) had to deploy in a close area between the Psel River and the railway. In addition, the action of the tanks at the very beginning of the upcoming offensive was hampered by a deep ravine stretching from the river to Prokhorovka.
By the evening of July 11, the 5th Guards Tank Army, taking into account the two tank corps assigned to it (2nd Guards and 2nd Tank), had more than 900 tanks and self-propelled guns. However, not all of them could be used in the battles west of Prokhorovka - the Second Tank Corps was putting itself in order after participating in intense battles on July 11 and could not take an active part in the upcoming counterattack.
The changing situation at the front also left its mark on preparations for the counterattack. On the night of July 11-12, divisions of the German 3rd Tank Corps managed to break through the defenses of the 69th Army and reach the Prokhorovka direction from the south. If successful, the German tank divisions could reach the rear of the 5th Guards Tank Army.
To eliminate the threat created, already on the morning of July 12, it was necessary to allocate and send a considerable part of the forces to the breakthrough site, including 172 tanks and self-propelled guns of the 5th Guards Tank Army. This scattered the army's forces and left its commander, General Pavel Rotmistrov, with an insignificant reserve of 100 tanks and self-propelled guns.
On July 12, by 8:30 a.m.—the time the counterattack began—only about 450 tanks and self-propelled guns were ready to go on the offensive west of Prokhorovka, of which about 280 were in the area between the Psel River and the railroad.
From the side of the 5th Guards Army on July 12, two divisions were to support the actions of the tankers. Two other divisions of A.S. Zhadov’s army were going to attack units of the “Dead Head” division on the northern bank of the Psel River.
The Germans had their own plans for July 12th.
The 2nd SS Panzer Corps, despite the losses suffered in previous battles, still remained quite strong and was ready for active action, both defensive and offensive. As of morning, the two corps divisions had 18,500 personnel each, and the Leibstandarte had 20,000 personnel.
For a whole week, the 2nd Tank Corps had been continuously engaged in fierce battles, and many of its tanks had been damaged and were being repaired. However, the corps still had a significant amount of combat-ready armored vehicles and was ready for active operations, both defensive and offensive. On July 12, the corps divisions could use about 270 tanks, 68 assault guns and 43 Marders in battle.
The corps was preparing to deliver the main blow from the bridgehead on the Psel River. The Death's Head division, using most of its 122 combat-ready tanks and assault guns as a ram, with the support of aviation, was supposed to capture the bend of the Psel River and reach Prokhorovka from the north-west. Located in the area between the Psel River and the Storozhevoye village, the Leibstandarte division was to hold its positions on the left flank and in the center, capture Storozhevoye with an attack on the right flank, and then be ready to support the actions of the Dead Head division to capture Prokhorovka with a blow from the south -west. The Reich Division, located south of the Leibstandarte, was given the task of holding its positions in the center and on the right flank and attacking on the left flank.
On July 12, troops of the Voronezh Front carried out a counterattack. This event became the culmination of the Prokhorov battle.
The main battles west of Prokhorovka took place in the following areas:
- on the section between the Psel River and the railway on our side, the main forces of the 18th, 29th Tank Corps of the 5th Guards Tank Army, as well as the 9th and 42nd Guards Divisions of the 5th Guards Army took part in them, and from the German part of the Lebstandarte and Death's Head divisions;
- in the area south of the railway in the Storozhevoy area, on our side, they involved the 25th Tank Brigade of the 29th Tank Corps, units and units of the 9th Guards and 183rd Rifle Divisions, as well as the 2nd Tank Corps, and from the German part of the Leibstandarte and Death's Head divisions;
- in the area of Yasnaya Polyana and Kalinin, Sobachevsky and Ozerovsky, brigades of the 2nd Guards Tank Corps participated on our side, and the Reich division on the German part;
- north of the Psel River, formations and units of the 5th Guards Army took part on our side, and units of the Death’s Head division participated on the German side.
The counterattack that day did not achieve its main goal - the enemy strike forces were not defeated. At the same time, the advance of the troops of the German 4th Tank Army in the direction of Prokhorovka was finally stopped. Soon the Germans stopped carrying out Operation Citadel, began to withdraw their troops to their original positions and transfer part of their forces to other sectors of the front. For the troops of the Voronezh Front, this meant victory in the Battle of Prokhorov and the defensive operation they carried out.
A detailed picture of the fighting west of Prokhorovka on July 12 is shown on the map:
Fighting in the area of the Oktyabrsky state farm and height 252.2
On July 12, 1943, the main attack west of Prokhorovka station was carried out by the 18th and 29th Tank Corps of the 5th Guards Tank Army under Lieutenant General P. A. Rotmistrov. Their actions were supported by units of the 9th Guards Airborne and 42nd Guards Rifle Divisions from the 5th Guards Army under Lieutenant General A.S. Zhadov.
It was assumed that the forces of the Soviet troops would cover the area of the Oktyabrsky state farm with simultaneous attacks from the north and south. After this, with quick and decisive actions in this place, our tanks, together with the infantry, were supposed to break through the enemy’s defenses and continue the offensive. But the events that followed looked somewhat different.
The two tank corps of the Red Army consisted of 368 tanks and 20 self-propelled guns. But it was not possible to use them simultaneously, bringing down an avalanche of steel machines on the enemy. The terrain made it difficult to deploy a large number of armored vehicles in this area. Blocking the path of the tanks, in front of the Oktyabrsky state farm, a deep ravine, supplemented by several spurs, stretched from the river towards Prokhorovka. As a result, the 31st and 32nd tank brigades of the 29th Corps advanced in an area up to 900 meters wide between the railway and the girder. And the 25th Tank Brigade attacked the enemy to the south, separated from the corps by a railway line.
The 181st Panzer became the forward brigade of the 18th Panzer Corps, advancing along the river. The beam prevented the 170th brigade from deploying, and it had to be sent to the railway area, placing it behind the 32nd brigade. All this led to the fact that the tanks of the brigades were brought into battle in parts, in groups of 35-40 vehicles, and not simultaneously, but at intervals of 30 minutes to an hour.
Who resisted the advancing tanks of the Red Army on this important section of the front near the Oktyabrsky state farm and height 252.2?
In the area between the Psel River and the railway, units of the German Leibstandarte division were located. At an altitude of 252.2, an infantry battalion was entrenched in armored personnel carriers from the 2nd Panzergrenadier Regiment. At the same time, German infantrymen were located in trenches, and armored personnel carriers were concentrated behind the heights. A division of self-propelled howitzers - 12 Vespes and 5 Hummels - took positions nearby. Anti-tank guns were installed at the height itself and on its reverse slopes.
Two other battalions of the 2nd Panzergrenadier Regiment, reinforced with assault and anti-tank guns, took up defense in the area of the Oktyabrsky state farm. Behind the height of 252.2 and the state farm are located most of the combat-ready tanks from the division's tank regiment: about 50 Pz IV with a long-barreled 75-mm cannon and several other tanks of other types. Some of the tanks were allocated to reserve.
The division's flank between the river and the state farm was covered by a reconnaissance battalion with ten Marders. In the depths of the defense in the area of \u200b\u200bheight 241.6 there were positions of howitzer artillery and six-barreled rocket mortars.
At 8:30 a.m. on July 12, after a Katyusha salvo, our tankers went on the offensive. The first to reach height 252.2, which was on their way, were 26 “thirty-fours” and 8 SU-76 of the 29th Tank Corps. They were immediately met by fire from German anti-tank guns. Several tanks were hit and caught fire. The tankers, having opened fire, began to actively maneuver and move towards the state farm. The crews of damaged tanks, without leaving their combat vehicles, fired at the enemy - until a new hit forced them to get out of the burning tank or die in it.
24 T-34 tanks and 20 T-70 tanks from the 181st brigade were advancing from the north in the direction of Oktyabrsky. Just like at height 252.2, our tanks were met with heavy fire and began to suffer losses.
Soon the remaining tanks of the 32nd brigade appeared in the area of \u200b\u200bheight 252.2. The commander of the 1st tank battalion, Major P.S. Ivanov, seeing the burning tanks of the brigade, decided to bypass the dangerous area. With a group of 15 tanks he crossed railway and, moving south of it, rushed to the Komsomolets state farm. As a group of our tanks appeared, the main forces entered the battle for the Oktyabrsky state farm, and part of the forces tried to knock down the Germans from a height of 252.2.
By 10 o'clock in the morning, tanks from four of our tank brigades and 12 self-propelled guns were already participating in the battle in the area of the state farm. But it was not possible to quickly take Oktyabrsky - the Germans resisted stubbornly. Enemy assault, self-propelled and anti-tank guns fired heavily at numerous targets on the battlefield. Our tanks maneuvered, moving away from the state farm and approaching it, and from time to time stopping briefly to fire. At the same time, the number of destroyed Soviet tanks in the area of the state farm and height 252.2 increased. The Germans also suffered losses. At 11:35, tanks of the 181st brigade were able to break into the Oktyabrsky state farm for the first time, but since the German defense was not suppressed, the battle continued.
By 10 o'clock German tanks began to pull up to the front line and engage in battle with our tanks. While repelling our first attacks at height 252.2, several German “fours” were shot down and burned. The German tank crews, having suffered losses, were forced to retreat to the reverse slopes of the heights.
By 13:30, through the joint actions of our tankers and motorized riflemen from the brigades of the 18th and 29th corps, the Oktyabrsky state farm was completely liberated from the enemy. However, there was no further development of the offensive of the 5th Guards Tank Army in the Oktyabrsky sector - height 252.2. To delay our tank corps, the Germans sent large air forces against them. The raids were carried out over several hours by groups of 8 to 40 aircraft.
In addition, the Germans carried out counterattacks with the participation of their tanks. Units of our troops that took up defensive positions in the area of the state farm repelled several enemy counterattacks in the afternoon.
Both sides suffered heavy losses during the battle in this area, especially in equipment. About 120 tanks and self-propelled guns of the 18th and 29th tank corps were shot down and burned in the area of the Oktyabrsky state farm and height 252.2. The Germans lost 50% of the tanks that took part in this battle, as well as two Grille self-propelled guns, five Vespes, one Hummel, more than 10 armored personnel carriers, and about 10 anti-tank guns. There were also losses among other types of weapons and equipment.
No less fierce battles took place near Prokhorovka and in other sectors of the front.
Fighting near the village of Storozhevoye
Fierce fighting in the area of the Storozhevoye farmstead continued throughout the previous day (July 11). Stubbornly defending, units of the 169th Tank and 58th Motorized Rifle Brigades of the 2nd Tank Corps, together with the infantrymen of the 285th Infantry Regiment, repelled all enemy attacks. The Germans were unable to take Storozhevoye on July 11th. However, the infantry of the 1st Panzergrenadier Regiment, reinforced by approximately 12 Marders, managed to capture the forest and the heights north of Storozhevoy.
At 8:30 a.m., the 25th Tank Brigade of the 29th Tank Corps of the Red Army went on the offensive. In addition to the existing 67 tanks, it received eight self-propelled guns as reinforcement, including 4 SU-122 and 4 SU-76. The brigade's actions were supported by the infantry of the 9th Guards Division. According to the assigned task, the brigade was supposed to advance in the direction of the villages of Storozhevoye and Ivanovsky Vyselok, reach the depths of the enemy’s defense, and then be ready for further development of the offensive.
The first to go on the attack were about 30 "thirty-fours" with an infantry landing on board. Already at the very beginning of the movement, our tanks came under targeted and dense fire from the Marders and anti-tank guns of the 1st Panzergrenadier Regiment.
The infantry was covered with mortar salvos and lay down. Having lost several tanks damaged and burned out, the “thirty-fours” returned to their original positions.
At 10 a.m. the attack resumed, this time with the entire brigade. The battalion was advancing ahead with T-34s and 4 SU-122s. Following them were 36 T-70s and 4 SU-76s. When approaching Storozhevoye, the tanks and self-propelled guns of the brigade were again met by heavy fire from the eastern edge of the forest. The crews of German anti-tank guns and the crews of the Marders, hiding among the vegetation, fired destructive fire from ambushes. Behind a short time many of our tanks and self-propelled guns were hit and burned.
Some of the combat vehicles still managed to break into the depths of the enemy’s defenses, but failure awaited them here too. Having reached the area of the Ivanovsky Vyselok farm, units of Volodin’s brigade were met by fire from tanks of the Reich division. Having suffered significant losses and lacking the support of their neighbors, the tankers were forced to retreat.
By noon, the remaining 6 T-34s and 15 T-70s were concentrated southeast of Storozhevoy. All self-propelled guns supporting the brigade had been knocked out or burned by this time. In this unsuccessful battle, the crews of our tanks and self-propelled guns acted courageously and desperately, as the episodes of the battle eloquently demonstrate.
One of the self-propelled guns under the command of Lieutenant V.M. Kubaevsky was hit and caught fire. Its crew continued to fire at the enemy until the shells ran out, after which the self-propelled gun, engulfed in flames, went to ram a German tank. At the moment of the collision, the self-propelled gun exploded.
Another self-propelled gun under the command of Lieutenant D. A. Erin had its track broken and its sloth broken as a result of being hit by German shells. Despite the fierce fire on the self-propelled gun, Erin got out and repaired the track, after which he took the damaged vehicle out of the battle and sent it to the repairmen's location. After 4 hours, the sloth was replaced with a new one, and Erin immediately went back into battle.
Lieutenants Vostrikov, Pichugin, Slautin and junior lieutenant Shaposhnikov, who fought on the T-70, died in battle while continuing to shoot at the enemy from burning tanks.
Having repelled all the attacks of the 25th Brigade, the Germans themselves went on the offensive on Storozhevoye, gradually increasing the strength of their attacks. Around one o'clock in the afternoon, from the southwestern direction, the farm was attacked by a battalion of the 3rd Panzergrenadier Regiment of the Reich Division with the support of ten assault guns. Later, 14 tanks and infantry from the Leibschatandarte division struck from the north in the direction of the farmstead. Despite the stubborn resistance of our troops, by 18 o'clock the Germans captured Storozhevoye. However, further advance of the enemy was stopped.
A small area in the Storozhevoye area turned out to be the only one where, during the day of July 12, units of two German divisions, Leibstandarte and Reich, managed to advance forward during attacks.
Fighting near the villages of Yasnaya Polyana and Kalinin
On July 12, the 2nd Guards Tank Corps advanced in the auxiliary direction south of Storozhevoy. Its commander, Colonel A.S. Burdein, was given a difficult task. The offensive actions of the brigade of his corps were supposed to pin down the forces of the Reich division in the Yasnaya Polyana-Kalinin sector and deprive the enemy of the opportunity to transfer troops to the direction of the main attack of the 5th Guards Tank Army.
The rapidly changing situation made changes in the preparation of the corps for the offensive. At night, divisions of the German 3rd Tank Corps south of Prokhorovka managed to break through the defenses of the 69th Army and reach the area of the village of Rzhavets. To block the German breakthrough, formations and units of the 5th Guards Tank Army that were in reserve or preparing to attack west of Prokhorovka began to be used.
At 7 am, one of the three tank brigades was withdrawn from the 2nd Guards Corps and transferred to counter the German 3rd Tank Corps. Of the 141 tanks, only about a hundred remained at Burdeyny's disposal. This weakened the corps' combat capabilities and deprived it of a reserve commander.
The Reich division opposing the guards had more than a hundred tanks and self-propelled guns, as well as 47 anti-tank guns. And in terms of the number of personnel, the Reich division was twice as large as the tank corps that was about to attack it.
Part of the forces of the Reich Division took up defensive positions, while the other part was in a state of anticipation. The division's armored group, consisting of tanks, self-propelled guns and infantry in armored personnel carriers, was withdrawn from the front line and was ready to act depending on the situation.
Understanding the complexity of the situation, Burdeyny asked to postpone the start of the corps' transition to the offensive and received permission to do so. Only at 11:15 am the two corps tank brigades, numbering 94 tanks, began to attack the Reich division.
The 25th Guards Tank Brigade struck in the direction of Yasnaya Polyana. Having encountered strong enemy resistance, our tankers were able to capture only the forest south of the village. Further advance of the brigade was stopped by fire from anti-tank guns.
Having attacked from the Belenikino area through the infantry positions of the 4th Panzergrenadier Regiment, 28 T-34s and 19 T-70s from the 4th Guards Tank Brigade entered the battle for Kalinin. Here our tankers encountered approximately 30 tanks of the 3rd battalion of the 2nd SS Panzer Regiment. Among the enemy tanks were eight captured "thirty-fours" used in the "Reich" division. After the loss of several tanks, the commander of the Red Army brigade stopped the attack and ordered his tankers to take up defensive positions 600 meters southeast of Kalinin.
To the south of Kalinin, at the border of the Ozerovsky and Sobachevsky farms, battalions of the 4th Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade of Burdeyny's corps broke through. Further advance of our infantrymen was stopped by mortar fire.
The transition of the Reich units to the attack on the right flank of the division and their capture of Storozhevoy seriously affected the position of the 2nd Guards Tank Corps. The 25th Brigade was the first to receive the order to retreat back and cover the exposed right flank of the corps. And after the report that the Germans had captured Storozhevoy at 18:00, Burdeyny ordered the Guards 4th Tank and 4th Motorized Rifle Brigades to retreat to their original positions. By the end of the day on July 12, the 2nd Guards Tank Corps was forced to go on the defensive on the Belenikhin-Vinogradovka line it had previously occupied.
By their actions during the day, the brigades of Burdeyny’s corps pinned down and diverted the attention of a number of units of the Reich division. Thus, they did not allow the use of the larger forces of the Reich division to carry out an offensive and help its neighbor, the Leibstandarte division, which was repulsing attacks from two of our tank corps.