As General Berzarin’s army’s leading elements approached Küstrin, we handed over our sector and left Alt Drewitz for Königsberg-on-the-Oder.
Back in Küstrin
Many times have I watched troops getting into their ready positions. But what was played out on the roads to Küstrin exceeded all previous experience. Infantry, tanks, artillery and sappers were advancing in an unending stream. In this flood our regiment seemed no more than a drop in the ocean. And then again in the woods of Küstrin! Here the troops stood even thicker than on the roads leading in. Wherever one looked there were tanks, guns and trucks. As we came to our allocated area we passed an unusual column of three-axled trucks with mighty searchlights mounted on them. They were to blind the enemy during the night attack.
I went to the staff bus in order to snatch some sleep. Although I was dog-tired, I was unable to fall asleep for a long time. Near the bus Lieutenants Kuklin and Muraviov were talking: ‘Yes, Petra, it would be great to survive the war. Woods, fresh air,’ groaned Kuklin. ‘How often have I ploughed on until supper time. Then when I got home I would be exhausted. My children would fly around my neck: Aniutka with her blonde plaits and my four mudlarks, Vitka, Petka, Volodka and Tolka. My fatigue would immediately be blown away. Will such happiness ever be repeated?’
After a short pause Kuklin started: ‘Do you know, when the war is over you will be once more in charge of a collective farm and everything will go back to normal.’
The sound of German aircraft came nearer and the noise swelled. The air sentry, who was located high up in a pine tree, cried out: ‘Aircraft alert! Everyone under cover!’
I quickly left the bus and jumped into a slit trench. The first Junkers were already diving out of the clouds. Lieutenants Ivanov and Salichov opened fire with their anti-aircraft machine-guns. The leading aircraft dived down. Several seconds later there was an explosion. But the other aircraft stayed on course and dropped their bombs. I pressed myself down on the ground and pulled a mattress over me. Ear-deafening explosions filled the air, splinters smacking against my boots.
Gradually the noise died down and I carefully climbed out of the slit trench. Dead and wounded were lying everywhere. Yudin had been killed, our regimental doctor severely wounded. Salichov too had been hit in the chest and legs. His breathing was intermittent. Gumar had already survived three wounds, but this time it did not seem he would survive.
‘Sascha, where are you?’ he groaned.
‘Here, Saititch.’ Lieutenant Boldyrev knelt next to the dying man.
‘Write to my sister in Akmolinski. I have revenged the death of our brother Baka.’ Salichov breathed a few times, gasping for air, and then fell silent for ever. We silently lowered his head. No one could quite grasp that this cheerful, brave man was no longer with us. The losses from this air attack forced us to be careful, to reinforce the air sentries and set up anti-aircraft weapons.
Soon afterwards I was ordered to Gorgast by General Krivoshein. I immediately drove off.
I met the general in the middle of the ruins with several other officers, including Chotimski, Vainrub and Babaian. All were wearing camouflage clothing. General Krivoshein lay on the ground observing the flat ground between the villages of Genschmar and Golzow. When he saw me, he called: ‘Mironov, come here!’
I lay down next to him and unfolded my map.
‘Your regiment will go with the corps reserve in the direction Buckow–north-eastern edge of Berlin behind Babaian’s brigade in the breakthrough.’
I lowered my face as I did not think it right that mine should be the last regiment through the breakthrough sector. From my face the corps commander saw what was going on inside my head and went on: ‘No grounds for sulking. Once we have broken through the fortifications and thrust forward to Berlin, you regiment will be involved at all stages.’
The mechanised brigades were assigned as the first echelon and Vainrub’s tanks for the second. These would form an armoured group thrust in the event of quick success.
The general’s information that our line of attack in Berlin went though the special ‘Z’ Sector in which the Reichstag lay cheered us all up. ‘Imagine, it is up to us to wipe out that wasps’ nest,’ Vaintrub whispered to me.
Once the work on the bridgehead was over, Krivoshein ordered the brigade and regimental commanders to follow him to the corps headquarters in Küstrin. Shortly afterwards our small convoy stopped next to a big tent. The corps commander invited us to the table. When everyone had sat down, the commander stood up and announced in a solemn tone: ‘Comrade Commanders! Before the historical battle for Berlin begins I would like to have a few words with you. Not as the commander in chief, but as a fellow combatant.’ We put down our maps and notebooks.
‘Dear friends. We have studied our basic tasks, planned the attacks and done all the necessary paperwork. Now we have to deal calmly and decisively and not give in to difficulties and obstacles, however great they may be. Instead consider what a great honour has been allotted us in storming the Fascists’ den. Let us prove ourselves worthy of the trust of the military leadership, the Party and the people.’
I returned to my regiment as dusk fell. Now I especially missed Yudin. His place had been taken by Grigori Finogenov, a younger, inexperienced man, who had difficulty finding his way in the dark and became ever more nervous. Fortunately I knew the ground and we reached our destination in good order.
Captain Koslitin was already waiting for me at headquarters with news. Between the Oder and Berlin lay several defence sectors. Lakes, rivers, canals, woods and villages offered the enemy the possibility of being able to offer resistance for a long period of time. The enemy had set up three defensive strips on the approaches to Berlin. The first, the Oder–Neisse defensive line, had a depth of up to 40 kilometres. The second ran along the Seelow Heights, and the third was formed by the suburbs with numerous strongpoints and fire nests. Then came the Berlin defences with three defensive zones: the outer perimeter zone, the outer defensive ring and the inner defensive zone. Apart from this the Berlin defences were divided into eight sectors, in the centre of which lay the special ‘Z’ sector.
I called Odartshuk, Kravtshenko and Sacharkin to discuss things over with them. Kravtshenko complained that he had too few soldiers in his supply platoon. Apart from this, he was lacking radio equipment for properly maintaining communication with the regimental headquarters.
Major Sacharkin and I looked for a solution. We could take no crew members from the SPGs. Equally indispensable were the submachine-gunners and scouts. Without them we could not go into battle.
‘Take Minogian Yegorova’s group,’ suggested Sacharkin. ‘You know how keen and brave the girls are. Especially Minogian. She can take the place of any man. At Königsberg she was up front with the first tracked vehicles.’
‘Agreed,’ said Kravtshenko, delighted. ‘Next to their many-sided security tasks the girls can milk our cows. As you know we have obtained our own herd in order to improve the meat situation.’
I had Minogian called. Flushed from her fast run, she entered the headquarters bus.
‘Would you like to help the Rear Services with your group?’
‘As often said, I prefer being with the fighting units. But it has to be?’
‘Then report to Captain Kravtshenko straight away.’