The Dead Rise Not: Archangelsk 1 March – 13 May 1942
In all the broad sweep of the dramatic summer of 1942 no single battle has such an iconic place in Soviet history as the fall of Archangelsk. In a way it was of little importance, with Soviet armour driving towards Odessa and preparing for the attack that took our armies from Rzev to the outskirts of Minsk. However, it quickly became, perhaps even more than Leningrad (that endured 5 major attacks and a siege till late in 1943), an emblem of Soviet determination and resistance. Thus in late 1941, any commander asking for reinforcements or to retreat would be tersely reminded
"remember the 133rd", from May the message from STAVKA was even more uncompromising – "they did at Archangelsk, you must not fail their memories". The contrast to the collapse at Murmansk in August 1942 could not have been more stark.
The German's had been content to hold the line of the North Dvina from January till early April, a stalemate enforced by a combination of the weather and the sustained assault on their supply lines by the VVS and partisan groups.
With the clearing weather they renewed their assault on 12 Army and pushed across the Dvina and swept around to the north east of the city.
Here the Army HQ and a DNO division were encircled and destroyed by 19 April.
Lapominka was lost on 13 April and this allowed the Germans to attack the city from all directions. They had started probing attacks on 13 April
and by 10 May had 6 divisions pressing in on the defenders.
(German troops moving to their assault positions)
Soviet control of the vital airbase at Vologda had allowed some supplies to be flown in and the wounded extracted. However, as the German noose tightened, the only planes that could land and take off were the Po-2s – too small to do anything but move a few men in or out.
As far as possible at the start of the battle, the 2 DNO and the Garrison Division were placed to the rear (though this quickly became a meaningless distinction) and the 3 divisions (38 & 122 Rifle, 83 Mountain) took up defensive positions in the maze of swamps and small rivers to the east while 68 Mountain tried to hold the main line of the Dvina.
It took the Germans over 3 weeks to force their way through this defensive belt, with the Soviet defenders launching localised counterattacks, and holding positions behind their lines to the death. At times the intensity of combat (increased by frequent VVS air strikes) matched that of the first battle of Leningrad.
By 8 May the remaining defenders were forced into the strung out city along the edge of the White Sea. The two DNO formations had been disolved, some sent out as partisans, some incorporated into the rifle divisions, many dead or wounded. The final act was to begin with both sides fully aware of the only possible outcome.
To the west, 83 Mountain was still holding off the now badly weakened 11, 24 and 98 Infantry Divisions.
Whatever happened now, these formations would be no threat to the rest of the Red Army for some time. 228 Infantry was trying to cut the bridges to the east and to link up with 7 SS and 44 Infantry trying to subdue the final resistance of 68 Mountain on the east of the Dvina.
(the Dvina behind 68 Mountain)
83 Mountain fell back slowly to the eastern docks and on 10 May, 228 Infantry secured the western side of the bridges. Now totally isolated, 68 Mountain finally collapsed and the survivors surrendered. Despite the efforts of the VVS, the bridges remained intact and with 3 German infantry divisions pushing from the east the final battles were a set of desparate last stands in the docks.
(Soviet defense position in the main docks area)
Soviet riflement, out of ammunition, threw crates, even tried to use cranes as weapons. The final shots were heard at 3am on 13 May. Archangelsk had fallen and Murmansk was now totally isolated. 5,500 Soviet soldiers died in the battle and the Germans lost nearly 5,000. Worse, including the earlier actions, 8 divisions were removed from the Soviet OOB and a total of 71,500 men entered German captivity.
The victors had their spoils, a 90% ruined town on the edge of the White Sea. They now had to secure it in the face of a Soviet counteroffensive that was steadily moving northwards.