30th of October 1942, Vologda, 2,3°C, 6pm Moscow Time
The second part of this report covers the Southern part of the main front, covering Ukraine and it's four fronts covering three countries and two military districts.
Kiyv Special Military District (KOVO): 3 AG & Arm AG / Brjansk HQ:
This area turned into a bloody stalemate as any beachhead or breakthrough is mercilessly crushed an neither side seems to be able to hold on to any gains. As the Red Army forces in this area are slow and mostly geared towards the defence this isn’t surprising.
The Kyiv Special Military District as it stood on the 30th of September 1942. Above are all the forces that will be thrown into battle during the next 30 days.
The territorial losses of the 2nd Byelorussian front are starting to dangerously stretch the 1st Ukraine front’s North-facing front line though the Pripyat river and surrounding forests and marshes do provide a significant defensive terrain advantage.
1st Ukrainian Front (KOVO / Ukrainian SSR between the Prypyat & Western Bug): 3 AG & Arm AG / Brjansk HQ:
"We will strike in the middle of the night and push them out of Kowel once and for all. Make the motherland proud and show them our hospitality. Let's give them the hundred-fifty-two millimeter fireworks they deserve!" - MajGen. Ptuhin on the 11th riling up his officers at the start of the 10th battle of Kowel.
Despite a resounding victory by his forces, thanks in part to a 4-1 advantage in both men and artillery, the area was since lost again to an even larger Axis force.
30th of September to 20th of October
A two-pronged offensive was launched on the 11th of October to liberate Kowel (6). With 75, 10, & 87 SD under his command GenMaj. Ptuhin was well equipped to take on Genlt. von Knobelsdorff’s 45 & 62 ID. It still took two days before the enemy was forced to withdraw. A Hungarian counter-attack was easily shrugged off on the 20th. (1100/1610/250 KIA)
On the 5th, 54 & 48 SD could take no more and Switaz (2) was lost to the Axis. Under attack from three directions, MajGen. Cheryak’s riflemen had held off Genlt. Guderians larger multinational force (3 ID, 16 ID (mot), 1 GbjD, 21a DF) for five days. Two weeks later, MajGen. Baranov V.I. lead a massive three-pronged six-divisions offensive to retake it from 16 ID (mot) & 21a DF. Genlt. von Massow’s force held on for just two days before withdrawing in turn. (2500/2560/930 KIA)
In an impressive display of what some would call overkill, five rifle Divisions simultaneously charged into Zamosc (1), from three directions, late on the 30th of September, 20 ID (mot) had no real answer for our near 7 to 1 numerical superiority, withdrawing after just one day of delaying actions. It would take until the 16th for 223 ID to attack the province, then held by only 122 SD, in turn. After two days of struggle, our riflemen were forced to retreat. For unknown reasons, German forces did not occupy Zamosc (1), allowing 14 SD to simply march in unopposed. (550/640 KIA)
In an attempt to exploit the victory in Zamosc (1), 181 SD pushed on into Chelm (3), forcing the Bulgarians of 15-ta PD to withdraw on the 7th after less than two days of battle. Arriving in the province on the 11th, 181 SD was immediately under fire from across the river. With little regard for casualties, Hungarian Genlt. Ternegg pushed his division (2 TP) to keep up the pressure, only withdrawing, after three days, when all of his men were either dead, wounded, or absolutely exhausted. There was no rest, however for MajGen. Obukhov’s riflemen as they were attacked once more the very next day by 3 PzD & 9a DivAlp. Attacking from the West, the Panzer III’s of Genlt. von Manstein’s division were not hindered by any rivers. 181 SD was simply outmatched in every possible respect. They held for three days and four nights before withdrawing on the 18th. (1350/460/460/1210/580 KIA)
MajGen. Bondarev lead a two-pronged offensive into Bilgoraj (4) with 169 SD & 10 TTGvD. The opposing Hungarian-German force (33 TP & 143 ID) under the command of Hungarian Gen. Litay had no real answer for our IS-2’s and guards riflemen. Victory was ours on the 7th after less than two days of fighting, or so it seemed. One hour later, 169 SD reported renewed resistance from 143 ID, and it took another three nights and two days before they were forced to withdraw once again. On the 10th, 16-ta PD had made it’s way into Bilgoraj (4) leading to another two-day battle wherein 104 SD routed the Bulgarians. When 104 SD finally arrived on the 13th, MajGen. Tiulenev’s riflemen were immediately attack from three sides by a massive force under Genlt. Strauss. (6, 5, 9 ID, 16 PzGD, 33 TP). Even the fact that all but two of the enemy Divisions were attacking across the river ? could’t save our riflemen from a crushing defeat. They withdrew after just half a day of intense fighting. (2210/1360/660/180 KIA)
The attack on Krasnystaw (5) by 169 SD pitted our riflemen against 8 TP. What was expected to be an easy win turned into four days of intense fighting before the stubborn Hungarians finally withdrew on the 9th. 169 SD, still somewhat disorganised, came under fire from 223 ID as soon as they arrived in Krasnystaw (5), forcing them to retreat after just half a day of delaying actions. (870/250/1190 KIA)
20th to 30th of October
75 SD arrived in Switaz (2) on the 21st only to be faced with a German four-division (3, 46, 28, 221 ID) offensive which forced them to withdraw the next day. When GenMaj. Rodimtsev’s 72 GvSD made another attempt to liberate the area on the 24th, they found all four of Genlt. Guderian’s divisions had already arrived. It took another day for our him realise the futility of the attack and to order the retreat. A third attack on Switaz (2), by GenMaj. Baranov V.I.’s 113 SD met with much the same fate on the 28th. (3080/840 KIA)
On the 25th, it became clear that Genlt. Guderian had been holding back, as he launched a two-pronged seven-division (3, 28, 46, 21, 228 ID, 4 & 14 PzD) offensive to take Kowel (6). Outnumbered nearly 6 to 1, MajGen. Missan’s 87 SD stubbornly held on for an entire day before breaking under the pressure. MajGen. Kozlov sent in his 179 SD in the hope that they might arrive before the enemy had been able to dig in. Even though this was the case, 4 PzD arrived before them, starting another battle. STAVKA poured in reinforcements as 62 & 10 SD would eventually join the attack, but it was not to be. After 28 ID also reinforced the enemy lines, the battle turned decisively in Germany’s favour and our riflemen were withdrawn on the 30th. (2250/1200 KIA)
After two days of battle 14 SD was forced out of Zamosc (1) by 11 Gly, on the 21st. The arrival of 16 PzGD in the province, on the 22nd, prompted a strong two-pronged counter attack from MajGen. Dement’ev. Under pressure from 23, 169 SD & 10 TTGvD, Genlt. Röttinger’s Panzer-Grenadiers withdrew from Zamosc (1) after two days of fighting. The back and forth continued as 23 SD came under heavy fire when it arrived in the contested province on the 25th, holding on just a single day before yielding to 5, 9, 182 ID. A feat that was repeated by 169 SD on the 27th, with similar results. (2910/2250/610 KIA)
2nd Ukrainian Front (KOVO / Ukrainian SSR between the Western Bug & Dniestr): 3 AG / Brjansk HQ:
30th of September to 10th of October
Axis forces marched unopposed into Humenne (2) on the 5th, and Jaworow (3) on the 9th. A weakness in the Axis line was spotted as Gorlice (1) was held by a single Hungarian Division. 13 & 189 SD were sent into a two-pronged attack over the river San. For four days The riflemen whittled down 30 TP until the latter withdrew in tatters on the 5th. (410/720 KIA)
10th to 30th of October
Rawa Ruska (6) came under attack on the 22nd. 4 sPzD was attacking across the river ?, making the Tigers easy prey for the IS-2’s of 10 TTGvD, and the 100mm Anti-Tank guns of 23 SD. The enemy withdrew that evening (130/480 KIA). Under the command of MajGen. Dement’ev. six rifle divisions (23, 42, 139, 11, 13, 45 SD) descended onto 95 ID in Jaworow (3), striking simultaneously from the North and the South on the 9th. Genlt. Böttcher was forced to sound the retreat by lunchtime, having lost nearly a sixth of his division (170/1340 KIA). A series of short-lived probes into Jaroslaw (4) followed. (13th, 16th, 21st, 23rd & 27th) (390/120 KIA)
Anxious to make up for their mistake, the Wehrmacht organised a vast couter-offensive into Gorlice (1), and when 189 SD arrived there on the 9th, it faced simultaneous attacks from four direction. Outnumbered 3 to 1 by Genlt. Dietrich’s multi-national force (8, 21 ID & 1 PzD, 9 TP & 8 Fly), MajGen. Korshilov’s riflemen managed to delay the inevitable for two days before their withdrawal was ordered. After this defeat, the defences in Gorlice (1) were probed three more times (16th, 21st, & 24th) with consistently disappointing results. (1400/230/210/2/2 KIA)
Two enemy probes into Sanok (5) (20th & 21st) were followed by a serious attack on the 23rd. It took nearly 2 days before 4 PzD was withdrawn from it’s assault across the river San. Another attempt by 36 ID (mot) failed after a single day on the 26th, and a final enemy probe that same day lasted less than an hour. (220/900/610 KIA)
Kyiv Special Military District (KOVO / Ukraine SSR North of Dniestr river): VVS report:
Enemy activity and aerial combat
With the Luftwaffe concentrating their forces more to the North, the VVS faced a smaller number of mostly less advanced aircraft from Slovakia, Hungary, and even Italy in support of Heeresgruppe Sud.
The Slovak Air Force returned on the 1st with Gen. I tr. (genlt.) Reznak’s A.304’s attempting to strike our troops in Switaz (1). They were intercepted before reaching their target, and lost nearly half their number before they managed to break contact with LtGenAv. Rychagov’s Yakovlev’s. They proved slightly more successful in Zamosc (4) on the 25th, where Reznak’s I BP managed to bomb our troops before losing over a third of their number to the same fighters of IV IAK.
On the 9th, over Grybow (2), IV IAK came to blows with Hungarian CR.42 biplanes, taking down ten of them before parting ways and heading on to Gorlice (3), where Gen.d.A.A. Briganti’s 4 DBT was closing in on our force. Over a third of the Italian CANT Z1007s was downed before they fled with their tails between their legs.
VVS bombing operations
The area east of the Bug river, to the South of Brzesc Litewski saw a lot of bombardment starting with 13 missions over Maloryta by LtGenAv. Rudenko’s IV ShAK (1st-3rd, 16th-18th) and LtGenAv. Golovanov’s I BAK (12th-13th & 22nd). Kowel, more to the East, saw 11 strikes by MarshallAv. Novikov’s II ShAK (11th), LtGenAv. Kutakhov’s III ShAK, I BAK (12th-13th), and IV ShAK (28th-30th). A few kilometres to the South, 8 missions were flown over Switaz (1) by IV ShAK (25th), and II ShAK (26th-28th). Rudenko’s first run on the 25th was intercepted by the remnants of genmaj. Fisser’s JG 4, which were in turn chased away by LtGenAv. Rychagov’s Yakovlevs after close to half of the Messerschmitts had been shot down. As German troops briefly crossed the Sluch River, they were hit by a few passing air raids by II BAK.
Further to the South-West, the 1st Ukrainian Front saw plenty of air support, starting with 10 missions over Chelm by II ShAK (1st-5th). This was followed, a bit further to the West, by 11 strikes over Kransnystaw by LtGenAv. Yakovlev’s (6th-7th & 16th-17th) and I BAK (19th-20th). A few kilometres to the South, another 11 ground attacks were flown over Bilgoraj to the by II ShAK (6th-8th), III ShAK (25th), and I BAK (27th-28th). Zamosc (4), right on the Western bank of the Bug saw 10 missions after the province was lost by III ShAK (23rd-24th & 26th) and II ShAK (23rd-24th).
Over the 2nd Ukrainian Front, 12 missions were flown over Gorlice (3) by III ShAK (1st-3rd & 14th-16th). 7 strikes on the enemy in Wlodawa by II ShAK (15th-18th). A few passing bombing runs were flown over Jaroslaw (13th-14th). Slovakia was hit with 8 ground attacks on Humenne by III ShAK (7th-8th) and II ShAK (9th-10th).
Odessa Military District (OdVO): 3 AG & 4th Army / Odessa HQ:
The hoped for encirclement of the Hungarians facing the 4th Ukrainian Front hasn’t materialised due to the combination of a (relative) lack of fresh troops and heavy targeted Axis counter-attacks. The line is being shortened, however, and while some of our previous gains have been lost, many Hungarian units have come out of this month dangerously weakened. We’ll have to see whether our commanders will be able to press home our advantage next month and continue to roll up the Hungarian front line from East to West.
The Odessa Military District as it stood on the 30th of September 1942. Above are all the forces that will be thrown into battle during the next 30 days.
3rd Ukrainian Front (OdVO / Hungarian Border West of Skole) 3 AG & 4 AG / Odessa HQ:
"This is like the great war all over again. They just keep coming, wave after wave, and we keep mowing them down." - General Erastov as he looks over the wooded Dniestr valley in Uzhorod on the 8th of October. Every few minutes a tree is set alight or thrown up into the air by a mine, a booby trap, a grenade, or an artillery shell. The trees made seeing what was going on difficult, but the explosions weren't coming closer, indicating no real enemy progress over the last three days despite heavy German casualties. Erastov's attack on Svalava earlier in the week hadn't been much more subtle, but of course the Colonels in the room avoided bringing that up.
30th of September to 10th of October
After a few quiet days, Uzhorod (1) came under attack by 12 ID & 2 Gly on the 3rd. 154 & 182 SD were dug in and ready, forcing the enemy to withdraw that evening. A second Axis attack by 12 ID & 2 Pesi Divize started on the 5th under the command of Genlt. Böhme. Having just been given a third division (183 SD) to defend the area, MajGen. Erastov had the upper hand from the start. The German-Slovak force took a heavy beating before retreating on the 8th after nearly three days of combat. (580/1850/250/430 KIA)
When 184 SD counter-attacked into Sop (2) on the 3rd, they faced nearly three times their number (16 Gly, ‘Szent Laszlo’ Ply, 6 TP, & 36 ID (mot)). MajGen. Erastov was forced to call off the attack two days later to defend Uzhorod (1) despite having routed half of the defending force already. (760/10/630 KIA)
Having just walked into Svalava (4) unopposed, MajGen. Vinogradov lead his 27 SD into a determined attack on Mukacevo (3) on the 3rd. They faced three Divisions (231, 12 ID & 2 Gly) under the command of Genlt Conrath. Despite their numerical disadvantage our riflemen pressed on for two days before withdrawing. A Hungarian counter-attack on Svalava (4) easily swept aside the battered 27 SD the next day (6th). 159 SD started moving into the area to plug the gap, but their advance was cut off by 37 TP on the 7th. A three day battle ensued after which Svalava (4)was liberated once again on the 10th. (1320/480/1320 KIA)
10th to 30th of October
On the 13th, a three-pronged attack spearheaded by Genlt. Schmidt R.’s 1 PzD, with 28 & 34 TP in tow, hit Uzhorod (1). 182 SD took full advantage of the river San to hold of the Panzers, but succumbed to the weight of the enemy numbers after three days of stubborn resistance. As soon as 1 PzD arrived in Uzhorod (1), the tired tank crews were charged down by 56 & 184 SD. Genlt. Schmidt was forced to withdraw two days later, before any Axis reinforcements had arrived. MajGen. Novikov V.V. pressed on and when the two Hungarian Divisions blocked 56 SD’s path on the 19th, he ordered another attack. This proved to be one battle too much for the brave but tired riflemen and the advance petered out after just one day. A further attack on Uzhorod (1) started on the 20th with 176 & 183 SD, but the Hungarians held them off until the whole thing was called off after just one day. (2130/910/1110 KIA)
In Drohobycz (5), 56 & 141 SD were attacked on the 26th by 2 Gly & 1 Pesi Divize. The Hungarians withdrew on the 27th, leaving Genlt. Kubela to lead his division in a heroic last ditch attempt to dislodge our forces, all to no avail as he was forced to withdraw his spent forces one day later. A Hungarian short-lived probe was easily shrugged off on the 29th. (180/320/810 KIA)
A Bulgarian attack on Svalava (4) by 8-ta PD was easily beaten back by 159 SD on the 17th. This emboldened MajGen. Novoselski, and he ordered an all out counter-attack on Mukacevo (3) the next day. Genlt. Lakatos’s five division defensive force (‘Szent Laszlo’ Ply, 12, 14, 24, & 28 Gly) looked impressive on paper, but most of his units were disorganised from previous combat. On the 20th, with three of the enemy Divisions already routed, the riflemen were withdrawn as they were on their last legs. A Hungarian counter-attack by 7 TP that same day proceeded to push 159 SD out of Svalava (4) after just one day of fighting. A final attack by 143 SD failed to make much progress against 1 & 20 Gly, and was called off after one day on the 30th. (1100/1700/780 KIA)
4th Ukrainian Front (OdVO / Hungarian Border East of Dolina) 3 AG & 4 AG / Odessa HQ:
Rachov (1) was liberated on the 3rd of October following a brief skirmish with the remnants of 32 TP. (10/30 KIA)
MajGen. Morgunov launched his 141 SD into a very optimistic attack on Chust (2) on the 3rd. Facing off against 10-ta PD, 4 & 5 TP, our riflemen pressed on. After three days, the attack was reinforced by 55 SD, with 141 SD withdrawing on the 7th, just as 7 TP reinforced Genlt. Vatev’s defence. Now with a disadvantage close to 3 to 1 things weren’t looking good for us, and on the 11th, after 5 TP had been routed, the operation was called off entirely. Five days later, 143 SD charged into the province, finding a more even fight with 7 & 32 TP. After three days, the Hungarians pulled out of Chust (2) on the 19th. It is not clear why 143 SD hasn’t moved to liberate the area. (2250/1320/990 KIA)
Kyiv Special Military District (KOVO / Ukraine SSR North of Dniestr river): VVS report:
Enemy activity and aerial combat
Here, the Luftwaffe was entirely absent, while more Italian bombers have appeared to reinforce the Hungarians. Of course, what they really need is modern fighters to protect those bombers so they might actually influence the fighting on the ground, lucky for the VVS they continue to operate with near-impunity, especially in this area of the front.
The surprise appearance on the 4th of IV Squad Aerea over Uzhorod (1), under the command of Marsc.d.A. Balbo (rumours of his death have been greatly exaggerated) resulted in disaster for the Italians as the CANT Z1007 bombers were mercilessly torn to shreds by LtGenAv. Rychagov’s IV IAK long before they could reach their intended targets. Over a third of the enemy planes was shot down for just 4 Yak-7’s. Three days later Hungarian Junkers of Vezérönagy Hellebronth did little better against our Yakovlevs also losing a third of their strength over Uzhorod (1). Another attempt on the 27th had a similar result.
Not to be outdone, Altaboirnagy Rapaich and Vezérönagy Orosz, tried to disrupt our operations in Drohobycz (2), the former on the 17th with his Ju-86s, losing over a quarter of his force, and the latter on the 19th, losing three quarters of his Stuka’s. Rychagov’s fighters were having a field day with only a single airframe lost.
VVS bombing operations
The 3rd Ukrainian Front’s attempts to trap part of the Hungarian border forces against the Romanian border were supported by the VVS, first with 11 ground attacks on Mukacevo by III ShAK (4th-6th) and later by II ShAK (19th-20th & 22nd). This was followed by 13 missions over Svalava, to the North_East, by II BAK (8th), III ShAK (9th-10th), I BAK (24th-26th), and II ShAK (30th). Later on, to the West, 10 strikes were flown over Uzhorod (1) by III ShAK (17th-21st & 27th). On the 21st, our operations were briefly interrupted (1) by hundreds of Hungarian CR.42’s, LTGenAv. Rychagov’s IV IAK arrived too late to save the bomber formations, but just in time to enact bloody revenge by downing twice as many planes as the enemy had managed. There were also a few passing attacks on Sop on the 4th. A few logistical strikes were flown over Sop (3) by LtGenAv. Reshetnikov’s 2 DBAD starting on the 16th, until the Tupolevs were intercepted by Altaboirnagy Rakosi’s biplanes on the 19th (3), they were quickly chased away by Yak-7’s from IV IAK.
The 4th Ukrainian Front was supported by 14 strikes over Chust by I BAK (5th-11th).
Overview & summary (3rd & 4th AG - South):
Despite losing some of the more tenuous gains of last month, the line in the South remains quite stable. There have been some small gains by both sides, but it remains to be seen whether these too will wither away once the next round of counter-attacks start going. There is some optimism about reports that the Hungarians are starting to break, but as of yet we haven't seen definitive proof that they are failing across the line, outside of a few seemingly isolated incidents.
In the air, the VVS' dominance is even stronger than in the North, and the arrival of Italian bombers on the scene only gave our fighter pilots more targets to shoot at and paint on the sides of their Yak's.
The main take-away here is that the concentration of our offensive armoured forces up North hasn't lead to a collapse along the rest of the front. If we didn't manage to encircle a few Hungarian Divisions, the operation to do so drew in forces which might have wreaked more damage further north, were our own line was thinner.
Now that the main front has been covered for this latest period, the next report will take you to Scandinavia and the high seas, before concluding with a brief general overview.
Greetings,
'Odin'