19.08.1944
To head of staff of the 3rd Tank Army.
With order Nr. … From 11th August 1944 the Commander of the 16 tank division has set up a task to take the small Schidlow with two columns to slice our combat order, with the right column through Otamuw and the left column through Rakuw.
The corps intel has timely discovered a tank gathering place near small Schidlow, with either Tiger or Panther type tanks assembling and moving to the East. The left enemy formation managed to push back units of the 112 rifle division and take Rakuw. Fierce battles were raging in the direction to Stashuw where separate enemy tanks managed to rip through the defenses to the Eastern border of Stashuw.
53rd tank brigade with separate tanks from 71st grds heavy tank regiment after organizing several tank ambushes in the region: Zelebitza, hill 247.9, Ponik, along the reverse sides of hills, has engaged in battles to the North West and West of the Eastern border of Stashuw.
52nd tank brigade was sent to strike the enemy from the rear and to capture the hill 272.1 and to advance in the direction towards Oseletz, Kshiv[unclear], kol. Zhendruw, Pechenogi Gatzki, Mokre, has reached the region of Mokre and organized tank ambushes at Mokre and on the Northern edge of the grove which is East of the Mokre.
This way enemies' routes to the South and retreat to the West were cut off. When moving further enemy tanks have exposed their sides to the fire of tanks of the 53rd grds tank brigade and 71st grds heavy tank regiment which were in the ambush. The distance of fire was 200-250m.
As a result 3 tanks burned down and 3 were knocked out (caterpillars were broken). Trying to help these tanks the enemy has attempted several attacks from Schidluw, but tanks of 52nd and 53rd grds tank brigades have repelled all of them, firing from the ambushes, destroying 9 enemy tanks as well as the enemy's towing vehicle.
Without the possibility to evacuate the knocked out tanks, their crews abandoned them and ran away. Groups of sub machine gunners who supported the tanks were hit by RS [Katyushas] several times which resulted in most of them being killed, while the rest fled to the North and North West directions.
Enemy attempt to break through to Yaseny direction was not successful and was stopped by the fire of the 1893 self-propelled artillery regiment [unclear] which was dropped near hill 284.2 and destroyed 5 enemy tanks.
As a result of three day battles the 501st separate heavy tank battalion which was armed with “Tiger B” tanks, lost 20 tanks and was forced to retreat and go defensive near Eastern part of small Schidluw.
The first evacuated tank was sent to the commander of the forces of the 1st Ukrainian front Marshal of the Soviet Union, comrade Konev. This tank didn’t make a single shot.
ЦАМО, Фонд: 315, Опись: 4440, Дело: 172
ЦАМО, Фонд: 315, Опись: 4440, Дело: 172
