Guards advance at Konotop 9/20/41

[robot]

Konotop Bello Russia
September 20, 1941
0300 Hours


Well once again we are to advance against the German lines at Konotop. We are 200 miles almost due east of Kursk. We must stop the Germans here today as our homeland of Mother Russia is being threatend by these animals from the west.

B Co will have the job of advancing on the northern objectives with near 150 yards to move forward is all. They will have flat grassland to cross. Visability will be 400 yards. So we should have good shooting room as we advance or as the Germans move forward to stop us.

C Co will be in the middle moving parralell along a road that sits 50 yards to there north.
They will have 350 yards to reach there objectives across the same type of ground as B in the north. B will be about 150 yards north of C on there left flank.

A will be 150 yards south C advancing on the southern objective they too will cross open grassland. They will have close to 400 yards to reach there objectives.

All companys are to jump off at 0305 Hours in the predawn. It is raining slightly but not too hard. We have started our bambardment already. The company hq 6 122mm guns and the four from army Hq has already sent out there first salvos on suspected advance routes of the Germans.

We expect this to be one hell of a fight today and all our men are primed and ready to do there utmost duty for Mother Russia.

HQ; V Heavy Guards
Col: Ivan Tarsakar Commanding

[robot]

Konotop Bello Russia
September 20 1941
0350 Hours


We sre still moving forward fairly easy so far. The germans are not putting up too much of a defense today. Only four tanks have showed up so far. They were taken out very quickly by our great tank gunners. Lots of infantry have been showing up and our guys have been cutting them down almost as soon as they show up.

Our progress has been all but phenominal today. Our morters have been keeping the Germans off balance all day. Our losses have been kept down low. Our lossses in men cant be more then 50 I dont think. The loss in tanks is only one and that was due to friendly fire. One of our 120 morters fell a little short and took out a tank.

All three companys has taken there objectives and moved east some 250 yards past them. I have given the orders that they are secure and we are to begin our move on east towards the lone rear objective. I have sent two platoons of heavy tanks along a road that runs east towards the rear objective in the hope of ending this battle quikly and with little as possible loss of life.

I would say that the Germans have lost at least two whole companys of men so far and that number may prove to be even higher then that. It has realley been more of a massacre then a fair battle today.

HQ: V Heavy Guards
Col: Ivan Tarsakar Commanding

[robot]

Konotop Bello Russia
September 20 1941
0405 Hours


Little over an hour and the Germans have had enough today. We killed 1776 of there infantry along with 40 of there 81mm and 50mm morters. Only saw 3 tanks all day and they were handled with ease. They must be getting short on armor it seems.

We lost 74 good men and I will be writing letters all night tonite it seems. We also lost one tank but not from the enemy but from our own dumb selfs. A 120 morter shell of ours fell way short and took the tank out with one hit. The commander had the top up getting some air not suspecting anyone was even near enough to take a shot at him. The dam morter dropped dead into the open hatch and blew the whole dam thing apart. One of the freak things that seems to happen in a war of this magnitude all the time.

We are to move to Bryansk next month and advance against the Germans there. If next month goes as well as today we might be able to get some time off to go home and see our familys. Soon it will be very cold here and then we will see how well the Germans fight in a Rusian winter. We are holding our own and continue to out fight the Germans on all fronts. I do not see the germans holding out much after the really bad cold hits here. Soon it will be our turn to go on the offensive and see how well the hated enemy stands up to Russian guts.

HQ: V Heavy Guard
Col: Ivan Tarsakar Commanding