Sunday 2 March 2014

Captured Tanks in the Red Army

It's nice to refurbish enemy tanks that you send into battle, but sometimes, you just have to use them as is. I have already written about a Panther and a PzIII that were successfully drafted, but here are some more examples.

"As of September 9th, 1942 ... we are currently fighting as a part of the 354th infantry division, alongside the 1203rd infantry regiment. 1-3 companies have occupied Buranovo and approached height 210.3. The company is assigned to the 1201st regiment. As a result of battles, we lost:
  1. Materiel losses:
    1. 2 T-3 tanks burned.
    2. 1 T-4 tank burned.
  2. Personnel losses are still being calculated.
Currently, the following tanks are ready for battle, or in battle:
  1. 5 T-4 tanks.
  2. 9 T-3 tanks.
  3. 8 Praga tanks.
  4. 2 ArtSturm tanks.
..."
CAMD RF 423-6644-21

These tanks are, of course, PzIVs, PzIIIs, Pz38(t)s, and StuG IIIs. An entire company of captured tanks! That is quite a bit.

"Operational update #148 on 19:00, July 5th, 1944. HQ of the 51st Independent Motorcycle Regiment, 1.5 km west of Zaluzhe, map 100 000-42
  1. The 51st Independent Motorcycle Regiment spent the day performing maintenance of the vehicles and weapons, washing the personnel, and calibrating new weapons. One platoon of submachinegunners is guarding the headquarters. 
  2. Materiel condition:
    1. BA-64 armoured cars: 1
    2. Half-armoured M3A1 cars: 16
    3. T-34 tanks: 10
    4. Motorcycles with sidecars: 175
    5. Motorcycles without sidecars: 42
    6. Willis cars: 8
    7. Studebaker cars: 12
    8. Cars: 42
    9. M2 armoured half-tracks: 1
    10. Tiger tanks: 5, 1 of those needs repairs
    11. Panther tanks: 2, following the regiment via railroad
  3. Supplies
    1. Gasoline 1st grade: 1 refill
    2. Gasoline 2nd grade: 1.5 refills
    3. Diesel: 1.2 refills
    4. Food: 4 days
    5. Ammunition of all types: 1.5 refills
  4. Communication with the regimental units is performed by telephone and radio men. Communication with the army HQ is performed by telephone and a communications officer.
  5. The roads in the region are passable for wheeled transport.
  6. The weather is clear.
Regimental HQ Chief, Guards Major Pavlov"
CAMD RF 323-4756-41

Interesting how the Panther's poor reliability does not let it keep up with Tigers, let alone T-34s, Studebakers and motorcycles. 

Even with such careful transport, the Panthers don't last long.

"Operational update #159 on July 18th, 1944. HQ of the 51st Independent Motorcycle Regiment, south-west of a forest clearing, 2 km north-east of Nushe. Map 100 000-42
  1. The enemy has been covering the location of the 51st OMTsP with artillery fire, mortar fire, and bombs through the day.
  2. The regimental units spent the day preparing their vehicles and weapons for combat.
    By orders of the 4th Tank Army commander, a motorcycle battalion, with an assigned MG company and two Tiger tanks is covering the Koltuv-Garbuzuv road since 20:00 on July 18th, 1944.
  3. Materiel condition:
    1. BA-64 armoured cars: 1
    2. Armoured all-terrain cars: 1
    3. M3A1 half-armoured cars: 17, 2 of those need repairs
    4. T-34 tanks (85 mm) 10
    5. Motorcycles with sidecars: 174, in Oleyuv due to poor roads
    6. Motorcycles without sidecars: 42, in Oleyuv due to poor roads
    7. Studebaker cars: 12
    8. Willis cars: 8
    9. Cars: 42, 2 of those need repairs
    10. A company of heavy captured tanks:
      1. Tiger tanks: 4, of those 2 are in a defensive position, one is on a march, and one needs repairs.
      2. Panther tanks: 1, needs repairs
  4. Supplies:
    1. Gasoline 1st grade: 1.5 refills
    2. Gasoline 2nd grade: 1.3 refills
    3. Food: 5 days
    4. Ammunition: 1.5 refills
  5. Communication with the regimental units is performed by telephone and radio men. Communication with the army HQ is performed by telephone and a communications officer.
  6. Roads in the regiment's area are difficult for motorcycles.
  7. The weather is clear.
  8. No losses.
Regimental HQ Chief, Guards Major Pavlov"
CAMD RF 323-4756-41

No losses, no ammunition expended, so no combat. And yet, as the joke goes, the regiment broke one Panther and lost another. One Tiger was also completely lost. An M3A1 and two staff cars broke down as well. 

There are, however, some problems with using captured tanks. For example:

"To the chief of GAU KA, Major-General of Artillery, comrade Yakovlev.

Currently, Tiger and Panther tanks arrive in repair depots without sights, and thus cannot be used. It is necessary to solve this issue with a domestic sight. At the same time, it is necessary to resolve the issue of using TMFD-7 and TMFN-1 sights for firing from T-3, T-4, and 38-T's guns at all distances. I ask for a resolution of these issues.

GBTU KA Chief, Lieutenant-General of the Tank Forces, Vershinin
Chieft of the GBTU KA URT, Major-General of the Tank Forces, Sosenkov"
CAMD RF 81-12038-385

"To the HQ chief of Armoured and Mechanized Forces of the Red Army
October 28th, 1943

The 213th Tank Brigade currently has the following tanks:
  1. T-34: 3
  2. T-4: 11
  3. T-3: 31
  4. On the way: 9
  5. Total: 54
None of the tanks are equipped with radios, which complicates their control in battle. I ask for 24 radios to be sent to the 213th Tank Brigade to equip commanders down to the platoon level inclusive.

HQ Chief of Armoured and Mechanized Forces of the Western Front, Guards Colonel Omelystiy.
Chief of the Communications Department of Armoured and Mechanized Forces of the Western Front, Guards Lieutenant-Colonel Ryabovolenko."
CAMD RF 38-11355-305

    1 comment:

    1. Very useful info, which is great for wargames scenarios:)

      ReplyDelete