Monday 27 July 2015

Tiger Siege

"Award Order
  1. Name: Tereshuk, Ivan Andreyevich
  2. Rank: Guards Captain
  3. Position, unit: tank company commander, 216th Tank Battalion, 12th Guards Tank Brigade
    is nominated for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
  4. Year of birth: 1915
  5. Nationality: Ukrainian
  6. Party affiliation: VKP(b) since 1943
  7. Participation in the Civil War, subsequent actions in defense of the USSR, and the Patriotic War (where, when): Voronezh Front from June 28th to October 1st, 1942, South-Western Front from November 23rd, 1942 to March 15th, 1943, Voronezh Front since August 5th, 1943.
  8. Wounds and concussions in the Patriotic War: none
  9. In the Red Army since: 1936
  10. Recruited by: already recruited
  11. Prior awards: Order of the Red Star in 1943
Brief and specific description of personal heroism or achievement: When penetrating enemy defenses at the Kazachya Lisitsa settlement on August 6th, 1943, Guards Captain Tereshuk's company courageously and decisively went into the attack, encouraged by the personal fearlessness and bravery of comrade Tereshuk. Comrade Tereshuk personally destroyed two SPGs, one medium tank, and two AT guns.

During the offensive towards Akhtyrka on August 10th, 1943, comrade Tereshuk was the first to burst into the city with four tanks and took up a defensive position. Tereshuk's group was surrounded, communication with the brigade was cut off. Comrade Tereshuk spent two days in his besieged tank, deflecting several enemy attacks that attempted to capture them alive.

During his presence in the encirclement, comrade Tereshuk's group destroyed four Tiger tanks, two SPGs, two PzIV tanks, five armoured cars, and up to 150 enemy soldiers and officers. Out of comrade Tereshuk's four tanks, two were destroyed, but two managed to break out and make it back to their unit.

For tenacity, decisiveness, and competent command of a company, and for heroism shown in battle against the German hordes, comrade Tereshuk is worthy of the state award "Hero of the Soviet Union"."

CAMD RF 33-793756-47

Wow, four whole Tigers and a handful of lesser vehicles, at a cost of just two T-34s? Very impressive. Let's see what our friend Schneider has to say about that.

"4 August 1943: The division is ordered to redeploy. Relief in place by the 8. PanzerDivision. Railway transport from Brjansk into the area of Achtyrka, where a crisis arises from the enemy penetration near Tomarowka-Borissowka.
7 August 1943: Operational tanks 6.
8 August 1943: Detrainment in Trostianez; several enemy attacks are repelled. In all, six Tigers lost during the most recent engagements.
Total tanks: 9.
10 August 1943: Only one Tiger operational."

13./Panzer-Regiment Grossdeutschland waltzed into the area to resolve the situation created by the success of Tereshuk's buddies, but judging by the sudden decrease of tanks, four T-34s were too much for them. This was the company's last battle, several days later it was consolidated with another tank company.

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