MAIN MENU   ARCHIVE OF SOLDIERS AT WAR   DOCUMENTS   BATTLES   TANKS   ARTILLERY

On to the West

The newspaper of the 9th Mech Corps

Honor and Glory to the Courageous *

The offensive battles lasted for several days. The malicious enemy counterattacked repeatedly. But Comrade Osinov's fighters and commanders steadfastly deflected the thrust of the drunken Germans. The courageous soldiers realized that it was the fight for their native Dnieper, and that inspired them to heroic feats.

But then the despairing enemy threw a several times stronger force of infantry with tanks and Ferdinands at the detachment. In one place enemy tanks managed to break through to the rear of our detachments. They rushed at the trenches and started "ironing" them. But our fighters, sergeants, and officers didn't waver. Like lions fought Dedov, Skliarevich, Khripushkin, Karas'kin, Musienko, Skrypnikov, and many others. They obliterated enemy infantry, disabled vehicles, by personal example they led the fighters to heroic deeds, without hesitation they gave lives to their beloved Motherland.

The detachment's komsorg (KOMSOMOL organizer - trans.) Natasha Peshkova earned for herself a special love and glory. The brave and courageous girl, the loyal daughter of the nation, in the difficult minutes of combat always appeared where an impassioned word was needed, where the personal example of fearlessness could abruptly change the situation, lead the fighters, inspire them to repulse the enemy. And where Natasha Peshkova appeared, the enemy met destructive fire and unbreakable steadfastness of the fighters. Under the adversary's fire the warrior girl ran over to the almost faltering soldiers and with an upsurge of strong will, with the voice of heart itself, stopped those falling back, inspired them with her steadfastness and bravery, and returned them to the battle formation.

Honor and glory to the steadfast, courageous fighters holding the heights on Slavuta-Dnieper's right bank.

Leonid Yukhvid

Comments by Natalia Peshkova

* ... I saw all these articles already after the war. Even this corps newspaper of ours didn't reach us, and if it did, it was immediately left for hand-rolled cigarettes. There was no paper, and the newspaper was a valuable which no one was going to distribute.