MAIN MENU SOLDIERS AT WAR DOCUMENTS BATTLES TANKS ARTILLERY 
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MAIN MENU SOLDIERS AT WAR DOCUMENTS BATTLES TANKS ARTILLERY |
There is a few informations about armoured vehicles in the 1st Division of Russian Liberation Army (Russkaya Osvoboditelnaya Armiya, ROA). Written sources claim that there were nine tanks T-34 in division during it's forming in Muensingen. Two of them were photographed on a parade in front of general Vlasov, head of Russian anti-soviet opposition in Germany, and general Bunyaczenko, the division's commander, at 10 February 1945. The tank in foreground has a white number "2" uder the gun barrel and a something, which looks like sleeve badge of Russian volunteers in Wehrmacht, painted on the turret's side.
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Walther Spielberger in his work on Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer writes, that in February 1945 the 600th Inf.Div. received ten Hetzers (it means a Panzerjaeger company). The 600th Infanterie-Division (russ) was German oficial name of 1st Division of ROA. There is no evidence of using armour in division's first action against soviet bridgehead Erlenhof, near Fuerstemberg, Germany, at 13 April 1945. - Two T-34/76 passing a tribune on a parade in Muensingen, Germany, 10 February 1945. |
There is no evidence about armoured vehicles during division's retreat to the south from Lusatia too. Till division marched on Czech territory unidentified armoured vehicles are noticed from villages Radonice, Citoliby, Brdloh, Divice, Rocov, Vinarice and the town Louny. When division advanced to Prague from Beroun at 5 May 1945, there were two columns which contained armoured vehicles:
The southest column, advancing along left banks of rivers Berounka and Vltava, cantained two T-34/76 tanks, three BA-10 armoured cars and a SdKfz 251/16 flame-thrower half-track. The unit which they belonged to was identified as divisional recce troop, commanded by major Kostyenko.
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Both tanks and armoured cars were painted in one overall colur, probably green. One of the tanks has a white number "3" (or a letter "Z" in Cyrillic) under the gun barrel as the only marking. One of the BA-10 armoured cars has got the same symbol on the side door. - An armoured car BA-10 and a Volkswagen Kaeffer in Prague-Smichov at 6 May 1945 at dawn. Major Kostyenko's reconnaissance troop enters Prague. |
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In the northest column, advancing on Beroun-Prague road, where divisional 3rd and 4th regiment marched, were at minimum two Hetzers. They were painted in three-colour stripe scheme. - A T-34/76 of the 1st division of ROA enters Counts of Kinsky Square in Prague Smichov, at 6 May 1945. |
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On sides were marked by white letters "POA". The shape of letters was the same as on sleeve badge of Russian volunteers in Wehrmacht. One of them has on lower part of frontal armour painted small black serial number 2543...(?) and a small white letter "A" under the gun barrel. - A Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer in Dusniky (recently part of Rudna, east of Prague) escorting units of 3rd and 4th regiment during theirs advance to Prague in the morning of 6 May 1945. |
There were about 30.000 armed uprisers in Prague, who manned about ten captured anti-aircraft trains, two Hetzers with only 20 rounds together, six unarmed armoured Hetezer chassis, three Renault AMR 1935 tanks armed with machine guns only and about ten half-tracks and other armed vehicles. Against them stood SS-Kampfverband Wallenstein (which consisted from SS-Kampfgruppe Klein and SS-Kampfgruppe Joerchel) from the south, SS-Kampfgruppe Milowitz and Kampfgruppe Reimann from the east, Kampfgruppe of 2nd SS-Panzergrenadierregiment "Der Fuehrer" from the north and mixed German garrison in Prague. Nazi forces manned about eighty armoured vehicles, including about ten StuG III and about forty Hetzers.
In this situation arrival of more than 20.000 men strong 1st Division with four infantry regiments, tanks and artillery was very welcomed by military authorities of Czech uprisers. The presence of the 1st Division of ROA in Prague at 6 and 7 May was the crucial moment thanks to it Prague uprising could survived the heaviest German attack at 7 May 1945.
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During fights side by side with uprisers at 6 and 7 May 1945 division's 2nd regiment stopped SS-Kampfgruppe Klein in Radotin-Lahovice area. 3rd regiment attacked Prague-Ruzyne airport and avoid Luftwaffe to use them against uprisers. 1st regiment with recce troops crossed Vltava river and halted SS-Kampfgruppe Joerchel in Prague-Pankrac. 4th regiment captured Petrin hill and fought in the Old Town. - A Hetzer in Walter factory in Prague-Jinonice, where headquarter of 1st Division of ROA was located at 7 May 1945. |
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- Bartolomejska Street in the afternoon at 6 May 1945. A SdKfz 251/16 which was used by 1st Division emissar major Arkhipov, commander of the 1st regiment, when conferred in headquarter of Prague uprisers (HQ Bartos) on action for the next day. |
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When it was clear, that general Patton's 3rd U.S. Army was definitive stopped in Pilsen, 40km southwest from Prague, that Prague should be captured by soviet troops and that political leadership of uprisers (Czech National Council, Ceska narodni rada), controled by communists, is not pleased by 1st Division presence in Prague, the Division left the city back to the Beroun at the evening of 7 May. From Beroun the 1st Division retreated via Horovice, Pribram to Lnare. On the road it's soldiers were warmly welcomed by Czech inhabitants as savers of Prague. - A field howitzer of 1st regiment in Prague-Pankrac, near todays Hrdinu Square, 7 May 1945. |
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Division reached american lines in Lnare in the afternoon at 9th may, too late to be captured in WWII. At 12th may the division was encircled by soviet 25th tank corps. Officers were shot down immediately as many of NCOs and soldiers was and rests of them were send to concentration camps of GULAG. - An MG-team of the 1st regiment in firing position in Prague-Pankrac. Note white cloth stripes around helmets - a distinguishing mark during fights in Prague at 6 and 7 May 1945. |
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- Field kitchen of 4th regiment in Counts Kinsky Square in Prague at 7 May 1945. At the same place a monument of soviet tankers was erected two months later. |
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- Soldiers of 1st regiment manned in Prague-Vinohrady and Prague-Strasnice an unidentified armoured car. It was probably this SdKfz 234, which stood abandoned on Charles Square after the end of war. |
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- Two Hetzers of 1st Division of ROA passing through Horovice at 9 May 1945, during retreat to the west. |
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- A Bergepanzer Hetzer in Horovice at 9 May 1945. On the original photo letters "POA" on it's side are clearly visible. |
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- Three BA-10 armoured cars in Pribram, south of Prague, at 9 May 1945. On the original photo a number "3" on the opened door of the vehicle in foreground is clearly visible. Note the lack of any marking on vehicles in background. |
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- A T-34/76 of Division's recce troop in Pribram at 9 May 1945. |
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- The same Hetzer as in Horovice above, here in Pribram at 9 May 1945. |
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- A sleeve badge of Russian volunteers in Wehrmacht. The Badge, designed in 1943, was worn on left-hand sleeve of uniform. It was used by soldiers of 1st division of ROA too, although it was not a particular divisional emblem. In the 1st Division of ROA the badge was usually worn on right-hand sleeve. |
| Type of vehicle | Number in written sources |
Probably confirmed in Bohemia |
Confirmed number in Bohemia |
|---|---|---|---|
| T-34/76 | 9 | - | 2 |
| JPz 38(t) Hetzer | 10 | 1 | 2 |
| Bergepanzer Hetzer |
- | - | 1 |
| Sd Kfz 251 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Sd Kfz 234/3 | - | 1 | - |
| BA-10 | - | - | 3 |
A leaflet "Brothers Czechs and Russians" typewrited in Divisional HQ at 5 May 1945. It sais, that the 1st Division of ROA will fight as against nazi Germany as against communist USSR (written both in Czech and Russian languages).
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Author:
Tomas Jakl Sources: Auski S.: Peredatelstvo i izmena. Globus, San Francisco 1982. Ausky, Stanislav A.: Vojska generala Vlasova v Cechach. Vysehrad, Praha 1992. Drobjazko, S.- Karaszczuk, A., Russkaja osvoboditelnaya armija. AST, Moskva 1998. Jakl, Tomas: Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer v Praze, v kvetnu 1945. Historie a vojenstvi # 6/1996. Spielberger, Walter J.: Leichte Jagdpanzer. Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart. Zacek, Pavel: Obrnena vozba ROA v Praze. HPM # 6/1995. HPM # 11/1995, 9/1996, 4/1998. |
