RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha

RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (Full Version)

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heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 12:20:13 AM)
The loader has slammed a shell home for him, and Guzenko lines up his gun in the area of the enemy. Through his sight he sees a single soldier rise up to throw something. They are too far away to be hit with grenades, and Guzenko thinks the soldier must be mad. [image]local://upfiles/12164/E7B6CD950D1A469DBDE959E078A38086.jpg[/image]

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 12:21:20 AM)
Guzenko lines up his shot and hits the trigger. His tank rocks with the recoil and smoke and power fill the interior. A shell rips from the barrel and rides a course straight and true. Death is but moments away…. [image]local://upfiles/12164/B41A860788694C7C9535B2A08CDBB0C2.jpg[/image]

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 12:22:59 AM)
The inevitable result is recorded. The squad falls in battle. Guzenko realizes that the German was throwing a smoke grenade to mask their position and possibly allow them to retreat. No matter, he thinks. He has seen many of his friends burned or torn apart this day. Better them than us. [image]local://upfiles/12164/1744BEF452F945E0842FDD6722F6465D.jpg[/image]

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 12:24:11 AM)
He sees other tanks suddenly burst from the tree line. They are making a run for the bridge. He hadn’t seen the order, but Morska is giving others the honor of taking the bridge. His tank is the closest and should have been accorded the dubious honor. Guzenko smiles to himself. He is not in this for honor or glory. He only wants to survive and get his crew to safety at the end of the day. Let others bask in the glory and make Morska a hero he laughs. [image]local://upfiles/12164/97E28F081FBD4E3BA1CA6AA7954C624C.jpg[/image]

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 12:25:01 AM)
Lt. Turov has watched as squad after squad is cut down from enemy strongpoints. His frustration is growing with the loss of his men and the pressure from HQ. He has been receiving a steady stream of runners communicating the urgency the Major is feeling from their dear political leader. In a moment of agitation he orders a squad onto one of Captain Denska’s tanks. Without Denska’s permission, he orders the tank commander to drive the men fast across the meadow and take cover behind one of the houses there. The tanker sees the look on Turov’s face and decides to comply immediately. In a moment his tank is screaming across the open meadow, depositing the foot soldiers directly into the safety of a building.

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 12:26:31 AM)
Turov is amazed at the success of the tactic. He turns and sees the Captain, waving and applauding the action. Without a moment’s hesitation, he immediately orders his squad onto the back deck of the hulking T-28 they are using for cover. The plan is the same. Turov has to yell over the roar of the engine, but he communicates the urgency of a dash across the open ground to the commander. The tanker has seen the success of the first attempt and nods with approval. Turov turns to his men and alerts them to get ready. All of a sudden he is in the dirt, cannot hear, and is being pulled beneath a different tank. He tries to resist in confusion but his sergeant, Arkady has a death grip on him. Dirt is still showering down and he suddenly realizes they have been blown off the T-28 by a near miss from an artillery round. In a pig’s eye, this is just great, he thinks…… [image]local://upfiles/12164/9243774F857548E797C2B589AA67E26A.jpg[/image]

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 12:27:57 AM)
The next explosion is the very tank they were on moments ago. The damn artillery has found them and just ripped their ride to pieces. There are screams from inside as some of the crewmen have survived. The lucky ones crawl from the wreckage, stunned and blackened, some missing arms or legs. Turov is bleeding from shrapnel wounds, as are most of his squad. But, they are still alive – mere seconds separated them from the first explosion that launched them off the death trap and the second which would have shredded every one of them. Denska’s tank is the one they ended up beneath. Turov looks up at the turret and sees a look of stunned surprise on the man’s face. Denska holds up two fingers and points first to the T-28 and then across the meadow to the T-34 that was tagging along with them. An artillery round has torn the rear deck open on the T-34. Their crew is hiding in the heavy underbrush. They have lost two tanks to direct hits from artillery in less than forty seconds. [image]local://upfiles/12164/6704C30A09A74189B4C7F352D7449C97.jpg[/image]

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 12:29:12 AM)
Turov is just now getting up and Arkady is brushing him off. The second set of artillery rounds impact nearby and he hears the screams as the rest of a squad that was lagging behind is torn apart. He and the other men are then riveted by a huge explosion across the meadow where yet another BT-7 tank is blown to pieces. “How can they burn so much”” Turov wonders out loud in horrified amazement. [image]local://upfiles/12164/054A2A181B464EA09FFDE0A23D7C60B4.jpg[/image]

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 12:30:22 AM)
The situation is equally desperate on the right flank of the town. Lt. Larinov had managed to get his men deep into the woods and then was pinned by fire from seemingly every building. Moments later he lay badly wounded, bleeding profusely, his squad ripped apart. It was a giant stalemate, with the tanks blasting away at the enemy who were hiding in the buildings. Two BT-7 tanks were actually at point blank range firing on a building suspected of having enemy units in it, but to no avail. Tretiev, a very large and very angry common soldier, formerly a peat farmer from outside Kiev until caught up in Stalin’s recruitment campaign has had enough. His friends and comrades lie bleeding and silent all around him. The lieutenant is probably dying and the sergeant is hiding.

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 12:31:23 AM)
Leaping to his feet he roars “For the Rodina,” and charges headlong at the building suspected of harboring enemy soldiers. Instantly two squads leap to their feet, with the dreaded Russian battle cry “Urrah, Urrah” coursing from their lips and reverberating through the trees. They rush past the two tanks and storm the building, suddenly in among the startled Germans. A second squad tried to force their way into the bloody fray, as men clawed at one another with anything they could get their hands on but there wasn’t room inside. [image]local://upfiles/12164/686A36F104AB4D4E9976F05805F6E9EB.jpg[/image]

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 12:32:21 AM)
Tretiev is everywhere, bellowing curses and calling the enemy to task for the loss of his friends. He is a man possessed with almost superhuman strength, his bloodlust aroused to fever pitch. [image]local://upfiles/12164/1E56F639DF6844BBB975703BFC63C347.jpg[/image]

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 12:33:27 AM)
Outside, the tankers are mere spectators. The tank commanders look on helplessly, unwilling to cut their comrades down but desperate to provide covering fire and help the men in the building. The screams of the dead and dying can be heard over the roar of their tank engines. [image]local://upfiles/12164/2B50ABBDAAEF40C6BAFB7BBDFCDE9B8A.jpg[/image]

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 12:35:14 AM)
The tension is unbearable, as frantic Russian soldiers fire through windows trying to help Tretiev and his brave squad. Seconds later Tretiev, the unbreakable, the one who could never fall no matter how many enemy bullets targeted him….he is stitched across the chest with machine pistol bullets. A look of incredible surprise crosses his face for a moment, as if this possibility never occurred to him, that he might actually be killed. Then he slowly slides to the floor, staring forever but not seeing his fellow comrades cut down in a hail of gunfire. There are a few more screams, some more sounds of machine pistol fire, and then silence. The machine pistols have overwhelmed the bolt-action rifles of the brave Russians. [image]local://upfiles/12164/BE58F803174A44E9A5934815D6CE514B.jpg[/image]

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 12:36:37 AM)
The soldiers outside the building hesitate. If Tretiev was unable to best the enemy at hand-to-hand, how will they fare. Corporal Valen sees the look in their eyes and knows they will not charge into the building now. He yells at them to fire through the windows. At the same time the tank crews now have a clear shot into the building without fear of killing their own and they let loose with a barrage of HE shells. Valen thinks that if they can weaken the enemy, his men might then have a chance to overwhelm the defenders. [image]local://upfiles/12164/974EC5D5BE97422384EC00C311247B13.jpg[/image]

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 12:37:53 AM)
While Tretiev is falling in battle, Lt. Turov decides to give his idea one more try but this time Capt. Denska is the one who motions rapidly to Turov’s men; he sees the immediate merit to the idea. Wasting no time, Turov scrambles up onto the rear deck of the Captain’s tank, followed quickly by his men. Denska shouts into the tank and the driver grinds the gears fast – they lurch forward and race into the mouth of the unknown. Turov’s men fire for all they are worth as Denska’s tank races across the open meadow. They are all amazed when they make it to shelter behind a line of houses. [image]local://upfiles/12164/AF7BDABF02C742ED87BCA34B8CA6D31C.jpg[/image]

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 12:38:48 AM)
Much has happened since Little Sasha pushed forwards with the infantry in the woods on the right flank. Borosov and his crew have been unaware of the disasters befalling the left flank, or of Tretiev’s gallant charge and demise. They have been covering the slow infantry crawl towards several enemy-occupied buildings. Borosov has also seen the successful taking of the bridge by Morska’s medium tankers. They are essentially linked up. But, things are taking too long. The attack has stalled in the face of fierce firepower from the enemy. He kicks Petya in the center of the back and Petya gooses Little Sasha to rush a nearby ruin.

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 12:40:04 AM)
They pull up to the ruin and he rotates the turret to bear on the last known enemy position, knowing just how menacing Little Sasha must appear. The enemy is flushed from their hiding place and run out the back side of the building. “Fire!” roars Borosov, “Cut them down fast!” Run, little rabbits, run, he silently urges the enemy soldiers, fleeing for their lives. Why he thinks this, he cannot say. Perhaps his heart is not properly hardened. [image]local://upfiles/12164/3DD26B44F5F64857AD37CAB06F28E6C1.jpg[/image]

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 12:41:14 AM)
Vannya has hurled another shell into the gun breech in the blink of an eye. “Last one” he screams over the roar of battle. Borosov cannot believe it – they have fired all of their HE shells now. Damn it, he thinks as he punches the trigger. Little Sasha roars her anger and a gout of flame reaches out for the fleeing rabbits. [image]local://upfiles/12164/6F397BEEF4394157B3369716D26232EF.jpg[/image]

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 12:42:13 AM)
Most of them are still running, some down and broken, and odds are they won’t make it, but Little Sasha has no more HE shells. Borosov immediately fires his turret-mounted machine gun. [image]local://upfiles/12164/364228C8301D431C97CB4E712CB50CD8.jpg[/image]

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 12:44:12 AM)
Lt. Turov and Capt. Denska are hatching their plan on the other side of town which borders on the aggressively reckless. They now have two squads riding their last two BT-7 tanks. Denska shouts “Where to?” and Turov merely points towards the town square. The Captain nods and motions both tanks into a rush. The two tanks rush forward, cutting between buildings, past the silent dead of earlier attacks. They mean to actually rush through into the town center. There is a heady air of fear and adrenaline rush in the men as they cling to the steel tanks, rocking through the underbrush. As the one tank rounds a building corner, machine gun fire rips down from a church spire. The enemy is on target and the one squad bails off the back of the tank. Turov is on the other tank and he curses out loud. This will slow their attack. [image]local://upfiles/12164/9868F91B589444B198855067CE384AB4.jpg[/image]

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 12:45:21 AM)
Denska’s tank lurches around the corner and starts to rush up the street. Turov never hears the screams of his men as the first of many rounds tear through him and scythe down his entire squad. Denska does not hear the screams as his tank transmission is roaring. He no longer has his riders. [image]local://upfiles/12164/7D1774E2EF6E47E09BD5950325B85A1D.jpg[/image]

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 12:46:48 AM)
Korev is trying to keep up with Denska’s charge. He, too, is unaware he has lost his squad. His driver spins the right track faster and slips the tank out into the street more. The driver thinks he sees a blossom of red and orange way down the street, and in that instant he is confused at what it could mean….. He never realizes that he is witnessing his own demise. Sgt. Korev does, and begins to shout a warning to his crew. The words are not faster than the shell that rips him apart. [image]local://upfiles/12164/E39480BEC9DF45149D40BA6F6EDDA9A8.jpg[/image]

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 12:47:39 AM)
The shell penetrates the thin armor and leaves no time to scream or even realize what is happening. The tank comes apart, literally at the seams. [image]local://upfiles/12164/FC92D92C55994A87A76912F8B3859EED.jpg[/image]

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 12:48:53 AM)
There are no survivors. There will be little to indicate that men even existed once inside the flaming coffin. The squad of infantry that were only moments before on the rear deck of this funeral pyre watches the horrible turn of events from the safety of a building they took cover within. Their faces are white as they realize they could be burning now too if fate hadn’t saved them for the moment. [image]local://upfiles/12164/FA635182140E45B6AEFC549A3EC1CE89.jpg[/image]

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 12:49:54 AM)
Denska now sees the danger looming large before them. His driver yells out that they have taken damage to their left track and Denska instantly knows they cannot charge the enemy gun with reduced speed. It will have to be his skill that saves or kills them. “Stop, Stop, Stop!” he shouts to the terrified driver, and the tank lurches to a halt as he spins the sights to line up their gun on the enemy. They already have an HE shell in the breech – if only he can get the first shot off.

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 1:18:23 AM)
Locked in a deadly duel with the enemy AT gun he has no other thought than to line up the crosshairs….. ....and the red and orange billow of flame light up his gun sights. His last thought is Dammit, TOO LATE! As Korev’s tank billows flames of death behind Denska, the German AT gunners have practically no correction to make. They duck and cover their ears as he is the first to see Act II of the tragedy plays out on the Niemirow stage. [image]local://upfiles/12164/616C4ACA5D784543A3075BD042DDF604.jpg[/image]

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 1:20:04 AM)
An ear-splitting roar announces the death of Denska and his gallant crew. Two black funeral pyres now tower over the graves of the tankers. With the loss of those two tanks, morale has been broken and the battle ends quickly. [image]local://upfiles/12164/3A6CB06A051649F49C85CECF829B07E0.jpg[/image]

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 1:21:38 AM)
Aftermath It is a legendary defeat, as the Germans cannot be pried out of their buildings, even with point-blank shells from tanks. The word filters to the exhausted men; pull back. In many cases they were already doing so, having lost their leadership. When he notices a runner trying to get his attention, Sgt. Morska stops and receives the word. He then signals the rest of his tankers, and they, in turn signal the other units. Close to the burning funeral pyres of Denska’s tank and Korev’s tank, the infantry in town have already lost heart and are slowly extricating themselves from their position near the center square. Wounded are everywhere and are slowly trudging to the rear or being carried by others not as badly wounded. [image]local://upfiles/12164/9ABC5957F1144331B68EA5D30C159035.jpg[/image]

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 1:22:52 AM)
Lt. Malinov slowly backs his T-34 away from the building where Tretiev and his men so gallantly fell. He does so with a heavy heart and the feeling he is betraying their courage. Corporal Valen makes curt hand gestures to the remaining squad and they fade back. He will try to hitch a ride on Malinov’s T-34. He wanted to assault the building and recover the bodies of Tretiev’s men while avenging their deaths, but he knew his squad was not up to the task. Ivan Norov finally climbs from the silent T-34 he has crewed by himself. He will return to recover it, he hopes. It will probably be towed. He wonders if the loader and MG gunner got Detya back to the aid station. Were they in time to save him? His boots make puffs of grey Russian dusts as he plods slowly back to his lines.

heinrich55 -> RE: Niemirow AAR Sgt. Borosov & Little Sasha (7/11/2011 1:25:42 AM)
And what of Sgt. Andreyev Borosov and his gallant crew of Little Sasha? While it cannot be recorded the fate that befell the “rabbits” that Little Sasha was hunting, as the battle ended so quickly, we can be sure that none of the “rabbits” made it to safety. They lie in the dust of that obscure road intersection in Niemirow, staining the dust a dark reddish brown, a bloody-reddish brown. On their way back to the starting point they collect many wounded tankers, some horribly burned or torn from shrapnel. They finally lurch into their camp by late afternoon, and the wounded are removed to the aid station. Not many will survive, Borosov is convinced. Vannya jabs his sergeant in the ribs and silently points. Borosov looks in that direction and sees their major being led away by grim-faced men with greenish uniforms and markings – yes, it is the dreaded NKVD. They are wasting no time. The Major has a sad look of resignation on his face and knows that he will be lucky to get a quick bullet to the back of his head for incompetence of command. He cannot look any of his men in the face as he is driven away. Political Officer Major Storok has a particularly pleased look on his face and has just announced that he is now in command. Groty, ever faithful, stands behind his hero. “Look how his boots shine,” remarks Vannya Set ‘yanev. Borosov feels an involuntary shiver go up his spine. He knows his loader is already plotting something nefarious for Storok.

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