Ice and Snow - Blue Division at Krasny Bor
The opening phase of what has become known as the Battle of Krasny Bor took place on Wednesday, 10 February 1943. A huge artillery bombardment of 1,000 Soviet guns and mortars opened on the Spanish defensive positions early that morning. The 250th Infantry Division faced 3 divisions of the Soviet 55th Army by the village of Krasny Bor, Leningrad Oblast, northern Russia. It was the most costly battle in which the Spanish volunteers participated on the eastern front and in Spain, it has become known as "Black Wednesday", due to the huge losses of the Spanish division in the battle. In spite of the ferocity of the attack and the appalling weather ( average tempreatures were -25c) the Spanish division was able to hold off the much larger Soviet attack without yielding substantial ground.
Soviet Shelling of Krasny Bor
Spanish Defence Plan
Three Soviet divisions (72nd Rifle, 43rd Rifle and 63rd Guard), about 45,000 men supported by 60 tanks and 400 guns advanced behind a Russian Arty barrage severely hammering the Spanish line and the village of Krasny Bor.
Post-battle debreifings indicate that the detailed battle plan drawn up at the end of January 1943, Major General Emilio Esteban Infantes, the general in command of the Division, who was aware of a build-up of Soviet forces (55th Army) and which indicated that an attack was imminent. To blunt the attack he ordered his reserves, two cycle companies and 9th and 11th Battery of the 250th Artillery Regiment, into Krasny Bor on 2 February. On 9 February he ordered that at least one-third of all men with all available automatic weapons were to withdraw 2,000 meters behind the main line of resistance. Additional mine fields were laid, and improvements to firing positions and obstacles undertaken. His plan was a lightly held FEBA and MLR, channeling the Soviets into a killing zone of minefields and obstacles with clear fields of fire for automatic weapons and anti-tank guns.
MG Position Krasny Bor
Holding the Line
In Krasny Bor itself the Spanish artillery, engineer and other elements came under attack from Soviet infantry and armour, and by 12:00, the 63rd Guards Rifle Division advanced as far as the central-western part of the town and reported the capture of Krasny Bor, despite the fact that the southern half of the town was still controlled by the Spanish.
At 15:15 the Soviets managed to push a small formation into the rear of the location of Major General Infantes' forward command post but they were pushed back by CP defence troops.
At one point in the street fighting in the town, Soviet tanks opened fire on a hospital and retreating ambulances but were eventually beaten off by Spanish troops armed with Molotov Cocktails, mines and hand grenades. One confirmed act of bravery in this particular action was by Engineer Antonio Ponte Anido, (Soldado Antonio Ponte Anido, Zapadores Battalion, for his heroism at the Battle of Krasny Bor. Killed in combat. ) who posthumously received the The Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand (Spanish: Cruz Laureada de San Fernando), Spain's highest military award for gallantry, for destroying a Soviet tank which was threatening the hospital. He destroyed the tank by throwing himself under it with an AT mine on his chest.
Snow Patrol-Division Azul
Final Inspection
After the Battle-Showing the Strain, March 1943
Endgame
The battle raged until 15 February, during a lull in the fighting, the Division reported casualties of 3,645 wounded or killed and 300 missing or taken prisoner (a 75% casualty rate). The Division claimed 11,000 Soviet troops of the 55th Army had been killed in the five days beginning 9 February with the heaviest casualties in the environs of Krasny Bor itself.
Those captured in the battle, on the Spanish side, were sent to gulag camps, primarily in Siberia, and were not repatriated to Spain until 1954. The Blue Division was awarded a Combat Service Medal, personally designed by Adolf Hitler, for its defense of Army Group North's precarious eastern flank.
Divisional Commanders
Generalmajor Augustin Munzos Grandes, Knights Cross with Oakleaves, 20.07.1941 - 13.12.1942
Generalleutenant Emilio Estaban Infantes Martin, Knights Cross, 13 Dec 1942 - 20 Oct 1943
The text and photographs for this article has been drawn from many sources on the web and are considered to be in the public domain. Where this is disputed the text/phosts will be removed as no infringement of copyright is intended.
