Battle of Krasny Bor

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Battle of Krasny Bor
Part of the Eastern Front of World War II
Date February 10–13, 1943 Location Krasny Bor, near present-day Saint Petersburg, Russia Result Tactical German victory
Belligerents
Germany	Soviet Union
Commanders and leaders
Template:Country data 1938 Emilio Esteban Infantes	Vladimir Sviridov
Units involved
18th Army: Initial: 250th Infantry Division 4th SS Police Division Reinforcements: 24th Infantry Division Combat groups from 7 divisions[1]	55th Army: Initial: 43rd Rifle Division 45th Guards Rifle Division 63rd Guards Rifle Division 34th Ski Brigade Mobile Group: 35th Ski Brigade 122nd Tank Brigade
Strength
Initial: 250th: 5,900 infantry 4th SS: uncertain Reinforcements: uncertain	Initial: 33,000 infantry 30 tanks 1000 Artillery and Mortars Total: 38,000 infantry 90 tanks
Casualties and losses
250th: 3,645 killed and wounded 300 missing Other units: uncertain	10,000 killed, wounded and missing

The Battle of Krasny Bor was part of the Soviet offensive Operation Polyarnaya Zvezda. The Soviet offensive called for a pincer attack near Leningrad, to build up on the success of Operation Iskra and completely lift the Siege of Leningrad, encircling a substantial part of the German 18th Army. The offensive near Krasny Bor, Leningrad Oblast, formed the western arm of the pincer. The Soviet offensive began on Wednesday, 10 February 1943. The offensive produced noticeable gains on the first day, but rapidly turned into a stalemate. The strong defense of the 250th Infantry (Spanish) led by General Emilio Esteban and 4th SS Police Division gave the German forces time to reinforce their positions. By February 13, the Soviet forces stopped their offensive in this sector.

In Spain, February 10 became known as "Black Wednesday", due to the huge losses of the Spanish Division, which lost over 70% of the men engaged in the battle. It was the most costly battle for the Spanish volunteers during their time on the Eastern Front.

Main articles: Spain in World War II, Blue Division, Siege of Leningrad, Operation Polyarnaya Zvezda.

The Siege of Leningrad started in early autumn 1941. By September 8, 1941 German and Finnish forces had surrounded the city, cutting off all supply routes to Leningrad and its suburbs. However the original drive on the city failed and the city was subjected to a siege. During 1942 several attempts were made to breach the blockade but all failed. The last such attempt in 1942 was the Sinyavin Offensive. After the defeat of the Sinyavin Offensive, the front line returned to what it was before the offensive and again 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) separated Leonid Govorov's Leningrad Front in the city and Kirill Meretskov's Volkhov Front.^[1]

Despite the failures of earlier operations, lifting the siege of Leningrad was a very high priority so new offensive preparations began in November 1942 only weeks after the last offensive failed.^[2] In December, the operation plan was approved by the Stavka and received the codename "Iskra" (Spark).^[3] By January 1943, the situation looked very good for the Soviet side. The German defeat in the Battle of Stalingrad had weakened the German front. The Soviet forces were planning or conducting offensive operations across the entire front, especially in southern Russia. Amidst these conditions, "Iskra" was to become the first of several offensive operations aimed at inflicting a decisive defeat on Army Group North.^[4]

Operation Iskra was a strategic victory for the Soviet forces and successfully opened a land corridor 8–10 km wide to the city. A railroad was swiftly built through the corridor and allowed much more supplies to reach the city than the "Road of Life", eliminating the possibility of the capture of the city and a German-Finnish linkup.^[5] At the same time, however, the Stavka knew that "Iskra" was incomplete as the corridor it had opened was narrow and was still in range of German artillery. Additionally, the important heights and strong point at Siniavino were still controlled by the Germans. This led Zhukov to plan a much more ambitious offensive operation named Polyarnaya Zvezda (Polar Star).^[6]

The Operation Polyarnaya Zvezda was planned by Georgy Zhukov, trying to build up on the success of Operation Iskra and began only days later. Zhukov, who oversaw Operation Iskra, was promoted to marshal of the Soviet Union on January 18, the day the two Soviet Fronts linked up, breaking the blockade. This foresaw a three-front attack by Northwestern Front under Marshal Semyon Timoshenko, Volkhov Front under Colonel General Kirill Meretskov, and Leningrad Front under Colonel General Leonid Govorov, of which 55th army was now a part. The Northwestern Front was to attack the Ramushevo Corridor, which connected the Demyansk Salient, held by the German forces since 1942 to the main German positions. The destruction of the bulk of the German 16th Army in the pocket would allow the Front to exploit the gap in the German lines.^[7] The Leningrad and Volkov Fronts were to capitalize on the fact that the German 18th Army was stretched very thin in the January fighting and attack the army's flanks aiming to link up near Tosno. Again this would create a gap in the German lines.^[8] Overall the goal of the offensive was nothing short of decisively defeating Army Group North and advance to Lake Chud^[9]

The 55th army's aim was to break open the vital Leningrad-Moscow Highway starting from its jump-off position in Kolpino towards Tosno, to join with a northbound attack pincer of 54th Army of Volkhov Front, thereby encircling German formations in the Mga sector. The highway is an important road/railway connection linking Moscow and Leningrad. The pivot-point for this highway was Krasny Bor, situated between the highway and the railway line. 55th Army's attack would also hit sectors defended by other German formations to establish secure flanks and draw them into battle. Once this attack had succeeded, the plan was for the second echelon forces to advance through the gap towards Tosno. The attack was planned for 10 February 1943 and was to jump off from Kolpino. The 55th Army planned to attack with a force of approximately 40,000 men and 30 tanks in first echelon, to be followed by a mobile group consisting of the 122nd Tank Brigade and 35th Ski Brigade.

At the end of January 1943, Emilio Esteban Infantes, the general in command of the 250th Infantry Division (Blue Division) was aware of a build-up of Soviet forces (55th Army), which indicated that an attack was imminent. To deflect it 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; that the Infantry Regiment 269 should be ready to give up its 2nd Battalion as soon as that was requested; and that the Infantry Regiment 263 had to provide one infantry company, two Füsilier companies, and a machine-gun company as reserves. Some additional mine fields were laid, and minor improvements to firing positions undertaken. The German command promised to send two anti-tank companies with 75 mm Pak 40 AT guns and 88 mm AT guns (although only one of these arrived in time for the battle) as well as an infantry regiment.^[2]

File:Iskra german defences.JPG

On Wednesday, 10 February 1943, a massive artillery bombardment of 1,000 Soviet guns and mortars opened on the Spanish lines at precisely 6:45. Shells, mortars and Katyusha rockets pounded the trenches, bunkers and dugouts which had been constructed to strengthen the eastern flank of Army Group North. At 8.45 hours, the bombardment shifted from the front lines onto Krasny Bor itself, also striking the villages of Podolvo and Raikelevo (both located east and south-east of Krasny Bor, respectively), the latter being the location of Infantes' forward command post.

At approximately 8:40, the 45th and 63rd Guards and the 72nd Rifle Divisions, followed by some tanks, advanced towards Staraia Mgsa (east of Krasny Bor), Krasny Bor, Raikelevo and Podolvo, with the 63rd Guards Rifle Division facing the 5,900 troops of the 250th Infantry Division, holding the eastern flank of the line. Pinned by 2 hours of initial bombardment, Spanish formations were unable to retreat towards the town and in many cases fought to the death. The frontline was quickly overrun, and many Spanish formations were destroyed there.^[10]

Inside Krasny Bor, a company of 250th Infantry Division held the October Railway station, repulsing infantry charges and three tank charges by advancing Soviet forces. By 11:00 the company was reduced to 40 combatants yet these managed to hold the factory until 12:00, when they fell back into the town. From 9:00 to 10:40, isolated Spanish units fought off Soviet attacks but were cut off when the Soviets seized the October Railway. Now encircled, the units still holding the Leningrad-Moscow Highway decided to hold as long as possible and were destroyed in combat.

The 55th Army, in the meantime, had advanced despite heavy casualties inflicted by the dug-in Spanish troops. The Soviets took Raikelevo, which cut off Podolvo from Krasny Bor. In Krasny Bor itself the Spanish artillery, engineer and other assorted stragglers came under attack from Soviet infantry and armour, and by 12:00, 63rd Guards Rifle Division reported the capture of Krasny Bor, despite the fact that the southern half of the town was still controlled by the Spanish. Soviet tanks opened fire on a hospital and retreating ambulances but were eventually beaten off by Spanish troops armed with Molotov Cocktails and hand grenades. The afternoon brought belated support for the defenders in the form of a Luftwaffe fighter-bomber attack on the Soviet positions around the town of Kolpino, to the east of Krasny Bor, while the 45th Guards Rifle Division seized Mishkino. Sviridov decided to insert the mobile group into the battle late on the day, but they were stopped by a combination of fierce resistance and a sudden thaw that stopped the Ski Brigade from operating off road. The German command reinforced the Spanish defenses with battle groups

The 63rd Guards Rifle Division advanced as far as the central-western part of the town, and after 15:15 managed to push a small formation into the rear of the Spanish division's forward command post. Meanwhile the remaining Spanish troops were ordered to new positions on the Izhora River, on the west of the town. Here they held out against 63rd Guards Rifle Division's last attacks of the day.

After 16:30 hours a battle group of the German 212th Infantry Divisions and two companies each of the Flemish Legion and the Lithuanian Legion were able to support the Spanish by a counter-attack on the forest at Staraya Rechka, and by taking over the frontline from the highway to the Izhora River.

At the end of the day, the 63rd Guards Rifle Division had advanced 4–5 kilometre and captured Krasny Bor, Mishkino, Staraya Mirza, Stepanovka, and Popovka Station. On its left wing, the attack by 43rd Rifle Division and 34th Ski Brigade had had initial success, driving the 4th SS Police Division into the Tosno River.

In the Ishora River sector, 72nd Rifle Division pushed back the lines of the Spanish towards the river, destroying the Field Replacement Battalion, but suffering up to 70% casualties in the process.

The next day, 11 February 1943, left forward 63rd Guards Rifle Division units were surrounded in several places, but the 63rd Guards Rifle Division was in control of Krasny Bor by evening.^[3] A planned counter-attack by the Spanish division and the German 112th Infantry Division was thought likely to be successful, but ultimately not carried out due to concern over the overall position of 18th Army.

By 13 February, 55th Army had lost almost a third of its initial strength and most of its tanks, and could no longer advance. The total penetration achieved reached to a depth of 4–5 kilometres on a frontage of 14 kilometres. After the Spanish 262nd infantry Regiment and 1st Artillery Battalion evacuated, they bombarded the Soviet positions and attempted a counter-attack to recapture Krasny Bor on 12 February. The attack by 55th Army made a flanking attack by 67th Army in the Sinyavino sector easier, because of the withdrawal of German forces from the sector.

The main road to Moscow was still controlled by the 18th Army, despite the capture of 3 km of railway line, and the Soviets launched their last major attack in this sector on 19 March 1943. It was also repelled with heavy losses on both sides.

Soviet general staff critiques after the battle highlighted the reasons for the failure of the attacks during Operation Polar Star as strongly fortified defenses, faulty reconnaissance, poor command and control on all levels, clumsy employment of tanks and ineffective artillery support.^[4]

The failure by the 55th Army to follow through on its initial success meant that the encirclement of the German forces in the Mga sector had lost its northern pincer. Failures by the other attacking armies, for similar reasons, led to the overall failure of the grandly conceived Operation Polar Star. It would take almost another year before 18th Army withdrew from the direct approaches to Leningrad. The German 50th Corps, and there in particular the 250th (Spanish) Infantry Division had managed to hold the Red Army inside the perimeter of the siege of Leningrad, at a heavy cost in casualties.

On 15 February the 250th Infantry Division reported casualties of 3,645 wounded or killed and 300 missing or taken prisoner, which amounted to a 70–75% casualty rate of the troops engaged in the battle. It claimed 11,000 Soviet troops of the 55th Army had been killed in the five days beginning 9 February. Because of these heavy losses and Allied pressure on the Spanish government, the Blue Division was withdrawn to Germany and later disbanded. A new volunteer formation called the Blue Legion (Legión Azul) remained in combat on the Eastern Front, attached to 121st Infantry Division until March 1944, when it also was disbanded and the majority of the volunteers sent back to Spain. The 55th Army eventually took part in breaking the siege of Leningrad, securing the Leningrad-Moscow line in 1944. Afterwards, it advanced into Estonia and fought against the Courland pocket until 1945.

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. Krasny Bor remains, for the most part, an obscure battle in modern historical knowledge relating to this devastating war. 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.

Soviet 55th Army, 38,000 soldiers – Lieutenant General Vladimir Petrovich Sviridov^[11][12]

• 43rd Rifle Division
• 45th Guards Rifle Division
• 63rd Guards Rifle Division
• 122nd Tank Brigade
• 31st Tank Regiment
• 34th Ski Brigade
• 35th Ski Brigade
• Artillery and mortar regiments with total strength of 1000 guns and mortars

German 50th Corps – General Philipp Kleffel

• Elements of 250. Infanterie-Division, 4,500 soldiers – Major General Emilio Esteban Infantes
  • 250 Field Replacement Battalion
  • 262 Regiment (3 battalions)
    • Ski Company
  • 250 Reconnaissance Battalion
  • 1st Artillery Battalion (3 Batteries) with 10.5 cm guns
  • One battery of 3rd Artillery Battalion with 10.5 cm guns
  • One battery of 4th Artillery Battalion with 15.0 cm guns
  • 250th Anti Tank Battalion with 37 mm Pak36 AT-guns
  • Assault sappers group
  • Independent anti-tank gun company with 75 mm Pak40 anti-tank guns.

• 4th SS Police Division - Major General Alfred Wünnenberg

• Battle Group 11th Infantry Division
• Battle Group 21st Infantry Division
• Battle Group 212th Infantry Division
• Battle Group 215th Infantry Division
• Battle Group 227th Infantry Division
• Battle Group 2nd SS Motorized Brigade
• SS-Volunteer Legion Flanders (2 companies)

1. ^ Combat groups were from the Flanders Legion, 2nd SS Motorized Infantry Brigade, 11th, 21st, 212th, 215th, and 227th Infantry Divisions.^[13]
2. ^ Glantz, D. p. 297
3. ^ Map on p. 87 in Infantes, E.E.
4. ^ Infantes, E.E. p. 81-2
5. ^ Glantz, D. p. 585

• Glantz, David M. (2002). The Battle for Leningrad 1941–1944. Kansas University Press. ISBN 0-7006-1208-4.
• Glantz, David M. (2009). After Stalingrad: The Red Army's Winter Offfensive 1942–1943. Helion and Company. ISBN 978-1-906033-26-2.
• Halisbury, Harrison E. 900 Days, The: The Siege of Leningrad Da Capo Press, 2003.
• Infantes, E.E. Blaue Division – Spaniens Freiwillige an der Ostfront. Druffel 1977
• Исаев, Алексей Валерьевич (2006). Когда внезапности уже не было. История ВОВ, которую мы не знали. (in Russian). М. Яуза, Эксмо. ISBN 5-699-11949-3.
• Kleinfeld, Gerald L., Tambs, Lewis A. Hitler's Spanish Legion: The Blue Division in Russia. Illinois: Southern Illinois University Press, 1979.
• Wylie, Nevile. European Neutrals and Non-Belligerents during the Second World War. Cambridge University Press, 2001.

• 250.Infanterie-Division by Jason Pipes
• Commemorative Medal for Spanish Volunteers
• Google-Earth Geographic Blue Division Project (spanish)

59°40′47″N 30°40′10″E / 59.67972°N 30.66944°E / 59.67972; 30.66944