- World War 2 Russian Protective Corps Guide, battlefield maps and virtual tour
1942 Chronology of the 2nd regiment of Russian Protective Corps
On January 9, 10 and 11, 1942, units of the 2nd regiment set out from Belgrade arrived: the regimental headquarters on January 11 in Zajecar, from where on January 19 it was transferred to Bor. 1st Battalion on January 11 – to Požarevac, while the 1st Company was sent to guard the mines in Kostolac, Klenovnik and Čirikovac; II battalion on January 12 – in Negotin and III battalion in Yuyanvarya – in Bor. The headquarters of the 1st battalion was transferred to the Maidan-Pek mine area on February 25, and from there on March 14 to D. Milanovac.
On January 24, a platoon of the 2nd squadron carried out intensive reconnaissance (see essay “2nd squadron”),
From March 24 to 27 – a combat expedition of the 10th company to the Metovnitsa – Parachin station area. The same expedition – April 27.
On June 16, the Reds attacked a train at the Mala Suvaya railway station. Several Corps officials were taken into the forest and brutally killed there, including the veterinarian Schillerov.
Expeditions: September 8 – III battalion from Bor, to clear the Crni Vrh area; October 7 – Negotin garrison against partisans in the Rgotsky Kamen area – Rgotin and Bor garrison – to clear the Negotin-Brusnik route; October 22 – campaign of the 2nd squadron of Pozarevac Mladenovac – Belgrade – Smederevo – Pozarevac – Kucevo – Petrovac and return on November 1 to Pozarevac; November 3 – participation in the expedition of the 6th and 7th hundred in the area of Korbulovo – Chudra – Brestovac – Brusnik; November 6 – 5th hundred – Korbulovo.
In August, the PAK platoon formed on Banitsa under the command of Lieutenant Somov arrived at the regiment.
On November 17, on barges along the Danube, the 7th and 8th hundreds were transferred from Prahovo to D. Milanovac.
On November 21, the headquarters of the 2nd battalion, the 5th and 6th hundreds were transferred to the 1st regiment; On December 1, the scooter, technical and sanitary platoons were disbanded; 4th battery and 11th company. Instead of them, an artillery platoon and heavy platoons attached to the battalions were formed, and instead of those who went to the 1st regiment, the 5th company (from the 5th company of the 4th regiment) was formed. Luchaninova and 7th (from the 1st and 2nd cadet companies of the 1st regiment) – Colonel Eichholtz.
Russian Protective Corps units last positions map before leaving in 1944, Yugoslavia
Second squadron of the 2nd regiment of the Russian Corps
– Get up! To clean up! – the command of sergeant (colonel) V.I. rang out in the premises of the 3rd platoon of the 2nd squadron of the 2nd regiment of the Russian Corps, Kutuzov.
– Ugh, it’s so cold and I just want to sleep. We went to bed so late yesterday,” dissatisfied voices were heard.
– Enough, enough. Civilian promiscuity! Time to clean up! Get the horses out to the hitching post! Just think, “how cold,” V.I. joked, laughing. Kutuzov, – only 15 degrees below zero; You’ll warm up while cleaning.
Having quickly dressed, we crawled out into the yard to wash ourselves with ice water. We washed ourselves, jumping from the cold and involuntarily remembering our past comfortable civilian life with a warm bathroom. Cleaning has begun. The horses could not stand calmly on the hitching post because of the cold. My hands quickly froze and I had to run into the room to warm them up at the stove and get back to work. Service in the cavalry is much harder than in the infantry. Finally, the horses were cleaned, all that remained was cleaning the stables, then watering, distributing oats, and then hay. Having finished with all this, we went to drink tea, warm up and relax until lunch.
Everyone was very intrigued by yesterday’s unexpected order for the squadron to march. It was ordered to set out tomorrow morning from Pozharevets along the road to Andrievtsy and, starting from the 6th kilometer, set up outposts along the road at a distance of 1-2 km from each other, camouflaging them well from enemy observation. I had to stand at the 12th km with an outpost of six sabers. Here the road ran along a not very deep ravine. At the bottom of the ravine, in the snow, there were sheaves of corn in heaps and sparse trees. From these haystacks we made stable tents, each for two horses, and each tent retained its own type of haystack. We also positioned ourselves in these same heaps, sealing all the entrances with dry branches and sheaves and setting up a post on the road near a large tree. They made something like a fortified position from large stones lying on the road, camouflaging it with snow. It was ordered to observe the area, interview passers-by and not leave the post.
We stood there quietly for several hours, when suddenly the guard, cornet Ellert, gave the prearranged signal. I quickly ran to the post.
– Look, Mr. Captain, there, at the second bend of the road you can see a group of three horsemen and a sleigh.
– This is probably some German leadership coming. There can be nothing else… In any case, we need to be prepared to meet the unknown. You, cornet, when the group approaches, call out to them in German.
Less than ten minutes had passed when the sonorous call of Ellert’s cornet was heard:
– Halt! “I came out of the corn pile and climbed out of the ravine onto the road to the post. There was already a sleigh there and a German Oberst was sitting in it. He looked happy and cheerful. He was talking to Ellert. I approached the sleigh and reported to the Oberst in Russian.
– Good good! Are you a soldier? – I pointed with my hand into the ravine at the stacks of corn.
“Their zee niht,” said the Oberst. I shouted: “Come out!” And all of mine came out of their haystacks, and from behind their backs stretched the faces of horses.
Oberst was inexplicably delighted:
– Good very good. Thank you! Bravo!
He probably wanted to show his knowledge of the Russian language and thereby show us attention. Half an hour later a messenger rode up on horseback with orders to join the squadron. The sun had already set, the frost was getting stronger. At this time, we were overtaken at a trot by a squadron of Germans from Prince Eugene’s division.
Squadron commander, Hauptmann (Major General) E.V. Ivanov led the squadron at a variable gait. It became very dark, and thick snow began to fall. We were all very cold. They were dressed poorly, in summer brown overcoats; There was almost no warm underwear. My ears and hands were freezing terribly. Winter 1941-1942 was very harsh. Snow covered the road, snowdrifts formed and it was hard for the horses, because… their legs sank knee-deep into the snow. Snow covered my eyes. Finally, under the mountain below, the electric lights of Pozharevets began to flash. I felt joyful that soon it would be possible to warm up with hot tea and brandy.
The reason for our “campaign” was that the German command wanted to test our squadron to see what it was capable of. This test was made after the squadron had been in existence for 3 months. The exam was passed. The Germans were very pleased, and from that time on the attitude towards us became very good
In Pozharevets the squadron was quartered in four kafans with large stables. Our Con-battery also stood here.
no artillery. Everyone lived together. Gradually, old traditions began to emerge. In the evenings, during free time from work, we gathered in groups in kafans and over a glass of “Smederevka” or a glass of “Prepečenica” or “Klekovači” we had conversations and remembered the good old times, our glorious Imperial cavalry and horse artillery.
Those who enjoyed such friendly conversations most of all were the dashing hussars: the regiment of Olferov, Dyakonov, Captain Sargani, Cornet Chernichenko and Shalevich, Colonel Kutuzov, Cornet Moshin, Lieutenant Colonel Kornilov. They were joined by other people who liked to listen to funny, interesting and witty stories or memories about the life of the Imperial regiments. Clinking glasses with brandy, which increased the good mood, we sat in the kafans until the permitted hour. Cornet Chernichenko, as a big hospitable person who loved to go on a spree, loved to treat the company, and with his stories he amused everyone present.
Despite the difficult conditions and harsh winter, the squadron was formed at an accelerated pace in the “Topovski schupi” (the former barracks of the Serbian horse artillery in Belgrade) under the energetic leadership of the squadron commander, General. Ivanov and battalion commander Regiment. Tikhonravova. The ranks of the battalion headquarters also worked a lot: Colonel Tseshkovsky and Captain Kovalevsky. All ranks of the squadron tried, as best they could, to better help the formation of their beloved cavalry and, as everyone thought, “the revival of the Russian cavalry.” Everyone was diligent in their duties and looked after the horses and saddles with care and love. Shift driving and driving training were carried out for those young people who knew everything only in theory. Many cavalrymen from other companies of the regiment asked General Ivanov to transfer them to the squadron.
The platoon commanders were: 1st lieutenant (regiment) Olferov, 2nd lieutenant (lieutenant colonel) Shestakovsky, 3rd lieutenant (lieutenant colonel) Kirsanov, 4th lieutenant (lieutenant colonel) Kornilov. And so, after two months of its existence, the squadron was loaded into echelons and sent to serve in the city of Pozarevac. All wives, children, mothers, sisters, fathers, friends, acquaintances and simply curious people came to the railway station to see off the squadron – “the beginning of the Russian cavalry.” Accompanied by the loud singing of “God bless your people,” train after train began to depart from the Belgrade Tovarny station. The horse artillery was also loaded into its echelons that day and went to Požarevac. In the spring, repairs arrived from Banat and replenished the shortage of horses in the squadron.
In winter, the squadron served as night patrols to protect the railway line. On one of these trips, on a very dark night, leaving Pozharevets and walking along a country road for 4-5 km, seeing absolutely nothing in front of me, my mare Tsatsa suddenly stopped and did not want to go further. The spurs and whip didn’t help. She reared up and turned back.
– Mr. Captain, don’t force the mare. There is something ahead and she feels it. It’s better to turn back onto another road. “And so you will destroy the mare and yourself,” senior non-commissioned officer Koch, Novo-Arkhangelsk regiment, admonished me. All around the area was swampy, it was possible to move only along the road. I had to turn and get onto the highway. We were returning at dawn, and my curiosity forced me to go along the country road to inspect the place where the mare had balked and find out the reason. It turned out that the bridge spanning a deep ravine was impassable. All the boards on the bridge were dismantled and only bare piles remained. My mare’s instinct saved us from imminent disaster.
With the onset of spring, the squadron began to receive combat missions. Once the sergeant was called to the squadron commander. Having returned, V.I. Kutuzov announced that the German command demanded that 30 horsemen be sent to the commandant’s headquarters in an hour to receive the task. The team will be composed by the choice of the sergeant from different platoons. I was ordered to lead this detachment. When I arrived at the commandant’s office, I learned that we would set out as soon as the radio station and PAK arrived. We will receive the task on the way via radio. I was given a sealed envelope marked with the time it was opened. Finally everything was ready, our detachment moved from Pozharevets. A horse troop walked ahead, followed by a radio station, a gig and a PAK. At the appointed time, I opened the package – I was ordered to move at an accelerated pace until the 10th kilometer, and then contact the headquarters of the XX Regiment battalion by radio and receive the task and instructions from it. After many years of quiet civilian life in Serbia, we all found ourselves in a combat situation for the first time. It was new to me that the cavalry detachment of 30 sabers was given a radio station and a gun, which was not the case in the last great war. I was worried about our first meeting with the enemy. I was sure that the Lord God would help in our just cause.
At the 10th km the detachment stopped. The radio station was activated and headquarters was quickly contacted. We were ordered, without wasting time, to move to the village of V., 8 km from here, where a broken couple of 40 partisans lingered, intending to rest until dark. Our task is to capture it. On the way, we came across a heavily flooded river with a fast current. The bridge was demolished, and the depth and bed of the river were unknown to us. The crossing has begun. At first they walked knee-deep, and when they got to the middle, the horses sank into the water above their stomachs. “Will it really be even deeper and I’ll have to swim a few steps and then end up wet?” – flashed through our heads, but luckily for us the water didn’t reach any deeper.
A village appeared on the horizon. I sent patrols. Soon one of them rode up and reported that the partisans had left the village two hours ago. Having entered the village, we again contacted the radio and received orders to rest the horses and return home. Our first combat mission ended so boringly.
There were rumors that our squadron would be deployed into a cavalry regiment and that our General Ivanov would be the commander of this regiment.
In the summer, wives came to Požarevac to visit their husbands. With their presence they brought life into everyday life and were the subject of everyone’s attention in the squadron.
In September, I received an assignment to go to Banitsa in Belgrade, to the emerging 4th regiment under the command of the valiant venerable general A.N. Cherepova. In the regiment he received command of a cadet scooter platoon and promotion to lieutenant. The cadet platoon consisted of very good and nice young people. Platoon soldier. the officer was cornet N. Ponter, my assistant was a very active, decent and nice person.
It was a pity to part with the squadron, my native equestrian business, the smell of the stables and horses!..(by Vl. Silin)
1943 chronology of the 2nd regiment of the Russian Protective Corps
On February 5, after the Cossacks left for the 1st regiment, Colonel Dudyshkin was appointed commander of the 3rd company. The 6th company of Colonel Shebalin arrived in D. Milanovac, and the Cossack hundred of Colonel Polyakov went to the 1st regiment.
While inspecting the area south of Pozharevets, the 2nd squadron captured 18 partisans with two light machine guns.
February 25 The headquarters of the 1st battalion, the 2nd squadron, the PAK platoon and the artillery platoon with part of the artillery platoon of the 1st regiment moved from Pozharevets to Maidan Pek.
On March 6, one squad of the 1st company, while on reconnaissance, was fired upon from an ambush, and two in the squad were wounded.
On May 5, formed on Banitsa from Red Army prisoners of war, the 11th company of Colonel Kondratiev arrived in Bor; The 1st company moved to Dobra, and the 3rd to Boljetin.
From May 7 to 10, the II battalion was transferred to Bor, and the III to Negotin, one in place of the other, and the 9th company of Colonel Sevrin remained in Bor and became part of the II battalion, like the 6th, and instead to the III battalion The former 6th company of Colonel Shebalin entered as the 9th.
On May 22, a detachment of partisans tried to free political prisoners from prison in Negotin. Simultaneously with the murder of the sentry near the prison, rifle fire was opened in different places of the city, but return fire from the guard and parts of the garrison forced the partisans to leave the city.
On June 11, a group of partisans was spotted on Mount Glavchina, scattered by fire from patrols of the 3rd company.
On June 12-13, a military expedition of Colonel Levandovsky’s combined detachment from the Maidan-Peka garrison took place. Having come into contact with the enemy in the Slatina farmsteads near Trstenik, the detachment entered into a firefight, as a result of which 10 killed partisans were buried by local peasants and many were wounded. We captured carts with property and weapons. The partisans hastily retreated. One person in the squad was wounded. The Corps Commander, in order No. 39, expressed gratitude to the entire detachment.
At the same time, the 7th and 11th companies and a cavalry platoon took part in the operation together with two German companies, one of which killed 2 and captured 16 partisans and took one PAK gun. We had no losses.
On June 17, during an inspection of the Imeria region, one cadet of the 9th company was killed in a shootout with partisans.
From July 25 to August 1, units of the 3rd battalion were transferred from Negotia to Žagubica (headquarters and 11th company) and to Laznica (10th company), on August 14, the 9th company moved to Maidan-Pek, and the headquarters of the 1st battalion, 2nd company and PAK – in D. Milanovac; September 6, 10th company – to Kostolac; On September 7, the headquarters of the 3rd battalion arrived in Majdan Pek, two platoons of the 11th company arrived in Brnica and one in Golubac.
On September 27, under the influence of the agitation of communist agents hiding in the ranks of the 11th company, consisting of Red Army prisoners of war, part of the company fled to the mountains. The remainder of the company is distributed among all companies of the regiment. The garrison in Brnica is occupied by a combined company of the regiment. Kubarkin.
On September 30, in Kostolets, partisans attacked the guard of the 10th company. The attack was repulsed. Company losses: 1 killed and 1 wounded.
On October 21, the headquarters of the III Battalion moved to the Kostolac mine.
On October 25, the 1st training company, which arrived from Belgrade in D. Milanovac, was renamed into the 3rd company under the command of Colonel Kalinin, and the former 3rd company joined the 2nd, which moved from D. Milanovac to Boljetin.
On November 14, the 2nd training company of Lieutenant Colonel Kotlyar arrived in Bor.
November 19 The regiment’s headquarters moved to V. Gradishte.
On October 29, a patrol with the strength of one squad of non-commissioned officer Volodin, in reconnaissance, came across the partisans and attacked them. The partisans met him with fire, but could not withstand our onslaught and dispersed, losing 2 killed and 2 seriously wounded.
On November 5, a PAC platoon under Lieutenant Somov examined the Topolnitsa area and came across a party of bandits. The enemy was driven out of the village, leaving 6 killed and 1 prisoner at the battlefield, and fled into the forest. In addition to the above cases, almost daily reconnaissance of the regiment’s units.
Position as of December 31: regiment headquarters – V. Gradishte, commander of the 1st battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Popov-Kokoulin – D. Milanovac; 1st company – Colonel Nesterenko – Dobra; 2nd – Colonel Brenneke – Boljetin; 3rd – regiment Kalinin – D. Milanovac; commander of the 2nd battalion – General Zinkevich – Bor; 5th company – Colonel Luchaninov – Bor; 6th – Colonel Sevrin – Bor; 7th – Colonel Khristoforov – Bor; commander of the III battalion – General Ivanov – Kostolac; 9th company – Colonel Shebalin – Maidan-Pek; 10th – Colonel Mamontov – Kostolac; The 11th was disbanded.
1944 structure and the battles of the 2nd regiment of the Russian Corps
January 9, the 2nd training company was renamed the 7th company under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Kotlyar. The ranks of the former 7th cadet company are distributed between the 5th, 6th and 7th companies. Colonel Sevrin was appointed commander of the 1st battalion, and Colonel Khristoforov was appointed commander of the 6th company.
January 14 Regroupings: The 2nd battalion from Bor moved to Velika Plana and settled down: battalion headquarters, 5th and 7th companies – Velika Plana, 6th company – Palanca. The task is to protect railway structures on the Glibovac-Markovac section.
On January 26, the regimental headquarters moved to Požarevac.
April 21, the headquarters of the III battalion, the 10th and 11th companies moved from Kostolets to: the battalion headquarters and the 1st platoon of the 10th company – in V. Gradishte, 2 platoons of the 10th company – in Golubac, 11th company – to Brnica. The combined company that made up the Brnica garrison was disbanded.
May 3, the 2nd company moved to Lepena.
April 15, the 3rd training company was renamed the 11th under the command of Colonel Bochevsky.
April 28, the convoy of the 10th company, guarded by 5 riflemen under the command of Colonel Pio-Ulski, moving from V. Gradiste to Golubac, was attacked by 37 partisans. Having occupied a roadside ditch, the guards repelled the attack with their energetic fire.
May 10, three sections of the 11th company, under the command of Lieutenant Hattenberger, had a firefight with the partisans during reconnaissance.
A period of frequent air alerts began in connection with the flights of large formations of Anglo-American aviation, which sometimes fired and threw bombs at the regiment’s garrisons.
In June, in connection with the appointment of Colonel Nesterenko as commander of the 4th training company, Colonel Kubarkin took over the 1st company.
On August 18, the II battalion departed for the location of the 3rd regiment and arrived in the Ushcha area, where it replaced the III battalion of the 3rd regiment of General Petrovsky. Location: battalion headquarters – Ushche, 5th company – headquarters in Bogutovačka Banje and bunker N 128-137, 6th company – headquarters in Ushche and bunker MM 137-148 and 7th company – station. Banska and bunker No. 178-179 of the Kraljevo-Raska railway guard.
On August 27, the 9th company under the command of the temporary company commander, ob.-ltn. Volkovsky, being surrounded by large forces of Chetniks, on the orders of the command, having blown up ammunition depots, broke out of the encirclement and made her way from Maidan Peka to D. Milanovac.
In the second half of summer, communist troops began to strengthen and move from Montenegro and Bosnia to northeastern Serbia. The garrisons of D. Milanovets, Boletin and Dobra strengthened their positions – they built bunkers, wire fences, minefields, etc. The enemy is becoming more active every day, and units of the regiment have become more frequently involved in clashes with partisan detachments. At the same time, detachments of Chetniks appeared, who constantly tried to take away weapons and campaigned for the transfer of regiment ranks to their ranks. There were many clashes with them, which ended in the defeat of these detachments. After the surrender of Romania and Bulgaria, these detachments became even more active and offered to hand over their weapons by telephone.
By the end of August, new Tito partisan brigades arrived, dispersed and disarmed the Chetnik detachments. When these brigades appeared, all companies in D. Milanovets took up their positions, expecting an attack.
August 27 East of the village of Svinitsa, the left bank of the Danube is occupied by enemy Romanian troops. The building of the headquarters of the 1st battalion in D. Milanovets was destroyed by grenade launcher fire from the Romanian side (essay “The Way of the Cross of the Russian Corps”).
Expedition of the detachment ltn. Gamburtsev to the Romanian bank of the Danube was crowned with success. The order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Southeast reads:
“I declare my full gratitude to Litn. 1st Battalion 2nd Regiment ROK – Gamburtsev for the courage he showed on September 8, 1944 under the fire of grenade launchers to the west of Svinitsa and the selfless swiftness that was crowned with success. Felber, Infantry General.”
On the night of September 7-8, the partisans, while crossing the Ibar River, attacked the bunkers of the 6th company, and No. 138 fought back, No. 139 was taken by the partisans, No. 140 fought back, Nos. 141 and 142 were burned with incendiary bombs and their garrisons withdrew at number 143.
September 10, all families, sick and unfit ranks of the regiment on the monitor ship were sent to Zemun for evacuation to Germany.
On September 15, Colonel Baltsar’s 5th Training Company arrived at the II Battalion and was renamed the 5th Company of the 2nd Regiment, and the old 5th Company merged into the 6th Company. The headquarters of the 5th company became in Ushcha, and the 6th – in Bogutovačka Banya.
Beginning in October, individual groups of the 2nd Regiment were forced by force of circumstances to act independently.
Regimental headquarters. A combined detachment was formed in Pozharevets, which included a heavy weapons platoon of the 1st battalion of the 4th ltn regiment. Vishnevsky, seconded to the headquarters of the 2nd regiment due to the impossibility of joining his regiment.
On October 8, an unexpected order was received – in half an hour, in view of the movement of Soviet tanks towards Požarevac, to move beyond the Moravian Bridge. The entire office was abandoned in a hurry. At night we arrived in M. Krena, having received an order from Corps Headquarters to proceed to Belgrade, where we arrived on the night of October 9, settling in Banjica.
On October 13, the regimental headquarters moved to Zemun, on the 14th – to Indzhia, on the 15th – to Ruma, where the Corps Headquarters and the combined battalion of Colonel Mamontov were already located.
On October 18, the headquarters arrived in Petrovtsi, on the 25th – in St. Yankovtsi, November 4 – in Berak, 10th – St. Yankovtsi, 12th – Brka, 19th – Gunya and 7 December – Brčko, where he remained until the end of the year.
Detachment of the 1st battalion of Colonel Kalinin. Until October 8, Garrison D Milanovets: headquarters of the 1st battalion, 3rd and 9th companies and a heavy platoon, continued to fight. On October 9, the battalion commander, Major Sevrin, was killed and the commander of the 3rd company of the guardhouse took command of the detachment of the 1st battalion. Kalinin. Leaving D. Milanovac and moving to Smederevo-Grotska in order to escape the Soviet encirclement, on October 17 the detachment fought near the village. Beleg, and on the 18th he was finally destroyed near Avala, with Lieutenant Gamburtsev killed and the rest of the command staff captured.
1st and 2nd companies. On the night of October 3, the companies boarded monitor ships and moved up the Danube in the direction of Belgrade. Arriving in Belgrade, on October 7 they loaded into carriages and arrived in Kragujevac at night. On October 9 we arrived in Vitanovac, on the 11th in Kraljevo and on the 12th in Cacak.
On October 16, due to an unexpected attack by the Chetniks, the companies were disarmed and taken to the mountains. By the end of the year, some of the people of the 1st company, who managed to escape from the Chetniks, were merged into the 5th regiment.
II battalion. On October 30, after German naval units, the battalion arrived in Raska, where it was reorganized and became part of the Consolidated Regiment as the 3rd Battalion.
General Ivanov’s detachment. On October 4, the headquarters of the III battalion, the 4th training company of Colonel Nesterenko and a platoon of the 10th company arrived in V. Gradishte and on the 6th were attacked by partisans, but repelled the attack. On the 11th he marched to Ram, on the 12th he entered Pozarevac and moved to Osipaonitsa, on the 14th he arrived in Smederevo, where he occupied the defense sector, and on the 15th he marched on Belgrade and passed Grotsko. Moving under partisan fire, the detachment moved towards Avala on October 16, where on October 17 it was surrounded by Soviet infantry and tanks. During the battle, in order to break through to the Ripan station, the left flank of the detachment was captured and General Ivanov was wounded. The remnants of the detachment under the command of Colonel Nesterenko managed to break through to the Ripan station by nightfall and on October 18 fought their way to the village. Moshtanitsa, and on the 20th – to the village. Skela. On October 21, they fought with the partisans and, having fought their way through them, caught up with the general column and at night, crossing the Sava River, arrived in Shabac. On October 22, the 4th training company, having joined the entire group of Corps men who had broken through, approached the 1st regiment in Klenak. On the 23rd she arrived in Wed. Mitrovica, on the 25th – to Vukovar, on the 26th – to Osek, on the 28th – to Vinkovci station, and from there to the village. Art. Yankovtsi, having in its final composition, after the evacuation of the sick and wounded, 115 people.
The 10th and 11th companies, on the night of October 3, boarded monitor ships. After arriving in Belgrade, an unsuccessful expedition to Kraljevo and returning again to Belgrade, the combined battalion of Colonel Mamontov, on October 13, was sent to Zemun. On October 14, the battalion was transferred to Ruma station, on the 16th – to Vinkovtsi, on the 19th – to N. Yankovtsi and on the 24th St. Yankovtsi (essay “From the memories of the 2nd regiment”).
New III battalion. On October 29, a new III battalion of the 2nd regiment was formed from the 10th, 11th and 4th training companies. The battalion commander is Colonel Mamontov. The 4th training company was renamed the 9th by Colonel Nesterenko. On November 12, the battalion moved to the village of Brka and in the following days conducted reconnaissance of the surrounding area. On November 15, the 11th company had a battle near the village of Rakhich. On November 16, at night, the partisans attacked Brka (essay “Night Battle”).
The combined company of Colonel Nesterenko (2nd platoon of the 9th and 1st platoons of the 11th company) was sent on December 2 with German tanks to liberate Janja and Bijelina from the partisans in order to open the way for the German column departing from Zvornik. On December 3, the company defeated the enemy with an attack and occupied Bijelina by evening. On December 4, half a company of the combined company moved in vehicles to Yanya and, joining there with the head parts of the German column, returned to its company, and in the evening the whole company returned to Brka.
Order to the Russian Corps No. 317 of December 24, 1944: “I announce the daily order of the Brčko combat group dated December 15, 1944: “When taking the city of Bijelina, occupied by large forces of partisans, the 9th company of the 2nd regiment R.C.S. under the command of Hauptmann Nesterenko showed itself well. . The company, supported by German tanks, attacked decisively, drove back the enemy and captured the city. All ranks of this company took a prominent part in achieving this great success.
1st company of the 1st regiment R.K. also returned the village of Vrbanja with German units, fighting against superior enemy forces and performed well in battle under the command of Hauptmann Lugovsky. The performances of individual fighters were excellent. I declare to both of these companies of the Russian Corps of Serbia, especially the company commanders, my full gratitude for their courage and outstanding actions. Gierga, Oberst-Lieutenant and commander of the battle group.”
On December 8, the 11th company was sent to Brčko, on the 17th – to Racinovtsi, on the 18th – to Pukish, on the 20th to Mrtvitsa, on the 21st, under pressure from partisans, it retreated in battle to the village. Pukish (was wounded by ltn. Rychkov), and then to Chelich, and on the 29th she returned to Brka. The remaining companies of the III Battalion conducted reconnaissance throughout December and strengthened positions in Brka.