For any paratrooper, the subjects of special pride and undisputed symbols of involvement in the unbreakable landing fraternity are undoubtedly the blue takes and the vest.
Most Russians are these well recognizable attributes of the landing form of clothing have long been perceived as classic. At the same time, not everyone knows that the appearance of these elements in the wardrobe of the "winged infantry" in the wardrobe, and above all the vests, is associated with frontist history and directly with the name "Paradnik No. 1" Vasily Filippovich Marghelova.
V.F. MargelovIn the chronicles of the Great Patriotic War, along with numerous victorious battles, there are operations that have not reached the goals delivered and therefore remaining in the "shadows". One of these is the Shlisselburg landing in November 1941. For a long time, this episode of the Great Patriotic War was not sufficiently studied and covered by non-responding and distortion. To understand the past stories that have long left and revive the names of the fallen warriors, the St. Petersburg historian Vyacheslav Mosunov and the grandson of one of the participants in the breakthrough of Leningrad Blockada Valery Shagin decided. His grandfather, Military Commissar of the 2nd battalion Politruk Pavel Ivanovich Shagin died during the time of the landing and for a long time about the true circumstances of his death, like hundreds of other fighters, practically nothing was known. The grandson of Frontovik involuntarily became a researcher, and years later, the real picture of the battle on Ladog was opened for descendants.
Valery Chagin told the "Red Star" about the little-known details of those November Days and nights in Ladoga Ice, during which the fate of the Leningradsky militias, the hydrographs of the Red Baltic Fleet, fighters from the marines and the future of the legendary commander of the airborne troops of Vasily Filippovich were bizarrectically Marghelova.
On September 8, 1941, with the seizure of Shlisselburg, the German troops rings around Leningrad closed. This meant one thing - the prospect of the slow and painful death of two and a half million Leningradians. Almost immediately began to be attempts to break through the blocked ring. At the end of November, thanks to the early appearance of ice on Ladoga, the Soviet command decided to attack the enemy positions from the lake, on the very narrow site - along the coast between Shlisselburg and the village of Lipki ("Flyashenkhals" - a bottle throat, as His Germans called).
In this desperate attempt to snatch Leningrad from the vice blockade, the 80th Infantry Division and the 1st special separate ski regiment of the sailors of the Red Baltic Fleet, specially formed for this operation from 900 volunteers in sailor vests, were participated. Among them were members of the crews of the dead ships, anti-aircraft workers, coastal sailors. He headed the part of Major Vasily Margelov unique in his own way, before that he commanded the 218th Rifle Region of the 80th Rifle Division.
As Valery Chagin told, thoroughly studied all the documents and memories of the participants of that operation, the Balticians initially unwrittenly took the appointment with their infantry commander. However, Margelov almost immediately managed to find contact with the sailors, contacting them in a simple way and in their style: "Great, tower!". In addition, in contrast to most subordinates who did not participate in hostilities, Major had a combat experience of the Finnish war in the shoulders, in which he was a combat of intelligence skiers, which also added to him authority and respect.
On November 20, sailors changed to the army form and issued white camouflage bathrobes. Each fighter received a PPD machine gun, a knife, 4 grenades and food supply for four days. On November 22, the regiment was crushed into a laugh in the village of Vaganovo, and from there he went skiing to Cape Sosnowiec. In front of the skiers there was a task together with three shelves of the 80th rifle division on the night from November 24-25, to reach the southernland of Ladoga between Shlisselburg and the village of Lipki and seize the bridgehead. Then Margelovtsy, developing success, should have been going through German reasons and strike towards the most fortified assembly of enemy defense on the left bank of the Neva. However, the initial intent for a number of reasons was not realized. Some interacting parts did not have time to navigate the lines of reference, and the ice in Ladoga is not yet everywhere.
The next attempt took place on the night from November 27 to 28. Now Marghelov's skiers were to go to the stickies from Cape Sosnowiec about 15 km, and then, overcoming as much as much as the sort of starting line, which extended the route. Early in the morning on November 28, the regiment was able to exit the assigned point. By this time, the 80th rifle division, which was supposed to ensure the capture and retention of the southern coast of the Ladoga, was scattered on ice with the fire of German artillery. As a result, on the basis of the established situation, Margelov gave an order to attack the enemy.
At 8 am, sailors with a cry "Hurray!" Burned ashore and entered into battle. With the move, breaking the line of the towers, Margelovtsy occupied the stickies and approximately a kilometer advanced to the south, destroying the dots, machine-gun nests and the lively opponent's strength. But soon the opponent of fierce machine-gun and artillery fire prevented the further promotion of skiers, throwing additional well-equipped reserves against them. Sailors began to carry large losses, besides, a threat of an environment was created. Marines switched to defense. Almost all the commanders of the regiment died, including Politruk Pavel Shagin, and Margelov himself was injured. Despite the complexity of the situation and large losses, there was no panic. No one moved from the turn without an order.
Much later about the courage of the sailors became known from the reporting of the 227th Infantry Division of the Wehrmacht, which said that the fighters of the Russian elite voluntary ski regiment (Elite-FreiwilliLigen-Ski-Regiment) had "excellent straightening and produced an excellent impression, possessed an unusually high martial spirit . The regiment steadfastly fought to the last cartridge, despite the big losses, fierce resistance was to the end. Intensity, the fierce battle confirms the extremely high consumption of ammunition, unfortunately, our own losses are also great ... ". About 250 people of the Baltic sailors were able to get out of battle and the wounded commander was carried out on their hands.
By the way, in the confusion of those days there were attempts to blame sailors in the failure of the operation, but Margelov managed to defend the honor of his subordinates and subsequently not once with admiration noted exclusively courageous behavior of people in battle. In the political management report, recorded from the few surviving commanders, including the regiment itself was noted: "From 11.00 to 19.00, skiers sailors from the Germans were chosen under a strong firing shaft of the machine gun and automatic fire. No man moved away without an order. The redflowers cut the rackets, the excretion of the missiles was shot down by an artillery and mortar fire of the enemy. The regiment commander notes the exceptional courage in the behavior of people in battle. "
Fight sailors in the direction of Lipki - Shlisselburg for the whole life left an indelible mark in the soul of Vasily Marghelov. "Delete" Brothers, "he said," I smelled in my heart. I want paratroopers to adopt the glorious traditions of the elder brother - marine infantry and with honor they continued. For this, I entered the paratroopers of the vests. Only strips on them under the color of the sky - blue. "
When at one meeting with the Minister of Defense of the USSR, the Commander of the Navy Admiral Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov expressed dissatisfaction that the paratroopers allegedly "steal" from the seafarers of Telnyashki, Vasily Filippovich replied without sharpness: "I myself fought in the marine infantry and I know that the pavement deserves, And what - no! "
Oleg Grozny, "Red Star"