“Reinforced the NKVD troops and artillery on Mamayev Kurgan...”
Sorry about taking so long to get back to you.
I would recommend not using these sources, they are embarrassing, especially the Fowler’s book, tons of errors and they keep being printed over and over again. Beevor, Hoyt, Piekalkiewicz, Erickson and a dozen more authors keep copying (semi-plagiarizing) the author before them. I have contact the majority of these authors over the last 20 years and time after time get vague answers related to the independent research they did for their books.
Please read it again, not what you think it says but what the author has wrote!
"Just before dawn the Soviet 42nd Guards Rifle Regiment 13th Guards Rifle Division (Rodimtsev) (presumably only two battalions) and 416th Rifle Regiment 112th Rifle Division reinforced the NKVD troops and artillery on Mamayev Kurgan…”
"...reinforced the NKVD troops and artillery on Mamayev Kurgan…”
Notes
- The German 6th Army war diary on September 14th,15th and 16th notes six times that the 295th Infantry Division frontlines are the west slope and southwesterly slope area of Hill 102.0 (Mamayev Kurgan). Not holding the east slopes.
- The book “Chronicle of the 295th Infantry Division” makes similar references on September 14th, 15th and 16th. "...that the 295th Infantry Division controlled the slope areas west and southwesterly of Hill 102.0 (Mamayev Kurgan)”. In addition, this chronicle states that Hill 102.0 area (German Infantry Regiment 516 sector) was under Soviet attacks from 0830 to 1700 on the September 14th.
- The 416th Rifle Regiment on the September 14th suffered 3 killed-in-action, 5 wounded-in-action and 133 missing-in-action and withdrew from the frontlines to a position along the Volga River northeasterly of Mamayev Kurgan (1830 HRS).
- The112th Rifle Divisional combat journal (416th Rifle Regiment) states the 1830 position for the night of 14th was 3 KM from Mamayev Kurgn. The416th Rifle Regiment must have moved 1 KM south along the Volga River during that night or early morning, because the journals starting position on the 15th is 2 KM from Mamayev Kurgan. The Divisional journal has no reference to movements during this period.
- The 416th Rifle Regiment received 186 replacement soldiers on the morning of the 15th. At 1200 they began their march from the east bank of the Volga River to Mamayev Kurgan(2 Km). At 1400 they reach the crest of the eastern face of Mamayev Kurgan, also being the frontline of the 2/270th Rifle Regiment (10th NKVD Rifle Division) and started their assault with elements of the 39th Guards Rifle Regiment.
- It was the 39th Guards Rifle Regiment that participated in this action not the 42nd.
- The 39th Guards Rifle Regiment attacks started along the southeasterly frontline of the 2/270th Rifle Regiment perimeter at 1300.
- At 1500 the Soviet assault ended with the capture of the Mamayev Kurgan summit and ridge line.
- The112th Rifle Division combat journal make no references to organic Division/Regiment Artillery units participating in the September 15th actions. I have not check outside this journal for other Artillery units that may have join the 1300 or 1400 assault.
- The 62nd Army command post was on Hill 102.0 until dawn of September 14th, Chuikov commander of the 62nd Army never states in his book “The battle for Stalingrad” that Hill 102.0 was completely taken or even that German force occupied the eastern slopes.
Soviet sources:
1. The Soviet 62nd Army war diary and maps. (TsAMO)
2. The Soviet 112th Rifle Division combat journal and maps. (TsAMO)
3. The Soviet 13th Guards Rifle Division combat journal and maps. (TsAMO)
4. The book “Chekists in battle / 10th Rifle Division NKVD veteran’s memoirs from Stalingrad. (Feat of Stalingrad are undying" series 1974)
5. The book “The battle for Stalingrad” Chuikov 1968
German sources:
1. The German 6th Army war diary.
2. The colossal book ”Rekonstruktion eines Tage-Buches / "Chronicle of the 295th Infantry Division“ (1300 pages, Kirstein 1999)
Graphic depiction assemble from the diaries and maps of the Soviet 62nd Army, the 112th Rifle Division, 13th Guards Rifle Division and the books “Chekists in battle" and "Chronicle of the 295th Infantry Division."
x1 = (9/14 position) & x2 = (9/15 position) – frontline position via 1992 personal interview with German Stalingrad battle veteran serving in Infantry Regiment 516 (295th Infantry Division.)
From the book Rekonstruktion eines Tage-Buches / Chronicle of the 295th Infantry Division (1300 pages, Kirstein 1999)
Hope this helps!
Russ
www.fireonthevolga.com