Red Steel at Kamenewo, Mtsensk, Central Front, Russia, 6th October 1941 by David Pentland [Print]

Artist: David Pentland [Browse all David Pentland]

 Following the capture of Orel, the German High Command ordered General Heinz Guderians panzers to push on towards Mtsensk, Tuila and Moscow. Alarmed at the situation Stalin deployed Major General Leyushenko to halt this advance. the battle was finally joined when when the 4th Panzer Division crossed the Lisiza stream at Kamenewo, pushing back the dug in defenders towards Mtsensk, but unaware they had entered a Soviet trap. at this point the T34s and KV1s of Colonel Katukovs 4th tank Brigade attacked from the woods on the Panzers left flank smashing the out gunned and weaker armoured PzIII tanks and half tracks. For the Germans the battle was a terrible shock, stalling their advance and an unexpected demonstration of Soviet armoured superiority. During the battle Lt Lavrinienko, with his platoon of four T34s supported by three KV1s under Sgt Antonov knocked out eleven enemy tanks, plus a pair of artillery guns (squashed under the tracks of the KVs) In his short two month career, Lt Lavinienko knocked out some fifty two enemy tanks!