Memories of a Soviet intelligence officer about the first “soray” into the Wehrmacht positions
Since the Great Patriotic War, many memoirs of Soviet soldiers and officers have been preserved. In one of these memoirs, a Red Army intelligence officer tells how in December 1942 he went on his first sortie.
By the way, the military man was not initially an intelligence officer. The soldiers of his company were offered to test this specialty upon arrival in the Vertyachiy village.
I wanted to go on reconnaissance missions, but it was scary. Suddenly, I can’t, I can’t stand it
- writes a Red Army soldier.
But he still made up his mind and went out of order. Ultimately, as the Soviet soldier writes, there were five or six scouts from two companies that arrived in the village.
The author of the memoirs was appointed senior group. After this, the fighters went to the intelligence headquarters, located 6 km away.
In turn, already at night, the newly minted intelligence officer joined the group that advanced to the enemy positions “to take the language.”
Everyone was in white. They are all the same
- the author recalls.
As the author of the memoir writes, at the very beginning of the sortie, he set himself only one task - not to fall behind and not get lost in the pitch darkness.
The walk was long and uneven. They walked slowly, then they ran. Sometimes I stop. Finally, they crawled. The felt boots are moving in front of my face, and so am I. They stop - I stop too
- writes a Red Army soldier.
Ultimately, it turned out that the “newbie,” following the experienced scout, crawled to the German dugouts. At the same time, it was initially planned that the scouts who went on the first sortie would observe the operation from afar.
The fighter refused to return, afraid of getting lost.
Well then don't leave me alone
- the author of the memoir quotes the words of the “senior” partner.
Having taken a position in close proximity to the enemy, the Soviet soldiers waited. At the same time, the author of the memoirs noted that lying in the snow he did not feel cold at all, quite the contrary.
So, having “warmed up”, the newly minted intelligence officer dozed off. He woke up when someone pushed him and ordered him to crawl back in his tracks.
Returning to their trench, located on the way to the intelligence headquarters, the group lit a cigarette. The author of the memoirs could not understand whether they completed the task.
The newcomer noticed that the scouts had taken the “tongue” only on the way back to headquarters. This was his first experience.
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