186

SIVKOV’S AND KRESTYANINOVS LETTER TO THEIR COMRADES

p We two remain alone in tank No. 17-tank commander Jun. Lt. Vadim Sivkov and wireless-operator Pyotr Krestyaninov. We prefer death in our own tank than to desert it.

p We will not be taken prisoner, so we are leaving 2 or 3 bullets each for ourselves. Blame for the accident must be put on our ’driver who did not carry out my orders and turn to the left. When he jumped out I didn’t shoot him for fear of blocking the escape hatch.

p Twice the Germans have approached the tank but haven’t been able to open the hatches. In our last minute of life we shall blow up the tank with grenades so that the enemy doesn’t get hold of it. Please tell our people at home that we did our duty to our country by capturing Yavkino with only one tank, and then dying there.

p Address: Lieutenant-Colonel Sivkov, District Military Committee, Karakulino, Udmurt A.S.S.R.

p Konstantin Krestyaninov, Ralniki, Shurminsky District, Kirov Region.

p Sivkov
P. Krestyaninov

March 15, 1944, 6.10 a.m.

187

VADIM SIVKOVS LETTER TO HIS PARENTS

p My Dear Dad, Mum and Tasenka,

p Just to let you know I’ve only been at the front a little over a month. We’ve covered more than sixty miles in our advance. On March 13, with a single tank I captured the large village of Yavkino (1,167 homesteads according to the 1930 map). On the night of March 15, the Germans counter-attacked and recaptured the village. In the dark my tank ran into an anti-tank trench. Just the two of us, my wireless-operator and myself, are left. We decided to die if necessary, but we shan’t surrender. Two or three times the Germans have come up to the tank but they haven’t got it open yet. It looks like these are the last minutes of my life. That, in brief, is about all. Don’t worry about me. That’s war for you. All the best for your future happiness. My last request: let the boys in Izhevsk know about my death. Well, that’s about all.

p Good-bye forever, 

p Your son,
Vadim

p March 15, 1944, 7 a.m.

Sivkov

p It was the morning of March 13, 1944. The Soviet Army was beating back the nazis from Russian soil. Among the leading units was the 212th Separate Tank Regiment. Tank No. 17 of this regiment pushed on ahead, mercilessly pursuing and mowing down the fleeing enemy. Skilfully manoeuvring over the rugged terrain, the tank came out to the village of Yavkino and ran into a strong barrage of fire from the Germans entrenched in the village. The tank crew, led by Junior Lieutenant Sivkov, decided to surge forward and drive the nazis out of the village. Moving right up to the edge of the village the tank opened up with all guns blazing, and at top speed tore into the village. Diving and ditching among the houses, the tank made it appear that at least a dozen tanks had burst into the village. The nazis dashed out from houses, along the streets into the gardens, but could not escape the Soviet tank’s relentless fire. By mid-day no enemy soldiers remained. And it was not long before the village was completely taken over by the forward infantry detachments of the Soviet Army.

p According to an incomplete count, it was estimated that as a result of the tank crew’s daring action, some 250 Germans had been killed and more than 100 different carts destroyed. Among the 188 trophies were 3 tanks in good shape, 12 armoured carriers, 3 guns, 5 mortars, 75 lorries and 250 carts.

p Two days passed. The foe, having summoned up his reserves, rushed into the counter-attack. Wave after wave of Germans converged on Yavkino. And once again the tank, swerving through the village, stopped the enemy’s advance. But it ran into bad luck. As it sharply rounded a house the tank pitched into an anti-tank trench. The cannon, rammed into the trench wall, was silenced.

p The nazis filtered back into the village and surrounded the stranded tank. But there were Soviet men inside the tank-tank commander Junior Lieutenant Vadim Sivkov and wireless operator Pyotr Krestyaninov. And when Hitler’s men hammered on the armoured sides shouting "Russ, surrender!”, the only answer they got was a firm: "Russians do not surrender.”

p The tank men were Y.C.L. members, both born in 1925. They had met up in the 212th Separate Tank Regiment. And for near on two months they had been fighting shoulder to shoulder on the 3rd Ukrainian Front.

p When their tank had blundered into the pit they both understood there was no way out. They checked their pistols and piled up their remaining hand grenades. Even before the two friends had finished writing their farewell letters home, they heard the nazis clamouring on the tank’s side. Seeing they would not be able to take the tank men alive, the Germans dragged up the artillery piece to blast the tank open. But the Soviet pair beat them to it. There was a tremendous explosion and on the spot where the tank had stood a sheet of flame shot up engulfing the enemy soldiers around.

p Two days later Soviet units once more recaptured the village. The remnants of the two tank men were buried with full military honours. A short while after, a soldier on his way through the village spotted the tank and on investigation, pulled a charred iron box from the wreckage. Inside the box were two sheets of paper-the farewell letters of the two heroes.

On May 24, 1944, a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the U.S.S.R. was published awarding the two brave men the titles of Hero of the Soviet Union.