SOUTHERN RUSSIA, December 8, 1942: Following the encirclement of 
Sixth Army at Stalingrad, the Germans launched a relief effort from 
their bridgehead at Nizhna Chirskaya, 25 miles from the nearest troops of Sixth Army 
at Marinowka. The Chir River was to provide the left flank for the 
operation, and consequently had to be held. Attempting to foil the German relief 
effort, the Russian Fifth Tank Army attacked across the Chir and forced its 
way past the left flank of the defending 336th Infantry Division, and on to Sowehos 
79, a collective farm deep in the German rear. General Balck's 11th "Ghost" Panzer 
Division, just arriving in the area from Rostov to take part in the relief 
of Stalingrad, was detoured to attack Sowehos 79 and restore the situation.

AFTERMATH:	Balck's 15th Panzer Regiment with 25 functioning AFV's, 
followed by the 111th Panzer Grenadier Regiment, drove from the heights 
west and north of the  Sowchos into the rear of the Russian positions, destroying a 
motorized infantry column in the process. Turning south, the panzers surprised the 
Russian armor, which was at that instant moving to attack the 336th Infantry from the 
rear. Simultaneously,Balck's 110th Grenadiers attacked the farm from the southwest, 
while the divisional artillery of the 336th hammered the northeastern flank. By the 
end of the day, 53 Russian tanks were destroyed, Sowchos 79 was in German hands, and 
the Russian First Armored Corps was in retreat; but the Ghost Divisioji had 
been lost to the planned relief of Stalingrad.
