As the brigade approached the eastern side of the forest near Storozhevoe, the Germans opened concentrated fire by the "tigers" and assault guns from concealed positions. This was the defense of the 2nd SSPzGrenR of "Adolf Hitler" which occupied these positions in midday on Julay 11th. Our infantry was separated from the tanks and forced to take cover. The brigade's flanks were supported by the 1st and 6th batteries of 76mm and 122mm self-propelled guns of the 1446th SPAR. These SPG's were not sufficiently armored to conduct their own attacks against heavily defended positions. They had to advance about 400m behind the attacking tanks and destroy the enemy strong points and armor, but in the heat of battle these SPG's moved too far forward. Instead of the forward 362nd TBn, composed of heavier T-34's, the SPG's were followed by the light T-70's into the depths of the enemy defense. Being left without artillery support, the 362nd TBn itself was practically annihilated. Out of 32 T-34's, that participated in the attack, 26 were knocked out and burned. The SPG's of both batteries were completely destroyed.
What became the symbol of the
battle was the heroic act of Alexander Nikolaev, a mechanic-driver of a T-34
of the 2nd battalion of the 181st TB. While saving his wounded battalion commander
P. Skripkin, Nikolaev together with the loader F. Chernov rammed their damaged
T-34 into a German tank. The tankists accomplished their military duty to the
last. According to the memoirs of an intelligence officer of the 2nd TC E.F.
Ivanovsky, about 20 tank rammings were conducted by our tankists that day on
the Prokhorovka field. The 25th TBn also suffered serious losses without achieving the objectives.
The remaining forces of the brigade exited the battle by 1000 and occupied defensive positions about half a kilometer south-east of Storozhevoe. In one and half hour of the battle, out of 71 tanks involved in the attack, 50 were knocked out and burned, one mortar and a 45mm gun were also lost. The commander of the brigade was badly wounded, two battalion commanders and two company commanders burned with their tanks. The brigade lost 158 men, including 40 KIA and 27 MIA.
During the attack the tankists managed to destroy 3 enemy tanks, including one heavy tank, 2 assault guns, 3 guns, 2 mortars and a gas-oil depot. The losses of the brigade were so heavy that its continued participating in the offensive was out of question. A battalion formed out the remaining tanks took up defensive positions half a kilometer south-east of Storozhevoe from where it supported the 285th RR of the 183rd RD.
Altogether the 29th TC lost 1105 men on July 12th, including 664 KIA and MIA. Of the attacking 192 tanks - 130 were knocked out and burned. Out of the 20 SPG's only 1 remained unscathed and 3 more were evacuated for repairs.
Together with the tankists the warriors of the 95th RD, 52nd GRD and 11th MRB attacked in the bend of Psel. Their attack was unsuccessful, although elements of the 52nd GRD crossed the river and fought on its left shore. By that time they faced almost the entire "Totenkopf" which just finished crossing the river. After beating back our attacks, the Germans counterattacked.
In the second half of the day it became obvious that success cannot be achieved in the sectors of "Das Reich" and "Adolf Hitler." Because of this, the 2nd SSPzC concentrated its main effort in the sector of the "Totenkopf." The entire 8th Aircorps was aimed here as well.
At 1600 our defensive positions behind Psel were attacked first by the air and then by the enemy artillery. It is worth noting that in the battle of Prokhorovka, as in the whole battle of Kursk, the Germans widely used their heavy 6-barreled rocket mortars. In their effectiveness they were similar to our famous "Katyushas." The caliber of these mortars was larger than of most of our "Katyushas," and so the damage inflicted on our personnel and materiel was more significant.
The dust had not yet settled, when the tanks and assault guns attacked with the support of panzergrenadiers on halftracks and up to 200 motorcycles with submachine gunners. The main blow was directed against Polezhaev and the hill 236.7, where the forward command post of the 5th GA was stationed. Some forces, up to 30 tanks and several halftracks attacked Veselyi. The tanks penetrated our positions, but the infantry was separated and forced to take cover, the tanks then returned.
