Great "Eastern Front" Memoir!
02-14-2008, 08:57 AM
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Great "Eastern Front" Memoir!
Oops--this should of been posted in the "War Room", Upatairs!
Picked up my copy of E. Bessonov's "Tank Rider" on the weekend --$20 CDN+change from the nice people at McNally Robinson Booksellers here in WInnipeg. So far it's proved an excellent "read". Maps are a bit sketchy, and the translator very occasionally stumbles (mortar rounds and artillery shells are called "mines" ) --but the author, now in his 80's --gives an honest and interesting account of what it was like to be a young platoon leader in one of the Red Army's "Mechanized" Infantry Brigades.
Tank Armies of every nation have all seen their support troops "hitch rides" from time to time. Oonly the Red Army in WWII actually institutionalized this practise (called "Tank Desant" in MilSpeak --Tank Riders rode in trucks, or walked, when then T-34 "mounts" were held up for repairs or were needed for "independant actions" ) . Although no one here is likely to be sending their WSN T-34's into "combat" with up 15- 20 guys clinging to every possible handhold, this memoir provides the reader with an eye-opening look at small unit tactics and "The War In The East" from a definitely unique perspective!
Picked up my copy of E. Bessonov's "Tank Rider" on the weekend --$20 CDN+change from the nice people at McNally Robinson Booksellers here in WInnipeg. So far it's proved an excellent "read". Maps are a bit sketchy, and the translator very occasionally stumbles (mortar rounds and artillery shells are called "mines" ) --but the author, now in his 80's --gives an honest and interesting account of what it was like to be a young platoon leader in one of the Red Army's "Mechanized" Infantry Brigades.
Tank Armies of every nation have all seen their support troops "hitch rides" from time to time. Oonly the Red Army in WWII actually institutionalized this practise (called "Tank Desant" in MilSpeak --Tank Riders rode in trucks, or walked, when then T-34 "mounts" were held up for repairs or were needed for "independant actions" ) . Although no one here is likely to be sending their WSN T-34's into "combat" with up 15- 20 guys clinging to every possible handhold, this memoir provides the reader with an eye-opening look at small unit tactics and "The War In The East" from a definitely unique perspective!
