Tank battle under troops. Tank heroes of the Second World War

On August 19, 1941, Zinoviy Grigorievich received an order to cover 3 roads leading to the city of Krasnogvardeisk (Gatchina). After analyzing the area, Kolobanov sent 2 tanks into an ambush on the Luga road, two on the Kingesepp road, and he himself remained to guard the coastal direction. Kolobanov took a position opposite the T-shaped intersection. A special trench was dug for the tank, which was perfectly camouflaged. As a result German intelligence I didn’t notice a camouflaged tank on motorcycles. A reserve position was also prepared. The place for the ambush was chosen very well. There were marshy fields on both sides of the road, which made maneuvering difficult German technology. The commander placed the one who arrived for support in a nearby forest so that she would not come under tank fire.

The next day 22 appeared on the horizon German tank Pz.Kpfw III. Kolobanov brought the tanks as close as possible and gave the order to open fire on the lead tanks under the cross.

Accurate shots from the gun commander, Andrei Mikhailovich Usov, knocked out 2 lead tanks. Confusion arose in the enemy ranks. The tanks began to bump into each other. And after the 2 trailing tanks were knocked out, the German column found itself in a trap. First, the Germans, not seeing their enemy, opened indiscriminate fire on the haystacks, mistaking them for camouflaged tanks. But having determined the source of the fire, they began to intensively fire at Kolobanov’s tank. Although the advancing Nazis had a numerical superiority, their 37-caliber armor-piercing shells bounced off the reinforced armor of the KV-1, while greatly stunning the Soviets. The tank withstood about 156 hits. The Germans tried to turn off the road into a field, but began to get stuck in a swampy area. The tank crew methodically destroyed all the German tanks, but then the enemy rolled out anti-tank guns into position.

A shell from one of them knocked down the tank's periscope. Then the gunner-radio operator of the tank, Pavel Ivanovich Kiselkov, climbed onto the tank and, under heavy fire, replaced the device. After another hit from an anti-tank gun, the tank's turret became jammed. But the senior mechanic driver, Nikolai Ivanovich Nikiforov, with skillful maneuvers of the tank, ensured accurate aiming of the gun at the remaining German equipment. As a result, the entire enemy column was completely destroyed.

After this battle, the entire crew was nominated for the title of Hero Soviet Union, but, for unknown reasons, the fighters received more modest awards: Kolobanov Z.G., Nikiforov N.I. were awarded orders, Usov A.M. was awarded the order Lenin and Kiselkov P.I. received a medal.

Kolobanov Zinoviy Georgievich died on August 8, 1994, without receiving the Hero star for his outstanding feat. In St. Petersburg, an action was launched to collect signatures under a petition to the president to assign Kolobanov Z.G. title of Hero (posthumously). 102,000 signatures have already been collected. How can large quantity people must say their firm “for”, and then historical injustice will be corrected. The hero will receive his reward, albeit posthumously. But then we will be able to say with confidence: “No one is forgotten and nothing is forgotten.”

It has long been noted that the worse things go at the front, the more outstanding pilots, great submariners, and immortal tank crews, whose exploits go beyond the real and possible, become on the losing side. Let me give you one example. At the beginning of 1944, near the Ukrainian city of Korsun-Shevchenkovsky, we captured a powerful enemy group and completely destroyed it. But if you read some German historians, you can find out that consolidated regiment from the "Tigers" and "Panthers", which went to the aid of the encirclement, in five days of fighting destroyed neither more nor less, but 267 Soviet tanks. This, by the way, is an entire tank army. "Tigers" and "Panthers" are very good tanks, and they burned quite a few of ours, no doubt, but here the emphasis is different - that the Germans indicated their losses in just ONE "Tiger" And THREE "Panthers". Moreover, this “Tiger” was NOT shot down by the Russians; it was allegedly destroyed by mistake by its own “Panther” - it accidentally shot at its rear.

So, in that German regiment there were 90 tanks, two weeks later only 14 remained of them, and in the memoirs there is not a word about where the remaining 76 German vehicles disappeared. They probably broke down themselves, drowned in rivers and swamps, or they simply ran out of fuel, or maybe they got stuck in the rich Ukrainian black soil. The tracks were simply clogged with mud, and the tanks could not move further. And the Soviet troops have absolutely nothing to do with it. In general, German historians remain modestly silent about this strange loss of seventy-six tanks.

By the way, that combined regiment that tried to make a way for the corps surrounded near Korsun never completed its task - it did not break through the ring, and German command this regiment was disbanded. And really, why not disperse the slobs who lost their cars solely because of the terrible Russian dirt.

Everything I just talked about was a kind of reflection on the topic of promoting exploits, an introduction to main topic my note.

If we take the statements at face value German tank crews and journalists, then the battles near Cherkasy should be considered a record. However, it is not. The absolute tank record belongs to our hero - senior lieutenant Zinovy ​​Grigorievich Kolobanov.

His feat was included in the Guinness Book of Records as the most successful and productive tank battle in the entire history of wars.

Therefore, he distributed his forces very rationally and placed the vehicles in the most tactically correct places. He ordered all the tanks to be buried in the ground up to the tower, and to be well camouflaged. He chose very comfortable spot in the very center of the defense and buried it on a hillock. This location made it possible to control a huge area and the intersection of two roads.

Finally, the long-awaited “guests” appeared - a column of German equipment. Motorcyclists and trucks were driving in her head. The battalion commander ordered over communications to immediately open fire. He probably had a better view of the situation from Gatchina. Moreover, he ordered harshly, as often happened at the front - obscenities. And do you know how Kolobanov reacted to this? He just took it and turned off the connection. Because shooting at reconnaissance motorcyclists means revealing yourself prematurely and ruining all your plans.

And then a tank column came out onto the road. The supermen rode completely relaxed. As before in Europe: the hatches were open, the commanders were sticking out of the towers calmly and looking impudently, many had their collars unbuttoned and their arms bare to the elbows, one was chewing something, another was looking through binoculars... And then the first shot rang out. The lead tank caught fire, it was turned across the highway, thereby blocking further traffic. The second shot - the second burning tank ran into the first one and adorned the steel composition. The next shots were carried along the tail of the column, and three cars burst into flames there. The traffic jam has finally formed. And then the disbandment of this tank column began. Like partridges in the forest, like tin figures at a shooting range, “Kliment Voroshilov” of commander Zinovy ​​Kolobanov and gunner Andrei Usov shot 22 enemy tanks in half an hour.

What about the other four tanks from Kolobanov’s company? They also did not sit idle, and in their areas they crushed another 21 armored “partridges,” as well as an artillery battery and two infantry companies. Total: 43 enemy vehicles and a lot of enemy manpower without a single tank loss. None of our tankers died! This is how company commander Zinovy ​​Kolobanov humiliated the Third Reich and went down in history.

For the accomplished feat, all crew members were nominated for the title of Hero of the USSR. But surprisingly, no one was given a Gold Star. We limited ourselves to the Order of the Red Star for the commander, the Order of Lenin for gunner Usov, and the rest were also given high awards. The reason for such an unfair award lies in the fact that during the Finnish war, or rather immediately after its completion, Zinovy ​​Kolobanov’s subordinates went to fraternize with the Finns. And according to the old Russian tradition, we fraternized in this way. For this, Captain Kolobanov, who burned three times in a tank, was deprived of the title of Hero of the Union, his shoulder straps were removed and he was sent to a camp. The outbreak of war freed him. And even after such a successful and heroic defeat, the Golden Star of the Hero was not returned to Kolobanov.

A good animated reconstruction film about Kolobanov’s feat:

This day in history:

The most successful tank battle in the history of World War II was carried out by Soviet tank crews. And it happened at the most difficult time war time- at the end of the summer of 1941.

In this amazing story the mysteries begin from the very first steps, namely, from the date of that very historical battle near the village of Voyskovitsy. For some reason, Kolobanov himself and many witnesses to the events give the date August 19, 1941 in their memoirs. While the award lists preserved in the military archives show the date August 20, 1941.

But we will return to discussing this issue in the context of those documents that have become available recently.
Now let’s reconstruct the chain of events based on eyewitness accounts.

Military battle

August 18, 1941, after heavy fighting on the outskirts of Gatchina, senior lieutenantZinoviy Kolobanovwho had behind him serious experience Finnish War, arrived in the 1st battalion of the 1st regiment of the 1st tank division, commanded by General Hero of the Soviet Union V.I. Baranov.

Having become the commander of the 3rd tank company, consisting of five tanks (new KV-1Es just imported directly from the Kirov plant), Kolobanov received an order to cover three roads leading to Gatchina from Luga, Volosovo and Kingisepp.

The only living witness of those events, the gunner-radio operator of the Lastochkin tank, which was part of Kolobanov’s company, told me about the preparation for this task, Vladimir Fedorovich Melnikov, who turned 90 last year.

“We were built. Divisional commander Baranov said that two German tank divisions were breaking through to Krasnogvardeysk (Gatchina). That you can't miss them. Called to stand to death.
All the people in the units are new. Nobody knows anyone. Yes, to be honest, a soldier in war is more interested in the question of whether he has lost his spoon. But the surname of a company or battalion commander is not such an important thing.
This is where I first saw Kolobanov. A short man. In the same uniform as me, only with a commander's belt. He ordered us to prepare sapper shovels for digging caponiers, and he himself went in an armored car to choose places for tank ambushes. Then he returned and led our company into position in a column.”

Having assessed the most likely directions of movement German troops, Kolobanov placed two tanks on the Luga road (the crews of Evdokimenko and Degtyar), two on Volosovskaya (tanks by Sergeev and Lastochkin). He showed each commander how to position the tank, where to open the main position, where the reserve position was, and gave advice on camouflage.

After this, Kolobanov himself took a position near the Voyskovitsy state farm, opposite the Uchhoza poultry farm - at the fork of the Tallinn highway and the road to Marienburg (now the Gatchina region). 150 meters from the highway approaching from Syaskelevo, Kolobanov ordered to dig a deep caponier so that the tank sat in the ground up to the tower. And it's good to disguise it. A second caponier for a reserve position was prepared nearby. From the main position, the road to Syaskelevo was well covered, and on its sides there were heavily swampy areas that made it difficult for armored vehicles to maneuver.

All that remained was to wait for the enemy to approach. But he appeared only the next day. On August 19 (?) in the afternoon, the crews of Lieutenant Evdokimenko and Junior Lieutenant Degtyar were the first to meet a German tank column on the Luga Highway, chalking up five enemy tanks and three armored personnel carriers. Soon Kolobanov also saw the enemy. These were reconnaissance motorcyclists, whom he let through without hindrance, waiting for the main forces of the Germans to approach.

A tank column appeared at about 2 p.m. from the direction of Syaskelevo. Having patiently waited until the lead tank caught up with two birch trees growing near the intersection (“Landmark No. 1”), Kolobanov commanded: “Landmark one, at the lead tank, direct shot under the cross, armor-piercing - fire!” From the very first shots, three German tanks ahead of the column caught fire, blocking the road for the others. Then Kolobanov transferred the fire to the tail, and then to the center of the column.

Locked in front and behind, German tanks collided with each other, trying to maneuver, slid into a ditch and got stuck there in the swamp. Ammunition in the burning tanks began to explode.

The enemy was so stunned that he organized return fire very late. But the shells of their 50mm cannons (presumably these were Pz.Kpfw.35(t) tanks) could not penetrate the frontal armor of the KV-1E. In 30 minutes of battle, Kolobanov’s crew knocked out all 22 tanks in the column. Of the double ammunition load loaded into the KV-1E at the base, 98 armor-piercing shells were expended.
After the battle, more than 130 hits from enemy shells were counted on the armor of Kolobanov’s tank.
And Kolobanov’s entire company chalked up 43 enemy tanks that day (including the crew of junior lieutenant F. Sergeev - 8; junior lieutenant V. I. Lastochkin - 4; junior lieutenant I. A. Degtyar - 4; lieutenant M. I. Evdokimenko - 5).

Evidence of the battle

On our side, there are more than enough documents and evidence confirming the reality of Kolobanov’s fight. Its direct witness was battalion commander I.B. Shpiller, who observed what was happening from his command tank, which was in direct visibility from the scene of events.
Later, in order to see the result of the battle with his own eyes, the division commander Baranov himself drove up to the intersection near the Uchkhoza poultry farm with a cameraman. The burning German tank column was filmed (However, all attempts to find this film document in the archives have so far been unsuccessful).

Based on the results of the battle, Kolobanov’s entire crew was nominated for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, but for some unknown reasons at the headquarters Leningrad Front Kolobanov's award was reduced by someone to the Order of the Red Banner, and to the gun commander, senior sergeant A. M. Usov, to the Order of Lenin. Award sheets with submissions crossed out in red pencil are stored in the Central Academy of Medical Sciences of the Russian Federation.

There are many versions explaining this, frankly speaking, strange decision of the command. After all, by all standards, a tanker who knocked out 22 enemy tanks in one battle deserves the highest state award. It turns out that our commanders did not believe in the reality of such an unusual story?

Kolobanov himself explained this fact in the following way.
As Vladimir Melnikov says, on one of his visits to Leningrad, Kolobanov stopped at his apartment and, after drinking a bottle of vodka, took out of his pocket a small photograph worn to holes, which depicted some tankman with a Hero’s Star on his chest. Kolobanov stated that this was his photograph (it was impossible to see his face). That during the Finnish campaign he was awarded a star A hero, but after the end of the war he was deprived of this high award because the soldiers of his unit began fraternizing with the Finns. And he himself was allegedly convicted and sent to places not so remote.

This is where the version comes from, which in many variations still wanders through different publications. However, now we can say with absolute certainty that Kolobanov’s name was not on the list of those awarded the title of Hero for Finnish company. These lists were published in Central newspapers, and it is not possible to erase any name from them. There are examples when fighters were deprived of the title of Hero for going over to Vlasov’s side. But even in this case, no one reprinted the newspapers. A new decree was simply published.

Therefore, the most plausible version seems to be that the Lenfront command simply did not consider it possible to award the title of Hero to Kolobanov against the backdrop of major strategic failures. After all, a few days later the Germans took Gatchina.

Recently found source documents- combat reports from the headquarters of the 1st tank regiment dated 08.21.41 signed by regiment commander Pogodin. They confirm the number of tanks knocked out by Kolobanov - 22. The date of the battle is also indicated - August 20, 1941 - it should be considered final. We have to admit that Kolobanov himself was wrong in his recollections, claiming that the battle took place on August 19.

The testimony of Vladimir Melnikov himself should not be discounted. That day he heard the cannonade of the battle, and in the evening he saw Kolobanov’s KV-1, riddled with potholes from enemy shells. A few months later, Melnikov was transferred to the crew of this tank, but by that time Kolobanov himself was seriously wounded and was in the hospital. Another person was in command of the tank.

What do the Germans write?

As the history of all armed confrontations shows, any of the warring parties tends to exaggerate the scale of their victories, while at the same time downplaying the successes of the enemy. Therefore, German documents could serve as an ideal confirmation of the reality of the battle of tanker Kolobanov.

But with this the situation is worse.
Firstly, it is not entirely clear which tanks of the enemy division Kolobanov fought with. Theoretically, the armored monsters of one of the three German tank divisions - the 1st, 6th or 8th - could have been near Voyskovitsy that day.

If we look at the map of military operations, we can conclude with a high degree of confidence that Voyskovitsy is in the area of ​​​​responsibility of the 1st Division. Moreover, her combat reports for the date of August 20 mention “a battle with a strong enemy.” In terms of time and place, it quite closely matches our requirements.

This is what the combat report says verbatim:
« 11.45 1st Battalion, 113th Motorized Infantry rifle regiment is fighting a strong enemy in the vicinity of Sepelevo. After the enemy is knocked out of there and the minefields on both sides of the village are cleared.
15.20 The station in Ilkino was taken. At 19.15 the road near Bol was intercepted. Chernitsy to the southeast. Enemy tanks that appear cannot delay the Group's advance.
IN 20.10 The station in Suyda was taken"

Considering that the time in the document is given in Berlin (two hours difference), and Sepelevo at that time was part of Voyskovichi, this entry corresponds perfectly to the battle with Kolobanov. But, as we see, there are also problems.

1. A motorized rifle regiment does not have tanks, it only has armored personnel carriers.
2. The German losses on August 20 are as follows: 4 killed, 8 wounded. Not a word about equipment losses. And this does not at all fit with the scale of the battle declared by Kolobanov.
3. The 1st battalion stayed at the site of the expected battle for only two hours. After that, he calmly completed his task - he took Ilkino station.

Even if we assume that the Germans are keeping silent about their losses, according to other documents of the 1st Panzer Division, which provide figures for the number of tanks decommissioned and under repair, it is clearly visible that this division could not have lost so much equipment on August 20.

In the combat logs of the 6th and 8th tank divisions, nothing similar to Kolobanov’s battle was found at all. However, tank losses in the 6th Division, recorded at the end of August, are very significant and may well correspond to the desired figure.

So what do we have? And we only have one opportunity. If we assume that the 1st battalion of the 113th motorized rifle regiment of the 1st division was reinforced by a tank unit of the 6th division, then everything falls into place. The location and time of the battle, the loss of tanks, and the desire of the command to disguise the scale of the losses suffered in the combat report.

Indirect evidence of this version can be the phrase: “The enemy tanks that have appeared cannot delay the advance of the Group.” It is quite possible that this refers to the Heidebrand battle group, which consisted of motorized infantry formations of the 1st Panzer Division and tank units of the 6th Division. In addition, this battle group operated precisely in the area of ​​​​responsibility of the 1st Division.

Departure to the site of Kolobanov’s fight

Not far from the intersection near Voiskovitsy, where in August 1941 Kolobanov shot 22 enemy tanks from an ambush, a monument was erected - a heavy IS-2 tank. Unfortunately, by the time the monument was built, the very same KV-1E tanks on which Kolobanov fought were no longer left. I had to use this one, which is completely unrelated to this story.
But it's better than none.

On a high pedestal there is a memorial plaque:
“The tank crew under the command of Senior Lieutenant Z.P. Kolobanov destroyed 22 enemy tanks in battle on August 19, 1941. The crew included: driver mechanic Sergeant Major Nikiforov N.I., gun commander – Senior Sergeant A.M. Usov. , gunner-radio operator - senior sergeant Kiselkov P.I., loader - Red Army soldier - Rodenkov N.F.”

In his memoirs, Kolobanov described in great detail the point where the caponier for his KV-1 was discovered. Now this place is densely forested. But a small lake in the swamp, in which, according to the tanker, ducks swam then, has survived to this day.
This is what the area looks like on a satellite map.

Immediately behind Kolobanov’s position, the garden houses of SNT “Leninets” now begin. Some summer residents say that from time to time they dig up shell casings and cartridges on their plots. But there is no evidence that these trophies are related to Kolobanov’s fight.

Lieutenant Colonel Zinoviy Kolobanov died in 1994 and was buried in Minsk at the Chizhovsky cemetery (site number 8/1g). For almost twenty years now, his fighting friend, Vladimir Melnikov, has been fighting with the Ministry of Defense, calling for justice to be restored and Kolobanov to be awarded the title of Hero for a feat that has no analogues in the history of the Great Patriotic War. But in response to endless letters- silence.

In June 2011, the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg adopted a resolution to appeal to the Chairman State Duma Federal Assembly Russian Federation B.V. Gryzlov with the initiative to assign lieutenant colonelZinoviy Grigorievich Kolobanovtitle of Hero of the Russian Federation (posthumously). I also know nothing about the reaction to this document.

http://v-mishakov.ru/kolobanov.html

07:51 02.03.2015

At the end of August 1941, the 3rd tank company Kolobaeva defended the approaches to Leningrad in the area of ​​the city of Krasnogvardeysk. Every day, every hour was “worth its weight in gold” - from northern capital military enterprises were evacuated and civilians. On August 19, Z. Kolobaev received a personal order from the division commander: to block three roads that lead to the city from Luga, Volosovo and Kingisepp. Protecting three roads with five tanks - only he could cope with this. By that time, the tanker had gone through the Finnish war, burned in the tank three times, but each time returned to duty.

It all went like this:
In the harsh silence
There is a heavy tank,
Disguised in the fishing line,
Enemies are coming in droves
Iron idols,
But he takes the fight
Zinovy ​​Kolobanov. These poems are just a small excerpt from a poem that was written in September 1941 by the poet Alexander Gitovich in honor of the commander of the 3rd tank company of the 1st tank battalion of the 1st tank division, senior lieutenant Zinovy ​​Kolobanov. A month earlier, on August 20, 1941, the tank crew, commanded by 30-year-old Kolobanov, destroyed 22 German tanks in one battle. In total, during this day, 5 tanks of Kolobanov’s company knocked out 43 enemy tanks. In addition, an artillery battery, a passenger car and up to two companies of Nazi infantry were destroyed. This happened precisely in those days about which a strong opinion was formed: Soviet troops at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War They only retreated without offering serious resistance to the enemy. The heroic achievements of Zinovy ​​Kolobanov and his subordinates are designed to dispel this myth - the Red Army fought the Nazi-German invaders with all its might in the summer of 1941. Divisional commander's order: “Fight to the death!” At the end of August 1941, Kolobanov’s 3rd tank company defended the approaches to Leningrad in the area of ​​the city of Krasnogvardeysk. Every day, every hour was “worth its weight in gold” - military enterprises and civilians were evacuated from the northern capital. On August 19, Z. Kolobanov received a personal order from the division commander: to block three roads that lead to the city from Luga, Volosovo and Kingisepp. Protecting three roads with five tanks - only he could cope with this. By that time, the tanker had gone through the Finnish war, burned in the tank three times, but each time returned to duty. Kliment Voroshilov KV-1 tanks against German Pz.Kpfw.35(t)There is a diagram of that very battle. The position of Kolobanov's KV-1 heavy tank was at a height with clay soil, at a distance of about 150 m from a fork in the road, near which two birch trees grew, called “Landmark No. 1”, and about 300 m from the intersection marked “Landmark No. 2” " The length of the section of road being viewed is about 1000 m, 22 tanks can easily be placed on it with a traveling distance between tanks of 40 m. The choice of a place for firing in two opposite directions (this position is called a caponier) is explained as follows. The enemy could have reached the road to Marienburg either along the road from Voyskowits or along the road from Syaskelevo. In the first case, you would have to shoot in the forehead. Therefore, the caponier was dug directly opposite the intersection in such a way that the heading angle was minimal. At the same time, I had to come to terms with the fact that the distance to the fork was reduced to a minimum. This is the type of vehicle Kolobanov fought in. At about 14:00 on August 20, after the aerial reconnaissance carried out by the Germans ended in vain, German reconnaissance motorcyclists followed along the seaside road to the Voyskovitsy state farm, whom Kolobanov’s crew let through without hindrance, waiting for the main enemy forces to approach. In one and a half to two minutes, while the lead tank covered the distance to the intersection, Kolobanov became convinced that there were no heavy tanks in the column, finally drew up a battle plan and decided to let the entire column through to the fork (Landmark No. 1). In this case, all the tanks had time to pass the turn at the beginning of the embankment road and be within range of his gun. Light tanks Pz.Kpfw.35(t) of the German 6th Panzer Division (other sources also called the 1st or 8th Panzer Divisions) moved in the column. Having knocked out tanks at the head, middle and end of the column, Kolobanov not only blocked the road at both ends, but also deprived the Germans of the opportunity to move onto the road leading to Voyskovitsy.
A terrible panic arose in the enemy column. Some tanks, trying to hide from the destructive fire, climbed down the slope and got stuck up to their towers in the swamp. Then they too were burned. Others, trying to turn around, bumped into each other, knocking down tracks and rollers. Frightened crews, jumping out of the burning cars, rushed between them in fear. Most of them came under machine-gun fire. In 30 minutes of battle, Kolobanov’s crew knocked out all 22 tanks in the column. 98 armor-piercing rounds were used from the double ammunition load. After the battle, Zinovy ​​Kolobanov’s KV-1 received more than a hundred hits.
Tank KV-1 with damage.Submit for a reward! Immediately after this tank battle which ended in complete victory Soviet weapons, a note about the feat of tanker Kolobanov appeared in the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper. And in the archives of the Ministry of Defense a unique document has been preserved - award list Zinovia Kolobanova. Sheet 1 page. It confirms information about the number of destroyed tanks, but, perhaps most importantly, Zinovy ​​Kolobanov and all members of his crew were nominated for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for the courage and heroism shown in the victorious battle. But High Command did not consider that the tank crews’ feat deserved such high praise. Zinovy ​​Kolobanov was awarded the Order of the Red Banner, Andrei Usov was awarded the Order of Lenin, Nikolai Nikiforov was awarded the Order of the Red Banner, and Nikolai Rodnikov and Pavel Kiselkov were awarded the Order of the Red Star. After the feat For three more weeks after the battle near Voyskovitsy, the company of Senior Lieutenant Kolobanov held back the Germans on the approaches to Krasnogvardeysk in the Bolshaya Zagvozdka area. During this time, 5 Kolobanov tanks destroyed three mortar batteries, four anti-tank guns and 250 German soldiers and officers. On September 13, 1941, Krasnogvardeysk was abandoned by units of the Red Army. Kolobanov’s company was again left at the most important line at that moment - it covered the retreat of the last military column to the city of Pushkin. Tank KV-1 On September 15, 1941, Senior Lieutenant Kolobanov was seriously wounded. At night, in the cemetery of the city of Pushkin, where the tanks were refueling with fuel and ammunition, a German shell exploded next to Zinovy ​​Kolobanov’s KV. The tanker received shrapnel wounds to the head and spine, concussion of the head and spinal cord.The war is over for Zinovy ​​Kolobanov. He was sent for treatment to the Leningrad Trauma Institute, to the very city that the tankman so successfully defended. Before the blockade of the northern capital, the tank hero was evacuated and until March 15, 1945 he was treated in evacuation hospitals No. 3870 and 4007 in Sverdlovsk. But in the summer of 1945, having recovered from injury, Zinoviy Kolobanov returned to duty. He served in the army for another thirteen years, retiring with the rank of lieutenant colonel, then lived and worked at a factory in Minsk for many years. With my wife and son. In the early 1980s, it was decided to erect a monument at the site of the battle near Voyskovitsy. Zinovy ​​Kolobanov wrote a letter to the USSR Minister of Defense Dmitry Ustinov with a request to allocate a tank for installation on a pedestal, and the tank was allocated, however, not the KV-1, but the later IS-2. However, the very fact that the minister granted Kolobanov’s request speaks about that he knew about the tank hero and did not question his feat.
Why not a hero? To the question: “Why was the hero tankman Kolobanov, neither during the Great Patriotic War nor after its end, awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union?” there are two answers. And both of them lie in the biography of tanker Zinovy ​​Grigorievich Kolobanov.
The first reason is that after the war, Red Star journalist A. Pinchuk published information that Z.G. Kolobanov was allegedly responsible for breaking through the Mannerheim Line. became a Hero of the Soviet Union (at the beginning of March 1940 he received the Golden Star and the Order of Lenin) and was awarded the extraordinary rank of captain. But for the fraternization of his subordinates with Finnish military personnel after the signing of the Moscow Peace Treaty of March 12, 1940, Kolobov Z.G. was deprived of both the title and the award, documentary information confirming the receipt by Kolobanov Z.G. title of Hero of the Soviet Union for participation in Finnish war, no. The second reason - on December 10, 1951 Kolobov was transferred to the Group Soviet troops in Germany (GSVG), where he served until 1955. On July 10, 1952, Z. G. Kolobanov was awarded military rank lieutenant colonel, and on April 30, 1954, by Decree of the Presidium Supreme Council The USSR was awarded the Order of the Red Banner (for 20 years of service in the army). At this time, he deserted from a tank battalion to the British occupation zone soviet soldier. Saving the battalion commander from a military tribunal, the army commander announced to Kolobanov Z.G. about incomplete official compliance and transferred him to the Belarusian Military District. IN Soviet time the presence in the biography of even one of the listed reasons was quite enough to refuse to award the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Zinovy ​​Kolobanov passed away in 1994, but veteran organizations, social activists and historians are still making attempts to achieve the title of Hero of Russia. In the Gatchina region Leningrad region, where Zinoviy Kolobanov fought in 1941, a collection of signatures was organized for an appeal with a request to honor the tank hero with the high award he deserved at the very beginning of the Great Patriotic War posthumously. In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Victory, according to the public, this would be quite logical and appropriate.

Zinovy ​​Grigoryevich Kolobanov - born on December 25, 1912 according to the old style (or January 7, 1913 according to the new style) in the village of Arefino, Murom district, Vladimir province (now in the Vachsky district of the Nizhny Novgorod region), died in 1994 in Minsk.
Zinovy ​​Grigorievich’s parents worked for hire until 1917, and after that they worked on a collective farm in the village of Bolshoye Zagarino.
Upon completion of eighth grade high school studied at a technical school. On February 16, 1933, from his third year at technical school, he was drafted into the ranks of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (RKKA). Cadet of the regimental school at the 49th Infantry Regiment of the 70th rifle division. In May 1936 he graduated from the Oryol Armored School named after M.V. Frunze was awarded the rank of lieutenant. After graduating from college, as an excellent student who had the right to choose his place of service, he chose Leningrad, “which he loved in absentia.” Served in the Leningrad Military District as a tank commander of the 3rd separate tank battalion of the 2nd tank brigade.
He married on September 25, 1936, to Alexandra Grigorievna Kolobanova. Before the Revolution, the wife's parents worked agriculture, and with the arrival Soviet power: brother, sister and son-in-law remained to work on the collective farm, and the second sister and mother began to work as teachers in the city of Orel. Alexandra Grigorievna was a housewife.
From October 1937 to 1938 he attended advanced training courses command staff, after which he served as assistant commander of the ammunition supply of the 210th Infantry Regiment of the 70th Infantry Division (04/23/1938), platoon commander of the 6th separate tank brigade (07/31/1938) and then commander of a tank company (11/16/1938).
Five days before the start Soviet-Finnish war November 25, 1939 Z.G. Kolobanov was appointed commander of a tank company of the 1st light tank brigade on the Karelian Isthmus.
For Senior Lieutenant Kolobanov, the Soviet-Finnish War of 1939–1940 took place as part of the 20th Heavy Tank Brigade as a company commander. The brigade in which he served was the first to reach the Mannerheim line, and his company was at the forefront of the attack. It was then that Kolobanov burned in a tank for the first time. For breaking through the Mannerheim Line, Kolobanov became a Hero of the Soviet Union (at the beginning of March 1940 he received the Gold Star and the Order of Lenin - there is still a debate about whether Kolobanov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union or not) and he was awarded the extraordinary rank of captain. In the battle near Lake Vuoksa, he again pulled ahead with his company and again had to escape from a burning car. The third time it burned during the raid on Vyborg.
On the night of March 12-13, 1940, a peace treaty was signed between the USSR and Finland. Having learned about this, the soldiers of the two previously opposing armies rushed to meet each other for “fraternization”. Unfortunately, this very “fraternization” cost Captain Kolobanov very dearly: he was demoted in rank and, having been deprived of all awards, was transferred to the reserve.
With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, Kolobanov was called up from the reserve. July 3, 1941 transferred to Northern Front commander of a company of heavy tanks KV-1, 1st tank regiment of the 1st tank division, created on the basis of the 20th heavy tank brigade, in which he fought during the war with the White Finns.
On August 19, 1941, the crew of his KV-1 tank destroyed 22 German tanks in one battle, and the entire company of Z.G. Kolobanov, 43 tanks were destroyed in this battle.
In September 1941, tank company Z.G. Kolobanova held the approaches to Krasnogvardeysk (Gatchina) in the Bolshaya Zagvozdka area, destroying 3 mortar batteries, 4 anti-tank guns and 250 enemy soldiers and officers.
09/13/1941 Krasnogvardeysk was abandoned by units of the Red Army. Kolobanov's company covered the retreat of the last military column to the city of Pushkin.
09/15/1941 Kolobanov was seriously wounded: he received shrapnel damage to the head and spine, concussion of the brain and spinal cord. He was treated at the Trauma Institute in Leningrad, then was evacuated and treated in evacuation hospitals No. 3870 and 4007 in Sverdlovsk. On June 31, 1942, he was awarded the military rank of captain.
After the war, on July 10, 1945, he was appointed deputy. commander of the 69th tank battalion of the 14th mechanized regiment of the 12th mechanized division of the 5th Guards Tank Army in Baranovichi VO. Afterwards he commanded a battalion of IS-2 heavy tanks in the GSVG.
07/05/1958 Z.G. Kolobanov was transferred to the reserve with the rank of lieutenant colonel. Then he worked at the Minsk Automobile Plant, was a quality control foreman, and then a quality control inspector, and had the title “Shock Worker of Communist Labor.” He died in August 1994 in Minsk. He was buried at the Chizhovsky cemetery in Minsk, plot number 8/1g.