John Schettler: Devil's Garden

“We can try, comrade. Yes. We will fight!”

“Good. Get word to all your officers. Tell them we stop the Germans here and now. If they take this place, the road to Baku is open. Here we stand firm!”

The Sergeant nodded heartily and ran off, yelling to round up any men he could find. Fedorov climbed back up onto the ZSU-23, a vehicle using the same chassis as the PT-76 tanks, though it was not amphibious, with a big upper turret housing quad 23mm cannons. Known as the Shilka , and often referred to by its nickname “Zeus” it was the God of air defense for Russian ground battalions. The quad 23mm guns could range out 3000 meters, with precision radar controlled fire that also included a laser rangefinder and a sensor pod with a day/night optical camera that could use infrared night optics to spot targets 600 meters away.

The ZSU moved off with a low growl, its metal tracks rattling on the rail ties as it followed the lines north. Fedorov was going to head directly to the detention facility and conduct the search for Orlov while Troyak organized the defense against the Germans. The vehicle soon reached a point between the park and the main harbor where the squat shape of the thick walled facility could be seen to the west. Two NKVD Guards waited by the main entrance, and one man held up an arm to signal the vehicle to stop.

Zykov was riding in the ZSU as Fedorov’s tactical advisor, and the two men emerged from the open hatch jumping down and walking boldly up to the gate.

“Who are you?” the guards asked. “What is happening?”

“We are reinforcements. Where is your Commissar Molla?”

“Molla? In there, of course. His staff car came in just a few moments ago.”

“Very well,” said Fedorov. “Open the gate. We have orders for the Commissar.”

“But we were told-”

“I don’t care what you were told,” Fedorov said quickly. “The situation has changed. The Germans are coming, and I am now in full command of the defense of Makhachkala and the harbor. It must not be taken. Now open that gate or stand aside and I will have my men do it. And be quick about it!”

The guards saw the insignia on Fedorov’s Cap-an NKVD Colonel-and the decorations on his chest. They were not inclined to argue further. The growl of the ZSU rumbling in the background was more than persuasive in any case. They ran to the gates, opening them wide and saluting.

Fedorov turned to Zykov. “Corporal. Take two squads. Go get our man.”

“With pleasure, sir!”

“And Zykov…Be firm. Take no guff from anyone. I’m going to find this commissar and see what he knows. Conduct your search and signal me the moment you locate Orlov.

They started through the gate, but Fedorov soon heard Troyak’s voice in his earbud, calling from the defense perimeter. “Colonel Fedorov-we have company. Germans are on the north road by the oil tanks. They are coming.”

* * *

OberleutnantErnst Wellman was leading Kradschutzen Battalion 3, two platoons of motorcycle infantry out in front supported by three armored cars. Behind them came the bulk of the fast moving motorcycle infantry in a long column. At intervals there would be other larger vehicles, trucks and half-tracks hauling heavier weapons-a 75mm infantry gun and two 37mm light anti tank guns.

One platoon of motorcycle infantry roared up to the oil tank farm north of Troyak’s main line of defense, dismounting and rushing to secure this vital area, not knowing that the tanks were empty, drained long ago. Other troops were dismounting at the edge of the main rail yard, and with well practiced skill they began sending sections of three man teams into the open yard, heading for the main building where Troyak was watching with binoculars. The dour Sergeant pinched off his collar microphone and gave an order.

“Litchko-sniper rifle!”

The crack of the rifle opened the engagement with a single round that dropped the lead German scout right by the main rail tracks and announced to all the rest that the area was held against them. It was to be one of the oddest engagements of the war, with the veteran German infantry opposed by Russian Marines from the 21st century, men who would not be born for another fifty or sixty years!

The first kill sent all the remaining infantry to ground, some crawling to look for any cover available-old rusted barrels, stacks of wood pallets, bailing wire, and old crates. The men shouted, and one squad was up, rushing forward.

Troyak knew they intended to draw fire from his main defensive positions, but the men had been ordered to wait and Litchko’s sniper rifle barked again, two rounds in quick succession dropping two of the three men. The third man made it to cover, then poked his head up to try and locate the sniper and received a bullet for his trouble.

The Germans were back to square one, but now they heard the harsh call of orders, and soon the infantry in place began to open fire on every building within site. Troyak’s Marines watched while small teams again began to rush forward across the tracks, and again the sniper rifle snapped off shots to thin their ranks. Yet this time too many were moving, at least fifteen men rushing forward behind the base of rifle fire provided by the remainder of the German platoon. Troyak gave the order to return fire, and the Marines opened up with their fully automatic AK-74s, firepower many times in excess of the incoming German rifle fire. They cut the German advance to pieces in sharp, well controlled bursts of fire, until all the infantry had gone to ground again, surprised by the withering automatic weapons of the Russian Marines.

Wellman was close enough to see what was happening and he immediately knew he had run into some real trouble here. He began to order up his armored cars in support. There were three at hand, an SdKfz 221 mounting an MG-32 and two SdKfz 222s with 2cm KwK 30 autocannons. The smallest tank gun designed by the Germans in the war, it was initially mounted on their old Panzer II recon tanks. The armored cars began to fire, though the weight of their additional guns soon proved ineffective against the well positioned Russian Marines. Their armor was soon found lacking as well.

“D section,” Troyak ordered through his collar microphone, “take out those armored cars.”

The Russian Marine squad laid out intense covering fire and the RPG-7Vs opened up at a range of just under 100 meters, and scored quick hits, the tandem HEAT rounds blasting completely through the thin armor of the German ACs and wrecking them in a short, violent minute.

Wellman was watching from the rear and now knew he had a real battle on his hands. He had never seen such a violent reprisal from what looked to be a hand held anti-tank weapon! He had seen an early prototype of the new Faustpatrone AT weapon for infantry, but it was still in development. It would be another long year before this weapon, and its successors, became the Panzerfaust that was so effective for the Germans later in the war. Even that could fire no more than 30 meters, but this new Russian weapon had knocked out his armored cars with lethal accuracy at least 100 meters away! He immediately radioed back for additional support.

“Becker? Where are you. I need tank support on the coast road north of the rail yard. The Russians are dug in and putting up quite a fight!”

“We’re five miles behind you,” came the reply. “But we will hasten up as quickly as possible. Get some artillery on them!”

It was good advice, and Wellman cranked up his radio to get hold of Kersten’s artillery battery, deploying north of the city for just this purpose.

There was a brief lull in the action as Wellman sized up the situation. In ten minutes time he had his A platoon chewed to pieces and all three armored cars put out of action. B Platoon was in the oil tank farm to the left of the main rail yard building, which looked to be the Russian strong point at the moment. It was a good position, with excellent fields of fire in all directions and little cover for infantry trying to advance across the rail yard. Who were these troops? The volume of machine gun and automatic fire they could put out was far beyond anything he had seen from Russian infantry before. Not even the NKVD or Guards units were so lavishly equipped.