| He sowed the ground with land mines. He fearlessly set
off a charge for the main line of defense, seeking shelter in a ravine
or behind a thick bush. He set mines for enemy tanks and also detonated
enemy mines and explosive shells. It was a selfless fight in extremely
difficult and sometimes critical conditions. Having taken part in many
defensive battles, and later in the attack on a wide front near Moscow,
Telkov became a skilled and courageous soldier. He learned to hide from
the enemys' bullets and shells, shot accurately, and planted mines. But
all the same in April 1942, Telkov was heavily wounded in the battle near
Rzhev. After hospitalization in December 1942, Telkov was appointed to
a secret detachment - the 8th Detached Guard Field Engineers Battalion,
13th Guards Rifle Division. The scouts of this unit cleared paths into
minefields and opened "windows" in barbed wire obstructions, penetrated
into the enemy's positions, and captured prisoners for interrogation.
They did this more often at night. To be a scout and field engineer was
particularly dangerous. There are many different types of bravery during
war. While some heroic deeds are like bright torches and seen by everybody,
others are not seen at all and are only known to a few people. "The soldier's
duty is to fight" is a common statement. That is why Sgt. Vasily Telkov
didn't consider his mine clearing while avoiding enemy tanks to be heroic.
1943. Kursk Bulge. The 5th Guard Army. War in the second echelon of defense,
at the approach of Oboyan. On the 20th of July, they delivered a powerful
counterblow to the fascist hordes wedged into our defense. Vasily Telkov
was unlucky for the second time and he was wounded. He joined his unit
after recovery late in September, when the Soviet troops were approaching
the Dnieper River. A group of scouts, numbering 20 men including Telkov,
crossed the river on the night of September 26th, in two small boats and
captured a small bridgehead on the right bank. It was northward of the
town of Kremenchug. The fascist's did their best to hold the Kremenchug
crossing, where alot of ammunition and troops were gathered. Heavy battles
began. On September 29, the town was liberated. For heroism during the
battles, Vasily Telkov was decorated with the Order of the Red Star.The
troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front went on attacking. Early in December,
they liberated Aleksandria, and soon Znamenka Railway Junction, which
was of great importance. The 8th Guard Field Engineers Battalion acted
well in those battles, especially their scouts. The year 1944 came. Good
news was coming in from all fronts. The Soviet troops were freeing dear
soil from the fascist invaders, from the Kolsk Peninsula to Crimea. Assistant
commander of the detachment Vasily Telkov stayed in the south during spring
and summer. The fights in the region of Rog were hard and long lasting.
The Germans did their best to keep Nicopol and Krivoi Rog. But in spite
of the enemy's opposition, on the 22nd of February, Krivoi Rog was liberated.
By the end of March, our troops approached the Southern Bug River. The
scouts led by Telkov captured about ten prisoners in the course of action.
He received the second Order of the Red Star. At the joining of the stream
Sinyukha into the South Bug, there is a town called Pervomaisk. The field
engineers were given an order to assist the rifle battalion in the river
crossing. Telkov's great experience helped him this time, too. In a small
ravine, the field engineers quickly made two good dismountable rafts and
placed them in the water at twilight. Some boats of the local fishermen
were commandeered. They were all tied together. All this was done silently.
Before dawn, our battalion was on the western bank and at daybreak, we
captured the enemy's airfield. For the perfect crossing over the Sinyukha,
Telkov received the Order of Glory 3rd Class. In January 1945, the troops
of the 1st Ukrainian Front went in pursuit of the retreating enemy. On
January 17, 1945, the 5th Guard Army broke through the fascist's defense
at the river Varta and seized the Polish town. In the fights for that
town, the tank battalion headed by Hero of the Soviet Union, Major S.V.
Hohraikov, did very well, and he received his second Gold Star. Following
the tanks, the 42nd Rifle Regiment of the 13th Guard Division was the
first to burst into the town of Chenstohova. The detached 8th Field Engineers
Battalion was among them too. A group of scouts and field engineers of
about 20 men, under the cover of night, seized the hill near town and
captured about 80 soldiers and three officers. Senior Sergeant Telkov
was amongst this group. (continued...) |
