SERGEI ADAULIN, sergeant

In the summer of 1944, I once again experienced the desperate hell of war. The temperature was up to 30C. To attack, it was necessary for us to go through the woods where Germans had set up obstructions, which they set on fire as we approached. The flames were as if in a blast-furnace. The caustic smoke caused pain that "ate away" at my eyes…And in this nightmare, in addition to being under enemy bombardment, I - the gun layer - had to aim precisely!

VASILII FEDOROVICH KOTOV, sergeant

That Was the Beginning of the War: In 1943 I was sure in my defense. And I was sure of my commanders, too. Even the weakest lieutenant in '43 knew much more than a lieutenant before the war.

NIKOLAY TARASOVICH KOLESNIK, lieutenant

The story: We opened fire with our gun and knocked out two armored transporters. In response the Germans returned heavy machine-gun fire and under its cover withdrew into the woods. Then we shifted our gun to a new position. At this time we had several high explosive and only two armor-piercing rounds.

MIKHAIL LUKINOV, Lieutenant

Polish Campaign: We finally reached the demarcation line, which followed the Bug River. We could see how the shovels flashed on the other side of the river. Those were Germans fortifying their positions and digging trenches.

Winter War: The first killed soldier of our regiment was lying in the clearing. This means that at night the Finns had advanced into the clearing to meet the attacking units. The first corpse, it has begun.

Great Patriotic War, Captivity: Germans grabbed me, started to beat me with rifle butts, knocked out my pistol from my hands, and when I fell down, started to beat me up with their boots. I did not understand everything that they were shouting, because I had other things to mind. Besides that, they were speaking too quickly and did not pronounce the words till the end; they kind of swallowed the endings. But alas, I could well understand the general meaning: “It was him who was shooting! We should kill this swine! But not here, let’s do it behind the barn, there is a hole there.”

GENNADIY SHUTZ, Captain

Great Patriotic War: It's scary for the pilot, he sees that he's being shot at. He'll drop the bomb anyway, but to make him err, drop the bomb a little sooner or too late - that is our task.

SEMEN CHUMANOV, Corporal

The story: I come out to the edge of the wood and ... A fascist fighter is diving straight at me! Me - I'm running back to the grove, dodging. But he didn't grudge me a bomb.

EVGENIY MONYUSHKO, Junior Lieutenant

Part 1: Besides the food received through ration cards, various surrogates were in use, pets were eaten, and it must be mentioned that a roast cat does not differ much from a roast rabbit.

Part 2: The subcaliber shell, fired point blank, hit the bottom of the turret. The "Tiger" didn't burst into flames, but the crew tried to bail out. A machine gun burst finished the business...

Part 3:The artillery battalion commander Shliahov reports to someone "on top": "...we're fighting for Gross-Brizen. The combat is heavy, boxes (tanks) are burning..."