Translators note: The diaries are usuallly laid out so that the pages alternate between orders from SW Front HQ and reports of units of the 62nd Army. This scheme roughly holds true throughout. Translations which have presented some difficulty are highlighted in red - if you have any input on this please email me via the contacts page of this website.
OPERATIONAL ORDERS No.00122
S-W Front HQ 18.9.42 18.00
Under the the attack of forces of the Stalingrad front, which went over to the general offensive in the south, the enemy suffers large losses on the frontline at KUZMICHI, B.SUKHAYA, MECHETKA, AKATOVKA. For the purpose of opposition to the offensive of our Northern group, the enemy removes a number of units from the region of STALINGRAD, VOROPONOVO and moves them through GUMRAK to the north.
For the purposes of the crushing defeat of the Stalingrad group of enemy together with the Stalingrad front it IS ORDERED:
1 To the commander of the 62nd Army, create an assault echelon in the region of MAMAEV KURGAN of not less than three Rifle divisions and one Tank brigade, to deliver a strike in the direction NW of STALINGRAD with the task of destroying the enemy in this region. The purpose is to destroy the enemy in STALINGRAD, having solidly dug in the frontline at RYNOK, ORLOVKA, Hills 128.0 & 98.9, and the NW and W outskirts of STALINGRAD.
To the Chief of the Artillery of Front, ensure the attack of the 62nd army by a powerful artillery offensive in the area of, to the right, GORODISHCHE, GUMRAK; to the left, the r.TSARITSA.
95th Rifle Division from 19.00 18.9.42 is to join the 62nd army. To the commander of the 62nd Army, cross the larger part of the division to Stalingrad by the northern crossings in the region KRASNIY OKTYABR' before 5.00 19.9.42 and use it for an assault from the region of Hill 102.0 towards the NW outskirts of STALINGRAD.
112th Rifle Div. is ordered in the course of night to restore its position, also, in the morning of 18.9.42 to be ready to counterattack to bring its units in order, not, under any circumstances,
to allow any mixing.
THE BASE OF RECORD: sifrovka/ order matter
p. 201/
Operational Order No.161
The army, in the course of night, continued the defense of previous positions in the Northern and Southern sectors of the fronts and prepared 124th, 149th Rifle Brigades and 282th NKVD Rifle Reg. for localised operations to support the attack of our Northern group of forces.
During the day the army, continuing to retain the occupied boundaries in the south, parts of the armed forces of the North and the central section went over to the offensive with the task of the destruction of enemy and seizure of hills 101.3 & 135.4 and the capture of the central section of the city.
At night the enemy did not show any activity. 38th Mot. Rifle Br. completely mastered the orchards, 112th Rifle Div and 39th Gd.Rifle Reg of /13th Gds.Rifle Div/, after heavy fighting, stopped further enemy advance and dug in on the south and south-west slopes of hill 102.0. /13th Guards Div./ 42nd and 34th Gds. Rifle Reg.s continued street fighting in the centre of the city. 35th Gd. Rifle Div with the remainders of the 131st Rifle Div. 10th Rifle Br. stayed on their previous frontline, the enemy retains elevator and cannery.
During the day the enemy did not manifest activity in the Northern sector, in the centre of city it put up furious resistance to our units, repeatedly it passed to the counterattack and in the evening pressed units of 13th Gd. Rifle Div, 42nd Rifle Br and the 244th Rifle Div. Attacks against 35th Gd. Rifle Br were repelled.
In the northern section the following units went onto the offensive and at the outcome of the day they mastered
these areas:
124th Rifle Br - Hill 30.5
282nd Rifle Reg - the southern and SW slopes of hill 135.4
42nd Rifle Br, after sustaining large losses, withdrew to the SAD region 300m south of the station and further,
to the bridge over r.TSARITSA at KULININSKAYA St.
112th Rifle Div from 14.00 went over to the offensive, delivering an attack with left flank in a westerly direction. Its task: the destruction of the enemy in the region of Neftesindikat and to restore a continuous front line in the northern part of the city along the railway line.
Overcoming persistent enemy opposition, parts of the division slowly advanced and at 16.00 their frontline was the railway in the region of two bridges south of hill 102.0
During the night the remainder of the 92nd Rifle Br is to finish crossing. The start of the infantry offensive will be 19.9. at 12.00.
YEREMENKO KHRUSHCHEV
ZAKHAROV
OPERATIONAL ORDER 151 KM 62nd ARMY HQ
18.9.42 23.50
1. The enemy, after committing reserves to battle, and after mastering the center section of STALINGRAD, attempts to reach the r.VOLGA to separate the front of the Army.
2. The Army, carrying out the primary task of defending STALINGRAD, with its units on 19.9.42 assumes the counteroffensive for the purpose of the destruction of the enemy incursion into the city.
3. Right- left wing of Stalingrad Front to conduct an offensive with the task: the destruction of the group of enemy in the region NW of RYNOK, and connection with the parts of 62nd Army.
To the left- units of the 64th army: conduct an offensive battle in the region KUPUROSNOE.
Boundaries with it. As before.
4. I decided on an attack from the region of hill 102.0 in the general direction of the STATION to cut off and to destroy the enemy who have penetrated into the centre of the city.
I ORDER:
1. 23rd tank Corps with the forces of 9th Mot.Rifle Br to advance in the direction of hill. 96.9, Hospital to destroy the enemy and contol the frontline plus 0.8, protecting the flank of the advancing group from the north-west. Boundary to the left is to be Hill 107.5 /esp/ saray, forest plantation.
244th Rifle Div., after battling under the pressure of superior enemy forces, withdrew and occupied a section along the railway line from TURGEN. and further on to the intersection of the line with ul. LITEYNAYA.
35th Gds Rifle Div. with 133rd Tank Brigade with the remnants of the 131st Rifle Div. and 10th Rifle Br., during the day deflected 4 enemy attacks and continues to hold the frontline. railway 1 km North of elevator, also, to the water-pumping station / east of L'VOVSKIY alley/.
137th Tank Brigade finished its river-crossing and was concentrated in the region 1.5 km SE of ??? and is now engaged in all-round defense.
92th Rifle Div. concluded the crossing of the r.VOLGA and is concentrated in the center of city in the region NE of r.TSARITSA/.
The army, during the night, based on the previous order, is preparing for the offensive on 19.9.
Stalingrad