COSSACKS SQUADRON

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 16, 19 October 1943, Page 6

COSSACKS SQUADRON

MIGRATORY LIFE

HARRYfNG THK GERMANS

A few days ago 1 visited the forest, writes Evgeny Krieger, the well known Russian author. For a long time we wandered among snowdrifts, and almost, lost hope of meeting any living being. Then suddenly Ave saw bright blue patches through the trees and heard horses snorting. it was the. forest camp of MajorGeneral Ivryukov's Cossacks. Their costume is a long black "burka" or felt cloak covering the horse as well as the rider, a blue bashlvk or cowl with ends Hung behind the back, a fur cap worn at a precarious angle. The immense shoulders of the burka give the Cossacks the look of a condor ready to hurtle down on its prey. It. is a perfect costume for winter. The burka is spread on the snow, and with the ends folded round him the Cossack is as warm as in a house. Feel at Home Anywhere Their migratory life has taught the cavalrymen to feel at. home everywhere. When I reached their camp in the wild wood they were digging themselves in, lighting camp iires in subtcrranian dwellings building stoves, making tables, benches and bunks, lighting lamps and preparing to sec a picture show. Major-General Kryukov received me in a roomy, electrically lit dugout. Carpets covered the lloor. A sword in a silver sheath hung on the Avail. A telephone and wireless set stood, on a table. As Ij entered, the General Avas listening to a report from a liaison officer attached to one of his divisions Avhieh had broken through the German defences and was operating for the filth Aveek behind the enemy lines. "How do they succeed in escaping the Germans?" I asked the General. He looked at me in surprise. "Why do you consider it necessary lor my men to escape the Germans? "But they are behind the enemy lines with the Germans surrounding them on all sides." Long-distance Raids "It's their business as cavalrymen to operate under such conditions, Long-distance raids behind the enemy lines are our bread and butter. It Avould be more correct it you said the. Germans who escaped my Cossacks." "How do you keep them supplied with food and ammunition?" 1 asked. "By plane. But there's no great necessity for that. It is much more profitable to get supplies from the Germans. In the course, of one month the division has routed 15 German garrisons, one of which was GUI) men strong. I'n one A'illage my men captured three German ammunition dumps and large stores of lood. "So as you see, the. problem of supplies in these raids is really simple. Petrol is a problem. The division captured a lot. ol' vehicles, and vehicles need petrol. Here again, the best way is to capture it from the Germans. All you have to do is to prepare an ambush, Avait for a convoy, and one, two, the petrol is. yours without any receipts!"