STERN VENGEANCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 December 1942, Page 4

STERN VENGEANCE

EXACTED BV COSSACKS FOR NAZI MURDERS IN KUBAN VILLAGE. ENEMY FORCE OF 2,000 MEN WIPED OUT. The following grim tale of Cossack vengeance was told, in a recent issue of “Soviet Wai - News,” by a correspondent with General Kurchenko’s forces: — It was night- in Kuban. In a deep cornfield Kovtun lay hidden, peering towards the opposite bank of the river Yei, where a Cossack village loomed black in the gathering dark. That village had been Kovtun’s home for 39 years. But two days ago it had been occupied by the Germans. They had entered in the evening and driven. Kovtun’s family into the street. His daughter Anka was seized by an officer. The mother brought a poker down on the officer’s head. The Germans hanged both her and Anka. Even-seven-year-old Tamara was not spared. So Kovtun, in the cornfield, was a man without a home and without a family. There is an unwritten law among the Cossacks: strike three blows for every one; kill ten for every one.

While Kovtun lay in hiding a squadron led by his father was making its way towards the river. Riding alongside the old man was his grandson, Pavel. With them was political instructor Pilchuy. He, too, went to war with his two sons.

Some distance away yet another Cossack squadron was moving towards the river. At midnight these squadrons secretly crossed the river and converged on the village. They scattered through the streets. Not a shot was heard that night. ' But in the morning 300 Nazi soldiers were found beheaded where they had lain in sleep. And the bodies of Kovtun’s family had vanished from the courtyard where they had been hanged. All this was but the beginning. Before midday a loud" “Hurrah!” suddenly rang out from the forest south of the village, as two Cossack regiments with drawn swords galloped towards the cornfield where the Germans had entrenched on" a crossing to the left bank.

Cossack blades flashed in the bright spn. The mounted force moved on like an avalanche. The enemy tried to stem it with artillery fire. It seemed that the cavalry charge might fail, when a roar of cannon came from beyond the forest. The German guns were silenced.

The sparkling blades flashed like lightning across the field. The _ avalanche rolled on with cries, whistling and hooting. Suddenly the first German rose and began running towards the river. Then another one followed. Soon 2,000 Germans were running in panic from the terrible swords of the horsemen. Galloping in front of one regiment was Major Konovalov. He overtook a group of Germans and slashed eight of them to death. The ninth fired his pistol and wounded Konovalov, but he, too. was cut down. The wounded major severed two more German heads. Then a bullet hit him in the chest. He dropped from the horse, but was picked up and carried to safety. The Cossack Noprenko killed four Nazi soldiers and tools: an officer prisoner. Political instructor Belomesov slashed eight Germans. Kovtun gave full vent to his fury. Though he had spent a sleepless njght, he had enough strength left to kill 12 Germans. The Cossacks kept at it for an hour. When they had finished dead Nazis and the equipment of two German infantry regiments lay scattered over the cornfield. Here is an epiloque—an extract from the diary of Lieutenant Hetzel, commander of the 2nd Company, 94th German Alpine Sapper Battalion, found on the battlefield: — “Fighting against us are the Don and Kuban Cossacks. I remember how years ago my father told me stories about them. But what we have seen surpass in terror any of his stories. Nothing deters them. “Today my company went to the aid of several rifle regiments which were in difficulties. Only four of us came back. It was hell let loose. It is a miracle that I am alive. Some 50 Cossacks charged us in mounted formation. Our men panicked and ran. I tried to stop them, but was knocked down; “Three times the Cossacks swept by. I could perhaps have fired, but my hands were numb. I’ve heard a rumour that our brigade no longer exists. Judging by my company, it may very well be true.”