– In the scientific literature of the Soviet period and in the internal historiography of the Great Patriotic War, Shaimuratov’s heroic personality is associated only with the 112th Bashkavdivision, the combat route of which begins in the summer of 1942, – says the historian. – At the same time, Shaimuratov, as a career officer, fought in different sectors of the front and already in 1941 took part in the battle near Moscow. He was able to restore the full picture and the chronicle of the hostilities of that time with the help of Wehrmacht documents. The Germans, as you know, filled them with their usual pedantry. Shaymuratov from October 5 to December 3, 1941, commanding the 1st Special Cavalry Regiment, as part of the 151st Motor Rifle Brigade of the 108th Infantry Division of General Remizov’s group, heroically defended Moscow in the most threatening area – in the vicinity of the Khimki station. . There the enemy came closer to the capital of our Motherland, only 17 km remained to Moscow.
Airat Maratovich demonstrates excerpts from archival documents showing that Shaimuratov’s cavalry regiment of 650 men in the fall of 1941 near Moscow opposed the German 2nd Panzer Division and 106th Infantry.
– During the defense of Moscow, the cavalry regiment twice found itself surrounded by the enemy, fought with him for about a day and each time came out of the siege, – says Airat Bagautdinov. – All data is confirmed by reports and maps of military operations. They are detailed in the monograph. At this time, the commander and commissar of the 151 brigade lose control of the battalions. Against this background, the competent and skillful actions of the commander of the cavalry regiment stand out, who managed to organize a tough defense and hold back the enemy with the force of his cavalry for the whole day.
Of course, the battles were fought with heavy losses. By November 3, only about 100 cavalrymen were left alive. The feat of the dead was not marked by any awards. But we must always remember the courage and heroism of a simple Soviet soldier who fought for the independence of our Motherland. Airat Bagautdinov hopes that his monograph will become the starting point for launching events to reward the heroes of the battle for Moscow.
Help “RG”
After the start of the Great Patriotic War, Colonel Minigali Shaymuratov was sent to Tula, where until July 15 he participated in the formation of a special cavalry regiment, which was later re-equipped in Moscow. In early August, the cavalry regiment was transported to the area south of Zvenigorod, and the horsemen were trained here. On September 30, 1941, the regiment marches from Zvenigorod to Mozhaisk, with four squads of 145 horsemen each, 11 guns and 16 heavy machine guns. On October 13, a special cavalry regiment under the command of Minigali Shaimuratov entered its first battle near the village of Ilyinskoye with units of the German 7th Infantry Division and, together with the 3rd motorized rifle battalion which came to the rescue, threw the Germans. south – to the line of the villages of Troitskoye – Egoryevo. After that, the regiment will become part of the 151 motorized rifle brigade.
By the way
In the course of working with documents, Bagautdinov managed to establish that on October 25, 1941, the 82nd motorized rifle division, whose rank and file were Bashkirs, joined the battle for Moscow. The left neighbor of this division was the 151 motorized rifle brigade, in which the special Bashkir cavalry regiment fought.
In his memoirs “Hitler Goes East”, Obersturmbannführer Paul Schmidt writes how gloriously the 82nd Motor Rifle Division fought: “Our tankers broke into their positions, but the sons of the steppes did not rush to run – they began to throw bottles with cocktails Molotov. in the tanks.” The infantry troops following the armored vehicles had to beat trench after trench on the bayonet of the enemy.
For the heroism shown in the battle near Moscow, the commander of the 5th Army thanked all the soldiers of the 82nd Division.
