Džumagulov, Elmurza Bimurzajevič

Elmurza Bimurzayevich Dzhumagulov


This is not some mysterious medieval incantation, it is the name of the Dagestani Red Army tank ace, Lieutenant Dzhumagulov. He was born on 16 (some say 11) November 1921 in the village of Karlan-Yurt (now a village in the Khasavyurt district) in Dagestan as one of the children of a very large Christian family (14 siblings). After completing several grades of primary school he worked in the kolkhoz. In 1940 he completed a veterinary doctoral course. In the same year (08.02.) he registered for service in the Red Army at the conscription commission of Khasavyrut district. He joined the army on 16.11.1940 and got into the tanks of 20th Tank Division 9th Mechanized Corps of Maj. Gen. K. Rokossovsky[/url] (Kiev Special Military District). Due to the complexity of his name, he was "renamed" to Mikhail Borisovich in proposals for the award. Archival materials state that he fought in the 40th Independent Tank Regiment of the aforementioned division. In the barracks in the town of Novograd-Volynsky (Zhitomir) he underwent a course to become a mechanic driver. It is stated that he joined the crew of a T-26 tank as a driver. The German invasion caught him in this post. Regarding the type of tank he fought on, nothing more can be said than that for 20th Tank Division only BTs are listed as casualties.


On 03.06.1941, the 9th Mechanized Corps advanced against tank units of the Armeegruppe von Kleist. The latter broke through the positions of 5th Army Southwestern Front and advanced into the interior of Ukraine. It was in the area of Brody - Rovno that Elmurza fought his first battle. At the village of Petushki (Пітушків) 20km northwest of the village of Mlynov (Млинів). It was fighting as part of the defense at the strongpoint of Klevan (Клевань) and 20th Tank Division (commanded at the time by Colonel Katukov) was facing parts of the 13th., 14th Panzer-Division, 25th Infanterie-Division (mot.) and 229th Infanterie-Division. On 27.06.1941 the 20th Panzer Division destroyed 15 enemy tanks, according to reports. Unfortunately without further details, it is only stated that they managed to partially destroy the headquarters of the "75th Diversionary Division" of the Wehrmacht.


Other battles were fought at Novograd Volynsky, Malyna (23.07.1941), Khopovychi (25.07.1941) Holovka - Reminovka (01.08.1941), Huta Henrichovskaya (today Khut'yanskoye - gutyanskoye, 06.08.1941). Another location where this hero fought is according to the internet "Shlissenburg". Surviving these battles was really lucky. However, it is interesting to note the specific casualty figures for the 20th Panzer Division during 22.06.-22.07.1941: 202 privates and 45 officers were killed, 743 privates and 163 officers were wounded, and 2,656 privates and 190 officers are listed as missing!!! From 01.07. to 11.07. it was another approximately 1.200 missing, 43 wounded and 21 killed. By 22.07.1941 the 20th Panzer Division had lost "only" 17 BT tanks, 14 armoured cars, 20 cars, 10 152 mm howitzers and 1 76 mm gun. In September 1941, the 9th Mechanized Corps defended in the Korosten area (the headquarters is plotted in the village of Pisarivka - Писарівка) together with soldiers of the 15th Rifle Corps. As of 09.09.1941, the 20th Panzer Division officially ceased to exist. What remained of it was incorporated into the 15th Mechanized Corps along with the remnants of the 9th Mechanized Corps on 20 September 1941. Of the original 300 tanks (T-26, BT, T-37), 73 armoured cars, 1,067 automobiles, 133 tracked tractors and 188 motorcycles with which it entered combat, it had 9. Mechanized Corps as of 19.08.1941 only 2.400 men, 5 heavy and 24 light machine guns, 12 guns, 6 mortars, 5 cars and 3 anti-aircraft machine guns. It had no tanks. However, after the unit was disbanded, I have found no record of Elmurz Dzhamagulov's further activity for the period 10/41 to 12/41.


In 1942, he completed the officers' course with the rank of second lieutenant. Unfortunately, no relevant information about the fighting can be found. On the Internet it is only stated that "He fought in the area of the village of Novosil (Orel region)". On 17.09.1942 the decree of the People's Defense Committee № 1104478ss was issued, on the basis of which the 42nd Independent Tank Regiment was formed in the town of Kosterovo. On 15.07.1943 Elmurza received the Order of the Red Star for fighting on the Leningrad Front. The document for the award says: During the period of fighting on the Leningrad Front, Comrade Dzhumagulov, together with the crew of his tank, destroyed 3 anti-tank guns and their crew, 4 dzot and about twenty infantry soldiers of the enemy. In the Sluchka area he and his crew captured 8 soldiers, 2 cars with cargo and one motorcycle. At that time he served as a tank commander T-34 with the 660th Tank Battalion, 213th Tank Brigade. This unit had an interesting mix of equipment at the time: (as of 11 May 1943) KV-1, T-34-1, T-60-18, T-70-1. By June 1943, it had added to its numbers to 8 KV tanks (7 operational), 20 T-34s (18 operational), 21 T-60s (all operational), one T-30 and a T-70.


A few pieces of information have been found on Lieutenant Dzhumagulov's tenure with the 42nd Independent Tank Regiment, as well as the history of this unit.
[21.07.1943 - the enemy attacked four times with a company of infantry, three Panzer III tanks and 4 self-propelled guns towards Mojlovo. A reconnaissance platoon led by Lieutenant Litvinenko fought on the western edge of the village and destroyed 30 Germans, a radio and captured documents. E. B. Dzhumagulov's T-34 tank fought in a group of 12 T-34s and four T-70s, which prevented the Germans from advancing. In the battle, one T-34 burned and two T-34s broke down. One officer was killed and five were wounded. The Germans wrote off four anti-tank guns, one "T-3" tank and one self-propelled gun. It is not known what the T-34 crew of Lieutenant Dzhumagulov took credit for.
01.08.1943 - It was in August that Dzhumagulov joined this regiment. About the combat operations we read: the enemy, with the strength of two battalions of infantry with anti-tank guns, defended the heights 181.0 Kolodyazcy - 178.0. The regiment, consisting of eight T-34s, launched an attack at noon, supported by artillery fire and parts of the 323rd Infantry Division, from the forest 2 km east of the village of Kolodyazcy. At 12:30 the tanks broke through into the village. Unfortunately, the infantry did not make it into the village. The tanks therefore turned back and prepared for a new attack. The Germans lost about 100 soldiers and two anti-tank guns. The regiment dropped two T-34s, four dead and three wounded.
03.08.194303.08.1943 - On the order of the commander of the tank and mechanized troops Bryansk Front, the 42nd Independent Tank Regiment is transferred to an area of new deployment subordinate to 11th Guards Army.
10.08.1943 - the regiment at Mcensk station received a replenishment in the form of twenty T-34s. However, the quality of the crews was low. The report states that the tank commander fired the gun only three times, the drivers had only 5-10 hours of driving, the radio operator did not know how to use the radio, because the tanks had English type № 19 devices. The company and platoon commanders were not sufficiently educated to be able to read a map and understand recce, reconnaissance and cooperation with infantry.
[15.08.1943 - on the night of this day the tanks of the regiment destroyed 4 anti-tank guns, 7 machine guns, a mortar battery and killed 70 Germans. Unfortunately, the losses reached sad numbers: five T-34s burned, one was hit and disabled. This left only three T-34s and two T-70s operational. The regiment's irreversible losses are estimated at 15 T-34s. Three officers were killed, 21 sergeants. Five other soldiers (2 officers) wounded.
18.08.1943 - The regiment with 6 T-34s (+ one on the way), 2 T-70s concentrated 500 meters northwest of the village of Kolodezh.
05.09.1943 - 14 T-34s and 2 T-70s operational.
25.09.1943 - Blackwater. Condition of T-34 tanks - 36, 7 functional, needs medium repair - 12, needs small repair - 12, overhaul - 1. One kept drowned in the river. 19.10.1943 - Condition of T-34 tanks in Krasnovichi concentration area - 17, functional - 2, others need medium repair. Of the two T-70s, one is functional, the other needs medium repair. The only T-60 is also in need of repair. Status of tanks in Bryansk area - T-34: total 3, functional 2. Status of tanks in Glinice area - T-34: total 2 both need repair. Similar was the situation in other positions. In total the regiment had 32 T-34 tanks of which two(!) were functional. Apart from one that is still listed as drowned in the river, the remaining 28 tanks need medium and one overhaul.
[August 18, 1943 - The regiment with 6 T-34s (+ one on the way), 2 T-70s concentrated 500 meters northwest of the village of Kolodezh.
05.09.1943 - 14 T-34s and 2 T-70s operational.
25.09.1943 - Blackwater. Condition of T-34 tanks - 36, 7 functional, needs medium repair - 12, needs small repair - 12, overhaul - 1. One kept drowned in the river.
19.10.1943 - Condition of T-34 tanks in Krasnovichi concentration area - 17, functional - 2, others need medium repair. Of the two T-70s, one is functional, the other needs medium repair. The only T-60 is also in need of repair. Status of tanks in Bryansk area - T-34: total 3, functional 2. Status of tanks in Glinice area - T-34: total 2 both need repair. Similar was the situation in other positions. In total the regiment had 32 T-34 tanks of which two(!) were functional. Apart from one that was still listed as drowned in the river, the 28 remaining tanks needed medium and one overhaul.
06.11.1943 - At 06:00 hours the regiment's tanks concentrated at the village of Dobroděevka 8km northeast of Zlynky. At noon, order to move along the Krasnovichi, Klincy, Novozilkov route with the aim of reaching the forest near the village of Novozibkov (63rd Army, Belarusian Front). Unfortunately, the technical condition of 11 T-34 tanks and 5 T-70 tanks proved to be a stumbling block. Only five T-34s were able to move under their own power. The remaining machines were handed over to the repair brigade.
08.11.1943 - The regiment received 3 repaired T-34 tanks. Moving to the village of Bartholomeevka, two T-34s and "wheeled machines" arrived at the concentration point at 17:00. Two T-34s had to stay on the crossing route due to a breakdown.
10.11.1943 - Preparation of the ford over the river Soz. At the reconnaissance by T-34 tanks, the commanders Lieutenant Makarov and the company commander Lieutenant Zaitsev are listed.
11.11.1943 - A tragic accident occurred while crossing the river. After three T-34s managed to be transported on a 30-ton ferry, the driver of the fourth one failed to estimate the direction when entering the area and fell into the river with the tank, where he drowned in the machine. All this happened at night around 11pm and the darkness and fatigue probably did their work. The condition of the unit that swam over: 3 T-34s, 3 T-70s, one Mk. 3. On 15.11.1943 another 7 T-34s (group commander Major Nikitin) swam over to the right (?) bank of the river Sozh. The word right is indeed mentioned, although they advanced westwards and most texts state that the west bank is the left bank and the east bank is the right one. Probably the technical condition of the tanks was showing, two T-34s broke down after leaving the river.
16.11.1943 - Out of 11 tanks (Major Nikitin was the group commander), which were ordered to get to the initial positions, 4 broke down during the movement. Lieutenant Dimitrenko took command of the group, and 7 T-34s and 3 T-70s joined the fight around 12 o'clock. After covering 300-400 meters they came under fire from their positions near Romanov Forest. A classic example occurred when the infantry fell in and did not advance further. The tanks turned and returned to their starting positions. One T-34 was burned and 3 were hit. Four soldiers, one of whom was an officer, were wounded. Five German machine guns and one mortar were destroyed. In the village of Sherscin (Шарсцін) there is still a large memorial commemorating these battles.
17.11.1943 - Crews of five T-34s and three T-70s under the command of Lieutenant Kulikov again attacked Hill 145.5 towards Romanov Forest. The defense of the hill was supported by fire from the direction of Novoselki (Вёска Навасёлкі) and self-propelled guns "Ferdinand" in the number of 5-7 pieces. The attack of seven tanks, the infantry of the 916th Rifle Regiment (250th Rifle Division) was supported by the fire of the "26th Guards Self-Propelled Regiment" (gsap). Unfortunately, I haven't found anything about this regiment anywhere. It is probably the 26th Guards Independent Heavy Tank Regiment (gttp). It was interesting because as a "heavy" it was equipped with T-34 and Mk-3 tanks. As late as 07.11.1943 it received 13 self-propelled guns SU-152 and one tank KV-1S. Only on 14.11.1943 he finished training with this new equipment! After a two-hour battle, he managed to capture the mine and continue on to Romanov Forest. However, there was an impassable ditch/gully in front of the village and the tanks tried to find a crossing over it. In doing so, they fought with artillery and self-propelled guns. Unfortunately, one by one they were becoming targets. 2 T-34s and 2 T-70s were burned in succession. Two T-70s and 3 T-34s were shattered (literally) by hits. The attack was called off. Perhaps miraculously, only one officer and three soldiers were killed. 16 soldiers were wounded, 6 of them officers. The Germans wrote off only 2 PT guns, 2 mortars and 8 machine guns. The named 26th Gttp lost two SU-152s (one burned).
19.11.1943 - The previous commanders were replaced by those who were still alive. The crews of four T-34s led by Lieutenant Dzhumagulov were given the task to repeat the attack of 17.11. The artillery support of 8 SU-152s from 26th gttp was joined by 1109th sap. Unfortunately, I have not found anything about this unit either (mentioned in this similarly named unit only in the archives of 42.sa.tk.p.). (Later in December 1943 the regiment was supported by self-propelled guns from 1444th sap - a unit swap?) However, even in this fight it managed to reach the positions of the German trenches and destroy the enemy's living force and firing positions. After crossing the trench line, two T-34s were hit by enemy PT fire and burned with their crews. The two remaining tanks were hit by artillery from the "neutral zone". 8 soldiers (2 officers) were killed, one officer and one private wounded. The order followed to evacuate all the unmovable and broken tanks to the workshops.


For this fighting, Lieutenant Jamagul was awarded the Order of the Red Battalion. The following description is given in the text: He took part in the fighting for the extension of the bridgehead on the right bank of the Soz River near the 145.5 dimension between 17 November and 20 November 1943 and here he proved to be a bold and capable commander. His tank was the first to break into the German positions and began to destroy them. In doing so, he destroyed by fire and tracks 4 machine guns, 2 PT guns, 2 dzots and 30 German soldiers. The tank was hit in enemy territory, but he continued to command and wounded. The tank began to burn, but Lieutenant Dzhumagulov extinguished it, removed the machine guns and with the crew took up a defensive position around the tank. In all, he repelled 10 attacks by Germans in platoon strength who were trying to capture the tank. Ten Germans and two officers were killed in the fight. The crew repaired the tank and while retreating still destroyed one PT gun and returned to their positions.
29 November 1943 - the unit received 13 T-70 tanks of factory No.12 in Gorky with crews. 30 November 1943 - Gomel-Rech operation ended in Belarus and it was necessary to secure the positions. 1 December 1943 - 7 more T-70 tanks of factory No.12 in Gorky with crews were added to the unit. Twelve crews left under the command of senior technician Kukocek on the order of the commander of the tank and armoured troops to take over 10 T-34 and 10 T-70 at Zlinka station. Ten T-34s and nine T-70s were received by the tankers the very next day. These were tanks that had been overhauled at Moscow Plant No. 1. The quality of the repairs is evidenced by the fact that only 6 T-34s and 7 T-70s made it from the station where the tanks were taken over to the concentration point. Four T-34s broke down on the way (medium repair). Of the six T-34s that arrived at the destination, two needed immediate medium repair. The tanks were put into working order by field workshops and crews by 5-6 December 1943. Unfortunately, as early as 14 December 1943, in combat (supporting 409 and 624 gunners) at the Krasnaya Zveda railway station, the T-70s came under artillery and mortar fire and drove into minefields. 8 T-70s were burned, 4 T-70s were destroyed on mines, 5 T-70s were hit by fire and a technical malfunction disabled 3 T-70s. The weak patch was the destruction of six PT guns and 12 machine guns. 5 Dec 1943 - Order of the Commander of Tank and Armoured Troops 48. Army Colonel Nosov ready to move, along with the infantry of the 307th Missile. Division, to defend and repel counter-attacks at Jaschitsa. This task was completed by 7 T70 tanks and one T-34.
21 December 1943 - The regiment was to move to the Velikiy Les area on this date to support units of the 273rd Rifle Division. A total of 10 T-70s and two T-34s moved into the area. The regiment was ordered by the commander of tank and armoured troops 48. Army assigned tanks from 253. Tank Regiment (5 T-34) and self-propelled guns from 1444. SAP (5 SU-122). However, this help was only relative. Four SU-122s needed repairs and did not have complete crews. 22-23 December 1943 - Movement, preparation of defence and combat at the railway station Shacilka on the Berzina river (now the town of Svetlogorsk, Gomel region). Armament consisted of 8 T-70s, three T-34s and a single SU-122. One T-70 broke down on the way to the positions. The tanks were supported by units of the 42nd Rifle Corps. At 9 a.m. on 23.12 the tanks of the regiment north of the railroad. The battalion of infantry and 10 tanks attacked the advancing Germans with fire. 25.12.1943 - At 10:20 the Germans counterattacked, the aim of which was to capture the station Šacilky (Шаци́лки). A regiment of German infantry and 30 tanks and self-propelled guns advanced against a "company" of tanks under the command of Lieutenant Zaitsev. This company consisted of two T-34s, an SU-122 and five T-70s fighting with the infantry of the 277th Rifle Regiment (175th Rifle Div.) at the crossroads southwest of the station and four T-70s fighting at the crossroads in the direction of Kakel (Какель). The crew of Lieutenant Zaitsev, Lieutenant Bolshov, who was killed, and the crew of Chitaev distinguished themselves in the battle. The Germans lost 3 PT guns, 7 machine guns, 3 mortars and 100 soldiers. Three tanks were hit. However, a detailed analysis in the report states that one "Ferdinand" and 3 tanks were hit. On the German side, T-III and T-IV tanks are mentioned as self-propelled tanks, unfortunately "Ferdinand" tanks. .... Own losses: one officer killed and 8 wounded. One T-70 burned, one T-70 hit, one T-34 technical failure. The T-70, at that time he had a total of 11 of them, together with units of the 73rd Rifle Division tried to advance on the village of Molča. Here, the T-70s clashed with the defenses at the northern and southern parts of the village and on the 134.4 dimension. The latter consisted, besides infantry, of self-propelled guns referred to as Ferdinands. One T-70 was burned in the fight with this enemy (originally stated as 2, but crossed out and rewritten to the numeral 1) and one tank was hit (T-70?). Hut 134.4 was captured and the enemy retreated to northern Molchi. The price for this victory was one burned SU-122, two T-70s and one T-70 disabled by a hit. The regiment has 5 T-34s, 5 T-70s and a pair of SU-122s.
On 3 April 1944 he was awarded the Order of the Red Battalion and the proposal states: During the regiment's combat operations in the Sherstin area, he displayed heroism and courage. His tank was one of the first to fight its way into German positions, destroying 2 PT guns, 3 machine gun positions and about 30 Hitlerites in the process. In the enemy area, Lieutenant Dzhumagulov's tank was hit. Despite being wounded, he continued to command and managed to drive the damaged tank back to his own positions. In the Poganci area, the platoon under his command repelled six enemy counterattacks. In doing so he destroyed 8 machine gun posts, 2 PT guns and 20 Germans.


On 24.06.1944 the Babruj assault operation was launched. On this day, two T-34 tanks from Lieutenant Dzhumagulov's platoon were the first to cross the Druzh River in the area west of Rogačevo (Рагачоў, the junction of today's R39 and R43 roads) and penetrated 8 kilometers into the German defensive line. Along the way they destroyed wire roadblocks and cleared the way for infantry (102nd Rifle Division). They managed to cross the main Rogachev-Babrujsk road. During the battle for this important point the crews of both tanks destroyed about 100 soldiers and officers and 3 anti-tank guns. Dzhumagulov's tank was disabled, he himself was wounded and badly burned. The garrison sniped the T-34 and, armed with machine guns and grenades, set out from the trench to defend the tank. The tankers fighting in positions on the main road managed to hold out until the arrival of their own rifle units (29th Rifle Corps) and the main forces of the regiment. This breakthrough helped to successfully encircle the German troops at Babrujska. For his courage and heroism, Lieutenant Dzhumagulov was nominated for the title Hero of the Soviet Union.


The opponent in this area was a group of troops LV Armeekorps, 9. Armee, specifically in the section where the T-34 Dzhumagulov tanks attacked it was the 296th Infanterie Division. In the text about the history of this unit we read: On the night of 24 June 1944, the enemy launched its main attack with a ninety-minute barrage that caused a breakthrough on a two-kilometer stretch defended by the 296th I.D. north of Rogachevo between the villages of Kalasy (now Каласы) and Kostešov (Касцяшоў). Despite immediate counterattacks, the situation could not be resolved due to massive enemy air and artillery support, and the enemy advanced to the Dobyssno (Dobysno) River. Despite the local successes achieved by the division the following day on the west bank of the river from the settlement of Bronnoye (Броннае) to the settlement of Sslapishcha, as well as fierce fighting to hold the main Rogachev-Babrujsk road, the 296th I.D. was ordered to retreat behind the Dobysno River. The enemy pushed hard and continued to attack. On the morning of 26 June, he was able to cross the river near the settlement of Liskowa (Ліскі), and the 296th I. D. was forced to retreat westward behind the Ola River. The division, in spite of the heavy deployment of Russian tanks and self-propelled guns, impressively maintained its cohesion; despite the huge losses in men, the artillery regiment still had all its weapons at its disposal. However, it suffered from a shortage of ammunition, as there were almost no supplies to deliver due to the unrestricted control of the airspace by the RA air force. This route was constantly monitored by enemy fighter-bombers, which also attacked individual vehicles. Against the tanks could be deployed within the 296th I.D. its Panzerjäger-Abteilung 296, which was completely destroyed in the cauldron at Babruisk. There were also assault guns of 244 in the vicinity. StuG.Abt, this unit was also almost completely wiped out in the fighting.


Probably because of the wound of 24.06.1944 and the subsequent treatment, the only other traceable record is the study of the officer's school (Leningrad Tank College) which he completed in 1945. 1949 - Studied at the Leningrad VBS. 1958 - Completed a course for command units (Kurс усовершенствования командного состава) and headed military commissariats in several districts of the Republic of Dagestan.


He retired in 1973, but continued to work as chairman of the village assembly in his native village of Karlan-Yurt. In an interview with a correspondent of Al-Salam magazine in April 2010, he said: "I have had to see and experience a lot over the years, you get used to death, you stop being afraid of it. War is hard work that often takes lives. It helped us to believe in our justice, we knew we were defending our home."


With his crew, he destroyed 15 tanks and 8 self-propelled guns of the enemy and other enemy equipment in 50 tank attacks. He was wounded four times in combat. On September 26, 1944, he was named Hero of the Soviet Union and was awarded the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star of the Hero (number 4497).


This tank driver died on 26 September 2013 at the age of 92 in the capital of the Republic of Dagestan Makhachkala.