Viva La Muerte! - Red Victory

10 FEBRUARY 1943, OCTOBER STATION, KRASNY BOR, 30KM SOUTH OF LENINGRAD In January 1943 the Red Army managed to breakthrough the bottle-neck near the shore of Lake Ladoga and created a land-connection to Leningrad first time since September 1941. In order to defeat the siege decisively, the Soviet command planned a much larger operation named Operation Polar Star. It was based on coordinated blows from three directions to encircle the enemy forces south of Leningrad. The plan gave the main attack to the 55th Army. The 55th army's orders were to break open the vital Leningrad-Moscow Highway, starting from its jump-off position in Kolpino towards Tosno, to join with a northbound attack pincer of 54th Army of Volkhov Front, thereby encircling German formations near Leningrad. The vital point for the highway was the town named Krasny Bor which was defended by the 250th Infantry Division, or the "Azul" Division which was formed by the Spanish phalangist volunteers. On Wednesday, 10 February 1943, a massive artillery bombardment of 1,000 Soviet guns and mortars opened on the Spanish lines at precisely 6:45. Shells, mortars and Katyusha rockets pounded the trenches, bunkers and dugouts. At approximately 8:40, the 45th and 63rd Guards and the 72nd Rifle Divisions, followed by armor started their advance. Inside Krasny Bor, a company of the 250th Infantry Division was holding the October Railway station. Company commander Captain de Huidrobo had dispersed his troops along the railway embankment directly on the way of the 63rd Guards Rifle Division. That day, along the railway embankment, the Spaniards gave their toughest fight with heaviest casualties. That day would be remembered in veterans' memories as "The Black Wednesday".