Breaking the Siege - Operation Spark

The first successful attempt to break the siege occurred on the 12th January 1943. Divisions from the Leningrad Front* within the city and the Volkov Front to the east broke through creating a gap in the siege lines along the Ladoga coast line.

 

In the 5 Kopec Bridgehead the 45th Guards took the first line of trenches but were halted by and pushed back in bitter fighting by the German 5th Gebirgsjaeger (Mountain) Division.

 

To the north three divisions charged across the frozen Neva (temp being –23degrees), the 136th

Leningrad Offensives 1942-44

division being accompanied by their band playing the national anthem ‘The International’. To the east the a spectacularly successful artillery and rocket bombardment had smashed the German positions and the troops surged forward.

 

The advance slowly progressed over the next 7 days with heavy losses in the face of determined German counterattacks. Shlisselburg fell to the 136th division^ after three days of desperate street fighting. Finally, as the attack was on the verge of breaking down due to exhaustion, both fronts came together. Attempts to take the high ground to the south around Siniavino failed.

 

A land route had been established with the starving city, supplies could come in and civilians could be evacuated. The new road followed by a railway line was under continuous fire from German guns on the hills, however, enough food and materials got through to keep the city in the war. More importantly was the moral victory, the siege would drag on for another year, but the siege lines had been broken.

 

 *Soviet Armies were organised into a army groups known as ‘Fronts’

 ^The 136th Rifle Division were awarded Guards status becoming the 63rd Guards Rifle Division for the

   part they played in the breakout.