Sector Sevastopol - Fort "Stalin"

Fort "Stalin" was originally constructed in 1855 and untill the siege of Sevastopol (1941-1945) modernized. It was manned by men of the 365th Battery (61th Flak Regiment) and elements of the 1st Battalion/1165th Infantery Regiment (345th Rifle Division). The main armanant composed of four 76.2mm AA artillery pieces. These guns were protected by three concrete MG casemates.

The siege of Sevastopol:
On 5 June 1942, the railway gun "Schwerer Gustav" fired six 800mm (!) shells on fort "Stalin", but failed to neutralize it. On 12 June 1942, the fort was bombed by Junkers Ju 87 "Stuka" dive bombers and the Germans fired also eleven 420mm mortar shells on "Stalin". Three of the four 76.2mm AA gun pieces were destroyed in the bombardment. At 1900hrs the Germans launched an intens artillery barrage on the fort. Soldiers of the 16th Infantery Regiment, under command of Oberst von Choltitz, moved toward the fort on 13 June, at 0300hrs. An hour later the assault teams had penetrated Stalin's barbed wire obstacles. In the following 1.5 hours, heavy combat took place in the surrounding trenches and the three concrete casemates (which faced the wrong way) were eventually neutralized. At around 0530hrs, the Soviets responded and the guns of fort "Volga" fired on its sister fortress. Three German assault guns were disabled in this attack.

The fort today:
It is currently abandoned and can be visited.

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Source

• Text: Kaj Metz
• Photos: Wikimapia.org

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