By late morning on 25 July 1942, the Germans had managed to occupy the village of Lozhki and the Collective Farm No.2 just north of the Kalach bridge over the Don river. Fuel shortages were all that stopped them pressing on and possibly capturing the bridge. Instead, all they could do was wait and shell Soviet traffic on the bridge
General-major Efim G. Pushkin, Soviet deputy commander of the Stalingrad Front ordered the 13th Tank Corps to cross the bridge and drive the Germans out of Lozhki and away from Kalach. Quickly improvising an attack, by mid afternoon more than 80 tanks rushed the German positions.
Unprepared for an attack by massed Soviet armour, the Germans were forced to retreat from Lozhki and the Collective Farm.
However a second line of defence had been prepared with a pair of 88mm Flak guns and a platoon of PzKpfw III tanks.
At least four Soviet tanks were destroyed by the 88mm guns before they were disabled by return fire. Just as it appeared the Soviet armour would break through the lead Soviet tank battalion began to receive accurate fire from it's flank, from Stabsfeldwebel Wolf's tank platoon, which was deployed in reverse slope positions.
Here we see PzKpfw III's of Wolf's platoon engaging the advancing lead tanks of 56th Tank Brigade, with several already knocked out. On the hill behind the two destroyed 88mm Flak guns can be seen. The Don river is visible in the background while the smouldering buildings of Collective Farm No.2 and German vehicles can be seen in the right background.
All Wolf's tanks were immobilized by lack of fuel but their gunnery was superb, knocking out one Soviet tank after another and forcing the Soviets to withdraw, with the loss of probably more than 20 tanks. Wolf had lost none of his platoon but by now they were almost out of armour piercing ammunition. Wolf had halted the counter attack of the Soviet 62nd Army by the narrowest of margins.

FROM: Osprey Publishing's: Stalingrad 1942-43 (1)

PRICE: £645.00 (Unframed)
IMAGE SIZE: Approx. H 34cm x W 50cm ( H 13.25 inches x W 19.75 inches)
MEDIUM: Watercolour and gouache