IREMEMBER- Russian website for WW2 Veteran's Recollections

[43rdRecceReg]

I've just been leafing through the personal accounts of Russian Tankers during the war. I found the first link quite by chance on this US website:
https://www.nps.gov/nama/blogs/the-nine ... ar-two.htm
That ported me through to this one, where I read the short memoir of Alexander Koleshnikov, the 12-year old Tanker (Hmm... and we thought the 1945 Battle of Berlin recruits were young.
Do read it. He was twelve at the time, but looked about six.
https://iremember.ru/en/memoirs/tankers ... olesnikov/

Alex Koleshikov- the baby faced Tank-Killer

Alexander Koleshnikov.jpg (34.02 KiB) Viewed 956 times

And a link to the general intro:
https://iremember.ru/en/

[43rdRecceReg]

I meant to add, that with the recent emphasis on remembering the Great War/WW1 generation, and the Centenary of the War's end we mustn't forget the WW2 generation either. Their numbers are dwindling rapidly, and most survivors are well into their nineties by now. Their memoirs make fascinating reading, and add much to our hobby too.
As an incidental, here's another historical perspective on the War, and this time it comes in downloadable from Canada:
https://scholars.wlu.ca/cgi/viewcontent ... ontext=cmh
It deals with the maintenance of a group of Panthers in an SS Regiment, during the Normandy campaign. It's a very interesting article...and serves to dispel a few myths.

[PainlessWolf]

Good morning,
Some people still think War is great. ( usually everyone who has never been in one ) Every natural ( and unnatural ) disaster is 'interesting' to watch on TV or to read about when it's not your home or family that is in peril. War is the only disaster that discriminates about who it can shuffle off this mortal coil since it is just us doing it to ourselves. I love the machinery that we build to propagate War. ( don't ask me why, I could not tell you ) I enjoy building the armor in miniature and watching it run. I would say that the machines from bygone conflicts more so than the new since the older pieces are where they belong, scrapped or in a museum. Safely wrapped up in the Amber of Time, their killing days done. The newer machines, not so much, they are still out there doing what they were built to do. ( and yes I know that many of these machines we 'love' were built to stop a great wrong while others were used to continue the wrong doing ) It is all a matter of national perspective, which talking head is saying what. Roy, thanks for the link. I look at that kid and wonder if he ever got a chance to hold a puppy or enjoy a cloudless day with a book and a candy bar. Something about the eyes tells me no.
regards and apologies for the ramble,
Painless

[Son of a gun-ner]

Wow, what a child.

As for why I like tanks, I hold them in awe, not the glory of what they did or could do. So, I'm with Mr Wolf, but I know why I like tanks, they have a mechanical "WOW" factor.

[43rdRecceReg]

Good morning,
Some people still think War is great. ( usually everyone who has never been in one ) Every natural ( and unnatural ) disaster is 'interesting' to watch on TV or to read about when it's not your home or family that is in peril. War is the only disaster that discriminates about who it can shuffle off this mortal coil since it is just us doing it to ourselves. I love the machinery that we build to propagate War. ( don't ask me why, I could not tell you ) I enjoy building the armor in miniature and watching it run. I would say that the machines from bygone conflicts more so than the new since the older pieces are where they belong, scrapped or in a museum. Safely wrapped up in the Amber of Time, their killing days done. The newer machines, not so much, they are still out there doing what they were built to do. ( and yes I know that many of these machines we 'love' were built to stop a great wrong while others were used to continue the wrong doing ) It is all a matter of national perspective, which talking head is saying what. Roy, thanks for the link. I look at that kid and wonder if he ever got a chance to hold a puppy or enjoy a cloudless day with a book and a candy bar. Something about the eyes tells me no.
regards and apologies for the ramble,
Painless

All sage thoughts, Painless. Feel free to ramble here, and elsewhere, I know I often do I found some immersive stories on this site. What these young souls endured, for weeks, months and (for survivors) even years, would have crushed my spirit in a single day, I think. Although I like to think I could have borne it.

[43rdRecceReg]

Ok is it wrong to like these machine's, what damages they can do.what they represent.
Is it wrong for me ,a English man to buy a german tank but it's ok its got a polish flag on it.
Good people on both sides of the conflict.
It's ok to like the tank!

Machines are not inherently bad, or evil, Wardog. Only some humans are bad to the bone (psychopaths, megalomaniacs etc..).
I'm also inclined to describe Tape worms, Lyme- bearing ticks, and Malarial mosquitos as plain nasty. The machines we make fascinate me, although I suppose those that preserve life (aqualungs, decompression chambers, defibrillators, etc) tend to command more respect than those used to take life. That said, I enjoy firing WW2 Rifles and Handguns, and have learned to appreciate the science and experience that went into making them function effectively. However, I've never- for one moment thought of firing one at any living creature. On the same basis, I wouldn't mind owning an old Tank. So...enjoy.!