On 12 and 13 July 2014 in the Volokolamsk district of the Moscow region held military-historical festival "the Battle Field". Despite the fact that he is only the second time (the start was given in 2013), many reenactors are already calling it the main event of the year! It is not by accident. Looking at the partners of the project, and they were the Mosfilm cinema concern, the Tank Museum in Kubinka, understand that you will not be bored. According to organizers the festival of military "Battlefield" is a brand new project aimed at the preservation and correct presentation of the military history of our country and other countries.
The festival was held in several stages. First visitors, which, by the way, despite the rather high entrance fee was a lot, were available on an online platform, they recreate the life of soldiers during the great Patriotic war. Stylized and other aspects of the time - somewhere at the entrance of the red army there is a sentry with a rifle, at some distance we see a German military field hospital where a military doctor is preparing to operate on a wounded soldier. The festival featured a large number of equipment, which then went into battle directly from the interactive sites. It is obvious that the authors wanted to draw a parallel with the Parade, which was held in Moscow in November 41, where the troops were leaving red square straight to the front!
The audience was able to see the famous lorry, tanks T-34, T-35 Soviet tank destroyer, the German hanomag, T-IV, German self-propelled guns and anti-tank guns of various calibers. In addition to the platforms operated various retail outlets, working rides, and at the end of the day, in his speech paid tribute to the festival's ENIGMA, which the musicians sang their famous songs.
The second part of the festival was the reconstruction of the fighting of 1941 and 1944. The first the audience saw events July 41-th year, when the red Army hastily left the positions and went to the rear of the Soviet Union. This was a chance to take part and I -- I represented the civil side (played the role of a refugee). We traveled with the wagon train, which was carrying the wounded soldier beside him on the cart lay our rifles and carbines. A dense stream of people came to the East. Before us there were the regular troops of the red army, and other refugees, but all of a sudden we traveled passenger car, probably the officers, as many think, in a hurry... In the car the officer was sitting with his family and things, he seems in a hurry to take back all that he could. Fated to do he failed. Suddenly in the crowd, shots rang out, people began to socialise, scream, someone spoke, that there are German saboteurs... I tried to look at what is happening and why so alarmed our people, but an endless column of retreating troops, like a high fence that stood in my way, closing my view. Suddenly started to panic! Someone has been arrested and taken away, but what and where did not understand neither I, nor walking beside the wagon the locals. Only after all this passing the military checkpoint was inspected more closely. "Where are you going? What's with you?". These words and then, like thunder, was heard to the left and to the right there. Our turn next, we were rushed some officers and long examined our baggage - not carry if we there is something extra, and indeed who we are. Its investigative steps suddenly broke. He heard the screams - "the Germans"! Someone started shooting, the Sergeant was just not up to us and he ran back to his fences. We, having a small number of people, and even armed with rifles and Mosin Nagant rifles were designed to help the parts of our army. An officer gave us instructions to immediately take up arms and take positions in the trenches with the soldiers of the red army. Soon came the leading groups of fascists, with every minute they were nearer to our trenches, but our fighters waited, protected ammo. Suddenly from the wings popping out German hanomag, which the gunners opened heavy fire, thus showing "who's boss".
Soon after the German artillery attack, our position "which completely flattened" so that many almost had to dig out and continue to fight. Artillery shells the fascists we do not regret it, and we could only lie down, wait, and hope.
Some time later, the Germans ended their offensive artillery, they probably believed that the path forward is free. The German infantry went forward...
"Attention!" - he heard a loud commanding voice in the Soviet trenches, "at the advancing enemy... FIRE!" Now is the hour when we were able to "treat" the Germans bullets. Everyone who could hold a gun, started shooting back, and if, the soldiers for the most part and all he was to say the same thing about the refugees I certainly can't. Don't know how effective was their fire... In the trenches came the cries of the soldiers, asking for ammunition, bullets became smaller with each passing minute. Realizing this, the commanders had raised his troops to the offensive, but as far as none of our troops failed, many, barely jumping out of the trenches and were immediately mowed by the German bullets. The nurses tried to help anyone he could, but how could they?!
After destroying the first line of defense and taking the place of the soldiers of the red army, the Wehrmacht continued to bite into the Soviet line of defense. It seemed that the Germans are looking for the road that will lead them by the shortest route directly to Moscow, but when the right flank of our defence suddenly appeared tank T-35 in the German plans were immediately made some adjustments. Tank on the move joined the battle and broke into the German line of defense. Now the panic was already in the ranks of the Germans. Taking this opportunity, red army commanders again ordered another counter-attack was started near fights... the Fighters of the red army managed to stop and even to push the attacking enemy troops. The German offensive was temporarily suspended.
This ended the first stage of reconstruction, but after two and a half hours the audience saw the reconstruction of the battle that took place as part of operation Bagration in Belorussia.
I take this opportunity to note the excellent work of pyrotechnics, explosions, smokes - it all happened very, very cool. I hope "Battlefield" 2015 will be no less hot and extensive.
