The cook captured a German tank. "Dessert" from an ax. As a cook, Sereda captured a German tank. Know the Soviet people that you are the descendants of fearless warriors! Know, Soviet people, that the blood of great heroes flows in you, Who gave their lives for their Motherland without thinking about
Everyone knows the fairy tale about a soldier's porridge from an ax. But life sometimes throws up such stories that where there is folklore. Here, for example, is another story about a soldier who treated the whole crew of a fascist tank with an ax, so much so that the Germans could not clear up this mess!
It was in June 1941 on the North-Western Front, near Daugavpils. The 10th tank regiment of the 8th tank division of the Third Reich was ordered to break through the defenses of the Red Army and enter the rear of our troops.
Two tanks coped with this task before the others and ended up at the edge of a small forest, behind which the front rumbled. One of the armored vehicles flooded further through the bushes, and the crew of the second found next to the edge ... a smoking field kitchen. And not a soul around. The amused Germans imagined that in addition to the successful execution combat mission they also have a chance to taste a Red Army dinner. And what kind of soldier will refuse gratuitous grubs?
Having driven closer to the kitchen, the clanking mechanical monster froze, then the most nimble German appeared from the hatch. However, perhaps he was the hungriest. Sniffed: smells delicious. The German was about to jump out of the tank to take a sample, when he suddenly saw that a hefty Russian soldier with an ax was rushing towards him from the fishing line! The lid of the tank slammed shut. The machine gun came to life and began to spit bullets.
Probably, the Germans believed that this was the end of their sudden enemy, but they did not know with whom they were dealing.
The soldier's fate brought them together with the cook of the 91st tank regiment of the 46th tank division of the 21st mechanized corps of the North-Western Front, Ivan Pavlovich Sereda, a native of Donbass. In 1941 he was 22 years old. After school, Ivan entered the food technical school, and therefore, when he was drafted into the army in 1939, the question of a military specialty did not arise: the post of Sereda's soldier was in the kitchen.
On that day, he was preparing dinner for the soldiers of his unit, and suddenly - German tanks! Whole two!
Probably, no one would have condemned Ivan if he had tried to escape, not with a carbine and an ax - and he had no other weapon - to fight against tanks. However, Ivan did not lose his head. He quickly led the horses into the woods, and he hid behind the field kitchen and began to watch. One tank went further, and the second stopped very close, and some German climbed out of it, laughing merrily. Moreover, his intentions in the cook did not cause any doubts. Fritz clearly wanted to eat the dinner that Ivan was preparing for his guys. Well, I do not!
Squeezing the ax, Ivan Sereda rushed to the uninvited guest. When the hatch slammed shut and the machine gun rattled, Ivan was already on the armor. He covered the viewing slot of the tank with his chef's coat, then with a few blows of the ax he bent the muzzle of the machine gun. And he began to beat with all his might on the armor with an ax, shouting at the top of his voice: “Hyundai hoh, Hansiki! Fly in guys, surround, destroy the Fritz.
Recall that this was the very beginning of the war. The Germans did not yet know what Soviet soldiers were capable of in battle, and they could not even imagine that they were being attacked by a single cook, and not by a whole unit.
In general, the manhole cover leaned back, and a long-time lover of freebies emerged from it with his hands up. Behind him are others. Under the gunpoint of Ivan Sereda's carbine, they tied each other up, and that was the end of the war for them.
When the platoon in which Sereda served returned after completing a combat mission, the fighters saw the following picture: a German tank was standing near the field kitchen, nearby were Germans tied up. And their cook is working at the field kitchen, worried that because of all these adventures he did not have time to cook the porridge. Here was the laughter!
The story quickly became known to the high command, it was written about in the army newspapers, and it began to be used so often in various propaganda materials that the “cook Sered” began to be perceived as a folklore character, like the very daring man who cooked porridge from an ax.
However, this is a genuine case, and it has documented evidence.
Ivan Sereda fought until the end of the war, accomplished many more feats. For example, during one of the military operations, he destroyed a German tank with a bunch of grenades, and when a machine gunner was killed, Ivan replaced him and destroyed ten Nazis.
Decree of the Presidium Supreme Council USSR dated August 31, 1941, for the exemplary performance of the combat missions of the command and the courage and heroism shown at the same time, the Red Army soldier Sereda Ivan Pavlovich was awarded the title of Hero Soviet Union with the award of the Order of Lenin and the medal " Golden Star».
In 1942, Ivan Sereda was sent to advanced training courses for command personnel. He ended the war with the rank of senior lieutenant, adding to the star of the Hero of the Soviet Union and the Order of Lenin the Order Patriotic War 2nd degree and several medals.
Ivan Sereda was born on July 1, 1919 in a Ukrainian family that lived in the Donbass village of Aleksandrovka, and later moved to Galitsinovka, located in the same Maryinsky district. Like all his peers, Ivan was strong and dexterous, he perfectly mastered all the skills of rural work, but he chose a profession for himself a little unusual: he became a student at a food training plant located in Donetsk. In the autumn of 1939, the young man received a summons for military service, and continued to apply his profession already in army conditions. Ivan met the war as a cook of the 91st tank regiment, which was part of the corps of General Lelyushenko, who fought in the northwestern direction. After the retreat from Dvinsk (Daugavpils), captured by the forces of Manstein's corps, tank division, which included the regiment of Ivan Sereda, took up defense east of the city. It was only the ninth day of the war, and the fighting practically did not stop. After the news of a new German attack, the tank crews moved towards them, and the cook Sereda remained near his field kitchen. The fighters of the economic platoon were sent to help the tankers, and Ivan was preparing dinner alone. At this time, German tank units were sent to bypass the defense Soviet troops and planned a strike from the rear. It is difficult to say why the crews of two PzKpfw38(t) tanks (of Czech design) decided to go through the forest hollow alone, perhaps they were attracted by the smoke from the field kitchen. Hearing the noise of approaching cars, Sereda led the horses further into the forest, after that he wanted to hide behind the trees himself, but then decided to arm himself with an ax and stay nearby, in the hope that the tanks would still pass by. The first crew, indeed, did not stop moving, but the second went straight to the boiler. At first, the Nazis seemed to be in for a funny surprise - an almost ready dinner and complete desertion. One of the tankers looked out of the hatch with a laugh. At this time, Sereda jumped with an ax onto the roof of the tank, the German slammed the hatch in surprise. A tarpaulin was fixed on top of the tank, with which the cook closed the viewing slots. The crew began to shoot from a machine gun, but it was impossible to hit Sereda, who was on the roof, in this way. Ivan hit the machine-gun barrel with the butt of an ax, and the weapon fell silent. The resourceful cook began to pound the hull of the tank with an ax and shout loudly, imitating the presence of a large number of people. His task was also facilitated by the fact that the only weapon inside the tank was the commander's parabellum, and the regular MP40 machine guns were fixed on top of the armor. When the crew was sufficiently deafened by the noise, Sereda, who grabbed a German machine gun (according to other sources, a rifle carbine), waited until the hatch cover opened. At gunpoint, German tankers came out one at a time and tied each other up. The noise attracted the attention of the fighters of the infantry unit stationed nearby. Arriving at the scene, the soldiers saw four bound German tankers and Sereda holding them at gunpoint. After this event, the commander of the tank regiment appointed another fighter to the post of cook, and sent corporal Sereda to the command of the commander of the reconnaissance unit. The combat situation continued to be hot, and after a few days Ivan Sereda again had to fight with the tank.
This time he was behind enemy lines, and their reconnaissance group was suddenly attacked by the Germans. Ivan Sereda, armed with RGD33 grenades, managed to get close to a German tank and blow it up. But even after that, the battle continued, the machine gunner of the group was killed, and the brave corporal took his place. With machine-gun fire, he managed to hit about ten fascist motorcyclists and put the enemy to flight. The reconnaissance group returned with a victory and considerable trophies, including captured motorcycles and three prisoners. For his valor at the end of August 1941, Ivan Sereda was presented to the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, the Order of Lenin and the Golden Star. The awards found him already in the hospital, where he was recovering from a serious injury. The ax of the hero-cook remained in the regiment and was preserved as a combat reminder. After recovering, Ivan Pavlovich served as commander of a rifle platoon near Leningrad, and during the fighting near Moscow he was commander of a rifle company that was part of the 30th Army. In February 1942, Ivan Sereda was seriously wounded. After leaving the hospital and completing his studies at the advanced training courses for command personnel, he continued his military service. In 1944, Lieutenant Sereda was again sent to study - this time to the cavalry school of Novocherkassk. After graduation, he was engaged in the food and fodder supply of the Eighth Guards Cavalry Regiment, and in the spring of 1945, during the offensive of the Soviet army, he managed to exemplify the supply of food and ammunition in conditions of separation from supply bases. After the war, Ivan Pavlovich was also awarded the Order of the Patriotic War II degree, as well as medals for participating in the defense of Moscow and Leningrad. After being transferred to the reserve, Senior Lieutenant Sereda returned to his native Alexandrovka, where he headed the village council. Unfortunately, the consequences of severe injuries made themselves felt - Ivan Pavlovich passed away in the fall of 1950, having lived only 31 years.
FROM hereda Ivan Pavlovich - cook of the 91st tank regiment of the 46th tank division of the 21st mechanized corps of the North-Western Front, Red Army soldier.
Born on July 1, 1919 in the village of Aleksandrovka, now the administration of the city of Kramatorsk, Donetsk region of Ukraine, in a peasant family. Lived in the village of Galitsinovka, Maryinsky district, Donetsk region of Ukraine. Ukrainian. Graduated from the Donetsk Food Training Plant.
In the Red Army since 1939. Member of the Great Patriotic War since June 1941.
The cook of the 91st Tank Regiment (46th Tank Division, 21st Mechanized Corps, Northwestern Front), Red Army soldier Ivan Sereda distinguished himself in August 1941 near the city of Dvinsk (Daugavpils, Latvia). He was preparing dinner in the woods when he heard the roar of a Nazi tank engine. Armed with a rifle and an ax, he crept up to a stopped Nazi tank, jumped onto the armor and with all his might slashed the machine gun barrel with an ax. Following this, he threw a piece of tarpaulin onto the viewing slot and drummed on the armor with a butt, loudly ordering the imaginary fighters to prepare grenades for battle. When the fighters of the infantry unit came running to the rescue. 4 enemy tankers who had surrendered were already on the ground.
Being with a group of fighters in reconnaissance behind enemy lines, when the Nazis discovered Soviet observers and tried to capture them, the Red Army soldier Sereda crawled up to a German tank with a bunch of grenades and blew it up. Then he replaced the killed machine gunner and with well-aimed fire destroyed more than ten fascist motorcyclists. The group fought off the attacking Nazis and returned to their unit with trophies and 3 prisoners.
At By order of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of August 31, 1941, for the exemplary performance of combat missions of the command on the front of the fight against the Nazi invaders and the courage and heroism shown at the same time, the Red Army soldier Sereda Ivan Pavlovich was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (No. 507).
In 1942, the brave warrior graduated from advanced training courses for command personnel, and in 1944, the Novocherkassk Cavalry School.
Since 1945, Senior Lieutenant Sereda I.P. - in reserve. He worked as the chairman of the Oleksandrovsky village council of the Donetsk region of Ukraine. He died untimely on November 18, 1950 at the age of 32.
He was awarded the Order of Lenin, the Order of the Patriotic War of the 2nd degree, and medals.
Streets in the city of Daugavpils and in the village of Galitsinovka are named after the Hero. In memory of the glorious son of the Ukrainian people, Ivan Sereda, a memorial plaque was installed on the street in the city of Daugavpils and an obelisk in Galitsinovka.
A detailed description of the feat is provided by Kirill Osovik
The heroic feat that he accomplished is unprecedented and unique in the history of the Great Patriotic War.
It was hot August 1941. Our troops stubbornly fought off the fierce onslaught of the Nazi hordes in the Dvinsk region of the Latvian SSR. Ivan Sereda was then a cook.
Settling down with his kitchen in a hollow overgrown with woods, he prepared dinner for the warriors who defended the approaches to the city, and listened to the sounds of battle. It seemed to him that the situation on the front line seemed to be “not hot”, in an hour it would be possible to feed friends with delicious soup.
I was just dreaming, and suddenly, not far away, I heard the hum of an engine. Ivan looked out from behind a bush and could not believe his eyes - a tank with a fascist cross was crawling along a country road. The cook's heart trembled: “Trouble. Right there, almost next to the headquarters, - a thought flashed. And after it another, resolute: - To act. Don't let the enemy go!"
Mechanically seizing a rifle and ... an ax, Sereda, running from tree to tree, rushed across the steel colossus. I wanted to shoot, but decided that it was useless. And at the same moment (“Where did the dexterity come from,” he said after) jumped onto the tank. Then everything happened, obviously, also mechanically. He grabbed a heavy ax from his belt and, swinging, slashed at the barrel of a machine gun with all his might. Following this, he threw a piece of tarpaulin onto the viewing slot and drummed the butt on the armor.
His blows thundered like exploding shells. Hitler's soldiers were confused. The car whined.
Hyundai ho! Kaput! - Sereda shouted and began to give imaginary commands loudly: - Prepare grenades. Weapon for battle!
Soon the hatch opened and two hands stretched out of it.
Get out, get out! Sereda commanded, holding his rifle at the ready.
When the fighters came running to help, four enemy tankers who had surrendered were already standing on the ground and looked around with fear.
There were a lot of good jokes, joy and fervent laughter on that difficult day. Sereda managed to become famous for his courage, and he managed to feed his friends with a hearty lunch and dinner.
After some time, Ivan had a chance with a group of fighters to visit reconnaissance behind enemy lines. And there he again showed fearlessness, high military dexterity. When the Nazis discovered the Soviet observers and tried to capture them, Ivan Sereda crawled up to the German tank with a bunch of grenades and blew it up. Then he replaced the killed machine gunner and mowed down about ten motorcyclists with well-aimed fire. The group fought off the advancing Nazis and returned to their unit with trophies and three prisoners.
On the proposal of the command of the North-Western Front, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of August 31, 1941, I.P. Wednesday for him feats of arms was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
From the front, Ivan Pavlovich returned to his native village with the rank of senior lieutenant of the guard with many orders and medals on his chest. For a long time he was the chairman of the Aleksandrovskiy Village Council of Workers' Deputies. In 1950 I.P. Wednesday is dead.
It was at the beginning of the war. German then huge forces lane. Our retreated. The fighting was fiercest. The battalion, in which Corporal Ivan Sereda served as a cook, fought then in the Baltic. Well fought. The Nazis missed many, but our battalion also suffered losses. On that day, the Germans fell especially hard, tanks and self-propelled guns pulled up. There was a threat of encirclement. A liaison officer ran to the economic platoon, which was stationed in a hollow, and transmitted the order of the battalion commander to advance to combat positions and repulse the attack on the left flank. The platoon commander led the fighters to carry out a combat mission, ordering Ivan to provide security and food for the personnel. Ivan cooks porridge, listens to distant shooting. I would like to help my comrades, but the order in war is the law. Ivan Sereda was completely sad, he began to remember his native places: his parents, the house on the banks of the Amur, school, his long-haired love ... And then something seemed to push him in the side. Looked back and froze. From the road crawling in his direction three fascist tanks. And where did they come from? There is no time to think - it is necessary to save the good. But how to save if there are already two hundred meters left to the front tank? Ivan quickly unharnessed the horses and directed them to the fishing line that was nearby, and he himself hid behind the field kitchen - maybe the Fritz would not notice. Maybe the number would have passed, but one tank had gone straight to the kitchen and rolled out. He stopped nearby, huge with white crosses. The tankers noticed the kitchen and were delighted. They decided that the Russians had abandoned her. The hatch cover opened and the tanker leaned out. Healthy, red. He turned his head and how he cackled triumphantly. Here Ivan could not stand it, where did the fear go. He grabbed an ax that fell under his arm and jumped on the tank. The redhead, as he saw him, jumped into the hatch and slammed the lid. And Ivan is already knocking on the armor with an ax: “Hyundai hoch, hansiki! Fly in guys, surround, destroy the Fritz. The Germans began to shoot, and Ivan, without thinking twice, bent the trunk with an ax - there is no reception against scrap. And so that the Fritz would not especially swagger, he closed the viewing slot with his dressing gown. Shouts: "Hitler kaput, surround them, guys ..." With an ax, like a sledgehammer, he wields armor. I don't know what the Germans thought. As soon as the hatch opens, and with raised hands, the old familiar red-haired big man shows up. Ivan Sereda remembered here about the carbine behind his back, instantly sent it to the fascist. And then the second tanker climbs, the third. Ivan yells even louder, commands non-existent fighters to "surround" and "keep the Fritz at gunpoint." And he himself lined up the prisoners near the kitchen, forced each other's hands to be tied. When, after completing a combat mission, the soldiers of his platoon returned and saw a German tank next to the kitchen, captured Nazis and Ivan Sereda with a carbine at the ready, they did not believe their eyes. Laughter was to tears! Only the Germans stood gloomy, not understanding anything. Guard Corporal Ivan Sereda became a Hero of the Soviet Union, and his ax was kept in the unit as a military relic. In war, this is how: the chest is in crosses or the head is in the bushes.
