I know that the Russian Navy fought a number of major ground battles in WWII, and that they had a variety of uniforms. I also know that a number of these Marines were more or less regular sailors. What uniform information can be provided for the Marines and sailors who fought on land. I am particularly interested in more infor on Viktor Leonov. From what I read, he was basically in a special marine unit, yes?
I am also looking for more information on the marines that defended the grain silo in Stalingrad. What uniforms? What unit? Were they real Marines or just sailors with guns?
I belive that they were just sailors who had nothing to do at sea. Some snipers like Yelizaveta Mironova or the famous Vasily Zaitsev where sailors and the rusians sure made best use of them in land than in the black sea 
When you refer to the defense of the silo do you mean the story where the germans took like 2 or more days to take the silo because of the strong defence but when they finally got inside they only find 5 or 6 bodyes?
Here you have some Sailors pictures.
Sniper I. Antonov
Naval Infantry still in their Navy uniforms
Naval infantry in standard army uniforms, but still retaining their navy caps and striped under shirts
Naval infantry wearing standard Red Army uniforms
Here you have something taken from beevors book Stalingrad
While the bitter struggle for the Mamaev Kurgan continued, an
equally ferocious battle developed for the huge concrete grain silo
down by the river. The rapid advance of Hoth’s XLVIII Panzer
Corps had virtually cut off this natural fortress. The defenders from
the 35th Guards Division cheered and joked when reinforcements
from a marine infantry platoon commanded by Lieutenant Andrey
Khozyanov reached them during the night of 17 September. They
had two old Maxim machine-guns and two of the long Russian anti-tank rifles, which they used to fire at a German tank when an officer and an interpreter appeared under a flag of truce to ask them
to surrender. German artillery then ranged on to the vast structure
preparing the ground for the Saxon 94th Infantry Division, whose
insignia were the crossed swords of Meissen porcelain.
The fifty-odd defenders fought off ten assaults on 18 September.
Knowing that they could not expect resupply, they conserved their
ammunition, rations and water carefully. The conditions in which
they continued to fight over the next two days were terrible. They
were choked with dust and smoke, even the grain in the elevator had
caught fire, and they soon had almost nothing left to drink. They
were also short of water to fill the barrel jackets of the Maxim
machine-guns. (Presumably the marines resorted to their own urine
for the purpose, as was so often the practice in the First World War,
but Soviet accounts avoid such details.)
All their grenades and anti-tank projectiles had been expended by
the time more German tanks arrived to finish them off on 20 September.
Both Maxims were put out of action. The defenders, unable
to see inside the elevator for smoke and dust, communicated by
shouting to each other through parched throats. When the Germans
broke in, they fired at sounds, not at objects. That night, with only
a handful of ammunition left, the survivors broke out. The wounded
had to be left behind. Although a fierce fight, it was hardly an
impressive victory for the Germans, yet Paulus chose the huge grain
silo as the symbol of Stalingrad in the arm badge he was having
designed at army headquarters to commemorate the victory.
Thanks Sturmpionier for the photos.
The history of Naval infantry (or sailors) take the beginning from the authum of 1941 when Red Army hadn’t enought soldiers becouse a lot of casualties since summer.
I think Antony Beevor “historical method” of use own fantasies or making suppositions as “facts” which has not any confirmation is wrong. Practically in every his books i found the moments when he simply invented “facts” for the more impression and dramatic. for instance he wrote in"Stalingrad":
…during the battle for the workers district soviet soldiers shot from the automatas the russian women which run away from the germans."
or
…When somebody began the panic during crossing the Volga , officer NKVD immediatly shot him to the head by pistol"
Waht’s nice detail. Look like Beevor personaly saw it in Stalingrad.
Where did he get this “information” and what was he really mean? He don’t write.
I think he is very biased and non-objective.
Anothe british author Artur Clarkt in his book “Barbarossa” wrote the more detail picture of stalingrad battle like the episode of battle for silo:
Former commander of marine platoon lieutenant Andrey Khozyanov (from 92-baltic sea naval brigade) wrote in his memours book:
[i]"…Guardsmen were very glad to our arrival, merry combat jokes and remarks immediately fell. In the arrived platoon there were 18 people with a good armament. We have two machine-tool and one light machine gun, two anti-tank guns, three automata and radio station.
the 18th at dawn from the southern side elevator appeared fascist tank with the flag of truce. “what’s happened?” - we thought from the tank seemed two: one Fascist officer, another - translator. The officer through the translator began to persuade us so that we would be returned “valiant” German army, since defense was useless and us no longer one should here sit.
"you will free faster elevator, told us officer. - in the case of the failure of mercy not it will be. In the hour let us begin to bomb and will crush you ". “What’s impudent persons!” - we thought and they here gave the short answer to the Fascist Lieutenant:
"transmit on the radio to all fascists so that they would roll on the light launch… to the bogovoy(god’s) mother… But truce bearers can leave conversely, but only on foot ".
Fascist tank attempted was to go back, but by the volley of two our anti-tank guns it was stopped. Soon from south and from west of sides into the attack on the elevator send tanks and infantry of enemy with the number approximately of times in ten is stronger us. After the first repelled attack began the second, after it - the third, and above the elevator of flyed “frame” - reconnaissance aircraft. It adjusted fire and reported the situation in our region.
Only 18 September were repelled nine attacks. We greatly took care ammunition, since to bring them was difficult and far. In the elevator the wheat burnt, in the machine guns the water evaporated, injured requested to drink, but there was water closely not. So we were repulsed three days - day and night. Heat, smoke, thirst, in all cracked lip. In the daytime many of us took away to the upper points of elevator and they from there conducted fire according to the fascists, and on the night they got down they downward and occupied all around defense. However, our radio station during the first day of battle malfunctioned. We were deprived of connection with our parts.
But here it began on 20 September. At noon from the southern and western sides of elevator approached twelve enemy tanks. Anti-tank guns were already without the ammunition, grenades it also remained not one. Tanks approached the elevator from two sides and began into the support to almost shoot our garrison. However, no one trembled. From the machine guns and the automata we beat on the infantry, without giving to it to break inside the elevator.
But here by projectile tore “Maxim” together with the machine gunner, and in other section by splinter it opened the jacket of the second “Maxim” and bent stem. One light machine gun remained. From the explosion into the pieces the concrete flew away, wheat burnt. In the dust and to smoke we did not see each other, but they encouraged by the cries: “hurray! Polundra!” (note by me Polundra - is the famouse war-cry of naval infantry )
Soon Fascist sub-machine gunners appeared because of the tanks. Them there were about hundred fifty - two hundred. They dispatch very carefully in the attack, throwing in front of themselves grenades. We succeeded herself in catching garnets in flight and flinging them conversely. With each approximation of fascists to walls of elevator we on the persuasion shouted everything: “hurray! Forward! For The native land!(for Matherland)”
In the western side of elevator for fascists it nevertheless was possible to penetrate inside the building, but the sections, occupied with them, were here blocked by our fire.
Battle flared up inside the building. We felt and heard steps and respiration of enemy soldiers, but we could not see because of the smoke of them. They were beaten to the rumor. In the evening ammunition were calculated with the short respite. Them it proved to be a little: cartridges to the light machine gun - one-and-a-half disk, to each automaton - on 20-25 and to the rifle - on of 8-10 pieces. To be defended with this quantity of ammunition it was impossible. We were surrounded.
They decided to break through in the southern section, into Beketovki region, since the tanks of enemy plied from the east and the northern side of elevator.
On the night of 21 September under the cover of one light machine gun we moved into the way. The first time the matter went successfully, fascists did not here us expect. Passing beam and railroad bed, we stumbled on the mortar battery of enemy, which recently under the cover of the darkness began to be established on the position. I remember, we overturned on the move three mortars and trolleys with the mines. Fascists scattered, after leaving on the spot seven killed mortarmen, after throwing up not only weapon, but also bread and water. But we succumbed from the thirst. “to drink! To drink!” - only it was on the mind. In the darkness be sawn to satiety. They then had a snack by the bread seized in Germans and moved further.
But, alas, further fate of my comrades I do not know, since itself arrived into the memory only on 25 or 26 September in the dark damp basement, accurately doused by some petroleum residue. Without the field shirt, right foot without the boot. Arms and legs completely did not obey, in the head it made noise… [/i]
Andrey Khozyanov was taken prisoner by germans but survived.
Cheers
Thanks for the story Chevan, there are in deed a lot of heroism stories in the Stalingrad battle, like the defense of the Railroad Station by some (7?) members of the 13th Guards Division.
You are not absolutaly right. In the end of th 30th bigining of the 40th in USSR were formed several regular marine (naval infantry) brigades (as far as I rember on Baltic see fleet, Black see fleet and Pacific ocean fleet) and other smaller units on river fleets. And only from the beginning of the war commanders began to use sailors as common infantry, often called naval infantry. Thus some of those sailors formed marine (naval infantry) brigades and batallions, most of them were used to reinforce common infantry units.
As I understood from literature I read, regular naval infantry weared common infantry uniform with only difference that they also used belts with sailors buckles and tel`nyashky (something like t-shirt with stripes). “Irregular” naval infantry units and sailors that were transfered to infantry weared both black sailors uniform and common infantry uniform but also using above mentioned differences. As naval infantry was supposed to be elite force so very violations often took place. Like wearing sailors hats (peakless hats) with infantry uniform, espesially during the fight.
It seems that all of the Naval Infantry were armed either with sub-machine guns (called “burp guns” by US soldiers in Korea because of their high rate of fire, which made them very intimidating) and Tokarev rifles which would have given them more fire power than most German units.
Was this because they were used as raiders and commandos behind the lines?
Hero of Soviet Union lieutenant Leonov V.N.was the commander of special scout unit of North fleet staff. If you need more info, I`ll try to find.
Can you find it? i am interested in that info
Egroka: Do you have a Pic of your avatar in big sise?
Egroka: Do you have a Pic of your avatar in big sise?
Sure, Frontovik. It is a drawing by famous karicaturist Boris Efimov taken from this address: http://www.vor.ru/culture/cultarch326_rus.html
Just a little bit more info. Sinior lieutenant Leonov V.N. was twice ordered Hero of Soviet Union (really outstanding for middle rank front line commander). From the begining of the war he fought as a scout of Noth fleet. Than he became commander of 181 special scout unit of North fleet (there is serious mess with this fact. In several sources I met info that 181 scout unit wwas till the end of the war under command of capitan Barchenko-Emel`yanov).
First time Leonov was awarded with Hero of SU in 1944 during Petsamo-Kirkinesskaya operation. Later Leonov fought against Japan on Pacific ocien where he was secod time awarded Hero of SU as a commander of scout unit that was the first wave of naval landing in Seisen (North Korea).
Here is an article about this amazing man:
http://www.zatopol.ru/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5519&Itemid=31
Here is some pics
1942 under Stalingrad
Patrol in blocade Leningrad
In the Stalingrad
If you look at the pics alot of the naval infantry are carrying MN rifles (with fixed bayonets as per regulations, no scabard was issued) however they did tend to recieve SVT40 rifles. The reason is simple, the SVT40 needed alot of care and attention not to mention regular thorough cleaning which is why it was unpopular amongst army troops. Sailors spend most of their day cleaning technical equimpent and so it was felt that they would be better able to handle these weapons.
As for the PPSh, it was issued in massive numbers to all kinds of troops, seeing an entire platoon armed with them isn’t particularly unusual.