Soviet commanders of the 107th Tank Battalion receive orders while operating captured German tanks, Volkhov Front, July 1942.
This wartime photograph captures a unique moment inside the Soviet 107th Independent Tank Battalion, a Red Army unit equipped with captured German armored vehicles. Senior Lieutenant A. I. Losachev, commander of the battalion’s trophy tank platoon, is shown briefing tank commanders N. I. Baryshev and I. I. Mishin. The crews operated captured German Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. E and Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. J tanks, vehicles seized during earlier fighting and returned to combat under Soviet control.
The photograph was taken on 6 July 1942 on the Volkhov Front, one of the most heavily contested sectors of the Eastern Front. Soviet forces in this region fought desperate battles in an attempt to break the siege of Leningrad and stabilize the front after the costly campaigns of early 1942. Captured tanks provided valuable additional firepower at a time when armored units on both sides suffered from shortages and heavy losses.
Operating enemy vehicles was not simple. Soviet crews had to adapt to unfamiliar German designs, maintain equipment with limited access to spare parts, and learn the characteristics of captured machinery. Nevertheless, trophy tanks were often integrated into Red Army formations and used against their former owners, demonstrating the flexibility and resourcefulness of Soviet armored units.
The photograph was later published in Leningradskaya Pravda, issue №183 (8289), on 4 August 1942. Its publication highlighted the determination of Soviet soldiers who continued fighting despite severe material difficulties, using every available resource to strengthen frontline units.
Beyond its documentary value, the image illustrates the importance of planning and coordination in armored warfare. Briefings such as this one were essential before combat operations, reconnaissance missions, and defensive actions against German positions along the Volkhov Front.
This photograph remains a remarkable example of battlefield improvisation — a moment when captured enemy technology became part of the Red Army’s own armored force during one of the most difficult periods of the war.
Technical Photo Data:
📍 Location: Volkhov Front, USSR
📅 Date: 6 July 1942
📝 Subject: Soviet crews of captured German Pz.Kpfw. III and Pz.Kpfw. IV tanks from the 107th Independent Tank Battalion
📷 Photographer: Grigory Chertov
📰 Published in: Leningradskaya Pravda, №183 (8289), 04.08.1942
- Soviet use of captured German tanks
- Volkhov Front armored operations
- Red Army trophy equipment
- Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. E in Soviet service
- Captured Pz.Kpfw. III tanks in Soviet service