On September 14, 1942, the Russian front at Stalingrad was shaking so dangerously that any reinforcements that arrived from the east bank of the Vogla were thrown, in small groups, directly into the battle. One of these subunits was the 3rd Company of the 42nd Rifle Regiment of the 13th Guards Rifle Division of the Red Army under Major General Rodimchev.
"We found ourselves cut off... We retreated and occupied buildings turning them into strong points of support. Soldiers left a battle position only when their uniforms began to smoke from the fires. During the day the Germans managed to occupy only two blocks of buildings".
This is reported by a Soviet officer of the company in question. "We occupied a three-storey corner building. The building is an inviting location, all angles are met. This was our last defensive position. He ordered all the entrances and windows to be sealed and rifle hatches to be opened...
"In the narrow window of the semi-basement we lined up our machine gun... Two squads, each consisting of six men took up positions on the third floor...". They destroyed the walls and were ready to use the ruins as weapons that would fly at the heads of the Germans when the latter approached.
"The garrison consisted of 40 people... Difficult days followed. Only 12 men were now fit for battle. There was not a drop of water. For food there was only wheat scorched by the fire... Nurse Lyuba Nesterenko was killed and blood was flowing from her wound. He was holding a bandage in his hand. Before taking her last breath she was trying to help someone injured to bandage his wound...
"In the silence we listened to the fierce struggle that was taking place around us... How was it possible to help our colleagues, to attract even a small number of Germans to our positions? We decided to raise a red flag on the building so the Germans wouldn't think we were all killed. But there was no red cloth. A seriously wounded man took off his shirt, wiped the blood from his wounds with it and gave it as a flag...
"The Germans were shouting 'Russians surrender.' You will be killed." At that moment we raised our flag... "Bark dogs. We will live a long time," shouted the soldier Cuzusko. “We fought off the next attack with stones, firing sporadically and throwing our last grenades. Suddenly we heard the sound of crawlers… We were left with an anti-tank rifle with three cartridges. I gave it to Berdyshev and sent him out the back entrance of the building to hit the chariot...
"But before taking a position he was captured. What he said to the Germans I don't know but he led them to where we had lined up our machine gun with the last film... Perceiving we had no ammunition they brazenly approached, standing up, shouting. I loaded the last film into the machine gun and fired all 250 rounds into the screaming Germans. I hurt my hand but I kept on hitting.
“The surviving Germans ran in panic for cover. After an hour they led Berdyshev to a pile of rubble and shot him in front of our eyes.
"They didn't carry out any more attacks. Shells rained down on the building... The density of the fire did not allow us to raise our heads. Again we heard the terrible noise of the chariots... Surely their movement would be our end...
“The soldiers began to say goodbye to each other. With a knife Kozuko carved on the wall:"Rodimchev's soldiers fought and died for their country in this place"...
