The German column stopped, giving Kolobanov the opportunity to destroy the second tank.

In the process, it had destroyed many German columns and captured large numbers of prisoners.

On 16 August 1944 a German column was sighted on the south bank.

From the entire northern area a lethal fire enveloped the German column.

With a glum face the warder told him that a German armoured column had penetrated to within five miles of the city.

They raced past German motorized columns moving out in the same direction.

The German columns came marching on in close order, weapons slung.

But once over the bridge they met the first vehicles of a German column and the Commando force were scattered.

Large German columns were then observed leaving the city and the Russian troops pushed into the town itself.

Hatten was on the route of the German columns and this time found itself at the heart of the battle.