April 1944

Eastern Front

There is heavy fighting around Tarnopol while to the south Tiraspol falls to the 37th Army as it crosses the Dniestr.

Hitler belatedly gives his authorization for the withdrawal of German forces to Sevastopol, despite the fact that the 17th Army is in fact already retreating in considerable disorder. Jaenecke urgenly requests permission to evacuate the Crimea but this is denied. Despite this he begins an unofficial evacuation of non-essential personnel.

Mountain Regiment Krym, part of the XLIX Mountain Corps, makes a rearguard stand at Dzhankoy in order to gain time for the main body of the corps to escape to the south. Furious fighting rages as 51st Army hits the German positions. After a bloody struggle the German regiment is virtually annihilated. Fighting on the Kerch peninsula continues as the V Corps retreats, the bulk of the corps being at Parpatsch. Under heavy attack the V abandons its line and falls back toward the Jaila Mountains.