Reducing the Frontline / Spring 1943 (GWA Site / Newville, PA)

The long-awaited Soviet winter offensive started in the Don area on Nov. 19, 1942 & ended sometime in January 1943.  The offensive for the Russians was tactically a failure, but strategically successful.  It was able to draw much needed German reinforcements away from other parts of the frontline in the East.  At the end of 1942, the Soviet General Staff planned an operation having the aim to surround the German 9th Army in the Rzhev Salient using forces of the Kalinin and Western  Fronts.  It was referred to as Operation "Mars".  

We were portraying a Nachrichten (Signal) element of the 95th Infanterie Division that were deployed behind the 39th Panzer Corps/9th German Army as a reserve in the final days of the Rzhev Salient. The army is preparing to fall back out of its current positions.  Being signal troops, we were ordered to make contact with other units in the area to establish a communication network to better organize the rear guard delaying action.