Heroes 01/02/20 Tankers Boyko: the fighting family of the great Patriotic
As is known, red army soldiers did not take to the front of their wives, from which emerged the phenomenon of “camp field friends.” However, there is in the history of the great Patriotic war examples where the legitimate wife fought side by side. One of these pairs – tankers Ivan and Alexander Boiko of Magadan.
“we Wish to buy a tank”
the couple met Boyko on the Kolyma, where both came “big money”. Ivan was born in Ukraine in 1938, he worked as a driver Magadan depot № 6. In 1940 chauffeur-Komsomolets was found with 22-year-old Alexandra Marichevoy. The girl had five years experience in the distillery in Bashkiria, and in Magadan worked with controller-picker trust “Columnb”.
Salary allowed the couple to save a large amount, so that by the end of 1942 they have accumulated 50 thousand rubles. As alstroemer specialist Ivan were not drafted for military service. However, he visited the front as part of delegation of workers of the far North and was deeply impressed by what he saw. Ivan knew how hard veterans have, therefore, decided in whatever was to help the soldiers of the red army. Along with his wife, the driver transferred their savings to the defense Fund.
“We wish to buy a tank and on this formidable machine with their own hands to destroy the damned fascist invaders”, – wrote Ivan and Alexander Boyko Joseph Stalin in January 1943. The leader appreciated the generous donation of the Kolyma workers and said that their wish will be fulfilled.
From the Robins to Prague
of Course, “on the move” one of the spouses smartly put in the tank couldn’t. Volunteers had to finish the accelerated program of the Chelyabinsk tank school. After receiving the title of Junior technicians-lieutenants, the husband and wife joined the army in may 1944. The spouses were sent to the 1st Baltic front part 5, Twinswho tank corps. Near Tula they received the long-awaited heavy tank is-2 on Board which brought the paint of the letter “Kolyma”. Inside the tower there was a special sign that told the history of the acquisition of the tank. Although the head of the Soviet family were traditionally considered male, the crew Ivan got the role of a driver-mechanic. The commander of the tank became his wife.
“baptism of fire” tankers Boyko passed under the village of Malinovka in the Great Onion took to RAM a German Tiger and knocked out two guns. Thanks to the skill of Ivan, his car moved almost without a break. For unusual exploits of a tank crew watched war propaganda. For example, after a two-week battle for Riga “, the Soviet information Bureau” reported that the account of spouses Boyko destroyed 5 tanks and 2 guns. The husband and wife received wounds and contusions, and medals but they also did not leave. In September 1944 Alexander Boyko became the face of IV anti-fascist rally in Moscow, adorning the cover of the magazine Ogonek.
All during the fighting in the Baltic States “Kolyma” I killed 50 Germans, knocked out 5 tanks and 11 guns. After another treatment in the hospital, the couple quickly I received the opportunity to leave the front. However, they chose to return, especially as the war came to an end. Together with the 4th Ukrainian front, residents of Magadan were Poland, participated in the liberation of Czechoslovakia and ended the combat path in the liberation of Prague.
Postwar life
From Europe Ivan and Alexander Boyko returned to the cold Kolyma. Here the head of the family was promoted, from 1946 and became Deputy Director of the motor depot No. 4. Even more successful career as did his wife, who led the bakery and twice elected to the city Council. Had Alexandra Leontievna to work as a senior engineer of the Ministry of construction of military and naval enterprises.
it would Seem that the love of spouses, “scorched with fire” was only strengthened. However, the joint military past was for the husband and wife are too heavy a load. And maybe, after becoming a Director, each of them began to live his life. Anyway, the couple Boyko was not able to save your marriage – they divorced in the mid 1950-ies and since then has met only on meetings of brother-soldiers. Honorary citizen of Magadan Alexander Boyko died in 1996, survived by ex-husband for 1 year.
Timur Sagdiyev
Source:
© Russian Seven
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