VETERANS MEET

Later that evening we attended a slap up reception, Stalingrad style, with a host of veteran Soviet officers.  They all looked as we remember them laden with medals and looking rather stern. But after a few toasts of vodka they warmed up.  I discovered that the gentleman who was a Tank officer on the left had been in 3rd Shock Army and was therefore opposite 1st British Corps in the bad old days.  The one on the right was also a Tank officer and aged 90.  Both had been at Stalingrad and made little of it. They didnt like to talk about it vfery much.  They had a job and just got on with it.

FIELD MARSHAL SURRENDERS

We then went back into City to watch a re enactment of the surrender of Field Marshal von Paulus in the basement of a department store. It is still a Department Store and the cameo was quite well done. We then had lunch next door and a semi drunk lad accosted us (the DA and Brummers were in uniform); he had served in Chechnya for 4 years and clearly had problems. There is no Combat Stress in Volgograd. I suspect there are many all over Russia. At times the Russian Army can lose kia about 500 a month in Chechnya.

ETERNAL FLAME

At the top of the hill, Mamaev Kurghan we entered this chamber adorned with bronze coloured mosaics and the names of some 7200 randomly selected fallen soldiers of the Soviet Army. The centre of the roof was hollow so snow slowly fell as we went to place our flowers in homage. All very moving and like everything in Russia very symbolic.           

MOTHER of the MOTHERLAND

A most moving moment as we processed up the 200 (one for every day of the battle) steps to this enormous statue of Mother of the Motherland. It is 89 metres high and weighs 450,000 tons. The whole affair is akin to Remembrance Sunday. 

STALINGRAD VETERAN MEETS BRUMMERS

The gentleman on the left was a 17 year old during the battle and was an ammunition carrier. Humble and not wishing for attention but today was his 86 year birthday and he received and made a toast two of about 20 at a Veterans breakfast. We ought to have the same in the Soldiers Charity but we could do without the vodka. Brummers is my kind host and allowed me to witness an extraordinary day as Volgograd commemorates the German surrender at Stalingrad.  

THE KESSEL

Flew into The Kessel at Gumrak. The previous flight had to return to Moscow owing to the visibility. Its only minus 18 but the wind coming off the Steppe is punishing adding about another ten degrees in wind chill. To think that two armies fought in these conditions is really horrifying.

FAITHFUL HOUND OF METRO

On way back from the visit to the monastery I passed through yet one more of these extraordinary Metro stations so carefully designed to impress the rare visitor from the West. In this one there is a series of bronze figures almost life sized reflecting all walks of Soviet life. I am standing beside a soldier with his dog whose snout has been worn down by generations of Muscovites putting their hand on it in the hope of good luck. I watched several commuters go out of their way to place their hand on the canine nose. It reminded me of the monkey on the door of the City Hall in Mons. Now Wed and we are on way to Volgograd at minus 21.