Soviet tank forces made a huge contribution tosuccess of the Red Army during the Great Patriotic War. In historical literature, every major battle, an army operation is considered in general, impersonal. But after all, each victory was achieved by the titanic efforts of specific people who died, became cripples or miraculously survived at the front. Kolobanov Zinovy Grigorievich, whose feat will forever remain in the history of the Second World War, is one of those heroes that is worth talking specifically.
Childhood and youth tanker
Zinovy Kolobanov was born in 1910.Place of birth: village Arefino, Vladimir Province. The family lived very poorly. Zinovy had two more brothers. It became especially hard after the death of his father, who died on the fronts of the Civil War in 1920. Realizing the advantages of the collective farm system for the family, at the end of the 1920s, the family moved to the village of Big Zagarino. It was at that time that collectivization was taking place in this village.
After graduating from eight years, Zinovy Kolobanov sent to study at the Gorky Industrial Technical School.
The beginning of the hero's military career
The turning point in the life of the future tanker Kolobanovbecame the year 1933. Then he studied in the third year of college. He received a summons from the recruiting office. At that time, to give a debt to the Motherland was holy for every young man. Immediately after entering the service, Zinovy realized that he had fallen into his element. The military enlistment office determined Kolobanov to serve in the Streletsky regiment. Already in 1936, the future legendary tanker graduated with honors from the Oryol armored school. He had the opportunity to independently choose the place of service, so Zinovy decided to fulfill his childhood dream - to visit Leningrad. There he served for some time as a tank commander. The High Command noticed the fighter’s military talent, so he was sent to refresher courses for junior commanders. In 1938 Kolobanov successfully completed these courses, after which his place of work changed. Now Lieutenant Zinoviy Kolobanov serves first as an assistant regiment commander, then as a platoon and company commander.
Soviet-Finnish company in tankman biography
Tanks were active in the Finnish War.The fighting on this front became a real baptism for Kolobanov. People who know history are well aware of how hard the Red Army was in that war. Kolobanov three times could die on this front, but escaped from burning tanks. During this military winter, I made a military journey from the border to Vyborg. His tank participated in the successful breakthrough of the Mannerheim Line. By the way, there is unconfirmed information that the tanker was awarded the title of Hero of the USSR for this feat. The fact is that one of the Soviet journalists in his article tells the following story. Supposedly, Senior Lieutenant Zinoviy Kolobanov received an award for breaking through the Mannerheim Line, but then was deprived of the next rank by rank and Order of Hero, because his subordinates on the tank communicated with the Finnish soldiers. In official sources, there is no information about the award.
Zinovy Kolobanov: biography after the Finnish War
After the Finnish War, Kolobanov continued his service.It was in the interwar years that fate linked our hero with Ukraine. The command transferred him to the Kiev Military District. Kolobanov spent a lot of time in the Ukrainian city of Starokonstantinov. During the years 1940-1941, he managed to change several command posts in the tank and mechanized corps of the Red Army. Over the years, the command of military units, Senior Lieutenant Zinovy Kolobanov became quite mature military leader.
That is why with the beginning of the Great Patrioticthe wars of his threw on the heavy sectors of the Northern Front in the Leningrad region. By the way, simultaneously with the dispatch to the war, our hero receives the rank of lieutenant. Given the experience of combat (unlike most other Red Army soldiers, including commanders), Kolobanova is immediately appointed the company commander. Despite his leadership status, the tanker took part in the battles. A landmark battle took place on August 14, 1941, when five tanks, among them a tank under the command of Kolobanov, stopped the advancement of German intelligence and tank columns, destroying many enemy vehicles. At that time, it allowed to defend some of the settlements. Also Kolobanov's feat (and his tank could well have been hit during this battle) allowed other military tank units to destroy a larger group of German armored vehicles. After one of the battles in September 1941, Zinovy was seriously wounded.
After the war
Zinovy Kolobanov after long-term treatmentback in operation. True, it was already after the war, in 1945. He remained in military service until 1958. Of course, he worked mainly in senior management positions (battalion commander). After being fired, the legendary tanker worked for a long time at the Minsk MAZ plant. He received the honorary title "Drummer of Communist Labor".
Zinovy Kolobanov died in 1994, having lived a long and meaningful life dedicated to the Motherland.
