The Soldier's Story
My grandfather's elder brother, Yuri Anatolievich Baboshin, was born on December 24, 1920, in Veliky Ustyug, Vologda Region, USSR. In 1925, he moved to Moscow with his parents and younger brother, my grandfather. There, he lived and studied at Secondary School No. 310, near Chistye Prudy.
He was drafted into the Red Army and later, in 1938, enrolled in the Sevastopol Naval Academy. With the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War, he graduated early in July 1941, receiving the rank of lieutenant. After graduation, he was assigned to serve on ships of the Black Sea Fleet. By October 1941, he was sent to the 8th Marine Brigade, taking command of one of the units. On April 9, 1942, his family received a notification from the command of the Black Sea Fleet stating that he was missing in action. His fate remained unknown to us thereafter.
My grandfather tirelessly sought his brother, contacting various archives and institutions, but to no avail. Eighty years later, after the declassification of wartime documents, it was revealed that he was captured on November 4, 1941, near Sevastopol, during one of the most dramatic stages of the city's defense. Subsequent traces of Yuri Baboshin lead to the officers' camp Oflag XIII D Hammelburg. His camp number was 12969, dated from September 14, 1942. While working in team No. 10090 in Würzburg, on July 25, 1943, along with Major Alexander Kandybko (or Kandybenko), camp number 10697, he attempted an escape. They were caught and returned to the camp. On June 5, 1944, they were transferred to Stalag II B Hammerstein and later to the Sipo Bromberg prison (now Bydgoszcz, Poland). On August 27, 1944, from Bromberg, as part of a large group of Polish, German, and Russian prisoners, he was sent to the notorious KL Stutthof. From there, by a special decision of the camp commandant, on October 10, 1944, he was sent with a group of six prisoners of war to KL Mauthausen, where his trail vanishes. The only odd record, dated October 30, 1944, in the Hollerith department documents reads: "These prisoners arrived at this camp, but, according to the political department's order, were not admitted to the location."
Among this group of 6 prisoners of war were:
1. Yuri Anatolievich Baboshin.
2. Wiktor Stepanowitsch Kurotschkin (Kurotschin, Viktor). Victor Stepanovich Kurochkin, born 23.04.1916, Saratov Region, Voskresensk village, lieutenant, medic, 406th infantry regiment.
According to documents, he was captured on June, 30, 1942. Stalag II D, Munich; escaped from the camp on August, 26, 1943 with a group of five people.
3. Petro Rewa. Petr Reva, born 21.07.1903, Kharkiv Region, Barvenkov city.
4. Wladimir Schekirow. Vladimir Osipovich Shakirov, born 10.01.1912, Kiev, 7th auto-battalion. Captured on September 19, 1941. Stalag XIII A, mechanical engineer; escaped from the camp on September, 10, 1943.
5. Sokolov Michail. Mikhail Mikhailovich Sokolov, born 17.09.1921, Kostroma city, junior lieutenant, 322nd infantry division. According to USSR documents, he went missing on March, 11, 1944.
6. Pawel Kondratewitsch Timoschenko. Pavel Kondratyevich Timoshenko, born 06.03.1905, Poltava Region, Pogreby village, captain, artillery staff chief, 206th infantry division. According to USSR documents, he went missing in 1944. Was in Sipo Bromberg from May, 1, 1944.
Sadly, Yuri Baboshin left behind no wife or children. Our family could have been twice as large! As long as I can remember, his portrait always hung in our home. Thank you to my great-uncle for his contribution to the Great Victory! For our family, he was and remains a HERO!
If anyone reading this has information about the aforementioned prisoners of war and their fate, please provide feedback. Ludmila Lebedenko - cousin granddaughter, Russia, Moscow., Russia, Moscow. Contact: ldwork@mail.ru
Vladimir Konyushko
curator for the search of Soviet prisoners of war, Russia, Protvino. Contact: vla1968@yandex.ru
