Semyon Tilipman

This is me, Semyon Tilipman (in center, sitting) with a group of communications servicemen of the Rear communications department of the First tank army that was under my command. This photo was taken in Cherniatin, Chernovtsy region, in June 1944.

After the offensive and liberation of Chernovtsy our army was moved to the rear.
When in February 1943 a new tank army was formed near Moscow on the basis of our army 29 we got fresh forces of female telephone operators in our communications regiment. The majority of them were from Moscow. Male operators mainly were involved in installation of telephone lines and other hard work. The tank army was moving ahead fast covering dozens kilometers during a battle. They advanced so fast that they lost communications since communication units were left far behind. To avoid this situation a small group of communication operators went ahead to the location to make the headquarters. This group was called a mobile control unit. Prior to a battle the army headquarters established communications with frontline and corps. They identified the movement direction and appointed a group of operators: radio and homing communication to support communication for commander when he arrived there.

Many of my fellow comrades are still living. I still communicate with Ania Krotova, nee Dyomina (second from the right, sfnding), a telephone operator from my regiment. She married a tank man Michael Krotov at the front, Hero of the Soviet Union. My wife and I meet with them when we visit our son in Moscow.