S.A.K.A

The sign on the train reads:
“To the officers and men of the legendary armoured train No. 56 heroically united in battle on the Kaniv lines in August 1941. Nobody forgets, nothing is forgotten.”

In the summer of 1941 German forces were advancing into the Soviet Union. Armoured Train No. 56 was one of a number of such trains supporting the ground forces to stem the advance. In August 1941 it was despatched to Kaniv to support the retreat of the 26th Army across the Dnieper River. Despite the train being badly damaged by enemy fire the crew carried out repairs and was able to transport equipment and men, including many wounded, to the relative safety of the right bank. Returning to Kaniv, the train was brought to a halt, when the track was destroyed by enemy shells. The crew remained at their posts and continued to fight. The firing position of the camouflaged train was eventually spotted and attacked by dive bombers. Two members of the crew were killed and seven wounded. Further bombing caused the locomotive to fall into a ditch. One armoured truck was left hanging on an embankment, while the other had both turrets damaged, but when the Germans advanced, the guns were fired and they were driven back. Only then was the crew given the order to retreat together with the 26th Army. Kaniv fell to the invading Germans on August 16 th. In 1980 the damaged train was rebuilt as a memorial to its crew.

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