Oranienbaum Bridgehead

Categories / Army. Navy/Blokade
ORANIENBAUM BRIDGEHEAD (Primorsky Bridgehead), a territory along the shore of the Gulf of Finland, from the Voronka River to Peterhof (about 65 km long and 25 km deep). It was formed on 16 September 1941 after German forces broke through to the Gulf of Finland in the region of Uritsk. The Oranienbaum Bridgehead was held by Red Army units with the support of coast artillery and naval gunfire from the Baltic Fleet; the forts Krasnaya Gorka (Red Hill) and Seraya Loshad (Grey Horse) played a significant role the Oranienbaum Bridgehead's defence. A connection between the Oranienbaum Bridgehead and Leningrad was established through the Gulf of Finland and Kronstadt, along the Small Road of Life. Originally, the Oranienbaum Bridgehead was defended by 8th Army troops, and, from November 1941, by Primorsky Force troops from the Leningrad Front. In November 1943, the 2nd Strike Army took part in an operation that broke the siege (January 1944), and was transferred to the Oranienbaum Bridgehead. Monuments and memorials were erected along the Oranienbaum Bridgehead's defence line, forming a part of the Green Belt of Glory.

Reference: Непокоренный плацдарм: Воспоминания участников обороны Ораниенбаумского плацдарма, 1941-1944. Л., 1987.

A. Y. Chistyakov. Непокоренный плацдарм: Воспоминания участников обороны Ораниенбаум. плацдарма, 1941-1944. Л., 1987 Siege of 1941-44
The Green Belt of Glory