User:Sstrange090/Арман, Поль Матисович

Paul Matisovich Arman (known as "major Grease", real name Paul Tilting (Tilting) Lett. Pauls Tiltiņš; March 22 [April 4] 1903 — August 7, 1943) — Soviet officer, Colonel. The first tankman in the history of the red Army, awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Brother of the order of Lenin, reconnaissance Alfred Tiltings

Early years
He was born on March 22 (April 4), 1903 in the Mittelhof in the Kurland province of the Russian Empire in a peasant family. He became a Komsomol member in 1919, and a Communist in 1920 Received the party pseudonym Spītnieks ("stubborn" - lat.). He served for some time in the Latvian army in Riga and Daugavpils, in 1923 he entered the University of Latvia. In 1925-1926 he lived in France, where he received an identity card in the name of Paul Arman, under which he went down in history. He studied at the école Polytechnique in Paris.

In USSR
In 1926 P. M. Arman immigrated to the USSR where he joined the Red Army. In 1928 he graduated from the Moscow infantry school.

In 1928-1930 he served as a platoon commander in the 59th infantry regiment of the Leningrad military district. Then transferred to the Moscow military district commander of the reconnaissance platoon of the first experimental mechanized brigade. In may 1931 was transferred to the Transcaucasia military district commander autoproduzioni. Since December 1932 — battalion commander in the 5th infantry brigade in Borisov.

In 1935 he graduated from the courses of improvement of technical staff at the Military Academy of mechanization and motorization of the red army.

In the Spanish civil war
In 1936, Arman volunteered to fight in Spain on the side of the Republicans, to whom the Soviet Union provided all-round assistance—food, weapons and volunteers. October 13 in the Spanish port of Cartaghena arrived Soviet ship "Komsomol" with Soviet t-26 tanks and tankers. In the resort town of Archena was organized training base, where Soviet instructors had to prepare the Spanish tankers. Classes began on October 17 and were designed for 15 days. However, with the deterioration of the situation at the front near Madrid on October 26, received an order to form a tank company consisting of 15 cars and 45 fighters, as well as technical support for the defense of the capital of Spain. The personnel was represented mainly by the red army, in some crews as gunners were added Spanishes to communicate with the local population and the Spanish infantry. Commanded a company 33-year-old Paul Arman, known in Spain as captain, and then major Greiser (Greiser).

During the fighting he showed exceptional courage, composure and initiative. Participated in the first tank battle with the participation of Soviet tankers.

29 Oct 1936 in battle in the village of Sesenya(30 km South of Madrid) tank company T-26 under the command of captain P. M. Arman inflicted a sudden blow. Arman personally destroyed 3 tanks and a lot of enemy manpower. Being in the burning tank, despite a concussion, continued to direct fight of a company. A subordinate of P. M. Arman, S. K. Osadchy, made in that battle the world's first tank, pushed into the hollow of the Italian tankette "Ansaldo". Also in this battle, the exceptional courage and heroism showed another commander of the combat vehicle - Belarusian N. Ah. Selitsky.

During this day the group of P. M. Arman destroyed and scattered the horsemen and infantry of about two squadrons and two battalions, disabled 12-guns, two or three dozen vehicles and tanks.

For this fight on December 31, 1936 by the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR captain Paul Matyasovich Arman was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Between the wars
In January 1937 Arman returned from Spain to the USSR, he was awarded the rank of major and he was appointed commander of the 5th mechanized brigade. February 5, 1937, made a one-hour presentation in the Kremlin under Stalin about the lessons of the Soviet use of tanks in Spain. In the oval hall of the Kremlin gathered a group of participants in the fighting in Spain, workers of the defense industry, chief designers, senior command staff, leaders of the party and the government. K. E. Voroshilov chaired the meeting of the people's Commissar of defense. Shortly there after, he was arrested on charges of being spy and held until June 1939, when the case against him was dismissed.

From September 1939 to may 1941 he studied at the Military Academy nm.Frunze. At the end — was appointed Deputy commander of the 51st tank division.

Great Patriotic war
During the great Patriotic war, Arman commanded the 11th tank brigade, was the commander of Armored and mechanized troops of the 4th combined arms army.

Colonel Arman was killed by a sniper bullet on August 7, 1943 in a battle near the village of Porechie, Kirov district, Leningrad region during the MHo offensive. He was buried in the town of Volkhov, Leningrad region, in the military section of the new October cemetery.