Post by Jack on Apr 25, 2011 22:25:19 GMT
Account E-Mail: EDITED OUT!
Name: Jehk Glazkov
Nationality: Russian
What Army will Your Character Serve Beneath? Soviet
Character History:
Jehk was born in Voronezh Oblast in 1919, into a proud military family. His dad was a Maior, a veteran of WW1 with 40 years’ service under his belt. He had been in the Army when they were still fighting with muskets and cannon, through the human wave tactics of WW1 and beyond. Jehk also had two older Brothers, Melor was 18 and was a Serzhant; and the oldest Brother Maksim Jehk Glazkov would have been 21 had he not been killed in WW1. It was after Maksim that Jehk was named. Jehk was considered the late addition to the family he was born to his 39 year old mother who died in the process, something that has haunted Jehk since. With his Brother and Father away a lot of the time with the army, he was raised by his Uncle Egor, also a veteran of war who had lost a leg and been honourably discharged. Jehk loved hearing his Uncle’s stories even from a very young age. His Uncle would tell him all of his stories until he had run out, then he told Jehk about the army in more detail, realising the kid was taking a genuine interest. Jehk saw very little of his Father during the first 10 years of his life, he was stationed in France during the huge cleanup operation and dismantlement of the German army that took place after World War 1, so Jehk grew up with his unmarried and childless Uncle. They came to see each other more as Father and son than Uncle and nephew.
Jehk was a bright lad and this showed in his studies, he had a regimented attitude and from the age of 11 would draw up his own study plans and stick to them ferociously. He was hugely dedicated even from this young age and would do anything to get what he wanted the way he wanted it. During secondary school he kept fit, he didn't particularly play any sports but he knew that to join the Army you had to be fit; and this was the only thing Jehk wanted to do. He joined army cadets and quickly became the leader of the other kids there, not in rank to begin with, but in stature. The other kids listened to him, but Jehk was not interested in most, only those he saw as having the ‘right attitude.’ The kids that were as interested and passionate about the military as him, he would often take them on runs and walks across the vast Russian hills and rivers; and campouts from the age of 12. Jehk’s Uncle was amazed, never had he seen such a natural leader or such a young kid that was so indoctrinated by the military. Jehk was a very mature lad that never got in trouble at school and was the kid everyone would of picked on and called a ‘teacher’s pet’ had he not started developing a muscular body from a young age. But Jehk was not the sort to tell the teacher, he was the sort to deal with things himself, which he often did. He and his crew from army cadets would often walk around the playground talking to everyone and making sure anyone that needed help got it. They saw themselves as the army of the playground, stopping the children being unfair and getting their balls back from rooftops. He never cared what anyone other than the 4 children that followed him round thought, but would not hesitate in cutting one of them down if they did something he thought was stupid; loving his assumed and universally accepted role as leader of the little group.
Jehk was only ever sent home from school once, at the age of 14, he was hauled back into his hallway with his Uncle looking at him disappointedly with blood still streaming from Jehk’s nose. The headmaster still had his hand firmly on Jehk’s collar as he explained that Jehk was seen punching and kicking another child and was suspended for 2 weeks. After the enraged headmaster left, Jehk’s Uncle turned to him and said very calmly ‘who was she?’ Jehk was confused, ‘it was a boy Uncle, I hit a boy, not a girl.’ His Uncle smiled, ‘I mean who was the girl you were fighting over.’ Jehk was very taken a back; he had never really been into girls, although no one at school really was yet. ‘Jon was taking the piss out of Eve, because her mum is ill, in hospital’ ‘So you hit him?’ ‘Yes Uncle’ ‘Good, make sure you’re not in school next time, we don’t want you kicked out now do we.’ This was the extent of Jehk’s adult direction as a child, if Jehk wasn’t being arrested or people weren’t on Uncle Egor’s doorstep complaining he didn’t care if Jehk was out all hours. Basically a ‘don’t do it or don’t get caught’ sort of philosophy. Part of this was because his Uncle wanted him to be his own person and part of it was he understood that Jehk was very mature and wouldn’t really get in that much trouble.
It was only after this that Jehk started taking a liking toward Eve, she seemed to be very grateful to Jehk for what he had done and knew he went camping a lot with his cadet buddies. She decided that Jehk and she should go camping sometime in the forest somewhere, which they did, and needless to say Jehk very much enjoyed the weekend. Jehk and Eve started going out and Jehk was very taken by Eve, he started spending less and less time with his friends and more and more time with Eve; however this had detrimental effects on Jehk. He perfect grades started slipping and he started missing his cadet meetings, but this was not the worst consequence of his relationship with Eve, she was very flirty and was often found sat on other boys knees or in their houses with them. Jehk started getting in a lot more fights, surprising kids as they walked home and never lost a fight. This carried on for a year and Jehk barely spent any time with his ‘crew’ only caring about Eve despite her obviously not caring as much about him, this carried on for about a year until one day he one of his mates came to speak to him. ‘Jehk we need to speak’ ‘Oh hi Stepan, I’m just waiting for Eve’ ‘She is going to stand you up again’ ‘Fuck off Stepan, you guys are just jealous of me and Eve, you guys don’t even speak to me anymore because you’re so damn jealous’ ‘You’re a twat, we called for you every day, ask you to campout every weekend but you always say your with Eve. You’re obsessed with her AND TO BE HONEST IF IT WERE UP TO ME WE WOULDN’T EVEN BE SHOWING YOU THIS!’ Stepan had raised his voice for the last part of the sentence and Jehk was very taken a back.
Of the group Stepan had always been the quiet one and the most willing to accept Jehks natural leadership of the group, Jehk had never heard him disagree with anyone let alone raise his voice. ‘As it is Daniil sent me to get you, so that’s what I’m doing, follow me if you want to.’ That was more like the Stepan Jehk knew. Following Daniil’s, who was leading the crew these days, orders to the letter. Jehk followed Stepan, over a few hills and into the forest that Jehk had not entered for a year with his friends, but ground he still knew very well. They came to an overgrown field and it was evident Stepan was looking for something very small on the ground and found it, a small metal keychain half buried. He turned, using a compass to find east and started walking, counting his steps. Jehk knew what he was dong, something he used to practise in cadets a lot and that the 5 of them used to do when they were out camping. Using an off-target object on a path to find a den of some sort in overgrown field or forest somewhere, when they got to the den; expertly crafted by digging a few feet into the ground within a particularly big bush and hiding within, Jehk was not surprised to see the other 3 of his old crew. Daniil, Yakov and Nikita all looking up at him, the situation was very awkward and none of them seemed to want to say whatever it was his old friends wanted to tell him. Daniil spoke up ‘give him the binoculars Matt, look at that house Jehk.’ Jehk obliged and for the first time in his life felt his world collapse in on him. Looking through the top floor window he could see the girl he thought he loved ‘enjoying the company’ of another boy very passionately. Jehk didn’t know what to feel, he felt dull and numb. This was all of a sudden replaced by anger and he felt like he wanted to kill someone, the boy, Eve, the boys that had shown him this; and as he thought this he felt the anger boil over inside him. The fight didn’t last long. Jehk, Daniil and Yakov ended up with broken noses and Matt with a swollen lip; Jehk ended up pinned to the floor by the four boys and for the first time cried his eyes out in front of them.
Jehk didn’t stop apologising and thanking his friends on the way back and the 5 of them stole 2 bottles of vodka from the pub, grabbed a tent and took it up to their old favourite spot on the nearest hill. All was forgiven as easy as it is in teenage years and the crew said they needed their leader back, Jehk was only too happy to accept. They offered to help Jehk get the boy back and as much as Jehk refused they said they wanted to, not taking no for an answer. It was the next night they did it, waiting outside the boy’s house until 9 o clock when they knew he was going out, followed him down a street and dragged him into a back alley. Jehk had never felt so much hatred for a person and attacked him like a rabid dog, punching until he fell and then kicking and stamping on his head until his friends held him back. The boy was unconscious and covered in blood, his legs were twitching ominously and his breathing was uneven and shallow; they took off their balaclavas and ran. Not one of the 17 years old boy looked back. That night had never been talked of since among the boys. From here on in Jehk and his friends went back to their old ways, Jehk attended cadets several times a week and spent the rest of the time with his mates or getting his body back to the level of fitness it had been before his year off. It was now 1937 and the Russian army was involved in the invasion of China which came to be known as the Xinjiang War, Jehk came home one day to find his Uncle crying in the front room being hugged by Jehk’s Brother, Melor, who was holding an opened letter in his hands. Jehk had decided he would not get dragged into a relationship issues with girls after his bad experience last time with Eve and so had thought he would never have to feel that horrible, crushing numbness he had felt that made you feel as though the problem could only be solved by throwing yourself under a train. But Jehk was wrong. He Dad, Maior Josef Glazkov, was shot by a sniper and killed in his headquarters in China while fighting the Chinese 36th Muslim Division on the 23rd of December 1937; his funeral was held on Boxing Day and was attended by what seemed like a whole regiment of soldiers. Jehk was distraught but also felt very proud; watching the military funeral and the playing of the last post, he would never wish him Dad dead but knew this was the way he must have wanted to go.
It was later in 1937 that Jehk joined the Army Officer Training School, passing all of his class with excellent marks and passing out with his old friend Daniil, and passing out in the same year as Matt, Stepan and Yakov who all enlisted as privates at the same time. Jehk tried to grab an opportunity to be posted to China as a sort of closure but never managed to. One of Jehk old crew members, Yakov did get sent out to China but the place must have been jinxed for people from Voronezh Oblast because less than 5 months later Yakov was also brought back from the country in a wooden box, it was the second military funeral Jehk had to attend for someone close to him. With the violence subsiding in China and less troops being stationed out there Jehk hoped it would be the last one he would have to attend, but this hope was washed away with the news of Europe dismantling and falling into a state of war in 1939. Jehk knew it would only be a matter of time. But also knew that wherever they were he, his friends Daniil, Stepan, Nikita and his brother Melor would all be proudly fighting the Germans, in the name of the Red Army.
Military Rank: Ideally looking for captain (Kapitan) but will be happy with senior Lieutenant or Lieutenant (Starshii Leitenant or Leitenant)
Writing Sample:
Jehk lifted the binoculars cautiously to his eyes settling them on the bridge ahead of him. He was in a 4 story building at the end of a 50 meter road which was lined with similar 3 or 4 story buildings, it made the road seem narrower that it was this in retrospect made the houses look like they towered over the road. They were waiting, and Jehk’s heart was pounding. It was 1942 and he and his company were in Stalingrad, a city besieged and attacked from all sides. Jehk lowered the binoculars and removed his cap, swiftly wiped snow of the brow and returned it to his scalp, the bitter Russian winter had hit even harder than usual this year and Jehk was even more grateful than normal to be an officer and to more often have the luxury of a roof to sleep under rather than the canvas of tent that the enlisted soldiers and conscripts were condemned to. The snow was thick enough on the narrow looking road that stretched out in front of him for someone not to realise that it was cobbled and the snow was still falling consistently when a knock came from the door to the room and Starshina Ivan walked in and came to crouch next to Jehk. His voice was low and he had a very Eastern Russian accent, “Everyone is set up, the PTSR guns are in the left hand row of buildings along with the conscripts as they will attract the most tank fire, the more experienced soldiers are in the right hand row of buildings, with several ‘homemade surprises.’ Snipers and DP gunners are at this end of the road and in this building to provide cover.” “Excellent Ivan, thank you” Jehk replied taking a moment to memorise and situate himself with his troops positions. The mission that the company was on was not an envious one, their CO had been killed by a sniper a week ago and moral among the company was very low.
The siege of the city had been going on for almost 4 weeks now and food rations were very low, no one could be drafted in to replace their old CO due to lack of experienced COs in the city, so Jehk had to take up the role of overall commander of the company. As if this hadn’t already throw Jehk vastly out of his comfort zone they had then been told that the outskirt of the city had fallen to German Panzer advances and that defences of 9 key bridges needed to be taken up to stop any further German advance. The garrison of the city consisted of 8 anti-tank companies and 24 regular infantry companies like the one Jehk lead, and one of them had to be sent to cover the 9th bridge. Guess who drew the short straw? So here they waited, waiting for German Panzers with only their rifles and machine guns. Their only hope was the PTRS gunners. These were very powerful ‘Anti-Tank’ rifles, often 50. Calibre or bigger that could allegedly punch holes in tanks; this was true and had been proved on the testing range to Jehk many times. However, they had always been tested against ten year old Russian tanks and even then could only punch holes in the rear armour. Unless the Germans were kind enough to leave their state-of-the-art Panzer Tanks at base and reverse at them in tanks from the First World War, then it would be like throwing rocks at a car. It would leave a nasty looking dent but would by no means disable it. However, they did have some uses, they could knock out halftrack and armoured cars very effectively, often more effectively than slow-to-reload rocket launchers. But another signature use was that, although they were at effective versus real tanks as rocks are against cars, they distracted the quickly paranoid tank drivers immensely. They did not know that the Anti-Tank rifles couldn’t penetrate their armour and the 50. Cal shells hitting their tank would sound like they were being smashed with sledge hammers. As they focused on the PTRS gunners the rest of the company would focus on the Panzers. Or at least that was the plan.
Jehk was observing the street through a 3 or 4 inch diagonal crack that decorated the wall about a foot from the floor; and from here could even now see his men setting up barbed wire and anti-tank obelisks on the road below him, they held the high ground, were in defence and were determined. This fight may have seemed incredibly one sided but it was not over yet. Jehk stood up, brushing down his musty green officer’s coat that stretched to past his knees. He was set up on the 3rd story of the building at the head of the road, in this room was his second in command Starshina Ivan, his radio operators communicating with the squads down in the street and a couple of snipers that were readying their weapons and checking calculations. The room was very dark due to the drawn curtains and the only noises was the Starshina briefing to men in the corner, the radio’s constant fuzz and the occasional click of the bolt of a sniper. The room had been chosen as the HQ because it was one of the only still intact and with a working fire place and chimney from which a fire burned away silently, hissing now and again when snow fell from the chimney shaft and evaporated on contact with the flames. Jehk moved towards it and absorbed the heat it kicked out, stoking it and checking the water they were bringing to boil in a pan above it. One of the 3 snipers at the windows would call him if the enemy were to start their advance, or the radio’s chatter would suddenly pick up, at the moment just the occasional comment broke the fuzz emanating from the speakers on the table in the corner as the two radio operators talked to each other; one of them leaning back on his chair. “Votez” called Jehk deciding at least one of them needed something to do, “contact divisional HQ, tell them we have reached the bridge and are set up to defend it, tell them we will report if the Germans make an advance.” “Yes Sir” came the response and the voice of the operator joined the other background noises as he attempted to relay the message. Jehk looked around the room that had been turned in just a few hours into a Russian command post, every available surface had a backpack, Jehket or ammunition on it and weapons were strewn around the place lent against walls or furniture. The owners of this apartment were almost defiantly not coming back anytime soon. Dead, missing, underground or refugees. One of these fates must have met the previous dwellers of this abode as had most of the millions that once occupied this city.
Suddenly, the radio chatter started to pick up and panicked voices started shouting and baling to each other, Jehk looked quickly over as the radio man checked the frequency and looked over to him “its 5th company, the Germans have started making their way across the bridge about 2 miles away south, 7th were attacked at the old railway bridge about 20 minutes ago, there about 3 miles further south than that.” “Then were next” said Jehk, “tell the men to get ready for an imminent attack.” Jehk made his way back to the crack he had been observing from earlier, after being next to the warm fire the cold breeze from the crack seemed to attack the exposed skin on his face as he lay down to look through the knee level crack. He lifted his binoculars and spoke to the 3 snipers left of him “See anything?” The response was negative from 2, but the 3rd came back sounding very calm “German Sniper, opposite side of the bride, in front of the burning car” All three snipers lifted their weapons and trained them to where they had been instructed, Jehk also moved his binoculars to the area that had been described. Thank god they had spotted the opposite number’s sniper first, before he managed to cause any damage. He would have been looking for enemy snipers, or Jehk himself, to kill. “I’ll take him,” came the same voice and second later the sniper Jehk was looking at crumpled and his weapon fell limp and a loud bang echoed around the room. Turning Jehk congratulated the sniper who had scored the kill “good work.” He had barely finished his sentence when another crack was heard away in the distance. The sniper who had just achieved something all snipers dream of was just 4 meters away from Jehk with a smile on his face. Suddenly his body jumped as though electricity had been shot through it and his head was forcefully snapped back, blood was violently forced out of the back of his head in a spray that extended a good foot or two. His body hit the floor with a thud, followed a second later by the dead man’s weapon. The joy was still on his face from the moment before. The 2 snipers in the room knew they could be next, and didn’t even speak as their eyes returned to their scopes, scanning windows, doorways, walls, anything on the other side of the bridge that could conceal an enemy agent of death. “Grey building, 2nd story, east window” said one before a bullet cracked his window and splintered wood with a snap “SHIT!” he yelled falling to the floor hand covering his blooded face. The last standing sniper was moving his rifle quickly; he took one deep breath and on the out breath…CRACK! “Got the bastard.” He exclaimed. They both looked at the sniper that had gone down, who was looking up with splinters across the side of his face. “Fuck me that was close” he said with a flicker of a smile, but this was wiped from his face after one of the radio operators spoke. “Second platoon have spotted German tanks on the other side of the bridge.” Jehk and the two snipers, still feeling joyous at not being killed a moment before returned to the business in hand.
Jehk lifted his binoculars once again, it was true, he could see 2 tanks moving up to the bridge, and probably looking for building that looked to be swarming with men so that they had a chance to put some holes in them. Jehk knew his men would not be stupid enough to start putting their heads up at the moment, not after all the sniper fire. At least he hoped they wouldn’t be that stupid. Jehk kept watching and saw a halftrack moving up to the front, slowly, most probably followed by men. It moved to the head of the column of tanks that were dead still, huge grey bulks looking very ominous. As the halftrack reached the front it pulled in front of the tanks and came to a halt. Jehk could feel his heart start to pound, just as it had done while the sniper fight had been going on. The long queue of German vehicles was stationary for several minutes, Jehk waited, hoping they would receive a last minute order and back off. But alas this was never the case. After what seemed to be an age the halftrack came back to life, smoke spewing from the back end, it slowly starting edging forward and the tanks behind started following suit. It mounted the bridge, its front wheel kicking up first and then it’s back, it carried on at its slow pace over the freezing water below. Just as it got to the nearer end of the bridge Jehk heard loud cracks, and from the building the PTRS gunners were in flashes of light could be seen. Two holes appeared in the bonnet of the armoured vehicle, smoke started pouring out of it and slowly it came to a grinding halt. The occupants of this half track had drawn the short straw in this offensive and now had a choice, stay in the halftrack and get run over by their own tanks or get out and find themselves horrible exposed to Russian guns. They chose the latter and Jehk watched as each soldier was cut down by rifle fire as they jumped from the halftrack, seconds later the halftrack was half crushed by the following Panzer whose MG42 was spewing flame and bullets toward the nearest house. The chaos had started. Jehk heard the distinctive sounds of the PTRS guns firing again and sparks flew from the Panzer tanks in front armour, making splintering thuds and making the metal recoil a few inches. It kept moving forward relentlessly and behind it a second tank left the bridge onto the road and came under fire from the PTRS rifles. German storm troopers burst forth form were they had been avoiding fire until they were close to the buildings occupied by Jehk’s men. They streamed forward, pulling grenades from pouches as they went, some falling with yelps as pockets of blood burst from their bodies. One group reached the house furthest away on Jehks right and lobbed grenades through the windows, the ensuing explosions threw the remaining glass and wood from the windows and followed by cloud of dust. The German storm troops kicked the door down and stormed inside as the 3rd German tank hit the road. The two tanks at the front had realised where the PTRS guns were and their turrets were clicking slowly to their left, ‘NOW’ thought Jehk ‘COME ON.’
Almost as he thought it the men he had briefed earlier burst out of the buildings on Jehks left, the veterans of the company they surged forward firing their rifles and SMG’s as bullets zipped around them, kicking up snow and felling more than one. They were brave men. As they reached the tanks they rocked back a few inches as they fired their guns into the houses PTRS gunners were firing from. The front of the house seemed to evaporate and bricks were thrown everywhere as huge explosions ripped the houses apart, chucking Russian bodies onto the pavement below and making the house crumple under its own, now, unsupported weight. Jehk looked back toward the veteran men, they were getting home made sticky bombs, socks filled covered with motor fluid with explosives stuffed inside, and Molotov cocktails ready to use on the tanks, which were focused on the buildings they were tearing apart with their huge main guns. Jehk watched as the sticky bombs were applied to the tracks and the men started to move back to the cover of their houses, as they gained a bit of distance they chucked the Molotov cocktails in high arcs to come down on top of the tanks. The front two German tanks were now on fire and as the men retreated back to the houses they had sprung from the sticky bombs exploded, bursting the track from their wheels; they were immobilised and the fire would be seeping into any crack and causing damage. But the best thing about this was that between them the two tanks covered the whole road, cobbles showing through the snow around them as it melted away from the intense heat. The fire fight continued for another couple of minutes until the 3rd tank started reversing slowly back down the street, its machine gun still firing manically, covering the withdraw of German soldiers across the bridge back into German territory. Jehk felt a sudden moment of happiness, of elation. The Germans slowly moved back across the bridge throwing smoke grenades across the road to cover their retreat, the cheers had already started from the Russian troops below. Jehk couldn’t help joining in. The street was a mess, bodies of both sides littered the street, broken and bloodied, the two tanks were still on fire and immobile in the middle of the street. The front half of two buildings has been completely destroyed and collapsed, and the German halftrack still lay half flattened by the bridge. Jehk took a moment to cheer and congratulate the two snipers who were talking about how many Germans they had shot, but he knew this was not over yet. He turned to the corner where the radio men were hugging one another on a job well done, “You, send this to divisional HQ, fended off German assault, up to 50 casualties taken…estimate the same enemy casualties, along with 2 tanks and 1 armoured vehicle…expecting a German artillery bombardment before next German assault, permission to destroy bridge and evac the position?” “Yes Sir.”
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Been a member here for a while
Name: Jehk Glazkov
Nationality: Russian
What Army will Your Character Serve Beneath? Soviet
Character History:
Jehk was born in Voronezh Oblast in 1919, into a proud military family. His dad was a Maior, a veteran of WW1 with 40 years’ service under his belt. He had been in the Army when they were still fighting with muskets and cannon, through the human wave tactics of WW1 and beyond. Jehk also had two older Brothers, Melor was 18 and was a Serzhant; and the oldest Brother Maksim Jehk Glazkov would have been 21 had he not been killed in WW1. It was after Maksim that Jehk was named. Jehk was considered the late addition to the family he was born to his 39 year old mother who died in the process, something that has haunted Jehk since. With his Brother and Father away a lot of the time with the army, he was raised by his Uncle Egor, also a veteran of war who had lost a leg and been honourably discharged. Jehk loved hearing his Uncle’s stories even from a very young age. His Uncle would tell him all of his stories until he had run out, then he told Jehk about the army in more detail, realising the kid was taking a genuine interest. Jehk saw very little of his Father during the first 10 years of his life, he was stationed in France during the huge cleanup operation and dismantlement of the German army that took place after World War 1, so Jehk grew up with his unmarried and childless Uncle. They came to see each other more as Father and son than Uncle and nephew.
Jehk was a bright lad and this showed in his studies, he had a regimented attitude and from the age of 11 would draw up his own study plans and stick to them ferociously. He was hugely dedicated even from this young age and would do anything to get what he wanted the way he wanted it. During secondary school he kept fit, he didn't particularly play any sports but he knew that to join the Army you had to be fit; and this was the only thing Jehk wanted to do. He joined army cadets and quickly became the leader of the other kids there, not in rank to begin with, but in stature. The other kids listened to him, but Jehk was not interested in most, only those he saw as having the ‘right attitude.’ The kids that were as interested and passionate about the military as him, he would often take them on runs and walks across the vast Russian hills and rivers; and campouts from the age of 12. Jehk’s Uncle was amazed, never had he seen such a natural leader or such a young kid that was so indoctrinated by the military. Jehk was a very mature lad that never got in trouble at school and was the kid everyone would of picked on and called a ‘teacher’s pet’ had he not started developing a muscular body from a young age. But Jehk was not the sort to tell the teacher, he was the sort to deal with things himself, which he often did. He and his crew from army cadets would often walk around the playground talking to everyone and making sure anyone that needed help got it. They saw themselves as the army of the playground, stopping the children being unfair and getting their balls back from rooftops. He never cared what anyone other than the 4 children that followed him round thought, but would not hesitate in cutting one of them down if they did something he thought was stupid; loving his assumed and universally accepted role as leader of the little group.
Jehk was only ever sent home from school once, at the age of 14, he was hauled back into his hallway with his Uncle looking at him disappointedly with blood still streaming from Jehk’s nose. The headmaster still had his hand firmly on Jehk’s collar as he explained that Jehk was seen punching and kicking another child and was suspended for 2 weeks. After the enraged headmaster left, Jehk’s Uncle turned to him and said very calmly ‘who was she?’ Jehk was confused, ‘it was a boy Uncle, I hit a boy, not a girl.’ His Uncle smiled, ‘I mean who was the girl you were fighting over.’ Jehk was very taken a back; he had never really been into girls, although no one at school really was yet. ‘Jon was taking the piss out of Eve, because her mum is ill, in hospital’ ‘So you hit him?’ ‘Yes Uncle’ ‘Good, make sure you’re not in school next time, we don’t want you kicked out now do we.’ This was the extent of Jehk’s adult direction as a child, if Jehk wasn’t being arrested or people weren’t on Uncle Egor’s doorstep complaining he didn’t care if Jehk was out all hours. Basically a ‘don’t do it or don’t get caught’ sort of philosophy. Part of this was because his Uncle wanted him to be his own person and part of it was he understood that Jehk was very mature and wouldn’t really get in that much trouble.
It was only after this that Jehk started taking a liking toward Eve, she seemed to be very grateful to Jehk for what he had done and knew he went camping a lot with his cadet buddies. She decided that Jehk and she should go camping sometime in the forest somewhere, which they did, and needless to say Jehk very much enjoyed the weekend. Jehk and Eve started going out and Jehk was very taken by Eve, he started spending less and less time with his friends and more and more time with Eve; however this had detrimental effects on Jehk. He perfect grades started slipping and he started missing his cadet meetings, but this was not the worst consequence of his relationship with Eve, she was very flirty and was often found sat on other boys knees or in their houses with them. Jehk started getting in a lot more fights, surprising kids as they walked home and never lost a fight. This carried on for a year and Jehk barely spent any time with his ‘crew’ only caring about Eve despite her obviously not caring as much about him, this carried on for about a year until one day he one of his mates came to speak to him. ‘Jehk we need to speak’ ‘Oh hi Stepan, I’m just waiting for Eve’ ‘She is going to stand you up again’ ‘Fuck off Stepan, you guys are just jealous of me and Eve, you guys don’t even speak to me anymore because you’re so damn jealous’ ‘You’re a twat, we called for you every day, ask you to campout every weekend but you always say your with Eve. You’re obsessed with her AND TO BE HONEST IF IT WERE UP TO ME WE WOULDN’T EVEN BE SHOWING YOU THIS!’ Stepan had raised his voice for the last part of the sentence and Jehk was very taken a back.
Of the group Stepan had always been the quiet one and the most willing to accept Jehks natural leadership of the group, Jehk had never heard him disagree with anyone let alone raise his voice. ‘As it is Daniil sent me to get you, so that’s what I’m doing, follow me if you want to.’ That was more like the Stepan Jehk knew. Following Daniil’s, who was leading the crew these days, orders to the letter. Jehk followed Stepan, over a few hills and into the forest that Jehk had not entered for a year with his friends, but ground he still knew very well. They came to an overgrown field and it was evident Stepan was looking for something very small on the ground and found it, a small metal keychain half buried. He turned, using a compass to find east and started walking, counting his steps. Jehk knew what he was dong, something he used to practise in cadets a lot and that the 5 of them used to do when they were out camping. Using an off-target object on a path to find a den of some sort in overgrown field or forest somewhere, when they got to the den; expertly crafted by digging a few feet into the ground within a particularly big bush and hiding within, Jehk was not surprised to see the other 3 of his old crew. Daniil, Yakov and Nikita all looking up at him, the situation was very awkward and none of them seemed to want to say whatever it was his old friends wanted to tell him. Daniil spoke up ‘give him the binoculars Matt, look at that house Jehk.’ Jehk obliged and for the first time in his life felt his world collapse in on him. Looking through the top floor window he could see the girl he thought he loved ‘enjoying the company’ of another boy very passionately. Jehk didn’t know what to feel, he felt dull and numb. This was all of a sudden replaced by anger and he felt like he wanted to kill someone, the boy, Eve, the boys that had shown him this; and as he thought this he felt the anger boil over inside him. The fight didn’t last long. Jehk, Daniil and Yakov ended up with broken noses and Matt with a swollen lip; Jehk ended up pinned to the floor by the four boys and for the first time cried his eyes out in front of them.
Jehk didn’t stop apologising and thanking his friends on the way back and the 5 of them stole 2 bottles of vodka from the pub, grabbed a tent and took it up to their old favourite spot on the nearest hill. All was forgiven as easy as it is in teenage years and the crew said they needed their leader back, Jehk was only too happy to accept. They offered to help Jehk get the boy back and as much as Jehk refused they said they wanted to, not taking no for an answer. It was the next night they did it, waiting outside the boy’s house until 9 o clock when they knew he was going out, followed him down a street and dragged him into a back alley. Jehk had never felt so much hatred for a person and attacked him like a rabid dog, punching until he fell and then kicking and stamping on his head until his friends held him back. The boy was unconscious and covered in blood, his legs were twitching ominously and his breathing was uneven and shallow; they took off their balaclavas and ran. Not one of the 17 years old boy looked back. That night had never been talked of since among the boys. From here on in Jehk and his friends went back to their old ways, Jehk attended cadets several times a week and spent the rest of the time with his mates or getting his body back to the level of fitness it had been before his year off. It was now 1937 and the Russian army was involved in the invasion of China which came to be known as the Xinjiang War, Jehk came home one day to find his Uncle crying in the front room being hugged by Jehk’s Brother, Melor, who was holding an opened letter in his hands. Jehk had decided he would not get dragged into a relationship issues with girls after his bad experience last time with Eve and so had thought he would never have to feel that horrible, crushing numbness he had felt that made you feel as though the problem could only be solved by throwing yourself under a train. But Jehk was wrong. He Dad, Maior Josef Glazkov, was shot by a sniper and killed in his headquarters in China while fighting the Chinese 36th Muslim Division on the 23rd of December 1937; his funeral was held on Boxing Day and was attended by what seemed like a whole regiment of soldiers. Jehk was distraught but also felt very proud; watching the military funeral and the playing of the last post, he would never wish him Dad dead but knew this was the way he must have wanted to go.
It was later in 1937 that Jehk joined the Army Officer Training School, passing all of his class with excellent marks and passing out with his old friend Daniil, and passing out in the same year as Matt, Stepan and Yakov who all enlisted as privates at the same time. Jehk tried to grab an opportunity to be posted to China as a sort of closure but never managed to. One of Jehk old crew members, Yakov did get sent out to China but the place must have been jinxed for people from Voronezh Oblast because less than 5 months later Yakov was also brought back from the country in a wooden box, it was the second military funeral Jehk had to attend for someone close to him. With the violence subsiding in China and less troops being stationed out there Jehk hoped it would be the last one he would have to attend, but this hope was washed away with the news of Europe dismantling and falling into a state of war in 1939. Jehk knew it would only be a matter of time. But also knew that wherever they were he, his friends Daniil, Stepan, Nikita and his brother Melor would all be proudly fighting the Germans, in the name of the Red Army.
Military Rank: Ideally looking for captain (Kapitan) but will be happy with senior Lieutenant or Lieutenant (Starshii Leitenant or Leitenant)
Writing Sample:
Jehk lifted the binoculars cautiously to his eyes settling them on the bridge ahead of him. He was in a 4 story building at the end of a 50 meter road which was lined with similar 3 or 4 story buildings, it made the road seem narrower that it was this in retrospect made the houses look like they towered over the road. They were waiting, and Jehk’s heart was pounding. It was 1942 and he and his company were in Stalingrad, a city besieged and attacked from all sides. Jehk lowered the binoculars and removed his cap, swiftly wiped snow of the brow and returned it to his scalp, the bitter Russian winter had hit even harder than usual this year and Jehk was even more grateful than normal to be an officer and to more often have the luxury of a roof to sleep under rather than the canvas of tent that the enlisted soldiers and conscripts were condemned to. The snow was thick enough on the narrow looking road that stretched out in front of him for someone not to realise that it was cobbled and the snow was still falling consistently when a knock came from the door to the room and Starshina Ivan walked in and came to crouch next to Jehk. His voice was low and he had a very Eastern Russian accent, “Everyone is set up, the PTSR guns are in the left hand row of buildings along with the conscripts as they will attract the most tank fire, the more experienced soldiers are in the right hand row of buildings, with several ‘homemade surprises.’ Snipers and DP gunners are at this end of the road and in this building to provide cover.” “Excellent Ivan, thank you” Jehk replied taking a moment to memorise and situate himself with his troops positions. The mission that the company was on was not an envious one, their CO had been killed by a sniper a week ago and moral among the company was very low.
The siege of the city had been going on for almost 4 weeks now and food rations were very low, no one could be drafted in to replace their old CO due to lack of experienced COs in the city, so Jehk had to take up the role of overall commander of the company. As if this hadn’t already throw Jehk vastly out of his comfort zone they had then been told that the outskirt of the city had fallen to German Panzer advances and that defences of 9 key bridges needed to be taken up to stop any further German advance. The garrison of the city consisted of 8 anti-tank companies and 24 regular infantry companies like the one Jehk lead, and one of them had to be sent to cover the 9th bridge. Guess who drew the short straw? So here they waited, waiting for German Panzers with only their rifles and machine guns. Their only hope was the PTRS gunners. These were very powerful ‘Anti-Tank’ rifles, often 50. Calibre or bigger that could allegedly punch holes in tanks; this was true and had been proved on the testing range to Jehk many times. However, they had always been tested against ten year old Russian tanks and even then could only punch holes in the rear armour. Unless the Germans were kind enough to leave their state-of-the-art Panzer Tanks at base and reverse at them in tanks from the First World War, then it would be like throwing rocks at a car. It would leave a nasty looking dent but would by no means disable it. However, they did have some uses, they could knock out halftrack and armoured cars very effectively, often more effectively than slow-to-reload rocket launchers. But another signature use was that, although they were at effective versus real tanks as rocks are against cars, they distracted the quickly paranoid tank drivers immensely. They did not know that the Anti-Tank rifles couldn’t penetrate their armour and the 50. Cal shells hitting their tank would sound like they were being smashed with sledge hammers. As they focused on the PTRS gunners the rest of the company would focus on the Panzers. Or at least that was the plan.
Jehk was observing the street through a 3 or 4 inch diagonal crack that decorated the wall about a foot from the floor; and from here could even now see his men setting up barbed wire and anti-tank obelisks on the road below him, they held the high ground, were in defence and were determined. This fight may have seemed incredibly one sided but it was not over yet. Jehk stood up, brushing down his musty green officer’s coat that stretched to past his knees. He was set up on the 3rd story of the building at the head of the road, in this room was his second in command Starshina Ivan, his radio operators communicating with the squads down in the street and a couple of snipers that were readying their weapons and checking calculations. The room was very dark due to the drawn curtains and the only noises was the Starshina briefing to men in the corner, the radio’s constant fuzz and the occasional click of the bolt of a sniper. The room had been chosen as the HQ because it was one of the only still intact and with a working fire place and chimney from which a fire burned away silently, hissing now and again when snow fell from the chimney shaft and evaporated on contact with the flames. Jehk moved towards it and absorbed the heat it kicked out, stoking it and checking the water they were bringing to boil in a pan above it. One of the 3 snipers at the windows would call him if the enemy were to start their advance, or the radio’s chatter would suddenly pick up, at the moment just the occasional comment broke the fuzz emanating from the speakers on the table in the corner as the two radio operators talked to each other; one of them leaning back on his chair. “Votez” called Jehk deciding at least one of them needed something to do, “contact divisional HQ, tell them we have reached the bridge and are set up to defend it, tell them we will report if the Germans make an advance.” “Yes Sir” came the response and the voice of the operator joined the other background noises as he attempted to relay the message. Jehk looked around the room that had been turned in just a few hours into a Russian command post, every available surface had a backpack, Jehket or ammunition on it and weapons were strewn around the place lent against walls or furniture. The owners of this apartment were almost defiantly not coming back anytime soon. Dead, missing, underground or refugees. One of these fates must have met the previous dwellers of this abode as had most of the millions that once occupied this city.
Suddenly, the radio chatter started to pick up and panicked voices started shouting and baling to each other, Jehk looked quickly over as the radio man checked the frequency and looked over to him “its 5th company, the Germans have started making their way across the bridge about 2 miles away south, 7th were attacked at the old railway bridge about 20 minutes ago, there about 3 miles further south than that.” “Then were next” said Jehk, “tell the men to get ready for an imminent attack.” Jehk made his way back to the crack he had been observing from earlier, after being next to the warm fire the cold breeze from the crack seemed to attack the exposed skin on his face as he lay down to look through the knee level crack. He lifted his binoculars and spoke to the 3 snipers left of him “See anything?” The response was negative from 2, but the 3rd came back sounding very calm “German Sniper, opposite side of the bride, in front of the burning car” All three snipers lifted their weapons and trained them to where they had been instructed, Jehk also moved his binoculars to the area that had been described. Thank god they had spotted the opposite number’s sniper first, before he managed to cause any damage. He would have been looking for enemy snipers, or Jehk himself, to kill. “I’ll take him,” came the same voice and second later the sniper Jehk was looking at crumpled and his weapon fell limp and a loud bang echoed around the room. Turning Jehk congratulated the sniper who had scored the kill “good work.” He had barely finished his sentence when another crack was heard away in the distance. The sniper who had just achieved something all snipers dream of was just 4 meters away from Jehk with a smile on his face. Suddenly his body jumped as though electricity had been shot through it and his head was forcefully snapped back, blood was violently forced out of the back of his head in a spray that extended a good foot or two. His body hit the floor with a thud, followed a second later by the dead man’s weapon. The joy was still on his face from the moment before. The 2 snipers in the room knew they could be next, and didn’t even speak as their eyes returned to their scopes, scanning windows, doorways, walls, anything on the other side of the bridge that could conceal an enemy agent of death. “Grey building, 2nd story, east window” said one before a bullet cracked his window and splintered wood with a snap “SHIT!” he yelled falling to the floor hand covering his blooded face. The last standing sniper was moving his rifle quickly; he took one deep breath and on the out breath…CRACK! “Got the bastard.” He exclaimed. They both looked at the sniper that had gone down, who was looking up with splinters across the side of his face. “Fuck me that was close” he said with a flicker of a smile, but this was wiped from his face after one of the radio operators spoke. “Second platoon have spotted German tanks on the other side of the bridge.” Jehk and the two snipers, still feeling joyous at not being killed a moment before returned to the business in hand.
Jehk lifted his binoculars once again, it was true, he could see 2 tanks moving up to the bridge, and probably looking for building that looked to be swarming with men so that they had a chance to put some holes in them. Jehk knew his men would not be stupid enough to start putting their heads up at the moment, not after all the sniper fire. At least he hoped they wouldn’t be that stupid. Jehk kept watching and saw a halftrack moving up to the front, slowly, most probably followed by men. It moved to the head of the column of tanks that were dead still, huge grey bulks looking very ominous. As the halftrack reached the front it pulled in front of the tanks and came to a halt. Jehk could feel his heart start to pound, just as it had done while the sniper fight had been going on. The long queue of German vehicles was stationary for several minutes, Jehk waited, hoping they would receive a last minute order and back off. But alas this was never the case. After what seemed to be an age the halftrack came back to life, smoke spewing from the back end, it slowly starting edging forward and the tanks behind started following suit. It mounted the bridge, its front wheel kicking up first and then it’s back, it carried on at its slow pace over the freezing water below. Just as it got to the nearer end of the bridge Jehk heard loud cracks, and from the building the PTRS gunners were in flashes of light could be seen. Two holes appeared in the bonnet of the armoured vehicle, smoke started pouring out of it and slowly it came to a grinding halt. The occupants of this half track had drawn the short straw in this offensive and now had a choice, stay in the halftrack and get run over by their own tanks or get out and find themselves horrible exposed to Russian guns. They chose the latter and Jehk watched as each soldier was cut down by rifle fire as they jumped from the halftrack, seconds later the halftrack was half crushed by the following Panzer whose MG42 was spewing flame and bullets toward the nearest house. The chaos had started. Jehk heard the distinctive sounds of the PTRS guns firing again and sparks flew from the Panzer tanks in front armour, making splintering thuds and making the metal recoil a few inches. It kept moving forward relentlessly and behind it a second tank left the bridge onto the road and came under fire from the PTRS rifles. German storm troopers burst forth form were they had been avoiding fire until they were close to the buildings occupied by Jehk’s men. They streamed forward, pulling grenades from pouches as they went, some falling with yelps as pockets of blood burst from their bodies. One group reached the house furthest away on Jehks right and lobbed grenades through the windows, the ensuing explosions threw the remaining glass and wood from the windows and followed by cloud of dust. The German storm troops kicked the door down and stormed inside as the 3rd German tank hit the road. The two tanks at the front had realised where the PTRS guns were and their turrets were clicking slowly to their left, ‘NOW’ thought Jehk ‘COME ON.’
Almost as he thought it the men he had briefed earlier burst out of the buildings on Jehks left, the veterans of the company they surged forward firing their rifles and SMG’s as bullets zipped around them, kicking up snow and felling more than one. They were brave men. As they reached the tanks they rocked back a few inches as they fired their guns into the houses PTRS gunners were firing from. The front of the house seemed to evaporate and bricks were thrown everywhere as huge explosions ripped the houses apart, chucking Russian bodies onto the pavement below and making the house crumple under its own, now, unsupported weight. Jehk looked back toward the veteran men, they were getting home made sticky bombs, socks filled covered with motor fluid with explosives stuffed inside, and Molotov cocktails ready to use on the tanks, which were focused on the buildings they were tearing apart with their huge main guns. Jehk watched as the sticky bombs were applied to the tracks and the men started to move back to the cover of their houses, as they gained a bit of distance they chucked the Molotov cocktails in high arcs to come down on top of the tanks. The front two German tanks were now on fire and as the men retreated back to the houses they had sprung from the sticky bombs exploded, bursting the track from their wheels; they were immobilised and the fire would be seeping into any crack and causing damage. But the best thing about this was that between them the two tanks covered the whole road, cobbles showing through the snow around them as it melted away from the intense heat. The fire fight continued for another couple of minutes until the 3rd tank started reversing slowly back down the street, its machine gun still firing manically, covering the withdraw of German soldiers across the bridge back into German territory. Jehk felt a sudden moment of happiness, of elation. The Germans slowly moved back across the bridge throwing smoke grenades across the road to cover their retreat, the cheers had already started from the Russian troops below. Jehk couldn’t help joining in. The street was a mess, bodies of both sides littered the street, broken and bloodied, the two tanks were still on fire and immobile in the middle of the street. The front half of two buildings has been completely destroyed and collapsed, and the German halftrack still lay half flattened by the bridge. Jehk took a moment to cheer and congratulate the two snipers who were talking about how many Germans they had shot, but he knew this was not over yet. He turned to the corner where the radio men were hugging one another on a job well done, “You, send this to divisional HQ, fended off German assault, up to 50 casualties taken…estimate the same enemy casualties, along with 2 tanks and 1 armoured vehicle…expecting a German artillery bombardment before next German assault, permission to destroy bridge and evac the position?” “Yes Sir.”
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