The heroic 32nd tank brigade, which took part in the Battle of Kursk, was commanded by Colonel Alexey Alexeyevich Linev for nearly eight months. The commander of the tankmen was born on 20 April 1903 in a family of farmers, which lived in the village of Krasnoye of the Novokhopersk district in the Voronezh governorate. Alexey Linev joined the Workersʼ and Peasantsʼ Red Army in 1919 and immediately became an active participant of the Civil War.
Alexey Linevʼs history of military service is quite impressive irrespective of the heroʼs short life. After the end of the Civil War, Alexey Alexeyevich studied at the Combined Command School of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and attended courses at the Military Academy of Motorization and Mechanization. A. Livev came to the armoured forces in November 1929.
He was appointed to a training tank regiment and came through a position of an ordinary political officer up to a tank company commander, and then up to a battalion chief of staff in the Separate Far Eastern Red Banner Army. During his service in the Far East, Alexey Linev met Lieutenant Colonel Pavel Alexeyevich Rotmistrov, the would-be Chief Marshall of the Armoured Forces.
Alexey Alexeyevich continued to climb the career ladder, and in the January of 1937 he attended advanced courses of tactical and technical training, which were held by the Academy of Motorization and Mechanization. The gained knowledge formed the basis for reaching a new height. Alexey Linev was appointed the chief of the armoured forces at the 18th Rifle Corps, located in the Far East. He was there when the Great Patriotic War started.
From January until October of 1942, Alexey Alexeyevich served as the deputy commander of the Far Eastern front, responsible for automotive and armoured forces. Later, A. Linev changed the place of service and came to head the 32nd brigade, which was a part of the 29th Tank Corps of the 5th Guards Tank Army in the Voronezh front. If one analyzes actions of the tank brigade in the battle near Prokhorovka in the July of 1943, it will become evident how decisive and purposeful was Alexey Linev in commanding his unit.
Heavy fightings for the liberation of the Kharkov region started in August, and the most intensive battles were taking place on the approaches to the town of Bogodukhov. Alexey Linev, who was also taking part in the battles, was badly wounded and died on 26 August 1943. For bravery and valour in the fightings on the Belgorod direction during the Battle of Kursk, Alexey Linev was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War of the 1st class.
Alexey Linevʼs history of military service is quite impressive irrespective of the heroʼs short life. After the end of the Civil War, Alexey Alexeyevich studied at the Combined Command School of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and attended courses at the Military Academy of Motorization and Mechanization. A. Livev came to the armoured forces in November 1929.
He was appointed to a training tank regiment and came through a position of an ordinary political officer up to a tank company commander, and then up to a battalion chief of staff in the Separate Far Eastern Red Banner Army. During his service in the Far East, Alexey Linev met Lieutenant Colonel Pavel Alexeyevich Rotmistrov, the would-be Chief Marshall of the Armoured Forces.
Alexey Alexeyevich continued to climb the career ladder, and in the January of 1937 he attended advanced courses of tactical and technical training, which were held by the Academy of Motorization and Mechanization. The gained knowledge formed the basis for reaching a new height. Alexey Linev was appointed the chief of the armoured forces at the 18th Rifle Corps, located in the Far East. He was there when the Great Patriotic War started.
From January until October of 1942, Alexey Alexeyevich served as the deputy commander of the Far Eastern front, responsible for automotive and armoured forces. Later, A. Linev changed the place of service and came to head the 32nd brigade, which was a part of the 29th Tank Corps of the 5th Guards Tank Army in the Voronezh front. If one analyzes actions of the tank brigade in the battle near Prokhorovka in the July of 1943, it will become evident how decisive and purposeful was Alexey Linev in commanding his unit.
Heavy fightings for the liberation of the Kharkov region started in August, and the most intensive battles were taking place on the approaches to the town of Bogodukhov. Alexey Linev, who was also taking part in the battles, was badly wounded and died on 26 August 1943. For bravery and valour in the fightings on the Belgorod direction during the Battle of Kursk, Alexey Linev was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War of the 1st class.
