Igor Klinov
In May 1941, Igor Klinov (1920–2013), the future associate professor at the Department of Metal Constructions and Testing of Structures at the Leningrad Civil Engineering Institute (now SPbGASU), graduated from the third year of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, and in June he left for practice to Estonia. Here he found the war. Already in the first days of July, he returned to his native institute to ... enroll in the people's militia. And ten days later, shoulder to shoulder in the same platoon with other students, graduates who barely had time to defend their diploma projects, teachers of their native university, he took his first battle near the village of Yurki, Kingisepp District, Leningrad Region.
Soon, Igor Klinov, with several other newly minted fighters, went on his first reconnaissance on the right bank of the Luga River. The group returned not only without losses, but also captured German pilots from a spotter aircraft shot down by anti-aircraft gunners. These were the first captives taken by the militias of the third regiment. “In the platoon, before sending the captives to the battalion, we talked a little with them. We then had more curiosity than anger and hatred for the enemy. Hatred came later, when comrades were dying before our eyes, and we could do nothing to help them, and when we saw with our own eyes the traces of fascist atrocities, ”recalled Igor Grigorievich.
His memoirs are a kind of chronicle of the first days of the war for young soldiers: they contain grief and despair at the sight of fellow soldiers dying from wounds and bullets, stamina and courage, despite the obvious superiority of the enemy. “The Nazis in tanks openly followed along the line of defense of the battalion, showering the trenches of the militia with a hail of bullets and shells. Armed with bottles of flammable liquid, we sat for hours in anti-tank ambushes ... then a captured mortar was handed over to our troop, which served us well, ”wrote the front-line soldier.
His lines are a chronicle of how yesterday's students hastily learned to use weapons, mastered tactics right in battle. The war made him grow up overnight.
“The Nazis brought machine gunners in cars. Our third platoon took the hit so that the others could escape to the village of Lopets. Losing friends, the militias held back the onslaught of the Nazis. It was difficult. True, the swamp helped out, into which the approaching enemy tanks did not dare to poke themselves. Having completed our task, we got out from under the fire. Tanned to blackness, emaciated and extremely tired, but with eyes sparkling with joy, we went out on 20 August under Siverskaya, and a day later we already joined our native 2nd division of the people's militia, who fought in the Kotlov region, ”recalled Igor Klinov.
Describing difficult battles, a participant in the Great Patriotic War would certainly list all the fallen by name and with pain in his heart. “The fighting continued. 28-29 August - Velcotta. Here, in a desperate attack, a person dear to all of us - company commander Vasily Ivanovich Shishkin - and young Boris Rysev were killed. Lyova Rutsko and Lenya Obukhov were seriously injured. The command of the platoon was taken over by Evgeny Ruzhnikov. On 31 August, on the river of Sist, near the Kumolov mill, on a steep bank, we buried Syoma Litvin, who died in hand-to-hand combat..
Then went Koporye, Voronino ... And a new parting: Zhenya Ruzhnikov was wounded.
Gostilitsy, Porozhki, Peterhof... At the Oranienbaum bridgehead, the troops stood still.
Near Martyshkino, some LISI students were promoted to command positions, the rest, including me, were transferred to a sapper troop, ”Igor Grigoryevich stated.
Are additional facts needed to make it clear in what inferno the LISI students fought? In 1942, senior lieutenant engineer Klinov was seriously wounded, after which he was demobilized. He immediately returned to his native institute and connected his whole life with it. Already in 1946 he defended his PhD thesis and received the title of associate professor. He published about 50 scientific papers and more than 10 study guides.
For many years at LISI / SPbGASU, he was engaged not only in research and educational work, but also in social activities. Organized by Igor Grigoryevich, SPbGASU collected materials on the fate of 950 participants in the Great Patriotic War who left our university for the front, the circumstances of the death of 213 students and teachers were revealed. Their names are listed on the memorial plaque and in the LISI Book of Glory. In addition, Igor Klinov organized a military glory room at the university museum. He was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War II degree and medals.
Other materials of the "Scientific Regiment" project:
Our Graduate Built the Road of Life
Front Line of the Architect Aleksandr Nikolsky
Researcher who Developed Science in Besieged Leningrad
Engineer of the 3rd Belorussian Front
Path of a Volunteer: from Front-Line Roads to Space Development
Nineteen-Year-Old Gunner Stormed Berlin