Russian troops attacking a German occupied village in the North Caucasus, 1942

Photograph, World War Two, Eastern Front (1941-1945), 1942.

The soldier in the foreground is armed with a PP-Sh-41 submachine gun. This weapon was produced in large numbers from 1942 onwards and became almost the badge of the Russian infantry from that date. Robust, even crude, it was an effective and reliable weapon whose main advantage was the 71 round suomi drum magazine.

The soldier in the background is firing a Maxim 7.62 mm M1910 machine gun. The latter is fitted with the 'Sokolov' mount, two wheels and a large turntable that allowed the gun to be moved and deployed quickly.