Since the conclusion of World War II, numerous discoveries have been unearthed. From wrecked ships and crashed planes to discarded weapons and explosives, traces of the war are dispersed throughout Europe and the Pacific. Among these discoveries is a T-34 tank captured by the Germans and abandoned shortly after the Battle of Narva.
A brief history of the Soviet T-34
Before one can understand the magnitude of such a discovery, they must first be given a proper history on the T-34. Introduced into service with the Red Army in 1940, this medium tank became the most-produced of the Second World War, as well as the second most-produced of all time, after the T-54/T-55. A total of 84,070 were built: 35,120 of the original model and 48,950 of the T-34-85 variant.
The T-34 initially featured the 76 mm tank gun M1940 F-34 as its main armament, with two 7.62 mm Degtyaryov (DP) machine guns providing additional firepower. While not as heavily armored as other tanks during the war, it had a unique sloped design, which effectively protected the vehicle and its crew of four from anti-tank weaponry. Pair all this with wide tracks and a V12 diesel engine, and the Soviets had a leg up on their German opponents.
Prior the the German invasion of the Soviet Union, better known as Operation Barbarossa, the Wehrmacht wasn’t aware of the T-34’s existence, nor that of the powerful Kliment Voroshilov (KV) heavy tank. They, therefore, believed they would encounter little resistance as they made their way across the Eastern Front. The Germans were surprised by the strength of the Red Army’s tank divisions and subsequently increased the development of their own tank technologies.
The T-34, however, wasn’t without its faults, and by the final years of the war found itself being outmatched by newer tanks. That being said, it continued to see service with the Soviet Union and its allies, including during the Korean War and the Angolan Civil War. The North Vietnamese Army (NVA) even equipped troops with the T-34-85 during Operation Lam Son 719 and the 1975 Spring Offensive, among other Vietnam-era engagements.
Battle of Narva
Having established the importance of the T-34 tank, let’s set the scene under which this particular vehicle was captured. Between February and August 1944, several battles occurred between the Germans and the Red Army along the 50 km-wide Narva Front, in northeastern Estonia. This offensive was particularly deadly, with over 100,000 killed and more than 400,000 wounded.
During this period, the German Army’s Detachment “Narwa,” bolstered by volunteers and Estonian conscripts, fought against the Soviet Leningrad Front for control of the strategically important Narva Isthmus. The offensive featured two major engagements: the Battle for Narva Bridgehead and the Battle of Tannenberg Line.
A continuation of the Leningrad-Novgorod Offensive, the Red Army established bridgeheads along the western bank of the Narva, while the Germans maintained several on the eastern side. Soviet attempts to advance were consistently thwarted by the German forces. Ultimately, the Soviet goal of recovering Estonia to use as a base for seaborne and airborne attacks against Finland was not realized.
Capture and abandonment of a Soviet T-34
During the Battle of Tannenberg Line, German forces captured a T-34 tank operated by the Red Army. After repairing and rebranding it with their own insignia, they deployed it against the Soviets. However, as German troops executed a tactical retreat along the Narva Front on September 19, 1944, they decided to abandon the T-34. They deliberately sank it in Lake Mätasjärv to prevent the enemy from recovering it.
During this time, a local boy noticed tank tracks in the muddy lake area and saw air bubbles rising to the surface. This persisted for two months, leading him to suspect that there was a submerged tank or armored vehicle beneath the water.
Discovery of the Soviet T-34
Over 50 years later, the boy, now an adult, recalled what he had witnessed in 1944 and shared it with Igor Shedunov, the leader of a local war history club. Together with other club members, they decided to search the lake to determine if a tank was submerged at the bottom.
Fortunately, the club had two sections: one with trained scuba divers specializing in underwater exploration and recovery, and another known for its expertise in land-based searches. Mihail Zenov led the underwater team in a systematic search of Lake Mätasjärv.
Despite the lack of visible signs of oil or lubricant on the water’s surface to give clues as to the tank’s location, the divers eventually discovered it about seven feet down, buried beneath a three-meter layer of peat and silt.
A coordinated effort to retrieve and repair
Following the discovery of the T-34, plans were made to retrieve it from the bottom of Lake Mätasjärv. On September 12, 2000, a Komatsu D375A-2 was used to pull it from its underwater resting place. Once back on land, the members of the war history club confirmed it to be a T-34/76A, with a surprising 116 shells found within. Despite being submerged for approximately 56 years, it was in relatively good condition, with no rust. What’s more, all its systems, minus the engine, were still in working condition.
In the days following the tank’s retrieval, word spread of the T-34’s discovery, and then-Estonian President Lennart Meri came to admire it.
Under Estonian law, the club couldn’t claim ownership of the armored vehicle for five years. Once the mandated amount of time had passed, its members got to work restoring the piece of World War II history. This included a total overhaul and restoration of the T-34’s many components.
Where is the Soviet T-34 today?
The current whereabouts of the T-34 are unknown. Some sources claim it was last seen on display at the Estonian War Museum in the village of Gorodenko, while others have said it was awaiting reassembly at the war history club’s workshop near Sirgala, in the northeast.
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Wherever it may be, military and history enthusiasts alike hope the T-34 is being well cared for. This tank is an important piece of history and one of the few surviving examples of the fighting that occurred on the Narva Front during World War II. It would be a shame for it to be lost (again).
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