in 1941, bánáthy's unit advanced as part of german army group south to within of moscow, during a severe november ice storm. in 1942, as a soldier in the 109,000 strong second hungarian army (second magyar honved), bánáthy returned to the russian front. they fought in the battle of voronezh at the don river bend, supporting the german attack. they were charged with protecting the 8th italian army's's northern flank between the novaya pokrovka on the don river to rossosh, part of the larger force defending the drive by the german 6th army against soviet general vasily chuikov's 62nd army, which was defending stalingrad. bánáthy was seriously wounded during the action, and he returned from the front to budapest where he spent seven months recuperating. he married his fiancé, eva balazs, with his arm in a sling on december 5, 1942 in budapest.