In June 1941 The Red Army consisted of:
198 divisions rifle troops(rifle, mountain rifle and motorized rifle);
61 tank;
31 motorized divisions;
13 cavalry divisions (4 of them are mountain cavalry);
16 airborne brigades (an additional 10 such brigades were formed).
In terms of organization and level of equipment with military equipment, all these formations had no equal in the world. At the same time, the training of command personnel of the Red Army formations formed in the pre-war years left much to be desired.
The active measures taken by the NKVD bodies to “mercilessly uproot Trotskyist-Bukharin and bourgeois-nationalist elements from the army environment” not only led to the removal of approximately 40,000 commanders at various levels from the armed forces, but also caused a stream of unforeseen, not planned in advance, movements up the career ladder. This, in turn, further aggravated the situation with command personnel - due to the massive formation of new formations, there was an acute shortage of them.
The shortage of command personnel has reached astronomical proportions. For example, in the Kiev Military District alone there were a shortage of 3,400 platoon commanders; individuals who had no experience in commanding units were appointed as formation commanders. The same was said, in particular, at one of the meetings by the commander of the Transbaikal Military District, Lieutenant General I.S. Konev: “I consider it completely unacceptable, given all the need for personnel that exists, for commanders to be appointed to the position of division commanders without ever commanding a regiment.” Therefore, it is not surprising. that after a sudden attack by Nazi troops on June 22, 1941, control of many Red Army formations was lost and they ceased to exist as combat units.
Rifle troops
In accordance with State No. 4/100 approved on April 5, 1941, the main rifle division included 3 rifle regiments and, unlike the infantry divisions of the armies of other countries of the world, not one, but two artillery regiments. In addition to these units, the division included anti-tank and anti-aircraft artillery divisions, and direct fire support for the actions of rifle units was provided by the Red (Soviet) Army 1941 - 1945. — The organization was carried out by artillery and mortar batteries that were part of rifle regiments and battalions.
Each rifle regiment, except three rifle battalions, included a battery of regimental guns of 76.2 mm caliber, a battery of 45 mm anti-tank guns and a battery of 120 mm mortars. The battalion had a platoon of 45 mm anti-tank guns and a company of 82 mm mortars.
Each of the division's 27 rifle companies had two 50 mm mortars. Thus, the rifle division was supposed to have 210 guns and mortars (excluding 50-mm mortars), which made it possible to classify it as a rifle-artillery formation (already in 1935, 40% of the division’s personnel were artillerymen and machine gunners). Another feature of the division was a fairly strong reconnaissance battalion, which included, in addition to other units, a company of amphibious tanks (16 vehicles) and a company of armored vehicles (13 vehicles).
Before the mass deployment of mechanized units began in 1940, many rifle divisions of the Red Army also had a tank battalion consisting of two or three companies of light tanks (up to 54 vehicles).
Taking into account the presence of an automobile battalion in the division (more than 400 vehicles, in war time- 558) the division commander had the opportunity, if necessary, to form a powerful mobile formation consisting of reconnaissance and tank battalions and rifle regiment on trucks with artillery.
To the beginning of the Great Patriotic War tank battalions survived in three rifle divisions Transbaikal Military District. These divisions also included additional motor transport units and were called motorized rifle divisions.
Each of motorized rifle divisions had a population of 12,000 people.
According to state number 4/100, the strength of the rifle division was 10,291 people, all of its units were deployed, and in the event of mobilization to complete the wartime staff, the division was supposed to receive an additional 4,200 personnel, 1,100 horses and about 150 vehicles.
The strength and equipment of a wartime Soviet rifle division in 1941 and a Wehrmacht infantry division on the eve of the war are shown for comparison in the table below.
Red (Soviet) Army 1941 - 1945. — Organization
The table shows that in terms of the number of personnel, the Wehrmacht infantry division exceeded the rifle division of the Red Army. At the same time, the latter had an advantage in automatic small arms (here it must be taken into account that, among other things, a significant part of the Soviet infantrymen were armed with self-loading rifles SVT-38 and SVT-40), mortars and armored vehicles.
Since it was not possible to maintain all rifle divisions according to the basic state No. 4/100 for economic reasons, some divisions were formed in a reduced composition according to the state No. 4/120, according to which out of 27 rifle companies only 9 were deployed, and the rest " are indicated by" frames. The division consisted of 5864 people, it had almost all the weapons and weapons required by the wartime staff. Combat vehicles. During the mobilization of the division, it was necessary to accept 6,000 reservists and receive the 2,000 horses and about 400 vehicles missing to the wartime staff.
At the same time, combat units “designated” by personnel were deployed, crews were supplemented with auxiliary numbers artillery pieces and mortars, rear units were formed. To prepare a reduced division for combat use it took approximately 20-30 days: 1-3 days - arrival at the assigned unit; 4th day - putting together units; 5th day - completion of formation, preparation for combat use; 6th day - completion of combat coordination of regiment units, preparation for tactical exercises; 7-8 days - battalion tactical exercises; Days 9-10 - regimental tactical exercises. The rest of the time is completing the formation and preparing the division for combat operations.
Along with rifle divisions designed to conduct combat operations primarily on flat terrain, the Red Army at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War had 19 mountain rifle divisions. Unlike the rifle division, this division included 4 mountain rifle regiments, each of which consisted of several mountain rifle companies (there was no battalion unit). The personnel of the mountain rifle divisions were trained to conduct combat operations in very rough and wooded terrain; the divisions were equipped with mountain guns and mortars, adapted for transportation in horse packs. These divisions were formed according to staff number 4/140, which provided for each of them 8829 personnel, 130 guns and mortars, 3160 horses and 200 vehicles.
Of the 140 divisions of rifle troops of the border districts, 103 (that is, more than 73%) on the eve of the war were stationed in western borders THE USSR. Their average staffing was: Leningradsky - 11,985 people, Baltic Special - 8,712, Western Special - 9,327, Kyiv Special - 8,792, Odessa - 8,400 people.
Rifle and mountain rifle divisions were united into rifle corps, which were the highest tactical formations of the Red Army Ground Forces. The corps, as a rule, included three rifle divisions (mountain rifle divisions were included in the corps intended for operations in mountain areas, in particular in the Carpathians), as well as two corps artillery regiments, a separate anti-aircraft artillery division, an engineer battalion, a communications battalion and several special units.
The catastrophic losses suffered by the Red Army in the first months of the war required a radical restructuring of the rifle troops. Due to the lack of experienced command personnel to staff the newly formed formations and associations, it was necessary to eliminate the corps link in the structure of the rifle troops. By the end of 1941, out of the 62 corps directorates that existed at the beginning of the war, only 6 remained. At the same time, the number of directorates of combined arms armies increased from 27 to 58. The armies were created in a reduced composition (5-6 rifle divisions), which made it possible to quickly manage combat operations troops.
Already in December 1941, a new staff came into force, according to which the number of submachine guns in the division increased by almost 3.5 times, and mortars by more than 2 times. The division's armament included 89 anti-tank rifles and additional anti-tank guns.
In March 1942, a company of anti-tank rifles was introduced into each of the 9 rifle battalions, and a third division consisting of two
batteries (8 guns).
In accordance with the state adopted in July 1942, mortar units, previously consolidated into mortar battalions of rifle regiments, were returned to rifle companies and battalions in order to centralize the use of fire weapons available in the regiments.
In December 1942, the People's Commissariat of Defense introduced a new staff for the rifle division, which remained with minor changes until the end of the war. This staff established the strength of the division at 9435 people, it received additional automatic weapon and means of combating tanks. A platoon of 45 mm anti-tank guns (2 guns) was introduced into each rifle battalion of the division, which were subsequently replaced by more powerful 57 mm anti-tank guns.
Along with the transfer of rifle divisions active army to the state adopted in December 1942, during 1943 the formation of 83 new rifle divisions was carried out in this state, mainly due to the reorganization of individual rifle brigades. The creation of these brigades in the second half of 1941 and early 1942 was a temporary measure to speed up the replenishment of the active army with trained reserves.
Cavalry
The Red Army traditionally had very strong cavalry. According to contemporaries, these were “wonderful troops in discipline, order and in their equipment and training.” However, already at the beginning of the Second World War, the inability of cavalry to provide significant resistance to armored forces and its extreme vulnerability to enemy air strikes became apparent.
PoetryRed (Soviet) army 1941 - 1945. — The organization was followed by a sharp reduction in cavalry units and formations - ten cavalry divisions and a separate cavalry brigade were disbanded. The personnel of these units and formations became part of the formed formations of armored forces.
On the eve of the Great Patriotic War, the Red Army had 4 directorates of cavalry corps, 9 cavalry divisions and 4 mountain cavalry divisions, as well as four reserve cavalry regiments, 2 reserve mountain cavalry regiments and one reserve cavalry artillery regiment. Three cavalry corps included two cavalry divisions. , and in one, in addition, there was a mountain cavalry division. Unlike the rifle corps, the cavalry corps did not have any special units other than the communications division.
The cavalry division, numbering 8,968 people, included four cavalry regiments, a horse artillery division consisting of two four-gun batteries of 76 mm cannons and two four-gun batteries of 122 mm howitzers, a tank regiment consisting of four squadrons of BT-7 tanks (64 vehicles), an anti-aircraft division in consisting of two batteries of 7b-mm anti-aircraft guns and two batteries of anti-aircraft machine guns, a communications squadron, an engineer squadron, a decontamination squadron and other support units. The number of horses in the division was 7625.
The cavalry regiment, numbering 1,428 people, consisted of four saber squadrons, a machine gun squadron (16 heavy machine guns and 4 82 mm mortars), regimental artillery (4 76 mm guns and 4 45 mm guns), an anti-aircraft battery (3 37 mm guns and three M-4 machine gun mounts), half-squadron communications, engineer and chemical platoons and support units.
At the end of 1942 and the beginning of 1943, the cavalry divisions that retained their combat effectiveness were replenished with personnel and consolidated into ten cavalry corps, including the first three guards cavalry corps. Each corps had three cavalry divisions, but the combat and material support were almost completely absent.
The strengthening of cavalry forces began in the summer of 1943. According to the new states introduced at that time, the cavalry corps, in addition to three cavalry divisions, included the Red (Soviet) Army 1941 - 1945. — Organizational anti-tank artillery regiment, self-propelled artillery regiment, anti-aircraft artillery regiment, guards mortar regiment, anti-tank fighter division, reconnaissance division, communications division, rear corps units and a mobile field hospital.
Each of the three divisions of the corps had 3 cavalry regiments, a tank regiment, an artillery and mortar regiment, an anti-aircraft division (12.7 mm DShK machine guns), a reconnaissance squadron, a communications squadron, an engineer squadron, rear and other units. The number of personnel of the division was approximately 6,000 people, the total number of personnel of the corps was 21,000 people, it had 19,000 horses. Thus, the cavalry corps in the new regular organization turned into formations of cavalry-mechanized troops, capable of rapid operational maneuver and a powerful blow to the enemy.
Along with this, the number of cavalry was reduced by approximately half compared to the two previous years and on May 1, 1943 amounted to 26 cavalry divisions (238,968 personnel and 222,816 horses).
Airborne troops
The Red Army is rightfully considered a pioneer in the field of creating airborne troops and development of their theory combat use. Already in April 1929, in the area of the Central Asian city of Garm, a small detachment of Red Army soldiers was landed from airplanes, ensuring the defeat of the Basmachi gangs operating there, and on August 2, 1930, during aviation exercises in the Moscow Military District, the “classic” drop of a small parachute landing force and delivery to it was demonstrated by air of weapons and ammunition necessary for combat.
The main deployment of airborne troops began in March-April 1941, when the western military districts began to form five airborne corps of more than 10,000 people each. The corps included control and headquarters, three airborne brigades of 2,896 people each, an artillery division and a separate light tank battalion (up to 50 light amphibious tanks). The personnel of the airborne formations had only automatic and self-loading small arms.
Combat training of paratroopers was carried out using six heavy bomber aviation regiments, reorganized into airborne bomber regiments. To manage the combat training of the corps, on June 12, 1941, the Directorate of Airborne Troops of the Red Army was formed.
By the fall of 1941, some of the corps practically ceased to exist during border battles, in which paratroopers were used as ordinary infantry. Therefore, the formation of ten new airborne corps and five maneuverable airborne brigades began. The formation of these formations and units was completed in the first half of 1942, but the situation in the South Red (Soviet) Army sharply worsened in 1941 - 1945. — Organizations on the Soviet-German front literally within a week were required to reorganize the airborne formations into 10 guards rifle divisions, 9 of which were sent to the Stalingrad Front and one to the North Caucasus.
The last “wave” of airborne formations during the Great Patriotic War was formed in August 1944. from units and formations arriving from the active army, as well as from newly formed units. These were three Guards Airborne Corps, each of them included three airborne divisions with a staff strength of 12,600 people. In October of the same year, the corps were consolidated into the Separate Guards Airborne Army. In this capacity, the army existed for no more than a month - already in December it was reorganized into the 9th Guards Combined Arms Army (the corps and divisions became known as the Guards Rifle Army), and in February 1945 it was concentrated in the Budapest area as a reserve of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command. While still on the march, when all three corps were heading to Hungary, the divisions were reinforced by artillery brigades that had passed combat training in Zhytomyr camps. Thus, the sad experience of 1942 was taken into account, when guards rifle divisions formed from paratroopers were thrown into battle with virtually no artillery.
In mid-March, the army delivered a powerful blow to the flank and rear of the 6th SS Panzer Army, thus completing the defeat of Nazi troops in the Lake Balaton area, and then participated in the liberation of Vienna and the Prague operation.
Armored forces
The first staff of a separate wartime tank battalion was accepted in September 1941. According to this staff, the battalion had 3 tank companies: one - T-34 medium tanks (7 vehicles), two - T-60 light tanks (10 tanks each); two tanks were in the control group. Thus, the battalion consisted of 29 tanks and 130 personnel.
Since the combat capabilities of the battalions formed according to the state in September 1941 were limited due to the predominance of light tanks in them, the formation of more powerful battalions of mixed composition began in November. These 202-man battalions included tank companies heavy tanks KV-1 (5 vehicles), T-34 medium tanks (11 vehicles) and two companies of T-60 light tanks (20 vehicles).
But already in September 1942, separate tank regiments (339 personnel and 39 tanks) were formed to directly support the infantry. These regiments had two Red (Soviet) Army 1941 - 1945. — Organization of a company of medium tanks T-34 (23 vehicles), a company of light tanks T-70 (16 vehicles), a company technical support, as well as reconnaissance, motor transport and utility platoons. During the war, light tanks were replaced by T-34 tanks, and regimental support and service units were also strengthened. The regiment consisted of 386 personnel and 35 T-34 tanks.
Also in September 1942, the formation of separate heavy tank breakthrough regiments of the RVGK began. These regiments were intended to jointly break through previously prepared enemy defensive lines with infantry and artillery. The regiment consisted of four companies of KV-1 heavy tanks (5 vehicles each) and a technical support company. In total, the regiment had 214 personnel and 21 tanks.
With the entry into service of the Red Army of new IS-2 tanks, the heavy tank regiments were rearmed and transferred to new states. The staff adopted in February 1944 provided for the presence in the regiment of four companies of IS-2 tanks (21 vehicles), a company of machine gunners, an engineer and utility platoon, as well as a regimental medical center. The number of personnel in the regiment was 375 people. When these regiments were created, they were given the honorary title of Guards.
In December of the same year, in order to concentrate heavy tanks in the directions of the main attacks of the fronts and armies, the formation of guards heavy tank brigades began, which included 3 regiments of heavy tanks, one motorized battalion of machine gunners, support and service units. In total, the brigade consisted of 1,666 people, 65 IS-2 heavy tanks, three SU-76 self-propelled artillery units, 19 armored personnel carriers and 3 armored vehicles.
At the end of March 1942, on the basis of already created and still being created tank brigades, the first 4 tank corps were formed. Each corps initially consisted of two and then three tank brigades and a motorized rifle brigade, consisting of three motorized rifle battalions, artillery and anti-aircraft artillery divisions, support and service units. According to the staff, the corps was supposed to have 5,603 personnel and 100 tanks (20 KV-1, 40 T-34, 40 T-60). The presence of artillery, reconnaissance and engineering units of corps subordination was not provided for, and the corps headquarters consisted of only a few officers who were supposed to coordinate fighting brigades These obvious shortcomings in the organizational structure of the tank corps had to be eliminated during the combat use of the corps. Already in July 1942, they included reconnaissance and motorcycle battalions, a separate guards mortar division (250 people, 8 BM-13 combat vehicles), two mobile repair bases, as well as a company for the supply of fuels and lubricants.
The experience of the first months of fighting on the Soviet-German front showed that in order to conduct offensive operations it is necessary to have large army-type formations in the strike groups, in which tanks would be concentrated organizationally. Therefore, already in May 1942, at the direction of the State Defense Committee, armies of a new type for the Red Army began to be created - tank armies. The first two tank armies (TA) - the 3rd and 5th - were formed in May-June 1942. The 3rd TA included 2 tank corps, 3 rifle divisions, 2 separate tank brigades, an artillery regiment and a separate guards regiment mortar regiment
The 5th TA had several Red (Soviet) Army 1941 - 1945. — The organization has a different composition: 2 tank corps, a cavalry corps, 6 rifle divisions, a separate tank brigade, a separate motorcycle regiment, 2 separate tank battalions. On the Stalingrad Front, the 1st and 4th TA were formed, but after about a month they had to be disbanded.
In their organizational structure, the first tank armies resembled Soviet shock armies or German tank groups and, along with tank formations, included sedentary combined arms formations. The experience of using these armies in defensive and offensive operations in the Voronezh direction (5th TA) and in the Kozelsk region (3rd TA) showed that they are cumbersome, insufficiently maneuverable and difficult to control. Based on these conclusions, on January 28, 1943, the State Defense Committee adopted a resolution “On the formation of tank armies of a new organization,” which obligated the commander of the armored and mechanized forces of the Red Army, Ya.L. Fedorenko to begin forming tank armies consisting of two tank and one mechanized corps. Behind each tank army artillery and mortar regiments and other units and subunits were institutionalized. New tank formations were a means of the VKG Headquarters and were transferred to the operational subordination of the fronts.
An important factor enhancing armored forces was the transfer to their composition at the end of April 1943 of all self-propelled artillery regiments created by that time in the system of the Main Artillery Directorate of the Red Army.
The Soviet tank and mechanized corps were superior in their combat capabilities to the German motorized division. Before a tank battalion and divisions are included in the staff of a motorized division self-propelled artillery this superiority was overwhelming, and at the final stage of the war, the Soviet corps outnumbered the enemy division by 14-1.6 times.
At the same time, comparison with a German tank division does not always speak in favor of the Soviet mechanized or, especially, tank corps. The most dangerous enemy were the tank divisions of the SS troops, which were well trained, equipped with powerful military equipment and fully staffed with personnel.Red (Soviet) Army 1941 - 1945. — Organization by avom. With an approximately comparable number of tanks, the German division had significant superiority in artillery. IN Soviet buildings there was no heavy field artillery, and tank division The SS had 4 guns of 105 mm caliber, 18 caliber 150 mm and 36 self-propelled howitzers caliber 105 mm. This allowed her to hit the enemy in their original positions even before the latter entered the battle, and also provided the necessary fire support during the battle.
Immediately before the war, armored train units, previously subordinate to the Main Artillery Directorate, came under the jurisdiction of the Main Armored Directorate of the Red Army.
As of June 22, 1941, the Red Army had 53 armored trains (of which 34 belonged to the light class), which included 53 armored locomotives, 106 artillery armored platforms, 28 air defense armored platforms and more than 160 armored vehicles adapted for movement on railway, and in addition, 9 armored tires and several motor armored cars.
Artillery
In total, before the start of the war, 94 corps artillery regiments and 54 corps anti-aircraft divisions were formed. According to wartime states, the number of corps artillery personnel was 192,500 people
The reserve artillery of the High Command before the war included the following units and formations:
1. 27 howitzer regiments consisting of four three-battery divisions of 152 mm howitzers or howitzer guns (48 guns);
2. 33 high-power howitzer artillery regiments consisting of four three-battery divisions of 203 mm howitzers (24 guns);
3. 14 cannon artillery regiments consisting of four three-battery divisions of 122 mm cannons (48 guns);
4. a high-power cannon artillery regiment consisting of four three-battery divisions of 152 mm cannons (24 guns);
5. 8 separate howitzer divisions of special power, each division has 3 batteries of 280 mm mortars (6 guns).
Immediately before the war, five separate artillery divisions of special power were also formed as part of the ARGK, each of which was to be armed with 8 howitzers of 305 mm caliber (4 batteries of two guns each). The number of personnel in each division is 478 people. There is also information about the presence in the ARGC at that time of a separate cannon division of special power, consisting of three batteries of 210 mm caliber guns (6 guns).
Since the armor of German tanks during the entire initial period of the Great Patriotic War was easily pierced by shells of 45-mm anti-tank guns, the Soviet defense industry already in 1941 restored their production that had been curtailed, and the People's Commissariat of Defense began the mass formation of anti-tank artillery regiments, consisting of 4- 5 batteries of such guns (16-20 guns). For the Red (Soviet) Army 1941 - 1945. — The organization of staffing these regiments with materiel had to exclude individual anti-tank divisions from the rifle divisions, and the corresponding platoons from the rifle battalions. A number of scarce anti-aircraft guns were also used, although they were not dedicated anti-tank guns and therefore did not respond necessary requirements in terms of weight, dimensions, maneuverability, time of transfer from traveling to combat position.
On July 1, 1942, by order of the People's Commissar of Defense, the anti-tank artillery was renamed the fighter-anti-tank artillery of the reserve of the Supreme High Command with the inclusion of anti-tank rifle companies in its regiments. The entire officer corps that was part of the anti-tank artillery units was placed on a special register and subsequently received assignments only to them (the same procedure existed for the personnel of the guards units). Wounded soldiers and sergeants, after being cured in hospitals, also had to return to anti-tank artillery units.
Increased pay was introduced for its personnel, payment of a bonus to the crew of the gun for each destroyed enemy tank, and also, which was especially valued, the wearing of a distinctive sleeve insignia.
First units rocket artillery were created in accordance with the legislation adopted in June 1941. resolution of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks on the deployment of mass production of M-13 shells, BM-13 launchers and the beginning of the formation of rocket artillery units.
The first separate battery, which had 7 BM-13 installations, entered the battle on July 14, 1941, striking a concentration of German trains with troops at the Orsha railway station. The successful combat operations of this and other batteries contributed to the fact that by December 1, 1941, the Red Army had 7 regiments and 52 separate rocket artillery divisions.
The exceptional importance of these weapons was emphasized by the fact that already during their formation, batteries, divisions and regiments of rocket artillery were assigned the Red (Soviet) Army 1941 - 1945. - The organization is the name of the guards, hence their common name- Guards mortar units (GMC). The commander of the GMCH was the deputy people's commissar of defense and reported directly to the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command.
The main tactical unit of the GMC was the Guards Mortar Regiment, which included 3 divisions of combat vehicles (launchers), an anti-aircraft artillery division, and support and service units. The divisions consisted of three batteries of four combat vehicles in each. In total, the regiment consisted of 1,414 people (of which 137 officers), 36 combat vehicles, 12 anti-aircraft guns 37 mm, 9 DShK anti-aircraft machine guns and 18 light machine guns, as well as 343 trucks and special vehicles.
To be included in the mechanized, tank and cavalry corps, separate guards mortar divisions were also formed, consisting of two batteries of four combat vehicles each. However, the dominant trend in the development of the MMC was the creation of large guards mortar formations. Initially, these were the operational groups of the GMCH, which provided direct leadership of combat activities and supply of guards mortar units at the front.
On November 26, 1942, the People's Commissar of Defense approved the staff of the first formation of the GMCH - a heavy guards mortar division consisting of two brigades armed with M-30 launchers and four BM-13 regiments. By the end of 1942, four divisions were formed in this state, each of which had 576 M-30 launchers and 96 BM-13 combat vehicles. Total weight its salvo of 3840 shells amounted to 230 tons.
Since, due to the variety of weapons, such a division turned out to be difficult to control in the dynamics of the battle, in February 1943 a new staff of the heavy guards mortar division was put into operation, consisting of three homogeneous brigades M-30 or M-31. The brigade consisted of four three-battery divisions. A salvo of such a brigade consisted of 1152 shells. Thus, the division's salvo consisted of 3,456 shells weighing 320 tons (the number of shells in the salvo decreased, but due to larger caliber shell weight increased by 90 tons). The first division was formed in this state already in February 1943, it became the 5th Guards Mortar Division.
At the end of the war, the Red Army had 7 divisions, 11 brigades, 114 regiments and 38 separate rocket artillery battalions. In total, more than 10 thousand multi-charge self-propelled launchers and more than 12 million rockets were manufactured to arm the guards mortar units.
When carrying out major offensive operations, the Red Army command usually used guards mortar units together with artillery divisions of the RVGK, the formation of which began in the fall of 1942. The first 11 divisions consisted of eight regiments; to simplify the management of division units, an intermediate command link was soon introduced into it - a brigade. Such a division, consisting of four brigades, included 248 guns and mortars of caliber from 76 mm to 152 mm, a reconnaissance division and an air squadron.
In the spring of 1943, a new step was taken in the organizational development of the artillery of the RVGK - artillery divisions and breakthrough corps were created. The 6-brigade breakthrough division consisted of 456 guns and mortars of caliber from 76 mm to 203 mm. Two breakthrough divisions and a heavy rocket artillery division were combined into a breakthrough corps, numbering 712 guns and mortars and 864 launchers M-31.
Anti-aircraft artillery was obviously the only weak link in the powerful Soviet artillery. Although during the war, of the 21,645 enemy aircraft shot down by ground-based air defense systems, anti-aircraft artillery Accounting for 18,704 aircraft, the cover of Red Army units and formations from air strikes was clearly insufficient throughout the war, and the losses they suffered were sometimes simply catastrophic.
On the eve of the war, divisions and corps of the Red Army were to have one anti-aircraft artillery division. The corps-controlled anti-aircraft division consisted of three batteries of 7b-mm anti-aircraft guns (12 guns in total). The anti-aircraft division of the rifle division had two batteries of 37 mm anti-aircraft guns (8 guns in total) and one battery of 7b-mm anti-aircraft guns (4 guns). Thus, the division's standard equipment did not allow it to have a sufficient density of guns on a 10 km front (only 1.2 anti-aircraft guns per 1 km of front). However, such density could not always be ensured due to a lack of material. The situation was no better with the training of command personnel for anti-aircraft units. Anti-aircraft schools and advanced training courses clearly produced an insufficient number of anti-aircraft gunner commanders, so the commanders had to be retrained field artillery on anti-aircraft gunners.
At the final stage of the war, the Red Army ground forces were covered by about 10,000 anti-aircraft artillery guns.
Air Force
By the summer of 1941, 53.4% of the Air Force were aircraft fighter aircraft, 41.2% - bomber, 0.2% - assault, 3.2% - reconnaissance. Relatively small Red (Soviet) army 1941 - 1945. — Organizational share of aircraft attack aircraft explained by the fact that regiments armed with the latest Il-2 attack aircraft are taken into account here. At the same time, there were also assault regiments that flew assault modifications of fighters.
On the eve of the war, the restructuring of the Air Force was in full swing. Therefore, the losses of aircraft suffered by the Red Army turned out to be comparable to the losses armored vehicles, artillery, etc. The first reaction of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command followed on July 15, 1941. In its directive letter, the Headquarters demanded that the number of aircraft in a regiment be reduced to 30, and that the divisions be reorganized into two-regiment ones. The corresponding GKO resolution was adopted in August of the same year.
In long-range bomber aviation, air corps directorates were abolished; in front-line bomber and fighter aviation, the number of regiments in divisions was reduced to two instead of three or four. (And in a reduced composition of the front-line division and army aviation existed only until January 1942, when they were disbanded in accordance with the directive of the Headquarters.) In air regiments, the number of aircraft decreased from 60-63 to 32-33, and then to 20 (two squadrons of 10 aircraft each).
On November 1, the formation of night bomber regiments began, armed with Po-2 and P-5 aircraft.
Since the Headquarters needed aviation reserves to strengthen front-line aviation in the most important areas, in August 1941 the formation of a new type of formation began - reserve aviation groups, and in March-April 1942 - attack air groups. These air groups included 3-6 different aviation regiments, depending on the assigned mission. After completing the task, they were usually disbanded.
An important step towards restoring the former power of the Soviet Air Force was the creation in May 1942 of air armies, uniting all the aviation units operating on the fronts. At the same time, the formation of homogeneous aviation Red (Soviet) Army 1941 - 1945 began. — Organization of divisions (fighter, assault and bomber). Soon 18 such divisions were created, as well as 11 air groups and 179 separate air regiments. This allowed the Supreme High Command and front commands to centrally control aviation and concentrate its forces in decisive directions.
By the beginning of 1945, the active aviation and RVGK included 13 air army directorates and 155 aviation fighter, attack and bomber divisions. These formations were armed with 15,815 combat aircraft the latest types. In addition, 975 Po-2 aircraft were used in the active army. And in total, during the war years, the Soviet aviation industry supplied the Air Force with 136.8 thousand aircraft, including more than 59 thousand fighters, more than 37 thousand attack aircraft and 17.8 thousand bombers. In addition, another 18.7 thousand aircraft were received from the USA and Great Britain under Lend-Lease,
Due to the quantitative growth Soviet aviation the number of aircraft directly supporting ground forces increased from year to year. If about 1,170 aircraft took part in the counteroffensive near Moscow, then in the battle of Kursk - already 2,900, and in Berlin operation - 7500.
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Rifle Regiment (staff number 04/601)
reduced division of the Red Army (wartime).
1941
Part 1
Preface 
For the military, the term “staff” is simple and understandable. And for civilian people, I’ll explain that a staff is the same as what in a civilian organization is called a staffing table, i.e. how many personnel (officers, sergeants, soldiers) should be in the regiment and their distribution among units and positions. What should they be armed with?
Note that military ranks strictly correlate with positions. A military personnel in a particular position may have the rank established by the state for this position or a lower one. But he can never have something higher. Let's say the shooter cannot be a sergeant or sergeant major, but only a Red Army soldier or corporal; The company commander cannot have the rank of major or higher. He can be a lieutenant, senior lieutenant or captain. And not higher.
From the author. This is a general rule, strictly observed in a normal army in a normal political situation. I leave out the times of national confusion, state unrest, tectonic political upheavals. During such periods, any reasonable order ceases to apply. Everything is subject to the current moment. But as soon as a certain state and military device, so everything returns to normal.
And once again, I will emphasize once again that military rank is not given for any merits or exploits. There are orders and medals for this. A title, if you will, is a qualification category indicating that the holder of the title has sufficient knowledge and skills to occupy positions at a certain level and at the same time occupies the corresponding position. For example, a lieutenant who graduates from a military school has sufficient knowledge and skills to command a company, but he will not receive the rank of captain if he commands a platoon rather than a company. And even when commanding a company, he must serve 3 years as a lieutenant, then 3 years as a senior lieutenant, and only then he will receive the rank of captain.
Unlike civilian organizations, the regiment's staff is always accompanied by the so-called. report card to the staff. This is a document that lists all the material assets (weapons, equipment, property) that should be available in the regiment and their distribution among units. Moreover, not just names are indicated, but specifically types and brands. Let's say, it is indicated not just “machine guns - 00000 pcs.”, but specifically “AK-74 assault rifles - 0000 pcs., AK-74U - 0000 pcs., machine guns...”. Moreover, it is indicated who is armed with this or that type of weapon.
Of course, in reality, a regiment may have material resources, weapons, and equipment of types not indicated in the personnel report card. For example, instead of a military-type fuel tanker indicated on the report card, a civilian tanker truck. This is where the concept of “service weapons (equipment, property,...)” and non-service weapons... came from.
During the war, all issues related to the development of states and the formation of units for these states were dealt with by the Main Directorate for the formation and staffing of the Red Army troops (Glavuprform of the Red Army). Today's name is the Main Organizational and Mobilization Directorate (GOMU of the RF Armed Forces).
From the author. In general, the staff itself, together with the report card, is not a very voluminous document. The one described has only 38 pages. But the document on the basis of which this particular regiment begins to be formed arrives at the authority forming it (division, district, etc.) with several sheets of additions, which indicate clarifications, changes and explanations specifically for this regiment. Over time, all sorts of changes, additions, clarifications, changes to additions, additions to clarifications... lead to the fact that the document grows to a decent volume of a book, which becomes difficult to understand.
In the end, an order comes to cancel this staff and henceforth be guided by the newly sent one. And everything repeats itself all over again.
It is no coincidence that in the army there was a conviction that the number of regiments we have in the Armed Forces, the number of states. But life is life. A regiment is a living organism and changes occur in its composition, dictated by time and circumstances.
What I mean is that there is no point in military historians arguing about the size and armament of this or that division and accusing each other of amateurism and ignorance of the states. Especially if someone compares the Soviet and German divisions. The Germans had the same variety of options. If I’m not mistaken, the Wehrmacht had about 18 different states of infantry divisions (in our literature for some reason this is called waves). So you can always select comparative data in a way that is convenient for one or another to prove that he is right. And without falsifying the numbers.
By the way, we open state No. 04/601 dated July 29, 41 and immediately come across changes made by hand. The typographical text indicates that the rifle battalion has a platoon of 82-mm mortars (15 people with 2 mortars), and it is written by hand that the battalion has not a platoon, but a company of 82-mm mortars (50 people with 6 mortars). From here the strength of each rifle battalion, and therefore the regiment, changes. The difference in the number of regiments of the same state is about 123 people.
Here you have a conflict between two historians - one proves that in the Soviet rifle battalion in 1941 there were 2 mortars of 82 mm caliber, and the other that 6. And both refer to the same staff. And both are right! It’s just that the Head of Form made this change to one regiment, but not to the other. It’s even funnier when it turns out that there is no written document on the change of state! They simply called the regiment from above and told them to make this change to the staff.
Was it still in those days? critical days summer of '41.
End of the preface.
Reference. The table provides a comparison of military ranks of various categories of officers:
| Command staff | Military-political composition | Military technical staff | Military, economic and administrative composition | Military medical compound | Military veterinary staff |
| Colonel | Regimental Commissar | - | - | - | - |
| Lieutenant colonel | Art. battalion commissar | Military engineer 1st rank | Quartermaster 1st rank | Military doctor 1st rank | Military veterinarian 1st rank |
| Major | Battalion Commissar | Military engineer 2nd rank | Quartermaster 2nd rank | Military doctor 2nd rank | Military veterinarian 2nd rank |
| Captain | Senior political instructor | Military engineer 3rd rank | Quartermaster 3rd rank | Military doctor 3rd rank | Military veterinarian 3rd rank |
| Senior Lieutenant | Political instructor | Military technician 1st rank | Technician-quartermaster 1st rank | Art. military paramedic | Art. military veterinarian |
| Lieutenant | Jr. political instructor | Military technician 2nd rank | Quartermaster technician 2nd rank | Military paramedic | Military veterinarian |
| Junior Lieutenant | - | Jr. military technician | - | - | - |
All junior command and command personnel (non-commissioned officers) bear the same ranks.
From the author. The highest rank for senior command personnel (senior officers), besides the military-political one, was the rank equal to lieutenant colonel. Next came the ranks of senior command (general rank). Those. if for a colonel the next rank was major general, for a regimental commissar the rank of brigade commissar, then for, say, a military engineer of the 1st rank, the next rank was brigade engineer (and further - divisional engineer, coring engineer, arming engineer). Accordingly, for doctors and veterinarians - brigdoctor,...., brigvetvrach,...
The quartermasters stood apart. During the administration of general ranks in the summer of 1940, the command staff were also given general ranks. Thus, the 1st rank quartermaster next had the rank of major general of the quartermaster service.
This state of affairs extremely outraged and offended the political workers. Well, some kind of rear rats wear general’s stars, but they, the most important ones in the army, were abandoned.
It seems that after Finnish war Stalin came to the conclusion that at the front, hot soup and a warm sheepskin coat are still more important and necessary than a newspaper or political conversation. So he equated the rear officers with combat commanders, not commissars.
Note.
For convenience of presentation, below in the text I will use the term “officers” instead of the long and awkward “senior and middle command staff” that was then used. 
End note.
Summary data for the regiment.
The regiment numbers:
*officers (middle and senior command and control personnel) -158
(of which 107 relate to command personnel and 51 to command personnel),
*sergeants (junior command and command staff) - 365,
*rank and file - 2172.
Total 2695 people.
Horses:
*horse 84,
*artillery 90,
*convoys 303.
Total 477 horses.
A artillery:
*45 mm. anti-tank guns mod. 1937 - 6,
*76 mm. regimental guns model 1927 - 4,
*50 mm. company mortars model 1938 or 1940. - 18,
*82 mm. battalion mortars model 1938 -6,
*120 mm. regimental mortars model 1938 - 2.
Machine guns:
*7.62 mm. heavy machine guns M (Maxim) - 36,
*7.62mm. light machine guns DP - 54.
*7.62 mm. complex machine guns (quadruple anti-aircraft guns) - 6, 
*12.7 mm. machine guns - 3.
Weapon:
*pistols or revolvers - 220,
*submachine guns - 54,
*rifles model 1891/1930 - 667,
*sniper rifles model 1891/1930 -74,
*self-loading rifles-1173,
*self-loading sniper rifles - 6,
* carbines arr. 1938 -207,
*26 mm. signal pistols -54.
Transport:
*9 trucks (all for installation of quadruple 
anti-aircraft machine gun installations and 12.7mm machine guns),
*scooters (bicycles) 9,
*various horse-drawn carriages 138,
*horse-drawn gigs 27,
*camp kitchens 14.
The regiment consists of the following units:
1. Command.
2. Headquarters.
3. Heads of services.
4. Party-political apparatus.
5. Household part.
6. Mounted reconnaissance platoon.
7. Foot reconnaissance platoon.
8. Communications company.
9. Commandant's platoon. 
10. Air defense company.
11. Sapper company.
12. Chemical defense platoon.
13. Musician platoon,
14. Three rifle battalions.
15. 45mm battery. guns.
16. Battery of 76 mm guns.
17. Platoon 120 mm. mortars.
18. Sanitary company.
19. Veterinary hospital.
20. Combat nutrition workshop.
21. Cargo supply workshop.
22. Transport company.
Let's look at each of the regimental units.
1. Command.
Personnel: 3 people. (all three are officers). Riding horses - 2
*Regiment commander - colonel (pistol, binoculars, compass). Riding horse.
*Regimental military commissar - regimental commissar (pistol, compass). Riding horse.
*Adjutant - junior lieutenant - lieutenant (pistol, compass).
Note. If the regiment commander is a member of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks), then the position of military commissar of the regiment may not be filled. Instead, the position of assistant regiment commander for political affairs with the rank of Art. is being introduced into the party-political apparatus. battalion commissar.
2. Headquarters.
There are 11 personnel. Of these, 8 officers, 1 sergeant and 2 non-combatant Red Army soldiers. Riding horses 4.
*Chief of Staff - Major-Lieutenant Colonel (pistol, binoculars, compass). Riding horse.
*Two assistant chief of staff - captain (2 pistols, 2 compasses). Riding horse-2
*Assistant Chief of Staff for ShShS - Senior Lieutenant (pistol, compass). Transport - no.
*Chief of Communications - Assistant Chief of Staff for Communications - Captain (pistol, compass). Riding horse.
*Assistant Chief of Staff for Logistics - Captain (pistol, compass). Transport - no.
*Head of production - quartermaster technician 2nd rank (rifle). Transport - no.
*Interpreter 2nd rank - quartermaster technician 2nd rank (pistol). Transport - no.
*Senior clerk - junior sergeant - sergeant (rifle). Transport - no.
*Two clerks are non-combatant Red Army soldiers. (2 rifles). Transport - no.
3. Heads of services.
Personnel: 5 people. All officers. Riding horses 1.
*Chief of artillery of the regiment - captain (pistol, binoculars, compass, compass). Riding horse.
*Regimental engineer - captain (pistol, compass). Transport - no.
*Head of the chemical service - captain (pistol, compass). Transport - no.
*Senior regiment doctor - military doctor of 1st or 2nd rank (pistol, compass). Transport - no.
*Senior veterinarian of the regiment - veterinarian of 1st or 2nd rank (pistol, compass). Transport - no.
4. Party-political apparatus.
Personnel: 3 people. All officers. Transport - 2 bicycles.
*Executive secretary of the party organization - for a special position (pistol, compass). Transport - no.
*Executive secretary of the Komsomol organization - for special provisions (pistol, compass). Transport - no.
*Propaganda instructor - senior battalion commissar - baht. commissar (pistol, compass). Transport - no.
From the author. In general, the whole peculiarity of the party organizer and the Komsomol organizer was that the party organizer was always one step lower in rank than the regimental commissar (i.e., he could have the rank of senior battalion commissar), and the Komsomol organizer was two steps lower than the regimental commissar (i.e. e. he could have the rank of battalion commissar).
It was worse for them if the regiment had not a commissar, but an assistant regiment commander for political affairs. Then the party organizer was a battalion commissar, and the Komsomol organizer was a senior political instructor.
And what was still bad for the party organizer and Komsomol organizer was if a commissar or assistant commander of a regiment for political affairs bore a lower rank than he was entitled to according to his staff. Then these two guys next ranks did not shine until their boss advances in rank. In other categories of command and control personnel, the rank of a superior did not affect the rank of a subordinate. For example, the regiment commander could be a major, and his chief of staff a lieutenant colonel. And political workers have such political correctness.
5. Household part.
Personal composition of 15 people. Of these, 7 are officers and 8 are sergeants. Riding horses 2.
*Room. regiment commander for supply - quartermaster 1st or 2nd rank(gun, compass). Riding horse.
*Chief of artillery supply - military engineer 3rd rank(gun, compass).Transport - No.
*Head of military technical supply - military engineer 3rd rank No.
*Head of baggage supply - quartermaster 3rd rank(gun, compass).Transport - No.
*Head of food supply - quartermaster 3rd rank(gun, compass). Riding horse.
*Head of financial support - quartermaster 3rd rank(pistol).Transport - No.
*The head of production is a 1st rank quartermaster technician (not armed). Transport - No.
*Two senior scribes are foremen (not armed). Transport - No.
*Six senior clerks - junior sergeants - sergeants (not armed). Transport - no.
6. Mounted reconnaissance platoon.
Personnel: 32 people. Of these, 1 officer, 4 sergeants, 27 soldiers. There are 32 riding horses.
*Platoon commander - junior lieutenant - lieutenant (pistol, sword, binoculars, compass). Riding horse.
*Room. platoon commander - senior sergeant (self-loading rifle, saber, binoculars, compass) Riding horse.
*Three squad commanders - junior sergeant-sergeant (self-loading rifle, saber, compass) Riding horse-3.
*Twenty-seven cavalrymen - Red Army soldiers (self-loading rifle, saber, compass) Riding horse-27.
Block diagram of a mounted reconnaissance platoon
From the author. The main task of a mounted reconnaissance platoon is head, side and rear patrols. When the regiment moves, the horse sections resemble cockroach whiskers. Their task is to maintain visual contact with the enemy, search for him, and if detected, immediately jump back under the cover of the head and side marching outposts. When a regiment is positioned on site, mounted patrols are formed from them, which go around the perimeter of the regiment's location in order to protect the regiment (primarily management and rear units) from a surprise attack.
If the regiment is on the defensive, then the platoon sets up mobile patrols that patrol between units and from the rear in order to prevent enemy groups from penetrating the regiment's location.
They don’t go behind enemy lines and don’t hang around there for weeks. This is not their task. This is done by deep reconnaissance groups, which are available only in the army reconnaissance battalion. And not lower.
7. Foot reconnaissance platoon.
Personnel: 53 people. Of these, 1 officer, 5 sergeants, 47 soldiers.
*Platoon commander - junior lieutenant - lieutenant (pistol, binoculars, compass). Transport - no.
*Assistant platoon commander - senior sergeant (self-loading rifle, binoculars, compass). Transport - No.
*Two sniper observers - Red Army soldiers (sniper rifles-2, compass) Transport - No.
* Signalman - Red Army soldier(self-loading rifle, compass). Transport - No.
*Four squad commanders - junior sergeant-sergeant (self-loading rifles-4, compass). Transport - No.
*Forty-four shooters - Red Army soldiers (self-loading rifle-44). Transport - no.
Block diagram of a foot reconnaissance platoon
From the author. Dear gentlemen filmmakers! Well, regimental scouts don’t go behind enemy lines and make noise there. And regimental reconnaissance groups are not led by officers. He is only one for the whole platoon, and he has a lot of other responsibilities. And there are no women in regimental reconnaissance platoons. Not allowed by the state.
And scouts (any kind) cannot travel behind enemy lines in German uniforms, even reaching the Fuhrer Headquarters. Only those who serve here and now can wear the correct uniform and always wear it. Any front-line patrol recognizes fake comrades quickly and accurately. What we have, what the Germans have.
The task of reconnaissance platoons is observation posts in front of the front edge of the regiment and along the flanks, serving at outposts. They also take part in reconnaissance in force, when scouts move together with infantry units and identify enemy firing points, capture documents, samples of weapons, and unwary enemy soldiers. And then ran back under the cover of infantry.
Well, as a last resort, they can probe the enemy’s front line at night in the hope of capturing a prisoner. But no more than the depth of the enemy battalion’s defense. And even then only by order of the division commander or higher. Self-will here was punished quickly and harshly - a penal company.
And everything else that dear readers have gleaned from numerous books and films, memoirs former intelligence officers(real and imaginary) these are nothing more than myths, legends and army falsehoods, which we really like to do in relation to civilian staff. Like detective novels by Agatha Christie or Daria Dontsova.
And I base my statements on documents (combat manuals, orders of NGOs, GRU directives, orders of front commanders, reports, dispatches, etc.).
8. Communications company.
Personnel: 62 people. Of these: 6 officers, 12 sergeants, 44 soldiers
Company management (2 officers, 2 sergeants, 4 people in total):
*Company commander - captain (pistol, compass). Riding horse.
*Political leader of the company - senior political instructor (pistol, compass).Transport - No.
Transport - No.
*Captain-clerk - senior sergeant (rifle). Transport - no.
Staff platoon (1 officers, 3 sergeants, 17 soldiers. Total 21 people)
*Platoon commander - junior lieutenant - lieutenant (pistol, compass).Transport - No.
-T telephone light-signaling station (2 sergeants, 10 soldiers, 2 gigs, 2 carriage horses)
*Station commander - senior sergeant (rifle, compass). Transport - No.
*Assistant station chief - junior sergeant - sergeant (rifle, compass). Transport - No.
*Two senior telephone signalmen are Red Army soldiers (rifles-2). Transport - No.
*Eight telephone signal operators are Red Army soldiers (rifles-8). Transport - No.
-O department of mobile communications equipment (1 sergeants, 7 soldiers, 3 horses, 4 bicycles)
*Squad commander - junior sergeant - sergeant (rifle, saber, compass). Riding horse.
*Three mounted messengers - Red Army soldiers (rifles-3, checkers-3, compass-3). Riding horses-3.
*Four scooters - Red Army soldiers (rifles-4), Bicycles-4.
Radio Platoon(1 officers, 2 sergeants, 5 soldiers. Total 8 people. 2 draft horses. 2 gigs)
No.
*Two senior radiotelegraph operators - junior sergeant - sergeant (carbines-2, compass-2). Transport - No
*Four radiotelegraph operators - Red Army soldiers (carbine). Transport - No
*Povozochny - non-combatant Red Army soldier (rifle). Transport - no.
The platoon has 1 radio station 6-PK, 1 radio station 5-AK, 1 radio receiver.
1st Telephone Light Signal Platoon(Officer 1, Sgt. 2, soldiers 10. Total people: 13. Losh. convoy 2, gig 2)
*Platoon commander junior lieutenant - lieutenant (pistol, compass).Transport - No.
-1st
Transport - No.
Transport - No.
*Three telephone operators-light signalmen (rifles-3). Transport - no.
*Telephonist-cart light signal operator (rifles-2). Transport - 1 carriage horse, 1 gig.
-2nd telephone light-signal department (1 sergeant, 5 soldiers, 1 baggage horse, 1 gig).
*Squad commander - junior sergeant - sergeant (rifle, compass). Transport - No.
*Senior telephone operator - light signalman - Red Army soldier (rifle). Transport - No.
*Three telephone operators, light signalmen, Red Army soldiers (rifles-3). Transport - no.
*Telephonist - wagon light signalman - Red Army soldier (rifles - 2). 1 baggage horse, 1 gig.
21st telephone light-signal platoon(Officer 1, Sgt. 3, soldiers 12. Total 16 people. Losh. convoy 32, gig 3)
*Platoon commander junior lieutenant - lieutenant (pistol, compass).Transport - No.
-1st
*Squad commander - junior sergeant - sergeant (rifle, compass). Transport - No.
*Senior telephone operator - light signalman - Red Army soldier (rifle). Transport - No.
-2nd telephone light-signal department (1 sergeant, 4 soldiers, 1 baggage horse, 1 gig).
*Squad commander - junior sergeant - sergeant (rifle, compass). Transport - No.
*Senior telephone operator - light signalman - Red Army soldier (rifle). Transport - No.
*Three telephone operators-light signalmen (rifles-3). Transport - no.
-3rd telephone light-signal department (1 sergeant, 4 soldiers, 1 baggage horse, 1 gig).
*Squad commander - junior sergeant - sergeant (rifle, compass). Transport - No.
*Senior telephone operator - light signalman - Red Army soldier (rifle). Transport - No.
*Three telephone operators-light signalmen (rifles-3). Transport - no.
From the author. There was such a type of communication - light signal. Messages were transmitted within line of sight in Morse code using light flashes (the light of the Sun was used). The transmitting devices were called heliographs. The transmission range under favorable conditions could be up to 50 km.
However, in the staff report in the communications property section there are only six of them in the communications company. This is clearly a backup means of communication.
Structural diagram of a communications company
Summary table of personnel, vehicles and weapons of the regimental communications company:
| Total in company | Company management | Headquarters Platoon | Radio Platoon | 1 telephone signal platoon | 2nd telephone light-signal platoon | |
| Officers | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Sergeants | 12 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Combat soldier | 43 | - | 17 | 4 | 10 | 12 |
| Non-combatant soldier | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Total personnel | 62 | 4 | 21 | 8 | 13 | 16 |
| Pistols (revolvers) | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Rifles | 50 | 2 | 20 | 1 | 12 | 15 |
| Carbines | 6 | - | - | 6 | - | - |
| Riding horses | 5 | 1 | 4 | - | - | |
| Convoy horses | 9 | - | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Horse-drawn carts | 8 | - | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Bicycles | 4 | - | 4 | - | - | - |
| Means of communication: | ||||||
| Radio station 5-AK | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Radio station 6-PK or RB | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Radio receiver OT or 5-RKU | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Petrol unit charge. 1.5-ES-3 | 1 | |||||
| Telephone switches KOF | 2 | |||||
| Field telephones UNA-F | 24 | |||||
| Light signal devices. SP-95 | 6 | - | 1 | - | 2 | 3 |
| Cable telephone. single-core | 36km. |
From the author. Radio station 6-PK was intended for communication with rifle battalions (each of them had the same radio station), and radio station 5-AK for communication with division headquarters.
We will not talk about the extent to which the regiments are equipped with radio stations, but it is worth noting that in the regiment’s communications company there are no positions such as cryptographers or encoders, not to mention encryption machines like the German Enigma. And this despite the fact that the Wehrmacht had a developed radio interception service. Those. the Germans could easily listen to our radio stations, transmit false orders, and if they could not decipher them, simply jam them.
It is no coincidence that the majority of commanders and commanders did not trust radio communications, used them reluctantly and only in extreme cases. Or they resorted to exotic coding methods, as for example in the Pliev building, where they put Ingush people on the radio who spoke their native language, incomprehensible to the German translators.
Our commanders were burdened by the sad experience of the first year of the First World War, when, due to the fact that the Germans listened to the radio stations of the armies of generals Samsonov and Rannenkampf, they were able to correctly assess the situation, conduct successful military operations and ultimately defeat Samsonov’s army.
But this situation with communications in the Red Army greatly interfered with the operational control of troops, which gave serious advantages to the enemy.
Radio communications in our army have always been the weakest point. But it wasn't my fault Stalin's regime, commanders or specialists, but a systemic problem due to the underdevelopment of the radio industry since tsarist times, low technical knowledge and the general lack of education of the population. Soviet government did a lot in overcoming the backlog, but in just over twenty years it was impossible to overcome centuries-old backwardness.
So there is no need to snort contemptuously (“the Germans are smart, but we are alas”) and kick old Stalin. I don't know who could have done more in his place.
9. Commandant's platoon.
Designed for security and household services of the command, headquarters, heads of services, party political apparatus and the economic part, in a word, the administrative apparatus of the regiment.
Personnel: 27 people. Of these, 1 officer, 4 sergeants, 22 soldiers.
There are 8 convoy horses, 1 pair-horse carts, and 3 cavalry-type traveling kitchens.
*Platoon commander junior lieutenant - lieutenant (pistol, compass).Transport - No.
- rifle squad (1 sergeant, 11 soldiers)
*Squad commander junior sergeant-sergeant (self-loading rifle, compass). Transport - No.
*Eleven shooters are Red Army soldiers (11 self-loading rifles). Transport - No.
- economic department (3 sergeants, 11 soldiers, 8 convoy horses, 1 steam cart, 3 camp kitchens)
*Squad leader - sergeant major - sergeant major (rifle, compass). Transport - No.
*Senior cook - junior sergeant - sergeant (unarmed). Transport - No.
*Three cooks are non-combatant Red Army soldiers (unarmed). Transport - No.
*Two blacksmiths, non-combatant Red Army soldiers (rifles-2). Transport - No.
*Captain-clerk - junior sergeant - sergeant (unarmed). Transport - No.
*Four carts are non-combatant Red Army soldiers (rifles -4). 8 convoy horses.
*Two Red Army servicemen of the economic service are non-combatant Red Army soldiers (rifles-2). Transport - no.
From the author. One double-window wagon with a wagon for the personal belongings of officers, three double-window camp kitchens of the cavalry type with wagons.
In the platoon, five people are unarmed, but I think that this is not due to poverty, but based on the fact that they have no need for weapons at all.
Block diagram of the commandant platoon
10. Air defense company.
Personnel: 50 people. Of these, 4 officers, 10 sergeants, 36 soldiers. 9 GAZ-AAA cars
Company management (2 officers, 1 sergeant. Total 3 people):
*Company commander - captain (pistol, binoculars, filter glasses, compass). Transport - no.
*The political leader of the company is a senior political instructor (pistol, filter glasses, compass).Transport - No.
*Company sergeant major - sergeant major (rifle, compass). Transport - no.
1 air defense platoon (1 officers, 6 sergeants, 24 soldiers. Total 31 people)
*Six squad commanders - junior sergeant - sergeant(6 rifles, binoculars, filter glasses, compass).
*Twelve machine gunners are Red Army soldiers (12 rifles).
*Six machine gunners are Red Army soldiers (6 filter glasses).
*Six drivers are Red Army soldiers (unarmed).
The platoon has 6 complex machine guns on GAZ-AAA vehicles.
From the author. Complex machine guns were quadruple 7.62 mm anti-aircraft machine gun mounts made from modified Maxim machine guns. , mounted in the bodies of GAZ-AAA vehicles (three-axle vehicle). You can often see photographs of installations mounted on GAZ-AA, ZiS-5 and ZiS-6. In the initial period of the war, they were the main anti-aircraft weapons of rifle regiments. The crew of the installation consisted of a commander, three machine gunners (one of them a gunner) and a vehicle driver.
However, their operation has shown that they are ineffective against modern aviation due to insufficient firing range, low rate of fire, primitive sights and difficulty in operation. Their production ceased in 1943, but those that survived were used until the end of the war. They were also used to a limited extent for shooting at enemy infantry.
2nd air defense platoon (1 officers, 3 sergeants, 12 soldiers. Total 16 people)
*Platoon commander - junior lieutenant - lieutenant (pistol, binoculars, filter glasses, compass).
*Three squad commanders - junior sergeant - sergeant(3 rifles, binoculars, filter glasses, compass).
*Three machine gunners - Red Army soldiers (3 filter glasses).
*Six machine gunners - Red Army soldiers (6 rifles)
*The three drivers are Red Army soldiers (unarmed).
There are three 12-7.m. in the platoon. anti-aircraft installations on GAZ-AAA vehicles.
From the author. There are often photographs 
installations mounted on GAZ-AA, ZiS-5 and ZiS-6.
These installations in the anti-aircraft version had a rate of fire of up to 1200 rounds per minute with a slant range of up to 3500 m. They could fire at aircraft at altitudes of up to 3000 m. By the beginning of the war, the Red Army had a total of 2 thousand DShK machine guns of all variants, which was clearly not enough. As anti-aircraft DShK showed himself with the best side and was used throughout the war.
Lend-Lease supplies from the USA helped greatly here. 3100 12.7mm anti-aircraft guns were received. a Browning M2 machine gun and 1,100 M15 and M17 self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, the latter being a quadruple unit based on an armored personnel carrier and possessing high fire power.
True, these deliveries occurred mainly in 1942-43, and in 1941, especially in the summer and autumn, the Soviet infantry suffered very heavy losses from the Luftwaffe, which dominated the air. This advantage was so great that the German infantry divisions of the 1941 model completely abandoned their own anti-aircraft weapons.
Arming with personal weapons seems somewhat strange. Although this company operates in the regiment's combat formations, the machine gunners and drivers are unarmed. It seems that the drafters of the state proceeded only from the fact that rifles or carbines would simply get in the way of these soldiers, and they did not think of arming them with at least pistols or revolvers, as was done in the Wehrmacht.
Block diagram of an air defense company
Summary table of personnel, vehicles and weapons of the air defense company:
| Company management | 1 air defense platoon | 2nd air defense platoon | Total | |
| Personnel: | ||||
| -officers | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| -sergeants | 1 | 6 | 3 | 10 |
| -soldiers | - | 24 | 12 | 36 |
| all personnel | 3 | 31 | 16 | 50 |
| Weapons: | ||||
| -pistols | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| -rifles | 1 | 18 | 9 | 28 |
| - complex 7.62 mm machine guns | - | 6 | - | 6 |
| - anti-aircraft 12.7 mm. machine guns | - | - | 3 | 3 |
| Technique: | ||||
| - GAZ-AAA trucks for mounting weapons | - | 6 | 3 | 9 |
11. Sapper company.
Personnel: 84 people. Of these, 4 officers, 13 sergeants, 67 soldiers. Convoy horses - 5.
Company management (2 officers, 2 sergeants. 4 people in total):
*Company commander - captain (pistol, binoculars, compass). Transport - no.
*Political leader of the company - senior political instructor (pistol, compass).Transport - No.
*Company sergeant major - sergeant major (rifle, compass). Transport - no.
*Chemistry instructor - junior sergeant - sergeant (rifle, compass). Transport - no
1 sapper platoon (1 officers, 5 sergeants, 32 soldiers. Total 38 people)
*Platoon commander - junior lieutenant - lieutenant (pistol, compass).Transport - No.
*Assistant platoon commander - senior sergeant (self-loading rifle, compass). Transport - No.
2 engineer platoon (1 officers, 5 sergeants, 32 soldiers. Total 38 people)
*Platoon commander - junior lieutenant - lieutenant (pistol, compass). Transport - no.
*Assistant platoon commander - senior sergeant (self-loading rifle, compass).Transport - No.
*Four squad commanders junior sergeant - sergeant(4 self-loading rifles, 4 compasses). Transport - no.
*Thirty-two sappers are Red Army soldiers (16 self-loading rifles, 16 rifles). Transport - no.
Food department(sergeant 1, soldier 3. Total 4 people). Convoy horses - 5.
*Captain-clerk - junior sergeant - sergeant (unarmed). Transport - no
*Three carts are non-combatant Red Army soldiers (3 rifles). 1 gig, 2 carts. 5 carriage horses.
Structural diagram of a sapper company
Summary table of personnel, vehicles and weapons of the engineer company:
| Company management | 1 sapper platoon | 2nd engineer platoon | Food department | Total | |
| Personnel: | |||||
| -officers | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | 4 |
| -sergeants | 2 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 13 |
| - combat soldiers | - | 32 | 32 | - | 64 |
| - non-combatant soldiers | - | - | - | 3 | 3 |
| all personnel | 4 | 38 | 38 | 4 | 84 |
| Weapons: | |||||
| -pistols | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | 4 |
| - self-loading rifles | 2 | 21 | 21 | - | 44 |
| -rifles | - | 16 | 16 | 3 | 35 |
| Convoy horses | - | - | - | 5 | 5 |
| Single-horse gigs | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Steam carts | - | - | - | 2 | 2 |
| Engineering weapons: | |||||
| - hard-to-flood TZI property | - | - | - | 1 set | |
| - inflatable boats A-3 | 3 | ||||
| -small inflatable boats LMN | 2 | ||||
| -IPK swimming suits | 4 | ||||
| - camouflage nets No. 4 | 100 sets | ||||
| -mine detectors VIM-210 | 8 | ||||
| - chain saw | 1 | ||||
| - pickaxes | 25 | ||||
| -small infantry shovels | 69 | ||||
| - large sapper shovels | 342 | ||||
| - cross saws | 8 | ||||
| - hacksaws | 4 | ||||
| - axes | 81 | ||||
| -UV mine fuses | 150 | ||||
| - 12.5-liter backpack waterskins | 20 | ||||
| - cellular belt water lifts | 2 | ||||
| - rubber barrels-bags for water | 20 | ||||
| -piston pumps "Red Torch" | 2 | ||||
| - wearable water filters | 20 | ||||
| - pack water filter | 1 | ||||
| - rubber water tanks for 1 cubic meter. | 2 |
From the author. It remains unclear what the company's engineering weapons were transported on. After all, just for the TZI set four steam-horse carts were required, and there were only two of them in the company. And in the transport company of the regiment there are no carts equipped for this property.
And note - in 1941, the Soviet sapper company was equipped with electronic induction mine detectors. They appeared in the Red Army during Soviet-Finnish war 1939-40, when Stalin, concerned about the losses of infantry and tanks to Finnish mines, urgently demanded the development of reliable means of searching for mines.
Somehow this does not fit into the thesis generally accepted by liberal democratic historians that the “Kremlin dictator” did not value soldiers’ lives and was ready to shed rivers of blood.
The British in North Africa would acquire induction mine detectors only in 1942 after the horrific losses of tanks to German mines. And it will just be a remake of the Soviet VIM-203 made by a Polish officer.
The Americans would generally encounter German mines for the first time only with the start of Operation Torch (landing in North Africa on November 8, 1942) and at first they would arrogantly reject British proposals to supply them with mine detectors.
So in some ways, in the field of engineering weapons, the Red Army was “ahead of the rest.” The Germans were a little behind us, but the enlightened and civilized Europe was decades behind us.
How many times have they told the world that the shovels used in the army are called:
*large mining shovel, 
*small infantry shovel.
That is, the large shovel is a sapper shovel, and the small one is an infantry shovel. In the 1956 and 1984 editions of the Engineering Manuals, for greater clarity, these shovels were called:
*Large (mining) shovel.
*Small (infantry) shovel.
But amateurs are itching for everything. Everyone strives to call it either a “sapper shovel” or a “small sapper shovel.” Well, no one calls Oka’s car a bus, or Stechkin’s pistol a small machine gun.
The large sapper shovel is 110 cm long and the blade measures 25x20 cm.
The small infantry shovel has a total length of 50 cm, and the blade dimensions are 18x15 cm.
The small shovel is called an infantry shovel because it is used mainly only by infantrymen. This shovel is part of their mandatory equipment. Sappers use it very limitedly. Mainly when setting mines manually.
Continued in subsequent parts of the article.
My deep gratitude to Alexander Pashkevich, who found unique material online about the staff of the Soviet rifle regiment.
September 2017
Sources and literature.
1. Staff No. 04/601 of the rifle regiment of the reduced rifle division. Head of the Red Army. July 29, 1941
2. Charter of the internal service of the Red Army (UVS-37). Voenizdat. Moscow. 1938
3. A.F. Ilyin-Mitkevich. Quick reference in military engineering. VIA. Moscow. 1941
4. Manual on military engineering for infantry. Main military publishing house Moscow. 1926
5, Manual on military engineering for all branches of the SA troops. Military publishing house. Moscow. 1956
Rifle Regiment of the Red Army (1941-1945)
Directly subordinate to the regiment commander were:
- Regimental headquarters
- Party political apparatus
- Deputy regiment commander
- Chief of Artillery Regiment
- Head of the chemical service of the regiment
- Regimental engineer
- Senior regiment doctor
- Senior veterinarian of the regiment
- Head of the regiment's economic unit
- Rifle battalion commanders
Each person subordinate to the regiment commander was armed with a pistol.
Regimental headquarters
The regimental headquarters was headed by the chief of staff of the regiment with the rank of lieutenant colonel and consisted of 8 command personnel, one clerk with the rank of foreman and two private clerks. The regiment headquarters itself was armed with 11 pistols, 1 submachine gun (PPD) and 4 rifles or carbines (Mosin rifle). The regiment's headquarters were assigned 7 riding horses.
The chief of staff of the regiment had his assistants (abbreviated as PNS):
- Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations or PNSh-1. In particular, he kept calculations of the combat strength of units, issued orders, kept a work map, a combat log, etc. He replaced the chief of staff in his absence. Military rank by state - captain
- Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence or PNSh-2. In particular, he planned and carried out reconnaissance of the enemy, and was responsible for manning and combat training of the foot and mounted reconnaissance platoons subordinate to him. Military rank by state - captain
- Mounted reconnaissance platoon lieutenant; the platoon consisted of 4 non-commissioned officers and 27 privates. The platoon was armed with 14 submachine guns, 15 self-loading rifles (SVT-38, SVT-40 or ABC-36), 3 manual rifles (Degtyarev machine gun); the platoon had 32 riding horses.
- Foot reconnaissance platoon. He was headed by a platoon commander with the rank of lieutenant and a political instructor; the platoon consisted of 5 non-commissioned officers and 46 privates. The platoon was armed with 4 pistols, 14 submachine guns, 2 rifles, 30 self-loading rifles, 4 light machine guns; The platoon was not provided with any means of transport.
- Assistant Chief of Staff for Communications or PNSh-3, regiment communications chief. He was responsible for organizing wire and radio communications in the regiment. The state military rank is captain. Under his direct subordination were:
- Separate communications company. It was headed by a company commander, armed with a pistol, and had 5 horses and 10 carts at his disposal. The company had a political instructor (1 pistol), a company sergeant major and a clerk (2 rifles or carbines).
- Headquarters Platoon. Led by a platoon commander; it consisted of 3 sergeants and 17 privates, armed with 21 rifles.
- Telephone and light signaling platoon. There were two of them in the company, each of which was headed by a platoon commander; the platoon included 3 sergeants and 22 privates. The platoon was armed with 25 rifles and 1 pistol.
- Radio platoon. Led by a platoon commander, it consisted of 4 sergeants and 4 privates, the platoon was armed with 9 rifles and 1 pistol, the platoon had three radio stations
- Separate communications company. It was headed by a company commander, armed with a pistol, and had 5 horses and 10 carts at his disposal. The company had a political instructor (1 pistol), a company sergeant major and a clerk (2 rifles or carbines).
- Assistant Chief of Staff for Personnel or PNSh-4. Organized the maintenance and storage of regimental documentation. The state military rank is captain. A clerk and two clerks were directly subordinate to him.
- Assistant Chief of Staff for Logistics and Supply or PNSh-5. He had to organize the supply of ammunition, food, medicine and other things to the regiment. The state military rank is captain.
- Assistant Chief of Staff for Special Communications or PNSh-6. Responsible for communication coding and coding of topographic map symbols. The state military rank is senior lieutenant.
Also directly subordinate to the chief of staff were:
- Commandant's Platoon, which included a security department, a utility department, cooks and a combat support department. It was headed by a platoon commander and consisted of 4 sergeants and 23 privates. Had 3 submachine guns, 11 rifles, 9 self-loading rifles, 1 light machine gun, 3 carts, 1 passenger car and a field kitchen for headquarters
- Platoon of musicians, led by a platoon commander, with two sergeants and 10 privates. Had 5 pistols and 8 rifles.
- Air Defense Company. The company was led by a commander and political officer, armed with pistols; it included a company sergeant major armed with a rifle or carbine. The company consisted of two platoons. The first platoon, led by a commander armed with a pistol, consisted of six machine gun crews, each armed with a 7.62 mm complex anti-aircraft machine gun. Each crew consisted of a crew commander with the rank of sergeant with personal weapons in the form of a pistol, a machine gunner, two assistant machine gunners and a driver, all privates, personal weapons - a rifle. A truck (GAZ-AA) was allocated for the calculation. The second platoon also consisted of three crews similar to the above, but armed with 12.7-mm anti-aircraft modifications of the DShK machine gun.
Party political apparatus
The regiment's party-political apparatus consisted of four commanding officers armed with pistols. At the beginning of the war, the regiment had a deputy regiment commander for political affairs, who, soon after the start of the war, was replaced by a commissar, who was no longer subordinate to the regiment commander. In addition to the political officer (commissar), the regimental apparatus included a party organizer, a Komsomol organizer and an agitator.
Rifle battalions
Each rifle regiment had three rifle battalions. The rifle battalion was led by a battalion commander with the rank of major. The commander's weapon is a pistol; the commander was entitled to a riding horse.
Battalion Headquarters
The headquarters of the rifle battalion consisted of three officers (the chief of staff and two assistant chiefs of staff) and one ordinary clerk. They were entitled to one pistol, one submachine gun and two rifles; two riding horses and three carts. Directly subordinate to the battalion headquarters were:
- Battalion communications platoon consisting of 33 people, consisting of an officer - platoon commander, 3 privates-riders with 3 carts, a telephone exchange of 5 people, including one sergeant, a radio group of 5 sergeants (each with a radio station) and 2 privates and two telephone cable groups nine people, including one sergeant. Everyone except the platoon commander is armed with rifles.
- Battalion medical platoon consisting of an officer - platoon commander, 3 paramedics and 4 medical instructors. They had one pistol and two rifles on staff.
- Battalion utility platoon consisting of an officer - platoon commander, 3 sergeants and 29 privates, armed with one pistol and 20 rifles. The platoon had one wagon and 4 field kitchens at its disposal.
Rifle company
Each battalion had three rifle companies. Each rifle company had a commander with the rank of captain and political officer (officers), a foreman (junior command staff), a rider with a horse, a clerk, two snipers and a messenger (privates). Everyone except the officers was armed with rifles. The rifle company consisted of three rifle platoons, one machine gun platoon and a medical squad.
- Rifle Platoon. Led by a platoon commander with the rank of lieutenant, armed with a pistol; the deputy platoon commander, armed with a submachine gun, was a non-commissioned officer; The platoon also included a messenger with a rifle. The platoon consisted of four rifle squads, each headed by a sergeant, who was assigned a self-loading rifle. The rest, except for the mortar squad commander, were privates: a machine gunner (pistol and light machine gun), an assistant machine gunner (self-loading rifle), two machine gunners (submachine guns) and six riflemen (self-loading rifles). The platoon included a mortar squad of one 50-mm mortar crew, led by a sergeant (pistol) and three private crews (rifles)
- Machine gun platoon. Led by a platoon commander with the rank of lieutenant, armed with a pistol; He also had a rider with a horse and a rifle. The platoon consisted of two crews of a heavy machine gun, respectively, each crew was armed with a Maxim machine gun, the crew commander was a sergeant armed with a pistol; The crew included four privates with rifles.
- Sanitary department consisted of a squad commander, a sergeant-medic and four orderlies, all of whom had one pistol.
Regimental artillery
Regimental artillery was subordinate to the regimental artillery chief. It consisted of three batteries.
- Battery of 45 mm guns
45 mm anti-tank guns. The battery was led by a battery commander; behind political work answered the political instructor (both were armed with pistols); the battery had a sergeant major armed with a rifle. They had three riding horses on staff. In addition, the battery staff included two ordinary reconnaissance officers (each with a riding horse), also armed with rifles. The battery consisted of three fire platoons, each of which had a commander (personal weapon - pistol) and two gun crews. The crew of the 45-mm gun consisted of 8 people, two in the rank of sergeant and six privates, who had one pistol and seven rifles as personal weapons. The crew had at their disposal one riding horse and one cart. The battery had a field kitchen.
- Battery of 76 mm guns
The battery was armed with six 76-mm regimental guns. The battery was headed by a battery commander, a political instructor was responsible for political work, and there was a sergeant major in the battery. The battery also had a paramedic and a veterinary paramedic in officer ranks. They had five riding horses on staff. The battery consisted of three fire platoons, each of which had a commander, a senior rider (two horses were available) and two gun crews. The crew of the 76-mm gun consisted of 11 people, two in the rank of sergeant and nine privates. The crew had one riding horse at their disposal. Unlike the battery of 45-mm guns, this battery also had a control platoon (1 officer, 5 sergeants and 18 privates with 6 horses and 6 carts, 6 radio stations), an ammunition platoon (1 officer, 3 sergeants and 21 privates with 4 horses and 9 carts) and a utility platoon (2 sergeants and 9 privates with 2 horses, 1 cart and 2 field kitchens). The battery's personal weapons consisted of 13 pistols, 5 submachine guns and 114 carbines.
- Battery of 120 mm mortars
The battery was armed with four 120-mm regimental mortars. The battery was led by a battery commander armed with a pistol; a political instructor armed with a submachine gun was responsible for political work; the battery had a sergeant major armed with a rifle. They had three riding horses on staff. In addition, the battery staff included two ordinary reconnaissance officers (each with a riding horse), also armed with rifles. The battery had five private telephone operators with five rifles and an ordinary rider with a rifle and a pohok. The battery consisted of two fire platoons, each of which had a commander and two mortar crews. The crew of the 120-mm mortar consisted of 10 people, one with the rank of sergeant and nine privates, armed with one pistol and nine rifles, respectively. The crew had one cart at their disposal.
Sapper company
The sapper company was supervised by a regimental engineer, who was responsible in the regiment for the arrangement of fortifications, various types of barriers, dugouts, trenches and trenches, means for crossing rivers, etc. Direct command of the sapper company was exercised by its commander; the company also had a political instructor (both with horses and pistols), the head of the company's chemical service (also an officer), and a sergeant-major and a messenger were present in the company. The last three in the state were entitled to rifles. The company consisted of two sapper platoons, each of which had a commander (officer), five sergeants and 32 private sappers. The platoon had 5 pistols and 33 rifles. The company had a utility department of three privates, headed by a sergeant, with four rifles and three carts.
Chemical defense platoon
He was supervised by the regimental commander, headed by a platoon commander with the rank of officer, and had 6 sergeants and 16 privates. The platoon commander was entitled to a pistol, the rest were armed with rifles. The platoon was required to have 4 carts.
Sanitary company
The senior physician of the regiment was responsible for the organization of medical care in the regiment and the sanitary condition of the unit. The sanitary company was headed by a doctor with the rank of officer; Besides him, the company had three more medical officers, 11 paramedics and 40 privates. They, excluding the senior doctor, were provided with 4 pistols, 27 rifles, 13 carts and 9 trucks, as well as one field kitchen.
Veterinary hospital
The infirmary was headed by the senior veterinarian of the regiment, responsible for the condition, maintenance and treatment of the equine staff. In total, in the infirmary, in addition to the senior doctor, there were two veterinarians with officer rank and 10 privates, who had 1 pistol and 8 rifles. The infirmary had three carts.
Economic part
Headed by the head of the economic department. The unit consisted of 7 officers, including the chief, including the chief of artillery weapons, the head of the food service, the head of the clothing service, the head of the military-technical service, the head of the financial service, the head of the transport service, as well as 8 non-commissioned officers armed with pistols and rifles respectively. All of them relied on 3 riding horses. The part included:
- Transport company of 5 officers (5 pistols), including the company commander, 6 sergeants (6 submachine guns) and 96 privates (92 rifles). The company had 86 horse-drawn carts and two field kitchens.
- Ammunition workshops of 2 officers, 6 sergeants and 9 privates, who were armed with 3 pistols and 7 rifles.
- Cargo service workshops of 2 officers, 6 sergeants and 9 privates, carrying 8 rifles.
1941 changes
Already in August 1941, changes in the structure of the rifle regiment began according to state No. 04/601 dated July 29, 1941. First of all, this was due to losses in weapons and personnel. Both newly created regiments and existing ones were subject to formation according to the new staff.
- At rifle company level
- The number of light machine guns was halved, from 12 to 6 barrels.
- The number of 50 mm mortars has been reduced from 3 to 2 barrels.
- A platoon of heavy machine guns was excluded
-
- A company of 82-mm mortars was excluded, a platoon of two crews of 82-mm mortars was included
- A platoon of 45 mm guns was excluded
- At rifle regiment level
- One fire platoon of 76 mm guns was eliminated, thus reducing the number of guns to four.
- One fire platoon of 120-mm mortars was eliminated, thus eliminating the battery and leaving one platoon of two mortars.
Accordingly, there was a decrease in the regiment's personnel by 459 people, or about 14%, with a total of 2,723 people remaining in the regiment.
On October 12, 1941, by Order of the NKO No. 0405, mortars were generally removed from rifle companies and battalions and consolidated into mortar battalions within rifle regiments. (24 50-mm and 82-mm mortars each, 48 mortars in total). In turn, 120-mm mortars were removed from the regiments and transferred to the divisional level. At the same time, by the same order, a company of machine gunners in the amount of 100 people, armed with submachine guns, with a company commander, a sergeant major and a political instructor, was introduced into the regiment.
Further changes in the composition of the regiment followed according to the state dated December 6, 1941 No. 04/751
The regiment included a company of anti-tank rifles in the amount of 79 people with a company commander, a sergeant major and a political instructor. The number of people in the regiment increased by 234 people compared to the previous staff and became 2957 people.
1942 changes
On March 16, 1942, by Order of the NKO No. 0405, a company of anti-tank rifles in the amount of 16 units was introduced into the rifle battalion, and on March 18, 1942, a new staff of regiment No. 04/201 was approved. The regiment's personnel, in accordance with this staff, increased to 3173 people.
In a number of divisions in 1942, the process of transferring mortars from divisions to the regimental level and from the regiment level to the battalion and company levels began. Thus, platoons of 50-mm mortars (3 mortars each) were recreated in rifle companies, companies of 82-mm mortars (9 mortars each), and in a regiment - a battery of 120-mm mortars (6 mortars). Later, by order of NKO No. 306 of October 8, 1942, this practice was officially formalized.
But even earlier, on July 28, 1942, due to a chronic shortage of personnel due to losses, the new staff of regiment No. 04/301 came into force, according to which the number of people in the regiment was again reduced to 2517 people.
However, in fact, until 1943, rifle regiments were maintained in three different states, December 1941, March 1942 and July 1942.
Changes 1942-1944
On December 10, 1942, State No. 04/551 was approved, in accordance with which rifle regiments were formed and staffed until the end of 1944. The strength of the rifle regiment began to be 2443 people. One 50-mm mortar was removed from the rifle companies, 2 mortars remained, and one 120-mm mortar was added to the regiment's mortar battery, so there were 7 of them. The anti-tank rifle company in the battalion was reduced to a platoon with 9 rifles.
At the same time, staff No. 04/501 of the Guards Rifle Regiment was approved. The main differences in the organization of the Guards Rifle Regiment from the usual one were the presence of two companies of machine gunners instead of one, two heavy machine guns in a rifle company instead of one, 12 heavy machine guns in a machine gun company instead of 9, the number of regimental mortars was also increased to 8 and finally remained in the Guards Rifle Regiment PTR company of 16 guns. Accordingly, the number of personnel increased.
On July 15, 1943, minor changes followed in the staff of the rifle regiment (both guards and regular), associated with a decrease in the number of rifles and an increase in submachine guns.
1945 changes
On December 18, 1944, staff No. 05/41 was approved for the Guards Rifle Regiments. At the end of the Great Patriotic War, it was used for a certain number of guards divisions, and from June 9, 1945, with some changes, it was declared an active state for all rifle regiments of the Red Army. It must be borne in mind that the overwhelming majority of ordinary rifle regiments ended the war according to the previous staff. Thus, the changes affected a small part of military units. Among the changes in particular:
At rifle company level
- 50-mm mortars were discontinued and, accordingly, mortar platoons were excluded from the companies.
At rifle battalion level
- A fighter-anti-tank battery of four 45-mm guns appeared
- The mortar company began to consist of six 82-mm mortars
- The machine gun company began to have 12 heavy machine guns (Maxim Machine Gun or SG-43)
- A communications platoon of 19 people was introduced, with a set consisting of 1 telephone switch, 8 telephones and 8 kilometers of telephone cable.
At rifle regiment level
- The artillery battery of 76-mm guns began to consist of three fire platoons (6 guns)
- The mortar battery of 120-mm mortars began to consist of 6 mortars
- The anti-tank destroyer battery was armed with six 57 mm anti-tank guns
- Instead of an air defense company, an anti-aircraft platoon of six 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine guns was introduced.
- The size of the foot reconnaissance platoon was set at 38 people, and the horse reconnaissance platoon was abolished.
- The size of the sapper platoon introduced instead engineer company, was set at 27 people.
- The composition of the regimental communications company was determined to be 73 people; the company consisted of three platoons (headquarters, radio communications and telephone). The communications company had 6 radio stations, 2 radio receivers, 3 telephone switchboards, 20 telephones and 32 kilometers of telephone cable.
- The regiment's transport company began to consist of 6 GAZ-AA vehicles and 18 paired carts
The regiment numbered 2,725 people, with a rifle battalion of 670 people and a rifle company of 114 people. Also in each regiment there were two companies of machine gunners, each numbering 98 people. In June 1945, the staff changed somewhat: the strength of the regiment began to be 2,398 people, with a battalion of 555 people and a company of 104 people.
Strelov, Efim Dmitrievich
This term has other meanings, see Regiment (meanings). “Regiment” (p) has the following meanings: Military unit, the main tactical and administrative economic (organizational) unit in various types of armed forces and branches... ... Wikipedia
Not to be confused with Soviet Polish war. Polish campaign of the Red Army (1939) World War II Date 17 September 29, 1939 Place ... Wikipedia
It is a military unit consisting of units and divisions of various branches of the military, united under the sole command (excluding the pre-war period and the period of the beginning of the Great Patriotic War) of the division commander and the division's control (headquarters).
Rifle Division has its own military number or name assigned to it, its own battle flag, seal and field post number.
Rifle divisions could be united into rifle corps.
Rifle Division is the largest in number and armament military unit, having a permanent (regular) composition, independent of the goals and objectives of the division. The composition of formations that are large in number is usually variable and depends on the goals and objectives of a particular formation.
The organization of the division is determined by a single staffing table or staff. Rifle divisions both in peacetime and in war, they were created on the basis of various states - this depended on many factors, such as the situation, organizational principles, weapons system, the amount of available manpower and weapons. It must be borne in mind that in reality, divisions often had deviations to a lesser extent from the standard strength, for example, due to losses, insufficient weapons, or, conversely, they had a surplus. That is, the staff of a division is a kind of template, which ideally rifle division must match.
The rifle division consisted of a directorate (headquarters), three rifle regiments, an artillery regiment and other units and subunits. Headcount (OSH) during wartime as of June 1941 - 14,483 personnel (staff 04/400-416 from 04/05/41).
Rifle divisions, as a rule, were part of rifle corps and armies.
Formation sd during the Great Patriotic War, it occurred on the basis of State Defense Decrees (Example:). In view of the constantly changing situation at the front and rear, formation conditions, requirements of the Supreme Command, and so on, the staff sd changed several times during the war. In total, from June 1941 to May 1945, in order to improve the main operational-tactical unit, 7 new different states were adopted sd. In addition, during this period, by orders of NPOs, significant changes were made three times to the current staff at that time.
Rifle division of the Red Army during the Civil War
In November 1918, the Red Army developed new plan development of field troops which provided for the formation of 47 numbered rifle divisions, which included 116 brigades and 339 regiments. Of these: in the internal districts of Soviet Russia - 11 (No. 1st to 11th), on the Northern Front - 2 (No. 18th and 19th), on the Eastern Front - 11 (No. 20th - 22nd, 24th - 31st), in the Caspian-Caucasian - 5 (No. 32nd - 36th), in the Southern - 12 (No. 12th - 16th, 23rd , 37th - 42nd), in the Western Army - 3 (17th, Lithuanian, Western), in addition, three more were formed sd(No., 1st and 2nd Latvian and Ukrainian). On February 19, 1919, the formation plan was communicated to the fronts of the Red Army, with the order to complete the reorganization by April 1, 1919. By May 15, 1919, this work was completely completed by the fronts of the Red Army.
In the Red Army, in January 1922, they existed in St.V. rifle divisions and separate rifle brigades Ground Forces, which were kept according to the staff approved on July 5, 1921. For this state rifle division consisted of a directorate, two rifle brigades (consisting of a directorate, three rifle regiments in each special brigade) and a training and personnel brigade (three regiments with control) or a training and personnel regiment.
Armament and transport
| View | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Horse composition | 4 798 |
| Cars | 471 |
| Tractors | 70 |
| Tanks | 60 |
| Wedges | 84 |
| Armored vehicles | 12 |
| 152 mm howitzers | 12 |
| 122 mm howitzers | 12 |
| 76 mm guns | 38 |
| 76 mm SPK guns | 4 |
| 45 mm anti-tank guns | 18 |
| 37 mm anti-aircraft guns | 12 |
| 82 mm mortars | 18 |
| Integrated anti-aircraft machine guns | 18 |
| Heavy machine guns | 175 |
| Light machine guns | 370 |
| Rifle grenade launchers | 249 |
Personnel rifle "ordinary" division for 8900 people. according to the peacetime state from 14.08. of the year
| Composition (units and divisions) | Number of personnel |
|---|---|
| Control | 105 |
| Separate communications battalion | 204 |
| Headquarters Company | 44 |
| School | 36 |
| Two telegraph and cable companies | 43 each |
| Separate reconnaissance battalion | 175 |
| Personnel composition of the motorcycle company | 20 |
| Automotive armored company | 24 |
| Cavalry squadron | 58 |
| Company of T-38 tanks | 25 |
| Separate engineer battalion | 218 |
| School | 36 |
| Personnel composition of the sapper company | 10 |
| Two sapper companies | 38 each |
| Technical Company | 28 |
| Ferry Park | 9 |
| Hospital staffing | 6 |
| Rear personnel | 15 |
| Political Department | 19 |
| Divisional artillery workshop | 15 |
| Artillery Headquarters | 36 |
| Light Artillery Regiment | 1052 |
| Headquarters | 11 |
| Combat units | 71 |
| Party political apparatus | 8 |
| Service departments | 108 |
| School | 102 |
| 1st Division | 248 |
| Three batteries of four 76 mm guns | 69 each |
| 2nd and 3rd divisions | 248 each |
| One battery - four 76 mm guns | 69 |
| Two batteries of four 122 mm howitzers | 69 each |
| Howitzer Artillery Regiment | 778 |
| Headquarters | 10 |
| Combat units | 64 |
| Party political apparatus | 8 |
| Service departments | 95 |
| School | 76 |
| 1st Division | 254 |
| Three batteries of four 122 mm howitzers | 71 each |
| 2nd Division | 254 |
| 3 batteries of 4 152 mm howitzers | 71 each |
| Separate VET division | 143 |
| Battery (six 45 mm guns) | 59 |
| Two batteries of six 45 mm guns | 37 each |
| Separate anti-aircraft artillery battalion | 132 |
| Battery (four 76 mm guns) | 49 |
| Two batteries of four 37 mm cannons | 26 each |
| Three rifle regiments | 2,013 each |
| Headquarters | 10 |
| Air Defense Company | 41 |
| Platoon of heavy machine guns | 25 |
| Quad machine gun platoon | 13 |
| Musician Platoon | 11 |
| Communications company | 74 |
| Headquarters Platoon | 13 |
| Radio platoon | 11 |
| Two telephone signal platoons | 22 each |
| Horse Scout Team | 15 |
| Foot reconnaissance platoon | 29 |
| Motorcycle department | 2 |
| School | 146 |
| Service departments | 113 |
| Party political apparatus | 8 |
| Battery of 45 mm guns (six guns) | 37 |
| Battery of 76 mm guns (six guns) | 76 |
| Mortar Platoon | 19 |
| Sapper platoon | 13 |
| PHO platoon | 15 |
| Three rifle battalions | 463 each |
| Headquarters | 2 |
| Foot reconnaissance platoon | 29 |
| : four compartments | 7 in each |
| Communications platoon | 22 |
| VET platoon | 11 |
| Mortar Platoon | 11 |
| Three rifle companies | 110 each |
| : mortar compartment | 5 |
| : Three rifle platoons | 29 each |
| :: four rifle squads | 7 |
| : Machine gun platoon | 12 |
| :: two sections of heavy machine guns | 4 in each |
| :: heavy machine gun squad | 3 |
| Machine gun company | 56 |
| : Three machine gun platoons | 17 in each |
| Total | 8937 people |
Number of rifle divisions of the Red Army in the pre-war period
Rifle Division of the Red Army by wartime states 04/20-04/27.04/29-04/38 from 09.13.1939
- Division command
- Political Department
- Heads of services
- 3 rifle regiments (4035 personnel each)
- Artillery regiment (1898 people l/s)
- Howitzer artillery regiment (1323 people l/s)
- Separate anti-aircraft division (352 people l/s)
- Dept. artillery division of VET (282 people l/s)
- Art. park division (476 people l/s)
- Dept. communications battalion (312 people l/s)
- Dept. reconnaissance battalion (328 people l/s)
- Dept. sapper battalion (600 people l/s)
- Dept. medical battalion (260 people l/s)
- Mobile field hospital (104 people l/s)
- Vet. infirmary (45 people l/s)
- Dept. repair-restoration company (90 people l/s)
- Dept. degas company (80 people l/s)
- Dept. Automatic delivery company (194 people l/s)
- Commandant's platoon (45 l/s)
- Fin. department
- Supply departments (4 in total)
- Dept. field bakery (196 people l/s)
In total, there were 18,906 people in the rifle division according to the 04/20 staff dated September 13, 1939. l/s. The armament consisted of: 4212 rifles in rifle units, 534 light machine guns, 162 heavy bullets, 327 mortars for throwing rifle grenades, 81 50-mm mortars, 36 82-mm mortars, 12 120-mm mortars, 60 anti-tank rifles(*) , 54 45 mm guns, 18 76 mm regimental guns, 20 76 mm divisional guns, 28 122 mm howitzers, 12 152 mm howitzers, 33 anti-aircraft machine guns, 8 37 mm anti-aircraft guns, 4 76 mm anti-aircraft guns , 16 amphibious tanks, 12 armored vehicles, 746 vehicles of all types, 92 tractors (tracked tractors), 6200 horses.
(*) the number of PTR in the staff was set in advance, for the Rukavishnikov PTR that was being developed at that time, which was never put into production.
Rifle Division of the Red Army - staff military unit 04/100 from 06/10/1940
- Command
- Political Department
- Heads of services
- The chief of supplies with his services, 1 p.m.
- Chief of Artillery, Artillery Headquarters, Headquarters Battery, Services, 76 hours.
- 3 rifle regiments, 3762 hours each
- Artillery regiment, 1204 h.
- Howitzer artillery regiment, 1520 h.
- Separate division of 45 mm guns, 275 hours.
- Separate anti-aircraft division, 310 hours.
- Separate communications battalion, 306 hours.
- Separate reconnaissance battalion, 468 hours.
- Separate engineer battalion, 561 hours.
- Separate motor transport battalion, 370 hours.
- Separate medical battalion, 272 h.
- Vetlazaret, 39 h.
- Separate company of traffic controllers, 50 hours.
- Commandant's platoon, 25 hours.
- Platoon of decontamination of terrain and materiel, 25 hours.
- Separate bakery, 144 hours.
- Group of cattle, 9 hours.
- Financial department
The total number of personnel in the State SD 04/100 dated June 10, 1940 was 17,166. Armed with: 437 light machine guns, 166 heavy machine guns, 84 50-mm mortars, 54 82-mm mortars, 12 120-mm mortars, 60 PT guns(*), 54 45 mm guns, 18 76 mm regimental guns, 16 76 mm divisional guns, 32 122 mm howitzers, 12 152 mm howitzers, 33 anti-aircraft machine guns, 8 37 mm anti-aircraft guns, 4 76-mm anti-aircraft guns, 16 amphibious tanks, 13 armored vehicles, 827 vehicles of all types, 88 artillery tractors and tractors, 4218 horses.
(*) see above
Rifle Division of the Red Army - staff military unit 04/400 from 04/05/1941
- Division control, 133 h.
- Headquarters Battery of the Chief of Artillery, 69 hours.
- 3 rifle regiments, 3182 hours each
- Artregiment, 1038 h.
- Howitzer artillery regiment, 1277 hours.
- Separate anti-aircraft division, 287 hours.
- Separate division of 45 mm guns, 230 hours.
- Separate communications battalion, 278 hours.
- Separate reconnaissance battalion, 273 hours.
- Separate engineer battalion, 521 hours.
- Separate motor transport battalion, 255 hours.
- Separate medical battalion, 253 h.
- Separate chemical treatment, 58 hours.
- Separate platoon of traffic controllers, 33 h.
- Artillery repair shop, 45 hours.
- Hiking shoe repair shops, 10 p.m.
- Separate field bakery on auto-traction, 129 hours.
- Group of cattle, 9 hours.
- Field cash desk of the state bank, 3 hours.
- Field postal station, 7 p.m.
- Military prosecutor's office, 5 o'clock.
In total, the SD according to the wartime state 04/400 of 04/05/1941 contained 14,483 units. It was armed with: 392 light machine guns, 166 heavy machine guns, 84 50-mm mortars, 54 82-mm mortars, 12 120-mm mortars , 54 45 mm guns, 18 76 mm regimental guns, 16 76 mm divisional guns, 32 122 mm howitzers, 12 152 mm howitzers, 24 7.62 mm complex anti-aircraft machine guns (quadruple installation of Maxim machine guns), 9 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine guns, 8 37 mm anti-aircraft guns, 4 76 mm anti-aircraft guns, 16 amphibious tanks, 13 armored vehicles, 558 various cars, 99 artillery tractors and tractors, 14 motorcycles, 841 carts, 3039 horses
Rifle division of the Red Army during the Great Patriotic War
Changes in staffing levels and composition of a rifle division
In August 1941, changes were made to the division's staff:
4. Rifle divisions should have the following composition: People........................ - 11,447 people. Horses........................ - 2,698 heads. Rifles........................ - 8,844 Light machine guns................ - 162 PPSh.. ........................... - 162 Heavy machine guns............. - 108 37 mm guns or 25 mm anti-aircraft guns.. - 6 45 mm guns.................... - 18 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine guns...... - 9 or 25 guns mm anti-aircraft............ - 4 76 mm regimental guns............ - 12 76 mm divisional guns......... - 16 Howitzers 122 mm................... - 8 Mortars 50 mm................. - 81 Mortars 82 mm.. ............... - 54 120 mm mortars............ - 18 Passenger cars......... .. - 4 Trucks............ - 192 Special Vehicles......... - 5 Tractors............ ....... - 15 3. Separate anti-tank battalions of rifle divisions (state No. 04/753) should be transferred to state No. 04/767 of a separate anti-tank battalion of a rifle division, numbering 241 people, consisting of 3 batteries of 45-mm guns (12 guns) and a company of anti-tank rifles (36 guns) .
4. Introduce into each rifle battalion one company of anti-tank rifles (16 rifles) numbering 53 people.
5. Introduce a third division into the artillery regiment of the rifle division, consisting of one battery of 76-mm cannons (4 USV guns) and one battery of 122-mm howitzers (4 howitzers). Introduce 15 tractors as means of traction for 122 mm howitzers.
6. Make the indicated changes within the strength of rifle divisions of 12,785 people and 1,850 horses, for which purpose the service personnel in rifle divisions will be reduced by 850 people.
7. The Head of the Glavupraforma of the KA to make changes to the staff of the rifle divisions by 03/20/42.
8. The deadline for execution of this order is April 1, 1942.People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR
On defense sd could occupy a defensive strip along the front (on a normal front), that is, it could successfully defend a strip with a front width of 8 - 12 kilometers and a depth of 4 - 6 kilometers. In particularly important areas, defense fronts sd may be narrower, reaching up to 6 kilometers of defensive line on rifle division.
Defense on a broad front for sd, in accordance with the manual documents, was determined to be 18 - 20 kilometers.
The regiment appears. The size of its composition depends on the type of troops, and its full complement of personnel is one of the factors in ensuring the combat effectiveness of the army. The regiment consists of smaller structural units. Let's find out what a company, regiment, battalion is, the number of these units by main branches of the military. We will pay special attention to the equipment of the artillery regiment.
What is a regiment?
First of all, let's find out what a regiment is. We will find out the number of personnel in the various branches of the military in this unit later.
A regiment is a combat unit, often commanded by an officer with the rank of colonel, although there are exceptions. of the Russian Federation, the regiment is the main tactical unit on the basis of which it is formed
The regiment includes smaller structural units - battalions. The regiment itself can either be part of a formation or be a separate combat force. It is the regimental command that in most cases makes tactical decisions during a large-scale battle. Although quite often shelves are used as completely separate and independent units.
Number of members
Now let's find out the number of military personnel in the regiment, taking as a basis the composition of the rifle regiment as the most typical. This military unit usually contains from 2000 to 3000 soldiers. Moreover, approximately this number is observed in almost all (except perhaps artillery and some other types of troops) and even in law enforcement agencies. A similar number of military personnel, for example, has an infantry regiment, the number of soldiers in which also ranges from two to three thousand people. Although there are exceptions, the minimum number of military personnel in a regiment in any case cannot be less than 500 people.
A typical rifle regiment consists of a headquarters where the main decisions are made, three motorized rifle battalions, a communications company, and a tank battalion. This unit should also include an anti-aircraft division, a reconnaissance company, an anti-tank battery, a communications company, an engineer company, a repair company, and a chemical, biological and radiation protection company. IN Lately The company performs increasingly important functions. Although in Soviet times this unit was also very significant. The regiment's composition is supplemented by auxiliary units: a commandant platoon, a medical company and an orchestra. But they are additional only conditionally, since, for example, a medical company performs functions that are much more important, so to speak, than other units. After all, the lives of other soldiers depend on the soldiers of this structural unit.
A typical regiment has approximately this structure. You can see photos of the fighters of this formation above.
Battalion composition
Typically, two to four battalions form a regiment. We will now consider the number of servicemen in the battalion.
The battalion is considered the main tactical unit of ground forces. The range of personnel in this unit generally ranges from 400 to 800 people. It includes several platoons, as well as individual companies.
If we consider artillery, then the combat unit that corresponds to a battalion is called a division.
As a rule, a battalion is commanded by a soldier with the rank of major. Although, of course, there are exceptions. They can be found especially often during combat operations, when an acute shortage of personnel officers may arise in the armed forces of a country or a separate unit.
Let's look at the structure of a battalion using an example. As a rule, the backbone of this structural unit is three motorized rifle companies. In addition, the battalion includes a mortar battery, a grenade launcher platoon, an anti-tank platoon, and a control platoon. Additional, but no less important units are material and technical support platoons, as well as a medical center.
Company size
A company is a smaller structural unit that is part of a battalion. As a rule, it is commanded by a captain, and in some cases a major.
The size of a battalion company varies greatly depending on the specific type of troops. Most of the soldiers are in the companies of construction battalions. There their number reaches 250 people. In motorized rifle units it varies from 60 to 101 servicemen. There are slightly fewer personnel in the airborne forces. The number of army personnel here does not exceed 80 people. But the least number of soldiers in tank companies. There are only 31 to 41 military personnel there. In general, depending on the type of troops and the specific state, the number of military personnel in a company can vary from 18 to 280 people.
In addition, in some branches of the military there is no such unit as a company, but at the same time there are analogues. For cavalry this is a squadron, which includes about a hundred people, for artillery - a battery, for border troops - an outpost, for aviation - a link.
The company consists of command personnel and several platoons. Also, a company may include special squads that are not part of platoons.
Smaller units
A platoon consists of several sections, and the number of its personnel varies from 9 to 50 people. As a rule, the platoon commander is a soldier with the rank of lieutenant.
The smallest permanent unit in the army is the squad. The number of military personnel in it ranges from three to sixteen people. In most cases, a soldier with the rank of sergeant or senior sergeant is appointed as the squad commander.
Number of artillery regiments
The time has come to take a closer look at what an artillery regiment is, the number of personnel in this unit and some other parameters.
An artillery regiment is a structural unit of such troops as artillery. As a rule, it is included as an integral part of an artillery division, consisting of three or four units.
The size of an artillery regiment is smaller than the corresponding unit in other branches of the military. This indicator depends on how many divisions are included in the regiment. With three divisions, its strength ranges from 1000 to 1200 people. If there are four divisions, then the number of military personnel reaches 1,500 soldiers.
Artillery regiment structure
Like any other military unit, an artillery regiment has its own structure. Let's study it.
The structural elements of an artillery regiment are divided into three main groups: control, logistics and combat support units, as well as the main striking force itself - line units.
It is these elements that make up an artillery regiment. A photo of the regiment structure is located above.
Regimental control composition
In turn, the regiment's management is divided into the following elements: command, headquarters, technical unit and rear.
The command includes the regiment commander (most often with the rank of colonel or lieutenant colonel), his deputy, the chief for physical training and the assistant commander for educational work. The last position in Soviet times corresponded to the post of political officer.
The headquarters unit includes the chief of staff, his deputy, as well as the chiefs of intelligence, topographic service, communications, secret unit, computer department and a combat assistant.
In the rear part of the regiment's control there are the deputy commander for logistics, the heads of the food, clothing, fuel and lubricants and clothing services.
The technical part of the regiment's management includes the deputy for armament, the chiefs of the armored, automobile and missile and artillery services.
In addition, the heads of financial, chemical and medical services report directly to the regiment commander.
Composition of the logistics and combat support unit
The logistics and combat support unit is divided into the following structural elements: medical center, club, repair company, logistics company, battery and control battery.
This unit is commanded by the deputy commander of the regiment for rear affairs, who himself is part of the administrative part of the regiment, as mentioned above.
Composition of linear units
It is the linear units that are entrusted with the main function of the existence of an artillery regiment, since they fire directly at the enemy from guns.
The regiment consists of four linear divisions: self-propelled, mixed, howitzer and jet. Sometimes there may be no mixed division. In this case, three units remain the backbone of the regiment.
Each division is divided, as a rule, into three batteries, which, in turn, consist of three to four platoons.
Number and structure of the division
As mentioned above, three or four regiments form an artillery division. The number of personnel in such a unit reaches six thousand people. As a rule, the command of a division is entrusted to a soldier with the rank of major general, but there have been cases when these units were commanded by colonels and even lieutenant colonels.
Two divisions form the largest unit in the artillery - the corps. The number of military personnel in artillery corps can reach 12,000 people. Such a unit is often commanded by a lieutenant general.
General principles for forming the number of units
We studied the size of a division, regiment, company, battalion, division and smaller structural units of various branches of the military, with an emphasis on artillery. As you can see, the number of military personnel in similar units in different troops can vary significantly. This is due to the direct purpose of the various branches of the armed forces. The basis is the most optimal number of military personnel to perform specific tasks. Each indicator is not only the product of strict scientific calculations, but also the experience of conducting combat operations in practice. That is, each figure is based on the shed blood of the fighters.
Thus, we see that in the army there are both very small units in terms of personnel, in which the number of military personnel can be equal to even three people, and the largest units, where total numbered in tens of thousands of military personnel. It is also necessary to take into account that in foreign countries the number of similar units may differ significantly from domestic options.
Like everything in this world, the science of warfare is progressing, new technologies and even new types of troops are appearing. For example, in Russia not long ago the Aerospace Forces appeared, which are a product of evolution and development Air Force. With the advent of new types of troops and changes in forms of warfare, it is certainly possible to adjust the number of personnel in units taking into account new conditions.
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