If in 1941 the sore spot of the Red Army were mechanized units and formations, then in 1945 weak point The Red Army had rifle divisions. Moreover, the problem was not at all a discrepancy between the unit’s regular structure and its tasks in combat and operations. States rifle divisions have been tested by four years of war and have evolved towards improved handling and combat capabilities. However, the actual number of personnel in both guards and conventional rifle divisions in 1945 was almost half the regular number. The state itself became an abstraction, influencing to a greater extent the artillery armament of the divisions.
Soviet infantry on the march. One of the fighters has a “faustpatron” visible on his shoulder
In essence, the Red Army in the middle of the war faced the same problem of personnel shortages that plagued the Wehrmacht. A mad race to form new formations to restore the front after the encirclement of 1941–1942. ended, and in full height The problem arose of maintaining the number of existing divisions. To solve this problem, in the summer of 1943, a reduced staff of the rifle regiment was adopted in state division No. 05/550. The total strength of the rifle regiment decreased from 2,443 people to 2,017 people. Accordingly, the total strength of the rifle division according to state No. 05/550 was now 9,380 people.
The last states of rifle formations were adopted in December 1944. These were states No. 05/40 dated December 18, 1944 of the guards and regular rifle divisions. According to the staff, the Guards Rifle Division was supposed to have 11,706 people, 1,155 horses, 342 vehicles, 77 tractor-trailers, 53 motorcycles. The infantry core of the formation were three rifle regiments, each numbering 2,725 people. In turn, the rifle regiments were divided into three battalions. The battalion numbered 670 people. A reflection of the war experience was the presence in the structure of the regiment of two companies of machine gunners, each numbering 98 people. The regular strength of the rifle company of the rifle battalion was 144 people. Besides rifle company the battalion had a machine gun and mortar company and a battery of anti-tank guns.
The artillery armament of the State Guards Rifle Division No. 05/40 consisted of eighteen 45-mm anti-tank guns, eighteen 57-mm anti-tank guns, twelve 76-mm regimental guns, eighty-nine 82-mm mortars, thirty-eight 120-mm mortars, twenty-four 76 -mm divisional guns, twelve 122-mm howitzers and twelve SU-76M self-propelled guns (for divisions under siege). At first glance, the artillery of the 1945 division evokes a strong sense of déjà vu from 1941. Likewise, the rifle division had howitzer and cannon artillery regiments. A mortar regiment was added to them. However, unlike 1941, there are no 152-mm howitzers in the artillery staff of the 1945 division. There was also no division into regiments of mechanical and horse-drawn traction. However, instead, above the howitzer, cannon and mortar regiments in 1945 there was a management superstructure - the headquarters of the artillery brigade. This significantly increased the level of artillery control due to the fact that the brigade headquarters had radio stations for communication with the regiments. It should be noted that in addition to the mortar regiment, 120-mm mortars were present in each rifle regiment. Also at the regimental artillery level, 57 mm anti-tank guns were used.
An ordinary rifle division was similar to the Guards Rifle Division organizational structure, but differed slightly from it in numbers. According to state number 05/40, the rifle division had 11,780 people (1,135 officers, 3,098 sergeants, 7,547 privates), 1,196 horses (55 riding, 387 artillery, 754 convoys), 437 vehicles (15 cars, 313 trucks, 32 special, 77 tractor units). State Rifle Regiment No. 05/41 of the regular rifle division consisted of 2,389 people (182 officers, 687 sergeants and 1,520 privates). Likewise, each rifle regiment had two companies of machine gunners. The rifle battalions had a strength of 555 people, with a rifle company strength of 104 people. The difference between the Guards and regular rifle divisions was the size of the platoon. In the guard, it consisted of 41 people, and the usual - 28 people.
In addition to the Soviet rifle divisions, infantry divisions of two armies of the Polish Army took part in the battles on German territory. In general, Polish infantry formations reproduced the structure of the Red Army rifle division. In total, there were 11,465 people in the Polish infantry division, including 1,252 officers, 3,257 sergeants (sub-officers) and 6,956 privates. All the weapons of the Polish divisions were of Soviet design. They also received combat and auxiliary equipment supplied to the USSR under the Lend-Lease program. On average, Polish divisions were better manned than Soviet rifle divisions. However, the scourge of the infantry divisions of the Polish Army was the lack of officers.
If in construction tank troops The Red Army clearly shows traces of copying foreign experience, while artillery formations, on the contrary, were the “calling card” of Soviet military development. The exclusion of 152-mm howitzers from the rifle division in July 1941 and the liquidation of the corps unit led to the emergence of a large number of separate artillery units. Regular and anti-tank artillery subordinated directly to armies and fronts. The next step was the consolidation of the forms of artillery organization. At the end of October and beginning of November 1942, the formation of artillery divisions of the RGK began. They united under one control several howitzer, cannon and anti-tank artillery regiments, a division artillery reconnaissance and an adjustment squadron. On December 6, 1942, by decree of the State Defense Committee No. GOKO-2428ss, a brigade unit was introduced into artillery divisions, uniting artillery regiments into brigades.
Brigade control also existed outside the artillery divisions. In particular, by decree GOKO-3248ss of April 23, 1943, ten RGK anti-tank destroyer brigades were formed. Each brigade included two anti-tank artillery regiments of 76-mm guns (20 guns each) and one anti-tank artillery regiment artillery regiment 45 mm guns (20 guns).
In 1943, the next step was taken - the artillery divisions were united into corps. In total, the artillery division at that time should have had 244 guns and 108 mortars. The corps normally consisted of two breakthrough artillery divisions and one guards mortar division.
On January 1, 1945, the active army had 7 breakthrough artillery corps, 33 artillery and 5 mortar divisions. In total, the Red Army at that time had 10 breakthrough artillery corps, 37 artillery and 7 guards mortar divisions.
Forces and means: 1st Belorussian Front
From the moment the forward detachments of several armies of the 1st Belorussian Front captured bridgeheads on the Oder, 70 km from Berlin, two and a half months passed before the start of the Berlin operation. The Germans had more than enough time to build a defense on the approaches to Berlin and concentrate divisions transferred from other sectors on the Oder front. But the time spent eliminating flanking threats was not wasted. Those armies that in February 1945 stood facing north, protecting the flank, could now be used in the direction of the main attack. Also, as a result of the East Pomeranian operation, as many as four armies were liberated and eventually participated in the battle for Berlin - the 2nd Belorussian Front K.K. Rokossovsky. They were entrusted with the area from Stettin to Baltic Sea.
By and large, the overall result of the struggle in February–March 1945 was in favor of the Soviet troops. The passive was Lost time, the asset includes the defeated divisions of the German 3rd Panzer and 2nd Armies. Those formations that Army Group Vistula could previously castle near Berlin were partly destroyed, partly captured, and partly remained at the mouth of the Vistula in an “armed prisoner of war camp.” In essence, the Soviet command put into practice the principle of “hitting the enemy piecemeal.” Now it was the turn of the 9th Army.
As a result of the March battles and the subsequent regrouping, the strength of the defense built on the Oder front was to be tested by 70 rifle divisions concentrated on a rather narrow 172-km front. Of these, 36 divisions were concentrated on a 41-km front in the direction of the main attack.
The tank armies of the 1st Belorussian Front were to play a key role in the upcoming operation. The effectiveness of their actions largely depended on whether the Oder front would become a meat grinder like Rzhev or whether Soviet units would burst into the streets of Berlin. The push from the Vistula to the Oder and intense fighting on the flanks inevitably led to a significant decrease in the number of combat-ready combat vehicles in both tank armies of the 1st Belorussian Front. In addition to combat losses, the tanks simply wore out. For a new battle, reinforcements were required. 1st Guards tank army M.E. Katukova received 200 T-34–85, 43 IS-2, 20 ISU-122, 27 SU-100 and 21 SU-76 tanks for completion before the start of the Berlin operation. From among the tanks of the initial composition of the army to further exploitation After repairs, a total of 92 T-34–85, 14 SU-85 and 18 SU-76 were allowed. By April 14, 1945, as part of the 1st Guards. The tank army had 292 T-34–85, 42 IS-2, 21 ISU-122, 14 SU-85, 27 SU-100, 39 SU-76 and 70 SU-57. Thus, the army was provided with tanks by 60%. As we will see later, two-thirds of the staff was typical for Soviet tank armies in the Berlin operation. The completeness of T-34 tanks at 104% before the Vistula-Oder operation was left far behind. From April 14, 1st Guards. The tank army was subordinated to the 11th tank corps I.I. Yushchuk, who at the beginning of the operation had 151 T-34 tanks in service (plus 20 under repair), 21 IS-2, 6 SU-85, 14 SU-100 and 21 SU-76. None of the brigades of the I.I. Corps. Yushchuk did not have the standard number of tanks (65 units). 20th tank brigade had 39 tanks, the 36th tank brigade - 52, the 65th tank brigade - 48. Katukov's army became a three-corps, which was also a kind of standard for the Berlin operation.
End of free trial
participated in the battles near Spas-Demensk and Yelnya, on the fields of the Smolensk region, Belarus and the Baltic states in East Prussia, stormed the fortified city of Königsberg, on the Zemland Peninsula.
Military unit armed forces USSR in the Great Patriotic War.
Story
Full name
Formed in Moscow in February 1943 as 7th Guards Mortar Division(by order of the NPO as 7th Heavy Guards Mortar Division).
The brigades were armed with launchers for heavy high-explosive rockets M-ZO (since 1944 and M-31); on the shelves - jet systems M-13 (Katyusha). Until July 1943, the personnel were engaged in combat and political training.
Battle path
In July, the division was included in the 5th Artillery Breakthrough Corps and transferred to the Western Front. As part of this front (from April 24, 1944, the 3rd Belorussian) it operated until the end of the war. The division fired its first salvos during artillery preparation on August 7, 1943, at the defense centers of the Nazi troops in the Smolensk operation. During this operation, the division, in cooperation with other artillery formations and units, supported the troops of the 33rd and 10th armies in breaking through enemy defenses in tactical and operational depth, with powerful salvoes it ensured the entry into battle of 2 echelons and mobile formations, as well as repelling enemy counterattacks.
In October-December 1943, she participated in the offensive of the Western Front troops in the Orsha and Vitebsk directions. The mortar guards acted skillfully in the summer of 1944 in the Belarusian offensive operation. With their powerful and accurate fire they crushed the heavily fortified enemy defenses in the offensive zones of the 5th and 11th guards armies in the Bogushevsky and Orsha directions, they crushed the enemy while crossing the Berezina and Neman rivers with the troops of these armies, repelling counterattacks and counterattacks and developing an offensive towards the borders of East Prussia.
For its distinction during the capture of the city of Kovno (Kaunas) by the troops of the 5th Army, the division was awarded the honorary name “Kovno” (August 12, 1944).
For exemplary performance of command assignments upon entry into East Prussia and the valor and courage demonstrated by its soldiers was awarded the Order of Suvorov, 2nd degree (November 14, 1944).
In the East Prussian offensive operation of 1945, the division, together with other formations of the 5th Artillery Corps, participated in breaking through heavily fortified defensive lines in the Insterburg direction, in destroying the enemy group south of Königsberg (Kaliningrad), and in the assault on the city and fortress of Königsberg. In April 1945, its units participated in the liquidation of the group on the Zemland Peninsula. For the skillful fulfillment of command tasks during the breakthrough of the enemy’s defenses in East Prussia and the courage and courage shown by the personnel, the division was awarded the Order of the Red Banner (February 19, 1945),
For exemplary actions during mastery Soviet troops Heiligenbeil (Mamonov) - Order of Kutuzov, 2nd degree (April 26, 1945).
For military exploits, about 4 thousand soldiers of the division were awarded orders and medals.
Compound
It included the 317th, 325th, 326th, 328th Guards Mortar Regiments, the 26th and 27th Heavy Guards Mortar Brigades. Subsequently, the composition of the division changed several times.
Subordination
As part of the troops of the 3rd Belorussian Front
Commanders
From the moment of its formation until the end of the war, the division was commanded by Colonel, from March 1, 1943, Major General of Artillery K. D. Karsanov.
Awards and titles
| Award (name) | date | What was it for? |
|---|---|---|
| 1943 | guards during formation | |
| honorary title "Kovenskaya" | 12.08.1944 | For distinction in battles during the liberation of Kyiv, the division was given an honorary name "Kievskaya" |
| 19.02.1945 | For the skillful fulfillment of command assignments when breaking through enemy defenses in East Prussia and the courage and courage shown by the personnel, she was awarded the Order of the Red Banner | |
| 14.02.1944 | For the exemplary fulfillment of command tasks during the entry into East Prussia and the valor and courage demonstrated by its soldiers, she was awarded the Order of Suvorov, 2nd degree. | |
| 26.04.1945 | for exemplary actions during the capture of the city of Heiligenbeil (Mamonov) by Soviet troops - Order of Kutuzov, 2nd degree |
Distinguished warriors
For heroism shown in battles, about 4 thousand soldiers of the division were awarded orders and medals
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Notes
Literature
- Prev. Ch. ed. Commission N.V. Ogarkov. Soviet Military Encyclopedia: [In 8 volumes] Vol.4. = “Kove Mortar Division.” - Moscow: Voenizdat, 1977. - P. 656 p.
- List No. 6 of cavalry, tank, airborne divisions and directorates of artillery, anti-aircraft artillery, mortar, aviation and fighter divisions that were part of the Active Army during the Great Patriotic War Patriotic War 1941-1945
- Rocket artillery in the Great Patriotic War "Military Historical Journal" No. 1 1966
- Kolesnikov P.V., Fire Hurricane, K., 1979.
Links
Excerpt characterizing the 7th Guards Mortar Division
- And there is Marya Nikolaevna. “They went into the garden, when these wolves swooped in,” the woman said, pointing at the French soldiers.“Oh, Lord have mercy,” the deacon added again.
- You go over there, they are there. She is. “I kept getting upset and crying,” the woman said again. - She is. Here it is.
But Pierre did not listen to the woman. For several seconds now, without taking his eyes off, he looked at what was happening a few steps away from him. He looked at the Armenian family and two French soldiers who approached the Armenians. One of these soldiers, a small, fidgety man, was dressed in a blue overcoat belted with a rope. He had a cap on his head and his feet were bare. The other, who especially struck Pierre, was a long, stooped, blond, thin man with slow movements and an idiotic expression on his face. This one was dressed in a frieze hood, blue trousers and large torn boots. A little Frenchman, without boots, in a blue hiss, approached the Armenians, immediately, saying something, took hold of the old man’s legs, and the old man immediately began hastily to take off his boots. The other, in a hood, stopped opposite the beautiful Armenian woman and silently, motionless, holding his hands in his pockets, looked at her.
“Take, take the child,” said Pierre, handing over the girl and addressing the woman imperiously and hastily. - Give it to them, give it to them! - he shouted almost at the woman, putting the screaming girl on the ground, and again looked back at the French and the Armenian family. The old man was already sitting barefoot. The little Frenchman took off his last boot and clapped the boots one against the other. The old man, sobbing, said something, but Pierre only caught a glimpse of it; all his attention was turned to the Frenchman in the hood, who at that time, slowly swaying, moved towards the young woman and, taking his hands out of his pockets, grabbed her neck.
The beautiful Armenian woman continued to sit in the same motionless position, with her long eyelashes lowered, and as if she did not see or feel what the soldier was doing to her.
While Pierre ran the few steps that separated him from the French, a long marauder in a hood was already tearing the necklace she was wearing from the Armenian woman’s neck, and the young woman, clutching her neck with her hands, screamed in a shrill voice.
– Laissez cette femme! [Leave this woman!] - Pierre croaked in a frantic voice, grabbing the long, hunched soldier by the shoulders and throwing him away. The soldier fell, got up and ran away. But his comrade, throwing away his boots, took out a cleaver and menacingly advanced on Pierre.
- Voyons, pas de betises! [Oh well! Don’t be stupid!] – he shouted.
Pierre was in that rapture of rage in which he remembered nothing and in which his strength increased tenfold. He rushed at the barefoot Frenchman and, before he could take out his cleaver, he had already knocked him down and was hammering at him with his fists. An approving cry from the surrounding crowd was heard, and at the same time a mounted patrol of French lancers appeared around the corner. The lancers trotted up to Pierre and the Frenchman and surrounded them. Pierre did not remember anything of what happened next. He remembered that he had beaten someone, he had been beaten, and that in the end he felt that his hands were tied, that a crowd of French soldiers was standing around him and searching his dress.
“Il a un poignard, lieutenant, [Lieutenant, he has a dagger,”] were the first words that Pierre understood.
- Ah, une arme! [Ah, weapons!] - said the officer and turned to the barefoot soldier who was taken with Pierre.
“C"est bon, vous direz tout cela au conseil de guerre, [Okay, okay, you’ll tell everything at the trial," said the officer. And after that he turned to Pierre: “Parlez vous francais vous?” [Do you speak French? ]
Pierre looked around him with bloodshot eyes and did not answer. His face probably seemed very scary, because the officer said something in a whisper, and four more lancers separated from the team and stood on both sides of Pierre.
– Parlez vous francais? – the officer repeated the question to him, staying away from him. - Faites venir l "interprete. [Call an interpreter.] - A small man in a Russian civilian dress came out from behind the rows. Pierre, by his attire and speech, immediately recognized him as a Frenchman from one of the Moscow shops.
“Il n"a pas l"air d"un homme du peuple, [He doesn’t look like a commoner," said the translator, looking at Pierre.
– Oh, oh! ca m"a bien l"air d"un des incendiaires," the officer blurred. "Demandez lui ce qu"il est? [Oh, oh! he looks a lot like an arsonist. Ask him who he is?] he added.
- Who are you? – asked the translator. “The authorities must answer,” he said.
– Je ne vous dirai pas qui je suis. Je suis votre prisonnier. Emmenez moi, [I won't tell you who I am. I am your prisoner. Take me away,” Pierre suddenly said in French.
- Ah, Ah! – the officer said, frowning. - Marchons!
A crowd gathered around the lancers. Closest to Pierre stood a pockmarked woman with a girl; When the detour started moving, she moved forward.
-Where are they taking you, my darling? - she said. - This girl, what am I going to do with this girl, if she’s not theirs! - the woman said.
– Qu"est ce qu"elle veut cette femme? [What does she want?] - asked the officer.
Pierre looked like he was drunk. His ecstatic state intensified even more at the sight of the girl he had saved.
“Ce qu"elle dit?” he said. “Elle m”apporte ma fille que je viens de sauver des flammes,” he said. - Adieu! [What does she want? She is carrying my daughter, whom I saved from the fire. Farewell!] - and he, not knowing how this aimless lie escaped him, walked with a decisive, solemn step among the French.
The French patrol was one of those that were sent by order of Duronel to various streets of Moscow to suppress looting and especially to capture the arsonists, who, according to the general opinion that emerged that day among the French of the highest ranks, were the cause of the fires. Having traveled around several streets, the patrol picked up five more suspicious Russians, one shopkeeper, two seminarians, a peasant and a servant, and several looters. But of all the suspicious people, Pierre seemed the most suspicious of all. When they were all brought to spend the night in big house on Zubovsky Val, in which a guardhouse was established, Pierre was placed separately under strict guard.
In St. Petersburg at this time, in the highest circles, with greater fervor than ever, there was a complex struggle between the parties of Rumyantsev, the French, Maria Feodorovna, the Tsarevich and others, drowned out, as always, by the trumpeting of the court drones. But calm, luxurious, concerned only with ghosts, reflections of life, St. Petersburg life went on as before; and because of the course of this life, it was necessary to make great efforts to recognize the danger and the difficult situation in which the Russian people found themselves. There were the same exits, balls, the same French theater, the same interests of the courts, the same interests of service and intrigue. Only in the highest circles were efforts made to recall the difficulty of the present situation. It was told in whispers how the two empresses acted opposite to each other in such difficult circumstances. Empress Maria Feodorovna, concerned about the welfare of the charitable and educational institutions under her jurisdiction, made an order to send all institutions to Kazan, and the things of these institutions were already packed. Empress Elizaveta Alekseevna, when asked what orders she wanted to make, with her characteristic Russian patriotism, deigned to answer that she could not make orders about state institutions, since this concerned the sovereign; about the same thing that personally depends on her, she deigned to say that she will be the last to leave St. Petersburg.
The starting point for the birth of individual mortar units was the adoption of 120-mm mortars in 1938, on their basis the first separate mortar battalions were formed and by June 1941 there were already 8 such battalions of the following structure:
Headquarters (30 people)
3 mortar batteries (each 90 people) 12 120 mm mortars
Motor transport company (50 people)
Total: 36 120 mm mortars
A distinctive feature of such a minbat was complete motorization; each mortar crew was provided with a truck. During 1941, another 11 such battalions were formed. And although during 1942 minbats were formed on various fronts, they soon ceased to exist separately.
In January 1942, units of a new level were created - mortar regiments. Initially they looked like this:
Headquarters
Medium Mortar Battalion
4 mortar batteries
4 82 mm mortars
Heavy Mortar Battalion
4 mortar batteries
4 120 mm mortars
Total: 800 people, 16 82 mm mortars, 16 120 mm mortars, 273 horses, 116 carts, 14 cars
These were not motorized units. The combination of mortars of various calibers in practice turned out to be not very successful and on 04/19/1942 new staff of the mine regiments, motorized and horse-drawn, were approved:
Headquarters
3 mortar battalions
3 mortar batteries
4 120 mm mortars
Total: 848 people, 36 120 mm mortars, 135 vehicles
Headquarters
5 mortar batteries
4 120 mm mortars
Total: 477 people, 20 120 mm mortars, 252 horses, 91 carts, 7 cars
The production of mortars was quite cheap and simple, so during 1942 209 regiments of these states were formed - 52 mixed, 126 horse-drawn and 31 motorized.
In 1943, many horse-drawn regiments were reorganized into motorized ones, and 21 motorized and 9 horse-drawn regiments were additionally created.
In mid-1943, the motorized mine regiments were reduced: one battalion was removed, but the number of mortars in the battery was increased to 6 (2 platoons of 3 mortars each). The number of mortars remained the same, but the personnel was reduced to 597 people.
Another type of mortar units were mortar brigades, formed since 1942 as part of artillery divisions. In some military districts there were temporary ministries used to train personnel of mortar regiments.
The first separate Ministry of Defense appeared only in April 1943. It consisted of:
Headquarters
4 mortar regiments
38 120 mm mortars
Total: 144 120 mm mortars
By the end of 1943, there were already 11 such brigades, although by the end of 1944 their number was reduced to 6, due to the transfer of some brigades to new artillery divisions.
Subsequently, heavy mortar brigades were created, armed with new 160 mm mortars. Two of these brigades were created in 1944 and two in early 1945. The separate heavy mortar brigade corresponded in structure to that of the later artillery divisions:
Headquarters
4 mortar battalions
8 160 mm mortars
Total: 32 160 mm mortars
One of the varieties of mortar units were mountain mortar regiments. The first four of them were formed in November-December 1942 and nine more in 1943-44. (reformation of existing horse-drawn mines). The mountain mortar regiment had the following structure.
participated in the Battles of Stalingrad and Kursk, the liberation of Left and Right Bank Ukraine, Poland, and in the Berlin and Prague offensive operations.
3rd Guards Mortar Division - military unit armed forces of the USSR in the Great Patriotic War participated in Battle of Stalingrad, liberation of Ukraine and Poland, Berlin and Prague offensive operations.
Story
Full name
Compound
3rd Heavy Guards Mortar Division - 6th and 7th Heavy Guards Mortar Brigades M-30, 313, 314, 315 and 316th Guards Mortar Regiments M-13.
Subordination
As part of the troops of the Don, Bryansk, and from August 1943 the Voronezh (from October 20, 1943 - the 1st Ukrainian) fronts. On June 1, 1943, the 3rd Guards Mortar Division was part of the 2nd Breakthrough Artillery Corps.
Commanders
- Colonel, since January 1943, Major General of Artillery V. G. Solovyov (1942 - 43),
- Colonel, since November 1944, Major General P.V. Kolesnikov (1943 - 45).
Awards and titles
| Award (name) | date | What was it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Soviet Guard | 03/18/43 | For the courage, perseverance, discipline and heroism of the personnel demonstrated in the battles of the Battle of Stalingrad, it was transformed into guards |
| honorary title "Kyiv" | 31.08.1943 | For distinction in battles during the liberation of Kyiv, the division was given an honorary name "Kievskaya" |
| Order of the Red Banner | 09.02.1944 | For the successful completion of command assignments in the Zhitomir-Berdichev, Korsun-Shevchenko and Proskurov-Chernivtsi offensive operations, she was awarded the Order of the Red Banner |
| Order of Kutuzov, II degree | 28.05.1945 | For exemplary performance of command tasks during the capture of Lviv, the division was awarded Order of Kutuzov 2nd degree |
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05.04.1945 | For the exemplary performance of combat missions during the breakthrough of the defense of the Nazi troops during the crossing of the river. Oder was awarded Order of Bohdan Khmelnitsky, 2nd degree |
Distinguished warriors
For heroism shown in battles, several thousand soldiers of the division were awarded orders and medals, and two were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union:
- 10px Dudarenko, Andrey Emelyanovich, guard major, deputy commander for combat unit of the 15th Guards Mortar Brigade;
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Notes
Literature
- Prev. Ch. ed. Commission N.V. Ogarkov. Soviet Military Encyclopedia: [In 8 volumes] Vol.4. = "Kyiv Mortar Division". - Moscow: Voenizdat, 1977. - P. 656 p.
- List No. 6 of cavalry, tank, airborne divisions and directorates of artillery, anti-aircraft artillery, mortar, aviation and fighter divisions that were part of the Active Army during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.
- Rocket artillery in the Great Patriotic War "Military Historical Journal" No. 1 1966
- Kolesnikov P.V., Fire Hurricane, K., 1979.
Links
Excerpt characterizing the 3rd Guards Mortar Division
Somehow shaking off the surging sadness, I forced myself to think about Karaffa. Such thoughts immediately sobered me up and forced me to gather myself internally, since I perfectly understood that this “peace” was just a temporary respite...But to my greatest surprise, Caraffa still did not appear...
Days passed and anxiety grew. I tried to come up with some explanations for his absence, but, unfortunately, nothing serious came to mind... I felt that he was preparing something, but I could not guess what. Exhausted nerves gave way. And in order not to completely go crazy from waiting, I started walking around the palace every day. I was not forbidden to go out, but it was also not approved, therefore, not wanting to continue being locked up, I decided for myself that I would go for a walk... despite the fact that perhaps someone would not like it. The palace turned out to be huge and unusually rich. The beauty of the rooms amazed the imagination, but personally I could never live in such eye-catching luxury... The gilding of the walls and ceilings was oppressive, infringing on the craftsmanship of the amazing frescoes, suffocating in the sparkling environment of golden tones. I paid tribute with pleasure to the talent of the artists who painted this wonderful home, admiring their creations for hours and sincerely admiring the finest craftsmanship. So far no one has bothered me, no one has ever stopped me. Although there were always some people who, having met, bowed respectfully and moved on, each rushing about his own business. Despite such false “freedom,” all this was alarming, and everyone new day brought more and more anxiety. This “calm” could not last forever. And I was almost sure that it would definitely “give birth” to some terrible and painful misfortune for me...
In order to think as little as possible about the bad, every day I forced myself to explore the stunning Papal Palace more deeply and carefully. I was interested in the limits of my capabilities... There must have been a “forbidden” place somewhere, where “strangers” were not allowed to enter?.. But, strangely enough, so far it has not been possible to provoke any “reaction” from the guards... I was freely allowed to walk wherever I wanted, of course, without leaving the palace itself.
So, completely freely walking around the home of the Holy Pope, I racked my brains, not imagining what this inexplicable, long “break” meant. I knew for sure that Caraffa was very often in his chambers. Which meant only one thing: he had not yet gone on long trips. But for some reason he still didn’t bother me, as if he had sincerely forgotten that I was in his captivity and that I was still alive...
During my “walks” I met many different, wonderful visitors who came to visit the Holy Pope. These were cardinals and some very high-ranking persons unfamiliar to me (which I judged by their clothes and how proudly and independently they behaved with the others). But after they left the Pope’s chambers, all these people no longer looked as confident and independent as they had before visiting the reception... After all, for Caraffa, as I already said, it didn’t matter who the person standing in front of him was, the only important one for the Pope it was HIS WILL. And nothing else mattered. Therefore, I very often saw very “shabby” visitors, fussily trying to leave the “biting” Papal chambers as quickly as possible...
On one of the same, absolutely identical “gloomy” days, I suddenly decided to do something that had been haunting me for a long time - to finally visit the ominous Papal cellar... I knew that this was probably “fraught with consequences,” but the anticipation of danger was a hundred times worse than the danger itself.
And I decided...
Going down the narrow stone steps and opening the heavy, sadly familiar door, I found myself in a long, damp corridor that smelled of mold and death... There was no lighting, but moving further was not a big deal, since I always had a good sense of direction In the dark. Many small, very heavy doors sadly alternated one after another, completely lost in the depths of the gloomy corridor... I remembered these gray walls, I remembered the horror and pain that accompanied me every time I had to return from there... But I ordered myself to be strong and don't think about the past. She told me to just go.
Finally, the creepy corridor ended... Having looked carefully into the darkness, at the very end I immediately recognized the narrow iron door behind which my innocent husband had once died so brutally... my poor Girolamo. And behind which eerie human groans and screams were usually heard... But that day for some reason the usual sounds were not heard. Moreover, behind all the doors there was a strange, dead silence... I almost thought that Karaffa had finally come to his senses! But she immediately caught herself - Dad was not one of those who calmed down or suddenly became kinder. It’s just that, at the beginning, he brutally tortured him in order to find out what he wanted, later he apparently completely forgot about his victims, leaving them (like waste material!) at the “mercy” of the executioners who tormented them...
Carefully approaching one of the doors, I quietly pressed the handle - the door did not budge. Then I began to feel it blindly, hoping to find an ordinary bolt. The hand came across a huge key. Turning it, the heavy door crawled inside with a grinding sound... Carefully entering the torture room, I felt for the extinguished torch. There was no flint, to my great regret.
“Look a little to the left...” a weak, exhausted voice suddenly rang out.
I shuddered in surprise - there was someone in the room!.. Fumbling along the left wall with my hand, I finally found what I was looking for... In the light of a lit torch, large, wide-open, cornflower blue eyes were shining right in front of me... Leaning against the cold stone wall, sat an exhausted man, chained with wide iron chains... Unable to get a good look at his face, I brought the fire closer and recoiled in surprise - on the dirty straw, all smeared with his own blood, sat... a cardinal! And by his rank, I immediately understood that he was one of the highest-ranking, closest to the Holy Pope. What prompted the “holy father” to treat his possible successor so cruelly?!.. Did Caraffa even treat “his own” with the same cruelty?..
– Are you very ill, Your Eminence? “How can I help you?” I asked, looking around in confusion.
I was looking for at least a sip of water to give the unfortunate man a drink, but there was no water anywhere.
“Look in the wall... There’s a door... They keep wine there for themselves...”, as if guessing my thoughts, the man whispered quietly.
I found the indicated cabinet - there was indeed a bottle stored there, which smelled of mold and cheap, sour wine. The man did not move, I carefully lifted him by the chin, trying to give him a drink. The stranger was still quite young, about forty to forty-five. And very unusual. He resembled a sad angel, tortured by animals who called themselves “men”... His face was very thin and delicate, but very regular and pleasant. And on this strange face, like two stars, bright cornflower blue eyes glowed with inner strength... For some reason, he seemed familiar to me, but I just couldn’t remember where and when I could have met him.
The stranger groaned quietly.
- Who are you, Monseigneur? How can I help you? – I asked again.
“My name is Giovanni... you don’t need to know anything else, Madonna...” the man said hoarsely. -Who are you? How did you get here?
- Oh, it's very long and sad story... – I smiled. “My name is Isidora, and you don’t need to know any more, Monseigneur...
- Do you know how to leave here, Isidora? – the cardinal smiled in response. - Somehow you ended up here?
“Unfortunately, they don’t leave here so easily,” I answered sadly. “My husband couldn’t, at least... And my father only reached the fire.”
Giovanni looked at me very sadly and nodded, showing that he understood everything. I tried to give him the wine I found, but nothing worked - he was unable to take even the slightest sip. Having “looked” at him in my own way, I realized that the poor fellow’s chest was badly damaged.
At the end of 1941, one of those miracles that never ceases to amaze the world happened. Defeated, bloodless, almost completely destroyed, the Red Army seemed to rise from the dead, first throwing the Wehrmacht back from Moscow, then defeating Paulus’s army at Stalingrad and finally intercepting strategic initiative V Battle of Kursk, which predetermined the outcome of the war.
A new book by an authoritative military historian dedicated to these events is not an ordinary chronicle of military operations, more than an ordinary description of the battles of 1941 - 1943. In his landmark study, leading American specialist did something that none of his colleagues had dared to do before - he conducted a comprehensive analysis of the Soviet war machine and her work in the first years of the war, revealing the mechanics of the “Russian military miracle”.
Encyclopedic in its coverage of material, unprecedented in its accuracy and depth of analysis, this work has already been recognized as a classic.
Having studied the huge volume of archival documents, assessing combat capabilities and the tactics of both sides, the balance of forces on the Soviet-German front and the style of warfare, David Glantz examines in detail the process of accumulation of combat experience by the Red Army, which allowed it to first catch up with the enemy and then surpass the Wehrmacht, which was considered invincible.
This fundamental work debunks many myths existing in both German and American historiography. Glantz irrefutably proves that the decisive victory over Germany was won precisely on the Eastern Front and was by no means accidental, that the outcome of the war was decided not by “generals Mud and Frost”, not by the stupidity and incompetence of Hitler (who was in fact an outstanding strategist), but by the increased the skill of the Soviet command and the courage, dedication and steadfastness of the Russian soldier.
Note 1: Due to the low quality of the original scan, the tables are left with pictures.
Rocket artillery (Guards mortars)
The formation of the Soviet rocket and artillery forces began soon after the start of the war. The first batteries of BM-13 installations were created in July, five more at the beginning of August, and two more at the end of this month. In August and September, the first eight regiments were formed on BM-8 or BM-13 installations, all of them immediately went into battle. At the end of August, the NKO began to consolidate individual missile batteries into separate divisions, designating the first two as numbers 42 and 43.
The first experimental rocket and artillery batteries consisted of three firing platoons with seven truck-mounted BM-13 launch systems and one 122 mm howitzer for placement fire. In addition to them, the battery had a headquarters platoon, a small supply and logistics service, as well as 44 trucks capable of transporting 600 missiles, three fuel stations and a seven-day supply of rations. Each battery could fire 112 M-13 missiles filled with high explosives in one salvo. However, combat experience showed that individual missile batteries, numbering from 6 to 9 BM-13 installations, were difficult to control in combat, the density of their fire did not cause significant damage to the enemy, and the 122-mm howitzer turned out to be essentially useless. Therefore, on August 8, the Headquarters ordered the NPO to begin the formation of eight new rocket artillery regiments, equipped with both BM-13 and lighter BM-8 launchers.
These new staff regiments, which the NKO called Guards Mortar Regiments, consisted of three battalions of M-13 or M-8 mounts, each of which had three firing batteries of four mounts, as well as anti-aircraft division and a small rear service. The total strength of the regiment was 36 Katyushas. In a full salvo, the BM-8 regiment fired 576 82 mm caliber rockets at the enemy, each carrying 1.4 pounds of explosives, and the BM-13 regiment fired 1,296 132 mm caliber rockets, each carrying 10.8 pounds of explosives. These rocket launchers, although not very accurate, were ideal for covering wide areas with massive, intense, albeit not very accurate, fire. When they were fired at night, the terrible howl, the impressive flashes and the indiscriminate fire raining down on the enemy's heads struck fear into the heart of the enemy.
The NKO formed these new units very quickly, sending a total of nine regiments to the fronts by the end of September. These regiments were organized by the 1st Moscow Red Banner Artillery School, and later by the Moscow and Kazan centers for the formation of guards mortar units. On September 8, the State Defense Committee created the position of commander of the guards mortar forces with the rank of deputy People's Commissar Defense, as well as the Main Directorate of Guards Mortar Units subordinate to it within the structure of the NPO. Later, in October and November, 14 guards mortar regiments and 19 separate divisions were created.
During the chaotic and often desperate fighting between the Battle of Smolensk and the Battle of Moscow from September to November, front and army commanders used their rocket launchers, scattering them along the entire front and thereby negating their potential combat impact. As a result, the Headquarters ordered the active fronts to create operational groups from them to increase the combat effectiveness of guards mortar units and demanded that all active armies by January 11, 1942, do the same. However, these measures failed to solve the problem. Worse, in November-December, the NKO disbanded 9 of the 14 guards mortar regiments and created instead 28 separate divisions with two batteries each, thereby further reducing the combat effectiveness of these troops. As a result, by the end of the year, the structure of the Red Army included eight regiments of guards mortars and 73 separate divisions of guards mortars.
Some measures to more effectively concentrate the missile forces were finally taken on January 14, 1942, four days after the Stavka issued its famous directive of January 10, which sharply criticized the combat performance of the Red Army artillery during the counteroffensive near Moscow and demanded that of all active fronts and armies to use artillery in all future offensive operations, concentrating it in “artillery offensives”. After this, the NKO formed 20 new regiments of BM-8 and BM-13 guard mortars, capable of firing 384 M-13 or M-8 missiles in one salvo. These regiments consisted of three divisions of two batteries each with a total strength of 20 launchers. In addition, on February 25, the State Defense Committee ordered the NKO to organize the production of another 1,215 launchers, including 405 BM-8 and 810 BM-13, equipping 50 more regiments with them from March to May. Soon after this, weapons designers were tasked with starting the development of two more types of missiles - the 132 mm M-20 and the 300 mm M-30.
These measures led to an increase in the number of guards mortar regiments in the Red Army from 8 on January 1, 1942 to 70 on July 1, of which 57 regiments were part of the active fronts on June 26. However, the number of guards mortar divisions during the same period decreased from 74 to 42, as many of them were transferred to the newly created tank, mechanized and cavalry corps.
On June 4, the Guards Mortar Troops were again reorganized to provide more effective support to the Red Army forces during the summer-autumn campaign. The anti-aircraft platoons of these regiments were replaced by full batteries with four 37 mm guns each. At the same time, the NKO formed 20 new separate heavy guard mortar divisions, equipped with more powerful launchers with 300-mm M-30 missiles. These heavy divisions consisted of a headquarters and three firing batteries, with a total of 32 launchers of four missiles each. The new 300mm rocket shells carried 64 pounds of explosives, and one new battalion could fire 384 rockets in one salvo over a distance of 1.74 miles. By July 1, 1942, the Red Army's guards mortar forces included 70 regiments and 52 separate guards mortar divisions, including several M-30 divisions.
In July, after the start of the summer campaign, the NKO formed another 44 separate divisions of M-30 guard mortars with two firing batteries of 24 launchers each - a total of 48 launchers, which could fire volleys of 288 missiles. He also began to consolidate new heavy Guards mortar divisions into heavy Guards mortar regiments, each consisting of four heavy Guards mortar battalions, and by September 1942 had formed two such regiments. On October 1, the Red Army had 79 regiments of guards mortars with M-8 and M-13 installations, 77 separate M-30 divisions and 36 separate M-8 and M-13 divisions, with a total strength of 350 divisions.
Guards mortars played only a limited role in defensive battles during the German Operation Blau, but GHQ assigned them a much more significant role in the November 1942 offensives in the Rzhev and Stalingrad areas. For example, it allocated 103 missile divisions, including 47 M-30 divisions, to the Western and Kalinin fronts for use in Operation Mars, and to the Southwestern, Don, Stalingrad and Transcaucasian fronts for use in Operations Uranus and Saturn. - 130 divisions, including 20 M-30 divisions.
On the eve of these new offensives, increased production rocket launchers allowed the formation of brigades and divisions of guards mortars, First, before the start offensive operations, the headquarters of guards mortar units and operational groups of guards mortars as part of the operating fronts formed ten heavy brigades of guards mortars, each of which consisted of five heavy M-30 regiments, but had a reduced logistics service.
After the start of the November operations, the NKO, in accordance with the Headquarters directive of November 26, ordered its Directorate of Guards Mortar Units to form three new heavy guards mortar divisions by January 10, 1943, and a little later - a fourth. They received numbers from 1 to 4. Such a division consisted of a headquarters, two heavy brigades of M-30 guard mortars, which in turn were subdivided into six M-30 divisions, four M-13 regiments and fire control units. In total, the division had 576 M-30 launchers and 96 BM-13 vehicles, capable of unleashing 3,840 missiles (2,304 M-30 and 1,536 M-13) or 230 tons of explosives on the enemy in one salvo. At the same time, the NKO reorganized the heavy brigades of the M-30 Guards mortars into divisions according to a similar model.
In December 1942, the NKO formed 11 new brigades of M-30 Guards mortars and 47 new regiments of M-13 Guards mortars, increasing the total number of Guards mortar troops to four divisions, 11 brigades, 91 separate regiments and 51 divisions by January 1, 1943. By this time, a new M-31 missile launcher had also been developed, which had more power than the M-30. The firing range increased to 4325 meters, and the burst diameter to 7-8 meters. Since the beginning of 1943, this installation was produced in huge quantities.
The NPO's efforts to increase the power and quantity of its rocket artillery did not weaken in 1943. Already in January-February, three more guards mortar divisions were formed - the 5th, 6th and 7th. More powerful and better controlled than their predecessors, these divisions consisted of three M-30 or M-31 heavy brigades, in turn subdivided into four divisions with three batteries each, for a total strength of 864 launchers. While the brigade was capable of firing 1,152 missiles in one salvo, the division could unleash 3,456 missiles from 864 missile launchers on the enemy in one devastating salvo - 474 missiles less than the former division, but with a total combat weight of 320 tons, i.e. 90 tons more than before. At the same time, the NKO approved a new uniform organization of regiments of guards mortars M-13 and M-8, attached to tank armies, tank, mechanized and cavalry corps.
Based on combat experience winter campaign, the GKO, by order of April 29, 1943, ordered the centralization of artillery fire as part of its “artillery offensive” concept. At the same time, the commander of the guards mortar units and his management were transferred under the operational leadership of the commander of the artillery of the Red Army, and the commander of the rocket artillery became the latter’s first deputy, and the chiefs of the guards mortar troops of the operating fronts also became deputy chiefs of the front artillery.
During the second half of 1943, many guards mortar divisions were transferred to the breakthrough artillery corps, but several of them remained outside the operational structures. For example, in July 1943, four of the seven divisions of the RVGK guards mortars were subordinated to the breakthrough artillery corps (2nd - 7th Corps, 3rd - 2nd Corps, 5th - 4th Corps and 7th - 5th Corps), while three (1st, 4th and 6th) remained under front-line subordination or under the direct control of the RVGK.
During this period, regiments and divisions of guards mortars were still the main “cubes” that made up rocket artillery RVGK. The regiment consisted of three divisions with two batteries of four installations each, as well as an anti-aircraft battalion. In turn, the divisions could be light or heavy, the first had eight older and lighter M-8 and M-13 vehicles and minimal air defense, the second had three batteries with 32 four-missile launchers.
By December 31, 1943, the military structure of the Red Army included 7 divisions, 13 brigades, 108 regiments and 6 separate divisions of guards mortars. By this time, when plans for “artillery offensives” were drawn up in support of major operations, representatives of the Headquarters in the troops and commanders of the fronts of the Red Army traditionally included a massive raid of guards mortars directly in the plans for the artillery offensive, and first of all - in the plan for the artillery preparation preceding the general attack. Upon completion of the breakthrough, units of the Guards mortars, subordinate to the tank armies, tank, mechanized and cavalry corps, ensured the development of success and supported the mobile troops throughout the entire offensive.
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