327th Rifle Division (Soviet Union)

Last updated
327th Rifle Division
Active1941–1946
CountryFlag of the Soviet Union (1936-1955).svg  Soviet Union
Branch Red Army
TypeDivision
RoleInfantry
Engagements Siege of Leningrad
Lyuban Offensive Operation
Sinyavino Offensive (1942)
Operation Iskra
Vyborg–Petrozavodsk Offensive
Baltic Offensive
Courland Pocket
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Maj. Gen. Ivan Mikhailovich Antiufeev
Col. Nikolai Antonovich Poliakov
Maj. Gen. Emilyan Vasilevich Kozik

The 327th Rifle Division was first formed in September 1941, as a standard Red Army rifle division, based on a cadre of workers from Voronezh. This formation was assigned to the Volkhov Front near Leningrad, toiling through the so-called "Rat's War" in the wooded swamps of that region and taking significant casualties in the encirclement of its 2nd Shock Army near Lyuban in early 1942. In January 1943, it helped to lead the partial raising of the German siege of Leningrad in Operation Iskra, distinguishing itself sufficiently to be redesignated as the 64th Guards Rifle Division. Well over a year later a second 327th Rifle Division was formed and was also moved to the Leningrad region where it took part in the offensive that drove Finland from the war, then spent the first months of 1945 clearing German forces from the coasts of the Baltic States and containing the German forces trapped in Courland.

Contents

1st Formation

The division first formed on September 1, 1941 in the Oryol Military District [1] at Voronezh, right alongside the 329th Rifle Division. It was manned primarily by workers from that city, and when it reached the front it was considered well-trained by the standards of the time. [2] Col. Ivan Mikhailovich Antiufeev was appointed to command the division on the day it began forming. Its basic order of battle was as follows:

In late October the division was assigned to 26th Army, which was forming up in the Reserve of the Supreme High Command. This army was assigned to the new Volkhov Front in early December, and redesignated as the 2nd Shock Army on the 17th. [4]

Battles for Leningrad

On January 7, 1942, 2nd Shock Army entered the Lyuban Offensive Operation. The initial attacks collapsed in exhaustion and confusion, and the army commander was replaced. After regrouping, the attack was resumed on the 13th, this time with more effective artillery preparation, which shattered the defenses between two German infantry divisions and caused one of them to panic. Over the following days the army's forces managed to carve small wedges into the enemy positions, but did not penetrate them until the 17th, with the help of more than 1,500 aircraft sorties, and advanced 5 – 10 km. In order to widen the penetration, the 327th was regrouped into Operational Group Korovnikov in 59th Army for a new attack to begin on January 27. The mission was to eliminate German strongpoints at Spasskaya Polist and Lubino Pole along the Leningrad road. While the attack on the former failed, the bulk of the army, over 100,000 men, was able get past and advance as far as 75 km into the German rear, posing a grave threat to their forces in the Lyuban, Chudovo and Kirishi regions. After the mouth of the penetration was widened on February 12, the 327th, as part of a shock group with 46th Rifle Division, 80th Cavalry Division, and two ski battalions, attacked northward towards Lyuban on the 19th, enveloping and capturing Krasnaya Gorka in the process. Lyuban was only 10 km distant. However, on February 27, elements of German I Corps attacked the flanks of the penetration, recaptured Krasnaya Gorka, and encircled the 327th and 80th Cavalry in Ryabovo. Although most of the encircled forces escaped, the Germans claimed 6,000 prisoners by March 15. [5] On May 21, Colonel Antiufeev was promoted to Major General, but a few days later he left the division; his position was taken by Col. F. M. Zhiltzov.

As the ordeal of 2nd Shock Army continued, the remnants of the division, along with 92nd Rifle Division and two rifle brigades, reached and occupied the main defensive line from Ruchi along the Ravan River to Vditsko, Rogavka Station, to Lake Tigoda on May 28, while the army's remaining forces prepared to launch an attack to link up with 59th Army; this attack was set to begin on June 5. This movement was detected by the German forces. On May 30, I Corps and XXXVIII Corps began a joint attack which severed the final link to 2nd Shock late that day, although at considerable cost. A desperate final lunge eastwards by 2nd Shock on June 5 gained little ground. During the following weeks, individual men and small groups of the 327th filtered through the porous German lines, enough that the division could be rebuilt. [6] On July 15 the 87th Cavalry Division, which had also been trapped in the pocket, was officially disbanded, and its remnants were incorporated into the rebuilding 327th. [7] On the same date, Colonel Zhiltzov handed his command over to Lt. Col. Nikolai Antonovich Poliakov, former commander of the 87th Cavalry. This officer was promoted to full colonel on July 25 and would lead the division for the rest of its 1st formation.

During the Third Siniavino Offensive, which began on August 19, the division was employed on a secondary sector, south of the main assault front of 2nd Shock Army. It nevertheless distinguished itself in the first week of September by enveloping and capturing the German strongpoint at Voronovo, on the Naziia River, with the help of 286th Rifle Division; both units dug in late on September 7. On January 12, 1943, Volkhov and Leningrad Fronts launched Operation Iskra, which finally opened a land corridor to the besieged city. The 327th distinguished itself again in this fighting, to the east of Siniavino, and on January 19 was redesignated as the 64th Guards Rifle Division, one of a relative handful of formations to win Guards status in the fighting on the northern sector of the Soviet-German Front. [8]

2nd Formation

After an absence of over a year from the Red Army order of battle, a new 327th Rifle Division was formed on May 1, 1944, in the 60th Army of 1st Ukrainian Front, based on the soldiers and equipment of the 156th Fortified Region. [9] Maj. Gen. Emilyan Vasilevich Kozik was given command, which he would hold until the last weeks of the war. The division included the 154th, 159th, and 162nd Rifle Regiments, and the 355th Artillery Regiment, along with other smaller units. [10] It was initially in 28th Rifle Corps, but later that month was transferred to 94th Rifle Corps. With this corps the division was railed far to the north, where it became part of 7th Army in the Karelian Front in June. When the Svir–Petrozavodsk Offensive began on June 20, the 327th was transferred again, this time to 23rd Army in Leningrad Front; it would remain in this Front for the duration. At the same time it was assigned to 6th Rifle Corps, where it would remain, apart from a brief period at the end of the year, into the postwar. In January 1945, 6th Corps was shifted to 8th Army, clearing the Baltic coast and islands of remaining German troops, and from March to the war's end the division served as part of the Courland Army Group, containing the isolated forces of the former Army Group North. [11] General Kozik left his command to Col. M. A. Rogozin on April 25.

Postwar

Following the German surrender, 6th Rifle Corps was moved to the North Caucasus, with the headquarters established at Stalingrad in August. In October the 327th appears to have been stationed at Kamyshin. [12] In the spring of 1946 the division was disbanded. [13]

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305th Rifle Division (Soviet Union) Military unit

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310th Rifle Division (Soviet Union) Military unit

The 310th Rifle Division was a standard Red Army rifle division formed on July 15, 1941 in Kazakhstan before being sent to the vicinity of Leningrad, where it spent most of the war, sharing a similar combat path with its "sister", the 311th Rifle Division. The soldiers of the division fought until early 1944 to, first, hold open some sort of lifeline to the besieged city, then to break the siege and drive off the besieging German forces. They then participated in the offensive that drove Germany's Finnish allies out of the war. Finally, the division was redeployed to take the fight to the German heartland in the winter and spring of 1945. It ended the war north of Berlin with a very creditable combat record for any rifle division.

The 321st Rifle Division was formed in September 1941, as a standard Red Army rifle division, based on an existing division of militia. This formation had an extremely short career, coming under devastating attack in the north of the Crimea on the day of its redesignation and being officially disbanded just over a month later. A second division began forming in the Transbaikal in February 1942, and served in the defensive and offensive fighting around Stalingrad, eventually distinguishing itself sufficiently to be redesignated as the 82nd Guards Rifle Division. The world had not seen the last of the 321st, however, as a new division was formed from two existing rifle brigades in the spring of 1944, which gave very creditable service for the duration, completing its combat path in northeastern Germany, and serving into the postwar period.

The 325th Rifle Division was formed in September 1941, as a standard Red Army rifle division, made up of older reservists and young men with no prewar training. As with many other divisions in the 320-330 series it was flung into the fighting west of Moscow in the 10th Army to defend the capital and then to take part in the winter counteroffensive. After a year on a quiet sector the division rejoined the fighting in the late winter of 1943, eventually distinguishing itself sufficiently to be redesignated as the 90th Guards Rifle Division. After disappearing from the Soviet order of battle for more than a year a new division was formed in the spring of 1944, based on a cadre of two distinguished rifle brigades, and gave very creditable service for the duration, completing its combat path in East Prussia.

The 378th Rifle Division was an infantry division of the Red Army that began forming in August 1941 in the Siberian Military District, before being sent to the vicinity of Leningrad, where it spent most of the war. The soldiers of this division fought until early 1944 to break the siege and drive off the besieging German forces, distinguishing themselves in the liberation of Novgorod. Finally, the division was redeployed to advance into the Baltic states in 1944 and into East Prussia in the winter of 1945. As the war was ending the 378th was disbanded to provide replacements for other divisions. Nevertheless, it had compiled a very creditable combat record for any rifle division.

311th Rifle Division (Soviet Union) Military unit

The 311th Rifle Division was a standard Red Army rifle division formed on July 14, 1941 at Kirov before being sent to the vicinity of Leningrad, where it spent most of the war, sharing a similar combat path with its "sister", the 310th Rifle Division. The men and women of the division were fully engaged in the struggle for Leningrad until early 1944, fighting in several offensives to drive a lifeline through the German positions to the besieged city, and then to finally drive the besiegers away. When this was accomplished, the division was redeployed to take the fight into the Baltic States in 1944, then into the German heartland in the winter and spring of 1945. It ended the war north of Berlin after compiling a very distinguished record of service.

314th Rifle Division (Soviet Union) Military unit

The 314th Rifle Division was a standard Red Army rifle division formed on July 15, 1941 at Petropavlovsk in northern Kazakhstan, before being sent to the vicinity of Leningrad, in the 7th Separate Army east of Lake Ladoga, facing the Finnish Army in East Karelia for more than a year. In consequence the division saw relatively uneventful service on this mostly quiet front until the autumn of 1942, when it was moved south to face German Army Group North, and took a leading role in Operation Iskra, which finally drove a land corridor through to besieged Leningrad in January 1943; a year later it also served prominently in the offensive that broke the enemy siege for good. During the summer the division played a role in the offensive that drove Finland out of the war. Following this, the 314th spent a few months fighting in the Baltic States, before being reassigned southwards to 1st Ukrainian Front to take the fight into Poland and then into the German heartland in the winter and spring of 1945. It ended the war in Czechoslovakia with a distinguished record of service.

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The 366th Rifle Division was an infantry division of the Red Army during World War II, formed twice.

The 19th Guards Rifle Division was formed from the first formation of the 366th Rifle Division on March 17, 1942. At this time it was in the 52nd Army of Volkhov Front, taking part in the Lyuban Offensive Operation, which was planned to encircle and defeat the enemy forces laying siege to Leningrad. However, just at that time the German 18th Army was in the process of cutting off the Soviet Lyuban grouping in a pocket, and over the following months the division was nearly destroyed. Enough survivors emerged from the swamps in June and July to rebuild the unit, and it fought in the Second Sinyavino Offensive before it was shifted south into Kalinin Front to take part in the battle and siege of Velikiye Luki in December. In the summer of 1943 the 19th Guards fought in the battles for Smolensk, and won its first battle honor, "Rudnya". in September. During the offensive in the summer of 1944 it was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for its successes in the fighting around Vitebsk. It was further honored in February, 1945, with the Order of Lenin for its role in the victories in East Prussia. In the summer the division was moved by rail with its 39th Army to the Far East and saw action in the Soviet invasion of Manchuria in August, winning its second battle honor, "Khingan", for its services. The division continued to see service well into the postwar era.

The 25th Cavalry Division was a mounted division of the Red Army that served for just over a year in the Great Patriotic War. It was formed in the summer of 1941 and served in the region south and west of Leningrad during the following months against the advance of Army Group North during Operation Barbarossa. It survived a German armored counterattack before being pulled back into the reserves in September. In January 1942, it was assigned to the Mobile Group of 2nd Shock Army to take part in the Lyuban Offensive Operation. This offensive aimed to encircle and destroy the German forces besieging Leningrad; in the event, 2nd Shock was itself encircled and forced to break out as individuals and small groups from May into July. The 25th Cavalry was disbanded, and its survivors were used to help rebuild the badly depleted 19th Guards Rifle Division, while the 25th's commanding officer took over the latter division.

The 374th Rifle Division was raised in 1941 as an infantry division of the Red Army, and served for the duration of the Great Patriotic War in that role. It began forming in August, 1941 in the Siberian Military District. It joined the fighting front in December with the new 59th Army along the Volkhov River and it continued to serve in the fighting near Leningrad until early 1944. The dismal fighting on this front gave little opportunity for a unit to distinguish itself, and the division did not finally earn a battle honor until late January, 1944, during the Leningrad–Novgorod Offensive. It continued to serve in the summer and autumn offensive through the Baltic States, becoming so reduced in strength that its remaining infantry was consolidated into a single understrength regiment which nevertheless won a battle honor in the liberation of Riga. The 374th ended the war in Latvia, helping to contain and reduce the German forces trapped in the Courland Pocket, and was disbanded shortly thereafter.

The 376th Rifle Division was raised in 1941 as an infantry division of the Red Army, and served for the duration of the Great Patriotic War in that role. It began forming in August, 1941 in the Siberian Military District. It followed a very similar combat path to that of the 374th Rifle Division. It joined the fighting front in December with the new 59th Army along the Volkhov River and it continued to serve in the battles near Leningrad until early 1944. The division took horrendous casualties in the combat to create and hold open a passage to the 2nd Shock Army during the Lyuban Offensive and was itself partly or fully encircled at several times during this dismal fighting. The division finally left this region as it advanced during the Leningrad–Novgorod Offensive in January 1944 and in July won a battle honor in the liberation of Pskov, while its 1250th Rifle Regiment was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. In October the 376th as a whole would also receive the Red Banner for its part in the liberation of Riga. The division ended the war in Latvia, helping to contain and reduce the German forces trapped in the Courland Pocket, and was reorganized as a rifle brigade shortly thereafter.

377th Rifle Division (Soviet Union) Military unit

The 377th Rifle Division was raised in 1941 as an infantry division of the Red Army, and served for the duration of the Great Patriotic War in that role. It began forming in August, 1941 in the Urals Military District. It followed a very similar combat path to that of the 374th and 376th Rifle Divisions. It joined the fighting front in December with the 4th Army, and then briefly came under command of 2nd Shock Army, but soon moved to the 59th Army along the Volkhov River, and continued to serve in this Army's battles near Leningrad until early 1944. The division took very heavy casualties during the Lyuban Offensive in several attempts to relieve the beleaguered 2nd Shock Army. After rebuilding the division held the Army's bridgehead over the Volkhov during 1943, and finally advanced during the Leningrad–Novgorod Offensive in January, 1944, taking part in the assault that liberated Novgorod. During the spring the division saw heavy fighting in the battles for Narva before moving south for the summer offensive into the Baltic states. In September it won a battle honor in the liberation of Valga, and in October also received the Order of the Red Banner for its part in the liberation of Riga. The division ended the war in Latvia, helping to contain and reduce the German forces trapped in the Courland Pocket, and was disbanded later in 1945.

The 382nd Rifle Division was raised in 1941 as an infantry division of the Red Army, and served for the duration of the Great Patriotic War in that role. It began forming on August 10 in the Siberian Military District. It joined the fighting front in December with the new 59th Army along the Volkhov River. Apart from a few weeks in 1944 the division served in either the Volkhov Front or the Leningrad Front for the entire war. It suffered horrendous casualties after being encircled in the swamps and forests near Lyuban and was severely understrength for many months afterwards while serving on a relatively quiet front. It remained in the line in the dismal fighting near Leningrad until early 1944 with little opportunity to distinguish itself, and the division did not finally earn a battle honor until late January, 1944, during the Leningrad–Novgorod Offensive. Following this the division was moved to the Karelian Isthmus and entered the summer offensive against Finland in the reserves of Leningrad Front before being assigned to the 23rd Army. Following the Finnish surrender it was redeployed westward, helping to mop up pockets of enemy forces in the Baltic states in early 1945. The 382nd ended the war in Latvia, helping to contain and reduce the German forces trapped in the Courland Pocket, and was officially disbanded in February, 1946.

The 225th Rifle Division was an infantry division of the Red Army, formed in December 1941 from the remnants of the pre-war 3rd Tank Division and based on the shtat of July 29, 1941. The 3rd Tank's single rifle regiment was joined by two reserve rifle regiments and its howitzer regiment was converted to a standard artillery regiment. As part of 52nd Army in Volkhov Front it took part in largely local fighting in the Novgorod area, seeing combat in several abortive attempts to retake the city until it finally played a main role in its liberation in January 1944 and received its name as a battle honor.

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Walter S. Dunn, Jr., Stalin's Keys to Victory, Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, PA, 2006, p. 78
  2. ↑ David M. Glantz, The Battle for Leningrad 1941 - 1944, University Press of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, 2002, p. 569
  3. ↑ Charles C. Sharp, "Red Tide", Soviet Rifle Divisions Formed From June to December 1941, Soviet Order of Battle World War II, Vol. IX, Nafziger, 1996, p. 77
  4. ↑ Sharp, "Red Tide", p. 77
  5. ↑ Glantz, Leningrad, pp. 160-68
  6. ↑ Glantz, Leningrad, pp. 202-03
  7. ↑ Sharp, "Red Sabers", Soviet Cavalry Corps, Divisions, and Brigades 1941 to 1945, Soviet Order of Battle World War II, vol. V, Nafziger, 1995, p. 68
  8. ↑ Glantz, Leningrad, pp. 220, 222, 285
  9. ↑ Sharp, "Red Swarm", Soviet Rifle Divisions Formed From 1942 to 1945, Soviet Order of Battle World War II, Vol. X, Nafziger, 1996, p. 123
  10. ↑ Perechen No. 5 Part I
  11. ↑ Sharp, "Red Swarm", pp. 123-24
  12. ↑ "6th Army Corps". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
  13. ↑ Feskov et al 2013, p. 517.

Bibliography

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