82nd Cavalry Division (Soviet Union)

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82nd Cavalry Division 1941–1942
ActiveAugust 1941 – 7 August 1942
CountrySoviet Union
Branch Cavalry
RoleBreakthrough and Exploitation in Deep Operations
SizeDivision

The 82nd Cavalry Division was formed from August to 18 October 1941 in the Sverdlovsk Oblast in the Urals Military District. [1]

Contents

Wartime service

Formed as part of the mass of reservists in the Urals and Siberian Military Districts and used in the winter counteroffensive in 1941–42. The division left the Urals in November and was assigned to the Kalinin Front's 30th Army stationed northwest of Moscow. Seriously short of heavy weapons as well as saddles for it horses the division was assigned the 145th Tank Battalion on 2 December in order to provide some kind of fire support for the division. After a month of fighting the division was assigned to the newly formed 11th Cavalry Corps and spent the rest of the war in the unit. [1]

The 11th Cavalry Corps advanced behind German lines and came close to cutting the German supply lines near Smolensk. The corps and division continued to operate behind enemy lines until June 1942 when German forces cleared them. Most of the corps was destroyed with only remnants escaping. As a result, on 7 August 1942, the division was disbanded with the survivors used to reinforce the 24th Cavalry Division. [1]

Subordinate units [1]

See also

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61st Cavalry Division (Soviet Union)

The 61st Cavalry Division was a cavalry division of the Red Army that served in the first years of the Great Patriotic War. It was formed in September – October, 1941, and saw its first actions to the south of Stalingrad during the German siege of that city in the autumn of 1942. When the Soviet counteroffensive, Operation Uranus, began in November the 61st formed a significant part of the mobile forces of its 51st Army. After the positions of Romanian 4th Army were broken through the division took part in the exploitation to the southwest, but became overextended and vulnerable to the mobile German reinforcements arriving to attempt a breakthrough to their Sixth Army. The 61st suffered such severe losses that it had to be withdrawn to the reserves in December, and was later disbanded.

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The 365th Rifle Division began forming on September 1, 1941, as a standard Red Army rifle division, in the Sverdlovsk Oblast. After forming, it was assigned to the 30th Army of Western Front, served briefly in the defense of Moscow, and played a role in the liberation of Klin, and later in the near-encirclement of the German 9th Army around Rzhev in the winter counteroffensive of 1941-42. In late January, 1942, it was transferred to the 29th Army of Kalinin Front, which was very soon after encircled by German forces near Sychevka, and on March 18 the division was disbanded due to very heavy losses. In November, 1944, a new 365th Rifle Division was formed in the Far Eastern Front, based on the 29th Rifle Brigade, and saw action in the Soviet invasion of Manchuria in August, 1945, being awarded the Order of the Red Banner for its services.

25th Cavalry Division (Soviet Union)

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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Sharp, Charles (1995). "Red Sabers" Soviet Cavalry Corps, Divisions, and Brigades 1941 to 1945. George F. Nafziger.