306th Rifle Division (Soviet Union)

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306th Rifle Division (September 1941 – ?)
306th Rifle Division (16 June 1942 – 1945)
Znamia 306 SD.jpg
A copy of the division's banner in a museum in Dukhovshchina
Active1941–1945
CountryFlag of the USSR (1936-1955).svg  Soviet Union
Branch Red Army flag.svg Red Army
TypeDivision
RoleInfantry
Engagements Battle of Smolensk
Vitebsk-Orsha Offensive
Šiauliai Offensive
Riga Offensive
Courland Pocket
Decorations Order of Red Banner.svg   Order of the Red Banner
Battle honours Ribshevo
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Col. Stepan Ivanovich Chernyak
Col. Georgii Matveevich Kostik
Col. Vasilii Tikhonovich Gnedin
Maj. Gen. Mikhail Ivanovich Kucheryavenko

The 306th Rifle Division began its combat path under unusual circumstances. It was partly formed for the first time as a standard Red Army rifle division a few months after the German invasion, but the formation process appears to have been abandoned and the unit was never assigned to the front. A second formation began in April 1942 and was completed on 16 June, after which it was sent to the Kalinin Front. Assigned to 43rd Army, it remained in that Army until November 1944, and in that Front (renamed 1st Baltic Front) until March 1945. It ended the war in Leningrad Front, helping to contain the German forces trapped in the Courland Pocket. The division had compiled a solid record of service and won a unique battle honor by this time, and was disbanded shortly after hostilities ended.

Contents

1st Formation

The 306th Rifle Division began forming in September 1941 in the Moscow Military District. Very little is known about this formation:

"Twenty other divisions were formed in September 1941 in various locations (table 5.21). Very few data have been found on the last seven divisions [including the 306th] formed in September. These divisions were never assigned to a frontline unit. They may have been used on the Turkish border, in Iran, or in the Far East." [1]

2nd Formation

The second 306th Rifle Division began forming in April 1942 in the Moscow Military District, [2] and had its first commander, Lt. Col. Andrei Grigorevich Frolenkov, assigned on 16 June. [3] The division's order of battle was as follows:

The division spent an unusually long time in the process of forming up. At the end of June it was assigned to 10th Reserve Army, and Col. Stepan Ivanovich Chernyak took command on 8 July, a post he would hold until 12 January 1943. Instead of being shipped south along with the rest of what became the 5th Shock Army, it was moved in August to join 43rd Army, still in the Reserve of the Supreme High Command. In September, that Army was assigned to Kalinin Front. The 306th remained in that Army and Front for an unusually long time. During October 1942 the division, along with several others of its Army, was on notice to prepare to join in the planned second stage of Operation Mars; in the event this did not take place because the first stage was unsuccessful. [5] Following two previous changes in command (including one brief stint by Col. Mikhail Ivanovich Kucheryavenko in March 1943) the divisional command passed to Col. Georgii Matveevich Kostik on 27 March 1943, and he would remain in this position until 19 April 1944. In September 1943, the 306th was assigned to the 91st Rifle Corps. [6]

Smolensk and Vitebsk Offensives

In that same month the division was participating in the offensive to liberate Smolensk. On 13 September the 306th, and its corps-mate, the 179th Rifle Division, attacked the left flank of the German 256th Infantry Division and made a small breakthrough at Bedenki. This was countered by the few local reserves available. The next day the 306th liberated the fortified village of Ribshevo. [7] In recognition of this success, on 15 September the division was uniquely granted that name as an honorific:

"RIBSHEVO – ...306th Rifle Division (Colonel Kucheryavenko, Mikhail Ivanovich)... By order of the Supreme High Command of 19 September 1943 and a commendation in Moscow, the troops who participated in the battles for the liberation of Ribshevo are given a salute of 12 artillery salvoes from 124 guns." [8]

In early November, 43rd and 39th Armies were ordered to concentrate north of the Smolensk – Vitebsk railroad and highway in preparation for a new offensive against the latter city to begin on the 8th. 91st Corps was in first echelon on the right side of its Army's attack frontage. The two armies had about a five-fold superiority in infantry, in spite of their rifle divisions (including the 306th) being at about half their authorized strength. The assault made good initial progress; 43rd Army hit the junction of German 14th and 206th Infantry Divisions of VI Army Corps south of Ianovichi, about 24 km due east of Vitebsk, and tore a gaping hole through their defenses. On the following day the combined assault of both armies had produced a 10 km-wide breach, and by evening the lead elements of the attackers had reached Poddube, just 10 km from the inner defense lines of Vitebsk proper, and the defensive fronts of both German divisions were in shambles. However, enemy reserves managed to contain 43rd Army's advance at this point on 11 November, and by the 17th the Soviet assault had expired in exhaustion. [9]

A further effort towards Vitebsk began on 19 December. In this assault, the 306th was in second echelon of its Corps, behind 179th and 270th Rifle Divisions. By the end of the day the enemy had been driven back up to 3 km on an 8 km front, and the next day the division was committed into this breach, and made a further advance of up to 2 km in heavy fighting, but German reserves again intervened, and although the Soviet forces managed to reach the road between Vitebsk and Surazh on a 10 km sector before 23 December, the offensive had to be once again shut down. Yet another assault began on that date. In this, 91st Corps acted in a supporting role to 39th and 33rd Armies by once again attacking the 14th Infantry's positions. The 306th was in the first echelon alongside the 270th in a sector between Kovalie and Piatiletna, backed by the 179th, the remaining vehicles of two tank brigades, and a motorized infantry brigade. The attack penetrated to within 2 km south of the Vitebsk-Surazh road, and along with advances on other sectors forced the German LIII Army Corps to withdraw to new defenses even closer to Vitebsk. [10]

Operation Bagration

In February 1944, the division was reassigned to 1st Rifle Corps, and it was in this Corps at the start of Operation Bagration. Following a very heavy artillery barrage lasting 20 minutes at dawn on 22 June, assault companies of the division, in concert with those of six other divisions, attacked the positions of the German 252nd Infantry Division and Corps Detachment D on a 20 km front, breaking through to the second defense line by noon. By evening an armored group supported by the 306th and two other rifle divisions had crossed the Obol River and were pushing southwest towards the VitebskPolotsk rail line, having advanced 7 km during the day. The following day the division assisted in the envelopment of Corps Detachment D's positions in Shumilino and forced a crossing of the Dvina River by evening. From here, 1st Rifle Corps was ordered westward, and reached Beshenkovichi by the end of 25 June. By the 27th it had reached Lepel, against scattered German resistance. [11]

Along with its Army, in the following months the 306th advanced into the "Baltic Gap" between Army Groups North and Center, driving towards Riga and the Baltic coast and trapping the remains of Army Group North in the Courland Pocket. In November it was moved, with its Corps, briefly into 2nd Guards Army, then to the 4th Shock Army, [12] then again to the 51st Army. 51st Army was reassigned to the 2nd Baltic Front in February 1945, but in March and for the duration the division was in the 1st Shock Army of the Courland Group. [13] The men and women of the 306th Rifle Division ended the war with the official title of 306th Rifle, Ribshevo, Order of the Red Banner Division. (Russian: 306-я стрелковая Рибшевская Краснознамённая дивизия.)

Postwar

The army moved to Turkestan with the 1st Rifle Corps. It was stationed at Samarkand and disbanded around 30 October 1945, when the corps included a different rifle division and a rifle brigade instead of the 306th Division. [14]

Related Research Articles

The 67th Guards Rifle Division was formed as an elite infantry division of the Red Army in January, 1943, based on the 1st formation of the 304th Rifle Division, and served in that role until after the end of the Great Patriotic War. It was officially redesignated in the 65th Army of Don Front, in recognition of that division's leading role in reducing the German 6th Army during Operation Ring, the destruction of the encircled German and Romanian forces at Stalingrad. During the following months it was substantially rebuilt while moving north during the spring of the year. The division put up a very strong defense in the Battle of Kursk, facing some of the main elements of Army Group South, and then attacked through the western Ukraine after the German defeat. Along with the rest of 6th Guards Army it moved further north to join 2nd Baltic and later 1st Baltic Front in the buildup to the summer offensive against Army Group Center, winning a battle honor and shortly after the Order of the Red Banner in the process. During the rest of 1944 it advanced through the Baltic states and ended the war near the Baltic Sea, helping to besiege Army Group Courland in 1945. The 67th Guards was disbanded in 1946.

The 119th Rifle Division was an infantry division of the Red Army, formed three times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">310th Rifle Division (Soviet Union)</span> Military unit

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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.

The 319th Rifle Division was first formed in December 1941, as a standard Red Army rifle division, in the Moscow Military District, but after a month was redesignated as the 2nd formation of a pre-war division that had been destroyed and disbanded. Another 319th was formed in the summer of 1942 in the North Caucasus Military District while the German offensive was threatening the Soviet oilfields near Baku. This formation had a short and undistinguished career, seeing little combat, and was disbanded in December. A third and final 319th was formed in the autumn of 1943 in the northern part of the front. This unit gave very creditable service for the duration of the war, distinguishing itself in the fighting through the Baltic states, and completing its combat path in East Prussia. It continued to serve briefly into the postwar period.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">334th Rifle Division (Soviet Union)</span> Military unit

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The 21st Guards Rifle Division was an elite infantry division of the Red Army during World War II. It was formed from the 361st Rifle Division on 17 March 1942, in recognition of that division's successes in the attempt to encircle the German 9th Army in the Rzhev area during the Soviet winter counteroffensive of 1941-42. After being partially encircled itself in the spring of 1942, the division was withdrawn for rebuilding, and then played a major role in the Battle of Velikiye Luki in 1942-43. It distinguished itself in the battle for Nevel in October 1943, for which it was awarded a battle honor. The division went on to complete a combat path through northwestern Russia and into the Baltic States, ending its war containing the German forces trapped in the Courland Peninsula.

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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 379th 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 first served in the winter counteroffensive west of Moscow, and later in the bitter fighting around the Rzhev salient, but was moved north late in 1942. It took up positions along the Volkhov River, mostly under command of the 8th Army, and continued to serve in this Army's battles near Leningrad until September 1943, when it was transferred to the 2nd Baltic Front, where it would stay for the remainder of its service. During this period the division served under many army and corps commands but mostly in the 3rd Shock Army. The division ended the war in Lithuania, helping to contain and reduce the German forces trapped in the Courland Pocket. By this time it was judged as being surplus to the Red Army's needs and in December 1944 its personnel were parceled out to help bring other units of the Front closer to establishment strength. The 379th officially disbanded on the first day of 1945.

The 381st 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 first served in the bitter fighting around the Rzhev salient, deep in the German rear in the 39th Army and came close to being completely destroyed in July 1942. The division's survivors were moved north well away from the front for a major rebuilding. It returned to the front in October, joining the 3rd Shock Army for the battle and siege of Velikiye Luki. The division remained in this general area in western Russia until March 1944, when it was moved to the Reserve of the Supreme High Command and then to 21st Army north of Leningrad in April. It served in the offensive that drove Finland out of the war from June to September, winning a battle honor and the Order of the Red Banner in the process, before being transferred back to the Soviet-German front in October. As part of the 2nd Shock Army of 2nd Belorussian Front the 381st advanced across Poland and Pomerania during the winter of 1945, then joined its Front's advance across the Oder River into north-central Germany in late April, ending the war on the Baltic coast. In the summer of that year the division was disbanded.

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 10 August 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 71st Guards Rifle Division was reformed as an elite infantry division of the Red Army in March 1943, based on the 1st formation of the 23rd Rifle Division, and served in that role until after the end of the Great Patriotic War.

The 204th Rifle Division was twice formed as an infantry division of the Red Army after a motorized division of that same number was destroyed in the first weeks of the German invasion of the Soviet Union. The first formation was based on the shtat of 29 July 1941 and it then remained for nine months in the far east of Siberia training and organizing before it was finally sent by rail to the Stalingrad region in July 1942 where it joined the 64th Army southwest of the city. During the following months it took part in the defensive battles and later the offensive that cut off the German 6th Army in November. In the last days of the battle for the city it took the surrender of the remnants of a Romanian infantry division. Following the Axis defeat the division was recognized for its role when it was redesignated as the 78th Guards Rifle Division on 1 March 1943.

The 97th Rifle Division was thrice formed as an infantry division of the Red Army, first as part of the prewar buildup of forces. The first formation was based on the pre-September 1939 shtat and the division was initially intended to serve in the fortifications along the border with Poland in western Ukraine. Beginning on 17 September 1939 it took part in the invasion of eastern Poland and then was moved north to join the 7th Army and later the 13th Army on the Karelian Isthmus during the Winter War against Finland where it saw action in the latter part of the struggle. Following this it returned to western Ukraine where it was on the border at the time of the German invasion in June 1941. At considerable cost it was able to retreat back to the Dniepr River south of Kiev during July and was still there as part of 26th Army when the Soviet forces in eastern Ukraine were largely surrounded and wiped out in September. The division was finally disbanded in late December.

The 91st Guards Rifle Division was reformed as an elite infantry division of the Red Army in April 1943, based on the 2nd formation of the 257th Rifle Division, and served in that role until after the end of the Great Patriotic War. It ended the war in the far east of Asia following the Soviet invasion of Manchuria with a highly distinguished record.

The 219th Rifle Division was formed as an infantry division of the Red Army after a motorized division of that same number was redesignated about 10 weeks after the start of the German invasion of the Soviet Union. Due to a chronic lack of vehicles, and especially tanks, the division had been effectively serving as a motorized rifle brigade since June 22, so the redesignation was a formality and it was soon destroyed in the encirclement battle east of Kiev.

The 235th Rifle Division was an infantry division of the Red Army, originally formed in the months just before the start of the German invasion, based on the shtat of September 13, 1939. As part of the 41st Rifle Corps it was soon sent to Northwestern Front to defend the distant approaches to Leningrad. Along with its Corps the division became part of the Luga Operational Group. After Novgorod was captured the Luga Group was largely encircled and had to fight its way north toward the city, suffering considerable losses in the process. The losses to the 235th were greater than those of some others and after officially carrying on in the reserves of Leningrad Front for some time the division was officially disbanded in late December.

References

Citations

  1. Walter S. Dunn, Jr., Stalin's Keys to Victory, Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, PA, 2006, pp. 81–82
  2. Dunn, Stalin's Keys to Victory, p. 111
  3. Charles C. Sharp, "Red Swarm", Soviet Rifle Divisions Formed From 1942 to 1945, Soviet Order of Battle World War II, Vol. X, 1996, p. 115. Sharp states that an unknown rifle brigade was used as a cadre, while Dunn states that no cadre was used.
  4. Sharp, "Red Swarm", p. 115
  5. David M. Glantz, After Stalingrad, Helion & Co., Ltd., Solihull, UK, 2009, pp. 51, 53, 473n.18
  6. Sharp, "Red Swarm", p. 115
  7. Robert Forczyk, Smolensk 1943: The Red Army's Relentless Advance, Osprey Publishing, Oxford, UK, 2019, Kindle ed.
  8. "Освобождение городов". www.soldat.ru. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  9. Glantz, Battle for Belorussia, University Press of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, 2016, pp. 141–43
  10. Glantz, Belorussia, pp. 234–35, 291–93, 296–97
  11. Dunn, Soviet Blitzkrieg, Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, PA, 2008, pp. 95, 100, 102, 104, 106, 109
  12. http://www.cgsc.edu/CARL/nafziger/944RLAA.pdf Archived 22 November 2015 at the Wayback Machine , p 18
  13. Sharp, "Red Swarm", p. 115
  14. Feskov et al 2013, p. 537

Bibliography