1st Rifle Division (Soviet Union)
Encyclopedia
The Soviet 1st Rifle Division was an infantry division
of the Soviet Union's Red Army
, first established in 1918, and finally disbanded in the mid 1950s. Over the course of thirty years it was reformed four or possibly five times.
First and Second Formations of the division became the basis for the 1st Guards Rifle Division.
It was reformed for the third time on 13 March 1942 at Kuibyshev
(though a second source, probably Poirer and Connor, says June 1942 was also a possibility). After completion of training the Division was transferred to the 5th Reserve Army. Assigned to 63rd Army
from August to November 1942, and fought at Stalingrad. It became the 58th Guards
Rifle Division on 31 December 1942.
The Division was reformed for the fourth time in December 1943 or January 1944 at Nevel
in the rear areas of 6th Guards Army. A training brigade and 100th Separate Rifle Brigade provided the basis for the new formation. It was transferred to 70th Army, 2nd Belorussian Front
, and with that Army took Brest, Belarus
, winning the title 'Brest'. It later advanced into Poland, fighting at Gdynia
. It became part of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany
briefly, but with the rest of 70th Army and 114th Rifle Corps moved to the South Urals region and was disbanded by November 1945.
The Division may have been reformed 1953-55 in the South Urals Military District
.
The 1st Rifle Division should not be confused with the 1st Guards
Rifle Division (the former 100th Rifle Division) that ended the war in East Prussia and served during the Cold War with 11th Guards Army. 1st Guards Motor Rifle Division, as it became after conversion in 1957, finally disbanded in 2002.
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
of the Soviet Union's Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
, first established in 1918, and finally disbanded in the mid 1950s. Over the course of thirty years it was reformed four or possibly five times.
First and Second Formations of the division became the basis for the 1st Guards Rifle Division.
It was reformed for the third time on 13 March 1942 at Kuibyshev
Samara, Russia
Samara , is the sixth largest city in Russia. It is situated in the southeastern part of European Russia at the confluence of the Volga and Samara Rivers. Samara is the administrative center of Samara Oblast. Population: . The metropolitan area of Samara-Tolyatti-Syzran within Samara Oblast...
(though a second source, probably Poirer and Connor, says June 1942 was also a possibility). After completion of training the Division was transferred to the 5th Reserve Army. Assigned to 63rd Army
63rd Army (Soviet Union)
The 63rd Army of the Soviet Union's Red Army was formed in July 1942, by the order of Headquarters Red Army Supreme Command № 994110, by renaming Stavka's 5th Reserve Army....
from August to November 1942, and fought at Stalingrad. It became the 58th Guards
Russian Guards
Guards or Guards units were and are elite military units in Imperial Russia, Soviet Union and the Russian Federation. The tradition goes back to the retinue of a knyaz of medieval Kievan Rus' and the streltsy, the Muscovite harquebusiers formed by Ivan the Terrible by 1550...
Rifle Division on 31 December 1942.
The Division was reformed for the fourth time in December 1943 or January 1944 at Nevel
Nevel
Nevel is a town and the administrative center of Nevelsky District of Pskov Oblast, Russia, located on Lake Nevel southeast of Pskov. Population:...
in the rear areas of 6th Guards Army. A training brigade and 100th Separate Rifle Brigade provided the basis for the new formation. It was transferred to 70th Army, 2nd Belorussian Front
2nd Belorussian Front
The 2nd Belorussian Front was a military formation of Army group size of the Soviet Army during the Second World War...
, and with that Army took Brest, Belarus
Brest, Belarus
Brest , formerly also Brest-on-the-Bug and Brest-Litovsk , is a city in Belarus at the border with Poland opposite the city of Terespol, where the Bug River and Mukhavets rivers meet...
, winning the title 'Brest'. It later advanced into Poland, fighting at Gdynia
Gdynia
Gdynia is a city in the Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland and an important seaport of Gdańsk Bay on the south coast of the Baltic Sea.Located in Kashubia in Eastern Pomerania, Gdynia is part of a conurbation with the spa town of Sopot, the city of Gdańsk and suburban communities, which together...
. It became part of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany
Group of Soviet Forces in Germany
The Group of Soviet Forces in Germany , also known as the Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany and the Western Group of Forces were the troops of the Soviet Army in East Germany....
briefly, but with the rest of 70th Army and 114th Rifle Corps moved to the South Urals region and was disbanded by November 1945.
The Division may have been reformed 1953-55 in the South Urals Military District
Military district
Military districts are formations of a state's armed forces which are responsible for a certain area of territory. They are often more responsible for administrative than operational matters, and in countries with conscript forces, often handle parts of the conscription cycle.Navies have also used...
.
The 1st Rifle Division should not be confused with the 1st Guards
Russian Guards
Guards or Guards units were and are elite military units in Imperial Russia, Soviet Union and the Russian Federation. The tradition goes back to the retinue of a knyaz of medieval Kievan Rus' and the streltsy, the Muscovite harquebusiers formed by Ivan the Terrible by 1550...
Rifle Division (the former 100th Rifle Division) that ended the war in East Prussia and served during the Cold War with 11th Guards Army. 1st Guards Motor Rifle Division, as it became after conversion in 1957, finally disbanded in 2002.
Sources
- Craig Crofoot, Armies of the Bear, Volume I Part 1
- Robert Poirer, Albert Conner, Red Army Order of Battle in the Great Patriotic War, Presidio Press, 1985
- Agentstvo Voyennykh Novostey, 5 November 2001