21st Mechanized Corps (Soviet Union)
Encyclopedia
The 21st Mechanized Corps
was a formation in the Soviet Red Army
during the Second World War.
Initially formed in March 1941, in response to the German victories in the West it was attached to the newly forming 27th Army
, and held in reserve near Opochka
in Soviet Union
130 kilometres (80.8 mi) South of Pskov
in the Special Baltic Military District
. It was under the command of Major General Lelyushenko when the German Operation Barbarossa
began in June 1941. It initially consisted of the 42nd and 46th Tank Divisions, and the 185th Mechanized Division. After the Invasion began the Special Baltic Military District
was renamed Northwestern Front, Commanded by Colonel General Kutznetsov
. The front fielded 8th
and 11th Armies with the 27th Armies
in its second echelon. The 21st Mechanized was heavily engaged in the first battles of Operation Barbarossa
, particularly during the Baltic Operation (1941). After the spectacular advances by 4th Panzer Group Kutznetsov
asked Stavka
for the release of Berzarin's 27th Army
and the 21st Mechanized Corps on 25 June and was ordered to halt Erich von Manstein
's LVI Panzer Corps
which was closing up to the Daugava River later that day both units engaged near Dvinsk.
Next Army Group North
sent a special force which captured the bridges at Daugavpils
and consolidated with 8th Panzer Division. As the fighting intensified elements of 21st Mechanized Corps broke in to the Northern suburbs of the town, with fierce house-to-house fighting. After failing to clear Daugavpils
further fighting and attacks by the Luftwaffe
succeeded in wearing down its forces during next two days to the extent that by 29 June it had only seven operational tanks, 74 artillery pieces and slightly more than 4,000 men left and was exhausted as a fighting force. On 30 June the Soviet Air Force
put in an all out effort which resulted in the loss of 43 aircraft (27 DB-3
s and SB
s for only four BF-109
s) but did not succeed in destroying the principal river crossings over the Daugava River but did succeed in destroying some pontoon bridges. After continuing a fighting retreat through the Baltic states in July, but in remnants the 21st Mechanized Corps was disbanded in August 1941.
s models, plus 130 artillery guns.On 11 July 1941 Col P Poluboiarov, Northwestern Front armoured directorate reported that the 21st Mechanized Corps had been committed initially in large formations without cooperation from Artillery and Air Support. It had only '25 Kv-1s, 10 T-26
s, 4 Bt 7s and 2 T-34
s remaining and 'is no longer a mechanized formation. Its motorized infantry are most often simple infantry reinforced by a few tanks.On the 23 July 1941 Major General Lelyushenko reported that the 21st Mechanized Corps had suffered 6,284 casualties, or 60% of its combat strength during the first month of combat.
Mechanized Corps (Soviet)
A mechanised corps was a Soviet armoured formation used prior to the beginning of World War II.- Pre-war development of Soviet mechanised forces :...
was a formation in the Soviet 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...
during the Second World War.
Initially formed in March 1941, in response to the German victories in the West it was attached to the newly forming 27th Army
27th Army (Soviet Union)
The 27th Army was a field army of the Soviet Union's Red Army, which fought in World War II. First formed in May 1941. Initial commander was H. E. Berzarin. Took part in battles in the Baltic. On 22 June 1941 it consisted of the 22nd and 24th Rifle Corps, 16th and 67th Rifle Divisions, 3rd Separate...
, and held in reserve near Opochka
Opochka
Opochka is a town and the administrative center of Opochetsky District of Pskov Oblast, Russia, located on the Velikaya River, south of Pskov, in the proximity of Alexander Pushkin's family home Mikhaylovskoye. Population:...
in Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
130 kilometres (80.8 mi) South of Pskov
Pskov
Pskov is an ancient city and the administrative center of Pskov Oblast, Russia, located in the northwest of Russia about east from the Estonian border, on the Velikaya River. Population: -Early history:...
in the Special Baltic Military District
Baltic Military District
The Baltic Military District was a military district of the Soviet armed forces, formed briefly before the German invasion, and then reformed after World War II and disbanded after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991....
. It was under the command of Major General Lelyushenko when the German Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
began in June 1941. It initially consisted of the 42nd and 46th Tank Divisions, and the 185th Mechanized Division. After the Invasion began the Special Baltic Military District
Baltic Military District
The Baltic Military District was a military district of the Soviet armed forces, formed briefly before the German invasion, and then reformed after World War II and disbanded after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991....
was renamed Northwestern Front, Commanded by Colonel General Kutznetsov
Fyodor Isodorovich Kuznetsov
Fyodor Isidorovich Kuznetsov , Colonel General, was a military commander of the Soviet Union.-Biography:Born to a peasant family in present-day Mogilev Oblast of Belarus, Kuznetsov served in the Imperial Russian Army during World War I and continued his service in the Bolsheviks' Red Army...
. The front fielded 8th
8th Army (Soviet Union)
The 8th Army was a field army of the Soviet Red Army during the Second World War.The 8th Army was formed in October 1939 from the Novgorod Army Operational Group of the Leningrad Military District with the task of providing security of the Northwestern borders of the USSR. The 8th Army was a field...
and 11th Armies with the 27th Armies
27th Army (Soviet Union)
The 27th Army was a field army of the Soviet Union's Red Army, which fought in World War II. First formed in May 1941. Initial commander was H. E. Berzarin. Took part in battles in the Baltic. On 22 June 1941 it consisted of the 22nd and 24th Rifle Corps, 16th and 67th Rifle Divisions, 3rd Separate...
in its second echelon. The 21st Mechanized was heavily engaged in the first battles of Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
, particularly during the Baltic Operation (1941). After the spectacular advances by 4th Panzer Group Kutznetsov
Fyodor Isodorovich Kuznetsov
Fyodor Isidorovich Kuznetsov , Colonel General, was a military commander of the Soviet Union.-Biography:Born to a peasant family in present-day Mogilev Oblast of Belarus, Kuznetsov served in the Imperial Russian Army during World War I and continued his service in the Bolsheviks' Red Army...
asked Stavka
Stavka
Stavka was the term used to refer to a command element of the armed forces from the time of the Kievan Rus′, more formally during the history of Imperial Russia as administrative staff and General Headquarters during late 19th Century Imperial Russian armed forces and those of the Soviet Union...
for the release of Berzarin's 27th Army
27th Army (Soviet Union)
The 27th Army was a field army of the Soviet Union's Red Army, which fought in World War II. First formed in May 1941. Initial commander was H. E. Berzarin. Took part in battles in the Baltic. On 22 June 1941 it consisted of the 22nd and 24th Rifle Corps, 16th and 67th Rifle Divisions, 3rd Separate...
and the 21st Mechanized Corps on 25 June and was ordered to halt Erich von Manstein
Erich von Manstein
Erich von Manstein was a field marshal in World War II. He became one of the most prominent commanders of Germany's World War II armed forces...
's LVI Panzer Corps
LVI Panzer Corps
LVI Panzer Corps was a tank corps in the German Army during World War II.This corps was activated in February 1941 for the German invasion of the Soviet Union, which commenced on June 22, 1941...
which was closing up to the Daugava River later that day both units engaged near Dvinsk.
Army Group North
Army Group North was a German strategic echelon formation commanding a grouping of Field Armies subordinated to the OKH during World War II. The army group coordinated the operations of attached separate army corps, reserve formations, rear services and logistics.- Formation :The Army Group North...
sent a special force which captured the bridges at Daugavpils
Daugavpils
Daugavpils is a city in southeastern Latvia, located on the banks of the Daugava River, from which the city gets its name. Daugavpils literally means "Daugava Castle". With a population of over 100,000, it is the second largest city in the country after the capital Riga, which is located some...
and consolidated with 8th Panzer Division. As the fighting intensified elements of 21st Mechanized Corps broke in to the Northern suburbs of the town, with fierce house-to-house fighting. After failing to clear Daugavpils
Daugavpils
Daugavpils is a city in southeastern Latvia, located on the banks of the Daugava River, from which the city gets its name. Daugavpils literally means "Daugava Castle". With a population of over 100,000, it is the second largest city in the country after the capital Riga, which is located some...
further fighting and attacks by the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
succeeded in wearing down its forces during next two days to the extent that by 29 June it had only seven operational tanks, 74 artillery pieces and slightly more than 4,000 men left and was exhausted as a fighting force. On 30 June the Soviet Air Force
Soviet Air Force
The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces...
put in an all out effort which resulted in the loss of 43 aircraft (27 DB-3
Ilyushin DB-3
The Ilyushin DB-3 was a Soviet bomber aircraft of World War II. It was a twin-engined, low-wing monoplane that first flew in 1935. It was the precursor of the Ilyushin Il-4...
s and SB
Tupolev SB
The Tupolev ANT-40, also known by its service name Tupolev SB , and development co-name TsAGI-40, was a high speed twin-engined three-seat monoplane bomber, first flown in 1934....
s for only four BF-109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
s) but did not succeed in destroying the principal river crossings over the Daugava River but did succeed in destroying some pontoon bridges. After continuing a fighting retreat through the Baltic states in July, but in remnants the 21st Mechanized Corps was disbanded in August 1941.
Footnotes
On 22 June 1941 21st Mechanized Corps consisted of 98 tanks including Soviet Kv-1s, T-26, Bt 7, T-34T-34
The T-34 was a Soviet medium tank produced from 1940 to 1958. Although its armour and armament were surpassed by later tanks of the era, it has been often credited as the most effective, efficient and influential design of World War II...
s models, plus 130 artillery guns.On 11 July 1941 Col P Poluboiarov, Northwestern Front armoured directorate reported that the 21st Mechanized Corps had been committed initially in large formations without cooperation from Artillery and Air Support. It had only '25 Kv-1s, 10 T-26
T-26
The T-26 tank was a Soviet light infantry tank used during many conflicts of the 1930s as well as during World War II. It was a development of the British Vickers 6-Ton tank and is widely considered one of the most successful tank designs of the 1930s....
s, 4 Bt 7s and 2 T-34
T-34
The T-34 was a Soviet medium tank produced from 1940 to 1958. Although its armour and armament were surpassed by later tanks of the era, it has been often credited as the most effective, efficient and influential design of World War II...
s remaining and 'is no longer a mechanized formation. Its motorized infantry are most often simple infantry reinforced by a few tanks.On the 23 July 1941 Major General Lelyushenko reported that the 21st Mechanized Corps had suffered 6,284 casualties, or 60% of its combat strength during the first month of combat.