31st Guards Rifle Division
Encyclopedia
The 21st Guards Motor Rifle Division is a unit of the Russian Ground Forces
, within the Far East Military District, formed from the Red Army
31st Guards Rifle Division, an infantry
division
of World War II
which subsequently became a motor-rifle, and ultimately a tank division.
area in August – September 1941. The division initially consisted of the 1103rd, 1105th and 1107th Rifle Regiments and the 889th Artillery Regiment. Colonel P.A. Yeremin (August, 1941 – April, 1942) took command. On December 7, 1941 the division entered battle in area of the city of Mikhajlov of the Ryazan area. Colonel P.M. Gudz (April – September, 1942) held command from April 1942.
As part of the 10th Army
, then the 16th Army, the division joined the Western Front, participated in counterattack near Moscow and the winter offensive of 1942, around Zhizdra
and Kirov. On May, 24th, 1942 for its courage and heroism the division became the 31st Guards Rifle Division. The new regimental titles were the 95th, 97th, and 99th Guards Rifle Regiments and the 64th Guards Artillery Regiment. In the summer of 1942 the division fought in the Bryansk
area. General-Major A.F. Naumov (October, 1942 – February, 1943) took command in October 1942.
Colonel, since November 17, 1943, general-major, I.K.ShCherbina (February, 1943 – July, 1944) took command from February 1943. In 1943 as part of the 16th Army (since April, 16th, 1943 – 11th Guards Army
) the division attacked the Oryol direction, on August, 15th, 1943 participated in clearing the city of Karachev. It then took part in Operation Bagration and the Gumbinnen operation. On July, 2nd, 1944 the division for skilful actions in Vitebsk-Orshansk (Оршанской) operations of 1944 has been awarded the honourable name Vitebsk, and on July, 23rd, 1944 at clearing the city of Molodechno it was awarded the Order of the Red Banner
.
In July, 1944 during the Vilnius operation the division skillfully forced the river Neman in area of the city of Alitus, for which, on August, 12th, 1944 it was awarded the Order of Suvorov
, 2nd class. General-major I.D.Burmakov took command of the division in July and remained in command until the end of the war. The division has entered East Prussia on October, 18th, 1944 against stiff German resistance.
On November, 15th, 1944 for valour and heroism of soldiers in these engagements the division was awarded the Order of Lenin
.
The division participated in the East Prussian Offensive
of 1945. During the assault on Koenigsberg
, now Kaliningrad
, the division distinguished itself breaking the external defensive boundary. The division participated in the rout of the remaining German forces and the taking of the Pilau (Baltiysk) naval base.
.
In 1945 31st Guards Rifle Division was reformed as 29th Guards Mechanised Division, with the 94th, 93rd, and 92nd Guards Mechanised Regiments. In 1957 29th Guards Mechanised Division was retitled 29th Guards Motor Rifle Division. Seven years later, in 1964 the division became 31st Guards Motor Rifle Division. It may have been based at Vilnius for a period.
In 1969 31st Guards Motor Rifle Division was relocated from Kaunas
in the Lithuanian SSR
(Baltic Military District
) to Belogorsk
, in the Amur area of the Far East Military District.
In 1978 31st Guards Motor Rifle Division became 21st Guards Tank Division.
One of the machine-gun artillery divisions is deployed in Blagoveshchensk.
Circa 2004-6 the division became the 21st Guards Motor Rifle Division, and its full formal title today is the 21st Guards Motor Rifle Vitebsk Lenin Order of the Red Banner
Suvorov's awards Division.
Russian Ground Forces
The Russian Ground Forces are the land forces of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, formed from parts of the collapsing Soviet Army in 1992. The formation of these forces posed economic challenges after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and required reforms to professionalize the force...
, within the Far East Military District, formed from the 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...
31st Guards Rifle Division, an infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
division
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 World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
which subsequently became a motor-rifle, and ultimately a tank division.
Overview
The division traces its origin to the 328th Rifle Division, which was formed in the YaroslavlYaroslavl
Yaroslavl is a city and the administrative center of Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, located northeast of Moscow. The historical part of the city, a World Heritage Site, is located at the confluence of the Volga and the Kotorosl Rivers. It is one of the Golden Ring cities, a group of historic cities...
area in August – September 1941. The division initially consisted of the 1103rd, 1105th and 1107th Rifle Regiments and the 889th Artillery Regiment. Colonel P.A. Yeremin (August, 1941 – April, 1942) took command. On December 7, 1941 the division entered battle in area of the city of Mikhajlov of the Ryazan area. Colonel P.M. Gudz (April – September, 1942) held command from April 1942.
As part of the 10th Army
10th Army (Soviet Union)
The 10th Army of the Soviet Union's Red Army was a field army active from 1939 to 1944.The Army was formed in September 1939 in the Moscow Military District, and then deployed to the Western Special Military District...
, then the 16th Army, the division joined the Western Front, participated in counterattack near Moscow and the winter offensive of 1942, around Zhizdra
Zhizdra
Zhizdra is a town and the administrative center of Zhizdrinsky District of Kaluga Oblast, Russia, located on the Zhizdra River southwest of Kaluga. Population: Town status was granted to it in 1777....
and Kirov. On May, 24th, 1942 for its courage and heroism the division became the 31st Guards Rifle Division. The new regimental titles were the 95th, 97th, and 99th Guards Rifle Regiments and the 64th Guards Artillery Regiment. In the summer of 1942 the division fought in the Bryansk
Bryansk
Bryansk is a city and the administrative center of Bryansk Oblast, Russia, located southwest of Moscow. Population: -History:The first written mention of Bryansk was in 1146, in the Hypatian Codex, as Debryansk...
area. General-Major A.F. Naumov (October, 1942 – February, 1943) took command in October 1942.
Colonel, since November 17, 1943, general-major, I.K.ShCherbina (February, 1943 – July, 1944) took command from February 1943. In 1943 as part of the 16th Army (since April, 16th, 1943 – 11th Guards Army
11th Guards Army
The 11th Guards Army was a Soviet field army active from 1943 to 1997, which traces its origins to the formation of the Soviet 16th Army in June-July 1940.-History:...
) the division attacked the Oryol direction, on August, 15th, 1943 participated in clearing the city of Karachev. It then took part in Operation Bagration and the Gumbinnen operation. On July, 2nd, 1944 the division for skilful actions in Vitebsk-Orshansk (Оршанской) operations of 1944 has been awarded the honourable name Vitebsk, and on July, 23rd, 1944 at clearing the city of Molodechno it was awarded the Order of the Red Banner
Order of the Red Banner
The Soviet government of Russia established the Order of the Red Banner , a military decoration, on September 16, 1918 during the Russian Civil War...
.
In July, 1944 during the Vilnius operation the division skillfully forced the river Neman in area of the city of Alitus, for which, on August, 12th, 1944 it was awarded the Order of Suvorov
Order of Suvorov
The Order of Suvorov is a Soviet award, named after Aleksandr Suvorov , that was established on July 29, 1942 by a decision of the Presidium of Supreme Soviet of the USSR. This decoration was created to award senior army personnel for exceptional leadership in combat operations...
, 2nd class. General-major I.D.Burmakov took command of the division in July and remained in command until the end of the war. The division has entered East Prussia on October, 18th, 1944 against stiff German resistance.
On November, 15th, 1944 for valour and heroism of soldiers in these engagements the division was awarded the Order of Lenin
Order of Lenin
The Order of Lenin , named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was the highest decoration bestowed by the Soviet Union...
.
The division participated in the East Prussian Offensive
East Prussian Offensive
The East Prussian Offensive was a strategic offensive by the Red Army against the German Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front . It lasted from 13 January to 25 April 1945, though some German units did not surrender until 9 May...
of 1945. During the assault on Koenigsberg
Battle of Königsberg
The Battle of Königsberg , was one of the last operations of the East Prussian Offensive during World War II. In four days of violent urban warfare, Soviet forces of the 1st Baltic Front and the 3rd Belorussian Front captured the city of Königsberg...
, now Kaliningrad
Kaliningrad
Kaliningrad is a seaport and the administrative center of Kaliningrad Oblast, the Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea...
, the division distinguished itself breaking the external defensive boundary. The division participated in the rout of the remaining German forces and the taking of the Pilau (Baltiysk) naval base.
Awards
More than 14,000 of its soldiers were awarded decorations and medals during the war, and eleven were awarded the coveted Hero of the Soviet UnionHero of the Soviet Union
The title Hero of the Soviet Union was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.-Overview:...
.
In 1945 31st Guards Rifle Division was reformed as 29th Guards Mechanised Division, with the 94th, 93rd, and 92nd Guards Mechanised Regiments. In 1957 29th Guards Mechanised Division was retitled 29th Guards Motor Rifle Division. Seven years later, in 1964 the division became 31st Guards Motor Rifle Division. It may have been based at Vilnius for a period.
In 1969 31st Guards Motor Rifle Division was relocated from Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
in the Lithuanian SSR
Lithuanian SSR
The Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Lithuanian SSR, was one of the republics that made up the former Soviet Union...
(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....
) to Belogorsk
Belogorsk
Belogorsk may refer to:*Belogorsk, Amur Oblast, a town in Amur Oblast, Russia*Belogorsk, Kemerovo Oblast, an urban-type settlement in Kemerovo Oblast, Russia*Bilohirsk , also known as Belogorsk, a town in Crimea, Ukraine...
, in the Amur area of the Far East Military District.
In 1978 31st Guards Motor Rifle Division became 21st Guards Tank Division.
Composition
The division used to comprise:- 2nd Guards Tank Vitebsk Red Banner Suvorov and Kutuzov's awards Regiment;
- 111th Guards Tank Red Banner Kutuzov's awards of Regiment;
- 125th Guards Tank Regiment;
- 143rd Guards Motor-Rifle Order of the Red BannerOrder of the Red BannerThe Soviet government of Russia established the Order of the Red Banner , a military decoration, on September 16, 1918 during the Russian Civil War...
Regiment (Yekaterinoslavka, a constant readiness unit which changed its number from 277th Guards MRR in the late 1980s or early 1990s); - 64th Guards self-propelled Artillery Regiment;
- 1064th Antiaircraft Rocket Regiment.
One of the machine-gun artillery divisions is deployed in Blagoveshchensk.
Circa 2004-6 the division became the 21st Guards Motor Rifle Division, and its full formal title today is the 21st Guards Motor Rifle Vitebsk Lenin Order of the Red Banner
Order of the Red Banner
The Soviet government of Russia established the Order of the Red Banner , a military decoration, on September 16, 1918 during the Russian Civil War...
Suvorov's awards Division.
Sources and references
- http://www.soldat.ru/forum/?gb=3&id=28418
- http://samsv.narod.ru/Div/Sd/gvsd031/default.html
- Keith E. Bonn (ed.), Slaughterhouse: The Handbook of the Eastern Front, Aberjona Press, Bedford, PA, 2005, p. 365