80th Rifle Division
Encyclopedia
The 80th Lubanskaya Order of Kutuzov 2nd Class Rifle Division was a rifle
division
of the Red Army
during the Russian Civil War
and the German-Soviet War.
The division's initial composition was:
It remained a part of the Ukrainian Military District until 1935 when the eastern half of the Ukraine was used to create the Kharkov Military District and the division was assigned to it.
In the summer of 1939, its subunits were used to form the 141st and 192nd Rifle Divisions. The headquarters of the division was used to reform the division to full strength at Mariupol
during February 1939.
. The division fought in Don Basin and near Kattowits during the defensive battles on the Ukrainian border (22 June 1941 - 27 June 1941), but was destroyed in withdrawal during the Battle of Uman
in September 1941.
from volunteers by redesignating the First Guards Division of People's Militia (Первая гвардейская дивизия народного ополчения) from 23 September 1941 as 80th Rifle Division (2nd formation). Its 1st and 2nd rifle regiments came from the workers of the Leningrad's Neva rayon, and its 3rd rifle and artillery regiments and other sub-units were formed from workers of the Kuybishev rayon.
The division was first committed to combat on the 11th of August west of Volosovo
(35 km from Krasnogvardeysk
), where it successfully defended its sector for several days until the Army withdrew.
From the end of August the division was a part of the Koporsk operational group, and later the 8th Army
during the battles for the coastal positions around Leningrad, holding positions around Ropsha
and south of Oranienbaum
.
As part of the 54th Army of the Volkhov Front
the division participated in the Tikhvin Offensive (10 November 1941 - 30 December 1941), and the Leningrad-Novgorod Strategic Offensive Operation (14 January 1944 - 1 March 1944) for which it was awarded the Order of Kutuzov, 2nd Class.
The division distinguished itself during liberation of Lubań
in Poland.
The division ended its combat service during the German-Soviet War in Czechoslovakia with the 59th Army of the 1st Ukrainian Front
. It was disbanded in September 1945.
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 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...
during the Russian Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
and the German-Soviet War.
1st formation
The division was established in 1923 in the Ukrainian Military District initially as a territorial rifle division.The division's initial composition was:
- 410th Rifle Regiment
- 467th Rifle Regiment
- 519th Rifle Regiment
- 346th Artillery Regiment
It remained a part of the Ukrainian Military District until 1935 when the eastern half of the Ukraine was used to create the Kharkov Military District and the division was assigned to it.
In the summer of 1939, its subunits were used to form the 141st and 192nd Rifle Divisions. The headquarters of the division was used to reform the division to full strength at Mariupol
Mariupol
Mariupol , formerly known as Zhdanov , is a port city in southeastern Ukraine. It is located on the coast of the Azov Sea, at the mouth of the Kalmius River. Mariupol is the largest city in Priazovye - a geographical region around Azov Sea, divided by Russia and Ukraine - and is also a popular sea...
during February 1939.
Combat history
On 22 June 1941 the division was part of the 37th Rifle Corps, 6th Army6th Army (Soviet Union)
The 6th Army was a field army of the Soviet Red Army formed four times during World War II and active with the Russian Ground Forces up until 1998...
. The division fought in Don Basin and near Kattowits during the defensive battles on the Ukrainian border (22 June 1941 - 27 June 1941), but was destroyed in withdrawal during the Battle of Uman
Battle of Uman
The Battle of Uman was the German and allied encirclement of the 6th and 12th The Battle of Uman (15 July–8 August 1941) was the German and allied encirclement of the 6th (General Lieutenant I.N. Muzyrchenko) and 12th The Battle of Uman (15 July–8 August 1941) was the German and allied...
in September 1941.
2nd formation
Almost immediately the division was reformed in LeningradLeningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
from volunteers by redesignating the First Guards Division of People's Militia (Первая гвардейская дивизия народного ополчения) from 23 September 1941 as 80th Rifle Division (2nd formation). Its 1st and 2nd rifle regiments came from the workers of the Leningrad's Neva rayon, and its 3rd rifle and artillery regiments and other sub-units were formed from workers of the Kuybishev rayon.
The division was first committed to combat on the 11th of August west of Volosovo
Volosovo
Volosovo is a town and the administrative center of Volosovsky District of Leningrad Oblast, Russia, located on the railway between St. Petersburg and Tallinn, Estonia, southwest from St. Petersburg. Population:...
(35 km from Krasnogvardeysk
Gatchina
Gatchina is a town and the administrative center of Gatchinsky District of Leningrad Oblast, Russia, located south of St. Petersburg by the road leading to Pskov...
), where it successfully defended its sector for several days until the Army withdrew.
From the end of August the division was a part of the Koporsk operational group, and later the 8th Army
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...
during the battles for the coastal positions around Leningrad, holding positions around Ropsha
Ropsha
Ropsha is a settlement in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated about 20 km south of Peterhof and 49 km south-west of central Saint Petersburg, at an elevation of 80 metres to 130 metres above sea level.-History:...
and south of Oranienbaum
Oranienbaum
Oranienbaum may refer to:Germany:* Oranienbaum, Germany, a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany* Oranienbaum-WörlitzRussia:* Oranienbaum, Russia , a Russian royal residence* Lomonosov , the former name of the adjacent town...
.
As part of the 54th Army of the Volkhov Front
Volkhov Front
The Front was reformed on the 9 June 1942 from the Volkhov Operational Group of the Leningrad Front and served until 15 February 1944, participating in the relief of the Siege of Leningrad and taking part in other operations including:-Campaigns:...
the division participated in the Tikhvin Offensive (10 November 1941 - 30 December 1941), and the Leningrad-Novgorod Strategic Offensive Operation (14 January 1944 - 1 March 1944) for which it was awarded the Order of Kutuzov, 2nd Class.
The division distinguished itself during liberation of Lubań
Luban
Lubań is a town in southwest Poland north of the Jizera Mountains on the Kwisa river, with 22,137 inhabitants . Situated within the historic Upper Lusatia region, it today belongs to the Lower Silesian Voivodeship...
in Poland.
The division ended its combat service during the German-Soviet War in Czechoslovakia with the 59th Army of the 1st Ukrainian Front
1st Ukrainian Front
The 1st Ukrainian Front was a front—a force the size of a Western Army group—of the Soviet Union's Red Army during the Second World War.-Wartime:...
. It was disbanded in September 1945.
Sources
- Shuvalov, N.K., "We became soldiers", Leningrad, 1973 (Шувалов Н. К., "Мы становимся солдатами", Ленинград, 1973)
- Poirier, Robert G. and Conner, Albert Z., The Red Army Order of Battle in the Great Patriotic War: including data from 1919 to postwar years, Presidio Press, Novato, 1985