infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...
division of the
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army ( Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, afte ...
, originally formed in the months just before the start of the German invasion, based on the ''shtat'' (
table of organization and equipment
A table of organization and equipment (TOE or TO&E) is the specified organization, staffing, and equipment of units. Also used in acronyms as 'T/O' and 'T/E'. It also provides information on the mission and capabilities of a unit as well as the u ...
) of September 13, 1939. It arrived at the front in July and was assigned to 26th Army along the
Dniepr
}
The Dnieper () or Dnipro (); , ; . is one of the major transboundary rivers of Europe, rising in the Valdai Hills near Smolensk, Russia, before flowing through Belarus and Ukraine to the Black Sea. It is the longest river of Ukraine and ...
, but was fortunate to escape that Army's encirclement in September. During the next several months, the division fought as part of 40th Army in the Kursk region, operating toward
Prokhorovka
Prokhorovka (russian: Про́хоровка) is the name of several inhabited localities in Russia.
;Urban localities
* Prokhorovka, Belgorod Oblast, a settlement in Prokhorovsky District of Belgorod Oblast
;Rural localities
* Prokhorovka, Irk ...
and
Oboyan
Oboyan (russian: Обоя́нь) is a town and the administrative center of Oboyansky District in Kursk Oblast, Russia, located on the right bank of the Psyol River at its confluence with the Oboyanka River, south of Kursk, the administrative cen ...
during the winter counteroffensive. It made noteworthy gains during the May 1942 offensive north of
Kharkiv
Kharkiv ( uk, wikt:Харків, Ха́рків, ), also known as Kharkov (russian: Харькoв, ), is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in Ukraine.main German summer offensive began in late June, the division's 21st Army was directly in the path of the German 6th Army and the depleted 227th was soon destroyed on the open steppes.
A new 227th was formed in August 1943 in
North Caucasian Front
The North Caucasian Front or North Caucasus Front was a major formation of the Red Army during the Second World War.
The North Caucasus Front describes either of two distinct organizations during the war.
First Creation
The first formation wa ...
on the basis of two rifle brigades in 9th Army. In early October, it earned a battle honor for its part in the liberation of
Temryuk
Temryuk ( rus, Темрю́к, p=tʲɪmˈrʲʉk) is a town and the administrative center of Temryuksky District in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, located on the Taman Peninsula on the right bank of the Kuban River not far from its entry into the Temr ...
. It landed in the
Crimea
Crimea, crh, Къырым, Qırım, grc, Κιμμερία / Ταυρική, translit=Kimmería / Taurikḗ ( ) is a peninsula in Ukraine, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, that has been occupied by Russia since 2014. It has a pop ...
in November as part of 56th Army (soon redesignated as
Separate Coastal Army
The Separate Coastal Army (russian: Приморская армия), also translated to English as Independent Coastal Army, was an army-level unit in the Red Army that fought in World War II. It was established on July 18, 1941, by the order o ...
) and after the main offensive began in April 1944 it was awarded the Order of the Red Banner and all three of its rifle regiments would win battle honors for the liberation of
Sevastopol
Sevastopol (; uk, Севасто́поль, Sevastópolʹ, ; gkm, Σεβαστούπολις, Sevastoúpolis, ; crh, Акъя́р, Aqyár, ), sometimes written Sebastopol, is the largest city in Crimea, and a major port on the Black Sea ...
in May. In August, it rejoined the active front as part of
7th Guards Army
The 7th Guards Army was a field army of the Red Army during World War II and of the Soviet Army during the Cold War.
History
The 7th Guards Army was formed from the 64th Army on April 16, 1943.
64th Army had originally been formed from 1s ...
in
2nd Ukrainian Front
The 2nd Ukrainian Front (2-й Украинский фронт), was a front of the Red Army during the Second World War.
History
On October 20, 1943 the Steppe Front was renamed the 2nd Ukrainian Front.
During the Second Jassy–Kishinev ...
Budapest
Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...
. Following this the 227th advanced with 53rd Army into Czechoslovakia and after the German surrender it was moved with the rest of this Army to the far east where it was intended to take part in the
Soviet invasion of Manchuria
The Soviet invasion of Manchuria, formally known as the Manchurian strategic offensive operation (russian: Манчжурская стратегическая наступательная операция, Manchzhurskaya Strategicheskaya Nastu ...
, although in the event it saw little, if any, actual combat. It remained in the far east until July 1946 when it was disbanded.
1st Formation
The division began forming on March 1, 1941 at
Slavyansk-na-Kubani
Slavyansk-on-Kuban (russian: Славянск-на-Куба́ни) is a town in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, located in the Kuban River delta. Population: 56,000 (1975).
History
Slavyansk originated in the Middle Ages as ''Copa'' or ''Coparia'', a ...
in the
North Caucasus Military District
The North Caucasus Military District was a military district of the Russian Armed Forces, which became in 2010 the Southern Military District and lately also included the Black Sea Fleet and Caspian Flotilla.
It comprised the Republic of Adygeya, ...
. When completed it had the following order of battle:
* 777th Rifle Regiment
* 789th Rifle Regiment
* 794th Rifle Regiment
* 678th Light Artillery Regiment
* 711th Howitzer Artillery Regiment (until October 4, 1941)
* 72nd Antitank Battalion
* 410th Antiaircraft Battery (later 235th Antiaircraft Battalion)
* 536th Mortar Battalion (from November 20, 1941)
* 305th Reconnaissance Battalion
* 395th Sapper Battalion
* 604th Signal Battalion
* 371st Medical/Sanitation Battalion
* 325th Chemical Defense (Anti-gas) Company
* 699th Motor Transport Company
* 356th Field Bakery
* 53rd Divisional Veterinary Hospital
* 656th Field Postal Station
* 581st Field Office of the State Bank
Col. Fyodor Vasilievich Maltsev was appointed to command on the day the division began forming. On June 22 the 227th was assigned to the 45th Rifle Corps, unattached to any Army, in the
Reserve of the Supreme High Command
The Reserve of the Supreme High Command (Russian: Резерв Верховного Главнокомандования; also known as the ''Stavka'' Reserve or RVGK ( ru , РВГК)) comprises reserve military formations and units; the Stav ...
, but by July 1 it had been left behind in the
Kharkov Military District The Kharkov Military District () was a military district of the Russian Empire, the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, and the Soviet Union. Throughout its history, the district headquarters was located in the city of Kharkov in northeast ...
as the Corps went forward to the front; even after four months it was not completely formed or equipped. On the same date Colonel Maltsev was succeeded in command by Col. Efrem Fyodoseevich Makarchuk. By July 10 the division had been placed "at the disposal of the Southwestern Direction", which consisted of the
Southwestern
The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sepa ...
and Southern Fronts. It soon settled in the former Front as part of 26th Army along the Dniepr River in the
Cherkasy
Cherkasy ( uk, Черка́си, ) is a city in central Ukraine. Cherkasy is the capital of Cherkasy Oblast ( province), as well as the administrative center of Cherkasky Raion (district) within the oblast. The city has a population of
C ...
Kaniv
Kaniv ( uk, Канів, ) city located in Cherkasy Raion, Cherkasy Oblast (province) in central Ukraine. The city rests on the Dnieper River, and is also one of the main inland river ports on the Dnieper. It hosts the administration of Kaniv urb ...
area.
Battle of Kiev
At the beginning of September, as the German operation started that would eventually encircle most of Southwestern Front, the 227th was still on the Dniepr, sparring with its artillery against elements of 17th Army on the west bank. On the 5th it began moving east toward
Romodan
Romodan ( uk, Ромодан, russian: Ромодан) is an urban-type settlement in Myrhorod Raion of Poltava Oblast in Ukraine. It is located northwest of the city of Poltava, at the sources of the Voinykha and the Lykhobabivka, both in the dra ...
because it still had a prewar ''shtat'' and assets that had to be reorganized and redistributed. On October 4 the 76mm cannon and crews of the 678th Light Artillery were removed to form a separate antitank regiment while its command cadre went to the 711th which had its 152mm howitzers placed under higher command and was then converted to a standard divisional artillery regiment with a mix of 76mm cannon and 122mm howitzers. This move undoubtedly saved it from the fate of the rest of 26th Army which was largely surrounded and destroyed by mid-September. By the end of the month the division was under command of 40th Army to the west of Mykolaivka. On October 1 Colonel Makarchuk was succeeded in command by Col. Gevork Andreevich Ter-Gasparian. Makarchuk would go on to command the 91st and 302nd Rifle Divisions before he was killed in an air attack in January 1943. Ter-Gasparian had previously commanded the 55th Rifle Division and would remain in command for the duration of the 1st formation.
Kursk-Oboyan Operation
By the start of November 40th Army had fallen back to the vicinity of
Kursk
Kursk ( rus, Курск, p=ˈkursk) is a city and the administrative center of Kursk Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Kur, Tuskar, and Seym rivers. The area around Kursk was the site of a turning point in the Soviet–German stru ...
and was attempting to hold an extensive line with just two rifle divisions (227th and 293rd), two rifle regiments and three airborne brigades. At the time the main battles were near Moscow and
Rostov-na-Donu
Rostov-on-Don ( rus, Ростов-на-Дону, r=Rostov-na-Donu, p=rɐˈstof nə dɐˈnu) is a port city and the administrative centre of Rostov Oblast and the Southern Federal District of Russia. It lies in the southeastern part of the East ...
and the German 2nd Army also had limited forces along this front. During this period most of the division's rifle regiments' mortars were gathered together to form the 536th Mortar Battalion.
The right wing forces of Southwestern Front began the Kursk-Oboyan operation on December 20 as part of the overall Soviet winter counteroffensive. By the end of the month the 227th had been transferred to the 21st Army. From the outset the division was tasked with taking Prokhorovka, and especially its railway station, but although the village was occupied the station held out. During these battles one battalion of the 777th Rifle Regiment, under command of Sr. Lt. Khachatur Beglyarovich Melikyan, staged a daring 40km raid behind German lines beginning on January 5, 1942. The battalion seized four German-held positions: the village of Orlovka; the farms of Zorinsky Dvory and Vesely in the Ivnyan district; and Peresyp in the Oboyan district. In the fighting near Oboyan alone the battalion accounted for 21 German vehicles with ammunition, two batteries of artillery, eight machine guns and 22 rifles. On January 8 Melikyan was killed in action at Oboyan. On November 5, 1942 he would be posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. In March the 227th was briefly moved to 38th Army but it soon returned to 21st Army for the next offensive.
Second Battle of Kharkov
Southwestern Front began regrouping its forces at the end of March. This was a complex process made more difficult by the arrival of the spring ''rasputitsa''. The division had been in the Pyatnitskoye area while with 38th Army but it now shifted south to join the shock group being formed by 21st Army. While in the former Army it had been involved in an operation in the Staryi Saltiv area which had created a bridgehead on the west bank of the
Donets River
The Seversky Donets () or Siverskyi Donets (), usually simply called the Donets, is a river on the south of the East European Plain. It originates in the Central Russian Upland, north of Belgorod, flows south-east through Ukraine (Kharkiv, Don ...
but had suffered losses and required rest and replenishment before the new offensive could begin. The shock group would also include the 293rd and 76th Rifle Divisions and was supported by the 10th Tank Brigade plus the 338th Light, 538th Heavy, and 135th and 156th Artillery Regiments. The remainder of 21st Army would not be actively involved in the offensive so the shock group formed the northern wing of Southwestern Front's attack, with the 227th adjacent to 28th Army to its south.
The offensive began at 0630 hours on May 12 with a 60-minute artillery preparation, during the last 15-20 minutes of which Soviet air attacks struck German artillery positions and strongpoints in the main defensive belt. The infantry and direct support tanks kicked off at 0730. While the 28th Army was expected to make the greatest progress due to having the most armor support, in the event its attacks made minimal progress while 21st and 38th Armies made greater gains. All three divisions of the 21st Army's shock group forced crossings of the Donets; the 227th and 293rd penetrated the defensive belt and by the end of the day had captured Ohirtseve, Bugrovatka and Starytsya, having advanced to the north and 6-8km to the northwest. The 293rd was unable to link up with the 76th to form one general bridgehead. The defending 294th Infantry Division took significant losses during the day.
On May 13, while the 293rd and 76th achieved their link-up they made little additional progress. The 227th, on the other hand, bypassed the German positions at Murom from the south, advanced as much as 12km with support of 10th Tank Brigade and captured a line from Hill 217 to Vysokii. Due to the lagging attack of the northern forces of 28th Army the division was increasingly vulnerable to attack from three sides. The following day the division left one rifle battalion to hold Hill 217 as the 293rd attempted to surround and reduce Murom. The remainder of the division continued pushing westward, routing German units and advancing another 6km and capturing the villages of Vergelevka and Pylnaya, aided by the 28th Army's forces finally gaining traction. Meanwhile the right-flank forces of 38th Army were being counterattacked by the 3rd and 23rd Panzer Divisions out of Kharkiv. During the day Colonel Ter-Gasparian was wounded and evacuated, handing over his command to Col. G. M. Zaitsev.
As the German counteroffensive developed on May 15 the 21st Army's shock group and the north flank forces of 28th Army continued to press their attacks northeast of Kharkiv. Meeting increasing resistance, these were unsuccessful; in particular the newly-arriving 168th Infantry Division moved to stave off the loss of Murom. The next day the 21st Army commander, Lt. Gen. V. N. Gordov, was ordered to carry out his earlier assigned missions. As a result of the operations of his division's forward detachments Colonel Zaitsev realized that the German forces on his front had fallen back to the line of the
Kharkiv River
The Kharkiv or Kharkov (, ) is a river in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine, a left tributary of the Lopan. It originates from the town of Oktyabrsky in Belgorod Oblast, Russia and it falls into Lopan in the city of Kharkiv
Kharkiv ( uk, Ха́рк ...
. Taking advantage of this withdrawal the 227th, along with the neighboring 175th Rifle Division of 28th Army, advanced to the west bank of the Lipets River and the villages of Ustinka, Morokhovets and Bednyi. Lead elements of the division pushed nearly as far as the town of Cheremoshnoe before running into the 168th. This would prove to be the deepest penetration made by the northern group of Soviet forces in this offensive.
These gains proved to be short-lived as on May 17 Marshal S. K. Timoshenko, commander of Southwestern Direction, decided to halt further offensive activity by 21st Army in favor of redeploying the shock group to new positions running from Krasnaya Alekseeva to Pylnaya; this was largely due to ongoing pressure from the 168th Infantry. Also, by this time the 1st Panzer Army's attack against Southern Front's positions in the
Izium
Izium or Izyum ( uk, Ізюм, ; russian: Изюм) is a city on the Donets River in Kharkiv Oblast (province) of eastern Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Izium Raion (district). Izium hosts the administration of Izium urban ...
Barvinkove
Barvinkove () or Barvenkovo () is a city in Izium Raion of Kharkiv Oblast of Ukraine. It hosts the administration of Barvinkove urban hromada, one of the communities of Ukraine. locally referred to as Barvinkove Population:
History
Barvinkove ...
salient were well underway and Timoshenko's entire offensive was facing disaster. Three Soviet armies were encircled there by May 24 and soon destroyed. The 227th escaped this fate, but had been significantly depleted during the offensive.
Case Blue
In the wake of this offensive the 227th, now back under command of Colonel Ter-Gasparian, was redeployed northward, still in 21st Army, to positions northeast of Belgorod. As a result it missed the preliminary operations of the main German summer offensive. On June 28 it was facing the XXIX Army Corps on the north flank of German 6th Army. The division was in the Army's first echelon, along the
Oskol River
The Oskil ( uk, Оскiл) or Oskol (russian: Оскол) is a south-flowing river in Russia and Ukraine. It arises roughly between Kursk and Voronezh and flows south to join the Seversky Donets which flows southeast to join the Don. It is long ...
, with little support in the second echelon. The German attack planned to collapse the 28th Army and drive it southward, after which the 21st and 40th Armies would be encircled and destroyed west of
Voronezh
Voronezh ( rus, links=no, Воро́неж, p=vɐˈronʲɪʂ}) is a city and the administrative centre of Voronezh Oblast in southwestern Russia straddling the Voronezh River, located from where it flows into the Don River. The city sits on ...
. By June 30 the 227th, along with the 301st Rifle Division and the 10th Tank Brigade had been pocketed southwest of
Korocha
Korocha (russian: Короча) is a town and the administrative center of Korochansky District in Belgorod Oblast, Russia, located on the right bank of the Korocha River ( Seversky Donets' tributary), northeast of Belgorod, the administrative c ...
. While individual soldiers and small groups were able to escape, by July 11 the German spearheads were over 150km east of the original Soviet lines and the division had ceased to exist. It was officially disbanded by the ''STAVKA'' on July 13. Colonel Ter-Gasparian escaped the debacle and went on to command the
96th Rifle Division
The 96th Rifle Division, also designated the 96th Mountain Division, was a division of the Red Army, active from 1923.
First formation
In December 1923, in the Ukrainian Military District in Vinnytsia the 96th Podolsky Territorial Rifle Divis ...
, then to serve as chief of staff of
60th Army
The Red Army's 60th Army was a Soviet field army during the Second World War. It was first formed in reserve in the Moscow Military District in October 1941, but soon was disbanded. It was formed a second time in July 1942, and continued in servi ...
as a major general, and rose to the rank of lieutenant general in 1949.
2nd Formation
A new 227th was officially formed on August 23, 1943 in the 9th Army in North Caucasian Front, based on two rifle brigades.
19th Rifle Brigade
This had been formed from September to November 1941 at
Tambov
Tambov (, ; rus, Тамбов, p=tɐmˈbof) is a city and the administrative center of Tambov Oblast, central Russia, at the confluence of the Tsna and Studenets Rivers, about south-southeast of Moscow. Population: 280,161 ( 2010 Census); 29 ...
in the Oryol Military District with the following order of battle:
* 1st, 2nd, 3rd Rifle Battalions, each with seven or more 82mm mortars;
* Antitank Battalion (eight 57mm
ZiS-2
The ZiS-2 (russian: ЗиС-2) ( GRAU index: 52-P-271) is a Soviet 57 mm anti-tank gun used during World War II. The ZiS-4 is a version of the gun that was meant to be installed in tanks. ''ZiS'' stands for ''Zavod imeni Stalina'' (Russian ''З ...
guns)
* Artillery Battalion (mixed 76mm and 45mm guns)
It was a "student" brigade, based on personnel from the Oryol District training establishment. It was sent to the
Volga Military District
The Volga Military District (PriVO) was a military district of the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation that existed from 1918 to 1989 and 1992 to 2001.
The district headquarters was located at Kazan, Saratov and Kuibyshev (Samara) at different ...
in November to finish gathering its personnel and heavy weapons before being assigned to Western Front in December. It entered the fighting as part of
49th Army
"Thank God for Mississippi" is an adage used in the United States, particularly in the South, that is generally used when discussing rankings of U.S. states. Since the U.S. state of Mississippi commonly ranks at or near the bottom of such rankings ...
at Serpukhov. In February 1942 the brigade was transferred to 16th Army which had been moved to the
Sukhinichi
Sukhinichi (russian: Сухи́ничи) is a town and the administrative center of Sukhinichsky District in Kaluga Oblast, Russia, a large railway junction on the Moscow – Kyiv line, situated on the Bryn River southwest of Kaluga, the admini ...
area in an effort to overcome a German position there that was blocking the Soviet advance toward
Spas-Demensk
Spas-Demensk (russian: Спас-Де́менскА. М. Прохоров. "Большой энциклопедический словарь". Москва, 1997, p. 1135.) is a town and the administrative center of Spas-Demensky District in ...
and
Roslavl
Roslavl (russian: Ро́славль, ) is a town and the administrative center of Roslavlsky District in Smolensk Oblast, Russia. It is a road and rail junction and a market town. Population:
Climate
Roslavl has a warm-summer humid continenta ...
. In April the 19th Brigade was assigned to
5th Guards Rifle Corps
Fifth is the ordinal form of the number five.
Fifth or The Fifth may refer to:
* Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, as in the expression "pleading the Fifth"
* Fifth column, a political term
* Fifth disease, a contagious rash th ...
in the same Army and it stayed in that Corps until July 6 when it was pulled out of this Front and began moving by rail southward to
Astrakhan
Astrakhan ( rus, Астрахань, p=ˈastrəxənʲ) is the largest city and administrative centre of Astrakhan Oblast in Southern Russia. The city lies on two banks of the Volga, in the upper part of the Volga Delta, on eleven islands of the ...
.
After being ferried across the
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water, often described as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. An endorheic basin, it lies between Europe and Asia; east of the Caucasus, west of the broad steppe of Central Asia ...
to the
Transcaucasus
The South Caucasus, also known as Transcaucasia or the Transcaucasus, is a geographical region on the border of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, straddling the southern Caucasus Mountains. The South Caucasus roughly corresponds to modern Arme ...
the brigade was assigned to the reserves of
Transcaucasian Front
Transcaucasian Front or Transcaucasus Front (russian: Закавказский Фронт) was a front of the Soviet Red Army—a military formation comparable to an army group, not a geographic military front—during the Second World War.
Th ...
and then to 9th Army in the Front's Northern Group, defending the line of the
Terek River
The Terek (; , Tiyrk; , Tərč; , ; , ; , ''Terk''; , ; , ) is a major river in the Northern Caucasus. It originates in the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region of Georgia and flows through North Caucasus region of Russia into the Caspian Sea. It rise ...
. In November the 19th joined
11th Rifle Corps
The 11th Rifle Corps () was a corps of the Red Army, formed twice.
The 11th was first formed in 1922 in the Petrograd area but soon moved to the Belorussian Military District. After fighting in the Soviet invasion of Poland, the corps moved to Li ...
in 9th Army. As the fighting moved north after the battle of Stalingrad the Army became part of North Caucasian Front in January 1943. From February to August the brigade faced the northern part of the Kuban bridgehead (''Gotenkopfstellung'') held by German 17th Army. In July its order of battle was as follows:
* 3 rifle battalions
* 1 submachine gun (assault) battalion
* 1 machine gun battalion
* 1 mortar battalion (
120mm mortars
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...
)
* 1 antitank battalion (45mm guns)
* 1 artillery battalion ( 76mm cannon)
It was soon merged with the 84th Naval Rifle Brigade to create the new 227th.
84th Naval Rifle Brigade
The 84th formed during October/November 1941 in the Volga Military District, at
Ulyanovsk
Ulyanovsk, known until 1924 as Simbirsk, is a city and the administrative center of Ulyanovsk Oblast, Russia, located on the Volga River east of Moscow. Population:
The city, founded as Simbirsk (), was the birthplace of Vladimir Lenin (born ...
,
Ufa
Ufa ( ba, Өфө , Öfö; russian: Уфа́, r=Ufá, p=ʊˈfa) is the largest city and capital city, capital of Bashkortostan, Russia. The city lies at the confluence of the Belaya River (Kama), Belaya and Ufa River, Ufa rivers, in the centre-n ...
and Kuibyshev, based on a cadre from the Black Sea Fleet. On November 27 it detrained at Rzazhske Station near Moscow and it was soon assigned to the new
1st Shock Army
The 1st Shock Army (russian: 1-я ударная армия) was a field army established by the Soviet Union's Red Army during World War II.
The 1st Shock Army was created in late 1941 and fought in the northern areas of Russia and the Baltic ...
of Western Front, with which it went over to the offensive on December 6. The 84th remained in 1st Shock until the Army was transferred to
Northwestern Front
The Northwestern Front (Russian: ''Северо-Западный фронт'') was a military formation of the Red Army during the Winter War and World War II. It was operational with the 7th and 13th Armies during the Winter War. It was re-cr ...
; in March it went into 11th Army, and later 27th Army, both of which were involved in the dismal battles on the north flank of the
Demyansk Pocket
The Demyansk Pocket (german: Kessel von Demjansk; russian: Демя́нский котёл) was the name given to the pocket of German troops encircled by the Red Army around Demyansk, south of Leningrad, during World War II's Eastern Front. Th ...
. It left the latter Army in August and followed a similar path to that of the 19th Brigade until it also reached the 11th Corps of 9th Army along the Terek River line in November. By early 1943 it consisted of:
4 rifle battalions, each with -
* 4 rifle companies
* 1 mortar company (82mm)
* 1 machine gun company
* 1 antitank rifle company
* 1 sapper company
* 1 signal platoon
Artillery battalion (76mm and 122mm, partly motorized); Mortar battalion; Machine Gun battalion; Antitank battalion (3 batteries of 45mm guns, 1 antitank rifle company); Sapper company; Signal platoon.
The brigade remained in this configuration and under these commands until it merged with the 19th Brigade.
The new division came under command of Col. Ivan Vasilevich Terekhin on the day it formed. Its order of battle, based on the ''shtat'' of December 10, 1942, was similar to that of the 1st formation:
* 570th Rifle Regiment
* 777th Rifle Regiment
* 779th Rifle Regiment
* 711th Artillery Regiment
* 524th Self-propelled Artillery Battalion (from August 9, 1945)
* 72nd Antitank Battalion
* 305th Reconnaissance Company
* 395th Sapper Battalion
* 604th Signal Battalion (later 1456th Signal Company)
* 371st Medical/Sanitation Battalion
* 325th Chemical Defense (Anti-gas) Company
* 281st Motor Transport Company
* 553rd Field Bakery
* 53rd Divisional Veterinary Hospital
* 1632nd Field Postal Station
* 1622nd Field Office of the State Bank
Kuban Bridgehead
From April 1 to July 5 the 9th Army's efforts were focused on the liberation of the port of Temryuk, but although some ground was taken the defenders, primarily of the 50th Infantry Division, held on. From this point the fighting became a battle of attrition until just before the 227th was formed. On September 3 Hitler was finally convinced to evacuate the bridgehead in what would be called Operation ''Brunhild''. It was not until three days later that the gradual withdrawal became clear to the commander of North Caucasian Front, Lt. Gen. I. Ye. Petrov, and he began to implement more aggressive measures to block it.
On the night of September 25/26 the Army mounted a major attack near the village of Kurchanskaya from the east in conjunction with a landing near Temryuk by a battalion of the
389th Rifle Division
The 389th Rifle Division was an infantry division of the Soviet Union during World War II.
The division was formed in October 1941 part of the 53rd Army (Soviet Union), 53rd Army of the Central Asian Military District, and was deployed for activ ...
, but both were repulsed. The waterlogged terrain in the area prevented the use of tanks and made it difficult to bring heavy artillery forward. By now the evacuation was well underway and continued until October 9. On September 27 Colonel Terekhin was replaced in command and his successor's name appears in the following battle honor citation:This officer had previously served as deputy commander of
22nd Rifle Corps
The 22nd Rifle Corps was a corps of the Red Army, formed thrice. It was initially formed from the Estonian Army after the Soviet occupation of that country in June 1940. The corps was destroyed during the Baltic Operation. After large-scale de ...
in 18th Army in the same Front, and as acting commander in March and April.
Crimean Offensive
By the start of October the division had left 11th Corps but was still under 9th Army. Later that month the Army was effectively disbanded and its rifle divisions were redistributed, with the 227th going to the
16th Rifle Corps
The 16th Rifle Corps was a corps of the Soviet Red Army, formed twice.
It took part in the Soviet invasion of Poland in 1939 and destroyed in the Baltic Operation during Operation Barbarossa. Reformed in 1942, the corps fought through the re ...
of 56th Army, still in North Caucasian Front. After two false starts this Army began landing operations overnight on November 3/4 on the west side of
Kerch Strait
The Kerch Strait, uk, Керченська протока, crh, Keriç boğazı, ady, Хы ТӀуалэ is a strait in Eastern Europe. It connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, separating the Kerch Peninsula of Crimea in the west f ...
, supported by heavy artillery fire from the east side. The
2nd
A second is the base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI).
Second, Seconds or 2nd may also refer to:
Mathematics
* 2 (number), as an ordinal (also written as ''2nd'' or ''2d'')
* Second of arc, an angular measurement unit, ...
and 55th Guards Rifle Divisions landed 4,000 men on the first day and significant reinforcements followed until the Army launched a major breakout effort on November 5-6, but this was contained. Days later the 56th was redesignated as Separate Coastal Army and on November 10 it attacked the German line again, driving it back up to 3km, and even with very limited tank support by the 12th it was on the outskirts of
Kerch
Kerch ( uk, Керч; russian: Керчь, ; Old East Slavic: Кърчевъ; Ancient Greek: , ''Pantikápaion''; Medieval Greek: ''Bosporos''; crh, , ; tr, Kerç) is a city of regional significance on the Kerch Peninsula in the east of t ...
. At this point the situation became deadlocked for several months. In February 1944 Coastal Army came under command of Army Gen. A. I. Yeryomenko. During the same month the 227th was removed from 16th Corps and came under direct Army command, where it remained at the start of the main Crimean operation.
The overland aspect of the operation was entrusted to 4th Ukrainian Front's2nd Guards and 51st Armies, while Coastal Army would initially be responsible pinning the German V Army Corps at Kerch before securing the
Kerch Peninsula
The Kerch Peninsula is a major and prominent geographic peninsula located at the eastern end of the Crimean Peninsula, Ukraine.
This peninsula stretches eastward toward the Taman peninsula between the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. Most of the pe ...
. The main attack began on April 8 and by the 10th the defending German and Romanian forces were falling back from the
Perekop Isthmus
The Isthmus of Perekop, literally Isthmus of the Trench ( uk, Перекопський перешийок; transliteration: ''Perekops'kyy pereshyyok''; russian: Перекопский перешеек; transliteration: ''Perekopskiy peresheek ...
and the Soviet bridgehead across the
Syvash
The Syvash or Sivash (Russian and Ukrainian: ; , Cyrillic: Сываш, "dirt"), also known as the or (, ''Gniloye More''; , ''Hnyle More''; , Cyrillic: Чюрюк Денъиз), is a large area of shallow lagoons on the west coast of the Sea ...
toward Sevastopol. Overnight the V Corps began its withdrawal from Kerch; it would have to cover 160km mostly along a single road to reach the same objective with the 10 rifle divisions and 204 tanks of Coastal Army on its heels. The Corps reached the Parpach Narrows on April 12 but could not attempt to hold there because 2nd Guards Army was closing on
Simferopol
Simferopol () is the second-largest city in the Crimean Peninsula. The city, along with the rest of Crimea, is internationally recognised as part of Ukraine, and is considered the capital of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. However, it is ...
, threatening its rear. The Corps commander, ''Gen. der Inf.'' K. Allmendinger, was ordered to reach
Sudak
Sudak (Ukrainian & Russian: Судак; crh, Sudaq; gr, Σουγδαία; sometimes spelled Sudac or Sudagh) is a town, multiple former Eastern Orthodox bishopric and double Latin Catholic titular see. It is of regional significance in Crimea, ...
for evacuation by sea.
April 13 saw the Soviet pursuit in full flood. General Yeryomenko formed a mobile group with the 227th and the 257th Tank Regiment in the lead and these reached and cleared Feodosia. The division would be awarded the
Order of the Red Banner
The Order of the Red Banner (russian: Орден Красного Знамени, Orden Krasnogo Znameni) was the first Soviet military decoration. The Order was established on 16 September 1918, during the Russian Civil War by decree of t ...
on April 24 for its role in this victory. The mobile group caught up with the tail end of Allmendinger's Corps near Staryi Krym and threatened to overwhelm the rearguard; Gebirgs-Jäger-Regiment Krim was ordered to take a stand in hilly terrain and sacrificed itself in temporarily halting the pursuit. This allowed about 10,000 troops of V Corps to reach Sudak for transport to
Balaklava
Balaklava ( uk, Балаклáва, russian: Балаклáва, crh, Balıqlava, ) is a settlement on the Crimean Peninsula and part of the city of Sevastopol. It is an administrative center of Balaklava Raion that used to be part of the Cri ...
, coming under heavy air attacks in the process. The remainder had to continue the retreat through the Yaila Mountains. Much of the German horse-drawn artillery had to be abandoned because it could not keep pace through this terrain. Early on April 15 Yeryomenko's vanguard encircled and destroyed a Romanian rearguard of two battalions while the main body of V Corps reached
Yalta
Yalta (: Я́лта) is a resort city on the south coast of the Crimean Peninsula surrounded by the Black Sea. It serves as the administrative center of Yalta Municipality, one of the regions within Crimea. Yalta, along with the rest of Cri ...
. It arrived at the eastern outskirts of Sevastopol the following day, but the pursuit had cost it thousands of its troops, over 70 percent of its heavy weapons and the Corps was no longer combat-effective. The 227th occupied Yalta that day and later Bakhchysarai as well.
Sevastopol's defenses were no longer capable of supporting a prolonged battle for the port although this was not immediately apparent to the Soviet command. Despite Hitler's orders to hold, evacuations by sea of "non-essential personnel" began on April 12 but this included many who did not fit this definition. By the first of May the 227th was back in 16th Corps, and on the morning of May 7 the Corps attacked V Corps west of Balaklava following a very heavy artillery preparation and quickly achieved a penetration in the center of the sector held by the 73rd Infantry Division; V Corps was so badly damaged that it had no choice but to fall back to its second line. On May 8, following advances by 2nd Guards and 51st Armies as well, Hitler finally authorized a full evacuation. The next day 16th Corps, backed by
19th Tank Corps
19 (nineteen) is the natural number following 18 (number), 18 and preceding 20 (number), 20. It is a prime number.
Mathematics
19 is the eighth prime number, and forms a sexy prime with 13 (number), 13, a twin prime with 17 (number), 17, and ...
, crashed through the retreating 73rd Infantry and pursued into the Chersonese. This was mopped up the following day, and the three rifle regiments of the 227th won battle honors:The Coastal Army remained in Crimea as a garrison force for the next few months. In recognition of his leadership of the division Colonel Preobrazhenskii was made a Hero of the Soviet Union on May 16 and promoted to the rank of major general on June 3.
Into the Balkans
As of the beginning of August the 227th was still in 16th Corps of Coastal Army, but it soon began moving north to join 7th Guards Army in 2nd Ukrainian Front as a separate division. At the outset of the Second Jassy–Kishinev Offensive the division constituted the Army's reserve. Strategically the Army was to launch a supporting attack but with important objectives: in cooperation with Gorshkov's Cavalry-Mechanized Group it was to capture the town of
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
on the third day and
Bacău
Bacău ( , , ; hu, Bákó; la, Bacovia) is the main city in Bacău County, Romania. At the 2016 national estimation it had a population of 196,883, making it the 12th largest city in Romania. The city is situated in the historical region of ...
on the fifth to unhinge Axis defenses along the
Siret River
The Siret or Sireth ( uk, Сірет or Серет, ro, Siret , hu, Szeret, russian: Сирет) is a river that rises from the Carpathians in the Northern Bukovina region of Ukraine, and flows southward into Romania before it joins the Danube. ...
. The
25th Guards Rifle Corps
Fifth is the ordinal form of the number five.
Fifth or The Fifth may refer to:
* Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, as in the expression "pleading the Fifth"
* Fifth column, a political term
* Fifth disease, a contagious rash th ...
, backed by the 227th, would form the Army's shock group. Although the main offensive was to begin on August 20 the Army's attack was to wait until the neighboring 27th Army had broken the German front on its sector. A 30-minute artillery preparation would precede the attack.
27th Army's breakthrough came quickly and by 1100 hours it had forced the Bahlui River. By 1900 the 7th Guards' shock group had taken up its jumping-off positions along the left bank of this river. Its objective for August 21 was to seize the
Târgu Frumos
Târgu Frumos (also spelled ''Tîrgu Frumos'', sometimes ''Târgul / Tîrgul Frumos''), ) is a town in Iași County, Western Moldavia, Romania. Eleven villages were administered by the town until 2004, when they were split off to form Balș, Cost ...
fortified area that had stymied 2nd Ukrainian Front during the spring. With the help of artillery assets transferred from 27th Army and the 23rd Tank Corps the shock group, led by
36th Guards Rifle Division
The 36th Guards Rifle Division () was a Guards infantry division of the Red Army during World War II. It was formed from the 9th Airborne Corps in August 1942 as a result of the Soviet need for troops to fight in the Battle of Stalingrad. The divi ...
, crushed Axis resistance and carried out its mission for the day, creating conditions for the commitment of Gorshkov's Group. The following day most of the
24th Guards Rifle Corps
Fourth or the fourth may refer to:
* the ordinal form of the number 4
* ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971
* Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision
* Fourth (music), a musical interval
* ''The Fourth'' (1972 film), a Sovie ...
joined the offensive as the shock group continued in the direction of Roman, advancing through the night against Romanian forces retreating hastily to avoid encirclement. By the end of August 24 the shock group had reached the line Bacău
Racova
Racova is a commune in Bacău County, Western Moldavia, Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hunga ...
As 7th Guards Army entered the Balkans in September the 227th was still serving under direct Army command but in October it was assigned to 27th Guards Rifle Corps, still in the same Army, joining the
303rd Rifle Division
The 303rd Rifle Division began service as a standard Red Army rifle division shortly after the German invasion, and in its first formation fought in the central part of the Soviet-German front for a few months, taking part in the first offensive su ...
. On October 28 the ''STAVKA'' directed the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian Fronts to begin an offensive toward the Hungarian capital. 2nd Ukrainian planned to advance between the Danube and Tisza Rivers with the 46th Army and 2nd Guards Mechanized Corps to clear the west bank of the latter river, then cross 7th Guards Army to the east bank; subsequently it would advance on Budapest with 4th Guards Mechanized Corps.
The Army began its attack on October 30 with four rifle divisions, including the 227th, against elements of the reconstructed German 6th Army. It was expected to capture the line
Szolnok
Szolnok (; also known by other #Name and etymology, alternative names) is the county seat of Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok county in central Hungary. A City with county rights, city with county rights, it is located on the banks of the Tisza river, i ...
Abony
Abony (german: Wabing) is a town in Pest County, Hungary.
Geography
Abony is a town in the south-east of , between the Danube and Tisza rivers. It is from Cegléd and from Budapest, at an elevation of . The area is on the River Tisza's wide ...
Hartany by the morning of November 2. In the event this timeline could not be met and it was November 4 when 27th Guards Corps stormed Szolnok, an important Axis strongpoint on the Tisza. On November 19 the 570th Rifle Regiment would be rewarded with the Order of the Red Banner, while the 777th Rifle Regiment and 395th Sapper Battalion were each awarded the
Order of Alexander Nevsky
The Order of Alexander Nevsky ( ''orden Alexandra Nevskogo'') is an order of merit of the Russian Federation named in honour of saint Alexander Nevsky (1220–1263) and bestowed to civil servants for twenty years or more of highly meritorious ser ...
. The German-Hungarian command was increasingly concerned that Budapest could be seized off the march and began transferring units of
III Panzer Corps
III Army Corps was a corps level formation of the German Army during World War II.
III Army Corps
The III Corps was formed in October 1934 as III. Armeekorps. The corps took part in Fall Weiss, the 1939 invasion of Poland as a part of Army Gro ...
to this axis until it had concentrated a powerful grouping of about 200 tanks. While 46th Army and the two mechanized corps were halted on the outer ring of the city's defenses, 7th Guards Army pressed the offensive toward Jászapáti and
Jászberény
Jászberény is a city and market centre in Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok county in Hungary.
Location
Jászberény is located in central Hungary, on the Zagyva River, a tributary of the Tisza River. It is about from Budapest.
History
The oldest ...
, but it was not until the 14th that the latter was partly captured by 27th Guards Corps.
With the failure to take Budapest by ''coup-de-main'' the ''STAVKA'' ordered it to be encircled and reduced. 7th Guards Army was to break through the Axis defense on December 5 on a front from Harvan to Aszód and attack in the direction of Verseg, Csővár and
Nőtincs
Nőtincs ( sk, Netejč, german: Nititsch), a pictorial locality looking back on a thousand-year old history is in Nógrád county, Hungary. The village is located north of Budapest near the European route E77, halfway between Vác and Balassagy ...
in order to support the commitment of
6th Guards Tank Army
The 6th Guards Order of Red Banner Tank Army was a tank army of the Soviet Union's Red Army, first formed in January 1944 as the 6th Tank Army,Glantz (Companion), p. 66. and disbanded in Ukraine in the 1990s after the dissolution of the Soviet Un ...
and Pliyev's Cavalry-Mechanized Group into the breakthrough. The artillery of 227th and 303rd Divisions would be supplemented with the 41st Cannon-Artillery Brigade and part of the guns of Pliyev's Group, for a total of 261 pieces (76mm or greater calibre). The attack began at 1015 hours and soon achieved a breakthrough, advancing as much as 8km during the day. Led by units of 6th Guards Tanks the Army continued at an average rate of about 16km per day until reaching the Danube between December 8-9 in the
Vác
Vác (; german: Waitzen; sk, Vacov; yi, ווייצען) is a town in Pest county in Hungary with approximately 35,000 inhabitants. The archaic spelling of the name is ''Vácz''.
Location
Vác is located north of Budapest on the eastern bank o ...
area. In order to complete the encirclement of Budapest the Danube had to be forced and as a result of this success the 779th Rifle Regiment would be decorated with the
Order of Suvorov
The Order of Suvorov () is a military decoration of the Russian Federation named in honor of Russian Generalissimo Prince Alexander Suvorov (1729–1800).
History
The Order of Suvorov was originally a Soviet award established on July 29, 19 ...
, 3rd Degree, on January 6, 1945. By this time the 227th had been transferred to the 57th Rifle Corps in 53rd Army.
Into Czechoslovakia
In December both the 7th Guards and 53rd Armies had entered Slovakia in the
Šahy
Šahy ( hu, Ipolyság, rarely german: Eipelschlag) is a town in southern Slovakia, The town has an ethnic Hungarian majority and its population is 7,238 people (2018), with an average age of 42.5.
Geography
It is located at the eastern reaches o ...
area and along the Hron River. The 53rd pushed on toward
Lučenec
Lučenec (; german: Lizenz; hu, Losonc; yi, לאשאנץ; la, Lutetia HungarorumLelkes György (1992), Magyar helységnév-azonosító szótár, Balassi Kiadó, Budapest, 508 p.) is a town in the Banská Bystrica Region of south-central Slovaki ...
before going over to the defense in late February. The Bratislava–Brno Offensive began on March 25; by this time the division had left 57th Corps and was operation under direct Army command. The Army pushed through the hilly terrain of central Slovakia and crossed the
Morava River
Morava may refer to:
Rivers
* Great Morava (''Velika Morava''; or only Morava), a river in central Serbia, and its tributaries:
** South Morava (''Južna Morava'')
*** Binač Morava (''Binačka Morava'')
** West Morava (''Zapadna Morava'')
* Mo ...
near Hodonín on April 13; the 227th had by now returned to 57th Corps. On April 24 General Preobrazhenskii was directed to attend the K. Е. Voroshilov Higher Military Academy and he was replaced the next day by Col. Stepan Zotovich Petrov. This officer would remain in command for the duration of the war. Preobrazhenskii was appointed as deputy commander of
13th Rifle Corps The 13th Rifle Corps () was a rifle corps of the Red Army, first formed in 1922.
On October 12, 1922, the Corps began forming in the Turkestan Front. Alexander Todorsky became the corps commander. The corps participated in the suppression of the ...
in February 1946. He moved to the training establishment in April 1950 and retired to Moscow in 1955 before his death on March 19, 1958.
Manchurian Campaign and Postwar
53rd Army was selected for transfer to the far east for the campaign against the Japanese
Kwantung Army
''Kantō-gun''
, image = Kwantung Army Headquarters.JPG
, image_size = 300px
, caption = Kwantung Army headquarters in Hsinking, Manchukuo
, dates = April ...
in Manchuria, largely due to its experience in fighting through the Carpathian Mountains during 1944-45. After crossing the continent via the Trans-Siberian Railway it joined
Transbaikal Front
The Transbaikal Front (russian: Забайкальский фронт) was a front formed on September 15, 1941, on the basis of the Transbaikal Military District. Initially, it included the 17th and 36th armies, but in August 1942 the 12th Air ...
but by the beginning of August the 227th was detached from the Army and was in reserve at the disposal of the Front. Although it had the 524th Self-propelled Artillery Battalion ( SU-76s) added to its order of battle to provide more mobile firepower, in the event the division was not committed to combat.Sharp, ''"Red Swarm"'', p. 90
By the conclusion of hostilities, the division had been awarded the full title of ''227th Rifle, Temryuk, Order of the Red Banner Division'' (Russian: 227-я стрелковая Темрюкская Краснознамённая дивизия). The division was based in
Krasnoyarsk
Krasnoyarsk ( ; rus, Красноя́рск, a=Ru-Красноярск2.ogg, p=krəsnɐˈjarsk) (in semantic translation - Red Ravine City) is the largest city and administrative center of Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia. It is situated along the Yeni ...
with the
49th Rifle Corps
"Thank God for Mississippi" is an adage used in the United States, particularly in the South, that is generally used when discussing rankings of U.S. states. Since the U.S. state of Mississippi commonly ranks at or near the bottom of such rankin ...
, and was disbanded there in July 1946 to form the basis of the 49th Rifle Brigade.
227
Year 227 ( CCXXVII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Senecio and Fulvius (or, less frequently, year 980 '' Ab urbe cond ...