232nd Rifle Division

The 232nd Rifle Division was an infantry division of the Red Army, originally formed in the weeks just before the start of the German invasion, based on the ''shtat'' (table of organization and equipment) of September 13, 1939. It was quickly moved to the fighting front as part of the 66th Rifle Corps in 21st Army, and it remained in this Corps for its brief existence. 21st Army was deployed in western Belarus, attempting to plug the gaps created by the defeats of the border armies in the first weeks of Barbarossa, and the division made a deep penetration into the German rear in the eastern fringes of the Pripet Marshes, but this was ultimately unsustainable. By early September, the 232nd was greatly depleted due to almost continual combat, before being encircled and destroyed east of Kyiv.

A new division began forming in December in the Altaisk region of Siberia. Initially numbered as the 453rd, it was soon redesignated as the 232nd. After preliminary organization, it moved west to the Moscow area and was assigned to two different reserve armies before joining the fighting as part of 60th Army near Voronezh in July 1942. It remained defending along the Don river until early in the new year, when it took part in the liberation of that city and the defeat of the German and Hungarian 2nd Armies near Kastornoye. The division saw only limited action in the Battle of Kursk as part of the 50th Rifle Corps; it would serve as part of either this or the 51st Rifle Corps almost continually for the duration of the war. After this battle it advanced through eastern Ukraine, winning two battle honors and, within quick succession, four decorations for its part in the battles for Kyiv and the following advance on Romania in the spring of 1944. After being transferred to the 40th Army it was halted in eastern Romania in May before resuming its advance in August. It entered Hungary in October, and its subunits also gained recognition in the fighting that took place through the winter. In early 1945 the 232nd pushed on through Slovakia to end the war near Brno. Despite a distinguished record, it was disbanded in July 1945.

1st Formation

The division began forming in early June 1941 in the Kharkov Military District. As of June 22 it officially had the following order of battle:
* 764th Rifle Regiment
* 793rd Rifle Regiment
* 797th Rifle Regiment
* 676th Light Artillery Regiment
* 708th Howitzer Artillery Regiment
* 23rd Antitank Battalion
* 286th Self-propelled Artillery Battalion
* 303rd Reconnaissance Battalion
* 392nd Sapper Battalion
* 698th Signal Battalion
* 377th Medical/Sanitation Battalion
* 323rd Chemical Defense (Anti-gas) Company
* 692nd Motor Transport Battalion
* 349th Field Bakery
* 658th Field Postal Station
* 525th Field Office of the State Bank
While the process of forming may have begun as early as March the division's first official commander, Maj. Gen. Semyon Ivanovich Nedvigin, was not appointed until July 1, just one day before it entered the active army. Given a report from July 23 stating that the division had no howitzers on strength at all on that date, it's possible that the howitzer regiment was never actually formed. The self-propelled artillery battalion was non-standard; the Red Army had very few such vehicles at the time, one of the few types being the ZiS-30. Nedvigin had previously served as deputy commander and later commander of the 75th Rifle Division, and he would lead the 232nd until it was effectively destroyed in September.

Battles in Belarus

As of June 22 the 232nd was assigned to the 45th Rifle Corps, unattached to any Army, in the Reserve of the Supreme High Command, but by July 1 it had been reassigned to the 66th Rifle Corps of 21st Army, which was part of the ''STAVKA'' Group of Reserve Armies. On July 2, as the division joined the fighting, Marshal S. K. Timoshenko took over command of Western Front, which included the 21st, which would soon be led by Col. Gen. F. I. Kuznetsov. The Army, which was anchoring the Front's southern flank, launched a partially-successful reconnaissance-in-force on July 5, and then a series of resolute and somewhat effective counterattacks against the right flank of 2nd Panzer Group in the area of Rahachow and Zhlobin. As of July 10 the 232nd was the only division remaining under command of 66th Corps.

Given its successes to date, on July 11 Timoshenko ordered Kuznetsov to "tie down the operations of the enemy and force him to fear the possibilities of our attacks" by dispatching "mobile detachments with sappers, antitank guns, and tank destroyer commands for operations in the direction of Zborovo, Chigirinka, Gorodishche, Zhlobin, Parichi and Bobruisk". These detachments were to destroy German tanks and disorganize the rear through "the destruction of transport, communications, radio transmitters, warehouses, and so forth, the destruction of supply routes, and the emplacement of mine traps." In addition, Timoshenko wanted Kuznetsov to "prepare an operation and keep units in readiness for a surprise seizure of Bobruisk and Parichi." At 0241 hours on July 13 Kuznetsov ordered his Army to expand its offensive by conducting an assault against 2nd Panzer Group's right wing in the Bykhaw region jointly with 4th Army. 66th Corps, which now also contained the 75th Division plus the 51st and 52nd Armored Trains, was directed to defend the east bank of the Lan River with the 75th and attack along the west bank of the Berezina with its main forces, recapture Babruysk, prevent the advance of German reserves toward that place while destroying German forces in piecemeal fashion. The 232nd was to jump off from Yakimovskoe and Strakovichi.

The attack began the same day and, in conjunction with the rest of the Army the 66th Corps crossed the Dniepr between Rechytsa and Loyew and struck the defenses of the forward elements of 2nd Army's XII Army Corps and began exploiting northwestward toward Babruysk deep in the German rear. The 232nd made an impressive advance of 80km to the west, capturing bridges over the Berezina and Ptsich Rivers; it was reported at 2000 hours on July 18 as fighting along the Borovaia, Korolev Station, and Sloboda line, 15-22km northwest of Parichi and 20-25km south of Babruysk. This set the stage for a deep cavalry raid by a group of three divisions led by Col. Gen. O. I. Gorodovikov, but this proved only partially successful. The 232nd was eventually contained by the 112th Infantry Division, which Army Group Center was forced to commit from reserve. Meanwhile the Army's 63rd Rifle Corps managed to liberate Rahachow and Zhlobin, although this success was reversed within a week. The series of counterattacks by 21st Army were such a serious threat to 2nd Panzer Group's right flank that the Army Group was also forced to intervene with two divisions of the reserve XXXXIII Army Corps. The absence of these infantry divisions would soon be felt in the fighting around Smolensk.

Western Front's situation report at 0800 hours on July 21 stated in part that the 232nd was defending against the 131st and 134th Infantry Divisions, with the 797th Rifle Regiment protecting the Chernye Brody, Protasy, and Ugly sector, from 25km west of Parichi to 15km southwest of the same place. While Timoshenko's offensive had largely failed, those units like the 232nd who had scored successes were expected to hold out "like Red louses under the German's hide" until reinforced. Further to the division's strength return of July 23 it was reported that, in terms of heavier weapons, it had 18 76mm regimental guns, 25 76mm cannon, no howitzers and no 120mm mortars. On the same date the new Central Front was formed and 66th Corps was assigned to it, becoming part of the reconstituted 3rd Army by August 1.

Battle of Kyiv

Toward the end of August the 66th Corps returned to 21st Army, which was now part of Bryansk Front, formed on August 16. In a preliminary to the drive that would eventually encircle Kyiv the XXIV Motorized Corps was advancing toward Konotop and Hlukhiv at this time. On August 27 the Army, which was operating along the western flank of this penetration, reported that the 232nd and 75th Divisions were jointly defending the Gornostaevka Station, Iankovka and Skitok line, 65-70km north and northwest of Chernihiv. Meanwhile the Army's main forces were trying to reestablish contact with 13th Army to the northeast. The next day the Army commander, Lt. Gen. V. I. Kuznetsov, was chided by ''STAVKA'' representative Marshal B. M. Shaposhnikov for failing to commit 66th Corps to this effort. At this time the Corps also contained the 55th and 266th Rifle Divisions and, as it was his strongest formation, Kuznetsov decided he had to employ it to defend the vital Chernihiv region against the advancing 2nd Army.

Kuznetsov issued orders on August 29 to his Army in which he described the mission of 66th Corps:55th Division was in the Snovsk area, the 75th near Berezna, with the 232nd in the space between these two towns, but all three were being forced back to the south and southeast under pressure from XXXXIII Army Corps. Despite the situation on the ground, Bryansk Front continued to issue utterly unrealistic orders for 13th and 21st Armies to go over to the counterattack. By now a 20km-wide gap had opened between the two Armies and the hastily-organized 40th Army was proving unable to fill it. By the end of August 30 the remnants of the 232nd and the 75th were reported as "fighting fiercely" at Politichi and Chudovka. Later that day Kuznetsov stated that the division had relieved the cavalry group and occupied Novyi Mlyny and Iaskovo while repelling an attack by two German infantry regiments.

On September 1, General Nedvigin was seriously injured in an automobile accident and left the division; after his recovery he joined the training establishment for the balance of the war. No new commander was officially appointed before the division was disbanded. The next day it was still holding at Novyi Mlyny and Iaskovo. By now the 2nd Panzer Group was driving south to link up with 1st Panzer Group advancing to the north and the entire group of Soviet forces east of Kyiv, primarily Southwestern Front, was faced with encirclement. 21st Army was coming under increasing pressure from 2nd Army and was hard pressed to retain its hold on the Chernihiv area. On September 6 what remained of the division was reassigned, along with the rest of its Army, to Southwestern Front, but ten days later the two panzer groups linked up, completing the encirclement. Within days the 232nd had ceased to exist although in common with many of the divisions destroyed in this battle it officially remained on the books until December 27.

2nd Formation

Earlier in December a new division, designated as the 453rd, began forming at Novosibirsk in the Siberian Military District. It was soon redesignated as the 2nd formation of the 232nd. Unusually, its initial order of battle was quite different from that of the 1st formation in the designations of its regiments, but this was changed on June 29, 1943 to conform with the original:
* ''First OoB'' -
** 498th Rifle Regiment
** 605th Rifle Regiment
** 712th Rifle Regiment
** 425th Artillery Regiment
* ''Second OoB'' -
** 764th Rifle Regiment
** 793rd Rifle Regiment
** 797th Rifle Regiment
** 676th Artillery Regiment
** 214th Antitank Battalion
** 499th Reconnaissance Company
** 392nd Sapper Battalion (later 237th)
** 608th Signal Battalion (later 296th Signal Battalion, 693rd Signal Company)
** 238th Medical/Sanitation Battalion
** 323rd Chemical Defense (Anti-gas) Company (later 42nd)
** 587th Motor Transport Company
** 440th Field Bakery
** 905th Divisional Veterinary Hospital
** 1700th Field Postal Station
** 1070th Field Office of the State Bank
Lt. Col. Ivan Ilich Ulitin was appointed to command on March 1, 1942; this officer had previously commanded the 41st Rifle Regiment of the 84th Rifle Division. He would be promoted to the rank of colonel on September 23 and to major general on February 4, 1943. Since it was formed in Siberia the 232nd was commonly referred to as a "Siberian" division but this was never an official part of its divisional title. In May its personnel would be noted as being 60 percent Russian, 30 percent Cossack, and 10 percent Azerbaijani.

Fighting Along the Don

In April the division was moved west to the Moscow area where it was eventually assigned to the 3rd Reserve Army in the Reserve of the Supreme High Command. By the beginning of July it had been transferred to 6th Reserve Army but three days later when it reached the fighting front it was back in 3rd Reserve, which was redesignated as 60th Army, part of Voronezh Front, on July 10. As the XXIV Panzer Corps pushed east toward Voronezh the 232nd took up defensive positions along the Don river north of the city. Through the remainder of 1942 it fought defensive battles in this area, gaining and holding an important bridgehead at Gubaryovo in August.

Voronezh–Kharkov Offensive

On January 13, 1943 the Voronezh Front launched the Ostrogozhsk–Rossosh offensive with its left flank and center forces. The success of 40th Army's advance led to the creation of the Voronezh salient, roughly 130km wide at its base and 100 km deep from there to its tip at Voronezh itself. Centered on Kastornoye and Gorshechnoye it was defended by the German 2nd and Hungarian 2nd Armies, both of which were weak in numbers and especially in armor; on the other hand its northern and eastern faces had been fortified over the previous six months. For the new offensive the salient would be attacked from the north by Bryansk Front's 13th Army while Voronezh Front's 60th, 40th and 38th Armies struck the east and south.

By January 19 the Axis Ostrogozhsk–Rossosh grouping had been encircled and was being mopped up but 60th Army, with five divisions ( 100th, 121st, 206th, 232nd and 303rd) and the 104th Rifle Brigade, remained defending along a 60km front from Olkhovatka to Voronezh to Kremenchug. Each division had between 5,000-6,000 personnel on strength. They were facing the German 88th, 323rd (minus one regiment) and 75th Infantry Divisions. After a regrouping the commander of 60th Army, Maj. Gen. I. D. Chernyakhovsky, formed a shock group consisting of the 141st, 322nd, 232nd and 303rd Divisions, the 253rd Rifle Brigade, a tank destruction brigade and three tank brigades. This was to attack along the 22km-wide sector from Rudkino to Semidesyatskoye along the Nizhnyaya Veduga axis with the objective of linking up with 38th Army and encircling the forces defending the eastern part of the salient. The 232nd was in first echelon on a 5km-wide zone with the 303rd in second echelon ready to develop the success of it and the 322nd. The shock group was expected to penetrate 10-24km on the first day.

At 1000 hours on January 25, following an hour-long artillery preparation, the shock group attacked. The preparation did not yield the anticipated results and the defense was not fully suppressed. The fighting throughout the day was waged, for the most part, for the strongpoints along the forward edge of the defense; some of these were encircled by elements of the 232nd and 322nd during the afternoon but continued to hold out. As a result the two divisions gained only 2-3km during the day. Coordination between infantry and tank support was poor and led to significant tank losses. The offensive was renewed the next morning with heavy fighting for the holdout strongpoints, which were finally cleared as a result of close combat overnight. By dawn on the 27th the shock group had reached a line from Ivanovka to Medvezhinskii and although up to 1,500 German officers and soldiers had been killed and small groups were falling back to the northwest the shock group was still well short of its planned objectives.

Battle for the Pocket

Kastornoye was reached on January 28 and captured the next day, completing the encirclement of eight German and two Hungarian divisions. 38th and 40th Armies were assigned the task of clearing the pocket while the remaining Armies continued advancing westward. On January 30 the 232nd captured Protochnyi and Afonino before, in a further regrouping, the division was transferred to the 38th. The clearing operation was expected to take two or three days after which the two Armies would redeploy to lines for a subsequent offensive toward Oboyan and Kharkiv

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