The 43rd Cavalry Division was a

cavalry division Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating a ...

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, after ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. It was one of the first cavalry divisions formed after the start of the war. The unit was formed 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, ...

using the cadre and troops of the district's cavalry training grounds.

Combat service

Declared ready for combat less than a week after formation the division was in the 21st Army by 19 July 1941. The next day the division was assigned to the

Batskelevich Cavalry Group The Batskelevich Cavalry Group was a cavalry formation of the Red Army during World War II. Formed on 18 July 1941 in the Western Front (Soviet Union), Western Front under the command of the 32nd Cavalry Division's commander. This was the first ...

under the command of the 32nd Cavalry Division's commander. In July and August 1941 the group and the division raided into the rear areas and flanks of the German 2nd Army and 2nd Panzer Group south of Smolensk. In September 1941 the division was assigned as the mobile reserve group for the 21st Army and remained there until the end of the year. The division took part in the Soviet Winter counteroffensive but the division like all the other units in the Southwestern Front was severely worn down prior to the start of the offensive. The remnants of the division were disbanded on 9 February 1942 to provide replacements for other cavalry units assigned to the front.

Subordinate units

* 35th Cavalry Regiment * 38th Cavalry Regiment * 40th Cavalry Regiment

References

{{Soviet Union divisions before 1945 043 Military units and formations established in 1941 Military units and formations disestablished in 1942 Cavalry divisions of the Soviet Union

Combat service

Subordinate units

See also

References