301 rifle division 1 formation.

6th Rifle Oryol-Khingan twice Red Banner, Order of the Suvorov Division It was formed on May 23, 1918 by order of the chief of staff of the Petrograd Defense District and the Northern Sector of the Veil Detachment No. 633 / s from the volunteers of the detachment P. E. Dybenko, the Petrograd detachments of the Red Guard and the workers of the city of Narva in Gdov, Petrograd province, the Gatchina Infantry Division was created. On May 31, 1918, the Gatchina Infantry Division was renamed the 3rd Petrograd Infantry Division by order of the Supreme Military Council No. 43. On September 11, 1918, by order of the RVSR No. 4, the 3rd Petrograd Infantry Division was renamed the 6th Infantry Division.

84th Rifle Red Banner Zvolensky Regiment

125th Rifle Order "Alexander Nevsky" Regiment

333rd Rifle Order of Kutuzov 3rd Class Regiment

131st light artillery regiment of the 1st formation (until 11/5/1941)

131st Artillery Order "Bogdan Khmelnitsky" Regiment of the 2nd Formation (since 28.4.1942)

204th howitzer artillery regiment (until October 1941)

294th howitzer artillery regiment (since October 1941)

98th separate anti-tank battalion of the 1st formation (until 11/22/1941)

98th separate anti-tank battalion of the 2nd formation (since 11.3.1942)

577th mortar division (from 11/22/1941 to 10/6/1942)

75th reconnaissance company (75th separate reconnaissance battalion)

111th engineer battalion

37th separate communications battalion (514th separate communications company)

95th Medical Battalion

57th separate company of chemical protection

31st motor transport battalion

108th motor transport company

276th (44th) field bakery

198th divisional veterinary infirmary

158th Divisional Artillery Repair Shop

115th field post station

252nd field cash desk of the State Bank.

At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War with Nazi Germany, the 6th rifle division stationed in the city of Brest-Litovsk. Three rifle regiments, all special separate battalions and divisions, with the exception of the 246th separate anti-aircraft artillery battalion (which was located in the northern town) and the 131st light artillery regiment, were located in the fortress. In the same place or near the fortress, in the houses of the command staff, most of the command staff of these units were also located, and only the 204th howitzer artillery regiment was located in the southern town.

In the central part of the fortress there were two rifle regiments, an ORB, an OBS, a medical battalion and an autobattalion / except for other parts of the 42nd Rifle Division /, and there was one exit. Behind the bypass channel were located the 125th rifle regiment, anti-tank division and closer to the Bug river the 131st artillery regiment, there were four exits. The fortress also housed units of the 42nd Infantry Division.

By this time, in each rifle regiment, one battalion was thrown onto the state border to carry out defensive work to strengthen fortified areas.

June 22, 1941, at 4 o'clock in the morning, first of all, on the fortress and the houses of the command staff, hurricane fire was opened on the barracks and on the exits from the barracks in the central part of the fortress, as well as on bridges and entrance gate fortresses.

This terrible treacherous artillery raid caused confusion and panic among the Red Army personnel, while the command staff, which itself was attacked in the houses, was partially destroyed, the surviving part of the command staff could not penetrate the barracks due to strong barrage fire placed on the bridge in the central part of the fortress and at the entrance gate.

As a result, the Red Army soldiers and junior command staff, without control from the command staff, dressed and undressed, in groups and one by one, left the fortress, overcoming the bypass channel, the river. Mukhovets and the rampart of the fortress, under the fire of Art. machine guns, artillery and mortar fire.
It was not possible to take into account the losses, since the scattered parts of the division mixed with the scattered parts of the 42nd Rifle Division, and many could not get to the assembly place, because at about 6 o’clock artillery fire was already concentrated on it.

The battalions of rifle regiments located on the border were also subjected to artillery fire, and as a result, only single soldiers and commanders managed to get out, the rest were destroyed on the spot while sleeping.
The 2nd division of the 131st ap was destroyed in a short time by artillery fire concentrated on it by direct fire.

The battery of the 246th Ozad, which stood at the OP near Zhetchin, resisted for a long time, but after repeated raids by large groups of aircraft, it was destroyed.
Only the 204th Gap (since fire was opened on the southern town later) stood at the OP in the area of the art park, opened fire on enemy artillery, silencing part of its batteries for a while, after which, having undergone a fire raid, it removed from the OP and moved in the direction Zhabinka.

Along the way, the 204th gap was repeatedly subjected to air attack. Due to the lack of fuel and under the influence of aviation, the artillery and tractor materiel of the second and third divisions were destroyed, and only the first horse-drawn division safely arrived in Kobrin, and on the morning of 23.6 took part in the battle for the defense of this city. Arrived there at 2 am on 23.6, together with the first battalion of the 84th joint venture of captain Olshevsky, the first division of the 131st ap, who participated on 23.6 in the defense of Kobrin.
The division command and headquarters, together with the commanders of the units, took measures to assemble scattered groups and individual Red Army soldiers at the division’s assembly point and on the roads, which were put on alert and began to take up defense along the sands of 4 km north. Brest.

As a result of these measures, three groups were created: the group of the division commander, Colonel Popsuy-Shapko, with the chief of staff, Colonel Ignatov, and the regimental commissar Butin. The group of the deputy commander of the division, Colonel Ostashenko, with the head of the political department, the regimental commissar Pimenov and the commander of the 125th joint venture, Lieutenant Colonel Berkov, and the group of the commander of the 333rd joint venture, Colonel Matveev. These groups, retreating under the onslaught of the enemy, occupying a number of successive defensive lines, retreated in the general direction to Zhabinka and further to Kobrin, while there was no connection between the groups, so the actions of the groups were scattered. Later, units of the Kartuz-Berezovsky garrison, retreating from Kobrin, joined the detachment of Colonel Ostashenko, 7 km north of Kobrin, so that the detachment already had about 2,000 people, who began to fight their way to Kosiv. Then the detachment joined with the division of Colonel Kudyurov and the combined forces of about 5,000 people continued to fight with the enemy grouping that had broken through to Kosovo.
Conclusion: the division, which lost machine guns, mortars, ammunition, part of the artillery and other property and equipment and armament of the whole organism, did not represent the whole organism during the withdrawal from the city of Brest-Litovsk. The resistance turned out to be three groups that had no connection with each other and retreated in different directions.

2. From 1 to 12.7 the division is on formation in the Krasnopolye area.

07/13/1941, in connection with the enemy breakthrough in the Shklov-Bykhov area in the direction of his movement towards Gorki, Propoisk, the division received the task of taking up defense along the eastern bank of the Lobchanka River on the Lobcha-Aleksandrovskaya front, covering the Cherekovsky direction, being in the second echelon 28- th rifle corps. The division, having completed a 45 km march, entered the designated defense zone on 14.7, but with a delay of 12 hours due to the untimely receipt of the order and the lack of training of the arriving replenishment. The division, not fully manned, did not have automatic weapons (machine guns), mortars, regimental and divisional artillery, without means of communication and reconnaissance.

At 24.00 14.7, by order of the commander of the 4th Army, two detachments are allocated from the division: the first force into the rifle regiment, the second into the battalion, and under the general command of the division commander are sent to defend the Sozh River at the front (claim.) Khislavichi, Panarino.

On the morning of July 15, along the Propoisk-Cherikov highway, following the retreating rear of the 42nd Rifle Division, an enemy motorized mechanized group consisting of 9 tanks, 6-7 armored vehicles, 8-10 vehicles with infantry and a certain number of motorcyclists advanced. Destroyed bridges on the highway and other bridges across the river. Lobchanka delayed the advance of the enemy, who at 9 o'clock began the construction of the bridge, covering the work with tanks and armored vehicles. In the absence of any artillery in the division, parts of the division could not disrupt the construction of the bridge by the enemy. Rifle and machine-gun fire opened by our units was immediately suppressed by cannon and machine-gun fire from enemy tanks. After the restoration of the bridge, the motorized mechanized group crossed the river and, having penetrated 300-400 meters into the defense area of the 333rd Rifle Regiment, opened indiscriminate fire on the forest occupied by our units. During the day and night for 16.7 attempts to further movement was not made. On the night of July 16, the 333rd Rifle Regiment, on the site of which the enemy broke through the defenses, by decision of the regiment commander, without the sanction of the division commander and knowledge, on the night of 16.7, withdrew from the line of defense and crossed to the southern bank of the Sozh River.

On the morning of 16.7, the enemy, having broken through the defenses in the sector of the 125th Rifle Regiment, surrounded his left-flank battalion, began to move towards Cherikov, at the same time building crossings to the north of the defense sector of the 125th Rifle Regiment, moved in an easterly direction to the city of Cherikov. With the onset of darkness, the movement of another enemy column was detected along the Propoisk-Cherikov highway. Given the absence of a neighbor on the right and the independent withdrawal of the 333rd Rifle Regiment and any information about it, the division command decided to withdraw the remaining units and subunits to the southern bank of the Sozh River.

By the morning of 17.7 all units crossed to the southern bank of the river. Sozh and took up defense by order of the commander of the 28th sk.

Conclusion: the division, not equipped with technical means of combat (machine guns, mortars, artillery), with untrained personnel, took up defensive positions along a tactically insignificant line without sufficient funds (due to the lack of engineering equipment) and time to carry out defensive work in the absence of neighbors, while the front of defense was up to 20 km, while the division was 2 regiments.
The reconnaissance motorized mechanized group of the enemy crossed the Lobchanka River without much effort, broke through the defenses, first of the 333rd Rifle Regiment, and then of the 125th Rifle Regiment, which ensured the movement of large enemy forces on the city of Cherikov.
Despite the heroic efforts of individual subunits of division units, units of the division could not detain and fight enemy tanks.

From 18 to 27.7, the division, as part of the 28th sk, took up defensive positions along the southern bank of the Sozh River, trying to capture the highway, Propoisk, Cherikov and thereby cut off enemy communications, but all these efforts due to the lack of sufficient technical means did not give positive results.

On 29.7, having transferred the 155th Rifle Division to the 333rd Rifle Regiment, 2 battalions of the 125th Rifle Regiment, Orb, Ptd, 131st Ap, 204th Gap and 246th Ozad, by order of the Army Commander, the control of the division goes to formation in the Klimovichi area.
3. On the night of 31.7 to 1.8, in connection with the emerging enemy breakthrough north of Krichev, the division received an order from the army commander to advance as part of the newly formed 125th joint venture of the 2nd battalion to the area of Cape Khotovish, Cape Khodun to defend the southern coast Oster River at the front Cape Hotovish, Zimonino, where to attach the 84th joint venture (which by that time had no more than 250 people), then go to the northern bank of the Oster River, cutting the road going from Lobkovichi to Zimonino, Dedik.
08/01/1941 at 3 o'clock in the morning the 125th joint venture under the command of the deputy division commander comrade. Ostashenko makes a march to the defense area, but due to the enemy’s breakthrough to Shumyachiy, Roslavl, the Khotovish region, Khodun and the southern bank of the Oster River in this area, the enemy is captured earlier, as a result, the regiment, upon reaching the highway at the Penkovka line, Domamorochi goes on the defensive at this line, having in the future the task of reaching the designated defense area and connecting with the 84th joint venture (which by this time had already been surrounded by the enemy).

On the night of 1/2/8, the offensive undertaken by two battalions of the 125th Rifle Regiment to capture the points of m. Khotovish, Khodun, Hannovka and link up with the 84th Rifle Regiment was not successful.

On August 2, 1941, the second offensive with the introduction of the 1.8 Communist battalion, which arrived in the evening under the personal command of Colonel Ostashenko and Regimental Commissar Popenko, first brought brilliant results.

The Leningrad communists boldly attack the enemy in the Hannovka area, destroy up to an infantry battalion, breaking into Hannovka and seizing the battalion headquarters. The enemy flees in panic, throwing weapons, equipment, bicycles, motorcycles and cars.

Colonel Comrade Ostashenko makes a decision - by the actions of the battalions of the 125th Rifle Regiment on Cape Khotovish (on the right) and the communist battalion (on the left) to destroy the enemy grouping in the area of Hotovish, Khotun, but not supported by the battalions of the 125th Rifle Regiment (trampling on the spot) offensive communist battalion and the onset of darkness prevented the implementation of this plan. The battalion was forced to retreat to the railway. one and a half kilometers northwest of Domamorochi.

The offensive launched again from 3 to 4.8 by the communist battalion was again a great success, another infantry battalion of the 62nd infantry regiment was defeated, a company of this battalion that broke into the village of Pervomayskaya was captured and the headquarters of this battalion, but got into a semi-encirclement due to the slowness of the advance of the neighbors battalion retreated to its original position with heavy losses.

On the night of 5 to 6 August, an offensive was launched with the aim of withdrawing the 84th Rifle Regiment from the encirclement (already 4 days without food), by the joint efforts of both regiments, the 84th Rifle Regiment succeeded in getting out of the encirclement and withdrawing artillery and carts.

Starting from 6 to 9.8, attempts by the division's units to capture the resistance centers fortified by the enemy m. Khotovish, Khodun were not successful.

4. On the night of 9/10/8, in connection with two enemy tank divisions that had broken through from the Roslavl direction to Surazh and Unecha, the division, by order of the corps commander, retreated to the Lobzhanka River. In the future, the division, without influence from the enemy, occupying a number of successive lines, retreats to the south-west and retreats to the southern bank of the Iput River on 18.8.

On the night of August 20, by order of the commander of the 4th airborne division, the division, together with the 7th and 8th airborne brigade, must break through the enemy’s communications in the Naytopovichi, Ryukhovo area, later with access to the Baklan area.

On August 20 and 21, the division makes a breakthrough, fights in Ryukhovo, for Ryukhova Buda, and by the evening of August 21, concentrates in Ivatenki. But the perfect breakthrough was not fully secured from the flanks, and as a result, at first, with artillery and mortar fire, it delays the advance of the rear of the corps, and then the enemy liquidates the breakthrough with approaching tanks and infantry, surrounds the rear of the division in the forest west of Alenovka (autobattalion, medical battalion and horse transport 30 wagons together with the rear of the 7th and 8th airborne brigade) which, after a 2-day battle, having destroyed the vehicles, were forced to leave the encirclement in groups.
5. From 25 to 28.8 the division is conducting defensive battles on the front Andreykovichi, Ponurovka, Vorobyovka.

On August 28, in the morning, the enemy launched an offensive with large forces on the left flank of the 307th Rifle Division in the direction of Kister and captured it at 10.00. At about 2 pm, enemy tanks and armored vehicles from Kister broke through to Gremyach and attacked the flank and rear of the division. Communication with the neighbor was interrupted. Fearing the capture by the enemy of the crossings at Kamen and Ochkin, the command of the division decided to withdraw the division on the eastern bank of the river. Gum. Under the cover of the 84th Rifle Regiment, the withdrawal of artillery to the crossings began at 17:00, and with the onset of darkness, the rest of the division began to withdraw. During the night from 28 to 29.8 all parts of the division were transferred to the eastern bank of the Desna River.
Signed: Chief of Staff of the division, Colonel Ignatov, Chief of Operations, Major Shcherbakov.

On the fate of the banners of the 6th Infantry Division.

Now we know about the fate of the banners of almost all parts of the divisions that fought in the Brest Fortress.

Soviet soldiers either rescued them, carrying them out from under the threat of capture by the enemy, or hid them in the dungeons of the fighting fortress. At the same time, some banners died along with the soldiers who defended them.

The battle banner of the 98th Optad of the 6th Rifle Division, along with party and Komsomol documents, was wrapped by soldiers in a tarpaulin and hidden in the dungeon of one of the fortifications of the fortress. The explosion of ammunition in this sector of defense completely destroyed this fortification.

The battle banner of the 75th orb of the same division died when a heavy bomb exploded, along with the Red Army soldiers I.F. Sheev and I.N. Mikhailov, who tried to hide him during the bombing.

The combat banner of the 333rd Rifle Division and the banner of the 6th Rifle Division, which were kept in this regiment, were buried by soldiers in the basement of the regimental barracks. This building has been destroyed. The battle banner of the 125th joint venture of the 6th SD was carried out by the deputy regiment commander for political affairs, battalion commissar S.V. Derbenev. When the commissar was seriously wounded, the soldiers hid him, and the banner was buried in the forest. In the 84th joint venture of the same division, the combat and patronage banners during the fighting were also covered by fighters in the dungeons of the fortress.

The banner of the 131st Infantry Division of the 6th Rifle Division perished in the burnt-out headquarters of the regiment. The banner of the 37th Obs of the 6th Rifle Division was taken out of the burning fortress.

The banner of the 204th GAP of the 6th SD was deployed at the position of the 2nd battery of Lieutenant I.N. Zhendinsky when she opened fire on the enemy on the morning of June 22, 1941.

Thus, out of ten banners of the 6th Rifle Division, which were at the time of the outbreak of war in their units in the city of Brest and in the Brest Fortress, 9 banners were preserved by fighters and commanders.

So far, it has not been possible to find information about the fate of one banner from the 6th SD. Obviously, everyone who carried it died. According to the captured documents we studied, the enemy failed to capture our banners in the battles near Brest.

Until December 6, 1941, parts of the division fought heavy defensive battles at a number of important lines.

On December 7, 1941, parts of the division in the Slepukha area, Khitrovo station, Malaya Baevka went on the offensive, providing the right flank of the strike group of Lieutenant General Kostenko. The offensive of our troops was swift. During the period of the offensive in the winter of 1941-1942, the division fought more than 200 km to the west, liberating over 250 settlements.

On June 28, 1942, parts of the division again entered into battle with large enemy forces that had gone on the offensive in the direction of Kshen, Kastornoye. Including until July 6, 1942, the division fought stubborn defensive battles, and then took up defensive positions on the eastern bank of the Voronezh River.

From July 6 to October 6, 1942, units of the division fought to hold the eastern part of the city of Voronezh and expand the bridgehead on the right bank of the Voronezh River.

During the winter offensive of 1942-1943, the division went a long way, participated in the liberation of the city of Balakleya. In just one month of the offensive, she fought 210 km and liberated one city, five regional centers and 65 other settlements.

From March to August 12, 1943, units of the division took up defensive positions along the Seversky Donets River, and from August 12 they went on the offensive. Parts of the division, having successfully crossed the Seversky Donets River, broke through the heavily fortified enemy defenses and overcoming stubborn resistance rushed forward. On August 18, 1943, the division liberated the city of Zmiev from the enemy. Soldiers of the 333rd Infantry Regiment hoisted the Red Banner on the building of the District Council. The liberation of the city of Zmiev was of great importance in the liberation of the city of Kharkov. Supreme Commander-in-Chief Marshal of the Soviet Union Stalin praised fighting of our troops in this sector of the front and by order of August 23 announced gratitude to all the personnel of the 34th Rifle Corps, which included the 6th Rifle Division.

On September 9, 1943, units of the division, conducting an offensive in the Verkhny Beshkin area, after fierce fighting broke into the enemy’s fortified zone and carried out a successful offensive.

On September 26, parts of the division approached the Dnieper River and on September 27, 1943 captured the northwestern part of the city of Dnepropetrovsk. During the period of fighting from the Seversky Donets River to the Dnieper River, the division traveled 220 km and liberated 80 settlements and one city.

On October 22, 1943, the division crossed the Dnieper River, launched an offensive on the right bank of the Dnieper in the Romankovo region in order to expand the captured bridgehead and liberate the city of Dneprodzerzhinsk. Performing a combat mission on the right bank of the Dnieper River, parts of the division, waging stubborn battles together with other units, having defeated the enemy, liberated the city of Dneprodzerzhinsk. The Supreme Commander-in-Chief, in his order dated October 25, 1943, noted the 6th Rifle Division as especially distinguished in the battles for the liberation of the cities of Dnepropetrovsk and Dneprodzerzhinsk, expressed gratitude to all the personnel of the division and presented the division for awarding the Order of the Red Banner. By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of October 25, 1943, the 6th Oryol Rifle Division was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.

From October 22 to December 1943, the division on the right bank of the Dnieper River fought 165 km and liberated 35 settlements.

In January 1944, the division entered the battle as part of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, participated in breaking through the heavily fortified enemy defenses in the Tishkovka, Kapitanovka, Turiya areas and provided direct assistance in the encirclement of the German group in the Korsun-Shevchenkovsky area. She successfully repulsed the fierce counterattacks of the Germans, who were striving to connect with the encircled German grouping, and firmly held their positions. For excellent combat operations, the personnel of the division received the gratitude of Comrade Stalin.

In March 1944, the division launched a decisive offensive in the Listopadovka-Zlatopol area. Having broken through the heavily fortified defenses of the Germans, she liberated Zlatopol, Novomirgorod and carried out a swift pursuit of the retreating enemy and in a short time reached the Southern Bug River. Leading stubborn battles in front of the Southern Bug River, she participated in the liberation of the city of Pervomaisk, formed the Southern Bug River, occupied the German stronghold on the right bank of this river, the village of Velikaya Mechetna, and created a bridgehead on its right bank. For excellent actions in the liberation of Pervomaisk, the personnel of the division received the gratitude of the Supreme Commander. Then the division participated in a number of battles in Bessarabia and in April 1944 entered the territory of Romania. In May 1944, she took part in bloody battles with the German-Romanian troops in the Stroeshti region.

Going on the defensive, in the summer of 1944, parts of the division created a solid, impregnable defense for the enemy in the Baskan region. This time was used to prepare for decisive battles in Romania.

On the night of August 21-22, 1944, units of the division launched a decisive offensive, defeated enemy groups south of Iasi, together with other formations of the front, and participated in capturing the cities of Roman and Bacau, strategically important enemy strongholds covering the path to the central regions of Romania. By order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief dated August 24, 1944, the personnel of the division received gratitude. For exemplary execution of the order of command, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR awarded all regiments of the division with orders of the Soviet Union: the 84th rifle regiment - the Order of the Red Banner, the 333rd rifle regiment - the Order of Kutuzov, 3rd degree, the 125th rifle regiment - the Order of Alexander Nevsky, the 131st Artillery Regiment - the Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky, 3rd degree.

Order-bearing regiments of the 6th Rifle Division with exceptional perseverance and courage, fighting hard battles, crossed the Carpathians, entered the territory of the last Nazi vassal - Hungary.

On October 14, 1944, after a seven-day march, the division entered the site of the 53rd Army and, having become part of it, received the task of defending the city of Debrecen. The short-term period of defense was used to the maximum for combat and political training of personnel, putting in order the units that had come out of stubborn battles before the march. At this time, units of the Red Army, operating as part of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, reached the important water line of the Tisza River, and on November 2, 1944, the regiments of the division as part of the 49th Rifle Corps, after a daily march, also reached their starting position for crossing River Tissav district of the city of Abadsalok. Fighters, sergeants and officers showed exceptional stamina in battle, showed examples of courage and bravery when crossing the water line, in battles during the expansion of the bridgehead. Ensuring the crossing of rifle units, the artillerymen of the 8th battery of the 131st artillery regiment, senior lieutenant Kizim, the calculations of the communists Kleimenov and Malanya, rolled up their guns to the river itself and destroyed enemy firing points that interfered with the crossing of our soldiers with direct fire. 10 firing points of the enemy were destroyed by the gun crew of senior sergeant Borodin / 98 OIPTD /. Under the cover of artillery and mortar fire, rifle subunits were launched into the water on independently prepared crossing facilities. The first to cross the river was the 3rd Rifle Battalion of the 333rd Rifle Regiment of Captain Savenkov. On the first boat, together with the squad of senior sergeant Shatobalov, the Komsomol leader of the battalion, senior sergeant Politov crossed, and on the second boat, the party organizer of the battalion, Lieutenant Kalinin. A particularly fierce battle ensued on a narrow bridgehead captured by units of the 125th Infantry Regiment.

Having crossed the Tisza River, units of the division, breaking the stubborn resistance of the enemy, overcoming engineering barriers, successfully moved forward, clearing the enemy of the Hungarian settlements one by one.

On January 2, 1945, the 6th Rifle Division became part of the 51st Rifle Corps of the 40th Army. After a four-day march through the territory of Hungary, it concentrated in the area of \u200b\u200bthe settlements: Onga, Olsho-Zholtso.

On January 3, parts of the division received new reinforcements in the amount of 604 people. 542 people from the newly arrived fighters were mobilized on the territory of the Ukrainian and Moldavian SSR liberated from the Nazi invaders. 28 people were captured, 48 people participated in the battles at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War.

On January 12, 1945, units of the division received an order to attack from the area of Niorad, Velsho-Kelechen, Zubogi. In heavy battles, with a stubbornly defending enemy who used all the advantages in defense, mountainous and wooded terrain, the personnel of the division showed examples of unparalleled stamina, courage and heroism. In two days of fighting, the division moved forward 7 km, capturing a number of important, dominant heights and settlements: Ardovo, the eastern part of the city of Pleshivets, and the Pleshivets railway station. To delay the advance of our units, the Germans mined a bridge on a large highway, prepared it for an explosion. Komsomol leader of the 2nd rifle company of the 333rd rifle regiment, Nikolai Surkov, asked the commander to go to the bridge and prevent the enemy from fulfilling his plan. He secretly made his way to the bridge and destroyed 8 enemy sappers. The bridge remained intact.

From January 12 to January 25, 1945, parts of the division fought stubborn battles with the enemy, breaking into his strong fortifications in the area north of Miskolc.

Throughout February 1945, the division waged continuous offensive battles in the area of Kalinka, Viglyashsk, Guta, Staraya Guta, Banov Laz, overcoming stubborn enemy resistance, various engineering obstacles on narrow mountain roads and paths, the units slowly moved forward, knocking the enemy from intermediate frontiers.

On March 9, 1945, the enemy was shot down from the main defensive line and, under the blows of the division's units, rolled back in a northwestern direction. The settlements of Staraya Guta, Kalinka, Viglyashska, Guta, Lomno, Kraleva, Dubrava, Shuplotka were liberated by our units. The division fought especially fierce battles together with other units for the liberation of the city of Zvolen. Throughout all the battles for Zvolen, the fighters of the assault group of the 125th Infantry Regiment, led by Captain Radchenko, acted bravely and boldly. For the courage and heroism shown during the capture of the city of Zvolen, parts of the division and all personnel were awarded the gratitude of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, and the 84th Infantry Regiment was given the name Zvolensky.

On April 13, 1945, at 14:00, units of the division launched a decisive offensive and already on the first day, having broken the stubborn resistance of the enemy in their sector, captured the settlements of Grushka, Novzhizhkov, Prekhov.

On April 26, 1945, the ninth gratitude of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief was announced to the division.

On April 27, 1945, units of the division, acting together with other units of the 53rd Army, broke into the city of Brno and started street fighting with the enemy. The Germans stubbornly defended every quarter, every street.

On May 7, 1945, the division firmly entrenched itself on a new frontier: the cities of Frnovka, Rozdrojevitsy, and after a regrouping of forces, on May 9, together with other formations of the 53rd Army, launched a decisive offensive against the last grouping of enemy forces that refused to lay down their arms after the surrender of Germany. Having broken the stubborn resistance of the enemy in their area, parts of the division began to pursue him, randomly fleeing units. Pursuing a defeated enemy, capturing his scattered groups by May 12, parts of the division, having traveled 200 km, concentrated in the area of the Czechoslovak settlement of Mikhovitsy.

Since that time, stubborn combat training began in units and subunits, which continued until June 10, when the division received an order to be loaded into echelons and redeployed to the territory of the Mongolian People's Republic.

Division commanders:

Colonel Popsuy-Shapko Mikhail Antonovich - 03/14/1941 - 07/29/1941.

Wreed Colonel Ostashenko Fedor Afanasyevich - 07/30/1941 - 08/13/1941.

Major General Grishin Mikhail Danilovich - 08/14/1941 - 11/30/1942.

Colonel Shteiman Yakov Lvovich - 12/01/1942 - 02/09/1943.

Colonel Goryashin Leonid Mikhailovich - 02/10/1943 - 06/30/1943.

BUT Ntonov Vladimir Semyonovich - commander of the 301st Stalin Order of Suvorov, 2nd degree, rifle division of the 9th Red Banner Rifle Corps of the 5th shock army of the 1st Belorussian Front, colonel.
Born on June 15 (28), 1909 at the junction of the Capella of the Atkar district Saratov province, now the Atkarsky district of the Saratov region, in the family of a railway worker. Russian. He graduated from the school of the 2nd stage in the city of Atkarsk, in 1924 he led the first pioneer detachments in the city. He worked at a wood warehouse, an elevator, in the propaganda department of the Atkar district committee of the Komsomol.
He was drafted into the Red Army on a Komsomol ticket in November 1928. Sent to serve in the 21st Yampolsky border detachment of the OGPU. From November 1929 - squad leader, assistant platoon commander, foreman of the regimental school, platoon commander, acting head of the regimental school of the 6th Cavalry Regiment of the OGPU. In 1931, he graduated from the Kharkiv School of Red Starshina named after VUTsIK as an external student. In September 1937 he was sent to study.
In 1940 he graduated from the Military Academy of the Red Army named after M.V. Frunze and was sent to the post of chief of staff in the 1st separate Bialystok motorized rifle regiment of the NKVD of the NKVD Directorate for the Latvian SSR, stationed in Kaunas. In May-June 1941, he temporarily served as commander of this regiment.
From the first days of the Great Patriotic War, Major V.S. Antonov - at the front. He fought on the North-Western Front - in the NKVD Directorate for the protection of the rear of the front. The regiment fought heavy defensive battles in the Baltic near Kaunas, Polotsk, and in the Kalinin region. In August 1941 he was appointed chief of staff of the 912th Infantry Regiment of the 243rd Infantry Division of the 29th Army of the Western Front.
But he did not have a chance to command the regiment for long: first, in the battle on August 17, he was wounded (remained in the ranks). A few days later, he was removed from his post for the inadequate state of intelligence and the capture of the Red Army regiment, after which he was put on trial. On September 1, 1941, the Military Tribunal of the 29th Army sentenced V.S. Antonov to 5 years in labor camps without loss of rights with a delay in the execution of the sentence until the end of hostilities.
From September 9, 1941 - battalion commander in the 912th Infantry Regiment. He commanded a battalion for only 7 days - after differences in battles on September 16, 1941, he was again appointed chief of staff of the 1st motorized rifle regiment of the Separate mixed motorized rifle brigade of the 29th Army. Since November 1941 - commander of the 916th rifle regiment of the 247th rifle division of the 39th Army of the Kalinin Front, a participant in the offensive battles of the battle for Moscow. By the decision of the tribunal of December 9, 1941, the conviction was removed for differences in battles. In January 1942, when the brigade participated in the Rzhev-Vyazemskaya offensive operation, was shell-shocked.
After recovery from March 1942 - commander of the 162nd cadet rifle brigade of the Moscow military district. From April 1942 - commander of the 256th Infantry Brigade, which in August 1942 was sent to the Transcaucasian Front. Participated in heavy defensive battles of the battle for the Caucasus in the Malgobek direction.
For the surrender of Malgobek on October 13, 1942, he was removed from his post and put on trial. On October 28, 1942, the military tribunal of the Northern Group of Forces of the Transcaucasian Front sentenced him to 10 years in labor camps without loss of rights with a suspension of the execution of the sentence.
Since November 1942 - Deputy Commander of the 84th Separate Marine Rifle Brigade of the Northern Group of Forces of the Transcaucasian Front. The conviction was removed by a decree of January 23, 1943 for distinction in the battles for the liberation of the North Caucasus. Since May 1943 - commander of the 34th separate rifle brigade on the North Caucasian front, fought during the liberation of the Caucasus and Kuban.
In June 1943, he was appointed commander of the 301st Rifle Division, which in September 1943 was transferred to the Donbass and, as part of the 5th Shock Army of the Southern (from October 1943 - the 3rd Ukrainian) Front, took part in the Donbass, Melitopol, Nikopol- Krivoy Rog operations. Especially parts of the division became famous during the liberation of the cities of Makeevka and Stalino (Donetsk). In the same place in the Donbass in September 1943 he was shell-shocked. In March 1944, the division was transferred to the 57th Army of the 3rd Ukrainian Front, in which it distinguished itself in the Bereznegovato-Snigirevskaya, Odessa and Iasi-Kishinev offensive operations.
In September 1944, the 301st Rifle Division returned to the 5th Shock Army and was transferred with it to the 1st Belorussian Front.
The commander of the 301st Rifle Division of the 9th Rifle Corps of the 5th Shock Army of the 1st Belorussian Front, Colonel Antonov Vladimir Semyonovich, especially distinguished himself during the Vistula-Oder offensive operation. On January 14, 1945, units of the 301st Rifle Division under the command of Colonel V. S. Antonov went on the offensive from the Magnushevsky bridgehead and broke through the powerful enemy defenses, which had been prepared since August 1944. For four days, parts of the division broke through, successively breaking through several lines of defense. The task was successfully completed, other troops moved into the breakthrough. In these battles, the division destroyed up to 1,200 enemy soldiers, 20 tanks and assault guns, and captured 4 warehouses.
W and the exemplary performance of the tasks of the Command on the front of the fight against the German invaders and the courage and heroism shown at the same time by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of April 6, 1945 to Colonel Antonov Vladimir Semyonovich He was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.
In April-May 1945, parts of the division bravely acted in the Berlin offensive operation and during the storming of Berlin.
After the war he continued to serve in Soviet army commanding the same division. From December 1946 to December 1948 - head of the combat training department of the 8th Guards Army of the Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany, then left to study.
In 1950 he graduated from the Higher Military Academy named after K.E. Voroshilov (now the Military Academy General Staff). From December 1950 - Head of the Combat and Physical Training Department of the Turkestan Military District Headquarters. From January 1954 - chief, and from July 1954 - first deputy chief of the Combat Training Directorate of the Central Group of Forces (Austria). Since November 1954 - Deputy Commander of the 79th Rifle (from March 1955 - 23rd Rifle) Corps of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany. From June 1955 - head of the combat training department of the 3rd combined arms army in the GSVG. From January 1958 - head of the military department of the Central Asian polytechnic institute in the city of Frunze, Kirghiz SSR. From November 1961 - Head of the Combat Training Directorate of the Civil Defense Headquarters of the USSR.
In November 1964, Major General V.S. Antonov was transferred to the reserve. Lived in the hero city of Moscow. Died May 9, 1993. He was buried at the Troekurovsky cemetery in Moscow.
Major General (07/11/1945). He was awarded two orders of Lenin (1945, 1953), two orders of the Red Banner (1942, 1948), orders of Suvorov 2nd degree (1945), Kutuzov 2nd degree (1943), Bogdan Khmelnitsky 2nd degree (1943), two Orders of the Patriotic War of the 1st degree (1944, 1985), Red Star (1944), medals "For the Defense of the Caucasus", "3a the Capture of Berlin", "For the Liberation of Warsaw" and other medals, as well as foreign awards: the Order of the Cross of Grunwald "(Poland), medals" For Warsaw "(Poland)," For Odra, Nisa, Baltic "(Poland).
Honorary citizen of the city of Donetsk (1968).
The writing:
Road to Berlin. M., 1975.
Biography supplemented and revised by Anton Bocharov
(village of Koltsovo, Novosibirsk region)

The division of Colonel Antonov arrived at the Magnushevsky bridgehead before the start of the Vistula-Oder operation. Antonov accepted bold decision to break through enemy defenses, organized the interaction of military branches, the supply of ammunition, fuel and food, the repair of vehicles and military equipment, and the training of personnel for upcoming actions. The division commander had many concerns, but he paid special attention to studying the enemy.
The Nazis had a defense in depth on the bridgehead with the presence of pillboxes and bunkers, a dense network of trenches and communications. Intelligence established the presence of a forward position in the zone of the upcoming offensive. The enemy hoped to mislead our command about the outline of the front edge of the main line of defense, to force our troops to strike at an empty place. Antonov guessed the enemy's plan and decided to outwit him. Before the start of the offensive, on his orders, the forward battalions decisively attacked the enemy and captured the forward position. The Nazi command believed that the offensive of our units ran out of steam.
Meanwhile, on January 14, 1945, a powerful offensive began by the troops of the 1st Belorussian Front. Antonov's division struck in the main direction. After artillery preparation, the units broke through the enemy defenses, crossed the Pilica and Ravka rivers on the move. In the following days, the soldiers fought in the difficult conditions of the forest area. The Nazis many times struck at the open right flank of the division, but Colonel Antonov, having covered the threatened direction with part of his forces, continued to decisively move forward with the main forces of the division. During the first five days of the offensive, the division destroyed 1,200 enemy soldiers and officers and 20 tanks, ensuring by its successful actions that units of the 1st Guards Tank Army were brought into battle.
HEROES OF THE SOVIET UNION OF THE 301st SHELLING STALIN (DONETSK) ORDER OF SUVOROV, 2nd DEGREE, DIVISION OF THE 9TH RED SIGNED SHIELDING CORPORATION OF THE 5TH STRIKING ARMY
For heroism in crossing the Dniester north of the city of Bendery
Soldier, rifleman of the 2nd rifle company of the 1050th rifle regiment
For heroism during the breakthrough of the Magnushevsky bridgehead south of Warsaw
ANTONOV Vladimir Semyonovich, colonel, commander of the 301st Infantry Division
Sergeant, machine gunner of the 1st Infantry Battalion of the 1054th Infantry Regiment
Captain, commander of the 3rd Infantry Battalion of the 1050th Infantry Regiment
Sergeant, machine gun commander of the 1052nd Infantry Regiment
Captain, Deputy Commander for Political Affairs of the 2nd Rifle Battalion of the 1052nd Rifle Regiment (posthumously)
Sergeant, Commander of the Rifle Squad of the 1052nd Rifle Regiment
Captain, commander of the 2nd Infantry Battalion of the 1052nd Infantry Regiment
Sergeant, assistant commander of a rifle platoon of the 1st rifle company of the 1054th rifle regiment
Senior sergeant, commander of the rifle squad of the 1052nd rifle regiment
Captain, commander of the artillery battalion of the 823rd artillery regiment (posthumously)
Lieutenant, commander of a rifle platoon of the 1052nd rifle regiment
Soldier, anti-tank gunner of the 2nd Infantry Battalion, 1050th Infantry Regiment
Captain, commander of a machine gun company of the 1052nd Infantry Regiment
Captain, commander of a rifle company of the 1052nd rifle regiment
Sergeant, gunner of the 1050th Infantry Regiment
Lieutenant colonel, commander of the 1052nd Infantry Regiment
Sergeant major, gun commander of the 1052nd Infantry Regiment
Captain, commander of a rifle company of the 1052nd rifle regiment
Soldier, shooter of the 6th rifle company of the 1052nd rifle regiment
For heroism in the battles on the Oder bridgehead
Senior lieutenant, commander of a fire platoon of the 1050th Infantry Regiment
Soldier, shooter of the 7th rifle company of the 1052nd rifle regiment
Sergeant Major, Commander of the Rifle Squad of the 1052nd Rifle Regiment
Sergeant major, gun commander of the 823rd Artillery Regiment
For heroism in battles in the Battle of Berlin
Sergeant Major, Commander of the Rifle Squad of the 1054th Rifle Regiment
Lieutenant, Komsomol organizer of the 1st Infantry Battalion of the 1054th Infantry Regiment
Senior sergeant, gun commander of the 823rd artillery regiment
Sergeant, telephone operator of the 1052nd Infantry Regiment (posthumously)
Captain, commander of an artillery battery of the 1052nd Infantry Regiment
Sergeant major, gun commander of the 823rd Artillery Regiment
Senior lieutenant, commander of a rifle company of the 1054th rifle regiment
Captain, commander of a rifle company of the 1054th rifle regiment (posthumously)
Sergeant, Commander of the Rifle Squad of the 1050th Rifle Regiment (posthumously)
Lieutenant, fire platoon commander of the 823rd Artillery Regiment
Major, commander of the 1st Infantry Battalion of the 1052nd Infantry Regiment (posthumously)
Captain, commander of the rifle battalion of the 1052nd rifle regiment
Captain, Deputy Commander for Political Affairs of the 3rd Infantry Battalion of the 1054th Infantry Regiment (posthumously)
Lieutenant, party organizer of the 3rd Infantry Battalion of the 1052nd Infantry Regiment (posthumously)
Lieutenant colonel, commander of the 1054th Infantry Regiment
Sergeant, commander of the anti-tank rifle squad of the 1054th Infantry Regiment

Formed on the basis of the 34th and 157th rifle brigade.
1050, 1052 and 1054 rifle regiment,
823 artillery regiment,
337 separate self-propelled artillery battalion (since 10/30/44),
222 (337) separate anti-tank battalion,
256 reconnaissance company,
592 engineer battalion,
757 separate communications battalion (1391 separate communications company),
341 medical battalion,
390 separate company of chemical protection,
727 motor transport company,
434 field bakery,
899 divisional veterinary infirmary,
2156 field post station,
1232 (316) field cash desk of the State Bank.

Combat period
6.8.43-5.9.44
30.10.44-9.5.45

301st Stalin Order of Suvorov, 2nd Class Rifle Division... Date of birth - August 1943. Place of birth - Kuban, Slavyansky district, village Anastasievskaya. Rifle regiments: 1050, 1052, 1054. Formed on the basis of two rifle brigades - the 34th and 157th, which entered the Kuban from the foothills of the Caucasus after the defeat of the Nazi troops. It took about four months for sailors from the 34th separate and 157th rifle brigades to overcome the distance from North Ossetia to the Kuban with battles. On this way, hundreds of settlements in North Ossetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Stavropol, Kuban were liberated. The division included independent units and subunits: the 823rd artillery regiment, the 337th separate anti-tank fighter battalion, the 757th separate communications battalion, the 592nd separate engineer-sapper battalion, the 341st medical sanitary battalion, field mail, divisional field bakery and other departments. Colonel Vadimir Semenovich Antonov was appointed commander of the division, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Semenovich Koshkin was appointed deputy for political affairs and head of the political department, and Lieutenant Colonel Mikhail Ivanovich Safonov was appointed chief of staff. The commanders of the 34th and 157th rifle brigades became commanders of regiments, battalions, companies and other combat units. There were up to 12 thousand soldiers and officers in the unit. The personnel was staffed by combat sailors, cavalrymen, who became famous in the battles near Mozdok and Ordzhonikidze, and a new replenishment of the Kuban Cossacks. Two hundred girls and two thousand men, mainly from the villages of Slavyanskaya, Anastasievskaya and farms of the Slavyansk region, stood under the battle colors of the regiments and divisions of the 301st Infantry Division. Three hundred and first received their baptism of fire in fierce battles on the Mius-Front during the liberation of Donbass. Moscow saluted the victorious warriors with four volleys. Among the three formations, the division received the name "Stalin". The next stage, October 1943-February 1944, was the battle for the Dnieper, breaking through the so-called "Eastern Wall", which was considered impregnable by the Nazis, forcing the Dnieper, capturing the city of Nikopol. The path from the Dnieper to Ingulets was not easy, but even here the combat mission of defeating 13 German divisions of the sixth in the Bereznegovato-Snigirevskaya operation was honorably completed. german army General Hollidt. During March-April 1944, the division fought in southern Ukraine, reached the Southern Bug River, and individual regiments broke through to the Dniester, the battle for the liberation of Moldova began. In August 1944, from the Kitskansky bridgehead south of the city and the fortress of Bendery, our troops moved forward and on August 22 stormed these strongholds, and on August 23 they liberated Chisinau. At the end of the Yasso-Kishinev operation, the 301st division as part of the fifth shock army was transferred to the First Belorussian Front. At the beginning of 1945, the division eliminated the Mangushevsky bridgehead south of Warsaw, and participated in the final stage of the war. On May 2, he stormed and hoisted the red banners of Victory in Berlin - over the buildings of the Gestapo, the Ministry of Aviation, the Imperial Chancellery, Hitler's last refuge - a bunker. The regiments of the division, which received honorary titles, became twice decorated: Pomeranian - 1050th Rifle Regiment, Berlin - 1052nd Rifle and 823rd Artillery Regiments, Brandenburg - 1054th Rifle Regiment. In the ranks of the division, 50 Heroes of the Soviet Union, seven holders of the Orders of Glory of three degrees, 13 Heroes of the Soviet Union passed the battle path. Three holders of the Order of Glory participated in the battles in the Kuban. A. SHEVTSOV, veteran of the 301st Stalin Order of the Suvorov Rifle Division.

301 rifle division on 28.9.43-02.44
TsAMO. Fund 301 Infantry Division. Description 1.

Case 15. Journal of military operations.

From Stalino to the Dnieper.

On September 28, 1943, units of the division approached the line of Heidelberg, Anderberg, Green Guy. Here the enemy created a strong fortified defense in advance: anti-tank ditches, barbed wire, minefields, saturate the defense with artillery. Heidelberg was a real fortress with bunkers, 12 dugouts, etc.

At 5.00 on September 28, units of the division took up their starting position for an attack 1.5 km north of Heidelberg. The main blow was delivered to the southeastern outskirts of Heidelberg. The fight was very brutal. The infantry moved behind the artillery barrage, with the support of aviation. In hand-to-hand combat, the enemy was destroyed, Heidelberg was occupied. After the capture of Heidelberg, the division quickly moved forward, knocking down the enemy rearguards. Stubborn battles unfolded for Rubanovka, south of the Nikopol bridgehead. The task was to take Rubanovka, go to the Dniester.

Fierce battles unfolded for a height of 81.9, the battles went on intermittently for three months. The Germans made strong counterattacks.

In early February 1944, when the troops of the 5th Army Division liquidated the Nikopol bridgehead, the division launched a decisive offensive.

Canonically, the three divisions are called "Stalin's". These are the 301st Rifle Division of Colonel Antonov, the 230th Rifle Division of Colonel Ukrainian and the 50th Guards Rifle Division of Colonel Vladychansky. But surprisingly, it seems that no one ever tried to understand their personal contribution to the liberation of the city. General Antonov in his book "The Way to Berlin" gives a detailed description of the battle for Stalino, but from his words it turns out that the 301st Rifle Division played the main role in it. She was the first to break into the city limits, and captured the entire central part. The other two divisions in his book are mentioned only in passing, and the 230th sometimes in a negative way.

To our joy, now there are many combat documents in the public domain, according to which it is easy to draw up a true picture of the battle. Let's try to understand how the regional center was liberated on September 7, 1943, based on the journals of combat operations of the "Stalin" divisions.

Parts of the 50th Guards Division enter Stalino along the modern Ilyich Avenue. The sign says "Stalino - Tsentralnogorodsky district"

301 Rifle Division

By 24:00 on September 6, 1943, units of the 301st Rifle Division, after fierce fighting, reached the western outskirts of the city of Makeevka, where from 12:00 the Germans, with the support of tanks, launched a counterattack, and during the day made 4 attacks. With the onset of darkness, the enemy began to withdraw his troops to Stalino, leaving large rearguard barriers.

“During the whole day of September 7, 1943, parts of the division fought stubborn battles for the capture of the city of Stalino. At 10.30 on 7.9.43, units of the division, overcoming the stubborn resistance of the enemy, fought out the southwestern outskirts of SHCHEGLOVKA, STALIN. At 16.00, advanced reconnaissance groups of 1052 joint ventures broke into the sowing from the battles. the outskirts of STALIN, where a stubborn battle ensued with enemy submachine gunners who had settled in the houses. 19.15 all 1052 joint ventures stormed the sowing. outskirts of Stalino. At 20.00, the rest of the division attacked the north. the eastern outskirts of the city and proceeded to clear the northern and central parts of the city from the enemy.

During the capture of the city of STALIN, the enemy offered stubborn resistance and repeatedly went over to counterattacks with infantry supported by tanks and self-propelled guns.

All counterattacks were repulsed with heavy losses for the enemy. At 23.00, parts of the division completely cleared the northern and central parts of the city from the enemy and went to the north. app. Outskirts of STALIN» (Spelling and punctuation of the original preserved).

Well, to complete the picture, let's add that the division approached Stalino in the area from Gladkovka to the Ignatievskaya beam, and the assault on the city began at 14.00.

230 Infantry Division.

Until September 6, 1943, the 230th Rifle Division of the 9th Red Banner Rifle Corps of the 5th Shock Army advanced in the second echelon, and only on September 5 received an order from the headquarters of the corps No. 00143 on the operation to liberate the city of Stalino. By this time, the division advanced to the settlement of Aleksandro-Grigorievka, which is now simply called the village of Grigorievka in Makeevka.

“By 16.30 7.9.43. the advanced battalion of the 990th joint venture (rifle regiment), overcoming enemy resistance, crossed the Kalmius River south of the lake and reached the eastern outskirts of STALIN, capturing the only artillery crossing and fur in the division's offensive zone. Transport, which created a base for crossing the KALMIUS river with the rest of the division. From 16.30 to 19.00 7.9. The 988th and 990th Rifle Regiments pulled up the main forces and at 1900 went over to a decisive assault on the city in the directions indicated for them, and by 2100 they had completely captured the northern part of the city of STALINO. At 20.30 7.9. the workers of the city of STALINO, in the center of the city, meeting the first units of the Red Army that broke into the city of Stalino, handed over to their liberators the RED BANNER of the workers of the city of Stalino. The red banner was accepted by the commander of the 990th joint venture, lieutenant colonel MAYDANIUK, whose forward battalion was still at 16.30 on 7.9. broke into the city"

And a small clarification regarding the fighting on September 7th of the 986th Infantry Regiment of the 230th Division, printed for some reason in the magazine for the 8th:

“Fulfilling the assigned task, by 13.30 the regiment occupied ALEXANDRO-GRIGORYEVKA, by 15.00 it went to the PUTILOVKA area, and by 4.00 8.9 it went to the SPARTAK area. As a result of the fighting, the regiment destroyed: 72 soldiers and officers, 7 horses were killed, one Yu-87 aircraft was shot down on takeoff. 5 mortars, 8 heavy machine guns, 10 machine guns, 55 rifles, one ambulance were captured.

The assault on the city of Stalino on September 7, 1943 by units of the 5th Shock Army.
The map shows:
- the position of the army troops on September 6,
- the positions that the units occupied by the beginning of the assault on September 7,
- the direction of strikes, during the liberation of the city.
Compiled by A.Yu. Kashkakha based on the analysis of combat logs of divisions, corps and the army.

50th guards division.

The 50th Guards Rifle Division was part of the 3rd Guards Rifle Corps, which closed the left flank of the 5th Shock Army. Together with parts of the 9th Rifle Corps, Major General Rosly stormed Makeevka, but to the south of the city she ran into the fortified position "Turtle" prepared by the Germans, which slowed down her advance. When the forces of the 301st Rifle Division fought for the capture of Shcheglovka, the forces of the 50th Guards. divisions were still trying to take the bridge over the Gruzskaya River near the modern Makeevka village of Krasnaya Gorka. And only on September 7, following the retreating Germans, the division moved west along the modern Makeevsky highway.

“The enemy continued to stubbornly resist the actions of our units from the areas: height 238.0 ( now the Chaikin ring ), Suburban economy ( now the area of the Botanical Garden ), covering the retreat of their units with infantry detachments with 2-3 tanks and self-propelled guns, cruising along the Makeevka-Stalino highway.

50 Guards Sd with 747 IPTAP and 1 \ 48 RS under the cover of aviation and artillery, breaking the stubborn resistance from, from the line of the west. okr. Makeevka reached the line by 18.00: railway from Ordzhenikidze to Prokhorovka ( Donetsk-2 station area ), having battle formations in line: 150 guards sp on the right flank, 148 guards. SP, on the left flank. At night, reconnaissance was carried out in the area of height 211.2 ( district of the village Shakhtostroitel ), the eastern outskirts of Stalino.

It is interesting that, unlike many other divisions, where the combat path was described in calligraphic handwriting or typewritten, the combat log in the 50th Guards was some kind of hard-to-read cursive. And this makes us think that he was in hot pursuit, and not retroactively, on the basis of combat reports and reports, as often happened.

But where is the battle for Stalino? Where are the laurels of the winner? But, as we remember, by the evening of September 7, two divisions had already reported on the liberation of the city, and both took its center.

But, according to the war diary, the 50th Guards Division, in close cooperation with its neighbor on the left (54th Guards SD) and on the right (301st SD), began the battle for Stalino only on September 8th. At the same time, small assault groups broke into the city at 17.30 and captured the central part by 21.00.

A somewhat absurd statement, in which a mistake clearly crept in. The combat journal of the 3rd Guards Rifle Corps will help us figure it out, where for September 7, 1943 it is written:

"50 Guards. sd continued to move forward, the enemy with a force of up to 150 infantry launched a counterattack, supported by heavy fire from mortars and machine guns from a height of 238.0. The enemy counterattack was repulsed, and the fire was suppressed, and by 20.00 the sowing took possession. east env. Stalino and continues to fight.

Now everything is in its place.

Who was where

Based on a comparison of combat logs, we see that, despite different time entering the battle, two divisions broke into the streets of Stalino at about the same time (at 16.30), and at the same time all three finished in the city center at the same time (at 21.00). True, it is difficult to understand what was considered the center in each of the divisions. our city on the maps of the General Staff of the Red Army is divided between two sheets, and each division fought on its own map.

At the headquarters of the 5th shock army, in order to clarify this issue, a plan was drawn up for the city of Stalino, indicating the quarters liberated by 21.00 on September 7, 1943. And this is the description:

“... the 9th Red Banner Rifle Corps, under the command of the Hero of the Soviet Union, Major General ROSLY, captured the railway station and the northern part of the city, occupying quarters No. captured quarters 190 and 191 in the southeastern part of the city.

... The 3rd Guards Rifle Corps, under the command of Guards Major General Belov, captured the southeastern part of the city and by 21.00 7.9.43 went to the western part, occupying quarters 192, 159, 229. ”

Fortunately for us, despite the fact that in 2012 it was not possible to get this plan in the archive, quite recently it appeared on the official website of TsAMO and now we see that some stories about the “city center” are slightly untrue.

The plan of the quarters of the city of Stalino liberated by 22.00 September 7, 1943.

Despite the longest battle for the city (from 14.00 to 21.00), the results of the 301st rifle division are not impressive. She only managed to free the southern part of Gladkovka and the northern part of the Campus, just along the modern General Antonov Street.

The 230th division achieved much more success. Here and Putilovka and modern Vetka, and Gdalkov.

Well, the laurels of the liberator of the central part of the mining capital, with some reservations, belong to the 50th Guards Rifle Division. With reservations, because at 19.30, in front of her very nose, the combined detachment of Captain Ratnikov entered the city, hoisting a red banner over the opera house.

But we will talk about this case in more detail another time.

Parts of the 50th Guards Division enter Stalino along the modern Ilyich Avenue. The sign says "Stalino - Tsentralnogorodsky district"

301 Rifle Division

During the capture of the city of STALIN, the enemy offered stubborn resistance and repeatedly went over to counterattacks with infantry supported by tanks and self-propelled guns.

Well, to complete the picture, let's add that the division approached Stalino in the area from Gladkovka to the Ignatievskaya beam, and the assault on the city began at 14.00.

230 Infantry Division.

And a small clarification regarding the fighting on September 7th of the 986th Infantry Regiment of the 230th Division, printed for some reason in the magazine for the 8th:

50th Guards Division.

The 50th Guards Rifle Division was part of the 3rd Guards Rifle Corps, which closed the left flank of the 5th Shock Army. Together with parts of the 9th Rifle Corps, Major General Rosloga stormed Makeevka, but to the south of the city it ran into the fortified position "Turtle" prepared by the Germans, which slowed down its advance. When the forces of the 301st Rifle Division fought for the capture of Shcheglovka, the forces of the 50th Guards. The divisions were still trying to take the bridge over the Gruzskaya River near the present-day Makeevka village of Krasnaya Gorka. And only on September 7, following the retreating Germans, the division moved west along the modern Makeevsky highway.

A somewhat absurd statement, in which a mistake clearly crept in. The combat journal of the 3rd Guards Rifle Corps will help us figure it out, where for September 7, 1943 it is written:

Now everything is in its place.

Who was where

Based on the comparison of combat logs, we see that, despite the different time of entering the battle, two divisions broke into the streets of Stalino at about the same time (at 16.30), and at the same time all three finished in the city center at the same time (at 21.00). True, it is difficult to understand what was considered the center in each of the divisions. our city on the maps of the General Staff of the Red Army is divided between two sheets, and each division fought on its own map.

At the headquarters of the 5th shock army, in order to clarify this issue, a plan was drawn up for the city of Stalino, indicating the quarters liberated by 21.00 on September 7, 1943.

Unfortunately, the plan itself did not survive, but its description remained in the Combat Action Journal of the 5th Shock Army:

Fortunately for us, thanks to the efforts of the architect A. Peshekhonov, a plan of the city of Stalino of the 1943 model, with the numbered quarters, appeared from oblivion. And if you combine the description in the war diary with this plan, it immediately becomes clear that some of the stories about the "city center" are slightly untrue.

The plan of the quarters of the city of Stalino liberated by 21.00 September 7, 1943.

Despite the longest battle for the city (from 14.00 to 21.00), the results of the 301st rifle division are not impressive. She only managed to free Gladkovka and the northern part of the Campus, just along the modern General Antonov Street.

The 230th division achieved much more success. Here is Putilovka and a railway station and a station settlement, and modern Vetka. In fact, the entire north of the city.

But we will talk about this case in more detail another time.

301 rifle division 1 formation.

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