⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ★ Subordination ★

07/30/1941 Reserve Front 33rd Army (USSR)

10/10/1941 Western Front 49th Army (USSR)

01.1942 Bryansk Front 3rd Army (USSR)

⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ★ Command ★

07/02/1941 - 09/26/1941 Major General Pronin Nikolai Nilovich
10/16/1941 - 11/13/1941 Colonel Kalinin Vasily Ivanovich
11/14/1941 - 11/07/1942 Colonel Zashibalov Mikhail Arsentievich
11/08/1942 - 08/27/1943 Colonel from 03/31/1943 Major General Klyaro Ignatiy Vikentievich
08/29/1943 - 03/25/1944 regiment. Bogoyavlensky Alexander Viktorovich
03/29/1944 - 03/14/1945 Major General Chernov Viktor Georgievich
03/15/1945 - 05/09/1945 regiment. Ivanov Georgy Stepanovich

⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ★ Division history ★

The division was created on September 26, 1941 by renaming the 1st Moscow rifle division people's militia (Leninsky district).
It was part of the 33rd Army of the Reserve Front. August 26, 1283 rifle regiment was sent to the 24th Army on the Desna River, to replace the 100th Infantry Division, which was put into reserve. The rest of the units remained in the second echelon near Spas-Demensk. The 1283rd regiment of the division had to meet the Typhoon one of the first, already on October 2nd. Further fate shelf unknown. The remaining parts of the division from October 3, 1941 fought surrounded north of the city of Spas-Demensk, Kaluga region. Some rear units of the division (complete medical battalion) came out of the encirclement.
In November, the division was understaffed with the remnants of the 303rd Rifle Division, and the 875th Howitzer Artillery Regiment was included in its structure. The division was transferred to the city of Serpukhov to cover the gap formed after the fall of Kaluga. In the course of stubborn positional battles, the division lost a significant part of its composition. On November 14, only 470 active bayonets remained in the entire division, in the 969 artillery regiment there was not a single serviceable gun, and the 71 separate anti-tank fighter division had only two 76 mm guns. On December 21, the division launched a counteroffensive in the direction of Maloyaroslavets.
On January 1, 1942, the 60th division was withdrawn to the Stavka reserve. In January 1942, the division was transferred to the Bryansk Front.
Subsequently, it was part of the Belorussian and 2nd Belorussian fronts. In August 1943, for the successful operation to liberate Sevsk, she received the honorary name "Sevskaya".
In February 1945, the honorary name "Warsaw" was given
After the end of the Great Patriotic War The division is part of the Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany.
The division was formed in the Leninsky district of Moscow from volunteers aged 17 to 55 who were not subject to conscription and were not employed in the defense industry.
In the first two days, 12 thousand people joined the militia. Volunteers from the largest enterprises of the region joined the division: the Krasny Proletarian machine-tool plant, the Sergo Ordzhonikidze machine-tool plant, the 2nd ball-bearing plant, the carburetor plant, the ENIMS plant, HPP No. 2, the Lift plant, the Glavpoligraphmash plant, the 1st taxi fleet, People's Commissariat of Flowers, People's Commissariat of Motor Transport, Krasny Oktyabr confectionery factory and others. Teachers and scientists came from the institutes: Mining, Steel and Alloys, Petroleum, Textile and a number of institutes of the Academy of Sciences. In the future, it was also replenished from residents of the Sokolnichesky district of Moscow and the Orekhovo-Zuevsky and Leninsky districts of the Moscow region. The commander of the division, as well as the commanders of regiments, artillery battalions and most of the battalions, became regular military men.
The division was formed from July 2 to July 7 at the Moscow Mining Institute, on Bolshaya Kaluga Street. At dawn, on July 9, 1941, units of the division marched through the streets of the capital, heading to the area where defensive structures were being built near Moscow. In mid-July, the division made a transition along the route Medyn - Yukhnov - Spas-Demensk.
On July 30, 1941, it became part of the 33rd Army of the Reserve Front. Major General Pronin Nikolai Nilovich was appointed commander. The division initially included the 2nd and 3rd rifle regiments, the 1st reserve rifle regiment, a transport company, 3 artillery battalions (45-mm, 76-mm and 152-mm guns), a reconnaissance company, a sapper company, a medical battalion, autotractor company, platoon of the NKVD. On August 11, the division was reorganized according to the states of the NPO rifle division and its composition became as follows: 1281st, 1283rd, 1285th rifle regiments, 969th artillery regiment, 71st separate anti-tank fighter battalion, 468th reconnaissance company, 696th engineer battalion, 857th communications battalion, 491st medical battalion, etc.
On August 15, the division was assigned to the active army as the 60th Infantry Division.
Memory
On the facade of the building of the Moscow Mining Institute on Leninsky Prospekt, 6, a memorial plaque was fixed, reminiscent of the fact that here in July 1941 the formation of the 1st Moscow Rifle Division of the Leninsky District People's Militia took place. The monument was created on the initiative, at the expense and by the efforts of students and teachers of two metropolitan universities - the Moscow Mining Institute and the Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloys.
There are several museums whose expositions are devoted to the history of the division, including in Kremenki, Protvino and Lyceum No. 1561 (formerly school No. 1693) in Moscow.
The Museum of Military Glory of the 60th Sevsk-Warsaw Red Banner Order of the Suvorov Rifle Division has existed for more than 30 years, since May 1984. It was created by veterans at the site of the formation of the first division of the people's militia of the Leninsky district of Moscow. Now it is the Yasenevo district. All these years the museum has been continuously developing and replenished with new exhibits. The Museum has a Certificate and a Certificate of Compliance with the status MUSEUM OF AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION
Lyceum Museum is integral part district “Paths of Memory and Glory” and is part of the MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL COMPLEX, which also includes:
-Monument to the defenders of Moscow -military gun - howitzer and
- A memorial plaque on the building of the Lyceum in memory of the formation of the First Division of the People's Militia in our area;
According to the results of the competition of military historical museums, our museum takes first place in the region.

The history of the people's militia division is an integral part of the country's history
The division graduated from the Great Patriotic War with the honorary title of the Sixtieth Sevsko-Warsaw Red Banner Order of the Suvorov Rifle Division.

With bloody battles, she went from Moscow to Berlin, becoming a model of courage,
and loyalty to the Fatherland.
In the battles in the Serpukhov direction, the division did not retreat a single step and frustrated the plans of the Nazis to encircle and destroy the city of Tula.
For 72 days the enemy tried to break through our defenses, capture Serpukhov and cut the roads to Moscow.
Already on December 17, 1941, parts of the division went on the offensive.
During the Battle of Moscow, the fighters gained combat experience, which made it possible to smash the Nazis on their territory.

The name SEVSKAYA was awarded for the mastery of the city of Sevsk
Name WARSAW - for the liberation of Warsaw
In August 1944, the division was awarded the Order of Suvorov.

For courage and heroism
more than 10,000 soldiers were awarded military decorations,
and 40 people became
HEROES OF THE SOVIET UNION
Our museum contains fragments of military equipment handed over to us by combatants and their relatives. The exposition of the museum allows you to use it for holding training sessions, lyceum and city events, together with the Council of Veterans of our region.
We remember those who gave their lives to save our country.
and gave us the opportunity to live and learn.

The division began to form in the city of Stalinsk Novosibirsk region(now the city of Novokuznetsk Kemerovo region) in December 1941 as the 455th Rifle Division. In the process of formation, it received a new name: 237 Rifle Division (2nd formation).

835 rifle regiment,

838 Rifle Kosice Order of Suvorov III degree regiment,

841 rifle regiment,
691st Artillery Stanislavsky Regiment,
5 separate anti-tank battalion,
124 separate mortar division (until 10.10.42),
501 separate reconnaissance company,
367 separate sapper battalion,
574 separate communications battalion (696 separate communications company),
395 separate medical and sanitary battalion,
231 separate chemical protection company,
589 motor transport company,
442 field bakery,
907 divisional veterinary infirmary,
1402 field post station,
1072 field cash desk of the State Bank.

The 835th rifle regiment was formed in the city of Stalinsk (now the city of Novokuznetsk), the 838th rifle regiment - in the city of Kiselevsk, the 841st rifle regiment - in the city of Prokopyevsk, the 691st artillery regiment - in the village of Kuzedeevo, Novosibirsk (now Kemerovo) region.

The combat path of the division ran from Voronezh to Prague. Fighters and commanders showed miracles of courage on the fiery Kursk Bulge, liberated Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia.

On April 22, 1942, the 237th Rifle Division received an order to change its deployment and already on May 12, 1942, arrived at the Vologda station, where it became subordinate to the 2nd Reserve Army of the Arkhangelsk Military District.
In early July 1942, within two days, the division was transferred to the area of ​​the city of Voronezh. She arrived at the front on July 13, 1942. Having crossed the Don River in the area of ​​the village of Khlevnoye and, having made a 60-kilometer march, the division reached the line of the villages of Lomovo, Ozerki northwest of the city of Voronezh. On July 14, 1942, she entered the battle from the march. Offensive actions forced the enemy to transfer significant forces of infantry, artillery and tanks to this area. Heavy fighting ensued. Here, in the area of ​​​​the villages of Lomovo and Olkhovatka, Voronezh Region, the artillerymen of the unit and subdivision of the division fought off numerous tank attacks of the Nazis in order to bypass Voronezh from the north and completely capture it. Despite the fierce resistance of the enemy, the division continued the offensive. Fighting continued unabated day and night.

On August 3, 1942, the division became part of the 38th Army of the Bryansk Front. The division participated in the battles for the city of Voronezh until January 1943.

In January 1943, the offensive began. Parts and subdivisions of the division participated in the liberation of the Kastornaya station in the Kursk region and the city of Novy Oskol in the current Belgorod region. By March 1943, the 237th Infantry Division had moved far to the west, reaching the border of the village of Krasnopolye in the Sumy Region and finding itself on the southernmost bend of the formed Kursk Bulge.
In the area where the division held the defense, there was no powerful tank offensive of the Nazis in early July 1943 - it developed to the east. But all the soldiers of the 237th Infantry Division were ready at any moment to join the battle, to go on the offensive. In early August 1943, the division went on the offensive near the village of Nizhnyaya Syrovatka, Sumy region.

On September 18, 1943, units and subunits of the 237th Rifle Division (Colonel Marol Petr Markovich) as part of the 52nd Rifle Corps of the 40th Army of the Voronezh Front, during the offensive in the Kiev direction, distinguished themselves in the battles for the liberation of the city of Pyryatin, Poltava Region, Ukrainian SSR, for which, by order of the Supreme Command, the division was given an honorary name Piryatinskaya.

At dawn on September 23, 1943, the 838th Infantry Regiment of the 237th Infantry Division reached the eastern bank of the Dnieper, in the area of ​​​​the settlements of Kalnoe and Gusintsy, Rzhishchevsky District, Kyiv Region. On the night of September 25, 1943, the advanced units and subunits of the division crossed the Dnieper River near the village of Grebeni, Kagarlyksky district, Kyiv region, and, having taken up positions, met the counterattacking enemy with fire. Units of the 838th Infantry Regiment completely captured Hill 185.7, occupied the village of Grebeni and northern part settlement of Yushki, Kagarlyksu district. By the end of the day on September 25, 1943, the width of the regiment's bridgehead along the front reached three, and in depth - about five kilometers. The success of the actions of the 838th Infantry Regiment in crossing the Dnieper and in the battle on the bridgehead was largely facilitated by the neighbors on the right - the 841th Infantry Regiment, and on the left - the 835th Infantry Regiment of the 237th Infantry Division, who also desperately crossed the water line and started fighting for the bridgeheads in the area of ​​settlements Stayki and Rzhishchev, Rzhishchevsky district, Kyiv region. When, by decision of the commander of the 40th army, General K.S. Moskalenko, the main forces of the division were redeployed to the Lyutezhsky bridgehead (north of the city of Kyiv), the 838th rifle regiment was left alone on the right flank of the Bukrinsky bridgehead. The regiment no longer had the strength and means to conduct offensive battles for the further expansion of the bridgehead. For almost a whole month, the soldiers of the regiment staunchly and selflessly fought to hold the bridgehead, diverting large forces of enemy infantry and tanks. The fighting did not stop day or night. During this time, the regiment's units repelled dozens of enemy counterattacks. During this battle, a large number of enemy soldiers and officers, about 20 tanks, several assault guns, dozens of heavy machine guns and other equipment were destroyed. The battle formations of the 838th Infantry Regiment also noticeably thinned out, but it held the bridgehead firmly.

In the 20th of January 1944, the division advanced on the city of Zvenigorodka, Cherkasy region, as a result of which the Korsun-Shevchenkovsky "cauldron" arose. In February 1944, units and divisions of the division destroyed fascist equipment and infantry, rushing to break through the encirclement.

In March 1944 Novoseltsev 237 Rifle Division liberated the city of Khotyn, Chernivtsi region.

Parts and subdivisions of the division participated in the battles near the village of Dumka, Stanislav region (now Tlumachsky district, Ivano-Frankivsk region). On July 21, 1944, the division broke through the enemy defenses. On July 23, 1944, units of the division fought for the village of Bortniki in the Tlumachsky district, on July 31, 1944 - in the area of ​​​​the village of Vadzeyuv, the current Ivano-Frankivsk region ..

On August 10, 1944, units and divisions of the division participated in the liberation of the city of Stanislav (since 1962 - Ivano-Frankivsk) of the Ukrainian SSR. For distinction in battles, the 691st artillery regiment of the 237th Rifle Division of the Piryatinsk received the honorary name Stanislavsky by order of the All-Russian Supreme Command No. 0255.

In the autumn of 1944, the 237th Rifle Division crossed the Carpathians. Here, artillerymen had to make truly inhuman efforts, dragging their guns over the mountains (often on their hands). The Nazis mined roads and passes. Often, artillerymen had to first, like infantry, take one or another height, from which, after that, artillery fire was organized on enemy positions. In October 1944, the division participated in the liberation of the Carpathian Romanian cities of Vatra Dornei, Baia Mare and Satu Mare.

In 1945, units and divisions of the division had to liberate the territory of Czechoslovakia. During the West Carpathian operation (January 12 - February 18, 1945), the 237th Infantry Division (division commander Colonel Tetenko Mikhail Grigoryevich) as part of the 18th Army of the 4th Ukrainian Front on January 19, 1945 participated in the liberation of the city of Kosice (Czechoslovakia). The troops that participated in the battles for the liberation of the city of Kosice and other cities, by order of the Supreme Command of January 20, 1945, were thanked and saluted in Moscow with 20 artillery salvos from 224 guns, the 838th rifle regiment (regiment commander Major Natenov Petr Borisovich) was given the honorary name Koshytsky.

On March 25, 1945, the division took part in the battle for the Slovak city of Banska Bystrica.
The 237th Infantry Piryatinskaya Red Banner Order of Suvorov II degree and Bogdan Khmelnitsky II degree division finished hostilities on May 11, 1945 in the Czechoslovak city of Pardubice (now the Czech Republic).

The Museum of Military Glory of the 841st Rifle Regiment of the 237th Rifle Piryatinskaya Red Banner Order of Suvorov II degree and Bogdan Khmelnitsky II degree of the division was created in the Municipal educational institution"School number 54" of the city of Prokopyevsk, Kemerovo region.

In July 1983, a memorial plaque was unveiled in honor of the 838th Infantry Koshitsky Order of Suvorov, 3rd Class, Regiment of the 237th Infantry Piryatinskaya Red Banner Order of Suvorov, 2nd Class and Bogdan Khmelnitsky, 2nd Class, Division on House No. 5 on Sadovaya Street in the city of Kiselevsk, Kemerovo Region, where the regiment was formed.

"Penalty" 388th division.

Chapter 3 The end of the 2nd assault.

From the operational summary for 12/28/41: “Parts of the division occupy the following position:

778 joint ventures and the Mindivision were transferred to the disposal of 172 SD 782 joint ventures occupied the defensive area of ​​the northern (northern) slopes of the vyst. that to the south is the northern bay (not entirely clear, but in the original) The rest of the division is unchanged. Losses are specified. Communication with the Army worked with great interruptions.

29.12.41 " Parts of the division take position. Two battalions of 782 joint ventures took up defense / see diagram / (the diagram is missing in the document). Battalion 778 SP with the Mindivision was placed at the disposal of the 172nd SD. The remaining "parts of the division are in the same position. Losses of 2/953 AP: six 76 mm and one 122 mm guns were disabled. The guns were sent for repair. Communication with the Army worked smoothly during the night."

In fact this is not true. The 782nd regiment did not take the line. But not through their own fault. From the division's war diary:

"December 29, 1941. The 782nd SP (received an order) to occupy a line 0.5 km west of Rybakova Kh., the eastern spurs of the Fedyukina Mountains (as in the original). The regiment did not change the defending units due to the reticence of the headquarters of the 1st sector. The regiment on the night of 12/30/41. again received the order to occupy the indicated lines.

The 671st O (separate) S (aperny) B (battalion) was withdrawn to the area of ​​​​the western (ad) district (aina) of Balaklava.

The rifle units were withdrawn, but the division's artillery continued to fight, supporting units of the 3rd and 4th sectors. From the memoirs of M.K. Norenko: “By the evening of December 29, 50 shells remained on the fourth battery. Through Bogdanov's connection, I contacted the chief of artillery of the army, General Ryzhi, and told him about the situation. I also reported to him that the division from the northern direction was not covered by anyone and there was no infantry in this sector. I don't have my own people to cover this section. If measures are not taken and the enemy gropes weakness, then the possibility is not ruled out that the enemy will go to the rear of the division and break through to the North Bay. General Ryzhi promised to provide the division with shells, and to report to General Petrov about the situation ... "

Objectively speaking, this was a violation of subordination when the senior lieutenant, the division commander calls the army commander, but apparently the commander of the 79th brigade did not care about the division reassigned to him, understanding the “operational subordination” in a very peculiar way.

“... the whole night from December 29 to 30, shells were brought in cars. 1000 pieces were brought for the cannon battery. 76mm shells, 360 pieces were brought for the howitzer battery. shells. In the morning an infantry company was brought forward, but it did not occupy an open area, clinging to the flank of the neighboring unit, to the right of the road.

On the 30th, the enemy began active operations in the morning. The attacks alternated one after another, but they were repulsed by the infantry of the 79th brigade and the fire of the division, as well as the Bogdanovsky regiment. By 12 o'clock, having not achieved success, the enemy stopped the attacks, and began to accumulate strength for a stronger blow. …

Having concentrated forces at the anti-tank ditch, the enemy delivered a strong blow at 16 o'clock, knocked our infantry from their positions, and went to the positions of the division.

At that time, I was at my command post, which was located north of the road leading from cordon No. 1 and the Mekenzievy Gory station. Suddenly, from firing positions, they transmit: the enemy is in firing positions. I jumped out of the trench, the battalion commissar and the deputy battalion commander jumped out with me to run to the firing positions of the batteries, which were located from command post at 100-150 meters, but were met by enemy submachine gunners who broke through to our command post.

My deputy was immediately killed. The commissar's right hand was cut off by automatic bursts. I grabbed the commissar's arms with one hand, and with the other opened fire from a machine gun at the Germans. Signalmen and scouts who were here fired from rifles. The commanders of the 3rd and 4th batteries came running to our aid with their people, who were also shot down from their positions.

Something unimaginable was happening at the firing positions. The batteries fired direct fire at the enemy infantry with shrapnel and a grenade. Some of the Germans had already broken into the firing positions of the batteries of the battalion. …

At one gun limber, which stood near the guns, I saw two "Red Army men" dressed in overcoats turned over, shouting loudly and waving their arms. I ran up with two fighters to them.

Why are you screaming?

So the Germans are all around! We are dead!

I thought for a moment that they were alarmists and cowards, but one of them had a German machine gun peeking out from under his overcoat. I realized that they were Germans, and, without hesitation, I shot him in the head with a pistol. The second was killed by the fighters. Then I was informed that two more disguised Germans had been captured ...

The enemy was stopped by the combined efforts of the infantry and artillery ... When I arrived at the firing positions of the 4th battery, the commander of the 4th battery approached me and reported that all his guns were disabled. Two guns have recoil devices, and two guns have barrels. In the 3rd battery, both howitzers were put out of action. The damage is small, but you can not shoot ... ". Those. in fact, the division lost its entire material part, tk. The 5th battery died on December 23, 1941.

From the combat log of the division: “12/30/41. The 782nd regiment took up the defense:

3 With (rifle) B (battalion) on eastern (full-time) slopes 70.4, high. 48.8, 54.2 (heights on the territory of the modern Balaklava mine administration) 671st OSB reserve of the village of Karan. 778SP and 773rd SP continue to be at the disposal of the 1st 172nd SD, the second 95th SD.

During the fighting on 12/31/41. managed to recapture the former firing positions of the 5th battery, and take out the guns for repairs. 1.01.42 in the former firing position, the personnel of the 5th battery, who died on 12/23/41, was buried.

“1.01.42 Parts of the division occupy the same position. One battalion of the 778th SP was transferred to the disposal of the 3rd sector, and withdrawn to positions 1 km west of the level. 137.5…

2.01.42 ... The 773rd joint venture was transferred from the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe Sukharnaya beam to the area of ​​​​the village of Nikolaevka ... ".

From the memoirs of I.G. Nikolaenko: “By order of the command, when the situation had already been corrected, we were lined up in a column and sent on foot to the area of ​​the Nikolaevka farm, on the 8th km of the Balaklava highway, near the French cemetery. There, in the stables of the former floricultural state farm, in relative warmth, we met New Year. With the equipment of our bolt, under the command of Captain Obodin, the 1st battalion was formed. I was appointed Deputy machine gun commander. The company commander was my peer, a graduate of Sukhumi infantry school Artyukhov Edik.

“3.01.42 ... night reconnaissance was organized as part of a company of 782 joint ventures. The company did not fulfill the task of reconnaissance of the enemy's defense system, they were detained by strong mortar and bullet fire, and returned back by dawn. No losses. The 1st division of the 953rd artillery regiment was transferred to the pursuit group (514SP).

Chapter 4 New frontiers.

At the beginning of January, almost all parts of the division were transferred to the 1st sector, but in a very limited composition: headquarters, one battalion from a rifle regiment, an engineer battalion and a communications battalion. Combat-ready rifle battalions 778th and 782nd regiments, artillery, etc. were distributed to other parts. The division, as it were, was formed anew from marching companies arriving in Sevastopol.

Then the fighting weekdays dragged on, without bright events. “5.01.42 Parts of the division received an order to change the 1330th joint venture at the turn of the state farm "Blagodat" and to the east. On the night of 5 to 6, they started their shift. By the morning of January 6, 42. The 1st bn of the 782nd regiment replaced the bn of the 1330th joint venture. 773 SP replaced 782 SP in its positions.

True, for some reason, emergency situations constantly occur in parts of the division.

From the political report of the 388th Rifle Division for 01/10/42: “On January 9, units of the division occupy the same position, with the exception of the Mindivision, which arrived in Yukharin Balka ... 01/09/42. due to careless handling of a grenade, the platoon commander of the 1st company of the 1st battalion of the 782nd regiment, l-ta Shurko, an explosion occurred. Lt. Shurko was badly wounded, Lt. Kolomeets and assistant. commander of the Anenko platoon, who were in the dugout.

From the combat log: “at 4:00 on 01/15/42. in the 1st battalion of the 782SP, a group of Red Army soldiers consisting of 11 people, having killed the platoon commander Nikolaenko, went to the side of the enemy. One of them stumbled upon a minefield, blew himself up, came back wounded, and 10 people went to the enemy.”

On the night of January 15-16, 1941. The 953rd artillery regiment was transferred to the 1st sector. So it follows from the order. But in fact, it is not.

The 2nd division of this regiment concentrated in the Inkerman area only by 9 o'clock on 01/16/42. and at 12 o'clock began moving towards Balaklava. The 1st division remained at the disposal of the 4th sector. The 2nd division was supposed to take up positions west of Karagach.

01/17/42 the entire 773rd regiment was transferred to the area above the village of Komary (Defense). From the memoirs of Nikolaenko: “The battalion was fully equipped and transferred to the front line over the village of Komary. The trenches were poorly equipped, knee-deep, no communications, just pits for shelter ... They began to bite into the ground, the defense took on the form of real engineering equipment, with trenches in full profile, cells, trenches of combat guards were brought forward. …

I did not have to be in the deputies for a long time, replenishment arrived, and I was recalled back to the same Nikolaevka. Replenishment arrived from the “black shirts”, and from the peoples of the Caucasus” (“black shirts” at that time were called prisoners).

01/23/42 4 Red Army soldiers from 782SP went to the side of the enemy

On January 26, 1942, the newly formed 3rd battalion of the combined regiment of the NKVD replaced the 1st battalion of the 782nd regiment at positions in the area “... ruins 0.5 km northeast of the Blagodat state farm - height 77.3 (164.9, Canrobert hill). - height 33.1"

01/28/42 after sanitation, the 1st battalion of the 782nd joint venture replaced the 2nd battalion of the 778th regiment in its positions.

Division management 170 people

773rd joint venture 722 people, 6 trucks, 114 horses, 515 rifles, 6 easel, 5 light machine guns, 2 pcs. 76mm mountain guns, 2 pcs. 45mm anti-tank guns, 11 pcs. 82mm mortars, 10 pcs. 50mm mortars. There are no radio stations.

778th joint venture 940 people, 97 horses, 1 passenger car, 8 trucks, 838 rifles, 4 automatic rifles, 5 easel, 16 light machine guns, one PPD, 2 pcs. 76mm mountain guns, 1 pc. 45mm PTP, 8 pcs. 82mm mortars, 22 pcs. 50mm mortars. There is one radio station in the regiment.

782nd joint venture 1258 people, 95 horses, 12 trucks, 1073 rifles, 9 automatic rifles, 7 easel, 14 light machine guns, no cannons, 11 pcs. 82mm mortars, 14pcs. 50mm mortars. There are 4 radio stations in the regiment.

953 artillery regiment 750 people, 120 horses, 10 trucks, 6 tractors, 435 rifles, 76mm mountain guns 11 pcs. howitzers 122mm arr. 138g. 6pcs There are 10 radio stations in the regiment

Separate anti-tank division (newly formed): 68 people without weapons (not even rifles)

A separate anti-aircraft battery (newly formed) 79 people, two trucks, no weapons.

452 motor reconnaissance 26 people, 27 rifles

671 engineer battalion 195 men, 18 horses, 2 trucks, 172 rifles, 3 automatic rifles

841 communications battalion 229 people, 9 horses, 3 trucks, one special vehicle, 217 rifles, one radio station.

Separate mortar battalion, 158 men, 16 horses, 3 trucks, 137 rifles, 2 pcs. 120mm mortars, 16 pcs. 82mm mortars.

468 himrota 35 men, 2 horses, 2 trucks, 31 rifles.

475 medical battalion 85 people, 4 trucks, 5 special vehicles, 59 rifles.

240 bakery 17 people

Divisional Veterinary Hospital 14 people

Field mail 15 people

Cash desk of the state bank 5 people

Military tribunal 7 persons

Prosecutor's office 9 people

Zagrad. detachment of 31 people

3.02.42 The 7th company of the 782nd joint venture received the task of conducting reconnaissance in the direction of high. 181.2 (aka 386.6, fort "Southern") the company did not reach 500 meters to the fort, hit by enemy fire, losing 4 people killed, 12 people wounded. On the night of February 4, 1942. The 7th company, reinforced by the 9th company, tried again. Due to unpreparedness, reconnaissance failed. 6.01.42 the companies retreated to their original position. The companies did not complete the task. Losses of 4 people killed, 16 wounded and 19 missing.

5.02.42 the formation of national units in the 388th rifle division began. At the same time, the formation of the 2nd battalion of the 773rd regiment began, consisting of the 5th Azerbaijani, 6th Dargin and 7th Georgian companies (without pulrota). The battalion commander was appointed Art. Lieutenant Shavgulidze.

11.02.42 The 2nd division of the 953rd artillery regiment was understaffed. Due to the repaired 76mm guns with cut barrels, the 5th battery was restored (commander of the senior l-t Luzin V.A.) The 1st division of the regiment, although listed in the division, continued to remain in the 4th sector, being attached to 514 th regiment of the 172nd SD.

From the combat log: “15.02.42. five Red Army men of the 2nd company of the 1st battalion of the 782nd regiment went to the side of the enemy. 01/16/42 3 people from the 1st battalion were kidnapped, it is assumed that they were taken away by a group of enemy machine gunners. Two people from the detachment deserted.

On the night of February 16-17, 1942, the newly formed 3rd Battalion of the 782nd Regiment replaced the 1st Battalion in its positions.

18.02.42 instead of Major Stepanov for the position of early. Headquarters, Colonel L.A. Dobrov arrived. For 20 days, the division received a serious replenishment. As of February 20, 1942 the state of the division was as follows:

Division management 203 people (there were 170 people)

773rd joint venture 1022 people (was 722 people), 591 rifles, 7 (was 6) easel, 7 (was 5) light machine guns. There were two PPDs. Artillery: 2pcs. 76mm mountain guns, 2 pcs. 45mm anti-tank guns, 11 pcs. 82mm mortars, 24 (there were 10 pieces). 50mm mortars. There are no radio stations. But here's what's interesting: for 350 bayonets there are 587 combat support people and 85 rear support people. Those. the number of the regiment is exaggerated. The shortage of small arms is clearly visible.

778th joint venture 1210 people (there were 940), 816 rifles, 4 easel, 14 light machine guns, one PPD, 2 pcs. 76mm mountain guns, 1 pc. 45mm PTP, 10 pcs. 82mm mortars, 23 pcs. 50mm mortars. There is one radio station in the regiment. But again, the same picture: active "bayonets" 350, combat support 734, rear 126.

782nd joint venture 1417 (was 1258) people, 1158 rifles, 4 easel, 10 manual 4PPD, one 76mm mountain gun, 11 pcs. 82mm mortars, 24pcs. 50mm mortars. There are 4 radio stations in the regiment. 630 bayonets, 697 BO, 90 rear.

953 artillery regiment 738 people, 435 rifles, 76mm mountain guns 11 pcs. howitzers 122mm arr. 138g. 6pcs There are 10 radio stations in the regiment

Separate anti-tank division (newly formed): 109 people one 45mm gun. There are no small arms.

A separate anti-aircraft battery (newly formed) 79 people, no weapons.

452 motor reconnaissance 40 (was 26) people, 25 rifles 7 PPD

671 engineer battalion 207 (there were 195) people, 172 rifles, 1 light machine gun, one PPD.

841 communications battalion 199 people, 191 rifles, one radio station.

Separate mortar division, 188 people, 136 rifles, 2 pcs. 120mm mortars, 16 pcs. 82mm mortars.

468 himrota 37 people, 31 rifles.

475 medical battalion 85 people, 4 trucks, 5 special vehicles, 59 rifles. etc. in total there are 5828 people in the division. On the face of a clear lack of small arms.

26.02.42 at dawn, five Red Army men from the 2nd company of the 773rd regiment deserted.

27.02.42 in the morning, the division began reconnaissance in force with the forces of three companies. The companies approached 100-800m to the advanced positions of the enemy, and lay down under heavy fire. Losses: 2 killed, 23 wounded. The greatest losses in the 8th company of the 782nd regiment. The companies continued their actions in the direction of heights 99.4 (212.1), 145, 181.2 (386.6), 206.6 (440.8).

The actions of the infantry were supported by fire from the 2nd Battalion of the 953rd Artillery Regiment. The observation post of the division was located in a prefabricated pillbox at a height above the modern. market (the remains are preserved).

1.03.42 The 8th company of the 782nd regiment, having fallen under heavy enemy fire from high. 99.4 (212.1) retreated to the front line of defense. The 4th company of the 778th regiment and the 3rd company of the 773rd regiment remained at height 206.6 (440.8). 20 people were injured. The greatest losses in the 773rd regiment.

3.03.42 reconnaissance-surveillance is continued by the 3rd company of the 773rd regiment and the 6th company of the 778th regiment. The former commander, Lieutenant Colonel Ovseenko, left the division.

7.03.42 1 person died from the explosion of his grenade, 4 people were injured. 7.03.42 the 1st division of the 953rd regiment returned to the division.

03/08/42 2 people died from German shelling, 4 people were injured.

There was constant sniper fire. From the memoirs of I. G. Nikolaenko: “Observers reported to me that two ladies with flasks and cans of milk were approaching the front positions of the enemy. I immediately lay behind my machine operator "Maxim", and brought my best shooters to combat readiness. Distributed targets and sectors of fire, tk. we knew that the Germans would run out to meet them, the women. And so it happened! There were about a dozen of them! I aimed at the left, I opened fire with a burst from my Maxim, and a lot of them were killed there! And only in the evening the enemy was able to remove the corpses! We repulsed the habit of our traitors to help the enemy!”

From 8.03.42 to 25.03.42 in the combat log, again there is an entry "The position of the troops is unchanged." From the memoirs of M.K. I started arguing that it was impossible... I was ordered to perform, not to reason. ... To complete the task, one gun of the 4th battery with a firing platoon commander was allocated. The eldest was the chief of staff of the division. At dawn, the gun opened fire, but managed to fire only three shots, when powerful enemy fire fell on the gun positions. In addition, one of our shells ricocheted and exploded in the disposition of our troops. One person was injured. After that, such a noise arose that a special department intervened ... "

03/25/42 in 388SD, an emergency occurs again. From the combat log: “On March 25, 1942, the intensity of enemy artillery fire decreased. 16-17 hours from the 5th company of the 778th regiment, 15 Red Army men went to the side of the enemy.

On the night of March 31, 1942 on 1.04.42 parts of the division were regrouping units at the front of the state farm "Blagodat" - Kamara - height 77.3 (Canrobert hill, elevation 164.9).

At 00h. 2.04.42 from the 1st battalion of the 782nd regiment, with a light machine gun, two Red Army men went to the enemy's side. In the morning, two Red Army men from the 773rd regiment left. What was it about? Most likely, with the fact that in the 388th division very little attention was paid to the living conditions of the soldiers, and from 1.04.42. in Sevastopol, a siege ration was introduced, which, apparently, created a precedent. In the 388th division, this phenomenon took on the character of an epidemic. From the journal of military operations: “04/03/42. Five Red Army soldiers crossed from the Mindivision to the side of the enemy, at dawn on 4.04.42. 9 people from the 782nd regiment went to the side of the enemy. 6.04.42 five people from the 773rd regiment went to the side of the enemy, 04/07/42. Six people went to the side of the enemy. If until this moment the situation could be hidden, then after 04/08/42. a scandal erupted. From the 773rd regiment, the entire 5th Dargin company (commander of Art. lieutenant of the NKVD I. Shir-Ali-oglu Aliyev).

From the memoirs of I.G. Nikolaenko: “And there is nothing to conceal, as the Russian proverb says: “Bitter truth is better than sweet lies”, there were violations of discipline, there were also cases of our soldiers going over to the side of the enemy. So, next to me stood the 5th Dargin company from the peoples of Dagestan, on one April night in 1942 I was glad, my neighbor, the commander of the 6th company, senior lieutenant Takhtadzhiev, a Tajik by nationality, calls me and asks to patch up the hole, on the flank of his company, because about 100 soldiers went over to the enemy at night. The situation was corrected, but in the evening we, the national units, sailors from the Marine Corps were thrown out of the trenches with bayonets and took our positions. After a thorough check by the special department, we were transferred to the second positions in the area of ​​the Yalta highway, in the Golden Valley. We built defensive positions here.” The 2nd Battalion of the 773rd Regiment was removed from positions under escort and sent to the rear for investigation. But at the same time, it is worth noting that the 1st battalion of the 773rd regiment remained in position and continued to carry out its combat mission. Snipers of the 1st Battalion destroyed 28 Germans in just 10 days.

By order of the command of the Primorsky Army No. 057, the rifle units of the 388th SD were withdrawn to the rear. On the night of April 10-11, units of the 388th Rifle Division concentrated: the 778th Rifle Division in the area of ​​x. Nikolaevka, the 782nd joint venture, the former farm of Maksimovich, the 773rd joint venture, the 953rd AP and the Mindivision were placed at the disposal of the sector commandant. Those. the division is being disbanded. The 1/773rd joint venture remains in the region of height 206.6 (440.8) - Kamara.

Personnel changes were made in the division. Brigade commander S.F. Monakhov was removed from command of the 388th SD, and instead of him on 13.04.42. Lieutenant Colonel Nikolai Alexandrovich Shvarev, who was previously deputy commander of the 79th Marine Rifle Brigade, was appointed. Major Brovchak, also from the 79th Marine Rifle Brigade, was appointed commander of the 773rd regiment.

On the night of April 21-22, the 778th SP replaced the 773rd SP in the Kamara area - elev. 440.8. The 773rd joint venture was assigned to the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe Nikolaevka farm for sanitation. The 782nd joint venture in full force (1927 people) was withdrawn to the reserve of the Army for antiamphibious defense in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bx. Golikov.

Artillerymen of the 953rd regiment continued to remain in firing positions. From the memoirs of M.K. Norenko: “At the end of April, a large group of scouts was sent behind enemy lines in the sector of the first sector. They crossed the front line somewhere on the neighbor's site on the right: 381SP. It was led by a foreman of the Marine Corps.

On the eve of the front line crossing, the commander of the reconnaissance group with a representative of the division headquarters from my observation post carefully studied the ways of moving behind enemy lines, as well as the escape routes, a powerful radio station was installed by the division headquarters on the NP. Signals were established on which the division should open barrage fire when the reconnaissance group returned from reconnaissance.

The scouts went to the rear. For some period the radio station kept in touch with them, but two days later it was removed by the division headquarters. I asked why the station was removed, how I would keep in touch with the scouts and where I should fire and at what time. Headquarters didn't tell me anything.

But then I found out that intelligence had returned and crossed the front line somewhere in another sector. Of the twelve, nine returned. Two were killed, and the commander of the reconnaissance group was missing. I can’t say anything bad about this commander of the reconnaissance group, but when much later, when repelling the third German assault on Sevastopol, in the section of the 381 regiment, one of the killed German officers was seized battle map, and all observation posts of regiments and divisions were marked on it, indicating the names of the commanders of these units. ... The fact remains: on the eve of the new German offensive, many observation posts, including mine, were destroyed.

1.05.42 From a direct hit by a shell in the dugout of the 6th company 778SP, the commander and military commissar of the company, PNSh-1 st. Lt Starostin, two deputies political instructor and three Red Army soldiers.

As of May 1, 1942 in the 388th division in artillery units there were:

953rd AP 696 people, 13 pcs. 76mm mountain guns, and 6 howitzers of the 1938 model for fur. thrust.

The 104th separate anti-tank division had 76 people, but instead of standard weapons, the division had 11 pieces. 82mm mortars (Sevastopol production) and one anti-tank rifle

181st anti-aircraft battery (677th anti-aircraft division) 58 people, one DShK anti-aircraft machine gun and 4 pcs. 82mm mortar

675th mortar division 163 people, 13 pcs. 82mm mortars, 4pcs. 120mm mortars.

773rd Infantry Regiment 25pcs. 50mm mortars and 15pcs. 82mm mortars, 2 pcs. 76mm regimental guns (mountain guns, previously in the regiment, transferred to 953AP), 3 pcs. 45mm PTP

778th Rifle Regiment 24 pcs. 50mm mortars and 16pcs. 82mm mortars, 3 mountain guns 76mm, 3 pcs. 45mm PTP.

782 Infantry Regiment 24 pcs. 50mm mortars and 13pcs. 82mm mortars, 2 pcs. regimental guns, 3 pcs. 45mm PTP

But here's what's interesting: both according to German and Soviet data, the 1st division of the 953rd artillery regiment continues to be listed in the 4th sector. This is confirmed by the memoirs of veterans and documents of the 1C (intelligence) department of the headquarters of the 22nd German infantry division. . The division also included the 677th anti-aircraft artillery division (commander Major Kashirin, military commissar, senior political instructor Bozhko), and the anti-tank division, but these units had almost no materiel, and were quartered in the city. These units were not subordinate to the command of the division, being at the disposal of the Army headquarters. Those. not the entire division was in the 1st sector, but only two infantry regiment, one artillery division, and two battalions (sapper and communications battalion). The medical battalion of the 388th SD was located together with the MSB of the 109th SD in the St. George Monastery.

The position of the parts of the 388th SD on 1.05.42:

“... the 778th joint venture occupies the northern slopes of elevation 206.6 (440.8), the road south of the Prokutor farm, without (named) height (ota) 0.5 km west of the village of Kamara (modern village of Oboronnoye), the 782nd joint venture is a reserve army, in order to combat enemy airborne assaults. 773rd joint venture - Nikolaevka farm, sector reserve ... "

On the night of May 4-5, 1942. The 782nd Rifle Division replaced the 778th Rifle Regiment at its positions in the area of ​​height 206.6 (440.8). The 778th SP, consisting of 1478 people, was withdrawn to the antiamphibious defense in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bx. Golikov, having entered the reserve of the Army headquarters.

“... On the night of May 12-12, the 773rd regiment occupied the second line of defense: village. Kadykovka, height 53.1 (?, possibly 33.1), height with a monument to the Battle of Balaklava, height. (corrected, not clear). 778th SP with a task in case of airborne landings in the rear of the SOR. 953rd AP and the Mindivision at the OP on c. Elm. The enemy showed significant artillery activity, making sudden powerful artillery raids on previously reconnoitered targets.

05/13/42 Enemy activity intensified. Fire raids became more frequent, especially at the site of the 782nd joint venture in the area east of the village of Kamara. Raids on road junctions and control units of units also became more frequent.

05/14/42 ... 9h.30min artillery fire at the command post of the 773rd joint venture in the Zolotaya Balka area, with a caliber of 150mm, fired at the Red Army soldiers who were there up to a company. The reason for the convocation of the Red Army: a conversation with the delegates. 7 people were injured, 4 people were killed.

06/16/42 “... to create a strong defense, on the third line of high. 114.3 (Bezymyannaya height, with an old redoubt next to the mountain height) - height. 101.6 (height with an old redoubt over the fork of the Balaklava and Yalta highways) - height. 113.2 (Karagach height) withdrawn: anti-tank division, reconnaissance and barrage company. (Journal of combat operations of the 388th SD)

Chapter 5 3rd Assault

From the memoirs of M.K. Norenko:

“1.06.42. The enemy stepped up their fire on our positions, trying to provoke a response from our batteries, enemy reconnaissance groups began to appear on the slopes of the heights. But the SOR artillery opens fire only in exceptional cases, on call from the infantry.

On June 3, at 4 o'clock in the morning, enemy aircraft began an intensive raid on the positions of the 1st sector. Enemy aircraft fiercely bombed the front line of the 381st regiment of the 109th division (Yalta highway). It was assumed that after the air preparation the enemy would go on the offensive, but an hour or two passed, but the enemy continued to bombard.

At 10 o'clock a squadron of Ju-88 bombers dropped their cargo on the command post of the division. Several bombs fell into residential dugouts and dugouts for communications and reconnaissance. Heavy artillery destroyed my observation post and the side observation post, which was located in the area of ​​​​the monument to the Balaklava battle, where the scouts were.

On the night of June 4-5, units of the division received an order to be on alert No. 1 to repel the enemy assault, but the enemy did not go on the offensive. At 0430 hours, the enemy resumed raids, and the order was given to move to readiness No. 2.

By the morning of June 7, 1942, the formation of defensive battle formations of the troops of the 1st sector was as follows: “Composition of the troops: 109th rifle division (456th, 381st, 602nd rifle and 404th artillery regiments) , 388th rifle division (782nd, 773rd rifle and 953rd artillery regiments). Commandant of the sector - commander of the 109th rifle division, Major General P. G. Novikov, military commissar - brigade commissar A. D. Khatskevich; commander of the 388th rifle division - colonel N. A. Shvarev, military commissar - senior battalion commissar K. V. Shtanev. The headquarters of the sector and the 109th rifle division - 1 km north-west of the village. Karan, TsAGI windmill; headquarters of the 388th rifle division - dut. Nikolayevka. The front of the sector is 7.5 km.

The troops of the sector occupied the line (from right to left): 456th Rifle Regiment - Genoese Tower, high. 212.1 (excl.), state farm "Blagodat" (excl.); The 381st Rifle Regiment further up to 300 m to the north. 440.8; 782nd Rifle Regiment - up to 600 m northeast of vil. Camara; 602nd Infantry Regiment - to the barracks. The reserve of the sector is the 773rd rifle regiment as part of a battalion in the area of ​​​​vye.244.1 and 241.5. The artillery of the sector (the 404th and 953rd artillery regiments) was located in the area: vye. 244.1 - a separate yard, 2 km east of the hut. Nikolaevka - hut. Nikolaevka".

On June 7, 1942, at 03:45, the enemy made a 15-minute artillery raid, then there was silence for 5 minutes, but at 04:05, the enemy again made a powerful 30-minute artillery raid on the positions of the 381st regiment of the 109th and 782nd SP 388th SD, after that the enemy transferred fire to the 2nd and 3rd lines of defense. Without stopping artillery fire on the 2nd and 3rd trench lines, the enemy launched an offensive, supporting his infantry with assault guns.

In the memoirs of almost all veterans who directly participated in these events, the word "hell" is used when describing artillery preparation. The artillery of the 388th SD opened barrage fire with three batteries: the 4th (commander of Art. Lieutenant Volkov), 5th (St. Lt. Luzin) and 6th (St. Lt. Pogorelov).

From the memoirs of the commander of the 7th Marine Brigade E.I. Zhidilov: “June 7 terrible bombardment our neighbor on the right, the 388th Rifle Division, is exposed. Its first echelon occupies a height of 166.7 (Zhidilov's mistake, in fact, 164.9, she is Canrobert's hill) - a domed hill that covers the highway to Sapun-ropy. The hill dominates the area, the positions of the enemy are clearly visible from it. The Germans, apparently, decided to drop our troops from there. The artillery raid began at 5 o'clock in the morning. A solid cloud of smoke rose above the height, in which it was no longer possible to distinguish individual gaps. Then the enemy planes flew in. Explosions merge into a continuous rumble. The hill is comparatively far away from us, but we feel the ground tremble under our feet. A dense dark gray cloud is expanding and rising towards the sky.

“Nothing will remain of the height,” says Yevseev.

He is standing next to me at our observation post and, like all of us, cannot take his eyes off his neighbor's site.

“Let's see, maybe it will survive,” I answer him, but I myself have little faith in this. I, too, have never seen such a fierce bombing."

At 10 o'clock the 2nd division was allocated to support the 602nd rifle regiment. According to the memoirs of M.K.

In the area of ​​the 782nd Infantry Regiment, the enemy showed no activity, concentrating his efforts on the area along the Yalta highway. Only the artillerymen of the 953rd Artillery Regiment were active. At 10:30, the gunners of the 388th SD covered two German companies moving to the front line. The companies were spotted from the NP of the division, and covered with fire from a 122mm howitzer battery.

By 13 o'clock a report was received that the batteries were running out of shells. From the memoirs of M.K.

Objectively speaking, 122mm ammunition in Sevastopol was indeed in short supply, but 76mm ammunition was in excess, and there was no point in limiting its consumption. In addition, it is worth noting that both divisions of the 953rd artillery regiment were withdrawn from the command of the commander of the 953rd artillery regiment, and are operationally subordinate to the commanders of the 388th and 172nd SDs.

Those. The 2nd division acted independently. The only task of the command of this regiment was to provide divisions with shells and food. But, apparently, the headquarters of the 953rd AP did not even cope with this task. From the memoirs of M.K. Norenko:

“I answered Polonsky: “Appoint at least ten commissions, but give shells! Otherwise, the infantry without the support of artillery will not hold out! “When an investigation is carried out, and the reasons for the overspending of shells are clarified, then the supply of the division with shells will be carried out,” answered Polonsky. The issue of supplying shells was resolved through the commandant of the 1st sector, but for some time the artillery of the 388th Rifle Division fell silent, which allowed the enemy to move 500-700 meters forward. At 20:30, the enemy infantry stopped the offensive.

True, in the memoirs of S. Vasiliev (a reconnaissance platoon of the 1st artillery division), the regiment commander, Lieutenant Colonel Polonsky, is given a positive description. Apparently, the regimental headquarters acted with the 1st division in the 4th sector, leaving the 2nd division without attention.

June 8, 1942 artillery of the 388th SD made a 15-minute raid on the enemy. The enemy tried to launch an offensive, however, he acted with much smaller forces, and had no success. Active enemy operations ended at about 20:00.

“To Novikov I sector, Skutelnikov II sector, Zhidilov, Gorpischenko and the commander of the 388th rifle division Shvarev.

It is possible to expect today the enemy's transition to a decisive offensive in your sectors. The enemy will seek to break through the defense. Be carefull! Under no circumstances should at least one of our trenches be allowed to be occupied. If somewhere there is a clear threat of the spread of an enemy who has penetrated, all forces will be brought down on him, knocked out, exterminated. Not for one hour to allow the enemy to gain a foothold. In this, only in this success. For the first two days you showed examples of heroism. I am confident in your continued success. Oktyabrsky, Kulakov»

However, these data turned out to be erroneous. Opponent 06/09/1941 showed no activity. The same continued on the 10th. P.A. Morgunov writes: “During June 9 and 10, the enemy repeatedly crossed the attack in certain sectors of the I and II sectors. By decisive actions of our troops, with the support of artillery, all enemy attacks were repulsed with heavy losses for him. Parts firmly held the former lines of defense. However, according to memoirs, the enemy acted in small groups, total strength no more than two mouths.

06/11/1942 to launch a counterattack in the 4th sector, one battalion of the 7th Marine Brigade (2nd battalion of A.S. Gegeshidze), which was the left neighbor of the 1st sector, was removed from the positions. Another battalion of the 7th brigade (3rd, commander Captain Rud) was taken from the antiamphibious defense of the Kulikovo field airfield. In addition to the 2nd battalion, one battery of the 7th brigade and its mortar battalion were removed from the second sector. In this regard, one division of the 953rd artillery regiment was switched to support the 7th brigade.

Taking advantage of the fact that part of the troops was withdrawn from the 2nd sector, the enemy launched an offensive at the junction of the 1st and 2nd sectors, where he occupied the defenses of the 602nd SP 109SD and in the area of ​​​​the 782nd regiment of the 388th SD in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bd .Kamary (Defense) and the state farm "Blagodat".

At the same time, at about 6 am, a massive air strike was delivered against the strongholds of the 388th Infantry Division: the Prokutor farm (500m east of the village of Kamara) and the Canrober hill (elevation 164.9).

By the end of the day, at the junction of the 2nd and 1st sectors, the enemy managed to penetrate almost 2 km and approach height 164.9 (Canrobert hill). Almost all the firing points of the stronghold, inscribed in the shaft of the old Turkish redoubt, were suppressed. The front of the 1st sector rolled back to the line elev. 164.9-der. Camara.

06/12/41 the enemy, in the morning, began an attack on vil. Kamara, which was in the area of ​​responsibility of the 782nd joint venture. The division's artillery switched to supporting the 782nd SP.

From the memoirs of I.G. Nikolaenko: “In the hollow, between the Italian cemetery and mountain 77.3 (164.9), enemy tanks went and among them flamethrowers. A scary picture of a flamethrower. Everything along the path of movement is engulfed in fire and flames, even the earth is on fire. I had to ask the authorities for help. Indeed, into battle on 06/12/42. flamethrower tanks based on French V-2bis trophy vehicles from the 223rd captured tank battalion and assault guns of the 2nd battery of the 249th assault gun battalion were introduced. The fire of the 953rd regiment that day knocked out six tanks and self-propelled guns. By the end of the day, the enemy stopped the offensive.

On June 13, the enemy switched to the 2nd sector, attacking units of the 7th Marine Brigade north of the Yalta Highway.

06/14/42 The enemy again launched an offensive in the 1st sector, as a result of which height 164.9 was captured. The 3rd battalion of the 782nd regiment, which was occupying the defense at a height, was forced to withdraw.

By the end of the day, units of the 1st sector were fighting at the turn: the Blagodat state farm, heights 33.1 (1st branch of the Zolotaya Balka) and 56.0 (the area of ​​the modern Shayba complex). The enemy, having captured the strongholds of the 602nd regiment of the 109th SD in the former Turkish redoubts on the line of the Semyakin heights, wedged in a long narrow tongue along the Yalta highway. An important role in the German breakthrough was played by German assault guns and flamethrower tanks of the 223rd battalion of captured enemy tanks. At a height of 56.0 ("Puck", it is also the 5th Turkish redoubt), the enemy was stopped.

On June 15, two battalions (1st and 3rd) of the 9th Marine Brigade, which were previously in antiamphibious defense, were withdrawn to the left flank of the units of the 1st sector in the area of ​​the Karagach heights.

Trying to expand the breakthrough, the enemy 06/16/42. went on the offensive in the area of ​​Kadykovka. The troops of the first sector (109th and 388th rifle divisions), fighting stubbornly, were forced to retreat.

By the end of the day, the 1st battalion of the 782nd rifle regiment left the Blagodat state farm and retreated to the west. By the end of the day, the Soviet units held the line, passing from the height of 57.7 (Genoa Tower), along the western slopes of the height 99.4 (212.1), along the heights: nameless 300 m west of the state farm "Blagodat" - the former farm of Zaguryanov, heights 33.1-56.0. Thus, the enemy reached the 2nd line of defense, occupied by the 773rd regiment.

06/17/1942 in the area of ​​the 388th division, enemy infantry with tanks attacked the positions of the company of senior lieutenant I.G. Nikolaenko (2nd battalion of the 773rd rifle regiment). As a result of the counterattack, the company pushed the enemy back and moved forward, but immediately came under heavy fire from enemy artillery. The company commander was wounded in the leg, but did not leave the battlefield, causing artillery fire. All fire weapons of the 388th SD were already used to fire in support of other units, but at the request of the commander of the 773rd regiment, Lieutenant Colonel A.T.

From the memoirs of I.G. Nikolaenko: “I ended up in the hospital on June 19, 1942. in Yukharin beam. There was already a sense of disorder, no one, in fact, was taking care of us, we were given evacuators, and as best we could, we got to Kamysheva Bay, or on planes, to the airfield. We, 9 people, were sent to the airfield by gas truck, but on the way we were well bombed, and our driver escaped. I, remembering my driving abilities, had to drive the car with one foot, clutch, brake and gas. But they received us at the airfield very “unkindly”, some lieutenant or political instructor got on the bandwagon, they drove us into some adit, and said: “Wait!”. And there is chaos, panic. Doctors, ... rushed about, cried. ... ". I.G. Nikolaenko failed to evacuate. He was taken prisoner on Cape Chersonese.

On the night of June 18, the enemy regrouped forces and pulled up units of the 170th Infantry Division, pulling up the reserve 420th Infantry Regiment (arrived from the 125th Division) closer to the front line.

The Soviet troops also made a partial regrouping to level the front and strengthen the threatened areas. By morning, Soviet troops in the 1st sector occupied the following positions and lines: 109th and 388th rifle divisions: Genoese tower - western slopes height 99.4 (aka 212.1) - 500 m west of the state farm "Blagodat" - height 33.1 (excl.) - 400 m west of height 56.0 - a farm located 100 m east of the mark. 36.0".

On the morning of June 18, after strong air and artillery preparation, the enemy again went on the offensive, trying to widen the gap. The blow was delivered in three divergent directions: to the left to Kadykovka, straight to the height of 56.0, and to the right, to the Fedyukhin heights. Heavy fighting flared up in this sector, lasting continuously for two days on June 18 and 19.

From the report of the commander of the SOR: “06/19/42“ Budyonny, Isakov, Kuznetsov, Bodin.

1. I and II sectors 04.00 - 08.00 the enemy group broke through in the area of ​​height 29.4. As a result of hand-to-hand combat, the group that has broken through is eliminated. In the region of height 56.0, hut. Kalagai, heights 77.3 - a cluster of enemy infantry and tanks. In the area of ​​​​height 56.0 - farms
Kaligai - heights 77.3, accumulation of enemy infantry and tanks .... ".

On June 19, another battalion of the 9th brigade, the 2nd, was introduced into the battle. He took up positions in the area at. Elm.

Further, the enemy is stuck. His advance was hampered by flank attacks from the Fedyukhin Heights. The long narrow German wedge along the Yalta highway has exhausted its possibilities. The Germans did not manage to advance a single step, despite the introduction of armored vehicles into battle.

On the one hand, the enemy was held back by the line of defense along the Balaklava road, built by the 388th division, on the other, positions on the Fedyukhin Heights and the Karagach Height. The junction of the Yalta and Balaklava highways was reliably covered by Soviet artillery and an old French redoubt, with pillbox No. 29 installed in it (100mm gun B-24B-m).

In order to ensure further advancement, the enemy 06/21/42. began an operation to capture the Fedyukhin Heights, the defense of which was occupied by the 7th Marine Brigade. The main events took place to the left of the positions of the 388th and 109th SDs, and calm reigned on their defense line.

Officially, according to the Soviet version, parts of the 7th brigade were withdrawn from the Fedyukhin Heights to Sapun Mountain in order to "level the front." The Germans describe events differently. The German 170th Infantry Division brought into battle the 420th Infantry Regiment attached to it (out of 125 infantry regiments) and took the heights with battle.

From the history of the German 420th regiment: “Without artillery preparation, the battalions penetrate the first line of defense and break through it in the first attack. The subdivisions of the 420th PP have the goal of the offensive - to capture the "height of the path" ("Fußsteighе"), mark 135.0. (This is the first Fedyukhin height, if you count from the city of Gasfort)

Already by 04:00 am the 420th BCP reaches the line 500 m to the south of the summit. With the onset of dawn, artillery fire intensifies from the Sapun heights and from numerous flanking fortified positions, so that the attack has to be continued, pressing to the ground; the murderous fire of the enemy infantry intensifies.

Around 6 a.m., German dive bombers appear. In accordance with the plan of attack, the forward groups light signals and smoke cartridges to mark the forward line of German troops.

The Ju-88s begin a hell of a bombardment, with many heavy bombs falling less than 100 meters in front of the regiment's own line of advance units. After the bombing, dive bombers storm enemy fortifications with airborne weapons. At this time, while the last volleys of the onboard guns of the attacking aircraft had not subsided yet, the subunits of the 420th regiment rushed to the attack, and at 8.30 a.m. they took the "height of the path" (135.7). The 399th checkpoint (170 PD) is located at the same height to the west of the beam that crosses the Fedyukhin Heights.

Those. on the very first day of the offensive, the 7th brigade, weakened by the withdrawal of two battalions to the North side, was thrown from its positions. Wedge German wedge widened. On the same day, 06/21/42, after lunch, the enemy continued the offensive.

From the same German source: “After the regrouping, both units begin to attack the second and third lines of the Russian fortified position at 13.15. Now their own artillery and dive-bombers cover the Sapun heights with smoke shells and bombs, so that the Russians can not conduct any corrective fire from there on the advancing battalions. By 2 pm the next height (125.7) is taken.

After 4 p.m. the enemy launched two counterattacks from Novye Shuli, behind the railway line. The reflection of the attack turns into hand-to-hand combat. In the evening, regimental units dig in in their positions.

June 21 was a very difficult day of combat for the 420th PP, it cost significant losses. On this day, Major Plat, commander of the 1st battalion of the 420th PP, distinguished himself during the assault on the “height of the path”. He took command of the battalion only on May 18, 1942, after the first battalion commander was killed.

22.6 Russian resistance did not weaken. The day passes in a regrouping of forces. At night, at about 1.30 a.m., the 420th brigade launched an attack and captured Novye Shuli (Assault).

At 4 o'clock the Russians launched a counterattack with strong forces, supported by artillery and mortar fire. The Russians take the village back. New Shuli will be captured later by units of 28 LPD.

Those. within a day and a half, the 7th brigade was knocked out from the Fedyukhin Heights, but the command of the SOR, before the high command, described the situation differently: A fierce assault on Sevastopol continues for days. By the beginning of the assault, the enemy had seven non-German infantry divisions (132nd, 22nd, 24th, 28th, 50th, 72nd, 170th) and the 1st and 18th Romanian infantry divisions, reinforced pp 10 pd, the 18th armored group of 150-200 tanks and armored vehicles, the 8th air corps of up to 500 aircraft.

As a result of 16 days of fierce fighting, we defeated the main forces of the 11th Army (22nd, 24th, 28th, 50th and 132nd German Infantry Division, 1st and 18th Romanian Infantry Division). 188 planes and 107 tanks were destroyed, 97 planes and 109 tanks were shot down.

Despite the losses, the enemy continues the offensive at an unrelenting pace, compensating for the loss by bringing fresh forces from the reserves into battle at the expense of the Southern Front.

By 22-06-42, seven German infantry regiments, the 4th mountain rifle division of the Romanians, were additionally introduced into battle, tank brigade up to 200 tanks, artillery battalions of high power. In addition, the enemy receives marching reinforcements.

3. As a result of fierce battles, units of the SOR suffered heavy losses ... having received only 3,500 people during these 16 days of battles. The 95th, 172nd, 345th Divisions and the 79th Brigade, as well as the 2nd Perekop Marine Regiment, almost completely lost their combat capability. Lost over 60% of the 109th, 388th Rifle Division and the 7th Naval Infantry Brigade. They remain combat-capable, but suffered losses of up to 25% 25th line division, 8th and 9th
Marine Brigade, 138th Brigade, 3rd Marine Regiment
infantry.

Continuous bombing of the enemy, incapacitating entire battalions, continuous repulsion of tank and infantry attacks led to the loss of 50% of the main composition of the troops. We lost a lot of artillery materiel. The troops are greatly fatigued. Based on the data on the balance of forces in the absence of reserves, units of the SOR are not able to hold the former lines of defense
front line 40 kilometers. The enemy's approach to the line of the Fedyukhin Heights, the ridges between the beams of Trenzina and Grafskaya, endangered the breaking of the front and the encirclement of the 25th Rifle Division. It is impossible to prevent encirclement without regrouping our troops - there are no forces, no reserves.

4. Based on the situation, I decided to regroup on the night of 23-06. Parts occupy the line: height 57.7 - west. slopes of height 99.4 - west. slopes of height 29.4 - nameless height (150 meters southwest of height 74.0) - height 36.4 - N. Shuli - high. 9.5 - elev. 3.5 - stone pillar - height 57.7 - height 67.1 - bend of the road (800 meters southwest of height 119.9) and further along the southern slope of the Martynovsky ravine - east and northern slopes Suzdalskaya. In order to cover the Inkerman Valley from the north, units of the 345th Infantry Division with attached two battalions of the 138th Infantry Brigade will remain - to defend the area of ​​​​mark 66.1 - the bend of the Simferopol highway, which is near Trenzina beam - Sukharnaya beam.

Subject to the daily supply of replenishment, ammunition, we will defend this new line of defense with the same persistence. With delays and interruptions in receiving assistance, this milestone cannot be maintained. The most difficult conditions for defense are created by enemy aircraft. Aviation paralyzes everything with thousands of bombs every day. It is very difficult for us to fight in Sevastopol. A small boat in the bay is hunted by 15 aircraft. All funds are overflowing.

Help fight enemy aircraft. All troops continue to fight heroically.

P.A. Morgunov repeats this information, pointing out that the 7th Marine Brigade was withdrawn from the Fedyukhin Heights as a result of redeployment, although in fact, the 7th Brigade was knocked out of them a day before. The village of Novye Shuli was recaptured as a result of a desperate attack by signalmen and rear troops of the 386th Infantry Division, numbering just over 100 people.

The report of the military council of the SOR, in principle, contains a lot of false information, including on artillery. As of this date, most of the artillery was saved, but most of the anti-aircraft artillery died, and she died, as a result of a miscalculation by the SOR command. But this is a topic for a separate study.

In fact, having provided by the morning of 06/22/42. his flank, the enemy again took up the 388th and 109th divisions. From the book of P.A. Morgunov “Heroic Sevastopol”: At 5 o’clock. 30 min (22.06.42). in the I and II sectors, the Nazis went on the offensive with two regiments of the 170th and 72nd infantry divisions with tanks in the direction of you. 74.0 (north of the Kadykovka village). In reserve, the enemy had a regiment of the 318th and 125th infantry divisions. Units of the 388th Rifle Division, two battalions of the 9th Marine Brigade (inaccuracy, actually three battalions) held the defense in the direction of the enemy's attack. …

As a result of fierce fighting in Sector I, by the end of the day on June 22, our units, despite heroic resistance, retreated in places, and the enemy reached the northwestern slopes of a nameless height, which is 200 meters west of the height. 74.0". Height 74.0, this is the 6th Turkish redoubt, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe monument to the Kyiv Hussar Regiment, however, there is no height to the west of it, perhaps this is a mistake, but it does not fundamentally change anything, the enemy broke through almost to the fork between the Yalta and Balaklava highways.

By the morning of 06/24/42. parts of the 1st sector occupied the line of defense: from Balaklava to high. 113.2 (aka Karagach height excl.); forces: 109th and 388th rifle divisions, 9th marine brigade. In the area of ​​the Genoese tower, surrounded, was the 2nd battalion of the 456th regiment of the 109th division. From that day on, the enemy suspended the offensive in the 1st sector, preparing a new offensive, scheduled for the night of June 28-29, 1942.

From German documents: “Attack Plan XXX. A.K. to the Sapun heights was prepared by the headquarters of the corps in detail, down to the smallest details. The 170th Infantry Division was to attack in three groups in a sector only 800 meters wide, seize a bridgehead and launch attacks to the south.

The number of used heavy weapons used by the 11th Army near Sevastopol is unique. The 420th PP had the opportunity to make sure that this was the strongest use of artillery by the Germans during the entire Second World War.

Units of the 170th Infantry Division supported: divisional artillery of the 170th, 72nd infantry divisions and the 28th light infantry division, as well as artillery units of the 1st Romanian mountain division. The attack was supported by artillery units of army subordination: the 154th artillery battalion, the batteries of the 2nd training artillery regiment, the 284th coastal artillery division (Küsten-Art.-Abt. 284), the 2nd division of the 818th artillery artillery regiment (II. Abt. A.R. 818), 1st Battalion of the 767th Artillery Regiment (I./A.R.767), and in addition the 70th Rocket Mortar Regiment (Werfer-Rgt. 70) and the 2nd Battalion of the 1st Heavy Rocket Mortar Regiment (II./schw. Werfer-Rgt. 1). To this must also be added 5 batteries of anti-aircraft guns and the 8th air corps with bombers and dive bombers.

From the memoirs of M. Norenko: “June 25, 1942. at 10:00 the enemy, without any precautions, began to advance in vehicles along the Yalta road. About 10 tanks moved ahead, the division opened barrage fire. Several cars were wrecked. The column stopped and the infantry began to scatter ... Throughout the day, the division did not allow the enemy to move further than the height with the monument to the Battle of Balaklava. On the morning of the 26th, there were no more infantry or tanks on the Yalta Highway. At night, for lack of shells, the division did not fire. It is curious to note the fact that according to the documents, 76mm ammunition, suitable for mountain guns, was in excess (about 970 tons), but it was listed in naval warehouses. Indeed, there was not much of it left in army warehouses (73 tons). The same picture (on an even larger scale) is observed with 45mm ammunition.

The artillery of the 1st sector found itself in a difficult situation: it was located on the Sapun Plateau, and could not fire cannons at the front line, because. he was in the dead zone. Howitzer ammunition was almost gone. Hope was only for the mortar division.

June 27, 1942 the artillery of the sector, for lack of shells, did not fire. Only on the night of 27 to 28 were 152mm shells brought in for the 404th artillery regiment of the 109th SD. It is also curious that 152mm ammunition for ML-20 guns was also in Sevastopol. It just couldn't be delivered.

On June 29, at about 2 am, the enemy began an assault in the 2nd sector, but at first there was a lull in the 1st sector. The thing is that the Romanian General Manoliu, according to own initiative, began the assault on Sapun Mountain a few hours ahead of schedule, and was the first to reach the slopes of Sapun Mountain.

The 170th division started the assault 2 hours later, and, accordingly, broke through the Soviet defenses a little later. The 105th Infantry Regiment, under the command of Oberst (Colonel) Müller, was introduced into the gap. The breakthrough was made at the site of the 2nd sector, but the artillery of the 1st sector, located at the junction of the sectors, came under attack. At about 6 o'clock, the 4th battery of the 2nd division of the 953rd artillery regiment fought off the enemy, having no infantry cover. It was not possible to withdraw the guns from the position, the positions were almost continuously fired upon, therefore, by evening, the remaining two guns in the ranks were blown up, the remnants of the personnel retreated to the fifth battery.

Parts of the 388th division held their lines during the day, despite heavy losses. To help the 9th brigade, its last battalion, the 4th, was transferred.

It was still possible to stabilize the situation. The Sevastopol defense still had a sufficient number of reserves. The 778th Infantry Regiment of the 388th SD remained in the antiamphibious defense, the 142nd rifle brigade, 81st separate tank battalion almost did not participate in the battles, there were other reserves, but ....

AT official version it looks like this: “In order to delay the further advance of the enemy, reduce the front and withdraw units to the reserve and to more convenient defensive lines, the SOR command decided during the night of June 30 to regroup troops and occupy the line of heights. 122.6 - high. 133.7 - high. 101.6 - high. 113.2 - English cemetery - high. 77.4 - English redoubt "Victoria" - Malakhov Kurgan - barracks of the Training Detachment of the Black Sea Fleet. To carry out a planned departure and occupation of the planned
lines of defense, the commander of the army, General Petrov, gave a number of private combat orders to the commanders of sectors and formations. In particular, the commander of the IV sector, Kapitokhin, was ordered: “by 02.00 on 30-6-42, the 138th brigade with 514th divisions should occupy and defend: 77.4— zap. shore of the Dock ravine - excl. Malakhov barrow. Sector headquarters - Laboratory beam. 79 brigade with a dowry of 2 pmp to defend Kamchatka, the heights and the northern outskirts
slob. Ship and west, the bank of Kilen-beam - 23.4 and Cape Pavlovsky. Brigade Headquarters - Naval Crew. Remains of 386 sd and 8 brigade mp. collect and pour into 514 lines and 90 joint ventures and defend along the anti-tank ditch, the English redoubt "Victoria" - west.
coast of Kilen-balka - Kamchatka. 19-50 29-06-42 . Petrov, Chukhnov, Krylov "" .

Let's translate this data from army into Russian. Height 122.6, this is the height in the area of ​​the St. George Monastery. 133.7 is the height next to the TsAGI windmill, above the Karan Valley, 101.6 is the fork of the Yalta and Balaklava highways with a French redoubt and pillbox No. 29. Height 113.2 is the height of Karagach. Everything seems to be fine, but...

All units of the 388th Rifle Division were removed from the defense line: the remnants of the 773rd and 782nd regiments, the engineer battalion, and the communications battalion. These units were sent to the evacuation cover line. Thus, almost the entire 388th SD was pulled to the rear, to the "Kamyezh line". Only the artillerymen of the 2nd Battalion of the 953rd Regiment remained at their former position.

A combat report to the mainland at 9:00 30. stated: “During the night, our troops, having regrouped, occupied the front: 109 lines of div. - Marble beam - bezym. height, which is 1 km north (her). elev. 133, 7. 9 br. mp - Balaklava highway "KAZ (Arma)" - excl. hut. 600 m north-east 85.2 (modern mark 177.3 north of the village "7th km")". So it was reported to the authorities. In fact: the remnants of the 602nd and 381st regiments of the 109th division were withdrawn to the evacuation cover line.

From the memoirs of M.K. At 10:30 pm, he was called to the telephone by the regiment's chief of staff, Major Obrezanov, and talked to him about something for a long time. After the conversation ended, he told me:

The regiment was ordered to withdraw from positions and move to Cape Chersonese. He didn't say anything more to me.

And what about me? I asked him

I don't know, call Major Obrezanov

Why Obrezanov, and not the regiment commander, Lieutenant Colonel Makeyonok?

There is no makeenka at the CP anymore. Then he got up and left.

… How to be? What to do? The infantry left, the artillery remained. There is no connection with Polonsky (commander of the artillery regiment), nor with the headquarters of the 388th division.” It was only around 13:00 that the 2nd Battalion of the 953rd Regiment received an order to withdraw, but by that time the situation had changed a lot...

The 9th Marine Brigade did not die, but received a similar order, and, having withdrawn from its positions, retreated to the new line assigned to it, under the command of Major Nikulshin. Those. only the 456th rifle regiment remained in position, and even then, without the 2nd battalion, which was surrounded in the area of ​​the Genoese fortress. 06/30/42 in the defense of the city, a gap was formed, 7 km wide, into which German troops rushed.

I.G.Nikolaenko. Memories. NMGOOS archive. Photocopy. Author's archive.

Political report No. 76 dated 12.04.42. Photocopy. Author's archive.

P.A. Morgunov "Heroic Sevastopol" p. 329

Dep. TsVMA, f. 72, d. 1235, l. 16.

22 ID Abt. 1C Feindnachrichtenblatt 73 Photocopy. Author's archive.

Tsugunyan A.G. Memories. NMGOOS archive. Photocopy. Author's archive.

Dep. TsVMA, f. 72, file 1235, ll. 48-50. 398

P.A. Morgunov "Heroic Sevastopol" p.431

Protocol of interrogation of Lieutenant Colonel A.T. Makeenok. Photocopy. Author's archive.

N. Blagoveshchensky. Memories. NMGOOS archive. Photocopy. Author's archive.

Connection history:

Formed in August 1941 in Stalino (Donetsk). According to the directive of the headquarters of the Kharkov Military District No. OM / 003128 of 25.8.1941, the combat crews of the combat units of the division were recruited exclusively from the trained conscripted miners of younger ages called up from the reserve in the corresponding military registration specialties. On September 2, the division, fully equipped with personnel and weapons, began combat and political training. The division included the 691st, 694th, 696th rifle and 966th artillery regiments.

The formation of the 383rd Rifle Division went according to plan. The training and coordination of units and divisions of the division ended in September 1941. The division was well armed and had well-trained Red Army personnel, two of the three commanders of its rifle regiments had combat experience in the first two months of World War II. The division commander himself, Colonel Provalov, in addition to the academy, had experience fighting on the CER in 1929, and in 1938 on Lake Khasan.

On September 29, 1941, near Novomoskovsk, the right-flank divisions of the 12th Army dealt a massive blow to the 1st Panzer Group of Kleist. She broke through the front and, turning towards her right flank, rushed along the left bank of the Dnieper to southbound. The group of Nazi armies "South", breaking into the operational space of the left bank of the Dnieper, captured Poltava, advanced to Melitopol, cut off the Crimea. Due to the complicated situation, on September 30, 1941, the 383rd Rifle Division became part of the 18th Army of the Southern Front and, having made a forced march "Selidovo - Krasnoarmeysk", occupied the defensive line "Grishino - Solntsevo - Trudovoy", which is being improved to October 7th 41st. On this day, the division, passing into the subordination of the 9th Army, occupies a new line of defense: Solontsovka, Vasilyevka. On October 13, the division was transferred to the 18th Army and occupied the line Krasnoe, Yantarnoye, Uspenovka, Elizavetovka, Konstantinovka, Novo-Mikhailovka, Aleksandrinka with the task of stopping the enemy’s offensive, acting in the direction of Stalino, Krasny Luch. On the right, the 296th Rifle Division of the 12th Army was defending, on the left, the 38th Rifle Division of the 18th Army. Since October 14, the 383rd has entered into battle with the enemy, thereby receiving a baptism of fire. On October 14, the 383rd Rifle Division entered into battle with the enemy grouping as part of the 4th German Mountain Division and the Italian Cavalry Division "Caesar". On the same day, the division completely destroys the regiment of the "Royal Musketeers", the Italian cavalry division, in a fire bag. During the 5 days that the division held the line, 3,000 Germans and Italians were destroyed, in turn, their own losses amounted to 1,500 killed. All this with the complete dominance of the Germans in the air. On October 18, the headquarters of the 383rd sd received an order from the army headquarters to withdraw.

From October 15 to October 22, 1941, the division held the defense of Stalino. On 10/19/1941, after stubborn heavy fighting, the division retreats to a pre-prepared line of defense on the outskirts of Stalino - from Gornyak to Avdotino with the task of defending the city to the last. On 10/22/1941, in connection with the withdrawal of the neighboring 38th cd and 395th sd to new lines, units of the 383rd begin to withdraw and occupy a new defense line of Ordzhonikidze, Nizhnyaya Krynka, ZuGRES. On October 24, the enemy resumed strong attacks and the division was forced to begin a retreat.

By the end of the day on October 28, units of the division approached the city of Chistyakovo and took up defense there. On the night of October 30, the division withdrew to the line of the Krasnaya Zvezda mine, Koopstroy, Snezhnoye. And here, too, bloody battles went on all day. The miners held out until evening, and when it got dark, leaving cover, they began to retreat across the Mius River, taking up a line along the left, low bank of the Mius from Yanovka through Knyaginevka to Novo-Pavlovka. On November 9, having beaten off numerous massive enemy attacks and having earned some respite, all units of the 383rd Rifle Division began organizing active defense at the Mius line.

In early November 1941, the front stopped at the Mius and the Seversky Donets. Along the Mius, on the outskirts of the city of Krasny Luch, the division took up defensive positions. Further south along the river - the 395th Infantry Division. Then the division took up defense in the Donsk-Bataysk area.

On December 29, 1941, the division was fighting for the Knyaginevsky bridgehead: the regiments launched converging blows under the base of the bridgehead, along the Mius. The enemy began to withdraw to the right bank of the river in the direction of Andreevka and Vesely.

At the beginning of January 1942, the division was part of the Southern Front and occupied the defense line of Knyaginevka, Yanovka, ShterGRES, Novo-Pavlovka. The division is replenished, conducts combat training, and rests. Throughout January, February and early March 1942, the division is on the defensive, conducting force reconnaissance and sorties against the opposing 198th Wehrmacht Infantry Division.

On March 15, 1942, the division, having handed over its positions to units of the 353rd Rifle Division, is withdrawn to the rear for resupply and rest in the area of ​​Sofiyivka, Shterovka, Ivanovka. Here the division is attached to the 880th howitzer artillery regiment of the RGK.

On April 14, 1942, units of the division again took over their defense line at the 353rd Rifle Division along the Stryukovo-Novo-Pavlovka line. Until July 1942, the division improved its defenses, carried out reconnaissance in force, and repulsed weak enemy attacks.

On July 10, 1942, the enemy went on the offensive, hot battles ensued. On the night of July 18, following the order of the commander of the 18th Army, the 383rd Rifle Division began a planned retreat to Rostov. She again found herself in the rearguard of the army. On July 21, the division took up defensive positions on the near northwestern approaches to Rostov, the enemy stubbornly attacks. On the 22nd, the division concentrates in the Mokry Bataysk area, st. Koisug and goes on the counterattack at st. Zarechnaya with the task of throwing the enemy into the Don. However, the station could not be recaptured, the regiments of the 383rd began to burrow into the ground, repulsing the continuous attacks of the enemy.

On August 5, 1942, the division, following a written order from the commander, approached the foothills of the Western Caucasus and took up defensive positions in the area of ​​​​the villages of Khanskaya, Belorechenskaya, Chernigovskaya, Kubanskaya 2nd, Pshekhskaya. On the right, directly in the village of Khanskaya, the 13th KD of the 17th KK was defending, and even more to the right, along the Belaya River, the 31st Rifle and 9th Rifle Divisions of the NKVD. The left neighbor of the 383rd was the 12th cd.

From 09/08/1942, the division has been holding back powerful enemy attacks along the entire defense front, from Khanskaya to Belorechenskaya, and is surrounded. On August 11, having broken a hole in the German ring, the division reached the main forces of the 12th Army and began to withdraw through Apsheronsky and Neftegorsk to the area of ​​​​Maratuki, Kotlovina, Gunayka, where it was to take up defense, covering one of the sectors on the outskirts of the Black Sea coast. However, it was not possible to complete the combat mission. On the morning of the 16th, the enemy struck from Apsheronsky to Neftyanaya. The division, having attached to itself two regiments of the defeated 236th Rifle Division, counterattacks the enemy from the Neftyanaya area in the direction of Khadyzhenskaya, but fails. Having only one regiment, by August 18, the division was subordinate to the commander of the 18th Army and, having made a mountain transition, took up defensive positions on the line of Mount Gunai, Mount Geiman, Gunayka, Kotlovina, Maratuki. Until September 25, 1942, the division, being 40 kilometers from Tuapse, strengthens and improves the defense line, replenishes with personnel and military equipment

.

On September 26, 1942, parts of the division entered into battle with the enemy advancing in the Tuapse direction. On October 3, having withstood the powerful blow of the Nazis, the division had to surrender Kotlovina and Gunayka. Worse, the enemy dismembered the division's defenses and cut off the 691st Rifle Regiment, which continued to hold Maratuki and Mount Oplepen, from the other two rifle regiments of the division.

On the Samur-Lazarevsky direction, units of the 46th German Infantry Division on September 28 went on the offensive from the Samurskaya, Neftegorsk sector in the direction of Rozhet, Maratuki and captured a number of heights. The troops of the 31st, 383rd Rifle Division and the 11th Guards Rifle Division fought fierce battles until October 5, and yet were forced to leave Chernigov and Mount Oplepen. There was a serious threat of an enemy breakthrough into the valley of the river. Pshekha.

On October 9, 1942, having surrendered positions to units of the 40th Motorized Rifle Brigade, the division occupied a new line of defense, which now passed along the heights located between Goyth, Gunayka and Kotlovina. On the left is a neighbor - the 12th Guards. kd, covering from the east a section of the road to Tuapse between Shaumyan and the Goyth pass.

On October 14, the Germans resumed their offensive in the direction of Shaumyan. On the 15th, having handed over positions to the units of the 408th Rifle Division that arrived from the Soviet-Turkish border, the 383rd makes a march to the Goyth Pass, where, having arrived on the 16th, it enters the battle on the move.

On October 18, having handed over positions to units of the 107th brigade, the 383rd is withdrawn to the rear for understaffing and is concentrated in Georgievsky. On the 23rd, due to the difficult situation - the enemy, having dismembered the battle formations of the 408th rifle division, went to the mountains of Semashkho and Two Brothers - parts of the division with battle occupy heights with marks 919.6 (Two Brothers), 1103.1 and 960, 0. On the 29th - the division reached the line of the southeastern slopes of the height with a mark of 879.0, the southwestern koraiina of the village of Perevalny. By noon on November 1, the division took Perevalny and Pelik's farm. For ten days of fighting, the division destroyed more than 2,000 enemy soldiers and officers.

On November 16, 1942, the division went on the offensive, cutting off the road from Goitkh to Mount Semashkho, but the bad weather that broke out (heavy rain with sleet) interrupted all combat operations in this area for a month, cutting off the division from the rear. And this is the cessation of the supply of ammunition and food, the impossibility of evacuating the wounded. It must be emphasized that during the outbreak of bad weather, units of the Semashkh group of the enemy also found themselves in a difficult situation. The Nazi command tried to supply its troops by air, to drop them both food and medicine. But the weather was non-flying, and the enemy failed to use this option.

On December 23, 1942, the division was withdrawn to the area of ​​Mount Two Brothers and began to build huts, baths and other structures necessary for the troops to rest and study. The destruction of the Semashkh grouping of the enemy was completed by the 83rd Guards Rifle Division, 353rd Rifle Division, 8th Guards Rifle Division, 10th and 165th Regiment.

Combat training continued until January 9, 1943. On the 10th, by order of the commander of the Black Sea Group of Forces, the 383rd Rifle Division set out on foot in Tuapse, in order to then enter the subordination of the commander of the 47th Army, F.V. Kamkov. On January 25, having completed the transition, parts of the division occupied the line Pamyatnaya-nameless height slot with a mark of 192.1.

On January 27, 1943, the division went on the offensive with the task of capturing the village of Krymskaya. There were a lot of bunkers in front of the division's front in the enemy defenses. The whole of February was spent fighting them.

On March 5, 1943, the division was reassigned to the commander of the 56th Army. On March 10, its regiments unanimously went on the attack with the task of swiftly reaching the eastern bank of the Abin River north of the camps and capturing the village of Abinskaya. Abinskaya was taken only half a month later on March 23. But the 383rd Rifle Division did not participate in the hostilities: having concentrated in the area of ​​​​the village of Ilskaya, it was replenished with personnel and engaged in combat and political training.

By 14/4/1943, the division, having made a march from the Ilskaya area to the right flank of the 56th Army, goes on the offensive in the direction of the village of Krymskaya with the task of capturing its southern outskirts. The division captured Krymskaya, but could not consolidate its success - the enemy threw more than two infantry regiments and about 60 tanks against the 383rd from the Pyatiletka state farm. Withdrawing to the outskirts of the village, the regiments firmly held their positions, repelling strong enemy counterattacks.

At 06:00 in the morning on April 29, 1943, the division as part of the 56th Army resumed the offensive from the line of height 68.8 directly to Krymskaya. Having captured the village on May 4, the division was reassigned to the commander of the 11th Guards Rifle Corps and, on the morning of May 5, decisively attacked the enemy, who was entrenched at the Tambulovsky-Svoboda line. On the right, the 32nd Guards were advancing. sd, on the left - 242nd gsd. However, the offensive bogged down, the Soviet units stumbled upon the heavily fortified positions of the enemy, the so-called Blue Line, which stretches from the Verbyana Spit on the Sea of ​​​​Azov along the Kurka and Adagum rivers with their vast floodplains to the northwestern spurs of the Main Caucasian Range. Having entrenched themselves on the achieved lines, parts of the division began preparing to break through the enemy fortifications.

From May 15 to May 25, 1943, the 383rd Rifle Division, withdrawn from the front line to the area east of Krymskaya, put itself in order, engaged in combat training. On the 25th, having replaced the 242nd Guards Rifle Division on the front line, the division went on the offensive with the task of breaking through the enemy defenses in the direction of the Samsonovsky farm and further advancing around Moldavansky from the north.

On May 31, the 383rd Rifle Division got involved in grueling and bloody battles to break through the Blue Line. On June 13, the 43rd division is withdrawn to the reserve and concentrated in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe bend of the Krymskaya-Timashevskaya railway, the Krasno-Zeleny farm.

By June 27, 1943, the division, as part of the 16th sk, concentrated in the Abinskaya, Beregovoy, Verkhnee-Stavropolsky area and, being in the army reserve, began combat training. Ahead - heavy fighting to break through the Blue Line.

From 20/7/1943, units of the division went on the offensive with the task of breaking through the enemy defenses in the direction of Novy, Krasny and by the end of the day reaching the line of the Kudak River. The period from July 23 to August 14, 1943 was characterized by positional battles that the division fought with the forces of a battalion or regiment in order to improve its positions. Since 15/8/1943, units of the division, following the order of the commander of the 56th Army, have been improving the defense.

Since 10.9.1943, the division, participating in the liberation operation Taman Peninsula, as part of the 16th sk of the 56th army, goes on the offensive with the task, advancing in the direction of Moldavian and Russian, to break through the enemy’s defenses in the freedom sector, southern slopes of height 114.1, to seize both settlements, and with access to the Kudak River, advance on the northern outskirts of Damansky, Gladkovskaya and Gastagaevskaya.

On September 18, 1943, the forward detachment of the division broke into the outskirts of the village of Gladkovskaya. However, after Gladkovskaya, having rested against a new intermediate line of defense of the enemy, the key point of which was the farm of Consent, parts of the division stopped. On the night of September 21st, after some regrouping, the assault battalions of the division captured the village of Consent, and the main units of the 16th Rifle Corps went on the offensive again. By the end of the day, having liberated the farms Akkermanka, Shkolny, Novopokrovsky, in cooperation with units of the 32nd Guards Rifle Division of the 11th Guards Rifle Division, the regiments of the division approached the next pre-prepared line of defense of the enemy, passing along the heights with marks 244.5, 258, 8, 195.0 and through the Krasny Vostok farm.

By the end of October 4, the division, having freed us.p. Vyshesteblievskaya, Traktovy, Brazhnikov, Primorsky, came ashore on the Taman Bay. On October 8, advancing on the right flank of the corps, the regiments of the division captured the village of Fontalovskaya, on October 9, having freed several us in battle, they reached the Kerch Strait. The troops of the 56th Army completely cleared the Taman Peninsula from the Nazi invaders. On the same day, for successful battles to liberate the Taman Peninsula, the division was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.

Since 10/15/1943, all parts of the division have been engaged in combat training according to a special program: they taught people to board ships, land on the shore and fight in the conditions of a strong antiamphibious defense of the Nazis - parts of the division as part of the 16th sk were to land on the northern coast of the Kerch Peninsula , near Cape Tarkhan.

On November 8, 1943, following units of the 339th SD, units of the 383rd SD began landing. So, the fighters were loaded at two points: the 691st joint venture from berth No. 1 on the Chushka spit, and the 694th joint venture near the village of Kordon. And they landed respectively - in Dangerous and Zhukovka. On November 9, units of the division replaced the 55th Guards. sd at the turn of the settlement Bucks. On the right flank - the 694th joint venture, on the left - the 691st. The 696th deployed in battle formation in the second echelon. On November 11, the division clears the village of Adzhimushkay from the enemy and launches an offensive against Katerlez, but stops moving when it stumbles upon heavily fortified enemy positions. To break through the enemy defenses on the Kerch Peninsula, it was still necessary to thoroughly prepare.

Since November 20, 1943, the division has been operating as part of the newly formed Separate Primorsky Army, repelling continuous enemy counterattacks.

On December 4, 1943, after a powerful artillery preparation, units of the division went on the offensive and, with the support of tank regiments, clung to the eastern outskirts of Bulganak. But they couldn't get any further.

Since 24.1.1944, the division has been advancing on Kerch. However, the landing failed. And yet, he helped the division improve its position - to reach the line of the brick factory, Kerch 1st station, block No. 40. Until April 10, the 44th part of the corps is improving the line of defense, conducting combat training, replenishing, resting.

On April 10, 1944, the division went on the offensive against Kerch. Particularly fierce fighting began on the northern outskirts of the city. Here, parts of the division surrounded about 2,000 enemy soldiers and officers. 691st joint venture lieutenant colonel Grachev N.N. immediately took possession of the southern slopes of Mount High.

By 6 am on April 11, 1944, Kerch was liberated. The few surviving units of the Nazis managed to get out of the city to the Turkish Wall. The battered enemy forces defending Katerlez also retreated there.

On April 12, 1944, the mobile detachments of the division broke through to the estate of the Arma-eli state farm and started a battle for it. The enemy offered them the strongest resistance. In front of the forward units of the division was the Ak-Monai position, fortified no worse than the enemy's main line of defense in the Kerch region.

On April 13, 1944, parts of the division liberated Feodosia, on the 15th, having liberated Alushta, parts of the division went to Yalta and started fighting for it.

On April 16, units of the division approached the outer contour of the Sevastopol defensive area of ​​the enemy. For ten days of offensive fighting, Soviet troops liberated almost the entire Crimea. Now it was necessary to liberate Sevastopol.

On April 24, 1944, by order of the Supreme Command for the liberation of the city of Feodosia, the division was given the honorary name "Feodosia".

On April 28, 1944, the assault detachments of the division began fighting for Sapun Gora, on May 5, the division, having lost ground to units of the 83rd Naval Regiment, entered the second echelon of the corps.

Until September 44 the division was in the Crimea as part of the Primorsky Army, after which the division as part of the 16SK was transferred to Belarus in the area south of Bialystok and from September 10 began to unload in the area of ​​​​st. Nurets, where the corps became part of 33A, which was in reserve. Here, as well as all summer in the Crimea, the division was engaged in combat training, conducted exercises and prepared for future battles.

January 8, 45 the division, having made a march, crossed the Vistula to the Puławy bridgehead. On the night of January 13, the division changed units of the 247th division. The sappers of the division carried out continuous demining, having removed more than 2000 minutes. In the upcoming offensive, the division was to be supported by a powerful artillery fist. In addition to its own artillery (54 82mm min., 18 122mm min., 36 45mm guns, 32 76mm guns, 12 122mm guns), the division was supported by artillery regiments 89, 95, 64sd, as well as attached 6 artillery regiments (total 51 82mm min., 54 122mm min. ., 139 76mm guns, 24 122mm guns), and two self-propelled artillery regiments (21 SU-76 and 21 SU-152). Total 453 guns and mortars.

On the morning of January 14, the division went on the offensive from the Puławy bridgehead. Overcoming strong enemy machine-gun and mortar fire on the combat formations of the advancing infantry, the division broke through the defensive line of the German troops. By the evening of January 14, the division had overcome 3 lines of enemy defense. German troops repeatedly tried to launch counterattacks using self-propelled guns, but all attacks were repulsed with heavy losses for the enemy. The opposing 214pd of the enemy was defeated on the very first day. The next day, the enemy introduced a reserve 10md into battle, but she also, unable to withstand the pressure of our offensive, began to retreat to the west. After that, the enemy defense practically collapsed and the division began to develop an offensive south of Radom. By the end of January 16, units of the 383rd division reached the Radom-Shydlovets highway. From that moment, the organized resistance of the German troops practically ceased and the division rapidly developed the offensive, sweeping away small enemy detachments and units emerging from the encirclement. On January 21, the advance detachment captured the crossings in the city of Warta, which greatly accelerated the further offensive. Losses of the division when breaking through the defense and pursuing the enemy for January 14-21, 45. amounted to 156 people. killed and 772 people. wounded. On January 21, the division consisted of 5860 people.

Plan:

Introduction

• 1. History
• 2 Composition
• 3 Insignia
• 4 Personnel
Notes

Introduction

Memorial plaque in Donetsk on the building of DK Franko, which housed the headquarters of the 696th rifle regiment of the 383rd division in August 1941

Memorial plaque in Donetsk on the building of the Philharmonic, located on Lenin Square, which housed the headquarters of the division in September 1941

383rd Rifle Division (383rd Mining Rifle Division, 383rd Donbass Volunteer Division, 383 sd ) - connection of the Red Army of the Armed Forces of the USSR.

383sd was formed by GKO resolution No. 506 of August 18, 1941, mainly from the miners of Donbass. Because of this, the division received the popular name "miner". Over time, the personnel of the division was significantly updated and it began to consist not only of the miners of the Donbass.

The right to command the newly created divisions went to people who knew both the theory and practice of military art - graduates of the Military Academy. M.V. Frunze, Heroes Soviet Union Colonel K.I. Provalov, lieutenant colonels A.I. Petrakovskii and D.I. Zinoviev ( sd № 383 , 393 and 395, respectively). So, on August 20, 1941, they were summoned to the command and command staff of the People's Commissariat of Defense. In a conversation, the head of the department, Major General A.D. Rumyantsev said that they were entrusted with the command of rifle divisions. At the same time, the following was emphasized: “Make sure that the military registration and enlistment offices provide trained recruits: Red Army soldiers, detached commanders, platoon commanders and foremen - everyone, I emphasize, everyone should be appointed from among those who served in the Red Army at most three years ago. You will receive personnel for the command structure.

Defense of Donbass and the city of Stalino in 1941. 383 sd, Donetsk. Story. Developments. Data.

The division, together with other formations and units, fought defensive battles for the Donbass and held the front on the Mius. The division also participated in battles from Stalingrad to Berlin and was awarded the Orders of Suvorov 2nd Class and the Red Banner.

The division was commanded by Hero of the Soviet Union Colonel Konstantin Ivanovich Provalov, a graduate of the Military Academy. M. V. Frunze, who was later awarded the rank of major general. Senior battalion commissar M.S. was appointed commissar of the division. Korpyak, Lieutenant Colonel P.I. Skachkov.

In the army, the periods 10/08/1941 - 09/01/1944, 10/19/1944 - 05/09/1945.

The full name of the division, at the end of the war: 383rd Feodosia-Brandenburg Red Banner Order of Suvorov 2nd class rifle division .

1. History

The formation of the division took place at the 6-bis mine in Stalino. When the division was formed, 6 special units for the destruction of tanks created by the city committee of the Komsomol Stalino. Especially for the division in Stalino, the production of grenades and mines was urgently set up.

Formation 383 sd, 18th Army, Southern Front went according to plan. The division was well armed and had well-trained Red Army personnel, two of the three commanders of its rifle regiments had combat experience in the first two months of World War II. The division commander himself, Colonel Provalov, in addition to the academy, had experience fighting on the CER in 1929, and in 1938 on Lake Khasan.

"The division was formed in 35 days. Among the Red Army soldiers, communists and Komsomol members made up 10%. We were well dressed and provided with food. All were wearing overcoats and boots. But most importantly, they were well armed. The rifle regiments were given 54 heavy machine guns. In total, there were 162 of them in the division. The anti-aircraft division received twelve 37-mm anti-aircraft automatic guns. Artillery was in factory lubrication and packaging. 80% of the personnel performed firing from personal weapons with "good" and "excellent" marks.

K.I. Provalov, In the fire of the front lines, M., Military Publishing House, 1981, pp. 3-4, 12-13.

The formation, training and coordination of units and divisions of the division ended in September 1941.

On September 30, 1941, the 383rd Mining Rifle Division became part of the 18th Army of the Southern Front and, having made a forced march "Selidovo - Krasnoarmeysk", occupied the defensive line "Grishino - Solntsevo - Trudovoy".

October 13th 383 sd occupies a defense zone 50 km wide (which is 2-3 times higher than the recommendations of the Red Army Infantry Combat Regulations). The division received its baptism of fire the very next day. October 14th 383 sd entered into battle with the enemy grouping as part of the 4th German mountain rifle division and the Italian cavalry division "Caesar" (Italian "Cesare"). On the same day, the division completely destroys the regiment of the "Royal Musketeers", the Italian cavalry division, in a fire bag. During the 5 days that the division held the line, 3,000 Germans and Italians were destroyed, in turn, their own losses amounted to 1,500 killed. All this with the complete dominance of the Germans in the air. The division could hold the line of defense longer, but on October 18, headquarters 383 sd received an order from the army headquarters to withdraw.

“The width of the defense at the new frontier was no less than at the first, and I frankly did not understand the meaning of this withdrawal.”

K.I. Provalov, In the fire of the front lines, M., Military Publishing House, 1981

From October 15 to October 22, 1941, the division held the defense of Stalino and destroyed 30 tanks, 4 mortar and 2 artillery batteries, 16 heavy machine guns, more than 5,000 enemy soldiers and officers. On October 22, 1941, the Germans nevertheless entered Stalino, while the division destroyed another 1,500 enemy soldiers and officers.

“During the fighting in the Donbass, we did not experience a shortage of either shells, or mines, or hand grenades, or cartridges”

K.I. Provalov, In the fire of the front lines, M., Military publishing house, 1981

In early November 1941, the front stopped at the Mius and the Seversky Donets. Along the Mius, on the outskirts of the city of Krasny Luch, the 383rd Rifle Division took up defense, further south along the river - the 395th Rifle Division. Then the division took up defense in the Donsk-Bataysk area.

The following description of the division's actions has been preserved in archival documents:

It should be especially emphasized that during the period of fighting in the summer of 1942 in the Don and Kuban, the 383rd Rifle Division never retreated from its positions without an order from the command, stood on its lines to the end, serving as an example of selfless courage and stamina for the rest of the units of the 18th th army.

The division repeatedly distinguished itself in battles in the Caucasus. Near Shaumyan, the division stopped the enemy grouping advancing towards Tuapse.

In early 1943, the division fought in the Novorossiysk region. On November 7, 1943, the division took part in crossing the Kerch Strait and landing troops near Kerch. In April 1944, the war divisions liberated Feodosia and approached Sevastopol. In May 1944, the division, as part of the 16th Rifle Corps, the Black Sea Group, the Transcaucasian Front, liberated the Crimea.

In January 1945, the 383rd Mining Rifle Division was included in the 33rd Army of the First Belorussian Front. As part of this army, the division fought in Poland and Germany, crossed the Oder River. On May 2, 1945, the division fought for Berlin as part of the 33rd Army.

2. Composition

August - September 1941, Stalino's deployment:

• Management (headquarters);
• 149th Rifle Regiment (149 cn)?;
• 694th Rifle Regiment (694 cn);
• 696th Rifle Regiment (696 cn);
• 690th Separate Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion (690 ozad);

Since January 18, 1942: 691, 694 and 696 cn, 966up, 28oiptd, (since 18.1.42), 450 zenbatr (690ozad) - until 1.4.43, 465 pp, 684sapb, 854obs (425ors), 488medical battalion, 481orchs, 304atr, 257php, 827dvl, 1414pps, 761pkg.

• Management (headquarters);
• 691st Rifle Regiment;
• 694th Infantry Regiment;
• 696th Infantry Regiment;
• Personnel - 4225;
• Light and heavy machine guns - 204;
• Total guns and mortars - 87;
  • Mortars - 46;
    • 82 mm - 36;
    • 120 mm - 10;
  • Guns - 41;
    • 45 mm - 15;
    • 76 mm - 22;
    • 122 mm - 4;

3. Insignia

2. Young, recently formed from the miners of Donbass 383 sd, in the battle of 10/16/41, when repelling the enemy’s offensive, she showed examples of stamina and courage. Having repelled repeated enemy attacks and inflicted significant losses on him in this battle, the division captured trophies: one gun, several machine guns, motorcycles, and prisoners were taken, including officers.

Noting the skillful leadership of the battle and the bold actions of the group of Colonel Kolosov and 383 sd, I order:

A) To express gratitude from the Military Council of the Front to all the personnel who participated in these battles, and especially distinguished fighters, commanders and political workers, the commander of the motorcycle group and the commander 383 sd submit for a government award.

B) Order to announce in all companies, batteries, squadrons and teams.

Commander of the Southern Front, Colonel General Cherevichenko, member of the Military Council Korniets, Chief of Staff of the Southern Front, Major General Antonov.

Order of the Commander of the Southern Front

• Honorary name, for the liberation of Feodosia - "Feodosia".
• Honorary title, for the successful invasion of the Brandenburg region of Germany - "Brandenburg";
• Order of the Red Banner, for especially skillful and decisive actions in the defeat of the Taman enemy grouping, order of the Supreme Commander Armed Forces USSR No. 31, October 9, 1943.

For the victory in the Crimea, the title of "Feodosia" was added to the name of the 383rd Infantry Division, for the successful invasion of the Brandenburg region of Germany, the title of "Brandenburg" was added to it. Now she began to be called Theodosius-Brandenburg, and her three rifle regiments - Sevastopol.

4. Personnel

• Kostyrina, Tatyana Ignatovna - Hero of the Soviet Union, sniper, junior sergeant;
• Laptev, Konstantin Yakovlevich - Hero of the Soviet Union;

Notes

1. Defense of Donbass and the city of Stalino in 1941. 383 sd, Donetsk. Story. Developments. Data. - infodon.org.ua/stalino/197
2. Great Slandered War - liewar.ru/content/view/97/3/
3. 1 2 active army. Troop lists. List No. 5. Rifle, mountain rifle, motorized rifle and motorized divisions. - tashv.nm.ru/Perechni_voisk/Perechen_05_01.html
4. 1 2 3 K.I. Provalov, In the fire of the front lines, M., Military Publishing House, 1981, pp. 3-4, 12-13.
5. 1 2 3 4 graves, Krasny Luch - krluch.org/content/view/312/44/Brotherly
6. TsAMO. F. 1. Op. 71398. D. 1. L. 96. Quote from the book: Dunaev P. M."Star and Cross of the Battalion Commander" - M .: CJSC Tsentrpoligraf, 2007 ISBN 978-5-9524-2596-5
7. 1 2 Breakthrough of the enemy defense by the 16th Rifle Corps of the Primorsky Army of the 4th Ukrainian Front in Sevastopol offensive operation in May 1944, Militera - militera.lib.ru/science/sb_proryv_oborony/05.html
8. Luhansk region: chronicle of victory - www.loga.gov.ua/calendar/glory/war-chronicles/
9. 1 2 3 Saga to the shelves of Donbass - infodon.org.ua/stalino/418
10. Order of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the USSR No. 31, October 9, 1943 - grachev62.narod.ru/stalin/orders/chapt031.htm