Hungarian chronicles of long-nosed “hundreds”: 207th brigade

Story

In 1905 - The brigade was sent to the Far East to join the Active Army. (RSV)
In 1906 it was returned to the city of Vyazma (Moscow Military District). (RSV)

Staff composition as of 01/01/1910:

(RSV) (Syt.18)

1st Division: 1st Battery (in the brigade from September 23, 1814); [1797,ZO,PO,GT,YUGT]
2nd battery (in the brigade from 08/05/1873); [1873,ZO]
3rd battery (in the brigade from February 25, 1905). [1905]

2nd Division:

4th battery (in the brigade from September 23, 1814); [1797,ZO,GT,YUGT]

5th battery (in the brigade from September 23, 1814); [1805,ZO,YUST]

6th battery (in the brigade from August 10, 1870). [1870,ZO]

World War:

From July 20, 1914 - the 13th Army Corps as part of the 2nd Army (Northwestern Front).
In August 1914, as part of the 13th Army Corps, the brigade was surrounded and defeated.
In December 1914, a Separate Artillery Division was formed, consisting of 3 batteries. For the Independent Infantry Brigade, composed of the remaining regiments of the former 1st Infantry Division. (PVG227a)
04/30/1915 - the division, subordinate to the commander of the Separate Infantry Brigade, was included in the 37th Army Corps. (Northwestern Front) (PSZf153)
05/24/19015 - the corps was included in the newly formed 5th Army (North-Western Front).
From 07/21/1915 - 1st Separate Artillery Division, in connection with the renaming of the Separate Infantry Brigade. (PVG623)
As part of the 37th Army Corps, 5th Army, Northwestern Front.
08/11/1915 - with the division of the North-Western Front, the 5th Army was included in the Northern Front. (PVG687)
From December 27, 1915 - the 37th Army Corps was renamed the 13th. (PSHVG410)
02/08/1916 - the division was included in the restored 1st Infantry Division. (ПШВГ170)
02/22/1916 - 1st Artillery Brigade, restored from the 1st separate Artillery Division and newly formed batteries. (ПШВГ256) The 2nd division was actually formed by 03/21/1916. (PSf872)
Summer of 1916 - 13th Army Corps in the 1st Army (Northern Front). (Op.6 g.1)
on December 20, 1916 - corps in the 5th Army (Northern Front).
02/23/1917 - The 5th battery was sent to form the 132nd Artillery Division, and a new one was formed instead. (ПШВГ298)

(https://antologifo.narod.ru/pages/list/histore/ist1abr.htm)

Organization of self-propelled artillery units

During the Great Patriotic War, the Red Army began creating the first separate self-propelled artillery units in the fall of 1942. All issues of formation, recruitment, combat training and operational-tactical use of self-propelled artillery units were in charge of the commander of the artillery of the Red Army, and from April 1943 - the commander armored and mechanized troops of the Red Army. The formation of self-propelled artillery units was entrusted to the newly organized Self-Propelled Artillery Training Center (Klyazma village, Moscow region). The center was subordinate to the formation management of the main directorate of the Red Army artillery commander. The regiment, which received the name “self-propelled artillery regiment of the Reserve of the Supreme High Command (RVGK), was adopted as the main most convenient organizational unit to use.”

The first two self-propelled artillery regiments (1433rd and 1134th) were formed in December 1942 according to staff number 08/158 (307 people, 17 SU-76 and 8 SU-122). Initially, it was planned to form 30 self-propelled artillery regiments in this state. But due to the formation of a large number of tank and mechanized corps at the beginning of 1943, as well as the impossibility of obtaining the required number of self-propelled guns from industrial plants, the formation of new self-propelled artillery regiments began to be carried out according to the reduced 5-battery composition of staff No. 08/191 (289 people, 8 SU-76, and 12 SU-122).

In the spring of 1943, the Red Army began to form heavy self-propelled artillery regiments of the RVGK on the SU-152 according to staff number 08/218 (361 people, 12 SU-152).

Self-propelled artillery regiments of the RVGK of mixed type were primarily intended to reinforce tank units as their mobile military artillery, as well as to reinforce infantry and tanks of combined arms formations as escort artillery. At the same time, it was assumed and considered possible to involve them in firing from closed firing positions to support infantry and tanks. However, during the battles in which mixed self-propelled artillery regiments took part, a number of organizational shortcomings were revealed. Due to the fact that the regiment had self-propelled artillery installations of various types, difficulties were created in controlling them in battle, and it became more difficult to supply them with ammunition, fuel and lubricants, spare parts, as well as to supplement them with personnel. This organization of self-propelled artillery regiments also had a negative impact on repairs. To eliminate all these shortcomings, it was necessary to equip self-propelled artillery regiments with the same type of material.

In April 1943, the formation of self-propelled artillery regiments with the same type of installations began. Regiments equipped with SU-122 self-propelled artillery mounts were created according to staff number 010/453 (255 people, 16 SU-122 and 1 T-34).

Self-propelled artillery regiments armed with SU-76 installations, according to state number 010/456, consisted of five batteries of four installations each and support units, the same as in the SU-122 regiment (253 people, 21 SU-76).

The heavy self-propelled artillery regiments of the RVGK were transferred to staff No. 010/454, which differed from the previous staff by the introduction of a KB tank into the regiment control platoon for the regiment commander and one BA-64 armored car for reconnaissance and communications.

In mid-1943, a significant reduction in personnel was made in all self-propelled artillery regiments, but the organization of the regiments itself remained the same.

In October 1943, the heavy self-propelled artillery regiments SU-152 were reorganized according to staff No. 010/482 (234 people, 12 SU-152 and 1 KV-1S).

In the fall of 1943, after the adoption of the SU-85, the formation of SU-85 regiments began under staff number 010/483 (230 people, 16 SU-85 and 1 T-34).

In October 1943, the staff of the 4-battery regiment was recognized as the most manageable. Between October 1943 and February 1944, all regiments received self-propelled artillery mounts for battery commanders and were transferred to new states. According to them, self-propelled artillery regiments began to have four batteries of five self-propelled artillery units each. SU-76 regiments according to the new staff No. 010/484 (225 people, 21 SU-76). An additional company of machine gunners and by the sapper platoon.

The SU-152 regiment, according to state number 010/461, had an organization similar to the SU-85 regiment. In the spring of 1944, the heavy self-propelled artillery regiments SU-152 were re-equipped with ISU-122 and ISU-152 units, transferred to new states, and all of them were awarded the rank of guards.

From November 1944, the SU-85 regiments began to be re-equipped with SU-100 units according to the new state No. 010/462 of 1944 (318 people, 21 SU-100), similar in organizational structure to the SU-85 regiment of the state No. 010/462.

According to the directive of the Chief of the General Staff of the Red Army No. 3/306747 of March 22, 1944, the 107th and 503rd separate tank battalions were reorganized into the 1223rd and 1239th self-propelled artillery regiments of the RVGK with the same numbers according to the state No. 010 /484 (21 M10 self-propelled guns). These regiments were the only units in the Red Army armed with the American M10 Wolverine anti-tank self-propelled guns.

At the beginning of 1944, staff No. 04/434 was approved for a separate self-propelled artillery division of the rifle division, consisting of three batteries (184 people, 12 SU-76). The divisions formed in this state were included in several dozen rifle and airborne divisions, instead of separate anti-tank fighter divisions. Moreover, self-propelled artillery divisions retained the numbers of anti-tank fighter divisions. In addition, such divisions were included in the newly formed infantry divisions of the Polish Army. A little later, in connection with the transition of the self-propelled artillery battery to a 5-gun composition, the division's staff was changed to another No. 04/568 (152 people and 16 SU-76).

Due to the large number of separate self-propelled artillery regiments (about 200 had been formed by mid-1944), certain difficulties arose in conducting operational maneuvers, massing self-propelled artillery in decisive directions, and providing logistical support to the regiments. Therefore, it was decided to create self-propelled artillery formations in the form of brigades, which united up to three self-propelled artillery regiments under overall command.

In January 1944, the formation of light self-propelled artillery brigades (SU-76) of the RVGK began under staff number 010/508 (1,122 people, 60 SU-76, 5 T-70, 3 M3A1 “Scout” armored personnel carriers). The 6th (former 94th Tank), 8th (former 15th Tank), 12th (former 86th Tank), 14th (former 140th Tank) light self-propelled artillery brigades of the RVGK.

The 6th was included in the 6th Tank Army of the 2nd Ukrainian Front in February 1944 and ended the war as the 51st Guards Self-Propelled Artillery Brigade of the 6th Guards Tank Army.

The 8th Self-Propelled Artillery Brigade became part of the Belorussian Front in January 1944, and ended the war as part of the 52nd Army of the 1st Ukrainian Front, receiving the honorary name “Czestochowa” for the liberation of the Polish city of Czestochowa in January 1945.

Since April 1944, the 12th self-propelled artillery brigade was subordinated to the command of the 69th Army of the 1st Belorussian Front, as part of which it ended the war, receiving the honorary name “Radom” (for the battles to liberate the Polish city of Radom in January 1945 .).

The 14th self-propelled artillery brigade in March 1944 was part of the reserve of the Supreme High Command Headquarters, in April 1944 it was included in the Kharkov Military District, and from July until the end of the war it was part of the troops of the Moscow Military District (MVO).

Three light self-propelled artillery brigades (16th, 19th, 22nd) were armed with Lend-Lease equipment - American T-48 self-propelled guns (Soviet designation SU-57). They were formed as part of the Moscow Military District on the basis of separate tank brigades (60th, 196th and 236th, respectively) in different states: 16th and 22nd self-propelled artillery brigades - according to state No. 010/408 (three divisions of a three-battery consisting of 20 SU-57 and 5 British Valentine IX tanks), and the 19th brigade - according to staff No. 010/508, which differed from staff No. 010/408 only by replacing the Valentines with SU-57. All three brigades left on July 7, 1944 at the disposal of the commander of the 1st Ukrainian Front.

The 16th Brigade became part of the 3rd Guards Tank Army, ending the war with the honorary titles “Przemysl-Berlin” (for the liberation of the Polish city of Przemysl in July 1944 and the capture of Berlin in April - May 1945).

The 19th Self-Propelled Artillery Brigade was incorporated into the 1st Guards Tank Army, ending the war as the “Lodz” Order of Bohdan Khmelnitsky and Alexander Nevsky.

The 22nd Self-Propelled Artillery Brigade remained a front-line brigade and ended the war as part of the 4th Guards Tank Army as the 70th Guards Nevelsko-Berlin Order of Lenin, Red Banner, and Order of Suvorov. Kutuzov and Bogdan Khmelnitsky self-propelled artillery brigade.

In December 1944, the formation of three medium self-propelled artillery brigades of the RVGK began, consisting of three SU-100 regiments in each, according to states No. 010/500, 010/462, 010/526, 010/527, 010/504 - 010/506 , 010/514 1944 (1,492 people, 65 SU-100 and 3 SU-76). The brigades received the following numbers: 207th Leningradskaya, 208th Dvinskaya and 209th. They were formed on the basis of separate tank brigades - the 1st Leningrad, 118th Dvina and 122nd, respectively.

At the beginning of February 1945, all SU-100 brigades were sent to the front: the 208th to the 3rd Ukrainian, the 207th and 209th to the 2nd Ukrainian. In March - May 1945, the fourth SU-100 self-propelled artillery brigade was formed as part of the Belarusian-Lithuanian Military District, receiving 231 deaths.

The 207th self-propelled artillery brigade ended the war as part of the 3rd Ukrainian Front.

The 209th self-propelled artillery brigade is also part of the 3rd Ukrainian Front as the “Vienna” Order of Suvorov, II degree.

The 208th self-propelled artillery brigade ended the war as part of the 6th Guards Tank Army of the Trans-Baikal Front as the “Dvinskaya” Red Banner, Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky I and II degrees.

The 231st Self-Propelled Artillery Brigade took part in combat operations in the war with Japan as part of the 6th Guards Tank Army of the Trans-Baikal Front.

On March 1, 1945, the 143rd separate tank Nevelskaya brigade in the Belarusian-Lithuanian military district was reorganized into the 66th Guards Nevelskaya heavy self-propelled artillery brigade ISU-122 RVGK (staff number 010/516 - 1,804 people, 65 ISU-122 and 3 SU-76). The organization of this brigade was completely similar to the organization of the SU-100 brigade. The 66th Guards Brigade was the only heavy self-propelled artillery brigade in the Red Army. Until the end of the war, it operated as part of the 70th Army of the 2nd Belorussian Front.

Self-propelled artillery regiments, formed according to state No. 08/158 from SU-76 and SU-122 units, by order of the USSR NKO No. 020 of January 10, 1943, to strengthen the firepower of tank formations, were introduced into the tank and mechanized corps. From mid-1943, these regiments switched to staff No. 08/218 and became heavy. At the end of 1943, the SU-76 regiment of the state No. 010/484 was introduced into the tank and mechanized corps instead of the anti-tank artillery regiment, and the SU-85 regiment of the state No. 010/483 was introduced instead of the anti-tank division. This number of self-propelled artillery regiments remained in tank and mechanized corps until the end of the war.

During 1944, several dozen separate reconnaissance companies were formed for tank and mechanized brigades, which included a battery of American T-48 (SU-57) self-propelled guns of four vehicles. In addition, the motorcycle battalions and regiments included a T-48 division of 8 self-propelled guns.

From mid-1943, each cavalry corps began to include one SU-76 regiment.

Self-propelled artillery regiments were first included in the tank army by order of the USSR NKO No. 0063 dated April 10, 1943 - two state regiments No. 08/191. From the beginning of 1944, one self-propelled artillery brigade on the SU-76 or T48 (SU-57) was introduced into each tank army.

By order of the NKO of the USSR No. 0032 of August 2, 1944, one self-propelled artillery regiment SU-85 of state No. 010/462 (21 vehicles) was included in the 15 separate anti-tank artillery brigades of the RVGK. But due to the lack of the required amount of equipment and trained personnel, only 8 such regiments were formed:

1st Guards Anti-Tank Artillery Brigade - 1057th Sap
8th Guards Anti-Tank Artillery Brigade - 1023rd SAF
14th Anti-Tank Artillery Brigade - 1021st SAF
21st Anti-Tank Artillery Brigade - 1024th SAF
38th Anti-Tank Artillery Brigade - 1026th SAF
39th Anti-Tank Artillery Brigade - 1435th Sap
47th Anti-Tank Artillery Brigade - 1025th SAF
48th Anti-Tank Artillery Brigade - 368th Guards. glanders

In total, by May 9, 1945, the Red Army had 12 self-propelled artillery brigades (7 light, 4 medium and 1 heavy), 256 self-propelled artillery regiments (119 light, 81 medium and 56 heavy). 70 separate self-propelled artillery divisions as part of rifle divisions and 21 divisions as part of light self-propelled artillery brigades.

Commanders

07/13/1892 - 11/20/1897 - Major General Vladimir Nikolaevich Yaroshev
11/20/1897 - 01/19/1901 - Major General Shukevich Ludwig-Severin Ivanovich
02/24/1901 - 06/12/1906 - Major General Bodzento-Belyatsky Vladimir Danilovich
06/27/1906 - after 07/04/1907 - Major General Vladimir Petrovich Mezentsov
11/21/1907 - 04/30/1910 - Major General Dmitry Alexandrovich Razvadovsky
04/30/1910 - 04/30/1912 - Major General Oguretsky Ivan Fedorovich
05/19/1912 - after 07/10/1916 - Major General Polzikov Pyotr Aleksandrovich
on 08.1914 - Colonel Khristinich Alexander Alexandrovich (temporary commander)
on 06/10/1917 - Major General Milkovsky Alexander Stepanovich

Hungarian chronicles of long-nosed “hundreds”: 207th brigade

In previous parts, we looked at the actions of three separate self-propelled artillery regiments on the SU-100, and now we will talk about the combat path of three self-propelled artillery brigades of the SU-100 during the repulsion of the German offensive, known as Operation Spring Awakening (Frühlingserwachen), and also about their participation in the Soviet counter-offensive.

207th Leningrad self-propelled artillery brigade

The 207th self-propelled artillery brigade (sabr) was formed in December 1944 according to state number 010/500 on the basis of the 1st separate Leningrad tank brigade. At the beginning of January 1945, the brigade included the 912th, 1004th and 1011th self-propelled artillery regiments (SAP), each of which received 21 SU-100 self-propelled guns. The brigade had two T-34-85 tanks in its command, and in addition, the brigade included reconnaissance and anti-aircraft companies equipped with American Lend-Lease armored vehicles. The reconnaissance company had three SU-57 self-propelled guns (57-mm Gun Motor Carriage T48) and 10 M3A1 armored personnel carriers, and the anti-aircraft company had eight M15A1 anti-aircraft self-propelled guns.

Until January 24, units of the brigade were engaged in combat training, and then, after receiving the order to depart for the active army, until January 26 they loaded personnel and equipment into railway trains. On February 16, 1945, five trains with equipment and personnel of the 207th Sabres unloaded at the stations of Hatvan, Gedeli, Asod and Tura.

Upon arrival, the brigade entered the anti-tank reserve of the commander of the armored fighting vehicles of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, and from February 19 became operationally subordinate to the headquarters of the 6th Guards Tank Army. After this, the 207th Saber marched under its own power along the Gedeli - Plasztovce route. By evening, the brigade regiments concentrated in the Plashtovce area (Czechoslovakia), and the rear in the Guta area. Units of the brigade remained in these areas until March 8, 1945, engaged in combat training. On the night of March 9, the brigade began a 170-kilometer march and concentrated in the Erci region (Hungary), from where on the night of March 10 it continued the march and reached the Herzegfalva region, coming under the operational subordination of the commander of the 27th Army of the 3rd Ukrainian Front.

On the morning of March 10, the 912th Sap 207th Sabre was located in the area of the master's courtyard of Un, but at lunchtime a new order was received to march along the route Herzegfalva - Dunapentele - Adon. Upon arrival at the place, the regiment, by order of the commander of the 27th Army, came under the operational subordination of the commander of the 35th Guards Rifle Division and received a new order to concentrate in the Kisvelenets area to repel attacks of the advancing enemy. After this, the 912th Sap marched along the route Adon - Erchi - Martonvashar - Barachka - Kisvelenets.

On the evening of March 8, the 1011th Sap 207th Sabre received an order to march from the Plashtovce area along the route Csepel - Budofok - Erci. By the morning of March 9, the regiment concentrated in Erchi, while three SU-100s were left behind on the way for technical reasons. In the evening, the regiment received an order to move through Adon to Herzegfalva, where the 1011th glanders arrived in the morning of March 10. In the evening, the regiment received an order to make a new 80-kilometer march along the route Herzegfalva - Dunapentele - Adon - Adoni-Sobolc station - Szarvas - Tutji.

A fragment of a map showing the position of artillery units of the 35th Guards Rifle Corps on March 15, 1945. The position of the 912th and 1011th sabers of the 207th sabr is also visible

By dawn on March 11, the regiments of the 207th Sabr, which came under the operational subordination of the commander of the 23rd Tank Tank, made a 70-kilometer night march and, without prior reconnaissance of the area, took up defense in the battle formations of the 78th Infantry Division, located from the southern shore of Lake Velence to the village Tükrösh. In the first line of defense of the 78th Infantry Division in front of the village of Agard there was the 464th Regiment, behind it two other regiments occupied the defense: the right-flank 453rd Regiment with batteries of the 315th IPTAP and the 407th OPTD was located from Kishvelentse to Tutya, and the left-flank 458th th joint at Tükrösh. The 912th SRT took up defense with three batteries behind the 453rd Rifle Regiment on the southern outskirts of Kisvelenets and one battery at the master's courtyard of Hajdu. The 1011th sap was located behind the positions of the 458th rifle regiment, three batteries took up positions on the eastern slopes of height 184 and in Tutia, and one battery was at height 163 at Tyukrösh, the 1004th sap was in the reserve of the brigade commander in the Kapolnas-Niek area.

March 12, 1945

In the morning, the enemy forces of the Bradel battle group (Ernst-Joachim Bradel) from the 1st Tank Division - motorized infantry Pz.Gren.Rgt.113 and "Panthers" I./Pz.Rgt.1 with attached "Royal Tigers" of the 509th Tank Brigade (about 25 combat-ready tanks) went on the offensive in the general direction: height 184 - dv. Hajdu. During the battle, the enemy managed to push back units of the 78th Rifle Division and occupied Hill 184 and the village of Tutya. Attacks in the direction of the town of Hajdu - Kisvelenets on the positions of the 453rd joint venture were repulsed, the crews of the 315th iptap, having lost several guns to destruction, chalked up 12 destroyed German tanks.

By the end of the day, the enemy had pushed back units of the 464th and 458th rifle regiments, which had retreated to the second line of defense, but the enemy was unable to break through the defenses of the Soviet troops in this sector. In total, according to the 35th Guards Regiment, in the defense sector of the 78th Infantry Division during the day of battle, 14 German tanks were destroyed and 30 were knocked out. According to the report of the 78th Infantry Division, 12 Panthers and Royal Tigers were destroyed during the day of the battle, and another 19 German tanks were knocked out. According to the 23rd Tank Corps, during the day of defense in this area, much more enemy equipment was destroyed - 55 tanks and self-propelled guns, of which 19 tanks (including 5 “Royal Tigers”) were destroyed by tanks of the 3rd Tank Brigade of the Corps (in the brigade’s ranks there were 18 T-34 tanks), with the loss of two of their T-34-85 tanks. The 207th Sabr also had its own number of enemy armored vehicles destroyed that day - supposedly 38 German tanks were destroyed by SU-100 fire.

According to enemy data, the 509th TTB announced on March 12 that 20 destroyed Soviet self-propelled guns were destroyed, and on March 13, another 24 SU-152 self-propelled guns were destroyed, while 16 “Royal Tigers” were damaged, 3 of which were written off on the same day as irretrievable losses. There must have been a case of confusion here, with two different accounts of the same battle mistakenly spaced out over two days. With a high degree of probability, we can say that on March 12, the “Royal Tigers” of the 509th Tank Battalion fought precisely with the SU-100 self-propelled guns of the 1011th SUP, which were mistakenly identified as SU-152. And the number of damaged self-propelled guns indicated in German sources (from 20 to 24) is quite comparable to the losses of the 207th Saber for that day.

Scheme of defense of the 912th sap 207th sabr on the morning of March 12, 1945

On the morning of March 12, the 912th SAPS took on a battle against part of the advancing enemy tanks, the main attack of which was directed at the positions of the 1011th SAPS. Trying to help the dying crews of the 1011th sap, those on the left flank of the SU-100 self-propelled gun regiment of the 3rd and 4th batteries of the 912th sap, under the command of senior lieutenants Sergei Ivanovich Komelkov and Vsevolod Dmitrievich Skakunov, came out of ambushes under enemy fire, and took cover behind the folds of the terrain they tried to use flanking fire from the direction of the city. Haida, cover the self-propelled guns of his comrades from the 1011th SUP with fire, but to no avail.

As a result, according to the report of the 912th SRT, in this battle the 2nd battery of the regiment destroyed 2 enemy tanks, the 3rd battery destroyed 3 Tigers, and the 4th battery destroyed 4 Tigers. The 912th glanders' own losses were, according to the regiment's report, 2 SU-100s burned out and 2 destroyed, and according to the brigade's report, 3 SU-100s burned out and 1 damaged. Three crew members of the regiment’s self-propelled guns were killed (burned out in the control center): commander of the control center, Lieutenant Zakhar Vasilyevich Muravyov, gunner ml. Sergeant Isaev Nikolai Grigorievich, driver-mechanic Sergeant Lebedev Georgy Fedorovich. Four more: SU commander Lieutenant Bocharov Fedor Mitrofanovich, gunner Jr. Sergeant Alekseev Anatoly Sergeevich, driver mechanic senior. Sergeant Ivanov Nikolai Afanasyevich, loader ml. Sergeant Yaroslavtsev Alexey Yakovlevich was injured. From March 13 to 18, the enemy made no new attempts to attack the regiment’s positions, limiting itself to artillery and mortar shelling, so during these days the SU-100s of the 912th SUP did not fight.

Layout of SU-100 regiments of the 207th sabr near Lake Velence

Arriving on the morning of March 11 in the Tutya area, at the positions of the rifle units of the 78th Infantry Division, the commander of the 1011th SUP placed one SU-100 from each battery on the crest of the height, and the rest were in the area of the village of Tutya. At the same time, knowing that the enemy was preparing an attack, the regiment commander (who had previously been the deputy commander of the 260th Guards Regiment for combat units) did not bring the task to the battery commanders, and also did not give the order to dig in the self-propelled guns, as a result of which the SU-100s ended up without shelter from enemy fire, and suffered heavy losses.

When the German attack began on the morning of March 12, 1945, the commander of the guard regiment, Major Ermin Kuzma Petrovich, was with his wife at a command post located 800 meters east of Tutya, so the command to open fire was not given in time, there was no battle control, the self-propelled gun crews were taken by surprise by the unprepared firing positions and acted at their own discretion. Having come under attack by German tanks, the infantry of the 78th Infantry Division located on the western slopes of the heights, due to the lack of means of combating tanks (anti-tank grenades and KS bottles), with the appearance of German tanks, began to retreat in panic, leaving the SU-100 without cover.

Taking advantage of the fact that the Soviet infantry had retreated, and the exit from the ravine along which the German tanks approached the Soviet positions was not under fire from the SU-100 positions, the German tanks freely approached the firing positions of the 1011th sap batteries. Forced to turn towards one of the advancing German tanks, the SU-100 self-propelled guns exposed their sides to other enemy tanks, and already in the first attack 6 SU-100s were lost (2 SU from the 2nd battery and 4 SU from the 3rd battery). The 1011th Sap could not withstand the next German attack, and again suffering heavy losses, retreated to the western outskirts of the village of Sarvash. As a result, enemy units occupied height 184 and the village of Tuti, and then advanced a little more and occupied the village of Klein, after which they were stopped by fire from Soviet artillery and tanks.

In total, 17 SU-100 regiments burned down in the battle on March 12, 1945 near Height 184 and Tutya. The three remaining SU-100 self-propelled guns in the regiment withdrew and took up defensive positions together with the guns of the 1001st iptap near the village of Sarvash; one damaged SU-100 with a knocked-down commander’s cupola went for repairs. According to the report of the 207th Sabre, enemy losses amounted to 38 burned out and damaged tanks. After such a defeat, the commander of the guard regiment, Major Ermin, was removed from his post, and Captain Boris Andreevich Moskovtsev was appointed the new commander. Thus, the 1011th Sap of all the SU-100 regiments located in Hungary suffered the greatest immediate losses during one battle. For many self-propelled guns of the regiment, the very first battle on the new SU-100 self-propelled guns was also their last battle. In total, in the battle on March 12, 1945, 42 people were killed in the 1011th glanders, and another 27 people were injured.

Fragment of a map with the position of units of the 207th Sabr and 23rd Tank Tank on March 11, 1945

Of the self-propelled gun crews of the 1011th SPG, 10 SU commanders (among them one battery commander), 9 gunners, 8 driver mechanics and 11 loaders were killed. Another 12 crew members were seriously injured or burned and were hospitalized, among them were 7 SU commanders (including one battery commander), 3 gunners, and 2 driver mechanics. Many of the self-propelled gunners who survived this battle were awarded the Order of the Red Star and medals for Courage.

Particularly distinguished in this battle were the crew of the SU-100 of the commander of the 3rd battery, Lieutenant Vasily Stepanovich Pylev, who destroyed six heavy enemy tanks in the battle on March 12, and the crew of the commander of the 1st battery, Senior Lieutenant Mikhail Vasilyevich Semyonov, who destroyed one Tiger and three Panthers " Moreover, according to the award sheet, Lieutenant Pylev, being wounded, continued to fight and only after the second wound was evacuated from the burning self-propelled gun to the hospital, on the way to which he apparently died from his wounds, since he was listed as missing in action in the regiment.

Crew members of the 1011th SUP who died on March 12, 1945:

Andrievsky Leonid Gavrilovich, foreman, driver, born in 1922.
Androsov Ivan Vasilievich, foreman, loader, born in 1916.
Bondarenko Fedor Methodievich, junior sergeant, loader, born in 1911.
Bulanov Alexander Vasilievich, sergeant, loader, born in 1923.
Burik Grigory Nikitovich, junior sergeant, loader, born in 1926.
Vasyunkin Dmitry Vasilievich, junior lieutenant, crew commander, born in 1922.
Vorontsov Viktor Nikitovich, lieutenant, crew commander, born in 1913.
Galitsin Ivan Afanasyevich, lieutenant, crew commander, born in 1918.
Degtyarev Valentin Ilyich, junior sergeant, loader, born in 1926.
Dorokhin Andrey Vasilievich, junior lieutenant, crew commander, born in 1915.
Egorov Nikolay Vasilievich, junior sergeant, driver, born in 1926.
Zhorin Vasily Ivanovich, senior sergeant, gunner, born in 1925.
Zhuvak Alexander Ivanovich, senior sergeant, gunner, born in 1917.
Zaitsev Vasily Ivanovich, sergeant, driver, born in 1922.
Zaitsev Sergey Aleksandrovich, junior lieutenant, crew commander, born in 1919.
Ivakhnik Yakov Alekseevich, sergeant, gunner, born in 1911.
Kireev Nikolai Pavlovich, private, loader, born in 1926.
Kiselev Arkady Nikitovich, junior sergeant, loader, born in 1915.
Kolpakov Ivan Dmitrievich, senior sergeant, driver, born in 1923.
Lositsky Konstantin Vasilievich, junior sergeant, gunner, born in 1924.
Malyshev Vladimir Ilyich, junior sergeant, driver, born in 1926.
Mamkin Mikhail Mikhailovich, lieutenant, crew commander, born in 1919.
Medvedev Andrey Trofimovich, sergeant, loader, born in 1905.
Myasnikov Ivan Fedorovich, lieutenant, crew commander, born in 1915.
Orlov Vasily Vasilyevich, junior sergeant, gunner, born in 1925.
Plyusnin Mikhail Alekseevich, sergeant, driver, born in 1923.
Ponomarenko Matvey Vasilievich, senior lieutenant, crew commander, born in 1911.
Pustynnikov Alexey Alekseevich, foreman, driver, born in 1913.
Pylev Vasily Stepanovich, lieutenant, battery commander, born in 1922.
Romanov Alexander Alexandrovich, junior sergeant, loader, born in 1924.
Rubtsov Alexander Nikolaevich, sergeant, gunner, born in 1925.
Sedov Andrey Yakovlevich, sergeant, gunner, born in 1914.
Simanov Yakov Mikhailovich, junior sergeant, loader, born in 1906.
Strelkin Ivan Timofeevich, junior lieutenant, crew commander, born in 1923.
Trozanov Ivan Matveevich, senior sergeant, driver, born in 1919.
Tyutyunov Alexander Vasilievich, junior sergeant, gunner, born in 1925.
Fedoseev Vasily Andreevich, sergeant, gunner, born in 1924.
Chumak Pavel Stepanovich, sergeant, loader, born in 1911.

Crew members of the 1011th SAPS who received severe wounds and burns on March 12, 1945:

Alekseev Ivan Efimovich, junior sergeant, driver, born in 1921.
Bagrov Alexey Dmitrievich, sergeant, gunner, born in 1918.
Gavrilov Vasily Timofeevich, senior lieutenant, crew commander, born in 1905.
Dvoininov Dmitry Vasilievich, junior sergeant, driver, born in 1925.
Lukyanov Alexey Stepanovich, junior lieutenant, crew commander, born in 1913.
Lushkin Taras Nikolaevich, lieutenant, crew commander, born in 1911.
Milovanov Lev Arkadyevich, junior sergeant, gunner, born in 1925.
Mityachkin Pavel Nikolaevich, lieutenant, crew commander, born in 1907.
Myazin Ivan Danilovich, junior lieutenant, crew commander, born in 1917.
Rydzevsky Vladimir Anatolyevich, senior lieutenant, battery commander, born in 1907.
Serov Ivan Yakovlevich, lieutenant, crew commander, born in 1914.
Yumaguzhin Ayut Nurudinovich, junior sergeant, gunner, born in 1926.

March 13, 1945

The 1004th Sap, by order of the commander of the 23rd Tank Corps, was moved out of the reserve and took up defense with one battery on the southwestern outskirts of Kapolnash-Niek, and three batteries took up defense behind the Kapolnash-Niek - Grof - Gyorgy road.

The three remaining SU-100 self-propelled guns in the 1011th occupied firing positions on the western outskirts of Sarvas, where they were assigned a sapper company. In the morning, the enemy attacked with tanks and infantry in the direction of Height 163 - Tyukrösh, after which the infantry of the 458th Infantry Division of the 78th Infantry Division began to retreat to the eastern slopes of Height 163, and several enemy tanks reached the crest of the height and opened fire on the Sarvash - Silfash area. Two SU-100s opened fire, knocking out one armored personnel carrier, after which the enemy bypassed the heights, continued the attack and occupied Tyukrösh.

"Royal Tiger" No. 312 from the 509th Tank Battalion (trophy number 52), knocked out east of Pettend. A hole from an 85-mm shell is clearly visible on the side of the hull.

Further advance of the enemy with the capture of Csongrad stopped. In the Tükrösh area, tankmen of the 3rd Tank Brigade were defending, left without infantry cover, since our infantry retreated under the attack of German tanks. During the fierce battle, the brigade lost 5 tanks, after which ISU-122 self-propelled guns of the 1443rd Sap and artillerymen of the 1501st Iptap came to its aid from Nandor and immediately entered the battle, as a result of which the enemy attack stopped. According to the 23rd Tank Corps, during this battle, corps units lost 5 T-34-85 and 2 ISU-122 tanks, declaring 14 enemy tanks destroyed (of which 6 Tigers). In the following days, until March 19, the 1011th Sap remained in the village of Sarvash and did not fight.

March 14, 1945

Two batteries of the SU-100 of the 1004th SUP to cover the left flank of the defense, on the orders of the commander of the 23rd Tank Tank, reached the Gyorgy line, and two other batteries went to Kolomposh. And by March 15, one battery from the György area moved to Grof.

March 17, 1945

The 1004th sap, by order of the commander of the 23rd Tank Corps, marched and concentrated in Pakozd, where it took up a perimeter defense in the area of height 134, from where it supported the infantry of the 204th sqn advancing to height 122, and also repelled counterattacks of enemy tanks until March 18. In these battles of the 1004th, the Sap declared 4 Tigers and 3 Panthers destroyed, and its losses amounted to 4 SU-100s that were burned out.

A fragment of a map of the 27th Army on March 17, 1945, with the area of Lake Velence where the regiments of the 207th Sabre operated. (https://pamyat-naroda.ru)

March 18, 1945

On the evening of March 18, the 912th glanders, by order of the brigade commander, withdrew from their positions and marched around Lake Velence along the route: Kisvelence - Velence - Shukoro - Janosmajor - Pakozd - Kisfalud and by the evening concentrated on the southern outskirts of Szekesfehervar.

March 19, 1945

The 207th sabr, consisting of two regiments: the 912th and 1004th, came under the command of the commander of the 4th Guards Army, later the 912th sabr came under the operational subordination of the commander of the 31st Guards Rifle Corps, and the 1004th sabre operational subordination to the commander of the 21st Guards. On the eve of the Soviet offensive, the 912th and 1004th SAF were transferred to the Székesfehérvár area. The 1011th SAF transferred its defense sector to the 39th Tank Brigade of the 23rd Tank Corps and moved to Kapolnash-Niek.

The 912th SAP took up positions south of Ratstemetedyule at the intersection of the railway and highway, northeast of Hill 124 to support the actions of the 34th and 69th Guards Rifle Division.

On the 1004th, the glanders took up firing positions with three batteries north of Ratstemetedyule to interact with the 62nd Guards Infantry Division. During March 18-19, the regiment fought with enemy tanks in the Janosfutas area, declaring 3 "Tigers" and 1 "Royal Tiger" damaged and burned on March 18, and 3 more "Tigers" were declared on March 19.

March 20, 1945

Since the morning of March 20, the 912th SRT supported the advance of units of the 34th Guards Rifle Division in the direction of Kurutskhalom - Fevenyi - height 129, and in the evening, being east of Ratstemetedyule, it entered into a tank battle with 12 - 14 enemy tanks attacking the infantry of the 34th Guards. sd. Some of these tanks (6 pieces) were in ambush east of Fevenyi, near Janosfutas. According to the regiment, in a short but fierce battle, 6 “Tigers” and 3 “Panthers” were destroyed and knocked out, the 912th’s own losses amounted to 5 SU-100 burnt out and 1 SU-100 was shot down. The regiment has 12 SU-100s left in service.

The 1004th Sap, having 9 SU-100s in service, supported the advance of the 62nd Guards SD and by noon occupied the important height 136, from which all the main exit routes from Szekesfehervar were clearly visible and covered. Having reached the western slopes of Height 136, the regiment took up defense; during the battle with German tanks, two SU-100s burned down along with their crews; the deputy commander of the guard regiment, Major I.N., was seriously wounded and died in the medical platoon. Ermoshchenko.

Diagram of the location of artillery units of the 31st Guards Rifles on March 20, 1945. The 912th and 1004th sabers of the 207th saber fought in this area

During the day, two regiments of the brigade destroyed 1 “four”, 1 “Panther”, 5 “Tigers”, 1 English “Churchill” and 1 T-34-85 with beam crosses and in German camouflage.

After completing the march, the 1011th SAPS, consisting of 3 SU-100s, concentrated in the village of Maria, where they received an order to support with fire the attack of the tanks of the 39th Tank Brigade on Szekesfehervar, after which the 1011th SAPS received a new order - moving behind the 39th TBR to make a march to Mor, during which one SU-100 was sent to SPAM. Arriving in Mor in the evening, the 1011th SAP received an order to prepare the remaining two SU-100s for transfer to another unit.

March 21, 1945

By the evening of March 21, the 912th sap with two batteries reached the outskirts of the grove north of Feveny, and the 4th battery took up positions near the railway in the area of height 134.

The 1004th Sap, consisting of nine SU-100s, supporting the offensive of the 62nd Guards SD, after occupying Height 136, repelled German tank counterattacks, destroying seven and knocking out five heavy tanks in a day. The regiment's losses amounted to three destroyed SU-100s.

A Panther shot down in Hungary (trophy number 100), presumably from the 7th Company of the 1st Tank Division

The 1011th glanders, by order of the commander of the armored fighting and combat vehicles of the 4th Guards Army, withdrew from the battles and the operational subordination of the 23rd Tank Tank. Judging by the report of the 207th saber, the four SU-100s remaining in the regiment after the only battle on March 12 were transferred to the 912th saber, and according to the report of the 1011th saber, the two SU-100 remaining in the regiment were transferred to the 39th brigade on the 23rd tk. The regiment's personnel concentrated in Erchi, joining the front reserve, and on April 11, 1945 they relocated to Sopron.

March 22, 1945

The 912th SUP, pursuing the retreating enemy, crossed the Sharviz and Malom canals and reached the Sabad-Batyan railway station, destroying the Tiger tank and taking up defensive positions along the front to the west and southwest. The regiment had 10 SU-100s in service: 3 in two batteries and 4 SU-100 in the third battery. In the evening, the regiment, having received an order from the brigade commander, was withdrawn from the battles and marched through Székesfehérvár to Gyula, where it arrived on the evening of March 23.

The 1004th SUP, having 11 SU-100s in service, when approaching the bridge over the Charviz canal in the Urhida area, lost one SU-100, knocked out by enemy artillery fire.

March 23, 1945

The 207th Sabre, by order of the commander of the 4th Guards Army, left the operational subordination of the 21st and 31st Guards Rifles and entered the army reserve.

The 912th SAF concentrated in the Gyula area. According to the regiment, there were 12 SU-100s in service, another 3 SU-100s that had been knocked out had previously arrived from repair, and 15 SU-100s were now in service. At the same time, according to the brigade’s report, the regiment included 10 SU-100s. By the evening, the 912th saber, having received a new order from the headquarters of the 207th sabr, made a march along the route Gyula - Sharkerestes - Mor - Bakonisharkani, where it arrived in the evening of March 23.

The 1004th Sap, consisting of 12 SU-100s, concentrated in the Voroshivizmyuvek area, then concentrated in the city of Dv. Gyorgy and at heights 240 and 266.

"Royal Tiger" from the 501st SS Tank Brigade (trophy number 348a), abandoned on the Devecher - Janoshaza road at the end of March 1945

March 25, 1945

The 912th saber, on orders from the headquarters of the 207th sabr, made another march from the Bakonisharkani area through Ceten, and by the evening of March 25 concentrated at Bakonsentkiral.

March 26, 1945

The 207th saber, by order of the commander of the 4th Guards Army, came under the operational subordination of the 1st Guards Mk, while the 912th saber acted together with the 19th guards brigade of the 2nd guards mechanized brigade, and the 1004th saber acted together with the 9th Guards Tank Brigade. At the same time, the 1821st SRT interacted with the 18th Guards Tank Regiment of the 1st Guards Mechanized Brigade, and the 382nd Guards Messenger Brigade operated with the 20th Guards Tank Regiment of the 3rd Guards Messenger Brigade. That is, now each brigade of the 1st Guards Mk was supported by its own SU-100 regiment. The commander of the 1st Guards MK received an order, together with two regiments of the 34th Guards SD, the 117th Iptap, the 207th Sabr, to go on the offensive, go to the crossings at the Marzal Canal and the Raba River in the Cheten-Arpash area and hold them before the arrival of combined arms units.

Fragment of a map with the area: Bakonsentkiral - Papateser - Lovaspatona, through which the route of the 912th and 1004th saplings ran

The 912th SRT made a new march in the morning and concentrated on the northwestern outskirts of Papateser, where it received orders to support the tankers of the 19th Guards Tank Regiment of the 2nd Guards Mechanized Brigade in the offensive towards the Raba River. The task was successfully completed, and by the evening the 912th Sap, having destroyed 2 enemy tanks, occupied the western outskirts of Moritzhid and stood in a perimeter defense. After which the regiment was subjected to heavy artillery fire from the enemy and on March 27 withdrew to the Tet area, waiting for sappers to guide the crossing of the Raba River.

The 1004th glanders, in cooperation with the 9th Guards Tank Brigade, received the task of reaching the line: Lovaspatona - Dyomore - Tet. One battery of the regiment fought in the Lovaspatona area. By 16.00 the regiment reached Moritskhida and took up defensive positions on the southern outskirts.

March 28, 1945

On the night of March 28, the 912th glanders crossed the Raba River and reached the area of the settlement. Arpash, where one SU-100 burned out, another one was shot down, then in front of the settlement. Yeded, supporting the actions of the 19th Guards Regiment, the regiment entered into a tank battle and, having broken the enemy’s resistance, began to pursue him. By the evening, the regiment, together with the 1004th glanders, captured Kishtat, then went to Badyoslo, where, by order of the commander of the 2nd Guards Infantry Brigade, it took up a perimeter defense, waiting for the infantry to approach.

Fragment of a map with settlements through which the SU-100 of the 207th Sabr moved together with the brigades of the 1st Guards MK

March 29, 1945

The 912th Sap, changing the direction of movement, left Badjoslo in the direction of the village of Totkerestur, which had already been captured by infantry, from where it continued to pursue the retreating enemy in the general direction of Sopron, destroying enemy resistance units along the way.

The 1004th Sap occupied Babotesh-Ordod and reached the Rabca Canal (Repche River) in the Kapuvar area, but the crossings across the canal were blown up by the enemy, and therefore it was necessary to change the direction of movement through Pali and Mihalyi to Gyero, where they managed to establish a crossing.

The path of the SU-100 of the 207th Sabr from Yegyed to Kapuvar on the way to Sopron at the end of March 1945

March 30, 1945

By 15:00, the 912th Sap, having thrown back the enemy, crossed the Shio River in the Chapod area and, during the further battle near the villages of Peresteg and Nadtsenk, according to the regiment, destroyed one “Tiger” and one “Royal Tiger”. According to German data, on March 30, one “Tiger” from the 3rd SS Tank Division was actually lost in this area, which burned down after receiving several hits, as well as one “Royal Tiger” from the 501st SS Tank Division.

The 1004th Sap, leaving from the south from Gyero to Chapod, met heavy fire from tanks and artillery, but through joint actions with the 912th Sap and units of the 1st Guards MK, the enemy was driven out of Chapod.

March 31, 1945

By the evening of March 31, the 912th Sap from the Balfe region from the east broke into the city of Sopron and fought to its northern outskirts. On the approaches to the city of Sopron, the regiment destroyed 6 enemy tanks and self-propelled guns, losing only one SU-100 to fire, and three more SU-100s were blown up by mines. The 1004th Sap also broke enemy resistance and broke into Sopron from the south.

Availability of combat-ready armored vehicles in the units of the 1st Guards MK and the SU-100 self-propelled artillery regiments attached to the corps as of April 1, 1945:

18th Guards Tank Regiment, 1st Guards Mechanized Brigade: M4A2 - 2 pieces, 1821st SAF: SU-100 - 5 pieces;
19th Guards Tank Regiment 2nd Guards Mechanized Brigade: M4A2 - 6 pieces, 912th Sap Regiment: SU-100 - 11 pieces;
20th Guards Tank Regiment 3rd Guards Mechanized Brigade: M4A2 - 7 pieces, 382nd Guards Sap Regiment: SU-100 - 6 pieces;
9th Guards Tank Brigade: M4A2 - 16 pieces, 1004th Sap Regiment: SU-100 - 12 pieces.

In April 1945, the 912th and 1004th glanders, after capturing the city of Sopron, together with units of the 1st Guards Mk. continued the pursuit of the enemy in the direction of Vienna. On April 3, during an air raid, the commander of the 912th SUP, Major Lev Ivanovich Lopatnikov, was killed by a machine gun burst. On April 6, the 207th Sabres reached the approaches to Vienna and fought on the outskirts of the city until April 15, after which they received an order to withdraw from the battle. On April 16 and 17, the brigade transferred 15 SU-100s along with their crews to the 208th Sabr. The losses of the 207th Saber from April 1 to April 15, 1945 amounted to nine burned-out and seven damaged SU-100s.

Sherman tanks of the 9th Guards infantry brigade. on the streets of Vienna. An SU-100 is moving behind the tanks, presumably from the 1004th SUP, whose self-propelled guns were assigned to the brigade

Enemy tanks destroyed according to the report of the 207th sabr from April 1 to April 15, 1945: Pz.IV - 5, "Panther" - 2, "Tiger" - 3, "Jagdpanther" - 6. The last one in the brigade's reports is referred to as "SU" "Panther"".

During the period from April 1 to April 15, the 912th Sap destroyed 13 enemy tanks and self-propelled guns, losing 3 SU-100 burned out and 6 SU-100 destroyed. In total, during the period of battles from March 10 to April 15, 1945, the 912th Sap lost 15 SU-100s burned out and 11 SU-100s shot down. After the end of hostilities, the regiment had 10 SU-100s left in service. In total, during the period of fighting from March 10 to April 15, 1945, the regiment reported the destruction of 39 enemy tanks and self-propelled guns and 30 armored personnel carriers.

During the period from April 1 to April 15, the 1004th Sap lost 6 SU-100s that were burned out and 1 SU-100 that was shot down. As of April 16, the regiment had 7 SU-100s in service.

According to the report of the 207th saber, during the hostilities from March 10 to April 15, 1945, units of the brigade destroyed 113 enemy tanks and self-propelled guns (plus another 13 knocked out), 47 armored personnel carriers, as well as 129 artillery pieces. The irretrievable losses of the brigade over the same period amounted, according to various reports, from 42 to 47 SU-100s. The brigade's personnel losses were: 95 people were killed and 225 people were injured.

To be continued

Sources and literature:

“Memory of the People” (https://pamyat-naroda.ru)
Franz-Wilhelm Lochmann, Alfred Rubbel, Richard von Rosen. The Combat History of German Tiger Tank Battalion 503 in World War II. — Stackpole Books, 2008
Ernst Rebentisch. The Combat History of the 23rd Panzer Division in World War II. — Stackpole Books, 2012
Wolfgang Schneider. Tigers in Combat: Vol.1. — Stackpole Books, 2004

Officers

on January 1, 1909:

Razvadovsky Dmitry Aleksandrovich - major general, brigade commander, p.633
Polzikov Petr Aleksandrovich - colonel, p.633
Zhegalov Alexander Timofeevich - colonel, page 633
Khristinich Alexander Alexandrovich - lieutenant colonel, p.633
Greek Georgy Konstantinovich - lieutenant colonel, p.633
Shnarkovsky Vladimir Feofilovich - lieutenant colonel, page 633
Darovsky Nikolai Nikolaevich - lieutenant colonel, p.633
Obraztsov Alexey Petrovich - lieutenant colonel, p.633
Schroeders Nikolai Nikolaevich - lieutenant colonel, page 633
Zayonchkovsky Georgy Aleksandrovich - captain, page 633
Voronets Georgy Aleksandrovich - captain, p.633
Serebryakov Alexander Evgenievich - captain, page 633
Rukhin Petr Arkadyevich - captain, page 633
Titov Pavel Pavlovich - captain, page 633
Shchukin Konstantin Vladimirovich - captain, page 633
Usov Tikhon Emelyanovich - captain, page 633
Alekseev Konstantin Vasilievich - staff captain, page 633
Ledohovich Vladimir Vasilievich - staff captain, page 633
Tsaregradsky Mikhail Mikhailovich - staff captain, page 633
Semevsky Evgeniy Aleksandrovich - staff captain, page 633
Kanashevich Arkady Nikolaevich - staff captain, page 633
Yatsyno Konstantin Semenovich - staff captain, page 633
Sorokin Sergey Nikolaevich - staff captain, page 633
Winkler Viktor Valerianovich - staff captain, p.633
Tregubov Vsevolod Nikolaevich - staff captain, page 633
Reitzen Alexander Bronislavovich - staff captain, page 633
Aknov Alexander Arsenievich - staff captain, page 633
Sokolov Nikolai Andreevich - lieutenant, page 633
Timofeev Ivan Ivanovich - lieutenant, page 633
Glotov Vladimir Ivanovich - lieutenant, page 633
Sokolov Mikhail Andreevich - lieutenant, page 633
Ogonezov Sergey Mikhailovich - lieutenant, page 633
Doroshkevich Mikhail Mikhailovich - lieutenant, page 633
Svistunov Boris Vladimirovich - lieutenant, page 633
Alexey Ivanovich Timoschenko - second lieutenant, page 634
Amenitsky Sergey Dmitrievich - second lieutenant, page 634
Kesler Mikhail Fedorovich - second lieutenant, page 634
Shcherbukhin Boris Viktorovich - second lieutenant, page 634
Rukhin Lev Arkadyevich - second lieutenant, page 634
Fomin Nikolai Kirillovich - second lieutenant, page 634
Resh Vilibald Reimandovich - second lieutenant, p.634
Margorin Mikhail Petrovich - second lieutenant, page 634

______________________________________

Weber Lev Fedorovich - second lieutenant, since August 1911, junior officer of the 2nd battery of the brigade.
Reitzen Alexander Bronislavovich - staff captain, transferred to the 6th Siberian Rifle Artillery Brigade. (VP 13.07.1914, p. 2)
Philadelfov Innokenty Konstantinovich - captain, transferred from the 6th Siberian Rifle Artillery Brigade. (VP 13.07.1914, p. 2)
Nagradov Dmitry Ivanovich - second lieutenant
Belaventsev Boris Mikhailovich - captain

Artillery Reserve Headquarters (RGK/RVGK)

Although at the beginning of the war the reserve artillery was much weaker than the military artillery, by the end of 1942 the most powerful artillery force in the Red Army became the artillery of the Reserve of the Supreme High Command
or
RVGK
,[471] which began the war as the artillery
of the Reserve of the High Command
or
RGK
.[472] It included all field artillery concentrated under the direct control of the Headquarters, which was assigned to the active fronts and military districts of the Red Army or was in the reserve of the Headquarters. This also included specialized types of mortar, anti-tank, self-propelled, rocket and anti-aircraft artillery, which will be discussed separately.

When the war began, the RGC's field artillery consisted of 75 artillery regiments, including 14 cannon regiments and 61 howitzer regiments, 10 anti-tank brigades formed just a few weeks before the start of the war (see section below on anti-tank artillery) and 13 artillery power artillery divisions

,[473] equipped with 210 mm guns, 203 mm and 305 mm howitzers or 280 mm mortars. Of these total forces, distributed relatively evenly throughout the Soviet Union, 35 artillery regiments, including 9 cannon and 26 howitzer, as well as 7 divisions were part of the active fronts of the Red Army; 4 artillery regiments, including one cannon and three howitzers, were in the RGK Reserve; 36 artillery regiments, including three cannon and 33 howitzer regiments, as well as six divisions were assigned to military districts and inactive fronts. Thus, on June 22, 1941, the artillery troops of the Red Army above the divisional level consisted of 169 artillery regiments and 13 separate divisions.

The RGK included two types of cannon artillery regiments: a standard one, consisting of four divisions with twelve 122-mm guns in each, that is, having 48 guns per regiment, and a heavier one, with four divisions of six 152-mm howitzer guns each, only 24 guns per regiment. On June 22, 1941, the military structure of the RGK included 13 cannon artillery regiments of 122 mm guns and one artillery regiment of 152 mm guns.

In addition, the RGK included three types of howitzer artillery regiments. The standard version consisted of four divisions with twelve 152 mm howitzers each - 48 guns per regiment. Howitzer artillery regiments of large and special power had four divisions of six 203 mm or six 305 mm howitzers each, that is, 24 howitzers per regiment (see table 8.1).[474] As of June 22, 1941, the military structure of the RGK included 29 howitzer artillery regiments, 31 high-power howitzer regiments and one special-power howitzer regiment. However, the only special power howitzer artillery regiment, the 281st, located in the Oryol Military District, was disbanded shortly after the start of the war, and its constituent divisions (322nd, 328th, 330th and 331st) became separate.

On the eve of the war, the RGK artillery faced serious difficulties. First, senior Red Army commanders underestimated the operational role of artillery—especially the need to concentrate it deep in the defense in key strategic and operational areas. Secondly, although most artillery regiments and divisions of the RGK were fully or almost fully equipped with personnel and weapons, they, like military artillery, could not support high-intensity mobile combat operations due to a shortage of 80 percent of trucks, tractors and other required equipment cars.[475] To make matters worse, artillery reconnaissance and target designation were weak, and communications too unreliable to coordinate fire control.

The Wehrmacht took full advantage of these weaknesses, crushing and nearly exterminating the opposing Red Army forces and their supporting artillery in June and July 1941. After this disaster, when the military structure of the Red Army was significantly reduced in August 1941, the NKO allocated a small share of artillery troops to meet the minimum needs of the field units, and concentrated the rest in the reserve of the Headquarters as the artillery of the RGK (later RVGK). Later, newly mobilized and trained artillery units were first transferred to the control of Headquarters for allocation to active fronts when the operational situation required it.

After the NKO ruthlessly reduced the military structure of the Red Army in August, the number of divisional and corps artillery decreased sharply, proving to be insufficient to provide long-term support for both defensive and offensive operations. The artillery of the RVGK was also unable to compensate for this shortage, since it was also reduced. For example, in September 1941, the NKO halved the number of artillery regiments of the RVGK, reducing the number of batteries in them from four guns to two.

At the same time, the NKO began to form two new types of artillery regiments of the RVGK with batteries of two guns. The first is cannon artillery regiments, consisting of two divisions with three batteries of 122 mm guns each and one division with three batteries of 152 mm howitzer guns, the second is howitzer artillery regiments, consisting of three divisions with three batteries of 152 mm howitzers in everyone.[476] From July to December 1941, the NKO raised 12 cannon artillery regiments, 24 152 mm army artillery regiments, and converted many of the surviving corps artillery regiments into army artillery regiments. As a result, on January 1, 1942, the military structure of the RVGK included 157 artillery regiments and 26 separate artillery divisions of various types.[477]

This process of reorganization of the NKO continued at the beginning of 1942, trying to save manpower and make the artillery regiments of the RVGK better suited to the needs of the field troops. Starting on April 19, he again reorganized the cannon artillery regiments. Now they had two or three divisions, consisting of three two-gun batteries with a regiment strength of twelve to eighteen 107 mm or 122 mm guns or 152 mm howitzer guns. At the same time, the strength of the howitzer artillery regiments was reduced from three divisions, consisting of three batteries with four guns each, to two divisions, armed with twenty-four 152 mm or 122 mm howitzers. In addition, a smaller version of such a regiment was created, which had one less battery - that is, only twenty 122 mm or 152 mm howitzers. Finally, on April 2, the NKO reduced the heavy artillery regiments from four to two divisions, and the divisions to twelve 203 mm howitzers, while simultaneously increasing the number of high power artillery regiments.

As a result, by July 1, 1942, the number of RVGK artillery increased in total to 323 artillery regiments and separate artillery divisions of various types, and by February 1, 1943 it amounted to 301 artillery regiments and 23 separate artillery divisions.[478]

At the end of 1942, weapons production in the USSR increased sharply, allowing the formation of more artillery regiments and divisions of the RVGK. At the same time, the NKO was faced with the need to create new structures that would enable combined arms commanders to more effectively manage their artillery - especially in those large-scale offensive operations that the Headquarters planned to conduct in November 1942. As a result, by order of October 31, part of the individual artillery regiments of the RVGK was consolidated into 18 new artillery divisions: in addition, 18 anti-aircraft artillery divisions were formed.

Initially, such a division consisted of 8 artillery regiments, including three howitzer artillery regiments from three divisions - twelve 122-mm howitzers in each regiment, two cannon artillery regiments from two divisions - eighteen 152-mm guns in each, three anti-tank regiments artillery from three divisions - twenty-four 76-mm guns in each. Instead of anti-tank artillery regiments, there could be two anti-aircraft artillery regiments with twenty-four 85 mm guns each. In addition, the division included a separate artillery reconnaissance battalion. The total strength of the division was 7,054 men and 168 guns in the anti-tank version or 144 guns in the anti-aircraft version.[479]

However, during the initial stages of the winter offensive it became clear that these eight regiments were difficult to control from a single center. Therefore, from December 14, the NKO began to form new artillery divisions with four brigades instead of eight regiments. Such a division consisted of a three-regiment light (anti-tank) artillery brigade with seventy-two 76-mm guns per brigade, a three-regiment howitzer artillery brigade with six dozen 122-mm or 152-mm howitzers, a two-regiment heavy gun brigade with thirty-six 122-mm guns or 152-mm howitzer guns, a four-regimental mortar brigade with eight dozen 120-mm mortars, as well as an artillery reconnaissance battalion, an air squadron and logistics services. The division's total strength was 9,124 men, 168 guns and howitzers, and 80 mortars.[480] In addition, the NKO formed one heavy artillery brigade (19th), which consisted of five cannon regiments, one high-power howitzer regiment, and one special-power gun battalion.[481]

Throughout 1943, the Headquarters and the NPO, in order to provide support for the Red Army both in defense and in the offensive, continued to strengthen the divisions, brigades and artillery regiments of the RVGK, and also began to create full artillery corps. By building this artillery under the control of the Headquarters, putting together its formations in accordance with the needs of the situation of a particular offensive or defense, timely allocating forces from it to the active fronts and armies, the Soviet command provided the Red Army with more flexible fire support, which, in turn, ensured unprecedented artillery superiority Soviet troops over the Wehrmacht in almost every major offensive of the Red Army.

At the beginning of 1943, the largest field artillery formations in the RVGK were the artillery divisions formed in October and modified in December 1942 with their subordinate artillery brigades. In addition, the artillery of the RVGK included several separate artillery brigades (for example, armed with 152 mm guns), they had two regiments, fire control and communications battalions, as well as a transport unit for supplying ammunition.

At the beginning of 1943, the most common artillery units in the Red Army were artillery regiments of combined arms armies, rifle corps and divisions, as well as artillery regiments of the RVGK. There were five variants of artillery regiments:

• cannon and artillery of three divisions with three two-gun batteries in each - a total number of 1120 personnel with nineteen 107-mm or 122-mm guns or 152-mm howitzer-guns and 35 tractors;

• cannon and artillery from two divisions with three two-gun batteries in each, with a total number of 758 personnel, twelve 107 mm or 122 mm guns and 24 tractors;

• howitzer-artillery from two divisions with three four-gun batteries in each - with a total number of 947 personnel, twenty-four 122-mm or 152-mm howitzers and 36 tractors;

• howitzer-artillery, which had one division with three four-gun batteries and one division with two four-gun batteries with a total regiment strength of 864 people, twenty 122-mm or 152-mm howitzers and 30 tractors;

• corps artillery regiments of one or two battalions with three to six 122 mm guns and one battalion with twelve 153 mm howitzers.[482]

The heaviest artillery in the RVGK at the beginning of 1943 were regiments and divisions of heavy

artillery, high
-power
and
special-power
artillery.[483] Heavy artillery regiments and divisions were equipped with 152-mm Br-2 guns, high-power with 203-mm B-4 howitzers, and special-power with 210-mm or even larger guns caliber or howitzers with a caliber of 280 mm or more. The high-power artillery regiment consisted of two fire battalions, had 904 men, 12 B-4 howitzers, 26 tractors and 36 trucks. A separate heavy artillery battalion had eight 152 mm howitzers, a separate high power artillery battalion had six 203 mm howitzers, and a separate high power artillery battalion had six heavy guns or howitzers.[484]

The final stage of artillery reinforcement began on April 13, 1943, when orders were given for the formation of five breakthrough artillery corps and breakthrough artillery divisions, either separate or subordinate to the breakthrough artillery corps. The breakthrough artillery corps consisted of two breakthrough artillery divisions, one guards rocket mortar division and an artillery reconnaissance battalion with a total strength of 712 guns and mortars with a caliber of 76 to 203 mm, as well as 864 M-31 launchers. The breakthrough artillery division consisted of six artillery brigades: a light artillery brigade, consisting of three cannon artillery regiments with twenty-four 76 mm cannons each; a howitzer-artillery brigade with three howitzer artillery regiments of twenty-eight 122 mm guns each; a heavy cannon-artillery brigade with two cannon regiments of eighteen 152 mm cannons each; a heavy howitzer-artillery brigade with four howitzer battalions of eight 152 mm howitzers each; a high-power howitzer-artillery brigade with four howitzer battalions of six 203 mm howitzers each; a mortar brigade with three mortar regiments of thirty-six 120 mm mortars each; artillery reconnaissance battalion. The strength of the breakthrough artillery division was 10,869 soldiers and 356 guns, howitzers and mortars, including seventy-two 76 mm guns, eighty-four 122 mm howitzers, thirty-two 152 mm howitzers, thirty-six 152 mm guns, twenty-four 203 mm howitzers and one hundred and eight 120 mm mortars.[485]

In addition, in June 1943, the NKO began creating experimental heavy cannon artillery divisions to conduct counter-battery artillery fire. These divisions consisted of four brigades of three divisions of four batteries each, a battery had four howitzer guns, a brigade had 48 howitzer guns, and a division had 144 howitzer guns of 152 mm caliber. Two divisions of this type were formed (4th and 6th Guards), and in October 1943, a third (8th Guards) cannon artillery division, similar to the heavy one, but included a division with four batteries of four 76- mm guns instead of one battalion of 152 mm guns in each brigade.[486]

By July 1, 1943, the NKO had formed 5 breakthrough artillery corps, 12 breakthrough artillery divisions and 13 standard artillery divisions, comprising either three or four artillery brigades. By 31 December there were 5 breakthrough artillery corps and 26 artillery divisions, including 17 breakthrough artillery divisions, six artillery divisions founded in December 1942, and three counter-battery artillery divisions.

As the successful offensives of the Red Army in the middle and end of 1943 showed, the sharp increase in the number and power of the RVGK artillery had a noticeable effect on the Red Army’s ability to break through the tactical defenses of the Germans. From October 1942 to the end of 1943, the severity of artillery fire during the planned offensive operations of the Red Army increased fourfold and reached devastating proportions.[487]

– the 389th divisional artillery brigade of the 272nd rifle division was formed as part of its 815th cannon artillery regiment, the 237th howitzer Kalinkovichi artillery regiment (transferred from the disbanded 71st rifle division) and the newly created 577th mortar regiment;

– The 477th Divisional Artillery Brigade of the 50th Rifle Division was formed as part of its 202nd Red Banner Cannon Artillery Regiment, the 3rd Guards Howitzer Uzhgorod Artillery Regiment (transferred from the disbanded 2nd Guards Airborne Division) and the newly created 648th mortar regiment;

– The 492nd Divisional Artillery Brigade of the 28th Guards Rifle Division was formed as part of its 61st Guards Howitzer Artillery Regiment, the 105th Guards Cannon Order of Lomzhinsky Order of Alexander Nevsky Artillery Regiment (transferred from the disbanded 5th Anti-Tank Artillery Brigade) and again the created 437th mortar regiment.

In addition, each of the divisions received at its disposal two more separate artillery divisions - anti-aircraft and self-propelled (while the anti-tank division was retained or formed). This process. which continued after the end of the war in Europe in the summer of 1945, ended in the autumn of the same year. At the same time, artillery brigades of divisions (except for Transbaikal and Far Eastern) received numbers in the range from 251 to 300 and from 381 to 636, and brigades of rifle corps - in the range from 241 to 250 and from 301st to 380th (Guards - from 72nd to 78th). For the corps and divisions of the Far Eastern region, the numbers were mixed, and their range was from 637 to 720. At the same time, some anti-tank artillery brigades and regiments were transformed into others (for example, the 54th and 59th brigades became the 696th and 697th corps, the 114th Guards Regiment - the 440th Guards Cannon, the 530th regiment - 2204th howitzer, etc.). Some mortar brigades and regiments also received artillery status: for example, the 286th Rogachevsky mortar regiment became the 2025th howitzer regiment, and the 562nd Nizhnednestrovsky regiment became the 2022nd howitzer regiment. But after the reductions in 1946, this experiment with brigades as part of rifle corps and divisions was stopped and artillery regiments became the main unit: corps regiments in corps, cannon and howitzer in each of the divisions.

Based on the above, as an example we can cite the composition of divisional artillery brigades of rifle divisions of the Ural and Turkestan military districts ( Table 8.1

The numbers of the mortar regiments (including the guards jet regiments), having partially filled in the missing numbers in the range from 1st to 621st, went further, reaching the number 829th. The numbers of all other artillery regiments (cannon, howitzer, anti-aircraft, etc.) crossed the line of 2014 (the last by May 1945) and went further, reaching number 2495 by the fall of the same year, and by the summer of the next year - 2560- th (mainly due to the reorganization of anti-aircraft artillery divisions into regiments in the formed mechanized divisions), filling in the existing gaps in the numbers of the first and second thousand. And on 04/18/1955, most regiments with 4-digit numbers were reduced to 3-digit numbers, for example: the 2002nd anti-aircraft artillery regiment of the 89th rifle division became the 824th, and the 2150th anti-aircraft artillery regiment of the 255th rifle division became 997 1st Regiment of the 35th (formerly 255th) Infantry Division.

Table 8.1

Composition of the divisional artillery brigades of the Ural Military District and Turk Military District, created in the second half of 1945.

District	Rifle Corps No.	Rifle division number	№		Number of regiments in the brigade
District	Rifle Corps No.	Rifle division number	artillery brigades	military unit	gun	howitzer	mortar
Ural	10	347	622	81513	907	2316	808
		279	623	81514	831	2317	809
		91	624	81515	321	2318	810
	63	417	625	81516	1055	2319	811
		87	626	81517	1058	2320	812
		77	627	81518	239	2321	813
Turkestan	1	306	628	81567	1043	2302	698
		344	629	81571	913	2303	699
		357	630	81572	923	2304	700
	119	360	631	81573	920	2305	704
		374	632	81574	942	2306	705
		201	633	81575	220	2307	706

Something similar happened with the artillery divisions. True, in this case, the anti-aircraft artillery divisions had their own numbering, which by May 1945 stopped at No. 571 (with some omissions), and then continued, by the fall of 1945 reaching the number 1200 due to the creation of divisions in corps and divisions. Artillery divisions of the air defense forces stood in the same row. As an example, we can cite the reformations that took place in the 1950-1960s. with the anti-aircraft unit of the 40th rifle (motorized rifle) division of the Far Eastern Military District: in the fall of 1945, the 1173rd separate anti-aircraft artillery division was formed in its composition, which on June 15, 1954 was reorganized into the 2057th (from the fall of 1954 - 904 th) anti-aircraft artillery regiment which in 1958 was folded into the 450th division, in turn deployed to the 1173rd regiment on 04/28/1962.

All other divisions, primarily anti-tank fighter and self-propelled rifle divisions, reached the milestone number 930 (by May 1945 the maximum number was 454) - the reconnaissance divisions of artillery brigades stood in the same row. For example, the 44th, 69th, 75th and 85th Guards Anti-Tank Artillery Divisions of the 41st, 62nd, 69th and 80th Guards Rifle Divisions were converted into self-propelled ones, and new ones were created instead numbers from 924 to 927. But the majority of anti-tank divisions did not change their status, and new self-propelled artillery divisions were created in the divisions, armed with SU-76 self-propelled artillery mounts - many of the divisions were created on the basis of existing light self-propelled artillery regiments ( see Chapter 5

). Such divisions did not last long and already at the beginning of 1947 they became part of the newly created self-propelled tank regiments within the divisions (in separate rifle brigades - self-propelled tank battalions).

In addition, guards rocket mortar divisions were included in the tank and mechanized divisions - some of them remained from the armored vehicle corps (and their numbers did not change), but most were created from the guards Katyusha mortar regiments - their new numbers ranged from 1 -th to 70th. For example, the 11th Guards Mortar Lvov Red Banner Order of Kutuzov Regiment was turned to the formation of the 4th and 5th Guards Katyusha Divisions of the 10th and 11th Guards Mechanized Divisions, and the 8th Guards Mortar Novorossiysk Red Banner Order of Suvorov, Kutuzov and Alexander Nevsky was reorganized into the 22nd Guards Division of the 18th Guards Mechanized Division (the 127th Mortar Katowice Order of the Red Star Regiment was included in the same division). In 1962, almost all divisions were reduced to batteries - divisions were preserved only in the divisions of groups of forces in Eastern Europe (in 1972, the divisions were restored, and in 1980 they became part of the artillery regiments as line ones). It is noteworthy that a number of rocket artillery battalions until the early 1980s. remained with their honorary titles and awards, for example: