10th Guards Airborne Division

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10th Guards Airborne Division (8 Dec 1942 – 20 Dec 1945)
126th Guards Rifle Division
Active1942–1946
Country Soviet Union
BranchAirborne, Infantry
SizeDivision
EngagementsWorld War II
Decorations
Krivoi Rog

The 10th Guards Airborne Division (Russian: 10-я гвардейская воздушно-десантная дивизия) was an infantry division of the Red Army

from 1942 to 1946.

Postwar, the division was reorganized as the 126th Guards Rifle Division at the end of 1945, and was disbanded in late 1946.

History

The 10th Guards Airborne Division was formed on 8 December 1942 from the 3rd and 4th Maneuver Airborne Brigades at

26th Rifle Division. The 19th Guards Airborne Regiment temporarily captured Derekovo while the 24th Guards Airborne Regiment attacked Chirikov. On 19 August, the division again attempted to capture Derekovo and Chrikov, but failed. After reinforcement, the division tried again on 22 August, but attacks stalled against fierce resistance. On 26 August, the division withdrew and concentrated at Parfino.[3]

On 6 September, the division arrived at

Krivoi Rog, which it captured. On 26 February 1944, the 10th Guards Airborne was awarded the title 'Krivoi Rog' for its successful capture of the city.[3]

The division crossed the

Kotovsk, Bogunskiy and Oskarovku. On 4 April, during the Odessa Offensive, the division captured Rozdilna. For its performance during the offensive, the division was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.[3]

The division reached the Dniester on 11 April in the area of Caragaș. It crossed the river on the next day and fought to hold its bridgehead until 18 April. From 18 to 26 April, the division was transferred to Tiraspol, where it was replenished. On 27 April, it went back into combat around Varnița, fighting to hold another bridgehead. On 8 May, it was withdrawn from combat again.[3]

On 2 June, the division was concentrated near Caragas, where it conducted training until 15 August. On 20 August, the division, as part of the

Second Jassy–Kishinev Offensive. In the offensive, the division captured Comrat, Basarabeasca and Leova. The division surrounded and eliminated a large group of enemy soldiers. Between 28 August and 6 September, the division mopped up German survivors on the Prut, taking 4,000 prisoner. On 10 September, the division crossed the Danube and entered Romanian territory. On 28 September, the division was awarded the Order of Suvorov 2nd class for its actions during the Second Jassy–Kishinev Offensive.[3]

Advancing southwards, the division entered Bulgarian territory at Serdement and advanced through Dobrych, Pereslav and Sliven. On 29 September the division was in the village of Golubnitsy, where it stayed until 30 October. On 4 November, the 10th Guards Airborne began a march to Belgrade, where it arrived on 9 November. On 18 November, it was in Sambir, where it became part of the 57th Army's 6th Guards Rifle Corps. On 23 November, the division crossed the Danube near Botin.[6] By 25 November, it was advancing along the line of Dushevitsa and Knyajevo, breaking through German defences. The division captured the city of Koposhvar on 2 December. On 5 December, the division advanced to Nadbayom, where it went on the defensive. Between 14 December and 6 January 1945, the division fought German counterattacks in order to hold its gains. On 6 January, the 19th and 24th Guards Airborne Regiments were awarded the Order of Kutuzov 3rd class for their actions in the crossing of the Danube.[3]

On the same day, the division replaced the

Križevci. On 7 April, it entered Austrian territory and was in the area of Feringa on the next day. On 19 April, it took positions in Raabau, which it held to 8 May. On 9 May, the division entered Graz, where it ended the war. In June and July, the division marched back through Alba Iulia, Tulcea to the Soviet Union, where it became the 126th Guards Rifle Division on 20 December. It was part of the 6th Guards Rifle Corps of the 57th Army in the Southern Group of Forces.[7] It was stationed in Buda.[8] After briefly becoming part of 9th Mechanised Army (after 57th Army was reorganised within the Southern Group of Forces, the division was disbanded on 30 November 1946.[8][3]

Commanders

Composition

The following units were part of the 10th Guards Airborne Division on 29 December 1942:[2]

  • 19th Guards Order of Kutuzov Airborne Regiment
  • 24th Guards Order of Kutuzov Airborne Regiment
  • 30th Guards Airborne Regiment
  • 5th Guards Airborne Artillery Regiment
  • 9th Guards Airborne Separate Destroyer Anti-Tank Battalion
  • 2nd Guards Airborne Signals Company
  • 1st Guards Airborne Sapper Battalion
  • 11th Guards Airborne Separate Reconnaissance Company
  • 3rd Guards Airborne Medical-Sanitary Battalion
  • 12th Guards Airborne Separate Auto Transport Company
  • 7th Guards Airborne Divisional Veterinary Field Hospital
  • 4th Guards Airborne Field Bakery

References

Citations

  1. ^ "10-я гвардейская Криворожская воздушно – десантная дивизия – страница клуба "Память" Воронежского госуниверситета". samsv.narod.ru. Retrieved 2015-10-02.
  2. ^ a b Tatarchevsky & Moskvin 1946, p. 1.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Гвардейские воздушно-десантные |". myfront.in.ua. Archived from the original on 2015-10-22. Retrieved 2015-09-28.
  4. ^ Glantz, David M. (2015-03-16). The Soviet Airborne Experience. Maroon Ebooks.
  5. ISBN 9785457158320
    .
  6. ISBN 9780811735827
    .
  7. ^ Feskov 2013, p. 147
  8. ^ a b V.I. Feskov et al 2013, 423 (top of page)
  9. ^ a b c d Tatarchevsky & Moskvin 1946, p. 12.

Bibliography

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