25th Mechanized Corps (Soviet Union)
| 25th Mechanized Corps | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1941 |
| Country | Mechanized corps |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Semyon Krivoshein |
The 25th Mechanized Corps (Military Unit Number 7655)[1] was a Mechanized corps of the Red Army. Formed in March 1941, the corps fought in the Battle of Smolensk. Its headquarters and that of the 20th Rifle Corps were combined in August 1941 to form the Bryansk Front headquarters.
History
Formation
The 25th Mechanized Corps was formed in March 1941 at
Chuguyev, and the 219th Motorized Division at Akhtyrka. The corps was commanded by Major General Semyon Krivoshein.[1]
World War II
The 25th Mechanized Corps was part of the
Kiev region. The corps was originally to support the 19th Army and was assigned to it on 30 June.[3] The corps was slow in deploying forward from Kharkov. As a result, the 23rd Mechanized Corps supported the 19th Army instead.[4] During the first half of July, it was assigned to support the 21st Army to replace the mechanized corps destroyed in the border battles.[5] Between 3 and 8 July the corps moved to the Novozybkov region. The corps included 163 older model tanks on 1 July (6 BT tanks and 157 T-26 tanks) and was reinforced by 64 T-34 medium tanks by 13 July.[6][3] On 13 July, the corps was ordered to concentrate the 219th Motorized Division in the Rudnia, Borkhov, and Pribor region, 15 to 25 kilometers to the west of Gomel. The 50th Tank Division was to attack along the Bykhov and Bobruisk axis from its positions. 300 tanks of the corps launched heavy unsuccessful attacks in cooperation with the 67th Rifle Corps against Heinz Guderian's forces south of Bykhov.[7]
On 16 July, the corps was in the
Propoysk.[10] On 23 July it was fighting for Propoysk.[11] The corps suffered heavy losses in its attacks and regrouped on 24 July. Between 25 and 27 July it resumed the offensive. The corps shifted back to defense on 31 July.[1] On 10 August, the 55th Tank Division became the 8th and 14th Separate Tank Battalions.[12] On 14 August a Stavka directive ordered the corps command and control units along with those of the 20th Rifle Corps to form the Bryansk Front headquarters.[13]
References
- ^ a b c Drig, Yevgeny (26 August 2006). "25 механизированный корпус" [25th Mechanized Corps]. mechcorps.rkka.ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2012-11-02. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
- ^ Forczyk 2014, p. 255.
- ^ a b Glantz 2010, p. 592.
- ^ Glantz 2010, p. 91.
- ^ Glantz 2010, pp. 48–49.
- ^ Glantz 2010, p. 59.
- ^ Glantz 2010, p. 127.
- ^ Glantz 2010, pp. 274, 282.
- ^ Glantz 2010, p. 285.
- ^ Glantz 2010, pp. 287–288.
- ^ Glantz 2010, p. 290.
- ^ Glantz 2010, p. 157.
- ^ Glantz 2010, p. 393.
- Forczyk, Robert (2014). Tank Warfare on the Eastern Front 1941–1942: Schwerpunkt. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen & Sword. ISBN 9781781590089.
- Glantz, David M. (2010). Barbarossa Derailed: The German Advance to Smolensk, the Encirclement Battle, and the First and Second Soviet Counteroffensives, 10 July – 24 August 1941. Philadelphia: Casemate. ISBN 9781906033729.
