42nd Rifle Division (Soviet Union)
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (December 2013) |
42nd Motorized Division 42nd Rifle Division | |
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Active | 17 Jan 1940 – 29 Jun 1945 |
Country | East Prussian Offensive |
Battle honours | Smolensk Order of the Red Banner Order of Kutuzov II class Order of Suvorov II class |
The 42nd Rifle Division was a unit of the
History
1st Formation
The division was formed on 17 January 1940 in the Leningrad Military District from individual infantry and construction battalions in the Karelian Fortified Region. Kombrig Ivan Sidorovich Lazarenko was appointed as commander. In February 1940 it fought in the Winter War as part of the 7th Army's 34th Rifle Corps and on 27 February was assigned to the 10th Rifle Corps.
In June 1940 the division was sent to
Beginning of the War
This section includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (December 2013) |
On 22 June 1941 the units of the division were in several places within the Brest covering region. The 459th Rifle Regiment, 472nd Artillery Regiment, 4th Antitank Battalion, and the 3rd Medical Battalion were in their training area around Zhabinka. The remaining units were based in the Brest Fortress and the immediate surrounding areas. The massive artillery strike by the German 4th Army's 45th Infantry Division at 0400 on 22 June disrupted many of the division's units located inside the fortress. Many units inside the fortress dispersed into scattered groups and the division lost a significant number of personnel and most of its equipment. The 393rd Separate Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion escaped from the fortress with three of its guns, but no ammunition for them. In the Zhabinka training area the division managed to gather together two battalions of the 44th and 455th Rifle Regiments (mostly without weapons), as well as vehicles from the 7th Motorized Infantry Company of the 84th Reconnaissance Battalion. The rest of the division's surviving members were consolidated into a small number of groups, who either took up the Defense of Brest Fortress or joined the 22nd Tank Division on the outskirts of Zhabenko in an attack to relieve the siege of Brest.
The remaining parts of the 42nd Rifle Division, stationed east of Brest attempted a defense in the Kobrin District and the Birch-Kartuzskaya area. During the period 25–27 June the division lost all of its assigned artillery and together with the rest of the Soviet
Battle of Smolensk
After resupply the division, still assigned to the 4th Army's 28th Rifle Corps, took up positions, along with the rest of the Corps, in the second tier of the Soviet Western Front near
On 29 July, Colonel M.E. Kozyr with a group from the division headquarters and headquarters of the 44th Infantry Regiment, escaped from the encirclement.[citation needed] On 30 July, the 21st Army ordered the 42nd Division resubordinated to the 21st Rifle Corps, and then reassigned to the 67th Rifle Corps.
In early August 1941 the division transferred to the
Battle of Kiev
By 1 September 1941 the 67th Rifle Corps was deployed on the line
Subordinate Units
- 44th Rifle Regiment
- 455th Rifle Regiment
- 459th Rifle Regiment (formerly 459th Light Motorized Rifle Rgt)
- 472nd Artillery Regiment
- 17th Howitzer Artillery Regiment
- 4th Separate Antitank Artillery Battalion
- 393rd Separate Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion
- 84th Reconnaissance Company
- 262nd Sapper Battalion
- 18th Separate Signal Battalion
- 3rd Medical Battalion
- 35th Separate Chemical Defense Company
- 158th Motor Transport Battalion
- 9th Field Bakery
- 188th Field Office of the State Bank
2nd Formation
Started forming on 27 December 1941 at
As the Soviet summer offensive began the division, along with the 33rd Army, Western Front, and the neighboring fronts advanced west. The division participated in the
In June 1944, now back with the 49th Army the division took part in
In 1945 the division participated in the
Fought at Lenino, Mogilev.
Subordinate Units
- 44th Rifle Regiment
- 455th Rifle Regiment
- 459th Rifle Regiment
- 472nd Artillery Regiment
- 4th Antitank Battalion
- 102nd Mortar Battalion (until 14 October 1942)
- 84th Reconnaissance Company
- 262nd Sapper Battalion
- 563rd Separate Signals Battalion (formally 18th Sep. Signals Battalion, 158th Sep. Signals Company)
- 3rd Medical Battalion (formally 607th Medical Battalion)
- 504th Separate Chemical Defense Company
- 166th Auto-Transport Company (formally 158th Auto-Transport Company)
- 420th Field Bakery
- 885th Veterinary Field Hospital
- 1655th Field Postal Station
- 1076th Field Cash Office of the State Bank
Commanders
- Kombrig Ivan Lazarenko - (31 Jan 1940 - 02 Jul 1941) Major General 4 Jun 1940
- Colonel M.D. Grishin - (24 Jul 1941 - 27 Dec 1941)
- Colonel S.L. Sadovskii - (27 Jul 1941 - 14 Jul 1942)
- Colonel N.K. Mul'tan - (15 Jul 1942 - 26 Nov 1943) Major General 14 Feb 1943
- Colonel S.M. Moiseyenkov - (27 Nov 1943 - 1 Jan 1944)
- Colonel S.M. Moiseyenkov (07 Jan 1944 - 23 Jan 1944)
- Colonel A.I. Slits - (24 Jan 1944 - 21 Mar 1944)
- Colonel S.I. Stanovskii - (22 Mar 1944 - 29 Mar 1944)
- Colonel A.I. Slits - (30 Mar 1944 - 30 Oct 1944)
- Colonel N.S. Pachkov - (31 Oct 1944 - 16 Apr 1945)
- Colonel S.K Isakov - (17 Apr 1945 - 27 Apr 1945)
- Colonel G.I. Yemel'Yanenko - (28 Apr 1945 – after 9 May 1945) (probably until unit disbanded)
References
Sources
- Aliev, Rostislav & Britton, Stuart, The Siege of Brest 1941: A Legend of Red Army Resistance on the Eastern Front, Pen & Sword, October 2013
- Crofoot, Craig, Armies of the Bear, orbat.com, 42nd Rifle Division
- Sharp, Charles C., Soviet Order of Battle World War II, Volume VIII, Red Legions: Soviet Rifle Divisions Formed Before June 1941, George F. Nafziger, 1996
- Sharp, Charles C., Soviet Order of Battle World War II, Volume X, Red Swarm: Soviet Rifle Divisions Formed Frome 1942 to 1945, George F. Nafziger, 1996