Northwestern Operational Command
Northwestern Operational Command | |
---|---|
Belarus Ground Forces | |
Type | Command |
Garrison/HQ | Barysaw |
Engagements | World War II
|
Commanders | |
Commander | Alyaksandr Naumeka[1] |
Chief of Staff | Vadzim Shadura[2] |
Notable commanders | Colonel General Pavel Batov Major General Alexander Volfovich |
The Northwestern Operational Command (SZOK) is a command of the Belarus Ground Forces. It is headquartered at Borisov and is commanded by Major General Alexander Volfovich. The command includes a mechanized brigade and a mixed artillery brigade. It was formed in 2001 from the 65th Army Corps.[3]
The command traces its lineage to the 65th Army of the
Postwar, the 65th Army was moved to the
History
Creation and Initial Operations of the 65th Army
- 3 )
- 6 Rifle Divisions (321st)
- 2 Separate Tank Brigades (91st, 121st)
- 3 Army Artillery Regiments, 1 Howitzer Regiment, 5 Guards Mortar Regiments, and supporting units.[5]
65th Army played a leading role in
"[He] displayed fine initiative with an improvised mobile task force... By striking at the enemy's flank and rear, the task force ensured the swift advance of the other units."[4]
In the lead up to Operation Ring the 65th mounted an attack by two rifle divisions against the positions of the German 44th Infantry Division on January 7, 1943. This attack penetrated the German defensive line and inflicted severe casualties. A counterattack by German armor contained the Soviet advance, but did not regain the original line, consumed scarce fuel and ammunition, and exposed the vehicles to concentrated artillery fire, leading to losses.[6]
When Ring kicked off at 0805 hours on January 10, 65th Army was backed by a 55-minute artillery barrage from over 500 guns and howitzers and 450
Redeployment to Central Front
Following the German surrender at Stalingrad, Rokossovsky's forces were redeployed northwest to become the new
At this time the order of battle of the 65th Army was as follows:
- 69th, 149th and 246th Rifle Divisions)
- 27th Rifle Corps (60th and 193rd Rifle Divisions and 115th Rifle Brigade)
- 354thRifle Divisions
- 4 Separate Tank Regiments, 2 Antitank Regiments, 2 Mortar Regiments, 2 Guards Mortar Regiments, and other support units
Army strength: 100,000, 1,837 guns and mortars, 124 tanks and self-propelled guns.[8]
Due to its position in the western sector of the salient, the 65th emerged mostly unscathed from the Battle of Kursk, and was well equipped to exploit the German defeat. In late July and August the Army joined in the pursuit of German forces to the
Operation Bagration
Rokossovsky's command was renamed 1st Belorussian Front, and in June, 1944, 65th Army took part in major strategic operations in Belorussia. The Army's order of battle at this time was as follows:
- 18th Rifle Corps (37th Guards, 44th Guards and 69th Rifle Divisions)
- 354th Rifle Divisions)
- 15th and 356th Rifle Divisions, and 115th Rifle Brigade
- 1st Guards Tank Corps(15th, 16th, 17th Guards Tank Brigades, and 1st Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade)
- 1 Separate Tank Regiment and 4 Separate Self-propelled Artillery Regiments, and other support units.[11]
In a well-known confrontation at the planning stage, Rokossovski convinced
65th Army crossed the
Into Germany
During the new offensive, 65th Army forced a crossing of the
"I had been with 65th Army since Stalingrad and had had ample opportunity to observe the splendid combat qualities of its men, commanders, and, of course, Pavel Batov, a brave and talented soldier."[13]
In March, 1945, the order of battle of 65th Army was as follows:
- 18th Rifle Corps (16th and 69th Rifle Divisions)
- 46th Rifle Corps (108th, 186th and 413th Rifle Divisions)
- 105th Rifle Corps (44th Guards, 193rd, and 354th Rifle Divisions)
- 1 Separate Tank Regiment and 1 Separate Self-propelled Artillery Regiment, and other support units.[14]
For the Danzig operation the army also had the 66th Guards SU Brigade attached, the Red Army's only heavy SU brigade, a potent force of 60 ISU-122 self-propelled guns.[15]
The offensive propelled 65th Army into eastern Germany, finally to the
Cold War
In April 1946, the
self-propelled gun.In 1957, the 7th Mechanized Army was transformed into 7th Tank Army.
- The 10th Tank Division was reformed in the 34th Tank Division
- 15th Guards Mechanized Division was reformed in the 47th Guards Tank Division
- 27th Guards Mechanized Division – the 39th Guards Tank Division.
In 1960, the 47th Guards Tank Division was renamed the 45th Guards Tank Division.
In 1965, the 45th Guards Rivne Tank Division became a training tank formation subordinated to the
From 1960 to 1980, the basis of the 7th Tank Army was formed by the
Service in the Belarus Ground Forces
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus were created on the basis of the
Units
The following units are part of the Northwestern Operational Command.[22]
- 120th Guards Rogachevskaya Mechanised Brigade (339th Guards Mechanized Group of tank and motorized infantry battalions, 334th and 355th Tank Battalions, 356th Motorized Rifle Battalion, 310th Artillery Group, 149th Separate Communications Battalion, 126th Separate Engineer Battalion, 82nd Repair and Refurbishment Battalion, Minsk)
- 231st Mixed Artillery Brigade (Borovka)
- 427th Multiple Rocket Launcher Regiment
- 502nd Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment (Osipovichi)
- 740th Minsk Anti-Aircraft Rocket Brigade (with SAM "Osa"; Borisov)
- 42nd Separate Signal (Radio) Battalion
- 60th Communications Regiment
- 258th Security and Service Battalion
- 121st Scientific Topographical Unit
Electronic warfare troops:
- 244th Signals Intelligence Center
- 10th Electronic Warfare Battalion
Corps of Engineers:
- 7th Torun Order of Alexander Nevsky and the Red Star Engineering Regiment (Borisov)
Storage Bases:
- 814th Service Center (includes 2 repair battalions, Borisov)
- 19th Nikolaevsk-Budapest Red Banner Order of Suvorov 2nd class Base for Storage of Weapons and Equipment (former 19th Guards Mechanized Brigade, Zaslonovo)
- 34th Dneprovskaya Base for Storage of Weapons Technology – possibly disbanded (former 34th Tank Division, Borisov)
- 37th Rechitkaya Base for Storage of Weapons and Equipment (former 37th Guards Tank Division; Polotsk)
See also
References
- ^ "Навуменка Аляксандр Віктаравіч — Ваенны інфармацыйны партал Міністэрства абароны Рэспублікі Беларусь". www.mil.by. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
- ^ "Шадура Вадзім Яўгенавіч — Ваенны інфармацыйны партал Міністэрства абароны Рэспублікі Беларусь". www.mil.by. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
- ^ a b c "Северо-западное оперативное командование" [North Western Operational Command]. www.mil.by (in Russian). Retrieved 2015-12-25.
- ^ a b David Glantz, "Pavel Ivanovich Batov", in Stalin's Generals, (Harold Shukman, Ed.), Phoenix Press, 2001, p. 39
- ^ Nafziger collection file 942RKAA Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine, pp 9 – 10
- ^ Robert A. Forczyk, Tank Warfare on the Eastern Front 1943-1945, Pen & Sword Books Ltd., Barnsley, UK, 2016, pp. 44-45
- ^ Forczyk, p. 45
- ^ Nafziger collection file 943RGAB, pp 21 – 22
- ^ Charles C. Sharp, "Red Swarm", Soviet Rifle Divisions Formed From 1942 to 1945, Soviet Order of Battle World War II, Vol. X, Nafziger, 1996, p. 75
- ^ Glantz, p. 40
- ^ Nafziger collection file 944RFAF Archived 2015-09-23 at the Wayback Machine, pp 31 – 33
- ^ Earl F. Ziemke, The Soviet Juggernaut, Time-Life Books, Chicago, 1980, pp 127 – 29
- ^ a b c Glantz, p 41
- ^ Combat Composition of the Soviet Army, 1945, p 82
- ^ Sharp, "Red Hammers", Soviet Self-Propelled Artillery and Lend Lease Armor 1941 – 1945, Soviet Order of Battle World War II, vol. XII, Nafziger, 1998, p 20
- ^ Nikolai Litvin, 800 Days on the Eastern Front, University Press of Kansas, 2007, p 104
- ^ Holm, Michael. "7th Tank Army". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2015-12-29.
- ^ Makarevich, Nikolai (19 October 2012). "Генерал-майор Иван Чаус: "Традиции 65‑й армии не канули в Лету"" [Major General Ivan Chaus: "65th Army traditions are not forgotten"]. vsr.mil.by (in Russian). Ministry of Defense of Belarus. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
- ISBN 9781472803061.
- ^ "Начался второй этап совместного оперативного учения «Щит Союза — 2011»" [Second phase of exercise Shield of the Union 2011]. vsr.mil.by (in Russian). 21 September 2011. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
- ^ "С днём рождения, СЗОК!" [Happy Birthday, SZOK!]. vsr.mil.by (in Russian). 22 October 2015. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
- ^ "Севоро-Западное оперативное командование | Армия Беларуси" [North Western Operational Command – Army of Belarus]. belarmy.by (in Russian). 14 March 2011. Retrieved 2016-01-29.