URL : https://www.valka.cz/18-strelecka-divize-1940-1941-t262416#714999
Version : 0
18th Rifle Division
The Rifle Division was formed on 15 August 1939 in Ulyanovsk on the basis of some personnel detached from the 86th Rifle Division under the designation 111st Rifle Division. On 2 February 1940, it received a new troop number and was renamed the 18th Rifle Division.
Until June 1941, the 18th Rifle Division was stationed in Kazan, from mid-June 1941 it began to move to the western borders of the USSR. On 22 June 1941, its 208th Rifle Regiment and most of the other regiments left for the western border with their headquarters. The division commander, some divisional units, and the entire rear of the division remained in Kazan. On 25 June 1941, the last echelon of troops left Kazan, but the division did not start arriving at its place of concentration (Orsha) until 29 June 1941. By 3 July 1941, the division had taken up positions west of Orsha, but by 5 July 1941 it had been moved south of Orsha and had taken up positions along the left bank of the Dnieper, covering the stretch of the front from Orsha to Shklov.
According to the order of the commander of the 61st. Rifle Corpsmajor-generalBakunin, the division was forced to move forward detachments consisting of two battalions with anti-tank weapons (3rd Battalion of the 97th Rifle Regiment and 1st Battalion of the 208th Rifle Regiment) to the line of the Drut River (40 to 45 kilometers from the main defensive line). The advance troops were immediately lost as a result of being cut off from the main force. On 9 July 1941, the main units of the division entered the fray. By 11 July enemy troops had crossed an uncovered crossroads north of Shklov and the division was surrounded. The bridgeheads south of Orsha were eliminated by the division.
It should be noted that the division held its assigned line, although surrounded, until 18 July 1941, when it was ordered to retreat. For this fighting, the unit was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. By 19 July 1941, the division had taken up a circular defence in the Pishchik area east of the Dnieper and entered combat. After repelling attacks and suffering heavy casualties, the remnants of the division attempted to escape the encirclement in the north. On 23 July 1941, the main forces of the 18th Rifle Division and parts of the 73rd Rifle Division were destroyed near the village of Kozjany. A small part of the division's soldiers managed to break out of the encirclement by 23 July 1941 and join the group of General I. V. Boldin.
URL : https://www.valka.cz/18-strelecka-divize-1940-1941-t262416#747447
Version : 0
Reklama
Join us
We believe that there are people with different interests and experiences who could contribute their knowledge and ideas. If you love military history and have experience in historical research, writing articles, editing text, moderating, creating images, graphics or videos, or simply have a desire to contribute to our unique system, you can join us and help us create content that will be interesting and beneficial to other readers.