1. gardový tankový sbor [1942-1945]

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The battle flag of the Donského corps (1-й гвардейский танковый Донской ордена Ленина Краснознаменный, ордена Суворова корпус).


Taken in the exposure of the the Central museum of the armed forces .

After the liberation of Danzig, the corps was transferred to the reserve 2nd Belarusian Front. During 09-13 April 1945, the corps completed a 285 km movement to the Eichenwalde area (PL). This took place on the night of 24.04.1945 near Klebow (PL).


At first (24-25.04.1945) the corps was very poorly armed. The 15th Guards Tank Brigade and 16th Guards Tank Brigade had no tanks at all, 1st Guards Tank Brigade had only 80% strength (1,500 soldiers), the 397th GTSABr had not a single self-propelled gun, the 1296th and 1001st GTSABr had no tanks at all. SAP had only 25% manning of self-propelled guns. The corps was promised 100 T-34s and 10 SU-70s:
17th GTTBr - 47 IS-2 tanks
1296. SAP - 6 SU-85 self-propelled guns
1001. SAP - 17 self-propelled guns SU-75 + 3 T-34 (staff). Of these, 10 SU-76s were received between 16-20 April 1945.
166 LAP - 24 guns ZiS-3 (76mm)
455 MP - 26 120mm mortars


23.04.1945 - The corps entered the fighting in the area of Stetin - Tantow (D) in support of units of the 46th and 18th Rifle Corps. Own casualties: 18 killed, 66 wounded, 14 cars burned and two 76mm guns destroyed.
24.04.1945 - The motorized riflemen advanced towards Glasow (D) - Krackow (D). Tanks moved on pontoons across the river. 12 wounded.
25.04.1945 - Fighting in the area of Ladenthin (D) - Barnislaw (PL). Towards the evening the troops advanced in the direction of Randow (D). During the day the corps advanced 20 km and captured 30 enemy strong points.
By the end of the day it had:
IS-2 - 45 machines
SU-85 - 6 machines
T-34 - 7 machines
SU-100 - 1 machine
SU-76 - 17 machines
One IS-2 burned, 28 killed and 40 wounded.
Germans lost 8 guns, 16 cars and 300 soldiers (100 captured).


26.04.1945 - The Germans, with the help of Panther tanks (5pcs) and a company of machine guns with Panzerfausts, a battery of anti-tank guns put up stiff resistance near the village of Retzin (D). Between Löcknitz (D) and Ramin (D), two companies of German infantry supported by two artillery batteries and eight self-propelled guns joined the fight against the advancing 1st GTS units. Despite this resistance, Löcknitz was liberated at 1940 hours. A makeshift bridge had to be built to transport the IS-2 tanks across the Randow river/canal.
Towards the end of the day he disposed:
IS-2 - 26 machines
SU-85 - 6 machines
T-34 - 6 machines
SU-100 - 1 machine
SU-76 - 16 machines
One IS-2 burned, 5 were disabled, 30 killed and 203 wounded.
Germans lost 4 tanks and self-propelled guns, 14 guns, 52 machine guns, 10 mortars, 10 cars, 1 tractor and 710 soldiers (60 captured).


27.04.1945 fighting for Brüssow (D) - Carmzow-Wallmow (D).
Towards the end of the day disposed of:
IS-2 - 29 machines
SU-85 - 6 machines
T-34 - 6 machines
SU-100 - 1 machine
SU-76 - 14 machines
Two SU-76s burned, 10 killed and 89 wounded.
The Germans lost 5 tanks, 13 guns, 21 machine guns, 5 mortars, 27 cars, 1 SPW and 560 soldiers (150 captured).


28.04.1945 - The task was to advance towards the town of Strasburg (today roughly in the direction of road 104). The town was liberated and the advance extended to Friedland. The corps covered 70 km and destroyed more than 150 strong points.
By the end of the day, it had:
IS-2 - 26 machines
SU-85 - 6 machines
T-34 - 6 machines
SU-100 - 1 machine
SU-76 - 13 machines


29.04.1945 - advance towards Grischow - Altentreptow. The corps advanced 30 km, liberated Altentreptow and destroyed 30 strong points.
By the end of the day, the following were available:
IS-2 - 26 machines
SU-85 - 6 machines
T-34 - 6 machines
SU-100 - 1 machine
SU-76 - 13 machines
Temporarily the corps was assigned 30th Guards Tank Brigade - had 37 IS-2 tanks and 38th GTBr - had 15 IS-2 tanks.
During 28-29 April 1945 the corps wrote off 3 IS-2s (hit), 42 soldiers were killed and 103 wounded.
Germans lost 8 tanks and self-propelled guns, 20 guns, 43 machine guns, 5 mortars, 44 cars, 2 SPW, 20 motorcycles, 61 carts, 7 stores, 4 tractors. 2 self-propelled guns, 6 locomotives and 250 railway cars were captured. The Germans lost 1280 soldiers (500 captured).


30.04.1945 - attack towards Demmin, which was finally pushed back in the evening. The Germans did not inflict any serious losses. Equipment had no losses at all, 17 soldiers were killed and 29 wounded.
The Germans lost 3 tanks and self-propelled guns, 7 guns, 9 machine guns, 4 mortars, 13 cars, 9 motorcycles and 290 soldiers (100 captured).


01.05.1945 - The coastal towns of Ribnitz-Damgarten and Rostock were captured. The Germans did not put up much resistance. 7 soldiers were killed and 12 wounded. The Germans wrote off 300 of them.


02.05.1945 - Warnemünde. 5 Red Army soldiers were killed, 15 wounded. The Germans lost (captured and captured): 4 guns, 2 aircraft factories, 30 aircraft, an armored train, 4 warehouses, 51 aircraft engines, 40 machine guns, 500 railroad cars, 32 locomotives, 7,000 soldiers (2 colonels, 4 lieutenant colonels, 6 majors).
The corps did not fight any more.


In the last days of the war 23.04. to 03.05.1945 lost 19 tanks (2 IS-2 burned, 9 hit, 4 sunk; 3 SU-76 burned; 1 T-34 sunk)

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