The 18th Mountain Cavalry Division was formed in 1936 by renaming the 7th ''Tadzhik'' Mountain Cavalry Division in the
Central Asia Military District
The Red Banner Central Asian Military District was a military district of the Soviet Armed Forces, which existed in 1926–1945 and 1969–1989, with its headquarters at Tashkent (1926–1945) and Almaty (1969–1989). By USSR Order No.304 of 4 ...
.
Wartime Service
1941
At the beginning of war the division was one of the three Mountain Cavalry Divisions assigned to the
4th Cavalry Corps in Central Asia. The division remained there until November when it was shipped forward to the
Reserve of the Supreme High Command
The Reserve of the Supreme High Command (Russian: Резерв Верховного Главнокомандования; also known as the '' Stavka'' Reserve or RVGK () or RGK ( comprises reserve military formations and units; the ''Stavka'' ...
. The division was briefly in the reserves before being sent to the
Kalinin Front
The Kalinin Front was a major formation of the Red Army active in the Eastern Front of World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions ...
's
30th Army. Along with the other two cavalry divisions in the army they formed the
11th Cavalry Corps in January 1942.
Despite being at 1/3 its prewar strength the division jumped off against the German flank north of Moscow. From February until July 1942 the 11th Cavalry Corps along with the
39th Army defended a nearly encircled salient in the vicinity of
Bely and
Vyazma
Vyazma () is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, town and the administrative center of Vyazemsky District, Smolensk Oblast, Vyazemsky District in Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Vyazma River, about halfway between Smolensk, the ...
-
Smolensk
Smolensk is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River, west-southwest of Moscow.
First mentioned in 863, it is one of the oldest cities in Russia. It has been a regional capital for most of ...
. The Germans launched
Operation "Seydlitz" on 2 July 1942 and eliminated the salient by the end of the month. The division was officially disbanded on 22 July 1942.
Subordinate Units
*36th Mountain Cavalry Regiment
*46th Mountain Cavalry Regiment
*97th Mountain Cavalry Regiment
*33rd Tank Regiment
See also
*
Cavalry Divisions of the Soviet Union 1917-1945
References
{{Soviet Union divisions before 1945
018
Military units and formations established in 1936
Military units and formations disestablished in 1942
018