The 1st Guards Tank Division was a tank division of the

Soviet Army The Soviet Ground Forces () was the land warfare service branch of the Soviet Armed Forces from 1946 to 1992. It was preceded by the Red Army. After the Soviet Union ceased to exist in December 1991, the Ground Forces remained under th ...

from 1945 to 1947, stationed in

Neuruppin Neuruppin (, , in contrast to ":de:Alt Ruppin, Old Ruppin"; ; North Brandenburgisch dialect, Brandenburgisch: ''Reppin'') is a town in Brandenburg, Germany, the administrative seat of Ostprignitz-Ruppin district. It is the birthplace of the noveli ...

. It was formed in the spring of 1942 as the 26th

Tank Corps An armoured corps (also mechanized corps or tank corps) is a specialized military organization whose role is to conduct armoured warfare. The units belonging to an armoured corps include military staff, and are equipped with tanks and other armou ...

. The corps fought in

Operation Uranus Operation Uranus () was a Soviet 19–23 November 1942 strategic operation on the Eastern Front of World War II which led to the encirclement of Axis forces in the vicinity of Stalingrad: the German Sixth Army, the Third and Fourth Romani ...

and became the 1st Guards Tank Corps, being redesignated as a reward for its actions in December 1942. It fought in

Operation Gallop Operation Gallop () was a Soviet Army operation on the Eastern Front of World War II. The operation was part of a series of counteroffensives after the encirclement of Stalingrad (now Volgograd) following the German Summer offensive in 1942 ...

, the

Third Battle of Kharkov The Third Battle of Kharkov was a series of battles on the Eastern Front (World War II), Eastern Front of World War II, undertaken by Nazi Germany's Army Group South against the Soviet Red Army, around the city of Kharkov between 19 February ...

Operation Kutuzov Operation Kutuzov was the first of the two counteroffensives launched by the Red Army as part of the Kursk Strategic Offensive Operation. It commenced on 12 July 1943, in the Central Russian Upland, against Army Group Center of the German ''Ger ...

Operation Bagration Operation Bagration () was the codename for the 1944 Soviet Byelorussian strategic offensive operation (), a military campaign fought between 22 June and 19 August 1944 in Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Soviet Byelorussia in the Eastern ...

, the East Prussian Offensive, the East Pomeranian Offensive and the

Berlin Offensive The Battle of Berlin, designated as the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the Soviet Union, and also known as the Fall of Berlin, was one of the last major offensives of the European theatre of World War II. After the Vistula–Od ...

. During the East Prussian Offensive, the division captured

Mława Mława (; ''Mlave'') is a town in north-eastern Poland with 30,403 inhabitants in 2020. It is the capital of Mława County. It is situated in the Masovian Voivodeship. During the invasion of Poland in 1939, the battle of Mława was fought to the ...

Działdowo Działdowo (; , ) is a town in northern Poland with 20,935 inhabitants as of December 2021, the capital of Działdowo County. As part of Masuria, it is situated in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship (since 1999), Działdowo belonged previously to Cie ...

and

Płońsk Płońsk (; ) is a town in central Poland with 21,591 inhabitants (2022). Situated at the Płonka river in the historic region of Mazovia, it is the seat of Płońsk County in the Masovian Voivodeship. History According to archaeological researc ...

and was awarded the

Order of Lenin The Order of Lenin (, ) was an award named after Vladimir Lenin, the leader of the October Revolution. It was established by the Central Executive Committee on 6 April 1930. The order was the highest civilian decoration bestowed by the Soviet ...

for its actions. The division had been awarded the honorific "Don" for its actions in Operation Gallop. It also was awarded the

Order of the Red Banner The Order of the Red Banner () was the first Soviet military decoration. The Order was established on 16 September 1918, during the Russian Civil War by decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee. It was the highest award of S ...

and the

Order of Suvorov The Order of Suvorov () is a military decoration of the Russian Federation named in honor of Russian Generalissimo Prince Alexander Suvorov (1729–1800). History The Order of Suvorov was originally a Soviet Union, Soviet award established on ...

2nd class.

History

World War II

The 26th Tank Corps was formed between 24 June and 10 August 1942 in

Kosteryovo Kosteryovo () is a town in Petushinsky District of Vladimir Oblast, Russia, located on the Lipnya River (Klyazma's tributary), west of Vladimir, the administrative center of the oblast. Population: History It was founded as a settlement servin ...

. It was commanded by Major General

Alexey Rodin Alexey Grigoryevich Rodin (Russian: Алексей Григорьевич Родин; 17 February 1902 – 27 May 1955) was a Soviet Army colonel general and Hero of the Soviet Union. Born to a peasant family, Rodin was drafted into the Red Army ...

. The corps included the 19th, 157th and 216th Tank Brigades and the 14th Motor Rifle Brigade. From 10 August to 9 September, the corps was transferred to

Plavsk Plavsk () is a town and the administrative center of Plavsky District in Tula Oblast, Russia, located on the Plava River. Population: Administrative and municipal status Within the framework of administrative divisions, Plavsk serves as the ...

. On 3 September, it was subordinated to the

5th Tank Army The 5th Tank Army is the name of several Soviet units during World War II (not to be confused with the 5th Guards Tank Army). Its first formation occurred on 5 June, 1942, commanded by Major-General Alexander Lizyukov, serving under the Bryansk ...

. In October, the army was transferred to the Southwestern Front and began to prepare for the counteroffensive at Stalingrad, Operation Uranus. On 19 November, the 26th Tank Corps began its advance in the second echelon of the 5th Tank Army. It broke through Romanian lines in the area of Blinovsky and Korotovsky, advancing south towards Perelazovsky and Kalach. The corps overran the Romanian 1st Armored Division's rear area and captured the headquarters of the Romanian 5th Army Corps. Kalac Novembre 1942

Forward detachments of the corps forced German commander

Friedrich Paulus Friedrich Wilhelm Ernst Paulus (23 September 1890 – 1 February 1957) was a German ''Generalfeldmarschall'' (Field Marshal) during World War II who is best known for his surrender of the German 6th Army (Wehrmacht), 6th Army during the Battle ...

to move his headquarters on 21 November. On the night of 22–23 November, Rodin ordered the corps' vanguard units, led by Lieutenant Colonel Georgy Filippov to reconnoitre the last bridge over the Don at Kalach. Filippov advanced at high speed with headlights on, reportedly causing the German troops guarding the bridge to believe captured Soviet armor was being driven to the nearby gunnery range. Filippov and his tanks crossed the bridge and defeated the German troops guarding it. The corps helped occupy Kalach on the next day. On 8 December, the 26th Tank Corps became the 1st Guards Tank Corps for its actions at Stalingrad. The 216th Tank Brigade became the 15th Guards, the 19th became the 16th Guards, the 157th became the 17th Guards and the 14th Motor Rifle Brigade became the 1st Guards. On 27 January 1943, the corps was awarded the honorific "Don" for its actions. Rodin was promoted to Lieutenant general and became commander of the

2nd Tank Army The 2nd Guards Tank Army () was a large military formation of the Red Army and Soviet Army, later part of the Russian Ground Forces of the Russian Federation. The army was originally formed in early 1943 as the 2nd Tank Army. It was the firs ...

in early February. 6th Army Tank Troops commander Major General Alexander Kukushkin took command. During February and March, the corps fought in the

. It defended positions north of

Pavlohrad Pavlohrad (, ) is a city in eastern Ukraine, located within Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. It serves as the administrative center of Pavlohrad Raion. Its population is approximately The rivers of Vovcha (runs through the city towards the Samara Riv ...

and fled to escape an encirclement on 24 February. On 25 April, Kukushkin was killed during an enemy air raid. 2nd Guards Army Tank Troops commander Major General

Mikhail Panov Mikhail Feodorovich Panov (Russian: ''Михаил Фёдорович Панов''; 21 November 1901, in Ovchinikov, Vitebsk Governorate, Russian Empire – 8 May 1979, in Moscow, Soviet Union) was a Soviet general. Biography Early life Born to ...

took command. During the summer it fought in

. From October 1943, it fought in Belarus during the Gomel-Rechitsa Offensive. The corps captured

Rechytsa Rechytsa or Rechitsa (, ; ; ) is a town in Gomel Region, Belarus. It serves as the administrative center of Rechytsa District. The town is located on the Rechytsa River, which flows into the Dnieper. In 2020, its population was 66,400. As of ...

in November and cut off the German line of retreat west of

Gomel Gomel (, ) or Homyel (, ) is a city in south-eastern Belarus. It serves as the administrative centre of Gomel Region and Gomel District, though it is administratively separated from the district. As of 2025, it is the List of cities and largest ...

. For its actions, the corps was awarded the

on 18 November. The corps fought in the Kalinkovichi-Mozyr Offensive in January 1944. The corps captured

Kalinkavichy Kalinkavichy (; ; ) is a town in Gomel Region, southeastern Belarus. It serves as the administrative center of Kalinkavichy District. Kalinkavichy is located beside the Netech' River, opposite the city of Mazyr, and is the site of one of the c ...

on 14 January after outflanking defending German troops. On 15 January, the corps was awarded the

2nd class for its actions. From June, the corps fought in

. On 24 June, the corps advanced through the gap made by the advance of the 65th Army. By 27 June, the corps linked up with elements of the

9th Tank Corps 09 may refer to: * The year 2009, or any year ending with 09, which may be written as '09 * September, the ninth month * 9 (number) * Ariège (department) (postal code), a French department * Auckland, New Zealand, which has the telephone area code ...

, completing the encirclement of five German 9th Army divisions in the Bobruysk Offensive. The corps continued to advanced towards

Pukhavichy Pukhavichy (Puchavičy, Pukhovichi) may refer to: * Pukhavichy, Minsk Region Pukhavichy (; ; ) is an agrotown in Pukhavichy District, Minsk Region, Belarus. It serves as the administrative center of Pukhavichy selsoviet. History In Decembe ...

and

Osipovichi Asipovichy (; ) is a town in Mogilev Region, Belarus. It serves as the administrative center of Asipovichy District. It is located southwest of Mogilev, south of the Minsk-Gomel expressway. It is located at the junction of railway lines betwe ...

. On 3 July, the corps was on the southeastern outskirts of

Minsk Minsk (, ; , ) is the capital and largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach (Berezina), Svislach and the now subterranean Nyamiha, Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the administra ...

and helped complete the encirclement of the German 4th Army around Minsk. After the capture of Minsk, the corps advanced toward Baranovichi and Brest. The corps helped capture

Slonim Slonim is a town in Grodno Region, in western Belarus. It serves as the administrative center of Slonim District. It is located at the junction of the Shchara and Isa (river), Isa rivers, southeast of Grodno. As of 2025, it has a population of ...

. From mid-November 1944, the corps was part of the

2nd Belorussian Front The 2nd Belorussian Front (, ''Vtoroi Belorusskiy front'', also romanized "Byelorussian SSR, Byelorussian"), was a Front (military formation), major formation of the Soviet Army during World War II, being equivalent to a Western army group. I ...

. From January 1945, the corps fought in the East Prussian Offensive. During the offensive, the corps helped capture

and

Tuchola Tuchola (; ) is a town in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship in northern Poland. The Pomeranian town, which is the seat of Tuchola County, had a population of 13,418 . Geographical location Tuchola lies about north of Bydgoszcz, close to th ...

. On 19 February, the corps was awarded the

for its capture of Plonsk. At the end of March, the corps fought in the capture of

Gdańsk Gdańsk is a city on the Baltic Sea, Baltic coast of northern Poland, and the capital of the Pomeranian Voivodeship. With a population of 486,492, Data for territorial unit 2261000. it is Poland's sixth-largest city and principal seaport. Gdań ...

during the East Pomeranian Offensive. From April, the division fought in the

. It reached the Baltic coast near

Rostock Rostock (; Polabian language, Polabian: ''Roztoc''), officially the Hanseatic and University City of Rostock (), is the largest city in the German States of Germany, state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and lies in the Mecklenburgian part of the sta ...

and

Ribnitz Ribnitz-Damgarten () is a town in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, situated on Lake Ribnitz (''Ribnitzer See''). Ribnitz-Damgarten is in the west of the district Vorpommern-Rügen. The border between the historical regions of Mecklenburg and P ...

at the end of the war.

Postwar

On 12 July 1945, the corps was converted into the 1st Guards Tank Division at Neuruppin. The division's brigades were converted into tank regiments. It was disbanded in February 1947. The division's 15th Guards Tank Regiment was transferred to the 39th Guards Rifle Division. The 16th Guards Tank Regiment moved to the 207th Rifle Division and the 17th Guards Tank Regiment transferred to the 57th Guards Rifle Division. The 74th Guards Heavy Tank Self-Propelled Regiment transferred to the 26th Guards Rifle Division.

Composition

In 1947, the division included the following units: * 15th Guards Tank Regiment * 16th Guards Tank Regiment * 17th Guards Tank Regiment * 74th Guards Heavy Tank Self-Propelled Regiment * 1st Guards Motor Rifle Regiment * 455th Mortar Regiment * 80th Guards Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment * Separate Howitzer Artillery Battalion * 121st Separate Sapper Battalion * 422nd Separate Communications Battalion * 155th Separate Medical Battalion * 676th Separate Auto-Transport Battalion

References

{{Soviet Union divisions 1945{{endash57 Tank divisions of the Soviet Union Military units and formations established in 1945 Military units and formations disestablished in 1947 Military units and formations awarded the Order of the Red Banner