The 252nd Rifle Division was the eighth of a group of 10 regular rifle divisions formed from cadres of
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs (, ), abbreviated as NKVD (; ), was the interior ministry and secret police of the Soviet Union from 1934 to 1946. The agency was formed to succeed the Joint State Political Directorate (OGPU) se ...
border and internal troops as standard
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...
rifle divisions, very shortly after the German invasion, in the
Moscow Military District
The Order of Lenin Moscow Military District () is a Military districts of Russia, military district of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Originally it was a district of the Imperial Russian Army until the Russian Empire's collapse in 191 ...
.
It was raised in June 1941, within days of the beginning of
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and several of its European Axis allies starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during World War II. More than 3.8 million Axis troops invaded the western Soviet Union along ...
, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, based on the prewar rifle division
Shtat 04/400, and served for the duration of the Great Patriotic War in that role. The 252nd's first experience of battle was when it took part in the fighting north of Smolensk in the summer of 1941. It was forced eastward in the autumn, especially under the impact of
Operation Typhoon
The Battle of Moscow was a military campaign that consisted of two periods of strategically significant fighting on a sector of the Eastern Front during World War II, between October 1941 and January 1942. The Soviet defensive effort frustrated H ...
. After helping to defeat an offensive by
Third Panzer Group at
Kalinin in October, and serving through the winter counteroffensive west of Moscow, the division was sent south where it participated in the
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad ; see . rus, links=on, Сталинградская битва, r=Stalingradskaya bitva, p=stəlʲɪnˈɡratskəjə ˈbʲitvə. (17 July 19422 February 1943) was a major battle on the Eastern Front of World War II, ...
.
In the summer of 1943 the 252nd distinguished itself in the final
liberation
Liberation or liberate may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Liberation'' (film series), a 1970–1971 series about the Great Patriotic War
* "Liberation" (''The Flash''), a TV episode
* "Liberation" (''K-9''), an episode
Gaming
* '' Liberati ...
of
Kharkov
Kharkiv, also known as Kharkov, is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city in Ukraine. , for which it received its first battle honor, as well as the Order of the Red Banner. Following this the division continued to fight through eastern and western Ukraine and into
Moldova
Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova, is a Landlocked country, landlocked country in Eastern Europe, with an area of and population of 2.42 million. Moldova is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. ...
, receiving further distinctions along the way. It took part in the Second
Jassy–Kishinev Offensive in August 1944, which drove Romania into the Allied camp, and continued campaigning into Hungary, participating in the
Siege of Budapest
The siege of Budapest or battle of Budapest was the 50-day-long encirclement by Soviet and Romanian forces of the Hungarian capital of Budapest, near the end of World War II. Part of the broader Budapest Offensive, the siege began when Budapes ...
. In the final weeks of the war the division received a second battle honor for assisting in the
liberation
Liberation or liberate may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Liberation'' (film series), a 1970–1971 series about the Great Patriotic War
* "Liberation" (''The Flash''), a TV episode
* "Liberation" (''K-9''), an episode
Gaming
* '' Liberati ...
of
Bratislava
Bratislava (German: ''Pressburg'', Hungarian: ''Pozsony'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the Slovakia, Slovak Republic and the fourth largest of all List of cities and towns on the river Danube, cities on the river Danube. ...
. Postwar, it was withdrawn to the
North Caucasus
The North Caucasus, or Ciscaucasia, is a subregion in Eastern Europe governed by Russia. It constitutes the northern part of the wider Caucasus region, which separates Europe and Asia. The North Caucasus is bordered by the Sea of Azov and the B ...
, downsized to a rifle brigade and disbanded in March 1947.
Formation to mid-1942
The division began organizing on 26 June 1941 at
Serpukhov
Serpukhov ( rus, Серпухов, p=ˈsʲerpʊxəf) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city in Moscow Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Oka River, Oka and the Nara (Oka), Nara Rivers, 99 kilometers (62 miles) south fro ...
in the
Moscow Military District
The Order of Lenin Moscow Military District () is a Military districts of Russia, military district of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Originally it was a district of the Imperial Russian Army until the Russian Empire's collapse in 191 ...
. It was one of a series of rifle divisions numbered between 240 and 260 that were built on
cadres taken from the
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs (, ), abbreviated as NKVD (; ), was the interior ministry and secret police of the Soviet Union from 1934 to 1946. The agency was formed to succeed the Joint State Political Directorate (OGPU) se ...
. The NKVD cadre consisted of 1,500 border guards and internal security troops, providing a solid, well-motivated core. Its order of battle was:
* 924th Rifle Regiment
* 928th Rifle Regiment
* 932nd Rifle Regiment
* 277th Artillery Regiment
* 270th Howitzer Regiment
* 309th Antitank Battalion
* 420th Sapper Battalion
* 332nd Reconnaissance Company
* 176th Signal Company
* 270th Medical/Sanitation Battalion
* 303rd Field Bakery
Colonel Aleksandr Alekseevich Zabaluev, an NKVD officer, was named divisional commander on 5 July, and was promoted to major general ten days later. After Zabaluev arrived the division moved to
Ostashkov
Ostashkov () is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, town and the administrative center of Ostashkovsky District in Tver Oblast, Russia, on a peninsula at the southern shore of Lake Seliger, west of Tver, the administrative center of the ...
. It was assigned to the
29th Army of Lieutenant General
Ivan Maslennikov
Ivan Ivanovich Maslennikov (; September 16, 1900 – April 16, 1954), General of the Army, was a Soviet military and NKVD commander of Army and Front level during World War II. A career Red Army officer, Maslennikov was transferred to NKVD syste ...
in 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'' ...
by 13 July, less than three weeks after beginning to form. The 29th Army formed part of Lieutenant General
Ivan Bogdanov
Ivan Aleksandrovich Bogdanov (; 6 November 1897 – 22 July 1942) was a Soviet lieutenant-general and army commander.
He fought in World War I in the Imperial Russian Army before going over to the Bolsheviks.
In World War II, he commanded the ...
's
Front Reserve of Reserve Armies, which was to hold a defensive line from
Staraya Russa
Staraya Russa (, ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, town in Novgorod Oblast, Russia, located on the Polist, Polist River, south of Veliky Novgorod, the administrative center of the oblast. Its population has steadily decreased over ...
to
Bryansk
Bryansk (, ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Bryansk Oblast, Russia, situated on the Desna (river), Desna River, southwest of Moscow. It has a population of 379,152 at the 2021 census.
Bryans ...
.
Battle of Smolensk
By 19 July the
19th
19 (nineteen) is the natural number following 18 and preceding 20. It is a prime number.
Mathematics
Nineteen is the eighth prime number.
Number theory
19 forms a twin prime with 17, a cousin prime with 23, and a sexy prime with 13. ...
,
20th and
16th Armies were almost entirely encircled in the Smolensk region, and 29th Army was ordered to prepare an attack from the
Toropets
Toropets () is a town and the administrative center of Toropetsky District in Tver Oblast, Russia, located where the Toropa River enters Lake Solomennoye. Population:
History
In 1074, when the town was first mentioned in chronicles, Torop ...
area towards
Velikiye Luki
Velikiye Luki ( rus, Вели́кие Лу́ки, p=vʲɪˈlʲikʲɪjə ˈlukʲɪ; lit. ''great meanders''. Г. П. Смолицкая. "Топонимический словарь Центральной России". "Армада-� ...
with its
243rd,
256th and 252nd Rifle Divisions. For this attack, the 29th, similarly to the other reserve armies, was designated as an operational group named after its commander – Group Maslennikov – and subordinated to the
Western Front on 20 July. On 26 July the division was in the Dubrovna, Borodkina and Suslovo region, southwest of Toropets. The 252nd entered combat two days later, fighting in the
Battle of Smolensk. On 3 August it was reported as "preparing to force the
Western Dvina River
The Daugava ( ), also known as the Western Dvina or the Väina River, is a large river rising in the Valdai Hills of Russia that flows through Belarus and Latvia into the Gulf of Riga of the Baltic Sea. The Daugava rises close to the source of t ...
and organize antitank regions" in several locales about south of Toropets, and had orders to attack towards
Demidov
The Demidov family (Russian: Деми́довы), also known as Demidoff or Dimidov, is a prominent Russian nobility, Russian noble family that rose to immense wealth and influence during the 18th and 19th centuries. The Demidovs became a wealth ...
in the second week of the month.
Those plans were temporarily abandoned when the division came under attack on 7 August and its 928th and 932nd Rifle Regiments were forced to withdraw north of the Dvina. After a lull in the fighting, Western Front commander
Marshal
Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used fo ...
Semyon Timoshenko
Semyon Konstantinovich Timoshenko (; ; – 31 March 1970) was a Soviet military commander, Marshal of the Soviet Union, and one of the most prominent Red Army commanders during the Second World War.
Born to a Ukrainian family in Bessarabia, ...
launched a new offensive, and the 252nd again attacked across the Dvina on 18 August, this time at Klinok. The 924th Regiment reported destroying the headquarters of the 3rd Battalion of the German 78th Infantry Regiment (
26th Infantry Division) and capturing one gun, ammunition and documents. Despite its gains, the division was forced back to its original positions on the northern bank of the river by the end of the next day. By 20 August Timoshenko's forces came under renewed enemy pressure, and the division was forced back on the defensive. It was directed to establish an
all-round defense by the end of 24 August north of the river. At the end of August the 252nd had to make a hasty retreat eastwards after the German
XL Motorized Corps broke through the
22nd Army and advanced towards Toropets; the 932nd Regiment, with an artillery battalion and a sapper company, served as the rearguard. By 2 September the division was serving as Maslennikov's reserve in the Mukhino, Spiridovo and Novoe Polutino region. On the following day, together with the
126th Rifle Division of the 22nd Army, the division was tasked with the mission of liquidating a tank-supported German infantry regiment that had reached the Dvina in the Suvorovo region. On 4 September the 252nd continued counterattacking, driving back two German regiments with the help of the 243rd.
Typhoon, Winter Offensive, and Rzhev
On 2 October the German forces launched
Operation Typhoon
The Battle of Moscow was a military campaign that consisted of two periods of strategically significant fighting on a sector of the Eastern Front during World War II, between October 1941 and January 1942. The Soviet defensive effort frustrated H ...
, during which the division covered the retreat of the 29th Army. Although the army was too far north to be immediately affected, it was transferred to the new
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 ...
in the vicinity of that city during the middle of the month. The 252nd was transferred to the newly-arriving
31st Army, and on 19–20 October participated in the counterattacks that defeated the
XXXXI Motorized Corps along the
Torzhok
Torzhok () is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, town in Tver Oblast, Russia, located on the Tvertsa River along the federal highway M10 highway (Russia), M10 and a branch of the Oktyabrskaya Railway division of the Russian Railways. The ...
road northwest of Kalinin. The division continued to fight in what became known as the Kalinin Defense Operation. When the Soviet counter-offensive against Army Group Center – known as the Kalinin Offensive Operation – began in early December, the division reported a strength of 5,800 officers and men, about half of its authorized strength, a good strength given four months of fighting in retreat. During the Kalinin Offensive the 252nd participated in the recapture of the city on 16 December, and the recapture of
Staritsa
Staritsa () is the name of several types of inhabited localities in Russia, inhabited localities in Russia.
Modern localities
;Urban localities
*Staritsa (town), Tver Oblast, a town in Staritsky District of Tver Oblast
;Rural localities
*Staritsa ...
on New Year's Day 1942. On the latter date, Zabaluev was replaced by Major General
Viktor Urbanovich, taking command by 5 January.
From 20 January the division fought in the Sychyovka–Vyazma and Rzhev–Vyazma Offensives during the
Battles of Rzhev
The Battles of Rzhev () were a series of Red Army offensives against the Wehrmacht between 8 January 1942 and 31 March 1943, on the Eastern Front of World War II. The battles took place in the northeast of Smolensk Oblast and the south of Tve ...
as part of the
39th Army. On that day, it attacked towards the Osuga railway station south of
Rzhev
Rzhev ( rus, Ржев, p=ˈrʐɛf) is a town in Tver Oblast, Russia, located southwest of Staritsa and from Tver, on the highway and railway connecting Moscow and Riga. It is the uppermost town situated on the Volga River. Population:
Hist ...
during the Rzhev–Vyazma Offensive, tasked with reaching the Rzhev-Vyazma railway from the west. During the offensive, the division captured the strongpoints of Monchalovo and Popovka, going on the defensive fifteen kilometers southwest of Osuga station. It was cut off by a German counterattack in the area of
Rzhev
Rzhev ( rus, Ржев, p=ˈrʐɛf) is a town in Tver Oblast, Russia, located southwest of Staritsa and from Tver, on the highway and railway connecting Moscow and Riga. It is the uppermost town situated on the Volga River. Population:
Hist ...
and
Olenino, but fought on in semi-encirclement between February and June, supplied only by a small corridor in the Nesterovo area. During the winter, the 309th Antitank Battalion was removed to Army control (the Howitzer Regiment had been removed earlier) but was replaced by the 110th Antitank Battalion when the division was reorganized in the spring of 1942. Between 2 and 5 July German forces cut off the 39th Army in
Operation Seydlitz
The Battles of Rzhev () were a series of Red Army offensives against the Wehrmacht between 8 January 1942 and 31 March 1943, on the Eastern Front of World War II. The battles took place in the northeast of Smolensk Oblast and the south of Tver ...
with converging attacks on Nesterovo from
Bely and Karskaya, fully encircling the division northwest of Vyazma. The 252nd managed to break out on 22 July to the northeast of
Bely and regrouped near
Selizharovo
Selizharovo () is an urban locality (an urban-type settlement) and the administrative center of Selizharovsky District of Tver Oblast, Russia situated at the confluence of the Selizharovka and Volga Rivers. Population:
History
Selizharovo was ...
.
Battle of Stalingrad
The 252nd went into the Reserve of the Supreme High Command in early August 1942, first assigned to the 4th Reserve Army before being moved to 10th Reserve Army before the end of the month. At this time the division personnel were about 60 percent
Yakut
Yakut or Yakutian may refer to:
* Yakuts, the Turkic peoples indigenous to the Sakha Republic
* Yakut language, a Turkic language
* Yakut scripts, Scripts used to write the Yakut language
* Yakut (name)
* Yakut Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic ...
, with most of the rest being Russian. On 27 August, Urbanovich was replaced in command by Colonel Zinovy Samoilovich Shekhtman. From August to October, the division was rebuilt as part of 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'' ...
at
Vereshchagino
Vereshchagino () is the name of several inhabited localities in Russia.
Urban localities
*Vereshchagino, Vereshchaginsky District, Perm Krai, a town in Vereshchaginsky District of Perm Krai
Rural localities
Ivanovo Oblast
* Vereshchagino, ...
,
Molotov Oblast
Until 1 December 2005, Perm Oblast () was a federal subject of Russia (an oblast) in Privolzhsky (Volga) Federal District. According to the results of the referendum held in October 2004, Perm Oblast was merged with Komi-Permyak Autonomous Okrug t ...
.
The division was ordered to return to the front on 1 October along with six other rebuilt rifle divisions to join the armies of the
Don Front The Don Front was a front of the Soviet Red Army during the Second World War, which existed between September 1942 and February 1943, and was commanded during its entire existence by Konstantin Rokossovsky. The name refers to Don River, Russia.
F ...
north and west of Stalingrad. It was initially allocated to the
66th Army
The 66th Army was a field army of the Red Army. It was established in August 1942 from the 8th Reserve Army. The 66th Army fought to break through to the Volga to the north of Stalingrad during September and October 1942. During Operation Uranus, ...
. On 20 October it formed part of the Army's shock group as Don Front staged its fourth attempt to break through the German-held corridor from the Don to the Volga from the north and reach the
62nd Army
The 62nd Army () was a field army established by the Soviet Union's Red Army during the Second World War.
History
The Army was formed on 28 May 1942 as the 7th Reserve Army, a part of the Reserve of the Supreme High Command. The formation wa ...
besieged in the city. The attack began at 0800 hours and had advanced into the enemy defensive belt by 10:00 In the course of this fighting the 252nd captured the Hill 130.7 region, northeast of Kuzmichi, and the road junction east of that position. The next day the division continued fighting along much the same lines. On 22 October it captured the region of the Motor Tractor Station northeast of Kuzmichi, and made a further advance of the next day, taking Hill 139.7. By this time the division was badly depleted, and the
226th Rifle Division
The 226th Rifle Division was an infantry division of the Red Army, originally formed as one of the first reserve rifle divisions following the German invasion of the USSR. After being hastily organized it arrived at the front along the lower Dniep ...
passed through its positions to take up the advance, but made little further progress and the Army went over to the defense on 27 October. As of 1 November the 252nd was back in the Front reserve.
Operation Uranus
In the buildup to the November counteroffensive the division was transferred to
65th Army. According to a General Staff report of 14 November, In the Army's deployment the division was north of the
Kletskaya bridgehead south of the Don, in second echelon behind the
304th Rifle Division. They were facing the boundary between the Romanian
1st Cavalry and German
376th Infantry Divisions. The operation began on the morning of 19 November. The 304th began its main advance at 08:50 following an 80-minute artillery bombardment which was hampered by low visibility. The Army commander, Lieutenant General
Pavel Batov
Pavel Ivanovich Batov (; – April 19, 1985) was a senior Red Army general during the World War II, Second World War and afterwards, twice Hero of the Soviet Union. Batov fought in World War I, where he was awarded the Cross of St. George twi ...
, wrote that this division "was forced to the ground in front of Melo-Kletskaia." It had encountered skillfully fortified strongpoints manned by German troops that it could not overcome. Further, they faced nearly constant counterattacks from 376th Infantry Division, supported later in the day by elements of
14th Panzer Division
The 14th Panzer Division () was an armoured division in the German Army during World War II. It was created in 1940 by the conversion of the 4th Infantry Division.
The division took part in the invasion of Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union, eve ...
. However, one battalion of the 807th Rifle Regiment made a limited breakthrough, and overnight Batov devised a plan to exploit this. The 252nd, which had crossed into the bridgehead, was to attack at the boundary of the 304th and
27th Guards Rifle Division
Seventh is the ordinal form of the number seven.
Seventh may refer to:
* Seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution
* A fraction (mathematics), , equal to one of seven equal parts
Film and television
*"The Seventh", a second-season ep ...
s when the fighting reached its crescendo.
Shortly after dawn on the 20th those two divisions pushed deeply into the Romanian defenses, and at about 10:00 the 252nd began pushing through at the boundary, soon penetrating the first two enemy defensive positions. Shortly after noon a mobile group, made up of about 45
T-34
The T-34 is a Soviet medium tank from World War II. When introduced, its 76.2 mm (3 in) tank gun was more powerful than many of its contemporaries, and its 60-degree sloped armour provided good protection against Anti-tank warfare, ...
and
KV tanks from 91st Tank Brigade, with submachine gunners riding on their decks, accompanied by motorized infantry and artillery, all under the command of Colonel
Georgy Anisimov Georgy may refer to:
* Georgy (given name), a list of people with the Slavic masculine name Georgy, Georgi or Georgiy
* Georgy, the protagonist in ''Georgy Girl'' novel, film, and song
** ''Georgy'' (musical), a musical based on the novel ''Georgy ...
, began advancing into this breach. By nightfall it had advanced into the left rear of German
XI Army Corps. Meanwhile, the 252nd advanced southeastward against stiffening Axis resistance. Next day 65th Army had five rifle divisions on the attack, registering gains from . Due to Anisimov's armored raid the German 376th Infantry was forced to withdraw eastwards, and Romanian 1st Cavalry abandoned the town of Orekhovskii.
22 November saw the division, along with the 27th Guards, attacking elements of the 14th Panzer Division. By the end of the day that division was forced to withdraw eastwards, in spite of being reinforced by the 132nd Infantry Regiment of
44th Infantry Division. The following day the 252nd continued to throw the German armor and supporting infantry back about to the southeast as they evacuated their tenuous salient west of the Don. On 24 November, after the Soviet encirclement of the Axis forces at Stalingrad had been achieved, 65th Army pressed on, and the division helped to force the German divisions farther east to new defensive positions, advancing about during the day. At nightfall it had reached positions overlooking the Sukhaia Golubaika ravine. By the morning of 25 November the salient had been reduced to about , and now included elements of the
16th Panzer Division and five infantry regiments.
Over the following days Batov continued to reduce the German salient. On 25 November the 252nd reported: "During the day 103 vehicles, 3 aircraft, 52 guns, and 32 antitank guns were seized." By nightfall the bridgehead had been reduced by a further 50 percent in area. Overnight several divisions were transferred from 65th Army to
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 ...
, but the pursuit continued at dawn with the 252nd, 304th and
24th Rifle Divisions, with 91st Tank Brigade back in support of the 304th. Both it and the 252nd advanced several kilometres before being halted by enemy fire from Hill 204.0. Meanwhile, the XI Corps' commander systematically withdrew his remaining men to east of the Don, completing the operation and blowing the bridge on the 27th at about 03:40. Later that morning the division reached the river, threw forward detachments across to the east bank, and captured Akimovskii at 09:00. The German corps continued to fall back, abandoning Vertiachii by noon on 29 November. However, the next day the pursuit came to an abrupt halt as 65th Army came up to the heavy fire and extensive obstacles of Sixth Army's new
main defensive line.
The first test of these defenses came on 4 December. The 252nd, with the 24th Rifle and 27th Guards Rifle, backed by the 304th, "tore one gaping hole and several lesser gaps in the defenses of
VIII Army Corps' 44th Infantry Division." According to a report from Sixth Army to
Army Group Don
Army Group Don () was a short-lived army group of the German Army during World War II. It existed between November 1942 and February 1943 and was primarily concerned with the Battle of Stalingrad, which was concurrently fought.
History
After a ...
a break-in 1,000 metres wide and 2,000 metres deep had been made northeast of Dmitrievka, apparently the work of the 252nd. German counterattacks over the next 24 hours drove the division back, with the loss of 200 killed and 20 prisoners. In the end the German line was mostly restored, but the 24th Division clung to Hill 124.5 (''Chernyi Kurgan''), which remained a thorn in the side of the 44th Infantry during the coming weeks.
Shekhtman was replaced by Anisimov on 5 December, who would be promoted to the rank of major general on 27 January 1943. On 6 and 7 December the German counterattacks continued, and the 252nd was directed north to back up the 24th Division on ''Chernyi Kurgan''. During the month the division came under command of the
21st Army. While there were no further major offensive operations during the month, local attacks by the 252nd and several other divisions caused heavy losses to the 44th and 376th Infantry Divisions on 28 and 29 December.
Operation Ring
As of January 1943, the division had about 50 percent personnel of
Kazakh and
Uzbek nationality, while the remainder were split between Yakut and Russian. When Don Front began its offensive to reduce the Stalingrad pocket on 10 January the 252nd had returned to 65th Army and was in the Army's reserves. During the first two days the Army's main forces made steady progress against the much-weakened VIII Corps and
XIV Panzer Corps
XIV Panzer Corps (also: XIV Army Corps or XIV. ''Armeekorps'') was a corps-level formation of the German Army which fought on both the Eastern Front and in the Italian Campaign.
History
The XIV Panzer Corps was originally formed as the XIV Moto ...
. General Batov committed the division on 12 January, to the right of the 304th Division, and it soon found a gap between the two German corps, reaching the west bank of the Rossoshka River and cutting the withdrawal route of the
29th Motorized Division. It also assisted the
173rd Rifle and
51st Guards Rifle Divisions in a southward thrust of which reached to within of Karpovka by nightfall.
The following day the 252nd, along with the 173rd, was again transferred to 21st Army, which was facing weaker opposition than the 65th. The immediate mission was to liberate Karpovka, then push eastward to seize
Pitomnik airfield
The Pitomnik airfield (, lit. plant nursery) was an airfield in Russia. During the Second World War, it was the primary of seven airfields used by the Nazi Germany, German Wehrmacht during the Battle of Stalingrad.
Flights originating from Pito ...
, one of the main remaining depots for the Sixth Army airlift. On 16 January this was taken with the help of 51st Guards, and the German forces in the Stalingrad pocket were reduced to using the more distant
Gumrak for their inadequate air supplies. Later that day a counterattack by most of the remaining tanks of 14th Panzer Division damaged the division and forced the Army commander to shift fresh forces to its sector.
There was a lull in the fighting from 18–21 January for the refitting of Don Front's forces. When the offensive resumed the 252nd was roughly in the center of the 21st Army's -wide attack sector, about west of Gumrak. By nightfall on 23 January the division had pushed about eastward, clearing the remnants of 29th Motorized from the village strongpoint at Talovoi. Two days later the advance forces of the Army reached to the fringes of Stalingrad proper, while the 252nd helped to seize Hill 122.5, from northeast of Lesoposadochnaia village. The final advance began on 26 January with six of the Army's rifle divisions advancing into the center of the city from the hills to the west. While elements of the Army linked up with the
13th Guards and
284th Rifle Divisions, the remainder continued advancing against surprisingly strong resistance from the remnants of XIV Panzer Corps. By this time, most of Don Front's rifle divisions were reduced to regimental strength.
The next day the division was rotated out of the line for rest, returning on 30 January for the final act, although it was held back from the immediate front lines to be available against unexpected developments. After the surrender of the German forces in Stalingrad on 3 February, the 252nd remained in the region as part of the Stalingrad Group of Forces until 1 March, participating in the mopping up of German holdouts.
Rebuilding, Operation Rumyantsev, and the Battle of the Dnieper
By this time the main preoccupation of the ''STAVKA'' was the German successes in the first phases of 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 ...
. It began reassigning its reserve forces in the south on the evening of 28 February. The 252nd was reassigned to the
24th Army with a directive to the Army's commander: As the crisis deepened, on 12 March the ''STAVKA'' ordered the creation of a Reserve Front, to which 24th Army was assigned.
During March and April the division received replacements and was reorganized along new tables of organization and equipment in the area of the Kolodeznaya railway station. On 3 May the division was assigned to
53rd Army
The 53rd Army was a field army of the Soviet Union's Red Army which was formed in August 1941, disbanded in December 1941, and reformed in May 1942. It fought throughout World War II before again being disbanded after the war in October 1945. Th ...
, still in the High Command Reserve. Just prior to the German summer offensive 53rd Army was part of the Steppe Military District, which became
Steppe Front
The Steppe Front () was a front of the Red Army during the Second World War which existed from July to October 1943.
History
On 9 July 1943, Stavka designated a new Reserve Front in the Voronezh region, that had been effective since 30 April.G ...
when the
Battle of Kursk
The Battle of Kursk, also called the Battle of the Kursk Salient, was a major World War II Eastern Front battle between the forces of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union near Kursk in southwestern Russia during the summer of 1943, resulting in ...
began. Shortly after the enemy offensive ended 53rd Army was transferred to
Voronezh Front
The 1st Ukrainian Front (), previously the Voronezh Front (), was a major formation of the Red Army during World War II, being equivalent to a Western army group. They took part in the capture of Berlin, the capital of Nazi Germany.
Wartime ...
. The 252nd was in second echelon when the Army began its
offensive
Offensive may refer to:
* Offensive (military), type of military operation
* Offensive, the former name of the Dutch political party Socialist Alternative
* Fighting words, spoken words which would have a tendency to cause acts of violence by the ...
towards
Kharkov
Kharkiv, also known as Kharkov, is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city in Ukraine. on 3 August, and so distinguished itself in the fighting for that city that it was awarded its name as a battle honor when the city was captured on 23 August, one of the first such honorifics awarded:Two days later the division was further recognized with the award of 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 ...
. Attacking towards
Poltava
Poltava (, ; , ) is a city located on the Vorskla, Vorskla River in Central Ukraine, Central Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Poltava Oblast as well as Poltava Raion within the oblast. It also hosts the administration of Po ...
, the division captured
Liubotyn in cooperation with the 84th Rifle Division on 29 August. On 20 September Anisimov, who had been promoted to corps command, was replaced in command by Colonel Ivan Aleksandrovich Gorbachyov, who was in turn replaced by Colonel Ivan Semyonovich Frolov on 15 October. During the
Battle of the Dnieper
The Battle of the Dnieper was a military campaign that took place in 1943 on the Eastern Front of World War II. Being one of the largest operations of the war, it involved almost four million troops at one point and stretched over a front.
Ov ...
, on the night of 1 October, the 252nd crossed the river in the area of Chkalova,
Kremenchuk Raion
Kremenchuk Raion () is a raion (district) in Poltava Oblast, central Ukraine. The raion's administrative center is the city of Kremenchuk. Population:
On 18 July 2020, as part of the administrative reform of Ukraine, the number of raions of Polt ...
,
Poltava Oblast
Poltava Oblast (), also referred to as Poltavshchyna (), is an administrative divisions of Ukraine, oblast (province) of central Ukraine. The capital city, administrative center of the oblast is the city of Poltava. Most of its territory was par ...
, and captured a bridgehead on the right bank. Gorbachyov was concussed during the fighting for the bridgehead on 7 October and spent more than a month into the hospital, returning to command on 11 November. He continued to lead the division for the rest of the war, being promoted to major general on 10 April 1944.
Kirovograd to Prague
The division remained in 53rd Army for the rest of the year, then transferred to
4th Guards Army in
2nd Ukrainian Front
The 2nd Ukrainian Front () was a front of the Red Army during the Second World War.
History
On October 20, 1943, the Steppe Front was renamed the 2nd Ukrainian Front.
In mid-May 1944 Malinovsky took over the 2nd Ukrainian Front.
During t ...
on 9 January 1944. It remained in this front through the spring and summer, in either 4th Guards or
52nd Army. The division fought in the
Kirovograd Offensive during the first half of January and the
Korsun–Shevchenkovsky Offensive between late January and February. It was transferred to the 52nd Army on 13 February. During the
Uman–Botoșani Offensive
The Uman–Botoșani offensiveTsouras, p. 244 or Uman–Botoshany offensive () was a part of the Dnieper–Carpathian offensive, carried out by the Red Army in the western Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic against the German 8th Army (Wehrma ...
, on 19 March the 252nd was recognized for its role in the liberation of
Uman
Uman (, , ) is a city in Cherkasy Oblast, central Ukraine. It is located to the east of Vinnytsia. Located in the east of the historical region of Podolia, the city rests on the banks of the Umanka River. Uman serves as the administrative c ...
with the
Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky, 2nd degree. After crossing the
Dniester
The Dniester ( ) is a transboundary river in Eastern Europe. It runs first through Ukraine and then through Moldova (from which it more or less separates the breakaway territory of Transnistria), finally discharging into the Black Sea on Uk ...
, it helped capture the key rail junction and city of
Beltsy on 26 March. For these actions, in addition to its reaching the Soviet border, the division was awarded 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, on 8 April. From 10 April the division participated in defensive actions at
Bursuceni and
Teșcureni in
Bessarabia
Bessarabia () is a historical region in Eastern Europe, bounded by the Dniester river on the east and the Prut river on the west. About two thirds of Bessarabia lies within modern-day Moldova, with the Budjak region covering the southern coa ...
with the
78th Rifle Corps of 52nd Army. With the corps, it returned to the 4th Guards Army on 16 August to fight in the
Jassy–Kishinev Offensive. In the latter, it helped to defeat the German-Romanian forces around
Jassy and
Kishinev, and took part in the capture of
Ungheni
Ungheni () is a municipality in Moldova. With a population of 35,157, it is the seventh largest town in Moldova and the seat of Ungheni District.
There is a bridge across the Prut and a List of Moldova–Romania border crossings, border chec ...
on 22 August. From 9 September to 5 October it was once again withdrawn to the Reserve of the Supreme High Command for rebuilding at
Lutsk
Lutsk (, ; see #Names and etymology, below for other names) is a city on the Styr River in northwestern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of Volyn Oblast and the administrative center of Lutsk Raion within the oblast. Lutsk has a populati ...
, then relocated to
Arad with the army. As part of this, the 110th Antitank Battalion was re-equipped with 12
SU-76
The SU-76 ('' Samokhodnaya Ustanovka 76'') was a Soviet light self-propelled gun used during and after World War II. The SU-76 was based on a lengthened version of the T-70 light tank chassis and armed with the ZIS-3 mod. 1942 76-mm divisional ...
self-propelled guns.
With the 4th Guards Army, the division was transferred to the
4th Ukrainian Front
The 4th Ukrainian Front () was the name of two distinct Red Army strategic army groups that fought on the Eastern Front in World War II.
The front was first formed on 20 October 1943, by renaming the Southern Front and was involved in the Lower ...
on 3 November and reconcentrated in Hungary, where it fought in the
Budapest Offensive. During this, the division crossed the
Danube
The Danube ( ; see also #Names and etymology, other names) is the List of rivers of Europe#Longest rivers, second-longest river in Europe, after the Volga in Russia. It flows through Central and Southeastern Europe, from the Black Forest sou ...
on 1 December, establishing a bridgehead on the right bank, allowing for the ferrying of other units to it. The division went on to participate in the capture of
Székesfehérvár
Székesfehérvár (; ; ; ; Serbian language, Serbian: ''Стони Београд''; ), known colloquially as Fehérvár (), is a city in central Hungary, and the country's ninth-largest city. It is the Regions of Hungary, regional capital of C ...
on 23 December.
The division held positions north of
Lake Balaton
Lake Balaton () is a freshwater rift lake in the Transdanubian region of Hungary. It is the List of largest lakes of Europe, largest lake in Central Europe, and one of the region's foremost tourist destinations. The Zala River provides the larges ...
in mid-January, with the
1st Guards Fortified District to the south, as part of the
135th Rifle Corps 135th may refer to:
*135th (2/1st South Western) Brigade, formation of the Territorial Force of the British Army
*135th (Limerick) Regiment of Foot, infantry regiment of the British Army, created and promptly disbanded in 1796
* 135th (Middlesex) B ...
. The main attack of
Operation Konrad III
Operation Konrad III was a German military offensive on the Eastern Front of the Second World War. It was the third and most ambitious of the three Konrad Operations and had the objective of relieving the siege of Budapest and recapturing ...
, a counterattack launched by the German
IV SS Panzer Corps
The IV SS Panzer Corps was a panzer corps of the ''Waffen-SS'' which saw action on the Eastern Front and in the Balkans during World War II.
History
The corps was formed in August 1943 in Poitiers, France. The formation was originally to be a sk ...
in an attempt to relieve the Siege of Budapest. The brunt of the attack was borne by the 1st Guards Fortified District and the 928th Rifle Regiment, which held a front of on the left flank of the division. The German attack began at 06:30 on 18 January, and broke through the 1st Guards Fortified District, whose anti-tank capabilities proved too weak to stop
Tiger II
The Tiger II was a Nazi Germany, German heavy tank of the World War II, Second World War. The final official German designation was ''Panzerkampfwagen'' Tiger ''Ausf''. B, often shortened to Tiger B.Jentz and Doyle 1993, p. 16. The ordnance inve ...
tanks. As a result, the
1st Panzer Division bypassed the left flank of the 252nd and entered its rear, surrounding the 928th, whose men broke out in small groups. To the right of the 928th, the 932nd Rifle Regiment retreated under German pressure to the line of a canal south of Székesfehérvár. The collapse of the Soviet lines allowed the German forces to reach the corps headquarters, disrupting command and control.
Elements of the 252nd, along with the
93rd Rifle Division, formed a defensive line on the
Sárvíz Canal, where demolished bridges stopped the advance of the IV SS Panzer Corps' left flank. The
lines of communication
A line of communication (or communications) is the route that connects an operating military unit with its supply base.
Supplies and reinforcements are transported along the line of communication. Therefore, a secure and open line of communicat ...
of the division were disrupted by
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109 is a monoplane fighter aircraft that was designed and initially produced by the Nazi Germany, German aircraft manufacturer Messerschmitt#History, Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW). Together with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, the ...
strafing and bombing attacks on 19 January due to temporary clear skies. By 10:00 on 22 January, the 252nd, whose sector was now relatively calm, took up positions behind the
5th Guards Cavalry Corps
The 5th Guards Don Cossack Cavalry Corps () was a cavalry corps of the Red Army during World War II.
History
The corps was formed on 19 November 1942 as the 5th Guards Don Cossack Cavalry Corps, assigned to the Northern Group of Forces of the ...
in the strip of land between
Lake Velence
Lake Velence ( ; ), an endorheic basin, is the third largest natural lake in Hungary. It is a popular holiday destination among Hungarians.
The lake has an area of 26 km2, one third of which is covered by Phragmites, the common reed. Because ...
and the Danube. On 24 January the 5th Guards retreated in the face of the German attack back to the line of the 252nd, which had suffered heavy losses at the beginning of Konrad III, but the defense in the sector held due to the introduction of Soviet mechanized forces and
Ilyushin Il-2
The Ilyushin Il-2 ( Russian: Илью́шин Ил-2) is a ground-attack plane that was produced by the Soviet Union in large numbers during the Second World War. The word ''shturmovík'' (Cyrillic: штурмовик), the generic Russian term ...
air attacks on the German advance.
With the
46th Army from 3 February 1945 the division repulsed German attempts to break the siege in the
Esztergom
Esztergom (; ; or ; , known by Names of European cities in different languages: E–H#E, alternative names) is a city with county rights in northern Hungary, northwest of the capital Budapest. It lies in Komárom-Esztergom County, on the righ ...
area. The division was transferred to the
23rd Rifle Corps
The 23rd Rifle Corps was a corps of the Soviet Red Army. It was part of the 4th Army. It took part in the Soviet invasion of Poland in 1939.
History
On 22 June 1941 it was part of the Transcaucasian Military District comprising the 136th and 13 ...
on 19 February. With the 46th Army, it transferred back to the 2nd Ukrainian Front on 21 February. The 252nd fought in the
Vienna Offensive
The Vienna offensive was an offensive launched by the Soviet 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian Fronts in order to capture Vienna, Austria, during World War II. The offensive lasted from 16 March to 15 April 1945. After several days of street-to-street figh ...
from mid-March, capturing
Komárom
Komárom (Hungarian: ; or ; , later ; ) is a city in Hungary on the south bank of the Danube in Komárom-Esztergom County. Komárom fortress played an important role in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 and many contemporary English sources r ...
on 28 March and advancing to the Hungary-Czechoslovakia border. Crossing the Danube near the Szent Pál island on 30 March, it captured
Komárno
Komárno (, , ), colloquially also called ''Révkomárom'', ''Öregkomárom'', ''Észak-Komárom'' in Hungarian language, Hungarian, is a town in Slovakia at the confluence of the Danube and the Váh rivers. Historically it was formed by the "old ...
on the same day. The division was then transferred to the
7th Guards Army
The 7th Guards Army was a field army of the Red Army during World War II and of the Soviet Army during the Cold War.
History
The 7th Guards Army was formed from the 64th Army on April 16, 1943.
64th Army had originally been formed from 1s ...
, with which it fought in the
Bratislava–Brno Offensive, participating in the liberation of
Bratislava
Bratislava (German: ''Pressburg'', Hungarian: ''Pozsony'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the Slovakia, Slovak Republic and the fourth largest of all List of cities and towns on the river Danube, cities on the river Danube. ...
on 4 April, for which it received the following honorific:
In the final days of the war, the 252nd fought in the
Prague Offensive, pursuing retreating German forces. It linked up with the American
2nd Infantry Division at the village of
Svojkovice east of
Plzeň
Plzeň (), also known in English and German as Pilsen (), is a city in the Czech Republic. It is the Statutory city (Czech Republic), fourth most populous city in the Czech Republic with about 188,000 inhabitants. It is located about west of P ...
on 13 May. The division ended the war as the 252nd Kharkov-Bratislava Red Banner Orders of Suvorov and Bogdan Khmelnitsky Rifle Division (Russian: 252-я стрелковая Харьковско-Братиславская Краснознамённая орденов Суворова и Богдана Хмельницкого дивизия). During the war, fourteen men of the division received the title
Hero of the Soviet Union
The title Hero of the Soviet Union () was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded together with the Order of Lenin personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society. The title was awarded both ...
.
Postwar
After the end of the war, the division remained in Czechoslovakia in the town of
Mýto, east of Plzeň, until 6 June, after which it relocated to southwestern Hungary, where it was stationed in camps and manorial estates at Gyöngyöspuszta and Szentmihály south of
Kadarkút. In Hungary, the division conducted combat training and served at border guard posts on the Hungary-
Yugoslavia
, common_name = Yugoslavia
, life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation
, p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia
, flag_p ...
border. With its corps and army, the 252nd became part of the
Central Group of Forces
The Central Group of Forces (Russian: Центральная группа войск) was a formation of the Soviet Armed Forces used to incorporate Soviet troops in Central Europe on two occasions: in Austria and Hungary from 1945 to 1955 and tr ...
when the latter was formed on 10 June from units of the
1st
First most commonly refers to:
* First, the ordinal form of the number 1
First or 1st may also refer to:
Acronyms
* Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters, an astronomical survey carried out by the Very Large Array
* Far Infrared a ...
and 2nd Ukrainian Fronts. In accordance with an order of the Central Group of Forces on 21 June, the 442nd Divisional Artillery Brigade was formed in the division as part of a reorganization of Red Army rifle divisions to increase organic artillery capability; it included the 787th Gun, the 826th Howitzer Artillery, and 670th Mortar Regiments. The 1012th Separate Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion and 583rd Separate Self-Propelled Artillery Battalion, the latter equipped with the SU-76s, were also formed as units under the direct control of the division headquarters.
In accordance with an order of the Central Group of Forces, the division was transported by rail to the Soviet Union via
Kaposvár
Kaposvár (; also known by alternative names) is a city with county rights in southwestern Hungary, south of Lake Balaton. It is one of the leading cities of Transdanubia, the capital of Somogy County, and the seat of the Kaposvár District and th ...
, Budapest,
Sighet,
Rostov
Rostov-on-Don is a port city and the administrative centre of Rostov Oblast and the Southern Federal District of Russia. It lies in the southeastern part of the East European Plain on the Don River, from the Sea of Azov, directly north of t ...
, and
Mineralnye Vody
Mineralnye Vody (Min-Vody) ( rus, Минеральные Воды (Мин-Воды), p=mʲɪnʲɪˈralʲnɨjə ˈvodɨ, mʲɪn ˈvodɨ; lit. ''mineral waters'') is a town in Stavropol Krai, Russia, located along the Kuma River and the main rail ...
, with the rest of the
23rd Rifle Corps
The 23rd Rifle Corps was a corps of the Soviet Red Army. It was part of the 4th Army. It took part in the Soviet invasion of Poland in 1939.
History
On 22 June 1941 it was part of the Transcaucasian Military District comprising the 136th and 13 ...
from 20 December, and by 15 February 1946 the division had fully arrived in the Stavropol Military District (merged into the
North Caucasus Military District
The North Caucasus Military District was a military district of the Russian Armed Forces from 1992-2010. Before 1992 it had been part of the Soviet Armed Forces since 1918. In 2010 it became the Southern Military District and lately also included t ...
shortly afterwards). The corps was renumbered as the 60th upon arrival. By New Year's Day 1946, the units of the division were stationed as follows: division headquarters, the 924th and 928th Rifle Regiments, the 583rd Separate Self-Propelled Artillery Battalion, the 672nd Separate Communications Battalion, the 420th Separate Sapper Battalion, the 332nd Separate Motor Reconnaissance Company, the separate training battalion, and two auto transport companies at
Nalchik
Nalchik (, ; ; ) is the capital city of Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia, situated at an altitude of in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains; about northwest of Beslan (Beslan is in the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania). It covers an area of ...
, the 932nd Rifle Regiment at
Dzaudzhikau, and the headquarters of the 442nd Divisional Artillery Brigade with its 787th Gun and 826th Howitzer Artillery, and 670th Mortar Regiments, the 310th Separate Anti-Tank (Tank Destroyer) Battalion with anti-tank guns, and the 1012th Separate Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion at
Prokhladny Prokhladny (; masculine), Prokhladnaya (; feminine), or Prokhladnoye (; neuter) is the name of several inhabited localities in Russia.
;Urban localities
*Prokhladny, Kabardino-Balkar Republic, a town in the Kabardino-Balkar Republic;
;Rural local ...
.
Reduced to the 15th Separate Rifle Brigade on 1 July, its 924th, 928th, and 932nd Rifle Regiments became the 168th, 172nd, and 176th Separate Rifle Battalions, respectively, while the divisional artillery brigade was eliminated. The 787th Artillery Regiment, the SU-76-equipped 23rd Separate Self-Propelled Artillery Battery, the 332nd Separate Motor Reconnaissance Company, and communications, sapper, and training rifle companies rounded out the brigade. The brigade, with a total personnel strength of 2,010, had all of its units at Nalchik except for the 787th at Prokhladny. The brigade was disbanded in May 1947, and its personnel were used to reinforce other units of the district. Gorbachyov was sent to courses at the
Military Academy of the General Staff.
Footnotes
References
Citations
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
* – Located in fond 949, opus 1, file 2 of the Central Archives of the Russian Ministry of Defence
* – Located in fond 949, opus 1, file 419 of the Central Archives of the Russian Ministry of Defence
*
*
* – Translated into English by Stuart Britton as
*
*
* – Located in fond 949, opus 1, file 2 of the Central Archives of the Russian Ministry of Defence
*
* – Located in fond 871, opus 1, file 1a of the Central Archives of the Russian Ministry of Defence
*
*
*
*
External links
Viktor Kazimirovich Urbanovich
{{Soviet Union divisions before 1945
252
Year 252 ( CCLII) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Trebonianus and Volusianus (or, less frequently, year 1005 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination 252 for t ...
Military units and formations established in 1941
Military units and formations disestablished in 1947
Military units and formations awarded the Order of the Red Banner