Rifle platoon of the Red Army. Red Army Rifle Division (SD)
Rifle Division Red Army ( sd) (below wartime staff)
Main operational-tactical formation ( military unit) Red Army of the USSR Armed Forces, related by type of troops to the infantry of the Red Army.
It consisted of a directorate, three rifle regiments, an artillery regiment and other units and subunits.
The staff strength of the division at the beginning of 1941 was 14,483 people (staff 04/400-416 from 04/05/41).
Rifle Division is a military unit consisting of units and subunits various genera troops united under the sole command (excluding the pre-war period and the period of the beginning of the Second World War) of the division commander and the division's control (headquarters).
Rifle Division has its own military number or name assigned to it, its own battle flag, seal and field mail number.
Rifle divisions could be united into pages of the corps and army.
Rifle Division is the largest in number and armament military unit, having a permanent (regular) composition, independent of the goals and objectives of the division. The composition of large-numbered formations is, as a rule, variable in nature and depends on the goals and objectives of a particular formation.
To the beginning of the Great Patriotic War The Red Army had 198 rifle divisions.
Rifle division of the Red Army in the pre-war period
Beginning in 1936, a single wartime state 04/620 was introduced. The units and divisions included in the division were provided with their own states, but in general it is customary to call the state rifle division by division management staff number.
Number and weapons according to the state 04/620. Structure and personnel.
Composition (units and divisions) | Number of personnel |
Division Office (staff 04/620) | 135 people |
Three rifle regiments (staff 04/621) | 2485 people each |
Separate communications battalion (staff 04/626) | 330 people |
Separate engineer battalion (staff 04/627) | 499 people |
Separate tank battalion (staff 04/628) | 349 people |
Artillery Park (state 04/629) | 351 people |
Degassing detachment (staff 04/630) | 32 people |
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============================================================ Personnel, weapons and transport of the regiment.Data are presented as of the beginning of the war, based on from staff 04/401 dated April 5, 1941. Further changes in numbers during the war are given below. Personnel of the rifle regiment since April 1941:Total: 3182 people Small armsAir defense systemsArtillery and mortarsTransportRadio stations and field kitchensThe regiment had 24 radio stations and 21 field kitchens Regimental units and officialsData are provided as of the beginning of the war, based on state 04/401 of April 5, 1941. Further changes in the structure and armament of the regiment during the war are given below. Regimental commanderThe entire personnel of the regiment was subordinate to the regiment commander, and he also bore full responsibility for the condition of the military unit and its fighting. The powers of the commander of a rifle regiment were limited at the beginning of the war by the presence in the regiment of a commissar who had no less powers than the regiment commander, and in some cases even more. During the Second World War, colonels were appointed to the position of commander of a rifle regiment; in reality, lieutenant colonels and majors were also appointed. Armament of the regiment commander: 1 pistol (according to the TT staff, in reality it could have been, for example, a Nagan); According to the staff, the regiment commander (as well as his deputy) was entitled to a riding horse. Directly subordinate to the regiment commander were:
Each person subordinate to the regiment commander was armed with a pistol. Regimental headquartersThe regimental headquarters was headed by the chief of staff of the regiment with the rank of lieutenant colonel and consisted of 8 command personnel, one clerk with the rank of foreman and two private clerks. The regiment headquarters itself was armed with 11 pistols, 1 submachine gun (PPD) and 4 rifles or carbines (Mosin rifle). The regiment's headquarters were assigned 7 riding horses. The chief of staff of the regiment had his assistants (abbreviated as PNS):
Also directly subordinate to the chief of staff were:
Party political apparatusThe regiment's party-political apparatus consisted of four commanding officers armed with pistols. At the beginning of the war, the regiment had a deputy regiment commander for political affairs, who, soon after the start of the war, was replaced by a commissar who was no longer subordinate to the regiment commander. In addition to the political officer (commissar), the regimental apparatus included a party organizer, a Komsomol organizer and an agitator. Rifle battalionsEach rifle regiment had three rifle battalions. The rifle battalion was headed by a battalion commander with the rank of major. The commander's weapon is a pistol; the commander was entitled to a riding horse. Battalion HeadquartersThe rifle battalion headquarters consisted of three people officers (chief of staff and two assistant chiefs of staff) and one ordinary clerk. They were entitled to one pistol, one submachine gun and two rifles; two riding horses and three carts. Directly subordinate to the battalion headquarters were:
Rifle companyEach battalion had three rifle companies. Each rifle company had a commander with the rank of captain and political officer (officers), a foreman (junior command staff), a rider with a horse, a clerk, two snipers and a messenger (privates). Everyone except the officers was armed with rifles. The rifle company consisted of three rifle platoons, one machine gun platoon and a medical squad.
Regimental artilleryRegimental artillery was subordinate to the regimental artillery chief. It consisted of three batteries.
The battery was armed with six 45-mm anti-tank guns. The battery was led by a battery commander; a political instructor was responsible for political work (both were armed with pistols); the battery had a sergeant major armed with a rifle. They had three riding horses on staff. In addition, the battery staff included two ordinary reconnaissance officers (each with a riding horse), also armed with rifles. The battery consisted of three fire platoons, each of which had a commander (personal weapon - pistol) and two gun crews. The crew of the 45-mm gun consisted of 8 people, two in the rank of sergeant and six privates, who had one pistol and seven rifles as personal weapons. The crew had at their disposal one riding horse and one cart. The battery had a field kitchen.
The battery was armed with six 76-mm regimental guns. The battery was headed by a battery commander, a political instructor was responsible for political work, and there was a sergeant major in the battery. The battery also had a paramedic and a veterinary paramedic in officer ranks. They had five riding horses on staff. The battery consisted of three fire platoons, each of which had a commander, a senior rider (two horses were available) and two gun crews. The crew of the 76-mm gun consisted of 11 people, two in the rank of sergeant and nine privates. The crew had one riding horse at their disposal. Unlike the battery of 45-mm guns, this battery also had a control platoon (1 officer, 5 sergeants and 18 privates with 6 horses and 6 carts, 6 radio stations), an ammunition platoon (1 officer, 3 sergeants and 21 privates with 4 horses and 9 carts) and a utility platoon (2 sergeants and 9 privates with 2 horses, 1 cart and 2 field kitchens). The battery's personal weapons consisted of 13 pistols, 5 submachine guns and 114 carbines.
The battery was armed with four 120-mm regimental mortars. The battery was led by a battery commander armed with a pistol; a political instructor armed with a submachine gun was responsible for political work; the battery had a sergeant major armed with a rifle. They had three riding horses on staff. In addition, the battery staff included two ordinary reconnaissance officers (each with a riding horse), also armed with rifles. The battery had five private telephone operators with five rifles and an ordinary rider with a rifle and a leash. The battery consisted of two fire platoons, each of which had a commander and two mortar crews. The crew of the 120-mm mortar consisted of 10 people, one with the rank of sergeant and nine privates, armed with one pistol and nine rifles, respectively. The crew had one cart at their disposal. Sapper companyThe sapper company was supervised by a regimental engineer, who was responsible in the regiment for the arrangement of fortifications, various types of barriers, dugouts, trenches and trenches, means for crossing rivers, etc. Direct command of the sapper company was exercised by its commander; the company also had a political instructor (both with horses and pistols), the head of the company's chemical service (also an officer), and a sergeant-major and a messenger were present in the company. The last three in the state were entitled to rifles. The company consisted of two sapper platoons, each of which had a commander (officer), five sergeants and 32 private sappers. The platoon had 5 pistols and 33 rifles. The company had a utility department of three privates, headed by a sergeant, with four rifles and three carts. Chemical defense platoonSupervised by the regimental commander, headed by the platoon commander in officer rank, had 6 sergeants and 16 privates. The platoon commander was entitled to a pistol, the rest were armed with rifles. The platoon was required to have 4 carts. Sanitary companyFor the organization medical care the regiment's senior doctor was responsible for the sanitary condition of the unit. The sanitary company was headed by a doctor with the rank of officer; Besides him, the company had three more medical officers, 11 paramedics and 40 privates. They, excluding the senior doctor, were provided with 4 pistols, 27 rifles, 13 carts and 9 trucks, as well as one field kitchen. Veterinary hospitalThe infirmary was headed by the senior veterinarian of the regiment, responsible for the condition, maintenance and treatment of the equine staff. In total, in the infirmary, in addition to the senior doctor, there were two veterinarians with officer rank and 10 privates, who had 1 pistol and 8 rifles. The infirmary had three carts. Housekeeping partHeaded by the head of the economic department. The unit consisted of 7 officers, including the chief, including the chief of artillery weapons, the head of the food service, the head of the clothing service, the head of the military-technical service, the head of the financial service, the head of the transport service, as well as 8 non-commissioned officers armed with pistols and rifles respectively. All of them relied on 3 riding horses. The part included:
1941 changesAlready in August 1941, changes in the structure of the rifle regiment began according to state No. 04/601 dated July 29, 1941. First of all, this was due to losses in weapons and personnel. Both newly created regiments and existing ones were subject to formation according to the new staff.
Accordingly, there was a decrease in the regiment's personnel by 459 people, or about 14%, with a total of 2,723 people remaining in the regiment. On October 12, 1941, by Order of the NKO No. 0405, mortars were generally removed from rifle companies and battalions and consolidated into mortar battalions within rifle regiments. (24 50-mm and 82-mm mortars each, 48 mortars in total). In turn, 120-mm mortars were removed from the regiments and transferred to the divisional level. At the same time, by the same order, a company of machine gunners in the amount of 100 people, armed with submachine guns, with a company commander, a sergeant major and a political instructor, was introduced into the regiment. Further changes in the composition of the regiment followed according to the state dated December 6, 1941 No. 04/751 The regiment included a company of anti-tank rifles in the amount of 79 people with a company commander, a sergeant major and a political instructor. The number of people in the regiment increased by 234 people compared to the previous staff and became 2957 people. 1942 changesOn March 16, 1942, by Order of the NKO No. 0405, a company of anti-tank rifles in the amount of 16 units was introduced into the rifle battalion, and on March 18, 1942, a new staff of regiment No. 04/201 was approved. The regiment's personnel, in accordance with this staff, increased to 3173 people. In a number of divisions in 1942, the process of transferring mortars from divisions to the regimental level and from the regiment level to the battalion and company levels began. Thus, platoons of 50-mm mortars (3 mortars each) were recreated in rifle companies, companies of 82-mm mortars (9 mortars each), and in a regiment - a battery of 120-mm mortars (6 mortars). Later, by order of NKO No. 306 of October 8, 1942, this practice was officially formalized. But even earlier, on July 28, 1942, due to a chronic shortage of personnel due to losses, the new staff of regiment No. 04/301 came into force, according to which the number of people in the regiment was again reduced to 2517 people. However, in fact, until 1943, rifle regiments were maintained in three different states, December 1941, March 1942 and July 1942. Changes 1942-1944On December 10, 1942, State No. 04/551 was approved, in accordance with which rifle regiments were formed and staffed until the end of 1944. The strength of the rifle regiment began to be 2443 people. One 50-mm mortar was removed from the rifle companies, 2 mortars remained, and one 120-mm mortar was added to the regiment's mortar battery, so there were 7 of them. The anti-tank rifle company in the battalion was reduced to a platoon with 9 rifles. At the same time, staff No. 04/501 of the Guards Rifle Regiment was approved. The main differences in the organization of the Guards Rifle Regiment from the usual one were the presence of two companies of machine gunners instead of one, two heavy machine guns in a rifle company instead of one, 12 heavy machine guns in a machine gun company instead of 9, the number of regimental mortars was also increased to 8 and finally remained in the Guards Rifle Regiment PTR company of 16 guns. Accordingly, the number of personnel increased. On July 15, 1943, minor changes followed in the staff of the rifle regiment (both guards and regular), associated with a decrease in the number of rifles and an increase in submachine guns. 1945 changesOn December 18, 1944, staff No. 05/41 was approved for the Guards Rifle Regiments. At the end of the Great Patriotic War, it was used for a number of guards divisions, and from June 9, 1945, with some changes, it was declared an active staff for all rifle regiments of the Red Army. It must be borne in mind that the overwhelming majority of ordinary rifle regiments ended the war in the previous state. Thus, the changes affected a small part of military units. Among the changes in particular: At rifle company level
At rifle battalion level
At rifle regiment level
The regiment numbered 2,725 people, with a rifle battalion of 670 people and a rifle company of 114 people. Also in each regiment there were two companies of machine gunners, each numbering 98 people. In June 1945, the staff changed somewhat: the strength of the regiment began to be 2,398 people, with a battalion of 555 people and a company of 104 people. |
In June 1941 The Red Army consisted of:
198 divisions of rifle troops (rifle, mountain rifle and motorized rifle);
61 tank;
31 motorized divisions;
13 cavalry divisions (4 of them are mountain cavalry);
16 airborne brigades (an additional 10 such brigades were formed).
In terms of organization and level of equipment with military equipment, all these formations had no equal in the world. At the same time, the training of command personnel formed in pre-war years formations of the Red Army left much to be desired.
The active measures taken by the NKVD bodies to “mercilessly uproot Trotskyist-Bukharin and bourgeois-nationalist elements from the army environment” not only led to the removal of approximately 40,000 commanders from the armed forces different levels, but also caused a stream of unforeseen, not planned in advance moves up the career ladder. This, in turn, further aggravated the situation with command personnel - due to the massive formation of new formations, there was an acute shortage of them.
The shortage of command personnel has reached astronomical proportions. For example, in the Kiev Military District alone there were a shortage of 3,400 platoon commanders; individuals who had no experience in commanding units were appointed as formation commanders. The same was said, in particular, at one of the meetings by the commander of the Transbaikal Military District, Lieutenant General I.S. Konev: “I consider it completely unacceptable, given all the need for personnel that exists, for commanders to be appointed to the position of division commanders without ever commanding a regiment.” Therefore, it is not surprising. that after a sudden attack by Nazi troops on June 22, 1941, control of many Red Army formations was lost and they ceased to exist as combat units.
Rifle troops
In accordance with State No. 4/100 approved on April 5, 1941, the main rifle division included 3 rifle regiments and, unlike the infantry divisions of the armies of other countries of the world, not one, but two artillery regiments. In addition to these units, the division included anti-tank and anti-aircraft artillery divisions, and direct fire support for the actions of rifle units was provided by the Red (Soviet) Army 1941 - 1945. — The organization was carried out by artillery and mortar batteries that were part of rifle regiments and battalions.
Every rifle regiment, in addition to three rifle battalions, included a battery of regimental guns of 76.2 mm caliber, a battery of 45 mm anti-tank guns and a battery of 120 mm mortars. The battalion had a platoon of 45 mm anti-tank guns and a company of 82 mm mortars.
Each of the division's 27 rifle companies had two 50 mm mortars. Thus, the rifle division was supposed to have 210 guns and mortars (excluding 50-mm mortars), which made it possible to classify it as a rifle-artillery formation (already in 1935, 40% of the division’s personnel were artillerymen and machine gunners). Another feature of the division was a fairly strong reconnaissance battalion, which included, in addition to other units, a company of amphibious tanks (16 vehicles) and a company of armored vehicles (13 vehicles).
Before the mass deployment of mechanized units began in 1940, many rifle divisions of the Red Army also had a tank battalion consisting of two or three companies of light tanks (up to 54 vehicles).
Taking into account the presence of an automobile battalion in the division (more than 400 vehicles, in war time- 558) the division commander had the opportunity, if necessary, to form a powerful mobile formation consisting of reconnaissance and tank battalions and an infantry regiment on trucks with artillery.
By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, tank battalions remained in three rifle divisions of the Trans-Baikal Military District. These divisions also included additional motor transport units and were called motorized rifle divisions.
Each of motorized rifle divisions had a population of 12,000 people.
According to state number 4/100, the strength of the rifle division was 10,291 people, all of its units were deployed, and in the event of mobilization to complete the wartime staff, the division was supposed to receive an additional 4,200 personnel, 1,100 horses and about 150 vehicles.
The strength and equipment of a wartime Soviet rifle division in 1941 and a Wehrmacht infantry division on the eve of the war are shown for comparison in the table below.
Red (Soviet) Army 1941 - 1945. — Organization
The table shows that in terms of the number of personnel infantry division The Wehrmacht outnumbered the rifle division of the Red Army. At the same time, the latter had an advantage in automatic small arms (here it must be taken into account that, among other things, a significant part of the Soviet infantrymen were armed with self-loading rifles SVT-38 and SVT-40), mortars and armored vehicles.
Since it was not possible to maintain all rifle divisions according to the main staff No. 4/100 economic reasons, some of the divisions were formed in a reduced composition according to State No. 4/120, according to which out of 27 rifle companies only 9 were deployed, and the rest were “designated” as cadres. The division consisted of 5864 people, it had almost all the weapons and weapons required by the wartime staff. Combat vehicles. During the mobilization of the division, it was necessary to accept 6,000 reservists and receive the 2,000 horses and about 400 vehicles missing to the wartime staff.
At the same time, combat units “designated” by personnel were deployed, crews of artillery guns and mortars were supplemented with auxiliary numbers, and rear units were formed. To prepare a reduced division for combat use it took approximately 20-30 days: 1-3 days - arrival at the assigned unit; 4th day - putting together units; 5th day - completion of formation, preparation for combat use; 6th day - completion of combat coordination of regiment units, preparation for tactical exercises; 7-8 days - battalion tactical exercises; Days 9-10 - regimental tactical exercises. The rest of the time is completing the formation and preparing the division for combat operations.
Along with rifle divisions designed to conduct combat operations primarily on flat terrain, the Red Army at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War had 19 mountain rifle divisions. Unlike the rifle division, this division included 4 mountain rifle regiments, each of which consisted of several mountain rifle companies (there was no battalion unit). The personnel of the mountain rifle divisions were trained to conduct combat operations in very rough and wooded terrain; the divisions were equipped with mountain guns and mortars, adapted for transportation in horse packs. These divisions were formed according to staff number 4/140, which provided for each of them 8829 personnel, 130 guns and mortars, 3160 horses and 200 vehicles.
Of the 140 rifle divisions of the border districts, 103 (that is, more than 73%) on the eve of the war were stationed on the western borders of the USSR. Their average staffing was: Leningradsky - 11,985 people, Baltic Special - 8,712, Western Special - 9,327, Kyiv Special - 8,792, Odessa - 8,400 people.
Rifle and mountain rifle divisions were united into rifle corps, which were the highest tactical formations of the Red Army Ground Forces. The corps, as a rule, included three rifle divisions (mountain rifle divisions were included in the corps intended for operations in mountain areas, in particular in the Carpathians), as well as two corps artillery regiments, a separate anti-aircraft artillery division, an engineer battalion, a communications battalion and several special units.
The catastrophic losses suffered by the Red Army in the first months of the war required a radical restructuring of the rifle troops. Due to the lack of experienced command personnel to staff the newly formed formations and associations, it was necessary to eliminate the corps link in the structure of the rifle troops. By the end of 1941, out of the 62 corps directorates that existed at the beginning of the war, only 6 remained. At the same time, the number of directorates of combined arms armies increased from 27 to 58. The armies were created in a reduced composition (5-6 rifle divisions), which made it possible to quickly manage combat operations troops.
Already in December 1941, a new staff came into force, according to which the number of submachine guns in the division increased by almost 3.5 times, and mortars by more than 2 times. The division's armament included 89 anti-tank rifles and additional anti-tank guns.
In March 1942, a company of anti-tank rifles was introduced into each of the 9 rifle battalions, and a third division consisting of two
batteries (8 guns).
In accordance with the state adopted in July 1942, mortar units, previously consolidated into mortar battalions of rifle regiments, were returned to rifle companies and battalions in order to centralize the use of fire weapons available in the regiments.
In December 1942, the People's Commissariat of Defense introduced a new staff for the rifle division, which remained with minor changes until the end of the war. This staff established the strength of the division at 9435 people, it received additional automatic weapon and means of combating tanks. A platoon of 45 mm anti-tank guns (2 guns) was introduced into each rifle battalion of the division, which were subsequently replaced by more powerful 57 mm anti-tank guns.
Along with the transfer of rifle divisions active army to the state adopted in December 1942, during 1943 the formation of 83 new rifle divisions was carried out in this state, mainly due to the reorganization of individual rifle brigades. The creation of these brigades in the second half of 1941 and early 1942 was a temporary measure to speed up the replenishment of the active army with trained reserves.
Cavalry
The Red Army traditionally had very strong cavalry. According to contemporaries, these were “wonderful troops in discipline, order and in their equipment and training.” However, already at the beginning of the Second World War, the inability of cavalry to provide significant resistance to armored forces and its extreme vulnerability to enemy air strikes became apparent.
PoetryRed (Soviet) army 1941 - 1945. — The organization was followed by a sharp reduction in cavalry units and formations - ten cavalry divisions and a separate cavalry brigade were disbanded. The personnel of these units and formations became part of the formed formations of armored forces.
On the eve of the Great Patriotic War, the Red Army had 4 directorates of cavalry corps, 9 cavalry divisions and 4 mountain cavalry divisions, as well as four reserve cavalry regiments, 2 reserve mountain cavalry regiments and one reserve cavalry artillery regiment. Three cavalry corps included two cavalry divisions. , and in one, in addition, there was a mountain cavalry division. Unlike the rifle corps, the cavalry corps did not have any special units other than the communications division.
The cavalry division, numbering 8,968 people, included four cavalry regiments, a horse artillery division consisting of two four-gun batteries of 76 mm cannons and two four-gun batteries of 122 mm howitzers, a tank regiment consisting of four squadrons of BT-7 tanks (64 vehicles), an anti-aircraft division in consisting of two batteries of 7b-mm anti-aircraft guns and two batteries of anti-aircraft machine guns, a communications squadron, an engineer squadron, a decontamination squadron and other support units. The number of horses in the division was 7625.
The cavalry regiment, numbering 1,428 people, consisted of four saber squadrons, a machine gun squadron (16 heavy machine guns and 4 82 mm mortars), regimental artillery (4 76 mm guns and 4 45 mm guns), an anti-aircraft battery (3 37 mm guns and three M-4 machine gun mounts), half-squadron communications, engineer and chemical platoons and support units.
At the end of 1942 and the beginning of 1943, the cavalry divisions that retained their combat effectiveness were replenished with personnel and consolidated into ten cavalry corps, including the first three guards cavalry corps. Each corps had three cavalry divisions, but combat and material support units were almost completely absent.
The strengthening of cavalry forces began in the summer of 1943. According to the new states introduced at that time, the cavalry corps, in addition to three cavalry divisions, included the Red (Soviet) Army 1941 - 1945. - Organizational anti-tank artillery regiment, self-propelled artillery regiment, anti-aircraft artillery regiment, guards mortar regiment, anti-tank fighter division, reconnaissance division, communications division, rear corps units and a mobile field hospital.
Each of the three divisions of the corps had 3 cavalry regiments, a tank regiment, an artillery and mortar regiment, an anti-aircraft division (12.7 mm DShK machine guns), a reconnaissance squadron, a communications squadron, an engineer squadron, rear and other units. The number of personnel of the division was approximately 6,000 people, the total number of personnel of the corps was 21,000 people, it had 19,000 horses. Thus, the cavalry corps in the new staff organization turned into formations of cavalry-mechanized troops, capable of rapid operational maneuver and a powerful blow to the enemy.
Along with this, the number of cavalry was reduced by approximately half compared to the two previous years and on May 1, 1943 amounted to 26 cavalry divisions (238,968 personnel and 222,816 horses).
Airborne troops
The Red Army is rightfully considered a pioneer in the field of creating airborne troops and development of the theory of their combat use. Already in April 1929, in the area of the Central Asian city of Garm, a small detachment of Red Army soldiers was landed from airplanes, ensuring the defeat of the Basmachi gangs operating there, and on August 2, 1930, during aviation exercises in the Moscow Military District, the “classic” drop of a small parachute landing force and delivery to it was demonstrated by air of weapons and ammunition necessary for combat.
The main deployment of airborne troops began in March-April 1941, when the western military districts began to form five airborne corps of more than 10,000 people each. The corps included control and headquarters, three airborne brigades of 2,896 people each, an artillery division and a separate light tank battalion (up to 50 light amphibious tanks). The personnel of the airborne formations had only automatic and self-loading small arms.
Combat training of paratroopers was carried out using six heavy bomber aviation regiments, reorganized into airborne bomber regiments. To manage the combat training of the corps, on June 12, 1941, the Directorate of Airborne Troops of the Red Army was formed.
By the fall of 1941, some of the corps practically ceased to exist during border battles, in which paratroopers were used as ordinary infantry. Therefore, the formation of ten new airborne corps and five maneuverable airborne brigades began. The formation of these formations and units was completed in the first half of 1942, but the situation in the South Red (Soviet) Army sharply worsened in 1941 - 1945. — Organizations on the Soviet-German front literally within a week were required to reorganize the airborne formations into 10 guards rifle divisions, 9 of which were sent to the Stalingrad Front and one to the North Caucasus.
The last “wave” of airborne formations during the Great Patriotic War was formed in August 1944. from units and formations arriving from the active army, as well as from newly formed units. These were three Guards Airborne Corps, each of them included three airborne divisions with a staff strength of 12,600 people. In October of the same year, the corps were consolidated into the Separate Guards Airborne Army. In this capacity, the army existed for no more than a month - already in December it was reorganized into the 9th Guards Combined Arms Army (the corps and divisions became known as the Guards Rifle Army), and in February 1945 it was concentrated in the Budapest area as a reserve of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command. While still on the march, when all three corps were heading to Hungary, the divisions were reinforced with artillery brigades that had undergone combat training in the Zhitomir camps. Thus, the sad experience of 1942 was taken into account, when guards rifle divisions formed from paratroopers were thrown into battle with virtually no artillery.
In mid-March, the army delivered a powerful blow to the flank and rear of the 6th SS Panzer Army, thus completing the defeat of Nazi troops in the Lake Balaton area, and then participated in the liberation of Vienna and in the Prague operation.
Armored forces
The first staff of a separate wartime tank battalion was accepted in September 1941. According to this staff, the battalion had 3 tank companies: one - T-34 medium tanks (7 vehicles), two - T-60 light tanks (10 tanks each); two tanks were in the control group. Thus, the battalion consisted of 29 tanks and 130 personnel.
Because the combat capabilities battalions formed according to the state in September 1941 were limited due to the predominance of light tanks in them; in November, the formation of more powerful battalions of mixed composition began. These 202-man battalions included tank companies heavy tanks KV-1 (5 vehicles), T-34 medium tanks (11 vehicles) and two companies of T-60 light tanks (20 vehicles).
But already in September 1942, separate tank regiments (339 personnel and 39 tanks) were formed to directly support the infantry. These regiments had two Red (Soviet) Army 1941 - 1945. — Organization of a company of medium tanks T-34 (23 vehicles), a company of light tanks T-70 (16 vehicles), a technical support company, as well as reconnaissance, motor transport and utility platoons. During the war, light tanks were replaced by T-34 tanks, and regimental support and service units were also strengthened. The regiment consisted of 386 personnel and 35 T-34 tanks.
Also in September 1942, the formation of separate heavy tank breakthrough regiments of the RVGK began. These regiments were intended to jointly break through previously prepared enemy defensive lines with infantry and artillery. The regiment consisted of four companies of KV-1 heavy tanks (5 vehicles each) and a technical support company. In total, the regiment had 214 personnel and 21 tanks.
With the entry into service of the Red Army of new IS-2 tanks, the heavy tank regiments were rearmed and transferred to new states. The staff adopted in February 1944 provided for the presence in the regiment of four companies of IS-2 tanks (21 vehicles), a company of machine gunners, an engineer and utility platoon, as well as a regimental medical center. The number of personnel in the regiment was 375 people. When these regiments were created, they were given the honorary title of Guards.
In December of the same year, in order to concentrate heavy tanks in the directions of the main attacks of the fronts and armies, the formation of guards heavy tank brigades began, which included 3 regiments of heavy tanks, one motorized battalion of machine gunners, support and service units. In total, the brigade consisted of 1,666 people, 65 IS-2 heavy tanks, three SU-76 self-propelled artillery units, 19 armored personnel carriers and 3 armored vehicles.
At the end of March 1942, on the basis of already created and still being created tank brigades, the first 4 tank corps were formed. Each corps initially consisted of two and then three tank brigades and a motorized rifle brigade, consisting of three motorized rifle battalions, artillery and anti-aircraft artillery divisions, support and service units. According to the staff, the corps was supposed to have 5,603 personnel and 100 tanks (20 KV-1, 40 T-34, 40 T-60). The presence of artillery, reconnaissance and engineering units under corps subordination was not envisaged, and the corps headquarters consisted of only a few officers who were supposed to coordinate the combat actions of the brigades. These obvious shortcomings of the organizational structure tank corps had to be eliminated during the combat use of the corps. Already in July 1942, they included reconnaissance and motorcycle battalions, a separate guards mortar division (250 people, 8 BM-13 combat vehicles), two mobile repair bases, as well as a company for the supply of fuels and lubricants.
The experience of the first months of fighting on the Soviet-German front showed that in order to carry out offensive operations It is necessary to have large army-type formations in the strike groupings, in which tanks would be concentrated organizationally. Therefore, already in May 1942, at the direction of the State Defense Committee, armies of a new type for the Red Army began to be created - tank armies. The first two tank armies (TA) - the 3rd and 5th - were formed in May-June 1942. The 3rd TA included 2 tank corps, 3 rifle divisions, 2 separate tank brigades, an artillery regiment and a separate guards regiment mortar regiment
The 5th TA had several Red (Soviet) Army 1941 - 1945. — Organization of a different composition: 2 tank corps, cavalry corps, 6 rifle divisions, separate tank brigade, separate motorcycle regiment, 2 separate tank battalions. On Stalingrad front The 1st and 4th TAs were formed, but after about a month they had to be disbanded.
In its own way organizational structure The first tank armies resembled Soviet shock armies or German tank groups and, along with tank formations, included sedentary combined arms formations. The experience of using these armies in defensive and offensive operations in the Voronezh direction (5th TA) and in the Kozelsk region (3rd TA) showed that they are cumbersome, insufficiently maneuverable and difficult to control. Based on these conclusions, on January 28, 1943, the State Defense Committee adopted a resolution “On the formation of tank armies new organization", which obliged the commander of the armored and mechanized forces of the Red Army, Ya.L. Fedorenko to begin forming tank armies consisting of two tank and one mechanized corps. Behind each tank army artillery and mortar regiments and other units and subunits were institutionalized. New tank formations were a means of the VKG Headquarters and were transferred to the operational subordination of the fronts.
An important factor in strengthening the armored forces was the transfer to their composition at the end of April 1943 of all self-propelled artillery regiments created by that time in the system of the Main Artillery Directorate of the Red Army.
Soviet tank and mechanized corps in their combat capabilities they surpassed the German motorized division. Before the inclusion of a tank battalion and self-propelled artillery divisions into the staff of a motorized division, this superiority was overwhelming, and at the final stage of the war, the Soviet corps outnumbered the enemy division by 14-1.6 times.
At the same time, comparison with a German tank division does not always speak in favor of the Soviet mechanized or, especially, tank corps. The most dangerous enemy were the tank divisions of the SS troops, which were well trained, equipped with powerful military equipment and fully staffed with personnel.Red (Soviet) Army 1941 - 1945. - Organization by avom. With a roughly comparable number of tanks, the German division had a significant superiority in artillery. The Soviet corps lacked heavy field artillery, and the SS Panzer Division had 4 guns of 105 mm caliber, 18 150 mm caliber and 36 self-propelled howitzers caliber 105 mm. This allowed her to hit the enemy in their original positions even before the latter entered the battle, and also provided the necessary fire support during the battle.
Immediately before the war, armored train units, previously subordinate to the Main Artillery Directorate, came under the jurisdiction of the Main Armored Directorate of the Red Army.
As of June 22, 1941, the Red Army had 53 armored trains (of which 34 belonged to the light class), which included 53 armored locomotives, 106 artillery armored platforms, 28 air defense armored platforms and more than 160 armored vehicles adapted for movement on railway, and in addition, 9 armored tires and several motor armored cars.
Artillery
In total, before the start of the war, 94 corps artillery regiments and 54 corps anti-aircraft divisions were formed. According to wartime states, the number of corps artillery personnel was 192,500 people
The reserve artillery of the High Command before the war included the following units and formations:
1. 27 howitzer regiments consisting of four three-battery divisions of 152 mm howitzers or howitzer guns (48 guns);
2. 33 high-power howitzer artillery regiments consisting of four three-battery divisions of 203 mm howitzers (24 guns);
3. 14 cannon artillery regiments consisting of four three-battery divisions of 122 mm cannons (48 guns);
4. a high-power cannon artillery regiment consisting of four three-battery divisions of 152 mm cannons (24 guns);
5. 8 separate howitzer divisions of special power, each division has 3 batteries of 280 mm mortars (6 guns).
Immediately before the war, five separate artillery divisions of special power were also formed as part of the ARGK, each of which was to be armed with 8 howitzers of 305 mm caliber (4 batteries of two guns each). The number of personnel in each division is 478 people. There is also information about the presence in the ARGC at that time of a separate cannon division of special power, consisting of three batteries of 210 mm caliber guns (6 guns).
Since the armor of German tanks throughout initial period During the Great Patriotic War, shells of 45-mm anti-tank guns easily penetrated, the Soviet defense industry already in 1941 restored their production that had been curtailed, and the People's Commissariat of Defense began the mass formation of anti-tank artillery regiments, consisting of 4-5 batteries of such guns (16-20 guns ). For the Red (Soviet) Army 1941 - 1945. — The organization of staffing these regiments with materiel had to exclude individual anti-tank divisions from the rifle divisions, and the corresponding platoons from the rifle battalions. A number of scarce anti-aircraft guns were also used, although they were not dedicated anti-tank guns and therefore did not respond necessary requirements in terms of weight, dimensions, maneuverability, time of transfer from traveling to combat position.
July 1, 1942, by order of the People's Commissar of Defense anti-tank artillery was renamed the fighter-anti-tank artillery reserve of the Supreme High Command with the inclusion of anti-tank rifle companies in its regiments. All officers who were part of the anti-tank artillery units were placed on special registration and subsequently received assignments only to them (the same procedure existed for personnel guards units). Wounded soldiers and sergeants, after being cured in hospitals, also had to return to anti-tank artillery units.
Increased pay was introduced for its personnel, payment of a bonus to the crew of the gun for each destroyed enemy tank, and also, which was especially valued, the wearing of a distinctive sleeve insignia.
First units rocket artillery were created in accordance with the legislation adopted in June 1941. resolution of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks on the deployment of mass production of M-13 shells, BM-13 launchers and the beginning of the formation of rocket artillery units.
The first separate battery, which had 7 BM-13 installations, entered the battle on July 14, 1941, striking a concentration of German trains with troops at the Orsha railway station. The successful combat operations of this and other batteries contributed to the fact that by December 1, 1941, the Red Army had 7 regiments and 52 separate rocket artillery divisions.
The exceptional importance of these weapons was emphasized by the fact that already during their formation, batteries, divisions and regiments of rocket artillery were assigned the Red (Soviet) Army 1941 - 1945. - Organization is the name of the guards, hence their common name- Guards mortar units (GMC). The commander of the GMCH was the deputy people's commissar of defense and reported directly to the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command.
The main tactical unit of the GMC was the Guards Mortar Regiment, which included 3 divisions of combat vehicles (launchers), an anti-aircraft artillery division, and support and service units. The divisions consisted of three batteries of four combat vehicles in each. In total, the regiment consisted of 1,414 people (of which 137 were officers), and was armed with 36 combat vehicles, 12 37 mm anti-aircraft guns, 9 anti-aircraft guns DShK machine guns and 18 light machine guns, as well as 343 trucks and special vehicles.
To be included in the mechanized, tank and cavalry corps, separate guards mortar divisions were also formed, consisting of two batteries of four combat vehicles each. However, the dominant trend in the development of the MMC was the creation of large guards mortar formations. Initially, these were the operational groups of the GMCH, which provided direct leadership of combat activities and supply of guards mortar units at the front.
On November 26, 1942, the People's Commissar of Defense approved the staff of the first formation of the GMCH - a heavy guards mortar division consisting of two brigades armed with M-30 launchers and four BM-13 regiments. By the end of 1942, four divisions were formed in this state, each of which had 576 M-30 launchers and 96 BM-13 combat vehicles. The total weight of her salvo of 3840 shells was 230 tons.
Since, due to the variety of weapons, such a division turned out to be difficult to control in the dynamics of the battle, in February 1943 a new staff of the heavy guards mortar division was put into operation, consisting of three homogeneous brigades M-30 or M-31. The brigade consisted of four three-battery divisions. A salvo of such a brigade consisted of 1152 shells. Thus, the division's salvo consisted of 3,456 shells weighing 320 tons (the number of shells in the salvo decreased, but due to larger caliber shell weight increased by 90 tons). The first division was formed in this state already in February 1943, it became the 5th Guards Mortar Division.
At the end of the war, the Red Army had 7 divisions, 11 brigades, 114 regiments and 38 separate rocket artillery battalions. In total, more than 10 thousand multi-charge self-propelled launchers and more than 12 million rockets were manufactured to arm the guards mortar units.
When carrying out major offensive operations, the Red Army command usually used guards mortar units together with artillery divisions of the RVGK, the formation of which began in the fall of 1942. The first 11 divisions consisted of eight regiments; to simplify the management of division units, an intermediate command link was soon introduced into it - a brigade. Such a division, consisting of four brigades, included 248 guns and mortars of caliber from 76 mm to 152 mm, a reconnaissance division and an air squadron.
In the spring of 1943 it was made new step in the organizational development of the artillery of the RVGK - artillery divisions and breakthrough corps were created. The 6-brigade breakthrough division consisted of 456 guns and mortars of caliber from 76 mm to 203 mm. Two breakthrough divisions and a heavy rocket artillery division were combined into a breakthrough corps, numbering 712 guns and mortars and 864 launchers M-31.
Anti-aircraft artillery was obviously the only weak link in the powerful Soviet artillery. Although during the war, out of 21,645 enemy aircraft shot down by ground-based air defense systems, anti-aircraft artillery accounted for 18,704 aircraft, the protection of Red Army units and formations from air strikes was clearly insufficient throughout the war, and the losses they suffered were sometimes simply catastrophic .
On the eve of the war, divisions and corps of the Red Army were to have one anti-aircraft artillery division. The corps-controlled anti-aircraft division consisted of three batteries of 7b-mm anti-aircraft guns (12 guns in total). The anti-aircraft division of the rifle division had two batteries of 37 mm anti-aircraft guns (8 guns in total) and one battery of 7b-mm anti-aircraft guns (4 guns). Thus, the division's standard equipment did not allow it to have a sufficient density of guns on a 10 km front (only 1.2 anti-aircraft gun per 1 km of front). However, such density could not always be ensured due to a lack of material. The situation was no better with the training of command personnel for anti-aircraft units. Anti-aircraft schools and advanced training courses produced a clearly insufficient number of anti-aircraft gunner commanders, so field artillery commanders had to be retrained as anti-aircraft gunners.
At the final stage of the war ground troops The Red Army was covered by about 10,000 anti-aircraft artillery guns.
Air Force
By the summer of 1941, the Air Force consisted of 53.4% fighter aircraft, 41.2% bomber aircraft, 0.2% attack aircraft, and 3.2% reconnaissance aircraft. Relatively small Red (Soviet) army 1941 - 1945. — The organizational share of attack aircraft is explained by the fact that regiments armed with the latest Il-2 attack aircraft are taken into account here. At the same time, there were also assault regiments that flew assault modifications of fighters.
On the eve of the war, the restructuring of the Air Force was in full swing. Therefore, the losses of aircraft suffered by the Red Army turned out to be comparable to the losses armored vehicles, artillery, etc. The first reaction of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command followed on July 15, 1941. In its directive letter, the Headquarters demanded that the number of aircraft in a regiment be reduced to 30, and that the divisions be reorganized into two-regiment ones. The corresponding GKO resolution was adopted in August of the same year.
In long-range bomber aviation, air corps directorates were abolished; in front-line bomber and fighter aviation, the number of regiments in divisions was reduced to two instead of three or four. (And in the reduced composition of the front-line division and army aviation existed only until January 1942, when they were disbanded in accordance with the directive of the Headquarters.) In air regiments, the number of aircraft decreased from 60-63 to 32-33, and then to 20 (two squadrons of 10 aircraft each).
On November 1, the formation of night bomber regiments began, armed with Po-2 and P-5 aircraft.
Since the Headquarters needed aviation reserves to strengthen front-line aviation in the most important areas, in August 1941 the formation of a new type of formation began - reserve aviation groups, and in March-April 1942 - strike air groups. These air groups included 3-6 different aviation regiments, depending on the assigned mission. After completing the task, they were usually disbanded.
An important step towards restoring the former power of the Soviet Air Force was the creation in May 1942. air armies, which united all the aviation units operating on the fronts. At the same time, the formation of homogeneous aviation Red (Soviet) Army 1941 - 1945 began. — Organization of divisions (fighter, assault and bomber). Soon 18 such divisions were created, as well as 11 air groups and 179 separate air regiments. This allowed the Supreme High Command and front commands to centrally control aviation and concentrate its forces in decisive areas.
By the beginning of 1945, the active aviation and RVGK included 13 air army directorates and 155 aviation fighter, attack and bomber divisions. These formations were armed with 15,815 combat aircraft of the latest types. In addition, 975 Po-2 aircraft were used in the active army. And in total, during the war years, the Soviet aviation industry supplied the Air Force with 136.8 thousand aircraft, including more than 59 thousand fighters, more than 37 thousand attack aircraft and 17.8 thousand bombers. In addition, another 18.7 thousand aircraft were received from the USA and Great Britain under Lend-Lease,
Due to the quantitative growth Soviet aviation the number of aircraft directly supporting ground forces increased from year to year. If about 1,170 aircraft took part in the counteroffensive near Moscow, then in the battle of Kursk - already 2,900, and in Berlin operation - 7500.
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December 2nd, 2012
If the Soviet and German rifle squads and platoons were approximately similar in composition and structure, there were very significant differences between the Soviet rifle and German infantry companies.
The main difference was that the Soviet rifle company, unlike the German one, did not have material supply and support units in its structure.
This was a 100% combat unit.
The company's logistics support was a rifle battalion and a regiment. There were corresponding rear structures, rear convoys, etc.
At rifle company level the only person Those who were directly involved in providing support for the company were the company commander himself and the company foreman. It was on them that all the care for the simple company economy hung.
The rifle company did not even have its own field kitchen. Therefore, the provision of hot meals was carried out at the battalion or regiment level.
The situation was completely different in the German infantry company.
A German infantry company can be conditionally divided into two parts: combat and logistical support (a convoy, two quartermaster detachments, a mobile workshop).
These are the rear units of the company, which were engaged in supplying the company with everything necessary.
They did not directly participate in combat operations on the front line and during the company’s offensive they were subordinated directly to battalion and regimental rear structures.
These units were located 3-5 km from the front line.
What constituted the combat unit of a German infantry company?
German infantry company (Schuetzenkompanie).
The total strength of the German infantry company is 191 people
(in a Soviet rifle company 179 people).
This is what it looks like schematically:
Four messengers with the rank of Gefreiter inclusive.
One of them is simultaneously a bugler, the other a light signalman.
Armed with carbines.
Two cyclists with the rank of up to and including Gefreiter.
Armed with carbines. They travel on bicycles.
Two coachmen with the rank of Gefreiter inclusive. They drive a heavy horse-drawn carriage drawn by four horses.
Armed with carbines.
Groom for an officer's horse with the rank of Gefreiter inclusive. Armed with a carbine. Equipped with a bicycle for transportation.
Thus, the total number of combat units of the control department was not 12, but 9 people. With the company commander - 10 people.
The basis of the combat unit of an infantry company was infantry platoons.
There were 3 of them, just like in the Soviet rifle company.
The total number of soldiers in the infantry platoons was 49x3 = 147 people.
Taking into account the number of combat units of the control department, including the company commander (10 people), we get 157 people.
Infantry platoons at company level received reinforcement in the form of an anti-tank squad (Panzerabwehrbuchsentrupp).
There are 7 people in the department. Of these, 1 non-commissioned officer and 6 soldiers.
The squad's group weapons are three Pz.B.39 anti-tank rifles.
Squad leader with the rank of Obergeifreiter to Unterfeldwebel. Armed with a carbine.
Three calculations of anti-tank guns.
Each squad consisted of a PR shooter in the ranks up to and including Gefreiter (personal weapon - a pistol) and his assistant in the ranks up to and including Gefreiter. Armed with a carbine.
The total number of people in the calculation is 4 people.
The number of squad members is 7 people (3x2 +1 squad leader)
The anti-tank squad was armed with:
Anti-tank rifle Pz.B.39 - 3 pcs.
Repeating rifle Mauser 98k - 4 pcs.
8-shot pistol - 3 pcs.
Total in a German infantry company combat personnel 157+7= 164 people out of 191 people in the company.
27 people are rear guards.
Vehicles:
1. Riding horse - 1 pc.
2. Bicycle - 3 pcs.
Only 4 horses per company.
A few words about the Pz.B.39 anti-tank rifle.
German anti-tank rifle Pz.B.39
For service German army in World War II there were two main types of anti-tank rifles - the PzB-38 and its later modification, the PzB-39.
The abbreviation PzB stands for Panzerbüchse (anti-tank rifle).
Both the PzB-38 and PzB-39 used the "Patrone 318" 7.92x94 mm cartridge.
Several types of such cartridges were produced:
Patrone 318 SmK-Rs-L"spur- a cartridge with a pointed bullet in a casing, with a poisonous reagent, tracer.
Patrone 318 SmKH-Rs-L"spur.- a cartridge with a pointed bullet in a shell (hard) with a poisonous reagent, tracer.
This, in fact, is an armor-piercing cartridge.
Number 318
represented reciprocal number old designation (813 - 8 mm bullet in a 13 mm sleeve).
SmK meant Spitzgeschoss mit Kern (sharpened bullet in a jacket)
SmKH- Spitzgeschoss mit Kern (Hart) (pointed bullet in a jacket (Hard)
Rs- Reizstoff (Poisonous agent), because the bullet had a small amount of To influence the crew of the armored vehicle with tear gas, chlorine-acetophenone, a toxic substance with tear action, was placed in a recess at the bottom of the core, but due to the small amount of tear gas in the capsule, the crew most often simply did not notice it. By the way, until German samples of anti-tank rifles were captured, no one suspected that their bullets contained gas.
L"spur- Leuchtspur (Tracer), the bullet had a small tracer in the rear.
Its bullet weighing 14.5 g accelerated in the barrel to 1180 m/s. The fairly high armor-piercing effect of the bullet, piercing 20-mm armor installed at an angle of 20° to the normal at a distance of 400 m, was ensured by a tungsten core.
According to other data, the PTR penetrated 20 mm armor from a distance of 300 m and 30 mm armor from a distance of 100 m at an angle of 90°.
In practice, fire was fired from a distance of 100 to 200 m, mainly at the tracks and fuel tanks of the tank in order to stop it.
However, at the same time, the PTR very quickly discovered its position and became an excellent target for shooters.
Therefore, if anti-tank rifles were a reinforcement of the German infantry company in the confrontation with tanks, it was not too significant.
The main part of the tanks was destroyed by anti-tank guns, which the German infantry company did not have at its disposal.
Now let’s compare a German infantry company with a Soviet infantry company, not from the point of view of the total number of personnel, but from the point of view of the combat strength of those who were directly on the front line.
Soviet rifle company
The rifle company was the next largest tactical unit after the platoon and was part of the rifle battalion.
The rifle company was commanded by a company commander (company commander) with the rank of captain.
The company commander was entitled to a riding horse.
Because on a company march, he had to control the movement of the company, which was stretched during the march, and if necessary, the horse could be used to communicate with other companies or the battalion command.
Armed with a TT pistol.
The company political instructor was the assistant to the company commander.
He conducted political educational work in the company's units and kept in touch with the political department of the battalion and regiment.
Armed with a TT pistol.
But the actual assistant to the company commander was the company foreman.
He was in charge of the rather poor, frankly speaking, company economy, dealt with the issues of providing the company units with everything they needed, receiving everything they needed in the battalion, which included the rifle company.
For these purposes, the company had one horse and cart, which was driven by a driver with the rank of private, armed with a rifle like the foreman.
The company had its own clerk. He was also armed with a rifle.
There was one messenger in the company with the rank of private. But despite private rank he was, perhaps, the left hand of the company commander. He was entrusted with important tasks, he was always close to the battalion commander, knew all the platoon and squad leaders well, etc. And he was known not only in the company units, but also in the battalion.
He was also armed with a rifle.
The basis of a rifle company consisted of rifle platoons.
There were 3 such platoons in the rifle company.
At the company level, rifle platoons were reinforced primarily in the form of a machine gun platoon.
Machine gun platoon.
The machine gun platoon was headed by a machine gun platoon commander with the rank of lieutenant.
Weapon - TT pistol.
The machine gun platoon consisted of two crews of the Maxim heavy machine gun.
Each crew was commanded by a sergeant.
Weapon - TT pistol.
The crew consisted of a crew commander and four privates (gunner, assistant gunner, cartridge carrier and driver), armed with rifles.
According to the state, each crew relied on a horse and a cart for transporting a machine gun (cart). The crew was armed with rifles.
The number of machine gun crews was 6 soldiers.
The size of the machine gun platoon was (6x2 + platoon commander) = 13 soldiers.
Armed with a machine gun platoon:
Machine gun "Maxima" - 2 pcs.
Self-loading rifle SVT 38/40 - (4x2)=8 pcs.
TT pistol - 3 pcs.
The main purpose of the Maxim machine gun was to suppress enemy firing points and support infantry.
The high rate of fire (combat 600 rounds per minute) and high firing accuracy of the machine gun made it possible to carry out this task from a distance of 100 to 1000 m to friendly troops.
All machine gun crew members had the same skills in firing a machine gun and, if necessary, could change the crew commander, gunner, etc.
Each heavy machine gun carried a combat set of cartridges, 12 boxes with machine gun belts (a belt - 250 rounds), two spare barrels, one box with spare parts, one box with accessories, three cans for water and lubricant, and an optical machine gun sight.
The machine gun had an armor shield that protected it from shrapnel, light bullets, etc.
Shield thickness - 6 mm.
German machine gunners have no protection other than a helmet.
True, it was not always the shield that saved the machine gunner.
Bullet hits are visible.
And here it’s actually a sieve. Apparently they were shooting from armor-piercing cartridges.
And the trunk got it.
Thus, the main weapon reinforcement for platoons at the company level was the 7.62 mm heavy machine gun of the Maxim system, model 1910/30.
In addition, as a company reinforcement of platoons during the battle, the company had 2 snipers.
A fairly powerful reinforcement of company units for the purpose of destroying enemy firing points from long distances and incapacitating enemy unit commanders.
The snipers were armed with a Mosin rifle (three-line) with optical sight PU (short sight).
What is a sniper? Good sniper from a distance of 300 m in a minute of shooting it can easily kill an infantry squad. And in a pair - half a platoon. Not to mention machine gun points, gun crews, etc.
But they could also work from 800 m.
The company also included a sanitary department.
The squad was commanded by the squad commander, a sergeant-medic.
He had 4 orderlies under his command.
The squad is armed with 1 pistol.
Well, that’s practically one orderly per platoon.
Rifle platoons, unlike German infantry platoons, did not have a medical orderly.
But as we see, the platoon was still not left without a medic.
Total: 5 people. Armed with one pistol.
Total company strength:
Company commander - 1 person.
Company political instructor - 1 person.
Company sergeant major - 1 person.
Bellboy - 1 person.
Clerk - 1 person.
Riding - 1 person.
Rifle platoons - 51x3=153 people
Machine gun platoon - 13 people
Sniper - 2 people
Sanitary department - 5 people.
Total: 179 people.
In service with the company:
Machine gun "Maxima" - 2 pcs.
PD Degtyarev machine gun - 12 pcs. (4 pieces each in each rifle platoon)
Light 50 mm mortar - 3 pcs. (1 piece each in each rifle platoon)
PPD submachine gun - 27 pcs. (9 pieces in each platoon)
Rifle SVT-38, SVT-40 - 152 pcs. (36 pieces in each platoon + 8x4 = 32 + 8 pieces in a machine gun platoon + 4 for the rest)
Mosin sniper rifle with PU sight - 2 pcs.
TT pistols - 22 pcs. (6 pieces in each platoon + 1 in a machine gun platoon + 1 in the medical department + 2 in the company and political officer)
Vehicles:
Riding horse - 1 pc.
Horse and cart - 3 pcs.
Total 4 horses
In service with a German infantry company / in comparison with a Soviet rifle company:
1. Light machine gun - 12/12
2. Heavy machine gun - 0/2
3. Submachine gun - 16/27
4. Repeating rifle - 132/0
5. Self-loading rifle - 0/152
6. Sniper rifle - 0/2
7. Mortar 50 mm - 3/3
8. Anti-tank rifle - 3/0
9. Pistol - 47/22
From this we can conclude that the Soviet rifle company at the company level significantly surpassed the German infantry company in firepower and armament.
Conclusions on numbers.
The total strength of the German infantry company is 191 people. (Soviet rifle company - 179 people)
However combat unit The infantry company consisted of only 164 people. The rest belonged to the company's rear services.
Thus, the Soviet rifle company outnumbered the German infantry company by 15 people (179-164).
At the battalion level, this excess was 15x3=45 people.
At the regimental level 45x3=135 people
At the divisional level there are 135x3=405 people.
405 people is almost 2.5 companies, that is, almost an infantry battalion.
Advantage in vehicles, carts and draft power at the company level in a German infantry company was associated with the work of the rear services of the German company.
The combat unit of the company moved on foot in the same way as a Soviet rifle company.
Vehicles of the combat unit of the Soviet rifle company:
1. Riding horse - 1 pc.
2. Horse and cart - 3 pcs.
Only 4 horses per rifle company
Vehicles of a combat unit of a German infantry company:
1. Riding horse - 1 pc.
2. Bicycle - 3 pcs.
3. 4-horse heavy cart - 1 pc.
Only 4 horses per infantry company.
On the march, the German infantry company moved exclusively on foot, as did the soldiers of the Soviet rifle company.
Therefore, the German infantry company had no advantage in vehicles over the Soviet rifle company.
Doing general conclusion we can conclude that in terms of the number of combat personnel, weapons and firepower, the Soviet rifle company was superior to the German infantry company, inferior to it only in the supply organization system.
Abstract on the topic:
Rifle Regiment of the Red Army (1941-1945)
Plan:
- Introduction
- 1
Personnel, weapons and transport of the regiment
- 1.1 Personnel
- 1.2 Small arms
- 1.3 Air defense systems
- 1.4 Artillery and mortars
- 1.5 Transport
- 1.6 Radio stations and field kitchens
- 2
Regimental units and officials
- 2.1 Regimental commander
- 2.2 Regimental headquarters
- 2.3 Party political apparatus
- 2.4
Rifle battalions
- 2.4.1 Battalion Headquarters
- 2.4.2 Rifle company
- 2.5 Regimental artillery
- 2.6 Engineer company
- 2.7 Chemical defense platoon
- 2.8 Sanitary company
- 2.9 Veterinary hospital
- 2.10 Housekeeping part
- 3 1941 changes
- 4 1942 changes
- 5 Changes 1942-1944
- 6 1945 changes
Introduction
Rifle Regiment- a military unit, the main tactical military formation of the Red Army infantry in World War II, which is administratively and economically independent. A rifle regiment is a collection of rifle units consisting of a regiment and other units, such as artillery, sapper, support, and control units. At the same time, the rifle regiment, in contrast to the smaller formation (rifle battalion), included all combat units and support units that allowed them to conduct autonomous combat activities, and in contrast to the larger operational-tactical formation (rifle division), there was a pronounced quantitative predominance of rifle units over other divisions. A rifle regiment had its own military unit number (for example, the 844th Rifle Regiment), its own seal and regimental banner; during the war, the regiment could be awarded orders or the regiment could be given an honorary name (for example, the 844th Panevezys Infantry Regiment)
Typically, rifle regiments were part of a rifle division, but there were also a small number of separate rifle regiments subordinate to the command of the corps, army or front. In total, during the war there were about 100 separate rifle regiments, combined rifle regiments and regiments Marine Corps; This was mainly typical for the first years of the Great Patriotic War. In addition, for one reason or another, throughout the war, about 200 separate reserve rifle regiments took part in hostilities.
1. Personnel, weapons and transport of the regiment
Data are provided as of the beginning of the war, based on state 04/401 of April 5, 1941. Further changes in numbers during the war are given below.
1.1. Personnel
Total: 3182 people
1.2. Small arms
1.3. Air defense systems
1.4. Artillery and mortars
1.5. Transport
1.6. Radio stations and field kitchens
The regiment had 24 radio stations and 21 field kitchens
2. Regimental units and officials
Data are provided as of the beginning of the war, based on state 04/401 of April 5, 1941. Further changes in the structure and armament of the regiment during the war are given below.
2.1. Regimental commander
The entire personnel of the regiment was subordinate to the regiment commander, and he also bore full responsibility for the condition of the military unit and its combat operations. The powers of the commander of a rifle regiment were limited at the beginning of the war by the presence in the regiment of a commissar who had no less powers than the regiment commander, and in some cases even more.
During the Second World War, colonels were appointed to the position of commander of a rifle regiment; in reality, lieutenant colonels and majors were also appointed. Armament of the regiment commander: 1 pistol (according to the TT staff, in reality it could have been, for example, a Nagan); According to the staff, the regiment commander (as well as his deputy) was entitled to a riding horse.
Directly subordinate to the regiment commander were:
- Regimental headquarters
- Party political apparatus
- Deputy regiment commander
- Chief of Artillery Regiment
- Head of the chemical service of the regiment
- Regimental engineer
- Senior regiment doctor
- Senior veterinarian of the regiment
- Head of the regiment's economic unit
- Rifle battalion commanders
Each person subordinate to the regiment commander was armed with a pistol.
2.2. Regimental headquarters
The regimental headquarters was headed by the chief of staff of the regiment with the rank of lieutenant colonel and consisted of 8 command personnel, one clerk with the rank of foreman and two private clerks. The regiment headquarters itself was armed with 11 pistols, 1 submachine gun (PPD) and 4 rifles or carbines (Mosin rifle). The regiment's headquarters were assigned 7 riding horses.
The chief of staff of the regiment had his assistants (abbreviated as PNS):
- Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations or PNSh-1. In particular, he kept calculations of the combat strength of units, issued orders, kept a work map, a combat log, etc. He replaced the chief of staff in his absence. Military rank by state - captain
- Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence or PNSh-2. In particular, he planned and carried out reconnaissance of the enemy, and was responsible for manning and combat training of the foot and mounted reconnaissance platoons subordinate to him. The state military rank is captain. Under his direct subordination were:
- Mounted reconnaissance platoon. Led by a platoon commander with the rank of lieutenant; the platoon consisted of 4 non-commissioned officers and 27 privates. The platoon was armed with 14 submachine guns, 15 self-loading rifles (SVT-38, SVT-40 or ABC-36), 3 manual rifles (Degtyarev machine gun); the platoon had 32 riding horses.
- Foot reconnaissance platoon. He was headed by a platoon commander with the rank of lieutenant and political instructor; the platoon consisted of 5 non-commissioned officers and 46 privates. The platoon was armed with 4 pistols, 14 submachine guns, 2 rifles, 30 self-loading rifles, 4 light machine guns; The platoon was not provided with any means of transport.
- Assistant Chief of Staff for Communications or PNSh-3, regiment communications chief. He was responsible for organizing wire and radio communications in the regiment. The state military rank is captain. Under his direct subordination were:
- Separate communications company. It was headed by a company commander, armed with a pistol, and had 5 horses and 10 carts at his disposal. The company had a political instructor (1 pistol), a company sergeant major and a clerk (2 rifles or carbines).
- Headquarters Platoon. Led by a platoon commander; it consisted of 3 sergeants and 17 privates, armed with 21 rifles.
- Telephone and light signal platoon. There were two of them in the company, each of which was headed by a platoon commander; the platoon included 3 sergeants and 22 privates. The platoon was armed with 25 rifles and 1 pistol.
- Radio platoon. Led by a platoon commander, it consisted of 4 sergeants and 4 privates, the platoon was armed with 9 rifles and 1 pistol, the platoon had three radio stations
- Separate communications company. It was headed by a company commander, armed with a pistol, and had 5 horses and 10 carts at his disposal. The company had a political instructor (1 pistol), a company sergeant major and a clerk (2 rifles or carbines).
- Assistant Chief of Staff for Personnel or PNSh-4. Organized the maintenance and storage of regimental documentation. The state military rank is captain. A clerk and two clerks were directly subordinate to him.
- Assistant Chief of Staff for Logistics and Supply or PNSh-5. He had to organize the supply of ammunition, food, medicine and other things to the regiment. The state military rank is captain.
- Assistant Chief of Staff for Special Communications or PNSh-6. Responsible for communication coding and coding of topographic map symbols. The state military rank is senior lieutenant.
Also directly subordinate to the chief of staff were:
- Commandant's Platoon, which included a security department, a utility department, cooks and a combat support department. It was headed by a platoon commander and consisted of 4 sergeants and 23 privates. Had 3 submachine guns, 11 rifles, 9 self-loading rifles, 1 light machine gun, 3 carts, 1 passenger car and a field kitchen for headquarters
- Platoon of musicians, led by a platoon commander, with two sergeants and 10 privates. Had 5 pistols and 8 rifles.
- Air Defense Company. The company was led by a commander and political officer, armed with pistols; it included a company sergeant-major, armed with a rifle or carbine. The company consisted of two platoons. The first platoon, led by a commander armed with a pistol, consisted of six machine-gun crews, each armed with a 7.62-mm anti-aircraft machine gun. Each crew consisted of a crew commander with the rank of sergeant with personal weapons in the form of a pistol, a machine gunner, two assistant machine gunners and a driver, all privates, personal weapons - a rifle. A truck (GAZ-AA) was allocated for the calculation. The second platoon also consisted of three crews similar to the above, but armed with 12.7-mm anti-aircraft modifications of the DShK machine gun.
2.3. Party political apparatus
The regiment's party-political apparatus consisted of four commanding officers armed with pistols. At the beginning of the war, the regiment had a deputy regiment commander for political affairs, who, soon after the start of the war, was replaced by a commissar who was no longer subordinate to the regiment commander. In addition to the political officer (commissar), the regimental apparatus included a party organizer, a Komsomol organizer and an agitator.
2.4. Rifle battalions
Each rifle regiment had three rifle battalions. The rifle battalion was headed by a battalion commander with the rank of major. The commander's weapon is a pistol; the commander was entitled to a riding horse.
2.4.1. Battalion Headquarters
The headquarters of the rifle battalion consisted of three officers (the chief of staff and two assistant chiefs of staff) and one ordinary clerk. They were entitled to one pistol, one submachine gun and two rifles; two riding horses and three carts. Directly subordinate to the battalion headquarters were:
- Battalion communications platoon consisting of 33 people, consisting of an officer - platoon commander, 3 privates-riders with 3 carts, a telephone exchange of 5 people, including one sergeant, a radio group of 5 sergeants (each with a radio station) and 2 privates and two telephone cable groups nine people, including one sergeant. Everyone except the platoon commander is armed with rifles.
- Battalion medical platoon consisting of an officer - platoon commander, 3 paramedics and 4 medical instructors. They had one pistol and two rifles on staff.
- Battalion utility platoon consisting of an officer - platoon commander, 3 sergeants and 29 privates, armed with one pistol and 20 rifles. The platoon had one wagon and 4 field kitchens at its disposal.
2.4.2. Rifle company
Each battalion had three rifle companies. Each rifle company had a commander with the rank of captain and political officer (officers), a foreman (junior command staff), a rider with a horse, a clerk, two snipers and a messenger (privates). Everyone except the officers was armed with rifles. The rifle company consisted of three rifle platoons, one machine gun platoon and a medical squad.
- Rifle Platoon. Led by a platoon commander with the rank of lieutenant, armed with a pistol; the deputy platoon commander, armed with a submachine gun, was a non-commissioned officer; The platoon also included a messenger with a rifle. The platoon consisted of four rifle squads, each headed by a sergeant, who was assigned a self-loading rifle. The rest, except for the mortar squad commander, were privates: a machine gunner (pistol and light machine gun), an assistant machine gunner (self-loading rifle), two machine gunners (submachine guns) and six riflemen (self-loading rifles). The platoon included a mortar squad of one 50-mm mortar crew, led by a sergeant (pistol) and three privates (rifles)
- Machine gun platoon. Led by a platoon commander with the rank of lieutenant, armed with a pistol; He also had a rider with a horse and a rifle. The platoon consisted of two crews of a heavy machine gun, respectively, each crew was armed with a Maxim machine gun, the crew commander was a sergeant armed with a pistol; The crew included four privates with rifles.
- Sanitary department consisted of a squad commander, a sergeant-medic and four orderlies, all of whom had one pistol.
2.5. Regimental artillery
Regimental artillery was subordinate to the regimental artillery chief. It consisted of three batteries.
- Battery of 45 mm guns
The battery was armed with six 45-mm anti-tank guns. The battery was led by a battery commander; a political instructor was responsible for political work (both were armed with pistols); the battery had a sergeant major armed with a rifle. They had three riding horses on staff. In addition, the battery staff included two ordinary reconnaissance officers (each with a riding horse), also armed with rifles. The battery consisted of three fire platoons, each of which had a commander (personal weapon - pistol) and two gun crews. The crew of the 45-mm gun consisted of 8 people, two in the rank of sergeant and six privates, who had one pistol and seven rifles as personal weapons. The crew had at their disposal one riding horse and one cart. The battery had a field kitchen.
- Battery of 76 mm guns
The battery was armed with six 76-mm regimental guns. The battery was headed by a battery commander, a political instructor was responsible for political work, and there was a sergeant major in the battery. The battery also had a paramedic and a veterinary paramedic in officer ranks. They had five riding horses on staff. The battery consisted of three fire platoons, each of which had a commander, a senior rider (two horses were available) and two gun crews. The crew of the 76-mm gun consisted of 11 people, two in the rank of sergeant and nine privates. The crew had one riding horse at their disposal. Unlike the battery of 45-mm guns, this battery also had a control platoon (1 officer, 5 sergeants and 18 privates with 6 horses and 6 carts, 6 radio stations), an ammunition platoon (1 officer, 3 sergeants and 21 privates with 4 horses and 9 carts) and a utility platoon (2 sergeants and 9 privates with 2 horses, 1 cart and 2 field kitchens). The battery's personal weapons consisted of 13 pistols, 5 submachine guns and 114 carbines.
- Battery of 120 mm mortars
The battery was armed with four 120-mm regimental mortars. The battery was led by a battery commander armed with a pistol; a political instructor armed with a submachine gun was responsible for political work; the battery had a sergeant major armed with a rifle. They had three riding horses on staff. In addition, the battery staff included two ordinary reconnaissance officers (each with a riding horse), also armed with rifles. The battery had five private telephone operators with five rifles and an ordinary rider with a rifle and a pohk. The battery consisted of two fire platoons, each of which had a commander and two mortar crews. The crew of the 120-mm mortar consisted of 10 people, one with the rank of sergeant and nine privates, armed with one pistol and nine rifles, respectively. The crew had one cart at their disposal.
2.6. Sapper company
The sapper company was supervised by a regimental engineer, who was responsible in the regiment for the arrangement of fortifications, various types of barriers, dugouts, trenches and trenches, means for crossing rivers, etc. Direct command of the sapper company was exercised by its commander; the company also had a political instructor (both with horses and pistols), the head of the company's chemical service (also an officer), and a sergeant-major and a messenger were present in the company. The last three in the state were entitled to rifles. The company consisted of two sapper platoons, each of which had a commander (officer), five sergeants and 32 private sappers. The platoon had 5 pistols and 33 rifles. The company had a utility department of three privates, headed by a sergeant, with four rifles and three carts.
2.7. Chemical defense platoon
He was supervised by the regimental commander, headed by a platoon commander with the rank of officer, and had 6 sergeants and 16 privates. The platoon commander was entitled to a pistol, the rest were armed with rifles. The platoon was required to have 4 carts.
2.8. Sanitary company
The senior physician of the regiment was responsible for the organization of medical care in the regiment and the sanitary condition of the unit. The sanitary company was headed by a doctor with the rank of officer; Besides him, the company had three more medical officers, 11 paramedics and 40 privates. They, excluding the senior doctor, were provided with 4 pistols, 27 rifles, 13 carts and 9 trucks, as well as one field kitchen.
2.9. Veterinary hospital
The infirmary was headed by the senior veterinarian of the regiment, responsible for the condition, maintenance and treatment of the equine staff. In total, in the infirmary, in addition to the senior doctor, there were two veterinarians with officer rank and 10 privates, who had 1 pistol and 8 rifles. The infirmary had three carts.
2.10. Housekeeping part
Headed by the head of the economic department. The unit consisted of 7 officers, including the chief, including the chief of artillery weapons, the head of the food service, the head of the clothing service, the head of the military-technical service, the head of the financial service, the head of the transport service, as well as 8 non-commissioned officers armed with pistols and rifles respectively. All of them relied on 3 riding horses. The part included:
- Transport company of 5 officers (5 pistols), including the company commander, 6 sergeants (6 submachine guns) and 96 privates (92 rifles). The company had 86 horse-drawn carts and two field kitchens.
- Ammunition workshops of 2 officers, 6 sergeants and 9 privates, who were armed with 3 pistols and 7 rifles.
- Cargo service workshops of 2 officers, 6 sergeants and 9 privates, carrying 8 rifles.
3. Changes in 1941
Already in August 1941, changes in the structure of the rifle regiment began according to state No. 04/601 dated July 29, 1941. First of all, this was due to losses in weapons and personnel. Both newly created regiments and existing ones were subject to formation according to the new staff.
- At rifle company level
- The number of light machine guns was halved, from 12 to 6 barrels.
- The number of 50 mm mortars has been reduced from 3 to 2 barrels.
- A platoon of heavy machine guns was excluded
-
- A company of 82-mm mortars was excluded, a platoon of two crews of 82-mm mortars was included
- A platoon of 45 mm guns was excluded
- At rifle regiment level
- One fire platoon of 76 mm guns was eliminated, thus reducing the number of guns to four.
- One fire platoon of 120-mm mortars was eliminated, thus eliminating the battery and leaving one platoon of two mortars.
Accordingly, there was a decrease in the regiment's personnel by 459 people, or about 14%, with a total of 2,723 people remaining in the regiment.
On October 12, 1941, by Order of the NKO No. 0405, mortars were generally removed from rifle companies and battalions and consolidated into mortar battalions within rifle regiments. (24 50-mm and 82-mm mortars each, 48 mortars in total). In turn, 120-mm mortars were removed from the regiments and transferred to the divisional level. At the same time, by the same order, a company of machine gunners in the amount of 100 people, armed with submachine guns, with a company commander, a sergeant major and a political instructor, was introduced into the regiment.
The regiment included a company of anti-tank rifles in the amount of 79 people with a company commander, a sergeant major and a political instructor. The number of people in the regiment increased by 234 people compared to the previous staff and became 2957 people.
4. Changes in 1942
On March 16, 1942, by Order of the NKO No. 0405, a company of anti-tank rifles in the amount of 16 units was introduced into the rifle battalion, and on March 18, 1942, a new staff of regiment No. 04/201 was approved. The regiment's personnel, in accordance with this staff, increased to 3173 people.
In a number of divisions in 1942, the process of transferring mortars from divisions to the regimental level and from the regiment level to the battalion and company levels began. Thus, platoons of 50-mm mortars (3 mortars each) were recreated in rifle companies, companies of 82-mm mortars (9 mortars each), and in a regiment - a battery of 120-mm mortars (6 mortars). Later, by order of NKO No. 306 of October 8, 1942, this practice was officially formalized.
But even earlier, on July 28, 1942, due to a chronic shortage of personnel due to losses, the new staff of regiment No. 04/301 came into force, according to which the number of people in the regiment was again reduced to 2517 people.
However, in fact, until 1943, rifle regiments were maintained in three different states, December 1941, March 1942 and July 1942.
5. Changes 1942-1944
On December 10, 1942, State No. 04/551 was approved, in accordance with which rifle regiments were formed and staffed until the end of 1944. The strength of the rifle regiment began to be 2443 people. One 50-mm mortar was removed from the rifle companies, 2 mortars remained, and one 120-mm mortar was added to the regiment's mortar battery, so there were 7 of them. The anti-tank rifle company in the battalion was reduced to a platoon with 9 rifles.
At the same time, staff No. 04/501 of the Guards Rifle Regiment was approved. The main differences in the organization of the Guards Rifle Regiment from the usual one were the presence of two companies of machine gunners instead of one, two heavy machine guns in a rifle company instead of one, 12 heavy machine guns in a machine gun company instead of 9, the number of regimental mortars was also increased to 8 and finally remained in the Guards Rifle Regiment PTR company of 16 guns. Accordingly, the number of personnel increased.
On July 15, 1943, minor changes followed in the staff of the rifle regiment (both guards and regular), associated with a decrease in the number of rifles and an increase in submachine guns.
6. Changes in 1945
On December 18, 1944, staff No. 05/41 was approved for the Guards Rifle Regiments. At the end of the Great Patriotic War, it was used for a certain number of guards divisions, and from June 9, 1945, with some changes, it was declared an active staff for all rifle regiments of the Red Army. It must be borne in mind that the overwhelming majority of ordinary rifle regiments ended the war according to the previous staff. Thus, the changes affected a small part of military units. Among the changes in particular:
At rifle company level
- 50-mm mortars were discontinued and, accordingly, mortar platoons were excluded from the companies.
At rifle battalion level
- A fighter-anti-tank battery of four 45-mm guns appeared
- The mortar company began to consist of six 82-mm mortars
- The machine gun company began to have 12 heavy machine guns (Maxim Machine Gun or SG-43)
- A communications platoon of 19 people was introduced, with a set consisting of 1 telephone switchboard, 8 telephones and 8 kilometers of telephone cable.
At rifle regiment level
- The artillery battery of 76-mm guns began to consist of three fire platoons (6 guns)
- The mortar battery of 120-mm mortars began to consist of 6 mortars
- The anti-tank destroyer battery was armed with six 57 mm anti-tank guns
- Instead of an air defense company, an anti-aircraft platoon of six 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine guns was introduced.
- The size of the foot reconnaissance platoon was set at 38 people, and the horse reconnaissance platoon was abolished.
- The size of the engineer platoon, introduced instead of the engineer company, was set at 27 people.
- The composition of the regimental communications company was determined to be 73 people; the company consisted of three platoons (headquarters, radio communications and telephone). The communications company had 6 radio stations, 2 radio receivers, 3 telephone switchboards, 20 telephones and 32 kilometers of telephone cable.
- The regiment's transport company began to consist of 6 GAZ-AA vehicles and 18 paired carts
The regiment numbered 2,725 people, with a rifle battalion of 670 people and a rifle company of 114 people. Also in each regiment there were two companies of machine gunners, each numbering 98 people. In June 1945, the staff changed somewhat: the strength of the regiment began to be 2,398 people, with a battalion of 555 people and a company of 104 people.
, .States of the Red Army rifle units
Composition and staffing levels of rifle units of the Red Army by state at the start of the war
A military unit in the Red Army was considered a regiment or separate battalion. Everything that consisted of regiments - brigades, divisions, etc. were called formations, and everything that the regiment consisted of - battalions, companies, platoons and squads - were called subunits.
The rifle regiment, in accordance with the ternary system adopted back in 1918, included three rifle battalions.
Rifle Battalion
Rifle Battalion(778 people) according to staff 04/401 dated April 5, 1941, consisted of a headquarters, three rifle companies, a communications platoon, a medical and utility platoon.
The battalion was commanded by a commander with the rank of major.
Battalion Headquarters(4 people) consisted of one chief of staff, who, as a rule, bore the rank of captain, two of his assistants - lieutenants or senior lieutenants - and one karsnoarmey-clerk.
Communications platoon(33 people) consisted of; a platoon commander, 3 riding men, a telephone exchange of 5 people, including one sergeant, a radio group of five sergeants (each with a radio station) and two soldiers, as well as two telephone and cable groups of nine people, including one sergeant. Everyone except the platoon commander, armed with a pistol, was armed with self-loading or.
SVT-38
Medical platoon(8 people) consisted of a platoon commander, 3 paramedics and 4 medical instructors.
Economic platoon(33 people) consisted of a platoon commander, 3 sergeants and 29 soldiers. The platoon had one wagon and four field kitchens at its disposal.
In addition, the battalion included mortar and machine gun companies and an anti-tank platoon.
Mortar company
Mortar company(52 people, 9) consisted of a commander, a political instructor, a foreman, a messenger and three mortar platoons. Mortar Platoon(15 people) consisted of three mortar crews. According to state No. 04/601 of July 29, 1941 mortar company was abolished and replaced by a mortar platoon of two.
Anti-tank rifle company
On March 16, 1942, by Order No. 0405, NKO was introduced into the rifle battalion anti-tank rifle company in the amount of 16 PTR. From December 10, 1942 anti-tank rifle companythe battalion was reduced to a platoon from 9 PTR.
Machine gun company
Machine gun company(95 people 12 Maxim machine guns ) consisted of a commander, a political instructor, a foreman, a messenger and three machine-gun platoons of 29 people each. Machine gun platoons were usually commanded by junior lieutenants.
Anti-tank gun platoon(18 people) consisted of a commander, a messenger and two crews. Anti-tank gun platoon was expelled from the battalion on July 29, 1941. Anti-tank artillery was returned to the battalion only on December 18, 1944 in the form of a four-gun long-barreled battery of the 1942 model.
Rifle company
Rifle company(178 people), commanded by a commander with the rank of captain, consisted of three rifle platoons, one machine gun platoon and a medical squad. The company also included a political officer with the rank of senior political instructor, a foreman with the rank of foreman, two snipers and one messenger.
Machine gun platoon(12 people) was headed by a platoon commander with the rank of lieutenant. The driver was directly subordinate to the machine gun platoon commander. The platoon consisted of two crews of heavy machine guns. Each crew was armed Maxim machine gun
. The crew commander was a sergeant armed with a pistol. The crew included four fighters from. According to State No. 04/601 dated July 29, 1941, the machine gun platoon was excluded from the rifle company.
Sanitary department(5 people) consisted of a squad commander, armed with a pistol or, and four unarmed orderlies.
Rifle Platoon
Rifle Platoon(51 people) consisted of four rifle and one mortar squad. The platoon was led by a platoon commander with the rank of lieutenant, who was armed with a pistol. Under his command were a deputy platoon commander (sergeant or senior sergeant), armed with a submachine gun, and a messenger with a rifle.
Mortar squad(4 people) was armed and consisted of a commander and three soldiers.
- formed the basis of the firepower of the rifle squad.
Rifle squad
Rifle squad(11 people) consisted of a commander (junior sergeant or sergeant), armed, machine gunner withSimilar articles
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