Rzhev-Sychevsk offensive operation. Rzhev-Sychevsk offensive operation Decision of the commander of the Western Front"

There really aren't many war veterans left alive.

Leonid Nikolaevich Rabichev was born in 1923 in Moscow. Senior reserve lieutenant. In 1942 he graduated from military school. Since December 1942, lieutenant, platoon commander of the 100th separate army company of the VNOS under the control of the 31st Army. On the Central, Third Belorussian and First Ukrainian Fronts he took part in the battles for the liberation of Rzhev, Sychevka, Smolensk, Orsha, Borisov, Minsk, Lida, Grodno, in battles in East Prussia from Goldap to Koenigsberg, in Silesia in the Danzig direction he participated in the capture of cities Levenberg, Bunzlau, Heilsberg and others, in Czechoslovakia reached Prague. Awarded two Orders of the Patriotic War, II degree, the Order of the Red Star, and medals. Member of the Union of Artists of the USSR since 1960, member of the Moscow Writers Union since 1993, author of thirteen books of poetry and a book of memoirs.

Yes, it was five months ago, when our troops in East Prussia overtook the civilian population evacuating from Goldap, Insterburg and other cities abandoned by the German army. On carts and cars, on foot - old people, women, children, large patriarchal families slowly, along all the roads and highways of the country, went west.

Our tankers, infantrymen, artillerymen, signalmen overtook them to clear the way, threw their carts with furniture, suitcases, suitcases, horses into ditches on the sides of the highway, pushed the elderly and children aside and, forgetting about duty and honor and about those retreating without a fight German units attacked women and girls by the thousands.

Women, mothers and their daughters, lie left and right along the highway, and in front of each is a cackling armada of men with their pants down.

Those bleeding and losing consciousness are dragged aside, and children rushing to their aid are shot. Cackling, growling, laughing, screaming and moaning. And their commanders, their majors and colonels stand on the highway, some chuckle, and some conduct, no, rather regulate. This is so that all their soldiers, without exception, participate.

No, this hellish deadly group sex is not mutual responsibility and not revenge on the damned occupiers.

Permissiveness, impunity, impersonality and the cruel logic of a maddened crowd.

Shocked, I sat in the cab of the semi, my driver Demidov was standing in line, and I was imagining Flaubert’s Carthage, and I understood that the war would not write off everything. The colonel, the one who had just conducted, can’t stand it and takes the turn himself, and the major shoots off the witnesses, children and old people fighting in hysterics.

Stop it! By car!

And behind us is the next unit.

And again there’s a stop, and I can’t hold back my signalmen, who are also already joining new lines. Nausea rises in my throat.

To the horizon, between the mountains of rags and overturned carts, the corpses of women, old people, and children. The highway is cleared for traffic. It's getting dark.

To the left and right are German farms. We receive the order to settle down for the night.

This is part of the headquarters of our army: the commander of artillery, air defense, and the political department.

My control platoon and I get a farm two kilometers from the highway.

In all the rooms there are corpses of children, old people, raped and shot women.

We are so tired that, not paying attention to them, we lie down on the floor between them and fall asleep.

In the morning we deploy the radio and contact the front via SSR. We receive instructions to establish communication lines. The advanced units finally collided with the German corps and divisions that had taken up defensive positions.

The Germans are no longer retreating, they are dying, but they are not giving up. Their aircraft appears in the air. I’m afraid I’ll be wrong, it seems to me that in terms of cruelty, uncompromisingness and the number of losses on both sides, these battles can be compared with the battles at Stalingrad. It's all around and ahead.

I don't leave my phones. I receive orders, I give orders. Only during the day is there time to take the corpses out into the yard.

I don’t remember where we took them out.

In service annexes? I can’t remember where, I know that we never buried them.

There were funeral teams, it seems, but they were far in the rear.

So, I help carry out the corpses. I freeze at the wall of the house.

Spring, the first green grass on earth, bright hot sun. Our house is peaked, with weather vanes, in the Gothic style, covered with red tiles, probably two hundred years old, a courtyard paved with stone slabs that are five hundred years old.

We are in Europe, in Europe!

I was daydreaming, and suddenly two sixteen-year-old German girls walked through the open gate. There is no fear in the eyes, but terrible anxiety.

They saw me, ran up and, interrupting each other, tried to explain something to me in German. Although I don’t know the language, I hear the words “muter”, “vater”, “bruder”.

It becomes clear to me that in the panicked flight they lost their family somewhere.

I feel terribly sorry for them, I understand that they need to run away from our headquarters yard as fast as they can, and I tell them:

Mutter, Vater, Brooder - niht! - and point my finger at the second far gate - there, they say. And I push them.

Then they understand me, quickly leave, disappear from sight, and I sigh with relief - at least I saved two girls, and I head to the second floor to my phones, carefully monitor the movement of the units, but not even twenty minutes pass before I Some shouts, screams, laughter, swearing can be heard from the yard.

I rush to the window.

Major A. is standing on the steps of the house, and two sergeants twisted their arms, bent those same two girls into three deaths, and on the contrary - the entire headquarters staff - drivers, orderlies, clerks, messengers.

Nikolaev, Sidorov, Kharitonov, Pimenov... - Major A commands. - Take the girls by the arms and legs, down with their skirts and blouses! Form into two lines! Unfasten your belts, lower your pants and underpants! Right and left, one at a time, start!

A. commands, and my signalmen and my platoon run up the stairs from the house and line up in ranks. And the two girls “saved” by me are lying on ancient stone slabs, their hands are in a vice, their mouths are stuffed with scarves, their legs are spread - they are no longer trying to escape from the hands of four sergeants, and the fifth is tearing and tearing their blouses, bras, skirts, and panties to pieces.

My telephone operators ran out of the house - laughing and swearing.

But the ranks do not decrease, some rise, others descend, and there are already pools of blood around the martyrs, and there is no end to the ranks, cackling and swearing.
The girls are already unconscious, and the orgy continues.

Major A is in command, proudly akimbo. But then the last one rises, and the executioner-sergeants pounce on the two half-corpses.

Major A. pulls out a revolver from his holster and shoots into the bloody mouths of the martyrs, and the sergeants drag their mutilated bodies into the pigsty, and the hungry pigs begin to tear off their ears, noses, chests, and after a few minutes only two skulls, bones, and vertebrae remain. .

I'm scared, disgusted.

Suddenly nausea creeps up my throat and I feel like I'm throwing up inside out.

Major A. - God, what a scoundrel!

I can’t work, I run out of the house without clearing the road, I go somewhere, I come back, I can’t, I have to look into the pigsty.

In front of me are bloodshot pig eyes, and among the straw and pig droppings are two skulls, a jaw, several vertebrae and bones and two gold crosses - two girls “saved” by me.

On July 16, 1942, the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command, by directive No. 170514, set the task for the right wing of the Western Front (20 and 31 armies) and the left wing of the Kalinin Front (29 and 30 armies) to conduct the Rzhev-Sychevsky offensive operation. The directive stated:

“The headquarters of the Supreme High Command orders, from July 28 to August 5, 1942, with the joint efforts of the left wing of the Kalinin Front and the right wing of the Western Front, to carry out an operation with the task of clearing the enemy from the territory north of the Volga River in the area of Rzhev, Zubtsov and the territory east of the river Vazuza in the area of Zubtsov, Karamzino, Pogoreloe Gorodishche, capture the cities of Rzhev and Zubtsov, go out and firmly gain a foothold on the Volga and Vazuza rivers. Having secured tete-de-ponts in the area of Rzhev and Zubtsov, for which:

1. The Kalinin Front to create a main group consisting of the 30th Army with a force of at least eleven divisions, three rifle brigades, eight tank brigades, ten artillery regiments of the RGK and strike from the front Novo-Semyonovskoye, Plotnikovo in the general direction of Polunino, Rzhev with the task of breaking through the defense front and, securing itself on the right with the advance of three rifle divisions and on the left with at least two rifle divisions, the main forces would capture the city of Rzhev, crossings across the Volga River and the railway junction.

The further task for this group is to strike in the eastern direction with the goal, together with the 29th Army, to finally clear the northern bank of the Volga River from the enemy.

An auxiliary blow to the front should be delivered by the left flank of the 29th Army with a force of at least three rifle divisions, one tank brigade and three artillery regiments of the RGK along the northern bank of the Volga River in the general direction of Zubtsov.

2. Western Front, having accepted from the Kalinin Front into operational subordination 31 armies consisting of three rifle divisions, two artillery regiments of the RGK and two tank brigades with all army institutions, units and transport, forces of 31 and 20 armies in a total composition of at least fourteen rifle divisions , four rifle brigades, ten tank brigades and twenty artillery regiments of the RGK, strike from the front of Alyoshevo, Vasilyevskoye in the general direction of Zubtsov.

The front's immediate task is to break through the enemy's defenses and, securing itself from the south, reach the Vazuza River and gain a strong foothold.

In the future, the 30th Army was supposed to, having captured the city of Zubtsov, advance in the direction of Rzhev, and the 20th Army - to Sychevka.

The purpose of the operation was, therefore, to eliminate only part of the Rzhev-Vyazemsky ledge. The organized operation was also supposed to pin down enemy forces in the Moscow direction and prevent them from being transferred to Stalingrad. If the 20th and 31st armies were successful in breaking through to Sychevka, three days later the 5th Army of the Western Front was to go on the offensive, and after some time the 33rd Army of the same front. Apparently, it was these armies that were to play the main role in the future in cutting off the entire Rzhev-Vyazemsky ledge.

The 20th Army of the Western Front carried out the Pogorelo-Gorodishchensk operation. The operation plan assumed that by the end of the first day the 20th Army would liberate the regional center of the village of Karmanovo and seize the crossings across the Gzhat River with forward detachments. At the same time, the 31st Army was supposed to liberate the city of Zubtsov. From the air, the offensive of the armies of the Western Front was supported by the 1st Air Army (commanded by Lieutenant General S.A. Khudyakov). The 1st Air Army included 204, 213 bomber aviation divisions, 224, 231, 232 assault aviation divisions, 201, 203, 234 fighter aviation divisions. Data may be incomplete and inaccurate.

By artillery and engineering units we mean, for example, two anti-aircraft artillery regiments, 3 anti-aircraft divisions, seventeen or sixteen separate guards mortar divisions that were part of the 20th Army (five divisions each were supposed to receive support from 251, 331, 354 rifle divisions, one division each 8th Guards Rifle Corps and, apparently, 82nd Rifle Division). The engineering units of the army subordination were represented by fifteen engineer battalions and two pontoon-bridge battalions (separate 50, 291, 214, 127 engineer battalions, eleven engineer battalions within the 34th engineer brigade, 51 and 9 pontoon-bridge battalions) . The chief of artillery of the 20th Army in August 1942 was Colonel P.S. Semenov

The battles to defeat the main enemy forces defending the Sychev direction were to unfold in the area limited by the Derzha, Vazuza, and Gzhat rivers. The breakthrough in the zone of action of the troops of the 20th Army was planned to be carried out at a ten-kilometer line from Pogorely Gorodishche to Matyugino. The village of Pogoreloe Gorodishche was located right at the junction of the 20th and 31st armies and was part of the 20th Army’s zone of action. The breakthrough in the zone of action of units of the 31st Army was carried out at the line from Kurkovo to Pogoreloye Gorodishche. On the left flank of the 31st Army, bordering on the left with the right-flank division (251st Infantry Division) of the 20th Army, the 88th Infantry Division was advancing. In the first echelon of the 20th Army in the direction of the breakthrough, 251, 331, 354 rifle divisions were deployed from north to south, as well as the 26 Guards Rifle Division, 148 and 153 rifle brigades from the 8 Guards Rifle Corps, 17 and 20 tank brigades. The 251st rifle division was previously part of the 31st army of the Western Front. The sector occupied by this division was considered the most successful for breaking through the enemy’s defenses in the zone of action of the 20th Army and the subsequent entry into the mobile group of the 20th Army that formed the breakthrough. Therefore, the division was transferred to the 20th Army. Just before the start of the offensive, its area of combat operations decreased along the front, and the vacated space was occupied by other rifle formations that had just arrived. In the direction that was planned as auxiliary, covering the main attack from the south, and then, during the operation, it drew large forces onto itself, the 150th rifle brigade from the 8th Guards Rifle Corps, the 82nd rifle division and the 40th rifle brigade were to operate in the first echelon . The 312th and 415th rifle divisions were in the second echelon of the 20th Army. The mobile group of the 20th Army concentrated on the right flank of the army. The 8th Tank Corps and the 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps of the Western Front mobile group deployed in the 20th Army's zone of action, and the 6th Tank Corps in the 31st Army's zone of action.

The operation was supposed to begin on July 28, 1942 for the Kalinin Front and July 31 for the Western Front, but due to the onset of rains, the start of the operation was postponed.

On August 4, 1942, at 6:15 a.m., artillery preparation began the offensive of the 20th Army (commander Major General M.A. Reuter, chief of staff A.M. Sandalov) and the 31st Army (commander Major General V.S. Polenov) of the Western Front ( Commander General of the Army G.K. Zhukov). The artillery preparation ended with a salvo of 18 Katyusha battalions.

Combat operations on the approaches to the Vazuzana river in the Sychevsky direction

August 4 . The 251st Rifle Division occupied the regional center of Pogoreloe Gorodishche. The defense here was held by the enemy's 161st infantry division and 36th motorized division. By 4 p.m., the mobile groups of the 20th and 31st armies crossed the Derzha River and entered the breakthrough formed by the rifle divisions. Tank brigades as part of the armies (17, 20 tank brigades in the 20 armies and 34, 71, 212 tank brigades in the 31 armies) were supposed to support the infantry, and the mobile groups of the 20 and 31 armies, advancing on the offensive directions of their armies, were supposed to complete breakthrough and capture crossings across the Vazuza River. The 251st Rifle Division (commander Colonel B.B. Gorodovikov), the 331st Rifle Division (commander Colonel Berestov) and the 17th Tank Brigade, which supported the infantry of the 251st and 331st Rifle Divisions, launched an offensive towards the Vazuza River. The 251st rifle division advanced on the village of Ignatovo, the 331st rifle division - on the villages of Pechory and Seltso. The offensive began successfully, but it was not possible to complete the assigned tasks. At 20 o'clock, a front-line mobile group began to advance to the site of the breakthrough of the enemy defense on the Derzha River. The front mobile group, apparently, was supposed to enter into action already in operational depth and, having captured Sychevka, cut off the enemy’s Rzhev group from supplies.

5th of August . By morning, the front mobile group reached the Derzha River. To the north of Pogoreloy Gorodishche the 6th Tank Corps reached the river, to the south - the 8th Tank Corps, and even further south - the 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps. On this day, the mobile group of the Western Front launched an attack on Sychevka. By the end of August 5, the 6th Tank Corps and the 8th Tank Corps were supposed to capture the Gnezdilovo-Khlepen line and the crossings on the Vazuza River, which units of the 20th Army had not yet captured. The 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps was supposed to advance towards the Gzhat River. At the same time, the 6th and 8th tank corps were supposed to follow the advancing troops of the 20th Army, which had broken through the enemy’s defenses in the area of Pogorely Gorodishche and were also trying to reach Vazuza. The advance of units of the tank corps of the front mobile group took place along the same roads along which the 251st, 331st rifle divisions and the 17th tank brigade had already passed, followed by the tank brigades of the army mobile group. Due to the heavy rains that were falling at that time, the roads were badly damaged by the passing troops, vehicles got stuck in impassable mud, they were pulled out by tanks, and the speed of advance was reduced.

At this time, the rifle divisions and their supporting tank brigades reached the approaches to Vazuza and entered into battle with enemy troops who were trying to prevent our troops from crossing Vazuza. Later, units of the 6th and 8th Tank Corps came here and entered the battle on the move.

The troops received a directive from the Western Front, according to which the troops of the 31st and 20th armies were to reach the Vyazma-Rzhev railway by August 8th. The 8th Tank Corps was supposed to advance on Sychevka through the village of Khlepen. The German command was alarmed by the current situation and decided to launch a counterattack on our troops that had broken through. To do this, infantry and tank units began to arrive at Vazuza and at the Vyazma-Rzhev railway station north of Sychevka. From Sychevka through Khlepen, the 1st tank division was supposed to launch a counterattack, from Osuga through Bukontovo - the 5th tank division. From Karmanovo, threatening the left flank of the advancing 20th Army, the 2nd Tank Division operated. There was an oncoming tank battle ahead. The literature mentions German units that were supposed to take part in this counterattack, operating from Sychevka through Khlepen - the 6th Infantry Division and the 1st Tank Division. During the battles in the Rzhev-Vyazemsky salient, the 6th Infantry Division was for a long time part of the 6th Army Corps and held the defense northeast of the city of Rzhev. On August 4, 1942, the third division of the 6th artillery regiment of this division was transferred to the Zubtsov area. On August 6, the cavalry squadron of the reconnaissance battalion of the 6th Infantry Division, according to the recollections of division commander H. Grossman, was sent to guard a section of the Vyazma-Rzhev railway north of Osuga station. It is possible that among the prisoners captured in the Sychevsky direction there were military personnel from these units, and our command considered that the main forces of the 6th Infantry Division were being transferred to this direction. It is possible that other units of the 6th Infantry Division also operated in the Sychevsky direction.

August 6 . The main forces of the 251st Infantry Division, the 8th Tank Corps, and the regiment of the 331st Infantry Division captured the village of Karamzino. The main forces of the 331st Infantry Division and the 17th Tank Brigade were advancing on Istratovo. The regiment of the 251st Infantry Division and parts of the 6th Tank Corps broke into Bukontovo and reached Vazuza.

August 7 . At night, one company of the 31st tank brigade from the 8th tank corps reached the crossing over the Vazuza in the area of the village of Khlepen. The 251st, 331st, 354th rifle divisions, together with units of the front mobile group, were supposed to cross Vazuza and advance on Sychevka. This association was headed by the deputy commander of the 20th Army, Lieutenant General A.A. Tyurin. The 331st Infantry Division and the 17th Tank Brigade launched an offensive from the village of Istratovo to the villages of Pechory and Seltso and by the evening they began fighting on the opposite bank of Vazuza from Khlepnya. You can read from Sandalov: “... units of the 331st Infantry Division boldly forded the Vazuzu River at Pechora and Seltso and at 19:00 on August 7 began fighting for Khlepen and Klimovo. In the battles during the crossing of the river, soldiers of the 1103rd Regiment of the 331st Infantry Division (commander Major Tatarchuk K.S.) fought heroically, and among the units of the regiment, the second battalion (commander Captain Koptilov A.Kh.) showed particular valor.” As you know, there were no 1103 rifle regiments as part of the 331 rifle division. The 1103rd Infantry Regiment was part of the 328th Infantry Division, which fought on another (Transcaucasian) front. It was really commanded by Major Tatarchuk Kondrat Safronovich.

From the memoirs of a resident of the village of Podyablonka

In August 1942, a terrible grinding sound was heard from the villages located on the opposite bank. Only later, after the liberation of Khlepny, we learned that our and German tank units had clashed here. After this, the enemy retreated to the other side of Vazuza, leaving a lot of heavy equipment on the eastern bank. The Germans built two pontoon bridges across Vazuza near the village of Khlepen. After the retreat, these bridges were destroyed. The Vazuza River was small at that time, and before the war we crossed to the opposite bank through the ford at Khlepnya, but in August 1942 there were very heavy rains, the river overflowed heavily, and our tanks were unable to cross the river. We knew that further north Khlepnya, our units crossed Vazuza and advanced to the village of Nikonovo. In the Khlepnya area, our infantry tried to cross the Vazuza on available craft, but without the support of tanks and artillery, it was doomed. The incident of our plane, which was shot down over this combat area, dates back to the same time. He fell a little short of the territory already occupied by our troops and sat down on a field between the villages of Aristovo and Podyablonka. I was an eyewitness to this and remember that the plane had the inscription “Frunze”. The Germans tried to capture the pilot, who was alive. Our pilot, firing back, ran to the village of Kholm. I don’t know whether he reached the front line.

From the memoirs of a resident of the village of Khlepen

In August, the river prevented our people from freeing us. The river then was not like it is now. The rains passed, the rivers overflowed, and our people could not cross. When the Germans retreated from across the river, they crossed as best they could. Those who could swim, of course swam, but many drowned. The Germans did not build bridges across Vazuza, that’s for sure. Both cars and tanks were forded. There was also a rope stretched across the river, fixed on our bank and on the opposite bank, and some kind of box was tied to the rope. The box fit one or two people. The man in the box turned some kind of handle, and the box was transported across the river along a rope. The Germans then dug a trench along our bank. Until December, the Germans held the defense here.

From the memoirs of a resident of the village of Novoselovo, Kalinin (now Tver) region

In August 1942, our village was liberated from the Germans. Our troops advanced quickly and the retreating enemy soldiers used everything that could float to cross to the other side. I remember how one German soldier swam to the other side using a wooden chest.

8 August . The battles to cross Vazuza continue.

August 9 . This day is considered decisive in the oncoming tank battle. According to historians, on this day, up to 800 tanks took part in it on our side, and up to 700 tanks on the German side.

A particularly difficult situation developed in the Karmanov direction. There the enemy attacked with four divisions - 2 tank, 36 motorized, 78 and 342 infantry. The appearance of a strong enemy group in the Karmanov area threatened the left flank of the 20th Army. This also made it difficult to conduct an offensive operation with the participation of the 5th and 33rd armies located to the left. At the end of August 9, the command of the Western Front decided to strengthen the troops advancing in the Karmanov direction in order to defeat the enemy group opposing there. The 8th Tank Corps from the front mobile group was also transferred to this direction and transferred to the subordination of the 20th Army. He was ordered to concentrate on August 10 in the area of the village of Podberezki and, together with units of the 8th Guards Rifle Corps (commander Major General F.D. Zakharov), strike at the left flank of the Karmanovo enemy group and liberate the regional center of Karmanovo.

10th of August. At night, units of the 8th Tank Corps handed over their combat area in the area of the villages of Ignatovo - Golyakovo to units of the 251st Infantry Division, and they themselves began to advance to the area of the village of Karmanovo. The enemy went on the defensive that day and began to rapidly strengthen the defense line.

Over the next three days, the 6th Tank Corps and 251st Infantry Division advanced in the Sychevsky direction. The 331st and 354th rifle divisions consolidated their positions on the achieved lines.

August 13 . The enemy launched a strike from the area of the villages of Vishnyakovo (or Vishnevka?) and Kholm-Rogachevsky at the positions of the 88th Infantry Division, which was located on the left flank of the 31st Army. Its units were forced to leave the villages of Sady and Vasilki. The 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps and the 6th Tank Corps, following the 8th Tank Corps, were transferred to the 20th Army. The 6th Tank Corps and the 251st Rifle Division were now advancing both to the west and to the southwest. The offensive battles of our troops here continued until August 18.

August 19 – 22 . The enemy launched new counterattacks against the 6th Tank Corps, 251, 331, 354 rifle divisions.

August 23 . The 31st Army liberated the city of Zubtsov, and units of the 20th Army, in cooperation with units of the 5th Army, liberated the village of Karmanovo.

This ended the Rzhev-Sychevsk offensive operation. It did not achieve all its goals, but three regional centers were liberated and great damage was inflicted on the enemy. The enemy was forced to bring into the battle three tank and several infantry divisions intended for transfer to Stalingrad. This was an operation that proved that our troops could conduct offensive operations in the summer.

From August 25, the troops of the 20th Army went on the defensive at the line Kortnevo, Timonino, further along

on the eastern bank of the Vazuza River (opposite the villages of Prudy, Khlepen), Klimovo, Borshchevka,Popsuevo, Romanovo, Burgovo, Ezhakovo, Kapluny, Gusaki, Chuikovo. On the right, the 31st Army reached the line New Ozhibkovo, Luchkovo. The border of the 20th Army with the 31st Army is Rakovo, Bukontovo, Kortnevo, further along the Osuga River to Kasatkino, Kulnevo, Afonasovo. To the left of the 20th Army, the 5th Army reached the line Popovo, Big and Small Palatki, Belavki, Sorokino, Slashchevo. The border of the 20th Army with the 5th Army is Chernevo, Titovo, the Titovka River, the Yauza River to the mouth of the Loknya River, Podkhabino.In September, an attempt was made to break through the enemy’s defenses between the Gzhati and Vazuza rivers. It was not possible to overcome the enemy's defenses.

31st Army I Formation created in July 1941 (directive of the General Staff of July 6, 1941) in the Moscow Military District, first as a field command of the 24th Army, and from July 16 as the 31st Army.

It included the 244th, 246th, 247th and 249th rifle divisions, a number of artillery and other units.

On July 15, it was included in the Front of the Reserve Armies and by July 22, as part of the 119th, 245th, 246th, 247th, 249th Rifle and 110th Tank Divisions, it was concentrated in the Rzhev region. From July 30, as part of the Reserve Front, it occupied the defense at the line Ostashkov, Yeltsy, Zubovka (45 km west of Rzhev), Tishina. In September it fought heavy defensive battles and at the beginning of October, as part of the Western Front (from October 5), under the blows of superior enemy forces, it retreated to Rzhev.

On October 12, 1941, the army was disbanded, its formations and units were transferred to the 29th Army, and field control was transferred to the front reserve.

31st Army II Formation created on October 21, 1941 as part of the Kalinin Front, its control united the 133rd, 252nd rifle divisions, 8th tank brigade and a number of separate units defending in the area north and northwest of Kalinin. She took part in the Kalinin defensive operation, and with the start of the counter-offensive near Moscow - in the Kalinin offensive operation of 1941/42. During the latter, in cooperation with the 29th Army, it defeated the main forces of the German 9th Army and liberated Kalinin (December 16). Developing the offensive against Rzhev, the army’s troops reached the Volga in the area northeast of Zubtsov by the end of December. In the winter and spring of 1942, she took part in the Rzhev-Vyazma strategic offensive operation. From April 20, the army went on the defensive east of Zubtsov and subsequently, firmly holding the occupied line, conducted offensive battles in the Sychev direction in order to improve its positions.

From July 23, it was part of the Western Front and, as part of it, participated in the Rzhev-Sychevsk offensive operation. During the Rzhev-Vyazemsk operation of 1943, it liberated Sychevka (March 8) and by April 1 reached the area east of Yartsevo, where it went on the defensive. In the Smolensk strategic operation, formations of the 31st Army, in cooperation with other front troops, broke through a number of enemy defensive lines, defeated his main group, liberated the cities of Yartsevo (September 16), Smolensk (September 25) and reached the right bank of the Dnieper northeast of Orsha . By NKO Order No. 0157 dated 06/01/1944 and Headquarters Directive of the 3rd Belorussian Front No. 003498 dated 06/04/1944, army control was transferred from State No. 02/158 to State No. 02/404 by June 10, 1944. In the summer of 1944, the army as part of the 3rd Belorussian Front (from April 24) took part in the liberation of Belarus. In the Vitebsk-Orsha operation, after breaking through the enemy’s deeply layered defenses, in cooperation with the 11th Guards Army, they captured Orsha (June 27) and at the end of June reached the river. Berezina in the Borisov region. During the Minsk operation, she participated in the encirclement and defeat of a large enemy group, the liberation of Borisov (July 1) and Minsk (July 3). In the Vilnius operation, army troops liberated the city of Druskeninkai (July 14) and, in cooperation with the 50th Army and the 3rd Cavalry Corps, Grodno (July 16). In August, they reached the Suwalki area and temporarily went on the defensive at the border of lakes Wigry and Sucha Zhechka. In October, they took part in the front's offensive operation in the Gumbinnen direction, during which they entered East Prussia.

In the East Prussian strategic operation of 1945, the army, with a strike in the direction of Letzen (Gizzycko), Rastenburg (Ketszyn), Heilsberg (Lidzbark Warminski), broke through the Heilsberg fortified area and on March 28 reached the Frisches Haff (Vistula) Bay.

On April 2, the army was withdrawn to the reserve of the Supreme Command Headquarters, on April 21 it was transferred to the 1st Ukrainian Front and, as part of it, participated in the Prague operation.

At the beginning of September 1945, the army was disbanded, its field administration was turned to replenishment of the administration of the Lvov Military District.

Subordination to the army:

from 05/05/1942 - by Directive of the Supreme Command Headquarters No. 170355 of 05/03/1942 it was transferred to the Western Front.
from 05/06/1942 - by Directive of the Supreme Command Headquarters No. 170356 of 05/06/1942 transferred to the Kalinin Front


31st Army 31 A
Type:	Army
Type of army:	land
Number of formations:	1
As part of the fronts:	Moscow Military District Reserve front Western Front Kalinin Front 3rd Belorussian Front 1st Ukrainian Front
Commanders
Dolmatov V.N. Yushkevich, Vasily Alexandrovich Vostrukhov, Vladimir Ivanovich Polenov, Vitaly Sergeevich Gluzdovsky, Vladimir Alekseevich Glagolev, Vasily Vasilievich Shafranov, Pyotr Grigorievich
Combat operations
1941: Battle of Moscow 1942: First Rzhev-Vyazemsk operation Operation Mars 1943: Rzhev-Vyazemsk operation Smolensk operation 1944: Vitebsk operation Belarusian operation Gumbin operation 1945: East Prussian operation Prague operation

31st Army(31 A), from July 15, 1941 to May 11, 1945 - operational military formation (Army) as part of the Armed Forces of the USSR during the Great Patriotic War.

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Formation

The 31st Army Directorate was formed on July 15, 1941 in the Moscow Military District. The task of the 31st Army was to create a defensive line along the Ostashkov-Selizharovo-Rzhev line. From the north, the defense line bordered the line of the 27th Army, from the south - the 49th Army.

The initial combat strength of the 31st Army included:

Five days later, it was added the 119th Infantry and 110th Tank Divisions, the 644th Corps Artillery Regiment, the 533rd and 766th Anti-Tank Artillery Regiments and the 2nd Naval Artillery Batteries.

On July 30, 1941, the army was transferred to the Reserve Front and the line of defense was shifted to the Ostashkov-Yeltsy-Tishina line.

The composition of the army is often changed - the 244th and 246th rifle divisions are reassigned, and the 110th tank division is disbanded into separate tank brigades. Instead, the 5th Infantry Division and the 4th Division of the Moscow People's Militia are introduced.

control
110th Rifle Division (formerly 4th Infantry Division)
296 pub (formed according to the staff of NPO No. 09/4)
297 pub (formed according to the staff of NPO No. 09/4)
9 aPTObr
43 cap
766 apto
873 aPTO
sound reconnaissance battery

Fighting

1941

The army received its baptism of fire on October 2, when German troops launched an offensive in the direction of Rzhev. By order of October 6, an operational group was formed from army units led by Major General Vitaly Sergeevich Polenov, with the assistance of the operational group of Lieutenant General Ivan Vasilyevich Boldin, whose goal was to interrupt the enemy’s offensive on Volokolamsk and Rzhev. On October 7, having stopped the advance of the 3rd tank group of the Germans, a counterattack pushed them back and took up defense along the line Zhuravlevo - Bolshoye Yakovtsevo - Ivashkovo, creating a corridor for the retreating units of the Soviet troops, which joined the task force.

On October 10, the tank group made its way to Sychevka, and by order of the commander, the operational group began to retreat to Rzhev in the evening.

The army found itself sandwiched on both sides by enemy troops (from the south - the 3rd Tank Group; from the north - the 9th Army), which were making their way to the city of Rzhev. With heavy fighting and unsuccessful attempts to gain a foothold in the defense, the army retreated to the east. Some of the military personnel retreated without permission, but were detained by barrier detachments.

Army formations began to be transferred to the 29th Army, and on October 12, control of the 31st Army transferred to the reserve of the Western Front.

On October 17, a decision was made to restore the army as part of the Kalinin Front. Vasily Alexandrovich Yushkevich took command of the army.

The troops managed to divert large enemy forces, which prevented the liberation of the city, but pulled significant forces away from Moscow.

On November 17, another rifle division, the 256th, joined the army.

Order from the commander of the Kalinin Front troops to the commanders of the 29th, 31st, 30th and 22nd armies on the front's troops going on the offensive with the aim of defeating the enemy's Kalinin group. The 20th of October
…2. The troops of the Kalinin Front ... with the main forces encircle and destroy the enemy group in the Kalinin area, between the Volga River and the Moscow Sea, and by the end of 21.10 capture the city of Kalinin, preventing the enemy from regrouping for an attack to the southeast, towards Moscow. The beginning of the general offensive is 21.10 at 11.00.
…5. The 31st Army (119th, 133rd Infantry Division, 8th Tank Brigade, Motorized Brigade) advance from the northwest and north to Kalinin and, in cooperation with 30A, capture the north-west by the end of 21.10. and south part of the city of Kalinin. ... Front Commander Colonel General Konev

On December 5, the Kalinin Offensive Operation began with the forces of the Kalinin Front. Overcoming stubborn resistance from the enemy, who repeatedly launched counterattacks, by the end of December 15, troops 29 and 31A had captured both flanks of the Kalinin enemy group, and on December 16 the city of Kalinin was liberated.

Given the favorable situation, the Headquarters demanded that the commanders expand the offensive zones.

1942

From January 8 to April 20, 1942, she took part in the Rzhev-Vyazemsk offensive operation. On April 20, the army went on the defensive east of Zubtsov.

On July 23, 1942, the army became part of the Western Front and participated in the Rzhev-Sychevsk offensive operation from July 30 to August 23.

On August 23, the 31st Army liberated the city of Zubtsov.

From November 25 to December 20, 1942, she participated in Operation Mars (Second Rzhev-Sychev Operation).

1943

In one day, the army liberates 138 settlements and by March 19 reaches the border of the villages of Emelyanovo - Pleshcheyevo - Bezmenovo - Zhevlaki.

On March 22, units of the 31st Army tried to continue the offensive in the direction of Safonovo and Yartsevo, but did not advance beyond the first trenches. At the end of March, it was decided to stop the general offensive and go on the defensive.

On August 7, the offensive of the army troops began during Operation Suvorov. The main forces (36th and 45th Rifle Corps) entered the battle on August 8, but advanced only 4 km in the area of Rybok and the Vedosa River. We immediately had to fight off multiple enemy counterattacks. Troop advance was minimal. On August 11, the Moscow-Minsk highway had not even been reached.

On August 16, after a regrouping of troops, the offensive was resumed, but they advanced no more than half a kilometer. Heavy fighting continued for several more days, and on August 20, the offensive was again suspended by order.

The offensive in the 31st Army sector resumed on August 30. During the day, the attackers advanced 300-500 meters, and at night the Nazis began to withdraw troops (retreating, the enemy tried to gain a foothold on intermediate lines, but army troops pursued him, knocked him off the lines, turning the withdrawal of troops into flight). The pursuit began on August 31 at dawn with the crossing of the Vopets River.

By evening, troops liberated 90 settlements, including the village of Safonovo.

After a week of retreat, the Nazis managed to gain a foothold at the Yartsevo-Vop River line, and on September 7, the army troops temporarily went on the defensive. On September 15, the offensive resumed, Vop was forced, and on September 16, the city of Yartsevo was liberated, then, together with the 68th and 5th armies, the troops of the 31st Army captured Smolensk (September 25).

1944

In February - March she took part in the Vitebsk operation. As part of the 3rd Belorussian Front, it participates in the Belarusian and Gumbinnen offensive operations.

The main role in eliminating the Minsk “cauldron” was played by the 31st and 33rd armies. This is what Army General Zakharov, commander of the 2nd Belorussian Front, wrote about the first days of liquidation: [ ]

The liquidation of the surrounded isolated enemy groups is proceeding outrageously slowly and unorganized. As a result of the lack of initiative and indecisive activity of the army commanders, the enemy rushes from side to side in search of a way out, attacks corps and army headquarters, warehouses, and convoys, thereby disrupting the smooth operation of the rear and control.

As a result, the 49th and 50th armies were ordered to allocate five divisions to fight the encircled enemy, and with the remaining units to bypass the German groups from the north and south, dismember them and destroy them in the forests north and northeast of Volm.

The liquidation took place, conditionally, in three stages:

July 5-7 - dismemberment of the group and suppression of attempts at an organized breakout from the ring (the enemy suffered significant damage. His troops, after the surrender of General Muller, broke up into several groups and were disorganized. The lack of ammunition and fuel forced them to abandon their equipment and artillery. Each the group tried to get out of the ring on their own);
July 8-9 - the defeat of scattered groups hiding in the forests southeast of Minsk and trying to infiltrate the battle formations of the Soviet troops;
July 10-13 - Soviet troops combed the forests, catching small groups of the enemy.

In the last days of the summer of 1944, troops of the 3rd Belorussian Front and, within them, the 31st Army reached the approaches to the borders of East Prussia.

For example, a false concentration of troops of the 11th Guards Army on secondary sectors of the front was simulated, creating the appearance of a regrouping of units in the zone of the 31st Army.

1945

At the beginning of April, the army was withdrawn to the front reserve, then transferred to the 1st Ukrainian Front and, as part of it, participated in the Prague Operation of 1945.

During the war years, tens of thousands of 31A soldiers were awarded orders and medals for courage, heroism and high military skill, and 32 of them were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Many of its formations and units were awarded orders and honorary titles.

Disbanded early September 1945

Command staff

Army reports on combat strength and strength

Kalinin offensive operation (from 12/5/1941) Fighting in the Staritsky direction (12/17/1941 - 01/7/1942)

256 sd, 247 sd, 250 sd, 119 sd, 359 sd, 262 sd, 5 sd, 359 sd, 54 sd, 46 sd,
56 ap, 510 gap, two separate divisions of rocket launchers.

Rzhev-Vyazemsk strategic offensive operation (01/8/1942-04/20/1942)

Fighting at the turn of the river. Holding . (01/07/1942 - end 07/1942)

From January 7, 1942, the army was reduced to three divisions - 5th infantry division, 247th infantry division, 250th infantry division.

On March 8, 1942

On April 4, 1942

Rzhev-Sychevsk offensive operation (07/30/1942 - 08/23/1942)

20 Guards Infantry, 88 Infantry Infantry, 118 Infantry Infantry, 164 Infantry Infantry, 239 Infantry Infantry, 247 Infantry Infantry, 336 Infantry Infantry,
six separate tank brigades 34 brigade, 71 brigade, 92 brigade, 101 brigade, 145 brigade, 212 brigade,
nine artillery regiments, two mortar regiments, six separate divisions of BM-13 rocket launchers,
eight separate divisions of BM-31 rocket launchers, a separate anti-aircraft division,
eight separate sapper battalions, an anti-tank fighter regiment.

Rzhev-Sychevsk offensive operation (Operation “Mars”) (11/25/1942 - 12/20/1942)

88 sd, 118 sd, 133 sd, 239 sd, 246 sd, 336 sd, 354 sd (in 20A by 1.12.42), 371 sd,
20 gvsd (at 20A by 12/1/42),
two tank brigades - 32 tank brigades, 145 tank brigades (from 20A by 12/1/42),
five artillery regiments - 74 gvap, 75 gvap, 392 pap, 644 pap, 1165 pap,
four anti-tank regiments - 6 gvptap, 680 anti-tank, 869 anti-tank, 873 anti-tank,
213th separate anti-tank battalion,
two mortar regiments and two mortar battalions - 112 minp, 40 gvminp, 13 ogvminb, 67th separate guards heavy mortar battalion,
two anti-aircraft regiments - 1269 zenap, 1270 zenap,
614th separate anti-aircraft battalion,
three separate engineering and sapper battalions - 72 sib, 113 sb, 738th separate mine-sapper battalion.

Rzhev-Vyazemsk offensive operation (02.1943 - 03.31.1943)

30 Guards Infantry, 88 Infantry Division, 118 Infantry Division, 133 Infantry Division, 251 Infantry Division, 371 Infantry Division, 150 Infantry Brigade,
21st armored train division, artillery and engineering units,
from 2.03.1943 6th and 20th separate aerosled battalions,
from 03/09/1943 42nd Guards Infantry Division,
from 03/13/1943 82nd Infantry Division, 331st Infantry Division, 18th Tank Brigade.

Smolensk strategic offensive operation (Operation “Suvorov”) (08/07/1943 - 10/2/1943)

36 sk - 215 sd, 274 sd, 359 sd, 549th mortar regiment, 873rd anti-tank fighter regiment,
36th and 156th separate companies of high-explosive flamethrowers,
45 sk - 331 sd, 88 sd, 220 sd, 646 ap, 41 company of high-explosive flamethrowers,
71 sk - 251 sd, 133 sd, 82 sd, army ski battalion, 205th high-explosive flamethrower company,
42nd GVTBR, 2nd Guards Motorcycle Regiment,
other artillery units - 529th Army Anti-Tank Fighter Regiment, 542 iptap, 644 paps, 392 caps,
1478 zenap, 341 zenap, 525 back, 28 gvmindn, 201 gvmindn,
engineering units - 90th Army Pontoon-Bridge Battalion, 51st Infantry Brigade, 72nd Army Engineer Battalion, 291st Airborne Battalion.
During the operation, regroupings of military units took place.
After the liberation of Yartsevo, the 152nd fortified region became part of the army.

Offensive operation in the Orsha direction (10/12/1943 - 12/2/1943)

Offensive operation of the 31st Army in the Babinovichi region (02/22/1943 - 02/27/1943)

36 sk, 71 sk,
army and corps artillery and engineering units.

Belarusian strategic offensive operation (Operation “Bagration”) (06/23/1944 - 08/29/1944)

36 sk - 220 sd, 352 sd,
71 sk - 88 sd, 192 sd, 331sd,
113 sk - 62 sd, 174 sd,
173rd infantry division of army subordination,
artillery units - 140 pabr, 392 kpap, 570 kpap, 83 gvgap, 43 iptabr, 529 iptap, 549 minp, 74 gvminp,
2 ovpdaan (separate aeronautical division of artillery observation balloons),
66 zenads (1981, 1985, 1989, 1993 zenap), 1275 zenap, 1478 zenap, 525 back,
armored and mechanized units - 213 TBR, 926 SAP, 927 SAP, 959 SAP, 1445 SAP, 52nd separate armored train division,
engineering units - 31st engineer brigade, 90th pontoon-bridge battalion,
flamethrower battalions - 14 units, 15 units.

Gumbinnen-Goldap offensive operation (10/16/1944 - 10/30/1944)

71 sk - 88 sd, 62 sd, 331 sd,
36 sk - 352 sd, 173 sd, 174 sd,
220 Infantry Division in the army reserve,
140 pabr, 549 minp, 529 iptap, 74 gvminp (rocket launchers), four regiments of self-propelled artillery (sap),
other artillery and engineering units.

East Prussian strategic offensive operation (01/13/1945 - 04/25/1945)

From 01/29/1945,
44 sk - 62 sd, 174 sd, 331 sd,
71 sk - 54 sd, 88 sd, 220 sd,
152nd fortified area (until 02/11/1945), 140 pabr, 513 tp, 337 sap, 926 sap, 959 sap, 529 iptap,
other divisions.

From 02/06/1945 to 02/12/1945 the army was reinforced by 32 Guards Infantry Division, 334 Infantry Division, 153 Tank Brigade, 1490 SAF

From 02/12/1945,
71 sk - 54 sd, 88 sd, 331 sd,
44 sk - 174 sd, 62 sd, 220 sd,
artillery units - 140 pabr, 62 gvminp, 42 gvminp, 74 gvminp, 549 minp, 529 iptabr, 23 iptabr, 46 iptabr, 14 iptabr, 35 iptabr,
flamethrower battalions - 13 special forces, 14 special forces, 15 special forces,
self-propelled artillery regiments - 337 sap, 959 sap, 926 sap,
engineering sapper battalions - 11 isb, 202 isb, 204 isb, 19 assault engineer battalion,
2nd Guards Motorcycle Regiment.

Redeployment to the 1st Ukrainian Front (04/2/1945 - 04/20/1945)
Berlin strategic offensive operation (04/16/1945 - 05/9/1945)
Prague strategic offensive operation (05/06/1945 - 05/11/1945)

71 sk - 54 sd, 88 sd, 331 sd,
44 sk - 62 sd, 174 sd, 220 sd,
36 sk - 173 sd, 176 sd, 352 sd,
140 pabr, 549 minp, 51 paws, 926 sap, 529 iptap, 357 iptap,
other divisions.

31st Army 1st Formation

Formed in July 1941 in Moscow Military District based on the General Staff directives of July 6 and July 16, 1941, first as the field command of the 24th Army, and from July 16 - as the 31st Army.

On July 15, 1941, the army was included in Reserve Armies Front and by July 22 concentrated in the Rzhev area.

From July 30 - as part of Reserve Front, occupied defense at the line Ostashkov - Yeltsy - Zubovka (45 km west of Rzhev) - Tishina. In September she fought heavy defensive battles and at the beginning of October she was part of Western Front(from October 5) under the blows of superior enemy forces, it retreated to Rzhev.

The army was disbanded on October 12, 1941, its formations and units were transferred to the 29th Army, and field control was transferred to the front reserve.

31st Army 2nd Formation

Army troops took part in the Kalinin defensive operation (October 10 - December 4, 1941), and with the start of the counter-offensive near Moscow - in the Kalinin offensive operation (December 5, 1941 - January 7, 1942). During the latter, in cooperation with the troops of the 29th Army, they defeated the main forces of the German 9th Army and liberated Kalinin (December 16).

Developing the attack on Rzhev, the army troops by the end of December 1941 reached the Volga in the area northeast of Zubtsov.

In the winter and spring of 1942, the army took part in the Rzhev-Vyazma strategic offensive operation (January 8 - April 20, 1942). From April 20, the army went on the defensive east of Zubtsov and subsequently, firmly holding the occupied line, fought offensive battles in the Sychev direction in order to improve their positions.

From July 23, 1942, the army was part of Western Front and as part of it participated in the Rzhev-Sychevsk offensive operation (July 30 - August 23). During the Rzhev-Vyazemsk operation (March 2-31, 1943), its troops liberated Sychevka (March 8) and by April 1 reached the area east of Yartsevo, where they went on the defensive.

In the Smolensk strategic operation (August 7 - October 1, 1943), formations of the 31st Army, in cooperation with other front forces, broke through a number of enemy defensive lines, defeated his main group, and liberated the cities of Yartsevo (September 16), Smolensk (September 25) and reached the right bank of the Dnieper northeast of Orsha.

In the summer of 1944, the army consisting of 3rd Belorussian Front(from April 24) participated in the liberation of Belarus. In the Vitebsk-Orsha operation (June 23-28), army troops, after breaking through the enemy’s deeply layered defenses, in cooperation with the troops of the 11th Guards Army, captured Orsha (June 27) and at the end of June reached the Berezina River in the Borisov region.

During the Minsk operation (June 29 - July 4, 1944), the army participated in the encirclement and defeat of a large enemy group, the liberation of Borisov (July 1) and Minsk (July 3).

In the Vilnius operation (July 5-20, 1944), army troops liberated the city of Druskeninkai (July 14) and, in cooperation with the troops of the 50th Army and the 3rd Cavalry Corps, Grodno (July 16).

In August 1944, army formations reached the Suwalki area and temporarily went on the defensive at the line of the Wigry-Sucha Rzechka lakes. In October, army troops took part in the front's offensive operation in the Gumbinnen direction, during which they entered East Prussia.

In the East Prussian strategic operation (January 13 - April 25, 1945), the army, with a strike in the direction of Letzen (Gizzycko), Rastenburg (Kętrzyn), Heilsberg (Lidzbark Warminski), broke through the Heilsberg fortified area and on March 28 reached the Frisches Huff Bay (Vistula ).

On April 2, 1945, the army was withdrawn to reserve VGK rates, and on April 21 transferred 1st Ukrainian Front and as part of it participated in the Prague operation (May 6-11).