3rd Shock Army combat log.

The 79th Rifle Corps was formed on August 17, 1943. On October 17, 1943, the corps control (without troops) arrived at the 3rd Shock Army of the 2nd Baltic Front. The corps included 28, 171 and 219 rifle divisions. Major General F.A. Zuev was appointed commander of the corps. In early November 1943, taking advantage of the warm and dry weather, divisions of the 79th Rifle Corps liberated a huge forested and swampy area west of the city of Nevel in the Kalinin (now Pskov) region. The artillery of the 79th Rifle Corps successfully destroyed the German defenses at the line between the railway station Novokhovansk and the village of Berezka Nevelskogo area and ensured the successful actions of rifle units moving forward. Until the end of November the fighting continued with varying success. The Nazis furiously attacked the positions of the corps troops. The most difficult tests fell on the 79th Rifle Corps on December 1, 1943. On this day, the Nazis, having concentrated significant forces in the Turki-Perevoz area of the Nevelsk region, went on the offensive in a narrow area. Having great superiority, the Nazis pushed back the corps formations by three to four kilometers, crossed the Usha River and attacked the heights adjacent to the settlement of Somino, Nevelsky District, near which ran the only road connecting the army troops with the supply station. There was a real threat of encirclement of our formations located north of Lake Yazno. Difficult fighting continued here for several more days. But gradually the situation stabilized. During the period of defensive battles in the area of the village of Turki-Perevoz, Nevelsk region, when the enemy tried with all his might to break through to the area of the village of Kazennye Leshni and cut off the northern group of troops of the 3rd Shock Army, the artillery of the 79th Rifle Corps under the command of Guard Colonel N.B. Livshits. successfully repelled the enemy's onslaught, bleeding his advancing divisions dry.

The battles for the liberation of the Nevelsk region from the Nazi invaders continued until January 1944. With the onset of winter, active operations by the troops of the 3rd Shock Army ceased. The units went on the defensive.

On July 10, 1944, the 79th Rifle Corps, as part of the 3rd Shock Army of the 2nd Baltic Front, took part in the Idritsa-Sebezh operation. The 79th Rifle Corps, with forces of 150 and 171 rifle divisions, was to advance from a small bridgehead on the western shore of Lake Uchenoe, striking in an area of 2 kilometers in the south-west direction. The corps was commanded by Major General S. N. Perevertkin. To develop success, the corps created its own mobile group from one reinforced rifle regiment. The regiment's task is to liberate the city of Idritsa, Sebezh district, Kalinin (now Pskov) region, by the end of the first day of the offensive. On the morning of July 10, 1944, detached companies of the 150th and 171st rifle divisions, acting as reconnaissance detachments, burst into German trenches and, after a short hand-to-hand battle, captured a tactically important height. At the same time, up to 80 fascists were destroyed and 42 captured. Reconnaissance in force was carried out along the entire front of the 3rd Shock Army. The enemy met her with heavy fire. At 16:00, one battalion each from the 150th and 171st divisions of the 79th Rifle Corps and two battalions from the 219th Division of the 93rd Rifle Corps were additionally brought into battle. Having overcome enemy resistance, these battalions captured four settlements in an hour, capturing prisoners from the 15th Latvian SS Infantry Division and the 23rd German Infantry Division. The prisoners testified that their units received orders to begin withdrawing on the night of July 11, 1944. The unexpected offensive of the Soviet troops confused their plans and created confusion. A mobile group of the 79th Rifle Corps was immediately thrown into a small gap made in the enemy’s defenses by a battalion of the 171st Rifle Division. This group, led by Lieutenant Colonel Bakulev, had the task of capturing the city of Idritsa. The success that emerged in the 150th Infantry Division was supported by the 991st Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment. Continuing to increase active operations, all formations of the first echelon conducted a small artillery preparation, attacked enemy positions, occupied a number of settlements, and then proceeded to pursue the retreating Nazis.

At 20:00 on July 10, 1944, on a signal from the army commander, in the zone of action of the 93rd Rifle Corps, the mobile group of the 3rd Shock Army - the 207th Rifle Division of the 79th Rifle Corps with reinforcement units - was brought into battle. Moving in two columns, it passed the front line of defense at high speed in the area of the village of Kharitonovo, Novorzhevsky district.

By 24 hours on July 10, 1944, the mobile group reached the settlements of Krasnoye and Shchukino, Pustoshkinsky district, located 15 kilometers from the previous front line. The blow of the Soviet troops was so unexpected for the enemy that at first the Germans did not even have time to blow up bridges and destroy roads. Only the next day, trying to gain a foothold on intermediate lines, using rivers, swamps and large settlements, did the Nazis begin to resist. At the same time, they began to mine and destroy roads, blow up bridges and create various obstacles on the routes of movement of Soviet troops. Tanks and infantry of the 3rd Shock Army in vehicles continued to pursue the scattered units of the Nazis. The offensive impulse was so great that the pursuit often resembled a forced march. When the Nazis tried to delay the advance of Soviet units, a bold maneuver was used in combination with fire: the enemy was bypassed from the flanks and from the rear. The systematic withdrawal of enemy forces was disrupted. On July 11, 1944, units of the 23rd German Infantry Division and the 15th Latvian SS Infantry Division retreated chaotically to the west. In the evening, the rear guards of the 329th Infantry Division, defending against the left flank of the army, began to retreat from their positions. Developing a rapid offensive and striking the enemy from the flanks and rear, units of the 79th Rifle Corps liberated the city of Idritsa on July 12, 1944 and, without stopping there, continued to move westward - to the city of Sebezh in the present Pskov region. To commemorate the success achieved, Moscow saluted the troops of the 2nd Baltic Front with twenty artillery salvoes. The 150, 171 and 219 rifle divisions of the 79 rifle corps were given the honorary name “Idritskaya”. For the 79th Rifle Corps, the main task on July 13, 1944 was the liberation of the city of Sebezh; then the crossing of the Issa River and the liberation of a large settlement on the territory of Latvia - Pasiene (now the Ludza district of the Zilupe region). The mobile group of the army (207th Infantry Division), with part of its forces, was supposed to assist the 79th Corps in the liberation of Sebezh, and with the main forces to attack the city of Zilupe (now the center of the Zilupe region, Latvia). By the evening of July 13, 1944, army troops crossed the Velikaya River south of Opochka in separate sections and reached the defensive line prepared by the Germans, where they met stubborn resistance. This was the Reyer line, to which the regiments of the 23rd and 329th enemy infantry divisions, reinforced with field artillery and assault guns, retreated. Relying on pre-equipped positions, the Nazis tried to delay the advance of the advanced units of the army with fire and counterattacks. Soviet troops had to stop, conduct additional reconnaissance, and bring up artillery and second-echelon regiments. But the stop was short-lived. On July 14, 1944, having broken through the enemy’s second defensive line, formations of the 3rd Shock Army continued to develop their offensive. The actions of the army troops were so rapid that many enemy units were cut off from the main forces. The Nazis scattered through the forests, where they were caught and captured by signalmen, sappers, chemists, and soldiers from rear units. Entire groups of German soldiers who found themselves in the rear of our advancing units surrendered on their own initiative. At 8:30 a.m. on July 16, 1944, divisions of the 79th Rifle Corps stormed the city and Sebezh station - an important highway junction, a powerful fortified area of the Germans on the way to the Baltic States. Continuing the offensive, the troops of the 3rd Shock Army on July 17, 1944 knocked out the enemy from a number of settlements and reached the Zilupe River - the border of the Latvian USSR. The Idritsa-Sebezh operation ended. In seven days, the army troops fought about 100 kilometers.

On the night of July 18, 1944, troops of the 3rd Shock Army crossed the small Zilupe River and entered the territory of Latvia. The enemy fired heavy artillery and mortar fire, trying to stop our units. Having crossed the Zilupe River, the divisions of the 79th Rifle Corps advanced more than ten kilometers in one day. 3 The shock army slowly moved forward. The Germans combined, combining the withdrawal of their forces with active defense on pre-equipped lines. General Perevertkin's 79th Rifle Corps operated on the left flank of the army. By July 26, 1944, troops of the 3rd Shock Army, advancing south of Rezekne, reached the Rezekne-Daugavpils highway line. As a result of three days of stubborn fighting, the troops of the 3rd Shock Army knocked the Germans out of the intermediate line and, destroying covering units, quickly went west. On July 27, 1944 alone, 392 settlements were liberated and many prisoners were captured from various regiments of the enemy’s 23, 281 and 329 infantry divisions. On the same day, the city of Rezekne was completely cleared of the Nazis. By the end of July 1944, army troops, overcoming the resistance of the Nazis at numerous lines and positions, reached the area of the Luban marshes, located 40 kilometers west of Rezekne. Conditions for military operations have become extremely difficult. The army's offensive zone in the swamp area was narrowed to 17 kilometers. The troops of the 3rd Shock, advancing in the general direction towards the village of Martsien, Madona region of Latvia, fought heavy battles in the Lubanskaya lowland, which was a huge array of continuous and almost impassable swamps. In the army's combat zone, this massif stretched for more than 30 kilometers. Despite the dry summer, the swamps adjacent to Lake Lubana did not dry out. They were a very significant obstacle for the army troops. There were no good roads here. Only infantry with light weapons could hardly navigate the swampy and wooded paths. As soon as you took a step to the side, the person found himself knee-deep in a quagmire. The Nazis blew up bridges and highways on the roads, built various obstacles on the paths of possible movement of our units, mined narrow clearings and fords through numerous rivers, and blocked inter-lake defiles with trees. The enemy's 329th Infantry Division, reinforced by various units, defended itself among the swamps.

The army commander decided to overcome the Luban swamps and defeat the enemy with the help of the 79th and 93rd rifle corps. Each division of the first echelon was assigned a strong forward detachment. These detachments were supposed to penetrate behind enemy lines at night and destroy their defending units with sudden attacks. A special role in the implementation of the plan was given to the formations of the 79th Rifle Corps of Major General S.N. Perevertkin, which, having reached the Lubanskaya Lowland on July 28, 1944, stopped in front of the most insurmountable swamps. The Nazis believed that Soviet troops would not advance here, and based on this, they built their defense. Their numerous fire weapons - machine guns, direct fire guns and tanks dug in on the roads - were facing only in the direction from which the Soviet troops were expected to advance.

Participating in the Luban-Madon offensive operation (August 1 - 28, 1944), the divisions of the 79th Corps successfully crossed numerous swamps. This was a considerable merit of the 150th Infantry Division of Colonel V.M. Shatilov, which was the first to go behind enemy lines and dealt him a sudden, crushing blow. The success of this division had a positive effect on the actions of the 171st and 207th corps divisions advancing on the right and left. On August 6, 1944, the 79th Rifle Corps, rapidly pursuing the enemy, captured the city of Lyegrad. From two to four o'clock the enemy launched six counterattacks with forces up to a company. At 10 o'clock 30 min. The 79th Rifle Corps, after artillery bombardment, again attacked the enemy and, waging an intense battle, by 13:00 1944 captured Miezishi and the highway in this area. The next day, the Nazis, relying on a pre-prepared intermediate line, stubbornly resisted with fire, counterattacks and air strikes the crossing of the Aiviekste River in other areas and the offensive of the 3rd Shock Army on the northern bank of the river. But during the day, the enemy was driven out of the highway that passed here in fierce battles.

On August 8–10, 1944, the enemy, trying to prevent the troops of the 3rd Shock Army from reaching the Madona-Marziena railway line, strengthening its group with units of the 24th Infantry Division and six-barreled mortars of the 70th Chemical Regiment, continued to put up stubborn resistance, slowly retreating under pressure from Soviet troops.

In mid-August 1944, troops of the 3rd Shock Army approached a vast mountainous area, the so-called Central Vidzeme Upland, reaching a height of three hundred meters or more. Attaching importance to this area, the enemy prepared it for defense in advance. The equipped line “Madona Line” stretched through the settlements of Gulbene, Ergli, and Plavinas. The main enemy forces, operating against the 3rd Shock Army, retreated to this line.

At 8:55 a.m. on August 17, 1944, the operation began to defeat the enemy’s Madona group. 3 The shock army advanced in the direction of the city of Ergli. The troops moved forward with continuous bloody battles. On the morning of August 18, 1944, the 150th Rifle Division of the 79th Rifle Corps captured the city of Marcien. The advanced units of the 5th Tank Corps broke through to the area of the village of Ergli, covering more than 30 kilometers and completing their task. However, in the afternoon, the enemy launched a powerful counterattack with infantry and tanks on the left flank of the 79th Rifle Corps. The German command introduced three fresh infantry divisions into the offensive sector of the 3rd Shock Army. For ten days they continuously counterattacked the Soviet troops, trying at all costs to delay their advance. On August 22, 1944 alone, the Nazis launched more than thirty counterattacks against the 3rd Shock Army. Only after many days of stubborn fighting did the troops of the 3rd Shock Army finally reach the Ergli area and to the south of it. Both sides suffered significant losses. The situation stabilized, and from August 28, 1944, there was some calm at the front.

Participating in the Riga offensive operation (September 14-October 22, 1944), troops of the 79th Rifle Corps as part of the 3rd Shock Army spent almost the entire month of September slowly moving towards Riga. The Germans threw fresh divisions against the army, including the 14th tank. However, they failed to stop the army. By the end of September 1944, units of the 79th Rifle Corps reached the Daugava River near the Kaibala station in the Ogre region of Latvia and crossed it, using available means and a pontoon bridge built by sappers near the village of Jaunelgava. On September 27, 1944, the 3rd Shock Army received an order from the headquarters of the 2nd Baltic Front to cross to the southwestern bank of the river with all its forces, march to the area south of the city of Jelgava and replace the troops of the 51st Army of the 1st Baltic Front defending there. Divisions of the 79th Rifle Corps moved in the first echelon. On October 1, 1944, they were supposed to concentrate in the area of Jaunzeme, Bramberde, Stapatas of the present Jelgava region of Latvia. The change of troops took place over two nights. The main forces of the 3rd Shock were concentrated in the Jelgava direction. Divisions of the 79th Rifle Corps with four separate artillery regiments moved here. The corps was given the task of preventing enemy infantry and tanks from breaking through in the southern and southeastern directions. On October 10, 1944, the headquarters of the 3rd Shock Army received a combat order from the headquarters of the 2nd Baltic Front, according to which the troops of the 3rd Shock and 42 armies were to prepare to strike from the Dobele region in the general direction of Saldus, Liepaja. The army was faced with the task of breaking through the enemy’s defenses and advancing on Mazberg, the Zebras manor. In the army's offensive zone, it was planned to introduce the 10th tank corps of General Shaposhnikov into the breakthrough: it was supposed to go to the Saldus area and capture the road junction.

The troops of the 3rd Shock Army went on the offensive on October 16, 1944 at 10 a.m. Breaking the enemy's resistance, by evening they broke through his main and intermediate positions.

In the following days the offensive continued, but the successes were insignificant. The Germans resisted very stubbornly. Removing forces from other sectors of the front, they almost daily introduced one infantry division into the direction of the army's advance. In addition to the 122nd infantry division, units of four more formations appeared in the army’s offensive zone for five days of fighting: 81, 24, 93 and 389 infantry divisions.

At 6 a.m. on October 19, 1944, trying to restore the lost position, the enemy, with up to two divisions, supported by tanks and self-propelled guns, launched a powerful counterattack on the army troops. Heavy fighting ensued. At the cost of heavy losses, the Nazis managed to push back units of the 3rd Shock Army by evening.

On October 20, 1944, two divisions of the 7th Rifle Corps were brought into battle from the second echelon of the army. But even they, met with strong fire, were unable to achieve a decisive turning point. The next day, active operations ceased and both sides went on the defensive.

Since October 1944, the 79th Rifle Corps, as part of the 3rd Shock Army, participated in the blockade of the enemy group on the Kurland Peninsula. On December 15, 1944, the 3rd Shock Army was withdrawn to the reserve of the Supreme High Command Headquarters, and on December 31, 1944, it was included in the 1st Belorussian Front. In 1945, army troops participated in the Warsaw-Poznan (January 14 - February 3), East Pomeranian strategic (February 10 - April 4) and Berlin strategic (April 16 - May 8) offensive operations. Soldiers of the 150th Rifle Division of the 79th Rifle Corps hoisted the Victory Banner over the Reichstag. After the end of hostilities in Berlin on May 2, 1945, corps troops participated in the disarmament of the remnants of the German Berlin garrison.

For distinction in the battles for the capture of Berlin, the 79th Rifle Corps was given the honorary name “Berlin”.

After the Great Patriotic War, the 79th Berlin Rifle Corps, as part of the 3rd Shock Red Banner (later 3rd Combined Arms Red Banner) Army, was part of the Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany (later the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany, Western Group of Forces).

3 SHOCK ARMY.
REPORTS OF THE COMMANDER OF THE 3rd UA ON THE PROGRESS OF THE TOROPETSKO-KHOLM OPERATION FOR THE PERIOD FROM 01/09/42. ON 02/18/42.

Fund 317, inventory 4306, file 37.
Sheet 3.
Report dated 01/09/42.
1. The troops went on the offensive.
2. Almost along the entire front, units encountered organized resistance in the strongholds of Zalesye, Zaozerye, Boloshovo, Mashugina Gora, Bol. and Mal.Chastivets, Petrovshchina, Staroe Selo, Barutino.
The best results were achieved by the right flanks of the 23rd and 33rd SD.
4. A significant obstacle is the high snow cover.
5. By 17.00 the troops reached the following position:
- 20 RRF surrounds Zalesye, up to two reinforced companies with heavy artillery, having a northern battalion. Zalesye and 2 baht. south and southwest Brigade command post - Elnik.
- The 23rd SD and the 78th ski battalion occupied Vysochki, are fighting on the approaches to Roven Mosty and blockading Zaozerye.
- 33 SD with one battalion of 164 SP blocking Terekhovshchina, with the second battalion by 17.00 reached the line of the Peschanka River (1 km east of Gorodishche). Units of the 82nd joint venture surrounded Boloshovo and captured Gvozdovo.
- 257 SD captured Azaryevo and, blockading Staroe Selo, baht. 948 joint venture is fighting for Barutino.
Sheet 5.
Report as of January 10, 1942.
20 SBR, leaving their forces in the Zalesye region. companies, the main forces advance to the Mezhniki district, from Matrenino, overcoming deep snow and an unfrozen swamp, they reached Sarai (4 km southeast of Mezhniki).
Position of 225 SP, advancing north. Roven Mosty in the direction of Gnutishche, unknown. North Zaozerye left one battalion of the 225th joint venture. The position of the ski battalion sent forward is unknown.
The hill was very well fortified, and reinforcements were constantly coming there both by land and by air.
33 SD - 73 SP is moving from Gorodishche to Laptevo, 164 SP is moving from Dorishche to Melikhovo, 82 SP is approaching Pervomaiskaya.
One battalion of the 164th joint venture was left until the outbreaks of the incident in the Mashugin Gora region were eliminated.
During 9 and 10.01.42. The division has losses of about 200 people.
257 SD until 16.30 to regroup on the line Staroe Selo, Tarasovo, Koloda.
The 943rd joint venture got involved in the battle for Buratino, but under heavy fire the pr-ka withdrew, losing 7 people. killed and 95 people. wounded.

Decision as of January 11, 1942.
I decided:
- 23 SD with the main forces to capture Molvotitsa;
- 33rd SD with the main forces reach the road Stavni, Lug, Rudakovo;
- 257 SD to seize the district of Pustynka, Lyushino and 31 SBR - district of Vosshagikha, Volodarskoye, Shumsky;
- 20 SBR - Shepelevo, Teplynka;
- 27 SBR - Gnutishche, Shabanovo.
Com. Army troops Mr. Turkaev.
Ch. military owls br. com. Ryazanov.
Beginning headquarters Mr. Pokrovsky.

Sheet 7.
Report for the morning of January 12, 1942.
The 20th RRF with the main forces entered the area south of Mezhniki.
23 SD - 3 km west. Palagino.
33 SD, reaching the line Kozhino, Kadnikovo, Melikhovo, Dorofeevo, part. The 73rd joint venture and the 164th joint venture are fighting for Mamonovshchina, preparing for an attack in the general direction of Sysoevo.
257 SD by the end of January 11, 1942. - 1 km east. Lake Yagodnik, level 224.5 north. shore of Lake Steregut. Preparing for an offensive in the direction of Gorbovo.
31 SBR captured Shepelevo and fought for Kokovkino.

In connection with our movement to the southwest. The position of the Demyansk group of pr-ka is becoming more and more threateningly deep communications. and bases 3 UA.
Therefore, I consider it necessary to force the start of an active operation against this group in every possible way.
20.01.1942

Sheet 10.
To the commander of the Kalinin Front.
Results of military operations for January 27, 1942.
The 23rd SD, having replaced the 42nd SBR battalion in the Gusevo, Naumovo sector, fought intense battles in the north during the day. and north-east Molvotitsy with the advance advancing from Belle 1st. By evening, parts of the division were scattered and thrown back to Belle 1st.
The pr-k showed the greatest activity in the direction of Kholm from the west. and southwest
33 SD - from the morning of 01/27/42. pr-k went on the offensive from the Pronino districts along the Kuzemkino-Kholm highway. By 11.00 up to 600 people. pr-ka.
With artillery and aviation support we broke through into Kholm. There is an intense battle going on in the city.
The division commander was ordered to find out the situation on the spot. pr-ka and bring the perpetrators to strict liability. At the same time, instructions were given to leave cover to the north-west. and sowing outskirts of the city. Concentrate the main forces in the south. Hill with the task of defeating the avenue operating in the Pronino-Kuzemkino region and re-occupying the west. part of Kholm, advancing from the west.
01/28/42 A member of the Military Council leaves for the division.
54 SBR - order: by the morning of 01/28/42. go to the Pokoloty - Kachanovo, Khomyagino district with the task of intercepting the Loknya, Kholm highway, striking in the rear of the avenue. The ski battalion assigned to the brigade remains in the Samushenka region and conducts reconnaissance in the north. and zap. directions.
257 SD - order: proceed to active actions with the goal of ending January 29, 1942. together with the 3rd RRF, capture Velikiye Luki.
Newly arrived 391 and 130 SD and 154, 86 SBR arrived. After unloading, we concentrated in the following areas: 391 SD - Polganovo, Sukhaya Niva, Vladychno (6-8 km southwest of Molvotitsa).
86 SBR - Meadow, Rudakovo, Perkhovo (6-8 km south of Molvotitsa).
Sheet 14.
Comrade Konev (com. Kalinin Front).
Results of military operations for 01/31/42.
Army troops defending on the right flank continue active operations in the Kholm and Velikiye Luki regions.
The pr-k, offering active resistance everywhere, continues to concentrate its forces in the Loknya region.
33 SD - improved its position with frequent attacks. The division was able to use 73 joint ventures to attack Kholm from the west.
The 45th Rifle Brigade captured Pronino, intercepted the Kholm - Loknya road, and thereby ensured that the 33rd Rifle Division would not break through the avenue from the west into Kholm. One battalion continued to clear the Tarakanovo district from the avenue.
The pr-k conducts persistent attacks along the Loknya - Kholm road.
Sheet 16.
The pr-k puts up stubborn resistance to Holm. In the districts of Khvoroshino, Tarakanovo, Maksimovo, Markovo Avenue, new units were concentrated. In the district of Bezhenitsy, Loknya there is a concentration of troops of an unknown number. The project seeks to liberate and strengthen the Kholm group, while simultaneously carrying out sapper work in a number of places along the Lovat River
33 SD and two joint ventures of 391 SD are fighting in the city of Kholm.
45 RRF defends the front of Pronino, Skaruevo, Lug.
54 RRF defends Khudyaki, Rystsovo, Pogorenka.
26 SBR set up a barrier towards Gruzdovo, 38 SBR through Poddorye, Vichevitsy advances towards Ratga and further towards Bezhenitsy.
The 8th Guards Rifle Division through Shapkovo, Kakachevo, enters the Mazury district (12 km west of Kholm), from where, after the defeat of the avenue, together with the 75th and 45th Rifle Brigade in the district of Khvoroshchino, Maksimovo, Sopki, it advances on Zamoshye and further on Loknya.
54 SBR defends the Maslovo, Rystsovo, Pogoreltsy, Malkino districts with the approach of 45 SBR, 33 SD goes on the offensive towards Selebino. Then, together with the 33rd SD, the west comes. Lovat river on Velikiye Luki, Novosokolniki.
The 33rd Rifle Division, after capturing Kholm, advances behind the 45th Rifle Division to assist in the defeat of Temny Bor Avenue, Ulcers.
Reference.
From 7 to 24.03.42 The map of the combat operations of the 33rd SD shows that divisions were brought up to the Kholm region: 75 SD - the village of Ivankovo (northwest), 37 SD - the village of Kuzemkino (southwest), 391 SD - village Bretskoye (south-east), 45 SD - Mikhali (south-west). Tsarevo - village Zaplatino - Taryzhino (south of the city of Kholm along the Kunya River) battle 03/18/42. with units of 117 SD.
Strezheno (along the Lovat River).

Ski battalions of the 3rd Shock Army

THIRD STRIKE.
COMBAT PATH OF THE 3rd SHOCK ARMY

Vasily Karpovich Pyatkov
Konstantin Sergeevich Belov
Semyon Semenovich Frolov

The book, written on a documentary basis, tells about the glorious military path of the 3rd Shock Army, its soldiers, sergeants, officers and generals who heroically fought against the Nazi invaders during the Great Patriotic War.

The army soldiers had to participate in battles in the northwestern direction, liberate the Baltic states, Poland, and at the final stage of the war storm Berlin and defeat the enemy in the Reichstag.

The book is intended for the general reader.

The years of the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union of 1941-1945 are receding further into the past. But the glory of the military and labor feats of our people and their valiant Armed Forces, which saved humanity from the fascist yoke, will never fade.

Many units, formations and associations of the Soviet Army glorified themselves on the battlefields of the last war. The 3rd Shock Army also occupies a place of honor among them.

Formations and units of the 3rd Shock Army took part in the defeat of the Velikiye Luki enemy group in 1942, liberated the Soviet Baltic states, Poland, and hoisted the Victory Banner over the Reichstag in defeated Berlin.

Many pages are devoted to battles on the territory of Soviet Latvia. With a great sense of pride for our soldiers, for the entire Soviet people, the authors show the selfless military deeds of Soviet soldiers in the battle for liberation from the hated occupiers of friendly Poland, to destroy the enemy’s Schneidemühl group and defeat the enemy in Eastern Pomerania.

The final stage of the 3rd Shock Army's combat path is associated with battles to break through the defenses of Nazi troops on the approaches to Berlin and the capture of the Reichstag.

The book covers the diverse activities of commanders, staffs, the party political apparatus and rear workers in ongoing operations. The authors sought to specifically show the work of political agencies and party organizations both in preparation for offensive combat operations and during them.

The initiators of all exploits and glorious military deeds at the front were communists and Komsomol members. Where it was especially difficult, communists always appeared. With their heroic deeds and fiery words, they strengthened the unshakable confidence of the soldiers in the rightness of our cause, in the inevitability of the final victory of the Soviet people over the enemy.

Many comrades, former soldiers of the 3rd Shock Army, reading this book, will not find their names in it. Thousands of front-line soldiers performed feats, it is impossible to tell about them all. But in those exploits of fighters and commanders, units and formations that are described in the book, there is also their share. All together they forged a great victory over the enemy.

When writing the book, materials from the Archive of the USSR Ministry of Defense, military historical works, army and front-line press of the war years, as well as personal memories of war veterans were used.

The authors express sincere gratitude to Army General S. P. Vasyagin, Reserve Lieutenant General F. Ya. Lisitsin, Reserve Colonel General V. M. Shatilov, Reserve Lieutenant General G. G. Semenov, Reserve Major General A. I. Litvinov, Colonel-Engineer A.N. Bessarab, and other comrades for their help in working on this book.

3 SHOCK ARMY.
REPORTS OF THE COMMANDER OF THE 3rd UA ON THE PROGRESS OF THE TOROPETSKO-KHOLM OPERATION FOR THE PERIOD FROM 01/09/42. ON 02/18/42.

Ski battalions of the 3rd Shock Army

25.12.1941 - 1954

The army was formed on December 25, 1941 by transforming the 60th Army (1st Formation) as part of the Moscow Defense Zone. Since December 27, as part of the North-Western Front.

Since January 21, 1942, as part of the Kalinin Front. In January - February 1942, she took part in the Toropetsko-Kholm operation, in November 1942 - January 1943 - in the Velikiye Luki operation, in October - November 1943 - in the Nevelsko-Gorodok operation.

Since October 13, 1943, as part of the 2nd Baltic Front. At the beginning of 1944, the army fought heavy offensive battles west and northwest of Nevel, by March 1 went over to defense at the line Balandino, Simanovo, Pustoshka, Denisovo, where she held the line for more than four months.

Since July 1944, the army took part in the Rezhitsa-Dvina offensive operation. On July 10, the troops went on the attack and broke through the front line of the enemy’s defense on site Kharitonov, Naragovo. By the end of July 11, forward formations had reached border of the river Alola, bypassing the strongest enemy barriers and bypassing Idritsa from the north- On July 12, the city was liberated. On July 17, the army cut Highway Opochka - Sebezh, July 17 army troops liberated Sebezh.

On July 17, 1944, troops of the 3rd Shock Army reached the borders of the Latvian SSR, on r. Zilupe. In front of the 3rd Shock Army, the enemy had a group of troops consisting of three infantry divisions (329th and 23rd German divisions and 15th Latvian SS division).

Army troops along the entire front successfully developed an offensive in the general direction towards Rezhitsa ( Rezekne) . On July 26, troops reached railway line Rezhitsa- Dvinsk ( Daugavpils) . July 27 after fierce fighting Rezhitsa was completely cleared of Nazi invaders.

In the Rezhitsa-Dvina offensive operation, troops of the 3rd Shock Army, moving forward 140 km, liberated a territory with a total area of about 6,000 square meters from the Nazi invaders. km, 3145 settlements (including cities of Idritsa and Sebezh), assisted the troops of the 10th Guards Army in the liberation Rezhitsa, destroyed 14,750 enemy soldiers and officers, 13 tanks and self-propelled guns, 180 guns and mortars, 203 machine guns, 17 tractors and 70 vehicles, captured about 3,000 people, captured 350 machine guns, 189 guns, 26 tanks, 21 tractors, 72 vehicles and 32 warehouses with ammunition, equipment and food.

Since July 28, the army has been taking part in the Madona operation. The 3rd Shock Army, which had arrived by this time Lubanskaya lowland, received an order to overcome it and reach river line Aiviekste. The army was given the task: in cooperation with the 22nd Army, to destroy the retreating enemy and take possession border of the river Aiviekste, go to border of Cesvaine, Madona, Marciena. The 10th Guards Army was advancing on the right, bypassing lake Lubana from the north and south.

On August 6, army troops reached river line Aiviekste, crossing the river and entering the borders Vidzeme Upland, by the end of August 13th they came out west of Madona. The army was given the task: to strike in the general direction to Ergli and in cooperation with the 10th Guards (right) and 22nd (left) armies, defeat the opposing enemy group, capture abroad Ergli, Ozolmuiza.

On August 17, army troops with five divisions attacked enemy positions and crossed the r. Arona and began to develop an offensive in the northwestern direction. Released on August 18 several settlements southwest of Madona, and the advanced units of the 5th Tank Corps, having covered 30 km, broke through into Ergli district.

Only by the end of August, as a result of many days and stubborn battles, the troops of the 3rd Shock Army reached the Ergli area and to the south of it. The situation stabilized and the 3rd Shock Army received the task of gaining a foothold at the achieved position.

In the Riga operation, the 3rd Shock Army was assigned a responsible task: to break through the enemy’s defenses at August site, Ozolmuiža, in cooperation with the 42nd and 22nd armies, defeat its units north of the Western Dvina River and master abroad Taurupe, Mengele. In the future, advance along railway Ergli - Riga and go out to Marciena district, Madliena.

On September 13, the troops of the 3rd Shock Army regrouped and took their starting position for the offensive; on September 14, the offensive began. Troops of the 3rd Shock Army broke through the enemy's defenses on a narrow 5-kilometer front. By the end of September 18, as a result of heavy fighting, it was possible to push back the enemy and reach Ogre River. On the night of September 22, hiding behind the rear guards, the enemy withdrew his troops to the western bank Lichupe rivers And Ogre and switched to a mobile defense.

On September 24, the 3rd Shock Army received a new task: to regroup in area southwest of Mitava (Jelgava) and replace the formations of the 51st Army of the 1st Baltic Front there.

From September 28 to October 3, 1944, troops of the 3rd Shock Army marched into a new area and replaced the formations of the 51st Army with border Mitava, Gardena, Besnier. The army received the task of firmly holding the defensive line, concentrating its main efforts in Mitava area And Dobele, by October 15, complete the equipment of the cut-off defensive line along the Dobele, Auce, Kalnamuiza line; provide a junction with the 1st Baltic Front. The 22nd Army defended on the right, and the 51st Army of the 1st Baltic Front on the left.

On October 10, the 3rd Shock Army received a front directive to prepare to go on the offensive to defeat the enemy’s Kurland group together with the 42nd Army in general direction Saldus, Libava (Liepaja), the immediate task was to break through the enemy’s defenses and take possession abroad Biksta,Auce. The start of the offensive was scheduled for October 16. The 22nd Army was supposed to operate on the right, and the 4th Shock Army of the 1st Baltic Front on the left.

On October 12, tasks were set; the 79th and 100th Rifle Corps were to strike at general direction to Marberg, lake. Zebres, defeat opposing enemy forces and advance to a depth of 15-17 km.

On October 16, after a short artillery preparation, the army troops went on the offensive. Overcoming stubborn resistance, they broke through the main and intermediate lines of defense and began to slowly move forward with battles. The enemy resisted fiercely. During October 17 and 18, he brought the 24th Infantry Division into battle from reserve, so the 79th and 100th Rifle Corps in the following days had to fight stubborn battles with counterattacking units of the 24th and 93rd Infantry Divisions, supported by " Tigers" and "Ferdinands" of the SS tank brigade "Gross". On October 19, fierce battles were fought on all sectors of the front, as a result of which the enemy managed to somewhat push back our units by the end of that day.

On the morning of October 20, the commander of the 3rd Shock Army brought into battle the 7th Rifle Corps, which had been included in the army at the start of the offensive, but this did not lead to the desired result. As a result of fierce bloody battles, by the end of October 21, it was possible to advance only 5-6 kilometers.

On October 21, the 3rd Shock Army surrendered the occupied zone to the 22nd Army and by the end of October 23 made a night march to area east of Vegeriai here to prepare an offensive in a new direction. The 100th Rifle Corps was ordered to be transferred to Debele area 22nd Army, and instead of it the 14th Guards Rifle Corps was included in the 3rd Shock Army.

In the period from October 22 to October 26, the army regrouped forces in a new direction and prepared for the operation, and on the morning of October 27 it went on the offensive from Vegeriai district V northwest direction to Saldus. At this time it included the 7th, 79th and 14th Guards Rifle Corps.

The army struck north of Vegeriai forces of two corps with the task of breaking through the enemy’s defenses on Yurgashi area, Vegeriai, destroy the opposing enemy and, advancing around Auce from the south, in cooperation with the 10th Guards Army, by the end of the first day of the operation, seize abroad Kevele, Rumbeneki. In the future, step on Ozolmuižu. The 7th Rifle Corps operated on the right flank, with the 364th and 265th Rifle Divisions in the first echelon. To the left of it the 79th Rifle Corps was advancing, having in the first echelon the 150th and 171st Rifle Divisions. The 14th Guards Rifle Corps received the task of preventing the enemy from breaking through in the southern and south-eastern directions with strong defenses and with units of the 146th Rifle Division striking in the sector Vegeriai, Šilos in the direction of Beleniai.

The 33rd Infantry Division remained in the army reserve. From the very beginning, the fighting in the Vegerya direction became fierce. They were difficult, exhausting, and took place under almost continuous autumn rain. The greatest success occurred in the offensive zone of the 150th Infantry Division. The enemy continued to offer stubborn resistance. In order to complete the breakthrough of its defense, on the night of October 28, the second echelons of the corps - the 198th and 207th rifle divisions - were brought into battle.

By the end of October 31, the army troops, waging continuous battles and repelling counterattacks, advanced 25-30 km, captured dozens of settlements, including the town of Vegeriai, and formations of the 7th Rifle Corps approached an important node of enemy defense - Auce.

The attempts of the army troops in early November to continue the offensive did not produce the desired results; the enemy troops, finding themselves in the Courland cauldron, had heavily compacted battle formations and offered fierce resistance.

3rd Shock Army, entrenched on border Pulyas, Jaunserzhi, Mežmali, continued to conduct defensive battles to block the enemy’s Courland group until the end of November 1944, and on December 15 it was withdrawn to the reserve of the Supreme High Command Headquarters.

On December 31, the army was included in the 1st Belorussian Front. In 1945, army troops took part in the Warsaw-Poznan, East Pomeranian strategic and Berlin strategic offensive operations. Soldiers of the 79th Army Rifle Corps hoisted the Victory Banner over the Reichstag.

After the end of hostilities in Berlin on May 2, 1945, army troops participated in the disarmament of the remnants of the German Berlin garrison. After the end of the war, it was part of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany, headquarters - Magdeburg.

In 1954, the 3rd Shock Army was renamed the 3rd Combined Arms Army. On January 15, 1974, the 3rd Combined Arms Army was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. In 1990, the division was withdrawn from the GDR, with the disbandment of the unit.

Army commanders:

Lieutenant General Purkaev Maxim Alekseevich from December 1941 to August 1942
Lieutenant General Galitsky Kuzma Nikitovich from September 1942 to November 1943
Colonel General Chibisov Nikandr Evlampievich from November 1943 to April 1944
Lieutenant General Yushkevich Vasily Alexandrovich from April to August 1944
Lieutenant General Gerasimov Mikhail Nikanorovich from August to October 1944
Major General Nikolai Pavlovich Simonyak from October 1944 to March 1945
Colonel General Kuznetsov Vasily Ivanovich from March 1945 to 1948

Members of the Army Military Council:

brigade commissar Ryazanov A.P. from December 1941 to February 1943
Lieutenant General Ponomarenko Panteleimon Kondratievich from February to March 1943
Major General Litvinov Andrey Ivanovich from March 1943 to May 9, 1945

Chiefs of Army Staff:

Major General Pokrovsky A.P. from December 1941 to February 1942
Major General Sharokhin Mikhail Nikolaevich from February to August 1942
Major General Yudintsev Ivan Semyonovich from August 1942 to March 1943
Major General Busarov Mikhail Mikhailovich from March to May 1943
Major General Fedor Andreevich from May to October 1943
Major General Beilin Veniamin Lvovich from October 1943 to August 1944
Lieutenant General Bukshtynovich M. F.. from August 1944 to May 1946

Compound:

Army composition

from June to December 1944

Infantry, airborne troops and cavalry

7th Rifle Corps - since October 1944
- 23rd Guards rifle division
- 33rd Infantry Division - from Decemberto December 15, 1944
- 198th Rifle Division - from October to November 1944
- 265th Rifle Division - since November 1944
- 364th Infantry Division - from November to December 1944
12th Guards rifle corps - since December 1944
- 52nd Guards rifle division - since December 1944
- 364th Infantry Division - from December to December 15, 1944
14th Guards rifle corps - since October 1944
- 33rd Infantry Division - until December 1944
- 198th Rifle Division - from November to December 1944
- 379th Infantry Division
44th Rifle Corps - from September to October 1944
- 115th Infantry Division - from September to October 1944
- 319th Infantry Division - from September to October 1944
- 325th Infantry Division - from September to October 1944
79th Rifle Corps
93rd Rifle Corps - for July to September 1944
- 219th Rifle Division - for July to September 1944
- 379th Infantry Division - for July to September 1944
- 391st Rifle Division - from July to August 1944
100th Rifle Corps - from September to December 1944
- 21st Guards rifle division - from September to December 1944
- 28th Infantry Division - from September to December 1944
- 200th Rifle Division - from September to December 1944
391st Rifle Division - for June to July 1944
155th fortified area - from November to December 1944

Artillery RVGK, army and corps artillery

6th Guards breakthrough artillery division
- 29th Guards cannon artillery brigade - from August to September 1944
- 69th Light Artillery Brigade - from November to December 15, 1944
- 134th Howitzer Artillery Brigade - from September to October, from November to December 15, 1944
- 87th Heavy Howitzer Artillery Brigade - from November to December 15, 1944
- 119th High Power Howitzer Artillery Brigade - from November to December 15, 1944
- 4th Mortar Brigade - from December to December 15, 1944
136th Army Cannon Artillery Brigade
385th Howitzer Artillery Regiment - from August to October 1944
827th Howitzer Artillery Regiment - for July to October 1944
6th Guards anti-tank artillery brigade - from November until December 15 1944
- 318th Guards anti-tank artillery regiment - for July to August 1944
18th Anti-Tank Artillery Brigade - from Novemberto December 15, 1944
- 171st Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment - from October to November 1944
163rd Guards anti-tank artillery regiment
4th Mortar Brigade
- 193rd Mortar Regiment - from September to October 1944
203rd Guards horse-drawn mortar regiment
14th Guards mortar brigade rocket artillery - from Novemberto December 15, 1944
85th Guards rocket artillery mortar regiment - from September to October, from Novemberto December 15, 1944
93rd Guards rocket artillery mortar regiment - for July to September, from Octoberto December 15, 1944
310th Guards rocket artillery mortar regiment - for July to August 1944
36th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Division RGK - for Julyto December 15, 1944
- 1385th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment
- 1391st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment
- 1397th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment
- 1399th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment
1622nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment
467th separate anti-aircraft artillery battalion - for Julyto December 15, 1944

Armored and mechanized forces

29th Guards tank brigade - for July to September 1944
31st Guards separate tank regiment - from Novemberto December 15, 1944
227th separate tank regiment - from August to September 1944
239th separate tank regiment - from August to September 1944
373rd Guards heavy self-propelled artillery regiment - from August to September 1944
1539th heavy self-propelled artillery regiment - for July to August 1944
991st Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment - from August to September 1944
999th Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment - from September to November, from Decemberto December 15, 1944
1476th self-propelled artillery regiment - from September to December 1944
56th separate division of armored trains - for Julyto December 15, 1944
57th separate division of armored trains - for Julyto December 15, 1944
62nd separate division of armored trains - for Julyto December 15, 1944

Corps of Engineers

8th Motorized Engineering Brigade - from September to October 1944
19th Assault Engineer Brigade - until July 1944
25th engineer brigade
924th separate engineer battalion - from Novemberto December 15, 1944
54th Pontoon-Bridge Battalion - from November to December 1944
88th Pontoon-Bridge Battalion - from August to October 1944

Flamethrower units

206th separate company of backpack flamethrowers - from September to October 1944

Source

“THIRD STRIKE. COMBAT PATH OF THE 3rd SHOCK ARMY" Order of the Red Banner of Labor MILITARY PUBLISHING HOUSE OF THE USSR MINISTRY OF DEFENSE MOSCOW - 1976