50th Army (Red Army)

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50th Army

active August 1941 to October 1945
Country Soviet UnionSoviet Union Soviet Union
Armed forces : Red Army
Soviet Army
Armed forces Land Forces
Type army
Insinuation Bryansk Front
Western Front
Belarusian Front
1st Belarusian Front
2nd Belarusian Front
3rd Belarusian Front
Butcher Second World War
Battle of Smolensk (1941)
Battle for Moscow
Oryole operation
Battle of Smolensk (1943)
Operation Bagration
East Prussian operation
Battle of Koenigsberg

The 50th Army ( Russian 50-я армия ) was a major unit of the Red Army from 1941 to 1945 and took part in the German-Soviet War . The formation was long-term part of the western front on the central sector and took part in the Battle of Moscow in 1941 and in Operation Bagration in 1944. In the last year of the war, 1945, the 50th Army operated in East Prussia and was involved in the siege of Königsberg .

history

1941

On August 20, 1941, the command of the 2nd Rifle Corps was dissolved and the High Command of the 50th Army was formed from it. The newly formed army took up defensive positions in the area north of Potschep in the area of ​​the 3rd Army, which ran along the Desna and Sudost rivers . On August 25, the command of the higher-level Bryansk Front ordered that the 3rd Army deployed in the middle of the front should be reinforced on both wings with the 13th and 50th Armies. To better protect the flanks of 3rd Army , the 280th Rifle Division was transferred to the 50th Army and the 269th Rifle Division to the 13th Army.

  • The first formation of the 50th Army comprised the 217th, 258th, 260th, 278th, 279th, 280th and 290th Rifle Divisions as well as the 55th Cavalry Division, in addition to artillery, aviation and other units .

At the end of August, the south wing of the German 4th Army attacked the seam between the Soviet 50th and 43rd Armies and on August 28th crossed the Snopot River. At the same time the German XXXXVII started against the 13th Army . Mot. Army Corps launched an offensive in the direction of Trubchevsk . The troops of the 13th Army suffered heavy losses and had to go back across the Desna River . In this situation the Stawka decided to repel the German Panzer Group 2 ( Guderian ) with the 13th and 21st Armies and developed a counter-offensive in the direction of Starodub and Konotop . In order to counter the German grouping more effectively, four rifle divisions of the 50th Army and the 43rd Army of the reserve front in the Roslavl-Novosybkov operation (early September) were deployed to a counterattack on Roslavl , which was unsuccessful.

At the beginning of Operation Taifun (October 2, 1941) the troops of the 50th, 3rd and 13th Armies defended themselves on the line between Bryansk , Kaluga and Sevsk - Orel with advance troops on the Snopot section and further south via Pogar to Gluchow on 290 km front. Opposite the 50th Army along the western bank of the Desna, the German 34th Infantry Division was concentrated, which exerted heavy pressure in the direction of Bryansk. The 50th Army defended its sector with seven rifle divisions (with an average of about 8,500 men each) in the front meeting between Frolovka and Dmitrov and with a rifle division northeast of Zhukovka as a reserve:

  • 217th Rifle Division Colonel WP Schlegel
  • 258th Rifle Division Brigadier General KP Trubnikov
  • 260th Rifle Division Colonel WD Khochlowa
  • 278th Rifle Division Colonel VI Mjaleschka
  • 279th Rifle Division Colonel PG Scheludko
  • 280th Rifle Division Major General SJ Danilow
  • 290th Rifle Division Colonel NW Ryakina
  • 299th Rifle Division Col. JF Seregin
  • 121st Tank Brigade Colonel NN Radkevich
  • 55th Cavalry Division

After the breakthrough of the German XXXXVII. Mot. Corps on Bryansk, the situation of the 50th Army deteriorated dramatically. The defensive front turned east along the right bank of the Desna. Until the evening of October 2, the 217th Rifle Division held in a difficult situation on the eastern bank of the Bjtosh River to 6 km east of the Desna River, the 299th Rifle Division on the southeast bank of the Vetma River and the 278th Rifle Division defended on the eastern bank of the Desna to the east of Schukowa. This was followed by the 258th Rifle Division, covered on the left by the 260th Rifle Division, the 290th Rifle Division stopped at the Ivot section. On October 3, the 50th Army was completely surrounded by German troops, the 108th Panzer Division (Colonel S. Ivanov) and the 154th Rifle Division (Major General JS Fokanow) attempted counter-attacks from the east to break up the pocket. The 108th Panzer Division, together with the 258th and 260th Rifle Divisions, attempted a counterattack in the direction of Shirjaino to re-establish communications. After General Petrov could no longer be found, the commander of the Brjansk Front, Lieutenant General AI Yeremenko, led the 50th Army from October 7th in personal union , and from October 13th General Arkady Yermakov was commissioned to lead the 50th Army. The new defensive line ran at the mouth of the river Upnach north to the mouth of the Sneschd (15 km northwest of Mtsensk) and further north into the room Mtsensk . On the right flank, the newly added formations of the 50th Army defended:

  • the 31st Cavalry and 173rd Rifle Divisions (near Belyev), the 258th, 154th, 299th and 6th Guards Rifle Division, the 41st Cavalry Division. The 11th tank brigade; The 217th Division defended the village of Odojew and the 260th Rifle Division at Arsenewo.

On October 23, 1941, the German Panzer Group 2 started its offensive on Tula , a most important administrative and industrial center in the south-west of Moscow, where the newly formed 50th Army on the Oka was preparing for renewed resistance. The main attack was led by the German XXIV Motorized Corps , followed by the 47th Motorized Corps with the aim of getting the crossings over the Oka between Kolomna and Kaschira under control. Guderian's troops crossed the Shusha sector 12 km northwest of Mtsensk and penetrated the right flank of the 6th Guards Rifle Division. The fight on the southern outskirts of Tula began on the morning of October 30th. On the same day the 50th Army was reinforced with the 413rd Rifle Division and used to defend Stalinogorsk . The leadership of the Bryansk Front had designated the new Kurakin, Bolohowo and Dedilowo line for defense.

In the association of the Western Front, the 50th Army fought the defense operation of Tula until December 5, 1941 and then took part in the great counter-offensive off Moscow . In the defensive battles around Tula , the 156th NKVD Regiment (Major SF Zubkow), the 258th Rifle Division (Colonel ML Sijazow), the 413rd Rifle Division (Major General LD ​​Tereschkow), and the 154th Rifle Division proved their worth in the 50th Army Rifle Division (Major General JS Fokanov). The 413rd Rifle Division (Major General AD Tereschkow), which was set up in the Far East in August 1941 , was transferred to the 50th Army as reinforcement. On the morning of November 10, the Germans launched new attacks against the section of the 258th Rifle Division and against the left flank of the 238th Rifle Division of the 49th Army, which was to the north. Parts of the 238th Rifle Division managed to advance from Pronino in the direction of Suhodol, whereupon the enemy began to bypass the right flank of the 999th Rifle Regiment of the 258th Rifle Division. The 31st Cavalry Division occupied the enemy at Plutnewo, the 194th Rifle Division fought a bitter battle for possession of the town of Konin on the night of November 12th. On November 24th and 25th, defensive battles followed around Venev and November 25th and in the area east of Kaschira . In December the 50th Army took part in the counter offensives in Tula (December 6-16) and Kaluga (December 17, 1941 to January 5, 1942). During these attacks, the troops of the 50th Army were able to advance up to 50 kilometers to the west and liberated the cities of Shekino , Yasnaya Polyana , Odojewo, Lichwin (Chekalin) and on December 30, Kaluga. At the beginning of January 1942, the 50th Army was concentrated in the area southeast of Juchnow .

1942

At the beginning of 1942 the 50th Army fought on both sides of the Ugra, supported the breakthrough of the 10th Army in the direction of Vyazma and took over new positions southwest of Juchnow from March 7th, the following divisions were subordinate:

  • 154th Rifle Division
  • 217th Rifle Division
  • 258th Rifle Division
  • 290th Rifle Division
  • 340th Rifle Division, Colonel S. Martirosjan
  • 413rd Rifle Division, Major General AD Tereschkow
  • 31st Cavalry Division
  • 112th Panzer Division, Col. AL Getman
  • 32nd Tank Brigade Colonel II Yushchuk
  • Independent 131st Panzer Battalion

Army organization on January 1, 1943

  • 58th Rifle Division
  • 69th Rifle Division
  • 146th Rifle Division
  • 325th Rifle Division
  • 344th Rifle Division
  • 413rd Rifle Division
  • 2nd Guard Panzer Brigade
  • 108th Armored Brigade

In March 1943, the 50th Army took part in the last fighting of the Rzhev operation (March 2–31 ) and pushed towards Spas-Demensk after the German buffalo movement .

  • From July to August 1943, the 50th Army was assigned the 17th, 49th, 64th, 212th, 324th, 326th and 413rd Rifle Divisions.

At the end of April 1943, the 50th Army established itself in the area southwest of Kozelsk and took positions in the Kirov area following the 16th Army . The 196th Panzer Brigade distinguished itself during the Oryol Operation (July 12 to August 18, 1943) and pushed towards Zikejewo. During the offensive, the troops crossed the river Zhizdra were, then the enemy between Makarowka - stopped Owsorodski. During the Smolensk Operation (August 7th to October 2nd, 1943), the 50th Army did not begin its attack until August 14th, and after 5 days their advance towards Shizdra reached a depth of 53 km.

On August 17, 1943, the 50th Army was subordinated to the Bryansk Front (third formation) and participated in the Bryansk offensive (September 1 to October 3). The army was concentrated in the Shizdra area to the south-east of the Bolwa sector. Until September 7th, the opponent's flank and back were untenable and the German withdrawal to the "Hagen Line" was initiated. By September 15, the troops of the 50th Army had reached the train station of Snopoti Olsufiev. After entering the Republic of Belarus , Chotimsk was occupied on September 26th, and on October 8th the Pronja river was reached at Petuhowka and a bridgehead was formed on the right bank at Propoisk (Slavgorod). On October 18, 1943, the 50th Army was subordinated to the Central Front (from October 20 - Belarusian Front).

In November 1943, the 50th Army took part in the Gomel - Rechitza operation (November 10th - 30th), during which the troops in conjunction with the 3rd Army rejected the defense against enemy attacks in the Uzgorsk - Krasnaya Sloboda area On November 11th they managed to cross the Dnieper at Novy Bychow . At the end of December 1943, the 50th Army reached the Davidowitsch - Trilesno - Hachinki line (22 km east of Bychow).

Army organization on January 1, 1944

46th Rifle Corps, Major General Konstantin Maxsimowitsch Jerastow

  • 238th Rifle Division
  • 369th Rifle Division
  • 380th Rifle Division

121st Rifle Corps, Major General Dmitri Ivanovich Smirnov

  • 108th Rifle Division
  • 110th Rifle Division
  • 324th Rifle Division
  • 413rd Rifle Division

On February 24, 1944, the 50th Army became part of the 1st Belarusian Front and from April 23rd the 2nd Belarusian Front .

Outline on June 22, 1944

19th Rifle Corps, Major General Dmitri Ivanovich Samarsky

  • 324th Rifle Division, Colonel Ivan Kornilovich Kasak
  • 362nd Rifle Division, Major General Vasily Nikititsch Dalmatow

38th Rifle Corps, Major General Judel Leontjewitsch Gorodinsky

  • 110th Rifle Division, Colonel Vasily Andreevich Gushavin
  • 139th Rifle Division, Major General Iosif Konstantinowitsch Kirillow
  • 385th Rifle Division

121st Rifle Corps, Major General Dmitri Ivanovich Smirnov

  • 238th Rifle Division
  • 307th Rifle Division, Major General Vasily Nikititsch Dalmatow
  • 380th Rifle Division

From June to August 1944, the 50th Army consisted of the 19th, 38th, 121st Rifle Corps and the 307th Rifle Division and took part in the strategic Operation Bagration (June 22nd - August 29th). The troops fought in the battle of Mogilew (June 23-28 ) and Minsk (June 29th-July 4th), their units crossing the Berezina and fighting the encircled parts of the German 4th and 9th armies in the Cherven area . In collaboration with other armies, the cities of Mogilev (June 28), Bychow (June 28), Novogrodek (July 8) and Grodno (July 16) were liberated. This was followed by fighting in the Battle of Bialystok (July 5th to 27th), by the end of August the 50th Army had reached the line of the Biebrza - Narew rivers in the Ossowetz - Samoljasche area.

Army organization on January 1, 1945

69th Rifle Corps, Major General Nikolai Nikolayevich Multan

  • 153rd Rifle Division, Colonel Alexander Smirnov, later Major General Sergei Ignatiev
  • 110th Rifle Division, Colonel SM Tarasov
  • 324th Rifle Division, Colonel Ivan Kornilovich Kosak
  • 191st Rifle Division, Major General GO Laschkin

81st Rifle Corps, Lieutenant General Alexander Alexejewitsch Tyurin

  • 2nd Rifle Division, Major General MI Perevosnikov
  • 330th Rifle Division, Major General Vladimir Gusew
  • 307th Rifle Division, Major General Wasili Nikitowitsch Dalmatow

124th Rifle Corps, Lieutenant General Ivan Ivanovich Ivanov

  • 208th Rifle Division, Colonel RW Zwetkow
  • 216th Rifle Division, Major General GF Malyukov
  • 51st Rifle Division, Colonel AJ Chwostov

In the last year of the war, 1945, the 50th Army fought as part of the 2nd Belarusian Front (under Marshal Rokossovsky ) in the East Prussian Operation (January 13 - April 25, 1945). During the offensive, the Soviet troops of Army Group Center (from January 26th Army Group North) defeated. The troops of the 50th Army conquered the cities of Lyck (Elk, January 23), Bialla and Neuendorf (January 24), Nikolajko (January 27), Rudshan (January 27), Wormditt (February 17) and others . From April 6 to 9, 1945, the 81st and 124th Rifle Corps of the 50th Army took part in the storming of Königsberg - 3 armies took part in the main attack, with the troops on the eastern section (69th Rifle Corps) remaining on the defensive. In May the 50th Army was still operating on the coast of the Frisches Haff and was disbanded in October 1945.

guide

Commander

Members of the Council of War

  • Commissioner KL Sorokin (October - November 1941, July 1942 - November 1942)
  • Commissioner VG Lark (November 1941 - July 1942)
  • Colonel A. Rassadin (November 1942 - January 1943)
  • Major General LM Chumakov (January - October 1943)
  • Colonel AI Karamyshev (October 1943 - February 1945)
  • Major General NG Ponomarew (February 1945 - end of the war)

Chief of Staff

  • Colonel Leonid A. Pern (August - October 1941)
  • Colonel NJ Argunov (October 1941 - March 1942)
  • Major General Iwan T. Grischin (March 1942 - April 1943)
  • Major General NG Brilew (April 1943 - August 1944)
  • Lieutenant General Fyodor P. Oserow (September 1944 - January 1945)
  • Major General NF Garnitsch (January 1945 - end of the war)

Web links