7th Rifle Division (Soviet Union)
Encyclopedia
The 7th Rifle Division was a infantry
division
of the Soviet Union
's Red Army
, formed five separate times from 1918 to 1955. The division was first formed in September 1918 at Vladimir
in the Moscow Military District
.
After reorganisation, probably as part of forming new divisions, the division was re-formed for the second time in August 1939 at Poltava in the Kiev Special Military District. In September–October, 1939 the division took part in the Soviet invasion of Poland (1939)
as part of the 6th Rifle Corps, 6th Army
, Ukrainian Front. From the Kiev Special MD it was sent to Finland around the middle of January 1940. The division arrived in Perk-yarvi (Перк-ярви) around the end of January or the start of February and moved to lake Mikkelin-yarvi. From 3 February 1940 it joined the 50-th Rifle Corps, and advanced with the Corps from 13.02.1940 as part of the 7th Army
. It was then shifted to the 10th Rifle Corps about 20 February 1940, on the Хотиненском direction. It was then shifted again, to the 34th Rifle Corps in February–March and awarded the Order of the Red Banner
.
Returned to the Kiev Special Military District in April 1940, it participated in the Soviet occupation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina in June–July 1940. In August 1940 it was reformed as the 7th Motorized Division. During the Soviet-Finnish campaign the division consisted of the 27th, 257th, and 300th Rifle Regiments, the 23rd Reconnaissance Battalion, and the 405th Separate Tank Battalion. Fighting as part of the 8th Motorised Corps, 26th Army
, Southwestern Front
, from June 1941, the division was decimated in attempting to halt the German advance. It was engaged in the Lutsk-Rovno area soon after the German invasion began.
The division was reformed for the third time from remnants of the 7th Motorised Division 27.12.1941 at Sverdlovsk in the Ural Military District. Fourth formation began at Sverdlovsk in the Ural MD in 1942, as an Estonia
n national formation, which later joined the 8th Estonian Rifle Corps
of the Red Army. It took part in operations from 7 November 1942 as part of the 3rd, 1st Shock
, 8th
and 42nd Armies. Its first combat was the Battle of Velikiye Luki
. On 1 December 1942 it was part of the 8th Rifle Corps, subordinated directly to the Kalinin Front
alongside other Estonian formations. Was 7th Estonian Rifle Division with 1st Shock Army of the Kurland Group (Leningrad Front
) May 1945. On 28.06.1945 it became the 118th Guards Rifle Division by NKO Order № 0126.
The Division was apparently formed five times in total, last in 1955 by renumbering 407 RD.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
's Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
, formed five separate times from 1918 to 1955. The division was first formed in September 1918 at Vladimir
Vladimir
Vladimir is a city and the administrative center of Vladimir Oblast, Russia, located on the Klyazma River, to the east of Moscow along the M7 motorway. Population:...
in the Moscow Military District
Moscow Military District
The Moscow Military District was a military district of the Soviet Armed Forces and the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. In 2010 it was merged with the Leningrad Military District, the Northern Fleet and the Baltic Fleet to form the new Western Military District.-History:In the beginning of...
.
After reorganisation, probably as part of forming new divisions, the division was re-formed for the second time in August 1939 at Poltava in the Kiev Special Military District. In September–October, 1939 the division took part in the Soviet invasion of Poland (1939)
Soviet invasion of Poland (1939)
The 1939 Soviet invasion of Poland was a Soviet military operation that started without a formal declaration of war on 17 September 1939, during the early stages of World War II. Sixteen days after Nazi Germany invaded Poland from the west, the Soviet Union did so from the east...
as part of the 6th Rifle Corps, 6th Army
6th Army (Soviet Union)
The 6th Army was a field army of the Soviet Red Army formed four times during World War II and active with the Russian Ground Forces up until 1998...
, Ukrainian Front. From the Kiev Special MD it was sent to Finland around the middle of January 1940. The division arrived in Perk-yarvi (Перк-ярви) around the end of January or the start of February and moved to lake Mikkelin-yarvi. From 3 February 1940 it joined the 50-th Rifle Corps, and advanced with the Corps from 13.02.1940 as part of the 7th Army
7th Army (Soviet Union)
The Soviet Red Army's 7th Army first saw action in the 1939-40 Winter War against Finland. In November 1939, just before the initial Soviet attack, it consisted of the 19th Rifle Corps , 50th Rifle Corps , 10th Tank Corps, 138th Rifle Division, and an independent tank brigade...
. It was then shifted to the 10th Rifle Corps about 20 February 1940, on the Хотиненском direction. It was then shifted again, to the 34th Rifle Corps in February–March and awarded the Order of the Red Banner
Order of the Red Banner
The Soviet government of Russia established the Order of the Red Banner , a military decoration, on September 16, 1918 during the Russian Civil War...
.
Returned to the Kiev Special Military District in April 1940, it participated in the Soviet occupation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina in June–July 1940. In August 1940 it was reformed as the 7th Motorized Division. During the Soviet-Finnish campaign the division consisted of the 27th, 257th, and 300th Rifle Regiments, the 23rd Reconnaissance Battalion, and the 405th Separate Tank Battalion. Fighting as part of the 8th Motorised Corps, 26th Army
26th Army (Soviet Union)
The 26th Army was a field army of the Soviet Union's Red Army, active from 1941.- Operational history :...
, Southwestern Front
Soviet Southwestern Front
The Southwestern Front was a name given to a Front by the Imperial Russian Army during the First World War, by the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic during the Russian Civil War, and by the Red Army during the Second World War.The Southwestern Front in this article describes several...
, from June 1941, the division was decimated in attempting to halt the German advance. It was engaged in the Lutsk-Rovno area soon after the German invasion began.
The division was reformed for the third time from remnants of the 7th Motorised Division 27.12.1941 at Sverdlovsk in the Ural Military District. Fourth formation began at Sverdlovsk in the Ural MD in 1942, as an Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
n national formation, which later joined the 8th Estonian Rifle Corps
8th Estonian Rifle Corps
The 8th 'Estonian' Rifle Corps was a formation in the Soviet Army, created on 6 November 1942, during World War II. The 8th 'Estonian' Rifle Corps 1st...
of the Red Army. It took part in operations from 7 November 1942 as part of the 3rd, 1st Shock
1st Shock Army
The 1st Shock Army was a field army established by the Soviet Union's Red Army during World War II.The 1st Shock Army was created in late 1941 and fought in the northern areas of Russia and the Baltic States until the defeat of Germany in 1945...
, 8th
8th Army (Soviet Union)
The 8th Army was a field army of the Soviet Red Army during the Second World War.The 8th Army was formed in October 1939 from the Novgorod Army Operational Group of the Leningrad Military District with the task of providing security of the Northwestern borders of the USSR. The 8th Army was a field...
and 42nd Armies. Its first combat was the Battle of Velikiye Luki
Battle of Velikiye Luki
The Velikiye Luki offensive operation was executed by the forces of the Red Army's Kalinin Front against the Wehrmacht's 3rd Panzer Army during the Winter Campaign of 1942-1943 with the objective of liberating the Russian city of Velikiye Luki as part of the northern pincer of the Rzhev-Sychevka...
. On 1 December 1942 it was part of the 8th Rifle Corps, subordinated directly to the Kalinin Front
Kalinin Front
The Kalinin Front was a Front of the Soviet Army during the Second World War. This sense of the term is not identical with the more general usage of military front which indicates a geographic area in wartime, although a Soviet Front may operate within designated boundaries.The Kalinin Front was...
alongside other Estonian formations. Was 7th Estonian Rifle Division with 1st Shock Army of the Kurland Group (Leningrad Front
Leningrad Front
The Leningrad Front was first formed on August 27, 1941, by dividing the Northern Front into the Leningrad Front and Karelian Front, during the German approach on Leningrad .-History:...
) May 1945. On 28.06.1945 it became the 118th Guards Rifle Division by NKO Order № 0126.
The Division was apparently formed five times in total, last in 1955 by renumbering 407 RD.
Names and awards
- 22.10.1944 Award the honourable name "Tallinn"
- 16.12.1944 Awarded the Order of the Red BannerOrder of the Red BannerThe Soviet government of Russia established the Order of the Red Banner , a military decoration, on September 16, 1918 during the Russian Civil War...
Sources and references
- Craig Crofoot, 'Armies of the Bear'
- http://rodstvo.ru/forum/index.php?showtopic=13751
- See also http://samsv.narod.ru/Div/Sd/sd007/default.html.