8th Army (Soviet Union)
Encyclopedia
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 (or 14 September 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 Novgorod Group had been created a month before, on 13 August 1939 by the order No. 0129 of the Chairman of the People's Commissariat for Defence
, Marshal of the Soviet Union K.E. Voroshilov
. The Group was created for operations in Estonia
and Latvia
.)
. The strength of the 8th Army, or overall the Red Army, in the north of Lake Ladoga
(Ladoga Karelia), surprised the Finnish general staff. The Finns deployed only two divisions, and they had a support group of three brigade
s, bringing their total strength to over 30,000 uniforms. The Soviets had a division
for almost all roads leading west to the Finnish border. The Eighth Army was led by Ivan Khabarov
, but on 13 December he was replaced by Grigori Shtern
. The Vice Commander of the Southern Group was Vladimir Kurdyumov
from December 1939, who later was appointed the Vice Commander of the 15th Army.
The mission was to destroy the Finnish troops in the area of Ladoga Karelia and advance to the area between Sortavala
and Joensuu
within ten days. The Soviets had the advantage of a three-to-one ratio in men, five-to-one in artillery and also air supremacy
.
The Finnish troops conducted a pre-planned retreat before the overwhelming opposition. On 7 December, in middle of the Ladoga Karelian front, the Finns retreated near the small stream of Kollaa
. The waterway itself did not offer any protection, but alongside there were ridge
s up to ten meters. The battle of Kollaa
lasted until the end of war. Up to north the Finns retreated from Ägläjärvi to Tolvajärvi on 5 December, and defeated Soviet attacks by the 139th Rifle Division
and 75th Rifle Division in the battle of Tolvajärvi
on 12 December.
In the south, two Soviet divisions were united on the northern side of the coastal road of Lake Ladoga. As before, these divisions were in a trap as the Finns could make counterattacks from a north to columns flank. The Finns made counterattacks in all fronts but were not successful – however the Red Army was now facing a position of defence rather than attack. On 19 December the Finns temporarily ceased their assaults as the soldiers were exhausted. It was not until the period 6 January to 16 January 1940 that the Finns made another major offensive, and cut the Soviet division into a smaller group of different sized motti
s.
Contrary to Finnish expectation, the encircled Soviets divisions did not try to breakthrough to the east but instead they stayed put and entrenched themselves. The Soviets were expecting auxiliary troops and service shipments support to arrive by the air. However, the Finns repelled all efforts of the Soviet Eighth Army to resupply the encircled troops, and they did not get enough supplies from the air. As the Finns lacked the necessary heavy artillery equipment and were short of men, they did not directly attack the mottis they had created, but instead focussed on eliminating the most dangerous threats only and bide their time.
.
From the morning of 22 June 1941 as part of the Northwestern Front the army (10th and 11th, 12th Mechanised Corps
, 9th anti-tank artillery brigade and a number of other units) joined the heavy fighting with superior forces of the German Wehrmacht
in the Shyaulyay
direction.
On the 23–25 June its 12th Mechanized Corps with the part of the 3rd Mechanised Corps
of the 11th Army southwest of Shyaulyaya executed a counterblow on the forces of the enemy’s Panzer Group 4, as a result of which their advance was delayed by several days. During July–August the troops of the 8th Army conducted persistent defensive actions in the territory of Estonia. On 14 July army is transferred into the composition of the Northern Front
, and on 27 August of the Leningrad Front
. At the beginning of September 1941 the army's troops fought on the neighboring approaches to Leningrad, retaining in interaction with the forces of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet
on the Oranienbaum bridgehead
which played an important role in the Siege of Leningrad
. At the beginning of November the Army headquarters and some formations and units of the 8th Army were relocated into the eastern sector of the defense of the Leningrad Front
and to the bridgehead on the Neva river
in Moscow Dubrovki (Neva Pyatochok). During November- December they conducted persistent offensive combat for achieving Leningrad blockade break-through. At the end of January 1942 the administration of army, crossed on Lake Ladoga
ice to the Volkhov
direction, combined formations and units of the Sinyavinsk operations group of 54th Army, which occupied defenses from the south coast of Ladoga lake to the Kirov
railroad.
On 9 June the army was subordinated to the Volkhov Front
. In August- September it acted as a part of the Front's assault group for the Sinyavinsk Offensive Operation. During January 1943 the 8th Army participated in the Leningrad blockade break-through, covering the southern flank of the Front’s assault group. During July–August it conducted furious fighting in the Mga Offensive Operation.
During January 1944, the army headquarters and its support units were moved between Novgorod and Lake Peipus
.
After accepting new formations, the Army participated in the Novgorod-Luga Offensive Operation. After regrouping as part of the Leningrad Front (from 16 February), the Army made several attempts to encircle the German Army Group Narwa in the battle for Narva Bridgehead. After the failure to do so, the army took up defensive positions in late March to July. The Army participated in the Narva Offensive (July 1944)
and the Battle of Tannenberg Line, 25 July to 10 August 1944. During September in cooperation with the 2nd Shock Army
and the Baltic Fleet
, the army conducted the Tallinn Offensive, as result of which, mainland Estonia and the capital Tallinn
were captured.
In October–November the army together with the Baltic Fleet
conducted the Moonsund Landing Operation to capture the West Estonian archipelago (Moonsund archipelago).
From December 1944 the Army carried out coastal defense tasks in Estonia to the end of the war.
In September 1945 the Army was disbanded by being redesignated HQ Western Siberian Military District
in Novosibirsk
.
I.N. Khabarov
(until 13 December 1939); G.M. Shtern
(13 December 1939)
Major General Sobennikov (March- June 1941); lieutenant general Ivanov F.S. (June–July 1941); Major General Lyubovtsev I.M. (July August 1941); the lieutenant general Pshennikov P.S. (August- September 1941); Major General Shcherbakov V.I. (September 1941.); lieutenant general [Shevaldin] T.I. (September- November 1941); Colonel, since October 1941. Major General Bondaryev A.L. (November 1941. - January 1942.); Major General Sukhomlin A.V. (January- April 1942); Major General, since November 1942 Lieutenant General Starikov F.N. (April 1942 - to the end of the war).
Members of the military council: divisional commissar Shabalov S.I. (June July 1941.); divisional commissar Chukhnov I.F. (July- September 1941); the brigade commissar Okorokov A.D. (September 1941. - April 1942.); brigade commissar, December 1942. divisional commissar Sosnovikov V.V. (May- December 1942); Major General Zubov V.A. (December 1942. - to the end of the war).
Chiefs of staff : Major General Larionov G.A. (1940 - August 1941.); Colonel Smirnov V.I. (August- September 1941); Major General Kokorev P.I. (September 1941. - December 1942.); Colonel, June 1944. Major General Golovchiner B.M. (December 1942 - to the end of the war).
Field army
A Field Army, or Area Army, usually referred to simply as an Army, is a term used by many national military forces for a military formation superior to a corps and beneath an army group....
of the Soviet 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...
during the Second World War.
The 8th Army was formed in October 1939 (or 14 September 1939) from the Novgorod Army Operational Group of the Leningrad Military District
Leningrad Military District
The Leningrad Military District was a military district of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. In 2010 it was merged with the Moscow Military District, the Northern Fleet and the Baltic Fleet to form the new Western Military District.-History:...
with the task of providing security of the Northwestern borders of the USSR. (The Novgorod Group had been created a month before, on 13 August 1939 by the order No. 0129 of the Chairman of the People's Commissariat for Defence
Minister of Defence of Soviet Union
-List of defence ministers:-See also:* Heads of military of Imperial Russia* Defence Ministry of the Russian Federation...
, Marshal of the Soviet Union K.E. Voroshilov
Kliment Voroshilov
Kliment Yefremovich Voroshilov , popularly known as Klim Voroshilov was a Soviet military officer, politician, and statesman...
. The Group was created for operations in 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...
and Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
.)
Winter War
On 30 November 1939 the Soviet Union attacked Finland in the Winter WarWinter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
. The strength of the 8th Army, or overall the Red Army, in the north of Lake Ladoga
Lake Ladoga
Lake Ladoga is a freshwater lake located in the Republic of Karelia and Leningrad Oblast in northwestern Russia, not far from Saint Petersburg. It is the largest lake in Europe, and the 14th largest lake by area in the world.-Geography:...
(Ladoga Karelia), surprised the Finnish general staff. The Finns deployed only two divisions, and they had a support group of three brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
s, bringing their total strength to over 30,000 uniforms. The Soviets had a 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...
for almost all roads leading west to the Finnish border. The Eighth Army was led by Ivan Khabarov
Ivan Khabarov
Ivan Nikitich Khabarov was a Soviet Army Commander during the World War II.In the beginning of the Winter War, Khabarov was the Commander of the 8th Army. He was removed from the post 13 December 1939 due to failures, and Khabarov served in the Military logistics for the rest of the war...
, but on 13 December he was replaced by Grigori Shtern
Grigori Shtern
Grigori Mihailovich Shtern 1900, Smila, Kiev Governorate – 28 October 1941) was a Soviet officer in the Red Army and military advisor during the Spanish Civil War. He also served with distinction during the Soviet-Japanese Border Wars and the Winter War....
. The Vice Commander of the Southern Group was Vladimir Kurdyumov
Vladimir Kurdyumov
Vladimir Nikolayevich Kurdyumov was a Soviet Lieutenant General.Kurdyumov served in the Red Army since 1918 in the World War I and the Russian Civil War. He graduated from the Frunze Military Academy in 1925 and served as military attaché in the Baltic countries...
from December 1939, who later was appointed the Vice Commander of the 15th Army.
The mission was to destroy the Finnish troops in the area of Ladoga Karelia and advance to the area between Sortavala
Sortavala
Sortavala is a town in the Republic of Karelia, Russia, located at the northern tip of Lake Ladoga. Population: It is an important station of the Vyborg-Joensuu railroad.-History:...
and Joensuu
Joensuu
Joensuu is a city and municipality in North Karelia in eastern Finland. It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of North Karelia region. It was founded in 1848...
within ten days. The Soviets had the advantage of a three-to-one ratio in men, five-to-one in artillery and also air supremacy
Air supremacy
Air supremacy is the complete dominance of the air power of one side's air forces over the other side's, during a military campaign. It is the most favorable state of control of the air...
.
The Finnish troops conducted a pre-planned retreat before the overwhelming opposition. On 7 December, in middle of the Ladoga Karelian front, the Finns retreated near the small stream of Kollaa
Kollaa River
thumb|232px|picture taken on December 17th 1939The Kollaa River is a 76-kilometre long river in the Republic of Karelia, Russia. It starts from Lake Kollasjärvi in the Suoyarvsky District and flows to Lake Tulmozero in the Pryazhinsky District....
. The waterway itself did not offer any protection, but alongside there were ridge
Ridge
A ridge is a geological feature consisting of a chain of mountains or hills that form a continuous elevated crest for some distance. Ridges are usually termed hills or mountains as well, depending on size. There are several main types of ridges:...
s up to ten meters. The battle of Kollaa
Battle of Kollaa
The Battle of Kollaa was fought from December 7, 1939 - March 13, 1940 in the Ladoga's Karelia, Finland as a part of the Winter War.Despite having far fewer troops than the Soviets, the Finnish forces repelled the Red Army because the Soviets were only prepared to proceed along roads...
lasted until the end of war. Up to north the Finns retreated from Ägläjärvi to Tolvajärvi on 5 December, and defeated Soviet attacks by the 139th Rifle Division
139th Rifle Division
The 139th Rifle Division was a infantry division of the Red Army, formed three times during World War II, in 1939 and twice in 1941.Its First Formation was established at Kozelsk in September 1939, on the basis of a regiment of the 81st Rifle Division. It fought in the Winter War with Finland. It...
and 75th Rifle Division in the battle of Tolvajärvi
Battle of Tolvajärvi
The Battle of Tolvajärvi ['tol.va.jær.vi] was fought on 12 December 1939 between Finland and the Soviet Union. It was the first large offensive victory for the Finns in the Winter War.-Prelude:...
on 12 December.
In the south, two Soviet divisions were united on the northern side of the coastal road of Lake Ladoga. As before, these divisions were in a trap as the Finns could make counterattacks from a north to columns flank. The Finns made counterattacks in all fronts but were not successful – however the Red Army was now facing a position of defence rather than attack. On 19 December the Finns temporarily ceased their assaults as the soldiers were exhausted. It was not until the period 6 January to 16 January 1940 that the Finns made another major offensive, and cut the Soviet division into a smaller group of different sized motti
Motti
Motti may refer to:*Motti, a Finnish military tactic.*A measurement of firewood, equivalent to one cubic metre of wood.*Admiral Conan Antonio Motti, a fictional character from the Star Wars universe.*a variant of Motikan, a Kurdish clan....
s.
Contrary to Finnish expectation, the encircled Soviets divisions did not try to breakthrough to the east but instead they stayed put and entrenched themselves. The Soviets were expecting auxiliary troops and service shipments support to arrive by the air. However, the Finns repelled all efforts of the Soviet Eighth Army to resupply the encircled troops, and they did not get enough supplies from the air. As the Finns lacked the necessary heavy artillery equipment and were short of men, they did not directly attack the mottis they had created, but instead focussed on eliminating the most dangerous threats only and bide their time.
Eastern Front
In 1940 the Army became a part of the Baltic Special Military DistrictBaltic Military District
The Baltic Military District was a military district of the Soviet armed forces, formed briefly before the German invasion, and then reformed after World War II and disbanded after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991....
.
From the morning of 22 June 1941 as part of the Northwestern Front the army (10th and 11th, 12th Mechanised Corps
12th Mechanized Corps (Soviet Union)
The 12th Mechanized Corps was a formation in the Soviet Red Army during the Second World War.Formed in March 1941 in response to the German victories in the West, it served with the 8th Army and was held in reserve near Šiauliai in Lithuania 75 km northwest of Kaunas in the Special Baltic...
, 9th anti-tank artillery brigade and a number of other units) joined the heavy fighting with superior forces of the German Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
in the Shyaulyay
Šiauliai
Šiauliai , is the fourth largest city in Lithuania, with a population of 133,900. It is the capital of Šiauliai County. Unofficially, the city is the capital of Northern Lithuania.-Names:...
direction.
On the 23–25 June its 12th Mechanized Corps with the part of the 3rd Mechanised Corps
3rd Mechanised Corps (Soviet Union)
The 20th Motor Rifle Division is a formation of the Russian Ground Forces, originally formed within the Soviet Red Army as the 3rd Mechanised Corps....
of the 11th Army southwest of Shyaulyaya executed a counterblow on the forces of the enemy’s Panzer Group 4, as a result of which their advance was delayed by several days. During July–August the troops of the 8th Army conducted persistent defensive actions in the territory of Estonia. On 14 July army is transferred into the composition of the Northern Front
Northern Front
Northern Front may refer to one of the following.* Russian Northern Front , a unit of the Imperial Russian army during the World War I.* Polish Northern Front , a unit of the Polish Army during the Polish-Bolshevik War...
, and on 27 August of the 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:...
. At the beginning of September 1941 the army's troops fought on the neighboring approaches to Leningrad, retaining in interaction with the forces of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet
Baltic Fleet
The Twice Red Banner Baltic Fleet - is the Russian Navy's presence in the Baltic Sea. In previous historical periods, it has been part of the navy of Imperial Russia and later the Soviet Union. The Fleet gained the 'Twice Red Banner' appellation during the Soviet period, indicating two awards of...
on the Oranienbaum bridgehead
Lomonosov, Russia
Lomonosov is a municipal town in Petrodvortsovy District of the federal city of St. Petersburg, Russia, situated on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, west of St. Petersburg proper. Population:...
which played an important role in the Siege of Leningrad
Siege of Leningrad
The Siege of Leningrad, also known as the Leningrad Blockade was a prolonged military operation resulting from the failure of the German Army Group North to capture Leningrad, now known as Saint Petersburg, in the Eastern Front theatre of World War II. It started on 8 September 1941, when the last...
. At the beginning of November the Army headquarters and some formations and units of the 8th Army were relocated into the eastern sector of the defense of the 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:...
and to the bridgehead on the Neva river
Neva River
The Neva is a river in northwestern Russia flowing from Lake Ladoga through the western part of Leningrad Oblast to the Neva Bay of the Gulf of Finland. Despite its modest length , it is the third largest river in Europe in terms of average discharge .The Neva is the only river flowing from Lake...
in Moscow Dubrovki (Neva Pyatochok). During November- December they conducted persistent offensive combat for achieving Leningrad blockade break-through. At the end of January 1942 the administration of army, crossed on Lake Ladoga
Lake Ladoga
Lake Ladoga is a freshwater lake located in the Republic of Karelia and Leningrad Oblast in northwestern Russia, not far from Saint Petersburg. It is the largest lake in Europe, and the 14th largest lake by area in the world.-Geography:...
ice to the Volkhov
Volkhov
Volkhov is an industrial town in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated east of St. Petersburg, on the Volkhov River. Population: -History:...
direction, combined formations and units of the Sinyavinsk operations group of 54th Army, which occupied defenses from the south coast of Ladoga lake to the Kirov
Kirov, Kirov Oblast
Kirov , formerly known as Vyatka and Khlynov, is a city in northeastern European Russia, on the Vyatka River, and the administrative center of Kirov Oblast. Population: -History:...
railroad.
On 9 June the army was subordinated to the Volkhov Front
Volkhov Front
The Front was reformed on the 9 June 1942 from the Volkhov Operational Group of the Leningrad Front and served until 15 February 1944, participating in the relief of the Siege of Leningrad and taking part in other operations including:-Campaigns:...
. In August- September it acted as a part of the Front's assault group for the Sinyavinsk Offensive Operation. During January 1943 the 8th Army participated in the Leningrad blockade break-through, covering the southern flank of the Front’s assault group. During July–August it conducted furious fighting in the Mga Offensive Operation.
During January 1944, the army headquarters and its support units were moved between Novgorod and Lake Peipus
Lake Peipus
Lake Peipus, ) is the biggest transboundary lake in Europe on the border between Estonia and Russia.The lake is the fifth largest in Europe after Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega in Russia north of St...
.
After accepting new formations, the Army participated in the Novgorod-Luga Offensive Operation. After regrouping as part of the Leningrad Front (from 16 February), the Army made several attempts to encircle the German Army Group Narwa in the battle for Narva Bridgehead. After the failure to do so, the army took up defensive positions in late March to July. The Army participated in the Narva Offensive (July 1944)
Narva Offensive (July 1944)
This is a sub-article to Battle of Narva.The Narva Offensive was a campaign fought between the German army detachment "Narwa" and the Soviet Leningrad Front for the city of Narva in 24–30 July 1944....
and the Battle of Tannenberg Line, 25 July to 10 August 1944. During September in cooperation with the 2nd Shock Army
2nd Shock Army
The 2nd Shock Army was a field army of the Soviet Union during the Second World War. This type of formation was created in accordance with prewar doctrine that called for Shock Armies to overcome difficult defensive dispositions in order to create a tactical penetration of sufficient breadth and...
and the Baltic Fleet
Baltic Fleet
The Twice Red Banner Baltic Fleet - is the Russian Navy's presence in the Baltic Sea. In previous historical periods, it has been part of the navy of Imperial Russia and later the Soviet Union. The Fleet gained the 'Twice Red Banner' appellation during the Soviet period, indicating two awards of...
, the army conducted the Tallinn Offensive, as result of which, mainland Estonia and the capital Tallinn
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
were captured.
In October–November the army together with the Baltic Fleet
Baltic Fleet
The Twice Red Banner Baltic Fleet - is the Russian Navy's presence in the Baltic Sea. In previous historical periods, it has been part of the navy of Imperial Russia and later the Soviet Union. The Fleet gained the 'Twice Red Banner' appellation during the Soviet period, indicating two awards of...
conducted the Moonsund Landing Operation to capture the West Estonian archipelago (Moonsund archipelago).
From December 1944 the Army carried out coastal defense tasks in Estonia to the end of the war.
In September 1945 the Army was disbanded by being redesignated HQ Western Siberian Military District
Siberian Military District
The Siberian Military District was a Military district of the Russian Ground Forces. In 2010 it was divided between the two newly formed Central and Eastern Military Districts.- History :...
in Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk is the third-largest city in Russia, after Moscow and Saint Petersburg, and the largest city of Siberia, with a population of 1,473,737 . It is the administrative center of Novosibirsk Oblast as well as of the Siberian Federal District...
.
Commanding officers
Ivan Khabarov
Ivan Nikitich Khabarov was a Soviet Army Commander during the World War II.In the beginning of the Winter War, Khabarov was the Commander of the 8th Army. He was removed from the post 13 December 1939 due to failures, and Khabarov served in the Military logistics for the rest of the war...
(until 13 December 1939); G.M. Shtern
Grigori Shtern
Grigori Mihailovich Shtern 1900, Smila, Kiev Governorate – 28 October 1941) was a Soviet officer in the Red Army and military advisor during the Spanish Civil War. He also served with distinction during the Soviet-Japanese Border Wars and the Winter War....
(13 December 1939)
Major General Sobennikov (March- June 1941); lieutenant general Ivanov F.S. (June–July 1941); Major General Lyubovtsev I.M. (July August 1941); the lieutenant general Pshennikov P.S. (August- September 1941); Major General Shcherbakov V.I. (September 1941.); lieutenant general [Shevaldin] T.I. (September- November 1941); Colonel, since October 1941. Major General Bondaryev A.L. (November 1941. - January 1942.); Major General Sukhomlin A.V. (January- April 1942); Major General, since November 1942 Lieutenant General Starikov F.N. (April 1942 - to the end of the war).
Members of the military council: divisional commissar Shabalov S.I. (June July 1941.); divisional commissar Chukhnov I.F. (July- September 1941); the brigade commissar Okorokov A.D. (September 1941. - April 1942.); brigade commissar, December 1942. divisional commissar Sosnovikov V.V. (May- December 1942); Major General Zubov V.A. (December 1942. - to the end of the war).
Chiefs of staff : Major General Larionov G.A. (1940 - August 1941.); Colonel Smirnov V.I. (August- September 1941); Major General Kokorev P.I. (September 1941. - December 1942.); Colonel, June 1944. Major General Golovchiner B.M. (December 1942 - to the end of the war).