I Corps (Czechoslovakia)
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I Czechoslovak Army Corps was created on the April 10 1944 at Chernivtsi and moved to Krosno area soon after.
The Corps initial commander was Brigade General Jan Kratochvíl who was soon replaced by Brigade General Ludvík Svoboda (September 11 1944) who was also performing the role of Minister of Defence in the government in exile. Towards the end of the war he was replaced by Brigade General Karel Klapálek (from April 3 1945).
The I Czechoslovak Army Corps consisted of four infantry brigades, one tank brigade, and smaller air and other support units. While most Czechoslovak units served as part of the Corps, some may have been detached for operations with Red Army formations and units as required.
The Corps composition on formation in 1944 was:
- 1st Czechoslovak independent brigade
- 2nd Czechoslovak parachute desant brigade
- 3rd Czechoslovak independent brigade
- 4th Czechoslovak independent brigade
- 1st Czechoslovak independent tank brigade
- 1st Czechoslovak independent engineering battalion
- Air units operationally attached to the Corps were:
- 1st Czechoslovak independent fighter air regiment
- 1st Czechoslovak mixed air division
[edit] Combat history
The Corps initially served within the 4th Ukrainian Front's, 1st Guards Army.
From September 4 1944 the Corps was reassigned to the 1st Ukrainian Front's 38th Army until January 1945. During this time the Corps participated in the East Carpathian Strategic Offensive Operation (8 September 1944 - 28 September 1944). During this operation, from 14,900 personnel the Corps suffered a loss of 1,630, and 4,069 wounded.[1]
In January it returned to the 1st Guards Army. However a couple of weeks later it was reassigned to the 1st Ukrainian Front's 18th Army. As part of this Army it took part in the Prague Strategic Offensive Operation (the Prague Offensive) (6 May 1945 -11 May 1945) during which it suffered 112 killed, and 421 wounded from a total of 48,400 personnel.
The I Czechoslovak Army Corps took part in assisting the Slovak National Uprising, liberation of southern Poland, and the rest of Czechoslovak territory (Slovakia, Silesia and Moravia) from German occupation.[2]
[edit] References
[edit] Sources
- Czechoslovak military units in USSR (1942-1945) [1] by Michal Gelbič
- Russia and USSR in the wars of 20th century: Losses of combat forces, a statistical investigation, under general editorialship of professor, General-Colonel G.F. Krivosheyev, Moscow, Olma-Press, 2001
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