| 52nd Rifle Division (1935 – December 1941) 10th Guards Rifle Division (December 1941 – 1957) 10th Guards Motor Rifle Division (1957–1991) |
|
|---|---|
| Active | 1941–1991 |
| Country | Soviet Union |
| Branch | Soviet Ground Forces |
| Type | Division |
| Role | Motor Rifles |
| Part of | Transcaucasus Military District |
| Nickname | Honorary title = "Pechengskij" |
| Engagements | 1939: Battle of Petsamo 1941–1944:Arctic Defensive 1944:Petsamo-Kirkenes Operation 1945: East Pomeranian Offensive Chojnice-Kezlinskaya Offensive |
The 10th Guards Motor Rifle Division was a division of the Soviet Ground Forces. The full name of its predecessor division was the "10th Guards Rifle Pechengskii twice Red Banner, Order of Alexander Nevsky and the Red Star division". The division traces its history from the 10th Guards Rifle Division (ex 52nd Rifle Division, first formed in 1935) who Fought in East Prussia and in Berlin.
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In 1939 the division along with the 52nd Rifle Division, took part in the Battle of Petsamo during the Winter War and then the Soviet invasion of Poland. From 26 December 1941 to 9 November 1944 and from 29 January 1945 to 9 May 1945 the division was part of the Soviet ground forces participating in World War II. Before October 1944, the division has been in the Arctic, defending positions on the Zapadnaya Litsa River ('Valley of Fame') (near Murmansk), as part of the 14th Army. During the defense 10th division was engaged in 150 fights of local importance. In the end of April 1942 it began a counterattack, which was unsuccessful. The counterattack failed due to severe weather conditions and a strong snowstorm on the previous day. In September – October 1944 the division was resubordinated to 131st Rifle Corps, itself reporting to 14th Army. On 7 October 1944, it participated in the Petsamo-Kirkenes Operation and was in the first echelon advancing to the building on Mount Small Karikvayvish and seized a bridgehead on the west bank of the Titovka River on 8 October 1944. After four days of fighting for the Luostari on 14 October 1944 they crossed the Pechenga River west of Kakkuri and participated in the liberation of Pechenga. After the liberation of Pechenga the division attacked Kirkenes, supported by the 378th Guards Heavy Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment. After that operation the division moved through the Baltic states Bialystok into reserve in the Vologda district.
In January 1945 the division crossed Poland and was positioned in Ostrow-Mazowiecki.
On 26 February, during the East Pomeranian Offensive, the division moved from Baldenberg and turned northeast to Rummelsburg and on 3rd March captured Rummelsburg.
By 21 March, 10th division was relocated to the right flank of the army – 30 kilometers southwest of Marchand and advanced towards Pustkovits-Gdynia.
On 31 March after taking Gdynia, 10th joined forces with 1st Polish Tank Brigade and attacked Zagorje (east of Janowo located on the peninsula formed by the Gulf Puttsger Vic and the river Rod).
By the end of April the division was positioned in the forests northeast of Treptow and covered the coast of Baltic Sea from Kohlberg to Valddivinov. Division combed the forests, eliminating small scattered groups of enemies.
In the last days of the war the division crossed the deltas of the rivers Oder and Swinemunde. 10th division was engaged in fighting on the island of Usedom along with 19th Army of the 2nd Belorussian Front in May 1945.
After World War II the division became the 10th Guards Mountain Division.
In 1957 it became the 10th Guards Motor Rifle Division. In the postwar period it moved to Akhaltsikhe in the Georgian SSR, joining with 9th Army.
The division appears to have dissolved in 1991–92.
| Date | Front (District) | Army | Housing |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 1944 | Karelian Front | 14 Army | |
| October 1944 | Karelian Front | 14 Army | 131 Rifle Corps |
| November 1944 | Karelian Front | 14 Army | 99 Rifle Corps |
| December 1944 | Reserve Stavka | 19 Army | 99 Rifle Corps |
| January 1945 | Reserve Stavka | 19th Army | 40th Guards Rifle Corps |
| February 1945 | 2nd Belorussian Front | 19 Army | 40th Guards Rifle Corps |
| March 1945 | 2-nd Russian Front | 19 Army | 40th Guards Rifle Corps |
| April 1945 | 2-nd Russian Front | 19 Army | 40th Guards Rifle Corps |
| May 1945 | 2-nd Russian Front | 19 Army | 134 Rifle Corps |
| Award (name) | Date | For that received |
|---|---|---|
| Order of the Red Banner | 19 June 1943 | ? |
| Pechengskij | 31 October 1944 | For the exemplary performance of tasks of command in the battles against the German invaders, for winning the city Petsamo (Pechenga) and for displaying valor and courage |
| Order of the Red Banner | 5 April 1945 | ? |
| Order of Alexander Nevsky | 26 April 1945 | For the fulfillment of the command in the battles against the Nazi invaders in the capture of cities Laudenburg, Kartuzy (Karthauz) and for displaying valor and courage |
| The Order of the Red Star | 4 June 1945 | ? |
| Award | Name | Position | Title | Date award | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aliyev, Said Davidovich | Sniper 35th Guards Rifle Regiment | Guard Sergeant | 22 February 1943 | ||
| Borodulin, Ivan | Commander Branch 28th Guards Rifle Regiment | Guard Sergeant | ? | ||
| Generalov, Alexei Petrovich | Mortar company commander of 28th Guards Rifle Regiment | Guard capital | 2 November 1943 | Posthumously | |
| Zhulega, Gregory Prokhorovich | Assistant platoon leader walking Intelligence 35 Guards Rifle Regiment | Guard Sergeant | 18 June 1944 24 November 1944 29 June 1945 |
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| Zimakov, Ivan | Division commander 29th Guards Artillery Regiment | Guard Major | 24 March 1945 | Posthumously: called artillery fire on himself | |
| Ivchenko, Michael Lavrent'evich | Sniper 28th Guards Rifle Regiment | Guard Lance Corporal | 2 November 1944 | Posthumously: closed body machine gun embrasure | |
| Kvasnikov, Michael Savelievich | Mortar 28th Guards Rifle Regiment | Guard Lance Corporal | 24 March 1945 | Posthumously: closed body machine gun embrasure | |
| Streltsov, Pavel | Heavy 28th Guards Rifle Regiment | Guard ordinary | 2 November 1944 | 26 October 1944 Died of | |
| Frolov, Andrei D. | Company commander | Guard Lieutenant | 2 November 1944 |