1^st Mechanised Corps

October 27, 2006

Tank Distribution (on June 22, 1941):

* - According to [24] the corps had 104 flame thrower tanks based on T-26 hull.

** - Including 7 units on repair in Leningrad

Rem:

• The 4th Tank Btln/1st Tank Regiment was equipped with flame thrower tanks
• The 2nd Tank Regiment : one Battalion equipped with T-28, two BT, 4 Flame thrower Tanks (OT-26 (KhT-26))
• The 6nd Tank Regiment: one battalion with T-28, one battalion with BT-7 and one battalion with T-26.
• Also some OT-130 and T-50 distributed.
• 24 KV Tanks were received in July.
• On Aug. 12 [22,23] The 2nd Tank Regiment had at least 8 KVs and 4 T-50 tanks. (According to [23] on Aug. 13, 3 KVs and 4 T-50s were transferred to the Kingisepp defensive zone commander and 5 KVs - to the 3rd People's Militia Division commander)
• All divisions were totally motorized.
• The 50th Separate Engineering Battalion was used separately from the corps. Up to July, 9 was destroing the bridges over the Tchernaya and Tcherekha rivers.
• The 101st Separate Corps Air Squadron was not used due to obsolete equipment (U-2 light bombers)

Tank Equipment of the 25^th Tank Regiment/163rd Motorised Division on June 25, 1941 [15]

Equipment of the 3rd Tank Division on June 28, 1941 [17]

Rem. AMVAS: counted operable vehicles. No data about exact type of flame thrower tanks.

Equipment of the 3rd Tank Division on June 29, 1941 [18]

Rem. AMVAS: counted operable vehicles

* - Rem. AMVAS-Probably BA-10 & BA-20 if to follow previous report.

Equipment of the 3rd Tank Division on 7:00 July 3, 1941 [19]

Rem. AMVAS: counted operable vehicles & howitzers

Rem. AMVAS: Not clear why BT-7s are not mentioned. In Opersvodka No. 12 on 5:00 July 2'41 mentioned 2/5 Tank Regt (40 BT-7), 3/5 Tank Regt (43 BT-7), 4/5 Tank Regt (14 T-26) located 1.5 km south from Toroshino.

* - armed with guns

Equipment of the 3rd Tank Division on 21:00 July 3, 1941 [20]

AMVAS: counted operable vehicles

Rem. AMVAS: From [20] 7 KV-1 (named KV with 76mm gun ) and KV-2 (named KV with 152mm gun) arrived to the 1/5th TD in the morning of July 3'41 together with crews. All tanks supplied by ammo (2 allowances)

Strength & Equipment of the 3rd Tank Division on July 4, 1941 [21]

The same [21] document gives the next data for the 1st Mechcorps:

Corps headquarters & its units subordinated to HQ.

Commanders: 216;

Junior commanders: 250

Soldiers: 1255

Total: 1721 men

Rifles: 193

Automatic rifles: 1

Mortars: 24

Light machine-guns: 162

Data for the 163rd Motorised Division was joint to this one of the 112nd Tank Division, 5th Airborne Corps and Headquarters of the 27th Army.

Tank Equipment of the 3rd Tank Division / 1st Mechanised Corps (July 5-10,1941) [15]

*-Received on July,2.

Rem. AMVAS: Opersvodka No. 17 on 16:00 July 10'41 mentions the next numbers of operable tanks in the 3rd TD:

• 5th Tank Regiment
  • 40 BT-7

At night July 8-9 received 51 T-26 tanks in very bad state. (25 out of them can't start by own means)

• 6th Tank Regiment
  • BT-5 -1
  • BT-7 - 18
  • KV - 2
  • T-26 - 11

• Recon Battalion
  • BT-7 - 6
  • BA-10 - 2
  • BA-20 - 1

Summary Data for the 1st Tank Division

* - Irreparable

*1 - In early July it received 4 KV-1 + 2 KV-2

*2 - cell composed by AMVAS

*3 - During defense of Moloskovitsy station

Losses of the 1st Tank Division June 26 - August 1, 1941 [27]

* - SPAM = Sbornyi Punkt Avariynykh Mashin. - Assembly place of unoperable vehicles.

Strength & Losses of the 1st Tank Division* [28]

* - Rem. AMVAS: Very strange table. Most likely there is fatal error in date. I can guess it's not June 22, but JULY 22. At least it's clear that no T-50 could be on June 22.

In June, 1941

The 1st Tank Division was transferred to the 14th Army. The 1st Tank Regiment was concentrated near Alakurtty station near the Finnish frontier. The 2nd Tank Regiment was positioned farther on the south. The 1st Tank Division was attached to the 42th Rifle Corps and was fighting against the German 36th Corps in the vicinity of Kandalaksha. In the middle of July it was transferred to Leningrad
The rest troops of the Corps, from June 22 onward, were concentrated near Krasnogvardeysk (South of Leningrad). Positioning was finished only in June 24.

3rd Tank Division (took the field): 32 T-28, 63 T-26, 224 BT-7, 93 BA;

163th Mot. Division (took the field): 211 T-26, 22 BT-5.

June 27, 1941

The 3rd Tank Battalion of the 163th MD had been withdrawn and was sent to Trappa st. (Estonia)

June 28, 1941

Separate Anti-Aircraft Battalion of the 163th MD was sent to Leningrad

20 armored cars were sent to Front HQ

June 30, 1941

The corps started moving to the front line to the region Podluzhje, Borovichi, Porkov.

July 1, 1941

The 163th Mot. Division was transferred to the 27th Army and moved to the Rezekne region.

July 4, 1941

The corps was concentrated 20 km to the NW from Slavkovichi.

July 4, 1941

The 3rd Mot.Rfl.Regiment with one company of the 5th Motorcycle Regiment were sent as a reserve force to Front HQ. This regiment was used together with the 24th Tank Division on Luzhsky line and was not returned to their parent formations afterward.

The 3rd Tank Division (without the 1st Tank Battalion., Mot. Rfl. Regiment, and AA Battalion) and the 5th Motorcycle Regiment (without 2 companies) were concentrated in B. Lobyanka, Nemoyevo, Shvanibakhova region to be ready to attack Ostrov and Pskov. 1 Motorcycle company + AT battery (since July 3rd) were protecting the military camp near Tishino (Ostrov area).

The 1st Mechanised Corps was ordered to attack Ostrov. For this the 3rd Tank Division had:

28 T-28, 10 KV, 148 BT, 30 T-26, 42 KhT (OT-26 or/and OT-130 (?)) (Total: 258 Tanks). Some tanks were not operable (e.g. T-28 had only 7-8 vehicles ready).

After a short aerial attack two tank battalions of th 6th Tank Regiment passed through the troops of the 111th Rifle Division and attacked the 1st Panzer Division in Ostrov. One tank company managed to reach the bridge. At the end of the day, all troops retreated to their initial positions. It should be mentioned that some tanks and infantry were diverted to help with the elimination of small German landing parties.

July 5, 1941

For the attack on Ostrov, the 5th and 6th Tank Regiments were used, the 3rd Howitzer Regiment of the 3rd Tank Division with two infantry regiments and a Howitzer regiment of the 41th Corps. During the battle for the town the 6th Panzer Division arrived and prevented the capture of the town. The newly arrived division kicked all Soviet troops out of the town. The losses for the 3rd Tank Division amounted to about 50% (?). Then German troops began a counterattack after a massive artillery and aerial bombardment. The Soviet troops were forced to retreat.

At the end of the day the division was positioned as follows: 5th Tank Regiment south of Nilolskoye, Razliv and Poddubje; 6th Tank Regiment - near B. Lobyanka and M.Lobyanka region. The 3rd Howitzer Regiment SW of Lopatino. Division HQ at B.Lobyanka. Corps HQ. In the forest north to Puzakova Gora.

At the end of July the 5th and 3rd Tank Divisions had:

5th Tank Regiment: 1 T-28, 14 BT-7,

6th Tank Regiment: 2 KV, 26 BT-7.

July 6, 1941

Attacks on Ostrov were prevented by counter assaults by German troops. At the end of the day the 3rd Tank Division, after weak attempts to attack, retreated in to the north-east.

July 7, 1941

The 3rd Tank Division was transferred to the 41 Infantry Corps. In the region Tcherekha, Peschanke, Volnevo and Kryakushaday a large tank battle took place. 100 Tanks of the 3rd Tank Division vs. ~200 Tanks of the 6th Panzer Division and parts of the 1st Panzer Division. Part of the 3rd Tank Division together with subordinated Colonel Orlenko's mixed group (remainder of the 12th Mech. Corps) defended Tcherekha.

July 8, 1941

The remainder of the 3rd Tank Division was directed to the Porkhov region.

July 11, 1941

The 3rd Tank Division now only had 35 BT tanks operational. The 21st Tank Division was transferred to the corps (from Northern front). It had 115 T-26 and 15 Flame thrower Tanks united in one regiment. Beside this had and infantry regiment, an artillery battalion and other support troops. The Corps also received the 202nd Motorized Division (without Tanks) and the 28th Motorized Rifle Regiment (from the 12th Mech. Corps)

July 12, 1941

The 21st Tank Division was transferred to the 16th Rifle Corps.

July 10, 1941

The remainder of the 5th Tank Regiment (with some 6 T-28) fought separately from the corps. It Defended Vertenje village with the 232nd Rifle Regiment of the 182nd (Estonian) Division. After a surprise attack, part of the Soviet troops were surrounded in the vicinage of Tugotino and Turitsa villages.

July 11, 1941

Surrounded troops had a few tanks and attacked by separated tanks Porkov town from the west. At the same time one was attacked from the east by very weakened 232nd Infantry Regiment together with some peoples militia units (eastern group had 3 tanks and 2 armored cars from the 5th Tank Regiment). During these fights to the west of Porkhov, the last tanks were lost and the 5th Tank Regiment was removed from the fighting.

July 12, 1941

The 5th Motorcycle Regiment with the weakened 202nd Motorized Division (645th, 682nd Rifle Regiments) were set to cover Soltsy and bridges across Shelon river. Some NKVD and peoples militia companies were subjugated to this group.

July 15, 1941

The 3rd Tank Division had 4 T-28, 2 KV and 16 BT tanks operational. After a counterattack near Soltsy, the 3rd Tank Division transmit all military equipment to other divisions and was pulled out of the line for rest and refitting.

HQ of the corps was disbanded

Aug. 15, 1941

The 3rd Tank Division (5th and 6th Tank Regiments and the 3rd Howitzer Regiment) having only rifle weapons was transferred to the vicinage of Novgorod for digging a new defense line by Msta river. This time it was subjugated to the 12th Mech. Corps' HQ.

Aug. 23, 1941

Enforced by one battalion of the 448th Corps Artillery Regiment it was set as a reserve to the east of Novgorod.

Aug. 25, 1941

The 3rd Tank Division was set to defense line by Volkhov river.

Oct 16, 1941

Was removed from the fighting and then reformatted into the 225th Rifle Division.

1st Tank Division

June 26, 1941

The division was concentrated in a new region (Alakurtti and Kayrala). The 2nd Tank Battalion/1st Tank Regiment had been transferred to the 122nd Rifle Division and was put as a reserve thereof in Manenyake tract.

June 28, 1941

The 3rd Tank Battalion/2nd Tank Regiment had been transferred to as a reserve of the 14th Army and was moved to Kandalaksha region. The other troops of the 2nd Tank Regiment were accumulated in 1.5km to the south of Alakurtti.

July 1, 1941

On July 1, division had 340 tanks: 30 T-28, 199 BT, 65 T-26, 40 T-27 tankettes.

In the beginning of July division received 4 KV-1 and 2 KV-2.

Up to July 8, 1941 the division took part in fighting in the woods in little groups.

July, 7, 1941

From July 7, one tank regiment of the 1st Tank Division together with two battalions of motorized rifle regiment and parts of the 122nd Rifle Division defended Junaanvanselka, Vitkharju, Kusizara line.

July 8, 1941

The 1st Tank Regiment was positioned:

1st Tank Battalion (with one company of 2nd Tank Battalion): Isukumpi lake area;

3rd Tank Battalion (with one company of 4th Tank Battalion): Kuorivara town;

Other troops: Nourmi-Jarvi lake region.

July 10, 1941

Finnish troops (2 battalions) outflanked the 104th Rifle Division and occupied the hill to the south to Kuorista Bzenzara. The tank group (BT-7 platoon supported by 2 T-28) together with the troops of 104th, 122nd and the 1st battalion/1st Tank Division surrounded and eliminated the enemy.

Up to July, 14, 1941

The 2nd Tank Regiment was training.

July 17, 1941

The bulk of the 1st Tank Division is moved to Leningrad (without the 3rd Tank Battalion/1st Tank Regiment, 3rd Tank Battalion/2nd Tank Regiment and without the 1st Motorized Rifle Regiment).

The remaining troops were used to form the 107th Separate Tank Battalion in the 42th Rifle Corps in August '41. On September 1, 1941 it had: 3 T-28, 12 BT, 5 T-26, 5 KhT-133 (OT-133). In 1943 it was used to form the 90th Tank Regiment. Parts of the 1st Motorized Rifle Regiment were also left with the 14th Army (They were removed from the fighting in Oct. 1941.) Division left broken in Alakurtti: 2 KV, 23 BT-7, 10 T-26; in Kandalaksha- 30 BT. Irreparable losses:33 BT, 1 T-26, 3 BA-10.

In October, 1941 remainder of the 1st Motorized Rifle Regiment were used to form the 1046th Rifle Regiment of the 289th Rifle Division.

A very dangerous situation occurred in the 7th Army in the end of July. So the 2nd Tank Regiment (two battalions) was detached and sent as reinforcements in Palalakhta region. It had 4 KV, 13 T-28, 29 BT-7, 57 BT-5, 32 T-26 (including 23 flame throwers (OT-26 or OT-133(?)), 19 BA-10 and BA-20 and about 200 trucks.

July 23, 1941

One tank battalion/2nd Tank Regiment supported the 24th Motorized NKVD Regiment when they attacked along the Kutchzero-Vedlozero road, and other parts consisting of tanks and motorized infantry outflanked Finnish troops moving to Savinovo and Kukkozero direction. But as it turned out, the troops of the 1st Finnish Rifle Regiment commanded by Colonel Paalu parried this attack. Soviet losses amounted to about 35 tanks.(30 near Kodary lake and 5 near Kukkozero)

In Aug, 1941 Soviet troops attacked these positions without success. Broken tanks were used as immovable pillboxes due to the difficulties in their evacuation.

In July - November 1941, the Soviet army lost about 600 tanks in attacks on Finnish positions on Karelsky front.

After arriving in the Krasnogvardeysk, Kikerino, Volosovo area, 1st Tank divisions (without the 2nd Tank Regiment) had about 80 operational tanks.

July, 22, 1941

The 1st Tank Division were concentrated in Bolshie Korchany, Pruzhnitsy, Iljeshi, Gomontovo.

July 23, 1941

2 tank companies (from the 1st Tank Regiment) were sent to the Kotin direction to operate in B. Sabsk region

The rest of division was set to as a reserve of front in Vojskovitsy, M. Paritsy, Skvoritsy, Shpankovo region.

Beginning of August, 1941

The 1st Tank Battalion/1st Tank Regiment (under the command of regiment commander Pogodin) was sent to Kotly st. and defended it together with navy infantry for 3 days. The 1st Tank Battalion received 12 KV. After this, the battalion was reunited with the Division.

August 9-10, 1941

The division was transferred to Kingissepp's area to assume defensive positions in B. Korchany, sovkhoz Ozertitsy, forest south to 131,2 hill for the defense of Yablonitsy, Ustje direction.

August 11 ,1941

The 1st Tank Regiment was set to defensive positions in the region of Shadritsy for covering of the North direction. Without good recon activity regiment was ambushed and lost 11 KV, 8 BT-2, 9 BT-7, 2 BA-10. German losses-11 tanks.

August 12, 1941

The division was engaged in the defense of the Vypolzovo, Kryakovo, Nerevitsy, Lelion region. It had 58 operable tanks (including 4 T-28 and 7 KV).

August 13, 1941

The recon battalion (Capt. Iboldov) reinforced with 3 KV of the 2nd Tank Regiment and 4 T-50 and 9 "BKhM" (flame thrower) tanks of the 1st Tank Regiment were transferred to Kingissepp's defensive sector. 5 KV's were transferred from the 2nd Tank Regiment to the 2nd People Militia Division

August 18, 1941

The division was reorganized:

1st Tank Battalion/1st Tank Regiment (Capt. Shpiller) with 20 KV Tanks

2nd Tank Battalion/1st Tank Regiment (Capt. Antonov) with 22 T-26 tanks

3rd Tank Battalion /1st Tank Regiment (1st lieutenant Chistykov) with 17 light tanks (different types).

During the fighting the 1st Tank Battalion received 5 more KV Tanks. After the battles for Krasnogvardeysk in the beginning of September, the division was transferred to south-east of Leningrad.

In August 16-31, 1941 fights the 1st Tank Division lost: 11 KV, 4 T-28, 3 BT-7, 1 T-34, 8 T-26, T-26 (flame thrower), 2 BA.

After battles under Krasnogvardeysk in the beginning of Sept. division was transferred to south-eastern direction of Leningrad defense.

September 11, 1941

After heavy battles together with the 3rd Guards Division had 20 KV Tanks. It operated in Pendolovo-N.Katlion region, and then retreated to Pushkin.

In the middle of September Division was included in the 42th Army of the Leningrad front and defended the Ligovo-Pulkovo regoin.

September 30, 1941

The division was disbanded and used to form the 123rd Tank brigade (Gen. Major V.I. Baranov)

163th Motorized Division

July 1, 1941

Division was assigned to the 27th Army

July 2, 1941 (8pm)

Division reached Rezekne. One rifle regiment was directed to the south.

July 3, 1941

Division joined the battle 7 km to the north of Rezekne. The anti-tank battalion prevented the destruction of the divisional command post by German Tanks. It then retreated to Krasny Ostrov, opening the road to Pskov. From the 25th Tank Regiment arrived only 1.5 battalion.

At the end of August, the division had less than 500 soldiers.

September 15, 1941

It was reorganized into the 163rd Rifle Division. The third rifle regiment (instead of tank one) of it received 1365(?) number

Abbreviations

AT - Antitank

BA - Armored Cars

Fl. - Flame thrower

MD - Motorised Division

MG - Machine-gun

TD - Tank Division

TR - Tank Regiment

Literature

Based on materials of http://mechcorps.rkka.ru/ site with additions

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3. Tankisty v srazhenijakh za Leningrad, L. 1987
4. Golushko I.M. "Tanki ozhivaly vnov", M. 1977
5. "1941 god - Uroki i vyvody" M. Voenizdat, 1992, Generalniy shtab vooruzhennykh sil SNG
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11. Gnedin V. A. Skvoz plamia - L.: Lenizdat, 1960.
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15. M. Kolomiets "1941. Boi v Pribaltike", Frontovaja Illyustratsiya, (2002), No 5
16. M. Pavlov, I. Zheltov, I. Pavlov, "Tanki BT", Moscow, Exprint, 2001
17. Opersvodka No. 10 shtaba 1 MK k 18:00 28.VI.41, TsAMO archive.
18. Opersvodka No. 11 shtaba 1 MK k 18:00 29.VI.41, TsAMO archive.
19. Opersvodka No. 15 shtaba 1 MK k 7:00 3.VII.41, TsAMO archive.
20. Opersvodka No. 17 shtaba 1 MK k 21:00 3.VII.41, TsAMO archive.
21. Doneseniye Shtaba Severo-Zapadnogo Fronta ot 4 Iyulia 1941 goda Generaln'nomu shtabu Krasoni Armii o Boyevom i chislennom sostave vojsk fronta na 4 Iyulia 1941 goda. // Sbornik boyevykh dokumentov vol. 34, Moscow, Voyennoye Izdatelstvo Ministerstva Oborony, 1958
22. Boyevoj prikaz No. 011/OP Shtadiv 1-j tankovoj.Aug. 12'41// Sbornik boyevykh dokumentov vol. 33, Moscow, Voyennoye Izdatelstvo Ministerstva Oborony, 1958
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24. "Nalichiye khimicheskikh tankov v mekhanizirovannykh korpusakh po sostoyaniyu na 22 iyunia 1941 goda",Doklad nachalnika 1-go otdela GABTU Krasnoy Armii Inzhenera 1-go ranga Yukina, (cited from M. Kolomiets, M.Svirin, "T-26: Mashiny na ego baze", Part 2, Moscow, Frontovaya Illustratsiya/Frontline Illustration No. 4/2003)
25. TsAMO f. 38, op. 80038 ss, d. 21, L. 93, cited from: I. Moshchanskiy, I. Khokhlov."Nevskiy Bastion. Leningradskaya strategicheskaya oboronitelnaya operatsiya. 10 Iyulia - 30 Sentiabrya 1941 goda. Chast' 2", Voyennaya Letopis/Military Chronicle, No. 5/2002
26. E. Drig, "Mekhanizirovannye korpusa RKKA v boyu", AST, Moscow, 2005
27. TsAMO f. 38, op. 80038 ss, d. 22, L. 54, cited from: I. Moshchanskiy, I. Khokhlov."Napravleniye Severo-Zapad. Leningradskaya strategicheskaya oboronitalnaya operatsiya. 10 Ijyulia - 30 Sentyubria 1941 goda. Part 1", Moscow, Voyennaya Letopis/Military Chronicle No. 4, 2002
28. TsAMO f. 38, op. 80038 ss, d. 22, L. 86, cited from: I. Moshchanskiy, I. Khokhlov."Napravleniye Severo-Zapad. Leningradskaya strategicheskaya oboronitalnaya operatsiya. 10 Ijyulia - 30 Sentyubria 1941 goda. Part 1", Moscow, Voyennaya Letopis/Military Chronicle No. 4, 2002