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Forgotten Regiment 191 Infantry Division

Formed on the basis of the 13th and 27th Infantry Brigade.
92, 122 and 191 rifle regiments,
220th artillery regiment,
198th separate anti-tank fighter division,
112 reconnaissance company,
53 engineer battalion,
252 separate communications battalion (256 separate communications company),
49th medical battalion,
137th separate chemical defense company,
20th motor transport company,
556 field bakery,
813 divisional veterinary hospital,
521 field postal stations,
476 field cash desk of the State Bank.

Combat period
27.5.43-9.5.45

By decision of the Lenfront Military Council in May - June 1943, during the terrible days of the siege of Leningrad, the 201st Infantry Division was formed. The formation of the division was based on the unification of two brigades: the 27th separate rifle brigade (former border), the 13th brigade of the Leningrad Defense Forces. The 1st and 2nd battalions of the 27th brigade were mainly used to form the 92nd rifle regiment, which, without yet participating in battles, received the name 92 Sestroretsk Red Banner Regiment. The 3rd and 4th battalions went to form the 122nd rifle regiment. The 191st rifle regiment was formed mainly from units of the 13th brigade. The 220th artillery regiment was formed from artillery units of brigades and personnel who arrived from marching units. At the same time, separate battalions and companies were formed from special brigade units:
-256 separate communications battalion
-53 separate engineer battalion
-112 separate reconnaissance company
-49 separate medical battalion
-20 separate auto-company delivery

The 27th brigade consisted of border guards of the 3rd, 5th, 33rd and 102nd detachments. Its main composition: workers and employees of Leningrad enterprises, Baltic sailors. The brigade defended the coast of the Gulf of Finland within the city, in the areas of timber and commercial ports, coal harbor and Dekabristov Island. The 27th OSBR, which was part of the 23rd Army, from the end of August 1941 to February 1943 occupied defense on the Karelian Isthmus along the northeastern coast of the Gulf of Finland from Lakhta to Sestroretsk and by land to Beloostrov along the Sestra River. The 13th and 27th OSBR from the fall of 1941 were replenished by a large number of girls who, along with men, carried out difficult front-line service. The division also included 220 artillery regiment, 198 separate anti-tank fighter division, 51 engineer battalion, 119 separate reconnaissance company, 136 separate chemical company.

The 201st Rifle Division was created to participate in the operation to lift the siege of Leningrad.

Vyacheslav Petrovich Yakutovich was appointed commander of the 201st rifle division. Colonel I.V. Smolyak was appointed head of the political department. Lieutenant Colonel, later Major General M.I. Boldyrev was chief of staff. The 92nd Red Banner Rifle Regiment was headed by Colonel S. M. Konnikov. The 122nd Rifle Regiment was headed by Lieutenant Colonel Monakhov, the 191st Rifle Regiment by Lieutenant Colonel Vasiliev. The artillery commander of the 201st division was Colonel Gerasimenko A.S. Rodionov V.A. - deputy division commander. S.S. Ilyin was appointed commander of the 220th artillery regiment. The commander of the delivery company was A. Ya. Khudyakov. The division intelligence chief was P. I. Shatilov. D. K. Fedotov was the company reconnaissance commander. The division's communications chief is A. A. Ivanov.

The division's management scheme was as follows: there were 4 main links - the headquarters commander, the division commander, the head of the subdivision and the political department. All these links interacted with each other. The chief of staff was responsible for the following departments: operational, intelligence, communications, accounting, logistics, and cipher departments. The division commander controlled regiments 92, 122, 191, 220, and gave instructions to the chief of logistics and the commander of the artillery division. In turn, the chief of logistics commanded the rear units.

Any division is famous for its warriors. The difficult path of the 201st Division is associated with the exploits of its fighters. The division trained four Heroes of the Soviet Union. Many soldiers were awarded orders and medals for their exploits.
M. Ya. Mironov

Born in 1919 in the village of Gorodets, Moscow region. After graduating from school, he worked at the Kolomna Machine-Building Plant. In 1939 he was drafted into the border troops. The Great Patriotic War found him on the border with Finland. In the first days of the war he was a scout. Later he was sent to sniper courses. He commanded a rifle company of the 92nd Infantry Regiment. Killed 293 soldiers and officers. In January 1944 he was seriously wounded. On February 21, 1944, M. Ya. Mironov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

G. V. Amyaga

Originally from Belarus. By conscription - Siberian. he was not 19 years old when he joined the 191st Infantry Regiment. Serious, persistent Georgi Amyaga soon became a recognized leader. Sergeant Amyaga acted boldly and decisively in the battles for the Auvere-Yalm railway station. The troops captured height 84.6 and reached Narva Bay. This assault was led by Georgi Amyaga. In hand-to-hand combat, he managed to capture a German major and another officer. On August 3, 1944, on the outskirts of Valga, a bullet killed the brave hero. Posthumously, Georgiy Amyage was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. He personally destroyed more than 50 fascists and captured five.

V. G. Nedoshivin

Served in the 91st Infantry Regiment. He was at the front from the first days of the war. He was wounded eleven times. In the battles for Leningrad, Estonia and Latvia, he proved himself to be a courageous, fearless commander. He distinguished himself in the battles for Gatchina, Narva, and Courland. awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union on June 4, 1944. After the war, he wrote a book of memories about past battles.

S. A. Shalygin

In April 1943, he ended up in the 112th separate reconnaissance company of the 201st division. In early March 1945, while fighting heavy battles in the area of the village of Nerzis (Krlyandiya), repelling a fascist counterattack, he covered the company commander with his chest. He himself died as a hero. The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR posthumously awarded him the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

But not only those fighters who were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union glorified the division. Everyone contributed to the victory. I will name only a few of them.

The division was headed by Vyacheslav Petrovich Yakutovich. Before the war, he worked as a journalist in Kyiv and graduated from military school. In 1941, Vyacheslav Petrovich took part in the battles near Kingisepp and defended the Pulkovo Heights. in 1943 he became commander of the 201st Infantry Division.

Chukhrai Ivan Antonovich. On the third day of the war, Ivan Antonovich had the opportunity to participate in battles to eliminate enemy airborne forces. Later he took part in the battles of Pskov, Luga, Shimsk, Lyuban, and Pushkin. In December 1941, he was appointed secretary of the 172nd regiment of the 13th SD, and in May 1942 he received a new appointment - he became assistant to the head of the Komsomol department of the 13th brigade. On May 5, 1943, Chukhrai was appointed executive editor of the military newspaper Krasnoarmeyskoe Slovo.

Zelenkova Lidiya Petrovna. In 1942, in the terrible hour of danger hanging over Leningrad, she voluntarily went to the front to defend the city and performed difficult front-line service. Since May 1943, she already served in the 201st Infantry Division. She was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, 3rd degree, and the medal "For the Defense of Leningrad".

Melyavskaya Tamara Alexandrovna. From May 1943, she worked as a nurse in the 49th separate medical battalion of the 201st Infantry Division. Awarded the Order of Glory, 3rd degree.

Ilyushenko Nikolai Nikolaevich. An active participant in the Great Patriotic War. During the difficult years of the siege of Leningrad, he took part in battles with the enemy on the Volkhov and Leningrad fronts. He fought in the ranks of 92 and 191 regiments.

Kukushkin Vladimir Maksimovich. Active defender of Leningrad during the 900-day siege. He commanded a rifle platoon and a company of sergeants. Was wounded twice.

Krestyashin Sergey Ivanovich. In 1942, he was enlisted in the 5th Red Banner Sestroretsk border detachment as an assistant to the company political instructor. From the beginning of the organization of the 92nd regiment of the 201st SD, he was the commander of the reconnaissance section of the mine batteries. For his courage and bravery, S.I. Krestyashin was awarded the Order of Glory, 3rd degree, the Medal for Courage, and the Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd degree.

Vyunova Lyubov Nikolaevna. Since May 1943, she was a signal operator in the communications battalion of the 201st division and performed the duties of a forwarder. She received medals “For Courage” and “For Military Merit”.

Saprykin Alexander Pavlovich. On July 13, 1941 he was drafted into the Soviet army. After completing the junior lieutenant course, from February 15 he was in the active army in the following positions: platoon commander, senior adjutant, deputy battalion commander.

Agapov Sergey Alekseevich. In 1940 he was drafted into the Soviet army. In October 1942 he was enlisted in the 13th detachment, and in May 1943 he joined the 201st division. He was enrolled in the 191st regiment.

Shakhnovich Vasily Vasilievich. Lieutenant General of the Soviet Army, commanded a battalion of the 191st Infantry Regiment. He proved himself to be a courageous, strong-willed commander. Skillfully led the battles.

The chronicle of times and peoples knows many brilliant defenses of fortresses and cities, many sieges that have entered the world history of wars. But what words can be used to describe the defense of Leningrad, which has no equal in history?

And at the forefront of this defense stood Gatchina (Krasnogvardeysk), the valiant defenders of the Krasnogvardeysky fortified area. They did everything to prevent the enemy from entering Leningrad, but after fierce battles they were forced to leave Gatchina on September 13, 1941.

In January 1944, the hour struck for the liberation of the Gatchina land from the invaders. Having launched a decisive offensive against the forces of the 18th German Army besieging Leningrad, our troops broke through the enemy defenses and began to liberate the Leningrad region.

“The troops of the Leningrad Front, continuing to develop the offensive, stormed the Gatchina railway junction on the night of January 26.

During January 26, to the west, southwest and south of Gatchina, our troops, continuing to develop the offensive, captured the settlements: Klyasino, Shudrovo, Kaskovo, Muratovo, Malye and Bolshiye Bornitsy, Maloe Kolpino, Pizhma, Pustoshka and the Voyskovitsy railway station.

To the west and north-west of Tosno, our troops, having broken the enemy’s resistance, occupied several settlements with battles, including: Sablino, Novo-Lisino, Susanino, Novo-Susanino, railway stations Galashevka, Semrino, Susanino.” - read the report for January 26 in the Leningradskaya Pravda newspaper.

The 201st Rifle Division took part in the battles for Gatchina.
The artillery of the 201st division played a huge role in the destruction of the bridgehead fortifications on the Izhora River. Following closely behind the combat formations of the advancing infantry, the artillerymen, with direct fire and flank fire, destroyed many reinforced concrete structures on the bank of Izhora.

With the support of regimental cannon fire and heavy artillery fire, the infantrymen overcame the coastal fortifications and by the morning of January 25 they broke into the Khokhlovo state farm, the northern outskirts of Gatchina. This is how our units acted, advancing on the city from the front. From the first flank, other units flowed around Gatchina.

By this time, they had fought and captured the Gatchina mill, the villages of Myulya-Kulya, Pudost, and Manor, and had infiltrated the city through the park. On January 25, the assault on the city began. Supporting the infantry attack, the artillery group carried out a series of powerful fire strikes on disputed points in the morning. After this, she began to consistently concentrate fire on the lines towards which the infantry was moving. By 7 o'clock in the evening, one of the rifle units occupied the village of Roshal.

At 4 o'clock in the morning on January 26, after a short but powerful artillery fire attack on pockets of enemy resistance, the riflemen began to knock out the Germans from every house. By morning the city was completely cleared of the enemy.

“The thunder of the guns of the Leningrad Front and the ships of the Red Banner Fleet announced the hour of the offensive. After artillery preparation, our unit, commanded by Major General Yakutovich, entered the gap between Pulkovskaya and Voronya Gora and, inspired by the first success, moved towards Gatchina.

Already behind are Doni, Zaitsevo, Volodarsky water supply system, Bolshoye Verevo, Romanovka. But in Gatchina the Germans are trying to hold out. The infantry moved around from Romanovka, through Bolshoye Zamestye to Pizhma. Artillery from the village of Maloe Verevo along the highway came close to the city.

And finally, they occupied Gatchina! A close, dear, familiar city. Here every street, every house reminds of the past.
I rush to the house where I lived before, but it no longer exists.
I caught up with my unit in Voskresensky. A battle broke out on the Novo-Kuznetsovo-Pribytkovo section.

The division occupied Nikolskoye, Siverskaya, Mezhno, Rozhdestvenno, Divenskaya. Battle at Mshinskaya station. “Meadows” - we read with excitement the words of Stalin’s order.

For the capture of Gatchina, we were thanked by the commander-in-chief, and our Red Banner Division began to be called Gatchina,” recalled soldier of the 201st division A. Kayukov.

In the battles for Gatchina, the following distinguished themselves: Abdakulin, Burykh, Bondarchuk, Basyuk, Vukholov, Demidov, Ivanchenko, Krutsky. Krivoshein, Kazakin, Lebedev, Leontiev, Melnikov, Mikhailov, Moskalenko, Nizovtsev, Novikov, Orlov, Pavlenko, Ruban, Starostin, Slepnev, Solovyov, Umnov, Khapov, Tsarkov and many others. For heroism and courage, the battery commander, communist Konstantin Fedorenko, was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Senior Sergeant Nikolai Gura, who threw himself with a bunch of grenades under an enemy self-propelled gun, was posthumously awarded the Order of the Patriotic War.

Corporal and Komsomol member Alexander Kolyaskin was presented with the Order of Lenin. Being wounded and surrounded, he blew himself up with a grenade, but did not surrender. In the battles for Gatchina, the commander of the 5th rifle company of the 191st regiment, M. Ya. Mironov, who had previously been awarded the Order of Lenin with the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, was wounded.

The 201st Rifle Division also distinguished itself in the battles near Luga.
From January 27 to February 13, units of the division, in cooperation with other units and subunits, following orders from the command, fought stubborn and difficult battles.

During this time, units of the division liberated more than 18 settlements from the invaders, captured a large amount of enemy weapons and property, more than 250 enemy soldiers and officers were destroyed and 27 people were captured. The most active were the 92nd Red Banner Regiment, the ski battalion of Major Agapov, and the scouts of Lieutenant Nedoshivin.

For excellent military operations, the division was awarded the Order of the Red Banner, Lieutenant V. Nedoshivin was named after the Hero of the Soviet Union. More than 300 soldiers, sergeants, and officers were awarded orders and medals of the Soviet Union.

In March 1944, replacing units of Simonyak's 30th Corps, units of the 201st GKSD took up defensive positions on the Narva bridgehead. Hundreds of soldiers and officers showed examples of perseverance, courage and heroism.

“The 201st Rifle Division of Major General V.P. Yakutovich, together with other divisions of the 117th Rifle Corps A.V. Batluk and the division of Major General A.G. Koziev, took the Auvere-Yaam station and thereby helped the units storming Narva frontal blow. The 191st Infantry Regiment especially distinguished itself.

The order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief dated July 26 states that Narva was taken as a result of a skillful outflanking maneuver and frontal attack. The direct execution of this maneuver was entrusted to the 117th Rifle Corps, which approached from the southeast.

On July 26, Yakutovich directed his main attack on the Auvere-Jaam station. Without wasting a minute, Yakutovich threw Mokalsky’s 92nd Regiment to the northeast in order to cut off the fleeing Nazis’ path to retreat to the west.

Brilliantly fulfilling its task, the regiment went deep into the forests, into the Hindenurk region, and, having fought fierce battles in the area of the village of Repniku-Asula, united with the advanced units.

Parshin's 191st regiment, which had reached Udria, turned southwest. He approached the outermost heights of the Lasti Colony and surrounded it from the east and northeast.

The assault on the heights was scheduled for 9 a.m. on July 27, but was further postponed to 5 a.m.

The first to break into the enemy trenches was the battalion of the Knight of the Order of Alexander Nevsky, Captain Kachukov. At this time, Koziev’s regiments began storming the heights from the south side.
By 13:00 the first fortifications of the Lusti Colony were captured. By the end of the day, the enemy guns fell silent. The Germans were driven out of Lusti Colony.

During the storming of Narva, the Komsomol organizer of the company, Georgy Amyaga, especially distinguished himself. This is how Executive Secretary of the Council of Veterans of the 201st Division Evgeniy Binkin talks about Amyagi’s feat.

“The offensive began on July 25 at 5:30 am. There were bloody battles. And now the height is already in our hands!
Night has come. The Nazis launched a counterattack. At the Amyagi line there were only three of our fighters left: he, Kadrashev and Gromov. And on the nmh it was approximately up to a platoon of fascists who were firing aimlessly. The Germans rushed to the height five times, but were never able to dislodge our fighters. Soon help came to Amyaga - mortar men of Lieutenant Shlipakov.
Georgiy Amyage was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.”

Then there were no less bloody battles for the city of Riga.
The most active were the 122nd Regiment, the artillerymen of the 220th Regiment, and Fedotov’s scouts. In these small but complex battles, units and units of the division distinguished themselves: Makalsky, Petukhov, Savin, Ilyin, Fedotov, Golnik, Khudyakov and others. The division was noted in the order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces for skillful actions, courage and bravery, many soldiers were awarded medals .

The 201st Rifle Division subsequently participated in many battles. The soldiers always behaved with dignity and courage. Many of them were awarded government awards.
I believe that we must not forget about the exploits of the soldiers of the 201st Infantry Division.

They fought on our land and defended it. Thanks to them, Gatchina, Luga, and Narva were liberated. We should be grateful to those who defended our Motherland.

To this day, the 201st Gatchina Rifle Division maintains its combat traditions. She conducts peacekeeping activities in Afghanistan and Tajikistan

The combat path of our glorious heroic regiment began back in 1941.

According to list No. 5 of General Staff directive No. 043 of July 18, 1970. The first formation of the 191st Infantry Regiment was at the end of 1941. Despite all the difficulties, the division was formed within a month. And already on September 12, 1941, the division’s soldiers took the oath. The 201st Latvian Rifle Division consisted of the 92nd, 122nd and 191st rifle regiments, the 220th artillery regiment, the 10th separate anti-aircraft artillery battery, the 170th separate communications battalion and several special forces. 90 percent of the fighters and commanders were citizens of the Latvian SSR.

Entry into the active army took place on December 5, 1941. From December 20, 1941 to January 14, 1942, during the Soviet counteroffensive near Moscow, the division took part in heavy battles near Naro-Fominsk and Borovsk. Its losses amounted to 55% of its personnel, including privates - 58%, junior commanders. composition – 30%. Some regiments lost more than half of their strength, so in the 191st Infantry Regiment the losses amounted to 70% of the personnel.

On January 16, 1942, the remaining units of the division were withdrawn from the front line to restore personnel and redeploy.

On February 2, 1942, the 191st Infantry Regiment as part of the 201st Infantry Division was again sent to the front. The regiment took part in the battles for the defense of Leningrad until September 15, 1942.

On September 15, 1942, the remnants of the 201st Latvian Rifle Division were withdrawn from the front line. The 201st Latvian Division was disbanded and part of it was reorganized into the 43rd Guards Latvian Rifle Division.

Despite the fact that the 191st Infantry Regiment again suffered heavy losses, the regimental banner was preserved. And taking this into account, the regiment was not disbanded.

To strengthen the Soviet troops in the area of besieged Leningrad, on the basis of an order from the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the second formation of the 201st Infantry Division began (later the 201st Gatchina Twice Red Banner MSD), which again included the 191st Motorized Rifle Regiment. On May 25, 1943, the commander of the Leningrad Front, General of the Army L. A. Govorov, signed directive No. 1/15855, and the command of the 23rd Army, having accepted it for execution, issued its order - to form a division in new states on the basis of the disbanded rifle brigades that defended Leningrad since 1941. The formation of one of these divisions, the 201st Rifle Division, was led by Colonel Vyacheslav Petrovich Yakutovich. Colonel Mikhail Nikolaevich Boldyrev became the first chief of staff, Lieutenant Colonel Ivan Konstantinovich Smolyak was appointed head of the political department.

According to list No. 5 of General Staff Directive No. 043 of July 18, 1970, the entry into the active army of the 201st Infantry Division of the second formation occurred on May 27, 1943, and until the end of the war on May 9, 1945, the division’s units were on the front line. At that time, the division had three rifle regiments of three battalions, one artillery regiment, which was armed with 76.2-mm howitzers of the 1938 model. A special feature was that a ski battalion was formed in the division, and ski companies were formed in the regiments as forward detachments. This is what the first chief of staff of the division, Colonel N. Boldyrev, recalled about these days: “Our formation was of great importance for the Leningrad Front as an experimental and demonstrative unit, in terms of equipment and personnel, adapted for conducting offensive battles in wooded and swampy areas. At the end of September 1943, the front commander held a review of the division, which was attended by the command of the 3rd Army and the command of its corps and divisions. The division's preparedness for battle was assessed as “excellent,” and its experience in formation and combat training was ordered to be disseminated in all parts of the front. These successes were achieved thanks to skillfully organized training of soldiers. While two regiments of the division were guarding the coast of the Gulf of Finland and Ladoga, the third was engaged in combat training. There was a “run-in” of tanks, the Red Army soldiers learned to attack the battalion defense area, created according to German tactical and engineering regulations. There were other features of personnel training. For each rifle squad, crew, and crew, two azimuth operators were trained. The soldiers learned to determine the passability of swamps, discover fords, weave swamp shoes, and prepare poles. They were also trained to set up trenches in the swamp, camouflage resting places, and make smokeless fires. Much attention was paid to identifying and preparing for consumption “pasture”: plants, roots, mushrooms, berries, nuts, herbs. We mastered methods of silently catching animals, birds, and fish.”

The basic regiments of the division were:

The 92nd Infantry Regiment is a border brigade that at one time guarded the border on the Karelian Isthmus.

122nd Infantry Regiment - 13th Internal Security Brigade of Leningrad, which carried out tasks to combat saboteurs and looters.

191st The rifle regiment was created from separate units of the Baltic Fleet marine brigades.

The division's personnel mainly consisted of warriors seasoned in defensive battles, among whom the sniper movement was developed: there were ten to fifteen people in each company. By the end of 1943, the division was a well-prepared, trained unit, equipped with everything necessary, ready to conduct an offensive in wooded and swampy areas.

The commander of the 191st Infantry Regiment at that time was Lieutenant Colonel Daniil Rodionovich Parshin

On January 12, 1944, the commander of the 201st Rifle Division received an order from the headquarters of the 122nd Army Corps to move to the front line, replace the division that was on the defensive south of the Pulkovo Heights, and be ready to attack in the direction of Gatchina in seven echelons, with 198 columns at the head. 1st separate anti-tank fighter division. The division moved to the front. The transition was made in heavy snow. But the division reached the indicated area in time and replaced the remnants of the defending formation. At 8.00 on January 14, 1944, in the division’s offensive area, the ground shook from a powerful artillery barrage. Thousands of shells rained down on the Nazi positions. Breaking the resistance of the fascists, the tactical depth of the enemy’s defense was overcome in the first 24 hours. Scout skiers of the 191st Infantry Regiment in the village of Maloe Zamosc captured the headquarters of a German regiment with a secret unit and a banner. The enemy commander managed to shoot himself. As part of the division, the regiment participated in the liberation of Gatchina and the city of Lugu.

On February 11, 1944, the division commander received an order from the command of the 117th Rifle Corps dated February 10, 1944 to attack the city of Luga. The 92nd and 122nd rifle regiments performed in the first echelon, and 191st rifle regiment On February 13, the division headquarters received a coded message stating that for the capture of Luga the division was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Battle.

During the Leningrad-Novgorod operation, Soviet troops captured a bridgehead on the western bank of the Narva River. By cutting the Narva-Tallinn railway, they created the threat of complete encirclement and destruction of the Narva German group. The Nazis, having correctly assessed the situation, prepared and carried out a counterattack, unblocking the railway. In addition, the enemy intended to completely eliminate the Narva bridgehead. To hold it, after the battles for Luga, the 117th Rifle Corps, which included the 201st Rifle Division, was transferred here. At this time, the bridgehead had a front of 50 and a depth of 10 kilometers. Its significance was great, since the further advance of our troops to the coast of the Gulf of Finland and further along the territory of Estonia influenced the further participation of Finland in the war. On February 26, 1944, the division was given the task of replacing the 11th Infantry Division at the front line and being ready to attack. And within a day the order came: to attack and break through the enemy’s defenses. On the morning of February 28, from the march, without reconnaissance, the division went on the attack to destroy the enemy reserves that were approaching. The reinforcements received on the march from the partisan detachments did not even have time to be distributed among the companies. As a result, the troops advanced only 2 kilometers, suffering heavy losses. Only by April 1944 were Lenfront units and formations ready to continue the offensive operation, however, the German command also managed to take countermeasures. On April 9, reconnaissance reported that the enemy was creating a powerful group, which included five infantry divisions and the Feldherrnhalle and Stahbetz tank groups. In July 1944, the division received the task of moving towards the Auvere-Yam-Lembitu station and further to the Gulf of Finland, with the goal of completing the encirclement of the enemy Narva group in the Hanela sector. Terrain conditions made it possible to advance only by rail, since all around were swamps and sandy hills, equipped by the Germans as firing points.

On the morning of July 24 191st The rifle regiment, in cooperation with the 120th Rifle Division, went on the attack, but a day later it was stopped by the enemy, suffering heavy losses. At this time, formations of the 2nd Shock Army crossed the Narva River and began to bypass the city from the north. The enemy was forced to transfer reserves to the north, which created a favorable situation for our offensive from the Narva bridgehead. July 27 191st A rifle regiment in the Meriküla area captured a height from which the outskirts of the city of Narva and the shore of the Gulf of Finland were visible. At 12.00, the 92nd Infantry Regiment met with units of the 2nd Shock Army, which completed the complete encirclement of the Narva group. The city of Narva was liberated on July 26, 1944 by troops of the Leningrad Front with the support of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet during the Narva offensive operation.

By order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the 191st Infantry Regiment was given the honorary name “Narvsky” for these battles.

From that time on, the regiment became known as the 191st Narva Rifle Regiment.

The further advance of our troops was stopped at the so-called “Tannenberg Line”, where 6 battered, but still combat-ready, enemy divisions took up defense on a 50-kilometer front. The commander of the 2nd German Corps, Lieutenant General Hasse, said that the Baltic Suburb was a breakwater blocking the Bolsheviks’ path to Germany. On August 5, the division was reassigned to the 2nd Shock Army and carried out several bloody attacks on Tannenberg, and then was withdrawn for reorganization. After the liberation of Narva, the Lenfront command decided to replace the 2nd Shock Army, which liberated Narva, with the 8th Army, and send the 2nd to the active sector of the front in the Tartu region. The 201st Gatchina Red Banner Rifle Division, which was part of it, was transported in five echelons through Gatchina and Pskov to the Orava station and on August 31, 1944 was concentrated in the Latrianskala area. On September 1, Colonel Andrei Andreevich Shiryaev was appointed commander of the division. Preparations began for crossing the Väike-Ema-Jõgi River. The river was a serious water barrier - its width was from 100 to 130 meters, the banks were swampy. Almost until mid-October, the personnel trained in crossing the river using improvised means.

On September 13, 1944, at 6.00, by order of the division commander, the 2nd Infantry Battalion of the 92nd Infantry Regiment under the command of Captain Luzin began reconnaissance in force, crossing the Väike-Ema-Jõgi River, and held the captured bridgehead until darkness, and during the night on the “patch” all units of the regiment and artillery crossed 191st Narva Rifle Regiment. The commander of the 3rd howitzer division of the 220th artillery regiment, Captain Stozharov, and the division's control platoon also crossed over. When he approached the checkpoint of Captain Luzin’s battalion, he came under a powerful artillery attack. The enemy had already come to his senses after the sudden crossing of the river and was pulling up reserves to throw the regiments into the river and eliminate the bridgehead. In short dashes, and in some places on his belly, Captain Stozharov approached the checkpoint, but on the way Luzin was struck by a fragment of a mine that exploded nearby. Stozharov was forced to take command of the battalion. After the artillery attack, German tanks and infantry launched a counterattack. The battalion, located in trenches captured from the enemy, held back the Nazis, suffering losses. By the end of the day, Captain Stozharov, having gathered the remnants of the battalion and the division's control platoon, called the division's fire on himself. The Germans who were pressing on the defenders’ island chose to retreat 100–150 meters. Soon the attack resumed, and then Captain Stozharov raised his squad in hand-to-hand combat. At the cost of their lives, the Gatchina residents defended the bridgehead.

On September 14, 1944, in the pre-dawn silence, the 1st and 3rd rifle battalions of the 92nd and 191st rifle regiments crossed to the bridgehead and went on the offensive. By 12.00 we had advanced 7–8 kilometers and then met with suitable German reserves, which included not only Panther-type tanks, but also Ferdinand self-propelled guns. , not having its own artillery and anti-tank rifles, could not oppose the enemy armor with anything other than grenades and small arms. Only a few soldiers of the 7th and 8th rifle companies, who had stocked up on captured Faust cartridges in advance, managed to set fire to four Panthers and one Ferdinand, which somewhat sobered up the attackers. 191st Narva Rifle Regiment suffered heavy losses, 20–30 people remained in the battalions, more than half of the officers were out of action, and in the 7th, 8th and 9th rifle companies there were none left at all. In 8 days of fighting, the division advanced with fierce battles up to 25–30 kilometers, liberated 35 farms and small villages, defeated the 23rd Infantry Regiment of the 12th German Infantry Division and two SS Latvian battalions.

By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated October 13, 1944, the 191st Narva Rifle Regiment was awarded the Order of Alexander Nevsky for these battles, as the first to take the main blow and hold the bridgehead.

From that time on, the regiment became known as the 191st Narva Order of Alexander Nevsky Rifle Regiment.

On September 23, 1944, the division as part of the 122nd Rifle Corps was introduced into the breakthrough of the German defense and, with fighting, pursuing the retreating enemy, on September 27 it reached the outer defensive perimeter of the Riga fortified area in the vicinity of Vidrizhe. The division's vanguard - the 92nd Infantry Regiment - reached Marnieka, where the headquarters of the 409th German Infantry Regiment was located, defeated and destroyed the headquarters and service units, capturing 5 radio stations, secret documents and the banner of the enemy regiment. In addition, the regiment surprised a division of 105-mm howitzers at firing positions and captured guns, ammunition, tractors, and prisoners.

On March 30, 1945, the formation became part of the 1st Rifle Corps of the 1st Shock Army and was preparing to cross the Viesata River.

On April 26, 1945, Hitler gave the order to evacuate the group through Libau and Vindava. The sailors of the Baltic Fleet blocked these ports, fermentation began behind the “iron belt,” and our troops were already in Berlin.

On May 8, at 18.00, units of the division approached the village of Kandava. At 19.00 Lenfront headquarters intercepted a radiogram from the headquarters of the Kurland group about complete surrender.

In Courland, 189 thousand soldiers and officers and 42 enemy generals surrendered to Soviet troops.

During their participation in battles in the Great Patriotic War, three soldiers of the 201st Gatchina Red Banner Division were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. One of them, a sergeant, served in the 191st Narva Order of Alexander Nevsky Rifle Regiment.

Awarded: Order of Lenin – 13

Order of the Red Banner – 107

Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree – 174

Order of the Patriotic War, II degree – 253

Order of the Red Star – 1260

Order of Glory III degree – 310

Medal “For Courage” – 3687

medal “For Military Merit” - 2753 people.

prisoners - 527 people

guns – 62

tractors – 6

mortars – 38

cars – 45

horses – 37

motorcycles – 6

radio stations – 7

machine guns – 108

small arms – 1080

aircraft – 3

armored trains – 9

On June 2, 1945, the division camped 13 kilometers northwest of the city of Tukums, near the village of Tishi. Peaceful life began. In August, the division received orders to redeploy to Tajikistan.

"This text was written in 2009 by Molodov Igor Gennadievich, after a long collection and systematization of information about the history of 191 MGSP."

The division was formed in the Leningrad Military District in March 1941. By the beginning of the war, it was stationed in the Kingisepp - Narva - Slantsy area.

It was deployed along the eastern bank of the Narva River with a front to the west. On July 14, 1941, it was partially withdrawn for regrouping in order to cover the direction to Kingisepp from the south until units of the 2nd militia division approached the Luga River, but did not have time; it was on this day that German troops captured a bridgehead on Luga near the village of Ivanovskoye. From August 8, 1941, it was involved in the battles for Kingisepp, during August 1941 it retreated to Koporye. From September 8, 1941, in connection with the resumption of the German offensive, it again participated in heavy battles in the Elagino region, having in front of it units of the 291st Infantry division, retreating in the direction of Ropsha - Peterhof. From September 15, 1941, it took part in a counterattack in the direction of Krasnoye Selo, but rolled back to Peterhof and further to Oranienbaum. From October 15 to 18, 1941, it was transferred from Oranienbaum to Leningrad by ships of the Baltic Fleet.
On October 24, 1941, it was sunk in the Morye and Osinovets roadsteads and transferred by ships of the Ladoga Military Flotilla to the eastern shore of Lake Ladoga, and by the end of October 1941 it was concentrated in the Matveevskaya Kharchevnya (Kharchevnya) - Sitomlya area, forty kilometers southwest of Tikhvin. By the end of October 30, 1941, the division was forced to leave Sitomlya under attack; from November 1, 1941, it took part in a counterattack in the direction of Budogoshch - Gruzino, suffered heavy losses, did not achieve success, and on November 5, 1941, under the attack of three German divisions, began to retreat to the east11 On November 1941, it went on the offensive together with the 44th Rifle Division with the support of tanks from the 46th Tank Brigade, pushed back enemy troops 12-13 kilometers, advancing to the northern outskirts of Tikhvin, by November 14-15, 1941 the division reached a distance of 5 - 6 kilometers from the city. Since December 1941, the division again went on the offensive and, acting together with the 65th Rifle Division, broke through the barrage in suburban areas and came close to Tikhvin. On the night of December 9, 1941, Tikhvin was stormed from the northeast and knocked the enemy out of the city. During the retreat of German troops from Tikhvin, it attacks the 21st Infantry Division from the flank and advances in the direction of Malaya Vishera.
On January 25, 1942, she was transferred from the 4th Army to the 2nd Shock Army to participate in the Lyuban operation, and on the night of February 2, 1942 she went to Krivino. Introduced into the breakthrough of the 2nd Shock Army in the Myasnoy Bor area. On February 5, 1942, she replaced the 104th Cavalry Regiment in positions near the village of Chervino.

In mid-February 1942, together with the 53rd and 57th rifle brigades, it joined the group of General P.F. Privalov, and acted east along the line of Krivino, Ruchi, Chervinskaya Luka. However, the offensive of the group's troops was unsuccessful. The division, using the success of the 80th Cavalry Division, was part of the 546th and 552nd Infantry Regiments without artillery, mortars and convoys, sent behind enemy lines to capture the village and Pomeranian station on the Moscow-Leningrad railway, 5 kilometers southeast Lyuban with the task of capturing the village with a night attack, then organizing a strong all-round defense and preventing the enemy from moving along the highway and the Chudovo-Leningrad railway. By February 20, 1942, the division (more precisely, a part without the 559th Infantry and 484th Artillery Regiments, the 8th Anti-Tank Fighter Division and the 15th Medical Battalion) concentrated in the forest one and a half kilometers northwest of the village of Dubovoe. On the night of February 21, 1942, the division secretly crossed the front line, crossed the Apraksin Bor - Lyuban road and went deeper into the forest.

On the night of February 22, 1942, the division moved to Pomerania, but upon leaving the forest it was discovered by a reconnaissance plane, which aimed enemy artillery at the division. The shelling caused heavy losses in killed and wounded; moreover, the only radio was broken and contact with the troops was lost. The division again retreated into the forest, and by February 27, 1942, the division began to emerge from encirclement in three independent groups. Suffered heavy losses, including the division headquarters being unable to escape from the encirclement and is still listed as missing in action.
Until the end of the spring of 1942, the significantly weakened division was part of the Volkhov Front troops operating in the so-called Lyuban ledge, and together with them fell into a new encirclement ring in March-April 1942. Participated in the operation to withdraw the 2nd Shock Army from encirclement.
By June 1, 1942, the remnants of the division were withdrawn from the encirclement and the division was sent for restoration.

During the operation to break the blockade of Leningrad, it was brought into battle by the second echelon on January 14, 1943, on the same day it occupied Workers' Village No. 7 and started a battle for the Sinyavino station. Conducts battles near Sinyavino during 1943. Siberians from the Udereisky district of the Krasnoyarsk Territory died in these battles.

Mosalsky Georgy Matveevich 1911 sergeant shooter 552 SP 191 SD went missing 09/29/1942 Leningrad region, Mginsky district, Sinyavinsky s/s, Sinyavino village, in the Minusinsky district. B-Irsha

Malyshchev Boris Petrovich 1909 CR - TS shooter 546 SP 191 SD missing 06 - 09/20/1942 Leningrad region, Mginsky district, Sinyavinsky s/s, Sinyavino village, in the Udereysky district, Kirovsky Ave.

Labkaev Vasily Ivanovich 1920 sergeant major radio station 191st infantry division killed 03/22/1945 Poland, Gdansk military, pov. Gdański, metro station Winstock Uderejski rn Razdolny Height. Red star

Pichuev Lukyan Semenovich 1906 Red Army soldier shooter 552 SP 191 SD killed 01/25/1943 Leningrad region, Mginsky district, Sinyavinsky s/s, r.p. Sinyavino, northeast, 2 km Udereysky district Shirokov state farm

Zaitsev Mikhail Ivanovich 1916 sergeant com. bullet compartments. battalion 292 OPAB 191 SD died of wounds 08/21/1944 Estonia.d.Vvoytu. Udereysky district With. Zaitsevo. Awarded medal for courage. Two wounds.

Shcherbakov Pavel Andreevich 1915 Red Army rifleman OLB 191st Infantry Division killed 01/29/1943 Leningrad region, Mginsky district, settlement. Sinyavino Work settlement No. 7 Udereisky district Pit Gorodok

Chashchin Petr Stepanovich 1922 sergeant of machine gun crew 552 SP 191 SD killed 01/15/1944 Leningrad region, Novgorod district, Chechulino village, south-eastern outskirts. Udereisky rn. Nikolsky Ave.

Petrov Semyon Efremovich 1898 Red Army sapper 330 OSB 191st Infantry Division killed 01/16/44 Leningrad region, Novgorod district, village of Maloe Lozhitovo. Udereysky mine Central.
Udereisky district of the Krasnoyarsk Territory
During the Leningrad-Novgorod operation, it advances north of Novgorod, on January 16, 1944 it storms the village of Chechulino, then develops an attack on Medvedkovo, distinguishes itself during the liberation of Novgorod, then advances on Utorgosh. In March 1944, she was transferred to the front reserve and then joined the 2nd Shock Army; during the summer of 1944 (until the end of July 1944) she fought unsuccessfully on the Narva defensive line.
In September 1944, it attacks Riga from the northeast. On October 13, 1944, the division, having bypassed Kishezers from the north (landing a small force through Kishezers on fishing boats), turned to Riga. Acting in the vanguard of the corps, the division in the Zcemelblazna area defeated the 547th German Infantry Regiment, whose remnants surrendered along with the unit's chief of staff. After the liberation of Riga, the division was transferred to the 4th Shock Army, fought in the Mazeikiai - Auce areas, was put into reserve at the end of November 1944, and transferred to Poland in December 1944.
Takes part in the East Prussian offensive operation, advancing from the Lomza area to Shchuchin, then to Johannisburg. At the end of January 1945, it was put into reserve, transferred north of Bydgoszcz and from there it advances during the East Pomeranian offensive operation on Czersk

On the night of February 17, the division crossed the Schwarzwasser River near the village of Sauermühle and occupied Oshe, a strong stronghold on the way to Chersk. On February 18-21, 1945, he fought for the settlements of Linek and Glowka, 60 kilometers north of Bydgoszcz. On March 7, 1945, pursuing the enemy retreating along the Berent, Skortsevo, Stendsitz highway, she was stopped by organized enemy resistance at a line one and a half kilometers south of Stendsitz, by March 9, 1945, she managed to break through the enemy’s defenses with a roundabout maneuver, and by the end of March she reached Danzig.

During the Berlin offensive operation, he crossed the Oder south of the Harz, continuing the offensive, reached the Elbe in the Ludwigslust area

Connection history:

The division was formed in the Leningrad Military District in March 1941.

On June 22, she was in the Leningrad Military District in places of permanent deployment in the Kingisepp - Narva - Slantsy area.

The defense line of 191 SD extended from the Gulf of Finland to Lake Peipsi. Defensive work on this strip began at the end of June 1941. Tens of thousands of Leningraders took part in them. They hastily created rubble, anti-tank ditches, and traps. The troops brought machine-gun pillboxes of the Kingisepp UR, mothballed in 1940, into combat readiness. To cover and hold the Luga defensive line on July 6, 1941. An operational group of troops of the Northern Front was created under the command of Major General K. P. Pyadyshev (deputy front commander). It included the 191st Rifle Division, which covered the right flank of this zone.

Since July 9, the 191st Rifle Division has been preparing to meet the enemy, according to intelligence data. The issue of maximizing the use of artillery in the fight against enemy tanks and infantry was discussed in detail. As early as July 6, all 484 AP batteries were distributed among rifle regiments, arrived in their areas and took up firing positions. Initially, the division was deployed along the eastern bank of the Narva River with a front to the west. On July 14, the division was deployed with its front to the south, covering the Narva and Kingisepp directions south of Slantsy and Kingisepp. The division's defense sector was 70 km wide, including the eastern bank of the Narva River, against an enemy who was superior in manpower and equipment. On July 14, tank and motorized columns of the XXXXIMK Germans reached the Luga River, 20-25 km southeast of Kingisepp. The enemy managed to capture bridgeheads on the river. Meadows near the village of Ivanovskoye and Bolshoi Sabsk. At 20:00 on July 15, the 546th Infantry Division was the first of the 191st Infantry Division to enter the battle for the village of Loseva Gora, 4 km north-west. Lake Dolgoe. Despite the bombing, artillery and machine-gun fire, the batteries fired directly. Near the village of Loseva Gora, 546sp, with the support of 484ap, held back superior enemy forces for three days. At the same time, 532sp replaced units of 118d to the north-west of the positions of 546sp and 484ap. At about 6 a.m. on July 16, the Germans launched an attack on Slantsy. It was carried out mainly by tanks. The battle was fierce and lasted all day until 20 o'clock. 8 tanks were knocked out, many enemy soldiers and officers were killed. There were serious losses in 552sp. There was a moment when enemy tanks and machine gunners managed to break into the regiment’s defenses. With good artillery support from 484ap, the line was held.

From July 19 to August 8, the front south of Kingisepp stabilized to the west (south of Narva), south (behind impassable swamps) and southeast (in the area of the bridgehead near the village of Ivanovskoye) 15–20 km from KingUR and the city of Kingisepp. From July 22, 1941, the division was subordinated to a regiment of the 4th militia division, which arrived in Narva and took up positions along the river.

On August 8, 1941, the XXXXIMK offensive began from bridgeheads near Ivanovsky and Bolshoy Sabsk. On August 9, the defense of the site was broken through at Bolshoi Sabsk. Finding themselves under threat of encirclement, the defenders defending at Ivanovsky-Porechye began to retreat to the north. On August 14, the Germans occupied the Weimarn station and thereby cut the Leningrad-Narva railway, and on August 16 Volosovo was taken. By August 21, the 1st and 8th tank divisions were already in the vicinity of Krasnogvardeysk (Gatchina). The troops of the Kingisepp defense sector were partly defeated, and partly found themselves semi-encircled along with the Narva operational group. Naturally, the main forces of the group that broke through rushed to Leningrad. To destroy the troops of the northern part of the Kingisepp sector, the 1st Infantry Division was separated from the strike group, the left flank units of which began an attack on Kingisepp from the east (the entire division advanced with a front to the north from Kaskolovka to Begunitsy), and from the south, along Luga, the 58th I'm an infantry division. A detachment of gunboats under Captain 2nd Rank N.V. Antonov (Krasnoe Znamya, Volga and 2 armored boats; the Amgun and Moskva cruisers joined in August) was sent to Narva Bay and Luga Bay to support the defending troops. 130 mm artillery. At night they stood in the Hailoda Strait, and during the day they went out to firing positions, mainly in the Narva Bay. However, their interaction with ground forces was not sufficiently coordinated.

The battles for Kingisepp began on August 14–15 on its southern approaches. The urgently transferred 2nd and 3rd companies of the 266th OPAB managed to take up defense along the western bank of the river on the evening of August 15. Kaskolovki on the Tallinn highway. At the same time, they fought without artillery left to the 263rd OPAB. During August 16, the companies, together with the Leningrad militia and the Estonian Narva Workers' Regiment, courageously repelled the onslaught of units of the 1st Infantry Division along the highway, suffering huge losses. However, the 58th Infantry Division, advancing along both banks of the Luga, struck from Novo-Porkhovo, overcoming the resistance of the 546th SP 191st Infantry Division and the 4th Company of the 263rd OPAB, and managed to capture Kingisepp. The bridges had to be blown up, which did not make life much more difficult for the enemy, since there is a ford across the Luga just upstream in the city. The rifle units of the 191st SD and the 266th OPAB retreated beyond the northern outskirts of the city, to the area of Maly and Bolshoy Lutsk, and the 4th company of the 263rd OPAB retreated to the line of the Padozhitsa River. The bunkers in the Kingisepp area were abandoned.

On August 16–19, battles took place for the Narva–Kingisepp highway. At the same time, units of the 191st Rifle Division retreated to the north and crossed to the right bank of the Luga, opening up the rear and flanks of the UR. On August 17, the Germans occupied Narva. On August 19, the enemy managed to occupy the village of Dubrovka - the last point of resistance on the Narva-Kingisepp highway. From the end of August, the remnants of the garrisons of the KingUR pillboxes and units 8A began to retreat to the Koporye area.

Since September 8, 1941, in connection with the resumption of the German offensive, the division again takes part in heavy fighting in the Elagino area, having units of the 291st Infantry Division in front of it, retreating in the direction of Ropsha - Peterhof. From September 15, 1941, it took part in a counterattack in the direction of Krasnoe Selo, but rolled back to Peterhof and further to Oranienbaum. During this time, the battalion of the Leningrad Infantry School was subordinated to the division, and then merged into it. September 26 - September 27, 1941 operates during the failed offensive of the 8th Army with the aim of reaching the Korovino-Tuyuzi-Troitskoye line. On October 1, 1941, he again went on the offensive with the immediate task of capturing the settlements of Bolshoi Simongont and Znamenka, and then advancing on Razbegai, but also to no avail. From October 15 to October 18, 1941, it was transferred from Oranienbaum to Leningrad by ships of the Baltic Fleet.

On October 24, 1941, it was sunk in the Morye and Osinovets roadsteads and transferred by ships of the Ladoga Military Flotilla to the eastern shore of Lake Ladoga, and by the end of October 1941 it was concentrated in the Matveevskaya Kharchevnya (Kharchevnya) - Sitomlya area, forty kilometers southwest of Tikhvin. The advanced battalion divisions were transferred from Tikhvin to Sitomla from where they launched a counterattack on Rugui. However, here our counterattacks were met by powerful attacks from German aircraft. The division commander was wounded. The commander of the 292nd regiment took command of the division. Vinogradov. The 546th and 559th rifle regiments fought a defensive battle at the turn of the Sitomlya River. As a result, the enemy's offensive was stopped. On October 30, the enemy resumed the attack on Tkhvin, bypassing the positions of the 546th Regiment. The regiment commander was wounded, and the regiment retreated beyond the Khvoshnya River. By the end of October 30, 1941, the division was forced to leave Sitomlya under attack; from November 1, 1941, it took part in a counterattack in the direction of Budogoshch - Gruzino, suffered heavy losses, did not achieve success, and on November 5, 1941, under the attack of three German divisions, began to retreat to the east . At that time, it consisted of about a thousand soldiers, and as a result of an unorganized retreat, they acted separately, in separate units, not actually united by a single command. By November 8, 1941, it became part of the Eastern Operational Group of the 4th Army, and by November 10, 1941, it took up defense along the northern bank of the Shomushka River, covering the road to Lodeynoye Pole.

On November 11, 1941, it went on the offensive together with the 44th Rifle Division with the support of tanks from the 46th Tank Brigade, pushed back enemy troops 12-13 kilometers, advancing to the northern outskirts of Tikhvin, by November 14-15, 1941 the division reached a distance of 5 - 6 kilometers from the city. Since December 1941, the division again went on the offensive and, acting together with the 65th Rifle Division, broke through the barrage in suburban areas and came close to Tikhvin. On the night of December 9, 1941, Tikhvin was stormed from the northeast and knocked the enemy out of the city. During the retreat of German troops from Tikhvin, it attacks the 21st Infantry Division from the flank and advances in the direction of Malaya Vishera.

On January 25, 1942, she was transferred from the 4th Army to the 2nd Shock Army to participate in the Lyuban operation, and on the night of February 2, 1942 she went to Krivino. Introduced into the breakthrough of the 2nd Shock Army in the Myasnoy Bor area. On February 5, 1942, she replaced the 104th Cavalry Regiment in positions near the village of Chervino.

Until the end of spring 1942, he was surrounded.

From the memorandum of the head of the special department of the NKVD of the Volkhov Front, senior state security major Melnikov, “On the disruption of the combat operation to withdraw troops of the 2nd Shock Army from the enemy encirclement” At the same time, the enemy, advancing in the sector of the 1236th Infantry Regiment of the 372nd Infantry Division, broke through the weak defenses, dismembered the second echelon of the reserve 191st Infantry Division, reached the narrow-gauge railway in the area of \u200b\u200bmark 40.5 and linked up with the advancing units from South. The commander of the 191st Rifle Division repeatedly raised the question with the commander of the 59th Army, Major General Korovnikov, about the need and advisability of withdrawing the 191st Rifle Division to Myasnoy Bor in order to create a strong defense along the northern road. Korovnikov did not take any measures, and the 191st Rifle Division, inactive and not erecting defensive structures, remained standing in the swamp.

By June 1, 1942, the remnants of the division were withdrawn from the encirclement and the division was sent for restoration.

During the Leningrad-Novgorod operation, it advances north of Novgorod, on January 16, 1944 it storms the village of Chechulino, then develops an attack on Medvedkovo, distinguishes itself during the liberation of Novgorod, then advances on Utorgosh. In March 1944, she was transferred to the front reserve and then joined the 2nd Shock Army; during the summer of 1944 (until the end of July 1944) she fought unsuccessfully on the Narva defensive line.

In accordance with Leningrad Front Headquarters Directive No. 79/OP dated July 14, 1944, the division crossed Narva on July 25-26, 1944 on a three-kilometer front with the task of breaking through enemy defenses on the western bank of the river, on the Riigi, Vasa front (approximately 6 kilometers to the west Narva), in the future the division was faced with the task of repelling counterattacks and developing an attack on Narva. During the offensive, the division, marching in the first echelon, was supported by the 194th Mortar Regiment and the 760th Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment, the 230th Guards Mortar Regiment of Rocket Artillery, as well as the artillery of the 7th Rifle Division. The division managed to cross the river, break through positions and conquer a bridgehead on the river, continued the offensive towards Narva and, after the liberation of the city on the same day, was transferred to reserve in Gdov.

Since August 16, 1944, during the Tartu operation, after appropriate preparation, he has carried out an amphibious operation through Warm Lake in the Mekhikoorma area. With the help of the 25th separate brigade of river ships of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet, from the mouth of the Seltsa and Pnevo rivers, division units were transported to the western shore of the lake without losses on the water, defeating units of the 207th Security Division and the Estonian 1st and 5th Border Guard Regiments , expanded the bridgehead. The landing group liberated the settlements of Jõepera, Kalasaare, Pihuste, Küka and by the evening of August 16 fought near Laane, Haava-metsa and Aravu, continuing to advance with battles in a western direction. The division reached the Ahja River and, having destroyed the enemy on the eastern bank, crossed the river and continued the offensive in the direction of Võnnu, after which the division continued the offensive and reached the Sootaga-Päkste line. On 24 August 1944, the division, having liberated Aardlapala, approached Haaslava.

In September 1944, it attacks Riga from the northeast. On October 13, 1944, the division, having bypassed Kishezers from the north (landing a small force through Kishezers on fishing boats), turned to Riga. Acting in the vanguard of the corps, the division in the Zcemelblazna area defeated the 547th German Infantry Regiment, whose remnants surrendered along with the unit's chief of staff. After the liberation of Riga, the division was transferred to the 4th Shock Army, fought in the Mazeikiai - Auce areas, was put into reserve at the end of November 1944, and transferred to Poland in December 1944.

Takes part in the East Prussian offensive operation, advancing from the Lomza area to Shchuchin, then to Johannisburg. At the end of January 1945, it was put into reserve, transferred north of Bydgoszcz and from there it advances during the East Pomeranian offensive operation towards Czersk.

During the Berlin offensive operation, it crossed the Oder south of the Harz, continuing the offensive, reaching the Elbe in the Ludwigslust area.

Commanders:

Lukyanov, Dmitry Akimovich (04/05/1941 - 11/02/1941), colonel
Vinogradov, Pavel Semenovich (11/05/1941 - 12/21/1941), Colonel Lebedev, Timofey Vasilyevich (12/22/1941 - 01/26/1942), Major General (died, buried in Malaya Vishera 01/26/1942)
Starunin, Alexander Ivanovich (01/27/1942 - 02/21/1942), colonel (considered missing since 02/21/1942, captured 03/07/1942)
Korkin, Nikolai Petrovich (02/25/1942 - 05/15/1942), colonel
Artemenko, Nikolai Ivanovich (05/16/1942 - 09/05/1942), lieutenant colonel (died 09/05/1942)
Perevoznikov, Miron Ivanovich (09/15/1942 - 09/22/1942), lieutenant colonel
to Gretsov, Viktor Nikitovich (09/23/1942 - 11/02/1942), lieutenant colonel
Potapov, Pavel Andreevich (03.11.1942 - 20.01.1943), colonel
Burakovsky, Ivan Nikolaevich (01/21/1943 - 08/26/1944), colonel, from 10/16/1943 major general
Tsygankov, Alexey Yakovlevich (08/27/1944 - 09/26/1944), colonel

191st Rifle Novgorod Red Banner Division.
In the active army from June 22, 1941 to May 9, 1945.

Book by G. Polyakov and I. Kozyrev “With battles from Leningrad to Schwerin: chronicle of the 191st Red Banner Novgorod Rifle Division” (Vesti. 1998, 365 pp., circulation 3000 copies).

Digitization page 84:
...On October 13, units of the division occupied the defense line on the outskirts of the village of Tuyuzi. The second starting point of the attack on Oranienbaum - the fork in the highway - was also reliably covered by units of the 48th Infantry Division. The front line here remained unchanged until January 14, 1944.
In the 8th Army, instead of two artillery regiments - a howitzer and a light artillery cannon - one artillery regiment was created in the rifle divisions.
In the 191st division, the 504th howitzer artillery regiment was disbanded. The 504th Gap has gone through a glorious battle path. For more than three months, its personnel participated in continuous battles, showing examples of courage, bravery and perseverance. In all battles from Narva to the approaches to Oranienbaum, the regiment accurately and firmly defeated the enemy. In the fight against the fascist hordes, many of its soldiers and commanders died the death of the brave on the battlefield.
Thanks to the disbanded 504th Gap, units of the 191st Division received 574 people.
In the first half of October, new appointments took place in the command of the 191st division. After being seriously wounded and evacuated to the hospital by Lieutenant Colonel I.I. Talyzin, Major P.N. was appointed chief of staff on October 10. On one side. Before his appointment to the 191st division, Naboko was the chief of staff of another rifle division and had leadership experience in a combat situation.
October 14, 1941 turned out to be the last day of participation of the 191st division in the defense of the Oranienbaum bridgehead. By order of the army commander, the division surrendered its defense sector to the 48th division.
The 191st Rifle Division fought heroically on the southwestern approaches to Leningrad for three months. In the difficult conditions of the initial period of the war, the division's personnel showed iron stamina and courage. Many privates and sergeants hardened themselves in three-month battles, gained combat experience, and were appointed commanders of squads and combat crews. The best of the best sergeants were promoted even to the positions of platoon commanders.
TsAMO, f. 344, op. 5554, no. 88, l. 112.

Digitization page 85:
The war, unprecedented in scale, complexity and dynamism, placed great demands on the management of division units. The headquarters of the 191st division and the headquarters of its units have accumulated the necessary experience in command and control of troops on the battlefield.
Particularly noteworthy in these conditions is the work of military doctors. Orderlies, medical instructors, nurses, paramedics, and doctors at regimental medical stations of the 15th medical battalion worked selflessly.
Thousands of wounded people passed through their hands in three months.
Medical workers spared no effort, and sometimes even their lives, to provide assistance to the wounded, remove them from the battlefield and evacuate them to medical centers, a medical battalion and a hospital for further treatment. Military doctor 3rd rank B.V. enjoyed great authority. Chalov and military doctor 2nd rank I.V. Varentsov. In a difficult combat situation, close to forward positions, they carried out complex operations, saving the lives of soldiers and commanders, regardless of time or danger.
The feats performed by the soldiers of the 191st Division, like the entire Soviet Army, were based on patriotism and love for their Motherland.
The main content of educational work in the 191st division was to explain the aggressive nature of the war of Nazi Germany against the USSR, the danger posed by the aggressor to the very existence of the Soviet state.
Political workers rallied the personnel, inspired and encouraged them in difficult moments of battle, and influenced them with their personal example of selfless fulfillment of military duty.
...On the night of October 16, the 191st Rifle Division concentrated in a park southwest of Oranienbaum, and according to a strict schedule, its units were loaded onto ships.
“By October 18,” writes Admiral V.F. Tributs, “the transportation of the 191st Infantry Division to Leningrad was completed.”
V.F. Tributs. The Baltic people enter the battle. Kaliningrad, 1972. P. 318.
The text was digitized in collaboration with a user under the nickname “Alex Kislitsyn”.

But it is not exactly. Some units of the division were transported only on the night of October 23 (together with units of the 10th Infantry Division). In general, the redeployment of the entire division, combat and rear units, took 7 nights.
It can be said that the Baltic Fleet successfully transported the 191st Division to Leningrad in a difficult and extremely dangerous situation. Ships and barges had to pass through the Gulf of Finland near the coast occupied by the enemy.
The 191st Rifle Division was withdrawn from the Primorsky bridgehead when the borders of the bridgehead were established and the likelihood of an enemy breakthrough to Oranienbaum and Kronstadt was low.
The defenders of the Oranienbaum bridgehead were organized organizationally into the Primorsky Operational Group. Being under a double blockade for 28 months, they kept the bridgehead intact. This allowed the 2nd Shock Army to secretly cross over to the bridgehead from November 5, 1943 to January 14, 1944.
From the Oranienbaum bridgehead on January 14, 1944, the complete defeat of the fascist invaders near Leningrad began. And the 191st Rifle Division received a new mission to protect Leningrad in the southeastern direction.

9. DEFENSE OF TIKHVIN
After the Nazis' attempt to take Leningrad by storm was repulsed, at the end of September they went on the defensive near the walls of the great city.
On October 12, 1941, the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command of the Red Army set the Leningrad Front the task of preparing and carrying out an operation to relieve the siege of Leningrad in the second half of October 1941. The plan of the operation provided for the delivery of simultaneous converging attacks on the Shlisselburg-Sinyavinsk enemy grouping,
TsAMO, f. 344, op. 5554, no. 88, l. 122.
TsAMO, f. 249, op. 20829, building 1, l. 233.

The Shlisselburg-Sinyavinsk enemy group, its encirclement and destruction. Southeast of Leningrad, the 54th Army under the command of Lieutenant General I.I. was supposed to attack the enemy group. Fedyuninsky, and to meet her - troops from blockaded Leningrad, the Military Council of the Leningrad Front scheduled the start of the operation for October 20, 1941.
To carry out the operation, an operational group of troops in the eastern sector was created as part of the Leningrad Front. The 191st Infantry Division was also included in it.
Having crossed from the Oranienbaum bridgehead across the Gulf of Finland, the combat units of the 191st Infantry Division concentrated in the northeastern suburbs of Leningrad - in the Porokhovye area, Yanino state farm, village. Weakness. Here the division received replenishment of privates, junior and senior commanders, as well as some types of weapons.
However, the enemy forestalled the planned offensive of the troops of the Leningrad Front. Having a three- to four-fold superiority in forces and means, the Germans themselves went on the offensive on October 16, four days ahead of us. The enemy launched a preemptive strike against units of the 52nd Army, which held defenses along the river. Volkhov on a wide front - from the mouth of the river. Pchevzha to Dubrovka. The Nazis, having crossed the river. Volkhov, on October 20 they broke through the defenses of the 52nd Army on its right flank. The main enemy forces rushed to Budogoshch and Tikhvin. At the same time, the Germans expanded their breakthrough to the north - to Kirishi and to the southeast - to Malaya Vishera. Neither the 52nd nor its neighbor to the right, the 4th Army, had the reserves to close the gap that had opened between them. The Supreme High Command Headquarters came to the rescue - from its reserve it sent reinforcements to these armies. So the 191st Infantry Division, together with other divisions, was urgently sent to a critical area - to the 4th Army. For greater efficiency, the 559th Rifle Division of the 191st Infantry Division was transferred to the combat area by aircraft. The regiment consisted of 1040 personnel. Immediately upon arrival at the field airfields of the Tikhvin air defense zone, the regiment's units
. History of the Order of Lenin of the Leningrad Military District. M., Voenizdat, 1974. P. 251.

By order of the commander of the 4th Army, they were sent to the area of the village of Lipnaya Gorka (20 kilometers southwest of Tikhvin).
While the 559th Infantry Division occupied the line designated by the army commander, the remaining units and subunits of the 191st Infantry Division marched to Lake Ladoga, in the Osinovets area. From here they followed the water route to Novaya Ladoga, then by land to the Tikhvin region. Considering the urgent need to transfer units of the 191st Infantry Division, the command of the Ladoga Flotilla allocated the fastest ships and vessels for it.
The division's new combat area was a wooded and swampy area, dissected by small and medium-sized rivers and streams. The largest of them is the river. Sitting. There were few dirt roads, especially paved ones. From the city of Tikhvin to the village. There was a highway in Georgia. There was a forest on both sides of it. To the south of the highway, the Tikhvin-Budogoshch railway ran 5-10 kilometers away. The main forces of the 39th Motorized Corps of Hitler's troops advanced along these highways.
At the end of October and beginning of November, when units of the 191st Infantry Division arrived in the Tikhvin area, it rained, giving way to sleet. Then frosts hit, reservoirs began to become covered with ice, and the swamps froze.
Having occupied the designated defense lines, the 559th rifle regiment continued to equip them and conduct reconnaissance throughout October 26th.
We didn’t have to wait long for the enemy. Its advanced units approached from the southwest and began to accumulate in front of the regiment's front. By this time, neither the regimental artillery nor the rear had yet arrived. There was little ammunition for rifles and machine guns, and there were no mines for 82-mm mortars at all. The 546th and 552nd rifle regiments were also on the way.
At the end of October 26, division commander Colonel Lukyanov and a small group of staff commanders arrived in the village of Pechneva (4 kilometers southwest of Lipnaya Gorka). The CP of the 191st Infantry Division settled here.

At 4 a.m. on October 27, the division commander ordered the 559th Regiment to defend the Rugui-Sitomlya area, and a few hours later, motorized infantry and tanks of the German 12th Tank Division, with aviation support, began an attack on the village of Rugui. The soldiers and commanders of the 559th Regiment bravely met the enemy. For several hours there was a stubborn and unequal battle with the armored units of the enemy, using machine guns and company mortars. The infantrymen had no other weapons. By 2 p.m., the Nazis managed to push our companies back from the line of defense and began the battle directly behind the village of Rugui; by evening they occupied this village.
On the afternoon of October 27, the 546th and 552nd regiments arrived. The first occupied the line of defense along the river. Khvoshnya, and the 552nd joint venture - in the Lipnaya Gorka area. To the commander of the 4th Army, Lieutenant General V.F. Yakovlev had no choice but to bring the arriving formations into battle as separate regiments and even battalions in order to somehow stop the enemy rushing towards Tikhvin. All day they fought a stubborn battle with the enemy, repelling one attack after another and launching counterattacks, engaging hand-to-hand. Only as a result of repeated attacks did fascist tanks and motorized infantry manage to penetrate the defenses of the 559th rifle division east of the village of Rugui. The enemy began to advance along the road to the village of Kharchevnya. But both on the right side of the highway and on the left, soldiers of the 559th rifle regiment fired at the German machine gunners with small arms and mortars, cutting them off from the tanks. The enemy suffered losses in manpower.
However, numerical superiority was on the side of the enemy. Having occupied the village of Kharchevnya, enemy tanks and motorized infantry rushed to the village of Sitomlya. A battle took place on the approaches to it. The 1st and 2nd rifle battalions counterattacked the Nazis several times, but to no avail.
Continuing the offensive, by evening the enemy reached the river. Horsetail. At this point, the Nazis were attacked by the 546th Infantry Division together with units of the 559th Infantry Division that had retreated along the road. The enemy was driven back up to 3 km, to the village of Sitomlya. Units of the 546th rifle regiment inflicted losses on the enemy and captured trophies.
TsAMO, f.559, op. 72193, building 1, l. 56
TsAMO, f.1445, op. 1, d. 11, l. 26, 31

The division commander that day led the battle without the main staff of the headquarters - he had not yet arrived - and without technical means of communication. His combat orders were delivered by messengers or given directly to regimental commanders during visits to the battle formations of units. On October 28, the division commander, Colonel D. A. Lukyanov, was seriously wounded during reconnaissance and evacuated to the hospital. Instead, Colonel Pavel Semenovich Vinogradov was appointed commander of the 191st Rifle Division. Many soldiers and commanders distinguished themselves in the two-day battles. Here's an amazing example.
On October 28, in the area of the village of Rugui, Lieutenant M.I. Glantsev raised his company to attack. Together with his fighters, he rushed towards the enemy. An explosive bullet tore off his right hand. But for some seconds he continued to run under enemy fire. The second fascist bullet shattered his right shoulder. He fell to the ground, already covered with freshly fallen snow. I tried to bandage my right hand with my left hand and stop the loss of blood, but I couldn’t do it properly. The blood continued to flow and quickly clotted in the cold. There were no more people nearby. Glantsev thought that the end had come for him, but he decided not to surrender alive into the clutches of the Nazis. With difficulty, he unfastened the grenade, pressed it between his legs, placed the detonator and cocked it for battle. Here the lieutenant's strength left him - he lost consciousness. When consciousness returned, the Nazis were nearby, they were making noise and shouting the word “Bolshevik”. Following this, one of them fired a pistol at Glantsev’s head. But the bullet slid along the edge of the helmet and flew off to the side. The Nazis decided that the Russians were “kaput” and left. Glantsev, gathering his last strength, threw a grenade after those leaving and pressed himself to the ground. The grenade exploded, hitting the enemies. But the blast wave also hit the hero. Glantsev lost consciousness again, fell into a state of shock and lay motionless for some time.

And the company, having repelled the counterattack, went on the offensive. Combing the forest, the squad of Sergeant M.Ya. Pashkova found the commander of her company, covered in blood, without signs of life, and near him three killed fascists. Considering Slantsev killed, the squad moved on, carrying out the combat mission. But Glantsev was alive. He regained consciousness and crawled towards the regimental first aid station. He was discovered by soldiers of the 559th Regiment. They bandaged Glantsev’s wounded hand, took him to the primary care hospital, then to the hospital. There the lieutenant underwent surgery. Military doctors healed a seriously wounded company commander.
October 29 Colonel P.S. Vinogradov took command of the 191st Infantry Division. He did not need to get acquainted with the situation in the Tikhvin direction: he knew it, commanding the 292nd division.
The rifle regiments continued to fight without divisional artillery - without the 484th artillery regiment and the 8th separate fighter anti-tank artillery division. The artillery was still on the move. The Ladoga flotilla did not have a sufficient number of ships and vessels to quickly transport all combat units of the 191st Infantry Division, 44th Infantry Division, 6th Marine Brigade with their artillery. It transported its entire combat units only by the end of the first ten days of November.
The sailors worked under enormous stress. In addition to transporting troops, they had to evacuate industrial equipment from Leningrad - entire enterprises, as well as the population to the interior of the country.
From October 30, the division's firepower gradually began to increase. By 19 o'clock, the 2nd division of the 484th artillery regiment (7 howitzers) arrived in the division's location area.
Soon the 1st Division also stayed. On the night of October 31, the 484th artillery regiment took up its battle formation. The battery firing positions were located 4 kilometers south of Pechneva, observation points were located near the river. Horsetail.
1. Shift, January 4, 1976
2. TsAMO, f. 318, op. 4634, d. 24, l. 1.
3. V. f. Tributz, the Baltics enter the battle. Kaliningrad, 1972. P. 354.
4. TsAMO, f. 318, op. 4634, d. 24, l. 7.

On October 31, the 546th and 559th regiments conducted active combat operations with the support of batteries of the 484th artillery regiment, and the 546th joint venture - a tank battalion. As a result of the battle, units of the 546th rifle regiment pushed the enemy back to the left bank of the river. Horsetail. He suffered great damage in manpower and equipment. 4 light machine guns, 25 machine guns, 5 rifles were captured. In the battle, the 546th joint venture also suffered heavy losses. The regiment commander, Captain M.T., was seriously wounded. Knyazev.
On October 31, the chief of staff of the regiment, Captain P.V. Bogatyrev, began acting as commander of the 546th rifle regiment.
At 11:30 p.m. on October 31, the army commander, Lieutenant General V.F. Yakovlev - signed an order for the divisions of the left flank of the 4th Army to go on the offensive on the morning of November 1. The order set the task - the 191st Infantry Division with the Air Force operational group and the tank battalion of the 60th TD to destroy the enemy in the Sitomlya-Kharchevnya area, capture the village of Rugui, and then advance on Budogoshch, with the main attack along the Tikhvin-Budogoshch road.
By 8 o'clock on November 1, the 559th rifle regiment concentrated for the offensive. He managed to push the enemy back across the river. It's a shame, but the regiment couldn't achieve more.
During defensive and offensive battles from October 27 to November 2, the regiments suffered heavy losses, especially the 559th Infantry Regiment. The offensive capabilities of the division's units, already small in number, decreased. However, the situation required active military action. Despite the extremely difficult conditions of the struggle, the 191st division launched counterattacks on the main direction of the enemy’s advance, against his spearhead. And if she could not drive the enemy back, then she forced him to suspend the offensive for several days.
On November 2, units of the 191st Infantry Division consolidated their position at the previous line and firmly held it.
At the same time as equipping its engineering lines, the division was preparing for the resumption of the offensive and was conducting reconnaissance of enemy positions.
1. TsAMO, f. 546, op. 52114, no. 2, l. 28.
2. TsAMO, f. 318, op. 4634, no. 4, l. 36.

On the morning of November 3, the offensive of the 191st Infantry Division resumed. The 559th joint venture, with the support of a tank battalion and one artillery division, pushed the enemy back across the river. Horsetail. But the Nazis, having recovered from the blow, brought tanks into battle and counterattacked the severely thinned units of the regiment. Having suffered significant losses in killed and wounded, the 559th rifle regiment was forced to retreat to its original positions. On that day, rocket mortars, lovingly nicknamed “Katyushas,” were the first to be used from the line of the 191st Infantry Division.
A sea of fire spilled into the enemy camp. Many Nazis found their end there, and those near the shell explosion zone fled in panic. Our infantry was also shocked by the power of the rocket fire. And only after recovering from surprise, she quickly rose to attack and began to move forward.
The Nazis scrambled aircraft into the air, which frantically began bombing the places from which the Katyusha rockets were firing. But it was too late - before the Nazi planes arrived, they were hidden in the forest.
At the end of November 3, units of the division received orders to gain a foothold on the achieved lines and be ready to resume the offensive by 9 o'clock on November 4. Unfortunately, it has already become a rule that the army headquarters, and after it the division headquarters, issue combat orders late, depriving them of part of the daytime time to prepare for battle.
Until November 4, the enemy acted with the main forces only in front of the front of the 191st division - along the highway. He sought to break through our defenses head-on. However, strong resistance from the 191st Division forced the enemy to look for weak points and workarounds. And he found them at the junction of the 191st Infantry Division and the 4th Guards Division. Enemy units of the 39th Mechanized Corps occupied Ostrov, Yurkina Gora and Klinets located next to it.
By the end of the day on November 4, its 8th separate fighter anti-tank artillery division with eighteen 45-mm cannons finally arrived at the disposal of the 191st Infantry Division.
.E. Degtyarev. Ram and shield. M., Voenizdat, 1965. P. 56.
. TsAMO, f. 318, op. 4651, no. 14, l. 26.

On November 5, early in the morning, units of the 1911th division resumed active military operations against the Nazis entrenched in Sitomla, but all their attacks were unsuccessful.
At the end of the day on November 5, the commander of the 4th Army ordered the 191st Division to cease active offensive operations and go on the defensive. Its units failed, despite daily decisive attacks, to overcome the enemy’s defenses. The balance of forces in front of the front of the 191st Division and in front of the 4th Army as a whole was in favor of the enemy.
On November 6, Colonel A.M. arrived and took up his duties as chief of staff of the 191st division. Starunin replaced Major P.N. Naboko, who retired due to injury. Units of the division acted in accordance with the order of the division command for defense and carried out additional measures to strengthen it.
Having concentrated a large number of tanks and motorized infantry, the Nazi command early in the morning of November 7 began an offensive simultaneously from the line of the river. Khvoshnya against the 191st division and from the border of the river. Sitting against the 44th Division. At the battle formations of the 191st Infantry Division, the Nazis opened hurricane fire from guns, mortars and machine guns, and used aircraft. After a 30-minute artillery barrage, tanks and machine gunners rushed into the attack. Enemy planes bombed our front line and the near rear of the division.
It seemed to the enemy that he had crushed everything in his path and all he could do was advance unhindered to Pechneva, Lipnaya Gorka and Tikhvin. But the enemy was mistaken - rifle units, mortars, and regimental and divisional artillery guns opened massive fire on the attacking Germans. Their fire knocked out 4 tanks and 1 self-propelled gun, and mowed down many enemy machine gunners.
Hitler's command, despite heavy losses, brought new forces into the battle. It threw 12 tanks and motorized infantry into the next attack, supported by strong artillery and mortar fire. Hold back the pressure this time

[Hold back the pressure this time] the enemy failed. Having lost many personnel wounded and killed, by order of the command, the division regiments began to retreat to an intermediate line of defense.
In those days, the commander of the fire platoon of the 3rd battery, Lieutenant I.S., performed a heroic feat. Shkarupa. He rolled the cannon into an open position and, with direct fire, knocked out the lead tank of an enemy tank column and an artillery piece moving in its tail. The fascist tanks stopped and opened fire on the firing position of Shkarupa’s platoon. One gun was knocked out, but the other continued to fire at the column with armor-piercing shells, and when German machine gunners appeared in deployed formation, with shrapnel. During the battle, the crew of the only gun of Shkarupa's platoon suffered losses in killed and wounded. Ultimately, only the platoon commander with his gun remained in the ranks. He loaded the gun himself, aimed it himself, and fired it himself, sending shell after shell at the Nazis. And all this in an atmosphere of shells exploding all around and machine gun bursts rushing towards him. The lieutenant did not react to them, all his thoughts and actions were occupied with only one thing - to inflict the greatest losses on the enemy and not allow him to get to Tikhvin. A Nazi who crept up from behind stabbed him to death with a bayonet at the gun carriage.
Lieutenant I.S. Shkarupa, the first of the 191st Rifle Division, was posthumously awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree.
For 191 SD, the situation as a whole remained very difficult. She had to repel the advance of two tank and one motorized divisions.
On the holiday of November 7, up to 60 German machine gunners with mortars penetrated the forest area of the village of Pechneva, to the location of checkpoint 484 ap. The security of the command post promptly discovered the attackers and entered into battle with them. Having suffered losses, the Germans retreated. But finding that there were few defenders, they went on the attack again.
At that moment, the chief of staff of the regiment, Major P.L., arrived in the battle area. Kafanov, armed with a machine gun. Now the battle took place under his direct leadership and with his personal participation. Several Nazis were killed and wounded, including two of them killed by Major Kafanov. The defenders of the regiment's command post suffered losses from enemy fire. Major Kafanov was wounded in the elbow of his left hand, but continued to fight with his right. Soon he was wounded a second time - in the forearm. The paramedic tried to help him, but was killed. The same burst wounded Kafanov for the third time - in his right hand, and he could no longer shoot. From loss of blood he lost consciousness and fell, burying his face in the snow. The Nazis, considering him killed, unbuttoned his overcoat in search of documents. Noticing the Order of the Red Banner, they began to unscrew it. Subsequently, Kafanov will write: “The one who unscrewed the order squatted down, rested his left elbow on my chest, and stood on my right hand with his feet. I groaned from severe pain and opened my eyes. The Germans were dumbfounded. There was silence. Then I again felt a strong blow in face. It was a close-range shot."
Even after Kafanov’s mouth was shot through and blood flowed profusely from him, the Nazis began to strike at his head and sides. After making sure that he showed no signs of life, they took away his order, personal documents and official seal 484 ap.
P.L. Kafanov did not die. After some time, he regained consciousness, was discovered by our soldiers and taken to the medical center. For several hours Kafanov was between life and death. Through the efforts of doctors, he was put back on his feet. It took seven months to heal. Having grown physically stronger, he wanted to take revenge on the Nazis. The request was granted, Kafanov returned to the front. He ended the war on 05/09/1945 in Prague, commanding an artillery brigade as part of Lelyushenko’s tank army. P.L. died Kafanov 01/20/1978, at the age of 72 years.
1. Order of the commander of the Volkhov Front No. 013-n (?) dated 12/05/1942.

Due to the loss of the official seal of the 484th artillery regiment, it was renamed and became known as the 1081st artillery regiment.
During the battle, the 4th battery, commanded by Lieutenant F.A., found itself in a difficult situation. Shelyag, a graduate of the Leningrad Red Banner Artillery School. German machine gunners, bypassing the battery from the rear, opened heavy fire on it. At the same time, enemy tanks were pressing from the front. Our battery was surrounded, and it seemed that there was no way out. But a way out was found. The battery commissioner quickly assembled a group of artillerymen and infantrymen who happened to be nearby. Under his command, the soldiers entered into battle with the advancing German machine gunners. Meanwhile, battery commander Shelyag knocked out several tanks with gunfire and stopped their column. Taking advantage of this delay, the battery commander turned his guns and rained grapeshot on the German machine gunners. The enemy retreated. The path was paved, and the battery emerged from the encirclement with all its equipment - howitzers.
On November 7, the 546th Regiment with fighting retreated to the river. Syasya, north of Lipnaya Gorka. All day long he fought an intense battle with enemy tanks and motorized infantry. The regiment commander, Lieutenant Colonel V.N. Velikhov and his deputy, Major V.N. Gretsov, personally supervised the placement of guns to combat tanks. The fight against them was difficult. The regiment lost four guns and one howitzer. Two disabled guns were taken to our rear and repaired.
The 191st division was faced with the task of making an organized retreat to a new line, restoring communication between the units and uniting them into a single fist.
At 6 a.m. on November 8, enemy tank and motorized units resumed their offensive. On this day, the fascist command threw about 100 tanks into battle.
A fierce battle broke out again and lasted all day. The artillery of the 191st Division, having already suffered losses in manpower and materiel, did everything possible in its power to repel the armored hordes of the enemy.
. G. Degtyarev. Day of glorious artillerymen. – Rainbow, 1965, No. 11. P. 126.

From the western outskirts of the village of Markovo, she fired at the enemy infantry and fascist tanks accumulated in the village of Lipnaya Gorka and inflicted losses on them.
The Nazis, regardless of losses, rushed to Tikhvin.
On November 8, the 191st Infantry Division received an order to withdraw to the northern outskirts of Tikhvin and take up defensive positions.
However, the enemy, having pushed back units of the neighboring 44th Division and bypassed the regiments of the 191st Infantry Division, broke through to Tikhvin. Only the engineer battalion, some rear units, and the 2nd battery of the 484th artillery regiment were able to withdraw through Tikhvin.
In total, about a thousand soldiers and commanders retreated overnight.
The remaining fighters, led by commanders, continued to go to the location of their units for three days.
By the end of November 9, the 191st Rifle Division occupied defenses north of Tikhvin - along the river. Shomushka. On that day, commanders and political workers worked to unite and reorganize the units. At the same time, units of the 191st division carried out combat missions - there were no pauses between battles. This is one of the indicators that the 191st Infantry Division was not demoralized after the retreat and remained combat-ready. However, it was also recognized that the 13-day battles with enemy tanks and motorized infantry had greatly weakened the division. Having captured Tikhvin, enemy tank and motorized units tried to develop an offensive in the direction of Lodeynoye Pole, but failed.
In past battles, the fascist German group suffered such heavy losses that after the capture of Tikhvin it was no longer able to conduct successful offensive operations and therefore went on the defensive.
The plan of the Nazi command to connect with Finnish troops along the river. The svir was torn off. This is a considerable merit of the 191st division.
TsAMO, f. 1445, op. 1, d. 1, l. 6.
K.A. Meretskov. At the service of the people. M., Politizdat, 1968. P. 233.

However, the success achieved by the Soviet troops was only partial and incomplete. He could not satisfy the defenders of Leningrad - having captured Tikhvin, the enemy cut the only railway along which food and other goods were transported to Lake Ladoga for Leningrad. The situation in Leningrad, already difficult, became even more complicated.
From November 9, 1941, the vital and urgent tasks of the 4th Army were the defeat of the Nazi group of troops, the liberation of Tikhvin and the entire region east of the river. Volkhov. This predetermined the composition of the command of the 4th Army.
After the Germans captured Tikhvin, on November 9, from 8 a.m., Army General K.A. took command of the 4th Army. Meretskov. That morning he visited the 191st Infantry Division, gave instructions on how to quickly rally units of the division, listened to commanders and political workers, and made decisions on urgent issues.
The conversation of Army General K.A. was interesting. Meretskova with the fighters. It turned out what questions concern the fighters after they were forced to retreat. The army commander answered all questions truthfully and simply.
This is how the former correspondent of Krasnaya Zvezda M.3 describes this conversation. Punz, who was personally present at the meeting: “Fighters from the greatly reduced 191st Rifle Division surrounded the army commander. They stood, shifting from foot to foot, turning away from the piercing wind.
We started the conversation with the weather. North is North.
“Yes, this is not Crimea,” said one soldier. – And our clothes, I guess, are Crimean.
“Tomorrow you will receive warm uniforms,” Meretskov said.
Kirill Afanasyevich began to ask where the soldiers were from. A fellow countryman was found, from Vanev, near Moscow.
- And I’m from Zaraysk... Have you heard, I suppose? – asked the army commander.
- How can you not hear... - The emboldened fellow countryman made his way lower to the army commander.
- Can I ask you, Comrade General, a question?
- Let's...
- Tell me, why do the Nazis have everything - planes and tanks? And we only have enough... It’s somehow not even clear: the sky is ours, but the planes are foreign...
The daredevil was shushed.
- Why are you? - Kirill Afanasyevich raised his voice. – Now all of Western Europe that he has captured is working for the enemy. And he really has more machine guns, tanks, and planes. More today. And tomorrow, I think, we will have the same amount. And the day after tomorrow even more.
- When is the day after tomorrow? - the fellow countryman insisted.
- I can’t say this. But I don’t want to guess. But it will be, it will be. Believe me. In the meantime, comrades, I don’t promise anything, but I will demand. We need to fight with what we have, and fight well... I know from experience: you can do nothing worthwhile with a hundred shells, but you can inflict great damage on the enemy with a dozen... And now I’ll ask the question: what is our task here? near Tikhvin?
- If you gave it away, it means you have to take it back.
- Right. And I think so. Tikhvin must be freed. And as soon as possible. With this we will ease the situation in Leningrad. I count on you, comrades."
With the departure of the army commander, on his instructions, urgent and urgent measures were taken to provide combat and material support for the division, raise morale, and prepare all units for active combat operations. On the second day, as promised by the army commander, the personnel received winter uniforms - cotton trousers and sweatshirts, sheepskin sheepskin coats.
Along with organizational measures, which included work to restore the morale of the retreating units and formations, the 4th Army was reinforced by a tank brigade, rifle and artillery regiments, two mortar battalions and one engineer battalion from the 7th Separate Army, which was previously commanded by the Army General K. A. Meretskov. Since morning
.M.Z. Punch. In the name of Leningrad. See: Tikhvin, 1941, Lenizdat, 1974, pp. 353, 354.

On November 9, the Northern Operational Group of Forces, consisting mainly of tank and artillery units, set off from the location of this army towards Tikhvin.
This group of troops was given the task of pushing the enemy back to Tikhvin and creating conditions for the liberation of the city from the northern direction.
Upon arrival at the starting point, the Northern Group prepared to attack in front of the Hut. Vehtui and the village of Kayvaksa. Until November 13, units of the 191st Infantry Division supported the left flank of the Northern Operational Group with active combat operations. But soon the division received a new combat mission - to occupy a line northeast of Zabolotye and Fishevaya Gora. On the same days, the division received reinforcements. As of November 20, there were 4,422 people in the 191st Infantry Division, including 3,320 privates and 577 sergeants.
Upon arrival in the Zabolotya-Fishevaya Gora area, the division was included in the Eastern Operational Group. In addition to it, this group initially included scattered units of two rifle regiments of the 44th division, the 48th reserve rifle regiment, the 27th cavalry division and a separate tank battalion. Later, the 65th Infantry Division, which arrived on November 12-15 from the Headquarters reserve, was also included in the Eastern Operational Group. The commander of the Eastern Operational Group was Major General P. A. Ivanov.
For four days, from November 15 to 18, the 191st Infantry Division conducted active combat operations with the goal of capturing enemy strongholds on the way to Tikhvin. She gave the Nazis no rest day or night. She exhausted the enemy and inflicted losses on him. As a result of these battles, units of the division managed to advance to the southern edge of the forest, which is north of Zabolotye, and get closer to the enemy, occupying their first trench.
On November 15, Major I. Arzumanov was appointed commander of the 559th rifle division. His predecessor, Major P.T. Lemba, left at the disposal of the army commander
. Punch. In the name of Leningrad. See: Tikhvin, 1941. Lenizdat 1974. P. 224; V.S. Nesteruk. Fire and maneuver.
. TsAMO, f. 1445, op. 2, d. 2, l. 15; there, op. 1, d. 2, l. 18.

On November 16, the Eastern Operational Group, with its left flank, conducted active combat operations with heterogeneous forces, including Katyushas. Two divisions of rocket mortars fired a salvo at the enemy holding the village of Astrachi. The village was attacked from three sides - from the front and flanks. Stunned by the Katyusha strike, the Nazis momentarily lost the ability to organize resistance and were driven out of the village of Astrachi. In addition to it, the village of Burkovo, the Astrachi crossing and the barracks two kilometers from the state farm were liberated. 1st of May. It was not possible to advance further. But tactical success was evident. The enemy, although slowly, retreated from the lines he occupied to Tikhvin. The positions of the city's liberators improved. But the enemy was still strong. He firmly defended his strongholds.

10. LIBERATION OF TIKHVIN
The commander of the 4th Army gave a combat order for all formations of the operational groups to go on the offensive on November 19. The task is to liberate the city of Tikhvin from the enemy.
The 559th and 546th rifle regiments advanced on Zabolotye, and the 552nd regiment on the northeastern outskirts of Fisheva Gora. Having advanced several tens of meters, the infantrymen were stopped by strong enemy barrage fire.
Despite the fact that Zabolotye and Fisheva Gora were no more than a kilometer away, the regiments were unable to overcome this distance and capture enemy strongholds within ten days. To break through the defenses and overcome enemy fire, a large number of guns and mortars, as well as an increased rate of ammunition, were required. There was neither one nor the other in our units. There was also a shortage of personnel in the rifle regiments. Despite the difficult conditions in the fight against the enemy, the 191st Infantry Division continued persistent attacks on enemy positions day and night.
In the last days of November, the division continued fighting for strongholds blocking the path to Tikhvin. Already at dusk on November 22, units of the division received combat orders to prepare for a night attack. At 21 o'clock all three regiments began an attack on Zabolotye and Fisheva Gora. It was preceded by a fire raid by our artillery on enemy positions. The battle continued all night. We managed to advance 200 meters.
The next night, units of the 559th rifle regiment resumed their attack on Zabolotye. The battle continued during the day. But the enemy fiercely resisted. At 7 p.m., all three regiments went on the offensive against the Nazis, who had dug in on the approaches to the village and in the residential stone houses of Zabolotye. The battle continued all night. As a result of three attacks, which turned into hand-to-hand combat, our fighters captured the enemy’s first line of defense, and the remaining units broke into houses on the outskirts of Zabolotye. Many in this battle proved themselves to be brave and enterprising warriors.
Having occupied the outermost houses in the northern part of Zabolotye, the riflemen were unable to hold them, consolidate and develop the success achieved. The enemy officers were competent, and the soldiers were persistent and resourceful. Having assessed the situation, the Germans realized that our fire support for the infantry was weak, and they restored their lost positions.
On November 26, units of the division continued to conduct active combat operations to capture Zabolotye. Before the attack began, the available forces were taken into account and it was calculated down to the smallest detail where and how the units and each individual fighter should act.
The offensive began in the afternoon. Under the cover of artillery and mortar fire, the 559th Regiment reached the first houses on the northwestern outskirts of Zabolotye. At 2 p.m., the advancing infantry were stopped by heavy German artillery, mortar and machine gun fire. Two hours later, the attack of our troops resumed. This time we managed to capture the northwestern part of the village. However, they were unable to maintain their position. The enemy skillfully counterattacked with the support of four tanks, two armored vehicles, artillery and mortars. Units of the 559th joint venture were forced to retreat to their original positions.

The 191st Infantry Division needed artillery reinforcement and replenishment of personnel. And if she managed to hold her positions, and in some cases even push back a strong enemy, it was only due to the courage and acquired experience of the fighters and commanders.
Divisional Commander Vinogradov appealed to Army Commander Meretskov with a request to return artillery batteries, temporarily transferred to other army units, to the 191st Infantry Division, asked to strengthen the division with at least three tanks and replenish the rifle regiments with personnel.
These requests were granted, although not immediately.
In the last five-day period of November, the division received a small reinforcement: commanders - 46 people, sergeants - 64, privates - 317.
On November 27, the battles for Zabolotye and Fisheva Gora continued with increasing ferocity, but the Germans did not want to give up their positions. The next day the offensive resumed. The enemy suffered great damage. But the end result is the same. Not only in the area of Zabolotye and Fishevaya Gora, but everywhere, the Nazis offered stubborn resistance to the Soviet soldiers. The enemy did not even think about surrendering Tikhvin.
In an effort to hold the city and a powerful defense center at all costs, the fascist German command began to urgently transfer its reserves to the Tikhvin area - the 61st Infantry Division, the 136th Infantry Regiment and some other units.
The enemy still believed that he would be able to hold Tikhvin, although his position was becoming increasingly precarious.
During the first three days of December, units of the 191st Infantry Division remained at their previous lines, conducted fire combat, reconnaissance of all types, and continued work to improve their lines in engineering terms.
TsAMO, f. 318, op. 4634, d. 24, l. 91.
TsALLO, f. 1445, op. 1, d. 2, p., 18.
D. Chikin. Defeat of the Germans near Tikhvin. Brief essay. Voenizdat, 42- P. 12.

At 20:00 on December 3, the division commander, Colonel Vinogradov, based on the decision of the army commander, gave a combat order to regroup the division’s units.
On the night of December 4, three rifle regiments reached new frontiers. They were faced with the task of covering three main directions: Zabolotye - Smolenets (559th joint venture), Fisheva Gora - altitude 66.8 lakes. Syago (546th joint venture), Pagolda – Smolensky Shlyuz – lake. Syago (552nd joint venture) and be ready to attack. The new location of the units of the 191st Rifle Division meant a new direction of the main attack: not towards Zabolotye, but bypassing the village - towards Pagolda.
Other formations and units called upon to liberate Tikhvin from the Nazi occupiers were also preparing for the assault.
Strikes by troops of all operational groups, on the orders of the commander of the 4th Army, were aimed at the complete defeat of the enemy and the liberation of Tikhvin. The 191st Division, having regrouped its units, suppressed the enemy's fire system and prepared for the attack.
On December 5, at 11 o’clock, Divisional Commander Vinogradov ordered intensive reconnaissance in force on a wide front on the night of December 6. It was necessary to cover the area of Zabolotye, Fishevaya Gora and Pagolda, identify the weakest link in the enemy’s defense and improve the starting lines for the offensive.
Reconnaissance in force revealed the German fire system as a whole. A large number of fire weapons and manpower of the Nazis were destroyed.
Taking into account the results of the reconnaissance, the division commander finally approved the offensive plan. It was decided first of all to capture the bend of the river fortified by the Germans. Tikhvinka, blocking the path to the strongholds - Fisheva Gora and Pagolda, and then take possession of them and continue the offensive further to Tikhvin.
By 17:00 on December 7, the rifle regiments took their starting position, and an hour later they began the offensive. It was carried out
TsAMO, f. 4634, d. 24, l. 103.
TsAMO, f. 318, op. 4634, building 2A, l. 118.

with the support of regimental and divisional artillery, as well as attached units - one artillery division and a division of guards mortars (Katyusha)
Good interaction between infantry and artillery ensured the defeat of the enemy. By 10 p.m. on December 7, the 191st Infantry Division captured the bend of the river. Tikhvinka is a German stronghold located on a steep bank. Thanks to the tactically competent, bold and decisive actions of the commanders, the courage and courage of the personnel, the enemy garrison of all six bunkers was taken by surprise, did not offer organized resistance and was destroyed.
With the fall of the resistance node on the river. Tikhvink a gap opened in the German defense, which was immediately taken advantage of by units of the 546th and 552nd rifle regiments. They launched a battle for the village of Pagolda, a fortified point of the enemy.
The infantrymen were well supported by artillery and mortarmen. They destroyed 21 bunkers in Pagolda and on its outskirts, which were spewing deadly fire.
Rifle squads, platoons and companies acted purposefully, organizedly and courageously in the night battle. Not only the offensive impulse had an impact, but also the accumulated experience of night battles. The battle for Pagolda demonstrated the tactical maturity of commanders and soldiers.
At 1:30 a.m. on December 8, the 546th and 552nd rifle regiments captured Pagolda with two companies. Almost the entire Pagold garrison of the enemy was destroyed.
The loss of the stronghold in Pagolda greatly weakened the enemy's position. Favorable conditions were created for the further offensive of the 191st Infantry Division.
At 3 o'clock in the morning on December 8, the division commander, Colonel Vinogradov, set tasks for the rifle regiments: the 559th - to capture the Zabolotye area, delivering the main blow with the left flank, and then to attack the northern outskirts of Tikhvin; 546th - capture Fisheva Mountain
TsAMO, f. 318, op. 4634, d. 24, l. 124.

and advance further to the northeastern outskirts of Tikhvin in the direction of the Tikhvin Monastery; 552nd - advance along the Pagolda - Peshcherka road, capture Peshcherka and then move forward to the eastern outskirts of Tikhvin; 25th (December 1, it was assigned to the operational subordination of the 191st Infantry Division) - with four tanks, advance along the highway to Tikhvin, striking with the left flank, capture the water tower (one kilometer east of Tikhvin), MTS, and then reach the eastern outskirts of Tikhvin .
The decisive hours of the battle for Tikhvin have arrived. At 16:00 on December 8, after a powerful artillery raid on the enemy’s fortifications, units of the 191st Infantry Division went on the offensive.
It developed successfully: the 546th Regiment, having entered the enemy’s flank from the southeast, with the support of an artillery division, disrupted the battle formations of the Nazis, destroyed their fortifications and stormed Fisheva Gora, a large village adjacent to the northeastern outskirts of Tikhvin. At the same time, the 552nd Regiment fought and captured the Cave and the estate of the machine and tractor station.
The soldiers of the 559th Regiment had to storm house after house in Zabolotye until the Nazis were completely defeated in a street battle. At the end of December 8, Zabolotye was liberated.
The merit of the 191st division was that it, together with the 65th division, with its successful offensive, disrupted the entire system of enemy strongholds covering Tikhvin from the north, northeast, east, and captured them.
In breaking through the enemy’s defenses and capturing Pagolda, Fisheva Gora, and Zabolotie, divisional and regimental artillery played a large role, primarily the battery of the 1081st artillery regiment, as well as the artillery units attached to the 191st division, paved the way for rifle units, destroying long-term fortifications in the offensive zone with gun fire . Most of them were hit by direct fire.
TsAMO, f. 318, op. 4634, d. 24, l. 126.
Ibid., l. 12.

During the offensive battles, the artillerymen demonstrated their high skill in firing. After our infantry occupied the enemy's resistance centers, greater accuracy was established in hitting enemy machine-gun points and bunkers.
After capturing the centers of resistance, units of the 191st Division immediately began fighting directly for the city of Tikhvin. Now it was clear to Hitler’s command that it was impossible to keep Tikhvin in their hands. But it sought to gain time to withdraw its troops from the attack of units of the 191st division. The thoughts of the division command were aimed at not giving the enemy any time to break away, to press on and crush him.
The day ended, evening came, and then night, the decisive battle for Tikhvin continued without interruption for an hour.
Of all the units and formations of the 4th Army directly attacking Tikhvin, the first to break into the city was the 546th Infantry Regiment of the 191st Division (regiment commander Captain Bogatyrev, military commissar S.F. Didenko).
The approaches to the Tikhvin Monastery were mined. The Nazis fired mortars, machine guns and machine guns along the roads leading to it, and their artillery fired from the depths of the enemy's position.
But nothing could stop the fighters of the 546th regiment, as well as other units that felt victory was close. Regimental and divisional sappers made passages in the wine fields and neutralized the area. The artillery marched in infantry combat formations near the walls of the city and in the city itself, suppressing enemy firing points in one place or another. The machine gunners rolled from one line to another and fired, pressing the Nazis to the western streets of the city. Regimental and divisional reconnaissance officers identified vulnerable points in the approach to the Tikhvin Monastery. Taking into account reconnaissance data, units of the 546th rifle regiment stormed an enemy stronghold - a monastery - in a night battle, then the regiment began to pursue
TsAMO, f. 33, op. 682523, no. 40, l. 28, 151.

the enemy retreating along the main thoroughfare of the city - Sovetskaya Street, running from north to south, to the station, and crossing the center of Tikhvin - Freedom Square.
The retreating Nazis conducted fierce machine-gun and mortar fire. Units of the 546th Regiment, which were joined in Tikhvin by units of the 330th Separate Engineer Battalion of the 191st Division, moved along both sides of Sovetskaya Street, pressing against the houses and blocking those from which the Germans were firing. With rifle and machine gun fire and grenades, Soviet soldiers liberated house after house, expelling and exterminating the Nazis. On the approaches to the building of the State Bank branch there was a skirmish with a large group of German machine gunners dressed in white camouflage suits. It ended with the complete defeat of the enemy. Only a few escaped.
Having cleared the city center of the Nazis, the 546th Regiment turned to the right and by 5 o’clock on December 9 reached the western outskirts of Tikhvin.
Simultaneously with the 546th rifle regiment, the 559th and 552nd rifle regiments and other units of the 191st division successfully stormed the German positions in Tikhvin.
The 559th Rifle Regiment under the command of Captain I. I. Arzumanov, after the liberation of Zabolotye, cleared the northern quarters of Tikhvin from the enemy. The street on the northern bank of the river was also liberated. Tikhvinka, and the house on it, in which composer N.A. was born and spent his childhood. Rimsky-Korsakov. The Nazis plundered the house-museum named after him.
Pursuing the Nazis, the 559th Regiment reached the area of the village of Lazarevichi at 7 o'clock on December 9.
The 552nd joint venture under the command of Captain S.A. Pisarenko, advancing from the village of Peshcherka and MTS, at 3 a.m. on December 9 captured the eastern outskirts of Tikhvin and, combing residential areas, reached the western outskirts of Tikhvin south of the 546th Infantry Regiment. Following this, continuing the offensive, the 552nd regiment reached the area of the village of Lazare-
TsAMO, f. 33, op. 682523, no. 40, l. 2.
Ibid., l. 9.
Ibid., l. 281.

vichi. Near the 191st Infantry Division the 65th Infantry Division was pursuing the enemy.
Thus, as a result of attacks by the 191st Division from the northeast and east, and the 65th Division from the southeast and south, by the morning of December 9, 1941, the city of Tikhvin was completely liberated.
In the battles for Tikhvin, units of the 4th Army inflicted heavy losses in manpower and equipment on the 39th Motorized Corps of the Nazi troops. However, the Tikhvin enemy group managed to avoid complete destruction.
In the battle for Tikhvin, many soldiers, commanders and political workers, all the personnel of the 191st division, distinguished themselves. For the exemplary fulfillment of the command’s assignments for the liberation of Tikhvin and the valor and courage displayed at the same time, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, by its Decree of December 17, 1941, awarded the 191st Rifle Division with the Order of the Red Banner. For these battles, the 65th Division, the 305th Regiment of the 44th Division, the 46th Tank Brigade and other units were also awarded the Order of the Red Banner.
The 4th Army Military Council’s proposal for awarding the 191st Division the Order of the Red Banner, written while it was pursuing the enemy outside of Tikhvin, stated: “Since October 27, 1941, the 191st Rifle Division has fought stubborn battles with superior forces. force by enemy units. Systematic air bombing by fascist vultures, strong mortar, machine gun and artillery fire did not break the fighting impulse of the small units of the division. They exhausted the enemy day and night and inflicted great damage to his manpower not only with well-aimed fire but also with repeated bayonet attacks. In the decisive days of the battle for Tikhvin, units of the division were the first to break into the city and resolutely pursue enemy units.”
See: Collection of orders. M. 1967. P.104
TsAMO, f.33 op.682528. d.38. l. 216

For distinction in the battles for Tikhvin, 324 privates, sergeants, middle and senior commanders and political workers of the 191st Infantry Division were awarded.
TsAMO. f. 33, op. 682523, ll. 39, 40; there op. 682528. no. 38.

In total, during the Tikhvin operation in the 4th Army there were
973 people were awarded. This means that every third of those awarded is a soldier of the 191st Infantry Division.
For courageous command of troops, for personal bravery and the courage and bravery shown in battle, the commander of the 191st division, Colonel P.S. Vinogradov was awarded the Order of Lenin. The military commissar of the division, Art. political instructor S. A. Alekseev.

11. PERSECUTION OF THE ENEMY
On the morning of December 9, the commander of the 4th Army K.A. Meretskov gave a combat order, which assigned tasks to formations and units to pursue the defeated enemy, made some changes to the composition of the operational groups, and indicated the dividing lines between them. The 191st Division was included in the Northern Operational Group, which already included the 44th Infantry Division, 46th Tank Brigade, and 159th Pontoon Battalion.
The Severny operational group was given the task of destroying the defeated units of the enemy’s 12th Tank Division, which were retreating along the highway and railway from Tikhvin to the city of Volkhov. In addition, the troops of the Northern Operational Group were entrusted with the task, together with the 54th Army, to defeat the group of Nazi troops operating in the Volkhov area.
The first point on the path of pursuing the enemy, where the 191st division had to engage in battle, was the village of Lazarevichi. It changed hands several times. The battle lasted all day on December 9 and took up part of the night. The 44th Infantry Division and units of the 191st Division took part in it after reaching the western outskirts of Tikhvin. Only at 7 o'clock on December 10, the village of Lazarevichi was finally liberated, and units of the 191st division resumed the pursuit of the enemy.
Defeat of the Germans near Tikhvin. Voenizdat, 1942. P. 18.
TsAMO, f. 318, op. 4634, no. 4, l. 96.
AMO, f. 33, op. 682523, no. 40, l. 28, 281.

The path of pursuing the enemy was very difficult and dangerous. Retreating, the enemy burned and destroyed villages, mined roads, blew up bridges, covered himself with strong rearguards, and used previously prepared defense lines and aviation. It was a very frosty and snowy winter. But nothing could stop the Soviet soldiers. Their offensive impulse increased even more from the consciousness of their first major victory over the enemy. Overcoming German resistance, severe frost, unfrozen swamps, and deep snow, Soviet troops drove the enemy to the west, inflicting losses on him in manpower and equipment.
After the liberation of Lazarevichi, the 191st Division advanced along the Tikhvin-Volkhov railway in the direction of the Kostrinsky crossing and by 8 o'clock in the morning reached the line specified in the order of the army commander. With part of its forces, from the area of the village of Lazarevichi, with a blow to the south, it assisted the 65th division in the liberation of the village. n. Workshop.
The pursuit of the enemy went on continuously - both day and night, by all operational groups of troops of the 4th Army.
To the right of the 191st Division the 44th Division was pursuing the enemy. With its right flank, the 191st Division liberated Novy Pogorelets and the Kultura state farm, after which it advanced along the banks of the Tikhvinka and Syas rivers to the Valya junction.
Having overcome enemy resistance, units of the division liberated the village of Kulatino at two o'clock in the morning on December 12. Pressed against the swamp, the Nazis, afraid of being thrown into it and suffering losses, turned south and retreated to Lipnaya Gorka.
At 6 a.m. on December 12, the main forces of the division set out from the river line. Sitting. The 25th Infantry Regiment left the operational subordination of the commander of the 191st Infantry Division and came under the command of the commander of its 44th Infantry Division.
Following on the heels of the enemy, the rifle regiments covered a distance of 35 kilometers over off-road, snowdrifts and swamps in less than a duck's breath and, at the end of December 12, concentrated in the area of the Zelenets - Skit - Buborino stations.
TsAMO, f. 318, op. 4634, d. 24, l. 146.

By 7 a.m. on December 13 at the station. Zelenets arrived at the headquarters of the 191st division and settled in the building of a former monastery. On December 13, the division, with its right flank northeast of Dubrov, connected with the 310th SD of the 54th Army of the Leningrad Front.
On the night of December 14, the rifle regiments of the 191st Infantry Division advanced to the starting line to attack enemy strongholds in the Bolshoi Zelenets - Maly Zelenets area. Incredible difficulties had to be overcome: to the east of these points there were forests and wetlands, deep snow at forty-degree frost. It was especially hard for the artillerymen: the guns got stuck in the swamp. The horses were so weak that they could not pull the cannons out of the quagmire. The infantry came to the rescue.
For five days, from December 15 to 19, there were stubborn battles at the starting line. Both sides suffered heavy losses. The enemy desperately resisted, covering his Volkhov group.
As a result of a three-hour fierce battle, units of the 559th regiment broke into the village of Maly Zelenets and cleared it of the enemy in the dead of night. The Nazis lost 180 people killed and wounded. The regiment captured large trophies, including vehicles with food and many dozens of bicycles.
It seemed that after heavy losses the enemy would not take active action. But this was a strong enemy, over whom mortal danger hung. At dawn, the Germans counterattacked with up to a company of machine gunners, supported by two tanks. They hit the village with direct fire and disabled many of our infantrymen, who had already suffered losses in the night battle. Maly Zelenets had to yield to the enemy.
The failures of the first two days of fighting forced division commander Vinogradov to regroup division units and change the direction of the main attack.
December 18 arrived - the fourth day of the battles for Bezovo, Bolshoi Zelenets and Maly Zelenets. The outcome of the battle for enemy strongholds was decided that day. This was greatly facilitated by the news that the 191st Rifle Division was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for the liberation of Tikhvin. The good news spread like lightning through companies, platoons and squads. It aroused joy for the high appreciation of the military exploits of the division’s soldiers and filled them with determination to smash the enemy until they were completely expelled from our territory.
The 552nd and 546th rifle regiments, with bold and decisive actions with artillery support, broke through the enemy defenses between Bezov and Bolshoy Zelents. Through their joint strikes, Bolshoy Zelenets was liberated. Units of the division, together with tankers of the 46th Tank Brigade, liberated the village of Bezovo. The enemy, having suffered heavy losses, retreated to the villages of Krovatyn and Yasnovitsy. But the enemy was immediately expelled from these villages.
On December 19, the 559th Regiment finally liberated Maly Zelenets. Large trophies were captured here: cars, motorcycles, bicycles, anti-tank guns, and many shells.
Having forced the Nazis out of the line prepared in advance for defense, units of the 191st Infantry Division reached the river on December 19. Lynna, covering the Volkhov group from the southeast. On that day, the Tikhvin-Volkhov railway, which was vital for the delivery of goods to besieged Leningrad, was completely liberated from the Germans. The offensive of the division's units developed successfully. The enemy was forced to retreat beyond the river. Volkhov.
On December 20, at 6 p.m., the division commander gave the final order: the division’s leading regiment, the 546th Regiment, should reach the river by dawn on December 21. Volkhov in the Ulyashevo area and gain a foothold on the right bank of the river. Volkhov in the area from the village. Volkhov (one kilometer north of Ulyashevo) to the village of Panevo (half a kilometer south of Ulyashevo), and the main forces should concentrate in the Slavkov area.
To the right of the 191st Rifle Division on the river. Volkhov, the 310th Infantry Division of the 54th Army, which had been advancing in a parallel direction for the last few days, left.
TsAMO, f. 318, op. 4634, d. 24, l. 156.

On December 21, the commander of the 4th Army brought the 191st Infantry Division into his reserve. The division was in this position for ten
days, repeatedly moving along the front.
For almost two months, day and night, the 191st Infantry Division fought intense battles. Biting into the enemy's defenses, breaking his resistance, the division's soldiers marched from Tikhvin to the river. Volkhov 160 kilometers - the average rate of advance was more than 13 kilometers per day. Dozens of settlements were liberated, a significant part of the Tikhvin-Volkhov railway was liberated, thousands of Soviet citizens were rescued from fascist captivity. The Tikhvin and Volkhov enemy groups suffered heavy losses.
The defeat of the Nazi troops by the Red Army near Tikhvin was of great importance. Firstly, the plan of the Nazi command to surround Leningrad with a second blockade ring and deprive it not only of land communications, but also access to Lake Ladoga was thwarted. Secondly, the actions of our troops pinned down significant forces of the Nazi Army Group North. Hitler's command could not transfer a single division from this group to the Moscow direction, where it hoped to capture Moscow before winter. In turn, the successful counter-offensive of our troops near Moscow contributed to the defeat of the enemy near Tikhvin and Volkhov and ensured the strength of the defense of Leningrad. Thirdly, commanders and staffs of all levels acquired the first experience of successfully controlling divisions, regiments and subunits in offensive combat. The fighters who overcame the enemy’s fortifications also gained a wealth of experience. Fourthly, the victory in the Tikhvin operation had enormous moral significance. The successful actions of the 191st Infantry Division and other formations near Tikhvin showed that Soviet troops are capable of not only withstanding a strong enemy, but also of defeating him in open battle and driving him back.
While in the army reserve, parts of the division put themselves in order. The personnel cleaned weapons, repaired clothes and shoes, and underwent sanitation.
At this time there was a change of command. December 23 Colonel P.S. Vinogradov left for the post of chief of staff of the 4th Army. Under his command, the 191st division became Red Banner. Major General Timofey Vasilyevich Lebedev, who had previously been deputy chief of staff of the 4th Army, was appointed the new division commander.
By five o'clock in the morning on December 25, units of the division concentrated in the Zarechye - Moiseevo - Nikitino area, closer to the front line.
The division was given the task of being ready to enter in the southwestern direction. For these purposes, the division’s soldiers spent five days intensively preparing for the upcoming battles.
On December 29, at 20:30, units of the division began marching in the direction of Chudov. Despite the severe frost
TsAMO, f. 318, op. 4634, no. 4, l. 151. Ibid.
Right there.

The 60-kilometer march was organized, the division arrived at the new location on time and without a single case of frostbite. The clock showed 5 am on December 31, 1941.
The 191st Infantry Division met the New Year, 1942, with preparations for new battles with the goal of breaking the blockade of Leningrad.
On the night of December 31, 1941 to January 1, 1942, the division's regiments received a combat order to reach the starting line for the offensive.
On New Year's night, the 191st Rifle Division marched from the village of Oskuy to the right bank of the Volkhov and concentrated by the end of the day two kilometers from the village of Lezno, located on the opposite bank. There was an enemy there.

12. HEALTHY IS A TOUGH NUT
On September 8, Nazi troops captured Shlisselburg. The blockade ring around Leningrad has closed.
The consequences of the enemy blockade soon made themselves felt. The city lacked food and fuel. Barbaric bombings and frequent shelling claimed many hundreds and thousands of lives. Soon people began to die from hunger.
Under these conditions, the question of lifting or partially breaking the blockade arose. The troops of the Leningrad Front alone were not enough for this. To help them, by decision of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command on December 17, 1941, the Volkhov Front was created, which initially extended south of the city of Kirishi to Lake. Ilmen, and a little later it was expanded to Lake Ladoga. The front troops were separated from the enemy by the river. Volkhov. The actions of the troops of the Volkhov Front forced the enemy to maintain significant forces to cover their flank by weakening the forces near Leningrad. The Volkhov Front included the 4th and 52nd armies already participating in the battles in the direction and two newly formed armies - the 59th and 26th (from December 25, the 26th Army was transformed into the 2nd Shock Army). Many pages of the combat history of the 191st Division are associated with these two armies. The 59th Army was formed in the first half of November 1941 in the Vologda region from divisions deployed in the Ural and Siberian military districts. The 26th Army was formed in Chuvashia. With the expansion of the operational zone of the Volkhov Front, the 54th Army came under its control, followed by the 8th Army, transferred here from the Oranienbaum bridgehead.
Army General K.A. was appointed commander of the Volkhov Front. Meretskov, member of the military council - A.I. Zaporozhets, chief of staff - Major General G.D. Stelmakh.
In connection with the formation of the Volkhov Front, there were reshuffles in the command of the 4th Army and the 191st Rifle Division. Lieutenant General P.A. was appointed commander of the 4th Army. Ivanov. Divisional Commissar I.V. was a member of the military council of the 4th Army even before the formation of the front. Zuev.
The new front was given the task of immediately carrying out an offensive operation. This operation did not immediately receive the name Lyubanskaya, but the main direction, goal, objectives and deadlines were established on the day the front was formed. The goal of the operation was to defeat the German Army Group North and liberate Leningrad from the siege. The headquarters believed that the offensive of the Volkhov Front troops should develop “without an operational pause” in order to deprive the retreating enemy of the opportunity to gain a foothold on the western bank of the river. Volkhov.
Without replenishment of people and military equipment, without rest, formations and units of the 4th and 52nd armies with access to the river were tired in many days of heavy battles. Volkhov began to force it. They managed to capture small bridgeheads on the western bank of the river, but were unable to hold out there. The expectation that the enemy would not have time to gain a foothold on the opposite bank did not materialize.

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Forgotten Regiment 191 Infantry Division

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