Soviet 1st Guards Mechanized Corps
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| 1st Guards Mechanized Corps | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1942-? |
| Country | Soviet Union |
| Branch | Armoured Forces |
| Type | Mechanized Corps |
| Role | Breakthrough and Exploitation in Deep Operations |
| Size | ca. 19-20,000 men 180-220 Tanks |
| Battles/wars | Operation Saturn Battle of Kursk Battle of Prokhorovka Lake Balaton Defensive Vienna Offensive Prague Offensive |
| Battle honours | Vienna |
The 1st Guards Mechanized Corps (honorific 'Vienna') was a Red Army armoured formation that saw service during World War II on the Eastern Front. After the war it continued to serve with Soviet occupation forces in Central Europe. It was originally the 1st Guards Rifle Division. The unit had approximately the same size and combat power as an early-war Wehrmacht Panzer Division, or a British Armoured Division had during World War II.
Contents |
[edit] Formation
1st Guards Mechanized Corps was formed in November 1942 in the Tambov region during the re-establishment of the Mechanized Corps as a formation in the Red Army. It was then assigned to Southwestern Front which was under the command of General N.F.Vatutin to participate in the encirclement of German Army Group A in Operation Saturn, which was undertaken during the Battle of Stalingrad.
The 1st Guards Mechanized Corps consisted of the following units:
Combat Units
- 1st Guards Mechanized Rifle Brigade
- 2nd Guards Mechanized Rifle Brigade
- 3rd Guards Mechanized Rifle Brigade
- 16, 17, 18, 19 Guards Tank Regiments
- 116th Guards Artillery Regiment
- 1504th Guards Anti-Tank Regiment
- 267th Mortar Regiment
- 407th Guards Mortar Regiment
Support Units
- 54th Guards Signalling Battalion
- Corps Train
With changing TO&E during the war, additional units were added. Depending on the specific tasks allotted to the Corps, units from the STAVKA Reserve could be added to help it achieve its mission. When the 1st Guards Mechanized Corps returned to the front in January 1945, its tank formations were completely equipped with American M4A2 Sherman Lend-Lease tanks.
[edit] Combat History
[edit] 1942
[edit] 1943
[edit] 1944
- None
[edit] 1945
[edit] Assignment
[edit] 1942
[edit] 1943
[edit] 1944
- STAVKA Reserve
[edit] 1945
[edit] Postwar
- ?
[edit] Commanders
- Lieutenant General Russiyanov
[edit] Decorations
- ?
[edit] References
[edit] Books
- Bonn, K.E. 'Slaughterhouse - The Handbook of the Eastern Front', Aberjona Press
- Erickson, J. 'The Road to Stalingrad'
- Glantz, D. 'From the Don to the Dnepr'
