381st Rifle Division
A Red Army infantry division formed in 1941 that fought on the Eastern Front throughout the Great Patriotic War before being disbanded in 1945.
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Overview
The 381st Rifle Division was a Red Army infantry formation raised in August 1941 in the Urals Military District during the Soviet Union's rapid wartime expansion. It was organized at Zlatoust in Chelyabinsk Oblast under the first wartime establishment for rifle divisions and initially included the 1259th, 1261st, and 1263rd Rifle Regiments, supported by the 935th Artillery Regiment and divisional reconnaissance, engineering, communications, medical, transport, chemical-defense, veterinary, postal, and administrative units. The division entered active operations in January 1942 as part of the 39th Army of the Kalinin Front. It participated in the Soviet winter offensive toward the Rzhev salient, advancing through difficult fighting around Sychyovka and attempting to penetrate the rear of the German 9th Army. The operation caused severe attrition among Soviet formations. During the German Operation Seydlitz in July 1942, the 39th Army was encircled and the 381st was nearly destroyed. Its surviving personnel and command escaped the pocket, allowing the division to be rebuilt rather than dissolved. It was sent north to the Arkhangelsk Military District for comprehensive reorganization and replenishment. After returning to the front in October 1942, the division joined the 3rd Shock Army and took part in the Battle of Velikiye Luki. Its assigned task was to cross the Lovat River, break through German outposts, and help close the inner encirclement around the German garrison. The division reached the Velikiye Luki–Novosokolniki railway and linked with neighboring Soviet formations on the western side of the city in late November, helping complete the encirclement. It also helped repel German relief attempts in December and January. Velikiye Luki was liberated on 17 January 1943, after which the division continued positional and offensive fighting westward. In the second half of 1943, the 381st operated in the Nevel, Gorodok, and Vitebsk sectors. It served under different armies and corps within the Kalinin Front, which became the 1st Baltic Front in late 1943. The division participated in the Nevel Offensive and subsequent operations aimed at widening the breakthrough and threatening German communications around Gorodok and Vitebsk. Fighting was complicated by German counterattacks, poor weather, mud, and difficult terrain. In March 1944 the division was transferred to the Reserve of the Supreme High Command and then moved north to the 21st Army near Leningrad. It fought in the Vyborg–Petrozavodsk offensive, during which it received a battle honor and the Order of the Red Banner. The formation was subsequently transferred back south and west to Belarus. As part of the 2nd Shock Army of the 2nd Belorussian Front, it advanced through Poland and Pomerania during the winter of 1945 and then crossed the Oder River into Germany in late April. The division ended the war on the Baltic coast. It was disbanded in the summer of 1945 after the end of hostilities.
History
The 381st Rifle Division began forming in August 1941 at Zlatoust in the Urals Military District. Its original structure reflected the emergency wartime organization of Soviet rifle divisions: three rifle regiments, an artillery regiment, antitank and machine-gun elements, reconnaissance, engineers, signals, medical services, transport, chemical protection, supply, postal, banking, and veterinary units. Colonel Arkhip Tolstov became its first recorded commander in September. In November the division was assigned to the 39th Army in the reserve of the Supreme High Command and moved toward the Kalinin Front. The division first fought during the January 1942 Soviet offensive toward the Rzhev salient. It advanced west of Rzhev and took part in the struggle for the approaches to Sychyovka. The offensive penetrated deeply into German-held territory but encountered fortified positions, supply difficulties, and mounting casualties. Soviet rifle regiments were reduced to very small effective strengths. In July, the German Operation Seydlitz encircled much of the 39th Army. The 381st suffered catastrophic losses, although its command and surviving personnel escaped. Rather than disbanding the formation, Soviet authorities withdrew it to the Arkhangelsk Military District for reconstruction. The rebuilt division returned to combat in October 1942 with the 3rd Shock Army. It played an important role in the Battle of Velikiye Luki, attacking across the Lovat River and helping establish the inner encirclement of the German garrison. The division reached the railway west of the city and linked with neighboring Soviet divisions. During the German relief attempts in December and early January, parts of the division helped contain German armored and infantry attacks. After the city was liberated on 17 January 1943, the division remained in the region and participated in further fighting toward Novosokolniki, including prolonged operations around Ptakhinski Hill. During 1943 the 381st was repeatedly reassigned within the northern sector of the Eastern Front. It served with the 3rd and 4th Shock Armies and took part in the Nevel Offensive and operations toward Gorodok and Vitebsk. The formation operated under the 83rd Rifle Corps and later the 2nd Guards Corps. Its attacks sought to exploit the Nevel breakthrough, widen the gap in German defenses, and cooperate with Soviet forces advancing from other directions. German counterattacks, difficult autumn weather, mud, and strong defensive positions slowed the advance. The division continued fighting in the Gorodok and Vitebsk area into the winter. In March 1944 the division was removed from the front and placed in the Reserve of the Supreme High Command. In April it was transferred to the 21st Army north of Leningrad for the Vyborg–Petrozavodsk offensive. The operation pushed Finnish forces back from the approaches to Leningrad and Karelia. The 381st received a battle honor and the Order of the Red Banner for its service in this campaign. It was then moved back toward Belarus, where it joined the 2nd Shock Army of the 2nd Belorussian Front. During the winter of 1945 the division advanced through Poland and Pomerania. In late April it took part in the Soviet drive across the Oder River into Germany. The 381st continued west and north until the end of the war, reaching the Baltic coast. With the wartime Red Army being reorganized after Germany's defeat, the division was disbanded in summer 1945. It therefore existed only as a wartime formation and did not become a postwar standing division.
- 1945
Advance into Germany
[1]As part of the 2nd Shock Army and 2nd Belorussian Front, the division advanced through Poland and Pomerania, crossed the Oder, and ended the war on the Baltic coast.
- 1945
Disbandment
[1]The division was disbanded during the summer after the end of the war.
- 1944
Transfer to the Leningrad sector
[1]After a period in reserve, the division joined the 21st Army north of Leningrad for the Vyborg–Petrozavodsk offensive.
- 1943
Nevel and Gorodok operations
[1]The division fought in the Nevel offensive and subsequent operations toward Gorodok and Vitebsk.
- 1942
Entry into combat and Rzhev operations
[1]The 381st entered combat with the 39th Army during the Soviet offensive toward the Rzhev salient.
- 1942
Rebuilding after Operation Seydlitz
[1]After suffering near-destruction in the July encirclement of the 39th Army, the division was withdrawn to the Arkhangelsk Military District for reconstruction.
- 1942
Battle of Velikiye Luki
[1]The rebuilt division joined the 3rd Shock Army and helped encircle and defeat the German garrison at Velikiye Luki.
- 1941
Formation at Zlatoust
[1]The division began forming in August in the Urals Military District at Zlatoust, Chelyabinsk Oblast.
Products and positioning
A wartime Soviet rifle division organized for sustained frontline infantry operations on the Eastern Front.
Marketing campaigns
- 1945Pomeranian and Oder operations
Poland · Pomerania · Germany
The division advanced across Poland and Pomerania during the winter and joined the 2nd Belorussian Front's advance across the Oder into Germany.
Outcome. It ended the war on the Baltic coast and was disbanded later that year.
- 1944Vyborg–Petrozavodsk offensive
Leningrad region · Karelia
After transfer to the 21st Army north of Leningrad, the division participated in the Soviet offensive against Finnish positions.
Outcome. The division received a battle honor and the Order of the Red Banner.
- 1943Nevel, Gorodok, and Vitebsk operations
Belarus · Western Russia
The 381st took part in the Soviet breakthrough at Nevel and subsequent attempts to widen the salient and threaten German positions around Gorodok and Vitebsk.
Outcome. The division continued frontline operations despite difficult weather and German counterattacks.
- 1942Rzhev salient operations
Western Russia
The 381st fought in the Soviet offensive toward the Rzhev salient, including operations around Sychyovka. The division suffered severe losses and was nearly destroyed during the German counteroffensive and encirclement in July.
Outcome. The division's remnants were withdrawn for a major rebuild.
- 1942Battle of Velikiye Luki
Pskov Oblast · Western Russia
The division crossed the Lovat River, advanced toward the Velikiye Luki railway, and helped complete the inner encirclement of the German garrison. It also participated in defensive fighting against German relief attempts.
Outcome. Velikiye Luki was liberated on 17 January 1943.
Sources1 sources
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