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Soviet Rifle Division Apr – Jun 1941 in Crossfire

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Crossfire Orbat for the TO&E described on p. 6-11 in Zaloga and Ness (2003):

  • Rifle Division; Apr – Jun 1941; TO 04/400-417


Issued on 5 Apr 1941. The is the Orbat for the Rifle Divisions that faced the German onslaught at the beginning of Operation Barbarossa. Despite the large number of artillery available in this TO&E weak communications meant that the rifle companies only had significant artillery support when defending fixed positions.

Key changes were that :

  • Within the infantry battalions:
    • Remove anti-tank rifles.
    • Reduce squad size to 11 men.

The order of battle was:

  • 1 x DC (+1) – Divisional Commander
  • 1 x Field Artillery Regiment
    • 1 x AA Platoon: 1 x Quad Maxim HMG
    • 2 x Field Artillery Battalions
      • 2 x FO for off table 76mm field guns (12 FM) *
      • 1 x FO for off table 122mm Howitzers (4 FM) *
  • 1 x Howitzer Regiment
    • 1 x AA Platoon: 1 x Quad Maxim HMG
    • 2 x Light Howitzer Battalions: 3 x FO for off table 122mm Howitzers (4 FM) *
    • 1 x Medium Howitzer Battalion: 3 x FO for off table 152mm howitzers (4 FM) *
  • 1 x AA Battalion
    • 2 x AA Battery *: 2 x 37mm M1939 guns *
    • 1 x AA Battery *: 2 x 76mm M1931 guns *
  • 1 x Anti-tank Battalion
    • 3 x Anti-tank batteries [6 guns each]: 2 x 45mm ATG and tow
  • 1 x Reconnaissance Battalion
    • 1 x BC (+1)
    • 1 x Armoured Car Company: 10 x Armoured Cars
    • 1 x Light Tank Company: 16 x T-38 Light Tanks
    • 1 x Motorized Rifle Company
      • 1 x CC (+1)
      • 1 x On table 50mm Mortar (12 FM)
      • 3 x Reconnaissance Platoon: PC (+1/0), 3 x Rifles
  • 1 x Pioneer Battalion
    • 1 x BC (+1)
    • 3 x Pioneer Companies
      • 1 x CC (+1)
      • 3 x Pioneer Platoons: PC (+1/0), 4 x Engineer Rifles
  • 1 x Chemical Company
    • 1 x CC (+1)
    • 3 x Flamethrower Platoons: PC (+1/0), 4 x Assault Engineer Rifles
  • 3 x Infantry Regiments
    • 1 x RC (+1) – Regimental Commander
    • 1 x Mounted Reconnaissance Platoon: PC (+1/0), 3 x Rifles [Horses]
    • 1 x Infantry Reconnaissance Platoon: PC (+1/0), 4 x Rifles
    • 1 x Anti-tank battery: 2 x 45mm ATG and tow [6 guns total in 3 platoons]
    • 1 x Regimental Gun Battery: 2 x FO for off table 76mm IG (12 FM) [6 guns total in 3 companies]
    • 1 x Heavy Mortar Battery: 1 x FO for off table 120mm Mortar (12 FM) *
    • 1 x Pioneer Company
      • 1 x CC (+1)
      • 2 x Pioneer Platoons: PC (+1/0), 3 x Engineer Rifles
    • 1 x AA Company
      • 1 x AA Platoon: 1 x Quad Maxim HMG (3 guns each)
      • 2 x AA Platoon: 1 x 12.7mm DShK (3 guns each)
    • 3 x Infantry Battalions
      • 1 x BC (+1)
      • 3 x HMG
      • 3 x FO for off table 82mm Mortar (12 FM)
      • 1 x 45/66mm ATG and tow
      • 3 x Rifle Companies
        • 1 x CC (+1)
        • 1 x HMG
        • 1 x on-table 50mm Mortar (12 FM)
        • 3 x Rifle Platoons: PC (+1/0), 4 x Rifle

* Unless otherwise noted each artillery battery, represented here by an FO, had four guns. Similarly for Anti-aircraft Batteries.

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