Grog info about Siberians in 1941

[SMK-at-work]

The arrival of "Siberians" is always an interesting discussion in any Barbarossa thread, so I have just had a look at the Soviet infantry division histories by Charles Sharpe and cross referenced them with the army OOB's given by Glanz in Stumbling Colossus.

The following is a summery of when the rifle divisions of the Soviet Far Eastern Front did or didn't get deployed to the West in 1941 - there were also other units sent west of course, but I've only got the volume dealing with RD's at the moment.

The following RD's were in the Far Eastern Army on 22 June 41 -

3rd - stayed in the far east all war - sent 14,000 replacements to the front 41-43
12 - stayed in far east
21 - arrived in the west September - defended Svir River vs Finns, stayed in Finnish areas all war.
22 - Stayed in far east all war
26 - went into action "off the rails" 6 Sept 41 at Luzhno-Krasnya in 11th army - suffered heavy casualties
32 - had fought at Lake Khasan in 1938, arrived Moscow area 9-12 October at full pre-war strength - 15,000 men, 8600 rifles (ie riflemen), 872 vehicles, 444 mg's, 286 artillery pieces and mortars, went into action on Borodino battlefield on 13 Oct accompanied by some smaller units & fought 10 Pz & Das Reich to a halt. was the 19th before any more divisions arrived. Was at 1/2 strength by November. Took part in Moscow counter offensive.
35 - stayed in far east
39 - ditto
40 - fought at Lake Khasan 1938, stayed in far east
59 - stayed in far east
66 - ditto
78 - arrived in west 31 October 41, joined 16 army. Was 14,000 strong including many party members and Komsomols. Had 130 arty pieces, 60 mortars 81-120mm, 450 trucks. stopped 3 Pz Groups advance on Volokolmask for 1st 2 weeks of November. Became 3rd Guards RD on 26 Nov.
79 - Stationed on Sakhalin Island for the whole war - occupied sthn half of the island in 1945
92 - started moving west 14 Oct, arrived in west in time to go into action 30 Oct with 4th army near Tikvin. Had over 13,000 men, 60 T-26 tanks, 40 45mm AT guns, 140 76-152mm arty and mortars, 8 76mm AA guns, 20 AA machine guns when left far east. by end of December its 3 rifle regiments commanded 331 men total.

So only 5 "Siberian" rifle divisions were sent west, and only 1 of those took part in the Moscow counter-offensive!

[rickier65]

ORIGINAL: SMK-at-work

The arrival of "Siberians" is always an interesting discussion in any Barbarossa thread, so I have just had a look at the Soviet infantry division histories by Charles Sharpe and cross referenced them with the army OOB's given by Glanz in Stumbling Colossus.

The following is a summery of when the rifle divisions of the Soviet Far Eastern Front did or didn't get deployed to the West in 1941 - there were also other units sent west of course, but I've only got the volume dealing with RD's at the moment.

The following RD's were in the Far Eastern Army on 22 June 41 -

3rd - stayed in the far east all war - sent 14,000 replacements to the front 41-43
12 - stayed in far east
21 - arrived in the west September - defended Svir River vs Finns, stayed in Finnish areas all war.
22 - Stayed in far east all war
26 - went into action "off the rails" 6 Sept 41 at Luzhno-Krasnya in 11th army - suffered heavy casualties
32 - had fought at Lake Khasan in 1938, arrived Moscow area 9-12 October at full pre-war strength - 15,000 men, 8600 rifles (ie riflemen), 872 vehicles, 444 mg's, 286 artillery pieces and mortars, went into action on Borodino battlefield on 13 Oct accompanied by some smaller units & fought 10 Pz & Das Reich to a halt. was the 19th before any more divisions arrived. Was at 1/2 strength by November. Took part in Moscow counter offensive.
35 - stayed in far east
39 - ditto
40 - fought at Lake Khasan 1938, stayed in far east
59 - stayed in far east
66 - ditto
78 - arrived in west 31 October 41, joined 16 army. Was 14,000 strong including many party members and Komsomols. Had 130 arty pieces, 60 mortars 81-120mm, 450 trucks. stopped 3 Pz Groups advance on Volokolmask for 1st 2 weeks of November. Became 3rd Guards RD on 26 Nov.
79 - Stationed on Sakhalin Island for the whole war - occupied sthn half of the island in 1945
92 - started moving west 14 Oct, arrived in west in time to go into action 30 Oct with 4th army near Tikvin. Had over 13,000 men, 60 T-26 tanks, 40 45mm AT guns, 140 76-152mm arty and mortars, 8 76mm AA guns, 20 AA machine guns when left far east. by end of December its 3 rifle regiments commanded 331 men total.

So only 5 "Siberian" rifle divisions were sent west, and only 1 of those took part in the Moscow counter-offensive!

I have to admit, this surprises me. While I never really researched the subject, I had this impression that the Soviets had hordes of Divisions coming from their eastern front.

Thanks!
Rick

[DuckofTindalos]

Yeah, well... That myth has been comprehensively squashed over the past years...