2nd Mechanised Corps

September 29, 2006
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Location: 9th Army, Tiraspol

Commander: Lieutenant-Gen. J.V. Novosel'skiy (June 1'40 -Aug. 10'41)


Structure:

  • 11th Tank Division: (Commander: Gen.-Major P.V. Volokh, Col. G.I. Kuzmin)
    • 21st Tank Regiment (G.V. Meredikh)
    • 22nd Tank Regiment (Temporary Commander Maj. I.F. Kirichenko)
    • 11th Motorised Rifle Regiment
    • 11th Howitzer Regiment (Maj. K.D. Onushkov)

Other subunits (Separate Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Recon Battalion, Pontoon Battalion, Separate Signals Battalion, Medical Battalion, Auto-Transport Battalion, Repairing Battalion,Traffic Control Company, Field Bakery) except the 272th Field Post Station and 319th Field Bank Department had the same number as division.


  • 16th Tank Division (Col. M.I. Myndro)
    • 31st Tank Regiment (Maj. V.I. Krasnogolovyi)
    • 149th Tank Regiment
    • 16th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Col. I.K. Okropidze)
    • 16th Howitzer Regiment
    • 16th Recon Battalion (Capt. Vasiliev)
    • 16th Pontoon Battalion (Capt. S.F. Verevkin)

Other subunits (Separate Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Separate Signals Battalion, Medical Battalion, Auto-Transport Battalion, Repairing Battalion,Traffic Control Company, Field Bakery) except the 516th Field Post Station and 342th Field Bank Department had the same number as division.


  • 15th Motorised Division (Gen.-Major N.N. Belov, was killed on Aug., 9'41)
    • 47th Motorised Rifle Regiment (Col. A.V. Yakshin)
    • 321st Motorised Rifle Regiment (I.G. Babak)
    • 14th Tank Regiment (I.A. Firsov)
    • 203rd Artillery Regiment (Col. Fomin. killed on Jul 5'41)
    • 166th Separate Anti-Tank Battalion (Major J.S. Rozhansky)
    • 114th Separate Anti-Aircraft Battalion
    • 77th Recon Battalion (Capt. I.P. Lukashuk)
    • 75th Light Engineering Battalion
    • 53rd Separate Signals Battalion
    • 132nd Artillery Yard Battalion
    • 96th Medical Battalion
    • 156th Auto-Transport Battalion
    • 35th Repairing Battalion
    • 38th Traffic Control Company
    • 61st Field Bakery
    • 77th Field Post Station
    • 357th Field Bank Department
  • 6th Motorcycle Regiment (Lt. Col. A.Z. Morozov, killed in June'41)
  • 182nd Separate Signals Battalion
  • 49th Separate Motorised Engineering Battalion
  • 102nd Separate Corps Aircraft Squadron
  • 243rd Field Post Station


upCorps's Equipment on June, 22'41
  KV T-34 BT-7 T-26 T-37/38 KhT Total
Mechanised Corps 10[11,12] 50[11,12] 354[11,12]

70[11]

75 [12]

27[11]

29[12]

6[11]

9[12]

517[11]
527[12]
11th TD              
16th TD              
15th MD              

In [11] mentioned the 11th TD to contain mainly T-26s, 16th TD - BT-5 & BT-7.

KV were received accidentally. In May 1941 they staid for a long time in Odessa. So, they were assigned to the 2nd MK in spite of followed order tor eturn them to the Kiev Special Military District.

 

Also the corps had 166 armored cars, 57 mortars (82-120mm), 30 AT guns (37-45mm), 36 Antiaircraft guns, 280 field guns (76-152mm) [12]

 

In [15] mentioned 6 flame thrower tanks (based on T-26 chassis) assigned to this corps.


upNumber of Tanks and Armored Cars (BA) on July, 12'41 [6]
  Heavy Medium BT T-26 BA Total
HQ         20 20
11th TD 10 50 117 6 73 266
16th TD     34 56 51 141
15th MD     167   41 208
Corps total 10 50 318 62 185 635(Tanks- 450)

Rem. Column "Total" also includes tanks of other types

 

upTransport on July 12.41: [6]
  Trucks Tractors Motorcycles
HQ 156 32 190
11th TD 1073 70 87
16th TD 1043 53 62
15th MD 888 95 96
Corps total 3160 250 435

upArtillery on July 12'41 [6]
  122mm guns 76mm 76mm Anti-Aircraft 45, 37 mm 305, 280, 203mm 152mm 122mm Howitzers
HQ       11      
11th TD 12 61   179   8  
16th TD   4   4 12 12 12
15th MD   16 4 209   12 16
Corps total 12 81 4 403 12 32 28

upManpower on July 12, 1941 [6]
  Officers Soldiers Total
HQ 285 2274 2947
11th TD 1165 7818 10922
16th TD 1148 6555 9701
15th MD 918 6509 9337
Corps total 3516 23156 32907

upSmall Arms Equipment on July, 12 1941 [6]
  Rifles Machine-guns Submachineguns, automatic rifles, light machine-guns Anti-Aircraft MGs
HQ 2853   191  
11th TD 5823 41 1848 24
16th TD 4580 36 3678 15
15th MD 5919 88 1345 9
Corps total 19175 165 7062 48

 

upStrength of the 2nd Mechanised Corps after removing from battlefield (~on July 14) [1]NEW
KV T-34 BT-7** T-26 Fl. T-37/38 Total*
10 46 275 38 9 13 391

* - Row "Total" formed by AMVAS

** - Included BT-7M modification. From data about motor resource in [1] (120 hr - BT-7 & 95 hr. BT-7M) we can guess ~45% of BT-7 were of BT-7M modification.

upStrength of the 2nd Mechanised Corps on July, 20 [3,5]
  KV T-34 BT T-26 Fl. T-37 Armored Cars Total Automobiles Tractors
Medium Light Tanks Armored Cars Trucks Cars
11th TD 10 46 120* 5     47 23     983 17 71
16th TD 0 0 40 55 4   34 14     856   16
15th MD     161**     27 14 28         122
Corps total                 468 155      

* - 20 operable

**- 75 operable

 

upStrength of the 2nd Mechanised Corps on July 27 [13] NEW
KV T-34 BT T-26 Fl. T-37 Total* BA-10 BA-20
1 18 68 26 7 27 147 90 64

Note: Given numbers of operable tanks. According to this report up to 200 armored fighting vehicles needed thorough repair due to different breakages.

* - Row "Total" formed by AMVAS

 

upStrength of the 2nd Mechanised Corps on June 22 and on Aug. 1 , 1941 [1]NEW
  11th TD 16th TD 15th MD Total*
Staff June 22 Aug. 1 Staff June 22 Aug. 1 Staff June 22 Aug. 1 June 22 Aug. 1
Tanks
KV*1 63 10 1*5 63 - - - - - 10 1*5
T-34*2 210 50 18 210 - - - - - 50 18
BT tanks 26 120 15 26 48 9 238 186 60 354 84
T-26 22 5 5 22 70 26 - - - 75 31
T-26 Flame thrower 54 5 - 54 1 2 - - - 6 2
T-37 - - - - - - 17 24 27 24 27
Total tanks* 375 190 39 375 119 37 255 210 87 519 163
Armored Cars
Medium BA 56 50 37 56 34 34 18 11 11 95 82
Light BA 39 25 6 39 15 14 33 28 28 68 48
Total BA* 95 75 43 95 49 48 51 39 39 163 130
Automobiles
Passenger car M-1*3 47 47 29 47 11 16 46 20 24 78 69
pick-ups*4 30 10 9 30 8 7 37 10 10 28 26
Ambulances 38 24 18 38 60 60 41 23 23 107 101
GAZ-AA trucks 340 418 470 340 684 623 499 496 338 1598 1431
ZIS-6 trucks 778 489 468 778 404 261 540 385 390 1278 1119
Workshops type "A" 34 11 10 34 12 12 16 11 11 34 33
Workshops type "B" 23 7 6 23 6 6 19 5 5 18 17
Heavy tractors 40 40 19 40 18 13 38 4 4 62 36
Medium tractors 40 40 28 40 31 21 89 73 62 144 111
"T-20 Komsomolets" 4 6 - 4 7 7 27 27 27 40 34
Trailers 12 16 8 12 29 29 149 129 129 174 166
Motorcycles 381 92 36 381 59 40 465 106 106 257 182
Tank trucks 141 76 63 141 77 77 158 38 38 191 178
Other special cars 279 132 119 279 118 118 233 133 133 383 370

* - Row "Total" formed by AMVAS

*1 - AMVAS: in original "Heavy tanks"

*2 - AMVAS: in original "Medium tanks"

*3 - AMVAS: GAZ-M1 passenger car

*4 - AMVAS: Probably GAZ-4, or like it.

*5 - AMVAS: In the text of the same document (see above) 10 KVs were mentioned.

 

upTank Power of the 11th Tank Division on Aug. 16, 1941 [14] NEW
BT+T-26 Other types Total
35 7 42

Rem.: On the South-Western and Southern Fronts 350 tanks are mentioned in repair and didn't assigned to any division.


Check also: Artillery Strength of the Southern Fronton July 28, 1941


upHistory

. . .

omitted

. . .

July 10 '41

The corps left battle and was put in reserve of the South Front. It was concentrated in Vaskautsy, Pojana region.


July 11

Tanks of the corps were transferred to Kotovsk. Corps number of tanks: 10 KV, 46 T-34, 275 BT-7, 38 T-26, 9 KhT (Flame throwers), 13 T-37/38. 15th Motorised Division was subordinated to the 48th Rifle Corps (till July, 18).


July 13

On 15:00 Corps' divisions were concentrated:

11th Tank Division - Stanislavka;

16th Tank Division - Voronkovo.


upCorps' Losses since June, 22
  Killed Wounded Damaged
Tanks Trucks & cars Mortars Machine-guns Tractors Guns
11th TD 29 45 3 24 9 8 ? ?
16th TD 68 118 25 28 ? ? 14 ?
15th MD 67 165 22 45 ? ? 11 13

July 14-17

The corps was concentrating in Kotovsk region.


July 16

The 15th Motorised Division was ordered to concentrate in Dubossary vicinity.


July 17

The 15th Motorised Division took part in unsuccessful counter-attacks on Kishinev.


July 18

The 2nd Mechanised Corps (without 15th Motorised Division) was ordered to leave Dnestr's western riverside and concentrate in Ternovka, Antonovka, Budennovka (south-west to Uman) region. The 15th Motorised Division as a part of the 2nd Cavalry Corps also was ordered to leave Dnestr's western river sideand to set as an army reserve in Krasnye Okna region. (This time it was situated in Zagaykan, Faureshty, Grushchevka region, attacking together with the 2nd Cavalry Corps). Only in the evening of the day, the troops of 9th Army started retreating.


July 19

The 15th Motorised Division covered retreating of the troops from the 2nd Cavalry Corps on Ustya, Okhrancha, Onitskany line. It was reordered to concentrate in Nesterovka, Novaya Malovata, Reymarovka.

At the same time it was transferred back into the 2nd Mechanised Corps.


July 20

The 15th Motorised Division left Dnestr's western riverbank

The other troops of the 2nd Mechanised Corps at July 19-20 were transferring to Uman region. Two mixed Machine-gun-Artillery battalions of Kamenets-Podolsk's Fortified Zone and the 96th Construction Battalion.


July 21

The 15th Motorised Division was ordered to follow the route: Dubossary, Stavrovo, Balta, Peschanka, Gaivoron, Budennovka, Antonovka to the morning of July 22 concentrate in Antonovka, Budennovka region. 321st Mot. Rfl. Regiment, operating separately from the main divisional forces also was directed to this region.

At 6:00 divisions of the 2nd Mech. Corps were finishing concentration in Khristinovka, Sarny, Savustianivka

At 13:00 the advanced guards of the corps joined the battle with German tanks that had broke through from Pogrebishche and were moving to Uman.

The troops of the 6th and 12th Armies were half-surrounded in Nemirov, Lipovets, Pogrebishche, Tetiev, Zhivotov, Frantovka, Monastyrishche region. The circle could be locked in the South direction. These armies had to break the circle in Eastern direction.

At 20:40 the 2nd Mech Corps was ordered to crash the enemy attacking from Monastyrishche to Lobachev.


July 22

In the morning the troops of the corps were fighting in the northern Uman vicinities in Ivanovka region. According to corps recon data German troops there consisted of 500-600 soldiers, up to 50 anti-tank guns, up to 20 tanks.

The corps was ordered to hold Uman. At 17:00 the corps threw back enemy to Podobna, Dobra line and reached Berestovets. The corps lost 5 T-34, 5 BT. 3 T-34 were damaged.


July 23.

Positions by the evening:

The 16th Tank Division - st. Potash, Podobna, Northern outskirts of Berestovets, assaulting Dzengilevka. Lost 1 T-34 and 3 KV.

The 11th Tank Division - st. Yarovatka, Lashchinovka, attacking in Dobra direction. Motorised and Tank battalions attacked German column to the east of Bespechno, caused large losses there and captured a headquarters with important documents.

The 15th Motorised Division - Leshchinovka, Tsibermanovka, attacking in north-eastern direction.


July 24.

Troops of the 2nd Mech. Corps were slowly moving in the northern direction.


July 25

The corps was ordered to set in Novo-Arkhangelsk, Podvysokoe, Tishkovka region as a front reserve.

Positions at the end of the day.

11th Tank division - near Yarovatka;

16th Tank division - Potash, Podobna;

15th Motorised Division:

16th Mot. Rfl. Regiment - captured Dobra, Nesterovka, continued attacks on Kishentsy

321st Mot. Rfl. Regiment - st. Yarovatka, Leshcinovka.

47th Mot. Rfl. Regiment - operated in Talnoe direction.

14th Tank Regiment - was concentrating near Oradovka.


July 26.

The corps (named in documents "Novoselsky's group") continued attacks in Dzengelevka, Kishentsy direction. At the end of a day it reached Kharkovka-Kishentsy line.

16th Tank Division captured Mankovka, Dzengelevka, Kharkovka.

11th Tank Division in the night to July,27 captured Kishentsy

15th Motorised Division:

16th Mot. Rfl. Regiment - captured hills South to Sokolovka

321st Mot. Rfl. Regiment - was concentrating at the south-east to Nesterovka

47th Mot. Rfl. Regiment - Talnoe

14th Tank Regiment - south to Dobra.

6th Motorcycle Regiment - Khristinovka.

Corps HQ - Uman.


July 27.

Continued to support the escape of the 6th and 12th Armies' troops from the encirclement.

Corps' strength: 1 KV, 18 T-34, 68 BT, 26 T-26, 7 KhT (flame throwers), 90 BA-10, 64 BA-20.

Had stopped the 2nd Corps' attacks, the German 9th and 11th Panzer Divisions attacked from Ivanovka, Justingrad region.

11th Tank Division - retreated on south

16th Tank Division - Potash, Romanovka, Mankovka.

15th Motorised Division - st. Yarovatka, Tsibermanovka, Botvinovka.


July 28

The German troops continued offensive at Gaysin, Teplikm Ternovka direction. 12th Army was ordered to defend Monastyrishche, Krasnopolka line. The 14th Tank Regiment was ordered to move to Gorodishche vicinities for annihilating German troops moving from Gaysin to Teplik and Golovanevsk. The other troops of the 2nd Mechanised Corps had to continue covering the 6th and 12th Armie's escape from outlined surrounding.


July 29

The 6th Army and the 2nd Mech. Corps were subordinated to 12th Armie's commander. That time the army, covering from the west and from the south was attacking the 9th and 11th Panzer Divisions which tried to lock the encirclement from the north. According to the order of the 12th Army's Commander, the 2nd Mech. Corps attacking from Rogi, Molodetskoye, st. Babany region had to capture Potash and then Shaulikha.

Corps's positions at the end of July 29:

16th Tank Division - Potash, Romanovka, st. Potash

11th Tank Division - retreated under attacks from Mankovka, Dzengelevka to the South.

15th Motorised Division - retreated to st. Yarovatka, Tsybermanovka, Botvinovka. Was subordinated to the 49th Infantry Corps of the 6th Army.


July, 30

From the beginning of the morning the 2nd Mech. Corps was attacking near Rogi without success. The 6th Army was ordered to defend front line: Kosenovka, st. Babany, Kocherzhintsy, Psyarovka, Korzhevaya (2nd Mech Corps together with 58th Mountain Rifle Division). The 2nd Mechanised Corps defended line: Kosenovka, st. Babany, Krasnopolka for covering the left wing of shock troops of the 12th Army.


July, 31.

The 2nd Mech. Corps was reinforced with Fotchenkov's Group (the residues of 213th Mot. Rifle Division, 702nd, 239th Rifle Regiments, 8th Mot. Rfl. Regiment.). That group had to cover st. Babany, Ksendzovka, Krasnopolka line. The 15th Motorised Division was returned to the corps and was transferred to Dobrovody.

Positions on 14:00:

16th Tank Division - reached Tchervonny khutor

11th Tank Division - was retreating to Novo-Arkhangelskoe

Corps' HQ - northern outskirts of Dobrovody.

The corps had to defend north-western outskirts of Legezino, Babanochka, collective farm 3km to the South of st. Babany to prevent German breakthrough from Rogi, Molodetskoe. The 6th Army supported 12th Armie's offensive to the north-east.

The 2nd Mechanised Corps defended line - Legesino, Tanskoe. Headquarters was set 3km north of Svinarka.


August 1

The 2nd Mech. Corps' state became terrible. Germans captured Legezino. That day the German troops locked the circle.

The 2nd Mech Corps retreated to the line: hill 216, Dobrovody. Almost all the equipment was lost. The 16th Tank Division had 1 tank (in which commander of division was killed later). The 15th Mot. Div. had 8 immovable T-26. They had only machine-guns operable.


August 2

The 6th Army was ordered to cover the shock group of the 12th Army retreating to the line: Vishnopol, Polonistoe. The 2nd Mech Corps was retreating to the western outskirts of Vishnopol, hill 216 to prevent enemy's breakthrough in the south direction by the road from Legezino. Fotchenkov's group was transferred to the 49th Rifle Corps.

Troops of the army fulfilled the order and reached to the needed lines. The 2nd Mech Corps was situated at the western outskirts of Vishnopol, hill 216. One tank regiment was set as a reserve in Oksanino.


August 3

The residuals of the 2nd, 16th Mechanised and the 49th Riffle Corps defended line: grove south to Vishnopol, Babany, Korzevy Kut.


August 4

The German troops were enforcing attacks, narrowing the circle. At 17:00 Oksanino and Ternovka were captured. The 2nd Mech Corps and the 49th Rifle Corps retreated to Teklievka, Nebelevka, Ostrovets,


August 5

The troops of the 6th Army continued their attempts to break the circle. In the night to Aug. 5 the army was ordered to break the circle in the south direction. It had to capture bridges on Yatran river. The 2nd Mech Corps was ordered to cover shock group at line: north-western side of the forest to south-western of Neruvayka, Nebelevka. (Front line to the north).

It should be noted that this time really Soviet troops had much losses and divisions and regiments were only a groups of people with only rifle weapons. All rear units were incorporated in rifle formations. All heavy equipment was destroyed.

All attempts to break the encirclement were unsuccessful. German troops prevented them with defense and attacks from the south. Subordinated formations of the 6th and 12th Armies were ordered to break through separately.


August 7-8

Commander of the 2nd Mech Corps decided to break the encirclement in the midnight of Aug. 7 to 8. This attack was unsuccessful because half an hour before the soviet troops were fired upon with artillery, mortars and machine-guns. Troops had much losses (e.g. commander of the 15th Motorised Division, Col. N.N. Belov was killed).


Some troops of the Corps managed to escape from encirclement. E.g. Gen. J.V. Novoselsky with a group of soldiers (near Dnepropetrovsk), Col. Kuzmin with the residuals of the 11th Tank Division (it was recovered in the 12th Army. Then it was reorganised into the 132nd Tank Brigade (Aug, 21), later the 4th Guards Tank Brigade)

In Legesino the residuals of the 16th Tank Division were killed. In the last tank its commander was killed. Escaped only divisional rear units. They were concentrated in the morning of 10th August, in the forest near Bulakhovka village (Pavlogradsky region)

All the headquarters of the 15th Mot. Division was captured (later Col. Laskin (commander) managed to escape from the prison.

From the residuals of the 14th Tank Regiment, the 71st Separate Tank Battalion was formed, which was subordinated to the 12th Rifle Corps of the South Front


upAbbreviations

 

BA - Armored car

Fl. - Flame thrower tanks

MD - Motorised Division

TD - Tank Division


upLiterature

Text is brief translation from http://mechcorps.rkka.ru/ with some additions

  1. Otchet Pomoshchnika Komanduyushchego Vojskami Yuzhnogo Fronta po Avtobronetankovym Vojskam ot 3 Avgusta 1941 g Nachalniku Glavnogo Avtobronetankovogo Upravlenya Krasnoy Armii o boyevykh Dejstviyakh Mekhanizirovannykh Vojsk fronta z period s 22 Iyunia po 1 Avgusta 1941 goda//Sbornik boyevykh dokumentov vol. 39, Moscow, Voyennoye Izdatelstvo Ministerstva Oborony, 1959
  2. Bitva pod Moskvoy, M., 1989
  3. http://mechcorps.rkka.ru
  4. Dzhandzgava V.N. "Nemerennye Versty. Zapiski komdiva", M., 1979
  5. Doneseniye Pomoshchnika Komanduyushchimi Vojskami Yuzhnogo Fronta po Avtobronetankovym vojskam ot 22 Iyulia 1941 g. Nachalniku Glavnogo Avtobronetankovogo upravleniya Krasnoy Armii o Nalichii Materialnoy chasti v bronetankovykh vojskah fronta na 20 Iyulia 1941 goda//Sbornik boyevykh dokumentov vol. 38, Moscow, Voyennoye Izdatelstvo Ministerstva Oborony, 1959
  6. Central Archieve of Ministry of Defense (Russia), f 228, op. 2990 ss, d25, ll 44-48
  7. Drogovoz I. "Zheleznyi Kulak RKKA. Tankovye i mekhanizirovannye korpuse Krasnoy Armii 1932-41gg", Moscow, Tekhnika-Molodezhi, 1999
  8. Alexey Isaev's page with the link to VIZh (Voyenno-Istoricheskiy Zhurnal)
  9. "1941 god. Uroki i vyvody", Moscow, Voyenizdat, 1992, Generalnyi shtab Vooruzhennykh sil SNG
  10. Laskin I.A. "Na puti k perelomu", M. Voenizdat. 1977
  11. Zakharov M.V., General'nyi shtab v predvoyennyje gody, Moscow, AST, 2005
  12. Moshchanskiy, I, Khokhlov I, "Yuzhnoye napravleniye. Oboronitel'nyye operatsii Yuzhnogo fronta i Otdel'noy Primorskoy Armii. 22 Iyunia - 16 Oktiabrya 1941 goda", Voyenaya Letopis/Military Chronicle, No. 3/2005
  13. Doneseniye Pomoshchnika Komanduyushchimi Vojskami Yuzhnogo Fronta po Avtobronetankovym vojskam ot 31 Iyulia 1941g. o nalichii materialnoy chasti na 30 Iyulia 1941 goda//Sbornik boyevykh dokumentov vol. 39, Moscow, Voyennoye Izdatelstvo Ministerstva Oborony, 1959
  14. Spravka Zamestitelya Narodnogo Komissara Oborony Soyuza SSR ot 17 Avgusta 1941 g Stavke Verkhovnogo glavnokomandovaniya o Nalichii Material'noy chasti tankov v Yug-Zapadnom i Yuzhnom Frontakh no 16 Avgusta 1941 g//Sbornik boyevykh dokumentov vol. 40, Moscow, Voyennoye Izdatelstvo Ministerstva Oborony, 1960
  15. "Nalichiye khimicheskikh tankov v mekhanizirovannykh korpusakh po sostoyaniyu na 22 iyunia 1941 goda",Doklad nachalnika 1-go otdela GABTU Krasnoy Armii Inzhenera 1-go ranga Yukina, (cited from M. Kolomiets, M.Svirin, "T-26: Mashiny na ego baze", Part 2, Moscow, Frontovaya Illustratsiya/Frontline Illustration No. 4/2003)

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