30th Army (Soviet Union)

30th Army
Active 1941–1943
Country Soviet Union
Branch Red Army
Type Field army
Engagements

World War II

Commanders
Notable
commanders

Dmitry Lelyushenko

Vladimir Kolpakchi

The 30th Army was a Soviet field army of the Red Army active from 1941. It became the 10th Guards Army on 16 April 1943.

History

It was formed on 13 July 1941 based on the 52nd Rifle Corps in the Reserve of the Supreme High Command (Stavka). The army initially included the 119th Rifle Division, the 242nd Rifle Division, the 243rd Rifle Division, the 251st Rifle Division (Soviet Union) (both drawn from NKVD personnel), the 51st Tank Division, artillery and other units. The army was built around a solid core of NKVD border guard servicemen.[1] The army's first commander, Major General Vasily Khomenko, was the former commander of the Ukrainian District of NKVD Border Guards.[2]

On 15 July 1941 the army was transferred to the Front of the Reserve Armies and constructed defensive works on the defensive line running through Selizharovo, Olenino, and Vasilievo.

The army fought in the Battle of Smolensk from the end of July to August. It was part of the Western Front from 21 July. During the battle, 30th Army troops attacked Dukhovshchina from the region south-west of Bely. The army's attacks on the flanks of the German Ninth Army stopped and sapped the strength of the German forces. Between September and October the army fought in defensive operations in the region southwest of Bely on the Rzhev axis.

On 17 October 1941 army was included into Kalinin Front and took part in Kalinin Defensive Operation (5 December 1941 – 7 January 1942).

On 18 November army was again included into Western Front. As its army fought in the Klin-Solnecznogorsk Defensive Operation (15 November-5 December) and from 6 December on in the Klin-Solnecznogorsk Offensive Operation (6–25 December). During the operation 30th Army together with 1st Shock Army liberated Klin (15 December)and destroyed large German units. As a part of Kalinin Front (from 17 December 1941) during January–April 1942 army participated in Rzhev-Vyazma Strategic Operation (8 January-20 April) In the end of operation army troops reached nearly to Rzhev and went on to the defence.

On 1 March 1942 the army consisted of the 174th, 178th, 243rd, 348th, 359th, 363rd, 371st, 375th, and 379th Rifle Divisions, and the 75, 76, 139, 145, 146, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, and 222nd Separate Ski Brigades.[3]

Later (from 31 August included into Western Front) until the end of 1942 army defended and strengthened its position going from time to time on the offensive.

On March 1943 troops of the army participated in the Rzhev-Vyazma Operation (2–31 March) during which course it liberated Rzhev and on 1 April reached the line Nefedovschina-Pantiukchy where it stopped and dug into defensive positions.
On 16 April the army was reformed into 10th Guards Army.

Commanders

The following officers commanded the army.[4]

The following officers were members of the army's military soviet (council).[4]

The following officers were chiefs of staffs of the army.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Sbornik Boevych Dokumentov Vielikoj Otczestviennoj Voiny wypisk 37 Prikaz Stawki Wierchnovo Komandowania nr 00305 ot 13 Julia 1941 o Sformirovaniu 30 Armii i jej zadaczach page 26
  2. ↑ Fugate Bryan, Lev Dvoriecki Blitzkrieg nad Dnieprem Bellona 2001 page 143
  3. ↑ Combat composition of the Soviet Army, 1 March 1942
  4. 1 2 3 Vielikaja Otcczestvennaja Diestvuszowaja Armija 1941 -1945 Animi Fortitudi Moscow 2005 Kuchkovo Pole page 96-97
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