265 Guards Rifle Regiment/86 Guards Rifle Division

[asjemenou]

I am looking for information about the Soviet 265 Guards Rifle Regiment, which was a part of the 86 Red Banner “Nikolaevskaja” Guards Rifle Division. Especially in the period between August 1944 and May 1945. What I already know is that the 86 Guards Rifle Division was a part of the 10 Guards Rifle Corps of the 46th Army. The 46th Army took part in the liberation of Romania, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia. The 46th Army was also involved in the battle of Budapest, Hungary. Is there anything known about the 265 Guards Rifle Regiment or the 86 Guards Rifle Division in this period of the war?

[Eryk]

The Red Army Order of Battle (the 1985 edition, don't know if it's been updated), doesn't show the 86th Guards being in the 10th Guard Corps. The OOB of the 10th, according to it and the History of the RKKA in WWII web site shows the 49th and 109th Guards Rifle Divisions in Nov/Dec 1944. (The RKKA site also show the 18th Rifle Division in the 10th.)

The Red Army Order of Battle places the 86th in the 1st Guards Rifle Corps in Jan, 1944.

[asjemenou]

Interesting but what about this table? I found it on the RKKA website. The other information about the 86 Red Banner “Nikolaevskaja” Guards Rifle Division I got it from Paul Schmitt (Comprehensive guide to Soviet orders and medals).

[Eryk]

Ah, if you can read Russian then you're well ahead of my ability to research.

I was referring to this site, the English language translation. It shows the OOB of the 10th Guards Rifle Corps, without the 86th.

[UQWozza]

Further to what Eryk said I came across the attached file on the Web showing the composition of the 3rd Ukrainian Front on 20 December 1944 (Dunantul region Hungary). It shows that the 265 GRR was in the 46th army reserves at that time.

The other scrap of info I have found is:

Battle of Debrecen: October 6, 1944 – October 29, 1944 (86th Guards Rifle Division part of 10th Guards Rifle Corps).

Simon

[Auke]

According to a Russian OoB-site the 86th Guards Rifle Division was part of the 10th Guards Rifle Corps from March 1944 to May 1945. From March to July 1944 this corps was part of the 5th Shock Army, after that part of the 46th Army. These army's switched between the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian Fronts several times.

[Eryk]

Anyone have $243.00 to spare and an interest in the monthly OOB for the entire war?

Look at this: Research Collections. Order of Battle of the Soviet Army, WWII,

[Eryk]

Coincidence reigns. I checked another site directly after posting the above.

When this question came up I posted the following on a wargaming site I frequent. (A recently published game "Budapest '45" contains the 46th army OOB, and includes the86th GRD in the 10th GRC.)

OOB Source Question - B45

Don't know if this will be seen by anyone who knows, but here goes.

What is the source of the Soviet 86th Guards Rifle Division being in the 10th Guards Rifle Corp (46th Army) in the OOB?

There are a number of gaming and popular sources that place it there, but there are two sources that do not: The Red Army Order of Battle, by Poirier and Connor, and the History of the RKKA site. (Poirier and Connor place it in the 1st Guards Rifle Corps.)

And today got an answer:

RE: OOB Source Question - B45

The BSSA (Boyevoi Sostav Sovetskoi Armii - [Compostion of the Soviet Army]) which is the Soviet Published OOB for the GPW has listings for the first of each month.

The 86th Gds Rifle Division is listed as being in 46th Army and 10th Gds Rifle Corps for Dec 1 44, Jan 1 45 and also Feb 1 45.

And just for you reference, the Poirier and Conners book has many many errors in it, and is very dated at this point.

Michael Avanzini

So I stand corrected. Primary source material rules!