10th Guards Motor Rifle Division

The 10th Guards Motor Rifle Division was a division of the Soviet Ground Forces. The full name of its predecessor division was the "10th Guards Rifle Pechengskii twice Red Banner, Order of Alexander Nevsky and the Red Star division". The division traces its history from the 10th Guards Rifle Division (ex 52nd Rifle Division, first formed in 1935) which fought in East Prussia and in Berlin.

History
In 1939 the division took part in the Battle of Petsamo during the Winter War and then the Soviet invasion of Poland. From 26 December 1941 to 9 November 1944 and from 29 January 1945 to 9 May 1945 the division was part of the Soviet ground forces participating in World War II. Before October 1944, the division has been in the Arctic, defending positions on the Zapadnaya Litsa River ('Valley of Fame') (near Murmansk), as part of the 14th Army. During the defense 10th division was engaged in 150 fights of local importance. In the end of April 1942 it began a counterattack, which was unsuccessful. The counterattack failed due to severe weather conditions and a strong snowstorm on the previous day. In September – October 1944 the division was resubordinated to 131st Rifle Corps, itself reporting to 14th Army. On 7 October 1944, it participated in the Petsamo-Kirkenes Operation and was in the first echelon advancing to the building on Mount Small Karikvayvish and seized a bridgehead on the west bank of the Titovka River on 8 October 1944. After four days of fighting for the Luostari on 14 October 1944 they crossed the Pechenga River west of Kakkuri and participated in the liberation of Pechenga. After the liberation of Pechenga the division attacked Kirkenes, supported by the 378th Guards Heavy Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment. After that operation the division moved through the Baltic states Białystok into reserve in the Vologda district.

In January 1945 the division crossed Poland and was positioned in Ostrow-Mazowiecki.

On 26 February, during the East Pomeranian Offensive, the division moved from Baldenberg and turned northeast to Rummelsburg and on 3 March captured Rummelsburg.

By 21 March, 10th division was relocated to the right flank of the army – 30 kilometers southwest of Marchand and advanced towards Pustkovits-Gdynia.

On 31 March after taking Gdynia, 10th joined forces with 1st Polish Tank Brigade and attacked Zagorje (east of Janowo located on the peninsula formed by the Gulf Puttsger Vic and the river Rod).

By the end of April the division was positioned in the forests northeast of Treptow and covered the coast of Baltic Sea from Kohlberg to Valddivinov. Division combed the forests, eliminating small scattered groups of enemies.

In the last days of the war the division crossed the deltas of the rivers Oder and Swinemunde. 10th division was engaged in fighting on the island of Usedom along with 19th Army of the 2nd Belorussian Front in May 1945.

After World War II the division became the 10th Guards Mountain Division.

In 1957 it became the 10th Guards Motor Rifle Division. In the postwar period it moved to Akhaltsikhe in the Georgian SSR, joining with 9th Army.

The division appears to have dissolved in 1991–92.

Components

 * 24th Guards Rifle Regiment
 * 28th Guards Rifle Regiment of the Red Banner
 * 35th Guards Rifle Regiment
 * 29th Guards Artillery Regiment
 * 14th Guards separate anti-tank battalion
 * 4th Guards antiaircraft battery (up to 4 June 1943)
 * 21st Guards Mortar Division (until 29 October 1942)
 * 13th Guards reconnaissance company
 * 1st Guards minesweeper HYDRATED Battalion
 * 82nd (2nd) separate Guards Battalion (8-Guards separate communication company)
 * 481st (12th) health Battalion
 * 7-Guards separate company chemical protection
 * 499th (5-I) trucking company
 * 609-I (6-I) field bread opekarnya
 * 569th (3rd) Divisional veterinary hospital
 * 141 I-divisional repair workshop (up to 19 July 1942)
 * 105th Field Postal Station
 * 201st Field Cash Office of the State Bank

Commanders

 * Nikishin Nicolai Nicolaevich (1941), Major General
 * Pashkovskii Michael Kazimirovich (26 December 1941 – 2 March 1942), Colonel
 * Krasilnikov Daniel Yefimovich (3 March 1942 – 23 July 1942), Major General
 * Khudalov Chariton A. (24 July 1942 – 29 November 1943), colonel, with 27 November 1942 Major General
 * Grebenkin Fedor Alekseevich (30 November 1943 – 23 March 1944), Colonel
 * Khudalov Chariton A. (24 March 1944 – 9 May 1945), Major General

Memory

 * Murmansk School-Museum from the School № 26.
 * Museum of professional construction school № 48 of Moscow – Museum «Heroic Path 10th Guards Rifle Division»