29th Motor Rifle Division

The 29th Motor Rifle Division was a division of the Soviet Ground Forces.

Its early history is obscure. Poirer and Connor say it already existed in 1920, and was established before 1941 at Slonim. It was wiped out near Minsk in July 1941.

It was then recreated from the 7th Moscow People's Militia Division in July 1941, and again wiped out at Vyazma in Oct 1941. On December 5, 1941 recreation of the 29th Rifle Division began in Akmolinsk, Kazakhstan, and its organization was completed on January 16, 1942. The division was made up of 106th, 128th, 299th Rifle and 77th Artillery Regiments. Other units included the 125th Anti-Tank, 78th Saper, 124th Signal, and 29th Medical Battalions, and the 104th Reconnaissance Company. The division was held in reserve until June 1942, when its men were deemed to have received sufficient training.

In July 1943 29th Rifle Division was ordered to move to Stalingrad and join the 64th Army. In August 1942 units of the division first met with the Germans. During Battle of Stalingrad they killed 5,242 and took 13,447 captive.

Became 72nd Guards Rifle Division in March 1943. Again recreated in 1943 and saw action at Kirovograd. With 6th Guards Army of the Kurland Group (Leningrad Front) May 1945. 63rd Mechanised Division by 1955, 110th Motor Rifle Division 1957, then 29th Motor Rifle Division in 1957.

The 110th Motor Rifle Division was activated on 4 June 1957 in Shikhany, Saratov Oblast, from the 63rd Mechanised Division. On 17 November 1964 it was renamed the 29th Motor Rifle Division. In April 1968 it was moved to Kamen-Rybolov, Primorsky Krai, and joined the 5th Red Banner Army.

It was disbanded in 1994.