History of the 13th Guards.
When portraying a Guards Rifle Unit, Za Oberonya have chosen a highly distinguished formation, namely that of the 13th Guards Rifle Division. The following should be seen as "work in progress" and please contact us if you can add anything to this history!
The origins of the unit is the 87th Rifles, a pre-war formation. They had been bloodied during the invasion of Poland in 1939 and were sent as re-inforcements to the winter war with Finland (during it's second phase)so escaping the fate of many Red Army units, during the conflict with this tenacious enemy.
Based in the Ukraine in 1941, they were attached to the 5th Army and stationed in the "Vladimir Volinsky fortified region". They were in action against German troops during the opening hours of the invasion with at least part of the Division being encircled on that first day.Their involvement in heavy fighting seems to have continued as their recently appointed commander, Maj.Gen.F.F.Alyabushev was killed only 3 days after the start of the war.
Three months later, in the fighting that ended with the encirclement of Kiev, the 87th Rifle Division were still part of the 5th army order of Battle. Although encircled, along with hundreds of thousands of other Red Army soldiers, much of the 5th army were able to escape after a counter attack by Belov's 20th cavalry corps broke through the German ring around Kiev.Amongst the troops that escaped to fight another day was Colonel Alexandir Rodimstev and soldiers of the 5th Airbourne corps, which had been transferred to 5th Army shortly before.
6th November, 1941, the 87th Rifle Division was re-formed around the survivors of the 5th Airbourne and put under the command of Rodimstev. The next reference we have found of them is the 19th Jan, 1942, when the 87th were awarded Guards Status and were re-designated the 13th Guards Rifle Division. We have been unable to find the reason for the award of this honour, but to be re-designated as Guards, a unit had to achieve a major success during operations. The taking of a major objective, under very heavy fighting and against all the odds would be the type of criteria for the award.
It was authorised by Stalin and could be withdrawn just as quickly if a unit failed to achieve a subsequent objective, no matter what the circumstances of the failure.
In May 1942, the 13th were involved in the counter offensive at Kharkov, where they fought on its northern axis, so escaping encirclement and destruction.
T34 Tanks and Infantry attack north of Kharkov 1942
During this offensive, they suffered 50% casualties,mostly sustained repelling fierce German counter attacks.It was during one of these attacks that an Artillery Captain of the 13th earned the first ,"Order of the Great Patriotic War", 1st class to be awarded. Following this offensive, Colonel Redimstev was promoted to Major General.
After the Kharkov operation, we lose track of the unit again, until Sept 14th,1942,when they took part in the assault crossing of the Volga. They then fought in the cauldron that was Stalingrad, on the slopes of the Mamayev Kurgan,in the Red October Tractor plant and in "Pavlov's house"(Sergeant Jakob Pavlov was part of the Division). Some accounts state that of the 10,000 men of the 13th that crossed the Volga, only between 280 and 320 of them came out alive...
Soviet troops advance attack through the ruins of Stalingrad covered by a comrade with a DP28 Machine Gun
This waste of life seems incredible to Western eyes, but was not unremarkable during the conflict on the Eastern front. Following this, the Division was re-built and, alonside the 5th Guards tank army, was held in reserve South of Kursk,to counter the forthcoming German offensive there-operation "Citadel".
The original intention was to use these two formations to counter attack after the German assault had been ground down, but as we now know,both formations were committed to prevent a possible breakthrough, which, after 3-4 days of continuous heavy fighting,including the tank battle at Prokhorovka, they achieved, grinding the elite SS formations to a standstill. Shortly after this, they did move over to the planned counter attack and played their full part in the liberation of their country.
Soviet sappers begin the Kursk counter offensive
They took part in the Kirovograd operation in the Ukraine and were the unit that liberated the town of Poltava.
Our information on this liberation is sketchy, but the 13th Guards Rifle Division have the designation of "13th Guards Rifle Division, Poltava", indicating that this was not an easy liberation.
As part of the 1st Ukrainian front, they arrived at the Southern edge of Berlin and took part in the crossing of the Teltov Canal, assaulting into the heart of the Reich. We cant be sure if the 13th Guards ever linked up with the Americans at Torgau, but it is possible, as their parent formation, the 5th Guards Army, certainly did.
The prowess of this unit and the bravery of the Men and Women who were part of it is unquestionable. During our displays we have nothing but the utmost respect for their professionalism and tenacity.
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