.mw-parser-output .hidden-begin{box-sizing:border-box;width:100%;padding:5px;border:none;font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .hidden-title{font-weight:bold;line-height:1.6;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .hidden-content{text-align:left}You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Russian. (December 2013) Click [show] for important translation instructions. Machine translation, like DeepL or Google Translate, is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into the English Wikipedia. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article. You must provide copyright attribution in the edit summary accompanying your translation by providing an interlanguage link to the source of your translation. A model attribution edit summary is Content in this edit is translated from the existing Russian Wikipedia article at [[:ru:181-я стрелковая дивизия (1-го формирования)]]; see its history for attribution. You should also add the template ((Translated|ru|181-я стрелковая дивизия (1-го формирования))) to the talk page. For more guidance, see Wikipedia:Translation.

It was a division of the Red army active from 1940 to at least 1945.

181st Rifle Division (181-я стрелковая дивизия)
ActiveAugust 1940-16 October 1941 (Disbanded, reorganized into 183rd Infantry Division)
CountrySoviet Union
BranchRed Army
TypeInfantry
Commanders
First commanderMajor-General Jānis Liepiņš (1940-1941)
Second commanderColonel Peter Vasiliyevich Borisov (03.06.1941 — 17.07.1941)
Third commanderColonel Aleksey Stepanovich Frolov (18.07.1941 — 29.09.1941)

First Formation

It was formed in August–September 1940, after the forced annexation of Latvia to the USSR, based on the Kurzeme and Vidzeme Divisions of the Latvian Army. The division wore the old uniforms of the Latvian Army with Soviet insignia and were also equipped with weaponry of the former army, which made them stand out from other units of the Red Army. It became part of the 24th Rifle Corps. It was stationed in Riga.

It was part of the 'operational army' during World War II from 22 June 1941 to 16 October 1941.

On June 22, 1941, it was stationed at summer camps in the Gulbene area in an abbreviated format. Here until July 29, the division was expanded to full wartime strength.[citation needed]

From the beginning of the war desertion of Latvians began, and from June 29, 1941, according to some sources, they began their demobilization. More precisely, Latvians were simply released from house to house, previously disarmed - all more than 2,000 people (mostly from old time required). The division was completed with personnel of the interior regions of the USSR.[citation needed] The main body (about 30% of the total force) came from the central and southern areas of the current Pskov Oblast. However, the core personnel were Latvian. The combat training level of the Latvian Riflemen was quite high - many of them received awards and honors from the commanders in the war, including for their period of stay in the 181st Division.

The division was wiped out at Staraya Russa in September 1941.

The division was formally disbanded after defeats during Operation Barbarossa on 16 October 1941.

Second Formation

It was briefly recreated at Stalingrad, wiped out at Kalach in August 1942.[1]

Third Formation

Created again at Chelyabinsk from the 10th Rifle Division NKVD in February 1943, fought at Demyansk, Korosten, and in Poland and Germany. Later the division was assigned to the 6th Army of the 1st Ukrainian Front in May 1945.

Organization in 1941

Organization of the division in 1941:[2]

Notes

  1. ^ Poirer and Connor
  2. ^ "Soviet Rifle Division, Nos. 150 - 199, 22 June 1941". www.niehorster.org. Retrieved 2019-01-21.

References

External links

Divisions of the Soviet Union 1957–1989
Categories