RKKA Tank Units of the winter war

[James A Pratt III]

Could someone provide me a OB of RKKA tank units that fought in the Winter War 1939-40 and what types of vehicals they were equiped with?
Here is what I know:
34th Lt Tank Bde BT-5 & 7 and BA-20 armored cars with 8th Army
35th Lt Tank Bde T-26 1931 &1933
40th Lt Tank Bde T-26 1939
10 Hvy Tank Bde T-28
20 Hvy Tank Bde t-28
25 / Tank Bde ?

210 Sep Chem Tank Bn OT-130, -133,-134, with 7th Army
218 Sep Chem Tank Bn HT-26 & OT-130
201 Sep Chem Tank Bn " "

Any info on losses and which larger formations thses units were attached to would also be welcome. Thanks in advance.

[Art]

There is a book which gives answers to many your questions. See:
http://www.abebooks.co.uk/products/isbn/9789197589529/
That is the list of tank units I've compliled using the Russian edition of the same book. The date when unit was committed to action is given in parentheses

Karelian Isthmus (7th and 13th Armies)

10th Tank Corps with 1st and 13th Light Tank and 15 Rifle-Machinegun brigades (30.11.39). Disbanded in late December 1939, the brigades became separate.
20 Heavy Tank Brigade (30.11.39)
29 Tank Brigade (12.3.40)
35 Light Tank Brigade (30.11.39)
39 Light Tank Brigade (30.11.39)
40 Light Tank Brigade (30.11.39)
22 Tank Regiment attached to the 173 Motorized Rifle division (February 1940)
28 Tank Regiment attached to the 70 Rifle Division (February 1940)
62 Tank Regiment attached to the 86 Rifle Division (February 1940)
63 Tank Regiment (arrived on 29 February 1940)
14 Separate Tank Battalion
18 Separate Tank Battalion (arrived on 11 December 1939)
38 Tank Battalion (20 December)
41 Separate Tank Battalion
81 Separate Tank Battalion
204 Chemical Tank Battalion (30.11.39)
210 Separate Chemical Tank Battalion (30.11.39)
217 Separate Tank Battalion with radio-operated tanks on 10.12.39 was attached to 20 HTBr. Was in action till 18.02.40 then withdrawn to reserve.
307 Separate Tank Battalion/80 Rifle Division (8.01.40)
315 Separate Tank Battalion (30.11.40)
317 Tank Battalion/100 Rifle Division (02.40)
320 Separate Tank Battalion/4 Rifle Division (11.12.39)
350 Separate Tank Battalion/17 Motorized Rifle Division (20.12.39)
339 Separate Tank Battalion/90 Rifle Division (29.02.40)
355 Separate Tank Battalion/84 Motorized Rifle Division (15.02.40)
357 Separate Tank Battalion/11 Rifle Division (28.12.39)
361 Tank Battalion/70 Rifle Division (30.11.39)
372 Separate Tank Battalion/95 Rifle Division (25.01.40)
377 Separate Tank Battalion/97 Rifle Division (28.01.40)
391 Separate Tank Battalion/49 Rifle Division (2.12.39)
405 Separate Tank Battalion (26.1.40)
436 Separate Tank Battalion/138 Rifle Division (30.11.39)
442 Separate Tank Battalion/150 Rifle Division (30.11.39)
445 Separate Tank Battalion/142 Rifle Division (30.11.39)
6 Separate Recon Battalion/5 Rifle Division (28.1.40)
33 Separate Recon Battalion
62 Separate Recon Battalion/52 Rifle Division (30.11.39)
69 Separate Recon Battalion/100 Rifle Division (02.40)
100 Separate Recon Battalion/80 Rifle Division (9.1.40)
114 Separate Recon Battalion/84 Motorized Rifle Division (30.1.40)
175 Separate Recon Battalion/150 Rifle Division (30.11.39)
250 Auto-Armored Battalion (didn’t participate in action)
9 Separate Armored Train Battalion (6.02.40)
Separate Tank Companies of 27, 257 and 300 Rifle Regiments/7 Rifle Division
Separate Tank Companies of 153 and 218 Rifle Regiments/80 Rifle Division

Ladoga Karelia (8th and later 15th Armies)

34 Light Tank Brigade (13.12.39) encircled at Lemetti and suffered heavy casualties
As concerns smaller units only the list for 30.11.39 is given:
111 Separate Tank Battalion – 54 T-26
368 Separate Tank Battalion – 16 T-26, 22 T-37/38
381 Separate Tank Battalion – 17 T-26, 20 T-37/38
410 Separate Tank Battalion – 15 T-26, 22 T-37/38
421 Separate Tank Battalion – 11 T-26, 12 T-37/38
456 Separate Tank Battalion – 12 T-26, 15 T-37/38
201 Chemical Tank Battalion – 31 ChT-26/130
218 Chemical Tank Battalion – 51 ChT-26/130
38 Separate Recon Battalion – 10 BA-10
56 Separate Recon Battalion – 7 BA-10
54 Separate Recon Battalion – 5 BA-10
129 Separate Recon Battalion – 2 FAI
162 Separate Recon Battalion – 21 T-37/38, 6 BA-10
187 Separate Recon Battalion – 9 BA-10

Northern Finland/Lapland
9th Army:

Initially had 177 Separate Recon Battlion/122 Rifle Division (17 T-37, 2 armored cars) and the separate recon battalion of the 163 Rifle Division (12 T-37, 2 T-38, 3 D-8, 2 BA-27). Between 5 and 27 December the following units arrived: 79, 97, 100, 302, 365 Separate Tank Battalions, and 312th Tank and 4th Recon battalions of the 44th Rifle Division

14th Army had 3 tank and 2 recon battalions by the start of the war:
86th Tank Battalion detached from 34th Tank Brigade (53 BT-5), didn’t participate in action, secured Loustari airfield
411 Separate Tank Battalion (15 T-26, 15 T-38)
349 Separate Tank Battalion (12 T-26, 19 T-37/38)
35 Separate Recon Battalion (1 FAI, 6 T-27)
65 Separate Recon Battalion (10 BA-3/10)

[James A Pratt III]

Thanks again! This is just what I needed.

[Art]

A bit of info on the tank forces in the Karelian Isthmus.
On 30.11.39 the Soviet forces (7th Army) had 1569 tanks, 251 armored cars
1.2.40 (7th and 13th Armies) – 1331 T-26, T-28, BTs, 227 T-37/38 and 257 armored cars
25.2.40 – 1740 T-26, T-28, BTs, 270 T-27/37/38, 463 armored cars
The losses are shown in the table

In all 3 178 tanks were damaged or destroyed, of them 1903 in combat and 1 275 due to technical reasons.

[Art]

Let's continue with tank units. Some info on OOB, tank strength nd losses:
1st Light Tank Brigade (1,4,8,19 Tank, 202 Recon, 167 Motorized Rifle, 314 Auto-transport battalions; 53 separate signal, 6 maintenance, 37 engineer, 313 medical and 52 tank reserve companies)
On 30.11.39 the brigade had 6 BT-7A, 83 BT-5, 82 BT-2, 7 T-26, 18 BA-10, 5 BA-20. Received from factories during the war: 112 BT-7, 22 BT-5, 16 BT-16, 1 T-26, 60 BA-10, 5 KhT-133 (chemical model of T-26). The losses were: of artillery fire – 31 BT-7, 4 BT-7A, 18 BT-5, 8 BT-2, 3 BA-10; of mines – 31 BT-7, 2 BT-7A, 19 BT-19, 8 BT-2, 1 BA-20; burnt – 23 BT-7, 2 BT-5, 4 BT-2, 2 T-26; drowned – 8 BT-7, 3 BT-5, 2 BT-2, technical losses – 8 BT-7, 74 BT-5, 68 BT-2, 4 T-26, 3 BA-10, 3 BA-20. Of them repaired by the end of the war 51 BT-7, 6 BT-7A, 32 BT-5, 11 BT-2, 6 BA-10, 4 BA-20. The “received” category seems to include both newly produced and repaired vehicles. Personnel losses – 177 KIA, 519 WIA, 67 MIA.

13th Light Tank Brigade (Battalions: 6, 9, 13, 15 Tank, 205 Recon, 158 Motorized Rifle, auto-transport, 8 maintenance company).
On 30.11.39 had 246 BT-7 and 10 T-26, in addition 67 BT-7, 2 BT-2 and 5 T-26 were received from plants. Losses - 122 BT-7 and 2 T-26 of artillery, 63 BT-7 and 1 T-26 of mines and 52 BT-7 and 2 T-26 burnt down. Personnel losses – 234 KIA, 484 WIA, 23 MIA.

15 Rifle-Machinegun brigade included 153, 158 and 167 Rifle-Machinegun battalions. The brigade had 27 BA-10 and 7 BA-20 armored cars, 3 BA-20 and 19 BA-10 were received during the war. Losses – 3 BA-10, 1 BA-20

20 Heavy Tank Brigade (90, 91, 95 Tank, 256 Repair and 301 Autotransport Battalions; 215 Recon, 302 Chemical, 57 Signal, 38 Engineer, 45 AA, 65 Tank Reserve and 7 Special (remote-controlled tanks) company.
At the start of the war had 105 T-28, 11 T-26, 8 BT-5, 21 BT-7, 5 BA-6, 15 BA-20, total 145 tanks, 20 armored cars. 67 T-28 were received from plants by the end of the war. Losses: of artillery – 155 T-28, 1 T-26, 2 BT-2; of mines – 77 T-28, 1 T-26, 1 BT-5, 1 BT-7, burnt down – 30 T-28, 1 T-26, 1 BT-7, drowned – 21 T-28, 4 BT-5, 1 BT-7, missing – 2 T-28, technical losses – 197 T-28, 10 T-26, 22 BT. Total lost – 482 T-28, 13 T-26, 32 BT. Of them repaired by the end of the war – 371 T-28, 14 T-26, 19 BT. Total write-offs – 32 T-28, 2 BT. Personnel losses – 169 KIA, 338 WIA, 57 MIA.

29 Tank Brigade (165, 168, 170, 172 Tank Battalions; 216 Recon and 66 Engineer Companies). Arrived to the front on 27.02.40 having 256 T-26. On 12.02.40 was committed to support infantry assaulting on Vyborg. By the start of cease-fire the 29 TBr had lost 5 KIA, 18 WIA and 9 tanks damaged.

35 Light Tank Brigade (105, 108, 112 Tank, 230 Recon Battalions, 37 Maintenance and 61 Engineer Companies). 111 Tank Battalion was detached from the brigade and sent to Karelia (8th Army).
On 30.11.39 the brigade had 136 T-26, 10 KhT-26 (chemical T-26), 3 ST-26 (engineer modification of T-26), 10 BA-10, 10 BA-20, total 149 tanks and 20 armored cars. 137 T-26 were received from plants. Losses: 51 T-26 and 2 KhT-26 of artillery, 53 T-26 and 3 KhT-26 of mines, 33 T-26 and 5 KhT-26 burned down, 8 T-26 drowned. Of them 70 T-26 and 2 KhT-26 were repaired. Personnel losses – 122 KIA, 249 WIA

39 Light Tank Brigade was stripped of the most part of tanks units before the war: 97 and 100 Tank Battalions were sent to the 9th Army, and 98 Tank Battalion attached to the Finnish People’s Army. So by 30.11.39 the brigade consisted of 85 Tank, 232 Recon, 321 Auto-transport and 275 Repair Battlalions, 55 Engineer, 23Maintenance, 99 Signal, 219 Medical and 78 Tank Reserve Companies. On 15.12.39 the 204 Chemical Tank Battalion was attached to the brigade. Vehicles (30.11.39) – 100 T-26, 10 KhT-26, 3 T-26 tractors, 15 BA-20. Received from plants – 43 T-26, 5 KhT-26, 1 ST-26, 8 BA-20. Losses: of artillery fire – 57 T-26, 2 KhT-26, of mines – 9 T-26, 1 KhT-1, burned down – 12 T-26, 1 KhT-26, drowned – 3 T-26. Personnel losses – 65 KIA, 117 WIA, 13 MIA.

40 Light Tank Brigade (155, 157, 160, 161 Tank, 236 Recon, 280 Repair, 336 Auto-Transport Battalions; 307 Medical and 43 Maintenance Companies). Available on 30.11.39 – 201 T-26, 34 BT, 8 KhT-26, 4 ST-26, 6 BA-20, 18 BA-10. Total 247 tanks, 24 armored cars. 76 T-26 and 5 KhT-26 were received during the war. Losses: of artillery fire – 69 T-26, 5 BT, 3 KhT-26, of mines – 58 T-26, 3 BT, 4 KhT-26; burned down – 46 T-26, 4 BT, 2 KhT-26; drowned - 7 T-26. Of them total write-offs – 65 T-26, 4 BT, 1 KhT-26. Repaired – 74 T-26, 4 KhT-26.

[Art]

Let's continue. Information on smaller units is rather sketchy, sometimes only the number of tanks on some date.

22 Tank Regiment – arrived to the front in February 1940 with 76 T-26, 5 KhT-26, 2 BA-20. Lost 11 tanks
28 Tank Regiment – arrived in February having 126 T-26. Lost 16 tanks of them 6 irrevocably.
62 Tank Regiment arrived in February with 82 T-26 (of them 15 twin-turret) and 7 KhT-26. Lost 28 tanks (28 irrevocably) 52 KIA, 65 WIA, 5 drowned.
63 Tank Regiment arrived to the front on 29 February with 76 T-26. Lost 6 men KIA, 11 WIA, 5 drowned. 6 tanks were knocked out and 7 drowned.

14 Tank Battalion. On 14 February had 32 T-28 and 8 T-37
18 Tank Battalion arrived to Karelian Isthmus on 11 December with 54 T-38, was attached to 136 Rifle Division. Lost 3 WIA. 1 tank burned down, 2 were knocked out, 3 had technical breakdowns
38 Tank Battalion was equipped with T-37 tanks. By 25 February lost 18 tanks, of them 4 to artillery fire and others due to technical reasons.
41 Tank Battalion – 54 T-37/38 on 14.02.40
81 Tank Battalion – 37 T-37/38 on 14.02.40
204 Tank Battalion arrived to the Isthmus on 25.11.39 having 20 KhT-26 and 30 KhT-130. Lost 23 KIA, 33 WIA, 1 frostbitten, 2 MIA. 32 tanks were lost to artillery and 5 to mines, of them 10 irrevocably.
210 Tank Battalion – attached to the 24 Rifle Division at the start of the war having 7 T-26 and 28 KhT-130. Lost 15 tank during 7-15.12.39. Then subordinated to the 50 Rifle Corps.
217 Tank Battalion lost 14 KIA, 16 WIA. 42 Tanks were lost of them 6 irrevocably, 21 sent to repair, 15 remained at the battalion.
307 Tank Battalion had 32 T-26 and 4 KhT-26 on 8.01.40, additionally received 10 T-26 as replacement. Lost 5 KIA, 19 WIA, 4 tanks to artillery, 8 to mines, 20 due to technical reasons.
315 Tank Battalion. On 30.11.39 8 T-26 and 28 T-37 lost 3 T-26 and 1 T-37 to artillery fire, 1 T-37 to mines, 2 T-26 and 7 T-37 burned down, 1 T-37 drowned, 3 T-26 due to technical reasons. Of them 2 T-26 and 8 T-37 were written off.
317 Tank Battalion arrived in February with 12 T-26 (6 single-turret, 1 twin-turret gun, 5 twin-turret machinegun), 3 ST-26 and 8 T-37.
320 Tank Battalion – 16 T-26 and 17 T-37/38 on 8.02.40
350 Tank Battalion – on 20.1.40 had 19 BT-7, 4 BT-5 and 9 T-26
339 Tank Battalion – 12 T-26, 20 T-37, 2 T-38 on 29.02.40. Lost 6 T-26 and 1 T-37 to artillery, 5 T-37 to mines, 8 T-37 due to technical breakdowns
355 Tank Battalion arrived to the front with 37 BT-7 and 12 KhT-130. Lost 11 KIA, 22 WIA. 3 BT-7 and 1 KhT-130 were lost to artillery fire, 6 BT-7 – to mines, 9 BT-7 burned down, 5 BT-7 drowned, technical reasons – 7 BT-7 and 9 KhT-130.
357 Tank Battalion. 5 T-37, 6 T-38 and 1 T-26 tractor on 28.12.39
361 Tank Battalion. 10 T-26, 20 T-38 on 30.11.39. Lost 23 KIA, 18 WIA, 5 frostbitten. Tank losses: 2 T-38, 3 T-36 to mines; 4 T-38, 11 T-26 to artillery fire, 4 T-38 and 4 T-26 due to technical reasons.
372 Tank Battalion – 13 T-26 and one T-26 tractor on 25.02.40
377 Tank Battalion – 31 T-26 (of them 11 twin-turret) and 6 KhT-26 on 28.01.40. Lost 6 KIA, 4 WIA, 10 frostbitten. 5 T-26, 2 KhT-26 were lost in combat, 13 T-26 and 4 KhT-26 due to technical reasons.
391 Tank Battalion – 14 T-26 and 12 T-38 on 2.12.39. By 24.02.40 lost all its tanks, personnel losses were 3 KIA, 11 WIA.
405 Tank Battalion had 39 T-26 and 6 KhT-26 on 26.01.40. Lost 6 T-26 to artillery, 2 T-26 to mines, 3 T-26 burned down, 27 T-26 and 6 KhT-26 had technical breakdowns.
436 Tank Battalion – 7 T-26 and 15 T-37 by the start of the war. By 10.02.40 lost all the tanks at Hottinen
442 Tank Battalion – 9 T-26 (twin-turret), 6 T-37, 10 T-28 on 30.11.39
445 Tank Battalion – 9 T-26, 6 T-37, 10 T-38 on 30.11.39

6 Recon Battalion arrived to the front with 10 BA armored cars. Lost 25 KIA, 7 WIA, 3 BA-10 had technical breakdowns.
33 Recon Battalion – 2 T-27, 2 SU-1-12 SP guns on 9.03.40
62 Recon Battalion – 7 BA-10 and 3 BA-3 on 30.11.39
69 Recon Battalion arrived in February having 2 BA-3 and 9 BA-10
100 Recon Battalion – 10 BA-10 on 9.01.40
114 Recon Battalion had 1 BT-7, 16 BT-5, 4 BA-10, 1 D-8. Suffered no losses.
175 Recon Battalion – 10 BA-10 on 30.11.39
250 Auto-Armored Battalion – 24 BA-10, 3 BA-6, 4 BA-20, 17 FAI-M on 5.03.40

Tank company/27 Rifle Regiment – 17 T-26 on 26.01.40, 10 tanks lost in combat
Tank company/257 Rifle Regiment – 7 T-26 on 26.01.40, all lost in combat
Tank company/77 Rifle Regiment – 17 T-26 on 8.01.40, 14 lost in combat
Tank company/153 Rifle Regiment – 17 T-26 on 8.01.40, 11 lost in combat
Tank company/218 Rifle Regiment – 17 T-26 on 8.01.40, 5 lost in combat.

[Bob_Mackenzie]

Thank for posting - most interesting

[Art]

Let's proceed to Ladoga Karelia.
There is the following information on the losses of the 8th Army between 30.11.39 and 13.3.40 (without 18 and 168 Rifle Divisions and 34 Light tank Brigade and 201 Chemical Tank Battalion encircled at Lemetti )
Type/participated in actions/lost to artillery/lost to mines/total lost
T-26/247/56/9/65
KhT-26,130/47/21/5/36
T-37,38/54/17/5/22
BA-10/39/7/3/10
BA-20/23/3/-/3
Strange but no data on losses of the 15 Army are given. During the war the 8th Army recieved 10 T-26, 5 BT-7, 69 KhT-133, 10 BA-10, 50 BA-20 as replacements, the 15th Army - 129 T-26.
Unfortunately there is no list of units that arrived to Karelia after 30.11.39.

34 Light tank Brigade consisted of 76, 82, 83, 86 Tank, 224 Recon, 1 Motorized Rifle, 274 Repair, 322 Auto-transport Battalions, 23 Supply, 62 Engineer, 84 Signal and 324 Medical Companies, total 238 tanks, 25 armored cars. On 13.12.39 the brigade was attached to the 56 Rifle Corps and was ordered to advance to Sortavala. By that time 86th Tank Battlion was detached from the brigade and sent ot Murmansk (14 Army). The remaining AFVs included 143 BT-5, 28 BT-7, 3 KhT-26 and 25 BA-20. By the start of January the brigade was isolated in several cauldrons in the region of Lemetti, which were for the most part liquidated by the end of the war. As the result of 3 787 men (on 4.12.39) the brigade lost 902 LIA, 414 WIA, 94 frostbitten and sick, 291 MIA, total 1 701 men. The commander of 34 TBr kombrig Kondratiev committed suicide as well as the number of top commanders. By 23 March 1940 117 tank were found on the territory of mopped up cauldrons, all were disabled by Finns. The brigade still had 48 tanks - 37 in running order, 3 at the 8th Army staff, 8 - in repair. 11 tank were missing and not found by 23.3.40.

[Juha]

Art
thanks a lot for the very interesting info!

Juha

[pkenny]

BT-16, BT-19 tanks? Never heard of these versions

[Art]

My bad, these are BT-2 and BT-5 respectively.