Support of 11th Guards Army attack Orscha on 22nd June 1944

[Der Alte Fritz]

What artillery support did the 11th Guards Army get in its attack down the main Rollbann at Orscha on 22nd June 1944 at the start of Operation Bagration?

[Art]

Will these scheme work or some translation/additional comments are needed:
http://militera.lib.ru/science/peredelsky_ge/s32.gif
?

[Der Alte Fritz]

No all seems pretty straight forward and I have the 1st July order of battle as well.

[Der Alte Fritz]

Thank you Art, this is a most interesting article.

Looking at the table I see two items:
1) the 8th and 83rd Rifle Divisions seem to have swapped Rifle Corps and are not according to the Order of Battle. Is this correct or is this a typographic error?
2) The chart only covers the 11th Guards Army but in fact the remainder of the attack south to the river was carried out by the 31st ARMY's 77th Rifle Corps and its three divisions supported by the 31st Army's tank brigade and SAU regiments. I have a very nice map of this section of the attack and it was this that I was researching. Any idea what support these formations had?

I cannot identify the following terms on the diagram:

1. Heading: Грчппы ПП
2. Heading: Грчппа прорыВа.
3. Heading: Грчппа ГМУ
4. Heading: Грчппа АДД
5. Heading: подгрулпа прорыВа СД
6. Heading: В распоряже нии ком арт ск
7. Text: ОТД Ж. –Д батр
8. Text: Нодгр "36th Rifle Corps"

Can you help please.
Thanks
DAF

[Sarigue]

1st Guards Army:
01 June 1944

8 Guards Rifle Corps
5 Guards Rifle Division
26 Guards Rifle Division
83 Guards Rifle Division
16 Guards Rifle Corps
1 Guards Rifle Division
11 Guards Rifle Division
31 Guards Rifle Division
36 Guards Rifle Corps
16 Guards Rifle Division
18 Guards Rifle Division
84 Guards Rifle Division

149 Gun Artillery Brigade
523 Corps Gun Artillery Regiment
1093 Corps Gun Artillery Regiment
1165 Corps Gun Artillery Regiment
551 Tank Destroyer Regiment
545 Mortar Regiment
1280 Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment

6 Guards Engineer Battalion
226 Engineer Battalion
243 Engineer Battalion

22 June 1944
8 Guards Rifle Corps
5 Guards Rifle Division
26 Guards Rifle Division
83 Guards Rifle Division
16 Guards Rifle Corps
1 Guards Rifle Division
11 Guards Rifle Division
31 Guards Rifle Division
36 Guards Rifle Corps
16 Guards Rifle Division
18 Guards Rifle Division
84 Guards Rifle Division
152 Fortified Region

149 Gun Artillery Brigade
117 High-power Howitzer Artillery Brigade
523 Corps Artillery Regiment
1093 Corps Artillery Regiment
1165 Corps Artillery Regiment
1 Guards Antitank Artillery Brigade
551 Tank Destroyer Regiment
226 Special-power Artillery Battalion
245 Special-power Artillery Battalion
316 Special-power Artillery Battalion
402 Heavy Gun Artillery Division
406 Heavy Gun Artillery Division
545 Mortar Regiment
11 Guards Mortar Brigade (7 Guards Mortar Division)
24 Guards Mortar Brigade (7 Guards Mortar Division)
42 Guards Mortar Regiment
67 Guards Mortar Regiment
317 Guards Mortar Regiment
34 Antiaircraft Artillery Division
1379 Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment
1383 Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment
1389 Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment
1395 Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment
48 Antiaircraft Artillery Division
231 Guards Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment
1277 Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment
1278 Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment
2011 Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment
1280 Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment

2 Guards Tank Corps
4 Guards Tank Brigade
25 Guards Tank Brigade
26 Guards Tank Brigade
4 Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade
401 Guards SU Regiment
1500 Guards SU Regiment
273 Mortar Regiment
79 Motorcycle Battalion
28 Guards Mortar Battalion
1695 Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment
120 Tank Brigade
35 Separate Guards Tank Regiment
63 Separate Guards Tank Regiment
148 Separate Tank Regiment
517 Separate Tank Regiment (flame and minesweepeing)
345 Heavy Guards SU Regiment
348 Heavy Guards SU Regiment
1435 Heavy SU Regiment

2 Guards Assault Engineer-Sapper Brigade
66 Engineer-Sapper Brigade
517 Flamethower Regiment


01 July 1944
8 Guards Rifle Corps
5 Guards Rifle Division
26 Guards Rifle Division
83 Guards Rifle Division
16 Guards Rifle Corps
1 Guards Rifle Division
11 Guards Rifle Division
31 Guards Rifle Division
36 Guards Rifle Corps
16 Guards Rifle Division
18 Guards Rifle Division
84 Guards Rifle Division
152 Fortified Region

149 Gun Artillery Brigade
117 High-power Howitzer Artillery Brigade
523 Corps Gun Artillery Regiment
1093 Corps Gun Artillery Regiment
1165 Corps Gun Artillery Regiment
1 Guards Antitank Artillery Brigade
551 Tank Destroyer Regiment
226 High-power Artillery Battalion
245 High-power Artillery Battalion
316 High-power Artillery Battalion
402 Heavy Gun Artillery Battalion
406 Heavy Gun Artillery Battalion
545 Mortar Regiment
11 Guards Mortar Brigade (7 Guards Mortar Division)
24 Guards Mortar Brigade (7 Guards Mortar Division)
42 Guards Mortar Regiment
67 Guards Mortar Regiment
317 Guards Mortar Regiment
34 Antiaircraft Artillery Division
1379 Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment
1383 Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment
1389 Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment
1395 Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment
48 Antiaircraft Artillery Division
231 Guards Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment
1277 Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment
1278 Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment
2011 Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment
1280 Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment

2 Guards Tank Corps
4 Guards Tank Brigade
25 Guards Tank Brigade
26 Guards Tank Brigade
4 Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade
401 Guards SU Regiment
1500 SU Regiment
273 Mortar Regiment
79 Motorcycle Battalion
28 Guards Mortar Battalion
1695 Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment
120 Tank Brigade
35 Separate Guards Tank Regiment
63 Separate Guards Tank Regiment
148 Separate Tank Regiment
517 Separate Tank Regiment
345 Heavy Guards SU Regiment
348 Heavy Guards SU Regiment
1435 SU Regiment

2 Guards Assault Engineer-Sapper Brigade
66 Engineer-Sapper Brigade
13 Flamethower Battalion
185 Flamethower Company
186 Flamethower Company

the information on 22 june come from "belorussian 1944, the soviet general staff study" by Glantz
the two other come from russian OOB
there are many difference (in particular for the artillery unit and the SU unit (guards or not?)

Hope you will find what you want

[Der Alte Fritz]

Thank you,
I had both the Orders of Battle but not the Glantz 22nd June information so that is a real plus. As you say the OOBs change quite a bit over the course of a months.

Does the Glantz information have any details of the 31st Army. It is their 71st Rifle Corps attack alongside the 11th Guards Army where I am short of information. Again I have the OOB from 1st June and 1st July but 22nd June info would be great.
cheers

[Der Alte Fritz]

The interest in the 71st Rifle Corps is deliberate.
It was common practice in the Red Army to assign an attack sector to two commands to ensure that there were no problems at the joints of armies or commands. So the main attack was delivered by the 11th Guards Army down the Orscha plain and road. But the wooded high ground and peat bogs to the north was also part of the 11th Guards Army's area and the 1st GRD operated here to cover the flank. Likewise the 11th Guards Army sector did not extend down to the river but only as far as the railway line 2km north of the river. The 16th GRD was the southern most unit here. The sector between the railway line and the river was part of the main attack but run by 31st Army with its 71st Rifle Corps and 213rd Tank Bde. Interestingly the 71st also had responsibility for the flank guard and so had a RD attacking on the south side of the river to cover the flank of its own flank guard.

This was characteristic of Russian attacks to split an attack sector so that armies were responsible for their own flanks and that command divides often occurred in the middle of attack sectors which forces both Army commands to co-operate fully.

see here for this most interesting example of Russian command doctrine in action:
http://www.armchairgeneral.com/rkkaww2/ ... _25_44.jpg

[Art]

The same scheme (slightly modified) in English:
http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/6125/1 ... 061944.jpg
Note that organic battalion and regimental artillery and mortars are not shown, though they are included in the final figures.

[Der Alte Fritz]

This is excellent as it shows the significant contribution made by the Break Through Artillery. Allso it shows where the main weight of the attack was made which was in 36th GRC sector ie along the main Minsk-Smolensk Rollbann.

I was developing a similar chart myself but which also included the flank formations of the 11th GRD (this has only it own organic artillery?) and 71st RC (which had most of the 31st Army artillery assets.) That would give the 71st RC the following:

52nd Armoured Train 52 одн брп
140th Gun Artillery Bde 140 пабр, 24 x152mm GunHow and 12 x 122mm guns
43rd AT Artillery Bde 43 иптабр, 20 x 57mm and 40 x 76mm guns
83rd Guards Howitzer Regt 83 гв. гап, 24 x 152mm how
570th Corps Artillery Regt 570 кпап 16 x 122mm guns
392nd Corps Artillery Regt 392 кпап 16 x 122mm guns
529th AT Regt 529 иптап 20 x 76mm guns
549th Mortar Regt 549 минп 36 x 120mm M
74th Guards Rocket Regt 74 гв. Мп 24 x M13

The numbers and types of guns are my best guess based on the most common TOE. This would give them a total of 380 guns (inc Bn and Divisional guns (104 Bn guns/mortars 44 Divisional guns and 232 Corps guns,mortars, rockets)

[Der Alte Fritz]

Does anyone know how the artillery plan was worked out.
How long the bombardment?
How many units of fire were allocated to the attack.
That sort of thing.
cheers

[Art]

Seems that I have that sort of stuff, I promise to check it.

[Der Alte Fritz]

I have the following standard practice for Russian Artillery late war in an attack:

I. Artillery Preparation:

• Infantry weapons / Direct artillery fire / Divisional Artillery - 1st trench line

• Corps Artillery - 2nd and 3rd trench lines, communications trenches

• Corps Counter Mortar Group - enemy mortars

• Corps Rocket Group - strongpoints

• Army Long range Group - enemy batteries identified position, enemy batteries that open fire.

II. Assault:

• Infantry weapons / Direct artillery fire - on enemy first line positions and AT gun positions

• Divisional Artillery / Corps Artillery - barrage in front of advancing troops

• Corps Counter Mortar Group - enemy mortars

• Corps Rocket Group - strongpoints

• Army Long range Group - active enemy batteries that open fire.

III. Combat Security Phase:

• Infantry weapons / Direct artillery fire - on enemy positions and AT gun positions

• Divisional Artillery / Corps Artillery - barrage to stop counter attacks, neutralize enemy positions in depth of position

• Corps Counter Mortar Group - enemy positions in far rear of lines

• Corps Rocket Group - enemy positions in far rear of lines

• Army Long range Group - active enemy batteries that open fire and enemy positions in far rear of lines

[Der Alte Fritz]

I have this general information from Bagration 1944 by Zaloga.
ON average each artillery piece was allotted two units of fire for the mission. This translates to 160 rounds for a 122mm howitzer about 6 tonnes of ammunition.

Barrage lasted two hours on average:
10-20 minute intense shelling first line to depth of 6km
1 hour in some sectors, Rolling barrage on front trenches, in sectors where German defences were heavy a double rolling barrage. Rockets fire for the first hour of the bombardment usually every seven minutes.

Air attacks were to accompany the barrage but bad weather forced the cancellation of most of this effort.

[germano]

i'd much like to have other informations about orsha battle,like a map of the soviet axis of attack,a cronologic sequence of the events and if possible a schedule of casualties on soviet side.
is there anyone who has or can tell me where to find such informations?

[Art]

Well, information on organization of artillery preparation in the Orsha sector is somewhat contradicting in different sources. That is what I've got:

According to the scheme in «Artilleriya v boyu I operatsii” the artillery preparation in the sector of the 11 GA was to consist of 5-minite intensive barrage (of fire attack as it was usually called) followed by 75 minutes of destruction of targets my methodical fire. Then followed a 20-minute period when guns earmarked for direct aiming destroyed targets on the forward line, simultaneously batteries were attacked in the depth of positions. Finally there was a 40-minutes phase of suppression of defense, in the end part of fires were shifted forward to the first phase line of moving barrage. Total 140 minutes. Counterbattery plan consisted of 5-minute barrage at H-140, another 10-minute barrage at H-60 simultaneously with the start of activity of direct aiming guns, finally there was a 10-minute barrage before the attack itself (from H-10 to H-hour), then long-range artillery continued to suppress batteries by methodical fire. Total 40-48 were to be suppressed with average 250-shells expenditure per battery.
Slightly different scheme is given in another study (Soviet artillery in the GPW): in the sector of the 3rd Belorussian Front the preparation consisted of 5-minute initial barrage, then a 90 minute period of destruction in the last 25-minutes of which directly aimed fire started, then a 45-minute period of suppression, in the last 10-minute part of fires were shifted forward. Total 140 minutes.
Finally the commander of the army gen. Galitskiy in his memoirs writes that the preparation consisted of 5-minute barrage, then a 30-minute pause followed by 85-minutes destruction fire, then 20 minutes period of directly aimed fire and 40-minute period of suppression at the end. Total 3 hours. In some contradiction with this statement Galitstkiy says that the preparation started at 6.00 and the attack began at 8.50, that mean 190 minutes or 140 excluding the pause as in other sources.
The basic scheme is the same but details vary. I can't say who is right.

Giving a short lecture on artillery preparation might be useful here. In the Soviet Army of WW2 the plan of preparation was usually a variation of the same basic scheme. This scheme consisted of three phases. The first was a short but intensive fire attack, designed to catch the opponent by surprise and inflicts maximal losses before he would take cover and also disrupt command and communications, its duration was from 5 minutes and on. The second phase consisted of the period of more slow and methodical fire and was frequently subdivided by periods of destruction of individual targets and overall suppression of defense system. The third phase was another intensive barrage designed to suppress the enemy as far as possible so that he would be unable to offer resistance when attack starts, the tempo of fire was brought to maximum before the attack itself. When attack started the artillery shifted fires forward. The scheme could be made however complex, by inserting additional barrages, false shifts of fire, pauses etc. Counterbattery fire usually formed a separate plan with a combination of barrages and methodical fire aimed at enemy batteries and continued even after the start of the attack proper. MRLs fired salvos usually at the start of the preparation and before the attack and then supporting the attack by firing salvos at main phase lines of moving barrage before the line of attacking infantry. A special phase for directly aimed guns engaging targets on the forward line can be introduced, other fires in this case were adjusted as to not hinder them and to protect them barrage was laid on enemy batteries. Infantry mortars were incorporated in the plans in the same role as the main mass of artillery. There were, of course, deviations from this basic scheme but in few cases. A note can be made on expenditure of ammunition. It is frequently associated with the duration of preparation which is not true. Only the part of artillery preparation actually involved firing in rapid tempo, these were already mentioned fire attacks. In fact artillery guns could fire at maximal tempo only for a short time without detrimental effect on accuracy and increased wear. So a longer preparation just meant longer periods of slow firing and a short but intensive preparation could turn out to be more expensive in terms of ammunition expenditure.

As for expenditure I don’t have a detailed graph, but the overall expenditure in the sector of the 3rd Belorussian Front on 23 June was (planned/actual):
120-mm mortars – 2/1,2 units of fire
76-mm guns – 1,75/0,9
122-mm howitzers – 2/1.17
152-mm gun-howitzers – 2/1,1
152-mm guns – 2/3
203-mm howitzers – 2/1,2
The size of the unit of fire was 80 rounds for 120-mm mortars, 140 for 76-mm guns, 80 for 122-mm howitzers, 60 for all 152-mm pieces, 40 for 203-mm. So the actual expenditure was smaller then planned save for 152-mm Br-2 guns, few of them were present. It can be expected, that in the Orsha sector the preparation proceeded more as planned than to the north in the sector of 5th and 39th Army where it was curtailed as a result of success achieved on 22 June.