Red Army OoB 1939 and additions to 1941?

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5th Horseman
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Red Army OoB 1939 and additions to 1941?

#1

Post by 5th Horseman » 24 Aug 2014, 21:50

Does a source exist for the Soviet order of Battle in September 1939 and its additions up to June 1941?

I'm particularly interested in what units were added to the 1939 OoB and when up to June 1941.

Thanks.

Art
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Re: Red Army OoB 1939 and additions to 1941?

#2

Post by Art » 24 Aug 2014, 22:38

Do you want a sheet of 10 monitor screens? Would a comparison of the total number of units be enough?


5th Horseman
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Re: Red Army OoB 1939 and additions to 1941?

#3

Post by 5th Horseman » 25 Aug 2014, 02:21

Well, I'm just interested in big units.
Armies, Corps, divisions, and tank, mechanized or any independent infantry brigades.

I should have mentioned that, sorry.

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Re: Red Army OoB 1939 and additions to 1941?

#4

Post by Art » 26 Aug 2014, 14:02

Hello, order of battle in September 1939 is a tricky thing, since many new units were in the process of formation. Approximately the number of large units by the start of the month was as follows:
14 military districts
1 front group HQ
2 army HQs
9 army operational group HQs
48 rifle corps HQs
173 rifle divisions (including 13 mountain)
3 rifle brigades
6 airborne brigades
5 cavalry corps HQs
25 cavalry divisions
2 cavalry brigades (one was disbanded in September 1939)
4 tank corps HQs
4 heavy, 24 light and 3 chemical tank brigades
4 motorized rifle-machinegun brigades (one brigade per tank corps)
3 armored car brigades
plus airforce brigades, I don't now exactly their numbers and compositions

Accordingly when the war started in June 1941 the following large units were available:
17 military districts (including the Far East Front)
27 or 28 Army HQs (28 Army created right when he war started)
62 rifle corps HQs
198 rifle divisions (including 2 motorized and 19 mountain)
5 rifle brigades
5 airborne corps HQs
16 airborne brigades
57 fortified region HQs
4 cavalry corps HQs
13 cavalry divisions
29 mechanized corps HQs
61 tank divisions
31 motorized divisions
10 AT artillery brigades
5 aviation corps HQs (long-range bombers)
79 aviation division
5 aviation brigades
3 air defense corps HQs
2 air defense divisions
9 air defense brigades
40 air defense brigade regions
See:
http://teatrskazka.com/Raznoe/BoevojSos ... -1941.html
and detailed OOB here:
http://niehorster.orbat.com/012_ussr/41 ... ka_41.html
Navy not included in both cases. I don't understand whether a more detailed info is needed (numeration of units, distribution by military districts) for 1939. I don't have my records right now, I can post some bits later if you need it but it will take some time.

5th Horseman
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Re: Red Army OoB 1939 and additions to 1941?

#5

Post by 5th Horseman » 27 Aug 2014, 22:51

Would you happen to know when the units created in spring 1941 where available for combat?
Are the new rifle divisions in the Stavka reserve armies 16, 19, 20, 21 and 22?

I'm curious if the 47 rifle divisions would have been available if Germany had invaded earlier on May 15, 1941.

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Re: Red Army OoB 1939 and additions to 1941?

#6

Post by Art » 28 Aug 2014, 16:41

Are the new rifle divisions in the Stavka reserve armies 16, 19, 20, 21 and 22?
No correlations generally. 19, 20, 21 and 22 Armies were activated in the North-Caucasus, Orel, Volga and Ural Military districts, units were from internal (the said ones plus Kharkov and Moscow) military districts as well. 16 Army and subordinate units was from the Transbaikal district. Formed after February 1941 were rifle and motorized divisions with numbers from 195 and on (and also 177, 188-191, 193), mechanized corps No. 10-29, tank divisions No. 21-61, five airborne corps (and 10 airborne brigades), 10 AT brigades. That was accompanied by disbandment of some other units. I don't know how situation with personnel and materiel changed over the last month before the war.

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ViKinG
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Re: Red Army OoB 1939 and additions to 1941?

#7

Post by ViKinG » 29 Aug 2014, 10:34

A huge help to you would be the book - Stumbling Colossus, by David M. Glantz. It is filled with a massive amount of information concerning Red Army strengths from 1939-1941. Pretty everything you'd want to know is in there.

Luc

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Re: Red Army OoB 1939 and additions to 1941?

#8

Post by 5th Horseman » 29 Aug 2014, 21:13

Art and Viking,

Thanks guys. Remarkable how hard it is to piece this stuff together in this day and age of technology.
It's unfortunate Narod.ru doesn't go further back.
Maybe soon?

Thanks again!

Art
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Re: Red Army OoB 1939 and additions to 1941?

#9

Post by Art » 29 Aug 2014, 22:31

ViKinG wrote:A huge help to you would be the book - Stumbling Colossus, by David M. Glantz. It is filled with a massive amount of information concerning Red Army strengths from 1939-1941. Pretty everything you'd want to know is in there.
Glantz doesn't devote much space to the organizational history in 1939-1941, from what I remember. Neither I know any English-language source that does, unfortunately.

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