409th Rifle Division losses North of Donau in January 1945

[Daniel L]

I am trying to find out details about the anti-tank gun and tank losses among the Soviet 409th Rifle division North of Donau river in early (2nd-10th) January 1945. As far as I understand it they were engaged in the area between Strekov and Antalhaza by then.

[Art]

Rifle division couldn't have own tanks. If any tanks were present they must belong to other units.

[Daniel L]

Yes, I thought that was odd. Were they supported by any tank units or were there any other tank units in that area, in combat against Panzergrenadier-Regiment 98?

[Art]

A report on losses up to 14 January 1945:
https://pamyatnaroda.mil.ru/dou/?docID=114297856
Personnel losses 9-14.01.45 29 killed, 136 wounded, 14 sick, total 179 men
Weapons losses 1-14.01.45 3 45-mm guns, 4 76-mm regimental guns, 5 76-mm divisional guns, 4 122-mm howitzers, 9 medium MGs, 24 light MGs.
Doesn't include any attached units.
For comparison the strength report on 1 January 1945 was 3988 men, 14 45-mm guns, 11 76-mm regimental guns, 17 76-mm divisional guns, 12 122-mm howitzers, 61 medium MGs, 104 light MGs.
On 11 January - 3644 men, 11 45-mm guns, 9 76-mm regimental guns, 28 76-mm divisional guns, 12 122-mm howitzers, 60 medium, 103 light MGs.

[GregSingh]

According to 7th Guard Army maps, 27th Guard Tank Brigade was advancing between 409th RD and 6th Guard RD.
There are some daily reports available, eg. on the 6th of January it lost 1 SU-85.
At the end of that day brigade had 8 T-34 and 4 SU-85 available, 9 T-34 and 3 SU-85 in maintenance.

[Daniel L]

Thanks, I have information about a loss of three tanks during an action within an hour in the mentioned time frame. Any information which could correspond this?

[Art]

You'd better give a specific place and time or other details, if available.

[Daniel L]

The only information I have at hand is between 2-10 January in the area of Strekov (Kürt) and Antalhaza, a loss of three tanks within an hour.

[Art]

Was it this episode?

[Daniel L]

Yes.

[GregSingh]

This document from 10th of January might be of interest:
https://pamyatnaroda.mil.ru/dou/?docID=132313146
If I read correctly 27th (Independent) Guards Tank Brigade irreversibly lost 4 T-34 and 1 SU-85 near Kürt (Kepт in Russian).
Although document seems to have spelling wrong as Keт and also mentions 61st Guards Rifle Division (should be 6th - according to maps).

[Daniel L]

Terrific! Thank you!

[Art]

This document from 10th of January might be of interest:
https://pamyatnaroda.mil.ru/dou/?docID=132313146
If I read correctly 27th (Independent) Guards Tank Brigade irreversibly lost 4 T-34 and 1 SU-85 near Kürt (Kepт in Russian).
Although document seems to have spelling wrong as Keт and also mentions 61st Guards Rifle Division (should be 6th - according to maps).

I disagree. The spelling is correct, Керт and Кет were different settlements, see a piece of situation map below:

Taken from an original map here:
https://pamyatnaroda.mil.ru/dou/?docID=100282185
Also the mention of the 81 Guards Rifle Division is correct. So 27 GTBr was to the east from the area of interest. That must be the sector of the German 211 Infantry Division, if I understand it correctly.
It is worth to mention that trying to follow situation on a map is a real nightmare, since spelling of Hungarian names in Cyrillic is the most unpredictable, moreover many settlements used to bear both Hungarian and Slovak names which might be as different as Liverpool and Manchester.

[Art]

So the date is 10 January which makes things easier. Here is information on tank units operating in the area drawn from various reports and war diaries.
18 Guards Mechanized Brigade (9 Guards Mechanized Corps) - 5 operational tanks on the evening of 8.01.45. On 9 January the unit attacked Nova Vieska and captured it early in the morning of 10.01 Then an order was received to march to Pribeta. While on the march the 2nd Battalion was attacked north-west of Nova Vieska and was forced to make a detour to the west. Other elements arrived to Pribete meeting no enemy. At 16.00 the brigade occupied defensive positions at Pribete. 1 tank operational on the evening of 10.01
4 Guards Motorcycle Regiment - 3 Mk-9 Valentines, 2 SU-57 SP guns and 11 half-track APC operational on 10.01. The unit was at Batorove Kosihe on the morning of that day. Following an army's order it marched to Pribete. At 16.00 a vanguard (motorcycle company with 2 SU-57 and a tank platoon) reached Pribete and repulsed a German counterattack supported by tanks and APC there with light own losses. At 20.00 the regiment started a march from Pribete to the south-west (Dulovice), Dulovice attacked and taken by early morning of 11.01.
14 Guards Motorcycle Battalion (9 Guards Mechanized Corps) - the unit must have a tank company and operated between Pribeta and Nova Vieska (so exactly the area of interest). But I can't find any specific details on its actions.
So no positive confirmations of tank losses in the area.

[Daniel L]

Well, if 27th Guards Tank Brigade was advancing close to the 409th Rifle Division would it not be logical if it was they who suffered the losses?

The exact date is still not known. The location must have been in the Kürt area north of Danube (Donau). There is a valley there.