Did any Soviet Rifle Divisions have Armoured Cars in 1941

[Jeff Leach]

Does anyone know if any Soviet infantry divisions had armoured cars in 1941?

I have a German report from the 239th Infantry Division telling about one of its combat patrols being ambushed by the Soviets on 22 June 1941. The report mention 15 Soviet armoured cars (2 heavy) as being part of the ambushing force.

The German patrol was ambushed near Gersta, Romania. This should be the sector of the 60th Mountain Rifle Division or possibly the 164th Rifle Division, both the the 17th Rifle Corps. The Soviet 16th Mechanized Corps was about 40-50 kilometers to the northwest (north and east of Chernovtsy). Soviet documents from this time show that the Soviet forces were surprisingly flexibel about attaching units (which seems to have functioned at least while the front was static). It would seem to stretch it to think that the armoured cars where from the 16th Mechanized Corps.

EDIT

Checking the Soviet documents from the time there was an Operations Order for the 22 June 1941 from the 17th Rifle Corps (ЦАМО ф.851 оп.1 д.35 л.1-2), which gives some information:

Gertsa (Херца) was in the sector of the 194th Mountain Rifle Regiment of the 60th Mountain Rifle Division

On the 22 June 1941 the 39th Tank Division seems to have been part of the 17th Rifle Corps. The 39th Tank Division was spread out to the south and southwest of Chernovtsy, with the 78th Tank Regiment at Lukovitsa and elements of the 39th Motorized Rifle Regiment at Slobodzna. The last two villages are about 15 kilometers northwest of Gersta so the armoured cars most likely come from the reconnaisance battalion of the 39th Tank Division.

I don't have my references with me so - does anyone have information on the organization and equipment of a Soviet reconnaissance battalion of a 1941 tank division?

EDIT 2

To my surprise, according to Shtat 04/400 the reconnaissance battalion of each infantry division was to have a company of light tanks and a company of armoured cars. This was certainly the exception instead of the rule - the Soviet didn't even have enough armoured cars for their mechanized forces.



Here are the map references if you want to find the places on the map (US Army 1954 Eastern Europe Maps, German 1:300,000 wartime maps)

Gertsa (NM35-11 44 533 S) Herta (T49 5440 5330 C) Герца
Chernovtsy (NM35-10 42 534) Cernauti (Tschernowitz) (T49 5410 5350) Черновицы

[Art]

Tables of organizations from April 1941 provided for armored cars in a reconnaissance battalion/rifle division:
http://www.niehorster.org/012_ussr/41_o ... on-bn.html
They seem to be available in some numbers in most cases. In particular 17 Rifle Corps according to a report from 12 July 1941 had:
96 Mountain Rifle Division - 5 armored cars
164 Rifle Division - 13 armored cars
189 Rifle Division - 7 armored cars
60 Rifle Division - 5

I don't have my references with me so - does anyone have information on the organization and equipment of a Soviet reconnaissance battalion of a 1941 tank division?

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 3#p1947343

[Jeff Leach]

Thanks Art, it is a real surprise to me that the reconnaissance battalions of the infantry divisions are so well equipped.

The report of 12 of July is a real gold mine of information. I have a number of South Front strenght reports (from TsAMO and not among the online material), which to compare it to.

[John Hilly]

During the Finnish breaktrough crossing in Tuulos River in Karelia in 1941, a Soviet 76 mm Armoured Car damaged Finnsh T-28.
It must've been one of some reconnaissance battalion's vehicles.

I wonder which division was that?

With best, J-P

[Art]

The North Front report lists the following units having armored cars that were in the area on 10 August 1941:
2 Tank Regiment (organic to 1 Tank Division but operated detached)
44 Armored Car Squadron
armored truck detachment (? no idea what it was).
I don't find any reports from a later date.
According to the official OOB at least the second unit was still present there on 1 September.

[John Hilly]

Thanks Art!

With best, J-P