From the wreckage of the tank battles of 1941, a new philosophy of organization was born for the Soviet armored forces. The complexity of the pre-war units was not sustainable, so simpler units were evolved. Beginning in August 1941, Tank brigades were formed. Below is an example of the evolution of the 18th Tank Corps from its formation in 1942 through the war until its last action in Hungary in 1945. We start with the 110th Tank Brigade to show the main combat arm of the corps.
Table of Organization & Equipment for the 110th Tank Brigade
Strength Type
1,265 Men
10 KV-1a tanks
22 T-34a tanks
20 T-60 tanks
8 8.2cm Mortars
36 Machineguns
3 Cars
56 Trucks
The tank brigades were about the size of a German Battalion with an official Table of Organization (TOE) of 1,300 men, 52 tanks, and a small collection of support guns and mortars. They were all teeth, and no depth which showed when the brigades came in close contact with the German Army forces. Often the tank brigades were thrown together whenever fresh equipment and men were available. This left them with less than their full complement of men under equipped and with little training. It was expected that these formations would simply disappear on contact with the enemy. Almost no logistical support was provided to the tank brigades. The theory was brutal and simple if relieved by other friendly forces then supply would be available.
To address this issue, the Tank Corps was developed. Simply put, the new Soviet Corps was a brigade bucket of about 9,000 men. While it was larger, it had almost no more depth and attrited in combat quickly. The 18th was typical of this organization.
Table of Organization & Equipment for 18th Tank Corps - June 1942
Strength Type
8,794 Men
30 KV-1a tanks
66 T-34a tanks
60 T-60 tanks
8 BM-8-36 rockets
9 5cm Mortars
12 3.7cm Anti-Aircraft
16 7.62cm Cannons
69 8.2cm Mortars
276 Machineguns
2 Cars
10 BA-10 Armored Cars
64 Wagons
609 Trucks
The 18th Corps was formed from 3 independent tank brigades. The 110th, the 180th, and the 181st, all formed by the Volga Military District, in March, 1942. In June, they were all then sent to Moscow Military District, and reformed as the 18th Tank Corps. In July, the 18th, was assigned to the Bryansk Front, and from there, sent the Voronezh Front. The unit suffered badly during the German drive on Stalingrad and was withdrawn to the Volga Military District in October where it was rebuilt.
Table of Organization & Equipment for 18th Tank Corps - October 1942
Strength Type
8,869 Men
10 KV-1a tanks
84 T-34a tanks
62 T-60 tanks
8 BM-8-36 rockets
9 5cm Mortars
12 3.7cm Anti-Aircraft
16 7.62cm Cannons
69 8.2cm Mortars
276 Machineguns
3 Cars
10 BA-10 Armored Cars
680 Trucks
The 180th Tank Brigade being substituted with the 170th. The KV companies were replaced by T-34 companies in the original tank brigades, but the 170th kept their KV’s. In November the 18th was assigned to the 57th Army, Southwestern Front. By December, it was assigned to the 1st Guards Tank Army and participated in the Stalingrad operations. By February 1943, with almost no remaining assets, the Corps was sent into STAVKA, and was completely rebuilt.
Table of Organization & Equipment for 18th Tank Corps - July 1943
Strength Type
12,328 Men
21 KV-1s tanks
129 T-34a tanks
60 T-70 tanks
8 BM-8-36 rockets
18 5cm Mortars
36 12cm Mortars
36 3.7cm Anti-Aircraft
36 7.62cm Cannons
63 8.2cm Mortars
258 Machineguns
2 Cars
32 BA-64 Armored Cars
715 Trucks
In July 1943, the 18th was assigned to the 5th Guards Tank Army and participated in the Kursk battles. The 18th Tank Corps went on to liberate Kharkov during that same month. It was in steady combat throughout out the year, with the 110th and the 181st brigades receiving the group honorific, “Znamenskikh”.
After a summer of heavy fighting, the Corps had a serious upgrade in equipment, replacing all the light T-70’s with T-34’s, replacing the depleted 36th Guards Heavy Tank Regiment with the 1543rd Heavy SU Regiment. Most, if not all, of the infantry companies were converted to Sub-Machine Gun companies.
Table of Organization & Equipment for 18th Tank Corps - 1944
The unit remained in heavy combat throughout the winter with the brigades piling up casualties and honors, with the 110th and the 181st, earning the Order of the Red Banner, and 170th, “Kirovogradskikh”.
Strength Type
10,775 Men
270 T-34a tanks
20 ISU-152 tank destroyers
8 BM-8-48 rockets
18 8.2cm Mortars
36 12cm Mortars
36 3.7cm Anti-Aircraft
36 5.7cm ZIS-2s
48 Machineguns
2 Cars
32 BA-64 Armored Cars
800 Trucks
http://www.lostbattalion.com/home_adwords_18TC.html
Info Russian 18th Tank Corps
-
Craig Crofoot
- Member
- Posts: 31
- Joined: 13 Sep 2003, 15:04
- Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Andy,
I'm not sure where LBG got their information on the OB for the 18th Tank Corps (and the other Soviet formations) on their web site, but I can update the information on the units organization.
I can not only provide the combat units, but also the the service units as well. I checked the LBG web site and their service units are completely wrong. My source is Soviet military source book published in 1956 and nopt available in the west.
Craig
I'm not sure where LBG got their information on the OB for the 18th Tank Corps (and the other Soviet formations) on their web site, but I can update the information on the units organization.
I can not only provide the combat units, but also the the service units as well. I checked the LBG web site and their service units are completely wrong. My source is Soviet military source book published in 1956 and nopt available in the west.
Craig
-
Craig Crofoot
- Member
- Posts: 31
- Joined: 13 Sep 2003, 15:04
- Location: Madison, Wisconsin
-
Craig Crofoot
- Member
- Posts: 31
- Joined: 13 Sep 2003, 15:04
- Location: Madison, Wisconsin
To everyone, here is my information on the 18th Tank Corps from 1942-1948:
18th Tank Corps
Commanders:
Chernyakhovskii, Ivan Danilovich (General-Major) 15 June 1942 – 25 July 1942
Korchagin, Ivan Petrovich (General-Major of Tank Forces) 26 July 1942 – 10 September 1942
Bakharev, Boris Sergeevich (Colonel) 11 September 1942 – 25 July 1943
Yegorov, Aleksandr Vasil’evich (Colonel) 26 September 1943 – 10 September 1943
(promoted to General-Major of Tank Forces 14 October 1942)
Trufanov, Kuz’ma Grigor’evich (General-Major) 11 September 1943 – 16 October 1943
Firsovich, Aleksandr Nikolaevich (Colonel) 17 October 1943 – 23 December 1943
Polozkov, Vasilii Iudovich (General-Major of Tank Forces) 24 December 1943 – 28 August 1944
Kolesnikov, Ivan Mikhailovich (Colonel) 29 August 1944 – 23 September 1944
Govorunenko, Petr Dmitrievich (General-Major of Tank Forces) 24 September 1944 – 9 May 1945
(promoted to General-Lieutenant of Tank Forces 19 April 1945)
Chiefs-of-Staff:
Yeremeev, Boris Romanovich (Colonel) 7 July 1942 – 20 September 1942
Guschenko, Ivan Vasil’evich (Colonel) 20 September 1942 -- ?? February 1943
Kolesnikov, Ivan Mikhailovich (Colonel) ?? February 1943 -- ?? May 1943
Borob’ev, Konstantin Konstantinovich (Colonel) ?? May 1943 – 10 September 1943
Smirnov, Vladimir Ivanovich (Lieutenant-Colonel) 10 September 1943 – 24 December 1943
Belozerov, Fedor Mikhailovich (Colonel) 24 December 1943 – 9 May 1945
Active Army:
(The Active Army was the designation used for those forces assigned to an active combat Front, such as the war with Germany from 22 June 1941 to 11 May 1945 and with Japan from 9 August 1945 to 3 September 1945.)
4 July 1942 – 1 October 1942
28 November 1942 – 24 March 1943
10 July 1943 – 9 September 1943
7 October 1943 – 9 May 1945
Assigned Units:
110th Tank Brigade
170th Tank Brigade (assigned in October 1942)
180th Tank Brigade (assigned June to October 1942)
181st Tank Brigade
18th Motorized Rifle Brigade (assigned June to September 1942)
32nd Motorized Rifle Brigade (assigned in December 1942)
36th Guards Tank Regiment (assigned in May 1943)
1438th Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment (assigned in December 1943)
1543rd Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment (assigned in October 1943)*(removed in February 1944)
363rd Guards Heavy Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment (assigned in August 1944)
452nd Light Artillery Regiment (assigned in September 1944)**
1694th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (assigned in May 1943)
52nd Separate Motorcycle Battalion (assigned in September 1942)(removed February 1943)
78th Separate Motorcycle Battalion (assigned in August 1943)
1st Separate Armored Car Battalion (assigned in December 1942) (removed February 1943)
1000th Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment (assigned in April 1943)
736th Separate Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion (assigned in June 1943)
292nd Mortar Regiment (assigned in April 1943)
106th Guards Mortar Battalion (Rocket Launchers) (assigned in October 1943)
419th Separate Signals Battalion (assigned sometime between March – July 1943)
115th Separate Sapper Battalion (assigned sometime between March – July 1943)
(Note: this is a Construction Engineer, not a Combat Engineer unit)
119th Separate Chemical Defense Company (assigned in July 1943)
22nd Separate Auto-Transport Company (Supplies) (assigned between October and November 1942)
139th Field Tank Repair Base (assigned in August 1942)
104th Field Vehicle Repair Base (assigned in August 1942)
Aviation Flight (assigned between March – July 1943)
45th Mobile Field Bakery (assigned between March – July 1943)
2133rd Military-Postal Station (assigned in August 1942)
* designated “Heavy” in January 1944
** designated “Anti-Tank Artillery” in November 1944)
Assignments:
1 July 1942: Reserves of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command (Stavka VGK)
1 August 1942 60th Army, Voronezh Front
1 September 1942 60th Army, Voronezh Front
1 October 1942 60th Army, Voronezh Front
1 November 1942 Volga Military District
1 December 1942 Front Reserves, Southwestern Front
1 January 1943 1st Guards Army, Southwestern Front
1 February 1943 Podvizh Operational Group, Southwestern Front
1 March 1943 1st Guards Army, Southwestern Front
1 April 1943 Reserves of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command (Stavka VGK)
1 May 1943 Reserves of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command (Stavka VGK)
1 June 1943 Reserves of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command (Stavka VGK)
1 July 1943 Reserves of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command (Stavka VGK)
1 August 1943 5th Guards Tank Army, Voronezh Front
1 September 1943 5th Guards Tank Army, Steppe Front
1 October 1943 5th Guards Tank Army, Reserves of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command
1 November 1943 5th Guards Tank Army, 2nd Ukrainian Front
1 December 1943 5th Guards Tank Army, 2nd Ukrainian Front
1 January 1944 5th Guards Tank Army, 2nd Ukrainian Front
1 February 1944 5th Guards Tank Army, 2nd Ukrainian Front
1 March 1944 5th Guards Tank Army, 2nd Ukrainian Front
1 April 1944 5th Guards Tank Army, 2nd Ukrainian Front
1 May 1944 5th Guards Tank Army, 2nd Ukrainian Front
1 June 1944 Front Reserves, 2nd Ukrainian Front
1 July 1944 Front Reserves, 2nd Ukrainian Front
1 August 1944 Front Reserves, 2nd Ukrainian Front
1 September 1944 6th Tank Army, 2nd Ukrainian Front
1 October 1944 53rd Army, 2nd Ukrainian Front
1 November 1944 Front Reserves, 2nd Ukrainian Front
1 December 1944 Front Reserves, 3rd Ukrainian Front
1 January 1945 Front Reserves, 3rd Ukrainian Front
1 February 1945 Front Reserves, 3rd Ukrainian Front
1 March 1945 Front Reserves, 3rd Ukrainian Front
1 April 1945 Front Reserves, 3rd Ukrainian Front
1 May 1945 Front Reserves, 3rd Ukrainian Front
Awards:
“Znamenka”
“Budapest”
Order of Red Banner
Order of Suvorov
Order of Kutuzov
Post-War History:
Reorganization to the 18th Tank Division in July 1945
Returned to USSR in last-half of 1945 (Carpathian Military District)
Disbanded in 1948
Dont'have too much fun with it.
Craig
18th Tank Corps
Commanders:
Chernyakhovskii, Ivan Danilovich (General-Major) 15 June 1942 – 25 July 1942
Korchagin, Ivan Petrovich (General-Major of Tank Forces) 26 July 1942 – 10 September 1942
Bakharev, Boris Sergeevich (Colonel) 11 September 1942 – 25 July 1943
Yegorov, Aleksandr Vasil’evich (Colonel) 26 September 1943 – 10 September 1943
(promoted to General-Major of Tank Forces 14 October 1942)
Trufanov, Kuz’ma Grigor’evich (General-Major) 11 September 1943 – 16 October 1943
Firsovich, Aleksandr Nikolaevich (Colonel) 17 October 1943 – 23 December 1943
Polozkov, Vasilii Iudovich (General-Major of Tank Forces) 24 December 1943 – 28 August 1944
Kolesnikov, Ivan Mikhailovich (Colonel) 29 August 1944 – 23 September 1944
Govorunenko, Petr Dmitrievich (General-Major of Tank Forces) 24 September 1944 – 9 May 1945
(promoted to General-Lieutenant of Tank Forces 19 April 1945)
Chiefs-of-Staff:
Yeremeev, Boris Romanovich (Colonel) 7 July 1942 – 20 September 1942
Guschenko, Ivan Vasil’evich (Colonel) 20 September 1942 -- ?? February 1943
Kolesnikov, Ivan Mikhailovich (Colonel) ?? February 1943 -- ?? May 1943
Borob’ev, Konstantin Konstantinovich (Colonel) ?? May 1943 – 10 September 1943
Smirnov, Vladimir Ivanovich (Lieutenant-Colonel) 10 September 1943 – 24 December 1943
Belozerov, Fedor Mikhailovich (Colonel) 24 December 1943 – 9 May 1945
Active Army:
(The Active Army was the designation used for those forces assigned to an active combat Front, such as the war with Germany from 22 June 1941 to 11 May 1945 and with Japan from 9 August 1945 to 3 September 1945.)
4 July 1942 – 1 October 1942
28 November 1942 – 24 March 1943
10 July 1943 – 9 September 1943
7 October 1943 – 9 May 1945
Assigned Units:
110th Tank Brigade
170th Tank Brigade (assigned in October 1942)
180th Tank Brigade (assigned June to October 1942)
181st Tank Brigade
18th Motorized Rifle Brigade (assigned June to September 1942)
32nd Motorized Rifle Brigade (assigned in December 1942)
36th Guards Tank Regiment (assigned in May 1943)
1438th Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment (assigned in December 1943)
1543rd Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment (assigned in October 1943)*(removed in February 1944)
363rd Guards Heavy Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment (assigned in August 1944)
452nd Light Artillery Regiment (assigned in September 1944)**
1694th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (assigned in May 1943)
52nd Separate Motorcycle Battalion (assigned in September 1942)(removed February 1943)
78th Separate Motorcycle Battalion (assigned in August 1943)
1st Separate Armored Car Battalion (assigned in December 1942) (removed February 1943)
1000th Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment (assigned in April 1943)
736th Separate Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion (assigned in June 1943)
292nd Mortar Regiment (assigned in April 1943)
106th Guards Mortar Battalion (Rocket Launchers) (assigned in October 1943)
419th Separate Signals Battalion (assigned sometime between March – July 1943)
115th Separate Sapper Battalion (assigned sometime between March – July 1943)
(Note: this is a Construction Engineer, not a Combat Engineer unit)
119th Separate Chemical Defense Company (assigned in July 1943)
22nd Separate Auto-Transport Company (Supplies) (assigned between October and November 1942)
139th Field Tank Repair Base (assigned in August 1942)
104th Field Vehicle Repair Base (assigned in August 1942)
Aviation Flight (assigned between March – July 1943)
45th Mobile Field Bakery (assigned between March – July 1943)
2133rd Military-Postal Station (assigned in August 1942)
* designated “Heavy” in January 1944
** designated “Anti-Tank Artillery” in November 1944)
Assignments:
1 July 1942: Reserves of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command (Stavka VGK)
1 August 1942 60th Army, Voronezh Front
1 September 1942 60th Army, Voronezh Front
1 October 1942 60th Army, Voronezh Front
1 November 1942 Volga Military District
1 December 1942 Front Reserves, Southwestern Front
1 January 1943 1st Guards Army, Southwestern Front
1 February 1943 Podvizh Operational Group, Southwestern Front
1 March 1943 1st Guards Army, Southwestern Front
1 April 1943 Reserves of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command (Stavka VGK)
1 May 1943 Reserves of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command (Stavka VGK)
1 June 1943 Reserves of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command (Stavka VGK)
1 July 1943 Reserves of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command (Stavka VGK)
1 August 1943 5th Guards Tank Army, Voronezh Front
1 September 1943 5th Guards Tank Army, Steppe Front
1 October 1943 5th Guards Tank Army, Reserves of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command
1 November 1943 5th Guards Tank Army, 2nd Ukrainian Front
1 December 1943 5th Guards Tank Army, 2nd Ukrainian Front
1 January 1944 5th Guards Tank Army, 2nd Ukrainian Front
1 February 1944 5th Guards Tank Army, 2nd Ukrainian Front
1 March 1944 5th Guards Tank Army, 2nd Ukrainian Front
1 April 1944 5th Guards Tank Army, 2nd Ukrainian Front
1 May 1944 5th Guards Tank Army, 2nd Ukrainian Front
1 June 1944 Front Reserves, 2nd Ukrainian Front
1 July 1944 Front Reserves, 2nd Ukrainian Front
1 August 1944 Front Reserves, 2nd Ukrainian Front
1 September 1944 6th Tank Army, 2nd Ukrainian Front
1 October 1944 53rd Army, 2nd Ukrainian Front
1 November 1944 Front Reserves, 2nd Ukrainian Front
1 December 1944 Front Reserves, 3rd Ukrainian Front
1 January 1945 Front Reserves, 3rd Ukrainian Front
1 February 1945 Front Reserves, 3rd Ukrainian Front
1 March 1945 Front Reserves, 3rd Ukrainian Front
1 April 1945 Front Reserves, 3rd Ukrainian Front
1 May 1945 Front Reserves, 3rd Ukrainian Front
Awards:
“Znamenka”
“Budapest”
Order of Red Banner
Order of Suvorov
Order of Kutuzov
Post-War History:
Reorganization to the 18th Tank Division in July 1945
Returned to USSR in last-half of 1945 (Carpathian Military District)
Disbanded in 1948
Dont'have too much fun with it.
Craig
-
David C. Clarke
- In memoriam
- Posts: 11368
- Joined: 10 Mar 2002, 18:17
- Location: U.S. of A.
-
Craig Crofoot
- Member
- Posts: 31
- Joined: 13 Sep 2003, 15:04
- Location: Madison, Wisconsin
-
David C. Clarke
- In memoriam
- Posts: 11368
- Joined: 10 Mar 2002, 18:17
- Location: U.S. of A.
Re: Info Russian 18th Tank Corps
My primary source was Charles Sharp's multi volume series, Soviet Order of Battle World War II. Colonel Sharp reads Russian, and was allowed to dig into their WWII archives after the the Berlin wall fell, and produce a 12 volume set, Published by George F Nafziger.
As for errors on the support units, I only glanced at what you provided, and saw a number of the odd ball units there, so I couldn't have been off by much. I am willing to admit my work may have errors, as I built a data base of the both the Soviet and German army down to the company level. Then to make my articles, queried the database for snapshots of the units. Transcription errors could occur, as well as timing errors, like 1543 Heavy Arillery which departed the 18th Tank Corps in Feb., and so wasn't really there for 1944.
A reposting of the original article, as well as the others are at http://philonworldwartwo.blogspot.com/
My references are posted at http://philonworldwartwo.blogspot.com/2 ... edits.html
Any other differnces are just differences in our souce materal. And not worth the arguement. You can't just rely on what is most prevelent on the web, because I am finding my article copied all over the palce.
And FYI, a German Panzer Battalion's TOE is 88 tanks in 1941, so 52 tanks would not be a "Reinforced" battalion.
As for errors on the support units, I only glanced at what you provided, and saw a number of the odd ball units there, so I couldn't have been off by much. I am willing to admit my work may have errors, as I built a data base of the both the Soviet and German army down to the company level. Then to make my articles, queried the database for snapshots of the units. Transcription errors could occur, as well as timing errors, like 1543 Heavy Arillery which departed the 18th Tank Corps in Feb., and so wasn't really there for 1944.
A reposting of the original article, as well as the others are at http://philonworldwartwo.blogspot.com/
My references are posted at http://philonworldwartwo.blogspot.com/2 ... edits.html
Any other differnces are just differences in our souce materal. And not worth the arguement. You can't just rely on what is most prevelent on the web, because I am finding my article copied all over the palce.
And FYI, a German Panzer Battalion's TOE is 88 tanks in 1941, so 52 tanks would not be a "Reinforced" battalion.