Hello,
Has anyone some details about the fights for this Moldovan (actually: Bessarabian) town in the first half of July 1941?
I found conflicting information about it. For instance, that the German 170. Infanterie-Division took the town itself on July 7th; or that Romanian units did it as late as July 12th.
Thank you for any help provided.
Regards,
CNE503
Battle for Balti, 1941
Battle for Balti, 1941
"Sicut Aquila" / "Ils s'instruisent pour vaincre" / "par l'exemple, le coeur et la raison" / "Labor Omnia Vincit"
Re: Battle for Balti, 1941
Another version - taken on the 9th by Romanians, after facing encirclement Soviets withdrew. http://www.worldwar2.ro/operatii/?article=5
I think confusion comes from the fact that some villages on the outskirts (which are now part of the town) were taken earlier.
I think confusion comes from the fact that some villages on the outskirts (which are now part of the town) were taken earlier.
Re: Battle for Balti, 1941
Hello GregSingh,
I read this good website and it is a part of the problem, because after scrutinizing the XXX. Armeekorps and 170. Infanterie-Division KTBs, the story it tells doesn't match with the German point of view.
From XXX. Armeekorps Lagekarten:
1) July 6th, 1941 morning (map 1):
170. Infanterie-Division was south of Balti in the morning of July 6th, 1941. In first echelon, I.R. 399, supported by I.R. 401 in second echelon. The flankguard was assured with divisional Aufklärer. The city itself was clearly in the division area of operations (see the phase lines). The Romanian 14th Infantry Division was backing it, but in no way was in the process of attacking the city.
On 170. Infanterie-Division right side, the Romanian 13th Infantry Division was attacking northwards but its AoO was clearly passing west of Balti.
198. Infanterie-Division and the Romanian 8th Infantry Division were further west.
2) July 7th, 1941 morning (map 2):
Balti was still clearly in 170. Infanterie-Division AoO, which was deployed straight south from the city. With I.R. 399 on the right and I.R. 401 on the left, the division intended to seize the city that day.
No Romanian units were near the city, the closest ones being the 13th Infantry Division units that operated westwards to the 170. Infanterie-Division.
14th Infantry Division was moving to 170. Infanterie-Division right wing to cover it against Soviet counterattacks, but was still behind the German division.
3) July 8th, 1941 morning (map 3):
170. Infanterie-Division spearheading units were just north from Balti: I.R. 399 on the left, I.R. 401 on the right, I.R. 391 in second echelon rearwards.
Romanian 14th Infantry Division was due southeast of the city, 13th Infantry Division northwest.
4) July 9th, 1941 morning (map 4):
Balti was still occupied with 170. Infanterie-Division's I.R. 399 and 401, which was relieved with I.R. 391 which attacked northwards from the city.
Moreover, the action of Infanterie-Regiment 401 on July 7th, 1941 was extensively described by the Regimentskommandeur on July 10th, 1941 in Gefechtsbericht über den Angriff des Regiments auf die Höhe 222, 3 km nördlich Balti am 7.7.1941, Infanterie-Regiment 401 Kommandeur, 10.7.1941, NARA T315 R1517, files 619-621. He clearly stated that the regiment was south of the city on July 6th, and reached its northern outskirts from the south on July 7th (hill 222, then retreated to the northern suburb of Slobozia Balti, along the railway embankment).
My point is that according to these German maps and reports, no Romanian unit participate to the fights in Balti itself, the seizure of the town being a task fufilled by the lone 170. Infanterie-Division.
CNE503
PS: keys to map is Germans= deep blue; Romanians= light blue; Balti= black circle; Soviets= red.
I read this good website and it is a part of the problem, because after scrutinizing the XXX. Armeekorps and 170. Infanterie-Division KTBs, the story it tells doesn't match with the German point of view.
From XXX. Armeekorps Lagekarten:
1) July 6th, 1941 morning (map 1):
170. Infanterie-Division was south of Balti in the morning of July 6th, 1941. In first echelon, I.R. 399, supported by I.R. 401 in second echelon. The flankguard was assured with divisional Aufklärer. The city itself was clearly in the division area of operations (see the phase lines). The Romanian 14th Infantry Division was backing it, but in no way was in the process of attacking the city.
On 170. Infanterie-Division right side, the Romanian 13th Infantry Division was attacking northwards but its AoO was clearly passing west of Balti.
198. Infanterie-Division and the Romanian 8th Infantry Division were further west.
Balti was still clearly in 170. Infanterie-Division AoO, which was deployed straight south from the city. With I.R. 399 on the right and I.R. 401 on the left, the division intended to seize the city that day.
No Romanian units were near the city, the closest ones being the 13th Infantry Division units that operated westwards to the 170. Infanterie-Division.
14th Infantry Division was moving to 170. Infanterie-Division right wing to cover it against Soviet counterattacks, but was still behind the German division.
170. Infanterie-Division spearheading units were just north from Balti: I.R. 399 on the left, I.R. 401 on the right, I.R. 391 in second echelon rearwards.
Romanian 14th Infantry Division was due southeast of the city, 13th Infantry Division northwest.
Balti was still occupied with 170. Infanterie-Division's I.R. 399 and 401, which was relieved with I.R. 391 which attacked northwards from the city.
My point is that according to these German maps and reports, no Romanian unit participate to the fights in Balti itself, the seizure of the town being a task fufilled by the lone 170. Infanterie-Division.
CNE503
PS: keys to map is Germans= deep blue; Romanians= light blue; Balti= black circle; Soviets= red.
"Sicut Aquila" / "Ils s'instruisent pour vaincre" / "par l'exemple, le coeur et la raison" / "Labor Omnia Vincit"
Re: Battle for Balti, 1941
Looks to me like after being stopped just south of Balti, 170.ID did not bother with attacking the city and just bypassed it from the west.
Soviet defense collapsed once German units crossed the river NW of Balti. That would be morning of the 9th, which is in line with Soviet's 9.A reports you can find here: https://pamyat-naroda.ru/documents/view/?id=151431458
Soviet defense collapsed once German units crossed the river NW of Balti. That would be morning of the 9th, which is in line with Soviet's 9.A reports you can find here: https://pamyat-naroda.ru/documents/view/?id=151431458
Re: Battle for Balti, 1941
Unfortunately, I don't read Russian 
Your explanation makes perfect sense: 170. Infanterie-Division bypassed Balti by the Northwest and took hill 222 before being rejected to the railway embankment in Slobozia Balti. South to this embankment, Soviet still held Balti and withdrew between the 8th morning and the 9th morning.
Anyway, Romanians didn't take any part in the direct operations in the city itself - even though Divizie 13 and 14 Infanterie closely supported 170. Infanterie-Division thrust against the city.
CNE503
Your explanation makes perfect sense: 170. Infanterie-Division bypassed Balti by the Northwest and took hill 222 before being rejected to the railway embankment in Slobozia Balti. South to this embankment, Soviet still held Balti and withdrew between the 8th morning and the 9th morning.
Anyway, Romanians didn't take any part in the direct operations in the city itself - even though Divizie 13 and 14 Infanterie closely supported 170. Infanterie-Division thrust against the city.
CNE503
"Sicut Aquila" / "Ils s'instruisent pour vaincre" / "par l'exemple, le coeur et la raison" / "Labor Omnia Vincit"
Re: Battle for Balti, 1941
Я читаю по русски , более того живу не далеко от Бельц ,
Перечитал Журнал Боевоых Действий 9 Армии а там 7 Июля пушут что уже бросили Бельцы и тут же 8 июля воюют за Бельцы а 9 июля под натиском превосходящих сил противника отступают на восток (48 стрелковый корпус) .
Так что путаница в ЖБД 9 армии присутствует , более подробно можно было бы перечитать журналы боевые действий всех дивизий 74 СД , 176 СД , 30 СД входивших в состав 48 стрелкового корпуса(именно он и защищал Бельцы).
Более того в то время пока оборонялись Бельцы 2 Кавалерийский Корпус (при подержке танков) получил задачу атаковать во фланг в Западном направлении и выйти на тылы групировки противника (атакующего Бельцы), задумка была хороша да вот немецкая Авиация (70 пикирующих бомбордировщиков ) внесли свои корективы в русскую контратаку .
Перечитал Журнал Боевоых Действий 9 Армии а там 7 Июля пушут что уже бросили Бельцы и тут же 8 июля воюют за Бельцы а 9 июля под натиском превосходящих сил противника отступают на восток (48 стрелковый корпус) .
Так что путаница в ЖБД 9 армии присутствует , более подробно можно было бы перечитать журналы боевые действий всех дивизий 74 СД , 176 СД , 30 СД входивших в состав 48 стрелкового корпуса(именно он и защищал Бельцы).
Более того в то время пока оборонялись Бельцы 2 Кавалерийский Корпус (при подержке танков) получил задачу атаковать во фланг в Западном направлении и выйти на тылы групировки противника (атакующего Бельцы), задумка была хороша да вот немецкая Авиация (70 пикирующих бомбордировщиков ) внесли свои корективы в русскую контратаку .