Battle of Debrecen

[Art]

18 Tank Corps on 1 October:
110 Tank Brigade - 40 T-34 on strength/18 operational
170 Tank Brigade - 16 T-34 (operational?)
181 Tank Brigade - 51 T-34 on strength/21 operational
1438 SP Regiment - 8 SU-85 operational
363 SP Regiment - 9 ISU-152 operational

all vehicles worn-out after long marshes in Romania

On 5 October 52 T-34, 12 SU-85 and 9 ISU-152 operational

Losses in October:
40 T-34 destroyed/20 damaged
3 ISU-152 destroyed/2 damaged
2 SU-85 destroyed/3 damaged
109 men killed and 316 wounded

From the 18 TC's war diary and after-action report:
https://pamyat-naroda.ru/documents/view/?id=130658322

[Art]

6 Guards Tank Army at the start of October 44:
5 Guards Tank Corps - 122 T-34 and 7 SU-85 operational
9 Guards Mechanized Corps - 27 M4A2, 7 Mk-IX Valentine, 3 SU-76
49 Guards Tank Regiment - 8 IS-122
Total 166
42 M4A2 received as replacements 1-20.10.44

Losses 1-26.10.44:
592 men killed and 2068 wounded and sick, total 2660
103 tanks and SP guns destroyed: 63 T-34, 31 M4A2, 1 ISU-122, 6 Mk-IX, 2 SU-85.
From the after-action report:
https://pamyat-naroda.ru/documents/view/?id=154015847

[Art]

7 Mechanized Corps, circa 6 October:
84 T-34, 21 IS-122, 26 SU-85, 10 SU-76, 15 armored carriers, 17 armored cars operational
Only 450 trucks btw.

Losses 6-31 October:
335 killed, 890 wounded.
30 T-34, 4 SU-85, 4 IS-122, 3 SU-76 damaged
38 T-34, 3 IS-122, 5 SU-76 destroyed.
https://pamyat-naroda.ru/documents/view/?id=131986277

[Art]

War diary of the 23 Tank Corps is not very detailed when it comes to numbers. In early October 1944 the corps was in an assembly area south of Turda. On 7 October it started a marsh to an area south of Oradea. All tanks were worn out after operations in Romania, so out of 113 tanks only 45 reached destination in operational conditions. On 13 October there were 53 tanks and 4 SP guns operational. The corps was committed to actions on the night 13/14 October.
https://pamyat-naroda.ru/documents/view/?id=131987749

[Art]

From strength sheet of the 27 Army as of 1 October 1944 (appendix to the 27 A war diary)
27 Guards Tank Brigade - 10 operational tanks, 49 in repair
25 Tank Brigade - 12 operational/5 in repair
697 SP Regiment - 8 SP guns operational/11 in repair
1458 SP Regiment - 14 SP guns operational
From:
https://pamyat-naroda.ru/documents/view/?id=132882477

[Art]

Also some reference data from army-level war diaries

40 Army/2 Ukrainian Front - during October 13 797 POWs captured, own losses - 1577 killed, 4968 wounded, 813 sick, 361 others, total 7877 men
7 Guards Army - 1469 POWs captured, own losses - 1943 killed, 722 missing, 7322 wounded, 1102 sick, 21 others, total 11 110 men
27 Army - 7021 POWs captured, own losses - 3848 killed, 15 132 wounded, 278 missing
53 Army - 3861 POWs captured, own losses - 2795 killed, 9174 wounded, 1153 missing
46 Army - 6856 POWs captured, own losses - 1724 killed, 10 missing, 6705 wounded, 1705 sick, 30 others, total 10 174 men

[Art]

6 Guards Cavalry Corps (start of October):

Total 20653 men (including about 5600 in each of three cavalry divisions), 15 228 horses, 75 medium and 15 light tanks, 17 armored cars, 53 self-propelled guns

Losses 6-30.10.44: 790 killed, 1630 wounded, 370 missing. Total 2890 men. 1630 horses dead and injured, 45 tanks and 32 SP guns. 795 prisoners captured during the same period of time.

At the end of October 1944 the corps had 17 914 men, 13 764 horses, 26 tanks, 35 SP guns

https://pamyat-naroda.ru/documents/view/?id=110227288

[FORBIN Yves]

So good thanks

[FORBIN Yves]

Axis OB South Army Group in part, units for Debrecen battle :

8th Army
6th Army independents units : 239 and 286 Stug Bde or with these two Corps
17 AK : 8 Jager Div, 9 Hungarian ID
29 AK : 3 and 4 Mountain Div, 46 ID, 8 SS Cav Div, 2 Hung ID

6th Army
6th Army independents units : 228 Stug Bde with III PzK
Rfts : Pzg Div FHH, 24 Pz Div , 503 Tiger Bn, 4 SS PzG Div, HQ 4 Pz Korps
72 AK : 76 ID
3 PzK : 1 Pz Div, 23 Pz Div , 22 Cav Div SS, 325 Stug Bde
57 Pzk : 13 Pz Div, 109 Pz Bde, 20 Hungarian ID

3th Hungarian Army : 1 Hung Div Div, 10 Hung ID in Rft
7 Hung Corps : 4 and 12 Hung ID
8 Hung Corps : 5, 8 and 23 Hung ID, 1 Hung Armored Div

[albgrigoriev]

Hi,

Has somebody any information from Hungarian or German sides about defense of bridge near Ujiraz?

My relative died on the bridge with his tank crew on the 7 th of October 1944. He was within 136 TR of Pliev Group.

[FORBIN Yves]

Hi,

Has somebody any information from Hungarian or German sides about defense of bridge near Ujiraz?

My relative died on the bridge with his tank crew on the 7 th of October 1944. He was within 136 TR of Pliev Group.

Sorry for you but for find on the net for this battle it is very difficult ! i hope have for soon some maps
And if Art or other can post Soviet OB with Romanians ofc i have infos but no completely accurate thanks.

What are good books in English about this battle ?

[albgrigoriev]

I did manage to find reports of Soviet staff.

The tank was burnt at the 7 th of October but German/Hungarian troops left the area 4 -5 days later.
It is quite possible that there are some photos from air or ground in german archives.

Some local boys saw the tank as I was told by russian consul.

The question is that we still can not find any remains of the tank crew.

Reports of 6th Soiviet Tank Army said that german troops continually counterattacked railway station Kosh over the bridges near Ujiraz and Komadi even when there was a danger of Debrecen encirclement.

[FORBIN Yves]

One of the best book about this battle is PANZERSCHLACHT-Armoured-Operations-Hungarian-September-November

[FORBIN Yves]

Map 6 - 28 october 1944 translated

[FORBIN Yves]

6 Guards Cavalry Corps (start of October):

Total 20653 men (including about 5600 in each of three cavalry divisions), 15 228 horses, 75 medium and 15 light tanks, 17 armored cars, 53 self-propelled guns

Losses 6-30.10.44: 790 killed, 1630 wounded, 370 missing. Total 2890 men. 1630 horses dead and injured, 45 tanks and 32 SP guns. 795 prisoners captured during the same period of time.

At the end of October 1944 the corps had 17 914 men, 13 764 horses, 26 tanks, 35 SP guns

https://pamyat-naroda.ru/documents/view/?id=110227288

Please a majority of T-34-85 at this time or T-34-76 was still numerous in these Armored units ?
Can depends units by ex some Mechanized Corps had Sherman very mechanically reliable with a good engine.