Battle of Smolensk

The 250th officially joined the active army on July 18, just over three weeks after beginning to form up. Three days earlier, the lead elements of 2nd Panzer Group's 29th Motorized Division had reached the southern part of Smolensk. Over the following days German pressure mounted against the three armies of Western Front, commanded by Marshal S. K. Timoshenko, which were almost entirely encircled in that region. On July 19 the commander of the Group of STAVKA Reserve Armies, Lt. Gen. I. A. Bogdanov, was alerted by the STAVKA to begin preparing an offensive operation with his 29th, 30th and 28th Armies to rescue Timoshenko's force. The 30th, starting from its concentration area north of the Western Dvina River, was to advance toward Demidov.^[8]

The following day, on behalf of the STAVKA, Army Gen. G. K. Zhukov sent a directive to Timoshenko, who was now acting as commander of the Western Direction. Four reserve armies, including the 30th (now designated as "Group Khomenko"), were to launch attacks toward Dukhovshchina and Smolensk along converging axes. Khomenko was to attack southward from the region southwest of Bely to reach the Maksimovka–Petropole line by the end of July 22 before pushing on toward Dukhovshchina the next morning. A report from 0600 hours on July 23 indicated that the 250th had reached the Belyi line. A further report two days later stated that the Army was engaged in fighting with German motorized infantry 2km north of Chernyi Ruchei, and that the division had captured Okolitsa, 20km southwest of Bely, and was now attacking toward Chernyi Ruchei against a battalion of 20th Motorized Division reinforced with an artillery battery and 25-30 mortars.^[9]

During this fighting the commander of the 922nd Rifle Regiment, Maj. Dmitri Ignatievich Kuznetsov, distinguished himself. The regiment was defending a section of the Dukhovshchina–Bely road near the villages of Okolitsa and Chernyi Ruchei from hastily-dug trenches under German artillery and air bombardment. Kuznetsov directed his soldiers to repel several German attacks from his command post, despite being wounded in the arm. When the fighting reached its climax he led a counterattack which threw the German forces back, but suffered a more serious wound in the process. He died in a field hospital on July 28. Kuznetsov was posthumously made a Hero of the Soviet Union on August 31, and after the war a street in Demidov was named in his honor.^[10]

In orders issued by Timoshenko at 0240 hours on July 26 the division was to destroy the German forces remaining in the Okolitsa area and capture the Sutoki region, 12km south of that place. During that day and the next 30th Army recorded some tactical successes in advances of 5–15km against the dug-in company-size battlegroups of 18th Motorized Division,^[11] but General Gorbachyov died of wounds sustained in combat.^[12] He would be replaced on August 1 by Col. Pavel Afinogenovich Stepanenko. This officer had previously served as chief of staff of 52nd Rifle Corps and would be promoted to the rank of major general on May 21, 1942. By July 31 it was clear that the offensive to recover Smolensk and rescue the three nearly-encircled armies had failed, but had also forced Army Group Center's two panzer groups to a near standstill.^[13]

In the course of this fighting, by August 1 the three rifle regiments were reduced to the following strengths:

• 918th: 727 men
• 922nd: 1,195 men
• 926th: 526 men

After about two weeks of combat, the division had lost about half its strength. As well, by August 5 the tank battalion was down to eight T-34s, one T-26, two BT-7s and six BT-5s.^[14] The same day, Army Group Center began its final effort to seal off the Smolensk pocket and liquidate the forces within it. In a report issued by Timoshenko at 2000 hours on August 3 it was reported that 30th Army had attacked with its main forces in the morning, overcoming strong German resistance, while the 250th was defending along the Losmino–Dvorishche–Okolitsa line against 19th Panzer Division's 73rd and 74th Panzergrenadier Regiments.^[15]

Dukhovshchina Offensives

As of August 8 the divisions of XXXIX Motorized Corps which had been facing 30th Army had been relieved by the infantry divisions of 9th Army's V Army Corps. These divisions were very hard pressed to parry the attacks of Khomenko's forces and Lt. Gen. I. S. Konev's 19th Army east and northeast of Dukhovshchina. In the wake of these assaults the commander of Army Group Center noted "9th Army was also attacked; the day before yesterday the Russians broke through as far as the 5th Division's artillery positions." The chief of staff of OKH, Col. Gen. F. Halder, noted on August 11 in regard to these attacks:

The whole situation makes it increasingly plain that we have underestimated the Russian colossus, who consistently prepared for war with that utterly ruthless determination so characteristic of totalitarian states... At the outset of war, we reckoned with about 200 enemy divisions. Now we have already counted 360. These divisions indeed are not armed and equipped according to our standards, and their tactical leadership is often poor. But they are there, and if we smash a dozen of them, the Russians simply put up another dozen.

Timoshenko began planning for a renewed effort on August 14 which was intended to recapture Dukhovshchina en route to Smolensk. The STAVKA ordered this to be coordinated with Zhukov's Reserve Front on August 17 in order to engulf the entire front from Toropets in the north to Bryansk in the south. In the event, due to the chaotic situation, Timoshenko was forced to conduct the operation in piecemeal fashion and was unable to establish close cooperation with Zhukov.^[16]

The operational directive set the goal of encircling and destroying the German 106th, 5th, and 28th Infantry Divisions and 900th Lehr Regiment through concentric attacks with two shock groups, the northern consisting of the 30th Army's 242nd, 251st and 162nd Rifle Divisions, 107th Tank and 45th Cavalry Divisions. The Army was to protect its right flank toward Bely with the 250th Division, penetrate the German defense and then commit the mobile forces to encircle the objective from the west. The 250th, which had the support of the 2nd Battalion of the 542nd Cannon Artillery Regiment, was to hold its present positions, prevent any penetration toward Bely, and prepare to attack in the general direction of Dubovitsa. Its sector was 15km wide and it faced the bulk of the 129th Infantry Division. The shock group went over to the offensive on August 17, but apart from the 107th Tanks and one regiment of the 162nd which penetrated up to 4km, the remainder stalled against heavy resistance. A renewed effort the next day was similarly unsuccessful, although the 926th Rifle Regiment concentrated near Pozhimki at noon in preparation for joining the attack.^[17]

Army Group Center began a counterstroke on August 20, striking the right flank of 19th Army to the south of 30th Army. Meanwhile, 30th Army maintained its offensive pressure as best it could. The next day Timoshenko decided that, since it appeared that 30th Army's attacks were going nowhere, it would be more useful to transfer its fresh forces to 19th Army's sector; on August 22 he permitted Khomenko to take a day to rest and refit. The next day 30th Army recorded some minor gains, with the 242nd pushing toward Erkhovo and Marker 215.2 in cooperation with the 250th and 107th Tank Divisions. The 250th captured Hill 220.0 and was ordered to develop the success during the night. However, by the end of the day word had reached Timoshenko that 22nd Army, which was supposed to be advancing south of Velikiye Luki, was in fact facing defeat from the forces of 3rd Panzer Group moving northward.^[18]

Despite this impending crisis, Stalin, the STAVKA, and Timoshenko remained confident that their armies could collapse Army Group Center's defenses east of Smolensk, and so persisted in their offensive preparations. On August 25 Timoshenko directed Khomenko to continue protecting the Bely axis with at least two regiments of the 250th while preparing to continue the offensive with most of the rest of his forces. At 0145 hours Khomenko dispatched a warning order to his subordinates which included:

250th RD (less 922nd RR) - capture Hill 215.2 and subsequently attack toward Hill 229.6.
250th RD's 918th RR - after being relieved by 134th RD, concentrate in the Zhidki region by 0500 hours on 27 August in readiness to operate with the division's main forces.

Near the end of the day it was reported that the 926th Regiment was fighting to capture Hill 215.2. This was part of a combined attack by the Army's five divisions on a 7km-wide sector against 106th Infantry Division which gained up to 2.5km and forced the German division back to its second defensive line. The assault resumed just past noon of the following day, including the "complete" 250th. It was reported as having attacked toward Churkino, completed the conquest of Hill 215.2, and was fighting 500m west of the hill at 1500 hours. Altogether, 30th Army forced the right wing of the damaged 106th Infantry to bend but not break, but at the cost to itself of 182 men killed and wounded. As of 1700 on August 27 the 918th Regiment, in cooperation with the 629th Rifle Regiment of the 134th Division, was moving toward the southwest , with the heads of the columns crossing the Zaozere and Chernyi Ruchei line. A further effort by the division on August 28 reached the northern slopes of Hill 229.6, followed by an attempt to capture it.^[19]

Demyansk Pocket

The 250th spent the winter in Kalinin Front, by the start of December in 31st Army,^[31] moving to the reestablished 30th Army during March 1942.^[32] In April it was reassigned to the newly-forming 53rd Army in Northwestern Front, where it remained on the southeast side of the Demyansk pocket through most of the rest of the year. In August the Army conducted local attacks against the well-fortified German II Army Corps in support of a further attempt to cut it off and annihilate it, but these were easily fended off. On December 12 General Stepanenko left the division and was replaced by Col. Vladimir Yosifovich Mizitskii. Stepanenko went on to briefly lead the 28th Guards Rifle Division before being given command command the 14th Guards Rifle Corps for the duration of the war. Mizitskii had previously served as deputy commander of the 241st Rifle Division.

Marshal Timoshenko, now in command of Northwestern Front, submitted a new plan to the STAVKA on January 14, 1943, to cut off the salient and annihilate the German forces therein. Although continuing to focus on the 1st Shock and 11th Armies north and south of the narrow Ramushevo corridor into the pocket, his plan also incorporated a shock group of 53rd Army, consisting of the 235th, 241st and 250th Rifle Divisions, two ski brigades, a tank brigade and a tank regiment, plus several artillery assets. This group, along with a similar group from 34th Army, was to put pressure on II Corps to prevent it from shifting reserves while also taking advantage of any opportunities to advance into the pocket. The plan was approved on January 17, but was soon supplanted by Marshal Zhukov's more ambitious plan.^[33]

On January 31 the German High Command ordered that the Demyansk salient be evacuated, in the wake of the encirclement and upcoming destruction of 6th Army at Stalingrad. Not knowing the German plan, Zhukov was making plans for his Operation Polyarnaya Zvezda to finally crush the salient as a preliminary to the relief of Leningrad.^[34] As part of this plan the 250th was transferred to 1st Shock Army,^[35] where it took up a reserve position south of the Ramushevo corridor. 1st Shock was unable to join the attack until February 22, by which time Polyarnaya Zvezda had already failed, and the 250th saw little combat. The German evacuation had begun on February 17 and ended on February 28.^[36]

Move to the South

In early March, following the German evacuation, the 250th got new orders to re-deploy to the new 2nd Reserve Army, in reaction to the German winter counteroffensive:

The STAVKA of the Supreme High Command orders:
1. Form a Reserve Front effective at 2400 hours on 13 March 1943.
2. The Reserve Front will include:
a) the 2nd Reserve Army, consisting of the 129th, 235th, 250th, 348th, 380th, and 397th Rifle Divisions, re-stationed in the Yelets, Lipetsk and Lebedian regions...^[37]

In April, 2nd Reserve became the 63rd Army, assigned to Bryansk Front, and the division was also assigned to 35th Rifle Corps, where it would remain for the duration.^[38] The Army was under command of Lt. Gen. V. Ya. Kolpakchi.

Gomel-Rechitsa Offensive

This offensive took place in several stages. In the first stage the 63rd was one of five armies tasked with seizing and expanding multiple bridgeheads over the Pronya, Sozh, and Dniepr Rivers north and south of Gomel. One of these had been created by 5th and 250th Divisions when they captured Vietka from the 253rd Infantry Division on the west bank of the Sozh, north of Gomel, between September 30-October 3. The initial efforts to expand this bridgehead were unsuccessful. Kolpakchi now reinforced it with 40th Rifle Corps' 287th and 348th Divisions, with the aim breaking out and attacking the forces of German XXXV Army Corps defending the Gomel bridgehead from the north. This effort fared no better. The offensive's second stage began on October 15, but the 63rd Army was only assigned to make strong diversionary attacks close to Gomel while the main effort was made in the south. This effort had limited success on the front of 61st Army but gained a significant bridgehead over the Dniepr on 65th Army's front. This stage ended on October 20 and the offensive as a whole was halted on November 1.^[45]

Rahachow-Zhlobin Offensive

On February 18, 1944, 63rd Army was disbanded and 35th Corps was reassigned to 3rd Army, in what was now 1st Belorussian Front; it would remain in this Army for the duration.^[46] Up to February 21 the Army was defending and preparing for an offensive with the aim of forcing the Dniepr; by this date its front extended 88km from Rudnia along the Dniepr to Zhlobin. The Rahachow-Zhlobin Offensive began that day, preceded by an extensive air preparation and a 10-minute artillery fire raid, but the former 63rd Army divisions were in second echelon. The 250th remained in reserve until it was committed to help force the Drut River near Ozerany on February 23. This was successful, and when the offensive was halted on February 26 the 3rd Army had advanced almost 30km, placing the Front's forces in ideal positions from which to mount an offensive toward Babruysk come summer.^[47]

Operation Bagration

The commander of 3rd Army, Lt. Gen. (as of June 29, Col. Gen.) A. V. Gorbatov, decided that while securely defending the line from Yanovo to Khomichi on the Army's right flank with part of his forces, he would launch the main attack on the left flank along the sector from Ozerany to the mouth of the Dobritsa River in the general direction of Novoselki, Filippkovichi and Staraya Sharoevshchina. The Army would have an operational formation in two echelons. The right-flank units of 35th Corps were to assist 80th Rifle Corps in the capture of Ozerany. Once the Dobritsa was reached the success would be developed by the 9th Tank Corps and the Army's second echelon, with the objective of assisting 48th Army in taking Babruysk, and the 50th Army in developing the offensive to the west.^[48]

At the outset, on June 23, the 35th Corps, under command of Maj. Gen. V. G. Zholudev, formed one of the two first echelon assault corps of the Army, packed into less than 10km of front opposite the northern half of the sector held by the German 134th Infantry Division. On the second day of the offensive, at 0400 hours, the assault force unleashed a massive two-hour bombardment on the defenders in the Rahachow area, but by 0800 only the first line of German trenches had been taken, as bad weather had scrubbed the planned air support. As the weather cleared towards evening, further lines were taken, and the 9th Tanks prepared to exploit a breakthrough. Northwest of Babruysk on June 26, the tankers cut the road to Mogilev behind the German XXXV Corps, with 35th and 41st Rifle Corps close behind and the 134th Infantry shattered and in flight. On the following day Babruysk was surrounded, along with most of German 9th Army,^[49] and it fell to the 250th to help clear and liberate the city, for which its men and women of the division received an honorific:

BOBRUYSK... 250th Rifle Division (Major General Mokhin, Ivan Vasilevich)... The troops who participated in the liberation of Smolensk and Roslavl, by the order of the Supreme High Command of 29 June 1944, and a commendation in Moscow, are given a salute of 20 artillery salvoes from 224 guns.^[50]

On July 2 the division would also be awarded the Order of the Red Banner for its role in the breakthrough to Babruysk.^[51]

Immediately following this victory the 3rd Army began to exploit westward. On its main attack axis, at 1800 hours on July 1 the 35th Corps captured the district center of Cherven, cutting the Mogilev–Minsk road, and on the next day, having overcome increasing German resistance along the Minsk road, linked up with units of 2nd Belorussian Front's 50th Army and reached the line Fedorovsk–Khvoiniki.^[52] On July 19, as the 250th advanced toward Białystok, General Mokhin was seriously wounded and evacuated to hospital. He was released from hospital in February, 1945, after which he took command of the 2nd formation of the 50th Reserve Rifle Division. Col. Mikhail Andreevich Grekov took over the 250th until July 24, when he was replaced by Col. Makhmud-Abdul-Rza Abilov. This officer, of Lezgin nationality, had previously led the 70th Rifle Division before being wounded. He would be promoted to the rank of major general on April 20, 1945, and would command the division into the postwar. The 250th was one of the first Red Army units into Białystok on July 27, and in recognition the division was awarded the Order of Suvorov, 2nd Degree, on August 9.^[53]

Vistula-Oder Offensive

At the start of this operation on January 14, 1945, 3rd Army was deployed along the line Mlynarz - the height southeast of Dombrowka. 35th Corps shared duties with 41st Corps in launching the main attack in the direction of Krasnosielc. By the end of the first day, 3rd Army had crushed the defending German 292nd and 129th Infantry Divisions and had broken through to a depth of 5km on a 10km front. However, on the next day, the Army's units ran into armor of the Grossdeutchland Panzer Division, halting the advance and even losing some ground. The advance continued on January 17 against strong resistance, and by the end of the day Krasnosielc was being contested.^[57] On January 22, the 250th assisted in the taking of Allenstein, and the 926th Rifle Regiment (Maj. Mudrov, Vasilii Fyodorovich) received its name as an honorific.^[58] The next day, elements of the Army captured the important center of Willenberg, but spent the next three days fighting off repeated counterattacks. Following this, the advance continued on Guttstadt, while other elements of the Front reached the Baltic and cut off the German forces in East Prussia.^[59] On February 19 the 918th and 922nd Rifle Regiments, as well as the 790th Artillery Regiment, would be awarded the Order of the Red Banner while the 308th Antitank Battalion won the Order of Alexander Nevsky, all for their part in the breakthrough of the German defenses north of Warsaw.^[60]

Berlin Campaign

In April, 3rd Army was once again reassigned, this time to back to 1st Belorussian Front,^[63] in preparation for the assault on the German capital. 3rd Army, just arriving from East Prussia, was in the Front's second echelon, concentrated in the area Trebow–Polenzig–Sternberg. By April 25 a large grouping of German forces under command of 9th Army had been encircled southeast of Berlin jointly by 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian Fronts and the 3rd Army was committed to the operation to complete the destruction of this pocket. 35th Corps received orders to attack in the general direction of Kablow and Potz with the objective of reaching the line from Groß Köris to the northwestern shore of the Hoelzerner See to the northwestern shore of the Langer See in conjunction with 41st Corps.^[64]

The following day several of the 250th's subunits were rewarded for successes in capturing Braunsberg in Ostpreußen earlier in the East Prussian campaign. The 918th Rifle Regiment received the Order of Kutuzov, 3rd Degree, the 922nd Regiment was given the Order of Alexander Nevsky, and the 418th Sapper Battalion was awarded the Order of the Red Star. In addition, the 308th Antitank Battalion was decorated with the Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky, 3rd Degree, for its role in the fighting for the Heiligenbeil Pocket.^[65]

On April 28 the 35th and 41st Corps were engaged in heavy fighting with the German grouping covering the right flank of the 9th Army's forces, which were trying to break through from the Wendish-Buchholz–Halbe area to the west. As a result of this fighting, units of both Corps, having beaten off up to six counterattacks by infantry and tanks, forced the Hoelzerner See and advanced 500-1,000m to the southeast.^[66] By the end of the month the pocket had been eliminated, with roughly two-thirds of its original strength either killed or captured.

When the shooting stopped the division was along the Elbe River, northeast of Magdeburg, and the final full title carried by its men and women was 250th Rifle, Bobruysk, Order of the Red Banner, Order of Suvorov Division. (Russian: 250-я стрелковая Бобруйская Краснознамённая ордена Суворова дивизия).^[67]