| 30th Army | |
|---|---|
| 30-я армия | |
| Active | 1941–1943 |
| Country | Soviet Union |
| Branch | Red Army |
| Type | Combined arms |
| Size | Field Army |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Dmitry Lelyushenko Vladimir Kolpakchi |
The30th Army (Russian: 30-я армия) was a Sovietfield army of theRed Army active between 1941 and 1943. It was re-organised to the10th Guards Army on 16 April 1943.
It was formed on 13 July 1941 based on the52nd Rifle Corps from theReserve of the Supreme High Command (Stavka). Initially, the 5th Army consisted of the119th Rifle Division,242nd Rifle Division,243rd Rifle Division,251st Rifle Division (the last two both drawn from NKVD personnel),51st Tank Division, artillery and other units. The army was built around a solid core of NKVD border guard servicemen.[1] The army's first commander, Major GeneralVasily Khomenko, was the former commander of the Ukrainian District ofNKVD Border Guards.[2]
On 15 July 1941 the army was transferred to theFront of the Reserve Armies and assisted top construct defensive works on the defensive line running throughSelizharovo,Olenino, and Vasilievo.
The army fought in theBattle of Smolensk from the end of July to August 1941 and later formed part of theWestern Front from 21 July. During the battle, 30th Army troops attackedDukhovshchina from the region south-west ofBely. The army's attacks on the flanks of the GermanNinth Army stopped and sapped the strength of the German forces. Between September and October the army fought in defensive operations around the region southwest of Bely on theRzhev axis.
On 17 October 1941 army was incorporated to theKalinin Front and took part in theKalinin Defensive Operation (5 December 1941 – 7 January 1942).
On 18 November army was again included intoWestern Front. As its army fought in theKlin-Solnechnogorsk Defensive Operation (15 November-5 December) and from 6 December on in theKlin–Solnechnogorsk Offensive Operation (6–25 December). During the operation 30th Army together with 1st Shock Army liberated Klin (15 December) and destroyed large German units.As a part of Kalinin Front (from 17 December 1941) during January–April 1942 army participated in Rzhev-Vyazma Strategic Operation (8 January-20 April) In the end of operation army troops reached nearly to Rzhev and went on to the defence.
On 1 March 1942 the army consisted of the174th,178th, 243rd,348th,359th,363rd,371st,375th, and379th Rifle Divisions, and the 75, 76, 139, 145, 146, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, and 222nd Separate Ski Brigades.[3]
Later (from 31 August included into Western Front) until the end of 1942 army defended and strengthened its position going from time to time on the offensive.
In March 1943 troops of the army participated in theRzhev–Vyazma Offensive Operation (2–31 March), subsequently liberating Rzhev and on 1 April reached the line Nefedovschina-Pantiukchy where it stopped to dig into defensive positions.
On 16 April the army was reformed into10th Guards Army.
The following officers commanded the army.[4]
The following officers were members of the army's military soviet (council).[4]
The following officers were chiefs of staffs of the army.[4]
| Armies |
|
|---|---|
| Guards | |
| Tank/Mechanized | |
| Guards Tank/Mechanized | |
| Shock | |
| Cavalry | |
| Sapper |
|
| Reserve Army |
|
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