249th Rifle Division (Soviet Union)

249th Rifle Division (June 26, 1941 - Feb. 16, 1942) 249th Estonian Rifle Division (Feb. 28, 1942 - June 28, 1945)
Maj. Gen. I.I. Lombak
Active	June 26, 1941 – June 28, 1945
Country	Soviet Union
Branch	Red Army
Type	Division
Role	Infantry
Engagements	Battle of Smolensk (1941) Operation Typhoon Battle of Moscow Toropets–Kholm Offensive Battle for Velikiye Luki Battle of Smolensk (1943) Battle of Narva Baltic Offensive (1944) Kourland Pocket
Commanders
Notable commanders	Mjr. Gen. I.Ya. Lombak

The 249th Rifle Division was raised in 1941, within days of the German invasion, as a standard Red Army rifle division, and served for the duration of the Great Patriotic War in that role. The division was formed twice, first from a cadre of NKVD soldiers that went on to become the 16th Guards Rifle Division after distinguishing themselves in the fighting for Toropets during the Soviet counteroffensive in the winter of 1941-42. The second formation was largely made up of ethnic Estonians and was known as the 249th Estonian Rifle Division. It fought under that name for the duration, and shortly after the German surrender became the 122nd Guards Rifle Division.

The division began organizing on June 26, 1941 in the Urals Military District. It was one of a series of rifle divisions numbered in the 240 - 260 range that were built on cadres taken from the NKVD, in this case internal troops. Its order of battle was as follows:

The division was assigned to 31st Army of Reserve Front until October, giving its troops more time to form up and train than many other divisions in that period. During that month it was assigned to 22nd Army in Kalinin Front, which was rebuilding after being partly overrun by the Germans in September. In December the 249th was transferred again to 27th Army, which was soon renamed 4th Shock Army, in time for the general Soviet counteroffensive against the German Army Group Center starting on Dec. 5.

The division led the attack of its Army in Jan., 1942, advancing over 100 km through deep snow and without regular supplies until capturing the German supply base at Toropets on Jan 21st. During this advance, nearly an entire German infantry division was encircled and destroyed, and other German forces were nearly cut off in the Demyansk and Kholm pockets. For its efforts in this offensive, the 249th Rifle Division was re-designated as the 16th Guards Rifle Division.

A new division, originally designated the 423rd Rifle Division, then the 2nd Estonian Rifle Division, began forming on Feb. 10, 1942 in the Chelyabinsk Oblast of the Urals Military District. On Feb. 28 it was finally re-designated as the 249th Estonian Rifle Division. Its order of battle remained the same as the 1st Formation, with the addition of an unnumbered mortar battalion.