284th Rifle Division
| 284th Rifle Division (10 July – 27 Dec., 1941) 284th Rifle Division (Jan. 1942 – 1 Mar. 1943) 284th Rifle Division (15 July 1943 – 1945) |
|
|---|---|
| Active | 1941–1945 |
| Country |
 Soviet Union
|
| Branch |
 Red Army
|
| Type | Division |
| Role | Infantry |
| Engagements |
Operation Barbarossa Operation Blue Battle of Stalingrad Soviet invasion of Manchuria |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Col. N. F. Batyuk |
The 284th Rifle Division began service as a standard Red Army rifle division shortly after the German invasion, but was soon destroyed in the encirclement of Kiev. A new division was formed in early 1942, and played a leading role in defending the central city and Mamayev Kurgan hill in the Battle of Stalingrad, for which it was raised to Guards status as the 79th Guards Rifle Division. A third 284th was raised a few months later and fought briefly against the Japanese in Manchuria in August 1945.
The division began forming on July 10, 1941, at Romny in the Kharkov Military District. Its order of battle was as follows:
Just three weeks after forming the 284th was railed to the Kiev Defense Sector. By Aug. 12 it was assigned to 37th Army of Southwestern Front, and helped to defend the direct approaches to the city for the next month, but this left it hopelessly trapped when the German forces linked up far east of Kiev in September. The division was effectively destroyed later that month, although it was not officially removed from the Soviet Order of Battle until Dec. 27.
On 15 December a new rifle division, the 443rd, began forming at Tomsk in the Siberian Military District. On 27 January 1942 it was re-designated as the new 284th Rifle Division. With most of its personnel of Siberian origin, it became known unofficially as the “Tomsk” division. Its order of battle remained the same as the 1st formation.
The unit spent about three months in training in Siberia before being sent to the front, as part of the new 48th Army in Bryansk Front. When Operation Blue began, the Stavka believed the German thrust would push northeastwards towards Moscow, and ordered the Front to deflect the Germans by counterattacking. The 284th, among other Soviet forces, took heavy losses, and was withdrawn to Sverdlovsk in August for rebuilding.
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Wikipedia