336th Rifle Division (Soviet Union)

336th Rifle Division (August 1941 – July 1945)
Colonel G. M. Shapovalov
Active	1941–1945
Country	Soviet Union
Branch	Red Army
Type	Division
Role	Infantry
Engagements	Battle of Moscow Battles of Rzhev Battle of Smolensk (1943) Battle of the Dniepr Battle of Kiev (1943) Zhitomir–Berdichev Offensive Lvov-Sandomierz Offensive Vistula-Oder Offensive Prague Offensive
Decorations	Order of the Red Banner Order of Suvorov 2nd class
Battle honours	Zhitomir
Commanders
Notable commanders	Col. G. M. Shapovalov Col. N. N. Solovev Maj. Gen. V. S. Kuznetsov Col. M. A. Ignachev Maj. Gen. M. F. Borisov

The 336th Rifle Division was formed in August, 1941, as a standard Red Army rifle division in the Volga Military District. After additional training and equipping in the Moscow Military District it was assigned to 5th Army and went directly into the winter counteroffensive in mid-December. It fought in the battles around Rzhev in the summer and winter of 1942, taking heavy casualties for little gain. In spring of 1943 the division began shifting southwards, campaigning in southeastern Belorussia in the autumn and then moving into the northern Ukraine. On the last day of 1943 the 336th was recognized for its role in the second liberation of Zhitomir and was awarded that city's name as an honorific. During 1944 it continued to advance from western Ukraine into Poland, and in the last month of the war joined 4th Ukrainian Front's advance into Czechoslovakia, gaining additional honors along the way. The division continued to serve briefly into the postwar period.

The division began forming at Melekess in the Volga Military District in August, 1941. Its order of battle was as follows:

Colonel G.M. Shapovalov took command of the division on September 13, a position he would hold until his suicide in December. As with the 334th Rifle Division, the 336th moved to Gorkii, in 60th Reserve Army, to complete its training and equipping, as best as could be done under the circumstances. On December 9 the division arrived just west of Moscow to join 5th Army in Western Front, and went right into the offensive against Army Group Center. This introduction to battle did not go well, and Shapovalov lost control of his men, leading to a disorderly retreat. Overwhelmed by his responsibility, Shapovalov took his own life on December 15.

The division came under command of Col. N.N. Solovev until March, 1942, during which time the command stabilized. Despite this, in less than a month the unit was gutted, and on January 17, 1942 received reinforcements from the 43rd Rifle Brigade and was withdrawn into the reserves of Western Front for rebuilding. In February it was back at the front, in 50th Army of Western Front, where it remained until June. On April 15, Maj. Gen. V.S. Kuznetsov took command of the division, a post he would hold until late June, 1943, when he moved on to command of 40th Rifle Corps.