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Leningrad strategic defensive operation order of battle

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Order of Battle for the Leningrad Strategic Defensive covering the period 10 July to 30 September 1941.

Soviet Union

Fronts and Fleets

Northern Front

The Northern Front was active from 10 July to 23 August 1941 when the command was divided into the Karelian and Leningrad Fronts. Operated in Estonia.

The Leningrad Front (Russian: Ленинградский фронт) was first formed on 23 August 1941, by dividing the Northern Front into the Leningrad Front and Karelian Front, during the German approach on Leningrad. The Front participated through the ed of the operation. It operated from the Gulf of Finland to Lake Ilmen and in Estonia until 27 August.

The Northwestern Front was involved in the operation for the entire duration. It operated in the area from Pskov to Novorzhev, then south and southeast of Lake Ilmen.

SOURCE:[3]

Red Army

The 8th Army was involved in the operation for the entire period. First operating in Estonia, then divided into two parts, one the Tallinn area and the other in the Narva - Kingisepp, the army ended the operation in the area which would become the Oranienbaum Bridgehead.

The 11th Army was involved in the operation for the entire period. It led the defense of the ares west and southwest of the Lake Ilmen retreating to the area south and then southeast of the lake.

The 27th Army was involved in the operation for the entire period. Led the defense in the area from Slavkovich - Novorzhev, retreating towards Kholm and then further to the north shore of Lake Seliger.

The army's involvement began in early August 1941 near Staraya Russa and to the south. The army eventually retreated to the area east of Demyansk.

The army took part in the operation from 9–30 September 1941. Conducted combat operations in the approaches to Leningrad from the Gulf of Finland to the city of Pushkin.

The army was involved in the operation from 10 August to 14 September 1941 when the army was disbanded. The army operated in the area west of the Lake Ilmen.

The army was involved in the operation from 26 August to the turn of the Volkhov River north of Novogorod.

The army was formed on 5 September 1941 with the mission of securing the shores of Lake Ladoga to prevent the Germans from encircling Leningrad. The army participated in the operation to the end.

Composition on 1 October 1941:[2]

3rd Guards Rifle Division
4th Guards Rifle Division
128th Rifle Division
286th Rifle Division
294th Rifle Division
310th Rifle Division
1st Mountain Brigade
881st Artillery Regiment (RVGK)
882nd Artillery Regiment (RVGK)
2/5th Guards Mortar Regiment
4/4th Guards Mortar Regiment
21st Tank Division
16th Tank Brigade
122nd Tank Brigade
5th Motorized Engineer Battalion
135th Motorized Engineer Battalion
136th Motorized Engineer Battalion
3rd Reserve Aviation Group
four Fighter Aviation Regiments
three Bomber Aviation Regiment
one Assault Aviation Regiment

The army was formed on 1 September 1941 and operated in the area from Pushkin to the bend of the Neva River through the end of the operation.

Leningrad People's Militia

See Leningrad Narodnoe Opolcheniye Army for details on Leningrad's Militia units. In late September 1941 the divisions were incorporated into the Red Army.

Operational Groups

Luga Operational Group/Southern Operational Group

Took part in the fighting from mid-July in Luga through 16 September when the group was disbanded in Leningrad.

Composition on 1 September 1941:[1]

1st Guards Leningrad People's Militia Division
2nd Leningrad People's Militia Division
522nd Rifle Regiment (191st Rifle Division)
519th Howitzer Artillery Regiment (RVGK)
24th Tank Regiment (1st Tank Division)
295th Sapper Battalion

Composition on 1 October 1941:[2]

115th Rifle Division
1st Rifle Division (NKVD)
4th Naval Infantry Brigade
1st Fighter Battalion
4th Fighter Battalion
5th Fighter Battalion
230th Artillery Regiment (71st Rifle Division)
1/577th Howitzer Artillery Regiment
24th Antitank Artillery Battalion
20th Mortar Battalionn
107th Tank Battalion
21st Pontoon-Bridge Battalion

German

Presents the largest and units of the German armed forces. It should be borne in mind that the operation involved a variety of specialist, such as artillery and self-propelled artillery (including the provision of OKH), Samokatnaya, rail, engineering, combat engineers, pontoon bridge, part of the army air defense and air defense and the Luftwaffe.

Army Group North (Heeresgruppe Nord)

Data on 8 August 1941.

Participated throughout the operation. Led offensive in Estonia, along the eastern shore of Lake Peipsi, then advanced on Leningrad from the south-west and west.

The XXXXII Army Corps was transferred to the 18th Army on 18 July 1941.

XXXXII Army Corps
61st Infantry Division
217th Infantry Division
XXVI Army Corps
93rd Infantry Division
254th Infantry Division
291st Infantry Division

Participated in the operation from 10 July to 18 September 1941. The unit was the main striking force for the German forces attack towards Leningrad. The LVI Motorized Corps advanced towards Luga, bypassing the city to the north, breaking through Soviet positions south of Kingisepp, Krasnogvardeisk, and reached the Pulkovo Heights. On 15 September the main forces of the group begin its redeployment from the Leningrad axis to the Moscow axis.

The L Army Corps was transferred to the group on 14 August 1941.

XXXXI Corps (mot.)
1st Infantry Division
1st Panzer Division
6th Panzer Division
8th Panzer Division
36th Infantry Division (mot.)
LVI Motorized Corps
269th Infantry Division
SS Police Division
3rd Infantry Division (mot.)
XXXVIII Corps
58th Infantry Division
L Army Corps (from 14 August 1941)
269th Infantry Division
SS Polizei Division

Participated in the operation for the entire period. Originally moving in the area south of Lake Ilmen, the army's right flank was engaged against the Western Front. After regrouping the army advanced north and south of Lake Ilmen on the Novgorod-Chudovo-Leningrad and Staraya Russa-Kholm-Demyansk axis.

XXVII Army Corps
96th Infantry Division
121st Infantry Division
122nd Infantry Division
SS Totenkopf Division
I Army Corps
11th Infantry Division
21st Infantry Division
126th Infantry Division
II Army Corps
12th Infantry Division
32nd Infantry Division
123rd Infantry Division
X Army Corps
30th Infantry Division
290th Infantry Division

Part of the group was involved in operations from 24 August to the end of the operation at Leningrad (XXXIX Motorized Corps) and from 30 August to 24 September 1941 in the Demyanks direction (LVII Motorized Corps).

XXXIX Motorized Corps
12th Panzer Division
18th Motorized Division
20th Motorized Division
LVII Motorized Corps
19th Panzer Division
20th Panzer Division

Data as of 3 August 1941.[4]

2.(F)/ObdL Wekusta (2nd Squadron, Long-Range reconnaissance Luftwaffe High Command)
1 KGr z.b.V. 106 (1st Transport Squadron, 106th Military Transport Group)

Took part in the entire operation. Reinforces by Kampfgeschwader 4 on 6 August 1941.

5th Squadron, 122nd Intelligence Group
Kampfgeschwader 1 - He-111H, JU-88A (Group 2 and 3)
Kampfgeschwader 76 - JU-88A
Kampfgeschwader 77 - JU-88A
Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 - Ju-87B, Bf-110
Zerstörergeschwader 26 - Bf-110 (Group 1 and 2)
Jagdgeschwader 54 - Bf-109F
Jagdgeschwader 53 - Bf-109F (Group 2 only)

The 8th Fliegercorps took part in the operation from late July to 20 September 1941.

2nd Squadron, 11th Intelligence Group
1st Transport Squadron, 4th Transport Group
Kampfgeschwader 2 - Do-17Z (Group 1)
Kampfgeschwader 3 - Do-17Z (Group 3)
Schnellkampfgeschwader 210 Bf-110 (Group 2)
Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 Ju-87B (Group 1, 3)
Lehrgeschwader 2 Bf-109E, Hs-123 (2nd and 10th Squadron)
Jagdgeschwader 27 - Bf-109F, Bf-109E (Group 3 only)
Jagdgeschwader 52 - Bf-109F (Group 2 only)

Reconnaissance Group East

125th Naval Intelligence Group
Kampfgruppe 806 - Ju-88A
Jagdgeschwader 54 - Bf-109E (only 1 staffel)

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Marchand, Jean-Luc (2010). Order of Battle Soviet Army World War 2 1941 June to September Vol 1. West Chester, OH: The Nafziger Collection. ISBN 1-58545-269-6.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Marchand, Jean-Luc (2010). Order of Battle Soviet Army World War 2 1941 October to December Vol 2. West Chester, OH: The Nafziger Collection. ISBN 978-1585452705.
  3. ^ Keskinen, Kalevi; Mäntykoski, Jorma, eds. (1991). The Finnish Navy At War in 1939–1945 (Suomen Laivasto Sodassa 1939–1945). Espoo: Tietoteos Ky. p. 153. ISBN 951-8919-05-4.
  4. ^ Luftwaffe Orders of Battle on the Eastern Front, 1941