Pskov Rifle Division
| Pskov Rifle Division | |
|---|---|
| Active | May 3, 1918 – May 21, 1919 |
| Country |  Russian SFSR |
| Branch | Red Army |
| Type | Rifle division |
| Engagements | Russian Civil War Lithuanian–Soviet War |
| Commanders | |
| First commander | Vladimir Olderogge |
The Pskov Rifle Division (Russian: Псковская стрелковая дивизия), later renamed to the Lithuanian Rifle Division (Russian: Литовская стрелковая дивизия), was a Red Army rifle division during the Russian Civil War and Lithuanian–Soviet War.
Formation
[edit]The Rifle Division was formed as the Novorzhevsky Rifle Division by the order of the Military Council of the Petrograd Defense District and the Northern Section of the Screen Detachments on May 3, 1918, from volunteer detachments of the Novorzhevsky combat section.[1]
1918
[edit]May–October
[edit]From May 1918, it guarded Russia's western border on the Novorzhev-Idritsa-Nevel-Velikiye Luki-Toropets line.[1] Initially, it fought in the ranks of the 7th Army in the vicinity of Petrograd, and then in the Western Army.[2] It was renamed on June 14, 1918, to the Pskov Rifle Division.[1]
November–December
[edit]In December 1918, due to the German retreat and the Soviet westward offensive of 1918–1919, the division occupied Polotsk (in Belarus), Ludza, Rēzekne, Daugavpils (in Latvia).[1]
1919
[edit]In January–February 1919, it occupied Vilnius and Panevėžys (in Lithuania).[1] From January 21, 1919, the division was renamed to the Lithuanian Rifle Division. In March 1919, it became part of the Lithuanian-Belorussian Army.[1]
In March–May 1919, it fought with the Polish Army in the Vilnius Region and on the Daugava bridgehead.[1][2] During its retreat to the Daugava line, it suffered heavy losses.[1][2] It suffered heavy losses and on May 21 it was consolidated into a brigade, on the basis of which the 4th Rifle Division was formed.[1][2]
Division names
[edit]- 3 May – 14 June 1918: Novorzhevsky Rifle Division.[1]
- 14 June 1918 – 21 January 1919: Pskov Rifle Division.[1]
- 21 January – 21 May 1919: Lithuanian Rifle Division.[1]
Officers
[edit]Divisional commanders:[1]
- Vladimir Olderogge (May 3, 1918 – March 7, 1919),
- A. I. Makulovich (March 7–27, 1919),
- M. V. Lezhinsky (March 27 – May 5, 1919),
- V. I. Solodukhin (May 5–21, 1919).
- G.D. Khakhanyan (May 3 – August 4, 1918)
- A. I. Sedyakin (May 3 – August 4, 1918)
- V. A. Popov (August 4 – October 1, 1918)
- I. G. Grigoriev (August 4 – September 6, 1918; October 1, 1918 – March 19, 1919; March 30 – April 15, 1919)
- M. E. Sergeev (September 7 – December 12, 1918)
- L. D. Morozov (December 12, 1918 – March 30, 1919)
- Ya. L. Askoldov (March 19 – May 21, 1919)
- Ya. Khazanov (5–21 May 1919)
References
[edit]Sources
[edit]- Khromov, Semyon (1983). "Литовская стрелковая дивизия" [Civil war and military intervention in the USSR] (PDF). Гражданская война и военная интервенция в СССР (in Russian). Vol. 2. Moscow: Sovetskaya Entsiklopediya. p. 334.
- Odziemkowski, Janusz (2004). Leksykon wojny polsko–rosyjskiej 1919–1920 (in Polish). Warsaw: Oficyna Wydawnicza „Rytm”. ISBN 83-7399-096-8.