Soviet Guards: Part II
Guardians of the Socialist State

Introduction and Errata

by John M. Astell



In TEN #10 John covered the larger Guards formations, concluding with a look at the Guards Mechanized Corps. Here is a chart providing more information on these Corps. This issue John turns his attention to Guards divisions and smaller Guards units.

Update:

Ask and you shall receive. Karl Gaarsoe has plugged some holes in the Guards listings from the first part of the Guards article which appeared in TEN #10:

  • The 1st Guards Cavalry Mechanized Group was formed on 26 January 1945, from the 1st (or Pliev) CavaIry-Mechanized Group, which itself was formed in late October 1944. It appears to have had the 4th and 6th Guards Cavalry Corps and the 7th Guards Mechanized Corps from October 1944 to the end of the war in Europe.

  • The 35th Guards Rifle Corps was formed on 19 April 1943. Formation dates for Guards Rifle Corps are often vague. The 15th, 29th, 32nd, and 33rd Guards Rifle Corps were in existence in April 1943 and were likely formed then, possibly the 7th and 8th as well.

  • The 1st and 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps are correctly shown forming in November 1941: both formed on the 26th. Likewise, August 1942 is correct for the 4th, on the 27th. The 5th formed in November 1942, possibly on the 15th. The 7th has its year correct, 1943, but it formed on 14th January, and not in February.

  • The 9th Guards Tank Corps does indeed have the 65th Guards Tank Brigade and 33rd Guards Motorized Brigade. However, the other two Guards tank brigades in the Corps are the 47th and 50th, not the 66th and 67th.

  • The 12th Guards Tank Corps does indeed have the 49th Guards Tank Brigade, as speculated. However, the conjecture about it having the 50th is wrong; it has the 66th instead.

    These updates have already been added to the Guards tank brigade listing below. Karl also reviewed the rest of the article before publication and helped with thirty items (mostly better dates) for rifle and cavalry units. Thanks for your help, Karl.

    More Soviet Guards: Part II

    Soviet Guards Airborne Brigades Errata [Europa Issue 21]

    More WWII Soviet Guard Units: Part I

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