416th Rifle Division (Soviet Union)

416th Rifle Division (9 December 1941 - 27 January 1942) 416th Rifle Division (15 March 1942 – 1946)
Active	1941–1946
Country	Soviet Union
Branch	Red Army
Type	Division
Role	Infantry
Engagements	Battle of the Caucasus Battle of Rostov (1943) Donbass Strategic Offensive Lower Dniepr Offensive Nikopol–Krivoi Rog Offensive First Jassy–Kishinev Offensive Second Jassy–Kishinev Offensive Vistula-Oder Offensive Battle of Küstrin Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation
Commanders
Notable commanders	Col. S.P. Storozhilov Col. V.T. Maslov Mjr. Gen. D.M. Sizranov

The 416th Rifle Division was formed for the first time as a standard Red Army rifle division late in 1941, after the Soviet winter counteroffensive had begun, but was soon re-designated. A second formation began in March 1942, this time as an Azerbaijani National Division and was completed in July, after which it remained serving in the southern sectors of the Soviet-German front until the autumn of 1944, when it was redeployed to Poland in anticipation of the final offensives into the German heartland. The 416th compiled a record of service comparable to any majority-Russian unit, and saw postwar service in the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany.

The first 416th Rifle Division began forming on December 9, 1941, in the Moscow Military District. Its primary order of battle was as follows:

The division was still forming up on January 27, 1942, when it was re-designated as the 2nd formation of the 146th Rifle Division while still in the Moscow region.

The second 416th Rifle Division began forming on March 15, 1942, at Sumgait in the Transcaucasus Military District, this time as a division of Azerbaijani nationals. It continued to form up in this District until July. The division's primary order of battle remained as above, and was completed as follows:

The division was first assigned to the 44th Army, and in late August it was defending along the Terek River on the northern approaches to Grozny. After September the 416th was transferred to the 58th Army in Transcaucasus Front's Northern Group. At year's end it was back in 44th Army, which was transferred to the South Front in February 1943. After liberating Rostov-na-Donu on the 14th, the front came up against the German fortified positions along the Mius River and were held there until the line was broken at the outset of the Donbass Strategic Offensive in August. 44th Army was on the front's left flank, and on August 30 the 416th participated in the liberation of the city of Taganrog, and received its name as an honorific. Immediately following, the division was moved to 28th Army, and after the front was renamed 4th Ukrainian in October, the 416th was shifted once again in November, joining 37th Rifle Corps in the 3rd Guards Army.

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