"ARTILLERY IS THE GOD OF WAR" - the validity of this victory formula has been proven by the entire military history. Even on the battlefields of the Second World War, which was dubbed the “war of engines” for a reason, it was artillery that often played a decisive role - with artillery preparation any successful offensive began, without serious artillery support it was impossible to create a stable defense, in isolation from mobile artillery, tanks and infantry suffered unjustified losses.

The resounding victories of the Wehrmacht at the beginning of the war are explained not only by the superiority of the German tank troops, aviation, communications, but also by the presence of powerful, well-trained, superbly organized and extremely effective artillery. However, Artilleriewaffe remained in the shadow of the famous Luftwaffe and Panzerwaffe - so far not a single serious work on this topic has been published in Russian. THIS BOOK IS THE FIRST. Here, for the first time, comprehensive information is presented on the artillery of the Wehrmacht and the SS troops - field, infantry (including mortars), mountain, reactive, anti-tank, anti-aircraft, both towed systems and self-propelled guns - the features of its organization, tactics and combat use are comprehensively considered.

Anti-aircraft artillery of the ground forces

By the beginning of World War II, the only divisional air defense units were motorized companies, each of which had 12 20-mm Flak 30 anti-aircraft guns. Such companies were attached to most tank divisions (except the 2nd and 5th), all four light divisions , as well as some infantry divisions of the 1st wave. During the French campaign, the Wehrmacht divisions remained practically without regular anti-aircraft weapons. Only in July 1940, i.e. after the end of the campaign in the West, did the first anti-aircraft division in the ground forces appear in the 22nd Airborne Division, each of the two firing batteries of which had a dozen 37-mm guns on half-track tractors . The 5th Light Division operating in North Africa had a motorized three-battery battalion with 20 mm guns (and in addition, it was given a Luftwaffe anti-aircraft division with three batteries of 88 mm and two 20 mm guns). But most of the other divisions by the beginning of Operation Barbarossa had only one attached company of 20-mm anti-aircraft guns.

In 1942, a self-propelled anti-aircraft company armed with anti-aircraft guns mounted on the chassis of half-track tractors was introduced into the staff of tank divisions. Thanks to this, anti-aircraft units were able to accompany tank battalions. In addition, the reaction time of a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (ZSU) to an emerging threat from the air while on the march is significantly lower than that of a towed gun. Anti-aircraft companies in tank divisions had eight SPAAGs - two 37-mm Flak 36 guns on the chassis of 5-ton Sd.Kfz tractors. 5/1 and six 20mm Flak 30 cannons mounted on Sd.Kfz. 10/4. In other divisions, anti-aircraft weapons were introduced extremely slowly. Only in 1943 did regular air defense systems appear as part of four motorized divisions - the 3rd,

16th, 29th and 60th. These divisions were destroyed in the encirclement near Stalingrad, and their re-creation had, in addition to purely military, and propaganda value. Therefore, their acquisition and armament was given Special attention. Each of the two motorized regiments in these divisions received one company with 12 20-mm anti-aircraft guns, and in one regiment such a company was self-propelled, and in the other - on a mechanized draft. But that's not all - a fourth, anti-aircraft division was introduced into the artillery regiments of these divisions. Two batteries of such a division were heavy and had four 88-mm Flak 18/36/37 anti-aircraft guns and three 20-mm Flak 38 guns. The third - light - battery had a dozen 20-mm guns. Thus, the division had fifty anti-aircraft guns - eight 88-mm and 42 20-mm. The rest of the motorized (panzergrenadier) divisions remained without standard air defense systems until the summer of 1944.

In 1943, anti-aircraft divisions were also introduced into the composition of tank divisions. They were stronger in composition than in the "Stalingrad" motorized divisions. In addition to two heavy and light batteries, they also received a fourth battery with nine 37 mm anti-aircraft guns, as well as a self-propelled platoon armed with two quadruple 20 mm Flakvierling 38 cannons on the chassis of 8-ton Sd.Kfz half-track tractors. 7/1. The states also provided for the introduction of a company with 12 20-mm anti-aircraft guns in each of the two panzergrenadier regiments, but in reality the tank divisions of these companies never received.

Thus, only a few Wehrmacht divisions that made up its shock fist had fairly strong air defense systems. In all other divisions, since 1943, only a company of light anti-aircraft guns was introduced.

A special place was occupied by airfield divisions. Created as part of the Luftwaffe, they received unusually strong air defense systems. Such divisions received a three-battery anti-aircraft division consisting of one heavy battery (four 88-mm and three 20-mm guns) and two light ones (12 20-mm guns each). In addition, each of the division's four infantry battalions had four 20 mm Flak 38 cannons in a heavy weapons company - these guns were also intended for firing at ground targets. Thus, the division, which corresponded in terms of its combat capabilities to a brigade, consisted of four 88-aircraft guns and as many as 43 20-mm anti-aircraft guns. Parachute divisions also had very strong air defense systems. Each of them received an anti-aircraft division of five batteries, which included three heavy batteries (four 88-mm and three 20-mm anti-aircraft guns) and two light ones (12 20-mm guns each) - in total, 12 88-mm and 30 20 -mm anti-aircraft guns.

Waffen SS panzergrenadier and tank divisions had much stronger anti-aircraft weapons. Their anti-aircraft divisions had not two, but three heavy batteries, and the battery of 37-mm guns was self-propelled - on the chassis of Sd.Kfz tractors. 6/2 or Sd.Kfz. 7/2. Moreover, even a searchlight battery with four searchlights with a diameter of 60 cm was introduced into the division - the smallest anti-aircraft searchlights produced in Germany. The panzergrenadier regiments of these divisions each had an anti-aircraft company with 12 20-mm anti-aircraft guns on the Sd.Kfz chassis. 10/4. Four of the same installations were in the security company of the division headquarters, and the headquarters battery of the artillery regiment had four 20-mm quadruple SPAAGs on the Sd.Kfz chassis. 7/1.

The growing threat from the air made it necessary to strengthen the air defense of divisions, primarily mobile ones. In August 1944, a new staff of tank and panzergrenadier divisions was introduced, which provided for the saturation of almost all parts of these divisions with anti-aircraft weapons. The anti-aircraft division of the artillery regiment in the tank and panzergrenadier divisions was now similar in composition. It had two heavy batteries of six 88 mm and three 20 mm anti-aircraft guns each. The third battery could have either nine 37-mm anti-aircraft guns on a mechanized thrust and three 20-mm quadruple self-propelled units Sd.Kfz. 7/1, or 12 towed 20mm guns. Also, a searchlight battery (four searchlights) was introduced into the division, modeled on the Waffen SS divisions. The headquarters batteries of artillery battalions received three 20-mm anti-aircraft guns, and a company with six of the same guns was introduced into each panzergreder battalion. Finally, the tank regiment had eight 37-mm Mobelvagen SPAAGs in the anti-aircraft company, and at the headquarters of each tank battalion there were three 20-mm Wirbelwind quad ZSUs. Both of the latter types of ZSU were built on the chassis of the Pz.Kpfw. IV. At the beginning of 1945, the last change in the states of tank and panzergrenadier divisions took place. With regard to air defense systems, the only innovation was the introduction of ZSU Sd.Kfz. 251/21 - 20-mm built installations on the chassis of half-track armored personnel carriers. Each division was to receive 12 such ZSUs, of which three were part of the anti-aircraft company of the tank regiment, and three more - in each of the three companies of the panzergrenadier battalion on the armored personnel carrier. The anti-aircraft company of the tank regiment could be equipped with ZSU in one of three options: eight "Wirbelwind" or eight 37-mm ZSU "Ostwind", or in a mixed version - four installations of each type. Additionally, the company provided for the presence of three quadruple 20-mm anti-aircraft guns on the chassis of Sd.Kfz half-track tractors. 7/1.

Wehrmacht entered the Second world war having practically no air defense systems in the divisions. At first, there was no particular need for them, since the Luftwaffe ensured complete air supremacy. But when the threat from the air became quite tangible, it turned out that there were no resources to provide each division with anti-aircraft weapons. In such a situation, a natural and completely justified choice was made - strong air defense units were introduced into the shock divisions, tank and panzergrenadier divisions. The rest of the divisions were forced to make do with very modest, even symbolic means - at best, a dozen small-caliber anti-aircraft guns.

The ground forces of the Wehrmacht had their own, independent of the Luftwaffe, units anti-aircraft artillery RGK - however, very few. In relation to these units, the ground forces used the terms "battalion" and "company" instead of "division" and "battery", but we will stick to the latter - as more familiar to artillery. So by September 1st

In 1939, the ground forces had 47 separate anti-aircraft artillery batteries. In June 1941, there were already 10 divisions and 29 separate batteries, and a year later - 18 divisions. By the end of 1942, the composition of the army air defense artillery was reduced to 13 divisions and nine batteries, and they were armed with only the lightest, 20-mm anti-aircraft guns. A plus can be considered the fact that ten divisions were armed with ZSU, built on the basis of half-track tractors. Each self-propelled division had four batteries. The batteries themselves were of two types: either 12 single-barreled anti-aircraft guns on Sd.Kfz tractors. 10/4 (in four divisions), or eight of the same guns and two quadruple anti-aircraft guns on the Sd.Kfz chassis. 7/2 (in six divisions). The remaining three divisions were of three-battery composition and were armed with towed guns. There were also two options for organizing batteries: 12 single-barreled anti-aircraft guns (in two divisions) or eight single-barreled and two quadruple (in one). Separate batteries were very weak in composition: one motorized battery had four 20-mm single-barreled guns, and eight stationary batteries had only a pair of such guns each. In the future, despite the increase in the threat from the air, the number of army air defense units was reduced due to the redistribution of funds to the level of divisions. In July 1943, the ground forces had only six motorized anti-aircraft artillery divisions. Each of them had three batteries: two with 12 20-mm guns, and the third with nine 37-mm anti-aircraft guns or eight 20-mm four-barreled guns.

The Waffen SS also had their own anti-aircraft units under corps subordination. In particular, the tank corps and the 5th mountain corps each had an anti-aircraft division. In the typical version, such a division had three heavy batteries (four 88-mm and three 20-mm guns each) and one light battery (nine 37-mm guns). Sometimes, instead of a division, the Waffen SS corps included only one motorized battery with nine 37-mm guns.

By May 1944, the Wehrmacht ground forces had the following number of anti-aircraft weapons in the divisions and units of the RGK: 6355 single-barreled and 925 quadruple 20-mm guns, 775 37-mm guns and 574 88-mm guns. Seemingly rather large, these figures pale when compared with the number of anti-aircraft weapons of the Luftwaffe. So, the latter had at that time more than 400 128-mm anti-aircraft guns, about 2000 105-mm, about 10,000 88-mm anti-aircraft guns, about 3,500 37-mm and 20,000 - 20-mm - and this is not counting thousands of captured guns !

It is characteristic that the vast majority of anti-aircraft artillery units of the Wehrmacht RGK had small-caliber anti-aircraft guns, while divisions had 88-mm guns. This trend has continued and even intensified in recent months war. At the end of 1944, the formation of ten partially motorized anti-aircraft artillery brigades began as part of the ground forces. These brigades were intended not for air defense of front-line units, but, first of all, for covering supply lines - according to calculations, it was assumed that one brigade could cover a 150 km long road. Since at that time the main danger to the ground forces was low-flying attack aircraft and fighter-bombers, the brigades were armed exclusively with small-caliber, 20-mm anti-aircraft guns, supplemented by a small number of 37-mm guns. According to the state, the brigade consisted of two divisions of four batteries. Each division included five batteries of 24 installations. Four of them were armed with new 20-mm built-in anti-aircraft guns (created using MG-151/20 aircraft guns), the fifth had 12 20-mm quadruple mounts and the same number of 37-mm anti-aircraft guns. Thus, the brigade had 240 anti-aircraft guns - 216 20-mm and only 24 37-mm. Like other artillery units at the end of the war, anti-aircraft artillery brigades received a significant number of Panzerfausts - according to the state, 500 pieces. The number of personnel of the brigade was 1917 people. The brigade had 136 vehicles, that is, it was 33% motorized.

According to the plans of the command of the ground forces, it was supposed to complete the formation of the first four anti-aircraft artillery brigades by January 10, 1945, and form the remaining six during February. It was not possible to establish whether these plans were implemented in full. In any case, in March 1945 there were only eight light anti-aircraft artillery brigades - from the 501st to the 508th. Since there were not enough new 20-mm built-in installations, the brigades received ordinary single-barreled guns instead of some of these guns, which had a negative effect on the density of fire, and hence on the effectiveness of covering objects.

Anti-aircraft missile division / zrdn/ - unit of troops of the military air defense brigade, the main means air defense brigade commander. Designed for zonal cover of the main forces of the brigade from enemy air strikes.

The anti-aircraft missile battalion consists of a control platoon, three anti-aircraft missile batteries (each with four crews of Tor-M1 infantry fighting vehicles and an anti-aircraft squad), and a support platoon.

Total in the division:

personnel of about 200 people, air defense missile system "Tor-M1" 12 units, MANPADS "Igla" 9 calculations.

Anti-aircraft division

Anti-aircraft division / zdn/ - subdivision of the military air defense forces of the brigade, the main means of air defense of the brigade commander. Designed for objective cover of the main forces of the brigade from enemy air strikes.

The anti-aircraft division consists of a control platoon, an anti-aircraft missile and artillery battery / zrabatr/ (three anti-aircraft missile and artillery platoons / healthy/ two calculations each ZRPK "Tunguska"), anti-aircraft rocket battery /zrbatr/ (two anti-aircraft missile platoons / zrv/ three crews each of the Strela-10 air defense system), an anti-aircraft missile battery / zrbatr/ (three anti-aircraft missile platoons / zrv/ for nine calculations of MANPADS "Igla"), and a support platoon

Organization scheme

Total in the division:

personnel of about 150 people, ZRPK "Tunguska" 6 units, ZRK "Strela" -10 "6 units,

MANPADS "Igla" 27 calculations.

COMBAT SUPPORT UNITS

Reconnaissance company / pp/ - Reconnaissance unit of the brigade. Designed to conduct military, radar, radio and electronic intelligence in the brigade's range of action to a depth of 100 km from the guard line of friendly troops.

A reconnaissance company consists of a company headquarters, three reconnaissance platoons, a reconnaissance platoon (technical reconnaissance equipment), and an electronic reconnaissance platoon.

Total in the company: personnel of about 130 people, BMP-3 7 units, BRM-3 4 units.

Communication Battalion / bs/ - a unit of the signal troops of the brigade, designed to deploy a communication system and ensure the control of the brigade units in all types of their combat activities. It is also entrusted with the task of deploying and operating automation systems and means at control points and carrying out organizational and technical measures to ensure communications security.

The communications battalion consists of a command, a communications company (communication center of the command post), a communications company (control points), a communications platoon (mobile communications equipment), and a support platoon.

In total, there are about 220 people in the battalion.

Engineer Battalion / isb/ - Engineer division of the brigade. Created for engineering support combat operations of the brigade, as well as to inflict losses on the enemy, using engineering ammunition.

Engineer-sapper company / isr/ battalion is, as a rule, a mobile detachment of barriers /POZ/, which is integral part order of battle brigades. POZ operates, as a rule, in cooperation with the PTRez of the brigade.

The engineer-sapper battalion consists of a management, an engineer-sapper company / isr/, road engineering company / and etc/, engineering company / itr/, pontoon company / ponr/, platoon engineering intelligence/vir/, support platoon /in/.

In total, there are about 300 people in the battalion.

Rota rhbz /rrhbz /- subdivision of the rkhbz brigade. It is intended for conducting radiation, chemical reconnaissance, performing dosimetric and chemical control, carrying out special processing of units, as well as for inflicting losses on the enemy using incendiary weapons.

A rkhbz company consists of a company headquarters, a rkhbr platoon, a special processing platoon, an aerosol countermeasures platoon, and a flamethrower platoon.

Total in the company: personnel of about 70 people, RPO-A 180.

Company electronic warfare /relectronic warfare/ - unit of the electronic warfare brigade, designed to electronic countermeasures radio relay and tropospheric communications, radar, radio navigation, radio control, optoelectronic and other means of command and control of enemy troops and weapons, as well as to cover the combat formations of friendly troops from artillery and aviation strikes using radio fuses. In addition, it can be used to carry out activities for radio disinformation and counter enemy reconnaissance equipment.

An electronic warfare company consists of a control platoon, a radio interference platoon (HF radio communications), a radio interference platoon (VHF radio communications), a radio interference platoon (VHF aviation radio communications), a radio interference platoon (radio communications, satellite communication systems, cellular communication, ground consumers of the Navstar CRNS, SPR, ZPP and AZPP), a radio interference platoon (radio communications and radio lines for controlling the detonation of explosives), a support platoon.

In total, there are about 100 people in the company.

SUBDIVISIONS OF LOGISTICS AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT

Repair and restoration battalion / rb/ - designed to maintain weapons and equipment in constant combat readiness for combat use, to ensure high efficiency and non-failure operation in any situation, to quickly restore and return to service weapons and equipment in case of damage.

It includes units for the repair and restoration of armored and automotive equipment, weapons, engineering weapons and chemical protection equipment.

Logistics Battalion /BMO/- is designed to provide brigade units with all types of materiel, in order to maintain their combat capability and create favorable conditions for the successful completion of assigned tasks.

Material assets include fuel, food, protective equipment, engineering, clothing, medical and other types of property, materials and liquids for various purposes, as well as water.

Medical company / medr/ - designed to carry out activities for the medical support of the personnel of the brigade. Medical support is carried out in order to maintain combat capability and improve the health of personnel, timely provision medical care the wounded and sick, and their speedy return to duty. In a combat situation, medical support includes medical evacuation, sanitary-hygienic and anti-epidemic measures, as well as medical measures to protect personnel from weapons of mass destruction.

Hierarchy military formations

(Subdivision, unit, connection, ... What is it?)

In literature, military documents, in the mass media, in conversations, in official documents on military issues, the terms are constantly encountered - formation, regiment, unit, military unit, company, battalion, army, etc. For military people, everything here is clear, simple and unambiguous. They immediately understand what is at stake, how many soldiers these names hide under themselves, what this or that formation can do on the battlefield. For civilians, all these names mean little. Very often they get confused in these terms. Moreover, if in civilian structures "department" often means a large part of the company, plant, then in the army "department" is the smallest formation of several people. And vice versa, the "brigade" at the plant is only a few dozen people or even a few people, and in the army a brigade is a large military formation, numbering several thousand people. This article was written so that civilians could navigate the military hierarchy.

To understand the terms of general, grouping types of formations - subdivision, part, connection, association, first we will understand the specific names.

Branch. In the Soviet and Russian armies, a branch is the smallest military formation with a full-time commander. The squad is commanded by a junior sergeant or sergeant. Usually in a motorized rifle department there are 9-13 people. In the departments of other branches of the armed forces, the number of personnel of the department is from 3 to 15 people. In some military branches, the branch is called differently. In artillery - calculation, in tank troops- crew. In some other armies, a squad is not the smallest formation. For example, in the US Army, the smallest formation is a group, and a squad consists of two groups. But in general, in most armies, a squad is the smallest formation. Typically, a squad is part of a platoon, but may also exist outside of a platoon. For example, the reconnaissance and diving section of the engineering battalion is not included in any of the platoons of the battalion, but is directly subordinate to the battalion chief of staff.

Platoon. Several squads make up a platoon. Usually there are 2 to 4 squads in a platoon, but more are possible. The platoon is led by a commander with an officer's rank. In the Soviet and Russian army, this is a junior lieutenant, lieutenant or senior lieutenant. On average, the number of personnel in a platoon ranges from 9 to 45 people. Usually in all branches of the military the name is the same - a platoon. Usually a platoon is part of a company, but it can also exist independently.

Company. Several platoons make up a company. In addition, a company may include several independent squads that are not included in any of the platoons. For example, in a motorized rifle company there are three motorized rifle platoons, a machine-gun squad, and an anti-tank squad. Usually a company consists of 2-4 platoons, sometimes even more platoons. A company is the smallest formation of tactical importance, i.e. a formation capable of independently performing small tactical tasks on the battlefield. The company commander is a captain. On average, the size of a company can be from 18 to 200 people. Motorized rifle companies are usually about 130-150 people, tank companies 30-35 people. Usually the company is included in battalion composition, but often the existence of companies as independent formations. In artillery, this type of formation is called a battery; in cavalry, a squadron.

Battalion. It consists of several companies (usually 2-4) and several platoons that are not included in any of the companies. The battalion is one of the main tactical formations. A battalion, like a company, platoon, squad, is named according to its type of troops (tank, motorized rifle, engineer-sapper, communications). But the battalion already includes formations of other types of weapons. For example, in a motorized rifle battalion, in addition to motorized rifle companies, there are mortar battery, material support platoon, communications platoon. Battalion Commander Lieutenant Colonel. The battalion already has its headquarters. Usually, on average, a battalion, depending on the type of troops, can number from 250 to 950 people. However, there are battles numbering about 100 people. In artillery, this type of formation is called a division.

Note1: Formation name - squad, platoon, company, etc. depends not on the number of personnel, but on the type of troops and those tactical tasks that are assigned to the formation of this type. Hence such a spread in the number of personnel in formations that have the same name.

Regiment. In the Soviet and Russian armies, this is the main (I would say - the key) tactical formation and a completely autonomous formation in the economic sense. The regiment is commanded by a colonel. Although the regiments are named according to the types of troops (tank, motorized rifle, communications, pontoon-bridge, etc.), but in fact this is a formation consisting of units of many branches of the military, and the name is given according to the predominant type of troops. For example, in a motorized rifle regiment there are two or three motorized rifle battalions, one tank battalion, one artillery battalion (read battalion), one anti-aircraft missile battalion, reconnaissance company, engineer company, communications company, anti-tank battery, chemical protection platoon, repair company, material support company, orchestra, medical center. The number of personnel of the regiment is from 900 to 2000 people.

Brigade. As well as the regiment is the main tactical formation. Actually, the brigade occupies an intermediate position between the regiment and the division. The structure of the brigade is most often the same as that of the regiment, however, there are much more battalions and other units in the brigade. So in a motorized rifle brigade there are one and a half to two times more motorized rifle and tank battalions than in a regiment. A brigade may also consist of two regiments, plus auxiliary battalions and companies. On average, there are from 2 to 8 thousand people in a brigade. The brigade commander, as well as in the regiment, is a colonel.

Division. The main operational-tactical formation. As well as the regiment is named after the type of troops prevailing in it. However, the predominance of one or another type of troops is much less than in the regiment. A motorized rifle division and a tank division are identical in structure, with the only difference being that in a motorized rifle division there are two or three motorized rifle regiments and one tank regiment, while in a tank division, on the contrary, there are two or three tank regiments, and one motorized rifle regiment. In addition to these main regiments, the division has one or two artillery regiments, one anti-aircraft missile regiment, a jet battalion, a missile battalion, a helicopter squadron, an engineer battalion, a communications battalion, an automobile battalion, a reconnaissance battalion, an electronic warfare battalion, and a material support battalion. a repair and restoration battalion, a medical battalion, a chemical protection company, and several different support companies and platoons. In modern Russian Army there are or may be tank, motorized rifle, artillery, airborne, missile and aviation divisions. In other military branches, as a rule, the highest formation is a regiment or brigade. On average, there are 12-24 thousand people in a division. Division Commander Major General.

Frame. Just as a brigade is an intermediate formation between a regiment and a division, so a corps is an intermediate formation between a division and an army. The corps is already a combined arms formation, i.e. usually it is deprived of the sign of one type of troops, although tank or artillery corps may also exist, i.e. corps with a complete predominance of tank or artillery divisions in them. The combined arms corps is usually referred to as the "army corps". There is no single corps structure. Each time a corps is formed on the basis of a specific military or military-political situation and may consist of two or three divisions and a different number of formations of other military branches. Usually a corps is created where it is impractical to create an army. In peacetime, there were literally three to five corps in the Soviet Army. During the years of the Great Patriotic War corps were usually created either for an offensive in a secondary direction, an offensive in a zone where it was impossible to deploy an army, or vice versa, to concentrate forces in the main direction (tank corps). Very often then the corps existed for a few weeks or months and was disbanded upon completion of the task. It is impossible to talk about the structure and size of the corps, because how many corps exist or existed, so many of their structures existed. Corps Commander Lieutenant General.

Army. This word is used in three main meanings: 1. Army - the armed forces of the state as a whole; 2. Army - ground forces of the armed forces of the state (as opposed to the fleet and military aviation); 3. Army - military formation. Here we are talking about the army as a military formation. The army is a large military formation of operational purpose. The army includes divisions, regiments, battalions of all types of troops. Usually, armies are no longer subdivided according to the types of troops, although there may be tank armies, where tank divisions predominate. An army may also include one or more corps. It is impossible to talk about the structure and size of the army, because how many armies exist or have existed, so many structures existed. The soldier at the head of the army is no longer called "commander", but "army commander". Usually the staff rank of the army commander is Colonel General. In peacetime, armies are rarely organized as military formations. Usually divisions, regiments, battalions are directly part of the district.

Front (district). This is the highest military formation of a strategic type. Larger formations do not exist. The name "front" is used only in wartime for a formation conducting combat operations. For such formations in peacetime, or those located in the rear, the name "okrug" (military district) is used. The front includes several armies, corps, divisions, regiments, battalions of all types of troops. The composition and strength of the front may be different. Fronts are never subdivided according to the types of troops (that is, there cannot be a tank front, an artillery front, etc.). At the head of the front (district) is the commander of the front (district) with the rank of army general.

Note 2: Above in the text there are the concepts of "tactical formation", "operational-tactical formation", "strategic ..", etc. These terms indicate the range of tasks solved by this formation in the light of military art. Military art is divided into three levels:
1. Tactics (the art of combat). Squad, platoon, company, battalion, regiment solve tactical tasks, i.e. are fighting.
2. Operational art (the art of conducting battles, battles). The division, corps, army solve operational tasks, i.e. are fighting.
3. Strategy (the art of warfare in general). The front solves both operational and strategic tasks, i.e. conducts major battles, as a result of which the strategic situation changes and the outcome of the war can be decided.

There is also such a name as "group of troops". AT war time this is the name given to military formations that solve operational tasks inherent in the front, but operate in a narrower sector or a secondary direction and, accordingly, are much smaller and weaker than such a formation as the front, but stronger than the army. In peacetime, it was called so in the Soviet Army associations of formations stationed abroad (Group of Soviet Forces in Germany, Central Group of Forces, Northern Group of Forces, Southern Group of Forces). In Germany, this group of troops included several armies and divisions. In Czechoslovakia, the Central Group of Forces consisted of five divisions, three of which were combined into a corps. In Poland, the group of troops consisted of two divisions, and in Hungary of three divisions.

In the literature, in military documents, there are also such names as "team" and "squad". The term "team" is now out of use. It was used to designate formations of special troops (sappers, signalmen, intelligence officers, etc.) that are part of general military formations. Usually, in terms of numbers and combat missions, something in between a platoon and a company. The term "detachment" was used to designate such formations in terms of tasks and numbers as an average between a company and a battalion. Occasionally, as a designation for a permanently existing formation, it is also used now. For example, a drilling team is an engineering formation designed to drill wells for water production in areas where there are no surface water sources. The term "detachment" is also used to designate, temporarily for the period of a battle, an organized grouping of subunits (forward detachment, outflanking detachment, cover detachment).

Above in the text, I specifically did not use the concepts - division, part, connection, association, replacing these words with the faceless "formation". I did this to avoid confusion. Now that we have dealt with specific names, we can move on to unifying, grouping names.

Subdivision. This word denotes all the military formations that make up the unit. Squad, platoon, company, battalion - they are all combined in one word "unit". The word comes from the concept of division, divide. Those. part is divided into divisions.

Part. This is the main unit of the armed forces. The term "unit" most often refers to a regiment and a brigade. The external features of the unit are: the presence of its own office work, military economy, a bank account, a postal and telegraph address, its own stamp seal, the commander’s right to give written orders, open (44 training tank division) and closed (military unit 08728) combined arms numbers. That is, the part has sufficient autonomy. The presence of the Battle Banner for the part is optional. In addition to the regiment and brigade, division headquarters, corps headquarters, army headquarters, district headquarters, as well as other military organizations (military department, army hospital, garrison clinic, district food depot, district song and dance ensemble, garrison house of officers, garrison household complex services, central school of junior specialists, military school, military institute, etc.). In a number of cases, the status of a part, with all its outward signs may have formations, which we have referred to as subdivisions above. Parts can be a battalion, a company, and even occasionally a platoon. Such formations are not part of regiments or brigades, but directly as an independent military unit on the rights of a regiment or brigade can be part of both a division and a corps, an army, a front (district) and even directly report to the General Staff. Such formations also have their open and closed numbers. For example, 650 separate airborne battalion, 1257 separate communications company, 65 separate electronic intelligence platoon. characteristic feature such parts is the word "separate", standing after the numbers before the name. However, the regiment may have the word "separate" in its name. This is the case if the regiment is not part of the division, but is directly part of the army (corps, district, front). For example, 120 separate regiment of guards mortars.

Note 3: Please note that the terms military unit and Military Unit do not mean exactly the same thing. The term "military unit" is used as a general designation, without specifics. If we are talking about a specific regiment, brigade, etc., then the term "military unit" is used. Usually, its number is also mentioned next: "military unit 74292" (but you can not use "military unit 74292") or abbreviated - military unit 74292.

Compound. By default, only a division is suitable for this term. The very word "connection" means - to connect the parts. The division headquarters has the status of a unit. Other units (regiments) are subordinate to this unit (headquarters). That's all together and there is a division. However, in some cases, the brigade can also have the status of a connection. This happens if the team includes separate battalions and companies, each of which has the status of a unit in itself. The brigade headquarters in this case, like the division headquarters, has the status of a unit, and battalions and companies, as independent units, are subordinate to the brigade headquarters. By the way, at the same time, battalions and companies can exist as part of the headquarters of a brigade (division). So at the same time there can be battalions and companies as subdivisions, and battalions and companies as units in the formation.

An association. This term combines a corps, an army, an army group and a front (district). The headquarters of the association is also a part to which various formations and units are subordinate.

There are no other specific and grouping concepts in the military hierarchy. In any case, in ground forces Oh. In this article, we did not touch on the hierarchy of military formations of aviation and navy. However, an attentive reader can now quite simply and with minor errors imagine the naval and aviation hierarchy. As far as the author knows: in aviation - a flight, squadron, regiment, division, corps, air army. In the fleet - a ship (crew), division, brigade, division, flotilla, fleet. However, this is all inaccurate, experts in aviation and the navy will correct me.

Literature.

1. Combat Charter of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of the USSR (Division - brigade - regiment). Military publishing house of the USSR Ministry of Defense. Moscow. 1985
2. Regulations on the passage of military service by officers of the Soviet Army and Navy. Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 200-67.
3. Officer's Handbook Soviet army and the Navy. Moscow. Military publishing house 1970
4. Reference book of an officer of the Soviet army and Navy on legislation. Moscow. Military publishing house 1976
5. Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 105-77 "Regulations on the military economy of the Armed Forces of the USSR".
6. Charter of the Internal Service of the USSR Armed Forces. Moscow. Military publishing house 1965
7. Textbook. Operational art. Military publishing house of the USSR Ministry of Defense. Moscow. 1965
8. I.M. Andrusenko, R.G. Dunov, Yu.R. Fomin. Motorized rifle (tank) platoon in battle. Moscow. Military publishing house 1989

Regiment equipped anti-aircraft missile system S-75, has in its composition not only fire divisions that directly conduct rocket fire. This also includes the technical division, where ammunition is stored and prepared for delivery.

Consider the position of such a division on the example of the 454th anti-aircraft missile regiment (military unit 11076). Together with the missile, we will sequentially go from its arrival to its delivery for loading on launcher. We visited the location of the unit twice: in winter and in spring. This explains some of the differences in the photo.

1.

The missiles arrive in a sealed container unfilled, with undocked wings, stabilizers, and without a number of other elements that are installed later. ()

2.


The road to the technical division. In the good old days, after taking pictures, one could meet the employees of extremely competent authorities here.

3.


Transformer substation at the entrance to the division.

4.


Right next to it is a building of uncertain purpose. Power unit?

5.


Division headquarters.

6.


After the anti-aircraft gunners, there were other military men here, but subsequently the territory was simply abandoned.

7.


Boxes for automotive equipment.

8.


Inside.

9.


Opposite is a service area.

10.


The brought missiles are stored in "structure No. 1". The photo shows the entrance from the side of the checkpoint.

11.


Schematic diagram of the construction of the position of the technical division S-75. The numbers on the diagram correspond to the numbers of the objects. "Construction No. 1" in the center.

12.


Rockets and their components were stored here.

13.


Above the entrance is a memo on safety when using a beam crane.

14.


From time to time, part of the structure collapsed.

15.


And here was the exit.
If necessary, prepare and issue ammunition, a technological stream was launched. The rocket was removed from the container, installed on a technological docking cart. Wings were installed on the rocket, stabilizers were loaded onto the trolley separately.

16.


Loading the rocket on the technological docking cart. ()

17.


Departure from "building number 1". View from the place where the "site number 2" was located, where the on-board equipment of the missiles was checked.

18.


There is also a small shelter for personnel.

19.


View of the "structure number 4" from the "site number 3", where the rocket was refueled with compressed air. In front of the construction was located "platform No. 4a". There, the rocket was docked with the launch booster.

20.


The accelerators were stored outside the process stream in "building #8". To facilitate loading, it was equipped with hoists.

21.


In "building number 8".

22.


Let's return to the technological flow. View of the "building number 4". Its main purpose is to install stabilizers and a warhead on a rocket. The latter were stored separately. The storage of combat units at the position was not preserved.

23.


View from "building number 4" to "building number 1".

24.


Further, the assembled missiles were reloaded onto transport-loading vehicles. It happened behind the "construction No. 4" on the "site No. 4b". ()

25.


Nearby is a shelter with an emergency exit.

26.


Inside it is divided into several rooms.

First Guards Anti-Aircraft.

The history of the 61st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment is inextricably linked with the history of my native city, therefore, I could not ignore the history of this glorious unit, which became the first guard among anti-aircraft gunners.

The history of the regiment begins in June 1929, but it was not created from scratch. Even before the revolution, the city and the harbor were covered from the air by three four-gun anti-aircraft batteries equipped with 75mm Kane guns. The guns were installed on a modernized Meller machine, with an elevation angle increased to 50 degrees.

The remains of one such battery have survived to this day in one of the destroyed earthen redoubts of the Crimean War. The civil war completely destroyed the entire air defense system of Sevastopol. Already after the victory of Soviet power, six 3-gun 76mm and 75mm batteries were created in 1922 to cover the Black Sea bases from the air. There was not enough special anti-aircraft guns, and the first Black Sea anti-aircraft batteries, in addition to the 75mm Kane guns, were equipped with conventional three-inch guns on a converted Ivanov machine. Batteries were located:

In Batumi (battery commander Ushakov Nikolai Sergeevich);

In Kerch (battery commander Arkhipov, since 1923 Zhilin Ivan Sergeevich);

In Nikolaev (battery commander N.I. Gorokhov)

In Ochakiv (battery commander Naiditsch P.A.)

In Odessa (battery commander Leontiev Ivan Pavlovich).

In Sevastopol (battery commander Bulakh I.P.).

Sevastopol became the main naval base of the young Soviet Republic. The main naval base could not exist without cover from air attacks, so in 1924 an air defense division was created in Sevastopol. It consisted of two three-gun mobile batteries, a searchlight battalion, and an anti-aircraft machine-gun battalion.

Mobile batteries were Lender guns mounted on trucks. Unfortunately, the material part of the division was seriously worn out; panoramas were missing on many guns. Two trucks were not enough to install two guns, there were no means of transporting ammunition.

The further development of the air defense of Sevastopol was influenced by one event, which is usually not associated with the air defense of the city. November 22, 1929 the battleship "Paris Commune" began the transition from Kronstadt to the Black Sea. January 18, 1930 arrived in Sevastopol and became part of Black Sea Fleet. In addition, during the same period, construction began coastal batteries, which also required anti-aircraft cover. Therefore, on the basis of the Sevastopol anti-aircraft division, an anti-aircraft artillery regiment was created, which later received the number 61.

The regiment included two anti-aircraft artillery battalions, an anti-aircraft machine-gun battalion, and a searchlight battalion. Zashikhin R.S. became the commander of the regiment, Zhilin I.S. became the chief of staff, and Rudnev S.V. became the commissar. On May 17, 1933, I.S. Zhilin became the commander of the regiment.

The 1st anti-aircraft artillery division (batteries No. 77, 78, 79) covered the 30th battery, located in a triangle around its positions. In addition, the guns of one battery also covered part of the harbor. The second division of this regiment covered the 35th battery. The batteries were 4-gun, equipped with stationary 76mm 9K cannons (it is also an anti-aircraft gun, model 1915/28). This gun was a Lender gun, with a barrel extended to 50 calibers. These were the first domestic anti-aircraft artillery systems equipped with an anti-aircraft fire control device (PUAZO-1). For the batteries, stationary equipped positions were built (the so-called "air defense forts"), which had 2-3 ammunition cellars, two gas bomb shelters, 4 gun yards, a POISO courtyard, united by underground covered communication passages.

The searchlight battalion consisted of 2 companies, the companies were divided into divisions. There were 9 searchlights in the company. The anti-aircraft machine-gun battalion consisted of two companies of 14 machine guns.

Significant progress in the development of air defense was observed in 1938-41. The regiment began to receive new guns and fire control devices. In 1938 Zhilin I.S. becomes the commander of the air defense of the Black Sea Fleet, I.P. Talashchenko becomes the commander of the regiment. In 1939 the 76th and 80th batteries are formed in the regiment, equipped with the latest, at that time, 85mm guns. At the same time, all Sevastopol anti-aircraft batteries are being re-equipped with 1931 guns.

Due to the released obsolete 9K guns, the 3rd division of the three-battery composition (batteries No. 54, 55, 56) is being formed. The task of the division is to cover the city itself. The batteries were located in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bMaximov Dacha - Sapun Mountain. The location of the batteries was quite accurate.

The 73rd was located in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe modern Avtobat (m. Feolent), on its territory there is still a military unit. The remains were not identified due to the inaccessibility of the territory for inspection.

The 76th was on the cape, between the Omega b. and b. Kamyshovaya, behind the modern street. P. Korchagin. On its territory, there is also a military unit to this day. The remains have not been identified due to the inaccessibility of the territory.

The 74th was located not far from the former battery No. 24 (royal battery No. 15), in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe modern Victory Park, an Aquapark has now been built on its territory. Until recently, the remains of a blown up anti-aircraft battery were read under the layers of the abolished post-war military unit.

The 75th was located in Yukharinaya Balka in the area of ​​​​the modern high-rise building of the NPO Musson. The remains of the battery could not be identified, but good photos have been preserved.

The 77th was located above the Mekenzievy Gory station (height 60.0), now this height is called the height of the Heroes. The territory is planned for private development.

78th in the area of ​​​​the Northern Fortification, between the latter (now a military unit) and the sea. Dachas are now spread on its courtyards, one of the houses has a round shape, repeating the shape and size of the courtyard.

79th above the village of Belbek (Fruktove), located above the Lyubimovka-Fruktove road, about 1 km from the intersection of the Kachinsky highway and the Lyubimovka-Fruktove road. The battery was almost preserved, only the ceilings were torn off from it.

80th was in the area of ​​​​the modern village. Elm grove, between the village and the village "Bereg", on the territory of the former military unit. The remains of the battery are covered with buildings of the post-war military unit, but in some places the remains of old structures are visible.

The guns of the 3rd division covered the city itself. The 54th was on the farm of Lukomsky (now it is a military unit), it was not possible to examine it.

The 55th was located in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bmodern Ostryakov Avenue, near the old terminus of route 12 in an earthen redoubt, on the slope of a beam. Only the ammunition cellar rebuilt after the war has survived.

The 56th was located above the Inkerman-2 station (above the Kamenolomenny ravine). Now it is a military unit, but the remains of the battery were recognized in the post-war buildings.

In 1939, the 61st anti-aircraft artillery regiment received small-caliber anti-aircraft artillery. The 4th division of the regiment of three batteries is formed from it. Batteries No. 357, 358 and 359 included 6 pcs. 37mm anti-aircraft guns.

In the same year, the 11th battalion of remote observation, warning and communications of a three-company composition was formed. The battalion has 54 posts located throughout the Crimea. The battalion commander was appointed Art. l-t Krinitsky. In addition, a separate radar company is being formed (2 Rus-1 installations). The first transmitting station was at Cape Khersones, receiving stations at Cape Tarkhankut, Yevpatoria, Opolznevoe. The second transmitting station was located on the city of Ayu-Dag, receiving Yalta, Alushta Feodosia. In 1940, RUS-1 stations were replaced by more advanced RUS-2 type units.

The 215th division of barrage balloons appears as part of the air defense of the main base (commander - captain Shabalin, then captain Vakatov).

In April 1941 Colonel V.P. Gorsky becomes commander of the 61st ZenAP, early. headquarters Semenov I.K. Commissioner Shparberg L.S. The division commanders are: 1st division, Mr. Tumilovich, 2nd division, Mr. Khizhnyak, 3rd division, Mr. Rebedailo.

By the beginning of 1940, the regiment included 8 units. 85mm guns, model 1939, 24 pcs. 76mm guns 1931, 12 guns model 1915/28, 16 pcs. 37mm machine guns, 27 searchlight stations, 28 M-4 machine guns (quadruple installations of Maxim machine guns), 18 M-1 machine guns, 23 twin balloons. The regimental command post was a two-story bunker with two observation posts. It has survived to this day, in the area of ​​the former Kiriyaki farm.

In 1940, the obsolete 9K guns of the 3rd division were replaced by guns of the 1931 model, and a separate 114th anti-aircraft division was formed from the dismantled 9K guns ( Commander Mr. Andrianov). In addition, separate anti-aircraft divisions No. 26 in Evpatoria (commander Mr. F.P. Markhanko) and No. 56 in Feodosia (commander Mr. Kaminsky) were formed.

These divisions were not part of the 61st regiment, but it became the basis for the formation of their materiel and personnel.

At the beginning of the war, there were two separate mobile anti-aircraft batteries (No. 59 and No. 60) in Sevastopol. The first raid of the He-111 bombers of group II / KG 4 on the city is described in sufficient detail in the literature, and, probably, there is no point in repeating its description. Although there are some discrepancies in the description of events.

The first to open fire were anti-aircraft batteries of the 2nd division of the 61st anti-aircraft artillery regiment No. 74 ( commander l-t I.G. Kozovnik) and No. 75 (commander l-t I.P. Fastovets). They were supported by batteries No. 73 (commander junior lieutenant Kravchenko L.A.), No. 78 (commander l-t Zernov), No. 56 (commander l-t Eremenko).

So it has not yet been determined who shot down the first plane over Sevastopol, the 2nd artillery division of the regiment under the command of Mr. Khizhnyak, or a separate railway battery No. 59. But, anyway, the first German Heinkel fell in shallow water in Pesochnaya bay. The first victim among the ships, mines dropped from aircraft, was found on the same day. The mines blew up the SP-12 tug, which was returning after cleaning the artillery shields. 25 people died. When trying to get out of the bay to lift the German aircraft, the floating crane "SP-2" was lost.

Considering that the planes were coming in from the sea, and there was a threat of blocking the ships in the bay, on June 29, a combined anti-aircraft division was formed from the anti-aircraft artillery of military schools (commander Colonel L.P. Leontiev). The division is operationally subordinate to the 61st ZenAP

The division included:

2 batteries VMUBO 76mm (guns No. 3490-3493 made in 1938, and No. 87, 88, 67, 4 in 1935)

1 battery of 85mm guns from SUZA Major N.I. Podanov

8th anti-aircraft anti-aircraft battery (4x45mm)

Battery of 37mm anti-aircraft guns (2 guns), commander Lt. Reyzin.

The command post of the division was located on the former 9th tsarist battery (now the naval yacht club). The cover sector is the entrance to the bay.

The sector was covered But the mines had already been dropped. On July 1, the destroyer Bystry became a victim of German bottom mines. On July 1, 1941, it was sent to Nikolaev for repairs, and at about 14.00 the destroyer left the South Bay of Sevastopol. At 14.10, when passing the first line of booms (depth 14-16 m), there was a powerful explosion ground mine, exposed by a German aircraft.

Traditionally, it is customary to write that due to the 85mm SUZ guns, and guns from the mobilization stock on 06/26/41. the formation of 62 ZenAP has begun (commander N.S. Ushakov). This is not entirely true. Most of the 85mm guns from the mobilization reserve and the anti-aircraft artillery school were received by the 61st anti-aircraft artillery regiment, and the formation of the 71st (commander Lt. Becker), 92nd, 23rd (commander Mr. Medzhitov) and 24 th (senior lieutenant N.G. Kulikov) divisions of the 62nd anti-aircraft artillery regiment went at the expense of the "old" (76mm guns) of the 61st anti-aircraft artillery regiment, model 1931. So, for example, the 54th anti-aircraft battery received 85mm materiel, and its 76mm guns, model 1931. became the materiel of the 926th anti-aircraft battery (commander l-t A.S. Bely) of the newly formed 92nd division. The 55th battery handed over the materiel to the 927th (commander lieutenant G.V. Korzun) The 928th battery of the 92nd division received a new 85mm materiel.

After the 62nd anti-aircraft artillery regiment was formed, anti-aircraft batteries were redistributed. The 62nd ZenAP, which now covered the North Side, included the 1st Battalion of the 61st Regiment, and in return, the 61st ZenAP, which was entrusted with covering the South Side, received the newly formed, 71st Battalion of 76mm guns (commander of St. .l-t Becker) from the 62nd anti-aircraft artillery regiment.

By the end of July, 61 ZenAP included

71st division (batteries No. 227, 228, 229) all 76mm guns

2nd division (batteries no. 73, 74, 75, 76) all 85mm guns

3rd division (batteries no. 54, 55, 56) all 85mm guns

4th division (357, 358, 359) all 37mm guns

A little later, 4x37mm battery No. 360 (459) near Fort Konstantinovsky, and battery No. 370 (commander Mr. Kalugin N.S.), equipped with two shipboard shield sparks 81K, were formed and became part of the 61st ZenAP.

There were many guns and air defense systems. There was even a separate anti-aircraft battery, which was listed behind the OVR. She appeared in August 1941 had No. 3. The battery was floating, built from an experimental compartment that simulated the citadel of battleships of the " Soviet Union". On the compartment, they installed 2x130mm guns with EM "Fast", who died on mines when leaving the Sevastopol Bay on July 1, 1941. In addition, the battery had 3x76mm 34K guns (one - VMUBO training gun, two from the same EM) and three 37mm machine guns, a quad M-4 machine gun and two searchlights. They set up an unusual object on dead anchors, on the approach fairway a few miles from the coast.

In August, the 122nd anti-aircraft artillery regiment (commander Lieutenant Colonel A.V. Mukhryakov) arrived in Crimea from Nikolaev, consisting of the 1st, 36th, 70th, 85th divisions. The 1st division of this regiment took up positions in the Dzhankoy station). The 36th division (batteries No. 361, 362, 363), stood up to cover the Bekhteri-Prognoy airfield, the 85th division (batteries No. 851, 852, 853) covered the headquarters of the 51st Army in Simferopol, the 70th division (batteries No. 701, 702, 703) took up positions in the Skadovsk region. During the retreat from the Crimea, all these divisions ended up in Sevastopol, although, at the same time, they suffered serious losses.

By the end of October, a paradoxical situation arose in Sevastopol, when 90% of the anti-aircraft guns of the Black Sea Fleet were concentrated in the city.

During the retreat from Odessa, the 73rd ZenAP arrived in Sevastopol, pulled back from the Crimea

114th anti-aircraft division (Sarabuz), created on 07/07/41 (12x76mm 1915/1928, commander major G. I. Andrianov)

26th anti-aircraft division (Yevpatoria).

25th anti-aircraft division. (Lake Donuzlav).

But from the beginning of November 1941, a sharp outflow of anti-aircraft artillery from the city began. The 73rd anti-aircraft artillery regiment departed, the 122nd ZenAP also departed, moreover, the guns that departed from Sevastopol did not always belong to these regiments. Parts in the Crimean battles suffered losses, and the lack of materiel was compensated for by the artillery of the units remaining in Sevastopol. So, it was during this period that the 80th anti-aircraft battery was “rearmed” from 85mm to 76mm guns of 1931. The battery gives its guns to be sent to the "mainland", and instead of them it receives the materiel of the former cadet battery Art. Lieutenant Dolgov (from the combined division of Colonel L.P. Leontiev).

In connection with the evacuation of a clear structure until November 21, 1941. did not have. The army men obeyed "their" command, the navy - their own. The situation was aggravated by the fact that on November 19, the commander of the air defense of the Black Sea Fleet, Colonel Zhilin, left Sevastopol. But, oddly enough, the "evacuation" continued after November 15th.

Thus, it is generally accepted to write that on November 23, on board the Kursk transport, “fleet property unnecessary for defense” was taken out of Sevastopol. The 23rd anti-aircraft division of the 62nd anti-aircraft artillery regiment, including the 214th 85-mm three-gun battery, the 215th 85-mm four-gun battery, and the 216th 85-mm three-gun battery, turned out to be “unnecessary property”, among other things.

By order of I.E. Petrov, two mixed regiments are formed from naval and army batteries:

1st ZenAP (1st, 2nd, 3rd divisions of the 61st ZenAP, 92nd division of the Black Sea Fleet) commander Lieutenant Colonel Semenov

2nd ZenAP (3rd army, 19th army, 114th Black Sea Fleet, 55th Black Sea Fleet divisions) commander Colonel Kukharenko

But this situation was purely formal. The 1st anti-aircraft artillery regiment, which consisted only of naval batteries, still considered itself the 61st regiment.

It is usually customary to write that in early December 1941. from Sevastopol, the 62nd anti-aircraft artillery regiment left to cover the Caucasian bases. Indeed, on December 3, 18 anti-aircraft guns left on board the Krasny Kavkaz cruiser, and on the 5th, another 4 guns on the Fabricius transport. Total 22pcs. Everything seems to match, but...

Let's remember what divisions the 62nd anti-aircraft regiment consisted of. Logically, half of the regiment should have already been in the Caucasus. What then was taken out of Sevastopol? The 62nd regiment departed as part of:

24th ZenAD:

218th 85-mm three-gun battery;

73rd 85-mm three-gun battery;

74th 85-mm four-gun battery.

71st ZenAD:

55th 85-mm four-gun battery;

56th 85-mm four-gun battery;

76th 85-mm four-gun battery.

Anti-aircraft gun battalion,

Searchlight Battalion

Total 22pcs. 85mm guns; 18 M-4 machine guns; 12 M-1 machine guns; 27 searchlight stations. Those. at least five batteries were taken from the 61st Anti-Aircraft Regiment. All? Unfortunately no. The 4th small-caliber division of anti-aircraft guns as part of anti-aircraft batteries No. 358, 359, and, partially, 357 (16 guns in total) are also taken from the 61st anti-aircraft artillery regiment. Sevastopol by the beginning of the 2nd assault was left almost without anti-aircraft cover. Everyone was preparing for a grand landing operation. But the guns that left to prepare the landing did not return back ...

What anti-aircraft batteries remained in the city for the period of the 2nd assault? I'll try to make a list. As of January 1, 1942 In Sevastopol there are:

61st ZenAP

1st division (batteries No. 78 (3x85mm), 79 (4x76mm), 80 (4x76mm))

2nd Division (batteries No. 229 (2x76mm), 75 (2x85mm), 81, also 370 (two sparks 81K 4x76mm))

3rd division (batteries No. 54 (4x85mm), 926 (2x76mm), 927 (3x76mm))

92nd division (batteries No. 364 (4x76mm 1915/28), 928(3x85mm), 227(1x76mm))

Searchlight battalion of the 61st regiment (two-company)

Anti-aircraft machine-gun battalion (three-company)

50th division (batteries No. 501 (551), 502 (552), 503 (553), 357, 360 (459)) Total 12x45mm, 3x37mm.

114th division (batteries No. 219 (4x76mm, 1938), 365 (1x76mm 1915/28), 366 (1x76mm, 1915/28)

19th division (army batteries No. 1, 2, 3) 10x85mm

3rd division (army batteries No. 1, 2, 3) 10x85mm

searchlight company

Anti-aircraft machine gun company

In addition, the divisions of the Primorsky Army included the 175th anti-aircraft division of the 40th cavalry division (8 guns) and the 677th division (6 guns), distributed in a battery between divisions. This structure, with minor changes, lasted until May 1942, when an air defense base area was created in Sevastopol.

What can be said based on these data? Old guns and batteries were left in Sevastopol, which had already suffered losses. So, the 229th battery, already in early November 1941. in repulsing an air raid and repelling an enemy attack along the Kara-Koba valley, she lost one gun. The 75th battery, repelling enemy attacks on November 7-12, also lost one gun.

Consider the state of air defense by the end of the 2nd assault. Anti-aircraft gunners suffered quite serious losses, both in materiel and in personnel. Losses were 147 killed and 315 wounded.

P.A. Morgunov writes in his book Heroic Sevastopol: “In early May, by order of the People’s Commissariat of the Navy, the Sevastopol air defense base area was formed as part of the SOR. Colonel A. M. Khlebnikov was appointed head of this district, battalion commissar A. Ya. Konobritsky was appointed military commissar, and Colonel I. K. Semenov was appointed chief of staff. As of May 20, the base area included:

61st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (commander - Lieutenant Colonel V.P. Gorsky) consisting of:

2nd (batteries No. 75, 229, 370, 851 - three 85-mm and ten 76.2-mm guns),

3rd (batteries No. 54, 926, 927 - three 85-mm and eight 76.2-mm guns)

4th (batteries No. 459, 357 - eight 37-mm guns) divisions;

the newly formed 110th anti-aircraft artillery regiment (commander - Colonel V. A. Matveev), consisting of

1st (formerly 61st regiment: batteries No. 78, 79, 80 - four 85-mm and eight 76.2-mm guns),

114th (batteries No. 219, 365, 366 - ten 76.2-mm guns)

55th (batteries No. 551, 552, 553 - twelve 45-mm guns) divisions;

92nd Separate Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion (batteries No. 277, 364, 928 - three 85-mm and six 76.2-mm guns) with floating battery No. 3 attached to it (four 76.2-mm and three 37-mm guns).

In addition, there were three anti-aircraft machine gun companies (12 M-4 machine guns) and support equipment (three searchlight companies and a VNOS company with a radar installation). The base area also included air defense artillery of the Primorsky Army.

For ease of management, the Sevastopol base area was divided into three combat areas: Northern (110th anti-aircraft artillery regiment), Southern (61st anti-aircraft artillery regiment) and Chersonesos (92nd separate anti-aircraft artillery division). The enumeration of anti-aircraft artillery took a long time, and it seems that the city was reliably covered from the air, but ...

Unfortunately, most of the guns were badly worn out, due to the lack of ammunition. Let's examine the quote carefully.

61st ZenAP

Sector of responsibility: city side of Sevastopol.

The 2nd division of the 61st regiment (commander of the division, Mr. Khizhnyak) is:

Three, repaired many times, 85mm cannons of the long-suffering 75th battery (commander of Art. Lt. Fastovets), located in the area of ​​​​the Chersonesos Reserve,

Three 76mm guns, model 1931 The 229th battery (commander st. l-t Startsev), which came out of repair, they were in a stationary, fortified position near the modern NPO "Musson"

Four shafts of two stationary twin installations 81K in the area of ​​Staraya Battery No. 10 (Cape Martynov)

Three completely worn-out stationary guns of the 1915/28 model, which belonged to the consolidated battery, which was assigned the number 851 (to replace the battery of the 85th division that died in the Crimea), previously these were the guns of the 365th and 366th batteries. On it were guns badly damaged during the 2nd assault. Her positions were in the area of ​​​​Yukharina beam (now it is the area of ​​\u200b\u200bdachas)

3rd division of the 61st regiment (commander Mr. D.M.Rebedailo):

Three 85mm guns of the 54th battery (commander of senior lieutenant V. Syusyura), one gun, after repairs were not returned to the battery, but given to the 75th battery, which is why the battery became three-gun.

Four 76mm guns, mod. 1931 batteries No. 926 (commander of senior l-t A. Bely), were located in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bMakimov's dacha-farm of Lukomsky. They were also not new, but restored from the guns broken during the 2nd assault, using the details of two training anti-aircraft guns of the VMUBO school.

Four 76mm guns, mod. 1931 Batteries No. 927 (commander Sergeant Lt Korzun) were in good condition, but had significant wear and tear on the materiel.

The 4th small-caliber division consisted of:

357th battery (three 37mm naval anti-aircraft guns, two of which were installed on cars in February)

The 459th battery (former 360th battery, commander of senior lieutenant Reizin) included two barrels of an experimental 37mm automatic twin installation 66K at Fort Konstantinovsky, a 37mm stationary anti-aircraft gun installed there, and two mobile 37mm installations.

110th ZenAP

1st division (commander Mr. S.V. Tumilovich):

Four 85mm guns of battery No. 78 (commander, senior lieutenant Vengerovsky)

Four 76mm guns, mod. 31g. battery No. 79 (commander, senior l-t Alyushin)

Four 76mm guns, mod. 31g. batteries No. 80 (commander, senior lieutenant Pyanzin)

114th division (according to E.A. Ignatovich, it was commanded by senior political instructor Barakin, but the data needs to be clarified)

Three old 76mm guns, model 1915/28. 365th anti-aircraft battery (commander st. l-t Vorobyov)

Three old 76mm guns, model 1915/28. 366th anti-aircraft battery (commander l-t Samoilov)

Four 76mm guns, model 1938, battery No. 219 (commander st. l-t Limonov)

55th division (former 50th, commander Mr. Buryachenko)

553rd battery (commander of senior l-t Volovik) as part of a battery of 4 21K guns mounted on collapsible bases

552nd battery (commander senior l-t Shishlyaev) as part of a battery of 4 21K guns mounted on collapsible bases

The 551st battery (commander st. l-t Belenko) consists of a battery of 4 21K guns, two of which are installed permanently, and two on collapsible bases.

All three batteries were divided into two semi-batteries with two guns each.

92nd separate division.

227th battery Art. Lieutenant Grigorov 3 guns of 1931 (one "native", two from remaster, due to disbanded batteries)

364th battery of senior l-ta Anokhin 3 guns, model 1915/28. (very worn out)

928th battery - three guns, caliber 85mm.

One of critical factors that influenced the collapse of the Sevastopol defense was the dominance of German aviation in the air. The most important component of air defense is anti-aircraft artillery and its aids. This is an axiom. Unfortunately, anti-aircraft artillery could not be saved.

In May 1942, the 61st anti-aircraft artillery regiment reliably covered the City side of Sevastopol, the anti-aircraft gunners scored many glorious victories, many of which are confirmed by German documents. But at the beginning of the assault, the anti-aircraft guns of Sevastopol threw most of their ammunition into the sky. Only two days on June 2-3, 1942. anti-aircraft gunners of the Black Sea Fleet fired 15 thousand shells.

Let's digress from the victories of anti-aircraft gunners (and there were quite a few of them). Consider the circumstances of the death of anti-aircraft batteries of the 61st anti-aircraft artillery regiment.

The first from the 61st regiment was hit by the 926th anti-aircraft battery st. Lieutenant A.S. Bely, located in the area of ​​​​the Lukomsky farm. A battery with a glorious history, which received the title of sniper, did not change position for too long. E.A. Ignatovich in his manuscript “Air Defense of the Black Sea Fleet in the Defense of Sevastopol” describes the events as follows: “On May 25 at 10:30 am, the 926th anti-aircraft battery was bombarded from the air and shelled. 20 dive bombers staged a "carousel". While diving, the planes dropped bombs 5-7 times but the battery, and the enemy batteries conducted intense artillery fire. firing position was mutilated by funnels, navels, instruments, communications failed; engineering structures were destroyed, fires broke out. More than two hundred bombs and shells exploded at the firing position, ... From a direct hit of a shell in command post one of the first order-bearers in the regiment was killed, the battery commander senior lieutenant

Bely Anatoly Sidorovich and the sailors Drozd and Dudenkov ... ". As a result of the raid, three guns were put out of action at once, more than half of the personnel died. The battery was almost completely disabled. What is the reason? Disabling an anti-aircraft battery if it is in long-term positions is quite difficult.

The thing is that the enemy struck "at the right time, in the right place." The blow was dealt just when the battery was unloading the ammunition that arrived the day before on the A. Serov transport. It was not without betrayal, before the start of the shelling, and 30 minutes before the air raid, next to the battery, someone lit an old car ramp, giving a smoke signal. The blow turned out to be painful, two guns could not be restored. The gun remaining in service was pulled to the Maksimova Dacha area, to a closed position, the second one was sent for repairs.

It is noteworthy that the successful German air strikes on anti-aircraft batteries were combined. Anti-aircraft gunners were forced to fight simultaneously with ground and air targets. It was possible to restore two guns of the battery and install them in a hollow below the sanatorium of the Black Sea Fleet. Lieutenant V.I. Slukin headed the battery.

June 11 was the last day for the 54th anti-aircraft battery on the Kamchatka lunette. She exactly repeated the fate of the 926th battery. The sequence of events was as follows:

At 02.35 transport "Bialystok" (captain MP Rymkus) arrived from Novorossiysk to Sevastopol. 227 tons of artillery ammunition were delivered by transport. From the memoirs of A.G. Volovik: “On June 11, at night, the Bialystok moored at the refrigerator. 130 and 85mm ammunition arrived on it, which was taken to Malakhov Kurgan .... ". From the memoirs of E.A. Ignatovich: “... On the morning of June 11, shells were brought to the 54th battery. Full ammo. It was possible to unload at the northern slope, in front of the enemy; in another place the car is not

pass: solid funnels. Unload something unloaded, but did not have time to cover. The Nazis, who were standing not far away, immediately reacted - both from the air and from the ground, they rained down a hurricane of fire on the battery.

Anti-aircraft gunners took an unequal battle. Two Heinkels were shot down, the rest were driven away. But it was not possible to cope with the heavy artillery located behind the mountain range. And Green Hill at the enemy had been shot for a long time and a direct hit on the ammunition pile did its job: the position turned into a real hell. The shells exploded and littered everything around with fragments. The rangefinder and fire control device were smashed, the guns were smashed to smithereens.

The shelters on the battery were reliable, but in battle you have to work, act. And now thirteen people have died, many have severe wounds. And the battery lived, fought. During the night they equipped a new position and, in anticipation of the guns, climbed into the cockpit. There, a half-ton aerial bomb covered eight more.

Almost unarmed, with one M-4 and light carbines, the batterymen fought with two dozen "musicians". When the quadruple "Maxim" fell silent - the entire crew led by Stepan Vodyanitsky died - the dive-bombers finally became insolent: they shot the now defenseless anti-aircraft gunners from a low level.

My battle-tested deputy Volodya Syusyura, the modest trouble-free driver Misha Krysanov, and the magician-cook Ashot Avakyan died. Commanders Poltavets and Rybak, the commander of the instrumentation department Serobaba, the hard-working hard worker Shkurko and many license plates, who, thanks to the efforts of the wounded Nikolai Zhushman and Boris Yefimov, were nevertheless managed to be transported to the hospital during the continuous battle, were seriously injured.

Only Marchenko with his lads from the usual “tar” was still fighting off the predatory flock of air pirates, until a heavy bomb that hit the parapet completely buried the entire crew. Almost at the same time, a direct hit from an artillery shell blew up the BKP, where the signalmen were located. The squad leader junior sergeant Litvinov, telephonists Bobrovnikov and Shumilin, radio operator Kolomiytsev were killed. The few survivors were temporarily assigned to the air defense headquarters of the fleet ... ". This is not entirely true, three guns and a range finder failed, one surviving gun was transferred to a spare position forward, to Kilen-beam. The remnants of the battery were headed by l-t Semyonov.

On the same days, the 927th anti-aircraft battery also suffered heavy losses, the scenario is the same, the result is similar. A combined strike by artillery and aircraft, near one of the guns, a folded ammunition explodes, two guns and two crews perish.

By June 15, 1942, the 61st anti-aircraft regiment operates: stationary anti-aircraft battery No. 370 (two twin 76mm gun mounts), battery No. 927 (2 guns), 45mm battery No. 553 has two guns in its composition. All other anti-aircraft guns have been pulled to the area of ​​Cape Khersones. Those. the city was left almost without anti-aircraft guns. What is the reason for such high losses? Actually, there are three reasons:

The first, objective, is that the enemy really concentrated quite a lot of aircraft near Sevastopol. The enemy simply knocked out the batteries with massive air raids in combination with artillery shelling.

The second reason is more difficult to describe, but it is related to the first. It consists in the forced combination of air defense with anti-tank defense. The combination is highly undesirable. The batteries were forced to be placed in open positions, which made it possible to knock out guns with artillery fire and aircraft (which was used by the Germans). In addition, the batteries themselves were forced to fight simultaneously on two fronts, which reduced the effectiveness of both anti-aircraft and anti-tank fire.

The third reason seems to be obvious, but has a number of important details. The reason is the lack of anti-aircraft ammunition. The Sevastopol command "stepped on its own tail." It did not retain a reserve of guns (including anti-aircraft guns) and shells for receiving transports with ammunition.

By June 22, only three army and four naval anti-aircraft guns were operating on the South Side, except for the guns of the anti-aircraft batteries of Cape Khersones. The 851st battery was killed, the 75th was silent, the guns of the 229th battery were completely disabled, the 927th was destroyed. On the 20th, the “Don’t Touch Me” floating battery dies from enemy aircraft. Rifle units were completely defenseless from air attacks.

Trying to somehow compensate for the death of anti-aircraft artillery, the 78th battery is removed from Cape Chersonese. She occupied positions at Inkerman, on June 19th she was transferred to Malakhov Kurgan, on the 21st in the area of ​​the Kommunarov cemetery. Constantly changing positions, it covers the Soviet units for some time, but what can one anti-aircraft battery do, where more than 200 guns are required? On June 27th, the battery was returned to Cape Khersones, and the last two 85mm army artillery guns were pulled here.

In order to preserve the cadres of anti-aircraft gunners, the training of which requires considerable time, the evacuation of the air defense officers to the mainland was begun. They don't write about it, but it's true. Moreover, four guns are being taken out of Sevastopol to the Caucasus. It’s not worth condemning the command for this, it catastrophically lacks ammunition. They also take out the documents of the batteries, the banner of the regiment. To be more precise, the banner should have been changed. June 18 "... For the courage shown in battles with the Nazi invaders, for steadfastness and courage, discipline and organization, heroism of personnel", by order of the People's Commissar Navy Union of the SSR N.G. Kuznetsova, the regiment was transformed into the 1st Guards Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment of the Black Sea Fleet.

In fact, the regiment died in Sevastopol. Almost all of his personnel remained in the Sevastopol land. The entire command staff of the regiment is listed as missing on July 2-3, 1942. Including: regiment commander lieutenant colonel V.P. Gorsky, commander of the 2nd division, Mr. Khizhnyak, commander of the 3rd division, major Rebedailo, commander of the 4th division, st-l-t Sariev, 80% of battery commanders. Of the rank and file of the regiment, only 9% survived. Basically, these are those who were taken out wounded. The rest have the same entry in their personal files: “disappeared on July 3, 1942.” Objectively speaking, the regiment ceased to exist. In the lists of the Black Sea Fleet, for 1942, the regiment does not appear in any document. But…

The banner of the regiment was preserved, and it was decided to keep it. On March 14, 1943, the Guards Banner was presented to the regiment by Vice Admiral Oktyabrsky. The regiment was revived fighting formation was only in September 1943, when he was transferred to the 23rd division of the 73rd anti-aircraft artillery regiment from Tuapse (batteries No. 214, 215, 216, in total, 10 pieces of 85mm guns). A little later, due to the arrival of new guns and reorganization, the 2nd and 3rd divisions of the regiment were formed.

Instead of the taken 23rd division, a “new” 92nd division was formed in the 73rd ZenAP, bearing the number of the anti-aircraft division that died in Sevastopol. As of October 1943 in the 1st Guards Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment there are 33 pieces. 85mm guns, anti-aircraft machine gun battalion, searchlight company. In the autumn of 1943, in the Poti naval base, an air defense base area was formed, consisting of the 1st (85 mm - 33 pieces), 122nd (76 mm - 34 pieces) and 65th (76 mm - 24 pieces .) anti-aircraft artillery regiments.

The 65th ZenAP was received from the former Kerch naval base. The 85-mm guns of this regiment (135th division) were transferred to the 1st Guards ZenAP for its reinforcement. Those. The regiment was reassembled piece by piece.

Already after the capture of Sevastopol In August 1944, by order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the USSR Armed Forces, the regiment was given the honorary name "Sevastopol" (1st Guards Anti-Aircraft Artillery Sevastopol Regiment).

The regiment returned to its hometown only in January 1945, after the main naval base was transferred from Poti to Sevastopol. It was already a completely different military unit, but until 1947 the regiment proudly bore the title of the 1st Sevastopol.