Researchers of the military history of Chuvashia, although not intentionally, still deprived their attention of the 14th reserve Cheboksary rifle brigade. Many books, brochures and press publications were devoted to the combat path of the 139, 140, 141, 324 rifle divisions. Streets were named in honor of these divisions, and museums of military glory were created. But about the 14th reserve rifle Cheboksary brigade (renamed a division in 1944), you rarely see a couple of lines of information in any reference publication on the history of the Armed Forces of the USSR and Russia. And on the Internet there are only a few replicas of its correct name and possible location.
THE FORGOTTEN BRIGADE
Meanwhile, unlike the divisions listed above, the 14th Infantry Reserve was stationed in the republic not for 2–3 months, but for a whole 2.5(!) years. And this is the only military unit in the history of the USSR that bore the official name “Cheboksary”. In the 14th, it was not 10-11 thousand recruits who put on military uniforms, but tens of times more.
Don’t let the word “reserve” confuse readers - many soldiers at the front admitted that it was much more difficult for them in the reserve regiment. And these difficulties (according to the principle “hard in training - easy in battle”) then helped the fighters survive and emerge victorious from the most difficult battles.
The gap regarding the 14th Reserve Rifle Brigade, of course, must be filled. And for several years now, the search club “Nabat” of Cheboksary school No. 57 has been researching the history of this brigade.
ON THE SECOND DAY OF THE WAR
Each state has a carefully developed mobilization plan in case of war with a potential enemy. By 1941, the Soviet Union also had such a plan. In accordance with the mob plan kept in the Tula Regional Military Commissariat, the formation of the 14th reserve rifle brigade and the recruitment of the male population from the regions of the Moscow Military District began. Let us clarify: from 1935 until November 1941, our republic was part of the Volga-Ural Military District (and only then became part of the Moscow Military District), so in the initial period of the brigade’s existence there were not many of our fellow countrymen in its composition.
Already on the second day of the war, June 23, the 14th reserve rifle brigade was organized consisting of the 1st reserve rifle regiment (ZSP), 95th ZSP, 58th ZSP, 7th reserve artillery regiment (ZAP), 47 1st separate communications battalion and 39th separate sapper battalion. The brigade and regiments were stationed in the Tula region in the cities of Belev, Efremov, Tula and in the Tesnitsky camps, Serpukhov, Moscow region.
But the front was rapidly approaching. And on October 8, 1941, the 14th reserve rifle brigade received an order for the regiments to withdraw (regular units of the Red Army took up the defense in their place). And on October 13, 1941, the relocation of the brigade with all regiments to the Chuvash Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic began. 
FATHERS-COMMANDERS
The brigade was undoubtedly lucky with its commanders. Usually it was precisely these people at the front that soldiers called “father”: he would take off three skins during the exercises, but would do everything to ensure that the soldier remained alive in battle.
Let's start, as it should be, from the head, from the brigade commander. Joseph Nikitich (as in his service record card, in award documents he is presented as Nikitovich) Makarov, a native of the Gdovsky district of the Pskov (now Leningrad) region, managed to serve in the tsarist army as a junior non-commissioned officer of the Volyn Life Guards Regiment. Moreover, the soldiers themselves chose him for this position.
During the Civil War, the future divisional commander fights on the northwestern and southern fronts. In 1918, a 22-year-old guy, a platoon commander of the 1st Gdov Soviet company, was accepted into membership of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks). Colonel Makarov met the Great Patriotic War as the head of the Novograd-Volyn Infantry School.
In November 1941, an experienced officer was sent to Cheboksary to organize the work of the 14th reserve rifle brigade. Almost two years before his appointment, in July 1943, Joseph Nikitich devoted himself as commander of a separate officer brigade of the Moscow Military District to the formation of a full-fledged 14th reserve rifle brigade and the preparation of marching companies for the front. 
“...He manages well the combat and political training of the brigade, putting a lot of work and energy into it, with hard work and skillful leadership he brought the brigade to one of the first places in the district, the marching reinforcements sent by the brigade are prepared to carry out combat missions. For the great work done in putting together a brigade and good preparation of reinforcements for the front, Comrade Makarov is worthy of being awarded the Order of the Red Star,” you can read in the award sheet for Colonel Makarov. However, this was not the only award of Joseph Makarov - by the end of the war, his chest, along with many medals, was decorated with two Orders of the Red Star and the Order of Lenin.
Colonel Makarov was replaced as commander of the 14th ZSBr by a native of the Voronezh region, Lieutenant Colonel Mikhail Vasilyevich Reshetnikov. And the Civil War is behind him. Before his appointment to the brigade, Lieutenant Colonel Reshetnikov managed to fight the Nazis as commander of the 17th Infantry Regiment of the 32nd Infantry Division, and commanded a reserve cadet regiment. After a five-month probationary period, on December 29, 1943, Lieutenant Colonel Reshetnikov was appointed commander of the 14th ZSB. It was under Reshetnikov that the brigade was given the name “14th Cheboksary Reserve Rifle Brigade.” Under him, the brigade was renamed into a division. Colonel Reshetnikov was transferred to the reserve (he received a promotion in rank in May 1945) under Art. 43 (by age) in May 1947 with distinctive insignia on shoulder straps and the right to wear military uniform.
TO KANASH ON FOOT, TO CHEBOKSARY BY BARGE
The redeployment of the 14th ZSBr to Chuvashia was quite unexpected for the republic. The brigade's regiments had already been moving toward Chuvashia for the second week when the Council of People's Commissars of the Republic and the regional committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks finally considered the issue of deploying the formation. This was partly due to the fact that Chuvashia was not part of the Moscow Military District until November 25, 1941.
Of course, for such a small republic as ours, the appearance of a reserve rifle brigade in addition to the emerging military units was a big burden. In order for the reader to understand the quantitative composition of the brigade, I will give only the total number of names from the alphabetical book of brigade officers - 2988. Of course, they did not serve at the same time, but still. In Cheboksary, premises assigned to the emerging 324th Infantry Division were allocated to accommodate the brigade (its management and the 95th ZSP): the educational building of the Agricultural Institute and its dormitory on the street. K. Marx and State Farm, the building and dormitory of the obstetric school, the educational building and dormitories of the Theater School, the dormitory of the pedagogical school, the building of the Music School with dormitories, the building and dormitory of the construction technical school, the building of the Law School...
By the way, initially it was planned to station the 58th reserve rifle regiment in Cheboksary. On October 13–14, 1941, this regiment received an order to redeploy and on October 23 it was transported by rail to Cheboksary. Here the organizational formation of the regiment began with reinforcements from among the commanding officers and rank and file. But the regiment did not have time to gain a foothold in Cheboksary - it was necessary to vacate the already occupied premises for the brigade control that arrived in the city. And the 58th ZSP was redeployed to Kanash and the surrounding areas. One can only imagine how the soldiers cursed as they stomped through the autumn frost to Kanash. “They could have landed there right away,” everyone thought...
The 95th Reserve Infantry Regiment, also part of the brigade, made its way to the republic not without incident. It was formed on the third day of the war in the city of Efremov, Tula Region, on the basis of the 388th Infantry Regiment of the 172nd Infantry Division, which had left for the front. On October 12, a regiment of 13 thousand soldiers and commanders with all equipment began redeployment to the Chuvash Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic along the route Efremov - Zaraysk - Orekhovo-Zuevo - Vladimir - Gorky.
In Gorky, the regiment was loaded onto barges for further movement along the Volga. But due to early freeze-up, we had to unload in Vasilsursk and move on on foot through Yadrin. In total, the regiment covered more than 1,200 km of travel and only by November 21 was stationed in the villages of the Urmar and Kozlovsky districts.
Only in May 1942, after the formed divisions had left for the front and the remaining units had established normal life and food, the regiment was redeployed to Cheboksary and placed in a field camp on the left bank of the Volga. In May 1944, the regiment was redeployed to the city of Kalinin.
TRAINING FOR THE FRONT
The structural units of the reserve rifle division were located not only in Cheboksary and Kanash. They were also based in Vurnary, Kugesy, Tsivilsk... The brigade carried out targeted training of conscripts in various military specialties. The training period was a maximum of six months, then the soldiers as part of marching companies were sent to the front.
Already in the first year of the brigade’s stay in Chuvashia, more than 170 thousand soldiers were trained and sent to the front as marching reinforcements. In addition, the brigade had been training junior lieutenants since 1941. In fact, the brigade also served as a regular military school.
The soldiers trained by the brigade fought at the front with honor. One of these valiant warriors is Hero of the Soviet Union Stepan Illarionov from the village of Kivsert-Yanishevo, Vurnarsky district, who became famous as part of the 158th Infantry Regiment of the 51st Infantry Division of the 1st Baltic Front...
(To be continued)
Evgeny SHUMILOV,
chairman of the regional branch council
OOD "Search Movement of Russia"
Photo from the Central collections
archive of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and from the website: sovinformburo.com
MAIN MILESTONES IN THE HISTORY OF THE 14TH RESERVE RIFLE BRIGADE
November 5, 1941 “The brigade and regiments began work in a new place in the Chuvash Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic” (from the Historical Form of the 14th Reserve Rifle Brigade). Basis - order for brigade No. 158 dated October 13, 1941.
January 1942 The brigade moved to new states. An additional 359 reserve rifle regiment, a 47 separate communications company (transformed from a battalion), a separate chemical reconnaissance company, and a 58 reserve rifle regiment were formed.
February 1943. By Order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR No. 90 dated February 19, 1943 and the directive of the Moscow Military District dated February 22–24, 1943, the brigade was given the name “14th Cheboksary Reserve Rifle Brigade”
July 1943 A separate anti-tank artillery division was formed.
September 1943 The 18th separate penal battalion was formed.
April - May 1944 The 14th reserve rifle Cheboksary brigade was redeployed to the city of Kalinin and the Kalinin region.
From May 6 to May 10, 1944, all regiments of the brigade received regimental banners.
On May 30, 1944, the 14th reserve rifle Cheboksary brigade was renamed the 14th reserve rifle division Cheboksary. Basis: Order of the People's Commissar of Defense No. 71 dated May 1, 1944 and Directive of the Military Council of the Moscow Military District No. 18242 dated May 30, 1944.
May 31, 1946 The 14th Cheboksary reserve rifle division and its regiments were completely disbanded.
TO Ilputa Vasily Ilyich - scout of the foot reconnaissance platoon of the 137th Guards Rifle Regiment (47th Guards Rifle Division, 8th Guards Army, 1st Belorussian Front) guard junior sergeant - at the time of nomination for awarding the Order of Glory, 1st degree.
Born on February 25, 1918 in the village of Dinskaya, now Dinsky district of the Krasnodar Territory, in a peasant family. Russian. Graduated from 4th grade. In 1936 he graduated from a tractor driver course, and before being drafted into the army he worked as a tractor driver at a machine and tractor station in the Dinsky district.
In November 1939, he was drafted into the Red Army by the Plastunovsky district military registration and enlistment office of the Krasnodar Territory. He served in the city of Vitebsk, in the 56th corps artillery regiment as commander of the traction department.
Since June 1941, as part of his regiment, he participated in battles with the invaders near the city of Grodno. Two months later, in August, he was captured. He was kept in concentration camp No. 11 in the city of Molodechno (Belarus). In December 1943, while being transported to Germany, he escaped.
In January 1944, he crossed the front line in the offensive zone of the 8th Guards Army. The 149th Army Reserve Rifle Regiment was sent, and after passing the test - to the 137th Guards Rifle Regiment of the 47th Guards Rifle Division. He served with this unit until the end of the war.
On August 1-3, 1944, in the battle for the village of Studzianka (northeast of the city of Radom, Poland), the Red Army soldier Kilputa was among the first to break into an enemy stronghold, killing over 10 soldiers.
P By order of the commander of the 47th Guards Rifle Division (No. 93/n) dated August 26, 1944, Red Army soldier Vasily Ilyich Kilputa was awarded the Order of Glory, 3rd degree (No. 126546).
In February 1945, Guard junior sergeant Vasily Ilyich Kilput, as part of a group of machine gunners, crossed the Oder River near the city of Küstrin (now the city of Kostrzyn, Poland), penetrated behind enemy lines and established the location of his firing points and the area of infantry concentration. In the ensuing battle, he defeated several Nazis, and promptly reported information about the enemy to the command. In subsequent battles on the bridgehead, he destroyed 12 enemy soldiers and captured a non-commissioned officer.
P By the order for the troops of the 8th Guards Army (No. 498/n) of February 27, 1945, the guard junior sergeant Vasily Ilyich Kilput was awarded the Order of Glory, 2nd degree (No. 25390).
In May 1945, in the battle for the city of Berlin, Guard junior sergeant Kilputa was one of the first to cross the Spree River, identified the positions of enemy mortar and anti-aircraft batteries, and transmitted their coordinates to headquarters. In a street battle, he destroyed four Faust soldiers, suppressed a large-caliber machine gun, and destroyed a group of machine gunners. He was wounded, but remained in service.
In October 1945, Guard Sergeant Major Kilputa was demobilized. Returned to his homeland in Stavropol.
U By the order of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on May 15, 1946, for the courage, bravery and fearlessness shown in battles with the Nazi invaders at the final stage of the war, Guard Junior Sergeant Vasily Ilyich Kilputa was awarded the Order of Glory, 1st degree (No. 2943). Became a full holder of the Order of Glory.
Lived in the village of Dinskaya. He worked as a tractor driver at the Oktyabr collective farm, as a plumber at a utility plant, and as a salesman at a department store in the village of Dinskaya. Since 1978 - retired. Died on December 29, 1993. He was buried in the cemetery of the village of Dinskaya.
Awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree, Glory, 3rd degree, medals, including “For Courage” (08/14/1944).
The 267th reserve rifle regiment was part of the 36th reserve rifle brigade. Write to TsAMO to check which unit you were sent to. Further search depending on the answer received. The 36th Zsbr was stationed in Leningrad and its environs. It included: 48, 78, 267, 389 zsp, 4 zap. artillery regiment, as well as several battalions of convalescent and special companies (sapper, communications, chemical). Throughout the war, the brigade was engaged in preparing marching reinforcements for units of the Active Army, sending marching companies and teams to formations of the Leningrad Front. The 36th Zsbr reported directly to Lenfront headquarters. 2. TsAMO has a card index of persons who passed through the reserve regiments and battalions of the 36th reserve rifle brigade, which was stationed in Leningrad. Before being wounded, Ivan Yakovlevich fought in the 1078th Infantry Regiment of the 314th Infantry Division. This division also fought near Leningrad. "At the end of September 1942, the formation was redeployed to the Volkhov Front, where it was subordinated to the 2nd Shock Army. The division launched counterattacks to relieve the blockade of those surrounded in the Sinyavino area during the Sinyavino offensive operation, delivering counterattacks to relieve the blockade of the army and restored the front in the Gaitolovo area. In just two days of fighting in the Gaitolovo area, the division lost three thousand people killed and missing. As part of the 2nd Shock Army of the Volkhov Front, it participated in the offensive operation "Iskra" (01/14-30/1943). "attacked on the extreme left flank of the 2nd Shock Army's offensive in the Gaitolovo-Gontovaya Lipka area and did not advance far. During 1943, it waged constant battles in the same area." And he was treated in a Leningrad hospital. Type of medical institution: Evacuation hospital 1448 Place of deployment: Leningrad Area of deployment: Leningrad region The medical institution was located in this area from 07/20/1942 to 01/15/1945 Additional information: engineering castle, ld 11, post office box 159 On the website Feat of the People there is Bocharov Ivan Yakovlevich, senior sergeant-cook, awarded the medal "For the Defense of Leningrad". The medals were presented by the commander of the 622nd Infantry Regiment of the 124th Infantry Division on October 12, 1943. Here is the place of service after 36 zsbr. http://podvignaroda.mil.ru/filter/filterimage?path=Bn.. For the medal, you can make a request to the awards department of TsAMO and use the medal number to find out whether it is your grandfather. 142100, Moscow region, Podolsk, st. Kirov, 74 124th Rifle Division The division was formed on April 19, 1943 on the Leningrad Front on the basis of the following formations: 56th Rifle Brigade, 102nd Naval Rifle Brigade, 138th Rifle Brigade and 34th Ski Brigade. The formation took place in the Vsevolozhsk district of the Leningrad region in the Borisov Griva - Vaganovo area. In addition, in August 1943, the division was replenished with two battalions of the 73rd Marine Rifle Brigade. In the active army: 04/29/1943 - 09/30/1944; 07.11.1944 - 30.11.1944; 05.12.1944 - 01.05.1945; 08/09/1945 - 09/03/1945. For two months she studied and served on the shores of Lake Ladoga. The first battle took place on August 13, 1943. During 1943, she fought at the junction with the 2nd Shock Army, including on the Sinyavinsky Heights. Here is the registration card of the Leningrad runway for Ivan Yakovlevich Bocharov http://www.obd-memorial.ru/memorial/fullimage?id=1006.. 001/006016/00002841_0.JPG 08/27/1943 he arrived at the LVPP, and left on 08/28/1943 to team 4863 This is probably a card file of departures from 36 ZSB in the military unit. Here is the same comrade from the 124th Infantry Division https://www.obd-memorial.ru/html/info.htm?id=100773287 Military personnel arrived at the Leningrad military transit point (after hospitals, lagging behind the unit, etc.) they were recruited into teams, depending on where they were sent, assigned a team number, appointed a senior and sent either to reserve regiments or directly to the military unit . Team 1 1602 from LVPP in 36 ZSB, team 4863 from 36 ZSB in V.Ch. More precisely, it turns out to be 4863, although Sharkov is in both. Yes exactly. And Sharkov also fought in the 622nd Infantry Regiment, but died in September 1943. There is a report in the OBD about irretrievable losses of 622 sp. https://www.obd-memorial.ru/html/search.htm?entity=00.. sp 10.1943&p=1 But Bocharova I.Ya. not among them. It is necessary to look at the reports and sk, sd, ssb + eg in the coverage area of 124sd + distortions of the name of bogars. If not anywhere, then only TsAMO. On the website Memory of the People, in the combat logs, the tasks and actions of the 124th SD are described in great detail, etc. by department. The combat mission of the 124th SD was the defense of the western coast of Lake Ladoga. The division started from the Vsevolozhsk region, and in October it fought in the Kirov region. Many settlements are no longer on the map; some are listed as tracts. One thing is clear: on October 12, 1943, Ivan Yakovlevich Bocharov was alive because they were presenting a medal. And then you need to look at the reports about the losses of the 124th Infantry Division in TsAMO. The kitchen was not directly on the front line, somewhere in the rear of the regiment, and the cook could have been killed by an artillery shell or mortar. Mikhailovsky (formerly Engineer) Castle. In 1941-1945, there was a hospital here where Ivan Yakovlevich was treated. https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhailovsky_Castle#/med.. MY MOM SAYS THAT THE LAST LETTER WAS SOMETHING ABOUT A GROVE I LOOKED REALLY THERE IS A ROUND GROVE NOW A LOT OF EXCAVATIONS ARE BEING CONDUCTED SO I WOULD LIKE TO FIND AT LEAST SOME TRACE HERE ON THE SINYAVSKYE HEIGHTS THERE ARE LISTS OF THE KILLED But here is the place where he fought and, Ivan Yakovlevich probably died Kirovsky district. State farm Peat on the pre-war map, but now it is not there. It was somewhere in the region of the state farm Peat that the 622nd joint venture fought in October 1943. http://wikimapia.org/19868401/ru/State Farm-Peat-dovo.. If you believe the report from May 1948, then the last letter was in February 1943. In the report of the 124th SD, on October 10-19, reconnaissance was sent to the state farm Peat. those. the task is to occupy him. From the combat log of 124 SD
Interesting article on 14 zsbr, well, if it’s about that brigade.
HOW THE BRIGADE BECAME A DIVISION
Researchers of the military history of Chuvashia, although not intentionally, still deprived their attention of the 14th reserve Cheboksary rifle brigade. Many books, brochures and press publications were devoted to the combat path of the 139, 140, 141, 324 rifle divisions. Streets were named in honor of these divisions, and museums of military glory were created. But about the 14th reserve rifle Cheboksary brigade (renamed a division in 1944), you rarely see a couple of lines of information in any reference publication on the history of the Armed Forces of the USSR and Russia. And on the Internet there are only a few replicas of its correct name and possible location.
THE FORGOTTEN BRIGADE
Meanwhile, unlike the divisions listed above, the 14th Infantry Reserve was stationed in the republic not for 2–3 months, but for a whole 2.5(!) years. And this is the only military unit in the history of the USSR that bore the official name “Cheboksary”. In the 14th, it was not 10-11 thousand recruits who put on military uniforms, but tens of times more.
Don’t let the word “reserve” confuse readers - many soldiers at the front admitted that it was much more difficult for them in the reserve regiment. And these difficulties (according to the principle “hard in training - easy in battle”) then helped the fighters survive and emerge victorious from the most difficult battles.
The gap regarding the 14th Reserve Rifle Brigade, of course, must be filled. And for several years now, the search club “Nabat” of Cheboksary school No. 57 has been researching the history of this brigade.
ON THE SECOND DAY OF THE WAR
Each state has a carefully developed mobilization plan in case of war with a potential enemy. By 1941, the Soviet Union also had such a plan. In accordance with the mob plan kept in the Tula Regional Military Commissariat, the formation of the 14th reserve rifle brigade and the recruitment of the male population from the regions of the Moscow Military District began. Let us clarify: from 1935 until November 1941, our republic was part of the Volga-Ural Military District (and only then became part of the Moscow Military District), so in the initial period of the brigade’s existence there were not many of our fellow countrymen in its composition.
Already on the second day of the war, June 23, the 14th reserve rifle brigade was organized consisting of the 1st reserve rifle regiment (ZSP), 95th ZSP, 58th ZSP, 7th reserve artillery regiment (ZAP), 47 1st separate communications battalion and 39th separate sapper battalion. The brigade and regiments were stationed in the Tula region in the cities of Belev, Efremov, Tula and in the Tesnitsky camps, Serpukhov, Moscow region.
But the front was rapidly approaching. And on October 8, 1941, the 14th reserve rifle brigade received an order for the regiments to withdraw (regular units of the Red Army took up the defense in their place). And on October 13, 1941, the relocation of the brigade with all regiments to the Chuvash Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic began.
The brigade was undoubtedly lucky with its commanders. Usually it was precisely these people at the front that soldiers called “father”: he would take off three skins during the exercises, but would do everything to ensure that the soldier remained alive in battle.
Let's start, as it should be, from the head, from the brigade commander. Joseph Nikitich (as in his service record card, in award documents he is presented as Nikitovich) Makarov, a native of the Gdovsky district of the Pskov (now Leningrad) region, managed to serve in the tsarist army as a junior non-commissioned officer of the Volyn Life Guards Regiment. Moreover, the soldiers themselves chose him for this position.
During the Civil War, the future divisional commander fights on the northwestern and southern fronts. In 1918, a 22-year-old guy, a platoon commander of the 1st Gdov Soviet company, was accepted into membership of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks). Colonel Makarov met the Great Patriotic War as the head of the Novograd-Volyn Infantry School.
In November 1941, an experienced officer was sent to Cheboksary to organize the work of the 14th reserve rifle brigade. Almost two years before his appointment, in July 1943, Joseph Nikitich devoted himself as commander of a separate officer brigade of the Moscow Military District to the formation of a full-fledged 14th reserve rifle brigade and the preparation of marching companies for the front.“...He manages well the combat and political training of the brigade, putting a lot of work and energy into it, with hard work and skillful leadership he brought the brigade to one of the first places in the district, the marching reinforcements sent by the brigade are prepared to carry out combat missions. For the great work done in putting together a brigade and good preparation of reinforcements for the front, Comrade Makarov is worthy of being awarded the Order of the Red Star,” you can read in the award sheet for Colonel Makarov. However, this was not the only award of Joseph Makarov - by the end of the war, his chest, along with many medals, was decorated with two Orders of the Red Star and the Order of Lenin.
Colonel Makarov was replaced as commander of the 14th ZSBr by a native of the Voronezh region, Lieutenant Colonel Mikhail Vasilyevich Reshetnikov. And the Civil War is behind him. Before his appointment to the brigade, Lieutenant Colonel Reshetnikov managed to fight the Nazis as commander of the 17th Infantry Regiment of the 32nd Infantry Division, and commanded a reserve cadet regiment. After a five-month probationary period, on December 29, 1943, Lieutenant Colonel Reshetnikov was appointed commander of the 14th ZSB. It was under Reshetnikov that the brigade was given the name “14th Cheboksary Reserve Rifle Brigade.” Under him, the brigade was renamed into a division. Colonel Reshetnikov was transferred to the reserve (he received a promotion in rank in May 1945) under Art. 43 (by age) in May 1947 with distinctive insignia on shoulder straps and the right to wear military uniform.
TO KANASH ON FOOT, TO CHEBOKSARY BY BARGE
The redeployment of the 14th ZSBr to Chuvashia was quite unexpected for the republic. The brigade's regiments had already been moving toward Chuvashia for the second week when the Council of People's Commissars of the Republic and the regional committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks finally considered the issue of deploying the formation. This was partly due to the fact that Chuvashia was not part of the Moscow Military District until November 25, 1941.
Of course, for such a small republic as ours, the appearance of a reserve rifle brigade in addition to the emerging military units was a big burden. In order for the reader to understand the quantitative composition of the brigade, I will give only the total number of names from the alphabetical book of brigade officers - 2988. Of course, they did not serve at the same time, but still. In Cheboksary, premises assigned to the emerging 324th Infantry Division were allocated to accommodate the brigade (its management and the 95th ZSP): the educational building of the Agricultural Institute and its dormitory on the street. K. Marx and State Farm, the building and dormitory of the obstetric school, the educational building and dormitories of the Theater School, the dormitory of the pedagogical school, the building of the Music School with dormitories, the building and dormitory of the construction technical school, the building of the Law School...
By the way, initially it was planned to station the 58th reserve rifle regiment in Cheboksary. On October 13–14, 1941, this regiment received an order to redeploy and on October 23 it was transported by rail to Cheboksary. Here the organizational formation of the regiment began with reinforcements from among the commanding officers and rank and file. But the regiment did not have time to gain a foothold in Cheboksary - it was necessary to vacate the already occupied premises for the brigade control that arrived in the city. And the 58th ZSP was redeployed to Kanash and the surrounding areas. One can only imagine how the soldiers cursed as they stomped through the autumn frost to Kanash. “They could have landed there right away,” everyone thought...
The 95th Reserve Infantry Regiment, also part of the brigade, made its way to the republic not without incident. It was formed on the third day of the war in the city of Efremov, Tula Region, on the basis of the 388th Infantry Regiment of the 172nd Infantry Division, which had left for the front. On October 12, a regiment of 13 thousand soldiers and commanders with all equipment began redeployment to the Chuvash Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic along the route Efremov - Zaraysk - Orekhovo-Zuevo - Vladimir - Gorky.
In Gorky, the regiment was loaded onto barges for further movement along the Volga. But due to early freeze-up, we had to unload in Vasilsursk and move on on foot through Yadrin. In total, the regiment covered more than 1,200 km of travel and only by November 21 was stationed in the villages of the Urmar and Kozlovsky districts.
Only in May 1942, after the formed divisions had left for the front and the remaining units had established normal life and food, the regiment was redeployed to Cheboksary and placed in a field camp on the left bank of the Volga. In May 1944, the regiment was redeployed to the city of Kalinin.
TRAINING FOR THE FRONT
The structural units of the reserve rifle division were located not only in Cheboksary and Kanash. They were also based in Vurnary, Kugesy, Tsivilsk... The brigade carried out targeted training of conscripts in various military specialties. The training period was a maximum of six months, then the soldiers as part of marching companies were sent to the front.
Already in the first year of the brigade’s stay in Chuvashia, more than 170 thousand soldiers were trained and sent to the front as marching reinforcements. In addition, the brigade had been training junior lieutenants since 1941. In fact, the brigade also served as a regular military school.
The soldiers trained by the brigade fought at the front with honor. One of these valiant warriors is Hero of the Soviet Union Stepan Illarionov from the village of Kivsert-Yanishevo, Vurnarsky district, who became famous as part of the 158th Infantry Regiment of the 51st Infantry Division of the 1st Baltic Front...
(To be continued)Evgeny SHUMILOV,
chairman of the regional branch council
OOD "Search Movement of Russia"
Photo from the Central collections
archive of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and from the website: sovinformburo.comMAIN MILESTONES IN THE HISTORY OF THE 14TH RESERVE RIFLE BRIGADE
November 5, 1941 “The brigade and regiments began work in a new place in the Chuvash Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic” (from the Historical Form of the 14th Reserve Rifle Brigade). Basis - order for brigade No. 158 dated October 13, 1941.
January 1942 The brigade moved to new states. An additional 359 reserve rifle regiment, a 47 separate communications company (transformed from a battalion), a separate chemical reconnaissance company, and a 58 reserve rifle regiment were formed.
February 1943. By Order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR No. 90 dated February 19, 1943 and the directive of the Moscow Military District dated February 22–24, 1943, the brigade was given the name “14th Cheboksary Reserve Rifle Brigade”
July 1943 A separate anti-tank artillery division was formed.
September 1943 The 18th separate penal battalion was formed.
April - May 1944 The 14th reserve rifle Cheboksary brigade was redeployed to the city of Kalinin and the Kalinin region.
From May 6 to May 10, 1944, all regiments of the brigade received regimental banners.
On May 30, 1944, the 14th reserve rifle Cheboksary brigade was renamed the 14th reserve rifle division Cheboksary. Basis: Order of the People's Commissar of Defense No. 71 dated May 1, 1944 and Directive of the Military Council of the Moscow Military District No. 18242 dated May 30, 1944.
May 31, 1946 The 14th Cheboksary reserve rifle division and its regiments were completely disbanded.