Defeat of the 49th Rifle Division - June 1941

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Defeat of the 49th Rifle Division (over Siemiatycze, Czeremcha, Niemirów, Wysokie Litewskie) - June 1941.

The history of the tragedy involving the troops of the Western Military District in June 1941 contains many unknown facts related to the fighting between the soldiers of the Red Army units and the German troops. One of the lesser known is the story of the 49th Rifle Division. Here is an attempt to determine the chronology of combat operations and the process of disintegration of the said division of the Red Army.

The division arrived in the Western Military District in the second half of July / early August 1940 from the Leningrad Military District. The division participated in the war with Finland, for which it was distinguished and awarded the Order of the Red Banner. On November 1, 1940 (that is, 8 months before June 22, 1941), the composition of the 49th Rifle Division was as follows:

Senior staff (officers): 1,122
Junior staff (NCOs): 1,403
Enlisted personnel: 9,938
Overall - 12,463

Horses: combat - 815, artillery - 1,019, baggage - 1,263, Total - 3,097
Vehicles: cars - 12, trucks - 326, specials - 131, Total - 469
Motorcycles: 8,
Tractors: 72,
trailers: 45
Personal weapons: automatic rifles - 28, rifles - 8,143, revolvers - 2,200
Machine guns: light - 452, mount - 130, anti-aircraft -19 Total - 601
Artillery pieces: 45-mm guns - 63, 76-mm guns - 42, 76-mm anti-aircraft guns - 4,
122-mm howitzers - 19, 152-mm - 12. Total artillery without mortars -140
Mortars: 50mm - 81, 82mm - 61, 120mm - 4 total - 146
T-37/38 tanks - 16,
Armored vehicles - 10
Radio stations and communication devices - 139
Field Kitchens - 79

After November 1, 1940, within a few months, the division received reinforcements in personnel, weapons, and supplies, as did the entire Western Military District. Unfortunately, there is no exact data on this subject, so it can be said that a similar quantitative composition took place on June 21, 1941.

In the fall of 1940, the 49th Rifle Division demobilized most of the soldiers who had gained experience during the Soviet-Finnish war. Young soldiers with no combat experience joined the division. The unit's combat capability also declined due to the need to order Red Army soldiers to build warehouses, barracks, dugouts, and fortifications. In the spring of 1941, the construction of bunkers in fortified areas continued with greater intensity than the previous year, so even less time was devoted to combat training.

In addition, in October 1940, recruits from Kazakhstan and the Samarkand region of the Uzbekistan SSR, along with others, began to arrive at the division. While about half of the former were Kazakhs, the vast majority of Uzbeks coming from Uzbekistan did not speak Russian. True combat training became impossible.

Source: https://kriepost.org/tumaczenia/48-czer ... iaoru.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

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Defeat of the 49th Rifle Division (over Siemiatycze, Czeremcha, Niemirów, Wysokie Litewskie) - June 1941.

Combat Role on June 22, 1941:

Division commander: Colonel Konstantin Fedorovich Vasilyev.
2nd iC: Colonel Nikodem Jemielianowicz Skuriat, year of birth 1888
Chief of Staff: Major Stepan Ivanovich Gurov.
Chief of Operations: Captain Wasilij Fanifatow Iwanowicz, year of birth 1903

15th Rifle Regiment
Commander: Major Konstantin Borisowicz Nisienkov, year of birth 1906
Chief of Staff: Major Anatolij Illarionowicz Żygariew, year of birth 1903

212th Artillery Regiment
Commander: Major Nikolai Ignatievich Kovalenko.
Chief of Staff: Captain Piotr Wasilewicz Czuprow, year of birth 1905

222nd Artillery Regiment
Commander: Colonel Ivan Mikhailovich Yashin
2nd iC: Lieutenant Colonel Awraam Dmitrijewicz Gutarov, year of birth 1894
Chief of Staff: Major Boris Alekseevich Timofeev, year of birth 1902

31st Light Artillery Regiment
Commander: Major Timofey Nikolayevich Tovstik, year of birth 1905
Chief of Staff: Major Sergey Iwanowicz Klucznikow, year of birth 1902

166th Howitzer Artillery Regiment
Commander: unknown

79th communications battalion
Commander: Captain Iwan Evstafiewicz Mietkalov, year of birth 1907

91st Reconnaissance Battalion
Commander: Captain Walentyn Michałowicz Pankratow, year of birth 1904

121st Anti-Tank Squadron
Commander: Captain Stepan Alekseevich Nikiforov

291st anti-aircraft artillery squadron
1st Battalion of sappers
85th Transportation Battalion
85th Medical Battalion
97th Motorized Campaign Bakery
Commander: Lieutenant Colonel Wasilij Iwanowicz Mołoknow, year of birth 1889

The Division HQ was located at Wysokie-Litewskie. On June 21, 1941, most of the units of the 49th Rifle Division were in the forest in summer camps near the localities of Mętna (Ментна) and Koterka (Котерка).

Source: https://kriepost.org/tumaczenia/48-czer ... iaoru.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

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Defeat of the 49th Rifle Division (over Siemiatycze, Czeremcha, Niemirów, Wysokie Litewskie) - June 1941.

Until mid-May 1941, the HQ of the 15th Infantry Regiment was located in Wysokie-Litewskie (Высоко-Литовск, now biał. Высокае). It was then stationed in the village of Wólka-Pużycka (Волька-Пузецка) near the Wysokie-Litewskie - Drohiczyn route. Three kilometers from the regiment, in the village of Tokary (Токары), was the 85th Transport Battalion.

In the same village, Wólka Pużycka, the 121st Anti-Tank Group was stationed.

The 212th Infantry Regiment was located in the town of Nurzec-Stacja (Нурец-Стацья), on the railway in the direction from the Czeremcha (Черемха) station to the border.

The 222nd Infantry Regiment was the second echelon of the division and was stationed deep in the place of dislocation of the unit at the Czeremcha station, by the same railway.

The second echelon also included the 166th Field Artillery (Howitzer) Regiment, which was stationed at Milejczyce (Милейчицы) in the Kleszczele region.

The 31st Light Artillery Regiment was located 5 km southwest of Wysokie-Litewskie on the Aleksandria farm (Александрия) right next to the village of Ogrodniki (Огородники).

The 291st Anti-aircraft Artillery Group covered Wysokie-Litewskie and was located 7 km northwest of the city in the town of Klukowichi (Клюковичи).

The 1st Sapper Battalion was building an airfield at Zwody Małe (Малые Зводы) for the 10th Air Division of the 4th Army. Three days before the start of the war, the 74th Air Assault Regiment of the 10th Air Division flew here from the city of Kobrin (Кобрин). The airfield was operated by the 202nd Ground Service Battalion.

The 91st Reconnaissance Battalion was stationed in the westernmost part of the division's deployment area, at Siemiatycze station, on the same border rail line with Czeremcha. One kilometer further south was the Wysokie-Litewskie - Drohiczyn road. Siemiatycze station was (and still is) 2 km from the railway bridge over the Bug River and 5 km east of the city of Siemiatycze.

The 79th Communications Battalion was stationed 1 km east of Wysokie-Litewskie at the Marianów (Марьянов) station on the Białystok-Brest railway line.

Therefore, the last pre-war moves were made to the west and brought the division closer to the place of the proposed line of defense - to the west and north-west of the city of Drohiczyn. According to pre-war plans, the 49th Rifle Division with its line of defense should have been attached (together with the 113th Rifle Division) to the 2nd Rifle Corps of the new 13th Army. The HQ of the 13th Army formed in the city of Mogilev (Могилеве) was initially planned to be located in Bielsk (Бельск).

Source: https://kriepost.org/tumaczenia/48-czer ... iaoru.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

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Defeat of the 49th Rifle Division (over Siemiatycze, Czeremcha, Niemirów, Wysokie Litewskie) - June 1941.

In fact, on June 21, 1941, the 49th Rifle Division was part of the 4th Army of the Western Military District. On the morning of June 22, the decision was made to assign the 49th Division to the 10th Army Headquarters. At 4:00 p.m. the order was received by the Chief of Staff of the Soviet 10th Army.

The Headquarters of the 4th Army in the early morning hours of June 22 was in Kobryn, at noon in Zaprudy (Запруды), and then withdrew to the east with the army. So it was moving away from the area of operations of the 49th Rifle Division.

The armored columns of the German 47. Army Corps (Motorized) of the 2. Panzer Group already at 11:00 a.m. on June 22 cut off the division from the main forces of the 4th Army, breaking through to the Wielkie Motykały (Мотыкалы) - Widomla (Видомля) - Pieliszcze (Пeлищe) line. The decision to transfer the division to the 10th Army was somewhat logical.

Despite this, the 10th Army Headquarters did not command the 49th Rifle Division and had no communication with it. Thus, the division was left alone. Communication was established only with the Commander of the 13th Mechanized Corps, General Akhlustin, and only from June 24.

On June 22, the alerted units of the 49th Rifle Division, in accordance with the instructions contained in the "red packets", moved to the border line of the coverage zone.

The 212th Rifle Regiment together with the 166th Field Artillery Regiment was heading along the Nurzec - Siemiatycze - Drohiczyn route. It entered the battle 25 km west of Nurzec.

The 222nd Rifle Regiment moved by rail from Czeremcha to the Siemiatycze station.

Compared to the other regiments, the 15th Rifle Regiment was closer to the border, so it entered the battle from the pre-war staging area along with the 121st Anti-Tank Group and the 85th Transport Battalion. On the left, north of the town of Wołczyn (Волчин), the 31st Light Artillery Regiment was moving with it, which came under heavy air attacks.

The XXXXIII. German Army Corps (General der Infanterie Heinrici), consisting of three infantry divisions (252., 134. and 131.) and support units, operated in the defense belt of the 49th Rifle Division.

The following units were subordinate to the German XXXXIII Corps:

II./ Artillery Regiment 68 (twelve 105 mm guns towed with half-track tractors),
711 Heavy Artillery Group (twelve 105 mm guns towed with half-track tractors),
101 Heavy Artillery Group (twelve 150mm howitzers towed with half-track tractors),
III./ Artillery Regiment 109 (nine 210 mm Mörser towed with half-track tractors),
Light Antiaircraft Artillery Group 611
and armored train No. 29.

In addition, the XXXXIII. Corps received: one independent sapper battalion (partly motorized) and three independent construction battalions, two artillery regimental headquarters (motorized), one engineering regiment headquarters (motorized) and other small units. All artillery units, except the anti-aircraft battalion, were motorized and moved in cars, armored personnel carriers, and tractors.

Source: https://kriepost.org/tumaczenia/48-czer ... iaoru.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

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Defeat of the 49th Rifle Division (over Siemiatycze, Czeremcha, Niemirów, Wysokie Litewskie) - June 1941.

Other excerpts from the book by the author Volker Detlef Heydorn «Der Sowjetische Aufmarsch im Bialystoker Balkon bis zum 22. June 1941 und der Kessel von Wolkowysk»):

“On June 21, 1941, to the left of the 2. Panzer Group, were units of the XXXXIII. Army corps.

The 131st Infantry Division occupied the area along the Bug river, to the right of Bubel-Granna (Бубель-Гранна) (opposite Nowosiółki (Новоселки), 36 km northwest of Brest) to Serpelice (Серпелице) (46 km from Brest). Total 10 kilometers.

The 134th Infantry Division: to the right of Serpelice, to the left of Melnik (Мельник) (51 km northwest of Brest). Total 5 km.

The 252nd Infantry Division: to the right of Mielnik, to the left of Menzhenin (68 km northwest of Brest). Total 17 km. In this way, the XXXXIII. Corps held a front line 32 km wide.

The 49th Rifle Division occupied 24 km wide positions along the southern border between Siemiatycze (Семятичи) and Orla (Орлa).

On the right flank was the 222nd Rifle Regiment, between the cities of Moszczona Królewska (Мощона-Кролевска) and Niemirów (Немиров).

On the left flank was the 15th Rifle Regiment, between Niemirow and Wołczyn (Волчин).

The division Command, 212th Rifle Regiment and all reserves were located in the Wysokie Litewski area.

The right wing of the defense of the 49th Rifle Division was in contact with concrete fortifications near the town of Słochy-Annopolskie (Слохи- Аннапольские) (4.5 km southeast of Siemiatycze), near Anusin (Анусин) ( north of the railway bridge over the Bug) and near the town of Moszczona Królewska (9 km southeast of Siemiatycze). This place was defended by the 17th Independent Heavy Machine Gun Battalion and fortress artillery.

It is worth mentioning that on the left side of the German XXXXIII. Army Corps advanced the 292nd Infantry Division of the German IX. Army Corps. Despite the fact that on the morning of June 22, this division did not participate in the fighting with the 49th Rifle Division, the next day, as well as later, it played an important role in the pursuit and destruction of the aforementioned Red Army division.

Source: https://kriepost.org/tumaczenia/48-czer ... iaoru.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

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Defeat of the 49th Rifle Division (over Siemiatycze, Czeremcha, Niemirów, Wysokie Litewskie) - June 1941.

The 292nd Infantry Division of the IX. German Army Corps (General Hermann Geyer) forced the Bug River west of the defense line of the 49th Rifle Division near the town of Drohiczyn and advanced towards the town of Siemiatycze, which was captured around 1:00 p.m. . By the end of the day, the main motorized units of this division reached Milejczyce. After the 292nd Infantry Division, the Bug River was later crossed by the 78th Infantry Division of the XIII. Army Corps (General Hans Felber), which was the second echelon of the German 4th Army.

On the right side, the 252nd Infantry Division, XXXXIII. Army Corps (General Gotthard Heinrici) crossed the Bug river near the railway bridge in the vicinity of the Mackowicze (Мачковичи) settlement (the Germans referred to this place as "near Fronołów", due to the fact that this settlement was located in the southern side of the Bug.) Here, for a long time, the Germans were held back by the artillery of the 17th Machine Gun Battalion and the artillery of the fortress. By the end of the day, the main German units reached Nurzec and (further) south.

Soldiers from the 222nd Rifle Regiment and the 15th Rifle Regiment of the 49th Rifle Division also participated in the defense of the bunkers.

The German 134th Infantry Division crossed the river near Niemirów and Nowosiółki. This unit launched attacks against the 15th Rifle Regiment. After crossing the Bug, it broke through the Russian border positions and took the town of Mielnik. At noon it entered the town of Wysokie-Litewskie. Zwody Małe airfield was taken over along with the planes of the 74th Air Assault Regiment.

The German 131st Infantry Division crossed the river near the town of Wieliczkowice (Величковиче) and the town of Kostary (Костары). It advanced towards Kamieniec (Kamieniec-Litewski) (Каменец-Litovsk), which was captured on 23 June.

The German 252nd Infantry Division was trailing behind its neighbors and was in the wooded area that day, the former location of the 49th Rifle Division's summer camps. The two divisions on the right flank of the XXXXIII. German Army Corps moved much faster.

The 292nd Infantry Division bypassed the Białowieża Forest from the west, and the 131st and 134th Infantry Divisions from the east.

On June 22, the positions of the 17th Machine Gun Battalion and fortress artillery were attacked by the 472nd Infantry Regiment and the II. Battalion of the 461st Infantry Regiment of the 252nd German Infantry Division. The attack involved, among others, the Armored Train no. 29, which included two French Somua-35 tanks in its formation.

At 06:00 Moscow time, Colonel Vasiliev received a message that German troops had crossed the Bug River east of Drohiczyn and were conducting offensive operations towards Siemiatycze. Thus, the German troops were moving towards the right wing of the defense line of the 49th Rifle Division. Colonel Wasiliev ordered the 212th Rifle Regiment to head towards Siemiatycze.

Around noon on June 22, the German 131st and 134th Infantry Divisions began to bypass the 49th Rifle Division's positions along its defense front, moving east and northeast towards Wysokie-Litewskie and Kamieniec-Litewski.

Facing the units of the 49th Rifle Division, only the German 252nd Infantry Division remained. In addition, on the right wing of the division's defense, appeared subunits of the 292nd Infantry Division IX. German Army Corps. The commander of the 49th Rifle Division decided to withdraw to the north, towards the Czeremcha station.

Source: https://kriepost.org/tumaczenia/48-czer ... iaoru.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

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Defeat of the 49th Rifle Division (over Siemiatycze, Czeremcha, Niemirów, Wysokie Litewskie) - June 1941.

June 23.

On June 23, the 49th Rifle Division, retreating north towards Czeremcha-Kleszczele, entered the attack zone of the German 292nd Infantry Division. The main motorized units of the 292nd Infantry Division together with part of the Infantry Regiment 508 entered Kleszczele (Kleschele) on the night of June 23. The movements of this division were supported by Assault Gun Detachment (Sturmgeschutz) 226, the only armored unit of the IX. German Army Corps. The bridges over the Nurzec River passed into German hands intact.

The German 252nd Infantry Division was heading towards Wołkowicze (Волковице) - Lumna (Люмно) - Tumin (Тимин) (north of the city of Wysokie-Litewskie). Part of the division (Infantry Regiment 472) blocked the concrete fortifications near the Siemiatycze station.

The forward unit of the 131st Infantry Division carried out offensive operations near Leśno and Kamieniec Litewski.

June 24.

Location of the left wing of the Soviet 10th Army on the morning of June 24, 1941.

Soviet troops were located as follows:

- In a semi-encirclement in the Bransk area, a group of troops of the 7th Rifle Regiment (Motorized) of the 7th Tank Division of the 6th Motorized Corps, together with part of the forces of the 25th Tank Division of the 13th Motorized Corps.

- In M. Botski, in a semi-encirclement, part of the forces of the 113th Rifle Division.

- In the area south of Botsky (which did not have time to retreat beyond the Nurets River), part of the 679th Rifle Regiment and the reconnaissance battalion of the 113th Rifle Division.

- Northeast of the bridge across the Nurets River, near Kleschele, were the main forces of the 49th Rifle Division.

- In the area of ​​the village of Orly and 12 km south of the city of Belsk, the main forces of the 31st Tank Division were located.

On the morning of June 24, the German 137th and 263rd Infantry Divisions of the IX. Army Corps advanced from Botski and Bransk to Belsk. The advance detachment of the 263rd Infantry Division reached the city of Narev, 27 km northeast of Belsk, that day.

Source: https://kriepost.org/tumaczenia/48-czer ... iaoru.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

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Defeat of the 49th Rifle Division (over Siemiatycze, Czeremcha, Niemirów, Wysokie Litewskie) - June 1941.

June 24.

The 137th Infantry Division was advancing further to the east. Major Wuppert's advance detachment of the 137th Infantry Division captured the bridge over the Orlanka River (Орлянкa) east of the village of Holody (Холоды). Russian artillery and tanks tried to recapture the bridge and attack Holody. The attacks were repelled and the attackers eliminated. The Russians lost 12 tanks. At the same time, the defenders along the line of the middle Orlanka River were scattered, and the group of the 113th Rifle Division to the south, which was between the 292nd and 137th Infantry Divisions, was surrounded and destroyed.

Only a 9 km wide strip between the direction of Orla - Narewka (Наревка) and Orla - Hajnówka (Гайновка) remained open until the night of June 24. Here the 49th Rifle Division and part of the 208th Motorized Division defended. The 49th Rifle Division, like a breakwater, held back the attacks of the German 292. Infantry Division, which broke through from Kleszczela to Hajnówka.

On the same day, June 24 (German troops):

The advance detachment of the 131. Infantry Division reached Samoszcze (Самоще). Another part of the division advanced into the area west of Shereszów (Шерешов).

The advance detachment of the 134th Infantry Division reached Nowy Dwór (Новый Двор). Other units reached Krynica (Криницa). The main forces of the division that day were in the area of Velikiy Laz (Великий Лаз), Buda Paszucka (Буда Пазучка).

The advance detachment of the 252. Infantry Division reached the southern part of the Białowieża Forest. The main forces of the division reached the Manczaki (Manczaki) - Brzozówka (Brozovka) line. One regiment continued to blockade the concrete fortifications near Fronołów.

To prevent most of the Soviet troops located south of the city of Slonim (Слоним) from breaking into the rear of the XXXXVII. German Corps (Mot.) to the east, the German 4th Army Command decided to speed up the advance of the divisions of the XXXXIII. Corps and the XII. Corps due north.

South of the Zelva, the 29th Infantry Division (Motorized) advanced from the second echelon of the 2nd Panzer Group.

Source: https://kriepost.org/tumaczenia/48-czer ... iaoru.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

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Defeat of the 49th Rifle Division (over Siemiatycze, Czeremcha, Niemirów, Wysokie Litewskie) - June 1941.

June 24.

On the morning of June 24, the attack by the 292nd Infantry Division continued towards Hajnówka (Гайновка). The advance detachment under the command of Oberst Peters, having reached the village of Grabovce (Грабовце) at 10:30 in the morning, met fierce resistance from the 49th Rifle Division, supported by heavy artillery fire.

Only at 16:00 the vanguard of the division and its Infantry Regiment 508 managed to reach the Orlyanka River, along the Dubice-Cherkovne line (Дубице-Церковне - Czechy (Чехи). Here the Germans were forced to to stop and wait for their artillery to arrive.

On the evening of June 24, near the village of Dubicze-Cerkiewne, the batteries of the 166th Howitzer Regiment opened fire on the Germans. The movement of the Infantry Regiments 508 and 509 was halted. The artillery fired from concealed positions. With the onset of darkness, the fire continued and was fought all night. At dawn on June 25, the withdrawal of artillery units began towards the Białowieża Forest.

According to the recollections of Aleksander Borowik, a resident of the village of Stary Kornin (Старый Корнин): Behind Stary Kornin, on the road to Korycisk, an artillery unit of the Red Army defended itself. The bombardment was aimed directly at Dubicze-Cerkiewne. Gunshots rang out throughout the night, and it looked like the windows would be blown out. At dawn all was silent. The Russians withdrew to the east of Białowieża (source: “kamunikat.org” website).

In his book "The IX. Army Corps in the Eastern Campaign 1941" ("Das IX. Armeekorps im Ostfeldzug 1941"), General Hermann Geyer, Commander of the Corps, which included the 292. Infantry Division, mentions that a late June 24, (quote): "I called the commander of the 292nd ID and heard that the division had not moved from where I had left it in the morning. It was attacked from all sides."

A border guard unit joined the retreating 49th Rifle Division. Retreating to the Białowieża Forest, the division command counted on a temporary rest, rallying the remaining soldiers and taking cover from air attacks.

The motorized units of the German 292. Infantry Division, during the attack from June 22 to 24, managed to overtake the retreating columns of the 49th Rifle Division. Some of the soldiers who stayed behind were taken prisoner in the first days of the war.

Source: https://kriepost.org/tumaczenia/48-czer ... iaoru.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

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Defeat of the 49th Rifle Division (over Siemiatycze, Czeremcha, Niemirów, Wysokie Litewskie) - June 1941.

June 25th.

On June 25, the 49th Rifle Division continued its withdrawal towards Białowieża Forest. In the middle of the day, the 208th Rifle Division and units of the 31st Tank Division left Hajnówka and also moved further into the Białowieża Forest. On the night of that day, units of the 49th Rifle Division were near the village of Białowież/Belovezh (Беловеж).

June 26th.

At dusk on June 26, and according to German maps, the 49th Rifle Division was west of the town of Narewka (Наревка) and north of the village of Białowież/Belovezh (Беловеж), that is, deep in the forest . However, from that day on, the direction of retreat changed to the east, towards the village of Nowy Dwór (Новы Двор).

Judging by the German maps, by June 26, the 49th Rifle Division was completely surrounded.

From the west, it was pressed by units of the German 292. Infantry Division, from the south, in the vicinity of Białowież/Belovezh (Беловеж), there were already units of the 252. Infantry Division, and most importantly, from the east, near the village of Nowy Dwór, units of the German 134. Infantry Division were already waiting. That day, the forward units of the 131st Infantry Division moved further east towards Łysków. In addition, the forward units of the 134. Infantry Division had already entered Podorosk (Подороск) and Porozov (Порозово) that day.

From the point of view of the 292. Infantry Division: Hajnowke (Gajnowka) was taken on June 25 and Białowież was reached on June 26. All of the advance up to this point had taken place in a densely wooded area.

Source: https://kriepost.org/tumaczenia/48-czer ... iaoru.html
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gl ... /IR507.htm

Cheers. Raúl M

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Defeat of the 49th Rifle Division (over Siemiatycze, Czeremcha, Niemirów, Wysokie Litewskie) - June 1941.

June 27th.

On June 27, organized units of the 49th Rifle Division, as well as what was left of the 13th Mechanized Corps (mainly the 25th Tank Division), tried to break through, which is known in the history of the German XXXXIII. Army Corps and the entire German 4. Army as the "crisis of the 134. Infantry Division near Nowy Dwór".

As a result of the fierce fighting that lasted all day, some soldiers and commanders managed to break through the positions of the 134. Infantry Division. At the same time, the attack was so strong that the Germans of the II. and III. Battalions of the Infantry Regiment 439 south of Porozów found themselves surrounded and forced to attack towards the village of Kuklicze (Кукличи).

Soviet troops bypassed the II.and III. Battalions of the German Infantry Regiment 446 near and north of Nowy Dwór, and these units also withdrew towards Łyskow (Лысково).

However, in front of the units of the 49th Rifle Division and the 13th Mechanized Corps, which managed to break through, the units of the German 131. Infantry Division were already waiting.

The part of the 49th Rifle Division that failed to break through on June 27 withdrew deep into the Białowieża Forest.

From the 134. Infantry Division: On June 27, the town of Nowy Dwor was reached, which had already been occupied without a fight by the advance detachment (Vorausabteilung) of the division. We continue to Lyskow. In Isabelin we had the first intense battle with Russian units. The regiment (IR 439) was then established at Nowy Dwor for a comprehensive defense. The deployment of the entire 134. Infantry Division to Nowy Dwor ended on 27 June. Strong Russian counter-attacks against the German positions began that day. The enemy managed to infiltrate the own positions, so they had to be thrown out through hand-to-hand combat. During heavy fighting, the division was ambushed in the south. Parts of the regiment were trapped near Porozow and had to flee east on the night to 28 June.

Source: https://kriepost.org/tumaczenia/48-czer ... iaoru.html
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gl ... /IR507.htm
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gl ... /IR439.htm

Cheers. Raúl M

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Defeat of the 49th Rifle Division (over Siemiatycze, Czeremcha, Niemirów, Wysokie Litewskie) - June 1941.

June 28th.

Until June 28, the Group of General Achlustin, which was located south of Porozov, maintained combat capability. Likewise, part of the troops west of the village of Popielewo (Попелево) (17 km southwest of Nowy Dwór), commanded by Colonel I.M. Yashin.

Here, attempts were made to create forest blockades and ditches on the path of the advance of the German troops. Shelters and fortifications against artillery fire were built. But there was no time for that. The German XIII. Army Corps was heading in this direction to clear the area.

On June 28, the surviving units of the 49th Rifle Division, along with soldiers from other retreating units, made the last organized attempts to break out of the encirclement. This time they tried to get to Pruzhany (Пружаны). This attempt, however, was doomed from the start. German troops from Panzer Group 2 moved through Pruzhany continuously day and night, beginning on June 22. In particular, on June 28, units of the Motorized Regiment "Grossdeutschland" of the XXXXVI. Army Corps (Mot.) moved along the road.

Pressed by units of the German 134. and 131. Infantry Divisions, as well as part of the 252. Infantry Division held up in support, the surviving remnants of the 49th Rifle Division were almost entirely surrounded and taken prisoner. Individual soldiers managed to hide and cross the road in the dark.

The part of the 49th Rifle Division that remained in the Białowieża Forest was blocked from the north and west by the German 17. Infantry Division, and from the south and east by the 78. Infantry Division of the XIII. Army Corps of the 4. German Army.

The final fights lasted until July 3, when the entire Białowieża Forest was combed. The main core of resistance was the 222nd Rifle Regiment of the 49th Rifle Division headed by its commander, Colonel I.M. Yashin.

Source: https://kriepost.org/tumaczenia/48-czer ... iaoru.html
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gl ... /IR507.htm
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gl ... /IR439.htm

It's all. Cheers. Raúl M