24th Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine)

24th Mechanized Brigade (2003–present) 24th Mechanized Division (c.1992–2003) 24th Motor Rifle Division (1957–c.1992) 24th Rifle Division (Nov 1918–1957) 1st Simbirsk Infantry Division (26 Jul 1918–Nov 1918)
Ukrainian: 24-та окрема механізована Бердичівська Залізна бригада імені Князя Данила Галицького
24th Mechanized Brigade shoulder sleeve patch
Active	26 July 1918–present
Country	Soviet Union (1928-1991)  Ukraine (1991–present)
Branch	Ground Forces
Type	Mechanized Infantry
Size	Brigade
Part of	Operation Command West (1 July 2006-present) 13th Army Corps (before 1 July 2006) (formerly Soviet 13th Army)
Garrison/HQ	Yavoriv MUN A0998
Nickname(s)	Iron Brigade Iron Division[1]
Motto(s)	"In Iron Division - iron soul, iron will and iron step."
Equipment	BMP-2, T-64
Engagements	Russian Civil War Winter war World War II War in Donbas[2]
Decorations	Order of the October Revolution (removed)  Order of the Red Banner(3) (removed)  Order of Suvorov (removed)  Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky (removed)
Battle honours	Berdichev Iron Prince Danylo of Halych Samara (removed) Ulyanovsk (removed)
Commanders
Current commander	Colonel Anatoly Shevchenko

The 24th Mechanized Brigade is a mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, based at Yavoriv in the west of Ukraine. The brigade traces its origins back to the 1st Simbirsk Infantry Division, formed in 1918 during the Russian Civil War. The unit was soon renamed the 24th Rifle Division. It fought in the Winter War and World War II. The division became a motor rifle division in 1957. The full name of the division was the 24th Samaro-Ulyanovsk Motor Rifle Berdychivska, Iron, Awards of October Revolution, three times Red Banner, Suvorov's, Bogdan Khmelnytsky division. In 1992, it was taken over by Ukraine and became the 24th Mechanized Division. In 2003, it was downsized to a brigade.

History

Formation and Early Wars

The division was formed on the order of the Revolutionary Military Council on July 26, 1918 from voluntary groups under the name 1st Simbirsk Infantry Division. In November 1918 it was renamed as the 24th Simbirsk Rifle Division. It actively participated in the Russian Civil War in the Volga region, in the Southern Urals Mountains, and in Polissya and Volhynia. At this time one of its regimental commanders was a future Army General Maksim Purkayev.

In 1922 it was renamed as the 24th Samaro-Simbirsk Iron Rifle Division. In 1924 it was again renamed as the 24th Samaro-Ulyanovsk Iron Rifle Division. In 1939-1940, during the Russo-Finnish War the division distinguished itself during the breaking of the Mannerheim Line on the Karelian isthmus.

World War II

The division participated in fighting from the first days after the German invasion of the USSR in 1941. The division staff showed mass heroism when the German opponents arrived in the Lidy area. It also took part in the Kiev defensive operation, and as part of the 21st Rifle Corps and 13th Army, was involved in heavy defensive fighting in Belarus. Reportedly because the division's banner (unit colours) were lost in the Minsk area^[3] it was disbanded on December 27, 1941.

In February 1942 in the Vologda area a new 24th Rifle Division (2nd formation), with new traditions, was formed in Volgograd Oblast as part of 17th Guards Rifle Corps. During war this division was part of armies in the Western, Kalinin, Stalingrad, Don, and Southwest fronts, from April till May 1944. The division fought at Velikiye Luki, Stalingrad, Kiev, in the Carpathians, and at Morava Ostrava. In 1945 it was part of the 18th Army of the 4th Ukrainian Front.

The Division participated in Battle of Stalingrad, the Donbass offensive operation, clearing of Left-bank Ukraine, in Zhytomyr - Berdychiv, Khmelnytskyi - Chernivtsi, Lviv - Sandomierz, East - Carpathian, Western - Carpathian, Moravia - Ostrava and the Prague offensive operations.

The division's combat path finished on June 24, 1945, 100 km away from Prague. The last platoon of the division participated in Parade of the Victory led by Captain Klyuyev.

On July 10, 1945 the division was disbanded, and its number given to the 294th Rifle Division which became the 24th Rifle Division (3rd formation).

After the war

In 1957, the 24th Rifle Division became the 24th Motor Rifle Division. The redesignation occurred at Yavorov, Lvov Oblast, Carpathian Military District, and the division, later brigade, has been based there since that date. On 21 February 1968, it was awarded the Order of the October Revolution. In 1982, the division was to be upgraded to an army corps (on the lines of the 5th Guards and 48th Guards in Belorussia and the Transbaikal), but the plans were cancelled. The division was used as a testbed for new equipment.^[4]

Under Ukrainian Control

After disintegration of Soviet Union the division became part of the Ukrainian Ground Forces. On April 19, 2001 by the decree of Leonid Kuchma N 268/2001, division was awarded Danylo of Halych designation.^[5] In 2003 the division was redesignated as 24th Mechanized Brigade.

The brigade fought in the War in Donbass in 2014 and 2015. On 18 November 2015, the brigade's full title was shortened to remove Soviet awards and honorifics and it became the 24th Separate Berdichev Iron Mechanized Brigade named for Prince Danylo of Halych.^[6]

In February 2016, soldiers of the brigade's 1st Battalion conducted training with American, Canadian and Lithuanian instructors at Lviv. ^[7]

Loss of its Banner

At the beginning of the German invasion of the Soviet Union, the division was disbanded, apparently following the loss of its Banner (divisional colours).

As it was made known later, that the instructor of the political department of the division, senior Commissar A. V. Barbashev had the Banner while the division was trying to break out of the German encirclement. Barbashev died on August 6, 1941 near Anyutino village Cherykaw Raion Mogilev Oblast. Local farmer D.N. Tyapin later found the stained Banner on the officers corpse. He buried the body and the Banner in the local cemetery.

After clearing village Anyutino by the Soviet armies the Banner was taken and directed on to restoration. On February, 20th 1944 the restored Banner of former division was handed over to 24th Rifle Division (2nd formation). For his finding of the division's Banner, D.N. Tyapin has been honoured by being forever listed on the rolls of the 1st company of one of the division's regiments.

Divisional Order of Battle

Russo-Finnish War

• 7th Rifle Regiment
• 168th Rifle Regiment
• 274th Rifle Regiment
• 246th Guards Artillery Regiment
• 160th Reconnaissance Battalion
• 315th Separate Armor Battalion

Late Soviet Period ~1988

• 181st Tank Regiment^[4]
• 7th Motor Rifle Regiment (Lvov)
• 310th Motor Rifle Regiment (Рава-Русская)
• 274th Motor Rifle Regiment
• 849th Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment
• 257th Guards Anti-Aircraft Rocket Regiment

Brigade Order of Battle

2000

• 181st Separate Armor Regiment
• 7th Mechanized Regiment
• 274th Mechanized Regiment
• 310th Mechanized Regiment
• 56th Signal Battalion
• 29th Separate Reconnaissance Battalion
• 30th Chemical Battalion
• 306th Engineer Battalion
• 849th Artillery Regiment
• 396th Combat Service Support Battalion

Awards

• 1918 - awarded Honorable banner of Supreme Soviet
• On September, 28th 1918 awarded the Honorable Revolutionary Red Banner
• On December, 13th 1920 was given the honorable name "Samara"
• On October, 25th 1921 was given the honorable name "Iron"
• 1928 awarded the Honorable Revolutionary Red Banner
• On February, 1st 1933 received the Order of the Red Banner
• On April, 11th 1940 received the Order of the Red Banner (for operations in Winter war)
• January 1944 has received the honorable name «Berdychivskaya»
• 1944 received Order of Suvorov of 2-nd class (for clearing of the city of Chernivtsi)
• 1944 received Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky 2-nd degree (for an output(exit) in foothills of Carpathian mountains)
• October 5, 1967 received the Order of the Red Banner^[1]
• 1978 received the Order of the October Revolution^[1]
• 17 soldiers of a division were awarded ranks of the Hero of the Soviet Union.
• About 9,000 of the Division's soldiers received awards and medals
• On May 19, 2001 awarded Danylo of Halych designation.

Well-known people who served with the Division

In the division served:

• Chairman of the Supreme body of USSR Shvernik, Nikolay Mikhajlovich
• The marshal of Soviet Union Ivan Stepanovich Konev
• 6 generals of army, 2 commanders of 2-nd rank, 11 general-colonels, 25 general-lieutenants, 68 general-majors.
• Igor Rodionov, later Russian Defence Minister - during Soviet period as 24th Motor Rifle Division
• Defector 'Viktor Suvorov' (Viktor Rezun)

Commanders

• Gai G. D. - July 27, 1918 - November 20, 1918^[1]
• Pavlovskiy V. I. - November 20, 1918 - February 2, 1919
• Vilymson E. F. - February 2, 1919 - April 25, 1919
• Myretov M. V. - April 25, 1919 - April 30, 1919
• Pavlovskiy V. I. - April 30, 1919 - July 21, 1920
• Myretov M. V. - July 21, 1920 - January 11, 1921
• Colonel Vasiliev - January 1938 -
• Major Filipp Fedorovich Alyabushev - August-December 1936^[8][9]
• Colonel Pyotr Yevgenyevich Veshchev - June 1938 - December 6, 1939 (KIA)^[10]
• Major General Kuzma Galitsky - December 23, 1939 - July 1941^[11] Galitsky's order of withdrawal of command was dated on 26 December 1941, but he had been in other positions since July.^[12]
• Major General Terenty Batsanov - 15 July-20 September 1941^[13][14]
• Major General Fedor Alexandrovich Prohorov January 1, 1942 - May 11, 1945
• Lieutenant Colonel Lendar Kharakhalil - July 12, 2007
• Colonel Volodymyr Trunovskyi July 12, 2007 – 2010
• Colonel Oleksandr Pavyluk 2010-2015
• Colonel Anatoly Shevchenko February 2015-present^[15]

References

1. 24-я "Железная" дивизия
2. (Ukrainian) 0 troops from Lviv killed near Slavic - Sekh, Ukrayinska Pravda (19 June 2014)
3. Viktor Suvorov, Inside the Soviet Army, Rear Supplies, Hamish Hamilton
4. Holm, Michael. "24th Motorised Rifle Division". ww2.dk. Retrieved 2016-02-09.
5. Про присвоєння почесного найменування "імені князя Дани...| вiд 19.04.2001 № 268/2001
6. "УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №646/2015" [Ukrainian Presidential Decree No. 646/2015]. Website of the President of Ukraine. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 2016-02-09.
7. "На Львівщині інструктори НАТО навчають українців протистояти агресору" [In Lviv NATO instructors teach Ukrainian soldiers to confront the aggressor]. mil.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). 8 February 2016. Archived from the original on 9 February 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
8. "Страница военно-патриотического клуба "Память" Воронежского госуниверситета". samsv.narod.ru. Retrieved 2016-02-09.
9. "Biography of Major-General Flipp Fedorovich Aliabushev - (Филипп Федорович Алябушев) (1893 – 1941), Soviet Union". generals.dk. Retrieved 2016-02-09.
10. "Вещев Пётр Евгеньевич". www.warheroes.ru. Retrieved 2016-02-09.
11. "Галицкий Кузьма Никитович". www.warheroes.ru. Retrieved 2016-02-09.
12. Соединения сухопутных войск Западного фронта к 22 июня 1941 года
13. "24-я мотострелковая Железная дивизия". zeldiv24.narod.ru. Retrieved 2016-02-09.
14. "БАЦАНОВ Терентий Кириллович |". myfront.in.ua. Retrieved 2016-02-09.
15. "На западе Украины, в Львовской области, родственники военнослужащих выходят на акции протеста - Первый канал". www.1tv.ru. Retrieved 2016-02-09.

External links

• V.A. Andrianov, The legendary Iron Division is 85, Military Thought, 2003 (subscription required)