LATVIAN UNITS IN THE RED ARMY

a) LATVIAN VOLUNTEER STRELNIEKU REGIMENTS

        1^st and 2^nd regiment (the last later changed to 76^th Latvian Strelnieku regiment) were volunteer troop units formed in 1941 in Estonia from Latvian workers guard battalions and other active duty soldiers, who at the wars beginning, fled from Latvia to Estonia. 1^st Latvian volunteer Strelnieku Regiment was formed 5^th July, 1941.  Their strength was about 1500 men, and that was subordinate to 8^th Army X Strelnieku Corps.
        In the beginning the regiment guarded the Corps rear lines and fought with Estonian and Latvian partisans, but later joined in battles against the regular German Army (until 29. July). The regiment suffered heavy losses, and at July’s end transferred to Hogland Island and later to Kotlinas Island (Kronstati). From the left over regiment was later formed (3rd through 7^th September) Latvian Battalion (commander Žanis Grīva-Folkmanis), which was part of (Russian) 10^th Strelnieku Division 62. Regiment. The Latvian battalion had only 283 soldiers. By Strelnas, Germans battalions destroyed them and the remaining part retreated to leningradu, and Peterhofa to be placed in 76^th Latvian Strelnieku Regiment.
        2^nd Regiment was formed 15^th July, also in Estonia. Regiment strength was about 1200 soldiers.  In Estonia, the regiment suffered heavy losses (from 24^th of July until 4^th of August), then was surrounded, but broke out and fought in the leningradas region until 20^th of October. 4^th of September the regiment transferred to 76^th Latvian Strelnieku Regiment. 22^nd of October on account of heavy losses the regiment was disbanded January 1942.  and the leftover soldiers were transferred to other Latvian Strelnieku Divisions.

b) LATVIAN STRELNIEKU (43^rd) GUARD DIVISION

        The division was formed as Red Army National unit 3^rd August 1941.  Gorohovecas Region, Moscow War District. Beginning name was: 201^st Latvian Strelnieku Division. Beginning strength was about 2100 men.  September 1941 the division had about 10.000 men. Division contained 92^nd, 122^nd and 191^st Strelnieku regiment and 220^th Artillery Regiment. 5^th October 1942 it became the 43^rd Guard Latvian Strelnieku Division. Regiments assigned to this Division were 121^{st, 123rd, and 125th Guard Strelnieku Regiment and 94th Guard Artillery Regiment. 270th Artillery Battalions renamed to 55th Guard Artillery Battalion, 48th Guard Antitank artillery division, 100th Antiaircraft Battery renamed to 44th Guard Antiaircraft battery, 53rd Sapper battalions renamed 47th Guard Sapper Battalion. The Division was commanded by Guard Generalmajor J. Veikins, Regiment Commander. l. Paegle, Regiment Commander. A. Frolovs, Guard Generalmajori D. Brantkalns and A. Kalnins.}
        Division joined in combat by Moscow (from 1941. g. 20. December until 1942. g. 20. January), by Staraja Rusas (from 1942. g. 16. February until 4. April), Demjanskas placdarma (from 1942. g. 6. April until 1943. g. 9. April); from 1943. g. 10. April until 15. October was in Staraja Rusas region, from 18th October 1943 until 26. June 1944, Velikije Luku and Novorzevas region. From 26th   June 1944 until 11^th July Division was included with 130^th Latvian Strelnieku Corps until crossing the Latvian border (22^nd Army).  18. July 1944 Skaunes region and joined combat on Latvian soil 7^th November, 1944.

c) LATVIAN STRELNIEKU (308^th) DIVISION

        This division was organized as a Red Army national unit June 1944.  Gorohovecas district to 1^st Latvian Strelnieku Reserve Regiment. It contained 319^th, 323^rd, and 355^th Strelnieku and 677^th Artillery Regiment, 301^st Sapper Battalion, 899^th Communications Battalion and Reconnaissance Company. Divisions beginning strength was about 7300 men. The commanders were: Generalmajor V. Dambergs and Regiment Commander. M. Kalnins. 12^th July, 1944 the Division headed to the front as Latvian Strelnieku 130^th Corps. First combat happened on 5^th of August. They fought at Aiviekstes, Krustpils, Olaines, Dz1ukstes and Blīdenes.

d) 1^st LATVIAN STReLNIEKU RESERVE REGIMENT

        Regiment was organized 18^th February 1942. That was subordinate Moscow War Region, placed at Gorohoveca. Commander was P. Alksnis-Dreimanis, later H. Šponbergs. Regiment trained and placed with 201^st (later: 43^rd Guard) Division, 2^nd Polish Army and Latvian partisans and gave cadets to the forming of the Latvian Aviation Regiment.

e) 130^th LATVIAN STRELNIEKU CORPS

        This Red Army national unit was formed in 5. June, 1944, shortly before the Red army attacked Latvia. Their strength was about 15,000 men, which consisted three divisions – 43^rd Guards, and 308^th Latvian Strelnieku Division and a Russian division. Corps commander was Generalmajor D. Brantkalns, Staff headquarters head Generalmajor P. Baumanis, Corps rear commander was Regiment Commander.-leitn. E. Blekis.
        Latvian Strelnieku Corps (2^nd  Baltic Front ) joined in combat in Latvia at Rezeknes and Daugavpils, Madonas, Krustpils and Rīga operation and combat at Kurzemes (Courland) pocket. During Kurzemes combat it was subordinate to 2^nd   Baltic Front 22^nd and later 42^nd Army. The Corps units fought against Latvian Legions 19^th Division units.

f) SEPARATE UNITS

        "Latvian Strelnieku" name was given to its aviation squadron, which contained 10 planes.  This squadron belonged to 1^st   Air force Army , 303^rd  Division 18^th  Guard Aviation Regiment, and joined in battles by Brjanskas, Western and 3^rd  White Russian Front.
        Also the "Latvian Strelnieka" name was given to a column (10 tanks T-34). They on 16^th August 1942 formed a Latvian separate reserve Strelnieku Regiment in the Gorohoveca region as 246^th tank Brigade. This tank unit joined in battles at Staïingradas, Ilovlas and Czechoslovakia.
        1^st Latvian Bomber Aviation Regiment was founded September 1943. Until 12. July, 1943 it was 24^th Latvian Aviation Squadron. This Regiment supported XXIV Latvian Territorial Corps. 1. Latvian Bomber Regiment contained 3 squadrons and assigned reserve units. Their commander was Regiment Commander.-leitn. K. Kirss.
        1943. g. 28. September regiment joined the Northwestern Front 6^th Air force Army 242^nd Bomber division. Later the regiment was attached to other air force units, with a greater part in night bombing. Latvian aviation regiment greatly joined operations Baltic region. The Regiment 9^th August, 1944 transferred to 1^st Rezeknes Latvian Night Bomber Aviation Regiment. Later (1 October1945.) transferred to 322nd Rezeknes Latvian Night Bomber Aviation Regiment. Battle orders to the regiment also included Kurzemes pocket. Overall they flew 6475 combat missions.

RED PARTISANS

        Armed combat, behind German Front lines was done by left behind people guards and Red Army soldiers. Activity picked up in 1942, one year after the first winter war, but real work by the partisans in Latvia started only in 1943  after German Army stalled at Stalingrad and Kursk.
        The partisan regiment "To padomju Latviju" was organized and started training June 1942 in leningrad and from Staraja Rusas, three small Latvian partisan units (about 200 men) headed for Latvia.  7^th July, the regiment with combat reached Latvian Karsava region, but there the German found and dispersed them with great losses and only several partisans escaped.
        Next partisan unit was formed September 1942 by Moscow from volunteers, from from 201^st Latvian Strelnieku Division and Latvian partisan regiment "To padomju Latviju" combatants. These units commander was Vilis Samsons. This partisan regiment work began east of Latvian borders and only 1943 winter started to work in Latvia. March this unit renamed to Latvian Partisan Brigade.
        Better organized and led the partisan movement in Latvia from January 1943 until October 1944 worked all of Latvia. Altogether Latvia had 24 partisan units, as also 33 smaller groups. From March 1944 until July they formed 4 partisan brigades: 1^st Brigade with about 3000 men (commander V. Samsons) worked Northern and Northeastern Latvia. 2^nd Brigade (about 1500 men, commander P. Ratins) worked Latvian center. 3^rd Brigade (about 500 men, commander O. Oskalns) worked Zemgale, and 4^th Brigade, also with about 500 men. leningradas partisan brigade, which consisted of only Russians (commander M. Klementjevs) worked around Lubanas Lake.
        In 1944 and 1945 in Kurzeme they formed many small partisan units (2 to 12 men each) but very active. Most noted was "Sarkana bulta". The Latvian Red partisan suffered great losses, and many from smaller groups were completely eliminated. The Red partisan movement in Latvia ended October 1944.