The 415th Rifle Division was formed as an infantry division of the Red Army in the autumn of 1941 in the Far Eastern Front. It was considered to be a "sister" division to the 413th, and was one of the divisions of Siberians sent west to help defend Moscow during the winter of 1941-42. It spent much of the next year in the same general area, west of the capital, taking part in the mostly futile battles against the German-held salient at Rzhev during late 1942. Following the evacuation of the salient in March, 1943 the 415th was assigned to the 61st Army, where it remained for most of the rest of the war. It took part in the summer offensives through western Russia and into eastern Belarus during the fall and winter, earning a battle honor in January, 1944. During the later stages of the next summer offensive, Operation Bagration, it distinguished itself in the liberation of Pinsk and was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. Following this it was redeployed northward, still in 61st Army, and took part in the offensives through the Baltic states. In the spring of 1945 the division also earned the Order of Suvorov, 2nd Degree, for its part in the capture of several towns in northeastern Germany. The 415th had a distinguished career as a combat unit, ending its combat path near Berlin, but was disbanded in the summer of 1945.
Formation
The 415th Rifle Division began forming on September 8, 1941 at Vladivostok, in 25th Army on the Pacific coast. It appears to have begun forming as the "Voroshilov" Rifle Division before being assigned a divisional number. Its order of battle, based on the first wartime shtat (table of organization and equipment) for rifle divisions, was as follows: 1321st Rifle Regiment 1323rd Rifle Regiment 1326th Rifle Regiment 686th Artillery Regiment 292nd Antitank Battalion 311th Antiaircraft Battery (until June 30, 1943) 208th Reconnaissance Company 687th Sapper Battalion 611th Signal Battalion (later 772nd Signal Company) 346th Medical/Sanitation Battalion 348th Chemical Protection (Anti-gas) Company (later 211th) 329th Motor Transport Company (later 4th) 529th Field Bakery (later 336th) 172nd Divisional Veterinary Hospital 38th Field Postal Station (later 15315th, 15262nd) 3rd Field Office of the State Bank Col. Georgii Aleksandrovich Latyshev was appointed to command on the day the division began forming. It was considered to be ready for combat by the end of October, and shipped out to the west as part of the Reserve of the Supreme High Command in the first days of November. It was one of six divisions transferred from Far Eastern Front to the fighting front from September to November. Contrary to the German understanding at the time, there were no wholesale transfers from the far east to the Moscow front. Prior to this move Colonel Latyshev left his command on November 1. Until mid-1943 this position would see a high rate of turnover, as follows: Maj. Gen. Pyotr Andreevich Aleksandrov (November 2, 1941 - March 2, 1942) Lt. Col. Grigorii Ivanovich Kanachadze (March 3 - April 22, 1942) Col. Nikolai Ivanovich Tuzov (April 23 - May 9, 1942) Lt. Col. Nikolai Alexeevich Krymskii (May 10 - June 12, 1942) Col. Vasilii Nikitovich Zatylkin (June 13 - August 20, 1942) Col. Vasilii Filippovich Samoplenko (August 21 - December 11, 1942) Col. Aleksandr Ivanovich Golovanov (December 12, 1942 - January 1, 1943) Lt. Col. Georntii Nesterovich Tzitaishvili (January 2 - June 25, 1943) Col. Nikolai Kuzmich Maslennikov (June 26 - July 30, 1943)
Battle of Moscow
The 415th was first assigned to 49th Army in Western Front, along with the 7th Guards Rifle Division, on November 10 in order to strengthen that Army's right flank. Beginning on November 14 these right-flank forces, along with the 2nd Cavalry Corps and the 112th Tank Division, fought a series of meeting engagements with German forces attempting to capture Serpukhov. The German attack was stymied at the cost of significant losses and a week later the Soviet units went over to the defensive. The division was specifically assigned to defend the sector from Sidorenki to Burinovskii station and prevent German tanks and infantry from breaking through in the direction of Burinovo and Kalugino. General Aleksandrov was ordered to prepare antitank strongpoints near Terekhun, the wooded area east of Burinovo, in the woods near Burinovskii station, Stanki station and near Kalugino; in addition a switch position was to be constructed along the northern bank of the Nara River along the sector from Dubrovka to Butyrki and a rear position along a line from Shakhlovo to Kalugino. The front-line defenses were to be completed by December 1, with the second-line positions completed by December 5.