The 235th Rifle Division was an infantry division of the Red Army, originally formed in the months just before the start of the German invasion, based on the shtat (table of organization and equipment) of September 13, 1939. As part of the 41st Rifle Corps it was soon sent to Northwestern Front to defend the distant approaches to Leningrad. Along with its Corps the division became part of the Luga Operational Group. After Novgorod was captured the Luga Group was largely encircled and had to fight its way north toward the city, suffering considerable losses in the process. The losses to the 235th were greater than those of some others and after officially carrying on in the reserves of Leningrad Front for some time the division was officially disbanded in late December.
A new division, originally numbered as the 454th, began forming in the Siberian Military District in early December and was soon redesignated as the 2nd formation of the 235th. After forming it was assigned to 53rd Army in Northwestern Front and served in the battles around the Demyansk Pocket into early 1943. During Operation Kutuzov it took part in the battles that liberated Oryol, and then went into the reserves before moving north to join 4th Shock Army. As part of 1st Baltic Front it was involved in the grinding battles around the Vitebsk salient through the winter of 1943/44, mostly as part of 43rd Army. Early in the summer offensive the division won a battle honor, and then advanced into the Baltic states, receiving the Order of the Red Banner for its part in the fighting southwest of Riga. In January 1945 the 235th advanced into East Prussia and spent nearly the remainder of the war there, winning further distinctions in the battle for Königsberg. It remained in service into the following year but was disbanded in July 1946.
1st Formation
The division began forming on March 14, 1941, at Kineshma and Ivanovo in the Moscow Military District. When completed it had the following order of battle: 732nd Rifle Regiment 801st Rifle Regiment 806th Rifle Regiment 670th Artillery Regiment 682nd Howitzer Artillery Regiment 217th Antitank Battalion 11th Antiaircraft Battalion 289th Reconnaissance Battalion 369th Sapper Battalion 607th Signal Battalion 384th Medical/Sanitation Battalion 326th Chemical Defense (Anti-gas) Company 702nd Motor Transport Battalion 450th Field Bakery 676th Field Postal Station 544th Field Office of the State Bank Maj. Gen. Timofei Vasilevich Lebedev was appointed to command on the day the division began forming and would lead it for the duration of this formation. This officer had previously led the 40th Rifle Division but had more recently served in the training establishment. At the time of the German invasion the division was still unfinished and only had a week to complete its formation before it joined the fighting front on June 30. At this time it was part of the 41st Rifle Corps with the 111th and 118th Rifle Divisions.
Defense of Leningrad
When it arrived at the front the 41st Corps came under the command of the 11th Army of Northwestern Front in the Pskov area. On July 4 the Red Army's chief of staff, Army Gen. G. K. Zhukov, ordered Lt. Gen. M. M. Popov's Northern Front to "immediately occupy a defense line along the Narva-Luga-Staraya Russa-Borovichi front". Popov formed the Luga Operational Group on July 6 and by July 14 the 41st Corps, which now also contained the 90th Rifle Division had been subordinated to it.
4th Panzer Group resumed its advance from it bridgehead east of the Velikaya River between Pskov and Ostrov on July 10. Although summer heat and difficult terrain delayed the pace of the blitzkrieg the panzers were still gaining about 30km per day. With the failure to halt the advance, Popov split up the Operational Group on July 23 into three separate sector commands. The Luga Sector came under the command of Maj. Gen. A. N. Astinin and was ordered to protect the Luga Highway axis south of Leningrad. His forces consisted of the 111th, 177th, and 235th Rifle Divisions and the 2nd Tank Division, plus assorted smaller units.