Years of service 1915–17
1917–41 | Rank Major general | |
 | ||
Service/branch Russian Imperial Army
Red Army Commands held 185th Rifle Division
172nd Rifle Division Battles/wars World War I
Russian Civil War
World War II
Siege of Mogilev Died 3 December 1941, Hammelburg, Germany Battles and wars World War I, Russian Civil War, World War II, Siege of Mogilev Allegiances Russian Empire, Soviet Union | ||
Mikhail Timofeyevich Romanov (Russian: Михаил Тимофеевич Романов; 21 November 1891–July 1943) was a Red Army Major general. Romanov served with the Imperial Russian Army in World War I and joined the Red Army. He became an officer and fought in the Russian Civil War. In 1939, Romanov became commander of the 185th Rifle Division. He attended courses at the Military Academy of the General Staff and became commander of the 172nd Rifle Division. Romanov led the division in the Siege of Mogilev and was taken prisoner during the Soviet breakout attempt. He was sent to the Hammelburg POW camp and died there in July 1943.
Contents
Early life, World War I, and Russian Civil War
Romanov was born on 21 November 1891 in Nizhny Novgorod, the son of a craftsman. His father died when Romanov was fifteen. By this time Romanov had graduated from the municipal school. To support his mother and sister, he worked as a craftsman. In 1915 he was drafted into the Imperial Russian Army, graduating from the Chistopol Warrant Officer School six months later. Romanov served with the 72nd Regiment in Rzhev. He became a member of the regimental committee after the February Revolution on the Western Front. After the October Revolution, he returned to Rzhev, where he joined the Red Army.
Romanov became head of the 3rd Regiment's regimental school, fighting on the Eastern Front against the White Army. He became assistant commander of the 11th Rifle Regiment in Turkestan, fighting against the Basmachi. He was wounded in the head and in the hospital met Mikhail Frunze. After Romanov recovered he became regimental commander.
Interwar
Romanov's regiment was transferred to Verniy. In 1923, he left Central Asia for courses. After graduating, he became commander of the 50th Rifle Regiment of the 17th Rifle Division in Nizhny Novgorod. Romanov later commanded the 18th Rifle Regiment in Livny. In 1939, he became commander of the 185th Rifle Division. He was promoted to Major General in 1940 and became a Communist Party of the Soviet Union member. After the six-month commander improvement courses at the Military Academy of the General Staff, he became commander of the 172nd Rifle Division.
World War II
Romanov led the 172nd Rifle Division in the Siege of Mogilev. He led a special group of the 172nd and 110th Rifle Divisions, regiments or remnants of the 132nd Rifle Division, the 137th Rifle Division, the 160th Rifle Division, and the 143rd Rifle Division, and the remnants of the 20th Mechanized Corps. On the night of 26 to 27 July corps commander Fyodor Bakunin ordered a breakout attempt. Romanov was wounded in his left shoulder. His column joined up with a German convoy under the cover of darkness but was spotted and destroyed. Romanov hid under the straw in a Panje wagon to the west at Barsuki, 32 kilometers west of the city. He was captured and treated at a German hospital, then sent to the Hammelburg POW camp, dying there in July 1943.
Personal life
Romanov married and had two sons and a daughter. His elder son died in World War II.