Order of Battle for the Leningrad Strategic Defensive Operation

Northern Front

The Northern Front was active from 10 July to 23 August 1941 when the command was divided into the Karelian and Leningrad Fronts. Operated in Estonia.

Leningrad Front

The Leningrad Front (Russian: Ленинградский фронт) was first formed on 23 August 1941, by dividing the Northern Front into the Leningrad Front and Karelian Front, during the German approach on Leningrad. The Front participated through the ed of the operation. It operated from the Gulf of Finland to Lake Ilmen and in Estonia until 27 August.

Northwestern Front

The Northwestern Front was involved in the operation for the entire duration. It operated in the area from Pskov to Novorzhev, then south and southeast of Lake Ilmen.

Baltic Fleet

SOURCE:

8th Army

The 8th Army was involved in the operation for the entire period. First operating in Estonia, then divided into two parts, one the Tallinn area and the other in the Narva - Kingisepp, the army ended the operation in the area which would become the Oranienbaum Bridgehead.

11th Army

The 11th Army was involved in the operation for the entire period. It led the defense of the ares west and southwest of the Lake Ilmen retreating to the area south and then southeast of the lake.

27th Army

The 27th Army was involved in the operation for the entire period. Led the defense in the area from Slavkovich - Novorzhev, retreating towards Kholm and then further to the north shore of Lake Seliger.

34th Army

The army's involvement began in early August 1941 near Staraya Russa and to the south. The army eventually retreated to the area east of Demyansk.

42nd Army

The army took part in the operation from 9–30 September 1941. Conducted combat operations in the approaches to Leningrad from the Gulf of Finland to the city of Pushkin.

48th Army

The army was involved in the operation from 10 August to 14 September 1941 when the army was disbanded. The army operated in the area west of the Lake Ilmen.

52nd Separate Army

The army was involved in the operation from 26 August to the turn of the Volkhov River north of Novogorod.

54th Army

The army was formed on 5 September 1941 with the mission of securing the shores of Lake Ladoga to prevent the Germans from encircling Leningrad. The army participated in the operation to the end.

Composition on 1 October 1941:

3rd Guards Rifle Division 4th Guards Rifle Division 128th Rifle Division 286th Rifle Division 294th Rifle Division 310th Rifle Division 1st Mountain Brigade 881st Artillery Regiment (RVGK) 882nd Artillery Regiment (RVGK) 2/5th Guards Mortar Regiment 4/4th Guards Mortar Regiment 21st Tank Division 16th Tank Brigade 122nd Tank Brigade 5th Motorized Engineer Battalion 135th Motorized Engineer Battalion 136th Motorized Engineer Battalion 3rd Reserve Aviation Group

55th Army

The army was formed on 1 September 1941 and operated in the area from Pushkin to the bend of the Neva River through the end of the operation.

Leningrad People's Militia

See Leningrad Narodnoe Opolcheniye Army for details on Leningrad's Militia units. In late September 1941 the divisions were incorporated into the Red Army.

Luga Operational Group/Southern Operational Group

Took part in the fighting from mid-July in Luga through 16 September when the group was disbanded in Leningrad.

Kopor Operational Group

Composition on 1 September 1941:

1st Guards Leningrad People's Militia Division 2nd Leningrad People's Militia Division 522nd Rifle Regiment (191st Rifle Division) 519th Howitzer Artillery Regiment (RVGK) 24th Tank Regiment (1st Tank Division) 295th Sapper Battalion

Nevskaya Operational Group

Composition on 1 October 1941:

115th Rifle Division 1st Rifle Division (NKVD) 4th Naval Infantry Brigade 1st Fighter Battalion 4th Fighter Battalion 5th Fighter Battalion 230th Artillery Regiment (71st Rifle Division) 1/577th Howitzer Artillery Regiment 24th Antitank Artillery Battalion 20th Mortar Battalionn 107th Tank Battalion 21st Pontoon-Bridge Battalion

German

Presents the largest and units of the German armed forces. It should be borne in mind that the operation involved a variety of specialist, such as artillery and self-propelled artillery (including the provision of OKH), Samokatnaya, rail, engineering, combat engineers, pontoon bridge, part of the army air defense and air defense and the Luftwaffe.

Army Group North (Heeresgruppe Nord)

Data on 8 August 1941.

18th Army

Participated throughout the operation. Led offensive in Estonia, along the eastern shore of Lake Peipsi, then advanced on Leningrad from the south-west and west.

The XXXXII Army Corps was transferred to the 18th Army on 18 July 1941.

XXXXII Army Corps XXVI Army Corps

Panzergruppe 4

Participated in the operation from 10 July to 18 September 1941. The unit was the main striking force for the German forces attack towards Leningrad. The LVI Motorized Corps advanced towards Luga, bypassing the city to the north, breaking through Soviet positions south of Kingisepp, Krasnogvardeisk, and reached the Pulkovo Heights. On 15 September the main forces of the group begin its redeployment from the Leningrad axis to the Moscow axis.

The L Army Corps was transferred to the group on 14 August 1941.

XXXXI Corps (mot.) LVI Motorized Corps XXXVIII Corps L Army Corps (from 14 August 1941)

16th Army

Participated in the operation for the entire period. Originally moving in the area south of Lake Ilmen, the army's right flank was engaged against the Western Front. After regrouping the army advanced north and south of Lake Ilmen on the Novgorod-Chudovo-Leningrad and Staraya Russa-Kholm-Demyansk axis.

XXVII Army Corps I Army Corps II Army Corps X Army Corps

3rd Panzer Group

Part of the group was involved in operations from 24 August to the end of the operation at Leningrad (XXXIX Motorized Corps) and from 30 August to 24 September 1941 in the Demyanks direction (LVII Motorized Corps).

XXXIX Motorized Corps LVII Motorized Corps

Luftflotte 1

Data as of 3 August 1941.

2.(F)/ObdL Wekusta (2nd Squadron, Long-Range reconnaissance Luftwaffe High Command) 1 KGr z.b.V. 106 (1st Transport Squadron, 106th Military Transport Group)

1st Fliegercorps

Took part in the entire operation. Reinforces by Kampfgeschwader 4 on 6 August 1941.

5th Squadron, 122nd Intelligence Group Kampfgeschwader 1 - He-111H, JU-88A (Group 2 and 3) Kampfgeschwader 76 - JU-88A Kampfgeschwader 77 - JU-88A Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 - Ju-87B, Bf-110 Zerstörergeschwader 26 - Bf-110 (Group 1 and 2) Jagdgeschwader 54 - Bf-109F Jagdgeschwader 53 - Bf-109F (Group 2 only)

8th Fliegercorps

The 8th Fliegercorps took part in the operation from late July to 20 September 1941.

2nd Squadron, 11th Intelligence Group 1st Transport Squadron, 4th Transport Group Kampfgeschwader 2 - Do-17Z (Group 1) Kampfgeschwader 3 - Do-17Z (Group 3) Schnellkampfgeschwader 210 Bf-110 (Group 2) Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 Ju-87B (Group 1, 3) Lehrgeschwader 2 Bf-109E, Hs-123 (2nd and 10th Squadron) Jagdgeschwader 27 - Bf-109F, Bf-109E (Group 3 only) Jagdgeschwader 52 - Bf-109F (Group 2 only)

Reconnaissance Group East

125th Naval Intelligence Group Kampfgruppe 806 - Ju-88A Jagdgeschwader 54 - Bf-109E (only 1 staffel)