135th Rifle Division

The 135th Rifle Division was first formed as an infantry division of the Red Army in early September 1939 in the Ukrainian (later Kiev Special) Military District, based on the shtat (table of organization and equipment) of September 13. Although barely formed it took part in the invasion of eastern Poland later that month as part of Ukrainian Front. At the outset of the German invasion on June 22, 1941, it was moving toward the frontier in western Ukraine near Dubno, as part of 5th Army. It quickly encountered the panzers of III Motorized Corps and was driven off toward Rivne, losing most of its strength in the process. After taking up defenses on the north flank of the German penetration to Kyiv during July, it was moved to the rear and was partly rebuilt before being reassigned to the new 40th Army on Southwestern Front's extreme right flank. When the German drive to encircle this Front began in the first days of September the 135th narrowly escaped the trap and gradually fell back to the east in the Kharkiv area. By the end of October it was clear that the resources weren't available to rebuild it again and its headquarters was disbanded, while one rifle regiment continued to fight under Army command. The division was officially stricken on December 27.

A new 135th was created in early January 1942, on the basis of a 400-series division, largely at Kolomna in the Moscow Military District. It was soon sent west to join Kalinin Front, being briefly assigned to 4th Shock Army before being moved back to Front reserves for further training. In May it was moved to 41st Army in the same Front. In July, Army Group Center launched an operation to clear the rear areas of its Rzhev salient and the division was quickly encircled; its remnants were forced to break out at enormous cost and were then returned to Front reserves for an almost complete rebuilding. In October it was assigned to 39th Army of the same Front, and formed part of its shock group in November's Operation Mars. 39th Army managed to make one of the few permanent gains of territory during this offensive, but it came at significant cost, and following the withdrawal of German 9th Army from the salient in March 1943 the 135th was pulled back to the Reserve of the Supreme High Command for another rebuilding, assigned to 11th Army. This Army returned to the fighting front in July, just in time to take part in the offensive that drove 9th Army out of its salient around Oryol. Just as this campaign was ending in August the division returned to the Reserve of the Supreme High Command, eventually returning in early November west of Kyiv as part of 1st Ukrainian Front's 38th Army. It immediately took part in the pursuit of the German forces defeated in the battle for that city, but was soon struck by armored counterattacks that drove it back with serious casualties. During the first months of 1944 it continued its advance into western Ukraine, eventually as part of 60th Army, but returned again to the Reserve of the Supreme High Command, now to be sent north to Karelia to join 7th Army in the offensive that drove Finland out of the war. After spending nearly the remainder of the year in Leningrad Front, under 21st and 59th Armies, it was again redeployed with the latter for the final offensive into Poland and Germany under 1st Ukrainian Front. In January 1945 it advanced into southern Poland and Silesia, receiving a battle honor in the process. During the following months the 135th saw extensive service in Silesia, and ended the war under 6th Army in the siege of Breslau, for which it was awarded the Order of the Red Banner a month before it was disbanded in July.