Romanian 10th Infantry Division - Kharkov

Hi All,

I am part of a large reconstruction of the WW2 Kharkov engagement. There will be 80 people taking part in this reconstruction. We will be using a modified Spearhead rule system and 6mm (1/285) figures to represent the forces.

I have been given command of the Romanian 10th Infantry Division and the Romanian Air force for this engagment.

I am keen to learn more about the Romanian 10 Division specifically - ie: What weapons (Anti-Tank, AA etc) did they have, How where they best employed, how they fared in the actual Kharkov battle and what the 10th's Organisation structure was like.

I am also interested in the Air forces available for the battle, including what equipment they had, tactics, and any other usefull information you may have.

I know I have asked for allot of information but I am that I need to know the troops I am to command.
There will be people coming from all over the world to recreat this battle which will be held in the UK (the reconstrustion will happen in January 2006).

I want to ensure that I am able to do the Romanian forces justice and more importantly show everyone else what the Romanian 10th can do on the battle field.

The last time a battle was recreated on this scale (2003 - Kiev Russian breakout - just after Kursk) the Romanian 7th Division rescued the 2nd SS Panzer Division. So the Romanian forces have allot to live up to.

Some links from the main page

The Infantry
Regiments Within the 10th Inf. Division
Weapons

About the battle itself, I'll let the specialists tell you about it....

The 10th Infantry Division did not take part in the battles around Kharkov in late 1941-early 1942. The Romanian units fighting in that sector were initially the 1st and 2nd Infantry Divisions and the Col. Rotta Skier Detachment. The 2 divisions were later joined by the 4th and 20th Infantry Divisions and were subordinated to the 6th Corps of lt. gen. Corneliu Dragalina. No Romanian aircraft took part in these operations.

The 10th Infantry Division was in Crimea in that period of time. I think you are confusing it with the 20th Division.

It would be helpful if you could provide the exact timeframe you are interested in.

Thanks for the replies - Apologies for I should have clarified the timescale.

This is the second battle around Kharkov - around late January (early Feb) 1943 partway through the russian offensive.

No Romanians took part in that battle. The 10th Infantry Division was in the Caucasus at that date.

If no Romanians partaked in that battle, but you want to do us justice and show everyone want we can do on the battle field, congratulations! You have become a true Romanian...

I think Victor is probably right, I did not hear of any Romanian actions so far in the north in 1943...

Hi Guys,

I guess the year should read "1942". Weren't two Romanian ski battalions involved in ths action as well?

Cheers,

Sid.

Yes. I mentioned the Col. Rotta Skier Detachment.

Nero, it might be possible that the Mixed Group (an ad-hoc unit made up of several Bf-109Es of teh 7th Fighter Group and several He-111Hs of the 5th Bomber Group) took part in the action. These were the joint remains of the two groups that remained in the southern part of the Eastern front until February 1943. Unfortunately, the two books that I have that contain info on the actions of the beforementioned aviation group are packed away now in a neighbour's cellar (my house is presently undergoing general repairs). All I have at hand is the several claims made by the Romanian Bf-109Es in January and February. For instance, on 20 January, lt. av. Alexandru Serbanescu and adj. stg. Tiberiu Vinca claimed each a VVS fighter misidentified as "Hurricane" (most likely Yak-1) in the area around Kudrief (or Kudriev). Maybe if we can locate that place we can find out more on the area were the Mixed Group operated before someone who has more info will step in.

Unfortunately for your endeavour, there were no Romanian ground forces involved in that operation.

Hmm - thanks for your information,

I will speak to the organisers of this event and clarify what the historical context of this is.

For the battle report of the previous engagement please go to:
www.kathiescomics.co.uk/bitussr2003.doc

This was the 2003 engagement.

Also I thought I would just add - this is an excellent site and forum.

Intersting report. It probably took you some time to organize all of this.

A few observations though:
- no Romanian troops took part in the fights at Kursk. The 7th Division (well, what was left of it) was in its barracks since 31 March 1943 and it stayed there until 1944, the 12th Division was disbanded in 1940 following the territorial losses, when it lost its recruting base
- the concept of flame-thrower armed cavalry is indeed interesting, but I never heard of of such things in the Romanian army

Where there no Romanian troops in Army Group south active on the front on January - March 1943?

As I understand it the battle for Kharkov itself was only with SS Liebstandard, Das Riech and Totenkop.

We will be looking to reproduce the german counter attack after the soviet pusuit from Stalingrad.

Essentialy Army group south (Manstein) versus parts of Voronezh front (Galikov) and South west front (Vatutin)

The following are the proposed army groups:

Army Abt.Lanz - Army Commander
24th Panzer Corps - Corps Commander
Corps Raus - Corps Commander
SS Panzer Corps - Corps Commander

1st Panzer Army - Army Commander
Alpini Corps - Corps Commander
3rd Panzer Corps - Corps Commander
40th Panzer Corps - Corps Commander

Army Abt. Hollidt - Army Commander
Gruppe Mieth - Corps Commander
17th Corps - Corps Commander
48th Panzer Corps - Corps Commander

4th Panzer Army - Army Commander
5th Corps - Corps Commander
57th Panzer Corps - Corps Commander
2nd Rumanian Corps - Corps Commander

Reserve
3rd Hungarian Corps - Corps Commander



Voronezh Front Commander - Front Commander
40th Army - Army Commander
69th Army - Army Commander
3rd Tank Army - Army Commander
Southwestern Front Commander - Front Commander
6th Army - Army Commander
1st Guards Army - Army Commander
Mobile Group Popov - Army Commander
3rd Guards Army - Army Commander
5th Tank Army - Army Commander