The 197th Guards Rifle Regiment has a long and glorious history.  Initially called the 1102nd Rifles, the regiment fought bravely as part of the 327th Rifle Division to help relieve the siege of Leningrad during operation “Iskra” (“Spark”) from 12-18 January 1943.  Due to the valor shown by all the regiments in the 327th Rifle Division in the relief of beleaguered Leningrad, the division and it’s regiments were awarded the title “Guards” on 19 January 1943.  With the Guards title came new designations.  The 327th Rifle Division became the 64th Guards Rifle Division, and the 1102nd Rifle Regiment became the 197th Guards Rifle Regiment.  The 64th Guards Rifle Division also received the honorable title of “Krasnoselskiy” Division, presumably for its heroism in the Krasnoselskiy district of Leningrad.

      The 64th Guards Division’s sister division, the 63rd Guards Division, was also formed on the same day from the 136th Rifle Division.  Both divisions, along with the 45th Guards Rifle Division, were formed into the elite 30th Guards Rifle Corps, part of the 2nd Shock Army of the Leningrad Front.  The 30th Guards Rifle Corps, under the command of Maj. Gen. N. Simonyak, became the spearhead of the 2nd Shock Army, specializing in breaking through fortified positions.   

Breaking the Siege of Leningrad¹

      The "Iskra (Spark)" operation (January 12-31, 1943) resulted breaking the siege at the narrow sector of the southern coast of Ladoga Lake on January 18. The armies of the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts supported by the 13th and 14th Air armies and artillery of the Baltic fleet and Ladozhskaya flotilla defeated the enemy at the Mga-Sinyavino projection and liberated Shlisselburg. A railroad line named the Road of Victory was built in the established corridor connecting Leningrad with the mainland.

      The only hills in the area - the Sinyavinskiye Heights - played an important strategic role in army operations. In September 1943 Soviet forces headed by General Simonyak and the 30th Guards Rifle Corps (which included the 197th Guards Rifle Regiment) managed to recapture the Heights. 

      The blockade was fully raised a year later, on January 27, 1944 when the Germans were smashed as the result of joint actions of the Leningrad, Volkhov (under Army General K. Meretskov) and 2nd Baltic (headed by Army General M. Popov) Front.  

Fighting in Finland

      The defeat of the Finnish armies in June-August 1944 in Vyborg and Svir'- Petrozavodsk offensives became the final stage of the Leningrad battle. The following is a rough timeline of operations in which the 197th Guards Regiment was involved.  Units in which the 197th was a part are shown in bold.

      In August, 1943 the 45th, the 63rd and the 64th Guards Divisions (which came from the Volkhov Front) formed the 30th Guard Corps. This corps was then used as a "strike" unit to break the strongly fortified enemy lines. It took Sinyavino heights (September, 1943), broke through the German positions near Pulkovo and captured Krasnoye Selo (January, 1944), took bridgehead near Narva (February, 1944), and penetrated three Finnish fortified lines on the Karelian isthmus (the so-called "Mannerheim line" in June, 1944)."²

      10 Jun 44. Gen. Gusev's 21st Army, conducted the main offensive in the western Carelian Isthmus. Maj. Gen. N. Simonyak's 30th Guards Corps (with the 45th, 63rd and 64th Guards Divisions) was an elite formation who acted as the spearhead of the 21st Army offensive. 

      The main direction of Soviet assault was in Carelian Isthmus, where the Soviet 30th Guards Corps and other elite troops were deployed. The Finnish 10th Division lines broke at Valkeasaari (Beloostrov) on 10th June. Finnish forces redeployed themselves to so called VT-line, and the Finnish Armoured Division was sent to help.  This was in vain, as the Armoured Division and Finnish 3rd Division were unable to stop Soviets in battle of Kuuterselkä. The Finnish 2nd Division held their positions at Siiranmäki, but had to retreat after Finnish loss of Kuuterselkä exposed their flank. 

      25 Jun 44. The main effort was to be made on a 10 km-wide front (from Viipuri to Lake Repolanjärvi) by Col. Gen. D. Gusev's formidable 21st Army in the middle of Govorov's front. It had 14 divisions in four corps in front-line, supported by numerous tank brigades and tank and assault gun regiments. Maj. Gen. N. Simonyak's elite 30th Guards Corps would again be the spearhead of the assault. The 30th Guards Corps had spent more than a week resting and refitting since the Battle of Kivennapa, and its 45th, 63rd and 64th guards divisions were again ready for action, with the 268th Division in reserve. It would be supported by 27th, 30th and 260th Tank Brigades.

      29 September 1944, the Soviet forces were ready for the attack. To cross the sound from Haapsalu to Muhu Island, the Soviets used American Lend-Lease amphibious craft. Their first landing location was at Kuivastu on the Island of Muhu. Quickly, the Germans gave the order - all German forces on Muhu were to retreat to Saaremaa without a fight. In the last minute, the Germans blew up the causeway connecting Muhu and Saaremaa. This would at least slow the Soviets down, though it would not stop their attack.

      At the same time, the Germans evacuated Hiiumaa island. This way, all of the German Island forces would be concentrated on one island, the biggest one. To the surprise of the defending Germans, they received reinforcements. The 218th Infantrie-Division and the 12th Luftwaffe-Feld-Division were landed on Saaremaa through ports on the northern and eastern ends of Saaremaa. The Soviets tried to interdict the landings, by they were not successful. Soviet forces however landed on Saaremaa between the villages of Jaani and Keskvere. Slowly, the Germans were forced to retreat from the northern sides of Saaremaa. Kurresaare fell to the Soviets on 20 October 1944 and with that loss, the Germans began retreating towards the Svorbe peninsula for their final stand. The Soviets now brought in the 30th Guards Corps to help in the clearing of Saaremaa of German forces.  

The End of the Great Patriotic War

When the war ended, the 30th Guard Rifle Corps was south of Riga, containing the Courland pocket on the Lithuanian coast. 

Order of Battle³

      The following is the “family tree” of the 197th Guards Rifle Regiment from early 1943 to the end of the war.  Units in bold are in the 197th’s direct line, and commanders are listed, where known. 

2nd Shock Army (V. Z. Romanovsky) (see note)

-30th Guards Rifle Corps (Maj. Gen. N. Simonyak)

      --45th Guards Rifle Division  (Formed 16 October 1942 from the 70th Rifle Division)

      --63rd Guards Rifle Division  (Formed 19 January 1943 from the 136th Rifle Division)

      --64th Guards Rifle Division  (Formed 19 January 1943 from the 327th Rifle Division)

            ---191st Guards Rifle Regiment (formerly 1098th Rifle Regiment)

            ---194th Guards Rifle Regiment (formerly 1100th Rifle Regiment)

            ---197th Guards Rifle Regiment (formerly 1102nd Rifle Regiment)

            ---134th Guards Artillery Regiment (formerly 894th Artillery Regiment) 
 

Note: for a period the 30th Guards Rifle Corps was attached to the 21st Army [Col. Gen. D. Gusev]