HISTORY.

• Strength: 10603 (302 officers, 204 NCOs, 10097 soldiers).
• as in 21.6.41: deployed S of Vadul lui Isac / CH (N of GALAŢI), between the lake Covurlui and the Siret junction, at Armata 4's right flank (less Reg. 1 Grăn. and III / Reg. 1 Art.Grea.). Organized on 3 detachments (''Galaţi'', ''Şiviţa'' and ''Scânteieşti'').
• 22-29.6.41: it performed artillery fire over the Prut (together with Div.de Mare, which bombarded the town of Reni), destroying many Soviet batteries from the eastern bank of the Prut.
• 28/29.6.41: Div.1 Gr. handed over its sector to Corpul 11.
• 30.6/1.7.41: moved in 3 stages up to the area Popeni / VS, Şuletea / VS, Băseşti (today Viişoara / VS), Stoeşeşti / VS, Văleni / VS, Zorleni / VS (all N of BÂRLAD, Armata 4 reserve). The artillery was assigned to Corpul 5 and helped Div. 1 Gardă in the bridgehead of Ţiganca / CH.

• 9-10.7.41: it passed the Prut river, assigned to Corpul 3, with security missions along the line Cioara - Cărpineni / LP - the bridge of Albiţa / VS (NE of HUŞI).
• 13.7.41: in action to the SE, on the direction Cărpineni – Costeşti, when it succesively liberated the villages Cazangic / CH, Beştemac / CH, Voşniceni, Sărăţica Nouă / CH, Cenac / CH, COMRAT / TG, Cimişlia / TG, etc. In the same time, it repulsed the enemy attacks at Tomai / TG, Beştemac and Voşniceni.
• 17.7.41: in the area of Traian, Ialpugeni / CH, serving as pivot for Corpul 3's action for the conquering of Zloţi Massif (S of CHIŞINĂU).
• 20.7.41: following the enemy's withdrawal, Gen. Potopeanu established a forwarded detachment (Reg. 5 Grăn., Dion. 41 Art.Moto, Cp. 2 C.L., Gr. 36 Cc), which followed and defeated the Soviets at Cleisstliz, Leipzig / CA (E of COMRAT), Berezina / CA, Plahleevka and Bairamcea, arriving (24.7.41) on the line Bairamcea - Caira / CA, 20 km W of Nistru (W of CETATEA ALBĂ).
• 24.7.41: Div.1 Gr. attacked the Soviet troops N of CETATEA ALBĂ.
• 27.7.41: it passed to the defence in the area Purcari / CA (on the Nistru).
• Losses (in the Southern Bessarabian campaign):: 1481 (311 dead, 924 wounded, 246 MIA).

• 13/14.8.41: Div.1 Gr. passed the Nistru, to the Odessa front.
• 18-23.8.41: in action in the first echelon of Corpul 1, attacking the first defence line of ODESA on the direction Conac Tolmacev – Vakarjani, arriving up to the area of Tolmacev.
  • 18.8.41: after a 100 km march in 3 nights, the division attacked on a 1,5 km front at S of Kagarlâk, with an advance of 20 km in 4 days.
  • 21.8.41: it arrived on the line Dubinovo, Vakarjani, where it repulsed the Soviet counter-attacks.
• 24.08.41: the offensive is temporary stopped.
• 31.8/1.9.41: Reg. 1 Grăn. and Reg. 5 Grăn. replaced Div. 21 Inf., between Vakarjani and Krasn. Pereseleneţ.
• 1-2.09.41: Div.1 Gr. again in action, with an advance of 1 km and losses of 41 officers and 739 troop (DIA and WIA) in 2 days.
• 12.9.41: in action (together with Div. 7 Inf.), S of the road Vakarjani – Dalnik, to the skirt W of Dalnik.
• 17.9.41: again in action (together with Div. 1 Gardă), to E of Hutor Dalniţki, repulsing the enemy towards Dalnik.
• 21.9.41: following heavy fightings with many losses, it passed to the defence, NW of Dalnik.
• 2.10.41: Div.1 Gr. was attacked in this area (the center of the front of Armata 4) from the direction Dalnik – Freudental, and repulsed 7 km up to Hutor Dalniţki. ("Defensive Victory"). The Soviet attack is stopped by Reg.1 Art.Grănicerească, Reg.2 Art.Grea and Reg. 7 Art.Grea.
• 6.10.41: the initial position were re-occupied by the counter-attack lead in connexion with Div. 7 Inf. and Div. 21 Inf.
• 6.10.41: regrouped in the area Beleaevka, Dobrojani and passed W of the Nistru, N of Cetatea Albă.

1942.

1943.

• 1.5.43: disbanded and merged with Div. 4 Inf., as follows:
  • Reg. 5 Grăniceri with Reg. 21 Infanterie;
  • Reg. 1 Grăniceri with Reg. 20 Dorobanţi;
  • Reg. 2 Grăniceri with Reg. 5 Dorobanţi;
  • Reg. 2 Artilerie Grăniceri with Reg. 2 and 10 Artilerie.

HQ LOCATIONS. (abbreviations)

OPM Numbers (see the OPM list)

© Grecu Dan-Simion 2000