The Romanian Army: 7. Infantry Division.

The Romanian Royal Army
1939-1945
DIVIZIA 7 INFANTERIE

7^th Infantry Division

1939 - 1940 - 1941 - 1942 - 1943 - 1944

COMMANDERS.

5.6.40-1.8.42: Gen. brigadă (from 18.7.42 Gen. divizie) OLIMPIU STAVRAT;
1.8.42-20.3.43: Gen. brigadă CONSTANTIN TRESTIOREANU;
20.3.43-4.4.44: Gen. brigadă ALEXANDRU POENARU;
4.4-28.9.44 and 12.10-1.12.44: Gen. brigadă AGRICOLA FILIP;
28.9-12.10.44: Gen. IOAN POPESCU.

STRUCTURE (details)

Grup 7 Cercetare

Compania 7 Transmisiuni.

Compania 7 Poliţie.

Bateria 7 AC

Compania 7 A.A.

Batalion 7 Pioneri

Batalion 7 Asalt (1941-

Brigada 7 Infanterie

Regimentul 14 Infanterie

Regimentul 16 Infanterie

Regimentul 37 Infanterie

Brigada 7 Artilerie

Regimentul 4 Artilerie

Regimentul 8 Artilerie

Grup 7 Servicii details

ASSIGNMENTS TO HIGHER UNITS.

15.11.39	Corp 10 Armată
27.6-4.7.41	Corp Munte.
25.7.41	? Corp 11 Armată.
4.8-12.9.41	Corp 3 Armată.
7.8.41	Corp 5 ?, Armata 4.
(3?)23.9-16.10.41	Corp 4 Armată.
2.10.41	Corp 1 ?, Armata 4.
5.11-24.12.42	Corp 1 Armată, Armata 3.
15.3.44	Corp 4 Armată.
15.6.44	Corp 6 Armată, Armata 4.
20.8.44	Corp 4 Armată

ATTACHED UNITS.

10-12.8.41	Btr.6 / Reg.51 Artilerie (Mihailovskie)
26.7-26.8.41	Compania 18 Antitanc

DETACHED UNITS

DEPLOYMENT AREA / OPERATIONAL PERIOD.

.39-8.41	Romania	22.6 - 3.8.41 -
8-10.41	Transnistria	3.8-10.41
11.41-9.42	Romania	-
10.42-2.43	Stalingrad	2.10.42-3.43
3.43-11.44	Romania	4-11.44

HISTORY.

ROMANIA

1939.

14.3.39: the partial mobilisation in garrisons (ROMAN).
as of 15.11.39: deployed in the first line, on the Northern frontier in Northern Bucovina, in the area VIJNIŢA - VĂŞCĂUŢI.

1940.

8.40: on the same positions.
9.40: following the Northern Bucovina occupation by USSR, the Division withdrew and was redeployed on a line approx. E of TÂRGU NEAMŢ.

1941.

as of 21.6.41: deployed along the Bucovinian frontier, on the line Burla Româneşti / SV, Călineşti / SV, Cuparencu (SE of RĂDĂUŢI), with the mission to forbid a Soviet offensive from the directions Cernăuţi - Siret - Valea Sucevei and Storojineţ - Rădăuţi.

Strength: 520 officers, 376 NCOs, 17413 troop, 12913 rifles, 471 machine-rifles, 168 machine-guns, 83 howitzers, 39 guns, 6478 horses, 1374 waggons, 142 motor vehicles.

22.6-2.7.41: on the same positions.

?: action in the area Mihăileni (6 km E of SIRET) at the left of Bg.8 Cav, towards North.

ROMANIA (Northern Bucovina, occupied by USSR)

3-4.7.41: frontal attack from the area Dorneşti / SV, with actions at Tereblecea / RD, Fântâna Albă / RD, Băhrineşti / RD (4.7, Reg.14 Dorobanţi), Cerepcăuţi / RD and Luza (N of SIRET).

ROMANIA (Bessarabia, occupied by USSR)

6.7.41: it crossed the Prut river, and pursuit the Soviet troops along the direction Noua Suliţă / HT - Lipcani / HT (S of HOTIN).
9.7.41: the Division enters Briceni / HT. Here it received the order to move to CERNĂUŢI, with security missions in the liberated Northern Bucovina.
11.7.41: moved again to the south, to the operational area of Armata 4 (in the reserve).

TRANSNISTRIA (Odesa)

3.8.41: it crossed the Nistru at Vadul lui Vodă / LP (E of CHIŞINĂU).
4.8.41: it defeated the Soviet oppositions at GRIGORIOPOL and Kolosova.
6.8.41: again in offensive to the East, mopping up the area GRIGORIOPOL - TIRASPOL, arriving on the height 3 km NE of Tasloc, with actions at Kolosova (5-6.8.41, Reg.37 Infanterie), Kuciurgan, Rozalievka,
9.8.41: Div.7 Inf. arrived 6 km S of RAZDELNAIA (here actioned in 10.8.41 Reg.16 Dorobanţi).
10.8.41: the division begun the pursuit of the enemy along the direction Razdelnaia – Karpova and Vigoda – Odesa.
18.8.41: in action in the first echelon of Corpul 3 (until 24.8.41), with fights at Mihailovskaia (Reg.37 Infanterie) and Karpova (Reg.8 Artilerie); here it broken the enemy frontlines, resuming its advance:
- 18-23.8.41: Reg.14 Dorobanţi actioned at Kalinin and Berezeni, arriving in the evening of 23.8.41 NE of Berezeni (NW of ODESA)
- 19.8.41: action at Georgenthal.
- 22-24.8.41: Reg.16 Dorobanţi, Reg. 37 Infanterie and Reg. 8 Artilerie in action between Vigoda and Oktiabri.
- 24.8.41: it seized the heights N of Vajni (the heights 71,4-79,3-74,8, the crests Bostanaia, Dilniţkaia) and the village Oktiabri.
26-30.8.41: rest in the reserve of Armata 4 (with Corpul 3).
31.8.41: introduced again (together with Corpul 3) in the first echelon, N of Dalnik; here it faced a strong Soviet opposition. Div.7 Inf. was the first division to reach the fortified position between Gniliakovo and Dalnik.
15/16.9.41: replaced from the first line and regrouped in the area Petrovski, Mândrovka, Makarov.
20.9.41: moved to another fortified position, S of Tatarka.
16.10.41: it broked the Soviet defence between Tatarka and Limanul Uscat and entered in ODESA.

ROMANIA

beg. 11.41: arrived back in Romania.
Losses in the 1941 Campaign: 138 at Bahrineşti, Fântâna Albă, 72 at Grigoriopol, 1096 at Vîgoda, 594 at Dalnik, 152 at Tatarka, 306 at Berezeni and Vajni.

1942.

STALINGRAD

2.10.42: disembarked in the area STALINO (today DONETZK) – Volnovaha – MARIUPOL.
30.10-1/2.11.42: introduced in the positions, on a 21 km frontline, between Verh. Krîmskoi and Gromok (or between Bokovskaia - Petro Pavlovka, on the Don), replacing the Italian Celere Division.
23/24.11.42: the division repulsed more Soviet attacks at Gromok and Nisch. Kalininski.
8.12.42: the division had still a ''relatively good situation'', with its operational capacity maintained.
19.12.42: finally Div.7 Inf. withdrew 30 km up to the Cir river.
20.12.42: following the disaster of the Italian 8^th Army of 16.12.42, all the units assigned to Corpul 1 were encircled on the Cir by Soviet infiltrations from E to the W along the Ceobaul valley.
23.12.42: the Soviet tanks reached at 10.0 AM in the Bistraia valley, 10 km of Morozovsk (here were located the HQ of Armata 3, together with the HQ of Corpul 1 and Div.7 Inf.).
24.12.42: ''Corpul 1 totally pulverized''.

1943.

2.1.43: it passed the Donetz river at Belaia Kalitva, only with 100 officers and 2500 troop, from which only 5-600 fit for fight.
7.1.43-31.3.43: returning home after a 1800 km march on foot.

Losses at Don's Bend: 86 officers, 34 NCOs, 3933 troop, 6910 rifles, 294 machine-rifles, 98 machine-guns, 96 howitzers, 88 guns, 646 waggons, 49 motor vehicles.

ROMANIA

31.3.43: Div.7 Inf. arrived in its garrison, ROMAN.

1944.

Spring .44: sent to the Moldavian front, N of IAŞI, with the mission to secure the bridges over the Prut at Sculeni / IS, Bădărăi / BT, Ştefăneşti / BT, Badragi / BL (it had also forwarded cover units E of the Prut). It carried heavy fights at Bădărăi, on the Jijia river, between Todireni / BT and Vlădeni / IS, at Rediu Mitropoliei / IS, Castelul Roznovanu, Vulturi / IS, Stânca, Podul Iloaiei / IS, Leţcani / IS (all in IAŞI area). With great efforts Div.7 Inf. maintained the defence line N Vulturi - NW Rateşu Mârzescu forest.

25.4.44: replaced with Div.18 Munte and passed to the reserve of Corpul 4, in the area Ciurea / IS, Mânjeşti / IS, Grajduri / IS (S of IAŞI).
8.6.44: introduced again in the first line, between N of Moimeşti / IS and N of Iazul Zahorna (N of IAŞI), where it organized also a forwarded position up to the Bahlui valley.
19.8.44: a first Soviet offensive in the Division's sector.
20.8.44: the decisive Soviet attack (by land and air), after a 3 and a half hours artillery preparation. Until 22.8.44 Div.7 Inf. had to withdrew step by step, first on the heights S of Bahlui, then on the heights of Traian position (between Mânjeşti - Budeşti / IS - Mogoşeşti / IS - S of IAŞI).
22.8.44: to avoid the encirclement, the division disengaged and withdrew, initially N of VASLUI, then W of BÂRLAD / VS.
23.8.44: in the area Moviliţa / VN (S of ADJUD).
29.8.44: arrived S of PLOIEŞTI / PH,
then at CARACAL.
14.9.44: moved to Transylvania, to reach its corresponding recruits double division (Div.7 Inf.Instrucţie).
11.44: disbanded and merged with Div.6 Inf., with the materials and the archive handed over as follows:
- Reg.14 Inf. to Reg.10 Inf.;
- Reg.16 Inf. to Reg.15 Inf.;
- Reg.37 Inf. to Reg.27 Inf.;
- Reg.4 Art. to Reg.11 Art.;
- Reg.8 Art. to Reg.16 Art.
Awards:
- The "Mihai Viteazu" Order, IInd class (1942): Reg.4 Artilerie "Mihai Vitezul".
- The "Mihai Viteazu" Order, IIIrd class (1941): Reg.37 Infanterie, Reg.8 Artilerie;

HQ LOCATIONS. (abbreviations)

OPM Numbers (see the OPM list)

3-7.40	137
7-9.40	156
2-11.41	38
9.42-3.43	113
8-11.43 ?	568 ?
4-6.44	771 (4418)

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