Battle of Pavlograd

Battle of Pavlograd
Part of Eastern Front of World War II
Military Memorial Monument of World War II located at Pavlograd
Date 2–6 October 1941 Location Pavlograd, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic Result Decisive Italian victory
Belligerents
Italy Supported by:  Germany	Soviet Union Supported by:  United Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
Giovanni Messe	Georgy Zhukov
Strength
3 divisions 3rd Bersaglieri 2 Infantry Battalions 1 Assault Unit	5 division 1st Infantry Division Other Unknown

Battle of Pavlograd was fought between the Italian forces and Soviet Union during Eastern Front of World War II.

Battle

In early October 1941, after the rapid German advances that captured Poltava, Kiev, and Kharkov, Hitler announced that conditions were ready for a final offensive before winter, but units like the Italian CSIR (Corpo di Spedizione Italiano in Russia) faced major transport shortages and difficult weather. Despite General Messe’s repeated complaints about inadequate support, the German command ordered the CSIR to move northeast of Dnepropetrovsk to protect the flanks of von Kleist’s tank group during its push toward the Sea of Azov. Heavy rains, mud, and limited crossing equipment slowed the Italian divisions “Torino,” “Pasubio,” and “Celere” but they eventually deployed along the Woltschja River. The XX Bersaglieri Battalion eliminated the Ulianovka bridgehead on 8 October, and on 10–11 October German and Italian forces, including the “Garelli column” with the 63rd “Tagliamento” Legion, helped capture Mishritsch and Maurina and destroyed the Soviet Pavlograd bridgehead. After forcing the enemy back beyond the Woltschja, the Italians took over the sector from Pavlograd to Gaitschur, earning praise from General Roetting of the German 198th Division for their effective cooperation and combat performance.

References