100th Rifle Division (Soviet Union)
The 100th Rifle Division was an infantry division of the Soviet Union's Red Army during World War II, formed twice.
In November 1923 in the Belaya Tserkov area of the Ukrainian Military District, the 45th Territorial Rifle Division was established. On 24 April 1924 the 45th Territorial Rifle Division became the 100th Rifle Division.
The division fought in the Winter War with Finland. When Operation Barbarossa began, it was part of 2nd Rifle Corps, with 2nd Rifle Corps immediately subordinate to Western Front. It became 1st Guards Rifle Division on 18 September 1941, one of the first Guards units, immediately after the Yelnya Offensive.
According to Poirer and Connor's Red Army Order of Battle of 1985, the division was recreated at Vologda in March 1942. Fought near Stalingrad, and in Ukraine and Belorussia. It was awarded the honorific "Lviv" for its part in the capture of that city during July 1944. On 27 January 1945, the division liberated the Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp. During the Moravian-Ostrava Offensive, the division captured Ratibor and entered Czechoslovak territory. It then fought in the Prague Offensive. It was with 60th Army of the 4th Ukrainian Front in May 1945. The division was disbanded in the summer of 1945.
