Liberation of Smolensk, 1943

During operation Citadel, 2. Panzer Division suffered heavy casualties. While I don't have actual figure for tanks, for example, combat strength of division on 6th July was 4,062 but on 9th July it was just 1,040, loss rate of 74%. Calculating the divisional strength during Smolensk operation in August 1943 based on data before Kursk is wild speculation.

 

The final phase of the drive on Yelnya and the role of the 29th GRD is provided under this section (about 2/3 down):
THE SETTING TO 26 AUGUST AND THE TASK DIVISION
repeat Google Translate:
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&u=http://www.google.com/url%3Fq%3Dhttp://militera.lib.ru/science/boy_strelkovoy_divizii/11.html%26sa%3DU%26ei%3Ddf6UUbujBubA0AGbgYGAAg%26ved%3D0CB8QFjAC%26usg%3DAFQjCNEejb4Zhg0GvIK-Y0O49KrXifW9aA

The third sketch from the RKKA provides the battle plan and objectives. The fourth sketch shows the progress of the battle and matches the narrative.
fourth sketch from RKKA website:
http://www.armchairgeneral.com/rkkaww2/maps/1943W/WF/29GRD_10GA_BD_s28_Aug28_31_43.jpg
repeat map attachment for town names transliterated (except Immaculate and Good, probably Prechistoye and Dobroye):


An excerpt about the strength of the 29th GRD and attachments. Despite the rest, the rifle companies now appear somewhat understrength.

 

Nice to find some local talent that can add details not found in the history texts. This Russian forum has some photos of an old German bunker in the Smolensk area.

http://reibert.info/threads/Смоленский-укреп-район-1943-года.26965/

Google Translate:
http://translate.google.com/translate?client=firefox-a&hl=en&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&u=http://reibert.info/threads/%25D0%25A1%25D0%25BC%25D0%25BE%25D0%25BB%25D0%25B5%25D0%25BD%25D1%2581%25D0%25BA%25D0%25B8%25D0%25B9-%25D1%2583%25D0%25BA%25D1%2580%25D0%25B5%25D0%25BF-%25D1%2580%25D0%25B0%25D0%25B9%25D0%25BE%25D0%25BD-1943-%25D0%25B3%25D0%25BE%25D0%25B4%25D0%25B0.26965/