The 43rd Rifle Division was formed in 1924–1925 in the
Velikiye Luki region as part of the
Leningrad Military District under the name of the 43rd Territorial Division. Stationed in the
Western Special Military District. In autumn 1937 it was relocated directly in Leningrad. The division was awarded the
Order of the Red Banner for participation in the
Winter War. Fought at
Oranienbaum. On June 24, 1941, when the
Northern Front was formed, it became part of the
50th Rifle Corps,
23rd Army. In 1941 it fought in the
defence of the
Karelian isthmus during the
Continuation War. Then from 1941 to 1944 in the
siege of Leningrad, in 1944 in the Leningrad-Novgorod Offensive, the
Krasnoye Selo–Ropsha Offensive,
Kingisepp–Gdov Offensive, the
Baltic Offensive,
Tartu Offensive, the
Riga Offensive, and the
Memel Offensive. In 1945 it fought against the
Courland Pocket. With Leningrad Front May 1945. In the summer of 1945, the division moved to
Kuybyshev, in the
Ural Military District. It became the 21st Rifle Brigade in 1946 and was upgraded to a division in October 1953. On 4 June 1957, it became a motor rifle division. On 1 March 1959, the 74th and 147th Motor Rifle Regiments disbanded and were replaced by the disbanded
44th Motor Rifle Division's 118th and 126th Motor Rifle Regiments. On 24 May 1962, it was converted to a training motor rifle division. On 22 February 1968, it was awarded a second Order of the Red Banner. On 14 September 1987, it became the 469th District Training Center. In 2004 it combined with the
473rd District Training Center. == References ==