Early in the summer offensive the division won a battle honor, and then advanced into the Baltic states, receiving the Order of the Red Banner for its part in the fighting southwest of Riga.

When completed it had the following order of battle: Maj. Gen. Timofei Vasilevich Lebedev was appointed to command on the day the division began forming and would lead it for the duration of this formation.

[5] On August 8 Hitler ordered that Army Group North be reinforced with large armored forces and air support in preparation for a final drive on the city.

[11] A new division, originally numbered as the 454th, began forming at Novosibirsk in the Siberian Military District on December 3, 1941, based on the shtat of July 29, but on January 7, 1942 it was redesignated as the 2nd formation of the 235th.

Once it completed recruiting the 235th had 11,733 personnel on strength, 50.4 percent of whom were under 25 years of age, a youthful cadre in good physical condition but most of whom had never had any military experience or peacetime training.

A renewed effort in August followed a very similar pattern except the 53rd, 27th and 34th Armies around the periphery were ordered to launch local attacks; these were easily fended off by the well-fortified defenders.

[19] In the preparation for the summer offensive against the German-held Oryol salient the commander of 3rd Army, Lt. Gen. A. V. Gorbatov, formed a shock group of three rifle divisions on his left flank.

The Army's mission was to force the Zusha River, break through the German defense along the 9km sector from Izmailovo to Vyazhi before developing the offensive in the general direction of Staraya Otrada.

At 1150 hours on July 11, following a powerful artillery onslaught, the battalions crossed the Zusha and immediately encountered heavy rifle and machine gun fire.

Units of the 235th, despite the fact that the 114th Tanks could not cross the river near Izmailovo and was forced to divert to Vyazhi, broke through the German defense along its sector and by 1100 had captured Height 246.7.

[23] At 2115 hours the Front command ordered the 1st Guards Tank Corps to cross the Zusha and concentrate, in preparation for the two divisions reaching a line from Yevtekhovo to Grachevka, at which point the armor would enter the breach.

At 0800 on July 13 the 235th, under cover of powerful artillery and air attacks, enveloped Yevtekhovo from the flanks and, following a short but stubborn battle, completely destroyed the German garrison and captured the village.

During the day the shock group had completed its assignments, creating the conditions for the commitment of 1st Guards Tanks, although this was delayed due to German air attacks.

Romashin's eclipse was short-lived; he was given command of the 135th Rifle Division on August 20 and would lead it for the duration, being promoted to the rank of major general on April 20, 1945.

Supported by air attacks, 3rd Army's infantry and tanks broke through the defense, forcing the 2nd and 8th Panzer Divisions to fall back to the west.

[27] As these preparations were being made the German forces were hastily constructing new defensive works as well as conducting artillery and mortar bombardments backed by air attacks.

Although there were no further panicked withdrawals by units of II Luftwaffe Field Corps the attack gained about 20km but ultimately faltered just short of the Nevel-Gorodok-Vitebsk railroad and highway.

[31] Despite this initial success, for reasons that remain uncertain Yeryomenko reined in his advancing forces on October 9 and by the next day German reserves had managed to cordon off the huge salient, which thwarted any immediate push toward Vitebsk.

In response the 20th Panzer Division, although it had fewer than 20 tanks on strength, was ordered to counterattack and managed to contain the advance after two days of heavy fighting.

[35] By this time forces of 3rd Panzer Army were still clinging to a deep salient running north from Gorodok to not far south of Nevel, deeply flanked by 4th Shock to the west and the remainder of 1st Baltic Front to the east.

At this time 83rd Corps had only the 234th and 235th Divisions under command and was deployed on 11th Guards' left flank, directly north of the German-held village of Khvoshno, with the 235th to the east.

3rd Panzer Army requested permission to take the front back but was refused as Hitler remained determined to close the "Nevel Gap".

A day later the 211th was encircled and had no choice but to attempt a breakout, which occurred overnight on December 16/17 at the cost of 2,000 of its 7,000 troops and all of its artillery, heavy weapons and vehicles.

The Corps took over the sector from Losvida Lake southward to Mashkina at the northern extremity of the Vitebsk salient on 11th Guards Army's left wing.

92nd Corps launched probing attacks against 4th Luftwaffe Field Division's defenses in the vicinity of Losvida and Savchenki only to suffer a sharp rebuff.

The troops who participated in the liberation of Vitebsk, by the order of the Supreme High Command of 26 June 1944 and a commendation in Moscow, are given a salute of 20 artillery salvoes from 224 guns.

[48]Following this victory the division joined in the pursuit of the broken remnants of Army Group Center, and by the second week in July had nearly reached the Lithuanian border just east of Švenčionys.

In the first days the Corps forced a crossing of the Neman and then advanced along the south bank, breaking into Tilsit during the latter half of January 19 and capturing it after a short battle.

The troops who participated in the capture of Tilsit and other cities, by the order of the Supreme High Command of 20 January 1945 and a commendation in Moscow, are given a salute of 20 artillery salvoes from 224 guns.

Colonel Klepikov, Fyodor Filippovich) ...The troops who participated in the capture of the city and fortress of Königsberg, by the order of the Supreme High Command of 9 April 1945 and a commendation in Moscow, are given a salute of 24 artillery salvoes from 324 guns.