Separate high-explosive flamethrower company

The FOG-1 high-explosive flamethrower was designed in April 1941 and adopted by the State Defense Committee resolution dated July 12, 1941, therefore the formation of companies took place in a very short time. ^[3] The first 50 companies were formed in August 1941 and entered into battle in October of the same year. About half of them were on the most important direction at that time - Moscow.

By April 1942, there were 143 separate high-explosive flamethrower companies in the acting army and were called high-explosive flame-throwing companies. The formation continued after, including on the basis of other flame-throwing parts. For example, the 198th separate high-explosive flamethrower company was re-formed from a separate ampoule company of the 49th army, the 201st separate high-explosive flamethrower company of the Transcaucasian Front was formed from the 201st and 203rd separate companies of stationary flamethrowers in March 1943 , and the companies of the 55th Western Front and the 56th 33th Army are formed from the 1st and 3rd individual flamethrower companies of the 51st and 33rd armies, after being reformed into the 151st and 152nd separate high-explosive flamethrower companies accordingly. ^[four]

In the future, especially after successful use in Stalingrad , high explosive flamethrower companies formed the basis for the formation of other flamethrower companies and battalions, including tank, motorized , heavy, as well as light backpack flamethrowers . ^[2] By September 1943, most of the companies were disbanded or turned to the formation and completion of individual flamethrower battalions , and the 1st 26th Army and the 54th Army went to the formation of mouthpieces of flamethrowers . ^[one]

One of the clearest examples is the fighting of the 26th Red Banner Separate Company of high-explosive flamethrowers on December 1, 1941 near Moscow . The company acted in the battle formations of the 32nd Infantry Division. December 1, the enemy attacked the position of the division in order to break through to Moscow. As a result of the firing volleys, two companies of machine gunners and three enemy tanks were burned, as well as the trenches captured by him were cleared and after that occupied by the infantry divisions of the division. ^[5] Thus, the enemy was stopped and finally put an end to the German plans for an attack on Moscow. ^{[6] The} Soviet government awarded the 26th independent flamethrower company - the first of the flamethrowing units - the Order of the Red Banner . ^[five]

There was no time to study the tactically most advanced methods of using flamethrowers in field conditions. They were developed in the course of hostilities in which companies of high-explosive flamethrowers took part.

Separate cases of crushing of the mouth in the conduct of hostilities in the autumn of 1941 proved to be inappropriate. In contrast, the centralized use of companies and individual platoons ensured a broad front cover. The company in the defense was located in one or two echelons. With a single echelon battle formation - “in line”, “angle back (forward)” and “ledge” behind one of the flanks. Thus, the company could cover 1.5 kilometers of the front, and in some cases up to 2.5—3 kilometers.

Flamethrowers were located "flamethrowing bushes." The position was an overlapped full profile shooting trench . Four meters in front of it there was a “bush” of 5-8 flamethrowers in the direction of the likely movement of infantry and enemy tanks, as well as in the direction of the neighboring “bushes” and behind — with the direction to the rear — to create a solid firing field. The flamethrower was in a trench. Such positions were equipped at a distance of 100-200 meters from each other along the front and in depth, based on the maximum range of flame throwing. Each "flamethrower bush" could be put into action both independently and simultaneously with its neighbors. ^[7]

The experience of combat operations during the storming of large cities showed that it is possible to use a high-explosive flamethrower mouth decentralized (in small groups or even one at a time).

Fighting of high-explosive flamethrower companies in conjunction with rifle units and units was the most common. The flame-throwing units, relying on the firepower of the infantry, supporting artillery and other weapons, could make the most effective use of flamethrowers. On the other hand, units that had high-explosive flamethrowers in their combat formations could fully and timely use the results and moral influence during their counterattacks.

High-explosive fire-fighting units were used in the artillery-anti-tank reserve, as well as independently - on the unoccupied by other parts of the terrain - on the flanks or joints of units and formations. ^[eight]

In the offensive and defense, they performed the tasks of covering the junctions and flanks of units, subunits and formations, covering the positions of artillery groups, covering tank-dangerous areas, reinforcing units in the army cutoff positions, acting as part of an anti-tank or mobile army reserve, reinforcing areas previously occupied by the troops, fire preparation of the offensive . ^{[8] [9]}

The experience of using high-explosive flamethrowers has shown the expediency of their massive use on a broad front. This led to their consolidation and the creation in 1943 of separate motorized anti-tank flamethrower battalions and individual flamethrower battalions. The latter consisted of flame-throwing companies and support units.

Initially - three three separated platoons each with 60 FOG flamethrowers in each (180 total). For transportation of people and flamethrowers, parokon wagons were used, altogether - 32. In order to increase maneuvering and marching capabilities, in January 1942 five 3-ton ZIS-5 trucks were included in the train, and the number of flamethrowers was reduced to 15 per department (135 total). ). ^[ten]

• The 26th Red Banner Separate Company of High-Explosive Flamethrowers ;
• 100th separate company of high-explosive flamethrowers;
• 104th separate company of high-explosive flamethrowers
• other

• Separate company backpackers flamethrowers
• Separate flamethrower battalion
• Separate mechanized anti-tank flame-throwing battalion

• Dmitriev D.M. , Yakubov V.E. Combat experience of chemical troops and chemical service in the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945). - M .: Military publishing house , 1969.
• Fedoseev S., Ardashev A. Flamethrowing tanks and hand-held flamethrowers in battle. M .: Eksmo, 2013. ISBN 978-5-699-68594-3
• Feskov V.I., Kalashnikov K.A., Golikov V.I. The Red Army in victories and defeats of 1941-1945. - Tomsk: Publishing House of Tomsk State University, 2003 - 620
• Ardashev A.N. Incendiary and flamethrower gun - M .: Yauza: Eksmo, 2009. - 704 p. - Victory weapons

• Annex to the directive of the General Staff dated November 29, 1962 No. 203745. List No. 35. Chemical units and subunits (separate battalions and companies). The list of formations of the Army and Navy during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.