| abstract
| - The division was formed as Red Army national unit on August 3, 1941 from the remains of the 24th Territorial Rifle Corps. It was originally designated as the 201st Latvian Rifle Division, the first of three 'national' divisions with predominantly Baltic-speaking personnel. The basis of the division was the 76th independent Latvian rifle regiment which was in turn formed from the two Latvian volunteer battalions that participated in the retreats of the Red Army, including the defence of Tallinn. It had been established Aug 1941 at Gorki (today Nizhny Novgorod) Gorokhovetz Army Camp. In addition to the much depleted 76th regiment (about 1200 troops), were added 2500 Latvian speaking members of the state militia (police) and NKVD, as well as the predominantly Latvian speaking 582nd construction battalion, and members of the 24th Corps which was the territorial reserve formation in Latvia which failed to form due to rapid German advance. At this time the composition of the division included the 92nd, 122st and 191st rifle regiments, 220th artillery regiment, 10th independent AAA battery, 170th independent signals battalion, and other support units. By December 1941 the division had 10,348 personnel, of whom 51% were ethnic Latvians, 26% ethnic Russians, 17% Jews and 6% others. This caused some problems since most Jews spoke Yiddish only, and the Latvians published the divisional paper Russian: «Латвияс стрелниекс» (Latvian rifleman) in Latvian. At least 70 Jewish members of the division were members of the Zionist "Beitar" organisation that had been training members for travel to the then Palestine to defend Jewish settlements there before Latvia was annexed by Soviet Union. The first combat the division experienced was during the counteroffensive at Moscow in the areas of Naro-Fominsk and Borovsk where it suffered 55% casualties. By June 1942 only 36% of the division were Latvian-speaking, and a year later this figure was reduced to 32%. However in part this was due to the formation of a second Latvian division, the 308th Latvian Rifle division. The division was reflagged as the 43rd Guards Rifle Division in October 1942. Division joined in combat for Moscow (from December 20, 1941 until January 20, 1942), for Staraya Russa (from February 16, 1942 until April 4), Demjansk bridgehead (from April 6, 1942 until April 9, 1943; s; from April 10, 1943 until October 15 the Division was in Staraya Russa region, from October 18, 1943 until June 26, 1944 in Velikiye Luki and Novorzhev region. From June 26, 1944 until July 11 the Division was included with 130th Latvian Riflemen Corps until crossing the Latvian border . From July 18, 1944 Šķaune region and joined combat on Latvian soil on November 7, 1944. The division also included other Latvian citizens who were behind Soviet front line and a large number of Russia's Latvians. Beginning strength was about 2,100 men. September 1941 the division had about 10,000 men. Division contained 92nd, 122nd and 191st Riflemen Regiment and 220th Artillery Regiment. On October 5, 1942 it became the 43rd Latvian Guard Riflemen Division. Regiments assigned to this Division were 121st, 123rd, and 125th Guard Riflemen Regiment and 94th Guard Artillery Regiment. 270th Artillery Battalion renamed to 55th Guard Artillery Battalion,48th Guard Antitank Artillery Division, 100th Antiaircraft Battery renamed to 44th Guard Antiaircraft Battery, 53rd Sapper Battalion renamed 47th Guard Sapper Battalion. The Division was commanded by Guard Major General Jānis Veikins, Regiment Commander L. Paegle, Regiment Commander A. Frolovs, Guard Major General Detlavs Brantkalns and Alfrēds Kalniņš.
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