The 55th Rifle Diviosion was a Soviet division which was formed in 1925, headquartered at Kursk before World War II.
World War II[]
In World War II, unit was commandeered by Maj. Gen. Ivan Pavlovich Shevchuk, who had notable experience in the Russian Civil War. However, he had little to no experience in modern warfare, with his unskilled leadership leading to excessive casualties and many losses. In the following months Shevchuk displayed excessive and ostentatious foolhardiness in combat situations, which seemed to indicate he was courting death to atone for his disgrace. If so, he got his wish on October 28, when he embarked on a mounted reconnaissance of the division's frontage. His horse stepped on a German landmine, which killed the horse and blew off both of his legs; he died a few hours later and was buried the next day with full military honors. Colonel Zaiulev remained in command of the 55th until January 21, 1944.