13th Guards Poltavaskaya

1st Battalion 42nd " Vistula" Order of the Red Banner Guards Rifle Regiment.

Above is a full size replica banner of the 42nd Guards Rifle Regiment, which was part of the 13th Guards. It was custom made for the group in 2018 from images of the original banner, which is currently displayed in the Panoramic Museum "Battle of Stalingrad" in Volgograd. It bears the Order of the Red Banner on a rosette affixed to streamers in said orders colours of red and white. The order and the honorific title "Vistula" were awarded for the regiments actions during the Sandomierz Bridgehead offensive on the River Vistula between August 1944-January 1945.

Welcome to the home page of the 13th Guards Rifle Division.

The 13th Guards Rifle Division is a living history group those aim is to accurately portray the men and women of the Red Army who served during World War Two, or The Great Patriotic War as it is known in Russia and the former states of the Soviet Union.

The unit was founded in 2005 by a few enthusiasts in the North-East of England and were formerly members of the Northern World War Two Association. The unit takes part in period living history and battle re-enactment displays for the general public, mainly in the north of England region of the UK.
No extreme political, racial, homophobic views or activity etc. will be permitted within the unit, however some period political reference maybe made in the interest of historical accuracy.

Membership is not gender specific and is open to both male and female applicants who have an interest in the Red Army and The Great Patriotic War.

Members of the unit have previously travelled to Russia to take part in Eastern Front battle re-enactments and also re-enactments and commemorative events in France and Germany. We have also undertaken film and TV documentary work in the UK. We also support
charitable organisations here in the UK.

In the 13th Guards members own period Soviet vehicles, including a T34/85 tank, a GAZ 67 utility vehicle, a GAZ-AA truck, Chevrolet G506 truck, Ford GPW Jeep (Lend Lease impression) a Dnepr Russian motorcycle combination as well a two other combination examples under restoration. Also in the collection we have a Soviet Model 1937 45mm Anti Tank Gun. The vehicles are regularly displayed at our various events.

The "Red Banner" is the units own news letter, which is published quarterly for its members. The news letter, the Commissariat's Store and Unit Rules & Protocols are accessible only to unit members.

View the Contact page for enquiries or information about the 13th Guards. View the Events page for events,venues and updates etc.

13th Guards members with comrades of the 2nd Guards Tank Army, Beltring 2010. Image reproduced with kind permission of John Woolford (J.W.G.D).

The pandemic situation in 2020-2022 within the UK resulted in the subsequent cancellation and the non-attendances at public events during this period and it was anticipated that they would recommence soon.

It is felt that the following statement is necessarily made in relation to the current situation in Ukraine. The unit was formed to portray and honour the sacrifices of the former states of the Soviet Union during the Great Patriotic War 1941-45 and also to further educate about the conflict, which is generally not studied or fully understood here in the UK by the wider public. Notwithstanding current UK public opinion, it is felt that at this time it would be appropriate to review attendance at future public events as necessary until further notice and in conjunction and consultation with event organisers.

The actions of the Russian Federation and of its military intervention in the sovereign state of Ukraine is wholly condemned and is not representative of the founding principles and ethos of the unit and its membership!
25th February 2022.