1st Tank Brigade: Birth of the Tank Guard.
In the fall of 1941, the 4th tank brigade under the command of Mikhail Katukov distinguished itself in the battles near Matsensk. Using tank ambushes, maneuverable defense, and interaction with artillery and motorized infantry, tankmen delayed the superior opposing flank forces, covering the concentration of Soviet forces in the direction of Moscow.
On November 11, 1941, by Soviet order NKO No. 337, the division was reorganized into the 1st Guards Tank Brigade, becoming the Red Army's 1st Guards Tank System. Its military actions set an example for other units, and the awarding of the guard rank became a recognition of the courage of the crew members and the effectiveness of the tactics used.
After that, the brigade participated in the biggest battles of the Great Patriotic War and received the honorary name Chertkovsky and six military orders. In 1943 it became part of the first tank army formed under the command of Katukov, which became the Guards Army in 1944. After the war, the brigade was reorganized into the 1st Guards Tank Battalion, which preserves its fighting traditions.