This transfer, which began on December 8, involved the movement of 43,250 soldiers, 1,700 vehicles, and 6,500 horses, since the Army was still dependent on quite a lot of horse-drawn transport. This move of about 210km was not completed until December 31. During its course the 19th Guards Corps received about half of 10,500 new replacements which were split with 7th Guards Rifle Corps. The 10th Guards Army was deployed into the salient northwest of Nevel and south of Pustoshka, between the 3rd and 4th Shock Armies, with the intention of helping to eliminate the German-held salient north of Nevel with its base at Novosokolniki. However, its deployment was delayed by the need to replenish its forces, while Army Group North surprised the Soviet command by beginning a phased withdrawal from the salient on December 29, which was completed six days later. During the late winter 10th Guards Army gradually advanced north of Pustoshka towards Novorzhev. As of July 1, 1944 the 56th was facing the defenses of the Panther Line just north of the latter town. One month later the division had advanced well to the west and had crossed the border into Latvia in the vicinity of Kārsava. The pace of the advance slowed over the next six weeks and by mid-September the 19th Guards Corps was located near Lubāna and Gulbene. In the first days of October the division was north of the Daugava River on the approaches to Riga near Ogre. On November 3 the 56th Guards was decorated with the Order of the Red Banner for its part in the liberation of the Latvian capital. On October 30 Colonel Kolobutin had been transferred to command of the 119th Guards Rifle Division in 7th Guards Rifle Corps and was replaced by Col. Fyodor Pavlovich Boyko. This officer was reassigned two months later and on January 13, 1945 Col. Ivan Filatovich Krovyakov took over the command, which he held for the duration of the war. By now the 10th Guards Army was part of the forces of 2nd Baltic Front that were blockading the former Army Group North in the Kurland Peninsula of Latvia. In March it was transferred to Leningrad Front as part of the Kurland Group of Forces, where it remained for the duration. When the fighting ended the men and women of the division shared the full title: "56th Guards Rifle, Smolensk, Order of the Red Banner Division".