in mid-august the city of šiauliai was hit by the german šiauliai offensive. the wehrmacht divisions were armed with 900 armoured vehicles and artillery pieces. for three days the 16th division stood its ground, and in the end as the german attack ran out of steam the division emerged victorious. on 31 october the division was awarded the order of the red banner for "courage and valor" in breaking through german defenses west of šiauliai.