The Division was first formed on May 3, 1918 in the city of Gdov. It was made up of volunteers from Petrograd, from soldiers of Pavel Dybenko's volunteer detachment, Red Guards from the regular Army, and workers from the city of Narva who formed the original unit. Its official designation upon activation was the Gatchina Infantry Division. From May to November 1918, the division was deployed in the vicinity of Ivangorod. In November 1919 the Division attacked Narva with the Red Army, starting the Estonian War of Independence. This was part of the Soviet westward offensive, a campaign to conquer the Baltic states and Belarus. The unit was redesignated twice during this campaign. On 24 July 1918 it became the 3rd Petrograd Infantry Division. On November 2, 1918, it became the 6th Rifle Divis