Egorka

I think I was confused by previous pictures. Looks OK now.

I politely would like to express my concern about authenticity of these medals. At least two of them... or is it just unsharp pictures?

Combat diary of division Azul (250 Inf.Div) for the night recon mission on 06 April 1945. The bold part about 10th company is the actual action described above in KORSUNOV's citation. OPERATIONS DIARY OF THE SPANISH VOLUNTEER DIVISION (DEV) (XXXII) – APRIL 1-6, 1942 DIARIO DE OPERACIONES DE LA DIVISIÓN ESPAÑOLA DE VOLUNTARIOS (DEV) (XXXII) ----------------------- Day 6 , April 1942 Nighttime offensive reconnaissance was conducted east of the WOLCHOW along the Division's entire front. Three groups from the 10/269 crossed the river south of the SLUTKAS [Слутка] observatory, flanking and assaulting three fortified enemy houses. Close combat ensued, and the enemy was expelled from their positions. Captured equipment included one light machine gun and eight rifles. Our losses: 5 killed, 6 wounded. A patrol from the I/262, led by an officer, advanced 2 km into enemy territory near USCHERKO [Ушерская ?]. After being discovered by superior forces, the patrol withdrew, destroying an enemy outpost and killing two soldiers without incurring losses. A group from the 263rd Regiment conducted reconnaissance on enemy positions south of SLUTKA, finding them deserted. One resisting enemy soldier was killed, and a rifle was recovered. Another group from the II Battalion of the same regiment advanced on the enemy position "Hill of Mysteries" between VADACHOWO and MOLINO ROJO. Two fortified enemy posts, each manned by approximately 15 soldiers, were destroyed. The patrol returned with one light machine gun and three rifles. Our losses: 2 killed, 4 wounded. Enemy artillery fired on their own abandoned positions in the 269th Infantry Regiment’s sector. An enemy anti-tank gun fired intensely from southeast of KOWALUWO. Our forces concentrated fire on XXXXXX. At 22:00, a reconnaissance patrol from the Exploration Group made contact with the enemy east of the WOLCHOW, completing their harassment mission and returning without incident by 01:00. Enemy and friendly aviation activity was normal. Reorganization: Forces previously under the 126th Division's command ceased their dependence on it and were redeployed to: II Battalion, 269th Infantry Regiment: NOWGOROD. Two anti-tank guns, 14/269: WODSSKOWA. 9th Company, 263rd Infantry Regiment: WITKA. River and Lake Status: The WOLCHOW flows freely in the 262nd Regiment's sector. In the 263rd Regiment's sector, the ice layer remains 15 cm thick. In the 269th Regiment's sector, the thickness is slightly greater. Ice on Lake ILMEN exceeds 30 cm in thickness. Casualties among personnel and livestock: Personnel: 262nd Regiment: 1 killed. 263rd Regiment: 2 killed, 4 wounded (troops). 269th Regiment: 5 killed, 6 wounded. Artillery Regiment: Captain Manuel Gabeiras Montero, hospitalized. Livestock: No incidents reported.

This is from the book "Bulgarian orders and medals" b prof. Pavlov. Doesn't answer your question though.

Please, meet Pvt. KORSUNOV Ivan Semyonovich 1919, artillery spotter of 430 high caliber howitzer artillery regiment of the Supreme Command Reserve. Bestowed with ORS for holding against a reconnaissance raid of the Spanish volunteer division Azul (250 Inf.Div) on the nigh 05-06 April 1942. Later, after being wounded, served in a reconnaissance on foot platoon of 151 rifle regiment (earned FCM, BM and ORS). The action took place on the night 05-06 April 1942, when the Spanish conducted a reconnaissance operation along the whole division front. The river Volhov was still covered with 20cm of ice and could be crossed. ORS 42359 citation: Under the cover of darkness of the night 05-06 April 1942, after an intensive mortar and MG barrage, enemy submachine-gunners detachment 25-30 strong from the Spanish 250 Infantry Division crossed the river Volkhov and attacked the observation post of the 7th artillery battery, which was located in the village Pakhotnaya Gorka. The enemy detachment consisted of German and Spanish troops. Like feral beasts and screaming, the enemy charged our observation post. Having spotted the enemy approach, Pvt. KORSUNOV, who manned the post, opened rifle fire and continued until all his ammunitions were depleted. Having ran out of rounds, comrade KORSUNOV trew two hand grenades at the bestial Fascists. Then he ran along the trench towards the neighbouring observation post of the 9th battery. The German invaders also now charged the same way. Together with the head of the artillery reconnaissance of the 3rd artillery squadron Sr.Lt. DYVAN, he bravely and skilfully defended agains the enemy. As the result of this effort, 5 killed and 1 wounded Fascist remained lying on our territory near the observation post. Among the killed, there was 1 officer, and 1 officer was severely wounded. Having lost their officer, the enemy soldiers began retreating. The enemy offensive was repelled. with large casualties among the Fascists. The retreating Fascists carried away the other killed and wounded from area away from the observation post. The next morning, it was visible, that the Germans were burying their dead and drove away the wounded to the rear in vehicles. Comrade KORSUNOV has been the best artillery spotter and an exemplary soldier during his whole front line service. Recommended for order "RED BANNER" by Col. POSPELOV, the commander of 430 high caliber howitzer artillery regiment of the Supreme Command Reserve. Next I will compare the combat diaries of the Spanish and the Soviet union for the same night.

Cool! Thank you for sharing!

Well done! Indeed good qualified answers on your topic were given.

Here is another just like that (presented as accreditation badge of a journalist from the USSR) and also with exactly the same engraving, so it is not unique in that sense and rules out “memento” theory. The same badges also found without “Moscow”. https://forum.faleristika.info/viewtopic.php?t=361659&ysclid=m5imwjqlpb664001011

The 4 men who participated in the same raid all were bestowed with OGIII on the same day.

OLEJNIKOV's mate from the same 1st rifle battalion of 29 rifle regiment, 38 RD. https://gmic.co.uk/topic/84147-order-glory-iii-50876/

Please, meet private SHEZHKO Demyan Minovich 1898. Horse rider of ammunition supply platoon of the 3rd rifle company, 1 rifle battalion, 29 rifle regiment, 38 rifle division. Bestowed with order Glory III class for a raid resulting in capture of a POW. The action most likely took place on the night 14-15 May 1944 in the forested mountain area near Rumanian town Târgu Neamț. Citation reads: The commander ordered a reconnaissance mission. Comrade SNEZHKO together with his friends advanced into a forest. Unknown awaited them ahead and they had to advance cautiously. Undetected they snuck into the depth of German defence recording enemy fire positions. In one of the trenches they spotted three Rumanian soldiers. Surprise attack decided outcome of the engagement in which our four soldiers took one prisoner. But the commotion was noticed by Rumanian machine gunners who opened fire at our scouts. Two of our scouts remained fighting, but two others flanked the enemy machine-gunners and using hand grenades silenced them. Now they had to return without delay. Taking the prisoner and a light machine gun, the four brave warriors successfully returned to our positions and reported on successful completion of the mission and delivered useful intelligence. For courage and gallantry in battle, comrade SNEZHKO is recommended for state award order “Glory III class”. signed by the commander of 29 rifle regiment Guards Lt. Colonel NAKAIDZE.

Have you already flipped the image? If not, then I guess it should look like this if you press it on paper...

Hello, Thank you for interesting details regarding awarding process. Last time I asked (a few years ago), I was told the archives holding the information on awardee names and award numbers were lost (fire?), so these partisan stars are not researchable... only if it comes with a personal document, as you mentioned. Is this correct?

If I may... “Major of the medical service Comrade MARKON has been working as the head of the medical department since September 3, 1942. He is 62 years old, but he works tirelessly around the clock. The workload of his department often reaches 200%. The mortality rate in the department, thanks to great care and qualified treatment is 0.2% (there is no place for another digit in front of 0, plus he was the head of a therapeutic ward, which can hardly have high mortality rate). The discharge into the unit is 21.5%; the percentage of evacuation reaches almost 50%. About 400 (additional) wounded received qualified medical aide in his therapeutic medical ward during their short-term stay there. In 1943, Markon joined the candidates of the All-Union Communist Party. With reports on political and medical topics, Comrade MARKON actively participates in the socio-political life of the hospital. His work, boundless devotion to the cause of healing the patients, he serves as a perfect example for his younger comrades. His work marked by many patients gratitudes and in hospital dispatches.”

This is combat diary on the division level. My description above is for 400 rifle regiment alone.

the action mentioned in the citation took place on 16 February 1945 after 89 RD (Rifle Division) moved across Oder river and replaced 4 RD and 77 RD on the bridgehead. The 8 German attacks during that day were supported by 5 SPGs and 2 tanks and occurred in the sector between the hill 63.2 and the brick factory. The German attacks had no success, even though the Soviet defence lacked field artillery support due to absence of ammunition on the bridgehead. Soviet losses: WIA 74, KIA 17. German losses: up to 100 troops, 1 SPGs knocked out.

1/400 = 1st battalion of 400 rifle regiment the same would go for company-regiment level markings: 5/273 = 5th company of 273 rifle regiment.

He most likely got his order in around 1958... so he had to wait a few years for it... 89 Armenian rifle "Taman" Red Banner Kutuzov and Red Star orders division. The map of the bridgehead.

Hello all, Please, meet petty officer 1st class POKSIKAN Pavel Kalinovich 1918 with 287 reported sniper kills count. Born in 1918 in the village of Ryaska (Nekhvoroshchansky district of the Poltava region of Ukraine). From 1938 in the ranks of the Navy, served as an electrician on a boat. From June 22, 1941 on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War. Fought in the Leningrad direction. From December 1941 served as an observer of an artillery battery. Mastered the sniper skills studying with the famous sniper PCHELINTSEV, who toured USA together with PAVLICHENKO in 1942-1943. On 28.02.1942, POSIKAN killed his first enemy as a sniper. Drawing of POSIKAN by artist NEPRINTSEV Y.M. (1909–1996) 07.06.1942, POSIKAN was recommended for the Order of the Red Star (personal sniper score of 52 is mentioned). On the award sheet for the Red Star there is a pencil mark "Repeated". Apparently, the paperwork was slow, and the award wasn't approved before POSIKAN was nominated for the Order of the Red Banner again on 12.08.1942. On 12.08.1942, the commander of the electricians' squad of the 597th battery of the 301st Separate Artillery Division (Leningrad Naval Base of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet, Leningrad Front), petty officer 1st class P.K. POSIKAN was nominated by the unit command for the award of the Order of the Red Banner (personal sniper score 170), but was awarded the Order of Lenin by order of the Commander of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet No. 58 dated September 3, 1942. Soon POSIKAN received a shrapnel wound and was treated in a hospital. On 12.11.1942, the sniper of the 597th battery of the 301st OAD of the Baltic Fleet, petty officer 1st class P.K. POSIKAN, was nominated by the unit command for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for elimination of 244 Fascists and training of 6 freshman snipers (one of them was sniper BOGDANOV Ivan Vasilyevich 1920), who all together eliminated 447 enemy troops. The HSU nomination was approved by the commander of the Baltic Fleet, Vice-Admiral TRIBUTS. But... The famous sniper did not receive any award for these exploits. The reason is unclear. On the award sheet there is a pencil mark "denied see outgoing document 88972s". In the spring of 1943, POSIKAN was seriously wounded in the leg by a shell fragment (the bone was shattered), and was treated in the hospital for a long time. According to available information, the final result of the combat work of sniper P.K. POSIKAN is 287 eliminated enemies (in some sources his surname was written differently "PASIKAN", "PASEKAN", etc). In his award booklet (B Nº142942) issued on 10/29/1947 the name PASIKAN Pavel Kalinovich is recorded. The wounds led to the 2nd group of disability and an early disability pension as a war veteran on 18.01.1945 (the surname is recorded as POSIKAN). A wealth of information is available on the veteran, like war time newspaper articles, some of his personal items are in the Leningrad blockade museum. Snipers HSU ANTONOV (360 kills) and POSIKAN (287 kills). Interview with POSIKAN in the hospital (note the trendy moustache). Thank you SovietOrders.com for the possibility to present this remarkable award.

It is pleasant to see an all original medal in good condition, but yet with traces of passed time. I wonder, he got the lowest medal at that stage of the war, when the wards were normally issued much more liberally to mark upcoming victory. Recommended to OPW2, but got it dropped all the way to FCM...

Enlisted of the Wojsko Polskie STERECKI Franciszek son of Mieczysław. Koszalin (military commissariat of issue). This award is from 1946. If he didn't get other awards, it is not likely to find him on Pamyat-Naroda...

Hello, Yes, the award number can be researched itself to find name. But if you think it belonged to you grand-dad, then you have full information on him like full name and birth year and place. So, you can check the Pamyat-Naroda.ru Or else share his full name and birth year if you need assistance.

is the thickness 2.9-3.0 mm ? Also, it is not an exclusive sign as it can be 50/50, but if you see concentric circles on the on he reverse, these are definitive sign of authenticity. But not all authentic medals in that range have those.

As for me, it is 50/50, but maybe someone else can speak up.

The Distinguished Labour Medal is definitely bad... For the FCM, I am more open... though the engraving stile is not quite matching the range, according to my limited knowledge. But there is a chance the medal is good. Would it be possible to make a sharp photo of FCM reverse but under an angle (not straight down)?