Egorka

Golden diamonds!? That is rich! What for? For street credit?

Please, meet Guards First Sergeant Kniazev Ivan Mitrofanovich, a T-34 gunner of 226th detached tank regiment. His T-34 was "one of first tanks to reach river Elbe", the meeting point of the Soviet Army and the American Allies. Kniazev was awarded order of Glory III class for the action on 12 January 1945, on the first day of the Vistula-Oder offensive. His tank was taken out by the German AT battery and he was badly wounded. Here is the citation: Tank gunner First Sergeant KNIAZEV showed exceptional military skill in delivering precise artillery fire and courage on the battlefield during the breaking of enemy defences 12.01.1945. The tank rushed into enemy defence position at village BOREK reference point 228,9 and was met with dense AT fire from the edge of the woods west of MAGIEROW. Comrade Kniazev one by one took out 3 AT cannons, 1 fortified AT position. When the tank reached the woods edge it was hit by the AT fire and caught fire. Comrade Kniazev was wounded, but despite that he dismounted machine gun from the burning tank and opened fire at the retrieving enemy infantry killing 8 hitleriets and capturing 4. For courage, bravery and resourcefulness in battle, comrade Kniazev is worthy of order of Glory III class. This was Kniazev's 3rd sustained wound. He was lightly wounded in 1942 and badly in 1944. The "edge of the woods west of Magierow" is still there in 2016. A tank from 226th Detached Tank Regiment of 5 Gv.A. 226th Tank regiment commander KOROBEINIKOV

Hej, guys. These are not mine. But It know the guy, so if there questions I might be able to answer.

Hey, Tony. Thanks for your input!!! I don't have access to the medals. Will try to ask the seller. Will post if available.

Thank you for the informative overview! But I have a question. On the B/W photograph the center field (which should be blue) appears to be lighter in tone than the 32 rays (which should be red). I was trying to play with the picture, but I cannot get the sender blue field look like on the photograph here... How dod you explain that?

Wow! Thank you very much! A lot of info to work with. Nice online source too! I still need to learn about online resource for British medal research. I understand there a many these day, bit I need to learn them...

Don't you think it's suspicious that exactly the area around the number happens to be washed out? And with a weird paper damage, which is difficult to explain by natural wear and tear?

Actually, it should be other way around then. The order book is genuine and belonged to A.D.Sorokina, but the ORBL was missing from the set. So another one was added in and the document had to be doctored to replace the original serial number with the "fake" one.

Hello Bill, Looks good and interesting, but the document for ORBL has been doctored. Probably a real document for another ORBL, but the number was washed out and fixed to fit the set.

Hi Odulf! Mainly interested in comments and thoughts of the bar, the recipient and the brunch of service. Is there a good potential for good interesting provenance? I would like to expand my collection and add British awards, which have some good story behind them (I almost exclusively collect awards with stories). And valuation is also important, as I need to understand if the 500 Euro price the seller asks for is too much. With limited budget I need to check first. After British, I think, I take German awards, and I hope you can give me some hints then, Odulf. Some of those German bars are impressive.

Well let's then wait together for grownups to show up...

Mihai, so you mean it is not Romanian language? Because it does not look Russian to me either. Maybe it is Lithuanian? I cannot read it...

Where are you, our knowledgeable British members?

The airplanes and armour look a bit dated by 1995...

Very interesting! Thank you for sharing. May his soul rest in peace.

Hello! New addition to the collection. Please meet Guards Major Aleksej Platonovich Mischenko, the commander of the 301th Guards SPG regiment during 23.07.1944 - 25.05.1945. The regiment was formed on 20.05.1944 from 301th detached Guards Anti-Tank Artillery regiment. It was part of the 8th Guards Tank Corps during the rest of the war and was armed by 21 SPG SU-76M. The research will follow.

Make eros, not war!

That is it for now, folks! PM me, if you too want to get your Soviet awards researched.

Hello all, What do you think? Any advice? What would be reasonable valuation? What is the distinction second from the right?

Remains of folwark Waldhof in 2011: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/42719673 BTW, the order came to me from one of our club members.

This is the revised bridgehead capture diagram based on the 8 SABR and 34 Guard Rifle Regiment report (incl. the battle report by 178th Guard Rifle Regiment). The SPGs were tactically attached to this 178 Gv.SP and followed it's advance. The 178th rifle regiments battle report does not mention the SPGs, but adds some details to the 8 SABR report. On the night 22-23 Jan, a group of 60 riflemen with radio attempted to cross the river, supported by rifle, artillery and mortar fire. But was met with dense heavy machine-gun and small caliber AA fire. The first forcing was not successful. After the dark, 18:00 the regiment moved to Dobern, where 175th Rifle Regiment was preparing for crossing, and crossed right after 175th (with the attached SPGs). By app. 21:00 it was at the position 1.5km north of Eisenau, and was preparing for charge. At 03:00 the regiment shouting "Hooray!" charged Eisenau and by 08:00 24/Jan took it. In the subsequent 3 hours the regiment (with SPG support) repelled three German counter attacks (supported by 2 tanks and 2 APCs). Each time Germans reached the outskirts of Eisenau, but were thrown off with large losses. Regiments losses: 15 KIA, 55 WIA. Enemy losses: 125 killed, 30 captured, 1 tank destroyed. The 178th continued advance and by 05:00 25/Jan reached vicinity of Folwark Waldhof. At 17:00 25/Jan the enemy counters attacked regiments left neighbour (50 Guard Rifle Regiment, 15 Guards RD) and routed it. 178th supported its neighbor (SPGs must have been involved too as they were located near Waldhof). Losses: 12 WIA. The map from 34 Gu. Rifle Corps report. Position by 17:00 25/Jan (after the German counter attack routed 50 Gv. SP). SPGs location is marked. And this is the actions of 50 Gv. SP and subsequent German counter attack by 20 SS Rifle Division. By 30/Jan the bridgehead was expanded as seen in the 34 Guard Rifle Corps:

Hej. Is this one mysterious too?

Thank you, Paul! Here are the SPGs from 8 SABR refueling, winter 1944.

Hej. Thanks! You are right about the names. First of all they change. Worse the names change from one language to another. Secondly, like in this particular research, I need to understand the transliterated name. The names in these Russian reports are German names, but written in Russian. Phonetically it is not always 1:1 match. That is why it is so much fun. I feel like Sherlock.

Thank you! But I not done yet. Since SPG were tactically attached to the rifle regiment, I will also present it's battle journal, which adds a couple of extra details on the course of events. And if you want to research Soviet awards from your collection - write me a PM. There is often an interestig story to uncover.