SovPha

Unfortunately, I don't have any photographs of Yugoslavs and Soviets in my collection yet).

A great shot. I prefer such photographs because of the moments captured in them. Thank you for sharing. 

I love such photographs. The service member holds an Order of the Red Star, Ushakov medal, and a medal "For the Defence of Sevastopol". Reverse: Sonya and Leva (Lev), January 1948.

This is a great lot. Thank you for sharing it. How do you display this kind of sets? 

@meyerse, here is another medal bar under thick Plexiglas without the medals from my collection.

On 27/03/2020 at 17:02, meyerse said:

The badge itself isn't so uncommon (?) but the back is indeed strange, maybe the thickness of the metal that was stamped or ?  it is (I think?) a fairly early stamping with limited notching under the flag?

I meant that I have never need such reverse of a guards back. 75 is a nice amount). 

@BalkanCollector, Thank you. 

This item is not only unique but leaves many questions that will be never answered. During my stay in Ireland in 2014, I have purchased these binocular in Germany from an auction house. It took me almost 2 years when I recognized the little secret associated with them. After carefully cleaning them, the lid on the top came off and unveiled this outstanding surprise. It contained a secret message on a carefully sewed silk piece. Underneath the silk piece, I found another piece of paper (Soviet bank transfer order) with a translation of the Russian text into German.

These binoculars 6x30 were made by Bausch & Lomb Optical Co. Rochester N.Y. USA., and supplied to England in 1940 during WWII. The binoculars show the large British Broad Arrow acceptance markings to the front along with a serial number.

Translation: Albert! Your good heart, honesty, and frankness have left indelible feelings in my heart for you. Dora. October 18th, 1941 Taganrog.

I started to research the name of the place + date and found out that the Rostov Defensive Operation was taking place during this time.

The Soviet counter-attack delivered as part of the general Donbass-Rostov Strategic Defensive Operation (29 September 1941 – 16 November 1941) also forced Rundstedt's Army Group South to order his 1st Panzer Army to maneuver in order to be better placed to counter any further Soviet thrusts in the Romanian sector of the front, and also to attempt an encirclement of the two Soviet Armies, which was partly successful in the area of Chernigovka where on 8 October the commander of the 18th Soviet Army, General-Lieutenant A.K. Smirnov, was killed by artillery fire on his command post in the village of Popovka during the breakout attempt between 5th and 10th October 1941. This was interpreted by Hitler as such a success that he declared "The battle of the Sea of Azov is over" on 11 October before the troops had even reached their objective. As a commemorative gesture, Hitler issued the order to redesignate the Leibstandarte Brigade as SS Division Leibstandarte.

The German 11th Army was ordered back to Crimea to effect the breakthrough of the Isthmus of Perekop.

Perceiving that the way to Rostov and the Caucasus was open, Hitler issued an order transferring the objective from the 11th Army to the 1st Panzer Army and attaching to it ill-prepared Romanian 3rd Army, the Italian Alpine Corps, and the Slovakian Motorised Brigade.

During the subsequent reorganization of Axis forces the III Panzer Corps and XIV Panzer Corps took the lead, supported by the XLIX Mountain Corps recently arrived from Crimea.

By 17 October 1941, the Mius River was crossed by the 14th Panzer Division and Taganrog was captured by German troops, with the mountain troops entering Stalino, forcing the newly formed 12th Army into a renewed withdrawal. However, the autumn rains had begun, and the Rasputitsa ("roadlessness") had set in slowing the 1st Panzer Army's advance to "meter by meter". This meant that the leading German units did not reach the outskirts of Rostov until mid-November, having lost contact with the Red Army in the meantime.

The assault on Rostov began on 17 November, and on 21 November the Germans took Rostov. However, the German lines were over-extended, and Kleist's warnings that his left flank was vulnerable and that his tanks were ineffective in the freezing weather were ignored.

One month later the Rostov Offensive Operation took place. On 27 November the 37th Army, commanded by Lieutenant-General Anton Ivanovich Lopatin, as part of the Rostov Strategic Offensive Operation (17 November 1941 – 2 December 1941), counter-attacked the 1st Panzer Army's spearhead from the north, forcing them to pull out of the city. Adolf Hitler countermanded the retreat. When Rundstedt refused to obey, Hitler sacked him and replaced him with Reichenau. However, Reichenau saw at once that Rundstedt was right and succeeded in persuading Hitler, via Franz Halder, to authorize the withdrawal, and the 1st Panzer Army was forced back to the Mius River at Taganrog. It was the first significant German withdrawal of the war.

We will never know who Dora and Albert was. But the feelings Dora described to Albert, are defiantly related to a great love story during the Great Patriotic War. Thank you for reading.

Correction: Kapytonenko instead of Kapytenko.

Another great document just arrived. 

Temporary certificate No. 346776

Guards Captain Oleinik Nikolai Dementievich is rewarded with an order by the commander of the Artillery of the 1st Baltic Front - No. 032 from May 22nd, 1944. 

For exemplary performance during the combat missions and the struggle against the German invaders, the Order of the Patriotic War 2nd class with Order number 148485 has been awarded. 

Commander of the 26th XXX Guard Colonel Kapytenko

RESEARCH: http://podvignaroda.ru/?#tab=navPeople_search

I wish you all a great weekend. 

Amazing colorized photograph (from my collection) of a Guards Lance Sergeant with a Order of Glory 3rd class and Order of the Red Star. Reverse: As a keepsake to my best friend Vasya from Victor during my stay in Hungary. June 26th, 1945.

@CanCol, Thank you very much for the detailed information. I wish you a great weekend. 

20 hours ago, CanCol said:

This is a tough one to answer as there are MANY variations of the Guards Badge.  B.V. Hayrapetyan lists over 60 variations of Guards 'For Victory' badges in his book 'badges of the red army 1941-1945'. 

If you can provide the measurement in mm's (top and side), that can help narrow the variation down. 

As a reference book, this is one of the best as it covers Guards & Excellent Service badges & more.  It is only available in Russian (to my knowledge) and has excellent photos /illustrations.

Б. В. Айрапетян - "нагрудные знаки  красной армии  (1941-1945)"

Hello CanCol,

Thank you for the reply and the provided information. Please find attached the pic with the measurements of the badge.  

P.S. I just ordered the book you've mentioned.

Best regards,
Sov_Pha

Very nice photographs. If I am correct the officer on the 1st photographs wears a "First Kuban Campaign Medal".

Here are the examples I have in my collection. The background looks different as the one piece above. 

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Hello GMIC members,

I have recently purchased this war time guards badge with an unusual thin pin. The background also looks very unusual comparable to my other war time guards badges. 

The background looks very smooth and the the letters at the bottom "СССР" and top "ГВАПРДИЯ" are not completely visible. 

Best regards,
Sov_Pha

Good morning GMIC members,

Just wanted to share my 1st Grunwald badge (1st type). Would be great if you guys could share some of your Grunwald badges. 

Best regards, 
Sov_Pha

57 minutes ago, BalkanCollector said:

Great photo! Too bad there's no writing in the back.

I wonder what happened with this guy's medal. 

The probably lost the medal during the battle. It took some time to get a duplicate from the DOD. 

A great and large group photograph with soldiers and officers from the Red Army. In the 3rd row we have in the center a Hero of the Soviet Union ((not identified yet). Reverse is blank.

Another very unique photograph from my collection. Reverse: After the end of the Great Patriotic War, City Berlin. Officers of the mortar regiment of the 62nd Army with whom I went from Stalingrad to Berlin. Berlin city 1945.

Hi Paul, Thank you very much. Best regards, Andrej

On 17/03/2020 at 16:21, Kallarati Heroik said:

I saw this bar on instagram

I am also on Instagram). 

On 21/03/2020 at 05:51, Paul R said:

I like the look of these bars a lot.  Its a shame they are so fragile.

They are very fragile. I had one in the past with Lenin, 2 ORB... it feel and crumbled in pieces(((. 

On 16/03/2020 at 07:38, David M said:

? are these in any way uncommon? Looks heavy to weer on an uniform

I know several vets who still wear them. Its harder to find them with each year. 

16 hours ago, BalkanCollector said:

Such a remarkable lot with a great citation for the Bronze Star! Please share the shadow box with us once you make it.

I will. The shadow box is already finished). Will post it soon.

9 hours ago, Paul R said:

Nice rare grouping.  Thank you for sharing it. 

Thank you). This forum is a great place to be.

On 02/03/2020 at 20:39, BalkanCollector said:

Really enjoying your posts! Very nice medal and even nicer document with all the graphics.

Thank you very much. Your posts are also awesome. 

On 02/03/2020 at 21:35, PREM said:

Very nice !

Thx.