TomP73

Hi all Would anybody be able to assist me in translating/decoding any of the information on the attached medal document? I am interested to find out who this medal was awarded to, including rank and/or unit if possible. Thanks in advance for any help! All the best Tom

Hi all Would anybody be able to assist me in translating/decoding any of the information on the attached medal document? I am interested to find out who this medal was awarded to, including rank and/or unit if possible. Thanks in advance for any help! All the best Tom

Hi Marcel Thanks for your reply. That is slightly re-assuring then RE the photo I have, even though its not conclusive obviously. Your help it greatly appreciated. I am about to post 2 further docs I have for the Liberation of Prague and Capture of Koenigsberg if you could possibly assist with those as well! No worries if not. All the best Tom

Thank you Marcel I really appreciate it. Is it possible to distinguish at all which unit she was part of or is that not clear enough? Also based on the rank would this make the photo plausible? Looks like 2 stars on the shoulder boards from her right shoulder. I believe it was 2 for Lieutenant and 1 for Junior Lieutenant so either they’ve been jumbled together or she was possible promoted post-war. I suppose it’s a bit of a guessing game anyway since I can’t research her based on the medal as there is no serial number.

Hi all Could anybody assist me in translating the attached award document and confirming whether the recipient is in fact female? And also is there any mention of their rank and unit potentially? I picked them up some time ago along with a photo supposedly of the recipient (the medal and document were a good price so didn't authenticate the linked photo at the time) but even if this was just put together to assist the sale I would like to know whether the medal was for a female soldier or not. Thanks in advance for any help! Tom

Hi all This is my first post here, I have been a viewer of the forum for some time so looking forward to getting more involved. I thought I would make my introduction to the forum by showing one of my medals which was recently researched by Auke - amazing work on his part as always. The order was awarded for actions on the night of 23rd-24th March 1945, crossing the Abava River in Latvia. The star was awarded on April 7 1945. Junior Lieutenant Sergei Kuzmich Verpeko was the commander of a sapper platoon in the 489th Independent Sapper Battalion, 360th Rifle Division, Leningrad Front. This Red Star was his only award, aside from the Victory over Germany medal. Citation for Action: The Night of 23rd-24th March 1945 – ‘Verpeko's platoon was ordered to build a bridge across the Abava River, near the Pilsaty farmstead in Latvia. Verpeko showed patriotism, initiative, and skill in supervising his platoon. In spite of heavy enemy artillery and mortar fire, which interrupted the work several times, the job was completed in four hours, instead of the usual ten hours. His platoon then built a road out of brushwood on the opposite bank.’ I happen to visit Latvia myself at least a couple of times a year so will have to see if i can justify any kind of trip somewhere along part of the Abava River. That said I wouldn't be sure where this Pilsaty Farmstead would be and the river runs over 130km... All the best Tom