Steen Ammentorp

At first I thought it was a stamp too but then I noticed, looking closer at the paper for your Lieutenant-General, that the signature was in a different position and colour, and the colour of the signature above is also different than the rest.

Regarding his name then to be frank I am unsure about his name. However several Poles have told me and polish sources indicated that it should be Zymierski-Rola as Rola was only his nomme de guerre. You find him here http://www.generals.dk/general/Zymierski-R...hal/Poland.html Not that he had good fortunes under the regime he chose to serve.

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

contrast this flimsy cheap paper generic "fill in the award" with the nice colored heavy paper O,N,B Medal document awarded to a Lieutenant General:

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtopic=2...indpost&p=17043

However it is nice to see that a Polish marshal took his time to sign his paper too!

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

Thank you very much Gunner 1 - wonderfull information. Much appreciated.

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

Hi,

I am looking for information on the military career of a certain Colonel H.H. Blake, O.B.E., M.B. (R.A.M.C). I have done several different searches in the London Gazette online archive, and I have found a few details, such as he served as DDMS with the acting rank of Major-General from 16th Sept. to 27th Nov. 1939 and again 19th Jan. to 27th June 1940, where he relinquished his appointment. Now I have also been able to find a few bits on his WWI career in the LG but that doesn't interest me, however his full name and information on his senior military career has escaped me despite having tried various search methods in the LG archive (sadly the search function leaves much to wish for). So I was hoping that the fact that he was bestowed with an O.B.E. might make it possible for some of you to provide me with some information.

anything will be highly appreciated.

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

Hi,

Others might be able to add further details but here is something to start with

Reinhardt joined the Army as Fahnenjunker in 8. S?chsischen I.R. "Prinz Johann-Georg" Nr. 107 on 25th March 1907 and received his commission to Leutnant on 14th August 1908 (Patent 14th Feb. 1907). By August 1914 Reinhardt was a Oberleutnant and Regimental Adjutant. He fought in France, where he following the battle of the Loretto heights in spring 1915 was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Milit?r-St.-Heinrichs-Ordens. Later he was transferred to the Eastern Front. Following his promotion to Hauptman on 18th April 1916 he served with staff of German rear section (Etappenkommand) of the Austro-Hungarian 7th Army, 23rd Reserve Division and 8th Cavalry Division. From Fall 1917 and until the end of the war he served as Ia of the 192nd Infantry Division. Sometime during the war he was also awarded the Ritterkreuz des K?niglichen Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwerten.

The above is from Gerd F. Heuser's Die Generalobersten des Heeres : Inhaber h?chster deutscher Kommandostellen 1933-1945.

However for further reading might I suggest:

Generaloberst Hans-Georg Reinhardt : (1887 - 1963) by Christoph Clasen.

Erschienen: Stuttgart : Zeitungsverl. RM, 1996

Umfang: III, 723 S.

Hochschulschrift: Zugl.: Freiburg i. Br., Univ., Diss., 1996

ISBN: 3-928666-99-1

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

Thanks for a very interesting post as I didn't have his year of birth. According to my information he was promoted Major-General on 25th September 1944, so he actually recieved the general's rank before the rain of general ranks being granted to NKVD officers in July 1945. Again according to my information he died in July 1972.

He will be included in the next update of my database.

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

Strange to see that German generals Straus and Schmidt were known the average Russian. Today they are very obscure.

Merry X-mas

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

I was wondering whether anybody would be able to id and provide me with the full name of a French general by the name of Renvoyer (1890-1973). He was an officer of the L?gion d?Honneur and retired from the army in 1946.

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

I am sorry that I can't be of much help on this one. I very much doubt that he was a WW2 general and I feel reasonably confident that I at least have the names of all the Soviet generals and admirals of WW2. He could of course be a post WW2 general but somehow I doubt it based on the info given by Chuck and he isn't mentioned in Michael Parrish's Soviet Security and Intelligence Organizations 1917-1990 A Biographical Dictionary and Review of Literature in English (though full of omissions).

Nor have I found reference to him as one of those being repressed by the regime, and his not among the former Tsarist generals who obtained a high rank (at least kombrig) in the Red Army. I have also checked my WW1 generals' database (admittedly not big) and I have no reference to him here either.

I think that he is either a pre-WW1 or a WW1 Tsarist general. Though not my turf but it is my understanding that the M1943 epaulettes were practically identical to the former Tsarists however I don't know whether the Border Guards had continued to use the same colour.

Sorry that I can't be of further assistance.

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

The second General was gone by the late 60s. I think he passed away in 1967 or thereabouts (without pulling out my HSU books!)

Colonel-General of Tank Troops Viktor Timofeevich Obukhov, who retired in 1965, died on 26th of November 1975.

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

Glad to be of service.

Regarding his name then of course my sources is not primary sources while yours is, so I may be mistaken about the name, though he is mentioned as Apse in different sources.

Btw. He was awarded the Uzbek SSR Red Banner of Labour in 1928 and I believe that he was a delegate of the 17th Party Congress in 1934. At least there was a M.Ja. Apse (member since 1912) as a delegate from Leningrad. Maybe someone will be able to provide further details on him with this information.

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

Well as already mentioned the reason that he isn't list in my database is that he ran out of luck before the war. Here is what I got on him (though I think the name is Apse):

Martin Janovich Apse (1893-1942). Corps Commissar, Latvian, member of VKP since 1912. Assistant Commanding Officer XIX Rifle Corps on Political Affairs. In 1937 Member of the Military council (Political Commissar) Transcaucasian MD. Arrested and later condemned on 03.09.1939 to 25+5 years imprisonment. He died in the Corrective Labour Camps system in 1942. He was rehabilitated on 27.10.1956.

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

...and finally, his Medal of Military Merit. Note the old style brass backing and pin. I hope y'all liked seeing these. Full out Bulgarian groups with solid documentation are somewhat hard to find and researching can be a bear. I lucked out here, having both his royal and communist service books.

Cheers,

Eric

Firstly a very interesting story Eric.

Secondly a bit of topic I know but for any one interested in Bulgarian officers I just want to let you know that I have a copy of: Ofitserskiyat Korpus V Bulgariya 1878-1944 g. Vol. 1-4, with small biographical entries on each officer. So if anybody wants me to lookup someone please let me know.

Kind Regard

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

Okay here is what I got - translated to the best of my abilities. I am unsure of the correct names of the institutions he attended but hopefully you get the picture. I am also a bit unsure about his position 06-09.1941, as it maybe that he was Deputy CinC during that time as well.

His career:

04.1918-04.1919 Clerk at a Staff of a Group

04.1919-03.1920 Deputy Chief of Staff of a Brigade

04.1920-10.1921 graduating from the Siberian Higher Military School taking an additional course

10.1921-10.1923 Company CO in a Rifle Regiment

10.1923-12.1928 Deputy CO & CO of a Battalion

12.1928-10.1929 Attending the Vystrel Course

11.1929-12.1929 CO of a Battalion

11.1929-09.1932 CO 6th Turkistan Rifle Regiment

09.1932-03.1933 Inspector of the Air Brigade at Vitebske

05.1933-12.1933 Attending Kachinskuyu 1st Pilot School

02.1934-02.1936 CO 23rd Air Squadron at Novocherkasske

02.1936-12.1936 Attending the Higher Flying-Tactical School of the VVS at Lipetske

12.1936-08.1937 Attached to the Air Forces of the Republican Army, Spain

08.1937-01.1938 At disposal (распоряженин?) of the CinC of VVS RKKA

01.1938-06.1939 Interim (исполн. обяз.) Chief, Air Forces Directorate of the Navy (UPR VVS VMF)

06.1939-06.1941 Deputy CinC Air Forces of the Navy

06.1941-09.1941 Chief of Staff Air Forces of the Navy

09.1941-04.1942 Deputy CinC Air Forces of the Navy

He was promoted komdiv on 26. February 1939 and Major General of Aviation on 4th of June 1940.

Source: V.M. Lur'e: Admiraly i Generaly Voenno-Morskogo Flota SSSP. V period Velikoj Otechestvennoj i Sovetsko-Yaponskoj Vojn (1941-1945). Sankt-Peterburg, 2001.

Btw. It also includes a small picture that removes any doubt that it could be anybody else on Rick's photo.

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

So many and so little time I do however have some additional information on this fellow with more details on what Dave has already written but I am unsure whether it would be of any interest?

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

Once again thank you Dave and Rick,

I don't know quite what to think of this. While I think that Dave's points is very valid but it leaves me with an uneasy feeling because it would leave Sharagin completely out of the list of commanders of III Guard Mech Corps. I have seen too many sources claiming his command just to be able to ignore it See i.e. these online sources:

http://mechcorps.rkka.ru/files/mechcorps/p.../biograf_sh.htm

http://militera.lib.ru/h/liberation/index.html See CCCP section

http://www.rkka.ru/handbook/corps/s_kor_k.htm?off=kf3

It is of course possible that they all use the same wrong source but somehow I doubt it. I guess that the only way I will know for sure is to get hold of the war diary of the III Guard Mech Corps

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

I have a question that I am hoping that one of you experts will be able to answer. I have a copy of Services of British Army Officers &cc 1939-1945 by Savannah Publications (ISBN 1902366026), which is a reprint of the Half-Yearly Army List, January 1946.

What puzzles me is that our friend F.G. Winward isn't listed in the book. Maybe someone could give me a course in British Army lists?

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

Thanks Dave (and Rick )

According to this he did not command a tank brigade December 1940 ? March 1941, but stayed in command of Borisovsk Cavalry (later Tank School) February 1941. While I have the same postings I am a bit puzzled by the dates. This states that Obukhov became commander of III Guards Mechanized Corps in January 1943. However all other sources I have seen says that Major-General Sharagin became commander of the Corps in January 1943 and that Obukhov first became commander on 4th of May 1943. So my question is how trustworthy is these service records? I have no experience with this.

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

Interesting info Dave,

I was wondering whether your material includes any information on what tank brigade Obukhov commanded 1941-42. Also does it mention which Tank Army he was the assistant commander of in 1943?

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

Great info Though nothing seems to associate him with 291st RD.

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

Thanks Rick,

How annoying that they didn't use their initials when signing! Otherwise I would have Kariofilli's (ЗАМ=deputy?) as well. Sadly there were two Lieutenant-Generals of Artillery at the time

http://www.generals.dk/general/Vasilev/Mik...viet_Union.html

http://www.generals.dk/general/Vasilev/Ste...viet_Union.html

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

Hi Rick,

For further information on this character please see:

http://www.generals.dk/general/Ibianskii/N...viet_Union.html

Sadly I don't have any thing on colonel Popov. I don't think that he made it as a general during WWII.

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

Any information on this guy would be appreciated. ЧЕРНЯК, СТЕПАН ИВАНОВИЧ (1899-1976). (Cherniak, Stepan Ivanovich). He became a Hero of Soviet Union on 7th April 1940 for commanding 136th RD against the Finns. I am specially interested in his rank at the time but anything would do.

Please forget this as I already got the information on him. I somehow mixed up his first name

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

Having just sent Rick a PM with information on the officer Gromadin mentioned in this thread and I should remember to say that I am missing a few PVO-officers in my database (so many and so little time) and just after sending the PM I noticed a mistake I had made concerning the dates. So Rick please forget the PM.

Gromadin, Colonel-General Mikhail Stepanovich (08.11.1899-03.06.1962):

05.06.40: Major-General

28.10.41: Lieutenant-General

19.11.43: Colonel-General

40-41: Commanding Officer I Air Defence Corps

41 : Commanding Officer Moscow Air Defence Area

00.11.41-00.05.42: Assistant People's Commissar of Defence

29.06.43-29.03.44: Commander in Chief Western Air Defence Zone

29.03.44-24.12.44: Commander in Chief Northern Air Defence Zone

24.12.44-00.00.45: Commander in Chief Central Air Defence Zone

50-54: Inspector at Ministry of Defence

54 : Retired

I said there was no way to know who the Orlov was but on second thought I have a gut feeling that is the one below (another of those that I haven't had the time to add yet).

Orlov, Lieutenant-General Ivan Alekseevich (10.11.1902-00.08.1980):

06.12.42: Major-General

18.11.44: Lieutenant-General

41 : Political Commissar IV Fighter Aviation Corps

26.06.43-29.03.44: Political Commissar Western Air Defence Zone

29.03.44-24.12.44: Political Commissar Northern Air Defence Zone

24.12.44-00.01.45: Political Commissar Central Air Defence Zone

Though I have no information on either being attach to the Southern Defence Zone or Southern Front but considering their other whys corresponding careers I think it would unlikely to be any other Orlov.

What puzzles me a bit is that is the date and let me be quick to say that I know nothing on awards or citations but isn't the citation dated 25th April 1944? At a date where both Gromadin and Orlov is supposed to have been elsewhere? Maybe I have missed something.

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

Thank you very much for this very interesting thread and for correcting a transcription error of mine in my entry on him in my database.

Though I am not able to show some original documents I would like to offer some additional information on him.

According to A.A. Maslov in his Fallen Soviet Generals : Soviet Generals Killed in Battle 1941-1945. (ISBN 0-7146-4346-7) p. 38.

During the fierce battle on 20 september 1941, the commander of the army's (23 Army) armoured and mechanized forces, Major General V.B. Lavrinovich, perished heroically in combat. He died near the town's (Belsosstrov) center while personally leading an attack by 22 of his tanks, when his command tank was struck and destroyed by an enemy shell.

Italics my notes

According to the site www.rkka.ru he was repressed 1938-1939 and then released, which however did not prevent him from being promoted to major general on 4th of June 1940.

I have a small question, if I may? This

Major General Vatslav Bronislavovich Lavrinovich, 291st Rifle Division, 23rd Army

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II