Ed_Haynes

Translation part 1-

Part 2

This research came with a stack of newspaper articles, Xeroxed (not always well). One is especially interesting, and the (well-paid) researcher both transcribed and translated this one). I hope this is legible.

"231. SEEGEEV Alexey Karpovich -- shop master of Kirovsky plant."

Bulletin of the USSR Supreme Council Presidium, No. 14 (77), 3 June 1940: Orders of the USSR Supreme Council Presidium (Xerox too big to fit on scanner) "For successful work and demonstrated initiative to increase the defensive potential of our country, award the following persons with: ". . . . "[ORDER OF THE BADGE OF HONOR]"

Award Page: Order of the Badge of Honor - 12577 Awarded - 1 May 1940

Name Page: SERGEEV, Alexey Karpovich

A closeup:

Photo:

Document cover: (1939 printing)

Order of the Badge of Honor, type 2, var. 4 #12577 (Thought I had a scan of the reverse as well, will need to fetch the actual badge to add this.)

Maybe not the most stirring citation ever, but I am (a) partial to the labor awards anyway and (b) pleased and fascinated to see some (any) research can be done on labor/civilian awards.

"501. OPRISHKO Maria Yakovlevna -- teacher of Bobritskaya Incomplete Secondary School, Romny District, Sumy Region, Ukranian SSR."

"For prominent successes in school and Soviet education of children in rural schools, for outstanding organization of education, and active participation in village social life, award the following persons with: ". . . . "[ORDER OF THE RED BANNER OF LABOR]"

Bulletin of the USSR Supreme Council Presidium, No. 21 (44, 26 June 1939: Orders of the USSR Supreme Council Presidium

Award Page: Red Banner of Labor - 4935 Awarded - 1 June 1939 (but booklet 7 Feb 1947)

Name page: OPRISHKO, Maria Yakovlevna Duplicate issue

Photo (none alas):

Document cover: (1945 printing)

Order of the Red Banner of Labor, type 2, var. 2 #4935

Well said, Jeff. In some ways it may make sense to see a Bronze Star are something closer to a MiD than anything else in the British system? Or maybe we could compare it to a WWI Iron Cross 2nd class? But such analogies and comparisons are always problematic, but they are also probably inevitable. It is also dangerous to believe that there is/was ever a fixed, unchanging, non-fluid, "honours system" (or that there is ever any "system" at all underlying these things). Folks like us think more about the place and role and niche and history of these awards than ANYONE involved in awarding or receiving them ever does, ever has, ever will.

Bronze Stars seem to be pretty widely and commonly awarded these days, for everything from low-level bravery to hearing a story from one of your mates that shots had been fired in anger somewhere, sometime. A Silver Star, however, usually represents something real.

The Liverpool ones are all unawarded, "leakage" from manufacturers. The one Pete mentioned is real (and illegal in the USA).

Oh . . . pretty . . . Thanks, Eric. Always glad to learn new things. Ed

Yuri Yashnev's fine site lists this one, though he only shows the second variety. http://www.netdialogue.com/yy/Europe/Bulga...B/MatM/MatM.htm