Ed_Haynes

Fascinating, and inspirational. Nice to see some real heroes.

Years ago, I had an extensive correspondence with the widow of Adam von Trott. She offered to send me some of the letters he had written to her, but I sensed she was just being gracious and that she didn't really want to let them go, so I declined . . . .

Yeah . . . don't know where that price holds, maybe in UB, not elsewhere. In Belarus?

Chris Kempton's 'Loyalty and Honour': The Indian Army September 1939-August 1947, part I, Divisions (ISBN 0-85420-288-5), pp. 15-26, gives a good run-down on the 4th Indian Divisions. The various brigades are covered in part II and the regiments in part III.

Yes . . . "hmmm" indeed. Assembly-line production?

I'd hope that "reconstructing" this ribbon bar won't involve the wanton destruction of a real and historic ribbon bar?

I believe there are some photos and other information in the hotel's rather extensive archives.

My father, a ex-high school teacher of history who had managed during that same depression to go on to law school, was called in when the German (and Italian and Japanese) diplomatic staff were interned in the Greenbrier Hotel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Greenbrier

in White Sulphur Springs, WV, in the days after 7 December 1941. His two years of college German (even from a good university) weren't of much help, but he was the best sort of person they had available in those crazy days.

By the time he joined the US Navy early in the spring of 1942 (having passed up the undesirable pre-draft chance to join the Army and not passed the color blindness test for the Air Corps [which condition would eventually bump him from duty on an LST for the North African landings, otherwise I'd not be here...]), these guys at The Greenbrier had been swapped for corresponding US diplomats.

Diplomatic immunity meant something in those days.

True, true.

But for most collectors -- especially "military collectors" -- this stuff is trash.

As I sort through materials that live with me, updating the long-untouched "catalogue", this is the sort of thing that adds the most life.

I am, after all, a FULL-GROUP whore.

Were there interest, I'd add some of these documents to the appropriate groups. But I don't want to bore or distract anyone.

Still, a nice badge. And happy to have the correct identification.

I suspect the Italians were trying to represent, however inaccurately and clumsily, the name of the medal? Why do you think this would NOT have been the case?

Random good luck on research. Sometimes, you luck out.

Went in the army at age 23 (unmarried). Note she was a waitress post-war.

As always, observations and comments are welcomed. Thanks!

And the translation:

AWARD LIST

1. Last Name, name and patronymic Mal?kova Irina Martynovna

2. Rank Private

3. Position, unit Driver of the 806th Tallinn Self-propelled Artillery Regiment

4. Is recommended for the Order of the ? RED STAR ?

5. Year of birth 1920

6. Nationality Russian

7. Party membership Member of the Komsomol

8. Participation in the civil war and other military actions aimed at the defense of the USSR (where and when) Leningrad Front 01.44 ? 12.44, 1st Ukrainian Front 12.44

9. Wounds or contusions received during the Patriotic War Does not have

10. In the Red Army since 1943

11. Drafted by what district military commissariat City Krasnoyarsk

12. Previous awards Medal ?FOR COMBAT SERVICES?, 11.44

13. Permanent home address (of the prospective awardee or his/her family) City Krasnoyarsk, Perenson Street, House № 41, Apartment № 5. Father: Mal?kov Martyn Leont?evich

I. Brief description of personal feat

During the fight for the liberation of the Polish Republic from the German Invaders, Comrade MAL?KOVA, while on the position of a repair shop type ?A? driver, demonstrated herself as a brave and courageous soldier, and took care about her vehicle. Comrade MAL?KOVA followed the military frontline, delivered her car to malfunctioning military vehicles, coping with any tactically difficult situations and energetically participated in the repairing process. For the entire combat period, Comrade MAL?KOVA?s vehicle did not fall behind military vehicles due to technical malfunctioning.

For the military services to the Motherland, Comrade MAL?KOVA deserves the governmental award Order of the ?RED STAR?.

Commander of the 806th Tallinn Self-propelled Artillery Regiment

Major (Signature) / Levikov /

?10? February 1945

Awarded with the Government Award Order of the ?RED STAR?

Commander of the Armored and Mechanized Forces 59th Army

Colonel (Signed) / V.Volkov /

?23? February 1945

And

And

Her MMM (#1000262) has gone missing (anyone?) and hasn't been researched.

Her Red Star recommendation:

And translation:

AWARD CARD

Order booklet A 726550

1. Last Name Mal?kova

2. Name and Patronymic Irina Martynovna

3. Military Rank Private

4. Sex Female

5. Year of Birth 1920

6. Place of Birth Krasnoyarsk Provice, Daursk District, Village Komzhikh

7. Party Membership n/a

8. Education 4 Classes

9. Nationality Russian

10. In the Red Army since 7.1943 till 8.1945

11. Place of service (name of the unit) and duty position at time of awarding 806th Tallinn Self-propelled Artillery Regiment, 59th Army ? Driver

12. Place of service and duty position at current time: Krasnoyarsk, 703th Fabrik, Senior Waiter

13. Home address of the awardee: Krasnoyarsk Kachenskaya Street 58, Apt.12

14. Record of all awards presented:

Name of Orders, Medals Serial Number Numbers of Documents Awarder

For Combat Service 1000262 Temp. Cert.

T ? 599459 Order of the 806th Self-propelled Artillery Regiment, Armored and Mechanized Forces 59th Army № 06/N of 6.12.44

Red Star 1354180 Temp. Cert.

E ? 555232 Order of the 806th Self-propelled Artillery Regiment, Armored and Mechanized Forces of 59th Army № 05/N of 23.2.45

Signature of the awardee (signed) Malkova

Correctness of the data and signature of awardee attested by:

Stalin Military District Commissariat

Senior Lieutenant of Administrative Service (signed)

20 February 1947 / Starovatov/

And back.

Record Card, front

To Private Irina Martynovna Malakova, 806th Tallinn Self-propelled Artillery Regiment, 59th Army.

Maybe not the most exciting Red Star ever (but at least it isn't long service). And it may say something about how these were awarded, to whom, for what.

Many of these are in the OMSA database, thanks to our friends at Morton & Eden. From the ANS sales.

For example:

Interesting, and well done. (To the extent that mere mortals can read this chicken-scratching.)

Is the person on this listing?

http://www.dragonofannam.com/members.html

I doubt it, as this seems to be the fantasy/fiction "survival" of the order.

Something like the ISM would often be issued with a pin, as it would be worn alone, loose, or at least not mounted on a bar, being a civil award.

That is part of what makes Ralph's suggestion ring true.

Yes, Jason. That is good technology to have, especially if you do it without the chemicals that they sometimes want you to add.