Dolf

Scan 3 (Service Record?)

Dolf

Scan 2 (Award Card?)

Dolf

Rick,

Ok, here we go, posting these scans here, please delete them on the ORB thread, I'll post the right scans for that one later.

Scan 1 (Award Card?)

Dolf

Thanks guys.

I'll also post later the photocopies of the research that I got for this Guards Senior Lieutenant .

I know the translator made at least a couple of mistakes, maybe there are more that you guys reading Russian may be able to detect.

Once thing I was really pleased to know is the fact he served on the 8th Guards Army, therefore under the command of my favorite Soviet General (and imho probably the best General, all forces in the conflict comprised), V. I. Chuikov

Dolf

PS: Still waiting for the answer on you know, what

Gerd,

Will email you later about this,

Dolf

His personnel file photo shows him without shoulder boards, suggesting a demobilized ex-officer when it was taken. If you can post nice sharp scans of his personnel records, we can clear up some of the confusion about his service.

The 1975 promotion sounds like one typically given to old retired officers as a "brevet" in recognition of war service. My Captain Kolesnikov was "dismissed to the reserve"-- that is, demobilized from army service, on 15 August 1946 and never served again, but was given the rank of a Major in the Reserves (that is, retired, but under age 60) on 13 January 1965-- I assume because he had commanded a battalion during the war without ever receiving this rank at the time. It sounds like your Senior Lieutenant got the same type of "pension promotion" because he had been a battery commander.

Presumably these retirement promotions gave the former officers some little extra privilege or money every month-- a more "useful" reward than all those jubilee medals!

Rick,

Thanks a lot for your offer, I'll do the best possible scans of everything I got (the ones in Russian, not the translations) and will post them later.

Thanks,

Dolf

Thank you guys!

I love it too, and love the story behind it!

Gerd, thanks a lot for the additional info on the 77th Howitzer Brigade!

Have you seen the researched Nevsky too?

Dolf

The reverse with a copy of a pic of Junior Lieutenant Feodor Grigoryevich Sazonov.

Dolf

Another researched piece, Order of the Red Banner, screwback, T2V2, S/N 38417.

Junior Lieutenant Feodor Grigoryevich Sazonov was born in the Prusinskaya Buda village, Byelorussia, in 1918. He joined the Red Army in 1940, as a Private on the 92nd Howitzer Artillery Regiment, 33rd Rifle Division, but then was a Cadet of political school in 41. He was dismissed in 194? as a Senior Lieutenant.

Not sure what that means, but in other Docs it seems he was still in the Army in 1959, still as a Senior Lieutenant, and also in 1975 as a Captain!

He fought in the North-Western Front, as Gun Commander of the 429th Howitzer Artillery Regiment, RGK of North-Western Front, then as Platoon Commander, and Second in Command of Battery of the 122nd Mortar detachment, 77th Howitzer Artillery Brigade (41-43), then he was a Student in the 69th Western Artillery Regiment, a Cadet, a Commander of March Battery in the 63rd Western Artillery Regiment, 2nd Western Rifle Division of Ural MD, where he later became Battery Commander, then as Reserve (?) on the 43rd training reserve regiment of Officers, Ural MD, and as a Battery Commander again, and in the 1st Ukrainian Front, 122mm Howitzer, 292nd Artillery Regiment, 128th Rifle Division of the 1st Ukrainian Front (45).

He received his Red Banner on October 26, 1942.

He was also awarded with a Medal for Victory over Germany and a Medal for Courage.

Brief description of personal feats or merit:

"... February 23, 1942, the enemy aviation made a large raid on in the area of the fire position. When bombs were exploding very close, his gun kept firing at the enemy.

During the period of command over the guncrew between September 12, 1941, and June, 1942, using his gun Comrade Sazonov destroyed 2 artillery batteries, a mortar battery, 4 machine-guns points, 3 pillboxes, over 10 automobiles, many wagons and a lot of personnel resources of the enemy. Since June, 1942, he is in command of a firing platoon.

June 17-19, 1942, when breaking through the enemy's defense at Vasilyevshchina-Tuganovo /II Army/, Comrade Sazonov's platoon destroyed up to 200 Hitlerites, an artillery battery of 3 guns, knocked out 4 tanks, several anti-tank guns, and other works.

In fights against the German invaders Comrade Sazonov proved a responsible and steadfast defender of the Fatherland and patriot..."

Dolf

The reverse and a copy of the pic of Guards Senior Lieutenant Vladimir Nikolayevich Gorbunov, as on the archives.

Dolf

Just sharing this, already posted on another Forum, but as not all members here are also on that other Forum...

This concerns a Order of Alexander Nevsky, T3, S/N 42114.

Guards Senior Lieutenant Vladimir Nikolayevich Gorbunov was born in Reutovo, Moscow region, in 1922. He joined the Red Army in October 1940 (he was a Cadet in the Odessa Artillery College), and was dismissed in July 1946 as a Guards Captain. He fought in a number of Fronts, such as the North-Western Front, as a Platoon Commander of the 212th detached Guards Mortar Division, 22nd Guards Mortar Regiment (41-42), in the Stalingrad Front, as a Battery Commander of the 17th Guards Mortar Brigade (42), in the Don Front as a Battery Commander of the 536th detached Guards Mortar Division (42-43), in the Briansk Front as a Battery Commander of the 535th detached Guards Mortar Division (43-44), in the 1st Byelorussian Front as a Battery Commander of the 26th Guards Mortar Brigade and the 4th detached Guards Mortar Division, 26th Guards Mortar Brigade (44-45) and finally in the Far-East Front as a Battery Commander of the 26th Guards Mortar Brigade (45).

The decision for him to receive his Order of Alexander Nevsky dates from June 9, 1945, for actions of bravery when he was on the 1st Byelorussian Front, as a Battery Commander of the 3rd Batallion, 26th Order of Suvorov Guards Mortar Brigade. Apparently he only received it in 1946. He was also awarded with a Order of Red Star + a Medal for Defense of Stalingrad + a Medal for Victory over Germany + a Medal for Capture of Berlin + a Medal for Victory over Japan and a Medal for Defense of Leningrad.

Brief description of personal feat or merits:

"... On April 14, 1945, when breaking through the enemy's defense, in the area of the 8th Guards Army at Manshnov, where the batallion prepared a salvo ?, the enemy was maintaining severe artillery and mortar fire, which impeded the work at the fire position, then Comrade Gorbunov, in spite of the growing fire, not sparing his life, personally directed the preparations to shelling, and his personal example of intrepidity inspired his subordinates to the fastest preparation and firing salvos. In the result, the batallion completed the assigned military task on time..."

Dolf

And finally, a general view from above, apparently a pic taken by an Allied plane

Enjoy, and guys, post your own stuff

Dolf

And another one:

Dolf

And one more:

Dolf

Another one:

Dolf

One more view:

Dolf

Another view:

Dolf

Another diorama.

This one I called it "Falaise". It's a small town in Normandy, NW of France. This is a scene in 1944, after D-Day. There is some confusion, that's why there are different type of units together: elements of a Flak Division with elements of a PZ Grenadier Regiment. An officer is watching the skies for Allied aircraft... the flak crew is making a pause for eating a bit of something... Others are tuned on the radio, trying to establish contact and receive whatever orders might be...

Dolf

I like the low cut of the Partisan woman

Dolf

Wounded Partisan being helped by a comrade

Dolf

And a final one of this one:

Dolf

Another view:

Dolf

Same, different angle:

Dolf

A small one.

Sorry, can't remember the name of the vehicle , maybe someone can help?

Dolf

Thanks, Dolf. I appreciate your prompt response. I will look into their availability in the US.

Bob,

No problem, you welcome.

As Paul R says: "anytime"

Best,

Dolf