Soviet Soviet & Eastern Block Quiz

[Carol I]

But what's this decoration ?

It's probably Bulgarian, the Order for Military Merit. He has another one to the right (his left) of it.

[Ed_Haynes]

There is one "Trafalgar Cross", never has been one. Whoever came up with THAT one knows less than nothing about British awards.

Better that this quiz stick to "Eastern Bloc" (whatever THAT means) awards.

[Christian Zulus]

Question #116 (new version)

Gentlemen,

let's stay in the biography of the heroic Vice-Admiral Georgi Nikititch Kholostyakov.

In 1945 he had been the commander of the Danube-Flottillia.

He got famous for a certain operation during the capture of Vienna. For that operation he got an OBE from the British King George.

Please read the past postings dealing with question #116, there are some hints.

1) What was that famous operation in april 1945 in Vienna?

2) Who had been that Lady with a very wild animal in her name, who suggested to the King to confer an OBE to him?

3) A Soviet General got crazy about the fact, that only the Admiral got an OBE from the King and not he himself, because his soldiers had been on board of the boats. Who was that - also rather famous & rather low-ranking - Soviet General?

Question #3 is the most important one .

Best regards

Christian

BTW: Sorry for the mess with the "Trafalgar-Cross", but I am not an expert in British awards and believed what I have read .

[Christian Zulus]

It's probably Bulgarian, the Order for Military Merit. He has another one to the right (his left) of it.

Dear Carol,

many thanks for the expertise .

It's Bulgarian and it's not an anchor .

Best regards

Christian

Edited May 17, 2007 by Christian Zulus

[Christian Zulus]

One more hint to Question #116

Question #116 (new version)

Please read the past postings dealing with question #116, there are some hints.

1) What was that famous operation in april 1945 in Vienna?

2) Who had been that Lady with a very wild animal in her name, who suggested to the King to confer an OBE to him?

3) A Soviet General got crazy about the fact, that only the Admiral got an OBE from the King and not he himself, because his soldiers had been on board of the boats. Who was that - also rather famous & rather low-ranking - Soviet General?

Question #3 is the most important one .

Gentlemen,

the target of the operation in question had been a famous bridge across the river Danube.

Best regards

Christian

[Belaruski]

I've no idea!

[Ed_Haynes]

You may have beaten us, Christian?

[Ferdinand]

Your question is a bridge too far for us...

[Christophe]

Never too far...

Let's try this :

1) What was that famous operation in april 1945 in Vienna?

Take Vienna and avoid the destruction of the Imperial Bridge (Reichsbr?cke).

2) Who had been that Lady with a very wild animal in her name, who suggested to the King to confer an OBE to him?

The Queen Mother of England, born Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon.

3) A Soviet General got crazy about the fact, that only the Admiral got an OBE from the King and not he himself, because his soldiers had been on board of the boats. Who was that - also rather famous & rather low-ranking - Soviet General?

General Fyodor Tolbukhin ?

Cheers.

Ch.

[Christian Zulus]

Never too far...

Let's try this :

1) What was that famous operation in april 1945 in Vienna?

Take Vienna and avoid the destruction of the Imperial Bridge (Reichsbr?cke).

2) Who had been that Lady with a very wild animal in her name, who suggested to the King to confer an OBE to him?

The Queen Mother of England, born Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon.

3) A Soviet General got crazy about the fact, that only the Admiral got an OBE from the King and not he himself, because his soldiers had been on board of the boats. Who was that - also rather famous & rather low-ranking - Soviet General?

General Fyodor Tolbukhin ?

Cheers.

Ch.

Dear Christophe,

congratulations - you avoided a 2nd "Market Garden" at our quiz-thread .

Your answers at 1) & 2) are perfect .

Marshall Tolbukhin is far too high ranking. It had been a Mj.-Gen. of the famous 4th Guards Army, who had been the CO of the soldiers (airborne-troops !!!!) in the boats of our Admiral.

The operation started in the early morning of the 11th of april 1945 and the "Reichsbr?cke" had been finally captured on the 13th of april 1945 ("Vienna-Victory-Day").

The reason, why the general didn't get the OBE is simple: Navy had been much closer to the British King's mind, than infantry .

Maybe it's now possible to dedect the angry General .

Best regards

Christian

BTW: Our impressive Soviet War Memorial in the city-center of Vienna is more or less a memorial for the 4th Guards Army, due to the fact, that they did the main part of the job.

[Wild Card]

Maj. Gen. Dmitry Aristarkhovich Drychkin?

[Christian Zulus]

Maj. Gen. Dmitry Aristarkhovich Drychkin?

Dear Wild Card,

sorry, I hadn't been Drychkin .

Due to the fact, that the 4th Guards Army hadn't soooo many Maj.-Generals in CO-position (the guessing would be easy now ), it would say, that Christophe is the winner.

Christophe answerd two of three question correctly:

1) "Reichsbr?cke" (Imperial Bridge) in Vienna.

2) Queen Mum.

The answer to question #3 should have been:

Maj.-Gen. N. I. Biryukov, commander of the XXth Guards Rifle Corps (5th & 7th Guards Airborne Div. and 80th Guards Rifle Div.).

After the capture of Vienna Biryukov got one star more on his shoulders and promoted to Lt.-Gen. I regard Biryukov as the most outstanding Soviet General during the liberation of Vienna. The performance of his 3 (elite) divisions had been really breathtaking. Just have a look at the maps & diaries .

I can understand, why he had been angry about the fact, that he got no OBE .

I have found two photographs in a book about the liberation of Austria showing the meeting of US and Soviet troops at the 8th of may in Austria. It had been the XXth Guards Rifle Corps, which met the US. The two photographs show a Soviet Lt.-Gen. receiving the neck order of the US Legion of Merit Medal from an US-General. I strongly assume, that this (rather young) Soviet Lt.-General, with that great US-Order around his neck, might be N. I. Biryukov. Maybe he got the Legion of Merit (in that high grade) as a compensation for not getting an OBE ?

In 1968 Biryukov published his memoirs "Trudnaja nauka probezdat" ("The difficult science of victory") in Moscow.

Best regards

Christian

BTW: I assume, that Vice-Admiral Georgi Nikititch Kholostyakov simply called his OBE the "Trafalgar-Cross". That might be the reason, why a (non existing) "Trafalgar-Cross" - instead of OBE - came into the the Admiral's biography in Steigleder's book .

Edited May 21, 2007 by Christian Zulus

[Christian Zulus]

Dear Christophe,

congratulations to your victory .

Question #117 is now your turn .

Best regards

Christian

[Christophe]

Again, a few stats :

This small game has now been launched more than 18 months ago now (on 1 Nov. 2005), and since :

* 116 questions asked,

* with 1,363 answers,

* This quiz has been viewed more than 13,120 times.

* 32 Members of the Forum played, and 25 correctly answered at least 1 question :

Nb of good answers :

* 20 : Christian (Zulus)

* 18 : Christophe

* 10 : Bryan (Soviet)

* 8 : Simon (Red Threat)

* 6 : Belaruski and Jim (JimZ)

* 5 : Carol I and Ed (Haynes).

* 4 : Franck (Knarf) and Wild Card.

* 3 : Andreas (Alfred), Auke (Ferdinand) and Kim (Kimj).

* 2 : Chuck (in Oregon), Gerd (Becker), Ivan (Piramida), Jan (vatjan) and Order of Victory.

* 1 : Dan (Hauptman), Darrell, Daredevil, Dave (Navy FCO), Dudeman, Rick (Stogieman) and Steen (Ammentorp).

This is a great achievement. Thanks to all for your participation.

Now, let's continue to have fun with the 117th question... Mine!!!

Ch.

[Christophe]

Question #117

Back to Soviet Orders....

Orders with Serial Number 001

Only two Soviet personalities have ever been - each of them - awarded two orders SN #1.

1. Who are these two Soviet personalities ?

2. Which Orders with SN #1 has each of them been awarded ?

Bonus :

3. Give the dates of awarding of each of the awards.

Remember that each of these 2 Soviet persons has been awarded 2 orders with SN #1.

Additional information / precision added later : We are not talking about Titles, Medals or subsequent Orders : ex Red Banner #4 or #5...

Moreover, one personality is more known than the other, and as such easier to find. The winner will be the first of you to post the 2 names of the 2 Soviet personalities, with the names of the Orders.

Good hunt and good luck.

Cheers.

Ch.

Edited May 23, 2007 by Christophe

[Wild Card]

Hi Christophe,

I don?t know if these are the ones that you are looking for; but:

Georgi Zhukov got -

Suvorov 1st class #1 on 28 January 1943

Gold Star Hero of Soviet Union fourth award #1 on 1 December 1956

And Klement Voroshilov got

Order of Red Banner 5th award #1 on 3 November 1944

Order of Red Banner 6th award #1 on 24 June 1948

Are these the ones?

Wild Card

Edited May 22, 2007 by Wild Card

[Christophe]

Hi Wild Card,

Very good answer, but I should probably have precised that I was looking after Orders with SN #1, but not #1 for subsequent orders... I'm sorry to say that, despite this excellent and quick answer, it is not what I was expecting. Sorry for this...

But, if no one founds it, I will declare you the winner and let you post the next question, as my question was maybe too much unprecise and you answer excellent.

Cheers.

Ch.

[Wild Card]

I understand, that is why I worded my response with caution.

[Christian Zulus]

Zhukov

Dear Christophe,

one of the two comrades is Zhukov:

- s/n. 1 of Suvorov 1cl

- s/n. 1 of Order of Victory

(We are speaking about orders and not about titles & medals )

But who is the second comrade ?

Best regards

Christian

[Christian Zulus]

Second comrade ?

Gentlemen,

the second comrade in question couldn't have been one of the top military leaders of the CCCP.

Let's have a look, who got s/n. 1 of the top-ranking orders:

- Suvorov 1cl: Zhukov (he is one of the two comrades in question - Victory #1)

- Uzhakov 1cl: Vice-Admiral Tribuz

- Kutuzov 1cl: Lt.-Gen. Galinin

- Nakhimov 1cl: Rear-Admiral Feldmann

- Chmelnithski 1cl: Maj.-Gen. Danilov

No one of the mentioned 4 comrades got another order with the s/n. 1 .

I also checked at Andrew's (GMIC-member "mondvor") great website http://mondvor.narod.ru/ordpage.htm - he lists all s/n. 1 receipients of the orders - the 2nd & 3rd classes of the awards and other orders, but I found no matching names .

For shure, it's not a labour order, like: Lenin, RBL, BoH, etc. - or a combination of labour & military.

Best regards

Christian

BTW: I think that Wild Card's Voroshilov-answer might be quite correct, because a RB #5 & RB #6 are different orders - at least in design (HSU #4 s/n. 1 is a title & medal).

Edited May 23, 2007 by Christian Zulus

[Christian Zulus]

Lt.-General Nikolay Ivanovich Biryukov (6. 12. 1901 - 30. 6. 1980)

I have found two photographs in a book about the liberation of Austria showing the meeting of US and Soviet troops at the 8th of may in Austria. It had been the XXth Guards Rifle Corps, which met the US. The two photographs show a Soviet Lt.-Gen. receiving the neck order of the US Legion of Merit Medal from an US-General. I strongly assume, that this (rather young) Soviet Lt.-General, with that great US-Order around his neck, might be N. I. Biryukov. Maybe he got the Legion of Merit (in that high grade) as a compensation for not getting an OBE ?

In 1968 Biryukov published his memoirs "Trudnaja nauka probezdat" ("The difficult science of victory") in Moscow.

Gentlemen,

I just found his entry at the Warheroes-Website: http://www.warheroes.ru/hero/hero.asp?Hero_id=1354 .

He had been the 43-year-young General receiving the neck order of the Legion of Merit Medal .

He also got his HSU (28th of april 1945) for the capture of Vienna.

There is a link to his book: http://militera.lib.ru/memo/russian/birukov_ni/index.html

Great story about the Admiral & General and their British & US high-ranking orders .

In may 1975:

Best regards

Christian

Edited May 22, 2007 by Christian Zulus

[Christophe]

I understand, that is why I worded my response with caution.

Ch.

[Christophe]

Zhukov

Dear Christophe,

one of the two comrades is Zhukov:

- s/n. 1 of Suvorov 1cl

- s/n. 1 of Order of Victory

(We are speaking about orders and not about titles & medals )

But who is the second comrade ?

Best regards

Christian

Christian,

Excellent answer for Zhukov . You have answered one half of the question , but the most difficult is now to come : to find the second one...

Cheers.

Ch.

[Christophe]

Second comrade ?

Gentlemen,

the second comrade in question couldn't have been one of the top military leaders of the CCCP.

Let's have a look, who got s/n. 1 of the top-ranking orders:

- Suvorov 1cl: Zhukov (he is one of the two comrades in question - Victory #1)

- Uzhakov 1cl: Vice-Admiral Tribuz

- Kutuzov 1cl: Lt.-Gen. Galinin

- Nakhimov 1cl: Rear-Admiral Feldmann

- Chmelnithski 1cl: Maj.-Gen. Danilov

No one of the mentioned 4 comrades got another order with the s/n. 1 .

I also checked at Andrew's (GMIC-member "mondvor") great website http://mondvor.narod.ru/ordpage.htm - he lists all s/n. 1 receipients of the orders - the 2nd & 3rd classes of the awards and other orders, but I found no matching names .

For shure, it's not a labour order, like: Lenin, RBL, BoH, etc. - or a combination of labour & military.

Best regards

Christian

BTW: I think that Wild Card's Voroshilov-answer might be quite correct, because a RB #5 & RB #6 are different orders - at least in design (HSU #4 s/n. 1 is a title & medal).

Christian,

Good try, but it is not one of them...

About Wild Card's answer; this answer could have been correct if no one had beed awarded two Orders SN #1 (non subsequent orders...)... But, there is someone awarded with two non susequent orders with SN 001.

Cheers.

Ch.

Edited May 23, 2007 by Christophe

[Christian Zulus]

I also checked at Andrew's (GMIC-member "mondvor") great website http://mondvor.narod.ru/ordpage.htm - he lists all s/n. 1 receipients of the orders - the 2nd & 3rd classes of the awards and other orders, but I found no matching names .

For shure, it's not a labour order, like: Lenin, RBL, BoH, etc. - or a combination of labour & military.

Dear Christophe,

as I already posted, I found no matching names among the #1 serial numbers of Soviet Orders, except Marshal Zhukov .

Most of the #1 serial numbers of the labour orders went not to physical persons ...

I assume, that Andrew's research about the serial numbers of orders + receipient is absolutly correct .

We are speaking about pure Soviet Orders and not about Republican Orders ?

Best regards

Christian