Soviet Vasilij Aleksandrovich Gorbatov

[censlenov]

Fresh from my email the research for my First Soviet Group. Thanks to Marco who managed a complete research and translation turn around time of 10 Days (very impressive). I hope you enjoy the research as much as i did.

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His Awards Card

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Combat Service Medal citation

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Order of Glory 3 Citation

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Glory 3 Cont....

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Red Star (Recommended for Glory 2nd cl)

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cont...

[Ed_Haynes]

Nice. Always good to see the history restored to these things.

[Guest Rick Research]

:Cat-Scratch: Can you post the original RUSSIAN citation text for the Glory?

"Disciplinary Battalion"

You realize what THAT meant?

Want to be sure that is rendered accurately, since he obviously moved around wherever needed and was not HIMSELF in a Penal Battalion.

This is a HIGHLY interesting group-- not only for a distinguished war record for a Comrade of such rank but because, in fact, it shows RADIO connections as common and routine between higher command and units as low as Battalion level.

Frankly, this astonishes me. If you look at the Lastovka group:

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=1975&hl=Lastovka

he was a divisional codes officer who got his awards running (literally) back and forth between units passing orders orally because sub units either had NO radio connections or the complicated code system meant impractical delays.

Obviously some units had better radio connections than others-- and Gorbatov certainly earned his awards!!!

:cheers:

[Eric B]

Fascinating groups! These two groups show, IMO, the development of Soviet signals capability during the war. At the beginning of the war the Soviets were sorely lacking in both equipment and training for their signals work. By the end of the war this was not the case. The evolution of the first couple of years is covered well in Glantz?s ?Colossus Reborn: The Red Army at War, 1941 ? 1943.? But it took years to come to fruition. The dates of the awards are significant; the first group?s awards (when Lastovka was running about), are from 1943-44. The Gorbatov awards are from 1945. Less running about, as the signal services were fully developed by then.

Just a note; the ?military and state secrets? mentioned in Lastovka?s citation may be exactly the kind of thing mentioned in this July, 1941 report by the new Chief of Red Army Signal Forces.

Violating every rule of telephone communications, we have conducted operational conversations openly naming units, formations, their missions and dispositions, and the names and ranks of commanders. In the process top secret information has fallen into enemy hands.

For his first two awards Lastovkas was working in the developing arena where skills and equipment were still being developed. (The fact he was with a Rifle unit, and not a mechanized unit, also argues for being last to get the newest and best equipment as it was parceled out mid war.) Gorbatov on the other hand was awarded when the Red Army was at its peak, and conducting its final offensives of the war.

[censlenov]

Thanks for all the great Feedback and I believe Eric is spot on in his assessment of the situation. I was very pleased with what the research turned up and i don't think i could have asked for a better first group (on my budget).

Rick heres the OG3 hand written citation. Is the previous translation accurate?

Cheers and thanks again

Chris

[Guest Rick Research]

It is INDEED "Penal/Punishment (Straf) Company" :cheers:

[Ed_Haynes]

Ah, yes. The mine clearing units. Very interesting!