Soviet Order of A. Nevsky researched

[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

Edited February 17, 2006 by Dolf

[Dolf]

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

Dolf

[Guest Rick Research]

I think "Guards Mortar" units were all actually the Katyusha "Stalin Organ" multiple rocket launchers.

Another example here of promotion due to casualties-- a Captain by 23!

[Ed_Haynes]

Nice, thanks for sharing this.

[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

[Guest Rick Research]

Oops, I forgot to mention: the Soviet use of "Division" in these artillery units = "Battalion." That is why it says XXX Independent "Division" of XX Brigade.

[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

Edited February 18, 2006 by Dolf

[Dolf]

Scan 2 (Award Card?)

Dolf

[Dolf]

Scan 3 (Service Record?)

Dolf

[Dolf]

Scan 4 (Service Record?)

Dolf

[Dolf]

Scan 5 (?)

Dolf

[Dolf]

Scan 6 (?)

Dolf

[Dolf]

More

Scan 7

Dolf

[Dolf]

Citation Card (?)

Scan 8

Dolf

Edited February 18, 2006 by Dolf

[Dolf]

Last one.

Scan 9

Dolf

[Guest Rick Research]

Posts 7 and 8 above are his Awards Record Card, filled out and signed by him on 20 November 1946:

To what you already have, I can add from this that he was NOT a Party member, served in the army October 1940 to July 1946, last as a battery commander in the 26th Guards Mortar Brigade, and was unemployed at the time the ARC was filled out.

He lived in Reutovo at Apartment 9, House 45 "10th of October" Ulitsa.

He was issued Orders Book B63513(6?) and received a Red Star number 381,147 per 17th "Order of the Red Banner" Guards Mortar Brigade decree of (I can't read the date) and the Nevsky number 42,114 per Commander of Artillery of the 1st White Russian Front decree 9 June 1945.

Next:

FIRST personnel card for service record in posts 9 and 10 above, to which I can add:

exact birthday was 8 November 1922. He was class background "white collar from working class," Russian by ethnicity, with no foreign language skills.

His "civilian" education was to 10th Class, 1940, at the Moscow Artillery Special School (!!!! ?????) and THEN he went to the Odess Artillery School, grduating in 1941.

In post 9 above, Question #9 for wounds and contusions states SEVERELY wounded "in..." and I can not read the word(s) and concussed January 1945

Promoted to Senior Lieutenant 23.6.42

Promoted to Captain 30. (3? 9?).45

Healthy, released to 1st reserve of artillery officers.

Question #19 shows him at the time this was filled out employed at the Ministry of SHIP Building (?? I cannot read the last half of the top line, or the middle line), as a Technician--cannot read the last two words.

He was issued Military photo ID "F 281" on 14.10.48.

Next:

[Dolf]

Posts 7 and 8 above are his Awards Record Card, filled out and signed by him on 20 November 1946:

To what you already have, I can add from this that he was NOT a Party member, served in the army October 1940 to July 1946, last as a battery commander in the 26th Guards Mortar Brigade, and was unemployed at the time the ARC was filled out.

He lived in Reutovo at Apartment 9, House 45 "10th of October" Ulitsa.

He was issued Orders Book B63513(6?) and received a Red Star number 381,147 per 17th "Order of the Red Banner" Guards Mortar Brigade decree of (I can't read the date) and the Nevsky number 42,114 per Commander of Artillery of the 1st White Russian Front decree 9 June 1945.

Next:

Rick,

Thanks.

That matches the translation of the Docs I have.

On the translation, on a paper called Award Citation, it's said what is not complete in the other paper (Record Card) about the date for his Order of the Red Star, awarded on August 3, 1943.

Thanks again,

Dolf

Edited February 18, 2006 by Dolf

[Guest Rick Research]

See if you can make the part about his wound and job darker or something... the scan of the copy of the wartime paper is too spotty (and it is too late for my old eyes now) to quite make out.

Next:

Posts 11, 12, and 13 above are an earlier and less complete version of his personnel files, started in September 1940. It says that he attended Odessa Artillery school "1941-42"

I guess the WEHRMACHT didn't notice, eh?

Posts 14 and 15 are his citation for the Nevsky, which was approved as ONLY an Order of the Patriotic War all the way up to Army level, and then miraculously changed to a Nevsky by the Front commander of artillery.

This citation adds the DATE of his "severe wound and concussion" as on 25 January 1945.

His next of kin at his home address was his mother, Pelageya Gavrilovna Gorbunova.

You have all his unit assignments already.

Typically ofthe personnel records that I have seen-- it does not show the date that he was commisioned as a Lieutenant, only the promotion dates!!!

[Dolf]

Rick,

Many Thanks!

I'll try to post later a closeup of Question #9. In the translation, which I can also post, it's also not clarified which or where he was wounded, only: "seriously wounded and contused, January 25, 1945, on the 1st Baltic Front".

As for his job, Question #19, in the translation I read: "Ministry of Shipbuilding industry. Military ??? of the 4th command of Main Artillery Command of Military Forces at OLNSH-10. Technician of military acceptance."

Thank you very much once again,

Dolf

[Dolf]

Rick,

This are scans of the translation I got.

If you detect any errors please let me know. I know there is at least an error on the name of the German town where the events of April 14, 1945 are described. It's Manshnov, not Shapshnov as mentioned.

Many thanks in advance,

Dolf

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Page 4

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[Dolf]

Page 5, the last one.

Dolf

[Gerd Becker]

Nice one. Thanks for sharing, Dolf.

Unfortunately i have nothing yet about Guards Units, but i will check again, when i have the proper OOB.

Gerd