Hi guys,finally i found real Order of Alexander Nevsky Type 3 early Deep Dish,#24258, awarded on 19 February 1945 to Guards Captain Anatoliy Belov.
Translation from research.
Anatoliy Belov was born in 1921 in the city of Vologda. From 1938 he
attended an artillery academy in Leningrad, graduating as a Lieutenant
in July 1941, immediately after the German invasion of the Soviet
Union. Belov was promoted to Senior Lieutenant almost immediately, was
promoted again to Captain in March 1942, and reached the rank of Major
in April 1945 - at the age of 24, and less than four years after being
commissioned!
After a short stint with a reserve regiment, Belov was on the front
lines from November 1941. Initially he commanded a mortar battalion
with the Volkhov Front (Army Group), and in July 1942, he was
transferred as a battery commander to 86th Guards Mortar Regiment of
the Stalingrad Front - just as the German juggernaut was barreling
down on Stalingrad.
The "Guards Mortars" was a code name for the Katyusha Multiple Rocket
Launchers, aka "Stalin's Organs". This was one of several innovative
Soviet weapons (some of the other famous examples are Shturmovik
ground-attack airplane and T-34 tank) that proved a nasty surprise to
the Germans early in the war and made a significant contribution to
its eventual outcome. It's worth mentioning that Stalin was especially
paranoid about ever losing the secret of Katusha rockets to the
Germans, and therefore only the most trusted and battle proven
officers were appointed to command the "Guards Mortars", literally
best of the best. The fact that Belov was assigned to such a unit
early in the war speaks volumes about his value as a field commander.
In November 1942, Belov was transferred to command a Katuysha squadron
under the Central Front. In June 1943 -May 1944 he got a break from
frontline action while serving as topography instructor with a
training unit in Moscow. He was back in action in June 1944 as
squadron commander of the 83rd Guards Mortar Regiment, and remained
with this unit for the duration of the war.
During January 1945, the 83rd Guards Mortars assisted the 140th Rifle
Division, 38th Army in the 4th Ukrainian Front West Carpathian
offensive. Throughout this campaign, the salvoes of the Belov's
Katuyshas provided vital support by clearing the way for the Soviet
infantry. For example, on 17 January, the rocket launchers were
credited with eliminating up to a platoon of enemy infantry. On the
following day, Belov's squadron with a single salvo obliterated an
enemy column killing as many as 30 German soldiers and destroying 7
horse drawn carriages. During 20-21 January, the squadron destroyed
"up to a battalion" of enemy troops, two artillery guns, several
carriages and three motor vehicles in the area of Gdow (southeast of
Krakow, Poland). On 22 January, Belov boldly positioned the launchers
in the open near the railway station of Skawin, and with a single
salvo destroyed two automatic cannon and killed 15 enemy soldiers.
In the subsequent award commendation for an Order of Alexander Nevsky,
the regiment commander especially cited Belov's ability to keep pace
with the infantry throughout the offensive. By 18th February, the
recommendation had passed through the chain of command and received
final approval of the 4th Ukrainian Front Commander of the Artillery.
In March 19445, Belov received a combat wound that ended his frontline
service. He was transferred to the reserves soon after the victory in
Europe, finishing the war with three orders (Nevsky, Patriotic War 1st
cl. and Red Star) and two medals (Defense of Stalingrad and Victory
over Germany). In 1946, he enrolled as a student at the International
Relations Department in Kiev State University and was still studying
there in 1948, the last year for which his record is available.
All comments welcome,
Kind regards,
Eddie
Translation from research.
Anatoliy Belov was born in 1921 in the city of Vologda. From 1938 he
attended an artillery academy in Leningrad, graduating as a Lieutenant
in July 1941, immediately after the German invasion of the Soviet
Union. Belov was promoted to Senior Lieutenant almost immediately, was
promoted again to Captain in March 1942, and reached the rank of Major
in April 1945 - at the age of 24, and less than four years after being
commissioned!
After a short stint with a reserve regiment, Belov was on the front
lines from November 1941. Initially he commanded a mortar battalion
with the Volkhov Front (Army Group), and in July 1942, he was
transferred as a battery commander to 86th Guards Mortar Regiment of
the Stalingrad Front - just as the German juggernaut was barreling
down on Stalingrad.
The "Guards Mortars" was a code name for the Katyusha Multiple Rocket
Launchers, aka "Stalin's Organs". This was one of several innovative
Soviet weapons (some of the other famous examples are Shturmovik
ground-attack airplane and T-34 tank) that proved a nasty surprise to
the Germans early in the war and made a significant contribution to
its eventual outcome. It's worth mentioning that Stalin was especially
paranoid about ever losing the secret of Katusha rockets to the
Germans, and therefore only the most trusted and battle proven
officers were appointed to command the "Guards Mortars", literally
best of the best. The fact that Belov was assigned to such a unit
early in the war speaks volumes about his value as a field commander.
In November 1942, Belov was transferred to command a Katuysha squadron
under the Central Front. In June 1943 -May 1944 he got a break from
frontline action while serving as topography instructor with a
training unit in Moscow. He was back in action in June 1944 as
squadron commander of the 83rd Guards Mortar Regiment, and remained
with this unit for the duration of the war.
During January 1945, the 83rd Guards Mortars assisted the 140th Rifle
Division, 38th Army in the 4th Ukrainian Front West Carpathian
offensive. Throughout this campaign, the salvoes of the Belov's
Katuyshas provided vital support by clearing the way for the Soviet
infantry. For example, on 17 January, the rocket launchers were
credited with eliminating up to a platoon of enemy infantry. On the
following day, Belov's squadron with a single salvo obliterated an
enemy column killing as many as 30 German soldiers and destroying 7
horse drawn carriages. During 20-21 January, the squadron destroyed
"up to a battalion" of enemy troops, two artillery guns, several
carriages and three motor vehicles in the area of Gdow (southeast of
Krakow, Poland). On 22 January, Belov boldly positioned the launchers
in the open near the railway station of Skawin, and with a single
salvo destroyed two automatic cannon and killed 15 enemy soldiers.
In the subsequent award commendation for an Order of Alexander Nevsky,
the regiment commander especially cited Belov's ability to keep pace
with the infantry throughout the offensive. By 18th February, the
recommendation had passed through the chain of command and received
final approval of the 4th Ukrainian Front Commander of the Artillery.
In March 19445, Belov received a combat wound that ended his frontline
service. He was transferred to the reserves soon after the victory in
Europe, finishing the war with three orders (Nevsky, Patriotic War 1st
cl. and Red Star) and two medals (Defense of Stalingrad and Victory
over Germany). In 1946, he enrolled as a student at the International
Relations Department in Kiev State University and was still studying
there in 1948, the last year for which his record is available.
All comments welcome,
Kind regards,
Eddie
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