19.08.1907 - 07.04.1944_x000D_ Rank: Specialist_x000D_ Branch of service: Artillery_x000D_ Unit: 332nd Ivanovo-Polotsk Double Red Banner Order of Suvorov Volunteer Rifle Divigion_x000D_ Alexander Trofimovich Pensky was born on August 19, 1907 in a poor family with Polish roots. Place of birth and residence village of Oleynikov (Ukrainian immigrants) Ust-Medveditsky District of the All-Great Don Army. Now: Danilovsky District of the Volgograd Region. The few documents preserved in the family archive report that in 1930 A. Pensky worked as a tractor driver for the Belye Prudy State Farm, and in particular, he was "awarded the sum of 10 rubles" on November 6, 1930. "In 1932," as stated in the Description signed by the Secretary of the collective farm candidate group of the CPSU(b) Davidenko on October 14, 1933, "he arrived in the Oleynik cell of the CPSU(b) as a candidate, good worker, tractor driver from the state farm " Belye Prudy ". During his time in team #4 as book keeper, showed himself to be an exemplary organizer capable and persistent in the field of labor accounting, and in mass work. In 1933, he worked at the collective farm "Moguchaya Sola" in the brigade #4 met and exceeded production standards. He conducted exemplary party mass work in the team. He is a member of the Village Council, leads a fierce struggle with the kulak element, exposes idlers and hooligans." In 1933, he married a young childless widow Ioshchenko (Sidenko) Olga, born in 1909. They bought a plot of land with a large garden and an old log barn from which they made a hut. His daughter, Elena, was born in in 1934, son Peter (soon died) – in 1936, son Vladimir - in 1940.( Both the daughter and second son are alive.) In the first months of the war (August 1941), he was called to the front. Leaving for the war, Alexander terminated his membership in the party and burned all documents in the family archive that could harm a poorly educated spouse with two small children in an unfavorable development of events. According to the certificate of December 11, 1941, "was on active military service" in the 268th Separate Artillery DEtachment of the fortified region. Since his wife Olga was illiterate, her daughter Elena, who had just become a first-grader in September 1941, wrote letters to her father at the front. "Sergeant Alexander Pensky for exemplary performance of command assignments at the front against the German invaders and displaying valor and courage she was awarded the Order of the Red Star by order of division #039 of 22 October 1943"(From the Reference of November 20, 1943, unit #43881 commander Lieutenant Colonel Kramarenko). He was killed as a result of a direct hit in the trench of a German shell on April 7, 1944. He was buried in the cemetery 800 meters North-East of the village of Kolotovka, Polotsk District, Vitebsk Region of Belarus. About how this happened, told the family a front-line friend and countryman with whom they fought together for two years Nikolay Kamanov in a letter dated April 11, 1944. The commander of the howitzer Alexey Lyashkov in a letter to the widow reported: "Specialist Alexander Pensky died while on duty. I will write that his death is very easy, as it is called "instant", once and for all. He didn't take any pains. He was buried with honor and glory. As it should be. The grave is made as it should be. And recently, about five days ago, I went with my friends to the grave. Corrected, covered with turf, made a wreath as for the best comrade. Olga, here's another part of the order, I can't write anything in this letter, I'll find out, and then I'll let you know." The last letter of Alexander sent on April 3, 1944, came to his home after the funeral and became a kind of his will. Here is its content: "April 3, 44. Hello dear wife Olga. I inform you that I am currently alive and well, and I wish you all the same: to be alive and well. I also send you my heartfelt greetings and a warm kiss. I also send my daughter Elena and my son Vladimir a low bow, and I kiss them many, many times. Olga, the day before yesterday I received a letter from Elena, from which I learned your life and circumstances for later life. And I found out that my brother-in-law Ivan was already at home. I received a letter from Ilya Lebidinsky. I found out that my sister Vera died and was buried on March 9. These are the responses I received. Now He writes that they have received my card (It has not been preserved). Of course, it is not taken well. They were just taking picture during the fight. I was firing and shells were exploding near me. My face was covered in dust and dirt, but still I decided to have it for memory and did it. I know you'd kiss a dirty one now. But the time has not yet come. I know what you're waiting for, Olga. You're waiting for me to text you when I get home. Expect it soon. In the meantime, keep house by yourself. I'll manage it when I get home. I won't pass by the house, but I'll come straight home. And when? Just when I get there. That's it, my dear. And now I'll write down how I live so far. I live in the old way. Yesterday again broke the German dugout and destroyed 15 Germans. That's how I live now. She writes that they received 200 rubles of money and still have to get 100 rubles. And recently sent another 120 rubles. Like this. In the meantime, that's it. I shake your hand hard and kiss it. And with that, goodbye. Your husband Alexander Pensky."