Vasiliev Pyotr Mefodovich_x000D_ _x000D_ He went to the front as a volunteer when he was not yet 18 years old. He was called up in January 1942 by the Charysh RVC of the Altai territory. All the way from the beginning of 1942 to a serious injury in 1944, he was a sabre-wielder of the 86th Lida cavalry regiment of the 32nd Smolensk order of the red banner of the cavalry division of the 3rd guard’s cavalry corps. He took part in the battles to encircle and defeat the fascist group near Stalingrad, in the operation to liberate Smolensk, in the Belarusian offensive operation Bagration, and many others. The most detailed story from my grandfather heard about the battles in Belarus… During the Belarusian offensive operation Bagration, which was conducted from June 23 to August 29, 1944, the 86th cavalry regiment, as part of the 3rd guard’s cavalry corps, took part in the battles to liberate the territory of Belarus. From the first days of the operation after the breakthrough of the German defense, the cavalrymen went into a deep raid on the enemy's rear, destroying the enemy, cutting off his supply routes and retreat. While on patrol, my grandfather found a group of Germans at the edge of the forest. He dismounted from his horse, crept up and attacked the enemy alone. The short battle ended before help arrived. At the same time, he destroyed 6 and captured 15 Germans. So rapidly advancing liberated one after another settlements. Often, on horseback, they swooped down on their enemies with drawn sabers, slicing through their bodies. At such attacks, the Germans were seized with terror, they fled in fear, throwing down their weapons. Soon they came to the city of Lida. Early in the morning, the 86th cavalry regiment, trying to rush into the city of Lida, started a battle at the fork in the road near the village of Tatartsy. Here the fascists put up a strong fire resistance and three times launched a counterattack against the cavalry. By mid-afternoon, the German regiment was completely routed. In this battle my grandfather personally killed three German soldiers and obergefreiter (as noted in the premium list). My grandfather was in the 86th cavalry regiment, which was moving in the vanguard of the division. Soon, the investigation reported that near the village Serkovo in the direction of the leads moving enemy convoy force of approximately battalion. The enemy did not suspect the close location of the cavalrymen. The regimental commander set the task of defeating the column. At the signal, the attack began. There was panic in the enemy camp. After a heavy fire, the cavalrymen with a shout of "Hurrah!" fell on the enemy. The enemy ran in different directions, fleeing from saber blows. After defeating the enemy column, they liberated the village of Netech. Then they moved to the city of Lida. This is just one of the memorable episodes that my grandfather told me. After the liberation of Belarus, they entered the territory of Poland, where my grandfather was seriously wounded. After 6 months of hospitalization, he was discharged and returned home in March 1945.