Volkova Anna Matveevna_x000D_ _x000D_ A generation that survived the horror of the war years. From the memoirs of Anna Matveyevna Volkova. Recorded By Melentsova E. V. April 2019. Anya was born on December 28, 1930, in the village of Nazarino, Novgorod region in a large friendly family with 6 children. When the war began, the girl was less than 11 years old. She went to the 3rd grade, and could not study any more. Anna Matveyevna's father went to war on the second day, it was necessary to help her mother. Her mother had a baby at that time, but she was sent to logging, and Anya often replaced her mother. She worked in the woods with old people. When she arrived on the first day, they looked at her sceptically and one asked: "What can you do?" "Before you start cutting down a tree, you must first clear the snow from the trunk, then clean the paths in different directions, make a notch at the bottom of the trunk, and then start sawing a little higher," the lively girl replied. "What are the paths for?» To escape if the tree falls in the wrong place." Her dad taught her these skills. Experienced woodcutters were surprised by the girl's ingenuity and no longer laughed at her. Therefore, Anya became a woodcutter. The trees seemed to grow up to the sky, it was hard, her mother was very worried about her, but Annushka never complained. Such was her character. In the winter, she worked on clearing railway tracks, and in the spring, she dug ditches to drain water. Not far from the village, there was a military airfield, Anya went there to cut down Christmas trees, and they masked the planes. German planes flew daily, searched for the airfield, and bombed other places, but the airfield was never found. Sometimes planes, if they saw people in the fields and meadows, fired at them. For some reason, there was no fear. One day, an important man with beautiful shoulder straps came to the airfield where Anya worked, and when he saw little Anya, he asked if she could cook. "I can do anything," she said glibly. Then he asked her to become a daughter of the regiment. "Here is the son of a regiment, and you will be the daughter of a regiment." However, the girl flatly refused. She had a mother and siblings to feed. Then Anya's brother went to the front, he was a signalman. And Anya worked loading the forest, in spring and summer they ploughed, sowed, mowed the grass. She worked as a trailer driver, and thatched roofs with the grandfather. Whatever she had to do, she went where she was sent and always worked conscientiously. A little girl, just a child. There was no time for games because after work, you also had to help with the housework at home. All those years, her mother kept a cow, which gave very little milk, but it was there - for small. Not once was she "advised" to slaughter a cow for meat, but her mother refused point-blank. Newly born young animals were slaughtered for meat. The collective farm did not give money, only 200-300 g of grain per person per month, and small children were given coupons. They planted potatoes, vegetables, dried pipes, collected various herbs in the summer and worked... Together with her mother, Anya worked up to 1000 workdays a year. Then came the Victory. Her father came from the front, and her brother returned 3-4 years later. They were both twice wounded and concussed. Life became easier, but Annushka did not return to school, and a different, post-war life began. By the decree of the President of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR from 06.06.1945, Anna Volkova was awarded the medal "for valiant labour in the great Patriotic war of 1941-1945". At that time, she was 14 and a half years old! In total, this simple and very modest woman has 4 medals. And two beautiful sons, daughters-in-law, 2 grandchildren and 2 granddaughters, there are great-grandchildren. They are her pride. I wish you health and joy, Anna Matveyevna. A low bow to you from all of us who have not seen the war. And peace to all of us, so that this will never happen again. Never.