Infantry

Rank: Lieutenant_x000D_ Branch of troops: Ground Forces, Air Force (except naval aviation), coastal service, NKVD troops, border troops _x000D_ This is one of my grandfathers—Viktor Grigorievich Tikhonov. _x000D_ From the first days of the war, he was at the forefront in the city of Leningrad. From November 1942 he served in the Battalion as a Platoon Commander. His platoon, located in a combat facility, was three hundred meters from the enemy. Despite the continuous shelling, Grandfather and his platoon particularly distinguished in improving the area defense and turned it into an impregnable fortress by installing additional engineering obstacles. “Tracking down the enemy every day, comrade Tikhonov and his platoon destroyed up to 58 Finnish soldiers. He has 15 exterminated Finns on his personal account.” His garrison was one of the best garrisons in the Battalion. _x000D_ In the battles for the Motherland, the first time he was seriously wounded near Tikhvin. As a result, he ended up in the hospital. By the great conduct of the Lord, he fell into the hands of the surgeon Tikhonov Grigory Semyonovich, his own father and my great-grandfather. Who personally gave life to grandfather Victor for the second time! But for a real hero, this would be too simple an ending to the story. Further it was even more interesting. _x000D_ After recovering from his injury, Grandfather continued his liberation campaign. He went all the way to Berlin. And in victorious battles from the second to the fourth of February 1945 near the village of Greifenstein, Grandfather replaced the machine-gun company Commander, left the ranks. He skillfully organized the company and proved to be a bold, brave and courageous Commander. In the battle near Greifenstein with the soldiers of their company, they destroyed up to 200 enemy soldiers and officers. _x000D_ On 02/03/1945 in the Steinau area, when the enemy attacked our battle formations with forces of up to two infantry battalions supported by sixteen tanks, he personally organized the defense of the left flank of the Steinau village. And personally, in close combat with a machine gun in his hands, he destroyed 10 Germans. And also made anti-tank barricades in the street to block the path of enemy tanks. Enemy tanks were forced to pass along the flank, where they were knocked out (four of them) by our gunners. For this effort, Grandfather was awarded the Order of the Red Star! _x000D_ There is also another effort to commemorate: he, together with his friend, ensured the advancement of two battalions, destroying seven enemy bunkers ... Only two of them did that!!! _x000D_ In the photo, you can really see a twinkle in the eyes. My grandfather came home and continue his life with dignity, raising children and grandchildren. Viktor Grigorievich passed away old from battle wounds, at home. Eternal Glory!

Sozyriko Tomaev's youth ended early enough. As a young guy, he went to war. Having received serious injuries in the first two years of hostilities, he, nevertheless, barely recovered, rushed back to the front. In 1942, being a machine gunner of the 41st Squad of the Reconnaissance Battalion of the 4th Rifle Division, during the battles in the M-Belozerka-Tumashevka area of the Zaporozhye Region, Tomaev shot down an enemy aircraft with fierce machine gun fire. For his accomplished efforts, Sozyriko was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. _x000D_ And in the summer of 1943, he was sent to the disposal of the Leningrad Headquarters of the partisan movement. Now he had to test his strength by participating in a partisan war. Arriving at the 6th Partisan Brigade, Tomaev was assigned to command a platoon of the 4th Company. The partisans operating in the Pskov Region became a powerful threatening force for the invaders. Sudden, bold raids haunted the Nazis. The population strongly supported them. Some villages were actually under their complete control. When a native of the village of Nart, Ardon Region of our republic, began his service in the Brigade, the partisans settled in the village of Zelensk. He was instructed to organize the defense of this village. _x000D_ Under his leadership, the partisans dug trenches, zigzag passages, and equipped bunkers. The village was surrounded by a solid defensive ring. In mid-August, the Germans sent large forces against them. On August 17, a large detachment of the Nazis began to attack the village, six to seven times larger than the partisan forces. But the defenders of the village boldly accepted the combat and not only withstood it, but also thoroughly battered the fascists. _x000D_ Having stumbled upon such stubborn and organized resistance, the Nazis retreated from the village and themselves went on the defensive. So the first baptism of fire of Sozyriko in the partisan war passed successfully. _x000D_ Soon, Tomaev was instructed to mine the railway between Serebryanka and Plyussa stations. Along this line, the invaders delivered ammunition and manpower to the front, and exported stolen goods to Germany. The worthy son of Ossetia went on a mission with the partisans Spiridonov and Ermolaev. Leaving them in ambush, he proceeded to mine the railroad tracks. The road was heavily guarded. From time to time the Germans fired machine-gun fire through the forest. Choosing the moment when the sentries moved away from the canvas, Tomaev quickly set mines and began to wait. Finally, the train formation appeared. Moments later, a violent explosion shook the air. Flame and black smoke engulfed a steam locomotive and carriages with exploding ammunition ... A week later, Tomaev's platoon dismantled a section of the road between Plyussa and Krasnye Strugi stations. As a result, the Plyussky railway junction was permanently out of order. Later, the command of the 6th Partisan Brigade decided to liquidate a large German garrison in the village of Lyubochary. Having made a hard night crossing through forests and swamps, the partisans unexpectedly attacked the fascist garrison and destroyed it. In this combat, Sozyriko showed himself as a brave and skillful warrior. His friends in the detachment more than once recalled how skillfully he threw grenades into the windows of houses where the Germans were hiding. The partisans mowed down the surviving invaders in bursts. _x000D_ In September 1943, comrade Tomaev was instructed to carry out a new sabotage on the railway. People from other platoons were selected at his disposal. Tomaev carefully thought out the operation, conducted preliminary reconnaissance patrol. It was decided to make explosions north of the Mshinskaya station. According to the plan, the partisans approached the station from the northeast and occupied the approaches to it, standing two or three meters apart. Having stretched out a chain for a long distance, they began to mine the road. At this time, the Nazis who discovered the partisans opened fire. But the partisans staunchly defended themselves. Sozyriko jerked to the enemy bunker and threw grenades at it. The partisans killed all the guards. Tomaev went on his next combat mission alone. _x000D_ In the afternoon, he made his way onto the railway between the stations of Luta and Tolmachevo. Neatly disguised in the forest, he watched the movement of trains. After waiting for darkness, he planted mines, and again hid in the forest. A couple of hours later, the enemy train took off into the air._x000D_ _x000D_ In October, the Nazis, frightened by the incessant sabotage, pulled together large forces to guard the road. The partisans were instructed to attack the Mshinskaya station and clear it of the invaders. It was a hard and dangerous operation. The Company set out for its execution at night. We walked through the forest, through a hard-to-pass swamp, knee-deep in water. They approached the station quietly and opened machine-gun fire on command. The partisans broke through to the station and inflicted fierce losses on the Nazis. But the resistance of the enemies was stubborn. Many people's avengers fell in the combat, the Company Commander was also mortally wounded, as a result of which the command passed to Sozyriko Tomaev. And soon the partisans made a bold raid at the Plyussa station, inflicting an unexpected blow on the Nazis and forcing them to retreat. The carriages of the trains headed towards the besieged Leningrad flew downhill. In the same operation, Sozyriko Tomaev was wounded again, but continued to fight and lead the combat. _x000D_ Sozyriko Mikhailovich Tomaev participated in the operations of the 6th Partisan Brigade until March 1944, when, after the disbandment of partisan detachments, he was again sent to the Soviet Army. Until the very end of the Great Patriotic War, he was at the front. _x000D_ And having demobilized, he returned to his native Ossetia. He returned with several orders and 14 medals. Already at home, he learned with sadness and pain that his younger brother Zanchora, who is still considered missing, had not returned from the battlefield. In peacetime, as well as in wartime, Sozyriko Mikhailovich remained a modest and hardworking person. For many years he worked in forestry in the Kurtatinsky gorge. He was always in the midst of public life. _x000D_ He was elected a Deputy of the Fiagdon village council. Later, the award of the Labor Veteran was added to his military awards. The former partisan was versatile in any job. In the late 60s, he built a wonderful house with his own hands in the village of Khidikus, in which he lived with his family, wife Zinaida and daughter Tamara. _x000D_ By the way, I would like to say a few words about Zinaida Tomaeva (Kretova). Arriving in Ossetia from the Kalinin Region, she learned the Ossetian language in a short time, and throughout her life she observed all local customs. She was especially good at making traditional Ossetian dishes. Zinaida Fyodorovna highly appreciated the name of the Tomaevs, and they, in turn, loved her. _x000D_ The last years of his busy life, Sozyriko Tomaev spent in his native village of Nart. He had many plans and ideas, but the severe wounds received on the battlefields did not pass without leaving a trace. In 1988 he passed away, but I want to believe that the lives of such people do not pass just like that. I would like to believe that they are alive, as long as they are, at least, remembered.

Rank: Red Army. Branch of troops: Ground Forces. Division: 378th Infantry Novgorod Red Banner Division. Stepan Alekseevich Tkachenko, born in 1902, was called up for military service on 09/07/1941. During the Great Patriotic War, he fought in the 1258th Regiment, 378th Rifle Novgorod Red Banner Division, as part of the 59th army of the Volkhov front. He was wounded on January 6, 1942 in a combat during an offensive in the front of Vodosye near Lake Bezymyannoe, 2 km north of Zavizha (Novgorod Region). He was undergoing treatment at the military hospital No. 1256 for the seriously wounded from March 19, 1942 to May 15, 1942. On May 16, 1942, he was discharged from the ranks of the Red Army for health reasons. The day before the injury, by the order for the Division dated 01/05/1942, the regiments had military missions: the 1254th Rifle Regiment by 21.00 to reach the area of mark 19.8 in readiness to advance on the Vodosye crossing; the 1258th Rifle Regiment by 20.00 reach the Bezymyannoe Lake area, 2 km north of Zavizha, in readiness to advance in the front of Vodosye; the 1256th Rifle Regiment by 21.00 5.1.1942 to reach the area of Lake Glubokoe (7238), in readiness to act because of the right flank of 1254th Rifle Regiment; The 45th Ski Battalion by 21.00 concentrate in the area of mark 19.0 in readiness to secure the right flank of the Division. The direction is to Lezno, Sovkhoz (7230) and further along the river Rovan; the 163rd Tank Battalion will concentrate the forest west of Gachevo by 22.00, ready to act in the front of Lake Glubokoe, mark 19.1, the Vodosye railway junction. From 18.00 on 5.1.1942, the command post moved 1 km south of Lake Berezovsky. According to available data, the enemy defended the railway line by units: the 65th, 167th, 215th and 126th infantry divisions, having strong points of Lezno, Vodosye. _x000D_ Day of injury: On the morning of January 6, 1942, the Division went on the offensive to complete the mission. The offensive was prepared in a hurry, without sufficient preparation and material support, there was no information about the enemy. The infantry was forced to attack enemy strongholds without the bulk of the Artillery. But despite this, the soldiers went into combat boldly and decisively, while suffering fierce losses. The lack of communications made it hard to control the troops. The horse train was extremely depleted and was not able to provide transport to the units. The offensive ended unsuccessfully, but despite this it was repeated twice. 378th Infantry Novgorod Red Banner Division, was part of the 59th Army of the Volkhov Front. The Division fought 1254th, 1256th, 1258th Rifle regiments was in the active army from December 18, 1941 to March 13, 1945. It was disbanded on March 13, 1945, in connection with which the personnel and regalia were transferred to the 90th Guards Suvorov Division.

Rank: Lieutenant Unit: 18th Guards Rifle Insterburgskaya Red Banner Order of Suvorov Division. He worked as an agronomist in the regional center, was a member of the Komsomol, so he was immediately sent to the front as part of the 133rd Rifle Division (521 Rifle Regiment) and was appointed Platoon Commander. _x000D_ On June 25, 1941, the Division had already been on its way to the front. On July 7, the soldiers were already disembarking in the area of ​​the city of Vyazma, Smolensk Region. At this time, the Smolensk defensive battle unfolded, during which German troops for the first time after the Second World War were forced not only to suspend the offensive, but also to retreat, leaving cities and towns. From February 20, 1942 to February 9, 1943, the unit fought fierce defensive battles with a length of 15 kilometers on the Sukovsky line, nicknamed "Little Sevastopol". For the high skill, courage shown by the personnel in battles with the invader, by order of the Commander-in-Chief dated March 17, 1943, the 133rd Infantry Division was transformed into the 18th Guards Infantry Division. In the area of ​​the villages of Novo-Sukovka and Sukovka, the Division stood for a long time, almost a year, so the postal service was well established here. Apparently, this is where he wrote his last letter: “... we cannot survive in such a meat grinder, so let our children live at least”. _x000D_ On February 1 0, 1943, the Division surrendered its defense sector and became part of the 16th Army for an offensive in the Bukan-Zhizdra front. The Division did not fulfill the assigned mission. After 12 days of bloody combats, having wedged into the enemy's defenses to a depth of 4 kilometers, it was detained by the enemy and went on the defensive, after which it was withdrawn to the reserve. But Solovyov Gury was no longer alive. He died on March 4 in battles for the village of Bukan near the town of Lyudinov, Kaluga Region.

Rank: Senior Sergeant Branch of troops: Ground Forces. Subdivision: 338th Infantry Neman Red Banner Division. My grandfather's name was Ivan Vasilievich Sibirev. He was born in 1921 in the village of Zhukovo, Brodokalmaksky District, Chelyabinsk Region. Grandfather was drafted into the army in September 1940. He fought with the rank of Sergeant. On June 22, 1941, when the war started, his troops were in the area of the city of Brest. My grandfather began his combat path as part of the 173 Air-Fighter Battalion, then he was the Commander of the machine-gun crew of the 1136 Rifle Regiment of the 338 Rifle Division of the 33rd army of the Western Front. He fought with the rank of Sergeant, and in 1942 he was awarded the rank of Senior Sergeant. Grandfather took part in battles near the cities of Kaluga, Minsk, Mogilev, Roslavl, Baranovichi, Belgorod, Orel, Przemysl, etc. He was wounded three times. The most severe head wound was in March 1943 during the liberation of the city of Yelnya. Then he was awarded the Medal for Military Merit. He had awards "For Courage", the Order of the Patriotic War of the 1st degree, a medal "For the Defense of Moscow". _x000D_ All his life my grandfather lived with a shell fragment in his head. Grandfather died on January 24, 1997. Unfortunately, he did not like to talk about the war and we know little about his combat path. Two of his siblings, Aleksey and Alexander, were killed in the war. I am proud of my grandfather and I consider him a true hero! Thanks to my grandfather and all the participants of the Great Patriotic War for the Victory, for the peaceful sky overhead! We will never forget him!

Rank: Corporal. Branch of the service: Ground Forces. Subdivision: 145th Rifle Vitebsk Red Banner Division. Before the war he lived on the territory of the Kirov Region, presumably his family was dispossessed and sent to the Urals. Around the 1930s, they returned to the Kirov Region, the birthplace of their eldest daughter (1929), my great-grandmother, is the village of Isupovshchina (Isupovskaya) in the Prosnitsky District of the Kirov Region. Father: Starodumov Konstantin Ivanovich. Brothers: Alexander, Nikolai (born in 1897), Gregory (1910-1942, missing). Wife: Starodumova (Dudina) Claudia Mikhailovna (1906) Children: Starodumova (Meteleva) Tamara Vasilievna (1929-2006), Starodumova (Kreknina) Larisa Vasilievna (1930 ...), Starodumova (Kreknina) Faina Vasilievna (1934 gr), Starodumov Modest Vasilievich (1936), Starodumova (Tselischeva) Lilia Vasilievna (1939). Vasily Konstantinovich found the war at the age of 42, was drafted into the Red Army in October 1941, in the Great Patriotic War from March 1942. The entire combat path passed as part of the 403 Rifle Regiment of the 145th Rifle Vitebsk Division (2nd formation), liberated the territory of the Latvian SSR as part of the Baltic Front. _x000D_ On December 21, 1944, he died from many wounds received during the breakthrough of the enemy's defenses in the area of the village of Pusari. A death notice was sent to the family. He was awarded four times, no awards have been presented. _x000D_ Several times, starting from about 1975, the children and grandchildren of Vasily Konstantinovich visited the mass grave No. 617 on the Sharideshi farm of the Latvian SSR, where my great-great-grandfather was buried together with other defenders, met with the a medic and his colleagues who were with him in the last days of his life. At present, there is no information on the preservation of mass graves on this farm.

Rank: Captain_x000D_ Branch of troops: Ground forces_x000D_ Subdivision: 330th Rifle Mogilev Red Banner Order of Suvorov Division_x000D_ Nikolai Moiseevich Topeshkin was born on December 7, 1920 in the family of Moisey Nilovich and Lyubov Petrovna Topeshkins. In 1935 he graduated from the Novo-Sukhotinsky incomplete school of the Karaganda Region of the KASSR, completed his education at the Yasnaya Polyana Secondary School in the village of Yasnaya Polyana, Shchekinsky District, Moscow Region. _x000D_ Since 1939 he had worked as a Physics and Mathematics Teacher at the Sevastyanovsk incomplete Secondary School of the Sevastyanovsk village council of the Oktyabrsky District of the Velikie Luki Region. He was drafted to war on August 18, 1941 by the Nelidovsky District Military Commissariat. Initially he fought in the 922 Rifle Regiment (cn) of the 250 Rifle Division (Suvorov Division). At this time, the division fought fierce combats in the area of the city of Bely (forty kilometers from the city of Nelidov). _x000D_ On July 22, 1941, the division, approaching the village of Tsyguny (southwest of Bely, Tver Region), entered the first combat straight from the march, counterattacking the advancing enemy. Now a memorial plaque is installed with the words: “At the turn of the Black Stream, Krasnogorodka-Losmino in July 1941, the soldiers of the 250th Rifle Division stopped the Nazi troops” on the border of the Tver and Smolensk regions, on the territory of the Demyakhinsky village council of the Belsky District of the Tver Region,_x000D_ The soldiers fought bravely. However, the hastily put together division entered the combat suffered heavy losses. During the first two weeks of fighting, the division lost almost 50% of its personnel, the division Commander, Major General I.S. Gorbachev and the Commander of the 922th Rifle Division, Mr. D.I. Kuznetsov. On August 22, 1941, the division, with the exception of the 918th Rifle Division, was transferred to the 242nd RD, concentrating south of Baturino near the village of Pozhinki, Smolensk Region. _x000D_ In the following days, until 09/01/41, he fights for Pochinok 2, Churkino, the northern outskirts of the village of Shelepy. On August 27-29, the enemy withdraws its units from the Losmino, Okolitsa, Cherny Ruchey line and, pursued by the 918th Rifle Corps, consolidates at the Svinkovo, Shcheglovo, Sutoki line. _x000D_ On September 2, the 922th unit returns to the Bor, Cherny Ruchey, Okolitsa line, and remains in the army reserve in the Sukharevo, Vorobikha, Ponomari Region of the Smolensk Region, and the 918th unit is fighting for Kiryakino, Lake._x000D_ On September 5, the unit had planned to gain a foothold in the village Novaya Vorontsovo, Niva districts. Since mid-September, the 250th Rifle Division has been defending the line along the Rzhat River on the Chichata, Ostroluki, Malinovka, Koshelevo, Sutoki, Zyki frontlines, with the mission of preventing the enemy from breaking through to Bely. _x000D_ On September 17, 1941, Nikolai was wounded. In the lists of soldiers of the 250th Bobruisk Red Banner Order of Suvorov, II degree of the Rifle Division, he is listed as a Company Commander with the rank of Senior Lieutenant. _x000D_ “The division, having entered the combat for the city of Bely, consisting of 12,129 people in the battles for this city, lost: 693 people killed, 3426 wounded, 5 954 people missing, 758 people returned to the division ... After being wounded and discharged, he fought in the 1113th Rifle Regiment of the 330th Rifle Division._x000D_ He was seriously wounded twice more times on February 21 and December 12, 1942. _x000D_ Due to the desertion of two soldiers, Senior LieutenantTopeshkin was enlisted in the 11th Separate Disciplinary Battalion of the Western Front for the position of a shooter. _x000D_ Reference: _x000D_ According to some sources, 427,910 people had passed through disciplinary military units. It made approximately 1.24% from a total number of military forces. For example, in 1944 the total losses of the Red Army (killed, wounded, prisoners, sick) were 6 503 204 people; of these, 170 298 penalties. The average monthly losses of permanent and variable personnel of all penal units for the year amounted to 14 191 people, or 52% of their average monthly number (27 326 people). This is 3-6 times more than the total average monthly casualties of personnel in conventional forces in the same offensive operations in 1944. _x000D_ Order # 16 for the 11th Separate Penalty Battalion of the 10th Army of the Western Front on February 7, 1944 Paragraph 5: _x000D_ On February 5, 1944 according to ACT No. 2 of 30.01.44 (Fund 16, Oshb Inventory 63430, case 12 LD 7-8) Senior Lieutenant Nikolai Moiseevich Topeshkin was enlisted for all types of allowances since 5.02.44 in the 11th Separate Disciplinary Battalion. _x000D_ “On the night from 17 to 18 February 1944 in the area of the village Prilepovka of the Chaussky District of the Mogilev Region, carrying out guard duty on the front line, Topeshkin N.M. together with the shooter Salavatov G.K. detained two German saboteurs, dressed in the uniform of the soldiers of the Red Army and collecting information about the location of our troops._x000D_ By order No. 20 on 11th Separate Disciplinary Battalion of the 10th Army of the Western Front dated February 20, 1944, he was early released from 11th Separate Disciplinary Battalion and sent to 16 Separate Disciplinary Battalion to restore all the rights of an officer and continue serving in his unit. _x000D_ The Commander of 11th Special Brigade, Major Sadovnikov, and the chief of staff, Lieutenant Colonel Samoilov, introduced Nikolai Moiseevich to the Order of the Red Star, but the Commander of the 330th Rifle Division, Colonel Gusev, decided otherwise and, as a result, by order of 21.02.1944, Nikolai Moiseevich was awarded the medal “For Courage”. ("And if you don't catch a bullet in your chest, you will catch a medal For Courage on your chest. Song by V. Vysotsky)._x000D_ Nikolai Moiseevich Topeshkin, together with the 330 Rifle Division, participated in the Belarusian, East Prussian, East Pomeranian and Berlin offensive operations, liberated Ryazan, Tula, Kaluga and Bryansk regions (including the cities of Mikhailov, Stalinogorsk and Kirov), the territory of the Belarusian SSR, the northern regions of Poland and Germany (including the cities of Mogilev, Grodno, Danzig and Wittenberg). _x000D_ On February 7-8, 1945, being a Senior Adjutant of 2nd Rifle Battalion of the 1113th Red Banner Infantry Regiment of the 330th Red Banner Mogilev Infantry Division, when the enemy attempted to break through the encirclement Captain N.M. Topeshkin led the 6th Infantry Company of 2nd Infantry Battalion, personally raising the fighters to counterattack. _x000D_ The Commander of the 1113th Rifle Regiment, Nikolai Moiseevich for this feat was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War of 2nd degree. _x000D_ On March 24, 1945, in the battles on the outskirts of the city of Danzig, Nikolai Moiseevich replaced the Battalion Commander who had been wounded. Under his command, the Battalion occupied the village of Hasenberg. 30 German soldiers were killed, 9 prisoners were taken and 200 cars were captured at the railway station adjacent to the village of Hasenberg. _x000D_ Nikolai Moiseevich was the first to break into the trench, destroying up to 25 enemy soldiers. Building on the success of the offensive, the Battalion under the command of Captain Topeshkin, who correctly organized interaction with neighbors and reinforcement means, went to the area of the village of Freudenthal, destroying up to 60 enemy soldiers and officers and taking 6 prisoners. _x000D_ The Commander of the 1113th Rifle Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Kartashov, petitioned for the Order of the Patriotic War of 1st degree presented to Captain N.M. Topeshkin. _x000D_ The Commander of the 330th Rifle Division, Major General Gusev, and the Commander of the 70th rifle corps, Lieutenant General Terentyev, considered him worthy of being awarded the Order of Alexander Nevsky. As a result, by order of the Commander of the troops of the 49th Army of 2nd Belorussian Front, Colonel-General Grishin, and a member of the Military Council of the Army, Lieutenant-General Sychev of April 29, 1945, Captain Topeshkin N. M. was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War 1 degree. _x000D_ At the end of the Great Patriotic War, the 330th Infantry Division became part of the Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany. By the directive of the Headquarters of the Supreme Command of May 29, 1945, the division was disbanded on the spot and turned to replenish the troops. _x000D_ On September 26, 1945, Captain Nikolai Moiseevich Topeshkin, Senior Adjutant of a Separate Training Battalion of the 265th Rifle Division of the Vyborg Division of the 3rd Shock Army, on behalf of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, was awarded the medal “For Victory over Germany in Great Patriotic War 1941-1945” by order of the Division Commander, Hero of the Soviet Union, Major General Shulga._x000D_ In 1951, Nikolai Moiseevich Topeshkin graduated from the Leningrad Mining Institute and worked in the mining industry. He passed away on May 26, 1990 in the village of Kukuevo, Nelidovsky District, Tver Region, and was buried in the family cemetery next to his parents.

Rank: Colonel _x000D_ Division: 365th Red Banner Infantry Division. _x000D_ In the spring of 1939, a Major came to the Nikitskaya school and began to agitate the children to enter military schools. And eight tenth graders disappeared, dropping out of school. A month later, the “missing” were found in the Kharkov, where they studied at various military schools. The director of the school, together with the teachers, had to travel 180 km to Kharkov in order to take final exams from the "fugitives" and issue secondary education certificates. _x000D_ On May 15, 1941 Zinovy graduated from the course of the Kharkov Military Infantry School. The First Deputy People's Commissar for Defense of the SSR, Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny, came to graduation and handed the young Lieutenant Z.A. Sibirtsev a diploma with honors. As one of the best, he was sent to the Kiev Special Military District (at that time the most prestigious), where he was appointed Commander of the anti-aircraft machine gun platoon of 475th Infantry Regiment of the 53rd Infantry Division. But a peaceful service did not last long, the war began quite soon. Their Rifle Regiment, as part of the Southwestern Front, went into action against the German invaders. It was the third day of the war, and my grandfather was the Deputy Commander of a machine-gun company. _x000D_ The attack of the armed enemy was strong, the division had leave its positions and retreat. The 475th Rifle Regiment was left for cover. The forces were not equal: out of ammunition, having lost weapons and personnel, the remnants of the regiment were surrounded in the Rzhishchensky forests near Kiev. _x000D_ Once in the rear of the Germans, they began to leave the encirclement. Exhausted by cold and hunger, they had been on their way to the Soviet troops for more than 200 days. Only 400 soldiers and the commanders of their regiment and joined soldiers of other military units managed to get out of the encirclement. Having united with its division, the hastily reformed Regiment again entered the hostilities to defeat the enemy. German troops were advancing to Moscow. The situation on the Western Front was challenging, defensive battles were fought in all directions. An important area of the heroic combat for Moscow on the left flank of the Mozhaisk line of defense was the Maloyaroslavets sector of the front. Stubborn battles were fought on Maloyaroslavets land. Divisions from the Far East and other fronts were hastily deployed here again. The 43rd army of Major General Golubev K.D. fought In the Podolsk sector, and the 53rd Rifle Division was in its composition. Its Commander was Colonel A.F. Naumov. The division firmly held the defenses in the Kamenskoye, Tarutino, Kresty, Stremilovo zone, did not retreat a single step until the Soviet troops launched a counteroffensive near Moscow. _x000D_ On January 7, 1942, in a combat near the village of Ilyinka, Kaluga Region, Zinovy Ageevich was wounded and ended up in a hospital. After recovery, he was again sent to the front. But he fought in the 40th Separate Red Banner Rifle Brigade, which became famous in the battles near Moscow, for which he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. He was promoted to the military rank of “Captain” and became chief of staff of 1st Separate Infantry Battalion. The young Commander fought bravely, distinguished himself by competent conduct of the combat, therefore he was in good standing with the command of the Brigade. Directly from the front line in the battles for the Dorogobuzh, my grandfather was recalled from the front and sent to the Solnechnogorsk for the Higher courses of Command Personnel called "Shot" named after Marshal of the Soviet Union B.M. Shaposhnikov. _x000D_ In June, at the "Shot" course, there was a selection of excellent students for further study at the Frunze Military Academy. The Head of the courses, Lieutenant-General Smirnov, and Marshal G.K. Zhukov, who arrived, talked personally with each candidate. After a short conversation, Z.A. Sibirtsev was given the order: “Tomorrow you leave for the city of Moscow to the Academy.” _x000D_ So Captain Z.A. Sibirtsev in July 1943 became a student of the Frunze Military Academy. The study at the Academy was very intense, but the young officers-listeners, and among them were experienced front-line soldiers, order-bearers, tirelessly mastered the knowledge of military science. _x000D_ The long-awaited Victory Day was celebrated in Moscow, within the walls of the Academy. Then there was the world famous Victory Parade on June 24, 1945. My grandfather took part in this parade as part of the column of the oldest academy in the country, which was given the honor to lead the Moscow garrison in this parade. On October 10, 1947, students graduated from the Frunze Military Academy. Upon completion of his studies, Captain Z.A. Sibirtsev was sent to the Far East, where he served in military units for more than 10 years. For a year he served in the operational department of the headquarters of 5th army of the Primorsky Military District, then until July 1954 he was an officer of the operational headquarters of 25th army of the Primorsky Military District. _x000D_ From July 1954 to May 1957 he served as Head of the Air Defense Department of the 3rd Panzer Division of 25th Army of the Far Eastern Military District,then, until April 1959, he was the Head of the Air defense department of the 46th Panzer Division of 25th Army of the Far East Military District. _x000D_ On March 8, 1958 he was awarded the rank of Colonel. In April 1959 he was transferred to the command of the troops of the North Caucasian Military District, until October 1961 he was the Head of 2nd section of the Stavropol Military Commissariat of the North Caucasus Military District. _x000D_ In October 1961, Colonel Z.A. Sibirtsev was sent to the post of military Comissar of the Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Region of the Stavropol Territory. He served in the responsible work of the Military Comissar for 13 years. On October 25, 1974, he would have been transferred to the reserve, but in civilian life he worked as a member of the regional party committee, was in the thick of the social and political life of the country and the republic. In March 2004 Z. A. Sibirtsev was invited to Sochi to a plenary meeting of the public forum of the peoples of the Caucasus and southern Russia, where repeated meetings and conversations with Russian President V. V. Putin took place. _x000D_ In May 2005, Zinovy Ageevich was invited to Moscow to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Victory as a guest of honor and as a participant in the Victory parade. He was present at all the ceremonial events held by Russian President Vladimir Putin in honor of the Great Victory. _x000D_ For military work Zinovy Ageevich has more than 30 state awards: two Orders of the Red Star, the Order of the Patriotic War of 1st degree, medals "For Military Merit", "For Defense of Moscow", "For Victory over Germany" "Georgy Zhukov", "For Impeccable Military Service", "For Services to the Fatherland" II degree, jubilee and others.

Rank: Red Army Soldier_x000D_ Unit: 277th Infantry Roslavl Red Banner Orders of Suvorov and Kutuzov Division. _x000D_ _x000D_ Sergeantov Gerasim Zakharovich, Red Army soldier, 1903-1977. _x000D_ Place of birth: the village of Yamshchina, Insar region of the Mordovian ASSR. _x000D_ Place and date of conscription: June 1, 1942, Insar Military Comissariat of Insar region of the Mordovian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. _x000D_ Place of service: Ground Forces, Stalingrad Front, 734th Infantry Regiment, 277th Infantry Division. _x000D_ Gerasim Zakharovich was married to Olga Mikhailovna Ladanova, had four children: Mikhail, Vasily, Anna, Alexander. The combat path of Gerasim Sergeantov began in June 1942 with the defense of Stalingrad. On September 13, 1942, in the combat for the Grachi borough of the Stalingrad region, as a result of a wound in the left shin, the shooter of 734th Rifle Regiment of the 277th Rifle Division was taken to the Medical Battalion, where his leg was amputated. _x000D_ The Red Army soldier Sergeant was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, II degree. Despite the amputation of his leg, Gerasim Zakharovich continued to fight. He and his comrades liberated Stary Oskol in May 1943, then Belgorod, Kremenchug, in 1944: Kirovograd, Znamenka, Rodnikovka, Vatutino, then his path went through Moldova to Romania-Orshova, Velika Planu, Selevats, Raikovats, Ripan, Sarhat, then through Croatia to Hungary - Bolman, Dravaszabolts, Adolyas, Sanyozro, Kastelosdombo, Horomoru, in 1945 Kislang, Deg, Ozora, Mesozilas, Pinskheli, Balatokarattia to Lower Austria - Aspang-Markt ...

Rank: Sergeant _x000D_ Unit: 290th Rifle Mogilev Red Banner Orders of Suvorov and Kutuzov Division _x000D_ _x000D_ Lyubov Semyonovna, wife of A.P. Stetsun, tells:_x000D_ «Alexander Stetsun had become a participant in the war since May 1943. There were behind two difficult years for the country. Young Stetsun watched and listened to the cannon fire in the direction of Taganrog, saw the glow of the conflagrations and bombing of Azov and Kagalnik. Alexander survived the occupation of the Azov region. _x000D_ Leaving for the front, Alexander understood that the front is a test not only of courage, but also of the ability to fight. Seven-year education enabled him, in a short time, in 374th Reserve Regiment, where he was sent, to master the military professions of a 120-mm gunner as a mortar and signalman. After completing training, Alexander Stetsun, a year later, as part of 878th Infantry Regiment of 290th Infantry Division of 49th Army, was preparing to participate in the famous military operation Bagration to liberate Belarus. _x000D_ The Regiment on the eve of the offensive was pulled up to the Dnieper River, which had to be overcome on improvised means: boats, rafts and even barrels tied together. Young, unfired soldiers were supposed to go to break through the Mogilev defensive line of the fascists at dawn. The rain, which began in the evening, poured all night. The soldiers' clothes became wet. On July 27, barely dawn, the signal was given to attack. In the pre-dawn darkness, with almost no casualties, the company where Stetsun served crossed the wide Dnieper; further, without stopping, the fighters followed the artillery barrage. _x000D_ Almost continuous marshes of Belarus had to be overcome in "wet shoes" as the locals call a semblance of skis woven from willow twigs and put on their feet. In the combats for the city of Mogilev, Private Stetsun A.P. he was promoted to the rank of Junior Sergeant and appointed to the post of squad leader. _x000D_ During the attack on Minsk, it became known that in the neighboring unit, a member of the tank landing of the Guard, Private Yuri Smirnov, seriously wounded, was captured by the Germans. When our troops broke into the location of the Nazis, in one of the dugouts they found the body of a young man nailed to an armchair.They found interrogation protocols in which there was not a single answer to the questions asked by the Nazis. Later Yu. V. Smirnov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Shocked by what they heard, the soldiers, with even greater hatred, went into the combat. _x000D_ _x000D_ The combats for Mogilev, Minsk, Grodno went relatively well for the mortarman Stetsun, but in East Prussia, in the area of Rastenburg, where Hitler's headquarters "Wolf's Pit" was located, he was not lucky. In a mortar duel with the enemy, he was seriously wounded in his right arm. It happened on February 25 of the victorious 1945. Once in the hospital, the young soldier did not complete his treatment and fled to his Regiment, and now he is back in the ranks, but already in the position of a signalman. _x000D_ A.P. Stetsun finished the war in 1945, but continued to serve, training personnel for the army: tank mechanics, communications electricians. His military service ended in 1951, after 8 years Alexander Petrovich returned home. _x000D_ Later he took part in the development of virgin lands. He worked for over 20 years at the SKB KO pilot plant. As a talented innovator and an excellent production worker, he added labor awards to military awards, orders and medals, about 50 notes of gratitude were made in his work book. _x000D_ It is not for nothing that in honor of the military and labor feat of such as A.P. Stetsun, the poet wrote: "... A medal for a combat, a medal for labor is poured from the same metal ..."

Sologubov Pavel Ivanovich lived in the Krasnoarmeisky district of the city of Volgograd. He was born in 1924 in the village of Svinukha, Krasnoslobodsky District, Stalingrad Region, into a large peasant family. He had been enlisted iIn the ranks of the Red Army since 1942. He was called up by the Kirov district military enlistment office of the city of Stalingrad. He fought in the Western, South-Western, on 2nd, 3rd Ukrainian fronts. Guard Junior Leiutenant, Commander of a Rifle platoon of 2nd Battalion of 111th Guards Rifle Red Banner Regiment of 40th Guards Rifle Enakiev-Danube Red Banner Division. He was awarded for personal courage and heroism during the war, the Order of the Red Star, the Order of the Patriotic War of 1st degree. _x000D_ He was wounded on December 13, 1942, October 22, 1943, March 1, 1944. He was seriously wounded on April 10, 1945 (part of his arm was torn off). At the end of the war, Lieutenant Sologubov received another state award, the Order of the Red Banner in Hungary. _x000D_ There were combats in the area of the settlement of Mertsalte. March 28, 1945 Junior Leiutenant P.I. Sologubov showed courage and resourcefulness during the combat, when his platoon covered the crossing of the Rab River by Battalion units. He skillfully organized fire, destroyed up to 30 enemy soldiers and officers with the soldiers. With the massive fire of all types of enemy weapons, his platoon managed to reach the eastern bank of the river, bypassing the enemy from the right flank, thereby leading him into confusion. In a fiercecombat, a group of enemy soldiers trapped was destroyed. And our units successfully crossed the river. This was the great merit of Jr. Lieutenant Sologubov.

Rank: Captain. _x000D_ Branch of service: Artillery. _x000D_ Duty station: 385th Krichev Red Banner Order of Suvorov Rifle Division._x000D_ In 1939-1940, he took part in The Soviet-Finnish war, where he was wounded. Since 1941, he participated in the fighting of the Second world war on the Western and 1st Belorussian Fronts, 1266th Rifle Regiment, 385th Division, 10 Army, 65 Army. He began his military service in December 1941 with the defense of Moscow. He was shell-shocked on 10.01.1942._x000D_ "Comrade Sabaev has been in the regiment since he was formed as the Political Officer of the company. In the battles for the villadge of Krutaya comrade Sabaev with his company went along with the riflemen to the rear of the enemy, his personal example inspired the feat of fighters, personally destroyed a machine-gun point with its crew from a mortar and suppressed two mortar points. Soldiers of the company, which was led by comrade Sabaev, during the fighting, up to 100 Germans were destroyed."_x000D_ "Comrade Sabaev during the period of being in the reserve battery of officers of the army Command as a platoon commander by hard work has achieved significant success in training platoon and battery commanders to provide artillery units of the army. With deep knowledge and the correct formulation of the educational process, he managed to prepare and provide the active units with trained officers. Among his students there were 25 officers who were awarded Government awards only for the period of fighting since 26.06.1944. Combat training and discipline is at a high level among the battery platoons. In the period of preparation for the breakthrough of a strongly fortified enemy line in the area of Bobruisk, comrade Sabaev, along with the training of officers, had a number of assignments for the staffing and placement of officers, with which he coped well. For the training and education of reserve officers, comrade Sabaev fully deserves the Government award of the Order of the Red Star."_x000D_ "First Lieutenant G. Sabaev works in the personnel Department of the army and shows himself as an experienced officer who knows his job perfectly. Correctly organized the work on record keeping and staffing of artillery units of the army, and clearly put the case of record keeping in the Department. During the preparation and breakthrough of the long-term German defense in the Parichi-Bobruisk area, crossing the Narev River and holding the bridgehead on the West Bank of the Narev River, comrade Sabaev spent most of the time in the battle formations of the army's artillery units, where he was directly engaged in recruiting officers on the ground and carried out a lot of work on record keeping and awarding. With his hard work and energy, efficiency and fearlessness, he achieved significant results in his work, earned respect for good work and professional knowledge from artillery units. For skillful and correct work on record keeping and manning artillery units with officers, for personal courage and bravery shown in performing urgent tasks of the command comrade Sabaev deserved the government award of the Order of the Patriotic War of the 2nd degree."

Rank: Lieutenant._x000D_ Branch of service: Army, Air Force (except Marine Aviation), Coast Guard, NKVD troops, Border Guards._x000D_ Duty station: 10th Reserve Rifle Division._x000D_ To my shame, I do not know much about my grandfather's martial path, so I will use his personal memories._x000D_ “On November 7, 1941, I was sent to the area of Nevskaya Dubrovka to replenish the reconnaissance company. This place was called "Piglet": a small area was strategically important for us and the Germans. We tried to connect with the Volkhov Front from this bridgehead, and the Fritzes wanted to capture it in order to tie the knot of the blockade of Leningrad even more tightly. Despite the fact that we were under fire of heavy guns, mortars, and air bombs, our soldiers still held on._x000D_ From here, we, scouts, went to the enemy's rear, got valuable information about the location of firing points, and took weapons. I was wounded three times on Nevskaya Dubrovka. One of the wounds was serious. February of the 42nd year came-cold, snowy. The beginning of the second year of the war in Leningrad was marked by two opposite facts. The positive thing is that our military units were sufficiently armed. Submachine guns, self-loading rifles, large-caliber guns and mortars appeared, but the situation with food had become much worse. There were times when we did not get a crust of bread or a cracker for two or three days. I was starving._x000D_ Food situation for the city's civilian population was even worse. Each resident received no more than 200 grams of surrogate bread. Thousands of people died of hunger and cold every day: in cold rooms, on snow-covered sidewalks, near the ice-holes of the Neva River. I have seen all this, and even now, this sad, terrible picture often rises before my eyes._x000D_ At the beginning of March 1942, I was discharged from the hospital and sent to the military-political school on Vasilievskiy Island. Here I had to see the horrors of war even more. With the onset of warm weather the removal of the corpses in the city began. Corpses were loaded onto trucks like firewood._x000D_ It was only in the second half of 1943 that the situation on the front line of defense and in the city changed for the better. There were more weapons and food stuff. This made it possible not only to defend, but also to attack. We took the towns of Tikhvin, Pushkin, and Pulkovo height. Finally, Leningrad was completely liberated from the Nazi blockade at the end of January 1944. It was a joy for all the people of Leningrad, but a joy with tears in their eyes.

Date of birth: 11.10.1901_x000D_ Date of death: 27.12.1941_x000D_ History:_x000D_ Mikhail Malykh was born on October 11, 1901 in the village of Karinsky Perevoz, Slobodskiy District, Kirov Region._x000D_ He was drafted into the Red Army in September 1941 by the Slobodskiy District Military Commissariat, and was trained in the city of Rybinsk, Yaroslavl Region, until December 6, 1941._x000D_ He went to the front immediately after training in the Kalinin region of the Torzhok District (now Tver Region) as a Rifleman of the 1186th Regiment of the 355th Rifle Division. That fight was his first and last one._x000D_ In the twenties of December, the 355th Rifle Division arrived at the Kalinin front. By December 25, the division arrived by forced March through Torzhok and concentrated in the forest in the area of Ryabinikha. The village of Riabiniha was a heavily fortified region. The Germans fortified the settlement for 3 months and built 40 bunkers and 30 dugouts. In addition, the houses were adapted for long-term defense; the approaches were mined and covered by mortar fire._x000D_ At dawn on December 26, interacting with other parts of the army, the division took its first battle at the village of Ryabinikha in the Torzhovsky District. The breakthrough of this fortified region was extremely important. By the evening of December 27, 1941, the village of Ryabinikha was taken, all enemy bunkers were suppressed, the defense was broken, the enemy fled in panic, throwing machine guns and cannons. In total, up to 2 companies of enemy infantry were destroyed near the village, and trophies were captured: 35 machine guns, 40 submachine guns, 4 cannons, and a lot of ammunition._x000D_ At that time, there were severe frosts. Uniforms did not match the weather conditions._x000D_ Mikhail, judging by the injuries found during the excavation of his remains in a mass grave, most likely died on December 27, as a result of close combat with the enemy, when they reached the German trenches. After the battle, the bodies of the dead were simply carried to one place. They were not buried in the ground, as it was supposed to be._x000D_ Then there was a real meat grinder, and therefore information about the dead soldiers was very scarce. Therefore, Mikhail, as well as many soldiers from this regiment, was considered missing.

Rank: Petty Officer._x000D_ Branch of Service: Ground Forces, Air Force (except Naval Aviation), Coast Guard, NKVD troops, Border Guard._x000D_ Duty station: 171st Rifle Division (1st formation)._x000D_ Sobolev Vasiliy Vasilyevich, 21.07.1918 - date of birth._x000D_ Called up to the Red Army 24.09.1938 Kologriv and District Military Commissariat of Gorky Region. He took the military oath on 01.03.1939._x000D_ 18.01.1941 year - North-Western Front._x000D_ 19.12.1943 year - Baltic Front._x000D_ From 23.07.1943 to 26.10.1943 - Petty Officer of the 4th Machine-gun company, 525th Rifle Regiment, 171th Rifle Division, later the 10th Flamethrower Battalion of the same regiment._x000D_ In the Red Army book entry "for exemplary performance of the task of the front command was awarded the medal "For Bravery", number 3006 order for part 140 ZSP #0521 from 07.07.1943._x000D_ During the war, he was wounded 7 times (three times in the neck)._x000D_ Injuries, the North-Western Front:_x000D_ - 15.02.1942_x000D_ - 20.04.1942_x000D_ - 19.08.1943_x000D_ - 26.12.1943_x000D_ Demobilized on the basis of the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR from 25.09.1945, as a non-combat Sergeant 2B group. Order for for the unit #77 D from 22.11.1945 - Commander of the Artillery detachment Captain Kuskov._x000D_ 27.12.1945 year arrived on demobilization, issued a military ID._x000D_ He didn't like to talk._x000D_ Just before the Victory, he was seriously wounded._x000D_ After being discharged, he immediately got married. Wife - Valentina Soboleva (Smirnova), 02.02.1921 -date of birth._x000D_ He worked in the timber industry._x000D_ Until 1974, they lived in the village of Azhuga, Kologrivskiy District, Kostroma Region._x000D_ In 1974, together with his wife, he moved to the village of Bolshoe-Kuzminskoye, Kolchuginskiy District, Vladimir Region.