Russia – Soviet: A Baltic offensive Order of Glory 3rd Class, type 2, the reverse numbered 679888 awarded to Private Vitold Viktorovich Vengrevich, a Rifle Squad Commander with 1254th Rifle Regiment, 378th Rifle ‘Novgorod’ Red Banner Division who a the village of Siaudine, Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic was the first to rush into the enemy trenches and eliminated 10 German soldiers in a close-quarters hand to hand combat. He captured one machine-gun and 6 rifles.
Order of Glory 3rd Class, type 2, the reverse numbered 679888
Condition: Good Very Fine
Vitold Viktorovich Vengrevich, of Polish ethnicity, was born in 1915 in the Mayskij County, Grivskij District, Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic and attained an elementary education before joining the Red Army on 5th August 1944 and subsequently seeing service on the 1st Baltic Front.
This Order of Glory 3rd Class would be his first award, being issued to him whilst serving as a Private and Rifle Squad Commander, 1254 Rifle Regiment, 378th Rifle ‘Novgorod’ Red Banner Division:
‘In a combat operation near the village Siaudine (Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic) on 8th October 1944, comrade Vengrevich was the first to rush into he enemy trenches and eliminated 10 German soldiers in a close-quarters hand to hand combat. He captured one machine-gun and 6 rifles.’
The fighting here was a continuation of the Red Army offensive from the summer which had crushed German Army Group Centre, this follow up offensive would reach the Baltic coast and isolate German Army Group North into the Courland peninsula.
Vengrevich would go on to receive a Medal for Bravery, although undated on his record card, this would have been a 1946 or 1947 award given the number (3499581) and a Medal for the Victory over Germany.
After the war he would be employed as a shop director of the Daugavpils Consumer Union, whilst living in the town of Griva, Proletarskaya Street, No.16.
