Russia – Soviet: A Berlin street fighting Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class awarded to Guards Senior Sergeant Akelsej Sevelievich Galyapa, 101st Guards Rifle Regiment, 35th Guards Rifle Division who on 27th April 1945 in central Berlin would destroy 3 enemy machine gun positions with their crews and 5 German soldiers utilising anti-tank grenades and fire of his personal fire arm during an assault on a fortified building in house black 586 of Berlin.
Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class, flatback reverse, the reverse numbered 735122 Condition: minor surface wear to the enamel, Good Very Fine
Aleksej Sevelievich Galyapa was born in the Voroshilovgrad region, Belokurakino. A Ukrainian national he attained an elementary education before joining the Red Army in 1943. He was the recipient of several decorations during the war. The first a Medal for Bravery by decree of the 101st Guards Rifle Regiment on 10th October 1943, this followed by a second Medal for Bravery just over a month later on 11th November 1943 also by decree of the 101st Guards Rifle Regiment. At this time serving with the South-Western Front, he would transfer to the 1st Belarussian Front on 17th June 1944 just before the launch of Operation Bagration, the Red Army offensive that would decisively destroy German Army Group Centre. He would be present during the liberation of the Warsaw in January 1945 and on the westward advance across Poland during which he would be awarded an Order of the Red Star by decree of 35th Guards Rifle Division on 12th March 1945 and an Order of Glory 3rd Class by decree of the 35th Guards Rifle Division on 6th April 1945.
This Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class would be issued on 12th July 1945 by decree of the 4th Guards Rifle Corps, awarded to him whilst a Guards Senior Sergeant the citation for the award reads:
‘On 27th April 1945, in an assault of a strongly fortified building in the house block 586 of the Berlin city, Comrade Galyapa was advancing among the leading party of his platoon. With a bold and swift push under intensive enemy small arms fire, he reached the enemy firing positions. Utilising anti-tanks grenades and fire of his personal fire arm, he destroyed 3 enemy machine-gun positions with their crews and 5 German soldiers. Thus he assisted his platoon in its advance. ‘
The chief of staff of the 101st Guards Rifle Regiment wrote a report on the street fighting in Berlin during this period:
‘The regiment was engaged in bitter street fighting, battling and taking from the enemy house after house, room after room, staircase after staircase. By the end of 27th April 1945, the regiment seized control over the house block 111 on the Wilhelmstrasse. Street fighting in Berlin was unlike any other fighting encountered by the regiment before.
Each rifle platoon organised 2-3 assault squads, which acted independently. Assault squads consisting of 6-7 men armed with 2-3 submachine guns, 1 RPD (handheld Degtyarov MG), rest with rifles. Ammunitions were unlimited. The soldiers backpacks were loaded only with ammunitions, each pocket was stuffed 1-2 hand grenades.
Each squad assigned 2 ‘smoke men’ who were also armed with 5-6 smoke grenades for masking streets and houses.
Such Squad groups organisation proved to be most effective and was yielding most positive results.
Assault squad tactics were as follows:
An assault squad would gather on a house block edge, bracing for a push across a street to next house block. Smoke men threw smoke grenades from the first or second floor creating a smoke screen. RPD machine-gun was deployed on the house block corner position and provided flanking covering fire.
Before the actual push across into the next house block, the rifle men and submachine gunners opened intensive rapid fire at opposing doors and window openings. Under the cover of their own fire, they rushed across and engaged in close quarter fighting in apartments and cellars.
Command and coordination was done voice commands. Platoon and company commanders were advancing together as one of the assault squads members.
Important role in the street fighting was played deployment of fougasse flamethrower.
These very heavy and difficult to manoeuvre devices, impractical for combat deployment on an open terrain, founds its exceptional use in the street fighting. Without much difficulty, these device could be installed 30-40 metres away from the enemy positions in full secrecy and produced most devastating effect.
A section of fougasse flamethrower was assigned to each rifle platoon commander as its fire power support.
If a platoon or company, could not cross street under the cover of its own fire and seize the next house block, then fougasse flamethrowers were used.
Fougasse flamethrowers would be deployed in a 3rd floor window, and its ignited propellent burst would set ablaze the whole next house block.
Enemy garrison would either abandon and flee the positions or otherwise burned together with the building.
Surviving the war, on 19th June 1946, Galyapa would be serving as the senior clerk of the 4th section of the divisional headquarters of the 39th Guards Rifle Division.
