Russia – Soviet: A Berlin suburbs Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class awarded to Lieutenant Aleksandr Ivanovich Sedov, Deputy Commander for technical affairs of an assault-rifle company in the 283rd Independent Red Banner Motorised Battalion for Special Purposes who led his company’s drivers in crossing a water barrier near the Niederlehme Silicate Factory until artillery and machine-gun fire.
Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class, reverse numbered 523071
Medal for Combat Merits, unnumbered reverse
Medal for the Capture of Berlin
Medal for the Victory over Germany
Condition: Very Fine
Aleksandr Ivanovich Sedov was born in the village of Usovo, Nekouz Raion, Yaroslavl Oblast in 1922, and served in the Red Army from 5th May 1941. He would see service in the Patriotic War with the 2nd Baltic Front since 1942 and then on the Leningrad Front from August 1944, being awarded an Order of the Red Star by decree of the Armoured and Mechanised Forces of the 8th Army on 13th October 1944.
He would be awarded this Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class on 15th May 1945 whilst serving as a Lieutenant-Technician and Deputy Commander for Technical Affairs of an assault-rifle company in the 283rd Independent Red Banner Motorised Battalion for Special Purposes, the citation reading:
‘On April 25, 1945, during the crossing of a water barrier near the Niederlehme Silicate Factory, comrade Sedov led the activities of his company’s drivers, which enabled the material to be in continuous operation. Despite enemy artillery and machine-gun fire he crossed the men and the weaponry of the infantry regiments of the 290th Ridle Division efficiently and in an organised manner.’
The Silicate Factory is close to the suburb of Konigs Wusterhausen to the south-west of the city.
Sedov would go on to receive the Medal for the Capture of Berlin, the Medal for the Victory over Germany and later a Medal for Combat Merits for 10 years long service in October 1955.
After the war he would be serving as the Deputy Company Commander for Technical Affairs in the 9th Guards Motorcycle Battalion, 11th Guards Tank Division whilst living in the village of Nekouz in Yaroslavl oblast.
