Russia – Soviet: A final Relief of Leningrad Order of the Red Star awarded to Lieutenant Aleksei Fyodorovich Orlov, a Signal Platoon Leader in the 602nd Rifle Regiment, 109th Rifle Division for his maintaining communications by laying wires under heavy enemy artillery fire during the capture of the German ‘Appendizit’ strongpoint near the city of Pushkin in the Leningrad area.
Order of the Red Star, type 6, numbered 2515610
Condition: Nearly extremely fine
Aleksei Fyodorovich Orlov was born in the village of Pronino, Galich Raion, Yaroslavl Oblast in 1912. Having attained an elementary education, he became a Member of the Communist Party in 1940, serving in the Red Army from May 1941, this Order of the Red Star was to be Orlov’s sole decoration, being awarded to him as a Lieutenant, and as a Signal platoon leader in the 602nd Rifle Regiment, 109th Rifle Division by Order of the 109th Rifle Division on 31st December 1944 as a result of the following citation:
‘On February 18, 1944, during the fighting near the city of Pushkin in the Leningrad area, which was aimed at capturing the heavily fortified German ‘Appendizit’ strong point, he maintained uninterrupted communications between the battalion commander and the commanders of the advancing companies. He repeatedly made his way to the telephone cable himself and under heavy enemy artillery, mortar, and machine-gun fire he repaired dozens of breaks in the line.
During one of these assignments comrade Orlov was severely wounded in his leg while repairing damage to the telephone cable, but he did not abandon his post until the battle was over.’
Signed by the Regimental Commander, Major Anchurov on 21st December 1944.
After the war Orlov served as a Senior instructor at the Military Commissariat of the city of Novogord, Novgorod Oblast whilst living at Znamensky (Our Lady of the Sign) Cathedral, city of Novgorod, Novgorod Oblast.