Russia – Soviet: A good Scout’s Order of Glory 3rd Class awarded to Senior Sergeant Vasily Yakovlevich Moiseev, Assistant Commander, Mounted Reconnaissance Platoon, 507th Red banner Rifle Regiment, 148th ‘Chernigov’ Red Banner, Order of Suvorov Rifle Division who was decorated during the advance of January and February 1945 where he delivered a combat order to the Commander of the 2nd Rifle Battalion in spite of enemy machine gun, artillery and mortar fire. He would later capture an identification prisoner as part of a group, being the first to rush the enemy trenches where with an anti-tank grenade he destroyed a heavy machine gun, he also killed 2 Germans with his submachine gun. In that battle he was wounded but did not leave the battlefield until the mission was accomplished.
Order of Glory 3rd Class, type 2, the reverse numbered 267568
Condition: Good Very Fine
Vasily Yakovlevich Moiseev was born in the village of Zhiloe, Izmalkovksy District, Oryol Oblast in 1924. A Russian national, he finished 5 grades of education before joining the Red Army in October 1941.
He would receive several decorations during the Patriotic War, the first of which was a Medal for Bravery by decree of the 507th Rifle Regiment on 16th February 1943, this was followed by an Order of the Red Star by decree of the 121st Guards Rifle Division on 15th May 1944 and then this Order of Glory 3rd Class issued by decree of the 148th Rifle Division on 4th March 1945.
Issued to him whilst serving as a Senior Sergeant and Assistant Commander, Mounted Reconnaissance Platoon, 507th Red Banner Rifle Regiment, 148th ‘Chernigov’ Red Banner, Order of Suvorov Rifle Division the recommendation reads:
‘Serving in the regiment since May 1942, distinguished scout Sr. Sergeant Moiseev has proven himself as a skilful Soviet scout, audacious in the face of the enemy. He is known in the regiment as the best scout, showered in glory as far basck as the battles of 1942-3-4. Taking part in reconnaissance of enemy defences and the capture of identification prisoners, through his personal example of bravery, he inspired the other scouts to feats of arms. Comrade Moiseev travelled the glorious path from the city of Livny to the city of Rybnik together with the regiment.
In the offensive battles of 1945, possessing great experience from past battles, he acted skilfully and decisively. On 25th January 1945, during a battle for the village of Zharki, it became necessary to urgently deliver a combat order to the commander of the 2nd Rifle Battalion. In spite of the intense enemy machine gun and artillery and mortar fire, risking his life, Comrade Moiseev volunteered himself. And he delivered the combat order on time. On 25th February 1945, acting as part of a group to capture an identification prisoner, he was first to rush into the enemy trenches, where, with an anti-tank grenade, he destroyed a heavy machine gun and killed 2 Germans with his submachine gun. In that battle he was wounded but did not leave the battlefield until the mission was accomplished. He covered the retreat of his comrades in arms with their two seized prisoners.
In battles for the Soviet Motherland, Comrade Moiseev has been wounded 5 times.’
He would go on to be awarded an Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class by decree of the 60th Army on 28th April 1945, and an Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class by decree of the 60th Army on 30th May 1945. He would also be in receipt of a Medal for the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War.
By 31st May 1946, he was working as a trainee tailor at the ‘Sbor-util’ Artel in the city of Leningrad where he was living.
