Russia – Soviet: A Machine-Gunner’s Hungary February 1945 Order of Glory 3rd Class awarded to Red Army Soldier Ivan Matveevich Antropov, 273rd Rifle Regiment, 104th Rifle Division, 3rd Ukrainian Front who was decorated for his action in the area of the settlement of Ches, Hungary on 9th February 1945 when with his personal weapon he destroyed six Hitlerites, in a further advance when under heavy machine gun fire, scorning the danger to his life, he took two hand grenades and crawled towards the enemy firing position and destroyed it with grenade throws, allowing the advance to continue. He had been wounded six days prior to this but had refused hospital treatment and had remained with his unit.
Order of Glory 3rd Class, type 2, the reverse numbered 333868
Condition: Good Very Fine
Ivan Matveevich Antropov was born in the village of Vekhnyaya-Sedyaksa in Rypushkalsky selsovet, Olonetsky District, Karelo-Finnish SSR in 1909. Noted as a Karelian national, he attained an elementary education and joined the Red Army, seeing frontline service from 24th August 1944.
This would be his sole bravery award and was issued to him as a Red Army Soldier and a Machine-Gunner in the 273rd Rifle Regiment, 104th Rifle Division, 3rd Ukrainian Front. The citation reading:
‘During the period of offensive battles in the area of the settlement of Ches, Hungary on 9th February 1945, in the ensuing battle, Comrade Antropov, with his personal weapon, destroyed 6 Hitlerites. During further advances, the unit in which Comrade Antropov was stationed came under heavy machine gun fire, it became impossible to advance. Comrade Antropov, scorning the danger to his life, took two hand grenades, stealthily crawled toward the enemy firing position, and with grenade throws destroyed it together with its crew, which gave his unit the ability to move forward without the losses. Lightly wounded on 3rd February 1945, he did not leave for the hospital, but instead stayed in action. For destroying 6 Hitlerites with his personal weapon, for courage and bravery displayed in destroying an enemy heavy machine gun, Comrade Antropov Ivan Matveevich deserves the Government award the Order of the Red Star.’
Antropov’s only other medal would be the Medal for the Victory over Germany, and by July 1946 he was living back in his home village whilst working as the Chief of the Fire Watch and Protection Service there.
