Russia – Soviet: A Manchurian Offensive Medal for Bravery awarded to Guards Starshina Nikolei Alekseevich Arinkin, a 120mm Mortar Crew Commander, 61st Guards Order of Kutuzov Rifle Regiment for his courage and endurance in the crossing of the Greater Khingan mountain range, he had been decorated in the fighting against the Germans, during the Donbass Offensive, Operation Bagration and the siege of Memel.
Medal for Bravery, type 2, reverse numbered 2080955
Condition: red enamel lettering present to the obverse, Nearly Extremely Fine
Nikolei Alekseevich Arinkin was born in the city of Samarkand, Uzbekistan in 1907, and having attained a middle school education joined the Red Army on 22nd October 1941 and remained with it throughout the war. His first decoration was a Medal for Combat Merits awarded to him by decree of the 54th Guards Rifle Division on 31st August 1943, most likely as a result of the ongoing Donbass Strategic offensive. He would go onto receive an Order of Glory 3rd Class by decree of the 19th Guards Rifle Division on 15th July 1944 whilst taking part in Operation Bagration which led to the destruction of the German Army Group Centre, and then he would mistakenly receive another Order of Glory 3rd Class (this should have been a 2nd Class award) by decree of the 19th Guard Rifle Division on 4th November 1944 while the division was involved in the siege of Memel. This Medal for Bravery would be awarded to him by decree of the 61st Guards Rifle Regiment on 10th November 1945 whilst serving as a Guards Starshina, and commander of 120mm mortar crew, 61st Guards ‘Order of Kutuzov’ Rifle Regiment as a result of the following recommendation:
‘While undertaking the march along the mountainous ridge of the Greater Khingan, he displayed courage and endurance.’
The Greater Khingan was a mountain range that had to be crossed to attack Manchuria the Japanese puppet state that the Kwantung Army defended unsuccessfully against a Red Army attack that began on 9th August 1945 and ended less than two weeks later.
After the war he worked as a machinist in a cotton factory in the city of Konibodom in Leninabad oblast, Tajikistan SSR whilst living at the same factory.
