Russia – Soviet: A Sandomierz Bridgehead and Siege of Breslau Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class awarded to Guards Captain Vladimir Antonovich Sadovsky, Chief of the Chemical Service, 29th ‘Cherkassy’ Red Banner, Order of Suvorov, Kutuzov and Bogdan Khmelnitsky Rifle Division for skilfully leading the division’s personnel in chemical warfare defence and skilful use of incendiary and smokescreen devices. As a result of proper use of incendiary bottles during combat operations, buildings turned into strongpoints by the enemy in the area of Breslau were set on fire. Thanks to proper calculations and skilful organisation by Guards Captain Sadovsky, the smoke screen laid in the areas of the cities of Breslau and Goldberg gave our infantry in the area of Breslau the ability to move forward without losses, and in the area of the city of Goldberg, mislead the enemy.
Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class, the reverse numbered 762261
Condition: Nearly Extremely Fine
Vladimir Antonovich Sadovsky was born in the city of Vilnius, Lithuania in 1910. A Russian national, he attained an elementary education before joining the Red Army in July 1932. He would see six years service before leaving the Red Army in April 1938.
Rejoining the Red Army he would see service from the outbreak of the war on the 22nd June 1941. This Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class was Sadovsky’s sole decoration of the war, being issued to him by decree of the 52nd Army on 4th June 1945.
At the time of this award he would be employed as a Guards Captain and the Chief of the Chemical Service, 294th ‘Cherkassy’ Red Banner, Order of Suvorov, Kutuzov and Bogdan Khmelnitsky Rifle Division, the citation for the awards reads:
‘Guards Captain Sadovsky has participated in the division’s combat operations since the start of the division’s offensive from the Sandomierz bridgehead. During his time in the division, while on break (from combat operations) and during the combat operations, he has skilfully led the training of the division’s personnel in chemical warfare defence and skilful use of incendiary and smokescreen devices. As a result of proper use of incendiary bottles during combat operations, buildings turned into strongpoints by the enemy in the area of Breslau were set on fire. Thanks to proper calculations and skilful organisation by Guards Captain Sadovsky, the smoke screens laid in the areas of the cities of Breslau and Goldberg gave our infantry in the area of Breslau the ability to move forward without losses, and in the area of the city of Goldberg, mislead the enemy.
Originally a recommendation for an Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class, this was downgraded to a 2nd Class award by the Chief of the 2nd Section of the Army Personnel Department, Major of the Administration Service Golenky.
By 22nd November 1946, Sadovsky would be employed as the Chief of the Regimental Chemical Service of the 849th Artillery Regiment and would be living at building 17, Shlenskaya Steet, city of Lvov.
