Russia – Soviet: A Self-Propelled Gun Loader’s Pomeranian offensive Order of Glory 3rd Class awarded to Guards Senior Sergeant Nikolai Nikolaevich Mashkovtsev, a Loader of an ISU-122, 419th Guards Heavy Self-Propelled Regiment, 66th Guards ‘Nevel’ Red Banner, Order of Suvorov Independent Heavy Self-Propelled Artillery Brigade for his role in knocking out a Panther tank, 4 anti-tank guns, a mortar battery, 6 machine guns and up to 70 enemy solders and officers during the advance on Danzig between 22nd and 28th March 1945, the crew of his vehicle also captured a prisoner.
Order of Glory 3rd Class, type 2, the reverse numbered 278253
Condition: Very Fine
Nikolai Nikolaevich Mashkovtsev was born in the village of Deyanovo, Devanovo selsovet, Shurminsky District, Kirov Oblast in 1926. Having attained an elementary education he joined the Red Army in November 1943, seeing frontline service on the 2nd Belarussian Front from 20th March 1945.
This Order of Glory 3rd Class would be the recipients first wartime award, issued by Decree of the 8th Mechanised Corps on 15th April 1945 whilst he was serving as a Guards Senior Sergeant and Loader of an ISU-122, 419th Guards Heavy Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment, 66th Guards ‘Nevel’ Red Banner, Order of Suvorov Independent Heavy Self-Propelled Artillery Brigade. The citation reads as follows:
In battles with the German invaders to breach the enemy’s defences on the Danzig axis from 22nd to 28th March 1945, Comrade Mashkovtsev displayed courage and bravery.
The crew in which Comrade Mashkovtsev as loader knocked out one ‘Panther’ tank and destroyed: 4 anti-tank guns , one mortar battery, 6 machine guns, and exterminated up to 70 enemy soldiers and officers. They captured one ‘tongue’
Comrade Mashkovtsev, being wounded, did not leave the battlefield.
For courage and bravery in battles for the Soviet Motherland, Comrade Mashkovtsev deserves the government award the Order of Glory 3rd Class.’
The recipient would later receive an Order of the Red Star by decree of the 66th Guards Heavy Self-Propelled Artillery Brigade on 11th May 1945.
By 20th September 1946 he was employed as a Driver of an armoured personnel carrier, 126th Guards Heavy Self-Propelled Tank Regiment and was living in the village of Deyanovo, Shurminsky District, Kirov Oblast.
