Russia – Soviet: A Southern Ukraine Medal for Bravery awarded to Starshina of the Medical Service Maksim Stepanovich Bogdanov, a Senior Medic in the Regimental Medical Company of the 960th Rifle Regiment, 299th Rifle Division, 3rd Ukrainian Front who between 8th and 12th March 1944 carried 19 wounded Red Army soldiers and their personal weapons from the battlefield.
Medal for Bravery, type 2, reverse numbered 1250930
Condition: Nearly Extremely Fine
Maksim Stepanovich Bogdanov was born in the village of Chutski, Bogushevsky District. Vitebsk Oblast, Belorussia in 1906. A Belarussian national he attained an elementary education before joining the Red Army in June 1941.
This Medal for Bravery would be his sole numbered award of the Great Patriotic War awarded to him by decree of the 96th Rifle Regiment on 19th May 1944 whilst serving as a Starshina of the Medical Service with a 120mm Mortar Battery of the 960th Rifle Regiment, 299th ‘Kharkov’ Rifle Division, 2nd Ukrainian Front. The citation reads:
‘Comrade Bogdanov devotes all of his strength to saving the dear lives of our soldiers. During offensive battles in the area of Shestakovka Station, Novo-Aleksandrovka, Novaya Zlynka, Bolshie Vneski from 8th to 12th March 1944, Comrade Bogdanov carried 19 wounded Red Army soldiers and their personal weapons from the battlefield and rendered them the necessary first aid.’
At this time Bogdanov’s unit was operating as part of the 3rd Ukrainian Front which was operating in Southern Ukraine.
Surviving the war his was later working as a carpenter at a butter factory in Vitebsk whilst also living in the city.
