Russia – Soviet: A very fine and complete Battle of Kovel Order of the Red Star, Battle of Warsaw Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class, Vistula-Oder Offensive Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class and Berlin Offensive Order of the Red Banner awarded to Lieutenant Pyotr Konstantinovich Sidorov, Mortar Platoon Commander of a 120mm Mortar Platoon, 93rd Rifle Regiment, 76th ‘Yelnya-Warsaw’ Rifle Division, who had repelled counter-attacks in the fighting at Kovel in July 1944 killing 20 enemy soldiers, before taking part in the fighting in the eastern suburbs of Warsaw in August 1944 where he destroyed anti-tank guns, firing positions and up to 20 enemy troops. He would remain with his unit during the westward advance through Poland destroying numerous machine guns and anti-tank guns as well as a large number of German troops. He ended the war taking part in the Berlin offensive destroying 6 Germans in the attic of a house with a panzerfaust thus enabling the troops to advance, before finally in Gatow capturing 2 vehicles and taking 16 prisoners including 3 officers.
Order of the Red Star, reverse numbered 684787
Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class, reverse numbered 349440
Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class, reverse numbered 163551
Order of the Red Banner, reverse numbered 289761
Condition: Nearly Extremely Fine
Along with original award booklet without photo listing these four awards.
Pyotr Konstantinovich Sidorov was born in 1919. A Russian national he served in the Red Army from 1943 and saw action on the front lines during the Great Patriotic War with 1st Belarussian Front from 29th April 1944.
His first award would be the Order of the Red Star issued by decree of the 76th ‘Yelnya-Dorogobuzh’ Rifle Division on 9th August 1944, at this time he was serving as a Junior Lieutenant and Platoon Commander, 1st Mortar Company, 93rd Rifle Regiment, the citation reading:
‘Comrade Sidorov, in battle for the city of Kovel on 5th July 1944, boldly directed the mortar platoon. Covering the crossing with the fire of his mortars, he suppressed the fire of three enemy firing position. Repelling counter-attacks, he destroyed up to 20 enemy soldiers.’
After the fighting around Kovel, he would continue westward with his unit and would be involved in the fighting around Warsaw, being awarded the Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class by decree of the 125th Rifle Corps on 23rd October 1944 having now been promoted Lieutenant, the citation reading:
‘Comrade Sidorov, in the battles for the city of Praga (Warsaw), skilfully directed the fire of the mortar platoon. Under intense enemy artillery fire, not ceasing fire from his mortars, he destroyed 3 enemy firing positions and 2 anti-tank guns and suppressed the fire of a mortar battery. In addition, he destroyed up to 20 Hitlerites in the area of the cemetery.
In battle, Comrade Sidorov carries himself cooly and commands the platoon assuredly, thereby inspiring his subordinates, who, in spite of the imminent danger of enemy artillery fire, fired on the enemy, not breaking off the fight, and the platoon carried out its assigned combat missions.’
From here, Sidorov would continue in the advance westwards across Poland as part of the Vistula-Oder offensive, and he would be awarded the Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class by decree of the 125th Rifle Corps, the citation reading:
‘Comrade Sidorov, in offensive battles since 14th March 1945, has moved immediately behind the battle line the entire time, laying a path for the advancing infantry with the fire of his mortars. In battle outside the village of Sk*shev*, his platoon destroyed 3 enemy machine guns, an anti-tank gun, and up to 20 enemy soldiers. In battle fo the city of Deutsch Krone, while repelling an enemy counterattack, 2 heavy and 1 light machine gun, 2 anti-tank rifles, and up to 15 enemy soldiers were destroyed by the platoon’s forces. In battle to breach the defences on 2nd March 1945 and outside the village of Garden (?) as part of a company, time and again scattered the enemy infantry that was concentrating for an attack. In these engagements, while repulsing enemy attacks, the platoon destroyed 7 heavy machine guns and up to 30 enemy soldiers.’
After the fighting in Poland, his unit would have moved into position on the Oder for the assault on Berlin that began in mid-April 1945. Sidorov would be awarded the Order of the Red Banner by decree of the 76th ‘Yelnya-Warsaw’ Red Banner, Order of Suvorov Rifle Division, whilst serving as a Lieutenant and Platoon Commander of a 120mm mortar battery, 93rd Rifle Regiment, 76th Rifle Division, the citation reading:
‘Comrade Sidorov, during the period of offensive battles from 14th April 1945 has skilfully and decisively commanded his platoon. In battle for the city of Henningsdorf on 23rd April 1945, under enemy fire, he crossed together with his leading unit, and with his platoon occupied the bridgehead. In that very battle, during an assault on the firing positions by 50 Germans, he managed to organise a defence and repelled the attack, destroying 16 German soldiers and taking 6 prisoner. In battle for the village of Seeburg on 26th April 1945, situated on the lines of the 1st Battalion, with a faust he destroyed 6 hitlerites who were holed up in the attic of a house, which gave the infantry the ability to move forward. In battle for Latow (sic should be Gatow?) on 27th April 1945, changing firing positions, he encountered two German vehicles and in short skirmish captured the vehicles and took 16 soldiers prisoners, including 3 officers. During the offensive by the 3rd Battalion, with two Red Army Soldiers, he dislodged from a building 7 Hitlerites who were impeding the infantry’s advance.’
It is unknown what happened to Sidorov after the war, but it is unlikely he survived to see the 40th Jubilee of Victory in 1985 as there is no award of the Patriotic War on his record card to mark the event.
