Russia – Soviet: A very fine Romanian Offensive Order of the Red Banner awarded to Stalingrad veteran Guards Captain Vasily Ilyich Timofeev, Adjutant to the Commander of the 27th Rifle Corps who under orders went out to the foot of the hill and in spite of the storm of enemy fire roused the sub-units of the 3rd Rifle Battalion, 222nd Guards Rifle Regiment to attack, and in the course of 20 minutes captured height 589, which held special operational importance for the development of the further offensive. Timofeev displayed exceptional bravery, courage and initiative, making a dash, he blocked the enemy firing positions on the hill which the Hungarians and Germans were forced to leave, and Comrade Timofeev personally destroyed as many as 3 enemy firing positions, due to the timely capture of this important height, units of the division were given the ability to develop the further offensive. He would continue to fight until the end of the war taking part in offensive operations in both Hungary and Czechoslovakia.
Order of the Red Banner, the reverse numbered 203290
Condition: Good Very Fine
Vasily Ilyich Timofeev was born in the village of Bolshaya Lyady, Soletsky District, Leningrad Oblast in 1916. A Russian national he completed 8 grades of middle school and joined the Red Army from December 1939 until October 1945.
He would see service during the Patriotic War from 22nd June 1941, the first day, and would see service on the Western, Central, Stalingrad, Voronezh, Steppe, 2nd Ukrainian Front.
The recipient of several decorations during the war, the first of which was a Medal for Combat Merits by decree of the 65th Army on 31st December 1942, the second an Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class by decree of the Commander of Artillery of the 65th Army on 11th September 1943, the third would be an Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class by decree of the 24th Guards Rifle Corps on 6th September 1944, the fourth an Order of the Red Star by decree of the 72nd Guards Rifle Division on 23rd January 1945, and finally this Order of the Red Banner, his fifth and final decoration would be issued by decree of the 7th Guards Army on 25th May 1945.
At the time of the award he was serving as a Guards Captain and Adjutant to the Commander of the 27th Rifle Corps the citation reads:
‘During the period of the offensive by units of the division on height 589 (Translyvania) at 09.00 on 22.09.1944, when the enemy, with a hail of fire was preventing sub-units of the 222nd Guards Rifle Regiment from rising to the attack, Comrade Timofeev, on my orders, personally went out to the foot of the hill and in spite of the storm of enemy fire roused the sub-units of the 3rd Rifle Battalion, 222nd Guards Rifle Regiment to attack, and in the course of 20 minutes captured height 589, which held special operational importance for the development of the further offensive. In that battle, Comrade Timofeev displayed exceptional bravery, courage, and initiative, making a dash, he blocked the enemy firing positions on the hill, which the Hungarians and Germans were forced to leave, and Comrade Timofeev personally destroyed as many as 3 enemy fire positions. Thanks to the timely capture of this important height, units of the division were given the ability to develop the further offensive.
During the period of offensive battles from 26th March 1945 to 5th April 1945, during the forcing of the rivers Hron, Nitra and Warta. Comrade Timofeev successfully fulfilled missions from Command in relaying combat orders to the commanders of units and in establishing personal communications with them, which facilitated timely fulfilment of assigned tasks,
In battles southeast of the city of Mikulov (Czechoslovakia), situated in the combat lines of the division’s units, when the enemy counterattacked the units with superior forces, Comrade Timofeev precisely organised the repulse of the enemy’s counterattacks.
For valour, courage and bravery displayed in battles, he deserves awarding of the Order of the Red Banner.’
By 2nd January 1947 he would employed as the Director of the Procurement Office, Vsevolozhsky District Consumers’ Association.
