Russia – Soviet: An East Prussia Order of Glory 3rd Class to Senior Sergeant A.P. Sanzharevsky, 1158th Rifle Regiment, 352nd Rifle Division for repulsing a German counterattack during the fighting for the village of Matule on 21st October 1944 during whic

Russia – Soviet: An East Prussia Order of Glory 3^rd Class to Senior Sergeant A.P. Sanzharevsky, 1158^th Rifle Regiment, 352^nd Rifle Division for repulsing a German counterattack during the fighting for the village of Matule on 21^st October 1944 during which he destroyed a platoon of infantry and suppressed an enemy firing position.

Order of Glory 3^rd Class, type 2, reverse numbered 186015

Condition: Nearly extremely fine

Aleksandr Pavlovich Sanzharevsky was born in the city of Kharkov in 1920, and served in the Red Army from September 1940 until May 1946.

This Order of Glory 3^rd Class was his first of four awards during the Great Patriotic War, issued by decree of the 352^nd Rifle Division on 6^th November 1944 whilst serving as Loader, 3^rd Mortar Company, 1158^th ‘Minsk’ Rifle Regiment on the back of the following recommendation:

‘In offensive battles from 18.10 to 24.10.1944, Red Army Soldier Sanzharevsky, as loader of a mortar crew, numerous times displayed courage and bravery.
On 21.10.1944, in battles for the village of Matule, the enemy time and again hurled himself at our units in a counterattacks. Two men were left in the mortar crew. The enemy pressed even more fiercely on rifle units with overwhelming forces.
Notwithstanding the dire situation, Red Army Soldier Sanzharevsky courageously fought on with the enemy and thereby made it possible to successfully repulse the counterattack, having destroyed up to a platoon of infantry and suppressed 1 enemy firing position in the process.
I consider Red Army Soldier Sanzharevsky deserving of recommendation for the government award of the Order of Glory 3^rd Class.’

During the early months of 1945, Sanzharevsky was to receive three further decorations, a Medal for Bravery by decree of the 1158^th Rifle Regiment on 15^th February 1945, the Order of the Red Star by decree of the 352^nd Rifle Division on 25^th February 1945 and finally a second Medal for Bravery issued by decree of the 707^th Rifle Division on 16^th April 1945. The latter three awards all for action in the offensives in East Prussia.

After the war Sanzharevsky worked as an electrician at Factory No.2 in the city of Kharkov, whilst living in the village of Kovalenkov nearby.