Russia – Soviet: An East Prussian Offensive Order of the Red Banner awarded Guards Lieutenant Colonel Nizan Solekhovich Shamshudinov, the Senior Aide to the Head of the Intelligence Department of the 9th Tank Corps, who served as part of a reconnaissance group which destroyed 1 Self Propelled Gun and 120 enemy troops taking a further 108 prisoner. His intelligence information led the artillery being able to deliver defeating blows to the enemy.
Order of the Red Banner, type 3, variation 2, numbered 203132
Condition: Good very fine
Guards Lieutenant Colonel Nizan Solekhovich Shamshudinov was born in the Fedoseevsky settlement, Badaybinsk District, Irkutsk Raion in 1910, having reached the 8th year of school, he joined the Red Army in 1929.
Shamshudinov was to receive a number of decorations and medals during the Great Patriotic War, the first of which was an Order of the Red Banner issued to him 22nd February 1942, presumably for a role in the Defence of Moscow, the medal for which he later received. The next award was an Order of the Red Star for 15 years long service issued to him on 3rd November 1944, that was followed by this Order of the Red Banner issued to him on 23rd April 1945 on the back of the following citation:
‘Guards Major Shamshudinov has proven himself as a brave intelligence officer in the combat engagements during the period 05/Feb – 18/Mar 1945.
He was executing his combat mission assigned to him by the corps commander – intelligence gathering on the enemy and tracking of the own forward forces. He executed this excellently and in timely manner, despite being subjected to the enemy fire. He personally took part in the field intelligence gathering missions on several occasions.
On 5th March 1945 near the town Golzow, he acted as part of the reconnaissance group. The group destroyed an enemy SPG, up to 120 enemy troops and 108 troops took prisoner.
During the engagement, he always reported valuable intelligence on the enemy, which allowed our artillery to deliver defeating blows at the enemy.
For courage and bravery exhibited in battle, he deserves order ‘Red Banner’
Signed by the Commander of the Intelligence Department of 9th Guards Tank Corps. Guards Major Aldoshin.
Shamshudinov would go on to be awarded another Order of the Red Banner on 12th May 1945, before receiving the Medal for the Liberation of Warsaw and the Medal for the Capture of Berlin as well as the Medal for Victory over Germany.
After the war he would receive the Medal for 30 Years of the Red Army and Navy as well a numbered third award of the Order of the Red Banner on 19th November 1951 for 20 years long service in the Red Army. In December 1947 he was serving in the 4th Guards Reduced Tank Regiment, Moscow Academy of the Armoured Corps, and his address is given as Military Unit No.35670, Vyru, Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic.
