Russia – Soviet: An excellent backdated 1941 Combat Commander’s Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class to Lieutenant Colonel Stanislav Ivanovich Bovkun, the Chief of Signals of the 2nd Astrakhan Infantry School who had been involved in heavy combat during t

Russia – Soviet: An excellent backdated 1941 Combat Commander’s Order of the Patriotic War 2^nd Class to Lieutenant Colonel Stanislav Ivanovich Bovkun, the Chief of Signals of the 2^nd Astrakhan Infantry School who had been involved in heavy combat during the fighting of 1941 and the subsequent winter counterattacks, he had been removed from the frontline in April 1942 due to being wounded, and then saw service in training establishments for the remainder of the war, eventually holding a post at a Ministry of Internal Affairs Prisoner of War Camp in the city of Voronezh.

Order of the Patriotic War 2^nd Class, type 2, flatback reverse, numbered 808031

Condition: Good very fine

Lieutenant Colonel Stanislav Ivanovich Bovkun was born in the village of Maksimovka, Krasnograd Raion, Poltava Oblast in 1908, and joined the Red Army in 1927, becoming a member of the Communist Party in 1928. He saw service from 22^nd June 1941 until April 4^th 1942, when he was wounded. He subsequently served as the Chief of Signals of the 2^nd Astrakhan Infantry School. Being awarded an Order of the Red Star for Long Service in November 1944, he was later to receive an Order of the Patriotic War 2^nd Class in 11^th January 1946 the citation for which is as follows:

‘During the Patriotic War Lieutenant Colonel Bovkun took part in the combat operations on the front line, serving as commander of the 200^th Independent Signal Battalion (124^th Rifle Division, 5^th Army, Southwestern Front).

He was stationed at the front from 22^nd June 1941 to 4^th April 1942. He was removed from the front due to being wounded.

From day one of the Patriotic War Lieutenant Colonel Bovkun was directly involved in the fighting on the Novovolynsk, Korosten, Chernigov, Sumy and Kharkov Axes.

In battle he maintained the composure and remained equanimous and he was merciless toward the enemy. Between June 22^nd 1941 and September 3^rd 1941 comrade Bovkun exercised battle command on 11 occasions when the Germans attacked the divisional command post. All attacks were repelled and after each counterattack the enemy left many dead bodies, weapons, ammunition, and other munitions behind on the battlefield and pulled back, as a result of which the divisional staff was able to function smoothly.

On 25^th September 1941 during the fighting for the town of Krasilovka (Sumy Oblast), comrade Bovkin was evacuated from the front to a hospital after several contusions and suffering a severe wound.

For distinguishing himself in battle during the Patriotic War, Lieutenant Colonel Bovkun deserves the Order of the Patriotic War 1^st Class.’

Awards for Combat in 1941 are hard to find, the Soviet authorities being reluctant at the time to issue these Orders whilst they were in headlong retreat and in danger of being defeated. Some however, were given out after the War had finished, particularly to individuals who had been wounded at the time and could no longer serve.

By 10^th November 1947 he was serving as the Deputy Chief of the Administration of the 82^nd MVD (Ministry of Internal Affairs) Prisoner of War Camp in the city of Voronezh, where he was living at 1 Rostovskaya Street. Interestingly he was also awarded a second Order of the Patriotic War 2^nd Class on the same date as this one according to his Record Card, the reasons for this are unknown.