Russia – Soviet: An excellent Jassy-Kishinev Offensive Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class to Pyotr Yakovlevich Shamarin, the commander of an anti-tank gun platoon of the Motorised Rifle Battalion of the 39th Tank Brigade, 28th Tank Crops, for destroying 5 light vehicles, an enemy battery, 2 dugouts and 5 firing positions between 21st and 25th August 1944 during the early days of the Soviet invasion of Romania.
Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class, type 2, flatback reverse, numbered 244368
Condition: A small chip to the white enamel around the centre-piece, otherwise Good very fine
Pyotr Yakovlevich Shamarin was born in the village of Shamary, Shalya Raion, Sverdlovsk Oblast in 1920, joining the Red Army in September 1940 and becoming a member of the Communist Party in 1944. .
This Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class was Shamarin’s first award, issued to him by Order of the 23rd Tank Corps on 16th September 1944, for his role in the invasion of Romania that took place during August 1944 and led to the overthrow of the Romanian Axis supporting government, leading to the country changing sides and fighting alongside the Red Army. In his position as Commander of an antitank gun platoon of the Motorised Rifle Battalion of the 39th Tank Brigade, 28th Tank Corps, the award was made with the following citation:
‘Between August 21 and 25, 1944, comrade P.Y. Shamarin skilfully commanded his firing platoon during the fighting with the German occupiers near Sarca, the forest at the village of Beila-Strunga, Roman, Bacau and Onesti (Romania). He provided complete and accurate firing data and his gun destroyed 5 light vehicles, an enemy battery, 2 dugouts, and 5 firing positions. With his personal weapon comrade Shamarin himself killed 3 enemy officers and 10 soldiers.
As he approached the Siret River, the enemy blew up the bridge. Comrade Shamarin was the first to put his guns across the river, pulling the cannons through a ford in the river by hand, caught up with the tanks, and alongside the tanks fought for control of the city of Bacau.
During the fighting for the village of Onesti on March 25, 1944 his guns provided fire support for the tanks. Using direct fire mode he forced an enemy self-propelled gun to withdraw. During this engagement comrade Shamarin was wounded, but he refused to abandon his firing position until the battle was over.
He deserves the Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class, signed by the Commander of the Motorised Submachine-Gun Battalion, Major Muromstev.
Subsequently Shamarin was to go on to receive an Order of the Red Star on 25th May 1945 by Order of the 39th Tank Brigade, this most likely for his role in the Vienna Offensive of the previous month.
Going on to receive a Medal for Combat Merit on 15th November 1950 for 10 years long service and an Order of the Red Star for 15 years long service on 30th December 1956. He was also in receipt of the Medal for the Capture of Budapest, Medal for the Capture of Vienna, a Medal for the Victory over Germany and a Medal for the 30th Anniversary of the Soviet Army and Navy.
At the time of his final award he was serving as a Battery Commander in the Motorised Submachine-Gun Battalion of the 39th Tank Regiment, 23rd Tank Division
