Russia – Soviet: Medal for Bravery, type 2, reverse numbered 2770991 awarded to Rifleman Stepan Nikolaevich Melnik, 8th Rifle Company, 759th ‘Kluzh’ Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky Rifle Regiment, 163rd Romny-Kiev, Order of Lenin, Red Banner, Order of Suvorov, Order of Kutuzov Rifle Division for killing one German and wounding another out of a group of 10 who attempted to sneak through his units defences in Austria on 3rd May 1945 during the final days of the war. The rest of the group threw their weapons away and ran into the woods near Irka in a panic.
Medal for Bravery, type 2, reverse numbered 2770991
Condition: Good Very Fine
Stepan Nikolaevich Melnik was born in the village of Proskurovka, Solobkovetsky District, Kamenets-Podolsky Oblast during 1903. A Ukrainian national he attained an elementary education before joining the Red Army on 14th August 1944.
He quickly received a severe wound on 15th September 1944, but recovered in order to be awarded this Medal for Bravery by decree of the 163rd Rifle Division on 18th May 1945.
Serving as a Rifleman in the 8th Rifle Company, 759th ‘Kluzh’ Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky Rifle Regiment, 163rd Romny-Kiev, Order of Lenin, Red banner, Order of Suvorov, Order of Kutuzov Rifle Division at the time of the award, the citation reads:
‘During the regiment’s battles on the territory of Austria, Comrade Melnik proved himself a courageous and brave soldier. On the defence on 3rd May 1945, Comrade Melnik spotted a group of Germans numbering 10 men attempting to sneak through our defences. Opening fire with his sub-machine gun, he destroyed one Hitlerite and wounded another. The rest threw away their weapons and uniforms and ran in a panic into the woods near Irka.
With his vigilance and bravery, Comrade Melnik prevented an incursion by an enemy group behind our lines.
Comrade Melnik deserves the government award the Order of the Red Star.’
Surviving the war, by July 1947 he was working as a collective farmer in the village of Proskurovka, Solobkovetsky District, Kamenets-Podolsk Oblast whilst also living in the same village.
