Russia - Soviet: Order of the Red Star, 2nd Type, reverse numbered: ‘2279504’, awarded to Rifleman I.I. Prely, a Submachine-gunner in the 1st Company, 2nd Independent Mountain Rifle Battalion, 3rd Independent “Pechenga” Red-Banner Mountain Rifle Brigade, formerly 163rd Rifle Regiment of the same brigade. Prely was decorated for his bravery during the fighting to capture the town of Příbor in the Moravian-Silesian Region of what is now the Czech Republic. He was first to burst into the enemy trenches and with fire from his machine gun destroyed 5 enemy soldiers, as well as a submachine gunner in a house in Příbor, who was holding up the advance. Prely was lightly wounded in action on 20th April 1945.
Russia - Soviet: Order of the Red Star, 2nd Type, silver and enamel, with Monetny Dvor mint mark to reverse with the semi- to full flared edges and without screw-post base, reverse numbered in hand engraved form: ’2279504’. With slightly later back plate.
Condition: enamel work good, some signs of wear, overall Good Very Fine.
Ivan Ivanovich Prely was born in 1917 in the village of Malay Annovka, in the Dubovyazovsky district of the Sumy Oblast in what is now the northeastern part of Ukraine, and saw service in the Red Army from October 1938 to August 1946. During the Great Patriotic War he saw service as a Rifleman in the 163rd Rifle Regiment of the 3rd Independent Mountain Rifle Brigade up to January 1945, and from then onwards as a Submachine-gunner in the 1st Company, 2nd Independent Mountain Rifle Battalion, 3rd Independent “Pechenga” Red-Banner Mountain Rifle Brigade and fighting on the 4th Ukrainian Front. It was in this role that he was recommended for the award of the Order of the Red Star on 18th December 1944, as duly announced in Decree of the 3rd Independent “Pechenga” Red-Banner Mountain Rifle Brigade No.018 of 3rd June 1945.
The citation reads as follows: ‘Red Army Soldier Prely, Ivan Ivanovich, 1st Company, 2nd Mountain Rifle Battalion, in offensive battles against the German invaders displayed courage and bravery. In the area of Vin-Gora and the city of Příbor, Comrade Prely was first to burst into the enemy trenches and with fire from his machine gun destroyed 5 enemy soldiers, as well as a submachine gunner in a house in Příbor, who was holding up the advance. Comrade Prely skilfully approached the house and destroyed the machine gunner. Comrade Prely deserves the government award of the Order of the Red Star.’
At the time that he earned his award, his unit was fighting for the town of Příbor in the Moravian-Silesian Region of what is now the Czech Republic. Prely was lightly wounded in action on 20th April 1945, and is also entitled to the Medal for the Victory Over Germany. As of August 1947, Prely was back in the village of Malay Annovka, and working as a collective farmer there.
