Notification Of Death.

[CtahhR]

Here is a rather macabre paper item bringing the reality of war to a next of kin.

Viktor Petrovich Golovlev was born in 1897 and joined the Red Army in Frunze, Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic and was killed in Leningrad whilst serving as a Guards Private in the 71st Guards Rifle Division on 4th July 1943.

No awards, no glorious nor victorious battle, just a simple triangular piece of paper keeping this casualty of war's memory.

[CtahhR]

Here is an additional notice sent to the next of kin by the Frunze authorities.

[Lapa]

Ctahhr,

From what you show and what is written, it looks like Viktor Petrovich Golovlev was living in the Frunzenskiy Rayon of Leningrad (48 Ulica Ligovskaya, apartment 26 - today it is called Ligovskiy Prospekt). It is also indicated that he was killed on July 4, 1943 and is buried in Kurskaya Oblast.

Marc

[medals73]

I, too, find these macabre things interesting. I have a large number of them. Here is one just chosen at random.

Just wish I could read them.

[medals73]

Here's another, early in the war. The reverse is blank.

[CtahhR]

I thought that it was strange that he was from Frunze and yet in Leningrad and also with a Russian name.

How is it that only now do I see the word "Leningrad" on the stamp on the second document? Is anything that was named Frunze not now renamed?

This pair of documents were saved from destruction and are now in the collection.

The Official Memorial Website often has information above and beyond that supplied on these notifications and also breaks down the information of each KIA into easily translatable text.

The "early" death is Private Vasilij Jakovlevich Lohankov also from the Frunze district of Leningrad who was serving in the 260th Rifle Regiment when he died on 10th December 1941 (2 months into the siege of Leningrad). Additional information in attached photograph.

The "later" is Starshina Vasilij Ivanovich Mareev, born in 1907, from Belarus, died on 31st January 1944, who is apparently now in a mass grave. The 16th of 17 men of the same name to be killed in the GPW. Is this another Leningrad casualty?

[Lapa]

Originally Posted by CtahhR

...Is anything that was named Frunze not now renamed?...

Why would that be :rolleyes: There still is today a Frunzenskiy Rayon in St Petersburg (and a Krasnogvardeyskiy, a Kalininskiy, a Kirovskiy, and various streets such as Sovetskaya, Sovetskaya Armiya, etc).

Originally Posted by CtahhR

...Is this another Leningrad casualty?

Apparently so. He is buried in the Piskarevski Memorial Cemetary.

Marc

[CtahhR]

I can finally clear up any confusion on the part of Viktor Petrovich Golovlev.

He was born in Saint Petersburg in 1897 and then joined the Red Army in Frunze Kirgyz SSR where he was assigned to the 71st Guards Rifle Division as a Guards Red Army Soldier Rifleman. Killed on 4th July 1944, the eve of the German offensive and start of the battle of Kursk.

His wife was living in Leningrad at the time. As for why he was in Frunze is unknown. Work or education.