Dzemalashvili, Vahtang Dmitrievich, Junior Sergeant, 1367th Rifle Sevastopol Regiment

[CtahhR]

Here is a group to Junior Sergeant Vahtang Dmitrievich Dzemalashvili (Младший Сержант Вахтанг Дмитриевич Дземалашвили) consisting of Order "Red Star", Medal "For Bravery", Medal "For The Defence Of The Caucasus" and two "gratitudes".

This was a forum marketplace purchase in which it was described as "EXCELLENT ENLISTED COMBAT VETERAN SET FROM VICIOUS SOUTHERN BELT/CRIMEA FIGHTING!" so we'll have to see if research corroborates this.

Firstly we have the original marketplace photograph and his "gratitudes".

1944-04-11 For Kerch.
1944-05-10 For Sevastopol.

[CtahhR]

Here is his Order Booklet.

Both awards are present and correct.

His Georgian name is often translated to Russian in various ways so that has made research a bit more interesting than usual.

[CtahhR]

Medal "For Bravery" #815470.

[CtahhR]

Commander of a fire team Submachinegunner Junior Sergeant Comrade Dzemalashvili Vahtang Dmitrievich, during the battle of 3rd October 1943 in the area of the cossack village of Vyshesteblievskaja, He with his squad engaged with volley fire the enemy firing position's flank, thus allowing a devastating, decisive rush to close with the enemy.

Born 1924, Georgian, Member of VKLSM, Joined Red Army 1st August 1942, Gori Region Military Commissariat, Received no wounds.

The hand writing of whoever wrote this is rather poor. I don't know if they were Georgian and unused to Cyrillic or on the move at the time but it is quite scribbled.

Here is the location of the action, right at the end of the Taman peninsula and only a few miles from the Crimean peninsula and Kerch.

[CtahhR]

Order "Red Star" #699160 and unit award list.

[CtahhR]

Name; Dzemalashvili, Vahtang Dmitrievich
Rank; Red Army Soldier (Administrative mistake?)
Position; Submachinegunner, Submachinegun Company, 1367th Rifle "Sevastopol" Regiment, 414th Rifle "Anapskaja" Red Banner Division.
Recommended for; "Red Star"
Date of birth; 1924
Nationality; Georgian
Party membership; VKLSM
Participation in Patriotic War; 1st August 1942 North Caucasian Front
Wounds/Shellshock; Doesn't have
Served in Red Army since; 1942
Recruiting Military Commissariat; Gori, Georgian SSR

During fierce fighting in breaking the enemy fortifications of the city of Sevastopol. Soldier Dzemalashvili demonstrated the highest example of bravery and persistence.
Participating in the assault on the fire points in the area of village "Otradnyj," 9th May 1944, courageously provided heavy fire response on target and ignited a bundle of grenades ensuring a lightning breakthrough of the entire platoon into enemy trenches. During the battle he accounted for 13 personally destroyed Hitlerites.
He is worthy of the award Order "Red Star"

Commander 1367th "Sevastopol" Rifle Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel K?
19th June 1944

Deserving of Order "Red Star".
Commander 414th Rifle Division Major General ?
21st June 1944

Awarded by 414th Rifle Division Order "Red Star" 3rd July 1944.

[CtahhR]

21st September 1944 awarded Medal "For The Defence Of The Caucasus" Л№006425 by 1367 Rifle Regiment.

[CtahhR]

Finally here is a map showing his route in combat. It may have taken him and his unit 4 months to cross from the Taman Peninsula to the Crimean Peninsula but once there it only took a month to liberate Sevastopol.


Maybe PJS was totally on the ball when he stated "EXCELLENT ENLISTED COMBAT VETERAN SET FROM VICIOUS SOUTHERN BELT/CRIMEA FIGHTING!".

Thank you very much.

[CtahhR]

Here is what could very well be the last piece in this puzzle. The date on the Medal Document is the day before this act. Sloppy bureaucrat?

[CtahhR]

Here is the divisional journal from the day of the actions of the Medal "For Bravery".