Ministry Of Defence Personal Files.

[Tommy]

Here is our soldiers story of his time at war and the explanation of how he became surrounded by the enemy and hid for a year before joining a partisan detachment and being picked up by the Red Army when they re-liberated the Ukraine.

An Explanatory Memorandum
Senior Lieutenant Kakhersky N.L

In 1941, August 9, I as part of the 4th Infantry Division, 39th Infantry Regiment went to the front from Voroshilovgrad and arrived in the Zaporizhia region, Mikhailovsky distric, town of Prishin on the South-Western Front, where we were unloaded and moved, marching to the front lines, where on the 11th of August, we entered the fray.
From the first days we conducted offensive battles, resulting in Bolshoe Belozerka, small Belozerka, Pavlivka and other settlements being taken by us. Our offensive didn’t last long, our assault stopped and we were forced to conduct defensive battles. In October 1941, we were surrounded in the area of Small-Belozerka, where rapid nightly attacks came howling from our surroundings.

The month of November again brought us no respite, it was at Tokmakov that our 4th Infantry Division later broke. On the night of the 21st to the 22nd November 1941, we moved for a breakthrough from surroundings and at daybreak, took up positions to strike when dawn broke. The Germans under cover of a heavy artillery fire moved on us, where their first attack was repulsed. It was here I became lost from my 120mm mortar platoon, losing the gun crew together with mortar itself also. A German shell landed under the mortar, causing the bipod and gun carriage to be completely broken. I received orders to take one mortar to another firing point in one of the ravines where there was a swamp. When we started to relocate firing point I was wounded in the arm, but even so, the firing point was established and were ready to fight. When I reached the observation post, I saw around a platoon of cavalrymen who rode in our direction. It was our platoon of Cavalry, who reported that German tanks were moving from the rear and later, 8 German tanks had soon reached the rear areas our troops. The Germans simultaneously with the appearance of their tanks rose from two directions. From one direction, we did not even know that they were there and when they moved to the attack us, our ranks rose and made a panicked escape.

Seeing such a situation, I opened fire with mortars on the Germans but did not have time to release more as something began to open fire from the other end of the swamp. It turned out that at the other end of the swamp were two German armoured cars waiting in ambush. As a result, I left to find the gun crew and instead found the Germans. Seeing this situation I decided to drown the Mortar in the swamp myself as was able to shoot my way out, which I did. After a short while the Germans had completely overtaken and I took refuge in the swamp and stayed until night. At night I left the swamp and started to make my way out of the German encirclement. After walking a few nights I was quite exhausted and because I was wounded I decided to go to the village. In the village of Ukraine Zaporozhye region, I spent 10 days and later went to my native Chernigov region and stopped in the village Gunkovka, Lyubech district, Chernihiv region, where I lived from January 1942 to January 1943. In January 1943, I left to join the partisan unit Dzerzhinsky led by Comrade Popudrenka. I worked as a cobbler i.e. sewed boots for people. Germans not been to the village and none had got to me. In the partisan detachment that I had been in from January 1943 to October 1943 I commanded a platoon of scouts. After the liberation by the Red Army, I was taken to work Lyubechesky district military commissariat as a senior instructor for military training of students where I worked from October 1943 to February 1944.

In February 1944, I was sent to state.checking in special NKVD camp 240, in the Stalin Region, near Mannrikino, where I remained until April 1944. April 1, 1944 I was sent to 11th Separate Penal Battalion where I stayed until July 1944. I was removed from the assault battalion as I distinguished myself in battle, where I was awarded the "Red Star". After the 11th Independent Assault Rifle Battalion I was sent to the 63rd independent officers' reserve regiment 3rd Belorussian Front to restore my rank and by order of the OK-3rd Belorussian Front No.289, I was enlisted into the reserve with as position in the command of a Rifle Platoon. In August 1944, I was sent to the 1136th Rifle Regiment, 338th Rifle Division as platoon commander, but once there, soon took over the Company. I stayed in the 1136th Rifle Regiment, 338th Rifle Division, from August to October 1944. On October 22nd, in East Prussia I was wounded in the leg and was sent to recover in hospital No.3654 Tatar ASSR, Norlad, where I was until February 1945. In February 1945, I was sent to the hospital in the 7th independent officers’ reserve regiment, where I stayed for a few days and soon left for the front, where I got into 277th Rifle Division, 854th Rifle Regiment, where I am and currently as commander of an infantry company. I participated in the battles against the Japanese imperialists in Manchuria as part of the 277th Rifle Division, 854th Rifle Regiment.

Commander of the 6th Rifle Company
Senior Lieutenant / [signed] / Kakhersky
10.5.48

[Tommy]

After his time in the NKVD processing camp, Kakhersky was sent to a Penal Battalion. To repay his cowardice in blood or bravery.Thankfully, he chose bravery. He was awarded this Red Star for combat in the Battalion and reinstated to the Reserve.

Award sheet

All fields to be filled out fully
Award sheet

1. Last name, first name, and patronymic: Kakhersky, Nikolai Lvovich
2. Rank: Sergeant
3. Position and unit: Leader of Squad of Submachinegunners, 11th separate assault Battalion
Nominated for: Order of the Red Star
4. Year of birth: 1922
5. Nationality: Ukrainian
6. Party affiliation: Komsomol since 1938
7. Participation in the Patriotic War, the subsequent combat actions to defend the USSR, and the Patriotic War (where and when): 9.8.41 to 29.10.41 Southwestern Front. 15.5.44 3rd Belorussian Front.
8. Wounds and contusions received during the Patriotic War: None
9. Since when in the Red Army: Since 1939
10. Drafted by which military commissariat:Lyubechsky Military Commissariat, Chernigov Oblast
11. Awards received previously (when and for which merits): No previous awards
12. Permanent home address of the prospective awardee and the address of his family: Chernigov Oblast, Lyubechsky District, village of Lyubechsky. Wife Kakherskats, Elena Aleksandrovna

Short, concrete description of his combat feat or merits:

During the breakthrough of the heavily fortified line of the enemy defense on 22.6.44 at the village of Pushevo, with his squad destroyed a machine gun crew and enemy observer. On 23.6.44 in Pustynniki he took an active part in the capture of self-propelled guns belonging to the enemy.

Commander of the 11th Separate Assault Battalion
Lieutenant Colonel / [signed] / Miroshnichenko

After recovering from a gunshot wound to the leg sustained in 1944, he was sent to the Far East.

This is a character assessment that is interesting signed by a HSU.

Character Certificate

On the officer of the 7th Separate Order Reserve officer corps, Lieutenant Kakhersky Nikolai Lvovich.Year of birth 1922. Born in Chernihiv region, Lyubech district,Village of Lyubech. Komsomol member. Nationality - Ukrainian, Social situation – Student. Education: Overall 7 grades. Military courses for junior lieutenants. In the Red Army since 1939. Participant in the Patriotic War, Injured twice, fit for military service.



During his period of service in the second company, Lieutenant Kokhersky accurately attended classes, resulting in a good performance in military and political training. He uses his private time to better himself. In everyday life he is courteous, smart and polite. He understands tactics, in the capacity of a rifle company commander of small arms, well. He is interested in Fiction Books.

Could be used as a commander of an infantry company.

Commander of the 2nd Company.
28th April 1945. Senior Lieutenany / [signed] / Bigin

“I agree with the characterization”
Commander of the 1st Batallion
28th April 1945. Captain / [signed] / Davydov

“Approved”Commander of the 7th Rifle Regiment, Reserve officer corps
Hero of the Soviet Union
Lieutenant Colonel / [signed] / Stashek
30th April 1945

He was again decorated for action on the Far Eastern Front.

Award sheet

All fields to be filled out fully

Award sheet

1. Last name, first name, and patronymic: Kakhersky, Nikolai Lvovich
2. Rank: Lieutenant
3. Position and unit: Commander of a Rifle Company
Nominated for: Order of the Red Star
4. Year of birth: 1922
5. Nationality: Ukrainian
6. Party affiliation: Komsomol since 1938
7. Participation in the Patriotic War, the subsequent combat actions to defend the USSR, and the Patriotic War (where and when): 9.8.41 Southwestern Front. 27.4.44 3rd Belorussian Front. 9.8.45 1st Far Eastern Front
8. Wounds and contusions received during the Patriotic War: Wounded 22.10.44 on the 3rd Belorussian Front
9. Since when in the Red Army: Since 15.10.1939
10. Drafted by which military commissariat:Lyubechsky Military Commissariat, Chernigov Oblast
11. Awards received previously (when and for which merits): Red Star, Prikaz No.020/N 24.6.44 5th Army
12. Permanent home address of the prospective awardee and the address of his family: Chernigov Oblast, Lyubechsky District, village of Lyubechsky. Wife Kakherskats, Elena Aleksandrovna

Short, concrete description of his combat feat or merits:

Rifle company commander Lieutenant Kahersky in combat with the Japanese 14.08.45 southwestern Moulin by personal example of bravery and courage drew his company in to the attack and resolutely executed the capture of enemy positions and inflicted significant casualties on the enemy.

Commander of the 854th Red Banner Order of Suvorov Rifle Regiment
Colonel / [signed] / Marfenkov

15.9.45

[Eryk]

Fascinating find. What's the Cyrillic spelling for the village names Pushevo and Pustynniki?

[Tommy]

Cheers Eryk!

Theyre written Пущево & пустынники

Tom

[Eryk]

No joy in finding the names on a map. Here is a snip showing the 277th Rifle Division's front on 22-June-44; from the doc it looks like that's the division the 11th Penal Battalion was under at the time (though it's probably carried as an Army or even Front asset). Lots of unnamed villages on the map, as well as being the "heavily fortified line" with many OPs.

All speculation, but what the heck.

[Tommy]

Speculate to accumulate Eryk! Thats half the fun.


His file goes up to around 1953, later in his career it seems he became a bit insubordinate and turned up to work drunk sometimes. He certainly wasn't a "model solider" but he was definitley an interesting one!

[Eryk]

Completely agree. His story is extraordinary, especially as it started so young.

Interesting for us is there was some debate on whether or not personnel in penal units were given awards. His story is another piece of evidence that they were.

[Al-muell]

Grat purchese! I think I saw this file for sale some time ago - cought my eye, but I had to pass on it for financial reasons. It turns out to have been even more interesting than it looked at the first glance.
Glad it ended up in good hands.:thumbsup

[Auke]

There was a great personnel file on eBay the other day. I considered bidding on it, but it went for for more than $200 - probably because it had the signatures of MSU Chuikov, 1 three-star, 2 two-star, and 2 one-star generals. I was kind of hoping that nobody would notice that... ;)

[andrew6767]

A great read Tommy, thanks for posting it up.