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GUARDS SERGEANT VASILY FEDOROVICH TELKOV
CAVALIER OF THE ORDER OF GLORY
By Henry Sakaida
page 4 of 4
During February 1 - 3, 1945, the troops of the 1st Ukrainian
Front crossed the Oder River and captured the bridgehead in the region
of Olau and Opelna. In those battles, the field engineers functioned bravely,
together with the field troops. They crossed the Oder, then captured the
bridgehead on the western bank. In the course of action, a group led by
Telkov, dynamited a railway bridge behind the Oder. On February 26th,
Vasily Telkov was decorated with the Order of Glory 2nd Class. In the
first half of April, the troops of the 5th Guard Army received an order
from the commander of the front, Marshal I.S. Konev, to cross the river
Spree and capture the bridgehead on its left bank. The field troops were
supported by the tanks of the 4th Guard Army. The task was difficult.
It became complicated because the field troops had to cross the river
Neise without the support of tanks. On April 16th, early in the morning,
a powerful preparatory bombardment started, strengthened by the operation
of the 1st and 2nd Guard Aviation Corps and the 2nd Air Army. The field
engineers began constructing river crossings. One of the rifle company
commanders making his way to the river, cried out: "Where are you,
field engineers? You could help ferry "Maximka" across to the other bank!"
"We will do it right now, comrade captain!" answered Telkov, carrying
a wooden shed gate to the river. The field engineers of the detachment
ran after him with boards and planks on their shoulders. The ferry boat
was readied on time. Two medium machineguns were placed on it and the
raft pushed off the bank. Soon the field engineers and pontoon bridgemen
came and started building crossings over the Neise. Then there were battles
on the river Spree. Crossing this river, Telkov and his men were the first
to get to the railway bridge and hoist the red flag on it.
The commander of the 5th Guard Army, General A.S. Zdanov and a member
of the Military Council of the Army General A.M. Krivulin, put in the
brave field engineer for a decoration. The award citation was written:
"He is worthy of the Order of Glory 1st Class. On the decree of the
Supreme Soviet of the USSR on June 27, 1945, Vasily Fedorovich Telkov
is decorated with this order."--This is the first of a several articles Henry Sakaida will be contributing to the website. Your feedback is appreciated. |
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