Sheffer, Leonid Aleksandrovich, Starshina, Driver, Samarkand MVD

[PaulR]

Thank you so much for adding life to this grouping.

Also, would the fact that he was a policeman explain the Veteran of Labor Medal versus the Veteran of the Armed Services Medal in the grouping?

[CtahhR]

No problem and not necessarily. It all depends on when it was issued, when he left the force and what he did after he left the force.

That bit will remain a mystery I believe.

[Al-muell]

MVD doesn't neccessarily have to mean "policeman" - it may mean interior troops (riot supressing, dealing with internal conflicts, prison guarding...) or - for a short period - Border guards. Also firefighters were under MVD unless I am mistaken.

[CtahhR]

I was using the word "police" as in "policing the nation" rather than as a term for a Militia flatfoot. That being said the Fire Service don't do much policing but when would they have a "driver" trade?

[PaulR]

Is it possible that someone could have served in the military or MVD during the war and not receive a WW2 medal of some sort, not even a victory medal?

[RedMaestro2]

FYI, if one googles this fellow in Russian, you can find a Russian forum thread from 2008 in which the remainder of his anniversary medal docs were sold.

[Al-muell]

I was using the word "police" as in "policing the nation" rather than as a term for a Militia flatfoot. That being said the Fire Service don't do much policing but when would they have a "driver" trade?

I understand. As for the firefighters - someone had to drive those fireengines, right?

[CtahhR]

Where I come from when the fire-engine reaches the fire, the person who drove it there gets out to combat the fire.

Unlike the Internal troops etc. of the MVD, could a firefigther be called armed forces of the USSR? Fireaxe maybe but no machine guns.

[Lapa]

...Unlike the Internal troops etc. of the MVD, could a firefigther be called armed forces of the USSR? Fireaxe maybe but no machine guns.

Actually, I believe that the internal troops of the MVD have never been considered a part of the Armed Forces.

Marc

[CtahhR]

A little strange that VV MVD aren't "armed" but good to know! I have a good few MVD issued Armed Forces Jubilee Medals so there may be something deeper to find there?

Now if only Paul could track down the owner of the rest of this group "With a little help from his friends".