Glory III,677389,Rifleman,14th Rifle Regiment,72nd Red Banner Rifle Division

[andrew6767]

I purchased a lone Order of Glory third class 677389 from Alexei a year or so ago with the intention of having it researched. It did sit for a while , but I eventually got around to it and have received the research.

I must say he certainly picked me a good one :)

Arhipov Pavel Mihajlovich. Born in 1911 in the village of M. Konezarye (Luga subregion, Leningrad region). Nationality - Russian. Non-party member. Education level - elementary. Military rank - Private. In Red Army from March 1944 till September 1945.

Rank and position at the time of being awarded - Private, rifleman of 14th Rifle Regiment, 72nd "Pavlovsk" Red Banner Rifle Division.

" On June 10, 1944 during the breakthrough of a heavily fortified enemy defence line near the station of Beloostrov, comrade Arhipov with his machine-gun personally destroyed two enemy firing positions with their crew. During the forced crossing of the river Sestra he was the first to reach enemy trenches, where he personally killed up to platoon of Finnish soldiers. His action provided an opportunity for our advanced infantry units to move forvard with minimal losses. "
Signed by the commander of 14th Rifle Regiment Major Korolev.



Comrade Arhipov would have recieved it for the battle below :

" At the Karelian Isthmus, there were on average 120 artillery pieces every kilometer, raising up to 220/km at the breakthrough sector at Valkeasaari. On June 9, the Soviet offensive began, surprising the defending Finns. During the day, the Soviets captured frontline trenches and destroyed fortifications, so they were in good starting positions when the main thrust began at the morning of June 10, which shattered the Finnish defence at the breakthrough sector. Already, on June 13, the VT-line was reached and although it held out in the Siiranmäki, it was breached at the Kuuterselkä on June 15."