Red Star,3548523,50mm Mortar Commander/Partisan,305th Battalion/Garibaldi Brigade

[CtahhR]

Red Star #3548523.

[CtahhR]

It turns out this very inexpensive, presumed long service award was something very special indeed.

1. Family, Nazarjan
2. Name And Patronym, Andronik Petrosovich
3. Military Rank, Junior Lieutenant
4. Sex, Male
5. Year Of Birth, 1915
6. Place Of Birth, Kirovobad, AzSSR
7. Party Membership, Non-Partisan
8. Education, Higher
9. Nationality, Armenian
10. From Which Year In Red Army, From 1941
11. Which Service And Position At Time Of Award, 83rd Separate Red Banner Naval Brigade, 305th Battalion - Commander Of Mortar Company
12. Place Of Service And Position At Current Time, Sanitary Epidemiology Station, Parasite Logics Section, Senior Hydro-Technical Engineer, Kirovabad AzSSR
13. Current address of awarded, Red House, Volodarsk Street 51, Kirovobad AzSSR.

Order "Red Star" 3548523 Decree of 27th January 1958.

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1. Family, Name and Patronym. Nazarjan, Andronik Petrosovich
2. Rank. Lieutenant
3. Position and unit. Commander Of A Mortar Company, 83rd Separate Red Banner Novorossijsk Naval Brigade, 305th Battalion
Presented For Award of the Order "Red Star".
4. Year of birth. 1915
5. Nationality. Armenian
6. Party Membership. Non-Partisan
7. Participation in the Civil War, subsequent military activity in defence of the USSR and Patriotic War (where, when) In the staff of 83rd Separate Red Banner Novorossijsk Naval Brigade, 305th Battalion from 03-1942 to 12-1943
8. Has been wounded, contused. Not Had.
9. From which time in the Soviet Army. 15-08-1941 to 04-1947.
10. Which Regional Military Commissariat called. Kirovabad City Military Commissariat, Azeri SSR.
11. Has been awarded. Not been.
12. Current home address of presented for awarding and address of their family. Azeri SSR, Kirovabad, Krasnoe Selo, Volodarsk Street #43.

Comrade Nazarjan A. P. positioned in the active Army in the staff of the 83rd Separate Red Banner Novorossijsk Naval Brigade, 305th Battalion, Crimean Front in battle for the taking of Kerch' 12th December 1943 taken into captivity.

In captivity located in the camp of military prisoners at Simferolpol', from there he was transferred to the camp of military prisoners at Peremyshl', Kaluga Oblast, from the specified camp was transferred to a work camp for the Germans in Dolceacqua (Italy), from where he fled and joined with the Italian Partisan Brigade named "Garibaldi", where he was located from 08-08-1944 to 05-1945 and took participation in battle against the Germans.
As testified by the Commander of the Partisan Brigade Named "Garibaldi" he destroyed a group of Germans and blew up one bridge in the rear of the Germans and took active participation for the liberations of Andora, Alassio, Albenga (Northern Italy).
Liberated by American troops in 1945.
Passed the special counter-intelligence test of Soviet Troops in Auschwitz, after that from 09-1945 to April 1947 served in the ranks of the Soviet Army - In the troops of the MVD of the Kazakh SSR, in position of head of military housing allowances and from this position retired to the reserve of the Soviet Army.
For showing courage and valour in battle with German invaders in defence of the Homeland is worthy of award of the Order "Red Star".
Presenting Comrade Nazarjan A.P. for presentation of award of the Order "Red Star" agreed by local, party and Soviet organs.

Kirovograd City Military Commissar Lieutenant-Colonel Atakishiev

26th June 1957.

[dalcaissian]

I'm always amazed at the stories these medals can tell.

[CtahhR]

It really can be Russian roulette. I think I paid €12 for this Red Star in Belgium and it's turned out to be a really exceptional piece. Along with the Bajkonur Red Star and the Nightwitches Male Combat Merits, this is a very obscure find. If I can find this sort of thing, anyone can. Most awards are for desk jockeys, drivers, signallers and artillerists but that's just the way it goes. If you buy enough tickets, you'll win the prize.

Here are maps of his travels, quite a few miles under his belt. When taken prisoner in Crimea, strangely he was sent north to the quickly retreating front, rather than being sent directly to the rear. Seems like a waste of logistics to me. Having the names of the specific settlements is a great bonus. It would be nice to find out just which bridge he destroyed. It had to be one in that area and time. A local historian would probably be of assistance there.

[desantnik]

Blank Italian Garibaldi Star of Valor certificate awarded to a Soviet participant of the Garibaldi Brigade. I have a book on the unit and many of its participants in deep storage - maybe it will one day provide more information.

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On 11th December 1943 the 83rd Naval Infantry Brigade lost 32 officers at Kerch'. Every one of them taken prisoner. They will have been the last stragglers of the Romanian-German offensive during the Kerch'–El'tigen Operation.

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A before and after pair of photographs. Interesting facial hair after being taken POW.