Penalty Strike

[roy]

I've just got through reading Alexander V. Pyl'cn's excellent memoir, "Penalty Strike". I must say that this is one of the best Soviet memoirs that I've read in a long time. Lt. Pyl'cyn served as a company commander in a penal battalion for wayward officers, and describes various actions his battalion was in in graphic detail.

Of special interest is his descriptions of awards, recommendations, etc. He speaks of the Bravery medal being very prestigious among the shtrafniks and among the assigned officers alike. If a shtrafnik was awarded a medal or order, he was then released from the battalion and returned to his unit. Since this unit was for officers, those who were awarded the Order of Glory were actually disappointed with it since it was for enlisted men, and that they did not receive a Bravery medal. Later, Pyl'cn describes his new battalion commander as not wanting any of his men being awarded anything higher than what he had earned. For example, the Battalion CO was awarded the Order of Bogdan Khmilnetsky 1st class, so he did recommend his juniors either the 2nd class version or the Order of Alexander Nevsky.

Toward the end of the war, Py'cyn was awarded the Order of the Red Banner, and mentioned that some years after the war, he wrote to the Supreme Soviet requesting a new Red Banner to replace his worn out award. He was informed to return his old award to the Leningrad mint to be refurbished, and when it was returned, it was completely restored, by replacing the gilt, etc. Overall, this was a very, very good book.

[EricFG]

I assume this is in English? Is it published in the US/UK (ie is it common over here)?

[roy]

Yes, it is in English, and is not available in paperback by Stackpole books. It is part of their Military History Series.