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Auction: 21002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 485

A Soviet Order of the Red Banner awarded to Master Sergeant S. I. Savchuk, who served as Chief Petty Officer aviation-signaller of 406 Separate Signalling Company, Technical Service of the Coastal Defence of the Tallinn Naval Defensive Area, Baltic Fleet who had seen over 25 years in the Kronstadt area dating back to 1918, and who had seen service during the Russian Civil War

Russia, U.S.S.R., Order of the Red Banner, Type 3, Variation 1, reverse officially numbered '150583', good very fine

Semyon Iosifivoch Savchuk was born in 1890 and joined the Red Army on 23 February 1918 and was a member of the Communist Party in 1926.

Savchuk's initial service saw him on the 'Melita' as part of the Baltic Fleet in early 1918, before he spent just over a year on the Cruiser Ryrik.

By May 1919 Savchuk had seen the last of his ship assignments, and was listed as a Chief Petty Officer Signaller in the Kronstadt Naval Area Observation and Signalling Service where he remained until December 1938, after a short break in his Naval Service from December 1938-October 1939, he once again took up the role of a Chief Petty Officer Signaller in the Kronstadt Naval Area until June 1940, when he became a Chief Petty Officer - Aviation Signaller with 406th Separate Signalling Company, Technical Service of the Coastal Defence of the Tallinn Naval Defensive Area, Baltic Fleet, he continued to serve in this role until the award of this Order of the Red Banner, a downgraded Order of Lenin issued to him as a result of a recommendation in September 1944. He had previously received the Medal for 20 Years of the Red Army and Navy and the Medal for the Defence of Leningrad.

This Long Service award is unusual in that it carries a citation which states:

'During the service in the company, comrade Savchuk proved himself as highly disciplined, all around-educated, and demanding to himself and the subordinates. He is politically tempered, persistent and proactive in achieving the given tasks. He systematically improves his combat and specialist proficiency. He is very experienced in working with enlisted personnel and efficiently organises their work. He possesses and uses effectively commanding vocabulary.

On 7th November 1944, his service seniority is 25 years 10 months. He deserves state award Order 'Lenin'.

Signed by the Commander of 406th Separate Signalling Company Technical Service Captain Dervin.'

Nothing else is known of Savchuk's subsequent military service, but aged 54, and having served 25 years, it would be likely that he was to receive an Order of Lenin the following year. The Red Banner being given for 20 years service, many individuals were given this award first in the November 1944 list, before being given their 25 years service Order of Lenin the following February, so that they were able to pick up both awards; sold together with citation and other research, including english translation.

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Sold for
£180

Starting price
£130