Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 23001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 564

An Order of the Red Banner awarded to Battalion Commander of Paratroopers M. I. Maksimov, for his part in the defeat of the German forces attacking Ponryi at the Battle of Kursk, and subsequent actions on the Kiev-Zhitomir highway and in the encirclement of German troops on the western bank of the Dnieper in January-February 1944

Russia, Soviet Union, Order of the Red Banner, the reverse numbered '109744', good very fine

Awarded to Battalion Commander of Paratroopers Mikhail Ivanovich Maksimov as a result of the following citation:

'In the battles for the socialist motherland with the German-Fascist invaders, comrade Maksimov showed boldness, bravery, fortitude, courage and the ability to control a Battalion in combat.

In the July battles in the Orel-Kursk direction, comrade Maksimov kept the onslaught of the enemy in the area of the station of Ponyri, the Ponyrevsky farm and during 6-7 July 1943 reflected 8 enemy armoured counterattacks.

In the offensive battles from 15th to 23rd July 1943 the Battalion of comrade Maximov rapidly captured the village of Buzuluk, destroyed 800 enemy soldiers and officers and captured an enemy artillery battery in the battle for height 257.1. Taking height 257.1 provided the railway and station of Little Arkhangelsk to the regiment's units. In these battles, comrade Maximov was seriously injured, returned to service in November 1943 and took command of the battalion in the area of Guta-Zabolotskikh, south of the city of Radomyshl, Kiev region.

Covering the highway Kiev-Zhitomir the battalion of Comrade Maksimov from 20th to 27th November 1943 reflected 14 counterattacks of large forces of enemy tanks and infantry and kept the defence on the specified boundary. In these battles, comrade Maksimov was seriously wounded, but did not leave the battlefield.

In the fighting from 5th to 15th February 1944 in the area of the village of Fedyukovka, Lisinsky District, Kiev region, loyal to the battalion, Comrade Maksimov kept the onslaught and reflected 6 tank attacks of the enemy, who sought to break through our defences and to enter the compound surrounded by enemy troops in the town of Zvenigorodka, Shpola and in 10 days of defensive fighting, the enemy lost 11 tanks and up to 2 battalions of infantry at the location of comrade Maksimov's battalion.

For his courage and bravery in the battles against the German invaders, the skilful management of the battalion in combat with the result that the enemy lost a large number of personnel and equipment, as well for repeatedly carrying out daring, successful offensive operations, comrade Maximov is proposed for the government award - order 'Red Banner'.

The battles around Ponryi and Maloarkhangelsk (Little Arkhangelsk) were the decisive engagements on the northern face of the Kursk bulge, determined and persistent German armoured attacks continuously hammered into the Red Army's defences over a number of days, all to no avail, and the attack stalled within the first week, and while the southern pincer broke through numerous Soviet defence lines only to be strategically (although arguably not tactically) defeated by the counterattack of the 5th Guards Tank Army at the Battle of Prokhorovka on 12th July, the northern face of the bulge had at that point been stalemated for a number of days before the start of Operation Kutuzov (the Red Army's counterattack to capture Orel) and forced the withdrawal of the German forces attacking the area of Ponryi and the Olkhovatka ridge.

The battle of the Kiev-Zhitomir highway was significant in cutting off German attacks to retake the important city of Kiev, and the use of the area as a jumping-off point subsequently led to encirclement battles in which numerous German divisions were surrounded and destroyed in the early months of 1944.



Subject to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. For more information please view Terms and Conditions for Buyers.

Sold for
£750

Starting price
£140