Order of Alexander Nevsky # 23501 Captain Liudas Karlovich Bradauskas

**Marcel Banziger** · 08-28-2018, 08:13 PM

Hereby I proudly show you my latest purchase. An order which I always thought never to own due to the high prices. But somehow this time I managed to get myself this order with interesting history. Let me introduce you Captain Liudas Karlovich Bradauskas from Lithuania.

Registration card

Order booklet nr. A-031525

1. Last name: Bradauskas
2. First name and patronymic: Liudas Karlovich
3. Military rank: Captain
4. Sex: Male
5. Year of birth: 1911
6. Place of birth: Village of Martyniškiai, Žeimiai Parish, Kėdainiai District, Lithuanian SSR
7. Party membership (since which year): Member of the Communist Party since 1944
8. Education: Secondary
9. Nationality: Lithuanian
10. Since which year in the Red Army: Since September 1940
11. Place of service (name of the unit) and position occupied at the time of the award: Rifle Battalion commander in the 156th Rifle Regiment, 16th Lithuanian Rifle Division
12. Current place of service and position: Rifle Battalion commander in the 156th Rifle Regiment, 16th Lithuanian Rifle Division
13. Home address of the awardee: 56A Kalvarijskaya Street, city of Vilnius, Lithuanian SSR

14. List of all awards received:

Name of the order or medal Serial number/Number of the document/Ground of award
- Medal for Courage #895274, Temporary certificate nr. A-748054, Order of the 4th Shock Army nr. 0110 of March 14, 1944
- Order of the Red Star #764121, Temporary certificate nr. V-372278, Order of the 4th Shock Army nr. 0363 of July 19, 1944
- Order of the Patriotic War, 1st Class #121133, Temporary certificate nr. D-590204, Order of the 2nd Guards Army nr. 126/N of November 19, 1944
- Order of Alexander Nevsky #23501, Temporary certificate nr. D-889330, Order of the 4th Shock Army nr. 0148 of February 21, 1945
- Medal for the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945, Permanent certificate nr. Zh-0038915, Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of May 9, 1945

Signature of the awardee: [signed]

I confirm the correctness of the data and the signature of the awardee (position and signature):

Commanding officer of the 156th Rifle Regiment
Lieutenant Colonel [signed] /Reliškis/
December 29, 1945

Order of Alexander Nevsky # 23501 Captain Liudas Karlovich Bradauskas

Order

Secret
Copy nr. 3

Order

Of the 4th Shock Army, 2nd Baltic Front

February 21, 1945 – Nr. 0148 – Operational Army

On behalf of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, for the exemplary execution of combat missions at the front in the struggle with the German invaders and the valor and bravery displayed in the process, I award:

[…]

The Order of Alexander Nevsky to:

[…]

1. Captain Liudas Karlovich Bradauskas, Rifle Battalion commander in the 156th Rifle Regiment, 16th Lithuanian Red Banner Rifle Division

[…]

Commanding officer of the 4th Shock Army
Guards Lieutenant General [signed] /Malyshev/

Member of the Military Council of the 4th Shock Army
Major General [signed] /Belik/

Army chief of staff
Major General [signed] /Kudryashov/

Chief of the Personnel Section of the 4th Shock Army
Colonel [signed] /Moiseyenko/

Award sheet

1. Last name, first name, and patronymic: Bradauskas, Liudas Karlovich
2. Rank: Captain
3. Position and unit: Commanding officer of the 3rd Rifle Battalion, 156th Rifle Regiment, 16th Lithuanian Red Banner Rifle Division
Nominated for: Order of Alexander Nevsky
4. Year of birth:
5. Nationality: Lithuanian
6. Party affiliation: Member of the Communist Party since 1944
7. Participation in the Civil War, the subsequent combat actions to defend the USSR, and the Patriotic War (where and when): Did not take part in the Civil War. In the Patriotic War: Western Front from June 22, 1941 to July 13, 1941; Central Front from December 27, 1942 to March 6, 1943; and 1st Baltic Front from October 1, 1943 up to the present time
8. Wounds and contusions received during the Patriotic War (where and when): Slightly wounded on July 13, 1941 on the Western Front and severely wounded on March 6, 1943 at the village of Niktovka, Oryol Oblast
9. Since when in the Red Army: Since September 1944
10. Drafted by which military commissariat: Career officer
11. Previous awards (for which achievements): Medal for Courage by Order of the 4th Shock Army nr. 0110 of March 14, 1944; Order of the Red Star by Order of the 4th Shock Army nr. 0363 of July 19, 1944; and Order of the Patriotic War, 1st Class by Order of the 2nd Guards Army nr. 126/N of November 19, 1944
12. Permanent home address of the prospective awardee and his family’s address: _______________

Brief, concrete description of his feat of arms or achievements:

From January 26, 1945 to January 28, 1945, during the fighting for the city of Klaipėda in the Klaipėda District, Captain Bradauskas was the first to cross the Dange River, engaged in battle on its western banks, and, skillfully destroying strong points and overcoming enemy engineer obstacles, was the first to rush into the northeastern outskirts of the city. In pursuit of the enemy, he reached the harbor. Through its vigorous actions the battalion ensured its neighboring units could advance and the regiment’s assigned mission be successfully executed.

Captain Bradauskas’ battalion particularly distinguished itself during the crossing of the Curonian Lagoon and during the fighting for the Memel Peninsula. Captain Bradauskas ably organized coordination between units, quickly crossed the lagoon, and by means of a rapid attack he seized the peninsula. He took prisoners and captured many artillery depots, which the enemy had prepared for demolition, but as a result of the rapid attack the enemy’s intentions were frustrated.

For skillfully commanding his units, for vigorously attacking in battle, and for personally displaying bravery and courage, Captain Bradauskas deserves the Order of Alexander Nevsky.

Commanding officer of the 156th Rifle Regiment
Lieutenant Colonel [signed] /Lunya/
February 6, 1945

I apply for him to be awarded the Order of Alexander Nevsky.

Commanding officer of the 16th Lithuanian Red Banner Rifle Division
Major General [signed] /Urbšas/
February 8, 1945

He is to be awarded the Order of Alexander Nevsky.

Commanding officer of the 4th Shock Army
Guards Lieutenant General [signed] /Malyshev/

Member of the Military Council of the 4th Shock Army
Major General [signed] /Belik/
February 20, 1945

Decorated by Order of the 4th Shock Army nr. 0148 of February 21, 1945.

Hereby the Order of Alexander Nevsky # 23501 with beautiful patina.

The city of Klaipėda is known to many as Memel, the city where after hard fighting the Germans were driven out after fierce resistance. The Germans even made a medal awarded to those who had fought in Memel. Hereby the location of Klaipėda and the Curonian Lagoon which Liudas crossed, directly south of Klaipėda as well as a picture of the narrow land dividing the lagoon and the Baltic Sea in modern times.

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 08-28-2018 08:13 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**Dom** · 08-29-2018, 12:47 PM

Nice awards

I seem to recognize the research work of comrade Igor, right ?

**Marcel Banziger** · 08-29-2018, 04:20 PM

The research came with the order when I bought it. I don't know if Igor did this to be honest.

**Gabriele** · 08-29-2018, 05:13 PM

Beautiful Order!
Thanks for showing

Best regards
Gabriele

**Egorka** · 09-01-2018, 10:00 AM

by Dom

Nice awards

I seem to recognize the research work of comrade Igor, right ?

Nope. It was not me.

But here is the banner of the 16th 'Lithuanian' Rifle Division. I believe the photo was taken during the Victory parade in Vilnius in 1945.

**Marcel Banziger** · 09-12-2018, 06:45 PM

Thanks to Igor I now have a face with the order...and that is what collecting militaria is all about: to put a name and a face to an otherwise anonymous medal or order.

Hereby I can show you Liudias Karlovich Bradauskas:

The picture is attached to his officer service record:

Liudas, born on January 15 1911, served in the following units in the Patriotic War:

Service Record in the Red Army
Unit, position, year, month, day, whose decree, decree no.:

- 126 Reserve Rifle Regiment at the disposal of Peoples Commissariat of Defence, Platoon commander, 1942, 03.03, Siberian mil. district, 093
- 1 Rifle Battalion 156 Rifle Regiment, Deputy commander, 1943, Moscow mil. district, 0602
- 156 Rifle Regiment 16 Lithuanian Rifle Division, Rifle Company commander, 1943
- 156 Rifle Regiment 16 Lithuanian Rifle Division, Rifle Battalion commander, 1943, 22.12, 4 Shock Army, 0549
- Approved at the current position, 1944, 13.10, 2 Guards army, 0312
- 156 Rifle Regiment 16 Lithuanian Rifle Division, Approved at the current position, 6 Guards Army, 0403
- Approved at the current position, 1945, 30.06, 6 Guards Army, 0389
- Rifle Battalion commander, 156 Rifle Regiment 16 Lithuanian Rifle Division, Discharged to reserve according to the article 43 section “A”. Registered at Tulchyn town military commissariat, Vinnytsia region, 1946, 02.11, Baltic Mil. district, 01953
- 1948, Dzerzhinsky district military commissariat, town Vilnius, Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic.

His military ranks
Military rank, date, whose decree, decree no.:

- Lieutenant, ??
- Sr. Lieutenant, 30.11.1943, 4 Shock Army, 0500
- Major, 04.04.1944, 1st Baltic Front, 0250
- Captain, ???

**Marcel Banziger** · 09-12-2018, 07:09 PM

And perhaps a longshot or even an impossible question, but I will try anyway haha. If anyone knows where to find or has the other orders and medals from Liudas and is willing to seperate with them I am very much interested. It is about the following:

Bravery medal # 895274
Order of Red Star # 764121
Order of Patriotic War 1st class # 121133