Combat Service Medal 88,676 Leningrad Air Defense Army

[Red Wind]

Good day everyone, I want to share about a Type 1 Variation 3 Combat Service Medal. It's numbered "88,676". A pretty good looking medal, with its suspension slightly bent forward. A little bit of corrosion and tarnish on the screw plate and screw back. A little worn but I like it, a sign that it has seen some action during the war.

Pictures of the Medal:




Feat:
It was awarded on January 21, 1943 to Private First Class Yakov Lvovich Shubov (Шубов Яков Львович), observer in the 2nd Air Raid Warning Regiment of the Leningrad Air Defense Army.

On January 17, 1943 near Plentovka he manned an observation post and with his rifle he shot down an enemy aircraft flying at low altitude, which then crashed along the front line at Moskovskaya Dubrovka. Its pilot was killed in the crash. Seven others in the observation post were also awarded for taking down the plane with their rifles' fire.

Citation below:




About the regiment:
The 2nd Air Raid Warning Regiment was supposed to warn about any approaching enemy aircrafts. They used radar stations and observation posts to detect and confirm the approaches of the enemy aircrafts.

The regiment’s war diary is on Pamyat Naroda. Page 212 for the 17th of January, 1943 states that the enemy carried out reconnaissance flights and soldiers of an observation post brought down an ME-109. That should be the plane they brought down.

Page 212 of the Regiment’s war diary:

Link: Память народа::Подлинные документы о Второй Мировой войне

As Operation Iskra was underway at the same time, it’s possible the enemy’s flight was to scout on the Soviet forces movement in the area. Plentovka was to the left of the offensive after all.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find which unit the plane came from. I only know Luftflotte 1 was supporting the Germans during this operation. Please do share if you know more about the plane that was shot down on this date.



The Leningrad Air Defense Army:
The army’s task was to protect Leningrad from air raids and also, the Road of Life. They were also the same guys who wore the Leningrad Blockade Helmets, styled after the British’s Brodie helmets.

During the war, the army took down 1,561 aircrafts and numerous ground targets. Definitely quite the accomplishment. Interestingly, it seems 8 aircraft were taken down observation posts through rifle fire. One of them involves our recipient, that’s for sure.

Feats of the Air Defense Army:

Link: Ленинградская армия ПВО — Википедия



More about our recipient:
Shubov was born in 1911 in the city of Zhlobin in Belarus. He was Jewish. He was drafted by the Oktyabrsky Military Commissariat in Leningrad in 1941. He lived in the city of Kungur and was married to Faina Shubova.

He later served as a submachine gunner in the 131th and 134th Guards Rifle Regiment of the 45th Guards Rifle Division and reached the rank of Junior Sergeant. He was wounded twice. Once on 23 July 1943 and on 16 September 1943. Both times, he was evacuated to the rear but he eventually made a return back to his unit.

As part of the 45th Guards Rifle Division, he took part in the battle of Narva in early February 1944. His division tried to take the railway leading to the city. Unfortunately, it was repelled by fierce German counter attacks including attacks from Junkers Ju 87 bombers. It was here that our recipient lost his life on the 18th of February 1944.

According to Wikipedia, it seems the fighting was pretty intense. During the operation, the 30th Guards Rifle Corps (which included the 45th Division) lost around 7,773 soldiers and ceased to be a combat-ready unit.

Wiki Article about the Offensive:

Link: Battle for Narva Bridgehead - Wikipedia

He died and was buried in “Соокюла”(Sooküla). From what I could find, this was a village south of the railway. This was approximately where the division was fighting around, at that time. The village was destroyed during the war. The name Sooküla also apparently means “Swamp Village”.

Sooküla on a 1938 Map of Estonia:

Link: Довоенная топографическая карта Эстонии 1938 года

After some searching, I was able to find his name on a list of soldiers buried in mass grave (No.1) in Sinimäe village on a Russian forum. He might have been reburied there from Sooküla.

Picture of Mass Grave No.1:

Soldiers Buried in Mass Grave No.1, 2717:

Link: БРАТСКАЯ МОГИЛА №1, Ида-Вируский уезд



End:
That’s the end of the story. Personally, I think It’s a pretty amazing feat for them to take down a fast moving plane with just their rifles. It’s just unfortunate our hero wasn’t able to live to see the war end. That would have been an amazing story to tell the family about. He was also awarded the medal for the Defence of Leningrad but that did not come into my possession.

I do wonder how this combat service medal even came about to my possession. Was it passed on to his family? Was it buried with him? I’m not sure.

Had to spend quite a while to find the research. I do not know Russian and so, Google Translate was a help here, it makes it easier for me to find the locations of certain places and units. Hopefully you enjoyed the story just as much as I did.

My thanks to Auke for assisting with the research and getting back promptly with the results.

Thanks to Marcel for helping to check the medal out, and for letting me know about the blockade helmets.

Please feel free to comment about the medal and story.

[Leaftree]

Great award and research!

Reminded me of an ORB in my collection that was awarded to the assistant army commander then commander of the Lenningrad Air Defence Army. Realized I never updated my original thread. Here's the link:
Confused about this Order of the Red Banner...

[Marcel Banziger]

Very nice medal and excellent research and presentation. Well done