Order of Glory III- in support of Polish infantry, september 1944
Article about: Hi guys Wanted to share with you one of my latest find and one of my dreamed goals- award for storm and capture of Warsaw district of Praga located on eastern bank of Vistula. Recipient was
Order of Glory III- in support of Polish infantry, september 1944
Hi guys
Wanted to share with you one of my latest find and one of my dreamed goals- award for storm and capture of Warsaw district of Praga located on eastern bank of Vistula.
Recipient was private- telephone operator Portyanko Mikhail Kirillovich, Ukrainian born in 1925.
There are some not clear informations when he was drafted into RKKA, his register card says August 1943 and OGIII citation October 1943.
After basic training he was sent as telephonist to 2nd battery, 316 light artillery regiment, 13 light artillery brigade, 22 cannon artillery division.
In July 1944 he was awarded medal "For bravery" for actions in late June during approach fo river Drut' in Ukraine, manning telephone on battery commander forward post he repaired 12 line breaks in wire leading to squadron commander post.
In summer 1944 his division as part of 47 army in 1st Belarussian front participied in liquidation of German garrison in Brest fortress, then headed west, to Warsaw.
Approaching to Warsaw
First soviet attempt to capture Praga district by 2nd tank army of gen. Semyon Bogdanov failed , after the great tank battle in suburbs of Warsaw, in which 2nd army lost more than half of its tanks and being thrown back, especially on its right flank.
1st Belarussian front right wing renewed offensive operations in Warsaw direction on 18 August 1944 in area of railway junction Tłuszcz, begeaning with bloody but victorious battle of 8th tank guards corps, 70th army and right wing of 47th army. Red Army approached Warsaw from north-east through Tłuszcz, Klembów, Marki while left wing of 47th army between Wesoła and Vistula bank stayed in defense.
It was so till 10 September 1944, when 70th army captured Wołomin, Zielonka and dangerousely closed to northern suburbs of Warsaw.
To new operation destinated was 47th army with objective of capturing urbanized area of Warsaw-Praga district and surrounding settlements. To 125 rifle corps, which had objective of direct attack at urbanized area was attached 1st Polish "Tadeusz Kościuszko's" infantry division, division which opened combat path of Polish army formed in USSR now was chosen to capture Warsaw capital.
First wave units from 47th army had extra support units being attached, just like additional artillery, katyusha's. tanks.
One of such units was 13th light artillery brigade, temporarily detached from maternal 22nd artillery division and geaven under command of 1st Polish infantry division.
Portyanko's 316 light artillery regiment was attached as regimental artillery support group of 3rd infantry regiment.
At 11.15 on 10th september 1944 125th rifle corps artpodgotovka has begun, together with suporting ground attacks of 16th air army. Artillery preparation lasted 105 minutes. Due to unknown circumstances 3rd regiment left it's trenches before artillery barrage was over and suffered minor casualties from sharpnels. After artpodgotovka was over 3rd regiment renewed attack but was soon halted by machine gun fire from forest north of Anin and simultaneously became trapped on mine field. Regiment was pinned down on a mine field till 15.00 when neighbouring Soviet units did not outflanked 170 grenadiere regiment defending in front of Polish division and forced them to retreat.
3rd regiment continued advance, capturing glass factory and ammunition factory in Rembertów and closing to Warsaw-Białystok railway.
September 11th 3rd infantry regiment didn't gained much terrain. After artillery barrage was engaged in fierce combat for Warsaw-Białystok railway line south-west of Rembertów and after crossing rail tracks captured village Kawęczyn with numerous brick factories and ponds.
On early morning of september 12th manned positions arounf Kawęczyn, having contact with left neighbour- 1st infantry regiment in approach of Kozia Górka bu no contact with right neighbour- Soviet 76th infantry division, which struggled to wipe out Germans supported by tanks and assault guns in Karolówka forest.
At 10.00 after 10 minutes of artillery barrage both Polish regiments started assault. 3rd regiment quickly gained high casualties due to German fire from front- fortified folwark Antoninów and from right- brick factory north of Kawęczyn. Regiment was pinned down by heavy machine gun and mortar fire at approach to Antoninów. Abandoning geaven plan- which said that Antoninów will be captured by Soviet 76th division, which main forces still hasn't arrived, regiment commander lieutenant colonel Archipowiczdecided to make nortern detour, capture Antoninów and continue attack westwards according to plan.
After 4 hours of fierce fight 3rg infantry regiment captured folwark but wasn't over for this day.
In front of them laid terrain of former Imperial Russian fortification, demounted in 1909 but German infantry from 73th infantry regiment chose higher ground with numerous ramparts as strategic fortified point manning it with machine guns. Between Antoninów and fort, called as well hill 92,8 laid 500m of flat, open field, with nowhere to hide. Soon after renwed attack attacking infantry was pinned down by machine gun and mortar fire.
Regimental commander orders 316 regiment to bring guns and fire straight ahead but artillery regiment commander denies, and 1st infantry division artillery commander forbid such way of firing.
Instedad, 1st Polish artillery regiment brought it's guns and started firing straight ahead.
In this action Portyanko distinguished himself and was presented to Order of Glory 3rd class:
12.09.1944 in combat for fort on hill 92,8 in area of city Praga enemy provided heavy machine gun fire from two heavy machine guns not allowing our infantry units to advance. Communication with our firing positions kept being cut. Comrade Portyanko not caring at heavy machine gun and artillery fire, not caring about his own life repaired 11 telephone cable breaks what gave possibility to blow up enemy machine guns. Comrade Portyanko's deed gave opportunity our infantry to advance forward.
However this still wasn't over for the day as 3rd infantry regiment captured fort, soon Germand brought newly arrived 19th panzer division and counterattacked Poles and neighbouring 76th Soviet infantry division, throwing back Soviet infantry but Polish infantry held the fort, and huge role played in it 316 infantry regiment whose regimental chief of intelligence was killed on hill 92,8 while directing artillery fire during German counterattack till he was killed by enemy bullet.
316 LAR was credited with 5 destroyed machine guns, ceizing fire of one moratr battery and eliminating to company of infantry.
Spent 850 fragmentation 76,2mm shells.
I've made map, based on period map to show situation in 3rd infantry tegiment area on september 12th, also you can see on bottom, right photo where Portyanko's action took place and where were his 1st squadron firing positions.
Congrats. It is a very nice one including excellent research work.
Looks like the order still has the original ribbon. Thanks for sharing this one with us
Edit: I don't see the Bravery medal mentioned on the record card?!?
Last edited by Marcel Banziger; 12-10-2020 at 05:15 PM.
As always, some field research, first photograph from exit positions to attack at hill 92,8-area of not existing folwark Antoninów. In 1944 there was just a field here, no tree or bushes.
Ramparts of former tsarist fort were pretty good protection from small arms fire, in fact only howitzers, mortars or divisional guns could be effective against them.
It’s not so easy Owner of terrain is partially city of Warsaw and partially some bankrupted cooperative, so getting permission would be almost impossible and without proper papers for metal detecting you might get into some serious trouble, but I’ve seen a lot stuff on the surface while taking photos on former fort- panzerfaust tube, some huge caliber shrapnels, flak 20mm casings (maybe these were described “heavy machine guns”), who knows.
Some addition to research- 1945 aerial photos of hill/fort 92,8. Gives detailed view of German defense positions.
Note line of foxholes in front of fort's eath rampart and behind what looks to be ditch. In depth of fort are visible numerous mortars dugouts, but can't say whether these are German or Soviet/ Polish.
Order of Glory III- in support of Polish infantry, september 1944
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Owner of terrain is partially city of Warsaw and partially some bankrupted cooperative, so getting permission would be almost impossible and without proper papers for metal detecting you might get into some serious trouble, but I’ve seen a lot stuff on the surface while taking photos on former fort- panzerfaust tube, some huge caliber shrapnels, flak 20mm casings (maybe these were described “heavy machine guns”), who knows.
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