Stalingrad awarded Red Banner

**Marcel Banziger** · 11-28-2020, 08:40 AM

The year is almost over and I managed to add one more beauty to the collection. It is a Red Banner awarded to Lieutenant Sergey Sergeevich Fedosov (Сергей Сергеевич Федосов) for brave actions near Stalingrad. Unfortunately no photos of Sergey were found yet so I need to get his Service Record in the hope that a photograph is added there. Plus this Service Record will complete the picture of Sergey's military carreer. For now it is only the Red Banner with its research.

The Red Banner is numbered # 61112 with a fair amount of enamel loss which is quite common for those earlier Red Banners. As can be seen on the reverse top there's some residue where once, according to 1943 regulations a hanger was mounted. To me that's a nice little detail that adds to the story of this order.

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 11-28-2020 08:40 AM

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**Marcel Banziger** · 11-28-2020, 08:50 AM

Here's the citation why Sergey was awarded his Red Banner (thanks to Igor who did all the research):

“Lieutenant FEDOSOV personally led the assault on the enemy line on the hill 114.2 north-west of Stalingrad on 02 November 1942. He was the first to rush the German trenches and eliminated 8 enemy soldiers and one officer with his submachine-gun. He also eliminated garrisons of two heavily fortified pillboxes. The battalion was successful in its operations and took control over the enemy trench line.

On 10 January 1943 near the hill 139.7, he led the battalion into assault on the heavily fortified enemy line near the ravine Satu, Opytnoe Pole, Drevniy Val. His skilful command and personal courage resulted in breaching the enemy defence line and the hill being taken by the battalion. In this engagement, FEDOSOV personally captured 4 dugouts and 3 fortified pillboxes, eliminated their garrisons and took 9 Germans prisoner. On 11 January 1943, he repelled 3 enemy counterattacks supported by armour. The exhibited courage and bravery resulted in all enemy attacks being repelled: 70 enemy troops eliminated, 1 tank hit.

The battalion managed to consolidate the success and provided foundation for further offensive operations near ravine Satu, Sovkhoz Opytnoe Pole, railroad station Drevnij Val, and Stalingrad itself. He is worthy of order “RED BANNER”.”

**Marcel Banziger** · 11-28-2020, 08:56 AM

Next to the Order of Red Banner Sergey was furthermore awarded the Order of Patriotic War 2nd class in November 1943 and the War Merit medal in April 1945 plus the Defence for Stalingrad and Victory over Germany medals. Unfortunately all these didn't came together with the Red Banner but I someday hope to reunite these awards to complete the grouping again.

**Marcel Banziger** · 11-28-2020, 09:12 AM

The award citation mentiones:

"On 10 January 1943 near the hill 139.7, he led the battalion into assault on the heavily fortified enemy line near the ravine Satu, Opytnoe Pole, Drevniy Val. His skilful command and personal courage resulted in breaching the enemy defence line and the hill being taken by the battalion. In this engagement, FEDOSOV personally captured 4 dugouts and 3 fortified pillboxes, eliminated their garrisons and took 9 Germans prisoner."

A battlemap of the 343rd Rifle Division, dated January 10 1943 helps to geolocate the exact positions where the fighting took place.

Another battlemap of the 343rd Rifle Division, from one week later, January 17 1943, clearly shows the areas mentioned in the citation and the movements in which the fighting took place. The last photo is taken from Google Earth to show the situation nowadays. The ravine is clearly visible.

**Marcel Banziger** · 11-28-2020, 09:17 AM

Here's a nice comparison of the January 10 1943 dated Battlemap compared to the nowadays situation. It shows nicely the exact locations mentioned in the citation to the city of Stalingrad itself.

**Marcel Banziger** · 11-28-2020, 09:24 AM

A nice feature on Pamyat Naroda is that it shows the route throughout the war. Fortunately it also shows Sergey's route which is shown next. I start with an overview and add some close-ups of the moments and locations mentioned in the citation. On the last one the ravine mentioned earlier is clearly visible again.

As mentioned above, I will try to get the Service Record plus I wanna get the citations for his other awards translated as well to fill in the gaps and to complete the research. I will add those here when available.
Finally thanks a lot to Matt for this order, it's a gem in the collection

**Marcel Banziger** · 11-28-2020, 09:55 AM

A small addition to geolocate the places mentioned in the citation. It mentiones:

"The battalion managed to consolidate the success and provided foundation for further offensive operations near ravine Satu, Sovkhoz Opytnoe Pole, railroad station Drevnij Val, and Stalingrad itself."

The railwood station is located a bit south-west to the ravine.

**hucks216** · 11-28-2020, 11:16 AM

That is a brilliant piece of research. In my files I have an unpublished copy (so I can't post it here I'm afraid) of a German situation map for the same area and for the same date of 10th January 1943. It would appear that the German units his unit faced were I & II/Infanterie-Regiment 92 of 60.Infanterie-Division(mot.), initially attacking the I-Btl near the boundary on its right flank with III/Infanterie-Rgt 544 (of 389.Infanterie-Division but at this time attached to 16.Panzer-Division) and pushing in to the rear areas of both I & II Battalions.