Very interesting and unusual Order of Glory medalbar

[Marcel Banziger]

Thanks a lot to Matt from Sovietorders for this amazing piece of history. It's a medalbar with the suspension made by the awardee from a tincan of pork, supplied by the US to the Red Army via the Lendlease programm. I knew the Red Army soldiers were inventive but this is a new for me.




The citations read as follows:
Bravery medal 1: Red Army soldier Pyotr Vasilyevich MESHCHERYAKOV, telephone operator of the 7th battery, for the fact that on July 17 and 18, 1943, despite heavy enemy shelling, he fixed 4 line breaks and ensured uninterrupted communication between the firing position and the observation post, as a result of which were destroyed: 1 artillery battery, 3 machine-gun points and up to an enemy infantry platoon. Bold, efficient fighter.

Bravery medal 2: Sergeant MESHCHERYAKOV Pyotr Vasilyevich, commander of the communications department of the 7th battery, because on March 27, 1944, when directing a telephone line with another comrade across the Ingul River, 1.5 kilometers to the north of of the village of Vodopoy, the boat on which they moved, 10 meters before reaching the shore was pierced by a fragment of an enemy shell, started to sink. There were 4 cable reels and 2 telephones on the boat. Comrade Meshcheryakov, being chest-deep in water, experiencing incredible cold, saved all the communication property and pulled the wire to the shore. Thus, the connection between the battery commander and the battery was restored in a timely manner.

Order of Glory 3rd class: On January 29, 1945, during the repulsion of an enemy counterattack from the area of the settlement of Stolzenfeld with a force of up to 2 infantry companies with the support of tanks and self-propelled guns, the commander of the communications department of the 7th battery, Sergeant Meshcheryakov, laid a telephone connection between the battery commander and the division commander. From a burst of an enemy shell, he was wounded by a shrapnel in his right hand, but after bandaging, he remained in the ranks, continuing to pull the line to the division commander. Worthy of of the government award of the order "GLORY OF THE THIRD DEGREE".

[Marcel Banziger]

Here's some examples of cans, used to create this unique suspension:

[TabsTabs1964]

Hi Marcel
Truly unique. Now that is inventiveness and reuse of materials. Fantastic

Regards
Santi

[Gerry C]

Marcel,

Absolutely fantastic medal bar! The suspension device adds a level of uniqueness and personality that I've never seen before. For me... It would be the crown jewel of my collection.

Gerry C.

From the DRY High Plains of the Midwest U.S.A.

[Marcel Banziger]

Thanks a lot Gerry, much appreciated!

[Dom]

Beautiful , there is an example of Bravery on the forum with a pentagonal kolodka in a ration can .

[Marcel Banziger]

Thanks a lot Dom. And interesting of the Bravery, will try to find it on the forum. Always interesting to see unusual configurations.

[Bjorn S]

That's indeed a very unusual and appealing piece! Congratulations!

[Woolgar]

I just love it! What an amazing piece of history!

Nick