*Amazing Inscription / Victory Day May 9 1945 / Research* WWII Russian Photo a27

Description

Original vintage photograph.
It measures approximately
2 1/2 x 3 1/2
Inches.
Inscription on the back: "To my best educator and commander (front lines father) comrade captain Siukhin Alexei Vasilyevich from Shvirev Vasiliy Antonovich. Remember!! Our great battle path from the walls of Stalingrad to the capital of Czechoslovakia - Prague. All of our happiness and sorrow which we shared in a united military family. And today is our celebration of victory! 9 May 1945"
The first officer is Captain Alexei Siukhin (The person this photo was given to). He was born on February 13th, 1909. He was first drafted in the Red Army in 1931. During WWII he was a political officer "politruk" in a howitzer regiment, and in an artillery brigade. During WWII he was awarded the orders of the Red Star, Great Patriotic War 1st and 2nd class and "For Defense Of Stalingrad" medal.
Reason he was awarded the order of the Red Star: During the offensive battles in 1943 comrade Siukhin demonstrated courage as a political officer and skillfully mobilized the communist party organizations and Komsomol members as well as all the troops to complete combat missions and demonstrated courage himself personally. During battles on October 14-16, 1943, when repelling enemy tank attacks at the time of the offensive of our troops, comrade Siukhin was at a strong point and despite heavy enemy artillery fire he supplied the division with artillery projectiles and commanded the battery to provide direct fire at the enemy tanks as well as skillfully mobilized the troops for tank defense at the strong point. His actions contributed to the completion of the combat missions of the division. The division destroyed 3 tanks, 7 automobiles, 2 self propelled artillery units, an enemy's artillery battery and a few dozens soldiers. (see screenshot 2)
Reason he was awarded the order of the Great Patriotic War 1st Class: Working as a deputy of the chief of the political division of the 1st devision of 446th howitzer artillery regiment, he showed himself as an
initiative
officer, well knowing his communist party job. Using himself as an example, he mobilized the soldiers and officers to a quick defeat of the German and Romanian invaders. He succeeded in correctly guiding the communist party organizations to the completion of their battle orders. Communists and Komsomol party members played an avant-garde role in the offensive battles on July 20-26 1944. The first division distinguished themselves in battle, they destroyed: 2 105mm artillery batteries, 5 dugouts, 1 81,4mm mortar battery, 2 observation posts, up to 170 Romanian soldiers and officers, 12 machine gun points, 2 105mm cannons, 1 bunker. (see screenshot 3)
Reason he was awarded the order of the Great Patriotic War 2nd Class: During the period of the preparations and the times of battles to seize German strong defense points in the direction of Bratislava, in the cities Vrable, Nitra, Glagovets, and the later river crossings of the rivers, Gron, Nitra and Vag, he was in the battle formations explaining the upcoming tasks and pursued their fulfillment. He helped the political division of the battery organize educational work with the personnel and their mobilization to the fulfillment of the combat missions of the division. With direct artillery fire, the division personnel hacked the defenses of the enemy, destroying the manpower and equipment.
The second officer is senior lieutenant Vasiliy
Shvirev. During WWII he was awarded the "For Defense Of Stalingrad" medal, the "Order Of The Red Star", and "For Bravery" medals. He was a technician officer. He was awarded the "Red Star" for being an excellent technician. During battles in June 1943 the regiment was under intensive fire three times, and 4 artillery cannons were damaged and needed factory repair, but comrade Shvirev had them fixed quickly and in just one day these cannons were once again in the battery firing at the enemy. I
n the battle on September 9th the enemy damaged one of the cannons and comrade Shvirev drove over 200 kilometers in 26 hours and brought back the part that was needed to fix the cannon, the same night that he came back the cannon was fixed and it was firing at the enemy on the morning. (See screenshot 6).
The "For Bravery" medal was given for a similar reason, in the offensive battles in 1944, during the divisions 400 kilometer battle path he kept the cannons firing and always repaired them quickly when they were damaged. (see screenshot 7).
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