Victory Day we collected stories of journalists “MK” about relatives who were in WWII. Every family in Russia holds such memories. And may 9 for everyone – not only a huge occasion. but the day when we are all thinking: “what would have been the life of my family, the country, if it were not for the war?”
contributing Editor Andrew Conflict:
“My grandmother, Maria V. Gasnikova, was born March 25, 1923 in the Altai region.
When the war began, she was only 18 years old. Senior brother Ivan served in the red army in the first months of the war, fell into German captivity. He died in the autumn of 1941 in a German prison camp from hunger.
he Went to the front and the father of my grandmother, my great-grandfather — Vasily Nikolaevich Gashnikov. In the war he was wounded. In August 1943, during the fighting at the village of the Red Settlement Sergeant Gashnikov destroyed the enemy firing point and three of the Nazis, clearing the way to further advancement of the company. For this my great-grandfather was awarded the medal “For courage”.
…in the Spring of 1942 in Parfenovskaya district military enlistment office was called Komsomol girl, under age. They were asked to go to the front. Among them was 19-year-old Masha Gasnikova.
the Girls put on carts and taken to the town of Aleysk. There they lived in tents in a temporary camp where they were taught the basics of medicine, weapons handling, orienteering at any time, etc.
Took the oath, the girls were ordered to go to the front in the Siberian division. In August 1942, boarded the train and went out West.
My grandma was in the medical battalion of the 39th infantry division at Stalingrad. The wounded have received continuously, there were so many that some don’t have time to help… Nurses and orderlies would collapse to the ground. Dead soldiers carried it to the side.
somehow Mary Gashnikova lost consciousness and woke up among the dead. It accidentally left among the dead, finding the lost: her form was impregnated with someone else’s blood.
In the grandmother did not like to talk about the war. If I had to say something, then stopped and began to cry. Then because of the collapse of the Soviet Union, when our family was scattered in different towns and villages, and talk was not possible. So much about the military past of his grandmother, I learned from Newspapers of the Altai – in the later years of my grandparents were forced to leave their homes in Georgia and move in Altai Krai, at her grandmother’s home.
until shortly before her death when we saw her last time, she spoke about the war.
During one crossing of the wounded were transported across the river by boats and rafts. Began the next breakthrough, the next attack. Masha Gashnikova jumped on the raft after other soldiers, but fell into the water head first. Swim she did not know how to rescue it was once. The current was fast, water ice. But someone managed to snatch the girl out of the water. And according to the battalion was a rumor, “Mary drowned.” The rumor, fortunately, did not materialize.
once the Germans managed to break through defense of our troops, and my grandmother along with a doctor and wounded soldiers had to take refuge in one of the houses. The wounded were lying on the floor, the doctor is on the bench, and Masha Gashnikova crouched under the table. Fortunately, the Germans in the house they were not included. Soon the Nazis knocked out of the settlement.
my grandmother had many awards — two orders of red Star, order of the Patriotic war, many medals — Soviet and Polish. One of the first awards was the medal “For military merit” of the red army Gashnikova Mary presented to her in February 1943. In the description of the feat it was said that during the battle of Stalingrad she helped 1096 seriously wounded soldiers and commanders. Working on the crossing of the Volga under the bombing and shelling, only two days a young girl was moved from boats to shore and evacuated wounded 65.
In the award sheet for order of the red Star I read about how Mary Gashnikova nursed wounded soldiers and commanders all the way from the Vistula to the Oder, sometimes staying awake for 2-3 days. About how for the wounded gave his blood.
he Finished the war Mary Gashnikova defeated Germany. There she met a young officer Ilyas Slavskogo, for whom, in 1945, Berlin was married. They lived together for 63 years until the death separated them. My grandfather, a war veteran, Colonel Ilyas Avlasovich Conflict experienced Maria Vasilyevna in five years.”
Reporter Department reporter Alexander Dobrovolsky:
“My grandfather, George N. Karnaukhov was born 23 April old style in 1901. His older brother Alexander (who died tragically during the Civil war) demonstrated a clear success in music. From Sasha’s brother George took over the skills of playing the flute. — Doing self-taught, “just”, but later it came in very handy.
Before the war, living with his wife and daughter in Moscow, worked in the trust gewaltigen the economist. Few weeks after the outbreak of war in August 1941, he was mobilized to the army.
the Musical talents of ordinary Karnauhova was here demanded. After learning that the red army plays the flute, he was recalled to serve in the military band. Georgy came in the Ural town of Miass where the 1st red banner mortar and artillery school, the orchestra of which G. N. Karnaukhov took some time after the troublesome position of Sergeant. And he not only played the flute, but successfully demonstrated to the army of Amateur vocal skills, tearing applause from the audience and colleagues.
Several times the orchestra traveled with the patronage concerts in the army. In 1943, in the North-Western front, during one of the performances, improvised stage area was in the area started shelling the German artillery. Here also had the foreman Karnauhovo to show their restraint and composure. The rumble of the explosions he helped to evacuate musicians in a safe place. The memory of the “battle” is the medal “For courage”, which was awarded to guardsman Karnauhovo after the return of the orchestra from the front of the trip.
Demobilization arrived for George N. in the summer of 1945″.
correspondent for the information Service Leo Speransky:
“My grandfather Speransky Yury Vyacheslavovich was born 15 June 1921 in the Ukrainian SSR, in zbur’ivka village, Hola Prystan district, Kherson region. In 30-e years with his parents moved to Stalinabad (Dushanbe), the capital of the Tajik SSR.
he was drafted into the red army Stalinabad RVC in 1939, served as a telephone operator. When the Great Patriotic war, Yuri Speransky was sent to study at the Odessa infantry school, where he studied the military profession from August 1941 to January 1942. From January 1942 to June 1946 he served in the 62-th separate marine infantry brigade Sergeant in the 83rd marine brigade of midshipmen.
he Participated in battles for Novorossiysk and Sevastopol, in the battle for the Caucasus, liberated the city of Varna in Bulgaria and the Hungarian city of Budapest, finished his military path in Czechoslovakia. Was not heavy wounded in 1943 and in 1945.
Yuri Speransky was awarded the order of the red Star, order of Glory III degrees, medals “For defense of Caucasus”, “For defense of Sevastopol”, “For the capture of Budapest”, “For victory over Germany in the great Patriotic war of 1941-1945”, commemorative medals and signs.
After the great Patriotic war Yury V. Speransky worked in Dushanbe schoolteacher, was the Honorary donor of the USSR. Died in 1974″.
Correspondent for the Department of urban life Daria tukova:
“Groshev Fedor was born 14 Mar 1906 in the village Rusakove Chernyshevsky district of the Rostov region.
All my life I lived in the mining town of Krasny Luch, Voroshilovgrad oblast, Ukrainian SSR, where he taught at mountain College, teaching students the device of a coal combine. From there, in July 1941 went to the front in the rank of Lieutenant-technician.
he Served as head of the Department of internal communication of headquarters of the 1st Belarusian front. The regiment in which he served after the war got the name of the 66th separate Bobruisk-Berlin red banner Order of Alexander Nevsky regiment of communication. He carried out the connection of the front headquarters with the Supreme commander in Moscow.
the Unit in which he served Groshev unwrapping a big radio station in Berlin (near Toelhorst), where in the building the officers ‘ club on the night of 8 to 9 may 1945 was signed the Act of unconditional surrender of the German armed forces. Therefore, the officers of the regiment were among the first to know about the official end of the great Patriotic war and gave the news to the homeland.
After the war returned safely to the Red Beam and continued teaching. He died there in January 1986 at the age of 79 years.”
Head of the transport service “MK. Media-Service” Natalia Leonova:
“Leonov, Paul D., participant of the great Patriotic war. Went to the front in 1941 and remained in service until 1945. He served in the artillery, was wounded in battle. The Victory day has met in Prague, from where he was demobilized. Awarded order of the red Star.
After the war, lived in Moscow with his family. Worked at the factory”.
Lawyer Valery Kozyrev:
“My grandfather, Ivan Pospelov, born 20 Jan 1924 in Orenburg. When the war started, he was 17 years old. In January 1942, when he was 18 years old, called up for military service.
Military service began in the railway troops. Served as a private. Since 1943, continued his service on 2-m the Ukrainian front, fought in the infantry. Participated in operations for liberation of Kiev, Budapest, Vienna. He was awarded two medals “For courage” and the medal “For the liberation of Kiev”, “For capture of Budapest” and “For a capture of Vienna”.
In 1949 was dismissed from the ranks of the Soviet Armed forces demobilization. Died 4 Nov 1999. Buried in Lipetsk”.
Corrector Catherine Shivarova:
“My grandfather, Holodovsky Joseph M., born in 1897. He was drafted into the army on 4 July 1941. He served in the 1st infantry regiment of the 3rd Frunzenskaya militia division. Captured. The war ended for him in Germany where he was freed from captivity.
my granddad Died in 1978.
group photo grandfather is fifth from the left. Leningrad”.
an expert on the work with correspondence Maria Tsareva:
“My grandfather, Lapwings Pyotr Stepanovich, in the years of the great Patriotic war was a military driver. He was born in 1911 in the Village of Golovin, Dubno district, Tula region. In October 1941 he was called up to the front of the Kyiv military Commissariat of the city of Moscow.
In 1941-1942, the truck driver Sergeant Lapwings participated in the defense of Moscow. Part of them were based in Moscow, in Sokolniki district. Part involved the delivery of ammunition to the front line.
his Wife with a small daughter (my future mother) who was born in 1939, remained in Moscow, has experienced all the difficulties of wartime. In her stories, she was not evacuated because he wanted to be with her husband. Sometimes my daughter walked from the New square to Sokolniki, to see her husband. Very, very rarelyon it were released in dismissal. In January 1943 born son, my uncle. He never saw his father.
PS Lapwings in 1942-1943 participated in the defense of Leningrad. Transporting people and goods on the Road of life. Went missing in November 1943 on the Volkhov front.
In March 1943 was awarded the medal “For courage”, and in July 1943, the medal “For defense of Leningrad”.
correspondent for the information Service Ekaterina Stepanova:
“Boronin Paul Gavrilovic, 1906 birthday, shortly before the war came with his family to Central Asia, the city of Chardzhou, to help the brotherly people of Turkmenistan to restore agriculture. He was an agronomist. The family had a rather large – six children smaller than the other. The smallest – the Valya – was not informed. Three-year Alyosha cried bitterly when he accompanied his father, begged him to war. He died a small in 1942 from pneumonia. The children really loved my father.
On the front of Pavel Gavrilovich went with the first days of the war at the behest of the heart and conscience, although he had reservations and could sit away from military battles.
the Family got the news that the ordinary Boronin P. G., signalman, went missing in February 1942, somewhere near Moscow.
his Daughter Valentina, my grandmother, always remember the lines from last letters from the front: “the Thunder, and the rain no…”
the Correspondent of Department of literature and art Maria Moskvicheva:
“For my grandfather, Peter Moskvicheva, the service began before the outbreak of hostilities in 1938 and finished after the war in 1946. That is his military life lasted twice as long as the Great Patriotic war. The fate of the sorceress.
it so Happened that he, a native Muscovite, love without memory, left everything behind, got married and moved to Komsomolsk-on-Amur – home lady. By the way, gave up a promising work – he was a chef in the restaurant “Metropol”. The heart can not command.
In Komsomolsk-on-Amur, he was called for military service. The war began, when he had to serve part time in the frontier troops. Until 1941, he defended borders in the Far East. During this period, his life again turned upside down. One day after being discharged, he went home to his wife and caught her …with her lover. Then I got divorced and returned to service.
in the Spring of 1941 his pornprivate sent to Brest for dogs to get trained dogs in the far East.
just then the German troops began an active attack – the train with grandpa’s brigade was bombed. Dogs fled. He remained on the Western front and ended up in 352-th infantry division, where he became a gunner.
and went through the war with a machine gun. It should be clear that the machine gun was quite bulky and heavy weapon. Weighed under 80 lbs. To his t��stingrays, you had two people – one pulling wheel, the second – the barrel, ammo, water (for cooling of the barrel) and other details.
God coast grandfather. He many times went on the attack (for bravery he received many medals and awards), but the bullets and shells flew by his side. He was wounded only once – in the melee. He and colleagues were at the forefront, ran into the trench, and there – German. The enemy attacked him with a bayonet and hit the hand, grandpa said sapper shovel – killed.
When the war ended, my grandfather sent back – in the border troops in the far East, where a few months after the capture of Berlin started the war with Japan.
the far East is a special region, you need to know the terrain and its features, not to get lost. One day Pyotr Stepanovitch, along with a team sent on a covert mission against the Japanese. More than a day made their way to the marked point, and when we got to the place – it turned out that the Japanese surrendered. Thus ended his war, but still lasted about a year.
After demobilization grandfather returned to his native Moscow. During the war his papers were lost, he went to recover them. In the queue met next to my grandmother, Eugenia A. Chistyakova. They married, had two children, lived in perfect harmony. Grandfather died from heart failure in 1980.
Yevgeniya Andreevna Moskvicheva (nee Chistyakova) the war caught in Moscow, where she worked as a nanny in a Professor’s family physicians. When fighting began under the capital, signed up as a nurse and went to work at the Second Moscow instrument-making plant, which was then redeveloped for the production of weapons for the Soviet forces. The day she collected the guns at the factory.
And still she dug trenches and extinguished “lighters” – bombs that the Germans dropped on Moscow. When the “lighter” fell on the roof of the house, then abruptly flared up and I had to quickly grab the bomb with tongs and throw down. There she threw sand, earth and water.
After the retreat of the Germans from Moscow she was working at the factory. Worked multiple shifts per day. He was awarded several awards like hero of logistics and labor . After the war and remained to work at the instrument-making plant until the end of life.”
First Deputy chief editor – head of United hunting editor Alexander Lisitsyn:
“My great-grandfather, Mishurov Michael Z., born in 1922. The war was the commander of calculation of anti-aircraft guns. Severely wounded in repelling an air RAID on the town and the base station of Sychevka in the autumn of 1941.
he Died from his wounds in a hospital in Smolensk region”.
Editor regional and international Internet projects “MK” Sergei Yakovenko:
“My grandfather Yakovenko Ivan was born 11 Nov 1925 in Th��newscom district, Kursk region. Seventeen volunteered to serve. On the front was a scout in the 209-m mortar regiment with the rank of private. Member of the Kursk bulge. Crossed The Dnieper. In the fighting near the Polish village Vinarce, on the site of occurrence of the 289-th Berdichev red banner rifle division of the 1st Ukrainian front, Ivan Yakovenko was in the advanced observation post.
As indicated in award documents, watching the enemy, found two machine-gun and one 105-mm gun, what promptly reported to his commander. All of these emplacements was destroyed by fire division, for which 1 Oct 1944 PFC Yakovenko was awarded the medal “For courage”. Not came to Berlin, 80 kilometers – was wounded by shrapnel in the head. Got to the hospital. After treatment discharged from the army for injury. In time of peace received the education of a veterinarian. Worked in his native village. He was awarded medals “For courage”, “For capture of Koenigsberg”.
the Lawyer of RIA “Okay” Nadezhda Amelina:
“Larkin Frol F. (1908-1942), the red 749 th infantry regiment, 125th infantry division of the 55th army. Born in the village Slobidka Belevsky district of Tula region. To the front mobilized June 22, 1941 Perovskim GVK Moscow region. According to the name lists of personnel, November 2, 1941 “sent by the directives” to the Leningrad front in the city of Kolpino. In late 1941 – early 1942 years were bloody battles in Kolpino lines of defense of Leningrad. Kolpino land abundantly watered with the blood of thousands of defenders of the city. Killed 3 Jan 1942, buried in a mass grave in Kolpino, Leningrad region. Included in the list of soldiers of the Tula regional books of memory of victims of the great Patriotic war of 1941-1945.
Amelin Sergey Antonovich (1910-1955), guard soldier of the 66th guards rifle regiment, 23rd guards red banner infantry division of the 1st Belorussian front. In the red army from June 25, 1941. RVC aims Bolhovskogo Orel region. Served as a marksman rifle company, driving. Were injured, including two light. In battle on 12 August 1944 was seriously wounded.
In 1944, “for exemplary performance of command assignments at the front against the German invaders and displaying valor and courage” and “for the blood shed in the battles with German invaders” was awarded the medal “For courage”.
came to Berlin. For the feat April 23, 1945 was awarded the order of the red Star. 23 October 1945, he was awarded mealy “For the capture of Berlin”.
Larkin (Slepova) Nadezhda Ivanovna (1915-2003) was born in the village of shakhovo Red-Pecherskogo district of the Moscow region. July 2, 1941, mobilized into the red army Perovskim GVK Moscow region. Civil profession – specialist wheeled vehicles, produced in time of peace, have identified its way on the roads of war in the chauffeur.
Participated in the battles. After wounds and contusions 15 October 1942, continued his military service in the 127th separate sapper battalion.
Demobilized on 31 August 1945. For bravery, fortitude and courage in the fight against the Nazi invaders, was awarded the order of the Patriotic war II degree (№471255), medals”.
General Director of “MK-Service” Tatiana Savina:
“My grandfather, Savel’ev Ivan Ignatievich, was born in 1903 in Moscow region. Went to the front on 19 July 1941.
he Passed the way from Moscow to Berlin, was wounded, shell-shocked. Awarded order of the red Star, medals “For defense of Moscow”, “For liberation of Warsaw”, “For capture of Berlin”, “For victory over Germany in the great Patriotic war of 1941-1945”.
Head of security service Nikolay Bakunov:
“my mother’s Brother, Nikolai Grachev, was born in 1925 in the village of Pokrovskoe Cholovskogo district of Ryazan region.
In the army he was drafted in August 1943. Was wounded. In the fighting to expand the bridgehead on the left Bank of the Elbe river on 30 April 1945 showed bravery and courage in repelling counterattacks. Fire your machine gun and grenades destroyed two enemy emplacements and up to ten German soldiers and officers, contributing to the successful repelling of counterattacks. Awarded order of the red star.”
Head of legal Department, Valery Leonov:
“My grandfather – We George G. was born 23 February 1921, in Moscow. In 1939 after finishing school he entered the Peat Institute. In January 1940 he was drafted into the army. Participated in the Finnish war in Yaroslavl separate ski battalion as regimental arrow.
At the beginning of the great Patriotic war he served in the Moscow military district military unit No. 0584 Junior technician.
he Participated in combat operations as part of the 48-th separate mechanized battalion of the 46th railway brigade. He fought on the southwestern, Stalingrad, 3rd and 4th Ukrainian fronts. Served as a platoon commander, chief engineer. He participated in the battles for Stalingrad, where he was awarded the medal “For courage”.
my Grandfather told me such a case. In Stalingrad, fierce fighting. It was getting dark. On the main section supplying the front formirovalas the unloading of the trains with ammunition, equipment, fuel, was loading wounded. In the sky there was a Nazi aircraft. Alert! Flared tanks with fuel, there was a bomb threat the other tanks, wagons with ammunition. Grandpa unhook the burning tank on the composition, hitched a rope to the truck and pulled off into a ditch. It rose into the sky a column of flame, thick smoke, but the explosion was prevented. For this act he was awarded the medal��Yu “For courage”.
After the war, George We graduated from Higher technical school named after Bauman. He worked in military units, and research institutes. He defended his thesis.
In 1949 married. Wife Lyudmila Borisovna is a doctor. George G. and Lyudmila raised two children. They have four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. October 8, 2014 grandparents celebrated the 65th anniversary of the joint happy life. Grandpa died in 2017 at the age of 96 years.
among his awards – the order of the Patriotic war I degree, medals “For courage”, “For defense of Stalingrad”, “For victory over Germany” and many anniversary medals.
Military biography of his great-grandfather proud of my daughter. Here is an excerpt of her school essays.
“I want to bring to your attention the story of my great-grandfather koznova George G. below you can see the eyes of the beholder, what war is.
“I Remember, I was then still a Junior technician. We are with fellow soldiers was carrying a trainload of ammunition, when we were attacked (Nazi planes)… It was October 27, 1942. At Stalingrad, fierce fighting. Evening. On the main section supplying the front, on 408 kilometres of railway lines Urbach – Astrakhan, Ryazan-Ural railway there is a discharge of rounds of ammunition. In dark, smoggy sky appeared first Nazi plane. Alarm. The attack started. Suddenly broke out seven tanks with fuel. I immediately realized that the explosion can occur, threatening the entire structure. I with several comrades rushed to extinguish the raging fire. Through the smoke and the gloom could see nothing except a bright blazing flame, burning ammunition. Using rope we with soldiers with great difficulty pulls in a ditch burning tank. Nothing helps, fire invincible, as if he were the enemy dressed in this shapeless fierce flames and fights with us. Into the sky rises a column of gray smoke, if we don’t put out the fire now, we’re all doomed. At the same time with the black as pitch sky densely planted bombs. A headache, but you need to find the strength to fight on.
Finally the fire is extinguished. It’s over… it’s getting light. Everywhere heard a terrible and painful cries of wounded soldiers. Head is still not appeased, she as if not his own. I turn around, I don’t understand what just happened, you lose consciousness…
When I came to, I was in the hospital. Commanders reported that the structure remained intact, I was lucky to be alive. Some time later, I was awarded a medal “For courage”. Remember, all wondered how I managed to survive that fateful day. I, in truth, and I still don’t know how I survived…”.
After I heard this story, I was discouraged – how can a person be selfless and brave. And then I realized what we owe to the Veterans who served in the war. If not for their patriotism, courage, selflessness and courage, perhaps we would have now did not exist. Who knows how would the world be different if people did not possess the moral qualities and strength of will. You should always remember, the most precious thing we have in life is our Motherland, love our people and our family. Here is what you can really die!”
Read the story “Grandfather sent a postcard from the front on a piece of birch bark”: our Immortal regiment”
