Description

Soviet Medal for Bravery #360540

Awarded to Private Dmitrij Timofeevich Sovik (Дмитрий Тимофеевич Савик)

For destroying a mortar and a machine-gun position and blasting away two enemy rowing boats which were trying to cross the river

Ground dug found in Ukraine

Made of solid silver. The medal itself measures 37.45 mm in diameter and 42.40 mm in height including the eyelet. It weighs 26.8 gram without its suspension and 41.4 gram with the suspension and nut. The eyelet is 5.88 mm in diameter and the suspension measures 25.14 mm in width at its narrowest point and 31.42 at its widest point.

In a nice, worn condition with all parts original. Its higher laying areas like the rivets on the side of the tank and the canons show medium to strong wear but a lot of details are still visible. Being a ground dug, almost all of the lacquer filling the lettering is lost and the medal shows some corrosion on its reverse and screwplate. Because of this corrosion the nut can’t be screwed off. The silver suspension is original to the medal and its connection ring has not been cut.

Brief and specific description of the personal feat or merits:

During the units combat tour of duty at the front line near the coal mine Tomasha on the night to 8th of June this year, the enemy unleashed an artillery strike. The shells were exploding near the front line and the whole area between the front line and the river Severnij Donets was in the enemy machine-gun and mortar cross fire. Commander of the anti-tank rile platoon gave combat order to private SOVIK to suppress a (rocket-?) Mortar, which laid fire in the sector of the platoon positions. Having advanced all the way to the river under the cover of darkness, SOVIK established a firing position for his (anti-tank?) rifle. He detected precisely the enemy position and, with 3 well placed shots, silenced forever both the mortar and its crew. At dawn, he promptly relocated to a new spot and destroyed another enemy firing position – a light machine-gun. Continuing his observation, he spotted two raw boats at the right river bank, which were prepared by the enemy for crossing. With two precise shots he set the boats ablaze and scattered an enemy group attempting to cross the river.

For courage and bravery during the defence operation, for destroying 2 enemy positions and 2 boats, he deserves state award medal “FOR COMBAT MERITS”.