Order of the Day, September 19, 1944

Order of the Day, addressed to Army-General Bagramyan, announces that troops of the First Baltic Front, passing over to the offensive, supported by massed blows of the artillery and air force, broke through the strong, deeply echeloned enemy defences south-east of the city of Riga, and in four days offensive fighting advanced up to 40 kilometres, widening the breakthrough to 120 kilometres along the front.

During the offensive the troops of the Front captured important strongpoints of the Germans defences – Bauska, Ietsava and Vecmuizha and Jaunjelgava and Tekava on the Western Dvina River – and also in the fighting captured more than 2,000 other populated places.

The Order mentions 82 commanders of troops,
artillerymen, tankmen, airmen, sappers and signallers whose units and formations have distinguished themselves. A salute of 20 salvoes was fired from 224 Moscow guns.