Order of the Day, October 8, 1944

Issued by Marshal Stalin and addressed to Army General Bagramyan Troops of the First Baltic Front, with the support of troops of the Third Byelorussian Front, having gone over to the offensive from the area north-west and south-west of Shauliai (Shavli), broke through the heavily fortified enemy defences, and in four days offensive fighting, advanced up to 100 kilometres, widening the breakthrough up to 280 kilometres along the front.

During the offensive troops of the front captured the important strongpoints in the German defences Telsiai, Plungiany, Majeikiai, Triskiai, Tirskliai, Seda, Vormi and Kelmy, and also captured more than 2,000 otherpopulated places, including Papile, Pievenai, Nevarenai, Nerimdachai, Raundena, Kursianai, Kurtoviany, Sviakiany, Vitsodzi, Luk’iniki, Yanopol, Jorany, Medyngiany, Tvery, Povandemy, Jusefov, Ujventy, Koltyniany, Kroji, Savdyniki, Jozefovo, Stulgi, Bargaili, Nemokstay, Retovo, Illakiai, Derviany, Kovnatovo, Jemali, Veshviany, Leplavki, Eigirdjiai, Elki, Erjvilki and Vodjgiry. In the fighting for the breakthrough of the enemy defences, distinction was won by troops commanded by Col.- Gen.

Chistyakov, Lt.-Gen. Beloborodov, Lt.-Gen.

Chanchibadze, Lt.-Gen. Kreizer, Lt.-Gen. Lyudnikov, Maj.-Gen. Fedyukin, Lt.-Gen. Yermakov, Lt.-Gen. Lopatin, Lt.-Gen. Ksenofontov, Maj.-Gen. Arushbanyan, Maj.-Gen. Samarsky, Maj.-Gen. Ibyansky, Maj.-Gen. Chernikov, Maj.-Gen. Sedulin, Lt.-Gen. Missan, Maj.-Gen. Neverov, Lt.-Gen.

Bezuglov, Maj.-Gen. Oleshev, Maj.-Gen. Makaryev, Maj.-Gen. Kucheryavenko, Maj.-Gen.

Belyayev, Col. Druzhinin, Maj.-Gen. Yeremenko, Maj.- Gen. Kudry-avtsev, Maj.-Gen. Gorbachov, Col. Pryakhin, Maj.-Gen. Gryzlov, Col. Lozhkin, Maj.-Gen. Vlasov, Col. Maikov, Maj.-Gen. Stankevsky, Col. Sivankov, Col. Sobyanin, Maj.-Gen. Kvash-nin, Col. Bibikov, Col. Kozhanov, Col. Popov, Col. Klets and Col. Urbsas. Artillerymen commanded by Col.-Gen. of Artillery Khlebnikov, Lt.-Gen. of Artillery Bashanov, Lt.-Gen. of Artillery Milovsky, Lt.-Gen. of Artillery Makarov, Maj.- Gen. of Artillery Scheglov, Lt.-Gen. of Artillery Strelbitsky, Maj.-Gen. of Artillery Telegin, Maj.-Gen. of Artillery, Deresh, Maj.-Gen. of Artillery Belyakov, Maj.-Gen. of Artillery Samborsky, Maj.-Gen. of Artillery Stepanenko, Col. Chvykov, Col. Kapitonenko, Col. Lebedev, Col. Mironov, Col. Kuznetsov, Col. Skvortsov, Maj.-Gen. of Artillery Karsanov, Col. Dolgov, Col. Lukyanov, Col. Linkov, Col. Chaplin, Col. Zhezheruk and Col. Gaidukov. Tankmen commanded by Lt.-Gen. of Tank Troops Vassilyev, Lt.-Gen. of Tank Troops Vol-sky, Lt.-Gen. of Tank Troops Skornyakov, Lt.-Gen. of Tank Troops Butkov, Maj.-Gen. of Tank Troops Malakhov, Col. Volkov, Lt.-Gen. Koles-nikov, Col. Paramonov, Col. Sadovski, Col. Beryin, Col. Batalkin, Col. Feshenko, Col. Arkhipev, Col. Kutuzov, Col. Khrapovitsky, Maj.-Gen. of Tank Troops Lipatov, Col. Menshov, Maj.-Gen. of Tank Troops Yudin, Col. Stanislavsky, Lt.-Col. Pokolov, Col. Dolganov, Col. Yermakov, Lt.-Col. Kalinin and Col. Bespalov.

Airmen commanded by Col.-Gen. of Aviation Papivin, Col. Alexandrov, Col. Kuchma, Lt.-Gen. of Aviation Filin, Col. Kurbatov, Maj.-Gen. of Aviation Ivanov, Lt.-Gen. of Aviation Beletsky, Col. Plakhov, Col. Grashchenkov, Col. Stalin, Maj.-Gen. of Aviation Kitayev, Col. Fokin, Col. Rykachev, Lt.-Col. Strulik, Lt.-Col. Rybakov, Col. Prutkov, Lt.-Col. Ku-ryakin, Col. Chuchev and Maj.-Gen. of Aviation Molokov.

Sappers commanded by Lt.-Gen. of Engineering Troops Kosarev, Maj.-Gen. of Engineering Troops Kulinich, Maj.-Gen. of Engineering Troops Kolmakov, Maj.- Gen. of Engineering Troops Bryn-zov, Lt.-Col. Kuznetsov, Col. Stechishin, Col. Kucheruk and Col. Korotkov. Signallers commanded by Maj.-Gen. of Signal Troops Babkin, Maj.-Gen. of Signal Troops Bo-rovyagin, Col. Zakharov, Maj.-Gen. of Sognal Troops Kokorln, Maj.-Gen. of Signal Troops Sorokin, Col. Minin and Col. Kovalenko. To commemorate the victory, the units and formations which particularly distinguished themselves in the fighting for the breakthrough shall be recommended for the award of orders.

Today, October 8, at 22.30 hours (Moscow time), the capital of our Motherland, Moscow, in the name of the Motherland, will salute with 20 artillery salvoes from 224 guns our gallant troops of the First Baltic Front, which broke through the German defences.

For excellent military operations I express my thanks to all the troops under your command which took part in the fighting for the breakthrough of the enemy defences. Eternal glory to the heroes who fell in the struggle for the freedom and independence of our Motherland! Death to the German invaders!

J. Stalin

Marshal of the Soviet Union

Supreme Commander-in-Chief