Order of the Day, September 16, 1943

Issued by Marshal Stalin and addressed to Army General Rokossovsky Our troops of the central front, continuing their offensive, successfully forced the River Desna, and to-day, September 16, captured in fighting the large centre of resistance of the German defences on the line of that river, the town of Novgorod-Sever sky. Thus the defences previously prepared by the Germans on the western bank of the River Desna have been broken as a result of skilful and decisive operations by the troops of the central front. In fighting for the forcing of the River Desna and the liberation of the town of Novgorod-Seversky, troops under Lieutenant-General Romanenko, Lieutenant-General Batov and Lieutenant-General Pukhov distinguished themselves. In the fighting for Novgorod-Seversky, the following troops particularly distinguished themselves: The 102nd Far East Infantry Division (Major-General Andreyev), the 140th Siberian Infantry Division (Major-General Kiselev), the 162nd Infantry Division (Major-General Panifolov), the 478th Mortar Regiment (Lieutenant-Colonel Ostapenko), the 120th Antitank Regiment (Lieutenant-Colonel

Dmitryev), the 94th Guards Mortar Regiment (Lieutenant-Colonel Kovalenko), the 235th A.A. Artillery Regiment (Major Popov), the 14th Engineering Sapper Brigade (Lieutenant-Colonel Gaber), and the 321st : Engineering Battalion (Major Popov). To commemorate the victory these formations and units will be awarded the title of Novgorod-Seversky troops.

Henceforth they are named: The 102nd Novgorod-Seversky Far Eastern Infantry Division, the 140th Novgorod-Seversky Siberian Infantry Division, the 162nd Novgorod-Seversky Infantry Division, the 478th Novgorod-Seversky Mortar Regiment, the 120th Novgorod-Seversky Antitank Regiment, the 94th Guards Novgorod-Seversky Mortar Regiment, the 235th Novgorod-Seversky Artillery Regiment, the 14th Novgorod-Seversky Engineering Sapper Brigade, and the 321st Novgorod-Seversky Engineering Battalion. In addition, in the battles for the forcing of the river Desna, there distinguished themselves the 69th Red Banner Sevsk Infantry Division (Major-General Kazakov), the 37th Guards Infantry Division (Colonel Usnakov), the 37th Infantry Division (Major-General Yelshin), the 73rd Infantry Division (Major-General Smirnov), the 137th Infantry Division (Major-General Antonov), the 8th Infantry Division (Colonel Gus), the 74th Infantry Division (Major-General Kazayan), the 6th Independent Artillery Regiment (Major Shiskin), the 1168th Heavy Artillery Independent Regiment (Major Agarkov), the 6th Independent Engineering Sapper Brigade (Colonel Ostapov), the 7th Assault Engineering Sapper Brigade (Lieutenant-Colonel Bagach), the 9th Independent Pontoon-Bridge-Building Battalion (Lieutenant-Colonel Shklyar), the 49th Independent Pontoon-Bridge- Building Battalion (Major Pavlov), and the 60th Independent Pontoon Bridge-Building Battalion (Major Federov). For the successful forcing of the River Desna, the commanders of the formations and units which distinguished themselves are recommended for the award of the Order of Suvarov.

To-day, September 16, at 22.00, the capital of our Motherland, Moscow, in the name of the Motherland, salutes with 12 artillery salvoes from 124 guns our gallant troops which successfully forced the River Desna and liberated the town of Novgorod-Seversky. For their excellent military operations, I express my gratitude to all the troops under your command which took part in the fighting to force the River Desna and in the liberation of the town of Novgorod-Seversky. Eternal glory to the heroes who fell in the fight for the freedom and independence of our Motherland!

Death to the German invaders!

J. V. Stalin

Supreme Commander-in-Chief

Marshal of the Soviet Union