ORDER

OF THE SUPREME COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

To Army General Rokossovsky

The troops of the Central Front, having broken through the strongly fortified defensive line of the enemy in the area of Sevsk, in a swift offensive on August 30 captured the cities of Glukhov and Rylsk and entered Northern Ukraine.

In the fighting for the liberation of the cities of Sevsk, Glukhov, and Rylsk from the German invaders, the Guards tankmen of Lieutenant-General of Tank Forces Korchagin, the tankmen of Major-General of Tank Forces Rudchenko, the troops of Lieutenant-General Chernyakhovsky, Lieutenant-General Batov, Lieutenant-General of Tank Forces Bogdanov, and the airmen of Lieutenant-General of Aviation Rudenko distinguished themselves.

In honour of the victory achieved, the designations listed below shall be awarded to the divisions, tank, and artillery formations that most distinguished themselves in the fighting at Glukhov, Rylsk, and Sevsk:

"Glukhov" —

70th Guards Red Banner Rifle Division,

226th Rifle Division,

23rd Tank Brigade,

1st Guards Artillery Division [of Breakthrough];

"Rylsk" —

121st Rifle Division,

112th Rifle Division;

"Sevsk" —

69th Red Banner Rifle Division,

60th Rifle Division,

103rd Tank Brigade,

43rd Mechanized Brigade,

255th Independent Tank Regiment,

68th Cannon Artillery Brigade,

100th Red Banner Heavy-Power Artillery Brigade,

and these formations shall henceforth be named:

70th Guards Red Banner Glukhov Rifle Division,

226th Glukhov Rifle Division,

23rd Glukhov Tank Brigade,

1st Guards Glukhov Artillery Division [of Breakthrough],

121st Rylsk Rifle Division,

112th Rylsk Rifle Division,

69th Red Banner Sevsk Rifle Division,

60th Sevsk Rifle Division,

103rd Sevsk Tank Brigade,

43rd Sevsk Mechanized Brigade,

255th Sevsk Independent Tank Regiment,

68th Sevsk Cannon Artillery Brigade,

100th Red Banner Sevsk Heavy-Power Artillery Brigade.

On behalf of the Motherland, our capital, Moscow, today, August 31, at 20:30, salutes our valiant troops who have liberated the cities of Glukhov, Rylsk, and Sevsk with twelve artillery salvoes from one hundred and twenty-four guns.

For the excellent combat operations and skilful manoeuvring, I declare my gratitude to all the troops under your command who participated in the fighting at Sevsk, Glukhov, and Rylsk, and first and foremost to:

the 70th Guards Red Banner Glukhov Rifle Division of Colonel Gusev,

the 226th Glukhov Rifle Division of Colonel Petrenko,

the 1st Guards Glukhov Artillery Division [of Breakthrough] of Major-General of Artillery Godin,

the 23rd Glukhov Tank Brigade of Colonel Demidov,

the 121st Rylsk Rifle Division of Major-General Ladygin,

the 112th Rylsk Rifle Division of Colonel Gladkov,

the 69th Red Banner Sevsk Rifle Division of Colonel Kuzovkov,

the 60th Sevsk Rifle Division of Colonel Bogoyavlensky,

the 103rd Sevsk Tank Brigade of Lieutenant-Colonel Khalayev,

the 43rd Sevsk Mechanized Brigade of Major-General Barinov,

the 255th Sevsk Independent Tank Regiment of Lieutenant-Colonel Mukhin,

the 68th Sevsk Cannon Artillery Brigade of Colonel Vasilyev,

the 100th Red Banner Sevsk Heavy-Power Artillery Brigade of Colonel Kuznetsov,

the 6th Guards Rifle Division of Major-General Onupriyenko,

the 322nd Rifle Division of Colonel Lashchenko,

the 150th Independent Tank Brigade of Lieutenant-Colonel Ugryumov,

the 1178th Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment of Lieutenant-Colonel Pegov,

and the airmen of the aviation formations of Lieutenant-General of Aviation Denisov, Major-General of Aviation Antoshkin, Major-General of Aviation Karavatsky, Colonel Komarov, and Colonel Buzylev.

Eternal glory to the heroes who fell in the struggle for the freedom and independence of our Motherland!

Death to the German invaders!

Supreme Commander-in-Chief

Marshal of the Soviet Union I. STALIN

August 31, 1943 [No. 7]