ORDER

OF THE SUPREME COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

To Army General Yeremenko

To Army General Sokolovsky

The troops of the Kalinin Front, as a result of four days of fierce fighting, broke through the enemy's strongly fortified defence line, destroyed his long-prepared strongpoints Ribshevo, Verdino, Lomonosovo, Kulagino, and Pankratovo, and took by storm the most important strongpoint of the German defences on the approaches to Smolensk — the town of Dukhovshchina.

The troops of the Western Front, after stubborn fighting, broke the enemy's resistance and captured the important strongpoint of the German defences on the approaches to Smolensk — the town and railway station of Yartsevo.

Thus the strongly fortified, long-established German defensive line closing the so-called Smolensk Gates has been breached.

In the fighting for the liberation of the towns of Dukhovshchina and Yartsevo, the troops of Lieutenant-General Berzarin, Lieutenant-General Gluzdovsky, Lieutenant-General Golubev, the tankmen of Colonel Dremov, and the airmen of Lieutenant-General of Aviation Gromov and Major-General of Aviation Papivin distinguished themselves.

Those who especially distinguished themselves were:

The 91st Guards Rifle Division of Major-General Ozimin, the 17th Guards Rifle Division of Major-General Kvashnin, the 184th Rifle Division of Colonel Tsukarev, the 46th Mechanised Brigade of Colonel Manzhurin, the 47th Mechanised Brigade of Lieutenant-Colonel Mikhailov, the 21st Artillery Division of Major-General of Artillery Samborsky, the 4th Anti-Tank Artillery Brigade of Colonel Savlevich, the 4th Assault Engineer-Sapper Brigade of Lieutenant-Colonel Matuzas, the 306th Rifle Division of Colonel Kucheryavenko, the 134th Rifle Division of Major-General Dobrovolsky, the 234th Rifle Division of Colonel Turyev, the 178th Rifle Division of Major-General Kudryavtsev, the 185th Rifle Division of Major-General Andryushchenko, the 82nd Red Banner Rifle Division of Major-General Pisarev, the 274th Rifle Division of Colonel Shulga, the 359th Rifle Division of Colonel Kosolapov, the 233rd Assault Aviation Division of Lieutenant-Colonel Smolovik, the 123rd Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment of Major Dymchenko, the 2nd Guards Motorcycle Regiment of [Colonel] Polubotko, the 529th Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment of Lieutenant-Colonel Vyborov, the 72nd Engineer Battalion of Major Mosenzon, the 90th Independent Pontoon-Bridge Battalion of Major Semyonov.

To commemorate the victory won, the following designations shall be conferred upon the formations and units that especially distinguished themselves in the fighting to break through the strongly fortified German defensive line and in the liberation of the towns of Dukhovshchina and Yartsevo:

"Dukhovshchina" —

91st Guards Rifle Division,

17th Guards Rifle Division,

184th Rifle Division,

46th Mechanised Brigade,

47th Mechanised Brigade,

21st Artillery Division,

4th Anti-Tank Artillery Brigade,

4th Assault Engineer-Sapper Brigade;

"Yartsevo" —

82nd Red Banner Rifle Division,

274th Rifle Division,

359th Rifle Division,

529th Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment,

90th Independent Pontoon-Bridge Battalion,

72nd Engineer Battalion,

2nd Guards Motorcycle Regiment,

233rd Assault Aviation Division,

123rd Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment;

"Ribshevo" —

306th Rifle Division;

"Verdino" —

134th Rifle Division;

"Lomonosovo" —

234th Rifle Division;

"Kulagino" —

178th Rifle Division;

"Pankratovo" —

185th Rifle Division.

Henceforth these formations and units shall be named:

91st Guards Dukhovshchina Rifle Division,

17th Guards Dukhovshchina Rifle Division,

184th Dukhovshchina Rifle Division,

46th Dukhovshchina Mechanised Brigade,

47th Dukhovshchina Mechanised Brigade,

21st Dukhovshchina Artillery Division,

4th Dukhovshchina Anti-Tank Artillery Brigade,

4th Dukhovshchina Assault Engineer-Sapper Brigade,

82nd Red Banner Yartsevo Rifle Division,

274th Yartsevo Rifle Division,

359th Yartsevo Rifle Division,

529th Yartsevo Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment,

90th Yartsevo Independent Pontoon-Bridge Battalion,

72nd Yartsevo Engineer Battalion,

2nd Guards Yartsevo Motorcycle Regiment,

233rd Yartsevo Assault Aviation Division,

123rd Guards Yartsevo Bomber Aviation Regiment,

306th Ribshevo Rifle Division,

134th Verdino Rifle Division,

234th Lomonosovo Rifle Division,

178th Kulagino Rifle Division,

185th Pankratovo Rifle Division.

Today, 19 September, at 21:00 hours, the capital of our Motherland, Moscow, in the name of the Motherland salutes our valiant troops who broke through the German defences on the approaches to Smolensk and captured the towns of Dukhovshchina and Yartsevo, with twelve artillery salvoes from one hundred and twenty-four guns.

For excellent combat operations I declare my gratitude to all the troops under your command who took part in the fighting for Dukhovshchina and Yartsevo.

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

19 September 1943 [No. 17]