Order of the Day of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief
11 April 1944
[No. 105]

ORDER

OF THE SUPREME COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

To Army General Yeremenko

The troops of the Independent Maritime Army, having launched an offensive, broke through the heavily fortified enemy defences on the Kerch Peninsula and today, 11 April, captured the city and fortress of Kerch — an important strongpoint of the German defences on the eastern coast of the Crimea — and advanced up to 30 kilometres west of Kerch.

In the fighting for the breakthrough of the enemy defences and for the capture of the city and fortress of Kerch, distinction was won by the troops of Major-General Rozhdestvensky, Major-General Shvarev, Major-General Provalov; the artillerymen of Major-General of Artillery Sokolsky, Major-General of Artillery Degtyarev; the tankmen of Colonel Dergunov; the airmen of Colonel-General of Aviation Vershinin, Lieutenant-General of Aviation Yermachenko; the sappers of Major-General of Engineer Troops Pilipets; and the sailors of Rear-Admiral Gorshkov, Lieutenant-Colonel Yablonsky.

In commemoration of the victory achieved, the formations and units that distinguished themselves most in the fighting for the breakthrough of the enemy defences and for the liberation of Kerch shall be recommended for conferment of the designation "Kerch" and for award of orders.

Today, 11 April, at 22:00 hours, the capital of our Motherland, Moscow, on behalf of the Motherland, will salute the valiant troops of the Independent Maritime Army, who broke through the enemy defences and captured the city and fortress of Kerch, with twenty artillery salvoes from two hundred and twenty-four guns.

For excellent combat operations I declare my gratitude to the troops under your command who took part in the breakthrough of the enemy defences and in the fighting for the liberation of Kerch.

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

Death to the German invaders!

Supreme Commander-in-Chief

Marshal of the Soviet Union I. STALIN

11 April 1944 [No. 105]