—— The Snipers’ Rally ——111launching military competition for extermination of the German
invaders, the exemplary fulfilment of commissions to destroy
enemy personnel and machinery, and the valour and courage
demonstrated in the course of this... I award!’ he singled out
this verb, made a big pause, looked out into the hall and, after
this, loudly announced, ‘the Order of Lenin – to Deputy Political
Adviser Babin, Alexander Vladimirovich.’
The deputy head of the Front’s general staff held out a little red
casket and an equally red booklet to Comrade Zhdanov, who had
been standing there all this time between the presidium table and
the rostrum. Andrey Alexandrovich looked out into the hall and
said, ‘I call on Comrade Babin to come up for the presentation.’
Alexander Babin climbed up onto the stage and walked up to
Comrade Zhdanov, shook the hand extended to him, and with
his other hand took the red casket from Andrey Alexandrovich’s
hands. The, turning to the audience, he loudly and distinctly
pronounced the words: ‘I serve the Soviet Union!’ The hall exploded
in applause.
Following Babin the other named recipients proceeded to walk
up to the presidium table one by one in alphabetical order. In ninth
place was our Tambov Young Communist League representative,
Yuri Semyonov. All in all, we counted twelve people awarded the
Order of Lenin. Five of them were soldiers of our 21st Division.
‘Order of the Red Banner!’ the general once again solemnly
proclaimed and began to name the recipients. They got up from
their seats and headed for the table, red in the face from agitation
and embarrassment.
But not all of them went up to the presidium table; many of
them were still being treated for wounds. Vladimir Dudin, our
sergeantmajor and sniper, had the Order of the Red Banner
presented to him in his hospital ward on the very same day. Others
had perished, knowing neither of this solemn occasion or their
own award.
And now the Order of the Red Banner was presented to Ivan
Dobrik, while Ivan Karpov also emerged with the same award.