During the First World War, several Knights of St. George appeared, each having five (!) crosses. Today I will mention only a few of them, although at least three more are not on this list!
This is a soldier's George of all 4 degrees (first on the left - fourth on the right, with bows 3 and first)
the so-called St. George's bow (the full bow included 4 more St. George's medals for bravery)
Officers' St. George's Crosses (everything is clear - which is which)
Scheme of correct wearing of officers' St. George's crosses
Ilya Vasilievich Volkov, repeatedly distinguished himself in battles during the war with Japan, and then during the First World War. His five St. George crosses are still kept in the family.
Hero's Crosses of St. George:
4th degree (No. 42701)
3rd degree (No. 86324) - received it not immediately... but after being wounded
already in the new part there is another cross of the 3rd degree (No. 117607)
2nd degree (No. 18654)
1st degree (No. 14357)
Another hero is the namesake of Ilya Vasilyevich, Avenir Nikolaevich Volkov, also received five St. George's Crosses.
Even during the Japanese War, he already had four degrees of decoration, and in the very first battles of the First World War he again distinguished himself and received the highest degree of the St. George Cross for the second time.
The third hero Petr Leonov, earned all five crosses during the German war.
Fourth hero: Zhidik Alexey Vasilievich, ensign of the 9th Hussars Kyiv Regiment.
Sub-ensign of the 9th Kyiv Hussar Regiment, in this regiment another one was a sub-ensign with 5 crosses.
There was another hero who received two first degree Georges in one day (two feats!) from the hands of Tsar Nicholas.
There was another one, I don’t remember the name... we have to dig and look :(
There were also heroes, full cavaliers, who received their 5th crosses with wreaths (for the fight against Soviet power) - in particular, there were two of them in the famous Kappel (Baikal) crossing in the winter of 1919.
There were also such cavalier heroes who, having received all 4 degrees of George, became officers and managed to also receive the officer George!
Here's one of them in the photo! full Knight of St. George, 4 crosses and 4 medals for bravery + officer's cross of the 3rd (?) degree
In the Foto Dmitry Ivanovich Mitaki (1892 - 1953)- Full Knight of St. George (awarded by Emperor Nicholas II in the Church of “Peter and Paul” in Bendery (Moldova), military intelligence officer, 19 wounds. Not all have been preserved in the Museum of the History of Moldova (now the Republic of Moldova), duplicates of his awards and several old photographs, numbers of medals “For Bravery”: No. 166722, No. 707194.
to his left: with 4 crosses and 2 medals P. I. Krizhenovsky
*sorry, Ramadan, for getting ahead of me.
I give you everything I have - your post will turn out better and of higher quality!
**I am checking information about the 6 crosses holders.
Infrequently, it was practiced to award the same degree of the St. George Cross several times. Thus, ensign of the Life Guards of the 3rd Infantry Regiment G.I. Solomatin was awarded two St. George Crosses of the 4th degree, two of the 3rd degree, one of the 2nd degree and two of the 1st degree.
The most complete hero in terms of soldier's crosses and St. George medals Salomatin, ensign of the Life Guards Rifle Regiment (born in 1893 (?), a total of 13 crosses and St. George medals
SEVEN St. George's crosses (4X2 + 3x2 + 2nd + 1x2 = 7!)
6 St. George medals? (2 in Japanese and 4 in World War I)
*** Next time I’ll tell you about 83 heroes who were presented (or even received) 4 (FOUR) Orders of Glory!
and about three who deserved this glorious order 5 (FIVE) times!!!
One of them is still a living fellow countryman of mine from the suburbs of Krasnoyarsk! (however, he only wears the 4 Orders of Glory that were awarded to him - someone in Moscow thought that he would already have a lot...)
But Nikolai Evgenievich Litvinenko is not sad about this... As well as about the fact that he still has not received the highest soldier’s rank of Sergeant Major, which he still deserved during the Second World War!
We are planning to organize a petition to the awards department so that the veteran is given his well-deserved third medal of the Order of Glory, 2nd degree.
Nedorubov Konstantin Iosifovich- Full Knight of St. George, Hero of the Soviet Union. In the history of our country, there were only three full Knights of St. George and at the same time Heroes of the Soviet Union: Marshal Budyonny, General Tyulenev and Captain Nedorubov.
The fate of Konstantin Nedorubov bizarrely resembles the fate of the hero of the Quiet Don, Grigory Melekhov. A hereditary Cossack, a native of a farm with the characteristic name Rubezhny (now part of the Lovyagin farm in the Volgograd region), he, along with other villagers, was drafted to the German front. There it quickly became clear that war, with all its horrors and passions, was the native element of the Don Cossack. 
He was awarded the first St. George Cross, 4th degree, for his heroism during one of the most difficult battles near the city of Tomashev. In August 1914, pursuing the retreating Austrians, despite hurricane artillery shelling, a group of Don Cossacks led by sergeant Nedorubov burst into the enemy battery and captured it along with servants and ammunition.
Konstantin Iosifovich received the second Cross of St. George in February 1915 for his feat during the battles for the city of Przemysl. On December 16, 1914, while on reconnaissance and exploring a populated area, he noticed enemy soldiers in one of the courtyards and decided to take them by surprise. Throwing a grenade over the fence, he gave the command in German: “Hands up, squadron, surround!” The frightened soldiers and the officer dropped their weapons, raised their hands and hurried out of the yard into the street. Imagine their surprise when they found themselves under the escort of a Cossack on horseback with a saber in his hand. There was nowhere to go: the weapons remained in the yard, and all 52 prisoners were escorted to the headquarters of the Cossack regiment. Scout K.I. Nedorubov, in full uniform, reported to the commander of his unit that, they say, he had been captured. But he doesn’t believe it and asks: “Where are the rest of the scouts? With whom did you capture the prisoners?” The answer is: “One.” Then the commander asked the enemy officer: “Who took you prisoner? How many were there? He pointed at Nedorubov and raised one finger.
The young Nedorubov received the third St. George Cross for distinction in battles in June 1916 during the famous Brusilov breakthrough (counteroffensive), where he showed selfless courage and courage. “His saber was not dry from the blood,” recalled the farm Cossacks who served in the same regiment with Nedorubov. And fellow countrymen from the farm jokingly suggested that he change his last name - from “Nedorubov” to “Pererubov”.
During three and a half years of participation in battles, he was wounded several times. He was treated in hospitals in the cities of Kyiv, Kharkov and Sebryakovo (now Mikhailovka).
Finally that war ended. Before the Cossack had time to return to his native farm, the Civil War broke out. And again the Cossack was caught up in the bloody whirlwind of fateful events. It was all clear on the German front, but here, in the feather grass of the Don and Tsaritsyn steppes, they fought their own against their own. Who is right and who is wrong - go figure...
And fate, in this confusion of thoughts and passions of the Cossack Nedorubov, like Grishka Melekhov, swung like a living pendulum - from red to white, from white to red... Unfortunately, this was a fairly typical situation for that confused and bloody time. Ordinary Cossacks, who had not read Marx and Plekhanov and were not familiar with the basics of geopolitics, could not understand who held the truth in this terrible civil strife. But even being on opposite sides of the barricades, they fought bravely - they couldn’t do it any other way.
At one time, Konstantin Iosifovich even commanded the red Taman cavalry regiment and took an active part in the famous defense of Tsaritsyn.
In 1922, when the flashes of war finally subsided and it became clear that Soviet power had come in earnest and for a long time, Nedorubov returned to the village in the hope of taking a break from the two wars he had experienced. But they didn’t really let him live peacefully - after eight years, the Cossack was finally repressed by commissars in leather jackets, recalling his service in both the White and Tsarist armies. Nedorubov was not at all surprised or broken by this.
“I’ve never been in such trouble before!” - the Knight of St. George decided for himself and “gave the country coal” during the construction of the Moscow-Volga canal. As a result, he was released early for shock work - this is according to the official version. According to the unofficial story, the camp authorities helped by carefully studying his personal file. Still, in all centuries, men of all tribes and peoples respected courage and bravery...
"Give me the right to die!"
When the Great Patriotic War broke out, Knight of St. George Nedorubov was no longer subject to conscription due to his age. By that time he was 53 years old.
But in July 1941, a squadron of Cossack militia began to be formed in the Don villages.
Together with his old combat friend Sutchev, Konstantin Iosifovich resolutely headed to the regional executive committee: “Give me the right to use all my combat experience and die for the Motherland!” At first the regional executive committee was dumbfounded, then they became inspired. And they appointed the Knight of St. George as the commander of the newly formed Cossack squadron (only volunteers were recruited into it).
But then, as the Cossacks say, one problem “stuck in”: his 17-year-old son, who had not reached conscription age by that time, “hung” on his father’s shoulders. Relatives rushed to dissuade Nikolai, but he was adamant. “Remember, son, you will not be given any favors,” was all Nedorubov Sr. said. - I will ask you more strictly than experienced Cossacks. The commander’s son should be the first in battle!” So the third war came into the life of the Cossack Nedorubov... And also a world war - like the first.
In July 1942, after the breakthrough of German troops near Kharkov, a “weak link” was formed along the entire stretch from Voronezh to Rostov-on-Don. It was clear that it was necessary at all costs to restrain the advance of the German armies to the Caucasus, to the coveted Baku oil. It was decided to stop the enemy at the village of Kushchevskaya, Krasnodar Territory.
The Kuban Cavalry Corps, which included the Don Cossack Division, was thrown towards the Germans. There were no other regular units on this section of the front at that time. The unfired militias were opposed by selected German units, intoxicated by the successes of the first months of the war.
There, near Kushchevskaya, the Cossacks fought bone-to-bone with the Germans, forcing them into hand-to-hand combat at every opportunity. The Germans, however, did not like hand-to-hand combat, but the Cossacks, on the contrary, loved it. This was their element. “Well, where else can we celebrate Christ with the Hans, except in close combat?” - they joked. Periodically (unfortunately, not very often) fate gave them such an opportunity, and then the battle site was littered with hundreds of corpses in gray overcoats...
Near Kushchevskaya, the Donets and Kubans held the defense for two days. In the end, the Germans' nerves burst and, with the support of artillery and aviation, they decided to launch a psychic attack. This was a strategic mistake. The Cossacks brought them within grenade throw distance and met them with heavy fire. Father and son Nedorubov were nearby: the elder was spraying the attackers with a machine gun, the younger was sending one grenade after another into the German line.
It’s not without reason that they say that bullets fear the brave – despite the fact that the air was buzzing with bullets, not a single one of them touched the shooters. And the entire space in front of the embankment was strewn with corpses in gray overcoats. But the Germans were determined to go to the end. In the end, skillfully maneuvering, they were able to get around the Cossacks on both sides, squeezing them into their “trademark” pincers. Having assessed the situation, Nedorubov once again stepped towards death. “Cossacks, forward for the Motherland, for Stalin, for the free Don!” – the lieutenant’s battle cry tore the villagers, who were lying under the bullets, from the ground. “The poor man and his son again went to seek his death, and we flew after him,” surviving colleagues recalled about that famous battle near Kushchevskaya. “Because it was a shame to leave him alone...”
The militia fought to the death. The sons followed the example of their fathers, who looked up to the commander. They believed him, respected his combat experience and endurance. Years later, in his letter to the head of the “Battle of Stalingrad” department of the State Defense Museum I. M. Loginov, Nedorubov, describing the battle near Kushchevskaya, noted that when he had to repel superior enemy forces on the right flank of the squadron, he was with a machine gun, and the son used hand grenades “to fight an unequal three-hour battle in close proximity to the Nazis.” Konstantin Nedorubov many times stood up to his full height on the railway line and shot the Nazis at point-blank range. “In three wars, I have never had to shoot an enemy. I myself could hear my bullets clicking on Hitler’s heads.”
In that battle, together with their son, they destroyed more than 72 Germans. The fourth cavalry squadron rushed hand-to-hand and destroyed more than 200 German soldiers and officers.
“If we hadn’t covered the flank, it would have been difficult for our neighbor,” recalled Konstantin Iosifovich. - And so we gave him the opportunity to retreat without losses... How my boys stood! And Kolka’s son showed himself to be a great man that day. I didn't drift away. Only after this fight did I think that I would never see him again.
During the frantic mortar attack, Nikolai Nedorubov was seriously wounded in both legs, arms and other parts of the body. He lay in the forest for about three days. Women were passing not far from the forest plantation, and they heard a groan. In the dark, the women carried the seriously wounded young Cossack to the village of Kushchevskaya, and sheltered him for many weeks.
“Cossack conscientiousness” cost the Germans dearly at that time - in that battle the Donets crushed over 200 German soldiers and officers. Plans for the squadron's encirclement were mixed with dust. The commander of the group, General Field Marshal Wilhelm List, received an encrypted radiogram signed by the Fuhrer himself: “Another Kushchevka will be repeated, you will not learn to fight, you will march in a penal company through the Caucasus Mountains, period.”
"We hallucinated the Cossacks..."
This is exactly what one of the German infantrymen, who survived the battle near Maratuki, wrote in his letter home, where Nedorubov’s Don forces managed to achieve the desired hand-to-hand combat and, as a result, as at Kushchevskaya, slaughtered over two hundred German soldiers and officers in close combat. For the squadron, this figure became a trademark. “We can’t lower the bar lower,” the Cossacks joked, “so why aren’t we Stakhanovites?”
“Nedorubovtsy” took part in raids on the enemy in the area of the Pobeda and Biryuchiy farms, fought in the area of the village of Kurinskaya... According to the Germans who survived the horse attacks, “it was as if a demon had possessed these centaurs.”
The Don and Kuban people used all the numerous tricks that were accumulated by their ancestors in previous wars and were carefully passed on from generation to generation. When the lava fell on the enemy, there was a prolonged wolf howl in the air - this is how the villagers intimidated the enemy from afar. Already within the line of sight, they were engaged in vaulting - they spun in their saddles, often hanging from them, pretending to be killed, and a few meters from the enemy they suddenly came to life and broke into the enemy’s position, slashing right and left and creating a bloody heap there.
In any battle, Nedorubov himself, contrary to all the canons of military science, was the first to get into trouble. In one battle, he managed, in official military language, “using folds in the terrain to secretly get close to three enemy machine gun and two mortar nests and extinguish them with hand grenades.” During this, the Cossack was wounded, but did not leave the battlefield. As a result, the height, studded with enemy firing points, sowing fire and death around them, was taken with minimal losses. According to the most conservative estimates, Nedorubov himself personally destroyed more than 70 soldiers and officers during these battles.
The battles in the south of Russia did not pass without a trace for the guard of Lieutenant K.I. Nedorubova. Only in the terrible battles near Kushchevskaya he received eight bullet wounds. Then there were two more wounds. After the third, difficult one, at the end of 1942, the conclusion of the medical commission turned out to be inexorable: “Unfit for military service.”
During the period of hostilities, Nedorubov was awarded two Orders of Lenin, the Order of the Red Banner and various medals for his feats. On October 26, 1943, by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council, Knight of St. George Konstantin Nedorubov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. “Our Konstantin Iosifovich related the Red Star to the Cross of St. George,” the village residents joked about this.
Despite the fact that during his lifetime he became a living legend, Cossack Nedorubov never acquired any special benefits or assets for himself and his family in peaceful life. But on all holidays he regularly put on the Golden Star of the Hero along with four Crosses of St. George.
The sub-horunzhi of the 1st Don Cossack Division, Nedorubov, with his attitude towards awards, proved that power and the Motherland are completely different things. He did not understand why it was impossible to wear royal awards received for victories over a foreign enemy. About the “crosses” he said: “I walked in this form at the Victory Parade in the front row. And at the reception, Comrade Stalin himself shook hands and thanked him for his participation in two wars.”
On October 15, 1967, a participant in three wars, Don Cossack Nedorubov became part of a torch-bearing group of three veterans and lit the fire of Eternal Glory at the monument-ensemble to the heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad on the Mamayev Kurgan of the hero city of Volgograd. Nedorubov died on December 11, 1978. He was buried in the village of Berezovskaya. In September 2007, in Volgograd, in the memorial historical museum, a monument to the famous hero of the Don, full Knight of St. George, Hero of the Soviet Union K.I. Nedorubov. On February 2, 2011, in the Yuzhny village of the hero city of Volgograd, the grand opening ceremony of the new state educational institution “Volgograd Cadet (Cossack) Corps named after Hero of the Soviet Union K.I. Nedorubova."
You can write a lot or nothing about the soldier's "Yegory". It’s better not to write anything - just look at the faces of these people. The same Budyonny was awarded not even four - FIVE "Georges", non-commissioned Zhukov - two. And under Stalin, no one ever officially equated them to anything, allowed them, or legitimized them. They simply wore it “in private,” which no one ever stopped them from doing. On the contrary, they enjoyed legitimate respect in the army.
The awards were not numbered, but lists were kept. The most common is the 4th degree, received by more than 1.2 million soldiers.
Below in full size and with explanations.
About the St. George Cavalier below. This photograph is interesting precisely in combination with the portrait of Stalin. Which many falsely accuse of an instinctive rejection of any crosses. The demonstration after 1945 and, of course, before the death of Stalin.
A unique veteran, Konstantin Vikentievich Khrutsky, on Red Square.
Participant in the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-1878. In this photo from 1963, he is only 112 years old, but he lived for another 4 years.
on his chest he has the Order of Georgiy Dimitrov, the Order of the Badge of Honor, and the medal “40 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR.” Well, he is dressed in a specially tailored uniform of a Bulgarian militia.
Edrenkin Grigory Dmitrievich. During the First World War he fought as part of the Russian expeditionary force in France and was awarded the French Croix de Guerre. In the second photo /below/ the French cross is already without ribbon, just sewn on.
Here is a break in the pattern for stupid anti-Sovietists - and George, and a foreign award from the imperialists, and was abroad, and does not hide crosses - where was the NKVD looking?
Also awarded medals “For Courage”, for victory over Germany, Japan, “For Valiant Labor in the Great Patriotic War”
Lunch of the Knights of St. George at the People's House of Nicholas II.
/Comments are posted above the photo/. George hangs from the soldier next to the Order of the Red Star, without a ribbon, apparently just sewn on. The photo may be from 1944-45.
1947, Riga. The cross of a participant in the liberation of Prague, a guard major, is privately made, called “Kuchkinsky”. That is, it was received at the end of the First World War.
The most famous St. George Knight of the Great Patriotic War. Having a “full bow”, he also became a Hero of the Soviet Union.
Nedorubov Konstantin Iosifovich 21. 5. 1889 - 13. 12. 1978
1944, Leningrad.
The guardsman has the Order of the Red Star, Glory III degree, two medals “For Courage” and the St. George Cross IV degree.
The sergeant-major still wears a cross on an old block. The time of the photograph was the winter of 1943 or after it, but not earlier.
Writer, playwright, war correspondent Vsevolod Vishnevsky on the steps of the Reichstag, May 1945.
The photo seems all the more terrible because on his chest, along with a cross, he has two medals “For Bravery”, on the obverse of which is the profile of Nicholas II.At the same time, his Soviet awards are modestly represented by bars, but those from the Tsarist period are presented in all their glory.
Doctor. What is noteworthy is that on the chest is the Military Order of St. George, IV class - “Officer George”.
Matushkin was awarded the Order of St. George, 4th degree - order on civilian ranks No. 37 of July 31, 1916, being acting. senior doctor of the 21st Siberian Rifle Regiment for the battle on August 1, 1915.
People's Hero of Yugoslavia and awarded seven orders of the USSR Alexander Teolanovich Manachadze with his uncle Semyon Dmitrievich Manachadze
On the clergyman’s chest, a full bow peacefully coexists with the medal “For Valiant Labor in the Great Patriotic War” with the profile of I.V. Stalin. And nothing.
Sailor from the cruiser "Varyag".
For this battle, the Soviet government awarded its participants the medal "For Courage".The last medal is like the clergyman's.
The photo was taken between 1975-1978.Among the Soviet awards, the medal "For Courage" and two "For Military Merit"
The year is 1949. Three “fake” crosses to replace the lost ones.Cavalier - Mikhail Eremenko.It is he who walks under the portrait of Stalin in the first photo.
Cavalier - Mikhail Kazankov. "When the artist painted Mikhail Kazankov, he was 90 years old. Every wrinkle of his stern face glows with deep wisdom. He had the opportunity to participate in three wars: the Russian-Japanese (1904-1905), the First World War (1914-1918), the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945). And he always fought bravely: in the First World War he was awarded two Crosses of St. George, for the fight against German fascism he received the Order of the Red Star and several medals."
Volkov Daniil Nikitich. Order of the Red Banner - for the Civil War.
After the revolution, he served in the armored vehicle division named after Ya. M. Sverdlov of the Cheka - OGPU. Received the Order of the Red Banner in civilian life. After being wounded and having his leg amputated, he was demobilized.
Unknown. The photo is exactly before 1965.
Khizhnyak Ivan Lukich. Late 40s.
Until 1975.
Both gentlemen - George and the son full of the Order of Glory.Father and son Vanachi from the village of Lykhny, Gudauda region of Abkhazia.
At that time, Temuri Wanachi was 112 years old.
Samsonov Yakov Ivanovich. 1876-1967. Four crosses and four medals
Kruglyakov Timofey Petrovich. From 1965 to 1970.
Kuzin Pavel Romanovich. Until 1948.
The photo was taken after 1965 and probably before 1970.This cavalier defended the Caucasus and traveled well across Europe during the Great Patriotic War, took Budapest and Vienna, and liberated Belgrade. And of course Romania and Bulgaria.
Awarded the medal "For Military Merit".
Life Guards Lithuanian Regiment non-commissioned officer Karl Golubovsky, for takingcity of Plevna, November 28, 1877, his block
Kuzma Petrovich Trubnikov. Period 1965-1970.
Kuzma Petrovich Trubnikov was born on October 27 in the village of Gatishche, now Volovsky district, Lipetsk region. In the Russian army since 1909. He served in the Semenovsky regiment. During the First World War, he was a platoon non-commissioned officer, then a junior company officer, head of a team of foot reconnaissance officers, and lieutenant. Knight of four soldiers' St. George's Crosses. In the Red Army since 1918. During the Civil War he commanded a platoon, then a company, battalion, regiment, and rifle brigade. In 1927 he graduated from KUVNAS at the Military Academy named after M. V. Frunze. Commanded a regiment and division.In June 1938 he was arrested and until February 1940 was under investigation by the NKVD. At the end of March 1940, he was reinstated in the ranks of the Red Army.and directed to teaching. A month after the start of the Great Patriotic War, K. P. Trubnikov was appointed commander of the 258th Infantry Division of the 50th Army of the Western Front, which took part in defensive battles near Orel, Bryansk and Tula. From November 1941 he commanded the 217th Infantry Division of the same army. For skillful management of division units during the defense of Tula, he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. From June 1942 - deputy commander of the 16th Army, and from October - deputy commander of the Don Front. He was directly involved in the organization and control of troops in the Battle of Stalingrad. Since February 1943, deputy commander of the Central Front. From April to September - commander of the 10th Guards Army, which participated in the liberation of the city of Yelnya. In September 1944, he was appointed deputy commander of the 1st Belorussian Front, and soon deputy commander of the 2nd Belorussian Front. At the Victory Parade of 1945, Colonel General Trubnikov led the combined regiment of the 2nd Belorussian Front. After the war, deputy and assistant commander-in-chief of the Northern Group of Forces. Retired since 1951. Awarded 2 Orders of Lenin, 5 Orders of the Red Banner, Orders of Kutuzov 1st and 2nd degree, Suvorov 2nd degree, 2 Orders of the Red Star, medals, as well as foreign orders and medals. Kuzma Petrovich Trubnikov died on January 16, 1974 in Moscow. On May 9, 2010, a monument in honor of Colonel General Trubnikov was unveiled in the village of Volovo, Lipetsk region.
Nikitin Sergey Nikitovich, military pilot. Republican (Khorezm) Order of the Red Banner.
Well, that's it and he law-abidingly replaced the screw Orders of the Red Banner of the RSFSR with all-Union ones.
Top photo from 1975 to 1978.
Vladimir Nikolaevich Gruslanov (1894 - 1981). Born in the city of Buynaksk in Dagestan. Father is a mountaineer, a Muslim, mother is a Kuban Cossack. In early childhood he lost his father and mother, was raised by his aunt, then in an orphanage. In 1914, with the declaration of war, he volunteered for the front, serving in the Caucasian Cossack troops and in regimental intelligence. For courage in battles he was awarded four Crosses of St. George, a silver dagger with the inscription “To the dashing scout St. George Cavalier, junior officer of the 3rd Sunzhensko-Vladikavkaz Cossack Regiment Vladimir Gruslanov from the centurion Prince A. Aliyev. Derbent, December 25, 1916." and promoted to lieutenant. In 1917, he was elected a member of the regimental committee, joined the Bolshevik Party, and was elected a member of the Military Revolutionary Committee of the 4th Army. In 1918, he volunteered for the Red Army and served through the Civil War as a commander of mounted reconnaissance. Awarded a saber in a silver frame with the inscription: “For Soviet power. In memory of the soldiers and commanders. 1920." In 1941 he again volunteered for the front. He fought near Leningrad, on the Nevsky patch. He was wounded three times, liberated the Baltic states and Poland, and reached Berlin. After the war, he worked in Leningrad, at the Museum of the Great October Socialist Revolution (now the State Museum of Political History of Russia). Famous writer, bibliophile and bonist.
Captain Vladimir Gruslanov with battery soldiers at the ceremony of sending the Victory Banner to Moscow. On Gruslanov's chest there are USSR awards and four St. George's Crosses. Berlin, Tiergarten park, May 1945.
Among the awards of the full Georgievsky Cavalier Gurslanov was a silver Caucasian dagger with the inscription “To the dashing scout Georgievsky Cavalier, junior officer of the 3rd Sunzhensko-Vladikavkaz Cossack Regiment Vladimir Gruslanov from the centurion Prince A. Aliev. Derbent, December 25, 1916."
After the introduction of the Order of Glory into the system of Soviet awards, which was in many ways similar in ideology to the “soldier’s George,” an opinion arose to legitimize the old award. There is a known letter addressed to the Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars and the State Defense Committee I.V. Stalin from a professor at VGIK, a former member of the first Military Revolutionary Committee for Aviation of the Moscow Military District and Knight of St. George N.D. Anoshchenko with a similar proposal:
“...I ask you to consider the issue of equating b. St. George cavaliers, awarded this order for military exploits committed during the last war with the damned Germany in 1914-1919, to the cavaliers of the Soviet Order of Glory, since the statute of the latter almost completely corresponds to the statute of the b. Order of George and even the colors of their order ribbons and their design are the same.
By this act, the Soviet government will first of all demonstrate the continuity of the military traditions of the glorious Russian army, the high culture of respect for all heroic defenders of our beloved Motherland, the stability of this respect, which will undoubtedly stimulate both the b. St. George's cavaliers, as well as their children and comrades, to perform new feats of arms, for each military award pursues not only the goal of equitably rewarding the hero, but it should also serve as an incentive for other citizens to perform similar feats.
Thus, this event will further strengthen the combat power of our valiant Red Army.
Long live our great Motherland and its invincible, proud and brave people, who have repeatedly defeated the German invaders, and are now successfully defeating them under your wise and firm leadership!
Long live the great Stalin!”
Professor Nick. ANOSCHENKO 22.IV.1944
A similar movement ultimately resulted in a draft resolution of the Council of People's Commissars:
DRAFT DECREE OF THE USSR Council of People's Commissars
April 24, 1944 In order to create continuity in the fighting traditions of Russian soldiers and pay due respect to the heroes who defeated the German imperialists in the war of 1914-1917, the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR decides: 1. Equate b. cavaliers of St. George, who received the Cross of St. George for military exploits performed in battles against the Germans in the war of 1914-17, to the cavaliers of the Order of Glory with all the ensuing benefits. 2. Allow b. St. George's cavaliers wear a pad with an order ribbon of the established colors on their chest. 3. Persons subject to the effect of this resolution are issued an order book of the Order of Glory marked “b. St. George Knight", which is formalized by the headquarters of military districts or fronts on the basis of the submission of relevant documents to them (genuine orders or service records of that time)
This project did not become a real resolution.
St. George's Standard of His Majesty's Life Guards Cuirassier Regiment. 1817
St. George's Cross with a laurel branch, which was awarded by decision of the lower ranks to officers who distinguished themselves in battle after February 1917.
Soviet military leaders were full holders of the soldier's St. George Cross: A. I. Eremenko, I. V. Tyulenev, K. P. Trubnikov, S. M. Budyonny. Moreover, Budyonny received the St. George Crosses even 5 times: the first award, the St. George Cross of the 4th degree, Semyon Mikhailovich was deprived by the court for assault on his senior rank, the sergeant. Again he received the 4th degree cross. on the Turkish front, at the end of 1914. St. George's Cross, 3rd class. was received in January 1916 for participation in the attacks near Mendelij. In March 1916, Budyonny was awarded the 2nd degree cross. In July 1916, Budyonny received the St. George Cross, 1st degree, for leading 7 Turkish soldiers from a sortie behind enemy lines with four comrades.
Future marshals each had two crosses: non-commissioned officer Georgy Zhukov, lower rank Rodion Malinovsky and junior non-commissioned officer Konstantin Rokossovsky.
The future Major General Sidor Kovpak, during the Great Patriotic War, was the commander of the Putivl partisan detachment and the formation of partisan detachments of the Sumy region, which later received the status of the First Ukrainian Partisan Division.
Maria Bochkareva became a famous Knight of St. George during the First World War. In October 1917, she was the commander of the famous women's battalion guarding the Winter Palace in Petrograd. In 1920, she was shot by the Bolsheviks.
The last Knight of St. George awarded on Russian soil in 1920 was 18-year-old sergeant P.V. Zhadan, for saving the headquarters of the 2nd Cavalry Division of General Morozov. Zhadan, at the head of a squadron of 160 sabers, scattered the cavalry column of the Red Divisional Commander Zhloba, which was trying to escape from the “bag”, directly towards the division headquarters.
For centuries, there was no higher military honor in Russia than the "Knight of St. George"
The Military Order of St. George - "St. George's Cross" and its sign were given only for real courage on the battlefield. People who received this symbol of valor enjoyed universal respect and honor. “For service and courage” was the motto of the Order of St. George. In February 1807, an insignia was added to the order to reward soldiers and non-commissioned officers. The history of this order, the only one given in Russia only for military merit, turned out to be closely connected with the fate of the country...
On November 24, 1769, summonses were sent throughout St. Petersburg, in which it was reported that on the 26th “the first day of the establishment of the Imperial Military Order of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George will be celebrated at the Court of Her Imperial Majesty, and for this purpose on that day in the morning at the eleventh hour to gather for The court of Her Imperial Majesty, noble persons of both sexes and gentlemen, foreign ministers, ladies in robes, gentlemen in colored dresses, all military personnel, should be in scarves and uniform and await the Divine Liturgy at the end of it and the prayer singing and other spiritual ceremony, upon leaving the church. , these persons have to offer congratulations to Her Imperial Majesty, and in the afternoon at the usual time there will be a ball and dinner for the four first classes of both sexes and foreign ministers."
Catherine II entered the ceremonial chambers in the order's clothes and, after the dedication of the order - as the founder and grandmaster - placed on herself the insignia of this order of the 1st degree, establishing an order holiday for this day.
The image of St. George on a military order was not accidental.
According to his life, Saint George subdues the serpent with words and the cross, but in Greece and among the Slavic peoples there is a tradition that he does this primarily by force of arms. This is where the duel depicted on the icons comes from. This is also where the tradition of considering St. George as the patron saint of warriors comes from. Since ancient times in Rus' there has been a spiritual verse about Yegor the Brave, in which Saint George is the organizer of the Russian Land. Since the first centuries of Christianity in Rus', the name St. George was given to members of grand-ducal families: thus, in 968, Prince Yaroslav was named George. After the victory over the Pechenegs in 1036, Yaroslav founded the monastery of St. George in Kyiv and commanded throughout Rus' to “create a feast” of St. George on November 26.
Since the time of Yaroslav, the image of St. George has already been found on the grand ducal seals. Since Dmitry Donskoy, St. George is considered the patron saint of Moscow. Somewhat later, his image became part of the state emblem and remained there until 1917. Since 1728, the image of St. George has been placed on Russian banners.
The statute of the order was announced on November 27. When it was established, the Order of St. George was divided into four classes or degrees, and it was commanded that “this order should never be removed” and “those granted by this order shall be called Knights of the Order of St. George.”
The four degrees of the order had different signs. The first degree of the large cross: a ribbon worn over the right shoulder under the uniform, a large cross and a quadrangular gold star to be worn on the left side of the chest, which had the inscription “For service and bravery.” The order of the first class was extremely honorable and rare. For example, the highest order of Russia - the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called - from the moment of its establishment until 1917, more than a thousand people were awarded, and the first degree in almost one hundred and fifty years of its existence was given to only 25 people. In the 18th century, the Order of St. George, 1st degree, was awarded, excluding Catherine II, only eight times: to Field Marshal Count P.A. Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky in 1770 for the victory over the Turkish army at Larga, General-Chief Count A.G. Orlov-Chesmensky in 1770 for the destruction of the Turkish fleet in Chesme Bay, General-Chief Count P.I. Panin in 1770 for the capture of the Bendery fortress, general-in-chief Prince V.M. Dolgorukov-Krymsky in 1771, the conquest of Crimea, Field Marshal General Prince G.A. Potemkin-Tavrichesky in 1788 for the capture of Ochakov, General-Chief Count A.V. Suvorov-Rymniksky in 1789 for the victory at Rymnik, general-in-chief Prince N.V. Repnin in 1790 for the victory over the Turks at Machin, Admiral V.Ya. Chichagov in the same year for the victory over the Swedish fleet.
The awarding of the Order of St. George, 1st degree, to foreign military leaders dates back to the era of the Patriotic War of 1812. The first of them to receive the order was the former Marshal of Napoleon, then the Crown Prince of Sweden, and subsequently the King of Sweden Bernadotte in 1813. In the same year, 1813, Prussian Field Marshal G.L. received first degree for the victory in the “Battle of the Nations” over Napoleon at Leipzig. Blücher and the Austrian K. Schwarzenberg. The following year, the English Field Marshal A. Wellington also received the order for the victory at Waterloo.
The last awards of the Order of the 1st degree date back to the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-1878, when it was received by the Grand Dukes - semi-nominal commanders-in-chief in the European and Caucasian theaters of military operations. By this time, the first degree reflected political realities more than military merit. By this time, the Order of St. George, II degree, had long been considered the highest and most honorable order, honorable for genuine military leaders who did not play complex political games.
According to the statute of 1769, the sign of the II degree of the grand cross consisted of the same cross on the neck and a star, that is, without a ribbon over the shoulder. This order was also extremely rare and therefore doubly honorable. During the century of its existence - 1769-1869 - it was given only 117 times.
The first to receive the second degree were Generals Plemyanikov and Baur, who were recognized for their heroism in the Battle of Larga. Soon after Plemyanikov and Baur, N. Repnin received the second degree for the capture of the Kiliya fortress.
The third degree of the order was a smaller cross than the first two degrees. Hence the expression about cavaliers of the 1st and 2nd degrees - holders of the Grand Cross. I wore this cross around my neck. The first knight of the third degree was Lieutenant Colonel Fabritian, who received the order for the capture of the Turkish city of Galati on November 11, 1769. In general, he was the first Knight of St. George - after Grandmaster Catherine II.
The Turks, concentrating forces at Galati numbering about 7,000 people under the command of Seraskir Mehmet, attacked the detachment of Lieutenant Colonel Fabritian, numbering 1,600 people. Fabritian repelled the attack and went on the attack himself. Having completely defeated the Turks during the battle, he occupied Galati, for which, upon the establishment of the order on November 26, 1769, he was awarded the first St. George Cross, III degree, on December 8 of the same year.
At first, such awards were not uncommon - bypassing the lower degree, they were immediately given a higher one. So, Alexander Vasilievich Suvorov (on the picture) He also immediately received the third degree and therefore did not become a full Knight of St. George, although he later received both the first and second.
In total, there were about 600 cavaliers of the third degree over the century of the order’s existence. From the very beginning, this degree was given to generals and staff officers, that is, senior officers, and since 1838 it became possible to receive it only to those who already had the lowest fourth degree.
The fourth degree was, like the other degrees, a white quadrangular cross with equal ends with an image of St. George inscribed in its center, killing a serpent with a spear, but of a smaller size, intended to be placed not on the chest, but in the buttonhole. The first knight was Prime Major R. Patkul, granted on February 3, 1770. In total, during the first century, 2,073 Russian officers and 166 foreigners were awarded the Order for military distinction.
In addition to the direct award of the order, its holders, according to their status, had a number of advantages: in addition to the acquisition of hereditary nobility, each recipient was automatically promoted to the next rank. Upon retirement, holders of the order had the right to wear a uniform, even without serving the ten-year period required for this; they could depict the St. George Cross on their coats of arms, monograms and seals. They were entitled to a special annual pension.
Cavaliers of the order had the right to enter the “court and all public celebrations” of the order of the first two degrees with major generals. In 1833, they were equated to the most privileged part of the guard - the cavalry guards. According to the order of the 3rd and 4th degree - with colonels, “at least they were in the ranks of colonel and below.”
The period from 1769 to 1833, when the new statute was adopted, dates back to the awarding of all four of its degrees. There have only been four such recipients in Russian history. The first of them was Field Marshal Prince Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov-Smolensky. He received the fourth degree of the order back in 1774 for his victory over the Tatars near the village of Shumy, between Sudak and Yalta. Third degree - in 1789 for participation in the capture of the fortresses of Akkerman and Bendery. Second degree - in 1791 for active participation in achieving victory over the Turkish army and Machin. And the first degree - December 12, 1812 to commemorate the expulsion of Napoleon from Russia.
The names and surnames of the Knights of St. George were immortalized by inscribing them on marble plaques both in the St. George Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow and in the educational institutions in which they were educated. In the St. George's Hall, lists of gentlemen began to be kept in 1849. The Duma itself was initially located in Chesma at the Church of John the Baptist, where it had a house, an archive, a press and a special treasury, and since 1811 the place of its meetings became the St. George Hall of the Winter Palace.
As already noted, by decree of February 13, 1807, the insignia of a military order was added to the Order of St. George to reward soldiers and non-commissioned officers for bravery against the enemy.
This badge was acquired only on the battlefield. Their number was not limited. According to the original status, holders of the badge, consisting of a silver St. George's Cross, worn on an order ribbon, were entitled to a one-third increase in addition to the usual salary. In addition, the holder of the sign was excluded from the tax-paying class, and from now on corporal punishment could not be applied to him without trial.
The insignia had no degrees, and therefore, if a soldier who had already been awarded the cross once performed a new feat, he was only entitled to a new increase of a third, and for another one - a full salary. This extra salary remained with him until his death. According to the statute of 1833, soldiers and non-commissioned officers who had already been awarded the cross, upon performing a new feat, could wear it on a St. George ribbon with a bow.
At first, the badge was not numbered, but in 1809, Alexander I ordered that a list of those awarded be compiled and serial numbers put on their awards.
In 1843, new benefits were established for cavalier soldiers. In addition to those already available, this time they were exempted from corporal punishment not only without trial, but also in court, being equal to those who had a silver lanyard for voluntary renunciation of the officer rank.
The insignia of the military order was never removed, even if the recipient was promoted to officer. But if, as an officer, he accomplished a new feat and was awarded the officer’s military order of St. George, then he was obliged to remove the insignia of this order.
Until the end of the Eastern, Crimean War, the insignia had no degrees. They were introduced by a new statute in 1856. Four degrees were established: I – golden cross with a bow; II – the same cross without a bow; III – silver cross with a bow; IV – silver cross without bow. The signs complained from the lowest to the highest degrees. The highest degrees, bypassing the lower ones, were awarded upon the accomplishment of a particularly outstanding feat. The commanders-in-chief of armies and commanders of individual corps had the right to award the badge, with subsequent approval of their decisions by the emperor.
With the passage of the statute of 1856, the old numbering of signs ended. New four-degree ones began a separate numbering. From now on, an officer awarded the Officer Order of St. George was also allowed to wear the badge.
The new statute, like the 1833 statute for the officer's order, went into great detail about who was worthy of this award. True, in contrast to the military order, the insignia provided for a two-fold award: “1) when one of the lower ranks showed special personal courage and 2) when a particular regiment or other team was especially distinguished in action.”
In general, the criteria for awarding soldiers were similar to the statute of the military order - “For the ground forces and the navy in general: 1) Whoever, when capturing a ship, battery, retrenchment or other fortified place occupied by the enemy, will encourage his comrades with an example of excellent courage and fearlessness; 4) Whoever takes an enemy staff officer or general prisoner in battle; 6) Whoever, after being wounded, returns to his command at the battlefield with full weapons and ammunition, will remain in action until the end of the battle, especially for the ground forces: 1) Who, during the assault of a fortress, retrenchment or other fortified place, will be the first to ascend the rampart or fortified place; 2) Who, after all the officers are out of action, taking command and maintaining order between the lower ranks, will remain at the post during an enemy attack; , or will force the enemy out of a lodgement, abatis, or some fortified place. By artillery: 1) Whoever knocks out an enemy gun with a single shot and thereby completely stops the action of it. By fleet: 2) Who will be the first to board an enemy ship during boarding; 8) The entire crew on the fireship, which will cause significant harm to the enemy."
If a regiment or team distinguished itself in any battle, then two to five crosses were awarded per company or squadron. They were distributed among the companies by a council consisting of staff officers and company commanders. Awards were made on the basis of the presentation of company commanders or according to the general certificate of all soldiers of a given company who witnessed the distinctions of their comrades. This is how the award ceremony took place during the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-1878 in the Caucasian Cossack Brigade, according to the memoirs of war participant V.V. Voeikova: “...four crosses were sent to each hundred. The hundred commanders gathered hundreds and told them to choose the worthy themselves. Based on their votes, they chose more worthy people than there were crosses. Then the chosen ones were put in a row, and the hundred went to the right, one at a time, behind them, and everyone threw a hat to the one he found worthy. It was, so to speak, a closed ballot. Then everyone’s hats were counted, and whoever had more, the Cossacks shook their happy comrades and could not calm down for a long time.”
As you can see, the award criteria were strict, and yet in the Russian army there were many soldiers awarded the St. George Cross. Thus, during the war with Napoleon, 41,722 people were awarded, during the Russian-Persian War and the Russian-Turkish War of 1826-1829 - 11,993, for the Polish Campaign of 1831 - 5888, for the Hungarian Campaign of 1849 - 3222, for the Caucasian War until 1856 year - 2700, for the Eastern War (1853-1856) - 24150, for the Caucasian War (1856-1864) - 25372, for the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-1878 - 46000, for campaigns in Central Asia - 23000, for the Russian -Japanese war - 87,000.
According to the new statute of 1913, the insignia of the military order was officially transformed into the St. George Cross, established “for lower military ranks as a reward for outstanding feats and selflessness rendered in battle against the enemy.” While maintaining the criteria of the 1856 statute, the new one correlated them with the development of military technology that occurred during this time. Examples of feats and provisions for awards, as before, were grouped by type of weapon in the ground forces and navy. What was new was that from now on the Cross of St. George was awarded to those soldiers and non-commissioned officers who died having accomplished a feat, that is, the award, like the Order of St. George, was henceforth carried out posthumously.
The new statute established that from now on the St. George Cross is awarded exclusively for personal exploits on the battlefield and, moreover, only for the award of the closest superiors.
"Century" recently published an article about the full Knight of St. George - Hero of the Soviet Union, Army General I.V. Tyulenev. Ivan Demyanovich Podolyakin was also a full Knight of St. George (on the picture), he received the first of his crosses for saving the regimental banner.
Along with individual St. George awards, there were also collective St. George awards, awarded to entire units for courage and heroism shown in battles. The first St. George's banners were awarded to the grenadier regiment - the 6th Tauride and the 8th Moscow for the 1799 campaign. At the same time, two infantry regiments were also noted - the 25th Smolensk and the 17th Arkhangelsk. The first Trumpets of St. George were given for the war with Turkey in 1810 also to the 8th Moscow Grenadier Regiment and the 12th Starodub Dragoon Regiment...
Special for the Centenary
How many heroes, whose names have sunk into Eternity, the Russian land has given birth to! One of them is the Don Cossack Konstantin Iosifovich Nedorubov, a full Knight of St. George, who received a saber with a dedicatory inscription from the hands of Budyonny himself. This brave man was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union long before the end of the Great Patriotic War. His Gold Star adorned his chest near the royal crosses...
On the Rubezhnoye farm
Konstantin Nedorubov was born in the late spring of 1889 on the Rubezhny farm in the Berezovskaya village (today it is a village in the Volgograd region), which was then indicative. More than two and a half thousand people lived there and included four hundred households. There were two factories here - a brick factory and a leather factory. There was a parochial school, several medical stations, a savings bank, a telegraph office and a justice of the peace.
Kostya studied at a local school, learning to read and write, count and the Law of God. But he gave preference to simple Cossack science - horse riding and the ability to wield weapons, which was considered a tradition in Cossack villages. Later it turned out that he later needed these skills more than theology.
Full Cavalier
In January 1911, Nedorubov was called up to serve in the cavalry regiment of the First Don Cossack Division, which was stationed in the village of Tomashov, Lublin province. At the beginning of the First World War, Konstantin had the rank of sergeant and supervised the formation of regimental reconnaissance officers. It was then that he was awarded the first St. George Cross, breaking into a German location with his personal platoon and taking them prisoner along with their full ammunition.
He received the second "George" in 1915, going alone on reconnaissance near Przemysl. It was there that the constable went out to the farm, where he found himself next to the sleeping Austrians. The desperate warrior, without waiting for help, threw a grenade into the yard and started shooting, shouting the only German phrase he knew, “Hende Hoch.” The sleepy enemy was sure that he was surrounded. So one Russian hero, thanks to his resourcefulness, captured an officer and 52 soldiers of the enemy army and brought them to his regiment.
Nedorubov was awarded the third cross in 1916 after the famous Brusilov breakthrough, having shown courage and courage in battles.
And Konstantin Nedorubov received the golden “George” 1st degree when, together with his comrades, he broke into the headquarters of an enemy division, captured a German general and captured important documents. He completed the First World War with the rank of sergeant, becoming not only a full Knight of St. George, but also earning two more awards for courage.
Combat commander
The Civil War was not only a difficult test for many, but also completely changed their worldview. Nedorubov did not miss this either. Until the summer of 1918, he did not join either the Reds or the Whites. However, he soon joined Ataman Krasnov’s regiment. Literally a month later, Konstantin was captured. They didn’t shoot him; the Bolsheviks didn’t throw away such experienced military personnel, but tried to convince him. Then Nedorubov made a decision that determined his entire future fate. He “changed color” and became the leader of a squadron of a cavalry division.
The division of Mikhail Blinov, under whose command the former White Guard was now, heroically proved itself at the hottest spots of the front. For his participation in the defense of Tsaritsyn, which went down in history, Budyonny personally awarded Nedorubov with a personalized saber. For showing heroism in battles with Wrangel, the Cossack was awarded red revolutionary riding breeches. He was also nominated for the Order of the Red Banner, but he never had to add it to other awards: the award order was canceled due to his past service in the tsarist army.
The Civil War left in the hero’s memory not only the deaths of his comrades, blood and hardships, but also a bullet lodged in his lung, which he carried for the rest of his life.
In the camps
Returning victorious from the second war, Nedorubov began, as they said then, to improve agriculture. He was appointed foreman of the collective farm, but Konstantin did not have to lead for long. He was accused of abuse of office for allowing collective farmers to take the grain left after sowing for food. They also unfairly attributed the theft of equipment. He was sentenced to 10 years and sent to build the Moscow-Volga canal.
And here, in Dmitrovlag, the Cossack distinguished himself - he worked with enthusiasm and very conscientiously. The construction was completed ahead of schedule, and Nikolai Yezhov personally accepted the results. Nedorubov was granted amnesty and released after three years in prison.
Spellbound
Konstantin Iosifovich was already in his sixth decade when the Great Patriotic War began. Not only was he not subject to conscription due to his age, but his candidacy was rejected for his criminal record and service in the tsarist army. Then he turned to the secretary of the district committee, who, under his own responsibility, helped Nedorubov go to the front.
For the courage shown during the capture of the village of Kushchevskaya in October 1943, the brave Cossack was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
In this battle, Nedorubov’s son Nikolai received more than a dozen wounds and was left lying on the battlefield, covered with earth, next to the dead. Three days later, village residents accidentally discovered him, hid him in the cellar and went out. But then my father didn’t know about it yet. He continued to drive the enemy from his native land.
Konstantin Iosifovich fought in battles in Ukraine, Moldova, Romania and Hungary. He was repeatedly wounded and was discharged in 1944.
After going through so many wars, this man of amazing will remained alive - it was not for nothing that his fellow soldiers called him “the charmed one.” Moreover, he has not forgotten how to enjoy life and forgive injustice. The world rests on such people.
It is of great interest today. Real heroes.