Lot 71
Combat Medic’s Order of the Red Star to Senior Lieutenant Mitrofan Alekseevich Brosalin
Military Medals, Decorations and Orders On Land, at Sea, in the Air | E114
Auction: 7 September 2023 at 10:00 BST
Description
Russia – Soviet: An interesting Combat Medic’s Order of the Red Star to Senior Lieutenant Mitrofan Alekseevich Brosalin, 16th Artillery Division, General Headquarters Reserve, Chief Separate Supply Section, 2nd Ukrainian Front, for attending the wounded under aerial bombardment; he had seen service at Stalingrad, before going on to see fighting in the Korsun‑Cherkassy Offensive of January 1944, and finally during the Capture of Budapest in early 1945.
Comprising Order of the Red Star numbered 830394, good, very fine (1).
Mitrofan Alekseevich Brosalin was born in the village of Rozhd, Borisiglebsk Region, Voronezh Oblast in 1921; he served in the Red Army from 20th October 1941 onwards.
Brosalin’s first frontline action occurred on the Stalingrad Front 23rd August‑28th September 1942, when he was most likely wounded, as we then see a break in service until 20th February to 20th April 1943.
Between 20th May and 20th July 1943, he was attached to the Briansk Front, and from 20th July 1944 with the 2nd Ukrainian Front, with whom he won this Order of the Red Star, the citation for which is as follows:
‘Comrade Brosalin M A served with the active army from 1942. In combat situations, supplies and medical‑sanitary properties were always on time during the offensive battles of the division in the period 1943-44. On the Kirovogradsk, Umanskii direction, through the environment and times of the Korsun‑Shevchenkovsk operations of the enemy, he carried out energetic work. He not only provided for the health of the division, but during the midsummer nights, he evacuated the wounded.
During the night of 20th August 1944 at the time of the aerial bombardment, Comrade Brosalin, at the risk of his life, remained at his station, providing comfort to the wounded and providing first aid.
For continued energy and bravery in the provision of medical-sanitary supplies to the division, and for administering first aid to the wounded in spite of bombardment, Comrade Brosalin is recommended for the award of the Order of the Red Star.’
Signed by the Commander of the 540th Separate Medical Company, 16th Artillery ‘Kirovgradsk, Order of Red Banner’ Division, General Headquarters Reserve, Capital of Medical Services Shevkun.
Brosalin was later awarded a second Order of the Red Star on 23rd August 1946, the number on the Order being 204759. This is quite possibly a late issue of a Stalingrad award, the number being used around that time. Particularly with Brosanin being away from frontline duty between late September 1942 and February 1943, it is possible that he could not be found to be given the award, and thus it was only after the war that he received it. This was not uncommon within the Red Army, where individuals often found themselves switched between units at various times.
Brosalin appears to have seen frontline service up until early 1945, with his entitlement to the Medal for the Capture of Budapest, which was given to him in April 1946, and he was also entitled to a Medal for the Victory over Germany.
After the war, he is listed as student in a Pharmacological Institute, and was living at Apartment 5, House 8, Kislovskii Prospekt in the city of Moscow.
