34th Guards Rifle Div., Capture of Vienna

Hi Mark,
Thank you very much for the link to the Russian archive, it seems to be full of very good information and maps. I will need to try and transcribe some of it into a translation program and see what it says. Failing that, I will speak to a few people at work who might either speak Russian or know people that do as this will help.

Hucks216,
Thanks for the book recommendation, I will follow that up and have a look. It sounds very interesting.

Temujin,
Thanks for all of your efforts. You have found a similar level of information to what I was finding.
Many thanks

 

Suggest you look at a contemporary 1945 era map. The citation makes more sense then.

The action occured right in the heart of Vienna old town not on the river Danube. Lots of bridges to choose from but the centre line of the corps advance went over Marlen Brucke and Schweden Brucke. However, you should also consider Aspern Brucke, Salztor Brucke and Augarten Brucke.

 

On 11 April, 105th Gds Rifle Regiment are reported as being at/in "335 Quarter and Eastern Church".

The 335 Quarter will only be decipherable if you have one of the original Red Army battlemaps with all their codes attached.

However, the "Eastern Church" smacks of the Greek Orthodox Church sitting almost on top of the Marlen and Schweden bridges.

 

Hi Mark,
That's great information, thank you very much. Looking at what you have found and also your links to maps on the Russian site, it has all helped to make sense of what is recorded in his Citation. I have also been looking at the same locations today via Google Street View, the fighting must have been very heavy in that area as a lot of the buildings look very modern.
Very many thanks once again for all of you help.

 

War diary for 105th Rifle Regiment

Память народа::Поиск документов частей

Go to page 75 in the wee box to jump to 11 April.

 

Hi Mark,
Amazing, just need to try and translate it now!
Many thanks, that is great.

 

A search for Pyotr Antonovich Romanenko on the part of the website commemorating their "heroes", this comes up

Романенко Петр Антонович :: Память народа

He had some other baubles and trinkets to wear as well.

If you don't already have it, you can download and print off the original write up of the decoration.

 

Hi Mark,
I will need to compare that with what I already have to see if there is anything new to add. From my file I know he had the medals for the Capture of Vienna, Victory over Germany and also the Order of the Red Star. Is there any other awards listed?
Many thanks.