Pavel Batov
| Pavel Ivanovich Batov | |
|---|---|
Batov at the 1945 Moscow Victory Parade in Red Square
|
|
| Born |
June 1, 1897 Filisovo, Rybinsk region of Yaroslavl Province, Russian Empire |
| Died | April 19, 1985 (aged 88) Moscow, Soviet Union |
| Buried at | Novodevichy Cemetery, Moscow |
| Allegiance |
 Russian Empire (1915–1917) Soviet Union (1917–1965) |
| Years of service | 1915–1965 |
| Rank | General of the Army |
| Commands held | 9th Separate Rifle Corps 51st Army 3rd Army 4th Tank Army 65th Army |
| Battles/wars |
World War I Russian Civil War World War II |
| Awards |
 Cross of St. George (2) Order of Lenin (7) Order of the October Revolution Order of the Red Banner (3) Order of Suvorov, 1st Class (3) Order of Kutuzov, 1st Class Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky, 1st Class Order For Service to the Proletariat, 3rd Class Sign of Honour (2) |
| Other work | Chief of the Soviet Veterans Committee (1970-1981) |
Pavel Ivanovich Batov (Russian: Павел Иванович Батов; June 1 [O.S. May 20] 1897 – April 19, 1985) was a senior Red Army general during the Second World War and afterwards, twice Hero of the Soviet Union. Batov fought in World War I, where he was awarded the Cross of St. George twice. After being wounded in 1917, he was sent to a school in Petrograd and joined the Bolsheviks. He fought in the Russian Civil War and became an adviser with the XII International Brigade during the Spanish Civil War. During World War II, Batov commanded the 51st Army in the Crimea. In 1942 he became the commander of the 3rd Army and then the 4th Tank Army, which was renamed the 65th Army. Postwar, Batov commanded the Carpathian Military District.
Born at Filisovo in 1897, Batov began his military career during World War I. In 1915 he enlisted in a student command and then served as a scout in the 3rd Infantry Regiment of the Life Guards. During this service he displayed considerable bravery and was awarded with two Crosses of St. George and two lesser medals. After being wounded in action in 1917, he was assigned to an NCO school in Petrograd where political agitator A. Savkov brought him into the Bolshevik movement.
Batov served for four years in the Red Army during the civil war, initially as a machine gunner, and also as assistant military chief of the Rybinsk Military Committee, his first staff work. He was given command of a company in 1926, and was chosen to attend the Vystrel Officer's School the same year, where he met many future senior officers of the wartime Red Army. He joined the Communist Party in 1929. In 1927 Batov was promoted to command a battalion of the prestigious 1st Moscow Proletarian Rifle Division. He would serve in this unit for the next nine years, rising to command of the 3rd Regiment. His divisional commander in 1936 wrote:
...
Wikipedia